Do little things as though they were great,
because of the majesty of Jesus Christ who does them in us,
and who lives our life:
and do the greatest things as though they were little and easy,
because of His omnipotence.
- Blaise Pascal -
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Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine!
Intel Wants Brain Implants in Its Customers' Heads by 2020
(The scary thing is that some people are already looking forward to something like this. Read the comments.)
If anyone lives around this areas it would be interesting to hear Andrew Strom.
(1) MENOMONIE, WI. (Near MN border) - Dec 2-3, 2009.
SPEAKER: Andrew Strom (both nights).
VENUE: EconoLodge, Jct of Hwy I-94 and Hwy 25,
[Exit 41], Menomonie, WI 54751.
TIME: 7pm both nights- Wed + Thurs (Dec 2-3).
CONTACT: Christa - 715-235-4488.
(2) APPLETON, WISCONSIN. - Dec 11-12, 2009.
SPEAKERS: Andrew Strom + Joie Pirkey.
VENUE: Cornerstone Chapel, 233 N. Appleton St.
Appleton, WI 54911.
TIME: 7pm both nights (Dec 11-12).
(3) CANTON, OHIO - Dec 15-17, 2009. (THREE NIGHTS).
SPEAKERS - David Servant and Andrew Strom.
VENUE: Simpson United Methodist (-Fellowship hall),
4900 Middlebranch Ave NW, Canton, Ohio 44705.
TIME: 7pm on all 3 nights (Dec 15, 16, and 17).
CONTACT: Linda - 330-685-1475 -OR- Evie - 330-492-9922.
(3) ADDED: DETROIT, MI. - Sat Dec 19th (One night only).
SPEAKER: Andrew Strom.
VENUE: The Clubhouse, 1568 Charter Oak Dr., Rochester Hills,
MI 48309.
TIME: 7pm on Sat Dec 19. (One night only).
CONTACT - Paul - 810-241-9233.
(4) ST LOUIS - Wood River, IL - Sun Jan 3rd, 2010. (-Two meetings).
SPEAKER: Andrew Strom.
VENUE: Restoration Gospel Lighthouse, 87 Marguerite,
Wood River, IL 62095.
TIME: 10am & 6:30pm (-Both on Sun Jan 3rd).
CONTACT: Steve - (618) 887-4018 - OR CELL - (618) 541-8986.
For each meeting, entry is NO CHARGE.
We very much look forward to seeing you at these meetings if you
can make it, my friends. It is wonderful to be back in North America
again.
God bless you all!
Andrew Strom.
Has anyone taken a look at the Manhattan Declaration? Here's what Ravi Zacharias says about it. Ravi's statement on the Manhattan Declaration
I haven't read it yet, but I think I will like it.
A friend of a friend felt the Lord lay this idea for a website on her heart. Crunch Time America by Rhea WilsonWith the economic crisis looming amongst us, there are few people who have not been adversely affected. With financial experts giving dim forecasts of what is to come within the next few years, some of us are making major adjustments in our lifestyles to accommodate losses of incomes. With household debts, job lay-offs and home foreclosures reaching an all time high across America, we are in desperate need for one solution we might have overlooked...To increase our faith and trust in God...
Anne, I not only read the declaration, I signed it. Using my real name and city, so the feds know where to come and pick me up.
Also, I ran across this picture on a blog site: Sarah Para Bellum. You can find a full-sized image of the graphic here. And for further historical references, here's a link to the original "Rosie the Riveter" by Norman Rockwell.
(If you're as confused as I was, here's an essay that clears up the confusion between "Rosie the Riveter" and "We Can Do It.")
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I ran across this article ('Interview with an Exorcist'. Normally I'd pass it by, but earlier this week I went to see "Paranormal Activity".
If I didn't know anything about the supernatural, I'd find it a lot scarier. As it was, though, I kept wanting to scream at the guy, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!? LISTEN TO YOUR GIRLFRIEND! NO, DO NOT CHALLENGE THE DEMON! DO NOT TALK TO IT! WHAT??? A OUIJA BOARD? WHY DON'T YOU JUST DOUSE YOURSELF WITH KEROSENE AND START PLAYING WITH MATCHES???
So, all in all, I found it very interesting but not scary. Except for the very last frame. The very last frame made me scream.
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Lisa, read it, signed it... I know a few folks planning safe homes who are NOT signing for obvious reasons.
I was asked by a close friend of this Jupiter family affected by the shooter that we pray specifically "Michael is found soon."
He mustered enough courage to kill his twin sisters, neice and mom, so he may have gone off to take care of others that have "done him wrong." After he shot his family he declared he'd waited 20 yrs to do that.
Makayla's parents are doing as well as can be expected. They are celebrating her life however short it may have been.
Jan Markell on the Manhattan Declaration
Jim C.,
I signed the Manhatten Declaration too with my real name and city. I'd be honored to be your cell mate.
I read what Jan Markell had to say. I think she was gracious and fair but I have to say, I am troubled by folks who refuse to sign it lest they be associated with Catholics, Orthodox, and people from other denominational backgrounds whom they have determined can't be brothers in Christ.
We don't get to heaven based upon some doctrinal litmus test. I believe that those who are in Christ are saved. We come to Christ and abide in Christ through faith. Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.
1 John 4:1-6
1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
I firmly believe that the Manahattan Declaration was written in and by the Spirit of truth and stands boldly against the spirit of falsehood spoken of by John.
Ok, this is too funny. God, I do believe, sent me a reminder with today's God's Daily Promises.
I was just whining to Mac yesterday that America needs a Christian Militant group! Like the Black Panthers or similar.
(I was kidding btw (kinda) )
God was saying to me - "um, excuse me, read this!" LOL
How do you respond to those who seek to hurt you?
"Love your enemies! Do good to them! Lend to them! And don't be concerned that they might not repay. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to the unthankful and to those who are wicked! You must be compassionate, just as the Father is compassionate."
Luke 6:35-36 NLT
The sign of a loving heart
"Our enemies are out to hurt us. They want to steal from us, cheat us, and do evil against us. Yet Jesus says we are to be kind to them. What is his point? We reflect—or should reflect—God to the world, and God is kind—even to the unkind, the ungrateful, and those whom we consider to be "hopeless" cases. Kindness is based on the love we have for others, not the love others deserve.
Kindness is the sign of a loving heart, one of the greatest of all virtues. A kind person is pleasant, good, gracious—always appreciated. There's a lot of talk these days about "random acts of kindness." Maybe this is because we live in a society starved for good deeds. God is our model for kindness. The kindest act ever committed was God's sending his own Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that we might live forever in heaven. God also showers us with kindness each day, sending sunshine and rain, food and friends, comfort and encouragement, boundless love and wisdom.
Jim G, you may find this link interesting. Lots of links to both Arminian and Calvinist sites.
Arminian Today
Nice post, DF.
Testing the genuineness of our faith
Thanks Mac,
I had the site bookmarked but hadn't visited it for some time though. Good stuff;-)
Here's one I recently read that you might enjoy.
Insightful perspective on the topic from a Baptist Patsor
About the author:
I’ve been a Christian since 1993. I’ve been married for 15 years to my faithful, and beautiful wife Dr. April Phillips Boone. I’ve been the Senior Pastor of Enon Baptist Church in Marshall, N.C. for 11 years. I’m graduating this December from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lousiville, KY, with a Masters of Divinity in Theology, concentration in Pastoral Studies. I hope and pray God uses this sight to hallow His name and further His kingdom.
Jim C.,
That Norway prophecy is really something. It was penned that long ago & now our society reflects just what she said.
Lisa,
I think the fact that both of those prophecies were given so long ago is what makes them so plausible now. It was nonsense to imagine Norway being a major oil producer in 1937. Now that that nonsense has come to pass, what else is going to happen?
Here's a prophetic vision that was given on Dec. 1. It's mentioned in an essay on the "Spirit Daily" web site: WHEN 'PROPHETS' AND SEERS ARISE ON ALL SIDES, CHURCH DOES WELL TO PAY ATTENTION. I'm copying it here for your discernment. I'm living down Rev. Wilkerson's prophecy of something happening this last summer, knowing that chastisements CAN be postponed through prayer.
I saw Mary with the baby Jesus in the manger in Bethlehem. She picked Him up out of the crib and looked at me. Then she stood and as she did her robes swept down so that her entire mantle could be seen. Her mantle was deep blue with 12 stars on one side. She was wearing a beautiful crown with a crucifix on top of it. It was made of gold. She reached out her hand and her robe opened and there were red and white stripes on the garments underneath. She said to me, "The Scourging is near. Prepare." She sounded very urgent. The stripes looked slanted like red and white candy cane stripes. She was still holding the baby Jesus and I could see her breath because it was cold, like winter. She said "The winter is harsh but there will be no other winter like this one. Prepare Now! The autumn will turn to winter and the seasons will change and it will be like a spiritual winter for what God has planned for the world is harsh! You will see His justice!" She stopped talking and seemed to be urging me to come and gather in with her and Jesus under her mantle, inside and away from the cold. I had the sense something would happen this Christmas. After I came in under the mantle and we were together, she said "Now gather your family in!" which was urgent. In the background I kept hearing a faint voice say "three weeks notice" repeatedly.
"Three weeks notice" puts the date around Dec. 22.
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Human Giants is an interesting article. I didn't know there were so many giants in the West & on the Islands. I guess the American indians really fought with this critters.
Liberty CouncilRequest Your Complimentary “I Love CHRISTmas” Static Window Cling When You Stand Against the Attacks on Christmas.
Jib,
Please give my condolences to your hubby on the passing of his aunt.
I just saw the notice in our local death notices.
Wow Alesia
didn't realize that it would be posted up that way also but the family is from that area. I
will convey your message but you know the one crazy relative that everyone has and no one can stand and is embarrassed to admit is your relative-yup that would be this particular aunt. truthfully she was a paranoid schizophrenic who wouldn't take medication. she didn't bother me overly much and she could be quite charming. I actually will miss her but she has been "gone" really for some time. she finally had a complete breakdown and the dementia over took her about a year plus ago so this was just her shell that went. she was a believer as nearly as I can tell. so she is far better off now
prayer request
my brother's family needs intense prayer right now. he has discovered his pink eye isn't and now he is on other medication. he is legally blind without his contacts and he can't find his glasses so he can't drive and he can't go to work. the oldest son is very ill with a viral illness and strep throat-high temps, headaches etc. middle son just had tonsils and adenoids removed 2 days ago and youngest child has her asthma acting up at this moment. my sister in law is a little drained. my folks are helping out as they can. pray for Todd, Keith, Travis, Kayla and Tina. thanks
Wanted to let everyone know, I didn't get the job I interviewed for last week. On Monday morning I got a feeling that I needed to pray about the job, but aside from some quick mental prayers I couldn't put down what I was doing then, and didn't remember about it until late in the afternoon. The "thanks for trying" letter was postmarked on Tuesday, so next time that happens, I'll clean up the mess later and drop to my knees then and there.
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Jib, you've certainly been on my mind and am praying for you and family. Keeping you in prayer too, Jim C.
The Manhattan Declaration
Our Regretful Inability to Become a Signatory
1) Jacob Prasch & Moriel - The Manhattan Declaration: Our Regretful Inability to Become a Signatory
2) Mike Gendron/Proclaiming the Gospel - Reply to Moriel and The Manhattan Declaration
3) John MacArthur - "The Manhattan Declaration"
4) Alistair Begg - "The Manhattan Declaration"
5) Pastor Claude T. Stauffer, Calvary Chapel of Hope - Unity, Diversity and Division that Glorifies God
Lisa - thanks for posting that.
I have printed out the Manhatten Declaration & heard there was some not signing it. Wanted to see all sides to get a better understanding.
Your link helps greatly, so I don't have to go hunting it down.
I must admit, I've heard of Alistair Begg but am not familiar with his teaching or ministry.
In the link that Lisa provided, Alistair Begg shared something he wrote to Chuck Colson in regards to the Manhattan Declaration. Alistair said to Chuck:
"Thank you for sending me the amended document. I care deeply about these issues, but I cannot in conscience sign on with those with whom I have fundamental disagreements on the nature of the Gospel. (I just re-read Calvin in the Institutes, Book IV, section 18.)"
News flash. The Lord chose to leave Calvin and his Institutes (all of them) out of Holy Scripture. Why go to Calvin when we can appeal directly to Scripture? If we adhere to the teachings in Scripture, I think that we'll find that the folks who signed the Manhattan Declaration may indeed be our brothers in Christ.
I have no desire to water down the truth of the Gospel for the sake of unity. I find most eucumenical movements distasteful and unscriptural. But, I must say I certainly do not feel that way about the Manhattan Declaration.
We have a dear Catholic brother here at the cave. Should we not blog and converse with him because of doctrinal differences. Lord, please save us from such prideful thinking and attitudes.
And Lord, please give us discernment as to who is in you and who is not. You alone are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Anyone who is living by faith in You is my brother or sister.
I'm sorry, but when I read about these groups who don't want to sign the Manhattan Declaration because the other people signing it aren't REAL Christians, blood shoots from my eyes. When the police start rounding up the "dangerous" people, do they really think that TPTB (The Powers That Be) are going to listen to them complaining that TPTB shouldn't have arrested so-and-so because so-and-so is not REALLY Christian and so not worthy to be in the same prison as they are? Did the Nazis try to separate those Jews that were observant from the Jews that were secularized?
Here are two articles that help bring evil to light. This first one (Charting the psychology of evil, decades after 'shock' experiment) is a review of the famous experiment that had people believing they were torturing others just because an authority told them to do so.
And if you want to understand how quickly our lives can be turned around, check out this article from the Original Catholic Encyclopedia on the Missouri Test Oath. This was a loyalty oath required by the 1865 Missouri Constitution, later ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. In the 1865 Constitution, in addition to other professional people, all bishops, priests, or other clergymen "of any religious persuasion, sect or denomination", and teachers in any educational institution had to swear to this oath. If they didn't and continued to preach, baptize, solemnize marriages or teach, they faced fines and imprisonment. The Catholic Archbishop of St. Louis advised all the priests, nuns, and religious workers in Missouri NOT to take the oath. To do so would be to recognize that the state had the final say over who could and could not be a priest in Missouri, and over who could and could not preach G_D's Word. As a consequence, in the two years it was in effect before being declared unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court, dozens of priests and nuns (as teachers) were either arrested or forced to flee. As one of the bishops who was arrested said,
"The civil authority has been, ever from the days of Herod, the enemy of Christ. The question, now pending, is not one merely of loyalty or disloyalty, past, present, or prospective. The issue is, whether the Church shall be free or not to exercise her natural and inherent right of calling into, or rejecting from, her ministry whom she pleases; or whether, yielding to the dictation of the civil power, she shall admit those only, who, according to its judgment, are fit for the office."
What is so very, very frightening about this isn't that the provision was put into the State constitution, or that the State Supreme Court upheld it. It's that the US Supreme Court overturned the oath by One. Single. Vote.
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With the talk about H1N1 being a world-wide "pandemic", I found this article about the Black Death to be very interesting:
GREAT CHASTISEMENT DURING MIDDLE AGES WAS FEROCIOUS SPREAD OF 'BLACK DEATH'
It's the first of a couple of articles about the Black Death and how that pandemic relates to what's happening now. I thought it was fascinating because I KNOW how the Plague affected Europe, killing between one-fourth and one-third of the population. What this article does now is point out that the Black Death truly WAS world-wide, affecting China, India, and the Muslim world as well.
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wow, another swift kick in the backside.
Sacrificial Love
"Don't forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God."
Hebrews 13:16 NLT
In His steps
"Have you seen kids wearing bracelets with the initials WWJD—"What Would Jesus Do?" The story behind those bracelets begins a century ago, when a minister named Charles Sheldon wrote a novel titled In His Steps. One Sunday morning at First Church, Pastor Henry Maxwell is preaching a sermon about how to follow Christ's example of sacrificial love.
The service is suddenly interrupted when a tramp stands up. He's been out of work for a year, he says, yet not one person in town has helped him find another job. Twisting his shabby hat in his hands, the tramps says, "I was wondering if what you call following Jesus is the same thing as what he taught.…I get puzzled when I see so many Christians living in luxury and remember how my wife died in a tenement.…what would Jesus do?" At that point, to the congregation's horror, the tramp collapses and dies.
The following Sunday, the minister makes a stunning proposal: He's looking for volunteers willing to pledge themselves for an entire year to do nothing without first asking, "What would Jesus do?" Some fifty people make the pledge, and a remarkable series of events begins.
Some of these people pay a high price for their obedience. But they also learn the joy of following faithfully in his footsteps.
A few years ago, a Holland, Michigan, youth leader was so inspired by this classic story that she had bracelets made bearing the letters WWJD and gave them to the kids in her church. The idea caught fire, and today millions wear them.
Jib - praying for your brother & his family, how horrible.
Jim G.
Alistair Begg is on the Christian radio & I listen to him a few times a week. He's right on- Biblically speaking. (I think he's from Scotland? great accent & from the era of the Welsh Revival.)
I agree the Manhattan Declaration is a confusing issue & understand both viewpoints but after mulling it over I believe the wisest choice is to err on the side of caution. Especially for those in the position of leading flocks.
As you watch what is happening in the Body of Christ & the apostasy going rampant- a stand truly needs to be taken for the simplicity of truth in the gospel.
If those who are champions for the inerrancy of the scripture follow the fray with a mixed bag of erroneous teachings- it will eventually confuse those under their tutelage as to what is acceptable & the importance of continuing to contend for the faith.
It looks like the people who did not sign the Declaration are looking further down the road into the conglomeration of Christianity which will unite to form a global religious order.
So I don't think they are short sighted but long sighted.
This also a major battle of spiritual warfare. If Satan can't sell you his bill of goods one way then he'll repackage it to look better & sell it another way. The problem is that what is under the wrapper has not changed.
As for the RRC- Their ultimate goal is for all to unite under themselves as the true Church. Meanwhile we have Evangelicals & Protestants starting to re-incorporate some of the RCC's non-Biblical traditions/teachings into their congregations. This is clearly a part of the "falling away" & they are heading right for the upcoming false religious order.
We have to be really careful- remember- even the "elect" would be deceived if possible. Living in the end of days is a time frame to be taken under particular scrutiny.
Not everything is as it seems.
It's been a super busy week for News
It's a constant battle to keep up with what is happening in the world, at home here in the US, my state of Florida, but most of all the state of my spirit.
I know I'm not alone when I say that my daily walk has become a more narrow walk and there are many stumbling blocks along the way. But if we cling to Christ we will not get lost or fall flat on our faces.
We need to pray for the church more now than ever?
I have been so busy at work and don't have internet where I live that I haven't had a chance to do more than glance in occassionally. The general air I feel is that we are all being attacked. If you are really feeling overwhelmed by the world and the "Powers of the Air", listen to this on You Tube (i can't do blue): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX_7j32zgNw
The speaker is this man: Dr. Shadrach Meshach Lockridge was the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, San Diego CA from 1953 - 1993. He entered heaven in 2000. He had the most wonderful cadence and expression to his preaching. This is how he described the creation of the universe as only Dr. Lockridge could do.
“The reason God came from nowhere, was there was nowhere for Him to come from. And coming from nowhere, He stood on nothing for there was nowhere for Him to stand. And standing on nothing, He reached out where there was nowhere to reach and caught something where there was nothing to catch, and hung something on nothing, and told it to. My boss showed this to me, and he sounds just as I thought he would.
I'll bet this headline makes you look twice, too:
Abstaining Boobies Get "Sexier"
Before you get your knickers in a knot, it's a National Geographic video on the Blue-Footed Boobie, a tropical seabird.
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Mr. Hyde, Excellent! Just the sort of vehicle I need to dash down to the market for milk and eggs!
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Reflecting Christ
"…you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."
Colossians 3:12 NLT
Clothed in kindness
"A doctor once stepped into a taxicab and discovered an unusually friendly driver.…he asked the man why he was so cheerful. "It all started," he said, "when I heard about a taxi driver who was so kind to a passenger that the man remembered him in his will, leaving him $65,000. I thought I would try it, and maybe somebody might leave me something. But after I tried it, I found it was so much fun being good that I decided I would do it for the fun of it, reward or no reward."
The world would certainly be a more cheerful place if we all had such good dispositions. Imagine walking down the street and seeing nothing but smiling faces.…
Life is not a bed of roses, and most people are too happy to let you know that. That's what we tell ourselves when we want to appease our guilt on those dark and dreary days. I'm not the only one who's had a bad day, we think. People are just going to have to understand.
Maybe they do, but how does Jesus feel about it? Kindness should flow out of the life of a Christian. The world has an excuse to be angry, but we don't. Redeemed people should act like they're happy to be redeemed.
This is what separates believers from those who haven't discovered the goodness of Christ. We have a reason to rejoice. We have a standard to uphold. We have a Savior to pattern our life after.
Today's Marriage Minutes for You
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Practical Conversation Starters...
• Once a week, share with other one thing you have read in the Bible, why it impressed you, and how you are trying to apply the verse to your life.
• After attending a worship service, share with each other one thing you found helpful or encouraging from the sermon.
• Select a book on Christian living. Read one chapter a week and share with other one thing you found helpful in the chapter that you are trying to apply to your life.
• Share one question you have about an aspect of the Bible or Christian living. Attentively listen as your spouse shares any insights about your question.
Broken heart coming...I think my daughter and family (my two young grandchildren) will move to the west coast. They've been out there "temporarily" for several months and I suspect they are making it permanent. Please pray that they will be obedient to God and that I would be accepting and helpful, even if not overjoyed.
Lt Col Allen West, Congressional Candidate
Anne,
Praying for you!
Have you been used to comfort others?
"All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ."
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NLT
May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who loved us and in his special favor gave us everlasting comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do and say.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 NLT
God's comfort
"How often have you noticed that soon after you receive comfort for some troubling situation, you encounter someone else facing a similar situation? It is God who leads us to these people, for the comfort we provide for them seems more credible because they know we have "been there." Paul praises the Lord in his letter to the Corinthian church that God "comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others" with "the same comfort God has given us."
In what ways has God comforted you in the trials you have had to go through? Pray that God may use you to comfort others.
A prayer for today…
Dear Lord, thank you for comforting me. Use me to comfort others…
Alesia
did you check it Facebook out today? you finally made friend of the day!!!!
just wondering if those who aren't signing because they object to others would sign on to a similar document if it had been generated by a more secular organization. Also if they feel so strongly that they will only sign onto a document that is supported by people who believe absolutely identically to them (like that's going to happen because quite frankly they'll find some reason why someone else isn't quite good enough) why they haven't yet generated said document as of this moment in time? i personally haven't signed it as of yet and am praying about it but I have been mulling over it. Anyone who signs this document is putting themselves right in the guns sights of the powers that be. We fiddle while Rome burns around us. Who is to say that we shouldn't be joining with them in this hour of our countries need-perhaps our country will be judged the more harshly if we don't.
When I was considering continuing to date my husband I agonized over whether I should because we came from two different faith backgrounds. My answer to prayer was on a church sign which was off the route I normally took to go home-can't remember now why I was even there. The sign was quite simple-"who are you to decide who isn't and is my child?" Furthermore I think some of the folks who are the "questionable" signatories are closer in theology and walk of life than some of our "evangelical brethren" like Wallis, McLaren and Warren.
A tribute to Makayla
random questions
1-Can you imagine what the world would be like without the Bible?
2-Can you imagine what the world would look like if Christ had not come 2000 years ago?
3-What would the world look like if Christ were never to come again?
4-Does Satan quake in fear when you wake up in the morning?
5-Are you a bounty hunter for Jesus?
6-When people ask you what you are (e.g. American, Canadian, Baptist Full Gospel etc), how long does it take you to tell them that you are a Christian even though your citizenship is in heaven?
For questions 1, 2 and 3 I imagine Hell on earth. 4, 5 and 6 I'm working on those. Good questions.
The fruit of kindness
"When the Holy Spirit controls your life, he will produce this kind of fruit in us:…kindness, goodness."
Galatians 5:22 NLT
In spite of it all
"On that ghastly Friday morning, which ironically has become known as "Good Friday," Jesus was a swollen, bloody mess. Most of his friends had hightailed it hours before, leaving him alone to face the physical agony of crucifixion, the emotional anguish of a jeering crowd, and the spiritual horror of separation from God the Father.
Yet during this entire nightmare, Christ responded, well, strangely. On the way to his execution, he paused to console a group of grief-stricken women. He used what little breath he was able to catch to pray for those who were so merciless to him. He demonstrated compassion and forgiveness to a criminal dying at his side. And he took pains, literally, to see that his grief-stricken mother below him would be cared for by a friend.
In the ultimate "tough time," Christ oozed kindness and goodness. And because his Spirit lives in us, we also have the capacity to use personal tragedy as an opportunity to care for others.
Praying God's Promise:
Cause your kindness and goodness to flow through me, Lord. It is not natural for me to think of others or to think of glorifying you, especially when my own life is filled with pain. Teach me to live supernaturally. I want to be selfless like you, Jesus, always looking for opportunities to bless others.
Yep, good questions, Jib.
And, YES I did see! It's about time, I was feeling left out. hahaha
Thanks for the prayers, Alesia, we'll see what happens.
David Wilkerson has a good post today about coming boldly before our Father in prayer. Here's a taste:
“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). The word “effectual” here comes from a Greek root word that means “a fixed position.” It suggests an unmovable, unshakeable mindset. Likewise, “fervency” speaks of a boldness built on solid evidence, absolute proof that supports your petition. Together these two words—effectual fervency”—mean coming into God’s court fully convinced that you have a well-prepared case. It is beyond emotions, loudness, pumped-up enthusiasm.
for those perhaps still on the fence of the Manhattan Declaration here is a link which I found quite informative and very helpful in defining the debate. I still have yet to sign it but I have peace about signing it should I so choose to do so.
Thoughtful letter of rebuttal to John MacArthur
he makes some good points about the differences between accomplished and applied redemption, some thought provoking items about salvation and the fact that what ALL of these signatories recognize whether overtly or not is the total Lordship of Christ over everything.
thanks for the continued prayer for family. my brothers eyes are both affected now but the niece and nephews seem to be on the mend as does their mom
Hi folks. About the Manhattan Declaration....I have read so much about it from both sides. I have noticed though that some who are opposed to it are opposed not because of who is signing it but because they say it does not even present the gospel. It is said that the document does not point to Jesus and salvation to those who are perishing but instead expects a dieing world on the brink of judgement to obey God's moral laws. I have not read the document myself only a very small part that I have seen does not point to Jesus only moral causes. here are a few links that I found helpful. I will read the entire document when I have time at the end of the semester.
http://judahslion.blogspot.com/2009/11/manhattan-declaration-recently-group-of.html
http://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/another-reason-why-ill-never-support-the-manhattan-declaration/
Sorry, I have no idea how to make an actual link to somehting. please copy and paste. the last one was really interesting to me because he speaks of the "bedrock" and "foundation" of our faith but the things he spoke about (which are good moral causes) have only been issues in the Christian world recently. It seems that we are confusing just and good moral laws worth fighting for and that which is the bedrock of our faith, Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Even the unbelieving world (ie, Muslims) would agree with us on those issues. Many Muslims are good, moral people but they are perishing.
They world is perishing and the only hope is Jesus. People's hearts are changed only by the the Lord, not a document that states what is right and wrong.
when someone comes to me and threatens to cut off my head it will be because I will not deny my Lord, not because I will not allow them to take my tax dollars to fund abortions.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on those copy and paste links above.
In Love,
Diana
The tribute to Makayla was absolutely beautiful. I have been crying the last 15 minutes. what a beautiful,special little girl. Thank you for sharing the video Lori
Diana, I loved what her dad said, something like 'I tucked her in and Jesus woke her up.'
As for the Manhattan Declaration, it is a statement of not bowing to Nebuchadnezzar of sorts, not a declaration of one's religion, kind of like the founding fathers of the US. The original signers of the Declaration of Independence were of different faiths, but of one mind against a repressive gov't trying to suppress their right to worship as they choose. A new gov't was necessary to create the situation to ensure the right to worship, the right to pursue happiness. I keep a copy of the Declaration of Independence and the US constitution in my purse. It reminds me of what our fathers fought for.
For what it's worth, that's how I see it... so I signed.
If you haven't read them in a while, check it out.
Gold, Frankincense and Mars - Guy ConsolmagnoBrother Guy Consolmagno explains why the Vatican accepts the possibility of alien life.
Jim C. This interview was kind of funny-in a way.
Touching stuff this...
Excerpts of Al Gore’s “poetry” from Variety:
I found a better piece...
pointy bird, pointy, pointy
anoint my head, anointy, nointy
Campsmore...hahahahahahahaaaaa! Hysterical!
Cute, Lori.
Joel has an update on his latest post. He will be on Janet Pashall's radio program today at 4:15pm eastern. Also:
...the EU voted Tuesday for a resolution calling for Jerusalem to be divided. This won’t lead to peace.
I'm surprised that Jim C hasn't called me out on the poem yet. It's a quote from Steve Martin on "The Man with Two Brains."
Also, I have several posts relating to EU on the news links today. It's astounding! But it's prophesied that nations would begin to turn against Israel. Grany forwarded a great article by Stan Goodenough, I linked that as well.
Stan's article is link #16
UN: 2000-2009 likely warmest decade on record.
By CHARLES J. HANLEY AP Special Correspondent The Associated Press
**Looks like they are trying to shore up the GW scam leak.
Lori
that was my take on MD as well-thought it was more of a political statement and I intend to sign it. I would note that the article i linked to had that impression as well to an extent
You know, even after reading this, I STILL want to sit down with some milk and scarf down a bunch of Oreos...
The 6 Weirdest, Scariest Processed Foods
A few days ago I posted a link to an article about the pandemic to end all pandemics, the Black Death. Here's the second part of that article:
MEDIEVAL CHASTISEMENT: In The End, Up To A Third Of Europe And Asia Were Dead, Churches Priestless
Undocumented Volcano Contributed To Extremely Cold Decade From 1810-1819
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Hahaha...good one, Lori!
Off The Wall News, it seems the stats still show the 11th hour to have the most traffic. I wish I could get posted by 11am, believe me.
I've read several articles over the course of the last few days and this is my take.
There is a divide in the Israeli Defenses. There is secular military and religious military. The religious military is refusing to evacuate Jewish settlers due to religious reasons. There are so many religious within the miltary, Barak, is suggesting (of all things!) importing soldiers from Turkey! link #13 The Arabs are not the only ones "land grabbing." It seems the Vatican is getting active... link #10
In the midst of all this Turkey has issued threats to Israel if they cross airspace to bomb Iran. link #14
And, US development agency made Turkey, Country of the Year. link #16
By declaring CO2 a dangerous pollutant the EPA is giving Obama permission to act on it's control without Congress if he so chooses. link #40
Can anyone say Birth pangs?
Apropos to all Lori just reported, Carter Conlon has done another great sermon, A Last Day Return to the Power of Unity. It's a long one, more than an hour. If you have to skip part of it, be sure to listen to the last 20 minutes or so in which Conlon tells about some of the ways the Lord has used him in the lives of individuals.
There are so many things all going on at once right now I can't stand it.
Well, should I rephrase that- so many things going on that I can't understand or put it all together in our nano seconds of time.
It was Monday I felt an urge to pray in the Spirit and as I was praying I felt a strong unction that something prophetically significant was happening or going to happen. It wasn't communicated in specific words in a phrase which is normally how I hear from the Lord.
Being a strange & different experience I chalked it up to- Ok- I'll keep my eyes pealed.
Sometimes we read this and that and come to a reasonable conclusion that things are shaping up & something big is about to occur. Although I do consider these things what was going on Monday was unexpected & not related to anything I've been reading/studying. Nor was there any specific direction of what this would be or entail.
So I'm still keeping my eyes pealed but to add another bizarre "sign" to this entire spiritual warfare quagmire- take a look at what a blogger on
Marzulli's site posted what occured in Norway on Dec 9th.Strange Spiral light phenomena over Norway coincides with Obama peace prize reception. I don't know if this was "it" or not but I guess time will tell. My flesh wants to say "ahhh-it was nothing but your own heebi geebies & the spiritual side of me keeps saying "watch".
There are more links Christian posted under: 16 and 17
Lori, Shalom. I have to take exception to your comment regarding an article you linked to.
You wrote: "The Arabs are not the only ones "land grabbing." It seems the Vatican is getting active... link #10 " This is not the Vatican "grabbing land" or claiming sovereignty over part of Israel, as the Palestinians do. This is a prime example of how the events in Israel get twisted beyond belief, in ways you and I cannot conceive.
As in most things, the issues can be summarized in one word: money. Specifically, how much in taxes should the Vatican pay on churches and historical sites, and how much of the "take" should be given to Israel, outside of the taxes. The churches and institutions (or more specifically, the land they are on) have been owned by the Church since well before the State of Israel came into being. In some cases, it came from grants from the rulers of the Ottoman Empire; in other cases, almost a thousand years ago (around the time of the Crusaders); and in some rare cases, back to Roman times. Under Ottoman Rule and the British Mandate, the properties owned by the Vatican or by various Catholic entities were exempt from taxes, since the operated as what we would call "charitable organizations."
However, Israel is a JEWISH nation. Therein is a political aspect to the question: should non-Jewish "charitable organizations" pay taxes, even if they were granted "tax-free" status by the Ottomans and the British? (Israel did agree to honor such agreements when they became a state.) Add to this the issue of history. Many of the areas owned by the Church are also tourist destinations; some of them collecting "entrance fees". Since these fees go to paying upkeep on these historical sites, should they have to pay taxes on these fees? Especially since the tourists coming to see these sites spend a lot of shekels on food, housing, and souvenirs? And what about the priests and nuns who live and work in these churches, since historically they tend to be Palestinian?
Another aspect of this issue is touched upon by these paragraphs: Another source of discord is the status of the Hospice of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, which cares for Palestinians with severe physical and mental handicaps.
Israeli developers have long been interested in the sprawling site, which sits on prime real estate just outside the Christian quarter walls of the Old City. (emphasis added)
In America, your land can be taken by the local government if someone in the local government decides the government needs to. In the past this "eminent domain" was limited to things like highways and schools. Recent Supreme Court rulings have done away with those limitations, but that's a subject for another rant. Here, we have a case where the Vatican owns a lot of land that's being used by a hospital, and Israelis want the land. In America they could simply pay "fair value" for the land and give it to the developers. The Vatican, however, is a foreign government. That would be like forcing out the Italian embassy so developers could build a high rise on the spot. Would you accuse the Italians of "land grabbing" if they didn't want to sell to the local government?
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Good commentary, Lori.
New Evidence of Saddam-Terrorism Links
Hmmmm...O going to Norway and CERN has the collider up and running. Lights showing up in the sky that no one can explain.
Won't it be amazing when we finally understand what really is happening and how all the pieces fit together?
Spaceweather.com said this about the spiral in the sky:
"Circumstantial evidence is mounting that the phenomenon was caused by a malfunctioning suborbital rocket, possibly a Bulava ICBM launched from a Russian submarine in the White Sea. A Navtex no-fly alert was issued for the White Sea on Dec. 9th, and photographers have recorded what appears to be the initial boost phase of a launch beneath the spiral (see inset). A rocket motor spinning out of control could indeed explain the spiral pattern, as shown in this video of a Trident II missile launched from a US submarine in 2007. The Russian rocket hypothesis is plausible, but it has not yet been confirmed."
Do you show mercy to others?
"God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy."
Matthew 5:7 NLT
A parable of mercy
Jesus once told a parable of a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. One servant came before him who owed him ten thousand talents—a debt far beyond the means of a servant. When he couldn't pay, the king ordered that he and his family be sold into slavery, but the servant begged for mercy. Then the king took pity on him, canceled the debt, and set the servant free.
The servant did not show similar mercy to another slave who owed him money and had the man thrown into prison. The master heard what had happened, reinstated the debt and threw him into prison.
"That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters in your heart," Jesus said, summing up the moral to the story (Matt. 18:23-35).
Have you ever prayed for forgiveness on Sunday than demanded your way on Monday? Have you ever reflected on the cross one moment and inwardly scowled at a brother the next? Ever yelled at your kids for making you late to church? If so, then read the parable again. Jesus' point is simple: Those who have been forgiven of so much should learn to forgive. People redeemed from certain death should act like redeemed people. Those who have received the ultimate act of mercy should learn to be merciful. Anything less shows how little we understand the true depth of the Master's kindness.
Hi Jen!
How are you feeling?
RE: the Norwegian Space Spiral;
I'm still holding out for the possibility that it's the Norwegian version of the Bat Signal...
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Vicki- that could be an interesting possibility. When I was looking at the pictures a couple shots looked like something was beaming up from the ground
into the sky like a projector.
That spiral looked really bizarre.
Here's some fun stories:
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once Talked about a contest he was asked to judge.
The purpose of the Contest was to
find the most caring child.The winner was: A four-year-old child, whose next door neighbor was an
elderly gentleman, who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old Gentleman's' yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy just said, 'Nothing, I just Helped him cry.'
************ ********* ********* *********
Teacher Debbie Moon's first graders were discussing a picture of a family. One little boy in the picture had a different hair color than the other members.One of her
students suggested that he was adopted. A little girl said, 'I know all about Adoption, I was adopted..'
'What does it mean to be adopted?', asked another child.
'It means', said the girl, 'that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy!'
************ ********* ********* *********
On my way home one day, I stopped to watch a Little League base ball game that was being played in a
park near my home. As I sat down behind the bench on the first base line, I asked one of the boys what the score was'We're behind 14 to nothing,' he answered With a smile.
'Really,' I said. 'I have to say you don't look very discouraged.
'Discouraged? ', the boy asked with a Puzzled look on his face...
'Why should we be discouraged? We haven't Been up to bat yet.'
************ ********* ********* *********
Whenever I'm disappointed with my spot in life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott.
Jamie was trying out for a part in the school play. His mother told me that he'd set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen.
On the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement..
'Guess what, Mom,' he shouted, and then said those
words that will remain a lesson to me....'I've been chosen to clap and cheer.'
************ ********* ********* *********
An eye witness account from New York City, on a cold day in December, some years ago:
A little boy, about 10-years-old, was standing before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted,
peering through the window, and shivering With cold.
A lady approached the young boy and said, 'My, but you're in such deep thought staring in that window!' 'I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes,'was the boy's reply.
The lady took him by the hand, went into the store, and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her.
She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with the towel.
By this time, the clerk had returned with the socks..
Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she purchased him
a pair of shoes.. She tied up the remaining pairs of socks
and gave them to him.. She patted him on the head and said, 'No doubt, you will be more comfortable now.'
As she turned to go, the astonished kid caught her by the hand, and looking up into her face, with tears in his eyes, asked her.
'Are you God's wife?'
Off The Wall News
Russia has finally admitted to a malfunctioning intercontinental ballistic missile test, which caused the fabulous spiraling light. It was quite impressive. under Link #28
Huge protest by pro-settler Israelis link #1
Just for Marge, Chill map link #33 :)
LHC sets new energy record, CERN says
The Large Hadron Collider has set a world record by accelerating to energy levels that had never been previously reached, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) said Monday.
Link #34, Teachers hiding in closets to pray... This is in the US.
Lots of things to comment on. I love the stories, Lisa.
Take a look at Joel's post today on a war game. I went to the Haaretz article (bet you have it, Lori) and it was worrying, but for the assurance of God being in control. Here's the last paragraph:
Conclusions: The U.S. will not attack Iran. Russia and China will not agree to imposing serious sanctions. The U.S. will pressure Israel to prevent it from attacking Iran, and so a serious crisis is liable to develop between the two countries. Under these circumstances and in view of operational capability, Israel does not in effect have a real option of attacking Iran. If it so desires, Iran can produce nuclear weapons.
Norway Lights: Rocket or Something Else? A little story Marzulli wrote about an experience he had in investigating a UFO report & how he eventually also found out that it was a rocket.
Jen, after much wheeling and dealing, I have given in and decided to send "8 degree Marge," 40 degrees, then we'll be just about even and I can turn off the AC.
Really, this weather is too warm here. They say we might get a cold front that will bring cooler weather, but it'll be in the low 80's instead of high 80's. That's not right!
I really need cold weather, not necessarily freezing, although I have Under Armor for just such an occasion. If only....
Hi Alesia,
I'm doing great! Feeling better than ever and just trying to figure out which plates to keep spinning vs. which to let fall to the ground. Mostly letting go of the non-Christmas ones as I really want to keep things simple and enjoy the kids at this stage.
We're doing the shelf elf again this year. Everyone know about that Hallmark gimmick ;-) My mom started it last year, so now I have to continue it, but it's a cute way to keep the kids on their toes.
The funniest thing happened involving him and I can't really do it justice in writing...'had to be there' kinda thing...but I'll try and illustrate.
The shelf elf came the morning of Nov. 30th and 'landed' on the curtain over the kitchen sink. The kids were so excited to see him and ate a really well-behaved breakfast that morning until the end when Lauren did something to infuriate Josh. They were sitting side-by-side with their backs to the elf. Momentarily forgetting that the shelf elf was watching, Josh lurched at her and knocked her in the back of the head. And almost instantly, he remembered that he was being "watched" so he swung around with the most terrified look on his face, already crying and said, "Shelf elf, I'm SOOOOOO sorry! Please don't tell Santa!" If I had a video of it, I'm sure we'd win America's Funniest Videos. It was priceless :-)
We have to be on our toes now, too. The kids are catching on and questioning stuff so we can't be so lax about what we say. DH made a potentially big goof after we came home from visiting Santa. He asked the kids if they told him their wishes and then said to me (with them still listening), "So, was it the same Santa as last year?" I shot him a look and covered with, "Yes, Santa was wearing the same suit as last year." Whew! I used to think my college roommate was a humbug for being glad when the Santa years were over for her boys, but now I can see the benefits :-)
Blessings,
Jen
Does Spiral ‘Sign’ Point to Obama?
Russia and the Vatican establish full diplomatic ties Russia and the Vatican have agreed to establish full diplomatic relations, the Kremlin has announced.
Until now, Moscow only had an office of representation at the Vatican. The new status means full-fledged embassies will be established in Moscow and Rome.
......
The move follows improvements in relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican.
Jen, good to see you're doing well and good to see you!
Lisa, you might find this very interesting:
In Fascinating Book Well-Known Priest Spells Out Dangers With Microchips, Human Monitoring, And Other Technology
A well-known priest from the Detroit area has penned a powerful, gutsy, and in some cases daring new book that spells out various "spiritual dangers" of our times.
Microchips. Government monitoring. The New Age. Influences on our young. A possible future persecution.
And attacks by spirits in our own households.
These are some of the issues tackled by Father Joseph M. Esper, who obtained his bishop's "rescript" -- ecclesiastic approval -- for publication of Spiritual Dangers of the 21st Century.
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haven't had time to catch up on posts two things
I just finished talking to my brother-Travis (son) coughing and spitting up blood about 10 days after tonsil surgery. appears to have lost alot of blood. pray for him and his parents who are totally freaking out right now (understandably so)
went and saw a "Christmas program" at one of the local school's tonight and wanted to cry-not a mention of Christ anywhere but they did so a song about everyone just getting a long and liking each other etc. most disturbing was the fact that the director of the program is the woman who directs the children's programs for my church at Christmas etc. the lack of mention of Christ was pitiful but since you can't sing real Christmas carols anymore but i really got mad about the whole world let's get along thing. ugh
I believe current case law holds that it is OK for religious Christmas carols to be included in public school Christmas programs. It's just that the whole program can't be a religious program as a whole.
On a slightly different but related note, I'm having fun saying "Merry Christmas" to store clerks and others this season. It's fun (and a freedom I love) to be able to wish people a Merry Christmas.
By the way, Merry Christmas everyone!!!
Just wanted to hear it echo loudly throughout the cave;-)
Jib,
I will pray for Travis (and your brother and his wife as well).
Jesus Nearly Banned at White House Inn
Excerpt from the article:
...earlier this year at a luncheon with other previous White House social secretaries, Ms. Rogers claimed that this year the White House would have a "non-religious" Christmas celebration. (For those of you confused by that, it's just like a "non-religious" Yom Kippur celebration, or a "non-Irish" St. Patrick's Day celebration, or an "international" July 4th celebration.)
New Birth Portrait Series
from Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York city.
Thanks for the Redeemer link. I watched the first video so far. Our small group has been studying one of Timothy Keller's books this fall - the Reason for God.
There are a lot of links today on Off The Wall News The first few stories:
=The Hanukkah Story
=The fulfillment of Hanukkah
=Pieces of Hannuka brought together
=Of Biblical Proportion
=A Senator's gift to the Jews, video
=Israei envoy to US, X's out J St
=Catastrophic Global Warming, Ecological Brainwashing & World Gov't
=The real inconvenient truth: "The World needs to adopt China's one child policy"
=Hamas plans surprises at Mon rally
=House passes bill overhauling financial regulations, letting Feds break up big risky companies
=Healthcare loophole would allow coverage limits
And that's a dab what what is happening. Be sure to check out the first few on Hanukkah if you can. Especially the Fulfillment of Hanukkah.
I just got a thing from Shoebat today griping about Hanukkah. But first I liked this one:
“Now this gets it said in short order: Sometimes you are encouraged about our country's future when you see something like this. Specifically, there is an annual contest at Texas A&M University calling for the most appropriate definition of a contemporary term.
This year's term was ‘Political Correctness.’
The winner wrote ... ‘Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.’"
(Shoebat)
As a “right wing Jewish extremist” as many of my fellow Jews might describe me, so as to isolate me from the “lamestream” I have a question as to why Jewish Liberals find the celebration of Chanukah as the most important of all Jewish festivals to actively and proudly celebrate in America. Passover, Tabernacles and Pentecost are more important but most reform synagogues are closed, go figure!
Chanukah is not a Biblical festival, not commanded to be celebrated by G-d but what it is a celebration on par with the July 4th celebration commemorating freedom from persecution and independence of Israel. The Macabbees who lead the revolt against the Hellenist Greeks were right wing extremist zealots like me, who believed in a free undivided land of Israel, not a solution that might bring “peace.” Liberal Jews like the Hellenists support abortion “pro choice,” a pc word for murder, homosexuality, euthanasia and a shared land of Israel the size of Delaware instead of New Jersey, while the Maccabees would frown at such affronts to G-d’s natural laws and promises.
It is hard to believe that liberal Jews could embrace such a festival or concept called Chanukah based on the historic and miraculous reason it is celebrated.
I as a supporter of the Maccabee cause wish to free Israel, all Israel, of the affront of Islamic domination. Today I am called an extremist and hatemonger. If I lived 2500 years ago I would be a hero and commemorated by liberals later (today) as such, yet today based on the same issues repeated in front of our eyes, to a liberal I would be a “hatemonger” promoting “hate speech.”
The real reason liberal Jews celebrate Chanukah is because it is close to the festival of Christmas and multicultural competition. The date of Dec 25th is based on a pagan holiday. I do not say this to disparage Christians but based on historical fact that December the 25th was a pagan holiday during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine who used the pagan date to change it to a Christian holiday. All Biblical historians know that Jesus could not have been born at this time based on the season described in the Bible. No one knows the date but it was some time from the end of August till October. Easter itself is named after a pagan deity Estor because it happened to fall at the same time as the crucifixion of Jesus and Constantine used this to turn pagans to Christianity but removed the Jewish essence that is inherent to the faith but now pretty much separated or forgotten.
Secularism, traditions of man turning them to religion, and multi-culturism have infected and diluted the truth concerning how G-d wished us to conduct ourselves based on the text of the Bible. Orthodox Jews, Reform Jews and Christians have all twisted the word of G-d with false traditions and made them gospel truth. The Bible is the word of G-d not the Talmud or Mishna, the traditions of Constantine and the destruction by Christians of the Hebrew roots of their faith is also an affront. Both Jews and Christians need to take a good look at them-selves in the mirror before they critique each other.
As for our Muslim cousins, they just remained pagan and deceived themselves that G-d is Allah when he is plain and simply Satan. Here come the Fatwas!
The prophets of Israel give us a clear literal picture of the end of days and they explain the exact things that are playing out in front of our eyes. Yet Jewish, Christian scholars and leaders from both introduce allegory and wishful notions of fantasy to explain everything but the truth. The false prophets, weak leaders and evil ones also are clearly pointed out in the prophecies. To the truth seekers - read and study the prophets of Israel, for the Day of the Lord is not far off.
Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and Happy Holidays. I think I have covered my self for the sake of political correctness.
Someone over at RR said this was a good episode 'The Countdown For War Is Coming Close To Its End' The Hal Lindsey Report.
Jim C.
Do you know of a "Veronica Leuken"-a Catholic seer or ?
Lisa, Veronica Leuken was a woman from Bayside, New York, who claimed to have visions of Mary. Her visions have been ruled inauthentic, and any "messages" supposedly received at Bayside are to be ignored and disregarded.
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Jim C.
I had an inkling that she was not "official" since I had not heard of her visions before. By the way- they actually sounded very insightful on the "alien agenda" at least.
Here is the comment I had read:
Dr. Marzulli, I am fascinated with your websites. I fully intend to buy every one of your books. You are , in my humble opinion, 90% dead on.
However, as a Catholic searching for the truth, I am aware of information you dismiss because it is Catholic, or Catholic supernatural, in nature.
During the 2+ decades Veronica Leuken received locutions from heaven (aka Bayside prophecies),as in visits from Jesus, Mary, St. Michael, Joseph, she (Veronica) was told that UFO’s were a deception, that they were demons from hell actually living
in the Earth, they intended to help usher in the Antichrist, they were evil. She was also warned that the US would be ruled by a despot and invaded. Mary, the mother of God, actually warned us not to disarm, for then we would be truly defenseless against evil and would fall!
How’s that for peace?
Finally, my point I need to now make for brevity’s sake is during these prophetic visits Veronica was warned that Russia had the ray gun and was going to use it to destroy us. These ‘Tesla’(?) weapons are wmd’s capable of disintigrating anything they are aimed at. That is what I believe was this ‘phenomenon’ over Norway! I personally am not surprised at all that this happened during a time that Obma was receiving his Nobel peace prize,as this was probably a jab at the whole affair, and a warning shot of what we have to look forward to.
Lisa, this is why discernment is ALWAYS called for when evaluating apparitions and messages. There was much that could be considered spiritually uplifting in the material that was coming out of Bayside. That's why there are people still promoting the apparition. (They are saying the original bishop mishandled the investigation. I don't know enough about the case to decide one way or another; but if that is the case then a new bishop can re-open the investigation [not unheard of], or it can be sent to Rome [not very likely]).
The problem is that as time when on, her messages became more and more strange. The UFO messages were just part of the problem; but the messages talking about Soviet submarines making their way up the St. Lawrence Seaway to Lake Michigan were considered too bizarre, especially since there was no way of verifying them and no evidence that was happening. Now, if she had said that Soviet vessels were coming up the seaway, that would have been taken seriously, i.e., the possibility of spy vessels or naval vessels traveling under the flag of a third country, making their way to American ports is still a very real possibility. However, the message clearly said "submarine", so ...
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What a day!
I had heard the plumber come to the apartment across the hall earlier in the day. (I found out later she had no water.) About an hour later, I left to do some shopping. I heard a rushing sound that sounded like the washing machine filling, but I also heard this "plink-plink-plink" sound. When I rounded the corner of the stairs, I saw a flood coming out from under the door of the apartment directly below the one the plumber had visited earlier. The water was streaming down the stairs and starting to flood the apartments on the bottom floor. I called the landlord to tell him what was happening, then tried to find some buckets that could be used to minimize SOME of the damage.
It turned out the guy in apartment 5 had taken off for 3 weeks to spend with family in California. Before leaving, he shut his heat off. This is usually a no-no, but most of the time there's enough heat leaking from the other apartments to keep it from getting TOO cold. But then, before leaving, he opened his living room window. Just a crack, about 3/4 of an inch; but with the blizzard we had over the last two days and the temperatures in the teens and below zero at night, it was enough. What had sounded like the rush of the washing machine filling up was the sound of water gushing through a gash an inch and a half long in the main water feed to the upstairs.
The leak in his apartment flooded the apartment immediately below his. No telling how much damage she suffered. The mess when we got into HIS apartment was unbelievable.
The NEAT thing about this, is that after the landlord came over to survey the wreckage, I happened to ask the landlord if there was anything I could do to help. I was just thinking of helping to move furniture or something. He looked at me and first asked if I could run a shop vac to get most of the water sucked up before the carpet cleaners came. Then, he asked how much I wanted to be paid. I told him minimum wage, and he said he'd pay me 8 or 9 dollars per hour!
So I spent 3 hours throwing out trash (I wish I had taken pictures, so my daughters wouldn't complain about MY housekeeping skills) and moving stuff around so we could vacuum up as much water as possible. The worst part about that was the detergent. I found that a bottle of laundry soap had frozen, thawed, and was now mixed with all the water into the carpet as well as the carpet mat. When you walked on it you left foam; and if you had to put your hand on it to steady yourself it felt slimy.
After it was over and the landlord came by to pay me, he then asked me to come over to his office next week to talk about work! They don't need a computer geek, but it was obvious that I wanted to work and that I would actually do the work. (I know it's my small-town Iowa showing through, but that still shocks me when I hear about people who are hired to do a job but then don't really do it.) So, through this one guy's lack of common sense (the biggest problem with common sense is that it's so uncommon), I may finally be employed!
Keeping my fingers crossed and my knees working;
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Jim C., this is good news! I will be praying for you. Also, have you ever thought of writing something...anything? You seem to be so knowledgeable about many different subjects that you could look on CL for writing assignments and gigs and get paid for it! Just a thought.
-Jec
Jec, I agree completely! Jim, at the least you should have your own blog. (But, please don't neglect us!)
Jim C.
Well, now that is quite the story!
People who are handy w/doing odd jobs are more valuable than you think. And you never know who you might meet along the way that may need a computer expert.
The landscape guy is hurting for work since so many clients (including us) have had to cut back on this expense. We had some odd jobs which needed attention so he came right over & did those for extra money.
It looks like the more flexible the better right now. We also need to hire someone to just come out and hang our Christmas lights on the house. D.H. has never & probably will never figure out how to do that. I keep on thinking about doing it myself but it's a busy time w/other things & it doesn't look too promising that I'd get it done by Christmas.
Rich nations slam climate draft, thousands protest.COPENHAGEN (AP) -- Industrial countries criticized a draft global warming pact Saturday for not making stronger demands on major developing countries as tens of thousands of banner-waving protesters demanding "climate justice" marched toward the U.N. conference.
Jec (or anyone who knows),
Just curious. What is CL?
Jib,
How is Travis doing?
Jim C., What incredible news! I'm so excited for you. God certainly is rewarding you for your willingness to serve others.
To All: If you've ever wondered about Chanukah, and were a little confused about any of the details. I found a great site called:
Chanuka 2009 Guide for the Perplexed, it is link #2.
It even shows how Christians ended up celebrating Christmas on the 25th of Dec.
My favorite part is the format. I have trouble following some sites because of deviation of font sizes, colors and format. This is so easy to ready.
Happy Chanuka!
update on Travis-he had to have a blood transfusion since by my estimate he must have lost close to half of his blood volume-his hemoglobin was 7.5 and relatively healthy kids his age should be closer to 13 I believe. that is an impressive amount by the way. don't think I've ever seen kids have to get blood before from a post op bleed. since the transfusion he is doing much better, much perkier and less tired than before although has pain. thanks for the prayers. he now has to reheal the new burn marks from the latest surgery.
Lisa
Shoebat needs to read his Bible more carefully as although the festival was not one commanded by God there is a record of Christ observing it in the NT.
Jim C
that is great news! good for you.
I would assume CL stands for Catholic League
fyi, I have come to the conclusion that Nicodemus has some what gotten a bad rap for his question on being born again-notice it says born again when he is old. the concept of being born again was not foreign to the Pharisees of Jesus' day at all. In fact they taught that there were 7 ways that one could be born again-Once with Bar Mitzvah, Once with Marriage, Once with being crowned King, Once with becoming a Rabbi and 3 others that I can't remember at the moment. As i recall there was only 1 (royalty), maybe 2, that Nicodemus was not eligible for-he had been born again within the confines of Pharisaic Judaism as many times as someone like him could be born again. Hence his question-"how can a man be born again when he is old?" There were no further ways for a man of his age to be born again. So his question makes perfect sense after a fashion because to him the only way he could be born again was to be reborn physically and start all over. Frucht has a full teaching on this and it is quite fascinating. Amazing what one can learn about some of this when you can study from a Jewish perspective.
From the Biblical Answers to Tough Questions under "Messianic Studies" on Ariel Ministries' webpage.
Q: How does the Jewish phrase "born again" relate to Yeshua's new usage?
A: To answer your question, the term "born again" actually had six meanings in Rabbinic Judaism:
1.Gentile converting to Judaism
2.Being crowned king
3.Bar mitzvah (Jewish Confirmation at 13)
4.Being married
5.Being ordained a rabbi
6.Becoming the head of a rabbinic academy
The six ways of being born again in Pharisaic Judaism all had physical connotations. What Jesus did was give it a spiritual connotation in reference to spiritual rebirth.
Q: At what time were the 12 apostles born again? And how could a Gentile be saved before Messiah came?
A: During Messiah's lifetime, whenever any person actually came to believe that Jesus was the Messianic King, then that person was born again. Before the crucifixion, one did not need to believe that Christ died and rose again to be saved, as it had not yet occurred. But one had to believe that Jesus is the Messianic King and the God-Man. At some point, 11 of the 12 apostles came to believe just that. John came to believe it very early (as early as chapter one of his gospel), and the others a bit later. By the time of Matthew 16, all but one of the 12 disciples had been born again, all having come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. However, Judas never came to that conclusion and, therefore, was never saved. The way a Gentile could be saved before Yeshua's time was by putting his faith in the God of Israel as being the only God, and rejecting idolatry. It would not be necessary for a Gentile to convert to Judaism to be saved, but simply to put faith in the God of Israel as the only God and Savior while rejecting all idolatry and, then, living under the laws of the Noahic Covenant (Gen. 9:1-17).
Jim C., CL is Craigs List www.craigslist.com
I was just on it last night and was looking under-writing gigs just to see what there is out there. There are many different writing assignments that are needed by many different companies on various different subjects. Do your own search and you should easily be well rewarded for putting together a short story, articles, or research material of some kind on any number of subjects. -Jec
thanks anony I thought there 2 ways that he couldn't be born again. suffice it to say the other 4 were completely true of Nicodemus given what we know of him from scripture so the concept of being born again was not new to him but he just couldn't figure out how given that he was older and had gone through every conversion. so the way most pastors and people interpret this section of scripture does Nicodemus a partial injustice because it doesn't say what we think it says.
great thought provoking poem. we are in the middle of advent when we reflect back on the events leading up to the first advent. Did you notice no one was prepared for that advent either despite the signs?
we have multiple signs pointing to the fact that Christ's second advent is coming soon. Are we ignoring the signs of His coming?
Twas the Night before Jesus came
Too funny not to share-USMC answering machine
Jib,
Hey that's a great find- "Twas' the Night Before Jesus". I sent that along to some friends.
I often think about the fact that not many we're actively looking for His 1st coming & that it may be similar to His 2nd coming.
'Will He find faith on earth?' alludes to this.
When your in a crowd of people or have a good vantage point of a city filled w/people- consider the % of how many know Christ. I bet it's not very high.
Then of those who do know Christ how many actively look for His coming?
Now I think I'm looking for His coming but if He comes & I miss it-I'll really be in a sorry state of affairs!
Jim C. I had to post this one for you! Spiral Explanations Gallery (Each picture has it's own commentary.)
Christmas Lights, The Brief and Strangely Interesting History Of (The video is funny.)
What influence did your father have in your life?
"I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord and do what is right and just."
Genesis 18:19 NLT
Soaking up Dad
We teach our children even when we don't think school is in session. Too often we think our lessons are the sit-down kind, the planned-out kind. But our lessons are also how we react as a Little League coach when the ump blows a call, how we treat our wives after we've both had rugged days at work, and what we say when we see a homeless man on the street.
Sometimes our lessons are good ones. I hope my sons—without me saying a word—have become more color-blind by our attending a church with a black pastor and linking arms with a black ministry in rural Mississippi.
Sometimes my lessons are the wrong kinds. As a boy, what hurt so deeply was to hear my mother and father fight; though it wasn't a common scene, the most perfect day could turn blustery cold when their relationship iced up. Without intending it to, I've taught a few similarly chilly lessons to my own sons.
Our children are sponges, quietly soaking up all we say and do.
Bob Welch in A Father for All Seasons
Thanks, Lori, for coming to my defense at my blog. :-)
I have been getting a ton of spam there lately.
I was deleting it but then gave up - I may have to take Mac's advice & take off anonymous posts.
you could make the comments moderated but then you'd have to read them anyway.
I think it was the cat with the foil hat!
Anyway, there are a few sites now with animation, speculation about the spiral lights, link #38, 39
off the wall news...
Melbourne beaches are very safe.
um...yeah...right
You can scribble that off our "places to see" list.
Aussie sharks are nice guys...really.
I don't really worry about the great whites off the Australian shores. I'd worry more about the tiny blue octopi (octopuses?) that have a venom that makes them the deadliest creatures on earth.
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some thoughts on the New year and resolutions that I just posted at my blog. it will be the deacon's corner part of our church newsletter for the month of January.
Mr Carroll, I'll stay with the octopus, you can manage the shark, and we'll compare notes later. If I see one of those fins coming at me, I'm going to do my very best to run on water.
Maybe you can grab the octopus and throw it at the shark.
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Hyde would never think of something that simple. You'd just hear a scream and a splash. Anyway, he looks kinda goofy splashing around in the water with that hat and cane.
How are you going anyway, Jim?
BTW, Lori, I'm posting this on Safari for Windows. I must say I do like the Browser. It's very Fast.
Lisa, Shalom. For some reason I've been feeling called to post these links here.
The first one is a fairly straight-forward reporting of events:
Visionary won’t share Virgin’s message
The visionary is in the Philippines. The messages usually revolve around the need for Filipinos to evangelize throughout SE Asia, as they are the only Christian country in the region. This time, however, the visionary couldn't even speak because she was crying so hard.
This second story is a Lifestyle-version of events:
What is the real message of the Virgin to Emma de Guzman?
This is something where I'd really be praying on for discernment ("glittering" isn't something usually associated with apparitions, although visionaries have been known to "light up" at the time); however, the fact that the local bishop was there along with seven priests would indicate some measure of ecclesiastical approval.
It's worth noting that the area where the visions are taking place is just to the north of the region where there was the massacre last month.
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I'm not looking forward to tomorrow much. It's my gym rat Xmas break up. A few of the more well-to-do guys have organized a yacht (I call it a boat) excursion around the bay and then lunch at some wannabe restaurant. It's going to be windy and hot (nearly 100F).
Let's just hope no one falls into the water, what with all those shark critters swimming around.
Worst of all, I miss out on talking with a certain someone special tomorrow!
Jim C.
OK- I'll check those out.
Slaying the Family Dragons Part 1-6 I had listened to a portion of Part 1 on the radio then bought the CD set.
It is really an excellent Biblically based teaching & something for everyone in regards to relationships- Husband/Wife, Single, Divorced, Children...
I loaned out the CD's & had really positive feedback so if you listen to it I can 'almost' guarantee you won't be disappointed.
Mac and Alesia, do you converse using Skype?
Hi Vicki!
No, we use Yahoo Messenger. Works really well 99% of the time.
Yahoo was much easier to set-up than Skype too.
Has Your Family Been a Blessing?
"The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children after them."
Proverbs 20:7 NLT
A heritage of blessings
What better motivations exist for us to be people of integrity than that our children will be blessed for it! Parents who are godly, who live with integrity and truthfulness, are wonderful examples to their children. Granted, this does not always guarantee that children will turn out perfectly, but children will nevertheless receive a great blessing from having such parents.
So what does it mean to "walk with integrity"? It means that "walk the talk." In other words, plenty of people know the right thing to do, but when the right time comes, they don't do it. They know they should tell the truth, for example, but if telling the truth will hurt, they opt for a lie instead. Children learn best from models they see and hear, but if they learn to bend the truth whenever needed, they set themselves up for problems in life. But if they learn to follow God and walk their faith, then they will have been greatly blessed.
WISE WAYS Are you willing to walk with integrity in front of your children or those over whom you have influence? What kinds of blessings will they have from following your example?
Today, Lord, help me walk with integrity so as to be a good example to others.
Lisa, apologies. There was another link I meant to include:
The Tilma. Still mind-blowing.
These three links were all together in my mind, because this weekend was the 476th anniversary of when Mary appeared to Juan Diego in Mexico, and left the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Some more "interesting facts" about the tilma:
1. If you point an infrared thermometer (like the ones they stick in your ear), no matter what the surrounding air temperature is, the tilma is always at 98.6 degrees F.
2. If you shine a light into the eyes of the image, the pupils dilate. Remove the light, and the pupils expand.
3. A doctor placed a stethoscope on the woman's belly, and hear a strong fetal heartbeat.
4. The golden flowers on the woman's tunic are not random designs. It's only in the last decade that scientists who have studied Nahuatl and the glyphs used in that language, realized that the flowered design on the tunic are not just pretty decorations, but glyphs that would have been read by the Indians and not by the Spanish. Not only that, but the glyphs are placed in a way that form a map to show where the apparition occurred -- again, something only the Indians could read.
5. The most recent finding that I find incredible has to do with the stars on her mantle. Not only are they a match for the constellations that appeared in the sky the morning that she appeared, but they are reversed and shifted 90 degrees. Instead of the top of the mantle being north, it is east, and in fact (according to the stars) pointing towards Israel. By reversed, I mean that instead of the stars looking like they do to us looking up to the sky, they look like they would if you were standing outside the "dome of heaven" looking down towards earth. This information had to wait until there were computer programs that could both calculate the stars positions on given dates but also show how the sky looked. (BTW, looking at the star chart on Mary's mantle and filling in the stars that aren't shown, we see that the constellation "Leo" would be located right above her tummy where Jesus would be.)
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The News is ready. Make sure you get a chance to read the touching Chanukah story, link #1
The Muppets
classic. the last 15 seconds however is the funniest.
John McTernan is upset about something and I thought I'd pass it on here to see what all the wise ones at the cave think about it. I haven't read McTernan for quite some time and came across this via Constance Cumbey's blog. Here's a quote from McTernan:
"This posting is an United States Army report about the literal believers of the Bible and how they affect American foreign policy. It is the most dangerous document to believers that I have ever read in my entire life. After reading this document, it is easy to see the next step would be to eliminate our Constitutional rights and herd us into concentration camps."
McTernan's site
Strategic Implications of American Millennialism
I'm going to try to read it tonight.
I didn't know about this 'Esperanto' universal language. Interesting post Google's Latest Logo Featuring 'Esperanto' Pushes Ecumenism
Here's a story to put a smile on your face.
Hand of God in girl’s kidnap tale
[The mother] had been told by a religious leader of the possible whereabouts of her [2 year old]daughter — having seen it all “in a vision”.
Some “comforters” offered to take her [the mother of the child] to witch doctors but she turned down their offers and instead knelt down and prayed. “I told myself: ‘If God gave me this child, he has all the reasons to protect her.’”
Anne,
I checked out the paper. Didn't read the entire thing but yes, it is very biased against conservative, Bible-believing, Christians.
One thing that I think is important to point out though is that it appears to be a paper written by a student (a Major) in the Advanced Military Studies Program at the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, KS.
So, I wouldn't take it as an official position taken by the U.S. Army but I do think it reveals that there are folks (if just the author and perhaps his professors) that hold a quite biased and half-informed view of Christians.
While I believing in voting and excercising our First Amendment rights (both religious freedom and freedom of speech), ultimately, I think we all recognize that our battle is not against flesh and blood.
Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Philippians 4:8 (NIV) ~ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
And yes, Major Stuckert. I take Bible passages like these literally. If that scares you or if you think that makes me a national security threat, you ought to find a different line of work. In fact, it makes me question both your critical thinking skills and your courage, both of which are characteristics I hope ALL of our military leaders have.
Psalm 149 (NIV)
1 Praise the LORD.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music to him with tambourine and harp.
4 For the LORD takes delight in his people;
he crowns the humble with salvation.
5 Let the saints rejoice in this honor
and sing for joy on their beds.
6 May the praise of God be in their mouths
and a double-edged sword in their hands,
7 to inflict vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with fetters,
their nobles with shackles of iron,
9 to carry out the sentence written against them.
This is the glory of all his saints.
Praise the LORD.
Psalm 150 (NIV)
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
Lisa,
I wouldn't worry about Esperanto being the New World Language. It's supposed to be easy to learn because "it contains elements from many other languages" (as one proponent put it many years back). As a speech pathology major I had to have a basic understanding of linguistics (how else would you know if you were dealing with a child with a speech defect or if that "defect" were something that was essential to a language spoken at home), so I dabbled in Esperanto.
Esperanto has got one really, really big roadblock: it's acceptable as a second language only if you already speak a western European language, such as Spanish or French. If your native language is Japanese, Hmong, or Urdu, forget about it -- it wouldn't be any easier for you to learn than any other European language.
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I thought the paper was dead on as far as the defination of what is believed-then twisted into blaming the ills of society & resistance to "forward" global progression onto these Christians. ( I who are one of them.)
Now who exactly would this paper be given to and how much weight it holds in decision making is my next question.
I passed it on to see what other input we may get. As I was reading the article it was as if this Major attended an "Epicenter" conference & took down good notes.
I noticed the attack & quotes from LTG William Boykin- who just spoke at our Church a few weeks ago & who is a friend of Rosenburg.
Well- it just more proof of the enemy working behind the scenes- planning his attacks on God's agents on earth- His Children.
Pastor Ray did mention last Sunday that he felt persecution was going to worsen in 2010.
On Ravi Zacharias' program "Let My People Think" he discusses the Manhattan Declaration and why he signed it.
Dissapointing message and focus if the news account is even half correct. Peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, not a byproduct of ecological concern for God's creation. Our focus should be on the Creator, not His creation. Right? The rest wil fall in place when we put Him first.
Pope's call for more environmental commitments in his message for the Roman Catholic Church's annual World Day of Peace ”If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation."
Jim G., Shalom! I can see where it would be easy to read the news report of the Pope's statements and think he was falling into the trap of "worshiping the created instead of the creator." Catholic social teaching tends to be based on the saying, "Without justice, there can be no peace; without peace, there can be no justice." What is not being reported here are statements he made (both now and in the past) linking Christian behavior and social justice teachings to environmental issues; that we are stewards, not owners, of the Earth; and we must balance the development of industry with the needs of the people surrounding or affected by that development.
An example is the morality of pushing poor people off land where they have lived for years in order to build a factory, and not either providing new housing for these people or enabling them to find work at this new factory. In the Gospel readings this last week, we read from Luke 3:10-18, where John the Baptist told the people, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” That is the basis for the Pope's message that "Industrialized nations must recognize their responsibility for the environmental crisis, shed their consumerism and embrace more sober lifestyles."
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"Industrialized nations must recognize their responsibility for the environmental crisis, shed their consumerism and embrace more sober lifestyles."
I don't know. That sounds like socialism call of "redistribution of wealth" from the richer countries.
More of a forced political call than a spiritual one.
The first and foremost concern is preaching the Gospel message in order to bring people into the kingdom of God. If they are truly following Christ and not just a religious experience- the Holy Spirit will eventually transform that person into the image of Christ & they will attain Christ-like attributes- the fruit of the Spirit and such.
God's way to redistribute wealth in the age of grace is from the heart of a person. There are no formal "laws" to follow.
Satan's way is to force a person under the guise of an overall concern for mankind when he's actually setting up a trap for us in the long run. It may physically help out some people short term but if they are still spiritually dead then has anything worthwhile really been accomplished?
It seems like any Christian denomination or Christian individual who's focus turns from the Spiritual to the Political eventually get's off track.
Looks like a slippery slope & who knows how far you can go without loosing the spiritual balance & sliding down hill.
We already know from God's word that the Anti-Christ will @ some point implement a forced redistribution of wealth & I see that the spirit of the Anti-Christ is already at work in our current political global agenda to achieve this goal.
So from this perspective the comment is a real concern & not that I don't have compassion for those in need.
Joel Rosenburg-
* I'll be on the History Channel's premiere of "The Nostradamus Effect: The Rapture," airing Wednesday night at 9pm eastern. It will be reaired Thursday morning at 1am eastern. I was interviewed for the show over the summer. I haven't seen it, so I can't really endorse it. But I wanted you to know it would be on.
New post is up.
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