As I'am sitting here this day thinking deeply abut this precious week of our "Suffereing Servant" Jesus Christ" in what has taken place in His own life literally this whole events that led up to that horrible "Crucifixion" of my beloved Savior, My first husband,my lover, my everything that literally means so much to Me personally in all things in this life of which I live daily. In all Honestly, openly knowing just this part of His most power image that's been portrayed unto us just what God had put into words by those prophets long ago as they have portrayed in vivid heavy words unto this vast world but yet denies him as he has said in the scriptures.Death by the "crucifixion" death has said unto us in that book of Isaiah 53 has been shared before us that never changes and it's truths that we can truly have ones own wrenched by those touching words that's been spoken that is so penetrating to one's own soulof His own penalty of which He just didn't commit just thinkin about it makes me cry for the most part and not ever fogetting it in knowing what he's done for my in such a way that had given me unto Him within everything that's within me and not leaving anything that would keep me trapped up inside of my own life as a person whom totally believes in Jesus Christ in what He went through for me and such numbers of other people that I can't count it. As each day throughout my years passing by I know that Jesus whom has shown me the way to follow him but not in the context of this has shown you but in our own spirits unto him as He himself cleanses us as our days goes by living in this world as human being unto him.As I have so many times since I become a Servant of Him I have little by litle allowed him to take more away that had Issues, hurts, habits, hang-ups that held me down unto the pits of hell that needed to be totally released and being totally free only because of what that cross had done for my own life walking in Him.Yes, I had hurt, cried, was hurt by those other vain attempts to finally see just what had lead me at tims with a very hardened heart that broken ,pinned up walls of waters that just gushed-out of me like never ever before like it had done one day in a wonderful church in the year 2001. I had felt like another birth came out in that pain of which the Lord Jesus Christ had deeply deeply touched me and it made a strong impact in my own life and it still does to this day. That had been my own cross that went from being burried and crushed that had been released in Me that beauitful day that's been long lasting for me in His blessed anointing that I could have never dreamed of happening to me . WOW! THANK You Jesus ! I then imagined just what He did for me and having a prayer and fasting by some very very special people whom were doing the same as I that previous week before that services, that coming sunday it became out of me that day. He's so very, precious to Me ever since that had happened to me and I'll never forget it either. That's why Isa.53 does to me everytime I hear the sermon from that day on it makes me cry but yet knowing He came up out of that grave gives me all shouts of glory in that wonderful hope in being with him on the resurrection time comes to finally going home to be with him in glory! Even watching the movie of "The Passion Of Christ does me the very same way seeing it finally done as the word says unto our lives as we read it and knowing it as a person whom lives in this world as it will one day be none as is it now but only the garden of Eden but more glorious that anyway can imagine except in ones spirit as He show ua in a simple glance of where we will be going to one fine day. He shares it in the book of "Revelations" like never before unto us. As I finish with this as I put the Holy Scriptures in this place unto us all !
Isaiah 53
1 Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form or comeliness;
And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
3 He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
9 And they[a] made His grave with the wickedâ€"
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief. He had done this for us all whom will come unto Him AND ALLOW HIS OWN Spirit IN TOUCHING YOU AS NOT ONLY WHAT HE DID FOR ME BUT HE CAN DO IT FOR YOU AS WELL.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.
11 He shall see the labor of His soul,[b]and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Sunday, April 22, 2007
10 Reasons to believe the bible
1. Its Honesty
The Bible is painfully honest. It shows Jacob, the father of its "chosen people," to be a deceiver. It describes Moses, the lawgiver, as an insecure, reluctant leader, who, in his first attempt to come to the aid of his own people, killed a man, and then ran for life to the desert. It portrays David not only as Israel's most loved king, general, and spiritual leader, but as one who took another man's wife and then, to cover his own sin, conspired to have her husband killed. At one point, the Scriptures accuse the people of God, the nation of Israel, as being so bad they made Sodom and Gomorrah look good by comparison ( Ezekiel 16:46-52). The Bible represents human nature as hostile to God. It predicts a future full of trouble. It teaches that the road to heaven is narrow and the way to hell is wide. Scripture was clearly not written for those who want simple answers or an easy, optimistic view of religion and human nature.
2. Its Preservation
Just as the modern state of Israel was emerging from thousands of years of dispersion, a bedouin shepherd discovered one of the most important archeological treasures of our time. In a cave of the northwest rim of the Dead Sea, a broken jar yielded documents that had been hidden for two millennia. Additional finds produced manuscripts that predated previous oldest copies by 1,000 years. One of the most important was a copy of Isaiah. It revealed a document that is essentially the same as the book of Isaiah that appears in our own Bibles. The Dead Sea scrolls emerged from the dust like a symbolic handshake to a nation coming home. They discredited the claims of those who believed that the original Bible had been lost to time and tampering.
3. Its Claims For Itself
It's important to know what the Bible says about itself. If the authors of Scripture had not claimed to speak for God, it would be presumptuous for us to make that claim for them. We would also have a different kind of problem. We would have a collection of unsolved mysteries, embodied in historical and ethical literature. But we would not have a book that has inspired the building of countless churches and synagogues all over the world. A Bible that did not claim to speak on behalf of God would not have become foundational to the faith of hundreds of millions of Christians and Jews (2 Peter 1:16-21). But with much supporting evidence and argument, the Bible's authors did claim to be inspired by God. Because millions have staked their present and eternal well-being on those claims, the Bible cannot be a good book if its authors consistently lied about their source of information.
4. Its Miracles
Israel's exodus from Egypt provided a historical basis for believing that God revealed Himself to Israel. If the Red Sea did not part as Moses said it did, the Old Testament loses its authority to speak on behalf of God. The New Testament is just as dependent upon miracles. If Jesus did not rise bodily from the dead, the apostle Paul admits that the Christian faith is built on a lie (1 Corinthians 15:14-17). To show its credibility, the New Testament names its witnesses, and did so within a time-frame that enabled those claims to be tested (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). Many of the witnesses ended up as martyrs, not for abstract moral or spiritual convictions but for their claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. While martyrdom is not unusual, the basis on which these people gave their lives is what's important. Many have died for what they believed to be the truth. But people do not die for what they know to be a lie.
5. Its Unity
Forty different authors writing over a period of 1,600 years penned the 66 books of the Bible. Four hundred silent years separated the 39 books of the Old Testament from the 27 of the New Testament. Yet, from Genesis to Revelation, they tell one unfolding story. Together they give consistent answers to the most important questions we can ask: Why are we here? How can we come to terms with our fears? How can we get along? How can we rise above our circumstances and keep hope alive? How can we make peace with our Maker? The Bible's consistent answers to these questions show that the Scriptures are not many books but one.
6. Its Historical And Geographical Accuracy
Down through the ages, many have doubted the historical and geographical accuracy of the Bible. Yet modern archeologists have repeatedly unearthed evidence of the people, places, and cultures described in the Scriptures. Time after time, the descriptions in the biblical record have been shown to be more reliable than the speculations of scholars. The modern visitor to the museums and lands of the Bible cannot help but come away impressed with the real geographical and historical backdrop of the biblical text.
7. Its Endorsement By Christ
Many have spoken well of the Bible, but no endorsement is as compelling as that of Jesus of Nazareth. He recommended the Bible not only by His words but by His life. In times of personal temptation, public teaching, and personal suffering, He made it clear that He believed the Old Testament Scriptures were more than a national tradition ( Matthew 4:1-11; 5:17-19). He believed the Bible was a book about Himself. To His countrymen He said, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life" (John 5:39-40).
8. Its Prophetic Accuracy
From the days of Moses, the Bible predicted events no one wanted to believe. Before Israel went into the Promised Land, Moses predicted that Israel would be unfaithful, that she would lose the land God was giving her, and that she would be dispersed throughout all the world, regathered, and then re-established ( (Deuteronomy 28-31). Central to Old Testament prophecy was the promise of a Messiah who would save God's people from their sins and eventually bring judgment and peace to the whole world.
9. Its Survival
The books of Moses were written 500 years before the earliest Hindu Scriptures. Moses wrote Genesis 2,000 years before Muhammad penned the Koran. During that long history, no other book has been as loved or as hated as the Bible. No other book has been so consistently bought, studied, and quoted as this book. While millions of other titles come and go, the Bible is still the book by which all other books are measured. While often ignored by those who are uncomfortable with its teachings, it is still the central book of Western civilization.
10. Its Power To Change Lives
Unbelievers often point to those who claim to believe in the Bible without being changed by it. But history is also marked by those who have been bettered by this book. The Ten Commandments have been a source of moral direction to countless numbers of people. The Psalms of David have offered comfort in times of trouble and loss. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount has given millions an antidote for stubborn pride and proud legalism. Paul's description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 has softened angry hearts. The changed lives of people like the apostle Paul, Augustine, Martin Luther, John Newton, Leo Tolstoy, and C. S. Lewis illustrate the difference the Bible can make. Even entire nations or tribes, like the Celts of Ireland, the wild Vikings of Norway, or the Auca Indians of Ecuador have been transformed by the Word of God and the unprecedented life and significance of Jesus Christ.
The Bible is painfully honest. It shows Jacob, the father of its "chosen people," to be a deceiver. It describes Moses, the lawgiver, as an insecure, reluctant leader, who, in his first attempt to come to the aid of his own people, killed a man, and then ran for life to the desert. It portrays David not only as Israel's most loved king, general, and spiritual leader, but as one who took another man's wife and then, to cover his own sin, conspired to have her husband killed. At one point, the Scriptures accuse the people of God, the nation of Israel, as being so bad they made Sodom and Gomorrah look good by comparison ( Ezekiel 16:46-52). The Bible represents human nature as hostile to God. It predicts a future full of trouble. It teaches that the road to heaven is narrow and the way to hell is wide. Scripture was clearly not written for those who want simple answers or an easy, optimistic view of religion and human nature.
2. Its Preservation
Just as the modern state of Israel was emerging from thousands of years of dispersion, a bedouin shepherd discovered one of the most important archeological treasures of our time. In a cave of the northwest rim of the Dead Sea, a broken jar yielded documents that had been hidden for two millennia. Additional finds produced manuscripts that predated previous oldest copies by 1,000 years. One of the most important was a copy of Isaiah. It revealed a document that is essentially the same as the book of Isaiah that appears in our own Bibles. The Dead Sea scrolls emerged from the dust like a symbolic handshake to a nation coming home. They discredited the claims of those who believed that the original Bible had been lost to time and tampering.
3. Its Claims For Itself
It's important to know what the Bible says about itself. If the authors of Scripture had not claimed to speak for God, it would be presumptuous for us to make that claim for them. We would also have a different kind of problem. We would have a collection of unsolved mysteries, embodied in historical and ethical literature. But we would not have a book that has inspired the building of countless churches and synagogues all over the world. A Bible that did not claim to speak on behalf of God would not have become foundational to the faith of hundreds of millions of Christians and Jews (2 Peter 1:16-21). But with much supporting evidence and argument, the Bible's authors did claim to be inspired by God. Because millions have staked their present and eternal well-being on those claims, the Bible cannot be a good book if its authors consistently lied about their source of information.
4. Its Miracles
Israel's exodus from Egypt provided a historical basis for believing that God revealed Himself to Israel. If the Red Sea did not part as Moses said it did, the Old Testament loses its authority to speak on behalf of God. The New Testament is just as dependent upon miracles. If Jesus did not rise bodily from the dead, the apostle Paul admits that the Christian faith is built on a lie (1 Corinthians 15:14-17). To show its credibility, the New Testament names its witnesses, and did so within a time-frame that enabled those claims to be tested (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). Many of the witnesses ended up as martyrs, not for abstract moral or spiritual convictions but for their claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. While martyrdom is not unusual, the basis on which these people gave their lives is what's important. Many have died for what they believed to be the truth. But people do not die for what they know to be a lie.
5. Its Unity
Forty different authors writing over a period of 1,600 years penned the 66 books of the Bible. Four hundred silent years separated the 39 books of the Old Testament from the 27 of the New Testament. Yet, from Genesis to Revelation, they tell one unfolding story. Together they give consistent answers to the most important questions we can ask: Why are we here? How can we come to terms with our fears? How can we get along? How can we rise above our circumstances and keep hope alive? How can we make peace with our Maker? The Bible's consistent answers to these questions show that the Scriptures are not many books but one.
6. Its Historical And Geographical Accuracy
Down through the ages, many have doubted the historical and geographical accuracy of the Bible. Yet modern archeologists have repeatedly unearthed evidence of the people, places, and cultures described in the Scriptures. Time after time, the descriptions in the biblical record have been shown to be more reliable than the speculations of scholars. The modern visitor to the museums and lands of the Bible cannot help but come away impressed with the real geographical and historical backdrop of the biblical text.
7. Its Endorsement By Christ
Many have spoken well of the Bible, but no endorsement is as compelling as that of Jesus of Nazareth. He recommended the Bible not only by His words but by His life. In times of personal temptation, public teaching, and personal suffering, He made it clear that He believed the Old Testament Scriptures were more than a national tradition ( Matthew 4:1-11; 5:17-19). He believed the Bible was a book about Himself. To His countrymen He said, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life" (John 5:39-40).
8. Its Prophetic Accuracy
From the days of Moses, the Bible predicted events no one wanted to believe. Before Israel went into the Promised Land, Moses predicted that Israel would be unfaithful, that she would lose the land God was giving her, and that she would be dispersed throughout all the world, regathered, and then re-established ( (Deuteronomy 28-31). Central to Old Testament prophecy was the promise of a Messiah who would save God's people from their sins and eventually bring judgment and peace to the whole world.
9. Its Survival
The books of Moses were written 500 years before the earliest Hindu Scriptures. Moses wrote Genesis 2,000 years before Muhammad penned the Koran. During that long history, no other book has been as loved or as hated as the Bible. No other book has been so consistently bought, studied, and quoted as this book. While millions of other titles come and go, the Bible is still the book by which all other books are measured. While often ignored by those who are uncomfortable with its teachings, it is still the central book of Western civilization.
10. Its Power To Change Lives
Unbelievers often point to those who claim to believe in the Bible without being changed by it. But history is also marked by those who have been bettered by this book. The Ten Commandments have been a source of moral direction to countless numbers of people. The Psalms of David have offered comfort in times of trouble and loss. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount has given millions an antidote for stubborn pride and proud legalism. Paul's description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 has softened angry hearts. The changed lives of people like the apostle Paul, Augustine, Martin Luther, John Newton, Leo Tolstoy, and C. S. Lewis illustrate the difference the Bible can make. Even entire nations or tribes, like the Celts of Ireland, the wild Vikings of Norway, or the Auca Indians of Ecuador have been transformed by the Word of God and the unprecedented life and significance of Jesus Christ.
10 Reasons to believe the bible
1. Its Honesty
The Bible is painfully honest. It shows Jacob, the father of its "chosen people," to be a deceiver. It describes Moses, the lawgiver, as an insecure, reluctant leader, who, in his first attempt to come to the aid of his own people, killed a man, and then ran for life to the desert. It portrays David not only as Israel's most loved king, general, and spiritual leader, but as one who took another man's wife and then, to cover his own sin, conspired to have her husband killed. At one point, the Scriptures accuse the people of God, the nation of Israel, as being so bad they made Sodom and Gomorrah look good by comparison ( Ezekiel 16:46-52). The Bible represents human nature as hostile to God. It predicts a future full of trouble. It teaches that the road to heaven is narrow and the way to hell is wide. Scripture was clearly not written for those who want simple answers or an easy, optimistic view of religion and human nature.
2. Its Preservation
Just as the modern state of Israel was emerging from thousands of years of dispersion, a bedouin shepherd discovered one of the most important archeological treasures of our time. In a cave of the northwest rim of the Dead Sea, a broken jar yielded documents that had been hidden for two millennia. Additional finds produced manuscripts that predated previous oldest copies by 1,000 years. One of the most important was a copy of Isaiah. It revealed a document that is essentially the same as the book of Isaiah that appears in our own Bibles. The Dead Sea scrolls emerged from the dust like a symbolic handshake to a nation coming home. They discredited the claims of those who believed that the original Bible had been lost to time and tampering.
3. Its Claims For Itself
It's important to know what the Bible says about itself. If the authors of Scripture had not claimed to speak for God, it would be presumptuous for us to make that claim for them. We would also have a different kind of problem. We would have a collection of unsolved mysteries, embodied in historical and ethical literature. But we would not have a book that has inspired the building of countless churches and synagogues all over the world. A Bible that did not claim to speak on behalf of God would not have become foundational to the faith of hundreds of millions of Christians and Jews (2 Peter 1:16-21). But with much supporting evidence and argument, the Bible's authors did claim to be inspired by God. Because millions have staked their present and eternal well-being on those claims, the Bible cannot be a good book if its authors consistently lied about their source of information.
4. Its Miracles
Israel's exodus from Egypt provided a historical basis for believing that God revealed Himself to Israel. If the Red Sea did not part as Moses said it did, the Old Testament loses its authority to speak on behalf of God. The New Testament is just as dependent upon miracles. If Jesus did not rise bodily from the dead, the apostle Paul admits that the Christian faith is built on a lie (1 Corinthians 15:14-17). To show its credibility, the New Testament names its witnesses, and did so within a time-frame that enabled those claims to be tested (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). Many of the witnesses ended up as martyrs, not for abstract moral or spiritual convictions but for their claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. While martyrdom is not unusual, the basis on which these people gave their lives is what's important. Many have died for what they believed to be the truth. But people do not die for what they know to be a lie.
5. Its Unity
Forty different authors writing over a period of 1,600 years penned the 66 books of the Bible. Four hundred silent years separated the 39 books of the Old Testament from the 27 of the New Testament. Yet, from Genesis to Revelation, they tell one unfolding story. Together they give consistent answers to the most important questions we can ask: Why are we here? How can we come to terms with our fears? How can we get along? How can we rise above our circumstances and keep hope alive? How can we make peace with our Maker? The Bible's consistent answers to these questions show that the Scriptures are not many books but one.
6. Its Historical And Geographical Accuracy
Down through the ages, many have doubted the historical and geographical accuracy of the Bible. Yet modern archeologists have repeatedly unearthed evidence of the people, places, and cultures described in the Scriptures. Time after time, the descriptions in the biblical record have been shown to be more reliable than the speculations of scholars. The modern visitor to the museums and lands of the Bible cannot help but come away impressed with the real geographical and historical backdrop of the biblical text.
7. Its Endorsement By Christ
Many have spoken well of the Bible, but no endorsement is as compelling as that of Jesus of Nazareth. He recommended the Bible not only by His words but by His life. In times of personal temptation, public teaching, and personal suffering, He made it clear that He believed the Old Testament Scriptures were more than a national tradition ( Matthew 4:1-11; 5:17-19). He believed the Bible was a book about Himself. To His countrymen He said, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life" (John 5:39-40).
8. Its Prophetic Accuracy
From the days of Moses, the Bible predicted events no one wanted to believe. Before Israel went into the Promised Land, Moses predicted that Israel would be unfaithful, that she would lose the land God was giving her, and that she would be dispersed throughout all the world, regathered, and then re-established ( (Deuteronomy 28-31). Central to Old Testament prophecy was the promise of a Messiah who would save God's people from their sins and eventually bring judgment and peace to the whole world.
9. Its Survival
The books of Moses were written 500 years before the earliest Hindu Scriptures. Moses wrote Genesis 2,000 years before Muhammad penned the Koran. During that long history, no other book has been as loved or as hated as the Bible. No other book has been so consistently bought, studied, and quoted as this book. While millions of other titles come and go, the Bible is still the book by which all other books are measured. While often ignored by those who are uncomfortable with its teachings, it is still the central book of Western civilization.
10. Its Power To Change Lives
Unbelievers often point to those who claim to believe in the Bible without being changed by it. But history is also marked by those who have been bettered by this book. The Ten Commandments have been a source of moral direction to countless numbers of people. The Psalms of David have offered comfort in times of trouble and loss. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount has given millions an antidote for stubborn pride and proud legalism. Paul's description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 has softened angry hearts. The changed lives of people like the apostle Paul, Augustine, Martin Luther, John Newton, Leo Tolstoy, and C. S. Lewis illustrate the difference the Bible can make. Even entire nations or tribes, like the Celts of Ireland, the wild Vikings of Norway, or the Auca Indians of Ecuador have been transformed by the Word of God and the unprecedented life and significance of Jesus Christ.
The Bible is painfully honest. It shows Jacob, the father of its "chosen people," to be a deceiver. It describes Moses, the lawgiver, as an insecure, reluctant leader, who, in his first attempt to come to the aid of his own people, killed a man, and then ran for life to the desert. It portrays David not only as Israel's most loved king, general, and spiritual leader, but as one who took another man's wife and then, to cover his own sin, conspired to have her husband killed. At one point, the Scriptures accuse the people of God, the nation of Israel, as being so bad they made Sodom and Gomorrah look good by comparison ( Ezekiel 16:46-52). The Bible represents human nature as hostile to God. It predicts a future full of trouble. It teaches that the road to heaven is narrow and the way to hell is wide. Scripture was clearly not written for those who want simple answers or an easy, optimistic view of religion and human nature.
2. Its Preservation
Just as the modern state of Israel was emerging from thousands of years of dispersion, a bedouin shepherd discovered one of the most important archeological treasures of our time. In a cave of the northwest rim of the Dead Sea, a broken jar yielded documents that had been hidden for two millennia. Additional finds produced manuscripts that predated previous oldest copies by 1,000 years. One of the most important was a copy of Isaiah. It revealed a document that is essentially the same as the book of Isaiah that appears in our own Bibles. The Dead Sea scrolls emerged from the dust like a symbolic handshake to a nation coming home. They discredited the claims of those who believed that the original Bible had been lost to time and tampering.
3. Its Claims For Itself
It's important to know what the Bible says about itself. If the authors of Scripture had not claimed to speak for God, it would be presumptuous for us to make that claim for them. We would also have a different kind of problem. We would have a collection of unsolved mysteries, embodied in historical and ethical literature. But we would not have a book that has inspired the building of countless churches and synagogues all over the world. A Bible that did not claim to speak on behalf of God would not have become foundational to the faith of hundreds of millions of Christians and Jews (2 Peter 1:16-21). But with much supporting evidence and argument, the Bible's authors did claim to be inspired by God. Because millions have staked their present and eternal well-being on those claims, the Bible cannot be a good book if its authors consistently lied about their source of information.
4. Its Miracles
Israel's exodus from Egypt provided a historical basis for believing that God revealed Himself to Israel. If the Red Sea did not part as Moses said it did, the Old Testament loses its authority to speak on behalf of God. The New Testament is just as dependent upon miracles. If Jesus did not rise bodily from the dead, the apostle Paul admits that the Christian faith is built on a lie (1 Corinthians 15:14-17). To show its credibility, the New Testament names its witnesses, and did so within a time-frame that enabled those claims to be tested (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). Many of the witnesses ended up as martyrs, not for abstract moral or spiritual convictions but for their claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. While martyrdom is not unusual, the basis on which these people gave their lives is what's important. Many have died for what they believed to be the truth. But people do not die for what they know to be a lie.
5. Its Unity
Forty different authors writing over a period of 1,600 years penned the 66 books of the Bible. Four hundred silent years separated the 39 books of the Old Testament from the 27 of the New Testament. Yet, from Genesis to Revelation, they tell one unfolding story. Together they give consistent answers to the most important questions we can ask: Why are we here? How can we come to terms with our fears? How can we get along? How can we rise above our circumstances and keep hope alive? How can we make peace with our Maker? The Bible's consistent answers to these questions show that the Scriptures are not many books but one.
6. Its Historical And Geographical Accuracy
Down through the ages, many have doubted the historical and geographical accuracy of the Bible. Yet modern archeologists have repeatedly unearthed evidence of the people, places, and cultures described in the Scriptures. Time after time, the descriptions in the biblical record have been shown to be more reliable than the speculations of scholars. The modern visitor to the museums and lands of the Bible cannot help but come away impressed with the real geographical and historical backdrop of the biblical text.
7. Its Endorsement By Christ
Many have spoken well of the Bible, but no endorsement is as compelling as that of Jesus of Nazareth. He recommended the Bible not only by His words but by His life. In times of personal temptation, public teaching, and personal suffering, He made it clear that He believed the Old Testament Scriptures were more than a national tradition ( Matthew 4:1-11; 5:17-19). He believed the Bible was a book about Himself. To His countrymen He said, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life" (John 5:39-40).
8. Its Prophetic Accuracy
From the days of Moses, the Bible predicted events no one wanted to believe. Before Israel went into the Promised Land, Moses predicted that Israel would be unfaithful, that she would lose the land God was giving her, and that she would be dispersed throughout all the world, regathered, and then re-established ( (Deuteronomy 28-31). Central to Old Testament prophecy was the promise of a Messiah who would save God's people from their sins and eventually bring judgment and peace to the whole world.
9. Its Survival
The books of Moses were written 500 years before the earliest Hindu Scriptures. Moses wrote Genesis 2,000 years before Muhammad penned the Koran. During that long history, no other book has been as loved or as hated as the Bible. No other book has been so consistently bought, studied, and quoted as this book. While millions of other titles come and go, the Bible is still the book by which all other books are measured. While often ignored by those who are uncomfortable with its teachings, it is still the central book of Western civilization.
10. Its Power To Change Lives
Unbelievers often point to those who claim to believe in the Bible without being changed by it. But history is also marked by those who have been bettered by this book. The Ten Commandments have been a source of moral direction to countless numbers of people. The Psalms of David have offered comfort in times of trouble and loss. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount has given millions an antidote for stubborn pride and proud legalism. Paul's description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 has softened angry hearts. The changed lives of people like the apostle Paul, Augustine, Martin Luther, John Newton, Leo Tolstoy, and C. S. Lewis illustrate the difference the Bible can make. Even entire nations or tribes, like the Celts of Ireland, the wild Vikings of Norway, or the Auca Indians of Ecuador have been transformed by the Word of God and the unprecedented life and significance of Jesus Christ.
10 Reasons to believe the Bible
1. Its Honesty
The Bible is painfully honest. It shows Jacob, the father of its "chosen people," to be a deceiver. It describes Moses, the lawgiver, as an insecure, reluctant leader, who, in his first attempt to come to the aid of his own people, killed a man, and then ran for life to the desert. It portrays David not only as Israel's most loved king, general, and spiritual leader, but as one who took another man's wife and then, to cover his own sin, conspired to have her husband killed. At one point, the Scriptures accuse the people of God, the nation of Israel, as being so bad they made Sodom and Gomorrah look good by comparison ( Ezekiel 16:46-52). The Bible represents human nature as hostile to God. It predicts a future full of trouble. It teaches that the road to heaven is narrow and the way to hell is wide. Scripture was clearly not written for those who want simple answers or an easy, optimistic view of religion and human nature.
2. Its Preservation
Just as the modern state of Israel was emerging from thousands of years of dispersion, a bedouin shepherd discovered one of the most important archeological treasures of our time. In a cave of the northwest rim of the Dead Sea, a broken jar yielded documents that had been hidden for two millennia. Additional finds produced manuscripts that predated previous oldest copies by 1,000 years. One of the most important was a copy of Isaiah. It revealed a document that is essentially the same as the book of Isaiah that appears in our own Bibles. The Dead Sea scrolls emerged from the dust like a symbolic handshake to a nation coming home. They discredited the claims of those who believed that the original Bible had been lost to time and tampering.
3. Its Claims For Itself
It's important to know what the Bible says about itself. If the authors of Scripture had not claimed to speak for God, it would be presumptuous for us to make that claim for them. We would also have a different kind of problem. We would have a collection of unsolved mysteries, embodied in historical and ethical literature. But we would not have a book that has inspired the building of countless churches and synagogues all over the world. A Bible that did not claim to speak on behalf of God would not have become foundational to the faith of hundreds of millions of Christians and Jews (2 Peter 1:16-21). But with much supporting evidence and argument, the Bible's authors did claim to be inspired by God. Because millions have staked their present and eternal well-being on those claims, the Bible cannot be a good book if its authors consistently lied about their source of information.
4. Its Miracles
Israel's exodus from Egypt provided a historical basis for believing that God revealed Himself to Israel. If the Red Sea did not part as Moses said it did, the Old Testament loses its authority to speak on behalf of God. The New Testament is just as dependent upon miracles. If Jesus did not rise bodily from the dead, the apostle Paul admits that the Christian faith is built on a lie (1 Corinthians 15:14-17). To show its credibility, the New Testament names its witnesses, and did so within a time-frame that enabled those claims to be tested (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). Many of the witnesses ended up as martyrs, not for abstract moral or spiritual convictions but for their claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. While martyrdom is not unusual, the basis on which these people gave their lives is what's important. Many have died for what they believed to be the truth. But people do not die for what they know to be a lie.
5. Its Unity
Forty different authors writing over a period of 1,600 years penned the 66 books of the Bible. Four hundred silent years separated the 39 books of the Old Testament from the 27 of the New Testament. Yet, from Genesis to Revelation, they tell one unfolding story. Together they give consistent answers to the most important questions we can ask: Why are we here? How can we come to terms with our fears? How can we get along? How can we rise above our circumstances and keep hope alive? How can we make peace with our Maker? The Bible's consistent answers to these questions show that the Scriptures are not many books but one.
6. Its Historical And Geographical Accuracy
Down through the ages, many have doubted the historical and geographical accuracy of the Bible. Yet modern archeologists have repeatedly unearthed evidence of the people, places, and cultures described in the Scriptures. Time after time, the descriptions in the biblical record have been shown to be more reliable than the speculations of scholars. The modern visitor to the museums and lands of the Bible cannot help but come away impressed with the real geographical and historical backdrop of the biblical text.
7. Its Endorsement By Christ
Many have spoken well of the Bible, but no endorsement is as compelling as that of Jesus of Nazareth. He recommended the Bible not only by His words but by His life. In times of personal temptation, public teaching, and personal suffering, He made it clear that He believed the Old Testament Scriptures were more than a national tradition ( Matthew 4:1-11; 5:17-19). He believed the Bible was a book about Himself. To His countrymen He said, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life" (John 5:39-40).
8. Its Prophetic Accuracy
From the days of Moses, the Bible predicted events no one wanted to believe. Before Israel went into the Promised Land, Moses predicted that Israel would be unfaithful, that she would lose the land God was giving her, and that she would be dispersed throughout all the world, regathered, and then re-established ( (Deuteronomy 28-31). Central to Old Testament prophecy was the promise of a Messiah who would save God's people from their sins and eventually bring judgment and peace to the whole world.
9. Its Survival
The books of Moses were written 500 years before the earliest Hindu Scriptures. Moses wrote Genesis 2,000 years before Muhammad penned the Koran. During that long history, no other book has been as loved or as hated as the Bible. No other book has been so consistently bought, studied, and quoted as this book. While millions of other titles come and go, the Bible is still the book by which all other books are measured. While often ignored by those who are uncomfortable with its teachings, it is still the central book of Western civilization.
10. Its Power To Change Lives
Unbelievers often point to those who claim to believe in the Bible without being changed by it. But history is also marked by those who have been bettered by this book. The Ten Commandments have been a source of moral direction to countless numbers of people. The Psalms of David have offered comfort in times of trouble and loss. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount has given millions an antidote for stubborn pride and proud legalism. Paul's description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 has softened angry hearts. The changed lives of people like the apostle Paul, Augustine, Martin Luther, John Newton, Leo Tolstoy, and C. S. Lewis illustrate the difference the Bible can make. Even entire nations or tribes, like the Celts of Ireland, the wild Vikings of Norway, or the Auca Indians of Ecuador have been transformed by the Word of God and the unprecedented life and significance of Jesus Christ.
The Bible is painfully honest. It shows Jacob, the father of its "chosen people," to be a deceiver. It describes Moses, the lawgiver, as an insecure, reluctant leader, who, in his first attempt to come to the aid of his own people, killed a man, and then ran for life to the desert. It portrays David not only as Israel's most loved king, general, and spiritual leader, but as one who took another man's wife and then, to cover his own sin, conspired to have her husband killed. At one point, the Scriptures accuse the people of God, the nation of Israel, as being so bad they made Sodom and Gomorrah look good by comparison ( Ezekiel 16:46-52). The Bible represents human nature as hostile to God. It predicts a future full of trouble. It teaches that the road to heaven is narrow and the way to hell is wide. Scripture was clearly not written for those who want simple answers or an easy, optimistic view of religion and human nature.
2. Its Preservation
Just as the modern state of Israel was emerging from thousands of years of dispersion, a bedouin shepherd discovered one of the most important archeological treasures of our time. In a cave of the northwest rim of the Dead Sea, a broken jar yielded documents that had been hidden for two millennia. Additional finds produced manuscripts that predated previous oldest copies by 1,000 years. One of the most important was a copy of Isaiah. It revealed a document that is essentially the same as the book of Isaiah that appears in our own Bibles. The Dead Sea scrolls emerged from the dust like a symbolic handshake to a nation coming home. They discredited the claims of those who believed that the original Bible had been lost to time and tampering.
3. Its Claims For Itself
It's important to know what the Bible says about itself. If the authors of Scripture had not claimed to speak for God, it would be presumptuous for us to make that claim for them. We would also have a different kind of problem. We would have a collection of unsolved mysteries, embodied in historical and ethical literature. But we would not have a book that has inspired the building of countless churches and synagogues all over the world. A Bible that did not claim to speak on behalf of God would not have become foundational to the faith of hundreds of millions of Christians and Jews (2 Peter 1:16-21). But with much supporting evidence and argument, the Bible's authors did claim to be inspired by God. Because millions have staked their present and eternal well-being on those claims, the Bible cannot be a good book if its authors consistently lied about their source of information.
4. Its Miracles
Israel's exodus from Egypt provided a historical basis for believing that God revealed Himself to Israel. If the Red Sea did not part as Moses said it did, the Old Testament loses its authority to speak on behalf of God. The New Testament is just as dependent upon miracles. If Jesus did not rise bodily from the dead, the apostle Paul admits that the Christian faith is built on a lie (1 Corinthians 15:14-17). To show its credibility, the New Testament names its witnesses, and did so within a time-frame that enabled those claims to be tested (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). Many of the witnesses ended up as martyrs, not for abstract moral or spiritual convictions but for their claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. While martyrdom is not unusual, the basis on which these people gave their lives is what's important. Many have died for what they believed to be the truth. But people do not die for what they know to be a lie.
5. Its Unity
Forty different authors writing over a period of 1,600 years penned the 66 books of the Bible. Four hundred silent years separated the 39 books of the Old Testament from the 27 of the New Testament. Yet, from Genesis to Revelation, they tell one unfolding story. Together they give consistent answers to the most important questions we can ask: Why are we here? How can we come to terms with our fears? How can we get along? How can we rise above our circumstances and keep hope alive? How can we make peace with our Maker? The Bible's consistent answers to these questions show that the Scriptures are not many books but one.
6. Its Historical And Geographical Accuracy
Down through the ages, many have doubted the historical and geographical accuracy of the Bible. Yet modern archeologists have repeatedly unearthed evidence of the people, places, and cultures described in the Scriptures. Time after time, the descriptions in the biblical record have been shown to be more reliable than the speculations of scholars. The modern visitor to the museums and lands of the Bible cannot help but come away impressed with the real geographical and historical backdrop of the biblical text.
7. Its Endorsement By Christ
Many have spoken well of the Bible, but no endorsement is as compelling as that of Jesus of Nazareth. He recommended the Bible not only by His words but by His life. In times of personal temptation, public teaching, and personal suffering, He made it clear that He believed the Old Testament Scriptures were more than a national tradition ( Matthew 4:1-11; 5:17-19). He believed the Bible was a book about Himself. To His countrymen He said, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life" (John 5:39-40).
8. Its Prophetic Accuracy
From the days of Moses, the Bible predicted events no one wanted to believe. Before Israel went into the Promised Land, Moses predicted that Israel would be unfaithful, that she would lose the land God was giving her, and that she would be dispersed throughout all the world, regathered, and then re-established ( (Deuteronomy 28-31). Central to Old Testament prophecy was the promise of a Messiah who would save God's people from their sins and eventually bring judgment and peace to the whole world.
9. Its Survival
The books of Moses were written 500 years before the earliest Hindu Scriptures. Moses wrote Genesis 2,000 years before Muhammad penned the Koran. During that long history, no other book has been as loved or as hated as the Bible. No other book has been so consistently bought, studied, and quoted as this book. While millions of other titles come and go, the Bible is still the book by which all other books are measured. While often ignored by those who are uncomfortable with its teachings, it is still the central book of Western civilization.
10. Its Power To Change Lives
Unbelievers often point to those who claim to believe in the Bible without being changed by it. But history is also marked by those who have been bettered by this book. The Ten Commandments have been a source of moral direction to countless numbers of people. The Psalms of David have offered comfort in times of trouble and loss. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount has given millions an antidote for stubborn pride and proud legalism. Paul's description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 has softened angry hearts. The changed lives of people like the apostle Paul, Augustine, Martin Luther, John Newton, Leo Tolstoy, and C. S. Lewis illustrate the difference the Bible can make. Even entire nations or tribes, like the Celts of Ireland, the wild Vikings of Norway, or the Auca Indians of Ecuador have been transformed by the Word of God and the unprecedented life and significance of Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
All Gods Promises
Acts 2:41-47
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Togetherness was important to the early church. The book of Acts uses the word together thirty-two times. Assemble or some derivative is used in seven places. The writer of Hebrews encourages us not to forsake the assembling of the saints. (Hebrews 10:25) Togetherness is an important aspect of the church. This togetherness or fellowship is God's plan for the church. The beloved disciple wrote of this so eloquently, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3) We share the gospel with others so that they can fellowship or come together with us because our togetherness is with the Lord. We come together so others can come together with us and we can all be together with God.
There is definitely something about being with other believers - growing together, experiencing life, and aiding one another that is unique about the church. The church is not an exclusive country club designed just for members. It is not a charity designed just for non-members. It is something in between. It is family - family that lifts up those in it and embraces new people with love hoping they can be part of it.
I love my church. I lived a good chunk of my Christian adult life away from church. Boy what a fool I was. I missed so much. If you're not faithfully attending a church somewhere, find one in your community. Books and e-mails are cheap imitations for the joys and strengths you'll find in a real life fellowship.
I'll leave you with an old illustration I've seen or heard many times before.
A churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."
This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:
"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time, my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Togetherness was important to the early church. The book of Acts uses the word together thirty-two times. Assemble or some derivative is used in seven places. The writer of Hebrews encourages us not to forsake the assembling of the saints. (Hebrews 10:25) Togetherness is an important aspect of the church. This togetherness or fellowship is God's plan for the church. The beloved disciple wrote of this so eloquently, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3) We share the gospel with others so that they can fellowship or come together with us because our togetherness is with the Lord. We come together so others can come together with us and we can all be together with God.
There is definitely something about being with other believers - growing together, experiencing life, and aiding one another that is unique about the church. The church is not an exclusive country club designed just for members. It is not a charity designed just for non-members. It is something in between. It is family - family that lifts up those in it and embraces new people with love hoping they can be part of it.
I love my church. I lived a good chunk of my Christian adult life away from church. Boy what a fool I was. I missed so much. If you're not faithfully attending a church somewhere, find one in your community. Books and e-mails are cheap imitations for the joys and strengths you'll find in a real life fellowship.
I'll leave you with an old illustration I've seen or heard many times before.
A churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."
This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:
"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time, my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
The Farmer and the Lord
The Farmer and the Lord
by Jim Reeves
While restin' one evening by the side of the road,
I saw an old farmer in a field he'd just hoed;
His face was all brown and wrinkled by the wind,
And he was talkin' to the Lord, just like he'd be talkin to a friend.
Well sir, he said, in a voice calm and quiet,
Them corn tassels need sackin', but I got no string to tie it;
Had no rain in so long that the fields are mighty dusty,
It's been so unbearable hot, that the kids are even gettin' fussy.
Now that grass down in the pasture should be knee high,
If we could just have a little shower, Lord, it might keep the cow from goin' dry;
Ah, but listen to me talkin', you'd think I wasn't grateful,
Why, if you didn't know me so well, Lord, you'd think I was downright hateful.
You'd think I'd forgot about the new calf that you sent,
And the money in the mail that took care of the rent;
Ma's cold's better and Johnny's home from the Navy,
And that good Sunday dinner of chicken, dumplins', and gravy;
The new preacher you sent us, Lord, he sure is a fine young man,
Why, he's just convertin' them sinners to beat the band!
Well, guess I'll be mosein' along, Lord, won't take no more of Your time,
Guess there's plenty of folks here abouts waitin' to ring your line;
Evenin' to you Lord and watch over us tonight;
And don't you worry about us none Lord, 'cause everything's gonna be alright.
Thanks for dropping by; hope you enjoy listening to Jim Reeves as much as I do!
The Farmer and the Lord
by Jim Reeves
While restin' one evening by the side of the road,
I saw an old farmer in a field he'd just hoed;
His face was all brown and wrinkled by the wind,
And he was talkin' to the Lord, just like he'd be talkin to a friend.
Well sir, he said, in a voice calm and quiet,
Them corn tassels need sackin', but I got no string to tie it;
Had no rain in so long that the fields are mighty dusty,
It's been so unbearable hot, that the kids are even gettin' fussy.
Now that grass down in the pasture should be knee high,
If we could just have a little shower, Lord, it might keep the cow from goin' dry;
Ah, but listen to me talkin', you'd think I wasn't grateful,
Why, if you didn't know me so well, Lord, you'd think I was downright hateful.
You'd think I'd forgot about the new calf that you sent,
And the money in the mail that took care of the rent;
Ma's cold's better and Johnny's home from the Navy,
And that good Sunday dinner of chicken, dumplins', and gravy;
The new preacher you sent us, Lord, he sure is a fine young man,
Why, he's just convertin' them sinners to beat the band!
Well, guess I'll be mosein' along, Lord, won't take no more of Your time,
Guess there's plenty of folks here abouts waitin' to ring your line;
Evenin' to you Lord and watch over us tonight;
And don't you worry about us none Lord, 'cause everything's gonna be alright.
Thanks for dropping by; hope you enjoy listening to Jim Reeves as much as I do!
The Farmer and the Lord
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The New World Order
We need to pray for our Nation and the Leaders. In the next 30 days we may be in another war. This war will be against Iran. Here is the reason why we should be praying for our leaders and our nation. The New World Order
by Terry Melanson
The New World Order as envisioned by the Elite is hardly a recent undertaking. Theirs is a philosophy rooted in ancient occult traditions. Success is near, and the infiltration of society by New Age occultism is the reason for this success. The New World Order has never been solely about world government, rather, from the beginning its proponents have been privy to secret doctrines and it is a spiritual plan more than anything.
If one failed to take into account the occult nature of the New World Order, they would be remiss. The UN and the New Age have been bed-fellows since the beginning. America's secret destiny is the product of Rosicrucian and Freemason forefathers. The New Atlantis as proposed in Francis Bacon's work is almost at hand. The Ancient Mysteries are being studied for illumination and enlightenment by the New World Order's elite. Not to mention the New Age gurus — dutifully recruiting on behalf of the Secret Brotherhood.
In 1980, Marylin Ferguson compiled and espoused a synthesis involving the theories of transformation and the secret plan of the Aquarian Age. In her studies of the scientific advancements of this age involving entropy and syntropy, holism, holographs, paradigm shifts, the uncertainty principle and evolution, she discovered that, "for the first time an American renaissance is taking place in all disciplines, breaking the boundaries between them, transforming them at their farthest reaches—where they all converge." ( The Aquarian Conspiracy p.12)
Speaking of the networks and web of influence, Ferguson proclaimed: "There are legions of conspirators... in corporations, universities, hospitals, on the faculties of public schools, in factories, in doctors' offices, in state and federal agencies, on city councils and the White House staff, in state organizations, in virtually all arenas of policy making in the country [U.S.]...[including] at the cabinet level of the United States Government." (ibid. p.24) However, other New Age proponents said that this is innacurate, in that she had understated the influence of the New Age worldwide, especially in the UN and the EEC.
It is no coincidence that America has become the center of New Age and New World Order conspiracies. The Theosophical and Rosicrucian traditions hold that every nation has a spiritual destiny guided by a hierarchy of beings using all ethical (or un-ethical) means of manifesting the "divine plan" through the will of the nation's leaders.
A proponent of the New Age and the Secret Brotherhood's plan for a New World Order is Robert Hieronimus. In his book America's Secret Destiny, he traced the spiritual vision of America's founding fathers and the plan's eventual fruition in what we call the New World Order and the New Age Movement (both of which are synonymous). He stresses that the founding fathers of America had the equivalent of "Masters" and were pupils in a sense, much like today's powerful Elite have Masters and Gurus, following the teachings of the Great Plan.
According to the Rosicrucians and Theosophists, supporting the divine plan are great beings refered to as masters of the physical and spiritual planes. The evolution of America owes much to the seed thoughts of four masters—Kuthumi, El Morya, Rogoczy, and Djwhal Khul. Some of the founders of America may have been consciously or unconsciously students of these teachers, just as some contemporary Americans are pupils of these masters. In fact, the motto of the heirarchy of world teachers is identical with America's destiny—the brotherhood of man and the Fatherhood of God. (p. 95)
Another writer, from the opposite camp, confirms the assertions of Heironimus. Willy Peterson writes:
In order to reach their aims of world unity and thus engage the whole world in service to the Plan, "enlightened" Freemasons and New Agers have been pushing for collectivist motifs that promote monistic pantheism and unity. This is why the chief instigators to the globalist League of Nations and the United Nations have been Theosophists, trying to work out the plan. This is why the verbiage and aims at the U.N. is for world peace and brotherhood. It is a spiritual undertaking in a secular world. Lucis Trust has had three think-tanks located at the U.N. Plaza in New York for around fifty years. No wonder the former Assistant Secretary General to the U.N., Robert Muller, is a devoted disciple of Alice Bailey, whose book, A Treatise on White Magic, forms the basis for the Robert Muller schools. (The Leavening)
These people are called the torchbearers or lightbearers of the New World Order. A spiritual plan that has been traced to the time of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel, up through to the Illuminati and onwards. "A loosely-knit world conspiracy," David Allen Lewis writes, "a so called Network of Illuminists." "Whether the Illuminati has one special organization that is its orginal descendant... we can be very sure that its philosophical torchbearers are represented by literally hundreds of organizations and individuals in many diverse realms." (Dark Angels of Light)
A Blueprint For Destiny
Robert Heironomus says that "America's Great Seal may be seen as a blueprint for the elevation of consciousness. It says, in part, that we must transform ourselves before we can change the world, and that it is during the process of self-transformation that we can catch a glimpse of what part we are to play in national and global transformation."
The mandala of the New World Order and Illuminati control. "Annuit Coeptis—He has Blessed our Beginning", "Novus Ordo Seclorum—New Order of the Ages". The All-Seeing Eye of Horus, the resurrected Egyptian Sun God, biblically refered to as Lucifer, the angel of light.
In occult doctrine it is thought that "from the union of spirit and matter (the pyramid is made of stone, rock, and earth—and represents the unconscious. The capstone is made of an immaterial substance—light or spirit—and is conscious), a new being—a transformed being—is created. The seal's reverse depicts a separation state in the separation of the eye the triangle."
"The pyramid exemplifies the initiation stage,... it is the house of initiation, in which the candidate confronts the world of darkness and enters the world of spirit. By passing the tests of the elements, the candidate is initiated into the realm of higher consciousness." (Heironimus ibid., p.92) After succesfully completing the initiation process, the candidate is reborn, and joins the single eye in the pyramid.
The New World Order, or rather the philosophy its deliverers hold to be true, is one and the same as the New Age ideal of man's divinity and self-transformation. In order to partake in this gnostic fufillment of "The Great Plan" one must awaken to the original sin of Lucifer, as proposed to Eve in the Garden of Eden, that "we can be as Gods." (Gen. 3:5) So it is not suprising to find that Christians, specifically, are cited as the main obstacle hindering the success of this New Age-New World Order.
The reason for this, is the New Age belief in many "saviors" and "enlightened teachers", masters and gurus—its all good and fine when the goal is the false teaching of man's divinity. The New Agers see many ways to salvation; Christians proclaim that there is only one Way - Jesus Christ. "For the gate is small, and narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it." (Matt. 7:14) The Bible states that this is in reality the "broad way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter it." (Matt. 7:13) Therefore, the only religion not compatible with The New Age, and hence the coming New World Order, is the belief and strict adherence in the Word God – with traditional Christianity being looked upon as particularly pernicious.
In Dark Secrets of the New Age, Texe Marrs wrote:
The New Age is a universal open-arms religion that excludes from its ranks only those who believe in Jesus Christ and a Personal God. Buddhists, Shintoist, Satanists, Secular Humanists, witches, witch doctors and shamans — All who reject Christianity are invited to become trusted members of the New Age family. Worshippers of separate faiths and denominations are to be unified in a common purpose: THE GLORIFICATION OF MAN.
The Guardians of the Mysteries
Freemasonry, by its own accord, practices the ancient mysteries of Egypt, and has as a primary goal, the re-instatement of this mystery religion for the coming World Order.
The magical mystery religion of Ancient Egypt exercised a great fascination over Renaissance man, which was incorporated into—the newly formed—Lodges at that time. The mysterious heiroglyphs were considered to be symbols of hidden knowledge. Symbols and gestures became a means of conveying secrets and "truths". The cosmos was seen as an organic unity. It was peopled by a hierarchy of spirits which exercised all kinds of influences and sympathies. The practice of magic became a holy quest.
Back in 1927, Freemason W.L. Wilmhurst saw the dawning of the Aquarian Age as the fufillment of the "Plan". In The Meaning of Masonry, p.4, he writes:
In this new Aquarian age, when many individuals and groups are working in various ways for the eventual restoration of the mysteries, an increasing number of aspirants are beginning to recognize that Freemasonry may well be the vehicle for this achievement
He would be well proud, I'm sure, of today's mainstream acceptance of those very same occult mysteries. Another passage on page 46-47, proves the teaching of Freemasonry is the same as New Age beliefs:
He begins his Masonic career as the natural man; he ends it by becoming through its discipline, a regenerated man... This the evolution of man into superman—was always the purpose of the ancient Mysteries, and the real purpose of modern Masonry is, not the social and charitable purposes to which so much attention is paid, but the expediting of the spiritual evolution of those who aspire to perfect their own nature and transform it into a more god-like quality.
Freemasonry, through its mysteries, will soon usher in a New World Religion for the New World Order. A modern day Tower of Babel and the ultimate unification of the world's religions. The New Age welcomes these goals and looks to the "light" of Masonry as its esoteric basis for occult initiation into the New World Order. Benjamin Creme writes:
The New Religion will manifest, for instance,through organizations like Masonry. In Freemasonry is embedded the core or the secret heart of the occult mysteries, wrapped up on number, metaphor and symbol...
(The Reappearance of the Christ and the Masters of Wisdom p.87)
Freemason and co-founder of Lucifer Publishing Company (now called Lucis Trust), Foster Bailey, concurs, "Is it not possible from a contemplation of this side of Masonic teaching that it may provide all that is necessary for the formulation of a universal religion?"(The Spirit of Masonry p.113) Foster Bailey states that Masonry "is the descendant of, or is founded upon, a divinely imparted religion..." This religion he explains, "...was the first United World Religion. Then came the era of separation of many religions and sectarianism. Today we are working again towards a World Universal Religion." (ibid p.31)
To biblical students these are shocking admissions and it adds fuel to the charge of a Masonic Antichrist in our midst. "It is these Mysteries which Christ will restore upon His reapearance," Alice Bailey reveals, "thus reviving the churches in a new form, and restoring the hidden Mystery." (The Reappearance of the Christ, p. 122) Bailey is giving these "revelations" by her channeled Master Djwhal Khul — a disembodied "Ascended Master". Her "Christ" is indeed the Antichrist in the strictest sense of the word. Antichrist means substitute for or in place of Christ. She goes on to say that "These ancient Mysteries were originally given to humanity by the Hierarchy [of which Djwhal Khul is a part of] and contain the entire clue to the evolutionary process, hidden in numbers, in ritual, in words and in symbols; these veil the secret of man's origin and destiny, picturing to him in rite and ritual, the long, long path which he must tread, back into the light." (ibid, p.121-22)
So what do we have here:
The New Age tells its disciples that they are working for the Hierarchy.
The teachings of the New Age are giving by the Hierarchy.
The movement for the installement of the Antichrist is giving the go-ahead by the Hierarchy — Djwhal Khul's number one message for New Age disciples is "prepare men for the reappearance of the Christ. This is your first duty." (The Externalization of the Hierarchy, p.614)
The Ancient Mysteries, being practiced by both Freemasonry and the New Age, were giving to humanity by the Hierarchy.
The real purpose of Masonry — taught to man, from the Hierarchy — is the expediting of the spiritual evolution, to transform their nature into a god-like superman.
The Serpent caused the Fall in the Garden of Eden by giving Eve this very same message.
"Man is a god in the making. And as the mystic myths of Egypt, on the potter's wheel, he is being molded. When his light shines out to lift and preserve all things, he receives the triple crown of godhood." (Manly P. Hall, The Lost Keys of Freemasonry, p. 92)
"European mysticism was not dead at the time the United States of America was founded. The hand of the mysteries controlled in the establishment of the new government for the signature of the mysteries may still be seen on the Great Seal of the United states of America. Careful analysis of the seal discloses a mass of occult and masonic symbols chief among them, the so-called American Eagle. ... the American eagle upon the Great Seal is but a conventionalised phoenix..."
"Not only were many of the founders of the United States government Masons, but they received aid from a secret and august body existing in Europe which helped them to establish this country for A PECULIAR AND PARTICULAR PURPOSE known only to the initiated few." (Manly P. Hall, The Secret Teachings of All Ages, pp. XC and XCI)
by Terry Melanson
The New World Order as envisioned by the Elite is hardly a recent undertaking. Theirs is a philosophy rooted in ancient occult traditions. Success is near, and the infiltration of society by New Age occultism is the reason for this success. The New World Order has never been solely about world government, rather, from the beginning its proponents have been privy to secret doctrines and it is a spiritual plan more than anything.
If one failed to take into account the occult nature of the New World Order, they would be remiss. The UN and the New Age have been bed-fellows since the beginning. America's secret destiny is the product of Rosicrucian and Freemason forefathers. The New Atlantis as proposed in Francis Bacon's work is almost at hand. The Ancient Mysteries are being studied for illumination and enlightenment by the New World Order's elite. Not to mention the New Age gurus — dutifully recruiting on behalf of the Secret Brotherhood.
In 1980, Marylin Ferguson compiled and espoused a synthesis involving the theories of transformation and the secret plan of the Aquarian Age. In her studies of the scientific advancements of this age involving entropy and syntropy, holism, holographs, paradigm shifts, the uncertainty principle and evolution, she discovered that, "for the first time an American renaissance is taking place in all disciplines, breaking the boundaries between them, transforming them at their farthest reaches—where they all converge." ( The Aquarian Conspiracy p.12)
Speaking of the networks and web of influence, Ferguson proclaimed: "There are legions of conspirators... in corporations, universities, hospitals, on the faculties of public schools, in factories, in doctors' offices, in state and federal agencies, on city councils and the White House staff, in state organizations, in virtually all arenas of policy making in the country [U.S.]...[including] at the cabinet level of the United States Government." (ibid. p.24) However, other New Age proponents said that this is innacurate, in that she had understated the influence of the New Age worldwide, especially in the UN and the EEC.
It is no coincidence that America has become the center of New Age and New World Order conspiracies. The Theosophical and Rosicrucian traditions hold that every nation has a spiritual destiny guided by a hierarchy of beings using all ethical (or un-ethical) means of manifesting the "divine plan" through the will of the nation's leaders.
A proponent of the New Age and the Secret Brotherhood's plan for a New World Order is Robert Hieronimus. In his book America's Secret Destiny, he traced the spiritual vision of America's founding fathers and the plan's eventual fruition in what we call the New World Order and the New Age Movement (both of which are synonymous). He stresses that the founding fathers of America had the equivalent of "Masters" and were pupils in a sense, much like today's powerful Elite have Masters and Gurus, following the teachings of the Great Plan.
According to the Rosicrucians and Theosophists, supporting the divine plan are great beings refered to as masters of the physical and spiritual planes. The evolution of America owes much to the seed thoughts of four masters—Kuthumi, El Morya, Rogoczy, and Djwhal Khul. Some of the founders of America may have been consciously or unconsciously students of these teachers, just as some contemporary Americans are pupils of these masters. In fact, the motto of the heirarchy of world teachers is identical with America's destiny—the brotherhood of man and the Fatherhood of God. (p. 95)
Another writer, from the opposite camp, confirms the assertions of Heironimus. Willy Peterson writes:
In order to reach their aims of world unity and thus engage the whole world in service to the Plan, "enlightened" Freemasons and New Agers have been pushing for collectivist motifs that promote monistic pantheism and unity. This is why the chief instigators to the globalist League of Nations and the United Nations have been Theosophists, trying to work out the plan. This is why the verbiage and aims at the U.N. is for world peace and brotherhood. It is a spiritual undertaking in a secular world. Lucis Trust has had three think-tanks located at the U.N. Plaza in New York for around fifty years. No wonder the former Assistant Secretary General to the U.N., Robert Muller, is a devoted disciple of Alice Bailey, whose book, A Treatise on White Magic, forms the basis for the Robert Muller schools. (The Leavening)
These people are called the torchbearers or lightbearers of the New World Order. A spiritual plan that has been traced to the time of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel, up through to the Illuminati and onwards. "A loosely-knit world conspiracy," David Allen Lewis writes, "a so called Network of Illuminists." "Whether the Illuminati has one special organization that is its orginal descendant... we can be very sure that its philosophical torchbearers are represented by literally hundreds of organizations and individuals in many diverse realms." (Dark Angels of Light)
A Blueprint For Destiny
Robert Heironomus says that "America's Great Seal may be seen as a blueprint for the elevation of consciousness. It says, in part, that we must transform ourselves before we can change the world, and that it is during the process of self-transformation that we can catch a glimpse of what part we are to play in national and global transformation."
The mandala of the New World Order and Illuminati control. "Annuit Coeptis—He has Blessed our Beginning", "Novus Ordo Seclorum—New Order of the Ages". The All-Seeing Eye of Horus, the resurrected Egyptian Sun God, biblically refered to as Lucifer, the angel of light.
In occult doctrine it is thought that "from the union of spirit and matter (the pyramid is made of stone, rock, and earth—and represents the unconscious. The capstone is made of an immaterial substance—light or spirit—and is conscious), a new being—a transformed being—is created. The seal's reverse depicts a separation state in the separation of the eye the triangle."
"The pyramid exemplifies the initiation stage,... it is the house of initiation, in which the candidate confronts the world of darkness and enters the world of spirit. By passing the tests of the elements, the candidate is initiated into the realm of higher consciousness." (Heironimus ibid., p.92) After succesfully completing the initiation process, the candidate is reborn, and joins the single eye in the pyramid.
The New World Order, or rather the philosophy its deliverers hold to be true, is one and the same as the New Age ideal of man's divinity and self-transformation. In order to partake in this gnostic fufillment of "The Great Plan" one must awaken to the original sin of Lucifer, as proposed to Eve in the Garden of Eden, that "we can be as Gods." (Gen. 3:5) So it is not suprising to find that Christians, specifically, are cited as the main obstacle hindering the success of this New Age-New World Order.
The reason for this, is the New Age belief in many "saviors" and "enlightened teachers", masters and gurus—its all good and fine when the goal is the false teaching of man's divinity. The New Agers see many ways to salvation; Christians proclaim that there is only one Way - Jesus Christ. "For the gate is small, and narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it." (Matt. 7:14) The Bible states that this is in reality the "broad way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter it." (Matt. 7:13) Therefore, the only religion not compatible with The New Age, and hence the coming New World Order, is the belief and strict adherence in the Word God – with traditional Christianity being looked upon as particularly pernicious.
In Dark Secrets of the New Age, Texe Marrs wrote:
The New Age is a universal open-arms religion that excludes from its ranks only those who believe in Jesus Christ and a Personal God. Buddhists, Shintoist, Satanists, Secular Humanists, witches, witch doctors and shamans — All who reject Christianity are invited to become trusted members of the New Age family. Worshippers of separate faiths and denominations are to be unified in a common purpose: THE GLORIFICATION OF MAN.
The Guardians of the Mysteries
Freemasonry, by its own accord, practices the ancient mysteries of Egypt, and has as a primary goal, the re-instatement of this mystery religion for the coming World Order.
The magical mystery religion of Ancient Egypt exercised a great fascination over Renaissance man, which was incorporated into—the newly formed—Lodges at that time. The mysterious heiroglyphs were considered to be symbols of hidden knowledge. Symbols and gestures became a means of conveying secrets and "truths". The cosmos was seen as an organic unity. It was peopled by a hierarchy of spirits which exercised all kinds of influences and sympathies. The practice of magic became a holy quest.
Back in 1927, Freemason W.L. Wilmhurst saw the dawning of the Aquarian Age as the fufillment of the "Plan". In The Meaning of Masonry, p.4, he writes:
In this new Aquarian age, when many individuals and groups are working in various ways for the eventual restoration of the mysteries, an increasing number of aspirants are beginning to recognize that Freemasonry may well be the vehicle for this achievement
He would be well proud, I'm sure, of today's mainstream acceptance of those very same occult mysteries. Another passage on page 46-47, proves the teaching of Freemasonry is the same as New Age beliefs:
He begins his Masonic career as the natural man; he ends it by becoming through its discipline, a regenerated man... This the evolution of man into superman—was always the purpose of the ancient Mysteries, and the real purpose of modern Masonry is, not the social and charitable purposes to which so much attention is paid, but the expediting of the spiritual evolution of those who aspire to perfect their own nature and transform it into a more god-like quality.
Freemasonry, through its mysteries, will soon usher in a New World Religion for the New World Order. A modern day Tower of Babel and the ultimate unification of the world's religions. The New Age welcomes these goals and looks to the "light" of Masonry as its esoteric basis for occult initiation into the New World Order. Benjamin Creme writes:
The New Religion will manifest, for instance,through organizations like Masonry. In Freemasonry is embedded the core or the secret heart of the occult mysteries, wrapped up on number, metaphor and symbol...
(The Reappearance of the Christ and the Masters of Wisdom p.87)
Freemason and co-founder of Lucifer Publishing Company (now called Lucis Trust), Foster Bailey, concurs, "Is it not possible from a contemplation of this side of Masonic teaching that it may provide all that is necessary for the formulation of a universal religion?"(The Spirit of Masonry p.113) Foster Bailey states that Masonry "is the descendant of, or is founded upon, a divinely imparted religion..." This religion he explains, "...was the first United World Religion. Then came the era of separation of many religions and sectarianism. Today we are working again towards a World Universal Religion." (ibid p.31)
To biblical students these are shocking admissions and it adds fuel to the charge of a Masonic Antichrist in our midst. "It is these Mysteries which Christ will restore upon His reapearance," Alice Bailey reveals, "thus reviving the churches in a new form, and restoring the hidden Mystery." (The Reappearance of the Christ, p. 122) Bailey is giving these "revelations" by her channeled Master Djwhal Khul — a disembodied "Ascended Master". Her "Christ" is indeed the Antichrist in the strictest sense of the word. Antichrist means substitute for or in place of Christ. She goes on to say that "These ancient Mysteries were originally given to humanity by the Hierarchy [of which Djwhal Khul is a part of] and contain the entire clue to the evolutionary process, hidden in numbers, in ritual, in words and in symbols; these veil the secret of man's origin and destiny, picturing to him in rite and ritual, the long, long path which he must tread, back into the light." (ibid, p.121-22)
So what do we have here:
The New Age tells its disciples that they are working for the Hierarchy.
The teachings of the New Age are giving by the Hierarchy.
The movement for the installement of the Antichrist is giving the go-ahead by the Hierarchy — Djwhal Khul's number one message for New Age disciples is "prepare men for the reappearance of the Christ. This is your first duty." (The Externalization of the Hierarchy, p.614)
The Ancient Mysteries, being practiced by both Freemasonry and the New Age, were giving to humanity by the Hierarchy.
The real purpose of Masonry — taught to man, from the Hierarchy — is the expediting of the spiritual evolution, to transform their nature into a god-like superman.
The Serpent caused the Fall in the Garden of Eden by giving Eve this very same message.
"Man is a god in the making. And as the mystic myths of Egypt, on the potter's wheel, he is being molded. When his light shines out to lift and preserve all things, he receives the triple crown of godhood." (Manly P. Hall, The Lost Keys of Freemasonry, p. 92)
"European mysticism was not dead at the time the United States of America was founded. The hand of the mysteries controlled in the establishment of the new government for the signature of the mysteries may still be seen on the Great Seal of the United states of America. Careful analysis of the seal discloses a mass of occult and masonic symbols chief among them, the so-called American Eagle. ... the American eagle upon the Great Seal is but a conventionalised phoenix..."
"Not only were many of the founders of the United States government Masons, but they received aid from a secret and august body existing in Europe which helped them to establish this country for A PECULIAR AND PARTICULAR PURPOSE known only to the initiated few." (Manly P. Hall, The Secret Teachings of All Ages, pp. XC and XCI)
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Putin Orders Russian Military Forces To Attack US Forces During Iran
Russian Military Analysts are reporting today that President Putin has issued orders to the Russian Interior Ministry to `immediately' dispatch Spetsnaz (Special Forces) troops to Iran to protect `vital' Russian assets, including the Bushehr Nuclear power plant.
These reports state that this order from President Putin to the Interior Ministry includes the phrase, "against any and all hostile forces", and which analysts state is a direct threat to US and Israeli Forces currently massing for their planned attack and invasion of Iran.
According to these reports, President Putin was `strongly' lobbied by Saudi Arabia to create a `buffer' against further US aggression in the Gulf Region, and which the Saudi King in his talks with President Putin this week stated his belief that the United States after attacking Iran would then set its sites upon his oil rich nation.
The fears of Saudi Arabia about an American takeover of their oil fields was further confirmed this week with the pronouncements of US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns to end US oil purchases from Venezuela, and which would leave only the Saudi Kingdom able to make up the difference in lost oil to the Americans.
President Putin in his speech before the Munich Security Conference this past week further warned the United States against its planned military expansion, and as we can read:
"It is world in which there is one master, one sovereign. And at the end of the day this is pernicious not only for all those within this system, but also for the sovereign itself because it destroys itself from within.
And this certainly has nothing in common with democracy. Because, as you know, democracy is the power of the majority in light of the interests and opinions of the minority.
Incidentally, Russia – we – are constantly being taught about democracy. But for some reason those who teach us do not want to learn themselves.
I consider that the unipolar model is not only unacceptable but also impossible in today's world. And this is not only because if there was individual leadership in today's – and precisely in today's – world, then the military, political and economic resources would not suffice. What is even more important is that the model itself is flawed because at its basis there is and can be no moral foundations for modern civilisation.
Along with this, what is happening in today's world – and we just started to discuss this – is a tentative to introduce precisely this concept into international affairs, the concept of a unipolar world.
And with which results?
Unilateral and frequently illegitimate actions have not resolved any problems. Moreover, they have caused new human tragedies and created new centres of tension. Judge for yourselves: wars as well as local and regional conflicts have not diminished. Mr Teltschik mentioned this very gently. And no less people perish in these conflicts – even more are
dying than before. Significantly more, significantly more!
Today we are witnessing an almost uncontained hyper use of force – military force – in international relations, force that is plunging the world into an abyss of permanent conflicts. As a result we do not have sufficient strength to find a comprehensive solution to any one of these conflicts. Finding a political settlement also becomes impossible.
We are seeing a greater and greater disdain for the basic principles of international law. And independent legal norms are, as a matter of fact, coming increasingly closer to one state's legal system. One state and, of course, first and foremost the United States, has overstepped its national borders in every way."
Virtually unknown to the American peoples themselves are that their Military Leaders plans do not call for a World based upon democratic ideals, but are instead based upon the ancient Roman model of establishing American based protectorates around the Globe to insure the
survival of the United States against both Russia and China, and who their Defense Secretary recently warned the US Congress:
"We need the full range of military capabilities, " including ground combat forces to battle large armies and nimble special operations troops to scout out terrorist threats, Gates told the House Armed Services Committee. "We don't know what's going to develop in places
like Russia and China, in North Korea, in Iran and elsewhere."
Russia has reacted harshly to the Americans by demanding an explanation for the stance being taken by their War Leaders, and as we can read:
"Moscow has demanded Washington's explanation of the U.S. defense secretary's Wednesday statement on uncertain prospects of developments in Russia, North Korea, Iran and China, a Russian foreign ministry spokesman said Monday.
Robert Gates said Wednesday the United States needs forces to combat big armies and special units to counter terrorism as he is unaware what may develop in such countries as Russia, North Korea, Iran and China."
Aside from the United States war zones, and where in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia the political control rests with powerful militias and warlords, the `model' the Americans are building for their allies is based solely on powerful dictators and not free and fair elections, and as we can see evidenced by: Egypt, and which is ruled by President for Life Mubarak; Pakistan, ruled by Military Dictator Mushaffaf; Jordan, ruled by King; Saudi Arabia, ruled by King; Gulf States, all ruled by Kings.
Most ironic about the despotic Muslim states supported and financed by the Americans is that the only 2 Muslim nations that have held free and fair elections, Iran and Lebanon, have suffered the full rage and anger of the United States and its allies.
Fears for the American people are further raised in these reports due the United States Militaries preparing to open their vast concentration camps in the American Southwest regions, and which reports from America show the preparations being made for the American, British and Germany troops being raised to guard these camps:
"The Pentagon has awarded nearly $1 million to the city of El Paso to help prepare for the arrival of thousands of new troops at Fort Bliss. Democratic Representative Silvestre Reyes, who heads the House Intelligence Committee, announced the grant Monday.
The money from the Defense Department's Office of Economic Adjustment will help pay for housing, utilities, education, public safety, health and social services. The award comes as Congress is fighting a Thursday deadline to pass a spending bill to keep the federal government operating.
The bill has been under debate amid Republican complaints that the legislation doesn't include enough money for Base Closing and Realignment work this year. The bill provides $2.5 billion for that work, but some Republicans want more. Fort Bliss is due to receive
20,000 troops, plus family members, over several years."
As President Putin has urged the American War Leaders 'not to pose as Lord God', he has also reminded the Russian people that "Russia's religion and nuclear weapons are equally important for the national security".
It is with much sadness that we have to report today that the American War Leaders are not heeding the warnings of President Putin, and in not doing so are plunging our entire World towards the abyss.
http://groups. google.com/ group/Bible- Prophecy- News/browse_ thread/thread/ b547dfb7dc20fbed /9b72203a577a358 e#9b72203a577a35 8e
These reports state that this order from President Putin to the Interior Ministry includes the phrase, "against any and all hostile forces", and which analysts state is a direct threat to US and Israeli Forces currently massing for their planned attack and invasion of Iran.
According to these reports, President Putin was `strongly' lobbied by Saudi Arabia to create a `buffer' against further US aggression in the Gulf Region, and which the Saudi King in his talks with President Putin this week stated his belief that the United States after attacking Iran would then set its sites upon his oil rich nation.
The fears of Saudi Arabia about an American takeover of their oil fields was further confirmed this week with the pronouncements of US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns to end US oil purchases from Venezuela, and which would leave only the Saudi Kingdom able to make up the difference in lost oil to the Americans.
President Putin in his speech before the Munich Security Conference this past week further warned the United States against its planned military expansion, and as we can read:
"It is world in which there is one master, one sovereign. And at the end of the day this is pernicious not only for all those within this system, but also for the sovereign itself because it destroys itself from within.
And this certainly has nothing in common with democracy. Because, as you know, democracy is the power of the majority in light of the interests and opinions of the minority.
Incidentally, Russia – we – are constantly being taught about democracy. But for some reason those who teach us do not want to learn themselves.
I consider that the unipolar model is not only unacceptable but also impossible in today's world. And this is not only because if there was individual leadership in today's – and precisely in today's – world, then the military, political and economic resources would not suffice. What is even more important is that the model itself is flawed because at its basis there is and can be no moral foundations for modern civilisation.
Along with this, what is happening in today's world – and we just started to discuss this – is a tentative to introduce precisely this concept into international affairs, the concept of a unipolar world.
And with which results?
Unilateral and frequently illegitimate actions have not resolved any problems. Moreover, they have caused new human tragedies and created new centres of tension. Judge for yourselves: wars as well as local and regional conflicts have not diminished. Mr Teltschik mentioned this very gently. And no less people perish in these conflicts – even more are
dying than before. Significantly more, significantly more!
Today we are witnessing an almost uncontained hyper use of force – military force – in international relations, force that is plunging the world into an abyss of permanent conflicts. As a result we do not have sufficient strength to find a comprehensive solution to any one of these conflicts. Finding a political settlement also becomes impossible.
We are seeing a greater and greater disdain for the basic principles of international law. And independent legal norms are, as a matter of fact, coming increasingly closer to one state's legal system. One state and, of course, first and foremost the United States, has overstepped its national borders in every way."
Virtually unknown to the American peoples themselves are that their Military Leaders plans do not call for a World based upon democratic ideals, but are instead based upon the ancient Roman model of establishing American based protectorates around the Globe to insure the
survival of the United States against both Russia and China, and who their Defense Secretary recently warned the US Congress:
"We need the full range of military capabilities, " including ground combat forces to battle large armies and nimble special operations troops to scout out terrorist threats, Gates told the House Armed Services Committee. "We don't know what's going to develop in places
like Russia and China, in North Korea, in Iran and elsewhere."
Russia has reacted harshly to the Americans by demanding an explanation for the stance being taken by their War Leaders, and as we can read:
"Moscow has demanded Washington's explanation of the U.S. defense secretary's Wednesday statement on uncertain prospects of developments in Russia, North Korea, Iran and China, a Russian foreign ministry spokesman said Monday.
Robert Gates said Wednesday the United States needs forces to combat big armies and special units to counter terrorism as he is unaware what may develop in such countries as Russia, North Korea, Iran and China."
Aside from the United States war zones, and where in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia the political control rests with powerful militias and warlords, the `model' the Americans are building for their allies is based solely on powerful dictators and not free and fair elections, and as we can see evidenced by: Egypt, and which is ruled by President for Life Mubarak; Pakistan, ruled by Military Dictator Mushaffaf; Jordan, ruled by King; Saudi Arabia, ruled by King; Gulf States, all ruled by Kings.
Most ironic about the despotic Muslim states supported and financed by the Americans is that the only 2 Muslim nations that have held free and fair elections, Iran and Lebanon, have suffered the full rage and anger of the United States and its allies.
Fears for the American people are further raised in these reports due the United States Militaries preparing to open their vast concentration camps in the American Southwest regions, and which reports from America show the preparations being made for the American, British and Germany troops being raised to guard these camps:
"The Pentagon has awarded nearly $1 million to the city of El Paso to help prepare for the arrival of thousands of new troops at Fort Bliss. Democratic Representative Silvestre Reyes, who heads the House Intelligence Committee, announced the grant Monday.
The money from the Defense Department's Office of Economic Adjustment will help pay for housing, utilities, education, public safety, health and social services. The award comes as Congress is fighting a Thursday deadline to pass a spending bill to keep the federal government operating.
The bill has been under debate amid Republican complaints that the legislation doesn't include enough money for Base Closing and Realignment work this year. The bill provides $2.5 billion for that work, but some Republicans want more. Fort Bliss is due to receive
20,000 troops, plus family members, over several years."
As President Putin has urged the American War Leaders 'not to pose as Lord God', he has also reminded the Russian people that "Russia's religion and nuclear weapons are equally important for the national security".
It is with much sadness that we have to report today that the American War Leaders are not heeding the warnings of President Putin, and in not doing so are plunging our entire World towards the abyss.
http://groups. google.com/ group/Bible- Prophecy- News/browse_ thread/thread/ b547dfb7dc20fbed /9b72203a577a358 e#9b72203a577a35 8e
10 reason to Believe in Christ rather than religion
1. Christ Is Someone To Know And Trust
Christ is more than a system, tradition, or belief. He is a Person who knows our needs, feels our pain, and sympathizes with our weakness. In exchange for our trust, He offers to forgive our sins, to intercede for us, and to bring us to His Father. He cried for us, died for us, and rose from the dead to show that He was all He claimed to be. Conquering death, He showed us that He can save us from our sins, live His life through us on earth, and then bring us safely to heaven. He offers Himself as a gift to anyone who will trust Him ( John 20:24-31).
2. Religion Is Something To Believe And Do
Religion is believing in God, attending religious services, taking catechism, being baptized, and receiving communion. Religion is tradition, ritual, ceremony, and learning the difference between right and wrong. Religion is reading and memorizing Scripture, offering prayers, giving to the poor, and celebrating religious holy days. Religion is singing in the choir, helping the poor, and making amends for past wrongs. Religion is something that was practiced by the Pharisees, those Scripture-loving, conservative, separatistic, spiritual leaders who hated Christ enough to call for His death. They hated Him not only because He broke their traditions in order to help people (Matthew 15:1-9 ) but because He saw through their religion to their hearts
3. Religion Doesn't Change Hearts
Jesus likened the religious Pharisees to a group of dishwashers who clean the outside of a cup while leaving the inside dirty. He said, "Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?" (Luke 11:39-40). Jesus knew that a person can change his image without changing his act ( Matthew 23:1-3). He knew that religious credentials and ceremony cannot change the heart. He told one of the most religious men of His day that unless a person is "born again" by the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Yet from that day until now, many of the most religious people in the world continue to forget that while religion can give attention to outward appearance, only Christ can change the heart.
4. Religion Makes Much Of Little
Jesus spoke to religionists who had a passion for detail when He said, "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue, and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone" ( Luke 11:42). Jesus saw our tendency to make rules and to focus on "morally correct" behavior instead of keeping our eyes on the bigger issue of why we are trying to be so right. While the Pharisees were big on knowledge carried out to its logical conclusions, they forgot that God doesn't care how much we know until He knows how much we care. It was this greater "why" that the apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. . . . If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing" ( 1 Corinthians 13:1,3).
5. Religion Offers The Approval Of Men Rather Than God
Jesus reserved His strongest criticism for religious people who used their spiritual reputation to get social attention and honors. To such religionists Jesus said, "Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces" ( Luke 11:43). Then, speaking to His disciples, He said of the Pharisees, "All their works they do to be seen by men" ( Matthew 23:5). Jesus saw clearly into the practice of religion, which holds the opinions and attention of man to be more important and desirable than the approval of God.
6. Religion Makes Hypocrites Of Us
Jesus said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them" ( Luke 11:44). What looks better than being dressed right, attending religious services, and doing things that mark us as decent, God-fearing people? Yet how many religious scholars, ministers, and faithful followers withhold honor and encouragement from their wives, attention from their children, and love from their doctrinal enemies? Jesus knew what we often forget: What looks good may have a heart of evil.
7. Religion Makes A Hard Life Harder
Because religion cannot change a heart, it tries to control people with laws and expectations that are not even kept by the religionists who interpret and apply the rules. With this "burden factor" in mind, Jesus said, "Woe to you also, lawyers [experts in religious law]! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers" (Luke 11:46). Religion is good at describing high standards of right behavior and relationships, but poor at giving real and merciful help to those who realize they have not lived up to those expectations.
8. Religion Makes It Easy To Deceive Ourselves
It's been jokingly said, "I love humanity. It's people I can't stand." The Pharisees acted out a similar idea, but it wasn't funny. According to Jesus, the Pharisees prided themselves in honoring and building memorials to the prophets. The irony is that when they met a real prophet they wanted to kill Him. Barclay says, "The only prophets they admired were dead prophets; when they met a living one, they tried to kill Him. They honored the dead prophets with tombs and memorials, but they dishonored the living ones with persecution and death." This is the point Jesus made in Luke 11:47-51 and in a parallel passage in Matthew 23:29-32. The Pharisees had fooled themselves. They didn't think of themselves as prophet-killers. Religionists don't see themselves as the God-rejecting people they are.
9. Religion Hides The Key Of Knowledge
One of the greatest dangers of religion is that it causes us to be a danger not only to ourselves but also to others. To the very religious biblical experts of His day Jesus said, "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered" ( Luke 11:52). Religionists take away "the key of knowledge" by distracting people from the Word of God and from a "right attention of heart" by the unnecessary additions of denominationally correct traditions and expectations. Rather than leading people to God, religionists shift the focus to themselves and their own rules. Religionists are those who trust the beliefs and actions of their religion to do what only Christ can do.
10. Religion Leads Its Converts Astray
In Matthew 23:15 Jesus said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." Converts of religion are in double jeopardy. They bring a double enthusiasm to their new way of life, and with zeal they blindly defend their blind teachers. They put themselves in the trust of people who have exchanged a system of rules and traditions for the life, forgiveness, and relationship of an infinite Savior. Religion is important in its place (James 1:26-27), but only when it points us to the Christ who died for our sins and who now offers to live His life through those who trust Him (Galatians 2:20; Titus 3:5).
Christ is more than a system, tradition, or belief. He is a Person who knows our needs, feels our pain, and sympathizes with our weakness. In exchange for our trust, He offers to forgive our sins, to intercede for us, and to bring us to His Father. He cried for us, died for us, and rose from the dead to show that He was all He claimed to be. Conquering death, He showed us that He can save us from our sins, live His life through us on earth, and then bring us safely to heaven. He offers Himself as a gift to anyone who will trust Him ( John 20:24-31).
2. Religion Is Something To Believe And Do
Religion is believing in God, attending religious services, taking catechism, being baptized, and receiving communion. Religion is tradition, ritual, ceremony, and learning the difference between right and wrong. Religion is reading and memorizing Scripture, offering prayers, giving to the poor, and celebrating religious holy days. Religion is singing in the choir, helping the poor, and making amends for past wrongs. Religion is something that was practiced by the Pharisees, those Scripture-loving, conservative, separatistic, spiritual leaders who hated Christ enough to call for His death. They hated Him not only because He broke their traditions in order to help people (Matthew 15:1-9 ) but because He saw through their religion to their hearts
3. Religion Doesn't Change Hearts
Jesus likened the religious Pharisees to a group of dishwashers who clean the outside of a cup while leaving the inside dirty. He said, "Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?" (Luke 11:39-40). Jesus knew that a person can change his image without changing his act ( Matthew 23:1-3). He knew that religious credentials and ceremony cannot change the heart. He told one of the most religious men of His day that unless a person is "born again" by the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Yet from that day until now, many of the most religious people in the world continue to forget that while religion can give attention to outward appearance, only Christ can change the heart.
4. Religion Makes Much Of Little
Jesus spoke to religionists who had a passion for detail when He said, "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue, and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone" ( Luke 11:42). Jesus saw our tendency to make rules and to focus on "morally correct" behavior instead of keeping our eyes on the bigger issue of why we are trying to be so right. While the Pharisees were big on knowledge carried out to its logical conclusions, they forgot that God doesn't care how much we know until He knows how much we care. It was this greater "why" that the apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. . . . If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing" ( 1 Corinthians 13:1,3).
5. Religion Offers The Approval Of Men Rather Than God
Jesus reserved His strongest criticism for religious people who used their spiritual reputation to get social attention and honors. To such religionists Jesus said, "Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces" ( Luke 11:43). Then, speaking to His disciples, He said of the Pharisees, "All their works they do to be seen by men" ( Matthew 23:5). Jesus saw clearly into the practice of religion, which holds the opinions and attention of man to be more important and desirable than the approval of God.
6. Religion Makes Hypocrites Of Us
Jesus said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them" ( Luke 11:44). What looks better than being dressed right, attending religious services, and doing things that mark us as decent, God-fearing people? Yet how many religious scholars, ministers, and faithful followers withhold honor and encouragement from their wives, attention from their children, and love from their doctrinal enemies? Jesus knew what we often forget: What looks good may have a heart of evil.
7. Religion Makes A Hard Life Harder
Because religion cannot change a heart, it tries to control people with laws and expectations that are not even kept by the religionists who interpret and apply the rules. With this "burden factor" in mind, Jesus said, "Woe to you also, lawyers [experts in religious law]! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers" (Luke 11:46). Religion is good at describing high standards of right behavior and relationships, but poor at giving real and merciful help to those who realize they have not lived up to those expectations.
8. Religion Makes It Easy To Deceive Ourselves
It's been jokingly said, "I love humanity. It's people I can't stand." The Pharisees acted out a similar idea, but it wasn't funny. According to Jesus, the Pharisees prided themselves in honoring and building memorials to the prophets. The irony is that when they met a real prophet they wanted to kill Him. Barclay says, "The only prophets they admired were dead prophets; when they met a living one, they tried to kill Him. They honored the dead prophets with tombs and memorials, but they dishonored the living ones with persecution and death." This is the point Jesus made in Luke 11:47-51 and in a parallel passage in Matthew 23:29-32. The Pharisees had fooled themselves. They didn't think of themselves as prophet-killers. Religionists don't see themselves as the God-rejecting people they are.
9. Religion Hides The Key Of Knowledge
One of the greatest dangers of religion is that it causes us to be a danger not only to ourselves but also to others. To the very religious biblical experts of His day Jesus said, "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered" ( Luke 11:52). Religionists take away "the key of knowledge" by distracting people from the Word of God and from a "right attention of heart" by the unnecessary additions of denominationally correct traditions and expectations. Rather than leading people to God, religionists shift the focus to themselves and their own rules. Religionists are those who trust the beliefs and actions of their religion to do what only Christ can do.
10. Religion Leads Its Converts Astray
In Matthew 23:15 Jesus said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." Converts of religion are in double jeopardy. They bring a double enthusiasm to their new way of life, and with zeal they blindly defend their blind teachers. They put themselves in the trust of people who have exchanged a system of rules and traditions for the life, forgiveness, and relationship of an infinite Savior. Religion is important in its place (James 1:26-27), but only when it points us to the Christ who died for our sins and who now offers to live His life through those who trust Him (Galatians 2:20; Titus 3:5).
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Against the enemy
Against the enemy: When speaking to the devil say: "We come by the
authority of the Great Commission and by the Power of the Blood of
the Lamb!"
Plead the Blood of Jesus Christ over, under, and around yourself,
family, and property. It is by the name of Jesus Christ and the
power of His blood that your protection comes. (read verses below)
Rev 12:11 " And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by
the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the
death."
Luke 10:19 "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents
and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing
shall by any means hurt you."
Mark 16:17 "And these signs shall follow them that believe; in My
name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues…"
satan, in the name of Jesus, I command the forces of evil (my
enemies, says the Word) to hereafter be at peace with (ME)_____.
satan, in the name of Jesus, I break and bind the forces of evil
from interfering with (MY MARRIAGE).
Lord, in the name of Jesus, I come against the strongholds Satan has
erected in the mind of (MY HUSBAND) (Use the person's name.)
I cast down those strongholds and every high thing in the mind which
exalts itself against the knowledge of God I release that mind to
obedience to Christ. I loose it to be reconciled to God. satan, in
the name of Jesus, I command the forces of evil from my church and
from my Pastor's ministry to flee. satan, in the name of Jesus, I
come against and bind and break the forces of evil from interfering
with my prayer life and my relationship with Jesus.
Friday, January 12, 2007
The Trouble Pile
"Where do you go today, old man,
With that great load there, on your back?"
The old man just grumbled as he hobbled a long
Holding Tight to the bulging sack.
"I say, old man" cried the boy again
"Do you carry a sack of gold?"
"Nay, lad" the old man whispered,
"Tis just troubles -- that's all I hold."
"This sack I've carried, all my life
Each trouble I've had is here.
They've grown till now, my back grows bent
With every passing year.
There's grief and pain, there's hurt and woe,
There are trials and sins galore
But I'm going now to the trouble pile
and I won't pack these no more."
The boy looked up with a troubled glance.
"Tell me, what's the trouble pile?
I'd like to know, and while we talk
You can sit and rest a while."
"I lack the time" the old man said,
I've got to rush along.
I want to get to the trouble pile
'Fore the little troubles are gone.
"You see, it's a place where all can go
To trade troubles great and small
You can leave yours there and pick new ones up.
Why, I'll trade 'till I've none at all."
The boy glanced down at his twisted leg,
And he blinked to hold back a tear.
"Could I trade this leg for a good one" he asked,
"If the trouble pile was here?"
"Of course, you could" the old man was gruff.
"But there's still a long way to go.
I've got to hurry or I'll be late,
And crippled you'd be too slow."
So the boy sat down and watched the man,
Disappear in the morning light,
The hours wore on and still he watched
As the day moved on to night.
At last, there in the distance,
The old man walked tall and strong,
A bulging sack still on his back,
But on his lips, a song.
"I see you trader, mister,
You lost your heavy load"
His little voice grew wistful
As he looked back down the road.
The old man grinned and tossed his bag
With a thud, in the dusty track.
And he smiled a smile at the little boy
As he sat and leaned lazily back.
"Now, I'll tell you, lad, though you'll not believe --
But that sack is the same as I had.
When I saw the troubles of other folks,
I found mine not half so bad.
Sure, I've hardly got a trouble now,
And I'll tell you something too --
If you could see that trouble pile,
You'd keep that bad leg too.
Cause I've done a bit of thinking
As I walked along the way.
And if we worked hard on that leg of yours
It would grow straight and strong to stay,
"Now I've really nothing much to do
And a crutch I could make for a start."
Then he hugged the boy to hide a tear,
And the joy in an old man's heart.
So the boy and the man worked together,
From morning to the last light of day,
And the twisted leg finally was straightened,
And the boy could soon run and play.
It was then the old man knew he must leave,
And again he shouldered his sack,
But no longer did it bulge with his troubles --
It just hung there loose on his back!
For while he was helping another.
His own troubles faded away,
He had truly found the trouble pile,
It's there if you look for the way.
~ Unknown ~
With that great load there, on your back?"
The old man just grumbled as he hobbled a long
Holding Tight to the bulging sack.
"I say, old man" cried the boy again
"Do you carry a sack of gold?"
"Nay, lad" the old man whispered,
"Tis just troubles -- that's all I hold."
"This sack I've carried, all my life
Each trouble I've had is here.
They've grown till now, my back grows bent
With every passing year.
There's grief and pain, there's hurt and woe,
There are trials and sins galore
But I'm going now to the trouble pile
and I won't pack these no more."
The boy looked up with a troubled glance.
"Tell me, what's the trouble pile?
I'd like to know, and while we talk
You can sit and rest a while."
"I lack the time" the old man said,
I've got to rush along.
I want to get to the trouble pile
'Fore the little troubles are gone.
"You see, it's a place where all can go
To trade troubles great and small
You can leave yours there and pick new ones up.
Why, I'll trade 'till I've none at all."
The boy glanced down at his twisted leg,
And he blinked to hold back a tear.
"Could I trade this leg for a good one" he asked,
"If the trouble pile was here?"
"Of course, you could" the old man was gruff.
"But there's still a long way to go.
I've got to hurry or I'll be late,
And crippled you'd be too slow."
So the boy sat down and watched the man,
Disappear in the morning light,
The hours wore on and still he watched
As the day moved on to night.
At last, there in the distance,
The old man walked tall and strong,
A bulging sack still on his back,
But on his lips, a song.
"I see you trader, mister,
You lost your heavy load"
His little voice grew wistful
As he looked back down the road.
The old man grinned and tossed his bag
With a thud, in the dusty track.
And he smiled a smile at the little boy
As he sat and leaned lazily back.
"Now, I'll tell you, lad, though you'll not believe --
But that sack is the same as I had.
When I saw the troubles of other folks,
I found mine not half so bad.
Sure, I've hardly got a trouble now,
And I'll tell you something too --
If you could see that trouble pile,
You'd keep that bad leg too.
Cause I've done a bit of thinking
As I walked along the way.
And if we worked hard on that leg of yours
It would grow straight and strong to stay,
"Now I've really nothing much to do
And a crutch I could make for a start."
Then he hugged the boy to hide a tear,
And the joy in an old man's heart.
So the boy and the man worked together,
From morning to the last light of day,
And the twisted leg finally was straightened,
And the boy could soon run and play.
It was then the old man knew he must leave,
And again he shouldered his sack,
But no longer did it bulge with his troubles --
It just hung there loose on his back!
For while he was helping another.
His own troubles faded away,
He had truly found the trouble pile,
It's there if you look for the way.
~ Unknown ~
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
The fig tree
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in Ordinary Life
Issue #1825 Figs
The fig tree appears throughout Scripture. The words fig, figs and fig tree appear no less than 71 times in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The first mention is in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve clothe themselves with fig leaves (see Genesis 3:7). The last mention is as a metaphor where the stars fall out of the heavens like figs from a tree (see Revelation 6:13).
It is not surprising that the fig plays such a large role in Scripture. It is a common tree throughout the Middle East (and beyond). Its two crops of fruit each year provide a stable food source.
There is an account recorded in Matthew about Jesus and a fig tree that often leaves people wondering.
Matthew 21:18-19 NIV
Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.
People wonder why this story is included in the Scriptures. To me, it is a wonderful declaration of Jesus being both fully human and fully divine.
As a hungry man, Jesus walked up to a fig tree looking for something to eat. Had Jesus not been fully man He would not been hungry. If He were not fully man, He would have known that the tree bore no fruit.
Yet we see the fully divine side of Jesus in the withering of the tree. He had the power to destroy the fruitless tree in a moment. That is something that no mere man could have done.
As believers we can rejoice in Jesus' nature. Having been fully human He experienced everything that we can experience. He can relate fully to our needs, our struggles and our triumphs. He has "been there and done that".
As fully God we can trust in Him to be merciful, just and faithful. He is a rock upon whom we can face all of this life and beyond and never have to worry about Him letting us down.
As fully man, He could pay the price on the cross for our sins. His shed blood was an acceptable covering for our failings.
As fully God He intercedes with father on our behalf. There is no failing when He comes to our aid.
Until next time, rejoice in Jesus. He has it covered for us.
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)
Be blessed
Kevin
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. You have value in the eyes of God so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that heaven will not be complete without you.
Help for the Hurting
As a human, Jesus understands all the things you struggle with and can empathize. As a holy God He cannot tolerate sin. As loving God HE came and died to free you from your sin, if you will open your heart to Him. Do so and be free today.
If you want to know how to do that simply email us and we will send you some Bible verses that will explain it to you.
Need Prayer? Have questions?
Simply drop us an email at prayer@gleaningsfro mtheword. com
Visit Our Website
To learn more about our ministry or view selected back issues visit our website at http://gleaningsfro mtheword. com
(c) 2001-2007
Gleanings From The Word Ministries International
All Rights Reserved
============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =====
If this E-mail was forwarded to you and you would like to join our list, Please do so at
http://hundred- acre-woods. com/magic- list-v6/Gleaning sText/
We have many other GREAT christian mailing lists at:
http://hundred- acre-woods. com/lists/
Experience an extraordinary God in Ordinary Life
Issue #1825 Figs
The fig tree appears throughout Scripture. The words fig, figs and fig tree appear no less than 71 times in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The first mention is in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve clothe themselves with fig leaves (see Genesis 3:7). The last mention is as a metaphor where the stars fall out of the heavens like figs from a tree (see Revelation 6:13).
It is not surprising that the fig plays such a large role in Scripture. It is a common tree throughout the Middle East (and beyond). Its two crops of fruit each year provide a stable food source.
There is an account recorded in Matthew about Jesus and a fig tree that often leaves people wondering.
Matthew 21:18-19 NIV
Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.
People wonder why this story is included in the Scriptures. To me, it is a wonderful declaration of Jesus being both fully human and fully divine.
As a hungry man, Jesus walked up to a fig tree looking for something to eat. Had Jesus not been fully man He would not been hungry. If He were not fully man, He would have known that the tree bore no fruit.
Yet we see the fully divine side of Jesus in the withering of the tree. He had the power to destroy the fruitless tree in a moment. That is something that no mere man could have done.
As believers we can rejoice in Jesus' nature. Having been fully human He experienced everything that we can experience. He can relate fully to our needs, our struggles and our triumphs. He has "been there and done that".
As fully God we can trust in Him to be merciful, just and faithful. He is a rock upon whom we can face all of this life and beyond and never have to worry about Him letting us down.
As fully man, He could pay the price on the cross for our sins. His shed blood was an acceptable covering for our failings.
As fully God He intercedes with father on our behalf. There is no failing when He comes to our aid.
Until next time, rejoice in Jesus. He has it covered for us.
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)
Be blessed
Kevin
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. You have value in the eyes of God so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that heaven will not be complete without you.
Help for the Hurting
As a human, Jesus understands all the things you struggle with and can empathize. As a holy God He cannot tolerate sin. As loving God HE came and died to free you from your sin, if you will open your heart to Him. Do so and be free today.
If you want to know how to do that simply email us and we will send you some Bible verses that will explain it to you.
Need Prayer? Have questions?
Simply drop us an email at prayer@gleaningsfro mtheword. com
Visit Our Website
To learn more about our ministry or view selected back issues visit our website at http://gleaningsfro mtheword. com
(c) 2001-2007
Gleanings From The Word Ministries International
All Rights Reserved
============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =====
If this E-mail was forwarded to you and you would like to join our list, Please do so at
http://hundred- acre-woods. com/magic- list-v6/Gleaning sText/
We have many other GREAT christian mailing lists at:
http://hundred- acre-woods. com/lists/
Monday, January 08, 2007
10 Scriptural Confessions
10 Scriptural Confessions: 1) Colossians 1:13 - Who hath
delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into
the kingdom of His dear Son.
Confession: I walk in your Godly Kingdom today, for Jesus has
destroyed Satan's kingdom in my life. Satan, I command you to stop
your maneuvers in my life. I bind you and cast you out of my life
today. You cannot touch me. Jesus is Lord of my spirit, soul,
body, relationships, circumstances, finances and ministry. (Luke
10:19; I John 5:18)
2) 2 Corinthians 2:14 - Now thanks be unto God, which always
causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of
his knowledge by us in every place.
Confession: I walk in total triumph in every situation, for
Jesus has destroyed failure in my life. I am an overcomer and can
do all things through Christ. I have the victory and the victory
has me! I am a victor and a king! (Phil. 4:13; I John 5:4)
3) Ephesians 2:6 - And hath raised us up together, and made us sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Confession: I reign from my heavenly throne-room position, for
Jesus has destroyed an inferior position in my life. I rule and
reign with Jesus today. Greater is He that is in me, than he that
is in the world. Father, you are Lord of heaven and earth, and we
go out and possess the land today. Satan's doors are closed, and
many doors are open for me to speak Your Word boldly. (I John 4:4;
Luke 10:21; Josh. 1)
4) II Timothy 1:7 - For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Confession: I walk in soundness of mind and divine direction,
for Jesus has destroyed confusion in my life. I identify with
Christ's mind. I have the mind of Christ. I will not listen to the
voice of doubt and discouragement. (I Cor. 2:16; John 10:5; Josh.1)
5) I Peter 2:24 - Who His own self bare our sins in His own body
on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Confession: I walk in divine health, for Jesus has conquered
sickness in my life. I walk in divine health and divine life,
because I have the divine nature. Jesus took all my sickness upon
His body, and by suffering, I am healed. Divine health pulsates
through every cell of my body everyday. Sickness and disease can
not, and will not latch itself to my body. (II Peter 1:4; Matt.
8:17)
6) Philippians 4:19 - But my God shall supply all your need
according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Confession: I walk in financial abundance . God supplies all
of my needs - not half of them - ALL of them. Satan, take your
hands off of my finances. Finances, I command you to be loosed from
the world system, and placed at my account today, so I can do the
work of the Lord.
7) Luke 4:18 - The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath
anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to
heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are
bruised,
Confession: Father, your anointing is on me today. It breaks
yokes off the oppressed, causes blind eyes to see, deaf ears to
hear, hearts to open and understand. It causes the sick to be
healed, needs to be met, and it draws full attention to Your Word.
Father, Your Word is alive in me today! Revelation knowledge flows
out of me every day. I operate in the gifts of the Spirit as the
Spirit wills today. (Isaiah 61; I Cor. 12)
8) Psalm 91:7 - A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten
thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Confession: I walk in safety and supernatural protection
today. Even though a thousand fall at my side and ten thousand at
my right hand, it shall not come near me. No weapon that the enemy
forms against me today shall prosper. Nothing shall by any means
hurt me today. (Isaiah 54:17; Luke 10:19)
9) I Peter 5:7 - Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for
you.
Confession: I walk in faith today, for Jesus has taken away
fear and doubt in my life. Fear will not rule me - Faith Will!
Whatever is not of faith is sin, so I speak words of life. Today, I
cast all my cares on Christ today. I will go throughout my day
worry free. I choose to meditate on the promises, and not the
problem. As I cast my cares on Christ today I will magnify God's
Word in all that I do.
10) John 6:63 - It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh
profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit,
and they are life.
Confession: I will speak life today for Jesus has destroyed a
murmuring and complaining tongue in my life. My tongue will speak
forth words of life today. My words will produce spiritual life in
the hearts of men and women
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Living In The End Times
STUDY NO: 1
TOPIC: Signs of The End
BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 24:1-51
HOW TO STUDY THIS LESSON:
Open in prayer asking God for truth and wisdom from His Word.
Read the Bible passage
Answer the questions, writing the answers in the space provided.
Take about 3-5 minutes per question.
Fill in the “Personal Application” section
If you have time write down prayer points for members of the group.
Close in prayer.
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. What question did the disciples ask Jesus? (v. 1-3)
2. What warning did Jesus give them? (v. 4-6, 23-26)
3. What did Jesus say about natural disasters? (v. 7,8)
4. What will happen to Christians and the Church? (v. 9-13)
5. What will happen just before the end times? (v. 14)
6. How close are we to the gospel being proclaimed to all ethnic groups?
7. Will the end times be easy or difficult? What should we expect? (v. 15-26)
8. What will the coming of the Son of Man be like (v. 27-31)
9. What will happen to Israel (the fig-tree) at this time? (V. 32-34)
10. What did Jesus tell us about trying to set dates for the end-time? (v. 25,26)
11. What biblical disaster will be the pattern for the Lord’s return? (V. 37-44)
12. What attitudes should Christians have as we approach the end times? (V. 42-51)
PERSONAL APPLICATION – a command to obey, a warning to heed, a promise to claim, a deed to do, an attitude to change….
PRAYER POINTS
Monday, December 25, 2006
The Old Man
The Old Man > A young man was walking down the street> On a cold, dark, wintry night,> As he walked, he glanced into the park> Where he saw an amazing sight.> There by a bench, he saw an old man> His hair was straggly and gray> His coat was tattered, his shoes had holes,> But, he heard that old man say.> "Dear Jesus it's almost Christmas,> The year's most important day".> "And here I am on bended knee,> "Cause there's something I need to say.> Lord I just want to thank you> For Your love and Your kindness too.> You've satisfied my every need> Since my life, I gave to you.> The young man walked over to the bench> And handed the old man some money".> The old man smiled and said "No Thanks"> "God makes sure I have plenty".> "I have my life, I have my health,> And I have the love of Jesus".> "What else could I ever ask,> Of the one who died to save us".> The young man turned and walked away> But, for some reason he felt rather weird.> So he stopped, looked back, and to his surprise> The old man had disappeared.> A box was laying there on the bench,> So he went back to take a look.> The note inside said "You've learned a lesson,> From God's own Holy Book".> "You thought I was in need of help,> And with love, you came to my rescue".> "You showed the true spirit of Christmas,> And your Guardian Angel thanks you". > The young man just stared at the note in his hand> As a tear slowly rolled down his cheek.> And he promised himself, for the rest of his life> The sweet grace of Jesus he'd seek.> Ron Lantz 2003
Thursday, December 21, 2006
A Day Without Laughter
Do you sometimes feel so all alone, And wish someone would call you on the phone? Are there days when you wonder why you are here, And why your heart's so full of fear.
Do you think no one else has felt that way, And that all the others are having a great day? What you're thinking may be true, But chances are others are feeling just like you.
Ask God to undertake for you, To show you what He'd have you do. There may be someone you should touch, Someone who needs you very much.
God has a reason for you being here, And He can overcome your fear. Go to Him boldly in Christ's name, He'll take away your guilt and shame.
He'll lead you into the bright sunshine, And show to you His will divine. Just follow Him with what you know, He'll teach you more and with you go.
You can know He's with you every day, Leading and guiding you along life's way. Giving you peace and joy within, Forgiving and cleansing you from your sin.
So don't give up and don't despair, God will go with you everywhere. Christ understands the way you feel, His fellowship and love are real.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Revelations
8I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
9I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
10I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
11Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
12And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
16And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
17And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
18I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
19Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
20The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
The Vision:There can be no true peace, where there is not true grace; and where grace goeth before, peace will follow. This blessing is in the name of God, of the Holy Trinity, it is an act of adoration. The Father is first named; he is described as the Jehovah who is, and who was, and who is to come, eternal, unchangeable. The Holy Spirit is called the seven spirits, the perfect Spirit of God, in whom there is a diversity of gifts and operations. The Lord Jesus Christ was from eternity, a Witness to all the counsels of God. He is the First-born from the dead, who will by his own power raise up his people. He is the Prince of the kings of the earth; by him their counsels are overruled, and to him they are accountable. Sin leaves a stain of guilt and pollution upon the soul. Nothing can fetch out this stain but the blood of Christ; and Christ shed his own blood to satisfy Divine justice, and purchase pardon and purity for his people. Christ has made believers kings and priests to God and his Father. As such they overcome the world, mortify sin, govern their own spirits, resist Satan, prevail with God in prayer, and shall judge the world. He has made them priests, given them access to God, enabled them to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices, and for these favours they are bound to ascribe to him dominion and glory for ever. He will judge the world. Attention is called to that great day when all will see the wisdom and happiness of the friends of Christ, and the madness and misery of his enemies. Let us think frequently upon the second coming of Christ. He shall come, to the terror of those who wound and crucify him by apostacy: he shall come, to the astonishment of the whole world of the ungodly. He is the Beginning and the End; all things are from him and for him; he is the Almighty; the same eternal and unchanged One. And if we would be numbered with his saints in glory everlasting, we must now willing submit to him receive him, and honour him as a saviour, who we believe will come to be our Judge. Alas, that there should be many, who would wish never to die, and that there should not be a day of judgment! (Rev 1:9-11)
I Am A Livng Stone : Dear Precious Heavenly Father, You are the Alpha & Omega to those of us whom know you by your Holy Ghost Spirit that shines down inside of us as we believe in You For Your Word is of You . Father, We have come before You to share some things to You that's inside of our hearts as we bow before you precious Lord Jesus Christ this day in bowing before you with our hearts opened wide to come deepy of which is truths as You already know them today. We have put away all malice, and guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and slanders, as a newborn baby, We desire to grow more into maturity because of wanting more of You for we surely have tasted and know just how good you are in our lives. We are coming to you whom is our living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and so very precious. We also am a living stone, that's being built into a spiritual house, a holy preiesthood, to offer up our own spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to You God, through Your son Jesus Christ. As it states in our Holy Scriptures,
" Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on Him shall not be confounded" Unto you therefore which believe [he is] precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, [even to them] which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.( 1 Peter 2:6,7,8) But we belong to a very chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, one of God's own people; that we should proclaim the praises of Him whom has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light. In past times I was not a "people". In past times I had not obtained mercy bit now I obtained mercy. I am but a stranger and pilgrim in this world, therefore I abstain from all fleshly lust, which wars against my own soul. I live like a re-semblance of Jesus Christ in my own life, in living life totally around those whom don't truly believe in You Father God, Your only Son Jesus Christ as many people do whom are your remnants watching and waiting to come in which is truly in your own time . So those whom truly speak against us as evil doers, they see our good works and we will glorify our God daily as we wait for your return. We submit our self unto you and every human authority for our Lord's sake: whether it be the king supreme, or to governors, for they are sent by You God for the punishment of all evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well before you. For so it is God's will, that by doing right I may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. We live as a free person but I do not use my own liberty for a cloak of evil, but as a servant of God. I honor all men, I love the fellowship of our brothers and sister. I fear God. I honor goverment leaders. I am subject to my employers with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also the over-bearing. For what glory is it, if, when I am punished for my faults, I take it patiently? If I do what is right, and suffer for it and take it patiently; this is acceptable unto our God. For this I was called, because Jesus Christ suffered for me. He left me an example, that I should follow His steps. He did No sin, neither No guile found in His mouth. Yet, when He suffered, He did Not threatened, but committed Himself to the Father who judges righteously. Who in His own self bore my sins in His own body on the tree, that I being dead to sins, should live a righteous life. By His stripes I am healed ( Isa. 53:5). For I was like a sheep that had gone astray; but now I have returned to the Shepard and Overseer of my soul. For only Jesus Christ Now we have hope for our present and our future. Love one another from our hearts fevently: having been born again, not with a corruptible seed but of being born again, not of incorruptible seed, theough the Word of God, which lives and always remains forever ( 1 Peter1:22,23) . Amen.
Thank You for stopping in this site,group Sites, web sites and other prayer sites as well in holding one another up for prayer's being totally united in everyone around this world, it's about Jesus Christ first and prayers,intecessory prayer's and at other times about this vast world we live in today which this old world as we all know it is slowly departing to be reaching our home in glory.
God will hold us all accountable for our sins (Eze.18:30); We should hold each other accountable (Ro.17:3);God will examine our actions (2Cor.5:10); Armor for physical battles (1Sam. 17:38); Weapons cannot stop God's power ( Eze. 38:4); Spiritual armor prepares us for life (Ro.13:12);Righteou sness is a spiritual weapon (2Cor.6:7);God' s weapons conquerors Satan's strongholds (2Cor.10:4); Put on the Armor (Eph.6:11-18) Jesus Is the Highest Authority (Matt.28:18) ;Choose a postive attitude (Hab.3:17-19) Bad attitudes hurts our relationship with God (Gen.4:6,7); Bad attitudes leads to poor decisions (Num.14:1-4) ;God gives christian a new attitude (Hab.3:17-19) More Than Conquerors (Ro.8:37)Christians should always rejoice (Phil.4:4)__._,
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Priceless Gift
Priceless Gift > > I can wish you a Merry Christmas > And lots of Yuletide cheer... > And all the happiness a lifetime can bring > All thru the coming year,> > But... > There will be no ribbons, wrappings or bows... > No tinsel or trimming, 'cause as everybody knows, > Times are hard and things are bad, > There's so little money to be had. > > I cannot offer you silver or gold, > Or any of those fancy things. > What I have to give can't be bought or sold, > Like silver spoons or golden rings. > > > My love, friendship, sincerity... > And for you...a candle will burn.> Nothing more to give, my friend... > And I ask nothing more in return. > Written by:> Elizabeth Durney
Saturday, December 09, 2006
A Mothers Love Always Comes Through
Can I see my baby? The happy new mother asked. When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears.Time proved the babys hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred. When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mothers arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks. He blurted out the tragedy. A boy, a big boy called me a freak.He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. But you might mingle with other young people, his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart.The boys father had a session with the family physician. Could nothing be done? I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be procured, the doctor decided.Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man. Two years went by.Then, You are going to the hospital, Son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But its a secret, said the father.The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs.Later he married and entered the diplomatic service.But I must know! He urged his father, Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him. I do not believe you could, said the father, but the agreement was that you are not to know not yet.The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come one of the darkest days that a son must endure. He stood with his father over his mothers casket.Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal that the mother had no outer ears. Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut, he whispered gently, and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they? Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the heart. Real treasure lies not in what that can be seen, but what that cannot be seen.Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what that is done but not known. Author Unknown To Me
Monday, December 04, 2006
Christ visited By the Three Wise men
Matt.2:1-4 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.___________________________________________ Luke 2:12,15-20And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen [it], they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard [it] wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered [them] in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.The Wise men were very wise to not fall into King Herods trap by his charm and manipluations to only achieve his tyrant views and his hidden agends only to get inforation and whereabouts of the Christ child whom is our Messiah in our lives. When Herod was only lying about his true feelings for what he was about to do to baby Jesus the only thing that he had been up to was to be abusive in his own personality to bring his domination that is only in himself. But those wise men was very careful and advoided him entirely and took another route instead.Oh, how those encounters may have been with those wisemen and the shepards in seeing Him in that wonderful birthplace when really wasn't the ideal place that we see on our christmas cards that passed around to every one whom read them this time of year.It was probably cold, damp, and a very dirty cave with a hollowed- out feeding trough or his manger that our baby Jesus had laid in . But stil yet...It was fit for a King! As our very Royal Prince and Presence .And for us as the whole people whom felt that way at first whom come in and say unto us I'm to dirty, or unfit to be a person in whom Jesus Christ wants of Me...... He wouldn't accept someone like me like I'am today. Isn't a blessing that He does No matter what self may think or say at that time. Thankfully and rejoicfully he does and always will come unto us when we ask him.. he right there! He accepts us right on that spot where we are at in that moment in time No matter what we think. He ready and He is waiting for us at any time and any where all we have to do is ask him to come into our lives. Hallelujah!!!! Thank You Jesus ! And I say to Jesus .... Happy Birthday to You Messiah ! This is Your day and we wrap our loving arms around You and we love to love upon You in our own hearts and in keeping it opened unto You in Listening to what You share with us on Your blessed birthday. And for the most part each and everyday until You come for Your church is everso waiting for You to come. We are devoted ourselves only unto You each and every day and going about the business of what You have shared with us in Your precous Words so You won't be dissappointed when You crack open those skys and finally take us home in being at that beauitful banquet table which has been preparded for us all - Your church. Thank You Jesus for all that You are and willever wil be on this earth and in the heavens. catcmo2006
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