freedom? (2853)

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

< Romans 13 >> GOD'S WORD ® Translation

---

1Every person should obey the government in power. No government would exist if it hadn't been established by God. The governments which exist have been put in place by God. 2Therefore, whoever resists the government opposes what God has established. Those who resist will bring punishment on themselves. 3People who do what is right don't have to be afraid of the government. But people who do what is wrong should be afraid of it. Would you like to live without being afraid of the government? Do what is right, and it will praise you. 4The government is God's servant working for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid.

Individual Freedom Vs. anything else

Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth

The opposite of statism is capitalism.

How does capitalism differ from statism?

Only capitalism declares that each and every man, may live his own life for his own happiness, as an end to himself, not by permission of others, but by right, and that government's sole responsibility is to protect those rights, and never violate them, because they are inalienable.

http://www.capitalism.org/faq/statism.htm

 

 

Popes, Atheists and Freedom

Secularists should recognize that the pope's fight is their fight.

"Karol Wojtyla, like many dissidents who emerged in these years, had lived with the daily reality of the communist system. John Paul pushed Vatican policy toward a public, unapologetic claim for individual freedom."

 

Days after Benedict XVI chastised China before thousands in St. Peter's Square last week, a Chinese newspaper run by the People's Daily replied to his defense of Christians there: "The Vatican has to face the fact that all religious beliefs are free in China, as long as they do not run counter to the country's laws."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203525404576049802441667970.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

 

Why we fight

<< James 4 >> GOD'S WORD ® Translation

---

1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Aren't they caused by the selfish desires that fight to control you? 2You want what you don't have, so you commit murder. You're determined to have things, but you can't get what you want. You quarrel and fight. You don't have the things you want, because you don't pray for them. 3When you pray for things, you don't get them because you want them for the wrong reason-for your own pleasure.

 

<< 2 Timothy 2 >>

20In a large house there are not only objects made of gold and silver, but also those made of wood and clay. Some objects are honored when they are used; others aren't. 21Those who stop associating with dishonorable people will be honored. They will be set apart for the master's use, prepared to do good things. 22Stay away from lusts which tempt young people. Pursue what has God's approval. Pursue faith, love, and peace together with those who worship the Lord with a pure heart. 23Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments. You know they cause quarrels. 24A servant of the Lord must not quarrel. Instead, he must be kind to everyone. He must be a good teacher. He must be willing to suffer wrong. 25He must be gentle in correcting those who oppose the Good News. Maybe God will allow them to change the way they think and act and lead them to know the truth. 26Then they might come back to their senses and God will free them from the devil's snare so that they can do his will.

 

Genesis 13:7 And quarreling arose between Abram's herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.

---

Genesis 13:8 So Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers.

---

Proverbs 17:14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

 

<< Proverbs 20 >>

 3Avoiding a quarrel is honorable. After all, any stubborn fool can start a fight.

<< 1 Timothy 6 >>

6A godly life brings huge profits to people who are content with what they have.

http://gwt.scripturetext.com/1_timothy/6.htm

 

 

no playing around

14Stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers. Can right and wrong be partners? Can light have anything in common with darkness? 15Can Christ agree with the devil? Can a believer share life with an unbeliever?

16Can God's temple contain false gods? Clearly, we are the temple of the living God. As God said, "I will live and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people."

17The Lord says, "Get away from unbelievers. Separate yourselves from them. Have nothing to do with anything unclean. Then I will welcome you."

<< 2 Corinthians 6 >>

+++++++++++

beware of dogs

sleeping with the enemy
knowing that he has every
intention to kill you...!!!

+++++++++++

greater love has no man
than this: that a man
lay down his life
for his friend

+++++++++++

love your enemies
do good to them
who dispitefuly use you
and persecute you.

+++++++++++

because you love your enemy
does that mean he is your friend?

can the snake be a pet?

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not

that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?

whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

have a happy Christmas

FATHERHOOD,

FAMILY & FAITH
or things to fight for ...

- from Sonny the Chronicler

 

the prince of darkness grim
we tremble not for him
his rage we will endure
for lo, his doom is sure
one little word
shall fell him.- Luther

 

everywhere is war - Bob Marley
even bob in his weed 'enlightened' mind
could discern the unending conflict in life.

 

says St Paul: (paraphrasing) remember that
the people that appear to be opposing you
are not the object of the struggle.
This is not a wrestling match
against a human opponent.
http://bible.cc/ephesians/6-12.htm

 

now this:
there is FIRST; the ADVOCATE
then there is the ADVERSARY

 

there is no doubt that every single human
is 'hard wired' for war, that's perhaps
what Marley observed.

conflict, competition...the same thing?

..ever wonder why it is we seem to be so
obsessed with sports and games?

 

but let's hear again from St Paul:
A servant of the Lord must not quarrel.
Instead, he must be kind to everyone.
He must be a good teacher.
He must be willing to suffer wrong.
2 Timothy 2:24

 

ON A TANGENT
I was always suspicious of
emancipation. I think that
it is impossible to be free.
If you take the time to really
check it out....we are ALL
enslaved to something.
the KEY, I beleive, is in
CHOOSING YOUR MASTER ! !

 

...and speaking of choice:
since we are born to war
and born to serve
choose a side and start
fighting, in earnest....

BUT
Proverbs 17:14

Starting a quarrel
is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before
a dispute breaks out.

AND
Do not be in a hurry to go to court.
What will you do in the end if your
neighbor disgraces you?

SO
From strength to strength go on,
wrestle and fight and pray,
tread all the powers of darkness down
and win the well-fought day.
that having all things done,
and all your conflicts passed,
ye may o'ercome thru Christ alone
and stand entire at last.
Words from: Charles Wesley, 1749

 

BTW ...these Charles Wesley words
have been etched in my mind since
my high school years when we were
"compelled" to meet in a daily
morning assembly and sing
rousing songs of the faith
from the Anglican Hymnal
"Songs of Praise"

 

FINALLY
let us hear from Henry...

Henry was one of the best known
American poets of the 19th Century...
was written during the American civil war.

 

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

 

I don't mind this first stanza at all
but seriously it is the fourth verse
that has stayed with me across the years
and so often brings tears to my eyes.

 

And in despair I bowed my head
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

LET ME CLOSE
23 Peace be to the family,
and love with faith, from God
the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Grace be with all them that
love our Lord Jesus Christ
in sincerity. Amen.

<< Ephesians 6 >>

struggle

<< 1 Timothy 4 >> GOD'S WORD ® Translation   1The Spirit says clearly that in later times some believers will desert the Christian faith. They will follow spirits that deceive, and they will believe the teachings of demons. 2These people will speak lies disguised as truth. Their consciences have been scarred as if branded by a red-hot iron. 3They will try to stop others from getting married and from eating certain foods. God created food to be received with prayers of thanks by those who believe and know the truth. 4Everything God created is good. Nothing should be rejected if it is received with prayers of thanks. 5The word of God and prayer set it apart as holy.   6You are a good servant of Christ Jesus when you point these things out to our brothers and sisters. Then you will be nourished by the words of the Christian faith and the excellent teachings which you have followed closely. 7Don't have anything to do with godless myths that old women like to tell. Rather, train yourself to live a godly life. 8Training the body helps a little, but godly living helps in every way. Godly living has the promise of life now and in the world to come. 9This is a statement that can be trusted and deserves complete acceptance.   10Certainly, we work hard and struggle to live a godly life, because we place our confidence in the living God. He is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.   11Insist on these things and teach them. 12Don't let anyone look down on you for being young. Instead, make your speech, behavior, love, faith, and purity an example for other believers. 13Until I get there, concentrate on reading [Scripture] in worship, giving encouraging messages, and teaching people. 14Don't neglect the gift which you received through prophecy when the spiritual leaders placed their hands on you [to ordain you]. 15Practice these things. Devote your life to them so that everyone can see your progress. 16Focus on your life and your teaching. Continue to do what I've told you. If you do this, you will save yourself and those who hear you.

When?

<< Matthew 25 >> GOD'S WORD ® Translation

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32The people of every nation will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left.

34"Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home. 36I needed clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' 37"Then the people who have God's approval will reply to him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you as a stranger and take you into our homes or see you in need of clothes and give you something to wear? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' 40"The king will answer them, 'I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant [they seemed], you did for me.'

41"Then the king will say to those on his left, 'Get away from me! God has cursed you! Go into everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels! 42I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. 43I was a stranger, and you didn't take me into your homes. I needed clothes, and you didn't give me anything to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn't take care of me.' 44"They, too, will ask, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or as a stranger or in need of clothes or sick or in prison and didn't help you?' 45"He will answer them, 'I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you failed to do for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant [they seemed], you failed to do for me.' 46"These people will go away into eternal punishment, but those with God's approval will go into eternal life."

 

++++++++++++++++++++

ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID'S CITY

And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love,
For that Child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in Heav'n above,
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.

 

Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in Heaven,
Set at God's right hand on high;
Where like stars His children crowned
All in white shall wait around.

 

refusing to go to the funeral

December 9th. - Chambers
	THE OFFENCE OF THE NATURAL
"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Galatians 5:24   The natural life is not sinful; we must be apostatized from sin, have nothing to do with sin in any shape or form. Sin belongs to hell and the devil; I, as a child of God, belong to heaven and God. It is not a question of giving up sin, but of giving up my right to myself, my natural independence and self-assertiveness, and this is where the battle has to be fought.   It is the things that are right and noble and good from the natural stand point that keep us back from God's best.   To discern that natural virtues antagonize surrender to God, is to bring our soul into the centre of its greatest battle. Very few of us debate with the sordid and evil and wrong, but we do debate with the good. It is the good that hates the best, and the higher up you get in the scale of the natural virtues, the more intense is the opposition to Jesus Christ. "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh" - it is going to cost the natural in you everything, not something. Jesus said - "If any man will be My disciple, let him deny himself," i.e., his right to himself, and a man has to realize Who Jesus Christ is before he will do it.   Beware of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence.   The natural life is not spiritual, and it can only be made spiritual by sacrifice. If we do not resolutely sacrifice the natural, the supernatural can never become natural in us. There is no royal road there; each of us has it entirely in his own hands. It is not a question of praying, but of performing

Christmas gift ? (2779)

THE GIFT OF TEARS

REPENTANCE
"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation." 2 Corinthians 7:10

Conviction of sin is one of the rarest things that ever strikes a man. Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict of sin, and when the Holy Spirit rouses a man's conscience and brings him into the presence of God, it is not his relationship with men that bothers him, but his relationship with God - "against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned,

and done this evil in Thy sight." Psalm 51:4

The marvels of conviction of sin, forgiveness, and holiness are so interwoven that it is only the forgiven man who is the holy man, he proves he is forgiven by being the opposite to what he was, by God's grace. Repentance always brings a man to this point: I have sinned. The surest sign that God is at work is when a man says that and means it. Anything less than this is remorse for having made blunders, the reflex action of disgust at himself.

The entrance into the Kingdom is through the panging pains of repentance crashing into a man's respectable goodness; then the Holy Ghost, Who produces these agonies, begins the formation of the Son of God in the life.

The new life will manifest itself in conscious repentance and unconscious holiness, never the other way about. The bedrock of Christianity is repentance.

Strictly speaking, a man cannot repent when he chooses; repentance is a gift of God. The old Puritans used to pray for "the gift of tears."

If ever you cease to know the virtue of repentance, you are in darkness. Examine yourself and see if you have forgotten how to be sorry.

from OSWALD CHAMBERS

___________________

Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore His praises sing:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.

Praise Him for His grace and favor
To our fathers in distress.
Praise Him still the same as ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Glorious in His faithfulness.

Fatherlike He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He knows.
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Widely yet His mercy flows.

HEAR IT HERE

impossible

Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord.
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.

HER IT HERE

 

"To him that overcometh. . . ." Revelation 2:7

Life without war is impossible either in nature or in grace. The basis of physical, mental, moral, and spiritual life is antagonism. This is the open fact of life.

Health is the balance between physical life and external nature, and it is maintained only by sufficient vitality on the inside against things on the outside. Everything outside my physical life is designed to put me to death. Things which keep me going when I am alive, disintegrate me when I am dead. If I have enough fighting power, I produce the balance of health. The same is true of the mental life. If I want to maintain a vigorous mental life, I have to fight, and in that way the mental balance called thought is produced.

Morally it is the same. Everything that does not partake of the nature of virtue is the enemy of virtue in me, and it depends on what moral calibre I have whether I overcome and produce virtue. Immediately I fight, I am moral in that particular. No man is virtuous because he cannot help it; virtue is acquired.

CHAMBERS

battered and bruised (2757)

December 2nd.
	CHRISTIAN PERFECTION
"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect. . . ." Philippians 3:12   It is a snare to imagine that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do; God's purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements is apt to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you go off on this idea of personal holiness, the dead-set of your life will not be for God, but for what you call the manifestation of God in your life. "It can never be God's will that I should be sick." If it was God's will to bruise His own Son, why should He not bruise you?   The thing that tells for God is not your relevant consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your real vital relation to Jesus Christ, and your abandonment to Him whether you are well or ill.   Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship to God which shows itself amid the irrelevancies of human life.   When you obey the call of Jesus Christ, the first thing that strikes you is the irrelevancy of the things you have to do, and the next thing that strikes you is the fact that other people seem to be living perfectly consistent lives. Such lives are apt to leave you with the idea that God is unnecessary, by human effort and devotion we can reach the standard God wants.   In a fallen world this can never be done. I am called to live in perfect relation to God so that my life produces a longing after God in other lives, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God.   God is not after perfecting me to be a specimen in His show-room; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He likes.

Oswald Chambers <Click it

Greedy? (2743)

Greed brings grief to the whole family,
but those who hate bribes will live.
Proverbs 15:27

GREEDY - The Movie <click it
Uncle Joe is ageing. He's also a millionaire. That's why his family is trying so very hard to get into his good books. They all want a piece of his empire. Unfortunately Uncle Joe isn't as stupid as his family thinks he is. He can see that his family is only nice to him because they want his money. Along comes Daniel McTeague, a struggling bowler, imported from another city by his family, to put an end to this ridiculous situation. The fight won't be easy, though, because the poor family has a little bit of competition - A beautiful nurse who takes care of Uncle Joe (and no doubt would love to take care of his bank account). Who gets all the money?
Written by Michael Feller
Plot Summary
Plot Synopsis

Happy Thanksgiving!

troubling?

About half of all adults in the U.S. are married, down from 72 percent in 1960, while 4 in 10 people consider marriage obsolete and most say their definition of family has changed, according to a poll.

In a telephone survey of 2,691 Americans by the Pew Research Center in Washington, 86 percent of respondents said a single parent and child constitute a family. Four out of 5 respondents said an unmarried man and woman with a child also were a family, and 63 percent said a gay or lesbian couple raising a youngster could be described the same way.

WHAT CAN WE DO ?????

true confessions (2717)

Every week, the Animal Planet (channel) features incredible footage of several wild animals, ranging from sea lions to hippos, and how they seek out and target other animals to prey upon. While some of the footage can at times be gruesome to watch, the cheetah is a real thing of beauty.

 

 

I have a rather startling confession to make. I've been a cable television subscriber for many years now, and up until this month, if I were ever asked by someone what my favorite channels were, I would probably reply with the usual suspects: CNN, ESPN, TNT, MTV, BET, HGTV…(HGTV? Sorry, thought I'd try picking up a few brownie points in case my wife was reading this…)

 

Despite being one the fastest animals on land, I was surprised to discover that the cheetah will tend to prey on the weak, even though it is fast enough to prey on the strong. One would think with its incredible agility and speed, the cheetah would set its sights on larger animals or targets. But in fact, the cheetah does the exact opposite. Another interesting fact concerning the cheetah is that while in pursuit of its prey, nearly half of its hunting attempts actually result in failure. The reason? Because the cheetah exerts so much energy chasing after its prey, that when it finally catches up and drags its target to the ground, it has very little energy left to ward off other predators from stealing its kill. In other words, the cheetah's method of attack often makes its prey vulnerable to other predators seeking to attack. - by Milan Ford

 

the rest of the confession is here

endgame

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
So if you call God your Father, live your time

as temporary residents on earth in fear. He is

the God who judges all people by what they

have done, and he doesn't play favorites.-

1 Peter 1:17

a barrier (2698)

THE BIG " IF"

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Therefore IF anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; t

he old things passed away; behold,

new things have come.. - 2 Corinthians 5:17

 

It is difficult to state what your aim in life is, because IF God has taken you up into His purpose by the Holy Ghost; He is using you now for His purposes throughout the world as He used His Son for the purpose of our salvation. If you seek great things for yourself - God has called me for this and that; you are putting a barrier to God's use of you. As long as you have a personal interest in your own character, or any set ambition, you cannot get through into identification with God's interests. You can only get there by losing for ever any idea of yourself and by letting God take you right out into His purpose for the world, and because your goings are of the Lord, you can never understand your ways.

I have to learn that the aim in life is God's, not mine. God is using me from His great personal standpoint, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him, and never say - Lord, this gives me such heart-ache. To talk in that way makes me a clog. When I stop telling God what I want, He can catch me up for what He wants without let or hindrance. He can crumple me up or exalt me, He can do anything He chooses. He simply asks me to have implicit faith in Himself and in His goodness. Self pity is of the devil, if I go off on that line I cannot be used by God for His purpose in the world. I have "a world within the world" in which I live, and God will never be able to get me outside it because I am afraid of being frost-bitten.

- Oswald Chambers

 

healings

We had a good time at the family meeting this past saturday This was the reading I was reading it over just now and this phrase 'jumped out' at me   ...a breach in the spirit"   We did not sing but this is such a great song.   Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven; To His feet thy tribute bring. Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, Evermore His praises sing: Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise the everlasting King.   Praise Him for His grace and favor To our fathers in distress. Praise Him still the same as ever, Slow to chide, and swift to bless. Alleluia! Alleluia! Glorious in His faithfulness.   Fatherlike He tends and spares us; Well our feeble frame He knows. In His hands He gently bears us, Rescues us from all our foes. Alleluia! Alleluia! Widely yet His mercy flows.   Frail as summer's flower we flourish, Blows the wind and it is gone; But while mortals rise and perish Our God lives unchanging on, Praise Him, Praise Him, Hallelujah Praise the High Eternal One!   Angels, help us to adore Him; Ye behold Him face to face; Sun and moon, bow down before Him, Dwellers all in time and space. Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise with us the God of grace.   HEAR IT HERE

BILLY GRAHAM's birthday this week

BILLY  GRAHAM  
Current Age: 92  Truth...........from a man the media has  never been able to throw dirt  on.....amazing!

 


He has  certainly hit the "world" on the head!  

  
   Billy Graham's Prayer For Our Nation  

THIS MAN SURE HAS A GOOD VIEW OF  WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY!  

'Heavenly Father, we come before you  today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your  direction and guidance.  We know Your Word  says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but  that is exactly what we have done.  We have  lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our  values. We have exploited the poor and called  it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness  and called it welfare. We have killed our  unborn and called it choice. We have shot  abortionists and called it  justifiable.  We have neglected to  discipline our children and called it building  self esteem. We have abused power and  called it politics. We have coveted our  neighbor's possessions and called it  ambition.  We have polluted the air  with profanity and pornography and called it  freedom of expression.  We have  ridiculed the time-honored values of our  forefathers and called it  enlightenment.  Search us, Oh God, and  know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin  and Set us free. Amen!'

Commentator Paul  Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program,  'The Rest of the Story,' and received a larger  response to this program than any other he has  ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this  prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly  become our desire so that we again can be called  'One nation under God!'

Think about  this: If you forward this prayer to everyone on  your e-mail list, in less than 30 days it would  be heard by the world. (It's worth a try!)   'One Nation Under  God!

so true...

Bowed beneath your burden, is there none to share?
Weary with the journey, is there none to care?
Courage, wayworn traveler, heed your Lord's commands,
There's a thought to cheer you, Jesus understands.

Refrain

 

Yes, He understands, all His ways are best.
Hear, He calls to you, "Come to Me and rest."
Leave the unknown future in the Master's hand,
Whether sad or joyful, Jesus understands.

 

Every heavy burden, He will gladly share,
Are you sad and weary? Jesus has a care;
Well He knows the pathway o'er life's burning sands,
Courage, fainting pilgrim, Jesus understands.

Refrain

 

Though temptation meet you, Jesus can sustain,
Life has vexing problems which He can explain;
Serve Him where He sends you, though in distant lands,
Do not doubt or question, Jesus understands.

Refrain

 

Weary heart, He calls you, "Come to Me and rest,"
Does the path grow rugged? yet His way is best;
Leave the unknown future in the Master's hands,
Whether sad or joyful, Jesus understands.

Refrain

 

HEAR IT HERE

you can't make me..

freedom, obedience and the use of FORCE

Most people think
"I can do whatever I like"

My own child let me know that
"no one is going to tell me what to do"

 

I usually let them know that
"you can do whatever you want...
as long as you are willing to
PAY THE PRICE".

 

I had an old British Army Major
in high school for a physical science
(PHYSICS) teacher who said that.

 

So how does this all work out in
'THE REAL WORLD'?

Let's start with the family
the basic unit of society.

I asked my friend who works
across from me in the next
cubicle:
1. Do you think you should obey
2. Have you taught your children to obey

One main thing came out of the discussion.

We always have a choice.

If there are two options
one painful and the other pleasant
why would anyone choose the painful option?

 

Which brings me to God.
Does God really give us a choice?

 

This is from the OLD TESTAMENT
Deuteronomy 30:19
New Living Translation (©2007)
"Today I have given you the choice between
life and death, between blessings and curses.
Now I call on heaven and earth to witness
the choice you make. Oh, that you would
choose life, so that you
and your descendants might live!

I am very interested in this.
It could be the explanation
for much of the emotional
and other pain that we
experience.

Maybe I should find out
if there is anyone
AUTHORISED

to tell me what to do
to give me
instructions
or commands.

Maybe I am following instructions
doing things that I am not
authorised to do, listening to
'messages'from a renegade source.

Could there be a real
KINGDOM OF GOD?

Jesus spoke a lot about

THE KINGDOM.

I read this HEBREWS 13....

we may have a

HUGE PROBLEM
if this is saying what it seems to be saying.

What do you think?

 

-------------------------

WHO IS THE "THEM"

 

Hebrews 13 >> King James Version

---

1Let brotherly love continue. 2Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. 4Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 5Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

6So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

7Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 9Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 10We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

15By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

17Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

18Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. 19But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

20Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

22And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. 23Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. 24Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.

25Grace be with you all. Amen

for today

LISTEN HERE
It is our hope and prayer that our ministry will be a source of spiritual

encouragement to you and that you will see the power and grace of

Jesus Christ's love in your own life.

----------------

The Lord does not give me rules, He makes His standard very clear,

and if my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says

without any hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love some one

else in competition with Him, viz., myself. Jesus Christ will not

help me to obey Him, I must obey Him; and when

I do obey Him, I fulfil my spiritual destiny.
OSWALD CHAMBERS

 

---------------

 

"If ye love Me, ye will keep My commandments." John 14:15

 

---------------

After you've voted, this evening OFA offices and other spots around the country are going to

be buzzing with election-night activity. So make plans now to grab your cell phone or your

walking shoes, and find a get out the vote event tonight in your area. There are thousands

of events going on throughout the evening—find one near you here.

----------------

China in Prophecy ?

	Missler,Chuck - China In Bible Prophecy .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

why did he jump off the bridge?

Staying in the secret place
is not a bad thing....if

it is the secret place
of the most High ....
under the shadow of the Almighty.

 

There seems to be a natural
tendency to privacy....

..but secrecy and shame
are sometimes (NOT ALWAYS) connected.

 

"they were both naked,
the man and his wife,
and were not ashamed"

Genesis 2:25

 

So, what have I got to hide?
I have often wonderered about this.

 

Last week a young man jumped off a bridge in
New York and killed himself. It seems as if
he was ashamed....so ashamed he could not bear
to continue living.

 

What is it that is so painful about exposure?

we feel defenseless....vulnerable.

 

And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked?

 

Hiding from an enemy is the wise thing in war.

 

THE PRAYER

Lord, help me today not to hide from you but rather to hide in you. AMEN
and as for the people...you only know the ones from whom we must be hid..
you only can defend us....

 

Psalm 94:21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous,

and condemn the innocent blood.

22But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.

number one stock? (2542)

t h e r e * i s * a * n e e d l e * i n * t h i s * h a y s t a c k !


MAY YOU BE BLESSED ... <- click it **
and share a blessing with someone today

Give as 'twas given to you in your need;
Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed;
Unto your mission be true. **

One summer day in 1979, four engineers made **a startling discovery...They came across an internal memo that detailed their company's **top selling products of the year... Though none of them made more than $20,000 a year, they discovered the products they created were responsible for about 60% of the company's total revenue -- over 60 million dollars! So they went upstairs to the CEO's office seeking a fair share of the profits or at the very least, a raise.But the CEO was not impressed. He called them a bunch of "prima donnas." And said they were no more important to his company than the people on the assembly line who put the product in the box. He refused to give them a penny more. It was then that these four men -- who would become known to industry insiders as the "Gang of Four" -- did something most of us only dream of doing...They quit their jobs and went into business for themselves -- as a direct competitor to their previous employer!

Some investors know **this company's name well --
because it's made them very wealthy!

**********************
And whosoever will be chief among you,
let him be your servant: (Matthew 20:27)

abandon ?

Success is the ability, first, to recognize opportunity; second, to form plans and strategies that leverage opportunity; and, third, to develop the necessary skills needed to execute those strategies. - Gary Ryan Blair

"If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples. 27So those who do not carry their crosses and follow me cannot be my disciples. 28"Suppose you want to build a tower. You would first sit down and figure out what it costs. Then you would see if you have enough money to finish it. 29Otherwise, if you lay a foundation and can't finish the building, everyone who watches will make fun of you. 30They'll say, 'This person started to build but couldn't finish the job.' 31"Or suppose a king is going to war against another king. He would first sit down and think things through. Can he and his 10,000 soldiers fight against a king with 20,000 soldiers? 32If he can't, he'll send ambassadors to ask for terms of peace while the other king is still far away. 33In the same way, none of you can be my disciples unless you give up everything.
34"Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how will you restore its flavor? 35It's not any good for the ground or for the manure pile. People throw it away. "Let the person who has ears listen!"