Thu, Oct 28th - 4:15PM
Beloveds, I observed on television, that some medical physicians are offering a surgery that removes over 70% of the human stomach, to control obesity in certain over weight persons. It was said by the announcer that after this surgery the person could eat only the equivalent of two medicine cups of food, which would cause rapid weight loss initially, and would taper off gradually. Some of the persons that had successfully gone through the surgery, were very grateful, as nothing and no attempts to control their weight had worked in the past. At least one person reported a great reduction in medications needed for various ills, as a result of the surgery. It was noted that food cravings, and the sensation of hunger no longer presented after the surgery. I condemn no one, beloveds, it makes the heart ache for those whose desperation have brought them to this to save their lives. The long term effects of this surgery being so new is unknown. AS Christians we live in the world, suffer similar natural problems, as do unbelievers. The over weight brother or sister sometimes suffers ridicule, and humiliation in this world, and sometimes from other believers, brethren this should not be so. I suspect believers do this in a well meaning attempt not to be "soft" on sin. I can agree that none of us can be casual about any sin, yet the Holy Bible often notes that attempts at restoration must be put forth whole heartedly first of all in love, firmly. There are some who do like to beat the sheep, at every opportunity, out of misguided belief that they are helping them. The Holy Bible is clear about both the penalty of beating the sheep, as well as refusing to help them deal with sin in a restorative manner. Sin is never to be coddled, and restoration has nothing to do with that. Christians who are noticeabley over weight may convey a message of self indulgence and or a lack of control over self to others. A very fine sermon may be given, but the focus may be skewed by a spreading waistline, and or quivering double chins and pot bellies. Non Christians may ponder if this saint has it all together, why is he or she so fat? The Christian family must be available to help one another, and yet this area, it seems to me is dealt with by some in an unhelpful manner. Some while back I read a "Christian" book on weight loss, I felt was very condemning and used bliblical quotes, that the scriptures firmly states applies only to the ungodly. Christians should be able to receive sound help about weight loss, without first being raked over the goals, shamed, ridiculed, or condemned. Overweight saints can be found everywhere and include pastore, deacons, elders, and saints in all walks of life. I mentioned before saints (G40 hagios), every believer is not fat, so I am not painting with a broad brush. Beloveds, I will stop here for now, and God willing, hope to meet with you here next time. In the meantime I know by the grace of God, that He shall give you joy, even in the midst of trials, tribulations, and temptations. And Yes, He will make a door of escape from evey temptation, and will not allow it to crush you, for the Lord our God is Faithful and True, and is to be trusted over and above all else.
love serola
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Wed, Oct 20th - 1:43PM
Brethren, the church of Jesus Christ is still and forever will be the most relevant thing on this earth and in heaven. This world is on God’s time table, regardless of how fast or slow things seem to be going in this world. God is Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent, forever. Oh, I know that it may appear to some who are ignorant,looking solely from their little back yard, that God’s hand is not moving quick enough for them. Nevertheless His purpose and will is being carried out, even using those who oppose Him. God is invincible, unbeatable, and in total control. The saints (G40 hagios) can relax, I do not mean be passive, but continue to move forward, knowing and living out God’s word in practice, consistently in everyday life within and outside of the church. I thank God for the multitudes of saints (G40 hagios), all over the world who love and are faithful to Jesus by the grace of God. While most of God’s people are not abusing anyone,and never will do so; nevertheless, we all must remain diligent and alert to purge out the old leaven, and protect God’s people from those who are injurious to them, and injure the Name of God in the eyes of unbelievers. It goes without saying no excuse will do for rejecting Christ, for it is still God’s desire that none should be lost. Those who reject God, bring damnation upon their own heads. In my opinion, beloveds, we ought to be as vocal , adamant, and totally intolerant of abuse and misconduct in the church, as we are in standing against evil in the world, outside of the church. The Holy Bible says to feed the sheep, not beat them. Mt. 24: 46-51 kjv 46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayed his coming; 49 And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ( see Mt. 18:5-7). Saints (G40 hagios) I need not say to any of you, beloveds, for you that love Him, well understand that God is not to be trifled with, He is the sole, eternal, complete authority and standard for the church and the whole world. Let us continue, beloveds to love Him, honor Him, obey Him and put Him first in all things, for He alone is worthy. And I am totally convinced that by His power we shall persevere continually upon these very things, out of love for God. Love serola
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Mon, Oct 11th - 6:08AM
There must be zero tolerance of sexual misconduct, and/or sexual crimes against children, women, or men in the church of Jesus Christ, by anyone whether of the flock or of the church leaders. The same laws that protect all citizens outside of the church, also protects them inside the church. All congregants must be protected from sexually rapacious persons,( male or female), who must not be allowed to run rampant within the church, unchecked. Many sex crimes are done in secret, because the victim is intimidated, ashamed, or too young to understand what has taken place. For this reason. there are laws that allow adults to report sex crimes committed against them as children. Sexual misconduct can range from unwanted verbal sexual harassment, inappropriate touching including frottage to actual criminal sexual conduct of rape, and incest. There are various state and federal laws enacted to protect those who have been sexually victimized; and to prosecute offenders. Federal laws include domestic violence, stalking, and date rape amongst sexual criminal offenses. Individual states have laws enacted against sex crimes. The terms “sex crime” or “sex offense” include extremely serious offenses such as statutory and attempted rape, as well as any other criminal sexual assault involving force or the threat of force. These are sexual crimes of violence. Other sex crimes violate social taboos, such as sexual harassment, incest, or indecent exposure. From unwelcome sexual speech to rape and sexual assault, sex crimes run the gamut in severity and sentencing. Many sex crimes are classified as serious violent felonies. Initial convictions for sex crimes can produce a range of possible prison sentences, as well as fines. In addition to federal laws against sex crimes, themselves, the US Code contains rules related to sex crimes. For example, Title 28 appendix, State and local authorities investigate and prosecute sex crimes. Federal investigators also get involved whenever the crimes involve multiple states. The consequences are serious. If convicted of a sex crime, a person could be facing charges that go beyond the prison sentence; the label “sex offender” could follow them for life, requiring in certain sex crimes, to register with police departments wherever the person lives. Certain federal laws require death or imprisonment for crimes against children, as well as mandatory life imprisonment for repeated sex offenders against children. Rape The crime of rape (or "first-degree sexual assault" in some states) generally refers to non-consensual sexual intercourse that is committed by physical force, threat of injury, or other duress. A lack of consent can include the victim's inability to say "no" to intercourse, due to the effects of drugs or alcohol. Rape can occur when the offender and victim have a pre-existing relationship (sometimes called "date rape"), or even when the offender is the victim's spouse. Under a variation known as "statutory rape," some states make it unlawful for an adult to engage in sexual intercourse with a person who has not reached the age of consent (usually 18 years of age). If you are in immediate danger, call 911
No church is exempt from the laws of the land, and certainly we as God’s people, are held to higher standards of the Holy Bible. Churches must take a firm stand in these matters, with frank discussions, and policies on hand to deal and prevent sex offenses within the church. No quarter must be given, no sanctuary, no protection, no hiding place, for any person to prey on those within the church. Please feel free to look up in your library or online, steps to be taken to deal with these issues including prevention. Refusal to report a predator, can allow him or her to continue on to harm many more victims. love serola
NATIONAL HELP LINES: CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW. The FBI also places online links to each state’s registry. National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) available 24/7 for the nearest rape crisis center. National Stalking Resource Center: 1-800-FYI-CALL (1-800-394-2255) M-F 8:30 AM - 8:30 PM EST or email gethelp@ncvc.org. National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline: 1-866-331-9474 (1-866-331-8453 TTY) available 24/7 or connect with a trained Peer Advocate online at www.loveisrespect.org from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily (CST).  MORE INFO BELOW:
Title 18, section 3559, “Sentencing classification of offenses,” multiple crimes can result in a mandatory life imprisonment. Those multiple separate prior convictions can be for two or more serious, violent felonies, or one or more serious violent felonies plus one or more serious drug offenses. § 2242), for example, imprisonment for up to 20 years is common. For the sex trafficking of children under 18 (§ 1591), sentencing is limited to 40 years. If the child is under 14, there is no sentencing ceiling; a punishment of life imprisonment is possible. The same is true for aggravated sexual abuse (§ 2241) – where force or threats of injury are used against the victim. There are special provisions for anyone who crosses state lines with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a child, including a possible death sentence for second offenders. Rule 412 (under the Federal Rules of Evidence), makes inadmissible most evidence offered to prove an alleged victim’s sexual predisposition, or that the victim had engaged in any other sexual behavior. Title 42, section 14071, mandates that state attorneys general establish guidelines for programs requiring sexually violent predators and other offenders to register his or her whereabouts with state law enforcement. Click here for the Department of Justice’s web site which allows a user to submit a single national query to obtain information about sex offenders.
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Mon, Oct 4th - 12:11PM
Brethren, I pray we will include many prayers to God for children and their parents. We must be alert to care for the welfare of children in practice as well. Some in the church (but never all), are unaware of how, or what to do when they have reasonable concerns that a child is being neglected and/or abused. Fear, or concern that they will cause harm to parents, who may be innocent, keep some silent. However, it is the agency who receives the report that can sort this out. The main issue is to keep children from being harmed. Even the Holy Bible notes that God has ordained government for His purposes: Ro. 13:1-5. Federal legislation provides a foundation for States by identifying a minimum set of acts or behaviors that define child abuse and neglect. The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), (42 U.S.C.A. §5106g), as amended by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, defines child abuse and neglect as, at minimum: for child abuse and sexual abuse. Child abuse or neglect is any recent act or failure to act: Resulting in imminent risk of serious harm, death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation Of a child (usually a person under the age of 18, but a younger age may be specified in cases not involving sexual abuse) By a parent or caretaker who is responsible for the child's welfare Sexual abuse is defined as Employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, any sexually explicit conduct or any simulation of such conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct; or rape, and in cases of caretaker or inter-familial relationships, statutory rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children. In my personal opinion, saints, I think what children are required to do in some so called "sex education" classes over step the boundaries of education, when children in mixed sex classes are required to put a condom on a banana. I urge you to monitor what your children are required to do in these classes, and also to monitor for them being shown movies, or pictures of persons engaged in sex acts. Some children may not understand that they DO NOT have to engage in sex. Encourage your children to speak up to you if they are being made to feel uncomfortable in these classes, or coerced to engage in sex; address these issues to the fullest extent of your abilities, and the law if need be. What Are the Major Types of Child Abuse and Neglect?Within the minimum standards set by CAPTA, each State is responsible for providing its own definitions of child abuse and neglect. Most States recognize four major types of maltreatment: neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. Although any of the forms of child maltreatment may be found separately, they often occur in combination. The examples provided below are for general informational purposes only. Not all States' definitions will include all of the examples listed below, and individual States' definitions may cover additional situations not mentioned here. Neglect is failure to provide for a child's basic needs. Neglect may be: Physical (e.g., failure to provide necessary food or shelter, or lack of appropriate supervision) Medical (e.g., failure to provide necessary medical or mental health treatment) Educational (e.g., failure to educate a child or attend to special education needs) Emotional (e.g., inattention to a child's emotional needs, failure to provide psychological care, or permitting the child to use alcohol or other drugs) Physical Abuse is physical injury (ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures or death) as a result of punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting (with a hand, stick, strap, or other object), burning, or otherwise harming a child. Such injury is considered abuse regardless of whether the caretaker intended to hurt the child. Sexual Abuse includes activities by a parent or caretaker such as fondling a child's genitals, penetration, incest, rape, sodomy, indecent exposure, and exploitation through prostitution or the production of pornographic materials. Emotional Abuse is a pattern of behavior that impairs a child's emotional development or sense of self-worth. This may include constant criticism, threats, or rejection, as well as withholding love, support, or guidance. Emotional abuse is often difficult to prove and, therefore, CPS may not be able to intervene without evidence of harm to the child. Emotional abuse is almost always present when other forms are identified. If you suspect that a child is being abused or neglected, you should call your local Child Protective Services (CPS) agency or the CPS agency in the State in which the abuse occurred. As you identify the appropriate agency for making a report, remember the following: Not every State has a toll free hotline, or the hotline may not operate on a 24 hour basis. If a toll free (800 or 888) number is available, it may be accessible only from within that State. Federal agencies have no authority to intervene in individual child abuse and neglect cases. Each State has jurisdiction over these matters, and has specific laws and procedures for reporting and investigating. In some States, all citizens are mandated reporters by State law and must report any suspicion of child abuse or neglect. All states offer immunity to individuals who report incidents of child maltreatment "in good faith," or with sincerity. Besides physical injury and neglect, most states include mental injury, sexual abuse, and the sexual exploitation of minors as cases to be reported. Clergy. In the wake of the Catholic church sex abuse scandal, many states have revised their mandatory reporting laws to include clergy as mandatory reporters. All states require the report to be made to some type of law enforcement authority or child protection agency. Reporting to a parent or relative will not satisfy the reporter's legal duty under the statutes. States now have similar statutes requiring the reporting of elder abuse. Search out your state child abuse and neglect laws, as they differ depending on the state you are in. Each state also addresses the penalties for failure to report, and filing false reports, for professionals, and non professional citizens as well. Mt. 18:6.While we may answer to man, for what we do or fail to do in behalf of children; each and every one of us will account to God for failing to help children, when it is within our power to do so. We must never allow a persons rank, status, or family status to keep us from reporting child abuse and/or neglect. Please feel free to look up further info, on your own, for it is available on line in abundance, and elsewhere such as libraries etc. Love serola
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Sat, Oct 2nd - 10:11AM
Saints (G40 hagios), it goes without saying that not all Christians struggle with their weight, many do not, and maintain the same without any difficulty, although all of us until Jesus comes will be dealing with some difficulty, and overcoming more and more until Jesus our Lord returns. Nevertheless, God does not weigh our merits on a mere human scale, but on the motivations, intents and purposes of the heart to Him, out of love, in all of our endeavors. This is the true tithes for every saint (G40 hagios). Our High Priest weighs whatever we do in His name, for its true intrinsic value, and He stores it up for us, in His treasury in heaven. Of course, wood, stubble, and hay will not pass the fire, but will be burned, but the saint (G40 hagios) will be saved. Every work of true gold and silver will pass the fire (motivations, intents, purposes of the heart, out of love for God, will be richly rewarded. Heb. 11:16. Luke 12. Every saint will ,nevertheless, receive a reward(s) based solely on God’s Sovereign Will, and promises. I am not trying to be exhaustive here, nor can be, but feel free to explore this on your own, children of God. Without the slightest doubt we know with all certainty of the Scriptures, that God has placed NO restraints, NO barriers of any kind, to coming to our only, Final, Sole, Eternal, and Perpetual High Priest over the house of God; who loves us with an everlasting love. He is and will continually do better for us than we will or are capable of doing for ourselves. Dear saints, (G40 hagios), even the Holy Spirit is perpetually helping you and me in prayer. Even as we wait for the redemption of our bodies we have every reason not to lose hope in any matter: Ro. 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Sprit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Ro. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 1 Ti. 2:1and 2:8; Col 4:12; 1 Pe.3:12. God encourages, commands, and has given unto His people the right, privilege, pleasure, confidence and assurances that He will help us even in prayer. We do not have to be gurus, or theologians, use no formulas, rituals, or certain measured steps in prayer, or have the ability to use big words, or special language or tools, simply come with the correct spiritual motivations. Even when we do not know what to pray for. Come in faith, and assurances that even in this God is faithful to help us. Come if you have no money, saints (G40 hagios), He will not try to help you work out a payment plan; come if you have money, He will not flatter you in hopes that you will write Him a big check in gratitude; Come whether you are rich or poor, come regardless of your outer appearance, situation, circumstance or condition; God is no respecter of persons, for what He does for another, He will also do for you. Come to Jesus with big problems, come to Jesus with little problems, come to Jesus with long standing problems, come to Jesus for problems that have just started. Come to Jesus He will not shame you for asking for His help. He will not get mad at you and accuse you of coming too often, He will not get tired of you coming to Him for help. Come to Jesus also with all kinds of prayers, with thanksgiving, supplications, and love offerings of worship and praise, for the Triune God is worthy of them alone. Heb. 11:6; Phil. 4:19. I know that the God of love, compassion and mercy will cause you also to labor in prayers for others, whom you know that God can work as abundantly in their lives as in your own brethren. This is all for now, children of the Living God. Love serola
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Name: Dolores serola Rutherford
