Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Quote from Anonymous
"Walk in the power of complete surrender to Jesus, in the increase of giving all to Him." Anonymous
Quote from Albert Einstein
Your Gallows Humor for Today
"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." Albert Einstein
"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." Albert Einstein
Exodus 15:26
“If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, he will not bring on you any diseases, for he is the LORD, who heals you.” Exodus 15:26
Quote from John W. Ritenbaugh
"Blending the lies of this world with the truth of God produces a foul mixture called syncretism." John W. Ritenbaugh
He Loves You
He Loves You
Scripture Reading — Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. . . . For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
You can meet Jesus. We have read about many people who met Jesus face-to-face during his teaching and healing ministry, before his death and resurrection. And people are still meeting Jesus today. Jesus is reigning in heaven, watching over the whole world, and he is present in our hearts and lives by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus wants you to know him. He loves you, and he wants you to have peace, wholeness, and a sense of purpose and belonging. Jesus speaks directly to each one of us when he invites people who are weary and burdened to come to him to find rest.
The early church leader Augustine prayed, “O Lord . . . our hearts are restless until they rest in you”—and that is true for us today too. Jesus longs for us to come to him and find rest. Jesus knows that we are tired of the sin in the world and that we are tired of our own guilt, and he offers us rest and freedom from those things.
There are some things that are hard about following Jesus. He calls us to love one another, and that can be difficult at times. But because Jesus is Lord of the universe and because he loves us all tenderly, he equips us with his love so that we can share this amazing gift. Follow Jesus, grow in his love and care, and the peace of God will be with you.
Prayer
Jesus, I want to have the peace that comes from knowing you. Come into my heart and into my life. Guide me in your ways, embrace me in your love, and help me to share it with others. Amen.
Scripture Reading — Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. . . . For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
You can meet Jesus. We have read about many people who met Jesus face-to-face during his teaching and healing ministry, before his death and resurrection. And people are still meeting Jesus today. Jesus is reigning in heaven, watching over the whole world, and he is present in our hearts and lives by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus wants you to know him. He loves you, and he wants you to have peace, wholeness, and a sense of purpose and belonging. Jesus speaks directly to each one of us when he invites people who are weary and burdened to come to him to find rest.
The early church leader Augustine prayed, “O Lord . . . our hearts are restless until they rest in you”—and that is true for us today too. Jesus longs for us to come to him and find rest. Jesus knows that we are tired of the sin in the world and that we are tired of our own guilt, and he offers us rest and freedom from those things.
There are some things that are hard about following Jesus. He calls us to love one another, and that can be difficult at times. But because Jesus is Lord of the universe and because he loves us all tenderly, he equips us with his love so that we can share this amazing gift. Follow Jesus, grow in his love and care, and the peace of God will be with you.
Prayer
Jesus, I want to have the peace that comes from knowing you. Come into my heart and into my life. Guide me in your ways, embrace me in your love, and help me to share it with others. Amen.
Today in History
Today in History
1889
Eiffel Tower Opens
On March 31, 1889, the Eiffel Tower was dedicated in Paris in a ceremony presided over by Gustave Eiffel, the tower’s designer, and attended by French Prime Minister Pierre Tirard, a handful of other dignitaries, and 200 construction workers.
In 1889, to honor of the centenary of the French Revolution, the French government planned an international exposition and announced a design competition for a monument to be built on the Champ-de-Mars in central Paris.
Out of more than 100 designs submitted, the Centennial Committee chose Eiffel’s plan of an open-lattice wrought-iron tower that would reach almost 1,000 feet above Paris and be the world’s tallest man-made structure. Eiffel, a noted bridge builder, was a master of metal construction and designed the framework of the Statue of Liberty that had recently been erected in New York Harbor.
Eiffel’s tower was greeted with skepticism from critics who argued that it would be structurally unsound, and indignation from others who thought it would be an eyesore in the heart of Paris. Unperturbed, Eiffel completed his great tower under budget in just two years. Only one worker lost his life during construction, which at the time was a remarkably low casualty number for a project of that magnitude. The light, airy structure was by all accounts a technological wonder and within a few decades came to be regarded as an architectural masterpiece.
The Eiffel Tower is 984 feet tall and consists of an iron framework supported on four masonry piers, from which rise four columns that unite to form a single vertical tower. Platforms, each with an observation deck, are at three levels. Elevators ascend the piers on a curve, and Eiffel contracted the Otis Elevator Company of the United States to design the tower’s famous glass-cage elevators.
The elevators were not completed by March 31, 1889, however, so Gustave Eiffel ascended the tower’s stairs with a few hardy companions and raised an enormous French tricolor on the structure’s flagpole. Fireworks were then set off from the second platform. Eiffel and his party descended, and the architect addressed the guests and about 200 workers. In early May, the Paris International Exposition opened, and the tower served as the entrance gateway to the giant fair.
The Eiffel Tower remained the world’s tallest man-made structure until the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930. Incredibly, the Eiffel Tower was almost demolished when the International Exposition’s 20-year lease on the land expired in 1909, but its value as an antenna for radio transmission saved it. It remains largely unchanged today and is one of the world’s premier tourist attractions.
1889
Eiffel Tower Opens
On March 31, 1889, the Eiffel Tower was dedicated in Paris in a ceremony presided over by Gustave Eiffel, the tower’s designer, and attended by French Prime Minister Pierre Tirard, a handful of other dignitaries, and 200 construction workers.
In 1889, to honor of the centenary of the French Revolution, the French government planned an international exposition and announced a design competition for a monument to be built on the Champ-de-Mars in central Paris.
Out of more than 100 designs submitted, the Centennial Committee chose Eiffel’s plan of an open-lattice wrought-iron tower that would reach almost 1,000 feet above Paris and be the world’s tallest man-made structure. Eiffel, a noted bridge builder, was a master of metal construction and designed the framework of the Statue of Liberty that had recently been erected in New York Harbor.
Eiffel’s tower was greeted with skepticism from critics who argued that it would be structurally unsound, and indignation from others who thought it would be an eyesore in the heart of Paris. Unperturbed, Eiffel completed his great tower under budget in just two years. Only one worker lost his life during construction, which at the time was a remarkably low casualty number for a project of that magnitude. The light, airy structure was by all accounts a technological wonder and within a few decades came to be regarded as an architectural masterpiece.
The Eiffel Tower is 984 feet tall and consists of an iron framework supported on four masonry piers, from which rise four columns that unite to form a single vertical tower. Platforms, each with an observation deck, are at three levels. Elevators ascend the piers on a curve, and Eiffel contracted the Otis Elevator Company of the United States to design the tower’s famous glass-cage elevators.
The elevators were not completed by March 31, 1889, however, so Gustave Eiffel ascended the tower’s stairs with a few hardy companions and raised an enormous French tricolor on the structure’s flagpole. Fireworks were then set off from the second platform. Eiffel and his party descended, and the architect addressed the guests and about 200 workers. In early May, the Paris International Exposition opened, and the tower served as the entrance gateway to the giant fair.
The Eiffel Tower remained the world’s tallest man-made structure until the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930. Incredibly, the Eiffel Tower was almost demolished when the International Exposition’s 20-year lease on the land expired in 1909, but its value as an antenna for radio transmission saved it. It remains largely unchanged today and is one of the world’s premier tourist attractions.
The Religious Spirit
The Religious Spirit
From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman
March 31, 2020
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" Ephesians 6:12
.
As we begin to express the life of Christ in our lives, we need to be aware of another set of Satan's deceptions, namely, the religious spirit.
The religious spirit can best be defined as an agent of Satan assigned to prevent change and maintain the status quo by using religious devices. The religious spirit seeks to distort a genuine move of God through deception, control, and manipulation.
This spirit operates out of old religious structures and attempts to maintain the status quo, favoring tradition over a genuine, intimate relationship with God. It influences believers to live the Christian life based on works instead of grace. Similar to the Greek way of thinking, the religious spirit depends on human effort to acquire spiritual knowledge and favor from God.
In the years before the Reformation, Martin Luther's greatest challenge was to root out the religious spirit. He was told by his religious teachers that there were stringent requirements for receiving the favor of God. "Remember Martin, just to pray by yourself is not enough. The church has to pray for you too.
Even when the priest has asked that you be forgiven, God will not listen unless you do good works. The more gifts you give to the church and to the poor, the more trips you make to Rome and Jerusalem, the more pleasures you give up, the better will be your chances for heaven. The best and safest way to do all this, and the one that is most God pleasing, is to give up everything and become a monk."
The essence of Martin Luther's struggle to win God's favor still resides in many Christians.
The religious spirit nullifies the importance of faith and grace that has been given to us through the work of the Cross. You cannot gain acceptance from God by doing any works.
Accept His unconditional love for you today and receive the salvation Jesus purchased for you at the cost of His own life. This assures your peace of mind and spirit in time and your presence with our Living Lord through eternity.
From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman
March 31, 2020
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" Ephesians 6:12
.
As we begin to express the life of Christ in our lives, we need to be aware of another set of Satan's deceptions, namely, the religious spirit.
The religious spirit can best be defined as an agent of Satan assigned to prevent change and maintain the status quo by using religious devices. The religious spirit seeks to distort a genuine move of God through deception, control, and manipulation.
This spirit operates out of old religious structures and attempts to maintain the status quo, favoring tradition over a genuine, intimate relationship with God. It influences believers to live the Christian life based on works instead of grace. Similar to the Greek way of thinking, the religious spirit depends on human effort to acquire spiritual knowledge and favor from God.
In the years before the Reformation, Martin Luther's greatest challenge was to root out the religious spirit. He was told by his religious teachers that there were stringent requirements for receiving the favor of God. "Remember Martin, just to pray by yourself is not enough. The church has to pray for you too.
Even when the priest has asked that you be forgiven, God will not listen unless you do good works. The more gifts you give to the church and to the poor, the more trips you make to Rome and Jerusalem, the more pleasures you give up, the better will be your chances for heaven. The best and safest way to do all this, and the one that is most God pleasing, is to give up everything and become a monk."
The essence of Martin Luther's struggle to win God's favor still resides in many Christians.
The religious spirit nullifies the importance of faith and grace that has been given to us through the work of the Cross. You cannot gain acceptance from God by doing any works.
Accept His unconditional love for you today and receive the salvation Jesus purchased for you at the cost of His own life. This assures your peace of mind and spirit in time and your presence with our Living Lord through eternity.
Thoughts on Today's Verse
"Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence." Proverbs 3:31-32
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
While many are seeking a cure for the rampaging violence that destroys lives, threatens schools, and makes our streets unsafe, why has no one bothered to remind us what God's wise servant taught us centuries ago? Let's not let any person, real or fictional, be our hero if his or her fame is built on violence. The son of Israel's most famous warrior understood this better than anyone. Surely the Son of the Most Powerful on High said it best: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
My Prayer...
Almighty God, save us from the violence of our culture and the worship of violence that pervades our land. Please give us heroes who are true peacemakers. In addition, dear Father, please give us eyes to see them and the courage to honor them. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen.
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
While many are seeking a cure for the rampaging violence that destroys lives, threatens schools, and makes our streets unsafe, why has no one bothered to remind us what God's wise servant taught us centuries ago? Let's not let any person, real or fictional, be our hero if his or her fame is built on violence. The son of Israel's most famous warrior understood this better than anyone. Surely the Son of the Most Powerful on High said it best: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
My Prayer...
Almighty God, save us from the violence of our culture and the worship of violence that pervades our land. Please give us heroes who are true peacemakers. In addition, dear Father, please give us eyes to see them and the courage to honor them. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen.
Monday, March 30, 2020
Your Gallows Humor for Today
Your Gallows Humor for Today
"As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can't remember the other two." Norman Wisdom
"As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can't remember the other two." Norman Wisdom
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Quote from Charles Spurgeon
"None have been more ready to pray in time of trouble than those who have ridiculed prayer in their prosperity." Charles Spurgeon,
Today in History
Today in History
1981
President Reagan Shot
On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C. hotel by a deranged drifter named John Hinckley Jr.
The president had just finished addressing a labor meeting at the Washington Hilton Hotel and was walking with his entourage to his limousine when Hinckley, standing among a group of reporters, fired six shots at the president, hitting Reagan and three of his attendants.
White House Press Secretary James Brady was shot in the head and critically wounded, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy was shot in the side, and District of Columbia policeman Thomas Delahanty was shot in the neck.
After firing the shots, Hinckley was overpowered and pinned against a wall, and President Reagan, apparently unaware that he’d been shot, was shoved into his limousine by a Secret Service agent and rushed to the hospital.
The president was shot in the left lung, and the .22 caliber bullet just missed his heart. In an impressive feat for a 70-year-old man with a collapsed lung, he walked into George Washington University Hospital under his own power. As he was treated and prepared for surgery, he was in good spirits and quipped to his wife, Nancy, ”Honey, I forgot to duck,” and to his surgeons, “Please tell me you’re Republicans.”
Reagan’s surgery lasted two hours, and he was listed in stable and good condition afterward.
The next day, the president resumed some of his executive duties and signed a piece of legislation from his hospital bed. On April 11, he returned to the White House. Reagan’s popularity soared after the assassination attempt, and at the end of April he was given a hero’s welcome by Congress.
In August, this same Congress passed his controversial economic program, with several Democrats breaking ranks to back Reagan’s plan. By this time, Reagan claimed to be fully recovered from the assassination attempt. In private, however, he would continue to feel the effects of the nearly fatal gunshot wound for years.
Of the victims of the assassination attempt, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and D.C. policeman Thomas Delahanty eventually recovered. James Brady, who nearly died after being shot in the eye, suffered permanent brain damage. He later became an advocate of gun control, and in 1993 Congress passed the “Brady Bill,” which established a five-day waiting period and background checks for prospective gun buyers. President Bill Clinton signed the bill into law.
After being arrested on March 30, 1981, 25-year-old John Hinckley was booked on federal charges of attempting to assassinate the president. He had previously been arrested in Tennessee on weapons charges. In June 1982, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity. In the trial, Hinckley’s defense attorneys argued that their client was ill with narcissistic personality disorder, citing medical evidence, and had a pathological obsession with the 1976 film Taxi Driver, in which the main character attempts to assassinate a fictional senator.
His lawyers claimed that Hinckley saw the movie more than a dozen times, was obsessed with the lead actress, Jodie Foster, and had attempted to reenact the events of the film in his own life. Thus the movie, not Hinckley, they argued, was the actual planning force behind the events that occurred on March 30, 1981.
The verdict of “not guilty by reason of insanity” aroused widespread public criticism, and many were shocked that a would-be presidential assassin could avoid been held accountable for his crime. However, because of his obvious threat to society, he was placed in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, a mental institution. In the late 1990s, Hinckley’s attorney began arguing that his mental illness was in remission and thus had a right to return to a normal life.
Beginning in August 1999, he was allowed supervised day trips off the hospital grounds and later was allowed to visit his parents once a week unsupervised. The Secret Service voluntarily monitored him during these outings. In 2016, he was given a conditional release to move in with his mother in Williamsburg, Virginia. In 2018, a judge ruled he can now live within 75 miles of Williamsburg, provided he meets regularly with his psychiatrist and social worker, among other conditions.
1981
President Reagan Shot
On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C. hotel by a deranged drifter named John Hinckley Jr.
The president had just finished addressing a labor meeting at the Washington Hilton Hotel and was walking with his entourage to his limousine when Hinckley, standing among a group of reporters, fired six shots at the president, hitting Reagan and three of his attendants.
White House Press Secretary James Brady was shot in the head and critically wounded, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy was shot in the side, and District of Columbia policeman Thomas Delahanty was shot in the neck.
After firing the shots, Hinckley was overpowered and pinned against a wall, and President Reagan, apparently unaware that he’d been shot, was shoved into his limousine by a Secret Service agent and rushed to the hospital.
The president was shot in the left lung, and the .22 caliber bullet just missed his heart. In an impressive feat for a 70-year-old man with a collapsed lung, he walked into George Washington University Hospital under his own power. As he was treated and prepared for surgery, he was in good spirits and quipped to his wife, Nancy, ”Honey, I forgot to duck,” and to his surgeons, “Please tell me you’re Republicans.”
Reagan’s surgery lasted two hours, and he was listed in stable and good condition afterward.
The next day, the president resumed some of his executive duties and signed a piece of legislation from his hospital bed. On April 11, he returned to the White House. Reagan’s popularity soared after the assassination attempt, and at the end of April he was given a hero’s welcome by Congress.
In August, this same Congress passed his controversial economic program, with several Democrats breaking ranks to back Reagan’s plan. By this time, Reagan claimed to be fully recovered from the assassination attempt. In private, however, he would continue to feel the effects of the nearly fatal gunshot wound for years.
Of the victims of the assassination attempt, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and D.C. policeman Thomas Delahanty eventually recovered. James Brady, who nearly died after being shot in the eye, suffered permanent brain damage. He later became an advocate of gun control, and in 1993 Congress passed the “Brady Bill,” which established a five-day waiting period and background checks for prospective gun buyers. President Bill Clinton signed the bill into law.
After being arrested on March 30, 1981, 25-year-old John Hinckley was booked on federal charges of attempting to assassinate the president. He had previously been arrested in Tennessee on weapons charges. In June 1982, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity. In the trial, Hinckley’s defense attorneys argued that their client was ill with narcissistic personality disorder, citing medical evidence, and had a pathological obsession with the 1976 film Taxi Driver, in which the main character attempts to assassinate a fictional senator.
His lawyers claimed that Hinckley saw the movie more than a dozen times, was obsessed with the lead actress, Jodie Foster, and had attempted to reenact the events of the film in his own life. Thus the movie, not Hinckley, they argued, was the actual planning force behind the events that occurred on March 30, 1981.
The verdict of “not guilty by reason of insanity” aroused widespread public criticism, and many were shocked that a would-be presidential assassin could avoid been held accountable for his crime. However, because of his obvious threat to society, he was placed in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, a mental institution. In the late 1990s, Hinckley’s attorney began arguing that his mental illness was in remission and thus had a right to return to a normal life.
Beginning in August 1999, he was allowed supervised day trips off the hospital grounds and later was allowed to visit his parents once a week unsupervised. The Secret Service voluntarily monitored him during these outings. In 2016, he was given a conditional release to move in with his mother in Williamsburg, Virginia. In 2018, a judge ruled he can now live within 75 miles of Williamsburg, provided he meets regularly with his psychiatrist and social worker, among other conditions.
Thoughts on Today's Verse
"He must become greater; I must become less." John 3:30
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
For John the Baptist, this ultimate formula for greatness did not take many words.
What's your formula?
Paul told the Galatians that a similar formula was needed for them (Galatians 4:19).
He told the Colossians that this is what he expended every ounce of his energy to have happen in the lives of Christians (Colossians 1:28-29).
Paul told the Corinthians that this was what the Spirit was doing in their lives (2 Corinthians 3:18).
So, don't you think that maybe this is the real formula for your life?
My Prayer...
Dear Father in heaven, in my heart and in my life may Jesus become greater and I become less. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen.
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
For John the Baptist, this ultimate formula for greatness did not take many words.
What's your formula?
Paul told the Galatians that a similar formula was needed for them (Galatians 4:19).
He told the Colossians that this is what he expended every ounce of his energy to have happen in the lives of Christians (Colossians 1:28-29).
Paul told the Corinthians that this was what the Spirit was doing in their lives (2 Corinthians 3:18).
So, don't you think that maybe this is the real formula for your life?
My Prayer...
Dear Father in heaven, in my heart and in my life may Jesus become greater and I become less. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen.
The Vision
The Vision (given to Delores Purvis on March 15,2020, the National Day of Prayer)
The vision came on the Sunday morning that President Trump had declared a National Day of Prayer for our nation.
Countless intercessors were on bended knee crying out to God for mercy over the virus that had become a global emergency. We, as intercessors, were focused on crying out for mercy over our families and our nation. This was a battle in the Spirit that we had never before had to fight.
The Lord had quickened my husband, John, and me to start praying every morning and taking communion since the virus had started.
That Sunday morning of the National Day of Prayer for our nation we were praying, reading Psalm 91 and having communion.
It was about 10 AM . I began to sense that this morning was different. There was power all around us! There was also a sense of peace.
As I began to look out across our deck into the woods and the sky behind our home I saw movement in the clouds swirling like I had never seen before.
I felt the Lord was saying: "Be quiet." As I watched, I began to see the heavens part and I heard the sound of clashing swords. I then found myself gazing into a fearsome battle between the angels and demonic beings. I believe that I was witnessing a conflict of thrones.
My eyes focused on one angel in particular. He was very large and very tall. He was dressed in armor with a short robe on and sandals on his feet that were laced up to his knees. A huge sword was in his hand and he was battling a ferocious looking beast.
The beast was like an animal I have never seen before, dark brown in color with saber looking teeth that were about 12 inches long. He stood about waist high to the angel on all fours, and he was very muscular. He kept rising up and the angel kept pushing him back down with the sword. The beast was very angry and was relentless in the battle. The angel never took his eyes off of the beast but was focused on what needed to be done.
I believe that the enemy was trying to stop what God was doing that day through the incense of the prayers that were being lifted up.
At this point the vision began to fade and I got up and put worship music on and began to praise and sing in the Spirit. For several hours we sang, prayed and praised. Although I could not see the battle at that point I could still hear swords clashing . Around 5:00 P.M. ( maybe a little before) everything became quiet. I went back to the window and saw the heavens part again. I saw the large angel with his sword down at his left side with his foot on the neck of the beast who had been destroyed. I heard the Lord say "it is over."
Reflection
I am so very humbled to the point of tears by what I witnessed that day and wish I could paint what I saw. I thank You, Father, that Your angels are always waiting for You to bid them to go when there is a battle to be won. You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we worship You! I don't know what battle was won that day but I know at least this one battle is over and finished.
We know that the enemy can not win no matter how big and ferocious he looks to be . The battles that are started on earth, You and Your angelic hosts will win in the heavenlies.
A Prayer
We thank You, Lord that You sent angels to protect and strengthen us during the battles that we face on this earth. I ask You, Lord, to encourage the intercessors as they continue to battle in the spirit against forces unseen. Teach us to come together in unity as many ministries, generations, nationalities and ethnic groups. The enemy of our souls hates unity in any form. We have to persevere!!
Father, I call forth today those whom You have called and are willing to receive dreams and visions from the Throne Room to listen and discern what it is that You wish us to see and know. Make the visions clear as they look to You for their strength as they seek Your face. Bless them, Father with great anointing for such a time as this. In everything that is done, Father, let Your name be glorified! In Jesus name. Amen.
The vision came on the Sunday morning that President Trump had declared a National Day of Prayer for our nation.
Countless intercessors were on bended knee crying out to God for mercy over the virus that had become a global emergency. We, as intercessors, were focused on crying out for mercy over our families and our nation. This was a battle in the Spirit that we had never before had to fight.
The Lord had quickened my husband, John, and me to start praying every morning and taking communion since the virus had started.
That Sunday morning of the National Day of Prayer for our nation we were praying, reading Psalm 91 and having communion.
It was about 10 AM . I began to sense that this morning was different. There was power all around us! There was also a sense of peace.
As I began to look out across our deck into the woods and the sky behind our home I saw movement in the clouds swirling like I had never seen before.
I felt the Lord was saying: "Be quiet." As I watched, I began to see the heavens part and I heard the sound of clashing swords. I then found myself gazing into a fearsome battle between the angels and demonic beings. I believe that I was witnessing a conflict of thrones.
My eyes focused on one angel in particular. He was very large and very tall. He was dressed in armor with a short robe on and sandals on his feet that were laced up to his knees. A huge sword was in his hand and he was battling a ferocious looking beast.
The beast was like an animal I have never seen before, dark brown in color with saber looking teeth that were about 12 inches long. He stood about waist high to the angel on all fours, and he was very muscular. He kept rising up and the angel kept pushing him back down with the sword. The beast was very angry and was relentless in the battle. The angel never took his eyes off of the beast but was focused on what needed to be done.
I believe that the enemy was trying to stop what God was doing that day through the incense of the prayers that were being lifted up.
At this point the vision began to fade and I got up and put worship music on and began to praise and sing in the Spirit. For several hours we sang, prayed and praised. Although I could not see the battle at that point I could still hear swords clashing . Around 5:00 P.M. ( maybe a little before) everything became quiet. I went back to the window and saw the heavens part again. I saw the large angel with his sword down at his left side with his foot on the neck of the beast who had been destroyed. I heard the Lord say "it is over."
Reflection
I am so very humbled to the point of tears by what I witnessed that day and wish I could paint what I saw. I thank You, Father, that Your angels are always waiting for You to bid them to go when there is a battle to be won. You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we worship You! I don't know what battle was won that day but I know at least this one battle is over and finished.
We know that the enemy can not win no matter how big and ferocious he looks to be . The battles that are started on earth, You and Your angelic hosts will win in the heavenlies.
A Prayer
We thank You, Lord that You sent angels to protect and strengthen us during the battles that we face on this earth. I ask You, Lord, to encourage the intercessors as they continue to battle in the spirit against forces unseen. Teach us to come together in unity as many ministries, generations, nationalities and ethnic groups. The enemy of our souls hates unity in any form. We have to persevere!!
Father, I call forth today those whom You have called and are willing to receive dreams and visions from the Throne Room to listen and discern what it is that You wish us to see and know. Make the visions clear as they look to You for their strength as they seek Your face. Bless them, Father with great anointing for such a time as this. In everything that is done, Father, let Your name be glorified! In Jesus name. Amen.
A Prayer
A Prayer
Lord, we beseech you to allow our nation and the world to quickly recover from this scourge that has come upon us.
We believe the evil that confronts us is because you have allowed it as a warning to us. This scourge is a wake up call from God Himself to remind us that "the wages of sin is death."
In the face of this pandemic, may we get on our knees, repent of our sins, re-dedicate our lives to God our Creator, and begin to live according to the Truth of His Word.
Lord Jesus, at this time of anxiety and sickness and death, we plead II Chronicles 7:14 before you. We repent of our sin and turn from our wicked ways as we should. May you hear the prayer of our repentant hearts, forgive us and heal us and heal our land.
We know as your people of old rejected the warnings you gave them through your prophets, so we have rejected your warnings many times. Like your ancient people, we deserve to experience your wrath and judgment but we plead your mercy, your forgiveness, and your blessings to counter the evil we have brought upon ourselves.
It is in the name of JESUS we pray, amen.
"If MY people, who are called by MY name, will humble themselves and pray and seek MY face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14
Lord, we beseech you to allow our nation and the world to quickly recover from this scourge that has come upon us.
We believe the evil that confronts us is because you have allowed it as a warning to us. This scourge is a wake up call from God Himself to remind us that "the wages of sin is death."
In the face of this pandemic, may we get on our knees, repent of our sins, re-dedicate our lives to God our Creator, and begin to live according to the Truth of His Word.
Lord Jesus, at this time of anxiety and sickness and death, we plead II Chronicles 7:14 before you. We repent of our sin and turn from our wicked ways as we should. May you hear the prayer of our repentant hearts, forgive us and heal us and heal our land.
We know as your people of old rejected the warnings you gave them through your prophets, so we have rejected your warnings many times. Like your ancient people, we deserve to experience your wrath and judgment but we plead your mercy, your forgiveness, and your blessings to counter the evil we have brought upon ourselves.
It is in the name of JESUS we pray, amen.
"If MY people, who are called by MY name, will humble themselves and pray and seek MY face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14
Reclaiming Joy and Peace
Reclaiming Joy and Peace by Welbey O'Brien
On the verge of physical and emotional collapse, I recently arrived back home after my final emergency trip to be with my dear, dying mother. Rejoicing that she was safely home with the Lord, yet exhausted on every level, I was grateful that now I had time to rest, heal and replenish—with no stress. That very day, all the stuff hit the fan!
Why is it that just when we think we can't take any more, the Lord often has other plans?
I've been struggling along with everyone else with all the turbulence, compounded by personal grief and loss. I've hit bottom more than once, yet I am finally starting to rise above it all. Here are a few things that have been helping me to not merely survive, but actually begin to reclaim God's joy and peace.
1. Release expectations and entitlements.
We need to unclench our fists, open our hands and let go of what we thought it would or should be. The prophet Habakkuk was preparing to lose everything in an imminent enemy invasion. After much wrestling, he was finally able to let go, releasing his demand for earthly comforts and choosing to cling to God and His eternal promise of salvation, no matter what might happen.
"Though the fig tree does not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the yield of the olive fails, and the fields produce no food; though the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls— yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will exult in the God of my salvation" (Hab. 3:17-18).
2. Open your senses to all the good that is around you now.
When was the last time you stepped outside and just listened to the birds sing? Or actually stopped to smell a fragrant flower? Or gazed at the moon or stars?
This morning, I listened to Christmas music, and found myself dancing in the kitchen!
With so much nonstop toxicity bombarding us, we need to choose to refocus on all the goodness the Lord is showering upon us. To physically take in and savor our blessings. Now. In spite of what we may not have at the moment.
"O, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" (Ps. 34:8).
3. Actively seek God and His truth.
Between news, social media and our own unreliable minds, it's easy to get depressed, confused, fearful and angry. We desperately want answers to our questions and solutions to the problems. But the harder we try, the deeper down we seem to spiral.
Even people of faith struggle. And possibly feel guilty about not being instantly victorious in the battle. Heartbroken and deeply grieving as I watched my mom shrivel up, one of the most encouraging things was to cling to God's Word. And having written the book Goodbye for Now to support those losing a loved one, I was able to read to her the Scripture verses in it about salvation and heaven. Just hearing the promises strengthened my faith—and hers—in a very fearful and unfamiliar time.
The Lord never promised we would understand what He is doing or why. But when we choose to seek Him and stop to listen to what He says, our faith is strengthened, and His peace supernaturally overrides our fears.
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you" (Matt. 6:33).
Many of us pray the Lord's prayer, specifically, "Thy will be done." It never occurred to me that perhaps His will is being done! The supreme example in history was Jesus' death on the cross for us. It looked like God was gone, unloving or out of control. But now we see that it was His plan all along. And those who receive Him will one day be with Him forever in endless joy and peace.
And there, we will never run out of food, money or tissue.
On the verge of physical and emotional collapse, I recently arrived back home after my final emergency trip to be with my dear, dying mother. Rejoicing that she was safely home with the Lord, yet exhausted on every level, I was grateful that now I had time to rest, heal and replenish—with no stress. That very day, all the stuff hit the fan!
Why is it that just when we think we can't take any more, the Lord often has other plans?
I've been struggling along with everyone else with all the turbulence, compounded by personal grief and loss. I've hit bottom more than once, yet I am finally starting to rise above it all. Here are a few things that have been helping me to not merely survive, but actually begin to reclaim God's joy and peace.
1. Release expectations and entitlements.
We need to unclench our fists, open our hands and let go of what we thought it would or should be. The prophet Habakkuk was preparing to lose everything in an imminent enemy invasion. After much wrestling, he was finally able to let go, releasing his demand for earthly comforts and choosing to cling to God and His eternal promise of salvation, no matter what might happen.
"Though the fig tree does not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the yield of the olive fails, and the fields produce no food; though the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls— yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will exult in the God of my salvation" (Hab. 3:17-18).
2. Open your senses to all the good that is around you now.
When was the last time you stepped outside and just listened to the birds sing? Or actually stopped to smell a fragrant flower? Or gazed at the moon or stars?
This morning, I listened to Christmas music, and found myself dancing in the kitchen!
With so much nonstop toxicity bombarding us, we need to choose to refocus on all the goodness the Lord is showering upon us. To physically take in and savor our blessings. Now. In spite of what we may not have at the moment.
"O, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" (Ps. 34:8).
3. Actively seek God and His truth.
Between news, social media and our own unreliable minds, it's easy to get depressed, confused, fearful and angry. We desperately want answers to our questions and solutions to the problems. But the harder we try, the deeper down we seem to spiral.
Even people of faith struggle. And possibly feel guilty about not being instantly victorious in the battle. Heartbroken and deeply grieving as I watched my mom shrivel up, one of the most encouraging things was to cling to God's Word. And having written the book Goodbye for Now to support those losing a loved one, I was able to read to her the Scripture verses in it about salvation and heaven. Just hearing the promises strengthened my faith—and hers—in a very fearful and unfamiliar time.
The Lord never promised we would understand what He is doing or why. But when we choose to seek Him and stop to listen to what He says, our faith is strengthened, and His peace supernaturally overrides our fears.
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you" (Matt. 6:33).
Many of us pray the Lord's prayer, specifically, "Thy will be done." It never occurred to me that perhaps His will is being done! The supreme example in history was Jesus' death on the cross for us. It looked like God was gone, unloving or out of control. But now we see that it was His plan all along. And those who receive Him will one day be with Him forever in endless joy and peace.
And there, we will never run out of food, money or tissue.
COVID 19 and God's Hand
COVID 19 and God's Hand by Ava Pennington
Our busy culture has birthed an industry of time management experts offering tools and tips to be more effective. One of the first things they advise is for clients to reject interruptions. But that's difficult to do when our whole world has just been interrupted.
We've been blindsided by COVID-19. The sudden onslaught of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes this disease, has removed any illusion of control we thought we had. COVID-19 is rampant, as it targets the most vulnerable of our population: the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.
Schools are closed. Businesses shuttered. Supermarkets stripped bare. Demand for health care equipment and testing kits is outpacing supply. And of course, there's fear. Lots and lots of fear.
We may have been caught off guard, but this widespread virus did not surprise God. The one who hung the stars in place is still sovereign over His creation. So why hasn't He stopped this pandemic?
That question implies I have a right to judge what God is doing. That I have the right to blame Him for what goes wrong in a world corrupted by sin—sin humanity brought on itself.
A Lesson From Job
And then I think of Job. After much suffering and questioning—along with less than helpful advice from friends—Job is finally answered by the Lord Himself. And in Job 38:2-4 God's first words to Job were: "Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Prepare yourself like a man; for I will question you, and you shall answer Me. 'Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.'"
After multiple descriptions of His own creative sovereignty, the Lord asks Job (40:8): "Will you indeed annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me, that you may be righteous?"
Ouch! Where did we ever get the idea that God is answerable to us? Humanity wasn't satisfied with life in a heavenly garden, and now humanity isn't satisfied with the result of our sin: a broken, corrupted, groaning world. Then we have the nerve to blame God for the mess we made!
Grace, Mercy and Sovereignty
Yet even in a pandemic, there are signs of God's grace and mercy, if we only open our eyes to them. People slowing down long enough to talk to each other. Neighbors helping neighbors. Folks appreciating the simple things. Acts of compassion among strangers.
Most important of all, many are taking the time to renew relationships not just with each other, but with the Father they had pushed aside when they were just too busy. And God is using this experience to grow His children in ways we would not have been open to in better circumstances.
Let's pray this pandemic ends soon. Pray for healing for those who are ill and for the health care workers and first responders who are on the frontlines. And pray our nation's leaders will put aside their differences to work together for the common good.
How and when will this crisis end? I don't know. But there is one who not only knows the future, He holds the future. Jesus is Savior and Lord of all. Regardless of our situation, He is still in control.
God's plans always prevail. And even though it may be difficult to see now, He is using even this to work for our ultimate good and His eternal glory.
Our busy culture has birthed an industry of time management experts offering tools and tips to be more effective. One of the first things they advise is for clients to reject interruptions. But that's difficult to do when our whole world has just been interrupted.
We've been blindsided by COVID-19. The sudden onslaught of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes this disease, has removed any illusion of control we thought we had. COVID-19 is rampant, as it targets the most vulnerable of our population: the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.
Schools are closed. Businesses shuttered. Supermarkets stripped bare. Demand for health care equipment and testing kits is outpacing supply. And of course, there's fear. Lots and lots of fear.
We may have been caught off guard, but this widespread virus did not surprise God. The one who hung the stars in place is still sovereign over His creation. So why hasn't He stopped this pandemic?
That question implies I have a right to judge what God is doing. That I have the right to blame Him for what goes wrong in a world corrupted by sin—sin humanity brought on itself.
A Lesson From Job
And then I think of Job. After much suffering and questioning—along with less than helpful advice from friends—Job is finally answered by the Lord Himself. And in Job 38:2-4 God's first words to Job were: "Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Prepare yourself like a man; for I will question you, and you shall answer Me. 'Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.'"
After multiple descriptions of His own creative sovereignty, the Lord asks Job (40:8): "Will you indeed annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me, that you may be righteous?"
Ouch! Where did we ever get the idea that God is answerable to us? Humanity wasn't satisfied with life in a heavenly garden, and now humanity isn't satisfied with the result of our sin: a broken, corrupted, groaning world. Then we have the nerve to blame God for the mess we made!
Grace, Mercy and Sovereignty
Yet even in a pandemic, there are signs of God's grace and mercy, if we only open our eyes to them. People slowing down long enough to talk to each other. Neighbors helping neighbors. Folks appreciating the simple things. Acts of compassion among strangers.
Most important of all, many are taking the time to renew relationships not just with each other, but with the Father they had pushed aside when they were just too busy. And God is using this experience to grow His children in ways we would not have been open to in better circumstances.
Let's pray this pandemic ends soon. Pray for healing for those who are ill and for the health care workers and first responders who are on the frontlines. And pray our nation's leaders will put aside their differences to work together for the common good.
How and when will this crisis end? I don't know. But there is one who not only knows the future, He holds the future. Jesus is Savior and Lord of all. Regardless of our situation, He is still in control.
God's plans always prevail. And even though it may be difficult to see now, He is using even this to work for our ultimate good and His eternal glory.
Speak to the Mountain
Speak to the Mountain
I recently watched John Tesh on a PBS special, and again on TBN's Huckabee, in which he shared his amazing story of healing and deliverance from a deadly diagnosis. Even after aggressive treatments the doctors gave little hope of recovery and predicted a short time to live. But he and His believing wife, Connie, turned to God to do what the doctors could not do. They were at war for his very life and had to put on the armor of God, raise their shields of faith and use the weapon of the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit. They were thrust into a war they did not choose, but had to fight anyway.
Among the Scriptures God used were these words spoken by Jesus:
"For truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says" (Mark 11:23).
Their mountain seemed impossible to move; but using other Scriptures and working in conjunction with the Holy Spirit, they fought the battle and came out victorious. The death sentence was reversed. Their test became a testimony.
The Bible says, "death and life are in the power of the tongue" (see Proverbs. 18:21). Words are powerful. The old saying, "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me" is simply not true. Words can build up; encourage; bring love, hope and confidence; and can also demolish a person's self-esteem, leaving them shattered and unproductive. Jesus said we will give an account for every idle word we speak (see Matthew 12:36). "Idle" here meaning "having no productive effect" or "good fruit."
We live in a world where words are plentiful. There is no lack of them: good or bad, positive or negative. Whether it's radio, television, movies, telephones, gatherings or social media, everybody's talking. Words carry weight. They influence our surroundings. What kind of influence are we?
Jesus also said, "...if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them" (Matthew. 18:19). He's talking about the power of agreement, and we refer to this concerning united prayer. However, if you recall what the Bible says in Genesis concerning the Tower of Babel, God's concern was their "agreement" for the wrong motive, so He confused their language.
There exists the accuser of the brethren (see Revelation 12:9-11) and the one who is the intercessor for the brethren (Romans 8:34). Where do you stand? Do you agree with the accuser or the intercessor? Do you bless or curse? Do you criticize or speak faith and hope? What direction are your words headed? As believers, our words carry life and death. Are we speaking life?
We are seeing a global war for the human race unfold before our very eyes: the spiritual war against the invisible forces of evil that enslave men's souls and the pandemic war unleashed against us by a microscopic virus currently killing thousands. We are seeing the physical results of the virus, and our nation along with other nations is battling against it with every natural resource we have. Its effect is far-reaching. No one is immune, and it has infiltrated every aspect of our lives. It seems like an overwhelming foe. How do we fight this? We fight the same way God commanded in His Word. We are not in this battle alone. Not as individuals, not as a nation and not as a planet. God has not forsaken us, nor will He ever.
Paul reminds us in Romans 8:26-27 that the Spirit makes intercession for us and helps us when we don't know how to pray. Praying in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18) ensures our praying the will of God. Speaking His will into the atmosphere will carry His authority and establish His kingdom. Will you do it? If not you, who? If not now, when?
So, what is the mountain you are facing? Is it fear? Uncertainty? Illness? Financial pressures? Put on your armor, take up your shield, use the sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God) and speak to the mountain. Speak to the mountain! Do not doubt! Believe in your heart! You shall have what you say, because King Jesus said so.
Prayer Power:
Take your place in this invisible war and pray in the Spirit for God's will to be done in our midst.
Ask the Lord for supernatural wisdom for our president and all those working with him to ensure health, safety and provision for our nation.
Continue praying for worldwide revival.
Maintain an attitude of gratitude and praise God that He will never leave or forsake you and your loved ones.
Thank Him that nothing is impossible to Him, and He is all-knowing and will reveal the solution to what appears overwhelming to many.
With God, all things are possible. Read: 2 Chronicles 7:14, Matthew 12:26, Romans 8:34, Ephesians 6:18.
I recently watched John Tesh on a PBS special, and again on TBN's Huckabee, in which he shared his amazing story of healing and deliverance from a deadly diagnosis. Even after aggressive treatments the doctors gave little hope of recovery and predicted a short time to live. But he and His believing wife, Connie, turned to God to do what the doctors could not do. They were at war for his very life and had to put on the armor of God, raise their shields of faith and use the weapon of the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit. They were thrust into a war they did not choose, but had to fight anyway.
Among the Scriptures God used were these words spoken by Jesus:
"For truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says" (Mark 11:23).
Their mountain seemed impossible to move; but using other Scriptures and working in conjunction with the Holy Spirit, they fought the battle and came out victorious. The death sentence was reversed. Their test became a testimony.
The Bible says, "death and life are in the power of the tongue" (see Proverbs. 18:21). Words are powerful. The old saying, "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me" is simply not true. Words can build up; encourage; bring love, hope and confidence; and can also demolish a person's self-esteem, leaving them shattered and unproductive. Jesus said we will give an account for every idle word we speak (see Matthew 12:36). "Idle" here meaning "having no productive effect" or "good fruit."
We live in a world where words are plentiful. There is no lack of them: good or bad, positive or negative. Whether it's radio, television, movies, telephones, gatherings or social media, everybody's talking. Words carry weight. They influence our surroundings. What kind of influence are we?
Jesus also said, "...if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them" (Matthew. 18:19). He's talking about the power of agreement, and we refer to this concerning united prayer. However, if you recall what the Bible says in Genesis concerning the Tower of Babel, God's concern was their "agreement" for the wrong motive, so He confused their language.
There exists the accuser of the brethren (see Revelation 12:9-11) and the one who is the intercessor for the brethren (Romans 8:34). Where do you stand? Do you agree with the accuser or the intercessor? Do you bless or curse? Do you criticize or speak faith and hope? What direction are your words headed? As believers, our words carry life and death. Are we speaking life?
We are seeing a global war for the human race unfold before our very eyes: the spiritual war against the invisible forces of evil that enslave men's souls and the pandemic war unleashed against us by a microscopic virus currently killing thousands. We are seeing the physical results of the virus, and our nation along with other nations is battling against it with every natural resource we have. Its effect is far-reaching. No one is immune, and it has infiltrated every aspect of our lives. It seems like an overwhelming foe. How do we fight this? We fight the same way God commanded in His Word. We are not in this battle alone. Not as individuals, not as a nation and not as a planet. God has not forsaken us, nor will He ever.
Paul reminds us in Romans 8:26-27 that the Spirit makes intercession for us and helps us when we don't know how to pray. Praying in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18) ensures our praying the will of God. Speaking His will into the atmosphere will carry His authority and establish His kingdom. Will you do it? If not you, who? If not now, when?
So, what is the mountain you are facing? Is it fear? Uncertainty? Illness? Financial pressures? Put on your armor, take up your shield, use the sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God) and speak to the mountain. Speak to the mountain! Do not doubt! Believe in your heart! You shall have what you say, because King Jesus said so.
Prayer Power:
Take your place in this invisible war and pray in the Spirit for God's will to be done in our midst.
Ask the Lord for supernatural wisdom for our president and all those working with him to ensure health, safety and provision for our nation.
Continue praying for worldwide revival.
Maintain an attitude of gratitude and praise God that He will never leave or forsake you and your loved ones.
Thank Him that nothing is impossible to Him, and He is all-knowing and will reveal the solution to what appears overwhelming to many.
With God, all things are possible. Read: 2 Chronicles 7:14, Matthew 12:26, Romans 8:34, Ephesians 6:18.
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Your Gallows Humor for Today
Your Gallows Humor for Today
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac? George Carlin
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac? George Carlin
I John 2:11
"Anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them." I John 2:11
Hate
Hate by Dale Carnegie
When we hate our enemies, we are giving them power over us:
power over our sleep, our appetites, our blood pressure, our health, and our happiness.
Our enemies would dance with joy if only they knew how they were worrying us, lacerating us, and getting even with us!
Our hate is not hurting them at all, but our hate is turning our own days and nights into a hellish turmoil.
When we hate our enemies, we are giving them power over us:
power over our sleep, our appetites, our blood pressure, our health, and our happiness.
Our enemies would dance with joy if only they knew how they were worrying us, lacerating us, and getting even with us!
Our hate is not hurting them at all, but our hate is turning our own days and nights into a hellish turmoil.
What's Controlling You?
What’s Controlling You? by Rick Warren
“Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires . . . Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.”
Romans 6:12-13
Every day you are controlled by something.
You may be controlled by your own ego or by the expectations of other people. You may be controlled by fear, guilt, resentment, or bitterness. You may be controlled by a substance or a habit. The bottom line is you are controlled by something every day.
Freedom comes when you choose what’s going to control you. When you choose Jesus Christ to be in control of your life, when you are mastered by the Master, you can master everything else. If God is not number one in your life, something else is, and it’ll control you to a negative degree. When Christ is in control of your life, he always moves you in the right direction.
Romans 6:12-13 says, “Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires . . . Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God."
Giving control over to Christ is a choice. Here are some steps to help you do this:
Admit that you’ve been trying to play God.
Admit that you can’t change on your own.
Humbly ask God to help you change.
Be honest with someone else about the things that need to change in your life.
Give Jesus Christ total ownership of your life.
Do you really want to change?
Are you willing to do these things?
You say, “I’m so tired of trying and failing.” Stop trying. Instead, start trusting. God gives you the option to either depend on him or depend on yourself. The result is either freedom or frustration.
Why not give it all to Christ? What do you have to lose?
“Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires . . . Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.”
Romans 6:12-13
Every day you are controlled by something.
You may be controlled by your own ego or by the expectations of other people. You may be controlled by fear, guilt, resentment, or bitterness. You may be controlled by a substance or a habit. The bottom line is you are controlled by something every day.
Freedom comes when you choose what’s going to control you. When you choose Jesus Christ to be in control of your life, when you are mastered by the Master, you can master everything else. If God is not number one in your life, something else is, and it’ll control you to a negative degree. When Christ is in control of your life, he always moves you in the right direction.
Romans 6:12-13 says, “Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires . . . Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God."
Giving control over to Christ is a choice. Here are some steps to help you do this:
Admit that you’ve been trying to play God.
Admit that you can’t change on your own.
Humbly ask God to help you change.
Be honest with someone else about the things that need to change in your life.
Give Jesus Christ total ownership of your life.
Do you really want to change?
Are you willing to do these things?
You say, “I’m so tired of trying and failing.” Stop trying. Instead, start trusting. God gives you the option to either depend on him or depend on yourself. The result is either freedom or frustration.
Why not give it all to Christ? What do you have to lose?
Christ Lifted Up
Christ Lifted Up by Dr. D. James Kennedy
“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” John 12:32
When you think of Jesus Christ lifted up on the cross, how do you want to respond? Christ’s crucifixion has a magnetic quality, drawing people to Him, and as long as we keep it centrally focused, people will continue to come to Christ. Some churches don’t understand this, attempting to attract people in other ways.
Unitarians, who have denied and rejected the atonement of Christ and the deity of Christ, don’t have the power to attract people. One of their leaders in Birmingham, England, said that Unitarianism failed to “draw.” The English public will not attend their chapels. Though Unitarians seem bewildered by this, it’s no mystery. These churches don’t “draw” because they’ve thrown away the magnet.
We don’t need big signs or flashy worship services to attract people to Him. Christ’s humble sacrifice has more magnetic power than anything any church could concoct.
Let’s take a quick look at the immediate impact of the Crucifixion to catch a glimpse of its awesome power:
At the cross, the centurion—who had nailed Christ’s hands and feet to the cross—saw darkness cover the sky, the sun cease to give light, the rocks quake, the earth tremble, and the tombs open. Upon witnessing all this, the centurion said, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54). History tells us that this man went forth to follow Christ.
A few weeks later three thousand more were drawn at Pentecost, then five thousand more, then multitudes of priests and elders and scribes were drawn, and then an exceeding great multitude were drawn
Finally the Roman Empire itself was overwhelmed by the magnetic power of Jesus Christ to draw men to Himself.
Why does the Crucifixion have so much drawing power?
Consider the agony Christ endured.
Hanging, a firing squad, electrocution, the gas chamber—the pain of all these forms of execution could never compare to the excruciating pain of crucifixion. Jesus submitted Himself to a slow, agonizing death in order to spare us from the penalty of eternal torment.
Today, meditate on the Christ lifted up for your sake, and let the power of His crucifixion draw you nearer to Him in love and gratitude.
“It was not the character of Christ, not His justice, nor His proclamations, nor His preaching, nor His teaching, but rather it was his death that would draw men.”
“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” John 12:32
When you think of Jesus Christ lifted up on the cross, how do you want to respond? Christ’s crucifixion has a magnetic quality, drawing people to Him, and as long as we keep it centrally focused, people will continue to come to Christ. Some churches don’t understand this, attempting to attract people in other ways.
Unitarians, who have denied and rejected the atonement of Christ and the deity of Christ, don’t have the power to attract people. One of their leaders in Birmingham, England, said that Unitarianism failed to “draw.” The English public will not attend their chapels. Though Unitarians seem bewildered by this, it’s no mystery. These churches don’t “draw” because they’ve thrown away the magnet.
We don’t need big signs or flashy worship services to attract people to Him. Christ’s humble sacrifice has more magnetic power than anything any church could concoct.
Let’s take a quick look at the immediate impact of the Crucifixion to catch a glimpse of its awesome power:
At the cross, the centurion—who had nailed Christ’s hands and feet to the cross—saw darkness cover the sky, the sun cease to give light, the rocks quake, the earth tremble, and the tombs open. Upon witnessing all this, the centurion said, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54). History tells us that this man went forth to follow Christ.
A few weeks later three thousand more were drawn at Pentecost, then five thousand more, then multitudes of priests and elders and scribes were drawn, and then an exceeding great multitude were drawn
Finally the Roman Empire itself was overwhelmed by the magnetic power of Jesus Christ to draw men to Himself.
Why does the Crucifixion have so much drawing power?
Consider the agony Christ endured.
Hanging, a firing squad, electrocution, the gas chamber—the pain of all these forms of execution could never compare to the excruciating pain of crucifixion. Jesus submitted Himself to a slow, agonizing death in order to spare us from the penalty of eternal torment.
Today, meditate on the Christ lifted up for your sake, and let the power of His crucifixion draw you nearer to Him in love and gratitude.
“It was not the character of Christ, not His justice, nor His proclamations, nor His preaching, nor His teaching, but rather it was his death that would draw men.”
Thoughts on 2 Corinthians 13:5 and 2 Corinthians 10:12
Thoughts on 2 Corinthians 13:5 by John W. Ritenbaugh
"Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified."
...and Thoughts on 2 Corinthians 10:12
"For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."
We understand that we are to examine ourselves in the weeks preceding Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. Sometimes, however, we miss the purpose for the examination. Consider these two scriptures in relation to self-examination:
» Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Prove yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. (II Corinthians 13:5)
» For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. (II Corinthians 10:12)
If we are not careful in this, we can easily fall into two snares, both of which center on the self.
The most obvious one, expressed in II Corinthians 10:12, is that we will judge ourselves in light of other people. This fatal trap deceitfully provides us with self-justification for the way we are. The result is that we will not change or grow because we will be judging according to our own standards—and why change perfection? Self-examination by our own code produces self-righteousness.
The other dangerous snare occurs when our self-examination is so rigorous that we become very depressed and feel salvation is impossible. This is just as utterly self-indulgent as the other! This "woe is me" approach is a not-too-subtle blast against God's judgment and grace for making things so difficult for us!
At Passover, our focus should be on the payment for sin through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God in His grace is willing to forgive our transgressions on the basis of Christ's death. During Unleavened Bread, the focus shifts to overcoming sin and coming out of this world through God's power, which is also part of His grace.
At Passover, it is the grace of God to justify us through Christ's blood. At Unleavened Bread, it is the grace of God to sanctify us as we move toward His Kingdom and glorification.
"Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified."
...and Thoughts on 2 Corinthians 10:12
"For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."
We understand that we are to examine ourselves in the weeks preceding Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. Sometimes, however, we miss the purpose for the examination. Consider these two scriptures in relation to self-examination:
» Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Prove yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. (II Corinthians 13:5)
» For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. (II Corinthians 10:12)
If we are not careful in this, we can easily fall into two snares, both of which center on the self.
The most obvious one, expressed in II Corinthians 10:12, is that we will judge ourselves in light of other people. This fatal trap deceitfully provides us with self-justification for the way we are. The result is that we will not change or grow because we will be judging according to our own standards—and why change perfection? Self-examination by our own code produces self-righteousness.
The other dangerous snare occurs when our self-examination is so rigorous that we become very depressed and feel salvation is impossible. This is just as utterly self-indulgent as the other! This "woe is me" approach is a not-too-subtle blast against God's judgment and grace for making things so difficult for us!
At Passover, our focus should be on the payment for sin through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God in His grace is willing to forgive our transgressions on the basis of Christ's death. During Unleavened Bread, the focus shifts to overcoming sin and coming out of this world through God's power, which is also part of His grace.
At Passover, it is the grace of God to justify us through Christ's blood. At Unleavened Bread, it is the grace of God to sanctify us as we move toward His Kingdom and glorification.
Today in History
Today in History
1865
Appomattox Campaign Begins
On March 29, 1865, the final campaign of the Civil War began in Virginia when Union troops under General Ulysses S. Grant moved against the Confederate trenches around Petersburg. General Robert E. Lee’s outnumbered Rebels were soon forced to evacuate the city and begin a desperate race west.
Eleven months earlier, Grant had moved his army across the Rapidan River in northern Virginia and began the bloodiest campaign of the war. For six weeks, Lee and Grant fought along an arc that swung east of the Confederate capital at Richmond. They engaged in some of the conflict’s bloodiest battles at Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor before settling into trenches for a siege of Petersburg, 25 miles south of Richmond.
The trenches eventually stretched all the way to Richmond, and during the ensuing months the armies glowered at each other across a no man’s land. Periodically, Grant launched attacks against sections of the Rebel defenses, but Lee’s men managed to fend them off.
Time was running out for Lee, though. His army was dwindling in size to about 55,000, while Grant’s continued to grow—the Army of the Potomac now had more than 125,000 men ready for service.
On March 25, Lee attempted to split the Union lines when he attacked Fort Stedman, a stronghold along the Yankee trenches. His army was beaten back, and he lost nearly 5,000 men.
On March 29, Grant seized the initiative, sending 12,000 men past the Confederates’ left flank and threatening to cut Lee’s escape route from Petersburg.
Fighting broke out there, several miles southwest of the city. Lee’s men could not arrest the Federal advance. On April 1, the Yankees struck at Five Forks, soundly defeating the Rebels and leaving Lee no alternative. He pulled his forces from their trenches and raced west, followed by Grant. It was a race that even the great General Lee could not win. He surrendered his army on April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House.
1865
Appomattox Campaign Begins
On March 29, 1865, the final campaign of the Civil War began in Virginia when Union troops under General Ulysses S. Grant moved against the Confederate trenches around Petersburg. General Robert E. Lee’s outnumbered Rebels were soon forced to evacuate the city and begin a desperate race west.
Eleven months earlier, Grant had moved his army across the Rapidan River in northern Virginia and began the bloodiest campaign of the war. For six weeks, Lee and Grant fought along an arc that swung east of the Confederate capital at Richmond. They engaged in some of the conflict’s bloodiest battles at Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor before settling into trenches for a siege of Petersburg, 25 miles south of Richmond.
The trenches eventually stretched all the way to Richmond, and during the ensuing months the armies glowered at each other across a no man’s land. Periodically, Grant launched attacks against sections of the Rebel defenses, but Lee’s men managed to fend them off.
Time was running out for Lee, though. His army was dwindling in size to about 55,000, while Grant’s continued to grow—the Army of the Potomac now had more than 125,000 men ready for service.
On March 25, Lee attempted to split the Union lines when he attacked Fort Stedman, a stronghold along the Yankee trenches. His army was beaten back, and he lost nearly 5,000 men.
On March 29, Grant seized the initiative, sending 12,000 men past the Confederates’ left flank and threatening to cut Lee’s escape route from Petersburg.
Fighting broke out there, several miles southwest of the city. Lee’s men could not arrest the Federal advance. On April 1, the Yankees struck at Five Forks, soundly defeating the Rebels and leaving Lee no alternative. He pulled his forces from their trenches and raced west, followed by Grant. It was a race that even the great General Lee could not win. He surrendered his army on April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House.
Becoming Influential
Becoming Influential
From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman
March 29, 2020
"The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom" (Deueronomyt 28:13-14).
Coca-Cola, at this time of writing, has a 40% market share in the soft drink industry. It is the number one brand in the world. When Coke comes into a business environment, they have authority in that realm. They have great respect because of their position in business.
George Barna, the U.S. Christian researcher on Christian activity tells us that 35-45% of the U.S. population is born again. Based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in the year 2005, there were 149 million adult workers. Simply multiplying this figure by 40% would give you a figure of 59 million Christian adult workers. If this is so, why aren't we having more impact?
I would have to say the body of Christ in America is not the head, but is still the tail. Part of the reason for this is that we have not understood our biblical mandate to have dominion on the earth as was modeled in Genesis with Adam and Eve.
When Jesus returned to earth He came to save that which was lost and restore this principle of dominion (Luke 19:10). When Jesus prayed in the Lord's prayer: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10), He was praying that His dominion would be restored on earth just as it is in Heaven.
However, we have given over this leadership to the ungodly in our societies. In order to restore this we must win the battle in seven key domains in society. These include:
1) business
2) government
3) education
4) arts and entertainment
5) religion
6) media
7) the family
This begins by affirming that men and women of faith have a holy calling. Realize that whatever else you may be doing, God has called you to express His life in that arena in order to have His dominion over the earth.
From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman
March 29, 2020
"The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom" (Deueronomyt 28:13-14).
Coca-Cola, at this time of writing, has a 40% market share in the soft drink industry. It is the number one brand in the world. When Coke comes into a business environment, they have authority in that realm. They have great respect because of their position in business.
George Barna, the U.S. Christian researcher on Christian activity tells us that 35-45% of the U.S. population is born again. Based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in the year 2005, there were 149 million adult workers. Simply multiplying this figure by 40% would give you a figure of 59 million Christian adult workers. If this is so, why aren't we having more impact?
I would have to say the body of Christ in America is not the head, but is still the tail. Part of the reason for this is that we have not understood our biblical mandate to have dominion on the earth as was modeled in Genesis with Adam and Eve.
When Jesus returned to earth He came to save that which was lost and restore this principle of dominion (Luke 19:10). When Jesus prayed in the Lord's prayer: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10), He was praying that His dominion would be restored on earth just as it is in Heaven.
However, we have given over this leadership to the ungodly in our societies. In order to restore this we must win the battle in seven key domains in society. These include:
1) business
2) government
3) education
4) arts and entertainment
5) religion
6) media
7) the family
This begins by affirming that men and women of faith have a holy calling. Realize that whatever else you may be doing, God has called you to express His life in that arena in order to have His dominion over the earth.
Thoughts on Today's Verse
"I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him. The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete."
John 3:28-29\
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
John the Baptist is an incredible example of a servant. He lived his life for one central and controlling purpose — to prepare others to recognize, to welcome, and to follow Jesus Christ as Lord. Can you think of a greater purpose for your life? Let's live so that when our last days approach, we can also say, "That joy is mine, and it is now complete."
Let's bring John's joy in service to life in us by "Living My MUSD" — Living My Mission Under Social Distancing — ways to live like Jesus, today.
My Prayer...
Holy and Righteous Father, please use me to prepare others to know and to receive Jesus. In the name of my Lord, Jesus of Nazareth, I pray. Amen.
John 3:28-29\
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
John the Baptist is an incredible example of a servant. He lived his life for one central and controlling purpose — to prepare others to recognize, to welcome, and to follow Jesus Christ as Lord. Can you think of a greater purpose for your life? Let's live so that when our last days approach, we can also say, "That joy is mine, and it is now complete."
Let's bring John's joy in service to life in us by "Living My MUSD" — Living My Mission Under Social Distancing — ways to live like Jesus, today.
My Prayer...
Holy and Righteous Father, please use me to prepare others to know and to receive Jesus. In the name of my Lord, Jesus of Nazareth, I pray. Amen.
Saturday, March 28, 2020
Your Gallows Humor for Today
Your Gallows Humor for Today
"If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito." Dalai Lama
"If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito." Dalai Lama
Isaiah 41:10
"Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
Quote from Antonio Guterres
"The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war. That is why today, I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world. It is time to put armed conflict on lockdown and focus together on the true fight of our lives" Antonio Guterres
Rock
Rock by Rebecca Jordan Heys
Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:13-20
“I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Matthew 16:18
Simon Peter met Jesus. I know several friends and church members who say that besides Jesus, Simon Peter is their favorite person in the Bible because they can easily relate to him.
As he tried to follow Jesus, Simon often made mistakes or blurted out something that he regretted later. Simon was the one who tried to walk on water. Simon was the one who insisted that he would never deny Jesus—and then although Simon did that, he was later restored and called to follow Jesus again.
But sometimes Simon got it right. In our reading for today he made a bold and true confession to Jesus, saying, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And that is when Jesus gave him a nickname: Peter. The Greek word for Peter means “rock,” so Jesus was letting him know that Peter’s bold confession was the foundation on which he would build his church. The most faithful thing a person can do is to trust in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
When we act like Simon Peter, making mistakes or blurting out things we’ll regret later, we can be assured that we are not too clumsy or shameful to be of service to God. We too can make the bold and true confession that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and by God’s grace we can stand on this firm, rocky foundation.
Lord and God, though we stumble, we thank you that we can trust in you and in your power to save. Amen.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:13-20
“I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Matthew 16:18
Simon Peter met Jesus. I know several friends and church members who say that besides Jesus, Simon Peter is their favorite person in the Bible because they can easily relate to him.
As he tried to follow Jesus, Simon often made mistakes or blurted out something that he regretted later. Simon was the one who tried to walk on water. Simon was the one who insisted that he would never deny Jesus—and then although Simon did that, he was later restored and called to follow Jesus again.
But sometimes Simon got it right. In our reading for today he made a bold and true confession to Jesus, saying, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And that is when Jesus gave him a nickname: Peter. The Greek word for Peter means “rock,” so Jesus was letting him know that Peter’s bold confession was the foundation on which he would build his church. The most faithful thing a person can do is to trust in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
When we act like Simon Peter, making mistakes or blurting out things we’ll regret later, we can be assured that we are not too clumsy or shameful to be of service to God. We too can make the bold and true confession that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and by God’s grace we can stand on this firm, rocky foundation.
Lord and God, though we stumble, we thank you that we can trust in you and in your power to save. Amen.
Today in History
Today in History
Three Mile Island
1979
The Three Mile Island accident was a partial meltdown of reactor number 2 of Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station (TMI-2) in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, near Harrisburg, and subsequent radiation leak that occurred on March 28, 1979. It was the most significant accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant history.[2] On the seven-point International Nuclear Event Scale, the incident was rated a five as an "accident with wider consequences".[3][4]
The accident began with failures in the non-nuclear secondary system, followed by a stuck-open pilot-operated relief valve in the primary system, which allowed large amounts of nuclear reactor coolant to escape. The mechanical failures were compounded by the initial failure of plant operators to recognize the situation as a loss-of-coolant accident due to inadequate training and human factors, such as human-computer interaction design oversights relating to ambiguous control room indicators in the power plant's user interface.
In particular, a hidden indicator light led to an operator manually overriding the automatic emergency cooling system of the reactor because the operator mistakenly believed that there was too much coolant water present in the reactor and causing the steam pressure release.[5]
The accident crystallized anti-nuclear safety concerns among activists and the general public, and resulted in new regulations for the nuclear industry. It has been cited as a contributor to the decline of a new reactor construction program, a slowdown that was already underway in the 1970s.[6] The partial meltdown resulted in the release of radioactive gases and radioactive iodine into the environment.
Anti-nuclear movement activists expressed worries about regional health effects from the accident.[7] However, epidemiological studies analyzing the rate of cancer in and around the area since the accident determined there was a small statistically non-significant increase in the rate and thus no causal connection linking the accident with these cancers has been substantiated.[8][9][10][11][12][13]
Cleanup started in August 1979, and officially ended in December 1993, with a total cleanup cost of about $1 billion.[14]
Three Mile Island
1979
The Three Mile Island accident was a partial meltdown of reactor number 2 of Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station (TMI-2) in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, near Harrisburg, and subsequent radiation leak that occurred on March 28, 1979. It was the most significant accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant history.[2] On the seven-point International Nuclear Event Scale, the incident was rated a five as an "accident with wider consequences".[3][4]
The accident began with failures in the non-nuclear secondary system, followed by a stuck-open pilot-operated relief valve in the primary system, which allowed large amounts of nuclear reactor coolant to escape. The mechanical failures were compounded by the initial failure of plant operators to recognize the situation as a loss-of-coolant accident due to inadequate training and human factors, such as human-computer interaction design oversights relating to ambiguous control room indicators in the power plant's user interface.
In particular, a hidden indicator light led to an operator manually overriding the automatic emergency cooling system of the reactor because the operator mistakenly believed that there was too much coolant water present in the reactor and causing the steam pressure release.[5]
The accident crystallized anti-nuclear safety concerns among activists and the general public, and resulted in new regulations for the nuclear industry. It has been cited as a contributor to the decline of a new reactor construction program, a slowdown that was already underway in the 1970s.[6] The partial meltdown resulted in the release of radioactive gases and radioactive iodine into the environment.
Anti-nuclear movement activists expressed worries about regional health effects from the accident.[7] However, epidemiological studies analyzing the rate of cancer in and around the area since the accident determined there was a small statistically non-significant increase in the rate and thus no causal connection linking the accident with these cancers has been substantiated.[8][9][10][11][12][13]
Cleanup started in August 1979, and officially ended in December 1993, with a total cleanup cost of about $1 billion.[14]
Christ's Bitter Cup
Christ’s Bitter Cup by Dr. D. James Kennedy
“He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’” Matthew 26:39
What was in the mysterious cup that appeared before Christ’s face there in the darkness of Gethsemane?
First of all, the cup contained all the sin of the world. Imagine you’re visiting the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. You walk into a large, sealed room full of hundreds of vials containing diseases—cancer, AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea—every dangerous and foul disease known to man. You see a technician unstopping each vial, one by one, and pouring the contents into a large beaker. How would you react if the technician asked you to touch the beaker? And if the technician asked you to drink the contents, what terror would fill your soul? But all of that is nothing compared to the cup of sin which Jesus drank.
The second element in Jesus’ bitter cup was God’s abandonment. By drinking that foul cup, Christ became the arch-criminal of the universe, full of sin. God, whose holiness prevents Him from looking at any sin, turned His back on Christ, His Son, leaving Jesus abandoned and alone.
Third, since God must punish sin, He poured on Christ the great fiery cauldron of His wrath. More than that, Christ, rejected by humanity and abandoned by God, was then given over to the demons. He sank to the bottomless pit of Hell, where the demons fell on Him with fang and claw.
All of this was in the bitter cup. But the most important thing about this cup is that it wasn’t Christ’s cup at all. It was ours.
The sin was ours.
The abandonment, the fiery punishment, the demons should have been ours. But Christ drank the cup for us. And because He did, today the cup of Christ is one full of blessings—love, pardon, peace, and joy. This is the cup He now offers to you and me. Take and drink of the love and freedom you can now enjoy because of the sacrifice Christ has made.
“We may not know, we cannot tell what pains He had to bear.
We only know it was for us He hung and suffered there.”
“He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’” Matthew 26:39
What was in the mysterious cup that appeared before Christ’s face there in the darkness of Gethsemane?
First of all, the cup contained all the sin of the world. Imagine you’re visiting the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. You walk into a large, sealed room full of hundreds of vials containing diseases—cancer, AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea—every dangerous and foul disease known to man. You see a technician unstopping each vial, one by one, and pouring the contents into a large beaker. How would you react if the technician asked you to touch the beaker? And if the technician asked you to drink the contents, what terror would fill your soul? But all of that is nothing compared to the cup of sin which Jesus drank.
The second element in Jesus’ bitter cup was God’s abandonment. By drinking that foul cup, Christ became the arch-criminal of the universe, full of sin. God, whose holiness prevents Him from looking at any sin, turned His back on Christ, His Son, leaving Jesus abandoned and alone.
Third, since God must punish sin, He poured on Christ the great fiery cauldron of His wrath. More than that, Christ, rejected by humanity and abandoned by God, was then given over to the demons. He sank to the bottomless pit of Hell, where the demons fell on Him with fang and claw.
All of this was in the bitter cup. But the most important thing about this cup is that it wasn’t Christ’s cup at all. It was ours.
The sin was ours.
The abandonment, the fiery punishment, the demons should have been ours. But Christ drank the cup for us. And because He did, today the cup of Christ is one full of blessings—love, pardon, peace, and joy. This is the cup He now offers to you and me. Take and drink of the love and freedom you can now enjoy because of the sacrifice Christ has made.
“We may not know, we cannot tell what pains He had to bear.
We only know it was for us He hung and suffered there.”
Thoughts on Romans 5:1-2
Thoughts on Romans 5:1-2 by Martin G. Collins
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (2) through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
Without a doubt, our sins separate us from God (Genesis 3:24; Isaiah 59:2; Galatians 5:19-21). Graciously, our heavenly Father desires a closer relationship with us, His elect (John 17:3, 20-21). In Leviticus 26:12, our Creator promises, “I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.”
In John 14:6, that same divine Being—in the form of Jesus Christ—testifies that He provides our ultimate path to God the Father.
In Romans 5:1-2, the apostle Paul flatly asserts that justification brings us access to His grace, the undeserved favor that He grants to His faithful, humble children through Jesus Christ (James 4:6). In Ephesians 2:18 and 3:12, Paul mentions this same access, strongly implying that such access is exclusive to our calling and not available to the world, although anyone in the world can repent of sin and allow the blood of Jesus to make faith alive and become one of the redeemed.
By declaring the repentant sinner not guilty, justification helps to remove, not only the disturbing guilt from his conscience, but also the fear of being called before God and condemned (Isaiah 57:20-21; Romans 5:9), replacing the guilt and fear with hope (Romans 5:2; Titus 3:7). Such peace enables the justified to draw even closer to God with a more confident assurance of His mercy (Hebrews 4:16; 7:19; 10:19).
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (2) through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
Without a doubt, our sins separate us from God (Genesis 3:24; Isaiah 59:2; Galatians 5:19-21). Graciously, our heavenly Father desires a closer relationship with us, His elect (John 17:3, 20-21). In Leviticus 26:12, our Creator promises, “I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.”
In John 14:6, that same divine Being—in the form of Jesus Christ—testifies that He provides our ultimate path to God the Father.
In Romans 5:1-2, the apostle Paul flatly asserts that justification brings us access to His grace, the undeserved favor that He grants to His faithful, humble children through Jesus Christ (James 4:6). In Ephesians 2:18 and 3:12, Paul mentions this same access, strongly implying that such access is exclusive to our calling and not available to the world, although anyone in the world can repent of sin and allow the blood of Jesus to make faith alive and become one of the redeemed.
By declaring the repentant sinner not guilty, justification helps to remove, not only the disturbing guilt from his conscience, but also the fear of being called before God and condemned (Isaiah 57:20-21; Romans 5:9), replacing the guilt and fear with hope (Romans 5:2; Titus 3:7). Such peace enables the justified to draw even closer to God with a more confident assurance of His mercy (Hebrews 4:16; 7:19; 10:19).
Thoughts on Today's Verse
"...Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see."Deuteronomy 3:27-28
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt and in the wilderness, but did not get to enter into the Promised Land because of his sin. Yet, for all those years, Moses nurtured and prepared the person who would do what he could not do. That person was Joshua. Who are you training, molding, encouraging, motivating, and calling to do what you won't be able to do?
What successor will take your dreams farther than you can?
Who is your Joshua?
My Prayer...
Holy and Righteous God, please lead me to those with whom you want me to share my life and to pass on your heritage of faith. Please open my eyes to see them. Give me strength to live my life honestly and courageously before them. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt and in the wilderness, but did not get to enter into the Promised Land because of his sin. Yet, for all those years, Moses nurtured and prepared the person who would do what he could not do. That person was Joshua. Who are you training, molding, encouraging, motivating, and calling to do what you won't be able to do?
What successor will take your dreams farther than you can?
Who is your Joshua?
My Prayer...
Holy and Righteous God, please lead me to those with whom you want me to share my life and to pass on your heritage of faith. Please open my eyes to see them. Give me strength to live my life honestly and courageously before them. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
CLEAN ----- A Word to Awaken You
Jonathan Tremaine Thomas is with Paul Hughes and 22 others.
March 25 at 9:49 PM
CLEAN SUNDAY MARCH 29
Last year God, through the most unexpected sources DECLARED to the world: "Jesus Is King." This year, God in the most unexpected way and at the most inconvenient time is SHOWING the world: "Jesus is King." We've never lived in a time like this and we are ultimately powerless. In a moment, the whole world has been paralyzed by something we can't even see with our own eyes. All of man's best efforts have come to nothing.
This is the truth of God that humanity loves to hate in this generation. We MUST embrace the reality of His beauty, kindness, and enduring mercy at a higher level; but we CANNOT reject the reality of His nature as a jealous Lover, a King and a Judge.
Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3“Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”
4He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
5Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
6“Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.” --Psalm 2
We've not lived as though He actually is, who He has shown Himself to be. Our trust, our strength, our wisdom, our redemption, our solution lies in Him alone. It's time for us to go low. It's time to bow and surrender yet again. It's time to come clean and get clean. Join me and over 50 key spiritual leaders from across the country as we do just that for 12 hours on Sunday. Register now at civilrighteousness.org/clean #civilrighteousness
Friday, March 27, 2020
Your Gallows Humor for Today
Your Gallows Humor for Today
"Of course Tom Brady went to Florida. That's what old people from New England do.
"Of course Tom Brady went to Florida. That's what old people from New England do.
Quote from Anonymous
"No matter what your reasons are for being curious about Jesus, He gladly seeks out a relationship with you." Anonymous
Hearing the Voice of God
Hearing the Voice of God
From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman
March 27, 2020
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me. . . . My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me" John 10:14,27
Tom Fox is a successful financial investment manager who heads up a workplace ministry in the Twin Cities, Minnesota area. He used to be troubled when he heard Christians say, "The Lord told me . . . " He certainly had never heard God speak to him like that. "What is different about those people and me?" he wondered.
In the book of John, Tom had read that Jesus had said that His sheep hear His voice, but he didn't understand how they could do that. His pursuit to answer that question began his quest to discover how to hear God's voice himself.
Today, Tom realizes that God does speak and that we, as His children, can hear His voice. He has discovered how to hear God's words of guidance in his daily life, and he is teaching others how to hear God's voice as well.
A friend of mine told me a story about an experience he had in Israel that demonstrates how sheep know their shepherd's voice. He and his wife were visiting some of the famous biblical sites when they saw a group of shepherds and their flocks.
They watched as three different shepherds put their sheep in the same pen for the night, and they wondered how in the world the shepherds would separate their sheep the next day, since none of them had any identifying marks.
My friend got up early the next morning to watch the shepherds gather their sheep. The first shepherd went over to the pen and called out to his sheep. One by one, his sheep (and only his sheep) filed out to follow him. The same thing happened with the other two shepherds. My friend said it was amazing to watch how only the shepherd's sheep followed him while the others remained in the pen--and all because they recognized his voice. What a picture of Jesus' words spoken centuries earlier.
Ask God to help you hear His voice, wherever you are, whatever you're doing.
From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman
March 27, 2020
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me. . . . My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me" John 10:14,27
Tom Fox is a successful financial investment manager who heads up a workplace ministry in the Twin Cities, Minnesota area. He used to be troubled when he heard Christians say, "The Lord told me . . . " He certainly had never heard God speak to him like that. "What is different about those people and me?" he wondered.
In the book of John, Tom had read that Jesus had said that His sheep hear His voice, but he didn't understand how they could do that. His pursuit to answer that question began his quest to discover how to hear God's voice himself.
Today, Tom realizes that God does speak and that we, as His children, can hear His voice. He has discovered how to hear God's words of guidance in his daily life, and he is teaching others how to hear God's voice as well.
A friend of mine told me a story about an experience he had in Israel that demonstrates how sheep know their shepherd's voice. He and his wife were visiting some of the famous biblical sites when they saw a group of shepherds and their flocks.
They watched as three different shepherds put their sheep in the same pen for the night, and they wondered how in the world the shepherds would separate their sheep the next day, since none of them had any identifying marks.
My friend got up early the next morning to watch the shepherds gather their sheep. The first shepherd went over to the pen and called out to his sheep. One by one, his sheep (and only his sheep) filed out to follow him. The same thing happened with the other two shepherds. My friend said it was amazing to watch how only the shepherd's sheep followed him while the others remained in the pen--and all because they recognized his voice. What a picture of Jesus' words spoken centuries earlier.
Ask God to help you hear His voice, wherever you are, whatever you're doing.
Today in History
Today in History
1964
Earthquake Rocks Alaska
The strongest earthquake in American history, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale, slammed southern Alaska on this day in 1964, creating a deadly tsunami. Some 131 people were killed and thousands injured.
The massive earthquake had its epicenter about 12 miles north of Prince William Sound. Approximately 300,000 square miles of U.S., Canadian, and international territory were affected.
Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, sustained the most property damage, with about 30 blocks of dwellings and commercial buildings damaged or destroyed in the downtown area. Fifteen people were killed or fatally injured as a direct result of the three-minute quake, and then the ensuing tsunami killed another 110 people.
The tidal wave, which measured over 100 feet at points, devastated towns along the Gulf of Alaska and caused carnage in British Columbia, Canada; Hawaii; and the West Coast of the United States, where 15 people died.
Total property damage was estimated in excess of $400 million.
The day after the quake, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared Alaska an official disaster area
1964
Earthquake Rocks Alaska
The strongest earthquake in American history, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale, slammed southern Alaska on this day in 1964, creating a deadly tsunami. Some 131 people were killed and thousands injured.
The massive earthquake had its epicenter about 12 miles north of Prince William Sound. Approximately 300,000 square miles of U.S., Canadian, and international territory were affected.
Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, sustained the most property damage, with about 30 blocks of dwellings and commercial buildings damaged or destroyed in the downtown area. Fifteen people were killed or fatally injured as a direct result of the three-minute quake, and then the ensuing tsunami killed another 110 people.
The tidal wave, which measured over 100 feet at points, devastated towns along the Gulf of Alaska and caused carnage in British Columbia, Canada; Hawaii; and the West Coast of the United States, where 15 people died.
Total property damage was estimated in excess of $400 million.
The day after the quake, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared Alaska an official disaster area
Thoughts on Exodus 20:8-11
Exodus 20:8-11
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (9) Six days you shall labor and do all your work, (10) but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. (11) For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."
The Sabbath is not a minor ceremonial regulation that rarely affects man's relationship with God. It is one of the major Ten Commandments, the laws that spell out God's character, defining love and sin for us. This is why James explained that the law is a package (James 2:10); if you break one law, you break them all. Once the package is broken up, it loses its effectiveness.
The fourth commandment is especially important in keeping the other nine. In Ezekiel 20, God specifies two specific commandments that Israel broke: the ones concerning idolatry and Sabbath-keeping. They are linked: If one does not keep the Sabbath, he will more easily fall into idolatry.
In one sense, these are the two key commandments around which all the others revolve. If we break the first one, we will certainly break the rest. If our god is not God, then we are off the track already. If we break the Sabbath day, breaking the others will be easier.
God has called a meeting of His Kingdom and Family on that day. If we fail to attend, we are unable to benefit from it.
People observe the practices of their religion because they matter to them. For this reason, we should endeavor to keep the Lord's law in its fullness.
Our small part in this entire wonderful purpose is not merely to say, "I believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior," but it is to use our God-given free moral agency to choose the right in order to do our small part in producing godly attitude and character.
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (9) Six days you shall labor and do all your work, (10) but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. (11) For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."
The Sabbath is not a minor ceremonial regulation that rarely affects man's relationship with God. It is one of the major Ten Commandments, the laws that spell out God's character, defining love and sin for us. This is why James explained that the law is a package (James 2:10); if you break one law, you break them all. Once the package is broken up, it loses its effectiveness.
The fourth commandment is especially important in keeping the other nine. In Ezekiel 20, God specifies two specific commandments that Israel broke: the ones concerning idolatry and Sabbath-keeping. They are linked: If one does not keep the Sabbath, he will more easily fall into idolatry.
In one sense, these are the two key commandments around which all the others revolve. If we break the first one, we will certainly break the rest. If our god is not God, then we are off the track already. If we break the Sabbath day, breaking the others will be easier.
God has called a meeting of His Kingdom and Family on that day. If we fail to attend, we are unable to benefit from it.
People observe the practices of their religion because they matter to them. For this reason, we should endeavor to keep the Lord's law in its fullness.
Our small part in this entire wonderful purpose is not merely to say, "I believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior," but it is to use our God-given free moral agency to choose the right in order to do our small part in producing godly attitude and character.
Thoughts on Today's Verse
"Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law." Romans 3:27-28
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
God's salvation leaves us no room for boasting. We couldn't live up to the righteous demands of the Law. When we are broken and sinful, God buys our salvation by giving Jesus to us and having him pay the debt of our sin.
We have nothing to boast about except the overwhelmingly generous grace of God and the incredible sacrificial free gift of love of our Savior, Jesus.
My Prayer...
Thank you, Father, for redeeming me from the righteous judgment of the Law. Thank you, Jesus, for paying my debt for sin. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for cleansing me and making me holy. Thank you, God, for your incredible grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
God's salvation leaves us no room for boasting. We couldn't live up to the righteous demands of the Law. When we are broken and sinful, God buys our salvation by giving Jesus to us and having him pay the debt of our sin.
We have nothing to boast about except the overwhelmingly generous grace of God and the incredible sacrificial free gift of love of our Savior, Jesus.
My Prayer...
Thank you, Father, for redeeming me from the righteous judgment of the Law. Thank you, Jesus, for paying my debt for sin. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for cleansing me and making me holy. Thank you, God, for your incredible grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Ibuprofen vs. Tylenol
JUST HEARD THAT THE CORONAVIRUS THRIVES IN IBUPROFEN. TAKE ONLY TYLENOL TO AVOID AGGRAVATING YOUR CHANCES OF SUCCUMBING TO THIS DISEASE.
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Truth in a World of Lies
Truth in a World of Lies by Bill Wilson
The Hollywood elite and many democrats are saying that Americans are dying because President Donald Trump is lying about the COVID-19 virus. They say they want the truth about the situation. Then they go on and call the president "absurd," "insane," "murderer," and so on. CNN's Jake Tapper Wednesday told viewers that there was no telling how many lives were affected by Trump's lies. These people can only stir dissent now by calling Trump an insane, absurd liar, but only use out of context statements that hardly back up anything they say. This is the point when political intolerance and ideological bigotry prevent people from seeing the truth, or even seeing events clearly.
To those who wish to stay informed, the president and his coronavirus task force have been updating the people each day. If you have watched them, they have been very thorough updates and have patiently answered every question by a hostile media, no matter how ill-informed or emotional the reporter was in asking the question. Whether the president and his array of task force experts are all lying about this crisis can be determined by a discerning viewer. The fact that 60% of Americans, according to a Gallup Poll, approve of the way President Trump is handling the crisis, drives Hollywood and the democratic leadership crazy. Not because they believe Trump is lying, but because they hate him. They actually want Americans to suffer COVID-19 because they hate the president so much that they don't want him to succeed.
If a person is so driven by his political beliefs, or even his legalistic religious beliefs, that he will not listen to reason or even view what is in front of him as fact, that person is blinded to the truth. Repeatedly calling someone insane, a liar, or some such label while refusing to consider all the facts, and saying you only want the truth, you are not allowing truth to enter. Also to say that you want the truth, and call the truth a lie because it isn't what you believe, is refusing truth. I have seen this in watching people's comments on Facebook, for example. They demand the truth. Someone gives them documented facts that are truth. It is not the answer they want, so they call the person a liar, or some such other label.
Viewing the world from the lens of bias against truth, prevents truth. Isaiah 59:13-14 says, "In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood, and judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter." If someone is a vessel of lies and rebellion against God, how can they find truth? Hating a person because he doesn't agree with you, blocks the truth. We see this when the president and his task force answer all the questions over and over again, yet the answers are not what the haters want to hear, so they call them lies. Indeed, truth is fallen in the street.
The Hollywood elite and many democrats are saying that Americans are dying because President Donald Trump is lying about the COVID-19 virus. They say they want the truth about the situation. Then they go on and call the president "absurd," "insane," "murderer," and so on. CNN's Jake Tapper Wednesday told viewers that there was no telling how many lives were affected by Trump's lies. These people can only stir dissent now by calling Trump an insane, absurd liar, but only use out of context statements that hardly back up anything they say. This is the point when political intolerance and ideological bigotry prevent people from seeing the truth, or even seeing events clearly.
To those who wish to stay informed, the president and his coronavirus task force have been updating the people each day. If you have watched them, they have been very thorough updates and have patiently answered every question by a hostile media, no matter how ill-informed or emotional the reporter was in asking the question. Whether the president and his array of task force experts are all lying about this crisis can be determined by a discerning viewer. The fact that 60% of Americans, according to a Gallup Poll, approve of the way President Trump is handling the crisis, drives Hollywood and the democratic leadership crazy. Not because they believe Trump is lying, but because they hate him. They actually want Americans to suffer COVID-19 because they hate the president so much that they don't want him to succeed.
If a person is so driven by his political beliefs, or even his legalistic religious beliefs, that he will not listen to reason or even view what is in front of him as fact, that person is blinded to the truth. Repeatedly calling someone insane, a liar, or some such label while refusing to consider all the facts, and saying you only want the truth, you are not allowing truth to enter. Also to say that you want the truth, and call the truth a lie because it isn't what you believe, is refusing truth. I have seen this in watching people's comments on Facebook, for example. They demand the truth. Someone gives them documented facts that are truth. It is not the answer they want, so they call the person a liar, or some such other label.
Viewing the world from the lens of bias against truth, prevents truth. Isaiah 59:13-14 says, "In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood, and judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter." If someone is a vessel of lies and rebellion against God, how can they find truth? Hating a person because he doesn't agree with you, blocks the truth. We see this when the president and his task force answer all the questions over and over again, yet the answers are not what the haters want to hear, so they call them lies. Indeed, truth is fallen in the street.
Galatians 3:26, 27
"...all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." Galatians 3:26-27
How Am I Doing?
An older lady was asked how she's doing through the coronavirus quarantine. Here is her response:
How am I doing?
I've been GROUNDED! And it's not fair. I'm not allowed to go anywhere and I'm not allowed to be with anybody but I ain't done nothin' wrong!
They have taken away all my favorite things to do, like going to restaurants, so I'm stuck in my own kitchen, doing my own cooking -- and I have to do my shopping BEFORE anybody else shows up at the grocery store.
This solitary confinement is turning me into a grouch. And the other old coot who hangs out here is getting grouchy too.
We don't believe in divorce, so we'll probably kill each other!
How am I doing?
The only good thing about it is that I feel like I'm twelve years old again --cause that's the last time I was grounded.
How am I doing?
I've been GROUNDED! And it's not fair. I'm not allowed to go anywhere and I'm not allowed to be with anybody but I ain't done nothin' wrong!
They have taken away all my favorite things to do, like going to restaurants, so I'm stuck in my own kitchen, doing my own cooking -- and I have to do my shopping BEFORE anybody else shows up at the grocery store.
This solitary confinement is turning me into a grouch. And the other old coot who hangs out here is getting grouchy too.
We don't believe in divorce, so we'll probably kill each other!
How am I doing?
The only good thing about it is that I feel like I'm twelve years old again --cause that's the last time I was grounded.
Quote from David Maas
"Our society is replete with foolish teachings, ideas, theories, and misconceptions—both secular and religious—and under the right circumstances, they should be confronted and shown to be false, lest they be accepted as factual." David Maas
The Black Hole
The Black Hole
From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman
March 26, 2020
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
On February 20, 1962, at 9:47 A.M., the spacecraft Friendship 7 rose on a pillar of fire, piloted by lone astronaut John Glenn. Leaving the coast of Florida far behind, the space capsule orbited the earth three times, traveling 81,000 miles in less than four hours.
As the craft began its descent from space, mission controllers in Houston received a warning signal. A sensor indicated that the capsule's heat shield was in danger of detaching. If the heat shield came loose during reentry, the capsule would burn like a meteor--and John Glenn would die.
Because radio waves cannot penetrate plasma, the spacecraft experienced a total communications blackout--what astronauts and mission controllers call a "black hole".
The minutes crawled by and the suspense mounted in the Houston control room. NASA engineers felt totally helpless. Finally, after five minutes of silence, mission controllers heard Glenn's voice crackling over the radio: "Friendship 7 to Houston?"
Shouts of joy shook the control room. John Glenn was coming home. Although neither Glenn nor the mission controllers knew it at the time, the heat shield was absolutely firm and reliable. The fears for John Glenn's safety during his black hole experience were unfounded.
If you've ever been through a major crisis, you probably know what a communications "black hole" feels like. While you are in the pit of adversity, you feel that your world is collapsing, that your life is out of control--and that God is silent. The silence of a black hole is deafening. You feel isolated and alone. You question God's love, His care for you, and even His existence.
But even when it seems that God is distant and silent, your "heat shield" is still there, firm and reliable. In your black hole experience, God is teaching you to go deeper into your relationship with Him. You may think that your life is out of control and burning like a meteor, but in reality God, your heat shield, still protects you from the fiery forces that surround you.
From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman
March 26, 2020
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
On February 20, 1962, at 9:47 A.M., the spacecraft Friendship 7 rose on a pillar of fire, piloted by lone astronaut John Glenn. Leaving the coast of Florida far behind, the space capsule orbited the earth three times, traveling 81,000 miles in less than four hours.
As the craft began its descent from space, mission controllers in Houston received a warning signal. A sensor indicated that the capsule's heat shield was in danger of detaching. If the heat shield came loose during reentry, the capsule would burn like a meteor--and John Glenn would die.
Because radio waves cannot penetrate plasma, the spacecraft experienced a total communications blackout--what astronauts and mission controllers call a "black hole".
The minutes crawled by and the suspense mounted in the Houston control room. NASA engineers felt totally helpless. Finally, after five minutes of silence, mission controllers heard Glenn's voice crackling over the radio: "Friendship 7 to Houston?"
Shouts of joy shook the control room. John Glenn was coming home. Although neither Glenn nor the mission controllers knew it at the time, the heat shield was absolutely firm and reliable. The fears for John Glenn's safety during his black hole experience were unfounded.
If you've ever been through a major crisis, you probably know what a communications "black hole" feels like. While you are in the pit of adversity, you feel that your world is collapsing, that your life is out of control--and that God is silent. The silence of a black hole is deafening. You feel isolated and alone. You question God's love, His care for you, and even His existence.
But even when it seems that God is distant and silent, your "heat shield" is still there, firm and reliable. In your black hole experience, God is teaching you to go deeper into your relationship with Him. You may think that your life is out of control and burning like a meteor, but in reality God, your heat shield, still protects you from the fiery forces that surround you.
.....Have You Ever Seen.....?
Question: You’ve been doing this a long time. Have you ever seen this big a coordinated response by an administration to such a threat, a health threat?
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI: We’ve never had a threat like this and the coordinated response has been — there are a number of adjectives to describe it — impressive, I think is one of them.
We’re talking about all hands on deck. I, one of many people on the team, I’m not the only person, since the beginning that we even recognized what this was, I have been devoting almost full-time on this. I’m down at the White House virtually every day with the task force. I’m connected by phone throughout the day and into the night. When I say night, I’m talking 12:00, 1:00, 2:00 in the morning. I’m not the only one. There’s a whole group of us that are doing that. It’s every single day.
I can’t imagine under any circumstances that anybody could be doing more.
Obviously, we’re fighting a formidable enemy. This virus is a very serious issue and it's being dealt with as such here.
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI: We’ve never had a threat like this and the coordinated response has been — there are a number of adjectives to describe it — impressive, I think is one of them.
We’re talking about all hands on deck. I, one of many people on the team, I’m not the only person, since the beginning that we even recognized what this was, I have been devoting almost full-time on this. I’m down at the White House virtually every day with the task force. I’m connected by phone throughout the day and into the night. When I say night, I’m talking 12:00, 1:00, 2:00 in the morning. I’m not the only one. There’s a whole group of us that are doing that. It’s every single day.
I can’t imagine under any circumstances that anybody could be doing more.
Obviously, we’re fighting a formidable enemy. This virus is a very serious issue and it's being dealt with as such here.
Guilty
Christ Before The Supreme Court by Dr. D. James Kennedy
“And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, 'You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.’” John 11:49–50
Have you ever considered the irony of Christ’s encounter with Caiaphas, the high priest of the Jews? Christ, the true high priest of God, stood before Joseph Caiaphas, the false high priest of God. And though Caiaphas and Jesus had different motives, they agreed with each other. Caiaphas believed that, in the best interests of the people, one man should die so that the rest would live. Christ believed the same thing.
Caiaphas, the false high priest, said, “Let it be Him.”
And Jesus, the true high priest, said, “Let it be Me.”
The great contrast between Christ and Caiaphas was that while Christ came in obedience to His Father’s will, Caiaphas was motivated by expedience. Expedience comes from two Latin words meaning “to get your foot out of a trap.” Caiaphas tried to set a trap for Christ, but he fell into it himself.
The false witnesses that he had arranged to testify against Christ had all contradicted one another, so he had no case against Jesus. In desperation, Caiaphas screamed at Christ, “Tell us if you are the Son of God.” He couldn’t have expected Christ to answer this, because Christ had remained silent up to this point and because this question was illegal. (Under Jewish law no one could force someone to testify against himself or herself.)
When Jesus answered, “Yes, I am the Son of God,” Caiaphas shouted, “Blasphemy,” tore his robe at the neck, and declared Christ guilty.
Caiaphas exemplifies many people we can describe in three words: religious but lost.
Caiaphas, a religious liberal, denied the great truths of the Bible. He didn’t believe in the Resurrection, the spirit, immortality, or angels. He supposed that his high position and his ritualistic practices would ensure his soul’s eternal well-being, but alas they did not. Instead, his eternal destiny relied on the Man who stood before him that day—the Christ, the Son of God.
“Jesus was silent in the face of His accusers precisely because He was guilty. But the guilt He bore was not His own. It was yours, and it was mine.”
“And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, 'You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.’” John 11:49–50
Have you ever considered the irony of Christ’s encounter with Caiaphas, the high priest of the Jews? Christ, the true high priest of God, stood before Joseph Caiaphas, the false high priest of God. And though Caiaphas and Jesus had different motives, they agreed with each other. Caiaphas believed that, in the best interests of the people, one man should die so that the rest would live. Christ believed the same thing.
Caiaphas, the false high priest, said, “Let it be Him.”
And Jesus, the true high priest, said, “Let it be Me.”
The great contrast between Christ and Caiaphas was that while Christ came in obedience to His Father’s will, Caiaphas was motivated by expedience. Expedience comes from two Latin words meaning “to get your foot out of a trap.” Caiaphas tried to set a trap for Christ, but he fell into it himself.
The false witnesses that he had arranged to testify against Christ had all contradicted one another, so he had no case against Jesus. In desperation, Caiaphas screamed at Christ, “Tell us if you are the Son of God.” He couldn’t have expected Christ to answer this, because Christ had remained silent up to this point and because this question was illegal. (Under Jewish law no one could force someone to testify against himself or herself.)
When Jesus answered, “Yes, I am the Son of God,” Caiaphas shouted, “Blasphemy,” tore his robe at the neck, and declared Christ guilty.
Caiaphas exemplifies many people we can describe in three words: religious but lost.
Caiaphas, a religious liberal, denied the great truths of the Bible. He didn’t believe in the Resurrection, the spirit, immortality, or angels. He supposed that his high position and his ritualistic practices would ensure his soul’s eternal well-being, but alas they did not. Instead, his eternal destiny relied on the Man who stood before him that day—the Christ, the Son of God.
“Jesus was silent in the face of His accusers precisely because He was guilty. But the guilt He bore was not His own. It was yours, and it was mine.”
Today in History
Today in History
1953
Dr. Jonas Salk Announces Polio Vaccine
On March 26, 1953, American medical researcher Dr. Jonas Salk announced on a national radio show that he had successfully tested a vaccine against poliomyelitis, the virus that causes the crippling disease of polio.
In 1952—an epidemic year for polio—there were 58,000 new cases reported in the United States, and more than 3,000 died from the disease. For promising eventually to eradicate the disease, which is known as “infant paralysis” because it mainly affects children, Dr. Salk was celebrated as the great doctor-benefactor of his time.
Polio, a disease that has affected humanity throughout recorded history, attacks the nervous system and can cause varying degrees of paralysis. Since the virus is easily transmitted, epidemics were commonplace in the first decades of the 20th century.
The first major polio epidemic in the United States occurred in Vermont in the summer of 1894, and by the 20th century thousands were affected every year.
In the first decades of the 20th century, treatments were limited to quarantines and the infamous “iron lung,” a metal coffin-like contraption that aided respiration. Although children, and especially infants, were among the worst affected, adults were also often afflicted, including future president Franklin D. Roosevelt, who in 1921 was stricken with polio at the age of 39 and was left partially paralyzed.
Roosevelt later transformed his estate in Warm Springs, Georgia, into a recovery retreat for polio victims and was instrumental in raising funds for polio-related research and the treatment of polio patients.
Salk, born in New York City in 1914, first conducted research on viruses in the 1930s when he was a medical student at New York University, and during World War II helped develop flu vaccines.
In 1947, he became head of a research laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh and in 1948 was awarded a grant to study the polio virus and develop a possible vaccine. By 1950, he had an early version of his polio vaccine.
Salk’s procedure, first attempted unsuccessfully by American Maurice Brodie in the 1930s, was to kill several strains of the virus and then inject the benign viruses into a healthy person’s bloodstream. The person’s immune system would then create antibodies designed to resist future exposure to poliomyelitis.
Salk conducted the first human trials on former polio patients and on himself and his family, and by 1953 was ready to announce his findings. This occurred on the CBS national radio network on the evening of March 25 and two days later in an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr. Salk became an immediate celebrity.
In 1954, clinical trials using the Salk vaccine and a placebo began on nearly two million American schoolchildren. In April 1955, it was announced that the vaccine was effective and safe, and a nationwide inoculation campaign began.
Shortly thereafter, tragedy struck in the Western and mid-Western United States, when more than 200,000 people were injected with a defective vaccine manufactured at Cutter Laboratories of Berkeley, California. Thousands of polio cases were reported, 200 children were left paralyzed and 10 died.
The incident delayed production of the vaccine, but new polio cases dropped to under 6,000 in 1957, the first year after the vaccine was widely available.
In 1962, an oral vaccine developed by Polish-American researcher Albert Sabin became available, greatly facilitating distribution of the polio vaccine.
Today, there are just a handful of polio cases in the United States every year, and most of these are “imported” by Americans from developing nations where polio is still a problem.
Among other honors, Jonas Salk was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977. He died in La Jolla, California, in 1995.
1953
Dr. Jonas Salk Announces Polio Vaccine
On March 26, 1953, American medical researcher Dr. Jonas Salk announced on a national radio show that he had successfully tested a vaccine against poliomyelitis, the virus that causes the crippling disease of polio.
In 1952—an epidemic year for polio—there were 58,000 new cases reported in the United States, and more than 3,000 died from the disease. For promising eventually to eradicate the disease, which is known as “infant paralysis” because it mainly affects children, Dr. Salk was celebrated as the great doctor-benefactor of his time.
Polio, a disease that has affected humanity throughout recorded history, attacks the nervous system and can cause varying degrees of paralysis. Since the virus is easily transmitted, epidemics were commonplace in the first decades of the 20th century.
The first major polio epidemic in the United States occurred in Vermont in the summer of 1894, and by the 20th century thousands were affected every year.
In the first decades of the 20th century, treatments were limited to quarantines and the infamous “iron lung,” a metal coffin-like contraption that aided respiration. Although children, and especially infants, were among the worst affected, adults were also often afflicted, including future president Franklin D. Roosevelt, who in 1921 was stricken with polio at the age of 39 and was left partially paralyzed.
Roosevelt later transformed his estate in Warm Springs, Georgia, into a recovery retreat for polio victims and was instrumental in raising funds for polio-related research and the treatment of polio patients.
Salk, born in New York City in 1914, first conducted research on viruses in the 1930s when he was a medical student at New York University, and during World War II helped develop flu vaccines.
In 1947, he became head of a research laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh and in 1948 was awarded a grant to study the polio virus and develop a possible vaccine. By 1950, he had an early version of his polio vaccine.
Salk’s procedure, first attempted unsuccessfully by American Maurice Brodie in the 1930s, was to kill several strains of the virus and then inject the benign viruses into a healthy person’s bloodstream. The person’s immune system would then create antibodies designed to resist future exposure to poliomyelitis.
Salk conducted the first human trials on former polio patients and on himself and his family, and by 1953 was ready to announce his findings. This occurred on the CBS national radio network on the evening of March 25 and two days later in an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr. Salk became an immediate celebrity.
In 1954, clinical trials using the Salk vaccine and a placebo began on nearly two million American schoolchildren. In April 1955, it was announced that the vaccine was effective and safe, and a nationwide inoculation campaign began.
Shortly thereafter, tragedy struck in the Western and mid-Western United States, when more than 200,000 people were injected with a defective vaccine manufactured at Cutter Laboratories of Berkeley, California. Thousands of polio cases were reported, 200 children were left paralyzed and 10 died.
The incident delayed production of the vaccine, but new polio cases dropped to under 6,000 in 1957, the first year after the vaccine was widely available.
In 1962, an oral vaccine developed by Polish-American researcher Albert Sabin became available, greatly facilitating distribution of the polio vaccine.
Today, there are just a handful of polio cases in the United States every year, and most of these are “imported” by Americans from developing nations where polio is still a problem.
Among other honors, Jonas Salk was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977. He died in La Jolla, California, in 1995.
Time to Face the Truth
It’s Time to Face the Truth by Rick Warren
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8
Sin always involves self-deception. At the moment you’re sinning, you’re deceiving yourself because you think that what you’re doing will actually produce better results than what God has already told you to do.
To stop defeating yourself, you must stop deceiving yourself. You need to take an honest look at your life, face the truth, and deal with the issues. What in your life are you pretending isn’t a problem or you’re not addicted to? What are you saying “It’s no big deal” about?
It really doesn’t matter whether you’re shooting heroin or running up your MasterCard, whether you’re reading pornography or a trashy novel—you’re using it all to try to escape your pain and sin. But you’re not going to get healing until you first acknowledge the root of your problem.
You don’t have to hit rock bottom before you really change. You don’t have to go the way of destruction. You can admit the root of the issue and then deal with it.
When asked, “What’s the biggest problem you encounter?” church counselors will say over and over, “People wait too long before they ask for help. Then it’s almost impossible to turn around.” Most people are in denial about the problem, wait until it’s too late, and then go through unnecessary pain.
The Bible says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).
What are the hard questions you need to be asking about the sin in your life? What are the warning signs you’ve been ignoring?
If you want healing, you need to acknowledge the root of your problem and face the truth about yourself. This is never the easy choice, but it’s always the right one.
God is for you and working in you. With his power, you can overcome anything.
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8
Sin always involves self-deception. At the moment you’re sinning, you’re deceiving yourself because you think that what you’re doing will actually produce better results than what God has already told you to do.
To stop defeating yourself, you must stop deceiving yourself. You need to take an honest look at your life, face the truth, and deal with the issues. What in your life are you pretending isn’t a problem or you’re not addicted to? What are you saying “It’s no big deal” about?
It really doesn’t matter whether you’re shooting heroin or running up your MasterCard, whether you’re reading pornography or a trashy novel—you’re using it all to try to escape your pain and sin. But you’re not going to get healing until you first acknowledge the root of your problem.
You don’t have to hit rock bottom before you really change. You don’t have to go the way of destruction. You can admit the root of the issue and then deal with it.
When asked, “What’s the biggest problem you encounter?” church counselors will say over and over, “People wait too long before they ask for help. Then it’s almost impossible to turn around.” Most people are in denial about the problem, wait until it’s too late, and then go through unnecessary pain.
The Bible says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).
What are the hard questions you need to be asking about the sin in your life? What are the warning signs you’ve been ignoring?
If you want healing, you need to acknowledge the root of your problem and face the truth about yourself. This is never the easy choice, but it’s always the right one.
God is for you and working in you. With his power, you can overcome anything.
A Faith Like That
A Faith Like That
By Rebecca Jordan Heys
Scripture Reading: Mark 10:46-52
As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus . . . was sitting by the roadside begging.
Mark 10:46
Bartimaeus met Jesus. In the book of Mark, there are many stories about Jesus healing people, and Bartimaeus’s story is remarkable in several ways.
Mark takes the trouble to tell us his name, Bartimaeus, while many other people who met Jesus are just called “a man in the crowd” or “a woman subject to bleeding.” We are also told that Bartimaeus followed Jesus after being healed, and this event happens only a short time before Jesus goes to Jerusalem to die on the cross.
Jesus told Bartimaeus that his faith had healed him. Bartimaeus believed not in himself but in Jesus’ power to heal. When he saw Jesus, he called him “Jesus, Son of David,” a royal title. And when Bartimaeus went to Jesus, he threw his cloak aside. Bartimaeus was willing to toss aside perhaps the only thing he owned in order to seek Jesus. And when Jesus asked what he wanted, he simply said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
No matter who we are, we can approach Jesus with the same kind of simple faith. We can trust that Jesus will heal us and save us by his power alone, and we can follow him.
Jesus, help us trust in your power to heal. Give us faith like Bartimaeus. Help us to believe, and guide us to give up everything every day to follow you. Amen.
Thoughts on Today's Verse
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." Galatians 3:26-27
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
What are you wearing today? I hope you are clothed with Christ. Anything else is simply out of style by heaven's standards, no matter what designer fashions you may be wearing. You can be clothed with Christ by surrendering your life to Jesus as your Savior through faith; believe that he is God's Son who died for you, trust that he rose from the dead to give you life, confess Christ as your Lord and Savior trusting him for your salvation, and share with him in his death, burial, and resurrection through baptism.
He promises to send his Spirit to live within you and to forgive you all of your sins. You will be God's child and have a home waiting for you in heaven.
For those of us who are Christians, these thoughts are a reminder of what God has done for us and what he expects of us. If you are not a Christian, the world doesn't have to be a cold and lonely place; the Lord Jesus can be with you everywhere you go if you will respond to him.
My Prayer...
Father, thank you that you provided a way for making me your child and for clothing me in your righteousness. Thank you for making it possible for me to call you Father and to have Jesus as my older brother. Thank you, dear Father, for Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
What are you wearing today? I hope you are clothed with Christ. Anything else is simply out of style by heaven's standards, no matter what designer fashions you may be wearing. You can be clothed with Christ by surrendering your life to Jesus as your Savior through faith; believe that he is God's Son who died for you, trust that he rose from the dead to give you life, confess Christ as your Lord and Savior trusting him for your salvation, and share with him in his death, burial, and resurrection through baptism.
He promises to send his Spirit to live within you and to forgive you all of your sins. You will be God's child and have a home waiting for you in heaven.
For those of us who are Christians, these thoughts are a reminder of what God has done for us and what he expects of us. If you are not a Christian, the world doesn't have to be a cold and lonely place; the Lord Jesus can be with you everywhere you go if you will respond to him.
My Prayer...
Father, thank you that you provided a way for making me your child and for clothing me in your righteousness. Thank you for making it possible for me to call you Father and to have Jesus as my older brother. Thank you, dear Father, for Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
COVID 19 Propaganda Machine
COVID 19 Propaganda Machine by Bill Wilson
It won't be long, maybe a few days, that you will not be getting the raw, candid, unedited live version of President Trump's COVID-19 news briefings. These are too much for the very biased news media to handle, especially when they cannot put their own spin on the President's words. The free press is making decisions to bind up the raw material and do their own "fact checking" on everything the President says about COVID-19 recovery.
When this decision is made, you will be hearing a lot more from Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden showing his brand of leadership by cowering in his home in a makeshift studio taking pot shots at everything the President says.
Now that's real news coverage, right?
At a time in our nation when good news is difficult to find, the news media wants to do its part in bringing the darkest, gloomiest account of how America is no more. The great American ideal of being able to meet any and all challenges with a spirit of hope, creative ingenuity, and undeniable courage is cast aside by a news media that wants to show all the bad things that happen because their darling socialist is not in leadership.
Instead of finding the stories of victory over this virus, they brood over how any glimmer of hope is just a fleeting misfire. Instead of telling the many stories of how people of all races, ethnicities, and social strata are working together and caring for one another, they show the dark side of humanity.
Oh, I guess that's news.
Somehow the news media has determined that Trump is using the COVID-19 news briefings as campaign rallies. So they are wanting to quit covering them live and edit down the content so they can fix the Trump narrative of how America can defeat this virus.
They are so bent on the idea that Trump's actions are resulting in more deaths than necessary, that they can't even begin to fathom that there might just be some truth in hope.
I've watched many of these briefings, and the questions asked by these young socialists are disrespectful, sarcastic and misleading. Yet, Trump and his team have exercised great patience in answering all of them, no matter how ridiculous they are.
The news media has the chance to grill the President every day, essentially have an interview with him on a daily basis. Good journalists would thirst for such a chance. These politically intolerant, ideological bigots are so eager to hear their own opinions that they want to shut down a very rare chance to provide insight on the President's thinking during a time of historic crisis.
The media's ignorant group think, its collective bias, laziness, and arrogance are a disservice to the First Amendment. They are a propaganda machine for ignorance, while selling themselves as enlightenment. You will not find much truth in the media.
As 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."
Discernment is key to your mental health and survival. Be careful what and how much news you watch. Be even more careful what you believe.
It won't be long, maybe a few days, that you will not be getting the raw, candid, unedited live version of President Trump's COVID-19 news briefings. These are too much for the very biased news media to handle, especially when they cannot put their own spin on the President's words. The free press is making decisions to bind up the raw material and do their own "fact checking" on everything the President says about COVID-19 recovery.
When this decision is made, you will be hearing a lot more from Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden showing his brand of leadership by cowering in his home in a makeshift studio taking pot shots at everything the President says.
Now that's real news coverage, right?
At a time in our nation when good news is difficult to find, the news media wants to do its part in bringing the darkest, gloomiest account of how America is no more. The great American ideal of being able to meet any and all challenges with a spirit of hope, creative ingenuity, and undeniable courage is cast aside by a news media that wants to show all the bad things that happen because their darling socialist is not in leadership.
Instead of finding the stories of victory over this virus, they brood over how any glimmer of hope is just a fleeting misfire. Instead of telling the many stories of how people of all races, ethnicities, and social strata are working together and caring for one another, they show the dark side of humanity.
Oh, I guess that's news.
Somehow the news media has determined that Trump is using the COVID-19 news briefings as campaign rallies. So they are wanting to quit covering them live and edit down the content so they can fix the Trump narrative of how America can defeat this virus.
They are so bent on the idea that Trump's actions are resulting in more deaths than necessary, that they can't even begin to fathom that there might just be some truth in hope.
I've watched many of these briefings, and the questions asked by these young socialists are disrespectful, sarcastic and misleading. Yet, Trump and his team have exercised great patience in answering all of them, no matter how ridiculous they are.
The news media has the chance to grill the President every day, essentially have an interview with him on a daily basis. Good journalists would thirst for such a chance. These politically intolerant, ideological bigots are so eager to hear their own opinions that they want to shut down a very rare chance to provide insight on the President's thinking during a time of historic crisis.
The media's ignorant group think, its collective bias, laziness, and arrogance are a disservice to the First Amendment. They are a propaganda machine for ignorance, while selling themselves as enlightenment. You will not find much truth in the media.
As 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."
Discernment is key to your mental health and survival. Be careful what and how much news you watch. Be even more careful what you believe.
Your Gallows Humor for Today
Your Gallows Humor for Today
I'm giving up drinking for a month.
Sorry, bad punctuation.
I'm giving up. Drinking for a month.'
I'm giving up drinking for a month.
Sorry, bad punctuation.
I'm giving up. Drinking for a month.'
Trapped
Trapped
We're shut in. We feel trapped by our unfortunate circumstances, but there is more to freedom than the ability to go to and fro uninhibited. We have an example of One who was bound for our transgressions but who was eternally free. May we take hope from His example
Christ In The Hands Of The Police by Dr. D. James Kennedy
“Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-inlaw of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.” John 18:12–13
Have you ever pondered all the indignities and injustices that Christ suffered on our behalf? When you do, you’ll appreciate even more the sacrifice Jesus made for you and me.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, after Christ had prayed, a mob came to arrest Him. About sixty-five men, brandishing torches, swords, and spears, came to take one man away.
Judas signaled to the mob which man was Jesus by kissing Jesus’ cheek. After rebuking Judas by saying, “Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?” Jesus identified Himself to the men and allowed them to bind His hands and lead Him away. Though mightier than Samson, He didn’t use His power to break free.
First the mob led Him to Annas, the high priest, and then to Caiaphas, Annas’ son-in-law. Both the Jews and the Romans tried Jesus, and both trials were farces.
Scholars point out that, when trying Jesus, the Jews violated Jewish law thirty-five times, and the Romans violated Roman law thirteen times, making a total of forty-eight violations.
Jewish law required that the people go to great lengths to find defense witnesses, but in Jesus’ case the judge found false witnesses and paid them to testify against Jesus. And the high priest declared Jesus guilty, and everyone began to spit on Him, tear His beard, and hit Him.
Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us that the name of the high priest, Caiaphas, means rock. And Peter, Jesus’ disciple, was called Cephas, which also means rock. So we have Jesus at the trial caught between two rocks—one in the courtroom accusing Him and one in the courtyard denying Him.
Caiaphas’ heart remained a rock, but Peter’s heart broke, and Christ forgave Him.
What a Savior we have! Our Creator submitted Himself to such humiliation at the hands of His own creation so we may receive His forgiveness. Thank Jesus today for all He has done for you, especially for that day when He bore such degradation in our place.
“Christ was bound with the bands of your bondage so you can be made free.”
We're shut in. We feel trapped by our unfortunate circumstances, but there is more to freedom than the ability to go to and fro uninhibited. We have an example of One who was bound for our transgressions but who was eternally free. May we take hope from His example
Christ In The Hands Of The Police by Dr. D. James Kennedy
“Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-inlaw of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.” John 18:12–13
Have you ever pondered all the indignities and injustices that Christ suffered on our behalf? When you do, you’ll appreciate even more the sacrifice Jesus made for you and me.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, after Christ had prayed, a mob came to arrest Him. About sixty-five men, brandishing torches, swords, and spears, came to take one man away.
Judas signaled to the mob which man was Jesus by kissing Jesus’ cheek. After rebuking Judas by saying, “Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?” Jesus identified Himself to the men and allowed them to bind His hands and lead Him away. Though mightier than Samson, He didn’t use His power to break free.
First the mob led Him to Annas, the high priest, and then to Caiaphas, Annas’ son-in-law. Both the Jews and the Romans tried Jesus, and both trials were farces.
Scholars point out that, when trying Jesus, the Jews violated Jewish law thirty-five times, and the Romans violated Roman law thirteen times, making a total of forty-eight violations.
Jewish law required that the people go to great lengths to find defense witnesses, but in Jesus’ case the judge found false witnesses and paid them to testify against Jesus. And the high priest declared Jesus guilty, and everyone began to spit on Him, tear His beard, and hit Him.
Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us that the name of the high priest, Caiaphas, means rock. And Peter, Jesus’ disciple, was called Cephas, which also means rock. So we have Jesus at the trial caught between two rocks—one in the courtroom accusing Him and one in the courtyard denying Him.
Caiaphas’ heart remained a rock, but Peter’s heart broke, and Christ forgave Him.
What a Savior we have! Our Creator submitted Himself to such humiliation at the hands of His own creation so we may receive His forgiveness. Thank Jesus today for all He has done for you, especially for that day when He bore such degradation in our place.
“Christ was bound with the bands of your bondage so you can be made free.”
We Will Be OK
We Will Be OK by Dennis James Newton
The evidence is that the truckers are getting supplies to the stores. Store employees are stocking the shelves all night and letting old people shop first early in the morning to avoid contact with crowds.
Carnival Cruise line told President Trump, “We can match those big Navy Hospital ships with some fully staffed cruise ships.”
GM said they can make needed ventilators where they were making cars starting next week.
Women and children are making homemade masks and handing out snacks to truckers.
Restaurants and schools have stepped up to fill the need to feed hungry children who are missing school lunches, They’ve got kitchens and staff and can supply meals to needy kids.”
Churches are holding on-line services and using innovative methods of taking care of their members and their surrounding communities.
NBA basketball players said, “Hold our basketballs while we write checks to pay the arena staff.”
Construction companies said, “Here are some masks for the medical staff and doctors.”
Breweries are making sanitizer out of the ingredients they use to produce beer.
We thought we couldn’t live without Baseball, NASCAR, NBA and new movies.
We thought it wouldn't be spring without college kids flocking to the beach.
Restaurants are doing curbside service only and families are sitting around their tables for the first time in a long time, enjoying take-out.
A Japanese Admiral in the middle of the Pacific said it best after bombing Pearl Harbor in 1941, "I think we have awakened a sleeping giant."
Give us a few more weeks and we will have nailed this thing! And the first step to achieving our victory over our current circumstances is to stop listening to the hysterical media!!
We will be OK !!!!!!!
Why?
Because we have wonderful country and an amazing God.
The evidence is that the truckers are getting supplies to the stores. Store employees are stocking the shelves all night and letting old people shop first early in the morning to avoid contact with crowds.
Carnival Cruise line told President Trump, “We can match those big Navy Hospital ships with some fully staffed cruise ships.”
GM said they can make needed ventilators where they were making cars starting next week.
Women and children are making homemade masks and handing out snacks to truckers.
Restaurants and schools have stepped up to fill the need to feed hungry children who are missing school lunches, They’ve got kitchens and staff and can supply meals to needy kids.”
Churches are holding on-line services and using innovative methods of taking care of their members and their surrounding communities.
NBA basketball players said, “Hold our basketballs while we write checks to pay the arena staff.”
Construction companies said, “Here are some masks for the medical staff and doctors.”
Breweries are making sanitizer out of the ingredients they use to produce beer.
We thought we couldn’t live without Baseball, NASCAR, NBA and new movies.
We thought it wouldn't be spring without college kids flocking to the beach.
Restaurants are doing curbside service only and families are sitting around their tables for the first time in a long time, enjoying take-out.
A Japanese Admiral in the middle of the Pacific said it best after bombing Pearl Harbor in 1941, "I think we have awakened a sleeping giant."
Give us a few more weeks and we will have nailed this thing! And the first step to achieving our victory over our current circumstances is to stop listening to the hysterical media!!
We will be OK !!!!!!!
Why?
Because we have wonderful country and an amazing God.
Today in History
Today in History
1975
King Faisal Assassinated
On this day in 1975, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, King Faisal was assassinated by his nephew, Prince Faisal.
King Faisal, son of the founder of Saudi Arabia and its first monarch, King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, fought in the nation's military campaigns in the 1920s and ’30s that helped forge modern Saudi Arabia. He later served as Saudi ambassador to the United Nations and in 1953 was made premier upon the ascension of his older brother, Saud.
In 1964, King Saud abdicated, and Faisal became the absolute ruler of Saudi Arabia. As king, he sought to modernize his nation, and lent financial and moral support to anti-Israeli efforts in the Middle East.
In 1975, Faisal was assassinated for reasons that remain obscure because of the secrecy with which the Kingdom conducts its affairs, however it has been speculated that the young prince who murdered his uncle did so to settle a grudge.
It is reported that his own father was not given the rank his son felt was his due so he followed the long-standing method in Saudi Arabia of settling the matter,
Upon the death of King Faisal, his brother, Crown Prince Khalid, ascended to the throne.
1975
King Faisal Assassinated
On this day in 1975, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, King Faisal was assassinated by his nephew, Prince Faisal.
King Faisal, son of the founder of Saudi Arabia and its first monarch, King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, fought in the nation's military campaigns in the 1920s and ’30s that helped forge modern Saudi Arabia. He later served as Saudi ambassador to the United Nations and in 1953 was made premier upon the ascension of his older brother, Saud.
In 1964, King Saud abdicated, and Faisal became the absolute ruler of Saudi Arabia. As king, he sought to modernize his nation, and lent financial and moral support to anti-Israeli efforts in the Middle East.
In 1975, Faisal was assassinated for reasons that remain obscure because of the secrecy with which the Kingdom conducts its affairs, however it has been speculated that the young prince who murdered his uncle did so to settle a grudge.
It is reported that his own father was not given the rank his son felt was his due so he followed the long-standing method in Saudi Arabia of settling the matter,
Upon the death of King Faisal, his brother, Crown Prince Khalid, ascended to the throne.
Thoughts on Today's Verse
"Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." Daniel 3:25
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
I love the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from Daniel 3. Their faith is solid whether God chooses to save them from the fire, or not.
God not only saved them, but those who intended to execute them became the key witnesses of their faith and God's miraculous deliverance.
Shadrach, Mehach, and Abednego are not only sons of the One True God, but they are also examples to all of us who are tempted to compromise our faith to get along in a society that has lost all respect for the Almighty God.
My Prayer...
Dear Father in heaven, please give me the same kind of faith that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego demonstrated!
When adversity, persecution, ridicule, and ostracism come, I want my faith to stand up to the test.
Thank you, dear Father, for giving me the Bible, which is my book of heroes who stood their ground and kept their faith, especially under fire. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware
I love the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from Daniel 3. Their faith is solid whether God chooses to save them from the fire, or not.
God not only saved them, but those who intended to execute them became the key witnesses of their faith and God's miraculous deliverance.
Shadrach, Mehach, and Abednego are not only sons of the One True God, but they are also examples to all of us who are tempted to compromise our faith to get along in a society that has lost all respect for the Almighty God.
My Prayer...
Dear Father in heaven, please give me the same kind of faith that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego demonstrated!
When adversity, persecution, ridicule, and ostracism come, I want my faith to stand up to the test.
Thank you, dear Father, for giving me the Bible, which is my book of heroes who stood their ground and kept their faith, especially under fire. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Scratch Your Head
Scratch Your Head
We are living in a Bizarre World:
• If a dude pretends to be a woman, you are required to pretend with him.
• Russian influence in our elections is bad, but illegal Mexicans voting in our elections are good.
• It was cool for Joe Biden to "blackmail" the President of Ukraine, but it’s an impeachable offense for Donald Trump to inquire about it.
• Illegals aren't required to show ID, but citizens can't buy cough medicine without it.
• Citizens are fined if they don’t buy their own health insurance, and they are forced to buy it for illegals.
• People who have never owned slaves should pay slavery reparations to people who have never been slaves.
• Inflammatory rhetoric is outrageous, but harassing people in restaurants is virtuous.
• People who have never been to college should be required to pay the debts of college students who took out huge loans for useless degrees.
• Immigrants with tuberculosis and polio are welcome, but you’d better be able to prove your dog is vaccinated.
• Irish doctors and German engineers who want to immigrate must go through a rigorous vetting process, but any illiterate Central-American gang-banger who jumps the southern fence is welcome.
• $5 billion for border security is too expensive, but $1.5 trillion for “free” health care for illegals is not.
• If you cheat to get into college you go to prison, but if you cheat to get into the country you go to college for free.
• Politicians who say that the President is not above the law put illegal immigrants and themselves above the law.
• People who say there is no such thing as gender are demanding a female President.
• Illegals don’t pay taxes, but they get tax refunds.
• We see other countries going Socialist and collapsing, and it seems like a great plan to us.
• Fourth-of-July parades are bad, but parades of women dressed as vaginas are good.
• Some people are held responsible for things that happened before they were born, and other people are not held responsible for what they are doing right now.
• Criminals are caught-and-released to hurt more people, but stopping them is bad because it's a violation of THEIR rights.
* And pointing out all this hypocrisy somehow makes us "racists."
We are living in a Bizarre World:
• If a dude pretends to be a woman, you are required to pretend with him.
• Russian influence in our elections is bad, but illegal Mexicans voting in our elections are good.
• It was cool for Joe Biden to "blackmail" the President of Ukraine, but it’s an impeachable offense for Donald Trump to inquire about it.
• Illegals aren't required to show ID, but citizens can't buy cough medicine without it.
• Citizens are fined if they don’t buy their own health insurance, and they are forced to buy it for illegals.
• People who have never owned slaves should pay slavery reparations to people who have never been slaves.
• Inflammatory rhetoric is outrageous, but harassing people in restaurants is virtuous.
• People who have never been to college should be required to pay the debts of college students who took out huge loans for useless degrees.
• Immigrants with tuberculosis and polio are welcome, but you’d better be able to prove your dog is vaccinated.
• Irish doctors and German engineers who want to immigrate must go through a rigorous vetting process, but any illiterate Central-American gang-banger who jumps the southern fence is welcome.
• $5 billion for border security is too expensive, but $1.5 trillion for “free” health care for illegals is not.
• If you cheat to get into college you go to prison, but if you cheat to get into the country you go to college for free.
• Politicians who say that the President is not above the law put illegal immigrants and themselves above the law.
• People who say there is no such thing as gender are demanding a female President.
• Illegals don’t pay taxes, but they get tax refunds.
• We see other countries going Socialist and collapsing, and it seems like a great plan to us.
• Fourth-of-July parades are bad, but parades of women dressed as vaginas are good.
• Some people are held responsible for things that happened before they were born, and other people are not held responsible for what they are doing right now.
• Criminals are caught-and-released to hurt more people, but stopping them is bad because it's a violation of THEIR rights.
* And pointing out all this hypocrisy somehow makes us "racists."
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Other Dangers from China
The coronavirus isn't the only dangerous thing that's come from China !!!!!
Shop discretely.
Smithfield Farms, the largest pork producing farm in the USA was sold recently to China with the unanimous support of its stockholders!! The hogs will still be raised here, but slaughtered and packaged for sale there before being sent back here. This includes labels of Morrell, Eckrich, Krakus, Cudahy, Premium Hams, Cook's, Gwaltney, The same with many chickens. They can now be shipped there, but when they come back all that needs to be labeled is that they WERE RAISED IN THE USA. Not that they were processed in China!!! Our great FDA at work again. The chickens will be all processed and most sold to fast food restaurants for sandwiches, along with schools and supermarkets. The China slaughter and processing are not nearly equal to the requirements here.
*BAD FOOD:::
We recently learned that Starkist Tuna is now owned by Korea , and is in big conflict with the U. S. concerning quality, safety, and records, which Korea refuses to produce.
Read several articles on Google about this, and even one that was defending the eating of tilapia said to avoid the fish that came from China Also,I had just returned home from buying Albertson's 4-day special of 4 bags of frozen tilapia for the price of one.? Sure enough, on the top of the bags, it read "farm raised", and on the bottom in small print it said, " China "read all the way down...
Recently a Food inspector on TV... said he had lived overseas and he had seen the filthy conditions their foods are raised and processed in. It is enough to make you throw up. Some foreign workers have to wear masks as they work in these places, because the food is so rotten and filthy, it makes them want to throw up. Many of their fish on Fish Farms are fed raw sewage daily. He said he has seen so much filth throughout their food growing and processing that he would "never" eat any of it. They raise this filth, put some food coloring and some flavorings on it, then they ship it to the USA & Canada for YOU to consume and feed to YOUR families. They have no Food & Safety Inspectors. They ship it to you to buy and poison your families and friends .
Imported food we eat and the junk we buy: Green Giant frozen vegetables are from China, and so are most of Europe 's Best.
Arctic Gardens are Okay. So is Birdseye.
Never buy the grocery store garlic unless it is clearly marked from USA or Canada, the other stuff is grown in people poop (even worse than chicken droppings). China is the largest producer of garlic in the world; U. S. is next.
Buy only local honey *, much honey is shipped in huge containers from China and re-packed here.
Cold-FX is grown and packed in China and is full of fecal bacteria. Doesn't work anyway, big scam.
If the country of origin is not clearly marked beware. If produce, ask an employee.
Watch out for packages which state "prepared for", "packed by" or "imported by". We don't understand the lack of mandatory labeling, especially the produce.
The country of origin should be clearly shown on the item in the store.
Go to the local farmers' markets in season and keep a wary eye open the rest of the year.
Please read this very carefully, and read to the very bottom. It's important for all of us.
How is it possible to ship food from China cheaper than having it produced in the U. S. or Canada?
FOR EXAMPLE THE "OUR FAMILY" BRAND OF MANDARIN ORANGES SAYS RIGHT ON THE CAN 'FROM CHINA '. SO, FOR A FEW MORE CENTS, BUY THE LIBERTY BRAND.
GOLD BRAND OR THE DOLE IS FROM CALIFORNIA.
Beware, Costco sells canned peaches and pears in a plastic jar that come from China.
ALL "HIGH LINER" AND MOST OTHER FROZEN FISH PRODUCTS COME FROM CHINA OR INDONESIA . THE PACKAGE MAY SAY "PACIFIC SALMON" ON THE FRONT, BUT LOOK FOR THE SMALL PRINT. MOST OF THESE PRODUCTS COME FROM FISH FARMS IN THE ORIENT WHERE THERE ARE NO REGULATIONS ON WHAT IS FED TO THESE FISH.
Recently The Montreal Gazette had an article by the Canadian Government on how Chinese feed the fish: They suspend chicken wire crates over the fish ponds, and the fish feed on chicken droppings.
If you search the internet about what the Chinese feed their fish, you'll be alarmed; e. g, growth hormones, expired anti-biotic from humans.? Never buy any type of fish or shellfish that comes from these countries: Vietnam, China, Philippines.
Check this out personally. Steinfeld's Pickles are made in India - just as bad! Another example is in canned mushrooms. No-Name brand came from Indonesia .
Also, check those little fruit cups. They used to be made in Canada in the Niagara region until about 2 years ago. They are now packaged in China. Most sold in Aldi stores.
While the Chinese export inferior and even toxic products, dangerous toys, and goods to be sold in North American markets, the media wrings its hands! Yet, 70% of North Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended.
Well, duh! Why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges?
SIMPLY DO IT YOURSELF, CANADA AND THE U. S.
Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says 'Made in China ' or 'PRC' (and that now includes Hong Kong ), simply choose another product, or none at all. You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products, and you will be equally amazed at what you can do without.
THINK ABOUT THIS:
If 200 million North Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, that's a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favor...fast! The downside? Some Canadian/American businesses will feel a temporary pinch from having foreign stockpiles of inventory.
Just one month of trading losses will hit the Chinese for 8% of their North American exports. Then they will at least have to ask themselves if the benefits of their arrogance and lawlessness are worth it.
START NOW and don't stop and tell your friends.
Send this to everybody you know. Let's show them that we are intelligent, and NOBODY can take us for granted. Start reading labels more closely and buy something else even if it cost a few cents more.*
Shop discretely.
Smithfield Farms, the largest pork producing farm in the USA was sold recently to China with the unanimous support of its stockholders!! The hogs will still be raised here, but slaughtered and packaged for sale there before being sent back here. This includes labels of Morrell, Eckrich, Krakus, Cudahy, Premium Hams, Cook's, Gwaltney, The same with many chickens. They can now be shipped there, but when they come back all that needs to be labeled is that they WERE RAISED IN THE USA. Not that they were processed in China!!! Our great FDA at work again. The chickens will be all processed and most sold to fast food restaurants for sandwiches, along with schools and supermarkets. The China slaughter and processing are not nearly equal to the requirements here.
*BAD FOOD:::
We recently learned that Starkist Tuna is now owned by Korea , and is in big conflict with the U. S. concerning quality, safety, and records, which Korea refuses to produce.
Read several articles on Google about this, and even one that was defending the eating of tilapia said to avoid the fish that came from China Also,I had just returned home from buying Albertson's 4-day special of 4 bags of frozen tilapia for the price of one.? Sure enough, on the top of the bags, it read "farm raised", and on the bottom in small print it said, " China "read all the way down...
Recently a Food inspector on TV... said he had lived overseas and he had seen the filthy conditions their foods are raised and processed in. It is enough to make you throw up. Some foreign workers have to wear masks as they work in these places, because the food is so rotten and filthy, it makes them want to throw up. Many of their fish on Fish Farms are fed raw sewage daily. He said he has seen so much filth throughout their food growing and processing that he would "never" eat any of it. They raise this filth, put some food coloring and some flavorings on it, then they ship it to the USA & Canada for YOU to consume and feed to YOUR families. They have no Food & Safety Inspectors. They ship it to you to buy and poison your families and friends .
Imported food we eat and the junk we buy: Green Giant frozen vegetables are from China, and so are most of Europe 's Best.
Arctic Gardens are Okay. So is Birdseye.
Never buy the grocery store garlic unless it is clearly marked from USA or Canada, the other stuff is grown in people poop (even worse than chicken droppings). China is the largest producer of garlic in the world; U. S. is next.
Buy only local honey *, much honey is shipped in huge containers from China and re-packed here.
Cold-FX is grown and packed in China and is full of fecal bacteria. Doesn't work anyway, big scam.
If the country of origin is not clearly marked beware. If produce, ask an employee.
Watch out for packages which state "prepared for", "packed by" or "imported by". We don't understand the lack of mandatory labeling, especially the produce.
The country of origin should be clearly shown on the item in the store.
Go to the local farmers' markets in season and keep a wary eye open the rest of the year.
Please read this very carefully, and read to the very bottom. It's important for all of us.
How is it possible to ship food from China cheaper than having it produced in the U. S. or Canada?
FOR EXAMPLE THE "OUR FAMILY" BRAND OF MANDARIN ORANGES SAYS RIGHT ON THE CAN 'FROM CHINA '. SO, FOR A FEW MORE CENTS, BUY THE LIBERTY BRAND.
GOLD BRAND OR THE DOLE IS FROM CALIFORNIA.
Beware, Costco sells canned peaches and pears in a plastic jar that come from China.
ALL "HIGH LINER" AND MOST OTHER FROZEN FISH PRODUCTS COME FROM CHINA OR INDONESIA . THE PACKAGE MAY SAY "PACIFIC SALMON" ON THE FRONT, BUT LOOK FOR THE SMALL PRINT. MOST OF THESE PRODUCTS COME FROM FISH FARMS IN THE ORIENT WHERE THERE ARE NO REGULATIONS ON WHAT IS FED TO THESE FISH.
Recently The Montreal Gazette had an article by the Canadian Government on how Chinese feed the fish: They suspend chicken wire crates over the fish ponds, and the fish feed on chicken droppings.
If you search the internet about what the Chinese feed their fish, you'll be alarmed; e. g, growth hormones, expired anti-biotic from humans.? Never buy any type of fish or shellfish that comes from these countries: Vietnam, China, Philippines.
Check this out personally. Steinfeld's Pickles are made in India - just as bad! Another example is in canned mushrooms. No-Name brand came from Indonesia .
Also, check those little fruit cups. They used to be made in Canada in the Niagara region until about 2 years ago. They are now packaged in China. Most sold in Aldi stores.
While the Chinese export inferior and even toxic products, dangerous toys, and goods to be sold in North American markets, the media wrings its hands! Yet, 70% of North Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended.
Well, duh! Why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges?
SIMPLY DO IT YOURSELF, CANADA AND THE U. S.
Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says 'Made in China ' or 'PRC' (and that now includes Hong Kong ), simply choose another product, or none at all. You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products, and you will be equally amazed at what you can do without.
THINK ABOUT THIS:
If 200 million North Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, that's a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favor...fast! The downside? Some Canadian/American businesses will feel a temporary pinch from having foreign stockpiles of inventory.
Just one month of trading losses will hit the Chinese for 8% of their North American exports. Then they will at least have to ask themselves if the benefits of their arrogance and lawlessness are worth it.
START NOW and don't stop and tell your friends.
Send this to everybody you know. Let's show them that we are intelligent, and NOBODY can take us for granted. Start reading labels more closely and buy something else even if it cost a few cents more.*
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