Ripple of Influence

A wise woman once wrote - " Throw a pebble into the lake, and a wave is formed,....and as they increase, the circle widens, until it reaches the very shore. So it is with our influence." Christs Object Lessons p. 146 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Ecclisiastes 11:1

Paul simplifies Sanctification

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 Corinthians 13:11

Wear the ornament of meekness

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 Strive to wear the ornament of meekness. But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 1Peter 3:4 Meekness is willing to suffer in silence, is patient, and not willing to retaliate for percieved wrongs. To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. Titus 3:2 But I say unto you, .... but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matthew 5:39 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:7,8 Meekness is the opposite of pride. Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18 It is thought that pride is the sin from which all others stem. This is why the meek will inherit the earth.

State of the Dead

Sheol and Hades are the Hebrew and Greek words translated, wrongly, in the King James Version of the Bible as the word "hell". They simply mean the grave or abode where dead are reserved until their day of judgement. The notion of "hell" and / or a heavenly paradise to ascend to upon death is pagan in its origin. The Egyptians were big in an afterlife in the story of Osiris and their mummies and pyramids. The first lie told on earth was in Eden by the opponent of God, disguised as a serpent, telling Eve she wouldn't die- And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: Genesis 3:4 Eve tasted the forbidden fruit and eventually did die, for sin entered the world, and with it death, pain and suffering. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23 The lie of the serpent is still repeated from the pulpit by many of Christianity today(telling people they go to heaven, hell or purgatory upon "death"). But The Word says-(death compared to sleep) And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. Luke 8:52 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. John 11:11,13-14 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? Psalm 6:5 If Christ died, and had to be ressurrected, then apparrently He wasn't in heaven. Also He raised Lazarus from the dead- His voice piercing the ears of the dead to wake him- And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. John 11:43 Also, when He had heard that His friend lazarus was dead- Jesus wept. John 11:35 Why would He weep if Lazarus was in paradise? Or this- In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:52 Why would we be raised from the dead at His return if we are already in heaven, or, shall we say, in a warmer place? O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1Corinthians 15:55 He became the "firstfruits" to be ressurrected. So apparently everyone else before Him didn't automatically go on to heaven when they died. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 1Corinthians 15:20 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2 What people might think of as "hell", a place with fire, is the Lake of Fire at the END, which will destroy all evil once and for all. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8 As a wise author once put it "The sermon which satan preached to Eve upon the immortality of the soul - "Ye shall not sureley die" - they have reiterated from the pulpit; and the people recieve it as pure Bible truth. It is the foundaation of spiritualism. The word of God nowhere teaches that the soul of man is immortal. Immortality is an attribute of God only. 1 Timothy 6:16 "Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everalasting. Amen." An eternally burning hell preached from the pulpit, and kept before the people, does injustice to the benovoleent character of God. It presents Him as the veriest tyrant in the universe. The widespread dogma has turned thousands to universalism, infidelity, and atheism. The word of God is plain. It is a straight chain of truth." Testimonies for the Church vol. 1,p.344-345

Cycles of History

Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. Deuteronomy 32:7 (The following Theory of generations and cycles of history is from the book Generations by Strauss & Howe).

There are four types of generations that repeat themselves and four parts to each cycle of history. The 4 parts of a historical cycle: 1) springlike HIGH 2) long hot summer of a SPIRITUAL AWAKENING 3) cooling off of the autumnlike UNRAVELING and 4) the cold winter CRISES. The 4 types of generations are Adaptive, Idealistic, Reactive and Civic. Aslo, there are four parts to the Crises Era-the Spark, Regenerance, Climax and Resolution. We are now in the crises era of our four part cycle. The spark was 9-11. We are living through the regenerance (War-on-terror, Katrina, Swine flu scare, energy crises, the "great-recession",etc.). The climax is always a war where you can't afford to loose.

Question: Who put the cycles of human history in motion and for what purpose?Are the cycles leading to eventually the ultimate crises era? The Time of Trouble and the End? --- NOW DON'T THINK I'M SAYING THIS TIME WILL BE THE END. I'M NOT. Rather, I'm wondering how this all fits. It must serve a purpose. Even Solomon refers to 4 generational types- 1) There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. Proverbs 30:11 2) There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. Proverbs 30:12 3) There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. Proverbs 30:13 4) There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. Proverbs 30:14 Apparently this churning of history keeps things moving and from becoming stale. A reference to the 4th generation is made in the Commandments- visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; Exodus 20:5 These generational/historical cycles must exist in a certain order for a reason. Some would point out that in this crises era, at the start, the world already has nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. To cripple the economy so bad is the energy dependecy. For we know what the sides will be militarily and who has the bulk of the oil-energy supply (and therefore the ability to cut it off)? Then theres cyber-warfare, the race between the U.S. and China for nano-technology, terror cells to unleash, not to mention the seas and waves roaring, as in Katrina and the Tsunami in the Pacific. Will California finally be hit with the Big-One? You could see in this crises era a totla global war erupting to the death between Islam allied with China and its proxiy N. Korea (and the rag-tag coalition of Hugo Chavez) on one side and the rest of the world on the other. Question becomes what of the wild card Russia? As for signs in the sun and sky, we are told by astronomers to be expecting some sort of solar flare activity between 2010-2012 that could wipe out electrical capabilities on earth. Add a finacial meltdown and collapse, and you could see the way for the enforcement of the mark of the beast - And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Revelation 13:17 And then there is the sign about knowledge increasing-...the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Daniel 12:4 Again, I'm not saying this crises era will be the end, for who knows? And since no man knows the day or hour, and it will come as a thief in the night, the end could come during a peaceful era. Just something to think about.

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh... Ecclesiastes 1:4 The doubters will ask And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 2 Peter 3:4 But like when the fullness of time came for His birth, so too for His return. The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. Psalm 14:1

2nd Advent (His Return)

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:2,3 *** And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. Luke 21:7,8 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. Matthew 24:6 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Luke 21:11,25 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matthew 24:12 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Daniel 12:4 *** Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts. And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 2 Peter 3:3,4 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Ecclesiastes 8:11 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:14 *** And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Revelation 13:17 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. Matthew 24:9 *** For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. Matthew 24:21 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. Daniel 12:1 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. Revealation 16:12,16 *** But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.Matthew 24:36 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Matthew 24:37-39 *** And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Luke 21:7 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. Revealation 16:17,18,20 I have seen the Lord standing by the altar, and He saith: `Smite the knob, and the thresholds shake, And cut them off by the head -- all of them, And their posterity with a sword I do slay, Not flee to them doth the fleer, Nor escape to them doth a fugitive.If they dig through into sheol, From thence doth My hand take them, And if they go up the heavens, From thence I cause them to come down. Amos 9:1,2 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach,.. Joel 2:17 *** Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. John 15:25 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessolonians 4:16,17 *** And he hath on His vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19:16 *** For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, ...And it hath been from month to month, And from sabbath to sabbath, Come do all flesh to bow themselves before Me, Said Jehovah. And they have gone forth, And looked on the carcases of the men Who are transgressing against me, For their worm dieth not, And their fire is not quenched, And they have been an abhorrence to all flesh! Isaiah 66:22,24 and the sea did give up those dead in it, and the death and the hades did give up the dead in them, and they were judged, each one according to their works; and the death and the hades were cast to the lake of the fire -- this is the second death; Revelation 20:13,14 *** And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4

Faith of Esther (Regardless of the consequences)

Think of the faith of Queen Esther. She was willing to do what was right, and trust in God, regardless of the consequences. As a Jew in exile in Persia, she had recently replaced Vashti as Queen, noticed by the king for her beauty. As a plot was uncovered to slay the Jews, her uncle Mordecai told her... For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, ..... but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:14 Esther couldn't just walk into the kings court uninvited-for she could face death. All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. Esther 4:11 But Esther, in her faith, boldly went before the king. Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, .... and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. Esther 4:16 You know the ending.... And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, ... and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. Esther 5:2 Paul tells us why these things of the Old Testament happened- Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 1 Corinthians 10:11

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16