tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83823809945537510262024-03-15T20:09:59.121-05:00BlessingsDaughter of a King, wife, boy mom. Just a sassy southern belle that loves to kiss & tell. Thanks for stopping by.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-27519319795121532502014-08-30T14:10:00.001-05:002014-08-30T14:20:37.019-05:00New Milestone- 50 Pounds Down!OK, so today I have officially lost 50 POUNDS since June 24th of this year!!!! I'm so excited to reach this milestone in my life. I still have quite a ways to go but I'm celebrating this accomplishment!<br />
<br />
Now for inches lost:<br />
Waist: -5 inches<br />
Hips: -8 inches<br />
Thigh: -5.5 inches<br />
Calf: -3 inches<br />
Upper Arm: -1.5 inches<br />
<br />
My Doctor has kept me on the same diet initially prescribed to treat the PCOS and Low Cortisol. The only thing she has changed is adding in some moderate exercise. I can walk up to 45 minutes twice daily while carrying weights up to 3 pounds. She still doesn't want me to overdo it with strenuous exercise since my calorie intake is so low. <br />
<br />
The only thing I've had trouble with is time. It takes extra time to prepare my meals plus my families since they have to eat more than I do. Also, exercising and shopping for fresh fruits and veggies (which is more often than I would normally go to the store) are time consuming. I have an extremely busy schedule and many things are simply nonnegotiable in my life. So I'm learning to make eating right and exercising a part of it. <br />
<br />
I put God first so my time with Him is a must! Psalms 28:7 <span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. </span>Family comes second and my ministry third. I work to do all things as unto the Lord so even my daily life I consider ministry. Colossians 3:17 <span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.</span> I think the biggest revelation I've had is that in order to do any of the things I consider necessary- I must try to be healthy by taking care of myself better. <br />
<br />
I did find out through a friend that the diet prescribed to me is actually called the HCG diet. The only difference is I am not taking any hormones- I'm only following the food part. Knowing this has helped me a lot because there are many recipes on Pinterest. So I've been mixing up the flavor of the foods that I'm able to eat.<br />
<br />
I have found some items that have helped get me through the last few months without feeling hungry or blowing my diet. I'm really trying to keep things as clean- with as few processed foods and additives as possible.<br />
<br />
Drops of flavoring to put in your water are nice to mix things up without the added calories.<br />
<img src="http://fb101.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/WaterEnhancers.png" /><br />
<br />
Anything Walden Farms is a diet-saver since I cant have sauces or dressings with ANY calories.<br />
I've found their dressings at Win-Dixie but the other items I may only be able to order online.<br />
<img alt="Are you living the low-carb lifestyle and/or dieting and ABSOLUTELY DYING for a guilt-free indulgence? Get on the Walden Farms bandwagon -- right now. With zero calories and zero sugar in every product, Walden Farms offers dieters a guilt-free alternative for salad dressing, pancake syrup, chocolate syrup, marshmallow dip, barbecue sauce, mayo, peanut butter, and more." src="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6f/cf/1f/6fcf1fa9c195e38aa2bcc711c91a7173.jpg" height="280" width="400" /><br />
<br />
Skinny Dippers help to take the place of deserts.<br />
<img alt="Skinny Dippers Zero Calorie Desserts" src="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a2/4c/95/a24c95ea70f0ea1dc7f424682408c91b.jpg" height="248" width="320" /><br />
<br />
Fruit chips are a great alternative to potato chips. Crispy Greens are freeze dried so they're super crispy. I've found these at The Fresh Market.<br />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13JyVMkMBDvt_z4wDR4ZZxc4C2E9WhWOWptxESLOWbFnuO-uuVjjIHCXsxBI5YvzU-JMFEto63Q-Ot9_5RwTmVaHik7YNAEYjkNXYYWIHHJ12xtRCs57sFcFvP4BGnGKlE669AWlqfm80/s320/Crispy+Green+freeze+dried+fruit+snacks.jpg" height="295" width="400" /><br />
<br />
0 Calorie noodles and rice are my favorite find so far! They're a wonderful filler and just sort of soak up the flavor of whatever you eat them with.<br />
<img src="http://loveyourreflection.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DSCN0426.jpg" height="150" width="200" /> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mPXHkdDIzfT4r9n76HelAwcMv485g_tQde28cKbqxgKEGOk5vhfSxzRw5WvjTZf4QaLg7yQ2mQk-EXbbGwc88C6hIxYZobQquD4zSES3niR8MwdHOOV9vDgxpku5jGqNN5s5WKeV1V0/s320/04113-house-traditional-shirataki-lg.jpg" height="200" width="200" /><br />
<br />
Gods Blessings your way,<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-64624484790300822162014-07-24T21:55:00.001-05:002014-07-24T21:55:06.823-05:0027 POUNDS DOWN!As of today I have been on the diet and medications that my Doctor prescribed for 4 weeks and have lost a total of 27 POUNDS! She has me eating less than 500 calories daily. When I first realized how few calories I was eating I was concerned that I would be hungry and tired. I have to say, I have felt good and I've not been starving at all. I'm praying that this continues. My diet requires me to eat fresh, highly nutritious foods, with protein, and without preservatives. I believe this makes the difference.<br />
<br />
Below I've posted some more photo of the meals I've been eating. I've found some unique way s to prepare the food I can eat to mix it up some. Tonight I'm baking home made strawberry candy and apple chips using a sugar substitute. I'm sure they'll taste great! On Pinterest I'v found tons of recipes for my diet. Feel free to follow me or check out my boards. http://www.pinterest.com/shellylpm<br />
<br />
I have to share this amazing dressing I've found at Winn-Dixie. Its calorie, carb, sugar and everything else free! It's called Walden Farms and has helped to make eating just plain spring mix salad (with no other veggies) doable. It comes in many different flavors and has been a diet saver. My next venture is to try something called Miracle noodles and Miracle rice. It has no calories or carbs! I'm a huge pasta lover (Italian blood runs through my veins) so I'm really excited to try these. I'll let you know the verdict next blog. If you have any awesome diet/heath foods you'd like to share please leave a comment! I can use all the help I can get.<br />
<br />
I have been giving myself one cheat meal per week. This has helped the diet not to become too mundane and has given me something to look forward to each week. It's been motivation to do my diet correctly the entire week to earn my cheat. The first week I cheated with Chill. I chose a low fat flavor. It was a fun Friday night for my family and I. (see pics below) Usually I try to be smart about what I splurge on each week. Plus, my appetite and how much food I can eat has drastically changed. That has helped me not to overdo it on my cheats.<br />
<br />
As I've watched how quickly the weight was coming off I was concerned that it was mostly water weight and that I wasn't actually loosing any body mass. Well, I took my measurement yesterday to compare to the ones I'd taken June 24th and here are the results...<br />
Waist: -2 1/2 inches<br />
Hips: -4<br />
Thigh: -5<br />
Upper Arm: -1 1/2 inches<br />
Yay, I just did a little happy dance. =}<br />
I'm still not showing the weight loss like I want to be though. I'm ready for my clothes to fall off! I'm looking forward to a new wardrobe and shopping for it actually being a fun activity. <br />
<br />
I went back to my doctor this past Monday and she was very pleased with my progress. She asked me to stay on the same diet for another month & told me to begin taking a B complex vitamin daily. She also gave me a B-12 shot before I left. Ouch. ='[<br />
<br />
Over this next month I'm not sure what to expect. I have no idea if the weight will continue dropping this quickly and if I'll continue to feel this good. We shall see because I'm not giving up!<br />
Until next time,<br />
Blessings your way,<br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br /><!--500--><!--500--><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCp8fWS5EZnseT0VPCeKQ-e_OHpUXxKDhBUsJJEhLZSz6JcXO4xAx5lq_9vljEhvMs0xoV_iY9r_7qH517hyphenhyphenuNh8QMNhKlftj2G3GryRlEXqTM5Or-Ez1seH33H4FZLa748NYg0ERu3HI/s1600/imgres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSi-PTzOWF0YyfEopIoMAay5FLtC8Hwgqi7O1_Hnx2Eb6jILYiGHsnUJJDXtiW7ZQlnytbsG6zave1h4rFk6EaeqIDwOZhKNdQhYiUL4YTyJiUQQIuXWYkVBdZXM5IKtLIFq5EpRy9hPFd/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSi-PTzOWF0YyfEopIoMAay5FLtC8Hwgqi7O1_Hnx2Eb6jILYiGHsnUJJDXtiW7ZQlnytbsG6zave1h4rFk6EaeqIDwOZhKNdQhYiUL4YTyJiUQQIuXWYkVBdZXM5IKtLIFq5EpRy9hPFd/s1600/2.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSi-PTzOWF0YyfEopIoMAay5FLtC8Hwgqi7O1_Hnx2Eb6jILYiGHsnUJJDXtiW7ZQlnytbsG6zave1h4rFk6EaeqIDwOZhKNdQhYiUL4YTyJiUQQIuXWYkVBdZXM5IKtLIFq5EpRy9hPFd/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs92zKoSIKd5syBXUD9baGf_0H1DXZiihdeHcEzVDr_nQiT8zpip1_nYCbVBcl3M9H6w7Q9FN1QvfYoFt1QYqtq7pDux77vT4fu7hcrj1ts_-hCbHL2Zv-Mt5Og6yVPs_1aBUu3PK8_qJ_/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs92zKoSIKd5syBXUD9baGf_0H1DXZiihdeHcEzVDr_nQiT8zpip1_nYCbVBcl3M9H6w7Q9FN1QvfYoFt1QYqtq7pDux77vT4fu7hcrj1ts_-hCbHL2Zv-Mt5Og6yVPs_1aBUu3PK8_qJ_/s1600/3.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJV4ccjSvtYIOEtASdr-viqg2JhqDZjbJ3IRarzdTSWeNf5m8S1QxdoTkvPDuAnZTSQI9Ho_a4v_lCpJ3T5VgROhez8IJ0OkCE14CK_SSupBVrCdLlzA2fGVCcPAzWJELcjR1PQbe5fetn/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJV4ccjSvtYIOEtASdr-viqg2JhqDZjbJ3IRarzdTSWeNf5m8S1QxdoTkvPDuAnZTSQI9Ho_a4v_lCpJ3T5VgROhez8IJ0OkCE14CK_SSupBVrCdLlzA2fGVCcPAzWJELcjR1PQbe5fetn/s1600/4.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UJO1p9XgRkYoVgoO1C1EnYtLeEwRr2lL4q-TMzu5ZBbZn31hkc3xJU378fz09OGwF_9AXYs_4xDI0D-8YTsXhLzh8icaITlSMms3q9ZGXZUIckhWiwWMZ4cNP2gmsZtToSuZUEQ5x5RP/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UJO1p9XgRkYoVgoO1C1EnYtLeEwRr2lL4q-TMzu5ZBbZn31hkc3xJU378fz09OGwF_9AXYs_4xDI0D-8YTsXhLzh8icaITlSMms3q9ZGXZUIckhWiwWMZ4cNP2gmsZtToSuZUEQ5x5RP/s1600/10.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJq81rbij1-kMGppjEsLRNjsEiaDw5Ku3jCFFcYIBp7DmQ1gAGCzAvk0KRGXvAspy6ErukBZIPUcr_j44LjGRx26-XVUEK1GJOhe-uO6SCOKnxlj87ICIxNllhvuNo0zd-qiU43bLvTP2/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJq81rbij1-kMGppjEsLRNjsEiaDw5Ku3jCFFcYIBp7DmQ1gAGCzAvk0KRGXvAspy6ErukBZIPUcr_j44LjGRx26-XVUEK1GJOhe-uO6SCOKnxlj87ICIxNllhvuNo0zd-qiU43bLvTP2/s1600/7.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gYCCQjfC4OUo2HdOzWJ4umFhpxhpST9uZfBN5b3Yy6ZYwYwhlZdNH2Hj8-w_exC5ZSt1ko8LfFrIaLmgoNNURjcNfE8pajzMKIL6uI32s7HfQFr4YHiZDBAs8YJ112pMpNUW0gHcsBw7/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gYCCQjfC4OUo2HdOzWJ4umFhpxhpST9uZfBN5b3Yy6ZYwYwhlZdNH2Hj8-w_exC5ZSt1ko8LfFrIaLmgoNNURjcNfE8pajzMKIL6uI32s7HfQFr4YHiZDBAs8YJ112pMpNUW0gHcsBw7/s1600/9.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrMwmp3iClNHDLl6tHhLkqqK8aCvgx655IEgOAmbWQCdvZsv6ZMe8-iGpVhFoST62GcaqGDc4K-JSjM3mEwAfIJaC-0p9aY4WWu9fuBubIwwoFtEeiP3NabFmTM99Fiw5HUogom3srYtM/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrMwmp3iClNHDLl6tHhLkqqK8aCvgx655IEgOAmbWQCdvZsv6ZMe8-iGpVhFoST62GcaqGDc4K-JSjM3mEwAfIJaC-0p9aY4WWu9fuBubIwwoFtEeiP3NabFmTM99Fiw5HUogom3srYtM/s1600/5.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeynKdjtAK2MJvYEyx0meXp0qASb81sbgwhEP43-f1esBmJoj9y0vH3gCBcZQ0G-WWWaBeHtsG89EWzwxqqpRLnVrpSp_tnBrFC5SKe0t1NqPPz4eQDqLl73G3T6ZndYzMoGj5IMlBEKV8/s1600/a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeynKdjtAK2MJvYEyx0meXp0qASb81sbgwhEP43-f1esBmJoj9y0vH3gCBcZQ0G-WWWaBeHtsG89EWzwxqqpRLnVrpSp_tnBrFC5SKe0t1NqPPz4eQDqLl73G3T6ZndYzMoGj5IMlBEKV8/s1600/a.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sbfSsQThrO2OuMRXZviRhqEfLSCfA7aWaKOGAnSgF5pdUk6cW9cNzM4amvQiuucYJiKonYP9E5_A36C8TLI_1xlL6TmBM4iFmiODUX0PY0BM6wcqOXTPXgc5ed5pb8O7tyDN6Nb85f82/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHhBjprzpngvDgcrIR-zClb35DmkMbwMqmXMtvvq1WKBVI3oiyd8BYIc8oa7Rm2-K3PwDoBgHUmmxr9fO72F6dRDB_pUFw74HcrW7o_Y_CWBmX6eNvXJWtYemybhHB7MC-wRgxlOFFHkh/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHhBjprzpngvDgcrIR-zClb35DmkMbwMqmXMtvvq1WKBVI3oiyd8BYIc8oa7Rm2-K3PwDoBgHUmmxr9fO72F6dRDB_pUFw74HcrW7o_Y_CWBmX6eNvXJWtYemybhHB7MC-wRgxlOFFHkh/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sbfSsQThrO2OuMRXZviRhqEfLSCfA7aWaKOGAnSgF5pdUk6cW9cNzM4amvQiuucYJiKonYP9E5_A36C8TLI_1xlL6TmBM4iFmiODUX0PY0BM6wcqOXTPXgc5ed5pb8O7tyDN6Nb85f82/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="150" width="200" /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljy2YkRCenSX0oxzEAVR3e75ZS0eOYa9ApM1YlZaVP6EJmFXlAeDJPuWMYdgDJtSoPk4PHEpAdN8yxZP7-P4H1MtvNnutoXT7Yksix3cip_ct4o8OAhhu428GUB_DTu0BGxYtU9lwqcP8/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljy2YkRCenSX0oxzEAVR3e75ZS0eOYa9ApM1YlZaVP6EJmFXlAeDJPuWMYdgDJtSoPk4PHEpAdN8yxZP7-P4H1MtvNnutoXT7Yksix3cip_ct4o8OAhhu428GUB_DTu0BGxYtU9lwqcP8/s1600/8.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDucNPVcQ2Xm5zt7Y2q_7SVtl0i-yTV6Jq-i4_JYXf9VWwasL8cyHwVZw-d2lPEQLBe8MINeTyEPh5LVeN5P_zYaYfWkw6TFZjeCL0aFAreMgqsNViYDvMPf8h86ne_hpho7_VBN0YEDD/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDucNPVcQ2Xm5zt7Y2q_7SVtl0i-yTV6Jq-i4_JYXf9VWwasL8cyHwVZw-d2lPEQLBe8MINeTyEPh5LVeN5P_zYaYfWkw6TFZjeCL0aFAreMgqsNViYDvMPf8h86ne_hpho7_VBN0YEDD/s1600/6.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXh6GqZURD3r0VKzqMLThdLApsev7HOP6tFX9MVRbU4NyPbTl6g1TfIDpNnWvuI1-_EvQljNY51YHe61j8uLMOqjKQZSTb0R6BA5kaOKdiErI6OvEC5dJxpkEPwZ2tXgRpe4aRKs-dnkpD/s1600/f.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXh6GqZURD3r0VKzqMLThdLApsev7HOP6tFX9MVRbU4NyPbTl6g1TfIDpNnWvuI1-_EvQljNY51YHe61j8uLMOqjKQZSTb0R6BA5kaOKdiErI6OvEC5dJxpkEPwZ2tXgRpe4aRKs-dnkpD/s1600/f.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YBOCe-sBRKkAMQZx-8V_EEvqiNHmJ4LD5-CYWloSsmUFLjhzpzj_5kDB3Nj9_hh_X_50cYaJuoMbETO8ATYdqvepmKwN-sgftXjfVCH0EUA9QY45VVk7DfmBqG2Kdk6rGBDgfNXv_yE4/s1600/d.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YBOCe-sBRKkAMQZx-8V_EEvqiNHmJ4LD5-CYWloSsmUFLjhzpzj_5kDB3Nj9_hh_X_50cYaJuoMbETO8ATYdqvepmKwN-sgftXjfVCH0EUA9QY45VVk7DfmBqG2Kdk6rGBDgfNXv_yE4/s1600/d.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxLE7KszRX5Zf8D5Qp3XE054I9_l3YarvcEK-JMtNJjfb4nSoZDwSwSsGpUFachpy1sh56LNLwPbGktB8vPQ_7Hc4HRxqATB06auaD93aHfSovoyo3e7Stgb7yZ6hcElnzYEecpYY7OTm/s1600/h.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxLE7KszRX5Zf8D5Qp3XE054I9_l3YarvcEK-JMtNJjfb4nSoZDwSwSsGpUFachpy1sh56LNLwPbGktB8vPQ_7Hc4HRxqATB06auaD93aHfSovoyo3e7Stgb7yZ6hcElnzYEecpYY7OTm/s1600/h.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6ZPMp9KMS2yaqfidfpcmAUgmTybvttWgBLQgFtW3VlOyXgcVjIKOdVPah2CDTquo6pwmId0uFEb43T5Ql0T4OZOpQgv1nWrHtaGwIj8njBa3INOLEEHXtPf6drm-OZC4fBq61Mdxcbh2/s1600/s.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6ZPMp9KMS2yaqfidfpcmAUgmTybvttWgBLQgFtW3VlOyXgcVjIKOdVPah2CDTquo6pwmId0uFEb43T5Ql0T4OZOpQgv1nWrHtaGwIj8njBa3INOLEEHXtPf6drm-OZC4fBq61Mdxcbh2/s1600/s.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiiUnJSRTHIaPSDtcA-rutqUrCTwR456vinBKWNGp-ZOjj9vZ3YGQp0sR3egXvZonI3KTu05jQ3X-ipykmdQKCRFw9M0lTwbx9TSeGZXFUDMqrB86u7QfIeCYXRegydeSB6ZYreK8HaLGA/s1600/g.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiiUnJSRTHIaPSDtcA-rutqUrCTwR456vinBKWNGp-ZOjj9vZ3YGQp0sR3egXvZonI3KTu05jQ3X-ipykmdQKCRFw9M0lTwbx9TSeGZXFUDMqrB86u7QfIeCYXRegydeSB6ZYreK8HaLGA/s1600/g.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-TIpMIZlIK_4%2FU9HASaqH4aI%2FAAAAAAAAGeo%2FrSQbhR1vtXQ%2Fs1600%2F2.JPG&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSi-PTzOWF0YyfEopIoMAay5FLtC8Hwgqi7O1_Hnx2Eb6jILYiGHsnUJJDXtiW7ZQlnytbsG6zave1h4rFk6EaeqIDwOZhKNdQhYiUL4YTyJiUQQIuXWYkVBdZXM5IKtLIFq5EpRy9hPFd/s1600/2.JPG" --><!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-qz1qPTNgmg0%2FU9G_eqbsIlI%2FAAAAAAAAGeI%2F4W3cDFHyQ4w%2Fs1600%2Fphoto%2B3.JPG&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sbfSsQThrO2OuMRXZviRhqEfLSCfA7aWaKOGAnSgF5pdUk6cW9cNzM4amvQiuucYJiKonYP9E5_A36C8TLI_1xlL6TmBM4iFmiODUX0PY0BM6wcqOXTPXgc5ed5pb8O7tyDN6Nb85f82/s1600/photo+3.JPG" -->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-36852224779167984772014-06-26T22:06:00.000-05:002014-06-26T22:06:16.451-05:00PCOS & Low Cortisol<span style="background-color: white;">Hey y'all,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">I know it's been a bit since I've posted anything so I want to take this opportunity to catch up. </span><span style="background-color: white;">On Monday I received some results from my Doctor testing positive for PCOS and Cortisol levels that are dropping off in the afternoon and night. So basically, it sounds like my body has been in a vicious cycle for the past 10 or so years.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 29.700000762939453px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 29.700000762939453px;">PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome which is a hormonal imbalance said to be cause by genetics. There are many symptoms of this and a few of the effects are:</span><br />
<ul style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lora, georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 29.700000762939453px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 1.625rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Acne</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Excessive hair growth</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Weight gain</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Problems with ovulation</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Increased risk of many other heath problems<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"> </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Lora, georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 29.700000762939453px;">Cortisol</span><span style="font-family: Lora, georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 29.700000762939453px;"> is a hormone for the immune system, regulating blood pressure, the cardiovascular system, metabolism, and more.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 1.625;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Lora, georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 29.700000762939453px;">The symptoms of low Cortisol include:</span></span><br /><ul style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lora, georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 29.700000762939453px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 1.625rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Mental and psychological ailments such as depression</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Faintness and dizziness</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Weakness and fatigue</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Heart palpitations</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Emotional hypersensitivity</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Inability to cope with stress</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Social anxiety</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Muscle weakness</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Headache, scalp ache, or general body ache</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Severe or dull lower back pain</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Extremely sensitive skin</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Abdominal pain and hunger pain despite an empty stomach</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Extreme craving for salty foods</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Anxiety and jitters</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Clumsiness and confusion</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Motion sickness</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Insomnia and dark circles under the eyes</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Low bladder capacity and symptoms of IBS</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.625; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Irregular or non-existent menstrual period<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"> I know all of these symptoms/effects are quite lengthy but I have to say they just make me feel extremely blessed. I don't struggle with depression, stress and many of these other symptoms either. I believe it is purely because of the Lord Jesus Christ! I love that he protects me from so much and truly produces The Fruit Of The Spirit in my life. Galatians 5:22 Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. I am a beautiful work in progress! I am praying for complete healing and restoration and I'm asking that you pray for me in agreement. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">My next steps are to work at regulating the Low Cortisol and managing the PCOS. I have been prescribed some medications to help manage hormones and help my body to digest food properly. </span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">I have also started an extremely low calorie diet as per my Doctors instructions. I began this diet the 24th (on my lovely sisters Birthday). I have already lost 5lbs because it's a cleanse and I have a log ways to go. I have a very strict list of foods that I am allowed to eat which have been logging under 500 calories a day. So far I feel good but I definitely wouldn't recommend this for anyone unless prescribed under a Doctors supervision. My diet has unsweetened coffee or tea for breakfast. At lunch and dinner I can choose from a list of 7 lean meats of which I can have 4oz, <i>only</i> 1 vegetable from a list of 13- totaling 2 handfuls raw, 1 Grissini bread stick or Melba toast and 1 fruit from a list of 4. Everything must be prepared carefully without any extra fats or sugars. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Below I'm posting pictures of my meals and of the way my body looks now (pardon the no makeup and hair pulled back crazy look- just wanted to get a clear picture of the acne issues.) I plan to continue to do this but for more regular and detailed postings friend request me on Facebook- Shelly Perrone Morris. Now that I know what has helped to cause the obesity, acne and all of the other uncomfortable side effects I am looking for complete healing from the Lord.</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"> I also plan to properly manage <i>everything</i> by changing my life accordingly and preventing any further ailments! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">I am ready for a big change of lifestyle and appearance and am excited for the results to come.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">I return to the Doctor in a month so I will keep you all posted. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"> I know this journey will take a lot of hard work so </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">I am very thankful for any support and encouragement I receive</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Go and be a blessing,</span></span><br />
<ul style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lora, georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.10000000149011612px; line-height: 29.700000762939453px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 1.625rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</ul>
<img align="left" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9cikx8hU0HAwKZ-irf_qJVPiFZ4pKUlOaaoRDrRnf6YrtnIXD-BhMegt2xFfJIndYvPQ3z5_drNZyAMeOv-nvWPEG4ac2o1Q0E5hPLBphnmJTxVteviAnYMfbcn_9l_QoVT9KG65jdxT/s1600/DSC_0222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9cikx8hU0HAwKZ-irf_qJVPiFZ4pKUlOaaoRDrRnf6YrtnIXD-BhMegt2xFfJIndYvPQ3z5_drNZyAMeOv-nvWPEG4ac2o1Q0E5hPLBphnmJTxVteviAnYMfbcn_9l_QoVT9KG65jdxT/s1600/DSC_0222.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_YG-3CqC2U1Zdd3KgfwTa9xy0VDPWGkWuSfGyYQUKXLuLAejfzi1R8hKMzLPWJRtWwoxvw18Tez59ZuDjDRehOTWYY-FbO66xOFcLmpuQFeX63YBpw9ZiE63GjKq-zAIdTOlkIpu9mL9/s1600/DSC_0224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_YG-3CqC2U1Zdd3KgfwTa9xy0VDPWGkWuSfGyYQUKXLuLAejfzi1R8hKMzLPWJRtWwoxvw18Tez59ZuDjDRehOTWYY-FbO66xOFcLmpuQFeX63YBpw9ZiE63GjKq-zAIdTOlkIpu9mL9/s1600/DSC_0224.JPG" height="320" width="123" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXyzE2cxVOAmREknmUT2XCGkuIm6aXiHBNp7UJ3dfdBC5ch581Oklt1p0b21VMvIT2hQ-pzyI4PbiTA7jPIg7uqaScrzlytJEKTelT6E2OycX5rQnwEP78T83sW4nnLlB1e2qRpB9W0HU/s1600/DSC_0225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXyzE2cxVOAmREknmUT2XCGkuIm6aXiHBNp7UJ3dfdBC5ch581Oklt1p0b21VMvIT2hQ-pzyI4PbiTA7jPIg7uqaScrzlytJEKTelT6E2OycX5rQnwEP78T83sW4nnLlB1e2qRpB9W0HU/s1600/DSC_0225.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS1fxiWbFI86OFYC-N6cDC1KiLOJfLYlgVFjNXfNFmilenN_66PqJb9J2RvBUr73zJAXcv_73jageSZDEAXQHvRzwPdDuhcWfJ1KBdjomLmRta0oLUDmGtzW6CxukfC_ur3W6rEoq1mSz_/s1600/DSC_0226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS1fxiWbFI86OFYC-N6cDC1KiLOJfLYlgVFjNXfNFmilenN_66PqJb9J2RvBUr73zJAXcv_73jageSZDEAXQHvRzwPdDuhcWfJ1KBdjomLmRta0oLUDmGtzW6CxukfC_ur3W6rEoq1mSz_/s1600/DSC_0226.JPG" height="320" width="137" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQkpEcb6CGWcp2x4m3BC3aIPTAiJYM0b8aEjTF1vxOVT2xpAnohMtUltOdQPaEQxX9khD_dve63NGZ-clXZmPXOvOQ6vaiqz-bDB4fYfoNkOLQt3R-YsKe7seoB0R4K5fnNCsZ1R5dxGFe/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQkpEcb6CGWcp2x4m3BC3aIPTAiJYM0b8aEjTF1vxOVT2xpAnohMtUltOdQPaEQxX9khD_dve63NGZ-clXZmPXOvOQ6vaiqz-bDB4fYfoNkOLQt3R-YsKe7seoB0R4K5fnNCsZ1R5dxGFe/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-vt5xo-IOF5HBziJ6xNikv7qLyNTMlanJS2r8SS5EZv_omIm5d85m7rnTPPqmtsIQXonl60JIrjYaccALMDMXuB0_DJXaK0slWpQ1LcLLlW3zLoutdAqgK4TtnZqFhvkXwDJxF3hS-Xd/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-vt5xo-IOF5HBziJ6xNikv7qLyNTMlanJS2r8SS5EZv_omIm5d85m7rnTPPqmtsIQXonl60JIrjYaccALMDMXuB0_DJXaK0slWpQ1LcLLlW3zLoutdAqgK4TtnZqFhvkXwDJxF3hS-Xd/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oNa27Dnb0zpGrh_I3fgxl97Bh_h0LnJGwGBZEe01qZ9Hzzrc1FWTlOB5DpFliJ-VfDZIAOnvnaOsOiy_Gjp1gV5hX65LHmrD9egjnXm-kbjHRjKGA_LQg6XVvGlrxu3q02TxNqsKaJ1U/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oNa27Dnb0zpGrh_I3fgxl97Bh_h0LnJGwGBZEe01qZ9Hzzrc1FWTlOB5DpFliJ-VfDZIAOnvnaOsOiy_Gjp1gV5hX65LHmrD9egjnXm-kbjHRjKGA_LQg6XVvGlrxu3q02TxNqsKaJ1U/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJtpZfrVnfGUVNw5U1R6KyZOQKdVo0rte_5ibIpeWqYIb2e_3_bUbl6to9ld3ZpAY_3e23Ufg7K35ySShPS0vWa8C9ldq7mrnuF_XfQgx3GFt0oo1lTkPhkAjDEzYc0o1aw3zMpsbMB1J/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJtpZfrVnfGUVNw5U1R6KyZOQKdVo0rte_5ibIpeWqYIb2e_3_bUbl6to9ld3ZpAY_3e23Ufg7K35ySShPS0vWa8C9ldq7mrnuF_XfQgx3GFt0oo1lTkPhkAjDEzYc0o1aw3zMpsbMB1J/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mxCHw7HOVM36GEsx1If_nOiuEi6GWfeeRjbYAr5MoF6VRDBtTgcsnl_-1ZFCoRfETCuwNdstTR_Cq1tzije3AptxhOGcuoAvrvYTA5UkN8kPCO1HpCfISKRVaVR2nVMj5QYf18WQDYds/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mxCHw7HOVM36GEsx1If_nOiuEi6GWfeeRjbYAr5MoF6VRDBtTgcsnl_-1ZFCoRfETCuwNdstTR_Cq1tzije3AptxhOGcuoAvrvYTA5UkN8kPCO1HpCfISKRVaVR2nVMj5QYf18WQDYds/s1600/photo+5.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4sY6TtQaYEC27o697LHuamUpvZxL44Kc-uGUiolOQcHubawUQ1WCjgKR4k5EwDnTWDegSs-j-R1r_9uJTlSMzOc7CYzCm1E7mSwv_kaXR9gwGiM_-Y3XGipaNZy-T8TEtztBODF5bJtR/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4sY6TtQaYEC27o697LHuamUpvZxL44Kc-uGUiolOQcHubawUQ1WCjgKR4k5EwDnTWDegSs-j-R1r_9uJTlSMzOc7CYzCm1E7mSwv_kaXR9gwGiM_-Y3XGipaNZy-T8TEtztBODF5bJtR/s1600/photo.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-14896409052871704492013-07-31T17:33:00.005-05:002013-08-01T11:15:01.208-05:00Identity Theft <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 Samuel 9 - 15<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">By looking at the story of King Saul we can see a perfect example of how
your identity can be stolen.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">~~ Saul was Israel’s first king and he started off great. He was
humble, forgiving and he knew that having peace was better than taking revenge.
He led the Israelites in victory threw
many battles. Then one day the Philistines came to fight Israel again. But this time the Israelites were greatly outnumbered.
Many of the Israelites hid in caves nearby but a few of the soldiers did come
to fight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Now the great prophet Samuel had promised to meet Saul to offer a
sacrifice before they attacked. But they waited seven days and Samuel still did
not come. Saul began to get worried and He didn't want to fight without
asking for God’s help, but he was not allowed to offer a sacrifice.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">When his men began to get restless and leave,
Saul decided to go on and offer the sacrifice anyway. As soon as he had
finished with the burnt offering, Samuel came.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">He was horrified and demanded, “What have you
done?” Saul tried to explain what had happened but Samuel just said “You have
done foolishly! You have not kept the commandment of the Lord. Now the Lord
will take the kingdom from you.” But For the time being, God allowed Saul to go
on being king over Israel.<span class="apple-converted-space"> ~~</span></span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Sometimes, even after we disobey Gods commands things can seem to go
good for a while. The Bible says that
sin has pleasure for a season. But the
Bible also has the principal of sowing and reaping. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Galatians 6:7-8 </span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Do
not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he
sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap
destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap
eternal life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="line" style="margin-left: 0.25in;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">~~ In 1
Samuel 15 we see that the Lord gave Saul clear instruction to attack the
Amalekites and totally destroy</span></span><sup style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </sup><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">everything</span></span><sup style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </sup><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">that belonged
to them. So Saul and his army attacked but spared the king and the best of
the animals. When Saul met Samuel He said </span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">I've</span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> completed the Lords
instruction. But Samuel called him out
on it and said, “Then why do I hear sheep and cattle?” Saul tried to make an
excuse and say they were saving the best animals to sacrifice to the Lord. But the Lord </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">didn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> want the sacrifice he
wanted his obedience. And Because Saul rejected the word of the </span></span></span><span class="small-caps" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Lord</span></span><span class="text" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">,</span></span><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></span><span class="text" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">he was rejected as king.” ~~<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="line" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: .25in;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Saul allowed
his God given identity as king to be stolen from him by his disobedience. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="line" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: .75in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In my past I disobeyed Gods Word and in return I
had to endure some really awful things and lost a lot that I can never get
back. It started with what seemed like little things that I knew were wrong
but I explained away as not being that bad, anyways I knew God would forgive
me. Yes, He did forgive me but what I was choosing to do led me down a
slippery slope that led to a lot of pain and even greater compromises that
almost led to my destruction. </span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I had forgotten my identity in Christ and lost hope….</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Saul's God given identity as king was eventually stolen from him by his
disobedience.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">We need to remember we are heirs to the
kingdom. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Romans 8:17 </span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">says
if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if
indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his
glory. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If you are not yet a child of God I want you to pray, repent, confess Jesus as your Lord and receive salvation today! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If we walk around all day with crowns
on maybe we will remember- I’m an heir to the kingdom, I was born to worship
Him, I was born to give Him pleasure. Then maybe we’ll be more careful about
what we subject ourselves to. We’ll be
more careful when we sit down to watch TV or get on the internet or about other
things we choose to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I want to encourage you not to let what may seem like small compromises-
make you live like anything else than the royalty that you are. As kings
and queens you should be letting your light so shine among men! Your light wasn't meant to be hidden by
darkness your light was meant to draw others to what has been given to
you! Salvation! Don't let your God given
identity be stolen by the things of this world.</span><br />
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I know a lot of
us deal with condemnation- let me tell you something- that is not from
God. If you are a child of God- the
devil- the accuser of the brother, is accusing you day and night to God saying
look, look at what he or she has done. And God looks and says where- all I see is a
big blood spot! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">See the enemy knows he can’t pin anything on you. He can see your crown
in the Spirit realm but if he can keep you from seeing it he can keep you in
bondage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I've heard the
stories about when Abraham Lincoln passed the </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Emancipation
Proclamation that some slave owners </span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">didn't</span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> want their slaves</span></span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> to find out about it because it would grant their
freedom. So these evil slave owners hid
it from them to keep these people in bondage. The devil knows as long as he can
keep us Christians deceived about who we are in Christ he can keep us in
bondage!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If we walk around with our crowns on,
in the rightful authority through Christ that we have we won’t be so quick to
get under the devils condemnation. We
can walk with our heads lifted high and say back silly devil don’t you know who
I am? I’m His beloved, my prayers are
powerful and I have Heavens attention because I come in righteousness in the
name of Jesus!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 John 1:9<i> </i></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">says<i>
</i></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> Pray tonight and ask God to help you get rid of any darkness in your life that is trying to
steal your identity. I don't need to know what
it is but you and God do. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Now symbolically throw away whatever is making you live like less than
royalty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">When you’re done throwing out the trash I want you to praise God for this fres</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">h start! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Anything that’s hiding your light- hiding your true
identity- making you live like anything less than the queens and kings you are
must be thrown out tonight! </span></div>
<img align="left" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-24413339844653352972013-06-01T16:46:00.000-05:002014-06-27T10:41:14.268-05:00Ester's Story<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A long time ago in a land far away..... Ester was a little orphan girl.
Her older cousin </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mordecai</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> stepped forward and took her
into his home to raise her as his own child. He was Jewish and he taught her to
fear God, and God blessed her with charm and beauty that surpassed all of the
other women. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOahvRgbG1YAHDj6iJ5TzpU-xbF0vYP7avNgLQQlF0af3ger7xE2A9iAMljeckwFn678Yh7FTBv_rHgKppDXVK-3YakBPd6RSbsSf-n_sQEqI10fk2BzqMQHfZb8NGerxBSR5YMbKIbbE/s1600/crown%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOahvRgbG1YAHDj6iJ5TzpU-xbF0vYP7avNgLQQlF0af3ger7xE2A9iAMljeckwFn678Yh7FTBv_rHgKppDXVK-3YakBPd6RSbsSf-n_sQEqI10fk2BzqMQHfZb8NGerxBSR5YMbKIbbE/s320/crown%5B1%5D.jpg" height="226" width="320" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One day the king was
looking for a bride and when he saw Esther he loved her more than all the
other women so he chose her to become the next Queen. (<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="1274212742"></a><a href="http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/bible.show/sVerseID/12742/eVerseID/12742"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1274212742;"><span style="color: blue;">Esther 2:17</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: 1274212742;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: 1274212742;"></span>).
So Ester went from nobody to Queen just like that!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now Haman was second in command right under the king. And all that
power went straight to his head. The king commanded that all the people of the
land bow before Haman just as they would bow to him, but Mordecai- Esters
cousin, refused. Haman's anger toward Mordecai and all the other Jews grew. So
Haman devised a plan that would get rid of all of them. With the
king's approval, a decree was written and his plan was set into motion.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When Mordecai learned of Haman's wicked plot he became so sad. He sent
Ester a copy of the king's decree and told her what she must do. He instructed
her to go before the king and ask him to write a new decree that would spare their
people's lives.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This presented Ester with a very difficult task. She lived the
good life in the royal palace. As queen, she had servants, the finest clothing,
and anything else she wanted. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew
that if she went before the king without being called, she could very well lose
her life! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Perhaps she allowed her fears to get the best of her at this
point. Just as trials are not easy for us, this was not a "walk in the
park" for Esther. She was scared she would lose what she had and terrified
that she would be killed because she had been keeping that she was a Jew a
secret. The "what ifs" were affecting her just as they do us.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She finally decided to go to the king, which was against the law;
and she said if I die, I die! (<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="1277912779"></a><a href="http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/bible.show/sVerseID/12779/eVerseID/12779"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1277912779;"><span style="color: blue;">Esther 4:16</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: 1277912779;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: 1277912779;"></span>).
She pushed down her fears and put her life on the line to help others. For
Esther there was only one way out, and that was to submit to God's will! When
we face trials, it is very hard for us to see past what is affecting us. God's
perspective is always the whole picture so we must trust in His will for us. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ester invited the King and Haman to a banquet and </span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">she said to him, “If I have found favor with you and if it
pleases you, grant me my life and spare my people because we have been sold by
Haman to be killed.” The king was furious with Haman and immediately grated her
request writing a new decree and had Haman killed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
</div>
Just as Ester was bold in her obedience causing the king to write a new decree that would change her life, we can be bold in our obedience to God causing a change in our lives as well.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our lives are like an unopened present. We have received a gift but we don’t know exactly what is inside until we open it. As each of us walk with God by faith day by day, obeying His Word He begins to prepare us for what is inside and unwrap that gift for us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Whether we know what gift God has given us or not, we are to live a faithful and obedient life that pleases God. Just as Ester did.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border: 0px currentColor;" /><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-41321094365702698922013-03-25T15:31:00.002-05:002013-03-25T15:31:42.366-05:00Radical Jesus<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.4pt;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>I want to tell you about the most
radical person that has ever lived!
Jesus, He did things that were completely unheard of in His day!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.4pt;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 39.4pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">He questioned the rulers of the
Jewish faith when no one dared to question what they said or did!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 39.4pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus rebuked the scribes and
Pharisees. These men </span><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">were legal experts.</span><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 39.4pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><i><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Scribes</span></i><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> wrote
up documents- like contracts for marriage, loans, the sale of land, or the buying
of houses. <i>Pharisees</i> tried to keep their traditions in place. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 39.4pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus performed miracles
on the Sabbath. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 39.4pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://skinnyjello.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/at_the_pool_of_bethesda_lg.jpeg?w=300&h=233" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://skinnyjello.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/at_the_pool_of_bethesda_lg.jpeg?w=300&h=233" /></a></div>
<h3 style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">John 5: 1-11 </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The Healing at the Pool<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">5 </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Some time
later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. </span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">2 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now there
is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is
called Bethesda</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%205:1-15&version=NIV#fen-NIV-26213a" title="See footnote a"><span style="text-decoration: none;">a</span></a>]</span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> and which is
surrounded by five covered colonnades. </span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">3 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here a
great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. </span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">[4] </span></sup><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%205:1-15&version=NIV#fen-NIV-26215b" title="See footnote b"><span style="text-decoration: none;">b</span></a>]</span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">5 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">One who
was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. </span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">6 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">When
Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a
long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">7 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Sir,”
the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is
stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">8 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then
Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” </span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">9 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">At once
the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, </span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">10 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">and so
the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the
Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">11 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But he
replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and
walk.’ ”<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">12 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">So they
asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">13 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The man
who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the
crowd that was there.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">14 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Later
Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again.
Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” </span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">15 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The man
went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him
well.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 39.4pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">His disciples (the men who followed
Him) did not fast and even ate without washing their hands. While</span><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: small;"> the
Pharisees did not eat until they had poured water over their cupped hands because
it was required by their traditional law. So what Jesus did was considered
offensive & wrong. Jesus </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">wasn't</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: small;"> worried about washing their hands because He was their cleanser & could heal them from any sickness or disease.</span></span><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 39.4pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">He threw people out of the temple for
selling things in Gods house. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 39.4pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/YwRGjuCfCH0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<h3 style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Matthew 21: 12
&13 </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus at the Temple<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">12 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus
entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling
there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of
those selling doves. </span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">13 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“It is
written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of
prayer,’</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2021:%2012-13&version=NIV#fen-NIV-23840a" title="See footnote a"><span style="text-decoration: none;">a</span></a>]</span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> but you are making it
‘a den of robbers.’<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.4pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #674ea7; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.4pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #674ea7; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.4pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: small;">Jesus </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">wasn't</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: small;"> just being radical for the sake of
being different or drawing attention to Him. He wanted people to stop following
traditions & instead be led by their love for God. Traditions are good but
can distract us from what God wants us to do.</span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.4pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>We are to be radicals like Jesus but that does
not mean we are to be ridiculous, rebellious or uncontrolled. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.4pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.4pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus also gave several examples of how we are
to do this by submitting to those in authority, and keeping the peace whenever
possible.</span><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Jesus was a radical; but he was also
fully committed to doing God’s will. He was a servant to his followers,
as well as a leader. </span></b></span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">We are taught by Jesus to submit to
those in authority, namely our parents, church leaders, and the
government. We are to obey man’s law except when it conflicts with God’s
law.</span></b></span></span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>I want to encourage you to reevaluate what your
life is being led by & make whatever changes are necessary to be led by your
love for God even more. That’s the path
to being a true radical follower of Christ. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Let me give you some ideas of ways to increase
your radical following of Jesus:<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spend time in prayer daily & ask
Jesus to help make you more like Him.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: small;">Read the Bible so that you know how
Jesus was & don’t do anything that </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">doesn't</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: small;"> agree with what it says.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Share Jesus with others in a bold and
radical way. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #323232; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<img align="left" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-62928019333637303412012-10-26T09:03:00.004-05:002012-10-26T09:04:18.636-05:00Confidence in Christ<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #ECECEC; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Confidence means to have faith or trust in someone or something.
We can have confidence in ourselves, others, or even worldly possessions- like
money, cars or houses. Our true confidence should be in God. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Jeremiah 17:7 says, But blessed is the one who trusts in the
LORD, whose confidence is in him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">When
we have complete confidence in God we can trust in His purpose & plan for
us. That trust turns religion & rules into relationship. Enabling us to
walk in Gods will for our lives instead of what satans will for us is. </span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">John
12:31 calls Satin the ruler of the world.</span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Satans will for your life is
destruction. Just look to the ways of World to see satans plan.
Just a few examples are the clothes in magazines, sex scenes in movies,
drama from soap operas, models on runways. Mimicking & accepting these
things always lead to despair, depression and destruction. </span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Gods will for your
life is exactly the opposite of satans.
He loves you and wants good things for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="background: #F9FDFF; color: #001320; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Romans 12: 2 says Do not conform any longer to the pattern
of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will
be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect
will. </span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="background: #F9FDFF; color: #001320; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">And </span><span style="background: #F9FDFF; color: #552200; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1 Corinthians 15:33
says</span><a href="http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/15-34.htm"><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="background: #F9FDFF; color: #0092f2; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.5pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></b></span></a><span style="background: #F9FDFF; color: #001320; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good
character."</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Remember, if it is consider good by the world’s
standards you can pretty much do just the opposite & be safe. Here are some
common false beliefs in the world. The more money you have the better your life is, sex
before marriage is ok because I love him/her, when your the most popular your better than everyone else, the sexier
I look the prettier I am. Don't place your confidence in things like this- instead have confidence in Christ!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">As believers we are the bride of Christ. We
need to prepare ourselves for him because he is coming back soon. He wants a Bride that is beautiful inside
& out, spotless without sin, & shining with His glory. </span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Heb. 12 directs us to
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let
us run</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">with perseverance</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">the race marked out
for us</span></span><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Cambria, serif;">
fixing our eyes on Jesus,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>the
pioneer<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and perfecter of faith.</span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"> </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="chapter-2" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I
want to encourage you to be built up by Christ & find your strength &
approval in Him. Spend quality time with God in prayer and studying His Word to
build a relationship with Him. You can try to use many things to make your life seem </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">fulfilled</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">. Like family & friend’s, being popular, drugs, drinking & smoking, sex & love from a boyfriend or girlfriend. But in the end Jesus Christ is the only thing that </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">satisfies</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> And there is plenty of Him to go around, so don't wait let him fill you with life more abundant now!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-42263448323610119562012-08-11T17:29:00.000-05:002012-08-11T17:43:02.930-05:00Mission Trip to Venezuela<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVlENT5gOqQvUDdzg6WFcEZQlUvzjE_dgnWmMZA3tN_me-oj8GrN06bm5J72TD6spMIyDo1uwHsZle21t7BEgARp-Un_gGDllfPienZ2ZcRDv6MkMPQb8_WnmqAgZWgi7NXGEeud8P8eH/s1600/Camp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="459" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVlENT5gOqQvUDdzg6WFcEZQlUvzjE_dgnWmMZA3tN_me-oj8GrN06bm5J72TD6spMIyDo1uwHsZle21t7BEgARp-Un_gGDllfPienZ2ZcRDv6MkMPQb8_WnmqAgZWgi7NXGEeud8P8eH/s640/Camp.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had the privilege of going to Valencia, Venezuela and the surrounding area to minister for almost 2 weeks. It was a phenomenal experience. My team & I were obedient in what God directed us to do and because of that He really used us to touch peoples lives. So much happened in such a short amount of time that there is no way I can write about it all. But I will attempt to tell you about some of the highlights. When I arrived in Caracas the first thing I noticed was how welcomed & loved I was. The people there had so much love for others. The family that let me stay with them would have given me the shirt off their back! I now have a family I call my own in Venezuela & I love them so much. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgRYh66D7DT4BaGnO3S9ZTNSghlK5Ehzm4KKArD5FHoYvd8yxXAvxpnKzT2WdOPt8b1bAYUTjRD6MBq4HGORh3HUKQaTsUkeOyDiH_4G_NRKKE-KDsWBKShwuppXiVcbdR5ASEzbCAes2/s1600/Venezuela+240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgRYh66D7DT4BaGnO3S9ZTNSghlK5Ehzm4KKArD5FHoYvd8yxXAvxpnKzT2WdOPt8b1bAYUTjRD6MBq4HGORh3HUKQaTsUkeOyDiH_4G_NRKKE-KDsWBKShwuppXiVcbdR5ASEzbCAes2/s200/Venezuela+240.jpg" width="119" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbK7wJXiQ00eV058RFmuQLirlvYNLqTvRyzOf8KIfbcCr42WhyaFT8pSg9b8T91eaps3bWZfNca1B5XICtISq9cdENkkmTmqYijusSI5qeJaukodUESOSk1712CjtaHi0ggIMHGsP7AE5/s1600/Venezuela+148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbK7wJXiQ00eV058RFmuQLirlvYNLqTvRyzOf8KIfbcCr42WhyaFT8pSg9b8T91eaps3bWZfNca1B5XICtISq9cdENkkmTmqYijusSI5qeJaukodUESOSk1712CjtaHi0ggIMHGsP7AE5/s200/Venezuela+148.jpg" width="119" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-YiSpzJLJP8yVN8aJ852ORNYT5GW4vF2rB1bYjCY_q-9iwypmoQent3kMZvR31dheh9mP0nA0wXU_bbBpMB4aJzvQr4SpBp68346AiZ1gndwreH6QfBFu4LJwauPLEIIcQot5FeM7ScuD/s1600/Venezuela+230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-YiSpzJLJP8yVN8aJ852ORNYT5GW4vF2rB1bYjCY_q-9iwypmoQent3kMZvR31dheh9mP0nA0wXU_bbBpMB4aJzvQr4SpBp68346AiZ1gndwreH6QfBFu4LJwauPLEIIcQot5FeM7ScuD/s200/Venezuela+230.jpg" width="119" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first weekend I was there we taught church leaders about a prayer ministry tool called Wellsprings.<span style="color: #388222; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #388222; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;"><a href="http://wellspring-ministries.org/">wellspring-ministries.org</a> </span><span style="line-height: 15.600000381469727px;">I have used and been through many different types of counseling and ministry sessions and I have by far experienced the most success with this. I believe that's because it is all about praying and completely depending on God (not man) for healing and freedom. Another thing I love about Wellsprings is that it gives you the prayer </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.600000381469727px;">tools to use for your own upkeep. :) I taught on self bitterness and the occult at the church because I had a lot of experience</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;"> with these in my past. After we were done with teaching we offered people to come up if they'd like to receive prayer. Many people came up and God spoke to them. Lots of people were saved and received the Holy Spirit. Many of them fell out under the power of God. I noticed while we were praying that more people were coming into the church to receive prayer. I realized that the people who had gotten prayer were calling others to come because of the amazing way God was moving. By the time we had finished praying the number of people had tripled. It was amazing- but even more amazing to see their faith. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTxvSuPI2VL2bcN1vOT57fVLGpP-Tp67Fvs7VBG3i5sO8uz-y2QAMtDy0r_HL4znvLnxEyBZdV8qWgDcPJhDJBpIc8r_6IjuooLZq4gJzJpf0f2wLGihqZim3GcyAUATQjzSCYv_nvWVZ/s1600/Venezuela+235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTxvSuPI2VL2bcN1vOT57fVLGpP-Tp67Fvs7VBG3i5sO8uz-y2QAMtDy0r_HL4znvLnxEyBZdV8qWgDcPJhDJBpIc8r_6IjuooLZq4gJzJpf0f2wLGihqZim3GcyAUATQjzSCYv_nvWVZ/s200/Venezuela+235.jpg" width="119" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.600000381469727px;">We went to many prayer meetings, dinners, and other get together while we were there. Each time God showed Himself. </span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kGbc-yMcpb8IS1NET7GE__w4Fm3hLCSORBMDGlkz79bqh7cz34gGr5sFGTHPjwHmxHksV2tgPnfyBzDEKckvJNKA9fBio21wqNQdF3ybQ1sG-94ELCqufVsWnAYDAI6wxJiwmtHBDlK4/s1600/Venezuela+253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kGbc-yMcpb8IS1NET7GE__w4Fm3hLCSORBMDGlkz79bqh7cz34gGr5sFGTHPjwHmxHksV2tgPnfyBzDEKckvJNKA9fBio21wqNQdF3ybQ1sG-94ELCqufVsWnAYDAI6wxJiwmtHBDlK4/s200/Venezuela+253.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrV3r1W8XDgbWzu0-GEoD43biqWWUDUnRCXtuVz1pqV_axFQyoW0-7tkJjJ6C4AaO-X-u8uBJHy2MaB4xTeVBa7nNI2zoP_zMpyVgeSwTDxeLE2i1KUkVnqJcexqKqp3chdZKnUl0kNNRx/s1600/Venezuela+250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrV3r1W8XDgbWzu0-GEoD43biqWWUDUnRCXtuVz1pqV_axFQyoW0-7tkJjJ6C4AaO-X-u8uBJHy2MaB4xTeVBa7nNI2zoP_zMpyVgeSwTDxeLE2i1KUkVnqJcexqKqp3chdZKnUl0kNNRx/s200/Venezuela+250.jpg" width="119" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.600000381469727px;">The second weekend I was there we went to a youth camp in the mountains. It was so beautiful! The youth that we spent time with were so on fire for God. I shared my testimony first. I let them know the more I compromised the things of God in my life the less I recognized myself until I had completely changed into something horrible. I felt like I had chains holding me back every time I would try to change for the better. At the end of my testimony most of the kids came up and wanted prayer afterward to have the chains that held them back broken off. The presence of God was so strong!</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFNAzYDUwpUXba_h1JFeUt7T3AgZ0i8tGSHzk3AIvtPveKmG9bo10CnNSGsuDUdPUVISYhhJmdB_A-zaneiNdMaXLMj-hWK3QGABjcZx3VlzbwRiLXOEv99Qqehg1NEQL58JkJh_sETHs/s1600/Venezuela+243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFNAzYDUwpUXba_h1JFeUt7T3AgZ0i8tGSHzk3AIvtPveKmG9bo10CnNSGsuDUdPUVISYhhJmdB_A-zaneiNdMaXLMj-hWK3QGABjcZx3VlzbwRiLXOEv99Qqehg1NEQL58JkJh_sETHs/s200/Venezuela+243.jpg" width="119" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.600000381469727px;">The next day I taught them not to befriend the ways of the World but to stand firm in who God created them to be. At the end one of the worker at the camp asked if I would pray for him. As I prayed God told me that the man had back pain so I asked him if I could pray for that. He was surprised but said yes. As another guy from our team & I prayed for him we literally felt his backbone straighten!!! It was so crazy. After his healing the worker received Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We gave him a Bible and put him in contact with a leader from the church there. He was so excited that his back had no pain that he told the other workers in the camp. I noticed that they would all come and watch through the windows anytime we worshiped or had a teaching. </span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFqEMmmNMaIzAWl2f-CKCfnhp87WHxtT1ujeEyXtpe7eQJJ8bpcRl9LfI7rZhhMB6AonX885bHp73m35yvcSQmysH17FPbVttlvpFw4OQJ4Lgp1gYNOv1OagBbjQXSK9f5IHJ0vMDTy1t/s1600/Venezuela+257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFqEMmmNMaIzAWl2f-CKCfnhp87WHxtT1ujeEyXtpe7eQJJ8bpcRl9LfI7rZhhMB6AonX885bHp73m35yvcSQmysH17FPbVttlvpFw4OQJ4Lgp1gYNOv1OagBbjQXSK9f5IHJ0vMDTy1t/s200/Venezuela+257.jpg" width="119" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCVb__wP_BYu50eu09CB1bJfajamcnsRN1wawOH5pd-0SXGOW7WBYs0gm8O_ghkkeuD0SmXT-GqCHrP8Ned7wx3heV-PzCLaJdUSmIqQft0vjngtZnmy0rTRW5AuL-NDnKmZBJD6frxDi/s1600/Venezuela+254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCVb__wP_BYu50eu09CB1bJfajamcnsRN1wawOH5pd-0SXGOW7WBYs0gm8O_ghkkeuD0SmXT-GqCHrP8Ned7wx3heV-PzCLaJdUSmIqQft0vjngtZnmy0rTRW5AuL-NDnKmZBJD6frxDi/s200/Venezuela+254.jpg" width="119" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.600000381469727px;">The next day Nick the other guy in our ministry team shared his testimony. It was so powerful and all of the kids really connected with what he shared. Afterward many of them came up and asked for pray to help them forgive people that had hurt them in their past. Some of the horrible things that these kids had gone through & wanted prayer for tore at my heart. Many of them were broken before the Lord and received healing. One guy had broken his toe that day playing games. God told me to pray for him and when I was done I asked him if it felt better and he said not really. As I began to walk away I heard commotion behind me and turned to see the boy unwrapping his foot and crying loudly. He jumped up and ran over to me hugging me and crying for a long time. When he let go all I could do was point up to God and give Him all the glory.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.600000381469727px;">The last day of the camp we got to hear many of the youth share their revelations from God about certain scriptures. At that point I knew that they had truly gotten what God had sent us there to share. We just encouraged them to take what they had learned with them and not leave it at the camp. I can tell you that everything I received from Venezuela will always be with me. As I watered I was also watered. It was a life changing experienced!!! </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" border="0" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border: 0px;" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-14264467838738615582012-06-13T16:11:00.000-05:002013-05-18T09:55:10.880-05:00Angels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></b></div>
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">1. Simple definition of Angels</span></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.kabobfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/angel-light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://www.kabobfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/angel-light.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></b></span></div>
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #073763;"><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;"> 1) Angels of Light are Spiritual beings created by God with the sole purpose to do His will.</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">*See Heb. 1:14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation.</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;"> 2) Angels of Darkness (or Demons) are Spiritual beings created by God with the sole purpose to do His will, but who chose to do their own will instead. Therefore they lost their place in Heaven.</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">*See Revelation 12:7-9 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">2. Need to discern between angels of light and angels of darkness. </span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">*See 2 Cor. 11:14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. </span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">Give example.</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;"> 1) All spirits from God must acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ who came to the world to die for our sin and redeem us from Satan's bondage. An angel of God will always glorify God.</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">*See 1 John 4:1-6 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. </span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;"> 2) Demons will have you to focus on themselves causing you to loose sight of God and become distracted from His will. Holy angels do not draw attention to themselves. They work quietly, most often behind the scenes, then when the work is done, they leave.</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;"> 3) When an angel begins to tell you things that change God's Word, you know you are not speaking with a holy angel from God but a demon from hell. Satan misquoted the Scripture to Jesus. An angel from God will not give you instruction or guidance that deviates from what God has already said in His Word.</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">*See Galatians 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse!</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">3. They are not divine and are not to be worshipped!</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">*See Rev. 19:10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;"> 1) In this passage it says all who profess Jesus as their Christ are fellow servants to God. Remember, an angels entire reason for existing is to serve God. So if we are fellow servants we are designed to serve God also. Therefore if we refuse to obey we will face the consequences just like the angels.</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">*See 2 Peter 2:4 & 9 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;"> 2) No where in the Bible do we see people praying to or directing angels. God's angels do not answer when you call to them! The angelic demonstration you will receive when you do this is from demons, disguising themselves as Gods angels. </span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;"> 3) They respond to the command of God. </span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">* See Psalms 91:11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">*See Psalms 103:20 Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;"> 4) Even Jesus prayed to The Father for angels to come to his aid.</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">*See Matthew 26:53 Jesus said, Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? (a legion is between 4000 and 6000, which means at least 72,000 angels.)</span><br style="font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-size: 12px;">Just remember, when you start calling to angels, you end up talking to demons!</span></b></span><br />
<b style="background-color: #073763;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><>< Shelly</span></b><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-41834768503770806622012-03-23T19:21:00.001-05:002012-03-23T20:49:09.401-05:00Weekend Miracles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ts3.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=5041862604423946&id=00de107ea64734d8bdee08c72736c79f&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.irvinecachiropractic.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2010%2f08%2fneck-pain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ts3.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=5041862604423946&id=00de107ea64734d8bdee08c72736c79f&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.irvinecachiropractic.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2010%2f08%2fneck-pain.jpg" /></a></div><b style="background-color: white;">My family and I had the great honor and pleasure to minister at Christ Community Church in Lake City, Florida. Terry Shivers is the extremely anointed and solid standing pastor of this Church. You can check out his blog at the link above. If you are anywhere near this church I would advise a visit asap! They are experiencing an amazing move of God! You can definitively feel the flow of The Holy Spirit! It's rejuvenating to experience the gift of freedom that Jesus Christ has given us once we stop quenching The Spirit with our own Worldly thoughts and explanations!</b><br />
<b style="background-color: white;"><br />
</b><br />
<b style="background-color: white;">Saturday afternoon we broke up into groups and went on a "Treasure Hunt." Before we departed we all prayed separately and asked God to give us some clues to find whoever He would have us to minister to that day. (John 10: 27) We wrote everything we heard on a piece of paper that had these categories on it: Location, Description, Prayer Needs, and Other. I will tell you the clues I remember our group getting as we go. Next we compared notes and decided what direction to go in first. The man in our group had park listed under Location so we took off in that direction. Directly before we turned down the street to the park there was a bridge with a sidewalk on the side of it that I had had a vision of and had written as my location. There was no one on the bridge so we took that to mean that we were headed in the right direction. As we approached the park there was an African American woman sitting in a van with a bright green shirt on. Under description I had bright green shirt, & the man in our group had African American woman. So we decided we would go talk to her to see if she was the treasure. She was very nice and let us explain to her what we were doing. She agreed to answer some of our questions. First we asked her name, "she said Lisa." That was one of the names I had on my sheet. I was able to show her my sheet and she was blown away by what all matched. Under prayer needs I had listed mother & mental illness. She explained that she had recently reluctantly moved back to Lake City from Jacksonville to take care of her mother (Mary) due to her mental illness! Mary was the name that the other lady in our group had on her list. Lisa told us that her brother (Micheal- also a name on my list) had been diagnosed with HIV and she also helped take care of him. She said she knew 100% that Jesus had sent us to pray for her not only because of the overwhelming evidence that we showed her on all of our sheets but also because of what she had been doing that day. About this time 2 boys on bike cycles rode by (I had bike cycle on my clue sheet). Lisa said that she had gone to the lake to pray (I also had water on my sheet under location) but she had to leave there because of the bugs. She said that's why she was at the park but that she couldn't muster up the faith to pray for herself so she believed God sent us to do it for her!!! At that time I asked her if I could ask her a personal question without her getting offended. She said yes so I told her that as she may have seen I had listed backslid Christian listed </b><b style="background-color: white;">under other </b><b style="background-color: white;">and I asked if that also applied to her. She said yes it does. We were able to explain that Jesus wanted an intimate relationship with her again and that was partially why he made her our "treasure." She was blown away by the fact that Jesus cared so much about her that He would give complete strangers such personal information about her just to remind her how much He cares. We prayed for her and she was very touched.</b><br />
<b style="background-color: white;"><br />
</b><br />
<b style="background-color: white;">When we left the park the other sweet woman on our team said that she had the mall under location on her sheet. So the man (who knew the area well and was our team leader) began driving in that direction. When we walked in we saw a red and white canopy over Bath and Body Works and she said that she had seen that in a vision while we were praying so we began looking in that area for a woman in a yellow shirt (because she had a woman named Mary and a yellow shirt on her sheet.) There was on woman in a yellow shirt with another woman in a wheel chair and a baby in a stroller. So we walked over to her and told her what we were doing. She was receptive and told us her name was MARY!!! We showed her the sheet that had all of that info on it and she looked shocked. I told her that her baby was adorable and asked his name. She said Jonahn and that she had adopted him. My oldest son Sean was on our team. He is 8 years old and he had also prayed and filled out a sheet. He got excited and said mom I have the name Jonah on my sheet! So we showed her that as well. Then we asked if there was anything specific she needed prayer for? She said yes that she would take all the help she could get. She said that she had severe neck and back pain due to lifting a wheel chair for over 30 years and now her new baby (I had physical pain listed on my sheet under prayer needs.) The other woman with her in the wheelchair was her daughter. I asked her if she knew Jesus and she said no. Then I asked if she had ever read the Bible also no. So I explained that the Bible says that if we lay hands on the sick they shall recover. (Mark 16: 18) I asked if I could place my hand on her neck to pray and she said OK. I did and we all said a short and simple prayer. Then I asked her to try and mover her neck. She did and started to look scared.<i> </i> I asked her if the pain was still there ans she said NO!! We told her that Jesus had taken away her pain. </b><br />
<b style="background-color: white;"><br />
</b><br />
<b style="background-color: white;">We talked with her some more then went & sat at a table to write down what had happened. Then a man walked over to us and asked if we had any girl scout cookies. We looked at the sign on the table and realized that's what it advertised. We apologized for not having cookies but told him we have something better instead. He allowed us to pray for him for a job (which the other woman had listed under prayer needs on her sheet.)</b><br />
<b style="background-color: white;"><br />
</b><br />
<b style="background-color: white;">It was getting close to time to be back at the church to share testimonies about what had happened so we planned to head back. But as we were leaving the mall my 8 year old son spoke up and said we didn't go to my location. He said he had the airport listed. The leader of our group handled that great! He said OK I know where a small airport is, well go there. So we took off in the opposite direction from the church. As we were about to leave the mall parking lot we saw this big orange racing truck and the man in our group said, "Wow I like that truck." He was looking at it as we rode by and realized he knew who the woman was driving it. He said that's Louise I know her! Sean (my son) showed me that name was on his paper! So I spoke up and we stopped to speak with her. She was excited once we told her what we were doing. She told us that she had over come cancer many times throughout her life. So we prayed that it not reoccur. She also had us pray for and elderly woman who she helped periodically who had experienced some trauma that morning. Her name was Lucy (also a name on Sean's paper!) This woman was a believer in Jesus and was just thrilled that He had led us to her. </b><br />
<b style="background-color: white;"><br />
</b><br />
<b style="background-color: white;">We went back to church and shared our experiences. The entire weekend was wonderful. The messages about the importance of mentor-ship and all of the words that were bought seemed well received. </b><br />
<b style="background-color: white;">It was phenomenal!</b><br />
<b style="background-color: white;"><br />
</b><img align="left" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border: 0;" /><b style="background-color: white;"><br />
</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-83783252549618612262012-01-26T12:56:00.000-06:002012-01-26T12:56:35.830-06:00The Truth About Mardi Gras<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoynnL1h1vYVUXNSmWG6GXs1xUrp2NrRxys7Xhm0wRnc2ZHRenIyT_iCwITY-qm4d_Ww940igJL_dJ7xyt5cXort_EwicJXGkEGmE5wP_7KyzyiFPYJidTJVOq13SXSd1OhmQpAmpXOBH3/s1600/search.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoynnL1h1vYVUXNSmWG6GXs1xUrp2NrRxys7Xhm0wRnc2ZHRenIyT_iCwITY-qm4d_Ww940igJL_dJ7xyt5cXort_EwicJXGkEGmE5wP_7KyzyiFPYJidTJVOq13SXSd1OhmQpAmpXOBH3/s640/search.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><u><b><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Origins </span></b></u><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">The history of Mardi Gras began long before Europeans set foot in the New World. In mid February the ancient Romans celebrated the Lupercalia, a circus like festival not entirely unlike the Mardi Gras we are familiar with today. When Rome embraced Christianity, the early Church fathers decided it was better to incorporate certain aspects of pagan rituals into the new faith rather than attempt to abolish them altogether. Carnival became a period of abandon and merriment that preceded the penance of Lent, thus giving a Christian interpretation to the ancient custom. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Mardi Gras came to America in 1699 with the French explorer Iberville. Mardi Gras had been celebrated in </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Paris since the Middle Ages, where it was a major holiday. Iberville sailed into the Gulf of Mexico, from where he launched an expedition up the Mississippi River. On March 3 of 1699, Iberville set up a camp on the west bank of the river about 60 miles south of where New Orleans is today. This was the day Mardi Gras was being celebrated in France. In honor of this important day, Iberville named the site Point du Mardi Gras. </span><br />
<b><u><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><br />
</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">The Late Eighteenth Century </span></u></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">During the late 1700's, pre2Lenten masked balls and festivals were common in New Orleans, La. while it was under French rule. However when New Orleans came under Spanish rule the custom was banned. In 1803 New Orleans came under the U.S. flag. The prohibition against masked festivals continued until 1823 when the Creole populace convinced the governor to permit masked balls. In 1827 street masking was again legalized. </span><br />
<b><u><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><br />
</span></u></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><b><u>Mardi Gras In Mobile, Al.</u></b> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">This festive event was started in Mobile and according to some accounts, dates back to 1703. The celebration was originally called Boef Gras (Fat Beef). </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">The well2known Mardi Gras in Mobile was begun by Michael Krafft. On New Year's Eve, 1830, Krafft and his friends were reluctant to end a dinner party at the customary time. They raided a nearby hardware store, took up rakes, hoes and cowbells and proceeded to wake the town. They soon formed the Cowbellion de Rakin Society, the first of Mobile's many modern mystic organizations. The Cowbellions presented their first parade, complete with floats and theme, in 1840. The Civil War brought revelry in Mobile to an abrupt halt. Joseph Stillwell Cain, on Fat Tuesday of 1866, donned full Chickasaw Indian regalia, dubbed himself Chief Slacabamorinico. Cain and six friends set out to raise the morale of citizens in the defeated city. Dubbing themselves the "Tea Drinkers", and fired up by drink much stronger than tea, they took to the streets in a decorated coal wagon pulled by a mule. Cain was a founder in the Order of Myths, the organization which today holds the final Carnival Season parade Mardi Gras night. He also helped organize many more parading societies. Cain's role in reviving Mardi Gras is observed each year on the Sunday before Mardi Gras Day, "Joe Cain Day." On "Joe Cain Day" thousands of Mobilians in costume and on individually designed floats parade through the streets of downtown Mobile. </span><br />
<b><u><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><br />
</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">The Nineteenth Century </span></u></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">During the early 1800's public celebrations of Mardi Gras centered around maskers on foot, in carriages and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">on horseback. The first documented parade occurred in 1837. Unfortunately, Mardi Gras gained a negative </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">reputation because of violent behavior attributed to maskers during the 1840's and 50's. The situation became </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">so bad that the press began calling for an end to the celebration. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">In 1857 six New Orleaneans saved Mardi Gras by forming the Comus organization. These six men were </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">former members of the Cowbellians, an organization which had put on New Year's Eve parades in Mobile </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">since 1831. The Comus organization added beauty to Mardi Gras and demonstrated that it could be a safe and festive event. Comus was the first organization to use the term krewe to describe itself. Comus also started the customs of having a secret Carnival society, having a parade with a unifying theme with floats, and of having a ball after the parade. Comus was also the first organization to name itself after a mythological character. The celebration of Mardi Gras was interrupted by the Civil War, but in 1866 Comus returned.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">In 1870 the Twelfth Night Revelers made their appearance. In 1871 they began the custom of presenting a </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">young woman with a golden bean hidden in a cake. This young woman was the first queen of Mardi Gras. This was also the origin of the king cake tradition. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">In 1872 Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff of Russia visited New Orleans. This year the krewe of Rex made their </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">debut and began the tradition of the "King of Carnival." Rex also introduced purple, gold and green as the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">official colors of Mardi Gras. Rex was the first krewe to hold an organized daytime parade and introduced "If </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Ever I Cease To Love" as the Mardi Gras anthem. One of the high points of Rex is the arrival of the Rex King </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">on a riverboat. 1872 also saw the debut of the Knights of Momus on New Year's Eve. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Ten years later in 1882, the Krewe of Proteus made its debut with a parade themed after Egyptian mythology. In 1890 the first marching club, The Jefferson City Buzzards, was organized. In 1894, the Original Illinois Club was formed as the first black Mardi Gras organization. In 1896 Les Mysterieuses appeared as the first female organization. </span><br />
<b><u><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><br />
</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Mardi Gras in the Twentieth Century </span></u></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">crown. He arrived on on oyster lugger instead of a steamboat. Zulu was destined to become one of the most </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">popular and beloved of all krewes. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Mardi Gras was canceled during the dark years of 1918 and 1919 when the United States was involved in the bloody fighting of the First World War. The celebration struggled through the 1920's and early 30's, which saw Prohibition and The Great Depression. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">The krewe of Alla brought carnival to the West Bank in 1934. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">With the rise of mass produced automobiles, random truck riders had become part of the Mardi Gras scene. In 1835 they organized themselves into the Elkes Krewe of Orleanians. The Krewe of Hermes appeared in 1937 and the Knights of Babylon in 1939. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Mardi Gras prospered during the 1940's, although it was canceled during the war years. In 1949 Louis </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Armstrong was King of the Zulu parade and was pictured on the cover of time magazine. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">In 1950 the Duke and Duchess of Windsor visited New Orleans during Mardi Gras. They honored the New </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Orleans Mardi Gras tradition by bowing to kings of Rex and Comus at the Comus ball. The Korean War put a damper on festivities in 1951, but several krewes joined forces to parade as the Krewe of Patria on Mardi Gras day. The Fifties also saw the replacement of mule drawn floats with ones drawn by tractors and the formation of several new krewes including Zeus. Zeus was the first krewe to parade in Metairie. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">In 1961 Pete Fountain founded the Half2Fast Walking Club, an immediate hit with the crowds. Zulu came under pressure from portions of the black community who thought the krewe presented an undignified image. The king resigned and the parade was almost cancelled, but Zulu survived and was a main attraction by 1969. The Sixties ended with the debut of Bacchus. Bacchus aimed to bring national attention to Mardi Gras with gigantic floats and a Hollywood celebrity (Danny Kaye) riding as its king. Bacchus replaced the traditional ball with a supper to which tickets could be purchased by visitors and locals. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">The Seventies saw the debut of 18 new krewes and the demise of 18 others. More than a dozen krewes </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">followed the lead of Bacchus by placing celebrities in their parades. In 1974 Argus became the first Metairie </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">parade on Fat Tuesday. This year also saw Endymion's rise to super krewe status. The Seventies brought a </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">ban on parading in the French Quarter, ending a 117 year tradition. Mardi Gras made national headlines at the close of the decade with a police strike which cancelled 13 parades in Orleans Parish. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">In the 80's Mardi Gras gained 27 new parades and lost 19. St. Bernard Parish suffered a net loss of parades </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">while Jefferson and St. Tammany Parish experienced continued growth. By the end of the decade Jefferson </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Parish was experiencing an attendance rate of 600,000 people at its parades on Fat Tuesday. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">The 1980's were good times for Mardi Gras. In 1987 Rex brought back the custom of Lundi Gras, the arrival of the Rex King on the Mississippi River which had been celebrated from 1874 through 1917. The traditional tableau ball, however, lost popularity. Once considered essential, only 10 krewes continued the tradition of masked balls by the end of the decade. Doubloons also lost some of their popularity when several krewes stopped producing them. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><b><u>More About the Seed and Root of Mardi Gras</u></b> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"> As we see, Mardi Gras did not originate in the USA as many believe. Mardi Gras actually started in the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Roman Empire around the year 753 BC under another name, Festival of Lupercus. Let’s learn more about “the pagan roots”. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><br />
</span><br />
<b><u><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">The Ancient Pagan Festival of Lupercus, Roman God of Fertility the true beginning of Mardi Gras </span></u></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">LUPERCALIA, a very ancient, possibly pre2Roman, pastoral festival in honour of Lupercus. Its rites were under the superintendence of a corporation of priests called Luperci, whose institution is attributed either to the Arcadian Evander, or to Romulus and Remus. In front of the Porta Romana, on the western side of the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Palatine hill, close to the Ficus Ruminalis and the Casa Romuli, was the cave of Lupercus; in it, according to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">the legend, the she2wolf had suckled the twins, and the bronze wolf, which is still preserved in the Capitol, was placed in it in 296 B.C. But the festival itself, which was held on February 15th, contains no reference to the Romulus legend, which is probably later in origin, though earlier than the grecizing Evander legend. The </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">festival began with the sacrifice by the Luperci (or the flamen dialis) of goats and a dog; after which two of the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Luperci were led to the altar, their foreheads were touched with a bloody knife, and the blood wiped off with </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">wool dipped in milk; then the ritual required that the two young men should laugh. The smearing of the</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">forehead with blood probably refers to human sacrifice originally practised at the festival. The sacrificial feast </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">followed, after which the Luperci cut thongs from the skins of the victims and ran in two bands round the walls </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">of the old Palatine city,. the line of which was marked with stones, striking the people who crowded near. A </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">blow from the thong prevented sterility in women. These thongs were called februa, the festival Februatio, and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">the day dies febraiatus (februare = to purify); hence the name of the month February, the last of the old Roman year. The object of the festival was, by expiation and purification, to secure the fruitfulness of the land, the increase of the flocks and the prosperity of the whole people. The Lupercal (cave of Lupercus), which had fallen into a state of decay, was rebuilt by Augustus; the celebration of the festival had been maintained, as we know from the famous occurrence of it in 44 B.C. It survived until A.D. 494, when it was changed by Gelasius into the feast of the Purification. Lupercus, in whose honour the festival.was held, is identified with Faunus or Inuus, Evander (Eiiavnpos), in the Greek legend being a translation of Faunus (the "kindly"). The Luperci were divided into two collegia, called Quinctiliani (or Quinctiales) and Fabiani, from the gens Quinctilia (or Quinctia) 2 and Fabia; at the head of each of these colleges was a magister. In 44 B.C. a third college, Luperci Julii, was instituted in honor of Julius Caesar, the first magister of which was Mark Antony. In imperial times the members were usually of equestrian standing. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">As early as the fourth century B.C., young men left their love to chance, drawing their partners by lot during the Lupercalia festival, a Roman celebration to celebrate spring and fertility. Through the love lottery, a man won a woman's companionship and sexual pleasuring until the next year's drawing. It is believed that Valentine’s Day originated by this practice. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Imagine running around town in a goatskin tunic, whipping young women with a rawhide thong smeared in dog blood. This is what people did until 496 A.D. Happy Lupercalia!</span><br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><br />
</span></u></b><br />
<b><u><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Conclusion </span></u></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">In conclusion there is nothing family oriented, Christian, or good about Mardi Gras. Actually it represents </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">diabolic roots and compromise of true Biblical Christian beliefs. It actually taints the testimony of “Christians” to the unbelieving world but thousands of so called “Christians” that participate in this pagan festival. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"> “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” 1Thesalonians 5:22 </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">May God have mercy on the sick church. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">It is time that the True Body of Christ stand for what is true and Holy and be an example to the world of what </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Jesus and God are really about not a watered down gospel.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">believethM” Romans 1:16 “For which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoynnL1h1vYVUXNSmWG6GXs1xUrp2NrRxys7Xhm0wRnc2ZHRenIyT_iCwITY-qm4d_Ww940igJL_dJ7xyt5cXort_EwicJXGkEGmE5wP_7KyzyiFPYJidTJVOq13SXSd1OhmQpAmpXOBH3/s1600/search.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"></span></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.” 2Ti 1:12214 </span><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">What should we do as Bible believing Christians? </span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Pray, fast, and declare truth. </span><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Pray :</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">1. For Professing Christians. That they would not compromise the testimony of Christ by </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">participating in Pagan Holidays including Mardi Gras. That they will practice the Word of God </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">not just know it. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">2. That Christians will speak the truth in love to all. Without the proclamation of truth people will </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">believe lies and be deceived. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">3. Against the seductive and evil spirits that are loosed in our country during this time. Christians </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">should be a spiritual covering and protection for our country but when we compromise the truth </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">holes are put in the spiritual umbrella and the evil spirits have a right to enter. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">4. That Christians will be a witness when doors are open and stand firm on beliefs even before </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">authorities. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">5. Against principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness over our city, state, and country </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">(Ephesians 6: 11218). </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Sources:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">King James Version of Bible </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Encyclopedia Britannica </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Clear Channel Communications </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">The Daily Review </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Article by Jim Davis in Communities Online Inc.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">Jerry Morris- TheFathersHouseMobile.com </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><br />
</span><br />
<img align="left" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border: 0;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><br />
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-74902089681529402182011-12-25T19:38:00.000-06:002011-12-25T19:38:24.367-06:00Origin of Christmas<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://czechmatediary.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/christmas-tree-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://czechmatediary.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/christmas-tree-1.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: #6aa84f;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">O</span><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">rigin of Christmas - The Biblical Account</span></span></div><span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">The origin of Christmas is presented beautifully in the well-known biblical account of Luke: "And it </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">2:1-11).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">Origin of Christmas - The Traditions and Controversies</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">For today's Christian, the origin of Christmas is, and should be, the birth of Jesus Christ as recorded </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">in the Bible. Nothing more and nothing less. However, most of what we witness on December 25th </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">each year has absolutely nothing to do with that blessed day, which probably occurred in late summer </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">or early fall about 2,000 years ago. In fact, most of the customs and traditions of Christmas actually</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">pre-date the birth of Jesus, and many of them are downright deceptive in their meaning and origin. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">Here are a few examples: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">The date of December 25th probably originated with the ancient "birthday" of the son-god, Mithra, a </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">pagan deity whose religious influence became widespread in the Roman Empire during the first few </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">centuries A.D. Mithra was related to the Semitic sun-god, Shamash, and his worship spread </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">throughout Asia to Europe where he was called Deus Sol Invictus Mithras. Rome was well-known for </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">absorbing the pagan religions and rituals of its widespread empire. As such, Rome converted this </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">pagan legacy to a celebration of the god, Saturn, and the rebirth of the sun god during the winter </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">solstice period. The winter holiday became known as Saturnalia and began the week prior to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">December 25th. The festival was characterized by gift-giving, feasting, singing and downright </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">debauchery, as the priests of Saturn carried wreaths of evergreen boughs in procession throughout </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">the Roman temples. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">Variations of this pagan holiday flourished throughout the first few centuries after Jesus Christ, but it </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">probably wasn't until 336 AD that Emperor Constantine officially converted this pagaan tradition into </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">the "Christian" holiday of Christmas. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">No one knows what day Jesus Christ was born on. From the biblical description, most historians </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">believe that his birth probably occurred in September, approximately six months after Passover. One </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">thing they agree on is that it is very unlikely that Jesus was born in December, since the Bible records </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">shepherds tending their sheep in the fields on that night. This is quite unlikely to have happened </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">during a cold Judean winter. So why do we celebrate Christ’s birthday as Christmas, on December </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">the 25th? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">The answer lies in the pagan origins of Christmas. In ancient Babylon, the feast of the Son of Isis </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">(Goddess of Nature) was celebrated on December 25. Raucous partying, gluttonous eating and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">drinking, and gift-giving were traditions of this feast. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">In Rome, the Winter Solstice was celebrated many years before the birth of Christ. The Romans </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">called their winter holiday Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. In January, they </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">observed the Kalends of January, which represented the triumph of life over death. This whole </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">season was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun. The festival </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">season was marked by much merrymaking. It is in ancient Rome that the tradition of the Mummers </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">was born. The Mummers were groups of costumed singers and dancers who traveled from house to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">house entertaining their neighbors. From this, the Christmas tradition of caroling was born. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">In northern Europe, many other traditions that we now consider part of Christian worship were begun </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">long before the participants had ever heard of Christ. The pagans of northern Europe celebrated their </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">own winter solstice, known as Yule. Yule was symbolic of the pagan Sun God, Mithras, being born, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">and was observed on the shortest day of the year. As the Sun God grew and matured, the days </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">became longer and warmer. It was customary to light a candle to encourage Mithras, and the sun, to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">reappear next year. Huge Yule logs were burned in honor of the sun. The word Yule itself means “wheel,” the wheel being </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">a pagan symbol for the sun. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual. Hollyberries were thought to be a food of the gods. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">The tree is the one symbol that unites almost all the northern European winter solstices. Live </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">evergreen trees were often brought into homes during the harsh winters as a reminder to inhabitants </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">that soon their crops would grow again. Evergreen boughs were sometimes carried as totems of good </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">luck and were often present at weddings, representing fertility. The Druids used the tree as a religious </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">symbol, holding their sacred ceremonies while surrounding and worshipping huge trees. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">In 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. There is little</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">doubt that he was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans (who remained a </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">majority at that time) to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">their feasts would not be taken away from them. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">Christmas (Christ-Mass) as we know it today, most historians agree, began in Germany, though </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">Catholics and Lutherans still disagree about which church celebrated it first. The earliest record of an </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">evergreen being decorated in a Christian celebration was in 1521 in the Alsace region of Germany. A </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">prominent Lutheran minister of the day cried blasphemy: “Better that they should look to the true tree</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">of life, Christ.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">Origin of Christmas - What Really Matters?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">The true origin of Christmas is filled with controversy and compromise. In short, the Christmas holiday </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">we celebrate today is indicative of Christianity's willingness to absorb the world's customs and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">traditions, and forget its simple roots in the historical reality of Jesus Christ. Christmas should be</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">nothing more than a simple, yet wonderful reminder of Christ's humble beginning as a human child in </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">this world. His birth merely set the stage for the power, glory, and salvation that would be revealed in </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">His life, death, and resurrection! Whether it's December 25th, sometime in late September, or any </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">other day of the year, we should use each and every opportunity to reflect on Jesus Christ and His </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: #660000; font-size: large;">message of hope for all of us.</span><br />
<img align="left" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border: 0;" /><span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-29772198209835302142011-12-16T12:45:00.001-06:002011-12-16T12:46:09.399-06:00Praying Gods Promises<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>You are not slow in keeping your promises & you have plans to prosper your children. Lord I give you thanks that I am your child. You have made me a queen & a priestess & an heir of your kingdom. I am more than a conqueror! I have the ability to escape the corruption of this world through your promises so that I can participate in your divine nature. Thank you Jesus for setting me free from the law of sin & death by Jesus Christ's own. I don't have to be condemned & afraid anymore because perfect love that comes from you drives out all fear. You bought me from death into life & from darkness into light. For to die with Christ is to gain! You are patient with me and will forgive me & cleanse me from all unrighteous as I repent of my sins. I will be used as an instrument of righteousness! Help me to speak your words that give life because we cannot live on bread alone. My prayers are powerful & effective as an over-comer who's name will not be blotted out of the book of life. I will sit with you on your throne because Jesus you are in me & greater than he who is in the world. </b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>All in Jesus name!</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<img align="left" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border: 0;" /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-26908302710538487672011-10-08T13:51:00.000-05:002011-10-08T13:51:23.277-05:00The Truth About Halloween<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/310298_2403587644847_1105795451_32837556_873281752_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/310298_2403587644847_1105795451_32837556_873281752_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></a></div><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/310298_2403587644847_1105795451_32837556_873281752_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/310298_2403587644847_1105795451_32837556_873281752_n.jpg" width="420" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Children at our church are putting on a play about Halloween so since they were so inspired to do this I decided to do further research. I found this information so interesting that I couldn't help but share it. Enjoy...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><u>THE TRUTH ABOUT HALLOWEEN</u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">By: Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Copyright 1990 </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><b><u>The History of Halloween</u> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Our Pilgrim forefathers well knew of Halloween's occultic roots. In fact they banned celebrating Halloween in America. Halloween </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">was not celebrated in this country until 1845. At that time multiplied thousands of Irish emigrants flooded into New York because of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">the Irish Potato Famine of 1845-46. They brought with them the old Druid holiday of Halloween. Gradually celebrating this day </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">spread throughout the rest of the country. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Now, to understand Halloween better we must go even further back. I found that the original celebration was not called by its present </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">name, Halloween. But, it began long before Christ among the ancient Celtic peoples (Britons, Gauls, Scots, Irish). They observed the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">end of summer with sacrifices to SAMAN (Shamhain). He was "the lord of death and evil spirits". This marked the beginning of the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Celtic New Year. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>A Note About Saman</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Depending on your source material, the Druid lord of death and evil spirits was called Saman, Samana, Shamhain or Samhain. His </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">"holiday" was called "The Vigil Of Saman" or Samhain (pronounced so-wein). You probably have seen a modern day version of </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">SAMAN without even knowing it. This pagan god was shown as a ghostly, skeleton holding a sickle in his hand. He later came to be </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">known as THE GRIM REAPER. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>More About the History of Samhain (Halloween)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Ralph Linton in his book Halloween Through the Centuries, says "The American celebration (of Halloween) rests upon Scottish and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Irish folk customs which can be traced in a direct line from pre-Christian times. The earliest celebrations were held by the DRUIDS in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">honor of Shamhain, lord of death, whose festival fell on November 1st." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Searching other sources, I have this information to add: The Celts considered November 1st as being the day of death because the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">leaves were falling, it was getting darker sooner and temperatures were dropping. They believed Muck Olla, their sun god, was </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">loosing strength because Samhain, lord of death, was overpowering him. Further, they believed that on October 31st Samhain </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">assembled the spirits of all who had died during the previous year. They had been confined to inhabit animals' bodies for the past year </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">as punishment for their evil deeds. On the eve of the feast of Samhain, October 31st, they were allowed to return to their former homes </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">to visit the living. Supposedly to protect these people, Druid priests led the people in diabolical worship ceremonies in which horses, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">cats, black sheep, oxen, human beings and other offerings were rounded up, stuffed into wicker cages and burned to death. This was </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">done to appease Samhain and keep the spirits from harming them. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>The Druids</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Who were the DRUIDS? They were occult practitioners, witches of sorts. In the century preceding the birth of Christ, Caesar </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">conquered the Britains and he records very carefully the account of the DRUID PRIESTS (early witches)..."All Gallic nations are </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">much given to superstition...they either offer up men as victims to the gods, or make a vow to sacrifice themselves. The ministers in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">these offerings are the Druids, and they hold that the wrath of the immortal gods can only be appeased, and man's life redeemed, by </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">offering up human sacrifice, and it is a part of their national institutions to hold fixed solemnities (Ceremonies) for this purpose." </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">I looked deeper to see if I could find the dates of these "fixed solemnities." In the series edited by Richard Cavendish called, Man, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Myth and Magic it says, in volume 6, page 720, "...the pagan Celts in Northern Europe held two great fire festivals each year -- </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Beltane on the eve of 1 May and Samhain on the eve of 1 November -- to mark the beginning of summer and winter." I also came </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">across an article written by Robert Graves in the Daily Telegraph Magazine, May 21, 1965. Graves said the fixed worship days are the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">"cross- quarterly days-Candlemas (February 2nd), May Eve (April 30th), Lammas (August 1st) and Halloween (October 31st). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">When they got together on these pagan worship days they would meet in a grove of trees (preferably oak trees) or in a Druidic stone </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">circle, the most famous surviving circle being located in Stonehenge, England. It is evident that human sacrifice was common at this </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">ancient Druid Sacrificial Circle because within three miles of this sight there are over 350 funeral mounds that contain the remnants of </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">countless human sacrifices. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Holiday researcher George Douglas adds some interesting information when he says "Many of Halloween's customs are derived from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">the ancient Baal Festivals. Other customs originate from the taking of omens from the struggles of victims in the fires of druidic </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">sacrifices." (From: The American Book of Days, by George William Douglas revised by Helen Douglas Compton). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Alexander Hislop in his book, The Two Babylons, says, "The god whom the Druids worshipped was Baal, as the blazing Baal-fires </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">show --- We know that they offered human sacrifices to their bloody gods. We have evidence that they made `their children pass </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">through the fire to Molech', and that makes it highly probable that they also offered them in sacrifice; for, from Jeremiah 32:35, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">compared with Jeremiah 19:5, we find that these two things were parts of one and the same system." Further, it is to be noted that the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">"priests of Nimrod or Baal were necessarily required to eat of the human sacrifices; and thus it has come to pass that `Cahna-Bal', </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">(Cahna is the emphatic form of Cahn which means `a priest') meaning the priest of Baal, is the established word in our tongue for a </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">devourer of human flesh." (from The Two Babylons, Hislop. See page 232). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Though the name of their gods were changed Hislop believes that the Druids practices were rooted in Baal worship, which is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">condemned in the Bible. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">•<b> There Are Still Druids Today</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">According to Robert Graves, there are still Druid practitioners around today. In fact, members of one surviving coven in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Somersetshire, England still carry small blue tattoos pricked below a particular finger joint made from woad (an Old World plant with </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">leaves that yield a blue dye) as did ancient Druids. You will still find Druids meeting at Stonehenge this Halloween symbolically </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">carrying out their grotesque sacrifices. Although they claim no longer to practice human sacrifices they are one group responsible for </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">keeping the occultic celebration of Halloween before the media. The followers of the Druids pagan religion are common in the USA </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">too. A woman called me and told me a group going around to Milwaukee, Wisconsin area libraries presenting a program to children </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">which dealt with their heritage. She engaged one in a conversation afterwards and found that he claimed to be a druid priest who </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">practiced the "old religion." </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>The Pathetic Paradox of Christians Celebrating Halloween</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">It's no wonder that a onetime witch of our day, Tom Sanguinet, former high priest in the Celtic tradition of Wicca (witchcraft) said, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">"Halloween is purely and absolutely evil, and there is nothing we ever have or will do that would make it acceptable to the Lord </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Jesus." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Owen Rachleff amplifies this when he wrote, "Halloween can be, and to many is, a deadly serious affair. [It] originated with preChristian Druids or Celts in Northern Europe, who marked the year by four seasonal festivals. The autumn feast took place on </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">November 1st. Early Christians, desiring a part in the traditional festivities, created All Saints' Day to coincide with the pagan rites. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Satanists--acting true to form--reversed the Christian procedure. Because November 1st was All Saints' Day (All Souls' Day, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">November 2nd, memorializes the dead), Satanists established October 31st as and "All Demon's Night." As surely as the Christian </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">martyrs and saints dominated their own holiday, so did the demons permeate the preceding evening. All Hallows' Eve predictably </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">became a time of spells, curses, and horrors for those who did not believe, but for the Satanists, particularly the witches, it was a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">joyous festival and major sabbat. So it remains in a diluted form, ironically celebrated by Christian society far more vigorously than </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">All Saints' Day." (Quoted from The Occult Conceit - A New Look at Astrology, Witchcraft and Sorcery, by Owen S. Rachleff, from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">page 189-190.) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Historically, Halloween is obviously and totally a pagan, occultic worship day. There is NOTHING Christian about the day. Pause for </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">a moment. Dig beneath the candy.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">What is the primary focus of Halloween, even in our day? I see a three fold focus... </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">1) DEATH </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">2) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">FEAR & HORROR </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">3) EVIL, THE DEVIL & THE OCCULT.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">There is absolutely NO Christian significance to be found in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Halloween. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>Modern Day Occult, Witchcraft and Satanism Celebrate Halloween</b> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">You need to understand that even today Halloween is STILL an occult worship day. Phil Phillips says in his book, Halloween and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Satanism, "...Halloween is a day witches celebrate above all other days." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Is there any support for Phil's statement? Yes! "The Maine State Prison allowed members of a witch coven (the Coven of Dawn) to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">hold a two-hour service on the feast day they call Samhain [Halloween], after the Druidic festival of year's end. `This is our time to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">give praise to our lord and lady for the bountiful harvest,' said the founder of the `goddess- oriented' coven. He said that 75 inmates </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">have been initiated into the religion since its start in 1981." (This report is from Observations, 11/87 by way of the "What In The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">World!" information sheet. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Turn your attention to the October 1989 issue of the Baptist Bulletin magazine. It reported, in the "NEWS" section, "A U.S. Air Force </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">physical therapist who says she has been a practicing witch for four years won permission to take Halloween and seven other days off </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">as `religious holidays.' A spokesman at Lackland Airforce base in San Antonio said regulations require that Patricia Hutchins...be </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">accorded the same freedom to express her religious beliefs as any other religious believer." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Probably the best documentation as to whether modern day witches actually celebrate Halloween comes from their own testimony. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">When asked "Does anyone today celebrate Samhain (Halloween) as a religious Holiday?" a major witches' organization responded, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">"Yes, many followers of various pagan religions, such as Druids and Wiccans (witches), observe this day as a religious festival. They </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">view it as a memorial day for their dead friends similar to the national holiday of Memorial Day in May. It is still a night to practice </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">various forms of divination concerning future events. Also, it is a time to...initiate new projects." (from Cult Watch Response, October </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">1988, Vol. 1, No. 1). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Witches and Satanists love Halloween. They get a lot of media coverage around that time of year. It's good P.R. (public relations) for </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">them. That coverage usually portrays them in a favorable light. In addition, it generates interest in "the craft" and is good for </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">recruitment purposes. As Craig Hawkins put it, "...with increasing vigor, witchcraft is coming `out of the broom closet.' Many witches </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">are actively seeking public understanding and acceptance." (quote from an article in Christian Research Journal; Winter/Spring 90 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">entitled "The Modern World of Witchcraft" by Craig S. Hawkins.) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Despite the public relations campaign to "sell" the public on the "virtues" of witchcraft, modern day witches and Satanists still worship </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">demon gods & goddesses, practice bizarre & immoral sexual rituals, and certain groups offer animal and human sacrifices. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Noted New Age Researcher Texe Marrs said this about the activities of witches on Halloween. "...our own research confirms that on </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">this unholy night [Halloween], witches' covens meet, drink, dance, spit out curses and spells, conjure up spirits, engage in sexual </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">orgies, induct new members, and offer up animal and human sacrifices. (Witches have become expert at covering up these sacrifices </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">by use of cremation ovens and the use of privately owned land preserves for disposal of bodies in deeply dug graves.)" He goes on to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">say, "Somewhere in America in the week prior to this coming Halloween, children will be kidnapped by witches and become statistics </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">as `missing children.' ...While chances of your children being snatched may be remote, never the less we believe caution and good </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">judgment is in order." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Jack Roper, occult researcher with C.A.R.I.S. (Christian Apologetics: Research & Information Service) says "...the time of the year </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">where you have the highest rate of Satanic ritual crimes is Halloween." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Jack also said, "Around Halloween, one of the things you see are graveyard desecrations." Self-styled Satanists use human bones in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">their rituals. Graveyard vandalism is a common Halloween occurrence. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">At this point, I want to share with you some more "Halloween crimes" I am acquainted with. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">A Milwaukee county park worker contacted me in 1989. He told me of finding numerous remains of small animals that had been </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">sacrificed in area parks around Halloween. It was clear that these sacrifices were occult related because the remains were associated </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">with either an altar, inside a circle, triangle or pyramid structure. That's not all. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Dave Benoit tells of a mother finding a strange diary, called "The Book Of Shadows" in her son's room. She with fear and trembling </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">leafed through pages filled with Satanic drawings. Then her eyes fell on these horrifying words, "Last year I stole a car at Halloween </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">and ran over a kid and killed him. This year, at Halloween, I plan to do the same thing!" The words in his satanic diary proved to be </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">true. The teenager is now incarcerated. He murdered a kid as a sacrifice to Satan. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Halloween is an evil day. Halloween honors Satan, idol worship, immorality, demonic rituals and human sacrifice. Halloween is not a </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">day I want to celebrate because of what it has stood for and what it stands for today. Jack Roper put it simply enough, "You would </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">never see Jesus at a Halloween party. Halloween parties in churches are an abomination [to the Lord]." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">I no longer promote or participate in Halloween activities because of its association with idolatry, immorality, bizarre rituals and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">human sacrifice. The Bible warns us, "...the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">not that ye should have fellowship with devils." (I Corinthians 10:20). That is why I am exposing the day for what it really is, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">SATAN'S DAY! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>The Origin of the Name, "Halloween"</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Where did the name Halloween come from? Originally this Druid Holiday was called "The Vigil Of Saman." In early Britain it was </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">called Samhain, which is pronounced So-wein. But, here is how we got the name Halloween. It came from an attempt to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">"Christianize" this pagan worship day. In A.D. 800 the Roman Catholic Church moved "ALL SAINTS DAY" from May to November </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">1st. The new day was called All HALLOW'S DAY and it soon became the custom to call the evening before ALL HALLOWE'EN. It </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">was shortened and called HALLOWEEN. The important fact to note is that the CHRISTIANIZATION of this Celtic New Year's </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">sacrifice day MISERABLY FAILED. Where is the preeminence of Christ or glory given to the Lord as with Easter and Christmas. It </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">is NOT there but on the contrary, the Devil is dominant! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">To summarize this section on "THE HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN" let me share with you the words of Dr. John MacArthur. "First of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">all, dressing up like witches, ghosts, or goblins is incompatible with a Christian's testimony. Furthermore, many of the customs of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Halloween are associated with the worst kinds of pagan beliefs and ceremonies; they are usually sinister things such as demons, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">witchcraft and superstition." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">He further stated, "If we as Christian parents simply disregard the unchristian aspects of such practices as mere fantasy or superstition </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">and then encourage our children to participate in them, we run the risk of communicating the message that the spiritual battle waged </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">by the rulers of darkness (Ephesians 6:10) is not to be taken seriously." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Let's move on to the origin of some of Halloween's customs. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>Origin of Costumes</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">How did the practice of wearing costumes at Halloween develop? The early origin of costumes is repulsive. On the evening of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">October 31st, the Druids, who were the occultic priests and teachers of the Celts, ordered the people to put out their hearth fires. The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Druids built a huge new year's bonfire of oak branches, which they considered sacred. They burned animals, crops and human beings </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">as sacrifices to their sun god Muck Olla and Samhain, their god of death. During this diabolical ceremony the PEOPLE WORE </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">COSTUMES made of animal heads and skins. They then practiced divination, looked for omens in the struggle of the victims </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">sacrificed in the fires, jumped over the flames or dashed through them, danced and sang. All of this was done to frighten the evil </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">spirits away. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">According to Man, Myth & Magic, volume 1, page 68, "The guisers went from house to house, singing and dancing. Their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">bloodcurdling masks and grotesque costumes may have been meant to keep evil at bay, or more likely, were visible representations of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">the ghosts and goblins that lurked in the night..." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">In the 11th edition of Encyclopedia Britannica, volume 12, page 8578 it states, "It was the Druids belief that on the eve of this festival </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">(November 1st, Celtic New Year) Saman, lord of death, called together the wicked souls (Spirits) that within the past twelve months </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">had been condemned to inhabit the bodies of animals." Saman would then send these evil spirits to attack people on the eve before the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">November 1st celebration. The only way these people could escape was by assuming disguises and looking like evil spirits </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">themselves. (See Christianity Today, October 22, 1982, p.32). It seems to me that these "evil spirits" must also have been stupid spirits </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">if they could be fooled by such a masquerade. Sadly, the fools were the superstitious idol worshippers who refused to glorify the true </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">God. As a result they became "vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were darkened." (Romans 1:21). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">As you can see, gross looking costumes have their source in demonism and because of this I want to "...cast off the works of darkness </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">and put on the armour of light." (Romans 13:12). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>TRICK OR TREAT</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Now, just by chance if you had forgotten to dress up or could not fool the demons by dressing in animal skins or other disguises, there </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">was a way to exorcise them. You were to set out a TREAT of food and fruit, and provide the wandering spirit with shelter for the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">night. If the demon was satisfied with your TREAT, it was believed that they would not TRICK you by casting an evil spell on you </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">causing havoc. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">I came across a shocking account of Trick or Treat written by a former witch, Irene Park. She says, "...the Druids in Ireland would go </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">through the neighborhoods and countryside on the eve of October 31st to collect offerings to Satan. They would carry lanterns, bags of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">money, and canes with very sharp points on the ends (currently known as leprechaun staffs, good luck horns, or fairies' wands). At </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">each house, they would demand a specific amount. If the household would not or could not give the offering (penance or treat), the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Druid would use the cane to castrate the male human or one of their prize animals." (From; Seven High Pagan Masses and Halloween </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">by Irene A. Park; page 1) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">In later years James Napier says, in his book, Holidays of Legend, Irish farmers went house to house begging for food for their ancient </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">gods. Good luck was promised to all who donated but threats were made against those who would not give. There is absolutely </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">nothing in Trick or Treat that honors the Lord that I can see. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Considering the origin of Trick or Treat, I quit giving out candy. I have no desire to reenact Druidic practices. It seems to me that is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">exactly what you are doing when you give out goodies on Halloween. Participating in occultic worship rituals certainly does not </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">glorify God. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>JACK-O-LANTERNS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Jack-O-Lanterns, what is their significance? The World Book Encyclopedia, 1977 edition, volume 9, page 24-26 says, "The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">apparently harmless lighted pumpkin face of `Jack-O-Lantern' is an ancient symbol of a damned soul." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">According to an article I read by Dr. John MacArthur, Jr. according to folklore "Jack-O-Lanterns were named for a man called Jack, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">who could not enter heaven or hell. As a result, he was doomed to wander in darkness with his lantern until judgment day." With this </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">in mind, people began to hollow out pumpkins and turnips, placing candles inside to scare evil spirits from their houses. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">What a tragedy. John 3:16 makes it clear that no one has to be outside of heaven..."For God so loved the world (mankind), that He </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should NOT perish, but have everlasting life." It is also clear that if any </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">individual refuses to trust Christ as Savior he is condemned already (John 3:18 & 36). There is no wandering. It is either Heaven or </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Hell depending on whether you have trusted Christ as your Savior (John 14:6; Romans 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8-9). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">There was another purpose for Jack-O-Lanterns according to author Owen Rachleff. "The candlelit pumpkin or skull... served as a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">beacon for the sabbat and as a signal to mark those farms and homes that were sympathetic to the Satanists and thus deserving of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">mercy when the terror of the night (Halloween) began." (The Occult Conceit; page 190). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Moving on, we come to cats and their connection with Halloween. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>BLACK CATS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">In the 1959 edition of World Book Encyclopedia, under Halloween it was noted that Druid priests believed that cats were once human </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">beings but were reincarnated as punishment for evil deeds. Because of this they held cats sacred and involved them in their idol </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">worship of October 31st and November 1st. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Druids believed "the cat was sacred and...that cats had once been changed (from being human & reincarnated) into that form as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">punishment for evil deeds." (The American Book of Days, by George Douglas) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">"Even after Christianity spread to Europe...oxen were sacrificed on October 31st...and in medieval Europe, black cats [were] chosen as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">victims in the belief that they were witches in disguise [and] were burned on that day (Halloween)." (The American Book of Day, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">third edition by Hatch) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">It is plain to see that cats, particularly BLACK CATS were thought to represent EVIL. Further, they were a symbol of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">REINCARNATION. I have an article in my file which says The Humane Society will not release black cats around Halloween for </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">fear that they will be mistreated or sacrificed. Their decision, in my opinion, is a wise one. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>BOBBING FOR APPLES</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">In A.D. 43 the Roman Empire was in solid control of the Celtic people. As a result of this control the idol worshipping Romans </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">introduced another ceremony honoring their false gods to the already demoniacal Druid New Year's celebration. It was in honor of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">their goddess of fruit trees. They would try to grasp fruit, floating in water, without the use of their hands. This is the origin of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">BOBBING FOR APPLES according to the Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Associated Press quote, October 16, 1977. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>SUMMARY OF HALLOWEEN'S HISTORY</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">That gives you a brief historical background of Halloween. Is there any doubt that the day is occultic? I do not believe we have lost </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">that influence in our day. It is probably the only day that you allow the devil, witches, ghosts, skeletons and perverts in your house. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Why then? Why honor Satan the demon of death at all. Deuteronomy 32:16-17 tells us that God is provoked when demons are </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">honored and not him..."They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up..." The Lord God is THE GOD of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">The Ages. He is before all else. We would be wise to heed Paul's admonition in I Corinthians 10:20 where he says he does not want </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">us to fellowship with demons or pagan practices in any way. "The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils." </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><b><u>THE HEROES OF HALLOWEEN</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>THE WITCH</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">What would Halloween be like without WITCHES. Let me share with you some material I found in An Illustrated History of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Witchcraft, by Peter Haining. He states, "The witch is, without doubt, one of the most enduring figures in superstition and literature. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Whether portrayed as an aged crone astride a broomstick off on some mission of evil, or else a young girl dancing naked with her </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">companions in a wooded grove, she can be found in carvings of antiquity or the columns of today's newspapers...since the Middle </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Ages, (writings have) shown her as an enemy of humanity, a solitary being able to compact with the Devil to work all manner of </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">supernatural powers." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">The oldest known illustration of a witch dates back to the pre-Columbian times and shows the goddess Tlazolteolf naked, wearing a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">pointed hat riding a broomstick. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">The first famous witch in history is the Witch of Endor. I Samuel 28 relates how King Saul went to her in an effort to get in touch </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">with the dead prophet of God, Samuel. He needed advice on how to defeat the Philistines. He should have known better because </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Exodus 22:18 prescribed being a witch as a capital crime, punishable by death. Again Deuteronomy 18:9-14 warned that God's </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">children were to have nothing to do with the OCCULT. Even in the New Testament (Revelation 21:8 Galatians 5:20 KJV) lists the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">practitioners of witchcraft as being excluded from God's kingdom. Dr. Luke wrote about what people did about their occultic i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">nvolvement when they came to know Christ as their Savior in Acts 19:18-19, "Many that believed (in Christ) came, and confessed </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">(their former evil practices) and showed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver." (A piece of silver was a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">day's wage back in that day. By today's standard that could have been </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">as much as 1/2 million dollars.) </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>WHAT WITCHES BELIEVE</b> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">"Contemporary witchcraft is so diverse and eclectic that it is extremely difficult to accurately identify and define" according to Craig </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Hawkins (Christian Research Journal, Winter/Spring 1990, page 12). In fact you can't accurately say ALL witches believe such and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">such. But you can give general guidelines relating to their beliefs. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">First, witches would have you believe witchcraft is different from Satanism. In a minor sense they are partially correct. Satanism is the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">rebellion against and reversal of Christianity. A practicing witch put it this way, "Satanism is basically a reversion and perversion of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Christian symbolism." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Witchcraft, on the other hand is not a reaction to Christianity but pagan worship of the Mother Goddess and her consort the Horned </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">God. Witches (Wiccans) claim they don't even acknowledge Satan. But a former Alexanderian Wiccan witch clarified this by stating, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">"as I got to the higher degrees I learned that the name of the horned god was Lucifer. I learned that the sign of the second degree was </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">an inverted pentagram...symbolizing the horns of Satan. (Quote from Devil Worship: The Rise of Satanism, by Jeremiah films) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Though witches like to make a distinction between themselves and Satanists, there really is NO DISTINCTION biblically speaking. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">They might play little word games masking the connection between Lucifer and Satan but the power behind Satanism and Witchcraft </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">is the same-Satan, (formerly called Lucifer before his rebellion against God ) and his demonic hords. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">When the Bible makes reference to witchcraft it means anyone who is involved in some form of the occult. The word occult comes </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">from the Latin meaning secret, hidden, or esoteric (private; understood only by a few) knowledge or practices. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">There are THREE CATEGORIES OF THE OCCULT...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">1. DIVINATION -- Seeking to know the past, present or future by astrology; horoscopes; channeling; tarot; etc. This can include </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">animal or human sacrifice. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">2. SORCERY or MAGIC(K) -- Seeking to control or manipulate reality for ones own purposes. This can include animal or human </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">sacrifice to accomplish that end. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">3. SPIRITISM -- Seeking to communicate with the dead or other entities through a medium. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Generally speaking, it is accurate to say that those who practice witchcraft hold the following four beliefs. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">ANIMISM -- The belief that all objects (rocks, trees, wind, plants, mountains etc.) are alive and have a soul. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">PANTHEISM -- The belief that everything is divine (god). Divinity is inseparable from and immanent in everything such as nature </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">and humanity. In fact we are divine or gods. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">POLYTHEISM -- Belief in many deities (gods). They also believe in multi-levels of reality. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">•<b> WHAT WITCHES DO</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">At this point I should tell you that there is great diversity within occult & satanic groups. Witches and occultists disagree among </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">themselves as to what constitutes a witch. But researchers find that there are several distinguishable categories into which occultists </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">fit. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">1. DABBLERS -- They are experimenting or playing around with the occult. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">2. ECLECTIC or SELF-STYLED OCCULTISTS -- They have moved from the dabbling stage into deeper involvement. They are </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">developing their own individualized occultic religion and developing personalized beliefs and practices. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">3. RELIGIOUS OCCULTIST -- These people openly belong to an official occult group. Their group is often tax exempt and is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">protected by the first amendment. They deny involvement in any criminal activity and seek to present their beliefs as a legitimate </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">religion. Lori Cabot (official witch of Salem, Mass.) heads the Temple of Isis. There is the Church of Circle Wicca; The Witches </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">International Craft Association and numerous others. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">4. INTRA-GENERATIONAL OCCULTIST -- These are clandestine (secret), family religions that pass their occultic practices </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">from one generation to another. This category of occultists seems to be well organized, very secretive and are often very dangerous. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">For the most part, wherever you find witchcraft you will likely find nudity because many of their rituals are performed "skyclad" (in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">the nude). Witches practice divination, that is the attempt to obtain information regarding the past, present or future through occultic </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">methods like astrology, channeling (inviting a spirit to possess your body), tarot cards, crystal balls, etc. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Magic is a cornerstone of witchcraft. When I speak of magic I am not talking about "slight-of-hand." I am talking about invoking or </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">attempting to invoke an invisible force (demons) for use in influencing, manipulating, or controlling a given situation to accomplish </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">ones own will in a situation. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Then there is the common practice among witches and occult followers of "drawing down the moon." The high priestess of the coven </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">usually stands "skyclad" with arms outstretched to the sky and calls down the goddess or invites the goddess to possess them. In </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">response, the high priestess will often enter a trance state and become the voice of the goddess. During this time she functions as the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">goddess incarnate (goddess in the flesh) within the magic circle. Whatever she says is supposedly directly from the goddess. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Witches and coven members practice many immoral and perverted sexual practices as a part of their rituals. These rituals are often </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">accompanied by alcohol and drug use. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">It is obvious that God does not want his children to have anything to do with witches or witchcraft. I believe we should "Abstain from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">all appearance of evil." (I Thessalonians 5:22) Certainly that would include dressing like a witch, wizard or sorcerer. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>DRACULA</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Another classic Halloween character is COUNT DRACULA. If you watch you will see a number of these black caped, fanged toothed </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">monsters running around this Halloween. But if you want to have your socks knocked off read DRACULA, A Biography of Vlad the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Impaler, 1431-1476, by Radu Florescu and Raymond T. McNally. Dracula was a real person. He was maniac monster, the Hitler of his </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">day. During his six year rule it was estimated by a reliable source that Dracula massacred 100,000 men, women and children. And </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">how did he impose death? Let me quote Pope Pius II who tells how he killed 40,000 of his political foes shortly before 1462. "He </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">killed some of them by breaking them under the wheels of carts; others, stripped of their clothes, were skinned alive up to their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">entrails; others places on stakes, or roasted on red hot coals placed under them; others punctured with stakes piercing their head, their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">navel, breast, and what is even unworthy of relating, their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">buttocks and the middle of their entrails, and, emerging from their mouths..." No one was excluded, not even babies. Dracula </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">decapitated, cut noses, ears, privates and limbs. On one occasion he even nailed the turbans on the heads of some Turks because they </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">refused to remove them in his presence. On one occasion he saw a man poorly dressed walking by his home. He called the man into </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">his presence and said "Your wife is assuredly of the kind who remains idle. How is it possible, that your shirt does not cover the calf </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">of your leg? She is not worthy of living in my realm. May she perish!" The man protested, saying that he was satisfied with her. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Dracula said, "You will be more satisfied with another, since you are a decent and hardworking man." His wife was fetched and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">immediately impaled on a stake. In the meantime the new wife was introduced and carefully shown what happens to a lazy wife. The </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">document says "Consequently the new wife worked so hard she had not time to eat." Let me relate one last atrocity of this warped, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">demonic inspired madman. Dracula devised a plan to rid society of the burden of all the countries beggars, sick, old, lame and poor. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">He invited them all to a feast. Little did they know that it would become a house of horror for them. He fed them well and got them </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">drunk and then made his personal appearance and asked them..."Do you want to be without cares, lacking nothing in this world?" </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Naturally they all said yes! Dracula then ordered the palace boarded up and set on fire. No one escaped. Dracula was a demon </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">possessed madman. I do not want my child associated in any way with such a degenerate reprobate, do you? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Would you let your child dress up like mass murderer Jim Jones? Would you dress your child like cult murderer Charles Manson? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">How about mass child killer, pedophile John Wayne Gacey? Of course not. Then why let them dress up like some pervert of old like </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Dracula or any other ungodly, demonic or distasteful character. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Paul's admonition in II Corinthians 6:14-17 certainly applies when it says "...What fellowship hath righteousness with </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">unrighteousness...what communion hath light with darkness? And what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?...Come out from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">among them and be ye separate." I no longer celebrate Halloween because of Halloween's heroes and I have only looked at two. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Frankly, I am appalled by stories like the one that appeared in the Milwaukee Sentinel, September 24, 1982. It told of a Waukesha </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">man that decapitated his wife. Yet, we let our children go to Ghosts' Manors on Halloween like the one pictured in the Milwaukee </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Journal, October 22, 1982 showing a blood spattered victim in a bathtub (staged thankfully). What are we telling our children if we </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">accept that kind of scene on Halloween and yet it makes our blood run cold and our stomachs turn any other day? </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><b><u>THE HARM OF HALLOWEEN </u></b> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">What harm could there be in Halloween? Halloween can be a dangerous and harmful day and here are some reasons why. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">•<b> HALLOWEEN EMPHASIZES VIOLENCE AND DEATH</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">All parents ought to be concerned. Halloween is desensitizing our children by its glorification of violence, death, mutilation and gore. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Consider for a moment the "Nightmare on Elm Street", "Halloween", and "Friday the 13th" film series. They are popular viewing fare </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">at Halloween parties. Who or what inspires these "actors" (I use the term loosely)? Robert Englund who plays mass murderer Freddy </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Krueger in the "Nightmare on Elm Street" series says he draws his inspiration from the late Ted Bundy, who raped and murdered more </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">than 28 women. Englund told Slaughterhouse magazine, "I just read an article on Ted Bundy, so a lot of my imagery is based on him." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">At the least, exposure to sadism, sexual violence, satanism, torture, mutilation and bizarre murders causes our kids to become </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">calloused to these behaviors. But, Harriet Kozkoff, a public TV producer told the press, "Entertainment is a powerful socializing agent </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">in contemporary society. Slasher and horror movies...use violence and sexual arousal to maximize profits and are an inevitable </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">prescription for conditioning sexual sadism into our pre-teen, teenage and young adult film fans." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Radecki said, "Every year film violence and real-life violence continues to get worse. We must protest and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">stop this growing sadism in our homes, schools, and on our streets." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Obviously, the problem is wider than just on Halloween. But TV programming and video rentals of violent horror films is at its peak </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">at Halloween. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Halloween is harmful because of its emphasis on violence and death. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>HALLOWEEN EMPHASIZES HORROR AND FEAR</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">An article in the Milwaukee Journal, entitled "Haunted House Fun: It could become a nightmare for kids" stated, "It's just for fun, you </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">know that. But to a young child, a trip through a `haunted house' created for Halloween could be a nightmare." Psychologist Marvin </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Berkowitz of Marquette University said, "Some haunted houses can frighten an adult." He warned that a child must "go in with the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">right mental set." He said, "Make sure they know it's going to be a fun scare, not a real scare." The article went on to day that even </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">though you do your best to let the child know this he can be traumatized by such an experience." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">I don't believe children should be exposed to such manufactured traumas. Exposing a vulnerable child can have harmful consequences </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">that run the spectrum from nightmares to emotional damage. In fact, Dr. Grace Ketterman, M.D. says in her book, You and Your </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Child's Problems, "A tragic by- product of fear in the lives of children as early as preadolescence is the interest and involvement in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">supernatural occult phenomena." </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Halloween is harmful because of its emphasis on fear and horror. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>HALLOWEEN EMPHASIZES THE OCCULT</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Halloween is harmful because it lures people into the occult. Many children are introduced to occultic practices at Halloween parties. I </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">first learned about the occult at a Halloween party as a teenager. Many kids get their first exposure to occultic horror movies at </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Halloween parties. After the initial exposure to the occult some children are attracted to the occult because of the power it offers them. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Others see it as the ultimate means of rebelling against there parents. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• Other things that lure children into the occult -- </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">1. Black & heavy metal music </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">2. Fantasy Role playing games </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">3. Slasher/horror movies & sadistic pornography </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">4. Reading occult & satanic literature </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">People who would not ever involve themselves with the occult at any other time will experiment at Halloween parties with seances, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Ouija boards, levitation, rituals and ritual sex. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Did you know that Devil's Night (the night before Halloween) is the worst night of the year for ARSON FIRES? In Detroit, Michigan </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">in 1983, 450 fires were set by pranksters. To add to the trauma, more personal property is defaced and public buildings damaged at </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">this time than any other time of the year. Law enforcement officials have told me that grave yard desecration is becoming a real </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">problem at Halloween. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">What about Trick-or-Treat? In Milwaukee, Wisconsin hospitals x-ray candy received while "begging" to be sure no foreign objects, l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">ike pins or razor blades, were in the goodies. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Malicious Halloween pranks even kill people, like the lady who had a pumpkin dropped on her car from an overpass. It went through </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">her window and caused her death. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Let me conclude this section by telling you of a recent videotaped interview with a Wisconsin policeman. He told us of a woman who </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">had come to them and reported that her two children had been sacrificed in Satanic Halloween rituals. She was an occult member and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">wanted out of the group. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Halloween is a sinister day with occultic roots. As we move along in the last days an increasing number of people are realizing that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Halloween is a pagan worship day. It is day that honors false gods, demons and Satan. I have no desire to neither enter into the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">worship of false gods nor honor the devil. I hope after considering this study you will agree and decide NOT TO CELEBRATE </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">HALLOWEEN. Put Ephesians 5:11 into practice, "...have NO fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">(expose) them." </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">• <b>HALLOWEEN ALTERNATIVES???</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">I have come to believe that Christ is not honored by celebrating Halloween. Explain to your children why you are not celebrating </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">Halloween any more. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">My closing challenge to you is this. Prayerfully consider what Christ would have you to do. My desire is that of James, "Submit </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;">yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." (James 4: 7-8).</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-42048078250877747302011-05-24T09:44:00.002-05:002011-05-24T10:19:52.265-05:00The rapture will not occur when man says it will!<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Matthew 24: 36</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Harold Camping is being used by Satan to further push people away from Jesus. It is yet another plot of the enemy to still, kill and destroy.</span><span class="woc"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As you can see above there is no way he can predict when Christ will return and he is trying to do it yet again. Now he is saying he had a miss calculation and the rapture will actually occur on October 21, 2011. This is his forth time predicting the rapture! The other dates were </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">May 21, 2011, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">May 21, 1988, September 7, 1994.</span></span><span class="woc"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Enough is enough.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">His Biblical knowledge is way off! Don't fall for anything he says the Bible warns about this.</span> </b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woc" style="color: #990000;">Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woc" style="color: #990000;">For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woc" style="color: #990000;">See, I have told you beforehand.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woc" style="color: #990000;">So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woc" style="color: #990000;">For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woc" style="color: #990000;">Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. Matthew 24: 23-28 </span></span> </b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I read that Camping offered no clues about Family Radio's finances Monday, saying he could not estimate how much had been spent advertising his prediction nor how much money the nonprofit had taken in as a result. In 2009, the nonprofit reported in IRS filings that it received $18.3 million in donations, and had assets of more than $104 million, including $34 million in stocks or other publicly traded securities. I have posted some pictures of what some of that money (plus donations) went toward. Imaging all the ministries that could have been helped with those finances instead. This false prophet makes me sick.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ebiblefellowship.com/gallery/d/523-2/mb5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" height="133" src="http://www.ebiblefellowship.com/gallery/d/523-2/mb5.jpg" width="200" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=863356200159&id=9c89c21f9246e39e39f5a36f3c688e96" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" height="122" src="http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=863356200159&id=9c89c21f9246e39e39f5a36f3c688e96" width="200" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=810700314989&id=99e0d153007a11e74732b3362359b658" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" src="http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=810700314989&id=99e0d153007a11e74732b3362359b658" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://newsoholics.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/may-21-2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" height="146" src="http://newsoholics.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/may-21-2011.jpg" width="200" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=967529140021&id=0871068e8bbdcafc2ad6f4c53b212be0" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" src="http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=967529140021&id=0871068e8bbdcafc2ad6f4c53b212be0" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ts1.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=879247102764&id=b71de71d6db2387e7bbd75c889e10b56" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" src="http://ts1.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=879247102764&id=b71de71d6db2387e7bbd75c889e10b56" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MB6g1yRVUyQ/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MB6g1yRVUyQ/0.jpg" width="200" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=981964111035&id=06b95f8cfe41a83b28ec85eb944e0576" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" height="150" src="http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=981964111035&id=06b95f8cfe41a83b28ec85eb944e0576" width="200" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=768293604979&id=ab93c41bdc7faa7e58ac94dd8291cf67" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" height="150" src="http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=768293604979&id=ab93c41bdc7faa7e58ac94dd8291cf67" width="200" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.frank151.com/files/users/SDonuts/may%2021%202011%20rapture%20billboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" height="122" src="http://www.frank151.com/files/users/SDonuts/may%2021%202011%20rapture%20billboard.jpg" width="200" /></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Billboards were posted all over the world- To give you and idea of how many over 40 were put up around Nashville Tn. alone! What a waste.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" border="0" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-301582119575608852011-05-13T16:21:00.003-05:002011-09-02T08:32:37.024-05:00Artifacts From The Bible Found<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Some of the Biblical artifacts that appear to have been found are:</span></div><ol><li><div align="left"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Noah's Ark- Genesis 8: 4 </span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001320; line-height: 21px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.</span></i></b></span><br />
<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img src="http://www.biblediscoveries.com/images/stories/photos/arkaerialb2.jpg" /></span></i></b></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.arkdiscovery.com/arkold2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Radar scans show a regular pattern of timbers inside the ark formation, revealing keels, keelsons, gunnels, bulkheads, animal chambers, ramp system, door in right front, two large barrels in the front 14' x 24', and an open center area for air flow to all three levels.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">2. <b><i>Sodom/ Gomorrah- Genesis 19: 24<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001320; line-height: 21px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah--from the LORD out of the heavens.</span></i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <a href="http://www.arkdiscovery.com/gomorrah-north-zig.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://www.arkdiscovery.com/gomorrah-north-zig.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">For the first time in modern history we have found round balls of brimstone, or nearly pure sulfur, embedded in an ashen area near the Dead Sea, which show clear signs of having once been ancient building structures! </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">3. Red Sea Crossing- 1 kings 9:26</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001320; line-height: 21px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">King Solomon also built ships at Ezion Geber, which is near Elath in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea.</span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i></b> </span><img src="http://www.arkdiscovery.com/red-sea-multi-3.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If one looks on a map for a beach area large enough for 2 million people to encamp on the gulf there is only one candidate: Nuweiba Egypt. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Four, six and eight spoke wheels are found here in the gulf, and were only used at the same time during the 18th dynasty or 1446 BC when the exodus took place. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">4. Mt. Sinai-</i><i><b> </b></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><b>Galatians 4:2<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">5 </span></i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001320; line-height: 21px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law.</span></i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> <img src="http://www.arkdiscovery.com/sinaivfpicmtn.jpg" /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The upper 200 feet of Jebel el Lawz is burned black from the smoke.</span></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">5. Ark Of Covenant- Hebrews 9:<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> 4 I</span></span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001320; line-height: 21px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">n that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron's staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant.</span></i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlEIGgC3YrVfoGpH0w3Q2pTyynMIN9E8VfKqo23b4FazUsufUbjPCBr7Vo6VyZGoKqTZcEdqQbucH73PC8L9d76qqdl_vDgox9ZDfj9EXWsq_cBUkCV9Zm8V27NEHF-hSgTJYajs4T6Nl/s1600/aoc5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlEIGgC3YrVfoGpH0w3Q2pTyynMIN9E8VfKqo23b4FazUsufUbjPCBr7Vo6VyZGoKqTZcEdqQbucH73PC8L9d76qqdl_vDgox9ZDfj9EXWsq_cBUkCV9Zm8V27NEHF-hSgTJYajs4T6Nl/s320/aoc5.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br />
</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #333333; font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">They had over 300 full color pictures on approximately 90 photoboards on display in the Museum of God's Treasures<strong style="font-weight: normal;"> </strong>in Gatlinburg -- and ONLY ONE of those 300 pictures was a "fuzzy" picture.</span></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">6. Golgotha- Matthew 27: 3<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3 </span></span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001320; line-height: 21px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull)</span></i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> <img src="http://www.arkdiscovery.com/golgotha-flowers2.JPG" /></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Two eye sockets and nose are seen in the center of the photo.</span></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">7. The Tomb- John 19:4<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 </span></span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001320; line-height: 21px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.</i></span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> <img src="http://www.arkdiscovery.com/gardeninside2.jpg" /></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is the burial place of Christ and you will notice the foot area at right that was enlarged to accommodate Christ's feet, as he must have been taller than Joseph of Arimathea who had the tomb constructed for himself and was apparently 5' 8" tall.</span></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">8. The Rock Which Flowed Forth Water- Isaiah 48:21 </span></span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001320; line-height: 21px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and water gushed out.</span></i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> <img height="327" src="http://www.arkdiscovery.com/rockathoreb.jpg" width="400" /></span></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Notice the obvious signs of water erosion, in this desert region.</span></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">9. The Altar Of The Golden Calf- Exodus 32: 5<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001320; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD."</i></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"></span></i></b> <img height="261" src="http://www.arkdiscovery.com/calfaltar02.jpg" width="400" /></span></div></li>
</ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">Notice inscriptions of bulls.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><img align="left" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb361/ShellyLPM/th_SmallCustSignature.jpg?t=1304986320" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" /><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-18823958121579674122011-05-09T09:36:00.000-05:002011-05-09T09:36:16.617-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeBX1ghgo6-1nPxIomifih9Nuz0QmeGPwmk0saX6dB5Fk1GD5pDEqlz-CjPK5xE3kgD32L-CA5M4Nmw_tiqp4ZG9J19U2aPaE_15FBk28M5LgWQFfyAsl1M0xfB5ZWHDpj1p41u-lSQKl/s1600/Mothers+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeBX1ghgo6-1nPxIomifih9Nuz0QmeGPwmk0saX6dB5Fk1GD5pDEqlz-CjPK5xE3kgD32L-CA5M4Nmw_tiqp4ZG9J19U2aPaE_15FBk28M5LgWQFfyAsl1M0xfB5ZWHDpj1p41u-lSQKl/s320/Mothers+Day.jpg" width="222" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Yesterday was such a beautiful day. We had a powerful message given at church by a dear woman who is a mother to us all there- Mama Clark. The title of her message was "I am free to run." She has an amazing testimony of how she lost her mother at the age of only 15 but how God raised her up and she became the first African- American woman to be ordained as a minister. She speaks with such wisdom and experience. She passes that on to us all. I am so blessed to have so many woman that pour into my life. That is what we should all be doing. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">In</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Titus 2.3-4" data-version="ESV" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Titus%202.3-4" style="color: #3d448a; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Titus 2:3-4</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">, Paul gives these instructions as to how a young married woman is to be trained by older women: “...train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands so that no one will malign the Word of God.”</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">The older women are to teach the younger women and to live lives that glorify God. All of you women with much experience and Biblical wisdom I encourage you to look for younger women to reach out to and mentor. I look around and see my generation so hungry for a mothers love. </span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">God wants to show it to them through you. </span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Will you be a willing vessel?</span></span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rKt7YiapmlFS5LQ-Z1Zg9TSsJfMyC-Cibr4idgop-8f6vvsxUS-1BQ6lq0QWupMQCJ8z9Csv7o7Z995_tOtxCC9Bh-YaZCwqOzAYRW8veK8R39-lECpKjARsM5i5yFjPTHHg82BW8ddt/s1600/Mothers+Day+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rKt7YiapmlFS5LQ-Z1Zg9TSsJfMyC-Cibr4idgop-8f6vvsxUS-1BQ6lq0QWupMQCJ8z9Csv7o7Z995_tOtxCC9Bh-YaZCwqOzAYRW8veK8R39-lECpKjARsM5i5yFjPTHHg82BW8ddt/s1600/Mothers+Day+Pic.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-87137178325508932932011-05-07T00:01:00.000-05:002011-05-07T00:02:28.469-05:00The First Commandment<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Exodus 20:3 You shall <em style="font-style: normal;">have no other</em> Gods <em style="font-style: normal;">before me</em>. </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b>When we think of other Gods we often don't think about </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b>the things that we put before God everyday. They can be </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b>money, belongings, ministry, serving others, or even our </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b>family. Anything that takes the place of our intimate </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b>relationship with the Lord is an idol. The only way to </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b>have an intimate relationship is by taking the time to get </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b>to know Him. We must cast down all distractions that </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b>hinder this. Then we can seek and follow His guidance </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 15px;"><b>concerning everything we do.</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"> </span></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.freefoto.com/images/05/27/05_27_6---I-am-the-vine_web.jpg?&k=I+am+the+vine" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://www.freefoto.com/images/05/27/05_27_6---I-am-the-vine_web.jpg?&k=I+am+the+vine" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b> Just like a vine we must receive our daily nourishment </b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b>because without it we may bear fruit for a time but will </b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b>eventually wither and die. When we are doing ministry </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b>and serving others this is even more important because </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b>we are giving away our nourishment and we don't need </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b>to allow ourselves to dry up or burn out. Our daily time </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b>with God of course is that nourishment. It is so </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b>important to read His word, pray, and listen to what He </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b>has for us. Therefore, we must make sure not to have </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b>any other Gods that would get in the way!</b></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.freefoto.com/images/05/27/05_27_6---I-am-the-vine_web.jpg?&k=I+am+the+vine" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #274e13;"></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-28624994514886046532011-04-26T19:10:00.000-05:002011-04-26T19:10:52.880-05:00Groupon<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Wanted to share this website with everyone. If you haven't heard of it yet it gives you daily discounts for businesses in your area. It's helped me save lots of money.</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Click this link for more info:</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica;"><strong><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1303862305_3" style="color: #366388; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://click.e.groupon.com/?qs=16050af82624dae050aa296554c74c87e15263e982f2052247d6a1723dc8a8115283947d3515542f" rel="nofollow" style="color: #0981be; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.groupon.com/r/uu2916012</a></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica;"><strong><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1303862305_3" style="color: #366388; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</span></strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica;"><strong><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1303862305_3" style="color: #366388; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</span></strong></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-24622124654806610502011-04-17T18:18:00.000-05:002011-04-17T18:26:23.828-05:00Holy Spirit Fire<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: white;">God showed me a forest of large trees representing His righteous men in His body. I was led to pray that the Holy Spirits fire would burn the underbrush beneath them. That the enemy would be burned out so the trees could flourish. And once that fires subsided that the trees would still remain hot and not grow cold. Then I asked that the Lord would shake the ground around them to cause all the soot to fall so they may see clearly what God has for them. Only at that point Lord, let it rain so that they be washed clean and all the dust be settled. Because after all this the ground around the trees will be rich enough for them to bring up healthy seedlings. If you were to take a deeper look into that fertile soil you would see that these huge trees derive their strength from the Rock they're growing on. Jesus Christ.</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_yNtOV7xz7km6Ip_6sbBYhyHX-Byz65GcIbLSde59rIfdQB9D9tRsPA2w8_V8q2VrKlrNnMLl8CGHDy6aU0955doTB-lil3Qzxv41yfSSeM2fsC9Tknofxx73GxqNoxNr-nat9Jkfhvc4/s1600/3806850_558005371f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><img border="0" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_yNtOV7xz7km6Ip_6sbBYhyHX-Byz65GcIbLSde59rIfdQB9D9tRsPA2w8_V8q2VrKlrNnMLl8CGHDy6aU0955doTB-lil3Qzxv41yfSSeM2fsC9Tknofxx73GxqNoxNr-nat9Jkfhvc4/s640/3806850_558005371f.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: white;"><br />
</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: white;">I did some further research on this prayer given to me and found Psalms 92: 7-15</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: white;"><br />
</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-15419" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">7</sup> When the wicked spring up like grass,<br />
And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,<br />
<i>It is</i> that they may be destroyed forever.<br />
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-15420" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">8</sup> But You, LORD, <i>are</i> on high forevermore.<br />
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-15421" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">9</sup> For behold, Your enemies, O LORD,<br />
For behold, Your enemies shall perish;<br />
All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.<br />
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-15422" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">10</sup> But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox;<br />
I have been anointed with fresh oil.<br />
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-15423" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">11</sup> My eye also has seen <i>my desire</i> on my enemies;<br />
My ears hear <i>my desire</i> on the wicked<br />
Who rise up against me.<br />
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-15424" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">12</sup> The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,<br />
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.<br />
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-15425" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">13</sup> Those who are planted in the house of the LORD<br />
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.<br />
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-15426" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">14</sup> They shall still bear fruit in old age;<br />
They shall be fresh and flourishing,<br />
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NKJV-15427" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">15</sup> To declare that the LORD is upright; <i>He is</i> my rock, and <i>there is</i> no unrighteousness in Him.</span></b></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-53183632615965840182011-04-15T00:01:00.000-05:002011-04-15T00:01:26.834-05:00Origin of Easter<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The origin of Easter, a holiday associated with the observance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">actually based on an ancient pagan celebration. Christians recognize this day as commemorating the </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">culminating event of their faith, but like so many other "Christian" holidays, Easter has become </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">commercialized and mixed with non-christian traditions like the Easter Bunny, Easter parades and </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">hunting for Easter eggs. How did this happen? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Origin of Easter - Its Pagan Roots</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The origin of Easter dates back to ancient times, not long after the global Flood recorded in Genesis </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6-9 of the Bible. Nimrod, a grandson of Noah, had turned from following his grandfather's God and </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">had become a tyrannical ruler. According to the biblical record, as king, Nimrod created Babel, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ninevah, Asshur, Calla and other cities, all known for lifestyles that promoted unspeakable evil and </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">perversion. When Nimrod died, his wife, Queen Semiramis, deified him as the Sun-god, or Life Giver. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Later he would become known as Baal, and those who followed the religion Semiramis created in his </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">name would be called Baal worshippers. They became associated with idolatry, demon worship, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">human sacrifice and other practices regarded as evil. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The origin of Easter involves the birth of Semiramis' illegitimate son, Tammuz. Somehow, Semiramis </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">convinced the people that Tammuz was actually Nimrod reborn. Since people had been looking for </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the promised savior since the beginning of mankind (see Genesis 3:15), they were persuaded by </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Semiramis to believe that Tammuz was that savior, even that he had been supernaturally conceived. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before long, in addition to worshipping Tammuz (or Nimrod reborn), the people also worshipped </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Semiramis herself as the goddess of fertility. In other cultures, she has been called Ishtar, Ashtur and </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">yes, Easter. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The origin of Easter goes back to the springtime ritual instituted by Semiramis following the death of</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tammuz, who, according to tradition, was killed by a wild boar. Legend has it that through the power </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of his mother's tears, Tammuz was "resurrected" in the form of the new vegetation that appeared on </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the earth. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">According to the Bible, it was in the city of Babel that the people created a tower in order to defy God. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Up until that time, all the people on the earth spoke one language. The building of the tower led God,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">as recorded in Genesis 11:7, to confuse their tongues to keep them from being further unified in their</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">false beliefs. As the people moved into other lands, many of them took their pagan practices with </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">them. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Contemporary traditions such as the Easter Bunny and the Easter egg can also be traced back to the </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">practices established by Semiramis. Because of their prolific nature, rabbits have long been </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">associated with fertility and its goddess, Ishtar. Ancient Babylonians believed in a fable about an egg </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">that fell into the Euphrates River from heaven and from which Queen Astarte (another name for Ishtar </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">or Semiramis) was "hatched." </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Origin of Easter - Resurrection Day for Christians</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For Christians, the origin of Easter is simply the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ about </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2,000 years ago. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus Christ, the true Messiah promised in the 2 </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Old Testament, was crucified and resurrected at the time of the Jewish Passover. Since that </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">awesome event took place, those who believe Christ is their Messiah have honored that day and </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">often celebrated it with the traditional Passover. As the Gospel of Christ spread throughout nonjewish nations, among people who did not have a history of celebrating the Passover, the pagan rites </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of Easter gradually became assimilated into what the Christian church called "Resurrection Day." </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Compromising the commandments of God with the comfort of the world is as old as the nation of </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Israel itself. Actually, American history teaches us that Easter was dismissed as a pagan holiday by </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the nation's founding Puritans and did not begin to be widely observed until just after the Civil War.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Those interested in a Christian view of American history and the gradual compromise of America's </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Biblical foundations may wish to read books such as The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">David Manuel. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Easter Origin - A One-time Event</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Easter origin, as a Christian holiday, can be found in the pages of scripture itself. Matthew, Mark, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Luke and John, all followers of Jesus, offer their own unique eyewitness accounts of the crucifixion </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is this culminating event of Christianity that is celebrated on Easter </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sunday every year. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Easter Origin - The Resurrection of Jesus Christ</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Easter origin actually began as a part of the Jewish Passover, as Christ was crucified and resurrected</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">during Passover week. Christ is believed by Christians to actually be the Passover Lamb spoken of in </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Exodus, for He Himself became the perfect, sinless sacrifice for the sins of all people. Jews who </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">chose to follow Christ then honored this day in succeeding years during the Passover season, but as </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Christianity was spread throughout non-christian nations, the celebration of Easter was gradually </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">combined with pagan "rites of spring" traditions. Modern celebrations are the result of this </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">compromise. At the same time, Easter is often the only day that many people attend church and are </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">introduced to the "Good News" of Jesus Christ. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Easter Origin - Christ Revealed in the Jewish Passover</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Easter origin can be traced to the Passover ceremony itself. Christian scholars believe that the Old </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Testament is Christ concealed, while the New Testament is Christ revealed. Let's hold the elements </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of the Passover up to the light of the life of Christ. By tradition, the lamb to be sacrificed during the </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Passover was selected four days before the sacrifice was to be made. Jesus rode into Jerusalem four </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">days before He was crucified. The lamb was customarily slain at 3 p.m. on Passover. Jesus uttered </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the words "it is finished" and died on the cross at 3 p.m. (this is known traditionally as Good Friday, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">but many Bible scholars have determined the crucifixion to be on a Wednesday or Thursday). The </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">festival of Unleavened Bread began at sunset. One of the rituals involved the sacrifice of a grain </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">offering, representing the first fruits of the harvest. Jesus, according to the Apostle Paul, became the </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">first fruits of those raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20). During the Passover dinner, three </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">matzahs are put together. Christians see these matzahs as representative of the Father, Son and </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Holy Spirit. The middle matzah is broken, as Christ said at the Last Supper, "This is My body, broken </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">for you." The middle matzah is also striped and pierced, as Jesus was during His crucifixion, and as </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was prophesied in Isaiah 53:5, Psalm 22:16 and Zechariah 12:10. This matzah is then wrapped in a </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">white cloth and hidden, just as Christ was wrapped in linen and laid in the tomb. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Easter Origin - The Biblical Accounts</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Easter (also known as Resurrection Day), is the event upon which the entire Christian faith hinges. 3 </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Paul, once a Jewish leader hostile to Christians, became a convert when he met Jesus on the Road </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to Damascus (Acts 9). As an eyewitness of Christ, Paul made it abundantly clear that without the </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">resurrection, there is no basis for faith in Christ: Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and your faith is also vain. (1 Corinthians 15:12-29) </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When Christ was born, He fulfilled a number of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By the time of His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, He had fulfilled more than 300 of them. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These numbers alone provide staggering evidence that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah. So it </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">is with good reason that Christians the world over regard Easter as a very special event. But in the </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">early days of the church, most Christians were Jewish converts. Because Jesus was crucified and </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">rose again during the Passover season, their celebration of Christ's resurrection was acknowledged </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">during that annual observance of the deliverance from bondage in Egypt. Christian Jews (or </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Messianic Jews) consider the Passover to be symbolic of the time when Christ set all believers free </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">from the penalty of sin (through His death on the cross) and death (through His resurrection from the </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">dead). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Summary and Conclusion </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Easter” is simply one of the names of a woman who mightily deceived the world and whose religion </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">has caused untold suffering and misery. She was clearly an enemy of Christianity, and her son </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tammuz was an anti-Christ, a false messiah that ultimately deceived millions. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you are Christian, it is not difficult to discern the bizarre deception and confusion that Satan has </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">successfully orchestrated. For example, notice the embarrassing irony in these traditions which are </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">practiced innocently by most people. They are repeated year after year, because they have become </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">traditional and their origin is unknown to many. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• On the day commemorating Christ's resurrection, Americans roll decorated eggs on the White <span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">House lawn and pretend the Easter rabbit hid them. The same ritual is practiced at some </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Christian churches. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• “In Lancashire [England] on Easter eve boys and men have been in the habit of touring the </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">towns and villages as 'Pace-eggers' begging for eggs before performing the 'Pace-Egging' or </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pasch (i.e., Easter) play.” </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• In Greece each person in a group bangs his red EASTER EGG [not knowing that it is symbol </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of the Goddess] against the eggs of all the others present in turn, saying 'Christ is risen,' and </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">receives the reply 'He is risen indeed.'" </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The seductive symbols of ancient ungodly religions inspired by Satan have been incorporated into </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">people's everyday lives, even to this day - continuing to obscure the truth of God . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One might wonder if there is a better way for Christians to celebrate Jesus Christ's resurrection, the</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">most important of all Christian holy days. In retrospect, it seems obvious that it would have been a </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">better witness to the world if Christians had not attempted to “Christianize” pagan celebrations - </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">adopting the name “Easter” (Ishtar/Semiramis) in remembrance of Christ. Jesus has been obscured </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by painted eggs and bunnies. Attention has been shifted away from spiritual truth and toward 4 </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">materialism (clothing, products and candies with the wrong symbolism). Stores merchandise the </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">name of Easter (not “Resurrection Sunday”) and sell goods that have nothing to do with Christ's death </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and resurrection. Christians naively use symbols and practices that unknowingly perpetuate ancient </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">anti-Christ traditions - symbolic customs followed by the same religious cults that inspired the </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">destruction of great numbers of Christians and Jews. Is the Devil laughing at us? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Many church bodies recognize the problem and make every effort to keep the focus of Resurrection </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sunday totally on Jesus Christ and the Good News that He brought. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is better as the church to take a stand against non-Christian practices and vocabulary. In our church </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">let’s refer to Easter week as the Passover and Resurrection Sunday. It’s not wrong to celebrate what </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jesus and God did for us if we do it without the pagan beliefs, symbolism, practices, and vocabulary. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let’s keep what is Holy, Holy! </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-5724604265982994082011-04-01T23:44:00.000-05:002011-04-01T23:44:32.374-05:00The speech I gave at my sisters wedding.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMGkHMdSB1OTuvlXME7fGCP80EfUoWJlkrTSJFqSVksNddqxpO0LBmLddkS2BF2mBsBdO_R6LnBlMntSqJcn5jT5E6xAx2H8RzaeBjrZECCiXqpDTHZNTvrSIT4Wwm-0thgv1SvOrF1ho/s1600/197962_1964609034540_1222293344_4022226_2371850_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span></span><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMGkHMdSB1OTuvlXME7fGCP80EfUoWJlkrTSJFqSVksNddqxpO0LBmLddkS2BF2mBsBdO_R6LnBlMntSqJcn5jT5E6xAx2H8RzaeBjrZECCiXqpDTHZNTvrSIT4Wwm-0thgv1SvOrF1ho/s640/197962_1964609034540_1222293344_4022226_2371850_n.jpg" width="592" /></a></div><span style="background-color: black; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>My name is Shelly, and for those of you who don’t know me I am Kim’s older sister. I feel so honored to be a part of Derek and Kim’s special day, so I’ll try not to mess it up too bad. Tonight I want to give the perfect speech that shows exactly how I feel on their wedding day. However, I realize that some emotions are simply impossible to put into words. Right now I feel like laughing and crying all at the same time. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>My little sister is all grown up and she’s getting married! It seems like just the other day that we were in our back yard fighting over the rope swing at our little brothers’ birthday party. I can still hear her high pitched screams as I violently shook the rope trying to fling her tiny body from it so that I could have a turn and take the spotlight from her. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Well sis, no one in the entire world could take the spotlight from you tonight. You are absolutely beautiful- inside and out. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Derek you’re a lucky man! And I’m so glad that you are marrying my sister. I know that you will truly cherish her and treat her well. I am so happy that I can call you my brother. Welcome to our family, and good luck, because you’re going to need it. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>So Kim, I know that you and Derek have been together longer than Matt and I, but as your Maid of Honor I feel it’s my responsibility to give you some good marriage advice. So here it goes…<o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>As my sister, you’re bound to be clever, so you'll always have the last word in every disagreement. However, if you are VERY clever, you won't use it.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Derek, when all else fails remember these magic words..."You're right dear."<br />
Because a happy wife, makes for a happy life!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>To the both of you, a good sense of humor and short memories are required for a happy marriage! And luckily, between the two of you, the short part is more than covered. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>On a more serious note… whenever you are wrong, admit it. Whenever you are right, be quiet. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Take each day and cherish your time together. Love one another and take the time to talk to one another. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Put God first, your love and your family second, and your job and hobbies third. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>(Raise your glass) <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Derek and Kim, may your love be like the wind, strong enough to move the clouds, soft enough to never hurt, but always never ending. So here's to love, laughter, and happily ever after.</b></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-23886319532965508252011-01-17T23:40:00.000-06:002011-05-07T00:37:34.640-05:00What Is Ministry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEOlBFyhVwLLhz7S0-eQA1PqejiyyT2yl-8bb6fpN9dF9cfsKckMwv50ANQiozeFEic5iwuTmlabbzI1ZTiNzbPbYpcAlidlWkq1ocAOR_8Lmr8QwzVAYpIwzbwRCtKdVGUYCXjMTmOD6/s1600/Solid_House_339x379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEOlBFyhVwLLhz7S0-eQA1PqejiyyT2yl-8bb6fpN9dF9cfsKckMwv50ANQiozeFEic5iwuTmlabbzI1ZTiNzbPbYpcAlidlWkq1ocAOR_8Lmr8QwzVAYpIwzbwRCtKdVGUYCXjMTmOD6/s320/Solid_House_339x379.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Last week I was truly blessed with a tea<span class="Apple-style-span">ching from Pat Kaveny that shook the dust off m</span>y understanding of ministry. </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Since every child of God is called to ministry I had to share!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; background-color: orange; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial;">Matthew 28: 18- 20</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; background-color: orange; border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-24214" style="color: black; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">18</sup> Then Jesus came to them and said, <span class="woj" style="color: black;">“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-24215" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">19</sup> Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,</span> </span><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-24216" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">20</sup> and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.</span> And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”</span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Just remember who you are is not what you do but what you become. </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">What Is Ministry?</span></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It is taking care of the needs of God through a relationship with Him. God is looking for someone He has a good relationship with to carry out His will. If ministry is done without that relationship it is just religion and is made into a career. *<b>Never let your ministry turn into a career!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Want to know if you have a good relationship with God? Ask yourself:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Do I love God? If so obedience is the proof. If you love me you will keep my commands. John 14: 15</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well now that we have that clear- lets look at some of the things God is looking for in you:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">God Is Looking For</span></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>1) </b><b>Brokenness</b>- Knowing that you can't do it alone and you must give it all over to God.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Thus says the Most High, who dwells on high forever, Holy in the holies is His name, the Most High resting in the holies, and giving patience to the faint-hearted, and giving life to the broken-hearted...<span class="Apple-style-span">Isaiah 57:15</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>2) Faithfulness- </b>Wait on God and do things His way.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; line-height: 22px;">My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me: seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children. Hosea 4: 6 * The knowledge of obedience to God!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">God will say <b>NEXT</b> if you are not faithful to carry out His will.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; line-height: 22px;">Saul- wanted a kingdom through God for himself. <b>*Career Minded-</b> what can I get out of this?</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; line-height: 22px;">David- Just wanted to honor God.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-7499" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">13</sup> “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-7500" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">14</sup> But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.” 1 Samuel 13: 13-14</span></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>3) Honor</b>- Glory.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When God finds you seeking His will- He will honor you. When you seek honor from people instead He can no longer trust you. <b>*Career Minded</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ask God: What do you want? Your response is your worship to Him. Out of that worship comes honor.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yet a time is coming and has now come when the <b>true</b> <b>worshiper</b>s will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of <b>worshiper</b>s the Father seeks. John 4: 23</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>4) True Biblical Authority</b>- God Given.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1st You must be under the authority of the Holy Spirit. Listen to Him and obey because what the Holy Spirit gives you the unction to do is what you do. No less and no more! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">God. Romans 8:14 </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">God gives us different authorities through our walk with Him. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">He uses all people in authority for His purpose whether they realize it or not. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"></span><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-28268" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: text-top;">1</sup> Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Romans 13: 1</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; background-color: orange; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial;">I pray that this has pulled things to the surface in your life that need to be put in order- </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial;">as it did in mine. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial;">God Bless, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial;"><>< Shelly</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; background-color: orange; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; background-color: orange; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; background-color: orange; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; background-color: orange; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; background-color: orange; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; background-color: orange; border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #b45f06;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #b45f06;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #b45f06;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #b45f06;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="background-color: orange;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="background-color: orange;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; color: #b45f06;"><br />
</span></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ffe599; color: #b45f06;"><br />
</span></u></b></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-34390634314113936392010-05-13T23:00:00.000-05:002010-05-13T23:00:37.219-05:00Your Majesty<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em>I can’t wait to see your face while standing in the presence of your grace. </em></strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em></em></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em></em></strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em>Feeling loves warm embrace as you wipe away the tears from my face. </em></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em></em></strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em>I gaze into your deep and endless eyes as I hear “Child you are mine. </em></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em></em></strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em>Your sins have been forgotten and you have been set free. You will be with me for all eternity!” </em></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em></em></strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em>Savior your mercy knows no bounds. Creator draw closer to my soul. </em></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em></em></strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em>You opened my eyes so I could see all that you have made for me.</em></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em></em></strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #660000; color: #ffd966;"><strong><em>I fall to my knees taken by your simple peace. I can finally rest here at your feet- your majesty.</em></strong></span><br />
<strong><br />
<em></em></strong><br />
<strong><br />
<em></em></strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382380994553751026.post-62319950584767139262010-01-02T10:02:00.000-06:002010-01-02T10:05:08.539-06:00How to earn giftcards for searching the web.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;">I just started using this search engine. If you haven't heard of it yet check this out!</span></b><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: #93c47d; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpBh6Ii2MArIo94bF7TyLxtrA4YxqxqurOF9NRvQDchA9dIn5ZTZTDD2eRTiSqYKVMiAAhn95bFc9xeR1GklZgcK7vfbxFyB8X6EEhURwpuFBLDvs5YNGTtcQrt9teL0WQR5Y7UrNHvLX/s1600-h/swagbucks-works.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpBh6Ii2MArIo94bF7TyLxtrA4YxqxqurOF9NRvQDchA9dIn5ZTZTDD2eRTiSqYKVMiAAhn95bFc9xeR1GklZgcK7vfbxFyB8X6EEhURwpuFBLDvs5YNGTtcQrt9teL0WQR5Y7UrNHvLX/s320/swagbucks-works.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="background-color: #93c47d;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: #93c47d;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cscript%20type=%22text/javascript%22%20src=%22http://cdn.widgetserver.com/syndication/subscriber/InsertWidget.js%22%3E%3C/script%3E%3Cscript%3Eif%20%28WIDGETBOX%29%20WIDGETBOX.renderWidget%28%279ae25679-71ac-44ea-a727-121ad32b6b9e%27%29;%3C/script%3E%3Cnoscript%3EGet%20the%20%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/swidget-10%22%3ESwidget%201.0%3C/a%3E%20widget%20and%20many%20other%20%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.widgetbox.com/%22%3Egreat%20free%20widgets%3C/a%3E%20at%20%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.widgetbox.com%22%3EWidgetbox%3C/a%3E%21%20Not%20seeing%20a%20widget?%20%28%3Ca%20href=%22http://docs.widgetbox.com/using-widgets/installing-widgets/why-cant-i-see-my-widget/%22%3EMore%20info%3C/a%3E%29%3C/noscript%3E"><script src="http://cdn.widgetserver.com/syndication/subscriber/InsertWidget.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><script>
if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('9ae25679-71ac-44ea-a727-121ad32b6b9e');
</script><noscript>Get the &amp;lt;a href="http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/swidget-10"&amp;gt;Swidget 1.0&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; widget and many other &amp;lt;a href="http://www.widgetbox.com/"&amp;gt;great free widgets&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; at &amp;lt;a href="http://www.widgetbox.com"&amp;gt;Widgetbox&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;! Not seeing a widget? (&amp;lt;a href="http://docs.widgetbox.com/using-widgets/installing-widgets/why-cant-i-see-my-widget/"&amp;gt;More info&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;)</noscript></a><br />
</div><div style="background-color: #93c47d; color: #134f5c;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span><a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/SouthernSavers" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/www.swagbucks.com');" style="color: #0c343d;" target="_blank">Swagbucks.com</a> is a search engine that rewards you for searching with swagbucks. These are play dollars that are saved up and then redeemed for prizes or giftcards of your choosing. A few examples:</b><br />
</div><div style="background-color: #93c47d; color: #134f5c; padding-left: 60px;"><b>45 points = $5 Amazon Gift Card</b><br />
</div><div style="background-color: #93c47d; color: #134f5c; padding-left: 60px;"><b>70 points = $5 in Paypal cash</b><br />
</div><div style="background-color: #93c47d; color: #134f5c; padding-left: 60px;"><b>20 points = $5 Alice.com gift card (household goods with free shipping)</b><br />
</div><div style="background-color: #93c47d; color: #134f5c;"><b>These are low prizes, but you can save your swagbucks up for larger prizes too, right now with 520 swagbucks you can get a $100 Amazon card!</b><br />
</div><div style="background-color: #93c47d;"><b>How do you earn Swagbucks?</b><br />
</div><ul style="background-color: #93c47d; color: #134f5c;"><li><b>You get 3 Swagbucks just for <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/SouthernSavers" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/www.swagbucks.com');" style="color: #0c343d;" target="_blank">signing up</a><span style="color: #0c343d;">.</span></b></li>
</ul><ul style="background-color: #93c47d; color: #134f5c;"><li><b>Search the web. Use <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/SouthernSavers" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/www.swagbucks.com');" style="color: #0c343d;" target="_blank">Swagbucks.com</a> (or their toolbar) to do all of your searching from now on. As you search you will earn/find swagbucks.</b></li>
</ul><ul style="background-color: #93c47d; color: #134f5c;"><li><b>Shop online using Swagbucks instead of another cash back site. Get 1 Swagbuck for every $5 you spend.</b></li>
</ul><ul style="background-color: #93c47d; color: #134f5c;"><li><b>Refer a friends to Swagbucks.</b></li>
</ul><ul style="background-color: #93c47d; color: #134f5c;"><li><b>Find Swagbuck codes on blogs etc. and enter them for more bucks.</b></li>
</ul>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03961258443628261859noreply@blogger.com2