3,500-year-old Moral Code. Geologic Dating Methods. Mansions. Civil War Trivia. Update.

 

This very delayed as we were in that massive outage of internet, phone and TV after the storms destroyed a main computer at Sudden Link.

So this was written on Live Writer on Sunday, and posted when the internet came back on, on Tuesday.

For "Scripture Sunday":

"Dear Friends,
Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by the speed of change in the world today? Just with technology alone, that new gadget you buy today may well be obsolete next year!
So what would you think if I was to tell you that a 3,500-year-old moral code—a document literally written in stone, during a time when sandals and robes were considered the height of fashion—is not only still important, but absolutely vital for you to live by today?

A lot of people today see the 10 Commandments only as an outdated list of dos and don’ts—maybe they were a good idea once upon a time, but too much has changed in the last three millennia for something this old to still be relevant.
Well, a lot has changed in 3,500 years. People have fancier toys, nicer clothes and bigger homes—but you know what hasn’t changed?
Human nature. At the end of the day, we’re still the same old people doing the same old things. All the scientific advances and technological breakthroughs in the world can’t change what it means to be a human being.

And that’s why the 10 Commandments are still important—because they speak directly to human nature, and they answer an ancient question that the world’s greatest philosophers have argued over for thousands of years: “How do I, as a human being, interact with the human beings around me and with the Higher Power that created me?”
Be sure and check out this week’s featured article, “The 10 Commandments for Today.” http://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/10-commandments/the-ten-commandments/

God and His way of life are not obsolete! And I hope you’ll read the new articles posted this week as well. Whether they are tackling science and the Bible (geologic dating methods) or social issues (why the Bible compares ancient civilizations to today’s world)—God has a lot to say that can really be of help to us!
Warm regards,
Clyde Kilough,  Media Operation Manager

Do the 10 Commandments need to be updated—or upheld? How do the ancient laws included in the 10 Commandments apply today?"

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Geologic Dating Methods: Are They Always Accurate?

"Geologists use radiometric dating methods to determine the age of strata and fossils. Are they always accurate? Does an evolutionary bias affect the dating?

When a new fossil is discovered, geologists assign a date for when they think the plant or animal lived. They normally use radiometric dating methods to date the fossil, and many promote these methods as being accurate. Yet when you look into the technical papers on these discoveries, you find that these dates are often questionable and are sometimes clearly in error.

What are radiometric dating methods?

More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/is-there-a-god/proof-of-god/geologic-dating-methods/

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Mansions

An Amazing Fact: "In July 2011, America’s most expensive home went on the market for $175 million, surpassing previous sales of $100 million and $150 million. This home and estate in Wyoming includes a house, equestrian center, and massive acreage. Only the wealthiest in the nation could consider real estate like this!

For the time, news regarding real estate typically focused on how poorly the housing market was doing, but this piece of news was different. The cost of this estate surpassed two large mansions purchased in California, one by a billionaire investor and another by a billionaire heiress. The Wyoming property would ultimately require a special buyer. The property’s home is actually fairly modest, but the property covers more 1,750 acres and includes a large 52-stall equestrian center with an indoor and outdoor riding rink.
Since most people are more concerned with making the mortgage payment than finding the perfect mansion to fulfill our dreams, a piece of property like this is mind-boggling. We’re focused on making ends meet, not buying a million-dollar estate.

But King David reminds us in one of his psalms that earthly wealth of this sort is only temporary. “Do not be overawed when others grow rich…for they will take nothing with them when they die.” Money and property are only here for a season before they vanish, but our heavenly treasure will last forever. Keep your focus on what is eternal. Sharing the love of God with our family, friends, and those around us will have more lasting consequences than storing up earthly wealth.

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.
- Psalms 49:17

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Civil War Trivia

"The American Civil War began 153 years ago on April 12, 1861. At its end, eight percent of all white males in the States had died in the war including six percent in the North and 18 percent in the South. Slavery for the Confederacy's 3.5 million blacks effectively ended when Union armies arrived, and then formally with the Emancipation Proclamation.

Civil War deaths roughly equaled the deaths in all other U.S. wars combined."

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Worth Pondering:
"From now on, ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put." --Winston Churchill

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Update:

A busy week. 

Jay and I got a larger table out of storage to put in my dining room.  It will look better for staging the house for sale.  We took the smaller table and two of the chairs to the consignment shop.  Then another day we shampooed the upholstery and polished the wood on four of my eight matching dining chairs to take them to the consignment shop, and brought the other two back to clean them.  Every time I go to Conroe, I try to take a load to that shop.

On Tuesday, BabyGirl my foster dog, started acting ill, and when she didn't eat her breakfast I knew something was wrong.  I took her to the vet expecting a diagnosis of a bladder infection, but was told that she would have to stay at the vet hospital and have emergency surgery.  She had stump pyometra, which is when someone who did her spay surgery didn't do a good job all those years ago.  She couldn't even be moved to the other vet clinic where we usually have our neutering done, or the infected stump could have burst.  She is back home with me, on antibiotics and probiotics, and doing well now.

Ray is still gone on the out of town job, but his outside cat, Buddy, has been living in my grooming room for over a week now.  He was supposed to get fixed last Tuesday, but it was postponed for a week.  Buddy is thoroughly enjoying all the attention and laying back in the air conditioning watching Animal Planet!  (It is now Tuesday, and Buddy is having his surgery.)

Ray called me and said that he would be back on Saturday night, but he didn't show up.  Ray's son who lives next door to me came frantically ringing my doorbell, saying  that he was out of food and meds, so I have been feeding him, and will take him to get his meds.  We are both worried about Ray.  (Tues: Ray still hasn't come home)

Why do they have it so cold in the stores?  I should have gone back to the van and got a scarf and jacket the other day when I was at Kroger's.  They must have wanted to hang meat in the aisles it was so cold. The chilly draft went in one ear and out the other, as there is nothing to stop it!  Anyway, it gave me a head cold and cough.  Another place that is always so cold, is the church.  Surely they can see people putting on jackets and sweaters, so they must know that it is too cold in there.  Why would anyone want to waste electricity like that, I don't know.

The Bible readings were Lev.12:1-16:33, 2 Kings 7:1-20 and Mark 9:14.  The Teaching was about Spiritual Desire. 

We had some terrible storms go through here this weekend, and the high winds bent some of the poles on my canopy carport.  Even the dog was worried, and nothing phases her.  Jay and I took the bent poles down, one by one, put them in another pole which we anchored in the square bumper of the travel trailer to bend them straight again, re-leveled (plumbed, really) them and put the canopy back together again.  Not quite like new, though you'd never notice it.

Our TV, phone and internet have all been out since the storm. My daughter texted me on my cell to tell the terrible news that Phyllis posted on FaceBook about her daughter being on Life Support.  I called Arlene so she could tell me what she knew, and then she called me again today, Tuesday, to tell me the heartbreaking news that Carol was gone.  She couldn't take the loss of her son.  So tragic.  My heart goes out to the family, they have been through so much.

I won't be able to post this until we have internet, hopefully later today, Sunday. 

It wasn't back on until late afternoon Tuesday.

Christ Preached on the Sabbaths. Paul Preaches to Gentiles. Hurrying to Be at Jerusalem for Pentecost. Update.

 

For "Scripture Sunday":

Christ Preached on the Sabbaths

Mark 1:21

Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.

"In the parallel passage in the Gospel of Luke, Luke records that Jesus Christ “was teaching them on the Sabbaths” (Luke 4:31). Earlier, Luke recorded that in Nazareth, “as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read” (Luke 4:16).

Jesus Christ’s custom and practice was to remember the Sabbath and to teach people on that day."

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Paul Preaches to Gentiles on the Sabbath

Acts 13:42-44

"So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.

Many believe that the apostle Paul taught that those who were not Israelites do not have to observe the Sabbath commandment. But the Bible consistently shows that Paul taught both Jews and gentiles (non-Israelites) on God’s Sabbath. Here is how one of our articles addresses this passage:

“When gentiles in Antioch wanted to hear God’s Word preached to them, Paul had them come the next Sabbath ... (Acts 13:42-44). Had Sabbath-keeping no longer been God’s expectation of gentiles, Paul could have simply told them that he would preach to them the next day rather than the next Sabbath.” From: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/paul-preaches-to-gentiles-on-the-sabbath/

For more on this, see “Did Paul Change the Sabbath Command?”

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Paul’s Sabbath Custom

Acts 17:2

Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures.

"As we saw in Acts 13:42-44, the apostle Paul consistently preached on the seventh-day Sabbath, even to the gentiles. In Thessalonica, Paul continued this custom, preaching on three Sabbath days and teaching why Jesus Christ had to suffer and die. The Bible shows Christ died for our sins—because we have broken God’s commandments (1 John 3:4-5; 5:3). This includes the Fourth Commandment about remembering to keep God’s seventh-day Sabbath holy.

Many think that the Sabbath was changed. Find out what the Bible says in our article “Was the Sabbath Changed to Sunday?”"

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Hurrying to Be at Jerusalem for Pentecost

Acts 20:16

For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost.

"The apostle Paul planned his travel around God’s annual festivals. He spent the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread that year in Philippi (Acts 20:6). Because of a plot on his life, he traveled overland instead of by sea (verse 3). But verse 16 shows that he was still determined to get back to Jerusalem in time for the Feast of Pentecost.

For more about Pentecost, see “Pentecost: God Gives the Holy Spirit” and “The Sermon That Launched the Church.”"

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Update:

It doesn't seem like it has been a week since the last post. 

On Tuesday, Jay and I went into Conroe to do some shopping, and dropped some things off at a consignment place.  They take clothes, furniture, books, whatever, so this might help me empty out this house.

We bought his mother a new toilet riser at a thrift shop, and it really helped her to get up off the toilet and back to her walker.  She just didn't have the upper arm strength to get up.  But the riser helped that.

On Wednesday, I bathed BabyGirl, my black lab foster dog, and then Chris came by to see if BabyGirl would like to ride to Magnolia with her. Chris is a foster mom neighbor who has horses and she was buying something to do with coconuts for her horses from a feed store in Magnolia, TX.  BabyGirl loves to ride.  She doesn't even look out of the windows, but just curls up, as happy as can be, in any vehicle.

Then later on Wednesday, a couple came from Houston to buy my Aerostar van.  I didn't like to see that reliable old van go, but I can't keep them all.

On Thursday, Jay and I took BabyGirl, my foster dog, and Phoebe, my new 17 year old foster cat, to the vet.  BabyGirl had her ears packed, as one still has an infection in it.  Phoebe was there for a blood and urine test.

Unfortunately, the vet tech didn't stick to the rules and she did the blood test first.  That made Phoebe pee on the table, and that wasn't the kind of pee that they needed.  It had to be a really clean specimen from a catheter, so Phoebe had to stay there until the afternoon.  Jay and I hung around town and looked in some thrift shops but didn't really want to stay in town with BabyGirl until Phoebe was ready, so we came home.  Another fortunate thing, Chris was in Conroe in the afternoon so she picked up Phoebe and brought her home.

The Dodge van started acting up bucking and missing so we couldn't wait to get it home.  I stopped at a Dollar General, ran in and bought some injector cleaner and put it in the tank.  The van immediately started running better, so I might have got some bad gas.  The gas gauge isn't that reliable.  It shows it's full, then a bell goes off and it drops to Empty.  So I buy $10 gas. The next time it's started up, it says it has a near full tank again.   So, today, I filled it up until it was literally overflowing, and it only took 7 gallons.  I set the trip, and we will see what it does now.  The van sat a long time before I bought it, so it is going to have to get used to being driven again.

The vet tests showed that Phoebe has kidney problems, another victim of a life of dry cat food.  When will people learn.  Now she will have to be on a prescription diet for the rest of her life. 

Jay had been feeding his disabled mother those frozen lasagnas and French bread pizzas, no wonder she is sick.  I steamed some celery, onion and carrots, fried some red cabbage and red onions in coconut oil, cooked some quinoa and took it to her.  She liked it and said that it made her feel better.

Ray, who rents my guest house, has been gone all week, so I have been taking care of his cats, as well as my own critters.  Buddy, his little boy cat is scheduled to have his 'boy' surgery next week, so I put him in my grooming room.  He was missing for a couple of days last week, and I need to keep tabs on him.  So now, I am getting him ready for his surgery.  He has already had his first and second shots, he has had Revolution applied to his neck to be free of fleas, mites, etc., and now three days of de-worming.  He loves being indoors and just cozies up to me and purrs when I go in the grooming room.  Buddy hasn't been checked out by a vet yet, so he can't be around my other two foster cats.  He will be confined after his surgery for a few days, so he might as well get used to being in my grooming room, sometimes in a cage, which he doesn't mind.

Saturday was Adoption Day, so two of my fosters were picked up by Chris to spend the afternoon at Conroe Petco, while I was at church.  Some possible adopters were going to come and 'interview' my cat Nala, and another cat.   As they were already approved they could take her that day.  So I packed up her refrigerated food in a dry ice bag, packed a laser light, some of her toys and printed out her care instructions.  I knew that I would miss her terribly, especially last thing at night when we play with that laser light.  But when Chris brought my fosters back, the people hadn't even shown up.  All that for naught.

I went to church early, as the pastor's wife was staying in ICU with her sick older sister.  She called and asked me to warm up her food for the potluck that the pastor was bringing.  The dishes that the other members bring, they stick in the oven, or fridge when they get there.  I usually take mine in a little crockpot or two so that she doesn't have to fool with my food. 1963 was the last time I used an electric stove, so I was a little out of my comfort zone.

The Bible readings were Psa. 105, 107, Lev. 9:1-11:47,. 2 Sam 6:1-7:17 and Mark 7:1-23.  We had our usual song service, thanks and praise reports, and praying for those in need.  I wanted to do what the pastor's wife does.  She goes into the dining hall kitchen and listens to the Teaching over the speaker while she warms up the food.  But two well meaning gentlemen members came to help me and they were talking, so I couldn't hear the Teaching.  Pastor Bobbie talks so very quietly anyway.

We all had a good meal and fellowship, but it wasn't the same without Ms. Eunice.  After we had all eaten, I gathered up the utensils, pots and pans, and washed them.  It was a busy day.

Days of Unleavened Bread. Easter Gets Scrapped in the End. What Would Christ Say To Us Now?

 

For "Scripture Sunday":

Days of Unleavened Bread were kept by Paul and New Testament Church

Commanded in New Testament

   "And now we wish to show a NEW TESTAMENT COMMAND — more plain, more direct, than any we can find for the weekly Sabbath — to keep these annual HOLY DAYS!
  

Observe again Numbers 28:16-17: "...IN the fourteenth day of the first month is the PASSOVER of the Lord. And IN the fifteenth day of this month is the FEAST: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten."
  

This FEAST was not the 14th, but the 15th. It was the PASSOVER, when the LAMB was killed, the 14th. The daylight part of the 14th was the PREPARATION for the FEAST. (Mat-thew 27:62; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:14.) (NOTE, in Jesus' day the Jews celebrated their Passover one day late according to the tradition of the elders — John 18:28.)
  

Let us get this point thoroughly established in our minds, for if this is true, as it is, THEN ALL OF THESE DAYS ARE STILL BINDING UPON US BY NEW TESTAMENT as well as Old Testament AUTHORITY!
  

Notice Matthew 26:5: The Jews, conspiring to kill Jesus, said: "...Not on the FEAST DAY, lest there be an uproar among the people." They hastened so they could take and kill Him the day before the feast, or on the 14th Nisan.
Mark 14:2 says the same thing. Now to establish that the Feast day was the day after the Passover Festival, and that it was the high-day Sabbath — the day AFTER Jesus was crucified, notice John 13:29: "For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag — was treasurer  -- that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the FEAST..." This was at the Passover supper. They thought Jesus was sending Judas out to buy provisions to prepare for the FEAST. Surely this proved the FEAST was the following day — the 15th Nisan, as all these scriptures positively affirm.
   Now let us examine carefully I Corinthians 5:7-8……..

   "It is faithfully recorded in the New Testament that, during the period its history covers, the Church was keeping those days!
  

  In Acts 20:6, "...we sailed away from Philippi AFTER THE DAYS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD..." Paul and companions plainly had observed the Days of Unleavened Bread at Philippi. The Holy Spirit could never have inspired such words otherwise.

  Notice also Acts 12:3-4: "... Then were the days of unleavened bread... intending after PASSOVER [see Greek] to bring him forth to the people." Could the Holy Spirit have inspired the direct affirmation, "Then WERE the days of unleavened bread" if those days had, in God's sight; ceased to exist?

Painting by English artist Margaret Tarrant, 1888-1959.
It illustrates the nature of the coming rule of Messiah.

Notice, it is not any blinded Judaizers, ignorant of what was abolished, making this statement — it is Almighty God saying it through inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This was YEARS after the crucifixion. The Days of Unleavened Bread still existed, or the Holy Spirit could not have inspired "Then WERE the days of unleavened bread." From: http://www.hwalibrary.com/cgi-bin/get/hwa.cgi?action=getmagazine&InfoID=1374675569#.VSrYySvAtSg

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THE FIRST AND THE SEVENTH DAYS OF THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD
THESE ARE CONSECRATED HIGH HOLY DAYS OR SABBATHS.

"Christians today are only just beginning to get a handle on this matter of the weekly Sabbath and the "high day" Sabbaths, the holy days. Many are beginning to see the vital importance of this as a blood covenant matter. 

Unfortunately they have been led to believe the standard medieval Christian teaching that the seventh day Sabbath is just a Jewish Saturday worship tradition and merely a matter of "the Law of Moses" which should no longer concern us as Christians. In this they are not being given the Biblical truth.

This matter of certain holy days being referred to in scripture as a Sabbath is most important. Christians for the most part, even Biblical Christians are unaware of the importance of these special "high" days and that a Sabbath, a day sanctified and set aside for rest and for devotion to God, can be any day of the week. During the passion year the first day of Unleavened Bread, a Sabbath, happened to come on a Friday. Christians are still kept under an ecclesiastical fog about this. They think a Sabbath must always be the weekly Sabbath, a Saturday. But the fourth commandment also applies to these holy consecrated feast day Sabbaths as well.

"Remember the Sabbath day,
            and keep it holy". - Exodus 20:8

The fourth commandment still stands. It was a statute given for as long as there are people on this earth. These Old Covenant matters are still important, even though the Church departed from them after the Neo-Platonist allegorizations of holy Scripture by Origen in the third century, the Church going to bed with the Roman Caesar Constantine at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. and the anti-Throne of David (anti-Semitic) Replacement theology spawned by Augustine."

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Spoiler Alert: Easter Gets Scrapped in the End

"Easter is one of the most important days in modern Christianity. But this holiday is nowhere mentioned in the Bible. Does it meet God’s standard of worship?

I’ll be blunt.

If you believe that the Bible is truly the inspired and inerrant Word of God, then you should think twice about keeping Easter ever again.

And by thinking twice, I mean study the Bible to see just what God’s standard is for how we worship Him.

(Spoiler alert: This may affect your Easter plans next year.)

The problem with Easter

Actually, there is more than just one problem with Easter. The holiday’s incorporation of pagan symbols is one problem. Another reason to not observe this day is its obvious contradiction of the words of Jesus Christ, who stated that He would be entombed for three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40). Easter and Good Friday disagree with Christ’s words by portraying His entombment as one day and two nights. To learn more about this issue, read “Sign of Jonah: Did Jesus Die Good Friday, Rise on Easter?”

The root of the problem with Easter is the idea that God gave men authority to add to or adapt His standards of worship.  But at the root of it all, the problem with Easter is the idea that God gave authority to men to add to or adapt His standards of worship.

It’s a historical fact that Catholic leaders adopted Easter (and other holidays) in the third and fourth centuries A.D. to differentiate Christian worship from Jewish worship and to appeal to the pagan masses to convert to Catholicism. To learn more of this history, read “Origin of Easter.”

But what’s the problem with that?

The bottom line is that only God has authority to establish His law, which defines the way He desires to be worshipped and obeyed. That law does not, indeed cannot, change without God’s say-so. Where did God declare that the holy days He established were superseded by holidays devised by men?

Nowhere!!" 

More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/blog/spoiler-alert-easter-gets-scrapped-in-the-end/ by Jedd Cole 

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Seven Last Sayings of Jesus

"All of Christ’s teachings were powerful words of life. But His seven last sayings as He died for us are worthy of intense consideration. They should change our lives.

[From the March/April 2014 issue of Discern.]

"Had you stood in the crowd that day watching Jesus die, you would have heard Him utter seven astounding statements. Remarkable words, not only due to His duress, but because of the deep meaning they conveyed. And in these seven last statements of Christ we find a lasting example of how we must also think and live!

What would Christ say to us now?"

Complete article at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/who-is-jesus/seven-last-sayings-of-jesus/ by Clyde Kilough

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Update:

Where did this week go?  Ray had to leave again, and I was volunteered to feed his three cats, as his son was also away.  

A new arrival: I have a new foster-cat, "Phoebe".  She is 17 years old, a tabby with a very long tail, and very skinny.  Her previous Mom was put in a nursing home, and Phoebe couldn't go with her.  Phoebe drinks and drinks water, then pees and pees, and eats and eats, but doesn't put on any weight, so she is going to the vet on Thursday.  She was fed dry food all of her life and that is what damages cat's kidneys.  I have her on canned food now, (the good kind with NO by-products)  so hopefully she will improve.

She is very sweet and purrs every time I go near her, but she stays mostly in the 'cave' in the four storey kitty condo that is in my bathroom.  She has ventured out into the living room, and one time even into the garage.  But that cave is her sanctuary and she feels safe there.  She is very cautious, as she is declawed (how cruel) and isn't able to defend herself.  She makes little growly hisses when she sees Nala, my other foster cat, or BabyGirl my foster dog.  I think she is trying to sound macho. Fortunately, she hasn't developed the habit of biting, that many declawed cats have.

Jay did manage to get away from his disabled mother on Wednesday, so we went shopping.  Not much at the thrift shops, but I did snag a white purse for me, and a nice children's Bible.  It will make a good gift.

Ray didn't go to church as he was visiting with his son, and Jay had to stay with his disabled mother. For the potluck, I made Quinoa and Pine Nuts, http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/quinoa-toasted-pine-nuts  and also small white lima beans, because I didn't have any red ones!   http://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/red-beans-quinoa/ .   I had intended to mix them together, but took them in two little crock pots, so people could mix them if they wanted to. Some folks had never had quinoa, (!!) so it gave them the chance to taste it by itself.  It disappeared quicker than the beans.

Of course, there was no leavened bread, or anything with yeast or baking soda in it.  Several people had made unleavened bread with wheat and/or white flour.  Some were really crispy and some were softer, all a matter of choice. 

The Bible readings were Psa. 111, 112, Exo. 14:15-26, Num. 28:16-25, 2 Sam. 22:1-51, and 1 Cor. 5:6,  Mostly about the traditions behind the Passover and Unleavened Bread.

The Teaching was about Amalek, Esau's grandson, who gave the Israelites a lot of grief until the Simeonites finally defeated the Amalekites, and they became a dispossessed people.

"The Defeat of Amalek

While the Jews were still in Rephidim, the Amalekites, a mightily and fierce people, descendants of Esau, and well-trained in the art of warfare, suddenly attacked the people of Israel. It was an unprovoked and cowardly attack upon a tired and weary people, just liberated from slavery, on the way to their homeland.

Moses put his disciple Joshua in charge of the troops who were to fight against the Amalekites. Then Moses, together with his brother Aaron and nephew Hut, went up to a hill, to pray for God's help in the battle. The battle lasted a whole day until the Amalekites were finally defeated and routed. God ordered Moses to record the treacherous attack of the Amalekites for everlasting memory. Together with this memory went an oath to wipe the Amalekites -- the incarnation of all evil -- off the face of the earth. There could be no peace between Israel and Amalek for all time to come."

The potluck was plentiful, even though there were several visitors.  Everyone had a great time chatting and eating in the dining hall.  As my foster dog was enjoying some playtime at a nearby ranch, I was able to stay and help the pastor's wife clear up after the meal.  She is a very sweet old lady, and never complains about how much work it is to feed the congregation each Sabbath.  It is a privilege to help her as much as I can, before and after the potluck.

Oh! Jay and I got the hedge clipped, before it started raining again today!

Thief on the Cross: What Happened to Him?Resurrection of Jesus: Can We Prove It? Christian Holidays: Which? Does God Care? Update.

 

For "Scripture Sunday":

Thief on the Cross: What Happened to Him?

"Was the thief on the cross saved, and did he immediately go to heaven when he died? What did Jesus say to him, and what did He really mean?

Many people mistakenly assume that the thief who was crucified next to Jesus Christ was “saved” and went immediately to heaven when he died, since Christ had told him in Luke 23:43: “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

What did Christ mean, “today”?

We also need to answer this question: Did Jesus Himself enter “Paradise” that day? By His own mouth, He was in the grave for the next three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40). His soul remained in Sheol, or the grave, for that short time period, and then was resurrected. “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (Psalm 16:10).

This, in itself, tells us that the thief on the cross did not join Christ anywhere that day. After being resurrected, Christ told Mary Magdalene, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father’” (John 20:17).

What, then, is the accurate way to understand Christ’s statement to the thief on the cross? As we have seen, the New King James Version reads, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” However, the Greek text of the Scriptures has no punctuation. Translators, in trying to smooth out the text, add punctuation. In this case, they misplaced the comma due to a lack of understanding.

If the comma is simply deleted after “you” and instead inserted after “today,” the meaning changes significantly—and agrees with the rest of the Bible. It would then read, “Assuredly, I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise.” Christ gave the thief the absolute promise on the day they were dying that he would (eventually, but not that same day) be with Christ in His Father’s Kingdom."

Complete article at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/life-after-death/what-is-heaven/thief-on-the-cross/ by John Foster

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Resurrection of Jesus: Can We Prove It?

"The only sign Christ gave to His generation that He was the Messiah was about His resurrection. Is there solid evidence for the resurrection of Jesus?

"But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened" (Luke 24:12).

Followers of Jesus Christ should have absolute confidence that the resurrection of our Savior is fact. As we will see, the promise that all converted people will be resurrected and changed to spirit at His return to earth depends upon it. Yet much of the world around us rejects the idea of a resurrection. Even some who profess to believe Jesus is the Christ nullify the need for the resurrection of believers described in the Scriptures by their traditional beliefs about what happens after death.

In the days of the apostle Paul, some people proclaimed that there is no resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:12). A significant group of religious leaders in his day, the Sadducees, also denied it. Yet, as Paul points out, if this were true, then we would have no Savior. We would still be in our sins, and members of the Church of God would have no hope of being resurrected (verses 17-18)!"  Rest of article at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/who-is-jesus/resurrection-of-jesus/

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Christian Holidays: Which? Does God Care?

"Some holidays are national celebrations, and others have religious roots. Are all Christian holidays the same? Are some really made holy by God?

For many people, a holiday is just a welcome day off from work to be with friends and family. But some days seem to be more significant than others, depending on culture, religion and family values. The Bible actually identifies some days as holy days commanded by God to be observed. Could it really make that much difference which Christian holidays we observe?

There are two basic kinds of holidays, national or religious. In the United States, good examples of the two types would be the Fourth of July and Christmas. The French celebrate Bastille Day and the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. No doubt there are many holidays and holy days around the world of which most of us are completely unaware.

Does it make any difference which days we keep?

National or religious holidays?

We celebrate our national holidays because of historic national events (such as America’s Independence Day, Memorial Day or Labor Day). This is simply a matter of observing the day because some national events are significant, and many businesses often close down that day. You have a day at home to relax or take the family on a picnic or go visit relatives.

But what about religious holidays?

So which days are holy according to the Bible?

Should we be surprised if God also ordained certain annual religious holy days to be celebrated?

“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts”’” (Leviticus 23:1-2). So God has implemented days on which we are to observe “holy” convocations. He lists them for us:

• The Feast of Unleavened Bread (first and seventh days).
• Pentecost.
• The Feast of Trumpets.
• The Day of Atonement.
• The Feast of Tabernacles (first day).
• The Last Great Day (also called the Eighth Day).

God clearly initiated these holy day observances, but where do we find He said it was no longer necessary to observe them? There is no such passage in the Bible! Rather, we find the New Testament Church observing these same holy days (Acts 18:21; 1 Corinthians 5:8; for more on this, see “Christian Festivals”)."

Complete article at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/holy-days-vs-holidays/christian-holidays/ by Ron Kelly

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Update:

After I taped off the new tire, Ray painted the old wheel, and Jay got it back on the trailer.  Now it can be moved if need be.

We are still looking for an underground water leak, but with so many preparation days and Sabbaths, we haven't had time to do much digging at it, so we shut off the water to that area.

As it was the week before Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we have been pretty busy.  I chopped and steamed lots of veggies and made an enormous Mixed Veggie Salad, and Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing, to take to the potluck.  Lauri, a lady from our congregation who lives down the road, has been doing the night driving.  She, Jay and I went to The Lord's Supper on Thursday evening at The Church of God, Willis, just to see how it was done, as none of us had been to a complete service.  We, all three, enjoyed the evening, but left early, as I wanted to drive home myself before it got dark, and Jay had to get back to his disabled mother. 

The following night, Friday, Lauri and I went to The Lord's Supper at our church on FM 1097, and enjoyed that evening, too. As there isn't a meal served at The Lord's Supper, Lauri came to my house early and we ate some of the Mixed Veggie Salad and Chicken Salad that I had made, then she drove us to the church. It was similar to the Lord's Supper at the other church, but this time we stayed for the foot washing.

Question: "What was the significance of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples?"
Answer: "Jesus washing the feet of the disciples (John 13:1–17) occurred in the upper room, just prior to the Last Supper and has significance in three ways. For Jesus, it was the display of His humility and His servanthood. For the disciples, the washing of their feet was in direct contrast to their heart attitudes at that time. For us, washing feet is symbolic of our role in the body of Christ.
Walking in sandals on the filthy roads of Palestine in the first century made it imperative that feet be washed before a communal meal, especially since people reclined at a low table and feet were very much in evidence. When Jesus rose from the table and began to wash the feet of the disciples (John 13:4), He was doing the work of the lowliest of servants. The disciples must have been stunned at this act of humility and condescension, that Christ, their Lord and master, should wash the feet of His disciples, when it was their proper work to have washed His. But when Jesus came to earth the first time, He came not as King and Conqueror, but as the suffering Servant of Isaiah 53. As He revealed in Matthew 20:28, He came “not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” The humility expressed by His act with towel and basin foreshadowed His ultimate act of humility and love on the cross."   Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-washing-feet.html#ixzz3WSxgpZm5

The men were at one end of the room and the ladies at the other, for the foot washing. 

The next day was the Sabbath, and I went there by myself as neither Jay nor Ray were around.  Jay had to stay with his mother as she had fallen and couldn't get up again.  She has been doing a lot of that lately.  She is 2 years younger than I, but is mostly bedridden.

The readings were Lev.6:8-8:36, Jer.7:21-8:3, 9:22,23, and Mark 12:28-30 (KJV) ²⁸ And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? ²⁹ And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: ³⁰ And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

The Teaching was about "The Preparation of Passover, and The Relevance of The Messiah."  It was about all the prophesies referring to the  coming of the Messiah in the Old Testament.    "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."  Matthew 5:17

We all had a good potluck lunch afterwards, and lots of good fellowship and biblical discussions.  The pastor's wife was already cooking the lamb and herbs for the evening service in a big roaster.  She really worked hard at making everything just right for the Passover Ceremony.  She took everything with leavening out of the dining hall kitchen and threw it out in the woods behind the church. (1 Corinthians 5:6-8   ⁶ Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? ⁷ Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: ⁸ Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

After we ate the potluck, most people left and came back for that evening's service.  Quite a few stayed and helped the pastor's wife get everything ready.  I couldn't, as I had a dog to let out, and I hoped to get Jay to go with us in the evening.

Lauri arrived while I was down at Jay's waiting for him to get ready, then we all three piled into the red mini-van and arrived at the Passover Ceremony which started at 7.45pm, sunset, according to tradition.  It was done just the way that Jesus and the disciples did it all those years ago. "Do this in remembrance of me"  An elder explained the different stages of the Seder:

" A Passover service, or seder (a Hebrew word meaning "order"), has 14 steps that include prayers, scripture readings, songs, hand washing, a meal, and the ritual consumption of green herbs, bitter herbs, unleavened bread, and wine (fruit of the vine). Green herbs (typically parsley or watercress) are eaten near the beginning of the seder and represent springtime and renewal--Passover always falls in March or April. The bitter herbs (typically fresh horseradish) are eaten just before the meal, after the Passover story has been recounted, to remind participants of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt."

Sitting around the seder tables we each had a copy of the ceremonial pamphlet, there were also plates with the different symbolic foods on them.  Four readers read the reminders of how the Passover started and how the Israelites were delivered out of Egyptian slavery.   The children have a part to play in this ceremony, too, there are four questions that a child asks.  So a young nephew of one of the members read the questions. Everyone enjoyed the evening, even Jay. 

It was quite late when Lauri drove us home.  Jay had to be dropped off first, as his mother had fallen again.   A long, but great day.

Bread And Wine. Christ’s Body. Say "No" to Communion. Symbolism in God's Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

 

For Friday, 3rd. March, 2015.

Take the Bread and Wine in a Worthy Way

1 Corinthians 11:27-28

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

The bread and the wine of the New Testament Passover, representing Christ’s body and blood given in His complete sacrifice for our sins, are not something to take lightly. Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians give us a warning and advice about preparing for this meaningful memorial.

Baptized Christians are commanded to take the bread and wine, to recommit to our loving God and Savior. Examining ourselves will surely show how far we fall short of the perfection of our Savior, and how much we need His sacrifice and His help to overcome. We are not worthy and cannot make ourselves worthy.

Thankfully Paul is not talking about being worthy, but about approaching God in a respectful way. Seeking God’s forgiveness and help allows us to take these symbols in a humble, worthy way."

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Christ’s Body

Matthew 26:26

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

"The breaking of the unleavened bread at the New Testament Passover service is symbolic of Christ’s suffering in our place for our sins. It reminds us of our deserved punishment that fell on Jesus as His body was beaten and broken.

Eating the bread is also symbolic of our allowing Jesus Christ to live His life in us, and our need to live by every word of God (John 6:35; Galatians 2:20; Matthew 4:4). Just as physical food is essential to maintain physical life, living by the spiritual “bread” is essential for a healthy spiritual life."

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Say "No" to Communion

What's in a name? What did Jesus institute with the bread and wine?

Video: https://youtu.be/1Ltw8FUgtXo

Transcript: [Steve Myers] "Which one doesn’t belong – the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist, Passover, Communion? Can you pick out the term that doesn’t belong?

Well, the one that doesn’t belong in that group is Passover. Passover doesn’t belong in that list, and it’s biblical. It’s biblical. Let’s notice what it says in Luke 22. Luke 22 focuses something interesting that Christ said when He instituted the New Testament Passover. It says, “He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ Likewise, He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood which is shed for you’” (Luke:22:19-20)

Now, the difference between what Christ was doing with the Passover and the Eucharist or Communion or the Lord’s Supper, and that list of other kinds of names for what Christ did goes on and on and on. You won’t find those other terms in the Bible, referring to what Christ was doing. He didn’t call it the Lord’s Supper. He didn’t call it the Eucharist. He didn’t say it was Communion. He didn’t give it that name because it takes away from the meaning of what Christ was doing.

In fact, if we go back just a little bit to verse 8 in Luke 22, Christ Himself names this service, this ceremony that He instituted in the New Testament. He said to Peter – verse 8 – and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat” (Luke:22:8). So Christ referred to it as the Passover. And it wasn’t just Christ. The New Testament church, the apostle Paul himself, called this ceremony “the Passover”.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 5, 1 Corinthians:5:7, the apostle Paul puts it on the line, and he says this: “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” So think about it. What’s in a name? Well, you could say no to Communion, or say no to the Eucharist, or the Lord’s Supper. If you really want to be biblical, check it out. There’s so much information in your Bible that points to the Passover and what Christ was all about. Be sure and check it out.

That’s BT Daily . We’ll see you next time."  From: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-daily/gods-holy-days/say-no-communion

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Symbolism in God's Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread

"God has given us two connected annual festivals in early spring (in the northern hemisphere) that we definitely are to observe as Christians, even as Jesus and the apostles did—Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread.

Source: Tiago Gerken/Unsplash

Jesus died on the Passover day. For centuries this day had foreshadowed His dying for our sins as the sacrificed Lamb of God, and He commands His followers to keep the Passover as a remembrance or memorial of His sacrifice for us (Matthew:26:26-28;Luke:22:19-20; 1 Corinthians:11:23-26).

Three days later Jesus was resurrected during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. His resurrection is indeed a vital theme in the meaning of the festival—yet as part of a bigger picture. Consider what literally happened. Jesus was dead and buried in the ground for the first three days of this festival, was raised to life right in the midst of it and was then accepted as the firstfruits of God’s spiritual harvest, remaining alive to teach and direct His disciples thereafter. All of this is part of the meaning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread, like the Passover, was revealed to the Israelites at the time of the Exodus (Exodus 12-13). Over the course of these days, the Israelites left the slavery of Egypt. And the removal and avoidance of leavening (an agent such as yeast that causes bread dough to rise in baking) was to symbolize our coming out of sin (see 1 Corinthians:5:6-8).

Eating unleavened bread instead symbolized taking in God’s righteousness—ultimately revealed to come in a lasting way only through Christ living in us to help us develop godly character.

We are to figuratively be crucified and die with Christ—our old, sinful self being put to death and buried with Him so that we can be figuratively raised with Him to walk in newness of life, as pictured in baptism (read Galatians:2:20, Romans 6, Colossians:3:1-10
and Philippians 3:10-11).

We may understand that the Days of Unleavened Bread represent our coming out of sin. But we must realize that our coming out of sin relies on the person we formerly were being figuratively put to death and buried with Christ and then, in effect, rising with Christ into a new way of living— His way."  More at: http://www.ucg.org/gods-holy-days/symbolism-gods-passover-and-feast-unleavened-bread/   article by Tom Robinson

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So we will be celebrating The Lord's Supper tonight.