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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, September 21, 2012
Two type of lies and liars, and how to avoid both!
“Of all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are your own fears” ~ Rudyard Kipling
Lying comes in two major varieties. Lies to deceive others for apparent
gain and lies due to fear.
Think about it! Lies always fall into one of these two categories.
Now, all lies are wrong! God doesn’t like lies at all! In fact, the source of lies is the real reason God hates liars. John explains
this, saying about a liar and sinner...
“You belong to your father, the devil. You want to obey your father’s wishes. From the beginning,
the devil was a murderer. He has never obeyed the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his natural language.
He does this because he is a liar. He is the father of liesSatan builds the need for
lies!
Either he tries to make out we are missing something in life, or he
points out we are being cornered and going to experience
something nasty and unpleasant and we must be scared.
What do we really miss out on in life?
Do we have enough food, warmth, love? I hope so, but not everyone does. Unfortunately lies don’t bring us any of the
love side of life. It may get us things, but it pushes people away. Not even liars want to be lied to! Right?
Then, how many of us are really missing the
necessities of life? Not that many of us right?
Normally it’s a “want”
not a “need”.
That iPod
I “want”, or that film I “want” to see, or the clothes I “want”. Maybe it’s the
boat, car or technology that’s the “want”. Deeper wants are to be loved, seen as important, or respected.
Now for a tough
realization, “wants” are not “needs”!
We can live without them! This is the first step in countering that urge to lie because of wants.
The next step is simply telling God about our desires and
“wants” and handing them over to him. Sometimes
we are surprised and receive a gift in the form of fulfillment of the “want” but as God knows what is really best
for us, sometimes our wants need to be ignored to give us super gifts that enable us to grow deeply. Develop spiritually and
gain more than we would if stunted by receiving what we “want”.
If we have difficulty following this, all we have to think of is a small child playing
in the kitchen while mommy is baking with knives and hot surfaces. Do we give the child what they ask for? Hmm! Do we love
the child if we do?
What
about category two, those lies due to “fear”?
These start off with “I’m scared...so I have to lie about...”
Maybe it’s a cover up of a mistake? Perhaps we have said something and now want
it “undone”? Perhaps we see a horrible future if a truth is exposed?
These fears eat into us, sometime sucking the enjoyment of life from us. Satan cleverly
tells us that by lying, we can overcome the situation. Unfortunately, all that means is that the fear is submerged into our
unconscious and lies there waiting to erupt and bite into our lives when we least expect it. We never get away from fear either,
in fact we imbed it into our lives.
The fear of being discovered becomes continual!
Satan is the father of lies.
Learning from him will cause us to die a little each day. Handing our lives to him destroys us.
That’s why Jesus died to provide forgiveness and
a way back to God. There is a price for our lies, and Jesus
pays it.
God
wants us to be brave and humble. To face our fears and overcome them!
Jesus made a way out of our circumstances. We can be forgiven by the person who matters most! We can be forgiven by God!
We need to turn to God and ask his
help. We cannot simply think we get it without doing anything. We face our fears, speak truth and accept the consequences
knowing it will help us not give into the urge to lie next time.
Humility is a very special gift!
Humility is not being a low down, worth nothing person and believing it. No! Humility is know who we are in God’s plan.
It’s not making out we are any better than God made us, and also not making out we are worse. It’s rising to the
challenges of life with courage knowing God is with and within us, helping guiding and protecting us! It’s the confidence
in God’s power and love through all circumstances while knowing this power and love is there for the taking by everyone
on earth. It’s wanting to help others understand this! It’s loving our neighbours as we have learned to love ourselves.
It’s knowing that by avoiding lying, we are truly loving ourselves!
Have a great day and think about these things!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Did you know Jesus the Christ’s name was not actually “Jesus”?
What you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing; it also depends on what sort of
person you are.~ C.S. LEWIS
Isn’t it amazing how we can hear something daily for most of our
lives and then find out we were mistaken in our understanding?
I have done that with words of certain songs I heard as
a child and in my childlike mind, jumped to conclusions on what they were saying, never reconsidering this until some of the
television shows that challenge people to give the lyrics to a tune, came on the air, and destroyed my fantasy.
Most of us at one time misheard
something and propagated it as fact without understanding our failure. As a child of about six, I was at a camp where we were told to clean
our teeth several times a day. When I got home my parents asked me what I learned. I told them I was to clean my teeth seven
times a day. “Wow!” They said, a smile on their face, “at what times were these?” Bravely
I tried my best to figure it out and explain all seven times until they put me out my misery by explaining the person had
probably said several and it didn’t mean seven!
The name “Jesus” that we find translated everywhere for the
name of God’s son on earth, was not the name to which he would have answered if you had approached him while he walked around the Sea of Galilee
in the first century A.D.
That form of the name, “Jesus”, was only coined in about the 17th century A.D. Prior to this the forms “Jesu”
and “Jhesu” were used. The original versions of the King James Bible used “Iesu” that was the form
from the 12th century A.D.
This in turn, was a derivation from the greek Ἰησοῦς or Iēsous that was used from the 3rd century A.D. This was the taken from the Hebrew “Yeshua” which was
related to the “Yehoshua” יְהוֹשֻׁעַ or as we say in English “Joshua”. It is believe Joshua
it is the original form of a shortened form that later became יֵשׁוּעַ or “Yeshua”. The original form “Yehoshua”
was comprised of two parts, “yeho” which referred to “YHWH” or “Yahweh”, God’s name,
and “y-š-ʕ or י-ש-ע meaning "to liberate, save".
The bible itself gives an indication of the meaning of the name Jesus when Matthew says...
“You must give him the
name Jesus. That is because he will save his people from their sins.”
Jesus was named for
the task at hand, that he would have to complete. He was born to die as the guy who makes the difference between a hellish
and an awesome life, here and after death.
Now, we can chose to continue to use his name as “Jesus”, but know that if we met him, “Yeshua”
or “Iēsous” is the actual name that he would answer to.
With that interesting snippet of information, I pray you will have a
blessed day, whatever your name is! J
Thu, September 20, 2012 | link
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Helping others on a minimal income... Even the rich are hungry for love, for being cared for, for being wanted, for having someone
to call their own. ~ Mother Teresa
The community in which I live is small rural and not very wealthy.
Yet,
each week in summer the cars arrive with wealthy people from the city
who want to enjoy the beauty of this little hamlet, swim in the lakes, fish, hike or hunt if the season permits it.
This wealthy group is
a major provider of income to many in this poorer area and
there is a love hate relationship between us, the locals, and the city folk.
The city people have fast smart new cars that speed over roads that have animals lurking in the bushes, often hitting an unsuspecting creature
as it tries to pass between cars. We get to clean up the mess, and often take the city person to hospital. These people that
arrive from the city exude wealth. A reminder to the poorer folk of how our government supports the masses, and fails to cater
adequately for minorities. Rural people being spread out make significant less voter impact, and so get less attention.
Yet, when I speak
to the village men and women, they don’t want to be city dwellers.
They feel that in the city one becomes impersonal, a number, one of a huge crowd of nobodies. They feel people stop caring
for each other! They think that there isn’t time to get to know your neighbour and build meaningful relationships! In
some ways they are right!
Since
I spend about half my time in cities and this village, I can see both worlds.
I agree that the rural villagers are definitely more loving and caring to those around them.
This got me thinking of Jesus and where he lived. Nazareth
was a small town! Yet out of that
small town came a person who changed the world. Then, that person said “What
I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. In fact, he will do even greater
things. That is because I am going to the Father.”
Our station in life is not the
critical aspect, and neither is our wealth, or lack of it. Our value is in our ability to respond correctly to people and
our life circumstances. That response is built on our fundamental beliefs and attitudes!
This is why being a Christian is so important! Jesus taught good values and approaches to living.
Jesus teaching has been approved or feared
by so many in this world. Even those who reject Christianity
respect Jesus and his teachings.
Consider
Ghandi who said, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike
Christ.”
Shame on us!
Why do I bring this to our attention?
Because in the city the
Christians are less like Christ! Somehow in the city there
is a limitation on concern for others. The intensity of the human mass generates a selective blindness. We fail to see others
as struggling humans, trying their best.
Instead we label them with terms that make them out to be misfits, responsible for their
predicament.
Really?
Do people get born and wake up one morning and suddenly decide
“I’m going to become a rebel for the rest of my life, even if it makes me wildly unhappy, in pain, poor and rejected
by others” ?
I don’t
think so! Stresses and strains combined with misfortunes do this. Who is to take care and love these people?
You and I!
We are to help!
“But
I don’t have the means to help!” is often the cry. Financial means we may not have, but the ability to love,
pass on encouragement, share the little we have, stop and talk to the lonely, volunteer some time somewhere, is possible isn’t
it?
I am continually blown away
by that small village in the country where I live. I know that people who have almost no money themselves, offer services
for free to others.
Just this week,
a lady told me she intended to help clean the house of an elderly person who has had to have an operation, and cannot do so.
She was planning to do this for free. This doesn’t mean much, until we find out she makes her money by cleaning homes
and she is struggling to pay debts, has huge personal problems that absorb her time and no-one to help her with her problems.
Fortunately our little church will
support her in this work so she does get paid. That’s the Christian love at work! Caring for those who have no-one to
care for them!
Can
I challenge everyone to look around them for an unloved person?
Someone who needs help that they cannot ever get for themselves. Come alongside and talk to them! Find out who they are, what
their concerns are. Love them! God will point out ways to help within our means. Money is not everything, more often it is
the doing, that is required.
Today,
let’s take a step back and view our world with unmasked eyes. Then, in prayer and with deliberate intent, let’s
go and make a difference. Once you start, the reward that comes is eternal! Perhaps we can even change our cities into more
caring places?
Wed, September 19, 2012 | link
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Why do Christians talk of Sunday as the Sabbath...they’re wrong, aren’t they? "You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single
line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we
never sanctify. ~The Catholic Cardinal Gibbons, in Faith of Our Fathers, pg. 111
1. To set apart for sacred use; consecrate.
2. To make holy; purify.
3. To give religious sanction
to, as with an oath or vow: sanctify a marriage.
4. To give social or moral sanction to.
5. To make productive of holiness or spiritual blessing.
What that quote above is saying, is that nowhere in the bible is it stated that Sunday must be set apart for sacred
or holy treatment!
Can that be
true?
Is it possible that we have simply accepted as a tradition,
something that has no basis in the bible, or even in the early church?
We know that the fourth
commandment of those ten important commandments says
“Remember
to keep the Sabbath day holy. 9 Do all of
your work in six days. 10 But the seventh day is a Sabbath in honor of the Lord your God. Do not do any work on that day. The same command applies to your sons and daughters, your male and
female servants, and your animals. It also applies to any outsiders who live in your cities. 11
In six days I made the heavens and the earth. I made the oceans and everything in them. But I rested on the seventh
day. So I blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.[1]
Yet
it doesn’t mention the Sunday (the first day of the week), anywhere! Jewish people keep
the Saturday (which is the seventh day) as a holy day. Yet as Christian’s we keep Sunday. Why?
Where did this use of the first day of the week start?
If you search the NIRV
version of the bible, you will find it doesn’t refer to Sunday at all! Yet their we will find that it says
Mark 16:9
Jesus rose from the dead early on the first
day of the week. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene. He had driven seven demons out of
her.
Jesus rose from the dead on the first day
of the week! Later that same day Jesus appears in a locked room to show himself to his disciples.
Then we also read...
Acts 20:7
On the first day
of the week we met to break bread and eat together. Paul spoke to the people.
Here we see a gathering of the early groups of Christians
on the first day of the week. This is re-inforced with the statement...
1 Corinthians 16:2
On the first day
of every week, each of you should put some money away. The amount should be in keeping with how much money you make.
These all comment about the
first day, or Sunday!
Christians celebrated on the first day of the week,
but nowhere in scripture does it ever say we are to assume the name of Sabbath, for the day of celebration, or resurrection,
that was this first day, or what later became known as the Lord’s day.
Now, it is
wise to keep a day a week to observe Gods holiness, but I find it interesting that it was a work day that was chosen for this
purpose. It was the Catholic Church that changed the day, not God or instructions in the bible.
James
Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore (1877-1921), in a signed letter."Is Saturday the seventh day according
to the Bible and the Ten Commandments? I answer yes. Is Sunday the first day of the week and did the Church change the seventh
day - Saturday- for Sunday, the first day? I answer yes. Did Christ change the day'? I answer no!" Faithfully yours,
J. Card. Gibbons"
The key verse used to justify the change is in Mark.
23
One Sabbath day Jesus was walking with his disciples through the grainfields. The disciples began to break
off some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look! It is against the Law to do this on the Sabbath. Why
are your disciples doing it?”
25 He answered, “Haven’t you ever read about what David did? He and his
men were hungry. They needed food. 26 It was when Abiathar was high priest. David entered the house of God and ate the holy
bread. Only priests were allowed to eat it. David also gave some to his men.”
27 Then Jesus said to
them, “The Sabbath day was made for man. Man was not made for the Sabbath day. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of
the Sabbath day.”[2]
It has been difficult to find out what law Jesus was breaking on that Sabbath. Perhaps one
law that did not allow reaping, is the law? Is breaking off some heads for food reaping? (Chewing grain by the way, makes
a type off chewing gum)
However, if they were very hungry, that would have been permitted
in Jewish law as hunger overrode the Sabbath law. As modern Christians, we are not as familiar with the ancient Jewish codes,
but from investigation, it would appear that it is rather dubious he was actually breaking the law.
Jesus seems to rather have redirected their argument to the Sabbath and clarified that the Sabbath was put
in place in the natural order of things for man and not the other way around.
Justine the Martyr, around 150 to 160 A.D. made the following statements...(see http://www.gci.org/law/sabbath/history2)
On the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country
gather together in one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read.... Sunday is the day
on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness
and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead[3]
Many Christians were already honoring Sunday near the
beginning of the second century.... Evidence is very strong...that many if not most Christians had given up the Sabbath as
early as A.D. 130.... Just as Sunday observance came into practice by early in the second century, so among Gentile Christians
Sabbath observance went out of practice by early in the second century. [4]Sunday was observed only as a day for worship, not as a Sabbath on
which to refrain from work.... Sunday was not at first celebrated as a `Sabbath.'... It was not observed in obedience to the
fourth commandment.... Sunday was regarded by Christians generally not as a day of rest or holiness but as a day of joy [5]It was understood
that Sunday was to be a day of joy!
That’s the Christian Sunday. It’s a celebration!
It’s a time of being happy! It’s a time to remember our incredible God. It’s a time to celebrate the fact
that we are to take every day of the week as a Sabbath and keep them holy.
Through
the working of Holy Spirit in our lives we are to be in a continual state of Holiness, so for us as Christians, every day
is a Sabbath!
Now isn’t that something we can appreciate!
[3] Justin, First Apology, 67; ANF 1:186. [4] Maxwell, pp. 136, 142
Tue, September 18, 2012 | link
Monday, September 17, 2012
Those cleanliness and purity laws in the Old Testament, are they just silly? “Don't complain about
the snow on your neighbor's roof when your own doorstep is unclean.” ~ Confucius
Purity? Have you ever wondered about those ancient Jewish purity laws? Those ones found in Leviticus that seem so
weird and strange?
They
sometimes seem crazy don’t they?
Take for example this one in Leviticus 12...
The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, ‘Suppose a woman
becomes pregnant and has a baby boy. Then she will be “unclean” for seven days. It is the same as when she is
“unclean” during her monthly period. 3 On the
eighth day the boy must be circumcised.
4 “‘After that, the woman must wait for 33 days to be made pure from her bleeding.
She must not touch anything that is sacred until the 33 days are over. During that time she must not go to the sacred tent.
5 “‘But
suppose she has a baby girl. Then she will be “unclean” for two weeks. It is the same as during her period. After
the two weeks, she must wait for 66 days to be made pure from her bleeding.
6 “‘After she has waited the required number of days to
be made pure, she must bring two offerings. She must take them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. She must
bring a lamb that is a year old for a burnt offering. She must also bring a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. 7 The priest must offer them to the Lord.
They will pay for her sin. Then she will be “clean” from her bleeding.
“‘Those are the rules for a woman who has a baby boy
or girl.
8 “‘But
suppose she can’t afford a lamb. Then she must bring two doves or two young pigeons. One is for a burnt offering. The
other is for a sin offering. The priest will sacrifice those offerings. That will pay for her sin. And she will be ‘clean.’’”
Wow! So what is this “priestly” purity about?
The ancient Hebrew priestly traditions had four major reasons for impurity or “tum’ah”,
according to the Jewish study bible. Impurity was considered contamination, defilement, pollution or uncleanness.
It was seen as similar to a coating or layer
that enveloped the impure person. The cause were in the four categories of...
1.
Human corpses
2. Carcasses
of an animals
3. Fluxes of life fluids
4. Special condition call “Tzara’at” (skin diseases)
These seem to have no common aspect,
but again according to the Jewish study bible, they had the common denominator of death or
the escape of the forces of life!
So let’s look at this
impurity after birth. That purification process was from the woman’s flow of blood. Notice it says It is the same as when she is “unclean” during her monthly
period, and she must wait for 66 days to be made pure from her bleeding.
This time was also the time when people had different customs, and dealt with life
differently. Remember there was no birth control and fathers often simply let babies die, rather than have to feed them. Woman
were treated almost like possessions, but men had a higher value. Female babies were to many men, simply another wasteful
mouth to feed. A women was there for sexual gratification and to serve her husband, or master, and had no real rights.
Now consider how you would have to protect the mother and child in times like that
if you were God and knew much of this should be kept pure.
Firstly, you needed to protect
the woman from their husbands demands for a period of time. Sex when still bleeding, would not be healthy for the mother.
Then there was a need to protect those female babies more than son’s as well!
Notice
in the above instructions that the father would have had to stay away from the mother until she was “clean”. Thus,
achieving her protection and limiting the fathers access to the baby until it was quite viable. This would also stopped the
subversive removal of care the father may have used to cause the poor child to die (and save him money and responsibility
to care).
Also, remember that in
the parallel pagan cultures of the day, the fathers actually sacrificed their children to be burnt alive in the flames of
the idol Molech, to satisfy the idol Asherah’s demands. This law would have kept the babies away from that temptation
as well!
Notice ,circumcision is mentioned only by association and not as
a means of achieving purity. Circumcision fell under a different law. Notice people look to modern medicine to supply the reasons of the difference in purification days for mothers of
female and male babies.
Maybe the reason is not medical, but sociological,
based on those ancient times as I have proposed above. No one really knows why God does what he does,
but the above is one suggestion!
Now, what about impurity by “Tzara’at”?
Well “Tzara’at” is “skin diseases” and how to deal with
them is explained in Leviticus 13. One example of these are boils and another is leprosy.
If
you read this, you will notice that the problem was considered to effect the fabrics and clothes as well as the person.
We must remember that nobody knew about “germs” yet! This was before we
discovered the “hygiene” rules and laws we apply nowdays. It’s really hard to understand that these people
would have considered rubbing excrement into a wound as a potential remedy for illness. They had no idea about bacteria, viruses,
etc. Remember the microscope was only invented in the1500’s A.D., and we are talking about the 1400B.C., almost 2900years
earlier!
God’s laws helped people fight the unseen “germs”
against which they would have had no defense.
Here is one way they helped...
45 “Suppose someone has a skin disease that makes him ‘unclean.’ Then he must wear torn clothes.
He must let his hair hang loose. He must cover the lower part of his face. He must cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’
46 As long as he has the disease, he remains ‘unclean.’ He must live alone. He must live outside the
camp.
Removal of the person from the camp, meant that the potential to kill many people with
the disease was removed. A tough but necessary measure of those times!
Now
there were elaborate rituals for re-introducing the person as well. They had a few aspects that enable us to make sense of
them.
Firstly they were fairly lengthy and resulted in a slow re-introduction
to the community. Secondly they showed God
had accepted the person, and therefore the people should now accept them again.
This
had the effect of showing to the priests and people the person was acceptable and “Safe” for the community. It
also gave time for this realization to penetrate the social conscious of that group of people. A very wise way of re-introducing
the person back into the community.
For example the ritual required two lives birds to be provided,
one to be sacrificed and one set free. The person was sprinkled with blood and water 7 times, had to wash all their clothes
and take a bath. Then they had to come into the community, but stay outside their tent seven days. They had to shave off all
their hair (Hygiene rule there!). Then on the eighth day, they had to bring two male lambs and one female lamb as an offering.
One lamb was a guilt offering. Then the priest put oil on their right earlobe, thumb of right hand and big toe right foot.
Complex, but showing everyone they
were clean!
What about in Jesus
time? Did he stick to these rules? Did he stick to this “silly” disease rule?
Let’s look at an example...
40 A man who had a skin disease came to Jesus. On
his knees he begged Jesus. He said, “If you are willing to make me ‘clean,’ you can do it.”
41 Jesus was filled with deep concern. He reached out his hand and touched
the man. “I am willing to do it,” he said. “Be ‘clean’!” 42 Right away the disease left him. He was healed.
43 Jesus sent him away at once. He gave the man a strong warning. 44 “Don’t tell this to anyone,” he said. “Go and show yourself
to the priest. Offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded. It will be a witness to the priest and the people that you are ‘clean.’”
45 But the man went out and started talking right
away. He spread the news to everyone. So Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. He stayed outside in lonely places. But
people still came to him from everywhere.
Let’s understand a few things.
Firstly let's understand that the rift between Jew and Christians from the Jewish perspective is most deeply associated with
being “clean” and “unclean”, and is fundamental to the orthodox beliefs (at least in the first century).
It’s even there today!
Next.
let’s understand that in Jesus day holiness was kept by keeping distance from sinners, but Jesus refused to do this!
Yet he did not throw out the purity requirements
either. Notice he let love and compassion for the ill override his own safety in the purity laws, aan unclean person and touching
them was definitely not advised, but he did it!
Also
notice however the words “Go
and show yourself to the priest. Offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded. It will be a witness to the priest and the people
that you are ‘clean.’”
Jesus wanted to still have the man
stick to the purity law, and undergo the rituals. Notice, he understands it is to enable the priest and people to accept the
man, and in fact explains his actions as such!
Maybe we need to be more focused on helping people get rid of their selfish, ignorant and nasty parts of their lives,
than keeping away from these people.
Jesus
comments on physical versus spiritual (Luke 11:37-41)...
37 Jesus finished speaking. Then a Pharisee invited him to eat with him.
So Jesus went in and took his place at the table. 38 But the
Pharisee noticed that Jesus did not wash before the meal. He was surprised.
39 Then the Lord spoke to him. “You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish,” he said. “But
inside you are full of greed and evil. 40 You foolish people!
Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 Give
to poor people what is inside the dish. Then everything will be clean for you.
What does this mean for us? How do we keep clean?
Jesus explains this when he says the following...
“I am the true vine. My Father is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch joined to me that does not bear
fruit. He trims every branch that does bear fruit. Then it will bear even more fruit.3 “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain joined to me, and I will remain joined to
you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain joined to the vine. In the same way, you can’t bear fruit unless
you remain joined to me.
5 “I am the vine. You are the branches. If
anyone remains joined to me, and I to him, he will bear a lot of fruit. You can’t do anything without me. 6 If anyone does not remain joined to me, he is like a branch that is
thrown away and dries up. Branches like those are picked up. They are thrown into the fire and burned.
7 “If you remain joined to me and my words remain in you, ask for anything you wish. And it will be given
to you. 8 When you bear a lot of fruit, it brings glory to
my Father. It shows that you are my disciples.
9 “Just as the
Father has loved me, I have loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If
you obey my commands, you will remain in my love. In the same way, I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in
his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy will be in
you. I also want your joy to be complete.
12 “Here is my command. Love each other, just
as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than the one
who gives his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends
if you do what I command.
Notice he says “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.”
We need to listen to his words by reviewing them as recorded in the bible. We need
to bear fruit by following his commands and staying connected to Jesus. We need to also stay connected to those that love
and follow his commands. We must keep our love for Jesus fresh and alive (this means applying time and effort to this relationship)
and mostly we need to love one another.
Then,
we will be pure. Not pure due to our activities, but pure because Jesus sacrificed himself for us. We are purified and
accepted into the community of believers by this sacrifice.
Great thought for today, isn’t it?
Mon, September 17, 2012 | link
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If you want to see a short blog describing a perspective on what I believe click here
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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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Click
on XML Click here =>  to be told of new blogs
| 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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| Good advice for students living on limited $'s. Click on the image! |
May you be blessed today!
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