Month: January 2013

  • JOKES

    Dusty Housekeeping

    My mom is a less than fastidious housekeeper.

    One evening my dad returned home from work, walked into the kitchen and teased her, “You know, dear, I can write my name in the dust on the mantel.”

    Mom turned to him and sweetly replied, “Yes, darling, I know. That’s why I married a college graduate.”

    Spelling Information

    “Hello, Information? I need the number of the Caseway Insurance Company.”

    “Would you spell that, please?”

    “Certainly. C as in sea. A as in aye. S as in sea. E as in eye. W as in why. A as in are. Y as in you.”

    “Just a minute, sir. I’ll connect you with my supervisor.”

    Stupid Things Actually Said By Soccer Commentators

    1. Well, it’s Liverpool two, Ipswich nil, and if the score stays this way, I’ve got to fancy Liverpool for the win.

    2. He had an eternity to play that ball, but took too long.

    3. And so they have not been able to improve on their 100% record.

    4. With the last kick of the game, he scored with a header.

    5. Well, it’s a fabulous kaleidoscope of colour: almost all the Brazilians are wearing yellow shirts.

    6. If that had gone on, it would definitely have been a goal.

    7. Their manager, Howard Wilkinson, isn’t here today, which strongly suggests that he may be elsewhere.

    8. I am a firm believer that if one team scores a goal, the other need to score two to win.

    9. If a team scores early on, it often takes an early lead.

    10. You cannot possibly have counted the number of passes made, but there were eight.

    Feline Physics

    Law of Cat Inertia – A cat at rest will tend to remain at rest, unless acted upon by some outside force – such as the opening of cat food, or a nearby scurrying mouse.

    Law of Cat Motion – A cat will move in a straight line, unless there is a really good reason to change direction.

    Law of Cat Magnetism – All blue blazers and black sweaters attract cat hair in direct proportion to the darkness of the fabric.

    Law of Cat Thermodynamics – Heat flows from a warmer to a cooler body, except in the case of a cat, in which case all heat flows to the cat.

    Law of Cat Stretching – A cat will stretch to a distance proportional to the length of the nap just taken.

    Law of Cat Sleeping – All cats must sleep with people whenever possible, in a position as uncomfortable for the people involved, and as comfortable as possible for the cat.

    Law of Refrigerator Observation – If a cat watches a refrigerator long enough, someone will come along and take out something good to eat.

    Law of Electric Blanket Attraction – Turn on an electric blanket and a cat will jump into bed at the speed of light.

    Law of Random Comfort Seeking – A cat will always seek, and usually take over, the most comfortable spot in any given room.

    Law of Bag/Box Occupancy – All bags and boxes in a given room must contain a cat within the earliest possible nanosecond.

    Law of Cat Embarrassment – A cat’s irritation rises in direct proportion to her embarrassment times the amount of human laughter.

    Law of Cat Disinterest – A cat’s interest level will vary in inverse proportion to the amount of effort a human expends in trying to interest him.

    Law of Pill Rejection – Any pill given to a cat has the potential energy to reach escape velocity.

    Law of Cat Composition – A cat is composed of Matter + Anti-Matter + It Doesn’t Matter.

  • NW PASTOR SENTENCED TO 8 YEARS IN IRAN

    NW pastor sentenced to 8 years in Iran

     

    January 29, 2013

    Saeed Abedini, US pastor jailed in IranBy American Center for Law & Justice

    Our worst fears have been realized. In Tehran on an empty promise that American Pastor Saeed Abedini might be released, his lawyer came to court.  The lawyer had no formal notice that his presence was required, only the casual request less than 24 hours before from a court administrator to a family friend that the lawyer should come to the court because it was releasing Pastor Saeed.  But this was all a lie.

    Upon arriving at the court, Dr. Naser Sarbazi, Pastor Saeed’s lawyer, saw his client. He knew he had been deceived.

    Without family present, Judge Pir-Abassi of Branch 26 of the Iranian Revolutionary Court – known as the “hanging judge” - verbally convicted and sentenced Pastor Saeed to eight years in prison for threatening the national security of Iran through his leadership in Christian house churches.  The evidence provided was of Pastor Saeed’s Christian activities primarily during the early 2000s, when under President Khatami house churches were not perceived as a threat to Iran. Despite Iranian law requiring a written verdict, none was given.

    Here’s the troubling reality: A U.S. citizen, who has been beaten and tortured since his imprisonment last fall, is now facing eight years in Evin Prison, one of the most brutal prisons in Iran.

    We represent Pastor Saeed’s wife, Naghmeh, and her two children who live in the U.S. Upon hearing this injustice, Naghmeh, said: “The promise of his release was a lie.  We should not trust the empty words or promises put out by the Iranian government.  These false hopes amount to psychological torture.  You don’t want to trust them, but they build a glimmer of hope before the crushing blow.  With today’s development I am devastated for my husband and my family.  We must now pursue every effort, turn every rock, and not stop until Saeed is safely on American soil.”

    We know that with the Iranian Revolutionary Court, Pastor Saeed’s conviction and sentence had to be approved at the very top – The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei had to sign off.

    Iran has not only abused its own laws, it has trampled on the fundamentals of human rights.  We call on the citizens of the world to rise up in protest.  We call on governments around the world to stand and defend Pastor Saeed.  As his wife has pleaded, starting with our own government, every effort must be pursued. We are calling on the State Department and the White House, which have both called for Pastor Saeed’s release, to engage further.

    This is a real travesty. An U.S. citizen faces a lengthy prison term for simply because of his Christian faith.  Pastor Saeed now faces eight years in a harsh prison – likely facing life-threatening torture and abuse at the hands of the Iranian regime.

    Please continue to pray for Pastor Saeed and his family. We will continue to utilize all of our efforts to see that justice is served and Pastor Saeed is safely in the arms of his loving wife and two children back home in the United States.

    Jordan Sekulow is Executive Director of the American Center for Law and Justice.

  • OBAMA’S EXTRADORINARY ACCOPLISHMENTS

    Obama’s Extraordinary Accomplishments

    freenobeltacosPresident Obama has a number of accomplishments under his belt, aside from that oft-praised one of winning the presidency “despite” being black. Consider, for example, these seven records he holds, as compiled last month by Breitbart.com’s Wynton Hall:

    1. All-time record annual average gas price: In 2012, the average cost of a gallon of gas eclipsed the previous record by nine cents, bringing the annual average to $3.60.

    2. All-time record food stamp participation: As of [November 2012], for the first time in American history, 47,710,324 individuals–roughly one out of every seven people living in the United States–now receive food stamps.

    3. All-time high youth unemployment: In the last four years, average youth unemployment eclipsed the previous record rising to 17.5%–the highest ever in recorded U.S. history.

    4. All-time high number of Americans no longer in the labor force: Never before in U.S. history have so many been sidelined from the workforce. Today, a record 88,921,000 Americans are no longer a part of the U.S. labor force.

    5. All-time record number of Americans collecting disability: Medical advancements and technological innovations have increased life expectancy and made workplaces safer. Still, the number of Americans collecting Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) has skyrocketed in the last four years. Today, a record 8,827,795 individuals collect a disability check averaging $1,130.34 a month.

    6. All-time record number of Americans living in poverty: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a record 46.2 million people in America are living in poverty, the highest number in the 53 years that the Census Bureau has collected the figure.

     

    7. All-time record U.S. debt: The last four years have exploded the U.S. debt to levels never seen before in American history. Presently, the United States is $16,400,000,000,000 in debt.

    Bravo, Barack, bravo indeed!

    But perhaps the most amazing feat of this miracle man has been to make many conservatives and Republicans, if not exactly like Hillary Clinton, at least not to mind her as much as they used to. Take me, for example: if Clinton runs in 2016 against a moderate Republican, I’d have a hard time deciding who to vote for. A moderate Republican president would likely screw things up, thus tainting the record of all Republicans. On the other hand, Clinton would screw things up too, thus discrediting Democrats for the 2020 election.

    Do I want Clinton to run in 2016? No. She probably would beat whatever Republican ticket the RNC nominates, which ticket will probably (hopefully) include Rand Paul or (and?) Marco Rubio. And I don’t want them to be defeated, obviously, because that would hurt their chances in a 2020 run.

    But if Clinton were to run in 2016 against the likes of, say, Jeb Bush, there’s no question: I would vote for Clinton.

    This is something I wouldn’t ever have considered had Obama not become president and made darn-near everyone around him seem like okay people in comparison.

    So to Barack I say: very impressive, sir!

    Read more: http://politicaloutcast.com/2013/01/obamas-extraordinary-accomplishments/#ixzz2JVFkNgu7

  • COURT DEALS BLOW TO EPA AND OBAMA’S GREEN ENERGY PROGRAM

    Court Deals Blow to EPA and Obama’s Green Energy Program

    biofuelWhen Barack Obama ran for office in 2008, he promised to create 5 million green jobs.  One of his main programs to help create some of those green jobs was his biofuels programs.  Using the iron fist of the EPA, Obama did his best force refiners to produce cellulosic biofuels.

    The standards set were completely unrealistic and unattainable.  They were purposely overestimated to avoid the possibility of underestimation.  It was a deliberate act to push the green fuel technology onto the oil industry.  However, the technology was unable to produce the mandate quantity of cellulosic biofuels, resulting in the cellulosic biofuels not being commercially available.

    When the industries failed to meet the mandated regulations, the EPA iron fist hammered down hard in the way of hefty fines.  They tried to force the oil refineries to purchase over $8 million in credits for the $8.5 million worth of cellulosic biofuels that they failed to use.  However, the American Petroleum Institute, the top oil and gas lobby, is no 98 pound weakling and they hammered back at the EPA in form of a lawsuit.

    Last week, a federal judge ruled the EPA exceeded their authority when they mandated that refiners had to use the cellulosic biofuels, considering the fact that they could not obtain any to use.  The judge did rule that the EPA could set certain high estimates for some production but when it came to the 2012 projection of the cellulosic biofuel, the court said:

    “Here, by contrast, EPA applies the pressure to one industry (the refiners), yet it is another (the producers of cellulosic biofuel) that enjoys the requisite expertise, plant, capital and ultimate opportunity for profit.  Apart from their role as captive consumers, the refiners are in no position to ensure, or even contribute to, growth in the cellulosic biofuel industry.”

     

    “Do a good job, cellulosic fuel producers. If you fail, we’ll fine your customers…”

    “However, we agree with API that EPA’s 2012 projection of cellulosic biofuel production was in excess of the agency’s statutory authority.  We accordingly vacate that aspect of the 2012 RFS rule and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.”

    Bob Greco, API Group Downstream Director commented about the court’s decision, saying:

    “We are glad the court has put a stop to EPA’s pattern of setting impossible mandates for a biofuel that does not even exist.  This absurd mandate acts as a stealth tax on gasoline with no environmental benefit that could have ultimately burdened consumers.”
    I’m just thrilled to see a federal judge stand up to the EPA and tell them that they are not above the law nor are they the iron handed dictators of the environment.  Lately, the EPA has been following Obama’s lead by leaving the law far behind in their power hungry efforts to squash property rights of private citizens.  Hopefully more judges will start to rule on law and not by political pressure and hold the EPA in check.

       
       

     

  • JOKES OF THE DAY

    Jokes of the day –  Banana jokes   

     If a crocodile makes shoes, what does a banana make ?

      Slippers !

          ______________________________________________

     

    How do you catch King Kong?

    Hang upside down and make a noise like a banana.

          ______________________________________________

    How did the Mother Banana spoil the Baby Banana? She left him out in the sun too long.

         ______________________________________________

     How can you tell the difference between a monster and a banana?

    Try picking it up. If you can’t, it’s either a monster or a giant banana.

        ______________________________________________

     

    How can you tell the difference between a monster and a banana?

    Try picking it up. If you can’t, it’s either a monster or a giant banana.

     

        ______________________________________________

    Did you hear about the unlucky man who bought some bananas?

    They were empty.

     

  • DEVOTIONAL LANCASTER BAPTIST CHURCH

     

     


     
     

    You Can Trust the Bible

    By Paul Chappell
     
     
     
      Wednesday, Jan 30, 2013

    “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”

    Proverbs 30:5

    In 1985, for the first time in more than fifty years, Congress authorized the issue of official US government gold coins. Beginning in 1986 these new coins came on the market. Each of these American Eagles, as they are known, is guaranteed by the US Mint to contain the stated amount of pure 22 karat gold. They come in 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, and 1-ounce sizes, and buyers from around the world trust these coins because they trust the promises of the United States government that the coins are what they claim to be.

    When it comes to Scripture, we have something far more reliable than the guarantee of a government—we have the promises of Almighty God that His Word is perfect and pure. God promised to preserve His Word for us. That means that, according to the promise of God, we can have complete faith that every word in the Bible is there on purpose. Psalm 12:7 affirms, “Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”

    The very first temptation in human history began with Satan asking Eve, “Yea hath God said?” This challenge to the authenticity of Scripture continues in our day. If God promised to keep His Words—and He did—then we can confidently trust the Bible. God has seen to the preserving of His Word, and the Bible that we hold in our hands today is fully reliable. Instead of evaluating the Word of God and trying to decide if it is trustworthy, God intends for us to use it to evaluate our thoughts and actions. Trust with complete faith and confidence in the Bible you hold—it is guaranteed by God Himself.

    Today’s Proverbs Precept: 
    Never let anyone shake your confidence and faith in the Bible—it is the very Word of God.

    Old Testament Reading
    Exodus 23

    CHAPTER 23

    1 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. 2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: 3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause. 4 If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. 5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. 6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause. 7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked. 8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous. 9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

    10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: 11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard. 12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed. 13 And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth. 14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. 15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) 16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. 17 Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD. 18 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning. 19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk.

    20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. 22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. 23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. 24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. 25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. 26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil. 27 I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. 28 And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee. 29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee. 30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land. 31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee. 32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

     

    CHAPTER 24

    1 And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. 2 And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him. 3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. 4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. 6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. 8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.

    9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. 11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.

    12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. 13 And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God. 14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them. 15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. 16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. 18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

    New Testament Reading
    Matthew 20:1

    1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

    Proverb of the Day
    Proverbs 30

    1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, 2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. 3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. 4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell? 5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. 7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: 8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. 10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty. 11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. 12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. 13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. 14 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. 15 The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: 16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. 17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. 18 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: 19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid. 20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. 21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: 22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; 23 For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress. 24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: 25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; 26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; 27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; 28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces. 29 There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: 30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; 31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up. 32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth. 33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

    		  
           
       
     

  • YOUR DAILY SOURCE OF INSPIRATION QUOTES

    William Shakespeare, Inspirational quote of the day

    “Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man.”

    William Shakespeare

    Love Quote of the Day by Sigmund Freud

    “We are never so defenseless against suffering as when we love”

    Sigmund Freud

  • MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES 1/30/13

    The moth’s kiss first! Kiss me as if you made believe You were not sure, this eve, How my face, your flower, had pursed Its petals up. R. Browning, In a Gondola. Bro. Doc

  • T&M 1/31/13 UNSHACKLED FROM THE TYRANNY AND CRUELTY OF SIN!

    But Yahvah be thanked, that ye were the servant of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of sin, but yet have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Ro 6:17

    would you like to more fully appreciate how the grace of Yahvah has changed you? why not take a little time today to recall what your spiritual condition was like before His grace touched your life? As you do that, I think you’ll realize that before Yahvahosha Messiah came into your heart, life was doomed to failure. In fact, it was so unpromising that Ro 6:17 says that you were in reality a “servant” to sin.

    When Paul writes that we were previously the servants of sin, he used the Greek word doulos, one of the most wretched expression for a slave in the ancient Greek language. It described a servant who was so totally sold into slavery that he had no destiny of his own; rather, he was perpetually obligated to do the bidding of his owner–fulfilling the whims, impulses, quirks, urges, and desires of his master for the rest of his life.

    In other words, the word doulos depicts one whose very existence is to fulfill the commands of his master. Or as one expositor explained, the word portrays one whose will is completely swallowed up in the will of another.

    This is the word Paul uses to describe our slavery to sin before Yahvahosha came into our lives. Paul is saying that prior to our salvation experience, we were completely consumed, swallowed up, devoured, and engulfed in the will of Satan. We may have thought we were in charge of our lives; we may have assumed we were “calling the shots” ourselves. But in reality, you and I were in the grip of sin, and our sin nature was controlling our lives and destinies. We were like captives sold into the depravity of slavery. As the slaves of sin, our destines were being masterminded by an unseen, diabolical spirit that wanted to destroy us.

    Because of the word doulos in Ro 6:17, one section of this verse could be taken to read: “…In the past you were the wretched slaves of sin–sold out entirely to sin–and you had no ‘say-so’ about your life, your future, or your desire. At that time, your entire existence on earth was centered around fulfilling the whims, impulses, quirks, urges, and desires of your master–sin…”

    Our prior slavery to Satan was so deeply rooted in our nature that we became inseparable from the sinful nature that so constantly worked in us and controlled us. Indeed, this pervading demonic presence in our lives was so absolute and supreme that Paul described it in this way in Eph 2:2 “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.”

    In Greek, the word “worketdh” is the word energeo. The word energeo denotes a force that energizing. In fact that is where we get the word energy.

    By choosing to use this word, the Holy Ghost is vividly portraying how destitute our spiritual condition was before you and I were born again. It plainly means that prior to our salvation experience, we were energized by the spirit that works in all the sons of disobedience. The devil himself used to have authorization to accomplish his destructive will in our lives. Because we were his slaves, he could do whatever he wanted with us.

    But when Yahvahosha Messiah came into our lives, we were immediately emancipated–totally set free! Because of this, we are no longer servants to sin; now we are servants of the Almighty Yahvah.

    The evil spirits that once exacted every ounce of your being and required your all-inclusive servitude no longer possess the authorization to control you or to dictate your destiny. Now Yahvahosha is your Saviour. Now it is the Spirit of Yahvah who works in you and supernaturally energizes you to fulfill Yahvah’s will in your life. You have a new Master, and His name is Yahvahosha! You have a new Source of energy on the inside–the power of the Holy Ghost!

    Refuse to let sin have its way in your lifer any longer. Yes, you were a servant to sin in the past, but now you are a servant of Yahvahosha Messiah. So tell the devil to hit the road and take his temptations elsewhere! It’s time for you to yield to the Holy Ghost so He can mightily to release His divine power in you and give you the energy you need to live a life of obedience to Yahvah!

    PRAYER: YAHVAH, I THANK YOU FOR COMING INTO MY LIFE AND FOR BREAKING THE POWER OF SIN THAT USED TO HOLD ME CAPTIVE. I REMEMBER THE FUTILITY I FELT AS I TRIED TO CHANGE MYSELF BUT COULDN’T DO IT. BUT WHEN YOU CAME INTO MY LIFE, EVERYTHING CHANGED! I PRAISE YOU FOR LOVING ME SO MUCH THAT YOU LEFT HEAVEN AND DESCENDED INTO A WORLD FILLED WITH SIN AND DEPRAVITY. YOU DID THAT FOR ME, AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH! I PRAY THIS IN YAHVAHOSHA’S NAME!

    MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

    I confess that I am free because of the death and resurrection of Yahvahosha Messiah. The shedding of His blood paid the ransom for me. The hold Satan used to have on me is broken, and I am liberated and set free! Now Yahvah’s divine power operates mightily in me, and I have authority over the enemy who used to control me! I declare this by faith in Yahvahosha’s name!

    QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

    1. What were some of the sinful impulses and desires you were set free from when Yahvahosha came into your life?

    2. Are you continuing to walk in the freedom from sin that Yahvahosha Messiah gave you?

    3. Why not take time right now to ask the Holy Ghost to release His divine power in you so you can walk in greater obedience to the will of Yahvah? Bro. Doc

  • DEVOTIONAL LANCASTER BAPTIST CHURCH

     


     
     

    Sudden Destruction

    By Paul Chappell
     
     
     
      Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013

    “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

    Proverbs 29:1

    Bernard Madoff seemed to have it all. He lived the life of the fabulously wealthy in New York City. The securities trading company he founded when he graduated from college produced amazing returns for investors. He was tapped to serve as Chairman of the NASDAQ stock trading company. He rubbed elbows with the elite of the financial, political, and entertainment worlds. He enjoyed the best of everything that money could buy.

    Yet all of Madoff’s apparent success was built on the foundation of a lie. His investment firm was nothing more than a giant Ponzi scheme that for decades depended on getting new investors to pay off the old ones while money was being siphoned off for the personal use of Madoff and his family. With shocking suddenness Madoff was arrested, tried, and convicted. He is today serving a 150-year sentence in federal prison.

    One of the most effective lies of Satan is that we will get away with doing wrong. He convinces us that we will be the exception and can escape the consequences of sin. If we had an accurate assessment of the devastating results of sin in advance, we would be far more hesitant to cross the lines that God has drawn in His Word. Often we mistake the grace and forbearance of God that protects us from immediate punishment when we first do wrong as His permission to continue. Yet that very mercy is extended as a reminder to do right. As Paul wrote, “the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance” (Romans 2:4).

    The only cure for sin is confession and repentance. No cover up will hide sin from the eyes of God, and if we continue stiff necked in doing wrong, eventually judgment will fall. The best way to avoid sudden destruction is to respond to the first warnings of reproof.

    Today’s Proverbs Precept: 
    No sin stays hidden forever. It is always wise to confess and repent before destruction falls.

    Old Testament Reading
    Exodus 21

    CHAPTER 21

    1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. 2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. 3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. 5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. 7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. 8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. 9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. 10 If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. 11 And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.

    12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. 13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. 14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die. 15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. 16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. 17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. 18 And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: 19 If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed. 20 And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. 21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.

    22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, 24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. 26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake. 27 And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake. 28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit. 29 But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death. 30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him. 31 Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him. 32 If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. 33 And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; 34 The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his. 35 And if one man’s ox hurt another’s, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide. 36 Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.

     

    CHAPTER 22

    1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. 2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. 3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double. 5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man’s field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution. 6 If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

    7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief be found, let him pay double. 8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods. 9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour. 10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it: 11 Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good. 12 And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof. 13 If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn. 14 And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good. 15 But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.

    16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins. 18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. 19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. 20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed. 21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. 23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

    25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. 26 If thou at all take thy neighbour’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: 27 For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious. 28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. 29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. 30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me. 31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.

    New Testament Reading
    Matthew 19

    CHAPTER 19

    1 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan; 2 And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

    3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. 10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. 11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. 12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

    13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. 15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

    16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

    23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? 26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. 27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

    Proverb of the Day
    Proverbs 29

    1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. 2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. 3 Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance. 4 The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it. 5 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet. 6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice. 7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it. 8 Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath. 9 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest. 10 The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul. 11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. 12 If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked. 13 The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes. 14 The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever. 15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. 16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall. 17 Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul. 18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. 19 A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer. 20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him. 21 He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length. 22 An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression. 23 A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. 24 Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not. 25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. 26 Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s judgment cometh from the LORD. 27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.