i completely forgot about this image i pulled off (i think) the cool hunter. this tennessee complex might even have the trailer park across from the santa monica beachfront beat. at the very least, it’s got spunk. i claim the grey and white one up top (i do love me a corner window).

{image via the cool hunter (?)}

Impressive enough as a mighty act of grafitti, this specimen is lifted into a whole new dimension thanks to the genius addition of a Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference sticker.

Sadly, I can’t quite make out what tastes so different on this occasion. One can only hope that it’s a fine sausage.

As so often, thanks are due to the Knobfinder General.

I think that there are some things people value more than anything else in this world. Truly and furiously, I believe that my value is placed on areas where I can sometimes get trapped and overwhelmed with potential. Let me explain why I chose to enter the military service, why I chose to go the path of the green soldier instead of the Gold trimmed officer… I see that in the green soldiers tend to suffer more often than not, and on top of that, green seems to always get the worst hand in many situations. However, the respect green gets is stunning to most… 2 and half years down my green career, I have gone through 2 potential career threatening situations, 2 of which I maintained my tact and military bearing with whom I chose to keep my nose cleaner than the average Joe… Yes, I was called onto my 1SG desk to get asked a series of questions regarding the great army career killer known as a lack of punctuation; that being something that I always believed was something I had. Figures on time is actually 15 minutes early and “civilians On-Time” is considered to be 15 minutes late. One has to love what being green teaches you.

• Disappointment is just another condition which guides you towards happiness
• Decorations are things that make your chest feel too heavy and maneuverability is decreased hence the more you have the less battle ready you are during ceremonies…
• Punctuation is more than an expression ending a sentence for another to begin, it’s a life or death scenario for the army
• Lust is an object of great hatred and fire filling sex oriented demon with potential to destroy overall morale of troops…
• Excitement for change is not encouraged for when change comes so often you may start to feel like an idiot for jumping too early…
• Seniority does not include how old you are, but in fact how much decorated ranks are on your chest or shoulders… Sorry 40 y/o E-4s.. you are not senior to anything besides civilians…
• Army strength is addressed by how ready us green monsters are; truly and honestly we welcome any idiot to fight us; we are so ready for you that we practically hallucinate your arrival.. oh yea, that’s right
• Cowards are just individual people that refuse to get with the program and decide they want to do their own thing, a shout out to the retarded major that went ballistic, way to go dude, you really embarrassed yourself
• Embarrassment is just another feeling that we really do not feel; honestly, if you were there for half the stories we tell, you can pretty much say we have a SUPER SHIELD over our heads…
• Shield is just an old traditional piece of armor we used to carry to endure that we can at least survive the swings that the enemy throws at us.. of course we have to see it before we can block it… hmm
• Tradition is something that we as Green man must protect and sacrifice for when and if you are called to the stage for which the decision is actually yours.
• Sacrifice is something that we do, and sometimes do not even know it!
• Knowledge is one key factor that the gold always has over the green… Gold says we have to get this done while knowing the true and big picture while we green say.. YES SIR!!! / MAM!!!
• Yes sir/mam is our way of saying Roger that, or good copy, but more or less says who we are as green men….
• Green is obviously the army’s favorite color! Just imagine we call our selves the green machine; though I wonder why we always say we are getting fucked by the green giant…
• Green Giant is in fact what we call our heavy chain of command… but the sad part is that the green giant is in fact gold… or should i say.. SILVER!!! OH what a scary thought!
• Silver is that hidden color that we only see when 1. we are in trouble, 2. are getting into a tight one, or 3. getting recognition for something…
• Trouble is our middle name in the green society, and ladies yes, we are available .. whats that? coming honey ha inside joke…
• Inside jokes are like a wildfire, you see when one realizes that they are no longer in the inside, they really push to be in, so what the hell; the more the funnier, right? wrong!
• Realization is something that we rarely come to, all we worry about is getting our job done so we can go back to our loving and faithful wives to spend some alone time… (another myth)
• Myth, military women are faithful… true, many of them are because they were just too good at what they did. Talk about morale booster… HA!
• Faithful is what we will forever be to the power which guides us onto the battlefield… To the end sweet love, to the end… which our wives were like this….
• Power is something that I shouldn’t really have to define, the green knows they have it; the gold love em but at the same time envy it, and the silver… well… they are just above that word… more like supreme…!!!
• Supreme is a pizza from you local pizzeria which has a shit ton of topics on it, green machine loves pizza… other than that, no relation really….
• Relation is something special which we the green build our strength from.. we relate to just about everything… I lost my puppy too :’(
• Strength… Man… the gym is kicking my ass!
• Gym is the green mans favorite location … what a workout.

Well I can say that the above definitions of what we the green value has been helpful to some in understanding where we come from… As for me, off to the promotion board!

Welcome back, brothers and sisters!!!

Do you love your enemies?  Do you have compassion for those that ridicule you, cheat you, and look for ways to wrong you?  How do you respond to their attacks and vitriol?

Do you respond with love and forgiveness as Christ Jesus tells us to respond, and as He modeled perfectly for us?  If you don’t then you are disappointing your Master.  I know that it can be particularly hard to forgive and love those who wrong you.  From my personal experience, I am all too familiar with just how hard this can be.  However, I also understand the futility of saying, “I know I should forgive them, but…”.  Beloved, qualified forgiveness is no forgiveness at all.  It’s much like someone who almost trusts you.  They either trust you, or they don’t.  In that same vein, we either offer complete and unconditional forgiveness, or we are not offering forgiveness at all.

Several months ago I was a target of vilification from a group of individuals that were doing everything they could to tear me down and break me.  They used deception, lies, insults, threats, and many different forms of under-handed attacks.  In past years when someone would play these games with me, I was very quick to counter by systemically taking my own swings back at them until they would completely give up.  Though I was very adept at doing so, I was not proud of my ability to “take someone down a peg”.  Nothing positive ever came from it.

Well, as this situation developed and got more vicious (it lasted over 6 months) I became angrier and angrier.  I began to plot exactly how I would make these people pay for their attacks.  Before I implemented my counterattacks, however, something happened.  The more I prayed and shared my burdens and my anger with the Lord, the more I began to feel ashamed for my lust for revenge.  That feeling led me to do something I had never done under such extreme persecution before;  I tried to look at those attacking me through the Lord’s eyes. 

When I did that, beloved, my heart broke for my persecutors.  I no longer saw people who were trying to hurt me.  Instead, I saw a bunch of lost “children” who had been tricked into doing the evil one’s will.  I also realized that if I struck back at them in the manner I had planned, then I would also be doing the evil one’s will.

The moment this realization washed over me, I prayed to the Lord and apologized for the anger that I had allowed to burn hotter and hotter inside of me and for the bad intentions I had planned to respond to these people with.  I also pled with the Lord to forgive the people that had been persecuting me.  I asked that He would open their eyes, ears, and hearts to see the error of their ways so that they might be reconciled unto Him and His will.  I forgave every single one of them that had wronged me, and I felt a strong love burning for them deep within me.  For some time thereafter I prayed for them each and every day, hoping that they would come to Christ and repent of their evil deeds.  I still pray for them on a frequent basis.

Since I began to feel compassion for my persecutors and began praying for them, I have no longer carried the burdens and anger that their persecution initially brought on.  I came to realize that I could only carry so much.  I could either carry those burdens and that incredible anger, or I could carry love and forgivenss.  You see, beloved, we cannot carry both.  We cannot serve the Lord God Almighty by doing the evil one’s work.  I let go of those destructive feelings, so that I could allow all of my being to be filled with the Lord’s love and grow in faith.  By responding to their attackes with forgiveness, and responding to their hate with love, I have lived my faith rather than just speaking it.

Through this experience, the Lord has refined me in faith much further.  While the latest actions of my persecutors show that they have not yet turned to the Lord, I will continue to pray that they will eventually see the error of their ways, repent, and be reconciled unto God.  Though having to separate myself from the situation meant that I no longer would get to work closely with people that I dearly cared about, I was able to do so knowing that on that great day of the Lord, I will be reunited with my friends of faith for all of eternity.  Thank you, Lord!!!

Beloved, don’t fall into the trap of thinking, “Well, I should forgive them, but…”!  There are no “exceptions/buts”.  Judgment does not belong to us.  The Lord handles judgment.  Vengeance belongs to the Lord, so it is not our place to dish it out.  Furthermore, carrying a grudge/resentment will only serve to put distance between you and the Lord.  Is whatever wrong someone committed against you worth turning away from God?  No!!!  Just as Jesus forgave all of us of our wrongs/sins, as faithful servants of the Lord we are to forgive all that offend/attack us as well.

Remember that Jesus made this point when He asked what we gained by only loving those that already love us.  Beloved, is striking back at someone in anger proof of Christ’s love?  No!!!  That’s not what He taught us.  Turning the other cheek is not just some abstract concept.  It is the very instruction that our Lord and Savior gave to us.  He did not qualify that instruction by telling us to follow it only part of the time.  We are to follow the Lord’s instructions all of the time.

Love your enemies, beloved.  They don’t deserve your love, but by responding with love and forgiveness you may just be able to plant a seed that eventually leads them to be reconciled unto the Lord.  You see, beloved, if you expect people to want to be filled with Christ, the portrait you paint in the manner that you live should be a portrait that shines brightly with the Lord’s light.  If people see someone that’s always angry, bitter, resentful, and lashing out, are they going to feel compelled to seek after that which fills them?  No!!!  However, when we respond with the incredible strength and power displayed only through unconditional love, complete forgiveness, and steadfast faith, then people are drawn to learn more about what fills you with such assurance, peace, and joy.  This will help to encourage them to repent of their sins and turn their life over to the Lord.  Remember, beloved, we were just as lost as they are now at an earlier point in our own lives, before we received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  Let’s not break our Father’s heart by making Him watch His children attack each other with hateful and hurtful intrigues.  Let’s make His day by showing Him our love, faith, and obedience by following the example that He set for us.

Precious one, if you have not yet received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, but you would sincerely like to, then please pray the following prayer:

“Lord God Almighty, I know that I am a sinner and that I am lost.  I know that I need to be saved from sin, but I also know that I can’t save myself.  Lord Jesus, I know that only You can save me.  I know that you paid for my salvation with your own life and blood on the cross.  I know that when You rose from the grave on the third day, you provided everlasting life to all who trust in You.  Right now, I lay down my life and let go of my pride, my vanity and every other sin that has kept me from You.  Lord Jesus, I now completely trust my life to You.  I open my heart to You, Lord.  Please come into my heart.  Please forgive me of all of my sins, and please accept me as Your child.  From this point on, I commit my life to You.  Please guide me and provide me strength as I begin to live the rest of my life for You.  In Your precious and matchless name I pray. Amen.”

I you just prayed that prayer, honestly seeking the Lord, then you are now saved.  The robe of righteousness is now available unto you through your Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ.  Though you will still face adversity in this world, you now have the Lord with you to face and overcome anything that comes your way.  Dedicate yourself to your new relationship with the Lord by talking to Him often through prayer, while also studying His word.  Ask the Lord to guide your every path, and follow the path that He sets before you.  I would further encourage you to seek out opportunities for fellowship with other believers.  Serve the Lord with all your heart, and always seek His will in all things.  Welcome to the family:-)  Know that the angels in heaven are rejoicing at your decision to give your life to the Lord today!!!

I want to thank you all for joining today’s discussion.  I hope you will be able to join us for Friday’s day of prayer so that we can unleash the power of the Lord through prayer over this week’s prayer requests.

Remember, if you would like to order the new book “Strapping On the Whole Armor of God – Suiting Up For Spiritual Warfare), please visit my website at http://www.yourbrotherinchrist.com .  If you prefer to order by mail, you will also find the mailing address on that website.  This book is very valuable in helping people understand how to go about securely and effectively putting on the whole armor of God that the apostle Paul refers to in Chapter 6 of Ephesians.  We are praying that many people will receive this book and be blessed in their walk with the Lord by reading it.

May the Lord bless you, keep you, guide you, and make His face to shine upon you and your loved ones always.

Your brother in Christ,

Rev Jason Thurwanger

OH. MY. GOD. He deserves a standing ovation.

In this competitive world we live in, I have never seen such a response to advertisement, as the way sex or sex oriented images have had on people. Truly deceptive and at times rather annoying; I find that most of the advertisement out there deals with a girl in a bikini speaking of your great and fine selection. Do not get me wrong, there in me lies an understanding that our attention span has some what become less active for less time because I too am no exception to how I must be captured. But then you have the links on  a web page. Half the time I click on one by mere accident and quickly report back to the website I was in to finish what ever I was doing… Not quite sure how well those work but as long as 50/ more % of people go back to your site to see what it was they skipped then hey… I’m all for it….. but wouldn’t it be great to have a sexy woman on your cover page to keep the people just browsing around to find another one hidden within your fine selection of pages? Then there are Billboards; I remember as a little kid loving the large pictures of famous people all around my wonderful city of Miami. The images were so .. SO… Perfect. Not a spot of anything that resembled a mistake… That is till of course I went to school and my educational level increased with a sense of grammar enthusiasm if you will… Some, but not most of the billboards I saw after this transformation were what I call grammatically challenged… I mean I am no expert or anything; I just know that: Their should not be in place of there, or were should never replace where…. Small things like that…

Just a thought…

Put a naked model on the billboard and I would definitely not care about there mistake.    <—- if you didn’t notice, I cleverly used one of the common mistakes in the last sentence.. Can you guess where?

It’s a brisk December day.  The sun is out and I mapped a 7 mile route that is composed of hills… sunshine… smiles… and miles…  And the only rules today are: “Have Fun and chase the sun!”

The arms, legs, lungs, mind and weather all came together in perfect harmony to produce THE run.  THE run where your mind and body remind you of your passion for running.  You breath in deeply the changing air, while your thoughts wander away from the unpredictable Dow, the snowy weather sure to chill you out, or work related stress.  You fall into a meditative mood where you are able to appreciate the beauty of simply running on a brisk December day.  The exuberance of this runner manifests itself through a steady pace and a bright smile…

A Steady Pace...

Today’s run, is the run I describe to anyone who dares to ask, “why do you run?”  It leaves me feeling strong, inspired, motivated and empowered.  The youthful spring in my step and the feeling of being mobile and alive cannot be dampened.  Each stride moving me forward with thoughtful reflection of where my running has taken me, and where it has yet to lead me…

I did have fun and I did chase the sun for 9.5 miles over an hour and 15 minutes.  I did not catch that sun today, but tomorrow I’ll wake up a runner and try again!

Go out and empower your inner runner!

Run Happy!  SMILE!

“Running is a gift I give myself almost daily.” -Arthur Blank

“Anybody running beats anybody walking, and anybody walking beats anybody sitting.” -unknown

Do you let yourself off the hook when you know you didn’t really try? I have to admit, I have.

As I was feeling sorry for myself the other day, it struck me… I do not push myself enough, challenge myself.. I talk about it, I think about it, but I don’t actually do it!  When I talk about pushing myself I don’t mean it in a bad way, It’s not a you are not doing good enough type of way.. It is in a way where i know , I mean I really know that I am not challenging myself to live up to the potential that I know I have, not even close.

I constantly talk to myself ( yes, I talk to myself, don’t you?) about how I want more creativity and there are these ideas I have, things I want to learn , to do , to create… But I do not challenge myself for any length of time.. I give myself constant excuses as to why I can’t, that I will when_____ .. But really all of that is only a way to talk myself out of what I want because, well all sorts of reasons, fear mostly..

That stops, right here, right now… Today I will journal about my vision and not hold back, I will create something and I will have an Inspired Plan of Action of what and how I want to challenge myself for the month of December!  I will put excuses aside, and be open to what it is that I am here to do!  Maybe I start in small ways, maybe I make huge leaps, either way I keep my eyes on the prize, to live my potential, my joy and to live full of inspiration!

Where can you push yourself more? If you are hard on yourself, then stop to ask yourself and answer honestly, is what you are pushing yourself towards what you really want to create?

I will be sharing more of my journey with you as I go… Please feel free to share your journey with me..

Here is to living Inspired, Creative and Empowered on your terms, and to living in and exceeding  your potential!

Welcome back, brothers and sisters.

It is not often that we hear people talk about humility as a blessing.  Oftentimes, humility is mentioned in a negative way.  For example, I’m sure you’ve heard people talk about the “lesson of humility” in a negative vein, right, as though it was an experience that one would want to avoid?  Interestingly, the truth is that we all need to learn the lesson of humility at least once in our life, and in some cases more than once.  Why?  Beloved, humility brings us closer to the Lord.  Humility is a quality that Satan does not have.  Why?  It’s simple really.  Humility is the polar opposite of pride.

Think about it, brothers and sisters.  Pride results in people puffing themselves up.  Prideful people create an enhanced and unrealistically flattering vision of themselves.  They have to believe that they are better than others so that their elevated view of themselves is maintained.  A person filled with pride is almost impossible to teach, as their pride won’t allow them to admit that they need help to grow.  Someone filled with pride has a tendency to repeat mistakes of the past due to their unwillingness to learn from anyone other than themselves.  Even if 20 other people have made the same mistake, all to their own detriment, the prideful person will think they can do the same thing without the adverse consequences.  Why?  Because they believe that others that may have tried the same thing and failed are somehow inferior to them.  Their superiority complex will rarely allow consideration of the reality that the same limitations that apply to others also applies to them.

Humility, on the other hand, is quite different.  Humility often goes hand in hand with meekness.  A humble person sees themselves as they really are.  They are lowly in heart, not esteeming themselves any better than others.  As a matter of fact, they often esteem themselves even less than they esteem others.  The meekness found in a person that is truly humble is a key quality that results in submission to God’s will rather than their own.  A humble person is a willing student as the enormous barriers that pride throws up never enter into the equation.  A person filled with humility is not nearly as likely to repeat mistakes made previously, as they tend to learn from previous mistakes.  When they err, the humble person will acknowledge their error/shortcoming, and they will be open to understanding what they needed to do differently.

Is it possible to have a strong Christian walk in life while being an incredibly proud person?  No, it is not.  Why is that?  Well, beloved, an extremely prideful person is focused on themselves and on doing what they need to do to maintain or further enlarge the image of themselves that they are trying to project.  They esteem their own will in doing so as a more of a priority than God’s will.  A humble person subjugates their own will to God’s will, opting to seek His will before their own. 

Beloved, their are two great examples that come to mind that clearly demonstrate the difference between pride and humility.  Acting as the eternal poster boy for pride and selfishness is none other than Satan.  Think about it.  Satan always puts his own will first.  He rebelled against fulfilling God’s will due to thinking that doing so would somehow diminish his own greatness while also magnifying the truth that there is One greater than him. 

On the flip side, our champion of humility and meekness is none other than Jesus Christ.  That’s right, beloved, the greatest example of humility and meekness that we have is none other than the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Was Jesus meek?  Yes, He submitted himself to His Father’s will by accepting to suffer the cross in order to fulfill God’s plan.  Jesus is the purest picture of humility that we will ever have.  Consider the following words of Jesus:

“Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” – Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)

Here is another quote from when Jesus was praying to God the Father in the garden of Gethsemane shortly before Judas betrayed Him to the authorities.  Jesus knew the horrors He would have to suffer if He fell into the hands of the authorities, and the following quotes part of His prayer to the Father that very night:

“And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, ‘Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but thine, be done.’” – Luke 22:41-42 (KJV)

Beloved, this is the only begotten Son of God!!!  He could have called down legions of angels to deliver himself, but instead He was humble and meek enough to submit to His Father’s will.  Consider what the apostle Paul said in the following:

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” – Philippians 2:5-8 (KJV)

Thank the Lord for humility!!!  Humility is truly a wonderful quality for each of us to have.  How does humility bring us closer to God?  Consider the following:

• How are we to hunger and thirst after righteousness unless we acknowledge that we are not righteous on our own? 
• Those who are meek have needed gentleness themselves.  Humility means willingly acknowledging that need. 
• If you do not recognize your own need for mercy, then how likely are you to be merciful to others?  Humility enables you to admit your sins, repent, and seek the Lord’s forgiveness.  In doing so, we receive His forgiveness and so much more:-)
• It takes humility to admit and own your mistakes.  To be willing and able to admit our own mistakes is a key ingredient to enabling us to be effect peacemakers.
• You cannot have purity of heart if you heart is full of foolish pride.
• How can we grow in our faith and walk with the Lord, unless we are honest about our need for such growth.  Humility is the acknowledgement of that need.
• To stand firm as a Christian means being willing to give all in order to serve Christ.  Christians that live for Christ undergo various forms of persecution (i.e. slander, undue criticism, false imprisonment, physical harm, emotional/mental abuse, etc.).  In order to make such a stand requires the humility of submitting to God’s will and putting Him first, at the expense of a harder existence in this world that we presently live in.

How does God view humility?  While there are many different excerpts in the bible that illustrate God’s view of humility, we will list just a few here.  Consider the following scriptures:

“By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, and honour, and life.” – Proverbs 22:4 (KJV)

“[When] pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly [is] wisdom.” – Proverbs 11:2 (KJV)

“[He that is] despised, and hath a servant, [is] better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.” – Proverbs 12:9 (KJV)

“The fear of the LORD [is] the instruction of wisdom; and before honour [is] humility.” – Proverbs 15:33 (KJV)

“Better [it is to be] of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” – Proverbs 16:19 (KJV)

“Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.  Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.  Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.  Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God.  Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.  Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” – Matthew 5:3-11 (KJV)

Beloved, the last quote in that list is a quote from Jesus’ sermon on the Mount.  When you look at each of the statements He makes in that quote, you can see the need for humility and meekness as a central underpinning to every group He is speaking of.  I pray that all who read this message are filled with humility and draw closer to the Lord by continually seeking and submitting to His will.

If you have not yet given your life to Christ Jesus, but you would like to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior right now, please join me in praying the following prayer:

“Lord God Almighty, I know that I am a sinner and that I am lost.  I know that I need to be saved from sin, but I also know that I can’t save myself.  Lord Jesus, I know that only You can save me.  I know that you paid for my salvation with your own life and blood on the cross.  I know that when You rose from the grave on the third day, you conquered death and provided everlasting life to all who trust in You.  Right now, I lay down my life and let go of my pride, my vanity and every other sin that has kept me from You.  Lord Jesus, I now completely trust my life to You.  I open my heart to You, Lord.  Please come into my heart.  Please forgive me of all of my sins, and please accept me as Your child.  From this point on, I commit my life to You.  Please guide me and provide me strength as I begin to live the rest of my life for You.  In Your precious and matchless name I pray.  Amen.”

Beloved, if you just sincerely prayed that prayer, then you are now born-again in Jesus ChristJ  Welcome to the family!!!  You will still have many trials/problems to face in this world, but you will never again face them alone.  With the Lord God Almighty on your side, all problems just became manageableJ  I would encourage you to get to know the Lord better by spending a few minutes each day studying His word (bible), communicating with Him frequently through prayer, and by seeking other Christians to have some fellowship with.  All of these things will help you to grow spiritually in your new relationship with the Lord.  Remember, from this point forward your life should reflect who you serve, and you serve Jesus Christ as your Lord and SaviorJ  Praise God!!!

Thank you all for joining us for today’s discussion.  I hope you will be able to join us for Thursday’s message. 

As always, if you have a prayer request you would like us to join you in prayer over, please don’t hesitate to send it to us either through the “Comments” box on this page, or by emailing me directly at jasonthurwanger @ dellmail.com.  We will maintain your privacy.

Remember, if you would like to order the new book “Strapping On the Whole Armor of God – Suiting Up For Spiritual Warfare), please visit my website at http://www.yourbrotherinchrist.com .  If you prefer to order by mail, you will also find the mailing address on that website.  This book is very valuable in helping people understand how to go about securely and effectively putting on the whole armor of God that the apostle Paul refers to in Chapter 6 of Ephesians.  We are praying that many people will receive this book and be blessed in their walk with the Lord by reading it.

Have a wonderful and blessed rest of the day!!!

May the Lord bless you, keep you, guide you, and make His face to shine upon you and your loved ones always.

Your brother in Christ,

Rev Jason Thurwanger

This is my temporary home
It’s not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I’m passing through
This is just a stop on the way to where I’m going
I’m not afraid because I know
This is my temporary home

-Carrie Underwood – Temporary Home -

Credits
Hair: >TRUTH< Ann – coffee
Hair Accessory: G Field – Hibiscus Hair Clip -red-
Hair Braid: ~Scribble~ Braid Crown Brown / Messy (Past 50L Friday Item)
Pipe: [ glow ] Studio Smoke Pipe B&W / B
Skin: FS Skin – Fiona Glow (Brown Gloss)(Shaved)
Shawl: ~*RunoRuno*~ Stole – Red
Dress: *Fishy Strawberry* Lucille Oh’doll Dress – Grey
Pants: Meriken Co. – SO KINKY! (Past So Kinky! Item)
Belt: fri.day – Wide Waist.Belt (Sugar.Plum)
Bag: Tyranny – Seer’s Satchel – Brown (25L Tuesday)
Shoes: (Milk Motion) My pocahontas sandals high
Food: -RC- Chocolate Fondue Fruit Kabob

Pose: Glitterati

Misery is a 1990 American horror-thriller film from Columbia Pictures and Castle Rock Entertainment, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. Directed by Rob Reiner, the film received critical acclaim for Kathy Bates’ performance as the psychopathic Annie Wilkes. Bates won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe. The film was ranked #12 on Bravo’s 100 Scariest Movie Moments.

Trivia:

• Cameo: [J.T. Walsh] State of Colorado Police Chief.
• Director Cameo: [Rob Reiner] the helicopter pilot.
• After seeing The Shining (1980). Rob Reiner was immediately inspired to direct a movie based on a Stephen King novel.
• The main character Paul Sheldon’s novels are published by Viking, the same publishing company that published Stephen King’s books at that time.

Buy this title on Blu-ray Disc

• A video of When Harry Met Sally… (1989) (also directed by Rob Reiner) is visible in the general store.
• The “guy who went mad in a hotel nearby” is a reference to The Shining (1980), also based on a novel written by Stephen King.
• Jack Nicholson was offered the role of Paul Sheldon but passed because he wasn’t sure he wanted to do another movie based on one of Stephen King’s novels after what he had experienced with Stanley Kubrick on The Shining (1980).
• When Annie demands that Paul burn his manuscript, she lights the paper and we see a close-up of the words on the paper, an article about Cameron Crowe and how he is an amazing scriptwriter. It talks about his movies, but mostly offers praise for Say Anything… (1989).
• According to William Goldman’s book “Four Screenplays”, the main character role, Paul Sheldon, was offered to William Hurt, ‘Kevin Kline (I)’, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Richard Dreyfuss, Gene Hackman, Robert Redford, and Warren Beatty, all of whom declined.
• Anjelica Huston was offered the leading role, and was interested, but was unable to accept it due to her commitment to The Grifters (1990). Bette Midler also turned the role down before it went to Kathy Bates.
• One of Stephen King’s first typewriters had a malfunctioning “N” key, just like the one used by James Caan in the movie.
• The new manuscript that Paul burns at Annie’s urging was called “Fast Cars.”
• In a recent interview with Melvyn Bragg, William Goldman revealed that few actors wanted the role of Paul Sheldon because Annie Wilks overshadowed him so much as a character. Warren Beatty commented before declining that the hobbling scene made Paul Sheldon “a loser for the rest of the film”. Goldman was determined to keep that scene in the film as it was his favorite from the Stephen King novel.
• Stephen King had originally planned to release the novel under his pseudonym, Richard Bachman. While writing it, however, it was discovered that King was Bachman. King subsequently published the novel under his real name, and announced that Bachman had died from “cancer of the pseudonym.”

Another competition entry.

This one is also a memoir, concerning M- and someone referred to by the designation J-. Not to be confused with J- who writes stories with me, J- the ex I still see, J- the ex who I don’t, or J- my friend from university, this J- was – in the loosest possible sense of the word – my boss.

I’m not sure if this story is too sentimental.  It’s mostly true – the events are in any case – but I was never actually that angsty*, and certainly not that philosophical, as a teenager. I even had one or two thoroughly awesome friends at Ellon following M-’s move, but for the sake of the plot, they have been omitted.

Let me know your thoughts anyways – I’d really appreciate some pointers on this.

*Mum would disagree I’m sure…

_____________

15 was an awkward age, made more so by the loss of a friend.

“I don’t know what you’re moping for – it’s not like she’s dead,” my mother had muttered as I skulked into the kitchen for yet another consolatory cup of tea.

“No,” I would think, quietly to myself, “But I am.”

I had always been a bookish child – more comfortable in the worlds of Ivanhoe and Robin Hood than at secondary school – and seemed to be unable to connect with people unless there was paper and pen between us.

When M- had joined my class, I had found a kindred spirit and we would spend hours trawling the woods by my house or writing stories, hidden away from the cold Scottish winters in her computer room. When her family moved to Warwickshire, I had thought it was the end of the world.

After she left, school became something of an ordeal and I would sulk away my lunch hour, hidden at the top of the third floor biology staircase. I lived for my music – the crackled sounds of radio recordings on an old cassette offering some comfort in my isolation. I maintain that people who call their teenage years ‘the best of their life’, can’t remember being teenagers. The way I recall it, it was a miserable time for all concerned.

Weekends were different though. They gave me a chance to be myself, and not – as my peers considered me – the school odd-ball. I worked at the local boarding kennels at the time and when I was there I was an adult, a member of the work force. It became something of a second home, and I would feel the cares of the week falling away as I walked the dogs through the rugged Aberdeenshire countryside.

It was at about that time the kennel owner’s son, a twenty-something man we knew as J-, purchased his first motorbike. It was a stunning machine – a BMW R850R – and, he claimed, the only blue version in Scotland.

I had always been frightened by motorbikes. Hearing crash stories and having seen some vague statistics involving death and the vehicles had made me somewhat wary of them. I routinely sang the virtues of four wheels over two and cited countless figures which proved – to my 15 year old brain in any case – that cars were faster anyway.

Nevertheless, when J- asked me if I’d like to ride pillion, I jumped at the chance – if only to be able to say once and for all that cars were indeed a superior mode of transport.

I donned J-’s mother’s set of biking leathers, creaked myself somehow onto the back to the bike and peered out through the slit of the helmet, over J-’s shoulder. The familiar kennel close looked small and incomplete, viewed through the visor. I compared the sensation to blinkers on a horse, narrowing my world to what lay before me.

The bike lurched and we moved forward, swinging between the potholes on the track which led to the main road. Having been instructed not to tense my muscles, I took a deep breath and went as limp as my leather shell would allow.

We arrived at the junction and after two taps on J-’s shoulder to let him know that I was ready, we screamed onto the asphalt.

The road was not a large one, connecting only the scattering of villages and farms that lay between Inverurie and Aberdeen to one another. The first stretch we rode was low and winding, our progress hindered by the pendulum of the bike as it swung between the corners. Familiar sites went gliding past – we could not have been travelling above 30mph, but the rushing air and roaring engine conflicted with the truth of my eyes, creating the effect of slowing time.

It was the fragility of the situation which stung my heart – we flew by woodland, gorse and heather, all bathed in dappling sunlight. I wanted to touch the world around me, to bask in the beautiful, concentrated images being forced through the small, clear shard of my helmet, but I knew that were I to shift my weight unexpectedly, both J- and I would come crashing to the road, shrouded in fragments of blue-stained metal and chrome.

I stayed still within my black-hide armour, drinking in the wilds around me. It was intoxicating – a primitive desire to go faster fighting with my surroundings as they begged me to slow and look.

And suddenly we began to rise, out of the valley and towards the freckling of clouds in the clear blue sky. I no longer wanted to slow down and cling to the places I had been, I wanted to see what came over the bough of the hill.

And it was glorious – a patchwork of greens and golds, spotted with hay-bale buttons and fringed with the deep bruise-blue of the Grampians in the distance. Open and eternal, the sight of what lay before me made me gasp for air. It was as if the helmet dissipated then, leaving behind only this endless, stunning world that opened wide into the sky. And me.

From our brief vantage point at the top of the hill I saw everything clearly – all the roads we could travel, all the hills we could climb, each presenting their own myriad of possibilities as this one had. We took off along the straight path ahead, hurtling into the next valley, and being bombarded with other places, other sights and sounds.

And all of this, all of this beautiful world, was mine.

It suddenly didn’t matter that M- was gone, that school was miserable. I would see her again and school would end in three short years, through which I would cling to the memory of that moment of clarity. To begin with, I thought that my epiphany had been due to the bike and the speed at which we’d travelled, but as time passed I came to realise that I could recreate the almost incomprehensible joy simply by looking around me at the stunning place in which I lived. The helmet had forced me to narrow my view, to look ahead rather than behind, but all the hope and passion and unchanging wonder that I had needed at that point in my life came from the wilds around me. Even now, hundreds of miles away in the viciously flat Fenlands, I find myself taking comfort in the fact that just a few hours drive away – on the road over that next hill – is home.

Bling Jewelry Designer Inspired Gold Vermeil Cable 10mm Pearl Drop Earrings Review

Feature

• Measures: Earrings measure 1″ each.
• Weight: 6 grams total weight

Overview
These stylish, sterling silver Designer-inspired pearl drop earrings are 15-karat gold vermeil plated. They have a popular cable motif with a luminous 10mm white pearl hanging at the bottom of each earring. Pave CZ accents finish the design of these sophisticated earrings. A subtle beauty that will always be in style. A thrilling piece of jewelry to complement your bridal or “special occasion” wear. Please note: FOR PIERCED EARS ONLY.

Nov 29, 2009 17:03:06

One evening, 10 years ago in November 1999, I was interested in finding out what the latest mobile phone trends were.  I had only recently started owning a mobile phone and on my second Nokia phone.

While scanning through the Nokia website, a window opened, promoting a competition sponsored by CNN.  To be honest, I didn’t give it that much attention, but noticed that the third prize was to win a Nokia phone.

Displaying on my PC display was a pop up window with a sentence that required completion.  It read “The next millennium is one where…”.  I didn’t give this much consideration, completing the sentence with a few words, literally the first thoughts that entered my head.  Clicking the send button, the window closed and I carried on with my online search.

A couple of weeks later I received an email on 19 November, which on first reading, I thought was one of those hoax emails.  So much so, I didn’t read it too closely and dismissed it before I fully comprehending its content.  It wasn’t until later that weekend that I read it again and even then, I wasn’t sure if it was legitimate.

The first part of the email read:

Sent: 19 November 1999 17:02

Subject: FW: CNN / Nokia Voices of the Millennium Winner!

Congratulations Andy Wopshott!

You entered the Voices of the Millennium competition in association with Nokia Mobile Phones, told us your thoughts on the next Millennium and won the first prize trip to Atlanta!!

Now all that you have to do is respond to this e-mail with your full contact details so that we can call you and arrange travel details.

J***** G******, CNN

I’d won first prize!  But what was that?  A trip to Atlanta?   When?  All I knew by then was that 3^rd prize included a Nokia phone and 2^nd prize was a snowboarding trip to somewhere in Europe.

The trip was just a few weeks away, flying out to Atlanta for two nights, just before Christmas.  Besides my disbelief that I’d won and still not knowing exactly what the prize was, I wasn’t that keen to fly to America for just two nights just before Christmas.

The Voices of the Millennium competition prize was a trip to Atlanta, including flights, transfer and 2 night’s hotel accommodation for two (based on double occupancy).  The winner of the competition, that’s me, was selected by a CNN panel of judges on grounds of originality and suitability for airing on Cable News Network, CNN.

So I replied to the email and on Monday morning I received a phone call from CNN in London, who confirmed that the purpose of the trip to Atlanta was to film an interview at CNN’s studios for transmission on New Year’s eve 1999.

Nokia was sponsoring ‘Voices of the Millennium’, a year-long series of new millennium programmes featured on CNN International, in it’s first sponsorship campaign with CNN.  The campaign launched on 1 January 1999 on CNN International/Europe/MiddleEast/Africa and Asia Pacific feeds, reaching a total of more than 125 million households across the regions.

The programme was a collection of specially produced programme ’shorts’ featuring comment and reflection on events and issues affecting mankind, from celebrities, newsmakers and everyday people around the world.  It aired everyday throughout 1999 – ‘Voices of the Millennium’ was the first of CNN International’s millennium programming to launch in 1999.

I would be flown out on a Sunday, visit CNN studios on Monday for the recording and personal tour, before flying home on Tuesday.  It was an amazing prize, yet I still wasn’t convinced that I wanted to fly all that way for just two nights.  However, during my conversation with CNN, they suggested that while I was out in Atlanta I should get to see some more of the country.

New Orleans was an idea of somewhere to visit and was somewhere I’d never travelled to.  I went home and investigated internal flights from Atlanta to New Orleans.  While considering the places to visit, I came to realise that between these two cities, lived a friend who used to be stationed in the UK as part of the US Airforce.  He lived in Montgomery, Alabama, with his family.

During the evening, I started to warm to the idea of flying out to Atlanta, as the lengthening trip had a greater appeal.  I could fly down to New Orleans, visit friends in Alabama, before returning to Atlanta and flying home.  The following day I emailed the details to CNN. The cost of the flights appeared to be reasonable, so CNN agreed to pay for them as part of the prize.  That left me to find a hotel in New Orleans, down by the river in the heart of the French quarter.

Following my conversations with CNN, I had sent a text to a friend, asking him if he fancied a trip to America, as the prize was a trip for two.  He sent a text back to me, thinking I was joking – a bit like myself when I received the email that I’d won.  Even after several confirmations, he still wasn’t convinced that I wasn’t sending him up.  Though, at the same time, if it was true, he was excited as he had never been to the States before and dreamed of going to New York.

By the end of the month, the details of the trip to Atlanta were confirmed and I had booked time off work.

On Saturday 11 December 1999, we were picked up by a chauffeur driven Mercedes, with leather seats and enough leg room to almost put your legs out straight.  Travelling in comfort, we were taken to the airport and flew out from Gatwick to arrive in Atlanta at 16.20pm (local time).

We were met at the airport and chauffeured in a black limousine to the Four Seasons Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia.  This is a charming hotel in Atlanta’s Midtown neighbourhood, a chic urban oasis offering genuine Southern warmth and personalised hospitality.  The lobby atrium offered a glamorous sense of arrival – echoing Georgia’s formal traditions with polished marble floors, a sweeping grand staircase, spectacular flowers and a Baccarat crystal chandelier. The atmosphere was relaxed and sophisticated, with a fresh and contemporary feeling.

That first night, though we were tired from travelling and being up for almost 24 hours, we had dinner reservation for two held under my name for 8pm at Park 75, the restaurant within the Four Seasons Hotel.

On Sunday 12 December, we explored downtown Atlanta in the rain, finding an underground arcade of small shops.  Late that evening, we met up with our hosts from CNN and Nokia, who took us out to dinner at an American steak house.  I had never before eaten such succulent steak or that amount of food in an evening.

The next morning was an early start as we picked up a taxi taking us downtown to CNN Center for 9.30am, meeting various people from CNN and Nokia.  It wasn’t long before I met David Nuckolls, the executive producer of Voices of the Millennium, who would be interviewing me.  Arriving in the recording studio, a little make up was all the preparation that was needed, as I soon found myself sitting on a stool in front a camera.  However, there was something that would stop us from commencing filming.

Earlier that morning, I had decided at the last minute to wear a shirt rather than the casual top I had put on first thing that morning.  Unfortunately, the design of my GAP shirt was a network of very small blue and white squares.  While giving the appearance of a light blue shirt, it gave a hazing effect on screen, resulting in lines rolling across my shirt.  I soon found myself wearing David’s suit jacket, giving me a very formal look, but it suited the needs of the cameras.

The recording of Voices of the Millennium segment was an interesting experience.  I was interviewed about my hopes for the next thousand years, with similar questions being repeated, so the producer could get certain sound bites for the programme.  Prior to the cameras rolling, David had explained the process would include a series of questions, which would later be transcribed and the script used to identify the content for the episode I would feature in.

I recalled the prize winning answer I had given to the original CNN competition.  The next millennium is one where the world needs to communicate rather than fight, educate rather than breed ignorance and share its wealth rather than tax the poor.  I talked about the need for greater love and other things which are probably held in the CNN archives, though I have little recognition of them.

The interview lasted for 25 minutes and was difficult to respond with the same answers to the questions when they were worded differently, but had the same focus.  Yet, before I knew it, the interview was over and we were having a personal behind the scenes tour of CNN.  Not the generic one that members of the public have in the paid tour, but one that took us into the studios, personally meeting members of the CNN take read the news and hosted CNN programmes.

Earlier in the year, David Reidy from Hillsong, Australia, (now Leading Edge Ministries) was ministering in my home church in Cheltenham Elim.  It was the end of a day where he had ministered, including leading worship and preaching.  Towards the end of the Sunday evening meeting in March, after praying for a large number of people, Dave called me out from the crowd, where I was ensuring people had been prayer for.  He prophesied a number of things over me including being released into teaching and healing others. Then he said that I would reach, not preach; reach not preach, reach not preach to millions.

At the time I had little understanding what that part of the word meant.  But by the end of that year, the Voices of the Millennium programme that I was part of, had been broadcast 8 times worldwide on the CNN channel to millions of people.  It was just a few minutes long and I was one of a few people to feature in it, but I had been taken to a place few thousand miles away to film for that programme that reach millions.

An opportunity to reach millions with some simple truths of the gospel was an amazing provision from God.  A two night trip, originally from Sunday to Tuesday, turned into a 10 day trip, leaving home on Saturday 11 December and returning Minday 20 December, after visiting New Orleans and friends in Alabama.

anyone else:

News of the day, I had my first sale on Etsy…woohoo! I feel “wicked” motivated! I’m getting all christmassy as we speak. Lots going on in my head but I’ve got a full tummy (the turkey was delicious this year), there are movies to watch and significant others to snuggle. I will most likely have to suspend my design frenzy until the morning. The next few days promise to be very sparkly. I’ve been singing that song from Juno all day. I have no idea why. Well, I’ve got wine to finish, all and all I had a nice day…minus the usual family grumblings.

image via Tangled Things on Etsy

Thanks to Daniel I for this:

“Romance is not dead…Evidenced by this Chalk Birthday Letter”

So Cute!

What makes someone want to host a holiday meal? I’m not asking because I don’t want to, I’m asking because I, of my own free will, launched a campaign in early September to do just that, lobbying various family members to attend my event instead of joining in the ritual pilgrimage to grandmother’s house. Call it too much exposure to Martha Stewart and Pottery Barn tablesetting seminars, but I’ve been looking with guilt at the arsenal of china and crystal so lovingly bestowed on me three years ago as a bride, and decided this would be the year I would bravely upset the status quo.

So, after poaching a select list of family members, I began drawing up lists of menus, centerpiece ideas, appetizers and cocktails, games and diversions and party favors (party favors? Somewhere, those dropped off the to-do list. Thank heavens). The culmination of all this planning was several weeks of shopping, cleaning, ironing, scrubbing, arranging, rearranging and finalizing all the details. To whit, too many verbs to be counted.

And now, mere hours before the blessed event whose planning dominated my consciousness for nearly an entire season, I’m exhausted, and would be just as happy ordering pizza. Or, dare I say it, traversing the river and the woods to sit at someone else’s table? NO! There’s no turning back now. I will honor Martha’s example. However, what follows is a brief run-down of observations this rookie discovered while laying in stores for her inaugural Thanksgiving feast.

Observation 1: Sugar boils over surprisingly fast. Combining 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of orange juice, and 12 oz. of fresh cranberries creates a virtual science-project combination of volatility. DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THE STOVE, whether it’s to let the dog out or dash off a quick thank-you note, postpone all other activity until the cranberry sauce is cooling. Otherwise, prepare to spend the next 40 minutes cleaning the stove top. The upside here is that burning sugar doesn’t smell near as bad as other things that have combusted on my stove.

Observation 2: A brief word about thawing an 18 lb. bird in your fridge. That shrink-wrapped plastic casing it comes in is apparantly no match for the sheer volume of liquid seeping out of its carcass. I don’t even want to think about how this relates to the decomposition of a deceased human being, especially one that is on the second shelf of my Maytag.

Discovering this pool of pink seepage earlier today was the low point of my morning. In what I can only explain as a classic reversion to childhood dependence resulting from my parents holiday visit, I scanned the kitchen and family room, and, finding myself the sole discoverer of this health department violation, I simply closed the refrigerator door and left for work, in the hope that the situation will be magically rectified upon my return.

Observation 3: If you want help, you must be  prepared to relinquish at least some control over the aesthetic of your meal; otherwise, refuse all offers and do everything yourself, and don’t forget the Percocet. Par exempla: you envision a cornucopia of seasonal fair, including harvest-inspired libations such as candy apple martinis  and pumpkin beer. Farm this responsibility out and be prepared to accept Sour Apple Pucker shots and Bud Light. Lessons learned: the devil is in the details, so if you have your heart set on pine cone place card holders and gewurztraminer instead reisling, keep you cards close to the chest and when someone asks how they might contribute, breezily reply, “It’s all taken care of, just come and enjoy!”

After all, isn’t that what hosting a holiday is all about? Being in control and strutting your stuff for all the world (okay, maybe just your in-laws, but that’s more than enough) to see? No, it’s about welcoming loved ones into your home and pampering them in comfort and deliciousness. But you have my permission to do a little showing off, as well.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Let me introduce to you to three of my favorite things in Charleston. Although the architecture, Lowcountry cuisine and picturesque beaches are wonderful aspects of Charleston, there are also a group of uber creative people and agencies that have inspired me to move from photography and motion media into the world of graphic design. In this town with its share of crazy creative people I have found 3 funky modern smart designer favorites that continue to impress me with each project they produce. Ready? In the first of a three-part series, here it goes:

Graphic Design/Identity/Branding: Gil Shuler Graphic Design 

Gil is so, so talented. His style is clean, simplistic, a little vintage and really speaks my language. He’s just so clever. Especially with logo design. I think it’s incredibly difficult and therefor incredibly admirable to create logos that are instantly recognizable to a consumer and make you stop and go, “hey, that’s pretty smart how they did that thing with that other thing. I really like that.” He is a master at taking something recognizable and turning on its head, which is something I strive to achieve in my design.

Check out his site. He’s got a great group of designers with different, yet cohesive, styles that give his agency an edge. I think it is important for designers to collaborate and bounce ideas off of each other and his work is a perfect example of how different styles and opinions can create a complete and balanced final look. You can see their different aesthetics especially in the posters tab of the site. I’m also drawn to the vintage look of his packaging projects, especially now that I am working on my first album/packaging project. The blog plays to the retro  typography that inspires Gil, which I often browse through when I need a bit of inspiration.

He also makes the favorite list because he calls me Country Jo, which makes me all red-faced and awkward, but I not-so-secretly love it. He’s just plain good people. And a stellar designer.

Coming up next: Identity/Branding/’Brand Therapy’: HOOK USA 

Hello again, brothers and sisters!!!

Before we get into today’s discussion, I just want to briefly say “thank you” to those of you who have been regularly taking part in these discussions, as well as those of you who visit whenever you are able.  I would also like to thank all of our first-time visitors.  It is a blessing and a genuine pleasure to have you all here:-)

For today’s discussion, we will review the parables of the treasure and the goodly pearl.  While these two parables were a couple of the shorter parables that Jesus shared, they are certainly just as important as all of the other parables.  Jesus was speaking with His disciples when He shared these parables.  The parables are as follows:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field;  the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:  Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” – Matthew 13:44-46 (KJV)

Both of these parables are making the same point, right?  Let’s break them down, shall we?

The man seeking treasure, and the merchant-man seeking goodly pearls, are played in real life by sinners seeking the truth, redemption, and salvation.  The treasure hiding in the field and the goodly pearl, represent the kingdom of God found through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is also the Living Word of God.  So with that being the case, why would we have to sell all that we have in order to buy our way into the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ?  Doesn’t that run contrary to salvation being a gift given freely by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior?  It sure does.  however, the point of these parables is not that we are “buying” our way into the kingdom of God. 

The point is that once we have discovered the kingdom of heaven by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we should value nothing else as much as this “treasure/goodly pearl”.  Beloved, when we find the kingdom of heaven through Jesus Christ and His word, we should value the Lord, His word, and His kingdom above anything else in our lives.  As obedient and faithful servants, there should be no price we are unwilling to pay in order to serve Him completely.  If we live in complete submission to the Lord’s will, then there is no room for competing interests.  Just as with the Apostle Paul, all former things we held dear we must be willing to count as lost once we are saved.  Why?  Well, once we are saved, serving the Lord is to be the focal point of our lives, and our vision is to be focused like a laser on doing so.

Interestingly, in these two parables that Jesus Christ shared with us we can also Him as the man/merchant-man seeking the treasure/goodly pearls.  Think about it.  Jesus gave up all that He had and suffered death on the cross in order to pay our sin debt.  In so doing, beloved, we were saved and purchased by His blood.  The treasure being “hid” in the field refers to those who live in Christ being granted access to the kingdom of heaven, which is a place that someone who serves sin cannot find or gain access to.  Once we belong to Christ, He protects us from the enemy.  We are effectively “hidden” in His protection, as once we belong to Christ Jesus, we cannot be snatched away from Him.  As Jesus said:

“I told you, and ye believed not:  the works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.  But ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you.  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:  And I give unto them eternal life;  and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.  My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all;  and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.  I and My Father are one.” – John 10:25-30 (KJV)

Brothers and sisters, let us rejoice that the Lord considers us His “treasure/goodly pearl” and was willing to pay everything in order to save us!!!  Praise God!!!  Thank you, Jesus!!!  Furthermore, let’s praise the Lord God Almighty for His lovingkindness and longsuffering, and let’s show Him that He is the only real treasure that matters to us, as well!!!  Beloved, do you know what the word of God, the truth, salvation, entrance to the kingdom of heaven, light, love, peace, life, faith, wisdom, and understanding all have in common?  I’ll tell you what.  We find and receive all these things when we find Christ and turn our lives over to Him.  Jesus is the Truth.  Jesus is the Living Word of God.  Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  Jesus is the Author and Finisher/Perfector of our faith.  He is the Way to the Father and the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus Christ is the Life.  The Lord is the Light of the world.  You get the point, yes?

Beloved, besides the praise we offer to the Lord in the form of prayer, song, and worship, we need to commit ourselves to praise Him through our lives and actions.  That we belong to Christ Jesus should be obvious to all not just by the words we speak, but also by the things we do.  It should not appear to others that we live for money, or for the approval of man;  rather it should be clear to all that we live to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Just as Jesus paid for us by giving up all that He had for our sakes, we ought to esteem our treasure, found in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, above any passing “treasure” that this world has to offer.  Remember, beloved, the treasure of this world lasts for a limited amount of time and diminishes.  The treasure of the Lord is forever.  Suffer any necessary hardships, persecutions, or trials in this world in order to serve the Lord obediently and faithfully.  By so doing, your treasure in heaven will be waiting for you, and increasing, and will be with you forever:-)

Beloved, the Lord will always provide for, and take care of, those entrusted to Him.  It is, however, up to each one of us to make the decision to seek the Lord and His kingdom.  If we are willing to walk through the thorns, rats, mice, and bugs, and other treacheries of the field in order to find Him, then we will find that our “treasure” is more than worth the jouney.  Remember, beloved, hidden treasure only has value to us once we find it.  In order to find it, we must seek it.  As Jesus said:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness;  and all these things shall be added unto you.” – Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

Precious one, we cannot claim hidden treasure that is never discovered, because we have no idea where it is.  Once we seek and find our treasure in Christ Jesus, however, we have the greatest treasure of all.  This is real treasure.  Everything other treasure pursued yields only fools gold.  So often we allow the cares of this world to distract us from searching for our hidden treasure.  Jesus was telling us not to get consumed/wrapped up in the concerns of this world.  He was telling us that we should put our whole focus on seeking the Lord and His will.  We can do so while not being overwhelmed with thoughts of what we will eat, where we will live, or what we will clothe ourselves with, because God will see to our needs just as He does with the birds of the air and the grass of the field.

Please pray for all those who have no idea of the hidden treasure available to them.  Let’s pray that they go searching for it, willing to brave the trials of the journey, in order to find the only treasure that really counts.  Furthermore, let’s pray that once they find that treasure, they see Him for who He really is and turn their lives over to Him as their Lord and Savior.  Jesus Christ is our treasure.

If you are ready to discover your hidden treasure, and claim your eternal inheritance from the Lord God Almighty, you can do so by accepting Him as your Lord and Savior today.  If you would like to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today, and be saved, please pray the following prayer with me:

“Lord God Almighty, I know that I am a sinner and that I am lost.  I know that I need to be saved from sin, but I also know that I can’t save myself.  Lord Jesus, I know that only You can save me.  I know that you paid for my salvation with your own life and blood on the cross.  I know that when You rose from the grave on the third day, you conquered death and provided everlasting life to all who trust in You.  Right now, I lay down my life and let go of my pride, my vanity and every other sin that has kept me from You.  Lord Jesus, I now completely trust my life to You.  I open my heart to You, Lord.  Please come into my heart.  Please forgive me of all of my sins, and please accept me as Your child.  From this point on, I commit my life to You. Please guide me and provide me strength as I begin to live the rest of my life for You.  In Your precious and matchless name I pray.  Amen.”

Beloved, if you just prayed that prayer sincerely, then you just found your hidden treasure.  I would encourage you to find out what’s all in the treasure chest by exploring it through God’s word, through prayer with supplication and thanksgiving to the Lord, and by asking Him to reveal the fullness of the treasure to you.  The treasure you have, precious one, is priceless.  God set aside this treasure just for you through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  Welcome to the family:-)  The angels in heaven are rejoicing this very moment at your decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  Find out about this and much more by exploring God’s word that He had written just for you:-)  This relationship with Christ is the most precious and important relationship you will ever have.  Invest yourself in growing the relationship as much as possible.  Seek the Lord’s will in all things, and let your will be completely surrendered to Him.

Thank you for joining our discussion today.   I hope you are able to join us on Friday to pray over this week’s prayer requests. 

Remember, if you would like to order the new book “Strapping On the Whole Armor of God – Suiting Up For Spiritual Warfare), please visit my website at http://www.yourbrotherinchrist.com .  If you prefer to order by mail, you will also find the mailing address on that website.  This book is very valuable in helping people understand how to go about securely and effectively putting on the whole armor of God that the apostle Paul refers to in Chapter 6 of Ephesians.  We are praying that many people will receive this book and be blessed in their walk with the Lord by reading it.

Have a wonderful and blessed rest of the day!!!  Walk in faith, knowing that you are loved by the Creator of the heavens, earth, and all life, and knowing that the treasure that you now carry in your heart and soul is priceless:-)

Have a happy, safe, and blessed Thanksgiving Day tomorrow!  Give a special thanks to the Lord for all that He has done for you and your loved ones.  Without Him, we’d be in a very bad place:-)

May the Lord bless you, keep you, guide you, and make His face to shine upon you and your loved ones always.

Your brother in Christ,

Rev Jason Thurwanger

The Nokia N80 is probably the most anticipated among the N series models largely because its high end specifications got into the market much before the handset was actually released. A 3G phone with a massive 3.2 mega pixel camera is bound to raise quite a few eyebrows. The sliding smart phone is based on S60 platform (third edition) with Symbian Operating System. Design wise, the Nokia N80 is quite an eye-catcher. The novel design in shades of silver on the top half and silver accents on the black lower half gives an impression of royalty. At 134 gm, the Nokia N80 is one of the lightest 3G smart phone.

The TFT display that delivers more than 262k accurate and vibrant colors acts as the perfect viewfinder for the primary camera. This CMOS based 3.2 mega pixel camera boast of 20x digital zoom, a high quality LED flash and advanced imaging features like Anti Red Eye, Self timer with variable colour tones, brightness and white balance. High resolution video recording at 15 frames per second in CIF format is supported. The Nokia N80 is also packed with an image/video editor for to you produce masterpieces from your creative juices!

The secondary VGA camera with 5x digital zoom is primarily used for video calling across UMTS network but also comes handy for self portraits. The Nokia N80 supports triband GSM mobile network and automatically changes bands. On 3G network the Nokia N80 is capable of reaching data speed of up to 384 kbps. Or you can settle for a ’slower’ class 10 EDGE (236.8 kbps) or GPRS (32-48 kbps). The device supports WiFi and is endowed with all popular connectivity options like Blue tooth v1.2, Infrared and USB 2.0. Other than a decent 40Mb of user memory, the Nokia N80 is shipped with an 128Mb memory card that can be upgraded up to 2GB.Higher specifications in both imaging and connectivity departments makes the Nokia N80 one of the sought after handset these days.

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