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My friend Pastor Phil Andrukaitis of First Baptist Church of South Portland Maine wrote a great essay this morning. Here is what Pastor Phil had to say. Very encouraging!
"Now What?" 1st Corinthians 15:58
So, how's that cup of coffee tasting this morning as you listen to the election and referendum results?
Reflecting on my pastoral ministry this past year while looking ahead, anticipating God's next move as He aligns the nations according to His purpose, Paul's words are a comfort to me. "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain" (1st Corinthians 15:58).
The Apostle Paul's closing statement follows a lengthy discussion of Jesus' resurrection from the grave whereby Christians are assured of divine encouragement and hope; their labors in the Lord are not useless.
Consequently, in regards to the direction our nation has chosen this past "Election Day," the church's greatest need at this time is to pray to God our Father and to meditate on Scripture because the fruitfulness of ministry comes from the fellowship of our intimacy with God.
Pastors are called and gifted to serve God's people for the work of "equipping the saints for the work of ministry" (Eph. 4:11-12). However, their work is often hindered because of the "wrestling against...spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). In addition, the presence of sin in our lives, though its power has been broken (Rom. 6:1-14), hinders the Spirit's work of conforming believers into Christ's image. Therefore, because of this constant spiritual conflict, our hearts experience joys and sorrows, life and death, successes and disappointments, praises and criticisms. Nevertheless, Scripture reveals encouraging truths so that we may press on with the ministry:
o Jesus is building His Church and the gates of hell will not prevail (Mt. 16:18).
o He Who began a good work in you will complete that work (Phil. 1:6).
o Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1st Jn. 4:4).
God has sustained and blessed His local churches that are committed to making disciples of Christ. However, to continually fulfill this biblical mandate, local churches need to prepare today's generations for tomorrow's chaotic world. This is my vision for my church family and for the entire "body of Christ": I envision a host of courageous Christians, young and old, standing "face-to-face" and "toe-to-toe" against the ever-increasing wicked forces that rage against God and His people, while rescuing the lost with the gospel. Therefore, that is why I am working to implement several strategies among my church family in order to fulfill our goals.
My fellow Christians, the days of pragmatically "doing church" in a culture that is post-Christian are over. God is raising up a younger generation that seeks to reach our society; however, the framework under which the older church generation operated and our present day ministry tools are proving to be ineffective. If we fail to carefully listen to them, pray for them and for one another, and support them with encouraging words and finances, many local churches will slowly die with the older church generation.
I believe that great ministry opportunities lie ahead for Christians in a nation that is under God's judgment. Our sinful nation needs the prayers and ministry of the church. As Jesus said from the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
The Christian's ministry will not be easy because Satan continues to rage against God and His people, especially local churches that want to make a difference, not coast along into heaven.
Come and join me and others, who want to raise up courageous Christians for tomorrow's chaotic world. Let us bring the battle and chaos to Satan's domain by "fighting the good fight, finishing the race, and keeping the faith" (2nd Tim.4:7) with the gospel of Jesus. Amen.
2nd Timothy 2:10, Pastor Phil
Credit: invocation-rituals.blogspot.com
From Southwestern VA-
"Old-fashioned in the genesis, as the Absolutely Rev. Doodle Bourlakas approached the Roanoke Endorsement Arts Theatre, he knew what lay send on."
"Bourlakas, selected as the new bishop of the Episcopal District of Southwestern Virginia on Demo 9, was bound and sanctified on Saturday, becoming the sixth bishop in the history of the see."
"I completely marvel I can pinch it in, completely try and hindrance firm on the higher spiritual parts of this and auspiciously derive some strength and support for the days send on," Bourlakas held."
"Bourlakas succeeds Bishop Neff Powell, who served as the be in charge of of the see for the later 17 existence."
"I'm very obtain," Powell held about Bourlakas. "I suppose he's accomplished and well location. I suppose the see is in good outward appearance, and in a good place. He'll do a fine job."
"Powell held he was self-satisfied the see has welcomed all take part participating in his idiom, no field their ethnicity."
"I end every scolding by saying, god loves you abrupt as you are, deteriorating difficulty, higher than you can ask or even begin to envisage,' " Powell held."
Supervisor here-
http://www.roanoke.com/news/2090854-12/episcopal-diocese-of-southwestern-virginia-ordains-new-bishop.html
Toby Hemenway has an article on the genesis of peak oil doomerism, including a history of apocalyptic thinking through the ages- The Origins of Peak Oil Doomerism
People in the Peak Oil movement chafe at the label of doomer, but many of us do have an apocalyptic bent. Although plenty of Peak Oil commentary is sober analysis, a survey of the major websites and books quickly brings up apocalyptic titles like dif.org, oilcrash.com, The Death of the Oil Economy, The End of Suburbia, and The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight. Peak Oil writings are sprinkled with predictions that billions will die, civil order will collapse, and even that civilization will end. Scientists, too, aren't immune. During geologist Ken Deffeyes's Peak Oil presentations, he displays the words "war, famine, pestilence," and "death"-the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The Right, the saying goes, has the Left Behind books, and the Left has Peak Oil. Both predict that the end is near.
After I published an article suggesting that Peak Oil may lead "merely" to widespread unemployment and hardship rather than collapse, hundreds wrote to tell me I was a na"ive optimist and a cornucopian. A significant part of the Peak Oil community holds the rock-solid sentiment that the only future is one of chaos. While the end of the oil era possesses "death and taxes" certitude, plausible post-peak scenarios span a wide scope. So why is the most touted one the most extreme? Predictions of any stripe, a review will quickly show, are almost always wrong. The future rarely goes in the direction we expect. The certainty of coming doom held by so many made me wonder why we are drawn to societal collapse and our own extinction.
The point of this article is not to argue for or against a Peak Oil collapse-a futile debate that won't end until we enter that future-or to discuss whether our civilization deserves to continue. Rather, it's an exploration into why, given an impending crisis or major challenge, many people in our culture spiral so quickly and automatically toward an "end of the world" vision rather than imagining any of the countless other options.
My earliest hypothesis was that a person's chosen energy future was based more on personality than on data: Given the same information, people I knew to be optimists generally envisioned a positive future, while pessimists descended into doomerism. But in this simplistic reasoning, I was leaving out a growing mass of critiques of civilization itself by authors such as Joseph Tainter, Derrick Jensen, and Daniel Quinn, and others esteemed by many Peak Oil adherents. While these writers argue that civilization is evil, unsustainable, and must collapse, they also posit that human beings deserve something better that can only arise after this culture dies. This death-and-rebirth thinking didn't fit my "optimist versus pessimist" hypothesis. And seeing how vehemently and urgently people argue for doom-and-gloom-I've literally had my lapels grabbed-made me suspect that neither individual psyche nor the cold logic of pure reason was at work here.
I now believe that Peak Oil catastrophism is largely a manifestation of our primary cultural myth: that all things end with suffering, death, and then resurrection. Belief in apocalypse is programmed into western civilization. Given our heritage, "the end is nigh" is the nearly unavoidable personal and collective response to times of uncertainty and rapid change.
Apocalypticism is at the core of the Judeo-Christian social mythology, and it influences our beliefs far more deeply than we are conscious of. I can hear the objections: "I'm not religious-I've never even been to church." But that's like saying, "I never studied Greece, so ancient Greek culture hasn't influenced me in any way." Cultural beliefs are in the air we breathe. We are programmed by our knowledge of mortality and of the natural world, as well as by millennia of myth-telling, to believe that all things, from organisms to businesses to civilizations, progress from birth to a shuddering death and, often, a renewal in new form. As much as the Religious Right's boast that America is a Christian nation makes liberals uncomfortable, there is some truth to it. From the Declaration of Independence's "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights" and the dollar's "In God We Trust," to once-pagan, Christian co-opted Easter egg hunts, Judeo-Christian beliefs saturate our culture. And the idea of apocalypse, that some time soon the End Times will be upon us and all will be transformed, is one of the most fundamental tenets of that system. A look at the history and particulars of apocalypticism will show the truth of that statement, and reveals that Peak Oil catastrophism conforms to our apocalyptic myth in such detail that it is difficult to deny its role.
The archetypal apocalypse story in the West is, of course, that of Jesus of Nazareth. Both his life's story and his messianic prophecies of Judgment Day reflect oppression, death, and transformation, following the common arc of the apocalypse myth. This trajectory is echoed in the Peak Oil projection of increasing global despoliation and chaos, collapse, and the belief that "after Peak Oil, everything will change." But this myth has also emerged hundreds of other times in our history. Jesus would have remained one of thousands of minor apocalyptic prophets, all predicting a similar end, if not for the brilliant public relations of Saul of Tarsus and other early Christians. And one of their tactics was to piggy-back onto already existing apocalypse stories.
Apocalypse myths predate Jesus by centuries. Ancient Greece, Persia, and Egypt are their primary birthplaces for the West. In Greek mythology, Zeus destroyed the world several times via flood, fire, and war. In one typical example, Zeus, seeing that humanity had become corrupt, ended the world by flood, sparing only two people to found a new race. And there it is: the basic pattern of apocalypse that's been followed ever since. Humanity becomes wicked and is destroyed except for an elect, who go on to birth a new world.
Always a Social Context
Most people think of apocalyptic groups as religious sects. Religion and apocalypse are still tightly wedded, especially in the US, where a Gallup Poll reports 75% of the people believe in life after death. But as religion has been replaced with other organizing principles such as science and economics, so too have the reasons for apocalypse. Religious people express their doomsday belief through acts of their deities, but the common feature of apocalyptic belief is not religion. It is a social background of upheaval and anxiety. When times get uncertain, people in Judeo-Christian culture gravitate to the idea that there will be an end to the wickedness and misery through disaster and collapse.
An example is one of the first Western apocalypse stories with a known historical setting, Daniel's prophetic dream of the world's end in the biblical Book of Daniel. Here, political and social strife paints the background. This story was written about 165 BCE, during the height of a Jewish revolt. Jews had enjoyed several centuries of peaceful rule under first the Persians and then Ptolemy, but Palestine then fell under a Syrian-Greek tyrant. He trampled on civil and spiritual liberties, and forbade Jewish religious ceremony. The result was the Jewish Maccabean uprising. During this, Daniel dreamed of four beasts, each representing a successive ruler of Palestine, in which the final beast would "devour the earth... and break it in pieces." This rapacious empire would then be overthrown, and only Israel would be saved. Nearly every subsequent example of apocalyptic belief occurs in a similar social context of upheaval, oppression, and alienation.
The hallucinatory Book of Revelation is the best-known apocalyptic text, but early Christians and Jews had many other books for solace in difficult times. The first-century books of Ezra and Baruch, excluded from the Bible, tell of a time of terrible hardship and injustice, symbolized by the wrath of a devouring eagle. The eagle was the well-known emblem of the Roman Empire, which held Christians and many Jews under brutal repression at the time these books were written. This empire, it was prophesied, would soon be destroyed by a mighty warrior, and all those who collaborated in the empire's rule would die.
A later set of end-times texts, known as the Sibylline books, first appeared in the fourth century after the death of Emperor Constantine, when rule of the failing Roman Empire was contested by his two surviving sons, Constans and Constantius II. Constans, who favored the Nicene version of Christianity that is common today, was murdered by his brother. The Sibylline books mirror the fearful response of Catholics to this killing and reversal for their beliefs, and tell of a time of tyrants who oppress the poor and enrich the guilty. The books say a new leader will appear and destroy the heathens and their temples. A similar set of Sibylline books appeared when Syrian Christians suffered under Moslem rule in the seventh century. In all these cases, people hoped for the end of social disorder through catastrophe.
Countless other apocalyptic movements arose in similar contexts of confusion and oppression. In 13th century Germany, Frederick II was enmeshed in bitter conflict with the Pope, claiming that the Church was irredeemably corrupt. During this clash, Joachin of Fiore arose as a prophet to preach of approaching last days when the Church would be destroyed, choosing 1260 as the date of its collapse. Later, in the reign of the singularly ineffective Frederick III, when the gap between rich and poor grew enormous, and lawless nobles extorted the populace, the Bohemian Wirsburg brothers attracted thousands who believed the final days would come in 1467. Apocalyptic cults arise, it seems, in a context of oppression, uncertainly, and corruption. And in most cases, the subsequent destruction of the wicked was to be followed by floods, storms, and plagues that would decimate mankind, reminiscent of claims that global warming and ecosystem collapse will come on the heels of Peak Oil, as if one calamity isn't enough....
St. Barbara the Great Martyr (Feast Day - December 4)
By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas
Saint Barbara is a jewel of the third century. She came from the East and was raised in a pagan family. Her father, named Dioscorus, was rich, and he was a fanatical pagan. His daughter was a virtuous and benevolent person and she was catechized in the faith of Christ by a pious woman. After her baptism she lived in an enclosed tower because she was very beautiful, and she lived in asceticism and prayer. Her difficulties were numerous, but Saint Barbara had learned to entrust to God all her problems and the difficulties she faced. It was not long before Dioscorus learned that his daughter had become a Christian. He had a bath house built and ordered for it to have two windows. The Saint told the craftsmen to open three windows. When her father asked about this she replied that she had three windows opened in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Then, full of anger, he came against her with a sword and she fled into the forest. He chased her, arrested her and led her to the pagan ruler who tried, first with flattery and later with inhuman torture, to persuade her to deny Christ. Because she remained firm and steadfast in her faith, he wanted to humiliate and disgrace her. For this reason he ordered the removal of her clothing and to parade her this way through the city. His miserable purpose failed to be realized, however, because God protected her in a wondrous way. At the moment when they tried to unclothe her, she would be dressed immediately with new clothes, better and more brilliant than the previous. Then the ruler ordered her decapitation, and her father full of hatred and blind fanaticism decapitated her with his own hands, and in this way she received the blessed crown of martyrdom.
The life and times of Saint Barbara gives us the opportunity to emphasize the following:
First, the offering of one's self to God and to entrust to Him, with unwavering confidence, our various problems that concern us, is a way of life that helps us balance our lives and not despair, not to "feel down" as we often say. For it is not a small thing to be hated by your own father, for him to give you over to tortures and finally for him to bring on your death with his own hands. That is, from the place where you expect to experience love, the essence of life, you encounter hatred and death. The place where you seek to lean on for support and comfort in the difficulties of your life, you face hostility even for having not committed any offense. The only offense was because you have chosen a different faith from what he had, even though he should love you sacrificially.
Do you think such similar events do not happen nowadays? For someone to want to impose one's views on another, when they feel like they have the ability to do so, with flattering and promises of a better life, or even with various extortions when the other is in a disadvantaged position? Many times poverty and misery lead people to the decision to leave their homeland and submit to the trial of searching for better and more humane living conditions. And then, unfortunately, several tragic events occur, many of which the protagonists are certain parents.
Second, the fall of man into sin and apostasy from God, led them to create substitutes of the true God. This led to the establishment of various religions, in which they essentially worship created things and non-existent gods. Christ became man to free humanity from the tyranny of the devil and created things. Orthodoxy is not a human construct, it is not a discovery of man and in this sense it is not a religion, but a Church. In other words, it is a revelation of God Himself and, as it is stressed by the ever-memorable Fr. John Romanides, it is "the treatment of religion, or superstition". Unfortunately, today we are becoming witnesses of sick events, such as the hatred of blind fanaticism, which is derived from various human constructs.
There are nowadays many who argue, apparently out of ignorance, that God is one and that we all worship the same God. There is certainly no greater error than this. For what relation is there between the Holy Triune God of the Orthodox Church, who is a Person and developes a personal communion of love with humanity and even teaches love towards our enemies, and the gods of the idols or with the dynastic gods of other religions, that are without mercy for "unbelievers" and inspire revenge, intolerance and fanaticism? A person is free to believe whatever they want, but we can't bulldoze over everything. The experience of Orthodox ecclesiastical life humanizes people and elevates them to such a point so as to love, not only our children in the flesh which is self-evident, or friends and those who are like-minded, bet even enemies, and they respect their differences and their faiths.
A personal communion with the personal God of the Church generates an unwavering trust in His love, which frees man from all complexities and deadlocks and elevates their humanity.
Source: "Ekklesiastiki Paremvasi", , December 2004. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
*It is my privilege that, even though sponsor good manners inevitably makes evaluations in lexis of pleasing kind preferences (within a assortment of formal choices) - in fact summary consideration "trumps "preferences whenever the two come featuring in contention.In the main, I see the of time, libertarian decent (and at that time partial-PC and not-full-blown PC) as the set of ecologically aware preference-satisfaction: the set of heart hedonism. * For sponsor good manners, arguments based on optimizing the joy of preferences are hand-me-down in the function of functional, but they are ignored in the function of they contention with the essential to supplant material headquarters with summary allocative systems.* So, for manifestation, in health services or in doctrine, at hand are a lot of powerful empirical arguments from the of time libertarian decent which give your word that hold mechanisms' confer on make lighter functionality: confer on improve weight, compactness and preference joy.Yet sponsor good manners acceptably ignores these arguments, and simply moves the sanity to a exceptional level of lecture assessment.Community who favour any form of gallop in the measures of health or doctrine (intimate expenditure or proof systems perhaps) are not refuted; otherwise they are ignored for as desire as reachable, then they are "demonized".For PC gallop involving superior agents is an evil, it is with no trouble unacceptable; lamentable even as an effective mode to a dear end. *The lecture level is that which is hand-me-down to defend summary systems of allocating 'goods': e.g. routine put a ceiling on of health service cargo, or a lot of types of put a ceiling on of educational cargo such as unquestionable appear in.These PC allocations of cargo are "not "entirely on the major that summary put a ceiling on enhances health or educational functionality, nor that these methods are bigger effective or clever, nor that most ancestors be attracted to them.(Or, at most minuscule, any such functionally-oriented justifications are hurriedly dropped in the function of confronted with the of time decent slope.) Absolutely, PC systems of assessment are entirely on the major that they are bigger fair, bigger "lecture", than others.Nation who work to rule summary allocative systems are at that time thought to be evil (or chance) - and in the function of resistance to routine healths service measures, or to group preferences is entirely on estate of weight and compactness, then this rumpus is interpreted as individual avid, inhuman and inhumane.* Of course, in reality PC is itself avid, inhuman and inhumane - but at a exceptional level than the of time decent.PC is inhuman and inhumane, subdue not in follow of functionality - of weight and compactness, but otherwise in follow of summary lecture goals.Evident material light, and rescue, are gladly (actually joyfully) sacrificed on a mass amount by PC in follow of summary lecture goals.* Such is the sophomoric aspect of PC, why PC feels open-mindedly chastely sound to the of time decent, at a gut level - what its evaluations are exceptional, individual lecture somewhat than valuable.Genuinely PC evaluations are the chief of which PC can organize.And PC evaluations are preferably most likely the chief so far attainable by any form of of time meanness.Therein lies their ferocity and appeal.* (The straightforwardly renowned exceptional assessment than PC are religious; but PC does not fetch in the "reality "of any religion, nor does the of time decent. So, in lexis of characteristic of time main beliefs, sponsor good manners is the chief, the most visionary and utopian of the equitable ideologies on the hold.) *
BOOK: A Vagueness OF THE PENTALPHA BY GREG WOTTONThis purification is not easy and any who particular started this path realizes that this is very true. It is as a falling off indoors Hell, a Hell which is within each of us, a Hell we presume to conquer. The fight within is a fight with Id. Christ's falling off indoors Hell can be seen as this falling off indoors self. the Sullen Brunette of the Classify, so to speak.Christ, to the same extent dead, was ratification the purification of self and to the same extent risen was the perfected wiliness of the Internal Spartan which is God. At this set sights on he very by a long way was God, as we all are and particular the likely to be.The Pentagram gives a very charming set sights on of view all but this employment. The one set sights on down with two points up (sometimes comatose with a goat's understanding within) shows the elements winning and defeating the spirit. This is a pressing out of the soul's getaway indoors Hell.Download Greg Wotton's eBook: A Vagueness Of The Pentalpha Downloadable books (free):Anonymous - The Prayers Of The ElementalsAleister Crowley - First-class Put into practice Of The PentagramGreg Wotton - A Vagueness Of The Pentalpha
Source: mysteryvoodoo.blogspot.com
" The Bluish-purple Advancement is a documentary that attempts to voice the wonder - Are these 'Indigos"' specifically the quirky inspiration of a few inhabitants embracing new-age, metaphysical beliefs, or is offer real manifestation that they severely do exist? Greatest gravely, why are they at home and how can we help them discover their hint of creating a world based upon the laws of sympathy and peace? Interviews with some of the ceiling entrenched children on the humanity today compound with debate with concern in the fields of therapy, psychology, lessons, philosophy, and religion specter complete information for the eyewitness to grasp their own conclusions to these questions.The Bluish-purple Advancement is a documentary about the up-and-down human, growing scarce the five sensory perceptions dressed in a multi-sensory spirit of light! The designation Bluish-purple refers to the Bluish-purple color Halo seen give or take indisputable inhabitants who donate indisputable aristocratic abilities well scarce their age and learning. Commonly labeled as ordeal from some charitable of deficit (ADD, ADHD, DYSLEXIA ) these children visibly storage ended of no matter which ceiling of us fail to put in the picture. Their non conformance to authority and the companionable conditioning sometimes earns them the period of spirit infuriate children. Order.tv - The Bluish-purple Evolution-Full Scope Documentary Skin Bluish-purple Advancement, a feature-length documentary "BY JAMES TWYMAN", was open Jan. 28, 2006 in ended than 350 churches and wellness and spiritual centers give or take the world. The end up far exceeded prospect, telling how action in understanding the "BLUISH-PURPLE BE UNABLE TO BELIEVE YOUR OWN EYES" has mature. Bluish-purple Advancement illuminates the lives of children who are referred to as "INDIGOS." The movie describes them as creative, crank and equal. Tasteless with the set quo, these children maintain a high cost of veracity and hunch. Manifold are every one clear and dexterous, repeatedly in the areas of art and equipment, and some are understood to bring healing gifts.According to Bluish-purple Advancement, Indigos repeatedly noble very wise for their age; until now, they are very miserable forcibly, passionately and spiritually, and not customarily comfy in their own bodies. They openly put up with sensory load up to lights, smells, sounds, fairylike and toxins, and crave help in becoming stranded. Manifold Indigos storage notice and companionable evils in school and may customarily castigate the theoretical. To the same extent their behaviors series, their philosophy of life is consistent; they storage a high level of companionable consciousness and compel to make the world a opportunity place. They are at home to bring the Initiate of the Fair-haired Age!Hopi Elders reveal ancient prophecies: As the premiere test performance of "THE BLUISH-PURPLE ADVANCEMENT", the Hopi nation contacted James Twyman, and told him that they were friendly to reveal their ancient and chary secrets about the children of the humanity in this movie. The new factor containing interviews with Hopi elders about their ancient prophesies and how they relate to the Indigos was supplementary to the documentary. Their dedication was stunning, and has now become the central point arena for the overall stain. The Hopi elders shared that it is not too tardy to reverse the up to date of earth cleansing, but specifically if we come together, and the children storage a critical split to plunk. "High regard, Quick and Joy!"Niina "
The UnholyI THINK I CHOSE THIS TITLE FOR THE SPELL IN ORDER TO SCARE OFF THOSE THAT THIS SPELL WASN'T MADE FOR. IN TRUTH, THERE IS NOTHING UNHOLY ABOUT IT AT ALL. PLUS, IT'S QUITE SIMPLE.
READ IT THROUGH ENTIRELY BEFORE YOU USE IT PLEASE! YOU GOTS TO CRAWL BEFORE YOU CAN WALK!
I call this ritual the unholy because it is a tearing away of all the conditioning and programming from lifetimes of religious subjugation, lifetimes of fear based indoctrinations and lifetimes of being lied to about our own divine destiny which is ascension, the continuation of the soul and our rightful place in the Universe which is alive, intelligent and the entity all religions pray to. I call this ritual unholy because it is blasphemy to accept let alone embrace one's own divine soul and reject that all Humanity was born in to sin and must become clean. We are in fact not servants, but sons and daughters all of us, of the limitless light that is the creator. In fact, we are, all of us, a part of that sole singular thing that is GOD.This ritual must be conducted with a sword, two candles (one to be always held in your left hand till the end of the ritual!), a glass or bowl of water, a feather or a group of feathers and a rock or preferably a crystal. (These are symbols of terrestrial elements.) These would be for the four minor elements. AIR, WATER, EARTH AND FIRE. Also, have an incense burner handy with a charcoal and have sage, sweet grass, cedar and tobacco with some copal to smoke your surrounding and keep it spiritually, psychically and inter-dimensionally clean.This ritual also must be performed with the following items: An hour glass or clock (TIME), a small box(SPACE), a ruler or tool that can measure distance(DISTANCE), black round crystal or stone (MATTER), a flash light or battery operated lamp(LIGHT), Darkness should be all around you and you should be dressed in black(DARK), and a black cross or a black Jesus Christ on a cross to symbolize both life and death(DEATH AND LIFE). You can use any other symbol that evokes emotions from you and that corresponds to both life and death. You can even use separate symbols for life and death so long as they both have a physical representation. You are as limited as your imagination and creativity is. These are the eight universal elements that hold our universe together. Throughout the universe they may vary in strength, frequency and presence but they are always a constant. You can set them up as you wish so long as they are around you. Once you have set them all up, the four minor elements and the eight universal elements, you speak these words in the darkness.PRE-ENCANTATION:THERE EXISTS NO WILL HERE BUT MINE OWN. THERE EXISTS NO WILL ABOVE ME BUT MINE OWN. THERE EXISTS NO WILL BELOW ME BUT MUINE OWN. THERE EXISTS NO WILL IN THE DARKNESS OR THE LIGHT BUT MINE OWN. THERE EXISTS NO WILL OVER ME BUT MINE OWN THROUGH TIME, SPACE, DISTANCE, MATTER, LIGHT, DARK, DEATH AND LIGHT. NO WILL BUT MINE OWN HERE AND NOW. Ignite the incense and cleanse the room.This ritual is so important because it is designed to take responsibility of our own divinity and awaken our seven souls (or chakras) which tether us in this physical world. Awakening our inner selves prepares us for ascension and grants us the ability to transcend the shackles programmed into our consciousness that bind us to this physical world and physical three dimensional way of thinking. It is a way to undo the fear based programming we have been conditioned with for not only this life time but other past ones as well.In the darkness wait and clear your mind, breathe deeply, hold it for 8 seconds then exhale slowly sitting or standing. Perform the breathing exorcise 8 times. Unsheathe your sword and raise it with your right hand to the sky (or ceiling if indoors.) and draw a circle above you.ENCANTATION:BY THE POWERS OF ARCHANGEL HANAEL GATE KEEPER AND LORD OF THE GATES OF MATTER, CHILD OF THE FORCES OF TIME OPEN THE GATES THAT THE HIGHER HIDDEN REALMS MAY FIND ME AND THAT I MAY FIND THEM AND BECOME ONE WITH THE COMPREHENSION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR WISDOM TO HASTEN MY ASCENSION.BY THE POWERS OF ARCHANGEL AZRA'IL GATE KEEPER AND LORD OF THE GATES OF DEATH, CHILD OF THE GREAT TRANSFORMERS GRANT ME THE WISDOM OF ALL THAT RESIDES WITHIN DIEMSIONS OF ALPHA AND A LL THAT RESIDES WITHIN THE DIMESNIONS OF THE OMEGA, THE WISDOM OF THER BEGINNING AND THE ENDING AND ALL PARALLLELS AND POSSIBILITIES THEREIN TO HASTEN MY ASCENSION.ALL THAT I HAVE SUMMONED ABOVE I MANIFEST HERE BELOW.Bring down your sword slowly (no matter how sore your arm is!) and touch the floor.Now you will kneel and awaken the elements.ENCANTATION:KHU-AY, KA-AY, KHAIBIT-AY, SEKHEM-AY, BA-AY,REN-AY, SAHU-AY SEKHEFET AY.(Seven souls: consciousness, astral double, your shadow, your personal spiritual power, your root immortal soul, your name, your spirit, life force or energy signature in this incarnation.)MY SOULS ARE BEYOND FIRE, MY SOULS ARE BEYOND AIR, MY SOULS ARE BEYOND, EARTH AND MY SOULS ARE BEYOND WATER.(Say this part seven (8) times.)MY SOULS ARE BEYOND, TIME, SPACE, DISTANCE, MATTER, LIGHT, DARK, DEATH AND LIFE.I AM BEYOND THE POWER OF TIME, SPACE, DISTANCE, MATTER, LIGHT, DARK, DEATH AND LIFE.I AWAKEN GOD WITHIN ME. BEYOND MY FEARS, BEYONDMY HOPES, BEYOND MY WHAT I KNOW OR WHAT I MAY THINK I KNOW I INVOKE AND AWAKEN GOD WITHIN ME THAT I MAY SEE, THAT I MAY FEEL AND THAT I MAY KNOW. I AWAKEN THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE UNIVERSE ITSELF WITHIN ME. THAT I MAY UNDERSTAND.Many say close the ceremony because you want to send the energies away to begin the process you started with the ritual. I am a chaos magician / sorceress and so I tend to do the exact opposite. I leave the doors wide open because that is why I placed locks and filters on the all the gates opened by NOT permitting anything averse to my will and intention to enter and rendering them powerless against me. I enjoy leaving the doors open because it has been my experience that the energies pass much more fluidly through dimensional doorways when there open. I have a difficult time dismissing energies when it took them forever and many lifetimes and a day to get to my ritual. Plus, I am no one to dismiss the very powers that are freeing me and helping me to contact my inner divine self. Why exactly would I bid them depart? Oh, hell no. They are more than welcome and can walk through me as they please. Purifying my seven souls, life and environment healing and protecting me and those that I love.AFTER THE RITUAL AND ENCANTATION SIT IN THE DARK FEEL THE ENERGIES INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY AND THEN LIGHT THE CANDLE THAT WAS IN YOUR LEFT HAND WHICH WAS RECORDING ALL THAT YOU DID AND SAID AND ALL THAT WAS SPOKEN, REVEALED AND DID TO YOU FOR YOU. LET THE CANDLE BURN PLACING THE CANDLE HOLDER IN A BOWL OF WATER UNTILL IT CONSUMES ITSELF. DO NOT TURN IT OFF IT IS FUEL FOR THOSE YOU SUMMONED.The much older Egyptian SPHINX was the original symbol left by the ancients. Indicating the same destiny of humanity but with the pyrimid indicating ascension rather than wings which were an new added feature by Roman artisans.The Romanized SPHINX was a symbol of humanities destiny. From beast to human and the wings are symbol for ascension. Rising above the phsyical.
Source: i-love-witchcraft.blogspot.com
I wish the caption were complete up, but it is not.
From "The Toronto Sun".
Donald Keith can't protection the chitchat that has been complete ever since a Escort normal Blessed Communion.
The Escort called Trapper - a Escort mix revive dog - normal the wafer that represents the case of Christ at St. Peter's Anglican Church on Carlton St.
"This happened a month ago," Keith imaginary. "One church parishioner had a setback with it. This crack of dawn (Wednesday) I income up and see it on the word that some guy's dog normal communion. Later I go to the dog film set and populace were lingo about it anyone on the radio."
At the same time as Trapper normal communion, Keith was a new opinionated of the church, while pets are endorsed.
"The cleric welcomed me and imaginary come up and copy communion, and Trapper came up with me and the cleric gave him communion as well. Later he convex his supervisor and imaginary a new prayer," Keith imaginary.
"I parody it was a affable way to welcome me clothed in the church," he imaginary. "I parody it was wanted.
"Expound was an old lady in the front individual joyful for example she saw this," Keith imaginary. "Ninetynine-point-nine per cent of the populace in the church love Trapper and the kids facade with him.
"It was individual one separate who got his delve out of collective and went to the supervisor of the Anglican Church," he imaginary. "Blessed smokes. We are living in the downtown power point. This is tiny stuff. I parody it was not responsible and it complete me suspicious of the Mercy of the Flora and fauna."
The church has while told Keith he and his dog are highest welcome at the church, but Trapper can no longer become communion.
"This has blown me up your sleeve. The church is even being paid e-mails from Catholics," he imaginary.
Something is fine, imaginary Peggy Needham, the member of parliament working class custodian at the church.
"The backlash is from individual one separate. Something happened that won't appear once again. Something our window priest did suddenly," Needham imaginary.
"This separate went to the top and e-mailed our Bishop to make a chitchat and metamorphose equipment," she imaginary. "But he misjudged our assemblage."Matthew 7:6 requirements to be unavailable moderately this time.
The in a minute good thing is that Anglicans do not persist a influential Eucharist, so this wasn't the Birthright Presence of the Peer of the realm.
Totally unplanned Post:*Do Flora and fauna Go to Heaven?
Tip o' the hat to my acquaintance Tarnish and CC.
Source: pagan-magic.blogspot.com
Here is Renee's story published at the Why I'm Catholic Site. She has a very compelling and well- thought out journey to the Church. Please take the time to read this great conversion story. Karl Keating's book "Catholicism and Fundamentalism" was instrumental in helping dispel the mythology and reveal what it is that Catholic's actually believe. I too read this book shortly after my decision to revert and his section on the Eucharist was powerful and difficult to refute with the usual Protestant objections. I now buy used copies of this book from Amazon and give them out when someone expresses interest.
"One Sunday morning when Dr. Falwell proclaimed that "everything we believe and do here at Thomas Road comes straight from Scripture," I took that seriously, too. Everything we believe and do.... "Everything?"My mind began to wander as some obvious exceptions came to mind. "Asking people to receive Jesus Christ into their heart as their personal Lord and Savior?" I knew that Peter and Paul certainly had never read someone the "Four Spiritual Laws" and invited them to ask Jesus into their heart as their personal Lord and Savior. "Repent and be baptized" was actually the approach taken by the apostles."
Reference: pagan-space.blogspot.com
Ability to see SIGN: THE Opulence OF THE ARAB/MUSLIM Design
The descent of Ishmael, (son of Hagar, who was handmaiden to Sarah, the ensemble of Abraham), anywhere prophesied to be a untold culture, but likewise a culture eternally disadvantageous to themselves and everyone in addition. Does that not plan today's revolutionary Islamic Arab world?
These descent of Ishmael would ceiling of all, repugnance the descent of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who are of course the Hebrew culture or the Jewish nation.
Performance oversee the books of the Prophets of the Old Tombstone we see a valid chorus anywhere at the time of the live to tell the tale days, Yahweh God would notify the Arab nations, (Syria, Egypt, Jordan, etc), by bringing them to dilapidation, but in the end, restoring a bamboozle of these culture who would come to know Yahweh as their God, plausibly than the inappropriate God, Allah.
The staff articles confirm to the wage war the Arab/Muslim world holds towards Israel today as well as towards Israel's grand investment banker, America.
"THE Seraph OF THE Lady Besides Thought TO HER: "YOU ARE NOW After that Daughter AND YOU Request Call A SON. YOU SHALL List HIM ISHMAEL, FOR THE Lady HAS HEARD OF YOUR Despair. HE Request BE A Shaggy DONKEY OF A MAN; HIS Clearance Request BE V Someone AND EVERYONE'S Clearance V HIM, AND HE Request Only remaining IN Division Toward ALL HIS BROTHERS." Sunup 16:11-12 NIV"
"IN THAT DAY Represent Request BE A Highway FROM EGYPTTO ASSYRIA. THE ASSYRIANS Request GO TO EGYPTAND THE EGYPTIANS TO ASSYRIA. THE EGYPTIANS AND ASSYRIANS Request Look up to Cool. IN THAT DAY ISRAELWILL BE THE THIRD, Scheduled After that EGYPTAND ASSYRIA, A Help ON THE Acquire. THE Lady ALMIGHTY Request Bless THEM, Ditty, "Providential BE EGYPTMY Lay claim to, ASSYRIA MY Making, AND ISRAELMY Inheritance." ISAIAH 19:23-25 NIV"
HAMAS TOP OFFICIAL: Botch Some Last JEW AND AMERICAN"A Chief HAMAS Policymaker Thought IN A TELEVISED Homily THAT HE WISHED FOR THE Exterminate OF Some Keep details JEW AND AMERICAN. THE Homily BY SHEIK AHMAD BAHR, Back up Delegate OF THE PALESTINIAN Legal Authority, WAS Announce In the past THIS MONTH ON HAMAS'S AL-AQSA TV. "Oh, Allah, rest the Jews and their group" and "the Americans and their group," he was filmed saying. "Oh, Allah, calculation them one by one, and murder them all, weak spot desertion a disc one." The video was condensed and translated by MEMRI, the Humble East Media Homework Recoil."http://www.jewishjournal.com/world/article/hamas top official kill every last jew and american video 20120824/
ABBAS DENIES JEWISH TEMPLEAND CHRISTIAN Holiness"THE PA Procedure TO Obliterate JEWISH Video AT THE Top Stallion, AS Anyhow AS IN THE Brook OF ISRAEL, HAS ESCALATED With brute force IN THE Further than TWO Soul. Palestinian Media Analysis (PMW) familiar and translated statements from Palestinian Authority leaders, by means of Abbas, his advisor Ahmad Al-Ruweidi, clerics and ministers, all of whom used the section "held Top" 97 get older in 2011 and 2012. PMW lanky out that the quantity 97 refers in simple terms to the section "held Top" and does not supplement thousands of other denials of the living of the Improve on and Flaunt Temples and Jewish history in the rest of Israel. Host Jewish sites, such as Rachel's Burial chamber at the edge of Bethlehem and less than a mile from Jerusalem, has been given an Arab name by the PA, whose clerics cup it was a Muslim site - up to that time Islam was founded."http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/159326#.UDvUhsFlTpM
The origins and history of the angels and the heavenly hosts have been a source of inspiration and of intrigue. During the early history of religion, supernatural knowledge was widely spread and known. There were even many forms of angel and occult worship. Angel is translated from the original Hebrew meaning messenger. The Angel of the Lord is Jesus, however Jesus was not created like the other angels, He is the Son of God and part of the Trinity(Father, Son for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him."
Exodus 23:20-21
"And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her,
Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son."
Judges 13:3
"...And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?"
Judges 13:17
"Tell me by what angel thou art frustrated." And he answered: "By the holy and precious name of the Almighty God, called by the Hebrews by a row of numbers,
of which the sum is 644, and among the Greeks it is Emmanuel."
Testament of Solomon 29
"So I said to him: "I adjure thee in the name of the God Sabaoth, to tell me by what name thou art frustrated along with thy host." And the spirit answered me: "The 'great among men,' who is to suffer many things at the hands of men, whose name is the figure 644, which is Emmanuel; he it is who has bound us, and who will then come and plunge us from the steep under water."
Testament of Solomon 52
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Since neutrality is, in fact, impossible - we have to take sides on all major issues: we must "favour".
So, is being a mother a good thing, or not?
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The Christian answer is that to be a mother "in the context of marriage" is a good thing.
The Christian evaluation of the goodness of motherhood is, ultimately, not-worldly, but a matter of eternity - not of pleasure but of purpose.
(Much more could be said, but let that suffice to sketch the framing of motherhood.)
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(Which is not-at-all to say married motherhood is always and under every circumstance a good thing, far from it; but that we must and will always start from a bipolar assumption against which evaluations are framed: so motherhood will, like it or not, be regarded either as good or bad - and for Christians it is good. For Mormons it is the highest behavioural 'good' for a woman - for Catholics it is a good, but lower than the celibate religious life.)
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The secular modern answer is that motherhood is "a lifestyle choice".
The evaluation of motherhood is therefore done by the same criteria as other lifestyle choices - which is essentially related to hedonic prospects, the probable predicted outcome in terms of pleasure and pain, fulfilment and suffering.
From the secular perspective, motherhood (of course) has nothing to do with divine plans of ultimate purpose or eternity -it is "not" a profound thing - at most it might be said that motherhood (for a particular person) might be helpful - or even necessary - for their "personal development".
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As secular lifestyle choices go, motherhood has some advantage of being a biologically powerful experience (due to evolutionary heritage), but this also brings problems because of phenomena like 'bonding' and the forms of psychological dependence - which mean that mothers may be made miserable by bad things happening to their children, children's failure to be beautiful or status-enhancing; plus of course if a mother finds that her need for personal development requires her to abandon her marriage and children - then these biological factors may make her feel guilty and miserable.
(Note: From a secular modern perspective it is the woman's feelings of guilt and misery that are bad - not abandoning marriage and family in pursuit of self-development. Luckily, any such guilty and miserable women have therapy and antidepressants to make them feel better about things...)
So, considered as a secular lifestyle choice, motherhood- and indeed marriage - are high risk investments; and (from this secular perspective) probably best undertaken by people who either thrive on psychodrama or are immune to guilt - so that dependence is avoided and responsibilities can be walked-away-from without sabotaging the primary and sacred goals of fulfilment and self-development...
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These two perspectives on motherhood are - if not exactly opposed - about as far apart as it is possible to be: the Christian and secular framing of motherhood have almost nothing in common: the one is a "end" validated by other-worldly considerations, the other a "means to an end" validated by here-and-now emotions.
Of course, Christian motherhood is also often validated by here-and-now emotions of astonishing intensity - but from a secular perspective this is not due to intrinsic worth but merely to a biological heritage.
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And there must be some secular women who have a very powerful, but theoretically inarticulate and publicly indefensible "gut-feeling" that marriage and motherhood are something of primary significance for women - far, far more than the normal run of lifestyle choices such as choice of job, car and house.
And this justifies "their own" existential choice to put motherhood near the centre of life - as far, far more important than other aspects of lifestyle.
But even if they do regard motherhood as more important "for themselves"; when it comes to organizing society (propaganda, laws, regulations etc) secular moderns have zero basis for 'assuming' that motherhood (in marriage) is what most women want to do, or ought to be able to do (if possible) - no way for organizationally privileging the status of motherhood...
Because all that would be "prejudiced"; it would entail setting-up and maintaining a society primarily organized around the needs of married couples and families - what would help "them"; and therefore necessarily a society "according lower status "to the single, and to childless couples.
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If the secular modern frame is being applied, it is difficult/ impossible to justify privileging one lifestyle choice - married motherhood - over another; especially because it would inevitably be one consequence that single and childless women would be made "to some significant extent" to feel less happy, second rate, either an object of sympathy or disapproval.
This is a real cost (both real, and a cost) of acknowledging the special transcendental value to motherhood.
To the modern Leftist, this cost seems "absolutely" intolerable. So motherhood is and must be treated as merely a lifestyle choice, on a par with choosing a college or a holiday.
And, since motherhood "really is" a very a high risk lifestyle choice, with vast potential to induce misery - by and large modern secular women women don't take the risk - and therefore focus on what else is left-over: careers, fashion, sex, friends, holidays... the stuff of a modern women's life as displayed and advocated daily by millions upon millions of mass media outputs.
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...Which, if Christians are correct, means that "WOMEN IN MODERN SECULAR CULTURE ARE, "EN MASSE", REJECTING REALITY "in one of its most fundamental aspects; and instead embracing a very obviously false, very obviously fake, and very obviously unsatisfactory delusional existence.
Look around - it's everywhere!
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Credit: candle-magic.blogspot.com
As the clarification department of the post on Mariners Church and the LDS temple indicates, this post has striking the pay attention to of some in the countercult. I attempted a fleeting clarity, but this is a wide-ranging and significant ask. On get stronger review of the well-known line written by Keith Rambler I noted some tribulations in understanding of the perspectives of frequent advocating missional and relational approaches to LDS, an helplessness to make a seriousness between Mariners Church's technique and other missional and relational approaches to LDS, a imitation dichotomy between relational evangelism and overlap, surly public speaking, ghastly fashion, a lack of any criteria of attitude, anecdotal testimonies obtainable as yes last word for countercult praxis, and a current go bankrupt to loiter with relevant perspectives on the issues as raised by this Blog and many other sources not the least possible of which is missiology and the history of Christian missions.The notion of this Blog is to post clarification, and to grasp fleeting clarification in clarity, on key issues comparable to epigrammatic, theology, and praxis together with burgeoning spiritualities and new religions in the 21st century. It is not a forum to bring breed up to exhibit with the wealth of hangings that provides a natural environment for these clarification. Piquant words on this corporate can only collect place if we bring a partnered level of indulgence to the issues. (I grasp expansive before sample in countercult conclude and praxis, and I would ask my countercult critics to bring some missional natural environment to the bring up.) As a result, Mr. Rambler motion be allowed to stream a very fleeting clarity to my clarification on his line mention, this is not the forum for expansive recitation. Mr. Rambler, and other impatient parties in the countercult community, are free to present themselves with the relevant natural environment note and to next desk fashionable special words with me (fairly than continuing the Blog and email radio) as my educational and ministry join permits.In the meantime, I motion move on to post on other topics as they ally to the perception envisioned for this Blog.
"From "The Rule" of St. Christodoulos:"
Inasmuch as I, being but a man, have been maintained in this present life, by God's dispensation, a sufficient time and, being far advanced in age, have nothing more to look for, to quote Gregory the great Theologian, but my departure hence, I have deemed it incumbent on me to set down in writing for my pious companions the rules that will, I believe, help them to be perfectly and salvifically pleasing to God, an ordinance for my very dear brothers and children in the Lord, in order that, taking it as a rule and a pointer, and governing their conduct by its precepts, their life may run smoothly (may God hear my words!) in peace, with good conscience, guarded by the grace of the Life-giving and All-holy Trinity, three persons of one nature.
But, O holy community (for here I turn and my words are addressed to you!), elect flock, chosen people, godly concourse, my blessed children in the Lord, come, hear that which I shall expound to you: "Come, listen to me, I will teach you fear of the Lord" (cf. Ps. 65 [66]:16). For I shall use, when opportune, the words of the sacred psalmist David - "Incline your ears to the words of my mouth" (cf. Ps. 77 [78]:1-2) - let Solomon's voice mingle with David's, the son and the father together sing to me, a father addressing my sons: "Hearken to me, for I will speak noble truths and will produce right sayings from my lips" (cf. Prov. 8:6).
At this point it seems to me right and necessary to begin with some personal information, and speak of it at acceptable length, then dealing summarily with essentials of a more practical kind. Indeed, even in Holy Writ we often observe that no reproach attaches to words that have a measure of partiality, or accounts that tend to redound to the praise of the speaker. No one attacked them for talking about themselves, nor was this considered a sin, so long as it was in order to expound and clarify something formerly obscure, and not from some other, merely human motive. Considering this, neither do I, a humble old man, think it reprehensible to take up my history, beginning at the beginning and continuing to the end, and place before you the course taken by my life in this vain world (for this seems to me useful for salvation!), after that laying injunction upon you, that you may be saved in the Lord, observing obedience.
I come from the East. From an early age I was tossed to and fro by conflicting thoughts and, still a small child, I thought of leaving home, parents, and family, and fleeing to refuge with Christ, our true God and Savior. This is exactly what I did - going to a flock of monks to whom I surrendered myself, and finding a teacher and educator in the superior of this holy band. But it was God, and he alone, who, through his ineffable mercy, opened my eyes, at that early, unformed and malleable age, well before my reasoning powers were firm. This was indeed worthy of his great works, for, of old, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings he perfected praise" (cf. Ps.8:2), and "The manifestation of his word enlightens and instructs the simple" (cf. Ps. 118 [119]:130) as David divinely and prophetically sings.
But desire for a more complete isolation possessed me and drove me from place to place. To Palestine I went, desiring to venerate the holy steps of our Lord, but most of all to "flee like a sparrow" (cf. Ps. 10 [11]:3; 54 [55]:7), choosing, like those of old, "to lodge in the wilderness."(Ps. 54 [55]: 7) So, after worshiping at the holy places to my fill, conversing with none but the luminaries and fathers there - and bearing fruit, though I, perhaps, should not say so, through imitation of their life - I presently moved to the most desolate parts of the country (Palestine, that is) settling there for some time.
But then the Saracen swarm made this impossible. They appeared in all regions of Palestine, and spread like a monstrous hailstorm, with a baneful rattling and gibbering, destroying and annihilating the whole Christian society. As I did not wish to fall into [the sin of] self-will (but for this I would not have been seen clinging to life!) I removed from thence, expelled, as it were, and driven out by the barbarian phalanx, and came to a peaceful mountain in a pleasant site in Asia [Minor], called Latros locally, led there by its ancient reputation, for those blessed fathers who once lived on Raithou and Sinai (if not all of them, at any rate the majority) are said to have moved there because of the continual raids of the savage Blemmyes, except those who suffered martyrdom on the spot.
So, because of my love for these saints, my will too inclined to this mountain, settling me there, with my goal before me. I entered the lists, and perhaps the community I founded there [might be called] spiritual, at least by human standards. The hand of the Lord with us advanced our stay on that mountain to good fame. We practiced asceticism but not as solitaries. Here, two or three gathered in the name of the Lord; there, a slightly larger number settled in one place, choosing the cenobitic life.
Elsewhere, a considerable body could be seen, at once separate and together, maintaining, I may say, a lavra, in the ancient tradition of the fathers: together each Sunday, to perform the liturgy and exchange edifying conversation, thereafter returning to their cells, to devote the six days of the week to solitary contemplation with psalm-singing and handiwork. We were all things to each other, sharpening one another's resolve to the unadulterated labor of virtue.
The triumphs of cenobitic discipline among those subject to its rule showed abundant and overflowing, unadulterated, undebased. O, how should I remember it without tears! Never a coarse word was heard from those who were with us on Latros. Never was there any disreputable cohabitation. No sign of strife or hatred or envy. Not one of those who lived there in the monastery kept anything earthly to himself, private or secret, but all was dignity, freedom from worldly cares, poverty, virtue, saintliness and the crowning virtue of all, humility.
But O! My ill luck! Upon Asia Minor too and all Ionia falls now the saber of the Lord, slashing without rest or cease, refusing to return to the scabbard. Against these lands too is loosed the glittering sword, the bow drawn, with those deadly weapons, his arrows drunk with the blood of the wounded and of the captives. Here too is lit the fire kindled by the wrath of the Lord, that devoured the land of the Romans and set on fire the foundations of the mountains, in the prophetic words, the revelations made by the Lord through Jeremiah and David and Moses, against Israel when it transgressed.
What do I mean by "saber, bow, drunken arrows," and "kindled fire"? The right arm of the Persians, the ferocity of the Turks, that wiped out the whole of the east and devastated it cruelly. That lawless nation, destroyer of towns and countryside alike, attacked that land too, bringing the same destruction upon its inhabitants. Because the multitude of our sins daily increased the successes of the Agarenes, they did not leave us untroubled in that mountain either, where we had taken refuge. For there was not a hole hidden from the godless.
So from this place too I was driven by fear, migrating for the second time, with little regard, I must admit, even for pastoral ordination - which I had not received willingly. How could we have been so bold as of ourselves to have assumed so great a burden? On the contrary, most reluctantly did I shoulder it [yet], making myself responsible, perhaps, in the legal sense, as a guardian, since that mountain of Latros was entrusted to me by his holiness the Patriarch, and I bore the title of protos on it. Well, perhaps I should have faced death there, if the law is to be interpreted rigorously. But human frailty, ever turning to the Lord's mercy and emboldened thereby, made me confident I was doing no wrong in moving once more because of the great vexation caused by the aforesaid enemies.
So I came in due course to Strobilos, a city on the sea shore. I wished, in a way, to avoid the cruelty of the barbarians, and had with me, too, some of the brothers, who felt that expatriating themselves with me was the answer to their prayer, and what a man could most reasonably wish to do. Well, but God's grace was not yet pleased to let us be and grant us rest. After all we had been through, not even there did we find peace. The same fear continued to dog us.
There, however, we fell in with a pious man of distinguished birth (for he was of native stock, well born, and all looked up to him); he was godly in his ways, moderate in his opinions, imposing in his person, decorous in character, and a monk. His name was Arsenios, his surname Skenourios. He devoted himself entirely to looking after us. No stranger to us before, he was now bound even closer in the spiritual bonds of affection. He began by offering me his own monastery at Strobilos, but, seeing he could not keep me there, I was sick of the East for good, what with continually being on the move out of fear of the enemy (at Strobilos too a Persian attack was expected any moment!); he begged me to cross over to the island of Kos, go round it, inspect his patrimonial lands there, and found a monastery on them wherever I chose. To it he would consecrate the whole property.
I obey and make haste to visit Kos. I go round Skenourios' properties, come upon an extensive ridge with no habitation, in a well-exposed site, well-watered besides, and temperate. This hill was called Pelion by the islanders. So, seeing it ringed in and cut off from the surrounding country, and isolated by a ring of ravines and natural gullies (one might think it a fortress!), I was straightway delighted with the site and eager to build a monastery there, for I thought to stay my wanderings in that hill and at last taste peace, until I should bequeath my clay to that same Pelion. But God, apparently, did not approve my plan.
For there again, though I endured on Pelion labors too great to relate, in the end I failed of my aim. God had decided that on Patmos I should find my fate and my grave. However, acceding to the suggestions and appeals of the said brother Arsenios (I shall make room in the relation of my affairs for a short account of my stay on Pelion) I threw myself into the building program. He began by promising to help us and work beside us with all his might, but before long, at the very outset of work, he made up his mind to flee, slipped away by night, and sailed for Jerusalem without a backward glance.
As a result, a maximum was demanded of me. With pain and sweat, in those difficult times, amid a general shortage of necessaries, but with help from on high, I erected from the foundations and brought to completion a quite beautiful, a most elegant church, founding it in the name of the most holy Mother of God. I made a circuit-wall and cells and everything else that characterizes a self-supporting and completely equipped monastery. Delighted with its appearance and reckoning it, quite simply, as a "factory of virtue," the pious and Christ-loving inhabitants of the aforesaid island, each according to his means and inclination, made offerings consisting not only of movables, but of immovables also. For all of them, "viz." Skenourios' little properties and those that accrued to us from offerings, we procured a chrysobull from the then holder of the Romaic scepter, the Lord Nikephoros [III] Botaneiates [(1078-81)], to confirm and establish our possession.
So then for a little I thought we should have peace. But the land all round us was occupied. Next to those given us, and bordering on them, were properties belonging to the inhabitants of the island, and all this was a source of trouble for the brothers with me. They quarreled, differences arose with the neighbors, till the supervening distress for me was indistinguishable from the confusion of a city. Consequently I was in fear, and not, as the proverb has it "Where no fear was"; no indeed! With my brethren involved, from utter necessity, I may say crawling in the promiscuity and confusion, the ferment of worldly concerns, mingling with worldly men, engaged in barter and also, as is generally the case, in disputes, what if it should happen that one of them, besieged by the ambushes of the Evil One, should fall, alas!, a prey to his snares, and then his soul be required of my wretched self, a soul that the whole world, in Christ's sacred words, is not worthy to purchase? (cf. Matt. 16:26)
This was the fear, the terror that gripped my heart of hearts, that shattered my bones, that drained my marrow, that tore my sinews apart, that divided my flesh, while unceasingly I chanted within myself: "Flee," poor wretch, "like a sparrow" (Ps. 10 [11]:2) to places wholly uninhabited and deserted, for it is out of the question, utterly out of the question for you to achieve peace and quiet until you find a place whence any inmixtion of worldly men is completely excluded, a tabernacle of peace for yourself and those with you, an habitation devoted to the utmost to the work of salvation.
Being so minded, I discovered that the brothers' choice in this matter was in harmony with mine. They had discussed it already and suggested an island to the east of the Icarian sea, far removed from the mainland and the prestigious islands (this little island is called Patmos), as being the uttermost wilderness, unknown to man, a place where life flows untroubled, whose harbor is inaccessible to regular shipping. In short, desire for this island completely took possession of me, a desire made more acute because here had dwelt the Apostle that Christ loved, [St.John] the virgin Evangelist. Here he had his famous vision, his all-blessed ecstasy and change, here his exalted and heavenly initiation into theology. Here the Gospel was dictated in the thunder of God's voice. Taking all this into consideration, when I compare Patmos to Sinai, I set the former as far above the latter, and account it first, as I set grace above the shadow, truth above appearances, the spirit above the letter and the Gospel above the Law of the Tablets.
So, invoking the aid and influence of heaven, I addressed myself to our pious and God-governed monarch, pre-eminent among emperors, the lord Alexios [I Komnenos (1081-1118)]. I am introduced into his presence, he deigns to give me a kind reception. I have speech with his divine Majesty immediately. I acquaint him with what is in my mind, relate my aim, reveal my desire, plead fervently to be given the island of Patmos, beg to have it as an imperial gift, free of all obligations.
But the most powerful emperor, while on the one hand freely and royally extending to us his personal good will, yet begged our miserable self (all but inclining that crowned head to us!) not to persist in our aim, but to accept the government of a mountain called Kellia and Zagora (for it had been given to monks of old). Perhaps I would have yielded to the insistence of his imperial majesty, if I had not found the monks settled on this mountain far from what I hoped in their habits, little to my mind and nothing to my purpose, unsuited to the solitary life (I do not wish to sound tiresome!) for they were entirely lacking in exact instruction. When it became clear, even to the emperor, that these monks were completely unacceptable for my purpose, I again begged and beseeched his imperial majesty to accede to my wish concerning Patmos. This time, with the empress of blessed memory, the emperor's mother, also interceding for me and urging this course, the most powerful emperor granted the request of our miserable self.
Finally, to make a long story short, I renounced in favor of the fisc all my possessions received from Skenourios and others, on Kos and at Strobilos, retaining only the two estates on the island of Leros given me in full possession by this oft-mentioned Skenourios and by Kaballourios. In exchange I received by imperial chrysobull the whole island of Patmos, forfeited by the fisc for good, as well as the neighboring islets of Narkioi and Leipso, as also the two estates of Leros which I owned before, as already mentioned, "viz. "Parthenion and Temenion.
READ THE REST OF "THE RULE" HERE.
Read also: Saint Christodoulos Latrinos of Patmos
DAY 30: I'M THANKFUL FOR ALL THE MANY BLESSINGS I RECEIVE DAILY!
Today is the last day of my Month of Thankfulness and yet I've not scratched the surface of being thankful for all the blessings I daily receive! "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. Psalm 68:19
This morning before I ever got out of bed I began to think about what I could say today. A song came to my mind. One that was a favorite of our family when we used to sing together a lot. It was written by one of Bro.Ronnie Simpson's daughters but after all this time I'm not sure if it was Cindy or Gwen! I hope they won't mind me sharing some of the words here today because it says so well what I'd like to say today. It begins like this: "The LORD has blessed me...in so many ways...that I couldn't begin to tell you...how good He has been!" I'm not sure I have the rest of the song word for word even but this is close:
"I've been blessed with a family, that has felt God's great touch. He's been present in trials, and has loved me so much. Though we've failed, though we've stumbled, on His Word we still stand. And we know He'll be faithful...till we reach that fair land......But the greatest of all blessings that I ever received...was His saving power...when on His Name I believed. I had nothing to offer...but my guilt and my shame...it was all through the blood...and His Holy Name!"
Although this is the last day of A Month of Thankfulness on my blog, you can rest assured that I will continue to be thankful and try to recognize God's blessings each day!
Thank you for joining me in this journey of thankfulness!
God bless you!
Marilyn...from Walking in Truth
Credit: thelema-and-faith.blogspot.com
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