The Curse of Inflation, A Biblical View. Saying Thank You. Sugar vs. Corn Syrup. Mercury In Corn Syrup.

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The Curse of Inflation,  A Biblical View

“The ramp-up we’re seeing in inflation in the United States is the reaping of a bitter harvest sown by wrong policies. It’s important to understand.

Among those hardest hit by inflation are the ones governments assure us they are dedicated to helping, namely the poor and the elderly.

Prices have been on the rise—whether gasoline, food, electricity, furniture, you name it. Inflation is hitting people’s wallets hard—especially in America, but in other countries as well.

The problem is actually worse than most realize. Real inflation is running much higher than the 7 percent reported in official U.S. government numbers, as calculation methods have changed. A more honest assessment at shadowstats.com reveals that if inflation were measured as it was in 1990 the rate would be 12 percent—or if figured as in 1980 the rate would be 15 percent.

Unemployment is also high. Government statistics put it at 3.4 percent in January, but it also has changed the calculation method for determining unemployment numbers. Going by more reasonable pre-1994 calculation, U.S. unemployment now shockingly stands at around 25 percent!

Another facet of the grim financial outlook is U.S. household debt, which for the first time passed $15 trillion in the third quarter of 2021. And in January 2022 U.S. national debt for the first time exceeded a mind-boggling $30 trillion as part of a dangerous money-creation experiment that is fueling the ramp-up in inflation.

Just what is going on? Where will it ultimately leave us?

The lure of Modern Monetary Theory

The Federal Reserve has gone into overdrive over the past decade in what amounts to creating more and more money out of thin air. We’re told not to worry about any repercussions of this massive money creation and the debt associated with it because of the new economic siren song of Modern Monetary Theory or MMT.

Writing in the American Enterprise Institute publication National Affairs, author Jonathan Hartley explains: “The defining feature of MMT—and what distinguishes it from more established, mainstream economic theories—is its insistence that, so long as a government’s debt is denominated in its own currency, there is no upper limit on the state’s monetary borrowing. In other words, public debt is irrelevant; a country’s central bank can always avoid default by printing more money. Such printing, MMT proponents further argue, can go on without any inflationary consequences” (“The Weakness of Modern Monetary Theory,” Fall 2020).

This especially appeals to those who want to fund an endless array of massively expensive government programs, but it gained wider acceptance as a means to buoy up the economy during Covid lockdowns. While MMT may be convenient, Hartley goes on to say, “MMT’s central claims regarding the harmlessness of deficits, debt, and mass currency production are not only flatly false, they are deeply dangerous” (emphasis added throughout).

He does note that the United States, due to the vastness and richness of its economy and the dollar serving as the world’s reserve currency, is able to borrow enormous sums. But this ultimately comes on the backs of everyone who holds dollars—in both America and around the world. Eventually investors, “no longer believing the government to be solvent, will refuse to buy bonds or lend to the government at manageable interest rates.” America is not there yet, but those calling for endless massive spending are driving the nation steadily to that point.

For years economists have warned that if the United States keeps ballooning up the money supply without commensurate economic growth and productivity, it is inevitable that other global economic powers such as the European Union or China will demand that the dollar be replaced as world reserve currency with the euro or Chinese yuan. This would lead to huge economic problems in America, including the hyperinflation nightmare.

The government is stealing from you

It was reported earlier this year that “U.S. companies are expecting to pay an average 3.4% raise to workers in 2022” (CNBC, Jan. 18, 2022). They’re forced to do so to retain workers, but this does not come close to keeping up with inflation. Likewise a Breitbart headline reads, “UK Wage Hikes Wiped Out to Zero by Soaring Inflation Rate” (Jan. 18, 2022).

Through policies that create inflation, governments are actually stealing from companies and individuals. How does this work? It’s really very simple. By artificially adding more and more money‚ the value of existing dollars is diminished. Therefore virtually everything you buy costs more—sometimes a lot more.

How bad is it? In 2020-2021, the U.S. money supply soared an astonishing 27 percent, the biggest jump in the nation’s history. This was far greater than in response to previous national crises such as the Great Depression (10 percent) and World War II (18 percent). Hundreds of thousands of businesses shut down and tens of millions of Americans were paid to stay home rather than work. The federal government sent “free money” checks to every American, including incarcerated felons. And now Americans are paying the price.

Among those hardest hit are the ones governments assure us they are dedicated to helping, namely the poor and the elderly. But since most of their meager income goes to such basics as food and utilities, inflation is especially devastating to their financial condition.

Besides the massive money creation that gives governments more wealth while diluting how much the money you have is worth, governments must keep interest rates low to finance that huge debt they’ve taken on. This keeps savers—especially those who are trying to preserve their income, such as those in or nearing retirement—from earning interest income and pushes many into gambling with their futures by seeking more dangerous investments just to maintain the same income (“How the Fed Is Driving Savers to Riskier Investments,” The Washington Post, July 1, 2020).

The truth is that the whole concept of fiat currency— money decreed into existence with no tangible basis—constitutes the biggest thieving scheme in history. Such currency manipulation contravenes God’s laws on maintaining honest weights and measures (see Deuteronomy 25:15; Proverbs 11:1; 16:11; 20:23).

God in the Bible repeatedly condemns stealing from others and mistreating the poor and needy (Exodus 20:15; Leviticus 19:11; Deuteronomy 24:14; Psalms 72:4; 82:4; Amos 8:4-6). And He warns against going into debt as a road to enslavement (Proverbs 22:7).

Former U.S. President Thomas Jefferson wrote to his friend John Taylor on May 28, 1816, that “spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.”   Indeed, expanding government debt obligates future generations to repaying debt they never incurred or had any say in creating. Again, it’s pure theft.

Do what you can to prepare

Bible prophecy warns about coming economic upheaval and troubles increasing in the English-speaking nations and the ultimate collapse of the financial system the world over (see our free study guides The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy and The Book of Revelation Unveiled).

Yet in some ways all will seem to be humming along—until calamity strikes (Matthew 24:38-43).

Do what you can to prepare —to be ready (verse 44). As Proverbs 22:3 and 27:12 tell us, “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences” (New Living Translation). Of course, humanly we can only do so much. We need God to see us through. Jesus promised that if we seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness that our physical needs would be provided for—that we would not be destitute (Matthew 6:25-34; compare Psalms 37:25).

The sobering fact we all face is that a reckoning lies ahead. Let us all take God’s warnings seriously and do whatever we can to prepare. Above all, we must prepare spiritually (see Matthew 25:1-13), and God will see us through to the wonderful age beyond today when His laws—including His economic laws—will at last be followed the world over.”    From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-magazine/the-curse-of-inflation-a-biblical-view?

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Saying Thank You,  An Attitude of Gratitude

“Being grateful, to God and to those around you, can be beneficial to you, your relationships, and your spiritual life.

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/yxr96HZQ6jk

[Darris McNeely] “The ability to say, "Thank you," is a very important character trait that every one of us must have, should have. And we should check ourselves on a regular basis to make sure that we are grateful to God, to each other, to those who do good things, kind things to us. Say "Thank you." Have an attitude of gratitude. And this is not just some trivial approach, it really enhances your life. It enhances the quality of relationships that we have.

Christ spoke a parable about it that I have long known about, you have as well, about this attitude of being grateful, saying "Thank you." It happened it says in Luke 17:11, "That as Christ went to Jerusalem, He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee," the regions to the north of Jerusalem, He was coming south. "He entered a certain village, and there He met 10 men who were lepers who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us'." Leprosy was the scourge of the ancient world, there was no cure for it, very contagious, and those who had it had to be ostracized from the community, and they were begging Christ, "Have mercy on us."

When He saw them, He said to them, "Go show yourselves to the priest." And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed before they even got to the priest, it seems. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned and with a loud voice, glorified God and fell down on his face at his feet, at Christ's feet, giving Him things. And this man was a Samaritan, those who were looked upon as, kind of, inferior by the rest of the Jews at that time. And this was the one who turned back and said, "Thank you," to Christ, he gave him thanks. And in verse 17, Jesus answered and said, "Were there not 10 cleansed, but where are the 9?" The other 9 went on their way. Maybe they went on to the priest, maybe they thought they had to fulfill everything. We're just not told, but only one came back and said, "Thank You." He said, "Were they not found, who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner." And he said to him, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you whole."

And so 1 out of 10, 10%, turned back and said, "Thank You," That's fine, what's the lesson for us? Be grateful. Have a spirit that recognizes when someone has done something well, good, a good job, either for us or for someone else, in the office, in the school, in your church, or your community, someone who has helped you, be sure that you say, "Thank you," and show an appreciation and gratitude. It's a Godly trait. It is what Christ called out, and one who was looked down upon by the rest of the community, the Jewish community of the time, say "Thank you." It's a good spirit. It's a good attitude to have.”

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Sugar vs. Corn Syrup

“Mercury content aside, is high-fructose corn syrup worse than table sugar?

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/aygf8vNXbJI

“Which is worse: sugar or corn syrup? Three choices: the sugar, the corn syrup, or, they’re both just as bad? Around and around it goes; where it stops, maybe some of you knew. Equally bad.

Now that was kind of a trick question. Regular, baking corn syrup is pure glucose; zero fructose. There’s no corn syrup in soft drinks, either. It’s all high-fructose corn syrup. Now, some of you may have heard the rumor that high-fructose corn syrup may contain mercury.

Let’s assume, for the purposes of this question, that there’s no mercury: pure sugar, versus pure high-fructose corn syrup. Is the sugar worse? Is the high-fructose corn syrup worse? Or, are they still both equally bad?

And the winning loser is—both of them. Table sugar is 50% glucose and 50% fructose, and high-fructose corn syrup is about 45%/55%. It doesn’t matter; it’s all just sugar. The Corn Refiners Association launched a $25 million PR campaign last year, boasting that high-fructose corn syrup is as good for you as sugar. True, but again, how much is that really saying?”

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 veganmontreal.” 

More about mercury at: “Mercury in Corn Syrup”  https://nutritionfacts.org/video/mercury-in-corn-syrup/

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When Light Penetrates the Darkness. A Christmas Tree or Not? The Art of Selling Slow Poisons.

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When Light Penetrates the Darkness

“This is what penetrates the darkness of this season of the year.

I edited an article recently about SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), where people fight depression due to the change in seasons. It is a widespread problem. Fortunately, there are work-arounds to help us cope. In the ancient world, at this time of year it grew very dark. There was no electricity. The shortened days were cold. Bonfires were lit to penetrate the darkness and give warmth. The work-around then was to develop religious rites to worship the sun and other elements.

The significance of this winter solstice event was to become the foundation for today’s Christmas celebration. Notice this quote from a history of this festival:

"The time of the winter solstice has always been an important season in the mythology of all peoples. The sun, the giver of life, is at its lowest ebb. It is [the] shortest daylight of the year; the promise of spring is buried in cold and snow. It is the time when the forces of chaos that stand against the return of light and life must once again be defeated by the gods. At the low point of the solstice, the people must help the gods through imitative magic and religious ceremonies. The sun begins to return in triumph. The days lengthen and, though winter remains, spring is once again conceivable. For all people, it is a time of great festivity" (Gerard and Patricia Del Re, The Christmas Almanac, 1979, page 15).

This cosmic battle between forces is found throughout Christmas origins from culture to culture. Notice this:

“Although Christmas had been officially established in Rome by the fourth century, later another pagan celebration greatly influenced the many Christmas customs practiced today. That festival was the Teutonic feast of Yule (from the Norse word for ‘wheel,’ signifying the cycle of the year). It was also known as the Twelve Nights, being celebrated from Dec. 25 to Jan. 6.

“This festival was based on the supposed mythological warfare between the forces of nature—specifically winter (called the ice giant), which signified death, vs. the sun god, representing life. The winter solstice marked the turning point: Up until then the ice giant was at his zenith of power; after that the sun god began to prevail.

"As Christianity spread to northern Europe, it met with the observance of another pagan festival held in December in honour of the sun. This time it was the Yule-feast of the Norsemen, which lasted for twelve days. During this time log-fires were burnt to assist the revival of the sun. Shrines and other sacred places were decorated with such greenery as holly, ivy, and bay, and it was an occasion for feasting and drinking” (L.W. Cowie and John Selwyn Gummer, The Christian Calendar, 1974, page 22).

Scripture tells us there is spiritual warfare occurring beyond what we can see. There is nothing mythological about this. These entrenched pagan customs endured for centuries across the ancient world. The Christian faith that grew out of the original Church founded by Christ and the apostles encountered this culture, and instead of conquering, it was conquered and overwhelmed by the lure of this intoxicating brew of sight, sound and sensuality. All this is at the heart of what we see around us today. Pull back all the commercial trappings of this season, remove the veneer of Christian religion, and at the core of the season is still darkness, cold and evil cosmic forces vying for control of the heart of man—seeking to control the destiny of the world.

Those desiring to live the authentic, radical Christianity of the Bible must pull away from this false form of worship. More than that, we must recognize the power of the dark forces arrayed against us. We combat this with the truth of God. We are strengthened by the love of God. This is what penetrates the darkness of this season of the year.

Read this chapter, “Christmas: The Untold Story,” from our booklet, Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Observe?

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Jeremiah 10: A Christmas Tree or Not?

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/Bv26fCqbJrI

[Darris McNeely] “The question has come in from a Beyond Today viewer regarding Jeremiah chapter 10 and what it says about bringing a tree in and decorating it with gold and silver, and whether or not that is talking about a Christmas tree.

[Steve Myers] It says some interesting things when you actually read what it says there in Jeremiah chapter 10. And it starts out I think in an amazing way in verse 2 by saying, and this is God talking, "Thus says the Lord, 'Do not learn the way of the Gentiles.'" Some versions say heathens. And then He goes on to say, "The customs of the peoples are useless. They're futile. One cuts a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with an axe. They decorate it with silver and gold. They fasten it with nails, hammers so that it will not topple. They are upright like a palm tree. They cannot speak" (Jeremiah 10:2-5). So what exactly is it talking about? Some of those things, especially if you look at the holiday decorations start to sound pretty familiar.

[Darris McNeely] Matches up pretty closely, doesn't it, to what might, what is a Christmas tree and what Christmas decorations of gold and tinsel on a tree that's been cut down from the woods, at least in the traditional way, brought into a home, set up, and around which gifts are spread. It is very, very plain, and matches up with this. Now, some commentators on Jeremiah chapter 10 say that this is talking about a form of idolatry where a tree is cut, but then it is cut into a totem or an idol from that, and the axe is actually a skilled artisan carver that makes this into something different from and therefore cannot be applied to the idea of a modern Christmas tree.

But I think that the fact that Jeremiah here is talking about avoiding the practices of the heathen that then become idolatry and a part of worship that replaces something that is truthful was something that is wrong and pagan in place of God. I think that it still refer to what is being described here.

[Steve Myers] Absolutely applies in the sense that if you look into some of the practices of the pagans during this day, they did worship trees. They worshipped all kinds of things. They had a god for just about everything you could imagine. So when you look at the trees, especially at this time of the year, they're looking at the life that a green tree would bring. And that was a common practice back in that day as well.

[Darris McNeely] Yeah, they were cut. They were used in the middle of the winter time because they supposedly didn't die, still had life in them, and to represent the life that people wanted to gather around at this time of year in the darkest part of the winter. Those trees were a part of the practice of the ancient world, and yes they did migrate into other parts of the world including Northern Europe from which our modern customs in the United States and the Western world regarding a Christmas tree eventually were adopted. And yet they were still connected with pagan ideas and worship that did migrate from the exact part of the world Jeremiah is talking about where anciently green trees, evergreen trees, were even used in the winter time as a part of this type of worship.

[Steve Myers] And I think that's such an important point. Can you adopt a pagan principle? Can you adopt something from the Gentiles or heathens, those that don't know the true God, and somehow try to use that to honor God? Well, He says right here don't learn that way. Do not do that. That is not a way to honor God by adopting some other practice, and try to call it Christian. He says that's unacceptable. You can't do it.

[Darris McNeely] And so you're left with the question: does it really matter? And the answer is it does matter. And truth does matter and our worship and our relationship with God, we should worship Him in spirit and in truth and not according to the ways that are adopted from heathenism or paganism. That's what the scripture says. It does matter.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/jeremiah-10-a-christmas-tree-or-not

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The Art of Selling Slow Poisons

“If you need a passionate, unreserved examination of facts regarding the "poisons" contained in animal foods in order to motivate you, you'll find what you're looking for in this article written by Dr. John McDougall. Dr. McDougall holds nothing back. He uses a direct approach, addressing the concerns regarding meat, dairy and eggs.

Dr. McDougall starts out by saying, "Animal foods burden us with three times more protein, fifteen times more fat, greater than 100 times more cholesterol, four times more methionine, and at least ten times more dietary acid. The toxic effects of these poisons are interactive. For example, excesses of protein, methionine, and dietary acids work together to destroy the bones. Excesses of dietary fat and cholesterol combine their deleterious effects to damage the arteries (atherosclerosis) and promote cancer."

Dr. McDougall also explains how the protein in an animal based diet damages our kidneys and produces kidney stones.

The saturated fats found in animal products are problematic as well. "Dietary fats," Dr. McDougall states, "are almost effortlessly stored in your body fat, liver, heart and muscles." As a result, insulin resistance develops, and promotes heart disease, strokes, and type-2 diabetes. This fat alters our cellular metabolism, which creates a favorable environment for cancer.

Equally important, our bodies produce all the cholesterol that we require. We do not need to consume any additional cholesterol from our diet. "Cholesterol deposited in your arteries," Dr. McDougall emphasizes, "is a major contributor to vascular diseases of your heart and brain. Cholesterol also facilitates cancer development."

Sulfur-containing amino acids such as methionine found in meat, also poses serious health risks. According to Dr. McDougall, "Methionine is metabolized into homocysteine, a risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, peripheral vascular disease, venous thrombosis, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and depression." Furthermore, Dr. McDougall points out,  "Sulfur feeds cancerous tumors and is known to be toxic to the tissues of the intestine. Sulfur-containing amino acids are metabolized into sulfuric acid—one of the most potent acids found in nature."

By switching to a whole-food, plant-centered diet, you'll avoid many of the harmful components mentioned above. You will also be reducing your intake of antibiotics, pesticides, and other toxic chemicals since concentrated levels are found in meat, dairy, and egg products. Lastly, by removing animal products from your plate, you will avoid being exposed to animal-borne, infectious microbes (bacteria, viruses, parasites, and prions) that attributes to acute and deadly illnesses. 

Dr. McDougall concludes by encouraging us to replace animal products with "generous amounts of complex carbohydrates, dietary fibers, alkaline substances, and a healthy balance of vitamins, minerals, and essential phyto-chemicals" found in whole, plant foods. Instead of suffering slowly with disability, disfigurements, and death, as Dr. McDougall points out, make an investment today in your health, so you can help protect yourself from serious illness in the future.  Read the article, "Five Major Poisons Inherently Found in Animal Foods" by John McDougall, MD here.

From: https://www.drcarney.com/blog/health-issues/the-art-of-selling-slow-poisons

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Is the Old Testament Relevant? Pharaoh's Bad Marriage. Update.

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Is the Old Testament Relevant?

“Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Is the Old Testament relevant as well as the New?

Is the Old Testament still relevant today?

Can it be proven that Jesus meant both the Old and New Testament Scriptures in Matthew 4:4? Many today believe we don’t have to follow God’s instructions as stated in the Old Testament. Some even believe that portion of the Bible was “done away” or that it was written and preserved only for Israel or the Jewish people of long ago. Therefore, they feel it has no significance for us today. Is the Old Testament relevant to our lives?

What do the Scriptures tell us?

Part of our foundation

Paul explains how the New Testament Church was “built on the foundation of the apostles [the New Testament] and prophets [the Old Testament], Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20). Christ was sent from God the Father as the messenger of the New Covenant — yet He preached that message entirely out of the Old Testament Scriptures.

Furthermore, what Scriptures did Christ use when He preached in the synagogue? In Luke 4:16-21 Christ read a prophecy from the book of Isaiah, and He explained to those present that part of that prophecy was being fulfilled as He was speaking to them.

For several years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the founding of the New Testament Church, the ministry only had and used the Old Testament Scriptures. Jesus Christ preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God, and He did it altogether out of the Old Testament.

Proof that Christ was the true Messiah

How was one to know that Christ was who He said He was—what proof did He give? A careful reading of John 5:36-39 shows Christ revealing several very important proofs that He was indeed the true Messiah.

• He said John was a witness, although there was greater proof.
• He then pointed out that the Father represented even greater proof.
• He also stated how the works He was doing were a witness or proof.
• He concluded by telling them the “Scriptures” themselves testified—gave evidence to the fact—that He was the Messiah.

Remember, the Old Testament Scriptures—the ones Christ was referring to—were the only Scriptures available at that time. The Old Testament is so important that one would not be able to prove Jesus of Nazareth to be the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, our Savior, without using the Old Testament.

Notice the “sign” Christ gave to those who asked of Him proof that He was the Messiah. “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.’ 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 [grave or tomb]’” (Matthew 12:38-40).

Christ directed those asking for proof that He was indeed the true Messiah to examine the Old Testament writings of the prophet Jonah concerning the length of time He would be dead.

Christ’s admonition to believe the Old Testament Scriptures

Jesus also said to those calling Him into question concerning His messiahship, “Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:45-47).

Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament—often referred to as the “Law” or the “Torah.” Christ is pointing out to these doubters that if they did not believe what Moses wrote, they would not believe what He was telling them. Said another way, Christ was telling them that what Moses wrote is just as much a part of Scripture as what He was saying.

Moreover, it is not only necessary to believe what Moses wrote in the first five books of the Bible, but we must also believe what all the prophets wrote, in addition to the Psalms and other writings—the entire Old Testament.

Luke records what Christ had to say about the authenticity of the Old Testament, “Then He said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:25-27).

Luke adds more, “Then He [Christ] said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” (verse 44). Christ authoritatively states His approval of the entirety of Scripture, showing the Old Testament is relevant.

Paul’s support of the Old Testament

Paul reminded his young associate Timothy, “And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).

What were the Scriptures Timothy would have known from childhood? The Old Testament Scriptures were the only ones Timothy had.

Paul continues, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (verse 16). Notice Paul said, “All Scripture,” not just the New Testament.

Peter, Philip and Paul preached Christ from the Old Testament

Peter preached a powerful sermon on the Day of Pentecost—the beginning of the New Testament Church—that resulted in the conversion of 3,000 people. Moreover, Peter preached his sermon using only Old Testament Scriptures (Acts 2:14-41).

What about Philip’s example of preaching? Philip knew that Jesus was the Christ because of what he had read in the Old Testament Scriptures. Philip helped an Ethiopian understand what the Scriptures said about Christ out of the Old Testament (Acts 8:26-35).

But some will say, “You can’t do that; you can’t preach Christ out of the Old Testament!” You can’t? Peter did it, Philip did it, Paul did it and, as we have seen, Jesus Christ did it!

Speaking of Paul’s preaching, notice his use of the Old Testament, “So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening” (Acts 28:23).

Matthew and Isaiah add more

Matthew makes an interesting statement as he records King Herod’s demanding request of the chief priests and scribes concerning where Christ was to be born. Why would Herod make such a demand? Was it because he suspected this information was recorded in a prophecy of their Scriptures—the Old Testament? If so, he was right.

Notice their response to Herod’s question, “So they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet.” The chief priests and scribes continued by quoting the prophet Micah, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” (Matthew 2:5; Micah 5:2).

The prophet Isaiah tells us that the Messiah would be born of a virgin and His name would be called “Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). This prophecy was fulfilled according to Matthew 1:22-23.

So the Old Testament Scriptures add yet another detail about the birth of Christ.

Moreover, Isaiah recorded several more prophecies about Christ, all of which were fulfilled. Some of the prophecies in the book of Isaiah point to the time when the Messiah was to be born and grow up from a child. The prophet also explains how Jesus was to be despised and rejected, not hailed as a mighty King and Deliverer. Again, we find the Old Testament is relevant in filling in more details about the life of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:1-9).

Additional points of interest

• The New Testament quotes the Old Testament more than 1,000 times!
• The four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) refer to the Old Testament Scriptures on an average of three to four times per chapter.
• Of the 39 books in the Old Testament, Christ, in the book of Revelation makes references to 31 of them.
• In the 22 chapters of the book of Revelation, there are 228 references made to the Old Testament—that’s an average of 10 times per chapter.
• Actually, there are only four New Testament books that do not have a direct quote from the Old Testament: Philemon and 1, 2 and 3 John (An American Translation—The New Testament in the Language of Today by William F. Beck, 1964).

The New Testament is based on the Old Testament. How would one be able to understand the book of Revelation, for example, without Old Testament writers like Daniel and several of the other prophets?

Christ meant what He said

Therefore, when Christ countered Satan in Matthew 4:4 by saying man must live by “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,” Jesus meant exactly what He said.  So is the Old Testament relevant? Yes, Christ meant “every word”—in both the Old and New Testaments—the entirety of the Bible, not just part of it.

For further study on the Old Testament, read the article “Old Testament.”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/holy-bible/old-testament/is-the-old-testament-relevant/

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Pharaoh's Bad Marriage

“Exodus 1:10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

And we all know how that worked out.
There are four ways to preserve a relationship that has begun to deteriorate:

1. Disable the other person. Through emotional abuse, you can make a person doubt themselves and their ability to survive on their own. Through physical abuse, you can confine or even cripple a person so that they are physically incapable of leaving. Perhaps the most common method today of disabling a person to keep them in a relationship is by keeping them financially dependent. Your credit card issuer and your neighbor with two upside down mortgages can tell you how effective this tactic can be.
2. Instill fear of the unknown. Convince the other person that there is a big bad wolf hiding behind every tree outside the door, that every person they encounter will take advantage of them, and they will be very reluctant to strike out alone. This method has worked very well for politicians throughout history.
3. Bond. Be friends. Spend time together in situations that develop emotional attachment. Study, explore, play, fight, and work together. Have an adventure.
4. Improve yourself. Make a relationship with you look more attractive than a relationship with someone else by becoming a better you. You have probably heard it said that you can’t change someone else. You can only change you. I haven’t read it yet, but Athol Kay’s Married Man Sex Life Primer appears to be based on this idea. It’s on my reading list.

Each of these methods works to a greater or lesser extent and there is a time and place in which each would be appropriate. A healthy relationship, however, will be almost exclusively characterized by methods three and four. Pharaoh tried to keep the Hebrews in Egypt by physically and financially hobbling them.

Although they wanted more than ever to leave Egypt, they had no ships, no weapons, no chariots, and no gold with which to obtain such things. They had no allies. They came to believe that they were too weak to face the Canaanites and that their God was too weak or too busy to rescue them. Pharaoh’s strategy might have worked if he had not dismissed Joseph’s God along with Joseph himself. God is the champion of the oppressed and does not allow his people to be abused, enslaved, and terrorized forever.” From: https://soilfromstone.blogspot.com/2012/01/pharaohs-bad-marriage.html?

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Update

We three had our Bible study for the Sabbath School on Thursday because I had surgery on my left eye on Friday.  The bus that had taken me there was not one of the usual busses, it was rattley, squeaky and he drove way over the speed limit with the radio blaring. The driver insisted that I should call him when I needed to be picked up and even gave me his own phone number.  He must have been someone that the bus company contracted because the bus didn’t have the bus company logos on it.

Wendy, my daughter, met me at the ophthalmologist so we went to lunch at Cracker Barrel, and she shopped a bit for craft stuff.  My eyes were dilated so I couldn’t navigate too well but I made it.  When she called for the bus to pick me up and told them that I didn’t want to go home on the same bus, they put us on hold for so long, twice, that Wendy drove me home.

Then about 5.00pm the internet, phone and cable went out, and my cell phone wasn’t working either.  A high, wide load had been illegally driven down the main drag of the little city of Navasota and pulled the overhead wires loose.  But, thank goodness, we did have electricity.  My cat was sitting staring at a blank TV!  So I went to bed to let my eyes rest and sort themselves out.  A couple of hours later I was able to see well enough to read a book until I fell asleep. Everything was fixed about 3.00am. 

I don’t know whether the surgery has fixed my ‘light blindness’ yet because it was cold and overcast when Sherry and I went to the church the next day.

50 Years After the Moon Landing: Are There Greater Leaps Yet to Come? New Study Says to Eat More Beans, Less Beef. Update.

For: ”Scripture Sunday”:

50 Years After the Moon Landing: Are There Greater Leaps Yet to Come?

“Half a century has passed since the first man stepped onto the surface of our moon. How did that event change the world, and what can we expect in the future?

Space travel has fired up our imaginations for many generations. The idea of traveling off this earth and visiting other places in space has been explored in many science fiction books, movies and television shows.

Many older adults today grew up watching space adventure on shows like Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon. Then came Star Trek and all the various spin-off shows and movies that have entertained and intrigued generations of fans. And the list could go on and on. This all illustrates the fascination human beings have with exploration of what’s “out there” in the vast reaches of space.

Baby steps into space

The first step toward traveling to other planetary bodies was to put a man on our own moon—in astronomical terms, a trip just “around the block.” Fifty years ago, on July 20, 1969, that was accomplished when astronauts from the Apollo 11 mission successfully landed a lunar module on the surface of the moon.

About six hours after the landing, mission commander Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface, something no human being had ever done before. At that moment he uttered the now famous line: “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Twenty minutes later, pilot Buzz Aldrin joined him. They spent 21½ hours on the surface of the moon before taking off to rejoin the Columbia spacecraft for the return trip to earth.

Their feat accomplished a goal set by U.S. President John Kennedy eight years earlier—to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade.

Fifty years later it is a bit difficult to comprehend the degree of anxiety the nation felt as the Saturn V rocket blasted off the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The space program had suffered its share of mishaps, including the devastating Apollo 1 disaster that killed three astronauts just 2½ years earlier.

That anxiety was replaced by elation when the entire mission went off as planned, and the three astronauts (including Michael Collins, who stayed aboard Columbia) splashed down safely on earth after eight days in space.

The impact of the space race

The “giant leap for mankind” could hardly have been understood at that juncture. A barrier had been broken. No longer was space travel something relegated to science fiction. It was now a reality.

But making that trip was not as simple as it appears in science fiction. Much of the technology required to safely put a man on the moon and bring him back had not existed even a decade earlier, so the pace of innovation and development was intense! And while human feet have not yet stepped on a planetary body beyond our moon, the effort at that time has had a profound impact on society.All this growth and development is a testament to the creativity and mental power God gave mankind.

Looking back at the leaps in technology, some estimate that the U.S. space program of the 1960s sped up major technological advancements by 10 to 20 years. In fact, the trickle-down effects of those efforts have led directly to many things we take for granted today, including cellular telephones, wireless equipment and technology, personal computers and tablet computers. While many of us remember when those things didn’t exist, today we find it hard to imagine living without them!

All this growth and development is a testament to the creativity and mental power God gave mankind. Our Creator gave us the ability to reason, plan, design and then implement those designs.

The Bible speaks about a “spirit in man” that God has given human beings that allows us to know “the things of a man” (1 Corinthians 2:11). It is this human spirit that sets us apart from all other life-forms and gives us the amazing mental abilities we have.

The dark side of human creativity

But we should never forget that there is also a dark side to the incredible creativity and power of the human mind.”       Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/50-years-after-the-moon-landing-are-there-greater-leaps-yet-to-come/?

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New Study Says to Eat More Beans, Less Beef

“Transformation to healthy diets by 2050 will require substantial dietary shifts. Global consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes will have to double, and consumption of foods such as red meat and sugar will have to be reduced by more than 50%. A diet rich in plant-based foods and with fewer animal source foods confers both improved health and environmental benefits.”
- Professor Walter Willett, MD Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

A recent report by the EAT-Lancet Commission, comprising of 37 leading scientists from 16 countries whose expertise range from human health, agriculture, political sciences and environmental sustainability, has found that “the global adoption of healthy diets from sustainable food systems would safeguard our planet and improve the health of billions.”
Here are a few excerpts from their report:

• Food is the single strongest lever to optimize human health and environmental sustainability on Earth.
• Unhealthy diets now pose a greater risk to morbidity and mortality than unsafe sex, alcohol, drug and tobacco use combined. Global food production threatens climate stability and ecosystem resilience and constitutes the single largest driver of environmental degradation and transgression of planetary boundaries. Taken together the outcome is dire. A radical transformation of the global food system is urgently needed. Without action, the world risks failing to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, and today’s children will inherit a planet that has been severely degraded and where much of the population will increasingly suffer from malnutrition and preventable disease.
• How food is produced, what is consumed, and how much is lost or wasted all heavily shape the health of both people and planet. The EAT-Lancet Commission presents an integrated global framework and for the first time, provides quantitative scientific targets for healthy diets and sustainable food production. The Commission shows that feeding 10 billion people a healthy diet within safe planetary boundaries for food production by 2050 is both possible and necessary.

This is not new information. Dr. McDougall has been lecturing on the importance of a starch-based diet, with the addition of fruits and vegetables and no added oils, for the sustainability of both optimal health and the planet, for over 45 years. The gravity of our situation can be remedied overnight by simply choosing the correct foods to eat that will allow both you and the planet to flourish. Allow us, in multiple languages, to show you the way…”  From:  https://mailchi.mp/drmcdougall.com/less-beef-more-beans?

Dr. McDougall's Color Picture Book

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Update.

Another week of moving, sorting and donating stuff.  When will it end?

The buyer of my house and mini-house called me and said that as there was no one living in the mini-house that he wanted to have a crew come in and sheetrock the utility room.  So we moved everything out of it into the greenhouse which has the closest outside door. When the crew arrived they said no, it was the green house that they were supposed to sheet rock and they put everything outside in the carports.  All higgledy-piggledy with no sense of order. They said “we will move it later”, but then they had to move something that they had put right in their own way.  No sense of O-H-I-O…Only Handle It Once.  So the next day Zack and I sorted and straightened it all out, and made pathways through it.  Most of it is supposed to be picked up tomorrow.

Yes, they sheet-rocked the green house, which only has a dirt floor and they didn’t even have an electrician wire it first, so they have a bare, dirt floor, in a room with no electric outlets or lights.  The Buyer is in California, so he doesn’t really know what is needed, I guess, but you would think that whoever is ramrodding the job would have caught that.

My son-in-law had booked last Thursday and Friday off from work a long time ago because he also had the Saturday off and had intended to move me then.  My daughter, Wendy, and I kept on telling him that he was jumping the gun, because I don’t even have the apartment yet, they are still working on it.  I might have some news about it on Tuesday.  Everything is wait and see.  Even the large pieces of furniture that I have for sale, I am waiting to see if they sell or I will be donating them at the last minute.

After all the toting things, and my friends and family picking up stuff this week, I was just too tired and worn out to cook anything for the church potluck. Each evening I was hardly able to walk and couldn’t wait for bedtime, but Friday was really tiring.

So I opened an enormous can of Peaches in Pear Juice and took some Brownies. There were plenty of other dishes so we had a good lunch. The Bible readings were Exo. 27:20-28:30, Hos. 1:4-9, Heb. 4:14-16 and all of Matt. 26. The Teaching was about Don’t Take God Lightly, Have Reverence and Fear. If you look at all the times God has destroyed a nation or batch of people because of their gross immorality, disobedience, or worshipping idols, it really makes you think that you had better mend your ways today! 

Permissiveness. How to Avoid Temptation. Do You Know The Difference Between Flattery And A Compliment? Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Permissiveness

We were taught to ask for permission to go places and do things when we were children.

Timothy Eberly/Unsplash

“God is merciful and kind as parents ought to be, but His goal is for our good always.

Responsible adults knew that there was a proper balance in giving permission and permissiveness. Permissiveness opens the door to doing what we please—we set the rules, guidelines and standards. Good parents make sure that we understand what consequences may come from our decisions. They shun permissiveness and know that their control will be a safeguard all of our lives.

God is the best parent. If He wanted to be permissive—allowing humans to determine right and wrong, holy and profane—He would have given us Ten Suggestions rather than Ten Commandments. Commandments do not include any permissiveness. Jesus came to magnify those Ten (Isaiah 42:21). God is merciful and kind as parents ought to be, but His goal is for our good always. His laws allow us to build character and define boundaries that are good for us.

We do not ask Him for permission to sin—He does not allow that. So don’t ask!”  From:  https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/permissiveness

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How to Avoid Temptation

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/xvBOPGrGfhc

[Steve Myers] “We all face it. Temptation seems to be everywhere in our world, and sometimes it just seems absolutely overwhelming. But you know there’s a key that we’re given in Hebrews 2:18 that I think is so powerful, because it points to our Savior, Jesus Christ. And here’s what it says. It says, “For in that He Himself has suffered being tempted, He’s able to aid those who are tempted.”

A couple of things that are very interesting about this passage. Christ personally has suffered through and experienced temptation, the way that we do and He’s uniquely qualified to help us. I love this word for aid that’s used in this particular passage, “He’s able to aid those who are tempted.”

That’s the very same word that’s used all the way back in Acts 27:17. If you’re not familiar with Acts 27, that’s where the Apostle Paul is about to be shipwrecked and he’s going through an amazing hurricane, it seems, and this ship is falling apart. And you know what they do? They take cables, and they run these supporting cables under the ship to help hold it together. And that word in that section of Acts 27 of those supporting cables, is the same word that’s used here as Christ aids us.

So imagine that, when we turn to Christ and we look to him, we pray to God the Father and ask for His help and His guidance, He wraps us around with His aid like those supporting cables that were holding that ship together in the most difficult storm. That’s what we can count on. We can count on our Savior, Jesus Christ, we can count on God the Father to wrap us up in His supporting arms and come to our aid even before sin. Even as we’re being tempted, God is always there to help us.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/how-to-avoid-temptation

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Watch Out!

Do you know the difference between flattery and a compliment?

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/XP8NdZUtXPE

[Gary Petty] “All of us like compliments. We appreciate it when someone comes up and tells us, “Boy, that was a good job” or “You look nice today.” But there’s a real difference between a compliment and flattery. They may seem to be the same but actually, they’re not. You know, it’s interesting that in the book of Proverbs, Solomon writes this, “Ointment and perfume delight the heart and the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.”

You know, it’s very rewarding. It can be very encouraging when someone we know who’s very sincere comes up and tells us what a good job we did or like I said, how good we look that day or just give us a compliment. Flattery is something else. Flattery is given by a person who is not sincere. Their compliments have a purpose. They’re actually trying to get something out of us. They’re trying to manipulate us.

Here’s what Solomon wrote about flattery. He says, “A man who flatters his neighbor, spreads a net for his feet.” You see, when someone is flattering you, what they’re trying to do is use the compliments to endear you to them so that eventually, they can manipulate you, get something out of you. But it’s not for your benefit. A good compliment is out of appreciation for your benefit. Flattery is something different. It’s very hard to tell the difference. And this is something that children need to learn. The difference between a compliment and flattery.

One of the greatest stories that teaches, especially children, about flattery is one of Aesop’s Fables. In this fable, there is a crow sitting up on a limb that has a huge piece of food in her beak. A fox comes along and says, “Wow, you are the most beautiful crow. The most beautiful bird. You’re beautiful. You have a great complexion. You have a wonderful shape. In fact, you would be the queen of all the birds if you could just sing.” Well, the crow is so taken aback by all the flattery, that she says she’s going to prove that she should be the queen of the birds by singing. Opens her mouth, the food drops out and the fox grabs it and runs away. And basically says, “I complimented her over her beauty, not her brains.” Important lesson.

So remember, when people keep giving you compliments, be sure and think about is that a genuine compliment? If it is, accept it in the spirit that it’s given. But if someone keeps flattering you in an insincere way, be aware, because they may be trying to take advantage of you.”    From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/watch-out

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Update.

Another week with two trips to the chiropractor in Conroe, but these will be last for now.  I am better than I was, thank goodness, because it looks like a move is in the near future.  That means moving everything out of my house, the mini-house, (furnished ex-guest house), both attics, all the tools out of the garage and shed, 2 motor homes, one station wagon, my van, plus all my resale stuff from my business.

We took my foster cat inside the air-conditioned title company in Conroe while I signed some papers after Chris and I had taken her to the vet for her check-up to go into the SPCA Cat Habitat at Petco, Conroe.  She checked out free from FIV and FeLuk, two deadly diseases that cats often acquire if they go outside.  That is why it s so important to keep them indoors. The techs said that “Silver” was really good when she had the blood drawn, her rabies vax and was micro chipped. 

These papers that I had to sign were just odd stuff that has to be done before the closing papers are drawn up, so I guess this Buyer means business.  I have had offers to help me pack, but I tell them that is jumping the gun.  It’s not over until the fat lady sings…… all the way to the bank !

To be somewhat prepared, Zack and I got down the many boxes of drapes and RV parts out of my attic.  All those years of working on RV’s, we had to have all colors of fabric for me to be able to make drapes for the different RV’s.  Most of them were sorted and boxed up to go to different thrift shops.  On one of my trips to the chiropractor I donated 6 big bags of drapes to the Assistance League.

Some of the dishes, cookware, sheets and towels that were stored up in my attic that came out of my 1968 vintage motor home, we call “Pugsy”,  will be used in my Holiday Rambler travel trailer that is now stored in Chris’ horse pasture about a mile way.  Pugsy is now on eBay, with no reserve, and there is already one bid.  (P.S. Which was later canceled). That will be one big thing that I don’t use, out of the yard. 

The electrician replaced some of the mobile home type outlets in the HR trailer, so now the outlets will be able to handle larger things better.

“Silver” got her other booster shots two days after her rabies shot.  We just don’t like to do them all on the same day.  Then the next day, Saturday, before I went to church, Chris picked her up and she went into the Habitat for all the world to see. She is a pretty, outgoing little baby and she should be adopted soon. I can’t have an animal in the senior apartment where I am going in Navasota, TX, if/when the house deal goes through. 

As I had bought some taco shells that were non-GMO, ( I won’t eat any corn unless it is non-GMO) I made some taco meat with ground turkey for the church potluck, and also took a lot of roasted yellow squash, but not enough, it went fast. We also had the usual lasagna, salads, other meats and veggies.

The Bible readings were Psa. 2, 100, Exo. 23:6-24:18 (that is about keeping the Sabbath and the Feasts Days), Isa. 60:17,18, Matt 26:27,28 and all of Matt. 22.  The Teaching was about how “We Are The Branches” in Rom. 11:17, plus many other verses, and how the Gentiles are grafted in.  Then after the potluck we stayed and had a Bible Study, so it was a well rounded day.

What Are Ash Wednesday and Lent? Where Is Lent in the Bible? Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

What Are Ash Wednesday and Lent? Does the Bible Tell Us to Celebrate These Days?

“After Mardi Gras comes Ash Wednesday and 40 days of Lent. Did the early New Testament Church observe these days?

Enterline Design Services LLC/iStock/Thinkstock

“The Bible does teach the importance of fasting and self-examination, but it does not teach a 40-day period called Lent or an Ash Wednesday of putting ashes on the forehead.

The Bible does not mention Ash Wednesday or Lent, and the early New Testament Church did not observe these days. Here is how the BBC Religion page describes Ash Wednesday and Lent:

“Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent for Western Christian churches. It’s a day of penitence to clean the soul before the Lent fast.

“Roman Catholic, Anglican, and some other churches hold special services at which worshippers are marked with ashes as a symbol of death and sorrow for sin…

“The Christian churches that observe Lent in the 21st century (and not all do significantly) use it as a time for prayer and penance. Only a small number of people today fast for the whole of Lent, although some maintain the practice on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. It is more common these days for believers to surrender a particular vice such as favourite foods or smoking” (BBC ).

Lent is counted differently by those of the Western Catholic tradition and those of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. “ The western church excludes Sundays (which is celebrated as the day of Christ’s resurrection) whereas the eastern church includes them. The churches also start Lent on different days. Western churches start Lent on the 7th Wednesday before Easter Day (called Ash Wednesday). Eastern churches start Lent on the Monday of the 7th week before Easter and end it on the Friday 9 days before Easter. Eastern churches call this period the ‘Great Lent ‘” (BBC ).

Various biblical events and customs are referred to by those who celebrate these days. The Bible mentions people mourning in sackcloth and ashes. The Bible also talks about repentance and fasting, and the number 40 is prominent in various biblical events.

“The justification for the Lenten 40-day preparation for Easter is traditionally based on Jesus’ 40-day wilderness fast before His temptation by Satan ( Harper’s Bible Dictionary, ‘Lent’; Matthew 4:1-2; Mark 1:13). The problem with this explanation is that this incident is not connected in any way with Jesus’ supposed observance of Easter. The 40-day pre-Easter practice of fasting and penance did not originate in the Bible” (The Good Friday—Easter Sunday Question ).

Some have suggested that Lent may be connected to earlier, pagan holidays. In Ezekiel 8:14, the prophet in vision saw women weeping for the pagan god Tammuz. “It has been suggested by some scholars that the practice of ‘weeping for Tammuz’ was the actual origin of Lent, the Roman Catholic 40-day period of abstinence prior to Easter (starting after Mardi Gras, ‘Fat Tuesday,’ on Ash Wednesday). Consider that the name Easter itself is derived from Ishtar, the ancient Babylonian fertility goddess and Tammuz’s mother”. (See the Bible commentary on Ezekiel 8 for details. )

The Bible does teach the importance of fasting and self-examination, but it does not teach a 40-day period called Lent or an Ash Wednesday of putting ashes on the forehead. These customs appear to have pagan origins, and are not practiced by the United Church of God. We seek to follow the customs and practices of the early New Testament Church as described in the Bible. For more on the biblical religious festivals, such as the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the spring, see God’s Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind .”     

From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/what-are-ash-wednesday-and-lent-does-the-bible-tell-us-to-celebrate-these-days

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Where Is Lent in the Bible?

The Bible shows the truth behind popular customs like Lent.

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZsLnzmTEegY

[Steve Myers] Christianity has now entered the Lenten season. Mardi Gras is passed, Fat Tuesday into Ash Wednesday, and now the Lenten season is recognized by much of the Christian world. But when you check out what your Bible has to say about Lent, you’re not gonna find anything. It’s a man-made tradition, and when you recognize what God thinks about counterfeiting his way, it’s a very serious thing.

There is a powerful passage in the book of Colossians, Colossians 3:23. This is what God inspired Paul to write. “These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.” You see the problem with false Christianity, made up Christianity, false traditions, they do a disservice to God and dishonor him. And when you really check out the basis for these practices, you’ll find them rooted in false beliefs, paganism.

I hope you’ll take some time to check it out. If you’ll search on our website, just type in the words “Lent,” and you’ll find a number of articles where you can get into the details of how Lent is an imposter, how it is fake, how is it a counterfeit to what the true God wants us to observe. So check it out, I think you’ll be surprised by what you find.” From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/where-is-lent-in-the-bible

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Well, finally the van is inspected.  I had been putting it off since the fiasco of last year with a new ignition switch, oxygen sensor, catalytic converter and electrical ground problems that had cost so much.  At least the engine light didn’t come on this year.

Just been a week of more raking pine needles, pine cones and burning them.  Some of each house, the main house and the mini-guest-house, were pressure washed to get the green algae off the north sides.  We also de-winterized the house, and took all my pots of aloe out of the green house and put them outside.  We haven’t uncovered the outside rows of aloe yet, just haven’t had time.

Even though I had hurt my tailbone, I still went to the YMCA and did the yoga and senior exercises.

Oreo, my 14 year old little skinny foster cat, is gradually eating and putting on a little weight.  A steady diet of diluted canned cat food twice a day, and little raw chicken liver every other day, has really helped her. Now, she even ventures out onto my screen porch, my “catio”!  She loves it here, and a foster mom who took care of her for a while came to see us.  Oreo stuck close to me, she wanted to stay here.

For the church pot luck I made Cheesy Bok Choy, and it went like hotcakes.  

The Bible readings were Phil. 1:9-11, Exo. 4:18-6:1, Isa. 55:12-56;7-8, Act. 7:35-37, and all of Matt 11.  The Teaching was more about The Messiah Our Advocate.

An electrician came and gave me an estimate for the few things that still need to be done in the mini-house, and he will be here to do it in a few days.

Why Should Christians Celebrate the Day of Atonement (Also Known as Yom Kippur)? Update.

   

“For Scripture Sunday”:

Why Should Christians Celebrate the Day of Atonement (Also Known as Yom Kippur)?

Long after Jesus Christ’s death, the Day of Atonement continued as an important Holy Day for the New Testament Church of God. What does the Day of Atonement mean for Christians today?    

When the meaning of the Day of Atonement is fulfilled in the future, it will set the stage for the sixth festival of God, the Feast of Tabernacles. 

The Day of Atonement is the fifth of God’s annual Holy Days (Leviticus 23:26-32), following shortly after the Feast of Trumpets. Observed by fasting (verse 27; compare Isaiah 58:3), which means not eating or drinking (Esther 4:16), this day portrays the human race finally becoming at one with God.

At the return of Jesus Christ, Satan the devil, who now leads all of mankind astray (Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 12:9), will be bound (Revelation 20:1-3) so all humans of all nations can be reconciled to God.

In the New Testament Luke referred to this Holy Day as “the fast” in Acts 27:9.

When the meaning of the Day of Atonement is fulfilled in the future, it will set the stage for the sixth festival of God, the Feast of Tabernacles.

For more information, please read our booklet God’s Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope For All Mankind.     From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/why-should-christians-celebrate-the-day-of-atonement

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Day of Atonement

The Day of Atonement is unique among the other annual festivals because it is a day of fasting. Following shortly after the Feast of Trumpets, Christians observe the day by fasting, which means not eating or drinking for the day. This solemn day of reflection portrays the human race finally becoming reconciled with God after millennia of rebellion against Him.

The Day of Atonement also pictures that Satan the devil, who now leads all of mankind astray, will be bound for 1,000 years so all humans of all nations can be reconciled to God.

(See: Leviticus 23:26-32; Isaiah 58:3; Esther 4:16; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 12:9; Revelation 20:1-3) 

The progression of these festivals throughout the year vividly portrays the glorious plan of God to bring many children to glory in His family (Hebrews 2:10). There’s much more to learn about God’s festivals, and we recommend you read God’s Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind .

From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/how-do-christians-observe-the-biblical-festivals-guide-god-holy-days

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Update.

On Sunday, Zack and I dug up the old conduit-covered cables going to the old breaker boxes in the mini-house so that the electrician could hook them up to the new outside breaker box on his next visit last Friday.  Here it is done!  The only thing left is power to the dryer, because that cable was damaged some time ago. 

Then Zack mowed.  I don’t like to mow on Sundays, it is some people’s Sabbath and day of rest, but Zack didn’t show up to do it last Thursday, and it had to be done.  All this rain had really made it grow, so much that he had to raise the deck on the mower.

On Monday, it was a doctor’s appoinment for me, and she ordered an unltra sound to look at my stomach, kidneys, liver etc., which I had done on Thursday.  No results yet.

To make sure that I stay as limber as I can, I have been doing the ‘Sit and Be Fit’ exercises on PBS channel on TV.  https://www.sitandbefit.org/ Once in a while, even the standing exercises make my heart rate go up.   It is on early in the morning here, but I am up anyway.  It meant that I had to do Bible Study a little later on a different channel, but that is OK.  Also, Hans, from down the street, and I have walked down to the mail boxes a couple of times.  Walking down there is fine, but it is always uphill to my house because I am at 272’ on top of a hill, but it is good exercise.

For the church potlucks, I cooked some more of the frozen chicken cluttering up my deep freeze.  This time served with Royal Quinoa, that is black quinoa.  I made two full bowls of salad with organic chicken, quinoa, peas, spices and oranges, one for each church.  There was only a little bit left over, and I thought Zack would turn his nose up at black colored food, but he had seconds. He had never had quinoa before.

For the Bible readings we had Psa. 34, Deut. 21:10-25:19, Isa. 54:1-10, Matt. 5:27-30 and 1 Cor. 5:1-5. The teaching was about “The Law Has Not been Done Away”  (Matthew 5:17 English Standard Version (ESV) Christ Came to Fulfill the Law. 17 “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.”   Because it was lunchtime, I ate a little bit there before I went on to the afternoon church. 

Their message was about “The Gift of Peace”. ‘Shalom’ means ‘Peace Unto You’.  At their potluck we had quite a discussion about where the linen came from for the tabernacle curtains when they were in the wilderness.  Exod 26:1-6 "Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine woven linen and blue, purple, and scarlet thread; with artistic designs of cherubim you shall weave them. The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits.”

We finally concluded that as they weren’t in one place long enough to grow the flax,  they must have brought it with them from Egypt.  Exodus 12:35  “The Israelites acted on Moses’ word and asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing.”  The Egyptians wanted them outta there, pronto, after God’s curse of their firstborn being killed, and so they loaded them with all kinds of precious things, and flax must have been one of them.

Even though it rained heavily while I was traveling, it would stop when I stopped, so it was an interesting day.

9/11 Attack on Islamic New Year. Church History: Constantine, an Emperor Who Defied God. Update

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Why Hasn't New York Been Attacked Since 9/11?

“Today marks six years (now 17) since the attacks on America by Islamic jihadists. On that day America woke up to the reality of an enemy intent on destroying our way of life. That we have not suffered another attack of that magnitude is due to the vigilant efforts of the many within the law enforcement, military and government agencies that sprung to the walls that day. Here is one assessment from the Daily Telegraph :

Why has al-Qa’eda not repeated the attacks it staged in New York and Washington six years ago to the day? Because it can’t. That is the only partly reassuring consensus of some of the experts who tried hardest to warn Washington about the danger posed by al-Qa’eda and militant Islam prior to its devastating strikes on September 11.

Richard Clarke, the anti-terrorism adviser to two American presidents, Michael Sheehan, New York’s former deputy police commissioner who headed the State Department’s anti-terrorism effort, and others who sensed the danger long before it became obvious, assert that offensive and defensive measures taken since that terrible day have not only severely degraded al-Qa’eda’s ability to stage another terrorism “spectacular”, but have made American cities and targets less vulnerable.

Thanks to such steps, “we are safer than we were on September 11, 2001,” John Scott Redd, a retired vice-admiral who now leads the intelligence community’s National Counter-terrorism Centre, told anxious legislators on Capitol Hill yesterday. “But we are not safe,” he added. “Nor are we likely to be for a generation or more.”

This is the great danger we face as a nation, that we will forget the dangers that exist. This enemy has not retreated nor can we afford to let down our guard.

For one brief moment in 2001 the nation forgot the issues that divide and drew together in grief, shock and anger. Remember the scene of the congressmen and women standing on the Capitol steps, arms linked and singing God Bless America?  We are far from that poignant moment.” From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/why-hasnt-new-york-been-attacked-since-911

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The 11th. of September is the Islamic New Year.

Muharram

Islamic New Year celebration in Nawa-I-Barakzayi, Afghanistan (2010)

The Top 4 Reasons September 11th is Significant to Islam

Read: https://onepeterfive.com/the-top-4-reasons-september-11th-is-significant-to-islam/

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Another person who thought they were greater than God!

Church History: Constantine, an Emperor Who Defied God

One of the most profound episodes affecting Church history involved Emperor Constantine and his decrees against God’s laws. Yet the Church of God held fast.

In A.D. 321 Constantine decreed that Sunday would be observed as the Roman day of rest.

Many of the New Testament writers warned that a great deception was coming that would corrupt the true Christianity instituted by Jesus and taught by the apostles

Jesus Christ warned His followers, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). His words have proven true throughout the centuries, and especially during the fourth century in the Roman Empire.

Another article on Church history discusses the loyalty of Polycarp and Polycrates in their defense of the New Testament Passover being kept on the 14th day of the first month of the Hebrew calendar. But persecutions continued against the Church. This article focuses on the decrees Constantine made regarding his interpretation of religious doctrine and the aftermath of his pronouncements.

Persecution toward the Church

In the years prior to Constantine, a number of Roman emperors had persecuted the Church Jesus established. One such campaign was sanctioned by Emperor Trajan after he received a letter from Pliny (A.D. 111-113). Pliny was a young lawyer and governor over the territory of Bithynia and Pontus, along the southern edge of the Black Sea where some in the Church had originally settled (1 Peter 1:1-2).

Following is a portion of Pliny’s letter:

“It is my practice, my lord, to refer to you all matters concerning which I am in doubt. For who can better give guidance to my hesitation or inform my ignorance? I have never participated in trials of Christians. I therefore do not know what offenses it is the practice to punish or investigate, and to what extent. …

“I have observed the following procedure: I interrogated these as to whether they were Christians; those who confessed I interrogated a second and a third time, threatening them with punishment; those who persisted I ordered executed. For I had no doubt that, whatever the nature of their creed, stubbornness and inflexible obstinacy surely deserve to be punished.”

Trajan responded: “You observed proper procedure, my dear Pliny, in sifting the cases of those who had been denounced to you as Christians. For it is not possible to lay down any general rule to serve as a kind of fixed standard. They are not to be sought out; if they are denounced and proved guilty, they are to be punished, with this reservation, that whoever denies that he is a Christian and really proves it—that is, by worshiping our gods—even though he was under suspicion in the past, shall obtain pardon through repentance.”

So, in the early part of the second century, we see persecution directed toward the Christians in the area of Asia Minor. This persecution continued, but the Church of God remained firm and loyal.”

Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/the-church/church-history-constantine/

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The faithful held fast

“As a result of these man-made edicts, a large portion of the world has been following false decrees, but not all people changed their beliefs to worship on Sunday. As persecutions over the Sabbath intensified, members of the Church of God migrated to the west, and history reveals that the Church thrived in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. But that is another story for another article.

In the meantime, take time to confirm what the Bible teaches about the seventh-day Sabbath. The following resources can help: “The Sabbath, Sunday, Every Day or No Day at All?” and “Which Day Is the Seventh Day?”

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Update. 

It has been a hurry-up-and-wait week. First waiting, twice, for the light company to come to make the new mast at the mini-house hot.  When the bucket truck driver arrived he looked it all over, and said that we would have to trim some trees for him to be able to get his bucket through.  I called our Property Owners Assoc. and made sure that it was OK to trim their trees.  He disconnected the power from my old pole to make it safer for us to trim the trees.  Fortunately, as I had sold my gas chain saw because I couldn’t start it, I still have one of those electric Worx tree trimmers with the big jaws.  That made light work of trimming off those branches, but we had to string a heavy duty cord from the main house. 

On the bucket truck’s second trip he hooked the wires to the new mast.  That just makes it live to the main breakers in the new breaker box on the outside of the house.  Then the electrician has to come back to run wires from those breakers through a hole he has made into the inside breaker box.  Zack and I removed the old mast, meter can, breaker box and weatherhead off the little temporary pole, which has been there for 23 years.  Then we dug up the conduit covered wires which went from that pole underground into the mini-house.  The electrician plans to re-use that wire to attach the new outside breaker box to the one inside.   Wire really has gone up in price, no wonder thieves like to steal copper wire out of derelict houses.

As we didn’t have power in the mini-house, we took some shelves outside into the carport and Kilzed and painted them out there.  Then one day I went to Conroe Hospital to visit a church friend and do a bit of shopping.

Zack has a habit of not showing up, so I know that if he doesn’t arrive by 8.00 am that he had to work elsewhere.  He doesn’t have a phone or cable.  But, to his credit, he is always here by 7.30 on Sundays, as there is a religious program on TV that he likes to see, Mannafest with Perry Stone.

On Friday, Preparation Day, as I had planned to go to both the morning church on FM 1097 and the afternoon church on FM 830 on the Saturday Sabbath, I made two separate dishes for the potlucks.  They were both made out of organic chicken, lentils and veggies. The first one was a salad with added apples pieces so that the pastor’s wife wouldn’t have to tend to it, and the second one was a hot dish in a crockpot which I could plug in as soon as I got there. 

The Bible readings were Deut. 16:18-21:9, Isa. 51:12-52:12, John 1:19-29 and Acts 3:22,23.  The Teaching was about Rosh HaShanah, it is a time of prayer and penitence and to be prepared for the coming of the Messiah.

After the service, I stayed a short while to eat a quick bite, talk to my friends and help with the potluck, then drove south to the other church.  The person that I was concerned about at that church, is now in Hospice and did not have chemo nor radiation, he just wishes to go the way God intended with quality, not expensive quantity of life.  The pastor’s Message was about that too. 

Everything is still green even though it has been hot because we have had quite a few humid, rainy days.