Does your faith need strengthening? Are you confused and wondering if Jesus Christ is really "The Way, the Truth, and the Life?" "Fight for Your Faith" is a blog filled with interesting and thought provoking articles to help you find the answers you are seeking. Jesus said, "Seek and ye shall find." In Jeremiah we read, "Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall seek for Me with all your heart." These articles and videos will help you in your search for the Truth.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

The Man Who Refused To Lose

By Eustace Mullins

General Douglas MacArthur
He Wanted To Win ... His Government Did Not

Thousands of American boys died on barren Pacific sandpits during World War II, never knowing they had been condemned to die because of the hatred the Communists felt for their commander, General Douglas MacArthur. Let us go back to Washington, D.C., for the birthpangs of this hatred; the time, July 28, 1932. The nation is in the depths of an economic depression brought on by classic gold movements of the international bankers. Some gold bricks had been moved from one section of the Federal Reserve Bank vaults in New York City to another section a few feet away; this seemingly insignificant act brought on a contraction of credit and the puncturing of the Wall Street boom. Eighty-five billion dollars in inflated stock values vanished into the vaults of the bankers, leaving the American Middle Class a robbed and beaten people. Since this middle-class created the jobs, the workers were now without employment and were in an ugly mood. This was the background of the dispatching of a special Communist task force to Washington to take over the Bonus March of the American veterans, provoke a massacre by local police or troops, and begin a conflagration which would quickly sweep the country and deliver us into the waiting hands of the Communists.

It was a simple technique, which had worked marvelously well in Czarist Russia. Some people were idling around in front of a bakery, a few Communists in the crowd threw stones at the Imperial Guard, shots were fired, and a few people were killed. Within weeks, the Imperial Government was no more; and the Czar and his wife and children were locked in a cellar, waiting to be executed by their captors.

There was no reason to suppose that this technique would not work in America, where the Communists were a well-organized, militant group. They had survived the "Palmer Raids" of the nineteen twenties with their revolutionary organization intact; despite the moans of the bleeding hearts that civil liberties had been violated, the Party had been strengthened by the arrests of a few hangers on and would-be Communist sympathizers, who were an embarrassment to the genuinely dedicated conspirators.

A detachment of American troops, neatly dressed and marching in perfect order, came through the streets of Washington, led by Major George Patton and General Douglas MacArthur, then Chief of Staff of the United States Army. The soldiers ignored the taunts and threats of the Communists sprinkled in the crowd. Suddenly a fat man dashed into the well disciplined ranks. "Shoot, damn you, shoot!" he screamed. The soldiers shoved him aside, not even bothering to poke a rifle butt into his protruding stomach. Disappointed, the man shook his fist. "We'll get you for this, MacArthur !" he shouted. The General, erect on his charge, stared straight ahead. He could hardly know that the man's threat would cloud the last two decades of his brilliant career and cost the lives of many thousands of his men.

The man was David Neyhus, who had accompanied the large detachment of Communists from New York. Although the revolutionaries were under the command of a well-known Communist leader, Emmanuel Levin, Neyhus was the Moscow contact, who dictated the strategy of the operation. Levin disappeared from history, but Neyhus, using the name of David Niles, became an influential White House advisor and the principal architect of national policies during the Truman Administration.

The Bonus Marchers were unemployed veterans from World War I, who had been ruined by the Crash of 1929. Some sixty thousand of them had come to Washington for an orderly protest against Congressional reluctance to grant them a bonus for military service. Superintendent of Police Pelham Glass had only six hundred policemen to contain this huge force, but he gave them $733 from his own pocket, raised $2500 more to feed them by staging boxing matches for them, and enlisted the aid of Evelyn Walsh McLean in helping them.

The leader of the marchers, Walter W. Waters, was dedicated to maintaining an orderly protest, but on June 1, 1932, the Communist detachment arrived from New York with instructions to provoke a riot. Waters had his men arrest them; they were court-martialled, sentenced to fifteen lashes each, and their literature was burned. Nevertheless, they hung around, hoping that things would turn their way, as the men grew more disillusioned. The Communists chose John T. Pace, as the leader of their group, hoping to make a better impression than the lisping aliens. Pace testified in 1949 before the House UnAmerican Activities Committee, "I led the Communist section of the Bonus March. I was ordered by my Red superiors to provoke riots. I was told to use every trick in the book to bring about bloodshed ... General MacArthur put down a Moscow-directed revolution without bloodshed and that's why the Communists hate him."

One can only shudder to think that a Dwight Eisenhower, had he been in command of the troops in Washington, might have panicked and ordered the men to fire, and provoked a revolution. General MacArthur maintained perfect discipline, and not a shot was fired. Some of the Communists occupied an armory building, in a classic technique of revolution; and when the police tried to evict them, Glassford was attacked and his clothes torn off. The Communists gleefully exhibited his gold badge, which they had ripped from him; it was then that the Commissioners of the District of Columbia asked President Hoover for troops. Hoover conveyed the order to the Secretary of War, Patrick Hurley, who passed on the request to General MacArthur as Chief of Staff. Although it was unheard of for the Chief of Staff of the United States Army to lead a riot patrol, MacArthur was determined that none of the marchers should be hurt, for many of them were men he had commanded in the Rainbow Division in France. He knew that his prestige would be placed on the line; for if a disaster should occur, he would be held personally responsible. Nevertheless, he did not hesitate to risk his career. Leading about one thousand soldiers, he marched them through the crowds of marchers, and on to the Anacostia flats, where the marchers had made their encampment. The camp was methodically torn down and the Bonus March was over.

The Communists, seeing their plans for revolution going up in the smoke of the burning Ana costia camp, went into paroxysms of fury. They immediately unleashed a terrible campaign of vilification against President Hoover, branding him as the "mass murderer" of the Bonus Marchers and a tyrant who had used armed force against peaceful demonstrators. This was the first really vicious propaganda campaign in the history of American politics. Based entirely on lies and personal attacks on Hoover, it swept him out of office and inaugurated as President, Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Roosevelt never forgot that it was the Communist support which turned his campaign from a lackluster effort against a wellentrenched incumbent into a national sweep to victory. Forty of the Communist members who had infiltrated the Bonus Marchers were appointed to government posts during Roosevelt's first year in office, while the national policies of Roosevelt's Administration were largely formulated and executed by members of the top secret Harold Ware cell of Communists, which comprised the Underground Cabinet of the Roosevelt White House. One of the Harold Ware cell's first goals was to reduce the size of America's already small Army. The Communists considered the Regular Army as Cossacks, or an Imperial Guard, which was a counter-revolutionary force, and which, of course, had thwarted their plans during the Bonus March.

Soon after Roosevelt's entry into the White House, he summoned General MacArthur to inform him that the Army was to be cut by fifty per cent. MacArthur immediately contested the decision, arguing with Roosevelt while the cripple grew purple with rage in his wheelchair. Finally, Roosevelt agreed to reconsider his decision, and Secretary of War, George Dern, complimented MacArthur, saying, "You have just saved the Army." However, MacArthur states in his memoirs that he was made physically ill by this encounter with the Great Cripple, and that he vomited on the steps of the White House, overcome by nausea and disgust at the thought of his native land being subverted by this man.

In 1941, Roosevelt maneuvered the Pacific Fleet into Pearl Harbor to await the Japanese attack, while MacArthur warned him of the Japanese buildup and was puzzled that he received no answer from the White House. When MacArthur assumed command of the defense of the Philippines, he anticipated little difficulty in halting the Japanese advance. The entire Japanese strategy had been detailed many years before by the brilliant American strategist Homer Lea. Knowing the Japanese plans, MacArthur was ready to thwart them. However, he was never informed of a high-level decision in Washington, soon after Pearl Harbor, that American military power would be concentrated on the defeat of Germany, in order to save Soviet Russia and the Jews from the German armies. General MacArthur was left holding the bag in the Philippines, while Churchill, Marshall and Roosevelt sent America's military aid to Russia. As a result, many thousands of MacArthur's men were doomed to die in the infamous Bataan Death March, after their capture by the Japanese, because their own President had abandoned them to the enemy.

Meanwhile, the Communists, firmly in command of the American press establishment, carried on a furious campaign of hate against MacArthur. Roosevelt ordered MacArthur to leave the Philippines and go to Australia, and the White House immediately leaked to the press that MacArthur was running away ! Reporters printed wild stories that the departing general had planes carrying his grand piano and other possessions. In fact, MacArthur left with nothing but the clothes on his back, and lost most of his personal possessions in the Philippines. It was at this time that the Communist press coined the most cruel epithet of all, "Dugout Doug", implying that MacArthur was a coward, when in fact the General risked his life many times before enemy fire. MacArthur himself was unable to understand the press' vicious hatred of him. He had forgotten the encounter with David Niles and the other Communists in 1932, and in any case he was incapable of understanding such subhuman feelings.

Although MacArthur had by 1930 been considered America's most brilliant military mind, throughout World War Two he was never invited to participate in a single high-level conference ! The war was run strictly by Roosevelt's Communist advisers, principally Lauchlin Currie and Harry Dexter White, a Lithuanian man whose real name was Weiss. It was "White" who thought up the infamous "island hopping" plan of fighting the Pacific War. The Japanese had occupied and fortified a number of Pacific islands between Hawaii and Japan. MacArthur devised a plan for mounting massive strike forces against the Philippines and against Japan herself, forcing an early end to the war. Roosevelt was upset by the plan, foreseeing that such a brilliant victory would make MacArthur a powerful political rival. Weiss immediately devised a counter plan, which delighted Roosevelt. Instead of leaving the little Japanese Maginot Lines to wither on the vine, it would play into the Japanese hands by mounting huge assaults on each little island. The MacArthur Plan was never acknowledged by the White House, and instead, the Pacific forces were committed to a series of operations later called "Feeding the Fishes", whereby many thousands of American boys were shot down in the water while trying to storm almost impregnable Japanese island redoubts. The names of Iwo Jima and Tarawa recall the incredible heroism of American youths who gave their lives attacking these fortresses, but they also recall the incredible infamy of a sinister Lithuanian man whose only purpose was to bleed this country to death and weaken it for a Communist victory at some later date. The island hopping campaign ensured that MacArthur would have no great victory and that the losses in these battles would cause Americans to think he was a poor strategist. Nevertheless, Roosevelt, always a coward, continued to fear MacArthur as a political rival; and in 1944 he wrung from an astounded MacArthur a pledge that he would not be a candidate that year !

Despite his limited resources, MacArthur performed brilliantly throughout World War Two. He was able to make good his prophetic statement, "I shall return", when he left the Philippines at Roosevelt's order. His successful campaign to retake the Philippine Islands is regarded as a classic of military strategy.

Despite the Communist press vilification of MacArthur, he was repeatedly decorated during World War Two for his victories and for his bravery in combat. For instance, he won the Congressional Medal of Honor for his defense of the Philippines, he was awarded the Air Medal for personally leading the attack on Nadzab airstrip on Sept. 9, 1943, and he received the Distinguished Service Medal three times. Of course, the American public, like MacArthur himself, never realized the background of the press attacks on him, which continued unabated throughout the war.

With the conclusion of the war, the Communists feared more than ever the return to America of a victorious MacArthur. Once again "White" conceived the brilliant plan of ordering MacArthur to become Commander of the occupied nation of Japan, effectively removing him from the American political scene. Accepting this order without question, as he always did, MacArthur devoted himself to rebuilding a shattered Japan while his own nation, which solely needed him at home to counter the growing power of the Communists, was denied his services.

Beginning in June, 1949, MacArthur began to submit reports to Washington that the Communists in North Korea were building up forces for an assault on the non-Communist nation of South Korea. All of these warnings were ignored. When the Communists swept through South Korea, MacArthur was asked to stop them, but, as in 1941, was given insufficient forces. Making up for his lack of strength, MacArthur broke the Communist attack by a magnificent stroke, the Inchon landing. Admiral Halsey wrote to him. "Congratulations. Characteristic and magnificent. The Inchon landing is the most masterly and audacious strategic stroke in all history." President Truman wired him, "I know I speak for the entire American people when I send you my warmest congratulations in the victory which has been achieved under your leadership in Korea." A few weeks later, Truman fired him. What had happened ? MacArthur was doing the unforgivable; he was beating the Communists. Truman summoned MacArthur to a conference at Wake Island. Truman later told a number of lies about this meeting, boasting that he had circled for an hour making MacArthur wait for him, and in another version said MacArthur had made him wait by circling above his plane. Others present said they had arrived at the same time. Nothing was discussed at the conference, and MacArthur surmised Truman had summoned him merely to bolster a faltering Congressional campaign at home.

A series of directives now came from Washington forbidding MacArthur from "hot pursuit" of enemy attackers, or from bombing their marshalling yards, or bombing the hydroelectric plants in North Korea. The entire conduct of the war became a dress rehearsal for the Vietnam War, in which American commanders were forbidden to inflict any real damage on the Communist enemy. MacArthur asked to be relieved from command, as he could not fight under these restrictions, but Marshall begged him to stay on. Meanwhile, General Walker complained to MacArthur that his operations were known to the enemy in advance through their sources in Washington. MacArthur began to attack the Communist forces without revealing his plans to Washington. He won a series of stunning victories, whereupon the Communists insisted that MacArthur be removed.

Now David Niles would have his revenge for 1932. It was he who ordered Truman to relieve MacArthur from command. On April 11, 1957, Truman, with deliberate malice, held a press conference in Washington announcing that he was recalling MacArthur and relieving him from command. MacArthur heard the decision on Radio Japan ! MacArthur noted in his Memoirs a significant comment, "Moscow and Peiping rejoiced. The bells were rung and a holiday atmosphere prevailed."

Certainly the Communists had reason to rejoice. The greatest anti-Communist soldier in the world had been fired. Now they were safe. Thus we come to the great final act of this hero's life. A military plane roars in from the Pacific, sighting the California coast. Aboard it is the world's most famous soldier, General Douglas MacArthur, with a trusted staff of aides. The plane continues high over the nation, bound for Washington. MacArthur believes that when he lands, a delegation of loyal Congressman will meet him with a request that he form a Provisional Military Government, and that he must arrest the pitiful Communist traitors who demanded his removal. In Washington, among the subhuman filth which has infested the offices of the nation's capital like some medieval plague of diseased rats, each bearing fearful contamination in its mangy hide, the treasonous garbage cowers in helpless fear, awaiting the inevitable landing of the exterminator. The fat alcoholic, David Niles, the Moscow Communist who had ordered MacArthur's dismissal, is now collapsed in a drunken stupor in his White House room. The members of the Harold Ware cell of Communists, who have directed America's national policies since 1933, have, according to prearranged plans, gone into hiding. Harry Truman impassively awaits the end, playing poker with a few cronies on the second floor of the White House. Described by the poet Ezra Pound in the Cantos as "always loyal to his kind, the underworld", Truman has little fear of arrest; it is part of a criminal career. He began his life as a bagman for the Kansas City brothels; his mentor, Boss Prendergast, has been in prison for years, having been convicted of stealing forty million dollars. However, some of the Communists had not given up. Desperate promises were made -- threats, deals, blackmail. When MacArthur landed, the expected Congressional delegation was not there. Supposing that he had already been named Provisional Governor, MacArthur proceeded to Capitol Hill. He was amazed to find that nothing had been done ! There was no proclamation; his strongest supporters in Congress were strangely evasive. MacArthur, the greatest military strategist, found that he had no strategy for forming a government. After wavering for several hours, he was dissuaded by none other than Senator Robert Taft. Taft boldly declared that America must solve her problems at the ballot box, and that MacArthur could run for President and cure the nation's ills. Had MacArthur known that Taft was echoing the advice of Rabbi Hillel Silver, his mentor, he might have countered with the statement that Washington did not use a ballot box at Trenton or at Valley Forge. But MacArthur had been away from his country for many years. He still did not know what was going on behind the scenes. He supposed that there were only a few principal Communists behind Truman. He had never heard of the Harold Ware cell; he knew nothing of the Communists placed strategically in every major government office.

The moment passed. MacArthur made a stirring address to the Congress, and retreated to New York to await the still expected call to national office. It would never come. Instead, the communists double-crossed Taft, who had been promised the Presidency for diverting MacArthur from the takeover, and instead brought in the servile Eisenhower, who had already proven his willingness to serve his Communist masters, or anyone who was willing to accept his professional acts of self-prostitution. While MacArthur was making his address to Congress, the Communists were already coming out of their hiding-places and resuming their offices in Washington. Nothing had changed. In retrospect, we see that we Americans must now inaugurate a national campaign to honor MacArthur's memory by expelling the Communist rats from their holes. How much blood should we shed to avenge the dead of Iwo Jima and Tarawa, murdered by the Communist plotter Harry Weiss ? We have only to recall that when a MacArthur Memorial Museum was proposed for Washington, the Communists boasted that it would be bombed within a week of its opening. The fearful government officials then moved the MacArthur Museum to Norfolk, where it remains today. Even in death, MacArthur could not win over the Communist traitors. In respect to his memory, and in order to save ourselves, we must unite in a massive national effort to defeat the traitors in our midst. Today it is not MacArthur who is in peril, but each of us, daily assaulted by vicious Communist officials from Washington who seek to strip from us the last of our personal property and our self respect.

England's leading military writer, Lord Alanbrooke, wrote of World War Two, "MacArthur was the greatest general and the best strategist that the war produced. He certainly outshowed Marshall, Eisenhower, and the other Amencan generals, as well as Montgomery. In all of these operations I never felt he had the full support of the American Chiefs of Staff. I am convinced that, as the war can be viewed in better perspective, it will be agreed that the strategic ability shown by MacArthur was in a class of its own."

http://www.yamaguchy.netfirms.com/7897401/mullins/douglas.html

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

The Stories Jesus Told: The Wheat and the Weeds, Matthew 13:24–43


by P. Amsterdam
Link

The parable of the wheat and the weeds, which only appears in the Gospel of Matthew, shares some similarities with the parable of the seed growing1 in Mark chapter 4 in terms of vocabulary used and ideas expressed, but it is also significantly different. Such similarities are to be expected in the ministry of an itinerant preacher who shares similar teaching on different occasions, sometimes repeating it word for word and other times varying the wording and the emphasis.2 The thirteenth chapter of Matthew contains eight parables, and in that line-up “the wheat and weeds” directly follows another parable that has to do with sowing seed—“the sower and the seed.”

Let’s take a look at the parable:

Matthew 13:24–30

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

Unlike the farmer in the parable of the sower and the seed, who actually did the sowing himself, the man in this parable was a man of means, a landowner who had servants who did such tasks. In the story, after the good wheat seed was sown, an enemy came in the night and sowed weed seeds in the same field.

In the ancient world, when there were rivalries between farmers, they would sometimes sow harmful seeds in the field of their enemy. Though Roman law prohibited this, it still happened.3 The weeds (tares in some translations) referred to here were likely darnel—a poisonous weed which is related to the wheat family and grows plentifully in Syria and Palestine. In its early stages of growth, darnel resembles wheat; though it’s easy to distinguish between the two later, as darnel produces a smaller ear.4

No one noticed that the man’s enemy had sown the darnel until months later,when the plants came up and bore grain. It was at that time that the weeds appeared, and until then it hadn’t been obvious that the wheat and weeds were growing together.

The master of the house recognizes that his enemy has sowed the weeds, and also knows that it would be futile to pull out the darnel. Any effort to enter the field and pull out the darnel plants at this stage would damage the wheat as well, since their roots would be completely intertwined. Instead, he decides that when the time of harvest comes, the harvesters will do the laborious task of harvesting twice, first gathering the darnel and then the wheat. The darnel will be bound in bundles to be burned, probably as fuel. The wheat will be gathered and put into the barn.

As with the parable of the sower, Jesus didn’t give an explanation of this parable to the crowds, but later He explained it to His disciples.

Verses 36–43

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

The field is the world, in which the Son of Man, Jesus, sows “the sons of the kingdom.” However, the Devil has sown “the sons of the evil one” in the field as well. The expression “sons of…” in this sort of context is a familiar phrase in Hebrew or Aramaic, meaning “someone who belongs to.”5

Let’s take a look at the differences within the parable between the sons of the kingdom and the sons of the evil one.

The sons of the kingdom were sown by the sower (Jesus), God is described as “their Father,” they are called “righteous,” and they will “shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” In contrast, the sons of the evil one are “sown by the enemy” (the Devil), called “lawbreakers,” or in other translations, “those who do evil,” and the end result for them is described as being “thrown in a fiery furnace” where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Through this parable, Jesus was dealing with a mystery of the kingdom.

How could the kingdom be present when evil was still present? Though the kingdom was present because of Jesus’ ministry, it was different from what was generally expected. The Jewish expectation was that the Messiah would separate the wheat from the chaff in order to establish a pure community. Jewish writings of the day spoke of the expectation that the Messiah would purge Jerusalem of Gentiles, drive out sinners, gather a holy people, and be intolerant of the unrighteous. None of these things were happening in Jesus’ ministry, yet He was proclaiming the kingdom’s presence.6

According to Jesus, the Jewish expectation was incorrect. Good and evil would continue on side by side within the world. Evil would not be purged from humanity until the close of the age, the Day of Judgment. Jesus made it clear that on that day all the causes of sin and all those who sin will be cast out. The Greek word used for causes of sin (stumbling block or offenses in other translations) refers to any person or thing by which one is drawn into sin. So those who do evil, and those things which are the cause of sin, will be cast out. The darnel which grew alongside the wheat will be gathered, bundled, and burned. While wheat and weed grow side by side for a while, the time will come when there is a separation, and the fate of each will be different.

The imagery Jesus uses for the weeds is of them being thrown into a fiery furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This imagery for hell comes from the Hebrew word Gehenna, which was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned. It was used as a symbol of the wicked and their future destruction.

By contrast, the imagery for the fate of the wheat that is gathered into the barn of the landowner is one of glory. The language reflects Daniel 12:3:

Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

This parable is one of three that focus on the final judgment.7 It tells us that sons of the kingdom and sons of the evil one coexist in this world and that it will remain that way until the Day of Judgment. While the kingdom had come into the world through Jesus’ ministry, it didn’t come in its fullness. Both good and evil cohabit this world, but in the future those who are evil and the causes of evil will be cast out—and at that time, the fullness of God’s kingdom will be present.

We see a similar message given in the parable of the dragnet, which Matthew includes just a few verses later.

Verses 47–50

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus was referring to fishing with what today is called a seine net.8 This type of net can be deployed from a boat or used from the shore. It has cork floats along the top and lead weights along the bottom. It can be stretched out between two boats or laid out from one and then pulled to shore by ropes. Everything in its path is caught as it’s pulled in.9

This type of net doesn’t discriminate between fish, so any of the twenty-four known species of fish found in the Sea of Galilee could have been caught.10 Once on the shore, the fish would be sorted. While fishermen in general sort their catch between edible and inedible fish, Jewish fishermen needed to further differentiate according to their dietary laws, which forbade the consumption of certain edible fish.



Deuteronomy 14:9–10

Of all that are in the waters you may eat these: whatever has fins and scales you may eat. And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.

The good fish, those that were clean, were put into containers, perhaps baskets or crates; while the bad fish, those which were unclean, were thrown away.

The Jewish listeners would have likely thought of judgment, since the imagery of a net, whether for fishing or hunting, is linked within the Old Testament with God’s judgment, as seen in Hosea and elsewhere.11

Hosea 7:12

As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation.

While the parable of the wheat and weeds speaks about the righteous shining like the sun, as well as the fate of the lawbreakers, this parable focuses solely on the destiny of the evil or wicked. We again hear of the angels separating the evil and throwing them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. In telling this parable, Jesus was saying there will be a separation process and that judgment will occur. At that specific time, the end of the age, evil will be excluded from God’s kingdom.

I have to admit that I don’t like to think about the judgment that is woven throughout the entire Bible and was often spoken about by Jesus. As C. S. Lewis said:

There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than this, if it lay in my power. But it has the full support of Scripture and, specially, of our Lord’s own words; it has always been held by Christendom; and it has the support of reason.12

In Matthew’s Gospel alone, there are 21 separate instances when Jesus speaks directly about or infers judgment.13 Judgment isn’t a popular topic, and it has wrongly been used as a scare tactic by some within the body of Christ, both past and present. But however much we might not like the concept, it is undeniably a central feature of Jesus’ message, both with regard to Israel and as part of His preaching about the kingdom.14

Future judgment is a reality, and it is precisely the reason Jesus came to earth and sacrificed His life for all of us. Every human being deserves judgment because of our sin, which separates us from God. God doesn’t want that separation, but because He is complete holiness, nothing unholy can be in His presence. However, because of His love for humanity, He made a way for us to be redeemed and pronounced pure—through Jesus’ death on the cross bringing forgiveness of our sins. Due to this, we are counted as righteous; and at the separation at the end of the age, those who have entered a relationship with God through Jesus will not share the same fate as those who haven’t.

This truth does two things for me: First, it makes me so grateful that I had the opportunity of hearing the gospel in a manner which led me to believe in Jesus and enter into a relationship with God. Second, it presses me to share the message with others. I have some friends who are not Christians and whose personalities, mindsets, and experiences are such that a direct challenge to believe would not be well received and might close the door altogether. Theirs is a relational witnessing type of situation. I really want them to receive the Lord, but it’s not going to happen quickly; so I find myself asking the Lord to keep and protect them so that they don’t die before coming to know Him. The thought of judgment looms, and its inevitability motivates me to do what I can to bring them into relationship with God.

The imagery of a fiery furnace and a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth used within both of these parables is just that—imagery. It shouldn’t be taken literally that the afterlife for those who reject the message of the gospel will be one of flames and burning. However, whatever the exact circumstances will be, it will be a separation from God and from those who love God. When we consider all the things that God is—love, beauty, goodness, mercy, holiness, kindness, justice, righteousness, trustworthiness, and so much more—thinking of being in a place where the things that God is are not present because He is not present is harrowing.

People need God. He doesn’t want anyone to perish but rather, as the apostle Peter wrote, desires that all should reach repentance.15 We who have experienced the love and mercy of God have been asked to share the news of God’s love with others, and when we do, we bring them the opportunity to be in company with those who will eternally be in a place that is full of all that God is. May we do our best to share God’s love and message with others.

The Wheat and the Weeds, Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43

24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,

25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.

27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’

28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’

29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”

37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,

39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.

40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age.

41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,

42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

Note

Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptures are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


1 Mark 4:26–29. See also: The Stories Jesus Told: The Seeds and the Leaven.


2 David Wenham, The Parables of Jesus (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1989), 57.


3 Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009), 387.


4 R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), 526.


5 Wenham, The Parables of Jesus, 59.


6 Klyne Snodgrass, Stories with Intent (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008), 206.


7 The other two are the dragnet (Matthew 13:47–50) and the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31–46).


8 Photo by C. Ortiz Rojas, NOAA.


9 Snodgrass, Stories with Intent, 486.


10 Joachim Jeremias, The Parables of Jesus (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1954), 226.


11 See also Psalm 66:10–11; Isaiah 51:20; Lamentations 1:13; Ezekiel 12:13, 17:20.


12 The Problem of Pain (NY: HarperCollins, 2015), 119–20.


13 Matthew 3:10–12; 5:21–26, 29–30; 7:13–14, 19, 23, 24–27; 8:11–12; 10:15, 28, 32–33; 11:20–24; 12:31, 34–37; 13:39–43, 49–50; 16:27; 18:6–9, 34–35; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30, 41–36.


14 Snodgrass, Stories with Intent, 492.


15 2 Peter 3:9.

Of Sowers and Reapers

By Maria Fontaine
Link

Audio length: 6:48
Download Audio (6.2MB)

“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.”—1 Corinthians 3:7–81

The Lord has called us to be faithful witnesses, in season and out of season, whether people receive the gospel or not. So don’t be discouraged when people reject your witness or don’t seem to receive it or respond to it. We need to keep in mind that some of the great missionaries like Hudson Taylor and Adoniram Judson and scores of others labored for literally years before they led their first soul to the Lord. They went to pagan lands where bringing Jesus to the people was considered anathema. It was an intrusion, where they considered Him a foreign God who was there to bring evil instead of good, disturbing their customs and uprooting their ways of doing things. They made it as difficult as possible on the missionaries.

Those dear missionaries went through all kinds of terrible hardships and persecution and illnesses, and even deaths of their family and loved ones. They went through disappointments; people whom they thought they had led to the Lord turned on them and betrayed them. People spat in their faces and rejected them year after year. And some of them did not lead a single person to Jesus for years. So when you get discouraged that your witness is not bringing the results you had hoped for, just remember those dear men and women of God who labored for years and years before they ever made any progress as far as winning even one soul to the Lord.

Even though you don’t see the results right away, in some way you’re getting results. God has promised that His Word will not return unto Him void; it will accomplish His purpose.2 You will not see some of the results until you get to heaven because you don’t always know the results of the seeds you plant in someone’s heart, how or when they will take root. Perhaps the person you have witnessed to will eventually find the Lord or your witness will have worked in their heart to cause them to be more open and receptive when some other Christian witnesses to them.

We can’t always expect to be the sowers and the reapers, because the Lord said that some sow and some water, but God gives the increase.3 Sometimes we enter into other men’s labors and sometimes others enter into ours. Sometimes we share a witness with people that have been a long time in preparation, people who perhaps for their whole lifetime have been going through things where the Lord was bringing them gradually to the point where they would be willing to yield their lives to Him; and we come along at that point and we invite them to receive Jesus, and they do. We are just brought by the Lord at that time in their life after they have gone through a long period of preparation, and we’re able to enter in to all that has been sown and watered by others.

Sometimes we enter the scene somewhere else in the growing process. We may come in at the beginning, as the sowers, where we plant the initial seed. Or who knows, maybe we’re coming in somewhere in the middle and we’re watering the seed that was planted in their heart by someone else. We’re answering another of their questions, and we’re showing them a little more of Jesus’ love, and that will continue to work in their heart, even if they don’t immediately manifest what it meant to them. Perhaps we may never see them again, but the Word and the love we showed works in their heart and the Lord uses it as one more step in bringing that person to Him. Their eventual salvation will partly be a result of our faithfulness to show them His love and tell them His message.

A person’s salvation is often the result of many ways that the Lord has already worked in their life. We may just be one in a succession of people who have tried to reach them. We have a small part in their salvation, along with others who have also had a part in preparing the person by perhaps being an example of God’s love and concern, by sharing the Word personally, or giving him a tract, or poster, or preaching on a Christian TV program that he has watched. In other cases perhaps that person was never witnessed to by another Christian, but the Lord, in various ways, has been directing them to search for the truth. Of course, it makes us feel especially good when we know someone has given their life to Christ, but it’s our job to be a witness, whether or not they are prepared to receive the Lord or ever will be.

Of course, we rejoice more over someone who gets saved, and it’s quite an occasion for joy when we know they’re safely in God’s kingdom. But whether or not a person makes the decision to receive Jesus and become a child of God, our job is to be a witness in whatever ways He shows us to, and to share His love and reflect His light to the world around us.

It’s the Spirit that does the work in people’s hearts. Our part is to be faithful to do what we can to try to win them to the Lord. We do our part by sharing the witness and being a living example of our faith, and the Holy Spirit will do the rest. It does not matter if you’re a great speaker or preacher; all that matters is that you do your part to share the Good News and be a living example of your faith. If we’re faithful to do our part, we can rest assured that ultimately it’s the Holy Spirit that’s doing the work to win the souls to the Lord.

Originally published May 1992. Adapted and republished November 2015.
Read by Debra Lee.

1 NIV.
2 Isaiah 55:11.
3 See 1 Corinthians 3:6.

Celebrando o Plano Singular de Deus

Link
Compilação

Dirigindo-se aos filósofos em Atenas, o apóstolo Paulo fez a abrangente e definitiva declaração do plano de Deus para a humanidade: “De um só fez Ele todos os povos, para que povoassem toda a terra, tendo determinado os tempos anteriormente estabelecidos e os lugares exatos em que deveriam habitar. Deus fez isso para que os homens o buscassem e talvez, tateando, pudessem encontrá-lo, embora não esteja longe de cada um de nós.”[1]

Paulo afirma que toda raça e cultura já existiam na mente de Deus antes de Ele os criar e determinar sua localização na terra. Deus colocou cada um de nós em uma raça específica, no entanto Paulo nos lembra que não só como parte da nossa raça, mas como indivíduo, Deus não está longe de nenhum de nós. Essa certeza da minha personalidade planejada por Deus, o fato de eu ter nascido deliberadamente e ter sido criado de acordo com o plano de Deus, juntamente com o fato de Ele estar próximo não importa onde eu esteja já é motivo para celebrar a maneira como Ele me criou e formou. Existe tanta diversidade no mundo, que é fácil esquecer que Deus cuida de maneira pessoal da minha vida.

Muitas vezes reflito nas circunstâncias em que John Wesley nasceu e foi criado.

Era um entre dezenove filhos. Sua mãe, Susannah, era a vigésima quinta criança na sua família. Como o vigésimo quinto filho dá à luz dezenove filhos e encontra a resposta para a individualidade? Ela, porém, desde o primeiro filho, decidiu que passaria um tempo com cada um deles individualmente. Traçou um plano e seguiu esse plano. Não por acaso, John, desde pequeno, já sabia que era importante como pessoa. O dia em que seu coração seguiu a sua vocação, naquela mesma manhã, ele tinha lido na Bíblia: “você não está longe do reino”. Uma vida… não longe do reino. Reconhecendo o legado recebido pessoalmente e como filho do Rei, John abriu o coração e aceitou tudo o que Deus tinha a lhe oferecer…

Acreditar que Ele o criou de forma singular, independentemente das suas fraquezas, e com um toque que o diferencia é celebrar a singularidade de cada vida. Na vasta criação de Deus, o seu nascimento e poder de alcance são únicos. Podemos personalizar essa mensagem com as palavras do Salmista: “Que é o homem, para que com ele te importes?”[2] E mais uma vez, acompanhando as palavras do Salmista: “Tu me teceste no ventre de minha mãe… me fizeste de modo especial e admirável.”[3]—Ravi Zacharias[4]


O poder de cada um

Sabemos que Deus sabe tudo a cerca de cada um de nós. Conhece a nossa estrutura e a nossa capacidade. Conhece nossos dons, talentos, pontos fracos e fortes. E apesar de tudo que possamos pensar de nós mesmos e de nossas deficiências, Ele nos escolheu para a Sua equipe! Ele tem certeza de que, com o Seu poder, temos o que é preciso para desempenhar o papel que Ele nos confiou.

Quando nos vemos como Deus nos vê, passamos a ter um respeito saudável por nós mesmos. Por sermos Seus filhos, somos valiosos. Por sermos cristãos, somos Seus representantes, os que comunicam a Sua verdade e mensagem. Isso nos torna bem importantes! Por isso, não se menospreze nem fale de si com falta de fé, no que diz respeito a fazer o que Ele lhe pediu. Você é feito à Sua imagem. Você está salvo. Deus o ama tanto que deixou Seu Filho morrer por você, o que indica que você é muito importante. Você é completa e perfeitamente amado por Deus. O Espírito Santo vive em você. Isso é incrível!

O verdadeiro valor no “poder de cada um” é o poder dAquele que nos criou, remiu e agora nos pede que O glorifiquemos com nossas vidas.

Deus fez cada um de nós de forma singular. Não há ninguém em todo o mundo exatamente igual a você, com as mesmas experiências, conhecimento, interesses e habilidades. O Senhor criou você para ser você. Sua intenção é que descubra os talentos e habilidades naturais que lhe concedeu para aprimorá-los e usá-los para o seu benefício e felicidade pessoais, assim como para contribuir para o bem e a felicidade dos outros.

Cada um de nós, cristãos, é chamado por Deus para produzir frutos duradouros. Isso significa que cada um tem algo com que contribuir. Nossos dons e talentos naturais e a forma como Deus nos criou podem ser usados por Ele para, em primeiro lugar, produzir frutos na nossa própria vida e, em segundo, para produzir frutos no que diz respeito a conectar outros com Ele.

Quando o coração e a vida de uma pessoa são mudados ao conhecer Jesus, ela, como seguidora, é também chamada para divulgar as boas novas da salvação. Isso significa, logicamente, que Deus quer usar nossos talentos singulares, habilidades e pontos fortes na missão de mudar o mundo.

Cada um de nós pode contribuir para a mudança necessária em nosso mundo, refletindo Jesus em nossas vidas, deixando o Espírito Santo através de nós e compartilhando o Evangelho com outros. Cada um tem o poder para influenciar positivamente as vidas dos demais e, para isso, precisamos intencionalmente usar nossos dons e talentos, inclusive nossas personalidades, juntamente com nosso tempo e esforço, para a glória de Deus.

Deus quer usar você e seus dons como uma expressão única do Seu amor pela humanidade.

Quando alguém se entrega a Deus, torna-se uma nova criatura. Mas Ele quer que você continue sendo você —tal como o imaginou ao criá-lo. Ele não descarta nem muda o talento bruto com o qual lhe dotou. Como disse C.S. Lewis: “Quanto mais deixarmos Deus nos controlar, mais verdadeiramente nos tornaremos nós mesmos —porque Ele nos criou.”

Deus fez pessoas de todos os tipos e não existe um “tipo” de gente que seja mais efetivo no que diz respeito a fazer a diferença no mundo na maneira que Deus as chama. Buckminster Fuller certa vez disse:

“Jamais esqueça que você é único. Jamais esqueça que se não houvesse necessidade de você e toda a sua singularidade estarem na terra, você não estaria aqui. Jamais esqueça que por maiores que pareçam os desafios e problemas da vida, você pode fazer a diferença no mundo. Na verdade, é por causa de uma pessoa que todas as mudanças importantes no mundo aconteceram. Então, seja essa pessoa.”

E essa verdade ganha ainda mais peso se você estiver trabalhando em equipe com o Deus do universo!

Às vezes, somos tentados a desanimar, por sentirmos não haver tempo suficiente para realizar o que entendemos ser a vontade de Deus em nossas vidas. Somos muitas vezes impacientes e queremos atingir nossas metas mais rapidamente. Mas Deus não costuma ter pressa. Podemos nos consolar com o conhecimento de que Ele sempre nos dá tempo para fazer Sua vontade.

Se sentir que há poucas oportunidades na sua vida de serviço hoje, talvez esteja em um período de preparação. Está na oficina de Deus, por assim dizer, sendo preparado com a ferramenta da paciência, conforme realiza fielmente as tarefas simples e triviais do dia a dia. Se sentir que sua vida tem pouco ou nada em termos de serviços notáveis, permita-se encorajar-se por este pensamento de A. B. Simpson. “Deus está preparando Seus heróis. E quando a oportunidade vier, Ele os acionará. E o mundo se perguntará de onde vieram.”

Deus está chamando você para ser parte do Seu grande plano para mudar o mundo um coração de cada vez. E isso é algo em que cada um de nós pode participar. Quando aplicamos o “poder de cada um”, outras pessoas passarão a conhecer Jesus. E o “poder de cada um” de cada uma dessas pessoas alcançará ainda outras.—Peter Amsterdam

*

Sou apenas uma pessoa, contudo sou uma pessoa. Não posso fazer tudo, mas posso fazer alguma coisa. E não é por não poder fazer tudo que vou me eximir de fazer o que está ao meu alcance. —Helen Keller[5]

Publicado no Âncora em novembro de 2015.


[1] Atos 17:26–27 NVI.

[2] Veja Salmo 8:4.

[3] Salmo 139:13–14 NVI.

[4] Recapture the Wonder (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005).

[5] Geralmente atribuído a Helen Keller, mas o autor pode ser Edward Everertt Hale.

The Sunshine of His Love

Words from Jesus
Link

Audio length: 7:19
Download Audio (6.7MB)

(Note from Maria Fontaine: If you’re having one of those rough days or weeks, here are some words from Jesus to cheer you up, to help you to see past the clouds and the rain of discouragement, and to see the sunshine of His love that is always there. No matter how dark things seem around you, you can overwhelm that darkness with praise, until there’s no room left for the gloom!)

Message from Jesus:

It’s been a tough day and a rough week, as “problems tumbled about you, and heavier came each task,” and while you longed to “see joy and beauty,” “the day toiled on, gray and bleak.”

I’m really sorry about that. My heart goes out to you. Into every life, a little rain must fall, and sometimes it seems more like a downpour than a drizzle! You look up and see dark clouds and gloomy skies stretching across the horizon.

But it never lasts forever, you know. In fact, those rain clouds and the rain itself are just a tiny layer of gloom when compared to the millions of miles of sunshine and warmth and light above you, which is only hidden from your sight for a little while. The rain and the clouds will pass, your day will once again be sunny, and the weather forecast for eternity is blue skies and smooth sailing forever!

There’s a lot to be thankful for, even in the midst of the storm, and praising Me for the good helps to drive the rain and clouds away. You can be thankful if you’re so far down that you can only go up, that things can only get better. You can be thankful for the clouds and the rain, the trials and tears that help your spirit to grow.

You can be thankful if you feel like a mess, because then you know that only I can do anything good through you. You can be thankful that in you, in your flesh, dwells nothing good, because then there’s more room for Me to live and move and work through you.1

In everything give thanks. Praise Me in the midst of problems and mistakes, shortcomings and failures, your weaknesses and lacks. Praise Me for My love, care, help, mercy, grace, and salvation. As you do this, the gray skies will clear, the rain will stop, the sun will come out, and the Sun of Righteousness will send warm and comforting rays of peace, hope, and strength down upon you, brightening your day and illuminating your way!

*

Happiness of the Spirit is far above the momentary pleasures this world offers, for happiness of the Spirit is something that will always be there for you, even through the loneliest nights and the darkest times.

Happiness of this world is fleeting; it comes and goes with your circumstances and surroundings, with the things you see and feel and experience. But My lasting joy comes from knowing that I am your Savior and that I love and watch over you; those truths never change.

My everlasting joy is as constant as the sun. When the sun disappears beneath the horizon at night, do you worry that it’s gone forever? No, you realize that it is still there and only out of sight for a time. Night comes and you cannot see the sun, but you never doubt its existence or that it will rise the next morning. My unending joy exists always and forever, like the sun.

When darkness settles on your spirit and you lose sight of happiness, that is the time to trust until morning, until you see and feel the sunshine of My love again. Never doubt. The dawn will come.

*

You can’t make the sun come out on a rainy day, but you can change the mood around you.

Most people feel happier and are more upbeat on a warm, sunny day than on a stormy one. You can warm and encourage the people around you by the sunny “rays” or good vibes you send their way. But if you’re carrying around a cloud of problems and woes, you’re likely to create a “pressure system” that will dump rain and dampen and darken the day for everyone around you.

So carry a warm, sunny atmosphere with you wherever you go. Let the sun of your happy countenance shine on others and cheer them up. And in times when you don’t feel happy—when you’re under pressure or you feel like you’re under a big cloud yourself—call on Me to drive away the clouds and shine the light of My love on you instead.

The sun is always shining where I am. I always have plenty of warm rays to send your way, and I want you to soak them up and reflect them to others. Let’s make some nice weather!

*

If you’re feeling down, try singing a song. If you can sing out loud‚ then sing out loud. There’s something about singing out loud, even if you don’t feel like it, that helps pull you out of the dumps. But even if circumstances don’t permit you to sing out loud, then sing in your heart, and I will lift those burdens and weights.

*

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
Psalm 100:1–2,42

Published on Anchor November 2015. Read by Jon Marc. Music by Michael Dooley.



1 Romans 7:18.

2 NKJV.

Saturday, November 28, 2015

7 Secrets That Will Make You More Likable

By Lolly Daskal, Inc., Nov. 20, 2015

Human beings are social creatures, which means social skills are a necessary part of a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Some people are naturals, but most of us deal with some degree of social anxiety. The good news is that social skills are like any other skill–most people aren’t born with them, and it’s never too late to learn.

1. Being smart is good; being social is better. People like smart people. But smart people are especially susceptible to certain social mistakes, like interrupting, discounting other people’s input, or cultivating a know-it-all air. Don’t let your intelligence hold you back socially; be a likable person and spend more time being engaging.

2. Have fun! Seriously. Being fun is a trait people generally appreciate in others. But situational awareness is the key to knowing how to play it. Be sensitive to what’s going on around you; there will be times your playful side can have free rein, but at others it will be necessary to hold back. The trick will be in knowing when to have fun and when to be serious.

3. Draw people out. Be curious about other people, and make a point of finding out what is fascinating and unique about them. Don’t hog the conversation but truly listen. Make it your mission to discover what makes those around you interesting. And, because people love talking about themselves, you’ll gain a reputation as a great conversationalist and extremely personable.

4. Keep communication collaborative. Don’t make your conversations a monologue but a dialogue; make it a partnership in which both parties contribute. Find a topic–ideally not too controversial or divisive–about which everyone has something to say, then listen as the ideas begin to weave around one another.

5. An attitude of positivity and praise goes a long way. Don’t be afraid to be positive and encouraging. If someone looks nice, or is well dressed, or played the piano incredibly well, tell him. If you think someone is funny or interesting, let her know. People are drawn to positivity.

6. Pay attention to nonverbal communication. Pay attention not just to the words you’re saying but also your pace, your tone of voice, and your body language: posture, gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions all send messages. If you are avoiding eye contact, standing far away, or crossing your arms, you are likely telling others that you don’t want to interact. If you adopt a confident stance, smile, make eye contact, stand upright, and uncross your arms, you are more likely to make a good impression.

7. Present the best parts of who you are. The person who is most liked is one whose actions match his or her words, who presents an authentic self in every situation. We are judged by four things: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it. Our social skills and deeper relationships are happiest when we give people a bit of our heart rather than a piece of our mind.

The secret to being more likable is to make your social skills a priority in your life. Start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Breast Cancer Cured Dr. Day's Miraculous Healing without Drugs or Chemotherapy

Link

AARP Attacks Dr. Day!



This Scam Alert column appeared in the January 2003 issue of the AARP Bulletin.

Read Dr. Day's response below.

Lorraine Day, M.D.

P.O. Box 8

Thousand Palms, CA 92276

1-800-574-2437

www.drday.com

January 14, 2003

Elliot Carlson, Editor AARP

Carole Fleck, author of Scam Alert Column

P.O. Box 199

Long Beach, CA 90801

Dear Mr. Carlson and Ms. Fleck:


I want to thank you for mentioning me in your column "Scam Alert" in the January 2003 issue of the AARP Bulletin, page 18. Obviously my message of Natural Healing is having a major impact throughout the country if an organization the size of AARP, 30 million members, feels the need to attack me.

Yes, I am an orthodox medical doctor who was for 15 years on the faculty of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, considered to be one of the three top medical schools in the country. As Associate Professor and Vice Chairman of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, I trained thousands of doctors.

In addition, as Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at San Francisco General Hospital, one of the premier trauma hospitals in the country, I ran the equivalent of a M.A.S.H. unit for many years. For the past 20-25 years, I have been invited to lecture to doctors at numerous University medical schools including Vanderbilt, Baylor, Cincinnati, Tufts, South Carolina, Iowa, USC, Minnesota and countless medical societies throughout the U.S. including the Massachusetts Medical Society, as well as other medical organizations around the world, including the Royal Society of Medicine in London.

How surprised they will be to find out that the very doctor, Dr. Lorraine Day, these highly distinguished medical groups invited as a guest speaker, you, the editors of AARP, have designated as a quack.

How could I, overnight, go from a highly respected surgeon at the top of my field, to an AARP-designated quack?

What was my "crime?"

Answer: I had the audacity to successfully reverse my severe, life-threatening cancer WITHOUT DRUGS! According to your business partners, the pharmaceutical companies, this is the GREATEST crime of all!

Yes, I did reverse my life-threatening, end-stage cancer by totally natural methods. (You can see the pictures of the huge tumor I had, as well as my biopsy reports at my web site www.drday.com)

Yes, I did refuse chemotherapy, radiation and mutilating surgery because, as a medical doctor with years of experience, I saw thousands of cancer patients die, NOT from their cancer, but from the painful, maiming, destructive "treatments" we doctors give them.

And Yes, I am TOTALLY WELL and Cancer-FREE a full 10 years after my tumor first appeared, and EVERYTHING I used to get well is totally free, except for food, and almost everyone has to buy that anyway.

But I understand your need to attack me and my reputation. Certainly you don't want your membership to learn how to get well from Cancer, Heart Disease, Parkinson's Lupus, Arthritis, Diabetes and many, many other diseases by natural methods, without drugs of any kind. After all, one of the main functions of AARP, according to your own advertising, is to sell drug medications to your members.

Let's see, with 30 million members (all over 55) and each one spending maybe $100.00 per month with AARP for their medication (a conservative estimate), that amounts to $3 BILLIONin drug sales per month. If your organization gets a cut of just 10% of that total, thatÕs $300 MILLION per month for you! If your cut is only 1%, that's still $30 MILLION per month you are receiving, a minimum of $360 MILLION per year!

When you have a multi-million dollar arrangement with the drug companies as you do, my message of inexpensive natural methods of healing, with NO adverse side effects, could really cut into a truly phenomenal income such as you are receiving. It's easy to see why you would choose to attack me.

One more thing, in your column you referred to natural healing as quackery, yet on the back page of your very same AARP Bulletin, January 2003, you promote a "Yearbook" with an advertising headline stating "Ordinary Ailments, Extraordinary Cures -- Health Breakthroughs and Remarkable Remedies." In that advertisement are listed SIX or SEVEN points of the TEN Step Natural Health Plan I used to reverse my end-stage cancer!

Why is it "quackery" when I promote it, but it's NOT "quackery" when YOU promote it? (see ad in AARP bulletin)

Even MORE interesting is the fact that you CHANGED the headline for the advertisement when it was published in your Bulletin. Here is the SAME ad found in another paper. The heading is very different. It includes the words:

"Remedies That Work Better Than Dangerous Drugs Or Risky Surgery"

Your AARP Bulletin obviously required that the ad be changed to eliminate these important words - to protect your enormous payoff from your drug business. You have deliberately withheld potentially life-saving information from your membership for your own monetary gain.

In the interest of fairness, I'm sure you will be more than happy to print this letter in a prominent spot in your up-coming February AARP Bulletin. I give you permission, but ONLY if it is printed in its entirety. You do not have my permission to cut and paste portions to suit your own agenda.

Just in case there's an outside chance you are NOT interested in fairness, I will post this letter on my own web site at www.drday.com as well as other web sites, as the public does have the right to hear both sides.

Again, thank you for mentioning me. I could never afford to buy publicity like this to an organization the size of AARP, and here you have provided it for me free of charge. You have probably forgotten, or at least have not considered the fact that there are millions of intelligent and discerning members in your organization who will be perceptive enough to search me out,to find out how they too can get well without the torturing pain, surgical disfigurement, and bankrupting expense of orthodox methods.

Thanks for letting them know I'm here! They may not have found me otherwise.

Sincerely,



Lorraine Day, M.D.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

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