My Non Religious Blog

LOVE

2012-01-27T10:13:00.000-08:00

Instead of shining the light on someones sin; Shine it on their glory . then maybe they will be better able to see the path and return to righteousness.

Quest, Deshawn, & Reggie: Precious Memories of lives lost too soon

2011-07-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

On Monday July 11, 2011 AT 03:30 AM
in a fatal crash; Oil City, Pa lost Three
of it's most valuable resources.
Quest Morgan-Green.
Deshawn Harris.
Reggie Brown Jr.
The most valuable resource any community
can have is it's youth, but youth is not thee
reason these three were so valuable.
The reason is something even more precious,
something very few adults ever posess and
only those youth whom fate would make great
ever realize in their own lives before becoming
adults themselves.
Quest, Deshawn, and Reggie posessed an
outlook on life and an influance on others so
positive and strong that they changed forever any
life that happened to come under their special
brand of influance.
On first impression you probably wouldn't have
given these boys much credit for being upstanding
citizens, most people focused on their weaknesses
and completely missed their strengths, that special
gift to the world sent by GOD himself.
But if you were brave enough, wise enough, or
fortunate enough to allow them into your life for
even a short moment; they would change the way
you saw life forever.
I have been reading and listening with much interest
over the past few days to all the stories and memories
of these three amazing youth.
Jennifer Wagner, Amanda Wagner, Crystal Markley,
and Cheyenne Paden spoke with me of their memories
of theser boys.
Jennifer remembers going to camp Boumont in Ohio
with them.
Camp Boumont is a camp for underprivilaged kids.
she remembers especialy how Deshawn was the nicest
kid there, He allways went out of his way to protect
the other kids from bullies.
Deshawn would take a stand for them whenever he
saw them being mistreated.
He did not respond to the bullies tactics in kind but
tried to talk, reason, and explain why they should not
be picking on the other kids.
If it was nesesary he would place himself physicaly
between the bullie and their victim to stop the
agression.
Jennifer said Deshawn loved his sisters and would do
whatever it took to help take care of them.
Also if you happened to be in a bad mood; Deshawn
would get right up in your face with only centimeters
between you and him and start making weird faces
and strange noises untill you could not hold it in any
longer, you could not help but bust out laughing.
If you tried to turn your face away from him he would
move right along with you keeping his face with your
face. there was no escape from his insistant
requirement of happiness for everyone around him.
Both jennifer and Amanda recall how Quest would
do crazy things to make people smile.
If you were in a room with Quest and he noticed you
were not smileing or having a good time; He would
spontasniously break into some weird dance right
in front of you and he would keep it up untill you
gave in and smiled.
Quest and Deshawn neither one could tolorate any
unhappiness in the lives of any one around them.
They felt it their personal mission in life to bring

Continue reading on Examiner.com Precious Memories: Quest, Deshawn, & Reggie - Erie Christianity | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/christianity-in-erie/precious-memories-quest-deshawn-reggie#ixzz1SCEMZ2KE

A Pastors Wife, A Bottle Of Water, And A Lesson In Love

2011-06-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

As I was waiting for the GoBus last week
in Franklin; I sat in the Buffalo Street
Gazebo enjoying the warm sunny weather
that we all have waited so long for.
As I listened to the others talking while
we waited for the Bus to arrive, I watched
across the street as this old man come
walking out of the ally from Liberty street
next to the house where the Pastor of the
Methodist Church across the street lived.
The old man walked around to the front
steps of the Pastors house and sat down on
the top step as calmly as if he himself
lived there.
MORE

GOD really does reward those who do his will - Erie Christianity | Examiner.com

2011-05-20T17:54:00.000-07:00

GOD really does reward those who do his will - Erie Christianity Examiner.com

Bin Ladin Killed

2011-05-04T17:53:00.000-07:00

"Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles."

--Proverbs 24:17

In Jesus Name... 04/28 by vanedave | Blog Talk Radio

2011-04-30T18:03:00.000-07:00

In Jesus Name... 04/28 by vanedave Blog Talk Radio

What Is Christian - Erie Christianity | Examiner.com

2011-04-24T14:19:00.000-07:00

What Is Christian - Erie Christianity Examiner.com

Amber alert

2011-04-13T19:41:00.000-07:00

AMBER ALERT!!! Edmonton, Kentucky. USA. Little girl, 3 yrs old picked up by man driving gray car, license plate: Quebec 72B 381. Canada. Put this as your status. It could save her. This kidnapping is recent so do it, 3 seconds will not kill you. What if it were your child???

In this day of the world wide web, this should not take forever to get her home.

Everyone who reads this, post it to every page and site you have, every one who reads those posts do the same, before you know it we will have formed a worldwide un escapable web which will bring this child home.

Shes 3yrs old, frightened and crying, she wants to go home to mommy. lets help her get home and show these perverts our children are not free for their twisted pleasures any longer.

The days of criminals slipping unnoticed through the cracks are gone, the internet has colsed those cracks.

The more people who post this the better chance of this child coming home.

Dont wait for someone else to post it, you post it NOW.

Hes hurting her and YOU have the power to stop him.

Christ Lives

2011-04-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

Religion, All Religion, especially Christianity is dying.

More and more people are walking away from religion every day.

Christian churches whether they be Catholic, Protestant, or Non
Denominational are losing congregants in record numbers.

Most recently Ann Rice quit Christianity claiming she still believes
in GOD but no longer feels she can remain a Christian.

Why are so many people walking away from religion, especially
Christianity.

What is even more confusing for some is those who claim to still
believe in or follow GOD.

How exactly can one believe in GOD and not be religious, They are
connected, they are one and the same after all; Aren't they.

One thing that seems most instrumental in driving the current exodus
away from religion and again especially Christianity is all the hatred,
intolerance, Lack of love and/or compassion for others, hypocrisy, ect..

Good people no mater their belief or lack thereof have decided they
can no longer stand by while the poor, hungry, homeless, naked,
uneducated, handicapped, people of this world are either ignored or
worse yet if they are helped, it is only minimal and only so much as to
say "look here, look how I have helped this person", aren’t I a good person.

Many times these outcasts from society are used to fill the religious coffers.

You are told that if you give so much money to help these lowest of the
low that GOD will bless you with more, You will get rich by giving to the
poor.

The only ones who ever seem to get more though is the church collection
baskets, The poor always seem to stay poor and you seem to stay in the
same situation you are in , but your leaders seem to drive bigger cars, buy
bigger houses, eat better food, ect...

Sometimes some of it will actually get to where you intended when you
gave it but more times than not; a larger part is used to make the
religious leaders all the more wealthy.

Don’t loose heart though, Religion may be dying, but Christ’s way is
alive and growing every day.

A day don’t pass that I don’t see, hear, read, or witness some story of
love, compassion, charity.

a woman tells a story of shopping to get dinner with her last $10, all
the while worrying what she will feed her family the rest of the week.
Out of nowhere a stranger hands her money and before she can say
thank you the stranger rounds the corner and is gone. No name given,
no credit sought.

A father takes a frozen pie shell out of the freezer and bakes it with no
filling, there is no filling for in it.
He splits that baked pie shell into 4 pieces. one for his wife and one for
each of his three children.
A glass of water each and a third of a bottle of ketchup is all there is to
go with it.
He sits in the living room crying while his family eats the last of the food
for what may be a very long time.
The next day his children come screaming into the house, Uncle is
coming with bags of food enough to last for weeks.
When father tries to pay uncle back once he gets some money; uncle
refuses.

This morning I experienced my own incidence of Christ like compassion.
For thirty some years; whenever I need to go somewhere long distance;
I just walk.
I don’t bother hitch hiking; I have learned that you can hold that thumb
up until it turns blue and falls off and no one will pick you up.
It is much easier just to walk and be done with it, You get there quicker
that way.

Well this morning at 4:30 AM I was out along the highway walking as I
needed to be back to work at 7:00 AM and my car is not inspected.
I fully expected to walk the entire way so I didn’t even bother sticking
out my thumb.
I didn't walk far, No sooner did I leave city limits and this car stopped and
asked if I needed a ride.

I think I was just as afraid of getting in that car as most people are of
picking up a hitch hiker; but it was chilly and I hadn't walked any real
distance in 20 years.
I took the ride, He dropped me off right in front of work and left without my
ever getting a chance to find out his name or say thanks.

All these stories are true, each one happened either to me or someone I know.
All three Heroes were not religious; Christian or otherwise.
Most religious followers would say these people will go to hell for not
following their particular religious beliefs.

I think these three Heroes will some day shake Christ’s hand, and I want
to shake their hands at that time as well because they showed me that
Christ’s way lives.

I am not religious, I do believe in GOD and follow the way Christ taught.
The three in my stories also believe very much in GOD but are not
religious.
Is it possible to believe in or follow GOD without being Religious? You
decide.

The American Dream?

2011-04-07T00:36:00.000-07:00

I spent the first 13 years of my life learning about the American dream.
I have spent the last 34 years of my life chasing that American dream.
Scratching, Clawing, Two steps forward, Ten steps backwards.
I am now 47 years old and finally I have made it.
I got out of the whole, I'm no longer lower class nothing, I'm now
middle class somebody.
I have money, I have possessions, I have Friends, I have Respect, I
have a Position of Authority.
I finally have everything I had been chasing.
Now that I'm here, I have only one thing to say.
Every thing I wanted, Every thing I have been chasing, All these things
that drove me ever forward for so many years.
They are not here.
They never were here.
I left it all behind and found an illusion.
True Friends, Love, Happiness.
These things can only be found in one place on earth.
At The Bottom of The Ladder.
The something I chased for so long, turned out to be nothing.
I think I will go back.

Johnny Paycheck: The Outlaw's Prayer

2011-04-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

John Conlee - Common Man

2011-04-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

Gracelings: My basic political philosophy as a Christ-follower...

2011-03-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

Gracelings: My basic political philosophy as a Christ-follower...: "I find myself wanting to start this post with a disclaimer... So here it is: What I am going to share here will almost certainly ruffle so..."

Luke 7:36-50, the year 2011 Pennsylvania, USA

2011-03-04T15:11:00.000-08:00

One day a traveling minister happened through a small town in Pennsylvania.

this minister was famous for the gifts of discernment and healing that GOD had
bestowed upon him, He walked from town to town spreading GODs word.

One of the local Religious Politicians invited the traveling Minister to eat with him.
After They entered the cafe, The Minister took his place at the table.

Meanwhile, a woman from the city, A Drug Addict, and Lesbian discovered that
this famous Minister was dining in the café with the Politician.

She brought ointment and salve.
Sitting at his feet and tending to his every need, She placed ointment and salve on his
feet to sooth his sore muscles and heal his blistered feet.

When the Politician who had invited the traveling Minister saw what was happening, he said
to himself, If this man were truly able to discern things, he would know what kind of woman
is touching him.
He would know that she is a Drug Addict, and a Lesbian.

The Minister replied to the Politicians thought, “Sir, I have something to say to you.”
What is it Reverend, said the Politician.

Two men owed a Banker money.
One owed $50,000.00. The other owed 25,000.00.
When they couldn’t pay, the Banker forgave the loans of them both.
Which of them will appreciate him more?”

The Politician replied, “I suppose the one who had the largest loan forgiven.”
The Minister said, that is correct.”

The Minister turned to the woman and said to The Politician, “Do you see this woman?
When I entered your town, you didn’t give me water for my feet, but she soothed them
with ointment and salve.
You tended to my hunger only, but she hasn’t stopped tending my needs since I came in.

I'll tell you something, her many sins have been forgiven; Because of this she has shown great love.

The one who is forgiven little loves little.”

Then the Minister said to her, “The Lord loves you, And holds no record of your sins.”

The other table guests began to talk among themselves, “Who does he think he is,
telling her she has no sins?”

The Minister said to the woman, “Your faith has caused GOD to smile upon you. Go now, and May He richly bless you.”

Beatitudes as Flash Animation - E-Water

2011-02-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

Beatitudes as Flash Animation - E-Water

The Christians

2011-02-05T12:25:00.000-08:00

I found the following on another blog, Reprinted with permission.
It comes from Eberhard Arnold's book The Early Christians; In Their Own Words

It is the Christians, O emperor, who have sought and found the truth. We have realized it from their writings; they are closer to the truth and to a right understanding than all the other peoples, for they acknowledge God. They believe in him, the creator and builder of the universe, in whom all things are and from whom everything comes. They worship no other god. They have his commandments imprinted on their hearts. They observe them because they live in the hope and expectation of the coming age of the world. They do not commit adultery. They do not live in fornication. They speak no untruth. They do not keep for themselves the goods entrusted to them. They do not covet what belongs to others. They honor father and mother. They show love to their neighbors. They pronounce judgments which are just. They do not worship idols in human form. They do not do to another what they would not wish to have done to themselves. They do not eat the food sacrificed to idols, for they are pure. They speak gently to those who oppress them, and in this way they make them their friends. It has become their passion to do good to their enemies. Their women, O emperor, are pure like virgins. Their daughters are chaste, kind, and gentle. Their men refrain from all unlawful intimate relationships. They keep free from impurity, for they live in the expectation of the recompense to come in the other world. Any male or female slaves or dependents whom individuals among them may have, they persuade to become Christians because of the love they feel towards them. If they do become Christians, they are brothers to them without discrimination.

They worship no alien gods. They live in the awareness of their smallness. Kindliness is their nature. There is no falsehood among them. They love one another. They do not neglect widows. Orphans they rescue from those who are cruel to them. Every one of them who has anything gives ungrudgingly to the one who has nothing. If they see a traveling stranger they bring him under their roof. They rejoice over him as over a real brother, for they do not call one another brothers or sisters after the flesh; but they know they are brothers in the Spirit and in God. If one of them sees that one of their poor must leave this world, he provides for his burial as well as he can. And if they hear that one of them is imprisoned or oppressed by their opponents for the sake of their Christ’s name, all of them take care of all his needs. If possible they set him free. If anyone among them is poor or comes into want while they themselves have nothing to spare, they fast two or three days for him. In this way they can supple any poor man with the food he needs.

For they are ready to give up their lives for Christ, for they observe the words of their Christ with much care. Their life is one of consecration and justice, as the Lord their God commanded them. Every morning, yes, every hour, they give praise and honor to their God for all the good things he gives to them. They thank him for their food and drink. If any one of them who is righteous passes from this world, they rejoice and give thanks to God. They escort his body as though he were simply moving from one place to another. When a baby is born to one of them, they honor God, and if it should happen that the little child dies, they honor God even more, for it has passed through the world without sin. But if they have to experience that one them dies in godlessness or sin, they weep bitterly over him. They sigh for him because he must go to meet his punishment. This, O emperor, is the rule of life of the Christians, and this their manner of life.

As men and women who know God, they ask of him the things that are proper for God to give and right for them to receive. This they run the course of their lives. They acknowledge the good deeds of God towards them. And see, because of them, good flows on in the world! Truly it is they who have sought and have found the truth, and from what we have understood here we must conclude that they alone are close to the knowledge of truth. Yet they do not cry out in the ears of the masses the good deeds they do. Rather, they take care that no one should notice them. They hide their giving like someone who conceals a treasure he has found. They strive for righteousness because they live in the expectation of seeing Christ in his radiance and receiving from him the fulfillment of the promises he made to them.

Take their writings and read in them, and you will see that I have not invented anything here and that I have not spoken as their partisan. Rather, through reading their writings I came to these firm convictions, also regarding the future things to which they bear witness. It is for this reason that I felt urged to declare the truth to those who are ready for the truth and ready to seek the world of the future.

-Aristides, Apology 15, 16. 137 A.D

Thoughts? Have you met Christians like this? Are you like these Christians?

For this and other interesting posts see TheGreatBout on xanga.com

Mom, I'm Gay

2011-01-07T18:51:00.000-08:00

One day your in the kitchen preparing dinner for a family gathering.

Could be any gathering. Birthday, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Ect.

Your son comes up behind you and says: Mom I need to talk to you.

You sit down at the table, he sits down beside you with a nervous

worried look on his face.

Being a mom, you know somthing isn't quite right.

Fearing the worst you ask, whats wrong son, what has happened.

You are expecting sickness, desease, injury. Things that as a mother

you have allways thought were your worst nightmare, untill today.

Your son figits a little trying to get just the right words, the greatest

amount of courage.

Slowly he looks up from the floor to your waiting eyes.

Your scared, he is scared.

Finaly he speaks with a bit of a fearful quiver in his voice.

Mom, I dont know how your going to take this but I want you to

know that no mater what your responce to what I am about to

tell you, I love you and I hope you will still love me.

Mom I am Gay,

He waits while what he just told you has a chance

to realy sink in.

At this point I will let you finish the rest of the story in your own mind

with your own beliefs.

My question is this.

How would you react if this were you and your son or daughter.

Non of my daughters claim to be Gay, Lesbian, ect.

But my wife and I have had talks with them on this subject eversince

they were quite young.

We have told them how much we love them, and that we view the

homosexual life style as not natural.

But we did not stop there, We also told them that if any one of them

ever realized that they were Gey, Lesbian, Ect that we would still love

them just as much as we do now.

Not only would we still love them, but if they brought home that right girl,

we would love their right girl just as much as we would love the right guy.

Then we let them know that ultimatly, it is their choice, not ours.

Like most parents, we hope and pray for the right son in law some day, But

if one or more of our daughters give us instead a daughter in law, we will

love them both un conditionally and with pride, and will look upon our new

daughter in law as our very own daughter.

How would you handle this in your family.

How to be saved

2011-01-01T16:07:00.001-08:00

Jesus died once for All sin. You do not get saved, You are saved because

He already took the punnishment for All sin from the first to the last.

The only way to lose that is if you say You wont accept his payment for your

sin and insist on paying your own penalty, then you have made his sacrifice

for naught.

Look at it this way.

Theres a man who commits a crime worthy of death. before he even gets a

chance to be judged and sentenced for that crime, his brother goes to the judge

and arranges to take the punnishment for this mans crime, In short the brother

aranges that he will be put to death and the man who commited the crime will

be set free and his record will be cleaned as though he did not commit the crime.

Now if the man who commited that crime goes to the judge after his brother has

already been put to death for his crime and says my brother was innocent and I

will take the punnishment my self for my own crime then he has not only denied

his brothers love and sacrifice, he has also lost the very life his brother lovingly

gave his own life to preserve for him.

He has basicaly said, my brothers sacrafice is worthless.

If you believe this and accept this then you are already saved.

You have been saved from the time that Jesus died, was buried,

arose, and sat down at the right hand of GOD.

If you start thinking Jesus was innocent and you should be punnished instead,

If you do not believe that his death covered your sin already and you keep

punnishing yourself for your sins then you will be denying his sacrifice, then

you will be in danger.

You will sin, every one sins. Anyone who says they stopped sinning when they

got saved is a liar.

You are saved already, accept that and let Jesus do the rest. Jesus died once for

all sin, he can not be crucified again for further sin.

The penalty for your sin (Past, Present, and future) has already been paid.

That does not mean you can sin all you want.

It means when you do sin, admit you sinned, ask for forgivness, Be remorsful

and trust Jesus when he says I already payed the wages of your sins.

Jesus paid the penalty in your place 2000 years ago.

You were already saved 2000 years ago.

If you believe that then the only thing required of you is to say Thank you

Jesus for paying for my sin, Thank you for loving me that much, I love you

too and I am sorry.

Then when you sin further, and you will. Say Jesus please forgive me and

help me do better.

Then do you know what will happen? He will!

Don't let others tell you you have to get saved, You already are saved.

All you need to do is accept that he has done that for you then let Him

leade you.

Theres no need to request he save you or love you, he already has.

God Chooses "The One" | revelife

2011-01-01T13:09:00.000-08:00

God Chooses "The One" revelife

Christmas

2010-12-25T16:29:00.000-08:00

It's Better to Give than to Receive | revelife

2010-12-25T15:25:00.000-08:00

It's Better to Give than to Receive | revelife

Beyond Borders: A Biblical Example of Cross-Cultural Communication | revelife

2010-12-23T17:22:00.000-08:00

Beyond Borders: A Biblical Example of Cross-Cultural Communication | revelife

How Would the 21st Century World Respond to Jesus if He First Came Today? | revelife

2010-12-18T15:36:00.000-08:00

How Would the 21st Century World Respond to Jesus if He First Came Today? | revelife

Tell Me Again What the Cattle Were Doing? | revelife

2010-12-18T10:04:00.000-08:00

Tell Me Again What the Cattle Were Doing? | revelife

Schizophrenia, another way | ltdpaden on Revelife

2010-12-17T19:18:00.000-08:00

Schizophrenia, another way ltdpaden on Revelife

Prison: The Forgotten Ministry | revelife

2010-12-11T16:05:00.000-08:00

Prison: The Forgotten Ministry revelife

Meet the chalenge

2010-12-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

Heres a chalenge.

This chalenge is for all religions, non-Religious, Athiests, Scientists, Ect...

Religious People of all Religions:
Proove to me that GOD, Your GOD exists.
Proove to me that your GOD is the only true GOD.

I will not accept quotes from your holy books, I want All out undisputable
facts that can not be disputed or torn apart by any one.
If you can not convince and convert me then you have failed your GOD.

christians especialy:
convince me that your denomination, church, faith,
belief, sect ect is the true way taught by Jesus.
Proove to me that what you teach is what Jesus taught, Again I will
not accept quotes from the bible, Only those who already believe take
the bible as truth.
I also do not want to hear what your preacher, teacher, parents, Ect
told you is in the bible, No second hand information, You have to
produce proof that you yourself have personaly wittnessed.
Give me undisputable facts, Proof that can not be disputed or denied.
If you can not convince me then you have failed your GOD.

Atheist, Scientist, Non-Believers:
Proove to me that GOD does not exist, that
He is a myth.
Dont give me quotes from your science books, or things that
you learned from teachers, parents, books, theorys (yours or
otherwise).
I want facts, prooven undeniable hard facts that you yourself have
wittnessed.
If you can not convince me then your fate is the worst of all, because
you say there is no GOD, then you have no GOD to fail, you have
failed yourself and anyone else whom you have taught, Because if there
is a GOD and you are wrong then you will have someone to answer
to after death.
You not only have to proove to me, but to yourself as well that there is
no GOD because if you convince me and your wrong then you have
condemned not only me but every one who believed what you said.

All of you Proove to me what my fate at death is to be.

I dont think any of you can because none of you have even given any
effort to your own thought and senses.

None of you can give me your very own personal proof without
quoting your books, teachers, familys, theorys, ect.

Meet the chalenge and solve the oldest argument, the oldest cause of
war, the ultimate solution to world peace.

Can you do it, can you convince me.

I dont think you can.

I know my fate, do you know yours, Realy.

Come on solve it, I Dare You.
Chalenge starts Now.

Looseing your life for GOD

2010-12-07T21:14:00.000-08:00

This artical reposted with permision of Author.

To read more by this Author go to:

http://hebrewseleven.xanga.com/weblog/

I believe this woman realy has it, She has reached the pinnical of what
Jesus was all about, She has reached full understanding of the Masters
teachings.

Thursday, 21 October 2010

After 12 years of "Christianity"... I'm actually getting somewhere! :p

Ok. So maybe the title is a little dramatic.
There is definitely some truth to it though.
Because I am sitting here writing this feeling as if I am finally figuring out what it really
means to be a Christ follower.

And oh! I am so far from it!
But oh! I am so on the path! :)

It's been a whirlwind year.
I remember praying about eight months ago with all my heart: " Lord, I want t lose my life.
I don't want to try and save it.
I want to lose my life for your sake.
I want the crazy Jesus life.
I want all you have for me!"
Dangerous prayer.

You see, I had everything set up quite nicely at that point..
I started teaching Kindergarten shortly after, I was leading kids mnistry at my
church and loving it,
I had an awesome apartment in an awesome location that was all mine with an awesome
kitchen I cooked awesome food in and I constantly had friends over.

I was a leader in a group at my church and that was great. I was even engaged to a guy
who was at Seminary studying God's word!But something was missing.

I knew there was more out there.
I knew there was more to God than I was expiriencing and I felt like something was blocking
me from really going all out.

So I prayed the prayer.
I was done.
I was done with superficial Christianity.
I wanted to expirience the living God. for real.

The guy? Not so much, said he did but didn't mean it.
We broke up.

The church that was my life?
God had other plans.

The apartment I loved? Gone.

Kindergarten teaching?
My boss turned out to be a kook.

Gone. All gone. My life gone.

As I sat there losing everything I had held on to... something happened.
I started to hear God.
Like really.
Finally!!

It's hard to describe what happened after because I can honestly say I had
nothing to do with it.

God took over.
He took control.

Next thing I know, I'm hanging out with people that have the same desire I do.
It just happened.

Next thing I know, I'm becoming friends with someone who is not the kind of person
I normally hang out with and it's important to me.
Why? I don't know!

Next thing I know I am going to conferences..
I just... I just booked it! Something came over me.

Next thing I know, I am living with my dad..
and it's actually great.

Next thing I know, I sign up for counseling school and it all works out.
Finally!

Next thing I know,
I am best friends with someone who became a huge part of my
life and my spiritual walk.

Next thing I know,
God is using me and speaking to me more and it's amazing.

Today I sit here after a looong weekend.
I had a whole self discovery seminar with my school.
I had to do all kinds of stuff like draw a carpet of my life and write a fairytale
of my life, etc. etc.

Then at one point I had to pick two things of all I had brought from my life and
write about it.

I knew exactly what to pick.
A picture of one of my Kindergarten kids and a newspaper
(it does go together, ask me sometime. :)).

So I started to write.
I wrote about how these things inspired me to become a play therapist.

What I wasn't ready for was the emotion.
I'm not an emotional person.
It takes a lot to get me to cry and I often think I might be too cold hearted. So the
emotions came and I was completely overwelmed at the realization of just how
important this is to me.
How much I want to do this.
How it is my heart.

After school that evening,
I was out with my friend and processing everything and I realized something.
I didn't plan any of this.

If you know me, you know I plan.
A lot.
everything.
At least I try to!
At least I used to.

Somehow, in these past three months especially, I stopped planning.
I stopped trying to be older than I am.
I stopped controlling.
It just happened.
It's quite miraculous.
So there I sat in this pub on Saturday night and it hit me.
I didn't plan any of this.

ANYTHING.
Absolutely every aspect of my life right now from where I live, to what I work,
to where I study, to who my friends are.
Every aspect of my life has not been planned by me and divinely ordained by God.

Despite my bitching
(excuse my language, but I really did not take all this change so graciously!)
God answered my prayer.
He chose all of this.
And you know what?
He knows me SO much better than I know myself!
His way is so much better than mine.
I realized this weekend..
I LIKE my life right now.
I know I am right where I am supposed to be.
Wow. So amazing.

So yeah, getting to the point where God is driving took what? 12 years?
Dear reader.. listen to me.
It's scary as get all, it's quite an adventrue.
But losing your life? SO worth it! :)
I dare you, pray the dangerous prayer, mean it.. and see what God does!

hugs,
Mariana

Johnny Cash "Father and Son"

2010-12-05T08:20:00.000-08:00

Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around

2010-12-05T07:47:00.000-08:00

Johnny Cash - Spiritual

2010-12-05T07:40:00.000-08:00

Think About This

2010-11-26T21:08:00.000-08:00

http://spd.fotolog.com/photo/29/9/72/breakfast_cereal/1227761352522_f.jpg

http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/scott120291/

Loving a Sex Offender | revelife

2010-11-24T19:13:00.000-08:00

I wont say I agree or dissagree with this
artical, What I will say is this.

Read it with an open mind, think of yourself
or someone you know who has been or is in
a similar situation.

Comment if you like, but keep it clean and
respectfull.

Loving a Sex Offender revelife

When Christians Aim to Anger People | revelife

2010-11-24T18:45:00.000-08:00

When Christians Aim to Anger People revelife

You're Out of the Church! | revelife

2010-11-24T18:41:00.000-08:00

You're Out of the Church! revelife

Answering Yourself

2010-11-01T14:59:00.000-07:00

About Talking to/Answering Yourself, Schizophrenia
and My Wife.
This started out as a conversation between myself and
a coworker about answering yourself and talking to
yourself.
It just kind of grew from there while I was putting it to
writing and become about my wife and our experience
with schizophrenia
Answering Yourself

Who you talking to?

Most people will tell you that it is ok to talk to yourself, Just don't answer yourself.
If you answer yourself they say, then you have problems.
I disagree.
I not only talk to myself, I actualy have full out conversations with myself.
And I am not ashamed to admit that I answer myself, All the time.
Personaly I think it is when you dont answer yourself that you will have problems.
All questions need answers, and they all eventualy get answers.
It dont mater if you answer yourself, GOD answers you, some other person
answers you, or some invisable being that only you can see and hear answers you.
The question will be answered by some one.
Most of the time it is answered by other people.
Some people will accept the explanation that GOD answered it.
But with the exception of coming from GOD and even sometimes then, if you
get answers from someone that no one else can see or hear, then they will most
likely try to put you away somewere.
So does it not make sense then to not be afraid to answer yourself in conversation.
At least that way your not getting answers from invisable friends.
Now please do not take this to be making fun of the mentaly ill, because that
is not at all my intention.
As a mater of fact when I first met my wife, she was diagnosed with Schitsophrenia,
and Bi Polar.
Because of this she constantly saw and heard what no one else could.
When this happened, one or more of three things happened.
Some made fun of her, Some told her to grow up and get over it as it was only
her imagination, otheres wanted to put her on more medicine than food and put
her away somewere.
All of this only made her worse, untill I come along
(and please dont think I'm Braging I am not).
I did not do what every one else did.
It was my beliefe that what she was seeing and hearing was just as real to her as
this computer is to me.
The more someone tried to convince her it was not real the more she thought
that they were out to get her, and the worse she got.
I watched her talk to and scream at things I could nither see or hear for months.
I watched as she cowered in the corner scared to death of monsters that I
could not see.
I watched as she acted like someone or something else controled her actions
and she almost jumped out a second story window in answer to someone or
something that only she could see or hear.
Finaly one night I had enough.
We were laying in bed, I was tired from work and had to get up early the next
morning.
She started seeing people or things coming in and out of the bedroom walls.
She could hear them saying things to her, telling her to do bad things.
I didnt get real panicky or loose my cool.
I just kept rubbing her belly and looked into the air were she was looking
and spoke with all the authority I could muster directly to those who were
tormenting her.
I said out loud "Leave her alone, Go away and dont bother her any more".
She just looked at me for a moment, I'm not sure what she was thinking.
I do know that up untill that moment, no one had ever spoke directly to
her tormenters before, They only told her that it was her immagination.
I did not tell her she was crazy, I showed her I believed her and wanted to help
and protect her.
She turned over, and went to sleep and has not had but a couple of those
episodes since.
Now I am not saying she was normal all at once, No, It took at least 4 more
years to get her completly off of meds and back to normal.
But after that night she had only a couple more episodes were she saw or
heard what no one else could and I treated each the same.
Today my wife has been off of medication for 12 years and in some ways is
more normal that I.
And on the same note, there are some whom my approach would not work
with out the addition of medicine, others it will.
But I firmly believe that before some one is stuck on a bunch of meds and locked
away somewere, my approach should be tried.
If it dont work, then try meds.
But there are a lot of people out there who if given the chance could lead normal
productive lives without medication and condemnation if they were only given the
proper treatment instead of just assuming that Medication is the answer and then
locking them away because the meds make them worse.
On the other side, there are those who are seriously dangerous not only to
themselvs but more so to others.
for those people, Yes I agree.
get them into a reputable institution first were they are no longer a threat to others
then you could try some version of my techneique with or without meds.
The bottom line is that the more you tell them its their imagination and its not real,
the more they will think you are out to get them because agree or disagree, what
they are experiencing, to them IS REAL, and you can no more convince them that
it is not than they could convince you that something that you can see, hear, feel,
taste, touch, and smell was not real.
They see, hear, feel, taste, touch, and smell every thing they are seeing and hearing
that you are un able to see or hear.
It dont mater if they are experiencing somthing real through some sort of heightened
sences (which would be why we can not experience it) or if they are experiencing
something that is not real.
Untill you show them that you believe that its real (because to them it is) and you
stop telling them that is not real (this only makes them mistrust you more) you are
going to get nowhere with them and they will never get better.

Quit Smoking All Together: the Web's Largest Quit Smoking Community

2010-10-28T17:55:00.000-07:00

Quit Smoking All Together: the Web's Largest Quit Smoking Community

Goth Milk

2010-10-20T19:41:00.000-07:00

An Open Letter to Pastors from a Pagan

2010-10-18T18:16:00.000-07:00

Below is a very beautifuly written letter to pastors.
I place it here because I believe all christians not just pastors
should read it.
Once you have read it, ask yourself these questions.
Was it my church she visited?
If she come to my church, how would she be treated?
If she called on us after church, how would we treat her?
If we have failed to show her Christ when she sought him
then have we not failed to do his work.
How will Christ Judge those who had the chance to help
her find him when he finds that they turned her away.

An Open Letter to Pastors from a Pagan
I Have A Question To Ask You
Please allow this letter to speak to your heart.
This letter was not written in anger.
This letter was Annie's experience as she searched for Jesus Christ.
Posting this letter is not intended to harm any one in any way.
The purpose for posting this letter is to give insight into someone else's experience...and an opportunity for you to care.

Dear Pastors,
I am a Witch.
I know that many of you think that I believe what I do because of a rebellious nature, but in reality, I follow this path because I have found something real.
I have committed years to developing a spirituality that I can base my life on.
However, I am beginning to realize that although it is real, it is not always fulfilling.
So, I have begun asking some tough questions, and I am giving this God of yours a second look.
I have heard some amazing things about Him, and I have to wonder if they are true.
In search of answers, I have visited your churches.
I have to admit that I am puzzled by what I have found there.
I have sat in the pews hoping to gain knowledge, and instead I have walked away with only more questions.
In the first church I visited, I was met with shock and horror when you realized I am a Witch.
Yes, I serve other entities, but what you failed to see was the fact that I was looking for your God.
I did not come to your place of worship to disturb you.
I came because, though you may not have been able to tell, I myself am disturbed.
I have taken a great risk in entering your church, and I did not make that choice casually.
I’ve heard you teach that your God will accept anyone, but you yourselves looked on me with disdain.
You told me that you could not speak with me because light is to have no fellowship with darkness.
But unless I see this light, how would I ever be able to leave the darkness?
If you cannot show it to me, then who will?
So I continued my search, in hope of finding those answers I crave.
I was relieved to find a church that did not stare in horror when I entered.
Your service was lovely, and I thought I had finally found a place where my questions could be voiced. Afterwards I listened as you spoke to your congregation of the building project and the goals that you have. You talked of donating your time to God’s work, but when I approached you later and asked if we could talk, you said that you had urgent plans elsewhere.
As I watched you walk away, I heard you mention to a friend that you were in a hurry to leave for vacation.
I am impressed with your commitment to build a place of beauty for the worship of your God.
But who will fill that building?
The potluck dinners you mentioned are certain to draw a crowd, but what about those of us who are hungry for something more?
I won’t be there, because your vacation was more important than taking the time to have a short conversation.
My next church experience was a bit different than the first two.
I was able to slip into my seat unnoticed.
Your sermon was about the fires of hell, and how all of those who God cannot accept will meet that horrific fate.
Many others were moved to action by pure fear, but I felt nothing.
Your passion was obvious, but I found nothing helpful in the words you spoke.
I believe there are consequences for our actions, but you have to realize that the threat of hell does not affect me as it does others.
I live a hell on earth every day of my life.
Even if that were not the case, I refuse to be forced into such an important decision by fear.
So amid the terrified prayers of other seekers, I slipped out the door.
Eventually I found a church that seemed open and friendly.
It was a little place, and I was immediately greeted with warm handshakes and several people introduced themselves.
You knew what I was, and you were still kind.
Quite honestly, I don’t remember what your sermon was about because I was still shocked due to the welcome I had received.
So I came back the next Sunday, and again everyone was friendly.
Each person I talked to was more friendly than the last, and a few gave me their phone numbers urging me to call if I ever needed anything.
Later in that week, the pain of my situation began playing it’s cruel games.
I was desperate for some peace, but I didn’t know where to turn.
So I picked up one of those phone numbers I had been given and made the call.
I introduced myself, and was puzzled when the church member on the other end of the line seemed distant and detached.
I plowed forward, hoping to connect with a fellow human being, but it was obvious the other person was disinterested in the conversation.
The situation repeated itself during two more phone calls, and it became apparent what was taking place. Your church people were more than willing to act concerned when there were others watching.
It had been a contest of who could seem most Godly.
But when the rubber met the road, and no one else was around to see, their true nature showed through. Helping the poor Pagan had become a sort of power struggle, a way to show who was the most pious.
I am offended by this lack of respect and consideration.
So I have gone back to those entities that I serve, and they answered my call.
It is a world where I know the rules, and they don’t change from day to day.
They offer power and knowledge, but there is no offer of love. I possess strength and power and all the material possessions I could ever want; yet I have to admit that it is love that my soul craves.
For a time, I can lock that desire away, but it haunts me.
I still wrestle between wanting to know more about a God who claims to be All-Loving, and cursing Him for what I found in your places of worship.
If the people I have met there are His representatives, I want no part of Him.
I am not naïve enough to believe that Christians are above being human, but your God inhabits your hearts, shouldn’t that be obvious?
It is likely that I visit one of your churches again someday.
I have shared my experiences for your consideration, not so that you can offer an explanation, but because I wonder if you are even aware that your church has been presented in such a manner.
I am looking to you for an example of your God, because I don’t know where else to look.
If my search continues to turn up the same results, then I can only assume that your claims of God are false and I will look no further.
I am prepared to accept that my questions have no answers, and that my search has been a failure… but I am still haunted by the thought that there must be something more to life than this.
Will I find it at your church?*based on journal excerpts of Annie Fintan, Refuge Ministries, while she was still a Pagan.

http://christiangoth.com/

The Blasphemous Arrogance of the Statement - I Have Accepted Jesus As My Saviour - Explained

2010-09-02T11:47:00.000-07:00

The following is a wonderfuly written artical by Charles Crosby.
You will not hear this in any church.

I recomend visiting this site and reading more of his writeing.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Blasphemous-Arrogance-of-the-Statement---I-Have-Accepted-Jesus-As-My-Saviour---Explained&id=4937020

What makes the statement: "I have accepted Jesus as my Saviour" so blasphemously wrong? I mean, it sounds so wonderful doesn't it? Even if we look at it from a secular view point I am sure many of them would say it sounds harmless enough, and just consider it religious mumbo jumbo and all part the delusional religious mind set, but what about The Truth of it?

The Blasphemous Arrogance of the Statement - I Have Accepted Jesus As My Saviour - Explained

By Charles Crosby

Does this title shock you? If it does, then why? Have you ever considered the provenance of this idea, from whence does it originate? Does it make any sense and/or is it even logical? The thing is, if you're a regular reader of my articles you will already know how erroneous this statement is, because I cover this subject several times within my other articles, but because this statement is such regular mantra of those within the Cainite-Judeo-Christian Religion and was thrown at me recently in an accusatory way, (a pathetic attempt at guilt layering and one of their favourite little tricks) I felt it was time to rebut their delusional thinking. Look folks, we have to understand that this slogan can easily be construed as an indelible creed of theirs, or a foundational article of their religious constitution, written in stone no less, and because of this, I thought it deserved a whole article in order to thoroughly expose it for the blasphemous delusional nonsense that it is.

So without further ado, let's analyse it in detail, and let's also analyse how these people use it, for it is crucial to know how much store they hold in this remark. For them, it's literally a matter of life or death, or do or die, or even whether or not you will be saved or burn in hell for all eternity (just another of their myths). This is how important it is to them and yet, in Truth, it's all hogwash and religious humbug. Don't believe me? Well stick with it and you soon will, if not, then destruction awaits you; destruction being KJV speak for Spiritual ruin or as Paul called it; making your faith shipwreck:

1 Tim 1:19-20 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: 20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Notice what has occurred here; Paul hasn't thrown these two characters out of the Church for cussing; blaspheming here, in this sense, means speaking ill of the Gospel message or preaching another message against the Gospel message that Paul was declaring and teaching. These people, believe it or not, had much in common with those of the Cainite-Judeo-Christian Religion today, for they too have a false message - a blasphemous message.

OK, so what's wrong with the term: "I have accepted Jesus as my Saviour"? Everything is the plain and simple answer to that, and the best example I can use to reveal how wrong it is, is the analogy of the Potter and the clay. Ask yourself this simple question; would it be possible for the clay to say to the Potter, "Dear Potter I have, today, decided to acknowledge and accept you as my Creator and thereby as my Saviour"? Now first off, does this sound like the clay is attempting to do the Potter a favour? You bet, 'cos what he is actually saying is this: "OK Potter, I know, I have spent my life to-date ignoring you and generally insulting you by living a life of evil sin, but today I have decided to change that way of thinking i.e. I have decided to shift my paradigm and I have decided to accept you, isn't that great news for you!!?? I tell you what, you and your angels can now rejoice in heaven as a celebration of my great and wise decision to accept you, for I know you will be eternally grateful!!"

How laughable is this scenario; how ludicrous and how farcical, and yet this is what they truly believe to be the foundational reality of their Christian Religious faith and beliefs? In the above paragraph, have you noticed what this process revolves around, for I have italicised the focal point; 'I'. Eight times the word 'I' appears and that's because this "I accept Jesus as my Saviour" idea can, and does, only revolve around the man/woman involved and The Lord is nothing but a side issue - a token, it's all about them - the clay, not the Potter. Believe it or not the clay is God is this arrangement and as I have said numerous times elsewhere, this is a tail wagging the dog scenario and cannot be anything else.

You see dear people that unless The Father God is involved in the initiating of this process then anything and everything else is man made, it's bogus - a sham - delusional arrogant make believe. Let's take the examples of the learners (disciples). Did any of them say to The Lord at any time during His three and a half year mission on this earth: "Lord, today, I accept you as my Saviour"? Ask yourself, did they say it!!?? No, they did not, and nowhere will you find this concept printed or revealed in God's Holy Word. However, what you will find is this:

Matt 16:15-17 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Look at what we have here, because we need to understand that Peter in no way uttered the Cainite-Judeo-Christian mantra: "Lord, today, I have accepted you as my Saviour," nor is it being alluded to here in these verses. So what did happen? Easy, The Father, through the Holy Spirit, gave Peter the knowledge straight into his heart and his mind. Peter did not, and I will repeat, he did not initiate this event of himself or of his own volition; it had nothing to do with him, other than him uttering the words The Father had given him and then, through the Holy Spirit, prompted him to speak it out. We also need to understand that this same kind of miracle had happened before:

1 Sam 3:3-4 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; 4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

Did Samuel say: "Lord, today, I have decided to accepted you as my Saviour"? If you think he did, please send me an e-mail showing me how, as I always enjoy a good laugh!!

Let's now firm this up with some meaty words from The Lord's mouth, just so that there is no confusion:

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:65-66 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. 66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

NO MAN, can come to The Lord unless The Father calls him. This is the mantra that the Cainite-Judeo-Christian Religion should be chanting, not their Mickey Mouse meaningless slogan, but will they or can they? No and no is the answer to these questions and I will tell you why, notice the italicised word 'time' in John 6:66. Italicised words in the KJV are always additions of the translators, some being OK, others constituting a corruption, and in this case we have a corruption. This verse should read: " From THAT many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with Him." The introduction of the word 'time' is a red herring to throw us off the real meaning of this verse. So from what was it that made these learners (disciples) turn away from The Lord? Again that's easy, because they couldn't accept The Truth that The Father had called them to His Son. Now why is it that they could not accept this Truth? Yet again that's easy, because they believed they had accepted Him as their Saviour or that's how they wanted to see the basis of their relationship with their Creator - all based upon them and their decision i.e. the clay doing the Potter a favour!! Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle.

Now where does this leave us, because they are also saying they are accepting 'Jesus' as their Saviour, so what's going on here? Quite simply it's a phoney Jesus they are accepting, the very same 'Jesus' I reveal in my articles: " Was Jesus Christ a Long Haired Effeminate Looking Wimp? - Parts 1 through 6". So to sum up, what we have within this blasphemously deceptive and puerile mantra/slogan is a double whammy of errors, i.e. 1) no man has it within himself to be able to accept the Lord Jesus Christ and 2) the 'Jesus' they think they are accepting is a counterfeit!! Not to worry though for there is still time to repent, so what are you waiting for, send me an e-mail and I will set you on the right path - the narrow path that only a few will find in this age.

Charles Crosby

Please visit my web page: http://yes2truth.com.istemp.com/index.html

Feel free to write if you wish to learn more: yes2graceatgooglemail.com To e-mail, please add '@' in place of 'at' Thank you

"The most dangerous man in any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself. Almost inevitably, he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and intolerable"

H L Mencken, 1880-1956

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_Crosby

http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Blasphemous-Arrogance-of-the-Statement---I-Have-Accepted-Jesus-As-My-Saviour---Explained&id=4937020

Health Insurance Cost

2010-08-31T18:51:00.000-07:00

I once heard a local politician proclaim proudly
$400.00 per month is not a lot to pay for health
insurance.

Now for a politician this may be true, I mean
they don’t pay for their own insurance, We do.

And even if they did pay their own, their incomes
are so big that $400.00 per month would hardly
be worth taking notice.

But lets put this theory to the test.

A large percentage of the working class today
works for minimum wage or slightly higher.

That is $7.25-$8.50 per hour 30-40 Hours
per week.

In my area that is just about every one.

Now at my job, every one who works under me
makes $9.50-$10.00 per hour 40 hours per week.

As a supervisor I make a little over $11.00 per
Hour for 40 hours per week.
So lets use my income for test purposes since
we already know politicians make plenty to pay
for insurance and if my pay don’t come out enough
then all those under my pay wont either.

$11.80 per hour x 40 hours = $472.00
since I get paid Bi Weekly
$472.00 x 2 = $944.00 Per month Gross
(there are two months in the year which I get paid
3 times but I don’t count those as the insurance
companies are not going to wait until those two
months to be paid, they want it now or you lose
your insurance)

Take away aprox $ 150.00 for taxes = $794.00
take home pay per check.

$794.00 x 2 = $1588.00 per month take home.

This is what I actually have to spend each month.
I don’t count gross because the insurance company
Is not going to wait until the end of the year for tax
Returns to get their money, they want it now.

$1588.00 - $345.00 Rent = $1243.00
I am lucky, most people in my area pay
$450.00-$650.00 for rent.
$1243 -$120.00 Gas in car = $1123
This is just back and forth to work and
To grocery store.
$1123.00 - $350.00 Groceries = $773.00
$773.00 - $120.00 winter Gas utilities = $653.00
$653.00 - $86.00 Electric = $567.00
$567.00 – 40.00 (1 Childs school lunch) = $527.00
$527.00 - $70.00 (school supplies, Functions, and other
monetary requirements demanded by school)= $457.00
$457.00 - $150.00 Household toiletries and
supplies = $307.00
$307.00 - $63.00 Phone = $244.00
I can not be without phone with long distance because
My employer is long distance even though my actual
Work place is not, and I am the on call supervisor 24-7-365
Which means my workers have to be able to contact me
24-7-365, this also requires cell phone for when I am
not home.

I cannot afford a regular cell phone so I have a trac phone.

Minutes for trac phone $244.00 – 19.00 = $225.00

Misc Maintenance on vehicle so I can get to and from
Work $225.00 – 30.00 = $195.00

$195.00 dollars per month left which is usually ate up
by unexpected monthly expenses.

And that is with $11.80 Per hour for full time work
which is not a bad wage for the work I do or the
area in which I live.

Now I leave it up to you.

Is $400.00 per month a good price to pay for health
Insurance?

A Letter To GOD

2010-08-30T16:01:00.000-07:00

Lord GOD

I humbly come before you today to request your
assistance in an urgent matter.

I’m sure you have noticed Lord, those heathen
terrorists are attempting to build a victory mosque
in honor of their false God on our holy ground.

I really can not believe them Lord, I mean just
because they have American citizenship they
think that gives them the same rights and privileges
that I an American Christian have.

Do they not understand Lord that this country was
founded by white Christians and built on Christian
principles and that the constitution only applies to
white Christians and not to their kind.

I mean here I am Lord, I pray the most beautiful
prayers every day, I give my ten percent without
fail to charity and tithe unless I need it for
something else, I never miss going to church, I only
wear appropriate clothing in church, and I work
very hard to glorify your name.

How could they even assume to hold the same
status as me in my own country Lord.

I mean sure, they are citizens too But they only
have that because we were doing the Christian thing
by granting them citizenship.

We never said they would get the same rights we
have or that they would be equal with us.

Do they not realize that equality is only for Christians
in this country.

I mean this is after all a Christian Country, Not Muslim.

I understand Lord that your Son said we should love
our enemy and do good to those who do wrong to us.

But I really think Lord that he did not understand your
instructions before he left heaven.

He must have thought you said teach them how to live
in peace with every one when in reality you told him
to teach them how to live in peace with Christians and
make war with all non Christians.

Maybe you should have a talk with him Lord before
He returns and make sure he gets it right this time, I
mean we wouldn’t want him bringing any of those
Muslims into your kingdom Lord. You know what
I mean.

Before I close Lord I have one question.

Why do you even allow those people to continue on
our planet?

They are all evil and are not capable of being anything
but evil.

Why don’t you just get rid of them all together, count
your losses and be content with the good Christians you
still have like Me and my Friends.

And while your at it Lord, Could you also do something
about all those nasty Atheist, and Gay people.

I mean really, I just don’t get what their even here for.

Thank you Lord

Your Humble servant
John Q Christian

Land of the free no more

2010-08-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out --
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out --
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out --
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me."

Martin Niemöller
----------------------------------------------------------------
And finaly the end has arrived.
We are no longer the land of the free.
Freedom of religion no longer exists.
There is room for only one religion.
The state religion.
The Christian Religion.

We are now a country of slaves run by
the state church.

Our beloved constitution will now be
rewriten to read "No Muslims Allowed".

U.S.A.
1776-2010
R.I.P.
She gave freedom to
the masses
And ended up a slave herself

A view from the other side

2010-08-11T16:21:00.000-07:00

I have always said that I respect all religious and non religious
beliefs and that people of all religions and non religions are
welcome here, I will listen to them with an open mind and open heart
and will give them just as much respect in their beliefs as I expect
back from them.

Well today I will attempt to stand by my word.

The following artical called "A view from the other side by
Tom A Rasmussen" is written by an Atheist.

Mr. Rasmussen tells how Atheist feel and what they think when we
christians try to convert them or convince them that GOD is real.

it is my belief that trying to convince them to believe in something
that they see as a fairy tale is going to get us about as far as them
trying to convince us that GOD does not exist.

Instead we should concentrate on living the example as Christ gave it
to us to live in the way he commanded us to live it, then when those
who do not believe see our example, that is what may perk their curiosity
and in that way we may bring them to the point that GOD wants them to
reach where he could call them to seek him.

at that point if they willingly ask us to tell them of Jesus then we are
free to do so.

unless they reach that point where they willingly request to hear, all
we are doing by forcing it on them against their will is keeping them from
reaching the point where GOD can call them, and this will only bring
GODs displeasure on us.

We are better off to just accept them as they are, give them the same
respect that we expect from them and just live an acceptable example.

when GODs ready to call them to him he will, at that point and only
at that point you should be ready to talk with them but only at their
request.

any other way is to interfere with GODs way.

With that said here is Mr. Rasmussen's artical, he states his view so
much better than I could.

A VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE
by Tom A Rasmussen
Re posted with permission from Tom A Rasmussen

As I peruse through the various Ezine Articles on religion I don't see many from the other side. And, I don't mean Satan, I mean from atheists like me---those who think all religions are mythology. So, I am going to give you my view.

Many think atheism is a religion but it is not. It is the exact opposite. Atheism means the lack of belief in god(s) and their respective religions...nothing more, it's that simple.

We are not an organized group but we should be. We come from all walks of life. We don't spend our lives worrying about going to hell and we don't have weekly meetings or sing atheist songs. We are generally, moral, ethical Americans who have most of the same wants, needs and desires as our fellow citizens. Most atheists don't even think about the subject, they just don't believe in god.

We are mostly not evil people as the religious like to characterize us. We are conservatives, we are liberals, we are Republicans, we are Democrats, we are charity volunteers and we are your neighbors...we walk among you, we breed and we vote. We don't believe in Satan either so we can't be working for him. We do believe in science, logic and reason.

Being an atheist has many challenges, especially when one openly states their lack of belief in any god. At first, the religious don't know what to think. You hear things like "if you knew god the way I know god, you would believe". They are further perplexed when I tell them that there is nothing they could say or do to convince me otherwise. If a burning bush talked to me, I would look for a speaker.

The most common argument I hear to get me to accept their view is a reference to the Bible which I quickly dismiss as a book of fairy tales, fiction and distorted history. This really makes them incredulous. How could I say such a thing? When pressed, the religious cannot tell me who wrote the various books, when were they written, how many times have they been edited or re-written, have many times were they translated and how can they differentiate between fact and fiction? How do you explain the plethora of contradictions and the many supposed deletions? And why should I believe it without scientific evidence?

I find it hard to believe that, in today's modern times, people still believe most of the biblical stories like "creation". God created everything in six days and then rested on the seventh day. A supreme being needs rest? The Noah's ark story is pretty far-fetched as well. Yet millions believe these stories. I don't as I believe in science, logic and reason.

Then I have to ask "if the message is so clear, why are there so many different sects and denominations? Who should I believe and why should I believe them? Since none of them can provide any scientific proof, why should I believe one religious pundit over another? Does Joyce Meyer know more than Glenn Beck?

If you really stop and think about it, religion is learned. People are taught religion from a very young age and learn to accept it as "just the way it is". This belief is reinforced by family, friends, society and pundits like Joel Osteen or Franklin Graham. Few actually stop and question the religious teachings and, if they do, they develop deep feelings of guilt that usually brings them back in step with the dogma. Many stop actively practicing their religion but, when pressed, still claim to be a believer. That's why churches are full on Easter Sunday.

Occasionally one becomes religious as a result of a traumatic event or to fill some cerebral need. Few become religious as a result of a revolution or other epiphany that they can claim is a message from god. Ever notice how often criminals "find god" after they are convicted?

I am not on a campaign to persuade theists to abandon their beliefs. I don't care what you believe as long as you don't judge me, try to covert me or attempt to rewrite or usurp the Constitution. Or, distort history by claiming the Founding Fathers wanted America to be a Christian nation. In fact, they went out of their way to insure that it wasn't.

I will respect your Constitutional rights to practice your religion as long as you respect my right not to believe. And, you make no attempt to insert your religious beliefs in government. I adamantly believe in the separation of church and state. If you would like to read my views on religion and politics, visit http://www.middlebuzz.com.

Please don't tell me that you are going to pray for me. I don't want or need it.

I was sent to Sunday school and Sunday worship services plus vacation bible school and vacation bible camp by my mother. When I turned 18, I never went back. I tried to believe in god but I never felt a connection with a supreme being. I was well educated in the Christian religion and I have always been quite taken-back by the hypocrisy between Christian teaching and believer's actions. Over time, science, logic and reason convinced me that religions are man-made fiction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_A_Rasmussen

Do You Demonstrate Christ In Your Giving?

2010-07-30T15:56:00.000-07:00

I have heard the argument so many times.

He says we are a Christian Nation.

She says we are not a Christian Nation.

Both sides give a very convincing argument.

But which one is right.

Well one way to test true Christianity to
my way of looking at it is: Giving or Charity.

Weather it be individual, church, community, or
country.

In my own oppinion our Giving or Charity will
tell undeniably if we are truly Christian or Not.

When a Christian gives charity, they dont just
do it as a reflection of Christ, They also do it
as though they were giving to Christ him self.

Have you ever heard the sermon were Christ says
whatsoever you do to the least of these, you do
also unto Me.

That my friend is how to test if we are a
Christian Nation, Church, Community, or Individual.

Do we give as though we are giving to Christ himself?

Do we, Realy.

I wonder.

Have you ever been in a position were you had to
accept charity, Not just from friends or family
but especialy from a church or charitable organization.

I have, and let me tell you right straight out.

The things I saw as well as received were not in any
way given as though they were being given to Christ
in most cases.

I have received true Christian charity, Charity that
was given as though they were giving it directly to
Jesus him self, But this was rare.

And only one instance was from a Christian Church,
all the others were from those that christianity would
condemn as unworthy of Christ.

I wonder which ones Christ would condemn.

When we as Individuals, churches, Communitys, or as
a nation give so called christian charity, how do
we give it.

Do we go through our cupboards and find all the outdated
food that we dont want any more and no one in our house
will eat and give that or do we give the newest and best
to be found.

Do we go through our closets and find all the cloths
that are worn out,dirty, full of holes and just throw
them into a garbage bag unfolded. Cloths that we would
not be caught dead in and if someone walked into our
church wearing such cloths we would be the first to
condemn them for dressing in such a way (remember friend
their attire reflects the christian charity of our nation).

Or do we take our very best cloths and give them clean,
Ironed, Folded or hung on hangers. Something we would
be proud to wear ourselvs or maybe even go out and buy
brand new name brand top of the line clothing to give.

More times than not when I have gone to a charity or
church, the things I found were Dirty, Broken, outdated
full of holes, ect.

Food that I wouldnt give to a heard of swine, Cloths
given by supposed christians which when some poor person
wears it to church because its the best they have(that they
picked up at the church charity)the church blows a gasket
and says "how dare they come before the Lord in such
discusting Rags". (remember christian, your the one who
gave those rags)

If you were to walk up to a christian and ask "is this
a christian nation" the answer without hesitation would
be yes.

If you walked up to one of the poor people who has
received charity in this nation and asked the same question
you might receive a different answer.

But more importantly, when the christian people of this
nation go before the judgment seat of the Lord and say
"look Lord, look at our christian nation and all the
charity that we have given in your name"

I dont imagin that those christians from this christian
nation are going to be prepared for what the Lord will
say in responce to them.

It is way past time for the people of this nation to stop
concentrating so much on convincing the world that we are
a christian nation and instead start actualy Being A
Christian Nation.

When you give, ask yourself this one question:

IS WHAT I AM ABOUT TO GIVE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD GIVE
TO CHRIST SHOULD HE COME TO ME FOR MY HELP?

Or maybe this question:

WOULD I FEED THIS TO MY CHILD OR PUT THESE CLOTHS ON
MY CHILD?

Before you condemn the person who just walked into your
church wearing ragged dirty cloths and shoes that are
falling from his feet STOP look close, do you recognize
any of those items hes wearing.

Think for a moment, is this the best he has because this
is the best you would give?

When Jesus asks you "what did you give to me in charity
that I might Eat, Drink, and be Clothed and Sheltered".

Will you be able to hold your head high or will your eyes
face the ground in shame?

G.L.B.T.C.

2010-05-24T16:54:00.000-07:00

Gay, Lesbian, Bi Sexual, Trans Gender, Cross Dresser.

Depending on your Religious or Non Religious Upbringing
these words can give rise to a host of emotions both
Negative and Positive.

Like it or not, These life styles are somthing that
every human on earth is going to have to deal with at
one time or another in their life.

Now wether you concider this life style a civil right
or not, the fact remains, just like Slavery in its time
had come to a point where it could no longer be ignored,
so to has the G.L.B.T.C. life style in our time come to
a point where it can no longer be ignored.

Like it or not these people are a part of our society
and will likly remain a part of our society.

They are now and will in all liklyhood continue to push
for certain rights which some think they should and some
think they should not have.

Because it is such a sore spot in christianity and most
religious circles today, I have tried to stay away from
the subject.

I was wrong for doing that. Wrong or right though is totaly
beside the point now.

This issue has come to a point where every person is going
to have to decide where they stand.

Today, regardless of those who agree with me and those who
disagree with me I will state my position on this issue.

Whether you agree or disagree with me, I suport your right
to feel the way you do, I will respect you in your position,
But I will not hide or change my position and I hope you
will give me the same suport, and respect that I give you.

Is this lifestyle a sin?

For something to be a sin there must by need be someone to
judge it a sin and to judge the accused to be a sinner.

There is but one judge, and that judge is not me.

Not you or I regardless of our beliefe were given the right
to judge, That right and responcibility belong to GOD alone.

there for I can not lable this lifestyle a sin, I do have my
personal belief that this lifestyle goes contrary to nature,
but so too does wearing cloths go contrary to nature, but I
have yet to see any one condemned for wearing cloths.
I have however heard of people being condemned for not wearing
cloths.

Is this lifestyle a Civil right?

Now in my understanding. there are rights given by GOD, and
there are rights given by Man.

Rights given by man are Civil rights.

Rights given by GOD are devine rights.

Now on devine rights as I stated before, I do not have the
authority to judge, Only GOD does.
My only responcibility is to love my brother, sister, neighbor
and to live my life as an acceptable example.

As far as Civil rights go, again I do not have the Civil
authority to judge, I can however state my position to my
elected officials the same as all other voters.

the elected officials will then make their decision in regard
to this lifestyle acordingly for or against.

The elected officials will make it a law either for or against.
once it is law then I am bound not only by Civil law to follow
what the law sayes but also by Devine law as all civil law
makers were put in place for good or bad by GOD, there for to
go against the Civil law is to go against GOD.

Now with that said, If and when this comes to a vote in my area
I will be voteing for these people to receive the same rights
that you and I have.

Why? Because they are men, women, and children the same as me,
my wife and my daughter.
They live in this country the same as we do, they are citizens
of this country the same as us.

This country was founded on equil rights for all men, women, and
children. (All Citizens)

If they are citizens of this country then they deserve the same
rights as you and me.

Just because I disagree with someone does not give me the right
either Civil or Devine to take away their rights.

Now you have the right to disagree with me, you can even say that
I will burn for my position.

But in the end There is only one judge, and as far as my fate goes.

"I ACCEPT HIS VERDICT CONCERNING MY LIFE"

In closeing I would like to make one point. Whether you are for or
against this lifestyle, it has been a common misperception in our
society that this lifestyle is responcible for child molestation
and is there for dangerous to children.

I want to make it perfectly clear, I have been molested many times
in my life, i have known and heard of others who have been molested
many times in life.

NOT ONCE was any of the people who molested me or that molested any
others that I am aware of ever found to be of this lifestyle.

Child molesters are a whole diferent thing altogether.

The sooner people stop connecting G.L.B.T.C with Child Molesters
the better off our society will be.

I hope to cover that subject in a later artical as well but on a
personal note, I have forgiven all the persons responcible for
molesting me when I was Young.

2010-04-09T15:24:00.000-07:00

He came and I recognized him not

2010-04-02T19:12:00.000-07:00

Disillusioned

I had become disillusioned with organized christianity a number
of years ago.

Since that time I had been in and out of a huge number of sects,
denominations, secret society’s, ect… trying to find the truth
about GOD and his true church.

Every time without fail it would turn out the same as what I had
left behind in the first place.

There was always a multitude of rules and ceremonies and holidays
to be observed if you were to be saved and called a christian.

If you were baptized, it was not into the family of GOD or into
Christ but into that particular church or organization made or
founded by man.

It just seemed to me that none of them preached or practiced that
which Jesus and his apostles taught in the Bible.

I never gave up on GOD, or Christ, or the Bible but I did turn my
back on christianity for quite a long time.

I just did not see GOD, or Christ in christianity at all and it got
worse the more I tried.

Finally a hint of light

About two years ago I stumbled onto a web site called The
Early Church
At first it seemed to radical for me so I ignored it for about a
year or so.

Last year I stumbled onto the site again. I decided to read some
of the content and see what it was all about.

I read for a few days and though I was still skeptical it did seem
to go along with what was in the Bible.

The more I read the more I liked it, Could I have finaly found
what I had searched so many years for?

Could this realy be the true church of GOD that Christ and the
apostles taught?

Well I won’t yet say I have found the true church but The Early
Church was the first glimmer of light for me in my search.

I recommend the site as a starting point for anyone who as I was
Is disillusioned by organized christianity.

The site is run by a man named Clifford James, his book The
Blueprint can be downloaded from the site or read right on site.

This book will realy open your eyes.

I still continued searching after this but now thanks to Cliff and
his website and book I no longer stumbled blindly in the dark
unable to see the path that was right there.

Now there was enough light that I was able to perceive the path
that had been right in front of me all along.

I searched more after The Early Church.

I looked into Organic Church, House Church, Relational Church.

Each one revealed more light but just didn’t seem to completely
allow the full glow to shine forth.

Something was still missing from each and I just couldn’t put my
finger on what it was.

A.S.K. and you shall receive

I asked GOD what am I doing wrong? Why can’t I find the truth?
I know the true church is out there I just can’t find it.

A.S.K and you shall receive.

GOD answered me in no uncertain terms. I was going about it all
wrong.

I was still looking like most people for the right church, the right
ceremonies, the right rules, the right religion.
In all honesty there are no right churches, ceremonies, rules, or religions.

All religion is the false church.

GOD never created or condoned religion, religion is what man wanted.

GOD merely gave man what he asked for.

The truth be known true Christianity is not a religion at all, it’s not a
church, its not a ceremony, holiday, or man forced rule, or even a
building.

True Christianity, the Christianity that Christ taught, the Church that
Christ built is none of those things.

True Christianity or the True Church is: Family, Community, Love.
it has nothing at all to do with religion.

It’s real easy to learn about this Christianity. All you need to do is

A.S.K.

Now I do not bill the above site as the true Church or true Christianity
but you can find Biblical TRUTH there.

The A.S.K website does not teach or preach religion, church, or anything
like it.
They don’t even consider themselves to be a religious or church site.
Their only claim is to Biblical and Historical research.

It is however from that site along with what I gathered from the House
Church, Relational Church, Organic Church sites and others that I come
across what I termed Non Religious Christianity.

But reading these sites and believing what they tell you will not get you
To the truth.
Reading and believing what I have put here will not get you to the truth.
Never Never Never believe any person as to the truth.

Read what they put out there then go farther, PROOVE it with the BIBLE.
And don’t forget to A.S.K GOD himself and you shall receive.
Only in that manner can you know the truth.

Now we get to the part where I got the title for this article.

Don’t just preach it, Live it.

Once you have discovered what you believe to be the truth as GOD
has revealed it to you, then you are responsible for bringing it to
life and revealing it to others.

Now this does not mean going door-to-door preaching and converting
others to your particular belief.
It does not mean standing in the middle of the square yelling and holding
a sign that tells every one the end is near.

It does however mean you actually need to live what you have
discovered.

When GOD gives you an opportunity to demonstrate his truth or to
Discuss it with others then you need to be ready, willing, and able to
do it, and do it you must.

This is the very area I made a critical mistake. One that I am deeply
ashamed of and for which GOD must be deeply disappointed in me.
one I must tell you about so you don’t make the same mistake I did.

The day Jesus visited my Home

Have you ever heard the story of the old man who Jesus told that he
Would visit his house to share his table that very night.

Visit after visit disappointed the old man because he thought Jesus
Had broke his promise and not came.

Jesus later explained to the man that each visitor that night was indeed
Jesus himself and everything that the man had done for or to each visitor
he had done to or for Jesus.

I have heard and treasured this story my whole life, yet I made that very
same mistake not less than a week ago.

Back when I was reading the Blueprint I decided to start my own
House church and try to learn the truth in an early church manner.

I have since changed it to more of a relational type of Church like
Jesus and the apostles demonstrated in the Bible (I only use the
word Church for lack of a more fitting word).

Any way after all the study, research, and work at trying to live like
Jesus and the apostles showed us to, I dropped the ball.
I had gotten out of bed rather early one morning and was standing
In the living room watching TV.

I heard someone come up on the front porch and knock on the door.

I went over opened the door and there stood this old man.

Rather well dressed and he had a briefcase type of bag.

He greeted me in a friendly courteous manner and reached into his bag.

I saw the Bible before he pulled it out and what do you suppose I did.

You guessed it, all those years of closed minded, judgmental, religious
organized christianity came out all over again.

The very actions I despised are the very actions I took.

The old man ask very politely “may I come in and discuss Jesus with
you this morning”.

I didn’t even answer him, I just knew he was one of those pesky
Closed minded, judgmental, religious, organized christians who only
wanted to convert me to his version of Christ and had no interest in
my beliefs at all. (sounds familiar don’t it) Judge not lest you also
fall under judgment.

He may or may not have been there to preach and convert but that
Is no excuse for the way I acted.

Jesus would have asked him in, offered him food, drink, and shelter
And talked with him.

Jesus would have had as much to discuss with that old man as the
Old man had to discuss with him.

Jesus was that old man and what I did to that old man I did to Jesus.

As I stated I didn’t even answer him, I just gave a cross look and started
to close the door.

The old man didn’t object at all, he said ok in the friendliest manner
And walked down my steps and around the corner out of site.

I had prayed for the longest time after starting the house church in my
home that the lord would send people of like mind to my door.

I will never know now but that old man may have actually been the first
answer to my prayer, and instead of inviting him in I turned him away.
(quite rudely I might add)

I will never know what could have come from that visit because I turned
Him away with the coldest of hearts.

Don’t make my mistake, once GOD shows you the truth. Live it
Just like you believe it.

Don’t just hear or read it once a week and live something else the
Rest of the time.

Actually live and treat others no mater their purposes just as though
they were Jesus himself, You never know it just could be HIM.

Daniel. L. Paden

Thoughts Out There by Ed: Imitating Jesus' Life

2010-03-11T19:06:00.000-08:00

Thoughts Out There by Ed: Imitating Jesus' Life

How Managers View Workers

2010-03-11T18:00:00.000-08:00

Following are some of the truest words on managers I have ever read.
Hope you enjoy them and follow the link at the end to see the rest of
the story and other great posts by Peter A. Greene

Sunday, March 07, 2010
How Managers View Workers

(News-Herald, October 2003) I’m always interested in the fine art of management. First, teaching involves a sort of management, so I have a professional interest in understanding how it can be best done. Second, I think bad management is one of our top five biggest, baddest plagues. Others may lay the blame for the Imminent Collapse of Civilization on all manner of socio-psycho syndromes, but I think the biggest threat we may face is Management By The Incompetent.
One way to classify managers is by their view of the people who work for them. We’ll start at the bottom of the heap.
Workers are a problem. Somewhere under life’s black banana peels, we find those managers who feel that their subordinates are a problem to be fixed.
We can be talking about a wide range of problems. There are business and office managers who think that workers create problems by using stuff. Those darn workers—they want to use up supplies, they insist on having working equipment, and on top of all that, they keep taking the organization’s money for their salaries.
Or workers might be trouble because they insist on mentioning problems that the organization has. They might be rude enough to point out that the company’s fine new software doesn’t do what it was bought to do. They might insist on calling attention to some policy or procedure that keeps them from doing their jobs.
You can spot a manager who views his workers as problems because his managerial focus is on getting them to shut up and leave him alone. When the ship is going down, he’s the one up in the pilot house hollering, “Stop screaming—you’re making the boat all wet.”
The irony is that of all managerial types, this guy is least able to solve problems when they arise (and, yes, real worker-related problems exist) because he has no interest in finding, understanding or fixing the problem. In his mind, the employee is the problem, and said employee just needs to be straightened out, put in his place, set right, etc etc etc.
Workers are resources. Somewhere in the middle of the continuum lies this style. This manager sees his workers as resources to be used.
There are advantages to this. The resource manager would no more needlessly abuse an employee than he would drive a fine Porsche without oil in the engine. He takes care of his staff as he cares for all his belongings.
It’s vaguely unsettling to work for a resource manager. You can feel as if you’re in a Popeye cartoon where Wimpy is

by Peter A. Greene
Venangoland
To read the rest of this post please visit Venangoland At:
http://venangoland.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-managers-view-workers.html

Forgive thy Brother

2010-03-06T17:47:00.000-08:00

Many people ask the question, "How can you begin to heal a relationship with someone who you believe has caused you pain?" How about trying a case of amnesia. Remember that what you choose not to forgive will weigh you down as long as you choose to carry that thought with you. Regardless of how right you

See More at the Following Link:
http://www.youhavechosentoremember.com/book_excerpts/c7_how_to_forgive.htm

If the link is not clickable then copy and paste to your browser window
and hit enter.

The following link is a flash presentation on forgiveness, it can also be
accessed once you enter the above link.
http://www.youhavechosentoremember.com/forgiveness.htm

Being Poor

2010-02-27T19:11:00.000-08:00

Helping the Poor ~ it's the American thing to do

by Grandma Bee on Mon 24 Sep 2007 07:52 PM PDT

http://christianityandtheconfusion.blogharbor.com/blog

This is a poem about being poor, it's a bit long but it's worth thinking about.

WARNING: For some, this may bring back some painfull memories.

Being Poor

Being poor is knowing exactly how much everything costs.

Being poor is getting angry at your kids for asking for all the crap they see on TV.

Being poor is having to keep buying $800 cars because they're what you can afford, and then having the cars break down on you, because there's not an $800 car in America that's worth a darn.

Being poor is hoping the toothache goes away.

Being poor is knowing your kid goes to friends' houses but never has friends over to yours.

Being poor is going to the restroom before you get in the school lunch line so your friends will be ahead of you and won't hear you say "I get free lunch" when you get to the cashier.

Being poor is living next to the freeway.

Being poor is coming back to the car with your children in the back seat, clutching that box of Raisin Bran you just bought and trying to think of a way to make the kids understand that the box has to last.

Being poor is wondering if your well-off sibling is lying when he says he doesn't mind when you ask for help.

Being poor is off-brand toys.

Being poor is a heater in only one room of the house.

Being poor is knowing you can't leave $5 on the coffee table when your friends are around.

Being poor is hoping your kids don't have a growth spurt.

Being poor is stealing meat from the store, frying it up before your mom gets home and then telling her she doesn't have make dinner tonight because you're not hungry anyway.

Being poor is Goodwill underwear.

Being poor is not enough space for everyone who lives with you.

Being poor is feeling the glued soles tear off your supermarket shoes when you run around the playground.

Being poor is your kid's school being the one with the 15-year-old textbooks and no air conditioning.

Being poor is thinking $8 an hour is a really good deal.

Being poor is relying on people who don't give a damn about you.

Being poor is an overnight shift under florescent lights.

Being poor is finding the letter your mom wrote to your dad, begging him for the child support.

Being poor is a bathtub you have to empty into the toilet.

Being poor is stopping the car to take a lamp from a stranger's trash.

Being poor is making lunch for your kid when a cockroach skitters over the bread, and you looking over to see if your kid saw.

Being poor is believing a GED actually makes a difference.

Being poor is people angry at you just for walking around in the mall.

Being poor is not taking the job because you can't find someone you trust to watch your kids.

Being poor is the police busting into the apartment right next to yours.

Being poor is not talking to that girl because she'll probably just laugh at your clothes.

Being poor is hoping you'll be invited for dinner.

Being poor is a sidewalk with lots of brown glass on it.

Being poor is people thinking they know something about you by the way you talk.

Being poor is needing that 35-cent raise.

Being poor is your kid's teacher assuming you don't have any books in your home.

Being poor is six dollars short on the utility bill and no way to close the gap.

Being poor is crying when you drop the mac and cheese on the floor.

Being poor is knowing you work as hard as anyone, anywhere.

Being poor is people surprised to discover you're not actually stupid.

Being poor is people surprised to discover you're not actually lazy.

Being poor is a six-hour wait in an emergency room with a sick child asleep on your lap.

Being poor is never buying anything someone else hasn't bought first.

Being poor is picking the 10 cent ramen instead of the 12 cent ramen because that's two extra packages for every dollar.

Being poor is having to live with choices you didn't know you made when you were 14 years old.

Being poor is getting tired of people wanting you to be grateful.

Being poor is knowing you're being judged.

Being poor is a box of crayons and a $1 coloring book from a community center Santa.

Being poor is checking the coin return slot of every soda machine you go by.

Being poor is deciding that it's all right to base a relationship on shelter.

Being poor is knowing you really shouldn't spend that buck on a Lotto ticket.

Being poor is hoping the register lady will spot you the dime.

Being poor is feeling helpless when your child makes the same mistakes you did, and won't listen to you beg them against doing so.

Being poor is a cough that doesn't go away.

Being poor is making sure you don't spill on the couch, just in case you have to give it back before the lease is up.

Being poor is a $200 paycheck advance from a company that takes $250 when the paycheck comes in.

Being poor is four years of night classes for an Associates of Art degree.

Being poor is a lumpy futon bed.

Being poor is knowing where the shelter is.

Being poor is people who have never been poor wondering why you choose to be so.

Being poor is knowing how hard it is to stop being poor.

Being poor is seeing how few options you have.

Being poor is running in place.

Being poor is people wondering why you didn't leave.

http://christianityandtheconfusion.blogharbor.com/blog

Religion Is Slavery, Christianity Is Freedom

2010-02-21T15:51:00.000-08:00

http://www.askelm.com/doctrine/d030901.htm

This link will take you to a verry interesting artical
which will explain why I do not believe in Religion
or concider my self to be Religious.

I hope you enjoy it and that it brings you some
understanding.

http://www.askelm.com/doctrine/d030901.htm

The Up Side

2010-02-19T19:05:00.000-08:00

I found this Pic on a Quaker Web site.
I thought you might get a kick out of it.

I found this posted on the chalk board
at work.

I believe it to be not only very beautiful
but very wise as well.

I have found these words to be true in
every thing from work to family and
every thing in between.

What do you think.

The Up Side

"Enjoy the little things.

one day you may look back
and realize they were the
big things".

Love and GOD bless

The Feral Pastor: Driving as a Spiritual Practice

2010-02-12T17:59:00.000-08:00

The Feral Pastor: Driving as a Spiritual Practice

The Feral Pastor: Home-Based Faith Formation

2010-02-12T17:57:00.000-08:00

The Feral Pastor: Home-Based Faith Formation

Thoughts Out There by Ed: Stop Going To Church

2010-02-12T17:09:00.000-08:00

Thoughts Out There by Ed: Stop Going To Church

Thoughts Out There by Ed: Church is a Who not a What*

2010-02-12T16:57:00.000-08:00

Thoughts Out There by Ed: Church is a Who not a What*

2010-02-12T16:26:00.000-08:00

Here is another one from Eds Blog.
I enjoyed it and I'm sure you will too.
My hope is that it will draw you to his blog.

GODs love and Blessings
Daniel Paden

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

How Did We Get Here, Part 2
Do you ever feel like your church is tired, weak, irritable or looking somewhat pale? Maybe the answer is Geritol!

Many people in churches feel like the woman in the Geritol commercial (1960), tired and unable to dance. In the context of the church, they are unable to follow the lead of the bridegroom (Jesus) because they believe that they just are not capable of doing so. This feeling of inability to do significant things for the Lord is not what we find as normal for the church in the New Testament.
Here are some key principles taking place in the churches found in the New Testament that we have wandered away from in most churches today;
Interactive gathering of saints (Acts 2:42, Acts 20:7-12 & 1 Cor. 14:26)
Servant and consensual leadership (Matt. 20:20-28 & Acts 15:22-29)
Priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:4-10, 1 Timothy 2:5 & Hebrews 10:19)
The expansion of the church by common people (Acts 8:1-4, Romans 16:3-5 & Col. 4:15)
Equipping of the church so the people would do ministry - not do the ministry for the people (Matt. 28:19-20, Eph. 4:11-16 & 2 Timothy 2:2)
A thread through the five principles listed above is that professional or skilled leadership in the church has taken over these areas of faith. The taking over of these five areas have caused saints to need the following;
A professional to give a sermon and lead worship in order to enjoy church each week.
At least one or at most a few men to tell us what we are to do as a spiritual community.
Ordained men (sometimes women) to do the more significant work of the Gospel.
Highly trained and/or skilled people to begin new churches and organizations.
Professional people to do the baptizing, administering communion, conducting church services, sanctioning marriages and officiating at funerals.
This dependence upon skilled leadership in the church has contributed to her becoming weak, tired, irritable and pale. Most people sitting in the pews of churches across the world do not feel empowered, able or competent to do many of things that were commonly done by all believers in the first century as I pointed out at the top of this article.
So what should we do? To begin with, we should NOT beat ourselves up over this. It is correctable. We still have the same Godhead to call upon for help in addressing these problems. The one thing we shouldn't do is to keep on doing the same thing. But change is hard and as human beings we are typically lazy. If someone else will do "it" for us, we typically will let them do so. This is what has happened in our churches today.
Here a few suggestions from my brain to yours on how to see the priesthood of all believers become a reality in your community.
Come to grips with the truth that for most folks, this transition to feeling competent will take a lot longer than you anticipate. That may sound like bad news to you but I believe it is true and therefore will end up being comforting because it will match your experience.
There will be no transformation to a more Biblical way of spiritual engagement apart from a work of God in the lives of people who love Jesus. In other words, it is a supernatural work so increase your conversations with God about the issue.
Plan for things to fall apart. My good friend Neil Cole calls this 'planned neglect'. If people are going to do significant things for the Kingdom, they will have to see that there is a need for them to do something and that will only happen as the significant things do not get done.
Encourage people with Biblical and practical truth that they are able to do something significant. They may have to find what it is and you may be helpful in causing them to think through what it may be, but they will find it and they will see God work through them.
Plant seed ideas in the hearts of people and then get out of the way and let them run with the idea the way they want to. If they come and ask for direction, certainly help guide them. Offer positive input along the way so they will know they are on the right track.
Know ahead of time that some will hate this idea and move on to another spiritual community. This will happen and it will hurt but it must happen.
Remind, remind, remind, remind, remind and remind people of the truths found throughout the Scriptures that they can do significant things for the Lord. Paul often reminds people of things throughout his letters. We would do well to follow His example. Here is just one Scripture that speaks to this whole issue:
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Cor. 3:6
The Spirit gives life and the Spirit, He is the one who makes us competent. So move out in the competence that Christ has given you. I am surprised way too often with people coming up to me after a spiritual gathering to tell me that they knew God was prompting them to do something or say something and they hesitated. I constantly encourage people to err on the side of moving out but usually people take the safe way out and err on the side of silence. We can't learn about following the promptings of God if are usually silent when we sense them.
If you have a thought about these ideas, feel free to comment on them for all to read.

2010-02-12T16:17:00.000-08:00

While Surfing the web yesterday I found this site:
http://edwaken.blogspot.com/

The following is one of the post from this site.

I agree with this post completly and especialy #5.

Read this post and check out his blog, I know you will
enjoy them.

GODs Love and Blessings
Daniel Paden

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Some Key Concepts of Church (as I see it :-)
Ideas associated with the word "Church" are varied to say the least. It can range from very informal and small to very ornate and large. For some, church equals boring and a waste of time while for others it means encouragement and a large focus of their life. Some see church as an option and for others it is mandatory. A large chunk of people need a holy person and a holy building to have church while others need neither. On and on the contrasts and ideas could go.
I'm attempting to put down some of the key concepts of church as I see them (this is not meant to be exhaustive or complete). I want to write these down so the world will know my thoughts about church, so our network of organic churches will have something to point to and also for those who may sense something is amiss with their concept of church and want to explore other options. So here are some of my key concepts of church:
1. Jesus is the head of the church, He is the only Senior Pastor there is!
I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Matthew 16:18
He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. Colossians 1:18
I think those verses are pretty clear on their own :-)
2. The church should be multiplying communicators not listeners.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. Acts 1:8
And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles...Therefore, thosewho had been scattered went about preaching the word. Acts 8:1 & 4
Every believer in the church is to be on mission to share their story of what Jesus has done in their life and also tell the truth of His good news. Every believer is able to communicate what Jesus has done for them. As more and more believers become involved in sharing their stories with the world, the larger and larger the amount of communicators become. Eventually, everyone will hear the truth about Jesus when this happens. However, if we focus more on attracting listeners to the professionals and polished people of the church we will miss out on getting the masses into the nooks and crannies of the world where most of the people are.
Let's be honest, if church leadership continues to do the work of spreading the good news through listener oriented venues, the believers have no reason to get involved beyond inviting. I think I can hear Jesus saying, "That's not what I had in mind. Read Acts 8:1-4 again." :-)
3. Discipleship is job #1.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." Matthew 28:19
The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also...Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:2 & 22 (emphasis mine)
No one is commanded to plant or build churches but every believer is called and commanded by Jesus Christ Himself to make disciples as we go through life. This is a most important job of every believer. Think with me for a moment - what if every believer actually obeyed Jesus on this and they were making disciples, that is, full sacrificial followers of Jesus? How strong would the church be? If more were focused on helping people to live like Jesus did (making disciples) there would be less focus on what we dislike about church and more dependence upon Christ!
4. The church should be smaller rather than larger.
No one verse can capture this concept but I think Jesus' life gave us this example. Jesus often times shied away from crowds but loved being with smaller groups of people. He spent more time with Peter, James and John than any of the other Apostles. He spend more time with 12 than he did with the crowds. Jesus spent a good chunk of time with the 70 as He sent them out and He spent the least amount of time with the multitudes. Jesus knew the value of remaining small so closeness, accountability, a family feel and I think, with a smaller group, there is a greater ability to spread out and multiply.
5. Church is more like a family than a school.
Most leaders I talk to see their church as a family and not as a school. However, the reality after discussing the life of their church is that most churches do function more like a school than a family. Many are so concerned with services, programs, right nuances of doctrine and protection from error that churches in many cases becomes more school and information orientated than family.
The New Testament is full of organic and familial metaphors to describe the church. Families have fun together, play games together, eat together, cry together and at times are even bored together. They fight, solve problems and support each other.
Look at the verse below to get a taste of the family Paul had in Church in Corinth.
Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one. I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together. Great is my confidence in you; great is myboasting on your behalf I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction. 2 Cor. 7:2-4
Here we see a taste of a family with problems, challenges and hardships yet Paul states that he is willing to die together and to live together with them. He is confident in them. This comes from a familial way of thinking about church instead of a more instructional way. For too many folks, when problems arise in church they skip on down the street to the next church - avoiding conflict and the opportunity to become closer - to become family.
6. The church is to be equipping people so they are empowered for ministry.
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4:11-16
I suggest you also read 1 Corinthians 14 for a good taste of how equipped people are encouraged to live out church together.
7. Leadership in the church is flat and non-heirarcichal.
And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left."And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. "It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just asthe Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:21, 24-28 (see the full context HERE)
Here we see the fleshly desire to be in control, or at least to be recognized as very important, raise its head. When the other ten Apostles got wind of the James and John's request, they became quite angry. Jesus called them all together for a family pow-wow. Jesus laid the law down that in His church, there was to be no one who acted like the Jewish priests and government officials did by being the ones in charge and in control. Instead, they were to be just like (if not lower than) everyone else. This doesn't mean that there are not gifts of leadership nor elders and deacons, there are those gifts and functions but they are not to be the ones in control. In my opinion, leaders guide the body in the direction of health. One way to ensure health and balance is for everyone to be right connection with the Head of the Church, Jesus and to listen to Him for themselves.
8. Church is to be more interactive than passive.
For many, church is something you attend but I believe it is something you are part of and more who you are. To quote Reggie McNeal, "Church is not a what but a who". Today many simply go to a meeting (large or small) and sit and allow others to minister to them or for them. Rarely are people invited to get involved beyond singing. This is not the example we see in the Bible.
In the passage below, the words used to describe Paul's talking to this community late into the night is the word where we get our English word for dialogue. This long meeting in an upstairs room was highly interactive.
On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. Acts 20:7-9
It would be good to take a look at 1 Cor. 14 and especially verse 26 to get a glimpse into how Paul was instructing the church at Corinth to practice their faith when they got together. One should also study each of the 27 or so 'one another' passages of the Bible which indicates a high level of interaction.
9. DNA at every level.
If you are unfamiliar with the DNA concept, please click HERE for a more detailed discussion.
So there you have a few of my key concepts of church. If you have any comments, please shoot them to me.

Thoughts Out There by Ed
Ed Waken
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
http://edwaken.blogspot.com/

Statement of Faith or Beliefs

2010-01-22T18:06:00.000-08:00

When I tell people that I run a House Church, Most generaly
the first question out of their mouth is:
Do you have a statement of faith or what are your beliefs.

Following is my answer in the simplest terms I can give:

My Faith is in Christ Jesus My savior and King.
This is the only statement of faith you will ever get from me.

My beliefs:

I believe what Jesus taught and Lived in the Scriptures.

My Religion:

I do NOT believe in or follow Religion.
Jesus taught Love in a family type of patern.
He did not teach
Religion
Church
Cerimony
Denomination
Organization
Rules
Ect....

What kind of people are permited at our gatherings:

Gay, and Straight
Rich, and Poor
Well Dressed, and Ragged
Young, and Old
Men, and Women
Sinner, and Saint
Christian, and Non Christian
Politician, and Pauper
Those who are sick, and Those who are not sick
Budist, Muslem, Athiest
EVERYBODY
No One will be judged here, We have all sinned
We have no authority to judge, Jesus alone has
that authority

Jesus Loved Every One and so should we

At our House Church there are no regular meetings
whenever you come to my house if you are open to
study of the bible and Jesus teachings then we do so
if you are not then we just treat each other with the
same love and respect that Jesus taught

We strive to live the same example that Jesus lived
its that simple

You will find no hard rules or requirements here
you live how Jesus convicts you to live

If you feel the need to follow certian religious
rites do so just dont force it on others who do
not believe the same

The only judgment you will ever receive is the
same as I will " From Jesus Himself "

The following link will take you to a site which will
explain better than I can what and who I follow.
http://www.askelm.com/index.asp

Pa State Trooper Shot and Killed

2010-01-13T14:29:00.000-08:00

Please pray for the family of Pa State Trooper Paul Richy
who was shot and killed today in the line of duty.

Follow link for news coverage.

http://kdka.com/video/?id=67528@kdka.dayport.com

happy new year

2010-01-01T01:02:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcLMH8pwusw

Doctrianity

2009-12-31T10:24:00.000-08:00

The true story of Caspar Zacher, a man accused of being a heretic.
This was in 1562 in Europe, which means that if he is found guilty,
he will certainly die for his crime.
Caspar denies being a heretic. Declaring himself to be a good
Lutheran, he emphatically declares that he has nothing to do with
those Anabaptists.
When his neighbors begin testifying, Caspar gets nervous; they tell
how he is an envious man, quarrelsome, a swearer and a curser who
nearly always carries a knife with him.
But to Caspar’s great relief, he is declared innocent.

The judge explains:
The witnesses are uniform in testifying that you are an envious and
quarrelsome man.
You frequently curse in public, and you go about town carrying weapons.
You are a thoroughly disagreeable man, justly hated by your fellow
townsmen.
But, fortunately, you are obviously not one of those detestable heretics,
the Anabaptists.
For the life you live is exactly opposite theirs.
They would never have you. You are just as you say, an orthodox Christian.

“Christianity had become “Doctrianity.”

“Christianity had been transformed from a religion centered on bearing
good fruits to one centered on believing the right things—the doctrines
promoted by the “theological elite.”

bearing kingdom fruit vs. believing right.
Knowledge is not fruit.
One can know all sorts of correct things about God.
He can even pretend to know more about God than what the Bible actually
tells us.
But the bottom line on judgment day is not going to be about what we
believed, but how much fruit we bore while on planet earth.

Imagine Jesus sitting on a Galilean hillside, amidst a group of noisy
theologians disputing about correct soteriology.
David Bercot enters the scene, and begins to ask all the theologians to just
sit down.
After asking them—or making them—take a seat, he does not step up on a
rock to set everyone straight on the proper view of salvation.
Instead, he also meekly takes a seat at the feet of the Teacher.

The Teacher, once the group has quieted down, begins his class
by saying, “Welcome to Soteriology 101. Today we are going to
do a thorough review as to how a person gets saved.”

Then, standing to His feet, the Teacher looks around at the students
and says, “Follow me.” With that, He turns on His heels and walks
away, heading for the closest village to spend the day visiting the sick,
speaking kind words to the weary, visiting those in prison, and offering
hope to the downtrodden.

If the above scene rings true to you and a “Hallellujah!” erupts from your
soul, you do not need to read Will the Theologians Please Sit Down.
You will probably be refreshed if you do, but it is not a “must read” for you.
But if the scene I just described leaves you a bit bewildered or maybe a tad
angry for taking such a “light” view of salvation—or perhaps seems to be
outright heretical—then Will the Theologians Please Sit Down is a
“must read” for you.

It’s time for the children of the kingdom to stand up for Jesus and the gospel
He preached.
And it’s time for the theologians to sit down.

Will the Theologians Please Sit Down can be purchased from Scroll Publishing by clicking the link.

Ten Commandments of Human Relations

2009-12-10T17:00:00.000-08:00

Speak to people. There is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of greeting.

Smile at people. It takes 72 muscles to frown, and only 14 to smile.

Call people by name. The sweetest music to anyone’s ears is the sound of his or her own name.

Be friendly and helpful. If you want friends you must be one.

Be cordial. Speak and act as if everything you do is a joy to you.

Be genuinely interested in people. You can like everybody if you try.

Be generous with praise. And cautious with criticism.

Be conciderate with the feelings of others. There are usually three sides to a controversy. Yours, The other persons, and the rightone.

Be eager to give a helping hand. Often it is appreciated more than you know. What counts most in life is what we do for others.

Add to this a sense of Humor, a huge dose of Patience, and a dash of Humility.This combination will open many doors and rewards will be Enormous.

2009-12-06T10:36:00.000-08:00

The following quote I Found online concerning belief in GOD but not in religion.
You can find this quote along with the accompaning forum disscussion at
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?p=8135002#post8135002

[QUOTE=ffrancis;6069744]I have heard some people who claim to believe in God, but they don't believe in religion. They would consider themselves agnostic, and they refuse to join any religious group. Yesterday, my brother and I debated on the meaning of the word, and he was right when I looked it up. What is the right term for this group of people? I'm not sure if they fit the definition of a deist or there is another more precise term.[/QUOTE]

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?p=8135002#post8135002

Following is my answer to the above stated quote.

If this group of people truly do not believe in religion then
there is no term for them.

To take on a title to describe you as not believing in religion
is to become religious because titles denote belief, which
denotes religion.

I believe in GOD and his only begotten son Jesus.
I do NOT believe in or follow or practice religion.
I am not Christian, Muslim, protestant, Jewish, atheist,
agnostic, deistic,or any other term, title or word used to
describe a belief.

Truthfully if you want to get technical, I don’t even have a belief.

GOD is just as real to me as my wife and daughter, I do not believe
in my wife and daughter, I enjoy my wife and daughter, I have
relationship with my wife and daughter, I experience my wife and
daughter, I Love my wife and daughter, and I do all those things
the same with GOD as with my wife and daughter.

Titles, ceremony, theology, denomination, creed, religion
these things are all of mans making, not GODs.

GOD did not teach or give or require religion He required, gave
and taught life, love, and relationship.
There is no word, term, or title to describe that.

These things cannot be confined in religion, belief, or ceremony
to give these things a title is to turn them into religion which in turn
will totally destroy them.

Just experience the relationship don’t try to describe it with words.
when you confine a relationship to words or descriptions it becomes
fake, phony it ceases to be.

The Following Link will take you to a site that I recommend very
highly were you can learn the who, what, when, were, and why
of GOD .

Do not believe me, Do not believe the site the following link
takes you to, read the Bible yourself then compare with what
you read on this site and their site with what you read in the
Bible then believe GOD.
http://www.askelm.com/essentials/ess039.htm

Community

2009-11-24T17:56:00.000-08:00

I read an artical on community today that tells what I believe
is deffinatly the truth about how we as christians should treat
others around us.

My own personal oppinion is that we should treat everyone this
way weather they be christian or non christian.

I will not post the artical here due to copy write laws but I am
including a link to the page so you can read it.

While you are there read some of the other articals that are
posted there as well, you will find much truth on the following site.

http://thoughtsfromabackseatdriver.blogspot.com/2009/03/community.html

The artical is called community.
It was posted by back seat driver on the following blog.

http://thoughtsfromabackseatdriver.blogspot.com/2009/03/community.html

Religion

2009-11-20T16:57:00.000-08:00

My personal oppinion of religion is that GOD didn't create
us for religion, He created us for relationship.
We were not intended to follow Religion, Doctorine, or
Teachings of Man.
We were intended to have a relationship with GOD.
If you read your bible you will notice that untill Israel
left Egipt there were no religious observances that
Israel or those who followed GOD kept in a religious
sence.
Religion is purely a creation of Man.
Those people who lived then simply had a loveing family
type relationship with the Lord their GOD.
A lot of people today are leaving organized denominational
churches trying to get back to the religion taught by
Jesus and his appostles.
The problem though with that rout is this.
Jesus and the apostles never "NEVER" taught a religion.
Dont blindly believe me on this.
READ YOUR BIBLE and prove what I say.
What Jesus and his apostles taught was not in any
sence of the word House Church, Organic Church,
Relational Church or any other kind of Church.
Church is not a meeting you have, a place you go, a
building, an organization or denomination, or even
somthing you do.
Church is YOU.
"YOU ARE" the Church that Jesus built, YOU and every
other person on this planet who follows GOD and his
First born son Jesus no mater their nationality, or their
religious identification.
It doesn't mater if they are catholic, protestant, budist,
aithiest, or even God forbid; MUSLIM
If they believe in the true creator of us all and have
a relationship with Him and obey His word; then
like it or not they ARE the Church that Jesus Built.
If you truly want to get back to the truth that Jesus
and the apostles taught; Here it is you will find it in
your bible in Jesus own words.
(Mt 22:37-40)
Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
What you wont find here is Religion, Denomination,
Organization, Pomp, Pride, Cerimony, and No not
Even Church can be found in these words.
The only thing you will ever find in this teaching
is LOVE!

You may copie or print this for use in any way you wish, it is free for use by
anyone who sees the truth in it.
I just ask that you do not use it for profit or gain, to do so would be an affront
to the Lord our GOD.