As I write this with tears in my eyes, I prepare to start a journey that many like myself have tried to avoid.

I don’t know if this feeling is a result of the experience I endured last weekend in Florida and en route to New York, but I have had enough. Have you felt like you were your own worst enemy? Have you ever felt that you were the one holding yourself back? I am tired of the standstill when there’s plenty of room to walk around.

I am sick-physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I am out of wack. Everything is upside down and with a little over a month to go, I need to undergo an extreme makeover.

From November 12-15, I attended the 2009 Young Adventist Haitians in America Convention in Jacksonville, Florida.  I had never attended such a convention, but I was glad that I did. Every experience I felt was a life lesson and now here is the result. Tears can’t stop strolling down my cheeks, because I am recounting the negative experiences which still hold a great deal of pain in my heart.

How do you teach yourself to let go and let God? This is when you get on your knees and cry out, because you can no longer bear these burdens. My knees have been kept far from the ground for way too long.  I am overdue to reconnect and reunite with our Lord and Savior.

Enough is enough! There have been way too many thoughts running through my mind and He needs to intervene and help me prioritize and identify fact from fiction. Who stays and who goes? Where do I go and where do I stay? What are my do’s and dont’s? My vision is blurred and I can no longer see things as clearly as they once were.

Help me oh God, because I have nowhere else to turn.

The text is Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Pavle 1914-2009.

We were made to love but also to be loved !

To be loved by God, but He craves our love back ! We all want to be loved, worshiped back by those we love or place a high esteem on.

He had His angels, but they werent enough so He made you and me !!!!

How awesome is that people.

Are you loved ?

Maybe you dont think so. I am here to tell you yes you are but maybe you havent realised it yet.

I love this video by Toby Mac.

Listen and enjoy !!!

luv and hugs

“MORAL AND RELIGIOUS [BIBLICAL] CONVICTIONS”

Godswordtooyou.com     revashelton@aol.com

Then women began to use “four letter” words. Soon it didn’t matter who was
present when an “ugly word” slipped out.

Tonight is Monday November 2, 2009 and I have been watching a T.V. Show of the Oak Ridge Boys Quartet that began as a Gospel Quartet at Knoxville Tn. in 1947. Their personnel has changed many times over the years; But the greatest change is that they no longer sing Gospel Music; but over the years as they became popular they began to add “Country Music” to their program to please their audience. Soon they dropped “Gospel” all together.
In like manner I have seen Community Morals and Convictions change from considering drinking liquor and cursing and swearing in public as being immoral; to the present where there is no shame or blush when this is heard in public. This did not happen overnight; First foul language was not used when women, children or the preacher was present. As time progressed there was no embarrassment when women were in the group. Then women began to use “four letter” words. Soon it didn’t matter who was present when an “ugly word” slipped out.
Perhaps the greatest visible change came in the Church Community that at one time reflected the “Standard of Conduct” for the others in the community. There began a change in dress code for both men and women when they went to church. Both sexes wore their best when they went to the House of God. If the best a man had to wear was a “new pair” of bib overalls; they were washed, starched and ironed. The same applied to women’s dress; If a “print cotton” dress was the best they could afford they added special sleeve cuffs” to wear with it and the shoes were newly polished. And of course the “skirt length” was at least to mid-calf. The collar was buttoned at the neck and the legs were covered with “cotton stockings”. It was a sin to wear “worldly nylon’s”.

In the Old Testament in the “Books of the Law” Moses met with the” Lord [Yehovah] thy God [Elohiym] which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage”. Then he proceeded to give him the “Ten Commandments” that became the “Basis of the Law of God” given to the Children of Israel.
#1; Thou shall have no other gods before me.
#2; Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
# 3; Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain;[S#7733; deceitfully, consider to be worthless, empty] for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.
# 4; Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. [ OT:6942 qadash —“to consecrate, to sanctify, to prepare, to dedicate, to be hallowed, to be holy, to be sanctified, to be separate”]
# 5; Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
# 6; Thou shall not kill. [ OT:7523 jx^r* ratsach (raw-tsakh'); a primitive root; properly, to dash in pieces, i.e. kill (a human being), especially to murder: KJV - put to death, kill, (man-) slay (-er), murder (-er).]
# 7; Thou shall not commit adultery. [ OT:5003 [a^n* na'aph (nawig-af'); a primitive root; to commit adultery; figuratively, to apostatize: KJV - adulterer (-ess), commit (-ing) adultery, woman that breaketh wedlock.
# 8; Thou shall not steal.
# 9; Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
# 10; Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s house, wife, manservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is thy neighbor’s.Jesus modified these commandments in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:-7. Where he said; “Ye have heard that it hath been said of them of old time” then he would name the commandment and then say; “But I say unto you”; then he would give strict information giving his word that superseded the words of the Law.
Jesus had made a tour of the region about Galilee and selected one of the mountains of the area and began the Sermon on the Mount that is recorded in Matthew’s Gospel chapters 5-7.

GALILEE: [GAL ih lee] (circle or circuit) – a Roman province of Palestine during the time of Jesus (see Map 3, B-2). Measuring roughly 80 kilometers (50 miles) north to south and about 58 kilometers (30 miles) east to west, Galilee was the most northerly of the three provinces of Palestine-Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. Covering more than a third of Palestine’s territory, Galilee extended from the base of Mount Hermon in the north to the Carmel and Gilboa ranges in the south. The Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River were its western and eastern borders, respectively. See Nelson’s dictionary. Copyright © 1986,

GALILEE; Galilee had such a mixed population that Solomon could award unashamedly to Hiram, king of Tyre, 20 of its cities in payment for timber from Lebanon (1 Kings 9:11). After conquest by Tiglath Pileser, king of Assyria, (about 732 BC), Galilee was repopulated by a colony of heathen immigrants (2 Kings 15:29; 17:24). Thus the Galilean accent and dialect were very distinct (Matt 26:69,73). For this and other reasons, the pure-blooded Jews of Judea, who were more orthodox in tradition, despised the Galileans (John 7:52). Rather contemptuously Nathanael asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46).
(from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

JUDAISM; and practices of the Jews. One of the three great monotheistic world religions, Judaism began as the faith of the ancient Hebrews, and its sacred text is the Hebrew Bible, particularly the Torah. Fundamental to Judaism is the belief that the people of Israel are God’s chosen people, who must serve as a light for other nations. God made a covenant first with Abraham and then renewed it with Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. The worship of Yahweh (God) was centred in Jerusalem from the time of David. The destruction of the First Temple of Jerusalem by the Babylonians (586 BCE) and the subsequent exile of the Jews led to hopes for national restoration under the leadership of a messiah. The Jews were later allowed to return by the Persians, but an unsuccessful rebellion against Roman rule led to the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE and the Jews’ dispersal throughout the world in the Jewish Diaspora. Rabbinic Judaism emerged to replace the beliefs and practices associated with the Temple at Jerusalem, as the Jews carried on their culture and religion through a tradition of scholarship and strict observance. The great body of oral law and commentaries were committed to writing in the Talmud and Mishna. The religion was maintained despite severe persecutions by many nations.

Two branches of Judaism emerged in the Middle Ages: the Sephardic, centred in Spain and culturally linked with the Babylonian Jews; and the Ashkenazic, centred in France and Germany and linked with the Jewish culture of Palestine and Rome. Elements of mysticism also appeared, notably the esoteric writings of the Kabbala and, in the 18th century, the movement known as Hasidism. The 18th century was also the time of the Jewish Enlightenment (Haskala). Conservative and Reform Judaism emerged in 19th-century Germany as an effort to modify the strictness of Orthodox Judaism. By the end of the 19th century Zionism had appeared as an outgrowth of reform. European Judaism suffered terribly during the Holocaust, when millions were put to death by the Nazis, and the rising flow of Jewish emigrants to Palestine led to the declaration of the State of Israel in 1948. In the early 21st century there were nearly 15 million Jews worldwide.For more information on Judaism, visit Britannica.com. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Copyright © 1994-2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Christianity; is a faith based religion that stands on the foundation of the fact that Jesus that was conceived of the Holy Ghost in the womb of a virgin named NT:3137 “Mariam”; [Greek translation; or Mary in English](from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.) That fulfilled the prophecy of Isa 7:14-“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel”. And Isa 9:6-7 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform”.
Isa 53:1-10 “ Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. We like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation?  for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and make intercession for the transgressors.
This Jesus was rejected by the Jews as the “promised Messiah” because they expected him to be born of Royalty and restore the “National Kingdom” to Israel Acts 1:5. Jesus the “only begotten son of God” was sent by Jehovah to become the “sinless sacrifice” that would end the annual animal sacrifices made by the Jews on the Day of Atonement.

Heb 10:12-17 “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more”.

Not only did they reject him as their Messiah; they conspired with the Romans and “cried crucify him”; Give us Barabbas. At his death on the cross Jesus prayed; “Father forgive them, They know not what they do”.
Now many “Christian Churches” are little more than a social organization with the preachers suggesting that the people use the political system to change or challenge the morals of the community.
Let us now look to the “Word of God” and examine with honest hearts and sober minds what God said to his people and what we will be held accountable for at the White Throne Judgment at the end of this “age” or world.
The Hebrew word for Holy in the O.T. is S# 430 “qodesh” and means; separateness, apartness, Sacredness, consecrated, [to God and his service] dedicated, Saint and Sanctuary. And is used 430 times in the O.T.

The Greek word for Holy in the N.T. is S# 40 “Hagios, hagia or hagion”, and means in a moral sense; pure, upright, sanctified or holy and is used 181 times in the N.T. This condition is obtained by the act of sanctification or “being sanctified”. The Greek word for “sanctify” is S# 37 “hagiazoo” and means to render holy, consecrated to God, or separated from things profaned or unholy. This word is used 29 times in the N.T and is a “work of grace and is accomplished by the act of “sanctification”; by “truth” John 17:19, by the “word of God and prayer” 1st. Tim. 4:5, by faith in Jesus Acts 26: 18, by the H.G. Rom. 15:16, by the offering of the “body of Jesus” Heb. 10:10 and the “blood of Jesus” Heb. 13:12.
About the year of 28-29 A.D. as the know world had wondered from the righteousness of God into the worship of idols and even to the point of bowing to the Caesars of Rome at their command. A major event began in the Judean wilderness; along the Jordan River. A man dressed in clothes made of Camel’s hair and wearing a girdle made of leather. He lived in the “out country” and his diet was Locusts a “grasshopper” like creature that was “approved” as “clean food” for the Jews by God. See 11:22. This man named John was sent of God to preach repentance and to baptize those that repented. He was sent to prepare the way of the Lord. See Matt. 3:3, Mk.1:3 and Lk. 3:4.
John became very popular among the religious leaders of the land and many came “to be a part of the crowd” without repenting. Luke 3:4-10” As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias [Isaiah] [ch. 40:3] the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves; We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Jesus; When he was set, his disciples came unto him and he began to teach them; beginning with the Beatitudes. Then he said unto them; don’t think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I came not to destroy, but to fulfill. Heaven and earth will not “pass away” till every jot and every tittle be fulfilled. Then he begins to define the difference in the Law and the doctrine of Grace.
Matt. 5:21; “You have heard by those of old time [Law]; Thou shall not kill; Ex.20:13; but I say unto you; Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment”.
Matt. 5:27; You have heard by those of old time ]Law]; Thou shall not commit adultery; But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matt. 5:31; It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her writing of divorcement; But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife saving [except] for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery
Matt. 5:33; It hath been said by them of old time; Thou shall not forswear thyself, but you shall perform unto the Lord thy oaths. But I say unto you, Swear not at all: Neither by heaven, for it is Gods throne: Nor by earth for it is his foot-stool: Neither by Jerusalem for it is the city of the great King: Neither by thy head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your communication be Yea, yea and Nay nay: For whatsoever is more than these commeth evil.
Matt. 5: 39; You have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth: [Lev. 24:20] But I say unto you, That you resist not evil; But whosoever shall smite you on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Paul writes in 2 Cor 6:17-18; “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty”. The introduction to this text is that the Corinthian Church had become “Yoked together with unbelievers and were having fellowship with things and people that were “unrighteous” and were involved with idol worship. Paul makes it very clear that the “Church” [Christians] must not be a part of unholy living.

I will close this discourse with a quote from Lev 20:7 “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am the Lord your God”. And from 1 Peter 1:15-16 “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because, It is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy”. Take notice from the Leviticus quote; God said. Sanctify yourselves; before we can expect to be sanctified by the “Blood of Christ Jesus” there are some actions that we must take as convicted individuals. See the Hebrew definition of the word “Sanctify”.
OT:6942 qadash —to consecrate, to sanctify, to prepare, to dedicate, to be hallowed, to be holy, to be sanctified, to be separate
a) (Qal)1) to be set apart, to be consecrated2) to be hallowed3) consecrated, tabooedb) (Niphal)1) to show oneself sacred or majestic2) to be honored, to be treated as sacred3) to be holyc) (Piel)1) to set apart as sacred, to consecrate, to dedicate2) to observe as holy, to keep sacred3) to honor as sacred, to hallow4) to consecrated) (Pual)1) to be consecrated2) consecrated, dedicatede) (Hiphil)1) to set apart, to devote, to consecrate2) to regard or treat as sacred or hallow3) to consecrate) (Hithpael)1) to keep oneself apart or separate2) to cause Himself to be hallowed (used of God)3) to be observed as holy4) to consecrate oneself.
This action is to; “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”: Hebrews 12:14.

Godswordtooyou.com         Email  revashelton@aol.com

This is the second installment in a series on lament.

===============

Not too long ago I was sitting in a Baptist communion observance, and my feelings in that moment contradicted the tenor of the gathering. It was such a solemn occasion. My heart was crying out on that particular night, “Jesus died for us! He has set us free!” My excitement just seemed to crash up against a wet blanket.

Since then there have been other times when I have felt a very somber sense of looking back to what Christ did on the cross, and yet the communion observance was “rushed” with little real introspection or thought expressed in the service. Again, my emotions clashed with the community expression.

Back in 2005, Joel Osteen was interviewed by Larry King (Feel free to check out the transcript for yourself.).  Here’s an excerpt:

KING: What do you wonder about the most? Now, I mean, you accept things as they are: He gets cancer, she doesn’t. What do you — what though, boggles your mind about this world?

OSTEEN: What do I wonder about? You know what, Larry?

I don’t know. I don’t know. Nothing comes to the forefront of my mind. I just…

KING: There’s no great searching?

OSTEEN: There’s no great thing

My purpose isn’t to criticize those churches or Osteen.  I do want to know how compelling an “unreal” faith is.  There are some major reasons I think Christians tend to shy away from sorrow or lament, but I’m not sure they are biblical reasons.  There is compelling biblical presence of lament.  I think it would enrich our lives and our worship, so intend to spend a couple more posts outlining some pros and cons of lament along with some biblical passages to get you thinking.

Tribes are built on a foundation of three things. Belief is what the members of the tribe have in common. Whether they share a belief about religion, social issues, or what kind of ice cream they like. Belief is something that tribe members are passionate about. But belief alone will not hold up a tribe, it also requires faith.

By faith I mean that next step that belief takes that moves into action. Faith is all about action. Not just doing something to do something, but doing something that has purpose. In the case of the tribe that I am a member of, my belief in Jesus causes me to pursue a relationship with Him. I don’t just believe that I should have a relationship with Him, I am purposed to be intentional in that relationship. My faith in that relationship is not based on situations, but on the fact that I know He is ever present and ever pursuing relationship with me. But passion and purpose are not enough to hold up a tribe, it also requires respect.

Respect is that deepening part of a relationship that can only come through contact with other tribe members. True respect results from being willing to prefer other tribe members over self. Respect is not about selfishness, but instead about giving. If tribe members begin to function with respect for one another, you will see a tribe that is passionate, purposeful, and unstoppable. They can affect change by just being in existence. They will be a light shining in the darkness, and others who are on the fringes of society will be drawn in to find out how to be a part of that group.

That doesn’t mean that just because a tribe has belief, faith, and respect it will be something positive. Gangs are tribes that have all of those things among its members, even if they are a bit more volatile than most. Don’t assume that because you get together to share a common passion that you are making a positive impact. I have seen many a tribe do nothing more than be passionate about ripping others. I have even lead some of those tribes. When we do these things with others remember that we should guard our hearts, and keep our minds toward Christ in all things.

When Christ returns he will not ask us of what great sermons we’ve done, or Bible studies we’ve made.   He will ask us “When I was hungry did you feed me ?”    And the answer is very important.    Today’s saint is St. Elizabeth of Hungary.   Daughter of a king, wife of a landgrave, and mother of three she devoted herself to the care of the material needs, like food, of the poor.

Patriarch Pavle Stojčević of Serbia (1914-2009)

An SMS message interrupted a conversation I was having with a girlfriend. I opened the message, happy to see the name of one of my best friends, a Serbian priest. “Our patriarch is now at rest”. For a few seconds, I could not comprehend what it all meant, and when it did, my joy abruptly gave way to shock, pain, and emptiness. Yes, we all prepared for this event; for it was clear that the passing of His Holiness was getting closer. However, can one ever get ready for something like this? I accessed the Internet portal of RTS (Serbian Radio and Television), what I saw on the homepage tore into my soul. It was Metropolitan Amfilohije Radović of Montenegro and Primorsky, who embodies courage and virility, unable to contain his sobs, as he told believers and clergy of the death of His Holiness Patriarch Pavle.

The news of the repose of the patriarch came to Metropolitan Amfilohije as he was laying the foundation stone of a church dedicated to St Avvakum the Deacon and Igumen St Paisija in the Altina neighbourhood of Zemun. (Editor’s note: Zemun is one of the municipalities of Greater Belgrade and Altina is one of the fastest-growing neighbourhoods in the Belgrade agglomeration.) “When we blessed the foundation stone for this holy church of the Lord, He took his soul in his arms, in the morning, after Father Mefody brought communion to His Holiness. May the Lord grant him the Kingdom of Heaven and eternal rest”, Metropolitan Amfilohije said.

The struggle to preserve the failing health of the eldest First Hierarch in world Orthodoxy started two years ago, when he entered the hospital of the Military Medical Academy. Jovan Janić, the biographer of the patriarch, published in the weekly magazine NIN an appeal from the Patriarch to his flock from the hospital: “We must pray for all people, especially for well-meaning people, but, for malicious ones, too! Their ill-will must be changed to good, for they need salvation too!”

The Holy Synod elected him as patriarch in 1990, and he became the 44^th First Hierarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Patriarch Pavle was a humble bishop; many called him a “living saint” and said that he had “the soul of a dandelion”. My first meeting with His Holiness Patriarch Pavle took place in May 2000. It coincided with the celebration of the Slava of Belgrade, the feastday of the Ascension of our Lord (editor’s note: “Slava” literally means “glory” in most Slavic languages. A slava in its special Serbian usage is a ritual celebration, veneration, and observance of a family’s or town’s patron saint. The slava is held annually on the patron saint’s feastday).

People were anxiously waiting for the appearance of their beloved pastor, so, he went into the courtyard of the Ascension Church, the people carefully parted to give way to him, and they bowed before him for his blessing. It was so surprising… the lack of hustle as broad-shouldered guards kept the press of people from their archpastor, the simplicity, sincerity, and love of children to their father and of a father to his children, [Patriarch Pavle] took small steps, blessing everyone on the way to the entrance… After the liturgy, there was a solemn procession throughout the centre of the city, headed by the Patriarch. At that time, I could not stay in Belgrade for more than two days; I had to go to other places as well. I took a blessing for the rest of my trip, I only had a short conversation with him, but, he said many kind words on Russia, its Church, and its people, backed by a wish that we would become closer to each other.

Later, I remembered that I had translated the greetings of His Holiness Patriarch Pavle to the Russian people on Christmas 1998, “With all my heart, I greet the Russian people, one in faith with us, on the festival of the Nativity of the Son of God. I write to you the same greeting that the angels gave to the shepherds in Bethlehem, ‘Christ is born! Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will amongst men’…”

People along the route of Patriarch Pavle, waiting for his blessing.

The following year, I received an official invitation from the Bishop Joanikije Mićović of Budimlje-Nikšić (Editor’s note: in Eastern Montenegro) to be a guest of his diocese at the time of the visit of Holy Patriarch Pavle. It is hard to describe my feelings, caused by the invitation of my dear Vladyki. The visit coincided with the feastday of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin, as most of the monasteries in Montenegro are dedicated to the Virgin, mostly to Her Assumption, and some to Her Nativity or Entrance into the Temple. For three days, along with Metropolitan Amfilohije Radović of Montenegro and Primorsky, the “homeboy” Bishop Joanikije Mićović of Budimlje-Nikšić, and His Holiness Patriarch Pavle Stojčević, I had the opportunity to travel to holy sites such as the Ždrebaonik Convent, but, the main celebration took place amidst the stunning beauty and extraordinary history of the Piva Monastery of the Assumption.

The trip was intense, for there were many services and our travelling between the various places was difficult. His Holiness, despite his inevitable fatigue, found time and energy to bless people and to answer their questions. The discourse he held after the liturgy in the Piva Monastery, during the festive trapeza, was especially long and spirited, and the people gradually gathered around him. Those who had nowhere to sit, stood and assembled around His Holiness, there was a great press in the crowd, as they tried to catch every possible word of their Archpastor, as he answered questions on fasting, the dispute over the language of worship, and church chant. The First Hierarch answered some of the questions with his invariably gentle humour.

Being very keen about worship, he told a story about how, during the liturgy, he heard that one of the seminarians, probably from excessive zeal, sang louder than the other ones. After the end of the service, His Holiness gently drew the seminarian’s attention to an error he made in chanting, “My boy, do be careful when you’re chanting on the kliros. I think you didn’t quite get it right”. At that, the young man, with some bitterness, replied, “You know, Your Holiness, every bird has its voice!” With a bright smile, the patriarch beamed and said, “Yes, my bucko… in the forest! I’m talking about church!” Thus, with love, with a lively sense of humour, he pointed out the errors and infirmities of his flock.

During this trip, despite my closeness to His Holiness, I could not bring myself to trouble him with questions or idle chitchat. Indeed, how could I ask him anything? He seemed to answer every question in the blink of an eye, despite his humble and gentle appearance. Sometimes he asked me about life in Russia, which he loved very much. We talked of the love of Serbian people for everything Russian, how many Serbs suffered because of this love, and of the problematic histories of Serbia and Russia.

Back in Moscow, I soon received a letter from the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church, signed by the Patriarch. It informed me that I was included in a group to prepare for the demonstration “Together with Serbia”… a solemn rally of solidarity of the Serbian and Montenegrin peoples under the motto “Together with Serbia!” On 15 November 2004, in the conference centre of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, we held a drive to raise funds to complete construction of the largest Orthodox church in Europe outside of Russia, dedicated to St John the Baptist and to St Savva, the most beloved saint amongst the Serbian people. Again… I felt joy, excitement, and gratitude to His Holiness the Patriarch and Metropolitan Amfilohije for the trust they gave to me, and for the honour to be part of the cause of our association, of building a great church in Belgrade of one of our most beloved saints.

In September of this year, I was at the hospital of the Military Medical Academy accompanied by some priests. I did not dare to ask for a blessing to visit His Holiness. Vladyki Joanikije, who was passing through Belgrade, described his visit with the Patriarch. Of course, it was difficult for him to receive visitors; often he was as if he were half-asleep and not fully alert. However, he was able to speak coherently and answer questions. Whilst he was confined to his sickbed, Hieromonk Mefody was his inseparable companion. He deserves to have his story told, because this man, in every possible way, embodies a true Christian. During his stay in hospital, the patriarch relied very much on Hieromonk Mefody. When you see these spiritual children of this wondrous Archpastor, you become calm and hopeful. The Serbian Church, despite all her recent troubles, is safe. The life and the example of His Holiness yielded worthy and good fruit. In this sense, like the Apostle Paul, many can call him their “father in Christ”. At present, we do not know all their names, but, they include bishops, clergy, and monastics.

Svetlana Luganskaya

Translator of Serbian spiritual literature

16 November 2009

RIA-Novosti

http://www.rian.ru/society/20091116/193987176.html

Courtesy of Desiring God

“A “Christian Hedonist” sounds like a contradiction, doesn’t it? If the term makes you squirm, we understand. But don’t throw this paper away just yet. We’re not heretics (really!). Nor have we invented another prosperity-obsessed theology by twisting the Bible to sanctify our greed or lust. We are simply stating an ancient, orthodox, Biblical truth in a fresh way.

“All men seek happiness,” says Blaise Pascal. “This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man, even of those who hang themselves.” We believe Pascal is right. And, with Pascal, we believe God purposefully designed us to pursue happiness.

Does seeking your own happiness sound self-centered? Aren’t Christians supposed to seek God, not their own pleasure? To answer this question we need to understand a crucial truth about pleasure-seeking (hedonism): we value most what we delight in most. Pleasure is not God’s competitor, idols are. Pleasure is simply a gauge that measures how valuable someone or something is to us. Pleasure is the measure of our treasure.

We know this intuitively. If a friend says to you, “I really enjoy being with you,” you wouldn’t accuse him of being self-centered. Why? Because your friend’s delight in you is the evidence that you have great value in his heart. In fact, you’d be dishonored if he didn’t experience any pleasure in your friendship. The same is true of God. If God is the source of our greatest delight then God is our most precious treasure; which makes us radically God-centered and not self-centered. And if we treasure God most, we glorify Him most.

Does the Bible teach this? Yes. Nowhere in the Bible does God condemn people for longing to be happy. People are condemned for forsaking God and seeking their happiness elsewhere (Jeremiah 2:13). This is the essence of sin. The Bible actually commands us to delight in the Lord (Psalm 37:4). Jesus teaches us to love God more than money because our heart is where our treasure is (Matt. 6:21). Paul wants us to believe that gaining Christ is worth the loss of everything else (Phil 3:8) and the author of Hebrews exhorts us to endure suffering, like Jesus, for the joy set before us (Heb. 12: 1-2). Examine the Scriptures and you’ll see this over and over again.

Christian Hedonism is not a contradiction after all. It is desiring the vast, ocean-deep pleasures of God more than the mud-puddle pleasures of wealth, power or lust. We’re Christian Hedonists because we believe Psalm 16:11, “You show me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy, in Your right hand are pleasures for evermore.”

Join us in this pursuit of satisfaction in God, because God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”"

There are 9 people in my department and their work ethic, professionalism, ability, attitude and character are all very different. Some of them do a very superficial job and spend their day watching youtube clips and movies. Others work hard yet struggle to understand concepts and updates themselves on common practice and methodology. They are honest and hardworking but find it difficult to change their old paradigm for a new one. Then there is one who has a lot of natural talent and ability, he manages his duties and things run well but he tends to dispose of his responsibilities and fill most of his day with personal stuff.
As the head of the department I need God’s wisdom so much. What is it that God WANTS ? Yes, there is the LOGOs of His word but there is also the RHEMA for want He wants to happen in the life of every individual. I am ever aware that I am blessed to be working in a Christian organisation. When conflict and difficulty arises I find strength in the Lord and His word. When a member of our team was absent and another became disgruntled by the fact that she had to cover hi load I told her that it wasn’t fair but :
1) Remember the story of the man harvesting his crop. Some workers started in the morning, some a few hours later, some a few hours after that and some just before the work day finished. When he paid them all the same the workers who had started in the morning complained.
This story has been a great comfort to me. I have often fumed because others cruise through their day and I work as hard as I can nearly all the time. BUT I realised a few years ago is that all I need to concentrate on is myself. If you do a good job, people will know and if you do a bad job, people will know. More importantly, your father in heaven knows and WE ARE CALLED TO DO OUR WORK AS THOUGH WORKING FOR THE LORD HIMSELF.
2) The parable of the talents in Matthew 25: 14-30. We will all stand face to face with Almighty God and be called to give account for what we did with the gifts He gave to us. I don’t think “ Oh, but God, they weren’t paying me enough” or “ I would have worked harder but my bosses just didn’t inspire me enough” or ANY excuse will do.
3) Finally I leave you with a quote I live my life by :

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.” George Bernard Shaw

Or as a friend of mine once said “ I’d rather die young from exhaustion because of serving the Lord than die old from falling over in the shower “

God Bless You !!

JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN  -  MY STORY by John Lawrence

Most of us get sick occasionally with colds, the flu and various other minor ailments, but to really get sick, well then fear of the unknown kicks in. All of a sudden, prayer starts in earnest and reading the Bible becomes an ongoing search for scriptures that bring comfort and the hope of healing. A constant search of our past starts, “Did I confess this or repent of that?”  Have I any unforgiveness in my heart?” As a believer in Jesus Christ, I know that sickness is not of God but a result of man’s fall in the Garden of Eden. Nevertheless, when it happens to you or me in this case, I had to start a journey of faith and trust in God like never before. After finding out about my cancer, I attended a small Sunday service at the Church of the Blue Mountains just outside of Collingwood, Ontario. During a time of prayer for each other, The pastor pointed to me and proclaimed prophetically, “You will live and not die; you will live and not die.” Another friend who was at that very time praying for me added the phase “and will proclaim the works of the Lord.” Little did I realize at that time that Psalm 118 verse 17 says the same thing. “I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.” I grabbed onto that verse and have been repeating it daily since then. Two days later I was in Barrie at a Pentecostal service lead by evangelist Bill Prankard. At the end of the service Bill proclaimed over the entire church the words, “You will live and not die.”
My friend Bruce grabbed me to make sure I had heard the same words again and we left rejoicing over what I know and believe is words of  life for me. I started to feel a lot better knowing that the Lord was going to be with me through this ordeal.
As a self-employed gardener, I have never earned a high salary but have always managed to get by, but now at the busiest and most profitable time of the season, I find myself unable to work due to treatments starting in Toronto. How will I manage? How will I pay my rent or my bills with no income other than a small monthly government pension? To my amazement, family and friends rallied around. Cheques and cash arrived to help with my regular bills and offers to help with my cost of expenses for accommodation and drug costs while in Toronto came for my sister and her husband in the UK. Two close friends offered to run my grass cutting business and deposit the revenue directly into my bank account to help keep the bills paid. My brother and his wife sent me a laptop so that I would be able to keep in touch by email and MSN while out-of-town. Other friends offered to come by during the week and look after my very fat cat and a very close friend who is a nurse took time off work to drive me to Toronto for various appointments and help me understand some of the medical terminology. This support was overwhelming.
Six months later after 7 weeks of radiation, 3 sessions of chemotherapy and throat surgery to remove 15 lymph nodes, I am still standing on that scripture from Psalms 118.17. I am also believing that my singing voice will be restored and that I will be able to resume my position with the Gospel Outreach Trio. God is faithful and His word is true and I am so thankful that through this journey He has walked it with me. The results of the pathology tests done on the lymph nodes came back clear – NO CANCER FOUND. Praise the Lord.

I was just thinking…What are you thinking?

I honestly don’t know what you’re thinking as you begin reading this, or what you will think after reading this essay. Nevertheless, my intent is to encourage you in the disciplines of your thought life by applying selective thinking—choosing your thoughts based on biblical truths.

Learning to control your thoughts is a process that leads to freedom from an imprisoned mind shackled by life’s challenges, past experiences, and seemingly senseless situations.
I’m sure you will agree that trying to control thoughts about even the simplest things of everyday life can be wearisome.

For example, when my son, Jonathan was 17 he was sure he’d found his “first and only” love, Bianca. He was charting their month-to-month anniversary on the wall calendar. Their artistic creativity was exchanged through love letters, notes, and on scraps of papers I found throughout the house… (Yes I was a snoop if that’s what you want to call it! But there’s really no “right to privacy” law in my kingdom). Guess what I was thinking? You’re right! Oh, no! This relationship couldn’t be that serious! My mind was flooded with thoughts. What was he thinking? He should be thinking about graduation, college, and career. My thoughts were out of control. I told myself to calm down. If you don’t get control of your thoughts you could become a weary, overprotective mother overwhelmed with anxiety and uncontrollable emotions trying to analyze his reasoning, predict his hormone reactions, and manipulate his thinking process.

The truth is I didn’t really know what he was thinking. Therefore, rather than wasting time trying to manipulate his thoughts and make assumptions, I talked to him. I asked him his thoughts on love and relationships. I told him and showed him what God’s word said, and I personally modeled the way in my attitude and actions. I am not naïve. I knew he was not sharing all his thoughts. Did you share all yours with your parents when you were a teenager? Right…

Nevertheless, my responsibility was to teach him the importance of selective thinking; help him learn how to apply biblical principles in his relationships. It was my responsibility to show him that every aspect of life, especially his personal life, is governed by the power of his thoughts—positive or negative. Ultimately, he must learn to manage his thoughts, or they will become the master of his life good or bad, right or wrong.

Controlling our thoughts through selective thinking empowers us to manage life, endure adversity, and be victorious over every situation.

Let’s consider Apostle Paul as our example along with his instructions recorded in Philippians 4. Although he was imprisoned in a Roman jail, he wrote this letter of encouragement to the church at Philippi. He was definitely in a situation where his perspective could have been distorted by his hardships. Unless he had controlled his thoughts through selective thinking, discouragement and disappointment would have been his daily doses of medicine.

How often do we let unfavorable circumstances be the energy that propels negative thinking? In fact, studying Paul’s life, we learn that we cannot allow our mind to be imprisoned by negative thoughts of adverse circumstances. Using selective thinking to control our thoughts enables us to stay encouraged and encourage others to stand firm through difficulties. If Paul had focused on the “down-side” of his situation and restrained his thoughts to the same, he would have given up on sharing the good news (gospel) of Jesus Christ. No doubt, he would have aborted his divine mission. Instead, he chose to live in God-consciousness—seeing from God’s perspective and relying on his personal knowledge of God. Consequently, he experienced the peace of God in the worst of situations and could help others do the same (Philippians 1:12; 4:4-7). Guess what? We can experience this same peace in the midst of adversity through selective thinking—choosing what we think about.

Paul closed his letter to the Philippians with the formula for securing the peace of God through the application of selective thinking—choosing your thoughts.

Here is what he said, “Finally…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:8).

Also, what I find that’s equally important is Paul’s example of leadership. (v.9, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

As Christians, not only should we be selective in our thoughts but we must remember that our conduct and conversations reveal our thoughts. We are all leaders whether we hold positions and titles or not. We are examples; we are Christian witnesses. Therefore, we must model the way so that others can put into practice what they have learned from us, received or heard from us, and most definitely seen in us. Need I say, we should be modeling Christian character?

Perhaps you’re thinking what a petty example to use my son. But ultimately the point I want to make is this: Even in the simplest things of life we must channel our thoughts so that we add value to our life, our relationships, and our decision-making. Learning to control our thoughts through selective thinking positions and empowers us to offer encouragement, give insight and instructions that lead to purposeful living. After all, what we think is central to who we are, what we do, and how we live.

I was just thinking…
If every Christian accepted a leadership role, by modeling Christ-like character in daily simplistic living, using selective thinking, applying biblical principles, and obeying the Word of God, we could change what the “world” thinks about Christ. And the Presence, Peace, and Power of God would be manifested in and through us to advance the Kingdom of God.

I was just thinking…
What are you thinking?

©2007 Queen E. F. Phillips, Majestic Publishing

HAPPY MONDAY

I pray all is well with everyone, and you’re enjoying the beginning of another workweek. I’m doing well, enjoying the beautiful weather. Yesterday’s it was almost 75°F and sunny. The rain was dominating the region for the last few days, but we were rewarded at the end. I’ve been hearing really good reviews about the movie “Precious”; I read the novel it was based upon ”Push”, so I could imagine how good the movie is. It’s hard to imagine that children endure such cruel treatment, and most of the people who saw it were deeply saddened, and some were disturbed. It truly brings abuse, neglect, incest, and illiteracy to light, just to name a few. Some say it’s based upon a true story, and we really need to pray for our children. I appreciate the writers and producers for bringing this story to life; it makes people take a long hard look at their surroundings. This will either make you drop to you knees and thank God that you didn’t have to endure such treatment, or it’ll make you do your best to change your circumstances. Please continue to pray for our world, and most of all our children. Have a wonderful day, and be blessed family!

Today’s scriptures are about the truth through God’s Word. I try to convey, in every devotional, the importance of reading and understanding the Word of God. This is the only way we’ll know what He expects of, as well as promise, us in this life. We must study the Word of God, as if our life depended on it, because it does. There is no better way to gain wisdom then to read the Holy Bible daily. This book was written, translated, and simplified through the Spirit of God Himself. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the book and it’s validity, yet it’s proven time and time again as truth. I was watching the previews of a new documentary called “Religulous”, and in it Bill Maher travels to numerous religious destinations, and interviews various people with Religious backgrounds, to try to seek out some truth. I have not seen this film, but I am interested in seeing it. In the previews the Interviewer is trying to get people to confirm their Faith, by answering conflicting questions. There are some people who believe that the Holy Bible is the full truth, some who only believe in the teachings of Jesus, and then there are people that say the book wasn’t correctly translated, because it was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and some in Latin. It’s said that the English version may not be true, because it was translated man, and changed to say what that writer wanted to say. God is the creator, and is greater than anyone or anything on this earth, and He gave His word, the Holy Bible as a handbook to life. It was originally written by Him through man, as well as translated and updated by Him through man. There will always be people who doubt the Word of God, and try to discredit it, and the only way you’ll know for yourself is by seeking the wisdom it takes to better understand it. God could only be understood on a Spiritual level hence the reason we’re baptized with the Holy Spirit when we’re saved. The Bible is God’s living Word, as it’s written: For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) There is no Law written that’s above it, and the only way to live the abundant life that God has intended us to live is by seeking Him. I was reading Psalms 69, written by King David, and he starts off humbling himself to God, and repents. King David wrote this Psalm to make his case to God, as well as teach those of us who will follow in His footsteps. One of my favorites verses in this Psalm is: The humble shall see this and be glad; and you who seek God, your hearts shall live. Out of this truth David gave something to encourage and guide us. Without the Holy Spirit, it’s merely impossible to get out of the Word what God intended for us. He gives us all of these real life stories, that teaches us from the experience of other followers. He gives us an account of the punishments, as well as the rewards (pros and cons), of following or disobeying His commandments. We receive a glimpse of Heaven and a preview of hell; everything we need to gain the right knowledge and understanding is found there. The only way to rise above the hatred, pain, and evil that plague the earth is to fill yourself with God’s promises of love, life, and salvation. The only way to get to a point of Peace that surpasses all understanding is by seeking the truth through His word. I write everyday in hopes to rely these important points, salvation is free to all who asks through the blood of Jesus Christ, confess and repent for sins often, and study and meditate on God’s Word to stay on the path of Righteousness. If you don’t take anything else out of this, I pray you get those three major points. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, seek Him now and everything else will fall into place, but don’t solely take my word for it, seek the truth for yourself. My favorite verses today are: My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. (Job 23:11-12)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455152&dtype=Scripture

http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197

http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5569835&ct=7613849

I love you!

Sarah Palin, Sarah Palin, Sarah Palin. That’s all I’ve been hearing for the past few days. Yes, I know, she has a new book out. Why is she still being covered so rampantly by so many media outlets? Didn’t her ticket, which she was the lesser portion of, lose last November? We’re not still hearing about everything John McCain says or does. So why Palin?

Well for one, she is easy to pick on. She has a level of wit that I think is below even former President Bush and she has shown time and again that she has sympathy for crazed ideas like the dinosaurs walking alongside humans  around 4,000 years ago or that the rapture is coming within her lifetime. It is sad that someone with these views can come that close to public office, but now she’s a media favorite. At first glance she may be likable, but I can’t believe how easy it is to get a book deal today. Sadly, it will sell and she will get more supporters for it.

Here is a great take on her from Christopher Hitchens via Andrew Sullivan’s blog:

Sarah Palin appears to have no testable core conviction except the belief (which none of her defenders denies that she holds, or at least has held and not yet repudiated) that the end of days and the Second Coming will occur in her lifetime.

Well said, Christopher. As scary as the thought of Palin is to someone like me, recent polls show that around 50 percent of Americans still do not accept Darwin’s theory of evolution. It is no wonder she can get attention. For the average gun-loving Christian male, Sarah Palin is a good looking politician who shares the same views. And as many noticed during the campaign, the ploy by McCain to pick Palin as a running mate was likely an attempt at attracting the Hillary supporters after she lost the Democratic bid to Obama.

I can understand the media attraction to her, but it still gives me an ill feeling in my stomach. I read an article recently saying that Mrs. Clinton was willing to sit down to coffee with her. As much as I don’t like Hillary, I can acknowledge the fact that Palin would be way out of her league when up against the current Secretary of State. Which brings up the point, why is Clinton wasting her time having coffee with someone who is more of an entertainer than a serious political figure? Shouldn’t she be worrying about our foreign relations?

This Palin nonsense is not going away anytime soon. It is present in all mediums of journalism and news, both positive and negative, and as long as Palin keeps talking or tweeting, journalists are going to jump on it. We are only witnessing the beginning of the Sarah Palin extravaganza.

To become more like something, you must spend time studying, learning, meditating, doing everything to be that something. If you aim to be like someone, you spend time with that person, fellowship with that person, study that person, learn everything you can about that person. As a Christian, I am claiming to be a “little Christ”. I do aim to be like Him. I want people to see Him when they look at me. I do want and wish and hope that as I grow older, I become more like Him, not less like Him. Yet, how do I spend my time? Do I spend quality time with Him? Do I study Him? Do I try to learn EVERYTHING I can about Him? Do I meditate on Him and who He is? Do I try to model my every behavior after Him. No. Sadly, I don’t. It is so easy to say “I want to be like Christ, but not so easy to put in the time and effort. How I do want to be like Him. When will I do my part to get there? No, I will never reach my goal, to be exactly like Him. But it is the goal I should set before me. I should aim for it. I should do my best to get there. I should run this race, letting go and taking off everything that hinders me. Everything that makes it too heavy for me to run the race. Too often, I set before me “temporary goals” that replace my ultimate goal, or interfere with me getting there. As this blog states, I am a single woman in my 20’s. There are so many tempting goals before me as my “ultimate goal” that become tempting. Being attractive, being successful, being wanted, being in a relationship, being …(fill in the blank). None of these things are bad. All of these things can be good. However, when they become my goal instead of being like Christ, that is the problem. That is when it becomes the “sin that so easily entangles me”. That is when I need to shed me of myself and refocus on the ultimate goal so that I might receive the prize. How often I lose my focus. If only I never took my eyes off the finish line.

This post contains a few quotes from the Prophet Joseph Smith. I invite you to read them with a honest and humble heart. Then afterwords ask yourself how did you feel when reading them? Pray about what is being said. These are words direct from the first modern day Prophet. I humbly ask that you treat them with respect.

“The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it. But in connection with these, we believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost, the power of faith, the enjoyment of the spiritual gifts according to the will of God, the restoration of the house of Israel, and the final triumph of truth” (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 2007, 45-50).

“We deem it a just principle, and it is one the force of which we believe ought to be duly considered by every individual, that all men are created equal, and that all have the privilege of thinking for themselves upon all matters relative to conscience. Consequently, then, we are not disposed, had we the power, to deprive any one of exercising that free independence of mind which heaven has so graciously bestowed upon the human family as one of its choicest gifts” (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 2007, 344-345).

“God Himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by His power, was to make Himself visible,—I say, if you were to see Him today, you would see Him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with Him, as one man talks and communes with another” (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 2007, 40).

“We take the sacred writings into our hands, and admit that they were given by direct inspiration for the good of man. We believe that God condescended to speak from the heavens and declare His will concerning the human family, to give them just and holy laws, to regulate their conduct, and guide them in a direct way, that in due time He might take them to Himself, and make them joint heirs with His Son” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 2007, 66).

Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon see Christ and testify that He lives:

“And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and received of his fulness;…

“And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

“For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—

“That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” (D&C 76:20,22–24).

“I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book” (Book of Mormon, Introduction).

Former Miss America contestant Carrie Prejean’s boobs are full of faith, according to E! Online.

Outspoken homophobe with pageant-bought boobs explains, “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with getting breast implants as a Christian. I think it’s a personal decision. I don’t see anywhere in the Bible where it says you shouldn’t get breast implants.”

Nothing says Jesus loves me more than a full-figured tanned body in a bright white bikini.

Smug brain dead zombie idiot for the imaginary mass murderer in the sky.

Patriarch Pavle Stojčević of Serbia (1914-2009)

A delegation headed by Metropolitan Philaret Vakhromeyev of Minsk and Slutsk, the Patriarchal Exarch for All Belarus, shall represent the MP at the funeral of Patriarch Paul of Serbia on 19 November in Belgrade, Hieromonk Filipp Ryabykh, the deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations told RIA-Novosti on Monday. “His Holiness Patriarch Kirill blessed a delegation headed by Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk to go to Serbia [to attend the funeral of Patriarch Pavle]. Amongst its members are two clergymen of the Belarusian Exarchate, Archpriest Nikolai, the secretary of the Exarchate, and Hierodeacon Antony, who shall assist the bishops. Fr Igor Yakimchuk, acting Secretary-General for Inter-Orthodox relations will represent the MP Department of External Church Relations”, Fr Filipp said. He went on to say that the MP delegation would concelebrate with clergy of the Serbian Church [at the funeral].

“Relations between the MP and the Serbian Church are very warm; they have been friendly for many centuries. The late Patriarch Pavle made a great contribution to their development”, Fr Filipp said. He pointed up that the 44^th First Hierarch of the Serbian Church repeatedly visited Russia. “Russian Orthodox believers believe that he was a good pastor, a man of genuine prayer, and a friend of the Russian Church and Russia as a whole”, Fr Filipp concluded.

Patriarch Pavle headed the Serbian Orthodox Church since 1990. Upon the death of Patriarch Pavle, the Holy Synod of the Serbian Church formally elected Metropolitan Amfilohije Radović of Montenegro and Primorsky Locum Tenens of the Serbian patriarchal throne. Over the past year-and-a-half, as the patriarch was seriously ill, Metropolitan Amfilohije actually led the Serbian Orthodox Church and was effectual chairman of the Holy Synod. As reported on Monday by the MP Press Service, referring to the official website of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Holy Synod of the Serbian Church elected Metropolitan Amfilohije at an emergency meeting on Sunday night, less than 24 hours after the death of His Holiness Pavle. A Local Council of the Serbian Church shall hold an election of a new patriarch, and 40 days must pass after the death of His Holiness Patriarch Pavle before the Church can hold it.

16 November 2009

Olga Lipich

RIA-Novosti

http://www.rian.ru/religion/20091116/194012524.html

Hey all, I’ve been grounded recently and I haven’t updated in awhile, like I said, grounded and I’ve been working on Z-Day ideas and drafts. If you guys haven’t read it or heard about it yet, its a book about the zombie apocalypse Will (my good friend) and I are writing. Check it out. zdaynovel.wordpress.com

Okay, that out of the way, I want to talk about Uprise of the Fallen. Okay most of the members from this band has or still goes to my school. I saw them live when I went to see my friend Tony’s band, Backslash,  play at the Northhampton Pavilion.  I knew their old bassist at the time who is in my Theater Tech class and he was in the band when I went to see them. Okay, this band sounds a lot like UnderOath without the good singing. On their myspace, it doesn’t sound as bad, but when I saw them live, I couldn’t help but grimace and look in the other direction. The vocalists voice kept cracking (and how the fuck do you crack in screamo anyway?!) and they all moved in sync like it was fucking Britney Spears dance off.

Jacob, if you read this, (the old bassist) I’m glad you left, they SUCKED! Honestly, and if you’re any good, you can do much better. Oh and grow your hair back out. Hahaha. Kthks.

Oh, and their Christian. Ew.

KTLIOADJ

myspace.com/upriseofthefallen

myspace.com/backslashrocks (Tony’s band, check them out, they are really good.)

I know a guy named Greg who knows a lot about cars. I know nothing about cars. Sure, I know how to drive one, depending on who you ask, but the mechanics? What makes them run, or how to repair them, things to look out for? Nada. When it comes to those things I am clueless. Now when a situation came up, where I needed some help in this area, Greg is the man I go to. Why? Because Greg loves cars and has this incredible knowledge. I know this the same way anyone would after spending time with Greg. He talks about cars. He uses a lot of analogies and they are usually about cars. He likes music about cars. He reads books about cars. He sees cars EVERYWHERE. Now Greg never tries to convert me into a car lover. He never tries to make me see cars through his lens. He also knows he could overwhelm me at times with his level of expertise and is always sensitive to that. But when I need to know something about cars, he is the man to ask.

Why is it so hard sometimes to have this kind of passion for Jesus? Why do we scare people or intimidate people when we want to share Him? I had to ask myself why I can’t be more like Greg and his cars and start seeing Jesus everywhere. Why can’t I be so in love with Jesus that when people are seeking purpose, when they are seeking love, that maybe they would talk to me so that I can point to Him? And so I did. I didn’t replace normal conversation topics with Jesus, but I stopped holding back. It might be in a story, something I learned during Bible study, praying for someone. It’s amazing how naturally He can weave into conversation if you open your heart and voice to Him.

Glorious
Paul Baloche 

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