Peace

So much for bailout naysayers. Government profits $4 billion as banks start to payback their loans.
And On Another Note:
Disney To Buy Marvel Enterprises For $4 Billion
Federal Reserve Made $14 Billion on Turmoil Loans

Well We Found Out Why Your Computer Is So Slow

Angels?

AUDIO ONLY

http://www.elijahlist.com/
In addition to all the ads they even have a place where you can donate to them/https://www.elijahlist.com/donations/donation.php

Ok...so what I am wondering is at what point are we not trusting in God for provision and at what point do we perform our human responsibility to make an avenue through which God can bless us with His provision. I am not against them doing what they feel comfortable in allowing on their own website.

The above website is an example of commercial endeavor coupled with the traditional 'donate' model. How much does it cost for a domain name and a web hosting service for a year? And how much time does it take a webmaster to maintain the entire package? Not very much at all. The monetization of all the ads and sponsored links should bring in more then enough to maintain the site.

I am seeing more sites caving into the monetization of their websites, good Christian websites.

Which makes it all the more rewarding to me personally when I click a link and there is nothing to be seen to draw in funding from any visible source.

I try hard to keep this site from any distracting attempts to put the touch on anyone's wallet.

Even though Technorati feels that this webblog is or currently could be worth around $1,129.00 us dollars as it stands, but for me it is never about the $$$.

I am not alone in this thinking about all of this. I recall sitting in the pew the day that Pastor Chuck Smith triumphantly declared that Calvary Chapel had just purchased the radio station KWVE. He told joyously all of us, "Now we won't have any more commercial interruptions, just worship and teaching of the Word of God. Everyone was cheerful and clapped about that because Calvary had to purchase air time on a nearby commercial station (KYMS).

If you listen to KWVE today...well you get the point. Somewhere along the line he must have sold out to the $$$ aspects. In fact I couldn't help but notice that the station comes in low quality until either Chuck Smith or Greg Laurie is on. Don't believe me, turn on KWVE a half hour before Greg Laurie comes on on Sunday mornings and amazingly Greg's program will come in crystal clear when just a half hour ago it was marginal. Don't get me wrong, Pastor Chuck Smith is a (VERY) giving man of God. But he also can be thrifty at the same time. I put his son Jeff in the very giving catagory also. Jeff has a heart of gold!

I wondered about this turning down of the transmit power until a radio tech guy told me that some stations turn down their transmit power and turn it up when the principal programing is on. Not allowed by the FCC but stations do it anyway to save on their annual electric power bill.

There is a big juggling act to perpetuate things that all of us do in the name of Christianity. One man that I have the deepest respect for in this area is Oden Fong. Never have I seen him put the touch on his congregation. He has an offering basket in the back table of his services and never even mentions it. The man is a man of God who I have seen give away $$$ to others after his own needs are barely being met. From my vantage point he has always truly trusted in God for his provision. His personal life is a testimony to Godly giving! As you can well imagine Oden has deeply effected me by his living example of giving, in fact it is humbling.

When I was Mustard Seed Faith's roadie I found out that the band played in places where big offerings were taken on their behalf and the pastor of the church would hand Oden an envelope for playing at his church. We all would go out to eat and Oden would open the sealed envelope, in it would be just a check for $15.00. It had to have cost around $300.00 in travel expenses for the band to play at that church and the pastor took full advantage of the band. He used them to promote his own ministry. This actually happened to all of the Maranatha bands, even some big names that you would be amazed to find out had taken full advantage of the early Jesus People bands.

Greed in ministry is never supported by Jesus Christ, never. But ample provision is.

Which brings us back to my question, at what point are we crossing the provision line?

I have worked next to Benny Hinn's home for around 15 years and I worked on that small industrial building on Dyer in Santa Ana where TBN got it's humble start. I have personally witnessed TBN going from barely having enough to having way to much $$$. Today Benny has to be guarded by Black Water because he is worth so much etc. And TBN has real estate and assets all over the place. Is this what Jesus desires in ministry?

I am more comfortable with just being a 'tent maker' like Paul and doing what I can out of my own resources and allowing the blessing of Google for providing this site and bandwidth to us. To seek for gain beyond this is not something that I am comfortable with.

To be fair, others have been called to amass $$$ to distribute as the Holy Spirit directs, I am not in that calling...nor would I want to be.

What I do here is not something that I desire to be taking $$$ from others for. There will be accountability in one sense.

Say it's not so...

Possible God's Eye View Of Earth

http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Current/GOES14_firstvis_med090727__G14.gif http://imgur.com/PiEVW.jpg
Astronomy Picture of the Day view!

Ephesians 5:11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

2 Timothy 4:2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

There are some who have not liked the fact that we pointed out Rick Warren as a heretic. They would rather that we just accept him in our ranks as being one of us etc. They feel that the subtle insertion of false doctrines and ideas are not as dangerous as the more obvious cults are. I beg to differ. Through gradualism the gifts and operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit along with the teaching of the baptism of the Holy Spirit have been marginalized by false leadership. Spiritual things have been humanized to carry wrong meanings.

For instance:

Mark 16:18...they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Now has come to mean that a Christian medical practitioner will 'touch' the patient and heal them through the more natural medical arts.

I can only wonder what apostle Paul would have to say about all of this.

http://shekinahfellowship.blogspot.com/2009/08/shekinah-fellowship-must-see-interview.html#links

When asked the question about Rick Warren on the radio program, "Pastors Perspective" I believe that Chuck misunderstood the caller and thought the caller was talking about Greg Laurie, I could be wrong, but it sure seemed like it, especially since I know Chuck's theology and doctrinial beliefs somewhat:

Caller’s Question:

Should pastors share a platform at an evangelical event with someone who typifies the Emergent Church, a minister?

Smith:

[chuckle] That’s difficult, John, because, you know, you might say in a sense that last night I was on on the platform with a minister that they say that he is a part of the Emergent Church, that he has, you know, sort of a different emphasis in his ministry, more of a social emphasis on what the church should be doing socially for people rather than the spiritual emphasis, and so I was on the platform with him but, you know, I think that it would be divisive. Now the man, I’m convinced, loves the Lord, has a large church, and is, you know, feels that he is called of God to really deal with the social problems of our world today. Now it could be that God IS calling him to that, but that isn’t why God has called ME to do and so, but I can still look at him as a brother in Christ – he believes that Jesus died for our sins and he just has a different emphasis as far as what he feels should be the priority of the church today..We were both invited to be there but we were on the platform together, sat next to each other, and he is a brother in Christ, and so I didn’t really have any real problem with sharing, being on the same program together with him.

Water

Bottled-water scam finally feels the squeeze

Bottled-water scam finally feels the squeeze: Nestle reported nearly a 5% drop in bottled water sales in North America and Western Europe

http://visadiaries.com/wordpress/?p=36

Feed The Children

When Christians fall out among themselves…

So True

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/congress_deadlocked_over_how_to?

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2009/08/6-senators-who-together-only-represent.html

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/08/im_safe_on_board_you_can_pull.html

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/robert_reich/2009/08/why-the-gang-of-six-is-decidin.php?ref=fpblg

Us

Click Pic For Larger View

I was there. I saw it all happen.

I had a friend from the North Country, and his name was Stephen; and because he proclaimed Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God, he was led to the market~place and stoned...

And when Stephen fell to earth he outstretched his arms as if he would die as his Master had died. His arms were spread like wings ready for flight. And when the last gleam of light was fading from his eyes, with my own eyes I saw a smile upon his lips.

It was a smile like the breath that comes before the end of winter for a pledge and a promise of spring.

How shall I describe it?

It seemed that Stephen was saying, "If I should go to another world, and other men should lead me to another market~place to stone me, even then I would proclaim Him for the truth which was in Him, and for that same truth which is in me now."

And I noticed that there was a man standing near, and looking with pleasure upon the stoning of Stephen.

His name was Saul of Tarsus, and it was he who had yielded Stephen to the priests and the Romans and the crowd, for stoning.

Saul was bald of head and short of stature. His shoulders were crooked and his features ill~sorted; and I liked him not.

I had been told that he is now preaching Jesus from the house tops. It is hard to believe.

But the grave halts not Jesus' walking to the enemies' camp to tame and take captive those who had opposed Him.

Still I do not like that man of Tarsus, though I have been told that after Stephen's death he was tamed and conquered on the road to Damascus. But his head is too large for his heart to be that of a true disciple.

And yet perhaps I am mistaken. I often mistake.

When you think that you are right, you could be wrong. And when you think that you are wrong, you could be right...

Bibles Unbound

http://www.biblesunbound.com/qry/mc_home.taf

If you want to become part of this incredible ministry, please consider joining Bibles Unbound today. You can join us for future milestones of getting God's Word into hostile countries: 2 million....10 million...and more! To God be the glory! You can sign up!

Christians should want to serve

The loving person does not remain aloof from life. The loving person is not disengaged or protected from the brutal realities of this life. The loving disciple can never neglect the plight of the poor, the weak and the broken. Rather, God’s love reaches out to us wherever we are. The children of God who have been grasped by this love, like Jesus, invest themselves in the lives of broken and wounded people. People who are shaped by this kind of love are willing to get their hands dirty in the service of others in God’s world, as Jesus did.http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20090807/NEWS/908079960?Title=Christians-should-want-to-serve

Rick Griffin

As the popularity of Griffin's designs soared, he was sought out to lend his vision to album jackets; his most memorable work was done in conjunction with the Grateful Dead, for whom he created the classic cover to 1969's Aoxomoxoa as well as 1973's Wake of the Flood, 1976's Steal Your Face and 1981's Reckoning. Griffin remained a prolific talent well past the end of the psychedelic era, later working in underground comix, and in the early 1970s he became a devout Christian, a conversion which profoundly affected his subsequent work, which included an illustrated adaptation of the Book of John. His life ended on August 17, 1991, the victim of a fatal motorcycle accident; ironically, his last published work, which appeared in the San Francisco magazine The City, was a self-portrait depicting Griffin entering heaven's gates, pen and ink clutched firmly in hand.
http://www.rickgriffinink.com/images/bio/tim_stephenson_bio.pdf

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080528064512AAev2kE

You can find the Gospel of John book that Rick illustrated on Amazon. I would put the link here for you but we don't sell anything. At Amazon you can see some of the illustrations from the book. The text content of the book is the teaching of Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel. A great gift indeed!

Tony Meston

Tony Meston.
A man of wonderful compassion and a heart for God that can never be matched...EVER!!!

Want a Trip Down Memory Road?

Put any music group in their search and listen to the songs of Your Youth...
http://www.last.fm/
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Byrds/+wiki
John 13:34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

Sisyphus America

Deuteronomy 28:12-14

The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

From the CIA - a country by country comparison of account balances. Guess where the USA is...

Lights Of Publicity

In this partial video Nick Rockefeller told Russo about the plan to microchip the population, warned him about 'an event that would allow us to invade Afghanistan and Iraq' some eleven months before 9/11 and foretold the fact that the 'War on Terror' would be a hoax
See entire video here:
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=5420753830426590918
John 3:20For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

The Deity of Our Lord Jesus Christ....

A few months back, I got a visit from a Jehovah's Witness. Now I was in a bit of a rush, awaiting the arrival of some friends, but I didn't want to just say, "Sorry, I'm not interested", so we spoke briefly. I asked him to keep the discussion to one subject only (the deity of Christ), as I knew that J.W.'s like to take people through a confusing maze that frustrates most Christians, bouncing form subject to subject.

He agreed and, while I found his arguments to be of course faulty, to my surprise I genuinely liked him as a person, and told him so- it was the doctrines that he preached that I abhorred. After that, I began to wonder, 'How many Christians know-from scripture- the fact that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, is in truth Almighty God?

I even heard a clip form a TBN broadcast in which an 'evangelist' had the ignorance to day, "Nowhere in the Bible does Jesus actually say that He's God!" Years back, I learned a few things from Dr. Walter Martin, the ORIGINAL 'Bible Answer Man' on the subject, and I want to share them with this audience, lest there be any confusion about Jesus Christ's deity.

We need to understand- again, from scripture, that Jesus is in fact Jehovah (YHWH). Isaiah 7:14 and 8:8, prophesying about Messiah, refer to Him as "Immanuel", translated 'God with Us' in Isaiah 8:10. Let's go to Isaiah 44:6, "Thus saith the LORD (-All caps in Old Testament translation of LORD is literally YHWH, the Name so Holy that they would not even translate it literally) the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of Hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside Me there is no God". Now we'll move to the New Testament, to John 8:57-59, "Then said the Jews unto him, thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him..." The Jews knew full well that the title, 'I AM' was a designation of deity, and of deity only, having the same meaning as 'The First and the Last, 'Alpha and Omega', and 'Beginning and the End'- all titles for 'ALMIGHTY GOD', so they intended to stone Him to death for 'blasphemy'......

Let's look now at some excerpts from Revelation 1. " I...heard behind me a great voice...saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last"...And I turned to see the voice that spake with me....And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, "Fear not; I am the First and the Last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore..." (Now,due to time constraints, these are only excerpts, so please read the entire first chapter of Revelation).

You can plainly see whom the resurrected Jesus Christ is claiming to be. Dr. Walter Martin once told of how a former Jehovah's Witness came to him and admitted that there was one scripture that frustrated him to no end while he'd been a J.W., and it finally helped to bring him into the truth of Christ's deity. Dr. Martin was curious and asked, "What scripture was it?" The man replied, "Hebrews 1:6.-...when He bringeth the firstbegotten into the world, He saith, 'And let all the angels of God worship HIM'."

The man went on to say that Matthew 4:10b states clearly, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him ONLY shalt thou serve..', and it suddenly all made sense to him- Jesus Christ HAD to be God in flesh, for His Holy Word is clear that only God is to be worshipped! The man became a Christian, and a staunch defender of the faith, as most of those who come out of cults are....

It is so important that we as believers know what and why we believe- to realize just Whom Jesus is, and why He is deserving and worthy of our praise, and all of our devotion! It's all in God's Word- Immanuel, God with us- Praise His Wonderful Name!

En Agape,

Jim Ewing

Creation

http://multimedia.mcb.harvard.edu/media.html

Revelation 3:11Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/209164?digg=1

Pastor David Sloane

John 12:21The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.http://www.divshare.com/download/2349067-1f1

Many Americans don't believe in hell, but what about pastors?

Just when it seemed to have cooled off, the topic of hell is back on the front burner — at least for pastors learning to preach about a topic most Americans would rather not talk about.
Only 59% of Americans believe in hell, compared with 74% who believe in heaven, according to the recent surveys from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-08-01-hell-damnation_N.htm?se=yahoorefer&poe=HFMostPopular

Christian Oldies

http://www.myspace.com/jesusmusicoldiesradio

http://www.2ndchapterofacts.com/

http://www.chuck.org/

http://www.the-way.cc/

http://www.philkeaggy.com/

http://www.artistsinministry.com/parable/

http://www.one-way.org/lovesong/index.html

http://www.thearchers.us/

Rebellion

http://alanbecker.deviantart.com/art/Animator-vs-Animation-34244097

What puts Christians to sleep?

I Corinthians 15:34 says to the Christian, "Awake to righteousness...." This suggests some Christians are in a state of "sleep". What is this sleep and what are its causes?

The context of the verse provides the primary answer to the first question. This chapter is all about the reality of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and the saints. The themes of sin and death and righteousness and life are woven throughout. Sleep is acquainted with death and sin. Take a look at I Thessalonians 4:15-17. These verses talk about those Christians who are asleep in physical death and their ultimate resurrection at the Rapture. Going on from there to chapter 5 verse 6 talks of those Christians who are asleep in their sin. The latter need to wake up and be ready with Jesus.

This latter sleep is ultimately caused by sin. It can be recognized by things like:
1) Everday life seems perfectly normal. I'm just doing what everybody else is doing. Status quo. In other words, I fit in just fine with the rest of the world.2) A still, small voice of the Holy Spirit telling the conscience that something is wrong. In other words, judgment and conviction are pending.3) Believing that everything you were ever taught, whether by school teachers, parents, or friends, is the absolute, unquestionable truth.

This is what experience shows me. I will back it up with Biblical conviction.

Author:
Lawrence Caldwell

Christianity as a religion?

It seems to me that Jesus taught the best sermon was the one that is lived, not spoken. The world and many within "the church" see Christianity as a "RELIGION", and although you can look at it from that perspective, the "real" Christianity is a life-style that is rooted in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; not adherence to a code of laws as was the case in the Old Testament. The best way to witness is to live what you believe, and be familiar enough with God's Word so that you can show anyone who asks about the "difference" that they see in you. It is not enough to simply tell someone what you believe based upon what you have heard someone else say; a Sunday School teacher, a Pastor, and Evangelist, a friend, etc. I dare say that most church members would be hard pressed to provide Scripture references for their beliefs, let alone be able to explain the plan of salvation or other basic doctrines of the Christian faith.

To compound the problem there are the differences in denominations that all claim the Bible to be the inspired Word of God and their basis for faith and practice (or at least part of the basis for their faith and practice), yet their interpretations vary widely, even within a denomination. No one in their own power can "tell" anyone else what the Word of God says, nor does anyone have a mandate from God to do so. It is our job to be prayed and studied up such that we can be empowered by the Holy Spirit in all humility to be the "light" and testimony for Jesus Christ, especially within our own families; because that is the hardest place to maintain our testimony; with those who see us, not at our "Sunday" best, but as we truly are: sinners saved by grace.

Pray for your family members. Read and study God's Word so that you will be equipped to explain not only what the Bible says, but what it doesn't say, which is sometimes far more important. Make sure that your life is right with God and that your "light" is shining brightly. And most of all, wait upon the Lord to provide you with the right time and place to share your faith, your beliefs, and your understandings; always ready, willing, and able to listen to the questions and objections that someone else may raise about your faith, the Bible, Christianity, etc. There are plenty of people out there who have been misinformed about what it truly means to be "Christian"; about what the Bible says and teaches; about the relationship of Christianity to other world religions. God tells us in His Word to develop the Christian characteristics of love, humility, patience, mercy, etc., the very characteristics of Jesus' life. His Holy Spirit will take what feeble attempts we make as a testimony and witness, and honor them with the fruit that sometimes we are all too often so impatient to harvest.

Author:
Daniel Hopkinson