Deliverance
February 28, 2009
Deliverance is to be rescued or salvation. Thanks be to Jesus that he showed us the way to save our souls from sin. We must come to the realization that God is real, powerful, and will deliver us from the woes of this world. Let’ look at Psalms 72:12 it says For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence for precious is their blood in his sight. It said in Psalms 79:8 Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for you name’s sake.
4 Steps to Use Fears as Friends: Don?t be a Thunder Dog!
February 28, 2009
Imagine humungous, bulbous, billowing alto-cumulus clouds building higher and higher in the sky. They are as black as tar at the bottom and snowy white at the top. It looks as if we’re in for a storm.
CRACK, rumble, rumble, rumble. Use your imagination folks. That’s thunder, not a malfunction of my keyboard.
My black and white Border Collie, Tip, catapults from her slumber, ears laid tight against her head, and she’s off, full tilt, as fast as her legs will take her. Where is she going? She doesn’t know. She’s scared and she is just running.
Does she have a safe place at home?
Absolutely. She has a nice dog house that she uses for protection from the rain, snow, and coyotes that venture too close to the yard. But when there is thunder, she runs blindly. She is an incredibly intelligent dog, but under these circumstances, the expression "as dumb as a sack of hoe handles" comes to mind.
You may be thinking, "Cute story but what does this have to do with me?"
Ponder this:
Doctors of the Air
February 27, 2009
We met at a Saturday afternoon fund-raising and promotional rally sponsored by a para-church organization. His calling card introduced him impressively. He was the pastor of an independent church congregation not aligned with any denomination, and a radio preacher. They called him “Doctor”. And why not? After the good reverend’s name, his calling card displayed the symbol D.D. for his honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.
He was at least fifteen years my senior. For reasons I cannot explain, we became friends. I learned he never attended college or seminary. One day I dared to ask about his degrees. With what I hoped was jest, he quoted part of the thirteenth verse from the third chapter of the apostle Paul’s first letter to the young pastor Timothy, which says that a minister “doth purchase to himself a good degree.” So I was not surprised to learn later that his honorary degree was from a diploma mill–the same school from which ultimately earned his doctor of theology (Th.D) degree.
Bewitching Jewelry — Amulets, Talismans and Charms
February 26, 2009
Throughout the ages, men and women have used gemstones and crystals in personal ornaments and body decorations as bewitching jewelry. Wearing them as charms, talismans or amulets, they were believed to possess the power to ward off evil spirits (or attract benevolent ones), keep one safe from harm, or to find love. To this day, many people of all ages and from all walks of life believe in the magical power of certain gems and make bewitching jewelry part of their everyday attire.
Take pearls, for instance. In the olden days, if a maiden wanted a man to fall in love with her, she would put pearls ground into a fine powder into a glass of wine and somehow get him to drink it. A pretty costly way to catch a man, that method. Nowadays, wearing pearls is believed to enhance one’s inner character and bring about peace and serenity. Gold is another example of bewitching jewelry. Since time immemorial, it has captured the fascination of all people, and is one of the cornerstones of the science of alchemy. Gold is used to enhance the power of other gemstones, hence its popular use as a setting. It is also believed to attract wealth and influence, because the wearer is perceived to be strong and powerful.
May the Budgie of Happiness Sit on Your Head
February 25, 2009
My grandmother, Mimi, was a great solitaire player. My family legacy is mainly memories, so I especially cherish my few tangible mementos. Especially a photograph of Mimi, when she was in her mid-70’s, sitting at the kitchen table, solitaire game in progress and a small green "budgie" (aka parakeet in this country) atop her head.
You need to realize that my grandmother was a lady. She’d been an executive secretary in her working days, and there was a dignity about her that somehow hadn’t translated into subsequent generations. Genteel, she was. Prim. Proper even.
That’s why the budgie picture is such a delight. If it is possible for my grandmother to relax enough to tolerate a bird in her hair ? and allow a photograph! — then it is possible for anyone to let go, let down and play. She knew what could happen. She knew what birds do . . . and she yet, let it sit there, let this fragile little creature just be.
Consider, The Past, Present and Future?
February 24, 2009
Consider the past. A time when we were prosperous and growing?
Consider the past, when God added to the church daily, such as needed to be saved.
Consider the past, when many were healed and redeemed, many were set free from captivity, oppression and delivered.
Consider the past, when, where there was a problem, we all met it head on and it was overcome.
The Lord says consider it.
Consider the Present. The European Union is getting Stronger.
Consider the Present. Iraq signs military pact with Iran.
Consider the Present. Russia signs accord with China and India.
Consider the Present. US voices fears over Chinese military build-up.
Consider the Present. Prayer, The Ten Commandments, unlawful in Schools and Government Buildings.
Consider the Present. Gay Marriage, Gay priest, Women Deacons.
Consider the Present. Uzbekistan Christians Detained and Tortured for Their Faith.
Consider the Present. Council members in a South Carolina town can no longer mention the name of Jesus Christ or another specific deity in their prayers during meetings.
Consider the Present. A massive, international “gay pride” event previously held in Rome, at the doorstep of the Vatican, has chosen Jerusalem as its next venue.
In Seach Of Heroes - Matrimonial Heroes (Part One)
February 23, 2009
Just as our arrival at destination is tied to the supply of fuel, even if we are travelling by a perfectly functioning vehicle, so are our destinies tied to the Heroes in our midst, even though we seem to be doing well on the average.
Their absence from our midst is the reason for the reign of ‘lack-lustre’ mediocres on the throne of our private lives.
Heroes are the ones who stir up the innate virtues in us for success. They serve, not really as role models as many think, but as a beacon of greatness that rally us to aspire for self-fulfilment and actualisation. (Afterall, many of us don’t really want to be the exact copy of our heroes, we are rather content to know and always see someone bearing the burden and lofty standard of societal aspirations).
The successes and triumphs of our Heroes are the loud voice that shut up the quiet wishpers of mockery, defeat and failures in our own lives.
The making of heroes begins, first, from the home: ‘Matrimonial Heroes’. As a father or parent, have you ever felt the tremors of what possible future backlash it would be if you fail to provide or meet basic parental obligation to your innocent young ones? For how long do you think you can manipulate their innocence with fragile excuses for passing the buck?
Jihad
February 23, 2009
Jesus spoke as much about Heaven as He did about Hell. What I would like to do is a little comparison of the Truth of the Bible over the Lies of The Jihad, as the Muslim Nations try to dominate the world with their false religion.
Islam believes that the world will eventually convert to Islam if all factions that are non-Islamic are removed [AKA, Killed]. To the Muslims the greatest threat to their world domination is Judaism and Christianity. Which both of these will eventually join together under one saviour Jesus Christ.
We will look at The militant interpretation of jihad, for it is the one that many are dieing for and of today. The militant interpretation of jihad, is to suggest a world-view in which hostile anti-Islamic forces [Judaism and Christianity.] are currently preventing Islam from realizing its full potential for peaceful global expansion–[Global Dominance]a world-view in which Islam will eventually be adopted by all mankind [Forced Upon] if these hostile forces [Jews & Christians] are confronted socially and militarily.
What Does It Take To Be Happy?
February 22, 2009
What does it take to be happy? In our age of consumerism many will likely tell you that in order to be happy you have to keep up with the trends, or as they used to say in the 50’s and 60’s “you must keep up with the Jones’s”.
I think it is clear that if this were a solution to your unhappiness you likely would not have been drawn to this article. You see, the fact that you are reading this at all means that you likely are still confused about this critical issue.
The fact that you are concerned about something as simple and basic as your own happiness also says something important that many of us forget. That is that our happiness is perhaps the most important thing to many of us.
Isn’t that what we try to base most of our decisions on? Well perhaps you’d like to think so but I would suggest again that if you did then again you would have no desire to read this article. You see if you reflected on each decision you were about to make and noted whether it was truly going to make you feel happy then you would already have your answer.
British B. S.
February 21, 2009
CLEOPATRA’S NEEDLE: -MacDari was a Mason but his Masonry deplored the British ‘alehouse and tavern denizens’. There are many heads or names in the ‘octopus’ of Freemasonry and we have only touched upon a few of them including the Bilderbergs. Barrett gives us the beginning of a glimpse into the influence of Masons on the founding of America, albeit a misleading one that he could be excused for not knowing in any one specific instance (such as Paine’s Druidic involvement) but when taken together seems to be a ‘damage control’ exercise of the ’stonewalling’ nature.
To return to both influences ‘on’ Freemasonry, and the influence ‘of’ Freemasonry, Martin Short {Author of a weak but influential early book in the effort to expose what is going on, called ‘The Brotherhood’} spends pages showing how much Freemasons had infiltrated nineteenth-century society; it was Masons, for example, who ’succeeded in erecting Cleopatra’s Needle’ on Victoria Embankment in London in 1878; when its twin was raised in New York in 1880, the celebration was ‘a brazenly Masonic affair’; while the Washington monument was dedicated in another dose of fraternal self-congratulation. (3) It may well be that Freemasons had a particular interest in Egyptology at the time, and were involved in the erection of the monuments; but this was more likely because, first, they simply reflected one of the intellectual fascinations of their age and, second, at that time many men of importance were Freemasons - again, a societal reflection. Like many similar critics, however, Short is confusing cause and effect.
