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Getting somewhere requires effort, it takes
faith to push on, it's easy to screw up,
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Friday, May 6, 2011
Judgement Day is coming, 21 May, 2011-05-06, NOT!
Michael Garcia is a believer.
He has put his faith out for the world to see, co-ordinating an advertising campaign proclaiming that the
end of the world is coming on May 21.
His group,
Family Radio, has billboards in 17 Canadian cities, he said Thursday, including Toronto, Calgary, Kingston, Ont., Windsor,
Ont., Saskatoon, Ottawa, Quebec City and Montreal.
Remember that in 2005 a guy by the name of Meredith predicted the end of the world somewhere between 2010 to 2020.
The outcome of that so far is that 11 people were shot by a church member who had depression. Seven died and the man Terry
Ratzmann then shot himself.
Let’s go back a bit to the end of the millennium, that year 2000. Predictions
there included: 2nd coming of Jesus, Armageddon, Antichrist coming, the rapture, the tribulation, horrible disasters.
How can we believe this drivel?
Anyone who know their bible
relatively well KNOWs it says the following:
Matthew 24 verses 1- 32 describe the end times and then in verse 33 Jesus says
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven,
nor the Son, but only the Father.”
Okay, read that again! It says NO ONE KNOWS!
So lets
be sure to understand the one thing our bible says is that these predictors of calamity are WRONG!
Just in case we think this is a potential mis quote, it is repeated in a slightly
different way in Mark 13.
Verses 1 to 31 describe those end times but in verse 32 Jesus is again quoted
saying
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels
in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Believe it! These people are not the bright biblical scholars they say they are
or they would know this!
Michael Garcia is a nut case of types! He is misleading honest people. Unfortunately
the press loves this type of bad behaviour and ascribes it to all Christians.
That is not truth at work. I
am a Christian and many like me know our bible and what it says.
Unfortunately, most Christians are not willing
to stand up and state the truth as they “don’t like to hurt people”. Nonsense! Jesus turned to false
religious leaders and called them “whitewashed tombs”.
Michael Gracia, you are a “Whitewashed tomb”!
So today I chose God’s
word over false prophets and will let others know.
What about you?
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Wierdness! “Do not repay anyone evil for evil.”
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke
“Remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won.
There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it,
ALWAYS.”
Mahatma
Gandhi
Angry thoughts swirl through the mind. Rage churns up explosively and retribution
seems to be the only true outcome.
The movies show us scene after scene where an insulted, hurt or mistreated
person finds a way to turn the tables on the opponent and retribution results.
The sad
thing is that most people see this as a true way through circumstances of this type.
Think of it! Have we fallen into this trap in the past? I know I have!
As a majority
shareholder and CEO in a company I started, I was by a collusion two other partners who were out to take some money from some
of the employees we needed to let go. I wouldn’t do it and that resulted in me being fired from my own company!
Anger reigned supreme for many days! How would you have felt in similar circumstances. I lost
millions and then they wanted $500k of my personal loan money that was supporting the company. They said that they needed
it.
What did I do?
I went to an attorney and he said he could sue them for everything they owned.
That’s when my Christian values kicked in! I remembered Romans 12:17 where it says:
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right
in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge,
my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”
says the Lord. [NIV]
I met the mean trial attorney and heard his
words and realised what he would do and these words emerged in my thoughts as I absorbed those law office
events.
Those bible are words for the courageous! These men were not Christian as far as I knew. I knew their wives and children. I knew that to take my money out
that company would mean employees would suffer. I knew suing them would generate more horror mindsets in my own head.
Basically, I knew God was right! I really didn’t want to know this at that time! It just made sense in the global view where I didn’t place myself at the center of the universe. I knew God
was right, even though it meant I would loose more!
That’s how we gain perspective and follow God’s wisdom in this respect.
That’s how we can avoid replaying evil for evil! That’s how we become better people and avoid long term pain ourselves.
Remember God’s truths!
Satan wanted me handcuffed
to horrible revengeful thoughts! Instead compassion and love for others
welled up and I gave up the money, the prestige, the control to others who I knew were evil.
There was
a wonderful good man among my partners. Not Christian but a Jew. He was
my closest friend and since we did believed in the same God (from different perspectives) he had similar values to myself.
(As an aside I so wished and prayed he would also believe in Jesus God’s son…maybe that could still happen. Time
will tell!)
God used him to protect those who were in the company from the wrong that could have happened. The
fear of the court case that never came stopped them doing further evil. Good resulted.
Do I think they will
get away with what they did?
Maybe! I don’t care if they do because it is not mine to care about! Now
it belongs with God and all I can do is to try and avoid making similar mistakes.
We all need
to avoid repaying evil with evil. Let’s reject the modern media’s revenge policies! Let’s do good!
Today as we go into situations that may be less than desirable, let’s go in to make them better and not to
get what we think is due us, or to protect only our interests. Let’s take a global view on life, a God view of the eternal
worth of our actions.
Then we will make a difference! Right?
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Paying back, paying forward.
It didn't really
matter who we played. We don't see it as revenge from last year; we don't see it as payback because this year's team is a
different team. They're a different team. We do different stuff, they do different stuff.
~ Taurean Green
In the field of sports, so often as a team meets a team that they have encountered before there is a plan to payback
for past actions.
Sometimes however the teams are better and bigger than that. They see themselves as different
and plan to make a difference.
This is more like how God wants us to react.
In Romans 12 (verse 12 onwards in NIV) it says the following:
When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer,
be patient. When you pray, be faithful. Share with God's people who are in need. Welcome others into your homes.
Bless those who hurt you. Bless them, and do not
call down curses on them. Be joyful with those who are joyful. Be sad with those who are sad. Agree with each other. Don't
be proud. Be willing to be a friend of people who aren't considered important. Don't think that you are better than others.
There is plenty good advice here!
The first is to be joyful even as you expectantly
wait for something to happen.
Ever met a person who can only see what is wrong with something that’s
about to happen. They spend so much time on the negative they have no joy!
We need to evaluate the negative
and make sure we have a real understanding of the circumstances but then once we pray and give it to God we need to
know he will work it out for good! That should give us joy!
The
fact that God works things out for good, does not mean it will work out for good for us either!
We are not the center of the universe, God is!
We need to have joy in knowing
that as things develop in time, God’s plan is being revealed. We need to be thankful we can play a small part in that
plan. That’s a privilege!
That’s why Paul says to be patient in suffering as he writes to
the Romans. Knowing as we do now that soon they would be killed for their faith in Rome, it sounds almost ironic
doesn’t it?
However, those that died in Rome were part of the overall plan to change the Roman empire
into a Christian empire. They changed the world! A fact!
Bless those
that curse you! These are words they took very seriously. We have information that
Christians helped Roman soldier who were wounded when the soldiers were sent out to capture and kill those Christians. Bless those that curse you! in action! It changed the world.
Are we too selfish today
to do this?
Has the world got us so focussed on pleasuring ourselves that
we miss significant points?
Do we align ourselves with those in need, coming alongside to
help even when it is difficult for us? Paul says we should do this and do it with joy! True joy! Joy in difficult circumstances!
We should not look at who the person is and how important they are before we help them should we?
God doesn’t! Jesus offers eternal life to everyone independent of what they do or have done. It’s free for the
taking and so available to all if they have the courage to step up and take it.
We similarly should be willing
to help anyone regardless of their position in hierarchies in this life.
I
hope to do this with joy today.
What about you?
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
How do politics align with God’s word?
Do not think
of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God
has distributed to each of you. - Bible (NIV)
Today in Canada we have
a new majority government voted in last night by the people of the country
and that got me thinking of how God’s word and politics relate.
Man’s leadership role in the
bible changes with the complexity of man. In the very beginning in the
Garden of Eden it says God spoke directly to mankind.
But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”
Genesis 3:9
Direct communication!
Then mankind gets more complex! We think we know better than God and we are ejected into the world where organizations
starts to occur.
Farming starts and then cities are formed. Genesis 4:17 Cain was then building
a city, and he named it after his son Enoch.
The it says in Genesis 4:26 At that time people began
to call on the name of the LORD.
The term “call on” could also mean “proclaim”, i.e. proclaim
the Lord.
The first campaign starts on earth and it is to make sure people know of God.
God sets the age of man in Genesis 6:3 Then
the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their
days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
Now lives take on an urgency! Only 120 years to do whatever is needed. People reacted by becoming evil, see Genesis 6:11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth
had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.
God cleans up their act and
directly after this we see mankind setting up family worship centers for God. Politics and
worship are at the family level now.
Genesis 8:20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and,
taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.
Soon the families turn into tribes with tribal leaders and then
we see nations being promised by God, Genesis 12: 2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
Politics is evolving to a national level, but the
worship of God is still managed by the family representatives. The bible talks freely of Kings and Pharoah (Egyptian King/God).
We all know how the Israelites leave Egypt and end up in the promised land where God appoints Judges to
lead them Judges 2:16 Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders.
Not satisfied with the Judges they demand a King. The prophets who have led the people spiritually are tasked with anointing a King.
The people
demand a King and God explains 1Samuel 8:6 But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,”
this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to
you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them
up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn
them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
The
way I read this, is they asked for what they should have avoided and the tax system arrived on Earth!
This control
of Kings continues until we get to the new testament times when Jesus comes to link us with God.
It seems to me that man’s control of man is, it is always full of problems.
No matter what the system we put in place. Ultimately we are to respond directly to God, and it is
within political structures of our own choosing.
The key thing in choosing leadership at the national level
comes out of Paul’s words to the Romans. We need to choose a man
or woman who follows this advice,
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not
think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with
the faith God has distributed to each of you. Romans 12:4
Humility and true knowledge of the value we
bring to others must be at the center of our systems if we are to be successful. Think of it, most of the horrible wars are
a result of people failing to respect others.
Today I want to pray our leaders will respect others in humility.
I want to do the same.
What about you?
Monday, May 2, 2011
Logical absolutes and God Today we are so keen to use logic to solve problems that we often forget logic is a formal science
that started it’s development many years ago and it is the ancient Greeks that promoted it.
We use logic without knowing it!
For example, if we say something is an
apple, we know it is not a pear or a peach, it is an apple.
Why?
No real reason other than that is
the verbal tag we give it, right?
The word apple is what society (English society that is) has chosen
for a specific type of fruit. The word uniquely identifies it!
In logic, that’s the law of identity at work. The word identifies the item.
The fact that an apple is not a pear is another law, the law of non-contradiction. Something
is itself and cannot be something else at the same time.
This is all very logical isn’t
it !
So, we package these together and build a set
of absolutes which we agree on.
Then
we use them to argue points with each other in a way that enables us to move forward in agreement or disagreement with others,
but which makes things real clear!
Those truths that are true all the time everywhere get
higher status. Things like “You can’t make something out
of nothing!” are fundamental. We all agree on these truths!
Now let me pause to say that people who say of absolute truth “It
depends on your point of view” have to be mistaken.
I will give an example. Say a person’s
viewpoint of my previous statement is contradictory, i.e. “You
can make something out of nothing”.
I think we would all agree this is a ludicrous statement by that person, and it easily tested, and easily
proved to be wrong.
However, complex
absolute truths often get incorrectly discarded with “It all depends on your point
of view” statement.
Not really! That’s avoiding the facts right?
Absolute truth is just that! It is absolute! It doesn’t depend on my point of view at all!
Some things just don't depend on a point of view. they ARE true!
Atheists as people who do not believe
in absolutes have an even bigger problem because they have no absolute truth to hang onto at all.
We understand that true absolutely logical thoughts don’t come
from any person but are grown from somewhere else. Many atheists focus on their own abilities to define truth and make it
depend on their point of view.
Absolutes are independent of all of our viewpoints,
all rational people are expected to agree that “You cannot make something out of nothing.”
It’s bigger than any one person! Isn't it?
It is an universal
law of the universe as far as we can tell! We call it a law of nature! (That’s a way of saying it’s
absolute, but we don’t want to acknowledge God) It was there before us, and will be there after us!
Now we may suggest that God’s existence is another
absolute fact! Why do we say so?
Universally,
since the most ancient of days, and still today, the majority of people agree there is a supernatural
being who is outside of our know existence and who controls aspects of the natural universe in ways
mankind cannot do. We may not agree on who it is, but we agree they exist!
Universally, since the ancient of days, and still today, the majority of people
agree we have good and evil! A universal absolute!
So people like atheists who say there is no good or evil must be absolutely wrong, right?
People who say evil and good are
the same thing, are failing to be logical or rational. So different viewpoints cannot rational if we look
at absolute truth. Then because the concepts are so simple, we cannot break them down either. We have to accept the absolute
truth!
Where does that leave us as Christians?
We love God and agree he exists and that there is good and evil in this world.
So we are logical! However are we willing for that God
to take control of our lives. We say so, yet, when it comes down to it, do we let that God do his work.
Maybe
we need to all accept the acvice of Paul in Romans 12
For by the grace given me I say
to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment,
in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
Mon, May 2, 2011 | link
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Rift in Evil
By Ken
X Briggs - Published: September, 2010
- Format: Perfect Bound Softcover(B/W)
- Pages: 208
Size:
6x9 - ISBN: 9781450250894
Available from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, iUniverse. |
Credit cards are acceptable on sites having Ken's books: 
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| Ken's book covers are displayed below. . . | |  This
suspense thriller centers on Kiara, a beautiful young woman pursued by a murderous group of people, who relentlessly and ruthlessly
hunt her and her sisters. Kiara has no idea why she is being targeted! When Kiara and her family turn to the law for help,
this fails. Her pursuers’ powers reach deeply into the political and law enforcement world. Family support for her dwindles
when they too have to flee her pursuers. Can Kiara escape the clutches of both the law and dishonest big business? With the
media broadcasting that Kiara and friends are dangerous and subversive, can Kiara clear her name and bring her pursuers to
justice?
| | | | | To purchase Kiara's Pursuer ebook
@ $1.99 kindle version click here, To contact the author contact Author@KenXBriggs.com | | | | | | | | The town of Zinaville is dropped into a spiral of evil causing a young man and a beautiful but abused woman
to launch into an investigation that unveils an evil conspiracy. A horrific mining accident results in Joshua
Robyn's father being killed. Joshua struggles both with himself and his townsfolk as he tries to make sense of an incomprehensible
situation. Is it an accident or a murder? Why is there a seeming link to evil? Why is his work environment suddenly threatening?
What is the conspiracy about and what are they trying to do? As action moves dramatically from exotic African grasslands to
the heart of North America's cities, the plot unfolds and the pace quickens. Will there be time? Why is a beautiful abused
young woman in the center of this plot? Evil tendrils tighten on their lives and the interplay between the visible
and invisible world shows opposing forces at work. Will there be a rift in evil? Will they be able to stop the
evil in time? | | - Published: September, 2010
- Format: Perfect
Bound Softcover(B/W)
- Pages: 208
Size: 6x9 - ISBN: 9781450250894
Available
from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, iUniverse. Chapters | | | | |
| Frugal Eating Advice |
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May you be blessed today!
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