Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Temple Made of Time
Last Sabbath, at church, we sang this hymn for the first time. The words are beautiful, and I wanted to share.
Temple Made of Time
God took six days and created
Earth and Moon, the stars and sun
On the seventh day He rested
From the work that He had done.
Then He blessed it, made it holy
As a gift for every man
To remind us where we came from
And just how this world began.
Earth and Moon, the stars and sun
On the seventh day He rested
From the work that He had done.
Then He blessed it, made it holy
As a gift for every man
To remind us where we came from
And just how this world began.
~~Refrain~~
Holy day, purified
Set apart, sanctified
Enter in to joy divine
In a temple made of time.
Holy day, purified
Set apart, sanctified
Enter in to joy divine
In a temple made of time.
See Him worship on the Sabbath
As His weekly custom was
Feel the fury of the rabbis
For He would not heed their laws.
So they killed Him on a hillside
As the sun began to fade
But He even kept the Sabbath
As they laid Him in the grave.
As His weekly custom was
Feel the fury of the rabbis
For He would not heed their laws.
So they killed Him on a hillside
As the sun began to fade
But He even kept the Sabbath
As they laid Him in the grave.
Oft forsaken and forgotten
Desecrated and profaned
But the sacred fourth commandment
Is still valid and unchanged.
Hear the Father gently calling
"If you love Me, keep each one.
Not for merit or salvation
But because you love My Son."
Desecrated and profaned
But the sacred fourth commandment
Is still valid and unchanged.
Hear the Father gently calling
"If you love Me, keep each one.
Not for merit or salvation
But because you love My Son."
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Always
God is good. Always! He is good ALL of the time. Not some of the time. Not every once in a while. God is good at all times. There is no doubt about it.
Sometimes I feel (there's that word again) like I am the worst of all sinners, and I am not worthy of God's goodness. While in a sense this is true, and yet it is not. We all fall short of the glory of God but He loves us anyway. He wants to impart His goodness on us. Wow! This is something I really need to keep at the front of my brain, somewhere where I will never forget it because often times I do. I feel too sinful to receive His goodness.
While I do know that He is merciful, and gracious, and good to His children, I feel like He will do these wonderful things for others but not for me because I am so utterly unworthy of it all. Which, I am, but, then again, aren't we all unworthy? Yes, and no. We are all unworthy because we are sinners in need of a Saviour, but we are not unworthy because Jesus has come to save us sinners! He was the sacrifice for us. He intercedes with our Father in heaven for us. He has taken the enormous burden of OUR sins. Yet, He never once sinned! What amazing grace and LOVE He has shown to those who will believe and obey!
Yesterday, my family came to a trial. Most might think it to be not such a big deal but for us it was big enough for where we are right now in life. Finances are tighter than we would like them to be (aren't they always?) and we really just needed smooth sailing this month. At least that's what we thought we needed but what do we know? We are just flesh.
You know what though? God was there with us, in our midst. We knew He was there, and that everything would work out. What we didn't know was what He was going to do for us. The problem was the battery went dead on hubs car. Well, He drives an older BMW (we got this car for $500 a few years ago. it was a huge blessing because we needed another car and had, well, you guessed, little money.) and parts for this vehicle tend to cost a lot more than a regular one. So, I had gone to get a new battery at a auto parts store. The cost was going to be $140! For a battery folks! And, as I stated earlier, finances are tight. Well, we left that store and went to Wal-Mart. They didn't have the battery. On my way back to hubs and the car, I spotted another auto parts store. It was the same price there. A whopping $140. We discussed it and we knew we had to get a new battery.
We went back to the last store. We knew God would work everything out. It turned out that even though the computer said they had the battery, they really didn't. Some computer glitch. SO, they called another one of their stores that was nearby, and they had 2 available. We went there and, it turns out, that that particular battery had been sitting on the shelf for years. They hadn't even sold one since 1999. Crazy. Because it had been sitting there so long, they gave it to us at the used battery price of, are you ready for this?, $45! What?!!!! Um, thank you Jesus!!
We were blown away. They even charged it back up for us because it was just a little low. GOD IS GOOD! I can not say it enough. He is GOOD, GRACIOUS, MERCIFUL, AWESOME, SOVEREIGN, ALMIGHTY, AMAZING. He truly does take are of His children. Do not ever forget that! I'm really telling myself that here but maybe you need to be reminded as well.
It really goes to show that I am not so sinful that He will not care for me, or you, or any of His children. His children that trust in Him, that believe on Him, that obey Him.
I will keep my eyes on him. I will ask Him for what I need, and He will give me what I need. Maybe not always in the way that I would like, or a way that I understand at that moment. But, He will care for me. God is good ALWAYS!
Sometimes I feel (there's that word again) like I am the worst of all sinners, and I am not worthy of God's goodness. While in a sense this is true, and yet it is not. We all fall short of the glory of God but He loves us anyway. He wants to impart His goodness on us. Wow! This is something I really need to keep at the front of my brain, somewhere where I will never forget it because often times I do. I feel too sinful to receive His goodness.
While I do know that He is merciful, and gracious, and good to His children, I feel like He will do these wonderful things for others but not for me because I am so utterly unworthy of it all. Which, I am, but, then again, aren't we all unworthy? Yes, and no. We are all unworthy because we are sinners in need of a Saviour, but we are not unworthy because Jesus has come to save us sinners! He was the sacrifice for us. He intercedes with our Father in heaven for us. He has taken the enormous burden of OUR sins. Yet, He never once sinned! What amazing grace and LOVE He has shown to those who will believe and obey!
Yesterday, my family came to a trial. Most might think it to be not such a big deal but for us it was big enough for where we are right now in life. Finances are tighter than we would like them to be (aren't they always?) and we really just needed smooth sailing this month. At least that's what we thought we needed but what do we know? We are just flesh.
You know what though? God was there with us, in our midst. We knew He was there, and that everything would work out. What we didn't know was what He was going to do for us. The problem was the battery went dead on hubs car. Well, He drives an older BMW (we got this car for $500 a few years ago. it was a huge blessing because we needed another car and had, well, you guessed, little money.) and parts for this vehicle tend to cost a lot more than a regular one. So, I had gone to get a new battery at a auto parts store. The cost was going to be $140! For a battery folks! And, as I stated earlier, finances are tight. Well, we left that store and went to Wal-Mart. They didn't have the battery. On my way back to hubs and the car, I spotted another auto parts store. It was the same price there. A whopping $140. We discussed it and we knew we had to get a new battery.
We went back to the last store. We knew God would work everything out. It turned out that even though the computer said they had the battery, they really didn't. Some computer glitch. SO, they called another one of their stores that was nearby, and they had 2 available. We went there and, it turns out, that that particular battery had been sitting on the shelf for years. They hadn't even sold one since 1999. Crazy. Because it had been sitting there so long, they gave it to us at the used battery price of, are you ready for this?, $45! What?!!!! Um, thank you Jesus!!
We were blown away. They even charged it back up for us because it was just a little low. GOD IS GOOD! I can not say it enough. He is GOOD, GRACIOUS, MERCIFUL, AWESOME, SOVEREIGN, ALMIGHTY, AMAZING. He truly does take are of His children. Do not ever forget that! I'm really telling myself that here but maybe you need to be reminded as well.
It really goes to show that I am not so sinful that He will not care for me, or you, or any of His children. His children that trust in Him, that believe on Him, that obey Him.
I will keep my eyes on him. I will ask Him for what I need, and He will give me what I need. Maybe not always in the way that I would like, or a way that I understand at that moment. But, He will care for me. God is good ALWAYS!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Grafted
I just watched a wonderful film titled, Grafted. It is about adoption and the Gospel message. It is such a well put together piece. I recommend that you watch it too. It is free for the month of July. I came across this video on THIS BLOG, where you can get more information about it. May God bless you richly.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Raw & Unedited
Lately I have been so thankful for many things. I mean, I am always grateful for the blessings the Lord has given to me and my family, but lately they have overwhelming. His goodness never ends!
I have been praying a prayer for many years, knowing the Lord would answer. Sometimes He answers slow, sometimes He answers no. I had to be patient with this one. Which has been difficult at times but it has been very worth the wait! It's one of those prayers that is very personal but I needed to share the praise.
Answered prayer is amazing especially when it is something so close and dear to my heart. It really gives me the perspective I have been lacking. It has pointed me to all of the wonderful people that the Lord has brought into my life, all of the Truths I have learned along the way in my walk with Him.
I was getting some things ready for next weeks youth Sabbath study, and I realized how blessed I am to be a part of that ministry. There are several amazing sisters that I get to work with to put together the studies and pictures. 7 years ago I never would have thought I would be where I am today! I am so thankful for the transformation in my life. Everyday I get a little bit less selfish. I have a long way to go though! Even though I have so many more things to work on in my life, In know that with His help I can become the person that HE wants me to be, not the person that I think I should be.
Before coming to the Truth, I thought all I needed was to except Jesus as Saviour. All I had to do was believe, to have faith. While that is true, it is not all I need. Faith without works is dead.
In my first few years of being a 'Christian' I did feel changed. I had a new look on life. I attended church every Sunday morning. But I always felt like something was missing. There was still a big void in my heart. I would cry after many services, and just sit there in my chair, often alone because the hubs was at work. Not because he didn't love the Lord, because he did, he brought me to Christ, he just had to work (more on that later). I knew there was something missing in my spiritual life. I just couldn't pin point it.
That same year, hubby was studying Noah's Ark and how people were much taller than people are today. He came across a picture of a femur bone that would have belonged to a 14 ft man. Everything was bigger before the flood. He browsed that website and came across some Biblical information he had never heard of before. It's in my husbands nature to research.Here he was researching how tall men used to be, and he came across this whole website full of information about the Bible he had never heard of before. He was intrigued and started searching the Scriptures to see if there was any Truth in what was being shared.
Let me tell you, his coming upon that website was NO accident. The Lord brought Him to that site, to study that information. He studied for months. He prayed for months about the information given. He brought the information to me and then I had to study and pray for months as he had done. That was the turning point on my spiritual life. That was when I could call my self a Christian, not a 'Christian'. It took me a long time to come to that point but the struggle was well worth it.
I went from having a lost, troubled, and confused heart at a Sunday keeping, to having a full, untroubled, unconfused, searching heart at a Sabbath/Commandment keeping home church. I found JOY. The joy that only comes from the Lord. What was missing in my heart was now filled. I started to grow in my walk, something I hadn't really done before. There were no more happy-go-lucky motivational sermons. The ones that keep you complacent.The ones that most preachers share to keep the people coming in. I now heard Bible Truth being preached from the pulpit. God's Word being taught straight from the Bible itself, with no extra opinions being added in.
It was God's Truth that completed me. None of the watered down sermons could do it. I find myself, 7 years later, still searching the Scriptures as to what they have to say. I continue to find His Truth in those sacred pages. His Truth never changes, it just grows stronger and more apparent the more His Word is read. "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:" (Isaiah 28:10), that is how you find good, solid doctrine. Not by taking a line and misconstruing it to fit what you want.
His Truth is the BEST Truth! It saves the soul. Never stop studying. Never stop letting the Holy Spirit guide you. Never say it is too hard to understand. Never let someone else force their opinions on you. Never tell yourself that you don't FEEL convicted about something. People rely way too much on their "feelings". Christians are to rely on God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit for conviction, not self. Let Gods Word explain itself. Don't let this world get in the way of Truth, "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14)
I have been praying a prayer for many years, knowing the Lord would answer. Sometimes He answers slow, sometimes He answers no. I had to be patient with this one. Which has been difficult at times but it has been very worth the wait! It's one of those prayers that is very personal but I needed to share the praise.
Answered prayer is amazing especially when it is something so close and dear to my heart. It really gives me the perspective I have been lacking. It has pointed me to all of the wonderful people that the Lord has brought into my life, all of the Truths I have learned along the way in my walk with Him.
I was getting some things ready for next weeks youth Sabbath study, and I realized how blessed I am to be a part of that ministry. There are several amazing sisters that I get to work with to put together the studies and pictures. 7 years ago I never would have thought I would be where I am today! I am so thankful for the transformation in my life. Everyday I get a little bit less selfish. I have a long way to go though! Even though I have so many more things to work on in my life, In know that with His help I can become the person that HE wants me to be, not the person that I think I should be.
Before coming to the Truth, I thought all I needed was to except Jesus as Saviour. All I had to do was believe, to have faith. While that is true, it is not all I need. Faith without works is dead.
In my first few years of being a 'Christian' I did feel changed. I had a new look on life. I attended church every Sunday morning. But I always felt like something was missing. There was still a big void in my heart. I would cry after many services, and just sit there in my chair, often alone because the hubs was at work. Not because he didn't love the Lord, because he did, he brought me to Christ, he just had to work (more on that later). I knew there was something missing in my spiritual life. I just couldn't pin point it.
That same year, hubby was studying Noah's Ark and how people were much taller than people are today. He came across a picture of a femur bone that would have belonged to a 14 ft man. Everything was bigger before the flood. He browsed that website and came across some Biblical information he had never heard of before. It's in my husbands nature to research.Here he was researching how tall men used to be, and he came across this whole website full of information about the Bible he had never heard of before. He was intrigued and started searching the Scriptures to see if there was any Truth in what was being shared.
Let me tell you, his coming upon that website was NO accident. The Lord brought Him to that site, to study that information. He studied for months. He prayed for months about the information given. He brought the information to me and then I had to study and pray for months as he had done. That was the turning point on my spiritual life. That was when I could call my self a Christian, not a 'Christian'. It took me a long time to come to that point but the struggle was well worth it.
I went from having a lost, troubled, and confused heart at a Sunday keeping, to having a full, untroubled, unconfused, searching heart at a Sabbath/Commandment keeping home church. I found JOY. The joy that only comes from the Lord. What was missing in my heart was now filled. I started to grow in my walk, something I hadn't really done before. There were no more happy-go-lucky motivational sermons. The ones that keep you complacent.The ones that most preachers share to keep the people coming in. I now heard Bible Truth being preached from the pulpit. God's Word being taught straight from the Bible itself, with no extra opinions being added in.
It was God's Truth that completed me. None of the watered down sermons could do it. I find myself, 7 years later, still searching the Scriptures as to what they have to say. I continue to find His Truth in those sacred pages. His Truth never changes, it just grows stronger and more apparent the more His Word is read. "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:" (Isaiah 28:10), that is how you find good, solid doctrine. Not by taking a line and misconstruing it to fit what you want.
His Truth is the BEST Truth! It saves the soul. Never stop studying. Never stop letting the Holy Spirit guide you. Never say it is too hard to understand. Never let someone else force their opinions on you. Never tell yourself that you don't FEEL convicted about something. People rely way too much on their "feelings". Christians are to rely on God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit for conviction, not self. Let Gods Word explain itself. Don't let this world get in the way of Truth, "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14)
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Shocked and Disgusted by the Worldly Churches
This video is sickening. They really should be ashamed of themselves.
To make it even worse, they are pushing the wrong day! Now, I know that most people who read this blog believe that Sunday is the Lord's day, but this is not Truth. I'm not trying to start an argument. It's just Biblical fact. Sabbath IS the Lord's day.
The simple truth here is that they are using all of this pushing of Sunday to get the people ready for the Sunday laws to come. And they are coming. What's sad is that most people think they are a good thing. I am not one of those people.
The Lord is calling His people out of the apostate churches (Revelation 18:4). He is separating the wheat from the chaff (Matthew 3:12). Jesus told us that the elect will not be deceived (Matthew 24:24).
My prayer is that I am not of the chaff. That I am obeying the Lord in all things in my life. That I am allowing Him to work through me in His righteousness. I know that with Him all things are possible (Mark 10:27), including the keeping of the Ten Commandments. I know that He came to fulfill the Law, not destroy it (Matthew 5:17). I know that to show our love to our Father in Heaven we are to keep His commandments (John 14:15, John 14:21, John 15:10, 1 John 5:2, 2 John 1:6, and several more verses in the old and new testaments), and they are not grievous (1 John 5:3). I pray that for each of my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, whether they attend my church service or not.
The day of our Lord's coming is near. On that day I long to hear,
"Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord", Matthew 25:21.
Not this,
Something to seriously pray and think about. I know I am."Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.", Matthew 7:21-23.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Footwashing
At church today it was Communion Sabbath. It is always a blessed service. A wonderful time to come together with fellow believers and do as the Lord had asked us to do. There is nothing quite like it, focusing on what our Lord and Saviour has done for us. The examples He has given to us.
One of those wonderful examples is the washing of feet, or footwashing. We read of this example in chapter 13 of the book of John. It is not something you hear Christian churches doing. I do not understand why this is overlooked. It is such a blessed thing for me personally, to humble myself before my brethren and wash their feet. A blessing that others are missing out on. Something the Lord has told us each to do for one another.
I came across 2 YouTube videos today. The first one explains footwashing so well. While the second one is such a blessing to watch, and so humbling. It really shows us the love of Jesus. How He serves each of us, and how we are to do the same for one another.
*Just a note: I have not seen other videos from these channels. Just the two I have put above. I can not say whether any other videos are acceptable to the Lord or not. I do not condone any teachings contrary to the inerrant Word of God.
One of those wonderful examples is the washing of feet, or footwashing. We read of this example in chapter 13 of the book of John. It is not something you hear Christian churches doing. I do not understand why this is overlooked. It is such a blessed thing for me personally, to humble myself before my brethren and wash their feet. A blessing that others are missing out on. Something the Lord has told us each to do for one another.
I came across 2 YouTube videos today. The first one explains footwashing so well. While the second one is such a blessing to watch, and so humbling. It really shows us the love of Jesus. How He serves each of us, and how we are to do the same for one another.
*Just a note: I have not seen other videos from these channels. Just the two I have put above. I can not say whether any other videos are acceptable to the Lord or not. I do not condone any teachings contrary to the inerrant Word of God.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Word of Truth Radio
I haven't blogged here in a while. Lots been going on, and I guess I just don't know how to blog about it. One day, hopefully soon, I will.
Until then, I wanted to share this with all of you. It's a internet radio station called Word of Truth Radio. There is a 'station' for relaxing & peaceful hymns, which is what I usually listen to, an acoustic praise cafe, even a talk station. I have never listened to the talk radio, so I can't say anything about it, if it is true to the Bible or not. I just really enjoy the instrumental hymns. They are soothing and uplifting.
I especially enjoy listening to it while preparing for Sabbath. I hope that you do as well.
Have a blessed day!
Until then, I wanted to share this with all of you. It's a internet radio station called Word of Truth Radio. There is a 'station' for relaxing & peaceful hymns, which is what I usually listen to, an acoustic praise cafe, even a talk station. I have never listened to the talk radio, so I can't say anything about it, if it is true to the Bible or not. I just really enjoy the instrumental hymns. They are soothing and uplifting.
I especially enjoy listening to it while preparing for Sabbath. I hope that you do as well.
Have a blessed day!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Meet Denny
I find myself sitting here, weeping for a child I don't even know. A child who is a gift from God, who is unloved by any parents, siblings, or family of any kind. Why?
Why does it have to be this way? This beautiful little boy has down syndrome. He's not a problem, as some would imagine. He is perfect and wonderful, created by our Creator. He is special.
His name is Denny, and he needs a family. He deserves a family to love him as he is.He is currently in an orphanage in Eastern Europe but he won't be for much longer. He is 6 years old. And that means that soon he will be moved from the orphanage to an adult mental institution. Not because he is insane. Only because he is a special needs child. Sadly, this is the fate of MANY children in that country. His only way of escaping this fate, is if a family adopts him.
Have you ever considered adopting? If not, have you prayed about it? Denny, and many other children like him, including dear sweet Sylas, NEED families to rescue them.
Even if you are not called to adopt, maybe you can donate towards there adoption. You could also raise awareness to others of these precious children of God.
Let's also remember that there is power in prayer. Will you pray for Denny, and the many other children awaiting loving homes?
From the bottom of my heart, I say thank you to all of you who choose to do something to help. Nothing is too small for our God.
Please visit Reece's Rainbow for more information!
Why does it have to be this way? This beautiful little boy has down syndrome. He's not a problem, as some would imagine. He is perfect and wonderful, created by our Creator. He is special.
His name is Denny, and he needs a family. He deserves a family to love him as he is.He is currently in an orphanage in Eastern Europe but he won't be for much longer. He is 6 years old. And that means that soon he will be moved from the orphanage to an adult mental institution. Not because he is insane. Only because he is a special needs child. Sadly, this is the fate of MANY children in that country. His only way of escaping this fate, is if a family adopts him.
Have you ever considered adopting? If not, have you prayed about it? Denny, and many other children like him, including dear sweet Sylas, NEED families to rescue them.
Even if you are not called to adopt, maybe you can donate towards there adoption. You could also raise awareness to others of these precious children of God.
Let's also remember that there is power in prayer. Will you pray for Denny, and the many other children awaiting loving homes?
From the bottom of my heart, I say thank you to all of you who choose to do something to help. Nothing is too small for our God.
Please visit Reece's Rainbow for more information!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Sharing a Post
I know I haven't posted anything in a long while. I've been contemplating life, and most importantly, God's Word.
I just wanted to share something I read on another blog. I really enjoyed it, and thought it was worth sharing. It is worth the click over to read. =)
I just wanted to share something I read on another blog. I really enjoyed it, and thought it was worth sharing. It is worth the click over to read. =)
The Problem With Education: We Don’t Know What it Means, But the Government Does
May God bless you today, and always!
Friday, April 27, 2012
100 Facts on the Sabbath Question
Over the past several years that my husband and I have kept God's Sabbath day, I have been approached by several people out of concern. Some concerns are that I am keeping the Sabbath to be saved. That the Sabbath has been abolished, nailed to the cross, and that by keeping it I am forfeiting what Jesus did for us on the cross. That the Sabbath was for the Jews not the Gentiles. That we are to now keep the day of Jesus' resurrection instead of the Sabbath.That it has been changed from the 7th day to the 1st day of the week.
I am grateful that there are so many people in our life who love and care for us so much, that they will voice their concerns. It makes me think about why I haven't diligently shared with them, and others, more fervently about the Sabbath. It is something that has been consuming my mind lately. I have been in prayer with the Lord about it often, and believe the Lord would like me to share here, now.
Sometimes I find it difficult to find the right words to speak. I know that the Lord will speak through me, if I just allow Him to. I have been studying more and more in the Bible about this, and have yet to find anywhere that says that it has either been done away with, or that it has been changed. I've heard lots of people's thoughts and opinions but I am not interested in any of those. I am only interested in what God says on the matter of this issue. I am looking for a "Thus saith the Lord". Yet, I can not find one that says the day has been changed, abolished, or anything to that conclusion. I have only read about how the disciples all kept the Sabbath day (Acts 13:27, Acts 13:44, Acts 15:21, Acts 17:2,3). That Jesus also kept the Sabbath (Luke 4:16, John 15:10). I have read how it was instituted in the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:1-3). How God gave the Israelites double portion of manna the day before Sabbath so they would not have to gather food on God's holy rest day while wandering in the dessert (Exodus 16: 4,5, 25-27). How God wrote about the Sabbath with His own finger, and told us to 'remember' it (Exodus 31:13-18). How Isaiah prophesied that we will be keeping it in the new heaven and the new earth (Isaiah 66:23). I have not found one Scripture telling us to keep any other day, or that it has been changed.
I want to go ahead and list here '100 Facts on the Sabbath Question' from Let There Be Light Ministries. I hope and pray that you take the time to read through this, as I believe this is a truly important issue, and there is much more evidence listed than I stated. God's Word should always be the final authority on all issues. Let us do as the Bereans did, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so".
May God bless you with you clearness of mind, and His Truth on the matter of Sabbath. As always, comments are welcome, even if you disagree with what has been stated here. But please give clear Scriptural evidence for why you disagree, if you do. =)
I am grateful that there are so many people in our life who love and care for us so much, that they will voice their concerns. It makes me think about why I haven't diligently shared with them, and others, more fervently about the Sabbath. It is something that has been consuming my mind lately. I have been in prayer with the Lord about it often, and believe the Lord would like me to share here, now.
Sometimes I find it difficult to find the right words to speak. I know that the Lord will speak through me, if I just allow Him to. I have been studying more and more in the Bible about this, and have yet to find anywhere that says that it has either been done away with, or that it has been changed. I've heard lots of people's thoughts and opinions but I am not interested in any of those. I am only interested in what God says on the matter of this issue. I am looking for a "Thus saith the Lord". Yet, I can not find one that says the day has been changed, abolished, or anything to that conclusion. I have only read about how the disciples all kept the Sabbath day (Acts 13:27, Acts 13:44, Acts 15:21, Acts 17:2,3). That Jesus also kept the Sabbath (Luke 4:16, John 15:10). I have read how it was instituted in the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:1-3). How God gave the Israelites double portion of manna the day before Sabbath so they would not have to gather food on God's holy rest day while wandering in the dessert (Exodus 16: 4,5, 25-27). How God wrote about the Sabbath with His own finger, and told us to 'remember' it (Exodus 31:13-18). How Isaiah prophesied that we will be keeping it in the new heaven and the new earth (Isaiah 66:23). I have not found one Scripture telling us to keep any other day, or that it has been changed.
I want to go ahead and list here '100 Facts on the Sabbath Question' from Let There Be Light Ministries. I hope and pray that you take the time to read through this, as I believe this is a truly important issue, and there is much more evidence listed than I stated. God's Word should always be the final authority on all issues. Let us do as the Bereans did, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so".
May God bless you with you clearness of mind, and His Truth on the matter of Sabbath. As always, comments are welcome, even if you disagree with what has been stated here. But please give clear Scriptural evidence for why you disagree, if you do. =)
100 FACTS ON THE SABBATH QUESTION
Why keep the Sabbath day?
What is the object of the Sabbath?
When was it made, who made it, and for whom?
Which day is the true Sabbath?
Many keep the first day of the week, or Sunday.
What Bible authority have they for this?
Some keep the seventh day, or Saturday.
What Scripture have they for that?
Here are the facts about both days, as plainly stated in the word of God.
Sixty Bible Facts Concerning the Seventh Day
1. After working the first six days of the week in creating this earth, the great God rested on the seventh day. Genesis 2:1-3.
2.
This stamped that day as God’s rest day, or Sabbath day, as Sabbath
day means rest day. To illustrate: When a person is born on a certain
day, that day becomes his birthday. So when God rested upon the seventh
day, that day became His rest, or Sabbath day.
3.
Therefore the seventh day must always be God’s Sabbath day. Can you
change your birthday from the day on which you were born to one in which
you were not born? No. Neither can you change God’s rest day to a day
on which He did not rest. Hence the seventh day is still God’s Sabbath
day.
4. The Creator blessed the seventh day. Genesis 2:3.
5. He sanctified the seventh day. Exodus 20:11.
6. He made it the Sabbath day in the garden of Eden. Genesis 2:1-3.
7. It was made before the fall; hence it is not a type, for types were not introduced till after the fall.
8.
Jesus says it was made for man (Mark 2:27); that is, for the race, as
the word man is here unlimited, hence, for the Gentile as well as for
the Jews.
9.
It is a memorial of creation. Exodus 20:11; 31:17. Every time we
rest upon the seventh day, as God did at creation, we commemorate the
grand event.
10. It was given to Adam, the head of the human race. Mark 2:27; Genesis 2:1-3.
11. Hence through him, as our representative, to all nations. Acts 17:26.
12. It is not a Jewish institution, for it was made 2,300 years before ever there was a Jew.
13.
The Bible never calls it the Jewish Sabbath but always “the Sabbath of
the Lord thy God.” Men should be cautious how they stigmatize God’s
holy rest day.
14. Evident reference is made to the Sabbath all through that patriarchal age. Genesis 2:1-3; 8:10, 12; 29:27, 28, ect.
15. It was a part of God’s law before Sinai. Exodus 16:4, 27-29.
16.
Then God placed it in the heart of His moral law. Exodus 20:1-17.
Why did He place it there if it was not like the other nine precepts,
which all admit to be immutable?
17. The seventh-day Sabbath was commanded by the voice of the living God. Deuteronomy 4:12, 13.
18. Then He wrote the commandment with His own finger. Exodus 31:18.
19. He engraved it in the enduring stone, indicating its imperishable nature. Deuteronomy 5:22.
20. It was sacredly preserved in the ark in the holy of holies. Deuteronomy 10:1-5.
21. God forbade work upon the Sabbath, even in the most hurrying times. Exodus 34:21.
22. God destroyed the Israelites in the wilderness because they profaned the Sabbath. Ezekiel 20:12, 13.
23. It is the sign of the true God, by which we are to know Him from false gods. Ezekiel 20:20.
24. God promised that Jerusalem would stand forever if the Jews would keep the Sabbath. Jeremiah 17:24, 25.
25. He sent them into the Babylonish captivity for breaking it. Nehemiah 13:18.
26. He destroyed Jerusalem for its violation. Jeremiah 17:27.
27. God has pronounced a special blessing on all the Gentiles who keep it. Isaiah 56: 6, 7.
28. This is in the prophecy which refers wholly to the Christian dispensation. See Isaiah 56.
29. God has promised to bless every man who keeps the Sabbath. Isaiah 56:2.
30.
The Lord requires us to call it “honorable.” Isaiah 58:13. Beware,
ye who take delight in calling it the “old Jewish Sabbath,” “a yoke of
bondage,” ect.
31. After the holy Sabbath has been trodden down for “many generation,” it is to be restored in the last days. Isaiah 58:12, 13.
32. All the holy prophets kept the seventh day.
33.
When the Son of God came, He kept the seventh day all His life. Luke
4:16; John 15:10. Thus He followed His Father’s example at creation.
Shall we not be safe in following the example of both the Father and
the Son?
34. The seventh day is the Lord’s day. See Revelation 1:10; Mark 2:28; Isaiah 58:13; Exodus 20:10.
35.
Jesus was the Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28); that is, to love and
protect it, as the husband is the lord of the wife, to love and cherish
her. 1 Peter 3:6.
36. He vindicated the Sabbath as a merciful institution designed for man’s good. Mark 2:23-28.
37. Instead of abolishing the Sabbath, He carefully taught how it should be observed. Matthew 12:1-13.
38. He taught His disciples that they should do nothing upon the Sabbath day but what was “lawful.” Matthew 12:12.
39. He instructed His apostles that the Sabbath should be prayerfully regarded 40 years after His resurrection. Matthew 24:20.
40. The pious women who had been with Jesus carefully kept the seventh day after His death. Luke 23:56.
41. Thirty years after Christ’s resurrection, the Holy Spirit expressly calls it “the Sabbath day.” Acts 13:14.
42.
Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, called it “the Sabbath day” in A.D.
45. Acts 13:27. Did not Paul know? Or shall we believe modern
teachers, who affirm that it ceased to be the Sabbath at the
resurrection of Christ?
43. Luke, the inspired Christian historian, writing as late as A.D. 62, calls it “the Sabbath day.” Acts 13:44.
44. The Gentile converts called it the Sabbath. Acts 13:42.
45.
In the great Christian council, A.D. 52, in the presence of the
apostles and thousands of disciples, James calls it the “Sabbath day.”
Acts 15:21.
46. It was customary to hold prayer meetings upon that day. Acts 16:13.
47. Paul read the scriptures in public meetings on that day. Acts 17:2,3.
48. It was his custom to preach upon that day. Acts 17:2.
49.
The book of Acts alone gives a record of his holding eighty-four
meetings upon that day. See Acts 13:4, 44; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4, 11.
50.
There was never any dispute between the Christians and the Jews about
the Sabbath day. This is proof that the Christians still observed the
same day that Jews did.
51.
In all their accusations against Paul, they never charged him with
disregarding the Sabbath day. Why did they not if he did not keep it?
52.
Paul himself expressly declared that he had kept the law. “Neither
against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against
Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.” Acts 25:8. How could this
be true if he had not kept the Sabbath?
53.
The Sabbath is mentioned in the New testament 59 times, and is always
with respect, bearing the same title it had in the Old Testament, “the
Sabbath day.”
54.
Not a word is said anywhere in the New testament about the Sabbath’s
being abolished, done away, changed, or anything of the kind.
55.
God had never given permission to any man to work upon it. Reader, by
what authority do you use the seventh day for common labor?
56.
No Christian of the New testament, either before or after the
resurrection, ever did ordinary work upon the seventh day. Find one
case of that kind, and we will yield the question. Why should modern
Christians do differently from Bible Christians?
57. There is no record that God has ever removed His blessing or sanctification from the seventh day.
58.
As the Sabbath was kept in Eden before the fall, so it will be
observed eternally in the new earth after the restitution. Isaiah
66:22, 23.
59.
The seventh-day Sabbath was an important part of the law of God, as it
came from His own mouth, and was written by His own finger upon stone
at Sinai. See Exodus 20. When Jesus began His work, He expressly
declared that He had not come to destroy the law. “Think not that I am
come to destroy the law, or the prophets.” Matthew 5:17.
60.
Jesus severely condemned the Pharisees as hypocrites for pretending to
love God, while at the same time they made void one of the Ten
Commandments by their tradition. The keeping of Sunday is only a
tradition of men.
We have now presented 60 plain Bible facts concerning the Seventh day. What will you do with them?
Forty Bible Facts Concerning the First Day of the Week
1.
The very first thing recorded in the Bible is work done on Sunday, the
first day of the week. Genesis 1:1-5. This was done by the Creator
Himself. If God made the earth on Sunday, can it be wicked for us to
work on Sunday?
2. God commands men to work upon the first day of the week. Exodus 20:8-11. Is it wrong to obey God?
3. None of the patriarchs ever kept it.
4. None of the holy prophets ever kept it.
5.
By the express command of God, His holy people used the first day of
the week as a common working day for 4,000 years, at least.
6. God Himself calls it a “working” day. Ezekiel 46:1.
7. God did not rest upon it.
8. He never blessed it.
9. Christ did not rest upon it.
10.
Jesus was a carpenter (Mark 6:3) and worked at His trade until He was
30 years old. He kept the Sabbath and worked six days in the week, as
all admit. Hence He did many a hard day’s work on Sunday.
11. The apostles worked upon it during the same time.
12. The apostles never rested upon it.
13. Christ never blessed it.
14. It has never been blessed by any divine authority.
15. It has never been sanctified.
16.
No law was ever given to enforce the keeping of it; hence it is no
transgression to work upon it. “For where no law is, there is no
transgression.” Romans 4:15; (1 John 3:4).
17. The New Testament nowhere forbids work to be done on it.
18. No penalty is provided for its violation.
19. No blessing is promised for its observance.
20. No regulation is given as to how it ought to be observed. Would this be so if the Lord wished us to keep it?
21. It is never called the Christian Sabbath.
22. It is never called the Sabbath day at all.
23. It is never called the Lord’s day.
24. It is never called even a rest day.
25. No sacred title whatever is applied to it. Then why should we call it holy?
26. It is simple called “first day of the week.”
27. Jesus never mentioned it in any way--never took its name upon His lips as far as the record shows.
28. The word Sunday never occurs in the Bible at all.
29. Neither God, Christ, nor inspired men, ever said one word in favor of Sunday as a holy day.
30.
The first day of the week is mentioned only eight times in all the New
Testament. Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, 19; Acts
20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2.
31. Six of these texts refer to the same first day of the week.
32. Paul directed the saints to look over their secular affairs on that day. 1 Corinthians 16:2.
33. In all the New Testament we have a record of only one religious meeting held upon that day. Acts 20:5-12.
34. There is not an intimation that they ever held a meeting on it before or after that.
35. It was not their custom to meet on that day.
36. There was no requirement to break bread on that day.
37. We have an account of only one instance in which it was done. Acts 20:7.
38.
That was done in the night--after midnight. Verses 7-11. Jesus
celebrated it on Thursday evening, (Luke 22), and the disciples
sometimes did it every day. Acts 2:42-46.
39.
The Bible nowhere says that the first day of the week commemorates the
resurrection of Christ. This is a tradition of men, which makes void
the law of God. Matthew 15:1-9. Baptism commemorates the burial and
resurrection of Jesus. Romans 6:3-5.
40. Finally, the New testament is totally silent with regard to any change of the Sabbath day or sacredness for the first day.
So after reviewing these 100 plain Bible facts upon this question,
showing conclusively that the seventh day of the week, or Saturday, is
the Sabbath of the Lord in both the Old and New testaments, what should
be our response to this fourth commandment of God?
“For he spake in a certain place on the seventh day on this wise, And
God did rest the seventh day from all his works....There remaineth
therefore a rest (Sabbath) to the people of God. For he that is entered
into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from
his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall
after the save example of unbelief.” Hebrews 4:4, 9-11.
“And hereby we do know that we know him (God), if we keep his
commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth
his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we
that we are in him....By this we know that we love the children of God,
when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of
God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not
grievous.” 1 John 2:3-5, 5:2-3.
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right
to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city
(of God). For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and
murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”
Revelation 22:14.
“Let us here the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep
his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall
bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be
good, or whether it be evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
For more information on this important topic, please click here
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Lately
It's been an interesting week, or so, here at our house. Last Thursday I had dental surgery. They extracted 5 teeth - 2 wisdom, 3 molars. They put me under for the surgery, and I was quite nervous about it. The Lord was with me though, every step of the way. My super spectacular mother-in-law, drove me to and from. She had to hang out in the waiting room for about 2 hours. That was so amazingly wonderful of her! After the surgery I was unable to nurse baby girl for 12 hours. (Yes, I still nurse her at 20 months old.) I thought it was going to be so traumatic for her. As it turned out, she did very well. I left her with my dear friend Silvia, whom she knows very well and loves. Since I would be out of it, and I couldn't nurse her, we just left her and the boys for the day. That way, baby girl wouldn't see me and want to nurse. The Lord's Hand was at work here too. I was blessed with time to recover, and the kids were in loving hands. I couldn't be more blessed to have such wonderful friends and family. It turned out that she only cried a couple of times, and not for very long at all!
Wow.
I have been recovering quite nicely. I took some ibuprofen the first 2 days, just in case, for pain. I never did feel any pain though. My swelling had subsided by the next day, and I felt great! I new I needed to take it easy though. I certainly didn't want dry socket. Although, I really wanted to go about my day as I usually did. My MIL was with us for day #2 also. She helped with the kids. Another huge blessing for me. I do have 4 children, after all, 3 of them being rowdy boys. =)
As with any extraction, I was prescribed an anti-biotic. I began taking it as I was told to. Usually, I am an avid label reader, but for some reason I was not this time. After a couple days of taking the med, I decided to read the info packet that came with it. Partly because baby girl was having some seriously yucky diapers, frequently. As it turns out, this anti-biotic DOES leak into breast milk, and the has some not so wonderful side effects. Obviously, she was feeling them. I tried to nurse her less frequently. I didn't want to stop taking the med because I didn't want an infection. Well, poor little girl didn't get better, a bit worse. So, I was not taking it as I was supposed to. My poor girl!
I won't go into any details here but by day #5, I was having similar symptoms. That anti-biotic was AWFUL! With my doctor's permission, I discontinued using it. I really should have thought a few things through. Like, how totally different our diet is compared to the Standard American Diet (SAD). And the fact that we rarely ever take any type of medicine at all. And by rarely, I mean I can't even remember the last time one of us had ANY type of medicine. I don't even remember the last time we were sick it's been so long. Maybe I should have mentioned these things to the doc but I didn't. None-the-less, we are doing much better by far today. Praise God!
So, yeah, that's been us in a nutshell lately. I am still gradually doing different stuff when it comes to our home school. I think I have found what I am going to be using as far as curriculum goes. But that will be discussed another time. ; )
Wow.
I have been recovering quite nicely. I took some ibuprofen the first 2 days, just in case, for pain. I never did feel any pain though. My swelling had subsided by the next day, and I felt great! I new I needed to take it easy though. I certainly didn't want dry socket. Although, I really wanted to go about my day as I usually did. My MIL was with us for day #2 also. She helped with the kids. Another huge blessing for me. I do have 4 children, after all, 3 of them being rowdy boys. =)
As with any extraction, I was prescribed an anti-biotic. I began taking it as I was told to. Usually, I am an avid label reader, but for some reason I was not this time. After a couple days of taking the med, I decided to read the info packet that came with it. Partly because baby girl was having some seriously yucky diapers, frequently. As it turns out, this anti-biotic DOES leak into breast milk, and the has some not so wonderful side effects. Obviously, she was feeling them. I tried to nurse her less frequently. I didn't want to stop taking the med because I didn't want an infection. Well, poor little girl didn't get better, a bit worse. So, I was not taking it as I was supposed to. My poor girl!
I won't go into any details here but by day #5, I was having similar symptoms. That anti-biotic was AWFUL! With my doctor's permission, I discontinued using it. I really should have thought a few things through. Like, how totally different our diet is compared to the Standard American Diet (SAD). And the fact that we rarely ever take any type of medicine at all. And by rarely, I mean I can't even remember the last time one of us had ANY type of medicine. I don't even remember the last time we were sick it's been so long. Maybe I should have mentioned these things to the doc but I didn't. None-the-less, we are doing much better by far today. Praise God!
So, yeah, that's been us in a nutshell lately. I am still gradually doing different stuff when it comes to our home school. I think I have found what I am going to be using as far as curriculum goes. But that will be discussed another time. ; )
Saturday, April 7, 2012
A First...
My eldest son and I thought it would be fun to make our own videos. That way we can share the love of God in another way. With the help of my husband we completed our first video. Please check out our YouTube debut video about dinosaurs!
Oh, and subscribe if you'd like to. ; )
Oh, and subscribe if you'd like to. ; )
Friday, April 6, 2012
Children Are a Blessing
I just watched a wonderful short documentary: Children Are a Blessing by Moore Family Films. This film provides God's Truth on the matter of children. That they are a blessing, not a curse! I encourage you to watch it as well. You can watch it for free until April 30th. It is also currently on sale, and available for purchase for $10.
This film brought tears to my eyes throughout. The facts presented about how many children are aborted each year are astonishing. The facts about birth control pills are presented. It breaks my heart to think that I too used to use them. The blessings I may have disregarded because I didn't put my full trust in the Lord but in the world. I am thankful that the Lord winks at my times of ignorance (Acts 17:30), and that He is so merciful and forgiving.
Many times throughout my days out with my 4 children, total strangers will ask me if I am done. Or, nonchalantly say, "I guess you're done now that you have your girl." Now that I truly understand what God's Word says about children, my answer is always, "We will see what the Lord has planned." We put our full trust in our Creator. We know He will provide for us in all things. That is something He will do for ALL of His children.
This film brought tears to my eyes throughout. The facts presented about how many children are aborted each year are astonishing. The facts about birth control pills are presented. It breaks my heart to think that I too used to use them. The blessings I may have disregarded because I didn't put my full trust in the Lord but in the world. I am thankful that the Lord winks at my times of ignorance (Acts 17:30), and that He is so merciful and forgiving.
Many times throughout my days out with my 4 children, total strangers will ask me if I am done. Or, nonchalantly say, "I guess you're done now that you have your girl." Now that I truly understand what God's Word says about children, my answer is always, "We will see what the Lord has planned." We put our full trust in our Creator. We know He will provide for us in all things. That is something He will do for ALL of His children.
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| This is not my picture, source unknown. |
Sunday, April 1, 2012
God Has a Purpose for Every Affliction
There were some tough days for me last week. Little things that happen all at once that stress me out and make me lose my focus. It's those little footholds that we give to Satan, and he holds on tight. Believe me. I praise God though for those difficult times. They always bring me closer to Him.
After a few stressful days in a row, I read this devotional and it really hit home. It was such a blessing to me, I wanted to share. =)
After a few stressful days in a row, I read this devotional and it really hit home. It was such a blessing to me, I wanted to share. =)
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4:12, 13
One evening a gentleman who was much depressed because of deep affliction was walking in a garden, where he observed a pomegranate tree nearly cut through the stem. Greatly wondering, he asked the gardener why the tree was in this condition, and he received an answer that explained to his satisfaction the wounds of his own bleeding heart. “Sir,” said the gardener, “this tree used to shoot out so strong that it bore nothing but leaves. I was obliged to cut it in this manner; and when it was almost cut through, it began to bear fruit.”Our sorrows do not spring out of the ground. In every affliction God has a purpose to work out for our good. Every blow that destroys an idol, every providence that weakens our hold upon earth and fastens our affections more firmly upon God, is a blessing. The pruning may be painful for a time, but afterward it “yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness.” We should receive with gratitude whatever will quicken the conscience, elevate the thoughts, and ennoble the life. The fruitless branches are cut off and cast into the fire. Let us be thankful that through painful pruning we may retain a connection with the living Vine; for if we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with Him. The very trial that taxes our faith the most severely and makes it seem as though God had forsaken us is to lead us more closely to Him, that we may lay all our burdens at the feet of Christ and experience the peace which He will give us in exchange.... God loves and cares for the feeblest of His creatures, and we cannot dishonor Him more than by doubting His love to us. O let us cultivate that living faith that will trust Him in the hour of darkness and trial!
Remember to hang in there friends! God is refining your character into HIS perfect character. It can be hard to realize that sometimes but every trial, every test can bring glory to Him. You just have to let Him be your Guide!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
The Bible
The Bible
This book contains the mind of God, the state of man,
the way of salvation, the doom of sinners,
and the happiness of believers.
Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding,
its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.
Read it to be wise, believe in it to be safe,
and practice it to be holy.
It contains light to direct you, food to support you,
and comfort to cheer you.
It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass,
the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter.
Here paradise is restored, heaven opened,
and the gates of hell disclosed.
Christ is its grand object; our good, its design;
and the glory of God, its end.
It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.
Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully.
It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory,
and a river of pleasure.
It is given you in life, will be opened in the judgment,
and be remembered forever.
It involves the highest responsibility,
will reward the greatest labor,
and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.
—Author Unknown
Friday, March 23, 2012
Meet Sylas
As of right now we don't know much about Sylas. Only that he is in Russia, has down-syndrome, blue eyes, blonde hair, and is sociable. I think the picture speaks volumes more though. Sylas is one of God's precious children. He has a purpose in this life. He is worth something, more than I may ever know but God knows.
After being introduced to Reece's Rainbow, through a fellow home-school family who was adopting through the organization, I couldn't stop thinking about these sweet children. It breaks my heart to think of how they have been treated in their short lives thus far. I hate thinking about how, when they turn a certain age, they will be taken from the orphanage, and sent to an asylum. Not because they need psychiatric care, just because they have down-syndrome, or another special need. I don't understand how people can do that to these sweet, innocent little ones.
The Lord has not called our family to adopt. He has, however, called us to care for the widowed and the fatherless. We truly believe that prayer is one of THE best ways to do this. After looking at all of those little faces that are waiting to be adopted, I noticed the section of the website to become a prayer warrior for one of these children. After praying about it, we knew we wanted to commit to praying for a specific child daily. We were blessed with Sylas.
I will admit, at first sight, I just wanted to bring him home here, with us. But, I know that is not God's plan. The Lord has been teaching me lately to do what He has asked me to do. To be content with what He has called from me. I often hear His call, and then try to make it bigger and better. Of course, it is only bigger and better in my mind. God's way is always the best way, the perfect way. Right now, He has called me to pray for this child everyday until he has found his forever family. I will be honoring this request. I will not try to do more than what has been asked of me. I am at peace with this. I know that this peace only comes from the Lord.
I feel so blessed with the honor of praying for this child. For now, he is part of our family. I will be praying for him as I pray for each one of my children here. What a joy it has already been in these past few days!
Would you like to become a prayer warrior for a special needs orphan? Please visit Reece's Rainbow for more information, and prayerfully consider it.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Highly Disgusted
Our society is so messed up! It makes so sad, and mad, that people do not value life. Most of our culture has turned from God. All they care about is profit, even at the expense of someone's life. It is so hard to know what ingredients are in the products that we buy, but it is so important to know, because a lot of the time, it could have cost someone their life.
Reading through this article made me cringe. Please, share it with people, so that they too will know if they are consuming aborted fetal cells. After reading this, I went into my kitchen and dumped my 2 - 2 liters of Sierra Mist down the drain. I am sure that the list in this article is by no means a FULL list of products that uses aborted fetal cells. It is a start though for people who do not care to condone abortion. It is, after all, murder, and our Father told us, "Thou shalt not kill".
http://www.sott.net/articles/show/242726-Avoid-Any-Products-Containing-Aborted-Fetal-Cells
Many opposing viewpoints have been raised on the morality of using consumer products which are cultivated on aborted fetal cell lines. Regardless of your position on abortion, the fact that there is an entire industry around the manufacture of foods, beverages and medical products which routinely utilize aborted fetal tissue should be a cause for great concern.
There has always been a great deal of excitement within the medical community regarding the use of fetal tissue for transplantation and for the manufacture of vaccines.
Fetal tissue technology has evolved tremendously in the two decades especially in the area of treating various neural and endocrinal diseases.
However, serious ethical questions are being raised as to the source and procurement of the necessary tissue. While some experts in the medical community forecast unlimited potential for fetal tissue technology, others have expressed deep concern as to the limits to the ethical and moral dynamics of the issue. Where is the line drawn?
The Economic Drive of Abortion
The world of economics runs on the basis of supply and demand. And this is perhaps the largest fear to approving fetal tissue research and transplants from elective aborted fetuses. While it is claimed that supply is sufficient to meet current demand - which is a tragedy in itself - what is to happen when researchers discover that the fetal tissue products can effectively treat a broader assortment of disease and illnesses? What happens when there is still not enough supply? While these questions may seem overstated, we should not underestimate the advances of medical technology or the moral corruption of modern society. Several proposals were brought to the National Institutes of Health Panel to protect babies from being procured for the motive of profit. Yet with an estimated annual income of six billion dollars, the potential for abuse in fetal tissue industry would be substantial, not to mention very difficult to regulate and enforce.
Avoiding Foods, Beverages and Vaccines Containing Aborted Fetal Cells
As recently as May, Pepsi ignored concerns and criticism from dozens of pro-life groups and tens of thousands of pro-life people who voiced their opposition to PepsiCo contracting with biotech company Senomyx even after it was found to be testing their food additives using fetal cells from abortions.
"The company's key flavor programs focus on the discovery and development of savory, sweet and salt flavor ingredients that are intended to allow for the reduction of MSG, sugar and salt in food and beverage products," the Senomyx web site says. "Using isolated human taste receptors, we created proprietary taste receptor-based assay systems that provide a biochemical or electronic readout when a flavor ingredient interacts with the receptor."
Debi Vinnedge, of the pro-life group Children of God for Life, explained,
The following products are manufactured using aborted fetal cells:
PEPSI BEVERAGES
- All Pepsi soft drinks
- Sierra Mist soft drinks
- Mountain Dew soft drinks
- Mug root beer and other soft drinks
- No Fear beverages
- Ocean Spray beverages
- Seattle's Best Coffee
- Tazo beverages
- AMP Energy beverages
- Aquafina water
- Aquafina flavored beverages
- DoubleShot energy beverages
- Frappuccino beverages
- Lipton tea and other beverages
- Propel beverages
- SoBe beverages
- Gatorade beverages
- Fiesta Miranda beverages
- Tropicana juices and beverages
NESTLE PRODUCTS
- All coffee creamers
- Maggi Brand instant soups, bouillon cubes, ketchups, sauces, seasoning, instant noodles
KRAFT - CADBURY ADAMS PRODUCTS
- Black Jack chewing gum
- Bubbaloo bubble gum
- Bubblicious bubble gum
- Chiclets
- Clorets
- Dentyne
- Freshen Up Gum
- Sour Cherry Gum (Limited)
- Sour Apple Gum (Limited)
- Stride
- Trident
CADBURY ADAMS CANDIES
- Sour Cherry Blasters
- Fruit Mania
- Bassett's Liquorice All sorts
- Maynards Wine Gum
- Swedish Fish
- Swedish Berries
- Juicy Squirts
- Original Gummies
- Fuzzy Peach
- Sour Chillers
- Sour Patch Kids
- Mini Fruit Gums
OTHER CADBURY ADAMS PRODUCTS
- Certs breath mints
- Halls Cough Drops
NEOCUTIS PRODUCTS
This company produces anti wrinkle creams that contain cells from a 14 week gestation aborted male baby. Following is the list of the creams, but we recommend a full boycott of all Neocutis Products.
-Bio-Gel Prevedem Journee
-Bio-Serum Lumiere
-Bio Restorative Skin Cream
VACCINES
-MMR II (Merck)
-ProQuad (MMR + Chickenpox -- Merck)
-Varivax (Chickenpox -- Merck)
-Pentacel (Polio + DTaP + HiB -- Sanofi Pasteur)
-Vaqta (Hepatitis-A -- Merck)
-Havrix (Hepatitis-A -- Glaxo SmithKline)
-Twinrix (Hepatitis-A and B combo -- Glaxo)
-Zostavax (Shingles -- Merck)
-Imovax (Rabies -- Sanofi Pasteur)
OTHER MEDICINES:
-Pulmozyme (Cystic Fibrosis -- Genetech)
-Enbrel (Rheumatoid Arthritis -- Amgen)
Dave Mihalovic is a Naturopathic Doctor who specializes in vaccine research, cancer prevention and a natural approach to treatment.
Reading through this article made me cringe. Please, share it with people, so that they too will know if they are consuming aborted fetal cells. After reading this, I went into my kitchen and dumped my 2 - 2 liters of Sierra Mist down the drain. I am sure that the list in this article is by no means a FULL list of products that uses aborted fetal cells. It is a start though for people who do not care to condone abortion. It is, after all, murder, and our Father told us, "Thou shalt not kill".
http://www.sott.net/articles/show/242726-Avoid-Any-Products-Containing-Aborted-Fetal-Cells
© Prevent Disease.com
Many opposing viewpoints have been raised on the morality of using consumer products which are cultivated on aborted fetal cell lines. Regardless of your position on abortion, the fact that there is an entire industry around the manufacture of foods, beverages and medical products which routinely utilize aborted fetal tissue should be a cause for great concern.
There has always been a great deal of excitement within the medical community regarding the use of fetal tissue for transplantation and for the manufacture of vaccines.
Fetal tissue technology has evolved tremendously in the two decades especially in the area of treating various neural and endocrinal diseases.
However, serious ethical questions are being raised as to the source and procurement of the necessary tissue. While some experts in the medical community forecast unlimited potential for fetal tissue technology, others have expressed deep concern as to the limits to the ethical and moral dynamics of the issue. Where is the line drawn?
The Economic Drive of Abortion
The world of economics runs on the basis of supply and demand. And this is perhaps the largest fear to approving fetal tissue research and transplants from elective aborted fetuses. While it is claimed that supply is sufficient to meet current demand - which is a tragedy in itself - what is to happen when researchers discover that the fetal tissue products can effectively treat a broader assortment of disease and illnesses? What happens when there is still not enough supply? While these questions may seem overstated, we should not underestimate the advances of medical technology or the moral corruption of modern society. Several proposals were brought to the National Institutes of Health Panel to protect babies from being procured for the motive of profit. Yet with an estimated annual income of six billion dollars, the potential for abuse in fetal tissue industry would be substantial, not to mention very difficult to regulate and enforce.
'With the anticipated profitability of the industry once the technology can alleviate a larger number of diseases, there will be increasing pressures to "share the wealth" produced by these transplants.' (Scott Rae, ibid)Related to the supply of the fetus, is the supply of fresh and more mature fetuses. The timing of abortion becomes an important consideration to the researchers and medical community who benefit from a more matured and developed fetus. The majority of abortions procedures are performed between the sixth and eleventh weeks of pregnancy, however delaying until the fourteen to sixteenth weeks will yield fetal tissue that is usable in pancreatic transplants. Simply put, the older the fetus the more valuable! A subsequent concern of delaying the abortion procedures until the 'ripe' time period, is the emotional effects this will have for the mother. Aborting the unborn baby at four months old (as opposed to 6-11 weeks old) will compound the emotional impact on the mother resulting in a significant increase in post abortion trauma.
Avoiding Foods, Beverages and Vaccines Containing Aborted Fetal Cells
As recently as May, Pepsi ignored concerns and criticism from dozens of pro-life groups and tens of thousands of pro-life people who voiced their opposition to PepsiCo contracting with biotech company Senomyx even after it was found to be testing their food additives using fetal cells from abortions.
"The company's key flavor programs focus on the discovery and development of savory, sweet and salt flavor ingredients that are intended to allow for the reduction of MSG, sugar and salt in food and beverage products," the Senomyx web site says. "Using isolated human taste receptors, we created proprietary taste receptor-based assay systems that provide a biochemical or electronic readout when a flavor ingredient interacts with the receptor."
Debi Vinnedge, of the pro-life group Children of God for Life, explained,
"What they don't tell the public is that they are using HEK 293 -- human embryonic kidney cells taken from an electively aborted baby to produce those receptors. They could have easily chosen animal, insect, or other morally obtained human cells expressing the G protein for taste receptors."In August 2010, PepsiCo entered into a four-year agreement with Senomyx for the development of artificial high-potency sweeteners for PepsiCo beverages. Under the contract, PepsiCo is paying $30 million to Senomyx for the research and future royalties on PepsiCo products sold using Senomyx technology. When the prolife group wrote both companies requesting they use one of several non-objectionable, viable cell lines listed in their patents, Senomyx did not respond. PepsiCo did reply however and insisted that its use of the research from Senomyx would produce "great tasting, lower-calorie beverages."
The following products are manufactured using aborted fetal cells:
PEPSI BEVERAGES
- All Pepsi soft drinks
- Sierra Mist soft drinks
- Mountain Dew soft drinks
- Mug root beer and other soft drinks
- No Fear beverages
- Ocean Spray beverages
- Seattle's Best Coffee
- Tazo beverages
- AMP Energy beverages
- Aquafina water
- Aquafina flavored beverages
- DoubleShot energy beverages
- Frappuccino beverages
- Lipton tea and other beverages
- Propel beverages
- SoBe beverages
- Gatorade beverages
- Fiesta Miranda beverages
- Tropicana juices and beverages
NESTLE PRODUCTS
- All coffee creamers
- Maggi Brand instant soups, bouillon cubes, ketchups, sauces, seasoning, instant noodles
KRAFT - CADBURY ADAMS PRODUCTS
- Black Jack chewing gum
- Bubbaloo bubble gum
- Bubblicious bubble gum
- Chiclets
- Clorets
- Dentyne
- Freshen Up Gum
- Sour Cherry Gum (Limited)
- Sour Apple Gum (Limited)
- Stride
- Trident
CADBURY ADAMS CANDIES
- Sour Cherry Blasters
- Fruit Mania
- Bassett's Liquorice All sorts
- Maynards Wine Gum
- Swedish Fish
- Swedish Berries
- Juicy Squirts
- Original Gummies
- Fuzzy Peach
- Sour Chillers
- Sour Patch Kids
- Mini Fruit Gums
OTHER CADBURY ADAMS PRODUCTS
- Certs breath mints
- Halls Cough Drops
NEOCUTIS PRODUCTS
This company produces anti wrinkle creams that contain cells from a 14 week gestation aborted male baby. Following is the list of the creams, but we recommend a full boycott of all Neocutis Products.
-Bio-Gel Prevedem Journee
-Bio-Serum Lumiere
-Bio Restorative Skin Cream
VACCINES
-MMR II (Merck)
-ProQuad (MMR + Chickenpox -- Merck)
-Varivax (Chickenpox -- Merck)
-Pentacel (Polio + DTaP + HiB -- Sanofi Pasteur)
-Vaqta (Hepatitis-A -- Merck)
-Havrix (Hepatitis-A -- Glaxo SmithKline)
-Twinrix (Hepatitis-A and B combo -- Glaxo)
-Zostavax (Shingles -- Merck)
-Imovax (Rabies -- Sanofi Pasteur)
OTHER MEDICINES:
-Pulmozyme (Cystic Fibrosis -- Genetech)
-Enbrel (Rheumatoid Arthritis -- Amgen)
Dave Mihalovic is a Naturopathic Doctor who specializes in vaccine research, cancer prevention and a natural approach to treatment.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Satan's Meeting
This was shared by our Pastor at church one Sabbath. I just wanted to pass it along. Any notes I may have added are in purple.
Satan's Meeting
Satan called a worldwide convention of demons. In his opening address he said, "We can't keep Christians from going to church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles, and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their Saviour. Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken."
"So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners, but steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ."
Said the devil, "This is what I want you to do: Distract them from gaining hold of their Saviour and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"
"How shall we do this?" his demons shouted.
Satan answered, saying, "Keep them busy in the nonessentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds. Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow. Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work! Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive--to keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home; and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-Biblical music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ."
"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotion offering free products, services, and false hopes. Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives."
"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas. Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about His resurrection and power over sin and death. (Both of these are Pagan holidays.) Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted. Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead. Keep them busy, busy, busy! And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences."
"Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause. It will work! It will surely work!" Satan exclaimed.
"It is quite a plan!" shouted the demons. The demons went eagerly to their assignments, causing Christians everywhere to get more busy, and more rushed, going here and there. Having little time for their God, or their families. Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives.That being said.. have we fallen for his plan? Truth is, this is why we removed the TV from our home as well as worldly music and video games. I also cherish the time alone with the Lord in prayer, especially the mid-day. Still, there are things that I too can change. ...What about you?
Sunday, February 26, 2012
The Horror - Explained
Yesterdays post was pretty raw, and full of emotion. It was one of those, "write it right now before the emotion passes" kind of posts. Those can be intense. I'm not sure how 'intense' my post was but I do know that when you write with such passion, you can tend to leave out some important information. Which, I think I did. Here are a few other points that go with my decision to break-up with Facebook.
- For a few months I have been hearing a small voice telling me to remove my shop from Facebook. I continually convinced myself that doing so was silly. I get most of my sales through fb. How would my shop survive?
- Just last week I was asked to participate in a fundraiser to help raise money for a family who had recently lost their baby after a day of life and a band for March of Dimes in the name of another lost little one. I, of course, said yes because I want to help others. I didn't think twice about it. Well, not thinking twice about it, turned into an issue. March of Dimes is supportive of abortion. Now, they don't come right out and say that but it's true. I can't help raise money for a group that says it is there to help babies, yet is okay with practices that kill them. How hypocritical of me would it be to not do that fundraiser but to go ahead and stay on fb so I can make money???
- I further continued to convince myself to stay on board because of all of the fundraisers I am able to do to help those who are in need. I truly enjoy being a part of raising money for people who need it, like for adoptions, emergencies, babies, etc. What a blessing it is to help others in this way! I now see, that if the Lord has not called me to do it, but has called me to do something else, I need to obey Him. By doing all of these other good things (and yes, they are good and worthy) I am ignoring what He has asked me to do. That means I am not being faithful to what the Lord wants of me. Which, will end up pushing me away from my Lord and Saviour.
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." -Matthew 7:21
"And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" -Luke 6:46
How can I call Him Lord, yet not obey Him in what He has asks of me? If I did this, I would be saying His name in vain, which would be breaking Commandment #3. It's one thing to do something in ignorance, and it's something entirely different to do something with full knowledge and understanding.
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:" -Acts 17:30
When we do something with full knowledge that it is not the right thing to do, then it is sin. If we continue doing this sin, it becomes iniquity because we are making the choice to continue in our sin. Darkness and light can not walk together. This known sin will separate us from our God. That is not somewhere I want to be - separated from God. It is only in His Strength that I can accomplish anything, small or great.
I hope that better explains my personal decision to finally, really, truly remove myself from Facebook. I hope this post will be a blessing to others.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
The Horror
At this moment I am in tears, and my stomach feels nauseous. I am actually at a loss for words but felt compelled to say something. I am 100% AGAINST abortion. The Lord tells us children are a blessing, not a curse! Our society is so mixed up and backward. It reminds me of a photo I recently saw...
Something is, indeed, VERY wrong. Which brings me to THIS article I read today, just prior to writing this post. I don't technically have a Facebook page. I say technically because I do have one, but only so I could keep my business page up when I decided to leave Facebook as my person. Which sounds bizarre in itself but not the point here.
Now I am sitting here utterly disgusted with Facebook, more so than before. As a Christian mother of 4 (plus 1 resting in Jesus), I can not, in good moral conscience, continue on Facebook. I do not believe that my integrity should be compromised so that I can hold a business page on Facebook. A social platform that goes against what I believe in. A platform that holds the power to delete anything that they deem to be against the rights of others. Even though there are still people who are able to share pro-life messages, I don't believe this makes it 'okay' to stay on board. I hope, and pray, that anyone who is reading this will seriously think about the mentioned article. Truly think about Facebook's stand on the abortion issue. If you are pro-life, how can you hold hands with something that is so obviously against it?
I truly believe that the Lord will continue to bless my shop, even though I am not on any social media to promote it. Even if my shop never sees another dime because of this, I will not go back to Facebook. It's just not worth it. The Lord gives us tests. I believe this is one of them. I want to serve only God in my life. I do not want to be unequally yoked with the world.
 | |||
| (This is not my photo. I came across it on Facebook a few weeks ago, I don't recall what page though.) |
Now I am sitting here utterly disgusted with Facebook, more so than before. As a Christian mother of 4 (plus 1 resting in Jesus), I can not, in good moral conscience, continue on Facebook. I do not believe that my integrity should be compromised so that I can hold a business page on Facebook. A social platform that goes against what I believe in. A platform that holds the power to delete anything that they deem to be against the rights of others. Even though there are still people who are able to share pro-life messages, I don't believe this makes it 'okay' to stay on board. I hope, and pray, that anyone who is reading this will seriously think about the mentioned article. Truly think about Facebook's stand on the abortion issue. If you are pro-life, how can you hold hands with something that is so obviously against it?
"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" Amos 3:3
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" 2 Corinthians 6:14
I know most will think this is a bit over the top, but as I just stated, the Lord gives us tests. I want to pass these tests. And it is only by the grace of God that I can.
PLEASE read the article!
http://www.wnd.com/2012/02/facebook-shuts-down-pro-life-message/
And, as always, your thoughts and opinions are welcome, just leave a comment below.
**I didn't mention this above. I will have to wait a week or two before I can be fully off of Facebook. Not that I need to explain myself, I just wanted to. Since I just finished up a fundraiser, I need to wait until I have heard back from all of the auction winners, and they have received their items. I don't want to be unaccountable for responsibilities I have taken on.
**I didn't mention this above. I will have to wait a week or two before I can be fully off of Facebook. Not that I need to explain myself, I just wanted to. Since I just finished up a fundraiser, I need to wait until I have heard back from all of the auction winners, and they have received their items. I don't want to be unaccountable for responsibilities I have taken on.
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