"I will give you the ... hidden riches of secret
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That you may know that I, the Lord... Am the God of Israel ."
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99 comments:
Been years since I was first!! More to come..
Mike
missed it by that much lol
Mike
couldn't say where the survey questions are but it is certainly big news on most of the new media sites. It wouldn't surprise me to find that the questions were worded deceptively but I am a suspicious person these days of anything that comes out of more mainline media
Great news, Grany and Anne! Praise God!
Hi ya all,
still trying to perk but I think my pipes are a little clogged right now. Have just a wee bit of pain but not as severe as before. I am consuming cryingoutloud berry juice like it is a fountain and I still have not developed a taste or anything close to it. Cranberries are good for you but right now, I would like a bunch of what isn't so good for me to drink. Our whole life is spent eating good for you food and at my age, I would like to deviate a little bit. Like maybe a big milk shake.
Anne, I am so happy for you and yes, God does come through for us and now YOU KNOW IT TOO! Try explaining that to someone when you hear them saying things like "if it is God's will..."
It is God's will, it says so in HIS word, by His Word and for His Word kids. Just exhuberately praise Him Anne and then enjoy His presence.
Hallelujah!
Grany
Mike,
I didn't mean to leave you out of my previous comment. My fingers are really good at hitting that post button to soon.
I thank you for your precious prayers my friend and all the wonderful things that your heart loves to do. We think of you constantly and just yesterday DJH asked about you. Keeping your daughter in my prayers also.
Grany
Are any of you watching and listening to the Congressional hearings on the Benghazi attack? I got it on Cspan and it is worth the time. Some of those stupid excuses cause my blood to boil but at least the truth is coming out. I agree more and more with Ron Reagan's disgust with the highly esteemed State Department. Poor ole Hillary should have got out when Wild Bill told her to in 2011. But I am glad she didn't because now she will really know the true meaning of 'telling the truth'.
It is nearing bed time and I have to end with this reminder. It isn't over until the fat lady sings, and I am not singing yet
Grany
Grany, I've been saying for years that America's greatest enemy wasn't located Russia or China, it was in Foggy Bottom.
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Mr. Carroll,
my bottom is not Foggy in the least. There is a haze but so, not enough to call it Foggy. Hehehehehehehehehehehe
But I do know what you mean!
Today has started out with my DJH in a really nasty mood so I am asking for your prayers. I so much desire the joy, peace, love and good memories to develop and enclose HIM into our daily life. Getting really tired of the fit throwing but I was just reminded of scripture that tells us that God will not put more on us than we can endure. However, I am also aware that Abba is NOT the author of evil nor is He into confusion. So, that only leaves one outside influence into our mind set. Hummmmmm
Grany
For all of you re J.Carroll's Foggy Bottom:The name Foggy Bottom often is used as a metonym for the United States Department of State because its headquarters is in the neighborhood, as are the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; Friendship Lodge Odd Fellows Hall; and the infamous Watergate complex, site of the Watergate burglaries which led to President Richard Nixon's resignation. GWU has grown significantly over the past decades and now covers much of the neighborhood, which has many historic old homes and numerous mid-rise apartment buildings.
The southern edge of Foggy Bottom is home to many federal government offices, including the State Department. The Main Interior Building (headquarters of the Department of the Interior), the Bureau of Indian Affairs headquarters, and the Federal Reserve Board buildings all lie on or around Virginia Avenue. To the east lies the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, home to the Executive Office of the President of the United States and the Office of the Vice President of the United States. On the other side of the office is the White House, which is not in the neighborhood.
Foggy Bottom is also home to numerous international and American organizations. The World Bank buildings, the International Finance Corporation, the International Monetary Fund, the Office of Personnel Management, DAR Constitution Hall of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the American Pharmacists Association, the American Red Cross National Headquarters, the Pan American Health Organization, and the Organization of American States are all located in the neighborhood. In addition, the Mexican and Spanish Embassies are located in Foggy Bottom, both on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Well, that is one explanation. Anyone else with something else?
Grany
Have you good people ever thought of the possibility that we could do a conference ooVoo? Jack Kinsella, myself and another OL member had one a few weeks back and it was a hoot. All you need is vid cam and mike, and if you're on facebook it's even easier.
Anyhooo, it's time I got a coffee. Talk soon. Love you all and MARANATHA!!
My video cam for the computer causes the computer to quit responding. But what about iPad? Will it do the same thing with Facebook or even the iPhone 3GS? Would love to do the hoot thing if any of the Apple appliances will work.
Grany
skype will do conference calls as well.
I would suspect that apple has an app for that lol
as to the why of foggy bottom-it appears that the area was so named because of all the fog and smoke that used to be in the area. not sure why they bottom part however unless it was the then bottom of DC
it is what the farmers and residents normally call a place such as a river bottom, bottom land for cropping is the level low ground that one sees all of the corn, oats, soybeans, etc. planted in while travelling in the farm belt states. Also, a lot of those low lying areas are most generally foggy in early morning and late evening hours. Living in this area where we are now, it is a common occurance and yep, the farmers call that area "bottoms".
Grany, Jack K has an Apple computer and we had no issues linking. So Apples and PCs can talk.
RE: the bottoms: don't forget that Washington DC is built on reclaimed swampland -- always humid and smelly. I've heard the city described as "having all the charm of a northern city with all the efficiency of a southern city"!
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JIM,does that mean DC could be called "outside plumbing capital"? No wonder politics stink! yak, yak.
Have another serious dental appointment tomorrow andI am dreading it big time. Could use some well placed prayers. My teeth are getting old but the rest of me is doing OK.
Just really tired of all the bad news and longing for .........
Grany
JESUS TO COME TAKE US ALL HOME
This was posted at the OL:
A Prompting From the Spirit
I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.
II Corinthians 6:2
Rush from work. Scarf dinner at Hamburger Hamlet with Judy. Dash into van. Oh! Stop and pray before heading to church to speak.
Pulling out, I noticed a woman leaving the restaurant with a baseball cap over her scraggly hair. I sensed a powerful urge to invite her to church. She needs to hear what I have to say. "Ridiculous," I thought. "What am I supposed to do, God? Yell out, 'Hey, follow me to church!'
Heading out, I berated myself for not following through. "Lord, next time I promise I'll obey your promptings!" Ten minutes later, Judy screeched up behind me in the church parking lot - the woman in the baseball cap right behind her! Apparently, after I'd left the restaurant, she had asked Judy who I was. "Joni is speaking nearby," Judy relied. "Would you like to go?"
In the parking lot I heard her story. "I have breast cancer.Two hours ago I learned that it has spread to my brain. It's inoperable. I don't know where to turn." My mouth dropped open. I now understood why the Spirit had urged me to stop and invite her, a complete stranger, to hear me speak.
That night as I talked about heaven and the Gospel, Joyce and her husband opened their hearts to Jesus. I shudder to think it all was nearly lost because I let embarrassment override His voice. That night, I learned that every prompting to share the gospel is a prompting from God. Oh that we would be quick to obey... for that one whom He loves may never pass our way again.
This week, God's voice may whisper, "Make that call... forgive him of... apologize for... check on her." Don't brush it off. Today is the day of salvation.
Lord, give me an undivided heart to obey. Open my eyes to see those around me through Your eyes ...and may I be quick to say "Here I am Lord ... send me!"
No one knows what secrets are taking place in the people we are in contact with and tomorrow might not be theirs for very long. I cringe at the thought of anyone not making Heaven their eternal home.
With all that is happening right now in the whold world, isn't it time to break down the barriers that keep us from sharing our love of God with everyone? Even a genuine smile and a greeting to someone you know nothing about could give them that extra ray of hope.
This past 2 months has been a real struggle for the household of Great Grany and not so DJH. Just keeping up appearances can sometimes wear us oldies but goodies to a nub. Naps are such good revivers and I participate gladly when the eyes get sleepy and the chair beckons me to 'sit a spell and put your feet up'.
Luv ya all,
gRany
Now, after that response, I have something that you need to access. Something really devious is trying to take place and if you know any way to get the information out into public awareness, please do goHERE . Hope the link works.
"When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies."
—Numbers 10:9 (NKJV)
hey would appreciate your prayers. just got a call from my brother that dad is being rushed to hospital. he is very weak. not sure what all is wrong. would appreciate your prayers for me and the family as well as dad.
Praying for your dad Jib..
Am praying for you and your dad, Jib.
Please, Lord, come soon.
In the last several months I've had three male friends (in their 50s and 60s) die; my niece's good girlfriend (31) died last week of an aneurysm--she was engaged to be married; and I just got a call that an 18-year old girl who goes to my church was killed in a car wreck tonight.
What unspeakable sadness we must endure as a result of living in this sinful world. Some day soon Jesus is going to make everything alright, and I can't wait.
So dad was theoretically going to be discharged today but his coughing was so bad his neck started to hurt. blood sugars not under control either. oxygen saturation has dropped some today as well. no sure why. thanks for your prayers
Praying for all. I know how hard this is JIB and all of heart full of hope is with you and your parents. I have asked our Abba to make my crossing over quick, gentle and holding my Lord's hand. No struggle for my kids, my hubby if I go first, and no wild ambulance trips with sirens going. No not one!
Vicki, I agree that this world is full of every evidence of such sorrow and suffering. How can it get much worse? I will be more than a little happy to hear that Shout "up, up and away".
Just think this nightmare of an election commotion is just about finished and I will be so thankful. No matter what comes from it, we have to know that there is much work to be done, past offenses to be forgiven and a repairing of a breach. It has to start with all of us who are called by His Name. Sometimes I wonder if that is going to be possible. I really am concerned about our nation and so much is riding on our not losing faith.
Even so, come Lord Jesus
holy smokes Batman-it has started
Greece to lose national sovereignty for debt reasons!
Thanks for praying for my dad btw. He was released home today
Everyone survive Sandy? Anyone need help?
Mike
ditto what Mike said. I think Jennifer is ok but not sure about Hyde and Alesia.
Well, our cat Fluff passed away yesterday. We've had a tree down; rain leaking from two fireplaces and the power has been out from last night. It's just come back on now.
But (other than Fluff) these things are minor irritations compared to what others are enduring. God has been good to us. It could have been much worse. Those winds were terrifying and we have BIG trees close to the house.
Praying for others.
Donna? Aren't you in Maine?
Hyde, my sympathies to you and Alesia on the loss of Fluff.
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Thanks Jim. I trust everyone is safe and sound.
How about a roll call?
I'm here but headed to OHIO next week. Dad is not in the hospital but not doing super well either. Every time he gets sick he slips further and this last one seems to be affecting him more. He is still coughing,oxygen needs are vary but mostly higher than pre recent illness and talked to him the other night on the phone and he was so short winded he could barely talk. We go to see him since mom says even a January visit is dicey as to him being around. Out son though is making the most sacrifices and he is being a really good sport and seems to understand while being very disappointed. He is missing guest singing with kids choir, a graduation ceremony from a little mini business school and we have cancelled our Disney trip for his birthday. He could use a few extra prayers too.That's an awful lot for a little boy of 9 to have to deal with on top of his beloved grandfather dying. and yes he knows papa is going to die and that the time is probably close. we could use your prayers for travel as well
We're praying, Jib.
Thought y'all might enjoy this video, made by some teenagers in San Diego:
Voices Without a Vote
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my delete. The link I wanted didn't post and I cannot find it again. But it was an advertisement for a retirement home in Detroit, MI. It was a real work of art and so wanted you all to have something to laugh about.
grany
If we thought the last 4 years was bad the next 4 will be far worse. I rather know how Abraham felt this when there were not 10righteous people found in all of Sodom to keep it from destruction. Apparently there are not enough in the USA either. We are under God's judgment as a nation. On the bright side that must mean the rapture is that much closer. I see a great harvest of souls coming because to whom to people turn to when things get really bad. We should come up with some sort of emergency response system kind of thing so that if one of us is affected by say a terrorist attack we first of all know your status, have a means of contacting you and perhaps even a means of providing shelter if needed.Just my thoughts. i would also start having something other than dollars available some place other than the bank
The first scripture that came to me after I saw the results was
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.(KJV).
I certainly do not understand, but I will trust the Lord!!
Alesia & Michelle are devastated. I figure God is sovereign and he has allowed BHO another four years - so we have to work with that. Someone posted this on facebook:
As a dog returns to its vomit...so is a fool who returns to his folly...Proverbs 26:11
I had breakfast with someone who says his girlfriend hates Romney because of his stance on abortion. She's in her seventies!!
Hydieho, if she's in her 70's, she would have been in her 30's in 1972 and in her early 20's when the sexual revolution was moving into full swing. It's very possible that knew someone who went to get an abortion when it was still illegal, the sort of thing that would leave a bad taste in her mouth even 50 years later.
And when I think of the storm presently striking the northeast, all I can think is that they voted for Obama, what can they expect. I have no doubt that if either NY or NJ had voted for Romney, the storm would have had a very sudden and unexpected change in direction.
And suddenly I find myself wanting to get back into prepping, preparing for the New Madrid to go this coming spring.
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I know the feeling Jim. I had the same thought about prepping. Told hubby that it was time to get rid of a bunch of stuff and sell some assets and invest in something other than dollars. We could do silver or gold and put in safety deposit box or more likely get a bigger safe that can't be picked up and moved and put in there. No time to put a garden in and do some canning though.
JIB
That's true, Jim. My thinking was that an older woman might have picked up some wisdom along the way. The country is facing financial Armageddon (her boyfriend is very concerned about this) you don't vote on a single issue that isn't even going to come into play.
Caveat...foul language:
Obama supporters celebrate: 'No more Israel!'
It's good to poke my head into the cave for some sane and encouraging words. Love you all.
looks like things are heating up over in the Area of the Golan. Israel has stopped firing warning shots and is now returning fire. A suggestion has been made that Assad is starting a war with Israel to deflect those in his country from trying to over throw him. Isaiah 17 anyone?
Found this old gem on line:
In T he T W I N K L I N G OF AN EYE by S y d n e y W a t s o n
With all the news network shows focusing on Israel, I thought I'd pop over and say hello!
Of course I am always looking for signs for things to kick in...and it will happen, in God's perfect time!
I hope all is well with everyone and hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!
Happy Thanksgiving to all from Alesia and me.
Hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving! We spent the day with some good friends and had a relaxing time. My heart went out in gratitude to God for all His many blessings all day long. For the meal, I didn't have turkey or gravy (I'm a vegetarian), but I enjoyed everything else!!
Ho ho ho is galloping towards you all. I am so full of Thanksgiving dinner that I can hardly wiggle and DJH comes wandering in issuing his usual greeting: "I'm hungry!". How can one man eat nonstop and never gain an ounce? I gain weight just smelling it.
Grany
Grany, it's a guy thing.
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JIM,
Well, it is also a gal thing, because the gal is the one the guy is saying that to and it means, 'Get with it woman and feed me, pronto!'.
I am still so miserably full that I can't even burp. No room for such ill mannered thing. I love the beginning of these two very special days and also, that they are so closely related in purpose and in value.
Hope you all survived your Black Friday shopping and in this part of the country the main event was right after Thanksgiving dinner, around 9 p.m. I didn't participate because truthfully, for DJH and I it isn't about gifts any longer. We actually had a very quiet and wonderful time to enjoy the real time to reflect on all that God has brought us through.
We got into a conversation about how different things were from 2001, right after the Terrorist attack on our nation. It made us curious about all the headline events of the past 11 years and if you have time in this busy season, you might be surprised at all of the major reasons to be thankful too. I had forgotten a whole lot of them but boy, it was a huge amount of seeing how mighty the Hand of God really has been over this nation in those 11 years.
Back to getting rid of the left overs because I don't want to see another piece of pie, turkey, dressing, sweet anything for a long time. Like Dec. 25 and hey, I will be 78 years old on that day and I don't feel a bit over 98. hehehe
Grany
So we went back to visit dad and he was frail but ok. This weekend he has been worse but refuses to get care in urgent care or ER. Very taxing on my mom as he won't do hospice as he's not ready for that but refuses to do what is needed to avoid that. Could really use your prayers. I would like him to go well after the holidays as both my brother and my moms dad became terminally ill or died dec 26th. Their 51st anniversary is the 22nd. Thanks. JIB.
Had a thought today-which I had before the election-with all of those urging us to pray for a revival in America could be that the answer to that prayer is Obama as much as it pains me to say it. When times are good, and i would have to believe that times would have improved under a Romney presidency, people don't tend to search out God as they don't need him. When times are bad, and as bad as things have been they are about to get much worse than they were, people seek out God in droves. We shall see.
Prayer Request.
My dear wife had a mammogram on Tuesday and they called here yesterday to come in. She's going in today, but said she saw a quarter size mass on her left breast. Please join with me in prayer that God will remove it even before she even get's there to have the next more detailed mammogram done today.
thanks in advance
Mike
Agreeing in that prayer, Mike.
Keep us up to date.
She’s finished her second “squishing” as she describes it, and the doc told her that it is nothing to worry about. Follow-up in 6 months.
Thanks for the prayers..
Mike
JIB,
Agree in prayers for your father. It is a very difficult time for all of you and I will continue to pray for the welfare of all to be uppermost.
Now, about the prayers for revival. I can tell you from my own life, that coming face to face with situations that are beyond my ability to solve or deal with, yes, God does get all of the attention.
However, for all of the people who voted the 2nd term in, do you really think they will seek God or will they increase their desire to redistribute the necessities of life from those who have prepared and saved? I tend to believe that as born again believers, we will have such an increased level of protection and fast answers to our prayers that when we have to deal with any event, we will do so under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
We will all learn to stop trusting in our own selves, going according to our own understanding, and begin to truly rely on God's promises and provisions. As a believer during the horrible Civil Rights protests, we all learned to walk softly, be ready in season and out of season, and pray with faith in God's Word to bring us out of the really dangerous times. And there were many, many such occasions.
Where did I experience those times. Anytime I ventured out of the very small rural community in Northern Missouri. Especially to the nearby college towns and places like Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Des Moines,IA.; I am sure you get the picture. Away from home at anytime.
We were blessed and yes, a great revival did happen during that time. Our little churches were mostly packed and the preachers were increasing our Faith by our hearing the word of God.
I don't blame this last election mess on the Democrats any more than I do the Republicans. Put them all in a brown paper sack, shake it up really good and then pour them all out and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between them. I don't believe the Republicans are going to stand up against anything that Obama wants to do. I truly wish they would but wishing isn't getting it done. I would like to place an iron rod in their backbones but I can't do that either, and I could ask all of you to start a letter, facebook, twitter onslaught against all of them but again, it would be relying on my ability to stir up trouble.
How about this instead: Father, we place President Barack Obama in your hands, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
And then ask all of you to Pray fervently for President Obama; pray fervently for the government; pray fervently for the White House and all that serve there. Fill that House with the Holy Presence of the Lord to the point that they that try to enter for destruction will be known for what and who they are serving.
That we will see in the land of the living a change in the direction of the White House – a change or a transformation even of policies.
And it will be God's Hand that has wrought this change, not man's evil communication and plots to kill, steal and destroy what God has established in this Nation.
For there have been many prayers that have risen up to God's throne but were we praying for our government? God's word tells us, no commands us, to pray for our nation's leaders, and all elected officials, daily. All those who are placed in authority are to be prayed for.
Hi, all! Been in lurk mode while trying to keep up with a number of discussions on CAF over the identity of the Whore of Babylon. (You know you have an interesting hobby when your most exiting discussions involve whores and prophecy.)
In any case, I'd like to ask some prayers for guidance for my middle daughter. She's been working part-time for a regional craft store for the past 6 months. She gets to deal with ... interesting ... people. She recently wrote a blog entry describing what NOT to do when you're shopping in a craft store. I'd provide the link because it's funny, but the language is very raw -- she didn't hold anything back. Last week she had to stay an hour late because people had pulled bolts of fleece off the top shelves and just left them on the floor; tonight she had to stand and listen to a customer abuse her because the store didn't have any bags large enough to carry the customer's purchase.
I'm providing backstory because today, two of the assistant managers separately told her she should apply for the shipping manager position, which just opened. Having both managers at different times tell her the same thing was a shock. Now she needs to decide if she really wants to be one of the people the clerks call when the customers are unhappy.
So, on the minus side, she has mild Aspergers, so social interactions don't come easily. She's also afraid that if she takes this job she'll be locked into living in this city, which she REALLY doesn't want to do. And frankly, it would be a challenge, and challenges like that scare her silly.
On the plus side, I just did a little back-of-the-envelope math, and figured out that when you consider what I'm paying in health insurance and child support, she would be bringing home more money than me. I just mentioned this to her; she was quiet for a minute, then said "That's a h*ll of a motivator!"
So, yes, she use some prayers to help her make a decision.
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Jim that is funny. Well the plus side.and i would encourage her to explore this, is that if the store is a national chain she might be able to transfer to a different store. We had a friend who was working for Walmart and he got a transfer from SC to AZ in less than 2 weeks. Tell her to ask if it is a national chain.
Praying Jim.
Jib, it is a national chain (I'm not mentioning the name out of respect for her privacy). I don't know what their policy is on promoting within the company. The position opened up when the previous occupant got sick from the stress. (A minus.)
But I do want to point out to her some way that if she can get and keep this job for three years, then she could move pretty much anyplace. She won't be "trapped" here, and in my experience most companies view at least 3 years in any one location with the same company to be a sign of stability and is a very good sign when considering hiring.
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Here is a bit of Catholic humor. You have to click on the link if only to see the photo:
Catholic Squirrels
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As others in the cave have pointed out, there are prophecies about Damascus that have yet to be fulfilled.
Assad’s last warning to rebels before using chemical weapons. West, Israel on high preparedness
Yes, it's really amazing to me to see these things possibly getting ready to take place right before our eyes!
I had to laugh while reading Joel's blog entry for today. One of the news aggregators I read had that headline about "governments try to reassure their citizens not to panic"; immediately below that was a headline that said "Large asteroid heading towards earth"!
Still, his headline about 12/12/12 has a totally different meaning to me. Today (12/12/12) is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It's the day when the Mother of God left her image on a rough poncho called a "tilma". Tilmas were made from the fibers of an agave plant and none have ever lasted past 20 years -- crumbling to dust. Yet this particular tilma has lasted 480 years in a humid environment, surrounded by smokey candles and exposed to direct sunlight; and it is still supple and the colors of the image are just as bright as the day it was first revealed.
Here are some articles about the apparition and the tilma. Since entire books have been written about just one aspect of this event, these barely scratch the surface. Still, they do show that "Our God Is A Mighty God":
The Tilma. Still mind-blowing.
A good summary of the science.
He Keeps One Eye to the Heavens
An EXCELLENT introduction to the symbol language of the tilma. The image is filled with symbols that would have been instantly recognizable to the Aztecs. For example, the stars on the Lady's cloak represent good tidings. The cloak is covered in stars -- the message is VERY good. What's more, it turns out the stars on the cloak are an image of the stars in the early morning sky on the morning of Dec. 12.
The Mystery in Our Lady's eyes
This article describes how, through the use of microphotography, images of people can be seen in the eyes of the Lady on the tilma. It looks like the eyes captured the tableau in the room at the instant Juan Diego revealed the image. What is really interesting to me is that the images appear in the same locations in the eye as they would in a living eye. By that I mean that, due to light refraction, the images that are projected into your eye actually appear in three different locations inside the eyeball. This is something that wasn't discovered until the 1920's. The images of people in the eyes of the Lady appear in the exact correct locations as they would in a normal living eye. IOW, there is a 3-dimensional quality to the eyes in the image. Optometrists examining the image have been known to ask the person to "look up, please" because the eyes are so lifelike.
The traditional story of Guadalupe, translated from
the original Nahuatl language of the Aztecs
Here is the complete eyewitness account of the apparitions and the appearance of the image. "Guadalupe" is actually a Spanish corruption of what the apparition said. Most linguists believe she said "I am coatlaxopeuh" which is pronounced "quatlasupe" and sounds remarkably like the Spanish word Guadalupe. "Coatlaxopeuh" is usually translated as "She who crushes the head of the serpent", or in the right context "She who crushes the Feathered Serpent", the Feathered Serpent being the main god of the Aztec pantheon, the one to whom all those people had their hearts ripped out.
There's lots of other information that I can't confirm right now, mostly because the original sources aren't in English. One is that the temperature of the image is always 98.6 Degrees, another is that when you shine a light into the eyes on the image, the pupils contract, and still another is that if you put a stethoscope to the image over her womb, you'll hear a fetal heartbeat at 115 beats per minute.
Very interesting, if you ask me.
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Jim, I want to ask you very kindly...can you show me from the Bible where there is any basis for this kind of phenomenon?
Vicki
Jim, I know we can disagree in love as brothers. I'd go to Gen 3:15 to suggest that it is Christ who crushes the head of the serpent, not Mary. Also, technically, Mary didn't give birth to God. Jesus was God in eternity past and became man (Phil 2:5-8). Mary gave birth to His humanity. She didn't birth a God. Jesus was man and God but he was always God before He became man. It may seem pedantic on the surface but I think we need to recognize the distinction.
Vicki, with all due respect, the argument (...can you show me from the Bible...) is a fallacious argument. Scripture does not mentions kangaroos, duck-billed platypuses, or any other egg-laying mammal; yet we know these things exist and they are not by nature demonic. Shortly after Columbus returned from his voyages, when it became clear that the land he discovered was not India or Japan, an argument was advanced that the natives were not human and could therefore be kept as slaves. The reasoning behind this was that this new land and all its inhabitants were not mentioned in Scripture, therefore the people could not be human. (The Pope answered this with a decree to all the Catholic lands that the natives were not to be held in involuntary servitude on pain of excommunication.)
Scripture is not designed to be nor intended to be a record of all the possible ways that G_D can, has, does, or will do to communicate His presence and His truths to us. At the time of Scripture miracles such as these were not necessary, because the people had the Apostles to witness to them. In the image on the tilma, we have a very simple and powerful witness -- a message not immediately evident to the Europeans, but clear as day to the natives: G_D will be born of a human woman; this child will be greater than the sun god and the moon god combined; and all should come and worship Him. The effectiveness of this message should be judged by its fruit: in the ten years between the conquest of Mexico and the apparition, only a few thousand natives converted. In the three years after the apparition, six million natives were baptized; by the time ten years had passed that number rose to ten million. What's more, as our science advances we discover more and more "clues" left in the image, that we could not have known or understood before. For example, the robe worn by the lady has flowers worked into the pattern. These flowers are not only specific to the location of the apparition (and were recognized by the natives as such), they also form a map of Mexico that shows where the apparition occurred!
So, Vicki, the question shouldn't be "Did anything like this occur before in Scripture?"; it should be "Is there anything in this message that contradicts Scripture?" If you read any of the articles I linked to, I think you'll see there isn't.
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Hydieho, for the first part of your reply, point taken. I did some reading of parallel translations, and apparently there's enough ambiguity in the language (ambiguity in ancient Hebrew? Heavens!) that Genesis 3:15 can be translated in a number of ways depending on the theological point the translators were trying to make. So, yes, one translation is that it is Jesus who crushes the serpent's head while the serpent strikes at His heel.
As for the second part, though, where you say "Mary didn't give birth to God", I'm afraid you're expressing a heretical view, one of many that was decided at the Council of Chalcedon in 451. (I can't decide if it's closer to Apollinarianism or Nestorianism, but no matter.) This is covered in the early Christian doctrine of the Hypostatic Union. This is the doctrine of the unity of Jesus' nature. To say that Jesus was God who "assumed" humanity upon His birth is to separate His divine and human natures. I'm going to quote extensively from the Theopedia article on Two natures of Jesus:
God incorporated human nature into His eternal being. In the incarnation humanity has been permanently incorporated into the Godhead. God is now a man in addition to being God. ... Jesus' humanity is not something that can be discarded or dissolved back into the Godhead, but He will always and forever exist in heaven as a glorified man, albeit God at the same time. Upon his ascension, Jesus was not deified, but rather was glorified.
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Jim, I don't see the heresy in the statement that Mary did not contribute to Jesus' divinity. If anything the idea a human could contribute to Jesus' divinity should be deemed as heretical. My point was that Jesus was born God and was God in eternity past but not because of Mary. He was both man and God - two natures. Mary gave Christ his humanity and lineage (David) not His divinity. Where's the heresy in that? I'd also suggest that calling Mary the mother of God puts her in a situation where some afford her veneration that is only due to God (Rom 3:23).
CSB Genesis 3:15 I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.
ESV Genesis 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."
KJV Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
NAS Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."
NKJ Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."
YLT Genesis 3:15 and enmity I put between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he doth bruise thee -- the head, and thou dost bruise him -- the heel.'
In what sense does Mary crush Satan's head? Only Jesus could fulfill that.
ESV study notes:
3:15 While many modern commentators interpret this part of the curse as merely describing the natural hostility that exists between men and snakes, it has traditionally been understood as pointing forward to the defeat of the serpent by a future descendant of the woman, and this interpretation fits well with the words and the context. This defeat is implied by the serpent's being bruised in the head, which is more serious than the offspring of Eve being bruised in the heel. For this reason, v. 15 has been labeled the "Protoevangelium," the first announcement of the gospel. This interpretation requires that the serpent be viewed as more than a mere snake, something which the narrative itself implies, given the serpent's ability to speak and the vile things he says. While the present chapter does not explicitly identify the serpent with Satan, such an identification is a legitimate inference and is clearly what the apostle John has in view in Rev. 12:9 and 20:2. The motif of the offspring of the woman is picked up in Gen. 4:25 with the birth of Seth; subsequently, the rest of Genesis traces a single line of Seth's descendants, observing that it will eventually produce a king through whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed. he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. Some interpreters have suggested that by saying "he" and "his," the intended meaning is that one particular offspring is in view. Within the larger biblical framework, this hope comes to fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is clearly presented in the NT as overcoming Satan (Heb. 2:14; 1 John 3:8; cf. Matt. 12:29; Mark 1:24; Luke 10:18; John 12:31; 16:11; 1 Cor. 15:24; Col. 2:15), while at the same time being bruised.
I know the Catholic Bible is different in some ways from the Protestant Bible, Jim, but my Bible makes a strong stand against "images."
Hydieho,
In your message of December 13, 2012 7:55 PM you cite a number of parallel translations showing he will crush the serpent's head. I could provide a series of Biblical citations stating she crushes the serpent's head. However, all of my citations are from old(er) translations, the most recent dating from 1944. The most frequently used translation is the Douay-Rheims translation, which uses the feminine. (D-R is to some Catholics what King James is to some Protestants.) However, modern translations, recognizing the ambiguity in the original Hebrew text (the word used is better translated as "it") usually favor either a specific masculine pronoun or go for a more generic "they".
This is not a new concern. The Haydock Commentary, published in 1862,noted that the majority of the Hebrew sources (available at the time, I should add) preferred ipsa (the woman) over ipsum (the seed). Haydock noted, ...so, if, upon stricter search, it be found that it, and not she, is the true reading, we shall not hesitate to admit the correction: but we must wait in the mean time respectfully, till our superiors determine.
So, to summarize, the translations I grew up with used the feminine; the translations used today (including the Catholic ones) use the masculine.
Having jumped through all those hoops, I do need to quote from Haydock one more time:
The sense (ipsa vs. ipsum) is the same: for it is by her seed, Jesus Christ, that the woman crushes the serpent's head. ... Christ crushed the serpent's head by his death, suffering himself to be wounded in the heel. His blessed mother crushed him likewise, by her co-operation in the mystery of the Incarnation; and by rejecting, with horror, the very first suggestions of the enemy, to commit even the smallest sin.
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Interestingly, back in school and in our church we had statues of Mary where the serpent was under her foot. But arguing that Mary crushed the serpent's head by her seed is forcing the issue IMO. It's something like saying that Columbus' mother discovered America because Columbus did. It might even have a negative connotation like Hitler's mother....
The KJV puts it this way where the word "it" is masculine in Hebrew:
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Gen 3:15
As far as I am concerned this is special pleading. Neither the church nor Mary crushed the serpent's head. It was done at the cross:
http://thecatholicvoyager.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-can-mary-crush-serpents-head-look.html
It's really sad and upsetting that so many people place so much emphasis on Mary rather than on God, the Father, Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
I've come across references to Haydock several times. But I sourced two contemporary Hebrew scholars for info on Gen 3:15 - Rydelnik's The Messianic Hope & Sailhamer's The Meaning of the Pentateuch." As far as Sailhamer is concerned (p 321) the first "he" (pronoun hu) is masculine but it may also ambiguously mean "they" (a collective noun i.e. "your seed"). However, he adds that it "is not vague, since it cannot mean "you" or "she". Both Rydelnik and Sailhamer then spend time looking at further expressions of seed in the OT (and referencing the NT) to show that this verse is, indeed, messianic. Rydelnik points out that one needs to be careful when consulting rabbinic opinion about particular texts. For example, the "great" Rashi was notorious for cleverly undermining the plain-sense of texts normally considered to be messianic - for obvious reasons.
Merry Christmas, Dear Friends
Merry Christmas to all
Ditto.
Merry CHRISTmas to one and all!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! We even got some snow here in our neck of the woods and it is so pretty. Kitty Kat is so thankful for her litter box right now and DJH is thankful for the fellowship and dinner invitation of our precious neighbors today. Just a few steps across the street and wonderful blessed time of food and sharing all of God's wonderful blessings.
Merry Christmas to all!
For your viewing pleasure, an actual picture of Hell Freezing Over
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pretty interesting article
Obama secret opinion of Israel
"n the weeks after the UN vote, Obama said privately and repeatedly, “Israel doesn’t know what its own best interests are.” With each new settlement announcement, in Obama’s view, Netanyahu is moving his country down a path toward near-total isolation.
And if Israel, a small state in an inhospitable region, becomes more of a pariah — one that alienates even the affections of the U.S., its last steadfast friend — it won’t survive. "
Jim C
that picture was pretty funny
So, hell DID freeze over. Now watch out for those flying pigs.
interesting article
Multiple paths to one world government has a slight conspiracy theory flavor to it in places but interesting none the less
wow no activity here in forever!
a couple of observations
-has anyone else noticed that God seems to be calling many of the saints home. Especially ones that might not do well under BOOcare? a passing thought.
-you know I used to wonder how anyone could be so stupid as to fall for the AC's lies. Well i know longer wonder. The more stuff comes out about different aspects of Obama and his reign and when I realize that lever 40% STILL think he's doing a wonderful job or just even the fact that he was re-elected in the first place it is becoming much clearer. People want to believe the lies and are willing to believe baldface lies. A friend mentioned that BOO must be under some sort of demonic protection or at the very least demonic powers working to cloud the minds of those here at home and abroad.
I noticed that (saints being called home) as well, Jib.
And yes, I think the cave is dying a natural death and may well have served its purpose.
I was almost thinking of setting up a "Facebook cave". Everything is facebook now because it is so quick and easy.
Pity that we've lost track of some of the oldies (not old in age). People like Jeri from SA etc. ATTY, Harold...
Looking at what's happening in the Middle East it almost seems anything can happen and very quickly unless God directly intervenes to slow the proceedings.
Hyde
Great minds must think alike :- I had the same thought regarding Facebook. You can make it a closed group you know. I think Jeri in SA is on facebook would have to check. You could name it something that the others might be able to locate and leave the light on here so to speak.
OK so I created a facebook group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/127782547397083/
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