SeriousFaith

Give Me, Fix Me, Restore Me, Bless Me!

*** What saparates mankind from the rest of the animals? The mind which allows the human to reason and think beyond the here and now! Your Faith and then your Belief can and will allow you to reach the gates of Heaven; once you set your mind to it! seek Jesus! **
Date:   12/22/2013 08:43:27 GMT ... viewed 123 times as of 29 Dec..

** Once you come to believe the truth then you will enter the Realm of Hope and Blessing!


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* - SeriousFaith.com – Brent Riggs
-"http://www.seriousfaith.com">http://www.seriousfaith.com

- "Give Me, Fix Me, Restore Me, Bless Me"

Posted By brentriggs On August 26, 2009 @ 6:11 am In Favorites, Teaching

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Pride or self centered-ness promotes Strife

** James 4:1 [1] Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?

2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet[a] you do not have because you do not ask.

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

4 Adulterers and[b] adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

Humility Cures Worldliness

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
(NKJV)
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- When you teach the Bible and interact with a large number of responses and questions, you see patterns and tendencies that are generally true for the majority. One trend that I’ve seen is the preconceived ideas about HOW God is most glorified in our trials.

Many Christians have the idea that God is glorified when He “fixes” what we believe to be broken in our lives. We apply a Madison Avenue mindset to God’s options thinking that God will enjoy greater acceptance and popularity with mankind if He is seen as the source of “successful” and “victorious” life. {not true}

The problem with this notion lies in our modern definition of those two words, “success” and “victory”. The common concept today, even in Christianity, is that “successful” and “victorious” are synonymous with material possessions, physical health and a lack of trials – faith in God is supposed to be directly measurable in a persons life by the amount of prosperity they enjoy.

This has created a generation of Christians who have a difficult time understanding the blessing of suffering, trials, persecution and hardship – a blessing was well understood by the Apostles, the early church and deeply ingrained in the Protestant Reformation, later the Puritan and revival heritage of the Church.

- What would be your first thought about how God would be most glorified in these following situations:

* A friend is diagnosed with cancer, MS or Parkinsons – how can God be most glorified?

* A fellow Christian businessman faces losing his business and years of hard work because of a partner who cheated him – how can God be most glorified?

* A married couple faces divorce because one of them has chosen immorality and personal happiness over the family – how can God be most glorified?

* A couple’s unborn child has been diagnosed with severe problems and will not survive to be born – how can God be most glorified?

* A son in the military is sent off to combat in an area where many have already died – how can God be most glorified?

These are all real scenarios that I have experienced directly or indirectly with some of you (my readers), Christian friends or those I teach or disciple. How would God be most glorified and His purpose served in the previous list of situations? Here is what I believe would be the most common answers based on my experience:

* The disease is healed and the person miraculously made whole

* The business rebounds, the cheater is exposed and the Christian gets everything back plus more

* The marriage is restored and the family goes on with a happy life

* The child is miraculously healed and born without complication

* The soldier goes to war, fights courageously and returns home unharmed

Is God glorified in each of these results? Certainly. Is there anything wrong with praying for these results? Certainly not.

So what’s my point?

My point is that we have difficulty seeing any OTHER ANSWER as the most glorifying to God other than the answer that returns our lives to “happiness”.
Only the answers that restore us physically, materially and emotionally are conceived as bringing the greatest glory to God. Yet this can betray or reveal a shallowness of faith and misunderstanding of God.

ANY answer or solution that God allows
brings Him the most glory, or He wouldn’t allow it.

What do I mean by that?

If God chooses for us to lose our health, money or loved ones, it is the perfect answer even if we don’t see it, understand it or like it.

Whatever God allows in our life is by default PERFECT
for what God wants to accomplish, or God wouldn’t be God.

Many of you may be thinking “um, I don’t get what your saying”.
Others of you are loading up the “prosperity verses” to send to me. We are conditioned by today’s popular teaching that God is “successful” and more “attractive to the unsaved” when He is the God who restores what is lacking, fixes what is broken, and blesses us with comfort and suffering-free living. It is the Gospel that proclaims, “Jesus will improve your life”.

Jesus certainly does improve our life and sometimes He does it through restoration and prosperity. But, just as frequently, maybe more, His will is accomplished through our trials and suffering.

God may decide that:

* The cancer or Parkinson’s patient may completely lose their health and eventually die but because of their faithful testimony and joy through their suffering, God is extraordinarily glorified and many lives are transformed as a result.
(One of my good friends told me last week that if his disease destroyed him physically, but brought his Dad to Christ, he would gladly give up his health. That is a true understanding of how God is glorified in suffering or healing.)

* The businessman may lose everything and suffer severe financial loss but through it he rediscovers everything his business had overshadowed – his marriage, family, church and devotional life.

* The marriage may end up in divorce because of an unrepentant spouse, but through the pain and trials the other family members draw deep from the well of faith and in the years ahead they are able to counsel and pray with many others facing the same ordeal.

* The unborn child may lose the battle and never be born but through the peace, joy and faith of the parents an entire family comes to Christ who previously were uninterested and unimpressed about God.

* The soldier may go to war and lose his life fighting for what he believes in and over the months that follow the parents are overwhelmed by letters from his fellow servicemen describing the faith and courage of their son and the many lives that were brought to Christ during the soul-searching stress of combat because of his faithful witness.
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Many of the Bible heroes didn’t get answers that we would consider “most” glorifying to God:

* Moses didn’t get to enter the promise land;

* Joseph was an imprisoned slave for many years;

* Job lost every single thing he had including his health and family (yes, he got them back plus more, but he didn’t know that at the time the suffering was happening);

* John the Baptist was beheaded;

* Lazarus died;

* most of the Apostles were dirt poor and eventually martyred;

* the Apostle Paul was sick, poor, ship wrecked, beaten, stoned and imprisoned.

Not exactly a list of answers that we would think of as “successful” in today’s Christian culture.

Our greatest example, Jesus Christ, prayed to have it “all” (his suffering and crucifixion) removed if possible but immediately followed up with an understanding and submission to the greater glory of God:
- Not my will but yours be done! (Matt 26.39 [2],
emphasis mine). “Not my will but yours be done” is frequently pronounced a “negative confession” and a “lack of faith” by many Christian personalities today.

We sometimes pray for the superficial without regards to the depth of God’s sovereignty or glory. We pray “God give me money, restore my health, make everything good, fix all my problems”. And while that is a natural desire, and not necessarily wrong to pray, we need to be ready for God’s answer that may very well involve suffering.

We should be praying “Lord, I know what I would like to see happen, but what is most important is that You are glorified to the greatest possible degree. So I ask You to open my spiritual eyes and show me what will bring You the most glory even if it does not fix my problem, grant my desire, or restore what I’m missing.”

Romans 8:28 [3] And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

If God receives greater glory through my greater suffering (1Pet 3.17 [4]), then suffering is the answer to our prayer (1Pet 2.19 [5]). If the Lord is magnified in the lives around us through a loss of material possession, then take it all. If the Son of God is lifted up through tragedy in my life, then let the tragedies begin (1Pet 4.16 [6]).

It’s all a question of true priorities. Which is more important? You’re comfort, restoration, healing, and prosperity; or the glory of God and the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil 3.8-10 [7])? We need to pray for and accept the answer to prayer that brings the greatest glory to God no matter what (Rom 8.18 [8]).

1 Peter 2:21 [9] For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps;

I’m going to close with a clarification because I know I’m bucking against popular teaching today. YES, God can be glorified by healing us, blessing us materially and restoring what is “broken” in our lives. We are all well informed of this aspect of Christianity. But if that is where we stop, then we are settling for only a portion of God’s blessing, and the lesser portion at that. We’re setting up Christians to have a “faith crisis” when suffering and trials become God’s will for them.

My point is NOT to tell you that BRENT RIGGS knows how God is most glorified, only God knows that. My point is that God’s will may include prosperity or suffering and we don’t hear that taught very often in our current Christian environment because it’s not very “attractive” or “positive”.

Lord God, give us spiritual eyes to see that Your ways are beyond ours. You have answers that we cannot imagine. Help us to pray for the answer that brings You the most glory, and not necessarily the one that brings us the most benefit, In Jesus name, Amen.

Contemplation: Are most of your prayers to God summarized in “give me, fix me, heal me, bless me, restore me”? If you were facing losing your health, can you conceive where God might be glorified MORE if you actually did lose your health? What about money?

Application: Be careful of perpetuating “Christian” clichés such as this one, or ones like 

 -  “God helps those who help themselves”  or 

 - “grace is where you leave off and God picks up”.

We pass these things on so frequently that everyone comes to believe they are Scripture.  {These are incomplete scripture and not to be used} 

 But they only serve to simplify and limit God in our minds, and make us lazy in pursuing the depths of real truth that is not quite so easy and nicely packaged.

1. What is the most obvious Bible truth you have learned today?

2. What change in your life needs to be made concerning this truth?

3. What specific thing will you do today to begin that change?

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I would be very grateful if you
would share this with others,
or put it on one of the social sites:

Bookmark and Share [10]
Possible related posts:

* The Basic Christian Life: Ears and Hands – Part 5 [11]

* The Basic Christian Life: The Question of Divorce – Part 4 [12]

* The Basic Christian Life: How to Love God When Life Stinks – Part 3 [13]

* The Basic Christian Life: God’s View of Wealth And Status – Part 2 [14]

* The Basic Christian Life: Introduction – Part 1 [15]

Article printed from SeriousFaith.com – Brent Riggs:
http://www.seriousfaith.com


URL to article: http://www.seriousfaith.com/2009/08/give-me-fix-me-restore-me-bless-me/


URLs in this post:

[1] James 4:3: http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=50&passage=James+4%3A3


[2] Matt 26.39: http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=50&passage=Matt+26.39


[3] Romans 8:28: http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=50&passage=Romans+8%3A28


[4] Pet 3.17: http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=50&passage=Pet+3.17


[5] Pet 2.19: http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=50&passage=Pet+2.19


[6] Pet 4.16: http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=50&passage=Pet+4.16


[7] Phil 3.8-10: http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=50&passage=Phil+3.8-10


[8] Rom 8.18: http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=50&passage=Rom+8.18


[9] 1 Peter 2:21: http://biblegateway.com/bible?version=50&passage=1+Peter+2%3A21


[10] Image: http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&pub=brentriggs


[11] The Basic Christian Life: Ears and Hands – Part 5:http://www.seriousfaith.com/?p=2460


[12] The Basic Christian Life: The Question of Divorce – Part 4:http://www.seriousfaith.com/?p=2435


[13] The Basic Christian Life: How to Love God When Life Stinks – Part 3: http://www.seriousfaith.com/?p=2430


[14] The Basic Christian Life: God’s View of Wealth And Status – Part 2: http://www.seriousfaith.com/?p=2424


[15] The Basic Christian Life: Introduction – Part 1:http://www.seriousfaith.com/?p=2421



Copyright © 2009 SeriousFaith.com - Brent Riggs.

What happened - does not look good!

** Read then ask yourself why?  
- A Pentagon official who asked to remain nameless because they were not authorized to speak on the matter said even “young officers, down through the ranks have been told not to talk about Obama or the politics of the White House. They are purging everyone and if you want to keep your job — just keep your mouth shut.”

Why Are Dozens Of High Ranking Officers Being Purged From The U.S. Military?

 By Michael Snyder, on January 16th, 2014

     

Since Barack Obama has been in the White House, high ranking military officers have been removed from their positions at a rate that is absolutely unprecedented.  Things have gotten so bad that a number of retired generals are publicly speaking out about the “purge” of the U.S. military that they believe is taking place.  As you will see below, dozens of highly decorated military leaders have been dismissed from their positions over the past few years.  So why is this happening?  When I was growing up, my father was an officer in the U.S. Navy.  And what is going on right now is absolutely crazy – especially during a time of peace.  Is there a deliberate attempt to “reshape” the military and remove those that don’t adhere to the proper “viewpoints”?  Does someone out there feel a need to get officers that won’t “cooperate” out of the way?  Throughout world history, whatever comes next after a “military purge” is never good.  If this continues, what is the U.S. military going to look like in a few years?

Perhaps you are reading this and you think that “purge” is too strong a word for what is taking place.  Well, just consider the following quotes from some very highly decorated retired officers…

-Retired Army Major General Paul Vallely: “The White House protects their own. That’s why they stalled on the investigation into fast and furious, Benghazi and Obamacare. He’s intentionally weakening and gutting our military, Pentagon and reducing us as a superpower, and anyone in the ranks who disagrees or speaks out is being purged.”

-Retired Army Major General Patrick Brady: “There is no doubt he (Obama) is intent on emasculating the military and will fire anyone who disagrees with him.”

-Retired Army Lt. General William G. “Jerry” Boykin: “Over the past three years, it is unprecedented for the number of four-star generals to be relieved of duty, and not necessarily relieved for cause.”

-Retired Navy Captain Joseph John: “I believe there are more than 137 officers who have been forced out or given bad evaluation reports so they will never make Flag (officer), because of their failure to comply to certain views.”

According to the Blaze, one anonymous Pentagon official has said that even young officers have been told “not to talk about Obama or the politics of the White House”…

A Pentagon official who asked to remain nameless because they were not authorized to speak on the matter said even “young officers, down through the ranks have been told not to talk about Obama or the politics of the White House. They are purging everyone and if you want to keep your job — just keep your mouth shut.”

Now this trend appears to be accelerating.  We have seen a whole bunch of news stories about military officers being dismissed lately.

Almost always, a “legitimate reason” is given for the dismissal.  And without a doubt, if a military officer is actually behaving unethically, that officer should be held accountable.

However, the reality is that everyone has “skeletons in the closet”, and if you really want to get rid of someone it is usually not too hard to find a way to justify your decision.

The following are excerpts from three news stories about military officers in trouble that have come out so far in 2014…

#1 The Air Force Times: A group of former Air Force majors, forced out this summer by a noncontinuation board, plans to file a lawsuit claiming the service had no right to separate them simply to meet end-strength numbers set by Congress.

More than 10 of the 157 dismissed majors are banding together to challenge the move in court, seeking either reinstatement or early retirement pay. All 157 had been twice passed over for promotion and were within six years of retirement.

#2 Defense News: Acting US Navy Undersecretary Robert Martinage, the department’s No. 2, has resigned under pressure, sources confirmed for Defense News.

The resignation, which Martinage announced to his staff Tuesday morning, came after allegations were made of inappropriate conduct with a subordinate woman, the sources confirmed.

#3 Huffington Post: The Air Force says 34 nuclear missile launch officers have been implicated in a cheating scandal and have been stripped of their certification in what is believed to be the largest such breach of integrity in the nuclear force.

Some of the officers apparently texted to each other the answers to a monthly test on their knowledge of how to operate the missiles. Others may have known about it but did not report it.

The cheating was discovered during a drug investigation that involves 11 Air Force officers across six bases in the U.S. and England.

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Taken alone, it would be easy to dismiss those stories as “coincidences”.  But when you put them together with the stories of dozens of other high ranking military officers that have been purged from the U.S. military in recent years, a very disturbing pattern emerges.

The following is a list of high ranking military officers that have been dismissed over the past few years that has been circulating all over the Internet.  I think that you will agree that this list is quite stunning…

Commanding Generals fired:

• General John R. Allen-U.S. Marines Commander International Security Assistance Force [ISAF] (Nov 2012)
• Major General Ralph Baker (2 Star)-U.S. Army Commander of the Combined Joint Task Force Horn in Africa (April 2013)
• Major General Michael Carey (2 Star)-U.S. Air Force Commander of the 20th US Air Force in charge of 9,600 people and 450 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (Oct 2013)
• Colonel James Christmas-U.S. Marines Commander 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit & Commander Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response Unit (July 2013)
• Major General Peter Fuller-U.S. Army Commander in Afghanistan (May 2011)
• Major General Charles M.M. Gurganus-U.S. Marine Corps Regional Commander of SW and I Marine Expeditionary Force in Afghanistan (Oct 2013)
• General Carter F. Ham-U.S. Army African Command (Oct 2013)
• Lieutenant General David H. Huntoon (3 Star), Jr.-U.S. Army 58th Superintendent of the US Military Academy at West Point, NY (2013)
• Command Sergeant Major Don B Jordan-U.S. Army 143rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command (suspended Oct 2013)
• General James Mattis-U.S. Marines Chief of CentCom (May 2013)
• Colonel Daren Margolin-U.S. Marine in charge of Quantico’s Security Battalion (Oct 2013)
• General Stanley McChrystal-U.S. Army Commander Afghanistan (June 2010)
• General David D. McKiernan-U.S. Army Commander Afghanistan (2009)
• General David Petraeus-Director of CIA from September 2011 to November 2012 & U.S. Army Commander International Security Assistance Force [ISAF] and Commander U.S. Forces Afghanistan [USFOR-A] (Nov 2012)
• Brigadier General Bryan Roberts-U.S. Army Commander 2nd Brigade (May 2013)
• Major General Gregg A. Sturdevant-U.S. Marine Corps Director of Strategic Planning and Policy for the U.S. Pacific Command & Commander of Aviation Wing at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan (Sept 2013)
• Colonel Eric Tilley-U.S. Army Commander of Garrison Japan (Nov 2013)
• Brigadier General Bryan Wampler-U.S. Army Commanding General of 143rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command of the 1st Theater Sustainment Command [TSC] (suspended Oct 2013)

Commanding Admirals fired:

• Rear Admiral Charles Gaouette-U.S. Navy Commander John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group Three (Oct 2012)
• Vice Admiral Tim Giardina(3 Star, demoted to 2 Star)-U.S. Navy Deputy Commander of the US Strategic Command, Commander of the Submarine Group Trident, Submarine Group 9 and Submarine Group 10 (Oct 2013)

Naval Officers fired: (All in 2011)

• Captain David Geisler-U.S. Navy Commander Task Force 53 in Bahrain (Oct 2011)
• Commander Laredo Bell-U.S. Navy Commander Naval Support Activity Saratoga Springs, NY (Aug 2011)
• Lieutenant Commander Kurt Boenisch-Executive Officer amphibious transport dock Ponce (Apr 2011)
• Commander Nathan Borchers-U.S. Navy Commander destroyer Stout (Mar 2011)
• Commander Robert Brown-U.S. Navy Commander Beachmaster Unit 2 Fort Story, VA (Aug 2011)
• Commander Andrew Crowe-Executive Officer Navy Region Center Singapore (Apr 2011)
• Captain Robert Gamberg-Executive Officer carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower (Jun 2011)
• Captain Rex Guinn-U.S. Navy Commander Navy Legal Service office Japan (Feb 2011)
• Commander Kevin Harms- U.S. Navy Commander Strike Fighter Squadron 137 aboard the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln (Mar 2011)
• Lieutenant Commander Martin Holguin-U.S. Navy Commander mine countermeasures Fearless (Oct 2011)
• Captain Owen Honors-U.S. Navy Commander aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (Jan 2011)
• Captain Donald Hornbeck-U.S. Navy Commander Destroyer Squadron 1 San Diego (Apr 2011)
• Rear Admiral Ron Horton-U.S. Navy Commander Logistics Group, Western Pacific (Mar 2011)
• Commander Etta Jones-U.S. Navy Commander amphibious transport dock Ponce (Apr 2011)
• Commander Ralph Jones-Executive Officer amphibious transport dock Green Bay (Jul 2011)
• Commander Jonathan Jackson-U.S. Navy Commander Electronic Attack Squadron 134, deployed aboard carrier Carl Vinson (Dec 2011)
• Captain Eric Merrill-U.S. Navy Commander submarine Emory S. Land (Jul 2011)
• Captain William Mosk-U.S. Navy Commander Naval Station Rota, U.S. Navy Commander Naval Activities Spain (Apr 2011)
• Commander Timothy Murphy-U.S. Navy Commander Electronic Attack Squadron 129 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, WA (Apr 2011)
• Commander Joseph Nosse-U.S. Navy Commander ballistic-missile submarine Kentucky (Oct 2011)
• Commander Mark Olson-U.S. Navy Commander destroyer The Sullivans FL (Sep 2011)
• Commander John Pethel-Executive Officer amphibious transport dock New York (Dec 2011)
• Commander Karl Pugh-U.S. Navy Commander Electronic Attack Squadron 141 Whidbey Island, WA (Jul 2011)
• Commander Jason Strength-U.S. Navy Commander of Navy Recruiting District Nashville, TN (Jul 2011)
• Captain Greg Thomas-U.S. Navy Commander Norfolk Naval Shipyard (May 2011)
• Commander Mike Varney-U.S. Navy Commander attack submarine Connecticut (Jun 2011)
• Commander Jay Wylie-U.S. Navy Commander destroyer Momsen (Apr 2011)

Naval Officers fired: (All in 2012):

• Commander Alan C. Aber-Executive Officer Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 71 (July 2012)
• Commander Derick Armstrong- U.S. Navy Commander missile destroyer USS The Sullivans (May 2012)
• Commander Martin Arriola- U.S. Navy Commander destroyer USS Porter (Aug 2012)
• Captain Antonio Cardoso- U.S. Navy Commander Training Support Center San Diego (Sep 2012)
• Captain James CoBell- U.S. Navy Commander Oceana Naval Air Station’s Fleet Readiness Center Mid-Atlantic (Sep 2012)
• Captain Joseph E. Darlak- U.S. Navy Commander frigate USS Vandegrift (Nov 2012)
• Captain Daniel Dusek-U.S. Navy Commander USS Bonhomme
• Commander David Faught-Executive Officer destroyer Chung-Hoon (Sep 2012)
• Commander Franklin Fernandez- U.S. Navy Commander Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 24 (Aug 2012)
• Commander Ray Hartman- U.S. Navy Commander Amphibious dock-landing ship Fort McHenry (Nov 2012)
• Commander Shelly Hakspiel-Executive Officer Navy Drug Screening Lab San Diego (May 2012)
• Commander Jon Haydel- U.S. Navy Commander USS San Diego (Mar 2012)
• Commander Diego Hernandez- U.S. Navy Commander ballistic-missile submarine USS Wyoming (Feb 2012)
• Commander Lee Hoey- U.S. Navy Commander Drug Screening Laboratory, San Diego (May 2012)
• Commander Ivan Jimenez-Executive Officer frigate Vandegrift (Nov 2012)
• Commander Dennis Klein- U.S. Navy Commander submarine USS Columbia (May 2012)
• Captain Chuck Litchfield- U.S. Navy Commander assault ship USS Essex (Jun 2012)
• Captain Marcia Kim Lyons- U.S. Navy Commander Naval Health Clinic New England (Apr 2012)
• Captain Robert Marin- U.S. Navy Commander cruiser USS Cowpens (Feb 2012)
• Captain Sean McDonell- U.S. Navy Commander Seabee reserve unit Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 14 FL (Nov 2012)
• Commander Corrine Parker- U.S. Navy Commander Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 1 (Apr 2012)
• Captain Liza Raimondo- U.S. Navy Commander Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River, MD (Jun 2012)
• Captain Jeffrey Riedel- Program manager, Littoral Combat Ship program (Jan 2012)
• Commander Sara Santoski- U.S. Navy Commander Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15 (Sep 2012)
• Commander Kyle G. Strudthoff-Executive Officer Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 (Sep 2012)
• Commander Sheryl Tannahill- U.S. Navy Commander Navy Operational Support Center [NOSC] Nashville, TN (Sep 2012)
• Commander Michael Ward- U.S. Navy Commander submarine USS Pittsburgh (Aug 2012)
• Captain Michael Wiegand- U.S. Navy Commander Southwest Regional Maintenance Center (Nov 2012)
• Captain Ted Williams- U.S. Navy Commander amphibious command ship Mount Whitney (Nov 2012)
• Commander Jeffrey Wissel- U.S. Navy Commander of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 1 (Feb 2012)

Naval Officers fired: (All in 2013):

• Lieutenant Commander Lauren Allen-Executive Officer submarine Jacksonville (Feb 2013)
• Reserve Captain Jay Bowman-U.S. Navy Commander Navy Operational Support Center [NOSC] Fort Dix, NJ (Mar 2013)
• Captain William Cogar-U.S. Navy Commander hospital ship Mercy’s medical treatment facility (Sept 2013)
• Commander Steve Fuller-Executive Officer frigate Kauffman (Mar 2013)
• Captain Shawn Hendricks-Program Manager for naval enterprise IT networks (June 2013)
• Captain David Hunter-U.S. Navy Commander of Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 12 & Coastal Riverine Group 2 (Feb 2013)
• Captain Eric Johnson-U.S. Navy Chief of Military Entrance Processing Command at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, IL (2013)
• Captain Devon Jones-U.S. Navy Commander Naval Air Facility El Centro, CA (July 2013)
• Captain Kevin Knoop-U.S. Navy Commander hospital ship Comfort’s medical treatment facility (Aug 2013)
• Lieutenant Commander Jack O’Neill-U.S. Navy Commander Operational Support Center Rock Island, IL (Mar 2013)
• Commander Allen Maestas-Executive Officer Beachmaster Unit 1 (May 2013)
• Commander Luis Molina-U.S. Navy Commander submarine Pasadena (Jan 2013)
• Commander James Pickens-Executive Officer frigate Gary (Feb 2013)
• Lieutenant Commander Mark Rice-U.S. Navy Commander Mine Countermeasures ship Guardian (Apr 2013)
• Commander Michael Runkle-U.S. Navy Commander of Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2 (May 2013)
• Commander Jason Stapleton-Executive Office Patrol Squadron 4 in Hawaii (Mar 2013)
• Commander Nathan Sukols-U.S. Navy Commander submarine Jacksonville (Feb 2013)
• Lieutenant Daniel Tyler-Executive Officer Mine Countermeasures ship Guardian (Apr 2013)
• Commander Edward White-U.S. Navy Commander Strike Fighter Squadron 106 (Aug 2013)
• Captain Jeffrey Winter-U.S. Navy Commander of Carrier Air Wing 17 (Sept 2013)
• Commander Thomas Winter-U.S. Navy Commander submarine Montpelier (Jan 2013)
• Commander Corey Wofford- U.S. Navy Commander frigate Kauffman (Feb 2013)

So what do you think about all of this?

Do you believe that a “purge” of high ranking military officers is taking place?

Please feel free to share what you think by posting a comment below…

Report: Tens of thousands fled socialized Canadian medicine in 2013

  Just note the way the Canadian medical system works or rather does not work!


**  Has anyone in the USA; noticed that the new Natl Health Care System has more problems than answers!

First it must be noted ; that this system appears to be a way to take total control of the USA.  Because it offers an sure fire - 
Public I.D. system through the registration of all citizens...   {Except certain groups like the main politicians - The control leaders; who have their own saparate system which is Golden and which they do not have to pay, since the tax payers are footing the bill =  Plus also there are special provisions for certain religious groups (like Islamic) and many Labor Unions or sorted types... } 
** How does having a Natl I.D. system in place effect you?   It will not end well for those who are being controlled! 

 What most of the tax paying citizens {who have been left out of the Golden Parachute Health System} should notice and  question is why!

This is just one of the main problems with the new Natl health (non) Care System...

 Does the following artical on the Canadian Health Care system! 

===============================================

 Every year thousands of Canadian have no choice but to seek medical care outside of the country’s single-payer health care system, according a report from a Canadian free-market think tank.

In 2013, nearly 42,000 Canucks left their homeland to avoid long wait times and inferior care that plagues their centralized health system.

The report from the free-market Fraser Institute found that 41,838 Canadians became “medical tourists” in 2013 and sought care outside of their hockey-loving country. While there were slightly fewer people fleeing the Canadian health system in 2013 than the previous year, the number leaving still amounts to nearly one percent of medical patients in Canada.“Canadians may leave for a number of reasons including a lack of available resources or appropriate technology, a desire to return more quickly to their lives, to seek out superior quality care, or perhaps to save their own lives or avoid the risk of disability,” Nadeem Ismail, director of health policy studies at the Fraser Institute, told The Daily Caller News Foundation.

“That a considerable number of Canadians traveled and paid to escape the well-known failings of the Canadian health care system speaks volumes about how well the system is working for them,” Ismail added.

Each year the Fraser Institute surveys physicians across 12 major medical specialties about how many of their patients received non-emergency care abroad in the past year. The Institute then combines these numbers with data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

In 2013, 41,838 Canadians went outside the country to get medical treatment, down from 42,173 people leaving the country in 2012. This is interesting since wait times for patients who had consulted with a specialist till the time they got actual treatment increased from 9.3 weeks in 2012 to 9.6 weeks in 2013.

According to the report, there are many reasons why someone would leave Canada to seek treatment. Including “because of a lack of available resources or the fact that some procedures or equipment are not provided in their home jurisdiction” as well as “concerns about quality, seeking out more advanced healthcare facilities, higher tech medicine, or better outcomes.”

A major problem with the Canadian health system is that people may have fled because of “the consequences of waiting for care such as worsening of their condition, poorer outcomes following treatment, disability or death. And some may have done so simply to avoid delay and to make a quicker return to their life.”

U.S. conservatives have often criticized the Canadian health system as being subpar compared to the American health system. But liberals point to the relatively low-cost, fair alternative to market-driven health care.

In fact, failed Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader recently argued that the Canadian system was an even better system than Obamacare.

“Costly complexity is baked into Obamacare. No health insurance system is without problems but Canadian-style single-payer full medicare for all is simple, affordable, comprehensive and universal,” Nader wrote.

Canadians, however, may not always be getting adequate care. Patients have had to suffer through long wait times and lack of specialized medical equipment, according to  the Fraser Institute.

“That a considerable number of Canadians traveled and paid to escape the well-known failings of the Canadian health-care system speaks volumes about how well the system is working for them,” the Fraser Institute says. “It leaves open the question of just how many more Canadians might choose medical tourism outside Canada if given the opportunity.”

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Tags: Canada, Fraser Institute, Obamacare, Socialized medicine

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2014/01/16/report-tens-of-thousands-fled-socialized-canadian-medicine-in-2013/#ixzz2qhqE6Gdm

Changed Lives....

 Changed Lives, Africa 2009

By Andrew Wommack

Related Materials   •  Online TV broadcast   •  Single DVD   •  Partnership information

I have been blessed of the Lord to pray for thousands of people and see awesome miracles. It thrills me to see a person instantly healed or set free.
But do you know what thrills me even more? Having the people I minister to do the same miracles. Hallelujah! That’s my greatest joy.
Hopefully, the day of the one-man show is coming to an end. The only way we are truly going to change our world is to get every believer flowing in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord called us to make disciples, not just converts (Matt. 28:19-20). The ministry gifts are to perfect the saints so THEY can do the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:11-13).
From the very start of my ministry, the Lord directed me to take the things I’ve learned and train up faithful men and women who would be able to minister to others (2 Tim. 2:1-2). That’s why I’ve had a teaching ministry. As I’ve gotten older, the urgency is even greater. My time is limited. Anyone who isn’t training up others is ultimately a failure.
I’m glad to report to you that we are seeing more people get hold of the truths of God’s Word than ever before. I am constantly blessed to see others beginning to walk in the supernatural power of God. And these aren’t just full-time ministers. People in every walk of life are experiencing the normal Christian life.
My last trip to Uganda and South Africa, in July of this year, demonstrated this. I took the director of my Television Department with me, and he documented many miraculous testimonies of God’s awesome power. The story that Junade Eso and his wife shared was amazing:
“My wife and I were expecting a child. When the labor began, we went to the local hospital, which really wasn’t very good. After twenty-seven hours of very difficult labor, the baby was in trouble. When he was born, he was blue. There was no heartbeat and he was not breathing, nothing. He was dead. The nurses and the doctors were in a panic trying to resuscitate baby Benjamin (that was the name we gave him later).
“Let me stop here and say that a few weeks before the birth, my wife and I had been listening to Andrew’s preaching. His teachings on unbelief, The Believer’s Authority, andYou’ve Already Got it! were affecting our lives and changing our outlook on Christianity.

“All I could think about while they were working on Benjamin’s lifeless body was speaking the Word of God and speaking the promises of God over his life. My wife wasn’t doing well after the delivery, but she continued to quote the Word. ‘You will live, and you will not die,’ she would say.
“I must say I was subject to unbelief because all the doctors and nurses were in such a panic. So I called my pastor who couldn’t see what was happening. I told him we needed to pray, and he asked if Benjamin was alive. And I said, ‘No, there is nothing happening, and they’re doing CPR on him now.’
“So we prayed and immediately after we said amen, I just took my eyes off the circumstances, focused on the Word of God, and Benjamin took his first breath. It was like our first breath as well. The scriptures that Andrew had taught us about speaking to the problem and the mountain just kept going through my mind. So every time the doctor gave a bad report, I would speak just the opposite.
“Benjamin was alive now, but the doctor said that because of the lack of oxygen, he would have brain damage. He said that on a scale of one to fifteen, he was a ten and would be retarded. There was nothing they could do. We continued to block out the negative and focus on the Word, as Andrew had taught us.
“Benjamin is ten months old now, and the doctors say that he has experienced an absolute miracle. We have become partners with Andrew and have seen fruit on the left, right, and center as we experience more freedom in serving God.”

I saw Benjamin. I held him as his parents gave this testimony. He was perfect in every way. Thank You, Jesus! I wasn’t there physically when this happened, but God had sent His Word through my television broadcasts and teaching materials ahead of time. Little Benjamin is alive and well today because his parents heard the truth of God’s Word and believed.

That is just one of the tremendous testimonies we heard in Africa on my last visit. My cameraman put over a dozen testimonies on a disk for me to watch. I was really touched. I knew right then that I needed to get these testimonies out to my partners. These are real faith builders, and I especially want you to see what your partnership is accomplishing in the lives of people all around the world.

These testimonies all underscore the importance of what this ministry is all about. I am not trying to draw people to myself or build my kingdom. I know what the strength of my ministry is. It’s not my personality; it’s the message. The nearly-too-good-to-be-true Gospel is powerful, and it will produce supernatural results when received and believed.
I believe this is why the Lord led me to start Charis Bible College fifteen years ago. We are now training up thousands of men and women in thirteen schools around the world, and they are doing greater works than we have done. Indeed, Jesus told us we would do the same and greater works than He did if we would just believe (John 14:12).
In January of 2010, we will be opening up two new CBC schools: one in Kampala, Uganda, and the other in Heidelberg, South Africa. We just opened a new school in Chennai, India, last August, and there will be one opening in Hungary soon.
We are also working on an online Charis Bible College, and the Lord has directed me to expand our college to include a third-year program specifically designed to give our students the tools they need to go straight from Bible college into leadership positions in the church.
At a time when many Christian organizations are cutting back in fear of the economy, we are expanding more than ever before. The Lord has just blessed us with a beautiful, new piece of property that we will be developing into a ministry campus to reach farther with theGospel Truth than ever before. We are bursting at the seams. We’ll share more about that later.
Our college in Colorado Springs has increased nearly 50 percent over last year. Even though we lost one of our networks in April, which produced 10 percent of our calls, the call volume in our Phone Center has increased nearly 10 percent. People are calling and receiving like never before. During a time of “recession,” our ministry has grown.

It’s our time. The darker this world gets, the brighter our light shines. I’m convinced the Lord is ready to move through us in an even greater way.

I believe it is very important for you to hear these testimonies. I asked my staff to edit a dozen of them and put them in DVD format. Two of the stories involve children who were raised from the dead, one is a miraculous recovery from a heart attack, and all of them focuses on the life-changing power of God’s Word.
This new DVD, called Changed Lives, Africa 2009, is a must to watch. It shows how important it is to teach the Gospel truth and send this message of God’s unconditional love and grace around the world. Order one for you, your family, and your friends. I believe this will affect you in a powerful way, just as it has me.
The lives that are being changed in Africa and in other places like India, Russia, and Hungary are the result of what we are doing through AWM World Outreach. That is the ministry arm that we use to support these schools and the missionaries that have graduated from CBC and launched extension schools.
This is a separate arm of AWM, and we only mail updates to those who specifically sign up to receive World Outreach information. You will be helping to change lives around the world. You can become a regular monthly partner through the website or by calling our Helpline.

The hand of the Lord is moving mightily in this ministry. Thank you for being a part of it. Without you, we could not accomplish what the Lord is leading us to do.

God's Love changes everything else...

 One of the best things that ever happened to me occurred when I laid "self " aside and then gave my time and efforts to others...   It may not be popular or so what if they hate you as long as you stick with the truth and love God with all your heart; it does not really matter!    Because it is better to be blessed  when you give rather than striving to get or receive all the time!   Then you are finding out that you are not the center of the universe; which actually can be fun!

 Many Americans have developed a welfare state of being!  Their entire existence is to see what they can get from others {Usually Government}....  They develop a welfare {spoiled} mentality!  Most of this group of people are self centered brats {annoying self serving, non caring}, who think that everyone owes them something!  Wrong answer; because no one really owes you anything once you become an adult; you should fin for yourself!

 If you are capable of working then get a job! Because if you can not provide for yourself better than government welfare, you have already got one foot in the grave!  Anyone who strives to support them self will find that God will show you how to beat welfare!  He can lead you step by step toward a more prosperous and happy life!   Try it!

 Sorry if this ruffles your feathers, but God made you to be a person who should be productive and learn to give not just sit back and receive!  Now we know that are some {very few} who are physically or mentally limited and need more help than they can muster! This is understandable...  Then there is the temporary case where people have some hardship come upon them or accident which require some help for a limited {short as possible} who need help ...   But here in the USA we now have several generations of certain people who have settled down on the Welfare Plantation for the rest of their life!  Why?

 It is a sad state of affairs where any group of people expect to exist on the back or support of others for their existence!  You are not here just to live off the society!   Change your mindset!  Quit being so self-centered! Stop sitting around just soaking up other people's resources and start becoming productive!

Conclusion:

 Self centered people constantly think:

 - What can I get?
 - What will I receive out of this relationship?
 - What can this church do for me?
 - Why they done this or that for me?
 - How come I do not have anything?
 - Woe is me  no one cares?

Start thinking:

 - How can I be a blessing or help to others?
 - How can God use me to meet other people's needs?
 - How can I contribute to others?

**  Part of my High School Motto was : " to make this a better place for my having been here!"
 This has been a guide post in my life; where I have been able to help others; like writing blogs!

 So do not go around pointing fingers at others {looking to blame or shame}; quit thinking " they don't deserve it!  because truthfully you don't either just call it even and start attempting to out-give others!
Learn to serve others, which will Bless you and them...  Ask how can I be a Blessing?

God rewards people who stops to help others {the Good Samaritan} because all these blessings a holy!

Luke 10:25-37

New International Version (NIV)

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levitt, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Footnotes:

1. Luke 10:27 Deut. 6:5
2. Luke 10:27 Lev. 19:18
3. Luke 10:35 A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see Matt. 20:2).

Prayer

The Holy Spirit should guide us in our prays

-Romans 8:26-27.

Pray in humility - Ezra 9:5/2nd Chronicles 7:14.

Pray with boldness- Daniel 6:10.

Pray fervently - Luke 22:44.

Remember to always intercede as you pray  

- Ephesians 6:18.

Pray with faith in the existence of God - Hebrew 11:6.

we must Forgive others if we want God to answer our prayers 

- Mark 11:25.

We must be obedient to God - 1st John 3:22.

Do not ask amiss for lustful pleasure - James 4:3.

The Lord hears prayers - Exodus 2:23.

We must pray in JESUS' NAME - John 16:24.

The real meaning of Christmas

Meaning of Christmas

Monday 19 th December , 2011

By kerminator

Every one should know that there is a reason of our life and that Christmas has direct bearing…

But how and why?

What is the purpose of life?

How does Christmas effect your life?

The purpose of life falls into several different areas;

1) the Main reason God make humans which so that they could learn to love and praise Him!

2) from the human perspective the reason for most  people is to seek pleasure and pursue self indulgence!

3) yet except for the birth of Christ; there would not be any real future, beyond this world!

Having  followed the purpose and meaning of Christmas; we should have learned that without Christmas this world would be truly lost!

If people would take time to check the truth of the  meaning of Christmas; they would find that there is a purpose and reason for the even…  it marks a change in the world unparalleled…

One Solitary Life

He was born in an obscure village
The child of a peasant woman
He grew up in another obscure village
Where he worked in a carpenter shop
Until he was thirty  He never wrote a book
He never held an office
He never went to college
He never visited a big city
He never travelled more than two hundred miles
From the place where he was born
He did none of the things
Usually associated with greatness
He had no credentials but himself
He was only thirty three
His friends ran away
One of them denied him
He was turned over to his enemies
And went through the mockery of a trial
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves
While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing
The only property he had on earth
When he was dead
He was laid in a borrowed grave
Through the pity of a friend
Nineteen centuries have come and gone
And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race
And the leader of mankind’s progress
All the armies that have ever marched
All the navies that have ever sailed
All the parliaments that have ever sat
All the kings that ever reigned put together
Have not affected the life of mankind on earth
As powerfully as that one solitary life
Dr James Allan © 1926.

Christianity is about a relationship with a risen savior

Belief or following;  Jesus,  or Joshua, or Yesuha is actually a relationship with Almighty God!  Jesus has had more impact on mankind for good than any other person:  period!

If you look like at all the rest of the so called  prophets, wise men or religious leaders in history, you will not find the complete history to back up or show the depth which comes from the Holy Bible!

The Bible was written over a 2500 year period; by over forty (40) different authors;  It is the Only Book ever written which covers the Creation, the agonizing journey of mankind and then the end of the ages…

Where as all other so called holy books were written by a very few men during one contemporary lifetime! Generally these so called religious writings require strict rules and many difficult life changes…  So why chase after and look to such limited means!

So when you stop and consider Christmas and it’s message about the Birth of Christ; who came as God in human form to provide a direct link for mankind to be redeemed – you must realize that it is something of very different importance!

***

Here is the summery of Christmas in a song by a wonderful young woman who uses her God given talent to place the Divine message for us all to hear and know! There is really no excuse for not understanding why Christ came and then how & why He died for you; friend! Accept it as your salvation is near! Amen!

Because You Loved Me – Passion of Christ – Celine Dion

www.youtube.com

Christmas is the connection of lost mankind with The Loving God Almighty!   Amen!