Looking for Inspiration

By P Amsterdam

Inspiration is a wonderful, God-created thing. It is intangible but powerful. The word “inspiration” dates back to the 1300s, with definitions such as “immediate influence of God.” The French word meant “inhaling, breathing in,” and the Latin word would be translated as “inspire, inflame, blow into.” A modern definition I read expressed “inspiration” this way: to be in spirit. I find that illustration fitting, since as Christians, we regularly seek to align our spirits, our actions, and our thoughts with God’s. Some synonyms for inspiration are encouragement, enthusiasm, genius, insight, vision, awakening, creativity, spark, spur, and stimulation.

Inspiration infuses you with renewed zest for life. It influences, moves, or guides you to action. It provides a fire in your soul, so to speak. I think we all like being in an inspired state. I know I sure do! And we like being around others who are inspired. But the reality is that we don’t live in the inspiration zone all day long. We all have times when we hit the inspiration skids; when we not only lack inspiration, but might even doubt that we’ll ever feel inspired again.

Maybe you’re facing a big challenge at your workplace. Perhaps one of your children is going through a rough patch and you’re overcome with worry. If you just had some unexpected expenses and your finances are tapped out, that can bring a lot of anxiety. Or maybe you have become estranged from a close friend or loved one and you feel awash in guilt and sadness. Or maybe nothing “bad” has happened but you just feel flat. Without inspiration.

When you feel like you’ve lost inspiration, or lost hope, or are just feeling so very blah, like the wind has gone out of your sails and you don’t know how you’re going to get it back, there are some things that can help. God, in His foresight and great love for us, created many things that can serve as sparks to boost our sense of personal happiness and well-being and reignite our inspiration-flame.

Whether you’re trying to make it through a tough spot or seeking creative inspiration for a project, these sources of inspiration can serve as recharging stations to your spirit. This list is not comprehensive, but I hope it provides a helpful starting point.

> Reading God’s Word is paramount. The Bible is a direct source of divine inspiration. Jeremiah said of God’s Word: “Your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart.”1 Communing with God should be your first priority when your inspiration has run dry and you need spiritual renewal. The truest and deepest inspiration comes when we are in relationship with our Creator. This results in the wonderful “joy of the Lord” referred to in the Bible, the inspiration that does not fade.2

Meditating and reflecting on God’s Word, and the writings of other inspired Christians, brings faith and focus to your spirit. Spending time in worship and adoration can also be a powerful way to lift your spirit.

> Friendship is not to be overlooked. Good company and fellowship are central to a happy life. We all need the support of others, and most of life’s best experiences are shared with those we love. And when we’re feeling low or facing hard times, friends are even more important. There’s nothing quite like meeting up with a good friend to share what’s going on in your life, whether that’s good news or a disappointment. If you find yourself living far away from your friends and it’s not easy to have face-to-face fellowship, it works to pick up the phone or have a Skype call to keep in touch. True friends not only provide support; they also inspire us to be our best selves. Friends encourage us to keep going. They remind us that the best is yet to come, and that if we hang in there, we’ll pull through, as we have so many times before.

Most women love talking with other women, a leisurely one-on-one talk with a close friend. Men need friendship time too, which can often come in group form or involve some sport or activity. I recently enjoyed a few days’ away with two of my good guy-friends. We lounged in the pool, talked over a couple of beers, and shared good meals together. Even if we men don’t talk as much as women, we need that friendship time just as much.

> Nature is a magnificent source of inspiration. God’s creation is a constant and amazing proof of His power and design. Not only is nature, in its many forms, breathtakingly beautiful; it also showcases God’s power and His love for humankind. Nature is a wonderful source from which to draw inspiration, as God’s divine inspiration can be seen in the work of His hands.

The majesty of creation is an ever-present reminder that the God who made everything is sovereign and more than capable of caring for every burden, fear, worry, and prayer that we entrust to Him. When we are reminded of that great truth, we can more easily cast our cares on God,3 which can result in a lightening of our spirits and a sense of inspiration and hope for the future.

> Seek out good news. This is an effective way to lift your spirit. As the verse says, “Whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”4

If you look for good news, there is a lot to be found. Keep in touch with family and friends. Read uplifting blogs. Check out inspirational true-life stories or films. I like reading the good news blog. I love hearing the answers to prayer and good news of family, friends, and TFI members around the world. It lifts my spirit. And when I hear about and rejoice in the good fortune of others, I tend to have more good news in my own life—or maybe I just notice it more. Whatever the case, I’m glad for it.

You can pay more attention to the good news in your life by pausing in the morning or evening to think about the things you’re grateful for and noting them in your gratitude journal. Share the day’s good news as a family around the dinner table. Science shows that people who keep a gratitude journal or make a practice of counting their blessings are happier and more content.

> Appreciate the arts: music, painting, sculpture, literature, dance, photography. There are countless beautiful expressions of human creative skill, and when we take time to appreciate these things, we can be inspired and uplifted.

Visiting museums is something I enjoy doing, and I find deep beauty and inspiration in some of the marvelous paintings and works of art, especially those depicting Jesus’ life and time on earth. Music that expresses worship and adoration of God is very meaningful and moving to me, and when I feel discouraged or am threatened by depression, it is one of the first things I turn to.

> Enjoy life’s simple gifts. It doesn’t always take something significant or amazing to boost your mood. One small thing enjoyed fully at just the right time can have a big effect. Like a hot shower at the end of a difficult day. A perfect cappuccino. A kiss from a child or grandchild. Vine-ripened tomatoes in a fresh salad. An ice-cold glass of water when you’re so thirsty.

There are beautiful things around us every day that we become familiar with: The beautiful sky. Rustling leaves in the treetops. A colorful bird perched on a telephone wire. A friend’s smile. There are countless small gifts that we receive daily from God, and others, which can bring us a lot of joy and a sense of well-being if we are mindful of them.

> Stay alive with exercise. Fit some physical activity into your day. Science has proven that exercise is good for your body and your emotional and mental health. It’s a mood-booster. So when your inspiration is lagging or leaving, get your body moving. Hike. Dance. Walk. Go for a run. Lift some weights. I’ll admit, this isn’t always something that I feel eager to do, especially if my mood is a little blah or I’m feeling tired. But once I’ve done it, I feel energized and generally more inspired.

> Try something new! New scenery and new activity brings new inspiration, so when you can, do new things, explore new places. Break out of your routines. New environments can bring new insights. God made each of us to be creative in some way, and activating your creative processes through learning something new can both be enjoyable and can open a pathway to new inspiration. Try your hand at something new—cook a new dish, paint a sunset, start a garden. Do something you haven’t done before. Consider a new hobby.

> Make time for silence. Life is so busy, so full of noise, things happening all around us, and constant digital interruptions. God made us to need quiet. We need white space in our lives. If we were to look at our lives like a book, the margins would represent the quiet and space that we need in order to manage the “pages” of daily life. We have to schedule time for God. We have to carve out “me time.” Sometimes we just need to shut down our devices and unplug, and get away from all the hustle and bustle and seek out silence.

You can gain a sense of purpose and joy from times of quiet, thought, reflection, prayer, and communion with God. Sometimes we need to think about our lives, where life is headed, and what our goals are. Go outside for a walk or hike up to an overlook and get quiet and let God speak to your soul. Many people shy away from being alone or being in a place of quiet or silence. If you feel that way, I want to encourage you that a place of silence can be the birthplace of fresh hope, renewed priorities, new perspectives, and godly inspiration.

Each of us is different. You might draw joy and inspiration from a time of quiet, whereas someone else is inspired by being around people and in community. While music is a great source of inspiration for me, the source of inspiration for someone else might be hiking. And at different times in your life, different things can help to boost your inspiration, to rekindle the flame, so to speak. So while you may have your “go-to” inspiration primers, don’t get stuck in a rut. Try new things! Let’s keep ourselves open to the many beautiful ways in which we can be renewed.

As the saying goes, “Look for someone else to make happy, and happiness will find you.” It’s similar with inspiration. Instead of doing these things while impatiently wondering when inspiration is going to strike, enjoy the moment. Keep your attention in the present, put your cares in God’s hands, and trust that He will renew your inspiration.

Don’t fret or despair if you’re going through a dry spell, or if you don’t seem to be bouncing back as quickly as you had hoped. There are times when I have faced ongoing struggles with discouragement or hopelessness, and I haven’t felt inspired for quite some time. Inspiration seemed to elude me no matter what I did. If you’re in that place right now, God wants you to reach out to Him, trust in His promises, and have patience, regardless of your feelings or low inspiration level. Sometimes we feel inspired and sometimes we don’t, but we can always trust in the promise of Isaiah 40:31 that heavenly inspiration will come: “Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”5

I find those words “soar on wings like eagles” to be a beautiful picture of inspiration and freedom from the cares of the world that threaten to pull us down.

We can bank on God’s promises, on His unconditional and never-ending love for us, as described in this verse:

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.

And to close with one of my all-time favorite verses:

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (NIV).

Isn’t it wonderful to know that you are in God’s hands? That He wants you to prosper and to have hope? We can draw great peace and inspiration from the assurance that we are in His strong, capable, and loving hands.

Footnotes:

1 Jeremiah 15:16 ESV.
2 Nehemiah 8:10b.
3 1 Peter 5:7.
4 Philippians 4:8 ESV.
5 Isaiah 40:31 NIV.

Read More

Nabeel Qureshi: Islam Through the Eyes of Muslims - Apologetics to Islam

Read More

Nabeel Qureshi - A Journey From Islam

Read More

America is Only About 70% Communist!

http://www.sovereignman.com/trends/this-has-got-to-be-the-top-15085/

September 29, 2014- Sovereign Man - Notes From the Field - Simon Black

Santiago, Chile

“The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workers of the world, unite!”

Most people remember Karl Marx’s most potent points and phrases, and the mountain of corpses his disciples left behind, especially in the 20th century.

However, most forget or don’t even know the specific policies that Marx advocated.

Within his 1848 Communist Manifesto, Marx outlined a list of ten short-term demands. These, he thought, would be the precursor to the ideal stateless, classless communist society.

Ironically in today’s world, Marx’s demands look pretty much mainstream.

That is because nearly every single item on the list has been implemented to varying degrees in the United States.

Think that couldn’t be possible in the Land of the Free? Just take a look.

Topping Marx’s list is the abolition of private property.
True, private property exists, but only until the state wants to take it. With its powers of eminent domain, the government can and does confiscate people’s property when it wants for public use.

Your property isn’t unconditionally yours. Just think of property taxes, for example.

If it’s actually YOUR private property, then why would you need to pay tax on it? And why do they have the authority to take it from you if you don’t pay?

Likewise, while we haven’t seen the complete abolition of inheritance (another Marx demand), the government can take up to 40% of your estate when you die.

So ultimately your estate is not your own. You don’t get to control what happens to your wealth and possessions when you die. It’s just a matter of proportion.

Marx also demanded the centralization of transportation and communication. Check, and check.

Try broadcasting over the airwaves in the Land of the Free without a license and special permission.

Practically the entire electromagnetic spectrum is tightly controlled by the state, centralized by a handful of government agencies.

Same with the network of roads and highways. Because, after all, without government, who would build the roads…

Another point of Marx is state-guided agricultural production and combination of agriculture and manufacturing.

And the Land of the Free does not disappoint. Though its activities may not be as prominent in the news, the US Department of Agriculture is easily one of the busiest government departments.

With a budget of $146 billion a year, and much more for subsidies, USDA tirelessly works to dictate every major and miniscule activity in the sector.

Next on the list, is equal liability of all to labor. If you have at any point wondered, as I have, why politicians are always pushing jobs for the sake of jobs, rather than value and wealth creation—now you know why.

Between minimum wage laws and the constant stream of legislation that promises jobs for all, it is clear that politicians have wholly internalized this Marxian ideal.

Now, you might think that this is just a fluke, just a coincidence that some US policies resemble what’s on Marx’s list of demands.

But then you see these demands, which have not only been fully implemented in the US already, but are thoroughly entrenched in the national psyche:

First, there’s free education for all children, to enable the uniformity of thought. Check.

Then there’s a heavy progressive income tax. Yep, I’m pretty sure you’re familiar with this one, which has actually become so mainstream, that to have any system other than this would be considered revolutionary. Check.

Third, is the confiscation of the property of emigrants (expatriates) and rebels.

Between the IRS bullying of political opposition groups and the imposition of exit taxes for those that renounce their citizenship, the United States is firmly set up to discourage dissent and escape. Check.

And last but not least, the centralization of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank. Check.

Remember, Karl Marx thought central banking was a great idea—the same guy who thought that individual success and private property were evil.

Think about that the next time the Federal Reserve comes up with a plan to help businesses and fix the economy.

So now you know, America isn't communist. It's only about 70% communist. No reason to worry.

Until tomorrow,

Simon Black

Read More

Repórter da BBC: Google prepara-se para "suprimir Jornalismo legítimo»

http://www.infowars.com/bbc-reporter-google-moving-to-suppress-legitimate-journalism/
por Paul Joseph Watson | 3 de julho de 2014
A decisão "Direito a ser esquecido" ameaça "coibir a liberdade de expressão"








O editor de economia da BBC, Robert Peston, adverte que a implementação por parte da Google da controversa decisão "direito a ser esquecido" está contribuindo para "suprimir o jornalismo legítimo", após um de seus artigos sobre o chefe da Merrill Lynch, Stan O'Neal, ter sido apagado do motor de busca. ::INTRO::

Uma decisão recente do Tribunal Europeu de Justiça determinou que o Google deve excluir dados "inadequados, irrelevantes ou já não relevantes" quando recebe um pedido para fazê-lo, o que poderia abrir as comportas para que indivíduos poderosos, empresas e instituições ocultem provas anteriores de irregularidades numa reversão arrepiante para o "buraco da memória" de George Orwell.

Peston reclama do Google por este ter notificado a BBC que um dos seus artigos de 2007 havia sido excluído dos resultados de pesquisa para usuários do Google na Europa. Esse artigo falava sobre o papel do ex-chefe da Merrill Lynch, Stan O'Neal, no colapso financeiro.

Peston questionou porque é que o artigo representava informação "inadequada, irrelevante ou não relevante", afirmando: "Há um argumento segundo o qual com a remoção do blog, o Google está confirmando os temores de muitos na indústria de que o "direito a ser esquecido" será abusado para coibir a liberdade de expressão e para suprimir o jornalismo legítimo, o qual é do interesse público."

Peston mais tarde atualizou a sua peça e fez notar que poderia ter sido um indivíduo na seção de comentários a sinalizar o artigo para eliminação pelo Google, uma perspectiva que ameaça um "desaparecimento" ainda mais difundido de artigos de notícias.

O Google já recebeu mais de 50.000 pedidos para remover artigos de seus resultados de busca europeus, nos poucos dias desde que a decisão foi implementada e contratou "um exército de paralegais” para lidar com o afluxo.

O Guardian de Londres também foi informado que seis de seus artigos haviam desaparecido no buraco da memória, com o editor de projetos especiais do jornal, James Ball, avisando, "provavelmente haverá muitos mais, à medida que os ricos e poderosos procuram limpar as suas imagens on-line, sem dúvida com a ajuda de uma nova onda de empresas de "gestão de reputação". "

Ball diz que as decisões editoriais pertencem às editoras e não ao Google, e que os meios de comunicação precisam lutar contra aquilo que representa um desafio à liberdade de imprensa.

Como já salientamos anteriormente, o Google e a sua filial YouTube rotineiramente aquiescem aos pedidos das autoridades para remover as informações, inclusive com base em justificativos duvidosos, tais como o material conter "críticas ao governo."

Um exemplo disso foi o cumprimento, por parte do YouTube, de um pedido do governo britânico para censurar cenas do protesto do British Constitution Group’s Lawful Rebellion [Rebelião Legal do Grupo da Constituição Britânica], durante o qual eles tentaram realizar uma prisão civil do juiz Michael Peake no tribunal do condado de Birkenhead.

As ordens do governo para remover conteúdo do Google dispararam nos últimos 18 meses, com pedidos aumentando 26% nos últimos meses de 2012.

Read More

Consolo nas Aflições

http://anchor.tfionline.com/pt/post/consolo-nas-aflicoes/
Palavras de Jesus

Muitas são as aflições do justo, mas de todas o livrará Deus.—Salmo 34:19[1]

*

Você está debaixo de uma chuva de aflições, minha florzinha? Não se preocupe. As suas orações e as orações daqueles que a amam farão surgir um arco-íris com suas cores fabulosas, e o sol voltará a brilhar. As dificuldades físicas que está sofrendo o fazem chorar? Não se preocupe, querida, pois o consolo que precisa está logo ao virar a esquina. Eu entendo a sua batalha, mas não se canse de fazer o bem, pois esse tempo de provações chegará ao fim. Aguente firme.

Apesar de ter sido colocada à prova por meio dessas aflições, Eu as permiti para produzirem doçura, ternura e beleza. Eu vou tocar e aliviar a dor e o sofrimento. Você vai sentir o Meu toque de cura. Não se preocupe, pois nada vai ser difícil demais de suportar. Eu não permitirei que isso aconteça. Sei que é uma batalha difícil, mas a ajudarei a suportar e aliviarei o seu caminho.

Descanse no Meu colo. Aceite a graça, forças e a ajuda que precisa. Estou orgulhoso de você por ser um soldado tão animado e corajoso. Estou orgulhoso de você por suportar essas aflições com tanta fé, mesmo tendo vontade de chorar. Eu não falharei. Vou curar você. Restaurarei a sua saúde, e você não desfalecerá nem cairá.

Fique em paz. Você terá a vitória enquanto perseverar e recorrer ao Meu poder e força para que Eu lute por você. Contanto Me permita viver através de você e recorra a Mim por ajuda, assim será, não só hoje nesta batalha com essas aflições específicas, mas todos os dias em cada batalha.

*

Não vos sobreveio tentação que não fosse humana, mas fiel é Deus que não vos permitirá serdes tentados além do que podeis suportar; pelo contrário, juntamente com a tentação vos proverá o livramento, para que o possais suportar.—1 Coríntios 10:13

*

Assim como o favo tem que ser espremido para se extrair o mel, também a doçura do seu espírito é realçada nesse período de aflições e dores. Esse apertar e esmagar a sua vida extrai as coisas belas do seu espírito, o amor do seu íntimo, e os tesouros da sua alma.

Eu sinto vê-lo sofrer tanto, mas sei que vale a pena pagar esse preço pelas bênçãos que está recebendo durante esse período de provações. Conheço a sua dor. Não é uma provação fácil, porém é passageira, e produzirá um fruto muito maior, maravilhoso e eterno.

A dor é excruciante e o sofrimento penoso, mas Eu estou ao seu lado. Quando todos se ausentam, ficamos juntos, apenas você e Eu. Estou bem pertinho. Quando você é fraco, Eu permaneço forte. Eu sou a força na sua fraqueza e enfermidade. Eu o pego no colo e não permito que sofra mais do que consegue suportar.

Você é uma pessoa alegre que tem travado uma luta durante esse período de intensas aflições, o que Me deixa muito orgulhoso. Neste momento você se encontra no fundo poço escuro das aflições, mas nessas paredes escuras que o rodeiam, poderá encontrar gemas preciosas que serão suas para sempre.

Meu amor, em breve as trevas se irão. Você verá um ponto de luz à distância, e Eu o carregarei até nos aproximarmos dele juntos. Essa é a luz da vitória, a luz das promessas que lhe fiz. A luz afugentará as sombras da noite e a escuridão.

Você mal consegue ver a luz, mas ela está lá. Mantenha os olhos naquele ponto de luz, na vitória já à vista. Continue recolhendo os tesouros e gemas que encontrará enquanto estiver no poço das aflições. Essas gemas preciosas serão suas e servirão de lembrete de que o protegi, sustentei e lhe dei a vitória.

*

Eis que chamamos bem-aventurados os que suportaram aflições. Ouvistes da paciência de Jó, e vistes o fim que o Senhor lhe deu, porque o Senhor é cheio de misericórdia e compaixão.—Tiago5:11

*

Você suportou a cruz bravamente, com louvor nos lábios e no coração. Seus louvores e orações chegaram aos Meus átrios, e derramei graça e forças para cada aflição. Todo ser humano tem uma cruz a carregar, e às vezes por muitos anos. Mas a cruz leva à coroa. Você talvez tenha que carregar a sua cruz por mais tempo do que desejaria, mas a Minha graça lhe basta. Lembre-se que Eu já passei por isso.

*

Para mim tenho por certo que as aflições deste tempo presente não se podem comparar com a glória que em nós há de ser revelada.—Romanos 8:18

*

Estendo minha mão amorosa
Curando com Meu bálsamo sanador;
Fortalecendo o fraco e cansado
Eu conheço bem a sua dor.

Descanse nos Meus fortes braços
Contemplando sempre o Meu rosto,
Nos momentos que passa Comigo
Se esvairá o sentimento doloroso.

A alegria vai voltar, Eu prometo,
Esse período não vai se prolongar;
A provação ficará para trás.
E você logo vai melhorar.

Querido e precioso, sinto
Pela sua aflição,
Mas tudo isso vai dar bom fruto
E logo sentirá a bênção.

Aproveite então para Me amar,
Se aproxime mais do Meu peito manso
Vou aconchegá-lo e consolá-lo.
E comigo você terá descanso.

*

A minha graça vos basta, pois o meu poder se aperfeiçoa na fraqueza.—2 Coríntios 12:9

Publicado originalmente em março 2001. Adaptado e republicado em junho 2014. Tradução Hebe Rondon Flandoli. copyright@thefamily.org


[1] NVI.

Read More

Influence

http://anchor.tfionline.com/post/influence/
A compilation

Audio length: 9:30
Download Audio (8.7MB)

The power of one person’s life over another’s is something almost startling! There have been single looks of an eye which have changed a destiny. There have been meetings of only a moment which have left impressions for life, for eternity! No one can understand that mysterious thing we call influence. We read of our blessed Lord, that virtue went out of Him and healed the timid woman who came behind Him in the crowd and touched the hem of His garment… Of course, there never was another life such as Christ’s; yet every one of us continually exerts influence—either to heal, to bless, to leave marks of beauty; or to wound, to hurt, to poison, to stain other lives.

We are forever either adding to the world’s health and happiness and good—or to its pain, sorrow, or curse. Every moment of true and honest living, every victory we win over self or sin, and even the smallest fragment of a sweet life we live—makes it easier for others to be brave and true and gentle. We are always exerting influence.—J. R. Miller

*

Mark was walking home from school one day when he noticed that the boy ahead of him had tripped and dropped all the books he was carrying, along with two sweaters, a baseball bat, a glove, and a small tape recorder. Mark knelt down and helped the boy pick up the scattered articles.

Since they were going the same way, he helped to carry part of the burden. As they walked, Mark discovered the boy’s name was Bill, that he loved video games, baseball, and history, and that he was having a lot of trouble with his other subjects and that he had just broken up with his girlfriend.

Mark went home after dropping Bill at his house. They continued to see each other around school, had lunch together once or twice, then both graduated from junior high school. They ended up in the same high school, where they had brief contacts over the years. Finally the long-awaited senior year came. Three weeks before graduation, Bill asked Mark if they could talk.

Bill reminded him of the day years ago when they had first met. “Do you ever wonder why I was carrying so many things home that day?” asked Bill. “You see, I cleaned out my locker because I didn’t want to leave a mess for anyone else. I had stored away some of my mother’s sleeping pills and I was going home to commit suicide. But after we spent some time together talking and laughing, I realized that if I had killed myself, I would have missed that time and so many others that might follow. So you see, Mark, when you picked up my books that day, you did a lot more. You saved my life.”—John W. Schlatter

*

Despite their bad reputation, dandelions are pretty little flowers with their yellow strands all tucked neatly into the center. And truly they are the most beautiful of all flowers when presented clutched in a child’s dirty little hand. No one gets yelled at for picking them. Perhaps they grow only to be used and enjoyed by children.

Dandelions are ignored or attacked, never nurtured or cared for, and yet they always bloom profusely. They demand no pampering or special attention to yield their bright blossoms; they pop up in fields, in lawns, and between cracks in the sidewalk, even in the best neighborhoods. Can you imagine trying to grow them in a garden? They’d sneak through the boundaries and pop their sunny yellow faces up in the surrounding lawn. They would never stay put!

Christians should be more like dandelions. Our sunny yellow faces should be a reminder that simple faith has deep roots that are impossible to dislodge. Our vast number would show the world that even though we are not fancy or pampered, we are evident everywhere. …

We should be as easily accessible as a dandelion. Jesus is. We need to get out of our gardens and jump across the boundaries that keep us where people expect to find us. We need to show our sunny yellow faces in all the spots that need a little brightening up—the crack in the sidewalk or the lawn of a country club.—Author unknown

*

While passing through this world of sin
And others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure, without, within,
Let others see Jesus in you.

Your life’s a book before their eyes;
They’re reading it through and through,
Does it point unto the skies,
Do they see Jesus in you?

Oh, what a joy it will be at the set of sun
In mansions beyond the blue,
To find some soul that you have won,
Because they saw Jesus in you.

Keep telling the story, be faithful and true,
Let others see Jesus in you.
—B. B. McKinney

*

Let Me use your eyes to see the needs of others, whether great or small. Let Me use your ears to hear the heartcries of the lost, and let Me use your tongue to pour forth My words of love and compassion, prayer and encouragement to a brother or sister who is discouraged. Let Me use your mind that I may implant My thoughts therein—thoughts of love and of kindness. Let Me take your heart in My hands and fill it with My concern for the multitudes of people who have not yet heard of My love.

Let Me use your hands to dry the tears of those who are crying, to give a pat on the back to those who are discouraged, to be a helping hand to someone who is falling by the way. Let Me use your tongue as an instrument of My love to someone who needs kind words. Even where you’re not looking for ways to be an example of My love, if you’re willing and heed My gentle whispers in your heart, I will put such situations in your path. They may seem small and insignificant, but they are great in My sight. It is a high calling to be a vessel of My love.—Jesus, speaking in prophecy

*

Sometimes just a word or a glance or a smile can make a big difference—how we look or sound or seem. If it’s not cheerful and victorious and uplifting, it’s bound to drag somebody else down with us. Others will partake of our spirits and be influenced by our attitudes. This is why it’s so important that we dwell on the positive, not the negative. Think about the good things.1 Be encouraging, loving, and cheerful. Love begets love. If we are peaceful, trusting, patient, restful, and full of faith, this is the way others will also react. A little real love goes a long, long way!

No man is an island. Everybody has influence. One person walking in love will encourage others to do likewise. If you show love, others will catch the same spirit. It’s such a contagious thing—the love of Christ in action. It spreads from heart to heart.

If we live enough with God, like Moses did, a little of God will rub off on us too and we’ll be happy and our faces will shine with joy and the Spirit of God.2 That’s the secret! If we shine forth with enough love, others will reflect it.—David Brandt Berg

Published on Anchor September 2014. Read by Debra Lee. copyright @thefamily.org


Footnotes:
1 Philippians 4:8.
2 Exodus 34:29–34; Numbers 6:25–26.

Read More

What did the Old Testament Prophet Daniel and Isaac Newton have in common?

Chapter 4-The Daniel - Isaac Newton Connection

By Dennis Edwards

Isaac Newton, who lived from 1642-1727, is known as one of the world’s greatest scientists. But not many people know he was fascinated with the Book of Daniel. He was a devout Christian, and Bible scholar who studied the Old Testament in the original Hebrew.

He said, “I have a fundamental belief in the Bible as the Word of God, written by men who were inspired. I study the Bible daily.”[1]

He also wrote,

Atheism is so senseless. When I look at the solar system, I see the earth at the right distance from the sun to receive the proper amounts of heat and light. This did not happen by chance.[2]

The Columbia History of the World tells us,

At the end of his days he (Newton) spent more time studying and writing about the prophecies in the Book of Daniel than he did in charting the heavens.[3]

Newton himself made a prophecy about the end time. He said,

About the times of the End, a body of men will be raised up who will turn their attention to the prophecies, and insist upon their literal interpretation, in the midst of much clamor and opposition.[4]

Maybe that is what is happening today. In the Creationist movement we find a body of men insisting on the literal interpretation of the Bible, specifically Genesis, which the modernistic theologians and secular scholars have reduced to myth. The Creationists are receiving much opposition from liberal theologians, secular scholars and scientists. All of whom have accepted millions of years and the Theory of Evolution to be true. Whether or not the Creationists will turn their eyes to the attention of prophecy, I do not know. One thing I do know is that prophecy is not something we can figure out with our own understanding; it is something that God reveals or opens up to our understanding.

29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.[5]

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit.[6]

Daniel, himself, was even puzzled by some of the prophecies he received. In fact, in the last chapter, after having a vision and receiving a prophecy, Daniel says,

8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.[7] 

If we go back earlier in the chapter we find a similar declaration from the Lord:

4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. [8]

Try as they might neither Daniel nor Isaac Newton could properly understand the Daniel prophecies. I believe we today have better understanding of the Daniel prophecies than Daniel and Isaac Newton, because we are closer in time to the fulfillment of those end-time events. Nevertheless, it behooves us to study the scriptures diligently like those in the city of Berea of whom Paul spoke,

11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. [9]

Please do not take my word for it. Get out your Bible, read, study, fast and pray and ask God to open up his word to you.

18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.[10]


Footnotes:

[1] J.H.Tiner, Isaac Newton – Inventor, Scientist, and Teacher, Mon Media, Milford (Michigan), 1975
[2] ibid
[3] John Arthur Garraty & Peter Gay, Columbia History of the World, Dorset Press, 1972
[4] http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/135106.Isaac_Newton
[5] Deuteronomy 29:29
[6] 1Corinthians 2:9,10
[7] Daniel 12:8-9
[8] Daniel 12:4
[9] Acts 17:11
[10] Psalm 119:18

Read More

Arms, Arms and More Arms! or It’s Blood Money, Baby!

By Dennis Edwards --

America has also polluted the world through her sales of armament and weapons of war. Although other countries also sell arms, the USA has had the biggest share in sales of military equipment and weapons of death and destruction. Researcher Michael Klare writes

International weapons sales have proved to be a thriving global business in economically tough times. According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), such sales reached an impressive $85 billion in 2011, nearly double the figure for 2010. Arms sales have always served multiple functions. Valuable trade commodities, weapons can prove immensely lucrative for companies that specialize in making such products. Between 2008 and 2011, for example, U.S. firms sold $146 billion worth of military hardware to foreign countries, according to the latest CRS figures.[1]

A New York Times article from October 2013 says,

According to IHS Jane’s, an industry consulting and analysis company, the total global arms trade revenue in 2012 was estimated to be $73.5 billion, and the United States had a 39 percent share.[2]

That’s around 18.4 billion in arms sales. In either case arms sales are big business.

Revelations says, "And in her was found the blood of the prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.”[3]

President and former General Dwight E. Eisenhower warned of the danger of the Military Industrial Complex back in the beginning of the 1960s. He predicted that the Military Industrial Complex would continue to encroach on the power of the government. In his farewell speech in 1961 he said the following:

We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United States corporations. This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.[4]

In talking about the waste caused by excessive military spending, Eisenhower, a military man himself, said the following:

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, (and) the hopes of its children. 

The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 (in) population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some 50 miles of concrete highway. We pay for a single fighter plane with a half-million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people. 

This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road the world has been taking. (No), this is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.[5]

In spite of Eisenhower’s warning, the cost of America’s military spending continues to increase every year with approximately fifty percent of the Federal Budget going to military spending. I am reminded of the verses in Genesis,

And God saw that wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.[6]

War is big business and the bankers know it. They make their greatest profits from it and the national debts they incur. Surely our excessive military budget and spending grieves God in his heart. Like Brigadier General Smedley Butler said,

War is a racket. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.[7]

Right now as I am writing this war is taking place in both Ukraine and Gaza. How many times will we fight wars to end all wars or wars to make it safe for democracy? When I was faced with the prospect of war as a youth, it was the words from the New Testament that spoke to me and which I could not remove from my consciousness. The Beatitudes assured me that the war machine would not get the blessing.

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.[8]

Jesus goes on to say,

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.[9]

When Peter wants to defend Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives, Jesus tells him,

52Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.[10]

James goes on to write that it is the lust for power and possessions that causes wars.

1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, …3 …, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.[11]

It seems to me that the whole world is groaning for deliverance from man’s incessant wars. We used to sing “Give Peace a Chance.”[12] But it seems the world has almost given up on peace and the expectation of peace. Israel invades Gaza resulting in hundreds of innocent deaths and all we hear is Hamas is using civilians as human shields. When will it stop?

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?[13]

I will need to add a comment here as the situation in Iraq and Syria has recently deteriorated with ISIS’s killing of American and British journalist/photographers kidnapped or captured in the Middle East. We need to remember that ISIS was a creation of America’s military policy in Syria and Libya. We need to also remember that the hatred that is manifested against American and Britain is the result of our military and political position in the Middle East for the last 50 years.

We have sowed death and destruction to support Israel’s right for existence. We have rejected Christ’s commandment to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all nations teaching the ways of peace and brotherly love. We have given up our duty to share His message of love to all men. Instead we have fed the world from Hollywood’s froth and filth. We have submitted our Godly convictions to those of the bankers and military men and politicians who together in the bed of war make their living. We will reap what we have sowed.

Today’s terrorist could be tomorrow’s political leader. Menachem Begin was a terrorist in the Irgun organization that killed British mandated troops in Palestine before the 1948 declaration of independence.[14] George Washington led guerilla warfare against traditional British troops to later become President of a new nation. Gerry Adams of IRA’s Sinn Féin later became member of Ireland’s Parliament and the British House of Commons. Mario Soares in Portugal was a long time political activists frequently arrested and detained by the secret police. He was twice sentenced to live abroad but eventually became both Prime Minister and President of Portugal. We have all heard of South Africa's Nelson Mandela.

We cannot hold back the winds of change. But we can influence them for good as much as possible. We can use dialogue, reasoning, and diplomacy in as many ways that are possible. The voice of the poor and downtrodden whether they are Arab, Asian or African must be heard. We can and will use force to protect our own like Sergeant York so showed.[15] But it will be tempered with love and mercy.

But remember, in the world where might makes right, God’s people will always be marginalized, persecuted or maligned. Nevertheless, we must try to influence, as much as we can, worldly men to make Godly decisions. We may be called cowards or communist sympathizers because of it. But ultimately, we are called by our committed Christian conscience to speak the truth to our neighbor.[16] Our hope is that he too will come to know and love Him that is the creator of the universe and our God, the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ![17]

Footnotes:

[1] Michael Klare, Do Arms Sales by Major Powers Signal a Move to a 21st Century Cold (Or Hot) War?, Tom Dispatch, May 30, 2013
[2] Edward Wong and Nicola Clark, China's Arms Industry Makes Global Inroads, NY Times, October 20, 2013
[3] Revelation 18:24
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg-jvHynP9Y
[5] http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/all_about_ike/speeches/chance_for_peace.pdf
[6] Genesis 6:5-6
[7] Smedly Butler, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/smedley_butler.html
[8] Matthew 5:3-12
[9] Matthew 5:38-48
[10] Matthew 26:52
[11] James 4:1-3
[12] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhyiqGIJQus
[13] Revelation 6:10
[14] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menachem_Begin
[15] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_C._York
[16] Zechariah 8:16
[17] Isaiah 9:6

Read More

War is a Racket!

excerpt from my book "Where is America in Bible Prophecy."

In another book, “War is a Racket,” written by the most decorated Marine in history, Brigadier General Smedley Butler, we find his apology for being a military Mafioso for Wall Street and Big Business and the bankers. He confesses.

I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.[1]

Please remember Butler's words when assimilating all that is going on in the Middle East and the world today.







[1] Smedly Butler, War Is A Racket, http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4377.htm

Read More