For “Scripture Sunday”:
FREE to you. Please Help Homeless and Hungry Veterans.
If you care about our veterans, maybe you could click on their site each day. This gives them resources and doesn’t cost you a thing:
The Veterans Site (http://theveteranssite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/vet/home?link=VET_linktous_text )
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Memorials to Peace, Not War
“When properly understood in the context of all Scripture, the biblical Holy Days show the way to true and lasting peace.
Soldier and Sailors Monument
Indiana Division of Historic Preservation
and Archaeology
“In my town, Indianapolis, Indiana, the centerpiece of the city is a monument to the soldiers of three conflicts in the 19th century. The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument is a beautiful, ornate, German-designed structure, the first one, it is said, to honor the common soldier. This memorial is only one of many in our city. In fact, Indianapolis boasts more war memorials than any other American city outside of Washington, D.C.
All over the world towns of all sizes hold some type of monument to their dead from wars past. I have seen them in tiny Czech, Italian and French villages on some of my travels. I have seen a picture of my own great-grandfathers, veterans of the American Civil War, standing in front of a newly dedicated war memorial in their hometown in Georgia. It is good that people remember those who died in war. It would be even better if nations would learn the lessons that can prevent conflict from igniting into larger wars, consuming millions of lives.
In America we have two days set aside each year to remember the human cost of all our wars. Veterans Day on Nov. 11 springs from the day the Great War, World War I, came to a close. Memorial Day each May remembers the fallen from all the wars. Other countries have set aside days to remember fallen soldiers. But how many days on our calendar actually commemorate and raise a memorial to peace?
God shows us in His Word, the Bible, several days set aside to teach, honor and show the way to peace among all the families of the earth. Leviticus 23:2 calls them “the feasts of the Lord.” Seven annual festivals are listed in this chapter with seven “holy convocations,” or Holy Days, when the people of God are to assemble and worship.
These little-understood days are the only ones mentioned in the Bible as days to be kept by the faithful who seek to support the Prince of Peace—Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9:6). (Christmas and Easter, while commonly assumed to be biblical holidays, aren’t part of the Holy Days God commanded.) When properly understood in the context of all Scripture, the biblical Holy Days show the way to true and lasting peace.
As you read these words, many thousands of people in all parts of the world are focusing on the true worship of God on these days. The biblical Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day are rich with meaning about key events yet ahead in the world. A full explanation of these days is available in our free booklet, God’s Holy Day Plan—The Promise of Hope for All Mankind.
These Holy Days herald a time of peace at the return of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. They give a vision of hope for a time when the source of evil will be banished and the way to peace among nations will be taught. Their message shows the depth of the love of God, and the opportunity all will have to accept the saving grace of Christ. As the subject of one of this month’s articles says, we need to pray, “Thy kingdom come.”
You need to understand the days God commands the entire world to observe as memorials to the way of life taught in the Scriptures. They are the days that show the sequence of events in God’s master plan for restoring all things through Jesus Christ. And when that occurs, it will indeed be a wonderful day!” From: https://www.ucg.org/world-news-and-prophecy/restoration-memorials-to-peace-not-war
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Another kind of battle:
God vs. Satan
“An epic battle has been going on between God and a powerful, evil spirit, Satan the devil. How did it begin? How will the battle of God vs. Satan end?
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Although we are only given small glimpses of the world prior to man, the Scriptures tell us that during this time Lucifer, one of the high-ranking angels serving before God’s throne, convinced a third of the angels to follow him in rebellion against God (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:13-16; Revelation 12:7-9).
Apparently, because of this great battle, the beautiful earth God had created (Isaiah 45:18) became “without form, and void” (Genesis 1:2). Because of Lucifer’s rebellion, his name was changed to Satan, meaning “adversary.” His followers, fallen angels, became known as demons.
After refashioning the earth so it could sustain human life, God created the first man, Adam. Eve, the first woman, was created a short time later. In addition to placing them in the Garden of Eden, where they could live and multiply, God gave them instruction in the way of life that would lead to happiness and eternal life.
But this couple was also given the choice of whether they would obey their Creator or choose their own path. God gave Adam and Eve the first opportunity to rule when He put all things under the feet of man, giving him dominion over the works of God’s hand (Psalm 8:4-8).
Satan attacks mankind
Though largely banished to earth with only a few exceptions when he could appear before God’s throne (Job 1:6), Satan and his demons were not ready to concede in their fight against God. Satan the devil soon brought the battle to the Garden of Eden.
Satan convinced the first man and his wife to disregard the instruction and commandments of God. They bought the lie that man can choose for himself what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil. As a result of this tragic decision, sin entered the world and death entered by sin. Man cut himself off from the guidance, direction and blessings of God.
From mankind’s perspective, this began the battle of light vs. darkness, right vs. wrong, evil vs. good. Sides were drawn. Camps and philosophies were developed.”
Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/kingdom-of-god/god-vs-satan/
Read more about the enemy Satan in the article “Satan Destroyed? How?”
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Banning the Mention of God in Public Life
In November 2012, a six-year-old girl was told by her North Carolina school that, during a Veteran’s Day program, she could not say the word God in reading a poem that honored her two grandfathers. “He prayed to God for peace, he prayed to God for strength,” the poem stated (Todd Starnes, God-less America, 2014, pp. 128-129).
School officials in southern Florida “banned a fifth grader from reading the Bible during ‘free reading’ time” (Breitbart.com, “FL Teacher Banned Bible From ‘Free Reading’ Time in Classroom,” May 5, 2014).
Good News Magazine: November - December 2014
Meanwhile, officials at other schools are on the alert to make sure that Gideons International does not succeed in—horror of horrors!—passing out free Bibles to students at school.
An e-mail memo from the assistant principal of a New Jersey middle school stated: “It has been brought to the administration’s attention that Gideons may be near our campus to distribute literature to our students … Please make sure they DO NOT step foot onto our campus at anytime. There will be added police and security presence at dismissal” (quoted by Starnes, p. 116, emphasis added). Apparently some school administrators think distributing Bibles is the big danger in America’s public schools today—to the point that police must be called in to prevent it!
In 2012, national Democratic Party leaders removed references to God from their party’s platform at their national convention. But this wasn’t popular with everyone, and as it was shown on primetime TV nationwide, a move was made to put God back in—at which point many on the convention floor shockingly booed. Yes, booed God —or at least the prospect of God having anything to do with decisions in governing the nation! How far this country has fallen from the days of the Founding Fathers.
Nationally syndicated radio host Steve Deace comments: “This ‘New Left’ is not mere liberals. They are flat-out Leftists … They are Social Reconstructionists, whose goal is to empower government to replace our Judeo-Christian ideals of liberty and morality with what amounts to Cultural Marxism … That’s why their ultimate goal is silencing the church … For the church says that God alone is God, and government is not.
“Not to mention with God out of the way, so are your God-given rights, which makes you a de facto ward of the state and not a free person. As [noted author G.K.] Chesterton once said [paraphrased], ‘Whenever the government removes the god, the government then becomes the god’ ” (“The Left Officially Declares War on God,” Townhall.com, July 13, 2014).” From: https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/banning-the-mention-of-god-in-public-life
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Update.
Roy hasn’t been around, so the wall in the mini-house isn’t finished yet. Zack and I have been getting ready for my foster kittens coming home from the SPCA Habitat at Petco for Thanksgiving. The Habitat is closed for over a week to give the volunteers, and kittens, a rest.
We don’t know how many of the four kittens will be still be un-adopted by then. They are a bit older and bigger now so I can’t just leave them locked up in cages. They need to learn “House Etiquette”, too. Like not getting on tables or countertops. We have been “kitten-proofing” my grooming room so they can play in there most of the time. It hasn’t been a grooming room for a long time, it is now my mail room where I pack and ship items sold on eBay. We put all my packing materials, shipping stuff, and mailing envelopes in the box that my new sink came in, and stored it underneath out of the way. They would have had a field day with all that bubble wrap, etc.
We clamped a big piece of cardboard over the shelf where I keep the pet medicines. and put walls of cardboard so they couldn’t get behind the furniture. I am advertising a wire 2’ x 3’ dog cage for Hans, so he is going to bring it up here so I can store some of my items for sale in it, so they can’t get to them. I already have one dog cage full of items for sale.
There are only two cages set up in my dog room for the kitten’s nightime, so I hope they haven’t grown too much and that there won’t be more than two kittens. Ming was adopted and Laila has a good ap on her, so it should just leave Tux and Marble. Marble had an ap on her, but they got a kitten from another rescue because it was cheaper. They don’t know what they missed. I am really looking forward to having Tux back here. He is the sweetest, loving little guy. He would wiggle his way into my kitchen, and Puddin’ didn’t growl at him, so I am hoping that he will be a great playmate for her. She wants me to play with her all the time, but I am sorry, I have to work.
Zach said he likes to vacuum, so I drug out the big heavy vacuum, (I usually use the lighter one since my surgery) The big one really sucks, it would suck the tits off a boar hog! We were really ambitious and moved the couch and other furniture, and gave the living room a good clean. The following morning, we shampooed the living room carpet, and even vacuumed and shampooed the carpet in my bedroom. My daughter says her hardwood floors are easier to clean, but I like my bedroom carpeted.
One evening Hans took me to a ‘dinner’ at the church around the corner. It was mostly processed food, something our church rarely serves. Boxed macaroni and cheese, canned corn, canned ravioli, some prepared chicken chipolte, and really sticky-looking cake. Just a bunch of empty carbs. I didn’t eat much there. I don’t eat sugar or white flour, that includes white pasta, or processed food, and I won’t eat corn unless it is non-GMO. I also noticed how many of the folks there were rather ‘portly”, and some down-right obese. But that is what happens if you don’t eat right.
As usual, on Friday afternoon it was Preparation Day, getting ready for church the next day. I had bought some Bok Choy and as I had a bunch of apples I found a recipe for ‘Bok Choy and Apples’. I cooked the Boy Choy separately, and I am so glad that I did. Bok Choy is very healthy, and as it is sold by the head, not by the pound, I bought the largest one. Then I found out after I had cooked it, that the larger ones are more tough and fibrous. There was no way I was going to take that chewy vegetable to the church potluck. Anyway, I wanted all that healthiness for myself, so I ran the cooked Bok Choy through my Magic Bullet and made it into a creamy soup, enough for a few days. It was delish!
As for the apples, onions and red bell peppers that I had cooked for the Boy Choy recipe, I just added them to some chunks of chicken breast and added a chicken gravy. So it became Chicken and Apples, and it was good. I cooked it on the stove, and then took it to the church in a crockpot. In another crockpot I had some Gnocchi, (Italian potato dumplings.) There wasn’t much left over of either.
The Bible readings were Psa.100, and 95, Gen. 18:1-22:24, (about God’s promise to Abraham, and Sodom and Gomorrah), 2 Kings 4:1-37, Luke 24:31-53. The Teaching was about Divine Favor and Grace.
There was lots of good food and nearly everyone has seconds when they are at our church potluck, it is always so good. We have hardly any over-weight folks at our church, we can make up for our indulgence the rest of the week, and just over-eat on the Sabbath day.
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