Time and Chance in Boston. Prophets True or False? Slave to the Lender. Syria’s Chemical Weapons. Nagging Wives. Christ's Second Coming: What Are the Signs. Mussolini. Muhammad Ali.

 

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Time and Chance in Boston

“How can we begin to understand an event like the Boston bombings?”

 

Transcript at: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-daily/christian-living/time-and-chance-boston

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“Prophets sure have given God a bad name—false prophets, that is! Even Jesus warned against imposters coming in His name and deceiving many.
On the other hand, God has used human instruments to be His messengers to foretell coming events. Through His prophets God has already foretold that big events, ones that will affect your life, are looming on the horizon—in both the near and long term.
This is information you need to know. But don’t you first have to be able to know who’s legit—who represents God and who doesn’t? Read this week’s featured section on prophets—you’ll find it very insightful!”

Prophets True or False?

Artist's conception of the prophet Isaiah warning King Hezekiah.

“Was Nostradamus a true prophet? How can you tell a true prophet from a false prophet? What does God have to say about true and false prophets?

There are true prophets and there are also false prophets. Jesus and the apostles warned that there would be false prophets throughout the ages who would not be authorized by God to speak to mankind. Religious deception is prophesied to be especially intense at the end of this age. One test to determine whether someone is a true or false prophet is to carefully examine this person’s words compared to the truth of the Bible.

There is only one supreme Authority in the universe who speaks to humankind and whose word is truly reliable. As the author of the book of Hebrews explains, “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:1-2 ). A true prophet of God is a person specifically appointed to convey God’s messages to nations and individuals.

Through these messengers, God desired to give us understanding regarding the very purpose of life. He also gave us a great deal of information about future events. Satan also has his messengers, who are false prophets. Satan is called the archdeceiver, a liar and the father of lies. Read further to learn more about what God has to say about true and false prophets.”  More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/prophets/

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Slave to the Lender

“Credit is an easy way to buy what you want now. Used wisely, credit can be an effective tool; but without restraint, it can make you a slave to the lender.

Don't become a slave to the lender.

The importance and usefulness of credit in our modern life is evident. The value of a good credit rating is emphasized by the prevalence of credit reporting and credit protection products and companies. A poor credit rating can be a rude awakening for someone trying to buy a house—or even applying for a job!

A culture of credit

For the average family, a major purchase such as a new automobile or a home would not be possible without the ability to borrow money on credit and pay it back over time. Many businesses must also occasionally borrow money to upgrade facilities or purchase equipment. Without sufficient capital on hand, credit becomes an important means to keeping a business growing and profitable.

These are important uses of credit in our society today. And used wisely, it allows a family or a company to take advantage of opportunities that would otherwise be lost. Gains in business and equity for a family are all positive outcomes of credit used wisely.

Not all credit is created equal

There are also other forms of credit that often do not result in such a positive outcome for families. Revolving credit accounts such as gas or store cards or general credit cards like MasterCard or Visa, make up a great deal of the credit available to the average consumer today. Used wisely, this type of credit can also be beneficial, but it can also encumber a family in a credit trap. The Bible warns, “The borrower is slave to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7, New International Version).

Most people don’t like to talk about credit card debt, but recent statistics reveal that approximately 80 percent of the U.S. consumer market owes credit card debt—the average amount of debt being a staggering $15,799. And with an average APR interest rate of 12.35 percent (as of early 2013) this becomes a terrible financial hole for most families to climb out of!

Part of the problem is that credit has been so easy to acquire. College or even high school students who don’t yet have a stable income can often obtain a credit card with a lower credit limit. The card gives one a feeling of power and the illusion of prosperity. With the power of plastic in hand, he or she can purchase many things right now, rather than waiting and saving up to have the cash on hand. The minimum monthly payment is so small that surely it won’t be a problem to pay, it seems.  And so yet another family falls victim to the credit trap—becoming a slave to the lender!

Financial wisdom from the Scriptures

Believe it or not, the Bible really does have quite a bit to say about managing personal finances. Let’s consider just a few of the principles that we can apply to our own lives to help us avoid being a slave to the lender.”     More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/finances/slave-to-the-lender/

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Syria’s Chemical Weapons

“Escalating violence in Syria leaves the U.S. and other Western countries facing a dilemma of bad options. Will punishing al-Assad mean supporting al-Qaeda?

This week, American, British and Israeli officials have accused the Syrian regime of using chemical weapons against its own people.  BBC reported April 25, “US intelligence agencies believe ‘with varying degrees of confidence’ that Syria has used chemical weapons against rebels. …

“US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters in Abu Dhabi that the use of sarin ‘violates every convention of warfare.’ …

“US Secretary of State John Kerry said there had been two instances of chemical weapons use in Syria.

“The UK Foreign Office echoed the US claims, saying it had ‘limited but persuasive information from various sources’ of chemical weapons use in Syria. …

“‘Material from inside Syria tested positive for sarin,’ a Foreign Office spokesman said” (BBC, “US Has ‘Some Confidence’ Syria Used Chemical Weapons”).

U.S. President Barack Obama had warned Syria in December that using chemical weapons would bring consequences. So now that the red line has been crossed, will the United States follow through?  Not so fast.”  More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/syrias-chemical-weapons/  By Mike Bennett - April 26, 2013

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Mark Driscoll, Megachurch Leader, Says Nagging Wives Like Water Torture

An outspoken evangelical leader preached a potentially controversial sermon this weekend, saying "nagging wives" are like water torture.

Mark Driscol, pastor of the Mars Hill Church in Seattle, made the comments Sunday during a sermon based on a Bible passage from Ephesians, which reads in part:

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

While the passage does not mean men are smarter than women, Driscoll explains, he says it does mean the "wife sets a pattern for others to respect her husband." “If the wife disrespects the husband in front of his coworkers, will they respect the husband? No," Driscoll said. "No. Women who publicly disrespect their husbands, they encourage others to disrespect their husbands. And this doesn’t mean you don’t disagree with your husband but you do so respectfully, privately.”

Women who are quarrelsome, who are nags, they are not submitting in accordance to the Bible, Driscoll says.”  More and video at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/25/mark-driscoll-nagging-wives-torture-megachurch_n_3157069.html

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The sermon on WGN TV this morning:

Christ's Second Coming: What Are the Signs.

 

Transcript at: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-program/jesus-christ/christs-second-coming-what-are-signs

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On This Day:

Mussolini is executed, Apr 28, 1945:

“On this day in 1945, "Il Duce," Benito Mussolini, and his mistress, Clara Petacci, are shot by Italian partisans who had captured the couple as they attempted to flee to Switzerland.

The 61-year-old deposed former dictator of Italy was established by his German allies as the figurehead of a puppet government in northern Italy during the German occupation toward the close of the war.

He and his mistress made it to the Swiss border, only to discover that the guards had crossed over to the partisan side. Knowing they would not let him pass, he disguised himself in a Luftwaffe coat and helmet, hoping to slip into Austria with some German soldiers. His subterfuge proved incompetent, and he and Petacci were discovered by partisans and shot, their bodies then transported by truck to Milan, where they were hung upside down and displayed publicly for revilement by the masses.”

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Muhammad Ali refuses Army induction, Apr 28, 1967:

“On April 28, 1967, boxing champion Muhammad Ali refuses to be inducted into the U.S. Army and is immediately stripped of his heavyweight title. Ali, a Muslim, cited religious reasons for his decision to forgo military service."

On April 28, 1967, with the United States at war in Vietnam, Ali refused to be inducted into the armed forces, saying “I ain’t got no quarrel with those Vietcong.” On June 20, 1967, Ali was convicted of draft evasion, sentenced to five years in prison, fined $10,000 and banned from boxing for three years. He stayed out of prison as his case was appealed and returned to the ring on October 26, 1970, knocking out Jerry Quarry in Atlanta in the third round. On March 8, 1971, Ali fought Joe Frazier in the “Fight of the Century” and lost after 15 rounds, the first loss of his professional boxing career.  On June 28 of that same year, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction for evading the draft.”

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Yesterday:

Misty and I went to get Jay for morning church in Conroe.

During the time when we pray for people who are having troubles, it came to light that one of the ladies in the congregation was at Boston during the bombings.  She is OK, but still bandaged up.  Then the elder asked the Praise Team to lead everyone in a special hymn called “Have you Counted the Cost?”, which was very soul searching.  We both enjoyed the sermon called “Excellence for the Gospel”, about “What does it take to be a Christian.”

We hurried home as my daughter was arriving.   Wendy and I had a nice evening, and she spent the night.  It was a great day.