What Does Pentecost Mean? (Shavuot) Importance of Pentecost. Update.

Tomorrow, Sunday, 31st May, is Pentecost

What Does Pentecost Mean?

“Pentecost has special meaning for people of all nationalities and backgrounds. It marks the beginning of the Church, the gift of the Holy Spirit and more.

Pentecost is a festival observed by Catholics, Protestants, Jews and the Church of God. Many people don’t know the background of this holy day or why these groups often celebrate it on different days.

Within mainstream Christianity (Catholics and Protestants alike), many congregations recognize the biblical teaching that Pentecost was the day the Holy Spirit was first given to Christians. They consider it, in effect, to be the birthday of the New Testament Church.

Some congregations, however, give no special attention to this festival. The reasons some within mainstream Christianity choose not to observe Pentecost vary.

Some suggest that there are so many events in church history and on church calendars that it is hard to know which ones to observe. Others don’t celebrate Pentecost because of an uneasy feeling about anything connected with charismatics, who mistakenly believe it is necessary to recreate the supernatural events of the first Pentecost today.

In this article, let’s consider what the Bible teaches us about this day and some of the questions surrounding it.

What was Pentecost in the Old Testament?

Pentecost is one of the annual holy days God revealed to the ancient Israelites.

The seven feasts of the Lord are found in Leviticus 23. They are Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks (called Pentecost in the New Testament), the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day.

Some people refer to these observances as the feasts of the Jews. But, while God did indeed give these to Israel, including the Jewish people, it is important to note that God says, “These are My feasts” (Leviticus 23:2), and that Moses referred to them as “the feasts of the LORD” (verse 44).

What we note from these passages is that Pentecost is a feast of God. These festivals do not belong solely to the Jews. They are God’s feasts and are to be observed by His people, no matter what their nationality or ethnic background might be.

What does Pentecost mean in Greek?

Pentecost holds an interesting distinction among God’s commanded holy days. Of all the annual observances given by God to the ancient Israelites, this is the only one that has been commonly known to Christians since the first century by its Greek name—Pentecost, meaning “the fiftieth day” (Thayer’s Greek Definitions).

“The fiftieth day” is related to the name of the festival in the Old Testament—the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22; Numbers 28:26; Deuteronomy 16:10)—and the way the date of its observance was determined. God’s instructions were to “count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath” and that day was to be proclaimed “a holy convocation” (Leviticus 23:16, 21).

The Feast of Weeks was also called “the Feast of Harvest” in Exodus 23:16, because it was associated with firstfruits—the early part of a harvest and the first harvest of the year in Canaan.

As Numbers 28:26 says, “Also on the day of the firstfruits, when you bring a new grain offering to the LORD at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work.”

Pentecost: what happened?

Consider the events that led up to the momentous Pentecost of Acts 2.

Three days and three nights after His crucifixion, Jesus rose from the dead, and during the next 40 days He appeared multiple times to His disciples (Acts 1:3).

In addition to talking to them about the Kingdom of God, Jesus Christ told them to wait in Jerusalem because “you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:4-5).

Just a few days later, as His disciples assembled in Jerusalem to observe Pentecost, Christ’s promise that they would receive “power from on high” came true (Luke 24:49). As the Holy Spirit descended upon His faithful followers, it appeared as tongues of fire, and His disciples began to miraculously speak in foreign languages (Acts 2:3-4).

These awesome events on the Day of Pentecost in A.D. 31 launched the New Testament Church. That same day an additional 3,000 people responded to a moving message by the apostle Peter. They repented of their sins, were baptized and then received the Holy Spirit.  From this amazing beginning, the Church of God began to rapidly expand throughout the Roman Empire.

What Pentecost means today

Pentecost is an annual festival commemorating the beginning of the New Testament Church of God. Even more important, it is a reminder for each of us that God’s Holy Spirit is now available to all who repent of their sins, are baptized, and continue to follow and obey Him (Acts 5:32).

As Peter explained almost 2,000 years ago, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

There is still another meaning to Pentecost that is overlooked by many because they don’t understand that God’s plan of salvation for mankind has several stages.

The concept of firstfruits—the first part of a harvest—was an integral part of the Old Testament observance of this festival, and it continues to have meaning for us today. God must first call people before they can repent of their sins and receive the Holy Spirit, which identifies them as Christians who will receive eternal life.

Jesus emphasized this point, saying, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44).

Those who are called by God during this present age and who respond to God’s call are the “firstfruits” of His plan of salvation for mankind. They have a part in preparing for an even greater harvest of people to follow.

Our merciful God, who wants all to be saved, has planned more than one time or age for humans to be called and have their opportunity for salvation. God determines when each person will be given the opportunity for salvation.

How is Pentecost calculated?

Although many religions observe Pentecost, albeit with different names and meanings, they celebrate it on different dates.

• Judaism observes Shavuot on Sivan 6, according to the Hebrew calendar.
• Mainstream Christianity observes Pentecost on the 50th day after Easter, inclusive of both days.
• The Church of God observes this holy day on the 50th day starting with the Sunday during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

Why are there so many variations in calculating this festival?

How most churches calculate Pentecost

The reason for mainstream Christianity’s date for Pentecost is pretty obvious to students of history. It’s connected with the change from the biblical Passover to Easter.

The misguided, breakaway version of Christianity, which separated itself from the original Christianity founded by Jesus and His disciples, changed Passover to Easter (the name of a pagan goddess of spring and fertility). At the same time, they also changed its date and meaning.

Those who celebrate all seven feasts of the Lord and rehearse their meanings each year continually find deeper meaning in them. Although there is no biblical directive to observe Easter, the leaders of this church decided that they would observe it to honor the resurrection of Jesus—rather than observe the biblical Passover to commemorate the death of Christ.

This version of Christianity set the method for calculating Easter so it could not fall on Passover.

Although this may not have been the direct intent of the calculation, other decrees by the Catholic Church clearly show that anti-Semitism was a driving force behind their reasons for abandoning worship on Saturday and the traditional, annual observance of Passover on the 14th day of the first month of the Hebrew calendar (Leviticus 23:5). Their founders despised the Jews and didn’t want their religion to look similar to that of the Jews.

How most Jews calculate Pentecost (Shavuot)

In the first century, when Jesus’ followers observed Pentecost and received the Holy Spirit, there is no mention in the Bible of any concern or disagreement over the date. Yet there were multiple Jewish sects—including the Sadducees and Pharisees—who had differing beliefs and practices.

The Sadducees, who were members of the priestly sect, were in charge of the temple and the worship that occurred there. But, as the Encyclopaedia Britannica explains, “The Sadducees and Pharisees were in constant conflict with each other, not only over numerous details of ritual and the Law but most importantly over the content and extent of God’s revelation to the Jewish people” (“Sadducee”).

In addition to their disagreements over whether there could be a resurrection, angels and spirit (Acts 23:8), these competing sects differed in how they understood the instructions for calculating Pentecost found in Leviticus 23.

The Encyclopaedia Judaica says, “The Sadducees (and later the Karaites) understood the term ‘Sabbath’ in these verses [Leviticus 23:11, 15, 16] literally, hence, for them Shavuot always falls on a Sunday” (1971, Vol. 14, p. 1319, “Shavuot”).

But after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the Pharisaic beliefs became the predominant teaching of Judaism. The way most Jews now calculate Shavuot is to count 50 days from the annual Sabbath of Passover (as the Jews call the first day of Unleavened Bread). This leads to a fixed calendrical date of Sivan 6 each year.

How the Church of God calculates Pentecost

The Church of God carefully follows the biblical instruction in Leviticus 23:16 to “count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath.”

Since the word Sabbath in this verse clearly refers to the weekly Sabbath rather than an annual Sabbath, we understand that the Sabbath that comes before the count to 50 must also be a weekly Sabbath—not an annual Sabbath.

The Church also notes that if God intended the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, as it is known today, to be observed on a fixed date (Sivan 6), He could have inspired that date to be recorded in Scripture. All the other holy days have fixed dates, and Pentecost could have been designated on a fixed date as well—if that were God’s intent.

Instead, the scriptural account emphasizes that Pentecost has to be counted each year. The reason is that the day of the week when the Days of Unleavened Bread begin varies from year to year. By counting 50 days beginning with the Sunday during the Days of Unleavened Bread (as designated by Scripture), we always come to Sunday.

What does Pentecost mean for you?

Those who celebrate all seven feasts of the Lord and rehearse their meanings each year continually find deeper meaning in them. You can find the dates for Pentecost and other festivals according to the biblical calculation on our “Festival Calendar.”

What Is Pentecost to the Jews?

In Judaism the festival is called by its Hebrew name, Shavuot. This means weeks or sevens, which alludes to the instruction to count 50 days. This feast occurred during the first harvest of the land, and Jewish tradition says that this day commemorates God giving the ancient Israelites the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai.

Jews often read the book of Ruth at this time of year. Their reasons for doing so “are that the book takes place at the time of the barley harvest, that Ruth’s assumption of Naomi’s religion reflects the Israelites’ acceptance of the Torah at Sinai, and that King David, who is alleged to have died at this time of year according to rabbinic tradition, is mentioned at the end of Ruth” (“Shavuot 101,” myjewishlearning.com).

What Is Pentecost Sunday?

Pentecost Sunday is the Sunday that many Catholic and Protestant congregations observe as the beginning of the New Testament Church and as the day the Holy Spirit was given. Unfortunately, they do not always do so on the biblically authorized date.

As previously noted, the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, was to be determined by counting—beginning with the day after the Sabbath—“fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath” (Leviticus 23:15-16).

Since the biblical Sabbath has always been and continues to be on Saturday, the 50th day after counting seven Sabbaths will always be a Sunday.

Although mainstream Christianity gets Pentecost Sunday on the right day of the week, it does not follow the biblical instruction to begin the 50-day count to Pentecost with the Sunday that falls during the Days of Unleavened Bread. Instead, mainstream Christianity begins its count from Easter. Some years (such as 2020) these dates coincide, but many years they do not.” From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/pentecost/what-does-pentecost-mean/?

What will Pentecost mean for you this year? Study more in our article “The Miracle and Meaning of Pentecost.”

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Importance of Pentecost

Acts 2:1 

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

What would have happened if the disciples hadn’t all gathered together to celebrate God’s Feast of Pentecost? The fact that God used this annual festival as the date to start His New Testament Church is no accident. Neither was the fact that Christ was crucified on Passover.

Each of the “festivals of the LORD” has great meaning to Christians today.

Learn more about these festivals and their meanings in our free booklet From Holidays to Holy Days: God’s Plan for You.    From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/the-importance-of-pentecost/?

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More from a different church: The Feast of Weeks - Pentecost / Shavuot

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Update

Not much happened this week. My youngest granddaughter, Michelle, had another birthday, I think she is 27 now. 

Found out that my insurance company will provide the transportation to the hospital on the 11th., there and back. That is a relief.

Took a neighbor to the doctor, but I had to wait for her outside on a porch park bench because they don’t let non-patients inside.  Just like they wouldn’t let her stay in the waiting room when I went to the doctor, she had to come in the room with me. Things are going to be different for a long time.

Drove another neighbor to pay their car insurance in Bryan because they couldn’t do it online as it was a day overdue.  That meant another welcome visit to an HEB grocery store.  I can always find some good organic food there, so I bought Swiss Chard, Bok Choy, and some other things that I can’t get in this little 4-traffic-light town.

A couple of trips to the local thrift shop netted a few things. Like a long under-bed box on wheels with a lid for $1, and a couple of really cute blue and white small oven mitts. These are different, like clamshells, they are just big enough to put your fingers and thumb in each side.

My neighbor and I went to the Bible study at church today.  It is still on Zoom, but even when the church opens back up next week they are going to do the Bible study on Zoom each week, for those who can’t get there.  The sermon was about Ruth and Naomi, and it wasn’t until I got home I realized that this is often the subject at Pentecost because they both take place at barley harvest time.

Of course, the main reason the Jews assigned Ruth to Pentecost is because the time setting of the story is set right after the Wavesheaf Offering had been made down to the day of Pentecost.  Ruth 1:22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

For the first time in many weeks,  I will be thinking about what dish to take to the church potluck for the Sabbath day.

5 Traits Men Should Look for in a Godly Woman. Kanye West's New Album. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

5 Traits Men Should Look for in a Godly Woman

“Too often men focus mainly on a woman’s appearance when they are considering whom they will date or marry. But there are more important traits to consider.

There is a folk tale of an elderly king somewhere in the heart of Africa. He had only one son, whom he adored. When the time came for the young man to find a wife, the king reminded his son she needed to be a woman qualified and capable of one day serving as his queen. So the young man began his search for such a woman of beauty and character.

He believed most young women would put their best foot forward if they knew he was the prince, so he chose to disguise himself as a peasant farmer. The beautiful ladies he saw around the palace regarded him with disdain, so he went on. Farther out he came across some young ladies who would stop to speak with him, but they were silly or rude, clearly not fit to be queen.

After several weeks, he came to a tiny village in the farthest reaches of his father’s kingdom. A beautiful maiden saw him looking tired and hungry, and she offered him food, water and a place to rest. He discovered she was kind, intelligent and wise.

He knew she was the kind of girl who could become a wise and helpful queen, and he wanted her as his wife. Her father voiced concern that his daughter would marry such a poor man, but the girl reasoned with wisdom and conviction, and her father relented. The prince in disguise returned home to prepare for the wedding.

Soon the young man returned, but this time as himself, the prince. They married, and years later he became king. His princess proved to be the wise and understanding queen he knew she would be, and together they ruled the kingdom with wisdom and justice.

The importance of character

The story emphasizes something too many men underestimate when looking for a mate: the importance of a woman’s character. It isn’t all about physical beauty or even personality. In describing the nearly perfect woman in Proverbs 31, Solomon wrote, “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised” (verse 30).

What are a few traits of character that a Christian woman should strive to attain? What are the traits of character that a Christian man should look for in a potential wife? Let’s consider five:

1. Is she a woman of God?

What foundational element of character could be more important? In describing how the wife of a congregational leader should be, the apostle Paul wrote, “Wives must also be of good character. They must not be gossips, but they must control their tempers and be trustworthy in every way” (1 Timothy 3:11, God’s Word Translation).

Such a woman will show by her words and actions that she submits to the rule of her Creator. Her relationship with God will come first in her life, and her faithfulness will shine through everything she says and does. As Ruth famously said, “Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God” (Ruth 1:16).

This basic attitude should be the No. 1 characteristic a man looks for in a wife: a woman who is committed to being faithful to God her entire life.

2. Who has the greatest influence on her?

We all have people who have a powerful influence on us, so considering whom she chooses to be influenced by is important.

When we were children, our parents were probably the biggest influence in our lives. But as we move through adulthood, others exert a heavier influence on us. To whom does she look to the most for advice? Are these people of solid moral character? Solomon also wrote, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray” (Proverbs 12:26).

Take a careful look at her closest friends and advisers and see what direction they influence her toward.

3. Is she tenderhearted?

Is she first and foremost attentive toward God and His laws? Is she also tenderhearted toward others, wanting to help and serve others when she sees a need? Is she first and foremost attentive toward God and His laws? Is she also tenderhearted toward others, wanting to help and serve others when she sees a need? Think of the father of the prodigal son, who saw his son coming from a long way off and “had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck [hugged him] and kissed him” (Luke 15:20).

Among the fruit of the Spirit we find kindness, goodness and gentleness (Galatians 5:22-23). These are spiritual qualities that allow us to exhibit the characteristics Paul described in Ephesians 4:32: “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” 

4. Is she willing to learn and grow?

This is a reflection of her heart. Perhaps nothing reveals a person’s depth and genuine level of humility more quickly than having a heart that is teachable. Not everyone can see a need to learn more and accept instruction.

Business leaders recognize that some people have 20 years of experience, and others have one year of experience, 20 times over. A teachable person will be learning from his or her own mistakes, as well as those of others, and will be constantly growing and maturing. “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning” (Proverbs 9:9).

5. Is she wise with her words?

Talk is cheap. Many people throw around words freely, saying whatever they believe you want to hear, but never really meaning it. Others liberally sprinkle their conversations with gossip and scintillating tales about others.

It used to be far less common for a woman to use vulgar or profane language, but that societal taboo seems long gone now. Women today are often as crass and crude as men can be in their speech.

But a woman of godly character will not allow her speech to become infected with anything that is improper or sinful.

God does not view careless and idle words as something of little consequence. The Bible instructs us to be always truthful (Zechariah 8:16) and to avoid gossip (Proverbs 20:19). Her speech should always be “with grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). A woman who uses her words wisely and carefully will fulfill what Solomon wrote in Proverbs 25:11: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”

There are many more qualities of character we can and should consider, but these are a starting point. They are also more challenging and more difficult to attain than they might seem at first glance! You won’t find a woman who demonstrates all these traits perfectly, but look for the woman who is serious about trying to.

Of course, a godly man should never ask his wife to do and be what he isn’t himself. So he must be sure to be developing godly character himself.”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/marriage/5-traits-men-should-look-for-in-a-godly-woman/

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For further insight into male/female relationships, peruse our articles in the “Relationships” section of Life, Hope & Truth.

    

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Kanye West's New Album

“Recognizing “Jesus is King” is a great step for anyone striving to obey God. What else does the Bible say about following Christ?

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/zT9eFi1Q7Sk

[Steve Myers] “Kanye West has a new album out. In fact, it rocketed to Billboard number one almost immediately. Of course, Kanye West probably being one of the biggest rap hip hop stars in the universe, you might say. I mean, this man has amazing influence that goes beyond the music world. You know, the title of his new album? It’s called “Jesus is King,” and when I heard about that, I had mixed feelings. In one way, this is phenomenal. This is absolutely amazing. It’s encouraging to see someone that’s in the public, especially in the music world, to identify with the fact that Jesus is King, and that’s something that should be recognized.

In fact, it has had quite an impact across the countries, had rallies, different meetings, and the Word of God, in one sense, has gone out. That is such a powerful thing. I recognize that, and I would love to see even more from Kanye West. In fact, when you think about that, I hope it doesn’t stop there, because we can recognize that Jesus is King. But when we really see what the Bible has in mind, it goes beyond just the recognition of Christ as King, that there has to be more, more than just the recognition. There really has to be a changed life in a changed perspective that goes along with that recognition.

I’m reminded of a passage that we find over in the book of 1 John, 1 John 2, this whole section of scripture talks about what goes beyond just the mere recognition that Jesus is King. So when we look at 1 John 2:3 says this, “When we recognize Jesus as King,” it says, “Now by this, we know that we know Him if we keep His commandments.” So there has to be a change in our behavior, in what we do, and the way we look at the world. In fact, a little later in verse six, it says, “He who abides in Him, ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”

So our goal if we proclaim Jesus as King in our life, we have to walk as Jesus walked, and that’s a past tense statement. Looking back to the way Jesus lived his life. How did He talk? How did He walk? How did He live? How did He worship? When did He worship? You see, all of those questions come to mind.

So if we declare Jesus as King in our life, we have to recognize that and live our life and worship God in spirit and truth as we proclaim Jesus is King. So let’s be sure that’s exactly what we’re doing when we say those words.””  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/kanye-wests-new-album

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Update.

Thank you Veterans, for your service.  Thank you, just isn’t enough.

Another week of “swinging weather”.  One day it is cold and the next it is warm again.

There was Bingo at the Community Room here at the apartments and I was the only one who didn’t win anything, so the caller gave me the little plastic basket that had contained the prizes.   Though it did come in handy to carry small items like socks at the laundry.

My helper and neighbor, Joe, had gone to Bryan with me last week when I went to the Social Security office, because he needed to renew his drivers license.  They took his money and then said that he needed an eye test before he could get his license.  On Wednesday, as I was going to the Conroe area to meet my granddaughter, Michelle, I took him to the optician with the owl, America’s Best.   So he got an free eye exam with the purchase of 2 pairs of glasses for $70.00 total.   We have to back on the 20th to get his glasses, so Michelle and I can have some more time together then. 

Chris, Michelle, Joe, and I all met at Rancho Grande Mexican restaurant in Conroe, because I had won a gift certificate for four free lunches earlier in the year.  Chris brought me the four extra seats that go in my van, and some “catifying” shelves that she had been storing in her barn. I still hope to have an older, special needs cat to care for. 

The battery light came on in the van, the alternator checked good, but not the battery and so there was another expense, this time a new battery, not a rebuilt.

I took a green salad and grapes for the church potluck, and came home with two empty containers.  That was easy, I might do that again!  The theme for the week was “Be Still and Know that I am God”, Psalm 46:10. The sermon was “Talking With The King”.

Knowing that we were going to have a hard freeze I bought two big totes to house the largest pots of my Aloe Vera.  I didn’t want to bring them inside because some ants had been in them a couple of weeks ago and I didn’t know if any were still in there.  I put the other pots in on a trolley that I could take in and roll back outside.  I had sprinkled Diatomaceous Earth in and around the pots when I saw the ants and they disappeared, but you never know. 

In the mornings when the temperature is warmer I take the lids off and let them have some sunshine during the day.

Looking Back on 9/11; Looking Forward to Christ’s Return. A Penny A Day. God’s Desire. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Looking Back on 9/11; Looking Forward to Christ’s Return

by Mike Bennett - September 11, 2019

“Sometimes we must look back on the traumas of the past. But this reflection should propel us forward. We can celebrate a promise of good news ahead!

Looking back on 9/11: A New York City fireman calls for 10 more rescue workers to make their way into the rubble of the World Trade Center (U.S. Navy photo; Wikimedia Commons).

As the anniversary of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, rolls around, many of us can’t help but think about what we were doing and how we heard about the planes crashing into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.

The terrifying televised images of that day seem seared into our minds, though the passing of the years has blurred the edges for some of us.

Since then, there have been many more terror attacks around the world: Bali, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Mumbai, Paris, Brussels, Sri Lanka—and the list goes on.

There have also been a few wins in the war on terror, such as the elimination of Osama bin Laden. Al-Qaeda’s leadership ranks were thinned and that group may have been driven further underground, but there seems to be no lack of new, willing recruits for suicide bombings and other acts of terror.

God’s warnings of evil end-time attitudes

God warns that the last days would be filled with violent and destructive attitudes. The apostle Paul writes that people would be proud, unloving, unforgiving, without self-control, brutal, traitors, headstrong and haughty (2 Timothy 3:1-4).

But terrorists and violent attitudes are not the only things God warns about. In this same passage He describes other attitudes that are also displeasing to Him. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, despisers of good and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

He also warns of hypocrisy, as people have an outward show of religion, but deny God’s power and secretly or openly live lives of sin—disobedience to God’s good and beneficial law.

Many times in the Bible God warns that terror would come upon sinful nations and wicked people, leading up to a time of trouble worse than the world has ever known (Deuteronomy 32:25; Psalm 73:19; Jeremiah 15:8; Matthew 24:21). This time of Great Tribulation is also known as the time of Jacob’s trouble because it affects the descendants of the 12 tribes of Israel (Jeremiah 30:7).

Why remember?

Anniversaries of some terrible events are long remembered, such as the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the attack on Pearl Harbor. We remember out of respect. Sometimes we are encouraged to remember to be on guard lest such things happen again.

Sometimes terrible events wake people up to want to examine their lives. Seeing how fleeting our physical lives are can spark an interest in the eternal. Too often this spiritual awakening is short-lived, though anniversaries can bring these thoughts to the fore again.There are many good reasons to look back, especially if remembering will help us change and then move forward on the path God wants us to take.

There are many good reasons to look back, especially if remembering will help us change and then move forward on the path God wants us to take. Because God’s way is not just about looking back. The gospel message—the good news God wants us to believe and live by—is also about looking forward.

Looking forward

In the cosmic scale of things, the Great Tribulation and the wrath of God that follows (called the Day of the Lord throughout the Bible) will soon be over. The unprecedented time of trouble will bring humanity to the very brink of mutually assured destruction, but Jesus Christ promises: “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:22).

The elect are God’s chosen servants, those who do what He says and love His appearing (John 15:14; 2 Timothy 4:8).

Christ’s faithful followers yearn for the soon-coming day described in Revelation when the seventh of seven trumpets sounds. Then a proclamation will be made in heaven: “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

Jesus Christ will return to the earth and stop the annihilation of the human race! He will end the downward slide into evil—and the suffering and misery it produces.

“They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).

His government—the Kingdom of God—will begin a whole new age of peace, joy and fulfillment.

He will restore the earth to an Eden-like paradise and will heal those who suffer: “The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. … Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing” (Isaiah 35:1, 5-6).

The return of Jesus Christ and the restoration of the Kingdom of God on earth is the best news ever!”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/looking-back-on-9-11/?

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A Penny A Day

“Wise seniors told their grandchildren that if they do not respect the penny, then they do not deserve the dollar.

Alejandro Escamilla/Unsplash

The real poverty humans experience is that of the heart. That is often irreparable. That is the bank account to which we need to continually add a little each day to maintain a good balance.

They also said a penny saved is a penny earned and there were many more words of wisdom given to the young. This world seems bent on gaining wealth by any means. Greed is rampant, but happiness and contentment are seriously missing from life. A lack of wealth is something we can repair through hard work and thrifty living. However, no matter how hard we try, there are ups and downs in this world.

The real poverty humans experience is that of the heart. That is often irreparable. That is the bank account to which we need to continually add a little each day to maintain a good balance. Jesus told us to lay up for ourselves treasure in heaven where moth, rust and thieves cannot destroy it (Matthew 6:19-20). When our heavenly bank account is healthy, our earthly bank account will not be as important because our priorities will be right and our frame of mind positive.” From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/a-penny-a-day

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God’s Desire

1 Timothy 2:4

… who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

In the preceding verses, the apostle Paul encourages us to pray and thank God for everyone, including leaders in authority over us. We can pray that the leaders will allow us to lead peaceful lives, and also that they would allow God’s Church to preach the good news of God’s Kingdom. God’s ultimate plan is to reach everyone with that message of hope and truth—that message that tells us how we can be saved from the death penalty of sin and be given the opportunity for eternal life (John 3:16).

However, the Scriptures and experience show that not everyone has been reached with that message today or at any time in history. But that does not mean God has failed. He has the power to resurrect and plans to bring everyone back from the dead. The wonderful biblical truth of the second resurrection is the real answer to how God’s desire will be fulfilled. See our article “Resurrections: What Are They?”

This article also explains that God will not force anyone to be saved. It seems a few will reject God’s loving desire and offer and will choose eternal death instead. But we believe that the majority will learn the truth, see God’s desire and great love, and choose salvation—choose eternal life in the Kingdom of God.”  From:  https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/gods-desire-

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Update.

Another great week here in the little city of Navasota, TX, except for a trip to Hempstead to renew my expired drivers license.  My granddaughter, Michelle had been to a seminar in nearby College Station, so when she came to visit me she also took me to Hempstead.

We had to wait quite a long time outside the office in a long queue, in the heat. At least they had provided a shady awning for us to wait under. Being young she was getting impatient, but after an hour or so it was finally my turn to go inside.  The building’s capacity was only 30, and after another wait, I was finally seen, thumb-printed and photo taken.  Then for some reason my new green card wouldn’t “confirm”, whatever that is.  So I have to wait five days for it to be confirmed and then go back.  I understand that everyone has to get a new license with a gold star on it now.

Here at the apartments this week we had Bible Study, bingo, and a Wellness Program (about nutrition).  I usually go to any functions to try to meet my neighbors.  All that I have met are so sweet.  But a big HUD inspection is coming up and everything else is being postponed until that is over.  Our maintenance man for these 48 apartments was fired because he just couldn’t focus, and they have had to pull other maintenance men from other apartments to try to catch up on the list of over 100 things that needed to be repaired.  I had a list of several things that didn’t work properly when I moved in a month ago, and gradually they are getting fixed.

My neighbor and I studied in her apartment on Friday morning again to prepare for this week’s Bible lesson that we would be having at church.    The service had the week’s quote from Ezra 8:22. “The gracious hand of or God is on everyone who looks to him”.  The Teaching was “What is Your Vocation?”.  How everyone has a skill that can be put to use to praise and witness. 

For the Sabbath potluck I made meatless spaghetti with a Field Roast that I ground up to look like ground meat, but it is made of grains and veggies. https://fieldroast.com/product/celebration-roast/  It was popular and I was told it was tasty, so that made my day.

Appearances. Did Paul Say We Can Eat Anything? Virtual Religion? Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Appearances

“It does not take long for a person to realize the importance of appearance.

Fall Maple/Pexels

True beauty lies in the time and effort we spend the matters of our heart.

We want others to think well of us, and usually we take a lot of care in our appearance—the things we say and do. We want to leave an impression and be presentable. We also spend time and money on our personal appearance. Our face, hair, body and clothing all consume time every day. There are necessary parts that do need care.

But it is what is inside that really matters. True beauty lies in the time and effort we spend the matters of our heart. Jesus explained that to the leaders of Jerusalem that they were good at cleaning the outside of the cup and dish, but were full of self-indulgence and extortion on the inside (Matthew 23:25-27). First be sure the inside is clean, and then the outside will be clean as well. “  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/appearances

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Did Paul Say We Can Eat Anything?

“What did the apostle Paul mean in 1 Timothy 4:4? 

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/o3Wr4P3-e9M

[Steve Myers] “A question came in from one of our viewers about a program I did about God’s food laws, and they were pointing out a passage that they said I intentionally overlooked. So, as you begin to think about God’s food laws, the Bible has a lot to say about food. And the point that they brought up was what the Apostle Paul told Timothy in 1Timothy 4:4. They pointed out that that scripture says, “For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it’s received with thanksgiving.” Of course, I had gone through and talked about how God delineates certain foods are good to eat and others are not, according to Scripture.

Well, what they did is they pointed out this passage and said, “Well, wait a second, it says here nothing is to be refused. So, if I pray over my pulled pork sandwich or I pray over my crawfish, it should be just fine. That’s what the Apostle Paul was telling Timothy because, after all, we’re New Covenant Christians and we don’t have to keep that old law.” Well, they thought I intentionally skipped over that passage, but when you begin to put it in the context of what Paul is saying, in the very next verse he says something powerful. Notice what he says. This is in 1 Timothy 4:5. Once he says it’s to be received with thanksgiving, he says it’s sanctified by the Word of God and prayer.

So now we have a second aspect that’s added here. Not only should we pray over our food, give God the thanks for providing for us, but we see very clearly here what is it that sets apart food for us. What is it that makes something acceptable or unacceptable when it comes to us? Well, God does. God is the one who says this is what you should do, here’s how you should act, this is even the food that you should eat. So, here, we see this food is sanctified or set apart by the word of God and thanksgiving. So we should be thankful, but what does the word of God have to say about food?

And you see, that’s the critical part. We have to go to the Word of God to see what is set apart as good food. And that’s why we have to turn over to Leviticus 11 or we have to turn to Deuteronomy 14. And when we turn to those passages, it delineates very clearly what is good food to eat and what is not. So don’t be taken in by just taking one little passage and not seeing it in the entire context of Scripture. So you can check out these passages. We’ve got other literature that you can check out to find out what exactly is good food that is sanctified by the Word of God.”   From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/did-paul-say-we-can-eat-anything

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Virtual Religion?

“New technology in our modern world is now bleeding over into people’s religious lives. What does God expect of us?

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/w1CeuxHKUdg

[Darris McNeely] “I was once called to a hospital emergency room to pray for and to anoint someone who had had a heart attack at work. I’d known the man, he’d been a part of my congregation at one time but he had stopped attending and he began listening to a minister from way off on cassette tapes.

Now, this goes back a few years, I realize and dated here. But that man became his pastor. But the problem was his pastor, off the cassette tape, lived more than 1000 miles away. When he needed me, he called me to come and pray for him in the hospital to anoint him as scripture says. Now, you know, I kind of smiled when I did that. The man got better and he actually went on to get better and was healed. And I thought to myself, where was his pastor, his virtual pastor that he was listening to on cassette tape when he really needed him?

You know, we’ve gone a long way from cassette tapes. Now, I was reading an article recently about what they call virtual churches, how with all the technology of virtual reality and the internet and streaming services, all of this invading churches and religions today, now people can go to Jerusalem in virtual reality. They can go to church from their living room with a virtual reality headset on and engage with other people virtually. They can even be baptized virtually, I guess.

It’s hard to imagine fulfilling the scripture of teaching in a virtual way but that’s what we’ve come to. And of course, the article here that I was reading in a newspaper was talking about how this is appealing to a new generation, how it’s bringing people who are not interested in religion into church at least in a virtual way and getting them interested in talking about God, the Bible, debating various things. But could there be something lacking? Well, I think that there may be.

One of the quotes that came out of this article was quoting some pastor of a church for us speaking about how he adapted to this virtual technology. It was all about being relevant to the times. He went on to say, “We have to begin to reimagine how a church has done because we’re seeking to minister to a generation of digital natives and the only way to reach them is to be intentional about your digital engagement.”

Now, what does that mean? I don’t know. But I do know that we do need to be together. That if you’re going to follow the scriptural teaching on the subject of religion, God, fellowship, the Church and it’s full of meaning, we need to be together. We need to be looking at each other in the eyes. We need to be hugging one another in that sense of fellowship and doing exactly what the scripture tells us.

In fact, in Hebrews 10:25, the Apostle Paul writes about not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, “Don’t forsake coming together as the manner of some are, but exalt one another,” which means to basically come together and encourage, to love one another, to help one another. And so much the more as you see the day approaching.”

Virtual reality, interesting. Certainly, internet technology that can reach people with the Gospel does have this application. But there’s no substitute for getting to know people, problems and all, learning to grow, develop, worship God together as we are instructed within the scripture. That’s what we need. That’s what my friend really needed. And at some point in our life, we’re going to need that human touch of a friend who shares our faith with us.

So don’t get caught up in the technology and neglect basic scriptural teaching about the church, fellowship, and our need for one another.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/virtual-religion

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In Case You Missed it:

German Intel: Iran Wants to Expand to Weapons of Mass Destruction” reported The Jerusalem Post May 29.

For prophetic background on weapons of mass destruction, see “Weapons of Mass Destruction and Bible Prophecy.”

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Update.

On Sunday, even though my back was still hurting, I accompanied my friend to the flea market out 105 east of Conroe.  He gets two tables so that he can park his utility trailer and SUV side by side.  A lot of the items that had been left over from the estate sales where he works, had been piled into boxes and stored in my 10’ x 20’ storage tent.  So, as none of them were heavy, hundreds of small teddy bears, Beanie Babies and such, I got them out and placed the boxes poking out of the back of my van.  I don’t like to put things on the ground because then I would have to bend down to pick them up!  But when he arrived, his SUV was full, so we pushed the boxes into my van and I drove there, too. 

We unloaded my van onto one table, and the contents of his SUV on another, and he backed his trailer up so that all his big items could be seen. He had bicycles, e-bike, wide and regular wheelchairs, Rollators, several metal flower stands and a Retro Rolling Display Cart Planter, etc.  Even though we arrived later than usual, nearly everything sold. 

The next day was Memorial Day, and the following day I had another appointment with the chiropractor.  This time he did adjust my back and it felt so much better. As I was in Conroe, I donated all the toys and things that had not been sold to the Asisistance League and The Women’s Center.  I also gave some comforters which had little holes in them to the Conroe Shelter for the critters there.  Better than them sleeping on the concrete.  Any way it gives the dogs something to wrestle with and “kill”!

We had quite a lot of Christmas stuff, and the only place I know that sells those items year round is Angelic, and when I was at the back donating, I couldn’t believe how much stuff they had in their warehouse waiting to be sorted and priced.  No wonder they had to move to a larger facilty a few years ago, and then expand to the stores next door.  It is a large store and they sell everything. 

While I was there I bought a convection toaster oven for $15, to replace my $150 digital non-convection Breville which only lasted 5 years. This one is NOT digital, is a Cuisinart, and it has aleady baked potatoes and roasted zucchini perfectly.  Now I don’t have to crank up my big wall convection oven which is so high up that I have trouble getting hot items out of it safely.  Height challenged people, like me, have to think of these things!

But I still prefer to donate to the Assistance League, because all the ladies are volunteers so it is a really non-profit organization, and they do so much good.   https://www.assistanceleague.org/montgomery-county/

A nice lunch at a local Mexican restaurant with my granddaughter, Michelle, on Wednesday.  I had potato nachos, I didn’t know there was such a thing, and they were good.

Another trip to the chiropractor, and now I am beginning to think that there is some milking of the system.  I am just about better, so why should my insurance have to pay for lots of extra visits?   Just like the medicine they prescribed for my osteoporosis.  I asked for a little to try it out as I am so sensitive to chemicals, but they prescribed a three months supply!  The doctors are pushing up the cost of medical care.

For the church’s Sabbath potluck I took Roasted Zucchini and Onions, Mashed Organic Potatoes, and Mushroom and Onion Sauce. 

The Bible readings were Psa. 130-132, Exo. 19:1-2-:19, Isa. 61:7-9, Luke 4:16-30 and all of Matt. 19.  The Teaching was about “Moses Fellowship with God”.  He certainly had great fellowship with the Lord, more than any others before Christ.  Next weekend we will be celebrating Pentecost.

A family who had been absent for the last few weeks were back, so that made everyone’s day.

Memorial Day: A Day of Remembrance. Why Work? Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Memorial Day: A Day of Remembrance  

“Memorial Day helps us remember those who have died in war. It can also help us long for the day when true peace will come to this war-torn world.

On Memorial Day Americans will honor those who died fighting in the many wars that have marked this nation’s 242-year history. Flowers will be placed on the graves of the dead, and ceremonies will take place around the country to honor those who gave their lives in defense of this country. Prayers will also be offered up for the safety of those actively serving in harm’s way.

As we honor those who sacrificed their lives in war, we might ask ourselves, will war or the threat of war always be with us?

A brief history

Memorial Day was proclaimed in 1868 (three years after the Civil War) by General John Logan and was first observed on May 30 of that year when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. More Americans were killed fighting the Civil War than both world wars combined.

After World War I the holiday was changed to honor Americans who died fighting in any war. It is now celebrated on the last Monday in May.

Most have deep respect for those young men and women who willingly laid their lives on the line for the security of their families and country.

Sometimes in today’s ungodly world, it seems that there is no alternative to war.

A terrible toll

Though war is glorified in movies and video games, in reality it exacts a terrible toll on nations as well as individuals”

Continue Reading  at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/memorial-day-a-day-of-remembrance/

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Why Work?

“It is important to work so that we can provide, but what other reason is there for our labor?

YouTube: https://youtu.be/R_necpnsT_0

Transcript

[Steve Myers] “Why do you work? Well, most of us would certainly answer the question, well, I need to provide. I need to provide for myself, I need to provide for my family, I’ve got bills to pay, I’ve gotta take care of my mortgage or my rent, I’ve gotta put food on the table. Those are the normal answers and those are all good things, we do need to provide. God says that we’re supposed to do that, if we don’t provide for our own Paul told Timothy, “We’re worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8)

So we do have to provide, but is that the only reason why we work? The Apostle Paul gives us some insight into an important reason that may not normally come to mind, and it’s over in the book of Ephesians 4:28. He’s giving some instructions on how we can be more Christ-like, how we need to grow more Godly in our character and he says, “Let him who stole steal no more, but rather let him labor.”

So we do need to work, we need to work and take care of ourselves, we can’t have dishonest gain. Can’t have it that way. So he says, “Working with his own hands what is good,” so there’s that concept I’ve gotta put food on the table, I’ve gotta pay the rent those kinds of things. But then he concludes the thought by saying that “He may have something to give him who has need.” So he’s expanding this idea of why do we work? Is it only for selfish reasons? Is it only to put bread on the table? Is it only to pay the rent? You see the Apostle Paul saying, “An important reason we work is to give, and to share, and to fill others’ needs.”

And so we see in a sense the working of the commandments here that first as a Christian I have to provide for my own family. I have to love God, provide for my own. But he also says I have to provide for others and help others that are in need, so it’s that fulfilling of the commandment, love my neighbor. Love my neighbor as myself. So let’s remember this principle that we need to work and then recognize the fact I have to help others, I should serve others, I should certainly work also in order to give to him who has need.””  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/memorial-day-a-day-of-remembrance/

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Update

Zach helped me a couple of times this week, but he doesn’t eat right and often gets sick.  He is 40, yes, forty years younger than I am, and is in terrible shape.  He gets overheated and tired very easily. He only eats processed, or fried food, hardly any veggies or anything with antioxidents in it. https://www.sharecare.com/health/antioxidants/a-good-antioxidant-for-me    And he drinks a lot of sodas.  You can’t run your body like that, just like you can’t run your car on water.  YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT, AND WHAT IT ATE !!  Food is your only fuel, so eat what is right.

He pressure-washed the side fence while I cut down any weeds that might get in his way.  My houses are on a corner at the front of the subdivision so I originally had two border fences.  They (The Property Owners Assn.) said that I could keep the side fence if I maintained it.  They said that about my back yard fence which borders the front of the subdivision, but some silly sod that was working for them took that fence down without even bringing it up at a meeting.   So I have no fence between my houses and the main road behind me now.  The new board says that they will replace it with a better fence.  We will see!  Anyway, in the mean time we are working on the side fence.  As long as it looks good, maybe they will leave it alone.

We also hung the kitchen door back up in the mini-house.  We had taken it down to paint the jam to match the other doorways.  Zack tires so easily that we have to quit early. 

A feral mama cat had her kittens here, and they are so cute, three orange and two gray tabbies.  They run and hide when they see anyone coming, but one little orange bobtail one lets me pet him.  How do I know it is a him?  Because most orange tabbies are males.  The mama has moved them again, I don’t know where they are now, but I have been leaving food out for her as it must be difficult for her to make milk for five babies.  When I know where the babies are, I will catch them and trap her, then they can get spayed or neutered.  EVERY LITTER BIT HURTS.

My granddaughter, Michelle, from my son’s side, came to see me so that we could discuss getting all this stuff and this place sold, but no plan of action has been decided yet.  She wanted all the ribbons and stuff that I got when I was showing dogs, and as I have no more use for them, I gave them to her, along with my vintage Schwinn.

The broken church kitchen fridge was replaced so I took some of their stuff back.  I had to stop at the Post Office on the way, so I could only take what could be kept in insulated container with packs of dry ice.  The ‘new’ fridge isn’t as big as the old one, but it was donated, so we didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.  I made a Chinese dish with grass-fed Angus beef, baby corn, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, snow peas, carrots, onion, etc.  and another crockpot of brown rice.  We also had chicken salad, butter beans, beef and penne, broccoli, sweet potatoes, several gooey pies and fruit pies.

The Bible readings were Lev. 25:1-26:2, Jer. 32:6-27 and Luke 4:16-21.  The Teaching was How Christ (Yeshua) Gives.  He gives us Rest, Keys to the Kingdom, Power over evil spirits, Living Waters, His life, and Peace.

The sanctuary was so cold that I could hardly stay in there.  The sanctuary doesn’t have a very high ceiling but the vents really blow hard.  Whoever put in that system didn’t account for that.  I can’t stand icy cold air blowing on me like that, my eyes watered, my head stopped up, and I was sniffling from the cold draught.  I tried moving to different places, but there was no escaping it.  I might have to go back to the afternoon church a few miles south of that one, next Saturday.

Stephen Hawking and the Big Question. The Patrick You Didn't Know. Cereal Bags Kill. Dog Fighting Is Not Entertainment! Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”, but late again.

Stephen Hawking and the Big Question

“Stephen Hawking’s brilliant mind revolutionized the world of theoretical physics—but did he ever find an answer to “the big question” that drove him?

For Stephen Hawking, there was only ever one big question.

During his university years, everything came easy. He rarely studied or took notes because, in his words, “Nothing seemed worth making an effort for.” The exception was cosmology. He was drawn to the subject because it involved “the big question: Where did the universe come from?” (Kitty Ferguson, Stephen Hawking: An Unfettered Mind, 2013, p. 31).

He spent his career in pursuit of answering that question, even as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) slowly destroyed his ability to move his own body. Over time, he lost all muscle control with the exception of the ability to flex a finger, twitch his cheek muscles and move his eyes.

But that was enough. Those few muscle movements were all he needed to turn the world of physics on its head and make a lasting impact on how we look at the universe itself.

A theory of everything

In 1973 Dr. Hawking spent months trying to decipher how quantum mechanics interacted with the forces of gravity. Since he was unable to write or even turn pages, “friends turned the pages of quantum theory textbooks as Dr. Hawking sat motionless staring at them for months. They wondered if he was finally in over his head” (“Stephen Hawking Dies at 76; His Mind Roamed the Cosmos”).

But he wasn’t.

Dr. Stephen Hawking was temporarily released from the constraints of his wheelchair when he took a zero gravity flight in 2007.

He succeeded not only in performing an astronomically complicated calculation entirely in his own mind, but also in making an astronomically important discovery. The result was a completely new way of looking at black holes—those supermassive collapsed stars so dense that even light itself can’t escape their pull—and the discovery of Hawking radiation.”      Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/stephen-hawking-and-the-big-question/

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The Patrick You Didn't Know

“Who was "Saint" Patrick? What did he believe? What did he teach? And was he really Irish?

sxc.hu/shannahsin

Saint Patrick’s Day is a well recognized holiday in the Western world. Celebrated in mid-March with no other Christian holidays around it, Saint Patrick’s Day has taken on a very festive atmosphere. While many picture wearing green, three-leaf clovers, leprechauns, green beer and corned beef, do any of those things really have anything to do with Patrick himself?

Do you know who Patrick was—and more importantly what he taught?

Let’s start with what most people think they know. We have been told that Patrick was a Catholic monk who brought the Trinity doctrine to the people of Ireland. And along the way he drove all the snakes from the Emerald Isle. He became so renowned that the Catholic Church made him a “saint.”

None of that is true.

The Scottish slave in the Celtic Church

Patrick’s given name was actually Maewyn Succat (or Sucat). He took the name Patrick most likely because of the area he was from in Scotland. That’s right, Patrick was Scottish, not Irish! Here’s what Patrick said himself of his background:

“I, Patrick…had Calpornius  for my father, a deacon, a son of the late Potitus, the presbyter, who dwelt in the village of Banavan…I was captured. I was almost sixteen years of age…and taken to Ireland in captivity with many thousand men” (William Cathcart, D. D., The Ancient British and Irish Churches , p.127).

Patrick labored for six years as a slave until he managed to escape back to his native Scotland around A.D. 376. He believed he had a calling from God, however, to go back to Ireland to teach God’s Word to the people there. The Catholic Church, while having had an impact in England and later Scotland, did not have a significant foothold in Ireland until the 12th century. They didn’t even acknowledge Patrick for about 200 years after his death.

Patrick was connected to what is known as the Celtic Church. It was very much opposed to what was taught in the Roman Catholic Church.

While we have little of Patrick’s history and teaching written by himself, what’s taught about Patrick now didn’t surface until about 500 years after his death. It was the Catholic priest Jocelyn, writing around A.D. 1130 who wrote most extensively about Patrick. He ignored much of what was known then about Patrick and inserted a Catholic background into Patrick’s story. Patrick never wrote about a connection to Rome or popes or that his authority came from there. So if Patrick wasn’t Roman Catholic, what did he teach?

Patrick’s actual teachings

In A.D. 596 Pope Gregory sent a group of monks to England to try and bring the Celtic Church under the authority of Rome. However, the Celts refused to acknowledge Gregory’s authority and rejected the teachings of the Roman Church. In Ireland the monks found that the Celtic Church permitted their priests to marry. They also practiced baptism by full immersion in water. The Celtic Church also rejected the doctrine of (papal) infallibility and veneration, transubstantiation, the confessional, the Mass, relic worship, image adoration and the primacy of Peter ( Truth Triumphant , by B.G. Wilkinson, pg. 108). The latter list is of specific Roman Catholic doctrines that the Celtic Church knew were not taught in the Scriptures.

Patrick also rejected the merging of church and state (a main teaching of Catholicism). He believed and taught the same as Jesus in John 18:36 that God’s Kingdom is not of this world. The Celtic Church had local ecclesiastical councils and kept Saturday as a day of rest, (A.C. Flick, The Rise of Medieval Church, pp. 236-327). In this matter of a Saturday (Sabbath) rest, Dr. James C. Moffatt wrote that, “They [the Celtic churches] obeyed the fourth commandment [the Sabbath commandment] literally upon the seventh day of the week” ( The Church in Scotland , pg. 140).

Patrick (and the Celtic Church) observed the other “festivals of the Eternal” (Leviticus 23), believed human beings were mortal (that is rejected the teaching of an immortal soul and the doctrine of going to heaven or hell), rejected the Trinity doctrine, followed the food laws of Leviticus 11, refused veneration of “saints” or worship of Mary, and believed that only Jesus Christ is our mediator (Leslie Hardinge, The Celtic Church in Britain ; B.G. Wilkinson, Truth Triumphant ).

The Celtic Church had a long history before the Catholic Church pushed deeper into England, Scotland and Ireland. Celtic writings speak of individuals coming from Asia Minor who brought with them the doctrines they received from John, Paul, Philip and other apostles of Jesus. A Catholic “father,” Bede, (who lived in the mid 700s A.D.) who wrote about the Celtic Church:

“They ignorantly refuse to observe our Easter [Pascha, or Passover] on which Christ was sacrificed, arguing that it should be observed with the Hebrew Passover on the fourteenth of the moon” (Bede, Historia Ecclesiastica ).

What about St. Patrick’s Day?

Conrtinued at: https://www.ucg.org/vertical-thought/the-patrick-you-didnt-know

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A Common Mistake Killed Her Dog, Now She Is Sharing His Story To Save Others

BY ANDREA POWELL

“Christina Young had to endure the sudden loss of her beloved dog, Petey, after a common mistake was made. This could be happening in many homes right now!

Young’s boyfriend, Christian, came home one day expecting Petey to greet him with a wagging tail and wet nose, but that didn’t happen. When he entered their home and Petey was not at the door, he became alarmed. Christian went further into the home, where he found their best friend, lifeless on the floor with a chip bag over his head.

Photo: Facebook/Christina Young

Young posted to Facebook, “He was able to get them off the counter [and] we will forever blame ourselves for leaving [them] out. He ate every chip out but, of course, went back for crumbs…. With there being nothing left inside, every time he would go for more he would inhale, making the bag tighter and tighter around his head…ultimately resulting in suffocation .” 

Photo: Facebook/Christina Young

Young couldn’t understand why Petey couldn’t get the bag off his head with his paws. She dived into researching the subject and found that it is more common than she thought. She was not alone, and she was not the first to wonder why there was not more information or awareness of this. She goes on to say, “3-5 pet suffocations get reported every week, and 42 percent of those occur while the owner is in the next room. It only takes about 3 minutes for their oxygen to drop to fatal levels.”

In her research, she discovered that literally any bag can cause suffocation and needs to be out of reach for your dog. She never imagined this could happen, and you may not have either.

She ends her post with a plea to all pet parents, “So I just ask that in honor of my boy, Petey, that you be extra careful, warn other dog owners, and give your fur babies some extra love today and every day after this. I pray none of you ever have to experience your heart breaking this way.”  From: http://blog.theanimalrescuesite.com/chip-bag-petey/ 

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Dog Fighting Is Not Entertainment!

Please tell YouTube to remove all videos containing any form of dog fighting.

The Animal Rescue Site received a disappointing letter from YouTube in response to our request to ban dog fighting videos. Rather than agree to remove them, YouTube merely reiterated their flagging policy, and did nothing to acknowledge the harm these videos are causing. Your signatures are more important than ever -- help us tell YouTube that we won't take no for an answer!”  http://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/ars/petition/YoutubeDogfighting

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Update.

Zack and I did a little bit of work in the mini-house, but most of the week was taken up with messing with my van.  My granddaughter helped me get it dropped off to get the oxygen sensor replaced and Chris took me to pick it up.    I had only driven it 14 miles when the light came back on again  !!!   I took it straight back so they scanned it again and said that it needs a catalytic converter now, and that’s $550.  It is a very quiet vehicle and it doesn’t smell of rotten eggs like bad converters usually do.

The van still has to be driven the required 100 miles to make sure the oxygen sensor is OK, so I drove to church as usual.  I was told that I have all the necessary paperwork if I am stopped for having out of date tags and inspection.

My little timid ‘Puddin’, foster cat, went to her new home, but I haven’t heard how she is getting along yet.  Luna, the Siamese, and I miss her, and Luna keeps on looking for her.

One morning, I was standing in my kitchen when water dripped on me.   Zack and I found out that the ceramic-lined water heater connector that goes in the top of the water heater had developed a pin point leak.  Fortunately I had another one, so with Chris’ help, as she is very strong because she trims horses feet, we got the old stubborn, calcium-ridden, corroded one off, and replaced it.

For the church pot-luck, I made a par-boiled shredded beet and carrot salad made with orange, lemon juice, olive oil, not vinegar.  Also a potato, leek and parsley dish, and another of cabbage with onions and matchstick carrots.  We had a lot of other dishes and veggies, and everything was enjoyed by all. Two separate familes who each have five children couldn’t come, so it was a lot quieter in the dining hall.  They keep all their children quiet during the service, so they get a bit rambunctious afterwards.

The Bible readings were Exo. 35:1-38:20, about the Sabbath and the making of the Ark of the Covenant and the Altar.  The Teaching was about “False Doctrines”, how they were foretold, and that we can see them being taught even today. 

Claudia isn’t at the nursing home near the church as she is back in the hospital on the west side of Houston, near her daughter’s houses, so I couldn’t go see her.

I did get another cheaper estimate for the converter, but I am going to investigate this further when I can leave here without going the long way around.  There was a bad fire at the storage units down the street, and the road will be blocked most of the day.