tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45507634826296438512024-03-27T01:36:48.088-05:00Penny's Tuppence (2 cents in Brit)LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.comBlogger2642125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-36985929115112354632024-03-24T12:51:00.001-05:002024-03-24T12:51:56.470-05:00Why Did Jesus Stay Around For 40 Days? Christ Offered One Sacrifice for Sins Forever. Cancer-Causing NDMA in Medications and Meat.<p>.</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://billygraham.org/"><a href="https://billygraham.org/answers"><img style="margin: 0px 25px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="" src="https://static.billygraham.org/sites/billygraham.org/uploads/prod/2007/07/1960-Holy-Land-BG-at-Tomb2_web.jpg" width="300" align="left" height="200" /></a></a></li> <h3>“Q:Why did Jesus stay around for 40 days after He came back from the grave, instead of going immediately into heaven? This came up in our Bible class the other day and no one seemed to have an answer.</h3> </ul> <hr /> <h3>A: One reason Jesus stayed on earth for 40 days after <a href="http://peacewithgod.net/?utm_source=bgmainsite&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=pwg+internal&utm_content=His%20resurrection&outreach=His%20resurrection">His resurrection</a> instead of ascending immediately into heaven was to demonstrate to His followers that He truly was alive.</h3> <p>After all, they knew the Roman authorities had <a href="http://peacewithgod.net/?utm_source=bgmainsite&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=pwg+internal&utm_content=put%20Jesus&outreach=put%20Jesus">put Jesus</a> to death, and that His body had been taken down from the cross and sealed in a tomb. And when that happened, they were filled with despair and fear; many even went into hiding. They had <a href="https://peacewithgod.net/who-is-the-messiah/">believed Jesus was the promised Messiah</a>—and now their hopes were shattered. They had forgotten His promise that He would return from the grave, and they felt they had no future.</p> <p>But when Jesus appeared among them after the resurrection, their lives were changed. The greatest miracle in all history had just taken place: <font face="Arial Black">Jesus Christ was alive!</font> During those 40 days, He appeared to various groups of disciples, proving beyond doubt to them that he had been raised from the dead by the power of God. Over two decades later, the Apostle Paul wrote that <em>“he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living”</em> (1 Corinthians 15:6).</p> <p>Another reason, however, why Jesus stayed on earth then was to teach His disciples, and prepare them for the task of telling the world about Christ. Is your faith in the risen Christ, and are you seeking to share His message of salvation with others?”  From: <a title="https://billygraham.org/answer/why-did-jesus-stay-around-for-40-days-after-he-came-back-from-the-grave-instead-of-going-immediately-into-heaven/" href="https://billygraham.org/answer/why-did-jesus-stay-around-for-40-days-after-he-came-back-from-the-grave-instead-of-going-immediately-into-heaven/">https://billygraham.org/answer/why-did-jesus-stay-around-for-40-days-after-he-came-back-from-the-grave-instead-of-going-immediately-into-heaven/</a></p> <h5><font size="3">Jesus left His followers with an assignment: “<em>Go therefore and make disciples of all nations”</em> (Matthew 28:19). </font><a href="https://billygraham.org/story/is-evangelism-outdated/"><font size="3">Wondering if that command is still relevant?</font></a></h5> <p><a href="https://billygraham.org/answer/why-did-jesus-stay-around-for-40-days-after-he-came-back-from-the-grave-instead-of-going-immediately-into-heaven/#related">MORE STORIES</a></p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://billygraham.org/story/is-jesus-the-only-way-to-heaven/">Is Jesus the Only Way to Heaven?</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://billygraham.org/story/billy-grahams-my-answer-why-man-rebelled-against-christ/">Billy Graham: Would You Have Welcomed Jesus or Rejected Him?</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://billygraham.org/story/will-graham-devotion-when-my-grandfather-entered-heaven/">Will Graham Devotion: When My Grandfather Entered Heaven</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://billygraham.org/story/is-it-wrong-to-long-for-heaven-billy-grahams-answer/">Is It Wrong to Long for Heaven? Billy Graham’s Answer</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://billygraham.org/story/what-do-you-say-to-someone-who-doesnt-believe-in-heaven/">What Do You Say to Someone Who Doesn’t Believe in Heaven?</a></p> </li> </ul> <h6> <h6><font size="3">_________</font></h6> <h4><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Christ Offered One Sacrifice for Sins Forever</font></h4> <p><strong><font size="3">Hebrews 10:12</font></strong></p> <p><em><font size="3">“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.</font></em></p> <h5> <font size="3">The book of Hebrews shows how the Old Testament sacrificial system was designed to point to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The priests of the tribe of Levi were told to regularly offer animal sacrifices. These sacrifices were to remind the people that sin requires the shedding of blood.</font></h5> <p><font size="3">Sin offerings of animals, though a costly reminder of sin, did not remove the sins or the death penalty we each earn by sin. Hebrews 10:4 explains,<em> “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.”</em> The animal sacrifices were a symbol of the true sacrifice—Jesus Christ.</font></p> <p><font size="3">As the Son of God and Creator, Jesus Christ’s life is worth far more than the lives of all humans who will ever live. His one death more than paid the death penalty for all who will repent and seek forgiveness.</font></p> <p><font size="3">For more about the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ and what our response should be to it, see “</font><a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/repentance/what-is-repentance/"><font size="3">What Is Repentance?</font></a><font size="3">”</font></p> <p><font size="3"><font size="3">Listen to the "Verse by Verse" episode covering this scripture at: </font><a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/christ-offered-one-sacrifice-for-sins-forever/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=291402661&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_VmTP9fY2efs-xnk1-zNpinI6X5daIrtJ5293fCMR8EpOYACCZkyi0U6Nykju6w37GctRUCrg3NW-BapDd4S7SLVLoRw&utm_content=291402661&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/christ-offered-one-sacrifice-for-sins-forever/?"><font size="3">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/christ-offered-one-sacrifice-for-sins-forever/?</font></a></font></p> <h5> <p><font size="2"></font></p> <a href="https://info.lifehopeandtruth.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=ce172a10-f3a4-4427-927b-b4fd84cc380d&signature=AAH58kGIKfX1U__wP37XC6I8CBty8AOU-A&placement_guid=007fc57c-766b-475f-9b15-9a04f236675b&click=84bf9183-8617-44f5-bad0-322371f866be&hsutk=66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8&canon=https%3A%2F%2Flifehopeandtruth.com%2Fbible%2Fblog%2Fchrist-offered-one-sacrifice-for-sins-forever%2F%3Futm_campaign%3DDaily+Bible+Verse+Emails%26utm_medium%3Demail%26_hsmi%3D291402661%26_hsenc%3Dp2ANqtz-_VmTP9fY2efs-xnk1-zNpinI6X5daIrtJ5293fCMR8EpOYACCZkyi0U6Nykju6w37GctRUCrg3NW-BapDd4S7SLVLoRw%26utm_content%3D291402661%26utm_source%3Dhs_email&portal_id=4038266&redirect_url=APefjpHhcqDbaLUvs9Gzt3W7MZlBB2FwF5zjdlCzfpy1V8Ernzl2VdX96Q2_Dhj5LZ811GDlyR4YtGA-nDcJDeCUrkdX9sMxvT-L6Imqo5bA9K6MhLB4eu5-1xIeB91v7at5h8wA_7lHp95w_24g0VI-zqC8-JAmgVsSiVPp-ZvCOsTgmfEvrkqAmeYOQY22utGdrfpKVLPrdf2q4jzOzXFc6oW_Ct0ZVeuB0Yh3yQMVYvDxYR9JixuHweyZ3mzKTUrDhguxrMOi98JiOH3vuumRIafsOHCY6w&__hstc=158510245.66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8.1594138209486.1710932290718.1711300337655.1187&__hssc=158510245.1.1711300337655&__hsfp=3618436984"><img alt="New Call-to-action" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4038266/hub_generated/resized/353640be-ec87-4696-b5b2-594079476238.jpeg" width="477" height="165" /></a></h5> <p><font size="2">________</font></p> <h3><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Cancer-Causing NDMA in Medications (Zantac, Metformin) and Meat</font></h3> <p><font size="3">Transcript of video at: </font><a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/cancer-causing-ndma-in-medications-zantac-metformin-and-meat/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/cancer-causing-ndma-in-medications-zantac-metformin-and-meat/"><font size="3">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/cancer-causing-ndma-in-medications-zantac-metformin-and-meat/</font></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial Black">Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.</font></p> <p><font size="3">“Billion-dollar drugs pulled from the market for carcinogenic contamination less than that found in a single serving of grilled chicken.</font></p> <p><font size="3">In 2018, one of the bestselling blood pressure drugs, valsartan—sold as Diovan—was found to be contaminated by the “probably carcinogenic” nitrosamine known as N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). It’s believed that approximately 20 million people worldwide were prescribed the drug tainted with this contaminant whose cancer risk has been shown to exceed that of many known potent carcinogens, including asbestos, benzo[a]pyrene, and PCBs.</font></p> <p><font size="3">The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimated that taking the drug for a few years could cause cancer in as many as 1 in 8,000 people, whereas the European equivalent of the FDA estimated the cancer risk could be as high as 1 in 5,000. It is unlikely, researchers wrote in this Spring 2019 paper, that drugs like valsartan are a unique case. And indeed, a few months later, the FDA announced it had found NDMA in ranitidine.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Ranitidine, the acid reflux drug sold as Zantac, is one of the most prescribed drugs on the planet, in addition to being sold over the counter. Give people a single tablet and the amount of NDMA flowing through their bodies jumps up more than a hundred-fold.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Then in 2020, some formulations of metformin, a popular diabetes drug sold as Glucophage, were found to be contaminated. The finding of NDMA in common medicines led the FDA to call for the immediate withdrawal of all Zantac from store shelves, yanking the drug from the market because their testing showed NDMA levels could in some circumstances exceed the acceptable daily intake limit of 96 nanograms per day. It was so bad that the FDA found levels of this carcinogenic contaminant NDMA in Zantac similar to the levels you would expect to be exposed to if you ate grilled or smoked meats!</font></p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Wait, what?</font></p> <p><font size="3">NDMA has not only been found in contaminating drugs. It is a known byproduct from pesticide manufacturing, leather tanning, and tire plants, and is found in multiple foods and beverages, including <font face="Arial Black">processed meat and beer.</font> Now that we know NDMA can transfer through the placenta, this may explain the relationship between maternal cured meat consumption during pregnancy and the risk of childhood brain tumors. For example, hot dog consumption during pregnancy may increase childhood brain tumor risk by 33 percent or sausage consumption may increase it by 44 percent. Bacon consumption may increase childhood brain tumor odds by 60 or 70 percent. But it’s not just processed meat. Researchers have found it in poultry products as well.</font></p> <p><font size="3">A single serving of chicken contains more than 100 nanograms of NDMA. Remember how the FDA said the acceptable daily intake limit is 96 nanograms per day? Half of a chicken breast contains 110.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Now, raw poultry doesn’t have any; it’s the cooking process. In fact, the dry-heat cooking of meat, like broiling or grilling, even creates airborne NDMA, releasing this very potent carcinogenic compound into the air. So, even if you’re only getting a salad or something in a charcoal grill restaurant, just being indoors where meat is being cooked could pose a significant cancer risk.</font></p> <p><font size="3">These nitrosamines are also found in cigarette smoke, and pressure was put on the tobacco industry to try to remove them, arguing that there is simply no logical reason why a removable carcinogen should be allowed to remain in a consumer product. That’s the same reason Zantac was yanked from store shelves.</font></p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Okay, so let me get this straight.</font></p> <p><font size="3">One of the best-selling drugs in history was pulled from the market—a drug that brought in billions of dollars—because it contained a probable carcinogen that exceeded the acceptable daily limit, but there may be more of the contaminant in a single serving of chicken! So, my question is: why aren’t they pulling the poultry off the shelves as well?”  From: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/cancer-causing-ndma-in-medications-zantac-metformin-and-meat/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/cancer-causing-ndma-in-medications-zantac-metformin-and-meat/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/cancer-causing-ndma-in-medications-zantac-metformin-and-meat/</a></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial Black">________</font></p></h6>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-68789849166503795022024-03-17T16:03:00.001-05:002024-03-17T16:03:49.110-05:00Do You Feel Lucky Today? St. Patrick's Day. How to Keep Yourself Off the Operating Table.<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Do You Feel Lucky Today?</font></h3> <h4><img title="Do You Feel Lucky Today?" style="margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Do You Feel Lucky Today?" src="https://www.ucg.org/files/styles/full_grid9_breakpoints_theme_top_hat_mobile_1x/public/image/article/do-you-feel-lucky-today_1.jpg?timestamp=1512418282" width="240" align="left" height="171" /><small>Photos.com</small></h4> <h4><font color="#0000a0">“Good luck, bad luck, no luck and even luck that can follow you—is this really what controls your future?</font></h4> <p>Across the globe the seemingly harmless Irish tradition of having to wear green on March 17 so the <font face="Arial Black">luck of the Irish</font> will be with you has saturated our society. What's all the fuss over a man called St. Patrick that has resulted in widespread partying and celebration?</p> <p>Even more widespread is the concept of luck, a seemingly supernatural force that swings the odds of circumstances in people's favor or against them. Is this acceptable from a biblical perspective? Should we be wishing others "Good luck"?</p> <p>As St. Patrick's Day comes around, it's a good time to take a hard look at luck.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Irish tradition</font></h5> <p>Throughout the past 1, 500 or so years, traditions have grown, folklore has spread, and "luck" has sprouted in our everyday language. The leprechaun and icons like the color green, the shamrock and the pot o' gold have all come to be associated with the celebration of St. Patrick's Day.</p> <p>Legend states that St. Patrick used the shamrock or three-leaved clover to explain the Trinity. Its three leaves supposedly represented the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Eventually, the custom was adopted of wearing a shamrock on his feast day. (The Trinity doctrine, however, is unbiblical—for more information, request our free booklet <a href="http://www.ucg.org/booklet/god-trinity">Is God a Trinity?</a>)</p> <p>A shamrock is different from a four-leaf clover. According to Celtic tradition, when a four-leaf clover is found, it is said to represent God's grace, with the four leaves standing for faith, hope, love and luck.</p> <p>Ironically, the real Patrick would probably have frowned on the traditions associated with his feast day—as well as the holiday itself.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">What's with luck?</font></h5> <p>Of course, the concept of luck or fortune is not exclusive to Irish tradition. We find it throughout human history and throughout the world today.</p> <p>We now hear phrases like "good luck with the job interview," or "good luck on that test." While many deem this merely an expression of hoping for the best outcome, not really believing in luck, others take the concept of luck more seriously.</p> <p>Some things associated with luck seem harmless, like wishing on a star, shooting stars, wishing wells, lucky trinkets or fairies. But there are underlying issues here that need to be raised.</p> <p>Over the years luck has become like a god in society. Luck seems to decide things like your fate, car accidents, test scores, the job hunt, pay raises or even the answer you'll be given about that date you want to go on this Saturday night. People believe luck controls things and that it provides different opportunities for different people. Decisions are even based on it. Consider that many skyscrapers have no 13th floor—as 13 is considered unlucky.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">No luck with the Bible</font></h5> <p>Looking to the Bible, we find that it gives no credibility to luck. In the first of the Ten Commandments, God states,<em> "You shall have no other gods before Me"</em> (Exodus 20:3). The intent of His command here is that nothing is to take a higher priority in our lives than Him! This first command warns us to not accept a religion or philosophy that teaches that our life and well-being originate or depend on anything other than the one true God.</p> <p>As He often does, God colorfully portrays the utter foolishness of making gods of wood and stone, but the biblical nations of ancient Israel and Judah manufactured as many fake deities as the number of cities in the land of Judah (Jeremiah 2:27-28). <em>"See if <font face="Arial Black"><u>they</u></font> can save you in the time of your trouble!"</em> God taunted them and modern mankind (compare verse 28). Today our peoples still trust in worthless and inanimate things to save us—such as weapons, money and even actual idols by seeing power in crosses, religious statues and good luck charms.</p> <p>God even laments over His people rejecting Him <em>"and offering food and wine to the gods you call ‘Good Luck' and ‘Fate'"</em> (Isaiah 65:11, Contemporary English Version). Any credit to luck is really a form of idolatry.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">No luck at all</font></h5> <p>Maybe you've heard people say, "I know luck doesn't exist, but good luck anyway!" Perhaps they're conceding that there may be luck after all—or maybe they just don't know how else to wish someone well. They could simply say, "Do well" or "All the best." Or they could look to God, saying, "God be with you" or "God bless you" (yet only if He is truly sought).</p> <p>After all, true power is with God, not with luck. As the Bible tells us: <em>"Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things … by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; not one is missing … The Creator of the ends of the earth neither faints nor is weary"</em> (Isaiah 40:26-28).</p> <p>Using luck in our vocabulary and lives may seem harmless. But God is jealous for His people. He truly loves you and desires the best for your future. It does not please Him when we turn to fables and smooth phrases that announce our dependence on anything but Him. Everything we are and have ultimately comes from God. The only reliable assurance that our future is secure lies in our relationship with our Creator, not some ominous luck, wishes, stars or leprechauns.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">God beats luck any day</font></h5> <p>God wants us to understand that we must never direct our worship toward anything He has created, or regard it as<font face="Arial Black"><u> the source</u></font> of our life and blessings. Worship only the Creator—never the creation. He is the sole miracle-working God who provides blessings, hopes and a promised future of eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Rainbows, waterfalls, clovers, stars and the rest of the creation were created for us to enjoy and use as a wonderful and beautiful environment to live in. We don't bow down, pray or make requests to any aspect of the creation.</p> <p>So where are you placing your trust, faith and hope? That's a vital question for each of us.</p> <p>God's ultimate plan and desire for us is that we live forever in His eternal family and Kingdom: <em>"Now we are children of God … we know that when He [Jesus Christ] is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" </em>(1 John 3:2).</p> <p>That is the purpose for which we have been created! Luck has nothing to do with it! Wishing wells, wishing on a star or making a wish when blowing out birthday candles simply skew and corrupt our relationship with our Creator.</p> <p>There is <font face="Arial Black"><u>one</u></font> source of blessings. There is<font face="Arial Black"><u> one</u></font> way into the Kingdom of God. There is one sacrifice that removes the penalty of <font face="Arial Black"><u>our</u></font> personal sins. God alone is that true source—not luck!”  From: <a href="https://www.ucg.org/vertical-thought/do-you-feel-lucky-today">Do You Feel Lucky Today? | United Church of God (ucg.org)</a></p> <p>_________</p> <font color="#c0504d">St. Patrick & St. Patrick's Day</font> <p>“Who was this Patrick guy, anyway? Known as the patron saint of Ireland, he's an almost mythological figure in the Christian world, with tall tales of his legendary exploits known far and wide.</p> <p>Theologian and historian James Moffatt said, “So much legend and fiction has been written about him that one is almost led to believe that there were two individuals—the real Patrick and the fictitious Patrick” (<em> </em>The Church in Scotland , 1882, p. 140).</p> <p>There are few hard facts about Patrick’s life, but we can draw some reasonable conclusions from what we do know.</p> <p>Patrick is credited with establishing the Roman Catholic Church throughout Ireland. But does history match tradition? Moffatt commented, “He should not be placed where certain historians seem determined to assign him … He was in no way connected with the type of Christianity which developed in Italy” (ibid).</p> <p>As it turns out, Patrick probably wasn’t even Catholic! His belief system was evidently quite different than that of continental Europe.</p> <p>It’s probable that Patrick even honored God’s seventh day Sabbath! “It seems to have been customary in the Celtic churches of early times, in Ireland as well as Scotland, to keep Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, as a day of rest from labor” (ibid).</p> <p>Other historical records and Patrick’s own writings reveal him to have been closer to biblical instruction than to traditional Christianity. Part of the Bible’s teaching includes rejecting the use of pagan practices in the worship of the true God (<a></a>Deuteronomy 12:29-32).</p> <p>The real Patrick likely wouldn’t even have approved of observing his own namesake holiday! This holiday on March 17 was supposedly to commemorate his death, but that date was in fact the time of the Roman Bacchanalia—celebrating the god of wine and partying. It seems the pagan party goes on in another guise. Bear that in mind when March 17 comes around. Forget the leprechauns, and put God first!” Read the related article “<a href="http://www.ucg.org/christian-living/do-you-feel-lucky-today/"><strong><font color="#c0504d">Do You Feel Lucky Today?</font></strong></a> above.</p> <p>_________</p> <h4><font size="3">How to Keep David Letterman (and yourself) Off the Operating Table</font></h4> <p><strong>by Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., MD    <strong>March 1, 2011</strong></strong></p> <p>“Last Friday night Barbara Walters television special highlighted six celebrities and their thoughts and emotions surrounding their open heart surgery.  Barbara Walters, Robin Williams, and Charlie Rose had valve surgery, while President Clinton, Regis Philbin, and David Letterman had bypass surgery for coronary artery disease.  Few would challenge that the stage of illness of these celebrities did not require surgical intervention. The real eye-opener of the show was David Letterman’s remark that he fully expected a second bypass operation in the future.  The sober resignation to an inevitable recurrence is what we must challenge vigorously.</p> <p>Let’s be clear: <font face="Arial Black">coronary artery disease is a food borne illness and need never exist.</font>  If the gifted surgeons identified in the television special had opened their offices in rural China, the Papua Highlands of New Guinea, Central Africa or among the Tarahumara Indians of Northern Mexico, they would need to take on second jobs.  Why all the empty waiting rooms? <font face="Arial Black">These cultures have a plant based nutrition no coronary artery disease, and no need for bypass surgeons or stents.</font></p> <p>The key to our vascular health is the innermost single layer of endothelial cells which line our blood vessels. Those cells produce nitric oxide molecules, which smooth blood flow, enlarge blood vessels on demand, inhibit inflammation in the blood vessel wall, and most importantly prevent the formation of blockages or plaque.</p> <p><font color="#c0504d">So how does nitric oxide fail?</font></p> <p>Every time we eat a western diet of oils, dairy, meat, fish, poultry, and caffeine in coffee we injure our endothelial cells and <font face="Arial Black">deplete our protective level of nitric oxide.</font>  Autopsies of 20 year olds dying of accidents, homicides, and suicides confirm coronary artery disease is now ubiquitous (albeit still in an early stage.)  Continued nutritional insult to endothelial cells leads to plaque blockages, chest pain, heart attacks, strokes, and the need for stents and bypass surgery. Cardiologists agree these procedures are a temporary patch job and have nothing to do with the cause of the disease.</p> <p>What about cholesterol?  Cholesterol is an innocent bystander in plant based populations with healthy uninjured endothelium and copious amounts of nitric oxide.  Once nitric oxide levels fall with the introduction of the western diet, the endothelial tissues become sticky allowing cholesterol to burrow into the vessel wall, creating plaque buildup and blockages, and<font face="Arial Black"> impeding blood flow</font>.</p> <p>Lowering cholesterol is helpful, <font face="Arial Black">but the key is to avoid eating foods that further injure the endothelium.</font>  That has been the focus of our counseling goal with patients since 1985.  It is also why we have been able to successfully treat this disease through dietary intervention in hundreds of patients with the technique described in my book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.   With this dietary approach the endothelium can <font face="Arial Black">rapidly recover its nitric oxide production,</font> halt disease progression, and often achieve significant disease reversal.  As a result, patients rarely require stents or bypasses.</p> <p>Note to David Letterman: Your fate is on your fork.</p> <p><font color="#c0504d">Why don’t physicians offer the plant based nutrition option to their patients?</font></p> <p>1.    They are not taught nutrition and are unfamiliar with the efficacy of a plant based approach. <br />2.    They don’t have time for patient nutritional counseling. <br />3.    They often lack the skill set for behavioral modification. <br />4.    Insurance support for counseling is sparse. <br />5.    The status quo offers a handsome income stream.</p> <p>The cure for the coronary artery disease epidemic is not a pill, a procedure, or an operation.  The cure is to empower the public with nutritional literacy and to make each individual the locus of control when it comes to protecting their health and vanquishing this food borne illness.</p> <p>Since the time of Hippocrates there has been a covenant of trust between the physician and the patient. Informing patients of the causes of their disease is a crucial part of that trust. In the case of coronary artery disease, that conversation is not taking place. While stents and bypass surgery may be lifesaving in an emergency, all too often at the first sign of disease, these invasive procedures are employed, with all the associated morbidity and mortality.</p> <p>We perform 1.2 million stents annually in the United States, with a mortality of 1% and procedural heart attack rate of 4%. This translates to 12,000 deaths  and 48,000 heart attacks every year.  We perform 500,000 bypass operations with a mortality rate of 3% and similar procedural stroke rate.  This totals 15,000 deaths and 15,000 strokes annually.  Over a decade these procedures result in 270,000 deaths, 480,000 heart attacks, and 150,000 strokes.</p> <p>More than forty years ago brilliant pioneers set the interventional mode of cardiology treatment in motion.  Back then it was all we had.  However, today with an understanding of this disease causation we have the powerful option to halt and prevent this epidemic. This can never happen while symptomatic therapy reaps enormous financial rewards. Change would also be disruptive for powerful institutions.  The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), which subsidizes the animal food industry, constructs a food pyramid for the public every five years laden with nutrition suggestions that further promote, rather than prevent, disease.<font face="Arial Black">  The $5 billion stent and $25 billion statin drug industry are hardly anxious to see this epidemic go away.</font>  Few interventional cardiologists or cardiac surgeons are seeking fewer patients.</p> <p>As heart-warming as Barbara Walters’ television special on celebrity heart surgery was, just imagine a one-hour primetime special devoted to educating the public that coronary artery disease—our number one killer—need never exist and that our fate is in our hands.  Maybe David Letterman could host.”  From: <a title="https://www.dresselstyn.com/site/letterman/" href="https://www.dresselstyn.com/site/letterman/">https://www.dresselstyn.com/site/letterman/</a></p> <p>________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-73028492032004680712024-03-09T18:31:00.001-06:002024-03-09T18:31:00.990-06:00Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Three Days and Three Nights. Increased Lifespan from Beans.<p>.</p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">3 Things You May Not Know About Maundy Thursday and Good Friday</font> </p> <p><img style="margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="3 Things You May Not Know About Maundy Thursday and Good Friday" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Flifehopeandtruth.com%2Fcache%2Fimages%2F3-things-you-may-not-know-about-maundy-thursday-and-good-friday_725_482_80.jpg&t=1710025808&ymreqid=5e5a7487-6b7e-5472-2c4e-9c0213010000&sig=8b_2xPRSoi5okuh2D09SHQ--~D" width="298" align="left" height="198" /><font face="Arial">Devout Catholics participate in a Good Friday procession.</font></p> <p>“Reflecting on Jesus’ death is sobering. Unfortunately the timing is rarely understood. Do Maundy Thursday and Good Friday fit the timing in the Bible?</p> <p>Churches will soon be packed with some of their largest attendances of the year. The “CEOs” (Christmas and Easter Only attendees) will make one of their semiannual appearances for Easter, the most holy observance of the year for mainstream Christianity. Good Friday, which occurs two days before Easter Sunday, is also significant as the most solemn occasion because it recalls the crucifixion of Christ.</p> <p>Most professing Christians understand that Jesus died so our sins can be forgiven. What is <font face="Arial Black"><u>not</u></font> common knowledge is the timing of His death, which has been hidden by the establishment of Easter and its closely related <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/blog/is-lent-in-the-bible/">observances of Lent</a>, Palm Sunday, Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/holy-days-vs-holidays/sign-of-jonah/">in lieu of the biblical festivals</a> observed by Jesus, His apostles and the first-century Church.</p> <p>If you sincerely want to honor Christ at this time of year, you need to know the <font face="Arial Black"><u>real</u></font> story—the one that shows us the correct timing of His death and how to properly commemorate this event.</p> <p>Doesn’t Christ deserve the respect to have the true, biblical history of His death told and remembered on this sobering occasion?</p> <p>In that light, here are three important things to know about Maundy Thursday and Good Friday:</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">1. Of all the man-made holidays, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are the only ones that claim to commemorate something Jesus said to commemorate.</font></h5> <p>On the evening before His crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples to keep the Passover as an annual festival <em>“in remembrance of Me” </em>(<a>Luke 22:19</a>; <a>1 Corinthians 11:24-25</a>).</p> <p>In teaching the Corinthians to observe this solemn service, Paul told them that through this memorial they would<em> “proclaim the Lord’s <font face="Arial Black">death</font> till He comes</em>” (<a>verse 26</a>, emphasis added throughout).</p> <p>Jesus never commanded Christians to celebrate His birth or resurrection. Rather, His instruction was for us to memorialize His death—something that Maundy Thursday and Good Friday actually do attempt to do.</p> <p>But does that mean you should observe Maundy Thursday and Good Friday?</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">2. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday aren’t the biblical names of the observance that commemorates Christ’s death.</font></h5> <p>The terms <font face="Arial Black">Maundy Thursday</font> and<font face="Arial Black"> Good Friday</font> appear nowhere in the Bible. But the Bible does talk about another festival to honor Christ’s death: the Passover.</p> <p>The New Testament Passover established by Christ Himself includes taking bread and wine. The bread represents His broken body and the wine represents His shed blood (<a>Matthew 26:26-28</a>).</p> <p>Churches vary in how often they partake of the symbols of bread and wine. Some take these symbols daily, some monthly and some on Maundy Thursday. But the Bible instructs us to observe it only once a year on a specific day (<a>Leviticus 23:5</a>). When we take the Passover symbols of unleavened bread and wine, we annually<em> “proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes”</em> (<a>1 Corinthians 11:26</a>).</p> <p>Observing the Passover is a memorial of Christ’s death. Jesus did not die on many different days throughout the year. He died on only<font face="Arial Black"><u> one</u></font> day, and He observed the Passover on the prescribed evening before the day of His death.</p> <p>Passover is the annual festival that reminds us of Christ’s death. To learn more about this observance, see “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/passover/">Passover: What Did Jesus Do for You?</a>” and “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/blog/questions-and-answers-about-the-passover/">Questions and Answers About the Passover</a>.”</p> <p><a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/infographics/chronology-of-christs-crucifixion-and-resurrection/"><img alt="3 Things You May Not Know About Maundy Thursday and Good Friday" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Flifehopeandtruth.com%2Fcache%2Fimages%2FCOGWA-3Days3Nights-R3_472_397.png&t=1710025808&ymreqid=5e5a7487-6b7e-5472-2c4e-9c0213010000&sig=KPw_SOeEwtf4ccCPSoMQhA--~D" width="660" height="555" /></a></p> <p><a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/infographics/chronology-of-christs-crucifixion-and-resurrection/">Download "The Chronology of Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection" infographic.</a></p> <p>This chart includes the key events during this momentous week, demonstrating how Jesus’ promise to rise after three days and three nights was fulfilled, proving He is the Messiah.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">3. Jesus didn’t die on a Friday.</font></h5> <p>Today documentation is commonly recorded for births and deaths. While we don’t have these same types of records from the first century giving us the exact day of Christ’s death, the Bible does give us enough details to show that Jesus definitely didn’t die on a Friday.</p> <p>Let’s begin with the best known facts about Christ’s death. The Bible clearly tells us: <em>“Now after the Sabbath [Saturday], as the first day of the week [Sunday] began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb,”</em> but Jesus was not there because He had risen (<a>Matthew 28:1, 6</a>). So Jesus had already been resurrected by <font face="Arial Black"><u>very early</u></font> Sunday morning.</p> <p>The next biblical key to note is that Jesus said,<em> “As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”</em> (<a>Matthew 12:40</a>). We can also note that Jesus died at about 3 p.m., the ninth hour after sunrise, and was buried that evening shortly before the beginning of <em>a</em> Sabbath (<a>Matthew 27:46-50</a>, <a>57, 62</a>).</p> <p>People have assumed that the Sabbath mentioned in these verses is a Saturday, leading them to the conclusion that Jesus died on a Friday—hence the name <font face="Arial Black">Good Friday.</font> But there is a problem with this timeline. There simply are not three days and three nights between Friday evening and Sunday morning. There aren’t even parts of three days and three nights in this time period between Friday evening and Sunday morning (as some have tried to interpret the three days and three nights).</p> <p><q>The biblical fact is, Jesus died on a Wednesday—not on a Friday as many believe.</q> A careful reading of a companion scripture explains this apparent dilemma. <a>John 19:31</a> tells us that the day Jesus was buried preceded a <em>“high day”—</em>a designation reserved for an annual Sabbath, which could fall on<font face="Arial Black"><u> any</u></font> day of the week and not necessarily Saturday. In fact, Jesus was buried just prior to the beginning of the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread—an annual Sabbath.</p> <p>The weekday timeline that fits the facts we have noted is easily constructed. Jesus observed the Passover with His disciples on Tuesday evening. He was crucified and died on Wednesday, buried near sunset on Wednesday prior to the beginning of the annual Sabbath called the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and resurrected three days and three nights later near sundown on Saturday, the weekly Sabbath. When the women arrived at the tomb early Sunday morning, they discovered that He had already been resurrected.</p> <p>The fact that there were two Sabbaths during the timeline of Jesus’ burial and resurrection is confirmed by several Bible translations, including the International Standard Version, which translates <a>Matthew 28:1</a>: <em>“After the <font face="Arial Black">Sabbaths,</font> around dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to take a look at the burial site.”</em> The annual Sabbath occurred on Thursday that year; the weekly Sabbath, on Saturday.</p> <p>The biblical fact is, Jesus died on a Wednesday—not on a Friday as many believe. Interestingly when we look at the years for God’s holy days falling on the days of the week indicated by the Scriptures, we find that Jesus died on the 14th day of the first month of the Hebrew calendar in A.D. 31."   From: <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/3-things-you-may-not-know-about-maundy-thursday-and-good-friday/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/3-things-you-may-not-know-about-maundy-thursday-and-good-friday/</a></p> <p>_________</p> <h4><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Three Days and Three Nights</font></h4> <p><strong>Matthew 12:39-40</strong></p> <p><em>But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”</em></p> <h5><font size="2">Listen to the "Verse by Verse" episode covering this scripture.</font></h5> <p>In our <a href="https://cogwa.org/about/fundamental-beliefs/?__hstc=158510245.66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8.1594138209486.1709935113834.1710026418850.1180&__hssc=158510245.1.1710026418850&__hsfp=2114859846">Fundamental Beliefs</a> “8. Three Days and Three Nights,” we state, “Jesus Christ was raised from the dead by the Father after His body lay for three days and three nights in the grave. The length of time that He was in the grave was the only sign He gave to prove He was the Messiah.”</p> <p>Jesus had done many miracles, but still the Pharisees sought<em> “how they might destroy Him”</em> (Matthew 12:14). So Jesus didn’t offer them more miracles as a sign, only this reference to the length of time He would be in the grave.</p> <p>Strangely, though, most Christians today do not believe that Christ was literally three days and three nights in the grave as He promised, since it is not possible to count three days and three nights between Good Friday afternoon and Easter Sunday morning.</p> <p>For a detailed explanation of the biblical chronology of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, including a helpful chart, see “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/holy-days-vs-holidays/sign-of-jonah/">Sign of Jonah: Did Jesus Die Good Friday, Rise on Easter?</a>” From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/three-days-and-three-nights/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=292605399&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_ipQmgvy7vb7SxQHDlIFkWRge4q_X-XxGrlMA0qUX20c_W5L3L1B1oirdAReU6L7PGnLaBYrmtnGbIQkxvaYVXr2FyWA&utm_content=292605399&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/three-days-and-three-nights/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/three-days-and-three-nights/</a></p> <p>_________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Increased Lifespan from Beans</font></h3> <p>“The intake of legumes—beans, chickpeas, split peas, and lentils—may be the single most important dietary predictor of a long lifespan. But what about concerns about intestinal gas?”</p> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/increased-lifespan-from-beans/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/increased-lifespan-from-beans/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/increased-lifespan-from-beans/</a></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.</font></p> <p>“Legumes may be “the most important…predictor of survival in older people” from around the globe. They looked at “five [different] cohorts in Japan, Sweden, Greece, and Australia.” And, of all the food factors they looked at, only one was associated with a longer lifespan across the board: legume intake. Whether it was the Japanese eating their soy, the Swedes eating their “brown beans and peas,” or those in the Mediterranean eating “lentils, chickpeas, and white beans,”…”[o]nly for legumes intake was the result plausible, consistent, and statistically significant from [the] data” across all the populations combined. We’re talking an “8% reduction in risk of death for every 20 grams increase in daily legumes intake.” That’s just like two tablespoons’ worth! So, if a can of beans is 250 grams, and you get 8% lower mortality for every 20 grams, maybe, if we eat a can a day, we’ll live forever? Let’s find out!</p> <p>If you want to increase your lifespan, eat beans. If, however, you’re suicidal, and want to decrease your lifespan, “A bean-free diet” may increase the risk of death.</p> <p>So, having arrived at the one dietary fountain of youth, what’s the #1 reason people aren’t clamoring for them? Fear of flatulence. So, is that the choice we’re left with? Breaking wind or breaking down? Passing gas or passing on? Turns out that “[p]eople’s concerns about excessive flatulence from eating beans may be exaggerated.”</p> <p>Add a half-cup of beans every day to people’s diets for months, and what happens? What’s the #1 symptom? Nothing. The vast majority of people experienced no symptoms at all—though a few percent did report increased flatulence. So, it may occur in some individuals. But, “not all people are affected.” Even among those that were, “[s]eventy percent or more of the participants who experienced flatulence felt that it dissipated [no pun intended] by the second or third week of bean consumption”. So, we’ve just got to stick to it.</p> <p>And, you know, a small percentage reported increased flatulence on the control diet without <font face="Arial Black"><u>any</u></font> beans. People have preconceived notions about beans, such that “just the expectation of flatulence from eating beans may influence their perceptions of having gas.” They didn’t actually measure farts in this study; they just asked people what their perception of the amount of gas they had was. And, we know from previous studies that you give someone a product labeled to contain something that may cause intestinal distress, and it causes more intestinal distress whether it actually contains the ingredient or not. In other words, “just thinking they were eating [it] caused digestive distress, or the perception of it, to a proportion of persons.”</p> <p>So, people thinking beans are going to cause gas may just be more likely to notice the gas they normally have. Either way, it tends to go away; “after a few weeks of daily bean consumption, people perceive that flatulence occurrence returns to normal levels.”</p> <p>In this other study, where they added <font face="Arial Black"><u>more </u></font>than a half a cup of kidney beans to people’s daily diets, the research subjects reported that the discomfort they initially felt within the first day or two of adding beans “quickly disappeared.” So, again, stick with it.</p> <p>Bottom line (no pun intended!): “An increasing body of research and the [latest] Dietary Guidelines…supports the benefits of a plant-based diet, and legumes specifically, in the reduction of chronic disease risks.” In some people it “may result in more flatulence initially.” However, doctors should emphasize that it “will decrease over time” if we just keep it up.</p> <p>And, “the nutritional attributes of beans in the diet outweighs the potential for transitory discomfort. The long-term health benefits of bean consumption are great.” And, indeed, eating beans in the <font face="Arial Black">long term</font> may make your term—on Earth—even longer.” From: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/increased-lifespan-from-beans/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/increased-lifespan-from-beans/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/increased-lifespan-from-beans/</a></p> <p>_________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-33435525098402643652024-03-05T10:34:00.001-06:002024-03-05T10:34:05.716-06:005 Things Christ Will Undo and Redo at His Return. Should Christians Keep Mardi Gras? How does Plant-Based Eating Benefit Your Health?<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">5 Things Christ Will Undo and Redo at His Return</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 23px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="5 Things Christ Will Undo and Redo at His Return " src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/5-things-christ-will-undo-and-redo-at-his-return_684_454_80.jpg" width="241" align="left" height="160" />“Mankind has done much damage to this earth, but God has a plan to fix man’s many mistakes. What will Christ “undo” and “redo” when He returns to earth? </p> <p>As a software developer, I consider “undo” to be an essential tool, and I use it often. When making changes to software, I occasionally realize I made a mistake. The easiest way to fix that mistake is to undo the changes I made and go back and do it right. I am fortunate to use an editor that remembers changes I made even after it has been closed. </p> <p>Wouldn’t life be great if we could undo our past mistakes and have a redo? Though life doesn’t provide us such an option, God has a plan that will undo the damage we humans have done to this earth, to one another and to ourselves. His plan is in motion and soon will be evident to all mankind when Jesus Christ returns to earth to establish God’s Kingdom here.</p> <p>Under Christ’s perfect government, mankind will learn to “redo” life, but this time following the perfect laws of God.</p> <p>Let’s consider some of the major things that will be<font face="Arial Black"> <u>undone</u></font><em> </em>and <font face="Arial Black"><u>redone</u></font><em> </em>after Christ’s return.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">1. Swords and plowshares</font></h5> <p><strong>Undo</strong><strong>:</strong> War between nations.</p> <p><strong>Redo</strong><strong>:</strong> Peaceful, mutually beneficial relationships between nations.</p> <p><q>After Christ returns, He will teach the nations His law, which is based on love </q>Just before Christ returns to the earth, there will be a period of intense worldwide warfare when people will be beating<em> “plowshares into swords”</em> and <em>“pruning hooks into spears”</em> (<a>Joel 3:10</a>). This is ancient language describing implements of food production (which sustains life) being turned into implements of warfare (which destroys life).</p> <p>But after Christ returns, He will teach the nations His law, which is based on love (<a>2 John 1:6</a>). When godly love is understood and practiced on an international level, the nations will turn <em>“swords [back] into plowshares” </em>and <em>“spears [back] into pruning hooks”</em> (<a>Micah 4:3</a>).</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">2. Food shortages</font></h5> <p><strong>Undo</strong><strong>:</strong> Hunger and malnutrition affecting millions of people.</p> <p><strong>Redo</strong><strong>:</strong> An abundance of food where everyone’s needs are met.</p> <p>As we covered above, after Christ returns, the nations will no longer devote their economic resources to warfare and defense, but will instead redirect their economies to food production. Christ will restore an emphasis on agriculture that will allow the nations to sustain healthy populations. The prophet Amos foresaw a world where the <em>“plowman shall overtake the reaper”</em> (<a>Amos 9:13</a>).</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">3. Dangerous animals</font></h5> <p><strong>Undo</strong><strong>:</strong> The instinctual nature in many wild animals that makes them dangerous to humans and each other.</p> <p><strong>Redo</strong><strong>:</strong> A transformed nature of wild animals that makes them docile, tame and harmless.</p> <p>In the creation described in the first two chapters of Genesis, there was perfect harmony between the animals and mankind. But when Adam and Eve sinned and were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, they found many wild animals were now hostile to human beings. Christ will change the violent natures of animals so they will dwell safety with one another and with mankind (<a>Isaiah 11:6-9</a>).</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">4. Knowledge of God</font></h5> <p><strong>Undo</strong><strong>:</strong> Rejection of God and His laws.</p> <p><strong>Redo</strong><strong>:</strong> Acceptance of God and His laws in every aspect of life.</p> <p>In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul described the current state of humanity as being in rebellion against God (<a>Romans 1:28</a>). But Christ will make God’s beneficial laws undeniable. He will lead an educational system based on the ways of God. It will eventually lead to the knowledge of God covering the earth <em>“as the waters cover the sea”</em> (<a>Isaiah 11:9</a>). The prophet Jeremiah foresaw a time when everyone will know God (<a>Jeremiah 31:34</a>).</p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">5. God’s Sabbath and festivals</font></p> <p><strong>Undo:</strong> Ignorance of God’s Sabbath and festivals.</p> <p><strong>Redo:</strong> Knowledge and observance of the Sabbath and festivals.</p> <p>Within God’s law are holy times: the weekly Sabbath (<a>Exodus 20:8-11</a>) and annual festivals (Leviticus 23). Not only are these days when we are to worship God, they also reveal the <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/festival-meaning/">major stages of His plan</a>. These days will be observed by the entire world after Christ returns (<a>Isaiah 66:23</a>, <a>Zecharia</a><a href="https://info.lifehopeandtruth.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=4cdc9edd-b0a7-48f4-bfa3-156cce69870e&signature=AAH58kENqTV_UNFozdf01lagE6JSzvq7Kw&placement_guid=971dc28d-7281-4ab2-8caa-4ccda25cdec4&click=efa19e86-abfb-42db-8552-e882506887b8&hsutk=66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8&canon=https%3A%2F%2Flifehopeandtruth.com%2Fprophecy%2Fblog%2F5-things-christ-will-undo-and-redo-at-his-return%2F&portal_id=4038266&redirect_url=APefjpFVXIg5FFls0taa1WLoV4oLp-oq5c02F_O-RPZoqYLfINH5Y8ac-b7CVt4jKrqZVkxgdeNmLHy6_mWlV0Yqvlg7JKuviMzjiRDtdQ8qretNqgk1XWZyAzIHSFlvJAyLn96FS3wAhRURSLq5oCubEZ9pQRp8Eh5ReeNDt-0TeNs5HFoZ5OYhKoQUS3iQm3VljJYOeThM7av0qloARMFxu87b8cD_bCgUoU8PZGPVaVE5gPnpHn7idTT4LAprYtemQpuZ_XgyKRPB0hybEX5YmRu-CuLcRLsh8UIFDMR2MrpIUyEPCdM&__hstc=158510245.66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8.1594138209486.1708957714684.1709074265050.1174&__hssc=158510245.1.1709074265050&__hsfp=2114859846"><img style="float: right; display: inline;" alt="The Mystery of the Kingdom free booklet" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4038266/hub_generated/resized/5218fbe0-484a-4291-8d43-a4117dc18c0c.jpeg" width="185" align="right" height="64" /></a>h 14:16).</p> <p>This covered just a few aspects of our world that will be undone and redone after Jesus Christ returns. To learn more about this future time, download our free booklet <a href="https://info.lifehopeandtruth.com/the-kingdom-of-god">The Mystery of the Kingdom</a>.   From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/5-things-christ-will-undo-and-redo-at-his-return/?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=77024691&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_ZyraIoRzBZ2RusNrMvdPkmoXucfSwKHbcZPCAQcF1jZ-jLDqo-SmkLwHszJ8E2J1RBA47PBi5fv20IZHbE-BJrjKRyQ&_hsmi=77072644" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/5-things-christ-will-undo-and-redo-at-his-return/?">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/5-things-christ-will-undo-and-redo-at-his-return/?</a></p> <p>________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Should Christians Keep Mardi Gras?</font></h3> <p><font size="3">Transcript of video at:</font> <a title="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-dailys/should-christians-keep-mardi-gras" href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-dailys/should-christians-keep-mardi-gras ">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-dailys/should-christians-keep-mardi-gras </a></p> <p><font color="#0000a0" size="3">Mardi Gras has its roots in religious tradition. But what does the Bible say?</font></p> <p>[Steve Myers] “Colorful costumes and masks and pageantry. That's all surrounding Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is one of those traditions where...    sometimes I'll talk about the fact that it reminds me of the three Ds. There's dancing in the streets, there's drunkenness and debauchery. That kinda categorizes Fat Tuesday. That's literally what the term Mardi Gras means. Religiously it's called Shrove Tuesday because that's the day before Lent. Lent of course being more of a Catholic kind of a tradition that's rooted in pagan holidays. And what would happen at Lent is that you would give up something for Lent. And so before you give something up, you certainly want to overindulge and fatten up and, you know, get into food and drink and all those things so that you can then put that behind you and repent for the rest of this religious season.</p> <p>But when you really think about the implications of that religiously, it's really ridiculous. In modern carnival traditions and celebrations all around the world and whether it's in New Orleans or Rio or Nice, France. These are areas where they'll often celebrate for weeks, leading up to that time. When we lived in New Orleans for a while, I remember they talk about Fat Tuesday, and then instead of Ash Wednesday, they'd call it Trash Wednesday because there was so much junk leftover from these Mardi Gras celebrations. Well, is that something we should have any part in? These Catholic traditions that are not really based in the Bible at all. I mean, there's a couple of interesting aspects when you consider this. I was thinking of the passage that's found in Romans 13:13. It says the basic things. As Christians it says, "<em>Let's walk properly in the day, not in revelry or drunkenness."</em></p> <p>Of course on TV, they'll show the parties and the fun but they don't show all of those types of things because that would certainly take away from the tourism of all those areas of the world. Romans goes on, <em>"don't walk in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy."</em> And it's kind of a reminder, those are the things we should give up, but that's not good enough. This whole aspect of Mardi Gras and Lent, I think it is something that miss directs us to what the truth of God's word really is. Yes, we've got to give up lewdness and drunkenness and revelry and all those types of things that are against God's way of life. But Romans points out, it's not just about giving something up. We have to put something on and so verse 14 in Romans 13 says,<em> "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust."</em></p> <p>And so that's an important aspect of Christianity, true Christianity. We not only put off those things that are wrong, but we've got to take it a step farther. We've got to put on everything that's right. So when you begin to hear about Mardi Gras celebrations, and all of those types of things in this upcoming Lent season that this religious world will keep, remember, <font face="Arial Black">it's not rooted in the Bible.</font> In fact, let it remind you of the fact we need to put off the ways of the world, but more importantly then, put on Jesus Christ.”  From: <a title="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-dailys/should-christians-keep-mardi-gras" href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-dailys/should-christians-keep-mardi-gras">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-dailys/should-christians-keep-mardi-gras</a></p> <p>________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">How does Plant-Based Eating Benefit Your Health?</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 14px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="father holding broccoli high-five daughter" src="https://www.heart.org/-/media/Images/Healthy-Living/Healthy-Eating/father-daughter-high-five-broccoli.jpg" width="235" align="left" height="157" /></p> <p>Whether you’re considering eating less meat or giving it up entirely, the benefits are clear: less risk of disease and improved health and well-being. Consuming less meat decreases the risk of:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/consumer-healthcare/what-is-cardiovascular-disease">Heart disease</a>. </li> <li><a href="https://www.stroke.org/en/">Stroke</a>. </li> <li>Obesity. </li> <li><a href="https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure">High blood pressure</a>. </li> <li><a href="https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/about-cholesterol">High cholesterol</a>. </li> <li><a href="https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/diabetes/about-diabetes">Type 2 diabetes</a>. </li> <li>Many cancers.</li> </ul> <p>Meat is often loaded with cholesterol and saturated fat, which have starring roles in poor heart health. And processed meats, including deli meat, bacon and sausage, often have too much sodium and other additives, and should be limited. However, if you want to include meat into your eating plan, choose lean meats. Be sure to include skinless poultry, seafood, fish, beans, nuts and legumes, too, because they are healthy sources of protein.</p> <p>Diets or eating styles that do not or restrict meat include:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Vegan</strong> — entirely plant-based, excluding meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey and any product that comes from an animal.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Vegetarians</strong> — a plant-based diet, but may include dairy and eggs.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Flexitarian</strong> — a vegetarian diet that sometimes indulges in meat or fish but mostly sticks to plant foods.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Plant-based </strong>— a style of cooking and eating that emphasizes plant-based foods but is not strictly limited to them. Meat may be included, but it’s usually not the main feature of the meal.</li> </ul> <h4>Lean protein</h4> <p>Not eating meat does not mean you can’t get enough protein in your diet. In fact, many people eat more than enough protein, especially from animal foods. There are plenty of other foods that can provide you with protein, such as tofu, edamame, quinoa, sorghum, lentils, chickpeas and most beans and legumes. And there are many good sources of protein from vegetables, too, including artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, corn, peppers, spinach, sweet potatoes and turnip greens. Did you know that every plant we eat has some protein in it? So, the more vegetables you eat, the more protein you’ll consume.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Not all plant-based diets are healthy</font></h5> <p>Don’t replace meats with highly processed meat substitutes or “vegan junk food.” Instead choose high-quality, nutrient-dense plant-based foods. A recent study showed that eating primarily these types of food, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, legumes and nuts, was associated with a lower risk of death from cardiovascular diseases. The researchers concluded that even if you’ve eaten a poor diet for half your life, adding more healthy plant foods as an adult can help reduce your risk.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Making the switch</font></h5> <p>Going plant-based is not as difficult as you may think. In fact, getting started can be as easy as 1-2-3!</p> <ol> <li>Search for some <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/collections/lifestyles/vegetarian">vegetarian recipes</a> that are easy to prepare and sound appealing to you and your family. </li> <li>Choose ingredients and flavors you know your family will enjoy. </li> <li>Try meatless Mondays! Experiment with a meatless meal once a week, then add more days as you get used to it.”           </li> </ol> <p>Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisors. <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/about-us/editorial-guidelines">See our editorial</a></p> <p>From: <a title="https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/how-does-plant-forward-eating-benefit-your-health" href="https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/how-does-plant-forward-eating-benefit-your-health">https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/how-does-plant-forward-eating-benefit-your-health</a></p> <p>_________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-55085422971663405912024-02-20T09:59:00.001-06:002024-02-20T09:59:01.079-06:00What Does Your Appearance Say About You? Slaves of Sin or Slaves of Righteousness? What You Should Know About Plant-Based Diets.<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">What Does Your Appearance Say About You?</font></h3> <p><img title="What Does Your Appearance Say About You?" style="margin: 0px 11px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="What does your appearance say about you?" src="https://www.ucg.org/files/styles/full_grid9_breakpoints_theme_top_hat_mobile_1x/public/image/article/what-does-your-appearance-say-about-you_1.png?timestamp=1512418282" width="319" align="left" height="228" />“While sitting in a waiting room, waiting for an eye exam, an elderly gentleman walked in whose appearance caught my eye. He had a nice suit on with a very nice wool overcoat. His shoes where so shiny you could probably see yourself in them. I can assure you I did not try. I thought to myself, this guy is rich, probably a CEO. As I looked around the room, everyone else was dressed in their jeans and one lady even had holes in her jeans. When I looked at the other people in the room, and how they were dressed, I certainly was not left with the same impression as I with the immaculate dressed elderly gentleman.</p> <p>It made me think about our appearance. We know that God looks at the heart, and that is what is most important. But, our appearance leaves a message in others peoples minds. What does our appearance say about us? What is the first impression that people see when they see you? Does appearance mean anything? Is your appearance modest? Do we strive to wear our very best for the occasion? The main question we should also ask is does our appearance represent God? We are representative of God in our behavior and in our dress. We should dress as Ambassadors for the coming Kingdom of God. We should dress to honor God.</p> <p>You do not have to spend a lot of money to look well dressed. Many thrift or second hand stores have great clothing for a low budget. You can find great quality clothes at these second hand shops. I know after seeing this gentleman it made me want to try harder and dress better because I know our appearance projects an image of us and of God, especially if they know we are Christians.</p> <p>We want our appearance to project a high quality person, a representative of God! So always remember when you get ready to go somewhere what does your and my appearance say to others and am I representing God as an Ambassador?” From: <a title="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/what-does-your-appearance-say-about-you#comments" href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/what-does-your-appearance-say-about-you#comments">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/what-does-your-appearance-say-about-you#comments</a>.  Yes, there are lots of comments to read about this, too! </p> <p>_________</p> <h4><font size="3">Slaves of Sin or Slaves of Righteousness?</font></h4> <p><strong>Romans 6:15-16</strong></p> <p><em>What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?</em></p> <p>“The apostle Paul, after describing in Romans 5 the incredible sacrifice of Jesus Christ to pay the penalty of our sins and make possible the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life, saw the need to explain more fully.</p> <p>We can do nothing to “earn” forgiveness or eternal life, but that doesn’t mean that God wants us to continue sinning. Obviously if God hates sin so much that He requires the death penalty for sin, He does not want us to go back to doing it. Sin causes pain and suffering and death. Obeying God’s law produces right relationships and life.</p> <p>Paul points out that humans must choose whom they will serve: either sin leading to death or obedience to God’s good and righteous law, which leads to being right with God. Those are the only two choices; and as God said long before, He wants us to choose obedience and <em>“choose life”</em> (Deuteronomy 30:16-19).</p> <p>For more about sin and God’s law, see “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/10-commandments/the-ten-commandments/">The 10 Commandments for Today</a>.” From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/slaves-of-sin-or-slaves-of-righteousness/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=288182567&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-980jJylGzysGLWzPQzC44icFnayORMix56lDyWLEJzCeYZOOZHtvwPrHYpCT_GM0rLTVOh_nFqX-Bi9n60EUyCzCwIuQ&utm_content=288182567&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/slaves-of-sin-or-slaves-of-righteousness/?">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/slaves-of-sin-or-slaves-of-righteousness/?</a></p> <p>________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">What You Should Know About Plant-Based Diets</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="eating veggies in a buddha bowl" src="https://health.wordpress.clevelandclinic.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2012/10/veggieBuddhaBowl-1130112004-770x533-1.jpg" width="244" align="left" height="169" />“Learn the pros, cons and safe ways to remove meat products from your diet </p> <p>Thinking about trying out a plant-based diet and want to know more? Here, dietitians Kate Patton, MEd, RD, CSSD, LD, and Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, explore some details that can help you decide if it’s right for you — and if so, how to jump right in.</p> <h5><strong><font color="#c0504d" size="3">What is a plant-based diet?</font></strong></h5> <p>These vegan-like diets eliminate all animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy and honey. As the name suggests, everything you eat — including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds — is derived from plants.</p> <h5><strong><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Are plant-based diets healthy?</font></strong></h5> <p>Research reflects that following a plant-based diet has significant health benefits as long as you do it correctly.</p> <p>“No matter when you start, a diet that is focused on plant foods will help you work toward the prevention of many illnesses and feeling better overall,” Zumpano says.</p> <p>If followed properly, a whole foods, plant-based diet limits the use of oils, added sugars and processed foods, leaving only whole foods to provide nutrition. This maximizes nutrient intake and virtually eliminates foods that can lead to poor health outcomes.</p> <p>These diets are low in saturated fat, free of cholesterol, and rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.</p> <p>Research also reveals that following this type of diet will lower your risks of:</p> <ul> <li>Heart disease. </li> <li>Hypertension (high blood pressure). </li> <li><a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/7104-diabetes-mellitus-an-overview">Diabetes</a>. </li> <li>Digestive disease. </li> <li>Colon and breast cancers. </li> <li>Obesity.</li> </ul> <p>Studies also show that a plant-based diet can help to lower body weight and reduce your LDL cholesterol.</p> <h5><strong><font color="#c0504d" size="3">The cons of a plant-based diet</font></strong></h5> <p>Following a plant-based diet means saying goodbye to all animal products — including lean meat and dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream.</p> <p>“That’s easier said than done for many of us,” Patton says. “But when you have the right guidelines and wrap in changes over time, replacing animal products in your diet is possible.”</p> <p>Another thing to note — if you don’t plan your plant-based diet correctly, you may not meet all your protein, vitamin and mineral needs. And you won’t feel or look your best if you develop a nutritional deficiency. But there are easy ways to make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need.</p> <h5><strong><font color="#c0504d" size="3">How to get enough protein</font></strong></h5> <p>You’ll want to make sure that your diet includes enough protein to maintain muscle mass, strong bones and healthy skin. The following foods are packed with protein:</p> <ul> <li>Beans, lentils and split peas. </li> <li>Quinoa. </li> <li>Fermented Soy products like tempeh, tofu, soybeans and soy milk. </li> <li>Nuts and seeds.</li> </ul> <h5><strong><font color="#c0504d" size="3">How to get enough vitamins and minerals</font></strong></h5> <p>You’ll also need to get adequate calcium and vitamin D in your diet to ensure healthy bones. This won’t be difficult if you:</p> <ul> <li>Drink a milk alternative such as soy, almond, rice or hemp milk, which contain both calcium and the vitamin D needed to absorb it. </li> <li>Eat plenty of dark green leafy lettuce and beans which contain calcium. </li> <li>Eat mushrooms and fortified cereals which contain vitamin D. If you aren’t consuming fortified foods on a consistent basis you’ll need to take a vitamin D supplement. Sunlight is another source of vitamin D.</li> </ul> <p>You’ll also need enough zinc in your diet to support a healthy immune system, enough iron to maintain energy and immunity and enough vitamin B12 to produce red blood cells and prevent anemia. This means you’ll want to:</p> <ul> <li>Eat whole grains, beans and fortified cereals for zinc and iron. </li> <li>Eat fortified cereals and soy products to get your vitamin B12. </li> <li><a href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/tag/nutrition/">Nutritional</a> yeast is also a great source of vitamin B12.</li> </ul> <h5><font size="3"><font color="#c0504d"><strong><font color="#c0504d">How to get started</font></strong> on a plant-based diet</font>  …………..</font></h5> <h5><font size="3">Continued at: </font><a title="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-a-plant-based-diet-right-for-you" href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-a-plant-based-diet-right-for-you"><font size="3">https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-a-plant-based-diet-right-for-you</font></a></h5> <p>__________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-90132542612440193182024-02-11T11:00:00.001-06:002024-02-11T11:00:48.476-06:00What Is Marriage? 1 & 2. Farmed Fish vs. Wild-Caught.<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">What Is Marriage? 1  (Special thoughts for Valentine’s Day)</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 18px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="What Is Marriage?" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/What-is-marriage_825_460_80_c1.jpg" width="294" align="left" height="164" />“The Creator God made humans male and female, and He made the institution of marriage. He tells us why He created it and what marriage is supposed to be.</p> <p>There is only one original source on earth where you can find out how, when, where and why marriage began. More copies of this book—the Holy Bible—have been published than any other written work, yet it is little understood. But by going to it, you can find an understanding of the meaning of marriage.</p> <p> </p> <p><font color="#c0504d">Summing up what the Bible teaches about marriage</font></p> <ol> <li>God designed marriage to be a lifelong, faithful relationship between one man and one woman. </li> <li>Adam was created first and was initially the lone human. From one of his ribs God lovingly formed a woman and presented her to Adam. They were<em> “one flesh,”</em> and she was the perfect complement to Adam. Together they formed a whole, and together they were able to build a family, having and raising children together. </li> <li>Because of sin, polygamy and divorce entered. Christ said divorce was only allowed in Israel because of their hardness of heart. While God does provide provisions for a marriage to dissolve under some circumstances, it is an extremely painful experience. God didn’t want His children to hurt one another in that manner. </li> <li>Through the words of Jesus Christ and the apostles, we can see that God’s perspective of marriage as a loving, monogamous relationship between one man and one woman has not changed. In the New Testament God reaffirms it and shows how very important fidelity within marriage is.</li> </ol> <p><a href="https://info.lifehopeandtruth.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=c862e201-39a1-4383-85cd-e790cc01a924&signature=AAH58kHT7IdUAqccjDOjWUJuv-ripcrbaA&placement_guid=b026dc6b-d37e-4564-b0fe-ff75e69a5e96&click=933bc194-c69c-403f-8afd-ec152c9db6c1&hsutk=66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8&canon=https%3A%2F%2Flifehopeandtruth.com%2Frelationships%2Fmarriage%2Fwhat-is-marriage%2F&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Flifehopeandtruth.com%2Frelationships%2Fmarriage%2F&portal_id=4038266&redirect_url=APefjpGkFup-sZlMmaV7KHzc0KYBMZfG4Pr4uP1Y8Owx7BOODuyE_f_AcCLna1XtqT2lpGaRy2tMIX5WMFMQg48_G_YS4gHdsIru6947W6er9f_d8iwRMuB9hJTjoPkSVem6fRQg3V_Y417Kr5UyVUodHYO3XyG8zh8MBJaGOuz4zIlYXRh9YsvWaDlI0On6TuETA7m79nkhjUzA6BDdgnnjAukV0AJ1PHbvbQ44uM3PwasbkL_feOZy0thY_aIzIiAkr_QTFVWU3nJ1EQpr8wN48mRkooARYidbOWiAhK_5GLAMOhPV_hyhDnq1ozFAnLEp0F39rS43&__hstc=158510245.66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8.1594138209486.1707399026711.1707668964978.1156&__hssc=158510245.5.1707668964978&__hsfp=779430203"><img style="margin: 0px 16px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="God's Design for Marriage Booklet" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4038266/hub_generated/resized/2940e94c-198b-4b39-ba8b-4a46266cbdec.jpeg" width="291" align="left" height="100" /></a>Men and women are different by design, intended to complement each other. And it is only through the marriage relationship that God intended children to be brought into the world—to be raised and taught under the loving, thoughtful care of their mother and father.</p> <p>If you would like to read further about how to have a happy marriage, this “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/marriage/">Marriage</a>” section has many related articles for you to read. You will be glad you did!”  Complete article at: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/marriage/what-is-marriage/" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/marriage/what-is-marriage/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/marriage/what-is-marriage/</a></p> <p>________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">What Is Marriage?  2</font></h3> <p>“Some topics are more personal than others and tend to trigger more emotional reactions. Food and holidays, for example. Or “is that dress white and gold or blue and black” and, of course, marriage and sexual relations.</p> <p>Although the Bible has a lot to say about marriage, it never explicitly answers the question, “What is marriage?” Probably for the same reason it doesn’t give a precise definition for travel, war, and sacrifice. Everyone in the Bible’s original audience already knew what marriage was, so why waste expensive paper and ink explaining it.</p> <p>Our world, on the other hand, has become so full of confusion that we need to spell out even the most basic ideas. So, let me begin at the beginning…</p> <p>Adam gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field, but <strong>the man could not find a helper fit for him</strong>. So YHWH God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And <strong>the rib that YHWH God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man</strong>. Then the man said, <em>“This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman (ishah), because she was taken out of Man.”</em> <strong>Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.</strong>      Genesis 2:20-24</p> <p>This passage gives us the three most important elements of the definition of marriage.</p> <ol> <li>Marriage exists to help a man fulfill his assigned role in Creation. </li> <li>Marriage is meant to be a lifelong union of a man and woman. </li> <li>Marriage was instituted by God from the very beginning.</li> </ol> <h4>Marriage Exists to Help Man Fulfill His Mission</h4> <p>Although Genesis 1:28 records that the first collective mission of mankind was to be a caretaker over the earth and all life on it, Adam’s first individual assignment was to evaluate all of the other creatures to see if one of them might serve as a special helper for him. Of course, God knew that none of them would, but he had Adam go through this process so that the man would also know. When Adam was satisfied that none of the animals would meet his requirements, God created a woman, whom Adam named Eve.</p> <p>Adam and most other creatures were created from the ground, but Eve was created directly from Adam. God didn’t create Eve from Adam’s head or foot, but from his side, showing that she wasn’t supposed to rule over him nor be his slave, but was supposed to be a peer. The woman was to be more like the man than any other creature in heaven or earth, a counterpart who would rule over and care for the earth together with him.</p> <p>Eve wasn’t created to be exactly like Adam, though, or else God would have created another man and made them hermaphrodites or capable of <a href="https://infogalactic.com/info/Parthenogenesis">parthenogenesis</a>. Woman shares in the collective purpose of mankind as God’s stewards on earth, but each woman does so primarily by assisting her husband in his individual mission.</p> <blockquote> <p><em>For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.    </em>1 Corinthians 11:8-9 ESV</p> </blockquote> <p>I know that doesn’t sit well with many people, but it is the plain teaching of Scripture. Eve was created specifically <a href="https://www.americantorah.com/2021/02/26/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-help-meet/">to be a helper for Adam</a>, and Paul asserts that this principle applies within all marriages.</p> <p>While the original task of humanity was to be a caretaker of God’s creation, the Fall necessitated a change in mission parameters. Our task now is to expand the Kingdom of God through procreation, evangelism, establishing justice, and generally doing good works according to God’s standards of justice and good. How each individual and family participates in this mission varies in as many ways as there are individuals and families, but you can know this with absolute certainty: A woman’s divinely appointed mission will never be at odds with her husband’s.</p> <p>All kinds of things can prevent us from fulfilling marriage’s full purpose: illness and other circumstances that might be out of our control, the husband isn’t fulfilling his calling, or the wife isn’t fulfilling hers. However, our circumstances and failings can’t change the reason God created marriage.</p> <h4>Marriage Is a Lifelong Union</h4> <p>Genesis 2:24 says that the relationship of Adam and Eve is to be a pattern for all marriages, that a new marriage is inaugurated when a man leaves his father and mother to become one flesh with his wife.</p> <p><em>“One flesh”</em> implies that they are united in a way that would be painful and unnatural to separate and Yeshua (Jesus) confirmed this understanding when he said <em>“They are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”</em> (See Matthew 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-9.)</p> <p><em>“Leaves his father and mother”</em> doesn’t necessarily mean that he physically leaves their dwelling place. The Scriptural example is for extended families normally to live close together, frequently on the same land, and obedience to God’s instructions for the use of the land in Israel requires this. What this statement actually means is that the man steps outside of the nuclear family unit into which he was born and creates a new family still under the broad umbrella of his father’s clan and tribe.</p> <p>This also doesn’t mean that marriage <font face="Arial Black">cannot</font> be ended. God hates both divorce and death, but both happen, whether for good or bad, and both end a marriage. I’ll write more about this another time, but the Torah, Prophets, Yeshua, and Apostles all discuss when it is and is not appropriate to end a marriage. Divorce should be avoided because it breaks something that God didn’t want to be broken, but it is still possible.</p> <h4>Marriage Was Instituted by God</h4> <p>From the very beginning, God intended mankind to be male and female and to be joined in a union that he uses as a metaphor of his relationship with Israel.</p> <p>Like the Sabbath, marriage was created for mankind’s benefit. Both parties, as well as their children, benefit from the arrangement, especially if it is conducted according to all of God’s instructions. However, also like the Sabbath, God created marriage because it suited his purposes. Every good master provides his servants with the tools necessary to accomplish his assigned tasks. The servant benefits because his job is made easier and more enjoyable. The master benefits because the servant is able to do a better job with greater economy.</p> <p>Also like the Sabbath, marriage is not a man-made custom and man doesn’t get to define it. People today insist that they can make marriage whatever they want it to be: a man and another man, a woman and herself, and every other perversion one can imagine. Yet, Yeshua said that marriage is <em>“what God has joined together”,</em> so there can be no real question on this score. God makes the rules, not us.</p> <p>Marriage was the very first government and was created by God to serve as the core of ministry, labor, justice, and civilization. It is a model of God and of our relationship to God and, as God is one (Hebrew <font face="Arial Black">echad</font>), man and woman are to be one in spirit and flesh. Marriage benefits us and was created to help us in the work for which we were created, but ultimately both we and marriage belong to God and we have a responsibility to him to protect and honor it.”  From: <a title="https://www.americantorah.com/2023/03/27/what-is-marriage/" href="https://www.americantorah.com/2023/03/27/what-is-marriage/">https://www.americantorah.com/2023/03/27/what-is-marriage/</a></p> <p>_______</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Farmed Fish vs. Wild-Caught</font></h3> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/farmed-fish-vs-wild-caught-2/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/farmed-fish-vs-wild-caught-2/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/farmed-fish-vs-wild-caught-2/</a></p> <p>“The levels of industrial pollutants found in aquaculture.</p> <p>Although the levels of dioxins and PCBs continue to decline, there is one dietary source that still remains a threat: fish. Everything eventually washes into the sea. Yes, we can get some from eating horses, but most of human dioxin exposure comes from eating fish. The World Health Organization puts the tolerable upper daily limit of intake at 1 picogram—one trillionth of a gram. As you can see, <font face="Arial Black">just eating dairy</font> and we’re already skirting with the max, and fish takes us straight over the top.</p> <p>Everyone agrees that the omega-3 fatty acids, like DHA, found in fish, are healthy. But, given the industrial contaminants in fish, as a recent analysis in <font face="Arial Black">Food and Chemical Toxicology</font> concludes: “If people choose to get their recommended long-chain omega-3 intake from fish, the majority of consumers would exceed the safety limits for dioxins and dioxin-like substances (like PCBs).”</p> <p>And, <font face="Arial Black">just like with eggs</font>, factory-farmed fish have significantly more dioxins. In fact, for every toxin tested, farmed fish had higher levels of DDT, these other banned pesticides, over ten times more PCBs, and ten times more dioxins than wild-caught fish. Aquaculture fish can be considered farmed and dangerous.”</p> <p><font face="Arial Black">To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by <strong>Dianne Moore</strong>.</font></p> <p>_________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-6159700472741469542024-02-06T16:31:00.001-06:002024-02-06T16:31:49.305-06:00Seven Keys to Coping With the Trials and Tribulations of Life. Whose Prayers Won’t God Hear? Are Calcium Supplements Safe?<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Seven Keys to Coping With the Trials and Tribulations of Life</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 28px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Seven Keys to Coping With the Trials and Tribulations of Life" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/Seven-keys-to-coping-with-lifes-trials_833_460_80_c1.jpg" width="241" align="left" height="133" />“Sometimes life is tough! In troubling times we often turn to God, but do we pray for the things that will help us cope? Here are seven vital elements to request of God.</p> <p>If you have never experienced any difficulty in life, and never expect to, you can skip this article.</p> <p>Ah, you’re still reading, as I suspected. Because if one thing is certain, it’s that tests and trials and problems do come upon us. They vary in origin, type, intensity and length, but come they will.</p> <p>When we read in <a>1 Corinthians 10:13</a> that <em>“no temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man,”</em>  we can easily list the most common ones. There are health problems, the death of a loved one, financial stress, job troubles, loneliness, mistreatment, troubled relationships, dangerous circumstances, etc. Even blessings, when misused, have turned into trials for some.</p> <p>And when we see unusual trials, none are so rare that others have not faced them as well.</p> <p>No matter how big or small the hardship, how long it lasts, how temporary or permanent the consequences, we have to cope. Sometimes we cope well, and other times we don’t. You may recall examples of both in your own past.</p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">But we don’t have to cope alone!</font></p> <p>Peter says we should be humbly <em>“casting all your care upon Him [God], for He cares for you”</em> (<a>1 Peter 5:7</a>). He knows and understands our needs because <em>“we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin”</em> (Hebrews 4:15). Therefore we can <em>“come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need”</em> (<a>verse 16</a>).</p> <p>What are the needs that we should pray to God about? It’s easy to focus only on what seems obvious—I lost my job, so, God, please help me find work. I’m sick, so, God, please heal me. I’m lonely, so, God, please bring someone into my life.</p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">We may always go to God, but we may not always ask for all the things we really need.</font></p> <p>There is nothing wrong with asking for a specific answer to a specific problem, but is that the only thing we need in order to cope with the trial? Are there other things to ask God for as well, and maybe to ask for <font face="Arial Black">first</font><em>?</em></p> <p>Let’s consider seven needs—keys to surviving life’s trials—to cast upon God in our prayers.</p> <p>First of all, we humans are heavily influenced by emotions, and in times of stress our emotions often fluctuate. We cannot afford to allow an unsettled emotional state to dictate our level of confidence in God. That means we need to …</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">1. Pray for faith</font></h5> <p>Four times Matthew records Jesus using the phrase,<em> “O you of little faith.”</em> Each situation differed, but in each one He identified an enemy of faith—worry, fear, doubt and human reasoning. When life goes well, those are nonissues. But in times of trial, those enemies tend to raise their ugly heads!</p> <p>When the future is uncertain, when life is challenging, it’s not always easy to confidently repeat Paul’s words,<em> “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose”</em> (Romans 8:28).</p> <p>That’s the time to pray,<em> “Father, please strengthen my faith. Help me to remember this.”</em></p> <p><em>“We know that all things work together for good”</em> is a statement of faith, of confidence in what you will see in the future. Faith doesn’t tell us in advance how, or when, or what we will go through, or why it will work that way. Faith just says “we know.”</p> <p>Do we? When God gives us faith, we do!</p> <p>It’s called walking by faith, not by sight (<a>2 Corinthians 5:7</a>). Sight only tells us one thing—when we see God has intervened. Faith tells us He will. We only see the past and present, and even then our perspective is often not very clear. But spiritually, God helps us see what lies ahead.</p> <p>However, accepting that requires belief—faith—in Him, His Word, His way.</p> <p>Why is faith important to God? Because He’s our Father. He’s in control. He wants His children to believe and trust Him.</p> <p>If we have faith that God has the answers and will answer, we must also be willing to wait for Him. That means we need to …</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">2. Pray for patience</font></h5> <p>A scripture telling us to patiently wait for Christ’s return also holds a lesson for patiently waiting for Him to answer our prayers.</p> <p>In James 5:7-8 we read,<em> “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”</em></p> <p><q>Sometimes we say God is in control, but get impatient if He doesn’t control things on our schedule! </q></p> <p>The moment we become impatient, we start living by the clock, not by faith: “I’m running out of time. I need this faster; I want it according to my time frame.” Impatience starts evaluating our situation according to the time passing, and if change doesn’t come when we want, our attitude easily shifts—our faith wavers.</p> <p>Certainly in tough times we want quick relief. That’s understandable. But it’s so important to tell God, “My problem is in Your hands, but help me trust Your timing so I can wait patiently on You.” Patience turns off the clock; it doesn’t put God on our schedule.</p> <p>James reminds us that in times of trial sometimes God is working to build something in us—perhaps an aspect of spiritual character—that doesn’t happen instantly.</p> <p><em>“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing”</em> (James 1:2-4).</p> <p>Letting patience<em> “have its perfect work”</em> isn’t easy, but God can help you with it. Ask Him to!</p> <p>Patience doesn’t imply that we do nothing, however. While patiently waiting for resolution, we must often take action and make decisions. That means we need to …</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">3. Pray for wisdom</font></h5> <p>James also spoke to this: <em>“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him”</em> (1:5).</p> <p>Big problems often require big decisions. When the doctor is asking your permission to treat your sick child in a certain way, how do you, as an untrained person, know what is in your baby’s best interest? That’s pressure, but you can’t escape it. That’s when you need wisdom to sort through all the thoughts that come to mind, wisdom to get the advice you need, wisdom to weigh pros and cons, wisdom to discern what to do when logic fails to clearly tell you.</p> <p>Consider Proverbs 2:3-7:<em> “Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright.”</em></p> <p>Later in the same chapter we read, <em>“When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things”</em> (verses 10-12).</p> <p>Wisdom is a subject far too huge to detail here. These few verses, though, make the point—ask God for it!</p> <p>Humanly, we have our physical, mental and emotional limitations. Knowing our tanks can run dry, we need to find the capacity to be strong. This means we need to …</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">4. Pray for endurance</font></h5> <p>Ephesians 6:13 encourages us to <em>“take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”</em> Sometimes there is nothing left that you can do but stand and ride out the storm!</p> <p><em>“Recall the former days in which … you endured a great struggle with sufferings,”</em> Paul said. <em>“For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise”</em> (<a>Hebrews 10:32, 36</a>).</p> <p>Sometimes we just need to hang on a little longer, not give in, <font face="Arial Black">and not give up.</font></p> <p>James noted,<em> “Indeed we count them blessed who endure”</em> (<a>James 5:11</a>). Do we count as blessed those who quit and give up? Maintaining the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual stamina we need can nearly exhaust us at times, but God can and will grant us strength to endure. <font face="Arial Black">Just ask Him!</font></p> <p>Likewise, most stressful situations in life carry the potential of fearful consequences. That means we need to …</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">5. Pray for courage</font></h5> <p>After the Israelites exited Egypt, they created their own trial, which led to a 40-year stretch of hardship. As that ended, Joshua assumed the reins of leadership when Moses died, and God, knowing new challenges would arise, encouraged him.<em> “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you”</em> (Joshua 1:5).</p> <p>Then, three times in the next four verses, God exhorts him to<em> “be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed</em>.”</p> <p>One needs courage when life is tough, when failure comes, when suffering mounts. And we don’t always have that quality on our own. So turn to God, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16:13, to help you <em>“watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”</em></p> <p>In recent years some fascinating studies of people with life-threatening illnesses indicate that those who maintain a particular mental quality have a stronger capacity to deal with their ordeal. That means we need to …</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">6. Pray for hope</font></h5> <p>Paul listed in 1 Corinthians 13 three of the most important qualities we can possess—faith, hope and love. Love is the greatest, he said, but hope is huge.</p> <p><q>Hope is our vision of what the future holds. It keeps in mind a picture of life that helps us see beyond our present circumstances.</q>Hope is our vision of what the future holds. It keeps in mind a picture of life that helps us see beyond our present circumstances. Faith is the confidence, and hope is the inspiring vision.</p> <p>Perhaps the most dangerous mental state one can be in is hopelessness. Paul’s fervent wish for us was that <em>“the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”</em> (Romans 15:13).</p> <p>Please download our free booklet <a href="https://info.lifehopeandtruth.com/finding-hope-booklet">Finding Hope in a Hopeless World</a> from our LifeHopeandTruth.com website, and never underestimate the need to ask God for hope!</p> <p>Having asked God for all these things—faith, patience, wisdom, endurance, courage, hope—now is the time to …</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">7. Pray for your specific needs</font></h5> <p>Whatever you need—the healing, the job, the friends, the money, the relief, the relationship—yes, ask God for it!</p> <p><a href="https://info.lifehopeandtruth.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=86e9686f-7444-4ad5-9280-205395649e8d&signature=AAH58kFLR4XXlsemW9W0G5wMnwhc81OIzg&placement_guid=f7aa908e-1bae-4128-89be-c2fff1cd0a10&click=50ef30f8-82f3-4506-9e36-3a1ab01b8be0&hsutk=66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8&canon=https%3A%2F%2Flifehopeandtruth.com%2Flife%2Fchristian-living%2Fseven-keys-to-coping-with-the-trials-and-tribulations-of-life%2F&portal_id=4038266&redirect_url=APefjpHh2-HjgUEz8UtEzDt7jlURRNQcXImXwDSDTHwylCM1bIt8-LBwMyTfX68ippHOh5XzLKL_q01WbuxFQs25mcbJ-Jv4S8_g2Lmf_RksvVkFbmxH3IDlvJutNltQ9noEa8fvZw74VUs5_ulDsdHlY7ULzebbu9x3qm4beOdu05z9IfANVuCi1MDVH2WIXz2dWc3bXefHM8IZIyz36qWRDQ292SR1mRSAL0CXg1sd-nCfGiGOdOQHiGSSX9DYKlFinydr_suC&__hstc=158510245.66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8.1594138209486.1706973840490.1707003423516.1149&__hssc=158510245.1.1707003423516&__hsfp=4093333361"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 3px; float: right; display: inline;" alt="Finding Hope in a Hopeless World Booklet" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4038266/hub_generated/resized/64be4ef4-e04d-4048-83b2-ec6dfa76e9c4.jpeg" width="252" align="right" height="103" /></a>Just remember that God knows our strengths and weaknesses, sees things we don’t see, and has the wisdom to know what is best for us. So His answer may be yes, no, maybe or wait.</p> <p>That’s why, when we ask of Him something specific that we believe is the answer to our problem, we need to also ask for faith, patience, wisdom, endurance, courage and hope.</p> <p>When we do that in time of trial, not only can we cope with our situation, but we can thrive in our relationship with Him.”  From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/christian-living/seven-keys-to-coping-with-the-trials-and-tribulations-of-life/?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=292449762&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_UCSe2y9WYSg2U5E2-BTwQfT15ReUuGbM9W5NmqzzxkB1r13F3qOFeE0hFHRElxhB0WgVu8JX9TzxBIosl4q6bAKJGwg&utm_content=292263818&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/christian-living/seven-keys-to-coping-with-the-trials-and-tribulations-of-life/?">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/christian-living/seven-keys-to-coping-with-the-trials-and-tribulations-of-life/?</a></p> <p>________</p> <h4>Whose Prayers Won’t God Hear?</h4> <p><strong>Psalm 66:18</strong></p> <p><em>If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.</em></p> <p>“Does God hear the prayers of sinners? Yes and no.</p> <p>Yes, our merciful God always loves us and works with us, and Jesus Christ even died for us <em>“while we were still sinners”</em> (Romans 5:8). We were all sinners (Romans 3:23), so if God did not hear our cries for forgiveness, there would be no human He would hear. After sinning, David prayed, <em>“Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities”</em> (Psalm 51:9). God heard that prayer.</p> <p>But without repentance, as Isaiah wrote, <em>“Your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear”</em> (Isaiah 59:2).</p> <p>Psalm 66:18 talks about sin<em> “cherished”</em> in the heart (New International Version). <em>“If I have known it was there and encouraged it,”</em> then God wouldn’t listen (Adam Clarke’s Commentary on Psalm 66:18).</p> <p>To be assured God will hear and answer us, we must repent and work to root sin out of our heart with God’s help. See more about repentance in “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/repentance/how-to-repent/">How to Repent</a>.” From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/whose-prayers-wont-god-hear/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=270009421&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8pLCefLAsrgLu4aaoSTpU5qOfZp06mhN1Wj4NGN4T_o7X91ndrqNRXOrBp8sWUi4wk8VBfDEY_cAsLFhOS_hHN8v51-w&utm_content=270009421&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/whose-prayers-wont-god-hear/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/whose-prayers-wont-god-hear/</a></p> <p>________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Are Calcium Supplements Safe?</font></h3> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/are-calcium-supplements-safe/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/are-calcium-supplements-safe/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/are-calcium-supplements-safe/</a></p> <p>“The unnaturally large, rapid, and sustained calcium levels in the blood caused by calcium supplements may explain why calcium from supplements, but not from food, appears to increase the risk of heart attacks.</p> <p>In 12 short years, government panels have gone from suggesting widespread calcium supplementation may be necessary to protect our bones to “Do Not Supplement”. What happened? It all started with a 2008 study in New Zealand. Short-term studies had showed that calcium supplementation may drop blood pressures by about a point. Though the effect appears to be transient, disappearing after a few months, it’s better than nothing. And excess calcium in the gut can cause fat malabsorption, by forming soap fat, reducing saturated fat absorption and increasing fecal saturated fat content. And, indeed, if you take a couple Tums along with your half bucket of KFC, up to twice as much fat would end up in your stool, and with less saturated fat absorbed in your system, your cholesterol might drop. So, the New Zealand researchers were expecting to lower heart attack rates by giving women calcium supplements. To their surprise, there appeared to be<em><font face="Arial Black"><u> more</u></font></em> heart attacks in the calcium supplement group.</p> <p>Was this just a fluke? All eyes turned to the Women’s Health Initiative, the largest and longest randomized controlled trial of calcium supplementation. The name may sound familiar—that’s the study that uncovered how dangerous hormone replacement therapy was. Would it do the same for calcium supplements? The Women’s Health Initiative reported no adverse effects. However, the majority of the participants were already taking calcium supplements before the study started; so, effectively the study was just comparing higher versus lower dose calcium supplementation, not supplementation or no supplementation. But what if you go back and just see what happened to the women who started out not taking supplements and then were randomized to the supplement group? Those who started calcium supplements suffered significantly more heart attacks or strokes. Thus, high dose or low dose, any calcium supplementation seemed to increase cardiovascular disease risk.</p> <p>Researchers went back, digging through other trial data for heart attack and stroke rates in women randomized to calcium supplements with or without vitamin D added, and confirmed the danger and most of the population studies agreed—users of calcium supplements tended to have increased rates of heart disease, stroke, and death.</p> <p>The supplement industry was not happy, accusing researchers of relying in part on self-reported data—like they just ask if people had a heart attack or not rather than verifying it. And indeed long-term calcium supplementation caused all sorts of gastrointestinal distress including twice the risk of being hospitalized with acute symptoms that may have been confused with a heart attack. But no, the increased risk was seen consistently across the trials whether the heart attacks were verified or not.</p> <p>OK, but why do calcium supplements increase heart attack risk, but not calcium you get in your diet? Perhaps because when you take calcium pills, you get a spike of calcium in your bloodstream that you don’t get just eating calcium rich foods. Within hours of taking supplemental calcium, the calcium levels in the blood shoot up and can stay up as long as eight hours. This evidently produces what’s called a hypercoagulable state, your blood clots more easily, which could increase the risk of clots in the heart or brain. And, indeed, higher calcium blood levels are tied to higher heart attack and stroke rates. So, the mechanism may be calcium supplements lead to unnaturally large, rapid, and sustained calcium levels in the blood, which can have a variety of potentially problematic effects.</p> <p>Calcium supplements have been widely embraced on the grounds that they are a natural and, therefore, safe way of preventing osteoporotic fractures. But, it is now becoming clear that taking calcium in one or two daily doses is <font face="Arial Black"><u>not </u></font>natural, in that it does not reproduce the same metabolic effects as <font face="Arial Black">calcium in food.</font> And furthermore, the evidence is also becoming steadily stronger that calcium supplementation may not be safe. That’s why most organizations providing advice regarding bone health now recommend that individuals should obtain their calcium requirement from diet in preference to supplements. But if we can’t reach it through diet alone, would the benefits to the bones outweigh the risks to the heart? We’ll find out, next.”  From: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/are-calcium-supplements-safe/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/are-calcium-supplements-safe/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/are-calcium-supplements-safe/</a></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by <b>Katie Schloer</b>.</font></p> <p>_________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-67838675914960890742024-01-28T16:36:00.001-06:002024-01-28T16:36:25.467-06:00Valentine's Day What's Wrong With Showing Love? How do I connect with God? Why did God change our diet?<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Valentine's Day, What's Wrong With Showing Love?</font></h3> <h4><img title="Valentine's Day: What's Wrong With Showing Love?" style="margin: 0px 28px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="A bundle of roses." src="https://www.ucg.org/files/styles/full_grid9_breakpoints_theme_top_hat_mobile_1x/public/image/article/valentines-day-whats-wrong-with-showing-love_3.jpg?timestamp=1512418287" width="322" align="left" height="230" /></h4> <p>“Valentine's Day has become a very romantic holiday despite its pagan origins. So what's wrong with celebrating this holiday?<small></small></p> <p><small><font size="2">Thinkstock</font></small></p> <p>Valentine's Day is all about showing "love," giving a card or flowers or chocolates to a loved one. All of that's good, right? <font face="Arial Black">Wrong.</font></p> <p>Valentine's Day is big business. According to the National Retail Foundation, Valentine's Day for 2012 added around $17.6 billion to the U.S. economy—making retail spending for this day the second-largest behind Christmas.</p> <p>For a lot of people it's<font face="Arial Black"><u> the</u></font> holiday to express your love to someone special. According to Kemberly King, a business instructor at South University, young adults ages 25-34 spend the most on Valentine's Day gifts. Interestingly, men will outspend women—almost 2 to 1—with the biggest categories for all spending being restaurants, candy, romantic getaways and flowers.</p> <p>A quick Web search for the origins of Valentine's Day will give you the basics of the accepted history of the day. A deeper search will acknowledge its pagan origins. The Good News magazine (sister publication of Vertical Thought) has <a href="http://www.ucg.org/search/gss?query=valentines%20day">published a variety of articles on both of these aspects of Valentine's Day</a>. While Valentine's Day is the most promoted holiday after Christmas and Easter even among traditional Christian churches, it is definitely not a holiday with true Christian values.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">How can "love" be wrong?</font></h5> <p>There's nothing wrong in showing love to others—after all, isn't that the most valued Christian characteristic? But what's been lost in how we go about it, and how we worship God for that matter, is whether we are actually following what God teaches in the Bible. It's like an automobile manufacturer tells you to put only gasoline in the fuel tank, but then you decide that diesel fuel is just as good! It just won't work.</p> <p>Here's a quick review of the background of Valentine's Day—before exploring a deeper point about this holiday.</p> <p>By most accepted historians, Valentine's Day was an adaptation by the Catholic Church of the ancient pagan Roman celebration of Lupercalia, a fertility festival. The Catholic Church updated and connected it to a "Saint" Valentine sometime late in the third century A.D. (though there is some confusion as to who this person actually was). It really took off commercially as a holiday in the late 1800s, promoted as a day to show your "love" to others—especially romantic love to your special someone.</p> <p>So what's wrong with that? Here's the problem: Lupercalia was an immoral fertility festival also featuring gluttony and drunkenness. At the end of the festivities young men would draw the name of a young lady from a box and the two were considered a pair (sexually and otherwise) for the coming year.</p> <p><font face="Arial Black">As a festival Lupercalia was dedicated to the Roman god Pan,</font> recognized as the god of fields, groves and wooded glens—and pictured as having the hindquarters, legs and horns of a goat. This pagan deity was connected to fertility and the season of spring. None of what is connected to the feast of Lupercalia is worthy of a Christian's observance.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">But what's wrong with a little paganism?</font></h5> <p>What about showing love on Valentine's Day if I'm not doing it for pagan reasons? Isn't that okay? No, because the expression of that kind of "love" is still <font face="Arial Black">rooted</font> in a former pagan holiday. <font face="Arial Black">True Christians must not adopt pagan festivals as holidays, </font>for they are to strive to please God in everything they do.</p> <p>Even when you think you're innocently observing a holiday like this, you're still advancing the origins and meanings of the day—especially from His perspective, as He certainly knows where it came from. God said not to do this. He told the Israelites entering the pagan land of Canaan:</p> <p><em>"When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve <font face="Arial Black">their</font> gods? <font face="Arial Black">I also will do likewise</font>.' You shall <font face="Arial Black"><u>not</u></font> worship the Lord your God <font face="Arial Black">in that way</font>; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods"</em> (Deuteronomy 12:29-31, emphasis added).</p> <p>When we merge pagan teachings with what God instructs through the Bible, we weaken the truth and violate God's clear command.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">God's way is <font face="Arial Black">true</font> love</font></h5> <p>Showing love as God instructs is <font face="Arial Black"><u>not</u></font> wrong—romantic love included. It's a good thing to express your love toward others through a card, flowers, dinner out or any number of other ways. But don't do it under the trappings of a pagan holiday like Valentine's Day! If someone is special to you,<font size="3" face="Arial Black"> then do those things throughout the year rather than waiting until February 14th.</font></p> <p>Our worship of God must first and foremost be according to His truth (John 4:24). Carryovers from pagan worship don't honor Him!</p> <p>God is personified by the characteristic of love (1 John 4:8). Godly love is genuine outgoing concern for others as God would love them—not as a selfish love. Divine love is reflected in keeping God's commandments (1 John 5:3), including the Ten Commandments and instruction like that in Deuteronomy cited above. True Christians desire to faithfully observe God's own Holy Days (see Leviticus 23 for a list of them). Celebrating holidays like Valentine's Day in opposition to God's instruction does not honor or obey Him—no matter how well intentioned or innocent we believe it to be.</p> <p>It <font face="Arial Black"><u>does</u></font> matter to God how we worship Him. He expects us to understand the difference between what He has declared holy and the profane teachings, customs and traditions masquerading as godly worship (Ezekiel 22:6).</p> <p>For a more complete review of comparing traditional religious holidays to God's Holy Days, we recommend that you read our Bible study aid <a href="http://www.ucg.org/booklet/holidays-or-holy-days-does-it-matter-which-days-we-observe">Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Observe?</a>”  From: <a title="https://www.ucg.org/vertical-thought/valentines-day-whats-wrong-with-showing-love" href="https://www.ucg.org/vertical-thought/valentines-day-whats-wrong-with-showing-love">https://www.ucg.org/vertical-thought/valentines-day-whats-wrong-with-showing-love</a></p> <p>________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">How do I connect with God?</font></h3> <h3><font color="#c0504d"></font></h3> <h3><font color="#c0504d"><font size="3"><font color="#0000a0">“<em>I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.”</em></font> ~ Proverbs 8:17</font>  </font></h3> <p>“We must be proactive, we must diligently reach out and seek God in order to find Him.  We need to literally make time to get to know Him because without a deliberate, conscious effort it will probably never happen.</p> <p>How did you get to know your spouse?  You dated, right?  Did you just wake up one day and find yourself in a relationship?  No!  One of you specifically asked the other to go on a date so you could spend time with each other.  It's the only way to have a relationship with anyone, you must spend time with that person.  We get to know God personally through developing a deep, meaningful relationship by spending time with Him...and the best place to find Him is in His holy word.</p> <p><font color="#c0504d">Q: Why does it seem so hard to find the time?</font></p> <p>A: Work, kids, breakfast, school, dance class, Little League, homework, meals, baths, chores, shopping, our social life…on and on!  These things can all get in the way. So now you must ask yourself, what do I want?  A hectic, chaotic life...or the peace found only in Christ?  We must prioritize our lives to include Him, make our daily reading as habitual as breakfast, and create a new habit.  We have to create a habit of going to our <a href="https://thetruthmission.org/index.php/useful-bible-tips#bible">Bible</a>, first thing, as soon as we get up every, single morning.</p> <p>By starting my day off with praise (<font face="Arial Black">thanking Him for everything</font>), worship (praying and conversing), and study (reading His Word) my day will always go smoother.  This is the thing that motivates me the most, the knowledge that my entire day will go better if I do this one little thing.</p> <p><font color="#c0504d">I’m just too busy…</font></p> <p>B<font color="#c0504d"><img title="" style="margin: 0px 13px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Have you prayed about it?" src="https://i0.wp.com/thetruthmission.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/prayed_about_it.jpg?resize=570%2C763&ssl=1" width="223" align="left" height="223" /></font>ut, you might ask, how can I possibly fit one more thing into my already crazy schedule?  You need to start earlier.  Start out by getting up just ten minutes earlier and go directly to your Bible.  No-one is up, it's quiet, and it's just you and God…He will do the rest.  Talk to Him, ask Him to help you…He will.</p> <p>After you do this for a while you can gradually increase your time.  How long is less important than being consistent every single day.  I try to spend an hour, I call it my power hour!  It’s the most important hour of my day.  This is when I get juiced up with the energy I need to get though the day.</p> <p>Here's how I start every day.  I get up, go to the living room, sit down on my couch and I pray.  I tell Him I'm sorry for messing up and how grateful I am for another day.  I then tell Him everything that's troubling me.  So often we complain to everyone about all our problems <font face="Arial Black">but forget to talk to God about them.</font></p> <em>"And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”</em> ~ Matthew 21:22  <img title="" style="float: right; display: inline;" alt="bible read me" src="https://i0.wp.com/thetruthmission.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/bible_read_me.jpg?resize=314%2C208&ssl=1" width="153" align="right" height="153" /> <p>I then ask Him to guide me through my Bible reading and impress me with the things I need to know today.  I then sing a praise song or two, either one of my <a href="https://youtu.be/wjLlLPZderk">favorites</a> or I just Google "praise songs" on YouTube and then sing along while I get a cup of coffee and start my day.</p> <p>Why you ask, is it so important for me to have this daily devotion time every morning?  Why can't I just pray when I need something or when I have the time?  Ask yourself this one little question to find that answer.  How long would I stay married if I approached my relationship with my spouse in the same manner...  just called him/her when I needed something, or had some time to kill?</p> <p>We must make our relationship with God our number one priority if we truly want to get closer to Him.  He surely made us His biggest priority.  Just think about what He gave up, how He suffered and died to have us with Him forever.</p> <p>Make your life easier...</p> <p><img title="" style="margin: 0px 39px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="mornings are better" src="https://i0.wp.com/thetruthmission.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/mornings_are_better.jpg?resize=485%2C289&ssl=1" width="107" align="left" height="107" />I'm gonna be honest here, some days I'm beat, I don't even feel like getting out of bed, let alone doing this devotional time.  And ya know what…these are the days that I need it the worst.  So I lay in bed and I pray.  I pray for the will to get up and do this.  I ask for the desire to just put one foot in front of the other to make it to the living room.  I then ask for Him to take the lead and help me through.  And He always does just that....and moreover, He's happy to do it.  What parent wouldn't be happy to help their child?</p> <p><em>“And you will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart.”</em> ~ Jeremiah 29:13</p> <p>Now that you know how to find God, how can you grow closer to Him?”</p> <p>From: <a title="https://thetruthmission.org/how-do-i-connect-with-god-2/" href="https://thetruthmission.org/how-do-i-connect-with-god-2/">https://thetruthmission.org/how-do-i-connect-with-god-2/</a></p> <p>__________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Why did God change our diet?</font></h3> <p><em>“And the woman said to the serpent, we may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, you shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.”</em> ~Genesis 3:2-3</p> <p>“When you read the above verse, not much has changed. We are still listening to lies, and we are still defying Creator God with our disobedience. How sad is that?</p> <p>So, why did God change our diet? He didn’t change our diet, per se, but rather added to it as was necessary due to our sin condition. God originally made our bodies to eat specific fruits (in the Garden of Eden). Then, He added vegetables (at the fall of man when Adam & Eve were kicked out of Eden). And finally, He added “clean meats” only <font face="Arial Black">after the flood</font> because there were no vegetables or fruits available to eat.</p> <p>But irregardless of what God has specifically created for us to eat, people still want what they want, they still want what God has told them <font face="Arial Black"><u>not to eat</u></font>! Just like Adam and Eve, they want what God has <font face="Arial Black"><u>forbidden!</u></font></p> <p><img title="" style="margin: 0px 23px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Shoud we eat a greasy hamburger?" src="https://i0.wp.com/thetruthmission.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/hamburger.jpg?resize=392%2C220" width="151" align="left" height="151" />People want their fat-filled hotdogs and sausages, ham and cheese, bacon and eggs! They don’t want to hear what the Bible says, nope! However, if we choose to eat these <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+11%3A1-19%2C++Deuteronomy+14%3A4-20&version=NKJV">unclean foods</a>; things God has not made for food, we will eventually get sick. We really need to see the big picture here. We need to understand that certain creatures were created solely as environmental filters. If we eat these creatures, we are ingesting the toxins that are in the animals that God created as toxin filters.</p> <p>Why would God make certain animals, and then tell us not to eat them? Let’s start with the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+11%3A10-12&version=NKJV">bottom dwellers of the oceans</a> for example. God made these creatures, not for food, but to filter the toxins out of the water. Clams and oysters, for example, filter the micro- contaminants from the water. Shrimp and crabs, lobsters and snails, as well as all the other things that live on the ocean floor, are there for clean up duty. They exist to eat the dead and decaying materials that sink to the bottom of the sea and to filter out the micro-contaminants as well.</p> <p><img title="" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; float: right; display: inline;" alt="Do you want to eat a water filter?" src="https://i0.wp.com/thetruthmission.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/bottom-dwellers.jpg?resize=251%2C240" width="273" align="right" height="273" />What exactly do you really know about these sea creatures? They are bottom dwellers, they troll the bottom of the seabed sustaining themselves on fish waste, as well as dead stuff that sinks to the seafloor. And if all that isn't enough to make you want to stop eating shrimp and crabs, how about the scientific fact that because they are water filters, they are literally chock-full of toxins! And, if that still isn't enough to make you want to give up consuming these nasty little things, how about the fact that <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+11%3A10-12&version=NKJV"><font size="3" face="Arial Black">God clearly tells us not to eat any environmental filters</font></a><font size="3" face="Arial Black">?</font></p> <p>Think of it this way, would we deliberately suck on a pool or aquarium filter? Of course not! Wouldn’t we also have an objection to not wanting to eat a rat or a mouse? Absolutely! But for whatever reason, we’re fine with eating other animals that are equally unclean.</p> <p>God gives us a very specific list of do’s and dont's when it comes to foods, but we've been conditioned through generations of compromise to be okay with eating these unclean and unhealthy foods. We think we've somehow found a way to overrule God’s perfect plan for us. Crazy, huh?  We need to heed God's dietary commandments for our own good health, and learn how to eat clean!</p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">What are clean and unclean meats…?</font></p> <p>These dietary rules can be found in Genesis, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+11%3A1-19%2C++Deuteronomy+14%3A4-20&version=NKJV">Leviticus & Deuteronomy</a>, but are mentioned throughout the Bible. According to the Bible, clean meat is defined as the meat of every animal that has a split, or cloven hoof in two, and chews the cud. Examples of clean meat include the ox (cattle), buffalo, sheep, goat, deer, gazelle, antelope and mountain sheep, just to name a few.</p> <p>God gave us <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+11%3A1-19%2C++Deuteronomy+14%3A4-20&version=NKJV">a long list of what to eat and, and, more importantly, what not to eat</a>! God clearly tells us not to eat swine, in fact, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+66%3A17&version=NKJV">He compares eating pork to eating rats and mice</a>! And yet we continue to eat bacon, ham, sausage and so on. Would we ever eat a rat or a mouse? Of course not! God clearly tells us not to eat these things because they are scavengers,<font face="Arial Black"> as are pigs as well.</font> Also, they do not have sweat glands which makes them even more toxic because they are incapable of expressing toxins from their bodies.</p> <p>Seeing God’s word play-out in the Bible is a great way to understand why He did certain things. And even more amazing, is how somethings happened  before God ever mentioned them as laws.</p> <p>For example, let’s take the story of Noah’s ark. How many of each animal did he take into the ark? Two? That's only partially correct. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+7%3A2&version=NKJV">Genesis 7:2</a> tells us that God instructed him to take <font face="Arial Black"><u>seven</u></font> of each "clean" animal into the ark, revealing that the distinction between clean and unclean animals actually predates the dietary laws that God gave Moses on Mount Sinai, by centuries. These examples clearly show us that God knew all along what would and wouldn’t be acceptable for us to eat, as well as the fact that He would be adding to our diet. And more importantly, is the fact that the science surrounding these toxins never changes, nor does the law of God! </p> <p><em>“For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified.”   </em>~Romans 2:12-13</p> <p>Q: Are you ready to eat as God specifies?”  From: <a title="https://thetruthmission.org/why-did-god-change-our-diet/" href="https://thetruthmission.org/why-did-god-change-our-diet/">https://thetruthmission.org/why-did-god-change-our-diet/</a></p> <p>_______</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-85680917551871676872024-01-21T14:50:00.001-06:002024-01-21T14:50:48.460-06:00Should You Keep Valentine’s Day? 5 Reasons NOT to Celebrate Valentine's Day. How Much Added Sugar Is Too Much?<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Should You Keep Valentine’s Day?</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 16px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Should You Keep Valentine’s Day?" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/should-you-keep-valentines-day_684_456_80.jpg" width="279" align="left" height="186" />“On Feb. 14, couples around the world will express their love through Valentine’s Day gifts. But many deeply devoted Christian couples will not. Should you?</p> <p>I recently returned from a pastoral trip visiting congregations of the Church of God in Ghana. Since I returned to the United States, it seems like every time I turn on a radio (mostly when I’m in the car) or see ads in the newspaper or on TV, I’m encouraged to buy flowers, candy, “unique gifts” or even a brand-new car for “someone special” for Valentine’s Day.</p> <p>I have not observed Valentine’s Day for over 40 years. Why do my wife and I, as well as thousands of Christians around the world, choose not to observe this seemingly innocent, romantic holiday?</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Pagan origins</font></h5> <p>The details surrounding the origins of Valentine’s Day can be a bit muddy, but without a doubt it originated in pagan festivals focused on fertility rites. Most authoritative historical sources will cite the pagan Roman festival of Lupercalia as the genesis of the modern celebration. That three-day celebration was focused on purification, fertility and “love” (read that as sexual lust) among the young, single Roman population.</p> <p><q>Most authoritative historical sources will cite the pagan Roman festival of Lupercalia as the genesis of the modern celebration.</q> After sacrifices had been made (apparently both goats and dogs figured prominently in these sacrifices), bachelors would draw the names of young single women from an urn, and then they would be paired together for a year. In some cases these pairings would result in marriage, but not always. As Clyde Kilough, editor of <font face="Arial Black">Discern</font><em> </em>magazine, states on a <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/speaking-of/would-jesus-do-valentines/">Life, Hope & Truth video commentary</a>, “The pagans knew how to mix a lot of illicit sex into their religious celebrations.”</p> <p>Sometime before A.D. 500, the Catholic Pope Gelasius I “Christianized” the celebration by <a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/02/14/133693152/the-dark-origins-of-valentines-day">transforming it</a> from a celebration of pagan fertility into a focus on a “Christian” saint. Valentine was the one chosen to be so honored (apparently, there were multiple Catholic saints with that name).</p> <p>However, the “Christianized” celebration retained its focus on “love” and sex, including images of Cupid, the Roman god of love. Cupid was originally depicted to have sharpened his arrows of love on a grindstone whetted with the blood of an infant. That repulsive imagery was gradually replaced with a more commercially suitable image of a cute, pudgy baby during the 1800s.</p> <p>To learn more about the origins of Valentine’s Day, read “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/holy-days-vs-holidays/valentines-day/">Valentine’s Day Is Pagan? So What?</a>”</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Should Christians keep Valentine’s Day today?</font></h5> <p>Fast-forward to today. While many people generally understand the pagan origins of this celebration, they really don’t see a problem with keeping it as a day to send romantic gifts to their significant other. After all, it is a “harmless” holiday all about love, romance and sweetness toward that someone special in your life; how could that possibly be wrong?</p> <p>The answer comes from some rather straightforward warnings in the Scriptures:</p> <p><em>“Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish”</em> (<a>Deuteronomy 8:19</a>). To be clear, participating in Valentine’s Day is involving ourselves in the ancient worship practices of <em>“other gods”—</em><font face="Arial Black">not the true God.</font></p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">God doesn’t want His people adding pagan practices from other religions:</font></p> <p><em>“Take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way. … Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it” (</em><a>Deuteronomy 12:30-32</a>).</p> <p>Some may want to argue that Valentine’s Day isn’t really that religious anymore, so these scriptures don’t apply. But that argument ignores the clear origins and the ancient focus on illicit sexual activity that was part of this practice. The fact that some may not consider it to be the same today does not remove the pagan origins that bring the practice down to us today. Nor does it change how the true God views these things.</p> <p>Happy couples do not need to give gifts on Valentine’s Day to show their love for each other. Read our blog “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/blog/3-romantic-alternatives-to-valentines-day/">3 Romantic Alternatives to Valentine’s Day</a>” to learn more.”  From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/should-you-keep-valentines-day/" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/should-you-keep-valentines-day/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/should-you-keep-valentines-day/</a></p> <p>_________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">5 Reasons NOT to Celebrate Valentine's Day</font></h3> <p><font size="3">Transcript of video at: </font><a title="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/5-reasons-not-to-celebrate-valentines-day" href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/5-reasons-not-to-celebrate-valentines-day"><font size="3">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/5-reasons-not-to-celebrate-valentines-day</font></a></p> <p><font color="#0000a0">“Here's five tongue-in-cheek reasons not to celebrate Valentine's Day. But can you find another?</font></p> <p>[Steve Myers] “Here's a little tongue-in-cheek discussion on 5 reasons not to celebrate Valentine's Day.</p> <p>Number one: Flowers make you sneeze and they don't last very long.</p> <p>Number two: Pink does not make you look thinner.</p> <p>In fact, number three: Pink's a girly color that makes men feel wimpy.</p> <p>Number four: Chocolate makes you fat.</p> <p>Number five: Valentine's Day is just commercialism by the greeting card companies to make millions of dollars.</p> <p>Are those any reasons that you shouldn't celebrate Valentine's Day? There is a more important reason, but it comes back to realizing what is life all about. What is romance after all because Valentine's Day is supposed to focus on romance? And we often think of the flowers and the candy and the meals out and all those kinds of things.</p> <p>But you know what? Romance is sometimes vacuuming the house.  Romance is sometimes, yeah, cleaning the toilet or maybe changing a diaper or two or maybe making his favorite dessert. That's what real romance comes down to so much of the time, real life. And sometimes we get fooled by taking one day and trying to make something huge out of it when in reality <font size="3" face="Arial Black">love is a daily thing</font>. It's something that we show every single day of our life.</p> <p>Christ Himself said that whatever we want men to do to us, we should do to them. And it should be something that's on going, not just a onetime thing.</p> <p>It reminded me of a passage that's over in Ecclesiastes in Ecclesiastes 9:9. Ecclesiastes 9:9 says, <em>"Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life, which He's given you under the sun."</em> So it's all our days not just one day.</p> <p>And so you could probably come up with a longer list of reasons not to celebrate Valentine's Day, but you know they're not all humorous. There is another reason.</p> <p>You know that many of the world's holidays are focused and come from roots of paganism. That's where they're rooted. Valentine's Day is no different, named after a Catholic saint. It's rooted in paganism. Maybe that's a question you could ask yourself. <a href="http://www.ucg.org/bible-faq/where-did-valentines-day-come-it-wrong-christian-celebrate-it">What does God think about Valentine's Day?</a></p> <p>Check it out a little bit. <a href="http://www.ucg.org/bible/4/DEU/12/">Look at what Deuteronomy 12 has to say about it</a>. Check it out. <a href="http://www.ucg.org/holidays-and-holy-days/st-valentine-cupid-and-jesus-christ/">Do a little bit of research</a>. You may be very surprised what you find. In fact, you'll probably add one more big reason not to celebrate Valentine's Day.”  From: <font size="3"></font><a title="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/5-reasons-not-to-celebrate-valentines-day" href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/5-reasons-not-to-celebrate-valentines-day"><font size="3">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/5-reasons-not-to-celebrate-valentines-day</font></a></p> <p>_______</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">How Much Added Sugar Is Too Much?</font></h3> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-much-added-sugar-is-too-much/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-much-added-sugar-is-too-much/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-much-added-sugar-is-too-much/</a></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by <strong>Katie Schloer</strong>.</font></p> <p>“Are table sugar and high fructose corn syrup just empty calories or can they be actively harmful?</p> <p>In 1776—at the time of the American Revolution—Americans consumed about 4 lbs of sugar per person each year. By 1850, this had risen to 20 lbs, and by 1994, to 120 lbs, and now we’re closer to 160. Half of that is fructose, taking up about 10% of our diet. This is not from eating apples, but rather the fact that we’re each guzzling the equivalent of 16-oz soft drink every day; that’s about 50 gallons a year.</p> <p>Even researchers paid by the likes of the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group and The Coca- Cola Company, acknowledge that sugar is empty calories, containing no essential micronutrients, and therefore if we’re trying to reduce calorie intake, reducing sugar consumption is obviously the place to start.</p> <p>Concern has been raised, though, that sugar calories may be worst than just empty. A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that the fructose added to foods and beverages in the form of table sugar and high fructose corn syrup in large enough amounts can trigger processes that lead to liver toxicity and other chronic diseases.</p> <p><font size="3" face="Arial Black">Fructose hones in like a laser beam on the liver, and like alcohol, fructose can increase the fat in the liver,</font> increasing the risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is one of the most remarkable medical developments over the past 3 decades—the emergence of fatty liver inflammation as a public health problem here and around the globe.</p> <p>These may not be messages that the sugar industry or beverage makers want to hear. In response, the director-general of the industry front group World Sugar Research Organization, replied “Overconsumption of anything is harmful, including of water and air.” Yes, the overconsumption of sugar compared to breathing too much.</p> <p>As one author expressed, I suppose it is natural for the vast and powerful sugar interests to seek to protect themselves, since sugar takes up the single greater percentage of our daily caloric intake.</p> <p>The American Heart Association is trying to change that. Under their new sugar guidelines, most American women should consume no more than 100 calories per day from added sugars, and most American men should eat or drink no more than 150. That means one can of soda could take us over the top for the day. The new draft guidelines from the World Health Organization suggests we could benefit from restricting added sugars to under 5% of calories. That’s about 6 spoonfuls of added sugar. I don’t know why they don’t just recommend zero as optimal, but you can get a sense of how radical their proposal is given that this is how many we consume right now.”  From: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-much-added-sugar-is-too-much/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-much-added-sugar-is-too-much/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-much-added-sugar-is-too-much/</a></p> <p>_________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-3344652954112232802024-01-15T16:08:00.001-06:002024-01-15T16:08:52.389-06:00The New Covenant: What Is New About It? Don’t Think Christ Came to Destroy the Law. The Truth About Animal By-Products in Pet Food.<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">The New Covenant: What Is New About It?</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 23px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="The New Covenant" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/new-covenant_833_460_80_c1.jpg" width="323" align="left" height="178" />“What was the problem with the Old Covenant, and what really changed with the New Covenant? What does the Bible say is new about the New Covenant?</p> <p>Throughout history, <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/">God</a> has made various covenants, or agreements, with human beings. These covenants lay out the terms of the relationship God wants to have with humanity. Two of the key covenants recorded in the Bible are:</p> <ol> <li>The covenant God made with ancient Israel at Mount Sinai, also referred to as the <em>“Old Covenant.”</em> </li> <li>The <em>“New Covenant,”</em> which was inaugurated by Jesus Christ, and which is the covenant that is in force for spiritual Israel, <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/the-church/the-church/">the Church</a>.</li> </ol> <p>Scripture states that the New Covenant is making the Old Covenant obsolete (<a>Hebrews 8:13</a>). But what does that mean? Did God create an entirely different set of terms for this new agreement? Just what is “new” about the New Covenant?</p> <p>This article highlights four key changes from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. Although these four items do not encompass every difference, they illustrate the fundamental distinction between the two agreements.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">A change of the sacrificial law</font></h5> <p>The Bible states that sinners earn the death penalty (<a>Romans 6:23</a>). <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/forgiveness/">Forgiveness</a> of those sins requires blood to be shed to satisfy that penalty (<a>Hebrews 9:22</a>). Under the Old Covenant, the Israelites sacrificed animals as sin offerings, shedding the blood of those creatures as God commanded.</p> <p>However, <font face="Arial Black">animal sacrifices were insufficient as substitutes for human beings.</font> The sacrifices did not truly cleanse the Israelites from their wrongdoing, <em>“for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins”</em> (Hebrews 10:4).</p> <p>Since animal sacrifices could not blot out sins, why did God require them under the Old Covenant? Because those sacrifices reminded Israel of their sins and pictured the time when removal of the death penalty would truly become possible! God never intended for those sacrifices to be in force permanently! He had a plan in place<em> “from the foundation of the world”</em> to have Jesus Christ make the ultimate sacrifice (<a>Revelation 13:8</a>).</p> <p>Christ’s sacrifice of Himself made it possible to take <em>“away the sin of the world” </em>(<a>John 1:29</a>). Because He is God, and human beings were created through Him (<a>Colossians 1:16</a>), His life is worth immeasurably more than all other human lives throughout history. Thus, His sacrifice was more than sufficient as total payment for the death penalty we have earned because of sin.</p> <p>When Christ instituted the New Covenant with His shed blood (<a>Luke 22:20</a>), He made it possible for us to be truly cleansed from sin (<a>Hebrews 9:13-14</a>; <a>1 John 1:7</a>). The result was that animal sacrifices were no longer required as symbols, because Christ was the ultimate fulfillment of that symbolism. We accept Christ’s sacrifice at <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/baptism/">baptism</a>. Although we must still <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/repentance/">repent</a> each time we sin in the future, Christ’s sacrifice is applied upon our repentance—no further sacrifices for our sins are needed (<a>Hebrews 9:24-28</a>; <a>10:12</a>).</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">A change of the priesthood</font></h5> <p>Under the Old Covenant, priests came from the family of Aaron in the tribe of Levi. The high priest was required to offer a sacrifice for the Israelites’ sins each year on the <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/day-of-atonement/">Day of Atonement</a> (<a>Leviticus 16:29-34</a>). He alone was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place (the innermost room) in the tabernacle and to approach the mercy seat—which represented the throne of God.</p> <p>The Israelites all deserved the death penalty for their sins, and so the high priest’s responsibility was to make intercession for them. Since he was also <em>“subject to weakness,”</em> he understood how easy it was to sin, and he could show compassion for the people (<a>Hebrews 5:1-4</a>).</p> <p>However, as we saw, the shed blood came from animal sacrifices under this physical system. Thus the priests under the Old Covenant were not able to truly make people right with God, and a change was necessary (<a>Hebrews 7:11-12</a>).</p> <p>That change came with Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for all humanity, which fulfilled the symbolism of the yearly sin offering on the Day of Atonement. But Christ also filled the role of the high priest by offering Himself. He continues to serve as our High Priest, interceding on our behalf (<a>Hebrews 7:23-28</a>).</p> <p>Under the New Covenant, Christ does not serve in a physical tabernacle (<a>Hebrews 9:11</a>). Instead, He performs His duties as High Priest in<em> “the true tabernacle”</em> (<a>Hebrews 8:1-2</a>). Today the Church is<em> “the household of God” and “a holy temple”</em> (<a>Ephesians 2:19-22</a>).</p> <p>Members of the Church are able to draw near to the true mercy seat—the throne of God—as they develop a close and meaningful relationship with the Father. This is made possible because of Christ’s sacrifice and His continuing role as our High Priest (<a>Hebrews 10:19-22</a>).</p> <p>Due to the change from the Levitical priesthood and the physical tabernacle, the rituals associated with the tabernacle and temple under the Old Covenant are no longer required—including various types of food and drink offerings, as well as ceremonial washings. These <font face="Arial Black"><u>physical </u></font>rituals were only <em>“imposed until the time of reformation”</em> (<a>Hebrews 9:8-10</a>)—which Jesus Christ ushered in with the New Covenant.</p> <p>Under the New Covenant, God’s people now have a High Priest in Jesus Christ who intercedes for them continually. Since Christ lived as a human being, He understands our weaknesses, can help us when we are tempted, and can show us compassion when we sin. We can therefore be confident in seeking forgiveness when we repent (<a>Hebrews 2:17-18</a>; <a>4:14-16</a>).</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">A change of the heart</font></h5> <p>God gave Israel His eternal laws that define <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/sin/">sin</a>—with the <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/10-commandments/the-ten-commandments/what-are-the-10-commandments/">10 Commandments</a> serving as the core of Israel’s responsibility under the Old Covenant (<a>Exodus 34:27-28</a>; <a>Deuteronomy 4:13</a>). However, there was one key problem with this arrangement: Although God’s law was, and is, perfect (<a>Psalm 19:7</a>), <font face="Arial Black">the people were not.</font></p> <p>God knew in advance that the Israelites were missing something very important. They did not have the necessary<font face="Arial Black"><u> heart</u></font> to be truly obedient to Him (<a>Deuteronomy 5:23-29</a>). The Israelites agreed to obey God because of <font face="Arial Black">external</font> motivation. They were afraid of punishment from God (<a>Exodus 20:18-21</a>), but that type of external motivation <font face="Arial Black">does not guarantee</font> right behavior! Unless a person is internally convicted to do what is right, it can become far too easy to choose to do what is wrong instead.</p> <p>Ancient Israel sadly fell into this trap and repeatedly disobeyed God throughout history, despite the fact that they suffered punishment as a result. Time and time again, the Israelites broke the covenant they made with God, illustrating a key flaw in the covenant. The flaw was not with the laws they agreed to obey, <font face="Arial Black">but rather with the people themselves</font> (<a>Hebrews 8:7-8</a>)!</p> <p>The Israelites did not have a heart to truly know God because the time was not yet right for God to give them that heart (<a>Deuteronomy 29:4</a>). But even without a right heart, it was still possible for the Israelites to respond to the correction God gave them when they made wrong choices. Unfortunately, they failed to adjust their behavior in the long run. However, their example provides a powerful lesson to us of how easy it is to sin (<a>1 Corinthians 10:11-12</a>).</p> <p>Under the New Covenant, God’s people have the opportunity to receive a heart to obey Him. In the Old Testament, God announced that the time would come when His people would have His laws internalized and written on their hearts—when they would truly be able to know Him (<a>Jeremiah 31:31-34</a>; see “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/blog/what-is-the-new-covenant-in-jeremiah-31-31/">What Is the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31?</a>”).</p> <p>When God’s Spirit was made widely available on the <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/pentecost/">Day of Pentecost</a>, that goal became possible. Through the power of <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/holy-spirit/">the Holy Spirit</a>, Christians become able to think like God (<a>1 Corinthians 2:11, 16</a>). God’s mind—reflected in His law of love—can now be internalized within His people.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">A change of promises</font></h5> <p>Under the Old Covenant, Israel agreed to obey God; and in return, God agreed to treat Israel as<em> “a special treasure” </em>(<a>Exodus 19:5-6</a>). He promised Israel specific blessings, including rain at the appropriate time; victory in battle; freedom from sickness; a fear of Israel among other nations; and such tremendous prosperity that Israel would lend to other nations, not borrow (<a>Leviticus 26:3-13</a>; <a>Deuteronomy 7:12-15</a>; 28:1-14).</p> <p>These promises were all incredible. <font face="Arial Black">But they were also all limited to this physical existence!</font> There was no opportunity under the Old Covenant for the nation of Israel to receive access to the gift of eternal life. Thus, the Israelites could only enjoy the blessings of the Old Covenant during their life span on this earth.</p> <p>Why was eternal life not offered under the Old Covenant? Because Jesus Christ had not yet come to this earth as humanity’s Savior, and <em>“there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”</em> (Acts 4:12). Christ’s sacrifice provided a way for humans who had not lived perfectly (all of us!) to avoid the death penalty. Forgiveness was a key requirement so that human beings could <em>“receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” </em>(<a>Hebrews 9:15</a>)—eternal life (<a>Titus 3:7</a>).</p> <p>Another necessary missing component is the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ called it <em>“the Helper”</em> (<a>John 16:7</a>), a <em>“Promise”</em> from God that He gave on the Day of Pentecost (<a>Acts 1:4-5</a>; <a>2:1-4</a>).</p> <p>As covered earlier, the Holy Spirit enables God’s laws to be written on our hearts. But beyond that, the Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to be <em>“heirs of God,”</em> so that we can <em>“be glorified together”</em> with Christ (<a>Romans 8:16-17</a>). God’s Spirit serves as a guarantee, or down payment, on our promised inheritance of eternal life in God’s family (<a>Ephesians 1:13-14</a>).</p> <p>The Holy Spirit was made available to a select few of God’s servants who lived prior to Christ’s inauguration of the New Covenant (<a>1 Peter 1:10-11</a>). However, the vast majority of the Israelites did not have access to that Spirit, and thus did not have access to eternal life. But God intended from the beginning for all human beings to have that opportunity (<a>Titus 1:2</a>)—His purpose is to bring<em> “many sons to glory”</em> (<a>Hebrews 2:10</a>), expanding His family.</p> <p>Access to <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/salvation/what-is-salvation/">salvation</a> under the New Covenant makes this <em>“a better covenant”</em> than the covenant at Mount Sinai, because the New Covenant <em>“was established on better promises”</em> (<a>Hebrews 8:6</a>). Ultimately, all human beings throughout history will have an opportunity for eternal life as part of the New Covenant. Those who become part of God’s family will dwell with Him forever, and there will be no more death (<a>Revelation 21:1-4</a>).</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">The New Covenant amplifies the terms of the Old Covenant</font></h5> <p>This article has not covered every difference between the Old and New Covenants. However, the changes we have examined illustrate a consistent trend: Contrary to the belief of many, <font face="Arial Black"><u>the New Covenant does not abolish all the terms of the Old Covenant!</u></font></p> <p>Both covenants include provisions for a sacrifice for sin, a priesthood serving in a tabernacle, obedience to God’s laws, and promised blessings from God. However, in each case,<font face="Arial Black"><u><em> </em>the changes in the New Covenant amplify the terms of the Old Covenant!</u></font></p> <p>Under the Old Covenant, God presented the Israelites with two options and told them to <em>“choose life”</em> (<a>Deuteronomy 30:19-20</a>). God offers that same choice today to those whom He calls into the New Covenant. What makes the New Covenant <em>“new”</em> is that it is a far better agreement than the one entered into at Mount Sinai.</p> <p>Ultimately all humanity will have the opportunity to be part of the New Covenant. But if God is calling you to<a href="https://info.lifehopeandtruth.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=c0183739-c479-4a7f-a8ec-e66f9fb56e42&signature=AAH58kH2m2j8maa5OyzLv3Xms2rJu7wgCQ&placement_guid=19a2c1ed-205f-43c4-b6b4-39a253ba5b2e&click=64323e59-db42-4831-bd41-809712b0386d&hsutk=66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8&canon=https%3A%2F%2Flifehopeandtruth.com%2Fbible%2Fcovenants%2Fthe-new-covenant%2F&portal_id=4038266&redirect_url=APefjpFFIUVflmJPKJS8THbl02Mjjk1CF6_LLHaQnV64VQ9fxZMkwbFLNuZXzQphJUPu8u3pTv6BAdgy9K6uCtVyMW7FGTCiJRPlUSLwi8hwpQliSrp_LmnFwDHVBdFMd_uXpD2fdwuSU9BS2f08ioTK7CpWEHIdomunNKjZA5_vMaya3ILoF1L6JjZvc1iT3O4GY4FJRuSFYX4pQcNtWhdVYSDuM1cDW8AcfPkZ5JttIxw50Dgnb_ZfeFD1lDRCgpi3NCsGt9og1saYum-zKg_FeFIjPOo7O4GFTVIua4P63h0eKRp6nUA&__hstc=158510245.66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8.1594138209486.1705348264031.1705352512452.1128&__hssc=158510245.4.1705352512452&__hsfp=1464733717"><img style="float: right; display: inline;" alt="It's Not Too Late to Change Your Life. Download Free Booklet" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4038266/hub_generated/resized/7bc2cbce-90e9-4ff5-9e6c-5a601ea35dee.jpeg" width="332" align="right" height="37" /></a> be part of that covenant now by helping you to understand His <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/is-the-bible-true/what-is-truth/">truth</a>, you have a decision to make. Will you choose life—eternal life? The choice is up to you.</p> <p>For further study on this topic, read the article “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/covenants/biblical-covenants/">Biblical Covenants</a>.” </p> <p>From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/covenants/the-new-covenant/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=289595245&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8rB_WQdd4hNTKVpPRMqWnQjhJoZPZG3jBs2CLEvLpmPac8EdDqOW46-3cm-xO2XKwncG91XlpDPpNCvBJM0OCknmUdLQ&utm_content=289595245&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/covenants/the-new-covenant/?">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/covenants/the-new-covenant/?</a></p> <p>__________</p> <h4><font size="3">Don’t Think Christ Came to Destroy the Law</font></h4> <p><strong>Matthew 5:17-19</strong></p> <p><em>“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”</em></p> <h5><font size="2">(Listen to the "Verse by Verse" episode covering this scripture.)</font></h5> <p>“Some misunderstand Jesus Christ’s mission, feeling He did away with the teachings of the Old Testament and replaced them with new teachings. But Christ made clear that His teachings were a continuation of the teachings He inspired to be a part of the Holy Scriptures.</p> <p>It was the One who became Jesus Christ who thundered the 10 Commandments from Mount Sinai and spoke to Moses (1 Corinthians 10:4; see “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/who-is-jesus/christ-was-the-god-of-the-old-testament/">Jesus in the Old Testament?</a>”).</p> <p>What does it mean to <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/christian-conversion/the-sermon-on-the-mount/jesus-and-the-law/jesus-fulfilled-the-law/"><em>“fulfill” the law</em></a>? The Greek word translated “fulfill” is <font face="Arial Black">pleroo,</font> which means “to make full, to fill to the full” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words).</p> <p>Jesus Christ continued in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6 and 7) to expand the meaning of God’s law, to show its spiritual intent. By doing this, He gave fuller understanding and magnified and exalted the law (Isaiah 42:21). He in no way destroyed or annulled it.</p> <p>In Matthew 5:19 Jesus clearly tells His followers to obey even what someone might consider <em>“one of the least of these commandments.”</em></p> <p>The essence of the <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/covenants/the-new-covenant/">New Covenant</a> is not a change in the commandments, but the fact that they can be written on our hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit dwelling in Christians (Hebrews 10:16). This allows us to internalize and fully obey God in a way ancient Israel never could.”</p> <p>For more about God’s commandments, see “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/10-commandments/the-ten-commandments/">The 10 Commandments for Today</a>” and download our free booklet <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/offers/gods-10-commandments/">God’s 10 Commandments: Still Relevant Today</a>.:  </p> <p>From: <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/dont-think-christ-came-to-destroy-the-law/?">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/dont-think-christ-came-to-destroy-the-law/?</a></p> <p>________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">The Truth About Animal By-Products in Pet Food</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 16px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Animal By-Products | Chickens Awaiting Slaughter" src="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/chickens-slaughter-668x375.jpg" width="181" align="left" height="101" /></p> <p><strong>“Animal by-products</strong> — what could be more <a href="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/frequently-asked-questions/dog-food-ingredients/">controversial to dog food shoppers</a> than animal by-products?</p> <p>These common pet food ingredients are <strong>loathed</strong> by many. Yet they’re <strong>accepted</strong>… and even <strong>revered</strong>… by others.</p> <p>Fans claim animal by-products are nutritionally no different than any other type of meat. And they blame the ingredients’ noted <strong>unpopularity</strong> on the <strong>unsavory</strong> mental image they invoke.</p> <p>Something supporters like to refer to as “the yuck factor”.<sup><a href="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/#fn-3142-2">2</a></sup></p> <p>Critics, on the other hand, insist these ingredients are nothing more than inedible waste of <strong>inferior nutritional value</strong>.</p> <h4>What Are Animal By-Products?</h4> <p><a href="https://talkspetfood.aafco.org/byproducts">Animal by-products</a> are <strong>what’s left</strong> of a slaughtered animal after the skeletal muscle meat intended for human consumption has been removed.</p> <p>Or according to the USDA<sup><a href="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/#fn-3142-3">3</a></sup>…</p> <blockquote> <p>“Animal by-products include all parts of a live animal that are <strong>not part of the dressed carcass</strong>.”</p> </blockquote> <p>These processing <strong>leftovers</strong> (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offal">known as offal</a>) include those parts of an animal which have been “<strong>rejected for human use</strong> and can be expected to be processed into animal feed”.<sup><a href="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/#fn-3142-4">4</a></sup></p> <p>For example…</p> <ul> <li>Liver </li> <li>Lungs </li> <li>Heads </li> <li>Blood </li> <li>Brains </li> <li>Spleen </li> <li>Kidneys </li> <li>Stomachs </li> <li>Intestines</li> </ul> <p>Giblets (livers, hearts, gizzards and necks) as well as other organs can still be sold as <strong>edible meats</strong> as they are… or used as ingredients to make hot dogs, bologna and sausage.</p> <h4>Unfit for Human Consumption… OK for Dog Food?</h4> <p>Animal by-products classified as “inedible” and “unfit for human consumption” can still be sold for use in pet food.<sup><a href="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/#fn-3142-5">5</a></sup></p> <p>Some inedible waste can be used to produce wet or dry pet food <strong>as it is</strong>, soon after slaughter…</p> <p>While other rejected waste can be <strong>rendered</strong> into meat or poultry meal products.</p> <p>In any case, keep in mind…</p> <p>What makes some by-products fit for human consumption (and others not) isn’t always a matter of <strong>what</strong> they are…</p> <p>But also, <strong>how they’re handled</strong> after slaughter.</p> <p>For example…</p> <p>By-products that are <strong>not refrigerated</strong> immediately after slaughter but stored for hours in a hot offal trailer <strong>cannot be sold</strong> for human consumption…</p> <p>But they can still be <strong>legally used</strong> for making <strong>pet food</strong>.</p> <h4>Turning Inedible Waste into Pet Food</h4> <p>On the other hand…</p> <p>Rejected waste such as <strong>dead farm and zoo animals</strong> that have been declared <strong>unfit</strong> for human consumption can first be <strong>rendered</strong> into meal ingredients…</p> <p>And then be used to make <strong>pet food</strong>.</p> <h4>What Is Rendering?</h4> <p>Rendering is a process similar to <strong>making stew</strong>… except that the stew is intentionally <strong>over-cooked</strong>.</p> <p>With rendering, the idea is to start with a stew of by-products and <strong>cook away</strong> the <strong>water</strong>.</p> <p>Then, skim away the fat and <strong>bake</strong> the <strong>residue</strong>.</p> <p>What you end up with is a concentrated protein powder known as <a href="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/about-meat-meal/">by-product meal</a>.</p> <h4>Feed-Grade vs Pet-Food-Grade</h4> <p>In the specific cases of chicken and poultry, there are 2 grades of by-product meals…</p> <ul> <li>Feed grade by-product meal </li> <li>Pet food grade by-product meal</li> </ul> <p>In an important 2003 study<sup><a href="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/#fn-3142-6">6</a></sup>, pet food grade by-product meal was <strong>compared</strong> to feed grade by-product meal.</p> <p>The <strong>result?</strong></p> <p>Pet food grade by-product meal was found to be…</p> <ul> <li>Higher in protein<sup><a href="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/#fn-3142-7">7</a></sup></li> <li>Lower in <a href="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/dog-food-ash/">ash</a></li> <li>More digestible<sup><a href="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/#fn-3142-8">8</a></sup></li> <li>More consistent<sup><a href="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/#fn-3142-9">9</a></sup></li> </ul> <p>Bottom line?</p> <p>All things considered, <strong>pet food grade</strong> by-product meals are <strong>superior</strong> to feed grade by-product meals.</p> <p><font face="Arial Black">Unfortunately, without contacting the manufacturer, there’s no way to know which type of by-product meal is in any dog food.</font></p> <h4>The 2 Ways to Describe Animal By-Product Meals</h4> <p>Based upon the <strong>source</strong> of their raw materials, there are two ways to identify by-product meals.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Named</strong> by-product meals </li> <li><strong>Generic</strong> (anonymous) by-product meals</li> </ul> <p>Named by-product meals have one thing in common. They all clearly <strong>identify the source species</strong> of the by-products that was used to make the meal.</p> <p>So, on a pet food label…</p> <p>You’ll find named by-product ingredients like…</p> <ul> <li>Chicken by-product meal </li> <li>Turkey by-product meal </li> <li>Poultry by-product meal </li> <li>Beef by-product meal</li> </ul> <p>And although named by-product meals may not be considered the highest quality ingredients, they can be considered acceptable.</p> <h4>The One Type of Animal By-Product You Must Avoid</h4> <p>On the other hand…</p> <p><strong>Generic</strong> by-product meals<strong> are different. They do not identify</strong> the source of the meat.</p> <p>Instead, they use <strong>vague</strong> and <strong>non-specific</strong> names like…</p> <ul> <li>Meat meal </li> <li>Meat and bone meal </li> <li>Meat by-product meal </li> <li>Animal by-product meal</li> </ul> <p>What’s more…</p> <p>Generic meat meals <strong>can also contain</strong>…</p> <ul> <li>Road kill </li> <li>Dead zoo animals </li> <li>Dead on arrival poultry </li> <li>Diseased and dying livestock </li> <li>Euthanized dogs and cats (unlikely today, but still possible)</li> </ul> <p>Because you can never know the source of the meat used to make <strong>generic</strong> by-product meals, purchase of pet food products containing anonymous names <strong>should be avoided</strong>.</p> <h4>Nutritional Differences… Real or Imagined?</h4> <p>When <strong>comparing</strong> animal by-product meals with their “regular” meal counterparts, the differences can be nutritionally <strong>insignificant</strong>.</p> <p>For example, in the case of <strong>rendered</strong> ingredients, the digestibility, biological value and amino acid content of both poultry and poultry by-product meals are <strong>nearly identical</strong>.<sup><a href="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/#fn-3142-10">10</a></sup></p> <p>So, if there’s little nutritional difference between the two, why then do some companies use meat by-products… while others don’t?</p> <h4>The Real Reason Dog Food Companies Use Animal By-Products</h4> <p>There’s one glaring and indisputable reason animal by-products remain so popular with some manufacturers… and not others.</p> <p><strong>Animal by-products are simply cheaper</strong>… notably cheaper than most any other comparable meat product. They’re used for making dog food because they save money. Not because they’re more nutritious.</p> <p>Why is this important to a pet food shopper?</p> <p>Although finding animal by-products in a recipe doesn’t guarantee you’ve discovered a good or a bad dog food, their presence must always be considered a <strong>reliable clue</strong> the food is made with cheaper ingredients.</p> <h4>The Bottom Line</h4> <p>With the sole exception of <strong>precisely identified organ meats</strong>, two rules will help you navigate the confusing world of meat-based dog food ingredients.</p> <blockquote> <ol> <li>Never pay top dollar for any dog food that lists<font face="Arial Black"> animal by-products near the top of its ingredients list.</font> </li> <li>Never buy any dog food containing <strong>generic animal by-products</strong> sourced from materials a manufacturer fails to clearly identify.”     </li> </ol> <p>From: <a title="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/" href="https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/">https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/</a></p> <p>________</p></blockquote>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-38880403472248924342024-01-03T17:34:00.001-06:002024-01-03T17:34:02.900-06:00The Roots and Fruits of New Year’s Eve. God’s Festivals as Shadows of Things to Come. The Fruit Whose Juice Is Healthier<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">The Roots and Fruits of New Year’s Eve</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 14px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="The Roots and Fruits of New Year’s Eve" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/Roots-and-Fruits-of-New-Years-Eve-cropped1_825_460_80_c1.jpg" width="262" align="left" height="146" />“Some of the customs may seem crazy or quaint, but what are the real origins and results of the New Year’s holiday?</p> <p>I admit it. I have been up at midnight on New Year’s Eve a few times. Not celebrating exactly. In fact, most of those times I was part of a volunteer security force on the campus where I went to college—which happened to be along the Rose Parade route in Pasadena, California.</p> <p>Our job was to be alert to criminals, vandals and even people camping out along the parade route and searching for anything they could burn to keep warm. You might be surprised that it gets fairly cool in January in Southern California. Of course, it is much warmer there than in New York’s Times Square (where it averages 33.7 degrees Fahrenheit at midnight) and other northern gathering places where people count down to the new Roman year.</p> <p>It makes you wonder: How did New Year’s Eve come to be celebrated in the winter and at midnight? Blame it on the ancient Romans.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Julius Caesar, the calendar fixer</font></h5> <p>Many ancient societies began their new year in the spring. But by the time of Julius Caesar, the Roman calendar was off. Way off. To get the calendar to line up with the seasons, Caesar had to add 90 days!</p> <p>History.com explains, “Over the centuries, the calendar fell out of sync with the sun, and in 46 B.C. the emperor Julius Caesar decided to solve the problem by consulting with the most prominent astronomers and mathematicians of his time. He introduced the Julian calendar, which closely resembles the more modern Gregorian calendar that most countries around the world use today.</p> <p>“As part of his reform, Caesar instituted January 1 as the first day of the year, partly to honor the month’s namesake: Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, whose two faces allowed him to look back into the past and forward into the future. Romans celebrated by offering sacrifices to Janus, exchanging gifts with one another, decorating their homes with laurel branches and attending raucous parties.”</p> <p>Beliefnet.com also notes that New Year’s is associated with the winter solstice and is “an ancient holiday with deep spiritual roots. … Ancient Romans celebrated with six days of carousing that would probably be familiar to us today.”</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Customs and superstitions</font></h5> <p>From its ancient origins, a wide variety of traditions and superstitions have developed around the world. Here is just a sampling.</p> <p>“In Ecuador, people make dummies, stuffed with straw, to represent the events [and people, such as politicians and pop culture icons] of the past year. These ‘[año] viejo’ effigies are burned at midnight, thus symbolically getting rid of the past” (Beliefnet.com). Some even try to jump through the flames 12 times!</p> <p>MarthaStewart.com describes another jumping tradition: “Many Danish people celebrate the New Year by jumping off chairs at the stroke of midnight. Leaping is said to banish bad luck and bring good fortune into the new year. They also traditionally throw plates at neighbors’ doors to symbolize their friendship. The person with the most broken plates is said to have the most friends.”</p> <p>On NPR.org, Maria Fe Martinez describes another Latin American New Year’s tradition: “If you want to have a very lucky year, you have to wear <font face="Arial Black">yellow underwear</font>. And if you want to have a very passionate year, you wear red underwear. …</p> <p>“And you can get them all over town. Like, if you’re driving in your car, you’re going to see a street vendor selling yellow underwear, which is hilarious. Right after Christmas, they show up.”</p> <p>The International Business Times reports that 44 percent of Americans say they will kiss someone at midnight. But why?</p> <p>According to Livescience.com, “Puckering up at the stroke of midnight is a venerable tradition with ancient roots. Many cultures considered the transition from the warm to the cold seasons to be an intensely vulnerable time, when evil spirits could run amok, Aveni [author of <font face="Arial Black">The Book of the Year: A Brief History of Our Seasonal Holidays</font>] said.</p> <p>“Many of our traditions, including kissing, originally come from the English tradition of ‘saining,’ or offering blessing or protection, during the period of Yuletide, Aveni said. (Yuletide was originally a pre-Christian Germanic festival that eventually became synonymous with Christmastide in Europe.)”</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">New Year’s crime rates</font></h5> <p>In addition to its pagan roots, the fruits of this holiday are not good. For example, according to Allprobailbond.com, “the holidays are the busiest time of year for the bail bond industry.” Why?</p> <p>“• Increased alcohol consumption. … Driving under the influence is the leading cause for New Year’s Eve arrests. …</p> <p>“• Increased emotions. Some people are very unhappy during the holidays. Domestic violence often increases during the holiday season as well as self-inflicted wounds. Consumption of alcohol also increases violent acts.”</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3" face="Arial Black">What does the Bible say?</font></h5> <p><q>The Bible gives its own list of meaningful annual celebrations, but Jan. 1 is not on the list. It’s definitely not God’s new year; He set the first month of the year to begin in what we call March or April.</q> The Bible gives its own list of <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/festival-meaning/">meaningful annual celebrations</a>, but Jan. 1 is not on the list. It’s definitely not God’s new year; He set the first month of the year to begin in what we call March or April (<a>Exodus 12:2</a>; <a>Deuteronomy 16:1</a>). And the Bible warns against getting ensnared by customs that are based on pagan religions. We are not to ask, <em>“How did these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise”</em> (<a>Deuteronomy 12:30</a>).</p> <p>Superstitions and customs that may seem quaint or harmless to most people today can be repulsive to God who knows their roots and their fruits.</p> <p>Playing with paganism isn’t cute—it is corrosive to our relationship with the true God. When God calls Himself a <em>“</em><a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/who-is-god/jealous-god/"><em>jealous God</em></a>,” it’s actually a sign of His love and desire for the best for us (<a>Deuteronomy 6:14-15</a>).</p> <p>And consider the apostle Peter’s call to avoid sinful celebrations where there is <em>“lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries”</em> (<a>1 Peter 4:3</a>). Peter acknowledged that our friends may think it strange we no longer party with them, but in the end we must answer to God.</p> <p>For all these reasons, celebrating the pagan holiday of New Year’s Eve is not pleasing to God.”</p> <p><a href="https://info.lifehopeandtruth.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=9d618814-9606-4275-990e-0c6993d8914d&signature=AAH58kFmPYb_MeIbycXQv9pf2PKtVrPUlQ&placement_guid=041719c1-266b-435d-81cd-a0a86aae02b4&click=386a96cd-6d1d-4492-875c-d7ad29d04912&hsutk=66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8&canon=https%3A%2F%2Flifehopeandtruth.com%2Flife%2Fplan-of-salvation%2Fholy-days-vs-holidays%2Fnew-year%2Fnew-years-eve%2F&portal_id=4038266&redirect_url=APefjpGuBGk-iUwBR5p0Kvd64KfigscgOI9P4ct9bkCW1LYJ65Xm_hpP-gfx9bzf__iL9fhFYb-B341uuNQcPYgSDPjLh1I2rloa2tkRXDscF8Ws9BxCvivEyuCw9jY7VW2DgyBcGG7_sxfhz7Z9RYzHCumilA8z0C94633_g95jCCiosqpDFn8Grc4X6hvOxN7BhhWxn8YFQBTeu73KqusB_k-bSegiMe7k-99EZ5F6C8iH3Bk28pB2yjtbU8yMsZ9ofZW-Rly6a7Z7jx8sG5tOp_7nWb2AqQ&__hstc=158510245.66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8.1594138209486.1703950768971.1704322308939.1112&__hssc=158510245.1.1704322308939&__hsfp=1464733717"><img style="margin: 0px 21px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="From Holidays to Holy Days. Download Free Booklet" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4038266/hub_generated/resized/f2c870d8-a4ad-4e59-93e6-fcc2febb778b.jpeg" width="416" align="left" height="47" />Learn more about what God says in our free booklet <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/offers/from-holidays-to-holy-days/">From Holidays to Holy Days: God’s Plan for You</a>  </a></p> <p>From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/holy-days-vs-holidays/new-year/new-years-eve/" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/holy-days-vs-holidays/new-year/new-years-eve/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/holy-days-vs-holidays/new-year/new-years-eve/</a></p> <p>________</p> <h4><font size="3">God’s Festivals as Shadows of Things to Come</font></h4> <p><strong>Colossians 2:16-17</strong></p> <p><em>So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.</em></p> <h5><font size="3">“In essence, Christians were still enjoying the biblical festivals with eating and drinking, and apparently were being judged by those who believed in philosophies of self-denial. Paul mentions these ascetic ideas later in the chapter: <em>“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle”</em> (Colossians 2:21).</font></h5> <p>Some think that when Paul said the festivals are <em>“a shadow of things to come,”</em> it was a put-down. They think Paul was saying the festivals were not important.</p> <p>But another way to look at these shadows is to see that they help us picture the objects of which they are shadows. For example, the Passover clearly represents the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and foreshadowed that event. Pentecost foreshadowed the coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the New Testament Church.</p> <p>In the same way, the four fall festivals foreshadow events that have not yet taken place. Learn more about these important events in God’s plan of salvation in our free booklet <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/offers/from-holidays-to-holy-days/">From Holidays to Holy Days: God’s Plan for You</a>.”   From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/gods-festivals-as-shadows-of-things-to-come/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=250117425&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--YGttmXYp8GgKNObmfMdnLX78VZxZCRj4Qy6gq1G9IhrjpoNDSK6-I7wlz6IBUVNzX7w_naW-pV_Kx7rndcoVkBbbctg&utm_content=250117425&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/gods-festivals-as-shadows-of-things-to-come/?">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/gods-festivals-as-shadows-of-things-to-come/?</a></p> <h5><font size="3">Listen to the "Verse by Verse" episode covering this scripture at: </font><a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/gods-festivals-as-shadows-of-things-to-come/?"><font size="3">God’s Festivals as Shadows of Things to Come (lifehopeandtruth.com)</font></a></h5> <p><font size="3">(This passage is explained in detail in “</font><a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/law-and-grace/colossians-2-16/"><font size="3">Colossians 2:16-17: Did Paul Warn Christians Against Keeping God’s Law?</font></a><font size="3">” We encourage you to study that explanation to clear up several misconceptions about this passage.)</font></p> <p><font size="3">________</font></p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">The Fruit Whose Juice Is Healthier</font></h3> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-fruit-whose-juice-is-healthier/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-fruit-whose-juice-is-healthier/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-fruit-whose-juice-is-healthier/</a></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by <strong>veganmontreal</strong>.</font></p> <p>“Can you name a fruit whose processed juice is healthier than just eating the fruit itself?</p> <p> <br />Here’s the VCEAC of fruits, and their juice. The black bars are the fruit; the white bars are the juice. VCEAC stands for vitamin C equivalent antioxidant capacity.</p> <p>So, for example, even though apples don’t actually contain 150mg of vitamin C itself, they have other antioxidants that add up to the equivalent of that much antioxidant power. As you can see, across the board, as you go from fruit to juice, the antioxidant capacity is slashed. In fact, the only reason the grape juice was even that high is because it happened to have extra vitamin C added to it—so it kind of cheated.</p> <p>But wait a second; what is this? A fruit’s juice that has significantly more antioxidants, and even greater phytonutrient availability? And the answer is: tomato juice. About twice the antioxidant power of tomatoes, and five times the phytonutrient lycopene.</p> <p>And no, it was not a trick question. You may use it as a vegetable, but it is a fruit, because it’s got seeds. Don’t tell that to the Supreme Court, though, who, having nothing better to do, ruled in 1893 that tomatoes were vegetables—though they were only a batch of Justices away from those who ruled Mr. Scott was not a citizen, so I wouldn’t listen to them.</p> <p>Arkansas decided to have it both ways, declaring tomatoes both the official state fruit, and the official state vegetable.”  From: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-fruit-whose-juice-is-healthier/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-fruit-whose-juice-is-healthier/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-fruit-whose-juice-is-healthier/</a></p> <p><em>_________</em></p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-48202600194561697362023-12-25T14:14:00.001-06:002023-12-25T14:19:36.460-06:00You Don't Have to Know. The Christmas Shopping Season. Animal Protein Intake and IGF-1 Production.<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">You Don't Have to Know</font></h3> <h5> <p><img title="Encourage an open and healing connection with others so they may feel understood and supported. " style="margin: 0px 25px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="a surface of gray stones slightly covered with water" src="https://www.ucg.org/files/styles/full_grid9_breakpoints_theme_top_hat_mobile_1x/public/image/article/2023/12/05/aaron-burden-nisxrcg3gk8-unsplash.jpg?timestamp=1701803713" width="259" align="left" height="194" /><font size="3">“Anyone can choose to humbly ask God for ways to serve when they see someone who may be struggling.</font></p> </h5> <p><small><font size="2" face="Arial Black">Aaron Burden/Unsplash</font></small></p> <p>Encourage an open and healing connection with others so they may feel understood and supported.</p> <p>Have you ever seen a situation in which you wanted to do something but were afraid you might say or do something wrong or unhelpful? I have.</p> <p>Admittedly, there can be situations that may not be our business. If that is the case, realize it quickly and leave it alone, an issue for another time. But there may be times you encounter a situation where your heart is moved to help, but you are not sure how.</p> <p>I had four brothers, one of whom was born with Down Syndrome and a number of even more challenging conditions. I was his legal guardian for the last 35 years of his life. It was difficult for my parents and later for me to deal with countless situations that involved difficult, binding decisions. When I see people in similar situations, I cannot turn away. I recall that Proverbs instructs: <em>“Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. Don’t excuse yourself by saying, ‘Look, we didn’t know.’ For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve”</em> (Proverbs 24:11-12, New Living Translation). This reminds us how important it is to be aware of serious situations of which we may be able to help, versus living in denial of the fact that I could do something to make the situation better.</p> <p>I have been blessed to meet families in Church at <a href="https://www.ucg.org/what-is-the-feast-of-tabernacles">Feast of Tabernacles</a> sites etc., that, like me, faced similar challenging situations. Each time I was moved to action by considering the difficult times they faced as their lot in life. As I reached out to them, I experienced some feelings of nervousness but was able to overcome the apprehension by focusing on their needs and offering to serve.</p> <p>It may seem easier to approach these situations with understanding and sensitivity when you’ve already had a similar experience. But, the fact is, anyone can choose to humbly ask God for ways to serve when they see someone who may be struggling.</p> <p>I suggest your perspective should be: “I don't have to know or have the answers, just ask.” You could say something like, “How are you, really? But, if you’d rather not share, that’s fine.” Or you could say, “You appear to be distressed.” This may open a door and lead to meaningful conversation and additional ways to help and serve.</p> <p>At the Feast of Tabernacles one year, I was saddened to hear one family tell me that they were rarely asked by brethren how they were getting along. It struck me how important it is to reach out and show true care and concern for others.</p> <p>When faced with these circumstances, start by giving your ears and your heart, right then and there. Ask God to help you serve if you can (Proverbs 3:27-28). Don’t minimize or judge them, but encourage an open and healing connection so they may feel understood and supported (Proverbs 18:13). You can also make it a point not to ignore other family members who may feel neglected because of the necessary care and attention given to one family member. For me, reaching out resulted in that family feeling encouraged and comfortable enough to talk for a number of hours, sharing their situation.</p> <p>People, in and out of Church struggle with many isolating and lonely battles. If you prove to someone that you are a “safe place” to trust and to share with, and you sense it is the appropriate time, you could use Fred Rogers’ simple but powerful question, “What’s the matter?” There may be potential here for fulfilling Galatians 6:2 to,<font face="Arial Black"> <em>“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”</em></font> </p> <p>A good way to learn how some of your brothers and sisters are working through serious difficulties is to visit the <a href="https://www.ucg.org/blogs/breaking-free">Breaking Free blog</a> at ucg.org. They have much to share that may help in breaking the silence that typically surrounds issues of overcoming.</p> <p>We await the return of <em>Jesus Christ, the Mighty God and Counselor</em> (Isaiah 9:6), who will begin to create a safe place when He returns to earth. As His helpers and <em>“princes”</em> (Isaiah 32:1), we will become hiding places and <em>“shelters”</em> (Isaiah 32:2), for those who live through <a href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-magazine/bible-prophecy-and-you-the-great-tribulation">the Great Tribulation</a>. So, as we look forward to that time ahead, let’s be present for others today by choosing to “just ask.” From: <a title="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/breaking-free/you-dont-have-to-know" href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/breaking-free/you-dont-have-to-know">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/breaking-free/you-dont-have-to-know</a></p> <p>________</p> <h3><a href="https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction./bible.show/sVerseID/23181/eVerseID/23181">Matthew 2:11</a></h3> <p><img border="0" src="https://i.theberean.org/pixel.gif" width="6" height="1" />(11) <em>And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.</em></p> <p>“When it comes to the "most important" part of all in this <a href="https://www.cgg.org/index.cfm/library/booklet/id/464/plain-truth-about-christmas.htm">Christmas</a> observance—the Christmas <font face="Arial Black"><u>shopping</u></font> season—the buying and exchanging of gifts—many will exclaim triumphantly, "Well, at least the Bible tells us to do that! Didn't the wise men give gifts, when Christ was born?"</p> <p>Again, we are due for some surprises, when we learn the plain truth. First, let us look at the historic origin of trading gifts back and forth, then see exactly what the Bible <font face="Arial Black"><u>does</u></font> say about it.</p> <p>From the <font face="Arial Black">Bibliotheca Sacra</font>, volume 12, pages 153-155, we quote, "The interchange of presents between friends is alike characteristic of Christmas and the Saturnalia, and <font face="Arial Black"><u>must have been adopted by Christians from the Pagans,</u></font> as the admonition of Tertullian plainly shows."</p> <p>The fact is, this custom fastened upon people of exchanging gifts with friends and relatives at the Christmas season <font face="Arial Black">has not a single trace of Christianity about it,</font> strange though that may seem! This does not celebrate Christ's birthday or honor it or Him! Suppose someone you <a href="https://www.cgg.org/index.cfm/library/guides/id/212/love-bible-study-guide.htm">love</a> has a birthday. You want to honor that person on his or her birthday. Would you lavishly buy gifts for <font face="Arial Black"><u>everyone else</u></font>, trading gifts back and forth with all your <u><font face="Arial Black">other</font> </u>friends and loved ones, but ignore completely any gift for the one whose birthday you are honoring? Rather absurd, when viewed in that light, is it not?</p> <p>Yet this is exactly what people <a href="https://www.cgg.org/index.cfm/library/sermon/id/440/christian-and-world-part-one.htm">the world</a> over are doing! They honor a day that is not Christ's birthday by spending every dime they can scrape together—even spending what they cannot afford—in buying presents to trade back and forth among friends and relatives.</p> <p>Now consider what the Bible says about giving gifts when Christ was born. It is in <a href="https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/bible.show/sVerseID/23171/eVerseID/23181" name="2317123181">Matthew 2:1-11</a>.<em> "Now when </em><a href="https://www.biblicaljesus.org/"><em>Jesus</em></a><em> was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born <font face="Arial Black">King of the Jews?</font>' . . . And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: <font face="Arial Black">and when they had opened their treasures,</font> they presented unto HIM gifts; gold and frankincense, and myrrh."</em></p> <p>Notice, they inquired for the child Jesus, who was born <font face="Arial Black"><u>King </u></font>of the Jews! Now why did they present gifts to Him? Because it was His birthday? Not at all, because they came several days or weeks after the date of His birth! Was it to set an example for us, today, to trade gifts back and forth among ourselves? No, notice carefully! They did not exchange gifts among themselves, but <em>"they presented unto <font face="Arial Black">Him</font> gifts."</em> They gave their gifts to Christ, not to their friends, relatives, or one another!</p> <p>Why? Let me quote from the <font face="Arial Black">Adam Clarke Commentary</font>, volume 5, page 46: "Verse 11. (<em>They presented unto him gifts</em>.) The people of the East never approach the presence of kings and great personages, without a <font face="Arial Black"><u>present </u></font>in their hands. The custom is often noticed in the <a href="https://www.cgg.org/index.cfm/library/article/id/1867/do-we-need-old-testament.htm">Old Testament</a>, and still prevails in the East, and in some of the newly discovered South Sea Islands."</p> <p>There it is! They were not instituting a new Christian custom of exchanging gifts with friends to honor Christ's birthday. They were following an old and ancient eastern custom of presenting gifts to a king when they come into his presence. They were approaching Him, born <font face="Arial Black"><u>King</u></font> of the Jews, <font face="Arial Black"><u>in person.</u></font> Therefore custom required they present gifts—even as the Queen of Sheba brought gifts to Solomon—even as many people today take a gift along when they visit the White House for an appointment with the President.</p> <p>No, the custom of trading gifts back and forth does not stem from this scriptural incident at all, but rather, as quoted from history above, it is the <font face="Arial Black">continuance</font> of an ancient<font face="Arial Black"><u> pagan</u></font> custom.”</p> <p>To learn more, see: <br /><a href="https://www.cgg.org/index.cfm/library/article/id/464/plain-truth-about-christmas.htm">The Plain Truth About Christmas</a>  </p> <p>Related Topics: <br /><a href="https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/4101/Christs-Birth-.htm">Christ's Birth</a> <br /><a href="https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/4099/Christs-Birth-Not-December.htm">Christ's Birth Not In December</a> <br /><a href="https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/4100/Christs-Birth-Not-Winter-.htm">Christ's Birth Not In Winter</a> <br /><a href="https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/41/Christmas.htm">Christmas</a> <br /><a href="https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/1143/Christmas-Pagan-Origins-of.htm">Christmas, Pagan Origins of</a>  </p> <p>From: <a title="https://www.theberean.org/index.cfm/main/default/id/6337/ver/nkjv/matthew-2-11.htm" href="https://www.theberean.org/index.cfm/main/default/id/6337/ver/nkjv/matthew-2-11.htm">https://www.theberean.org/index.cfm/main/default/id/6337/ver/nkjv/matthew-2-11.htm</a></p> <p><em>________</em></p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Protein Intake and IGF-1 Production</font></h3> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/protein-intake-and-igf-1-production/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/protein-intake-and-igf-1-production/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/protein-intake-and-igf-1-production/</a></p> <p>“Animal protein consumption triggers the release of the cancer-promoting growth hormone IGF-1.</p> <p>What is the mechanism by which our diet can affect our levels of this cancer-promoting growth hormone IGF-1? Imagine you’re a kid with some Tinkertoys. Then, <font face="Arial Black">Christmas comes early</font>, and you get one of those huge sets dumped down in front of you. All excited with this new load of building raw materials, you may really start scaling up. And basically, it’s the same thing with your liver and Insulin-like Growth Factor 1.</p> <p>When you dump a load of protein on your body, your liver’s like whoa, look at all this. What are we going to do with all? We can’t just waste it; we’ve got to do something with it. Let’s just start growing stuff; add a few new additions, maybe a new wing. So your liver decides to start pumping out IGF-1 to tell all the cells in the body, it’s growin’ time! Be fruitful and multiply. Spare no expense, go crazy—look how much excess protein we got to work with!</p> <p>The problem, of course, is that some of the new additions may be tumors. When you’re a fully grown adult, cell growth is something we want to slow down—not accelerate. So one might imagine the goal would be to maintain adequate, but non-excessive, overall protein intake—but wait a second.</p> <p>Studies have found <font face="Arial Black"><u>no</u></font> association between total protein intake and IGF-1 levels. Doesn’t that just go against everything I just said? Ah, but these studies didn’t take into account animal versus plant protein.</p> <p>In this study of meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans, they found no significant difference in IGF levels between people eating lots of protein, compared to people eating less protein. But before ditching the theory that excessive protein intake boosts the levels of IGF-1, they decided to break it down into animal protein versus plant protein.</p> <p>Higher IGF-1 levels were just associated with <font face="Arial Black"><u>animal</u></font> protein intake. In fact, the plant protein seemed to decrease IGF-1 levels. So, no wonder there was no net effect of <font face="Arial Black"><u>total</u></font> protein intake. Animal protein appears to send a much different signal to our livers than most plant proteins. So even those vegans eating the same amount of protein as meat-eaters <font face="Arial Black"><u>still</u></font> had lower levels of the cancer-promoting hormone, IGF-1.</p> <p>So, it’s apparently not about excessive protein in general, but animal protein in particular.” From: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/protein-intake-and-igf-1-production/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/protein-intake-and-igf-1-production/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/protein-intake-and-igf-1-production/</a></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Kerry Skinner.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">__________</font></p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-81796149504878918602023-12-17T12:18:00.001-06:002023-12-17T12:20:53.971-06:00Would Jesus Celebrate Christmas? 50 Years Without Christmas. Seeing Red No. 3: Coloring to Dye For.<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Would Jesus Celebrate Christmas?</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 16px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Would Jesus Celebrate Christmas?" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/Would-Jesus-Celebrate-Christmas_833_460_80_c1.jpg" width="253" align="left" height="140" />“People around the world celebrate Jesus’ birth on Dec. 25. However, this date held no particular significance to Jesus Himself. But other days did.</p> <p>For millions of Christians around the world, the only time of the year they go to church is Christmas and Easter. These are sometimes called CEOs (<font color="#c0504d"><u>C</u></font>hristmas and <font color="#c0504d"><u>E</u></font>aster <font color="#c0504d"><u>O</u></font>nly attendees).</p> <p>According to the <font face="Arial Black">Hartford Institute for Religion Research</font><em>,</em> only 20 percent of American Christians actually attend church on a weekly basis. (The number is even lower in Europe.) Many churches report that their attendance nearly doubles on Christmas, and there is a significant spike in Google searches for “church” in late December.</p> <p>Why do people who normally don’t go to church show up on Christmas?</p> <p>Well, only those people can really answer that, but it’s likely because they see it as a special celebration of Christ’s birth, so they want to do what they believe honors Him.</p> <p>But consider this question: Does Christmas hold the same significance to Jesus Himself?</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Missing from the Bible</font></h5> <p>To answer any question about Jesus Christ, our first (and really <font face="Arial Black"><u>only</u></font>) logical source is the Bible—particularly the four Gospels and the later writings of His contemporaries. When you study those documents, it’s striking that the most prominent celebration associated with Christianity is <font face="Arial Black"><u>totally absent</u></font>. Nobody—not Jesus, not Peter, not John, not Paul—gives any hint that he had ever celebrated Jesus’ birth in December (or any month).</p> <p><q>Some people believe it is okay to celebrate holidays originally rooted in paganism because they have now been Christianized. But is God okay with this?</q> That is not to say that the Bible doesn’t talk about Jesus’ birth, but it actually gives very few details about it. It is only covered in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke (Mark and John never discuss it). But if you read Matthew 1-2 and Luke 2 closely, you discover there are only a few verses that directly discuss the actual day of His birth (<a>Matthew 1:25</a>; Luke 2:7-16). The rest of these sections describe events that <font face="Arial Black">surrounded </font>His birth, but did not actually occur on the same day.</p> <p>What is typically called “the Christmas story” <font face="Arial Black">inaccurately</font> squeezes almost all the events described in Matthew 2 and Luke 2 into one single day in late December.</p> <p>For instance, the common perception is that three wise men visited the infant Jesus on the night of His birth. But the wise men actually didn’t arrive until much later, when the family was living in a house and Jesus was no longer a newborn (<a>Matthew 2:11</a>). And the Bible doesn’t say there were three wise men (verse 1). To learn more about the myths surrounding His birth, read “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/who-is-jesus/the-birth-of-jesus/myths-and-misperceptions/">The Birth of Jesus: Myths and Misperceptions</a>.”</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">What did Jesus celebrate?</font></h5> <p>But if Jesus didn’t celebrate the most popular religious holidays of today, did He celebrate anything? Yes. In fact, the New Testament provides a lot of details about the religious days He observed.</p> <p>Throughout His life, Jesus faithfully observed the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week. It was such a regular part of His life that Luke described it as <em><font face="Arial Black">“His custom”</font></em> (<a>Luke 4:16</a>). No matter where He was, from Jerusalem to Galilee, He always rested and would attend the synagogue to hear and read the Scriptures and sometimes teach (verses 17-21).</p> <p>Jesus grew up in a family that faithfully observed the biblical holy days rooted in the Old Testament scriptures (Leviticus 23). For example, Luke records that His family<em><font face="Arial Black"> “went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover”</font></em> (<a>Luke 2:41</a>).</p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3" face="Arial Black"><u>Every year!</u></font></p> <p>This wasn’t just to keep the feast known as the Passover. It included the two holy days that fall in a week’s time—the first and seventh days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (verse 43; see also <a>Leviticus 23:4-8</a>). He also observed the other festivals taught in Leviticus 23. John 7, for example, provides an account of the last Feast of Tabernacles Jesus kept as a human being.</p> <p>The early Church continued to follow His example by observing these special days. Our online article “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/biblical-festivals/christian-festivals/">Christian Festivals</a>” highlights many scriptures that show the early Christians observed the same days Jesus did.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Follow Christ</font></h5> <p>One of Discern’s primary purposes is to help our readers discover Bible truths that are not widely understood or practiced. That’s why we write about the biblical holy days so often. These days were established by God and were a major part of Jesus’ life when He walked the earth. Yet most mainstream Christians ignore these biblically sanctioned days and instead keep unbiblical holidays like Christmas—which are man-made and based on ancient pagan worship. Consider that Christmas was first mentioned in A.D. 336—more than 300 years after Christ’s lifetime!</p> <p>Some people believe it is okay to celebrate holidays originally rooted in paganism because they have now been Christianized. But is God okay with this? The truth is, God has never given people permission to appropriate paganism and redefine it as worshipping Him. In fact, He commanded in no uncertain terms that they <font face="Arial Black"><u>never do that</u></font> (<a>Deuteronomy 12:29-31</a>; Jeremiah 10:1-5; <a>2 Corinthians 6:17</a>).</p> <p>One of the apostle Paul’s most succinct and memorable lines is found in <a>1 Corinthians 11:1</a>:<em><font face="Arial Black"> “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”</font></em></p> <p>In this short sentence, Paul captures the essence of what real Christianity is. When it comes to how you worship God, will you <font face="Arial Black"><u>imitate </u></font>the example of Jesus by observing the biblical festivals He observed? Or will you celebrate holidays invented by men?</p> <p>To learn more about the problems with Christmas, read a past Christ vs. Christianity article “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/discern/nov-dec-2014/jesus-christ-vs-christmas/">Jesus Christ vs. Christmas</a>.”</p> <h4>Sidebar: Is Christmas Christian? Four Questions to Consider</h4> <p><a href="https://info.lifehopeandtruth.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=affd9ab1-1aef-4818-bb19-913b6c4ba9c4&signature=AAH58kEuO-w4kdJuCEsVYYAvMg1jQxIC7Q&placement_guid=e0fd3b49-9e09-4b44-90d4-08be0b666832&click=8be57ab3-d87a-49b6-b677-da304891ce30&hsutk=66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8&canon=https%3A%2F%2Flifehopeandtruth.com%2Flife%2Fplan-of-salvation%2Fholy-days-vs-holidays%2Fchristmas%2Fwould-jesus-celebrate-christmas%2F&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Flifehopeandtruth.com%2F&portal_id=4038266&redirect_url=APefjpGv_2iEzmcAWCQnfQpT7-B46JMaEU1evViO8UR_tUiANGb85577XILdlLzGij5OjQjiMDnyu2cb7YK0fqQMCcO-TUTRAGw_gWQKgGVRxdj_cSVpII7OroaTn0BE-Tm_57VwMU8z3FWce04YtNv9oXUw1QpdJPHHyS4bFAio1kfgBAv2MVmFnlCHeeJ1SqerKC1dQc3owwWJ7ff-M_DmGYkZltNCCSU8k1MQ5UxbfRXydVR4QoWupgDlSFcWRAML5M78le03S19gmSEtjhlNcATWXixgkA&__hstc=158510245.66fcfbb037b4b556095b76a902c26dd8.1594138209486.1702681028313.1702833870503.1104&__hssc=158510245.4.1702833870503&__hsfp=4031699793"><img style="margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Does it matter which holidays you celebrate? " src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4038266/hub_generated/resized/b0058669-5556-4ce8-9c4c-9e39ee46ea7e.jpeg" width="228" align="left" height="79" /></a>Most assume Christmas is a Christian holiday, even though it has been secularized and is celebrated by millions of non-Christians. Here are four questions to consider about Christmas. The answers may lead you to reconsider giving this holiday a “Christian” label.</p> <ol> <li>Is it Christian to celebrate Christ’s birth on the birthday of an ancient sun god? </li> <li>Is it Christian to keep ancient pagan worship practices alive by calling them Christian? </li> <li>Is it Christian to lie to children about a mythical figure’s existence? </li> <li>Is it Christian to ignore the festivals sanctioned in the Bible and instead keep holidays taught nowhere in the Bible?</li> </ol> <p>These questions are addressed in our InSights blog post “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/blog/four-reasons-christmas-is-not-christian/">Four Reasons Christmas Is Not Christian</a>.”  From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/holy-days-vs-holidays/christmas/would-jesus-celebrate-christmas/" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/holy-days-vs-holidays/christmas/would-jesus-celebrate-christmas/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/holy-days-vs-holidays/christmas/would-jesus-celebrate-christmas/</a></p> <p>_______</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">50 Years Without Christmas</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 16px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/consider_this_photo_1_380_578_80.jpg" width="97" align="left" height="148" />“Two years ago was a special Christmas for me.</p> <p>It was the 50th consecutive year that I’ve been without it. Yes, a golden anniversary of not having something!</p> <p>I remember it well. When you are 11 years old, it’s no small thing if your parents make the life-changing decision that it is intellectually dishonest, scripturally untruthful and spiritually hypocritical to celebrate Christmas. </p> <p>Researching the facts was the easy part—history has never hidden the pagan origins of Christmas and how its customs became integrated into the church by powerful people who called themselves Christians but whose practices bore little resemblance to those of the Christians of the Bible. </p> <p>The “Christ vs. Christianity” column on pages 28-30 gives a great summary of what the Bible clearly does say, and does not say, about God’s view of such behavior. The bottom line is that the pro-Christmas argument can never revolve around the historical or biblical facts; its only defense is human rationalizing and justifying.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">It wasn’t hard to see the truth</font></h5> <p>Even as a child, I didn’t find it hard to clearly see the truth of the matter. Maybe I was more primed to accept it, since the memories of having been lied to about Santa Claus were still fairly fresh in my young head.</p> <p>At any rate, it really wasn’t all that hard for me to stop celebrating Christmas. That we weren’t going to keep Christmas anymore was much more difficult for others than it was for us! I saw my grandparents all the time throughout the year, but one would have thought their world was coming apart when we announced that we were quietly bowing out of the Christmas scene! </p> <p><q>Despite some of those challenges, from year one <strong>I never missed Christmas.</strong></q></p> <p>Those closest to us, though, adjusted after a while when they realized that we hadn’t turned into religious nuts. They found that <font face="Arial Black"><u>we still loved Jesus</u></font>, that we still loved them, and that, because we loved them, we would continue to give and receive gifts at other times of the year … just not at Christmas.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Others were less charitable</font></h5> <p>Other folks were sometimes less charitable. Through abandoning Christmas, I learned one of my early lessons about “freedom of religion”—it’s a nice notion, but in reality it usually comes with a price, such as having to deal with the hurts of other people ridiculing and badgering you.</p> <p>It’s funny how the least tolerant were the most religious. Maybe they felt our decision tacitly challenged them to defend their own beliefs. Some people, when they cannot defend the biblically indefensible, resort to personal attacks. But through it all you learn other lessons you will need later in life, such as standing by the courage of your convictions.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Never missed it</font></h5> <p>Despite some of those challenges, from year one I never missed Christmas. Maybe it was the way my parents engaged me in the discovery process. I don’t remember the exact conversations we had about it, but I do remember coming to comprehend the core issue that I mentioned earlier: <font face="Arial Black">Mixing Christianity and Christmas just isn’t being honest with the truth.</font> </p> <p>And isn’t honesty, sincerity and truth supposed to be a cornerstone of our relationship with God? Isn’t that one of the most important gifts we can give to our children?”    Clyde Kilough, Editor.  From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/discern/nov-dec-2014/50-years-without-christmas/" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/discern/nov-dec-2014/50-years-without-christmas/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/discern/nov-dec-2014/50-years-without-christmas/</a></p> <p>_________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Seeing Red No. 3: Coloring to Dye For</font></h3> <p>(Lot of red going around at this time of year!!)</p> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/seeing-red-no-3-coloring-to-dye-for/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/seeing-red-no-3-coloring-to-dye-for/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/seeing-red-no-3-coloring-to-dye-for/</a></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.</font></p> <p>“The artificial food coloring Red No. 3 has yet to be banned—despite its purported role in causing thousands of cases of thyroid cancer.</p> <p>Fifteen million pounds of food dyes are sold every year in the U.S. Why? “Foods are artificially colored to make unattractive mixtures of basic ingredients and food additives acceptable to consumers.” See, food colorings are added to countless processed food products to <font face="Arial Black">“conceal the absence of fruits, vegetables, or other ingredients, and make the food ‘appear better or of greater value than it [actually] is.’</font>” Otherwise, cherry popsicles might actually look like they have no cherries in them!</p> <p>I’ve talked about the role of food dyes in causing ADH symptoms in kids. But, what about their role in cancer?</p> <p>Due to cancer concerns, Red dye #1 was banned in 1961. Red #2 was banned in 1976, and then Red #4 was banned. What about Red #3, used today in everything from sausage to maraschino cherries? It was recently found to cause DNA damage in human liver cells <font face="Arial Black"><u>in vitro</u></font>, comparable to the damage caused by a chemotherapy drug whose whole purpose is to break down DNA.</p> <p>But, Red #3 was found to influence children’s behavior more than thirty years ago, and interfere with thyroid function over forty years ago. Why is it still legal?</p> <p>This is an article from the New York Times about Red #3 published way back in 1985. Already by then, the FDA had postponed action on banning the dye 26 times, even with the Acting Commissioner of the FDA saying Red #3 was “of greatest public health concern,” imploring his agency to “not knowingly allow continued exposure” (at high levels in the case of Red #3) of the public to…color additive[s] that [have] clearly been shown to induce cancer… The credibility of the [Department of Health and Human Services] would suffer if decisions are not made soon on each of these color additives.” <font face="Arial Black">That was written thirty years ago.</font></p> <p>At the end of the day, industry pressure won out. “FDA scientists and FDA commissioners…have recommended that the additives be banned… But there has been tremendous pressure…to delay the recommendations from being implemented.”</p> <p>In 1990, concerned about cancer risk, the FDA banned the use of Red #3 in anything going on our skin, but it remained legal to continue to put it in anything going into our mouths. Now, the FDA said at the time that they planned on stopping that too, and ending all “remaining uses” of Red #3, lamenting that “The cherries in 21<sup>st</sup>-century fruit cocktail could well be light brown.” That was 1990.</p> <p>Over 20 years later, it’s still in our food supply. After all, the agency estimated that “the lifetime risk of thyroid tumors in humans [from Red #3 in food] was at most 1 in 100,000.” </p> <p>“Based on today’s population, that would indicate that Red #3 is causing cancer in about 3000 people.” From: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/seeing-red-no-3-coloring-to-dye-for/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/seeing-red-no-3-coloring-to-dye-for/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/seeing-red-no-3-coloring-to-dye-for/</a></p> <p>Still not banned by Oct. 1923!!  <a title="https://www.npr.org/2023/10/16/1206061294/theres-renewed-pressure-on-the-fda-to-ban-synthetic-food-dye-red-no-3" href="https://www.npr.org/2023/10/16/1206061294/theres-renewed-pressure-on-the-fda-to-ban-synthetic-food-dye-red-no-3">https://www.npr.org/2023/10/16/1206061294/theres-renewed-pressure-on-the-fda-to-ban-synthetic-food-dye-red-no-3</a></p> <p>_________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-13166744078122805762023-12-11T15:48:00.001-06:002023-12-11T15:48:19.412-06:00When Was Jesus Born? Part 1, 2 & 3. Why You Should Never Eat Pork.<p>.</p> <h4><font size="3">When Was Jesus Born? Part 1</font></h4> <p>Luke 1:5</p> <p><em>There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.</em></p> <p>“The Bible does not tell us exactly when Jesus Christ was born. The closest hint, found in this verse, seems to point to Christ’s birth in the fall of the year.</p> <p>What’s the connection? Verse 36 shows that Jesus Christ was born about six months after John the Baptist was born. And John the Baptist would have been conceived nine months earlier (15 months before Christ’s birth), shortly after his father Zacharias had received a message from an angel while serving at the temple.</p> <p>When did Zacharias serve at the temple? One source says he probably served one-week stints around mid-May and mid-November. (E.W. Bullinger uses the dates June 13-19.) King David had divided the priests into 24 courses, of which the division of Abijah was the eighth (1 Chronicles 24:10). These divisions each served a week at a time, so that each division served two weeks at the temple each year according to the sacred calendar, in addition to the festivals.</p> <p>A number of commentators lean toward a May or June date for Zacharias’ meeting with Gabriel. Adding 15 months to that would put Jesus Christ’s birth in perhaps August or September. (If Zacharias met Gabriel around November or December, Christ’s birth would have been in perhaps February or March.)</p> <p>Either way would not support a Dec. 25 birth date.”</p> <p>From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/when-was-jesus-born-part-1/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=281681475&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8-h10we8nitryI3MPP9ZGomG1UacLEBStrh5eImsbQ8J4DPOSJ882A6U2eYfZzmclLptPAlgDD_m2MonjOY3uey3_apA&utm_content=281681475&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/when-was-jesus-born-part-1/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/when-was-jesus-born-part-1/</a></p> <p>_______</p> <h4><font size="3">When Was Jesus Born? Part 2</font></h4> Luke 2:1  <p><em>And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.</em></p> <p>“The vast Roman Empire was a structured and expensive government, and this census was <font face="Arial Black"><em>“organized to facilitate the collection of taxes”</em> </font>(<em>NKJV Study Bible</em>). In an agrarian society, both tithes and taxes were collected shortly after the fall harvest when the farmer would have sold his crop. <font face="Arial Black">Collecting taxes in the winter or any other time is not very effective.</font></p> <p>Also, since such a census required people like Joseph to travel back to their ancestral home, it is unlikely the census would have been conducted in the winter time when travel was difficult. This is but one more hint in the text that Jesus Christ’s birth did not occur on Dec. 25. Though the Bible does not give an exact date for His birth, it seems clear that it could not have been in the winter.”</p> <p>From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/when-was-jesus-born-part-2/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=281861318&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_4V7D1w80dU0946HoGYh9Rh8cJUhQwvXZGDA5l_I9KL-OgZpd2ypeZKQ-S4FlKR-iWIScM5yn3e-5Jem-s7J67JV3fkg&utm_content=281861318&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/when-was-jesus-born-part-2/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/when-was-jesus-born-part-2/</a></p> <p>__________</p> <h4><font size="3">When Was Jesus Born? Part 3</font></h4> Luke 2:8  <p><em>Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.</em></p> <p>“One commentary states, “As these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced, and that, consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25th of December, when no flocks were out in the fields. On this very ground the nativity in December should be given up” (Adam Clarke’s Commentary<em>,</em> note on Luke 2:8).</p> <p>The Interpreter’s One-Volume Commentary agrees: “These humble pastoral folk are out in the field at night with their flock—a feature of the story which would argue against the birth (of Christ) occurring on Dec. 25 since the weather would not have permitted it” (1971, note on Luke 2:4-7).</p> <p>For more about why Jesus Christ’s birth could not have been Dec. 25 and how it came to be celebrated that day, see our article “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/holy-days-vs-holidays/christmas/">Christmas: Should Christians Celebrate It?</a>”” From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/when-was-jesus-born-part-3/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=282013577&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9OuuKyQPxO08nI-D2wPs2P0n7t6LhUpKYQSP4rjOfWaSGG_-ysLxal57s5sSK8xYG6VAERJxy9blHtj0gdslrQCkkucg&utm_content=282013577&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/when-was-jesus-born-part-3/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/when-was-jesus-born-part-3/</a></p> <p>_________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Why You Should Never Eat Pork</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Why you should never eat pork" src="https://whyyoushouldnever.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/eat-pork.jpg?ezimgfmt=rs:936x662/rscb1/ngcb1/notWebP" width="249" align="left" height="176" /><font color="#c0504d" size="3">9 reasons why you shouldn’t eat pork</font></p> <p>“Sausages, bacon, and <font face="Arial Black">ham</font> are all popular pork products. And with good reason: they’re delicious! There’s nothing quite like starting your day with a juicy bacon sandwich or enjoying a delicious plate of ham and eggs.</p> <p>But as with most things that taste great, there’s a downside to eating pork. Pork is, in fact, one of the unhealthiest meats you can eat. In this article, we’re going to discuss why <font face="Arial Black">you should seriously consider cutting pork out of your diet altogether.</font></p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">1. Pork contains parasites</font></h5> <p>One of the main reasons why you shouldn’t eat pork is because it contains parasites. These parasites can cause disease and even death in humans.</p> <p>Some of the most common parasites found in pork include roundworms, tapeworms, and trichinosis. Trichinosis is a worm infection that can be passed on to humans from pigs. This infection can cause fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and muscle pain. In severe cases, it can also lead to death.</p> <p>While cooking pork may kill some of the parasites, <font face="Arial Black">it won’t remove all of them.</font></p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">2. Pork may cause cancer</font></p> <p>Another reason to avoid eating pork is that it may contribute to cancer. Pork products contain heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).</p> <p>These are both carcinogenic (cancer-causing) compounds that have been linked to an increased risk of various types of cancer, including stomach, colon, and pancreatic cancer.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">3. Eating pork can lead to allergies</font></h5> <p>Some people are allergic to the protein found in pigs. These proteins include pork insulin and pork trypsinogen. </p> <p>Pork insulin is similar to human insulin and can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Pork trypsinogen is a protein that helps the pig digest its food. This protein has also been known to cause allergic reactions in humans.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">4. Pig farming is harmful to the environment</font></h5> <p>Pig farming is one of the most damaging types of farming to the environment. Pigs produce large amounts of manure, which contains nitrogen and phosphorus.</p> <p>These substances can pollute the air, water, and soil. In addition, pig farms often use large amounts of antibiotics, which can lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. These antibiotics tend to leach into the environment and can contaminate water sources and the earth.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">5. Pigs are generally left in unsanitary conditions</font></h5> <p>Pigs are intelligent animals that can feel pain and suffering. Unfortunately, they’re often kept in unsanitary conditions on factory farms.</p> <p>These farms confine pigs to small metal cages or pens. The floors of these pens are often slatted, so the waste falls through into a pit below. The pigs are cramped and have no room to move around or exercise.</p> <p>The conditions on these farms are so bad that pigs often develop sores and ulcers. They also, believe it or not, suffer from anxiety, boredom, and depression.</p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">6. Pigs eat other animals</font></p> <p>There’s a somewhat unspoken rule that <font face="Arial Black">humans should avoid eating animals that eat other animals</font>. Pigs are one of the few exceptions to this rule.</p> <p>Pigs are omnivores, which means they’ll eat just about anything. This includes dead animals, feces, and even their own young. As a result, <font face="Arial Black">pigs can harbor all sorts of diseases and parasites</font>.</p> <p>Thus, whatever they eat, you end up eating too.”        From: <a title="https://whyyoushouldnever.com/why-you-should-never-eat-pork/" href="https://whyyoushouldnever.com/why-you-should-never-eat-pork/">https://whyyoushouldnever.com/why-you-should-never-eat-pork/</a></p> <p>_______</p> <p>Just like the saying:      <font color="#c0504d"><font color="#0000a0"> You are what you eat</font>, AND WHAT IT ATE!!</font></p> <p>_______</p> <p><strong><font color="#c0504d" size="3">What diseases do pigs carry?</font></strong></p> <p>“The diseases associated with swine include ringworm, erysipelas, leptospirosis, streptococcosis, campylobacterosis, salmonellosis, cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, balantidiasis, influenza, infection with pathogenic E. coli, and brucellosis.</p> <p><strong><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Do pigs poop out of their hooves?</font></strong></p> <p>In addition to adapted digestive systems that support opportunistic scavenging, pigs can excrete excess toxins through their hooves. So, in the event that they do eat too much <font face="Arial Black">garbage</font>, their bodies still have a back-up plan to rid the poison.</p> <h4><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Can pig poop make you sick?</font></h4> <p>It is important to thoroughly wash hands after contact with pigs or their fecal material to avoid infection with diseases that can be spread via fecal-oral contact. Campylobacteriosis is an infection of the intestines caused by a bacterium called Campylobacter.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">What happens if a pig bites you?</font></h5> <p>Pig bites are often severe with a high incidence of infection that is often polymicrobial with organisms including Staphylococcus and Streptococcus spp. (including Streptococcus suis), Haemophilus influenzae, Pasteurella, Actinobacillus and Flavobacterium species.</p> <h6><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Why do pigs eat faeces?</font></h6> <p>Coprophagia is the term for an animal eating excrement—both their own and that of others. Most of them eat feces because it contains some undigested food—and thus vital nutrients—that would otherwise go to waste.  (Rabbits do this, too, that is why they are also an “unclean” meat.)</p> <p><strong><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Do pigs have STDS?</font></strong></p> <p>They are responsible for a broad range of diseases in animals and humans. In pigs, Chlamydia suis, Chlamydia abortus, Chlamydia pecorum and Chlamydia psittaci have been isolated.”  From: <a title="https://yourwiseadvices.com/how-do-pigs-excrete-toxins/" href="https://yourwiseadvices.com/how-do-pigs-excrete-toxins/">https://yourwiseadvices.com/how-do-pigs-excrete-toxins/</a></p> <p>_______</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-23486227287913715962023-12-03T09:03:00.001-06:002023-12-03T09:03:52.663-06:00The 5 Rs of Healing Relationships. Avoiding Vain Repetitions in Prayer. Best Way to Cook Vegetables.<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">The 5 Rs of Healing Relationships</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="The 5 Rs of Healing Relationships" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/the-5-rs-of-healing-relationships_725_483_80.jpg" width="298" align="left" height="199" />“Getting along with people can be hard. A variety of factors can contribute to the breakdown of relationships. What can we do to help restore broken relationships?</p> <p>Over 25 years ago, in the midst of rioting, Rodney King voiced these memorable words: <font face="Arial Black">“Can we all get along?”</font> All these years later, the words still resonate. Rodney King, a man who was severely beaten on camera by Los Angeles police after being apprehended following a car chase, was trying to quell the violence that had started as a result.</p> <p>Theodore Roosevelt is quoted as saying, “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.”</p> <p>In fact, if we go back almost 2,000 years to the first century, we read a similar sentiment by the apostle Paul:<em> “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men”</em> (<a>Romans 12:18</a>).</p> <p>The point is that relationships are hard. They have always been hard. Humanity has been having a difficult time getting along all the way back to when Cain killed his brother Abel in Genesis 4. Some of the many consequences of broken relationships are violence, estrangement, gossip, feelings of self-superiority, insults or belittling. The list could go on and on.</p> <p>In our polarized world, people are often at odds with people they haven’t even met, based on their political persuasion, ethnicity, religion, etc. For instance, just quoting the three men above could already bias people for or against us just based on their feelings about Mr. King, Mr. Roosevelt or the Bible.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Can we change this?</font></h5> <p>Those who believe the Bible have the opportunity to be shining examples of how to heal relationships and love others—because the Bible has so much to say on the topic. Christians can demonstrate that even when mistakes are made—and even though it may be extremely challenging—it is possible to restore and heal a relationship that has been damaged or broken.</p> <p><q>It is possible to restore and heal a relationship that has been damaged or broken.</q> But we have to work at it. Strong relationships are perhaps the most difficult things to achieve, but also the most rewarding. None of us do it perfectly, but there are ways we can do it better. This blog post will begin a series of five posts on healing broken relationships.</p> <p>[NOTE: There is one caveat, however. If physical, mental or emotional abuse is occurring, we should first leave the situation and not focus on reconciliation. If reconciliation is to be achieved in an abusive relationship, it should be done through a professional counselor.]</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">The five healing Rs</font></h5> <p>This blog series will cover five keys to healing broken relationships, whether with coworkers and other acquaintances or with our families and close friends.</p> <p>Here is a preview of what we will be covering. We should:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/the-5-rs-of-healing-relationships-recognize/"><strong>Recognize</strong></a> that our own thinking, speech or behavior has damaged our relationship with someone. The first step to healing any relationship is recognizing our part in damaging it. </li> <li><a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/the-five-rs-of-healing-relationships-repent/"><strong>Repent</strong> </a>to God for every way our thoughts, speech or behavior has done damage to a relationship.   </li> <li><a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/the-5-rs-of-healing-relationships-replace/"><strong>Replace </strong></a>hurtful thoughts, speech and behavior with positive and peacemaking ways. </li> <li><a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/the-5-rs-of-healing-relationships-reconcile-and-retry/"><strong>Reconcile</strong></a> to make things right with the other person, even if that means things don’t go the way we expect or prefer.  </li> <li><strong><a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/the-5-rs-of-healing-relationships-reconcile-and-retry/">Retry</a> </strong>the relationship by starting fresh, putting the past in the past and getting a new perspective. </li> </ul> <p>No relationship is perfect, and we all have flaws to deal with. But healing broken relationships is worth the effort because strong relationships provide great happiness and help us live better lives.”  From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/the-5-rs-of-healing-relationships/" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/the-5-rs-of-healing-relationships/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/the-5-rs-of-healing-relationships/</a></p> <p>________</p> <h4><font size="3">Private Prayers</font></h4> <p><strong>Matthew 6:5-6</strong></p> <p><em>“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”</em></p> <p>“In His <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/christian-conversion/the-sermon-on-the-mount/">Sermon on the Mount</a>, Jesus Christ laid out the foundations of Christianity; and in this section He addresses the wrong and right ways to pray.</p> <p>Prayer is not for show or to impress other people. It is designed to help us build a personal relationship with our Creator. The core of our prayer life is one-on-one, alone with God. When we pray in private, we can express our deepest emotions and be open with God in a way we could not be in public.</p> <p>The example of the New Testament Church shows that this does not mean that there is no place for public prayer, as there are many examples of the Church of God praying together (Acts 1:14; 4:24-31; etc.). But we must always be on guard against the attitude of hypocrisy that Jesus warned about. Read more in our article “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/christian-conversion/the-sermon-on-the-mount/private-worship-toward-god/">Private Worship Toward God</a>.”</p> <p>For more about what the Bible teaches about prayer, see our article “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/prayer-fasting-and-meditation/how-to-pray/how-to-talk-to-god/">How to Talk to God</a>.” From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/private-prayers/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=268869687&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8Oz3j_VuojezP-Ik-HUCUZkU3RrtTNGZuku_ePF0RMQwj-ZA8w6DNt4vlYAsdVTUwjdtActdaNlWYMRZRcqs7IVo-oIQ&utm_content=268869687&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/private-prayers/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/private-prayers/</a></p> <p>_______</p> <h4>Avoiding Vain Repetitions in Prayer</h4> <p><strong>Matthew 6:7</strong></p> <p><em>“And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.”</em></p> <p>“God does not give us prayers to memorize and repeat mindlessly as a ritual. He is not interested in babble and hearing certain syllables intoned repetitiously, as it seems the pagans believed their “gods” did. He wants His followers to “avoid meaningless, repetitive prayers offered under the misconception that mere length will make prayers efficacious” (<em>Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary</em> on Matthew 6:7-8).</p> <p>God is interested in us having an actual conversation with Him, listening to what He says in the Bible and sharing our thoughts, requests, cares and praise with Him in a focused and meaningful way. Repeating someone else’s words over and over again can’t help but become rote and ritual rather than building the relationship God desires.</p> <p>See more about the communication God desires in our articles “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/prayer-fasting-and-meditation/how-to-pray/how-to-avoid-repetitious-prayer/">How to Avoid Repetitious Prayer</a>” and “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/prayer-fasting-and-meditation/how-to-pray/how-to-talk-to-god/">How to Pray</a>.”  From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/avoiding-vain-repetitions-in-prayer/" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/avoiding-vain-repetitions-in-prayer/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/avoiding-vain-repetitions-in-prayer/</a></p> <p>_______</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Best Way to Cook Vegetables</font></h3> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/best-way-to-cook-vegetables/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/best-way-to-cook-vegetables/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/best-way-to-cook-vegetables/</a></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.</font></p> <p>“Boiling, steaming, microwaving, air frying, and sous vide cooking are put to the test for nutrient retention.</p> <p>I’ve made videos on how not to die from heart disease, how not to die from cancer, how not to die from other deadly diseases like diabetes, but some of the most popular videos on the site are like …“the best way to cook sweet potatoes.”</p> <p>All right, then. What’s the best way to cook bell peppers? Here’s the antioxidant power of raw green peppers and red peppers, and microwaving or stir-frying doesn’t seem to do much, though with boiling, there’s a drop. But then, if you measure the antioxidant activity of the leftover boiling water, the antioxidants weren’t destroyed, but just leached out into the cooking water. So, the researcher’s conclusion is that it’s “vital to consume the water used for boiling, in addition to the peppers, as bioactive compounds will be [left over] in the water.” But that’s not the take-away I get from this study. Drink the water or not, red peppers have nearly twice the antioxidant power of green, no matter what you do. So, while both peppers are, by definition, green-light foods, the red peppers, ironically, are even greener.</p> <p>What about mushrooms? Probably best not to eat them raw, but what’s the best way to cook them? “Since cooking techniques clearly influence the nutritional attributes of mushrooms, the proper selection of [cooking method may be a] key factor to prevent or reduce nutritional losses. And…”microwaving and grilling were established as the best processes to maintain the nutritional profile of mushrooms.” For example, a significant decrease was detected in the antioxidant activity of mushrooms, especially after boiling and frying, while grilled and microwaved mushrooms reached in some cases <font face="Arial Black">higher</font> antioxidant activity.</p> <p>Boiling had a similar negative impact on the antioxidant power of cauliflower, which serves as just kind of a rough proxy for how many phytonutrients of potential benefit we might be losing. Blanching was better, where the cauliflower here was dunked into boiling water for three minutes and then run under cold water to stop it from cooking. I had never heard of steam blanching, but same idea. Steam for three minutes, then cool off, which appears to be better, since you’re not immersing it in water. Though, note there’s not much difference between steaming for six minutes and steaming for three, and then running under cold water. Too bad they didn’t look at roasting—<font face="Arial Black"><u>that’s</u></font> how you make cauliflower taste good. In fact, I’ve got two recipes on roasted cauliflower in my <font face="Arial Black">How Not to Die Cookbook</font> (for which all my proceeds go to charity, of course).</p> <p>There are certain antioxidants we’re especially interested in, though. Like the eyesight and brain-protecting green vegetable compound lutein. Here’s the back of the eyeball. What lutein does is protect those sensitive light-sensing nerves by blocking the high-energy blue light rays, which helps us see better, and may help us think better too. So, researchers looked at the effects of four different cooking methods on lutein concentrations. The first thing you’ll notice is that broccoli has like 50 times more than cauliflower—not a surprise, since lutein is a plant pigment, and cauliflower is too white. Here is it graphically, so you can appreciate the difference.</p> <p>Then they compared boiling, steaming, microwaving, and sous vide cooking, which is like a fancy name for boiling in a plastic bag. And, boiling actually made lutein levels go up! How is that possible? Heat can actually disrupt the cell walls, and all the little subcellular compartments that can enhance the release of antioxidant compounds. Sous vide was similar; microwaving detrimental, at least for the broccoli, and… steaming the superstar, nearly doubling lutein levels.</p> <p>Heat isn’t the only way to liberate lutein from greens. If you finely chop spinach, you can double the amount of lutein released during digestion in this experimental model. And make a green smoothie, or pesto, or some kind of puréed spinach dish, and you may <font face="Arial Black"><u>triple</u></font> the bioavailability. But you have to watch the heat. Steaming or boiling is one thing, but super high heat, like stir-frying, can reduce lutein levels to nearly nothing.</p> <p>Frying is also bad for the purple pigments in blue potatoes—even air-frying; they just seem sensitive to extremely high heat. These special antioxidant plant pigments appear to be sensitive to<font face="Arial Black"> really</font> high temperatures; so, we should try to avoid frying, especially deep frying. That was one of the conclusions of an expert panel on cooking methods: avoid deep frying foods. Not only the nutrient losses, but all the added oil—not to mention the production of some toxic compounds at those temperatures. So, that continues to be a challenge to the food industry. What’s their solution? Forget deep-fat frying, let’s try frying in pure molten sugar. It’s like the SnackWell cookie phenomenon taken to its logical conclusion. Oh, you want low-fat? We’ll fry in sugar.”  From: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/best-way-to-cook-vegetables/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/best-way-to-cook-vegetables/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/best-way-to-cook-vegetables/</a></p> <p>________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-52462022342274934702023-11-29T11:58:00.001-06:002023-11-29T12:00:14.471-06:00Does Jerusalem Belong to Israelis or Palestinians? The Human Potential. Avoiding Cholesterol is a No-Brainer.<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Does Jerusalem Belong to Israelis or Palestinians?</font></h3> <p>“The status of Jerusalem continues to be a controversial issue dividing the world. Does it belong to Israelis or Palestinians? Or to Someone else?</p> <p><img style="margin: 0px 17px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/who-does-jerusalem-really-belong-to-03_833_460_80_c1.jpg" width="305" align="left" height="168" /></p> <p>A group of Palestinians pray outside Jerusalem’s Old City while Israeli forces stand guard on Oct. 20, 2023 (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean).</p> <p>On Oct. 7, 2023, the terror group Hamas launched what they termed, “Operation Al-Aqsa Deluge.” Their goal was to rid Palestine and Jerusalem of Jews, who, they believe, occupy the territory illegally. Hamas leader Khaled Mash’al called for the Islamic community to join the holy war in the<a href="https://www.memri.org/reports/hamas-calls-entire-islamic-nation-join-jihad-against-israel-declares-friday-october-13-2023"> battle for the Al-Aqsa Mosque</a>.</p> <p> To understand this, we must understand the importance of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Islamic faith. Muhammad founded Islam in the seventh century, setting up Mecca and Medina as the two holiest sites in Islam. Both cities are located in modern-day Saudi Arabia. </p> <p>According to Muslims, Muhammad was miraculously transported from Mecca to Jerusalem, the site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which means the “farthest mosque,” where we are told he met Jesus and the prophets and led them in prayer before being taken up to heaven from the site of the Dome of the Rock.  </p> <p>After Muhammad’s death in 632, his second successor, Omar bin al-Khattab, conquered Jerusalem and built a mosque on the Temple Mount. </p> <p>He claimed this Jerusalem mosque to be at the location of Muhammad’s night journey. Hence, it became known as the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Because of this, Jerusalem, and the Temple Mount in particular, became the third holiest site in Islam, behind the holy sites of Mecca and Medina. However, readers should understand that the city of Jerusalem is not mentioned by name in the Koran.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">The Jewish claim to Jerusalem</font> </h5> <p>The Jews claim Jerusalem as their capital and the Temple Mount as their most holy place of worship, because it was the location where the first and second temples stood.</p> <p>Due to the nation’s disobedience, God’s presence left the first temple, and the building was destroyed by the Babylonians (Jeremiah 52:12-13; Ezekiel 9:3; 10:4, 18-19; 11:22-23). </p> <p>The second temple was constructed under the leadership of Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah and Zerubbabel. However, the Romans destroyed the second temple in A.D. 70. </p> <p>Today, some Jews seek to build a third temple, which the Palestinians and many Muslims believe will be at the expense of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Some hardline Jewish Orthodox groups do believe the Al-Aqsa Mosque must be destroyed for the third temple to take its place. In many ways, the Al-Aqsa Mosque is the center of the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.</p> <p>(To learn of this conflict’s ancient roots, read “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/whats-behind-the-war-between-israel-and-hamas/">What’s Behind the War Between Israel and Hamas?</a>”) </p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">The Christian claim to Jerusalem</font></h5> <p>For Christians, Jerusalem is holy because it was the birthplace of Christianity. During the Dark Ages, it was the center of many battles between Muslims and Christians.</p> <p><q>Prophecy shows that European forces will once again capture Jerusalem, setting off a series of events leading to Christ’s return.</q> Jerusalem was first captured by Christians in the <a href="https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jerusalem-captured-in-first-crusade">First Crusade</a> (1099) under the leadership of Pope Urban II. But Christian control was soon lost to Muslim forces led by Saladin in 1187. </p> <p>There were nine crusades, but the Christian forces were largely unsuccessful in their fight the Islamic armies to regain control of Jerusalem.</p> <p>Though Europe today is largely secular, Bible prophecy shows that European forces fighting under a Christian banner will once again capture Jerusalem, setting off a series of events leading to Christ’s return. Christ warned, <em><font face="Arial Black">“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near”</font></em> (Luke 21:20). </p> <p>To learn more, read “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/understanding-the-book-of-daniel/abomination-of-desolation/">What Is the Abomination of Desolation?</a>”</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">A city of war</font></h5> <p>With three faiths claiming Jerusalem, it is the most contested city in the world. In recent history, there have been several wars over the city.</p> <p>At the inception of the modern nation of Israel in 1948, the Arab nations of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Egypt attacked the fledgling nation, intending to utterly destroy it.</p> <p><img style="margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Temple Mount in Jerusalem " src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/Temple_Mount_Jerusalem_472_315_80.jpg" width="404" align="left" height="270" /></p> <p>This image shows the three religious sites that are a source of conflict at the Temple Mount: the Dome of the Rock (left), the Western Wall (center) and the Al Aqsa Mosque (right). </p> <p>The result was a victory for Israel, but Jerusalem remained divided—with West Jerusalem under Israel’s control and East Jerusalem under Jordan’s control. </p> <p>On June 7, 1967, Israeli forces took control of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount during the Six-Day War.</p> <p>They declared Jerusalem “the eternal and undivided capital of the Jewish State,” but to ease conflict over the Temple Mount, they appointed the Jordanian Ministry of Religious Endowments (“Waqf”) as the custodians of the holy site, which continues to this day. The Waqf does not allow non-Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount, a status that Jews try to contest.</p> <p>On Oct. 6, 1973, Egypt and Syria launched the Yom Kippur War, a surprise attack on the solemn Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). They aimed to regain the territory they lost during the 1967 Six-Day War.</p> <p>Now, 50 years later, almost to the day (Oct. 7, 2023), on the festival of the Eighth Day (Shemini Atzeret), Hamas launched “Operation Al-Aqsa Deluge” to expel Jews from Israel and Jerusalem.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Contention over the Temple Mount</font></h5> <p>The Temple Mount is constantly a place of tension. Consider the following headlines:</p> <ul> <li>“<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-commander-says-attacks-are-in-defense-of-al-aqsa-claims-5000-missiles-fired/">Hamas Commander Says Attacks Are in Defense of Al-Aqsa, Claims 5,000 Missiles Fired</a>” (October 2023).  </li> <li>“<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/4/israeli-settlers-storm-al-aqsa-mosque-complex-on-fifth-day-of-sukkot">Israeli Settlers Storm Al-Aqsa Mosque Complex on Fifth Day of Sukkot</a>” (October 2023).  </li> <li>“‘<a href="https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/the-time-has-come-jews-arrested-en-route-to-temple-mount-sacrifice/">The Time Has Come’: Jews Arrested En Route to Temple Mount Sacrifice</a>” (June 2023).  </li> <li>“<a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230605-the-israelis-set-for-new-jewish-temple-on-al-aqsa-site">The Israelis Set for New Jewish Temple on Al-Aqsa Site</a>” (May 2023). </li> <li>“<a href="https://www.jns.org/ben-gvir-visits-temple-mount-we-are-the-owners-of-jerusalem-and-israel/">Ben-Gvir Visits Temple Mount: ‘We Are the Owners of Jerusalem and Israel’</a>” (May 2023). </li> <li>“<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/cross-border-fire-gaza-after-israeli-police-raid-al-aqsa-mosque-2023-04-05/">Violence Erupts Again at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque</a>” (April 2023). </li> <li>“<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/four-extremist-jews-arrested-for-planning-animal-sacrifice-atop-temple-mount/">Six Extremist Jews Arrested for Planning Animal Sacrifice Atop Temple Mount</a>” (April 2022). </li> </ul> <p>The Bible calls the city a <em>“very heavy stone for all peoples,”</em> meaning it will be a burdensome problem for all nations that entangle their affairs with the city (Zechariah 12:3). The question remains: Who has the right to call Jerusalem their capital?</p> <p>To learn more, read “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/middle-east/temple-mount-in-bible-prophecy/">Temple Mount: Its History and Future</a>.” </p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">The rightful owner of Jerusalem</font></h5> <p>The most popular solution for Jerusalem is known as the two-state solution. A common form of this proposes that Jerusalem be divided and returned to its pre-1967 borders, with West Jerusalem given to Israelis and East Jerusalem given to Palestinians. </p> <p><img style="margin: 0px 16px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Who Does Jerusalem Really Belong To? " src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/who-does-jerusalem-really-belong-to_472_292_80.jpg" width="404" align="left" height="250" /></p> <p>Prophecy shows that before Jesus Christ’s return, the nations will be gathered against Jerusalem and the city divided</p> <p>Bible prophecy shows that before Jesus Christ’s return, the nations will be gathered against Jerusalem and the city divided (<a>Luke 21:20</a>). But it will not be a solution, nor will it be peaceful. Half the city and inhabitants will be <em>“taken”</em> violently (<a>Zechariah 14:2</a>). </p> <p>Then <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/end-times/second-coming/">Christ will return to earth</a> and punish the nations responsible for this (<a>Joel 3:2</a>).</p> <p>But what happens after that will be a remarkable transformation. Jesus Christ will establish His world capital at Jerusalem! This shows that the holy city does not belong to any one nation or religion—but belongs to God Himself.</p> <p>In <a>Zechariah 2:12</a> God says He<em> “shall choose Jerusalem again”</em> (King James Version). Notice the following prophecies that show what He has planned for the city:</p> <ul> <li>People around the world will go to Jerusalem to learn God’s laws (<a>Isaiah 2:3</a>; <a>Micah 4:2</a>). </li> <li>Many nations will visit Jerusalem and be considered God’s people (<a>Zechariah 2:11</a>). </li> <li>Jesus will rule and judge the nations from Jerusalem (<a>Zechariah 14:9</a>; <a>Isaiah 2:4</a>; <a>Micah 4:3</a>). </li> <li>The inhabitants of Jerusalem will live in perfect safety (<a>Zechariah 14:11</a>). </li> <li>Spiritual healing will go forth from the city to the rest of the earth (<a>Zechariah 14:8</a>; <a>Ezekiel 47:1-2</a>, <a>3-4</a>, <a>5-6</a>, <a>7-9</a>, <a>10-12</a>).</li> </ul> <p>The Bible instructs us to <em>“pray for the peace of Jerusalem”</em> (<a>Psalm 122:6</a>). That means the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom on earth. Only then will it fulfill the meaning of its name:   <font size="3">The City of Peace.””</font>  From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/who-does-jerusalem-really-belong-to/?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=279510034&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_dje7atTxLPmltT5EAuku-0AJVNMRw59KpMod-ucfoSy4pYg29-Jbli8oxJpivFgv-dSACG-g4lPUpdpVJ6t04mjYJSA&utm_content=279510034&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/who-does-jerusalem-really-belong-to/?">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/who-does-jerusalem-really-belong-to/?</a></p> <p><em>________</em></p> <h4><font size="3">The Human Potential</font></h4> <p><strong>Psalm 8:6-8</strong></p> <p><em>“You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen—even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas.</em></p> <p>At creation God gave humanity dominion—rulership—over the earth and the other creatures on it (Genesis 1:26-28). God intended for us to learn proper stewardship of what He gave us, and in the process of tending and keeping it, to grow in godly character. But our first parents chose the way of selfishness and shortsightedness, and humanity ever since has misused its dominion and befouled our planet.</p> <p>The author of Hebrews shows that God’s intention goes beyond even the earth and its creatures.<em> “For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him”</em> (Hebrews 2:8).</p> <p>God truly meant all things—the whole universe! Jesus Christ came and died that we might be forgiven and offered that wonderful potential as the glorified children of God ( <a>Hebrews 2:9-10 </a>).”</p> <p>For more about this awesome potential, see our article on the “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/what-is-the-meaning-of-life/purpose-of-life/">Purpose of Life</a>.”  From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/the-human-potential/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=278460662&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9M4ri9Vhog5A3PCNjm0WY_s3xuvNrq7ndXzZggWmULuLtLxgfqTGl9dEPIg1lYpET-_Cw6AGVHESWXEr860QXf568EsA&utm_content=278460662&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/the-human-potential/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/the-human-potential/</a></p> <p>________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Avoiding Cholesterol is a No-Brainer</font></h3> <p>“Eggs and brains are the two most concentrated sources of cholesterol in the diet.   </p> <p><a href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/avoiding-cholesterol-is-a-no-brainer/#topics"><font color="#0000a0">Transcript of video at: </font></a><font color="#0000a0"><a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/avoiding-cholesterol-is-a-no-brainer/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/avoiding-cholesterol-is-a-no-brainer/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/avoiding-cholesterol-is-a-no-brainer/</a></font></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.</font></p> <p>“The egg industry would rather blame the bacon or hash browns, railing against this myth that eggs are the most concentrated source of dietary cholesterol. And it’s true, they’re right. It is a myth. According to the official USDA nutrient database, in a list of the most concentrated cholesterol sources, eggs are not #1; they’re #2. Brains are #1. Veal brains, cow brains, pig brains, lamb brains, raw pig brains, more veal brains, and then eggs. Then more brains, eggs, brains, brains, eggs, brains, eggs, and eggs. The take-home message? If you’re going to do veal brains? Pan-fried, definitely; not braised.</p> <p>What about omega-3-rich eggs? “The new type of eggs containing omega-3 fatty acids are still loaded with cholesterol,” the Director of the Stroke Prevention & Atherosclerosis Research Centre notes. <font face="Arial Black">“The answer is not to feed flax seed to the chickens, but rather to put it on the cereal and leave the chicken out of the meal!”</font></p> <p>The devastating new review published last year implicating egg consumption did not go over easy with the egg industry. They countered that the overly restrictive 200mg upper safety limit for cholesterol intake, that wouldn’t even allow a single egg, is only for people at risk for heart disease—to which the lead researcher replied, “[Most everyone is] at risk of vascular disease—the only ones who could eat [an] egg yolk regularly with impunity would be those who expect to die prematurely from nonvascular causes…” In other words, his famous “The only [people] who should eat eggs regularly are those [dying of] a terminal illness”—because at that point, who cares? You’re going to drop dead anyway.”</p> <p>In their landmark review, they conclude that waiting until your first stroke, heart attack, or diabetes diagnosis to avoid eggs is too late. They conclude: “Stopping egg consumption after a [heart attack] or stroke would be like quitting smoking after [a diagnosis of] lung cancer: a necessary action, but late.” From: <font color="#0000a0"><a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/avoiding-cholesterol-is-a-no-brainer/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/avoiding-cholesterol-is-a-no-brainer/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/avoiding-cholesterol-is-a-no-brainer/</a></font></p> <p><font color="#0000a0">But…….. also see infographic and article all about eggs at: <a title="https://www.mercola.com/infographics/egg-nutrition-facts.htm" href="https://www.mercola.com/infographics/egg-nutrition-facts.htm">https://www.mercola.com/infographics/egg-nutrition-facts.htm</a></font></p> <p><font color="#0000a0"><font color="#0000a0">_________</font></font></p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-70832003495514067142023-11-22T15:12:00.001-06:002023-11-22T15:12:25.059-06:00Should Every Day Be a Day of Thanksgiving?<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Should Every Day Be a Day of Thanksgiving?</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/should-every-day-be-a-day-of-thanksgiving_684_456_80_c1.jpg" width="284" align="left" height="189" />“The Thanksgiving holiday is widely publicized and celebrated by millions of Americans. But shouldn’t we be thankful every day?</p> <p>I plan to eat very well this Thanksgiving, as I do every Thanksgiving. I will indulge myself in mashed potatoes and gravy, savor the sweet potato casserole, and eat a week’s worth of protein in turkey. Don’t even get me started on the pies.</p> <p><font face="Arial Black">Calories don’t count on Thanksgiving, right?</font></p> <p>There are many things people do on Thanksgiving besides just eating. Some spend extra time with family members they don’t normally get to see, go around the table listing things each person is thankful for, and (hopefully) begin the meal with a prayer thanking God for His many blessings.</p> <p>Those are all good things, right? </p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Is Thanksgiving more than food and football?</font></h5> <p>But there are also other things people do on this day that aren’t always so positive: extreme overeating (bordering on gluttony), watching football on TV more than speaking to one another, or rushing out to beat others to the best shopping deals.</p> <p>For many, Thanksgiving is just about food and entertainment. It’s even commonly called “Turkey Day,” as if it’s a day to celebrate an avian life-form. It’s become more about <font face="Arial Black"><u>enjoying</u></font> blessings than <font face="Arial Black"><u>giving thanks</u></font> for them.</p> <p>Admittedly, it may be unfair to try to stuff (pun intended) an enormous ongoing personal responsibility into just one day out of the year. Is there more to thankfulness than just this one day of the year? </p> <h5><font size="3"><font color="#c0504d">What thanksgiving actually <font face="Arial Black"><u>is</u></font></font></font></h5> <p>The Bible has a lot to say about thanksgiving—that is, the act and mind-set of thankfulness. From God’s perspective, thanksgiving isn’t the fourth Thursday in November; it is a constant way of thinking that God wants us to practice every day.</p> <p><q>By giving thanks to God in prayer, we show Him that we acknowledge that all the good things we have in life did not just randomly show up on our doorstep—but are from Him </q>In addition, modern science has shown that being a thankful person is connected to better mental and physical health.</p> <p>That’s why we should be practicing thanksgiving 365 days a year (and, yes, that also includes the fourth Thursday of November).</p> <p>One of the primary ways to practice thanksgiving daily is to give thanks to God for what He has given us every day in our prayers.</p> <p><font face="Arial Black">Studying the Psalms</font> (many of which are actual prayers recorded for us to learn from) can teach us many ways we can integrate thanksgiving into our prayers. (For example, see <a>Psalm 26:7</a>; <a>50:14</a>; <a>69:30</a>; <a>95:2</a>; <a>100:4</a>; <a>107:22</a>; <a>116:17</a>; <a>147:7</a>; and so many more.)</p> <p>By giving thanks to God in prayer, we show Him that we acknowledge that all the good things we have in life did not just randomly show up on our doorstep—but are from Him.</p> <p>Here are some things we can give thanks to God for regularly:</p> <ul> <li>His calling and work in our lives (<a>Colossians 3:17</a>). </li> <li>The people He has brought into our lives (<a>1 Timothy 2:1</a>). </li> <li>Past blessings when we are asking for future blessings (<a>Philippians 4:6-7</a>; <a>Colossians 4:2</a>). </li> <li><font face="Arial Black"><u>Everything</u></font> (<a>1 Thessalonians 5:18</a>).</li> </ul> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Practical tips on being thankful</font></h5> <p>So what are some practical ways we can expand thanksgiving from a one-day-a-year thing to an ongoing practice in our life?</p> <ol> <li><strong>Every day in prayer, give thanks to God for blessings we have. </strong>Don’t let a single prayer go by without giving God thanks for something He has done (or provided) for us.  </li> <li><strong>Every day in our conversations, thank someone for something he or she did (or said) that brought something positive into our life or the lives of others.</strong> People positively impact us every day, but we don’t always acknowledge it. Start acknowledging it! </li> <li><strong>Consider blessings we have that we don’t think about often.</strong> We can put our stress and difficulties in perspective by actively thinking about all the blessings we have received. Some people find it helpful to write those blessings down in a list. <font face="Arial Black">When we look at our list, we will probably find blessings that millions (maybe billions!) of people on the planet do not have.</font> That shouldn’t make us feel better about ourselves. Quite to the contrary, it should help us realize that thanksgiving is designed to lead us to be merciful and giving to others.</li> </ol> <ul> <li>Are you thankful for consistent electricity? <font face="Arial Black">Remember, more than a billion people can’t say the same.</font></li> <li>Are you thankful for having two loving parents alive?<font face="Arial Black"> Remember how many billions of people can’t say this, and how many desperately would want this to be true.</font></li> <li>Are you thankful for a big Thanksgiving dinner in November? <font face="Arial Black">Remember how many billions of people in the world will never eat a meal like that in their lives.</font></li> </ul> <p>Each of us probably has unlimited things to be thankful for!</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">The benefits of being thankful</font></h5> <p>Thanksgiving is a way of thinking and a constant action God is looking for in all of us. It helps us to realize God’s power and working in our lives, and it should remind us to be merciful, kind and generous to others. It actually improves our mental and physical well-being.  </p> <p>Thanksgiving is not just a day in November; it is a way of life. Let’s live it.”  From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/should-every-day-be-a-day-of-thanksgiving/?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=283643357&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8qNgB_zzu77wMRwqF3D-g6kQJg9lsAgZHN4bNafPHoSkct06s7FdctKhghrL938kKtwjY3NhBJFi5PoLeTKacrlQgsnw&utm_content=283643357&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/should-every-day-be-a-day-of-thanksgiving/?">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/should-every-day-be-a-day-of-thanksgiving/?</a></p> <p>__________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-40593495017676107472023-11-19T09:45:00.001-06:002023-11-19T09:45:22.082-06:00What Does the Bible Say About Loneliness? Vain Worship. Nutrition Facts Missing from the Label. Alzheimer's.<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">What Does the Bible Say About Loneliness?</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Illustration of a lone figure to represent the article What Does the Bible Say About Loneliness?" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/What-Does-the-Bible-Say-About-Loneliness-iStock-1339615370_833_460_80_c1.jpg" width="233" align="left" height="129" />“The Bible has stories about people facing loneliness and solutions to loneliness. God understands and cares and doesn’t want us to suffer alone.</p> <p>Jesus Christ understands what it is like to be alone.</p> <p>He spent 40 days alone in the wilderness, fasting and preparing to face Satan’s terrible temptations.</p> <p>And beyond that, during His crucifixion He also endured the utter loneliness that led Him to cry out, “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/who-is-jesus/eli-eli-lama-sabachthani/">‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’</a> that is, ‘<em>My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’”</em> (Matthew 27:46).</p> <p>After an eternity of close contact with God the Father, He suddenly experienced the crushing loneliness of carrying the weight of the world’s sins.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Jesus understands our suffering</font></h5> <p>But even before that, our Savior was no stranger to rejection and abandonment.</p> <p>Isaiah 53 expresses the deep isolation and loneliness the Messiah would suffer in addition to the physical torment:</p> <p><em>“He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him”</em> (verse 3).</p> <p>Jesus knew that even the many people who <em>“believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did”</em> (John 2:23) were not really with Him. He “<em>did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man”</em> (verses 24-25). Such scriptures hint at deep feelings of isolation.</p> <p><em>“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’”</em> (John 6:66-67).</p> <p>But the Bible shows He had a different and deeper source of companionship: <em>“The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him”</em> (John 8:29).</p> <p>Jesus told His disciples,<em> “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me”</em> (John 16:32).</p> <p>Jesus faced isolation and rejection, and He is empathetic and compassionate to those facing loneliness. He can <em>“sympathize with our weaknesses”</em> and so we are invited to<em> “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need”</em> (Hebrews 4:15-16).</p> <p>We don’t need to be completely alone, for He has said, <em>“I will never leave you nor forsake you”</em> (Hebrews 13:5).</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">“It is not good that man should be alone”</font></h5> <p>From the beginning, God created us to be social creatures. In the creation account, companionship can seem like an afterthought, but it was not. God wants <font face="Arial Black"><u>us</u></font> to know what <font face="Arial Black"><u>He</u></font> knew all along: <em>“It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him”</em> (Genesis 2:18).</p> <p>Putting us in families was always God’s intent. He created us to be like Him. Our families are intended to reflect His family. In fact, the overarching story of the Bible is that God the Father and Jesus, the Son of God, want us to become children of God.</p> <p>God doesn’t intend for us to be alone. On the night before He was crucified, Jesus said, <em>“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you”</em> (John 14:18).</p> <p>And God the Father tells us, “<em>I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters”</em> (2 Corinthians 6:18).</p> <p>Our relationship with God is the ultimate and most important solution to the problem of loneliness. But that does not minimize the pain of human isolation and loneliness. The Bible tells the story of people of God who experienced the pangs of loneliness.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Elijah felt alone</font></h5> <p>One of the most poignant examples was the prophet Elijah.</p> <p>After the adrenaline rush of his contest with the prophets of Baal came the vicious threats of evil Queen Jezebel. Elijah<em> “ran for his life”</em> (1 Kings 19:3). Discouraged and weary, he even begged God to take his life rather than let him suffer what Jezebel had planned for him (verse 4).</p> <p>But God had other plans. After Elijah came to Mount Horeb and witnessed God’s power, God asked him gently,<em> “What are you doing here, Elijah?”</em> (verse 13).</p> <p>Elijah’s answer showed how alone he felt:<em> “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life”</em> (verse 10).</p> <p><q>God encourages and is pleased by Christian brotherhood and fellowship.</q> God’s response included a list of assignments God had for Elijah. Having a purpose and work to throw himself into would also help Elijah overcome his discouragement.</p> <p>Included in this work was the opportunity to mentor his successor, Elisha. This close relationship, and the fact that 7,000 people had not bowed to Baal, helped Elijah realize he was not truly alone.</p> <p>We can ask God to help us to connect with others who serve Him and to work together in accomplishing <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/the-church/what-is-the-mission-of-the-church/">God’s work</a>.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">The author of Psalm 102 felt afflicted and alone</font></h5> <p>Psalm 102 carries this inscription: <em>“A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the LORD.”</em></p> <p>Though the author is not named, his lament is one that many of us can relate to. His comparisons to lonely birds have touched many hearts:</p> <p><em>“I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert. I lie awake, and am like a sparrow alone on the housetop”</em> (verses 6-7).</p> <p>The psalmist felt the reproach of enemies, but even more troubling was feeling cut off from God because of guilt.</p> <p>Yet Psalm 102 continues with acknowledgment of God’s mercy and praise for His concern for the afflicted and His willingness to strengthen those in need.</p> <p>We can pray that God will forgive and help us as well.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Other biblical examples of loneliness</font></h5> <p>The Bible has many other stories of people who experienced loneliness, whether they were alone or in a crowd.</p> <p>Hagar and Ishmael wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba (Genesis 21:14). After incurring the wrath of his brother, Jacob set off alone on the long journey to Laban’s home (Genesis 28). After being sold into slavery by his angry brothers, Joseph spent many years far from family and apart from any other believers in God (Genesis 39).</p> <p>Moses, a prince in Egypt, fled to the desolate wilderness (Exodus 2:15). David had to flee for his life, even ending up in enemy cities. He cried out, <em>“I am lonely and afflicted”</em> (Psalm 25:16, New International Version).</p> <p>Paul, after being converted, was no longer accepted by his former friends and was feared by his new brethren (Acts 9:26).</p> <p>And the Bible tells of many who lost husbands, wives, parents or children. God cares deeply about the loneliness and suffering of widows, widowers, orphans and those bereaved of their children.</p> <p>He’s<em> “a father of the fatherless, a defender of widows”</em> (Psalm 68:5).</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Biblical solutions to loneliness</font></h5> <p>After recounting the misfortune of <em>“one alone, without companion” </em>(Ecclesiastes 4:8), Solomon wrote:</p> <p><em>“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken”</em> (verses 9-12).</p> <p>This describes “the obvious benefits of companionship. The intimacy and sharing of life brings relief for the problem of isolation and loneliness” (NKJV Study Bible notes).</p> <p>Who does the Bible encourage to provide this companionship?</p> <ul> <li><strong><font color="#c0504d">Family:</font></strong></li> </ul> <p>The apostle Paul encouraged families to care for the needs of their own family members across generations.</p> <p><em>“But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God”</em> (1 Timothy 5:4).</p> <p>While this passage may be specifically about providing for financial needs, the principle of honoring and caring for family members includes seeking to meet emotional needs as well. Being part of a family should mean having loving support and companionship.</p> <ul> <li><strong><font color="#c0504d">Fellow Christians:</font></strong></li> </ul> <p>All of us should care for those in need:</p> <ul> <li><em>“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world”</em> (James 1:27). </li> <li><em>“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith”</em> (Galatians 6:10). </li> <li><em>“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another”</em> (Romans 12:10). </li> <li>“<em>Distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality”</em> (verse 13). </li> <li><em>“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep”</em> (verse 15).</li> </ul> <p>God encourages and is pleased by Christian brotherhood and fellowship. The book of Malachi gives a behind-the-scenes look at God’s response:</p> <p><em>“Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name”</em> (Malachi 3:16).</p> <p>Of course, God does not intend for us to just wait for others to reach out to us. We can reach out to others. If you are lonely, you can understand how much other lonely people need friendship. Be that friend, and you can enjoy the benefits as well. Practice the <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/christian-conversion/the-sermon-on-the-mount/the-golden-rule/">Golden Rule</a> (Luke 6:31).</p> <ul> <li><strong><font color="#c0504d">God:</font></strong></li> </ul> <p>We can ask God for help in building our human relationships. The Bible tells us: <em>“God sets the solitary in families”</em> (Psalm 68:6). This applies to physical families, church families and, ultimately, His family. See “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/family/building-strong-families/">Building Strong Families</a>,” “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/the-church/christian-fellowship/">Christian Fellowship</a>” and related articles.</p> <p>And we can go to God to develop the most meaningful relationship of all. See more in our articles “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/friendship/your-best-friend/">Your Best Friend</a>,” “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/who-is-god/relationship-with-god/">Relationship With God</a>,” “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/who-is-god/god-as-a-father/">Knowing God as a Loving Father</a>” and “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/what-is-the-meaning-of-life/children-of-god/">Children of God</a>.”</p> <p>For more about overcoming loneliness, see “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/friendship/loneliness-epidemic/">The Loneliness Epidemic</a>” and “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/friendship/how-to-make-friends/">How to Make Friends</a>.”  From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/friendship/loneliness-epidemic/bible-loneliness/?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=282931001&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--4EVqpjbPkMNv_kp4I4Czv1kdiLDAEV8VJC87Dtu3m_YGWTWXvgSBEdeA6OJdn85S2sAo7I-zQb4q1_jT8oxdOX_QR8w&utm_content=282766968&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/friendship/loneliness-epidemic/bible-loneliness/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/friendship/loneliness-epidemic/bible-loneliness/</a></p> <p>_________</p> <h4><font size="3">Vain Worship</font></h4> <p><strong>Matthew 15:8-9</strong></p> <p><em>“These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”</em></p> <p>“God warns us not to try to worship Him according to our own ideas or according to nonbiblical practices. He tells us clearly how He wants to be worshipped in His revealed Word, the Holy Bible.</p> <p>The commandments of men include the human reasoning of the religious leaders seeking to get around God’s clear commands (see <a>verses 3-6 </a>). But by extension this concept also covers any humanly devised teachings not based on the Bible.”</p> <p>Seek to worship God according to His 10 Commandments. See “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/10-commandments/the-ten-commandments/">The 10 Commandments for Today</a>.” From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/vain-worship/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=281179860&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_up6sw6DAtOVuLfNOp5F1a6dCRt1SBeMOlhUScmDHQk167gYEgg6VL2qLKOl2ogKAQfdfbXi11dS2oN4QCPytWAyVO5w&utm_content=281179860&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/vain-worship/?">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/vain-worship/?</a></p> <p>_________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Phytochemicals: The Nutrition Facts Missing from the Label</font></h3> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/phytochemicals-the-nutrition-facts-missing-from-the-label/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/phytochemicals-the-nutrition-facts-missing-from-the-label/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/phytochemicals-the-nutrition-facts-missing-from-the-label/</a>  </p> <p><font face="Arial Black">To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by <strong>Peter Mellor</strong>.</font></p> <p>“There are thousands of flavonoid phytonutrients in fruits, vegetables, and other whole plant foods missing from the nutrition labels that may play a role in delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.</p> <p>It’s one thing to show Alzheimer’s benefits in a petri dish. It’s quite another to show benefit in a human population. That came two years later. About 1,800 people were followed for about eight years. At the beginning of the study, they asked how often everybody drank any kind of juice, and then sat back and watched to see who would get Alzheimer’s. By the end of the study, it appeared that those who drank fruit and vegetable juices had a 76% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s. They conclude that “fruit and vegetable juices may play an important role in delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.”</p> <p>What could it be? Here’s the nutrition facts label for purple grape juice, on the left. According to the labels, there’s basically nothing in it. Not even any vitamin C. And indeed, that’s what the study found, even after controlling for antioxidant vitamin intake—vitamin E, vitamin C, beta carotene; still, a quarter the risk of Alzheimers. Based on the nutrition label, you’d think it was just sugar water, practically indistinguishable from Coca Cola. In fact, it’s got even more sugar—nine spoonfuls per cup compared to seven in Coke. But it just looks like sugar water, because the labels don’t list phytonutrients. If they did, the Coke label would remain the same, but the grape juice label would spill down, and roll along the floor like Santa’s list. And this would be like the first page of the list. There are thousands of phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables, <font face="Arial Black">missing in junk foods and animals foods</font>, yet never listed on the labels.</p> <p>The leading candidate class of compounds responsible for the protection against Alzheimer’s are the phenolics, like flavones, and flavonones, and flavonols, which in many cases can rapidly cross the blood-brain barrier. There are more than 5,000 different types of flavonoids in the plants we eat. Research suggests that within minutes of biting into an apple, for example, these phytonutrients are already starting to light up our brain.”  From: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/phytochemicals-the-nutrition-facts-missing-from-the-label/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/phytochemicals-the-nutrition-facts-missing-from-the-label/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/phytochemicals-the-nutrition-facts-missing-from-the-label/</a>  </p> <p>_________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-18656219784147118562023-11-12T16:39:00.001-06:002023-11-12T16:39:51.848-06:00Dangerous Emotions: Pride. Thanksgiving Is More Biblical Than Christmas. It’s Time to Ban These Toxic Chemicals from Our Food.<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Overcoming Dangerous Emotions: Pride</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 23px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Overcoming Pride" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/overcoming-pride_725_483_80.jpg" width="207" align="left" height="138" />“The world doesn’t recognize pride as a problem, so how do we overcome something so sly and seemingly harmless? </p> <p>It is easier to see pride in others than to recognize it in ourselves.  <em>   </em>  </p> <p><em></em>One of the hardest things to recognize and confront in ourselves as Christians is our pride. For some of us, it has become a major part of our lives, sometimes without our even knowing.</p> <p>The Bible warns time and time again against pride creeping into our lives. Perhaps the most well-known warning is in <a>Proverbs 16:18</a>: <em>“</em><font face="Arial Black"><u>Pride</u></font> goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a <font face="Arial Black"><u>fall</u>”</font> (emphasis added throughout).</p> <p>Pride is different from the other emotions discussed in this series (with the possible exception of anger) because we don’t feel that anything is wrong with us. When overwhelmed with other emotions, we know for sure that something is wrong and we need to change. When overwhelmed with pride, we usually think that we are just fine, but it’s just that everyone else has to change.</p> <p>How do we recognize pride, and how do we combat it once we know we have a problem?</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Why is pride spiritually dangerous?</font></h5> <p>God expects Christians to be confident and strong in their beliefs and actions. However, the Bible is full of warnings against pride, which can manifest itself as undue confidence and strength in ourselves—not in God.</p> <p>Pride can lead us to:</p> <ul> <li>Seek recognition to exalt ourselves. </li> <li>Treat others unfairly. </li> <li>Accept no responsibility for wrongdoing. </li> <li>Speak constantly without listening. </li> <li>Be only concerned with ourselves.</li> </ul> <p>These are all actions that we know from the Bible are not Christlike. The apostle John warns, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the <font face="Arial Black"><u>pride</u></font> of life—is not of the Father but is of the world” (<a>1 John 2:16</a>).</p> <p>Notice <a>1 Peter 5:5</a>: “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and <font face="Arial Black">be clothed with humility,</font> for <em>‘</em><font face="Arial Black">God resists the proud</font><em>,</em> but gives grace to the humble.’”</p> <p>Pride makes it impossible to be clothed with humility. Christians cannot fool themselves into excusing their pride, since the Bible plainly says that God will resist the proud. Pride hinders our demonstration of the spiritual fruits of love and goodness, so our thinking must change.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Identify the cause of prideful thinking</font></h5> <p>Until we admit to ourselves that we have a problem, we will make no progress in overcoming pride. How do we know if we have a problem with pride?</p> <p>Some possible questions to ask ourselves to find out and then identify the cause could be: “How often do I admit I was wrong?” “Why is it so hard for me to admit when I’m wrong?” “How often do I need to be seen or heard by others to feel good?” “Why do I want others to see or hear me?” “How many of my Facebook posts are directed toward me and my opinions?” “Why do I have to talk about myself and my opinions so much to others?” “How much do I brag about my accomplishments or do things so others will see me doing them?” “Why do I need others to validate me?”</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Analyze and compare the prideful thinking to reality</font></h5> <p>When we start to really examine our thoughts, it is shocking how easily pride can be found. When we examine our motives honestly, we may find thoughts like: “That was my idea, but no one is giving me credit.” “I’ll just keep talking since everyone else here is so boring.” “I don’t need your help! I can do this on my own, thank you very much.” “I’m the man! Look at me, everybody!” <em>“</em><font face="Arial Black"><u>You</u></font> are telling ME what to do? How dare you!”</p> <p>Though we may never “say” these thoughts, in an honest evaluation we may find that we definitely think them or act on them.</p> <p>We can justify and rationalize our prideful thoughts, but when we write them down and truly look at them, we will see they are so very shallow, arrogant, boastful, self-centered and jealous.</p> <p>How do such prideful thoughts compare with reality?</p> <ol> <li>Is it fair/rational to believe that we know everything about every subject ever discussed? Is it fair/rational to believe we have to constantly let everyone know what an “expert” we are? </li> <li>Is it fair/rational to think that expressing our opinions about everything and dominating the conversation is a good thing? God tells us: “For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God” (<a>Ecclesiastes 5:7</a>). “<em>In the <font face="Arial Black">multitude of words</font> sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (</em><a><em>Proverbs 10:19</em></a><em>).</em> </li> <li>Is it fair/rational to think that we are too good to need help from other people or too “whatever” to be associated with certain people or activities? Is it fair/rational to think that our talents, achievements or wealth in this life are solely through our own strength and excellence, rather than from God?</li> </ol> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Replace the irrational with rational</font></h5> <p>The first place to start is to continually remind ourselves that God created us from dust. God remembers that we are dust, so we have to as well. Without going to the other extreme (self-degradation), we must always keep rational thoughts in our head about our limitations and our total reliance on God.</p> <p>Our irrational desires of wanting more and more attention for ourselves must be replaced with godly desires of giving more attention to others. Instead of asking, “How can I make myself look good?” we can ask, “How can I build up others through recognizing and praising them for their good qualities, and sometimes through self-sacrifice for them?”</p> <p>Satan wants us to think of ourselves only, while God wants us to have as much concern for others as we do for ourselves (<a>Leviticus 19:18</a>).</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">What if I’ve already lost control?</font></h5> <p>If we have a wonderfully clear moment in which we realize we are being prideful, we can immediately pray to God, thanking Him for showing us something that many people never see in themselves. We then can start backing away from the “me, me, me” mentality and move closer to the <em>“love for others as much as we love the self”</em> attitude, clearly demonstrated by Jesus Christ.</p> <p>Satan wants us to continually believe we have no problem in the area of pride, but after we examine our thoughts and seek God’s help, we can move toward gaining control and overcoming pride.</p> <p>This is the seventh in an eight part series on Overcoming Dangerous Emotions. To read part 6, see “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/blog/overcoming-depression/">Overcoming Depression</a>.” To continue the series, see part 8 “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/blog/overcoming-dangerous-emotions-the-first-month/">The First Month</a>.”</p> <p>From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/blog/overcoming-pride/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=273457100&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_XqKacU9aDW_ZF6XmOdRYBu4vVYR1xwhc9XsjTJ8Yp2rUdCYZn" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/blog/overcoming-pride/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/blog/overcoming-pride/</a></p> <p>________</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Three reasons why Thanksgiving is more biblical than Christmas:</font></h5> <p>“America just largely ignored its most biblical holiday: Thanksgiving.</p> <p>Christmas shopping ad campaigns like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Green Tuesday—even Black Friday Month—dominated advertising and even news coverage at the end of November. But so little attention was given to Thanksgiving.</p> <p>Some Christians denounce the commercializing of the religious meaning of Christmas, but sadly, they miss many <font face="Arial Black">vital</font> points of truth</p> <p><strong>1. Jesus Christ <font face="Arial Black"><u>did</u></font> give thanks to God the Father.</strong></p> <p>When He fed the 4,000 and the 5,000 hungry men plus women and children, Jesus gave thanks and blessed the food (Matthew 15:30-39; John 6:1-14). At the end of His ministry He specifically thanked God for the unleavened bread and wine of the Passover ceremony that commemorated the sacrifice of His own life for our sins (Luke 22:14-23).</p> <p>The principle of thanking God for all our physical and spiritual blessings and for life itself is woven throughout the Bible. As national holidays America’s and Canada’s Thanksgiving Days are based on honoring the blessings that God has given their people. ( <a href="http://www.ucg.org/holidays-and-holy-days/thanksgiving-rooted-biblical-festival/">Is Thanksgiving Rooted in a Biblical Festival?</a> )</p> <p><strong>2. Jesus Christ <font face="Arial Black"><u>did not</u></font> command that His birthday be observed.</strong></p> <p>Part of developing Christianity decided to observe Christ’s day of birth, but "Christ-mass," as it came to be called, was not widely observed until A.D. 354! However, Jesus, His disciples and the apostles<font face="Arial Black"><u> did not</u></font> observe His birthday.</p> <p>Instead of His day of birth, Christ commanded His followers to observe the day of His death—the Passover (1 Corinthians 11:26). Unfortunately, Christianity long ago rejected the Passover and substituted Easter—a day named after and honoring the pagan fertility goddess Ishtar. This is something that Jesus doesn’t approve of!  ( <a href="http://www.ucg.org/booklet/holidays-or-holy-days-does-it-matter-which-days-we-observe/easter-masking-biblical-truth/">Easter: Masking a Biblical Truth</a> )</p> <p><strong>3. Jesus Christ was<font face="Arial Black"><u> not </u></font>born on December 25.</strong></p> <p>Despite the popular idea, the shepherds did not stay out at night with their flocks in mid-winter. It got too cold for that during winter near Bethlehem! Also, the Christmas-observing part of Christianity had no clear idea when He was born, so they suggested dates from all over the calendar during the early centuries after Christ.</p> <p>However, had they more carefully read the details in the Bible, those early church leaders could have found that although the exact day of His birth is not revealed, Jesus of Nazareth was born in the autumn—not in the winter. ( <a href="http://www.ucg.org/booklet/holidays-or-holy-days-does-it-matter-which-days-we-observe/christmas-untold-story/biblical-e/">Biblical Evidence Shows Jesus Wasn't Born on December 25</a> )”         From: <a title="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/thanksgiving-vs-christmas" href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/thanksgiving-vs-christmas">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/thanksgiving-vs-christmas</a></p> <p>________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">It’s Time to Ban These Toxic Chemicals from Our Food</font></h3> <p>November 6, 2023</p> <p>“Phthalates, a type of chemical used in food packaging and production materials, can leach into food and drinks and cause serious harm to human health. For years, the FDA has illegally ignored Earthjustice’s petition to ban these chemicals. In 2021, we sued to force the FDA to decide on banning phthalates. Last year it <a href="https://earthjustice.org/news/press/2022/fda-allows-hormone-disrupting-phthalates-in-food-packaging">declined</a> to do so, so we need your help in <a href="https://earthjustice.org/action/get-these-hormone-disrupting-chemicals-out-of-our-food?ms=drupal">telling the FDA</a> to get these hormone-disrupting chemicals out of our food.</p> <p>This case is part of Earthjustice’s <a href="https://earthjustice.org/features/insider-briefing-taking-on-toxics">broader fight to remove toxic, dangerous products from our daily lives</a>.</p> <h4><strong>Phthalates cause harm — and they’re everywhere.</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Phthalates leach from plastic wrapping into the foods they touch. They’re especially <a href="https://earthjustice.org/blog/2016-july/cheesed-the-toxic-story-behind-food-packaging">likely</a> to leach into fatty foods like cheeses and meats. (Click <a href="https://saferchemicals.org/get-the-facts/toxic-chemicals/phthalates/#section1">here</a> for a full list.) </li> <li>In 2017, for example, lab testing <a href="https://earthjustice.org/news/press/2017/toxic-industrial-chemicals-found-in-10-varieties-of-macaroni-and-cheese-powders">found phthalates</a> in 10 varieties of macaroni and cheese powders. </li> <li>Even at low levels, phthalates can <a href="https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/materials/endocrine_disruptors_508.pdf">interfere with human hormones</a>. Animal studies have linked phthalates to a host of serious health concerns, including <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/news/science/2015/03/05/Evidence-points-to-link-between-phthalates-and-birth-defects/stories/201503050196">birth defects</a>, <a href="http://www.webmd.com/asthma/news/20041006/plastic-chemicals-linked-to-asthma-allergies">allergies</a> and <a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/21/a-threat-to-male-fertility/?_r=0">damage to the male genitals</a>. </li> <li>Phthalates also harm the developing brain, leading to reduced IQ and attention and behavior disorders in children. </li> <li>Babies, young people, people of color in all age groups, and economically insecure people all face heightened risks of serious health problems from phthalate exposure. </li> <li>More than 75 percent of Americans have phthalates in their bodies, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/r2k0901.htm">according to the CDC</a>.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>The FDA has delayed measures for regulating phthalates for years.</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Federal law prohibits the use of chemical additives in food unless the available scientific evidence demonstrates that they will not harm human health. This mandate also applies to chemicals used in food packaging and food-production materials if the chemicals are expected to migrate into food — as is the case with phthalates. </li> <li>Yet the FDA allows 30 different types of phthalates to be used in food packaging and processing equipment. </li> <li>In 2016, a coalition of advocacy groups <a href="https://earthjustice.org/blogs.edf.org/health/files/2016/04/Ortho-phthalates_Food_Additive_Petition_3-18-16.pdf">petitioned</a> FDA to ban phthalates as food additives. </li> <li>Alongside the petition, the FDA received an overwhelming response from nearly 200,000 people, all of whom <a href="https://earthjustice.org/blog/2016-october/americans-speak-out-against-toxic-phthalates-in-food">strongly urged</a> the agency to withdraw its approval for phthalates in food. </li> <li>Many commenters were concerned about the effects phthalates have on children — and rightly so. Others mentioned their battles with cancer and other diseases, and their desire to spare others similar pain. </li> <li>Despite a legal mandate to make a final decision within 180 days, FDA sat on the petition for years.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>The FDA’s decision means phthalate contamination will continue.</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Advocates <a href="https://earthjustice.org/brief/2023/text=Today%2C%20health%20advocates%20represented%20by,food%20packaging%20and%20processing%20materials.">sued the FDA in federal court in December 2021,</a> forcing the agency to finally make a decision. </li> <li>In May 2022, the FDA declined to ban phthalates in food packaging. At the same time, the agency <a href="https://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/files/2022-05-19_info_request.pdf">acknowledged</a> that its safety assessment for food-contact uses of phthalates is out of date and requested new information from the public.</li> </ul> <p><u>Top scientists agree we already have all the data we need. Tell the FDA to get phthalates out of our food once and for all!</u> </p> <p>Take phthalates out of our food”</p> <p><a href="https://earthjustice.org/brief/2023/its-time-to-ban-these-toxic-chemicals-from-our-food#fastaction-login"><img src="https://static.everyaction.com/ea-actiontag/assets/images/fast-action.svg" width="253" height="41" /></a> <a href="https://fastaction.ngpvan.com/##whats-this">?</a>  See more at: <a title="https://earthjustice.org/brief/2023/its-time-to-ban-these-toxic-chemicals-from-our-food" href="https://earthjustice.org/brief/2023/its-time-to-ban-these-toxic-chemicals-from-our-food">https://earthjustice.org/brief/2023/its-time-to-ban-these-toxic-chemicals-from-our-food</a></p> <p>__________   </p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-66291642337484240872023-10-29T09:08:00.001-05:002023-10-29T09:08:36.638-05:00Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? Is That True? Not A Palestinian State. Hospitals Profit on Junk Food.<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?</font></h3> <p>Halloween is a major holiday in the Western world for people of various backgrounds. Can Halloween celebrations be reconciled with a Christian worldview and lifestyle? The Bible holds the answer.</p> <p><small><img title="Does Halloween serves a positive Christian purpose?" style="margin: 0px 41px 0px 0px;" alt="A little boy trick or treating with his mother." src="https://www.ucg.org/files/styles/full_grid9_breakpoints_theme_top_hat_mobile_1x/public/image/article/should-christians-celebrate-halloween_0.jpg?timestamp=1512417838" width="320" height="213" /></small></p> <p><small><font size="2">Photos.com</font></small></p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Does Halloween serves a positive Christian purpose?</font></p> <p>Tuesday night millions of children around the nation will be donning costumes, ringing doorbells and uttering the traditional "trick or treat" Halloween greeting. Most people consider this a harmless, fun activity for children. Others condemn the entire occasion because of the pagan origin of the day and connect it with demonism and the occult.</p> <p>An article from a prominent Christian magazine suggested that "Christians should embrace the 'devilish' holiday with gusto—and laughter." The author suggests that Halloween presents us with an opportunity to "mock" and "laugh at" Satan and "the forces of evil."</p> <p>A local pastor, writing wistfully of his past childhood Halloween celebration, said, "I enjoyed being a devil." He asserted that "a child doesn’t think of a red devil as an enemy of God or the apostle of hate and destruction." He went on to defend wearing costumes as merely superficial, and suggested that opposition to celebrating Halloween stems from lack of confidence in Christian beliefs.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Really only harmless fun?</font></h5> <p>Wait a minute! Is it unchristian for parents not to want their children to dress up as the Devil? Or does Satan the Devil even exist? According to a recent Barna survey, nearly 50 percent of professing Christians do not believe that Satan is a living being. For these folks, the whole question must be a moot point. But perhaps the rest of us ought to reconsider our perspective regarding Halloween.</p> <p>Would anyone dare to suggest applying this reasoning to Hitler? Would wearing Hitler masks and swastikas and dressing like the skeletal remains of his victims be an appropriate way to "laugh at" Hitler and "mock" the diabolical evils of Nazism?</p> <p>Is Satan a laughing matter? Does God want our children to associate fun and treats with the forces of evil?</p> <p>I am not implying that a child who puts on a Halloween mask is dabbling in the occult or is in danger of demon possession. I am simply questioning the suggestion that Halloween serves a positive Christian purpose.</p> <p>According to Deuteronomy 12:31-32 God does not approve of recycling, reconstituting and relabeling pagan customs to celebrate Christian events.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Carnal holidays trumped by God's Holy Days</font></h5> <p>My wife and I just finished celebrating eight fun-filled days of the Feast of Tabernacles with more than 700 men, women and children here in Central Oregon. I so much wish all of Christianity could share the joy of this meaningful occasion. Here is a God-ordained festival that was observed by Jesus, Paul and the apostolic Church and is still celebrated today by many Christians. It is one of seven annual Holy Days that foreshadow future events in God's plan (Colossians 2:16-17) rather than focusing on the powers of darkness that form the legacy of Halloween.</p> <p>Anyone who dares express objections to Halloween has two strikes against him: 1. It is fun for the kids, and 2. It is a long-standing, firmly entrenched custom in our culture.</p> <p>But the Feast of Tabernacles has Halloween beat in both categories: 1. It is fun for kids and the whole family and is eight days long, and 2. It was established thousands of years ago by God Himself. And most importantly, it and all of Holy Days of the Bible teach valuable lessons about the plan of God.”  From: <a title="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/should-christians-celebrate-halloween" href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/should-christians-celebrate-halloween">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/should-christians-celebrate-halloween</a></p> <p>_________</p> <h4>Is That True?</h4> <p>“Occasionally in life you come across something that goes so contrary to your beliefs that you exclaim, “Is that true?!” </p> <p>Growing up, I became familiar with the concept of “pagan” or “paganism.” These were pejorative terms that were used to describe practices which were steeped in the worship of a different god and in opposition to Christianity. </p> <p>Even as a child, when I first learned that Easter and Christmas had their origins in pagan customs, I avoided celebrating these days. Anything “pagan” was clearly something to be avoided; but as I quickly learned, not everyone agreed with that idea. </p> <p>Over the years, the term “pagan” has increasingly taken on a more benign meaning. Take, for example, Halloween, which comes up in a couple of days. If you do even a cursory search on the Internet, you will find that Halloween is a celebration praised by those who profess witchcraft as their religious preference. </p> <p>There is actually a church for witches that provides a list of ways to celebrate Easter, Halloween and Christmas as primary days of worship for pagans. They refer to them as Ostara, goddess of the spring and the beginning of life; the Festival of the Dead, which we call Halloween; and the Yule festival, which we call Christmas. <font face="Arial Black">These three festivals have “pagan” stamped all over them</font>, so how is it that more than a billion people professing Christianity also celebrate them each year?</p> <p>According to its pagan origins, the evening of Oct. 31 is when the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is at its thinnest level. Nov. 1 is the first day of the Celtic new year and the day set aside for all saints in the Catholic religion. </p> <p>Oct. 31, Halloween, is a celebration of this crossover between the world of the dead and the world of the living. It is celebrated by people dressing up in costume to commemorate those who are called the living dead—goblins, ghosts and ghouls. Some try to Christianize the celebration by using the term “hallowed” or holy evening. But it is a vain attempt to add Christianity to something that is clearly pagan.</p> <p>Isn’t it time we looked at our lives and asked some basic questions about what we are doing? Whenever you see a celebration that isn’t found in the Bible, yet is proclaimed to be Christian, shouldn’t you ask, “Is that true?” After all, isn’t Christianity supposed to be based on truth?</p> <p>The truth of the matter is that Easter, Christmas and Halloween are not found in the Bible. They originate in pagan celebrations. They were adopted and integrated into mainstream Christianity centuries ago.   </p> <p>Can you really be a Christian and embrace pagan rituals? Isn’t this in conflict with the first two of the 10 Commandments, which are against worshipping other gods—the goddess of spring, the sun god and, oh yes, let’s not forget the god of the underworld, who is being honored this week on Halloween?</p> <p>We live in a world of lies and distortions of fact. Don’t just follow customs that are attractive! Ask questions; and whenever you’re presented with a celebration that is called Christian, never forget to ask, “Is that true?”  From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/speaking-of/is-that-true/" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/speaking-of/is-that-true/">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/speaking-of/is-that-true/</a></p> <p>_________</p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3" face="Arial Black">I'm sure you all have friends who are asking questions, you can send them this :</font></p> <p>1)Before the modern state of Israel there was the British mandate, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>2) Before the British mandate there was the ottoman empire, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>3) Before the ottoman empire there was the Islamic mamluk sultanate of Egypt, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>4) Before the Islamic mamluk sultanate of Egypt there was the ayyubid dynasty, Not a Palestinian state . Godfrey of bouillon conquered it in 1099.</p> <p>5) Before the ayyubid dynasty there was the Christian kingdom of Jerusalem, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>6) Before the Christian kingdom of Jerusalem there was the Fatimid caliphate, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>7) Before the Fatimid caliphate there was the byzantine empire, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>8) Before the byzantine empire there was the Roman empire, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>9) Before the Roman empire there was the hasmonean dynasty, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>10)Before the hasmonean dynasty there was the Seleucid empire,Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>11) Before the Seleucid empire there was the empire of Alexander the 3rd of Macedon, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>12) Before the empire of Alexander the 3rd of Macedon there was the Persian empire, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>13) Before the Persian empire there was the Babylonian empire, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>14) Before the Babylonian empire there was the kingdoms of Israel and Judea, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>15) Before the kingdoms of Israel and Judea there was the kingdom of Israel, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>16) Before the kingdom of Israel there was the theocracy of the 12 tribes of Israel, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>17) Before the theocracy of the 12 tribes of Israel there was the individual state of Canaan, Not a Palestinian state .</p> <p>In fact in this corner of the earth there was everything but a Palestinian state!</p> <p>Origins @voiceofisrael</p> <p>_________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Hospitals Profit on Junk Food</font></h3> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/hospitals-profit-on-junk-food/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/hospitals-profit-on-junk-food/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/hospitals-profit-on-junk-food/</a></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.</font></p> <p>“Why is hospital food so unhealthy?</p> <p>Put in stark terms, cardiovascular disease claims one American life every 39 seconds”; and for most heart attack deaths, you just keel over. “Sudden cardiac death is the <font face="Arial Black"><u>first</u></font> manifestation of coronary heart disease for the majority of individuals, particularly among women.”  So, for many of these sudden death victims, their first indication of the presence of heart disease was their demise. They didn’t even know they had heart disease! That’s why an ounce of prevention is worth way more than a pound of cure, <font face="Arial Black">because there is no cure for dead.</font></p> <p>But that’s why the <font face="Arial Black"><u>prevention</u></font> of sudden cardiac death remains such a major public health challenge, because most people don’t even know they’re at risk. But we’ve known for over a half century, when we first started autopsying young servicemen who died in the Korean war, that coronary artery disease begins in our youth even among young children. So, business as usual is simply “not going to yield the improvements necessary to radically improve the cardiovascular health of the United States.”</p> <p>But the good news is “a low-risk lifestyle (not smoking, exercising regularly, having a prudent diet, and maintaining a healthy weight)” may be able to wipe out the vast majority of risk for sudden cardiac death. So, “the time is now long overdue to start aggressive preventive cardiovascular disease programs in our schools, our homes, and our worksites.” How about starting in our hospitals?</p> <p>A significant percentage of hospitals surveyed had fast food restaurants inside them, with Krispy Kreme topping the list. Brilliant marketing, given that families surveyed in hospitals with McDonald’s were twice as likely to think McDonald’s was healthy—after all, they let it in a hospital. But what about food served in hospital cafeterias themselves? Are they much better? 384 entrees were analyzed at 14 children’s hospitals in California, and only 7 percent could be classified as healthy. And just in case someone accidentally picked the rare healthy option, 81 percent of eating venues in children’s hospitals made sure to have junky impulse buys like ice cream, cookies, and candy near the checkout register. And 38 percent had signs that explicitly encouraged unhealthy eating. Why would they do that?</p> <p>If you ask hospital cafeteria managers that exact question: “Why they don’t tend to follow nutrition standards?” “Why nutrition is not a top priority?”  It’s the same answer why unhealthy food is sold anywhere else—<font face="Arial Black">the pressure to generate profit.</font> “Increased emphasis [is being] placed on running a hospital foodservice department as a profit center,” a bigger and bigger profit center. It’s such a metaphor for our sickness-care system in general, where healthy treat-the-cause approaches are eclipsed by the pills and procedures that bring in the most money.</p> <p>Well, what do you expect from the private sector? But public hospitals don’t seem much better. A 2019 analysis of veterans’ hospitals found that “all VA hospitals contain vending machines providing a majority of soda, candy, and junk foods that directly conflict with” our government’s own healthy food choice recommendations such that, ironically, “hospital visits could theoretically promote worse health.” This raises the question why <font face="Arial Black">any</font> soda or candy machines are available at our VA hospitals? “Are we trading the health of our veterans for profits?”</p> <p>Maybe it’s time to ban junk food on hospital premises. “On daily rounds it is appalling to see patients…gorging on [potato chips, candy, and soda]—<font face="Arial Black">the very food[s] that may have contributed to their admission</font> in the first place”—obscene to see fast food franchises on site, legitimizing “the acceptability and consumption of such foods in the daily diet.” “The obesity epidemic represents a public health crisis, but it is a public health scandal that by legitimizing junk food, hospitals have themselves become a risk factor for diet-related disease.” Maybe “it’s time to stop selling sickness in the hospital….” What message do residents receive when they are fed pizza and soda pop at grand rounds on obesity? We need a healthcare system with “more <font face="Arial Black">Hippocrates</font> and less <font face="Arial Black">hypocrisy</font>.”  From: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/hospitals-profit-on-junk-food/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/hospitals-profit-on-junk-food/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/hospitals-profit-on-junk-food/</a></p> <p>_________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-42786935887207141382023-10-22T14:28:00.001-05:002023-10-22T14:28:31.652-05:00Does God Have A Plan For My Life? Are We in the Last Days? Why Milk Is Bad For You And Your Bones.<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Does God Have A Plan For My Life?</font></h3> <p><img title="What we think would be a great plan for our life may not be what our Father has planned. And it may not be in our best interest." style="margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="A man walking on the Brooklyn Bridge." src="https://www.ucg.org/files/styles/full_grid9_breakpoints_theme_top_hat_mobile_1x/public/image/article/2020/02/06/bible-faq-does-god-have-a-plan-for-my-life.jpg?timestamp=1581008418" width="227" align="left" height="151" /></p> <p><small><font size="2">Nirmal Rajendharkumar/Unsplash</font></small></p> <p>“One of the top verses searched for on the Internet is Jeremiah 29:11. Why?</p> <p>What we think would be a great plan for our life may not be what our Father has planned. And it may not be in our best interest.</p> <p>People use the search bar of their Internet browsers to look up answers for information on every topic imaginable. Its also a very popular way of searching for biblical scriptures.</p> <p>One of the top verses searched is Jeremiah 29:11: <em>"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."</em></p> <p>Why is this verse sought out, searched for and quoted so often?</p> <p>Jeremiah 29:11 touches upon two powerful desires of the human mind and heart:</p> <p>1. We want reassurance that God has a plan and purpose for human life. In fact, the very popular New International Version translation reads: <em>"I know the plans I have for you..."</em></p> <p>2. We want reassurance God has blessings in store for us.</p> <p>The verse provides great comfort by confirming that God does indeed have a plan for our life, and that His plan includes wonderful blessings.</p> <p>But this verse is short on details as to what our Creator's plan entails and what sort of blessings He has in store for us. It is all to easy to take a verse like this and fill in the details on these two points with our own hopes and desires.</p> <p>What we think would be a great plan for our life may not be what our Father has planned. And it may not be in our best interest. Likewise, our idea of how we would prefer to be <em>blessed may not be the same as what He has mind, and may not help shape us into the sort of person that fits into "the plan."</em></p> <p>God plainly tells us that He thinks differently than we do. In Isaiah 55:8-9 we read <em>"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts in your thoughts.'"</em></p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Is it possible to know details about God's plan?</font></h5> <p>Yes, you can know God's amazing plan for your life because it is spelled out in the pages of your own Bible. And you might be surprised that what you actually find in the pages of the Bible is different from what you have been told is there.</p> <p>To gain deeper understanding of the plan God has for your life, request our free Bible study aid: "<a href="https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/why-were-you-born">Why Were You Born?</a>"</p> <p>This small but important booklet will carefully walk you through what the scriptures really say about the plans God has in mind for you, plans for good outcomes and a positive future.”  From: <a title="https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/does-god-have-a-plan-for-my-life?source=btupdate" href="https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/does-god-have-a-plan-for-my-life?">https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/does-god-have-a-plan-for-my-life?</a></p> <p>________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Are We in the Last Days?</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Are We in the Last Days?" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/Are-We-in-the-Last-Days_833_460_80_c1.jpg" width="259" align="left" height="143" />“Many believe the world will go on indefinitely as it always has, but what does the Bible say? Will there be a set of last days? When will the last days be?</p> <p>Many people would likely back away from you if you were to say that humanity is now in the last days approaching the end of the age spoken of in the Bible.</p> <p>The book of Revelation focuses on a time when a conglomeration of nations will be united under a government led by two individuals known as the beast and the false prophet, who will capture the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions of people through spectacular miracles, such as calling down fire from heaven. Their reign and existence will ultimately end at Jesus Christ’s second coming (Revelation 17-19).</p> <p>The period of time when these and other end-of-the-world prophecies will be fulfilled is sometimes called <em>“the last days.”</em></p> <p>It’s a time that God’s servants have eagerly anticipated for thousands of years, but for nonbelievers it’s a target for laughter and mockery and simply more reason to believe that Christians are just fanatics who believe in apocalyptic fiction.  </p> <p>But are those last days real?    More relevant: Are you now living in those last days?</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">What does the Bible mean by last days?  </font></h5> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3"><font color="#0000a0">Continued at:</font> <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/end-times/last-days/?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=222586730&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9bTNDN81s_J9CTES-pkW6e8KjW9AiDemEsqx0Uo7rYTpCnwyj9Rt7S4kedNa1af46XYl-sFfyFKij_o2ClzI2bDHggvw&utm_content=222544841&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/end-times/last-days/?">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/end-times/last-days/?</a></font></h5> <p>_________</p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Debunking The Milk Myth: Why Milk Is Bad For You And Your Bones</font></p> <p>“Did you know that in Medieval England parents would tie rabbits' feet around their babies’ necks to ward off illness? Doctors would also spit on wounds because saliva was believed to have healing properties.</p> <p>Indeed, history is replete with unfounded health beliefs, and to everyone’s detriment, the milk myth is among the most tenacious.</p> <p>Milk is much more than just a drink; it’s a cultural phenomenon that can be traced back thousands of years. And still today, the milk myth resonates loud and clear: in 2001, the average American child consumed 104 quarts of cow’s milk.</p> <h4><font size="3">Milk depletes the calcium from your bones</font></h4> <p>The milk myth has spread around the world based on the flawed belief that this protein and calcium-rich drink is essential to support good overall health and bone health in particular at any age. It is easy to understand that the confusion about milk's imaginary benefits stems from the fact that it contains calcium – around 300 mg per cup.</p> <p>But many scientific studies have shown an assortment of detrimental health effects directly linked to milk consumption. And the most surprising link is that not only do we barely absorb the calcium in cow’s milk (especially if pasteurized), but to make matters worse, it actually increases calcium loss from the bones. What an irony this is!</p> <p>Here’s how it happens. Like all animal protein, milk acidifies the body pH which in turn triggers a biological correction. You see, calcium is an excellent acid neutralizer and the biggest storage of calcium in the body is – you guessed it… in the bones. So the very same calcium that our bones need to stay strong is utilized to neutralize the acidifying effect of milk. Once calcium is pulled out of the bones, it leaves the body via the urine, so that the surprising net result after this is an actual calcium deficit.</p> <p>Knowing this, you’ll understand why statistics show that countries with the lowest consumption of dairy products also have the lowest fracture incidence in their population (there’s more on this later).</p> <p>But the sad truth is that most mainstream health practitioners ignore these proven facts. I know it firsthand because when I was diagnosed with osteoporosis, my doctor recommended that I drink lots of milk in addition to taking Fosamax.</p> <p>Fortunately, I did neither, because I knew that…</p> <h4><font size="3">Cow’s milk is custom-designed for calves</font></h4> <p>Thanks to our creative ingenuity and perhaps related to our ancient survival needs, we adopted the dubious habit of drinking another species’ milk. Nobody can dispute that cow’s milk is an excellent food source for calves. Weighing around 100 pounds at birth, a calf typically gains approximately eight times its weight by the time it is weaned. But unlike humans, once calves are weaned, they never drink milk again. And the same applies to every mammalian species on this planet.</p> <p>Also, each mammalian species has its own “designer” milk, and cow’s milk is no exception. For example, cow’s milk contains on average three times the amount of protein than human milk which creates metabolic disturbances in humans that have detrimental bone health consequences.</p> <p>It's important to bear in mind that mother’s milk is excellent nourishment for human babies, but its composition is very different from cow’s milk.</p> <h4><font size="3">Scientific studies show that milk increases fracture risk</font></h4> <p>Many scientific studies contradict the conventional wisdom that milk and dairy consumption help reduce osteoporotic fractures. Surprisingly, studies demonstrating that milk and dairy products actually fail to protect bones from fractures outnumber studies that prove otherwise. Even drinking milk from a young age does not protect against future fracture risk but actually increases it. Shattering the “savings account” calcium theory, Cumming and Klineberg report their study findings as follows:</p> <blockquote> <p>“Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in old age. (“Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Hip Fractures in the Elderly”. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8154473">American Journal of Epidemiology</a>. Vol. 139, No. 5, 1994).<sup>1</sup></p> </blockquote> <p>And the 12 year long Harvard Nurses' Health Study found that those who consumed the most calcium from dairy foods broke more bones than those who rarely drank milk. This is a broad study based on 77,761 women aged 34 through 59 years of age.</p> <p>In the authors’ own words:</p> <blockquote> <p>“These data do not support the hypothesis that higher consumption of milk or other food sources of calcium by adult women protects against hip or forearm fractures.” (Source: Feskanich D, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA. Milk, dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18065599?dopt=Citation">American Journal of Public Health</a>. 1997).<sup>2</sup></p> </blockquote> <h4><font size="3">Shocking statistics ignored by mainstream medicine</font></h4> <p>In the <a href="https://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis-reversal-program/">Osteoporosis Reversal Program</a> one of the topics I discuss is the complete disregard of scientific evidence that discredits milk and dairy products as the best source of calcium.</p> <p>One exception is Amy Lanou Ph.D., nutrition director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C., who states that:</p> <blockquote> <p>“The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink the most milk and have the most calcium in their diets. The connection between calcium consumption and bone health is actually very weak, and the connection between dairy consumption and bone health is almost nonexistent.”</p> </blockquote> <p>Surprised? You shouldn’t be, because as I mentioned earlier in this article…</p> <h4>Milk is an acidifying animal protein</h4> <p>Like any other animal derived protein-rich food, milk has a positive potential renal acid load (PRAL) which triggers a protective biological reaction to neutralize all the damaging acidic protein before it reaches the kidneys.</p> <p>The body is designed for survival, so it sacrifices bone density to protect the kidneys and urinary tract because the latter are essential to survival. And the most readily available source of acid neutralizer is in the bones. So even though milk contains calcium, it ends up sapping your bones of that crucial mineral. But that’s not all because…</p> <h4><font size="3">Today’s milk is a processed food</font></h4> <p>Until the end of the 19th century in Europe and the beginning of the 20th century in the US, milk was consumed unpasteurized or raw. Later on, homogenization became the industry’s standard. These processes further alter milk’s chemistry and actually increase its detrimental acidifying effects.</p> <p>Raw milk advocates claim that if cow’s milk is left “as is” it is a healthy and wholesome drink. It is true that raw milk is less acidifying than processed milk and that pasteurization and homogenization may cause a long list of digestive and other health problems, but I still don’t recommend drinking any kind of cow’s milk.</p> <p>Nowadays, milking cows are given antibiotics and most are also injected with a genetically engineered form of bovine growth hormone (rBGH). A man-made or synthetic hormone used to artificially increase milk production, rBGH also increases blood levels of the insulin-growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in those who drink it. And higher levels of IGF-1 are linked to several cancers.</p> <p>This should not be ignored, especially in view of recent information by Samuel Epstein, MD, Professor of Environmental Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, and Chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition. In a press release titled <font face="Arial Black">“Monsanto's Hormonal Milk Poses Serious Risks of Breast Cancer, Besides Other Cancers”</font> (June 21, 1998) Dr. Epstein concludes that:</p> <blockquote> <p>“Drinking rBGH milk would thus be expected to significantly increase IGF-1 blood levels and consequently to increase risks of developing breast cancer and promoting its invasiveness.”</p> </blockquote> <p>Even though organic milk is from cows that are not given antibiotics or rBHG, if you truly care about your bone health and your overall health, you should…</p> <h4><font size="3">Avoid drinking cow’s milk</font></h4> <p>As I explain in the <a href="https://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis-reversal-program/">Osteoporosis Reversal Program</a> and contrary to mainstream recommendations, drinking milk and eating lots of dairy products are not the answer to reversing osteoporosis. And while in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program no food is completely off limits, I strongly recommend that you explore the different milk substitute options that I will list for you here.</p> <p>But first, I’d like to clarify that unsweetened fermented or cultured dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, and sour cream are acid neutral. Yogurt in particular is chock-full of beneficial qualities. As is the case with milk, organic yogurt does not have rBGH, but even several of the most well-known yogurt brands have stopped using the bovine growth hormone (rBGH). You should call your favorite yogurt company to confirm. One more clarification: when I say unsweetened I mean without sugar or any artificial sweetener. However, you can add honey or stevia, a zero calorie plant-derived sweetener that is delicious and alkalizing as well. I like to carry around stevia packets in my purse so that I'm always able to sweeten food or drinks when I'm on the go.</p> <h4><font size="3">The best milk substitutes</font></h4> <p>My favorite milk substitute is unsweetened almond milk, not only because it is alkalizing (as almonds are), but also because it's delicious and tastes very similar to milk. I even cook with it!</p> <p>If almond milk is hard to get, you can also try rice or soy milk. I strongly suggest consuming only organic <font face="Arial Black">soy milk</font> to insure it’s not made with <font face="Arial Black">genetically modified soy</font>. There is also some controversy about unfermented soy products, so try to use it in moderation.</p> <h4><font size="3">What Else Haven't They Told You?</font></h4> <p>What else have you been told about bone health by your doctor or other “experts” that is flat out wrong? What other “facts” (like drinking milk does a body good) are keeping you from optimal health?</p> <p>Myths like these are a big reason I created the <a href="https://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis-reversal-program/">Osteoporosis Reversal Program</a>. To give you the straight scoop on how to deal with osteoporosis the natural way.</p> <p>I can help you take control of your future.</p> <p><a href="https://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis-reversal-program/">Learn more about the Osteoporosis Reversal Program here →</a></p> <p>And remember, if you ever hear someone ask “Got milk?” smile and think to yourself “No, because I know better!”</p> <p>And as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Share them with me and the rest of our community by leaving a comment below.”</p> <p><img src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsaveourbones.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsig-black.gif&t=1698001476&ymreqid=5e5a7487-6b7e-5472-2cbd-ec0242010000&sig=Uw4q.58PpyVigpPqzX_kyQ--~D" /></p> <h5><font size="3">From: </font><a href="https://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis-milk-myth/"><font size="3">https://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis-milk-myth/</font></a></h5> <h5>_______</h5> <p><font size="3">Also see: </font><a href="https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2018/08/christopher-gardner-busts-myths-about-milk.html"><font size="3">https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2018/08/christopher-gardner-busts-myths-about-milk.html</font></a></p> <p>_______</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-69912028444845527122023-10-16T11:58:00.001-05:002023-10-16T11:58:10.722-05:00The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Meditate on These Things. The Best Diet for Colon Cancer Prevention.<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Will Peace Ever Come?</font></h3> <p><img style="margin: 0px 21px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Will Peace Ever Come?" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/Israeli-Palestinian-Conflict_833_460_80_c1.jpg" width="291" align="left" height="161" />“The conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians appears to be unending. Will real, lasting peace between these two peoples ever be achieved?</p> <p>Horrific violence broke out yet again Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists attacked Israeli civilians at a music festival and in communities near Gaza. In the early days of this latest war, more than a thousand Israelis and a thousand Palestinians died. Hamas also took about 150 hostages into Gaza.</p> <p>EU chief Ursula von der Leyen told the European Commission: “Hamas terrorists killed women and children in their homes. They hunted hundreds of young men and women who were celebrating life and music . . .</p> <p>“These innocents were killed for one single reason: For being Jewish and living in the State of Israel. It is an ancient evil, which reminds us of the darkest past and shocks all of us to the core” (<em><a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/eu-chief-says-hamas-attack-an-act-of-war-that-reflects-an-ancient-evil/">The Times of Israel</a></em>).</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">The latest in a long history of conflict</font></h5> <p>Historically, the Middle East has been a hotbed of contention. Over the centuries the area now known as the nation of Israel and the Palestinian territories has been fought over again and again.</p> <p>What is the importance of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to world peace and the future of mankind?</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">What brought about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?</font></h5> <p>The recent history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict goes back at least 100 years (BBC.com).</p> <p>The Ottoman Empire had ruled the area for hundreds of years, but after the Ottomans were defeated in World War I, Britain took control of the land. At the time, the population of Arabs was larger than the population of Jews in the area.</p> <p>The number of Jews in the area increased between the 1920s and 1940s, especially after World War II and the Holocaust, as European Jews were fleeing persecution and seeking a homeland.</p> <p>The newly formed United Nations (UN) in 1947 voted for the land to be split into two states—a Jewish state and an Arab state. Jerusalem was to become an international city. This plan was accepted by Jewish leaders, but rejected by the Arab leaders.</p> <p>Within 12 months, Britain withdrew from the region leaving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict unsolved.</p> <p>Jewish leaders immediately established the nation of Israel on May 14, 1948. The Palestinians objected, leading to a war between the state of Israel and the Palestinians and neighboring Arab countries. This war produced hundreds of thousands of Palestinian and Jewish refugees.</p> <p>When fighting ended in 1949, Israel controlled the most land, including West Jerusalem, while Jordan controlled the West Bank (of the Jordan River) and East Jerusalem. Gaza was taken by Egypt.</p> <p>Israel absorbed the Jewish refugees, but the Palestinians were not absorbed by the Arab nations, and many continue living in increasingly crowded refugee camps to this day.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Israeli-Palestinian conflicts and peace efforts</font></h5> <p>Since there was no peace agreement ending this war, the conflict continues to this day. Within the ongoing conflict, specific times of increased levels of fighting include:</p> <ul> <li>The 1956 Suez Crisis. </li> <li>The 1967 Six-Day War. </li> <li>The 1973 Yom Kippur War. </li> <li>The 1987 beginning of the First Intifada. </li> <li>The 2000 beginning of the Second Intifada.</li> </ul> <p>Many other conflicts erupted between these and have continued ever since.</p> <p>Many American presidents and others have attempted to negotiate peace deals in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with some successes and many frustrating failures. Some notable peace efforts include:</p> <ul> <li>The 1978 Camp David Accords, and subsequent 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. </li> <li>The 1993 and 1995 Oslo Accords. </li> <li>The 1994 peace treaty between Israel and Jordan. </li> <li>The 2020 <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/prophecy-in-the-news/abraham-accords/">Abraham Accords</a> between Israel and various Arab nations.</li> </ul> <p>Though these peace efforts are laudable, the overall process of negotiation between Israelis and Palestinians has stalled, and the Palestinian leadership has not been pleased that Arab nations have been making agreements with Israel.</p> <p>At the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains the desire of the Palestinians for autonomy and repossession of some or all of the land occupied by the Israelis versus the Israelis’ claim to their ancestral land as well as their desire for security.</p> <p>At this point in history, neither side seems willing to compromise enough to obtain lasting peace—or to believe peace is really possible.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">A land of conflict throughout history</font></h5> <p>This land has been embattled for thousands of years.</p> <p>The biblical history of the land begins with Abraham, the progenitor of both the Israelis and Palestinians. Beginning with Genesis, the books in the Old Testament of the Bible cover this history. What follows is a brief synopsis.</p> <p>Abraham was told by God to leave his home and go to the land of Canaan, which God was going to give to him and his offspring (Genesis 12:1-7; 13:14-18).</p> <p>Abraham, his son Isaac, his grandson Jacob and their families were then nomads in the land of Canaan until a famine forced Jacob (also known as Israel), his sons and their families to move to Egypt. While in Egypt, the families of the 12 sons of Jacob grew substantially, and their sheer numbers caused Egypt to feel threatened.</p> <p>Realizing they had a free workforce and not wanting the tribes of Israel to turn against them, the Egyptians enslaved the Israelites for many years.</p> <p>Under the leadership of Moses, God eventually freed the tribes of Israel from Egyptian slavery and led them back to the land of Canaan. In fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, over a period of time the fledgling nation of Israel took possession of the Promised Land.</p> <p>During the time of the judges, the nation of Israel slipped into a tragic cycle of disobeying God, which led to the occupation of ancient Israel by some of its neighbors. Upon their repentance, God would rescue the Israelites from their captors. This cycle of occupation and deliverance lasted nearly 400 years.</p> <p>Throughout the reigns of the kings of ancient Israel, there were many conflicts involving the surrounding nations. After the death of Solomon, the nation of Israel split into the 10 northern tribes of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.</p> <p>Israel continued to disobey God during the reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah. God allowed the 10 northern tribes of Israel to fall to Assyria around 721 B.C. The Assyrians removed the conquered Israelites from the Holy Land and replaced them with captives from other lands. In 586 B.C. the disobedient tribe of Judah was completely conquered, and many of the people in the southern portion of the land were displaced by the Babylonians.</p> <p>The 10 northern tribes of Israel did not return to the Promised Land; however, 70 years after their captivity, a number of Jews were given permission by Cyrus, king of Persia, to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.</p> <p>The descendants of the Jews endured many additional occupations of the Holy Land, including ones by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Muslims and the Crusaders.</p> <p>Also, over the centuries, many descendants of Esau (Edomites) and Ishmael (Arabs) moved into the area. These peoples were also descendants of Abraham, but the Bible describes longstanding jealousies and hatreds between them and the descendants of Israel (Psalm 83:4-6; Ezekiel 35:5).</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Will peace be achieved between the nation of Israel and the Palestinians?</font></h5> <p>The seemingly endless cycle of conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians does not bode well for a peaceful solution.</p> <p>The chances of a human solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are slim.</p> <p>With the Holy Land at the crossroads of the world—and at the intersection of Christianity, Judaism and Islam—the resulting conflict is predicted to be the catalyst for future events that will change this world forever.</p> <p>Biblical prophecy foretells a future time when the Holy Land will be occupied again by a world superpower—<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/understanding-the-book-of-daniel/the-king-of-the-north/">the king of the North</a> (Daniel 11:41). The Bible says that leading up to this event, <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/understanding-the-book-of-daniel/the-king-of-the-south/">the king of the South</a> will attack the king of the North (verse 40), and the king of the North could very well enter the Holy Land in an attempt to bring peace to the region.</p> <p>Instead, however, it will usher in an unprecedented time of trouble labeled the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21). It will be so horrendous a time for the world that, we’re told, there has never been a time like it in the past and there will never be a time like it in the future (Daniel 12:1).</p> <p>Unless God intervened at this time, the earth would become lifeless (Matthew 24:22). Thankfully, God is going to intervene and send His Son Jesus Christ to establish the Kingdom of God (Matthew 24:29-31).</p> <p>In the battle culminating during the end time, the armies of the world will gather at <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/end-times/armageddon/">Armageddon</a> in what is northern Israel today to fight the returning Christ and His saints (Revelation 16:16). Man’s armies will be completely defeated. Christ will conquer the nations and become the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords of a righteous, just and peaceful world government (Revelation 19:19-21).</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Peace at last for the Israelis and the Palestinians</font></h5> <p>At the beginning of the millennial rule of Christ, the earth will be rebuilt. Instruments of war will be turned into instruments of agriculture. Humans will not learn war anymore (Isaiah 2:4). The way of peace will be taught and enforced.</p> <p>In this new world, even the nature of predatory animals will be changed (Isaiah 11:6-9). What is more important—and the key to peace throughout this new world—the nature of man will begin to be changed, as individuals choose repentance and conversion (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 10:16).</p> <p>Once they are converted and given the Holy Spirit, people will no longer be the belligerent beings they were in their former world. This dramatic change will be brought about by their new nature and the lack of Satan’s influence in their lives (Revelation 20:1-3).</p> <p>God will ensure there will be peace for all of mankind. Children will be able to play in the streets of cities while their grandparents watch them (Zechariah 8:4-5).</p> <p>The transformations that will occur on this earth will be astonishing. People will become healthier, as the sick are healed, the crippled walk, the blind see, and the deaf hear (Isaiah 35:4-6).</p> <p>The deserts will bloom, and the land will become so productive that those planting will overtake those harvesting (Amos 9:13).</p> <p>God, at this time, will restore not only the nation of Judah, but also the other tribes of Israel to the Promised Land (verses 14-15).</p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Does this mean the Palestinians will be without a homeland? No!</font></p> <p>God will provide the Palestinians and all peoples of the world with their own lands flowing with milk and honey. <font face="Arial Black"><u>Everyone</u></font> will sit under his or her fig tree, so to speak, and enjoy the prosperity of this wonderful world tomorrow (Micah 4:4-5).</p> <p>There will be peace at last, as man, under the rulership of Jesus Christ, progresses toward the time when there will be no more tears, sorrow, pain, crying and death (Revelation 21:4).</p> <p>Will you be there to see the transition from a world of bigotry and hate to a world of true outgoing concern and peace?</p> <p>Learn more in our enlightening free booklet <a href="https://info.lifehopeandtruth.com/world-to-come-booklet">The World to Come: What It Will Be Like</a>.  From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/prophecy-in-the-news/israeli-palestinian-conflict/?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=278293860&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_x9kIe-DxgJGZ6dBVEIG3JiPRZ_ZpiKBYM_rrGiKdvv4tMB5Yxo9pgBtVWJRRI51kefOmA3Rdlb1VffY3kWpX3wCtIdA&utm_content=278293860&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/prophecy-in-the-news/israeli-palestinian-conflict/?">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/prophecy-in-the-news/israeli-palestinian-conflict/?</a></p> <p>________</p> <h4><font size="3">Meditate on These Things</font></h4> <p><strong>Philippians 4:8</strong></p> <p><em>“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.</em></p> <p>What do we normally focus our minds on? Bad news, scandals and problems fill our media and our minds. The apostle Paul encourages us to focus instead on the things of God, the things that are truly pure and praiseworthy, and that ultimately lead to the best news that can be reported—the coming Kingdom of God.</p> <p>We can’t hide our heads in the sand to the bad news of today. Jesus Christ told us to watch world events and to be aware of the signs of the times (Luke 21:36; Matthew 16:3). But we don’t have to look for the juicy details of the latest scandal. We can focus instead on the words of God and the just and virtuous things that are the hallmarks of His coming Kingdom.</p> <p>We are to meditate or <em>“think on”</em> (King James Version) these things for a purpose. <em>“Think on—have a continual regard to, so as to ‘do’ these things</em> (vs. 9)” (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary on Philippians 4:8). Our thoughts should guide our actions. Christians are called to not only meditate, but to do.</p> <p>For more about Philippians 4:8, see our blog series beginning with “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/meditate-on-these-things-whatever-things-are-true/">Meditate on These Things: ‘Whatever Things Are True.’</a>”   For more about meditation, see our article “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/prayer-fasting-and-meditation/what-is-meditation/">What Is Meditation?</a>” See also “<a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/bible-study/reading-the-mind-of-god/">Reading the Mind of God</a>.”  From: <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/meditate-on-these-things/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Bible%20Verse%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=278376138&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8Lb6Wwd7xtuhjymVQIX-vpXQGnPfYoJ3U0c-mx69mzhrg_tACm3YgCKcB716mYxPvHkRENg2Nyf6SGiluj6PfOewnMBg&utm_content=278376138&utm_source=hs_email" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/meditate-on-these-things/?">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/meditate-on-these-things/?</a></p> <p>_________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">The Best Diet for Colon Cancer Prevention</font></h3> <p>What would happen within just two weeks if you swapped the diets of Americans with that of healthier eaters?</p> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-diet-for-colon-cancer-prevention/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-diet-for-colon-cancer-prevention/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-diet-for-colon-cancer-prevention/</a></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.</font></p> <p>“Colon cancer is our second leading cancer killer, but some places, like rural Africa, have more than 10 times lower rates than we do. The reason we know it’s not genetic is that “[m]igrant studies, such as those in Japanese Hawaiians, have demonstrated that it only takes one generation for the immigrant population to assume the colon cancer incidence of the host Western population.” Now, “the change in diet is [considered] most probably responsible for this.” But there are all sorts of changes when you move from one culture to another—like smoking rates, different exposures to chemicals, infections, antibiotics. You don’t know if it’s the diet…until you put it to the test.</p> <p>It’s rare I do a whole video on a single study, but I think you’ll agree this one is worth it. This international group of researchers were trying to find out why colon cancer rates were an order of magnitude higher here—in African-Americans <font face="Arial Black"><u>and</u></font> Caucasians—than in rural Africa. If you look at American colons, they’re a mess: polyps, diverticulosis—not to mention hemorrhoids— whereas the African colons were “remarkably pristine.” And more importantly, sevenfold lower colonic epithelial proliferation rates, a characteristic of precancerous conditions. They measured everything they were eating, and concluded that the higher colorectal cancer risk and proliferation rates were most closely “associated with higher dietary intakes of animal products,” which may have led to “higher colonic populations of these potentially toxic [acid] and bile-salt-producing bacteria.” But you don’t know… until you put it to the test. “The higher rates are associated with higher animal protein and animal fat, and lower fibre consumption,” more of those bad bile acids, less of those good short chain fatty acids like butyrate, and that “higher mucosal proliferation. But how do we know it’s the diet that’s mucking things up? You don’t know…until you perform an interventional study.</p> <p>How about we just swap their diets? Feed the Americans a high-fiber African-style diet, and the poor Africans get the SAD, Standard American Diet—like sausage and white flour pancakes for breakfast, a burger and fries for lunch, and some meatloaf and white rice for supper. That was day one for the rural Africans in the experiment, whereas the Americans were forced to eat fruits and vegetables, corn and beans. To help with compliance, they threw in more familiar foods like veggie dogs, though note it was <font face="Arial Black"><u>not </u></font>a vegan diet, just generally plant-based.</p> <p>And the food exchanges weren’t for years, but just two weeks. Could they see changes that fast? The dietary changes “resulted in remarkable reciprocal changes” in the lining of their colons in terms of cancer risk and their microbiome. Switching to plant-based boosted the fiber fermentation and “suppressed the [carcinogenic] bile acid synthesis.” Let’s look at some before-and-after pictures. They took biopsies, and this is the colon lining of an African-American under a microscope. Those brown dots mark dividing cells; their colon lining was in overdrive, the cells rapidly dividing, a sign of premalignancy, a risk factor for cancer. But just two weeks eating a healthier diet, and their colons calmed right down.</p> <p>The African-<font face="Arial Black">Africans </font>started out with some proliferation, but it got worse on the American diet. This is a different marker measuring inflammation. Each of the brown dots here represents an inflammatory cell; so, rife inflammation before calmed way down after just two weeks, and the opposite in those eating worse.</p> <p>We know that when our friendly flora ferment fiber, they produce beneficial compounds like butyrate, which is anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer. Impressively, “Africanization” of the diet more than doubled butyrate production, whereas “westernization” cut it in half. And in terms of<font face="Arial Black"><u> toxic</u></font> metabolites, a significant drop on the healthier diet, whereas the meatloafy diet increased the levels of these carcinogens by 400 percent within just two weeks. So, bottom line (no pun intended): what they were able to show is that just by changing the food, you can remarkably change your risk. In fact, that’s how the lead investigator put it: “<font face="Arial Black">change your diet, change your cancer risk!”</font>  It may be “never too late to start” eating healthier.</p> <p>Based on these kind of data, “adopting a whole-food vegan or [even just] near-vegan diet rich in fruits and vegetables,” along with other healthy lifestyle decisions, “could have a stunningly positive impact on the cancer risks not only of black Americans, but of all peoples.” “While it [might] be unrealistic to expect rapid and profound lifestyle changes in the general population, [hey]…at least we have sound, effective advice to offer to those who [make the <font face="Arial Black"><u>choice</u></font>] to take the steps needed to optimize their healthful longevity.”  From:  <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-diet-for-colon-cancer-prevention/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-diet-for-colon-cancer-prevention/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-diet-for-colon-cancer-prevention/</a></p> <p>__________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-64200533863771604532023-10-08T15:18:00.001-05:002023-10-08T15:18:48.325-05:00Why Has God Killed People? God's Plan for Mankind. How Much Lead Is in Organic Chicken Soup (Bone Broth)?<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Why Has God Killed People?</font></h3> <p><img title="God has revealed that His plan includes resurrecting humans. He will bring them back to life later to teach them the right way to live. " style="margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="A stone path through a forest" src="https://www.ucg.org/files/styles/full_grid9_breakpoints_theme_top_hat_mobile_1x/public/image/article/2010/07/20/why-has-god-killed-people.jpg?timestamp=1512417571" width="295" align="left" height="197"> </img><small>Elke Karin Lugert/Unsplash</small></p> <p> “If God loves human kind, why did He order the death of some people in the Old Testament?</p> <p>God has revealed that His plan includes resurrecting humans. He will bring them back to life later to teach them the right way to live.</p> <p>God is the one who created human life as part of His great plan to show love to us. As Creator, He retains control over His creation, including the right to decide when to end someone's life. In Deuteronomy 32:39 God says He is the only true God and has the right to kill or to make alive.</p> <p>God has also revealed that His plan includes resurrecting humans—bringing them back to life (something we humans cannot do). So even when God decides to kill a whole nation because of their gross sins and the misery they were bringing on themselves (as He did to allow Israel to inherit the land He had promised to Abraham), that is not the end of those people. He will bring them back to life later to teach them the right way to live.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/the-ten-commandments">Ten Commandments</a> booklet addresses this issue in the chapter about the <a href="https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/the-ten-commandments/the-sixth-commandment-life-is-a-precious-gift">Sixth Commandment</a>.</p> <p><q>"Taking another person's life is not our right to decide. That judgment is reserved for God alone. That is the thrust of this commandment. God does not allow us to choose to willfully, deliberately take another person's life. The Sixth Commandment reminds us that God is the giver of life, and He alone has the authority to take it or grant humans permission to take it."</q></p> <p>All of these points support God's right to take human life, including using the Lake of Fire to destroy those who refuse His offer of eternal life. Though it might seem strange at first, even when God kills someone, it can be a demonstration of His love.”  From: <a title="https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/why-has-god-killed-people" href="https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/why-has-god-killed-people">https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/why-has-god-killed-people</a></p> <p>_________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">The Eighth Day, God's Plan for Mankind </font></h3> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/the-eighth-day-gods-plan-for-mankind" href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/the-eighth-day-gods-plan-for-mankind ">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/the-eighth-day-gods-plan-for-mankind   </a>       (Eighth Day was yesterday.)</p> <p><font color="#c0504d"><font color="#0000a0" size="3">“God has a merciful and loving plan for ALL of mankind; the Eighth Day is a beautiful representation of this plan.</font>   </font></p> <p>[Steve Myers] “The final commanded festival of God is the Eighth Day. Leviticus 23 talks about this special festival with a unique name. Sometimes it's called the Last Great Day. And it shows some amazing things about how merciful our loving God is. There's a section in the Book of Revelation, in Revelation 20 that talks about God's love. And as you look at Revelation 20, this section beginning in verse 11, points to that very fact that it talks about a great white throne, and how all those who ever lived and died and never knew God will be resurrected. It says there,<em> "The small and the great were standing before God,"</em> and it points to that time. And it says,<em> "The books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life."</em> And what this is pointing to is this deep spiritual understanding that God has a plan and a purpose for everyone.</p> <p>Just because you never knew God, or never understood God, doesn't mean you will be condemned forever. God has a plan. God is love. And just because you may grown to know God, and those in some foreign remote area in the world didn't, it doesn't mean that they're lost forever. What this points to is the fact God is love, and everyone will have an opportunity. When it says,<em> "The books were opened,"</em> the books are the Biblia is the word there. The Bible will be opened to all those who ever lived. They'll have an opportunity to understand the love of God. They'll be able to understand that there is a sacrifice for sin. They'll be able to understand that God is merciful, and then they can choose to follow God and live His way. </p> <p> And so, that's the amazing thing about God and His plan and His purpose. It is there throughout Scripture, and this is a New Testament Christian observance, keeping the Last Great Day, the Eighth Day, recognizing the fact that God doesn't want any to perish, but He wants all to come to repentance. That's exactly what 2 Peter 3:9 says. And that is what God is all about. God has a plan, and it's shown throughout His Holy Day plan and His purpose. So read Leviticus 23, and recognize the great spiritual significance of God's Holy Days. You'll find it to be absolutely amazing.”  From: <a href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/the-eighth-day-gods-plan-for-mankind">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/the-eighth-day-gods-plan-for-mankind</a></p> <p>_________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">How Much Lead Is in Organic Chicken Soup (Bone Broth)?</font></h3> <p>Let’s review lead from occupational exposures, shooting ranges, eggs, and bone broth.</p> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/friday-favorites-how-much-lead-is-in-organic-chicken-soup-bone-broth/?utm_source=NutritionFacts.org&utm_campaign=57a19bedc0-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_7_26_2022_12_48_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_40f9e497d1-57a19bedc0-28665510&mc_cid=57a19bedc0&mc_eid=361c52c704" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/friday-favorites-how-much-lead-is-in-organic-chicken-soup-bone-broth/?">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/friday-favorites-how-much-lead-is-in-organic-chicken-soup-bone-broth/?</a></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.</font></p> <p>“Lead poisoning still occurs the United States despite extensive prevention efforts and strict regulations.” Ayurvedic supplements, for example, specifically marketed to pregnant women, exceeded safety levels by up to 4 million percent, making “Ayurvedic medicine use and lead poisoning…a continued concern in the United States.” “[H]eavy metals are intentionally added” to the supplements. But, don’t worry, Ayurvedic practitioners claim, the lead has been detoxified with cow pee!</p> <p>“Calcium supplements [can be] an additional source of lead contamination”—something we’ve known about for half a century now. Calcium supplements made from bone may have the highest lead levels. But just regular calcium supplements were found contaminated too, including a number of big national brands.</p> <p>Diet-wise, the greatest contribution to the lead intake of children and their parents may be dairy, but the most concentrated source may be wild game shot with lead-containing ammunition. Concerns have been raised by hunters, though, that lead-free bullets wouldn’t have the same “wounding capacity.” But, CT scans of kills show just as much damage is inflicted—demonstrating that lead-free bullets have equivalent “killing effectiveness” even against “ballistic soap,” which evidently has a similar density to vital organs.</p> <p>Workers in battery plants can be exposed to a lot of lead, but the #1 “non occupational lead exposure” is shooting firearms. Not eating lead-laden meat, just taking target practice in indoor firing ranges; 75% of target shooters have elevated lead levels in their blood. Even outside, airborne lead released by the friction of the bullet against the barrel, or lead-containing primers, can lead to substantial lead exposure both in people and in local wildlife—as well as the soil, with lead levels higher than those found next to an industrial lead factory. Most lead in urban soil, though, is from the decades of leaded paint and gasoline, raising concerns about urban gardens. Most of the lead doesn’t get taken up by the plants, though, but can stick to the leaves and roots. This is bad news in that even crops from raised beds using clean soil may get contaminated in an urban environment, but the good news is that the lead can presumably just be washed off. The health benefits of gardening and fresh produce would “likely…more than…compensate for the risk at most sites.”</p> <p>Eggs from backyard chickens, however, should be tested for lead, since the lead gets inside the eggs; and so, it can’t be washed off. Most of the lead ends up in the birds’ skeletons, which raises the question: What happens when you try to make chicken soup? There may be an upswing in people boiling bones due to encouragement from paleo diet advocates. The problem is that lead is a neurotoxin, and, not just a neurotoxin. It also adversely affects the bone marrow, and digestive tract, and kidneys, and circulatory system, and hormones, and reproduction. Symptoms of too much lead exposure include impaired cognition, anemia, abdominal pain, kidney problems, high blood pressure, miscarriages, memory problems, constipation, impotence, depression,  poor concentration, etcetera.</p> <p>And, we know from human studies that lead is sequestered in the bones. When there’s a lot of “bone turnover,” like at menopause or during pregnancy, lead levels in the blood can go up. This bump can be minimized during pregnancy by getting enough calcium and lowering sodium intake. When astronauts lose bone in space, the lead is released into their bloodstream. But, ironically, since they’re no longer exposed to all the lead on Earth, their overall lead levels may go down. Bones are so good at sucking up lead, they can be sprinkled on firing ranges to prevent lead from leeching further into the environment.</p> <p>These researchers were concerned that the boiling of farm animals’ bones might release lead into the broth. So, they made three types of organic chicken broth—one with the bones, one with just the meat, and one with the skin and cartilage. All the soups exceeded the maximum allowable dose level for lead, even the boneless.<font face="Arial Black"> Surprisingly, the skin and cartilage was the worst,</font> exceeding the safety level per one cup serving by like 475%.”    From: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/friday-favorites-how-much-lead-is-in-organic-chicken-soup-bone-broth/?utm_source=NutritionFacts.org&utm_campaign=57a19bedc0-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_7_26_2022_12_48_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_40f9e497d1-57a19bedc0-28665510&mc_cid=57a19bedc0&mc_eid=361c52c704" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/friday-favorites-how-much-lead-is-in-organic-chicken-soup-bone-broth/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/friday-favorites-how-much-lead-is-in-organic-chicken-soup-bone-broth/</a></p> <p>__________</p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-64225995835347997402023-10-03T15:59:00.001-05:002023-10-03T16:03:28.053-05:00Is Karma in the Bible? Feast of Tabernacles? An Attitude of Gratitude. Bacon & Botulism<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Is Karma in the Bible?</font></h3> <h4><font color="#0000a0">“In recent years, the Eastern concept of karma has become popular in Western culture. Can the idea of karma be harmonized with the Bible? Is karma biblical?”</font> </h4> <p><img style="margin: 0px 18px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="Is Karma in the Bible?" src="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/cache/images/Is-Karma-in-the-Bible_833_460_80_c1.jpg" width="223" align="left" height="123" /></p> <p><font color="#c0504d" size="3">“Cause and effect is not karma</font></p> <p>However, the Bible does teach the principle of cause and effect, which some incorrectly confuse with karma. There are two basic kinds of cause and effect:</p> <p>1. Cause and effect by God’s blessings or punishment. The Bible is clear that God has the power to bless and punish. God told Israel He’d bless them if they obeyed and curse them if they rebelled (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). He exercised that authority with ancient Israel and will punish the nations in the end time for their wickedness and refusal to repent (<a>Revelation 16:8-9</a>).</p> <p>God also promises to bless those who seek and obey Him (<a>Psalm 1:1-2</a>; <a>Proverbs 10:6</a>; <a>James 1:25</a>). But those blessings aren’t always immediately visible. Many seemingly innocent people have suffered hard lives throughout history (<a>John 16:33</a>; Hebrews 11; <a>James 1:2-3</a>). But the Bible <a href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/what-is-the-meaning-of-romans-8-28/">promises</a> that ultimately <em>“all things work together for good”</em> for God’s faithful people (<a>Romans 8:28</a>).</p> <p>The Bible also shows that God is extremely merciful and is not constantly doling out physical punishment based on what we deserve (<a>Matthew 5:45</a>; <a>Hebrews 2:1-4</a>). In fact, considering the state of our world’s morality, we should be immensely thankful God doesn’t operate through karma.</p> <p>2. Cause and effect through natural consequences. Both the Bible and common sense show that cause and effect operate naturally in our lives. The Bible expresses it this way: <em>“Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap”</em> (<a>Galatians 6:7</a>). In simple terms, decisions and actions often have natural consequences.</p> <p><q>No amount of good deeds can offset our sins and save us from the death penalty. Forgiveness of sin can only occur through repentance and the blood of Jesus Christ. </q>Much of the book of Proverbs is about cause and effect. For example, the natural consequence of being lazy is poverty, while diligence and hard work lead to financial stability (<a>Proverbs 6:9-11</a>; <a>10:4</a>; <a>13:4</a>; <a>20:13</a>; <a>24:30-34</a>).</p> <p>These natural consequences aren’t determined by mysterious karmic energies, but by simple cause and effect. Practicing biblical principles positions a person for success because God’s ways work. However, in a world guided by Satan and human nature, sometimes the righteous suffer because of the sins of others (<a>John 16:33</a>; <a>Romans 8:18</a>; <a>1 Peter 3:17</a>).</p> <p>The Bible also shows that in this life sometimes the wicked do prosper for a time (<a>Psalm 73:3</a>; <a>Jeremiah 12:1-3</a>).</p> <p>Though the Bible clearly teaches the principle of cause and effect, it is not a biblical equivalent to karma.</p> <h5><font color="#c0504d" size="3">Why is the idea of karma dangerous?</font></h5> <p>Karma is clearly a man-made belief foreign to the Bible. Consider three reasons the idea of karma is spiritually dangerous and deceptive:</p> <p>1. Karma replaces the all-powerful God with the universe. The power behind karma is usually described as the universe. Chopra.com describes it this way: “The Universe will bring back whatever acts you committed or feeling you caused in another person.” This worldview credits the physical creation as the ultimate arbiter of morality and reward and punishment.</p> <p>But the Bible shows God created the universe (<a>Genesis 1:1</a>; <a>Isaiah 42:5</a>). God, not the universe or energy, is the<em> “rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”</em> (<a>Hebrews 11:6</a>). Jesus Christ, not<em> </em>the universe or karma, will ultimately <em>“judge the world in righteousness”</em> (<a>Acts 17:31</a>).</p> <p>Karma is another way mankind has deceptively credited the creation with power that belongs only to God (<a>Romans 1:25</a>).</p> <p>2. Karma contradicts biblical repentance. Many believe that “bad karma” can be erased only by outweighing it with “good karma.” This idea contradicts the biblical teaching on sin.</p> <p>The Bible teaches that the ultimate penalty of sin is death—not physical curses (<a>Romans 6:23</a>). No amount of good deeds can offset our sins and save us from the death penalty. Forgiveness of sin can only occur through repentance and the blood of Jesus Christ (<a>Acts 3:19</a>; <a>1 John 1:7</a>). A Christian must absolutely strive to obey God, but not as an attempt to outweigh the bad on the scales of karma.</p> <p>Some sins do have ongoing physical consequences, but thankfully, after God forgives us, we no longer have to worry about the ultimate consequences of our sins.</p> <p>3. Karma distorts the proper motivation for doing good. Karma is just one of many man-made attempts to encourage people to live morally. It plays on human nature by incentivizing doing good to avoid bad things coming back upon us later.</p> <p>At its core, the concept of karma is driven by selfishness.</p> <p>The Bible, on the other hand, teaches that morality is defined by God and should be driven by selflessness. Jesus taught that our ultimate motivation should be <font face="Arial Black"><u>love</u></font>—for God first and then for other human beings (<a>Matthew 22:36-39</a>). Paul described the proper motivation for everything we do this way:<em> “The purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith”</em> (1 Timothy 1:5).</p> <p>Christians shouldn’t do good to avoid bad things coming on them. Christians should do good out of genuine love because it’s <font face="Arial Black">the right thing to do</font>—regardless of the consequences.</p> <p>So, is karma in the Bible? No. Karma is unbiblical and contradicts God’s Word in multiple ways.”      This is the last part of article at:  <a title="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/the-church/world-religions/karma-in-bible/?utm_content=252079289&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&hss_channel=fbp-254175894670781" href="https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/the-church/world-religions/karma-in-bible/?">https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/the-church/world-religions/karma-in-bible/?</a></p> <p>______</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Why Would You Observe the Feast of Tabernacles? </font></h3> <p>This year, Sukkot starts on the evening of Friday, 29 Sept and ends on Friday, 6 Oct 2023.</p> <p><font size="2">“The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) represents the peace, prosperity and righteousness of the coming Kingdom of God, but how is it relevant to the Christians today?”</font></p> <p><font size="2">Transcript of video at: </font><a title="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/why-would-you-observe-the-feast-of-tabernacles" href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/why-would-you-observe-the-feast-of-tabernacles"><font size="2">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/why-would-you-observe-the-feast-of-tabernacles</font></a></p> <p><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="3"><font size="2">[Steve Myers] Someone asked me the other day, "Why would you observe the Feast of Tabernacles? Is that a Christian thing?" Absolutely, it is. We follow the example of the New Testament Church. The church in the 1st Century kept and observed, celebrated, the Feast of Tabernacles. So, what is this feast? Well, it's definitely listed in Scripture as one of the feasts of the Lord. <font face="Arial Black">(Lev. 23:1-44)</font> I don't know if you've ever checked that out, but it's the feast that God has established. It's one of His Holy Days. And so, for a period of time, we celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days. A complete festival.</font> </font></font> </font></p> <p>Seven is often a number of completeness because it represents that time, in God's plan, that has a deep spiritual meaning. Jesus Christ will return to this earth, 1 Thessalonians 4 spells that out completely, 1 Corinthians 15 as well. And so, the Feast of Tabernacles is representing that time when Christ will return as King of kings and Lord of lords. I know you've probably heard those classic choral selections that sing about that. He's King of kings and Lord of lords and He is returning. Well, the Feast of Tabernacles points to that time that Christ will literally come back to earth.</p> <p>We can read about that in Revelation 5. Revelation 5, in fact, beginning in verse 10, it tells us, <em>"He has made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on earth."</em> Christ will return and annihilate the kingdoms of man. Mankind will no longer be in charge. There will no longer be chaos and confusion in this world. Jesus Christ will establish righteous godly government. And for a thousand years, He will reign on this earth. </p> <p>Perhaps you've even prayed about this symbolic meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles. You know, that model prayer, sometimes call the Lord's Prayer that Christ taught the disciples to pray. Perhaps you've said that prayer or parts of that prayer. It has that part that says,<em> "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done."</em> Christ will come back and establish His kingdom. It will come. And, of course, the rest of that prayer says, <em>"On earth as it is in heaven."</em> So the Feast of Tabernacles pictures that amazing time of peace and prosperity and righteous government that Christ Himself will come and establish right on this earth.</p> <p>Check out The Feast of Tabernacles, find out the deep spiritual meaning behind God's purpose and His plan, and this vital step in His plan for salvation for all mankind.” From: <a title="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/why-would-you-observe-the-feast-of-tabernacles" href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/why-would-you-observe-the-feast-of-tabernacles">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/why-would-you-observe-the-feast-of-tabernacles</a></p> <p>________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">An Attitude of Gratitude: Sukkot for Christians</font></h3> <p>“In a festival similar to Thanksgiving, the Biblical feast of Sukkot (pronounced sue-COAT) gives us a chance to focus on our blessings from God and His desire to be with His people. Also called the Feast of Booths, Tabernacles, or Ingathering, it’s one of the <a href="https://hebrewrootsmom.com/basics-of-the-biblical-holy-days/">seven commanded feasts</a> in Leviticus 23.”  More at: <a title="https://hebrewrootsmom.com/an-attitude-of-gratitude-sukkot-for-christians/" href="https://hebrewrootsmom.com/an-attitude-of-gratitude-sukkot-for-christians/">https://hebrewrootsmom.com/an-attitude-of-gratitude-sukkot-for-christians/</a></p> <p>_________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Bacon & Botulism</font></h3> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/bacon-and-botulism/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/bacon-and-botulism/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/bacon-and-botulism/</a></p> <p>“The nitrite preservatives in processed meats such as bologna, bacon, ham, and hot dogs form carcinogenic nitrosamines, but also reduce the growth of botulism bacteria—forcing regulators to strike a balance between consumers risking cancer, or a deadly form of food poisoning.</p> <p>There are literally hundreds of studies on the link between cancer and cured meats like bologna, bacon, ham, and hot dogs. But just for a taste, just over the last year or so, processed meat consumption was significantly associated with bladder cancer, endometrial cancer, prostate cancer, thyroid cancer, and then all the way down the digestive tract: throat cancer, esophageal cancer, more esophageal cancer, more esophageal cancer <font face="Arial Black"><u>and</u></font><em> </em>stomach cancer, colon cancer, and rectal cancer. And then, for a ten-for-one deal, processed meat was significantly related to the risk of stomach, colon, rectal, pancreatic, lung, prostate, testicular, kidney, more bladder cancer—and leukemia, as well. That’s why the official recommendation is to try to <font face="Arial Black">“avoid processed meats</font>” entirely.</p> <p>With concern over the potential danger of nitrosamines growing, consumer groups, such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a wonderful group, petitioned the USDA as far back as 1972 to ban, or at least greatly reduce, the nitrite in cured meats. The USDA denied the petition, citing nitrite’s role in the prevention of botulism bacteria that can grow inside vacuum-packed meats. They had to weigh the risk of cancer with the risk of consumers getting a deadly food poisoning bacteria from lunchmeat.</p> <p>You know, in 2011, the National Pork Board officially changed their quarter-century old slogan from “Pork: the other white meat” to “Pork: Be Inspired.” Maybe for bacon, they should have considered the tagline: “Cancer or Botulism, take your pick.” From: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/bacon-and-botulism/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/bacon-and-botulism/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/bacon-and-botulism/</a></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by MaryAnn Allison.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial Black">__________</font></p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4550763482629643851.post-38842084801186667562023-09-24T16:59:00.001-05:002023-09-24T16:59:46.566-05:00Sharing My Faith With My Non-Christian Friends and Family? Day of Atonement A Christian Holy Day. What Is Really in Hot Dogs?<p>.</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Is There Any Point in Sharing My Faith With My Non-Christian Friends and Family?</font></h3> <p><img title="There is certainly a point in sharing our faith with others, but the method by which we share our faith is equally if not more important." style="margin: 0px 17px 0px 0px; float: left; display: inline;" alt="A group of friends on blanket in a park talking." src="https://www.ucg.org/files/styles/full_grid9_breakpoints_theme_top_hat_mobile_1x/public/image/article/2017/03/06/is-there-any-point-in-sharing-my-faith-with-my-non-christian-friends-and-family.jpg?timestamp=1512417465" width="309" align="left" height="206" />“If they'll be in the second or general resurrection anyway, is there any point in sharing my faith with my non-Christian friends and family? Absolutely!</p> <p><small><font size="2">Ben Duchac/Unsplash</font></small></p> <p>There is certainly a point in sharing our faith with others, but the method by which we share our faith is equally if not more important.</p> <p>We see within Scripture that God is the One who calls people to His truth (John 6:44). But we also see in scripture that Christ Himself told His disciples—those who believed in and followed Him—to go out to the world and preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God to every creature (Mark 16:15-16). So the fact that God draws people to Christ didn't absolve the disciples of their personal responsibility to preach the gospel.</p> <p>We don't know whether God is working with someone or not, and it's impossible to know how our example—or perhaps our words—might positively affect someone.</p> <p>God desires that no man should perish and that all should come to repentance and knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9), and there is an incredible amount of joy in heaven over every sinner that repents (Luke 15:7). Those individuals who overcome their sins in this life will inherit the Kingdom of God (Revelation 21:7).By extension, as followers of Jesus Christ, we have a similar responsibility today. What if we are the tool that God uses to draw another sheep into His fold? We don't know whether He is working with someone or not, and it's impossible to know how our example—or perhaps our words—might positively affect someone that God is working with. What if it leads another person to repent and turn to God?</p> <p>The gospel that Jesus preached was the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Those who believe it, accept it and overcome in this life will have an opportunity to be a part of the first resurrection—a resurrection which is referred to in Hebrews 11 as a <em>"better resurrection"</em> (Revelation 20 discusses the resurrections in more detail).</p> <p>So there is certainly a point in sharing our faith with others, but the method by which we share our faith is equally if not <font face="Arial Black"><u>more</u></font> important. In Matthew 5:14 Jesus suggests we are to be as a <em>"light on a hill"—</em>a soft and welcoming light in the distance that people can see and navigate towards. Have you ever accidentally shone a powerful flashlight into your eyes? Was it pleasant and inviting? If our interaction with others is <em>"shining our light"</em> in this way, effectively blinding them—there's a good chance that it won't be welcome or appreciated.</p> <p>Instead of blinding others, Peter simply tells us to live good honorable lives among those who are not believers, that they might see our conduct and glorify God in the day of His coming, letting our light shine in an appropriate way (1 Peter 2:12).”  From: <a title="https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/is-there-any-point-in-sharing-my-faith-with-my-non-christian-friends-and-family" href="https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/is-there-any-point-in-sharing-my-faith-with-my-non-christian-friends-and-family">https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/is-there-any-point-in-sharing-my-faith-with-my-non-christian-friends-and-family</a></p> <p>________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">Day of Atonement,  A Christian Holy Day</font></h3> <p><font size="3">Transcript of video at: </font><a title="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/day-of-atonement-a-christian-holy-day" href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/day-of-atonement-a-christian-holy-day"><font size="3">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/day-of-atonement-a-christian-holy-day</font></a></p> <p><font size="3">The Day of Atonement is relevant to Christians today, representing a beautiful step in God's plan of salvation.</font></p> <p>[Steve Myers] “The Day of Atonement. Sounds kind of odd, especially to most Christians' ears. What is the Day of Atonement? Almost sound like it's Jewish. Well, many times people will turn to Leviticus 23 and point out the fact that it's listed there as a day we should observe. Many say no, it's just for the Jews or for the Israelites. What is amazing to notice is that in Leviticus 23, it immediately says, <em><font size="3" face="Arial Black">"These are the Feasts of the Lord."</font></em>  So, they're not feasts of Jews, they're not feasts of Israelites, they're God's feasts. And most don't even realize Atonement is also an important New Testament church festival. It's mentioned in the Book of Acts. Acts 27 mentions the fast, and that is referring to the Day of Atonement.</p> <p>What happens on the day of Atonement, and why is it important for Christians today? Is it a Christian festival? Yeah, the answer is absolutely. There is no doubt. Luke, the New Testament writer, refers to the Day of Atonement, and when you recognize the spiritual meaning, on the Day of Atonement we're told to fast, which means we don't eat, we don't drink. Sounds like just a basic physical kind of a thing but the reality is it is a spiritual festival, and eating and drinking and staying away from that causes us to recognize our humanity. That we need food and drink if we're going to live a physical life. It definitely reminds us if we're going to live a spiritual life, we need God in us. We can't survive spiritually without God, in the same way we can't survive spiritually without food and drink.</p> <p>And so, it points to a time that ultimately the whole human race will have an opportunity to be at one with God. In fact, it's kinda seen that way in English when you think of Atonement, we are going to ultimately be at one. We'll ultimately be at one with God and this festival points to that very theme, that ultimately Christ will return. He's going to return to this earth, and He will reconcile man to Himself. He made the Atonement for our sins. We deserve death and we can be at one because Christ atoned, paid the penalty for our sins.</p> <p>But even more than that, here's the amazing part when it comes to Atonement. Yes, it pictures the forgiveness of sin. Yes, it pictures more than that, that when Christ returns He will remove the primary cause of sin, and that's Satan himself. When Christ returns, we're told in scripture, that Satan will be bound. For 1,000 years he'll no longer be able to influence mankind. And so, Atonement pictures that very fact. So, by fasting on this day, we draw closer to God and we recognize that that ultimate reconnection, that reconciliation with God can take place. So, Atonement, it's not a Jewish feast, it is a Christian festival that represents a beautiful step in the process of God's plan for all of mankind.”  From: <font size="3"> </font><a title="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/day-of-atonement-a-christian-holy-day" href="https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/day-of-atonement-a-christian-holy-day"><font size="3">https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/day-of-atonement-a-christian-holy-day</font></a></p> <p>__________</p> <h3><font color="#c0504d">What Is Really in Hot Dogs?</font></h3> <p>Transcript of video at: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/what-is-really-in-hot-dogs-2/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/what-is-really-in-hot-dogs-2/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/what-is-really-in-hot-dogs-2/</a></p> <p>“What percentage of a hot dog is actually muscle tissue?</p> <p>Actually, there was a forensic study on hot dogs published earlier this year in the <font face="Arial Black">Annals of Diagnostic Pathology </font>to answer the age-old question: what is really in them? It was like a CSI episode! They found…bone, blood vessels, nerves, cartilage, skin. But the kicker was that the amount of actual meat in a hot dog was less than ten percent.</p> <p>Let’s look at hot dogs. Same serving size, but Bessie’s over here has almost five times more calories, 150 times more fat, infinitely more saturated fat, and cholesterol.</p> <p>How did the meat industry respond to this devastating new cancer report? Well, the beef industry spin was that the report was “bad advice,” and that “another scientific study found no link between meat and cancer.” A study that was, in their words, “independent,” “comprehensive.” “How the WCRF research report could come to a different conclusion is perplexing,” they wrote. Well, I found the “independent, comprehensive study” to which the beef industry is referring, and wasn’t perplexed anymore!</p> <p>I was on to this study like brown on rice. Here are the so-called “facts.” Let’s compare: the WCRF report looked at 7,000 studies; theirs looked at 500. This report has 537 pages; this one has four. This report was written by nine independent teams of scientists, hundreds of peer reviewers, and 21 of the top cancer researchers in the world. This one was written by these two guys. You can’t see, but the picture cuts off their cowboy hats.</p> <p>Time spent to produce: this one took more than five years; this one just says “last summer.” And finally, the report that found a link between meat and cancer was overseen by the World Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and funded by a leading cancer charity. This other one was overseen by a scientists-for-hire, for-profit firm, which has come out with similar reports downplaying the risk of pesticides, asbestos, and, of course, cigarette smoke. This “independent” study? Bought and paid for by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.</p> <p>But if you think that takes gall, wait until you see what the pork industry did. Smithfield, the largest pork producer in the world, launched the “Deli for the Cure” campaign, donating five cents to early detection for every pound sold of exactly the type of meat the WCRF report says <font size="3" face="Arial Black">causes the most cancer</font>. I guess it’s the least they can do. If they’re going to give us cancer early, might as well help detect it early for us, too.”  From: <a title="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/what-is-really-in-hot-dogs-2/" href="https://nutritionfacts.org/video/what-is-really-in-hot-dogs-2/">https://nutritionfacts.org/video/what-is-really-in-hot-dogs-2/</a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"><font face="Cambria">To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Dianne Moore.</font> </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Comic Sans MS">________</font></p>LakeConroePenny,TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00260039376684295639noreply@blogger.com0