Crockpot

"If we do not help a man in trouble, it is as if we caused the trouble."




Gentle Reader,

For today's offering let's mix some Irish stew in a crock pot and see what we have.

Take one fat congress and add pork barrel (give to those who need it not at all). Forget about those millions who went to bed hungry last night. Or the children abused while our Government talks about things other than the safety of our smallest little ones goes with help!

"Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience."
-- George Washington


Next, take the top models add sex and degradation of women by a woman target our most impressionable teens (girls) and show how they can be abused also (lessons for the sex offender?) and ignore the fact that rapes have increased by 300% in the last 10 years (neither political party wants to deal with that!) Let's throw in the killing of babies for convenience sake!

Now add those who want the highest office in the land and are not decent enough people to say "I was wrong about sending your children off to a war that we had no intention of even trying to win!" Both political parties did this and no one who sits in Washington D. C. is innocent. And you gentle reader, sat in the comfort of your living rooms and let those who are supposed to represent you get away with (what shall we call the slaughter of innocents?) how about genocide. The killing of our best and greatest hope!

When will we wake up, speak up, and act as responsible citizens and vote them all out of office??

And just a dash of teacher, abusing students to make a good mix. Mad? You can take it to the bank (which will foreclose on your house in the morning)

Will you wait until God says as we do in the pubs "Time Gentlemen Time!"

Just my opinion, just one man's perspective.

Denis
>


Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature. Benjamin Franklin (1760)

It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not by religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here. Patrick Henry (1765)

If you ask an American, Who is your master? He will tell you he has none, nor any governor but Jesus Christ. Jonathan Trumbull (1770) governor of Connecticut

While I do live, let me have a country, and that of a free country! John Adams (1776)

Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. Samuel Adams (1776)

To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to laud the more distinguished Character of Christian... It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. George Washington (1776)

Religion is deemed in other countries incompatible with good government and yet proved by our experience to be its best support... Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and His justice cannot sleep forever. Thomas Jefferson (1781)

Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. American is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great. Alexis de Tocqueville (1831)

The Bible is the Rock upon which our republic rests. Andrew Jackson (1845)

In God We Trust. Abraham Lincoln (1865) his last act as President was to have the inscription placed upon all the national coin

The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God. John F Kennedy (1961)

Without God there could be no American form of government, nor an American way of life. Recognition of the Supreme Being is the first, the most basic, expression of Americanism. Thus the founding fathers of America saw it, and thus with God’s help, it will continue to be. Gerald Ford (1974)

Life is a game?

Would you like to play a Game?

 Gentle Reader,

There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and was given 3 months to live. As she began getting her things 'in order', she called her pastor and asked for him to come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she wanted read, and what dress she wanted to be buried in. She also requested to be buried with her favorite Bible in her left hand. Everything was in order and as the pastor was preparing to leave, the woman suddenly remembered one final request that was very important to her. "Please Pastor, just one more thing," she said excitedly. "Sure, what is it?" came the pastor's reply. "This is very important to me," the woman continued ... "I want to be buried holding a fork in my right hand." The pastor gazed at the woman, at a loss for words.

"That surprises you, doesn't it?" the woman asked. The pastor replied "Well to be quite honest, I am puzzled by the request".

The woman explained. "You see, Pastor, in all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I remember that when the dishes were being cleared after the main course, someone would inevitably lean over to me and say, 'Keep your fork' ... it was my favorite part of the meal because I knew that something better was coming, like velvety chocolate cake or deep dish apple pie. Something wonderful to end the meal!"

The pastor listened intently and a smile came upon his face. The woman continued, "So, I just want people to see me there with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder ... 'What's with the fork'... then I want you to tell them: "Keep your Fork ... the best is yet to come".

The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the woman good-bye. He knew that this would be one of the last times that he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the woman had a better grasp of Heaven than he did.

She knew and trusted that the best was yet to come. At the funeral, every one that walked by the woman's casket saw her wearing a beautiful dress with her favorite Bible held in her left hand and a fork held in her right hand.

Over and over the pastor heard people ask the question, "Why is she holding a fork?" and his smile began to get larger and brighter each time. During his message, the pastor told the people about the conversation that he had with the woman shortly before she died. He explained the fork and what it symbolized to her. The Pastor told everyone how he could not stop thinking about the fork and how he hoped that they would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

So the next time you reach for your fork, let it remind you, oh so gently, that the best is yet to come ........

Love,

Denis "when you come to a fork in the road take it!" Yogi Berra

Foundations

"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her Seed; He shall strike at your head, and you shall strike at His heel." [Genesis 3. 15 Tanakh, Torah]

When Adam and Eve rebelled and transgressed against Elohiym in the Garden of Eden, CREATOR Elohiym pronounced a curse on all creation; [Genesis 3. 14 – 19] death came into the world at that point. However, the Almighty One also told of the One to come WHO would be the Redeemer\Saviour.

The genealogy in Genesis 5 lists the names of the pre-flood patriarchs from Adam to Noah. Adam means man; Seth - appointed; Enosh - mortal; Cainan - sorrow or humiliation; Mahalaleel - blessed of GOD; Jared - shall come down; Enoch - teaching or dedicated; Methuselah - his death shall bring or judgment; Lamech - despairing, weary or conqueror; Noah - comfort or rest.

The meaning of the names form a redemptive sentence when read together:
"A MAN is Appointed to become a Mortal; in sorrow, blessed of GOD, HE shall come down to teach. And, His death will bring despair; then, comfort and rest."
Or: "Mankind is appointed to mortality, wailing for the dead. God be praised! He shall descend, a mortal man, dismissing death, bring rest to the weary."
Or even: "Mankind is appointed to mortality, bringing humiliation (sorrow). GOD be praised! He shall descend, a dedicated Man. When He dies as judgment, He will conquer, bringing comfort and rest."

The Plan of Salvation was made before the world began. "He indeed was predetermined before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you." [1 Peter 1. 20] "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world." [Ephesians 1. 3 - 4] "In the fullness of time, God sent His Son to be born of woman, under the Law." [Galatians 4. 4]

There has never been a time when the Almighty Holy Creator, Lord GOD Omnipotent has forsaken His creation. Mankind would do well to learn such love and in return, appropriately give Him the honour, glory, majesty, blessings and adoration He is worthy of.

Who moved the stone?

The Myth



Why... Why? Gentle Reader,

Would I pick such a topic as the Resurrection of a peasant from a little town in a corner of the world to spend time talking about?

Well for one thing it seems to be that most Americans need to believe in something... I mean your government has run amuck! Investigating the people that are sworn to protect us from attack by those who wish us harm (in the name of religion....oops do I dare mention that here?) When the problem lies closer to home it’s the Government that is to blame for you problems (remember the Boston Tea Party?) No taxation without representation!!!!

Ah well, lets move on to our study of what really happened some 2000 years ago. And what about history what does it tell us?

"C'mon. Jesus didn't really die on the Cross. He just passed out or went into a coma from loss of blood, stress, etc. Later on He came to and made the appearances."

This is referred to as the "swoon" theory. Many people believe it because on its face it sounds plausible -- more plausible than believing someone came back from the dead. However, under close examination the swoon theory falls apart.

Roman executioners knew how to tell when their victims were dead!

Consider this: Roman soldiers were among the most ruthless, cruel and knowledgeable military men of the ancient world. When it came to knowing how to kill people they were experts. Can you really believe that an entire squad of Roman executioners couldn't tell whether a prisoner really was dead??? They would be a laughingstock among their peers if something like that happened!

Jesus was stabbed in the side, which would ensure His death.

John 19:31-35 "[31] Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. [32] The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. [33] But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. [34] Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. [35] The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.

Roman custom required stabbing under Jesus' circumstances. It wasn't a coincidence.

Most people, even most theologians and historians, believe it was pure coincidence that a Roman soldier stabbed Jesus. Most people believe the soldier stabbed Jesus to make sure He was dead. Usual Roman practice was to leave the corpses of crucified victims on the cross to be eaten by wild animals or to rot in public view -- after all, crucifixion was intended to be the ultimate degradation and humiliation ... and a warning to others! Interestingly, there was an exception. According to Quintilian, a first-century author, a victim's relatives were permitted to take down the body and bury it if the victim was first pierced by the executioners. In his Commentary on Matthew, Origen, one of the early Church Fathers, says the lance thrust to Jesus was administered "according to Roman custom, below the armpit." (See Humber, Thomas. The Sacred Shroud. New York, Pocket Books, 1977)

If you seriously examine what the swoon theory requires, you'd have to be an absolute idiot to still consider it possible.

EVENTS DESCRIBED IN THE BIBLE OR OTHER HISTORICAL SOURCES

Jesus gets beaten by members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Council.

Jesus gets flogged ("scourged") with a Roman flagrum, similar to a "cat-o-nine tails". It had three "tails", each with a little metal dumbbell-shaped attachment that digs into the flesh. It was considered so cruel that it was illegal to flog a Roman citizen.

Jesus is beaten with wooden reeds (like "caning").

Jesus gets slapped and punched by a group of Roman soldiers.

Jesus has a cap or thorns pressed onto His head. Middle Eastern crowns of the period were not little circles like a British or French crown. They were like the mitre worn by Roman Catholic bishops.

Jesus is tied to the crossbeam that will be attached to the vertical post. Crossbeams typically weighed about 40 pounds (20 kg).

Jesus has to walk up a hill to the crucifixion site. He falls several times and the soldiers have to force a bypasser, Simon of Cyrene, to carry the beam.

At the hilltop Jesus is untied. He is then nailed to the Cross. The nails are put through His wrists not His palms, as commonly depicted by artists. One foot is put on top of the other and a nail is driven through both of them.

Jesus is left on the Cross for hours and dies.

Soldiers come to break the legs of the victims, to bring on death.

The body of Jesus is stabbed in the side with a Roman lancia.

The body of Jesus is taken down from the Cross, and wrapped in grave clothes. Scholars disagree as to whether Jesus was wound in strips like a mummy or covered with a burial shroud, e.g., the Shroud of Turin. The text does not resolve this issue. For discussion we will assume a long shroud, which is easy to unwrap.

The body of Jesus is laid in a stone tomb provided by Joseph of Arimathea.

A large stone door is placed in front of the tomb. The stone is so heavy that three women didn't think they could move it together.

A wax seal is put on the outside of the door and a group of guards are stationed.

Let's play detective and "reconstruct" the swoon theory's next sequence of events:


"Jesus didn't die, He just passed out from stress, fatigue, shock, or exhaustion."

Problem: Once Jesus passed out, He would have hung in a "Y" position, with knees bent. Experiments with volunteers have proved that in that position lung muscles become paralyzed from strain in just a few minutes. Within 6-12 minutes a person stops breathing and will die of asphyxiation if the strain is not removed. This isn't speculation, it's scientific fact established by direct observation.

Problem: With the blood loss from the flogging and the further loss from the stab wound, Jesus would have gone into hypovolemic shock (shock from extremely low blood pressure caused by bleeding). Without a transfusion and with nothing to stop the internal hemorrhaging He would have died, probably within hours.

Calculate: Maximum Allowable Blood Loss

Problem: With the internal bleeding and build-up of fluids Jesus would have died from congestive heart failure. Pathologists generally agree that this was a contributing cause of Jesus' death.

Problem: The Gospel of John says that when Jesus was stabbed blood and water came out of His side. A number of forensic pathologists have examined the descriptions (and, in some cases, information on the Shroud of Turin). They all agree that there is no way water could have come out. But, they agree that the heart is surrounded by the pericardium, which contains a watery fluid and a lance thrust would have extracted this fluid, which would look like water. The thrust would also have pierced the heart, drawing accumulated blood.

Problem: Even if Jesus didn't die of asphyxiation and even if He didn't die of congestive heart failure and even if He didn't die of hypovolemic shock and even if He didn't die from the internal hemorrhaging itself, He had a large, deep, open chest wound through at least one lung and probably the heart, with internal bleeding. This would have caused internal infection and in a few days He would have died of sepsis, i.e., infection. The Bible says Jesus appeared to hundreds over a period of forty days after the Crucifixion.

After Jesus "passes out" He is left on the Cross unconscious for an unknown length of time.

Then Jesus is stabbed. John 19:34

John 19:38a "Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus."

Problem: This wasn't done with a phone call from the Crucifixion site! Joseph or a servant has to walk or ride by donkey to Governor Pilate's office, wait to get permission to speak to the Governor, wait to be taken to an audience with the Governor.

Mark 15:44 [44] Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. [45] When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave [permission to take] the body to Joseph.

Mark 15:46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, ...

All this time, Jesus is still hanging on the Cross!!! (Allegedly ... unconscious, but still alive!)

The Roman soldiers and various spectators are still standing around watching. And nobody realizes that Jesus is still breathing and still alive!

John 19:38c "With Pilate's permission, he [Joseph of Arimathea] came and took the body away."

Even as they are taking Jesus down from the Cross nobody realizes He is still breathing and still alive!

Nobody checks for a heartbeat. If they do check for a heartbeat, they don't find one. (If they did find one they would have known He was still alive.) Even though there's no heartbeat and He's not breathing, somehow He's still alive.

Nobody thinks it odd that a body that has been hanging on a cross allegedly dead for several hours, is still warm.

Even as they are wrapping Jesus in burial clothes nobody realizes He is still breathing and still alive!

They lay Jesus in a tomb and roll a heavy stone in front of the only entrance.

Guards are posted outside the tomb and the tomb is sealed with a wax seal. (The exact number that constituted "your guard" is unknown but most scholars believe it was at least four soldiers, probably more.)

Despite being beaten and stabbed, despite internal hemorrhaging, despite having had no food or water, Jesus somehow recovers from His coma by natural means, not by a miracle!

Jesus wakes up in a completely dark, completely enclosed tomb, His entire body wracked with pain.

Jesus feels His way around the tomb and finds the stone door.

Jesus manages to push the heavy stone door to the side even though there is nothing to grab onto on the inside surface of the stone. (The stone was slid into a groove. Hence, it has to be moved sideways, not simply out.)

Even in His weakened condition, in a quiet private cemetery, Jesus manages to push back the stone door without any of the guards noticing!

Why go half-way? Jesus has been whipped, beaten and stabbed, is hemorrhaging, and hasn't had any food or drink for at least three days. Does He just push the stone open enough to squeeze through? No, He pushes the stone door COMPLETELY out of the way!!!

Of course, at this point, the logical thing to do is get naked! Before leaving the tomb, Jesus strips off the burial garments.

Just because He has been whipped, beaten and stabbed, is hemorrhaging, and hasn't had any food or drink for at least three days is no reason to be sloppy! So He neatly folds the garments before leaving.

Amazingly, while He is doing all this, the guards still don't notice anything!

This whipped, beaten, stabbed, bleeding, half-starved, naked, revived crucifixion victim then blithely walks away from the sealed tomb, right past a group of heavily armed guards.

Miraculously, ... I'm sorry, according to the "swoon" theory there are no miracles ... none of the guards directly appointed by the Governor even notices this whipped, beaten, stabbed, bleeding, half-starved, naked, revived crucifixion victim walking away from the sealed tomb!

I guess we just have to assume that it was a pretty common occurrence for those guards to see whipped, beaten, stabbed, bleeding, half-starved, naked, revived crucifixion victims walking away from sealed tombs ...

Whipped, beaten, stabbed, half-starved, naked, and still bleeding, Jesus then walks several miles.

No one notices the whipped, beaten, stabbed, bleeding, half-starved, naked, revived crucifixion victim walking along the road.

And still, not even one of the guards has noticed anything suspicious like, oh ... say, ... the fully opened tomb!

And now we come to the part that's a little hard to believe about the swoon theory ...

Jesus does all of this on feet that had been run through by nails!!!

And People say that Resurrection is hard to believe!


Well, so much for the swoon theory, Gentle reader. Your comments are welcome and appreciated.

I wish for a moment to challenge your thinking and beliefs . (And what , I believe).What I am about to present is the various thoughts of others and what they think about the resurrection of Jesus Christ . The "Myth of the Resurrection" so called by so many and the reason why many wish to disbelieve. You will find yourself somewhere along the trail, and as you do please leave bread crumbs to find your way back if you get lost along the way!

Denis

America has moral leaders

"Our nation’s top military officer, a veteran decorated with no less than forty-eight military awards and a very distinguished career, made a startling revelation [last] week: He has moral conviction… General Peter Pace commented in a wide-ranging interview with the Chicago Tribune, ‘My upbringing is such that I believe that there are certain things, certain types of conduct that are immoral. I believe that military members who sleep with other military members’ wives are immoral in their conduct, and that we should not tolerate that.’ But then Pace went on to tell the Tribune, ‘I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts.’ Well, stop the presses. Of course, all that the radio, news, and television outlets have focused on since General Pace’s comments are his remarks on homosexuality. Never mind that he puts immorality of all kinds on equal footing… We are basically saying that if you are the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, you are not allowed to express your moral or religious views—especially on matters of sexual preference and behavior. This is another sign that we live in an age that no longer believes in objective truth or a moral order. Moral relativism is the rule, and personal preference trumps all. And government is there to ensure that no one place any restraint on the pursuit of our own desires.” —Chuck Colson

Matthew again!

“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom” [Mat. 25:1]



As mentioned, to begin here instead of taking the other rabbit trail, was a very, very difficult decision to make, but it was not difficult for the first century Christians. For when they were reading the treatise that Matthew had written, probably they knew nothing of the one that Mark had written, or the one that Luke had written, so they just kept right on reading after the last verse of chapter 24.



The second thing is that, while it is convenient for us to find something or to refer to others quickly where we want them to read, the chapters and verses that we have in Matthew (or the remainder of the bible) were not present. It was like a letter that was to be read from start to finish as one composite.



So, in this case, a very large mistake was made by the division of the chapter where it is located, for chapter 25 is but an extension of chapter 24. In other words, all of chapter 25 should be chapter 24. In other words, we are now reading Matthew 24:52.



Let me quote the last three verses together, as Matthew recorded them.



“The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom” [Mat. 24:50-25:1].



See? If there are no verse or chapter separations, it becomes much easier to see the connection that Yahshua (Jesus) made. He did not change the subject.



The subject of the coming of their Messiah in 66 AD to 70 AD was to destroy the rebellious Judahites, the destruction of Jerusalem and the ritualistic Mosaic system. He had instructed the disciples to “watch” and “remain awake” for they did not know the “day or hour” of that coming.



This verse begins with the word “then.” The Greek word that is translated as “then” is the word “tote,” and means “when then.” The Son of God was still speaking to the first century believers about His coming in that generation (within a 40 year period), i.e. by 70 AD. Again, let me emphasize, Yahshua (Jesus) did not change the subject of Matthew 24 – rather He told them the following parables of “watchfulness” and “staying awake” and “being ready” because they did not know the “day and hour” even though they knew it would be while some of them were still biologically alive (Mat. 24:34 and Mk. 9:1).



It is here that the “kingdom of heaven” is introduced. That there is a technical difference in “the kingdom of heaven,” “the kingdom of God” and “the kingdom of Christ,” it is necessary, in my understanding, that we comprehend that they are all connected together. But let us look at the definition of the Greek word that is used here, which is “ouranos.” It is defined as “(through the idea of elevation); the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specifically, the gospel.” Boy, that is a mouthful, is it not? With that definition, it should cause us (when we have time) to look at all of the verses that have the word “ouranos” as the root word from which we get the word “heaven” and do a very good word study, to see which avenue would be best suited to translate the correct idea of any particular verse in which it occurs. Which one would be good here where the “kingdom of heaven” is mentioned?



Do not give up now, it gets more interesting. We will still discuss the kingdom in what follows

The Price

Maybe we should develop a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. A happiness weapon. A beauty bomb. And every time a crisis developed, we would launch one. It would explode high in the air - explode softly - and send thousands, millions, of little parachutes into the air. Floating down to earth - boxes of Crayolas. And we wouldn't go cheap, either - not little boxes of eight. Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener built right in. With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest. And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with imagination. ~Robert Fulghum

Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn't music.  ~William Stafford

Gentle Reader,

What do you think about an American government that stands idly by and allows our children to be kidnapped and abused by those who were abused themselves? I said it once and I'll say it again "Listen up you politicians in Washington D.C. start doing what you were elected to do or get a real job at minimum wage flipping burgers at a fast food place oh, by the way give back all the money you stole too!" You want to br president talk about real issues!

Well I feel better don't you?  Now then, how about some facts about your future that I know.

The Price of Children

This is just too good not to pass on to all. Something absolutely positive for a change. I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice, The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition. But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:

 $8,896.66 a year,
 $741.3 month, or * $171.08 a week.
 That's a mere $24.24 a day!
 Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "rich." Actually, it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $160,140?

Naming rights. First, middle, and last!

Glimpses of God every day.

Giggles under the covers every night.

More love than your heart can hold.

Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.

Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.

A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.

A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites

Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to:

finger-paint,

carve pumpkins,

play hide-and-seek,

catch lightning bugs, and

never stop believing in Santa Claus. You have an excuse to:

keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,

watching Saturday morning cartoons,

going to Disney movies, and

wishing on stars.

You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:

retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,

taking the training wheels off a bike,

removing a splinter,

filling a wading pool,

coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat to history to witness the:

 first step,
 first word,
 first bra,
 first date, and
 first time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits.

So . . one day they will like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren!!!!!!!

"While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about."
~Angela Schwindt

Love, enis

Shipwreck

The only survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stung with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.
Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering.
Remember next time your little hut is burning to the ground- - it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.
SHIPWRECKED--BUT NOT LOST.
"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills whence cometh my help."
Few Lives there are upon whose page sooner or later there is not written the record of a tragedy. It may come in the loss of a friend, or a parent, or a wife or husband, or a child. It may come in the wreck of a fortune or the stranding of a worldly ambition. Some day while pursuing a peaceful voyage the cry will go forth, "Breakers ahead," and in spite of our vigilance and our prayers the stout ship will founder and we will be cast upon untrodden shores of duty and experience. It is in such emergencies as these that the Christian has resources that the man of the world knows not of. Unlike Crusoe he does not turn his desperate gaze toward the halfsunken ship if perchance he may regain some of its stores. He recalls rather those sweet promises of God which await redemption in the hour of need. "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." He remembers that and forthwith in the midst of his extreme peril and helplessness he cries: I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. Psalms 121:1-2.


Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distresses.

Psalms 107:28.

A Thought From Scripture.

What About the So-Called Lost Tomb of Jesus
Paul Maier, well-known religion scholar, wrote a book entitled A Skeleton in God’s Closet in 1994. It was about an archeologist who discovered a skeleton and a manuscript in the Holy Land and the possibility that it might be the remains of Jesus. Was it a hoax or was it the discovery that would shake Christianity down to its foundations? Little did he know or think that such a claim would be made in little over a decade and that he and other religion scholars would be called upon to respond.

What is being claimed and what are the theological implications?
Here is a verbatim quote from the official web site: "An incredible archaeological discovery in Israel changes history and shocks the world. Tombs with the names The Virgin Mary, Jesus of Nazareth, Mary Magdalene and Judah, their son, are found and an investigation begins."
As we will see later, there is no name "Virgin" Mary, just Mary. And no Jesus "of Nazareth". Just "Jesus." And no Mary "Magdalene", just Mary. Etc.
These are the claims being made.
Theological implications:
Resurrection:
Official web site says: "Our documentary does not address this issue."
However, the traditional Christian or biblical doctrine of a bodily resurrection of Jesus would seem to be challenged by their claims.
Ascension:
Official web site says: "If Jesus’ mortal remains have indeed been found, this would contradict the idea of a physical ascension. However, it says nothing against the possibility of a spiritual ascension."
Again, traditional Christian or biblical doctrine is contradicted by their claims.
Furthermore, there is nothing in Christian history about Jesus being married and having a son. They even try to identify this son of Jesus as the beloved disciple in the Gospel of John, claiming that was a code term used to protect the son of Jesus from his enemies.
The official web sites make cross references to the Da Vinci Code and also to late Gnostic texts, as did the Da Vinci Code with the Mary Magdalene theme. The same sort of "what if" thriller spy novel type of thinking is present here. It isn’t good archeology and it isn’t good historical analysis.
Implications.
1 Cor. 15:14, 17, 19 – "If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men."
Rom. 1:4 – "was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead.
What was actually discovered and when?
A tomb was discovered in Jerusalem during construction work in 1980. Work immediately stopped and archeologists were called in from the antiquities department. Ten ossuaries were removed and cataloged. The bones were reburied as is customary.
The inscriptions on the ossuaries have been known by scholars since 1980 and no one has thought anything unusual about this for 26 years.
The tomb was clearly from a wealthy, elite family and the stone work on the outer façade was well-done.
What about the names and statistics? What do they prove?
Ten ossuaries from the Talpiot Tomb.
Ossuaries are small bone boxes. Many Jews from around the time of Jesus practiced secondary burial. They buried someone and then after the flesh had decomposed, they removed the bones and placed them in a small bone box or ossuary.
One went missing; three were plain.
Six has inscriptions.
The six names – filmmakers’ claims on translations.
Mariamene e Mara – Miriamne, the teacher.
Yehuda bar Yeshua – Judah, son of Jesus
Matia – Matthew
Yeshua bar Yosef – Jesus, son of Joseph
Yose or Yosa – nickname of Joseph
Maria – Latinized for Miriam.
Statistics
We know the most common names based on the inscriptions of a few thousands ossuaries found from this era.
Top ten male names: (from Richard Bauckham)
Simon/Simeon
Joseph
Eleazar
Judah
John/Yohanan
Jesus
Hananiah
Jonathan
Matthew
Manaean/Menahem
Top female names:
Mary/Mariamne 21%
Salome
Shelamzion
Martha
The makers of this documentary had a statistician calculate the statistical probability of this collection of names being found in one family together.
They then use an analogy to a group of people in a football field to try to sell their statistics.
Put 1000 people in a football field. Have everyone stand. Then have everyone sit down who is not named Jesus.
Then have everyone sit down who does not have a son named Joseph.
Then have everyone sit down who does not have a wife named Mary.
Etc., etc.
The filmmakers are estimating that there is only a 1 in 600 chance that this is NOT the tomb of Jesus Christ. That is the worst case scenario they give.
Another likelihood, possibly involving their suggestion (will have to wait for the movie tonight) that the missing ossuary was James, Jesus' brother, the probability is 1 in 2,400,000.
Problems with these statistics.
These are very common names. Like finding graves here with Smiths, Jones, Williams and Johnsons in them. So what. And it is like their first names being Steve, George, Johnny, and Bill.
In 1926 a "Jesus, son of Joseph’ ossuary was found in the basement of what is now the Rockefeller Museum. It is now in the Israel Museum.
One news report tells of an ancient document of a business deal between a man named Jesus and another man named Jesus witnessed by another Jesus.
They are including names in the calculations which one cannot include. We have no historical record anywhere that there was a Matthew in the family of Jesus. You cannot.
They make much of "Jose" a shortened form of Joseph, about how rare it is. It is rare in the ossuaries, but not as rare among names. One of the brothers of Jesus bore that name, Mark 6:3. However, one of the sons of Mary the mother of James the younger bore that name too, according to Mark 15:40, and he was not Jesus’ brother. And it was a name of Barnabas, according to Acts 4:36.
For their theory to have a chance to work, Jose needs to be the brother of Jesus. Jose is a shortened form of Joseph. The Jesus in this tomb is the son of Joseph. So, it is certainly possible that the Jose in this tomb is the father of the Jesus in this tomb, not his brother.
Filmmakers say that Mariamne e Mara on one ossuary means Mary the teacher. They then go to 3rd and 4th century Gnostic sources and Da Vinci Code type theories saying that Mary Magdalene was known as a great teacher in the early church. Richard Bauckham, a great English NT scholar, suggests that Mara here "does not mean Master [teacher]. It is an abbreviated form of Martha. Probably the ossuary contained two women called Mary and Martha (Mariamne and Mara)."
Mariamene – That form of the name for Mary Magdalene comes from 300 years later from Gnostic writings, not from 1st century sources. More Da Vinci Code type theorizing.
Mary – Latinized form of the name. They are trying to make something of early church history in order to claim that this is Mary, the mother of Jesus, and what was supposedly going on in Jerusalem. It is all fiction just to spin their theory.
One person looked at the statistics and tried to be generous to the filmmakers but posed two alternatives:
This tomb could belong to 228 other Herodian Jerusalem citizens named Jesus son of Joseph, or
If Jesus was buried in Jerusalem in this tomb, it didn’t include 70% of his family and the New Testament forgot to tell us that Jesus was married, had a son, and that there was a Matthew and Martha in his family. Which is most likely?
While there are several coincidences with the family of Jesus due to very common names, there are several things which statistically go very strongly against the possibility of this being the family tomb of Jesus. There are 5 assumptions in the theory propounded in this documentary. One skeptic of this documentary calculated that the theory of this documentary had a 1 in 60 million chance of being true. He was a biased skeptic, I must admit. So he did adjust for it on several points but still came up with 1 in 15,000 chances.
Occam’s razor is the idea that the simplest explanation is likely the correct one. Some have suggested that the simplest way to explain the family lines in this tomb would exclude the family of Jesus for several reasons, which we have noted.
What about the DNA evidence? What does it prove?
The bones were removed and buried by Israeli custom.
DNA tests were done on human residue taken from the "Jesus son of Jose" ossuary and "Mariamne" ossuary.
They were only able to do mitochondrial DNA testing which is only able to test the mother line. Able to prove that these two individuals were not maternally related.
Makers of this documentary are suggesting that this Jesus and Mary, then, were married and that it was Mary Magdalene.
It is possible that these two were married. But they might not be. Might have been in-laws or another relationship.
What about other evidence? Does it support or conflict?
The ancestral home of Joseph was Bethlehem. Then they lived in Nazareth. Joseph likely died in Nazareth. Why would the family have a major tomb in Jerusalem?
We have no evidence or hint of Jesus being married and having a son.
Where was Mary, the mother of Jesus, buried?
One traditional location is another place in Jerusalem.
Much more likely, though, is Ephesus, according to Eusebius and other ancient church tradition, which has much more credibility, since Mary was committed to the care of the apostle John and John spent his last years in Ephesus.
The movie makers are going to try to tie the James ossuary to this tomb. James ossuary was found a few years ago. However, the man who produced it said it came from a different part of Jerusalem and the dirt on it matched soil from a different part of Jerusalem. Also, some ongoing intrigue related to the James ossuary which involves a trial in Israel and a former FBI agent, Gerald Richard, has brought to light some photographs of the James ossuary that may have been taken in the 1970s—before the so-called Lost Tomb of Jesus was even discovered!
Eusebius, an early church historian, tells us about where James was buried and of a stele erected over his tomb. It is not in the location where this tomb was found.
This Talpiot tomb was quite expensive. The family of Jesus was not wealthy. For them to afford this type of burial, it would have taken the support of the Jerusalem church community. What are the implications of that?
The church would have known where Jesus was buried. The early church would have gone to his grave to show him honor. But the church didn't go to any tomb for many centuries, because they didn’t know where his garden burial tomb was, which was used only temporarily until the resurrection.
If the early church and apostles knew where Jesus was buried, why would they have gone out and preached that he was resurrected and ascended and why would they have died for that message????
What do the scholars say?
You can find a scholar on whatever side of the issue to say whatever you want said. Most, though, are critical of this documentary even before it airs, because there is enough information available on the web so that they can dismiss it.
Some more liberally minded theologians are saying, "Maybe there is something to it, but it doesn’t harm our faith." Those who are saying this are those who didn’t really believe in a literal, bodily resurrection anyway.
Quotes from theologians, Bible scholars, archeologists, and historians.
Ben Witherington, NT historian of Jesus studies, "It is a story full of holes, conjectures, and problems. It will make good TV and involves a bad critical reading of history. Basically this is old news with a new interpretation. We have known about this tomb since it was discovered in 1980. There are all sorts of reasons to see this as much ado about nothing much."
Joe Zias, curator for anthropology and archeology at the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem from 1972 to 1997 who personally numbered the Talpiot ossuaries said: "Simcha [Jacobovici, TV director] has no credibility whatsoever. He’s pimping off the Bible…He got this guy Cameron, who made ‘Titanic’ or something like that—what does this guy know about archeology? I am an archeologist, but if I were to write a book about brain surgery, you would say, ‘Who is this guy?'…Projects like this make a mockery of the archeological profession."
Amos Kloner, the first archeologist to examine the site back in 1980, said the TV documentary fails to hold up to archeological standards, but it makes for profitable television. He has called it nonsense. "They just want to get money for it."
Paul Maier, NT scholar and historian, professor at Western Michigan University, "Alas, this whole affair is just the latest in the long-running media attack on the historical Jesus, which – we thought – had culminated in that book of lies, The Da Vinci Code. But no: the caricatures of Christ continue. Please, lose no sleep over the Talpiot "discoveries".
How solid is the ground of our faith?
One positive aspect of this is that if you claim to find anyone else’s bones in a grave, there would only be a little excitement. But claim to find’s Christ’s bones, and the whole world gets excited. It shows that Jesus Christ commands attention even today and he makes claims like no other in the world.
The fact that even Jewish archeologists and scholars who took part in this discovery from 1980 yet they didn’t jump on the bandwagon and proclaim this a great find tells us something. We have nothing to worry about here.
The arguments for the resurrection and the evidence for the resurrection come from so many different angles that we stand on firm ground. Our faith is a reasonable faith.
1 Cor. 15:4-7 – "He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also."

Matthew 24 continued

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” [Mat. 24:42].

I will begin a study of this verse with the word “ye.” It refers to the audience that Yahshua (Jesus) had all of the way through this chapter. The ones to whom He was speaking was His apostles, the ones who were biologically alive when He was alive biologically in the 1st century AD.

It was to them that He said to “watch.” Now why in the world would He tell them to watch if the “coming” of the Lord was not to occur for 2,000 or more years?

It was interesting in my research to learn that the Greek word “gregoreuo” literally means “to stay awake.” The KJV translates the word by the words “be vigilant, wake and watch or be watchful.” Recall the parable of the ten virgins and they were to “watch,” i.e. they were to “keep awake” and be ready for the arrival of the bridegroom. We will study more on that when we get to chapter 25.

The word “therefore” comes from an original word that connects (conjunctionally), i.e. these three verses are connected and it means “accordingly.” As they saw the season of the “coming” of the Lord, they were to “watch accordingly,” i.e. the closer the time came, the more they were to be watchful. They knew when, they knew that it was in their generation in the 1st century AD, but they did not know the “day and hour.” If they understood Yahshua (Jesus) to be talking about something in the 21st century, they would have asked Him, “Why, Lord, must we watch? We will have been dead for 2,000 years. Why not say something that will be around and alert the people who are alive in the 21st century about watching, instead of telling us to watch?”

It is only by implication that the Greek word that is translated as “ye know” can be used, for its primary meaning is “to see.” Obviously any “seeing” would not be with the naked eye, but a perception of the “coming of their Lord.”

The “coming of the Lord” was for the purpose of destroying the unbelievers and those who were not “watching.” So, the apostles were admonished to “keep awake” and be “ever alert,” and “so much the more as (they saw) the day approaching"

Moms

Gentle Reader,
Here is a piece that my Daughter-in-law sent me, enjoy
Denis

Why God made Moms -- BRILLIANT Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions!!


Why did God make mothers?

1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.

2. Mostly to clean the house.

3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.


How did God make mothers?

1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.

2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring

3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.


What ingredients are mothers made of?

1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.

2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.


Why did God give you your mother & not some other mom?

1. We're related

2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.


What kind of little girl was your mom?

1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.

2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.

3. They say she used to be nice.


What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?

1. His last name.

2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?

3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?


Why did your mom marry your dad?

1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.

2. She got too old to do anything else with him.

3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.


Who's the boss at your house?

1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.

2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.

3. I guess Mom is. But only because she has a lot more to do than dad.


What's the difference between moms & dads?

1. Moms work at work and work at home & dads just go to work at work.

2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.

3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.

4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your mom do in her spare time?

1. Mothers don't do spare time.

2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.


What would it take to make your mom perfect?

1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.

2. Diet, you know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.


If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.

2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.

3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head..

WHEN YOU STOP LAUGHING SEND IT ON TO OTHERS!

Matthew 24:

In Persian
Copied by Mas'ud ibn Ibrahim
1312

This, the first Persian manuscript to enter the Vatican Library, may well have been acquired by the Chaldean metropolitan Mar Yosef, who came from Malabar to Rome in 1568 to clear himself of the charge of Nestorianism. Written in the cursive "naskhi" script typical of the Middle East, it is one of the earliest surviving Persian manuscripts of any part of the Scriptures--none are known to be earlier than the fourteenth century. The rarity of the manuscript was quickly appreciated. The Persian scholar Giovanni Battista Vecchietti consulted it when he was in Rome in 1598 and foliated it. It was also read and copied by Tumagen, an Armenian from Aleppo who probably arrived in Rome in the train of Leonardo Abel after his mission to Syria in 1586. The page displayed here includes the opening of the text of the Gospel of Matthew.


“Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left” [Mat. 24:40].

The word “then” introduces to us again the time element. It was following immediately the events that come before in this chapter.

It also connects to the previous verse that speaks of Noah and the people who were destroyed in the flood.

The illustration here is the second illustration – Noah being the first – showing the suddenness of the “coming” of the Israelite Messiah in 66 AD to 70 AD to destroy the unbelieving Judahites.

This illustration is of workers in a field. The indication is that one was working correctly and the other one was either not working at all (which is the best probability), or working wrongly.

Yahshua (Jesus) used the illustration of only “two,” whereas in the illustration of Noah, he used the whole world.

One was taken and the other left. Many are desirous of using this verse to prove their rapture theory, but careful study will show that it backfires on them.

In Noah’s day, “he took them all away” to destruction, not to save them.

Likewise, in this illustration, “the one shall be taken” for destruction, not for salvation. Both were in the same field (i.e. both belonged to God). One was removed for destruction and the other was left in the field (kingdom).

The same thing can be seen in the following parable.

“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28. He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29. But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn” [Mat. 13:24-30].

Before the “saved” were gathered together, “first” the tares (the disbelievers) were gathered together for the purpose of burning them – destroying them.

This verse in Matthew and some of the parables deal with “taking away” (after they had been gathered together) the unbelievers “being taken away” for destruction, not to rapture the good away first.

It has been my observation over 54 years that if people are going to read the bible, that they should pay much closer attention to what it truly says
Love,
Denis