.
It happens all the time...
Your light has just changed to green when somebody going "the other way" runs the red, and narrowly misses turning your vehicle into an accordion...
What is your reaction?
On a busy street, in a school zone, you see an SUV swerving all over the place, and going at least 15mph over the posted speed limit. As it passes, you see the driver is busy texting...
"What a stupid idiot!" you think out loud.
A very young child is playing in a busy street, but, where are the parents?
You read in the paper that some nut set his clothes on fire, and burned his belly, while trying to get his barbecue pit started.
You're shopping at the local Stuff-Mart, and somebody has her purse stolen. As it turns out, she left it in the basket seat while she was trying on clothes...
Every day, we are amazed at the foolish things people regularly do without thinking of the consequences. Quite often, our response is, "What an idiot!"
Jesus did have something to say about our reactions, and it isn't what most people expect, either! "Ye have heard it said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Ra-ca, shall be in danger of the counsel: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother has ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come offer thy gift." (Mat 5:21-24)kjv
You see, the commandment says "Do not kill," but it means more than just that. We must also not belittle others, even in our own minds, by thinking them to be fools or idiots. If we find ourselves reacting in this manner, we are supposed to ask forgiveness of those about whom we find ourselves feeling superior! You should not even give your offering at church until you've made peace with these folks!
"But, why?" you ask. Actually, Jesus has explained this to us, as well...
"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye meet, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam that is in thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." (Mat 7:1-5)kjv
Jesus spelled it out for us. Not one of us is good enough to look with disdain on others! We all have our faults, but He died for each one of us, anyway!
You...
...me...
......everyone, even the worst mass-murderer in history!
So, who are we to judge?
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
One of the reasons we love kids...
.....
You know that incredible feeling you get when you unexpectedly find a love note under your dinner fork that says,
I love you!
love, Sally
A wash of profound emotion pours all over you. You find yourself wondering how any human could be so loved, and still live!
What about when your youngest says you need to adopt a baby donkey. And it can live in the bathroom "Since we don't use it."
Remember the time your child found a baby bird that had fallen from its nest? You were sure that there was no way for it to survive another day, but she'd already named it "Squishy."
Love for our children is a natural part of us, but we didn't invent it. It is a magnificent gift from God, and it is part of the reason He wants us to come to Him with the innocence of little children. We learned our delight in kids from Him!
Remember how much fun it was, listening to your little ones trying to find the "perfect name" for your new dog or cat?
"So the Lord God formed from the soil every kind of animal and bird. He brought them to Adam to see what he would call them, and Adam chose a name for each one." (Gen 2:19)nlt
Knowing how kids pick names for pets today, I'd bet Adam came up with; "fuzzy, toothy, wiggly, feathers," and a bunch of other similar names. And I bet, just like any proud parent, God smiled and said, "Great names!"
We didn't invent pride in our kids, and joy at their endeavors... but we were blessed to have inherited these awesome things from our wonderful God!
Thank God for all He's done! He deserves it!
You know that incredible feeling you get when you unexpectedly find a love note under your dinner fork that says,
I love you!
love, Sally
A wash of profound emotion pours all over you. You find yourself wondering how any human could be so loved, and still live!
What about when your youngest says you need to adopt a baby donkey. And it can live in the bathroom "Since we don't use it."
Remember the time your child found a baby bird that had fallen from its nest? You were sure that there was no way for it to survive another day, but she'd already named it "Squishy."
Love for our children is a natural part of us, but we didn't invent it. It is a magnificent gift from God, and it is part of the reason He wants us to come to Him with the innocence of little children. We learned our delight in kids from Him!
Remember how much fun it was, listening to your little ones trying to find the "perfect name" for your new dog or cat?
"So the Lord God formed from the soil every kind of animal and bird. He brought them to Adam to see what he would call them, and Adam chose a name for each one." (Gen 2:19)nlt
Knowing how kids pick names for pets today, I'd bet Adam came up with; "fuzzy, toothy, wiggly, feathers," and a bunch of other similar names. And I bet, just like any proud parent, God smiled and said, "Great names!"
We didn't invent pride in our kids, and joy at their endeavors... but we were blessed to have inherited these awesome things from our wonderful God!
Thank God for all He's done! He deserves it!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Listen! Can you hear the snarling?
Whose snarling?
Why, the beast, of course. Don't you think he's coming?
God did not put warnings in the bible because He wanted to watch us squirm! He wants us to react, to prepare for catastrophe! "In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, 'Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.' " (Isaiah 38:1) kjv
Hezekiah was about to die, but God gave him a little advance notice. God has sent of LOT of warnings to all of us. He loves us so much that He wants us to be free from the coming events. He already knows just how bad things will become! His words are recorded as guardrails for all of time, because He IS the God of all time.
We have become so complacent about the coming of future events contained with the book of Revelation (or Apocalypse, depending on your favorite Bible version), that we now refuse to even consider that these thing are all already lined up, and almost ready to go.
The following is something that will happen during the first half of the tribulation...
" 'And I will grant my two witnesses power to prophesy for one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.' These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes; if anyone would harm them, thus he is doomed to be killed. They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during their prophesying, and they have the power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends from the bottomless pit will make war upon them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which is allegorically called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. For three days and a half men from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth.' " (Rev 11:1-10)rsv
The city mentioned above is Jerusalem. Imagine how bad things would have to get before it will be thought of as either Sodom or Egypt! You know what Sodom was all about, but did you know that Egypt was named in celebration of the false god, "pta?" You don't want to be in Jerusalem during these times, and God doesn't want to be there, either! He wants you at His side, in heaven, awaiting the end of the Great Tribulation.
There are many, today, in what is supposed to be "the land of the free, and the home of the brave" who have so rejected the ways of God, that they all but worship vileness. It is now "politically correct" to accept every possible lifestyle and perversion, and proclaim them to be "normal." In fact, almost the only thing you are no longer free to be is a God-fearing Christian! A very large percentage of our politicians are nothing more that puppets, controlled by the wealthy, hyper-powerful, the "king-makers." They practice divisiveness to a degree that is appalling! And what is it leading up to?
"They worshipped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshipped the beast. 'I there anyone as great as the beast?' the exclaimed. 'Who is able to fight against him?' Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do what he wanted for forty-two months. And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering His name and all who live in heaven, who are His temple. And the beast was allowed to wage war against God's holy people and to overcome them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation." (Rev 13:4-7)nlt
"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev 13:8) kjv
How much preparation does it take to ready the world for the greatest, most vile, takeover EVER? A Lot! That is why there are so many today, pretending to be intellectual, who try to convince us all that, "The only way to world peace is Global unity," which is, of course, a very necessary precursor to Satan's takeover, and seven year reign.
Please, I beg of you, get yourself right with God. Accept the salvation that was paid for by the horrible death that Jesus endured, so that we all could avoid the punishment we deserve. The coming tribulation will, by comparison, make Hitler's regime seem like the Girl Scouts! And the Great Tribulation will truly be a nightmare of "biblical proportions!" Get saved! Spread the word, not just to those you love, but to everyone!
Listen. Can you hear the snarling? It is getting closer!
Why, the beast, of course. Don't you think he's coming?
God did not put warnings in the bible because He wanted to watch us squirm! He wants us to react, to prepare for catastrophe! "In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, 'Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.' " (Isaiah 38:1) kjv
Hezekiah was about to die, but God gave him a little advance notice. God has sent of LOT of warnings to all of us. He loves us so much that He wants us to be free from the coming events. He already knows just how bad things will become! His words are recorded as guardrails for all of time, because He IS the God of all time.
We have become so complacent about the coming of future events contained with the book of Revelation (or Apocalypse, depending on your favorite Bible version), that we now refuse to even consider that these thing are all already lined up, and almost ready to go.
The following is something that will happen during the first half of the tribulation...
" 'And I will grant my two witnesses power to prophesy for one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.' These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes; if anyone would harm them, thus he is doomed to be killed. They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during their prophesying, and they have the power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends from the bottomless pit will make war upon them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which is allegorically called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. For three days and a half men from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth.' " (Rev 11:1-10)rsv
The city mentioned above is Jerusalem. Imagine how bad things would have to get before it will be thought of as either Sodom or Egypt! You know what Sodom was all about, but did you know that Egypt was named in celebration of the false god, "pta?" You don't want to be in Jerusalem during these times, and God doesn't want to be there, either! He wants you at His side, in heaven, awaiting the end of the Great Tribulation.
There are many, today, in what is supposed to be "the land of the free, and the home of the brave" who have so rejected the ways of God, that they all but worship vileness. It is now "politically correct" to accept every possible lifestyle and perversion, and proclaim them to be "normal." In fact, almost the only thing you are no longer free to be is a God-fearing Christian! A very large percentage of our politicians are nothing more that puppets, controlled by the wealthy, hyper-powerful, the "king-makers." They practice divisiveness to a degree that is appalling! And what is it leading up to?
"They worshipped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshipped the beast. 'I there anyone as great as the beast?' the exclaimed. 'Who is able to fight against him?' Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do what he wanted for forty-two months. And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering His name and all who live in heaven, who are His temple. And the beast was allowed to wage war against God's holy people and to overcome them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation." (Rev 13:4-7)nlt
"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev 13:8) kjv
How much preparation does it take to ready the world for the greatest, most vile, takeover EVER? A Lot! That is why there are so many today, pretending to be intellectual, who try to convince us all that, "The only way to world peace is Global unity," which is, of course, a very necessary precursor to Satan's takeover, and seven year reign.
Please, I beg of you, get yourself right with God. Accept the salvation that was paid for by the horrible death that Jesus endured, so that we all could avoid the punishment we deserve. The coming tribulation will, by comparison, make Hitler's regime seem like the Girl Scouts! And the Great Tribulation will truly be a nightmare of "biblical proportions!" Get saved! Spread the word, not just to those you love, but to everyone!
Listen. Can you hear the snarling? It is getting closer!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
But, what if you've "missed the boat?"
There are some churches, and quite a few preachers, who maintain that missing the rapture means you've forever lost your chance at heaven. I have never understood whether this opinion is an error on the part of those who should know better, or an out-and-out attempt to cause resignation on those who have missed the opportunity. Regardless, those who support that idea are doing Satan's work in your church.
They claim that, with the rapture, all that is good is removed from the earth, therefore, God is also no longer here. There is a lot of proof to the contrary contained within God's word. We will look into some.
Revelation, chapter 6, ends with, "For the great day of the wrath has come, and who will be able to survive?" nlt This occurs between the opening of the 6th and the 7th seals, during the Tribulation. Four angels have been given the power to wreak havoc on the land and sea. A fifth angel appears before them, and shouts, "Wait! Don't hurt the land or the sea or the trees, until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of His servants." (Rev 7:3) nlt
Consider, please, if there were no Christians on the earth at this time, there would be no need for the seal of God on anyone's forehead!
"After this, I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne, and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white, and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, 'Salvation comes from our God on the throne and from the Lamb!' " (Rev 7:9-10)nlt
Who are these people? The apostle John was asked this question, and was told, " '...These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.' " (Rev 7:14b)nlt
If they came OUT of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb (accepted salvation and become Christians) during this period of time, then the Holy Spirit is still hard at work upon the face of the earth!
Please also notice that chapter 7 of Revelation also mentions the 144,000 that came from the 12 tribes of Israel. If God were not active on the earth at this time, what possible purpose would these individuals have? There is another counter-proof against the erroneous claim of hopelessness after the tribulation starts. "And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they will be clothed in sackcloth, and will prophecy during these 1,260 days." (Rev 11:3)nlt
There is no need of sending witnesses into hell. Those souls are forever lost. If God sends two witnesses to the earth to prophecy, He is NOT sending them here to preach to those already condemned! He wants to offer a last chance to those who have not yet accepted Him.
The tribulation will not be fun, and the great tribulation will be torture to those who have to endure it. Don't wait to accept God's gift of salvation, but, whatever you do, don't let some (lower-case) antichrist convince you to give up. You don't lose your chance for salvation and heaven unless you accept the mark of the beast. "So the first angel left the temple and poured his bowl over the earth, and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped his statue." (Rev 16:2)nlt "And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast - miracles that had deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and had worshipped his statue." (rev 19:20a)nlt
***Every once in a while I notice that I've made mistakes in typing. If you find one I've missed, please let me know. Thanks, I feel it is critical to make no mistakes while representing Our Lord!***
Till we meet, in Paradise!
They claim that, with the rapture, all that is good is removed from the earth, therefore, God is also no longer here. There is a lot of proof to the contrary contained within God's word. We will look into some.
Revelation, chapter 6, ends with, "For the great day of the wrath has come, and who will be able to survive?" nlt This occurs between the opening of the 6th and the 7th seals, during the Tribulation. Four angels have been given the power to wreak havoc on the land and sea. A fifth angel appears before them, and shouts, "Wait! Don't hurt the land or the sea or the trees, until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of His servants." (Rev 7:3) nlt
Consider, please, if there were no Christians on the earth at this time, there would be no need for the seal of God on anyone's forehead!
"After this, I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne, and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white, and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, 'Salvation comes from our God on the throne and from the Lamb!' " (Rev 7:9-10)nlt
Who are these people? The apostle John was asked this question, and was told, " '...These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.' " (Rev 7:14b)nlt
If they came OUT of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb (accepted salvation and become Christians) during this period of time, then the Holy Spirit is still hard at work upon the face of the earth!
Please also notice that chapter 7 of Revelation also mentions the 144,000 that came from the 12 tribes of Israel. If God were not active on the earth at this time, what possible purpose would these individuals have? There is another counter-proof against the erroneous claim of hopelessness after the tribulation starts. "And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they will be clothed in sackcloth, and will prophecy during these 1,260 days." (Rev 11:3)nlt
There is no need of sending witnesses into hell. Those souls are forever lost. If God sends two witnesses to the earth to prophecy, He is NOT sending them here to preach to those already condemned! He wants to offer a last chance to those who have not yet accepted Him.
The tribulation will not be fun, and the great tribulation will be torture to those who have to endure it. Don't wait to accept God's gift of salvation, but, whatever you do, don't let some (lower-case) antichrist convince you to give up. You don't lose your chance for salvation and heaven unless you accept the mark of the beast. "So the first angel left the temple and poured his bowl over the earth, and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped his statue." (Rev 16:2)nlt "And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast - miracles that had deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and had worshipped his statue." (rev 19:20a)nlt
***Every once in a while I notice that I've made mistakes in typing. If you find one I've missed, please let me know. Thanks, I feel it is critical to make no mistakes while representing Our Lord!***
Till we meet, in Paradise!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
I found this diary...
The other day, while I was walking to town to see what all the commotion was about last weekend, I found a diary beside the road. It doesn't say to whom it belongs, and a bunch of the pages are missing. This is all that's left...
-monday-
Now that my training is complete, I'm taking a few months off to tour the country. I am doing all I can to avoid the attention of the Roman soldiers, the tax collectors and various thieves who seem to have sprung up all over our nation.
Jeruba, my mom's sister, told me I should try to catch one of the lectures by this "Jesus" fellow. Everybody seems amazed at what he can do. They say he can read minds, tell the future and perform miracles! Personally, I think most people are easily fooled by these street magicians. Do you know, I've even heard he fed a huge crowd with just a basket of food he found some kid carrying? I think he must have had a secret stash someplace, just in case. You know what I mean?
-thursday-
I'm not making quite as much progress as I'd expected. Its almost time for the Passover feast. A local farmer has invited me to share his meager meal with his family. I readily agreed, as there is no way I could make it to the next town in time.
-friday-
Well, now it is tomorrow, already, so I'm on my way again. There is some excitement going on over in the next town, something about a criminal being brought to trial. I think I can just make it in time to see the execution, at least.
Whew! I am tired! I almost ran the entire last hour, trying to get here before the trial was over. What a shock! The "criminal" being tried is the same Jesus my aunt told me to find. They say he is impersonating God, and has declared himself the King, and outranks everyone in Rome, including Ceasar!
Well, they already beat him with their leaded whips. Blood is RUNNING down his back. They are saying he is about to be crucified with two other criminals. I am going to see if I can find a good place to watch.
Wow! They didn't just tie him to the cross-piece like they usually do. They NAILED him to it! I can't believe it. What do they think he's going to do, fly away?
You know, with all that blood running down from his wounds, he is not going to last long. Hey, he just spoke with one of the thieves who are crucified next to him. I sure wish I could hear what he said.
You are not going to believe this. He just said, in a VERY loud voice, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." I heard him as clear as a bell. Then the sky got dark, wind blew around madly, and lightning started flashing all over the place. I've never been so scared in all my life.
Near me was a centurian. You know those guys are as hard as nails, right? They are in charge of one hundred soldiers, and are as mean as they come. He started crying! Then I heard him say, "This was surely the Son of God!" I think maybe he was right! I'm getting out of here before God smashes this place to dust.
That's all there was. I don't know what to make of it. What do you think?
-monday-
Now that my training is complete, I'm taking a few months off to tour the country. I am doing all I can to avoid the attention of the Roman soldiers, the tax collectors and various thieves who seem to have sprung up all over our nation.
Jeruba, my mom's sister, told me I should try to catch one of the lectures by this "Jesus" fellow. Everybody seems amazed at what he can do. They say he can read minds, tell the future and perform miracles! Personally, I think most people are easily fooled by these street magicians. Do you know, I've even heard he fed a huge crowd with just a basket of food he found some kid carrying? I think he must have had a secret stash someplace, just in case. You know what I mean?
-thursday-
I'm not making quite as much progress as I'd expected. Its almost time for the Passover feast. A local farmer has invited me to share his meager meal with his family. I readily agreed, as there is no way I could make it to the next town in time.
-friday-
Well, now it is tomorrow, already, so I'm on my way again. There is some excitement going on over in the next town, something about a criminal being brought to trial. I think I can just make it in time to see the execution, at least.
Whew! I am tired! I almost ran the entire last hour, trying to get here before the trial was over. What a shock! The "criminal" being tried is the same Jesus my aunt told me to find. They say he is impersonating God, and has declared himself the King, and outranks everyone in Rome, including Ceasar!
Well, they already beat him with their leaded whips. Blood is RUNNING down his back. They are saying he is about to be crucified with two other criminals. I am going to see if I can find a good place to watch.
Wow! They didn't just tie him to the cross-piece like they usually do. They NAILED him to it! I can't believe it. What do they think he's going to do, fly away?
You know, with all that blood running down from his wounds, he is not going to last long. Hey, he just spoke with one of the thieves who are crucified next to him. I sure wish I could hear what he said.
You are not going to believe this. He just said, in a VERY loud voice, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." I heard him as clear as a bell. Then the sky got dark, wind blew around madly, and lightning started flashing all over the place. I've never been so scared in all my life.
Near me was a centurian. You know those guys are as hard as nails, right? They are in charge of one hundred soldiers, and are as mean as they come. He started crying! Then I heard him say, "This was surely the Son of God!" I think maybe he was right! I'm getting out of here before God smashes this place to dust.
That's all there was. I don't know what to make of it. What do you think?
Limited Time Offer!
Who hasn't received a flyer in the mail that reads something like this;
Act Now!
You have been selected from millions world-wide to receive one of the following free gifts!
...1 All expense paid vacation for a family of four to
......the Andromeda Galaxy!
...2 Title and ownership to the planet Mars!
...3 Your choice of a solid gold Rolls-Royce or Cadillac!
But you must act quickly! This is a limited time offer, and will not be repeated. To activate your account, please call 1 (800) 2ST-UPID.
Not many fall for gimmicks like these, but obviously some must, otherwise they would never keep being sent out. Teaching ourselves to NOT react to this type of garbage makes us skeptical of all free offers.
"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)kjv
"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give." (Matt 10:8)kjv
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness; that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (Rom 3:23-26)kjv
Wow!
You've already won!
And, unlike those fliers that promise to give you the sun, moon, and the stars, there are no sneaky gimmicks. All you are required to do is to acknowledge you've sinned, hold out your hands and receive salvation, and then tell everyone else. They are all winners, too, but somebody has to let them know. And nobody ever has to dial 1 (800) 2BS-AVED.
See you soon, in Paradise!
Act Now!
You have been selected from millions world-wide to receive one of the following free gifts!
...1 All expense paid vacation for a family of four to
......the Andromeda Galaxy!
...2 Title and ownership to the planet Mars!
...3 Your choice of a solid gold Rolls-Royce or Cadillac!
But you must act quickly! This is a limited time offer, and will not be repeated. To activate your account, please call 1 (800) 2ST-UPID.
Not many fall for gimmicks like these, but obviously some must, otherwise they would never keep being sent out. Teaching ourselves to NOT react to this type of garbage makes us skeptical of all free offers.
"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)kjv
"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give." (Matt 10:8)kjv
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness; that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (Rom 3:23-26)kjv
Wow!
You've already won!
And, unlike those fliers that promise to give you the sun, moon, and the stars, there are no sneaky gimmicks. All you are required to do is to acknowledge you've sinned, hold out your hands and receive salvation, and then tell everyone else. They are all winners, too, but somebody has to let them know. And nobody ever has to dial 1 (800) 2BS-AVED.
See you soon, in Paradise!
Today...
Today really is an interesting day.
I glance at the calendar, and get a smile on my face. Every time I look at a clock I start calculating hours and minutes.
Why?
Ten years ago, today, at noon, I married the woman that I am sure was sent to me by God.
We met over the internet AFTER she'd relocated from Argentina to Orlando, Florida. A very bad childhood made it extremely difficult for her to trust guys, at all, and the people she'd met after arriving in the U.S. didn't seem to have helped matters, either.
I thought I was only looking for a pen-pal, mostly because I was not supposed to have all that many years left, due to some weird health problems. Also, I'd been married before, but my first wife had some personality-altering psychosis that changed her into something so bizarre that she was not even allowed to see our kids without supervision. A friend, who happened to be a priest, had our marriage annulled because he was convinced she was no longer the person I'd originally married. Prior to that, when I'd tried (repeatedly) to adopt another child, I was advised to re-apply as a single parent. Believe me, I neither planned nor hoped to remarry.
And yet, God arranged things a bit differently than we'd expected. I was concerned that this lady understand that Our Lord had her best interests at heart, and probably had someone already picked out for her. And He did! As it turned out, it was me!
A few short weeks of being pen-pals made us realize we cared deeply for each other. We wanted to meet, but I still had a teenager in the nest, so she traveled here. That was July 3rd, and on the 9th, we were married.
I am aware that this is not the normal way for folks to get hitched. I suspect it would not have worked for any other couple, and I thank God that He intervened on our behalf.
Couples have to accept that there are always going to be differences between them.
Always...
In general, guys don't vocalize their feelings as much as do women, they hate shopping, love sports and like to view life as a power contest, very much like their favorite sport(s).
Women, thrive on conversation, love to go shopping, think almost all sports are boring and want their home-life to be the safe refuge from the world.
Are their exceptions? Again, always...
It is important to remember that God has always known what you'd be like, what you'd need and want. The right choice in your spouse is the one who completes you, makes you into the stable and viable individual that God meant you to be.
God blessed me a lot, and you too, if you think about it.
In closing; Guys, tell her you love her. Tell her a lot! Don't stop, not ever. Keep proving to her that the passage of time will never dull your interest in her. And ladies, he won't ever be very expressive about things that are not contests (again, like sports). Its OK to ask for reminders, just don't be hurt if they are not as automatic as you'd like.
Cars wear out, paint fades, styles change and we all get older, but true love only improves with use and age.
Till we meet again, in Paradise!
I glance at the calendar, and get a smile on my face. Every time I look at a clock I start calculating hours and minutes.
Why?
Ten years ago, today, at noon, I married the woman that I am sure was sent to me by God.
We met over the internet AFTER she'd relocated from Argentina to Orlando, Florida. A very bad childhood made it extremely difficult for her to trust guys, at all, and the people she'd met after arriving in the U.S. didn't seem to have helped matters, either.
I thought I was only looking for a pen-pal, mostly because I was not supposed to have all that many years left, due to some weird health problems. Also, I'd been married before, but my first wife had some personality-altering psychosis that changed her into something so bizarre that she was not even allowed to see our kids without supervision. A friend, who happened to be a priest, had our marriage annulled because he was convinced she was no longer the person I'd originally married. Prior to that, when I'd tried (repeatedly) to adopt another child, I was advised to re-apply as a single parent. Believe me, I neither planned nor hoped to remarry.
And yet, God arranged things a bit differently than we'd expected. I was concerned that this lady understand that Our Lord had her best interests at heart, and probably had someone already picked out for her. And He did! As it turned out, it was me!
A few short weeks of being pen-pals made us realize we cared deeply for each other. We wanted to meet, but I still had a teenager in the nest, so she traveled here. That was July 3rd, and on the 9th, we were married.
I am aware that this is not the normal way for folks to get hitched. I suspect it would not have worked for any other couple, and I thank God that He intervened on our behalf.
Couples have to accept that there are always going to be differences between them.
Always...
In general, guys don't vocalize their feelings as much as do women, they hate shopping, love sports and like to view life as a power contest, very much like their favorite sport(s).
Women, thrive on conversation, love to go shopping, think almost all sports are boring and want their home-life to be the safe refuge from the world.
Are their exceptions? Again, always...
It is important to remember that God has always known what you'd be like, what you'd need and want. The right choice in your spouse is the one who completes you, makes you into the stable and viable individual that God meant you to be.
God blessed me a lot, and you too, if you think about it.
In closing; Guys, tell her you love her. Tell her a lot! Don't stop, not ever. Keep proving to her that the passage of time will never dull your interest in her. And ladies, he won't ever be very expressive about things that are not contests (again, like sports). Its OK to ask for reminders, just don't be hurt if they are not as automatic as you'd like.
Cars wear out, paint fades, styles change and we all get older, but true love only improves with use and age.
Till we meet again, in Paradise!
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