Now that we are saved do we need to keep the Ten Commandment and Jewish festivals and kosher eating laws?

By Dennis Edwards --

Some people like a religion of rules and regulation and church services etc. But the law of Christ[1] is above all that and says we should be motivated by love in all we do. We are no longer under a Don't Do religion, but a Do religion: go sell all you have and give to the poor,[2] go into all the world and preach the gospel,[3] love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you,[4] heal the sick,[5] cast out devils, freely you have received freely give.[6]

But most people like to feel righteous so they would rather have a Don't Do religion and then they can feel justified because they didn't break the Ten Commandments and didn't break the kosher laws and have kept the Sabbath. Read Isaiah.[7] It’s a condemnation of self-righteous religious church service and rule keeping, which make God sick. That's how God feels about your service to him if you are not out living the gospel message by actively loving others! Love is above all those other things.[8]

Each fellowship has their rules and regulations, but they must remember that most of those rules are ones that they have decided are important and therefore they follow them. The trouble comes in when they try to use God's word to justify the rules they wish for their congregation to keep, and condemn others who don’t. We do not need more rules. We need more people getting out loving others into the Kingdom of God. If your rules and regulations are not motivating you to love others then what good are they, but to make you feel righteous before God. Yet your righteousness is nothing but stinking menstrual clothes in God’s eyes.[9]

This has been the raging religious controversy since the time of Cain and Abel to the present. Abel’s simple obedience pleased God and showed that obedience is what God wants, not sacrifice.[10] Cain wanted to show his righteousness by his works. He was not humble enough to obey God and sacrifice the lamb God desired. No, he would offer a sacrifice of the works of his own hands.[11] Here's the problem: Abel an honest sinner was willing to obey God and depended on God's righteousness to save him. Cain thought he was righteous enough since he was hard working, much more so than his brother who did nothing but watch sheep all day. Thus we see the beginning of the battle royal between those who believe in God's righteousness, that God alone can save them, and those who believe God needs some help from us and prefer to trust in their own righteousness to save them.

I would rather stand with Mary Magdalena,[12] Rahab,[13] Ruth,[14] Tamar,[15] David, Paul, and the prophets who stood by faith alone in God's righteousness to save them and keep them saved. My own righteousness fails me many times a day. If righteousness comes through our rule keeping, kosher laws and church attendance and services then Christ has died in vain.[16] Jesus alone, He is all I need! That’s what Paul argued.

But the whole point is that the law of love is in fact more than the Ten Commandments. Instead of NOT lying and NOT killing and NOT stealing etc, which obviously you will not do if you are walking in love, it's about treating others how you would want to be treated in any given situation.[17] We now have a Proactive religion instead of a Don't Do religion. That's why the Bible says that love is the fulfillment of the law.[18] By walking in love for those in need Jesus showed us that love was higher than the law.

We as sincere Christians have graduated from the old school, or at least we should have. But a lot of people would prefer to have a Don't Do religion and feel righteous in their don't doing, rather than a Proactive religion which motivates you to get out and help others. Not only does the book of Galatians talk about this, but Romans and Hebrews and James and John. By reading the gospels if you look carefully you find the Son of Man breaking the Sabbath,[19] just like the high priest would do and be guiltless.

We shouldn't be striving to keep the Ten Commandments, but striving to keep the New Commandment;[20] to love and treat others as we would want to be treated.[21] We should be striving to keep the commandment of forgiveness,[22] of giving unto others,[23] of preaching the gospel, of loving our enemy,[24] of doing good to those that hate us,[25] of helping the widow and the orphan and the poor,[26] of speaking the truth with our neighbor,[27] of not loving money[28] nor material things.[29]

By accenting the Ten Commandments you're going back to kindergarten. When you should be those that can take meat, you are still feeding on the milk.[30] But many churches teach this sort of stuff and it's a shame. God wants more than your don't doing. He wants to come into your life and make you a vessel he can use to love and help others.[31] It's more complicated, and most people don't want complications.

You see the focus is different. Paul says, do not use your liberty as an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.[32] The focus is on love and helping others,[33] being proactive, getting out witnessing[34] and helping the poor, etc. Jesus took following God to a different level and Paul seemed to get the point more than any of the disciples. He tells us that love is a more excellent way![35] Some people call it Old Testament Christianity vs. New Testament Christianity.

Peter and James in Jerusalem had to compromise to please the many Jews who converted and still kept the law.[36] Paul was out with the Gentiles and though the Jews persecuted him wherever he went he preferred to convert the Gentiles and make new bottles out of them instead of trying to pour new wine into old bottles.[37] When Paul did go back to Jerusalem and compromised with James on this very principle, Paul ended up losing his head.[38] But we got all those epistles to read because of it, so God does get great victories out of seeming defeats.[39]

Search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life,[40] and the scriptures if read and studied with an open heart and mind, I believe, will lead you to these conclusions. Ask God by His Holy Spirit to open your eyes to the wonderful things contained in His Word.[41] The Holy Spirit promises to lead and guide us into all truth.[42] Could the Holy Spirit perhaps be speaking through these words? Pray and ask God to show you himself what interpretation is correct. Please let me know what He shows you.

When I had my God experience I found out that God was love[43] and that love was the answer. I was able to go home and apologize to my father whom I had not spoken to for various years due to a physical fight we had had. It was not rules that motivated me to do that, but was God's spirit of love working in my heart. From my reading of the gospels I see Jesus going around doing good and breaking the religious rules over and over again purposely to try to help us get the point that it is not in that direction.[44] The letter kills but the spirit gives life.[45]

But this debate reminds me of the evolution/creation controversy where both sides look at the evidence and come up with totally different conclusions. Just like the evolutionists cannot understand the creationists view point because "they are spiritually discerned,"[46] you brethren that still want to keep the law,

"have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For you being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish your own righteousness, have not submitted yourself unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes."[47]

Jesus has saved me and Jesus will keep me saved. It is none of my own self-righteousness.[48]

Every church has their rules as every club does. But let us not confuse church or denomination rules with God's law. Many churches give lip service to Salvation by grace[49] but in fact have a mixture of grace and works. The obligating of these Sabbath and kosher and Ten Commandments laws is actually a mixture of grace and works. Jesus saves me, but I need to keep myself saved? Sorry, I can't do it. I couldn't save myself, nor am I able to keep myself saved by a keeping of some old religious rules that could never save in the first place.[50] The rules were meant to show us that we are incapable of saving ourselves and are completely dependent on the love and mercy of God.

“The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto to Christ that we might be justified by faith.”[51]

"That if it be by grace, then is it no more works, otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace, otherwise work is no more work."[52]

For me, I am totally dependent of the complete mercy and love of God. My own righteousness is stinking filthy rags.[53] Sorry, fellows, I do not think you understand salvation yet. You are still trying to save yourselves, even though you say you are not. Maybe it's the self-righteousness you get by rule keeping that blinds you to the simple truth of the gospel. We have a new a better covenant.[54] It's just so simple that many miss it. What about you?

Footnotes:

[1] Galatians 2:16
[2] Matthew 19:21
[3] Mark 16:15
[4] Matthew 5:44
[5] Mark 16:16
[6] Matthew 10:8
[7] Isaiah 58:1-14
[8] Gaçatians 5:14
[9] Isaiah 64;6
[10] Hebrews 11:4
[11] Genesis 4:2-5
[12] Luke 8:2
[13] Hebrews 11:31
[14] Ruth 1-4
[15] Genesis 38
[16] Galatians 2:21
[17] Luke 6:31
[18] Romans 13:8
[19] Matthew 12:10, John 5:10, John 9:14
[20] John 13:34
[21] Luke 6:31
[22] Matthew 18: 21,22
[23] Matthew 5:42
[24] Matthew 5:44
[25] Ibid
[26] James 1:27
[27] Ephesians 4:15
[28] 1Timothy 6:10
[29] 1John 2:15,
[30] Hebrews 5:12
[31] 2Corinthians 5:17
[32] Galatians 5:1
[33] Matthew 25:35-40
[34] Mark 16:15
[35] 1Corinthians 12:31-13:13
[36] Acts 21:20
[37] Acts 18:6, 28:28
[38] Acts 21:21-24
[39] Romans 8;28
[40] John 5:39
[41] Psalm 119:18
[42] John 16:13
[43] 1John 4:8
[44] Mark 7:6-9
[45] 2Corinthians 3:6
[46] 1Corinthians 2:14
[47] Romans 10:3,4
[48] Titus 3:5
[49] Ephesians 2:8,9
[50] Romans 7:18.19,24,25
[51] Galatians 3:24
[52] Romans 11:6
[53] Isaiah 64:6
[54] Hebrews 12:24

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Lessons We Learned from Our First Jobs

By Liza Kaufman Hogan, Next Avenue, August 26, 2014

What was your first job? Serving fast food, delivering newspapers, cleaning hotel rooms, picking tobacco?

Whatever your answer, chances are you worked hard for little pay and wouldn’t trade the experience for all the better jobs you’ve had since.

In honor of Labor Day, we asked Next Avenue readers to share what they learned the first time they earned a paycheck.

As you might expect from a website focused on mature Americans, some of our first jobs scarcely exist anymore, like car hop, switchboard operator and pinsetter for a bowling alley. A few readers picked crops in hot fields and many more started in bottom-rung, office jobs or grueling fast food service. Whether the jobs were old or new, back-breaking or boring, many of the lessons learned were the same:

1. A bad first job can focus your career goals. Several readers learned pretty quickly from their first jobs that they wanted to do something else.

Tom Meade’s first job was picking tobacco in the Connecticut River Valley. “I was 14 and lasted a day. It was scorching hot, and the bosses were terribly mean. The next day, I applied for a job in the meat department of a grocery store. I got it and spent as much time as possible in the walk-in cooler that summer.”

Glenda Beaumont of Little Rock, Ark., started work at a factory out of high school. “My parents had similar jobs for their careers and thought I was pretty much set for life if I would hang in there. However, I had seen their exhaustion and boredom and knew there had to be something better.

“Working at the factory opened my eyes as to what my life would probably be like if I did not continue my education. By fall, I had made the decision to return to school, and I am grateful for that first job,” Beaumont wrote. “It has made the difference in having a job which I felt at the time was mind numbing, and having a job where I made the call on how I would spend my time daily.”

Don C. of Minneapolis, Minn. started out setting pins in a bowling alley as a teen. “It taught me a) that it feels good to get really proficient at your job, and b) to never take another boring, tightly repetitive job that could go on seemingly endlessly.”

2. Start working early. Joseph McManus, of North Andover, Mass. started work in 1957 at 10-years-old delivering newspapers before and after school. “I recommend you go to work as early in life as possible in order to encounter the feedback from boss and client expectations, experience the rigors of a full schedule and the rewards of realizing early in life that you can earn your way,” he said.

3. Low pay is better than no pay. Some jobs our readers held first paid almost nothing, like $1 per hour for cleaning a school after hours, $1.25 per hour for typing reports or a whopping $1.89 per hour for a nurse starting out in a pediatric hospital unit. Lucy C., the car hop, made just 35 cents an hour plus tips.

“I thought I was making good money,” wrote Sue W. of San Mateo, Calif., recalling her first job as a maid cleaning hotel rooms for $2.94 per hour with added perks. “If you worked a full day, you could grab a meal from the hotel kitchen.”

Low pay was a lesson in itself for readers like Terri Traudt, 55, of Minneapolis, Minn. “My first paying job was taking tickets at a movie theatre for $2 per hour. It taught me the virtues of responsibility and budgeting. If I wanted to buy a $10 pair of jeans I would think ‘Wow—I’d have to work five hours for those jeans!’”

4. No job is too menial. Several readers started with some tough jobs in fields that are under-appreciated and often underpaid. The experience of working in these jobs stayed with some readers and affected them many years later.

“My first job was cleaning (after school) at the Catholic school I attended. I was in 7th grade and got $1 an hour,” wrote Carter Drossel, 57, of Plymouth, Wisc. “It taught me not to be ashamed of any kind of work. As it happened, 35 years later I would have to take a job at a convenience store to make ends meet.”

Louise Jackson, 77, wrote about picking cotton in a neighbor’s field as her first job. “My father was not a farmer but he insisted that my brother and I learn to work with our hands,” she wrote, explaining that her father told them, “‘We expect you will be professionals … but we never want you to forget how hard people have to work to put bread on your table and clothes on your backs.’”

Jackson added: “It was hard, hot, backbreaking work, but I stayed with it and, in the process, learned to be friends with all sorts of people, many of whom would be doing this kind of work all their lives.”

Marci Tyrol’s first job was bagging groceries and later working as cashier. “We should all, at some point in our lives, take a job serving the public to learn that you should always treat cashiers, waitresses, ticket agents, etc. as you would want to be treated.

“Never lose an opportunity to try something new,” she advises, “You never know where the path will lead you. See each job, no matter how humble, as a learning experience!”

5. Dress appropriately. Several readers said it was important to follow the dress code at work, but Judi Linville of St. Louis, Mo., was especially glad that she wore tennis shoes instead of flip flops to her first job—caring for her 9-year-old cousin one summer when she was 14. When he and a friend ran away and hid in the treehouse she was able to find him.

“They didn’t think a girl could do that,” she wrote.

6. Work is what you make of it. First jobs are often the ones no one else wants. That was certainly the case for Vicki Gehlert of Port St. Lucie, Fla. who started out at age 12 mucking horse stalls for riding privileges.

Despite the dirty work, she loved “the camaraderie of similar minds, the smell of the barn (and) doing something tangible. Forty-four years later, I have shoveled manure in all sorts of jobs, just not the literal kind.” She advises first-timers to “be yourself, enjoy your similarities and your differences amongst your work peers, ask and learn from each other. Every job has its manure, but it is all what you make of it.”

7. Don’t date the boss (or if you do, find another job). In a plot line straight out of Mad Men, Christine Osbourne described her first job as a typist in the creative department of an advertising agency. “I thought that eventually, I wanted to become a copywriter. However, I caught the eye of the agency president and we began dating,” says Osbourne.

The experience taught her this: “If you are a typist and start dating the president of the company, you will not be taken seriously as a professional until you move on to the next agency.”

8. Do what you love. Harold Sharlin, 89, of Washington, D.C., has worked longer than most. He shows us that you have time to get it right, and if you don’t like what you are doing at first, try something else.

“Your job should be one of the most satisfying things in your life. If it is not, change it,” says Sharlin. “I had three jobs after I graduated college and since none of them were satisfying, I changed one more time. The fourth choice was teaching and I spent 25 years in a rewarding and fulfilling job.”

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What Ann Coulter and atheist Richard Dawkins have in common

By Elizabeth Stoker Bruenig, The Week, Aug. 28, 2014

Dr. Kent Brantly, the American physician who contracted Ebola while treating the virus in Liberia, has now fully recovered. A month after falling ill with the famously lethal fever, Brantly is now walking, talking, and returning to business as usual. The only thing more surprising than Brantly’s sudden and total recovery has been the inability of particular pundits to cope with it in a sane, humane fashion.

For someone who risked his life to perform charitable medical care, Brantly has incurred a truly mind-boggling level of backlash. After he thanked God for his recovery in a press conference—something any rational person would expect of an openly Christian doctor whose overseas medical work was funded by Christian charity—Brantly’s speech was dubbed “bizarre,” and he was subsequently labeled “douchebag of the day” by the vanguard of irate internet scientism. The complaint they lodged against Brantly was that by praising God he was failing to give “science” its due.

This is a specious understanding of what Christians mean when they praise the work of God in a medical recovery; it is highly unlikely that Brantly, himself a physician who treats others as an act of Christian charity, believes that the work of God is separate from work of medicine. Rather, he probably views them as inextricable, which isn’t an atypical view for faithful Christians. But it’s challenging to score points against perceived cultural rivals when ignoring nuance, and on that count the anti-Brantly net warriors have good precedent from both the Christian right and atheists.

Consider, for example, Ann Coulter, whose vicious diatribe against Brantly made the rounds in early August. Like the pro-science twitter horde accusing Brantly of being a “douchebag,” Coulter intentionally misconstrued the doctor’s intentions and behavior in the most negative light possible. Chalking all of Brantly’s charitable motives up to “narcissism,” Coulter berated him for allegedly showing off via overseas charity rather than sticking to humble, anonymous down-home stuff—as though he knew he would fall ill, the only reason his charity earned media attention.

In effect, Coulter’s criticism mirrored atheist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins’ latest foray into outrage. Replying to a fan on twitter, Dawkins recently claimed it would be “immoral” not to abort a child diagnosed with Down syndrome in the womb; in the ensuing outcry, Dawkins expressed exasperated disbelief at the very idea anyone genuinely opposed abortion on moral grounds.

Dawkins went on to recite the same old every-sperm-is-sacred points meant to demonstrate dishonesty on the part of those opposing abortion without ever engaging honestly with the idea that they truly, genuinely, without any glaring hypocrisy consider abortion to have a different moral weight than he does.

For Dawkins and his followers, therefore, opposing abortion is just willful ignorance and hypocrisy. Coulter, who sees only narcissistic spotlight-seeking in Brantly’s charity, is up to something similar. Neither is willing to concede that the objects of their derision should be taken seriously. Instead, they blithely presume dishonesty, then press on with their attacks.

This is because—for both Coulter and Dawkins—the point is to claim the moral high ground, not to make a more convincing point. For Coulter, Brantly and Christians like him (she lists, for example, Pope Francis) are a problem because their service and dedication to others don’t match up with her hyper nationalistic form of Christianity. She can’t argue that they’re wrong to be charitable, exactly, so she argues that they don’t even really believe the tenets of Christianity and are dishonest from the get-go. The inference, of course, is that she is the genuine Christian. For Dawkins, the story is much the same: Those outraged by his pro-abortion comments are depicted as willfully unenlightened troglodytes attacking the bearer of truth.

In light of these pundits, the online response to Brantly’s low-key, mild press conference isn’t so surprising. People who have a bone to pick with religion is hardly news. The only interesting fact is that they’ve found such strange bedfellows.

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No te preocupes

http://anchor.tfionline.com/es/post/no-te-preocupes/
Palabras de Jesús

Les digo que no se preocupen por la vida diaria, si tendrán suficiente alimento y bebida, o suficiente ropa para vestirse. ¿Acaso con todas sus preocupaciones pueden añadir un solo momento a su vida? […] Esas cosas dominan el pensamiento de los incrédulos, pero su Padre celestial ya conoce todas sus necesidades. Busquen el reino de Dios por encima de todo lo demás y lleven una vida justa, y Él les dará todo lo que necesiten. Así que no se preocupen por el mañana, porque el día de mañana traerá sus propias preocupaciones. Los problemas del día de hoy son suficientes por hoy. Mateo 6:25, 27, 32-34[1]

*

La máxima protección para evitar hundirse en las tormentas de la vida es cultivar una amistad conmigo. Sin embargo, desperdicias mucho tiempo al preocuparte por las tormentas que ves que se forman en el horizonte de tu vida. En el pasado, muchas tormentas que pensabas que se aproximaban cambiaron de dirección y nunca llegaron a ti. Aunque algunas sí llegaron, en muchos casos ya habían perdido gran parte de su fuerza para cuando llegaron a ti. Te exhorto a que no te concentres en las dificultades que tal vez vayan en dirección a ti y que veas Mi Presencia, que siempre estoy contigo.

Nunca encontrarás seguridad al tratar de prever todas las tormentas que tal vez algún día lleguen a ti. Recuerda que Yo controlo la atmósfera de tu vida. Confía en Mí, relájate y deja tus inquietudes a Mi cuidado, que soy capaz. Me entristece ver que te obsesionas con los problemas que quizá se presenten, en vez de encomendarme esos asuntos. Cuando te encuentres ansiosamente escudriñando el horizonte de tu vida, que eso sea un recordatorio para que busques Mi rostro. No me encontrarás en la distancia. Estoy aquí, junto a ti, más cerca de lo que te atreves a creer.

En vez de que desperdicies el tiempo preocupándote, dedícalo a cultivar una amistad conmigo. Háblame de lo que te preocupa, de tus placeres y de tus problemas. Me interesa todo lo que a ti te importe porque soy tu Amante eterno. Recuerda que soy quien te sostiene de la mano derecha. Te guío dándote Mi asesoramiento, que se basa en la sabiduría eterna. Así pues, no hace falta preocuparse por el futuro. Cuando llegue el momento, personalmente te llevaré a la Gloria. Por ahora, vive cerca de Mí. Mi amistad es tu mejor refugio de las tormentas de la vida[2].

*

Tú me sostienes de la mano derecha. Me guías con Tu consejo, y más tarde me acogerás en gloria. […] Podrán desfallecer mi cuerpo y mi espíritu, pero Dios fortalece mi corazón; Él es mi herencia eterna. Salmo 73:23-24, 26[3]


Eleva el corazón

¡Eleva el corazón en alabanza y canta con júbilo! Cultiva la relación íntima y personal conmigo que te sacará adelante en esta época. No te canses ni pienses que estás malgastando el tiempo, porque este tiempo es muy valioso para ti y para tu espíritu.

Busca primeramente el reino de Dios y Su justicia, y todas esas otras cosas que tratas de encontrar te serán añadidas.

Tu espíritu será receptivo a Mí, y pondrá los ojos en Mí a cada paso. Sabrás que careces de fuerzas propias, mas Yo te fortaleceré y te ayudaré, te sustentaré con la diestra de Mi justicia, como promete Mi Palabra.

Así pues, no temas ni te preocupes en esas épocas de prueba. Ten fe. Pon tu confianza en Mí y Yo obraré. Evocarás estos momentos con aprecio y gran estimación.

Te fortaleceré y te ayudaré a salir adelante en estos momentos difíciles.

*

El SEÑOR es refugio de los oprimidos; es su baluarte en momentos de angustia. En ti confían los que conocen tu nombre, porque tú, SEÑOR, jamás abandonas a los que te buscan. Salmo 9:9-10[4]


Pon tu destino en Mí

Soy Yo el autor y consumador de tu fe. El que lleva a cabo esta obra en tu vida, como bien lo sabes. Pon toda tu confianza en Mí. Pon tu destino en Mí, y no des lugar al temor. He aquí que Mi mano está sobre ti y te he ungido para las tareas que te he encomendado. Te he concedido sabiduría para que puedas hacer lo que haya que hacer. Te daré la fortaleza y el poder que necesitas, incluso la fe, en tanto que siempre clames a Mí y perseveres; que no abandones.

¡Sigue peleando la buena batalla! Sigue poniendo los ojos en Mí y no vaciles ni te preocupes por las batallas, pruebas o dificultades. No te abrumes por los retos que tienes por delante. Ten la certeza de que soy el que vencerá todos los obstáculos y te conducirá al lugar de Mi elección. No te fallaré. No tienes más que seguirme paso a paso.

Soy consciente de que el mundo es complicado, que suceden muchas cosas malas, y que esas cosas malas afectan también a Mis hijos. Mas esa es Mi preocupación, no la tuya; no te afanes por esas cuestiones.

No trates de llevar cargas que no te corresponden; deja que las lleve Yo. Échalas sobre Mí. Consolídate en el conocimiento de Mi Palabra y en la fe. Alza la vista hacia Mí y alábame, dame gloria. Cumpliré todo lo que ha prometido Mi Palabra. La parte que te toca es hacer Mi voluntad y las tareas que te encomiende. En la medida en que me obedezcas y sigas de cerca, seguiré fortaleciéndote, y cumpliré así cuanto he prometido.

*

Le pido a Dios, fuente de esperanza, que los llene completamente de alegría y paz, porque confían en Él. Entonces rebosarán de una esperanza segura mediante el poder del Espíritu Santo. Romanos 15:13[5]


Deposita tu confianza en Mí

No temas ni te preocupes, sino reposa en Mí. Apóyate en Mí y en Mi Palabra. Pon los ojos en Mí y confía en Mis promesas. Ten fe en Mis Palabras que te dirijo. Ten fe en Mi voz, que te habla al corazón. Ten fe en el amor que percibes a tu alrededor.

Cuando sientas temor, dudes o te preocupes, pon los ojos en Mí y confía. Cuando comiences a temblar, confía en Mí. Cuando no puedas más y se te llenen los ojos de lágrimas, sigue confiando en Mí a pesar del llanto. Confía en Mí pase lo que pase.

Confía en que sé lo que más te conviene. Confía en Mi sabiduría. Confía en Mi capacidad para guiarte, orientarte y hacer que se cumpla Mi voluntad en tu vida. Confíame el futuro. Confía en que no te fallaré; cumpliré las promesas que te he hecho. Confía en que no te abandonaré.

Confía en que te consolaré por las noches cuando te parezca que no tienes a nadie. Confía en que siempre estoy contigo. Confía en que soy capaz, y en que te ayudaré en esta época de pruebas. Confía en que no te defraudaré.

Mantén los ojos en Mí y deposita tu confianza en Mí. No centres la atención en tus temores, preocupaciones y dudas. Fíate de Mi Palabra, de Mi voluntad para tu vida, del plan que he trazado para ti. Confíame tu destino.

*

¿Por qué voy a inquietarme? ¿Por qué me voy a angustiar? En Dios pondré mi esperanza, y todavía lo alabaré. ¡Él es mi Salvador y mi Dios! Salmo 43:5[6]


Impulsores de la fe

¿Has caído en el abatimiento o el desánimo? ¿Sin fuerzas para encarar el día? No te preocupes, Mi amor, tengo el incentivo que necesitas. Renueva ya mismo el vigor escuchándome.

*

Bendita la paz que encontramos en estos momentos de comunión que pasamos los dos a solas. No descuides nunca estos momentos conmigo; son lo que te da fortaleza.

*

Sé que te sientes incapaz. Me doy cuenta de tu inseguridad y de que no sabes qué hacer. Conozco bien lo que sientes. Por otra parte, ¿te has fijado en que buscas como nunca la intimidad conmigo para pedirme guía e instrucciones? Te colocaré donde quiero que estés, y a la larga, cuando mires hacia atrás, reconocerás Mi voluntad en todo lo que te sucedió, aun en aquello a lo que en este momento no le encuentras sentido. He puesto Mi mano sobre tu vida.

*

No te preocupes si a veces te sientes débil e inútil. A mí me encanta que te sientas así, porque te acerca a Mí y te mantiene humilde y dependiente de Mí. Cuando te desanimas estás en una situación única de modo que vuelvas la mirada hacia arriba y contemples Mi rostro. Es en esos momentos cuando de veras sabes que sin Mí no eres nada.

*

No te canses de hacer el bien, al contrario: vuélvete hacia Mí e invócame. Te concederé la sabiduría, la gracia y el amor que necesitas. A su tiempo segarás si no desmayas.

*

¡No te imaginas lo orgulloso que estoy de ti! Te sometí a muchas pruebas y no perdiste la fe; te apoyaste en Mí y te sometiste. Perseveraste y te asiste fuerte de Mi mano por pura fe. En algunas ocasiones, la situación se te puso un poco incierta y hasta turbulenta, pero me permitiste que te diera la gracia, la ayuda y las fuerzas que necesitabas. Estoy feliz y emocionadísimo de que nos hayamos acercado tanto como amigos, como amantes, como compañeros.

*

¡No te preocupes! Prometo velar siempre por ti y ayudarte a sortear todo obstáculo que se te presente. Siempre estoy a tu disposición, de modo que, cuando sientas la tentación de preocuparte, recuerda que Mi amor y Mi poder están presentes en todo momento para sacarte adelante.

Publicado en Áncora en agosto de 2014. Traducción: Patricia Zapata N. y Antonia López.


[1] NTV.

[2] Sarah Young, Jesus Lives (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009).

[3] NVI.

[4] NVI.

[5] NTV.

[6] NVI.

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O Caminho da Transformação

http://anchor.tfionline.com/pt/post/o-caminho-da-transformacao/

Palavras de Jesus

O caminho do verdadeiro discipulado nunca é fácil. São muitas as dificuldades, as provações, as batalhas e as tribulações, mas Meu amor e Minha fidelidade jamais falharão. Estive ao seu lado em cada prova, dificuldade e situação difícil.

Meus filhos vão cometer muitos erros, por muitos motivos e cada um terá de prestar contas de si mesmo diante de Mim. Mas Minha misericórdia é grande, pois entendo as fragilidades da carne e do caráter humano. Entendo as tremendas cargas, pressões e aquilo que a vida às vezes pede de Meus filhos. Entendo que muitas vezes caem, deixam de fazer o que é certo e como o Inimigo de suas almas procura oprimi-los, atrapalhá-los e fazê-los falhar.

A vida de fé é uma luta constante e uma batalha incessante, mas é assim que Meus filhos aprendem e ficam mais fortes. Aprendem a lutar, a Me conhecer melhor, a se aproximarem de Mim e a entender melhor os caminhos do Meu Espírito. Mas são muitas as quedas, as falhas e as mágoas pelo caminho, e até erros graves são cometidos, com os quais, às vezes, os outros também sofrem. E isso é triste.

Nunca falho aos Meus filhos, aos Meus amados, àqueles que Me amam e Me buscam. Apesar de não poder evitar que façam escolhas erradas e tomem as decisões que não são boas, não existe consequência ou circunstância que Meu Espírito não possa ajudá-los a superar. Não existe poder maior do que o Meu. Nada é tão mau ou ruim que Meu Espírito não possa superar; nada está além do Meu poder de cura; não há nada que Meu amor não possa aliviar e levar embora. Sou seu Criador e posso restaurar tudo. Não existe nada difícil demais para Mim, se for trazido a Mim. Posso renovar tudo, pois para Mim tudo é possível!

Um dia, a justiça cobrirá a Terra como as águas cobrem os mares e tudo se tornará amoroso e será corrigido. Até lá, apegue-se a Mim, continue combatendo o bom combate da fé com amor, compreensão e humildade diante de Mim. Jamais lhe falharei nem o desampararei.


O brilho da pérola

Será que você não sabe? Nunca ouviu falar? O Senhor é o Deus eterno, o Criador de toda a terra. Ele não se cansa nem fica exausto, sua sabedoria é insondável. Ele fortalece ao cansado e dá grande vigor ao que está sem forças. — Isaías 40:28–29[1]



Eu o chamei, ordenei e escolhi. Eu o escolhi e abençoei antes da fundação da terra. Você é uma pérola preciosa para Mim, uma pérola de grande valor!

Derramei em você e continuo derramando. Ensinei-lhe e continuo lhe ensinando. Preparo você para o que lhe tenho reservado nos dias por vir. Você vive um período de preparação, aprendizado e crescimento.

Ensino por meio de outros e diretamente, por meio de provas, batalhas e tribulações. Mas tudo isso é para prepará-lo para o que está por vir e para aquilo que o chamei para fazer no momento determinado.

Portanto, pense nas coisas que são do alto, não nas que são da terra. Olhe para Mim a cada passo do caminho e Eu o guardarei, fortalecerei, protegerei e lhe darei a vitória, pois sou seu professor, pastor, amado, amigo e companheiro. Se você pudesse ver o que lhe está reservado, aceitaria passar por qualquer coisa! Contudo, como não consegue ver, precisa crer, pois Eu lhe falei sobre isso.

Ó preciosa pérola de grande valor, você tem um brilho especial, uma camada especial que Eu lhe dei como sinal do Meu amor.

Confie em Mim nas trevas, confie em Mim na luz.
De dia e de noite a Minha mão a conduz.
Confie em Mim quando a situação fica ruim.
Pois a pérola tem a forma de uma lágrima, isso sim.
Confie em Mim, sempre me confiou a sua vida.
E Eu recompensarei, pois você Me é querido.

Por causa da sua confiança, esta pérola será colocada no centro da coroa que escolhi. Por isso, não estranhe a ardente prova que vem para tentá-lo, alegre-se, sabendo que é participante do Meu sofrimento.[2] Alegre-se sabendo que isso aumenta o brilho da pérola. Alegre-se sabendo que está sendo fortalecido e que fortalecerá os seus irmãos.[3]


Brilhando cada vez mais

O caminho do justo é como a luz da aurora, que brilha mais e mais até ser dia perfeito. — Provérbios 4:18[4]



Depois de terem experimentado o mundo e de serem tentados por um espírito mundano, é difícil as pessoas verem a bênção e a recompensa de serem instrumentos em Minhas mãos, que Eu possa estar à frente e ser o centro das atenções. Quanto mais você se aproximar dos Meus caminhos e das alegrias e belezas simples da vida como Eu as criei e providenciei, mais parecido Comigo se tornará. Você brilhará com a Minha beleza e com o Meu amor, e terá cada vez menos do seu raciocínio carnal e do modo de pensar da carne. Esse modo de pensar passará a ser cada vez menos importante, conforme você procurar conhecer Minha maneira de pensar e se esforçar para viver de acordo com os Meus caminhos e desejos.

Você vai desejar aprender a viver com o Meu amor imparcial que ama os feios, os desagradáveis e aqueles que outros têm dificuldade de amar. Meu amor estende a mão a eles, cuida deles e os ajuda. Quanto mais você Me buscar e os Meus caminhos, desejando viver segundo a Minha Palavra, mais parecido Comigo ficará e poderá refletir Meu amor sem parcialidade. Poderá se colocar mais no plano de fundo e dar prioridade a Mim e aos outros.

Ao aprender a dar para ver os outros felizes, brilhará com a Minha luz. O seu cálice de felicidade e de amor transbordará e derramará sobre os outros.


Uma obra em andamento

Mas quando este sacerdote acabou de oferecer, para sempre, um único sacrifício pelos pecados, assentou-se à direita de Deus ...porque, por meio de um único sacrifício, ele aperfeiçoou para sempre os que estão sendo santificados. — Hebreus 10:12, 14[5]



Meu filho, Eu me comprazo em você. Apesar de você ainda ser uma obra em andamento, deseja que Eu o santifique e o consagre. ...

A melhor maneira de realçar Minha obra de santificação é Me amando de todo o coração e entendimento, com toda a sua força. O rei Davi expressou tal ardor quando saltou e dançou diante de Mim com todas as suas forças. Apesar de seus graves pecados, era um homem segundo o Meu coração.

Em vez de se concentrar em todo quebrantamento que você tem vivenciado, atice as chamas do seu amor por Mim. Elas podem até tremeluzir, fracas, como a chama de uma vela, mas o Meu amor por você é como um incêndio florestal. Portanto, achegue-se cada vez mais à minha presença amorosa e a luz flamejante do Meu Espírito Santo o encherá de ardor.[6]

Publicado originalmente em 1997, salvo indicação contrária. Adaptado e republicado em julho 2014. Tradução Hebe Rondon Flandoli.


[1] NVI.

[2] 1 Pedro 4:12–13.

[3] Lucas 22:32.

[4] NVI.

[5] RC.

[6] Sarah Young, Jesus Lives (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009).

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Make Someone’s Day

a compilation

http://anchor.tfionline.com/post/make-someones-day/

Audio length: 9:39

Download Audio (8.8MB)

Make someone’s day. It’s one of the simplest, most gratifying things you can do. There are countless ways to make someone’s day. Start by looking for things you can do. There’s no need to spend money or take a lot of your time; it really is the little things that count. Make someone’s day a little better, and you will find that your day is a little better too.—Susan Morem

*

Have you ever had a bad day just because you crossed paths with someone who was in a foul mood? Maybe it was someone on the bus or another customer in a store—someone who you normally wouldn’t have even noticed—but that one grumpy or inconsiderate person cast a pall on your whole day.

On the other hand, have you ever had a day that went great and realized later that it all started when you met someone who was especially nice to you? Maybe it was the way she smiled at you, or the way he picked up and handed you something you had dropped, or held a door open for you—only a little gesture, but one that had a positive impact on your day.

Everyone has influence. Moment by moment your attitude and level of happiness are reflected in the little things you say and do, and those are bound to affect others. What kind of impact do you usually have?

Think of the things people have done that made your day, and make a point of doing those same things for others. Not only will you brighten someone else’s day, but you will also find that you are happier and see life more positively.—Jesus, speaking in prophecy

*

There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with cookies and a six-pack of root beer, and he started his journey.

When he had gone a few blocks from home, he met an old man. He was sitting in the park near the water, just staring at some birds.

The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer, when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him a cookie.

The old man gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. His smile was so incredible that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.

Once again, he smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was, and he got up to leave. But before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around and ran back to the old man and gave him a hug. The old man gave him his biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked her son: “What did you do today that made you so happy?”

The child replied: “I had lunch with God.” But before his mother could respond, he added, “You know what? He’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!”

Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and asked, “Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?”

He replied: “I ate cookies in the park with God.” But before his son responded, he added, “You know, He’s much younger than I expected.”

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring—all of which have the potential to make someone’s day a very special one, or even turn someone’s life around.—Author unknown

*

The best portion of a good man’s life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.—William Wordsworth (1770–1850)

*

Little things count. Small acts of kindness can create an atmosphere of love and tenderness. Little things can mean so much, because they show that your loved one was consciously thinking of you and going out of their way to make life a little brighter and better for you, for no outstanding reason other than that they love you and care about you.

Ask Me for ideas of ways to show love to your loved ones. I can give you a personalized list that fits your situation. Also, don’t underestimate the value of random acts of kindness. Start a chain reaction of kind deeds, and watch the love in your life blossom. You won’t regret it.—Jesus, speaking in prophecy

*

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.—Philippians 2:41

*

After years of working in the stress reduction field, teaching people to be happier, I’m still amazed that some of the most effective methods of reducing one’s stress and of improving one’s life are actually the simplest. One of the first real-life lessons my parents taught me when I was a child is perhaps the most basic of all: If you want to feel good about yourself, make someone else feel good. It really is that simple.

Acts of kindness and good will are inherently wonderful. There’s an old saying: “Giving is its own reward.” This is certainly true. Your reward for being kind and making someone else feel good are the warm, positive feelings that invariably accompany your efforts. So, starting today, think of someone you’d like to make feel better and enjoy your rewards.—Richard Carlson2

*

Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.—Romans 12:133

*

Do you remember the last time you received an unexpected call, text, or email from someone who intentionally said something complimentary to you? How did it make you feel? Did it brighten your mood? Did it bring a smile to your face? What impression did this person make on you?

When I consider the different types of impressions we make on people, there are very few more powerful than when you do something unexpectedly to show people they are important to you. It could be a simple text message telling a friend how much you value the friendship or a short email to a co-worker complimenting him or her on the way he or she handled a difficult situation at the office today.

When you take your time to surprise people with acts of kindness or love, you will make them feel noticed, valued, and appreciated. You will bring a smile to their faces and joy to their hearts. It will enhance their self-esteem and strengthen their self-confidence. It will renew their energy and put a bounce in their step. It will draw them closer to you and you to them and create an extraordinary bond in your relationship. You will benefit also because there is joy in unselfish acts when you give of yourself, your time, and your resources.

I want to challenge you to look for situations when you can show your interest in others by doing something unanticipated. When you think of something, do it without hesitation and make someone’s day. …

Every time you show a genuine interest in the lives of others by committing an unexpected act of kindness, you are telling them that who they are and what they do is significant.—Todd Smith4

*

Be the one who nurtures and builds. Be the one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart, one who looks for the best in people. Leave people better than you found them.—Marvin J. Ashton

Published on Anchor August 2014. Read by Irene Quiti Vera. 

Music by Michael Dooley.

1 ESV.

2 Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff at Work (New York: Hyperion, 1998).

3 ESV.

4 http://www.littlethingsmatter.com/blog/2010/06/17/25-unexpected-ways-to-make-someones-day.

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Monsanto and Ukraine

By Joyce Nelson, Counterpunch, Aug. 22, 2014

Finally, a little-known aspect of the crisis in Ukraine is receiving some international attention. On July 28, the California-based Oakland Institute released a report revealing that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), under terms of their $17 billion loan to Ukraine, would open that country to genetically-modified (GM) crops and genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture. The report is entitled “Walking on the West Side: the World Bank and the IMF in the Ukraine Conflict.”

In late 2013, the then president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, rejected a European Union association agreement tied to the $17 billion IMF loan, whose terms are only now being revealed. Instead, Yanukovych chose a Russian aid package worth $15 billion plus a discount on Russian natural gas. His decision was a major factor in the ensuing deadly protests that led to his ouster from office in February 2014 and the ongoing crisis.

According to the Oakland Institute, “Whereas Ukraine does not allow the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture, Article 404 of the EU agreement, which relates to agriculture, includes a clause that has generally gone unnoticed: it indicates, among other things, that both parties will cooperate to extend the use of biotechnologies. There is no doubt that this provision meets the expectations of the agribusiness industry. As observed by Michael Cox, research director at the investment bank Piper Jaffray, ‘Ukraine and, to a wider extent, Eastern Europe, are among the most promising growth markets for farm-equipment giant Deere, as well as seed producers Monsanto and DuPont’.”

Ukrainian law bars farmers from growing GM crops. Long considered “the bread basket of Europe,” Ukraine’s rich black soil is ideal for growing grains, and in 2012 Ukrainian farmers harvested more than 20 million tonnes of corn.

In August 2011, WikiLeaks released U.S. diplomatic cables showing that the U.S. State Department has been lobbying worldwide for Monsanto and other biotechnology corporations like DuPont, Syngenta, Bayer and Dow. The U.S. non-profit Food & Water Watch, after combing through five years of these cables (2005-2009), released its report entitled “Biotech Ambassadors: How the U.S. State Department Promotes the Seed Industry’s Global Agenda” on May 14, 2013. The report showed the U.S. State Department has “lobbied foreign governments to adopt pro-agricultural biotechnology policies and laws, operated a rigorous public relations campaign to improve the image of biotechnology, and challenged commonsense biotechnology safeguards and rules—even including opposing laws requiring the labeling of genetically-engineered (GE) foods.”

According to consortiumnews.com (March 16, 2014), Morgan Williams is at the nexus of Big Ag’s alliance with U.S. foreign policy.” Besides being president and CEO of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council, Williams is Director of Government Affairs at private equity firm SigmaBleyzer, which touts Williams’ work with “various agencies of the U.S. government, members of Congress, congressional committees, the Embassy of Ukraine to the U.S., international financial institutions, think tanks and other organizations on U.S.-Ukraine business, trade, investment and economic development issues.”

Meanwhile, Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev stated in April: “We don’t have a goal of developing GM products here or to import them. We can feed ourselves with normal, common, not genetically modified products. If the Americans like to eat such products, let them eat them. We don’t need to do that; we have enough space and opportunities to produce organic food.”

Hill + Knowlton, with its Kuwait “incubator babies atrocities” falsehood, was instrumental in getting the American public to back the first Gulf War on Iraq in the early 1990s. Now the company is involved in fomenting a Cold War 2 or worse, and on behalf of Monsanto—recently voted the “most evil” corporation on the planet. That’s something to recall in the midst of the extensive mainstream media demonizing of Putin.

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Are we in the center of the universe?

http://evidencepress.com/short-answers/are-we-in-the-center-of-the-universe/

Could Earth be near the center of the universe?

Secularists have been pushing Earth away from the center of the universe till finally saying there is no center at all. They take this position not based on observations but based on materialistic necessity. For them there cannot be a center and there cannot be a boundary. In fact, it seems for Stephen Hawking that there was no Big Bang explosion at all because it would demand a center and a boundary. “So long as the universe had a beginning, we could suppose it had a creator. But if the universe is really completely self-contained, having no boundaries or edge, it would have neither beginning nor end: it would simply be. What place, then, for a creator?” Stephen Hawking

So once again we see the honesty of Richard Lewontin’s words, “We take the side of science [religion] in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism.”

Evidence for Earth in the center of the universe:
1. Uniform Galaxies. Galaxies are spread out uniformly around us through out the universe. There appears to about the same number of galaxies in all directions.

2. Quantized Red Shift. Galaxies are bunched up into what is called Quantized Red Shift. More specifically the galaxies are bunched into groups and the groups are arranged into concentric circles around the Earth. According to Hubble’s Law, the distance interval is about 3 million light years between clusters. The mathematics are such that if you move Earth out 2 million light years away from our present central position, the red shift disappears into a random pattern.

Quantized Red Shift has been observed for many years now and was identified by William Tifft. By 1997 the data was so strong it is no longer questioned.

3. Rotating universe around an axis. Dr. Humphreys has noted that there is evidence that the entire universe is revolving around a central axis and Earth is near the central axis. The evidence includes: A polarization plane of the radio waves from distant galaxies display an angle. The angle gets bigger further out into the universe. The angles can be explained by a magneto effect and the universe is moving around a central access. (I likely have some of these details wrong.) There is more to it so I recommend the Starlight and Time DVD where Dr. Humphreys himself explains the evidence.

Some additional information that is pertinent to the subject:

An article from John Hartnett in TJ (Technical Journal — An Answers in Genesis Journal) vol 19(1) 2005 states, “This is what Edwin Hubble concluded; his observations of the galaxies’ red shifts indicated to him that we are at the center of a symmetric matter distribution. But Hubble rejected his own conclusion — that we are in a very special place — on philosophical grounds. And Hubble wasn’t alone in realizing the situation: “people need to be aware that there is a range of models that could explain the observations,” Ellis argues. “For instance, I can construct you a spherically symmetrical universe with Earth at its center, and you cannot disprove it based on observations.” Ellis has published a paper on this. “You can only excluded on philosophical grounds. In my view there is actually nothing wrong in that. What I want to bring into the open is the fact that we are using philosophical criteria in choosing our models. A lot of cosmology tries to hide that.”

Keep in mind that the Big Bang advocates cannot tolerate a center because it would statistically place us in a very special place.

Carl Sagan said, “. . . the delusion that we have some privileged position in the cosmos . . .” From Sagan’s book, Pale Blue Dot His point was to say that we are meaningless and have no significance in the universe.

On the contrary, with Earth in the center of the universe is a message to modern humans that God considers us to be very special.

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Eating more of these 5 foods can help improve your eye health

Julie Wilson, Natural News, August 22, 2014

Vision is one of mankind’s most valued senses. Unfortunately, for many it’s susceptible to extremely degenerative conditions. In the United States alone, nearly $7 billion is spent to treat cataracts, affecting about 22 million Americans over the age of 40.

About a third of the population suffers from near-sightedness, while about 60 percent are far-sighted, struggling to see up close.

It’s safe to say this country has a vision problem, and other than consuming a healthy diet, no preventive methods have been developed. We live during an age of heart transplants, yet there’s no technology that preserves one of our most important traits, eyesight.

Fortunately, a healthy diet is pretty powerful. Consuming certain foods has proven to directly impact vision and overall eye health. Below are five top foods for tackling degenerative vision.

1. Egg Yolks. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss for people over 65 years old; however, eating egg yolks can help slow this process. For various reasons, a degenerative process can affect the macula, a tiny area in the back of the eye, subsequently damaging your vision.

Egg yolks contain lutein, a yellow-pigmented antioxidant belonging to a class of compounds called carotenoids. Lutein and a similar compound called zeaxanthin selectively accumulate in the macula of the retina, scavenging free radicals and acting as a blue-light filter.

While other foods contribute to eye health, egg yolks were found to help the most

2. Spinach. This delicious, green leafy vegetable contains lots of lutein, therefore working miracles on the eyes. Consuming it raw is the best method, as heating spinach is known to damage some of its antioxidants.

In the macula, lutein and zeaxanthin are considered macular pigments. Macular pigments have been shown to decrease the risk of AMD, and might also play a role in age-related cataracts, according to the Egg Nutrition Center. Among carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin are the only ones to be found in the eye’s lens.

Kale, broccoli, romaine lettuce, peas, Brussels sprouts, zucchini and other collard greens also contain high amounts of lutein.

3. Blueberries. Blueberries, also referred to as “brainberries,” are considered by some to be the healthiest food on the planet. Their bright blue casings contain anthocyanins, a group of powerful antioxidants that aid the body with multiple protections.

Eating blueberries helps protect the retina from unwanted sunlight and oxygen damage.

4. Carrots. While consuming carrots won’t necessarily reverse bad eyesight, they can help improve overall eye health. Carrots contain lutein and beta-carotene, a substance converted to vitamin A by the body, a beneficial nutrient for eye health. Vitamin A is a crucial nutrient; in fact, a lack of it is the leading cause of blindness in the developing world, according to HowStuffWorks.com.

Orange-colored foods like mango, pumpkin, apricots, sweet potatoes and cantaloupe also contain beta-carotene.

5. Almonds. This vitamin E-rich nut has also been proven to slow macular degeneration, and just one handful a day provides you about half of your daily dose, according to Health.com. Almonds contain the anti-cancer nutrient amygdalin, also known as laetrile or vitamin B17.

Almonds promote overall well-being. They contribute to weight loss, help lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease and improve your complexion, among many other benefits.

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Take Daily Walking Breaks To Refocus

By Rachel Gillett, Fast Company, Aug. 22, 2014

How much of your day do you think you spend sitting? 20%? 30%?

Research published in Diabetologia medical journal shows that the average adult spends 50% to 70% of his time sitting. Today we live in a world where most working professionals suffer from what the scientific community calls the sitting disease, and research shows that the longer you sit, the more likely you are to develop heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity.

In addition to staying healthy, there are so many other good reasons to get up and move around that this advice is hard to ignore.

For one thing, taking a lunch break away from your desk can boost your mood and prepare you for the afternoon ahead. And researchers from the University of Edinburgh say that taking a walk in the park—or any green space you can find in your area—can lessen your brain fatigue and frustration.

While you’re outside enjoying the greenery, you’ll more than likely be soaking up some sun as well—no matter the season or climate—which helps alleviate feelings of sluggishness and boosts productivity.

Looking for some creative inspiration? Scientists at Stanford suggest going for a walk—whether indoors or outdoors, in a green space or on a treadmill—to give your creativity a boost. Compared to sitting, they found any form of walking could increase creative thinking by about 60%.

“We’re not saying walking can turn you into Michelangelo,” said researcher Marily Oppezzo. “But it could help you at the beginning stages of creativity.”

It’s no secret that our energy slumps mid-morning and mid-afternoon (which is why it’s the best time to drink coffee). Research shows that getting up and taking a 15-minute walk at these times instead of checking Facebook can help you refocus.

Challenge yourself to go for a walk at least once a day.

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