24 August 2015

Authority or Humility?

** Grace Bible Church Expository Sermon Notes

The Ambition of Authority or Humility

cf. Matt. 20:20-28
The Lord's Day 4/6/97 AM

As considered last lesson (cf. Matt. 20:17-19), Jesus added three details about His coming death and resurrection, patiently informing them a third time what was to happen. The major detail added was the way in which He would die, i.e., by the horrors of crucifixion. As we consider the next paragraph in Matthew's Gospel we discover it is a repeated lesson (cf. Matt. 18:1-4) taught by Jesus with a few added details. First we read of…

An Ambitious Mother's Question for Her Sons Kingdom Authority

Matthew 20:20-21 "Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshiping Him, and desiring a certain thing of Him. And He said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto Him, Grant that these, my two sons, may sit the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom."

The Apostles sensed that the inauguration of the kingdom was near.¹
Unfortunately, their self-centered ambition focused on what they would gain in the coming kingdom and how they should posture themselves politically in the kingdom.²
They didn't understand the previous lesson Jesus gave, concerning humility (cf. Matt. 18:1-4) and that Kingdom citizens don't seek titles, position or influence; kingdom citizens seek to please the Lord, not themselves; kingdom citizens are driven to deny themselves, take up their cross of suffering and follow the Lord in humble service.
Jesus had just spoken of His own coming sufferings, crucifixion and resurrection, yet they were preoccupied with their own concerns. And yet, here as the Lord leads His Apostles toward Jerusalem, James and John's mother appeals to the Lord for positions of honor for her boys, in the coming kingdom. In Mark's Gospel it is James and John who make the request, so we are left to believe that the two sons of Zebedee put their mother up to this ambitious request. What they were asking was for positions of special authority, an inner cabinet position, of greater influence.3

Then Jesus answers this mother's question by…

The Lord's Prophecy about James and John's Future Suffering

Matthew 20:22-23 "But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto Him, We are able. And He saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with, but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared by my Father."

The Lord Jesus answered with a question of His own, to reinforce the fact of His coming sufferings. The baptism and cup refer to Jesus' predetermined sufferings to take place.
It's interesting how James and John were baptized with the baptism of Jesus' sufferings and drank the cup of Jesus' agony. James was the first of the Apostles to die for Christ. We read the historian Luke's account: "Now about that time Herod, the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword."⁴ James was still a young man when he was arrested and had his head cut off by Herod Agrippa; but his brother John would live to be about 95 years old, suffering greatly for his faith and stand for righteousness.
For 80 plus years he would "be baptized with the baptism" of Christ's sufferings and "drink the cup" of His Lord's persecutions.⁵ William Barclay summarizes:

"It is quite wrong to think that for the Christian the cup must always mean the short, sharp, bitter, agonizing struggle of martyrdom; the cup may well be the long routine of the Christian life, will all its daily sacrifice, its daily struggle, and its heart-breaks and its disappointments and its tears...There is no one cup for the Christian to drink. His cup may be drunk in one great moment; his cup may be drunk throughout a lifetime of Christian living. To drink the cup simply means to follow Christ wherever he may lead, and to be like him in any situation life may bring." (p. 231)

Notice also, that James and John evidently understood that sufferings were in their future and they were willing to experience those sufferings as they said, "We are able." cf. Matt. 10:16-23.
To "drink of the cup" has reference not only to suffering, but refers to remaining faithful to the end. The Jewish idiom was to drain the entire cup until it was emptied.⁶ Finally, we read of…

The Apostle's Indignation and Christ's Principle of His Kingdom

Matthew 20:24-28 "And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise authority over them, and they that are great exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you, but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant; even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."

The Apostles knew only the world's way of power, position, ambition and dominance; but Jesus' kingdom was just the opposite.
The Empire of Rome was run by the iron hand of the Emperor who controlled the Senate and Roman army. This chain of command gave prominence to those in authority but the kingdom of heaven gives prominence to humble service.
The Apostles James and John were still looking at things from a selfish perspective of what they could get. Every one of us, just like the Apostles, need to understand that true greatness lies not in dominance but in service; we all need the repeated lesson that to be great in the kingdom is to be humble in service; we need the repeated reminder that our central ambition should be to minister to others, not to be admired by others!
The greatest demonstration of the Kingdom principle of humble self-giving is that the "Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Here once again Jesus reminded His Apostles of His coming determined sufferings in Jerusalem, but added a further detail concerning its purpose, i.e., that His life giving would be to ransom many.7

A "ransom" (Greek, lutron) is a redemption price for a slave's freedom. And this was for many, i.e., those who would actually be freed by trusting Christ as their Savior. The lesson to the Apostles, at this time, would not include great theological implications about the Atonement but a clear call to humble servanthood which characterizes those of the Kingdom of God!

Since the first rebellion, in the Garden, God has sternly resisted the proud (James 4:6; Ps. 138:6), brought them into contempt (Isa. 23:9), abased them (Ps. 18:27), judged them (Ps. 31:23), humbled them (Dan. 4:37), scattered them (Luke 1:51), and punished them (Mal. 4:1).

By the same token, God has always honored humility and weakness.

"He regards the lowly" (Ps. 138:6), hears "the desire of the humble" (Ps. 10:17), and values humility even above honor (Prov. 15:33). The Lord intends humility to be part of His children's daily clothing (Col. 3:12; 1 Pet. 5:5) and daily living (Eph. 4:1-2). He seeks to bless that one "who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at [His] word" (Isa. 66:2).8

Main Idea: Jesus patiently prepared His disciples not only about the coming jolt of His death and resurrection but about the essence of Kingdom ambition, i.e., the quest to serve others instead of the goal to have authority over others!

Exploring the Bigger Picture

Improving Your Serve by Charles R. Swindoll (Word Publications, 1981) is a very practical book on the art of unselfish living, helping us to become preoccupied with others needs and welfare. The book is the result of a 2 year study on practical implications about this passage.
{ It is highly recommended}

What Should We Do About this Passage?

- Application Recommendations -

Ambition is not wrong but should be for the right object. Worldly ambition strives to exalt self and exercise authority over others; Christian ambition seeks to exalt God and humbly serve others.

List ways in which your work environment tempts you to promote yourself instead of serve others? Is your job keeping you from the humble service of others?

Is self ambition, at even the temporal ceasing of serving the Lord, ever right?

Children need to see humble service modeled by their parents but also need their parents to guide them into serving others.

Creatively think up one area of humble service for each of your children to perform each week. Get them to experience the joy of giving themselves to others.

As dad, do you set the example of humbly serving your family or is your example on of being served by your family?

Disciples of Christ follow Him in humble service of others, often at a high price to their own comforts, responsibilities, goals and time.

To regain a focus on the challenge to serve others, read Improving Your Serve by Charles Swindoll and discuss it with your disciple partner.

According to the above assignment, what ways are you determined to change your life in the coming months? How can you better serve others?

There are lots of areas of humble service in the local church. Make each other accountable to a specific area of service at GBC.

Footnotes:

1. Both John the Baptist and Jesus preached, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (cf. Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 10:7; Mark 1:14-15) This summarizing appeal no doubt was filled out by Scriptural reasoning, explanation and illustration, but in essence this was the basic thrust of their warning to men and women.

2. The Apostles had recently heard Jesus Himself speak of them ruling in the Kingdom, which they evidently considered immanent. cf. Matt. 19:27-28.

3. The mother of Zebedee's children evidently was the sister of Mary the mother of Jesus, making James and John cousins of Jesus and this may be the central reason why they sent their mother to request this inner cabinet position. Compare: Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:40; and John 19:25.

4. cf. Acts 12:1-2. "It was not until ten years after the death of Stephen that the second martyrdom took place; for no sooner had Herod Agrippa been appointed governor of Judea, than, with a view to ingratiate himself with them, he raised a sharp persecution against Christians, and determined to make an effectual blow, by striking at their leaders. ..as James was led to the place of martyrdom, his accuser was brought to repent of his conduct by the apostle's extraordinary courage and undauntedness, and fell down at his feet to request his pardon, professing himself a Christian, and resolving that James should not receive the crown of martyrdom alone. Hence they were both beheaded at the same time. Thus did the first apostle martyr cheerfully and resolutely receive that cup, which he had told our Savior he was ready to drink." cf. Fox's Book of Martyrs (Zondervan Publications, 1975), p. 2.

5. "The beloved disciple, was brother to James the Great. The churches of Smyrna, Pergamos, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and Thyatira, were founded by him. From Ephesus he was ordered to be sent to Rome, where it is affirmed he was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil. He escaped by miracle, without injury. Domitian afterward banished him to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Nerva, the successor of Domitian, recalled him. He was the only apostle who escaped a violent death." cf. Fox's Book of Martyrs (Zondervan Publication, 1975), p. 5.

6. e.g., Jesus prayed in the garden, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." (cf. Matt. 26:39) Jesus' faced the physical, mental and emotional sufferings of the Cross boldly, but in His humanity shrank in terror at the prospect of the full dregs in that bitter cup, when all the sins of the world would be placed on Him and the Father would turn in displeasure, for the first time in eternity! The full cup needed to be drank and this is what Jesus, in Matthew 20, was promising to James and John.

7. Origen believed Christ's ransom was paid to Satan, which view has little support. The ransom was paid to the government of God Himself, whereby His wrath was propitiated.

8. John MacArthur, Jr. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Matthew 16-23 (Moody Press, 1988), p. 231. "Each of those heroes of Scripture characterized the person who is great in God's sight, because they refused to seek personal prominence but gave all prominence to the Lord. It is only the humble heart, the servant heart, that enjoys greatness in the kingdom of God…Nineteen hundred years later, many Christians are still echoing Peter's question: What's in it for me? Many Christians look at grace as a free lunch, a divine open door to health, prosperity, and self-fulfillment, a celestial storehouse of good things they can order on demand from God." Ibid., p. 232-3.

22 August 2015

Little known facts - Deportations - 1

The Little Known History of Deportations of Illegals in America

Featured, Foreign Policy 33 Comments

image: http://theblacksphere.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/eisenhower-hoover-truman-300x164.jpg

Donald Trump said recently that he would deport all illegals back to their countries of origin, and the MSNBC news reporter had a fit.

Trump followed his comment up with brilliance, saying:

“They can come back…legally.”

Trump said they had to get to the end of the LEGAL line.

Isn’t that what we were told in school, when we cut in line.
“Go to the back of the line for trying to get ahead of others.”
Was what Trump suggested so bold, so new?

Not at all. In fact, three U.S. presidents did exactly what Trump said, and history remembers them all fondly.

During the great depression, Herbert Hoover ordered the deportation of ALL illegal aliens in order to make jobs available to American citizens that desperately needed work.

Harry Truman deported over two million illegal aliens after WWII to create jobs for returning veterans.

In 1954 Dwight Eisenhower deported 13 million Mexicans. The program was called Operation Wetback. It was done so WWII and Korean War veterans would have a better chance at jobs. It took two years, but America deported them!

These moves were made by these presidents for the good of the nation.

They didn’t try to satisfy some Liberal agenda.

If they could deport the illegal aliens back then, they could surely do it today. If you have doubts about the veracity of this information, enter Operation Wetback into your favorite search engine and confirm it for yourself.

Read more at http://theblacksphere.net/2015/08/history-of-deportations-illegals-in-america/

20 August 2015

Should you be a friend of the Clinton's ??

How Would You Like To Be a Clinton's Friend?

The following is a list of dead people connected with the Clinton's:

James McDougal - Clinton's convicted Whitewater partner died of an apparent heart attack, while in solitary confinement. He was a key witness in Ken Starr's investigation.

Mary Mahoney - A former White House intern was murdered July 1997 at a Starbucks Coffee Shop in Georgetown. The murder happened just after she was to go public with her story of sexual harassment in the White House.

Vince Foster - Former White House counselor, and colleague of Hillary Clinton at Little Rock's Rose Law Firm. Died of a gunshot wound to the head, ruled suicide. He also had another 22 gunshot wound in the neck. The gunshot wound to the head was of larger caliber and found still in his hand!!

Ron Brown - Secretary of Commerce and former DNC Chairman. Reported to have died by impact in a plane crash. A pathologist close to the investigation reported that there was a hole in the top of Brown's skull resembling a gunshot wound. At the time of his death, Brown was being investigated, and spoke publicly of his willingness to cut a deal with prosecutors.

C. Victor Raiser II & Montgomery Raiser - Major players in the Clinton fund-raising organization. Died in a private plane crash in July 1992.

Paul Tulley - Democratic National Committee Political Director found dead in a hotel room in Little Rock, September 1992. Described by Clinton's a "Dear friend and trusted advisor".

Ed Willey - Clinton fund raiser, found dead November 1993 deep in the woods in Virginia of a gunshot wound to the head. Ruled a suicide. Ed Willey died on the same day his wife Kathleen Willey claimed Bill Clinton groped her in the oval office in the White House. Ed Willey was involved in several Clinton fund raising events.

Jerry Parks - Head of Clinton's gubernatorial security team in Little Rock. Gunned down in his car at a deserted intersection outside Little Rock. Park's son said his father was building a dossier on Clinton. He allegedly threatened to reveal this information. After he died the files were mysteriously removed from his house.

James Bunch - Died from a gunshot suicide. It was reported that he had a "Black Book" of people containing names of influential people who visited prostitutes in Texas and Arkansas.

James Wilson - Was found dead in May 1993 from an apparent hanging suicide. He was reported to have ties to Whitewater.

Kathy Ferguson - Ex-wife of Arkansas Trooper Danny Ferguson. Died in May 1994. She was found dead in her living room with a gunshot to her head. It was ruled a suicide although there were several packed suitcases, as if she was going somewhere. Danny Ferguson was a co- defendant along with Bill Clinton in the Paula Jones lawsuit. Kathy Ferguson was a possible corroborating witness for Paula Jones.

Bill Shelton - Arkansas State Trooper and fiancee of Kathy Ferguson. Critical of the suicide ruling of his fiancee, he was found dead in June, 1994 of a gunshot wound also ruled a suicide at the gravesite of his fiancee.

Gandy Baugh - Attorney for Clinton friend Dan Lassater. Died by jumping out a window of a tall building January, 1994. His client was a convicted drug distributor. One of Clinton's last duties as Governor of Arkansas was to pardon Dan Lassater convicted on over a hundred drug charges.

Florence Martin - Accountant sub-contractor for the CIA related to the Barry Seal - Mena Airport Arkansas, drug smuggling case. Died of three gunshot wounds.

Suzanne Coleman - Reportedly had an affair with Clinton when he was Arkansas Attorney General. Died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head, ruled a suicide. Was pregnant at the time of her death.

Paula Grober - Clinton's speech interpreter for the deaf from 1978 until her death December 9, 1992. She died in a one-car accident.

Danny Casolaro - Investigative reporter. Investigating Mena - AR Airport and Arkansas Development Finance Authority. He slit his wrists, apparent suicide in the middle of his investigation.

Paul Wilcher - Attorney investigating corruption at Mena Airport with Casolaro and the 1980 "October Surprise" was found dead on a toilet June 22, 1993 in his Washington D.C. apartment. Had delivered a report to Janet Reno 3 weeks before his death.

Jon Parnell Walker - Whitewater investigator for Resolution Trust Corp. Jumped to his death from his Arlington, Virginia apartment balcony August 15, 1993. Was investigating Morgan Guarantee scandal.

Barbara Wise - Commerce Department staffer. Worked closely with Ron Brown and John Huang. Cause of death unknown. Died November 29, 1996. Her bruised nude body was found locked in her office at the Department of Commerce.

Charles Meissner - Assistant Secretary of Commerce who gave John Huang special security clearance, died shortly thereafter in a small plane crash.

Dr. Stanley Heard - Chairman of the National Chiropractic Health Care Advisory Committee. Died with his attorney Steve Dickson in a small plane crash. Dr. Heard, in addition to serving on Clinton's advisory council, personally treated Clinton's mother, stepfather and brother.

Barry Seal - Drug running pilot out of Mena Arkansas, death was no accident.

Johnny Lawhorn Jr. - Mechanic, found a check made out to Clinton in the trunk of a car left in his repair shop. Died when his car hit a utility pole.

Stanley Huggins - Suicide. Investigated Madison Guarantee. His report was never released.

Hershell Friday - Attorney and Clinton fundraiser. Died March 1, 1994 when his plane exploded.

Kevin Ives & Don Henry - Known as "The boys on the track" case. Reports say the boys may have stumbled upon the Mena Arkansas airport drug operation. Controversial case where initial report of death was due to falling asleep on railroad track. Later reports claim the 2 boys had been slain before being placed on the tracks.

Many linked to the case died before their testimony could come before a Grand Jury.

THE FOLLOWING SIX PERSONS HAD INFORMATION ON THE IVES / HENRY CASE:

Keith Coney - Died when his motorcycle slammed into the back of a truck July, 1988.
Keith McMaskle - Died of 113 stabbed wounds, November 1988.
Gregory Collins - Died from a gunshot wound January 1989.
Jeff Rhodes - He was shot, mutilated and found burned in a trash dump in April 1989.
James Milan - Found decapitated. Coroner ruled death due to natural causes.
Jordan Kettleson - Was found shot to death in the front seat of his pickup truck in June 1990.
Richard Winters - Was a suspect in the Ives / Henry deaths. Was killed in a set-up robbery July 1989.

THE FOLLOWING CLINTON BODYGUARDS ARE DEAD:

Major William S. Barkley Jr.
Captain Scott J. Reynolds
Sgt. Brian Hanley
Sgt. Tim Sabel
Major General William Robertson
Col. William Densberger
Col. Robert Kelly
Spec. Gary Rhodes
Steve Willis
Robert Williams
Conway LeBleu
Todd McKeehan

click here to return to Clinton Scandals index

click here to see Greater Things Conservative Prophetic News

19 August 2015

The war on death was waged and won

How can so many people be so lost and hateful when our Lord God has sent Jesus as our -
who has finished the only thing that will ever be needed to save our sinful lives... it is done!!

Listen to " Forever" by Kari Jobe - then read Matt 6:33

The moon and stars they wept
The morning sun was dead
The Savior of the world was fallen
His body on the cross
His blood poured out for us
The weight of every curse upon him

One final breath He gave
As Heaven looked away
The Son of God was laid in darkness
A battle in the grave
The war on death was waged
The power of hell forever broken

The ground began to shake
The stone was rolled away
His perfect love could not be overcome
Now death where is your sting
Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated

Forever, He is glorified
Forever, He is lifted high
Forever, He is risen
He is alive
He is alive

The ground began to shake
The stone was rolled away
His perfect love could not be overcome
Now death where is your sting
Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated

Forever, He is glorified
Forever, He is lifted high
Forever, He is risen
He is alive
He is alive
Forever, forever

You have overcome
Your resurrected King
You have overcome the grave
You have overcome

We sing Hallelujah
We sing Hallelujah
We sing Hallelujah
The Lamb has overcome

Forever, He is glorified
Forever, He is lifted high
Forever, He is risen
He is alive
He is alive (Forever)

Forever, He is glorified
Forever, He is lifted high
Forever, He is risen
He is alive
He is alive

Songwriters
Johnson, Michael Edwin

Published by
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Then accept and follow - Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

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

Then if you are still contused read and come to understand Deut 15:15
Release of Hebrew Slaves

…14 "You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you.

15 "You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today.

** Which means that when you (we) were slaves {sinners} in the Egypt { the world} ; the Lord your God redeemed you {purchased for a great price - one we could never pay or accomplish - i.e. He did for us what we could never do for our selves}.

Now He goes no to show how this works when persons in bondage - when given the choice - come to love their Lord because of the loving relationship formed - will then turn and become " Bond Slaves " -

{This is our - your choice} come to accept the Love and Redemption of Christ!
Amen!
-----------------------------------------------------
16 "It shall come about if he says to you, 'I will not go out from you,' because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you;…

Here is where we can come to love God our master so much that we will become bond slaves to Him forever - this is the greatest show of love we can muster upon this earth! This is what Christ redemption was all about the universal love of God in our hearts forever!

Amen Forever ....

13 August 2015

Do you Trust God? -1

*** Many people go through life looking for God in their earthly existence - yet few seem to ever find Him! ***

Date: 8/13/2015 20:52:22

Only trust will allow you to come to the full truth in your life!

If you do not understand that only the truth and trust should become the real values in your life then just maybe you have failed??

Who can you trust??

First you must come to know that Only the Lord God can and/or will be your only true hope in this Eternity!

If you fail to see His love through the Gospel of Christ; then you have missed one of the most important free gifts in existence! There is no better hope or plan for your eternal existence - bar none!

*** This is not some smoke and mirrors - game folks...

1 Timothy 4:10 “For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe.”

Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-about-trust-20-helpful-scripture-quotes/#ixzz3ikYUtH3S

If not then who do you really whole heartedly trust?

11 August 2015

We should be careful

In an article on April 13, I used the so-called Civil War and the myths with which court historians have encumbered that war to show how history is falsified in order to serve agendas. I pointed out that it was a war of secession, not a civil war as the South was not fighting the North for control of the government in Washington. As for the matter of slavery, all of Lincoln’s statements prove that he was neither for the blacks nor against slavery.

Yet he has been turned into a civil rights hero, and a war of northern aggression, whose purpose Lincoln stated over and over was “to preserve the union” (the empire), has been converted into a war to free the slaves.

As for the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln said it was “a practical war measure” that would help in defeating the South and would convince Europe, which was considering recognizing the Confederacy, that Washington was motivated by “something more than ambition.” The proclamation only freed slaves in the Confederacy, not in the Union. As Lincoln’s Secretary of State put it: “we emancipated slaves where we cannot reach them and hold them in bondage where we can set them free.”

A few readers took exception to the truth and misconstrued a statement of historical facts as a racist defense of slavery. In the article below, the well-known African-American, Walter Williams, points out that the war was about money, not slavery. Just as Jews who tell the truth about Israel’s policies are called “self-hating Jews,” will Walter Williams be called a “self-hating black?” Invective is used as a defense against truth.
Racist explanations can be very misleading. For example, it is now a given that the police are racists because they kill without cause black Americans and almost always get away with it. Here is a case of a true fact being dangerously misconstrued. In actual fact, the police kill more whites than blacks, and they get away with these murders also. So how is race the explanation?

The real explanation is that the police have been militarized and trained to view the public as enemy who must first be subdued with force and then questioned. This is the reason that so many innocent people, of every race, are brutalized and killed. No doubt some police are racists, but overall their attitude toward the public is a brutal attitude toward all races, genders, and ages. The police are a danger to everyone, not only to blacks.

We see the same kind of mistake made with the Confederate Battle Flag. Reading some of the accounts of the recent Charleston church shootings, I got the impression that the Confederate Battle Flag, not Dylann Roof, was responsible for the murders. Those declaring the flag to be a “symbol of hate” might be correct. Possibly it is a symbol of their hatred of the “white South,” a hatred that dates from the mischaracterization of what is called the “Civil War.” As one commentator pointed out, if flying over slavery for four years makes the Confederate flag a symbol of hate, what does that make the U.S. flag, which flew over slavery for 88 years?

Flags on a battlefield are information devices to show soldiers where their lines are. In the days of black powder, battles produced enormous clouds of smoke that obscured the line between opposing forces. In the first battle of Bull Run confusion resulted from the similarity of the flags. Thus, the Confederate Battle Flag was born. It had nothing to do with hate.

Americans born into the centralized state are unaware that their forebears regarded themselves principally as residents of states, and not as Americans. Their loyalty was to their state. When Robert E. Lee was offered command in the Union Army, he declined on the grounds that he was a Virginian and could not go to war against his native country of Virginia.

A nonsensical myth has been created that Southerners made blacks into slaves because Southerners are racist. The fact of the matter is that slaves were brought to the new world as a labor force for large scale agriculture. The first slaves were whites sentenced to slavery under European penal codes. Encyclopedia Virginia reports that “convict laborers could be purchased for a lower price than indentured white or enslaved African laborers, and because they already existed outside society’s rules, they could be more easily exploited.”

White slavery also took the form of indentured servants in which whites served under contract as slaves for a limited time. Native Indians were enslaved. But whites and native Indians proved to be unsatisfactory labor forces for large scale agriculture. The whites had no resistance to malaria and yellow fever. It was discovered that some Africans did, and Africans were also accustomed to hot climates. Favored by superior survivability, Africans became the labor force of choice.

Slaves were more prominent in the Southern colonies than in the north, because the land in the South was more suitable for large scale agriculture. By the time of the American Revolution, the South was specialized in agriculture, and slavery was an inherited institution that long pre-dated both the United States and the Confederate States of America. The percentage of slave owners in the population was very small, because slavery was associated with large land holdings that produced export crops.

The motive behind slavery was to have a labor force in order to exploit the land. Those with large land holdings wanted labor and did not care about its color. Trial and error revealed that some Africans had superior survivability to malaria, and thus Africans became the labor force of choice. There was no free labor market. The expanding frontier offered poor whites land of their own, which they preferred to wages as agricultural workers.

A racist explanation of slavery and the Confederacy satisfies some agendas, but it is ahistorical.
Explanations are not justifications. Every institution, every vice, every virtue, and language itself has roots. Every institution and every cause has vested interests defending them. There have been a few efforts, such as the French Revolution and the Bolshevik Revolution, to remake the world in a day by casting off all existing institutions, but these attempts came a cropper.

Constant charges of racism can both create and perpetuate racism, just as the constant propaganda out of Washington is creating Islamophobia and Russophobia in the American population. We should be careful about the words we use and reject agenda-driven explanations.

Readers are forever asking me, “what can we do.” The answer is always the same.

We can’t do anything unless we are informed.

09 August 2015

Pardon my enthusiasm

Written by Michele Hickford, Editor-in-Chief on August 9, 2015

Pardon my enthusiasm, but I just had to get up and cheer after hearing Carly Fiorina on CNN’s “The State of the Union” this morning.

When asked by host Jake Tapper about Donald Trump’s inference about Fox News’ Megyn Kelly, Fiorina replied, “Women understood that comment. And yes, it is offensive. I started out as a secretary. And as I made my way up in the business world, a male-dominated business world, I’ve had lots of men imply that, um — I was unfit for decision-making because maybe I was having my period. So I’ll say it, OK?

When I started this campaign, I was asked on a national television show whether a woman’s hormones prevented her from serving in the Oval Office. MY response was, can we think of a single instance in which a man’s hormones might have clouded his judgment?“

Uh, yes Ms. Fiorina, we certainly can, and his WIFE is now running for president.

I don’t recall Margaret Thatcher ever having to respond to such questions. But I’m quite certain if she had been, she would have answered with the same aplomb. Carly Fiorina is cut from the same cloth!

[Note: This article was written by Michele Hickford, Editor-in-Chief]

08 August 2015

"Declares the End from the Beginning."

Chris Robbins

January 16, 2014 · Edited

There is a Spiritual Principle in Isaiah 46:9-11 that basically says that God, "Declares the End from the Beginning."

Isaiah 46:9-11 (KJV)
9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
10 DECLARING THE END FROM THE BEGINNING, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

The Book of Genesis is the FIRST Book of the Bible, and it LITERALLY means, "THE BEGINNING."

Therefore, in order to know what will happen during these last days, according to God, we MUST go back to the BEGINNING of Books, the Book of Genesis.
In the Book of Genesis the area that is now modern day Iraq was called the Garden of Eden, the Land of Shinar, and Babel (which is Babylon.)
We know this because of what it says IN the Book of Genesis.

Genesis 2:7-15 (KJV)
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
8 And the Lord God planted a GARDEN eastward in EDEN; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
9 And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil
10 And a river went out of EDEN to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;
12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.
13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.
14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is EUPHRATES.
15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the GARDEN OF EDEN to dress it and to keep it.
Here is what the Book of Genesis has to say about, "Babel."

Genesis 10:9-11 (KJV)
9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.
10 And the beginning of his kingdom was BABEL, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the LAND OF SHINAR.
11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah

Genesis 11:8-9 (KJV)
8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
9 Therefore is the name of it called BABEL; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Therefore, the Bible itself has linked modern day Iraq to Babylon.
Now, when we go the the very last of all of the Books of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, we can clearly see, using the information obtained from the Books of Isaiah and Genesis, what will happen because of and to Iraq in these last days.

Revelation 14:8-12 (KJV)
8 And there followed another angel, saying, BABYLON is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Revelation 16:18-20 (KJV)
18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great BABYLON came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

Revelation 17:4-6 (KJV)
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, BABYLON The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

Revelation 18:1-3 (KJV)
18 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, BABYLON the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

Revelation 18:9-11 (KJV)
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city BABYLON, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

Revelation 18:20-21 (KJV)
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city BABYLON be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

Only Jesus Christ can subdue Allah (the Devil,) defeat Islam, and bring back peace to the Middle-East, at His second coming which IS at the door!

Jesus Christ said He was coming back at a time like the Days of Noah. When VIOLENCE ruled the earth.

** If you read all of this, continue on in the comments section. I go into deeper detail about the Mark of the Beast. **

06 August 2015

Candida survial mode? - 6

More help for you to use ...

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

This Candida - Candidiasis Prevention and/or Curing Protocol is for people who are ready to take the full responsibility for their own health.

"The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it."
Chinese Proverb.

The protocol incorporates lifestyle change, and implements healthy diet, body cleansing, exercises and different traditional and natural therapies. Protocol contains links to other pages that give detail explanation for each part of this program. Please, follow the links, to fully understand all the words. Remember: There is always something that can be done! The first thing to do is to change your mood. If you are depressed, if you are unhappy, you can not be healthy. Advice: start with the Laughing cure!

Laughing provides us with the natural inner massage, and through change of mood it can account for up to 30% of cure!

The Candida - Candidiasis Cause

To understand The Candida - Candidiasis Prevention and Curing Protocol, you should first get familiar with The Candida - Candidiasis Cause
Now, I assume that you know something about what is causing Candida - Candidiasis, so we can continue with the Candida - Candidiasis program.

Candida - Candidiasis Diet

Let's start with most simple part of this program: Candida - Candidiasis diet. When it comes to diet, it is very important to avoid eating Toxins and Foods that Kill. Please follow those links and learn what are The Toxins I am talking about and what are those " Foods that Kill". Now, important part of your diet should also be Water Cure. Please, become familiar with Water Cure. Your Diet should contain: Foods That Heal, Vegetable juices, Fats that Heal, Unrefined Sea Salt. Also, try to understand food tolerance. You can not find the right Candida - Candidiasis diet, unless you fully understand and learn about food tolerance.
Take some time to implement and learn all what you have read here, and then continue reading further.

Body Cleansing (Candida - Candidiasis)

Now, let's start with body cleansing. Body cleansing is extremely important part of every prevention and curing program. You are guessing: "Dietary changes you made are also a form of cleansing." But, most people need more then this, especially when it comes to liver health. Body Cleansing is even important for children. Our internal organs can hold a lot toxins, and sometimes, it is impossible to get those toxins out, without doing cleansing. Our liver can contain hundreds of intrahepatic stones. Those stones will block bile flow, and affect the bases of your health, your digestion. Another problem are parasites. You must learn as much as possible about parasites. And, don't forget also dental toxins.
Let start with cleansing program. You are suppose to do cleansing in this order:

Bowel cleanse with parasite cleanse

Dental cleanup (if you can afford it)

Kidney Cleanse and

Liver cleanse.

Body Cleansing for Adults:

Bowel cleanse and Parasite cleanse !

Dental cleanup - dental work may be one cofactor of your disease: amalgam, root canal, nickel crowns, cavitations (pocket inside jaw bone left after extraction of the wisdom and molar teeth )

Kidney cleanse

Liver cleanse and Gallbladder cleanse -liver flush!

Make sure you visit those pages and get more info. Dental cleanup can take many years. If you have a lot of dental metal, do not rush to replace it all at once.
Bowel cleanse should be done at least once a year.
Liver cleanse is a procedure that, for best results, should be repeated at least 6 - 10 times, every 2 or 3 weeks.
Kidney cleanse is simple and cheap, many herbs can be used to cleanse kidneys. If you have no kidney stones, even Water Cure could be enough!

Body Cleansing for kids:

Parasites cleanse

Dental cleanup .. Kids older then 8 may need dental cleanup (amalgam) and liver cleanse:

Liver Cleanse - flush

Physical Activity (Candida - Candidiasis)

Physical Activity helps cleansing, it brings balance and relieves stress.
Psycho-physical activities will help you balance your body and will help you relief accumulated stress. You will have to find a form of exercise that suit you. I will just give you a few examples:

Mini Trampoline jumping - rebounding!
Meditation
Walk or jog in the nature : Forest, Mountain , river / sea / lake side, beach ... fishing, photo-safari, rowing, riding, golf, ...

Tai Chi, Chi Gong, Meditation ...
Yoga - Hatha, Meditation, Chinese Yoga ...
Martial Arts: Karate, Judo, Kung Fu, Teakwood, Budokai, Uechi, Aikido ...
Dancing, Aerobics, Gymnastics, Stretching ...
Swimming in non-chlorinated water ! ( Best in minerals rich water - Ocean ! )
Weight lifting, ....
Do not exhaust yourself !
Do not exercise with full stomach ! (You may take a walk!)
Do not hurt yourself !

Sweating (Candida - Candidiasis)

Sweating is powerful way to cleanse your body from accumulated toxins.
examples:
- exercise with a lot of clothes
- Sauna
- drink warm tea in a hot room ...
- eat CAYENNE pepper! ...

It is known that some modern industrial toxins and pesticides can leave your body only through sweat glands!

Psychotherapy and Spiritual Therapy

Human body is not just this what we can se. There is more to it. To treat other level of us, to treat soul and to treat mind and unconscious parts of us, I suggest you Hellinger's therapy.

Get in Touch

If you have questions, or if you would like to get in touch with people who are dealing with same problems, then you should visit Public Discussion Board.
There, you can read messages, ask questions and give answers.

Support Groups (e-mail)

If you have questions, or if you would like to get in touch with people who are dealing with same problems, then you should become a member of e-mail support group: Group is called: candidiasis
Hundreds of people become members of e-mail support group in order to learn, or get support.
To join the group, just send blank e-mail to:

candidiasis-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
and reply to confirmation message that you will receive shortafter.

You can also join by clicking on this link: Join candidiasis.

It is easy to unsubscribe from the group.
To send blank e-mail to:
candidiasis-nomail@yahoogroups.com.

Candida survial mode? - 5

About Candida - Candidiasis
Candida albicans, and other strains of Candida are yeast that normally inhabits our digestive system: the mouth, throat, intestines and genitourinary tract. Candida is a normal part of the bowel flora (the organisms that naturally live inside our intestines, and are not parasitic). It has many functions inside our digestive tract, one of them to recognize and destroy harmful bacteria. Without Candida albicans in our intestines we would be defenseless against many pathogen bacteria.

Healthy person can have a millions of Candida albicans. Our immune system is suppose to keep it under control, together with "friendly" bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus , B. bifidum, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, S. thermophilus and L. salivarius, ...). If the number of friendly bacteria is decreased (antibiotics, pesticides, chlorine,...) in relation to a number of Candida, the immune systems is weakened or other conditions for yeast proliferation occur (diet high in sugar, improper pH in the digestive system) Candida albicans will shift from yeast to mycelial fungal form and start to invade the body.

In the yeast state Candida is a non-invasive, sugar-fermenting organism, while in fungal state it is invasive and can produce rhizoids, very long root-like structures. Rhizoids can penetrate mucosa or intestinal walls, leaving microscopic holes and allowing toxins, undigested food particles and bacteria and yeast to enter the bloodstream. These condition is known as Leaky Gut Syndrome, one more name for the food and environmental intolerances.

------------------------------------------------------------

Candida - Candidiasis To Read:

If you:

crave sweets
feel sick all over
have taken many antibiotics
have seen many physicians and have not found help
developing food allergies

Then Your health problems are probably yeast connected.

Same of your health problems could be caused by intoxication: mercury, fluoride or lead toxicity, or the Epstein-Barr syndrome, or an allergy or a glandular imbalance, or almost anything, but most likely you've got a combination of problems.

By treating and preventing Candida overgrowth, you will make your body much stronger to deal with the other conditions. If you have no trace of a Candida problem (unlikely), you will still benefit from a thorough intestinal clean-up , and your overall condition will improve regardless of what you are suffering from.

Candida Books to read :
"Eat Right For Your Type" by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo - The Individual Diet Solution to staying healthy, Living longer & Achieving your Ideal Weight

Candida books

"The Yeast Syndrome" by Trowbridge and Walker
"Optimal Wellness" by Ralph Golan, M.D.

"Back to Health: A Comprehensive Medical and Nutritional Yeast Control Program" by Dennis W. Remington, M.D. and Barbara Higa Swasey, R.D
"The Complete Candida Yeast Guidebook" by Jeanne Marie Martin with Zoltan Rona, M.D., Prima Publishing

"The Cure For All Diseases" by Hulda R.Clark,Phd.,ND.

"The Yeast Syndrome, How to help your doctor identify and treat the real cause of your yeast-related illness", by John Parks Trowbridge.

"Colon Health Handbook" by Robert Gray

Treating Candida albicans

"Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the Yeast Connection" by William G. Crook, M.D.

"The Yeast Connection and the Woman" by William G. Crook, M.D.

"The Yeast Connection" by William G. Crook, M.D.

Candida Albicans Cookbooks

"The Candida Control Cookbook" by Gail Burton. It includes both meals and deserts, and it has good, easy to make recipes that don't require a lot of ingredients.

"The Yeast Connection Cookbook" by William Crook and Marjorie Hurt Jones

Digestion (LGS, Diets...)
"The Body Ecology Diet" by Donna Gates. Talks a lot about food combining within the context of treating Candida overgrowth.

"Stomach Ailments and Digestive Disturbances" by Michael T. Murray, ND
"Digestive Wellness" by Elizabeth Lipski

Thyroid

"Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness" by Broda Barnes, M.D.
Other books

"Smart Exercise" by Covert Bailey is a book that explains how exercise affects our bodies, how and when fat is burned, etc. It is written for the average person, explaining everything in easy-to- understand terms.

"Complete Guide to Vitamins, Minerals & Supplements" by H. Winter Griffith, M.D.

“The Ultimate Nutrient Glutamine,” by Judy Shabert, MD, RD, and Nancy Ehrlich.

"Total Wellness" by Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.

Many chronic health problems are related to the common yeast, Candida Albicans. These include, but are not limited to

PMS
FMS (Fibromyalgia Syndrom)
CFS/ CFIDS
Leaky Gut
Sexual dysfunction
Asthma
Allergies
Food intollerance
Psoriasis
Digestive and urinary problems
Multiple sclerosis
Muscle pain

This Candida - Candidiasis Prevention and/or Curing Protocol is for people who are ready to take the full responsibility for their own health. It is not intended to be a quick fix or some fix all program... It is to help you understand how you body works and hopefully let you live a better heather life!

Old Chinese Proverb: "The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person actually doing it."

Kermit's Korner

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