Feeling weak? Miles to go before you sleep? Good. God’s power is never more present than in our weakness.
Mid-day encouragement: Miles to go
Sunday Martyr Moment: The coming persecution to the west
Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. According to this summary from Christian Book Summaries,
Writing in the mid-1500s, John Foxe was living in the midst of intense religious persecution at the hands of the dominant Roman Catholic Church. In graphic detail, he offers accounts of Christians being martyred for their belief in Jesus Christ, describing how God gave them extraordinary courage and stamina to endure unthinkable torture.
From the same link, the book’s purpose was fourfold:
- Showcase the courage of true believers who have willingly taken a stand for Jesus Christ throughout the ages, even if it meant death,
- Demonstrate the grace of God in the lives of those martyred for their faith,
- Expose the ruthlessness of religious and political leaders as they sought to suppress those with differing beliefs,
- Celebrate the courage of those who risked their lives to translate the Bible into the common language of the people.
Last Sunday I’d ended the first phase of the persecutions with the death of Apostle John. He was the last of the first generation martyrs. In Foxe’s Book it is described thus: “Chapter One: History of Christian Martyrs to the First General Persecutions Under Nero”.
In the course of that first wave, Paul and Peter were martyred. In summary, Foxe wrote, “To their names may be added, Erastus, chamberlain of Corinth; Aristarchus, the Macedonian, and Trophimus, an Ephesians, converted by St. Paul, and fellow-laborer with him, Joseph, commonly called Barsabas, and Ananias, bishop of Damascus; each of the Seventy.”
Under Nero’s persecution after the Great Fire at Rome of 67AD, the church at Rome was scattered, and this blew the seeds of the Gospel outward toward Asia. (1 Peter 1:1). The 7 Churches of Asia Minor were founded at that time. However, it wasn’t long before persecution followed the Christians at the cities far from Rome, and this is what Peter meant when he wrote, ‘you are being tested in various trials’ in 1 Peter 1:6.
This first wave of the original generation continued under Domitian. Foxe’s summary again, “Nicodemus, a benevolent Christian of some distinction, suffered at Rome during the rage of Domitian’s persecution. Protasius and Gervasius were martyred at Milan. Timothy was the celebrated disciple of Paul, and bishop of Ephesus, where he zealously governed the Church until A.D. 97. At this period, as the pagans were about to celebrate a feast called Catagogion, Timothy, meeting the procession, severely reproved them for their ridiculous idolatry, which so exasperated the people that they fell upon him with their clubs, and beat him in so dreadful a manner that he expired of the bruises two days later.”
After Apostle John died in around 98AD, The Third Persecution, Under Trajan, A.D. 108, began.
“Pliny was a governor of a Roman province at the beginning of the Second Century. He was monitoring those who identified themselves as Christians in order to make report to the Emperor Trajan. He wrote to Trajan around 100 AD.” Foxe wrote of Pliny’s letter to Trajan,
“In the third persecution Pliny the Second, a man learned and famous, seeing the lamentable slaughter of Christians, and moved therewith to pity, wrote to Trajan, certifying him that there were many thousands of them daily put to death, of which none did any thing contrary to the Roman laws worthy of persecution. “The whole account they gave of their crime or error (whichever it is to be called) amounted only to this-viz. that they were accustomed on a stated day to meet before daylight, and to repeat together a set form of prayer to Christ as a God, and to bind themselves by an obligation-not indeed to commit wickedness; but, on the contrary-never to commit theft, robbery, or adultery, never to falsify their word, never to defraud any man: after which it was their custom to separate, and reassemble to partake in common of a harmless meal.”
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Hatred of Christians is coming to America. Persecution is coming. Christians have always suffered horribly in all the world throughout all ages. Christians in America have not. We are the cushiest, most comfortable generation, and as a result have grown casual to the Gospel and irreverent toward Christ. The charge of Jesus to the church at Laodicea could well be taken as a charge against us today:
“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:15-17).
It is the church at Laodicea which Jesus asks to open the door and let Him in when He knocks. It is the church at Laodicea that has left Jesus off the list of ingredients when they play at church.
Of the true church, Dr. John MacArthur wrote this week to his subscribers, “It’s no surprise that true Christians are feeling pressures we’ve never before experienced. Believers today face open hostility simply for what we believe.”
[Ed Note: Brings to mind Pliny’s perplexity of the hatred leveled against Christians who were simply praying, vowing to do good and having harmless meals together…]. Continuing MacArthur-
“Our gospel, our values, our priorities, our doctrine, what we love and what we hate what we live for and what we die for- our lives are more permanently and comprehensively at odds with the world. What’s more, the situation can and will still get worse. I’ve commented several times recently that I believe that hostility toward Christians in the West will eventually give way to full-blown persecution, just as it already has in other parts of the world.”
“As the pressure on Christianity has increased, it has been interesting to see so many supposed Christian institutions caving in and surrendering. We’re now finding out what people really believe and who is willing to stand for truth. Christian organizations are having to ask themselves, What are we going to say about immorality, premarital sex, drunkenness, and homosexuality? Sadly, many are waffling.”
Taking a break for a moment from Dr. MacArthur’s letter, here is an exact example of a waffling pastor. Mark Driscoll, who seems so outspoken on everything else, declined to comment on the DOMA ruling. Christian Post reports,
“Outspoken megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll, who has more than 389,000 followers on Twitter, stuck to tweeting paraphrases from the Bible and promoting current Mars Hill Church sermons on Wednesday morning and afternoon. When contacted by CP, spokesperson Justin Dean said that the Seattle-based Mars Hill Church lead pastor would not be commenting on the Supreme Court decisions.” (source)
Dr. MacArthur continued in his letter,
“Our view is that the more heated the battle becomes the clearer we need to become on our biblical convictions. The true church will always embrace persecution when it comes, rather than run from it. Suffering for Christ is a blessing from God with purifying effects for true believers. When suffering comes, the church actually thrives. Of course that doesn’t mean that facing hostility and persecution is easy, or that it doesn’t raise practical questions about the present and the future- no Christians cherish the thought of their children or grandchildren suffering…”
The call for today is to remember the martyrs even as hostility and persecution comes to us in the West. Align yourself with the stance that Dr MacArthur outlined:
“As other organizations seek to evolve with the times, insulate themselves from hostility, and accommodate the culture, our plan is to actively stake out the biblical positions everywhere we can. We are going to articulate biblical truth more clearly and assertively than ever. In fact, as the culture continues to degenerate and biblical standards are challenged, every new attempt to undermine Scripture is going to elicit from us a loving- but clear-confrontation.”
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12)
One of the reason above that Foxe stated he wrote his book of martyrs is to “Demonstrate the grace of God in the lives of those martyred for their faith.” I plea for you to become solid in your stance and firm in your conviction to demonstrate that very grace. The Age of Grace is coming to an end, and the people who are not living in Grace need to see it more than ever. They won’t see it if we hide, waffle, or are unclear. Get clear on your convictions and the biblical worldview we need to have. Stand on the rock.
I started these Sunday Martyr Moments on April 14, 2013, several months ago, because I could see the need coming to re-connect with what real persecution is and to take inspiration from those who died for the faith without reneging on their convictions. It is doubtless coming to us in America.
Let us continue in the faith, a long, unbroken line of glory from the first martyr to the last, praising Jesus under all circumstances. Let us gird our loins and stand firm on the Gospel.
Ignatius was a beloved father in the faith in the time of Trajan’s persecution. He said, “Now I begin to be a disciple. I care for nothing, of visible or invisible things, so that I may but win Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the companies of wild beasts, let breaking of bones and tearing of limbs, let the grinding of the whole body, and all the malice of the devil, come upon me; be it so, only may I win Christ Jesus!”
He was eventually convicted and thrown to the lions. Ignatius “heard the lions roaring, saying: “I am the wheat of Christ: I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread.”
May you be found to be pure bread, with no leaven, for the name of Jesus and His eternal glory.
Hot enough for ya? Extreme heat plagues the American Southwest
In a continuing downward progression of record-breaking, unprecedented and impacting weather, the western US is baking in an unusual scorching heat.
On Twitter, Shawn Reynolds of the Weather Center Live on the Weather Channel (@WCL_Shawn) posted the following on Twitter yesterday: “PIC: thermometer at Weather Channel’s Mike Seidel’s location in Vegas shows reading of over 140°”
Drudge had the following photo and headline for the main news item on his page:
This is the forecast:
Unfortunately, we have had our first fatality due to this freak heat.
Record-setting heat wave turns fatal in Southwest
“A record-setting heat wave will continue baking the Southwest on Sunday and into the work week. Already, the hot spell has set records in cities such as Phoenix (119 degrees) and Lancaster, California (111 degrees). Las Vegas tied its record high of 115 degrees Saturday. Civic and emergency officials throughout the Southwest say if there was ever a time to worry, this would be it. The reason isn’t just the oppressive heat that is plaguing the region: It’s the fact it is expected to hang around, and possibly even get worse, over the next few days. Man helps the homeless survive the heat The heat may have led to the death of an elderly man in Las Vegas. Paramedics found the man dead in his home, which did not have air conditioning, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue spokesman Tim Szymanski said.”
I’m always hesitant to assign a particular event to God’s judgment. I don’t like saying “The freak heat is because of America’s stance on homosexuality”, because I don’t know the mind of God. However, I do know His standards and I do know His past actions because we have the bible. One only has to read the Old & New Testament to understand that God hates sin, and He warns people individually and He warns nations when they are rebelling.
We also know that God is in control of the weather. Earlier this week, when unprecedented hail fell in Singapore, I’d said, “Though satan can be the originator of some weather disasters, (Job 1:9-12, 19), he can only do so at the Lord’s permission. Ultimately, all weather is in the hands of the Creator.”
It is the Lord who sends the scorching east wind to demonstrate to a rebellious Jonah that He is in control:
“When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”” (Jonah 4:8).
God uses the scorching wind to accomplish His purposes –
“The LORD will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand over the Euphrates River. He will break it up into seven streams so that anyone can cross over in sandals.” Isaiah 11:15).
We know for sure that the bible says that a prophecy will come about that will involve heat. That prophecy is not being fulfilled now, but I’d like us to please think on this present scorching heat as a shadow-picture of what will come. What will come will be far worse.
“The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.” (Revelation 16:8-9).
Newsman Matt Drudge wrote, “Vegas to hit its highest temp ever recorded this weekend? Drunk/420 tourists failing on blvd will literally be fried.”
Please keep in mind that in this present Age of Grace, the discomforts we experience are a picnic compared to the judgments to come. For today, 120 degree heat will be a memory when the Tribulation comes and heat that soars to 150 degrees or even 180 or 200 happen. It is coming, and that means only two things:
1. “and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”” (Mark 1:15)
2. “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
God has given us over to our national, collective reprobate mind
In Romans 1 shows how sin gets worse and worse, and why. It says in the middle of the passage regarding homosexuality, that God gives them over to a depraved mind. When a culture is so deeply involved with homosexuality it stands to reason that collectively the nation isn’t thinking straight.
I think that link can clearly be sees in the Congress: Congress is a broken toy that has a critical piece missing and is turning in circles spouting gibberish. Same with businesses, same with the President, same with law enforcement (all those terrible stories of harassment & excessive force)…this is what a culture looks like that isn’t thinking straight. And CANNOT think straight- ever again. The reason why is that God has given us over.
Here is the Romans 1 chapter and interspersed on between the passages I’ll show in pictures and news how this illustrates what a nation that collectively has gone crazy looks like. If you watch the news and shake your head wondering why everything seems so crazy, this is why. God has given us over.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Romans 1:18-20)
In Upstate NY, there was a terrible flood this week. God was not glorified but Mother Nature was mentioned.
“This is unbelievable,” he said as he watched several backhoes scoop up debris at the corner of Maple Grove Avenue and West German Street. “Mother Nature can be a mean one.”
“For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” (Romans 1:21-23)
Mesoamericans worship a deity named Quetzalcoatl. He is named after the rare Quetzal bird of South America. Quetzalcoatl literally means feathered serpent. He is a serpent bird, and is one of many such types of local deities the Catholic Church accepts and absorbs into its pantheon of syncretism. Serpent-gods are culturally ubiquitous. They’re everywhere. Many cultures worship the creeping thing and the bird. Below is an altar cloth that shows the blend of serpent god with a cross-
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Above is a Quetzalcoatl carving inside a South American Catholic church. The Catholic church is just as pagan as the indigenous church, but has an overlay of Christianity to it that blinds most people to its falsity. In any case, many cultures worship the creeping thing and the bird and other idols.
“Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (Romans 1:24-25)
Anthony Weiner defines lust and impurity. He was a Congressman who resigned from Congress, effective June 21, 2011, due to a sexting scandal. In the sexting scandal, Weiner sent a link to a sexually suggestive photograph of himself via his public Twitter account to an adult woman who was following him on Twitter. After several days of denying he had posted the image, Weiner held a press conference at which he admitted he had “exchanged messages and photos of an explicit nature with about six women over the last three years.” On May 21, 2013, Weiner announced that he would run for Mayor of New York City in 2013.” (Wikipedia). Weiner, despite being an adulterer, (dishonoring his body) and having lied, and then resigned in disgrace, is now moving up in the polls for his bid to become Mayor of NY City.
“For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” (Romans 1:26-27)
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“A l-esbian couple who spearheaded a fight for same-sex marriage in California have become the first to tie the knot hours after a ban was lifted in a landmark US Supreme Court ruling. Ms Stier and Ms Perry were the plaintiffs in the initial action challenging the ban, which wound its way through the legal system before eventually being heard by the top US court.” (source)
“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”
They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
Once God gives them over, it unleashes all other sins with force. They become ‘filled’ with it. They cannot think straight. In effect, they are spiritually insane.
Some things are just purely bizarre. Brawling at McDonald’s, lying , boasting; all things in the Romans passage happen ona daily basis and are getting weirder and weirder each day.
Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (Romans 1:28-32)
Obama applauded and approved of those who practice that which ought not to be done.
“I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act. This was discrimination enshrined in law. It treated loving, committed gay and l-esbian couples as a separate and lesser class of people. The Supreme Court has righted that wrong, and our country is better off for it.”
Homosexual George Takei of Star Trek, gave hearty approval to the homosexual marriage decision on his Facebook page, writing- “Today marks a watershed moment in history and a tremendous victory for the principle of equality. The 5-4 decision by our Supreme Court striking down DOMA affirms the universality of love — the desire of all people not only to find, but to value and affirm, a lifelong commitment to another person. … Let the joy of this day ring out with PRIDE.”
“Russell Brand informs us that, “If you’re gay married in California your gay marriage is now legal. Good. #allmarriageisabitgay.” (source)
All marriage is a bit gay?
The reason we shake our heads at the headlines is because the nation has gone mental. The people of the United States chose a political platform that opposes God at every level: killing children, endorsing homosexuality, destroying marriage, wanton entitlements, fiscal irresponsibility… the nation chose it. God let us have it.
That is why our leaders from the top down, those in authority, seem not to be thinking clearly. Supreme Court, House of Representative, Senate, President, Law Enforcement, civil authority…collectively the people who make this nation run are operating in a climate of debased mind and many, many of its citizens are following suit. Here are just a few examples from headlines, and these are representative, not comprehensive. If you want a comprehensive view of how the nation is operating in a manner that clearly shows God has given us over to a nationally debased mind, just read any newspaper, anywhere.
Despite this nation being in a fiscal emergency and dire distress upon taxpayers, and many are in terrible poverty, he jetted off for a 100 million dollar vacation. Yet another expensive vacation.
Barack Obama’s $100M African vacation is now a family affair
“Barack Obama is set to jet off to South Africa tomorrow, embarking on a rather long and costly African “goodwill tour” which has no actual economic or foreign policy purpose, but will prove to be a pretty fun vacation for his family, as they travel across sub-Saharan Africa using approximately $100M of your money.” [He brought his mother-in-law along and also his niece]
“Remember, America, you still can’t tour the White House because, apparently, the Obama Administration mandated that the Secret Service embrace their Sequester cuts by ending protection details that would help guide tourists through the people’s palace on Pennsylvania. Instead, a huge wad of cash is being spent sending them, armored vehicles and a whole entourage of protection to a continent we currently don’t care about so that everyone in the Obama family can experience world travel.”
The IRS targeting scandal, the IRS spending scandal, the government spying scandal, a broken Congress…all adds to the concept outlined in Romans 1. When God gives us over, it collapses fast.
Three reasons Congress is broken
Congress actively undermines the best of legislative practices by:
–Politics trumps policy
–Staffers do most of the work
–Issues, even the big ones, are no longer really debated
I respect law enforcement in general, but it is a fact that I am seeing more of these kinds of stories each day.
A Police Officer That Shot Five Kittens While Children Were Watching
Crime is crazy. Not just the amount of it but the kind of it-
Wendy’s Customer Totally Loses It When They Put Cheese On His Hamburger
Women Throwing Bleach Into The Eyes Of A Man On A City Bus In Boston
Godlessness in general is more bold now.
Atheists install monument next to Ten Commandments in front of FL courthouse
“knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.” (2 Peter 3:3)
I watched a Dateline show about the horrific accident last year, the woman in the completely crushed car that was hanging over the overpass in Jan. 2012.
Everything about this was a miracle. You can see the hand of God all in this. The mother survived, the baby survived and the girl survived the worst crash possible, which collapsed the car into a mini-version of a toaster. Amazing. The mother said she was thankful… but did not praise God for the obvious miracle. Then there were the Seabees who were unexpectedly delayed, and then unexpectedly were told to bring a last-minute piece of equipment, and were delayed in traffic yet again, and it turned out that this last minute addition of the certain kind of equipment as the only kind of equipment that could save the car from falling off the bridge and extract the survivors. So many improbably coincidences and yet the men said, “it was luck.”
They just don’t give Him glory for anything, anymore.
John MacArthur said this week, “One example of that degenerative process is the modern view of sexual immorality. Decades ago we witnessed the sexual revolution and the normalizing of abortion. If those weren’t devastating enough, now we’re seeing the homosexual revolution with the push for same-sex marriage. That is the Romans 1 reprobate mind in full bloom. All that matters is personal fulfillment and the approval of every possible personal choice. The only thing not tolerated is any intolerance of evil.”
Stand for biblical truth. Stay in the Word and pray often. Know your doctrine and be clear about it. Lovingly but firmly confront sin. Worship, praise, love and serve. These actions are increasingly at odds with the world but increase you in closeness to Jesus. The more we submit to Him and keep Him in our heart and glorify Him with our actions, the more He will sanctify us and transform our minds. (Romans 12:2) And we all need that now- being close to Jesus in as many ways and for as much of the time as we consciously can.
Because … someone has to.
Midday encouragement
I really enjoy photography, looking at photos and taking them. I have many photos that I enjoy digging out and looking at and playing with as digital software technologies continue to be made available.
As I look at them, more often than not, a bible verse comes to mind. like the Penobscot Bay schooner I’d snapped it was while passing by the schooner we were on, the ‘do not drift away’ verse from Hebrews. It’s here.
I’ll be doing this more often. A short burst of encouragement from a verse, with photo. Here is today’s-
Friends, the road is long and we cannot see around the curve. However we know the end of the story. It ends in glory. Keep walking in Jesus’ name, rejoicing as you go.
Apparently, Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie are gay
Cover Story: Bert and Ernie’s “Moment of Joy”
Next week’s cover of the widely circulated New Yorker magazine.
“It’s amazing to witness how attitudes on gay rights have evolved in my lifetime,” said Jack Hunter, the artist behind next week’s cover, “Moment of Joy.” Hunter, who originally submitted his image, unsolicited, to a Tumblr, continued, “This is great for our kids, a moment we can all celebrate.”
Huffington Post thinks the cover is “amazing”, in a good way.
“The New Yorker celebrated the Supreme Court’s historic rulings on gay marriage with one of its most awesome covers of all time. It marked the moment by featuring what many people consider to be one of the most famous gay couples in pop culture: Bert and Ernie. In the magazine’s cover, titled “Bert and Ernie’s Moment Of Joy,” the two Sesame Street characters are shown snuggling together on the couch as they watch the landmark Supreme Court rulings on television.”
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It might be a moment that gay rights activists celebrate, but the celebration will be a moment in time compared to the wrath of a holy God leveled upon the unrepentant sinner.
A commenter at the NewYorker site called “HonestGirlScouts,” wrote, “Perhaps the saddest legacy of the homosexual lobby is that no one can be friends anymore. We are all potential sex partners, in the eyes of gay activists. What a loss to society and humanity that everyone must be on their guard, must have an extra wall of self-consciousness, even amongst peers of the same sex. To “fundamentally change” the friendship of Bert and Ernie into a sexual relationship shows an intolerance for fraternity and belies the degrading nature of the LGBTQI movement.”
LGBTQI stands for L-esbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Trans-sexual, or Questioning, and Intersex. Don’t ask me what intersex is. I don’t know and I’m not looking it up.
And messing with children, putting such sin in front of them? Using an innocent childhood icon, one that has been used to bring education and entertainment to kids for over 50 years?? O! Jesus wept.
“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matthew 18:6)
A few different, fun, and cute things for you
Some cool stuff
World’s First One-Person Restaurant Opens In Amsterdam
“An extraordinary pop-up restaurant will open doors in Amsterdam this Thursday. ‘Eenmaal’, as the place is called, claims to be the world’s first one-person restaurant. “‘Eenmaal’ is a restaurant like any other restaurant, but one thing is totally different: you only find tables for one person here. ‘Eenmaal’ is an exciting experiment for those who never go out dining alone, as well as an appealing opportunity for those who often eat alone at restaurants”, explains social designer and initiator Marina van Goor.”
It will only be open for two days, so book your table now.
If you’re not hungry then maybe you’re thinking of where you’d like to be sitting right now…in any of these 30 places perhaps?
In this sunken alcove garden in New Zealand?
Literally IN the beach at the Lido beach resort in Sarasota, Florida?
In this glass-walled library in Germany?
In this glass floor ocean cottage in the Maldives?
Click on the link above for the other 26. They’re worth looking at!
Don’t forget the terrific link at Astronomy Picture of the Day, if you like looking up, that is!
A Super Moon’s Halo Image Credit & Copyright: Luis Argerich
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Some sad stuff:
Church of England creating ‘pagan church’ to recruit members
“The church is training ministers to create “a pagan church where Christianity [is] very much in the centre” to attract spiritual believers. Ministers are being trained to create new forms of Anglicanism suitable for people of alternative beliefs as part of a Church of England drive to retain congregation numbers. Reverend Steve Hollinghurst, a researcher and adviser in new religious movements told the BBC: “I would be looking to formulate an exploration of the Christian faith that would be at home in their culture.”
“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:9)
Or they should hate you.
In the Bible Belt, Offering Atheists a Spiritual Home
“It would have been easy to mistake what was happening in a hotel ballroom here for a religious service. All the things that might be associated with one were present Sunday: 80 people drawn by a common conviction. Exhortations to service. Singing and light swaying. An impassioned sermon. There was just no mention of God. Billed as Louisiana’s first atheist service and titled “Joie de Vivre: To Delight in Being Alive,” it was presided over by Jerry DeWitt, a small, charismatic man dressed all in black with slick, shiny hair.”
London’s First Atheist Church Opens
” The first comedian-founded atheist church in England is set to hold its first monthly service tomorrow. Pippa Evans (a “musical improv comedian”) and Sanderson Jones (just a regular talking comedian) came up with the idea together. “We thought it would be a shame not to enjoy the good stuff about religion, like the sense of community, just because of a theological disagreement,” said Mr Jones.”
Attend your church, hug your pastor close, pray for him, and serve well. Church is an endangered species!
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Some cute stuff:
Speaking of species, here is a doggie.
“Someone tore down the blinds. I brought them out so you could see.”
And some kitties:
Have a wonderful weekend, if you’re going away! I will still be here ha ha ha! Unless the Lord returns, which, actually, He might!
Alas, and did my Savior bleed
Stay close to Jesus during this darkening time. He is the Light! He did it all for us!
One reason the SCOTUS gay marriage vote may help the true church
On the subject of the gay marriage decision by the Supreme court: I believe it is very bad for America politically and culturally. Homosexuality is a devastating sin for the individual, and this will only spur more of them on to become hardened of heart and captured in their sin and that makes me just so very sad.
That said, however, I think it is good for the true church. It will make the true church stand out more.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light to all that are in the house.” (Matthew 5:14-15)
Also, the weak, false church will cave to culture and will be therefore identified by those of us in the true church. This also is good. The tares of the church crowd in so much that the sheep eventually leave and all that is left are the goats. This was the problem at Sardis. Sardis was one of the seven churches of Revelation which Jesus told John to write to. Sardis had no commendation, Jesus said ‘you are dead.’ (Revelation 3:1)
MacArthur calls Sardis “the first church of the tares.” They had many works, and were busy-busy, but their heart was far from God. They were coasting on the fumes of past fervor, and living on the gossamer reputation they once had. But Jesus saw through it and called them a dead church.
So many churches today are like this. They re-interpret the scriptures, engage in social work, and donate loads of money- but they do not know the true Jesus. They try and awaken their dead hearts with loud and throbbing music, by listening to pastors who scream, swear, and act like a stand-up comedian, and applaud entertainments that assault the senses. These are the churches who will come out for “love” and accept homosexuality. Then we will know which pastors, which Christians, and which churches are Christian in name only.
Standing firm against the cultural push for accepting homosexuality as normal will make us even more distinct from the world!
“Come out from among them and be ye separate and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.” (2 Corinthians 6:17).
And to the pagans, our light will shine even brighter as Peter said in 1 Peter 2:9-
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” KJV
which is the best of all.
Will you stand against the culture, and with Jesus?
The Gadarene demoniac’s friend
I’m reading through the New Testament this summer. In addition to studying one passage deeply, I wanted to get an overview of the NT by simply reading it through without stopping to look at the notes or the parallel verses. I’ve never just read it like a book. I know that by doing this it will give me an overview that reading slowly won’t. It is just a new angle by which to approach the word of God. During summers when I’m home and not working, I have an opportunity and a responsibility to consume as much as I possibly can. There are so many wonderful truths I want to stop and savor, or side trails I want to pursue. I keep a notebook so I can return to those later. I’ve read Matthew, Mark, and half of Luke so far.
I keep a box of tissues next to my reading area also, because the word of God is unbelievably moving and I never can read it without tears. It’s just so touching, so amazing, so piercing, that my soul crumbles and quakes as I take in His truths.
I’m in Luke 8. I want to take a pause for a minute and ponder something. I’ve always been fascinated by the man possessed by a legion of demons. The Gadarene demoniac was well known to all people around. Luke recorded something I don’t think the others did: he had been that way “for a long time.”
So after Jesus exorcised him, the man was healed. He was sitting at the feet of Jesus- and he was clothed.
It’s the clothing that gets me. Where did he get the clothes from? If he had been running around in a demonic state “for a long time” and not having lived in a house (Luke 8:27), the likelihood is that the clothes were not his own.
Who gave clothes to the man? Maybe Jesus did. But for sure, someone came alongside the man and clothed him. Can you picture the scene? They weren’t scared of the man any more. Someone brought him a tunic and helped him on with it. Whoever it was obviously loved Jesus, but also loved his fellow man and saw to his needs. He had the clothes on by the time all the people came running back. (Luke 8:35-36). What a picture of love and discipling. It’s like the first responders at a flood helping the people they rescue out of the water and covering them with a blanket. So beautiful.
We often celebrate that a new believer has been converted from death to life. But then what? Don’t pat them on the back at the altar and then leave them hanging as you go to Cracker Barrel. Blanket them with love, include them, and bring them alongside a teacher. See to their needs.
It is such a kick to see the energy with which a new believer operates. Jesus said to the ex-demoniac, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.” (Luke 8:39). LOL, being in a relationship with a person who is so fervent for the Lord would be energizing for you too.
the-end-time.org 