Thursday, 29 April 2010
Dattatreya Mantra To Cleanse Your House
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
The Forgotten History Of Gay Marriage
* by Paul Canning
Republicans and other opponents of gay marriage habitually speak of marriage as being a 2,000 year old tradition (or even previous). Slightly detached from the fact that the definition of marriage has distorted from in the function of it was a trade trade, predictably among men, state is considerable single that within open place Christian tradition, it has distorted from the oppose someplace same-sex dealings were not open place tolerated but extolled.
In the intense St. Catherine's monastery on Hillock Sinai, state is an icon which shows two robed Christian saints feat connubial. Their 'pronubus' (stately statement, or "best man") is none other than Jesus Christ.
The joyful connect are 4th Century Christian martyrs, Saint Serge and Saint Bacchus - each one men.
Severus of Antioch in the sixth century explained that "we should not separation in enunciate [Serge and Bacchus] who were related in life." Bigger frankly, in the definitive 10th century Greek arrive of their lives, Saint Serge is described as the "pleasant associate and follower (erastai)" of St. Bacchus.
Subtitle says that Bacchus appeared to the dying Sergius as an angel, indicative him to be amusement in the same way as they would tersely be reunited in paradise.
Yale historian John Richard Boswell bare this youthful Christian history and wrote about it not quite 20 being ago in "Vastly Sex Unions In Pre-Modern Europe" (1994).
In ancient church liturgical papers, he found the mind of an "Subdivision of Vastly Sex Link" (10th and 11th century Greek) and the "Charge for Uniting Two Men" (11th and 12th century Slavonic).
HE Conceive Several EXAMPLES OF:
* A community gathered in a church
* A blessing of the connect in advance the altar
* Their right hands related as at heterosexual marriages
* The responsibility of a priest
* The booty of the Eucharist
* A wedding mealtime afterwards
A 14th century Serbian Slavonic "Subdivision of the Vastly Sex Link," uniting two men or two women, had the connect having their right hands laid on the Gospel to the same degree having a tense placed in their moved out hands. Having kissed the Gospel, the connect were so band to kiss each other, as which the priest, having raised up the Eucharist, would give birth to them each one communion.
Boswell recognizable such sanctified unions up until the 18th century.
In postponed medieval France, a hear of "enbrotherment" (affr`erement) existed for men who pledged to make ends meet together sharing 'un irritation, un vin, et une bourse' - one cash, one wine, and one notecase.
Widely religions, such as Hinduism and some state American religions, take idolization for same-sex couples weaved here their history.
Next right-wing evangelical Christians dialogue about "traditional marriage," state is no such thing.
Admirably
Monday, 26 April 2010
The Age Of Aquarius
"The New Scripture: In a Cairo hotel room in 1904, Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) received the scripture of the new aeon from the messenger of Horus, a spirit calling itself Aiwass. Now whether we believe Crowley or not, the observations he made concerning the period into which humanity was impelled by this event demand attention, given the context of rapid and catastrophic change that has since engulfed us. This event is synchronised with the transition of the Vernal Equinox from the sign of Pisces, to that of Aquarius, which is an astronomical phenomenon driven by the 'wobble"' of the Earth's axis of spin. So let us first examine a little more closely the root idea of astrologically determined aeons.Nature and Astrology: As is so often the case, the occult viewpoint derives from careful, long-term observation of the natural world. In this case, the ancients observed that the vernal equinox (OR SPRING EQUINOX, OR MARCH EQUINOX), the day upon which day and night are of equal duration in the transition from winter to summer, was marked by a very slow movement of the background constellations into which the sun rises each morning.To understand this, picture the constellations as a ring of star-pictures in the sky and imagine yourself standing in the centre. Now think of the sun rising into the sky each day into one of these constellations. It's that simple. Now imagine that over a very long period of time, hundreds of years at least, the circle of star-pictures appears to rotate, so that the Sun gradually rises first in one constellation and then transits to the next and so on. Dividing the sky into twelve constellations, each of thirty degrees, the sun takes just over two thousand years to travel across each constellation. Of course, the ancients had no idea of stellar distance, and so they accepted the apparent movement of the heavens as very real. We know now though, that this apparent movement is caused by the Earth '"wobbling"' on its axis of rotation, with each circular '"wobble"' taking some 25,800 years. We call the apparent motion of the constellations the Precession of the Equinoxes. This then is the root idea of the Age of Aquarius, the two thousand year period during which the Sun will rise in the constellation of Aquarius at each spring solstice. Aleister Crowley coined the expression The Equinox of the Gods, and purported that the global consciousness, indeed, the universal conciousness within which we exist is transformed as we transit each 2,000 year period. Crowley seems never to have specifically tied the Equinox of the Gods to the Astrological transition between star groupings; maybe he thought this too obvious, or possibly he dismissed the idea. We will examine the possibilities and form our own conclusions.The Metaphysics and Empirical Evidence: Astrologists are of the opinion that the configuration of the sky determines and/or influences every event on Earth. The metaphysical basis for this seems a little thin, and so occultists in general rely on empirically generated evidence. Before we consider the character of Aquarius, we should then consider the evidence for the nature previous aeon, the Age of Pisces, the sign of The Fish. What myths, legends and attributes may we attach to that age? We are well aware that the sign of the fish is strongly associated with Christ, the Dying God. This figure is also represented by Odin and Osiris who also were slain and rose again (BOTH FIGURES LONG PRE-DATING CHRIST OF COURSE). All three are avatars of the Sun God who dies each night and rises in glory on the morn. More generally, Pisces is considered a sign of rebirth. So how do we identify Pisces with the patriarchal nature of the aeon gone by? One really has to go no further than to examine the suppression of the female principle by the major religions of the Piscean aeon- Christianity, Islam and (TO SOME EXTENT) Judaism. So we can definitely mark the Piscean age as patriarchal and collectivised; an age within which the female principle as well as the aspirations of individuals were suppressed in favor of the mass.The new Aeon of Horus: The Age of Pisces is past and we now sit amid the earliest days of the Age of Aquarius. But is this Aquarian age synonymous with Crowley's new aeon? There's some dispute over this, as some astrologers aver that the Aquarian Age is still some three hundred years off, whilst others claim that the Piscean influence is so diminished that the growing power of Aquarius already dominates. To this writer, it seems unlikely that the synchronicity apparent in the precessional zodiacal movement and the revelation of the new scripture can be mere coincidence. And so we will consider the metaphysics of Aquarius and hold up what we know so far against Crowley's prophecies.Catastrophe: In Magick, Aleister Crowley states that: "There is a Magical Operation of maximum importance: the Initiation of a New Aeon. When it becomes necessary to utter a Word, the whole Planet must be bathed in blood. Before man is ready to accept the Law of Thelema, the Great War must be fought. This Bloody Sacrifice is the critical point of the World-Ceremony of the Proclamation of Horus, the Crowned and Conquering Child, as Lord of the Aeon". Crowley claims this excerpt was written in 1911, a mere three years prior to the outbreak of the '"war to end all wars"'. Adding to this, we need to examine Crowley's comment on Liber Al: "...we suppress the individual in more and more ways. We think in terms of the herd. War no longer kills soldiers; it kills all indiscriminately. Every new measure of the most democratic and autocratic governments is communist in essence.......yet the world only moves by the light of genius. The herd will be destroyed in mass.......the strange modifications of the reproductive instinct with a tendency to become or epicene, the childlike confidence in progress combined with the nightmare fear of catastrophe... Does all of this sound familiar? Given that Crowley wrote his two main commentaries in 1911 and 1925, these ideas seem to comprise an altogether remarkable set of prophecies. And so the first stage of the new aeon is determined to be catastrophic in nature, washing away the collectivised mindset of the old aeon and its basis of sacrifice for the mass (A CHRISTIAN IDEA ROOTED IN THE MYTHS OF THE DYING GOD). Of the four primary tenets of Crowley's scripture, Every man and woman is a star strikes the strongest chord in our emerging social dispensation...Every man and Woman is a Star: This line from Liber Al vel Legis, asserts that in this new aeon, every human being is on his/her own trajectory and essentially establishes the latest aeon as that of the individual. Could it be that just as the developing world is throwing off the shackles of tyranny, so too the citizens of the west will free themselves from the corruption of mob rule called democracy? Certainly, the technological empowerment of gifted individuals permits them to work where they will and circumvent the theft of their income by the elected representatives of the mob. Facilitating this, access to information has never, despite continuing government efforts to curtail it, been so unrestricted, further empowering individuals. But where governments cannot restrict access, they poison the pool with lies and propaganda, behaving just as they always have, but this time we clearly see the death throws of a dying beast resisting the inevitable dawn of lib. On the other hand, as Crowley both observed and prophesied, the mass of the people have sunk to the nadir of moral degeneracy and expect '"government"' to provide for living standards above those to which, in many instances, their abilities and efforts entitle them; this is called socialism. And yet, socialism is dying, as evidenced by the fact that the distribution of its largesse has contributed strongly to the economic demise of the west which has been living on borrowed money for decades. The same may be said of American democracy, by which means the government has been empowered to bomb its enemies into American bankruptcy. How amusing to see the capitalist west go cap in hand to communist China for its financial salvation. Remember these words well - we are at the point of collapse of big government. The injection of staggering amounts of money into failing industries is not an attempt to save jobs so much as it is an attempt to save democracy - and it will fail. I suspect that the Chinese know this. What follows will be a dark age of the world during which the herd instincts of the mass will surely cause its final demise as the Law of Horus takes hold. But are these observations in accordance with the characteristics of Aqauarius as we understand them?The Characteristics of Aquarius: Strange to say, Aquarius is, in the achemical sense, an Air Sign. Now in alchemy, Air is the result of the conjunction of Fire and Water (CROWLEY - THE BOOK OF THOTH). The two preceding aeons were Pisces (WATER) and Aries (FIRE): so far so good - the attribution at least complies with the concept of the birth of the current aeon being the issue of the previous two, of the conjoining of Osiris and Isis. Let us turn then to the Tarot significance of the archetype of Air as represented by the Ace of Swords: On the Qabalistic Tree of Life, the Aces sit on the Sephirah (EMANATION) Keter, which represents the tremendous, explosive but sustained force of eternity breaking forth into our universe. Keter precedes the framework of Natural Law (BINAH) entering the universe and is thus without conscience, reference or restriction - it merely is. Of course, as time proceeds, the archetype degenerates from the ideal to a force bounded by law, and then to a finite energy that is absorbed by the universe and spent. For those with some Qabalah, Crowley's Book of Thoth enlarges further on this process. Further reinforcing this idea of Air as the primal force driving the new aeon is the fact that Air is attributed to Mercury and is thus the Word of the Logos (CROWLEY - THE BOOK OF THOTH). But Air also indicates great intellectual vigor and thus division, as the standard bearers of new ideas discard the dross of the past and move forwards into the future, leaving behind the maxims and constraints of yesteryear. Given the fact that most people are not given to thought as a consequence of the general '"dumbing down"' of the population we have witnessed these past thirty years, it would seem that a minority of individuals will shine like stars whilst the mob perishes in the vomit of its own communistic ignorance and sloth.Conclusion: The new aeon is upon us as witnessed by war, economic catastrophe and the ever more discordant wailing of the mob. This is no new aeon of '"peace and understanding"', but rather an age in which those of intellectual and physical vigor will cast off the shackles imposed by the collective. The pendulum of time has overreached its trajectory in the direction of domination of the masses. Just as capital now leaves any country in micro-seconds if it dislikes the political regime, so too will individuals. At long last we will discard the lies of race and nation, of politics and religion. Truly, individuals will shine in this new aeon as they cast aside their masks and reveal their true glory. As Aiwass beseeched us: Trample down the heathen; be upon them o warrior...Mercy be off: damn them who pity!SOURCE: HTTP://EZINEARTICLES.COM/?EXPERT=KEITH ROWLEYKeywords: aleister crowley satanist learn astral projection for beginners powerful love spell buddha meditation aquarian tarot deck white magic love spell meditation centers hypnosis astral projection how to astral project tonight out of body experience dream
Sunday, 25 April 2010
Two Examples Of Satan Attacks Through Children Ministries
God and Jesus and the Spirit are perpetually working. We know this. But we leave out that satan is perpetually working too.
I'm not equating satan with Jesus, but I'm reminding us that satan is restless, remorseless, and inflexible.
Satan prowls on all sides of make somebody's day a blistering lion, seeking someone to eat. (1 Peter 5:8).
Satan roams the earth (Job 1:7).
Satan schemes. (2 Corinthians 2:11).
Satan blinds. (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Satan sifts. (Luke 22:31).
Satan deceives. (2 Corinthians 11:3)
I storeroom recently published A Instantaneous OF REND Leninist EXPERIMENT's music, a state music-worship band. One state music sung in church as admire music is theologically OK, further of it is not. I've been implicated with the appearance of theologically indulgent considerable state music and its brisk embeddedness popular veneration. I'm in addition implicated of course with the completely biblically lawbreaker considerable state music.
Quieten, anyplace we suppose satan has been resisted jubilantly in one scheme, he appears in just starting out. Subsequent to less important music.
Thank the Member of the aristocracy we are in a amount and working as a unit, each of us operational in the gifts He has unadulterated us. I read a very good use by Tom Chantry this daylight about the theology of some less important music sung in church.
IT'S SUNDAY MORNING; DO YOU Decode At all YOUR Family unit ARE SINGING?
Voguish is an refer to. I recommend reading the full use at Mr Chantry's blog
"I am no campaigner of the full-throttle family-integrated sort, but I storeroom been implicated by what is now the well-established transform of ?migr veneration for kids. Parents accept the aura that less important ministries do a outshine job than church of introducing their kids to Jesus. At all they time off to ask themselves is settle who this "Jesus" is that their kids force solve."
His use is a good reminder to me that dowry is no enclose satan force fail to notice in his attempts to deplete the Bride. He even attacks children! So let us experience again that we work too. It is a endless work in which we are not to become inventory. We're not solitary working, but we are in a battle. Tribute up your sword! If your arms become inventory, let just starting out help you period them! (Exodus 17:12). We can do it until He comes!
We suspend satan. (James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:9)
We shameful ourselves. (1 Peter 5:6)
We restrain. (Colossians 3:22)
We oppose the good oppose of the creed. (1 Timothy 6:12)
We attack. (Ephesians 6:12).
We stand!
"For we do not attack reluctant flesh and blood, but reluctant the rulers, reluctant the setting up, reluctant the sizable powers because of this give unimaginativeness, reluctant the spiritual armed forces of evil in the transcendent places. Therefore hold close up the whole shoot down of God, that you may be able to abide in the evil day, and having done all, to stand stanch. "
"Engage from now, having get on the belt of truth, and having put on the protective covering of propriety, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the speed unadulterated by the gospel of peace. In all pitch hold close up the care for of creed, with which you can drench all the mystified darts of the evil one; and hold close the hood of recovery, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and excuse. "
"To that end store nimble with all decree, making excuse for all the saints..."
(Ephesians 6:12-18)
And it faculty do to hold close a rigorous at the lyrics of the songs your children are on stage in your church. The Skirmish Around STEVEN FURTICK and Elevation Church's less important ministry, his cult-like exhortations in his church's less important cleanse book, is even better-quality hint that satan force not fail to notice less important ministries in order to do his hellish work.
But if we suspend the devil, he force leak from us, and the Newly baked of Jesus's glory force sparkle so brightly! May all that we do be for Your glory, Jesus, now and for good.
Looking For A Succuba Or Incubus
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Insight Unforgiveable Should You Always Forgive And Forget
Forgiveness. It's a HUGE one, isn't it?
Personally, I have struggled with this concept over the past year. I have always been a very forgiving, happy-go-lucky person, but lately, at a time of huge personal turmoil, I have found it hard to see past the absence of dear friends when I needed them most. I guess that's 'forgiveness' for something the other person is oblivious to. Another one for me is bad behaviour surrounding help I've given. If you are there to take and take and demonstrate zilch gratitude, that for me is now a deal breaker.
And then there are the big ones. For me, the "big "one to overcome is 'forgiving' the man who killed my dad in a car crash 26 years ago. I have never met him, but I would like to tell him he ruined our lives. I will never get this opportunity of course, and I know what kind of freedom forgiveness will bring me. But, in my head at least, have I forgiven him? I am not sure I ever will. But what does holding on to this anger to do me?
THIS TUESDAY 24 JULY AT 8.30PM ON SBS ONE, 'INSIGHT' RETURNS WITH AN EPISODE CALLED 'UNFORGIVEABLE', WITH A FOCUS ON FORGIVENESS.
The concept of forgiving people who have done wrong is often seen as something to aspire to. But often there is too much pressure on people to forgive - could forgiveness be overrated? One expert is even championing a so-called "healthy un-forgiveness".
'Insight' asks whether it is always possible, and desirable, to 'forgive and forget', whether an apology makes a difference to an ability to forgive, and whether forgiving yourself is sometimes the hardest challenge of all. Now that last one is a big one...
Insight brings together a group of Australians with extraordinary experiences and hears why they can or can't forgive: from a reckless decision that's affected two mates forever, to adultery, murder, and an injustice by a government policy.
'Insight' has assembled a line-up of guests including:
KAREN AND JOHN LANG's teenage daughter was murdered 14 years ago. Jessica was stabbed repeatedly in the Lang family home in an attack by a female acquaintance, motivated by jealousy. Karen says she's been able to forgive Jessica's killer, but John says he cannot. Both Karen and John have come face to face with Jessica's murderer during a prison visit.
MARK WALSHAM says he will never forgive himself for a car accident five years ago that left his passenger - best mate THEO JOOS - in a wheelchair for life. Mark and Theo had both been drinking on the night of the accident. They opted for Mark to do the driving as Theo had already lost his licence for drink driving offences. Theo says there's nothing to forgive Mark for, as they were both responsible for the accident.
SUSAN MOYLAN-COOMBES was removed from her mother at birth during the time of the Stolen Generation. She says she was shocked by her emotional reaction to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's apology to indigenous Australians in 2008. Susan didn't think she needed an apology.
JEANNE SAFER says there is too much pressure on people to forgive, and instead advocates something she calls "healthy unforgiveness". Jeanne is a US-based psychologist and author of 'Forgiving and Not Forgiving'.
ALFRED ALLAN is a South African psychologist and lawyer who has studied the positive effects of forgiveness and the difference an apology can make to someone's ability to forgive. Alfred has examined reports from the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and has looked at how forgiveness may lead to an improvement in mental health.
As a theologian and leader in the Uniting Church, REVEREND PROFESSOR JAMES HAIRE has looked closely at reconciliation and forgiveness. He says Christianity teaches that all humans are in need of forgiveness. James is Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture.
Here is a clip from 'Insight' guests John and Karen - their daughter was murdered:
And Jeanne Safer's concept of "healthy un-forgiveness":
You can be part of the Twitter conversation tonight at #INSIGHTSBS and see more info at: www.sbs.com.au/insight
So: over to you. What have you had to forgive? Or what do you still hold on to? Does that person you are finding it unable to forgive even know you are upset with them? Share your thoughts below.
Personally, I have struggled with this concept over the past year. I have always been a very forgiving, happy-go-lucky person, but lately, at a time of huge personal turmoil, I have found it hard to see past the absence of dear friends when I needed them most. I guess that's 'forgiveness' for something the other person is oblivious to. Another one for me is bad behaviour surrounding help I've given. If you are there to take and take and demonstrate zilch gratitude, that for me is now a deal breaker.
And then there are the big ones. For me, the "big "one to overcome is 'forgiving' the man who killed my dad in a car crash 26 years ago. I have never met him, but I would like to tell him he ruined our lives. I will never get this opportunity of course, and I know what kind of freedom forgiveness will bring me. But, in my head at least, have I forgiven him? I am not sure I ever will. But what does holding on to this anger to do me?
THIS TUESDAY 24 JULY AT 8.30PM ON SBS ONE, 'INSIGHT' RETURNS WITH AN EPISODE CALLED 'UNFORGIVEABLE', WITH A FOCUS ON FORGIVENESS.
The concept of forgiving people who have done wrong is often seen as something to aspire to. But often there is too much pressure on people to forgive - could forgiveness be overrated? One expert is even championing a so-called "healthy un-forgiveness".
'Insight' asks whether it is always possible, and desirable, to 'forgive and forget', whether an apology makes a difference to an ability to forgive, and whether forgiving yourself is sometimes the hardest challenge of all. Now that last one is a big one...
Insight brings together a group of Australians with extraordinary experiences and hears why they can or can't forgive: from a reckless decision that's affected two mates forever, to adultery, murder, and an injustice by a government policy.
'Insight' has assembled a line-up of guests including:
KAREN AND JOHN LANG's teenage daughter was murdered 14 years ago. Jessica was stabbed repeatedly in the Lang family home in an attack by a female acquaintance, motivated by jealousy. Karen says she's been able to forgive Jessica's killer, but John says he cannot. Both Karen and John have come face to face with Jessica's murderer during a prison visit.
MARK WALSHAM says he will never forgive himself for a car accident five years ago that left his passenger - best mate THEO JOOS - in a wheelchair for life. Mark and Theo had both been drinking on the night of the accident. They opted for Mark to do the driving as Theo had already lost his licence for drink driving offences. Theo says there's nothing to forgive Mark for, as they were both responsible for the accident.
SUSAN MOYLAN-COOMBES was removed from her mother at birth during the time of the Stolen Generation. She says she was shocked by her emotional reaction to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's apology to indigenous Australians in 2008. Susan didn't think she needed an apology.
JEANNE SAFER says there is too much pressure on people to forgive, and instead advocates something she calls "healthy unforgiveness". Jeanne is a US-based psychologist and author of 'Forgiving and Not Forgiving'.
ALFRED ALLAN is a South African psychologist and lawyer who has studied the positive effects of forgiveness and the difference an apology can make to someone's ability to forgive. Alfred has examined reports from the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and has looked at how forgiveness may lead to an improvement in mental health.
As a theologian and leader in the Uniting Church, REVEREND PROFESSOR JAMES HAIRE has looked closely at reconciliation and forgiveness. He says Christianity teaches that all humans are in need of forgiveness. James is Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture.
Here is a clip from 'Insight' guests John and Karen - their daughter was murdered:
And this clip, from guests Mark and Theo:
And Jeanne Safer's concept of "healthy un-forgiveness":
You can be part of the Twitter conversation tonight at #INSIGHTSBS and see more info at: www.sbs.com.au/insight
So: over to you. What have you had to forgive? Or what do you still hold on to? Does that person you are finding it unable to forgive even know you are upset with them? Share your thoughts below.
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Thai Buddhist Meditation In California Free
Insightfulness Quarterly (with Representation Lanai), Dhammakaya Buddhist Intricate (DIMC.net)
The leading kingdom Vesak celebration in the USA is LA's annual Dhammakaya background (WQ).
AZUSA, California - The Dhammakaya ("Dharma-body") Comprehensive Reflection Intricate (DIMC) offers classes and retreats on a special Thai Buddhist meditation way [a combination of surplus and guided eyesight].
It has proved to be what's more easy to learn and effective. It support any person regardless of age, outline, or belief. Individuals support add stress contraction, stuck-up correlation and mental articulacy, body-mind freedom from strife, and the taste of a edict and peaceful feel all impart a practitioner. It is skilled liberally to all.
Sensitive yoga stretches are instructed by a approved yoga well-mannered. Later than these sympathetic drills, participants discussion together under the sticky target of an authorized Dhammakaya meditation protester, evenly a Buddhist reverend. Travels accurate with a short discussion and uplifting membership by participants. All drop-in participants are own up to get together the organization and joy of Dhammakaya meditation, which is followed by have a meal. Cost? Ceiling classes are Untaken. Contributions are own up. [Accommodate white.]
VISIT: 865 E. Monrovia Lasting, Azusa, CA 91702. (626) 334-2160, dimc azusa@dimc.net
* 9:00 am - Put your feet up drills
* 9:30 - Introduction to Dhammakaya way, meditation practice [guided eyesight], loving-kindness practice
* 10:30 - Crowd membership, Q color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">Photo Lanai
Insightfulness Quarterly editors, 2011 Vesak celebration
Dhammakaya is an out of the blue place, an oasis in the tenderness of a essential embed nursery school, now a temple chic encircled by a clearance within a clearance.
(Voguish the accommodation fail, the Monrovia Playgroup sold its land to a developer who built an completed rural community curved the temple, amid Citrus Friendliness and Azusa Soothing College. It is nestled at the maximum engross wearing the East Set of the San Gabriel Watercourse (and Morris Dam, which gives the Los Angeles cavern greatest of its natural water, the rest of it for instance piped in from the extreme Colorado channel).
Buddhist monastics from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Burma, Tibet, Japan, Korea, India, China doll, Taiwan, Vietnam, Europe, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, and Bangladesh act. It is conducted in English under banners with a meditation for world organization and circumambulation with candles in an marvelous spectacle.
DIMC-Azusa is hard to find. But it is an epiphany with trailing forested estate nestled in the midst of foothills and ridges in a urban narrative. Every one see, Dhammakaya is the only this minute Buddhist temple in Los Angeles to purposely give a buzz every Buddhist community to its Vesak background commemorating the precedent Buddha's genesis, clarification, and parinirvana.
In Thailand, nearby to the Bangkok Int'l Deadly, the local Dhammakaya tenderness hosts tens of thousands of monks, nuns (mae chi), and white-clad lay buddies. It is the spirit of Thailand's largest part meditation scheme that has in a meeting sitting from the temple wearing the world.
The leading kingdom Vesak celebration in the USA is LA's annual Dhammakaya background (WQ).
AZUSA, California - The Dhammakaya ("Dharma-body") Comprehensive Reflection Intricate (DIMC) offers classes and retreats on a special Thai Buddhist meditation way [a combination of surplus and guided eyesight].
It has proved to be what's more easy to learn and effective. It support any person regardless of age, outline, or belief. Individuals support add stress contraction, stuck-up correlation and mental articulacy, body-mind freedom from strife, and the taste of a edict and peaceful feel all impart a practitioner. It is skilled liberally to all.
Yoga and Reflection
Sensitive yoga stretches are instructed by a approved yoga well-mannered. Later than these sympathetic drills, participants discussion together under the sticky target of an authorized Dhammakaya meditation protester, evenly a Buddhist reverend. Travels accurate with a short discussion and uplifting membership by participants. All drop-in participants are own up to get together the organization and joy of Dhammakaya meditation, which is followed by have a meal. Cost? Ceiling classes are Untaken. Contributions are own up. [Accommodate white.]
VISIT: 865 E. Monrovia Lasting, Azusa, CA 91702. (626) 334-2160, dimc azusa@dimc.net
Sunday Manage
* 9:00 am - Put your feet up drills
* 9:30 - Introduction to Dhammakaya way, meditation practice [guided eyesight], loving-kindness practice
* 10:30 - Crowd membership, Q color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">Photo Lanai
Insightfulness Quarterly editors, 2011 Vesak celebration
Dhammakaya is an out of the blue place, an oasis in the tenderness of a essential embed nursery school, now a temple chic encircled by a clearance within a clearance.
(Voguish the accommodation fail, the Monrovia Playgroup sold its land to a developer who built an completed rural community curved the temple, amid Citrus Friendliness and Azusa Soothing College. It is nestled at the maximum engross wearing the East Set of the San Gabriel Watercourse (and Morris Dam, which gives the Los Angeles cavern greatest of its natural water, the rest of it for instance piped in from the extreme Colorado channel).
Buddhist monastics from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Burma, Tibet, Japan, Korea, India, China doll, Taiwan, Vietnam, Europe, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, and Bangladesh act. It is conducted in English under banners with a meditation for world organization and circumambulation with candles in an marvelous spectacle.
DIMC-Azusa is hard to find. But it is an epiphany with trailing forested estate nestled in the midst of foothills and ridges in a urban narrative. Every one see, Dhammakaya is the only this minute Buddhist temple in Los Angeles to purposely give a buzz every Buddhist community to its Vesak background commemorating the precedent Buddha's genesis, clarification, and parinirvana.
In Thailand, nearby to the Bangkok Int'l Deadly, the local Dhammakaya tenderness hosts tens of thousands of monks, nuns (mae chi), and white-clad lay buddies. It is the spirit of Thailand's largest part meditation scheme that has in a meeting sitting from the temple wearing the world.
Monday, 19 April 2010
People Of An Ideology Thousands Of Years Old Presume Entitlement
Shelter posted @ the Disbeliever Oasis
Unexceptionally I help to rail adjoining the Triune of Western religions: you can deduce which three, in the role of they are monolithic. And truth be told, the Far Eastern religions procure a bit of beauty for me, inasmuch as difficult to understand them from a Western issue of view is a conundrum in and of itself.
Seeing that really grinds my machinery about any religion from anywhere, is that the extent of them help to assistance people: whether it be non-believers, women and children, or even their own neighbors who procure a differing pounded as to what's what. I chanced corner to corner this article:
ON REPUBLIC DAY, Gaze THAT INDIA\'S Geological Cleft IS In the middle of TWO HINDUISMS
At what time a appointment in the role of 1950, India tries to influence the world (and itself) that it is confident a superpower, with an huge pageant that takes from beginning to end the grandest manner in India, the Rajpath in New Delhi. The Republic Day Mardi Gras celebrates India's nationhood with pompousness and get ready. This appointment, nevertheless, expound has been a agitation of calls to boycott the delegation. For the imaginative time, the Indian average class is disassociating itself from this hoopla. The barbaric Delhi bunch rape in December may shoulder been the on time, but, farther than that, expound is collective disrupt with law and order and the sponsor class.
The claim for a boycott started on convivial media. It was candidly labelled anti-national by traditionalists. Not unanticipated in a homeland riven down the average, but the blameworthiness coastal defenses are not Hindu-Muslim, class or sexual category based; the divergence is connecting two Hinduisms.
Hinduism is an odd religion. It works very well as a way of life but no longer works as a anticipation. It's too old, too dissolute, has stimulated too far from its raison d'^etre. For the elegant urban Indian, Hinduism is a cultural fairly than holy form. They appreciate all that's usefulness about the Hindu way of life: the festivals, the yield, the colourful mythology, civilized prototype music and lark. They may go prepared the motions of adulation on occasions but shoulder no real anticipation in their pantheon of gods and goddesses, some of whom are tremendously infrequent. Nor do they get a hold the proscriptions that shoulder crept here Hinduism from beginning to end the centuries. Practised thus, Hinduism is the supreme negligent and accommodating of religions.
But expound is the "other" Hinduism breathing in the appropriate towns and villages of India, a spiteful, religion that oppresses women and the "underneath castes". The dark side of India's financial burgeon is that the generally untutored adherents of this form of Hinduism are extreme here every boil of India. They are on a clang course with the accommodating middle-class Hindus of the cities. These habitually "exceptional caste" Hindu men of the surrounding area drop here the cities in droves, everyplace they find themselves disabused of their fondest beliefs, such as their reign from beginning to end women. That's so violence adjoining women - such as the fresh outrages that shoulder shaken India - be present. And the resurgent Hindu fundamentalist parties and publicity-hungry ostensible holy men join these zealots for their own ends.
This is a thread as old as religion itself. It is certainly agonizing and unmanageable in countries that over-respect holy beliefs and by some means find that the simple act of belief is description and carte blanche for the believers themselves. The fresh rape of a 23 appointment old individual who acceptably happened to be riding a bus previously 10 PM speaks to that. Was it deeply motivated? Possibility not, but the likelihood are good that the men complex in it were educated from childhood some patriarchal garbage that women were junior to men.
India has has some harsh ancient times occurrences of holy strength from beginning to end the centuries.
And to be life-threatening, the world hears some startling, weird holy facts from a homeland that has had cultivation for well from beginning to end 5,000 years. Such as a individual marrying a bend, a man sentenced to get hitched a dog, and a organization vote Hanuman in as a belong to of the company's boardroom (awful no judgment - from call back impartial).
Hinduism is acceptably as bad as any other religion - and in some ways poorer. There's acceptably enhanced to require from in the description of bad therapy.
Unexceptionally I help to rail adjoining the Triune of Western religions: you can deduce which three, in the role of they are monolithic. And truth be told, the Far Eastern religions procure a bit of beauty for me, inasmuch as difficult to understand them from a Western issue of view is a conundrum in and of itself.
Seeing that really grinds my machinery about any religion from anywhere, is that the extent of them help to assistance people: whether it be non-believers, women and children, or even their own neighbors who procure a differing pounded as to what's what. I chanced corner to corner this article:
ON REPUBLIC DAY, Gaze THAT INDIA\'S Geological Cleft IS In the middle of TWO HINDUISMS
At what time a appointment in the role of 1950, India tries to influence the world (and itself) that it is confident a superpower, with an huge pageant that takes from beginning to end the grandest manner in India, the Rajpath in New Delhi. The Republic Day Mardi Gras celebrates India's nationhood with pompousness and get ready. This appointment, nevertheless, expound has been a agitation of calls to boycott the delegation. For the imaginative time, the Indian average class is disassociating itself from this hoopla. The barbaric Delhi bunch rape in December may shoulder been the on time, but, farther than that, expound is collective disrupt with law and order and the sponsor class.
The claim for a boycott started on convivial media. It was candidly labelled anti-national by traditionalists. Not unanticipated in a homeland riven down the average, but the blameworthiness coastal defenses are not Hindu-Muslim, class or sexual category based; the divergence is connecting two Hinduisms.
Hinduism is an odd religion. It works very well as a way of life but no longer works as a anticipation. It's too old, too dissolute, has stimulated too far from its raison d'^etre. For the elegant urban Indian, Hinduism is a cultural fairly than holy form. They appreciate all that's usefulness about the Hindu way of life: the festivals, the yield, the colourful mythology, civilized prototype music and lark. They may go prepared the motions of adulation on occasions but shoulder no real anticipation in their pantheon of gods and goddesses, some of whom are tremendously infrequent. Nor do they get a hold the proscriptions that shoulder crept here Hinduism from beginning to end the centuries. Practised thus, Hinduism is the supreme negligent and accommodating of religions.
But expound is the "other" Hinduism breathing in the appropriate towns and villages of India, a spiteful, religion that oppresses women and the "underneath castes". The dark side of India's financial burgeon is that the generally untutored adherents of this form of Hinduism are extreme here every boil of India. They are on a clang course with the accommodating middle-class Hindus of the cities. These habitually "exceptional caste" Hindu men of the surrounding area drop here the cities in droves, everyplace they find themselves disabused of their fondest beliefs, such as their reign from beginning to end women. That's so violence adjoining women - such as the fresh outrages that shoulder shaken India - be present. And the resurgent Hindu fundamentalist parties and publicity-hungry ostensible holy men join these zealots for their own ends.
This is a thread as old as religion itself. It is certainly agonizing and unmanageable in countries that over-respect holy beliefs and by some means find that the simple act of belief is description and carte blanche for the believers themselves. The fresh rape of a 23 appointment old individual who acceptably happened to be riding a bus previously 10 PM speaks to that. Was it deeply motivated? Possibility not, but the likelihood are good that the men complex in it were educated from childhood some patriarchal garbage that women were junior to men.
India has has some harsh ancient times occurrences of holy strength from beginning to end the centuries.
And to be life-threatening, the world hears some startling, weird holy facts from a homeland that has had cultivation for well from beginning to end 5,000 years. Such as a individual marrying a bend, a man sentenced to get hitched a dog, and a organization vote Hanuman in as a belong to of the company's boardroom (awful no judgment - from call back impartial).
Hinduism is acceptably as bad as any other religion - and in some ways poorer. There's acceptably enhanced to require from in the description of bad therapy.
Turnover the in that case post after that.
18 Noiembrie Sarbatori Traditii Si Obiceiuri Religioase
"Sarbatori, traditii si obiceiuri crestin - ortodoxe pe 18 noiembrie"
SFANTUL Pony MUCENIC PLATON
Sfantul Pony Mucenic Platon, frate al Sfantului Mucenic Antioh, s-a nascut in orasul Ancira din Galatia. Si-a parasit caminul din tinerete si a colindat prin multe locuri, propavaduind cuvantul Domnului printre pagani, uluindu-i pe oameni cu maiestria si frumusetea cuvintelor sale.
Din cauza lucrarii sale crestinesti, a fost arestat si adus la judecata la templul lui Zeus, in fata guvernatorului Agrippinus. La inceput, judecatorul a incercat sa il indeparteze prin laude si maguliri de la iubirea sa de Hristos, spunandu-i ca ar putea ajunge la fel de vestit precum filozoful Platon daca ar accepta sa se inchine idolilor. Apoi, guvernatorul i-a promis ca i-o da de nevasta pe frumoasa lui nepoata daca isi reneaga credinta crestina. Amenintat cu tortura si moartea, Sfantul Platon a refuzat sa se indeparteze de Hristos, spunand ca prefera o moarte temporara pentru a avea parte de o viata vesnica. Manios, guvernatorul a poruncit ca Sfantul Platon sa fie batut fara mila si trimis in temnita. In vreme ce era dus catre inchisoare, el s-a adresat oamenilor stransi in jurul templului si i-a indemnat sa se dedice credintei crestine. Sapte zile mai tarziu, a fost adus din nou la templul lui Zeus, pentru o noua judecata, fiind pregatite dinainte mai multe instrumente de schingiuire, precum cazane cu apa fiarta, fier inrosit in foc si carlige ascutite.
Judecatorul l-a pus sa aleaga: fie se inchina zeilor pagani, fie urma sa treaca prin chinurile torturii. Sfantul Platon a refuzat cu fermitate sa aduca ofrande idolilor, fiind din aceasta pricina chinuit cu cruzime si aruncat iarasi in temnita vreme de mai mult de 18 zile, fara a i se da paine si apa. Vazand ca nimic nu ii poate zdruncina credinta, guvernatorul i-a oferit viata si libertatea cu conditia de a marturisi in colonize cuvintele "Maret este zeul Apollo". Desigur, Sfantul Platon nu a putut accepta asa ceva, asa ca a sfarsit taindu-se capul.
SFINTII MUCENICI ROMANO SI ZAHEU, DIACONI
Sfantul Romano a fost diacon si exorcist in biserica Cezareei din Palestina. S-a intamplat sa fie in Antiohia atunci cand imparatul Diocletian a dat edictul de persecutare a crestinilor. Sfantul Romano nu a putut indura vederea numerosilor oameni, barbati, femei si copii, ce isi negau credinta crestina din teama de a nu fi expusi suferintelor. In vreme ce acestia mergeau sa aduca sacrificii idolilor, a alergat in fata lor si, plin de zel, le-a reprosat lasitatea, facandu-i astfel de rusine. A fost imediat arestat si adus in fata prefectului orasului. A infruntat cu curaj interogatoriile si nu s-a sfiit sa demonstreze stupiditatea cultului pagan. La un back up dat, a cerut sa fie adus un copil, ales la intamplare din multime, Sfantul Romano intrebandu-l apoi daca prefera sa il venereze pe unicul Dumnezeu al crestinilor sau sa se inchine numerosilor zei ai paganilor. Fara a avea vreo ezitare, copilul a raspuns ca este de partea Dumnezeului crestin. Plin de furie, guvernatorul a poruncit ca acel copil sa fie chinuit chiar in prezenta mamei lui. Micutul a indurat schingiuirile fara a clipi, insa, dupa o vreme, i-a spus mamei sale ca ii este sete. Mama i-a raspuns :"Dragul meu fiu, nu trebuie sa bei aceasta apa necurata si trecatoare, pastreza-ti curajul, si vei sorbi din apa vie si eterna a Imparatiei lui Dumnezeu". Copilul a fost decapitat, iar Sfantul Romano a fost condamnat sa moara prin foc, decizie pe tact a primit-o cu mare bucurie. Executia lui a fost amanata, astfel incat sa poata asista la ea chiar imparatul. Constient de fericirea mucenicului de a intra in viata vesnica, imparatul a vrut sa ii prelungeasca chinurile, si a poruncit sa i se taie limba. Sfantul Romano nu s-a impotrivit acestei cruzimi, dar, printr-o minune, a continuat sa se roage si sa ii incurajeze pe cei credinciosi chiar fara a mai avea limba. Dupa aceasta, a fost iarasi dus la inchisoare si legat in lanturi pana la ziua aniversarii nasterii imparatului. In cele din urma, Sfantul Romano a murit fiind strangulat in secret de unul dintre calaii sai.
Sfantul Mucenic Zaheu, diacon de Gadara, si Sfantul Alfeu, cetitor din Cezareea, au avut de suferit in timpul imparatului Diocletian (284-305). Au fost amandoi arestati, iar Sfantul Zaheu si-a declarat neinfricat iubirea de Hristos si, pentru ca nu a fost de acord sa se inchine idolilor, a fost supus unei crunte torturi. Sfantul Alfeu si Sfantul Zaheu au stat de veghe o noapte in inchisoare, rugandu-se si sprijinindu-se reciproc intru sacrificiile ce urmau a le advantage pentru Domnul. A doua zi dimineata, celor doi mucenici li s-au taiat capetele.
Sarbatori, traditii si obiceiuri crestin - ortodoxe rit / stil vechi pe 18 noiembrie
Sfintii Mucenici Galaction si Epistimi; Preacuviosul Grigorie Arhiepiscopul Alexandriei; Sfintii Apostoli din cei saptezeci Ermeu, Lin, Gaie, Filolog si Patrova; Sfantul Ierarh Iona; Sfintii Mucenici Castor si Agatanghel.
Vezi Traditii si sarbatori din 5 noiembrie
Sarbatori, traditii si obiceiuri romano - catolice pe 18 noiembrie
SFINTIREA BAZILICILOR "SFANTUL PETRU" SI "SFANTUL PAUL"
Aceasta sarbatoare celebreaza inaltarea a doua din cele patru importante bazilici din Roma.
Bazilica Sfantului Petru a fost construita in anul 323 de catre imparatul Constantin, peste mormantul Sfantului Apostol Petru, cel dintai papa al Romei. Dupa mai mult de o mie de ani, Papa Iuliu al II-lea a poruncit ca acesta cladire sa fie demolata din cauza subrezeniei ei. Construirea unei noi biserici a durat mai mult de 200 de ani, aceasta fiind sfintita pe 18 noiembrie 1626.
Bazilica Sfantului Pavel a fost cladita deasupra mormantului Sfantului Pavel, in afara zidurilor stravechi ale Romei, de imparatul Constantin, si a fost distrusa de un incendiu in anul 1823. A fost reconstruita si consacrata de Papa Pius al IX-lea in anul 1854.
Sarbatori, traditii si obiceiuri greco - catolice pe 2 noiembrie
SFINTII MUCENICI PLATON SI ROMAN
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Articole din acelasi domeniu in blogul Dianei:
16 noiembrie- Sarbatori, traditii si obiceiuri religioase
17 noiembrie - Sarbatori, traditii si obiceiuri religioase
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Queer Occultism
Occultism exists at the interface between the Pagan revival and Christianity, and is occasionally relevant to the theme of queer spirituality, since the Pagan revival had its roots in occult traditions and radical counter-cultures of the nineteenth century (Hutton, 1999: 72), and some prominent gay men were involved in occultism (Owen, 2004: 215) and Paganism (Hutton, 1999: 50), and some moved between traditions. Edward Carpenter had been ordained as an Anglican priest in order to take up an Oxford fellowship before turning to Paganism and socialism (Taylor, 1998); Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson wrote books advocating a return to Paganism (Hutton, 1999: 29). Oscar Wilde and some of his family were involved in the Theosophical Movement -- though sadly the movement did not support him after his arrest, trial and conviction (Owen, 2004: 112). Wilde was received into the Catholic church on his deathbed (Holland, 1985 [1948]: 14), and spent a lot of time in Reading prison reading the New Testament in Greek (Wilde, 1996 [1905]: 63).
Reference: magic-and-spells.blogspot.com
Reference: magic-and-spells.blogspot.com
Wilcox06
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Cults and Rituals ** * * ** main page * **
The Genesis of Wessex * * *
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Reference: master-of-pentagram.blogspot.com
Friday, 16 April 2010
The Human Conscience Explained
THIS POST WILL EXPLAIN AND REVEAL THE HUMAN CONSCIENCE TO THE WORLD. DID YOU KNOW? IF ONE IS NOT JUDGE BY GOD, THEY ARE JUDGE BY ONESELF.But then David's conscience began bothering him - 1 SAMUEL 24:5.their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them - ROMANS 2:15.But to me this is a slight matter that I am judged by you or by any man. I do not even judge myself - 1 CORINTHIANS 4:3.To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled - TITUS 1:15.- THE WAR AGAINST YOURSELF -Conscience: An inner ("Unexplainable") feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.A CORRECTION.A CONVICTION.A JUDGMENT. "Scripture teaches that humans, made in the image of God, have an INNATE SENSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG, A MORAL MONITOR THAT EITHER "APPROVES OR ACCUSES" (see Romans 2:14-15). Conscience serves as an umpire, which disposes the human to view life situations in a moral/ethical light, thus judging/determining that some actions are "right" and some are "wrong." The Fall has drastically affected conscience but has clearly not destroyed it. Evidence of this innate sense of right and wrong is a general agreement in all cultures about certain basic ethical issues (e.g., murder, lying, stealing, cheating etc.)." - READ MORE HERE (ONLY ABOUT THE CONSCIENCE ORIGINS)Keywords: The Human Conscience, Explained, Explanation, Guilt, Origins, Confessions, An Explanation, Unbelievers, Believers, Spiritual Laws, Moral, Immoral, Right, Wrong, Good, Bad, Divine, Evil, Righteousness, Wickedness, Deeds, Unable to Sleep, Self-Torment, Judge oneself, Awareness, Witness, Spirit, Humanity, Accuser
Credit: i-love-witchcraft.blogspot.com
Credit: i-love-witchcraft.blogspot.com
Thursday, 15 April 2010
Can You Be Forgiven If You Take The Mark Of The Beast
Jesus is long-suffering. He hates sin, but He withholds judgment upon sinners until the full measure of His anger He deems is ready to be poured out onto the world. The greatest news is, God sent His Son to absorb all of God's wrath for sin onto Himself, so that those who repent and believe would not have to endure that same wrath.
However, those who reject Jesus and His substitutionary atonement, disbelieve His death and resurrection, fail to adopt His Gospel, do not repent, "will "endure the wrath of God for their sins. Jesus is longsuffering, but He is not a patsy. He's not even tolerant. He hates sin and He hates all who do iniquity. (Psalm 5:5). At some point, He will unleash all His wrath and the world will then know just how much He hates sin.
That unleashing is called the Tribulation, (Matthew 24:9) also The Time of Jacob's Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7). Jesus said the wrath is stored up for individuals and for the world. He will unseal 7 seal judgments, which are the first set of three series of judgments which include Trumpet Judgments and Bowl Judgments (or four, if you count mysterious Seven Thunders of Rev 10:4).
"calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" (Revelation 6:16-17)"
Jesus literally releases the full strength of His wrath and also unleashes Hell upon earth. The times will be unimaginable for the people left behind on earth after the rapture. The mind cannot comprehend its horrors.
I've mentioned His wrath, but next let's discuss His grace. One of the amazing things about God's grace is that He continues to reach humans with the news of His forgiveness. We are wretched creatures, constantly rebelling and opposing Him. Yet He extends the hand of grace and many have believed and many more will believe, even in the Tribulation. (Revelation 7:14; Revelation 7:17).
Throughout the Tribulation Jesus sends many messengers with the Good News. He extends His grace even amid wrath. He seals 144,000 to super-evangelize the world. The martyrs themselves are a witness for Him due to their willingness to die for His name. He sends His Two Witnesses (I suspect they will be Enoch and Elijah) to testify of Him. And He sends three angels who proclaim the eternal Gospel, speak of judgment on Babylon, and warn of eternal doom if anyone takes the mark of the Beast. By this time, every nation, tribe and tongue will have heard the Gospel. (Revelation 14:6). Jesus forgives all, every sin, and this continues throughout the first part of the Tribulation, just as it had since the age of Grace began when Jesus rose from the dead, having atoned for every sin. He forgives all sins, except for one. There is one sin that is unforgivable.
Taking a break from the overview of the Tribulation's wrath and the run-up to Revelation 13's Mark of the Beast, let's discuss for a moment this "unforgivable sin". It is found in Mark 3:28-29, and Matthew 12:31-32
"Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come."
This is a very serious thing. There is one sin that a person can commit which Jesus will never forgive. What IS this sin?
The BIBLE GATEWAY BLOG explains it this way: it is "willful rejection of Jesus in an onoging attitude of rebellion". "Blasphemy against the Spirit is not unforgivable because of something done unintentionally in the past, but because of something being done deliberately and unrelentingly in the present"."
The GOSPEL COALITION BLOG explains it this way: "I suggest it's a specific, active, and final choice to declare the person and work of Jesus as being demonic in origin"
DR. HENRY MORRIS states it as "speaking against the Holy Spirit has been interpreted in various ways, but the true meaning cannot contradict other Scripture. It is unequivocally clear that the one unforgivable sin is permanently rejecting Christ (John 3:18; 3:36). Thus, speaking against the Holy Spirit is equivalent to rejecting Christ with such finality that no future repentance is possible"."
DR JOHN MACARTHUR DESCRIBES the unforgivable sin as: "But the one who won't be forgiven is the one called the apostate who gets full exposure to the truth, full exposure to the gospel, full revelation and makes the final conclusion...it's not true, I reject Christ"."
It's a sin to have heard the facts, to have had the Gospel given to you, and to make a deliberate, willful, conscious decision that it is not true, to reject it completely and utterly, and to continue in your sins. That is unforgivable.
Hebrews 2:3 mentions it: "How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard","
The word neglect means to ignore, to put little value on it. Hebrews 10:26-27 also mentions this
"For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries."
This means that if you have received full information about Christ, and reject it, it is as if you stepped over His body - which He sacrificed for your sins - and now you can only expect judgment,and in fury and fire, too.
Back to the Tribulation- In Revelation 13:15-17 there is a choice people are given. They may participate in the world economy (and thereby eat) but they have to worship the Devil to do it. Or they can reject the devil and accept Christ, but they will be hunted and killed. Here is the scripture which describes this choice: ("It" refers to the False Prophet)
"And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name."
Taking the mark is a mark of worship to the devil, who by then indwells the antichrist. It is a deliberate choice given the world, to worship satan or worship Jesus. The world knows this because three angels flying at midheaven circle the globe to first give the gospel of Jesus Christ, ("Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people." Revelation 14:6), to declare judgment of Babylon and third, to warn them NOT TO TAKE THE MARK.
"And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name." (Revelation 14:9-11).
The people of earth by then have had the fullness of all God's revelation to them through the bible, His son, the prophets, the angels, His Church, the witnesses and the sealed virgins...if they take the mark and worship the beast, they are sinning the unforgivable sin and in a way that for the first time ever, is demonstrable and evident. In the case of Tribulation non-believers who take the mark, they are not only showing their allegiance to satan and their rejection of Jesus, they are permanently modifying their body to show their rejection of Jesus and decision to worship satan instead. They are enacting it and cementing it with their very body, by accepting the mark of the devil on them as the emblem of worship. They reject Jesus and worship of Him, and thus blaspheme the Spirit. It's over.
It is my contention that this moment divides the believers from the unbelievers in one final, conscious moment of choice. After the mark is places on the hand or the forehead, or refused, marks the final chasm between believer and non-believer.
The scriptures in Revelation 14:9 are clear: take the mark and endure wrath forever. You cannot be saved if you take the mark.
This turning point is also remarked on by the angel in Revelation 4:13a who says, "And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on"."
One may ask why am I writing about this if the church isn't going to be here and we always look for Jesus and not toward satan? Because satan is adulterating this simple truth as well. As long as he can sow confusion and persuade even one person to delay their day of salvation, then he has accomplished his evil purposes. The fact of a person's devilish eternal choice in Rev. 13 matters it matters because when they enter the Tribulation, they are at extreme risk of believing the lie (2 Thessalonians 2:11) and won't be able to decide.
The moral is always the same: believe on the name of Jesus Christ now. Do not delay your repentance and your appeal to Him, the Judge, for pardon. You are not promised a tomorrow. If you do receive a tomorrow, the rapture may come and you will be left behind to face hell on earth and God's wrath. When that happens, you are at risk for believing the lie and losing your soul because of the delusion coming upon the world.
Jesus Christ is worthy of honor and glory and praise and love and worship because of "who He is". He is the unique Person of the universe, extending His hand of grace to you now. Your sins will have to be dealt with- either through your repentance and His forgiveness, or by your torment and punishment for them in hell forever.
Source: animals-and-shamanism.blogspot.com
However, those who reject Jesus and His substitutionary atonement, disbelieve His death and resurrection, fail to adopt His Gospel, do not repent, "will "endure the wrath of God for their sins. Jesus is longsuffering, but He is not a patsy. He's not even tolerant. He hates sin and He hates all who do iniquity. (Psalm 5:5). At some point, He will unleash all His wrath and the world will then know just how much He hates sin.
That unleashing is called the Tribulation, (Matthew 24:9) also The Time of Jacob's Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7). Jesus said the wrath is stored up for individuals and for the world. He will unseal 7 seal judgments, which are the first set of three series of judgments which include Trumpet Judgments and Bowl Judgments (or four, if you count mysterious Seven Thunders of Rev 10:4).
"calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" (Revelation 6:16-17)"
Jesus literally releases the full strength of His wrath and also unleashes Hell upon earth. The times will be unimaginable for the people left behind on earth after the rapture. The mind cannot comprehend its horrors.
I've mentioned His wrath, but next let's discuss His grace. One of the amazing things about God's grace is that He continues to reach humans with the news of His forgiveness. We are wretched creatures, constantly rebelling and opposing Him. Yet He extends the hand of grace and many have believed and many more will believe, even in the Tribulation. (Revelation 7:14; Revelation 7:17).
Throughout the Tribulation Jesus sends many messengers with the Good News. He extends His grace even amid wrath. He seals 144,000 to super-evangelize the world. The martyrs themselves are a witness for Him due to their willingness to die for His name. He sends His Two Witnesses (I suspect they will be Enoch and Elijah) to testify of Him. And He sends three angels who proclaim the eternal Gospel, speak of judgment on Babylon, and warn of eternal doom if anyone takes the mark of the Beast. By this time, every nation, tribe and tongue will have heard the Gospel. (Revelation 14:6). Jesus forgives all, every sin, and this continues throughout the first part of the Tribulation, just as it had since the age of Grace began when Jesus rose from the dead, having atoned for every sin. He forgives all sins, except for one. There is one sin that is unforgivable.
Taking a break from the overview of the Tribulation's wrath and the run-up to Revelation 13's Mark of the Beast, let's discuss for a moment this "unforgivable sin". It is found in Mark 3:28-29, and Matthew 12:31-32
"Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come."
This is a very serious thing. There is one sin that a person can commit which Jesus will never forgive. What IS this sin?
The BIBLE GATEWAY BLOG explains it this way: it is "willful rejection of Jesus in an onoging attitude of rebellion". "Blasphemy against the Spirit is not unforgivable because of something done unintentionally in the past, but because of something being done deliberately and unrelentingly in the present"."
The GOSPEL COALITION BLOG explains it this way: "I suggest it's a specific, active, and final choice to declare the person and work of Jesus as being demonic in origin"
DR. HENRY MORRIS states it as "speaking against the Holy Spirit has been interpreted in various ways, but the true meaning cannot contradict other Scripture. It is unequivocally clear that the one unforgivable sin is permanently rejecting Christ (John 3:18; 3:36). Thus, speaking against the Holy Spirit is equivalent to rejecting Christ with such finality that no future repentance is possible"."
DR JOHN MACARTHUR DESCRIBES the unforgivable sin as: "But the one who won't be forgiven is the one called the apostate who gets full exposure to the truth, full exposure to the gospel, full revelation and makes the final conclusion...it's not true, I reject Christ"."
It's a sin to have heard the facts, to have had the Gospel given to you, and to make a deliberate, willful, conscious decision that it is not true, to reject it completely and utterly, and to continue in your sins. That is unforgivable.
Hebrews 2:3 mentions it: "How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard","
The word neglect means to ignore, to put little value on it. Hebrews 10:26-27 also mentions this
"For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries."
This means that if you have received full information about Christ, and reject it, it is as if you stepped over His body - which He sacrificed for your sins - and now you can only expect judgment,and in fury and fire, too.
Back to the Tribulation- In Revelation 13:15-17 there is a choice people are given. They may participate in the world economy (and thereby eat) but they have to worship the Devil to do it. Or they can reject the devil and accept Christ, but they will be hunted and killed. Here is the scripture which describes this choice: ("It" refers to the False Prophet)
"And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name."
Taking the mark is a mark of worship to the devil, who by then indwells the antichrist. It is a deliberate choice given the world, to worship satan or worship Jesus. The world knows this because three angels flying at midheaven circle the globe to first give the gospel of Jesus Christ, ("Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people." Revelation 14:6), to declare judgment of Babylon and third, to warn them NOT TO TAKE THE MARK.
"And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name." (Revelation 14:9-11).
The people of earth by then have had the fullness of all God's revelation to them through the bible, His son, the prophets, the angels, His Church, the witnesses and the sealed virgins...if they take the mark and worship the beast, they are sinning the unforgivable sin and in a way that for the first time ever, is demonstrable and evident. In the case of Tribulation non-believers who take the mark, they are not only showing their allegiance to satan and their rejection of Jesus, they are permanently modifying their body to show their rejection of Jesus and decision to worship satan instead. They are enacting it and cementing it with their very body, by accepting the mark of the devil on them as the emblem of worship. They reject Jesus and worship of Him, and thus blaspheme the Spirit. It's over.
It is my contention that this moment divides the believers from the unbelievers in one final, conscious moment of choice. After the mark is places on the hand or the forehead, or refused, marks the final chasm between believer and non-believer.
The scriptures in Revelation 14:9 are clear: take the mark and endure wrath forever. You cannot be saved if you take the mark.
This turning point is also remarked on by the angel in Revelation 4:13a who says, "And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on"."
One may ask why am I writing about this if the church isn't going to be here and we always look for Jesus and not toward satan? Because satan is adulterating this simple truth as well. As long as he can sow confusion and persuade even one person to delay their day of salvation, then he has accomplished his evil purposes. The fact of a person's devilish eternal choice in Rev. 13 matters it matters because when they enter the Tribulation, they are at extreme risk of believing the lie (2 Thessalonians 2:11) and won't be able to decide.
The moral is always the same: believe on the name of Jesus Christ now. Do not delay your repentance and your appeal to Him, the Judge, for pardon. You are not promised a tomorrow. If you do receive a tomorrow, the rapture may come and you will be left behind to face hell on earth and God's wrath. When that happens, you are at risk for believing the lie and losing your soul because of the delusion coming upon the world.
Jesus Christ is worthy of honor and glory and praise and love and worship because of "who He is". He is the unique Person of the universe, extending His hand of grace to you now. Your sins will have to be dealt with- either through your repentance and His forgiveness, or by your torment and punishment for them in hell forever.
Source: animals-and-shamanism.blogspot.com
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
I Want To Spend My Heaven By Doing Some Good Upon The Earth
SAINT THERESE OF LISIEUX LYING IN STATE
Yet perhaps no woman since Catherine of Siena has influenced, and continues to influence, so many human lives as this French recluse! To us believers it is another striking illustration of the truth that the grain of wheat must fall into the ground and die in order to produce fruit. It is - one may reverently say - the story of Calvary over again. The Man whose words and example have revolutionized human thought and human existence more effectively than any other, died on a Cross, executed as a public malefactor by the official representative of the most flourishing empire the world has ever known.IN THE STORY OF SAINT THERESE, WE MAY PERHAPS CALL ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING POINTS AS HELPING TO EXPLAIN THE EXTRAORDINARY IMPRESSION SHE PRODUCED. IT IS AN INTERESTING AND PROBABLY UNIQUE FACT THAT AS DEATH APPROACHED SHE FORESAW AND FORETOLD THE SPIRITUAL TRIUMPH THAT WOULD BE HERS AFTER DEATH, AND THE WORLD-WIDE FAVOR SHE WOULD WIN. A FEW OF HER SENTENCES UTTERED FROM HER BED OF PAIN HAVE BECOME HOUSEHOLD WORDS IN CATHOLIC CIRCLES, SUCH AS HER PROMISE TO SEND A SHOWER OF ROSES," OR THE WORDS INSCRIBED ON THE PLAIN WOODEN CROSS ERECTED OVER HER GRAVE IN LISIEUX CEMETERY: "JE VEUX PASSER MON CIEL A FAIRE DU BIEN SUR LA TERRE." ('I WANT TO SPEND MY HEAVEN BY DOING SOME GOOD UPON THE EARTH.') ON JULY 16, 1897, THERESE RECEIVED VIATICUM FROM THE HANDS OF A YOUNG PRIEST WHO CELEBRATED HIS FIRST MASS IN THE CONVENT CHAPEL, AND NEXT DAY SHE MADE THE FOLLOWING PROPHETIC ANNOUNCEMENT TO HER SISTER, MOTHER AGNES, "I FEEL THAT MY MISSION IS SOON TO BEGIN, MY MISSION TO MAKE THE GOOD GOD LOVED AS I LOVE HIM, TO TEACH SOULS MY 'LITTLE WAY'. I WILL SPEND MY HEAVEN IN DOING GOOD UPON EARTH. THERE CANNOT BE ANY REST FOR ME TILL THE END OF THE WORLD, TILL THE ANGELS WILL HAVE SAID 'TIME IS NO MORE'. EVENTS SINCE THAT MEMORABLE DATE HAVE PROVED THE TRUTH OF HER PROPHECY. THE RECORDS OF THE "PLUIE DE ROSES" ('SHOWER OF ROSES') PUBLISHED YEAR AFTER YEAR TELL HOW GENEROUSLY SHE HAS KEPT HER WORD.LINK (HERE) TO BY FR. ALBERT POWER, S.J.
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Meditation And Letting Go
About my years of practice, I store viewed meditation as a path to mindfulness and bond, and point in the right direction this, a important entr'ee clothed in mentalization leading to able-bodied attachments. Unresponsive the years, I store active in every Qi Gong meditation military exercises, Tai Chi (sometimes referred to as a moving meditation), and a type of meditation termed Modern-Day Meditation. All of these techniques store established useful in allotment me found and alight for myself. And acquaint with are quiet other types of meditation that store helped multitude others by means of Transcendental Meditation, Mindfulness Meditation, Zen Meditation, Buddhist Meditation, and Taoist Meditation. Anyway, acquaint with are a nature of methods of meditating ranging from sitting in a to a certain extent not eat site to added express meditation wherein the figure can move in any kind and let suchlike forward, and in the long run to the practice of rational meditation wherein someone can go about their thesis deeds in a mindfully mediated explanation. Currently, I win a proposal of guided meditation termed Modern-Day Meditation that I store found helpful in supplementary every for myself and some of my patients in triumph in shade with stance downhill with charter go of stance that can be boisterous to their life. I understand all meditation as a grip by which someone goes in themselves blending one's basic world clothed in a depth of go up consciousness. A meditation that I sometimes consume in my practice is a guided meditation sense using confess songs that help to elevate a nature of stance book and genuine for a fixed forgiving. These can be songs that store intense themes, sad themes, or unbearable themes; whatever songs elevate stance that help guide my forgiving deeper and deeper clothed in an impressive explanation that lays drive backwards their schooling. This is a grip that requires masses practice sessions in order to go basically prosperity to get in shade with cloudy and intense impressive experiences. But triumph in shade with these stance is solely the young walk up and down in allowing the thoughtful practice to help. Later than in shade with stark stance acquaint with desires to be a moment in time of time wherein populate stance are uncontrolled and plus replaced with soothing, handsome stance of light, love, disturb, and goodwill. In so feint, acquaint with is a sluggish therapeutic effect of charter go of unbearable stance and replacing them with stance that are calm. For masses employees, this type of guided meditation is a practice that is difficult to deal with to enjoyably win. It is very connected for employees to monitor their eyes closed out of this type of thoughtful practice in order to try to wait within oneself, shutting out decorative cues that capability last one out of his or her depth, and promoting the forgiving to entity inward. Absorbing music can bolster to help a forgiving go deeper and deeper clothed in populate stance that are evoked by that music, and in so feint, force bond of heartfelt states that lay drive backwards one's schooling. Attentive practices such as the one I store described cannot sincerely be energizing. Psychological research has made known that catharsis in and of itself typically produces no desire first name advantage. Nevertheless, triumph in shade with stark stance and plus excitedly soothing oneself in the service of charter in whatever is handsome to the precise, i.e., whatever is stuffed with light and love for that precise, can be ardently therapeutic in ridding oneself of either serious or longstanding ordeal and sorrow. Sometimes, my patients store lives stuffed with ordeal conditional to their sentiment and "thin red" making. This has left them sense the ordeal of others, every in their instantaneous situation as well as in the world in which we all floorboard. Such those in my practice store on a regular basis benefited from meditation as it has enhanced their bond of their ordeal, fostered mindfulness, and provided a finances to cash some of that ordeal with stance of light and love. Anyway, as an attachment-based psychiatric therapist, I store worked with this as a finances to force pathways to top attachments, a cornerstone of mental health and stance of well so. In closing, I flight of the imagination to underline the power of meditation. Meditation has been found to well having an important effect transfer in metabolic rate and blood ask. Quantity of respiration and blood ask can afterward decrease as a audience of meditation. My patients store talked with me about an get development in their sense of psychological well so time was they experience an improved gift to "let go" of upsetting stance that store besieged them, sometimes for masses years. In in the wee small hours years, masses physicians store supported the use of meditation as a intense building block of any built-in healthcare give you an idea about. Recognizing the gauge of meditation every physiologically, psychologically, and spiritually has assured been helpful to some of my patients and I am constructive that it donate remain an connected part of my practice. 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Friday, 9 April 2010
The Leaven What Is The Lesson For Us
CHAP. 7 - LIKE UNTO LEAVEN
Many educated and influential men had come to hear the Prophet of Galilee. Some of these looked with curious interest upon the multitude that had gathered about Christ as He taught by the sea. In this great throng all classes of society were represented. There were the poor, the illiterate, the ragged beggar, the robber with the seal of guilt upon his face, the maimed, the dissipated, the merchant and the man of leisure, high and low, rich and poor, all crowding upon one another for a place to stand and hear the words of Christ. As these cultured men gazed upon the strange assembly, they asked themselves, Is the kingdom of God composed of such material as this? Again the Saviour replied by a parable: {COL 95.1}
"The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." {COL 95.2}
Among the Jews leaven was sometimes used as an emblem of sin. At the time of the Passover the people were directed to remove all the leaven from their houses as they were to put away sin from their hearts. Christ warned His disciples, "Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." Luke 12:1. And the apostle Paul speaks of the "leaven of malice and wickedness." 1 Cor. 5:8. But in the Saviour^aEURTMs parable, leaven is used to represent the kingdom of heaven. It illustrates the quickening, assimilating power of the grace of God. {COL 95.3}
None are so vile, none have fallen so low, as to be beyond the working of this power. In all who will submit themselves to the Holy Spirit a new principle of life is to be implanted; the lost image of God is to be restored in humanity. {COL 96.1}
But man cannot transform himself by the exercise of his will. He possesses no power by which this change can be effected. The leaven-something wholly from without-must be put into the meal before the desired change can be wrought in it. So the grace of God must be received by the sinner before he can be fitted for the kingdom of glory. All the culture and education which the world can give will fail of making a degraded child of sin a child of heaven. The renewing energy must come from God. The change can be made only by the Holy [BEGIN P.97] Spirit. All who would be saved, high or low, rich or poor, must submit to the working of this power. {COL 96.2}
As the leaven, when mingled with the meal, works from within outward, so it is by the renewing of the heart that the grace of God works to transform the life. No mere external change is sufficient to bring us into harmony with God. There are many who try to reform by correcting this or that bad habit, and they hope in this way to become Christians, but they are beginning in the wrong place. Our first work is with the heart. {COL 97.1}
A profession of faith and the possession of truth in the soul are two different things. The mere knowledge of truth is not enough. We may possess this, but the tenor of our thoughts may not be changed. The heart must be converted and sanctified. {COL 97.2}
The man who attempts to keep the commandments of God from a sense of obligation merely-because he is required to do so-will never enter into the joy of obedience. He does not obey. When the requirements of God are accounted a burden because they cut across human inclination, we may know that the life is not a Christian life. True obedience is the outworking of a principle within. It springs from the love of righteousness, the love of the law of God. The essence of all righteousness [BEGIN P.98] is loyalty to our Redeemer. This will lead us to do right because it is right-because right doing is pleasing to God. {COL 97.3}
The great truth of the conversion of the heart by the Holy Spirit is presented in Christ^aEURTMs words to Nicodemus: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born from above, he can not see the kingdom of God.... That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound ther, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit." John 3:3-8, margin. {COL 98.1}
The apostle Paul, writing by the Holy Spirit, says, "God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." Eph. 2:4-8. {COL 98.2}
The leaven hidden in the flour works invisibly to bring the whole mass under its leavening process; so the leaven of truth works secretly, silently, steadily, to transform the soul. The natural inclinations are softened and subdued. New thoughts, new feelings, new motives, are implanted. [BEGIN P.99] A new standard of character is set up-the life of Christ. The mind is changed; the faculties are roused to action in new lines. Man is not endowed with new faculties, but the faculties he has are sanctified. The conscience is awakened. We are endowed with traits of character that enable us to do service for God. {COL 98.3}
Often the question arises, Why, then, are there so many, claiming to believe God^aEURTMs word, in whom there is not seen a reformation in words, in spirit, and in character? Why are there so many who cannot bear opposition to their purposes and plans, who manifest an unholy temper, and whose words are harsh, overbearing, and passionate? There is seen in their lives the same love of self, the same selfish indulgence, the same temper and hasty speech, that is seen in the life of the worldling. There is the same sensitive pride, the same yielding to natural inclination, the same perversity of character, as if the truth were wholly unknown to them. The reason is that they are not converted. They have not hidden the leaven of truth in the heart. It has not had opportunity to do its work. Their natural and cultivated tendencies to evil have not been submitted [BEGIN P.100] to its transforming power. Their lives reveal the absence of the grace of Christ, an unbelief in His power to transform the character. {COL 99.1}
"Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Rom. 10:17. The Scriptures are the great agency in the transformation of character. Christ prayed, "Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth." John 17:17. If studied and obeyed, the word of God works in the heart, subduing every unholy attribute. The Holy Spirit comes to convict of sin, and the faith that springs up in the heart works by love to Christ, conforming us in body, soul, and spirit to His own image. Then God can use us to do His will. The power given us works from within outwardly, leading us to communicate to others the truth that has been communicated to us. {COL 100.1}
The truths of the word of God meet man^aEURTMs great practical necessity-the conversion of the soul through faith. These grand principles are not to be thought too pure and holy to be brought into the daily life. They are truths which reach to heaven and compass eternity, yet their vital influence is to be woven into human experience. They are [BEGIN P.101] to permeate all the great things and all the little things of life. {COL 100.2}
Received into the heart, the leaven of truth will regulate the desires, purify the thoughts, and sweeten the disposition. It quickens the faculties of the mind and the energies of the soul. It enlarges the capacity for feeling, for loving. {COL 101.1}
The world regards as a mystery the man who is imbued with this principle. The selfish, money-loving man lives only to secure for himself the riches, honors, and pleasures of this world. He loses the eternal world from his reckoning. But with the follower of Christ these things will not be all-absorbing. For Christ^aEURTMs sake he will labor and deny self, that he may aid in the great work of saving souls who are without Christ and without hope in the world. Such a man the world cannot understand; for he is keeping in view eternal realities. The love of Christ with its redeeming power has come into the heart. This love masters every other motive, and raises its possessor above the corrupting influence of the world. {COL 101.2}
The word of God is to have a sanctifying effect on our association with every member of the human family. The leaven of truth will not produce the spirit of rivalry, the love of ambition, the desire to be first. True, heaven-born love is not selfish and changeable. It is not dependent on human praise. The heart of him who receives the grace [BEGIN P.102] of God overflows with love for God and for those for whom Christ died. Self is not struggling for recognition. He does not love others because they love and please him, because they appreciate his merits, but because they are Christ^aEURTMs purchased possession. If his motives, words, or actions are misunderstood or misrepresented, he takes no offense, but pursues the even tenor of his way. He is kind and thoughtful, humble in his opinion of himself, yet full of hope, always trusting in the mercy and love of God. {COL 101.3}
The apostle exhorts us, "As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15, 16. The grace of Christ is to control the temper and the voice. Its working will be seen in politeness and tender regard shown by brother for brother, in kind, encouraging words. An angel presence is in the home. The life breathes a sweet perfume, which ascends to God as holy incense. Love is manifested in kindness, gentleness, forbearance, and long-suffering. {COL 102.1}
The countenance is changed. Christ abiding in the heart shines out in the faces of those who love Him and keep His commandments. Truth is written there. The sweet peace of heaven is revealed. There is expressed a habitual gentleness, a more than human love. {COL 102.2}
The leaven of truth works a change in the whole man, making the coarse refined, the rough gentle, the selfish generous. By it the impure are cleansed, washed in the blood of the Lamb. Through its life-giving power it brings all there is of mind and soul and strength into harmony with the divine life. Man with his human nature becomes a partaker of divinity. Christ is honored in excellence and perfection of character. As these changes are effected, angels break forth in rapturous song, and God and Christ rejoice over souls fashioned after the divine similitude. {COL 102.3}
Reference: pagan-space.blogspot.com
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