Mon, Dec 31st - 8:15AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
The following caption was found written on a gravestone... "As I am now, you soon shall be, So be content to follow me." Then someone taped the following note on that gravestone... "To follow you I'm not content, Until I know which way you went!"
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Mon, Dec 31st - 8:03AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."* -Ralph Waldo Emerson *"Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going." Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NRSV)
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Sun, Dec 30th - 8:45AM
A Jealous God
It is written that Yahweh, 'whose name is jealous, is a jealous God' (Ex. 34:14). Now jealousy is the resentment of rivals, and whether it is good or evil depends on whether the rival has any business to be there. To be jealous of someone who threatens to outshine us in beauty, brains or sport is sinful, because we cannot claim a monopoly of talent in those areas. If, on the other hand, a third party enters a marriage, the jealousy of the injured person, who is being displaced, is righteous, because the intruder has no right to be there. It is the same with God, who says, 'I am the LORD, that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols' (Is. 42:8). Our Creator and Redeemer has a right to our exclusive allegiance, and is 'jealous' if we transfer it to anyone or anything else. John Stott
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Sun, Dec 30th - 8:33AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! BROKEN SEAL
A little boy returned from the grocery store with his mom. While his mom put away the groceries, the little boy opened his box of animal crackers and spread them all over the kitchen table.
"What are you doing?" asked his mom.
"The box says you shouldn't eat them if the seal is broken," said the little boy. "I'm looking for the seal."
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Sun, Dec 30th - 8:26AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
| THOUGHT FOR TODAY: The cross bears those who bear the cross.”* Sundar Singh, one of India's most famous Christians *24Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24 (NRSV) |
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Sat, Dec 29th - 8:12AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! MIT PHD
There's the story about the MIT student who spent an entire summer going to Harvard football field every day wearing a black and white striped shirt. Each day he was seen walking up and down the field for ten or fifteen minutes throwing birdseed all over the field, blowing a whistle and then walking off the field. At the end of the summer, it came time for the first Harvard home football game. When the referee walked onto the field and blew his whistle, the game had to be delayed for half an hour to wait for the birds to get off the field. The guy wrote his thesis on this and graduated.
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Fri, Dec 28th - 7:47AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! WHO DONE IT?
Policeman: "Did you get the license number of the car that knocked you down?"
Pedestrian: "No, but I know who it was. My mother-in-law!"
Policeman: "How can you be so certain?"
Pedestrian: "I’d recognize that laugh anywhere!"
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Fri, Dec 28th - 7:37AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: "You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving."*
1If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; 10but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. 11When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. 12For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13
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Thu, Dec 27th - 9:13AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: “It is not God’s job to make us comfortable, but to make us better.”* Tony W. Cartledge
*"So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9 (NRSV)
"And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5 (NRSV)
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Thu, Dec 27th - 9:11AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! NOT CHEATING
A schoolteacher's son brought his report card home. The father said; let's see what you have accomplished. He opens the report and to his dismay sees all bad grades. What do you have to say about this Johnny? Well dad at least you know I'm not cheating.
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Wed, Dec 26th - 9:26AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! SURPRIZE!
The man walked over to the perfume counter and told the clerk he'd like a bottle of Chanel No. 5 for his wife's birthday. "A little surprise, eh?" smiled the clerk. "You bet," answered the customer."She's expecting a cruise."
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Wed, Dec 26th - 9:17AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.* -Lucius Annaeus Seneca, writer and philosopher (BCE 3-65 CE) *"So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9 (NRSV)
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Tue, Dec 25th - 8:12AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! THAT'S TOO MUCH
A pipe burst in a doctor's house. He called a plumber. The plumber arrived, unpacked his tools, did mysterious plumber-type things for a while, and handed the doctor a bill for $600.
The doctor exclaimed, "This is ridiculous! I don't even make that much as a doctor!."
The plumber quietly answered, "Neither did I when I was a doctor."
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Tue, Dec 25th - 8:04AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
“Watchman Nee calls us to choose the "exchanged life." Here is his explanation: "A day must come in our lives, as definite as the day of our conversion, when we give up all right to ourselves and submit to the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ. . . . There must be a day when, without reservation, we surrender everything to Him—ourselves, our families, our possessions, our business and our time. All we are and have becomes His, to be held henceforth entirely at His disposal. From that day we are no longer our own masters, but only stewards. Not until the Lordship of Jesus Christ is a settled thing in our hearts can the Holy Spirit really operate effectively in us. He cannot direct our lives effectively until all control of them is committed to Him. If we do not give Him absolute authority in our lives, He can be present, but He cannot be powerful. The power of the Spirit is stayed."* Quoted by Jim Denison, Resident Theologian at the Baptist General Convention of Texas in his devotional of 4/15/09 GodIssues. *18A certain ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 20You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother.’” 21He replied, “I have kept all these since my youth.” 22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money£ to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 23But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich. 24Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:18-25 (NRSV) 46“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you? Luke 6:46 (NRSV)
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Mon, Dec 24th - 11:17AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
Banta's son: Dad there is some one at the door to collect donations for a swimming pool.
Banta: Give him a glass of water.
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Mon, Dec 24th - 10:57AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.* Corrie Ten Boom *John 20:29 (NRSV) 29Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
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Sun, Dec 23rd - 9:01AM
FROM JOHN STOTT
The divine constancy Natural law is not an alternative to divine action, but a useful way of referring to it. So-called natural laws simply describe a uniformity which scientists have observed. And Christians attribute this uniformity to the constancy of God.
Further, to be able to explain a process scientifically is by no means to explain God away; it is rather (in the famous words of the astronomer Kepler) to 'think God's thoughts after him' and to begin to understand his ways of working us.
John Stott.
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Sun, Dec 23rd - 9:01AM
FROM JOHN STOTT
The divine constancy Natural law is not an alternative to divine action, but a useful way of referring to it. So-called natural laws simply describe a uniformity which scientists have observed. And Christians attribute this uniformity to the constancy of God.
Further, to be able to explain a process scientifically is by no means to explain God away; it is rather (in the famous words of the astronomer Kepler) to 'think God's thoughts after him' and to begin to understand his ways of working us.
John Stott.
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Sun, Dec 23rd - 8:38AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
The judge frowned at the tired robber and said, “then you admit breaking into the same store on three successive nights?” ”Yes, your honor.”
“And why was that?” “Because my wife wanted a dress.”
The judge check with his records, “But it says here you broke in three nights in a row!”
“Yes sir. She made me exchange it two times.”
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Sun, Dec 23rd - 8:34AM
| THOUGHT FOR TODAY: To the natural man, death appears to terminate his hopes, dreams, expectations, and visions, but to the man in Christ, death has been transformed to the fulfillment of all of these things.* *55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15:55
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Sat, Dec 22nd - 9:27AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIIKE A MEDICINE!
A man was driving along the highway, and saw a rabbit hopping across the middle of the road. He swerved to avoid hitting the rabbit, but unfortunately the rabbit jumped in front of the car and was hit. The driver, being a sensitive man as well as an animal lover, pulled over to the side of the road and got out to see what had become of the rabbit. Much to his dismay, the rabbit was dead.
The driver felt so awful, he began to cry. A woman driving down the highway saw the man crying on the side of the road and pulled over. She stepped out of her car and asked the man what was wrong. "I feel terrible," he explained. "I accidentally hit this rabbit and killed it."
The woman told the man not to worry. She knew what to do. She went to her car trunk, and pulled out a spray can. She walked over to the limp, dead rabbit, and sprayed the contents of the can on to the rabbit.
Miraculously, the rabbit came to life, jumped up, waved it's paw at the two humans and hopped down the road. 50 meters away the rabbit stopped, turned around, waved at the two again, hopped down the road another 50 meters, turned, waved and hopped another 50 meters.
The man was astonished. He couldn't figure out what substance could be in the woman's spray can!! He ran over to the woman and demanded, "What was in your spray can? What did you spray on that rabbit?"
The woman turned the can around so that the man could read the label.
It said:
"'Hair spray restores life to dead hair. Adds permanent wave."
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Sat, Dec 22nd - 9:17AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
A man has to live with himself, and he should see to it that he always has good company.* -Charles Evans Hughes, jurist (1862-1948) *"But the aim of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5 (NRSV) "Pray for us; we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things." Hebrews 13:18 (NRSV)
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Fri, Dec 21st - 7:53AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
This year, in lieu of gifts, I am going to give my opinion!
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Fri, Dec 21st - 7:47AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: "Someone's opinion of you does not have to become your reality."* -- Les Brown "Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is." 1 John 3:2 (NRSV) |
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Thu, Dec 20th - 8:56AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! SEWING MACHINE AD
The following is an ad from a newspaper which appeared four days in a row - the last three hopelessly trying to correct the first day's mistake. MONDAY:
For sale: R. D. Jones has one sewing machine for sale. Phone 948-0707 after 7 P.M.. and ask for Mrs. Kelly who lives with him cheap. TUESDAY:
Notice: We regret having erred In R. D. Jones' ad yesterday. It should have read "One sewing machine for sale cheap. Phone 948-0707 and ask for Mrs. Kelly, who lives with him after 7 P.M." WEDNESDAY:
Notice: R. D. Jones has informed us that he has received several annoying telephone calls because of the error we made in the classified ad yesterday. The ad stands correct as follows: "For sale -- R. D. Jones has one sewing machine for sale. Cheap. Phone 948-0707 after 7 P.M. and ask for Mrs. Kelly who loves with him."THURSDAY:
Notice: I, R. D. Jones, have no sewing machine for sale. I intentionally broke it. Don't call 948-0707 as I have had the phone disconnected. I have not been carrying on with Mrs. Kelly. Until yesterday she was my housekeeper, but she has now quit.
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Thu, Dec 20th - 8:41AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: "God's best and highest will is for us to love (value) Him with all our hearts, and to love (value) others as ourselves. Do you realize you have everything you need to fulfill God's will and experience His best in your life?"* *"He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38This is the greatest and first commandment. 39And a second is like it:You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’" Matthew 22:37-39 (NRSV) "And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 (NRSV)
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Wed, Dec 19th - 10:07AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
Judi strolled up to a guest at the party. She had heard him addressed as doctor and now she said coyly, "Doctor, may I ask a question?" "Certainly," he said. "Lately," said Judi, "I have been having a funny pain right here under the heart . . ." The guest interrupted uncomfortably and said, "I'm terribly sorry, Judi, but I'm a doctor of philosophy." "Oooh," she said, "I'm sorry!" She turned away, but then overcome with curiosity, she turned back. "Just one more question, doctor. Tell me, what kind of disease is 'philosophy'?"
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Wed, Dec 19th - 9:53AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: "If I had listened to the critics I'd have died drunk in the gutter"* -- Chekov "33Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies." Romans 8:33 (NRSV)
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Tue, Dec 18th - 8:26AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
A 17 year-old Antartican boy was hired to paint a white line down the middle of the highway. On the first day, he got off to a good start and he painted a white line 7 miles long. The next day, however, he painted a line only 4 miles long. On the third day, he was down to less than a mile. Finally, his friend Max asked him why he was doing less each day. The boy replied, "I guess it takes me longer and longer to get back to the bucket each day."
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Tue, Dec 18th - 8:19AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: "I try to avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward."* -- Charlotte Bronte *Colossians 3:1 - 2 (NRSV) 1So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth,
"Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead," "looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2 (NRSV)
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Mon, Dec 17th - 8:12AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! SUCCESSFUL MEN AND WOMEN
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
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Mon, Dec 17th - 8:00AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: "It is for us to pray not for tasks equal to our powers, but for powers equal to our tasks."* -- Helen Keller *"I can do anything God wants me to do through Christ Who is my strength." Philippians 4:13 (Paraphrase: Doyle Purifoy) |
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Sun, Dec 16th - 7:40AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! TURKEY SIZE!
A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but couldn't find one big enough for her family. She asked a stock boy, "Do these turkeys get any bigger?" The stock boy replied, "No ma'am, they're dead.
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Sun, Dec 16th - 7:32AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
There is no jail which cannot be made a sanctuary of worship, no jailer who cannot be reached by God's love. The will of God never leads where the grace of God cannot sustain. When you're called to Macedonia, go. When you find yourself in jail, pray. Your Father will grant you his peace, all day long. Is he waiting on your next prayer? Jim Denison, GodIssues 3/19/096Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 (NRSV)
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Sat, Dec 15th - 9:42PM
How Big Is Your God?
How Big Is Your God?
For some, their God is no bigger that Madame O'Hair. After all she kicked God out of public schools and places. If I want to escape God, I can go to a public school because according to the Religious Right, He's not there. Of course, the Bible assumes that there is nowhere that God is not and that He is greater than any power or dominion.
CNN commentator, Roland Martin said: “What has happened over the past 30 years is the religious right has perverted the Bible to fit its narrow view of what Christians should pay attention to. Abortion and homosexuality: nothing else matters. Well my Bible is bigger than that. My faith is bigger than that.”
If sanctity of life means so much to the Religious Right why are the opposed to universal heath care? One of the main planks that Romney ran for President on was “The first day in office, I will repeal Obamacare.” That's not what most Americans wanted so they elected Obama. The life-span of Americans would be shortened if Obamacare was repealed.
The god of the Religious Right seems to be obsessed with Homosexuality and Abortion. My God seems to be so obsessed with love for sinners that He will go to any extreme to bring them to repentance, even come to us in the form of baby Jesus Who lived life like He expects us to and died on a cruel Roman cross that we might be free to repent and believe the gospel.
The god of the Religious Right seems to be very hard of hearing because He cannot hear our prayers unless we have a government stage and a government mike. My God is concerned about the poor and needy and, yes, they don't deserve His concern. Do we dare think that we deserve God's attention? God is not concerned about helping someone who does not deserve it. He pours out His rain on the jus and the unjust. Jesus said in His 'Inauguration address' "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, Luke 4:18 (NRSV)
Matthew 25:31-46:
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' 40 And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44 Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' 45 Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Jesus was concerned about the unemployed and fair wages. He illustrated His concern in this passage: Matthew 20:1-16 (NRSV)
1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why are you standing here idle all day?' 7 They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard.' 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' 9 When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' 13 But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
God knows that it takes a day's wage for a men to live a day. There is no injustice in the story. It shows that most are not working because no one has hired them. The land owner asked the unemployed, “Why are you not working?” The answer was, “Because no man has hired us.” The landowner hired them. Many wealth people complain that unemployment is so high, yet they have money enough to hire them to do meaningful work on American research, infrastructure, and other things that need to be done. As Tony Campolo said, “There is nothing wrong with making a million dollars. It is just wrong to keep it.”
A minister stepped up to the pulpit and announced, “Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that we have enough money to pay for our new building. The bad news is that the money is still in our pockets.” God has created enough to sustain every creature He created. The problem is too many are hording these resources and letting God's other creatures go without.
What about Obamacare? Listen to the Scriptures: Mark 6:56 (NRSV)
56 And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.
That sounds like universal healthcare to me.
What about the Good Samaritan? Luke 10:29-37 (NRSV)
29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.'
36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 37 He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
That sounds like universal healthcare to me.
Jesus or Ayn Rand: Who Shall It Be?
We talk a lot about Godless Communism, Darwinism, etc. But what about the Godless, atheistic, anti-Christian philosophy of Ayn Rand that is driving the economic system being proposed to the United States of America. Objectivism is a philosophy defined by the Russian-American philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand (1905–1982). Objectivism holds that reality exists independent of consciousness, that human beings have direct contact with reality through sense perception, that one can attain objective knowledge from perception through the process of concept formation and inductive and deductive logic, that the proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own happiness or rational self-interest, that the only social system consistent with this morality is full respect for individual rights, embodied in laissez faire capitalism....” Wika encyclopedia Ayn Rand characterized Objectivism as "a philosophy for living on earth," grounded in reality, and aimed at defining man's nature and the nature of the world in which he lives.[1] My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute. —Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged[2] Ayn Rand's philosophy presents greed and selfishness as virtues. What does this have to do with us? It is critical to us, especially Christians. Paul Ryan studied Ayn Rand in his earned degree in economics and political science from Miami University in Ohio. Ayn Rand's philosophy drives Paul Ryan's economics. The following is a quote from Doyle’s GOODMNEWSLetter published this November titled: Jesus Is Lord of All. There are a large group of citizens of the United States who are following a political philosophy that is anti-Christian. It is the objectivism of Ayn Rand. I quote from my last Doyle’s GOODNEWSLetter: I do not claim to have worked out a Christian Economy. However, I am sure it is not godless Communism, and I am sure it is not driven by Ann Rand’s ‘Look after number one! I read a disturbing article in “God Politics” a blog posted by Jim Wallace. The article was written by Ernesto Tinajero. He wrote on July 12, 2011: In one of the most-viewed articles on FoxNews.com several weeks ago, writer Onkar Ghate presents a choice of competing moralities between Ayn Rand and Jesus. While his exegetical powers leave much to be desired, he is correct in noting that the choice many Americans will have to make, as far as political philosophies go, is between Ayn Rand and Jesus. I grew sad reading while his comments stating that Ayn Rand is the best representative of the neo-conservative vision for America — one where the individual is responsible only for the individual and selfishness is a virtue. A collections of Ayn Rand’s quotes are available on the WEB. One quote I found was: I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine. Where would you and I be if Jesus had said, “I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”? The philosophy of Ayn Rand is the opposite of the Bible. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:4-9(NRSV) 4Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5Let the same mind be in you that was£ in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, God did not create us to make us happy but to please Him in everything. Jesus Christ is Lord. His Name is above every Name.
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Sat, Dec 15th - 8:13AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: The enabling grace of God not only forgave me of my sin, but Jesus paid the debt and set me free. The new birth not only results in forgiveness of sins, but Jesus paid the debt and set me free.* 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NRSV) *17So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!
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Sat, Dec 15th - 8:04AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! BEAUTIFUL?
Little Johnny watched, fascinated, as his mother smoothed cold cream on her face. 'Why do you do that, mommy?' he asked. 'To make myself beautiful,' said his mother, who then began removing the cream with a tissue.
'What's the matter?' asked Little Johnny. 'Giving up?'
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Fri, Dec 14th - 10:02AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! WE DID IT IN 3 HRS
An Antartian woman came into a bar and asked the bartender for a drink. Then she started to yell, "Yeah!" "Yeah!" Then five more Antartians came in and started to do the same thing. Then three more Antartians came in and one of them had a Barney puzzle. The bartender asked one of them, "Why are you yelling 'yeah yeah!'?" Then one responded, "We did this puzzle in three hours and it says 2-3 years."
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Fri, Dec 14th - 9:52AM
Impersonation!
Have a Merry and Divine Christmas. Don't buy one of the "Holiday" Trees. They are impositors. A case of stolen identity!
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Fri, Dec 14th - 9:41AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"The fear is worse than the pain."* -- Shannon Bahr *"for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7 (NRSV) "do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand." Isaiah 41:10 (NRSV)
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Thu, Dec 13th - 8:39AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! CELEBRATING A RAISE
 My sister landed a good job with an accounting firm, and after a while she got a generous raise.The day she found out about it, her husband picked her up from work, and they stopped for ice cream. As they continued home, my sister blurted out, "Isn't it hard to believe that I have a job that pays this much money?" Just then, she went to toss the last of her ice cream cone out the window. However, the window was closed, and it smacked against the glass. Her husband replied calmly, "Yes."
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Thu, Dec 13th - 8:28AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: "Out of suffering comes creativity. You cannot spell painting without pain."* -- John Lithgow in Third Rock From the Sun (Shared by Ding G.) *"I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18 (NRSV) "My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy," James 1:2 (NRSV)
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Wed, Dec 12th - 9:05AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!
Teacher to a student: "Can you think of a solution to end unemployment?"
"Yes, sir! I'd put all the men on one island and the women on another."
"And what would they be doing then?"
"Building boats!"
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Wed, Dec 12th - 8:58AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"The only way to have a friend is to be one."* -Ralph Waldo Emerson *"A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24
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Tue, Dec 11th - 9:08AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
Q: How many politicians does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Two. One to assure the public that everything possible is being done while the other screws it into a water faucet.
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Tue, Dec 11th - 9:01AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: The central point of the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship with Him, not public usefulness to others.* Oswald Chambers - My Utmost For His Hightest - October 19th. *Matthew 7:21 - 27 (NRSV) 21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ 23Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.’ 24“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. 26And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”
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Mon, Dec 10th - 7:48PM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! COFFEE STIR
A diner was agitated that the waiter had brought him no spoon with his coffee. "This coffee," he said loud enough for most of the other patrons to hear, "is going to be pretty hot to stir with my fingers."
The waiter reddened, made a hasty retreat to the kitchen and returned shortly with another cup of coffee.
"This one isn't so hot, sir," he beamed.
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Mon, Dec 10th - 7:38PM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: There is no jail which cannot be made a sanctuary of worship, no jailer who cannot be reached by God's love. The will of God never leads where the grace of God cannot sustain. When you're called to Macedonia, go. When you find yourself in jail, pray. Your Father will grant you his peace, all day long. Is he waiting on your next prayer?* Jim Denison, GodIssues 3/19/09
*6Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 (NRSV)
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Sun, Dec 9th - 8:20AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! HOW OLD ARE YOU?
Mother asks little Johnny, as they wait for the bus, to tell the driver he is 4 years old when asked because he will ride for free. As they get into the bus the driver asks Johnny how old he was. "I am 4 years old". "And when will you be six years old?" asks the driver. “When I get off the bus" answers Johnny.
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Sun, Dec 9th - 8:06AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."* -- Jeremy Kitson *"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live," Deuteronomy 30:19 (NRSV)
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Sat, Dec 8th - 2:49PM
Conservatives and Facts
Conservatives are less likely to accept the reality of human-caused climate science when presented with supporting scientific evidence. But tell them that 99 out of 100 climate scientists agree on the subject, and conservatives will be more likely to accept that humans are altering the climate, according to a new pilot study. Copyright 2012 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company.
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Sat, Dec 8th - 12:16PM
In the Beginning
You can never take God by surprise. You can never anticipate him. He always makes the first move. He is always there 'in the beginning'. Before man existed, God acted. Before man stirs himself to seek God, God has sought man. In the Bible we do not see man groping after God; we see God reaching after man. JOHN STOTT
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Sat, Dec 8th - 8:49AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
Visiting the modern art museum, a lady turned to an attendant standing nearby.
“This,” she said, “I suppose, is one of those hideous representations you call modern art?” “No, madam,” replied the attendant. “That one’s called a mirror.”
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Sat, Dec 8th - 8:34AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"Reflect upon your blessings, of which every man has plenty, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."* -- Charles Dickens
*"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8 (NRSV)
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Fri, Dec 7th - 8:54AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! SUPPORTING A FAMILY
Jake had proposed to young Gina and was being interviewed by his prospective father-in-law. "Do you think you are earning enough to support a family?" the older man asked the suitor. "Yes, sir," replied Jake, "I'm sure I am." "Think carefully now," said Gina's father. "There are twelve of us..."
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Fri, Dec 7th - 8:43AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
"Reflect upon your blessings, of which every man has plenty, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."* -- Charles Dickens *"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8 (NRSV) |
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Thu, Dec 6th - 7:46AM
A Great Multitude
I have always derived much comfort from the statement of Revelation 7:9 that the company of the redeemed in heaven will be 'a great multitude which no man could number'. I do not profess to know how this can be, since Christians have always seemed to be a rather small minority. But Scripture states it for our comfort. Although no biblical Christian can be a universalist (believing that all mankind will ultimately be saved), since Scripture teaches the awful reality and eternity of hell, yet a biblical Christian can -- even must -- assert that the redeemed will somehow be an international throng so immense as to be countless. For God's promise is going to be fulfilled, and Abraham's seed is going to be as innumerable as the dust of the earth, the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. John Stott
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Thu, Dec 6th - 7:36AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Once “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,” we deliberately begin to identify ourselves with Jesus Christ’s interests and purposes in others’ lives (Romans 5:5).* (Oswald Chambers: My Utmost for His Highest Feb 24) *"and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." Romans 5:5 (NRSV)
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Wed, Dec 5th - 10:43PM
TIMES AND SEASONS
Acts 1:6-8 (NRSV)
6So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Deuteronomy 18:20-22 (NRSV)
20But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak—that prophet shall die.” 21You may say to yourself, “How can we recognize a word that the LORD has not spoken?” 22If a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD but the thing does not take place or prove true, it is a word that the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; do not be frightened by it.
This letter is prompted by a concern that renowned, distinguished, devout, Gospel ministers with impeccable character often state, “This is the generation that Jesus will return.” It puzzles me why anyone would seek to know what the Bible says “...is not for you to know....” Jesus said in Matthew 24:36-37 (NRSV)
36“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son but only the Father. 37For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Why would we study that which is not for us to know and only the Father knows? Jesus said that He did not know.
We often hear of the ‘signs’ of ‘the end times’--‘Wars and rumors of wars‘, ‘earthquakes‘, and ‘famines‘, are said to be signs of ‘the end times’. Read what the Scriptures say about these ‘signs’:
Matthew 24:4-9 (NRSV) 4Jesus answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. 5For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. 6And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: 8all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs. 9“Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name.
These signs so often referred to as signs of the end, Jesus says are but the beginning of the birth pangs.
Recently we have had what appears to us as an abnormal number of earthquakes. However, a report on television grafted earthquakes over the centuries and concluded that in spite of appearances, current earthquakes are not abnormal.
End times began with the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. John put it plainly:
1 John 2:18 (NRSV) 18Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that it is the last hour.
There is no ‘hour’ after the last ‘hour’ in which we are living. There is no more ‘hour’ after Jesus’ Second Coming. There will be no time, but eternity alone.
Of course, the last day is not getting any further away. But knowledge of the hour, day or generation of Christ’ Second Coming is still not for us to know. Only the Fathers knows.
What would we do if we found out what is not for us to know? What if we found out what not even Jesus knows? What if we found out what only the Father knows? Yet, not only do many Christians seek this information but boldly state, “This is the generation of the return of Jesus Christ.” The intent of Bible teaching is that we should be ready, because we do not know the hour (generation) of His return. We are to be ready because we do not know the ‘hour’ or ‘generation’ ...the times and the seasons. We are not to be ready because we know the times and the seasons but because we do not know the times and the seasons.
I often tell people, “It is more important for you to come to church next Sunday than it was today, because the day of Christ’s return is getting closer every day. The author of Hebrews says:
Hebrews 10:25 (NRSV) 25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
The Disciples asked Jesus as He was about to ascend to the Father’s right hand, “...is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” In spite of Jesus’ answer, Christians today continue to ask “...is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Read Jesus’ answer to the Disciples: “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.” If Jesus told us, “It is not for us to know the times and the seasons (KJV), and only the Father knows, not even Jesus knows the times and the seasons, then why do so many Christians keep on searching for the times and seasons? Why do Christians study things that are not for them to know? Is curiosity justification for trespassing on a field of knowledge that is not for us to know? Could it be pride, so that if Jesus does come back in our generation we can say, “I told you so.” What an honor to be able to reveal something that only God knows. Not only do many keep on searching for the times and the seasons, but also they have the boldness to say, “This generation is the time of Jesus’ Second Coming.“ Of course, it is equally audacious to say, “This is not the generation in which Jesus is coming.” Jesus said it was not our business to know the times and seasons.
Evangelicals reject the time and date setting of the Millerites and other sects. It has always concerned me with even great Evangelists such as Billy Graham make statements to the effect that ‘this’ is the generation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. No one knows the day or the generation in which Jesus will return, and it is un-Scriptural to suggest that we know that this is the generation that Jesus is returning. It is a waste of time, not to mention audacious, as well as disobedience to Christ to seek to know what is not for us to know.
Of course, this does not mean that we cannot study what the Scriptures do tell us about the past, present, and future. The Bible records many things God has revealed to us from Genesis to Revelation. What God has revealed is not off limits to our study. But what the Bible has specifically said is: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons.” To know the times and seasons is off limits to obedient Christians.
After Jesus told his disciples that it was not for them to know the times and the seasons, He repeated the Great Commission and promised them the ability to do it:
8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
We should be about our business of witnessing at home, the area, and around the world instead of being about that which is not our business--knowing and announcing the times and the season. How presumptive to state that we know what only the Father knows, the times and the seasons!
There are some things that must happen before Jesus comes. One is that the Man of Sin must be revealed (unveiled). 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 (NRSV)
1As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, 2not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as
though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. 3Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. 4He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God.
Paul’s readers were not the only generation that needs this warning:
2not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here.
That day or generation cannot come “...unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed.” Now that can happen quickly, but it has not happened yet. The message of the New Testament is not that Jesus is coming today or this generation, but simply to be ready at all times.
We need to remind ourselves that the rebellion that must come before Christ’s return is not defined. Many have tried to define it as their generation, yet generation after generation has passed, and we still do not have a definitive description of the rebellion to come. It appears to belong to the times and seasons that are not given us to know.
How many infamous persons have been identified as the Man of Sin or predicted to be the Man of Sin? The Pope, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, and the lists goes on even to current personalities, i.e. Ben Laden. Many have and are seeking to know what only God the Father knows. And they also have the audacity to say, “Lo, here” or “Lo, there is the Man of Sin,” when obviously he has not yet been revealed.
The New Testament clearly forbids us to seek to know the times and seasons that are known only to the Father. The message of the Scriptures is simply, “Be ready!”
Matthew 24:42-44 (NRSV) 42Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
It is right to say to this generation, “Be ready”, but it is wrong to say, “This is the generation the Lord will return.” We are to be ready because of the unexpectedness of the hour, not because we know the hour, day, or generation of the Lord’s return. We are not to be ready because we know the hour or generation of Jesus’ return, but precisely because we do not know!
So many preachers talk about the signs of the end. The disciples wanted to know the signs also. Read Matthew 24:3-8 (NRSV):
Signs of the End of the Age (Notice that Jesus doesn’t call them signs of the end but the beginning of sorrows.)
3When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4Jesus answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. 5For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. 6And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: 8all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.
Yet, ...
“...wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes....”
....are all used today as signs of the end, not the beginning, as Jesus said.
Why cannot we quote Jesus and Paul and simply say, “Be ready because you do not know the times and the seasons,” instead of saying, “This is the generation of His return.” This contributes to the unbelief of many who have heard these mistaken predictions before. Let us have the integrity to say, “We do not know the times and the seasons of Christ’s return, and that is why we must be ready. Remember Jesus’ words in Mark 13:32-37:
“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. 34It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
The reason for so much confusion among Evangelical Christians about the Day of the Lord is, in part, because of J. N. Darby and C. I. Schofield. Darby invented the Dispensational System of Scripture interpretation. Schofield popularized the System through his Schofield Bible with his notes. Some people do not distinguish between his notes and the Scriptures themselves.
In the 1917 edition of the Schofield Bible, Schofield states in a note on Matthew that the Kingdom of God is to be distinguished from the Kingdom of Heaven in five respects.
1 The kingdom of God is to be distinguished from the kingdom of heaven (Mt. 3. 2, note) in five respects: (1) The kingdom of God is universal, including all moral intelligences willingly subject to the will of God, whether angels, the Church, or saints of past or future dispensations (Lk. 13. 28, 29; Heb. 12. 22, 23); while the kingdom of heaven is Messianic, mediatorial, and Davidic, and has for its object the establishment of the kingdom of God in the earth (Mt, 3. 2, note; 1 Cor. 15. 24, 25). (2) The kingdom of God is entered only by the new birth (John 3. 3, 5-7); the kingdom of heaven, during this age, is the sphere of a profession which may be real or false (Mt. 13. 3, note; 25. 1, 11, 12). (3) Since the kingdom of heaven is the earthly sphere of the universal kingdom of God, the two have almost all things in common. For this reason many parables and other teachings are spoken of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew, and of the kingdom of God in Mark and Luke. It is the omissions which are significant. The parables of the wheat and tares, and of the net (Mt. 13. 24-50, 36-43, 47-50) are not spoken of the kingdom of God. In that kingdom there are neither tares nor bad fish. But the parable of the leaven (Mt. 13. 33) is spoken of the kingdom of God also, for, alas, even the true doctrines of the kingdom are leavened with the errors of which the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Herodians were the representatives. (See Mt. 13. 33, note.) (4) The kingdom of God "comes not with outward show" (Lk. 17. 20), but is chiefly that which is inward and spiritual (Rom. 14. 17); while the kingdom of heaven is organic, and is to be manifested in glory on the earth. (See "Kingdom (O.T.)," Zech. 12. 8, note; (N.T.), Lk. 1. 31-33; 1 Cor. 15. 24, note; Mt. 17. 2, note.) (5) The kingdom of heaven merges into the kingdom of God when Christ, having "put all enemies under His feet," "shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father" (1 Cor. 15. 24-28). Cf. Mt. 3. 2, note.
(Note on Matthew 6:33 The Schofield Reference Bible edited by Rev. C. I. Schofield, D. D. Oxford University Press, New York: 1917. New and Improved Edition; page 1003)
Of course, unbiased scholars saw right away that the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are used synonymously and interchangeably in the Four Gospels; and so, therefore, there is no distinction. The New Schofield Reference Bible attempts to down-play this, but it is not possible. A simple recognition of the error would have been the honest thing to do. Yet, Schofield stated categorically, “The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are to be distinguished in five respects.”
The notes in the New Schofield Reference Bible read:
Kingdom: The expression, “the kingdom of God” ("Matt 12:28"), although used in many cases as synonymous with the kingdom of heaven, is to be distinguished from it in some instances (see "Matt 3:2 note",) (1) The kingdom of God is at times viewed as everlasting and universal, i.e. the rule of the sovereign God over all creatures and things ("Psalms 103:19"; "Daniel 4:3"). In this sense the kingdom of God includes the kingdom of heaven. (2) The kingdom of God is also used to designate the sphere of salvation entered only by the new birth ("John 3:5-7") in contrast with the kingdom of heaven as the sphere of profession which may be real or false ("see Matt 13:3 note", Matt 25:1, Matt 25:11-12"). And (3) since the kingdom of heaven is in the earthly sphere of the universal kingdom of God, the two have many things in common and in some contexts the terms are interchangeable.
Like the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God is realized in the rule of God in the present age and will also be fulfilled in the future millennial kingdom. It continues forever in the eternal state (cp Dan 4:3)
I have written before in a previous Doyle‘s GOOD NEWSLetter:
Stop Full Preterists and Premillennialists Including Dispensationalists Dead In Their Tracks
Full Preterists teach that in 70AD there was a literal 'parousia' (popularly known as the Second Coming), and a literal resurrection, i.e., Jesus came in the air with all those who died in Christ before the rapture, i.e., Christians who remained alive at the 'parousia' were caught up to meet Christ and those He brought with Him in the air. They further teach a general judgment in 70AD. If there were a literal parousia, rapture, resurrection, and judgment in 70AD, it would mean:
First: Those who had died in Christ before 70AD would be raised from the dead and brought with Christ in the air.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 (NRSV)
"For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. 16For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever."
Second: Those living in Christ would be caught up in the air to meet Christ and those He brought with Him and so they would ever be with the Lord. No living saints would be left on earth to propagate the gospel or give birth to children to replenish the earth after 70AD. Yet, here you and I are, carrying on this conversation.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 (NRSV) Quoted above.
Third: All unbelievers would be destroyed in flaming fire and separated from God and all good; so there would be no unbelievers left on earth to replenish the earth.
2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 (NRSV)
This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, and is intended to make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering. 6For it is indeed just of God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9These will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at on that day among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.
Conclusion: No one would be left on earth after 70AD. The end of earthly life would have occurred at 70AD by the 'parousia'; resurrection and rapture; and judgment.
Further, the Full Preterists make a lot over this premise that 70AD ends the Jewish Age and begins the 'age to come', the 'new age'. Jesus plainly taught that whoever is a part of the 'resurrection', the 'age to come', the 'new age' would not be given in marriage. No one will be born after the end of the 'parousia', rapture, resurrection, and judgment. If all of these things occurred in 70AD, no one would have been born after that date, and I would not be writing these things. History ends with the Second Coming of Christ, and eternity remains alone ....no physical bodies and no earthly kingdom after Christ comes again.
Acts 2:25-37 (NRSV)
25For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; 26therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. 27For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. 28You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 29“Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. 31Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, ‘He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.’ 32This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. 33Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear. 34For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35until I make your enemies your footstool.” 36Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified 37Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do.”
Jesus is on the Throne of David now and will remain there until God has put all His enemies under his footstool.
Matthew 22:23-33 (NRSV)
The same day some Sadducees came to him, saying there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying, 24“Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies childless, his brother shall marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother.’ 25Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married, and died childless, leaving the widow to his brother. 26The second did the same, so also the third, down to the seventh. 27Last of all, the woman herself died. 28In the resurrection, then, whose wife of the seven will she be? For all of them had married her.” 29Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. 30For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, 32‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is God not of the dead, but of the living.” 33And when the crowd heard it, they were astounded at his teaching.
Jesus stops both the Full Preterists and the Premillennialists including Dispensationalists, dead in their tracks. Paul does, too, of course. (End quote from Doyle’s GOOD NEWSLetter. Vol. 12 , No. 12 Will the Real Israel Stand Up‘)
We have a responsibility to preach the Word with integrity. For ministers and Christians to state generation after generation, “This is the generation of Christ’s return” emboldens unbelievers. As Paul admonished Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15, let us study to show ourselves workmen who need not be ashamed, interpreting the Scripture correctly.
Copyright@Penpower Publishers, Inc.
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Wed, Dec 5th - 7:02AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! BEATING THE CANS
A wise old gentleman retired and purchased a modest home near a junior high school.
He spent the first few weeks of his retirement in peace and contentment. Then a new school year began. The very next afternoon three young boys, full of youthful, after-school enthusiasm, came down his street, beating merrily on every trashcan they encountered. The crashing percussion continued day after day, until finally the wise old man decided it was time to take some action.
The next afternoon, he walked out to meet the young percussionists as they banged their way down the street. Stopping them, he said, "You kids are a lot of fun. I like to see you express your exuberance like that. In fact, I used to do the same thing when I was your age. Will you do me a favor? I'll give you each a dollar if you'll promise to come around every day and do your thing." The kids were elated and continued to do a bang-up job on the trashcans.
After a few days, the old-timer greeted the kids again, but this time he had a sad smile on his face.
"This recession's really putting a big dent in my income," he told them. "From now on, I'll only be able to pay you 50 cents to beat on the cans."
The noisemakers were obviously displeased, but they did accept his offer and continued their afternoon ruckus. A few days later, the wily retiree approached them again as they drummed their way down the street.
"Look," he said, "I haven't received my Social Security check yet, so I'm not going to be able to give you more than 25 cents. Will that be okay?"
"A lousy quarter?" the drum leader exclaimed. "If you think we're going to waste our time, beating these cans around for a quarter, you're nuts! No way, mister. We quit!"
And the old man enjoyed peace.
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Wed, Dec 5th - 6:51AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: "You can no more separate yourself from your influence than you can separate yourself from your shadow as you walk in the noonday sun."* (George Truett) *A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. Proverbs 22:1 (NRSV)
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Tue, Dec 4th - 8:32AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE!
Sign on company bulleting board: “This firm requires no physical-fitness program. Everyone gets enough exercise jumping to conclusions, flying of the handle, running down the boss, flogging dead horses, knifing friend in the back, dodging responsibility, and pushing their luck.”
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Tue, Dec 4th - 8:27AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: The only good work we can ever do is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and Him Who sent Him!* *9Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” John 6:29 (NRSV)
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Mon, Dec 3rd - 8:27AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
What more do we need to know?
There is no need for us to speculate about the precise nature of heaven. We are assured on the authority of Jesus Christ that it is the house and the home of his Father and ours (there are twenty-two references to the Father in John 14), that his home is a prepared place containing many rooms or resting places, and that he himself will be there. What more do we need to know? To be certain that where he is, there we shall be also should be enough to satisfy our curiosity and allay our fears. John Stott To be with Jesus and to be like Jesus: That will be heaven to me!* Doyle Purifoy
*Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.
1 John 3:2 (NRSV)
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Sun, Dec 2nd - 7:53AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! BAGEL STORM
It was a terrible night, blowing cold and rain in a most frightful manner. The streets were deserted and the local baker was just about to close up shop when a little man slipped through the door. He carried an umbrella, blown inside out, and was bundled in two sweaters and a thick coat. But even so he still looked wet and bedraggled. As he unwound his scarf he said to the baker, "May I have two bagels to go, please?" The baker said in astonishment, "Two bagels? Nothing more?" "That's right," answered the little man. "One for me and one for Bernice." "Bernice is your wife?" Asked the baker. "What do you think," snapped the little man, "my mother would send me out on a night like this?"
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Sun, Dec 2nd - 7:38AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
The Hope of Glory With Christ and like Christ It is enough for us to know that on the last day and through eternity we shall both be with Christ and like Christ; for the fuller revelation of what we are going to be we are content to wait.* JOHN STOTT *Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.
1 John 3:2 (NRSV)
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Sat, Dec 1st - 8:44AM
THOUGHT FOR TODAY!
Here's the good news: you cannot be alone, even when you think you are. The One who wept over Jerusalem's rejection (Matthew 23:37) and grieved in Gethsemane found even there that his Father was still faithful.* Jim Denison - God Issues
*....remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 (NRSV)
5Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 (NRSV)
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Sat, Dec 1st - 8:34AM
LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE! GUIDING CLARK KENT
Clark Kent takes direction from his hat: It’s his Super visor.
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Name: Doyle Purifoy
