A Happy New Year
2009
Wishing you all love, joy, peace, love,
freedom, prosperity, and much more.
and that you at least do not repeat last year’s mistakes..
(Prov 10:22 KJV) The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
“One might as well argue that because Canada used to hang convicted murderers by the neck until they were dead the tradition should not be allowed to disappear. Sealing in Canada is not a tradition, it is just an unenlightened, outdated practice.”
J.M. Coetzee, Interview from March 2008
One could say the entire country is just an unenlightened, outdated presence on so many issues due to the anaethetized slumber that seems to have gripped the nation.
Ten reasons for decent people to boycott Canada (there are more)
Refusal to sign a moratorium on bottom trawling. Bush signed it but Harper wouldn’t even though Canada doesn’t bottom trawl.
Canada’s earth destroying Tar Sands Project, dubbed “the most destructive project on earth.” Here are ten facts about the Tar Sands.
Standard practices in farm animal care in Canada are far behind those of other industrialized countries.
The largest annual slaughter of marine mammals in the world.
Antiquated federal animal protection laws worse even than many third-world countries.
At the Poznan Climate talks, Canada earned the distinctive title of “Colossal Fossil” for obstructing the talks and also placed next to last in a comparison of countries’ climate change performance.
Canadians are looting the DRC (Congo) for mineral wealth cashing in on the country’s instability to reap huge profits, leaving behind a wake of ecological, human and wildlife costs.
Canada slaughtered 500 trapped endangered narwhal whales instead of rescuing them.
Cashing in on the American ban on horse slaughter, Canada is fast becoming the horse slaughter capital of the world.
The Canadian government ignored the horrifying abuse exposed at this foie gras factory and did nothing in spite of a campaign for action.
It is easy for a government not to act when so few of its citizens care.
You may need to call a family meeting to work out problem-solving strategies before rough housing turns to abuse, unacceptable violence
http://unlforfamilies.unl.edu/
Info on Sibling rivalry, young offenders, gangs, mafia, war
(Psalm 133:1 KJV) Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Sibling rivalry is a type of sinful, selfish competition or animosity among brothers and sisters, blood-related or not.. the sibling bond is often complicated and is influenced by factors such as parental treatment, birth order, personality, and people and experiences outside the family. Sibling rivalry is particularly intense when children are very close in age and of the same gender, or where one child is intellectually gifted, or one child has received or attains a bigger inheritance, earning, position, status in life. Adolescents fight for the same reasons younger children fight, Fighting with siblings as a way to get attention, power may increase in adolescence. Events even such as a strained marriage may drive them seriously apart. Sibling Rivalry in the Bible – sample cases: Cain and Abel, Esau and Jacob, and Joseph and his brothers., Leah and Rachel, and today’s counterpart is the conflicts between the Arabs and the Jews, gangs, Mafia
(Prov 15:1 KJV) A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Sibling rivalry, war is the jealousy, competition and fighting between the unloving and/or unloved brothers and sisters firstly, and with others next too. It is a concern for almost all parents of two or more kids. Problems often start right after the birth of the second child. Sibling rivalry usually continues throughout childhood and even adulthood, it can be very embarrassing, frustrating and stressful to parents. There some things parents can do to help their young kids get along better and work through conflicts in positive ways and help you keep the peace at your house.
Sibling rivalry, war is as old as the children of Adam and Eve and is too often recorded now as a sin in the Bible as well that has negative consequences on the persons involved and even others.
The real sad part is that many adults play also this false game still too.. Conquer and destroy!
Sibling rivalry can also be caused by proximity in age. Research suggests that siblings that are within two years’ age of one another tend to have more sibling rivalry than other siblings. Ultimately, sibling rivalry is often caused not only by by blocked goals but by poor personal communication skills, bad or extreme values, just like almost any other sorts of adult conflicts and wars
There are many factors that contribute to sibling rivalry:
-Past and present neglect of the siblings by the parents will top it all.. there are overarching sorts of factors and events that can be, ultimately, the root causes of any sibling rivalry. Knowing what these important factors and events are can help you to not only understand the causes of sibling rivalry, but to deal with sibling rivalry more effectively when it does occur. Some of the most common causes of sibling rivalry tends to be jealousy or selfishness.
-Each child, person is mostly competing to define who they are as an individual. As they discover who they are, they try to find their own talents, activities, and interests. They want to show that they are separate from their siblings.
-Rejected Children, Adults too feel they are getting unequal amounts of your attention, discipline, and responsiveness.
-Children often may feel their relationship with their parents is threatened by the arrival of a new baby.
-A children’s and an Adult’s developmental stages affect how well they can share your attention and get along with one another.
-Children and adults who are hungry, bored or tired, nervous, stressed out are more likely to start fights.
– Too many Children, adults too do not know positive ways to get attention from their brother or sister, so they pick fights.
– Family dynamics play a serious role here as well when one of the parent neglect one of their children, or shows a false favoring, partiality,. We are reminded this happened in the biblical account of Joseph and his brothers due to his new coat of many colors,
– Children, adults will fight more with each other in families where there is no set bounders, understanding that their fighting is not an acceptable way to resolve conflicts.
– All Families that don’t share enjoyable times together will probably have more family conflict next exasperated by a jealous immoral, insecure, poor self esteem spouse(s) of the siblings now too
– Unresolved Stress, poor health in the parent’s lives will often decrease the amount of still need attention parents give the children and thus increase the sibling rivalry.
– Stress in the children’s lives will next shorten their fuses, and create more conflict, cause significant home, community and even health problems as well
So how the good and bad parents do now still treat their kids, children and how they do now react to conflict will make a big difference in how well siblings get along.
The degree of existence of sibling rivalry, young offenders, gangs tends to show how good of a parent, manager, administrator now you really were, are.
“as many as 53 out of every 100 children abuse a brother or sister, higher than the percentage of adults who abuse their children or their spouse. What some kids do to their brother or sister inside the family would be called assault outside the family. As parents, we may be tempted to ignore fighting and quarrelling between children. We may view these activities as a normal part of growing up. We say, “Kids will be kids” or “They’ll grow out of it.” However, thousands of adult survivors of sibling abuse tell of the far-reaching negative effects that such unchecked behavior has had on them as children and adults. Children often abuse a brother or sister, usually younger than themselves, to gain power and control. One explanation for this is that the abusive child (generally with a poor self esteem) feels powerless, neglected and insecure. He or she may feel strong only in relation to a sibling being powerless. The feeling of power children experience when they mistreat a brother or sister often reinforces their decision to repeat the abuse “ http://www.sasian.org/papers/rivabuse.htm
Admitting, recognizing the stress issue.
Effectively dealing with the issue in a positive manner… For the matters left on their own to be resolved tend to get worse and not better
The instinctive, natural way it seems is merely to immediacy, feel anger, to express our anger and to to respond immediately aggressively as well.. not much self control obvious.. as opposed to a planed, deliberate, calculated, thought our approach.
When you are angry, you probably feel:muscle tension
accelerated heartbeat
a “knot” or “butterflies” in your stomach
changes in your breathing
trembling
goose bumps
flushed in the face
You can reduce the rush of adrenaline that’s responsible for your heart beating faster, your voice sounding louder, and your fists clenching if you:
Take a few slow, deep breaths and concentrate on your breathing.
Imagine yourself at a better place, the beach, by a lake, or anywhere that makes you feel calm and peaceful.
Try other thoughts or actions that have helped you relax in the past.
“Calm down.”
“I don’t need to prove myself.”
“I’m not going to let him/her get to me.”
This often Aggressive Anger is a response to our perceived threats; it inspires powerful, often visible feelings and behaviors. But we can’t physically lash out at every person or object that irritates or annoys us; laws, social norms, and for most of us our own common sense places valid limits on how far our anger can take us.
Stop. Consider the consequences. Think before you act. Try to find positive or neutral explanations for what that person did that provoked you. Learn to recognize what sets you off and how anger feels to you. Learn to think through the benefits of controlling your anger and the consequences of losing control. Control your own behavior, don’t let anger control you.
Identify the problem, problem behavior. Isolate it from the emotions associated with it and evaluate it. How often does it happen and how long can it go on? What is the purpose of the behavior? If it tears down another person, it is abusive. If you suspect abuse, it’s important to act quickly to stop it. Do not hesitate to bring it into the open, to expose it next to all for what it really is, unacceptable abuse. Get enough fact and feeling information to assess the problem accurately. Restate the problem to make sure you understand it clearly. Figure out alternative solutions to the problem.
We face a choice to deal with their angry feelings such as expressing our anger, suppressing our outrage, and submissiveness, calming Ourselves, controlling our outward behavior, but also controlling our internal responses, taking steps to lower our heart rate, calm yourself down, and letting the emotional feelings subside.
Assertiveness is expressing our anger in love ,without hurting others. Being assertive here doesn’t mean being pushy or demanding; it means being respectful of yourself and others.
Anger turned inward may cause next hypertension, high blood pressure, a self pity complex, or depression.
” Unexpressed specific anger can create other problems. It can lead to pathological expressions of anger, such as passive-aggressive behavior (getting back at people indirectly, without telling them why, rather than confronting them head-on) or a personality that seems perpetually cynical and hostile. People who are constantly putting others down, criticizing everything, and making cynical comments haven’t learned how to constructively express their anger. Not surprisingly, they aren’t likely to have many successful relationships. ”
Anger management reducing both your emotional feelings and the physiological arousal that anger causes. You can’t always get rid of, or avoid, the things or the people that enrage you, nor can you change them, but you can learn to control your reactions, and express, act in a positive manner, for the good of all.
It’s best to find out what it is that triggers your anger, and then to develop strategies to deal with and to keep those triggers from tipping you over the edge.
Remind yourself that merely getting angry is not going to fix anything, that it won’t make you feel better (and may actually make you feel worse). You need to focus on the problem and deal with it effectively;
Logic defeats anger, because anger, even when it’s justified, can quickly become irrational. So use cold hard logic, Such as ” you’re just experiencing some of the rough spots of daily life. Normal people tend expect : fairness, appreciation, agreement, willingness, congenital agreements. The first best attitude to bring to such a problem situation, then, is not to focus on solely now finding the solution, but rather firstly on how you handle and face the problem.
Set ground rules to prevent emotional abuse, and stick to them. For example, make it clear you will not put up with name-calling, teasing, belittling, intimidating, provoking, cheating, lying, stealing, bullying, physical abuses, intimidations and you will firmly deal with it too. Living with bad, fighting adolescent siblings is not pleasant. Clearly show all of the adolescents the cost of fighting is higher than the falsely expected reward.
Next tell of the trouble makers, bad adolescents that while it’s normal to have disagreements, the constant fighting upsets you and you value peace at home. You also can can say they will no longer be the judge and jury over the siblings’, adolescents disputes, wars and you merely will not stand for it, put up with it and stand by the resolution with firm action!
Timing: use a controlled, well thought out response to Control the event on your own time, and don’t merely be hastily suckered into facing, dealing with it unprepared. Also now do Give yourself a regular break from the conflicts, stressful situations. Make sure always too you have some “personal time” scheduled for times of the day, the place that you know are particularly stressful. One’s Problems and responsibilities can weigh on you and make you feel angry at the set “trap” you seem again to have fallen into and all the people and things that form that trap. Sometimes it’s our unavoidable immediate surroundings that give us continual, ongoing, unavoidable cause for irritation and fury. If need be do next Remove yourself permanently from the environment, for your own good health firstly . One does not have to put with with these mostly false conflicts forever.
Set clear consequences for broken rules. What will happen if they break the rules? For example, one husband told his wife he would no longer spoil his wife, indulge in all of her false whims, desires, abuses, but next would not merely give her two alternative choices beforehand, one would lead to a reward, one whole lead to negative personal consequences for her. Choice one – resolve the conflicts peacefully, amiably. Or if she continued to cause false problems, fighting he would merely fire her, terminate the relationship, divorce the marriage. He next was forced to take the second alternative.
Do not hesitate to Remove yourself from the problem behavioral person, or remove the root cause of the problem child , adult
The angered people tend to jump to-and act on-conclusions, and some of those conclusions can be very inaccurate. The first thing to do if you’re in a heated discussion is slow down and think through your responses. Don’t say the first thing that comes into your head, but slow down and think carefully about what you want to say. At the same time, listen carefully to what the other person is saying and take your time before answering. Listen, too, to what is underlying cause of your anger. It’s natural to get defensive when you’re criticized, but don’t fight back. Instead, listen to what’s underlying the words: the message that this person might feel neglected and unloved. It may take a lot of patient questioning on your part, and it may require some breathing space, but don’t let your anger-or a partner’s-let a discussion spin out of control. Keeping your cool can keep the situation from becoming a disastrous one.
Instead of doing nothing, which postpones the inevitable anyway. Seek, get sound advice, the valid opinion of others too. Make a plan, and check your progress along the way. Resolve to give it your best, but also not to punish yourself if an answer doesn’t come right away. If you can approach the conflicts, fight it with your best intentions and efforts and make a serious attempt to face it head-on, you will be less likely to lose patience and fall into all-or-nothing thinking, even if the problem does not get solved right away.
Remember, you can’t eliminate anger-and it wouldn’t be a good idea if you could. In spite of all your efforts, things will happen that will cause you anger; and sometimes it will be justifiable anger. Life will be filled with frustration, pain, loss, and the unpredictable actions of others. You can’t change that; but you can change the way you let such events affect you. Controlling effectively your angry responses can keep them from making you even more unhappy in the long run.
Negative Results of unchecked Sibling Rivalry or Sibling Abuse : Thousands of adult survivors of sibling abuse can readily tell of the far-reaching negative effects that such unchecked behavior has had on them as children and even as adults. For instance, one person, reflecting back on their relationship with a brother wrote: “I believed EVERYTHING my brother told me. Even if it was lies to make himself look better. Children and adults often still do wrongfully abuse a brother or sister to falsely try to gain power and control.
Hey it is just classical psychology that If you notice the following warning signs in a person over a period of time, the potential for increased unacceptable physical violence by them next also exists:
a history of aggressive, abnormal, offensive behavior
serious drug or alcohol abuse
gang membership or strong desire to be accepted by the gang, to be in a gang
threatening others regularly
trouble controlling feelings like anger
withdrawal from good friends and from the normal, usual, acceptable activities
visibly feeling rejected or alone
having been a victim of bullying, or now being a bully themselves
poor school or job performance
history of discipline problems or frequent run-ins with authority
feeling constantly disrespected
failing to acknowledge the feelings rights of others
or failing to acknowledge the abuse of others
access to or fascination with weapons, especially guns
When you recognize these unacceptable future increased violence warning signs in someone else deal with it. Hoping that someone else will deal with the situation is still false way out.
Be safe. Don’t spend time alone with people who show any of these warning signs and remove the person from the situation that’s setting them off.
The most important thing to remember is don’t go it alone. Expose the matter to others as well.
Even verbal abuse left unchecked, unrestrained next tends to escalate and leads to real, unacceptable physical abuses.
11 Tips for Coping with Personal unresolved Stress
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
The prayers of Saint Francis of Assisi
1. First Concentrate on the present. You cannot change the past, but you can work on having a better future
Don’t needlessly, continually dwell on the past or worry about a future you cannot control. Have a positive and not a a negative, defeatist attitude now as well
2. Consider, Admit and deal with your past, present problems one at a time. First personally define, Write down those things that Bother you, do Number them, and do decide what you can and cannot do abut them too . Prioritize as well Decide which ones are still important and which ones are no longer important to deal with.
If there are lots of items you want to change, start by focusing on one or two of the most bothersome or dangerous ones. Don’t try to make too many changes all at once. Don’t merely lump your complaints, problems together, it can make them seem overwhelming.
Remember
Anger and aggression are different. Anger is a temporary emotional state caused by frustration; while aggression is often an attempt to hurt a person or to destroy property.
Anger and aggression do not have to be dirty words. We must be careful to tell the difference between behavior that indicates emotional problems and behavior that is normal. Convert aggression to assertiveness, actions done in love as well.
3. Take positive action. Do review all of your options, such as writing a letter of complaint to the right party, in detail reporting the matter so you do not have to have it repeated on you.
Make sure you have realistic expectations, goals, approaches too. Once you’ve decided what you want to do about a problem, act consistently quickly , firmly and follow up on it too.
4. Don’t merely complain about your problems . Continually complaining is wasteful, and seriously for a stat don’t expect only others alone to resolve them, deal with them yourself .
Talk things over with your family and good friends. Look for the positive, possible, practical solutions.
5. Occupy yourself and your mind. Determine what you can and cannot do, how much time you should spend on it, also do go on with your life
Social interaction, alternative activities can help during a time of stress by not continually focusing on the problem
6. Don’t just blame the other people for your problems and their failure at Resolving them – be an active part of the solution yourself if need be
Frustrated hostility will accomplish nothing and can only make and feel worse.
7. Exercise every day.
Go for a walk and concentrate on your surroundings instead of just on your problems.
8. Maintain a daily routine. even if you are unemployed, retired, but do not get into a continual rut as well
I have often helped many a poor, depressed person, not by any medications, but by simply by changing their daily normal activity routine, and next by taking them for a drive into the country, or taking them to see a good film, a comedy, or Giving them some good movies to watch, or by me taking them to a fine food restaurant, or by me taking them for a long walk through unfamiliar surroundings.. and it worked.. it actually next had broke them out of their long term depression.
Can’t change positively the person? try first changing their surroundings, environment temporarily?
A familiar pattern of daily activates can decrease stress and increase your sense of security. Be willing to make a change once a while as well.
9. Avoid taking your problems to bed. Try to forgive and forget.
Clear your mind of the days thoughts so you can get a good night sleep.
10. Talk to your adequate health care provider, helper. Pick and choose, for remember there are still good and bad professionals.
She/he can help you find the right agency or person(s) to assist you in coping with stress.
With God on your side you will always be a winner
St. Francis of Assisi’s prayer in praise of God
You are holy, Lord, the only God,
and Your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong.
You are great.
You are the Most High.
You are Almighty.
You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good.
You are Good, all Good, supreme Good,
Lord God, living and true.
You are love. You are wisdom.
You are humility. You are endurance.
You are rest. You are peace.
You are joy and gladness.
You are justice and moderation.
You are all our riches, and You suffice for us.
You are beauty.
You are gentleness.
You are our protector.
You are our guardian and defender.
You are our courage. You are our haven and our hope.
You are our faith, our great consolation.
You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful Lord,
God Almighty, Merciful Saviour.
PS: Look at this, due to the undeniable Recession, budget and tax cuts, Municipalities across Canada have been cutting back even on their services, snow clearing now too, which has been leading up to more car accidents, and cause the police cannot tell the truth about their employers, the police now lie, and divert the truth, saying that speeding vehicles were the cause of most of the accidents. In reality now also speeding also still is not the main reasons for accidents but driving while impaired is..
The survey, conducted on behalf of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, examines the amount people drink, when, where and what they drink and who they drink with.
Key Findings
The key findings relating to the Adult Drinking Patterns Survey in Northern Ireland 2008 are:
* More than seven in ten (72%) adults drink alcohol.
* A larger proportion of males (74%) than females (70%) drink alcohol.
* Most drinking occurs over the weekend and peaks on Saturdays.
* The most common drink consumed is wine (50%), closely followed by beer (48%).
* Most of those who drank in the week prior to the survey had consumed alcohol at home (64%), and nearly one quarter (24%) had consumed alcohol in a pub.
* More than four in five (81%) respondents had exceeded the recommended daily limits during the week prior to the survey.
* Approximately four in five males (79%) and females (83%) exceed their recommended daily limits during the week prior to the survey.
* Nearly one quarter (24%) of respondents drank above the weekly sensible levels.
* Over one quarter (26%) of male respondents and over one fifth (22%) of female respondents drank above the weekly sensible levels in the week prior to the survey.
* Nearly a third (32%) of those who drank in the week before the survey had engaged in at least one binge drinking session.
* Males (35%) were more likely than females (29%) to binge drink.
* Over half (54%) of drinkers aged 18-29 years engaged in at least one binge drinking session in the week prior to the survey, and they are more likely to binge drink than respondents in the older groups.
* One in 10 respondents (10%) of those who drank in the week prior to the survey are highly likely to have a problem with alcohol, according to the CAGE analysis.
* Over half (56%) of those who consumed alcohol in the week prior to the survey considered themselves to be light drinkers, two in five (40%) considered themselves to be moderate drinkers and 4% considered themselves to be heavy drinkers.
Comparisons between 2005 and 2008 are:
* The proportion of adults who drank above the weekly sensible levels in the week prior to the survey significantly decreased from 29% in 2005 to 24% in 2008.
* The proportion of adults who engaged in at least one binge drinking session in the week prior to the survey significantly decreased from 38% in 2005 to 32% in 2008.
, many people still drink to excess. This must change, and in this respect we all have a collective responsibility in tackling this issue – individuals, society, government and the drinks industry alike.” http://www.emaxhealth.com/2/63/27952/attitudes-alcohol-must-change.html
Holiday stress, along with getting laid off, has caused too many a person to start drinking heavily and this situation is not unusual.. Sadly when most people think about the upcoming holidays, they think about friends, family, food and good cheer. And for many people, the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s are still particularly difficult. Financial problems are tough to handle for most people at any time, but they can seem overwhelming during this season of giving. Due to unresolved stress Feelings of loneliness, isolation and despair may also intensify but alcohol and drugs are never the answer still. Unfortunately, your friend’s Many people turn to alcohol falsely believing that it helps them to relax and to cope with stress and worry. And because many people think that New Year’s Eve and similar occasions must always be celebrated with alcohol, it’s often readily available, providing another excuse to drink. It actually will likely cause more problems, and not effectively deal with the ones still not resolved Many people next tend to go to excess, extremes, and drinking larger amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of a deadly form of liver damage called cirrhosis, heart disease, some types of cancer and injuries. And even moderate drinking can often have harmful consequences in the wrong setting, such as one should not drink and drive, and drinking alcohol during a pregnancy may seriously harm a developing baby. Alcohol dependence, also called alcoholism, often means that if a person tries to stop or cut back on drinking, he or she may experience anxiety, sweating, trembling, trouble sleeping, nausea and vomiting. Drinking can be risky even for people who aren’t dependent on it. It may seriously still interfere with sleep and productivity, strain close relationships and get in the way of spending time with loved ones. It not only also puts the drinker at risk for becoming alcohol dependent as well as developing alcohol-related health problems. Too many people who really do now suffer from a drinking problem claim still don’t believe that anything is wrong. They faley try to justify that they’re drinking to cope with a particularly stressful time. In their mind, suppposedly the basic stress is the unresolved problem, not the drinking. They say they can stop drinking whenever they want, but they don’t. Two wrongs do nto make one right here too. Denial is a common obstacle that prevents many people from seeking help.
For liver disease and other medical conditions, there can be a time lag of 10 or more years from the onset of serious drinking to reaping the consequences. Now we are seeing patients, particularly women, in their 20s with advanced alcoholic liver disease – a real tragedy for their family as well as themselves.”
(Isa 9:6 KJV) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.
Insiders knew that the Latter rain Canadian evangelist in Lakeland Florida Rev Todd Bentley had gone of the deep end a long time ago much time before it became public, as usual too.. but they could not hide it forever..
Are Stephen Harper and Peter MacKay in reality now even alcoholics, liberal evangelicals who do consume wines, and offer it to others, and do they distribute porn now as well to others?
Genuine Born Again Evangelical Christians are total abstainers from smoking, drugs, alcohol, cheating, lying, stealing, tax evasions, pornography, or rather all personal vices, Impairments.. and what about Harper, Mackay?
But in Reality! These days it is too hard to tell the difference between secular persons and even evangelical pastors, Christians they seem to do the same things too. Especaily in Politics where a bad Conservative is just as bad as a bad Liberal.
Those who read my posts will note that I have often said both adultery (or porn-lusts) and alcoholism are the unacceptable too common sins of too many evangelical- Pentecostal pastors.. even our Canadian premiers, prime ministers now too.. who all are supposed to be exemplary, abstainers too.. http://witnessed.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/why-canadas-prime-minister-stephen-harper-keeps-his-religion-secret/
All of these are aggressive, provoking, one sided questions are what some people want to know about you in terms of the upcoming election
1. Do you believe in the anti-Christ?
2. Do you believe we’re living in the end times?
3. Do you believe that Jesus will return in your lifetime?
4. Do you believe that true Christians have to battle Satanic agents in the End Times?
5. Do you see yourself as a warrior for Christ as part of a new Apostolic movement?
God’s Word provides us with all the purpose and direction that we could ever need. God also gives us something more to be able to live the Christian life, he also gives us the anointing of the Holy Spirit,. The bad churches deny both, the bad Anglican churches included. Bad pastors, bad elders also bad churches even professing Christina, evangelical churches such as the Christian Missionary Alliance, Dispensational Brethren ones, others too, use the “BAIT AND SWITCH” approach.. the next falsely deviate from the Bible’s teaching.. (Isa 2:22 KJV) Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?
(Isa 65:2 KJV) I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; .. 5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. 6 KJV) Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
Evangelical Snobbery By Aiden Wilson Tozer
WE ARE A BAD LOT, WE SONS OF ADAM. One convincing proof of our inherent badness is the way we manage to turn good into evil and make our very blessings a curse to us. Indeed I think a strong case can be made for the belief that sin is merely righteousness in reverse and evil but perverted good. Sin is at bottom the abuse of things in themselves innocent, an illegitimate use of legitimate gifts.
We Christians are cut from the same bolt as the rest of mankind, and while we have been made partakers of a new nature we have not yet been entirely divested of the old. For this reason we are under constant temptation to lapse into the flesh and manifest the old nature rather than the new. I know the arguments against this, but they have never seemed very convincing to me, especially when those who advance them are as likely as not to reveal pretty plain evidences of the old nature before the argument is ended.
Because we are so very human there is real danger that we may inadvertently do the human thing and turn our blessings upside down. Unless we watch and pray in dead earnest we may turn our good into evil and make the grace of God a trap instead of a benefit.
Among the purest gifts we have received from God is truth. Another gift almost as precious, and without which the first would be meaningless, is our ability to grasp truth and appreciate it. For these priceless treasures we should be profoundly grateful; for them our thanks should rise to the Giver of all good gifts throughout the day and in the night seasons. And because these and all other blessings flow to us by grace without merit or worth on our part, we should be very humble and watch with care lest such undeserved favors, if unappreciated, be taken from us.
Men are notoriously lacking in gratitude. Bible history reveals that Israel often took God’s gifts too casually and so turned their blessings into a curse. This human fault appears also in the New Testament, and the activities of Christians through the centuries show that as Christ was followed by Satan in the wilderness so truth is often accompanied by a strong temptation to pride. The very truth that makes men free may be and often is fashioned into chains to keep them in bondage. And never forget it: there is no pride so insidious and yet so powerful as the pride of orthodoxy.
Snobbery is the child of pride. Pride at first may be eager and ambitious as it tries to make a place for itself or to prove that it has already attained that place. Later it loses its eager quality and becomes defensive. Finally it ceases to struggle or defend and accepts its own image of itself as something too well established for discussion and too beautiful to improve. When it reaches that stage it has produced a snob, and no snob is ever aware that he is one.
The snob whose claim to superiority is her material possessions is a comical figure, but because she is so pathetic she may with some effort be tolerated. The snob whose glory lies in her ancestors is less easy to endure, but she may be dismissed with the remark that since all she has to be proud of is her forebears the best part of her is under ground. But what shall we say of the intellectual snob? He is unbearable, a man difficult to love and impossible to like. A new school of evangelical Christianity has come up of late which appears to me to be in grave danger of producing a prime crop of intellectual snobs. The disciples of this school are orthodox in creed, if by that we mean that they hold the fundamental tenets of the historic faith; but right there the similarity of their school to New Testament Christianity ends. Their spirit is quite other than the spirit of the early church.
This new breed of Christian may be identified by certain field marks. One is the habit of puffing out the chest and uttering a noise that sounds suspiciously like crowing. Another is the habit of nesting so high that ordinary Christians have difficulty in locating the aerie, and when they do they are unable to climb to it. Then, the song is also quite noticeable in that it consists almost wholly of imitations. Rarely does one of them manage to give forth an original note, but each one waits to hear what Barth or Brunner or Bultmann or Tillich has to say and then imitates it as nearly as possible, only transposing it into the orthodox key. Their mating call is a shrill “Me too! Me too!” which may be heard any time between September and June ringing through the halls of various institutions of evangelical higher learning.
What is overlooked by this new school is that truth is not mental only but moral. The Apostles’ Creed quoted in pride, though true, is not true for the one who thus quotes it; one indispensable quality is missing—humility. A theological fact becomes a spiritual truth only when it is received by a humble mind. The proud mind, however orthodox, can never know spiritual truth. Light means nothing to a blind man.
In the Christian life we know most when we know that we do not know, and we understand best when we know that we understand little and that there is much that we will never understand. In the Scriptures knowledge is a kind of experience and wisdom has a moral content. Knowledge without humility is vanity. The religious snob is devoid of truth. Snobbery and truth are irreconcilable.
The Alliance Witness, vol. 97, no. 24, p. 2, Nov. 28, 1962.
“Charisma played a different role. We looked behind the scenes at the people of faith who helped shape culture, serve the poor or bring the gospel to the masses. Here’s my list of top newsmakers for 2008. Some of these people are power brokers, and some sparked controversy. But most are simple servants who expect no credit and rarely make it into the headlines.
1. The martyrs of India. While the world was preoccupied with the global economic slowdown, Hindu militants went on rampages in Orissa, a state in northern India, in the late summer. They killed as many as 500 Christians and left 50,000 more homeless. Some martyrs were killed with daggers, machetes and swords. Some were raped. Others were doused with gasoline and burned alive—including a handicapped Christian, Rasananda Pradhan, who could not run from his attackers. When one pastor, Samuel Nayak, tried to block militants from entering his church, they slit his throat and destroyed the building.
“Some of these people are power brokers, and some sparked controversy. But most are simple servants who expect no credit and rarely make it into the headlines.”
“The violence in August and September 2008 has been the worst in our 2,000-year history in India,” says John Dayal, a Christian human rights activist who monitors persecution of Christians in India. Most observers say the Orissa conflict erupted because radical Hindus are upset by the growth of Christian churches in the region. Militants are now demanding that Christians stop all conversion efforts.
2. African-American pastors. Christians were deeply divided by the 2008 U.S. presidential race between Barack Obama and John McCain, but history will record that black pastors played a key role in securing Obama’s victory. Energized by the possibility that a man of color could win the highest office in the land—and overthrow more than two centuries of prejudice—these pastors organized voter registration drives and endorsed Obama from their pulpits. Some exit polls also indicated that the heavy influx of African-American voters, who tend to be conservative on the issue of gay marriage, helped traditional marriage proposals win in California and Florida. Now, because many white Christian conservatives supported McCain, these black leaders will be first in line to speak to Obama about important moral issues. I’m praying that they will.
3. Sarah Palin. Whether you love her or hate her, the perky Alaskan governor with a Pentecostal background gets credit for injecting faith and pro-life values into the 2008 campaign. Pundits and talk show hosts vilified her, but we’ll remember her for staying calm under the relentless media scrutiny while she unapologetically defended the right of the unborn at a time when our nation is ignoring the issue. Whether she’ll run for president in 2012 is a mystery, but her candidacy gave conservative women the hope that the glass ceiling of gender prejudice in American politics will soon fall.
4. Alex and Stephen Kendrick. From their unlikely base in Albany, Ga., these two amateur filmmakers—with help from members of Sherwood Baptist Church—produced their most successful movie to date, Fireproof. Starring Kirk Cameron, it’s the story of a firefighter who salvages his troubled marriage after converting to Christ. The movie opened in September at No. 4 at the box office and remained in the top 10 for three weeks—and it has grossed $30 million so far. (Not bad for the Kendrick brothers’ third movie.) The men started making films in 2002 after reading a Barna survey that said movies are the No. 1 influence on culture.
5. William P. Young. His hugely popular Christian novel, The Shack, sold 1 million copies so far this year—and is projected to sell another 4 million by Christmas. Fans say the fictional tale of a man’s spiritual encounter after the murder of his daughter has helped them reconnect with God. But critics say Young, a former charismatic pastor, has a low view of the church and promotes faulty theology of the Trinity. Last summer Young revealed that he wrote the painful story as a way to find healing from the trauma of being sexually molested as a child.
6. Bob Fu. While millions watched the fireworks and pageantry of the Olympic Games in Beijing, Bob Fu was a voice crying in the wilderness—urging the world community to demand an end to human rights violations in China. Fu, who came to Christ in 1989 while living in his native China, was imprisoned after communist police discovered his secret Bible school in a shuttered factory. Fu and his wife fled to the United States in 1996 and founded the China Aid Association, a ministry that monitors the persecution of Chinese believers. In July, just before President Bush traveled to Beijing for the games, Fu met with Bush and urged him to speak directly to President Hu Jintao about China’s human rights record.
7. Jim Garlow. This California pastor was a driving force behind Proposition 8, the ballot measure that injected a traditional definition of marriage into the state’s constitution. Garlow, leader of Skyline Church in San Diego, mobilized pastors and congregations across the state to pray, fast and engage in door-to-door canvassing. The Protject Marriage campaign, which included a 40-day fast prior to Election Day, is credited by some as the reason Proposition 8 passed. Garlow launched his effort after the California Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in May. The ballot measure overturned the judges’ ruling, but now gay activists are challenging the ballot measure in court.
8. Irene Gleeson. This Australian grandmother could have stayed in her beach house and enjoyed retirement, but she opted for more adventure. In 1991 she sold her house and all her possessions and moved to a dangerous area of northern Uganda, near the Sudan border, to help orphans who had been affected by war. Despite threats from local militants, she started a school under a mango tree with 20 kids. Today, Childcare Kitgum Servants provides education, housing and food for 8,000 children, and 400 mostly African staff members run the ministry. Gleeson’s inspiring story was captured on film this year in a remarkable documentary, Cinderella Children.
9. Doug Stringer. A champion of compassion ministry, Stringer’s Houston-based Somebody Cares organization funneled $30 million in food and supplies to victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. This year, after Hurricane Ike blew out the windows of his own office, he and his army of volunteers hopped in their trucks and took aid to the needy of Galveston, where thousands were stranded. While most Americans quickly turned their attention to the presidential campaign, forgetting the suffering in Texas and Louisiana, Stringer kept raising money and helping desperate families. A charismatic who started his ministry working with gangs, Stringer has pioneered a unique, church-based approach to relief and operates 22 Somebody Cares chapters in the country.
10. Joel Stockstill. Son of charismatic pastor Larry Stockstill, 29-year-old Joel has a dream of reaching America’s teenagers for Christ. Although he faced unbelievable hardships this year (his own health crisis plus the death of his wife, Amy, from cancer), Stockstill has been a model of spiritual passion. As pastor of the 220 youth ministry of Bethany World Prayer Center in Baton Rouge, La., he has grown it from 70 students to more than 7,000 in five years. Currently about 100 students come to Christ every week through the cell-based ministry—which has targeted every school in the Baton Rouge area. His strategy ought to be replicated in every city in our nation.
11. David Tyree and Tim Tebow. These two gifted athletes unapologetically stood for Jesus on the playing field in 2008. David Tyree, wide receiver for the New York Giants, caught the 32-yard pass that helped his team win a surprise victory against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. He later told reporters that the amazing catch—which required him to jump high and trap the ball on the back of his helmet—was the result of a pre-game prayer. (In the fall he released a book about his Christian testimony called More Than Just the Catch.) Tim Tebow, quarterback for the University of Florida Gators, consistently honored Christ during a winning season—and now is in the running to win the Heisman Trophy for a second time. The son of evangelical missionaries, he boldly tells reporters on the sidelines: “My biggest passion in life isn’t football. It’s telling as many people as I can about my relationship with Jesus Christ.”
12. Todd Bentley. The flamboyant Canadian evangelist is credited with sparking a healing revival that spread to Europe during the summer of 2008. From a church in Lakeland, Fla., Bentley’s nightly services ran from April through July and were broadcast on GOD TV and other channels. Though he was criticized for his theology and stage antics, as many as 10,000 people a night came to the services, and many said they experienced healing or spiritual renewal. The revival ended abruptly when Bentley’s ministry board announced that he was leaving his wife. In a year of political and economic tumult, the Lakeland debacle shook the American charismatic movement to its core, leaving us to sort through the rubble and discover ways to avoid making the same mistakes again.
http://fireinmybones.com/index.php?col=121008~Charisma%E2%80%99s%20Top%20Newsmakers%20of%202008
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Sin and repentance, the rarely used words today…
Consequences of sin
All human misery, e.g. death, disease, fear, pain, and suffering, is ultimately rooted in sin. Sin increases the gap separating mankind from God. On the way toward a complete separation between mankind and God (which is an unavoidable consequence of sin) sinners become unrepentant and hard-hearted. Sin increasingly diminishes their strength to overcome. Ultimately the wages of sin is death (Romans 6: 23). Here a distinction must be made between physical death (i.e. the passing away of a human being) and spiritual death (i.e. complete separation between man and God).
Conditions of Forgiveness
Although God is always ready and willing to forgive us, He requires two things of us as conditions of forgiveness: repentance and forgiveness of others.
1) Repentance. Repentance means a sincere personal resolve to turn away from sin and toward God.
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (NIV, Matthew 4:17)
If our sin has harmed another person, we should try to make amends for the wrong done (Luke 19:8-10). If we have tried to hide our sin, we should confess it (Matthew 3:1-6, Matthew 18:15-18, Acts 19:18, James 5:16-17). True repentance involves sorrow for acts of sin and leads to a fundamental change in attitude. We are not perfect and may fail in our attempt to avoid sin. In that case God is always willing for us to start over and make another attempt. However, if we ask for forgiveness with the intention of sinning again, we have not really repented.
Related verses: Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15, Mark 6:12, Luke 3:3, Luke 5:31-32, Luke 13:3-5, Luke 24:47, Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19, Acts 8:22, Acts 17:30-31, Acts 20:21, 2 Corinthians 7:10.
2) Forgiveness of others. Jesus said we must be willing to forgive people who sin against us:
If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. (NLT, Matthew 6:14-15)
There should be no limit to our willingness to forgive others (Luke 17:3-4). We should have a forgiving spirit even if the offender does not repent and ask for forgiveness (Mark 11:25). We damage our relationship with God and harm ourselves if we stay angry or hold a grudge (Matthew 5:21-24).
Related verses: Matthew 18:21-22, Matthew 18:34-35, Ephesians 4:32.
Availability of Forgiveness
The good news is that, no matter how serious the sin, God is always seeking us out and is willing to forgive and forget our sins and give us a fresh start. As long as we live, it is never too late to ask for forgiveness and make a new start!
So Jesus used this illustration: “If you had one hundred sheep, and one of them strayed away and was lost in the wilderness, wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine others to go and search for the lost one until you found it? And then you would joyfully carry it home on your shoulders. When you arrived, you would call together your friends and neighbors to rejoice with you because your lost sheep was found. In the same way, heaven will be happier over one lost sinner who returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! (NLT, Luke 15:3-7)
When we have sinned, we can ask God for forgiveness, as in the Lord’s Prayer:
and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. (TLB, Matthew 6:12)
Related verses: Psalms 25:7, Psalms 32:1-2, Isaiah 43:25, Matthew 1:21, Matthew 18:12-14, Matthew 26:28, Luke 15:11-32, Acts 10:43, Acts 13:38, Romans 4:7-8, Hebrews 10:17.
Human beings sin whenever they violate God’s declared will. By sinning they burden themselves with guilt before God.
-God Himself always establishes righteous conduct by revealing His will. Mankind is instructed to inquire into God’s will and to act accordingly.
In assessing whether a deed is sinful or not, the only deciding factor is the divine will, as it is manifested in the Holy Scripture, and revealed in timely fashion by the Holy Spirit
(cf. Exodus 20: 20). It is also sinful to break vows made to God (cf. Deuteronomy 23: 22), and not to believe in Christ (cf. John 16: 9). Covetousness, envy, and the like also constitute sin (cf. Galatians 5: 19-21; 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10; Ephesians 5: 5).
Sin constitutes everything opposed to God’s will and contrary to God’s nature. Consequently sin is absolute.
-The Holy Scripture clearly defines sin as any violation of the Ten Commandments
-All deliberate thoughts, words, and deeds contrary to God’s will and nature are sinful. It is also sinful to deliberately neglect to do good (James 4: 17).
All persons are sinners also have to meet certain conditions in order to have their sins forgiven by God. These include:
– Faith in Jesus Christ
– Belief that the authority to forgive sins in the name of Jesus is vested in the apostolate. (The apostles have been given the authority to forgive sins in Jesus’ name, however the absolution pronounced by priestly ministers in the stead of the apostle has the same effect as if the apostle himself had pronounced ).
– The realisation that they have sinned and are in need of grace
– The heartfelt desire for reconciliation with God
– Acknowledging their sins before God, as expressed in the supplication in the Lord’s Prayer: “… forgive us our debts…”
– Remorse and repentance. This is associated with a desire to make good their guilt towards other
– The serious resolution to overcome faults and weaknesses
– Willingness to forgive and be reconciled,
– Grasping the absolution in faith
Keeping God’s word Continually in our heart helps us to keep from sin, sinning, doing wrong
(Psa 119:9 KJV) BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
(Psa 119:11 KJV) Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
(Psa 119:16 KJV) I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
(Psa 119:17 KJV) GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.
(Psa 119:25 KJV) DALETH. My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.
(Psa 119:28 KJV) My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.
(Psa 119:38 KJV) Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.
(Psa 119:41 KJV) VAU. Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.
(Psa 119:42 KJV) So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.
(Psa 119:50 KJV) This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.
(Psa 119:58 KJV) I entreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.
(Psa 119:65 KJV) TETH. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word.
(Psa 119:67 KJV) Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
(Psa 119:74 KJV) They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.
(Psa 119:76 KJV) Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
(Psa 119:81 KJV) CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.
(Psa 119:82 KJV) Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?
(Psa 119:89 KJV) LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
(Psa 119:101 KJV) I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
(Psa 119:105 KJV) NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
(Psa 119:107 KJV) I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.
(Psa 119:114 KJV) Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.
(Psa 119:116 KJV) Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.
(Psa 119:133 KJV) Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
(Psa 119:140 KJV) Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
(Psa 119:147 KJV) I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.
(Psa 119:148 KJV) Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
(Psa 119:154 KJV) Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.
(Psa 119:158 KJV) I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.
(Psa 119:160 KJV) Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
(Psa 119:161 KJV) SCHIN. Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
(Psa 119:162 KJV) I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
(Psa 119:169 KJV) TAU. Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.
(Psa 119:170 KJV) Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.
(Psa 119:172 KJV) My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
(Psa 138:2 KJV) I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
(Jer 15:16 KJV) Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
(Luke 5:5 KJV) And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
(John 17:6 KJV) I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
(John 17:14 KJV) I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
(John 17:17 KJV) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
(Acts 4:29 KJV) And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
The Lord Jesus also described the failure to believe in Him as sin (John 16: 9). Death does not make a believer out of an unbeliever.
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