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Great new site for Christian News & Resources: links to Breaking News, Commentary, Christian Media, Bible Research & Study Tools, Churches, Christian Ministries, Christian history, and general information related to the Christian Worldview - http://www.christsinternet.com/
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Friday, December 11, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Faith Based Family Bible Camp Aug. 16-20, 2009
There's still time to sign up for one last summer Family camp. Mjorud Family Bible Camp, an evangelistic, prayerful, Bible based ministry, has operated for years without charge to the hundreds of diverse families who have attended and continues to do so. Families received housing, three full meals a day, solid speakers, prayer, music, sports, hiking, fellowship and rest at no cost. Nightly, the ministry made a request for free will offerings. There has never been any pressure to donate.
Twenty years ago I told Pastor Mjorud that if not for this camp, my family wouldn't be able to afford going to any family Bible camp. He responded, "That's why we do it."
Pastor Mjorud retired the Family Camp eleven years ago, and two years later, he passed away. But there has been enough interest to continue.
Mjorud Family Bible Camp is scheduled again this summer, August 16-20, in Hungry Horse, Montana. The Family Camp rents the A of G Bible campground for the week, where there are cabins, lodge's, camping spaces, a cafeteria, and large sanctuary available, as well as playground, miniature golf, and close proximity to Glacier National Park.
So in the words of the organizers, "Come and renew acquaintances with old friends - and/or make new ones. Bring your family, friends, and neighbors. Expect great things from our wonderful Lord Jesus Christ as we gather to honor, worship, and learn from Him."
Mjorud camp is Christian, evangelical, and non-denominational, and praying fervently for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit this year. Visit www.caicw.org/Family_Bible_Camp.html to register.
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Twenty years ago I told Pastor Mjorud that if not for this camp, my family wouldn't be able to afford going to any family Bible camp. He responded, "That's why we do it."
Pastor Mjorud retired the Family Camp eleven years ago, and two years later, he passed away. But there has been enough interest to continue.
Mjorud Family Bible Camp is scheduled again this summer, August 16-20, in Hungry Horse, Montana. The Family Camp rents the A of G Bible campground for the week, where there are cabins, lodge's, camping spaces, a cafeteria, and large sanctuary available, as well as playground, miniature golf, and close proximity to Glacier National Park.
So in the words of the organizers, "Come and renew acquaintances with old friends - and/or make new ones. Bring your family, friends, and neighbors. Expect great things from our wonderful Lord Jesus Christ as we gather to honor, worship, and learn from Him."
Mjorud camp is Christian, evangelical, and non-denominational, and praying fervently for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit this year. Visit www.caicw.org/Family_Bible_Camp.html to register.
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Monday, July 27, 2009
Health Crisis? Liberals Push More Nurses to Quit
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Catherina Cenzon-DeCarlo, a nurse from Brooklyn, was forced to assist in an abortion last May. Her supervisors told her that it was a medical emergency, and that if she didn't participate, she could lose her job. Turns out that there was no medical emergency. For Cenzon-DeCarlo, this was tantamount to murdering a baby, and she's struggled with it emotionally and spiritually ever since.
And can you believe this? Liberal commentators are saying she shouldn't have taken the job if she didn't want to do the work.
Let me get this straight. Obama is all over the place complaining about a so-called health crisis, while at the same time, lefties commenting on the above article are saying things like, "if preforming termination of pregnacy is not you line of work then leave the job," and "Don't we file this one under "It comes with the job, toots?"
So...those of you that believe Cenzon-DeCarlo should have gotten another job: Do you honestly think that this nurse is the only one that doesn't want to participate in abortions? Do you think there aren't any doctors that feel the same way? Do you realize that a large number in the medical profession are Christians? If you are willing to mandate they participate, do you know how many people will walk off the job? Doesn't matter if you don't think it's murder. The people that will walk away from the medical profession do.
I am a former RN. I left the field 16 years ago after I got tired of the way nurses were treated. For one example, I was told I couldn't tell any of my staff if there was an AIDS patient on the floor due to "patient confidentiality." My LPN's and Nsg. Assts were allowed to know any other diagnosis. Patient confidentiality didn't matter with any other disease. Aids was the only illness they weren't allowed to know. This was on a unit where an AID's patient was wiping his feces all over his bedroom walls. People that aren't responsible for cleaning up that type of thing can say what they want. I stuck up for my staff.
That's just one of many examples. I'm not the only nurse to walk away over such issues. Others have obviously stayed in the field. But mandating participation in abortions - that's a major line to cross over.
If you want Canadian style Health Care, where the staff to patient ratio is a fraction of what it is in the states, keep up your rhetoric. Pay your medical professionals less, and tell them they don't have any rights. Keep it up and see what happens. Then be happy with yourself when someone you love has to wait for days or weeks to get the medical care they need.
Catherina Cenzon-DeCarlo is right to be upset and file suit. She wasn't abandoning a patient. MT Sinai had plenty of time to find a replacement. Mt Sinai abandoned its staff. I hope she gets everything she is asking for. Hospitals should not be allowed to do that to people. We still have freedom of Religion in this country. At least for now…
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Catherina Cenzon-DeCarlo, a nurse from Brooklyn, was forced to assist in an abortion last May. Her supervisors told her that it was a medical emergency, and that if she didn't participate, she could lose her job. Turns out that there was no medical emergency. For Cenzon-DeCarlo, this was tantamount to murdering a baby, and she's struggled with it emotionally and spiritually ever since.
And can you believe this? Liberal commentators are saying she shouldn't have taken the job if she didn't want to do the work.
Let me get this straight. Obama is all over the place complaining about a so-called health crisis, while at the same time, lefties commenting on the above article are saying things like, "if preforming termination of pregnacy is not you line of work then leave the job," and "Don't we file this one under "It comes with the job, toots?"
So...those of you that believe Cenzon-DeCarlo should have gotten another job: Do you honestly think that this nurse is the only one that doesn't want to participate in abortions? Do you think there aren't any doctors that feel the same way? Do you realize that a large number in the medical profession are Christians? If you are willing to mandate they participate, do you know how many people will walk off the job? Doesn't matter if you don't think it's murder. The people that will walk away from the medical profession do.
I am a former RN. I left the field 16 years ago after I got tired of the way nurses were treated. For one example, I was told I couldn't tell any of my staff if there was an AIDS patient on the floor due to "patient confidentiality." My LPN's and Nsg. Assts were allowed to know any other diagnosis. Patient confidentiality didn't matter with any other disease. Aids was the only illness they weren't allowed to know. This was on a unit where an AID's patient was wiping his feces all over his bedroom walls. People that aren't responsible for cleaning up that type of thing can say what they want. I stuck up for my staff.
That's just one of many examples. I'm not the only nurse to walk away over such issues. Others have obviously stayed in the field. But mandating participation in abortions - that's a major line to cross over.
If you want Canadian style Health Care, where the staff to patient ratio is a fraction of what it is in the states, keep up your rhetoric. Pay your medical professionals less, and tell them they don't have any rights. Keep it up and see what happens. Then be happy with yourself when someone you love has to wait for days or weeks to get the medical care they need.
Catherina Cenzon-DeCarlo is right to be upset and file suit. She wasn't abandoning a patient. MT Sinai had plenty of time to find a replacement. Mt Sinai abandoned its staff. I hope she gets everything she is asking for. Hospitals should not be allowed to do that to people. We still have freedom of Religion in this country. At least for now…
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Saturday, July 11, 2009
Truly Faith Based Family Bible Camp: Hungry Horse, Montana
For over thirty years, Mjorud Family Bible Camp operated without charge to the hundreds of diverse families that attended. There, families received housing, three full meals a day, as well as amazing speakers, prayer, music, sports, hiking, fellowship and rest at no cost. Nightly, the ministry made a request for free will offerings. There was never any pressure to donate, and no questions were asked or record kept if one didn't.
Amazingly, without fail, enough funds were brought in each year to meet the budget. In fact, more than enough was consistently donated. Did they save the excess for the next year? No. Genuinely a faith-based non-profit, the excess was annually donated to a mission in Sri Lanka.
Twenty years ago I told Pastor Mjorud that if not for this camp, my family wouldn't be able to afford going to any family Bible camp. He responded, "That's why we do it."
Pastor Mjorud retired the Family Camp eleven years ago, and two years later, he passed away. But last year, on the tenth anniversary of the retirement, families having missed the blessing of such a truly faith-based ministry, gathered again at Glacier Bible Camp in Hungry Horse Montana. The families, blessed by the renewed experience, asked the organizers if this could again become an annual event.
So the Mjorud Family Bible Camp is scheduled again this summer, August 16-20 in Hungry Horse, Montana. The Family Camp rents the A of G Bible campground for the week, where there are cabins, lodge's, camping spaces, a cafeteria, and large sanctuary available, as well as playground, miniature golf, and close proximity to Glacier National Park.
So in the words of the organizers, "Come and renew acquaintances with old friends - and/or make new ones. Bring your family, friends, and neighbors. Expect great things from our wonderful Lord Jesus Christ as we gather to honor, worship, and learn from Him."
Mjorud camp is Christian, evangelical, and non-denominational, and praying fervently for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit this year. Visit www.caicw.org/Family_Bible_Camp.html to register.
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Sunday, July 5, 2009
Rick Warren Speaks at Muslim Conference???
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On July 5, 2009, the AP reported that "Evangelical megachurch pastor Rick Warren," founder of Saddleback Community Church in Orange County, California, spoke at an Islamic convention in Washington DC and stated, "America's largest Islamic organization showed courage when it invited him to speak at its annual convention."
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), of whom Warren was speaking, is a group that has been named co-conspirator by the Justice Department in the largest terrorism financing trial in U.S history. The trial involves a Hamas charity called the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF). Its leaders were found guilty on all counts..
ISNA was established in 1981 by alumni from the Muslim Students Association (MSA). The MSA is a group founded by members of Muslim Brotherhood, a violent organization, as well as Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Sami Al-Arian. The MSA also has a history of promoting radical speakers at annual anti-Semitic forums across the country, including pro-Hamas Abdul Malik Ali. The MSA-UCLA’s newspaper, Al-Talib, also referred to Osama bin Laden in its July 1999 issue as a “freedom fighter,” “philanthropist” and a “great Mujahid.”
According to the AP. "Warren told the crowd that the two largest faiths on the planet — Muslims and Christians — must work together to combat stereotypes, promote peace and freedom and solve global problems." He also said they should partner in working to end "the five global giants" of war, poverty, corruption, disease and illiteracy. "Some problems are so big you have to team tackle them."
Are you for real, Warren? Ask most of them how they would react if their daughter came to them to say that she's fallen in love with a Christian and has given her heart to Jesus. Do you seriously think that there can be a working relationship? How many of the people in the crowd came from countries that persecute Christians? Will part of the plan to cooperatively promote peace and fight poverty include discouraging the sawing of heads off of relief workers?
Okay, Okay, that all sounds like me just spouting off stereotypes. How about this question, then. We all know that wishful thinking won't end war or poverty. Even team tackling isn't going to end these two things. They've been around from the beginning of time. Wishful thinking certainly isn't going to effect the seed of war and poverty; which is greed, essentially.
Any Christian knows that to truly effect war and poverty, we need God's power and love. And the only way to the Father is through... (remember the verse Warren?)...his son, Jesus Christ. Will part of your program to end the "five global giants" include getting together with our new partners and praying? Seems to me to be the logical thing for a Christian to do....
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On July 5, 2009, the AP reported that "Evangelical megachurch pastor Rick Warren," founder of Saddleback Community Church in Orange County, California, spoke at an Islamic convention in Washington DC and stated, "America's largest Islamic organization showed courage when it invited him to speak at its annual convention."
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), of whom Warren was speaking, is a group that has been named co-conspirator by the Justice Department in the largest terrorism financing trial in U.S history. The trial involves a Hamas charity called the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF). Its leaders were found guilty on all counts..
ISNA was established in 1981 by alumni from the Muslim Students Association (MSA). The MSA is a group founded by members of Muslim Brotherhood, a violent organization, as well as Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Sami Al-Arian. The MSA also has a history of promoting radical speakers at annual anti-Semitic forums across the country, including pro-Hamas Abdul Malik Ali. The MSA-UCLA’s newspaper, Al-Talib, also referred to Osama bin Laden in its July 1999 issue as a “freedom fighter,” “philanthropist” and a “great Mujahid.”
According to the AP. "Warren told the crowd that the two largest faiths on the planet — Muslims and Christians — must work together to combat stereotypes, promote peace and freedom and solve global problems." He also said they should partner in working to end "the five global giants" of war, poverty, corruption, disease and illiteracy. "Some problems are so big you have to team tackle them."
Are you for real, Warren? Ask most of them how they would react if their daughter came to them to say that she's fallen in love with a Christian and has given her heart to Jesus. Do you seriously think that there can be a working relationship? How many of the people in the crowd came from countries that persecute Christians? Will part of the plan to cooperatively promote peace and fight poverty include discouraging the sawing of heads off of relief workers?
Okay, Okay, that all sounds like me just spouting off stereotypes. How about this question, then. We all know that wishful thinking won't end war or poverty. Even team tackling isn't going to end these two things. They've been around from the beginning of time. Wishful thinking certainly isn't going to effect the seed of war and poverty; which is greed, essentially.
Any Christian knows that to truly effect war and poverty, we need God's power and love. And the only way to the Father is through... (remember the verse Warren?)...his son, Jesus Christ. Will part of your program to end the "five global giants" include getting together with our new partners and praying? Seems to me to be the logical thing for a Christian to do....
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Monday, June 29, 2009
The economy is destroying our business.
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I run a restaurant, and in this economy, we are suffering terribly. I even thought of closing for good on Friday. But...
One of my young waiters had told me about his church. He's the son of migrant workers, and I, missing the worship we had when on mission trips to Juarez, went to their evening service last week. They prayed for our business & family.
Now, they are coming in here to eat, as one said, "instead of Burger King," and one woman offered to make authentic Mexican food for the menu, while another offered to help with whatever I need - volunteer- (when she can't be in the field.)
And a man is trying to fix our suburban so that we can still make it to Bible camp.
Thank you, Jesus. We serve an awesome, overcoming, God.
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I run a restaurant, and in this economy, we are suffering terribly. I even thought of closing for good on Friday. But...
One of my young waiters had told me about his church. He's the son of migrant workers, and I, missing the worship we had when on mission trips to Juarez, went to their evening service last week. They prayed for our business & family.
Now, they are coming in here to eat, as one said, "instead of Burger King," and one woman offered to make authentic Mexican food for the menu, while another offered to help with whatever I need - volunteer- (when she can't be in the field.)
And a man is trying to fix our suburban so that we can still make it to Bible camp.
Thank you, Jesus. We serve an awesome, overcoming, God.
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Sunday, June 28, 2009
Life is so hard. Nothing is working
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We only made it 20 miles last night before our radiator blew. I am grieving, because we needed so badly to get away as a family to Bible camp at LFBC. This last year has been so very hard.
Praise God that we were still close enough to be towed home. But the Lord knows that I don't have the money to fix the Suburban. Why are all these things happening?
I am grieving, but trying to praise God at the same time - I cried out to Him this morning. I do not understand what is happening or why, but I do understand He has a Refining fire and God willing, all things can be accomplished no matter where we are. I need to submit to that. And praise him.
The Lord provided a miracle two years ago when some kids busted most of the windows in the suburban. That next morning, a church that had never met us went to a junk yard, bought new windows, and installed them that afternoon. Please, please, please pray with us another miracle.
I need, need, need to go to the camp. I need to be away with people, praying and listening, and thinking and talking and fellowship. The speaker is said to be very good. I had told the 14 year-old, who was rushed to the hospital three weeks ago with alcohol poisoning, to take the opportunity to see and hear. And the other two kids wanted to see their friends so badly. And we were to meet my 19-year old there tonight and spend the week with her there. We were bringing her her dog because I can't take care of it. And I was going to get to play with my grandson all week. I was going to take his stroller and push him around and play in the park after sessions.
Is there any chance for us still to go? Only by a miracle of the Lord. Please, please help us pray for a miracle. I have so many questions, and such a struggle here with our business and in where we live. I need help.
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We only made it 20 miles last night before our radiator blew. I am grieving, because we needed so badly to get away as a family to Bible camp at LFBC. This last year has been so very hard.
Praise God that we were still close enough to be towed home. But the Lord knows that I don't have the money to fix the Suburban. Why are all these things happening?
I am grieving, but trying to praise God at the same time - I cried out to Him this morning. I do not understand what is happening or why, but I do understand He has a Refining fire and God willing, all things can be accomplished no matter where we are. I need to submit to that. And praise him.
The Lord provided a miracle two years ago when some kids busted most of the windows in the suburban. That next morning, a church that had never met us went to a junk yard, bought new windows, and installed them that afternoon. Please, please, please pray with us another miracle.
I need, need, need to go to the camp. I need to be away with people, praying and listening, and thinking and talking and fellowship. The speaker is said to be very good. I had told the 14 year-old, who was rushed to the hospital three weeks ago with alcohol poisoning, to take the opportunity to see and hear. And the other two kids wanted to see their friends so badly. And we were to meet my 19-year old there tonight and spend the week with her there. We were bringing her her dog because I can't take care of it. And I was going to get to play with my grandson all week. I was going to take his stroller and push him around and play in the park after sessions.
Is there any chance for us still to go? Only by a miracle of the Lord. Please, please help us pray for a miracle. I have so many questions, and such a struggle here with our business and in where we live. I need help.
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Thursday, June 25, 2009
Church Ministry Prays Homosexuality out of Boy
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A 20-minute YouTube video shows a 16-year-old boy convulsing on a church floor as members of Manifested Glory Ministries, a Connecticut church, cast a "homosexual demon" from his body.
"Rip it from his throat!" "Come on, you homosexual demon! You homosexual spirit, we call you out right now! Loose your grip!"
The boy had come to the church and asked for help. He'd been to the altar several times for prayer prior to the filming of this particular event.
Gay advocates are calling it abuse and are demanding an investigation.
An investigation into what? What thousands of churches believe and are doing during their services? Are the thought police - or the Obama administration - now going to tell churches what they can or cannot do during their services? Will there be a law against doing spiritual ministry with children? Will there be a law against praying over homosexuals, even if they request it?
I'm not a member of a Pentecostal church and do find some churches - (not all Pentecostal churches) - and some prayer to be not quite genuine. But the behavior and attacks from the far left are a lot more disturbing to me than doctrinal differences I might have with some brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Robin McHaelin, executive director of an advocacy group for youths that claim to be gay, said "I think it's horrifying. What saddens me is the people that are doing this think they are doing something in the kid's best interests, when in fact they're murdering his spirit."
OF COURSE they're murdering the spirit. That's the whole point! Didn't she listen to what the church was saying? "You homosexual spirit, we call you out right now! Loose your grip!" They were "casting out of spirits!" The whole point of the prayer is to get rid of that spirit - the same spirit that McHaelin wants to protect!
What scares me more is that she says kids call HER to ask for help against their parents or caregivers, as if she knows and loves them more than their parents do. I assume she then proceeds to help them do the things that their parents don't want them to do. She is the type of person I choose to keep my kids far away from.
Now she plans on reporting "the situation" to the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. Lord, help us all from that kind of person. It's her behavior and meddling in the lives of children and families that needs reporting. I pray the evil spirit comes out of her and that she will see, know and understand the truth. I ask this in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.
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A 20-minute YouTube video shows a 16-year-old boy convulsing on a church floor as members of Manifested Glory Ministries, a Connecticut church, cast a "homosexual demon" from his body.
"Rip it from his throat!" "Come on, you homosexual demon! You homosexual spirit, we call you out right now! Loose your grip!"
The boy had come to the church and asked for help. He'd been to the altar several times for prayer prior to the filming of this particular event.
Gay advocates are calling it abuse and are demanding an investigation.
An investigation into what? What thousands of churches believe and are doing during their services? Are the thought police - or the Obama administration - now going to tell churches what they can or cannot do during their services? Will there be a law against doing spiritual ministry with children? Will there be a law against praying over homosexuals, even if they request it?
I'm not a member of a Pentecostal church and do find some churches - (not all Pentecostal churches) - and some prayer to be not quite genuine. But the behavior and attacks from the far left are a lot more disturbing to me than doctrinal differences I might have with some brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Robin McHaelin, executive director of an advocacy group for youths that claim to be gay, said "I think it's horrifying. What saddens me is the people that are doing this think they are doing something in the kid's best interests, when in fact they're murdering his spirit."
OF COURSE they're murdering the spirit. That's the whole point! Didn't she listen to what the church was saying? "You homosexual spirit, we call you out right now! Loose your grip!" They were "casting out of spirits!" The whole point of the prayer is to get rid of that spirit - the same spirit that McHaelin wants to protect!
What scares me more is that she says kids call HER to ask for help against their parents or caregivers, as if she knows and loves them more than their parents do. I assume she then proceeds to help them do the things that their parents don't want them to do. She is the type of person I choose to keep my kids far away from.
She admits that the boy said that the church has prayed for him three times at his request, but, knowing very little about this boy, assumes she knows everything and blames the risky behavior he's practicing on the church's treatment. She hasn't listened to the boy at all.
Excuse me? He came into the church wearing women's clothing and begging for help. He had been in reform school for stealing. He was already engaged in risky behavior before he came to the church.
The church listened to him, loved him, gave him clothes, and prayed for him, as he requested. But she claims the church is at fault for the problems he came to them with? Right.
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Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Newsweek Editor says Obama is "god".
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Newsweek editor Evan Thomas told Chris Matthews during a taping of Hardball that President Obama is "sort of God."
“In a way,” Thomas said, “Obama is standing above the country. Above … above the world …
“He’s sort of God.”
Wow. Isn't that something? Most of us have never seen this kind of maniacal behavior in our lifetimes.
It's comforting to know that the One True God; the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God who spoke to Moses, the God who parted the sea and died on the cross for our sins, is in control. He knows exactly what is going on - and nothing - no one - is more powerful than He. He Loves His children and will take care of us through all hardships. We praise His Holy Name; Jehovah; Yhwh; the Great "I Am". No human can ever hold a candle to our God the Father; his son Jesus Christ, and the comforter Holy Spirit - Our One God in three persons. Praise Him. I am so grateful that we have the opportunity to worship the True God. To say that He is greater than a mere man is the grandest of understatements.
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Newsweek editor Evan Thomas told Chris Matthews during a taping of Hardball that President Obama is "sort of God."
“In a way,” Thomas said, “Obama is standing above the country. Above … above the world …
“He’s sort of God.”
Wow. Isn't that something? Most of us have never seen this kind of maniacal behavior in our lifetimes.
It's comforting to know that the One True God; the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God who spoke to Moses, the God who parted the sea and died on the cross for our sins, is in control. He knows exactly what is going on - and nothing - no one - is more powerful than He. He Loves His children and will take care of us through all hardships. We praise His Holy Name; Jehovah; Yhwh; the Great "I Am". No human can ever hold a candle to our God the Father; his son Jesus Christ, and the comforter Holy Spirit - Our One God in three persons. Praise Him. I am so grateful that we have the opportunity to worship the True God. To say that He is greater than a mere man is the grandest of understatements.
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Tulsa: Can't talk about God when helping children living in Housing Projects..
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Child Evangelism Fellowship of Missouri, an organization that had been working with children in a Tulsa, Oklahoma housing project for 20 years, was recently told that they can come in and play games and talk about moral things, but they can't mention the name of God.
Larry Koehn, head of the fellowship's Tulsa chapter, said that they were told that holding Bible Studies and discussing God with the children was a violation of a policy prohibiting religious instruction on public housing property. He said that housing authority officials told him the rule has "always been in effect, but it's just never been enforced."
Liberty Counsel, a Florida law firm specializing in religious cases, has gotten involved, Founder Mathew Staver said he will file a federal lawsuit against the housing authority if the fellowship isn't allowed to conduct their programs as usual. Staver says that a Supreme Court ruling in 2001 affirmed that religious groups have the same right as anyone else to meet in public buildings.
"Youth at Heart" is the non-profit company that runs the recreational programs for the Tulsa Housing Authority. The Youth at Heart organization is not faith based. One has to wonder about Obama's changes with the Office for Faith Based Inititiatives, which he now calls the White House Office of Faith-Based and "Neighborhood Partnerships." Some of us have been expecting that faith based efforts will be pushed off the map in favor of secular programs.
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Child Evangelism Fellowship of Missouri, an organization that had been working with children in a Tulsa, Oklahoma housing project for 20 years, was recently told that they can come in and play games and talk about moral things, but they can't mention the name of God.
Larry Koehn, head of the fellowship's Tulsa chapter, said that they were told that holding Bible Studies and discussing God with the children was a violation of a policy prohibiting religious instruction on public housing property. He said that housing authority officials told him the rule has "always been in effect, but it's just never been enforced."
Liberty Counsel, a Florida law firm specializing in religious cases, has gotten involved, Founder Mathew Staver said he will file a federal lawsuit against the housing authority if the fellowship isn't allowed to conduct their programs as usual. Staver says that a Supreme Court ruling in 2001 affirmed that religious groups have the same right as anyone else to meet in public buildings.
"Youth at Heart" is the non-profit company that runs the recreational programs for the Tulsa Housing Authority. The Youth at Heart organization is not faith based. One has to wonder about Obama's changes with the Office for Faith Based Inititiatives, which he now calls the White House Office of Faith-Based and "Neighborhood Partnerships." Some of us have been expecting that faith based efforts will be pushed off the map in favor of secular programs.
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Monday, June 8, 2009
Is President Obama a Christian?
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I'm not ready to say, as some do, that President Obama is a Muslim. But I certainly question his commitment to Jesus Christ.
The Apostle John, who walked with Jesus Christ, quotes Jesus; "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 ISV. John also wrote, “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”1 John 5:11-12 NKJV
President Obama stated, “I am a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims.” He said, “As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and the fall of dusk. As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith.”
But a Christian - a disciple of Jesus Christ - who truly believes Jesus when he says he is the only way, truth and life, and that there is no way to the Father other than through Him, knows there is no other way to peace other than following Jesus Christ. To say that there is, with complete rest in one's heart, would mean that the person doesn't believe what the Holy Scripture states for fact.
President Obama went on in his speech, saying, "As the Holy Quran tells us, 'Be conscious of God and speak always the truth."
But a Christian would never call the Quran Holy. A Christian knows that the Bible alone is God's Word, and therefore, the only Holy Scripture.
President Obama stated, "And I consider it part of my responsibility as president of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear."
When did it become the responsibility of the President to "fight against negative stereotypes of Islam"? He has never promised to defend Christianity in the same way, and in fact, appears to go out of his way to distance himself from Jesus Christ as much as possible, from refusing to acknowledge the day of prayer to asking Georgetown University, a Catholic Institution, to cover up and hide its inscription "IHS" during his speech there on April 14. Apparently, he and his staff didn't want Jesus' name to show up on TV.
How come he has never offered to fight against negative stereotypes of Christianity? Well, that would involve a daily rebuke of CNN, the ACLU, Wahington Post, the AP, the New York Times, MSNBC, ABC, and too many liberal organizations to mention. Much too time consuming.
Obama's grasp of and respect for the Holy Bible - the Scriptures from which he told us last year that he was seeking God's truth - also seems non-existent.
Instead, during his mid-east tour he quotes a Muslim story that the Bible does not support at all.
President Obama said, "...when Jerusalem is a secure and lasting home for Jews and Christians and Muslims and a place for all of the children of Abraham to mingle peacefully together as in the story of Isra — as in the story of Isra, when Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed — peace be upon them — joined in prayer."
The Bible holds no record of such an event. Interestingly, neither does the Quran. There is even disagreement within the Muslim community whether the event happened at all.
Barack Obama's Muslim background was taboo to talk about during the campaign. All evidence of his anti-Israel position was hidden. Obama's friendship with PLO member Rashid Khalidi was important to his world view, but the LA Times refused to release the video proving that this relationship helped mold Obama's views regarding Israel.
I can't tell what's really in President Obama's heart. I can only discern from the outside fruit. I don't believe that attending a Christian church necessarily makes one a Christian anymore than sitting in a garage makes one a car. From what I see, it appears that his years at Rev. Wright’s church were more about networking with potential constituents and furthering his political career than it was about giving one's heart over to Jesus Christ and becoming His disciple. That's why it was so easy for him to walk away when it appeared that the church was threatening his political career. Outside of South Chicago, it was no longer an asset. It was now a liability.
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I'm not ready to say, as some do, that President Obama is a Muslim. But I certainly question his commitment to Jesus Christ.
The Apostle John, who walked with Jesus Christ, quotes Jesus; "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 ISV. John also wrote, “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”1 John 5:11-12 NKJV
President Obama stated, “I am a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims.” He said, “As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and the fall of dusk. As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith.”
But a Christian - a disciple of Jesus Christ - who truly believes Jesus when he says he is the only way, truth and life, and that there is no way to the Father other than through Him, knows there is no other way to peace other than following Jesus Christ. To say that there is, with complete rest in one's heart, would mean that the person doesn't believe what the Holy Scripture states for fact.
President Obama went on in his speech, saying, "As the Holy Quran tells us, 'Be conscious of God and speak always the truth."
But a Christian would never call the Quran Holy. A Christian knows that the Bible alone is God's Word, and therefore, the only Holy Scripture.
President Obama stated, "And I consider it part of my responsibility as president of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear."
When did it become the responsibility of the President to "fight against negative stereotypes of Islam"? He has never promised to defend Christianity in the same way, and in fact, appears to go out of his way to distance himself from Jesus Christ as much as possible, from refusing to acknowledge the day of prayer to asking Georgetown University, a Catholic Institution, to cover up and hide its inscription "IHS" during his speech there on April 14. Apparently, he and his staff didn't want Jesus' name to show up on TV.
How come he has never offered to fight against negative stereotypes of Christianity? Well, that would involve a daily rebuke of CNN, the ACLU, Wahington Post, the AP, the New York Times, MSNBC, ABC, and too many liberal organizations to mention. Much too time consuming.
Obama's grasp of and respect for the Holy Bible - the Scriptures from which he told us last year that he was seeking God's truth - also seems non-existent.
Instead, during his mid-east tour he quotes a Muslim story that the Bible does not support at all.
President Obama said, "...when Jerusalem is a secure and lasting home for Jews and Christians and Muslims and a place for all of the children of Abraham to mingle peacefully together as in the story of Isra — as in the story of Isra, when Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed — peace be upon them — joined in prayer."
The Bible holds no record of such an event. Interestingly, neither does the Quran. There is even disagreement within the Muslim community whether the event happened at all.
Barack Obama's Muslim background was taboo to talk about during the campaign. All evidence of his anti-Israel position was hidden. Obama's friendship with PLO member Rashid Khalidi was important to his world view, but the LA Times refused to release the video proving that this relationship helped mold Obama's views regarding Israel.
I can't tell what's really in President Obama's heart. I can only discern from the outside fruit. I don't believe that attending a Christian church necessarily makes one a Christian anymore than sitting in a garage makes one a car. From what I see, it appears that his years at Rev. Wright’s church were more about networking with potential constituents and furthering his political career than it was about giving one's heart over to Jesus Christ and becoming His disciple. That's why it was so easy for him to walk away when it appeared that the church was threatening his political career. Outside of South Chicago, it was no longer an asset. It was now a liability.
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Thursday, June 4, 2009
Obama's Decision to be a Christian
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In Barack Obama's book, the Audacity of Hope, he wrote, "During the five years that we would live with my stepfather in Indonesia, I was sent first to a neighborhood Catholic school and then to a predominately Muslim school. In our household, the Bible, the Koran, and the Bhagavad Gita sat on the shelf."
But he states that his mother was skeptical of religion, so as a result, he said, "I was not raised in a religious household."
He goes on to write about his experience as a community organizer for churches in Chicago and says that he was repeatedly asked to join various Christian congregations.
But, he wrote, "I remained a reluctant skeptic, doubtful of my own motives, wary of expedient conversion, having too many quarrels with God to accept a salvation too easily won."
He goes on to claim that after much soul searching, he was baptized at Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ.
Soul Searching? Today he was in Egypt touting his Muslim background. Not a word about being a soul-searching Christian. Today, it was more convenient to be Muslim.
I suspect that in reality, joining a large Christian church in Chicago was a political move. It was one way to network with a large number of constituents. His "soul searching," it seems to me, consisted of assessing which of the several churches asking him to join them would benefit him politically the most. In the end he decided on a church that had a sharp political edge and attracted angry voters; a place that would best help Obama reach his goals. He did not choose a church that focused on the goals of Jesus Christ.
This is further evidenced in another quote from the book, in which he describes his decision;
"It came about as a choice and not an epiphany; the questions I had did not magically disappear. But kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side of Chicago, I felt God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth."
Most people, when truly submitting to God's will, dedicate themselves to serving Him. That's the whole point. True submission = humbling servitude. It's a decision to serve Him even if one doesn't fully understand God's reasoning and purpose. Obama states that he was only willing to continue asking questions, dedicating himself only to "discovering His truth." Whatever that means, and however long that takes.
No, we're not supposed to be judging the hearts of others. But we are supposed to be wise, keeping an eye out for wolves and charlatans, watching their fruit in order to discern their spirit. Just as with Joel Osteen and his ilk, President Obama is a salesman. He doesn't seem to understand the deity and purpose of Jesus Christ, nor the purpose of Scripture, nor the purpose of Christians.
Again, pay close attention to God's warnings in Matt 7:15, Acts 20:29, Romans 16:18, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, and 2 Peter 2-3.
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In Barack Obama's book, the Audacity of Hope, he wrote, "During the five years that we would live with my stepfather in Indonesia, I was sent first to a neighborhood Catholic school and then to a predominately Muslim school. In our household, the Bible, the Koran, and the Bhagavad Gita sat on the shelf."
But he states that his mother was skeptical of religion, so as a result, he said, "I was not raised in a religious household."
He goes on to write about his experience as a community organizer for churches in Chicago and says that he was repeatedly asked to join various Christian congregations.
But, he wrote, "I remained a reluctant skeptic, doubtful of my own motives, wary of expedient conversion, having too many quarrels with God to accept a salvation too easily won."
He goes on to claim that after much soul searching, he was baptized at Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ.
Soul Searching? Today he was in Egypt touting his Muslim background. Not a word about being a soul-searching Christian. Today, it was more convenient to be Muslim.
I suspect that in reality, joining a large Christian church in Chicago was a political move. It was one way to network with a large number of constituents. His "soul searching," it seems to me, consisted of assessing which of the several churches asking him to join them would benefit him politically the most. In the end he decided on a church that had a sharp political edge and attracted angry voters; a place that would best help Obama reach his goals. He did not choose a church that focused on the goals of Jesus Christ.
This is further evidenced in another quote from the book, in which he describes his decision;
"It came about as a choice and not an epiphany; the questions I had did not magically disappear. But kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side of Chicago, I felt God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth."
Most people, when truly submitting to God's will, dedicate themselves to serving Him. That's the whole point. True submission = humbling servitude. It's a decision to serve Him even if one doesn't fully understand God's reasoning and purpose. Obama states that he was only willing to continue asking questions, dedicating himself only to "discovering His truth." Whatever that means, and however long that takes.
No, we're not supposed to be judging the hearts of others. But we are supposed to be wise, keeping an eye out for wolves and charlatans, watching their fruit in order to discern their spirit. Just as with Joel Osteen and his ilk, President Obama is a salesman. He doesn't seem to understand the deity and purpose of Jesus Christ, nor the purpose of Scripture, nor the purpose of Christians.
Again, pay close attention to God's warnings in Matt 7:15, Acts 20:29, Romans 16:18, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, and 2 Peter 2-3.
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Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Doctor Tiller Murdered; yes, Saint; no
Dr. George Tiller as shot and killed Sunday; murdered, presumabley by a pro-life advocate.
As many have pointed out, it makes no sense for a pro-life advocate to take the life of another human being.
Some pro-life advocates disagree and claim that because Dr. Tiller was murdering children and continued to do so despite years of legal attempts to stop him, there were no other options.
However, Nancy Keenan, president of abortion-rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America, issued a statement praising Tiller's commitment. "Dr. Tiller's murder will send a chill down the spines of the brave and courageous providers and other professionals who are part of reproductive-health centers that serve women across this country. We want them to know that they have our support as they move forward in providing these essential services in the aftermath of the shocking news from Wichita," Keenan said.
They have her support. Wonderful. The murder of Dr. Tiller is a crime and much more important than the rhetoric that Nancy Keenan spits out. Did you notice how she took his murder and turned it into an advertisement for her and her group? I imagine, having been aquainted with her work and rhetoric in Montana government years ago, that she is tickled this tragedy happened as it gave her a chance to get some attention in the papers and might help bring favor on Obama's Supreme Court pick. The Supreme Court fight probably had her worried this last week. I hate it when people use a tragedy to bolster their sick agendas.
Dr. Tiller was murdered and the killer needs to be punished. But that doesn't suddenly make the killing of innocent children okay.
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Sunday, May 31, 2009
San Diego Asking Family to obtain Pertmit for Bible Study
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Pastor David Jones and his wife Mary were told that they had to pay thousands of dollars to San Diego County if they wanted to have a Bible Study in their home.
Apparently, officials decided that any type of religious assembly required a license.
"The government may not prohibit the free exercise of religion," their lawyer told FOX News. "I believe that our Founding Fathers would roll over in their grave if they saw that here in the year 2009, a pastor and his wife are being told that they cannot hold a simple Bible study in their own home."
"The implications are great because it’s not only us that’s involved," Mary Jones said. "There are thousands and thousands of Bible studies that are held all across the country. What we’re interested in is setting a precedent here — before it goes any further — and that we have it settled for the future." The Jones' planned to take it to federal court if they had to.
Well, the county must not have wanted to take the chance of doing that or set a precendent in favor of Bible studies. Perhaps they wanted to leave this couple alone so that they could mess with some future families trying to pray and study with friends.
The question in my mind: "What was the county thinking?" I try to imagine the mindset of officials that would try to pull this kind of stunt, and all I can think is that some liberals in California are so angry at Christians that they will push them any way that they can.
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Pastor David Jones and his wife Mary were told that they had to pay thousands of dollars to San Diego County if they wanted to have a Bible Study in their home.
Apparently, officials decided that any type of religious assembly required a license.
"The government may not prohibit the free exercise of religion," their lawyer told FOX News. "I believe that our Founding Fathers would roll over in their grave if they saw that here in the year 2009, a pastor and his wife are being told that they cannot hold a simple Bible study in their own home."
"The implications are great because it’s not only us that’s involved," Mary Jones said. "There are thousands and thousands of Bible studies that are held all across the country. What we’re interested in is setting a precedent here — before it goes any further — and that we have it settled for the future." The Jones' planned to take it to federal court if they had to.
Well, the county must not have wanted to take the chance of doing that or set a precendent in favor of Bible studies. Perhaps they wanted to leave this couple alone so that they could mess with some future families trying to pray and study with friends.
The question in my mind: "What was the county thinking?" I try to imagine the mindset of officials that would try to pull this kind of stunt, and all I can think is that some liberals in California are so angry at Christians that they will push them any way that they can.
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Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Joel Osteen - a Charlatan?
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"All people can reach their God given potential of health, wealth and happiness," Joel Osteen preaches. He tells women to tell themselves;"Ten years from now I will be married." and "He's going to be rich and good looking!"
OMGosh. Is this guy a salesman? It is true that God blesses. He has blessed me and my family on many occassions. But God's blessings for our family have always been directly connected to the furtherance of HIS plan and ministry, not mine.
For example, did He provide our family with an RV? Yes. But it was after prayer along this line: "Lord, we'd really like to minister at Juventud con Vision in Juarez, Mexico. But as you know, Roland has cancer throughout his bones. If it is your will that we minister in Juarez, please provide comfortable travel for Roland. If it isn't your will, please give us the grace to accept that and show us where and how you want us to minister. Thank you, Jesus."
Had we prayed for Roland's healing? Yes, many times and many ways. Now, we were patient to go ahead with living while waiting God's answer on that. Our prayer wasn't for our own self-indulgence. Our prayer was for God to provide one of the tools we needed in order to fulfill what it was that He wanted us to do.
Remember, God's purpose for us is clearly stated in Genesis 12:1-3 and restated throughout the entire Bible. God's children have a Great Commission - to be a light to the rest of the world, and preach the Word with the courage he provides through the Holy Spirit. And the Word, the Good News, The Gospel is this: that Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came to die for us in order to save us, despite the fact that we are all sinners and don't deserve his gift of salvation. We have been given the gift of salvation, and all we need to do is realize our sinfulness, humble ourselves, repent, ask for forgiveness, and accept His gift.
Osteen chooses to focus on gifts from God rather than sin. He rarely uses Scripture and instead, thinks he is a "life coach." A purported "Christian" life coach, yet doesn't use Scripture as a text.
At times, he has seemed to deny that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven.
Sociologist Shayne Lee and historian Phillip Sinitiere state in their book, Holy Mavericks: Evangelical Innovators and the Spiritual Marketplace, that "Osteen's widespread popularity comes from contextualizing Christianity to meet the existential needs and cultural tastes of contemporary Americans."
That's right. I see Osteen as a saleman and "Christian" events are his marketplace. Note the amount of money spent at his events, and remember that neither Jesus nor any of his true disciples required funds from their listeners. In fact, Jesus fed the lot of them - for free - simply because they needed to be fed.
No wonder Osteen doesn't understand the deity and purpose of Jesus Christ, nor the purpose of Scripture, nor the purpose of Christians. Osteen has never studied theology or even religion at a college of seminary. He attended Oral Roberts University for a short time, but apparently didn't take the theology courses while there.
People, pay close attention to God's warnings in Matt 7:15, Acts 20:29, Romans 16:18, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, and 2 Peter 2-3.
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"All people can reach their God given potential of health, wealth and happiness," Joel Osteen preaches. He tells women to tell themselves;"Ten years from now I will be married." and "He's going to be rich and good looking!"
OMGosh. Is this guy a salesman? It is true that God blesses. He has blessed me and my family on many occassions. But God's blessings for our family have always been directly connected to the furtherance of HIS plan and ministry, not mine.
For example, did He provide our family with an RV? Yes. But it was after prayer along this line: "Lord, we'd really like to minister at Juventud con Vision in Juarez, Mexico. But as you know, Roland has cancer throughout his bones. If it is your will that we minister in Juarez, please provide comfortable travel for Roland. If it isn't your will, please give us the grace to accept that and show us where and how you want us to minister. Thank you, Jesus."
Had we prayed for Roland's healing? Yes, many times and many ways. Now, we were patient to go ahead with living while waiting God's answer on that. Our prayer wasn't for our own self-indulgence. Our prayer was for God to provide one of the tools we needed in order to fulfill what it was that He wanted us to do.
Remember, God's purpose for us is clearly stated in Genesis 12:1-3 and restated throughout the entire Bible. God's children have a Great Commission - to be a light to the rest of the world, and preach the Word with the courage he provides through the Holy Spirit. And the Word, the Good News, The Gospel is this: that Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came to die for us in order to save us, despite the fact that we are all sinners and don't deserve his gift of salvation. We have been given the gift of salvation, and all we need to do is realize our sinfulness, humble ourselves, repent, ask for forgiveness, and accept His gift.
Osteen chooses to focus on gifts from God rather than sin. He rarely uses Scripture and instead, thinks he is a "life coach." A purported "Christian" life coach, yet doesn't use Scripture as a text.
At times, he has seemed to deny that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven.
Sociologist Shayne Lee and historian Phillip Sinitiere state in their book, Holy Mavericks: Evangelical Innovators and the Spiritual Marketplace, that "Osteen's widespread popularity comes from contextualizing Christianity to meet the existential needs and cultural tastes of contemporary Americans."
That's right. I see Osteen as a saleman and "Christian" events are his marketplace. Note the amount of money spent at his events, and remember that neither Jesus nor any of his true disciples required funds from their listeners. In fact, Jesus fed the lot of them - for free - simply because they needed to be fed.
No wonder Osteen doesn't understand the deity and purpose of Jesus Christ, nor the purpose of Scripture, nor the purpose of Christians. Osteen has never studied theology or even religion at a college of seminary. He attended Oral Roberts University for a short time, but apparently didn't take the theology courses while there.
People, pay close attention to God's warnings in Matt 7:15, Acts 20:29, Romans 16:18, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, and 2 Peter 2-3.
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Friday, May 15, 2009
Notre Dame Students Clueless to Christ
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Many Notre Dame Students are supporting Obama and are glad to see him speaking at their commencement. They are outraged that "outsiders" are raising a stink about Obama.
It is unfornate and sad that these students were able to spend four years at a supposedly Catholic Christian University, but learned nothing about God and about being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Obviously, Notre Dame didn't do its job and educate these students. The students that were interviewed were clueless as to why the protestors were there. (How much did their parents pay for the education they received??)
Notre Dame was originally founded with the intention of furthering the cause of Christ and raising up new generations of Christians. When and why did Notre Dame leave their original purpose?
Maybe it's appropriate that Obama receives an honorary degree from this university - a piece of paper earned for just showing up and having paid his dues. Many of these graduates are receiving one as well.
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Many Notre Dame Students are supporting Obama and are glad to see him speaking at their commencement. They are outraged that "outsiders" are raising a stink about Obama.
It is unfornate and sad that these students were able to spend four years at a supposedly Catholic Christian University, but learned nothing about God and about being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Obviously, Notre Dame didn't do its job and educate these students. The students that were interviewed were clueless as to why the protestors were there. (How much did their parents pay for the education they received??)
Notre Dame was originally founded with the intention of furthering the cause of Christ and raising up new generations of Christians. When and why did Notre Dame leave their original purpose?
Maybe it's appropriate that Obama receives an honorary degree from this university - a piece of paper earned for just showing up and having paid his dues. Many of these graduates are receiving one as well.
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Sunday, May 3, 2009
Prayer for dealing with hurts
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Continued from Part III, Seven Promises of Forgiveness
Steps in Prayer to find relief and release from the pain of having been hurt by someone -
Some like to have a Prayer Partner to walk through this with. Others prefer it to be just between them and God. Either way, Go before God in prayer and…
END
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Continued from Part III, Seven Promises of Forgiveness
Steps in Prayer to find relief and release from the pain of having been hurt by someone -
Some like to have a Prayer Partner to walk through this with. Others prefer it to be just between them and God. Either way, Go before God in prayer and…
BLESS YOU -
- · Identify the hurt you feel.
- · Admit you are angry.
- · Admit you want to hurt back.
- · Acknowledge that hurting back is futile, damaging and increases evil.
- · Release the need and choose not to hurt back.
- · Absorb the hurt for Jesus' sake.
- · Turn your self and hurt over to God.
- · Turn your "enemy" over to God, trusting Him for justice.
- · Meditate on the justice and mercy of God
- · Feel your enemy's need for mercy in the face of God's justice.
- · Pray for your enemy from a heart of compassion.
- · Look beyond their faults and see their needs.
- · Respond to their needs rather than punish them for their faults.
- · Thank God for lifting the burden of justice from you and fore making you a minister of mercy, reconciliation and healing.
- · Worship God who is glorious in satisfying both justice and love.
END
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Friday, May 1, 2009
Seven Promises of Forgiveness
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Continued from Part II - What is Forgiveness?
(Pastor Jeff Kingery, Ronan, Montana, sermon Nov. 21, 2004)
Forgiveness does not come easily to most of us. So here are some steps we can follow to help us along, learning to Forgive...
Promises I make, between myself and God:
Stage 1) I Promise....
· I will not return hurt to my "enemy."
· I will not keep thinking about the incident and brood over it.
· I will pray for my "enemy" and bless and not curse.
Stage 2) I Promise....
· I will not bring this incident up and use it against my "enemy."
· I will not talk about this incident to others. (Very, VERY Important...)
· I will not allow this incident to stand between us or hinder our relationship
· I will pray for healing and reconciliation as a brother/sister in Christ.
I will Promise and I will pray for these above points.
But...how do I pray for healing and reconciliation? How do I cope with the tremendous pain I had felt, especially if this other person has not apologized, has not acknowledged being wrong, and remains difficult?
Part IV - Prayer for Dealing with Hurts -
.
Continued from Part II - What is Forgiveness?
(Pastor Jeff Kingery, Ronan, Montana, sermon Nov. 21, 2004)
Forgiveness does not come easily to most of us. So here are some steps we can follow to help us along, learning to Forgive...
Promises I make, between myself and God:
Stage 1) I Promise....
· I will not return hurt to my "enemy."
· I will not keep thinking about the incident and brood over it.
· I will pray for my "enemy" and bless and not curse.
Stage 2) I Promise....
· I will not bring this incident up and use it against my "enemy."
· I will not talk about this incident to others. (Very, VERY Important...)
· I will not allow this incident to stand between us or hinder our relationship
· I will pray for healing and reconciliation as a brother/sister in Christ.
I will Promise and I will pray for these above points.
But...how do I pray for healing and reconciliation? How do I cope with the tremendous pain I had felt, especially if this other person has not apologized, has not acknowledged being wrong, and remains difficult?
Part IV - Prayer for Dealing with Hurts -
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Thursday, April 30, 2009
What is Forgiveness?
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Continued from Part I - Why Forgive?
What is Forgiveness?
From the Encarta World English Dictionary:
Definitions of forgiveness (n)
for·give·ness [ fər gívnəss ]
1. act of pardoning somebody: the act of pardoning somebody for a mistake or wrongdoing
2. forgiving quality: the tendency to forgive offenses readily and easily
Synonyms: pardon, absolution, amnesty, reconciliation, exoneration, exculpation
The Oxford English Dictionary
- 'to grant free pardon and to give up all claim on account of an offense or debt'.
There is currently no agreed upon psychological definition in research literature. From a purely Christian percpective, when someone hurts you wrongly, they incur a debt to you. Forgiveness is choosing not to collect the debt, turning it over to God to pay or collect, and blessing the one who owes you.
Easier said than done. The question is -is an apology required prior to forgiving? For most people - we'd sure like to see some humilty and repentance before we forgive them. We want them down a peg or two - at the very least, acknowledging that they know they did something wrong. But should we be waiting for or looking for that?
From a health perspective, studies show that people who forgive are happier and healthier than those who don't. A University of Wisconsin study found "the more forgiving people were, the less they suffered from a wide range of illnesses. The less forgiving people reported a greater number of health problems." (Dr. Robert Enright, Forgiveness is a Choice, American Psychological Association , 2001 ISBN 1-55798-757-2)
Therefore, waiting for an apology might not be in YOUR best interest. It might never come, and you will have wasted your life and happiness waiting for it.
For your own sake as well as the sake of people around you - Forgiveness is choosing not to hurt back, turning the matter over to God, and blessing the one who has hurt you.
Part III - How To: The Seven Promises of Forgiveness -
.
Continued from Part I - Why Forgive?
What is Forgiveness?
From the Encarta World English Dictionary:
Definitions of forgiveness (n)
for·give·ness [ fər gívnəss ]
1. act of pardoning somebody: the act of pardoning somebody for a mistake or wrongdoing
2. forgiving quality: the tendency to forgive offenses readily and easily
Synonyms: pardon, absolution, amnesty, reconciliation, exoneration, exculpation
The Oxford English Dictionary
- 'to grant free pardon and to give up all claim on account of an offense or debt'.
There is currently no agreed upon psychological definition in research literature. From a purely Christian percpective, when someone hurts you wrongly, they incur a debt to you. Forgiveness is choosing not to collect the debt, turning it over to God to pay or collect, and blessing the one who owes you.
Easier said than done. The question is -is an apology required prior to forgiving? For most people - we'd sure like to see some humilty and repentance before we forgive them. We want them down a peg or two - at the very least, acknowledging that they know they did something wrong. But should we be waiting for or looking for that?
From a health perspective, studies show that people who forgive are happier and healthier than those who don't. A University of Wisconsin study found "the more forgiving people were, the less they suffered from a wide range of illnesses. The less forgiving people reported a greater number of health problems." (Dr. Robert Enright, Forgiveness is a Choice, American Psychological Association , 2001 ISBN 1-55798-757-2)
Therefore, waiting for an apology might not be in YOUR best interest. It might never come, and you will have wasted your life and happiness waiting for it.
For your own sake as well as the sake of people around you - Forgiveness is choosing not to hurt back, turning the matter over to God, and blessing the one who has hurt you.
Part III - How To: The Seven Promises of Forgiveness -
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Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Why Forgive?
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· It is only fair, since God has forgiven me of a much greater offense.
· I want to be forgiven by God.
· Forgiveness is a fountain of life and love.
· It brings great glory to God and joy to the heart.
- Because He said so.
God said it better than any man's lecture can:
Scripture: (NIV)
Genesis 50:17
'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
Matthew 5:7
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
Matthew 5:23-24
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”
Matthew 6:12-15
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.[a]' For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 18:35
"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
Mark 11:25
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
Luke 6:27-29
“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also.”
Luke 6:36-37
"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Luke 7:47
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Luke 11:4
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. ' "
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
Luke 15:11-32
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
Matthew 18:21-22
For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
Luke 17:3-4
So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."
Luke 23: 34
Jesus asked for God's forgiveness of those who crucified him. "And Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'"
2 Corinthians 2:5-11
[ Forgiveness for the Sinner ] 5If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. 7Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Part II - What IS Forgiveness?
..
· It is only fair, since God has forgiven me of a much greater offense.
· I want to be forgiven by God.
· Forgiveness is a fountain of life and love.
· It brings great glory to God and joy to the heart.
- Because He said so.
God said it better than any man's lecture can:
Scripture: (NIV)
Genesis 50:17
'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
Matthew 5:7
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
Matthew 5:23-24
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”
Matthew 6:12-15
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.[a]' For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 18:35
"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
Mark 11:25
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
Luke 6:27-29
“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also.”
Luke 6:36-37
"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Luke 7:47
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Luke 11:4
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. ' "
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
Luke 15:11-32
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
Matthew 18:21-22
For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
Luke 17:3-4
So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."
Luke 23: 34
Jesus asked for God's forgiveness of those who crucified him. "And Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'"
2 Corinthians 2:5-11
[ Forgiveness for the Sinner ] 5If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. 7Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Part II - What IS Forgiveness?
..
Sunday, April 26, 2009
How has God allowed you to serve others?
(1Timothy 1:12; thanking God for allowing you to serve in a specific way.)
Friday, April 24, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
How has God been near to you?
(Times that you knew it, because if he hadn't been there, you wouldn't be here.)
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Describe gifts given you by God
- specifically given by God - couldn't have come from anywhere else, including spiritual gifts.(Creation and Salvation, and His personal closeness - are already said; think of something additional)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Catholic University Covers Up the Name of Jesus For Obama
.
Georgetown University, a Catholic Institution founded in 1789 by the Jesuits, hid the inscription "IHS", (short for Iesous Christos - the Greek name of Jesus Christ) at the behest of President Obama's staff on Tuesday, April 14. Apparently, they didn't want Jesus' name to show up on TV during his speech.
Heaven forbid.
According to Fox News, White House staff asked the school to cover up all religious symbols and signs while the president was on stage.
The monogram, which is normally above the Gaston Hall stage, was covered over with what Fox News said appeared to be black wood during the speech
The White House said that the backdrop, which included blue drapes and American flags, was standard during policy speeches and other events. They insisted that the move was made only to provide a proper setting for the speech -- and said that "any suggestions to the contrary are simply false."
President Obama has stated many times that he is a Christian. All I know is, as a Christian;
#1) I am never ashamed of the Gospel.
#2) I cringe seeing someone cover up Christ's name in order to lift up his own. Has the President no humilty? Or is he like Kings throughout history that have been foolish enough to believe that their name and authority is bigger and more important than God's?
History time kids! - what happened to many of those foolish kings?
If Obama is a Christian, surely he has read and understands the spiritual consequences of pushing God aside in order to puff himself up.
.
Georgetown University, a Catholic Institution founded in 1789 by the Jesuits, hid the inscription "IHS", (short for Iesous Christos - the Greek name of Jesus Christ) at the behest of President Obama's staff on Tuesday, April 14. Apparently, they didn't want Jesus' name to show up on TV during his speech.
Heaven forbid.
According to Fox News, White House staff asked the school to cover up all religious symbols and signs while the president was on stage.
The monogram, which is normally above the Gaston Hall stage, was covered over with what Fox News said appeared to be black wood during the speech
The White House said that the backdrop, which included blue drapes and American flags, was standard during policy speeches and other events. They insisted that the move was made only to provide a proper setting for the speech -- and said that "any suggestions to the contrary are simply false."
President Obama has stated many times that he is a Christian. All I know is, as a Christian;
#1) I am never ashamed of the Gospel.
#2) I cringe seeing someone cover up Christ's name in order to lift up his own. Has the President no humilty? Or is he like Kings throughout history that have been foolish enough to believe that their name and authority is bigger and more important than God's?
History time kids! - what happened to many of those foolish kings?
If Obama is a Christian, surely he has read and understands the spiritual consequences of pushing God aside in order to puff himself up.
.
The Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts
.
I) 1:5, "For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 7-8, "He said to them: "it is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
II) 2:4, "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." 14-21, "Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: 'Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 32. "God has raised the Jesus to life 38, "
III) Acts 4:29-31; "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness." Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous sings and wonders through the name of your holy Servant, Jesus. After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."
IV) 5;3-4, "Then Peter said, 'Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit …you have not lied to men but to God." 9, "how could you agree to rest the Spirit of the Lord? Look.."
V) 6:3-4, "Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention for prayer and ministry of the word." 10, "But they could not stand up against his (Steven's) wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke."
VI) 7:59, "While they were stoning him, Steven prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
VII) 8:14-23, "When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria has accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit has not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the Laying o of the apostless hands, he offerece them money and said, "give me also this ability so that everyone whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin." 29, "The Spirit told Phillip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." 39-40, When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Phillip away and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Phillip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea."
VIII) 9:17-18, "Then Ananias went to the house and entered it., Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord - Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here - has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again."
IX) 10:19, "While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with then, for I have sent them."
X) 11:12-18, "The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house. He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved. As I began to speak, The Holy Spirit came on them as he has come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God? When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life." 27-30 "During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. …The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul."
XI) 13:2-4, "While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus."
XII) 16:6-7, "Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "come over to Macedonia and help us. After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them."
XIII) 19:1-6, "While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we haven not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. So Paul asked, 'Then what baptism did you receive?' 'John's baptism,' they replied. Paul said, 'John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus. On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, they Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied."
XIV) 20:22-23, "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me." 28, "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers."
XV) 21:4, "Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem." 10-11, After we had been there (Caesarea/house of Phillip) a number of days, a prophet by the name of Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and fee with it and said, 'The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over the Gentiles."
.
I) 1:5, "For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 7-8, "He said to them: "it is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
II) 2:4, "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." 14-21, "Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: 'Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 32. "God has raised the Jesus to life 38, "
III) Acts 4:29-31; "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness." Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous sings and wonders through the name of your holy Servant, Jesus. After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."
IV) 5;3-4, "Then Peter said, 'Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit …you have not lied to men but to God." 9, "how could you agree to rest the Spirit of the Lord? Look.."
V) 6:3-4, "Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention for prayer and ministry of the word." 10, "But they could not stand up against his (Steven's) wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke."
VI) 7:59, "While they were stoning him, Steven prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
VII) 8:14-23, "When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria has accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit has not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the Laying o of the apostless hands, he offerece them money and said, "give me also this ability so that everyone whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin." 29, "The Spirit told Phillip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." 39-40, When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Phillip away and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Phillip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea."
VIII) 9:17-18, "Then Ananias went to the house and entered it., Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord - Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here - has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again."
IX) 10:19, "While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with then, for I have sent them."
X) 11:12-18, "The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house. He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved. As I began to speak, The Holy Spirit came on them as he has come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God? When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life." 27-30 "During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. …The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul."
XI) 13:2-4, "While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus."
XII) 16:6-7, "Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "come over to Macedonia and help us. After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them."
XIII) 19:1-6, "While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we haven not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. So Paul asked, 'Then what baptism did you receive?' 'John's baptism,' they replied. Paul said, 'John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus. On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, they Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied."
XIV) 20:22-23, "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me." 28, "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers."
XV) 21:4, "Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem." 10-11, After we had been there (Caesarea/house of Phillip) a number of days, a prophet by the name of Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and fee with it and said, 'The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over the Gentiles."
.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Holy Spirit in the Book of John
.
I) 14:16-17, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth, The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." 26,"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."
II) 15:26, "When the counselor comes, whom I will send to you form the Father, the Spirit of truth, who goes out form the Father, he will testify about me."
III) 16:13-15, "But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what He hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you."
IV) 20:21-22 "Again Jesus said, 'peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.' And with that, he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive then, they are not forgiven."
.
I) 14:16-17, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth, The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." 26,"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."
II) 15:26, "When the counselor comes, whom I will send to you form the Father, the Spirit of truth, who goes out form the Father, he will testify about me."
III) 16:13-15, "But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what He hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you."
IV) 20:21-22 "Again Jesus said, 'peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.' And with that, he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive then, they are not forgiven."
.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
He was pierced for our transgressions.
He was pierced for our transgressions.
He was crushed for our sins.
By His wounds we are healed.
He is coming again. Is your oil ready?
"Count it all Joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." James 1:2-3
He was crushed for our sins.
By His wounds we are healed.
He is coming again. Is your oil ready?
"Count it all Joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." James 1:2-3
Saturday, April 11, 2009
How to be a Close Family
Without true love for Jesus Christ - from the heart - we will never be a close family, because God is Love, and without God, what we call love is just a plastic imitation.
It doesn't stand up to any heat. We will not - can not - have true love without God.
May Jesus Christ do a mighty work in all of our hearts.
Lord Jesus, please do whatever is necessary to show us Your power and authority, bring us all to our knees in submission before You, and cleanse our hearts from sin. I ask this in the Holy name of Jesus.
Amen.
It doesn't stand up to any heat. We will not - can not - have true love without God.
May Jesus Christ do a mighty work in all of our hearts.
Lord Jesus, please do whatever is necessary to show us Your power and authority, bring us all to our knees in submission before You, and cleanse our hearts from sin. I ask this in the Holy name of Jesus.
Amen.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
David Wilkerson letter...
A message written by David Wilkerson, who wrote the book "Cross and Switchblade."
http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/
Subject: AN URGENT MESSAGE
I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message to all on our mailing list, and to friends and to bishops we have met all over the world.
AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE—EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US.
For ten years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires—such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago. There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting—including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God’s wrath. In Psalm 11 it is written,“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (v. 3).
God is judging the raging sins of America and the nations. He is destroying the secular foundations.
The prophet Jeremiah pleaded with wicked Israel, “God is fashioning a calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh, turn back each of you from your evil way, and reform your ways and deeds. But they will say, It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart” (Jeremiah 18:11-12).In Psalm 11:6, David warns, “Upon the wicked he will rain snares (coals of fire)…fire…burning wind…will be the portion of their cup.” Why? David answered, “Because the Lord is righteous” (v. 7). This is a righteous judgment—just as in the judgments of Sodom and in Noah’s generation.
WHAT SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS DO? WHAT ABOUT GOD’S PEOPLE?
First, I give you a practical word I received for my own direction. Lay in store a thirty-day supply of food, toiletries and other essentials. In major cities, grocery stores are emptied in an hour at the sign of an impending disaster.As for our spiritual reaction, David says, “He fixed his eyes on the Lord on his throne in heaven—his eyes beholding, his eyelids testing the sons of men” (v. 4). “In the Lord I take refuge” (v. 1).
I will say to my soul: No need to run…no need to hide. This is God’s righteous work. I will behold our Lord on his throne, with his eye of tender, loving kindness watching over every step I take—trusting that he will deliver his people even through floods, fires, calamities, tests, trials of all kinds.Note: I do not know when these things will come to pass, but I know it is not far off. I have unburdened my soul to you. Do with the message as you choose.
God bless and keep you.
In Christ,
DAVID WILKERSONDW:
bbm 3-05-09 Here, in an earlier message, he's talking about the rough times coming up in America, not just economically, racially, and within the moral divide - but deeper down, between God's people (those that fear him) and non-God fearing people...
PRAYER IN TROUBLED TIMES
In perilous time like these, is the church powerless to do anything? Are we to sit and wait for Christ to return? Or, are we called to take drastic action of some kind? When all around us the world is trembling, with men’s hearts failing them for fear, are we called to take up spiritual weapons and do battle with the adversary?
The prophet Joel saw a similar day approaching Israel, one of “thick darkness and gloom.” According to Joel, the day of darkness that was approaching Israel would be one such as never seen in their history. The prophet cried, “Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come” (Joel 1:15).
What was Joel’s counsel to Israel in that dark hour? He brought this word: “Therefore…saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping and with mourning: and rend your heart and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him…?” (Joel 2:12-14).
As I read this passage, I am most struck by two words: “Even now.” As gross darkness fell over Israel, God appealed to his people: “Even now, at the hour of my vengeance—when you’ve pushed me out of your society, when mercy seems impossible, when humankind has mocked my warnings, when fear and gloom are covering the land—even now, I urge you to come back to me. I am slow to anger, and I have been known to hold back my judgments for a season, as I did for Josiah. My people can pray and petition for my mercy. But the world won’t repent if you say there is no mercy.”
Do you see God’s message to us in this? As his people, we can plead in prayer and he will hear us. We can make requests of him and know he will answer the sincere, effectual, fervent prayers of his saints.
David Wilkerson
http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/
Subject: AN URGENT MESSAGE
I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message to all on our mailing list, and to friends and to bishops we have met all over the world.
AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE—EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US.
For ten years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires—such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago. There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting—including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God’s wrath. In Psalm 11 it is written,“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (v. 3).
God is judging the raging sins of America and the nations. He is destroying the secular foundations.
The prophet Jeremiah pleaded with wicked Israel, “God is fashioning a calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh, turn back each of you from your evil way, and reform your ways and deeds. But they will say, It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart” (Jeremiah 18:11-12).In Psalm 11:6, David warns, “Upon the wicked he will rain snares (coals of fire)…fire…burning wind…will be the portion of their cup.” Why? David answered, “Because the Lord is righteous” (v. 7). This is a righteous judgment—just as in the judgments of Sodom and in Noah’s generation.
WHAT SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS DO? WHAT ABOUT GOD’S PEOPLE?
First, I give you a practical word I received for my own direction. Lay in store a thirty-day supply of food, toiletries and other essentials. In major cities, grocery stores are emptied in an hour at the sign of an impending disaster.As for our spiritual reaction, David says, “He fixed his eyes on the Lord on his throne in heaven—his eyes beholding, his eyelids testing the sons of men” (v. 4). “In the Lord I take refuge” (v. 1).
I will say to my soul: No need to run…no need to hide. This is God’s righteous work. I will behold our Lord on his throne, with his eye of tender, loving kindness watching over every step I take—trusting that he will deliver his people even through floods, fires, calamities, tests, trials of all kinds.Note: I do not know when these things will come to pass, but I know it is not far off. I have unburdened my soul to you. Do with the message as you choose.
God bless and keep you.
In Christ,
DAVID WILKERSONDW:
bbm 3-05-09 Here, in an earlier message, he's talking about the rough times coming up in America, not just economically, racially, and within the moral divide - but deeper down, between God's people (those that fear him) and non-God fearing people...
PRAYER IN TROUBLED TIMES
In perilous time like these, is the church powerless to do anything? Are we to sit and wait for Christ to return? Or, are we called to take drastic action of some kind? When all around us the world is trembling, with men’s hearts failing them for fear, are we called to take up spiritual weapons and do battle with the adversary?
The prophet Joel saw a similar day approaching Israel, one of “thick darkness and gloom.” According to Joel, the day of darkness that was approaching Israel would be one such as never seen in their history. The prophet cried, “Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come” (Joel 1:15).
What was Joel’s counsel to Israel in that dark hour? He brought this word: “Therefore…saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping and with mourning: and rend your heart and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him…?” (Joel 2:12-14).
As I read this passage, I am most struck by two words: “Even now.” As gross darkness fell over Israel, God appealed to his people: “Even now, at the hour of my vengeance—when you’ve pushed me out of your society, when mercy seems impossible, when humankind has mocked my warnings, when fear and gloom are covering the land—even now, I urge you to come back to me. I am slow to anger, and I have been known to hold back my judgments for a season, as I did for Josiah. My people can pray and petition for my mercy. But the world won’t repent if you say there is no mercy.”
Do you see God’s message to us in this? As his people, we can plead in prayer and he will hear us. We can make requests of him and know he will answer the sincere, effectual, fervent prayers of his saints.
David Wilkerson
Monday, April 6, 2009
God
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For God so loved the world, That He Gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever Believeth in Him Should Not perish, But have Everlasting life."John 3:16
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For God so loved the world, That He Gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever Believeth in Him Should Not perish, But have Everlasting life."John 3:16
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Stop Obama's Destructive Legislation
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I recieved this letter from a friend today:
"I am sending this out to some people on my list who profess to adhere to Christian principles or those principles that are similar. As you know, America is in trouble. We now have an administration that is taking advantage of this economic crisis to fund social re-engineering projects under the pretense of “economic stimulus” with no financial basis from which to draw the money being handed out. We are seeing a huge percentage of funds in these early hand-outs going to efforts that will continue to erode the freedoms we now enjoy.
"I normally do not send out a petition like this. In fact, I am often skeptical of them or their effectiveness, but my mind is changing. We are called to peacefully petition our government for righteousness and justice. This is an opportunity. A simple signature on this petition is one more effort to accomplish that. And, passing it on to others you know with similar adherence to the principles of a limited republic established by our founders will allow them to express their position.
"Though we would like to separate abortion, the subject of this petition, from “the economy”, we cannot. And the administration is showing it will not. As Francis Schafer taught us more than 30 years ago, “Abortion leads to infanticide and infanticide leads to genocide.” It happened in Germany and is happening in America.
"With the unfolding of current events as rapidly as they are, this is our first step in resistance to evil. The next step is currently brewing around the United States. I am reading of “tea parties” (open resistance to this massive government spending and taxing) that are already scheduled in over 2,000 cities across the US for tax day, April 15. If we ignore our government‘s actions via methods like this simple petition, we will then be given the opportunity to also ignore the increasingly open rebellion that is brewing. It is best to peacefully resist in favor of freedom, always first and whenever possible. I fear that if we do not, we will be facing the same thing German citizens did prior to Hitler’s rise to power. That rise became unstoppable because the church not only stood aside but often endorsed Mr. Hitler’s philosophies and ultimately his actions of genocide. Few resisted and though there were others, Dietrich Bonhoeffer is the only name that comes to mind. Do I say genocide is coming to America? All I can say is that we are following the same trail and I believe we need to resist every attempt to take our freedoms away unless, like the German people and the illustrated frog in slowly heating water, we wake up one day seeing a cauldron around us and wonder whatever might have caused this?
"If you do not live in the States, I suggest you forward this on to those who you know do.
"President Elect Obama said during the campaign that one of the first things he wanted to do was sign Foca (Freedom of Choice Act) into law.
"Foca would lift all restrictions on abortions.It would force all faith based hospitals to perform abortions. Christian Doctors would be forced to do abortions even if they felt it was wrong, because it would now be law. The Parents of younger girls would not need to be notified. And lots more. We need to sign the petition against F.O.C.A.
Please go to http://www.fightfoca.com/ and sign the petition.
Thank you.
Sincerely, Russ Wahl"
.
I recieved this letter from a friend today:
"I am sending this out to some people on my list who profess to adhere to Christian principles or those principles that are similar. As you know, America is in trouble. We now have an administration that is taking advantage of this economic crisis to fund social re-engineering projects under the pretense of “economic stimulus” with no financial basis from which to draw the money being handed out. We are seeing a huge percentage of funds in these early hand-outs going to efforts that will continue to erode the freedoms we now enjoy.
"I normally do not send out a petition like this. In fact, I am often skeptical of them or their effectiveness, but my mind is changing. We are called to peacefully petition our government for righteousness and justice. This is an opportunity. A simple signature on this petition is one more effort to accomplish that. And, passing it on to others you know with similar adherence to the principles of a limited republic established by our founders will allow them to express their position.
"Though we would like to separate abortion, the subject of this petition, from “the economy”, we cannot. And the administration is showing it will not. As Francis Schafer taught us more than 30 years ago, “Abortion leads to infanticide and infanticide leads to genocide.” It happened in Germany and is happening in America.
"With the unfolding of current events as rapidly as they are, this is our first step in resistance to evil. The next step is currently brewing around the United States. I am reading of “tea parties” (open resistance to this massive government spending and taxing) that are already scheduled in over 2,000 cities across the US for tax day, April 15. If we ignore our government‘s actions via methods like this simple petition, we will then be given the opportunity to also ignore the increasingly open rebellion that is brewing. It is best to peacefully resist in favor of freedom, always first and whenever possible. I fear that if we do not, we will be facing the same thing German citizens did prior to Hitler’s rise to power. That rise became unstoppable because the church not only stood aside but often endorsed Mr. Hitler’s philosophies and ultimately his actions of genocide. Few resisted and though there were others, Dietrich Bonhoeffer is the only name that comes to mind. Do I say genocide is coming to America? All I can say is that we are following the same trail and I believe we need to resist every attempt to take our freedoms away unless, like the German people and the illustrated frog in slowly heating water, we wake up one day seeing a cauldron around us and wonder whatever might have caused this?
"If you do not live in the States, I suggest you forward this on to those who you know do.
"President Elect Obama said during the campaign that one of the first things he wanted to do was sign Foca (Freedom of Choice Act) into law.
"Foca would lift all restrictions on abortions.It would force all faith based hospitals to perform abortions. Christian Doctors would be forced to do abortions even if they felt it was wrong, because it would now be law. The Parents of younger girls would not need to be notified. And lots more. We need to sign the petition against F.O.C.A.
Please go to http://www.fightfoca.com/ and sign the petition.
Thank you.
Sincerely, Russ Wahl"
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Saturday, April 4, 2009
Is Your Family Crumbling, Too?
It has to stop. Everyone is angry at at least half the people in the house - and in that, blames those other people for all their unhappinesses.
As a result, the anger and unhappiness grows worse every week.
Few in the house want to take time to listen. The fact is, we've all been taught how to live in happiness and peace.
It involves taking our eyes off of those around us, and focusing our eyes on Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the only source of true Joy and Peace.
There is no perfect world. There is no perfect home. There is no perfect family. We aren't the best family, but we aren't the worst, either.
We are all irritating. But Kids - everyone in any family is irritating - there is no getting away from that no matter who you marry. Therefore, take every opportunity to learn how to live with and love irritating people. You're going to need the skill for your thje rest of your life - for your marriage, work and neighbors.
Look to God, Trust in God, Obey God. There is no happiness or peace outside of Jesus Christ. If God is putting extreme pressure on the family right now, it's for the purpose that we learn the things He wants us to learn. Praise God that He is giving us opportunities to learn to love and trust Him more.
Further, because God is our creator, everyone in a family has a purpose. This means that despite how angry we all are with each other, there is a reason for God having put us all together. No one is useless or unneeded. For every irritating, horrible thing that someone in the family does, there are also wonderful, beautiful things that that person does. But we have become so horribly critical of each other that we aren't seeing any of the beauty.
We can't survive as a family unless we start seeing what God has seen in each.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5
As a result, the anger and unhappiness grows worse every week.
Few in the house want to take time to listen. The fact is, we've all been taught how to live in happiness and peace.
It involves taking our eyes off of those around us, and focusing our eyes on Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the only source of true Joy and Peace.
There is no perfect world. There is no perfect home. There is no perfect family. We aren't the best family, but we aren't the worst, either.
We are all irritating. But Kids - everyone in any family is irritating - there is no getting away from that no matter who you marry. Therefore, take every opportunity to learn how to live with and love irritating people. You're going to need the skill for your thje rest of your life - for your marriage, work and neighbors.
Look to God, Trust in God, Obey God. There is no happiness or peace outside of Jesus Christ. If God is putting extreme pressure on the family right now, it's for the purpose that we learn the things He wants us to learn. Praise God that He is giving us opportunities to learn to love and trust Him more.
Further, because God is our creator, everyone in a family has a purpose. This means that despite how angry we all are with each other, there is a reason for God having put us all together. No one is useless or unneeded. For every irritating, horrible thing that someone in the family does, there are also wonderful, beautiful things that that person does. But we have become so horribly critical of each other that we aren't seeing any of the beauty.
We can't survive as a family unless we start seeing what God has seen in each.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Just Another Coincidence
Roland picked me up early at the bus station Thursday morning, we all went out to breakfast. After breakfast, we got back into the car, tired and ready to go back to bed. But the car wouldn't start. It didn't seem to be getting any gas, and then the battery began to die. While Roland was trying and trying to get it started, I tried to think of other things. And I prayed. While praying, I notice a man go into the restaurant. He was carrying a book. Roland tried the car again. The battery sounded near dead now.
What do we do about the car? We can't call someone from home to come help us in town. It's not even 7am yet! I went back into the restaurant, looked in the yellow pages and tried the pay phone. But none of the "service" stations I called actually come out and do service any more. That's what they told me anyway. So what do we do? I called another station. No one answered.
"Lord, why is this happening? You know Roland and I are both at the ends of our ropes already. Why add another thing? We're going to fall apart! Please help us get home."
In everything give praise. "Okay. I'm trying to sing that song, Rejoice, rejoice." Can't remember all the words though. "Rejoice, in the Lord...Rejoice, in the Lord..."
I stand in the restaurant and see a group of men at a back table. The man with the book is with them.
"Waitress, are they having a Bible study back there?"
"Yes."
Praise God! I walk back. Slowly and quietly though. I don't want to be a disruptive. At least, anymore than I have to be. Four feet from them, I stop and wait. One looks up, "Can we help you?" (Why do I always feel like crying at times like this?) (Don’t worry, I didn't. I just felt like it.)
I tell them our car trouble, and immediately two get up and come. They aren't able to get our car jump started though. There's something wrong with the fuel pump or filter, maybe. Maybe we need to call the dealer.
Okay. Then I ask, "Are you already through with devotions?"
"No, we've just begun. Would you like to join us?"
Yes. Roland and I say we would like to. So we went back in with them, and had a really great study. Roland participated in the discussion and prayed with them and it was great. (I also, actually, got a couple nagging questions answered. 2 Cor. 5:17, in the koine Greek, actually says BECOMING. NOT a sudden transformation. This was offered by one of the men without my even asking.)
The devotions over, a third man said he was going to look at the car. He even goes to his own car and gets coveralls. Another man brings a box of tools.
While they are working, I have further discussion with a fourth man in the lobby of the restaurant. He's a retired pastor. He tells me that just before I came in, they had finished reading the verses about gladly helping brothers that are in trouble. They had all thought it was pretty funny when I came in and asked for help directly after that.
Oh my. Oh My Lord Jesus, thank you.
A few minutes later, our car was running. It still needed a new part, but it would get us home. Seems like we just weren't supposed to leave that restaurant that day without getting our morning devotions done. It might still take awhile to figure out just why I came home early. I can think of lots of reasons, but don't know the Lord's reason yet. For that matter, it's going to take awhile to figure out what the whole Mexico trip was about. I'm suspecting that, as usual, there's a whole lot more to it then meets the eye.
What do we do about the car? We can't call someone from home to come help us in town. It's not even 7am yet! I went back into the restaurant, looked in the yellow pages and tried the pay phone. But none of the "service" stations I called actually come out and do service any more. That's what they told me anyway. So what do we do? I called another station. No one answered.
"Lord, why is this happening? You know Roland and I are both at the ends of our ropes already. Why add another thing? We're going to fall apart! Please help us get home."
In everything give praise. "Okay. I'm trying to sing that song, Rejoice, rejoice." Can't remember all the words though. "Rejoice, in the Lord...Rejoice, in the Lord..."
I stand in the restaurant and see a group of men at a back table. The man with the book is with them.
"Waitress, are they having a Bible study back there?"
"Yes."
Praise God! I walk back. Slowly and quietly though. I don't want to be a disruptive. At least, anymore than I have to be. Four feet from them, I stop and wait. One looks up, "Can we help you?" (Why do I always feel like crying at times like this?) (Don’t worry, I didn't. I just felt like it.)
I tell them our car trouble, and immediately two get up and come. They aren't able to get our car jump started though. There's something wrong with the fuel pump or filter, maybe. Maybe we need to call the dealer.
Okay. Then I ask, "Are you already through with devotions?"
"No, we've just begun. Would you like to join us?"
Yes. Roland and I say we would like to. So we went back in with them, and had a really great study. Roland participated in the discussion and prayed with them and it was great. (I also, actually, got a couple nagging questions answered. 2 Cor. 5:17, in the koine Greek, actually says BECOMING. NOT a sudden transformation. This was offered by one of the men without my even asking.)
The devotions over, a third man said he was going to look at the car. He even goes to his own car and gets coveralls. Another man brings a box of tools.
While they are working, I have further discussion with a fourth man in the lobby of the restaurant. He's a retired pastor. He tells me that just before I came in, they had finished reading the verses about gladly helping brothers that are in trouble. They had all thought it was pretty funny when I came in and asked for help directly after that.
Oh my. Oh My Lord Jesus, thank you.
A few minutes later, our car was running. It still needed a new part, but it would get us home. Seems like we just weren't supposed to leave that restaurant that day without getting our morning devotions done. It might still take awhile to figure out just why I came home early. I can think of lots of reasons, but don't know the Lord's reason yet. For that matter, it's going to take awhile to figure out what the whole Mexico trip was about. I'm suspecting that, as usual, there's a whole lot more to it then meets the eye.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Scriptural Perspectives on Euthanasia
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A) It’s not up to us to decide when a person should live and when they should die. Christians can reject the humanistic idea that death is nothing more than a natural process:
2) Under present sinful conditions of the world, Death is inevitable.
3) God is sovereign over life and death:
B) God’s purposes are beyond our understanding. We have no idea why God allows certain suffering. God has a purpose for allowing certain disappointments in our life. He always has a purpose for our good. God is more interested in our spiritual life than relieving us from disappointments.
C) A Scriptural perspective on euthanasia requires understanding of the sanctity of human life. For centuries Western culture in general has believed in the sanctity of human life.
D) Therefore, “Thou shalt not kill.”
But when the Lord is truly calling someone home, when does death occur?
Believers can reject the notion that everything must be done to save a life at all costs.
Also, it’s okay to do everything possible to alleviate pain.
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A) It’s not up to us to decide when a person should live and when they should die. Christians can reject the humanistic idea that death is nothing more than a natural process:
Gen. 2:17, Death is an unnatural intrusion into our lives as a consequence of the
Fall.
1 Cor. 15:26, 56 Death is the last enemy to be destroyed.
2) Under present sinful conditions of the world, Death is inevitable.
Eccles. 3:2 Death is a doorway to another, better part of life. There is a “time to be born and a time to die.”
3) God is sovereign over life and death:
Deut. 32:39, “See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.”
Job 1:21, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the
Lord.”
Job 14:5, “Man’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.”
Psalm 139:16, God has ordained our days.
B) God’s purposes are beyond our understanding. We have no idea why God allows certain suffering. God has a purpose for allowing certain disappointments in our life. He always has a purpose for our good. God is more interested in our spiritual life than relieving us from disappointments.
Isaiah 55:8-9 teaches, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Job 42: 2-3, “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.”
C) A Scriptural perspective on euthanasia requires understanding of the sanctity of human life. For centuries Western culture in general has believed in the sanctity of human life.
Gen. 1:26, Humans are created in the image of God.
Psalm 139, Humans are fearfully and wonderfully made.
D) Therefore, “Thou shalt not kill.”
Exod. 20:13, The bible specifically condemns murder.
2 Sam. 1:9 – 16, In the death of King Saul, the soldier that had obeyed Saul’s request and killed him was then put to death by David for “destroying the Lord’s anointed.”
Eph. 5:29, Matt. 22:39; Christians are commanded to love others as they love themselves.
But when the Lord is truly calling someone home, when does death occur?
James 2:26, Death occurs when the spirit leaves the body.
Believers can reject the notion that everything must be done to save a life at all costs.
2 Cor. 5:6-8, For believers, being at home in the body is to be away from the Lord.
Phil. 1:21, Death is a gain for Christians.
Also, it’s okay to do everything possible to alleviate pain.
Proverbs 31:6, “Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to him whose life is bitter.
Gal. 6:2, give counsel and spiritual care to dying patients.
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Saturday, January 31, 2009
God's Work in Even the Most Disorganized of Lives: Part Two
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Continued from Part I
The next day, Wednesday, when I was somewhere in Utah, I called Roland. He told me the surgery appointment had been changed to next Wednesday. Rats! After all the trouble to make the bus!
But I had made the bus. And for that, I think there was a reason. Could it have been just for the joy of Thursday, sitting on my couch with 11-year-old Melissa brushing my hair and 8-year-old Sarah putting lotion on my feet?
No, there has to be a deeper reason than that.
One interesting event is that after Roland picked me up early at the bus station Thursday morning, we all went out to breakfast. After breakfast, we got back into the car, tired and ready to go back to bed. But the car wouldn't start. It didn't seem to be getting any gas, and then the battery began to die. While Roland was trying and trying to get it started, I tried to think of other things. And I prayed. While praying, I notice a man go into the restaurant. He was carrying a book. Roland tried the car again. The battery sounds near dead now.
What do we do about the car? We can't call someone from home to come help us in town. It's not even 7am yet! I went back into the restaurant, looked in the yellow pages and tried the pay phone. But none of the "service" stations I called actually come out and do service any more. That's what they told me anyway. So what do we do? I called another station. No one answered.
"Lord, why is this happening? You know Roland and I are both at the ends of our ropes already. Why add another thing? We're going to fall apart! Please help us get home."
In everything give praise. "Okay. I'm trying to sing that song, Rejoice, rejoice." Can't remember all the words though. "Rejoice, in the Lord...Rejoice, in the Lord..."
I stand in the restaurant and see a group of men at a back table. The man with the book is with them.
"Waitress, are they having a Bible study back there?"
"Yes."
Praise God! I walk back. Slowly and quietly though. I don't want to be a disruptive. At least, anymore than I have to be. Four feet from them, I stop and wait. One looks up; "can we help you?" (Why do I always feel like crying at times like this?) (Don’t worry, I didn't. I just felt like it.)
I tell them our car trouble, and immediately two get up and come. They aren't able to get our car jump started though. There's something wrong with the fuel pump or filter, maybe. Maybe we need to call the dealer.
Okay. Then I ask, "Are you already through with devotions?"
"No, we've just begun. Would you like to join us?"
Yes. Roland and I say we would like to. So we go back in with them, and have a really great study. Roland participated in the discussion and prayed with them and it was great. (I also, actually, got a couple nagging questions answered. 2 Cor. 5:17, in the koine Greek, actually says BECOMING. NOT a sudden transformation. This was offered by one of the men without my even asking.)
The devotions over, a third man says he's going to look at the car. He even goes to his own car and gets coveralls. Another man brings a box of tools.
While they are working, I have further discussion with a fourth man in the lobby of the restaurant. He's a retired pastor. He tells me that just before I came in, they had finished reading the verses about gladly helping brothers that are in trouble. They had all thought it was pretty funny when I came in and asked for help directly after that.
Oh my. Oh My Lord Jesus, thank you.
A few minutes later, our car was running. It still needed a new part, but it would get us home. Seems like we just weren't supposed to leave that restaurant that day without getting our morning devotions done.
It might still take awhile to figure out just why I came home early. I can think of lots of reasons, but don't know the Lord's reason yet. For that matter, it's going to take awhile to figure out what the whole Mexico trip was about. I'm suspecting that, as usual, there's a whole lot more to it then meets the eye. Praise God.
END
.
Continued from Part I
The next day, Wednesday, when I was somewhere in Utah, I called Roland. He told me the surgery appointment had been changed to next Wednesday. Rats! After all the trouble to make the bus!
But I had made the bus. And for that, I think there was a reason. Could it have been just for the joy of Thursday, sitting on my couch with 11-year-old Melissa brushing my hair and 8-year-old Sarah putting lotion on my feet?
No, there has to be a deeper reason than that.
One interesting event is that after Roland picked me up early at the bus station Thursday morning, we all went out to breakfast. After breakfast, we got back into the car, tired and ready to go back to bed. But the car wouldn't start. It didn't seem to be getting any gas, and then the battery began to die. While Roland was trying and trying to get it started, I tried to think of other things. And I prayed. While praying, I notice a man go into the restaurant. He was carrying a book. Roland tried the car again. The battery sounds near dead now.
What do we do about the car? We can't call someone from home to come help us in town. It's not even 7am yet! I went back into the restaurant, looked in the yellow pages and tried the pay phone. But none of the "service" stations I called actually come out and do service any more. That's what they told me anyway. So what do we do? I called another station. No one answered.
"Lord, why is this happening? You know Roland and I are both at the ends of our ropes already. Why add another thing? We're going to fall apart! Please help us get home."
In everything give praise. "Okay. I'm trying to sing that song, Rejoice, rejoice." Can't remember all the words though. "Rejoice, in the Lord...Rejoice, in the Lord..."
I stand in the restaurant and see a group of men at a back table. The man with the book is with them.
"Waitress, are they having a Bible study back there?"
"Yes."
Praise God! I walk back. Slowly and quietly though. I don't want to be a disruptive. At least, anymore than I have to be. Four feet from them, I stop and wait. One looks up; "can we help you?" (Why do I always feel like crying at times like this?) (Don’t worry, I didn't. I just felt like it.)
I tell them our car trouble, and immediately two get up and come. They aren't able to get our car jump started though. There's something wrong with the fuel pump or filter, maybe. Maybe we need to call the dealer.
Okay. Then I ask, "Are you already through with devotions?"
"No, we've just begun. Would you like to join us?"
Yes. Roland and I say we would like to. So we go back in with them, and have a really great study. Roland participated in the discussion and prayed with them and it was great. (I also, actually, got a couple nagging questions answered. 2 Cor. 5:17, in the koine Greek, actually says BECOMING. NOT a sudden transformation. This was offered by one of the men without my even asking.)
The devotions over, a third man says he's going to look at the car. He even goes to his own car and gets coveralls. Another man brings a box of tools.
While they are working, I have further discussion with a fourth man in the lobby of the restaurant. He's a retired pastor. He tells me that just before I came in, they had finished reading the verses about gladly helping brothers that are in trouble. They had all thought it was pretty funny when I came in and asked for help directly after that.
Oh my. Oh My Lord Jesus, thank you.
A few minutes later, our car was running. It still needed a new part, but it would get us home. Seems like we just weren't supposed to leave that restaurant that day without getting our morning devotions done.
It might still take awhile to figure out just why I came home early. I can think of lots of reasons, but don't know the Lord's reason yet. For that matter, it's going to take awhile to figure out what the whole Mexico trip was about. I'm suspecting that, as usual, there's a whole lot more to it then meets the eye. Praise God.
END
.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
God's Work in Even the Most Disorganized of Lives: Part One
.
I had walked across the bridge to El Paso on Tuesday morning just to call home and see how Roland's appointment went on Monday. I had to cross the border at 7am because Perla was crossing at that time and I caught a ride with her to the border. But I got out prior to the bridge and walked over on my own so as not to slow her down. (She had a special crossing pass).
It wasn't that hard to pass the guards. There was a line, but once I got to the guard, all I needed was my driver's license. No birth certificate. Well... a birth certificate might have helped me a little. He asked where I was born, and, my mind on a million other things, first I said Minnesota. Then I changed it to Rhode Island. Then I finally remembered and settled on Long Island. Yes, that was it. Long Island.
Hmmm. Any security conscience person should have pulled me aside right there. But no. As long as I was sure it was Long Island, it was okay and I could go through.
I walked a few blocks into El Paso until I found a nice park to sit and wait at. I didn't want to call Roland too early and wake him up. But it was a very nice morning and I bought a paper and caught up on US news. But when I began calling, I couldn't get ahold of Roland. My card wouldn't connect with the our home area as long as I was on a pay phone. (Don’t ask me why, that's just what I was told by the company)
I eventually walked to a bank and used one of their phones.
He told me that he was going to have a catheter put in to a main artery. His arms weren't good enough anymore for receiving the chemotherapy. From my past medical experience, I remembered that this type of catheter had to be kept sterile at all times because of its direct connection to the heart. In nursing homes, we used to clean these things every shift. So I was concerned. Who would be home to take care of it for him?
He said it was going in on Thursday at noon. We debated whether I should come home. It took a little while to talk about it. I couldn't decide, although I really wanted to go. I didn't like the idea of Roland going home with the catheter and not having anyone there to care for it.
But the time, we had finished talking, it was all ready 11:30 am. We decided I should call greyhound and find out details. Greyhound said that the bus that would get me home on time if I left El Paso at 1:30 pm that day. Only two hours away.
To catch that bus seemed impossible. I would have to walk back to the bridge, (which is about two blocks long?) cross it, get back to the children's home I was helping at and gather my belongings, get back to the bridge and walk across it again, stopping in a line for US customs and how ever long that would take, and then find the El Paso bus station. There's no way I could do that in just two hours. Less then two hours now, the more we debated.
After I got off the phone, I wondered what to do next. I tried to find a way to call the children's home, but the bank clerk told me she didn't know how to call Mexico. I called my Bible college and spoke to the Dean, then I tried calling my pastor to get money for my ticket, but his line was busy. I don't know how much time I was wasting.
So I called Roland back. He told me to try for the 1:30 bus, and if I didn't make it, catch the 9pm. He would call Pastor about the ticket. Okay. Nothing to do then but try.
So without even looking at the clock, I left. I didn't want to know the time. I walked quickly, but was surprised to see just how far I had come into El Paso that morning. When you are meandering with no goal in mind, you can actually travel pretty far. I finally came to the bridge and crossed it. No Mexican border guard spoke to me. I didn't even see any. But I did see a taxi on the other side. I only had about $17 dollars on me, but decided I had better take the taxi if I was going to make it on time.
Standing on the sidewalk, I asked the driver how much it would be to get to Juventud con Vision, and back, roound trip. He spoke in Spanish to a woman sitting in the front seat next to him. She puffed on her cigarette and then answered him in Spanish. Turning to me, he told me in broken English $15 for the round trip.
Okay. I have that. I got in.
He pulled out and went the opposite way.
"No, No!” I said 'Municipalo Libre' street. Or something like that."
"Si, Si." He said. Look, I may not know the names of these roads, but I know which direction they are in! Oh, what should I do? Get out? But I've never seen this neighborhood. I don't know where I was!
I sat tight hoping I would recognize something soon. Soon I did, and I told him to take a left. I was able to give him directions from there. Safely at the children's home, the cab waited while I ran in to get my things. The staff was very kind. They didn't ask many questions and were very helpful to getting me back on the road quickly. They even gave me some more money for the trip. That was a very helpful relief. Mrs. Stalwick also advised me to take only what I really needed. She would see to the rest. Okay. My computer and the souvenirs for the kids. Oh yes, and a hair brush.
So back into the taxi, he again turned a direction opposite to what I expected. Wait! Where are you going! The bridge is that way!
"Si, Si." He turned onto a road I'd never seen before and continued on his way. To my relief, I eventually saw the bridge. He stopped at a curb and I handed him my $15. "No,” he says. “ $20.” His girlfriend indicated it was a long ride.
No, I think to myself. I could have given him more from the money the Stalwicks had given me, but it was a single large bill and I didn't want him to know how much I had. Besides, a deal is a deal and he made it a long route on his own. I gave him the $17 and told him that was it. He grumbled and I got out of the car.
I hurried across the long bridge. The line at US customs seemed slow and long. But I never looked at the clock. I didn't want to know the time. It would only give me heartache to know.
Once past the guards, (no birth questions this time) I asked for directions to the bus station. Pastor Stalwick had thought it would be about three blocks. He was right about the direction it was in, but it was maybe 6 or 7 blocks away. My feet were really hurting by the time I made into the station, at 1:15 pm. I don't think I had walked this far in one day in years.
1:15 pm! Can you believe it?
But now I have to find out if I even have a ticket, and there was a line there, as well. A disheveled man standing in front of me kept swearing to himself. Sometimes he turned and stared straight at me. Long stares. I kept my eyes in the other direction and just prayed.
I couldn't keep my eyes from darting at the clock now. Twenty after. Then twenty-five after. Twenty-six after. I kept trying to tell myself that if I make the bus, I make the bus. Either way it goes, it's in the Lord's hands. I shouldn't worry about it because whatever happens, it's up to God. (I had to keep telling myself these things)
Finally, at twenty-seven after, a clerk nods at me to come up.
"Is there a ticket here for me?"
The man clicks the keyboard a couple times and looks it at the monitor. He asks the man next to him some questions. It appears that my clerk is new on the job. He needs help looking for the ticket.
"How do you spell your last name?" he asks me. I don't even want to look at the clock again. I pull out my driver's license to make things easier for him.
The next thing I know, he's printing the ticket out. I grab it from him and run...to which direction. I don't know. The direction that looked good. But my tired feet, not used to walking, balked at running and the next thing I knew they were tangled on each other and I was flat on my face with my computer sliding away in one direction and the souvenirs in another.
"Are you okay, Honey?"
"Si, Si. Which way is the bus to Montana?"
Well, there is no bus to Montana. I need another minute to figure out I'm going to Phoenix, and THEN up to Montana. But all that said...I made it just in time.
More to Come...Part II
.
I had walked across the bridge to El Paso on Tuesday morning just to call home and see how Roland's appointment went on Monday. I had to cross the border at 7am because Perla was crossing at that time and I caught a ride with her to the border. But I got out prior to the bridge and walked over on my own so as not to slow her down. (She had a special crossing pass).
It wasn't that hard to pass the guards. There was a line, but once I got to the guard, all I needed was my driver's license. No birth certificate. Well... a birth certificate might have helped me a little. He asked where I was born, and, my mind on a million other things, first I said Minnesota. Then I changed it to Rhode Island. Then I finally remembered and settled on Long Island. Yes, that was it. Long Island.
Hmmm. Any security conscience person should have pulled me aside right there. But no. As long as I was sure it was Long Island, it was okay and I could go through.
I walked a few blocks into El Paso until I found a nice park to sit and wait at. I didn't want to call Roland too early and wake him up. But it was a very nice morning and I bought a paper and caught up on US news. But when I began calling, I couldn't get ahold of Roland. My card wouldn't connect with the our home area as long as I was on a pay phone. (Don’t ask me why, that's just what I was told by the company)
I eventually walked to a bank and used one of their phones.
He told me that he was going to have a catheter put in to a main artery. His arms weren't good enough anymore for receiving the chemotherapy. From my past medical experience, I remembered that this type of catheter had to be kept sterile at all times because of its direct connection to the heart. In nursing homes, we used to clean these things every shift. So I was concerned. Who would be home to take care of it for him?
He said it was going in on Thursday at noon. We debated whether I should come home. It took a little while to talk about it. I couldn't decide, although I really wanted to go. I didn't like the idea of Roland going home with the catheter and not having anyone there to care for it.
But the time, we had finished talking, it was all ready 11:30 am. We decided I should call greyhound and find out details. Greyhound said that the bus that would get me home on time if I left El Paso at 1:30 pm that day. Only two hours away.
To catch that bus seemed impossible. I would have to walk back to the bridge, (which is about two blocks long?) cross it, get back to the children's home I was helping at and gather my belongings, get back to the bridge and walk across it again, stopping in a line for US customs and how ever long that would take, and then find the El Paso bus station. There's no way I could do that in just two hours. Less then two hours now, the more we debated.
After I got off the phone, I wondered what to do next. I tried to find a way to call the children's home, but the bank clerk told me she didn't know how to call Mexico. I called my Bible college and spoke to the Dean, then I tried calling my pastor to get money for my ticket, but his line was busy. I don't know how much time I was wasting.
So I called Roland back. He told me to try for the 1:30 bus, and if I didn't make it, catch the 9pm. He would call Pastor about the ticket. Okay. Nothing to do then but try.
So without even looking at the clock, I left. I didn't want to know the time. I walked quickly, but was surprised to see just how far I had come into El Paso that morning. When you are meandering with no goal in mind, you can actually travel pretty far. I finally came to the bridge and crossed it. No Mexican border guard spoke to me. I didn't even see any. But I did see a taxi on the other side. I only had about $17 dollars on me, but decided I had better take the taxi if I was going to make it on time.
Standing on the sidewalk, I asked the driver how much it would be to get to Juventud con Vision, and back, roound trip. He spoke in Spanish to a woman sitting in the front seat next to him. She puffed on her cigarette and then answered him in Spanish. Turning to me, he told me in broken English $15 for the round trip.
Okay. I have that. I got in.
He pulled out and went the opposite way.
"No, No!” I said 'Municipalo Libre' street. Or something like that."
"Si, Si." He said. Look, I may not know the names of these roads, but I know which direction they are in! Oh, what should I do? Get out? But I've never seen this neighborhood. I don't know where I was!
I sat tight hoping I would recognize something soon. Soon I did, and I told him to take a left. I was able to give him directions from there. Safely at the children's home, the cab waited while I ran in to get my things. The staff was very kind. They didn't ask many questions and were very helpful to getting me back on the road quickly. They even gave me some more money for the trip. That was a very helpful relief. Mrs. Stalwick also advised me to take only what I really needed. She would see to the rest. Okay. My computer and the souvenirs for the kids. Oh yes, and a hair brush.
So back into the taxi, he again turned a direction opposite to what I expected. Wait! Where are you going! The bridge is that way!
"Si, Si." He turned onto a road I'd never seen before and continued on his way. To my relief, I eventually saw the bridge. He stopped at a curb and I handed him my $15. "No,” he says. “ $20.” His girlfriend indicated it was a long ride.
No, I think to myself. I could have given him more from the money the Stalwicks had given me, but it was a single large bill and I didn't want him to know how much I had. Besides, a deal is a deal and he made it a long route on his own. I gave him the $17 and told him that was it. He grumbled and I got out of the car.
I hurried across the long bridge. The line at US customs seemed slow and long. But I never looked at the clock. I didn't want to know the time. It would only give me heartache to know.
Once past the guards, (no birth questions this time) I asked for directions to the bus station. Pastor Stalwick had thought it would be about three blocks. He was right about the direction it was in, but it was maybe 6 or 7 blocks away. My feet were really hurting by the time I made into the station, at 1:15 pm. I don't think I had walked this far in one day in years.
1:15 pm! Can you believe it?
But now I have to find out if I even have a ticket, and there was a line there, as well. A disheveled man standing in front of me kept swearing to himself. Sometimes he turned and stared straight at me. Long stares. I kept my eyes in the other direction and just prayed.
I couldn't keep my eyes from darting at the clock now. Twenty after. Then twenty-five after. Twenty-six after. I kept trying to tell myself that if I make the bus, I make the bus. Either way it goes, it's in the Lord's hands. I shouldn't worry about it because whatever happens, it's up to God. (I had to keep telling myself these things)
Finally, at twenty-seven after, a clerk nods at me to come up.
"Is there a ticket here for me?"
The man clicks the keyboard a couple times and looks it at the monitor. He asks the man next to him some questions. It appears that my clerk is new on the job. He needs help looking for the ticket.
"How do you spell your last name?" he asks me. I don't even want to look at the clock again. I pull out my driver's license to make things easier for him.
The next thing I know, he's printing the ticket out. I grab it from him and run...to which direction. I don't know. The direction that looked good. But my tired feet, not used to walking, balked at running and the next thing I knew they were tangled on each other and I was flat on my face with my computer sliding away in one direction and the souvenirs in another.
"Are you okay, Honey?"
"Si, Si. Which way is the bus to Montana?"
Well, there is no bus to Montana. I need another minute to figure out I'm going to Phoenix, and THEN up to Montana. But all that said...I made it just in time.
More to Come...Part II
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Sunday, January 25, 2009
Did the Good Samaritan Have Anything Else to Do That Day?
A friend once related that while going to Bible school, he witnessed a lack of boldness within some missionary students. They were claiming they couldn’t help with the street ministry on weekends because of the large amounts of school work they had to do. Well, if they were too busy to do it while in school, these same people would continue to be “too busy’ and lack boldness when you got to foreign soil.
I thought that statement was so interesting. I loved our Pastor in Montana. He was great with the kids, kept his sermons both interesting and relevant, and was busy with all kinds of activities and events. He had a great Awana group going in our church, had just finished giving us a four day Missionary conference, and had gotten the Woman’s Alliance up and running again, among many other things. But there’s one thing he lacked, and that was the time to just sit down and talk with people. "Your a great man," I’ve told him, “but it’s impossible to get a minute of your time.” He agreed. “But we will do it soon,” he said.
Does it matter to you what kind of witness you are of Christ, right here, right now? Do you feel if you help at church and rub shoulders with some kids in the youth group or organized an Ice Cream Social, that you have done your work as a witness for the week?
Yes, we're all busy. But that's not an excuse. An amazing Missionary by the name of Otto Koning told about how after many years, he finally learned to give up his “right to time” and simply take care of the things put before him by the Lord, as senseless as those tasks seemed to him at the time. The amazing thing, though, was that after he gave up the right to his time and went ahead with the tasks the Lord had laid, the Lord Blessed it, and he had time more abundantly.
THAT is interesting.
Does anyone have any idea what it means to “shepherd”? Do you understand that the Shepherd didn’t look after just those sheep who were good and kept right where they were supposed to be, but that he went looking for the lost? And not only did he look for them, but when he found them, he picked them up and carried them back on his shoulders? What does that action mean for us? What does it mean for us to pick a lost lamb up and carry it home? Does it mean giving up the previous plans we had that day? Giving up rights to our time and energy? Does it mean... maybe even carrying the weight of that lost lamb until the lamb is able to stand on it’s feet again?
Think about it. What about the Good Samaritan? Luke 10:30 - 37 tells us the story of a man who was on the ground, beaten and left for dead. Two men, a priest and Levite crossed to the other side of the road rather then deal with him.
We all tell ourselves that we would never do that.
But have we ever thought about what those men were thinking? Maybe they had appointments. Maybe they thought he was drunk. Maybe they couldn’t risk being late by spending time on a person who probably brought his predicament all on himself!
No one can know what they thought, but it doesn’t matter to us, because we think we'd never be like them. But we are like them everyday.
Further, we don’t know what the Good Samaritan was thinking. Was he free for the afternoon, or did he also have appointments? Did his effort with the beaten man make him late, or ruin his pre-planned afternoon? And was the Samaritan rich or poor? Was the money he gave the innkeeper all he had, or did he have plenty? Did it matter to him?
Would it make a difference to you?
.
I thought that statement was so interesting. I loved our Pastor in Montana. He was great with the kids, kept his sermons both interesting and relevant, and was busy with all kinds of activities and events. He had a great Awana group going in our church, had just finished giving us a four day Missionary conference, and had gotten the Woman’s Alliance up and running again, among many other things. But there’s one thing he lacked, and that was the time to just sit down and talk with people. "Your a great man," I’ve told him, “but it’s impossible to get a minute of your time.” He agreed. “But we will do it soon,” he said.
Does it matter to you what kind of witness you are of Christ, right here, right now? Do you feel if you help at church and rub shoulders with some kids in the youth group or organized an Ice Cream Social, that you have done your work as a witness for the week?
Yes, we're all busy. But that's not an excuse. An amazing Missionary by the name of Otto Koning told about how after many years, he finally learned to give up his “right to time” and simply take care of the things put before him by the Lord, as senseless as those tasks seemed to him at the time. The amazing thing, though, was that after he gave up the right to his time and went ahead with the tasks the Lord had laid, the Lord Blessed it, and he had time more abundantly.
THAT is interesting.
Does anyone have any idea what it means to “shepherd”? Do you understand that the Shepherd didn’t look after just those sheep who were good and kept right where they were supposed to be, but that he went looking for the lost? And not only did he look for them, but when he found them, he picked them up and carried them back on his shoulders? What does that action mean for us? What does it mean for us to pick a lost lamb up and carry it home? Does it mean giving up the previous plans we had that day? Giving up rights to our time and energy? Does it mean... maybe even carrying the weight of that lost lamb until the lamb is able to stand on it’s feet again?
Think about it. What about the Good Samaritan? Luke 10:30 - 37 tells us the story of a man who was on the ground, beaten and left for dead. Two men, a priest and Levite crossed to the other side of the road rather then deal with him.
We all tell ourselves that we would never do that.
But have we ever thought about what those men were thinking? Maybe they had appointments. Maybe they thought he was drunk. Maybe they couldn’t risk being late by spending time on a person who probably brought his predicament all on himself!
No one can know what they thought, but it doesn’t matter to us, because we think we'd never be like them. But we are like them everyday.
Further, we don’t know what the Good Samaritan was thinking. Was he free for the afternoon, or did he also have appointments? Did his effort with the beaten man make him late, or ruin his pre-planned afternoon? And was the Samaritan rich or poor? Was the money he gave the innkeeper all he had, or did he have plenty? Did it matter to him?
Would it make a difference to you?
.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Hey, Parents! Think About Your Kid
Continued from Hey Kids! Listen to Your Parents!
Types of Obedience We Parents Can Expect from Our Children:
Normal expectations include little things, such as to sit still and listen in church, do their chores, and get up for school on time.
But MOST IMPORTANT is to listen to, respect and obey their elders, because if they can do that, other good behavior can fall into place.
Some good rules to help set boundaries for the kids are hard for non-christians and even some Christian parents to understand, especially with how our media and society has begun to expect that risky and even bad behavior is some kind of norm for teenagers.
Well, other parents can go ahead and allow their children to take certain risks with their lives and then try to correct whatever errors the child has made by helping them get abortions, drug counseling and bail from jail. I prefer to help my child overcome temptations by simply not setting them in bad situations to begin with.
My kids are a treasure. I like to treat them as such. Look at the below rules not in the light of what others might think, but what really is best for your child's emotional, physical and spiritual growth. For example;
The six-inch rule is a must. Teenagers many times just don’t understand the problems that result from close physical contact. There is no need for the girls to be sitting on the guys laps. End of Story.
Discourage the opposite sex from calling just to chat you preteens and young teens. They can call about homework, etc, but despite what popular culture pushes, you really don’t want a more personal relationship to develop with just one person of the opposite sex yet. Discourage long chats on the phone.
Don't allow dating until the age of 16, or later if we feel they are not ready for it. Even at that age, dating should be in groups rather than one on one. A young person needs to grow in maturity before they can understand and relate in a special way to someone else. As Dr. Dobson of “Focus on the Family wrote, Young people “never know each other as well as they think they do. That’s because the dating relationship is designed to conceal information, not reveal it.” It’s hard enough to really figure each other out when you’re 20 and even 30. It’s impossible for young teenagers.
Ann Landers once had in her column a letter about a young couple that had dated five years, all through high school and then were married. Their marriage lasted only 5 weeks. Why? How did that happen? I saw the same thing happen in my high school. The bottom line was that once this tender-hearted and kind couple began dating in 9th grade, the girl never had the heart to hurt the boy through the next 4 years. So although she wasn’t in a relationship she really wanted, she kept it up, not knowing how to back out. The longer they were together, the harder it became to back away. Don't set your kid up. Give them the comfort of rules and boundaries so they don't have to feel stuck in a situation that they aren't ready for.
Our children were encouraged not to even kiss until their wedding day. The wedding ceremony, with the final kiss, is truly one of the most beautiful events that can happen in your life. We didn’t want them to ruin it with cheap and unfulfilling imitations.
We also encouraged them to seek Christian mates. From our own experience and the things we’ve seen in life, they and their children would be much happier if they begin marriage on a firm foundation. We wanted our children to be as happy as possible.
That said, we have a huge opposing force in this society. Kids can't watch TV, magazine ad, or movies without seeing sex constantly and there is virtually no way to shield kids from it. If they don't see it at your house, they'll frequently see it at the neighbors. Even the school. So I have to admit, we had lofty goals that not every child has been able to meet. Still, that doesn't mean the goals were wrong. It means we simply have a huge fight in this country over the influence of our children.
Our goals; we wanted our children to enjoy childhood. In truth, it’s much more fun to be able to enjoy your classmates as friends for as long as possible, without the pressure of worrying about whether or not someone likes you or who is going out with whom, or who will get jealous if you talk to that other person. If we take the dating game out of the picture, our children can feel free to continue having simple fun with everyone. Some of our older children didn't understand and had a struggle with that, but not all have. My eigth-grader right now does in fact feel better without the pressure and has expressed that. Apparently, her class has lots of difficulties with dating, jealousies, pettiness, and drama. (Junior High drama. Is there anything worse?) She's very glad not to be a part of it.
Prov. 22:5, "In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them.
END
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Types of Obedience We Parents Can Expect from Our Children:
Normal expectations include little things, such as to sit still and listen in church, do their chores, and get up for school on time.
But MOST IMPORTANT is to listen to, respect and obey their elders, because if they can do that, other good behavior can fall into place.
Some good rules to help set boundaries for the kids are hard for non-christians and even some Christian parents to understand, especially with how our media and society has begun to expect that risky and even bad behavior is some kind of norm for teenagers.
Well, other parents can go ahead and allow their children to take certain risks with their lives and then try to correct whatever errors the child has made by helping them get abortions, drug counseling and bail from jail. I prefer to help my child overcome temptations by simply not setting them in bad situations to begin with.
My kids are a treasure. I like to treat them as such. Look at the below rules not in the light of what others might think, but what really is best for your child's emotional, physical and spiritual growth. For example;
The six-inch rule is a must. Teenagers many times just don’t understand the problems that result from close physical contact. There is no need for the girls to be sitting on the guys laps. End of Story.
Discourage the opposite sex from calling just to chat you preteens and young teens. They can call about homework, etc, but despite what popular culture pushes, you really don’t want a more personal relationship to develop with just one person of the opposite sex yet. Discourage long chats on the phone.
Don't allow dating until the age of 16, or later if we feel they are not ready for it. Even at that age, dating should be in groups rather than one on one. A young person needs to grow in maturity before they can understand and relate in a special way to someone else. As Dr. Dobson of “Focus on the Family wrote, Young people “never know each other as well as they think they do. That’s because the dating relationship is designed to conceal information, not reveal it.” It’s hard enough to really figure each other out when you’re 20 and even 30. It’s impossible for young teenagers.
Ann Landers once had in her column a letter about a young couple that had dated five years, all through high school and then were married. Their marriage lasted only 5 weeks. Why? How did that happen? I saw the same thing happen in my high school. The bottom line was that once this tender-hearted and kind couple began dating in 9th grade, the girl never had the heart to hurt the boy through the next 4 years. So although she wasn’t in a relationship she really wanted, she kept it up, not knowing how to back out. The longer they were together, the harder it became to back away. Don't set your kid up. Give them the comfort of rules and boundaries so they don't have to feel stuck in a situation that they aren't ready for.
Our children were encouraged not to even kiss until their wedding day. The wedding ceremony, with the final kiss, is truly one of the most beautiful events that can happen in your life. We didn’t want them to ruin it with cheap and unfulfilling imitations.
We also encouraged them to seek Christian mates. From our own experience and the things we’ve seen in life, they and their children would be much happier if they begin marriage on a firm foundation. We wanted our children to be as happy as possible.
That said, we have a huge opposing force in this society. Kids can't watch TV, magazine ad, or movies without seeing sex constantly and there is virtually no way to shield kids from it. If they don't see it at your house, they'll frequently see it at the neighbors. Even the school. So I have to admit, we had lofty goals that not every child has been able to meet. Still, that doesn't mean the goals were wrong. It means we simply have a huge fight in this country over the influence of our children.
Our goals; we wanted our children to enjoy childhood. In truth, it’s much more fun to be able to enjoy your classmates as friends for as long as possible, without the pressure of worrying about whether or not someone likes you or who is going out with whom, or who will get jealous if you talk to that other person. If we take the dating game out of the picture, our children can feel free to continue having simple fun with everyone. Some of our older children didn't understand and had a struggle with that, but not all have. My eigth-grader right now does in fact feel better without the pressure and has expressed that. Apparently, her class has lots of difficulties with dating, jealousies, pettiness, and drama. (Junior High drama. Is there anything worse?) She's very glad not to be a part of it.
Prov. 22:5, "In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them.
END
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