John MacArthur
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153 comments:
Hi!
very profound statement that
not you Jim, the post.
did you get the job jim?
No, still unemployed.
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Right now, I'm watching History Channel "Nostradamus Effect" on "Satan's Army," waiting for Joel to come on.
Quick question from something they just had on the show: how many here believe the "mark of the beast" will be a literal "666" encoded in some form?
I was taught that at the time Revelation was written, slaves were marked with an owner's mark on their right hand, right arm (i.e., someplace on the right side) or on their forehead. So to me, the MOTB is some logo that you would wear to note your "membership." It would not necessarily be permanent (although I imagine there will be some who will do things like having it tattooed on their arm), but people will notice if you stop wearing it. Rather like gang symbols: it doesn't go well for the people in the gang to stop wearing the gang symbols.
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Jim C
I seem to recall that once the mark is taken in can not be revoked while I realize that would be spiritual it seems to me that context also implies physical. I would also note that in the Left Behind series people weren't tattooed with 666 but were tattooed with variations of 216 which somehow equaled 666 but right now can't remember how.
"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.
Could be, could be... OOORRR... he's calling us to forgo spending that $2500 on a new 52" plasma HDTV, or to skip a meal or two in fasting, or to buy food grown locally. In other words, living with more simplicity. In doing so, we keep in our roles as stewards of G_D's creation, and help our brothers and sisters.
More of a forced political call than a spiritual one.
You know, I've read through the article a couple of times, and I absolutely cannot see where you get this interpretation. Can you point to one statement that can be interpreted as saying (for example) the Democrats need to turn themselves around; or the Modern Whig Party has the correct policies from a biblical standpoint? Keep in mind that papal statements about "nations" refer to "all the people of a nation", not "the leaders of the nations." If he's addressing something to world leaders, he'll say "leaders of nations" or something like that.
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Mystery pair at diner spark cascade of giving
Couple pay another table’s tab, and chain reaction of generosity lasts hours
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Jim C.,
Thanks for the clarification and insight regarding the Catholic position on peace, ecology, and creation.
Your comment regarding "buying locally" reminded me of something I saw on TV a month or two ago. It may have been a John Stossel piece on 20/20. If I remember correctly, it basically pointed out that buying locally doesn't necessarily have the least negative environmental impact.
Anyway, I searched a bit more and found a very interesting and thoughtful blog post on the subject. The comments that follow the blog post are just as interesting.
The Fallacy of Locally Grown Produce
And here's an interesting short movie trailer arguing the other side. The last half of the trailer is better than the first but it is a pretty short clip overall.
FRESH the movie
Jim C.
I'm not going to list all of the Political & Religious Organizations whose individual goals are to redistribute wealth (for various stated reasons) & who are now joining together under a heading of "global______"(you fill in the blank) to get the agenda accomplished.
The Pope does not have to specify a political party to still join in on the agenda of politics. They all cloak their individual motivations under the "welfare of humanity".
I'm speaking in terms of spiritual warfare & that is where I get my perspective. I don't know how to explain it any better that would make it easier to understand.
It's the heart that needs to be changed in man & not the powers that be forcing people to all live at a base level by giving the rest to whomever the Govt. decides should receive it.
People living a life sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit already place the needs of others higher than a plasma TV set. The intervention has already come from a divine source & not the will of man.
That is the basic principle. Who is operating in the flesh and who is truly operating in the Spirit?
God is not done shaking this nation & if we think 2009 was rough then what do you think 2010 will bring? A large % of people may not have anything left to redistribute in the 1st place.
Copenhagen climate summit: Prince Charles warns climate change will drive starvation and terrorism.The world has only seven years before climate change causes a “point of crisis” that will drive food shortages, terrorism and poverty, the Prince of Wales has warned.
(7 years? Where have I heard of that number before? These reports need to be spiritually discerned and not taken at face value.)
Jib,
216 is the product of 6 x 6 x 6
WHO STARTED CHRISTMAS?
This morning I heard a story on the radio of a woman who was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable. And after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids.
She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year. Overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, getting that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, making sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card.
Finally the elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd in the car. She pushed her way into the car and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed she couldn't take it anymore and stated, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up and shot."
From the back of the car everyone heard a quiet calm voice respond, "Don't worry we already crucified him." For the rest of the trip down the elevator it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.
Don't forget this year to keep the One who started this whole Christmas thing in your every thought, deed, purchase, and word. If we all did it, just think of how different this whole world would be.
-- Author Unknown
Lisa
may be the Pope isn't speaking to those who are living already in the Spirit but to those who should be living in the Spirit and reminding them of where their true allegiance and values should be? Further I think the Pope is in part correct with his statement of industrialized nations. We as nations have not been good stewards of what God has given us and we should bear the responsibility of that however that means we care for what we have here and I also don't necessarily think he was talking about forced redistribution of wealth.
Having said that, I would note that I also don't see anything inherently wrong with buying said TV either. If you can afford it, you are giving generously of time and money I don't have an issue with a Christian having things. Parts of the green movement are a good thing but their emphasis is on worshiping the creation and not the creator.
Jib,
I get that point as well from a secular perspective. Isn't the Pope as the "Vicar of Christ" supposed to encourage the Spiritual?
Is Christ really speaking through him? Or does what he encourage come from his own personal view?
I agree that we should all be good stewards of the earth- of course. We still recycle & do what we can even though God is about to pour out His wrath on this planet: burn it up, poison the waters, throw down the mountains, sink the islands & eventually melt it w/fervent heat.
Our real problem is with our sin nature & yielding our prideful wills to Christ so that He can change us from within. It's all about Him & all of the grand ideas of man stick about as well as a Band-Aid to a dinosaur.
This earth stewardship mantra is being used in the End Time deception to unite people for a common goal irregardless of their background. The Protestants & Evengelicals are also getting sucked into this. This is no time to play Robin Hood- this is a battle for the souls of men.
** I'm in rare form today- }:
Jim C, Something of interest:
Deception 101- It’s ManifestingThere is something that is manifesting over a Coptic church in Egypt. The question is this, is it the Mary of the Bible? ...
No real surprise:
UN: Human Life Threatens Climate!
Who would've thought!
Climategate: European Carbon Credit Trading System Plagued by Fraud
Jib, Shalom! As a bishop (the Bishop of Rome), The Pope's primary role is that of teacher. You cannot really separate spiritual and temporal issues -- each affect the other. He cannot teach only on one set of issues and ignore the others. As for the TV, I agree. There's nothing inherently wrong in getting the big-screen HDTV. I only used that example because it's so easy to start thinking of those things not as "fun things" but as "essentials". And the "food grown locally" comes from my living in a rural area, and we're trying to support farmers who are trying to get away from monoculture farming (where they only grow corn, or raise cattle, etc.)
In reading about these issues like the ecology, I'm reminded of the definition of "heresy": a truth that is emphasized out of balance or proportion with other truths. Arianism, for example, started out with a truth: Jesus was a man. However, Arius emphasized this truth about Jesus' humanity out of balance with other truths, and came up with the teaching that Jesus was a "created being", i.e., He was born human but was made into a divine being by G_D. This heresy was condemned at the Council of Nicea in 325, which lead to the development of this part of the Nicean Creed: ... And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, God from God, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father;...
It's clear that many people in the "Green Movement" have passed into this new heresy: given the truth that we are to be stewards of Creation, they emphasize that truth so that Creation becomes all, rather than Creation existing for man. Creation is worshiped instead of the Creator. However, the fact that this heresy is prevalent does not diminish the original truth: that we have a duty, given to us by G_D, to care for this gift of Creation that He has also given to us.
Lisa, yes, the Pope, as the "Vicar of Christ", is supposed to encourage the Spiritual. Before passing judgement on whether or not Benedict XVI is encouraging the Spiritual, I would suggest you read the actual texts that he has released, not just the summary given by one secular news organization. You can read the full text of the "Message For World Day Of Peace" in English here. You can go to the Vatican Information Service to find documents that have been issued under the Pope's signature, or the text of addresses he has made to various groups. (You might be interested in his speech, Perennial Message Of The Gospel In Secularized Society given to the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus.) I can also direct you to "Papal Encyclicals Online" if you are interested.
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And as for anything by L.A. Marzulli, I prefer going straight to the source. You can find a summary of the new apparitions occurring in Egypt at Spirit Daily (Thousands Gather In Frenzied Crowds As Mary Said To Appear Again In Cairo, Egypt) To date, there have been 3 apparitions of Mary in 3 different neighborhoods of Cairo in the past 40 years. Two have been declared authentic. (I should note, they were declared authentic by the Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, which is different from the Roman Catholic Church.) The first was in a Coptic neighborhood called Zeitoun, where Mary, accompanied by luminous doves, appeared over a church built on the site where the Holy Family is said to have stayed when they were in Egypt. This was from 1968 until 1973. (The photos and videos of these apparitions are breathtaking.) This apparition is worth noting because by law, the Egyptian TV stations could not mention them, and the Copts couldn't explain what was happening to their neighbors, because the law forbid any mention of anything relating to Christianity. The legislature had to pass an exemption in order to keep the Muslims from panicking.
The second authentic apparition was in Assiut, from Aug. 2000 to Jan. 2001. Here there was no physical apparition, just glowing lights, luminous doves, and clouds of incense appearing over the local Coptic Orthodox church. The photos and videos of this apparition are not very impressive. What's notable is that in order to prove that these glowing lights were just reflections of neighborhood lights and such, the government order the power to the neighborhood cut during the apparitions. The entire area was plunged into darkness. Except for the glowing lights and luminous doves hovering over the church...
This third apparition (in Warraq) is ongoing, so there's no saying if it's authentic or not. So far the only videos of the apparition have been shot on cell phone cameras, so you can imagine how great the quality is. This is a link to part 2 of a 3-part video on the apparition (St.Virgin Mary Apparition in Coptic Orthodox Church in Warraq-Cairo-Egypt 10-12-2009-Part 2.). In it you can see a luminous human figure hovering between the three domes of the church.
I picked this up from Gene Edward Veith's blog.
Biblical Archeology Review, has a good scholarly discussion of why Christmas is celebrated on December 25. And it is evidently NOT because it was superimposed on a pagan holiday:
Around 200 C.E. Tertullian of Carthage reported the calculation that the 14th of Nisan (the day of the crucifixion according to the Gospel of John) in the year Jesus died was equivalent to March 25 in the Roman (solar) calendar. March 25 is, of course, nine months before December 25; it was later recognized as the Feast of the Annunciation—the commemoration of Jesus’ conception. Thus, Jesus was believed to have been conceived and crucified on the same day of the year. Exactly nine months later, Jesus was born, on December 25.
hehehe...that's Archaeology.
News is up.
Happy Friday!
Greetings friends:
I am in need of a bit of support prayer this week. I have been introduced to some incredible ministry opportunities this week, and God is blessing, but boy is it tiring. The daughter of a friend of a member is slowly dying from a brain tumor. She is 38. I was asked to make a cold call, and have now seen her twice. She has lived a rebellious life, but is now truly open to the Lord. Wednesday was a wonderful time sharing about the love of God. Next week I plan on being more precise in the way of salvation. I do not know if God will heal her physically, but we are focusing in on the spiritual for now.
Sunday I married an older couple with difficult pasts. Wednesday they separated and I heard about it Thursday night. I met with the man today, and I think that he is finally open to some honest soul searching. We talked for a few hours this morning about what God is teaching him, and I believe small steps were made. We plan to meet weekly to continue, but man, am I tired. Tonight I get to call the wife and prayerfully get to be honest with her. She has 2 adult, "simple" sons who seem to be more important than her new husband. I need wisdom as to how to begin the learning process for her. She lives an hour away.
God bless,
Wayne
Praying, Wayne, and also for strength for you.
has anyone else noticed that the prophecy today blogspot hasn't sent out anything since the 14th of December?
I need some help-is there a specific passage about the Holy Spirit convicting believers of sin? i found where the Spirit would convict the world but I can't seem to find the passage that talks of the Holy Spirit convicting us of sin and leading us into righteousness.
Maybe this one?
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44)
Hey all,
Just checking in for my monthly post after lurking as usual. Life's been busy. My current hospital system is in turmoil and I finally had enough. I'll be moving up to Colorado in the spring and the family to follow in June when school's over for the kids and my wife. I rest in the many promises of our Lord that He uses all for good, His plans prevail, etc. Praying we are used by Him up there like we have been here.
Wayne, I've lifted you up several timess already, brother, He'll give you the strength you need and open cold hearts.
Have any of you old dogs been watching Yemen? Looks like war is getting hotter there. US just launched two missiles destroying an Al-Queda training area and meeting room. Saudis sent in 70 air strikes today on targets in Yemem, and not a word on mainstream media. Go figure.
Also, Even though my spiritual antennae are all UHF and dented, even I can feel the spiritual warfare heating up all over, It's not just in China, Egypt, Iraq and Israel, we're in the pot now too. Perhaps Lisa et. al. are right and God has removed His cover of protection from our young country. Time for us who belong to Him to shine more.
Regarding the bishop of Rome, let me quote Ignatius of Antioch in his letter to Polycarp
" Pay careful regard to your bishop, if you wish God to pay regard to you. My heart warms to men who are obedient to their bishop and clergy and deacons, and I pray for a place in heaven at their side. for everyone must work together in unison at this training of ours: comrades in its wrestling and racing, comrades in its aches and pains, comrades in its resting and in its rising, like God's good stewards and coadjutors and assistants."
Unity under the banner of our Lord is needed as much now as it was in 101 AD. Time is very short my brothers and sisters. See you soon for coffee.
In His Grip,
Scott
Wayne, holding you up in prayer. You're at the front lines - all our ministers, pastors etc need to be constantly prayed for.
Scott, good to hear from you and agree.
Jib, I did come across this as I was chatting to Alesia - very attentively I might add - but it's probably not what you're looking for as it doesn't directly refer to believers.
Joh 16:7 "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
Joh 16:8 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment;
I've had my hands full otherwise I'd dig out Geisler's Systematic Theology and do a study.
Anne, that Biblical Archaeology Review article is VERY good! Thanks for posting it!
One thing I read in the past year or two is that we can't base the description of the shepherds "watching over their flocks by night" as putting the Nativity in Spring. Sheep give birth in the spring, so the shepherds have to keep watch to make sure wolves don't get the new-born lambs. While this would be true anyplace else, it would not be true in Bethlehem. Bethlehem, being so close to Jerusalem, was THE prime source for lambs for sacrifice. In fact, most of the flocks were pre-certified by the priests. They had to watch over the flocks all the time to keep them from being stolen.
Then, in the spring, at Passover, they would herd all these sheep down from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. This would be a week before Passover. IOW, Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, leading the sheep that were to be used for the Passover sacrifices.
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Something from the Huffington Post:
Evangelicals, Israel, and the End of the World
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Scott, I am going to post a few articles about Yemen today on Off the Wall News dot net.
Jim C, I'll check out that link too!
Jim C, glad you liked it. I didn't know that about the sheep. A friend of mine, to whom I also sent the article, wondered about the date of birth being in the spring because of the shepherds watching the flocks. I will send him what you wrote. (Without divulging our secret hiding place, of course!)
Am I the only grandparent still here? These are the ones I can think of, Grany, Marge, Kathy, Donna(?)...can't think of anymore. And Donna, are you still here?
Some days I feel like a grandmother!
I'm old enough to be a grandparent-does that count?
Mac
that is the verse I found but not what I am thinking of.
Taiwan Hit by 6.4 Magnitude Earthquake, Aftershocks
Lately, all the earthquakes I've been reading about have been 6.2 or 6.4. I'm beginning to think that 6.3 is the new 4.0.
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Scott, there's a new article in Time magazine (should still be available on Time.com) about Yemen. I've been reading other stuff about it, here and there, and heard a report on it on the BBC. But you're right, it hasn't been covered on the evening news, or even below the fold in most newspapers. I think that's because it's Not-Here.
It may also be that Yemen just has a history of wars. One reason Nassar went to war with Israel in 1967 was to draw attention away from the war Egypt was fighting with Yemen at the time. A war, I might add, where chemical weapons were used almost daily, but I don't recall reading about any international outrage over Egypt's use of WMD.
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Sorry, Jib, doesn't count. :) I'm looking for empathy if my daughter and her husband move away and take my grandchildren with them (can you imagine!)
Maybe some ideas of how long distance grandparents can keep a close relationship going. My grandkids and I are VERY close, but they are quite young.
Jib, I was hoping Pastor Wayne would provide this info for you, but maybe this may help.
The Holy Spirit today plays a major role in the application of salvation to the individual. It is the Spirit who brings conviction to the unbeliever and causes him to see the truth of the gospel in a clear light (John 16:8-11). Those who respond to this conviction and place their faith in Jesus Christ receive eternal life and a new nature(John 3:3-7; Titus 3:5). The Holy Spirit unites the believer with Christ and places him in the body of Christ, the church (1 Cor. 12:13). He also unites the believer with Christ in His death, enabling him to live victoriously over sin (Rom. 6:1–10).
The Holy Spirit controls the believer who yields to God and submits himself to God’s Word (Rom.12: 1,2; Eph. 5:18; Col. 3:16).
When these conditions are met, the believer lives in the power of the Spirit and produces the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 22, 23).
The Holy Spirit indwells the believer permanently (I Cor. 6:19, 20).
While the child of God may sin and grieve the Spirit, the Spirit will never leave the true believer (Eph. 4:30). Absence of the Holy Spirit is the mark of the unsaved.
(Rom. 8:9; Jude v. 19). The Holy Spirit seals the believer (II Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30). This ministry guarantees the security of the believer “until the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30).
The Holy Spirit sovereignly bestows spiritual gifts or abilities for service to every believer (Rom. 12; I Cor. 12; Eph. 4). Although His restraint of evil in the world today will cease with the rapture (II Thess. 2:7).
a Berean
A Berean
thanks I will looks at those. i have something specific that I am writing for our deacon's column in our church newsletter. I posted what I wrote for January on my blog. While I was driving to the office yesterday the flow of ideas started for February and I don't carry a dictaphone so I had to remember. I did some searches for different words at blueletterbible but couldn't precisely find the passage that I am looking for although perhaps it isn't a specific passage but more an exposition of and tying together of several passages. I know what I want to say is biblical but I always try to have the verses either in the letter or at least handy if some one questions what I have written. many thanks.
well Anne my son is 7 but I can tell you from the "other side" if you will how difficult it is for us to live 2000 miles away from both sets of grandparents. we go to Ohio for 2 weeks every year. my folks for a while were coming out every 6 months or we were meeting them somewhere e.g. my came out last Christmas for a week and we met up with them in Florida for a week this last summer. My husband's folks seem to be content with their 1 week a year. They do spend time with one grand kid for several weeks in TX but don't make it a point to fly or drive further west to see any of their other grand kids (AZ and CA).
one thing we have done, although not as often as I would like, is video calls via yahoo messenger. buy a couple of nice video cams and hook up to computer. log on to web and yahoo messenger and you can do video call. Our son gets the biggest kick out of talking to his grandparents on the computer. I know others who have used Skype and like that really well. the call is free. I know Mac and Alesia do just phone calls without video over the internet as well.
Berean,
With all due respect, it looks like you added something to 1 Cor. 6:19.
You wrote: The Holy Spirit indwells the believer permanently (I Cor. 6:19, 20).
Here's what it says:
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
The word "permanently" is simply not there. I am NOT saying that the verse precludes the possibility that it is a permanent condition for the true believer, but I don't think it is fair to cite the verse as stating it says that "The Holy Spirit indwells the believer permanently."
Jim C.,
I sent you an e-mail late Thursday night (PST). Did you receive it? If memory serves me correctly, you don't check your Gmail account very frequently.
Thanks Jib, those are good suggestions. I used skype to stay in contact with another daughter while she was in India and it worked well, though it was audio only. The video is a must with little kids so I'll have to do that. Talking with my granddaughter the other night, she got the idea to pretend we were meeting inside the phone and giving each other a hug! Then she insisted to her aunt that it really happened!
I babysat these kids several times a week with many overnights, so this will be a huge adjustment all around. I plan to make a number of visits per year and am saving up already.
Jim G,
You are absolutely correct, I apologize.
Jib,
I took excerpts from a complete study (looking at all the verses that speak of the work of the Holy Spirit) so there may be others verses that I listed that may have some overlap. I don't know what you plan to write in your newsletter but I was confident that you would not be quoting me but were more interested in the scripture verses. It might have been better if I had just listed some scripture verses for you to read for yourself.
The Bible tool programs online such as Blue Letter Bible are very helpful in a lot of ways, but they have their limitations. Especially if the verse or verses you are looking for, does not actually have the word "Holy Spirit" or "Spirit" but has changed to "He," in the particular verse you are looking for.
I did my study more than ten years ago, but I remember that I found that I needed to search for "Holy Spirit," and the search engine would bring up all verses where "Holy Spirit" or "Spirit" would come up. Then I took each verse found in the search, and went to the Bible and read from the other verses within the context in order to get the whole story. Good luck on your article!
a Berean
I should also comment that, while I will miss my grandchildren dearly, I am greatly blessed and have very little hardship. We are not unemployed, nor is bankruptcy or foreclosure at our door, we are all healthy, get along quite well, no one is drinking or using drugs, etc, etc. And my husband and children know the Lord (though we admittedly have intense debates). So, I will not succumb to self-pity.
Jib, regarding the Holy Spirit.
I do not believe that the task of the Holy Spirit has changed between the OT and NT, and that is simply to draw people from where they are nearer to God. It is interesting as I am preparing for tomorrow, that Mary, when told that the HS would come upon her, she understood who the HS was (in part).
Romans 1:16 states that the Gospel reveals the righteousness of God.
I Cor 2:9-16
9However, as it is written:
"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him"— 10but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment:
16"For who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
The Holy Spirit reveals the hidden, and the spiritual.
1 Cor. 3:10-31
The HS lives in us, and it can be assumed in this passage that it is the HS that reveals which of our deeds are junk, and which are eternal.
The HS reveals,
then the HS draws us closer to God.
Hope these verses help a bit
Wayne
Wayne and a Berean
many thanks on the verses. Berean you are quite correct that I wasn't going to quote you but wanted to know where I had read what I think I read. The february deacon's corner is going to be about love naturally, but about God's love to us, how it is revealed, and how we then work that our in our lives. or at least I think that is what it's going to be. I have about half of it written-sometimes after prayer and reading what I think I am writing changes although I will say that what I have written thus far seems to be what I sense the Spirit wants me to write.
Good Sunday morning. The news is ready. There is still Israeli settlement and debate going on.
Have a blessed Sunday :)
Interesting Article w/interview from Franklin Graham. The Gathering
Wayne,
The little bit of evangelizing & encouraging I do really does wear me out at times. I can't even begin to fathom the responsibilities of a Pastor & all that you have to contend with.
Just imagine the day we can see you rewarded for your labors. When I pray for Pastors I envision them having special crown of honor & a really awesome position in the up & coming Kingdom of Christ for their faithfulness in serving, steadfastness for truth, and love for others.
I would imagine that if you don't operate in the Spirit the majority of the time you'd get really pounded down by the opposing forces of satan- being a front line target and all.
Jim C.
What did you think about that History Channel show? I didn't see it & haven't heard any reports on it yet.
How is everyone???
Request for prayer from Ariel Min
Not being a businessperson, I don't understand a lot of the numbers that are thrown around in this article. Nevertheless, I understand the conclusion: we're scr*wed.
http://www.marketskeptics.com/2009/12/2010-food-crisis-for-dummies.html
From a biblical prophecy point of view, I find it interesting that the author is moving to Russia and is planning to invest in Russian agriculture. I wonder how much of what he earns of it Putin will let him keep.
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Jim G., apologies. I've been under the weather the last 2-3 days and haven't done a lot of productive work on my PC.
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Thanks for the link Jim.
I think you had a typo or two in it though;-)
http://www.marketskeptics.com/2009/12/2010-food-crisis-for-dummies.html
I read much, though not all, of the food crisis article.
Hmmm. I do know that the Bible says there will be famine. But something doesn't sit right with me about the article.
Some of the comments that follow the article (both friendly and critical) are interesting.
I'm just discerning something wrong about the article. Maybe it's because Jesus specifically told us not to worry about tomorrow. Satan would love for us to be fearful and worry.
Jim G., thanks for the correction. Here are two more articles of interest:
Officials and Experts Warn of Crash-Induced Unrest
If there IS an economic crash, the people might be miffed. (Reminds me of when Glenn Beck made some comment on his show, back when it was still on CNN, and suddenly all these pitchforks and torches were being shipped to him!)
Potential for Famine in the US
Is America the new Ireland? Author points out that the Famine in Ireland wasn't caused by not enough food. It was caused by a failure of the Irish people to be able to afford to buy the food they produced, most of which was being shipped to England.
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Hi Anne,
I'm chiming in a little late on the subject, but thought this idea might interest you. I read it in my Family Fun magazine last month. It was from an article about the very subject you're dealing with...grandparents living away from the grandkids. My in-laws live close enough to see whenever needed, but my parents are 4 hours away and since they both still work, they don't make many trips to see us, maybe 3 times a year. I try to get there 2-3 times, but that will be harder as the kids get older and more involved with sports, etc.
Anyway, one of the ideas was to have long-distance storytime. This is great if you've already enjoyed reading books with them. My mom is a designated reader when they visit and she doesn't escape from the couch much as a result :-)
Here's the idea:
You and your daughter each get the same kids' book(s). Then set up a time when the grandparent reads the book over the phone while the kids read along/look on their end. If you have Skype, etc. it would be even more fun to do. I'm thinking of buying some sets for Mother's Day, maybe one set for each month. The kids have Scholastic bookclub at school and they're pretty cheap, so that wouldn't cost too much. Library would also work, but might be hard for my mom to get the same title as they're in a very small town.
Anyway, wanted to share in case it's something you are interested in!
Blessings,
Jen
Perry Stone's Is America Forging the 7th Empire of Biblical Prophecy?"made some good points. And does ole Perry get riled up?!
Gosh- I wonder if we'll have to endure the entire "Global" process before the rapture? I can get riled up myself by just watching Perry preachin. And those miners getting in a battle w/the "Greenies" on the Mtn. Top? With the international support of "global" you name it- the climate/earth activists are becoming bolder by the minute. The same thing w/the homosexual activists.
No wonder the govt. is training up these extra forces for civilian unrest. The basic population of old America isn't going to go down without a fight. If it weren't for my biblical worldview I'd eventually be out there fighting right along side them.
These certainly are interesting times! I never realized I would actually see something like this go down in my lifetime.
Copenhagen births World Gov’t framework despite fallout over science fraud
There'll be nowhere to run from the new world government
Obama: Health care progress a victory for American people The Senate vote to end debate was on strictly partisan lines, with all 60 members of the Democratic caucus uniting to overcome a filibuster attempt by the 40 Senate Republicans.
It occurred in a rare overnight session, with voting taking place at 1 a.m. Monday, in order to make it possible for the chamber's final vote to occur before the upcoming Christmas recess.
Equality legislation means our very right to believe is under fire-UKThe Equality Bill allegedly aims to consolidate earlier anti-discrimination legislation into a single, simple, happy and enlightened Act of Parliament, one consequence of which will be to require Christian churches not to discriminate against homosexuals and transsexuals or, in the case of Roman Catholics, against women or married men as candidates for priesthood.
Thanks, Jen, that is a great idea and I will do it.
One problem with the phone and computer contact which I forgot about...it's very limited! The kids will probably never get online with me (the computer is in an unheated shack and must be shared with the students) and cell phone communication is limited. There is a payphone in another unheated shack so I sent a phone card. It's an unpleasant experience for the kids. So, the story reading will happen only when they have a working cell phone available. But, still it's a good thing.
I appreciate all ideas. When I had small children we also moved away for a time from my mother and my aunt who was very close to my children. I didn't understand then how much that hurt them and it was even worse because there was no possibility of them visiting us.
Are You Prepared?
And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
— 1 John 2:28
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Remember when Steve Quale was in a panic about a 20mile wide UFO? Here is a picure of what people are looking at:HUGE UFO Monitored by Cassini Above South Pole Coming Here
Here is what they say about it:
Cassini project classified, because of all the mothership activity filmed in Saturn system.
* a 1.5 mln miles off the South pole a 20 mile craft that is sat in a stationary. NASA and other organizations telescopes have been monitoring it for 8 months, they watch its trajectory to us. It is now stationary and are craft going in and out of this 20-mile structure.
* very large planetary structure coming in 18 degrees RA of Neptune's orbit. it should be visible sometimes next year.
(Personally- I don't know enough about it- kind of looks like some sort of gas formation in space but maybe if it gets closer it will appear solid or ?. Strange. The area of concern for me are in the comment section. People know just about enough of the Bible to be dangerous. There was one made about the possibility of this being "New Jerusalem" coming down from heaven.)
Lori, is all ok? I tried to go to off the wall and got nothing but "This site is under development", etc.
Kept meaning to post this and then getting distracted:
Why The Jews Did or Did Not Reject Jesus
It's a review of a book written by David Klinghoffer called Why the Jews Rejected Jesus: The Turning Point in Western History The author brings up a lot of good points, including the fact that, placement in the Bible aside, all the Epistles were written BEFORE the Gospels. So, in effect, the Epistles influenced the Gospels, not the other way around.
All in all a good article. Still debating over reading the book, though.
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Off The Wall News is back up and running. I'll have it updated within a few minutes, Lord willing.
Have a blessed day!
Pray for all these people"
this is the exit I get on and off to go to hospital. we were not involved but this is a major tragedy obviously and we should pray for all those involved.
St. Nicholas Despite being quite young Nicholas had earned a reputation for kindliness and wisdom. In the year 303, the Roman emperor Diocletian commanded all the citizens of the Roman Empire, which included Asia Minor, to worship him as a god....
2 of the dead are a teenage brother and sister and are local teens. there will be a lot of grieving going on. we are still a relatively small community and this will have an impact. up until this year all students went to the same high school.
Just prayed for those families, Jib.
Lori, you have some really interesting articles in the last Off The Wall post - not that they're not good all the time.
Just a bunch of assorted links...
Lisa, the History Channel "Nostradamus" segment on the Rapture was very interesting. It did (in my opinion) a good job of explaining the differences between the pre-trib and post-trib views, and mostly focused on the aftermath of having all these people just vanish - car crashes, civil disorder, etc. Stuff that might pave the way for the Antichrist to come to power. It also covered some rapture-like teachings in other religions with the supposition that if it's not just the Christians teaching it, then maybe it's true.
Also, Lisa, don't know/don't care what Marzulli has to say about this, but the apparitions in Cairo are still going on. This video shows the apparition occuring during the daytime. There have been some claiming that the apparitions are the result of lasers being directed at the church; however, the amount of lased energy needed to create a glowing effect that bright during broad daylight would pose a serious risk of eye damage to anyone who looked at it for any period of time. As it is, one woman has claimed that after being blind for six years, her sight was restored when she went to the church during an apparition. I'm still trying to find out the details on that claim.
Two more interesting links:
Who Was Jesus' Grandfather?
What the two genealogies of Christ, found in Matthew and Luke, are really trying to say.
MAN TO MAN: Entering into the emotional world of a woman
There's also an interesting video on this page called "Overpopulation: The Making of a Myth"
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Oh, almost forgot about this one:
Anime Christmas_Our Revels Now Begin
I found this when I was exploring some links for sea shanties. This (as my daughters would scornfully point out) is not anime -- there's no motion. Instead, it is technically "manga". Whatever it is, the music is beautiful and the drawings capture the feel. The song is "Our Revels Now Begin" performed by the group "Merry Wives of Windsor." The credit song is "Raise Me Up" performed by "Celtic Women."
Merry Christmas, all!
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Jim C.
Thanks for the apparition link. I like to keep up on what's happening in the supernatural realm. This Cairo incident seems to be very consistant. Have others hung around as long? Nights & Days?
At some point- hopefully soon- I'm going to do a study on supernatural healings. People claim to have been healed within a large variety of religions. I need to dig in further but I believe it includes Hindu, Buddhist, Islam, Pagan, Occult, and so forth.
The war on Christmas - it's a Commie thing... Indeed, today's secularist war on Christmas (yes, the one that, like God, many liberals deny exists) was waged, in large part, when Communists began attempting to supplant the deity of Christ (and His associated Judeo-Christian principles) with the false deity of the State....
the mom of the two kids killed yesterday works at the hospital. as I suspected the kids were well known and well liked.
Siblings
I would note that there are some pictures of the dust storm also. kind of freaky for this time of year to have a storm like that
Lisa,
I want to caution that in the Roman Catholic Church, a healing like this woman apparently experienced would not immediately prove the validity of the apparition. The churches where the apparitions have occurred (starting in 1968) have all belonged to the Coptic Orthodox Church, and final declaration on their validity rests with their Patriarch, H.H. Pope Shanouda III. (From what I've read, the Coptic Orthodox Church is not as fixed as the Latin Church on separating the divine from the mundane, judging more by the fruits than by any scientific declaration that a miracle cannot be explained rationally.) I should also note that this apparition is coming at a time when the Copts are experiencing a wave of growing violence and persecution directed at them by the government.
Anyway, usually the apparitions have been at night, but not always. The first set of apparitions began in Zeitun in April of 1968, when the Muslim auto mechanic across the street from the church saw a woman standing on the church roof. It was dusk, with the sun still out but setting, and the mechanic thought one of the nuns was going to commit suicide. He started calling to her, with other people joining, begging her not to throw herself down. As the sun set, the people realized that the woman was glowing, and the local Copts realized that it was Mother Mary.
The apparitions occurred frequently, but not nightly, until 1971. It may be significant that the apparitions began about a year after the end of the 6-Day War and ended just before Egypt joined in the Yom Kippur War. There are a couple of web sites about Zeitun; the official site of the parish is at Saint Mary Church Zeitoun and has a collection of videos (including ones broadcast on Egyptian TV), photos, and eyewitness accounts.
BTW, did anyone else see the "60 Minutes" interview with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, H.A.H. Bartholomew? You can go to the patriarchate's web site (http://www.patriarchate.org/) and links to the episode, as well as photos from the story and Bob Simon's video comments. One thing the Patriarch said was that he feels "crucified" by the Turkish government, because they haven't kept any of their promises. Naturally, the Turkish government objected, scolding the Patriarch for not being "mature" (http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=17192, Turkish authorities scalp Patriarch Bartholomew). However, with Turkey trying to join the EU, Bartholomew's plan to take his complaints to the European Court of Justice might be just the thing to get the Turkish government to relent.
P.S. I just got a reply for more information on the woman who regained her sight. She became blind from diabetes, having had a blood sugar of over 500 for a long time. She lives near the St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, where the apparitions are occuring. Her friends took her there when the apparitions started, and (according to the translator) "... they keep telling her "wow we can see St. Mary," she started to cry "I want to see her too" & keep praying, then she start to see the Sky & St. Mary, & she scream "I can see Virgin Mary now!!! God is great & use His Saints for His glory name...."
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Sorry; got things mixed up again. The first story about the Patriarch should be:
Ecumenical Patriarch crucified
Sure wish these comments had a "preview" option.
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Hey, Jim, is the storm keeping you at home over Christmas? We're up here bracing for the snow, but I'd rather have that than the ice you're likely to get.
Anne, no, it's the fact that I don't have a car that's keeping me home over the holidays. I've been putting off winterizing my scooter; tomorrow I think I need to bite the bullet and do it.
Even if I did have a car, there's no place for me to really go. My family had a get-together at my sister's farm last weekend, but aside from that, nothing. Actually, I look at this as a blessing. My youngest daughter will be coming down on the 28th to stay for a week. With nowhere to go on Christmas, it means I can do my Christmas shopping on the 26th! I once heard a radio essay where the woman was describing growing up Orthodox; her neighbors were convinced the Orthodox celebrated Christmas on Jan. 6 just so they could take advantage of all the post-Christmas sales!
But, as I watch TV tonight, there's just one long scroll across the bottom of the screen listing one canceled event after another. In Waterloo, about 90 minutes north of here, one church's Community Christmas Dinner (which has been going on for almost 40 years) has been canceled due to the coming blizzard. It's very sad.
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It's kind of late, but the news is finally up.
Solana has been trying to keep a low profile.. But again is emerging, but very slowly. #13 is information without a link. It's intentional.
Also, Obama gave INTERPOL immunity thru executive order... immunity from what? link #20
Have a beautiful night folks. Have sweet fudgey dreams with a splash of mocha java.
Last one out, turn out the light. nighty night
What are your thoughts about Solana, Lori?
Some of the folks at Constance's blog still see him as the main candidate for the AC role and that the ENP is Daniel's covenant, even though time has pretty much beaten that theory.
Pastors in China imprisoned to string Christmas lightsTheir fingers bleed. If they don’t see through their day’s quota — 5,000 bulbs, they are beaten. The next day they report to duty under guards’ eyes. They thread the fine wire through plastic frames for Christmas lights to be strung for selling around the world. But their Christmas celebration is confined to being imprisoned.
Their crime? Preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. This past year, 600 pastors alone were put behind Chinese bars.
Their families? Left to fend for themselves.
So tomorrow more pastors jailed by Chinese atheists will string fine wire for Christmas light insertions into hard plastic containers.
A workday: 16-20 hours. Then the items will be marketed globally for believers to have Christmas lights for one more December.....
Lisa, that's one reason I try to not buy products made in China.
Here are some links that some of you might find interesting.
CRAZIEST CHRISTMAS STORIES
Interesting the ways they twist themselves in order to avoid saying "Christmas" or even "Happy New Year."
Solar Tsunami
The article is about a quarter of the way down the page. The "tsunami" on the surface of the sun set off a coronal ejection. We may get the edge of it on Christmas, leading to some beautiful Christmas auroras. Also, the very next article has some beautiful close-up photos of snowflakes!
Finally, I know some of you are probably getting tired of this, but this is just so ... wierd. This link is to the second page of a forum in Ireland; the topic is the apparitions supposedly occuring now in Egypt. The crowd is clearly sceptical. But then someone posted the videos and photos. What's more, there are now reports (which I'm tryng to confirm) that on Dec. 23 apparitions occured at Coptic churches all over Egypt, at the same time. Multiple apparitions. But we'll get to that in a moment.
The first video, about a third of the way down the page, shows the apparition occuring during the daytime. (You can find the original video on YouTube.) You may think that it's just the sun reflecting off the metal of the cross, but there are two problems with that. First, if you run a still of the video through image analysis software, you'll find that the sun's reflection off the cross in the background is dimmer than the glowing object in front of the forward cross. Given the angles of the sun and the two crosses relative to the camera, if it was a reflection both the forward and rear crosses would be at about the same brightness, but they're not. Second, there's no reflection off the top part of the forward cross. (That "beam of light" is a lens artifact.)
If you'll scroll down some more, you'll find two more photos and another video. The first photo was taken from a nearby apartment building and shows the enormous crowds that come each night. The two crosses on the domes are lit (there's nothing there normally to light up the crosses -- no one can explain how/why the crosses are so bright), and you can see the glowing apparition down between the towers. (Note: so far there have been only photos taken by cell phones and the like, which don't handle contrast very well. All we see in the photos and videos is a glowing object. The eyewitnesses all describe the same thing: a woman dressed in white with a blue mantle and blue sash or belt.)
The second photo shows a group of luminous doves flying in formation over the church. Some people call them doves, others describe them as pidgeons; either way, neither of those birds are nocturnal.
The last video is the strangest. You can see a larger version on YouTube; however, all the notes and annotations are in Arabic. Remember I said "Multiple apparitions"? What I mean is, not only are the apparitions taking place all over Egypt at the same time, they are also involving different people. At the beginning of this video, you'll see a note pointing to a figure standing in front of the church at crowd level. Watch that person. From 0:00 to 0:03, he is standing there. Between 0:03 and 0:04, he evaporates. Some witnesses claim that he was John the Baptist. I'm still trying to get confirmation of any of this.
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Hello to all
Have a very Merry Christmas and blessing from our Lord to you all!
In His love
Diana
Merry Christmas to Ya'll. To cheer your hearts up for this celebration, I want to thank you for your prayers. My visits with the separated couple have gone well, and now the task for them is to be patient and let God change them. They both talk the talk of humility, and have a bit of desire, but the goal of them becoming passionate about Christ is still future. There is hope for reconciliation, but one step at a time.
The really great news - Laurie became a Christian. (38 with brain cancer) I never knew it could be so easy. When I asked her how one gets to heaven, she did not know, but thot that one had to be very very good. After explaining how only Jesus to balance our books, she immediately wanted him to do that for her. She has had peace all this last week, and was completely ready.
Her parents are here now, and prayerfully they will also be ready to make this decision. I have not seen her daughters since the first time, (16, 20) but pray for their openness to the Lord.
Thank you for your prayers for me. God has given me strength, and preparation for tonite, as well as Sunday has been easier than usual.
May you all have an incredible celebration of our salvation this week.
Wayne
Jim, we will be joining you in spirit. Everyone around here is talking about postponing get togethers until Sat or Sun. Right now we are snowed in. The plow just made certain of that by adding another foot or so at the end of our driveway. It might be crazy, but we'll try to get to my sister-in-law's tonight, about 45 minute drive in good weather. It's supposed to snow all night. When my little 4 year old nephew saw the snow this morning he said "Mom, this is the best Christmas ever!" I think some of us are saying bah humbug and are tempted to forget the reason for the season, dreaming of a tropical Christmas.
Thanks for the greeting, Diana, and same to you.
Merry Christmas, all!
Wayne, great news!
Your post came while I was composing mine. How well yours puts everything in perspective! My little nephew was right in regards to that woman's salvation. "This is the best Christmas ever!"
Mac, regarding Solana, he is a character of interest. Although, I don't want to be around to find out!
During his stint (10 yrs) He has set up a system that seems to be ever growing and has created within that system an potential massive army, only limited to the number of participating countries. There are a few more things of interest regarding his history and background. It's all speculation of course. But just when he was thought to "hang up his hat," he appears to bow out, when in reality, it seems he is recharging for something else.
I don't read Constance's site, but am well aware of it.
Some sites I try to avoid because constant over speculation leads to obsession and distraction from our walk with Christ, which should be first and foremost in our lives. (I'm not saying she applies, but....)
This is the time to cling to Christ. Those who do not, may find themselves deceived or worse yet, lost forever.
I hope to focus just enough on the news, to get people to realize how close we are to Christ final fulfillment of His prophecy, and then examine their hearts and seek a closer relationship with Him.
I wish you all a Blessed and Merry Christmas
Marge, we could use another shot of that cold air. We had to break down and put the AC on again. It hit about 80 today.
Here's another 40 degrees for the taking... who wants it?
it was a little sad and creepy driving through the wreck site yesterday as the trucks and some of the other debris were still present. I went through the area 2 hours before the accident although had it been on a thursday there is really good chance that I would have been involved in the pile up. a co worker went through the area 20 mintues before the accident. if any of you are interested in leaving a message of condolence for the family
Eide family page
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!
From me ("the Wishor") to you ("the Wishee")
Please accept without obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, politically correct, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the summer solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice,with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all . I wish you a financially successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2010, but with due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures or sects, and having regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform or sexual preference of the Wishee.
By accepting this greeting you are bound by these terms that:-
This greeting is subject to further clarification or withdrawal. This greeting is freely transferable provided that no alteration shall be made to the original greeting and that the proprietary rights of the Wishor are acknowledged. This greeting implies no promise by the Wishor to actually implement any of the wishes. This greeting may not be enforceable in certain jurisdictions and/or the restrictions herein may not be binding upon certain Wishees in certain jurisdictions and is revocable at the sole discretion of the Wishor. This greeting is warranted to perform as reasonably may be expected within the usual application of good tidings, for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first.
The Wishor warrants this greeting only for the limited replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the Wishor.
Any references in this greeting to "the Lord", "Father Christmas", "Our Savior", "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" or any other festive figures, whether actual or fictitious, dead or alive, shall not imply any endorsement by or from them in respect of this greeting, and all proprietary rights in any referenced third party names and images are hereby acknowledged.
This greeting is made under American Law.
Best Wishes to All,
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Mac,
I'm not sure what Australian Law is in regards to American contract law, so I'll just wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Unless it's going to get me in trouble, of course.
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Merry Christmas to all of my blogger friends. May God keep all of your safe during the holidays
Jesus in Prophecy
Excerpted from Chuck Missler's book, Prophecy 20/20.
A donkey ride to Bethlehem
The ass may be a lowly and laughable beast, but he has had his moments of glory.
Lesson Of Manger Is The Power Of Simplicity Over The Arrogance Of The Pharisees
Heaven Is Our True Home And It Is Out There Beyond The Star Of Bethlehem
Life in heaven...
A Blessed Christmas to all!
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MERRY CHRISTMAS!
May God's blessings fill you & your families today & always.
Hope your all having a Christ filled Christmas!
Jim C,
That one last video was BIZARRE & the figure reminded me of Matreya! Remember what he looks like from the previous pictures?
I must admit to not looking at the video but loved the articles!
The source of peace
"Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God:
"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors."
Luke 2:13-14 NLT
"No doubt life for the average person wasn't all that noticeably different on the night Jesus was born. Inns and taverns were busy with their customers. Shepherds gathered around the fire to keep warm as they watched over their sheep. But in a secluded corner of Bethlehem, in an out-of-the-way stable, a baby slept in a manger. And as the shepherds settled down for a quiet night, the angels assembled into a vast choir and shattered the silence of that night by loud praises. Imagine the shepherds' response: shock, fear, and then, awe. They knew that they had to find this extraordinary child whose birth the angels had announced.
As you celebrate Christ's birth on this joyous day, seek out Jesus as the shepherds did years ago. Use this heavenly song to rejoice in Jesus' birth.
A pray for today…
Glory to you, God, in the highest heaven and peace on earth to all whom you favor…
Lisa, no, I'm afraid I don't remember any previous pictures of Matreya.
Question: If the Matreyans should release a statement claiming that it WAS Matreya, but none of the eyewitnesses say it was, who will you believe?
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hot off the presses-Joel has updated his site to say there was an attempt by a man with Al Qaeda ties to blow up a plane in Detroit!
here is a news link!
plane attempt
we have 2 sets of family flying in to see us tomorrow-one from Ohio and one from Texas. please pray for their safety.
Happy Boxing Day Mac!
What a GREAT Christmas message from the leader of a nation!!!
Makes me wish I lived in the Bahamas.
The Governor General's 2009 Christmas Message to the Nation
I think it's good enough and short enough to post here;-)
2009 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
TO
THE NATION
BY
HIS EXCELLENCY
THE HONOURABLE ARTHUR D. HANNA
GOVERNOR-GENERAL
OF
THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS
“FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN, UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN; AND THE GOVERNMENT SHALL BE UPON HIS SHOULDER; AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL, COUNSELLOR, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, THE PRINCE OF PEACE.”
MY FELLOW BAHAMIANS, RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO THE BAHAMAS, GREETINGS; AND I WISH YOU PEACE.
OVER 2000 YEARS AGO, THE PRINCE OF PEACE CAME DOWN AT CHRISTMAS AND THE ANGELS SANG, “PEACE ON EARTH, GOODWILL TOWARD MEN”.
DURING THIS HOLY SEASON WHEN WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, I ASK YOU TO JOIN WITH ME AND PRAY FOR PEACE: PEACE IN OUR HEARTS, PEACE IN OUR HOMES, PEACE ON OUR STREETS, PEACE IN OUR NATION, AND INDEED PEACE IN THE WORLD.
AT THIS TIME WE REMEMBER THE MILLIONS OF MEN AND WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD WHO ARE ON PEACE KEEPING MISSIONS. I ASK ALL BAHAMIANS TO PRAY FOR THESE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE IN HARM’S WAY, AND ALSO PRAY FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
MY FELLOW BAHAMIANS, 2009 HAS BEEN A TURBULENT YEAR FOR THE BAHAMAS FOR WE HAVE HAD MANY CHALLENGES. GOING INTO
THE NEW YEAR, WE WILL STILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE MANY SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES, BUT I HAVE HOPE.
I AM PERSUADED THAT BAHAMIANS DO HAVE THE WILL AND THE WHEREWITHAL TO SUCCESSFULLY MEET THE CHALLENGES CONFRONTING US, WITH THE HELP OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF BAHAMIANS WITH THIS SAME HOPE AND MINDSET.
I RECALL PAST SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES THAT CONFRONTED THE BAHAMAS AND HOW WE BAHAMIANS AS A PEOPLE WITH ONE VOICE, AND DOGGED DETERMINATION, SUCCESSFULLY MET THOSE CHALLENGES.
MY FELLOW BAHAMIANS, THERE IS ONLY ONE FREE AND SOVEREIGN STATE OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS; WE ARE ONE PEOPLE. AS A PEOPLE, WE ARE CALLED TO PRESERVE OUR WAY OF LIFE.
I ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO EARNESTLY AND PRAYERFULLY SEEK TO PRESERVE OUR TRADITIONS AND DO NOT ALLOW THE THIEF TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY WHAT WE HAVE FOUGHT SO HARD TO BUILD AND ESTABLISH.
BAHAMIANS, LET US STAND UP, AND DO OUR PART IN COMBATING CRIME AND CRIMINALITY, AND ALL THAT MAKE TO DESTROY OUR WAY OF LIFE.
THE BAHAMAS IS STILL A BLESSED NATION AND WE HAVE MANY THINGS FOR WHICH TO GIVE GOD THANKS. WE THANK GOD FOR HIS GRACE, MERCY AND LOVING KINDNESS. IN 2009 WE WERE SPARED THE RAVAGES OF HURRICANES. IN 2009, NOTWITHSTANDING THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IN THE COUNTRY, MOST FAMILIES HAD BREAD ON THE TABLE AND A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS.
I AM ESPECIALLY THANKFUL TO THE PEOPLE OF THE BAHAMAS AND ALL OTHERS WHO SHOWED GREAT KINDNESS TO ME AND MY FAMILY DURING OUR RECENT LOST. IN NOVEMBER, I LAID TO REST MY BELOVED WIFE OF 59 YEARS, HER EXCELLENCY, THE LATE MRS. BERYL HANNA.
I AM EVER SO GRATEFUL TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS FOR THE EXPRESSIONS OF KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY. I AM ALSO GRATEFUL TO ALL THOSE WHO EXPRESSED IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER, CONDOLENCES AND SYMPATHY. TO THE MANY THOUSANDS AT HOME AND ABROAD WHO WISHED ME AND MY FAMILY WELL DURING THE TIME OF OUR BEREAVEMENT, I SAY A HEARTFELT THANK YOU.
CHRISTMAS IS A JOYOUS TIME; A TIME TO CELEBRATE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
CHRISTMAS IS A TIME TO WORSHIP AND ADORE THE CHRIST CHILD.
DURING THE CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES, LET US REMEMBER TO GIVE TO THE LESS FORTUNATE AMONG US; AND BE MINDFUL OF THE ELDERLY, THE SICK AND SHUT IN AND THEIR CAREGIVERS; FOR WE ARE BLESSED, TO BE A BLESSING.
BUT ABOVE ALL, LET US RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO SERVICE, ALWAYS TO THOSE WHO SUFFER THROUGH POVERTY, SICKNESS, IGNORANCE OR OTHERWISE FOR THERE IS NO
NOBLER GIFT WE CAN GIVE TO THE BAHAMAS AND HER PEOPLE.
MAY THE GOD OF PEACE REIGN IN THE HEARTS OF MEN AND WOMEN.
HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!
I just typed "dr" into Google (intending to finish typing "drudge" for the Drudge Report.)
The first two search terms it guessed I was trying to type were "drudge" and "drudge report" respectively.
Each had an option to the left that said "Remove" (presumably so folks can remove it from search terms).
I tried it with CNN and then ABC. Neither one has the "Remove" option.
Interesting, Jim. When I tried it I got Drudge Report first but no option to remove. I've never seen that before.
The second option was "dress up games"! :)
Today's Marriage Minutes for you
```````````````````````````````````
The Five Love Languages
• WORDS OF AFFIRMATION Compliments, words of encouragement,and requests rather than demands affirm the self-worth
of your spouse.
• QUALITY TIME Spending quality time together through sharing, listening,and participating in joint meaningful activities communicates that we truly care for and enjoy each other.
• RECEIVING GIFTS Gifts are tangible symbols of love, whether they are items you purchased or made or are merely your own presence made available to your spouse.
Gifts demonstrate that you care, and they represent the value of the relationship.
• ACTS OF SERVICE Criticism of your spouse's failure to do things for you may be an indication that
"acts of service" is your primary love language.
Acts of service should never be coerced but should be freely given, and completed as requested.
• PHYSICAL TOUCH Physical touch, as a gesture of love,reaches to the depths of our being. As a love language,it is a powerful form of communication -- from the smallest touch on the shoulder to the most passionate kiss.
Jim G., that's part of how Google raises money. It's considered "advertising revenue" rather than "payoff".
<><
I found out why the "Remove" option appears when Google Suggests I might be looking for the Drudge Report.
From a Google Support page:
Features: Query suggestions
Suggestions appear as you type
As you type into the search box on Google Web Search, Google Suggest offers searches similar to the one you're typing. Start to type [ new york ] -- even just [ new y ] -- and you'll be able to pick searches for New York City, New York Times, and New York University (to name just a few). Type some more, and you may see a link straight to the site Google thinks you're looking for -- all from the search box.
To pick a suggestion, just click it...
•Repeat a favorite search.
If you're signed in to your Google Account and have Web History enabled, we may show some suggestions based on searches you've done in the past. You can tell a suggestion is from your history if it has a Remove link next to it.
The news is up today. It was really nice to spend a few days with family. We had an amazing time of prayer together as a family yesterday.
I hope you all had a great time celebrating Christ's birth.
Blessings
Here are some of the headlines today:
Israel recalls all of its ambassadors worldwide link#1
Pres. Abbas attends Christmas Midnight mass at Church of the Nativity #2
Model altar of unhewn stones completed at Temple Institute#3
Auschwitz sign theft was meant to finance Swedish terror attacks#4
Significant quantities of oil discovered in Israel #6
IDF recruits to Barak: We refuse to evacuate settlements #10
Carter apology Reaction I Reaction II link #12
Jim C.,
"If the Matreyans should release a statement claiming that it WAS Matreya, but none of the eyewitnesses say it was, who will you believe?"
Since the eyewitnesses don't seem to acknowledge spiritual warfare nor test the spirits I don't put a whole lot of trust into who/what they think it may be.
As for the followers of Maitreya- I don't place a whole lot of regard for the supernatural events they make a claim to either. Benjamin Creme just stated that the Norwegian "spiral" event was one of his prophesied "signs" of the coming of Maitreya.
So to say that I am leery of these supernatural events is a total understatement. The one thing I've been teaching my girls is to rebuke 1st and ask questions later.
We just may see some weird stuff ourselves if the vail is thinning between the natural & supernatural as some have suggested.
The major signs of the end of the age we have been warned about include: false prophets, false teachers, signs & wonders. Jesus stressed to watch out for this & to test all things. So instead of quickly jumping on the bandwagon- I rather do as He stated and proceed with extreme caution. That's all.
Maitreya-picture shown on this clip
Creme's take on the star of Bethlehem
Burp! Many pardons. All that good food and wine and food and food and food. The closet is decidedly crampy at the moment.
Here are some of the headlines today:
Israel recalls all of its ambassadors worldwide link#1
Hmmmm......
The Bigger Scandal: Catholic Church Funding of ACORN (This may explain in part why some Catholics support Obama & unbiblical practices contrary to long held Catholic teaching.)
Good Sunday to all you lovely people! God is good!
The news
Link 1: Urgent prayer request for daughter of terror victim
Links 12-18:
The Russians are coming
The UN's plan for a global carbon tax
UN to produce bullion coins as world currency
UN backtracks on Climategate email scandal, will not investigate
Yoonies
INTERPOL's Obama protectionism
US placed under int'l police state
Lisa;
Meh. That's old news in Catholic circles. (In fact, you'll note the article was dated back in Sept.) ACORN wasn't the only problematic agency, only the most visible. It was so scandalous that a number of bishops stopped funding to the CCHD and donations to it have dropped dramatically. It looks like it was a problem where the committees that were responsible for funding depended entirely on mission statements for deciding who to fund. ("We are an organization dedicated to empowering the poor to create jobs and to help them fully utilize their political power in the development of a socially just society." Buzz-word bingo, anyone?) No one took the time or energy to actually investigate what these groups did. That is RAPIDLY changing, and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has ordered a review of ALL organizations receiving funding from the CCHD.
<><
I've got TNT going in the background, with the Wizard of Oz playing. I have to admit, after all these years, the scene with the tornado is (in my opinion) still the BEST depiction of a tornado in a movie -- still makes me nervous (as opposed when I was young, when it truly frightened me.)
Also, one of those bits of movie history that couldn't be told at the time because no one would have believed it:
When the costume designer was meeting with Frank Morgan ( Professor Marvel / The Gatekeeper / The Carriage Driver / The Doorman / The Wizard of Oz), they couldn't find something in the MGM costume room that fit the character of "Professor Marvel", so the costumer and Morgan went out to the used clothing stores in LA. In one store, they found a suit coat that was perfect for the character and fit Frank Morgan perfectly. As the costumer was paying for the coat, Morgan started going through the pockets of the coat, and found a business card. It read: L. Frank Baum.
They took to coat to Baum's widow, who confirmed that it was his favorite coat. So the coat you see "Professor Marvel" wearing is the same coat worn by the man who wrote the original story. And they couldn't tell anyone, because no one would believe that it wasn't a story made up by a Hollywood press agent!
<><
Lutherans Denounce Israel, Just in Time for Christmas
Who or what controls your life?
"When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us:…peace."
Galatians 5:22 NLT
Calm in the storm
The world is not terribly impressed with Christian T-shirts, billboards, and bumper stickers. In fact, truth be told, many unbelievers are turned off by these impersonal attempts at witnessing. However, the world is stunned when it sees a Christian overflowing with peace despite a personal crisis. "Her life is falling apart, but she isn't. How is that possible?" "If I were in his shoes, I'd be a nervous wreck, but he is so calm. Why?"
The peace that the Holy Spirit produces within us is supernatural tranquility of soul. Storms can be raging all about us, but within us is the calm assurance that God has already saved us from our worst predicament—sin and death. Would he rescue us for the world to come only to turn around and abandon us in this world? Of course not!
The Spirit-filled Christian is peaceful because he or she knows the perfect love that drives away fear (1 John 4:18). Ask God to give you his peace in the midst of the storms you are experiencing.
Praying God's Promise:
I want to be marked by your peace, Lord. I need it so that I don't worry myself silly. More than that, I need it for your glory—so that others might see the wonderful comfort and assurance that is available only in you. Teach me how to rest in the knowledge that you are in control.
Alesia, Wow! Thank you so much for those encouraging words!
My own storms of life are weighing heavy on me like my 18 year old who is pregnant and has a retraining order against her bf for abuse and now lives with us, my wife who is handicapped and is down to 90 lbs, and now were are preparing for an audit of our business for the last three years just to name a few.
I am reminded of Philippians 4:4-7 which says: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
-Jec
News is up...
Israel issues gas masks link #3
Putin launches new oil route to Asia link #11
Missing US missionary link #12
Solana's Return #17
Maitreya's Star #18
Family Crisis at the UN #21
Detained Americans had nuclear power site map l#26
Lori, #3 links to the previous article on Netanyahu.
<><
Jim C,
Thanks, I'll have it fixed in a jiffy!
Done, thanks again
Interesting article on bible prophecy today with pretty convincing scenario.
http://bible-prophecy-today.blogspot.com/
In His Grip,
Scott
Scott, my only problem with his scenario is that he makes reference to "Scalar Technology". That was something that was supposed to have been developed by Nicola Tesla back in the early 1900's, but has never been confirmed. By today's understanding, "Scalar Technology" would require advances in physics that simply don't exist.
I'm still of the opinion that the destruction of Damascus will be done with a neutron bomb.
<><
Sixty-Six Clouds, is a visual exploration of word frequency in the Bible. Each book of the Bible was individually imported into www.wordle.net to create a unique word cloud for all sixty-six books. The significance of word clouds is that they quickly present the gist of large bodies of written materials at a glance. Wordle gives greater prominence and size to words that appear more frequently in the source text. Therefore, the larger the word is in the cloud, the more prominent it is in the text.
Thanks, JEC!
Praying for you & your family.
Anne - your Sixty-six clouds link is tooooo cool.
Thanks for posting.
Peace in Relationships
"Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must take allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace."
Colossians 3:12-15 NLT
Attaining peace
[Jon Farrar addresses marriages, but his comments apply to other relationships as well.] Maintaining peace in any relationship is very difficult. Each one of us is a unique individual who interprets and views things differently. Whether in relationships in the church, among family and friends, or in our marriages, conflict is natural. When conflict comes, we need to follow Christ's example by showing love and forgiveness in difficult situations. God loved us when we were still sinners in rebellion against him (Romans 5:9). We need to show that same type of love to others by being kind, merciful, and patient.
Do you long for peace in your marriage? Ask Jesus to point out times when you have not been forgiving, areas where you need to be patient, and ways you can express genuine love to each other. That is how we have peace in our marriages—when we look for ways to love and forgive each other.
News is up...
Jews remain in eye of Al Qaeda storm link #1
Lebanon army says it fired at Israeli jets in South #5
Afghan's Opium War: Corrupt Gov't Officials Empower Taliban #9
Dark ages spell I-s-l-a-m-i-c R-u-l-e #32
Pastor Chuck Smith suffers stroke #34
It's all settled and I now have Off the Wall news dot com.
The news can be accessed thru
.net
.com
and otwnews dot com
Here's a question for all of you:
On Catholic Answers Forum, we were talking about developments in the Middle East and if the War of Psalm 83 will break out soon. One of the people cited Isaiah 11:11-16, which sounds like a description of Psalm 83, except it only talks about fighting and defeating Jordan.
Is Isaiah 11:11-16 a fulfilled prophecy, one to be fulfilled, or one that will be fulfilled at different times?
<><
Jim C, Dr Frucht sees this as still future. Page 636 of "Footsteps". In fact he associates the gathering of v 12 to Matt 24:31.
Jim C.,
What do you make of this?
The Word became flesh to make us "partakers of the divine nature":78 "For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God."79 "For the Son of God became man so that we might become God."80 "The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods."81
Taken from:Catechism of the Catholic Church #460
Lisa, I'm going to be out spending the day with my daughter (I have her until the weekend) so I'll have to get back to you on that question.
I do have one question for you, though: did you come up with that question from reading the Catechism (CCC) on your own, or did you pick it up from some anti-Catholic web site? I ask because those web sites have a history of "cherry picking" quotes to prove their points, when the answers can be found either by reading the quotes in context or by reading the footnotes (which will either refer to another part of the CCC or to scripture.) You also need to ensure that the web site is using the most recent edition and translation and that they are, in fact, quoting from the CCC rather than from some other anti-Catholic source.
TTYL;
<><
Jim C.,
No I was not just happening to read the Catechism.
This section was listed in an article & since it looked curious I pulled it up to see if it was real or faked.
I look to you as the expert on Catholic doctrine & wanted to know what it is & means from your point of view.
Being suspicious I wasn't going to jump to any conclusion without knowing the context of the details.
LAMPLIGHTER ARTICLE-Lion & Lamb Ministries This 2012 article was good- I especially liked the part at the end when it mentions the "5-earths".
The news is up
#8: Christians rally to support Greek Jews
#12: Iran plans to smuggle uranium from Kazakhstan
#13: Time is running out in Afghanistan
#18: Yemeni forces storm al-Qaeda hide-out, arrest 1
#24: States can nullify unconstitutional federal laws!
Lisa, Shalom! This has turned into a very interesting examination of the subtleties of Latin, and the differences in perception that the Early Church Fathers (who directly dealt with pagans) had and our modern culture (which has resurrected the old paganism and called it "new" just because "we thought of it") has. The Early Church Fathers (ECF) were dealing with heresies such as Arianism (which denied the divinity of Jesus, saying that He was created god, not God eternal) and not heresies such as Mormonism (which teaches, "As man is, God once was, and as god is, man may become.")
Part of this confusion is our understanding of divinity. We tend to think of "divinity" as being a god, but it isn't. It is an attribute of G_D. The word comes from the Latin divinus, meaning "belonging to God." It does NOT mean what theologians call "Divine Immanence", which is the omnipresence of God permeating all creation. To quote the Modern Catholic Dictionary,
In the Christian faith this immanence does not deny but complements the divine transcendence. God remains God and is neither part of the world nor is perfected by the world. In pantheistic immanence God is said to be present and operating in the world, but he is also held to be somehow identical with the universe.
The paragraph of the CCC you quoted is from Article 3, "He was Conceived by the Power of the Holy Spirit, and was Born of the Virgin Mary" (which analyzes that line of the Apostles Creed); Paragraph 1: "The Son of God Became man"; Section 1: "Why Did the Word Become Flesh?" Paragraphs 457 through 460 explain the four reasons the Word became Flesh:
The Word became flesh for us in order to save us by reconciling us with God;
The Word became flesh so that thus we might know God's love;
The Word became flesh to be our model of holiness;
The Word became flesh to make us "partakers of the divine nature."
"Partakers of the divine nature" comes from 2 Pet 1:4 -- Through these, he has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. (NAB) Because of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus upon the Cross and through our baptism, we become "divine" persons, i.e., we are "belonging to God." We share in His divine nature, so that we may come to live with Him in heaven.
The second line in the paragraph comes from book 3 of "Against Heresies", by St. Irenaeus: "For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God." St. Irenaeus was writing against the growing Gnostic heresies. In Gnosticism, salvation comes not through Christ's salvific sacrifice, but through knowledge. IOW, one can be saved by learning and mastering secret knowledge. Here Irenaeus is explaining how Jesus is the true Son of God, not an adopted son. However, through the actions of Christ we become adopted children of God (Rom. 8:15), and in our adoption we partake of Christ's divinity -- belonging to G_D.
(cont.)
(cont. from above)
The third line of that paragraph -- "For the Son of God became man so that we might become God." -- comes from St. Athanasius. Athanasius lived at the time of the Arianism heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ, and in fact was one of the people who met in Nicaea to debate the issue. His arguments against Arianism were so excellent that he drafted most of what we now call "the Nicene Creed". In the section where this quote comes from, it is again emphasizing that through Christ we gain divine nature -- not "become God" in the modern sense of turning into God with all the power and glory thereof, but sharing in the divine nature of God.
The last line of the paragraph -- "The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods." -- is from St. Thomas Aquinas and is again referring to the divine nature, not to becoming new Zeuses or Venuses.
(If you are wondering why the writers didn't compare men to angels instead of gods to get across the idea of "divine nature", one of the practices of the early Gnostics was angel worship. You'll see the beginnings of this in Col 2:18.)
Hope this helps.
<><
Good explanation, Mr Carroll. I'm pleased you did not mention Loki along with Zeus and Venus.
Taking a break from cleaning my closet. Ammonia fumes are beginning to get me. Or is it those Nephe... whatevers?
Speaking of controversies. It seems we Christians keep nit picking ourselves. I thought the rupture was divisive - in the last few weeks I've seen KJVO's and anti-KJVO's beat themselves up. Then the Manhattan Document; "Lordship Salvation" and also someone attacking MacArthur claiming he doesn't consider Christ's Blood significant re salvation. Glad I'm not a public pastor.
HAPPY NEW YEAR,
my dear friends!
Please say a prayer for me for safe travels & that I keep my sanity :-) I am heading out today to see my beloved in OZ!!!!
Jim C, Hey that was very interesting! I'm going to save your research in case the same quotes are posted out of context.
From what I know about Catholic beliefs "becoming" mini gods was never mentioned.
Alesia- How exciting! I wish I could take off to OZ!
From Pastor Ray- "Prophecy & the Lord's Prayer" :
“Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name…”
With these words, Jesus taught us pray. After calling upon His heavenly Father, His first priority, His first petition, His first declaration was “Hallowed be your name.”
The New Living Bible translates the verse, “May Your name be honored.”
Hallow is to sanctify, consecrate, make holy, honor, revere. Jesus is not only teaching us to respect and honor the name of His Father, but to pray that it will happen. So, I asked myself, how will it happen? Certainly in our hearts and attitudes. But what else needs to happen?
God answered my questions as I studied the prophecies concerning Israel in Scripture. I realize now how honoring God’s name is part of the prophetic picture!
Look at these verses found in Ezekiel’s great prophecy of Israel being renewed:
Ezekiel 36:23:
And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord," says the Lord God, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.”
Ezekiel 38:16:
You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes."
Ezekiel 39:27:
When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, then they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer.
Three times God declares that through the events surrounding the nation of Israel, and through His deliverance of His people, His name will be hallowed.
These are not merely ceremonial or religious words. They are promises spoken by the Lord. Over 15 times, in Ezekiel 36 alone, He says, I will:
“I will multiply…”
“I will make you inhabited…”
“I will cause men to walk on you…”
“I will sanctify my great name…”
“I will take you from among the nations…”
“I will sprinkle clean water on you…”
“I will give you a new heart…”
The promises continue throughout Ezekiel’s prophecy as God vows to restore His people, their hearts, their land, and their faith, all so that “they shall know that I am the Lord… I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel” (Ezekiel 36:38; 39:29).
As 2009 comes to a close and we find ourselves wondering what 2010 will bring, I look to the place where everything will ultimately be decided: the Middle East. Israel. Israel is where the kingdom of God on earth began, and where it will begin to be established once again.
Hyde,
I missed all of those controversies. Well- that's probably a good thing.
Oh, Alesia and Mac, I hope you have a wonderful time together and I pray for your safety, Alesia. Also, that the jet lag will be manageable and that you will be able to sleep on the flight.
Thanks, Anne. We've both been pretty stressed and need each other's company.
May you all have a safe New Year's celebration and may the Lord bring us all closer to Him despite what happens in 2010.
Oops...looks like I forgot to sign my name on my last comment.
Those darn ammonia fumes.
HAPPY WEST COAST NEW YEAR!
From Pastor:Skip Heitzig
You've just entered a place you've never been before. It's a new year. You have a whole new allotment of 8760 hours, or 525,600 minutes, for new experiences and new adventures.
The New Year is traditionally a time of evaluation, and there's a long history for that idea. The ancient Romans looked to one of their gods, Janus, at this time of year. He was the twin-faced god of the gates, looking backward and forward to see who was coming in and who was going out. Since he was the guardian of the entry or the beginning of a journey, they named a month for him--January--and they made it the first month on their calendar. They imagined Janus looking backward at the year that was behind, as well as forward at the year that was ahead of them.
So it's a time of looking back, and a time of looking forward. But looking back can be frustrating, and it can be confusing, if you're trying to move forward. You and I can only look in one direction. We can look backward and think, "What a bummer this year has been, what a drag...all those bad things that happened." But what we're called to do, rather than spend too much time dwelling on the past, is to spend most of our energy looking forward.
Paul the apostle made a great resolution. I don't think he necessarily made it at the beginning of the year, but he said, "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).
It's good to look back a little bit, for the purpose of getting our bearings, and to see what mistakes not to make again. There's no problem in having the past as a reference point, but don't let it become an anchor. If it becomes a springboard to launch you forward, great. If it becomes an anchor and weighs you down, it's bad for you. Let it go.
So here we are, starting a new year. This is when I get philosophical as I spend some time with my last year's journal and look back over what I wrote, where I was, and where the Lord wanted to bring me. I invite you to do that as well, or if you don't have a journal, now is a great time to start one. But however you reflect back on the past year, use it as a springboard. Don't let it bring you down.
In His strong love,
Skip Heitzig
happy new year all
Jim C
loved the info
Mac
has Alesia arrived yet? not sure new years would be the place I'd want to be on a plane and crossing the date line at that!
Happy New Year!!
Jib, she arrives today at 11:20 AM. It's 6:00 AM as I'm typing this.
New post is up.
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