Hello! Well as you can see it has been QUITE some time since my last post. If you look at it. My last post was back in May when our event season was about to pick up. I thought Id be able to manage work load, 12 credits and this blog post but it seemed I failed on the blog post side. So now with the season coming down to the wraps and our staff here @ HUQA & 2 Republic are now gearing for next year and continuing to work on our year-round projects such as our albums we manage & distribute on iTunes, Amazon MP3 and 90+ other stores.

2 Republic Music Group started off by distributing the 1st Pakistani Artist ever on iTunes 6 years ago, which was CALL (Jilawatan Album). 2 Republic was a HUQA beta program to allow HUQA to expand further in the entertainment field. Well now its slowly better solidifying its base and we may make the big announcement sooner.

But anyways let me get started on this post then…I want to take the next 3 1/2 months to summarize and put my self together. Learn from all the tracks I have left. Its always great to stop time and just rethink your self. Like just an interesting trivia or what I noticed…People from the Asia-Pacific Islander (China, Indonesia, Japan, etc…) background always seem to sit down when they think. Like for example, when they leave the house to go somewhere. They will stop, sit on a set of stairs and take a deep breath and think “Did we forget anything?” They say by sitting down, the blood circulates through your mind and helps the recall better versus you standing up in panicking mode and attempting to recall.

So taking that from my notes, I stopped my fast pace life and just want to sit down and feel as if I am redeeming my self. This is a moment that will also tell me who my real friends are as well. I know somethings I need to change is my sleeping schedule. Working during season only gave me 3-4 hours of sleep daily. Which causes me to look really ugly. If you talk to any of my ex’s who have tried to get to know me will tell you I hate the black circles or bags that are formed from lack of sleep! It just makes you depreciate your age face by a good 3-8 years.

Other than my sleeping schedule, I need to better regain my faith. I feel as I am loosing my religious side to a “non-existent parallels”. such as I live my life by blocks in a day. I do one thing..and just move on to the next. Not taking anytime to sit and thank God for all that he has given me. Which I am sure he is mad @ me cause I know i’d be mad if I helped someone out and they cant return by just saying a “Thank You”.

Redemption also covers my interactions. The people who I live and interact with everyday..They have been there from my start as a confused Family DJ who would carry his CD case around with him everywhere to one of my largest shows which we did production for was the Grammy Brian McNight gig..and those special people is my family. Without the help of my family, I would be no where…Which is why entrepreneurship is more supported in the USA then in Pakistan. It seems the concept is slowly grasping in India which is always a great plus for INNOVATION!

I am not writing this post to tell you where I feel I may have gone wrong. But writing this to maybe suggest that by going through a redemption process really makes you feel more pure and stronger as a human bean. Well you recollect your self, just be critical of your self. Don’t by shy or attempt to blind out bad mistakes…If you feel you betrayed someone, then don’t stop and mentally prove to your self why it was right. I know I made a few bad business deals which at sense feels embarrassing…so embarrassing that only a peanut could do a better job then me @ this…So I give you Redemption!

As of late, I have been thinking a lot about:

1. the redemptive nature of God, and

2. how Christ is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)

And that is something to be hopeful about. I can’t totally wrap my head around the concept that we serve a living God. I mean, I get it… but really, thinking about the fact that God is the living God, that he is the life-giver, it’s huge.  I think this concept is key to understanding hope.  God gives life, and gives life abundantly. He takes dead things and resurrects them. But as this song asks, what are the deaths that I still dwell in?  What are the things in our lives that are dead?  Things that we dwell in, having for so long accepted death as reality, that we stopped (or never started) asking for God to breathe live into it?  Think about the possibilities.

Far to often I forget that God is right here with me. Living with me, in this moment. Far too often, I forget that He makes all things new. Isaiah 43:18-19 speaks of this:

¹⁸ “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.

¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.

God is not limited to how things used to be. Have you experienced a death of sorts? Are you in a place of situational or relational hopelessness? Are you experiencing something  that is so far gone, there is not earthly hope of revival?  God is the Resurrection and the Life… He is the God who breathes new life into dead things.

Now it springs up, do [we] not perceive it?

What would our lives look like if we really believed this, prayed for this, expected to see and experience the resurrection power in our lives, in the seemingly hopeless situations? God does the impossible.  Are you in the wilderness?  He is making a way for you. Keep walking.  Are you in a wasteland? He chooses to create streams of water in the very place where it seems least likely to occur.

This also relates to the redemptive nature of God. There is nothing He cannot use.  I recently heard a snippet of a sermon about how God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.  That is not to say all things ARE good, but God is good. Everything we surrender to Him can be redeemed.

Again, back to the subject of surrender.  I was thinking about this again, specifically as it relates to the topic of resurrection  (See Matthew 10:38-40). Whoever loses his life  for the sake of Christ, will find true life. I’ve often heard that we have to “die to our own flesh”,  suffocate the sinful desires of the flesh…and I agree with that…although I don’t really want to. It doesn’t take long to discover that death for the sake of death is highly unmotivating.  Who would want in on that?!  But death for the sake of LIFE, now that is completely different. In the painful process of making our flesh submit to the Spirit, let us remember that Christ does not call us to die to ourselves just because. He calls us to die to ourselves, so that we can find true, abundant, eternal life in Him. He calls us to die to ourselves and our sinfulness, so that He can resurrect us to look  and act like Him, in this life and in the life to come.  He wants us to surrender, so He can give us a BETTER life. He is the living God and He specializes in bringing dead things back to life.

Daily Read (Isaiah 58-60)

Scripture:
Isaiah 58:6-7 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”

Observation:
Hear in the opening of the 58th chapter, we read of the real meaning of fasting. God points out that many Jews fasted because they felt the need to sit in sackcloth and ashes to mourn over their current state, whatever that state was. However, God declares that fasting is more than a day of atonement. It is indeed designed to take care of the less fortunate who have nothing and need everything.

Application:
I have always been akin to fasting at various times in my life for things that I needed or when led of the Spirit to fast in order to break down walls and barriers in the lives of others and myself. I have fasted at times to hear from the Lord especially in times of preparation for delivering a message to His people. I have known that fasting was for humans and not God. I know that fasting gives is that time of quietude we need alone with God and to discipline the body. By subjecting the body to an intentional lack of subsistence, we have to rely upon God to sustain our physical body’s need for energy, nutrition, and other vital factors.

However, have you ever taken into consideration this passage in Isaiah and what fasting really does? We break the yoke of oppression in the lives of people when we fast. Furthermore, we are to take the food and other bare necessities we have in abundance and share them with the less fortunate. Have you ever had a lunch with you or about to buy lunch and see a homeless person standing nearby outside in the blistering heat or freezing cold shaking with pangs from hunger and thirst? Did you ever stop to ask them if they would like to have something to eat or drink? Have you ever offered them a coat, jacket, shirt, shoes, or other clothing they need? When was the last time you even considered doing something for the less fortunate? Or are you too busy to even think about it? Have the cares of life put such a choke hold on you that you can’t see beyond self to think of others? God tells us not to neglect these less fortunate or members of our families either? That would seem to imply both physical family members and the brethren of the house and family of God. Are there those in your congregation who could use a helping hand?

Think about what Jesus said, “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ ” (Matt. 25:34-40).

Let’s a little farther down into the words of Isaiah and see what else fasting does for us. In verses 8-9 God says to us, “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.  Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.” Our light will break forth like the dawn. We will radiate with the glory of God and be the true light of the world that Jesus said we are (Matt. 5:14). Also, God tells us that our healing will appear slowly…of course not. He said it will appear quickly. God’s righteousness, which is the only righteousness we have, will go before us with Him also being our rear guard. When you call upon the Lord in prayer, He will hear you. You will cry for help only to be heard by God and have Him reply, “Here I am.”

Do you need a healing from God? Is He protecting your front and got your back? Have you called upon God and have Him reply to you? Take some time and separate yourself from the world around you and spend it in prayer and fasting before God. As part of your fasting, go visit someone in need. You usually don’t have to look to far in these hard economic times to find some one who is in need. Share the love of Jesus with someone and see God operate in your life. He is our exceedingly great reward.

Prayer:
Father, many times I have fasted and many times I have shared food and clothing with the less fortunate. I have never put the two together until today reading Your Word. I pray Lord that You help me to be sensitive to Your Spirit continually in order that I may respond to Your promptings when it comes to sharing with those in need. It just might break down a barrier in their lives and open up something in me. I pray that I am always able to share things needed in life with those who have need. May my heart not be so hard that I can’t stop to share an act of love and service with those in need including sharing with them the good news of the gospel. Thanks Dad for all the things You have given me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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409 – Brother’s Keeper

A pick-up episode in terms of both pacing and storyline, continuing the up-and-down bumps the series has been putting its viewers through lately.

In exchange for Charlie, Samuel wants Hiro to go back in time eight weeks to the night he murdered Mohinder Suresh. He doesn’t want the whining exposition bag saved – instead he wants a film can from 1961 brought back. Unfortunately, Hiro can’t focus enough to time travel.

Other stories include Tracey losing control of her powers and not knowing what to do about it. In a change from the normal boring storyline, she seeks out old man Bennett, only to find Claire and some excellent CGI as the ice queen accidentally freezes both a full bath and everyone’s favourite healing girl – although we are still denied a truly excellent money shot of Claire regrowing a whole foot.

The Haitian seeks out the Petrelli boys, finding Peter and Nathan – the Real Sylar, try to keep up at the back – and tells Peter that their mother wants their memories erased, instead he hands Peter an address and tells him to go alone. Naturally, he doesn’t and the Petrellis discover the body of the real Nathan, setting them off on a quest to find to find Parkman.

The bulk of the episode, however, is set eight weeks in the past, as Mohinder once again goes through his father’s research and discovers that Samuel:
a) was born in Coyote Sands
b) has powers that will increase by a thousand if he surrounds himself with the right super-powered people
c) has a compass to seek out the individuals.
This sends Mohinder off to find the man himself at the carnival, only to be warned off by Joseph and told to destroy the film.

While the episode is not without its flaws – didn’t Mohinder’s story end when they bailed out of turning him into a lizard? Why does anybody want more Mohinder? Why is Claire in this when it could be Bennett? – it’s definitely got its fair share of cracking scenes. There’s the ice-based delights of Tracey’s uncontrollable powers to the genuinely exciting confrontation in Parkman’s hospital suite as the overlong and bloated story of Sylar’s mind and body finally comes to an end. We could have done without Hiro saving Mohinder, but it’s all worth it for the idea that Mohinder is now trapped in a psychiatric hospital and is probably going crazy for the eight weeks he must remain there. Likewise, Tracey’s will-she-won’t-she arc comes to an end as Samuel welcomes her into her new home.

It’s not perfect by any means and it’s certainly not the best episode of the series so far, but it ends several dangling plot strands and gives the story as a whole a much-needed kick up the arse. Maybe, though, Hiro shouldn’t have saved Mohinder? The last thing we need is another bloody character getting in the way, while the cliffhanger suggests that the story of Sylar’s return isn’t quite finished yet. You bastard, Kring.

Four stars

For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: Seek Me and live;(NKJV) Amos 5:4

The Lord held out a call of repentance to the house of Israel. Here is what Adonai said to the house of Israel. He told them if they sought Him, they would survive. A great destruction was going to take place. However, God still held out an offer of hope to them. Just seek Me and it can be changed. They would not have to go to judgement or go into captivity. They would just have to seek Him and things will be different. Israel had the key to their survival, seek the Lord. The Lord gave them the message which would deliver them. It required them to cease in their rebellion against God and return to Him with their whole heart. Although they faced death, they would be rescued and live. Though they were wretched, their cause was not without hope. Their hope of redemption was found in seeking Him.

Unfortunately, they did not answer the call Adonai held out for them. They had the answer. They had the key to survival but they did not use it. The key to survival is the same for us today. No matter what our situation is. Whether we got there by our own disobedience or not, God is there. He is holding out a call for repentance . It is for anyone who wants to cease in their rebellion against God and turn to Him with their whole heart. Seeking God does not mean necessary everything is going to be okay. However, it does mean we will survive the judgement of God. It does mean we have Someone to help us through the storms of life. It does mean we have Someone who loves us unconditionally. Here is our key to survival, seek Him. Will we use this key? Or will we continue to try to survive on our own? The situation we find ourselves in is not without hope. We all face death but if we seek Him we can be rescued from the judgement to come. We can be rescued and and receive eternal life. Our hope of redemption is found in Him. Seek Him and live!

Earth is dying: News,Economy,Nature,War,H1N1,Death,Gay Sex Ed,Corbett,Jeremiah, Van Impe,Coalition,Defile Christ,Dark Ages Blue Laws,Achilles Heel,Good/Evil Seeds

Prophecy’s Extra Oil Update 35: News of Good/Evil Seeds
©copyright 2009 Bonita M Quesinberry

News 11/25-11/27: 3.5 days in “terrors of these end days;” a few snippets—

VT, 1st state for gay marriage~ 1 public school now teaching children “anything goes” in sexuality [?sex with animals, too?]; AL, 1 miner dead, others hospitalized in mine inspection; FLA, man sought for shooting 5; H1N1, linked to rise in bacterial pneumonia cases, allergic reactions to vaccine rising but lull in new cases; FED, Obama to announce up to 34-k soldiers’ will deploy to Afghanistan; Philippines, massacre toll climbing, 100 arrested; Economy, 1 of every 4 home mortgages exceed value, “under water”; Number of “at risk banks” hits 552; Real jobless rate 17.5%; Nature, Obama, China to attend climate change summit; Quakes, 227 last 7 days, from M2.5 up to 5.9, most in M5 range, more widespread; Volcanoes, no wonder air so polluted, partial list last 7 days shows 16 eruptions globally with ash plumes as high 46.9-k feet, list does not include all activity, only most active on land, not in oceans; China, executes 2 in tainted milk scandal;

Mother and Daughters: this last sign began during the Apostles’ ministry but is now building up to repeat church violence of the Dark Ages; Christ warned, “Beware of pastors, preachers, theologians taught by men, teaching man’s laws for God” —

FLA, sister Tammy: 11/24, Tampa 89.3-FM Christian radio broadcast, Rev. John Corbett said, “Paul wrote the book of Hebrews to stop Jews from being Hebrews. All of the Law, including God’s Ten, were sacrificial and done away with by Jesus: legalism no longer applies, so stay away from those legalists! All it takes is love.” At his .org website he declares a master in theology and indicates faith is Papal Rome, Revelation’s Great Whore and mother of harlot daughters: URL on Links page for Catholic catechism.

The following news is from http://jesuswillanswer.com who highlighted Extra Oil 34 on their homepage with a link to our total article; take particular note of words underscored in bold print or in all CAPS for posts that will not accept the MSWord document as prepared— “11/23/09: A formidable COALITION of 150 Catholic, Orthodox and evangelical LEADERS are CALLING on CHRISTIANS IN A NEW MANIFESTO TO reject secular authority and even ENGAGE IN CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE— IF LAWS FORCE THEM TO ACCEPT abortion, same sex marriages and OTHER IDEAS THAT BETRAY THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.”

Those 150 clearly represent the Great Whore and her harlot daughters. It seems they not only shun Christ’s instruction to obey God’s Laws but also laws of the land. The finale of this longing running sign will see Christ in the clouds: it is excitingly obvious the above call includes violence against those they call “legalists, cults:” we of God’s Doctrine, and that of His Christ, definitely betray their religious beliefs based on Satan’s teachings.

Recall history’s Dark Ages: Papal Rome ordered the deaths of millions of “heretics” via Rome’s civil power, killed all those who would not embrace her “church and religious beliefs.” The dead were Doctrine Keepers. Recall: US infancy history, Doctrine Keepers were beaten, jailed, even hung. We are being ushered into a new Dark Age where Papal Rome and her Protestant harlot daughters are ratcheting up to make one last, feeble attempt to annihilate God’s people: He said it would happen and that “they think to do it for God.” The above “manifesto” is a global call and the goats ultimately will respond with rage and violence against God’s Saints and Elect.

“Civil disobedience,” however, is a misnomer: for they have 52 US States’ Sunday Blue Laws with the severest of police power included to back up their actions, the backing of our Federal Government’s declaration of “no provision for Saturday,”, and a little known Federal law giving it unlimited power to back any State law without a matching Federal Law. So, do not look for the Federal Government to intervene on our behalf. Christ’s sheep and God’s Elect will be the ones ultimately beaten or jailed, and a “few” killed.

Today they are in an angry, argumentative stage while vehemently rushing headlong to violence and first will go after Doctrine Keepers with the strongest voices and visibility: in their minds, what better way to eliminate the rest than by getting rid of those who boldly and without fear speak God’s Truth. TSaS has felt their heat many, many times in the last 30 years— emails, comments at websites, face-to-face— has felt the mother and daughters’ magnified hatred for God’s Truth. It is a hideous sound and sight.

Blasphemy using God’s Holy Name. They curse Him; unaware their armour is flawed, a vital piece missing: Truth. Our armour has no Achilles heel: we have God’s power and bear the sword of His Truth— the only sword we are to brandish in upcoming attacks against us. Harm no man; rather, take the insults and arrows, as did Jesus, a blessing to us and a curse to them: God WILL raise us up if they kill the flesh garment we wear!

FLA, 11/25— Sister Tammy also reported radio’s Rev. David Jeremiah of Turning Point, also on TBN, teaching that cults “came out of” myriad Christian denominations, therefore are part of them. This belies Paul’s statement that “men came among us to spy on our teachings, then left to go their own way. If they had been of us, they would have stayed with us.” The truth is that those myriad denominations “came out of” Christ’s True Church and are recognized as antichrists, apostate churches as it were. Doctrine Keepers were first and have always been since Christ; never a part of the Great Whore and her harlot daughters. Rev. Jeremiah also said “belief and works are not to be together, that your works should be community works that people can see. Love your neighbor. ”

As Paul said, “I will show you my faith by my works . . . works of the Law of Righteousness.” Amen! And, when the men expounded on all their good “community” works to Jesus, including calling out demons in His name, He turned to them and said, “I know you not.” According to Christ, the “works” are to do God’s Will, His Doctrine, His Holy Law: by such obedience we instinctively will do other good works among people.

Noted in Extra Oil 34, hostility is a rapidly increasing theme taught more heatedly each day by the mother and daughters’ ministers on TV, radio and pulpits: the above reports show how far they will go to incite rage against Christ’s small flocks. God says they curse Him by vile opposition of His Will—His Doctrine—His “perpetual” Holy Law and by attacks in His name. They defile His Christ, our saviour Lord: God sent to Him “magnify the Law and make it honorable” among men again. We suffer nothing strange, nothing our brethren before us did not suffer: they gladly died for God’s Truth and Christ’s sacrifice. — “Ye shall suffer for me as I suffered for you; but I will come quickly.”

TBN, 11/25— The first thing evangelist Jack Van Impe presents is that he has a doctorate in theology, as does wife Rexella. This broadcast was as if he were doing flip-flops trying to fit square pegs into round holes of the end of days’ prophecies. Referencing daughter’s teaching that Israel must rebuild its Temple, he attempted to justify it with Revelation’s fact that New Jerusalem will come down from heaven, wherein there will be no Temple.

Van Impe says Israel must rebuild now— they have it in parts for assembly that could be done in a matter of weeks—it was allegedly prophesied that Abomination of Desolation will sit upon the throne therein before Christ returns, the Temple ostensibly defiled again. Van Impe explained that the Saints are taken up in the rapture for a purported 7 years in third heaven, earth will be left in utter chaos and a few might die but certainly not all.

According to Van Impe, when the Saints return with Jesus, He will destroy that new temple then New Jerusalem comes down from heaven. Jesus and the Saints then teach the people “Left Behind.” Van Impe did a fine job of rendering God’s ancient prophets liars and implied Jesus also a liar. Van Impe did his father proud, a liar from the beginning.

Please do as sister Tammy did and report via email to TSaS all relevant activities of the mother and daughters in your area. We must keep a close eye on them; for Jesus said, “When they attack, then flee from city to city as needed: you will not go far before I come.” We are to speak only His Truth and flee the location rather than engage in their futile fight for Satan’s continued dominion over earth. HIS REIGN IS OVER!

No indepth news for a while. We suggest watching local news and CNN. TSaS will focus on vital Bible studies, documentary summaries that respond to horrors we are witnessing during the most exciting time in man’s history, include member comments and/or prayer requests, and answer member questions. As news of the mother and daughters come in, it will be included in the next Extra Oil to broadcast. Pray— pray— pray unceasing for all, for the world and leaders, for all who believe a lie and will die twice for their wicked ways: “They know not what they do, nor to whom they do it.”

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Seeds of Good and Evil

Condensed from Truth Gathering, chapter 31— Seeds of Good and Evil; ©copyright 1998-2003, annotated by Bonita M Quesinberry; the world’s only exhaustive AKJV Topical Bible: text below represents only the core message from each paraphrased scripture; references provided at end, followed by summary notes:

You, who are obedient believers, are given understanding of the mystery of God’s kingdom: but, the wicked and disobedient hear parables they cannot understand; they see but do not perceive and hear but do not understand the truth. These latter have a form of godliness but deny the power of God by their behaviour. They consistently study to learn but never come to the knowledge and wisdom of God’s truth. Why? Because they seek by man’s direction instead of the Holy Ghost: the former a liar, the latter unable to lie.

The Word of God is like seeds planted. When cast, some fall by the wayside, some upon stony places, and others among thorns; but a few seeds fall upon fertile soil. Those lying by the wayside represent people who heard the Word; but, Satan quickly removes God’s pure Doctrine from their hearts: which is to say, they heard the truth but never accepted it; thus, they turned back to man’s teachings by Christian illusion or by paganism: the latter is one way, the former is both ways cleverly disguised as Christ’s Church— Satan’s greatest lie. Alas, they will remain in a sinful state with absolutely no hope of salvation.

Seeds that fell upon stony places are people who hear God’s Truth and receive Christ in a display of great joy; but the word does not take root in them. Alas, for a while they seem to believe; after a time, temptations of this world pull them away from God and back into Satan’s glittering gold world: whether it be his seemingly beautiful side, which appears to be Christian yet promotes worldly prosperity, or back to being utterly wicked and filthy.

Seeds having fallen among thorns are people who heard God’s Truth, obey it for a while, then the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life soon choke out their faith; causing them to only appear Christian yet bearing no fruit of righteousness for lack of patience and Truth.

Finally, those few seeds on fertile ground sprout in a people of honest and good hearts; therefore, God’s Word is understood thoroughly and each obeys Father’s Doctrine wholly as well as teach it to others: because they love Him and wish to please. Each bears fruit of righteousness; for they are patient, which is faithful. Their fruit is two-fold: 1) each grows into righteous behaviour like Christ; and, 2) each bring others into God’s Light and Truth, even if it’s only one person, or thirty or sixty or a hundred.

As Jesus said on two separate occasions, “If you bring one to me, you shall be called great in heaven. If you live my Father’s Law and teach others to do the same, you shall be called great in heaven.” Oh, dear sheep! How simple to reach that plateau where God in heaven calls you “great!” It recalls His declaration of Job, “He is righteous above all men.” I desire to be called great by my Father. How about you?

The seeds symbolize two things: 1) the Word of God; and, 2) the people who hear His Word. The latter seeds are divided into two groups of humans: the good, also referred to as wheat, and the evil, also known as weeds. Those considered evil by God are all who deviate from His Word by even the smallest point. The weeds grow amidst His wheat. If we look at the world’s landmasses, we find that the majority of fields are made up of weeds; in comparison, only small segments grow wheat and even then weeds infiltrate in an effort to choke out the wheat. Satan’s army makes up over 2/3rds of humanity; God’s army is a small 1/3rd: the difference is we have God’s power and they do not.

Jesus said, “Every writer for God’s mouth is taught what the kingdom of heaven is like, and each teach these matters from both the Old and New Testaments; for they have received in abundance God’s knowledge, wisdom, secrets and mysteries. Alas, those of a wicked heart quickly lose the Truth they first were given, because they did not receive it with unshakable trust. Therefore, man shall live by every word of God.” Those who know God and His Christ obey God’s His Doctrine, to-wit: Statutes of Life, Law of Blessings, Law of Righteousness, Ten Commandments— for they who obey and teach His Word, in him or her is the love of God and Truth perfected.

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References— Mark 4:11-12; II Timothy 3:5,7; Matthew 13:3-9,19-33,37-50,52; 13:12,16; Hebrews 4:2; Proverbs 1:23; Psalm 68:11; Proverbs 2:1-6; Luke 4:4; I John 2:3-6

Additional Points— Matthew 13:11,13,15; Mark 4:3-9,13-20,26-32; Luke 8:5-8,10-18; 13:19; 17:6; Psalm 45:1-2; Mark 4:24-25; Deuteronomy 8:3

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God’s own words reveal a single seed: His Word; and Jesus is the sower of God’s Word. The Word is heard by two kinds of people— indicating that all of humanity does hear or read about God at some point during their lifetime— also referred to as seeds: 1) God’s children; and, 2) Satan’s children. Noting either child as a seed indicates into what manner of plant, or person as it were, the seed sprouts and grows to ultimately reveal who is their father: God or Lucifer. These children, or soil as it were, also indicates the type of ground God’s seed Word fell upon and the plant type that sprouts: wheat or weeds.

The four soil conditions reveal God’s wisdom, in that He alone knows each person’s true intent at heart: whether they desire spiritual things or the comfort of this world. The “wayside” uncovers a wicked heart, while “rocky and thorny” ground turn to the things and cares of Satan’s temporary realm: earth, the riches of which are under his temporary control to dispense. Only to fertile soil does God impart His Knowledge, Wisdom, Secrets, and Mysteries plus spiritual gifts of power according to Holy Spirit’s discretion.

Lucifer’s children become his by virtue of their daily choices. After all, humanity first was God’s by His creation. As noted, Satan’s offspring are referred to as weeds, which has a two-point meaning: 1) blatantly wicked and filthy, those of the wayside, surround God’s children everywhere they go on this planet; and, 2) the beautiful ones, rocky and thorny, sit amidst Christ’s true congregation feigning belief. These are weeds in the midst of wheat but will not be separated until harvest time: that done in plain sight of all: no magical disappearances of people, as the “Left Behind” series would have us believe.

God judges soils 1 through 3 as hating Him. Revelation 3:15-19, however, indicates hope for the rocky and thorny— as Revelation describes as the cold and lukewarm: which is another Truth to be learned. Still, each person must choose to “sell all that they have to follow Christ,” to-wit: comply with God’s full Doctrine as well as “speak His testimony and teach His Law.” If they do so because they truly love God, it is because “there is Light in them.” — Isaiah 8:16,20

Time to repent is TODAY: we entered the last church age, Laodicea, in 1991. As a result, “Christ is at the door and comes quickly.” No one can say the specific day and hour, but we do know the time is at hand and must watch the clouds; for Christ’s harvest is not far off: October, or as late as mid-November. Could it be 2009 or the next year, perhaps? The Spirit instructed the seventh seal messenger, “No later than 2011.” The various signs of both the Old and New Testaments, including the mother and daughters’ hatred of the Doctrine Keepers, plus six of the seven plagues are present and ever worsening, and all prophecies up to Christ’s return are fulfilled. We eagerly await His presence in the clouds of the final harvest months.

——Watch the clouds between mid-October to mid-November henceforth until no later than 2011. The book of Hebrews says Jesus will not be late. If not fully converted now, time is your enemy; total conversion must be instant, this day, TODAY: do not delay. Pray unceasing! Be watchful; stand fast even to death. WE HAVE GOD’S POWER. KEEP WALKING and TALKING, even when it seems useless or even dangerous: you might snatch one lost, Lukewarm sheep from the flames and give the warmth of God’s Truth to a Cold waiting for it. Saith the Lord, “Ye lukewarm await consuming fire.”

——TSaS post archives open to public; members access Bible Lesson FILES. TSaS ministry neither needs nor asks for money and never will: God provides our basic needs. We ask only for prayer and that you share God’s Truth with all who will hear/read and obey in “the instant.” Be good stewards of God’s Word: share Extra Oils, lead everyone to God’s Biblical Truth at — http://groups.yahoo.com/group/truthseekersandspeakers

Much Love in Christ, Sister BonnieQ
http://seventhseal.webs.com Unicorn Haven’s Seventh Seal Library

http://www.naturesanswer.com to order Asafetida, also correctly spelled Asafoetida: produced by Natures Answer; if not in product list send email to NA to ask about getting it (my local health food store orders it for me) This is one of the strongest fighter’s of virus in God’s herbal kingdom: His medicine works perfectly and with no side effects!

Also, remember God’s words about these times, “My people shall walk among them and be not touched. And, my people shall not go without.”

No início da quarta temporada de Heroes surgiu o boato de que um personagem central morreria nos novos episódios. No início de novembro, seu nome foi finalmente revelado, causando polêmica entre os fãs da série. O criador de Heroes, Tim Kring, comentou a respeito em entrevista ao site “TV Guide”.

Em relação à saída definitiva de Nathan Petrelli de Heroes, Kring respondeu:

- Nós conversamos abertamente com Adrian Pasdar sobre sua partida há vários meses e o mantivemos a par de todos os acontecimentos. Ele sempre soube o que estava acontecendo.

O criador também desmentiu o boato de que o ator estaria magoado com isso:

- Ele é muito amado por todos nós e esse boato depreciativo sobre a maneira de como as coisas foram tratadas não poderia estar mais longe da verdade. Adrian é um líder entre o elenco, um verdadeiro amigo e um cavalheiro.

Por fim, ele revelou que o Senador terá “um grande funeral para o mundo ver”.

Nathan está “oficialmente” morto desde o final da terceira temporada, Fugitivos, quando Sylar cortou sua garganta. Mas Matt Parkman fez uma lobotomia no vilão e o fez crer que era o primogênito dos Petrelli.

Via Blog Heroes no Universal channel

Feed a High School Football Player

Cathy G, Orlando, FL:

The high school I work at has a volunteer program where staff members can “adopt” a varsity football player. I have had the same player for two years and he is now a senior. For a Christmas present, I used my reward points to get him a gift card to his favorite restaurant. It’s enough for him to take his girlfriend,too. She is a varsity cheerleader.

Janet R, Santa Cruz, CA:

My husband has been unemployed for six months and I have been on disability since March of ‘09, so I have been using my Discover card quite a bit for things ranging from gasoline to car repairs.

My Cashback Rewards have enabled us to give a couple of Christmas gifts to our daughter and son-in-law. I got them a Regal Entertainment gift card for a night out, which will include babysitting our toddler grandson while they get a date night. I was also able to get my daughter a Bed, Bath and Beyond gift card that she can use toward things she wants for her home.

Thank you Discover card, for making this possible.
Janet R.

Lori B, Jasper, IN:

I use my Discover Card for most of the purchases I make. From time to time I will redeem my bonus awards for gift cards. I was in desperate need of new bedroom furniture. I had borrowed my brothers, and he needed it back. I used my Cashback Bonus awards to buy new furniture. My furniture ended up being free. I only paid for the delivery charge and extended warranty – $105. I love my furniture and I love it even more knowing it was “free”! Thanks Discover!

“No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.” ~Proverbs 21:30

It has been a trying couple of weeks. I’ve been assaulted by all manner of strange philosophies and ideologies that claim Christ as their core, and yet they seem as far from Christ as possible. As one who associates with a certain subculture, I find it so frustrating to see self-professing Christians use awkwardly interpreted Scriptures to justify their actions and associations, and then stop there. As if they want to move forward in their hobbies and interests and pull the Christian card only when it’s convenient.

As a Side Note: Let me just say this, if you have to search the Scriptures for some loophole to justify whatever it is that you are doing, perhaps you shouldn’t be doing it. I have seen people search for loopholes to justify tattoos, piercings, clothing styles, listening to certain types of music, having a drink of alcohol, smoking, or whatever else it may be that they desire to do. If you are fighting your conscience on a matter, let your conscience win because how much greater is God than your own conscience? Tattoos, piercings, etc. (I’m picking on those because they are the silliest matters I’ve seen addressed) are not for everybody. If you are starting to feel a pang of guilt for considering that cool tattoo you want to get, don’t get it. It might not be for you at the moment, or it may not be for you at all.

What part of LORD do we not understand? Are we not to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship? Do we not know that we are not our own, for we were bought at a price? It as if we are more concerned with being our own unique individual self, than we are about denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, and following the Lord Jesus Christ who redeemed us with His Blood on Calvary.

Lord, help us. We are so weak, and we are so feeble.

Over the past few weeks I have listened to a man who is more interested in gathering disciples for himself, and convincing others that he has the right answers, than he is in seeking the Scriptures and giving his life over to God. A man who wants so much to be some grand spiritual leader, and yet his fruit bears witness to the spiritual death that is inside of him. And he is so enchanted by his own self grandeur, in love with his idols of education and antiquity, that I can’t help but to be reminded of the Word which says:

“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

~2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

And it hurts because we’ve had this conversation, we’ve been down this trail, and that tree looks all too familiar.

Somehow, it seems that Christ isn’t important or exciting anymore. That He has somehow bored us, and now we have to dress Him up in the latest fashions just to keep Him relevant and inviting to ourselves and to the culture around us. It is absolutely ridiculous the idolatry that we have found ourselves in. And more and more as I see the culture around me, and Christians who look more like the culture around me than they do Christ, I’m starting to wonder where did it all go wrong.

When did Christ become not enough? When did the cries of Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria become so offensive and trite that we simply let them fade away? It seems now, that what matters most is that we be inviting and welcoming with a message that reaches out to the community, and -as far as I have seen- more often than not, that message is a watered down gospel cluttered with all manner of gimmicks and funny jokes to make it entertaining and look attractive to a dying world that revels in its own decay.

THE GOSPEL IS AN OFFENSE to those that are perishing. THE CROSS IS AN OFFENSE to those that deny Christ as Lord and Savior. Watering down the gospel, or smoothing off the rough edges of the cross (to paraphrase C. H. Spurgeon), is to rob God. Are we somehow more loving and more wise than our Father in Heaven that we try to take the offense out of that which is incredibly offensive?

Man is wicked and at enmity with God. Man is on a fast lane speeding towards Hell with a smile on his face. Man is making merry to eternal damnation, and unless we tell him how offensive and heinous his sin is to God, and what Christ has done that men might be saved, man will continue happily on his way to an eternity that stops in the full presence of God’s wrath.

I am fearful also, that there are a number of people who call themselves Christians, that have gone to church all their lives, that have done all the churchy things expected of them, who were at every Sunday service, and maybe at various midweek and home services, that will stand before God and hear those terrible words, “Depart from me, you worker of iniquity. I never knew you!” When our lives have no sign of change, when sin is of no importance to us, when holiness means nothing to us, when Christ is a subject we already know all about, when we live like the devil (to paraphrase Paul Washer) shouldn’t we be terrified?

How is your life any different now from before you knew Christ?

The Manhattan Declaration was encouraging, but I’m afraid it is not enough. Spurring us to act in regards to certain moral issues with a piece of paper signed by Christian and Christian-like religious leaders is heart breaking. Why should we be compelled to do that which we should have been doing from the beginning? Should it not be second nature for us to oppose the murder of unborn children? Should it not be second nature for us to oppose the various sexually immoral unions and encounters that we are being pressured into approving? Why does it take a piece of paper to get some of us to act? Why haven’t we already been taking to the streets with the GOSPEL!?

What makes our lives different from the unbelieving? Is there something that obviously sets us apart from the world around us beyond our words? Do our neighbors look at us and know something is different about our lives? Or are we simply content with putting on a t-shirt that says “Jesus” in a logo similar to that of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, instead of putting on Christ each and every day?

I am tired of lukewarm Christianity. I am tired of the “Have it Your Way” fast food gospel. I’m tired of churchianity and a church culture that denies Christ and promotes a life given to moralistic deism.

It is as if somehow our wisdom, our understanding, and our counsel are greater than God’s. Somehow we’ve become more intelligent, more gentle, more loving, and more peaceful than God. And this blasphemy is taking us, and the world, straight to Hell.

Lord, help us. We are weak, and we are feeble.

“No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.” ~Proverbs 21:30

Earlier this month, I was speaking at a Korean American church in Los Angeles. One or two of the chaps worked hard to put this video of it together, so here it is. If you can’t face the thought of actually having to look at me, then i completely understand.

Here is a pdf of the handout: Bible in Hour & Why It Matters

For those who’d prefer the text (infinitely preferable, in my view), here is the original article on which it was based (for CMF’s Nucleus magazine).

Daily Read (Isaiah 55-57)

Scripture:
Isaiah 55:11 “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Observation:
Isaiah starts this chapter with God’s words that those who are thirsty should come to the waters and those without money to buy food should come to obtain food and drink without money. God is saying that the things of this world do not satisfy, but the food and drink He gives will satisfy the hunger of the soul. He offers the bread of life, Jesus, (John 6:48) and the water that causes a well to spring up inside of us that leads to eternal life (John 4:14). In our selected verse for today, God says that His word will accomplish what it was sent out to do. Jesus is the Word of God (Rev. 19:13), and He did all that God the Father sent Him to do here on earth (John 5:36). He overcame Satan and took away the power of death, hell, and the grave and gave us the gift of eternal life (Rom. 6:23).

Application:
God sent forth His Word, Jesus, to do the job that was necessary to redeem mankind from an eternal death in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14). Our heavenly father, through Isaiah, tells us that His Word will never come back void to Him but will in fact accomplish the mission designed for it. God has given us a mission and done so through the words of His Son, Jesus.

At the end of the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts (Luke part II), Jesus gives us the great commission. In a nut shell, He told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they had been empowered by the Holy Spirit. Once that occurred, they were to go to the ends of the earth preaching the good news of the gospel, baptizing people in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them all Jesus had commanded the apostles, and to make disciples of those that come to Jesus.

This mission is the mission of every believer. No one has been exempted from this commission. We are on an assignment from God. He has made us watchmen (Ezek. 33:7), whose job it is to warn people of the death and destruction that comes from living a life of sin (Rom. 6:23). God warns us in the book of Ezekiel that if we don’t warn the lost about their impending doom resulting in their eternal death, then their blood is upon us. Many people don’t like to hear that, but it is truth. Your reward in heaven is determined by your actions in this life. Do you want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant”? Or, would you rather hear, “Enter my rest, you who believed on my name”?

Our deeds will be tested by fire. They are going to be one of two types. Those that are like precious metals and gems that are made pure by fire or like wood, hay, and stubble that are burned up in the fire to ash (1 Cor. 3:11-14). One is lasting while the other is temporal. What type of reward do you desire? Is your heart set on platinum and emeralds or something made of wood and hay?

God sent forth His word that we are to be His witnesses in our neighborhoods, our counties, states, country and around the world should we be given the chance to travel abroad. We are witness to every person we contact on a daily basis. Our actions determine whether we are a good witness or a bad witness. Are we doing what is pleasing to God? Are we allowing ourselves to be a living sacrifice – holy, pleasing, and acceptable to God – our true worship? Do you worship God with your life, or is it more of a Sunday morning praise songfest for 30 minutes or so weekly? Are you doing what God has commanded you to do? Do you really love your heavenly Father? Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

All right team, let’s get motivated. Get out there!  Hit the streets, and bring in lost souls to the kingdom of God! You can do it! God gives you His Spirit to empower you to do the job. Oh yeah!

Prayer:
Father, You are the source of all that we do. Your Word says that we live by every Word that proceeds out of Your mouth. If Your Word proceeds from Your mouth and doesn’t return to You until its job is completed, then we live by the success of Your Word. Your Word gets the job done. It is live to us and health to our bones. It is through Your Word, Jesus, that we have everlasting life and can live life here in this age with joy unspeakable. Father, there are days that I don’ t get the job done. I need Your help and guidance to ensure that the task set before me everyday is done. Make those supernatural and divine appointments that allow me to come in contact with those whom I am to share Your love and be Your witness. Help me to keep in the forefront of my mind continually that people see and hear everything I do in public. I want my words and actions to do nothing but reflect a life that is submitted and consumed by the living God. May people only see You in me and through me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

www.blogsurfer.us

ALYAVILLE:  Things did not go as planned last Thanksgiving, and as a result I had a lot of redeeming to do.  At least when it came to my bread.  My friend Z had an early potluck thanksgiving dinner with her friends, and I volunteered to bring something in the bread/biscuit category, something I rarely ventured into but always enjoyed doing (I think my deep unadulterated love for bread has kept me from baking too much – I’d be a ginormous doughy ball of glee if that were the case).  Having found a recipe for slightly sweet honey biscuits, I thought, “Hells Yeah! This sounds delectable!” and thus the morning of, set out to create these glorious buns.

First Mistake right there.  Should have tried it out earlier.  When my first batch turned into strangely unleavened rocks, I thought I best try again, step by step, ever so slowly and meticulously.  Buuutt…. To no avail.  Same result.  Saddened and more than a little embarrassed, I arrived at my friend’s home with the strange concoctions and a few cans of Pillsbury crescent rolls.  The crescent rolls were a hit.

So this year, same event, same friends, same potluck, and I nearly ran from the challenge but decided I had to try again, just had to.  So I dared to do bread once more.  I did some searching on the ‘net, came across a few recipes and decided to do a few trial runs early on to make sure all was well.  And guess what??  All turned out supremely well.

I settled on Cheddar biscuits, which I altered slightly into honey-cheddar biscuits (my insatiable sweet tooth revealed this yummy combination to me).  Then I made it Honey-Wheat Cheese biscuits when I changed the flour ran out of cheddar and mixed in some mozzarella.  And this time, no crescent rolls in sight – they turned out light, soft, and just scrumptious to dip into some gravy or cranberry sauce and sink your teeth into.  There would be no feeding the dog with my biscuits this year (which I believe was the ultimate fate of the monstrosities from last year).  Redemption is Sweet!

Redemption is cheesy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached flour — sifted (wheat flour tastes really good, in my opinion, but white is just fine)
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese — grated (adding a milder cheese too will add to the texture without overwhelming the taste buds)
• 1/4 cup butter (4 tbsp)
• 2/3 cup milk
• 3-4 tbsp honey

Begin by Sifting all your dry ingredients togeth

er: flour, baking powder, salt, and then mixing in the cheese.

Cut your butter into the dry mix, breaking it into pieces but not mixing it in too vigorously, and then pour in your milk.  Start mixing and folding the batter all together until it forms a soft dough, but again, don’t work it all in too much or else the dough will be dense and your bread will turn out tough.  I learned this step from experience, oy.

Flatten your dough out a bit and dig a well to drizzle your honey into, starting with only 2 tbsp first.  Fold the sticky ball over on itself a few times to incorporate the honey, then repeat with remaining honey..

Sprinkle a board or tabletop with flour and knead the dough  few times there, before pressing it out to about ½ inch thick. Cut out biscuit pieces – now you can use a cookie cutter, or just a knife and trace out whatever you like.  You could even be adventurous if you choose and m

ake them the shape of a turkey for Thanksgiving.  Just have fun.

Place then on a baking sheet and into a preheated oven at 450 F, for about 25-30 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and springy to the touch.  I can still smell the cheddary goo

dness melting inside…

Preferably serve them hot, so that your guests can instantly warm up and melt into the sweet, soft, and cheesy biscuits that are sure to steal the glory from that turkey, hehe. Or not.

Next time, I’m going to try out Cream Biscuits… hmm…

Rois et reine (2004)
★★★ / ★★★★

“Rois et reine” or “Kings and Queen” tells the story of a man and a woman who were going through their own problems in life. Initially, the two camps seemed to be unconnected because of their predominantly disparate tones–one comedic and one tragic. Nora (Emmanuelle Devos), who lives with her third husband-to-be, visited her son Elias (Valentin Lelong) and father (Maurice Garrel). After Nora’s father confessed to her that he has been having some stomach problems, she took him to the hospital and found out that he was terminally ill. This caused a great interruption on the life she desperately wanted to believe was going great because she now had to deal with where to put her son because he and the third husband do not get along. She also had to deal with her sister who only used their father for money and what the father really thought of Nora. On the other hand, Ismael (Mathieu Amalric) was sent back to the mental hospital against his will. In there, he found amusing ways to cope such as finding romance and discussing his psychology with a psychiatrist. Although this film was about a many things at once, it impressed me because in a span of about two hours and thirty minutes, it was able to balance comedy and drama throughout. What’s more impressive was Arnaud Desplechin’s, the director, ability to cut to one genre to another when things began to feel suffocating. So, in a way, it worked as two different but good films but the connections that the two had made it that much more enjoyable. Just when I thought everything was going to wrap up in a neat little package when Devos and Amalric finally had a scene together, more problems began to appear because two had a history. Many questions were then brought up such as when one’s responsibility should end when a relationship has been mutually agreed upon as over, whether the mother is doing the right thing by indirectly choosing her third husband over her only child, and the pros and cons of keeping a certain knowledge a secret when the burden is too much to bear. There was a certain organic feel in the film which made me believe that the events portrayed could have happened in real life. I thought one of the strongest scenes in the movie was its ending–the conversation between Amalric and Lelong–because it remained true to itself: with every negative comes a positive (and vice-versa). “Rois et reine” is the perfect film for those who love character studies of individuals who have many imperfections but still have certain reedeming qualities.

Today I thought I would write something about the history of Thanksgiving Day, but I’m feeling pulled in a different direction.

Jesus told the story of a man with two sons.  I recommend that you read it here.

The one son left and wasted everything his father had given him.  When it was all gone, he came back to his father seeking refuge and forgiveness, and a job as a servant.  His father welcomed him back as his son, giving him a robe, a ring, and a feast.  The other son, who had been faithful to his father all this time, found out what’s going on.  He went to his father in anger and complained, touting how faithful he had been, and pointing out the sins of his brother.

I have been both of these sons.  I have been the one who squandered what my Father gave me.  I have also been the son who, when seeing the wayward children return, was critical of their sins instead of celebrating their return.

This is not who I want to be.  I want to have the heart of the Father.  I want to be gracious and forgiving, regardless of what sins those around me have committed.  I need to stop being critical of others faults…I have so many of my own.

Today we’re having some of my wife’s family over to celebrate Thanksgiving.  Really, we do this every week at church, and should have an “attitude of gratitude” daily. 1^st Thessalonians 5:18 says “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  But there’s something special about today.  My house becomes the house of worship.  My house is where the redeemed are gathering to say “Thanks” to the Father for His grace toward us.  Today, in our own story, I play the part of the father.

Psalm 100  “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.  Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.  For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

4×11: The Fifth Stage
Data de exibição: 30/11/09

SAMUEL COMEÇA A VER SUA VISÃO TOMAR FORMA

H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) é saudado por alguns visitantes inesperados e o grande plano de Samuel (Robert Knepper) começa a dar frutos. Enquanto isso, Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) se esforça para aceitar a verdade e toma medidas extremas para conseguir o que quer. Em outro local, a viagem de Claire (Hayden Panettiere ) a leva a um destino inesperado.

Adrian Pasdar, Zachary Quinto e Cristine Rose também participam do episódio.
Jimmy Jean-Louis, David H. Lawrence XVII, Madeline Zima, Dawn Olivieri, Todd Stashwick e Elisabeth Rohm são os atores convidados.

BS”D

Today is Thanksgiving and also the birthday and Hilula of the Mitteler Rebbe, like the Hilula of the Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochain on Lag Ba’Omer.

Here is a video message about the auspicious time today for prayer and redemption:

****Lichvod/Dear Klal Yisrael****
> I thank Hashem for everything-the one who sent this in-the rav of Aish Hachayim
>
> This coming Thursday (November 26th) the 9th of Kislev is a very special time where
> the gates of tefilot are wide open and Hashem is hearing, accepting and answering
> our prayers! Like the Ramban wrote: “the 9th year on the 9th month at the 9th hour
> of the day is a time of happiness and grants from Hashem”. and you should know,
> adds the Chesed L’avraham, “this time is very appropriate for success and is a pipe
> to bring upon ourselves abundance and redemption.”
> This very special moment only comes around once every 7 years so we must get ready
> for it and take advantage of the opportunity granted to us from Hashem. Therefore
> it is important we take the time to pray and ask Hashem for all we need and desire
> in a clear and detailed way. In order to do so, we must prepare ourselves and put
> on paper what is the most important to us so that we can ask it clearly on this
> very special moment.
> May Hashem grant all our tefilot and bakashot hakol l’tov
> AMEN
>
> please when you daven to Hashem have Klal Yisrael in mind for
> yeshua,bracha,hatzlacha,refuah,parnasa,shalom,shalom bayit,nachas,teshuva,and for
> Hashem to take us out of this Galus we are in AMEN!!!!
> Israel from 1:43pm to 1:56pm
> New York from 2:07pm to 2:55pm
> Los Angeles from 2:15pm to 3:03pm
> Miami from 2:44pm to 3:42pm
> Chicago from 1:56pm to 2:47pm

What is the price of freedom from our past?  How much must we pay to atone for mistakes we have made and now regret?

I recently saw the film Seven Pounds, starring Will Smith.  (Before I continue, I must issue fair warning:  Spoilers Ahead!)

In Seven Pounds (a reference to the “pound of flesh” demanded in the Merchant of Venice), Tim Thomas (Smith) bears the incredible weight of guilt of seven lives—seven people who died in a horrific car crash due to his negligence (he was checking his Blackberry while at the wheel).  The crushing burden of these lives upends Thomas’ own life, as he carries out a plan for atonement.  In various ways, he finds seven “good” people who deserve some kind of help, and then makes heroic sacrifices to help them:  he gives his home away to an abused woman, he donates a kidney, part of his liver, a lung, some bone marrow, and eventually a cornea and his heart to people in need.  The heart transplant is the most difficult, as he has fallen in love with the intended recipient (and she with him), but she will not live without a new heart.  To make that donation possible, Thomas eventually commits suicide in an incredible scene by allowing his pet jellyfish to sting him to death.

It is an emotionally wrenching movie.  One can help but admire the epic scale of sacrifice from Thomas, even as one aches for him to find forgiveness some other way.  Was his ultimate death truly the only way he could find peace?  Were his donations of “seven pounds” of his flesh, at the cost of his life, enough to bear the cost of the seven lives lost to his negligence?  Of course, the guilt of having caused such tragedy would be staggering, but is death the only fitting cost of redemption?

It would seem so.  Another, unrelated film makes a similar claim, at least in passing.  (Once again, the Spoiler Alert, sort of!)  The film Tombstone is essentially a tale of violence and revenge, though a well crafted one.  At one point, during which one character is seeking to kill an entire gang of men who killed some of his family members (it’s been so long since I saw the movie that I don’t remember all the names and details, but bear with me).  Trying to understand what motivates this revenge-seeker, one character asks another:  “What is he looking for, revenge?”  “No, forgiveness,” comes the answer.  “Forgiveness for what?”  “For being born.”

Within these two completely different films is a clear recognition of something deep within each of us.  We recognize that our lives, our existence, and the hurt we have caused others, no matter how unconsciously, demand sacrifice, demand death.  That is the price of forgiveness.  We cannot atone for ourselves without ultimate cost.

Why is this so deeply understand in our culture?  There is of course an obvious parallel to the Christian story, which begins with God killing animals to cover the naked bodies of Adam and Eve and climaxes with Jesus of Nazareth on a cross (finally paying the price of redemption on humanity’s behalf).  The human predicament, the sorrow we have caused by our very lives bays for payment.  The price is death.  But there are many in Western culture who do not believe this story, and many more who believe it at some level but would not agree with its gory sacrificial premises. 

So why Seven Pounds and Tombstone?  My Integral friends are welcome to suggest that much of Western culture, and many of its members, is simply “frozen” at the mythic (amber) level.  That may or may not be true.  Does that mean, however, that those at the rationalist (green) level (among whom surely at least some makers and viewers of these films would be counted) would not resonate with these movies?

I suggest that there is more than myth here.  There is a deep recognition that we matter, that we are valuable, and that our lives are worth incredible cost.  We are of such worth that even our mistakes have far-reaching consequences, exacting demanding prices, even that of our very lives.  There is nothing trivial about us, and we know.  We are beings of consequence.  And no matter how much we waste our lives, no matter how much we may assume that who we are or what we do does not matter, we know otherwise.  Every so often, something like Tombstone or Seven Pounds comes along to help us remember.

408 – Shadowboxing

Oh dear. After that wonderful crescendo episode comes this: Claire, Parkman and Peter, none of whom do much about anything.

Claire and Gretchen try to find invisible girl Becky, who – they’ve apparently forgotten – is invisible and not likely to be found. So they do what they always do when faced with a plot hole – they call in the Haitian, who stands around wondering if it’s worth the payday. Mercifully, Gretchen fears for her life and leaves Claire, only to be replaced by Samuel, who tries to tempt Claire over to his team. Bennett tangles with Becky when it is revealed that he killed her father some years before and by the end, yet another wedge has been driven into their fractured relationship. They’ve gotten back together more times than Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, why is this remotely worrying?

Meanwhile, the Real Sylar wakes up and accidentally turns into Nathan, flying away from the carnival in fear. Yeah, it’s as stupid as it sounds.

Fake Sylar is still in control of Parkman’s body and sets off on a quest to New York intending to get some answers out of Peter Petrelli. On the way, Parkman repeatedly pisses off Sylar, who murders innocent people until he finally is told the truth of what happened at the end of the last season. Parkman makes the ultimate sacrifice and gets them both shot, but we all know it won’t ever end so neatly.

In other boring plots, Peter and Emma deal with a train crash in New York. Peter uses his healing hands on patients whenever he gets a chance while Emma remembers he doctor training and finally confides that the dead ‘Christopher’ in her past was her nephew who drowned because she couldn’t hear him, making her leave medical school. It’s still completely unclear quite how the hell this is going to tie up with the main story in any believable way.

It’s a plodding episode, but one that finally gets rid of Gretchen from the story and simultaneously brings Samuel towards his final target: Claire. Now if only we could get moving on that slightly more important issue: what the hell does Samuel’s murder of Mohinder have to do with anything?

Two stars – generously

There is some great news about Red Dead Redemption.  It is going to be out in April 2010.  There is all so a new trailer coming out Dec 1, 2009.  An open world western game is going to be off the hook.  Can’t wait.  Here are some new pictures.

Saints from the past still speak to our time, I think. By their simple words they still proclaim the Word.  Here’s Macarius, a monk from 4th century Egypt, telling us why God sent Jesus, his Son, into a world that had become a desert, an empty house, an unused path. One reason monks like him preferred to live in the desert was their belief that a redeeming God could make a desert  flower again.

“When a farmer prepares to till the soil he must put on clothing and use tools that are suitable. So Christ, our heavenly king, came to till the soil of humanity devastated by sin. He assumed a body and, using the cross as his ploughshare, cultivated the barren human soul. He removed the thorns and thistles which are the evil spirits and pulled up the weeds of sin. Into the fire he cast the straw of wickedness. And when he had ploughed the soul with the wood of the cross, he planted in it a most lovely garden of the Spirit, that could produce for its Lord and God the sweetest and most pleasant fruit of every kind.”

Artists, like the one who painted Macarius (above),  clothed the desert monks in the finest, brightest clothes, though in real life they were surely quite shabbily dressed. Because they were God’s redeemed they were robed in fine cloths, no matter  how their neighbors saw them. They walked in a “lovely garden of the Spirit that could produce for its Lord and God the sweetest and most pleasant fruit of every kind.”

They were signs of a redeemed world.