What_does_God_look_like's Xanga

No thanks, I just want a nibble!

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:32:46 GMT

By Dr. Debbie McFarland

The invitation came 3 weeks ago, embossed in brilliant gold and drenched of some fragrance that stimulated memories from long ago but Sarah just couldn’t grasp. Just holding the paper made her feel wanted and loved – strange but oh so welcome. It was almost like she could hear singing coming from the envelop from a song her dad sweetly sang her to sleep as a little girl. Sitting on her back porch she pondered how this envelop was delivered. In the parking lot of Wal-Mart this beautiful woman approached her. She was wearing a flowing dress with colors she had never seen before. Her voice flowed as a waterfall, dripping with pure honey as she spoke Sarah’s name. Looking fully in her eyes there was in intensity and passion that instantly touched her soul. The women only said a few words, “The King eagerly awaits for your presence” as she handed Sarah the envelop. When Sarah looked at what was in her hand, the woman disappeared as if into thin air.

The weeks flew by quickly as Sarah went about tending to her horses, caring for her 2 year old very energetic Olivia Marie and enjoying the time she got to spend with her husband of 4 years, Tim. All and all she have very little complaints but once in awhile she would find herself pouring over the one regret in her life. When she was pregnant with Olivia she had been pursuing a degree in worship ministry. From the time she was just able to walk Sarah had a dream to be a worship leader but she always knew in her heart that one day she wanted to be a singer/songwriter and travel the world with the songs in her heart. Well, she did have a wonderful life and she is able to be on the worship team so she settles for what she does have, which is pretty good.

The sound of the dishwasher gently swooshing and the dryer tossing the clothes does nothing eases her nerves. The stress of the day settling down heavy on her shoulders Sarah just starts to weep. “Everything in my life is just fine”, she thinks, “so why am I so unsettled?” The invitation catches her eyes.

Incredibly simple yet powerful, one sentence:

You are invited to the banquet table of the King

Funny, there is no time, no address, no date. Just an invitation. Geez, Sarah thinks, what is up with this?

“God!” she cries out, “I don’t know what is wrong with me! I have everything I need but feel so unsettled! What is wrong with me? I haven’t felt your presence in a long time, I hope you can even hear me now. I don’t know what I am supposed to be doing. Shouldn’t I just be happy with what I have? God, can you hear me? “

“That smell, there is that smell again” said Sarah as she was suddenly startled by the appearance of the woman from Wal-Mart. It may be her imagination but Sarah thinks she is even more beautiful that the first visit. Tears in her eyes, sweaty and tired her body just goes limp. All of the stress that must have been holding her up was gone. Her mind was clear, the first time in years. The woman touched her hand and guided her up out of her chair, almost as if she floated and took her to as if through a cloud to banquet room. She took Sarah right up to a man that was instantly recognizable as Jesus.

Jesus took her hand and walked her over to this table. This room was bigger than any room she had ever seen, 10 times bigger than the high school gym. There were jewels in the walls of every color imaginable. The carpet was alive, like fresh green springtime grass and the wildflowers of the meadow. The light was so intense yet there was no lamps or fixtures anywhere to be seen. The aroma of food was overwhelming and she was suddenly aware of a hunger she had never known, a powerful hunger that consumed her soul.

“Sit and eat” says Jesus. You can have anything and everything you want. This banquet was made especially for you. Every morsel of food you eat represents my provision for you for some aspect of your life. Some dishes represent your current financial needs, some are your physical needs, some are for the health and safety of your daughter and your husband. Over here, he points, is your dreams and those things that only you and I know about and some you can’t even begin to imagine. You can not eat too much.

“Before you eat, however I want to show you what you have eaten so far in your life.” With this table the size of 3 football fields long in front of her, Jesus opens His hand and shows her a few grains. “This is all you have consumed your entire life Sarah, this little bit. This table has been set before you since the day you were born. This is YOUR table, no one else’s. What you chose to eat is up to you and only you.”

“I have appeared to you many times in your life, through worship, through whispering in your ear, through songs, through Olivia in her play and dancing and every time you just take a nibble. Sarah, I love you so much I want to you to see what is laid before you. This food is me. Sarah, please don’t nibble me anymore. Taste me and see that I am good. I am the answer for your every need. “ Jesus is crying and holding Sarah close to His breast. “Sarah, I made you beautiful. I made you to raise Olivia as she has a destiny that will change your city beyond belief. I made you to be the support for Tim that he needs. I made you for your dreams for I gave you those dreams. But you just nibble. You get a taste and love it but then stop. Don’t stop, please.”

Jesus stops talking and sits her at the table.

Amazing, all of her favorite foods were all there. Famished she abandons all thought of politeness and grabs food with both hands. The first bite tasted like love, oh….whew, does this taste wonderful. The next bite tasted like peace as it filled her veins. All muscles relaxed and her heart beat had actually changed its rhythm, now sounding more like a song. Confidence was there guarding her as she had partaken of it’s fragrant morsels. It seemed that she had eaten more than she could hold and yet the hunger wasn’t even close to being satisfied. Way over on the other side of the room there was a glowing bright cake – chocolate (OF COURSE). “Jesus, what is that cake?” “Go, my child, and partake. You tell me”. By now Sarah has confidence, love, peace, joy, encouragement, hope and favor. She skipped, danced and sang her way over to the cake. When she got to it she felt dwarfed just by it’s size. Chocolate flowed out of this cake from every crevice, glowing with life. Crying and falling to her knees she instantly knew what this cake was. Her dream. It was her dream of being a singer/songwriter. She could see nations in the layers, the souls of many countries, the crowns of many kings.

“Jesus, how can I even start to eat this cake? It is too big for me. I am just a homemaker. I didn’t finish school. I am nothing in the worship community. “

“The cake has everything you will ever need. The cake will take work to eat. You start with the first bite and don’t stop for the rest of your life. “

Sarah woke up in her kitchen with chocolate frosting on her lips, in her hair and all over her hands.

“Tim, wake up, I have to tell you something! I am going back to school.”

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 17:13:08 GMT

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/australia.asp Notes that this is a true story:

Does this sound like the attitude Americans have, yet are afraid to voice it? Perhaps it is time for this voice to be heard. Otherwise those with this belief may be living in Australia.

GOOD FOR YOU AUSTRALIA

America Needs A Leader Like This!
Prime Minister John Howard - Australia

Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.

A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown.

Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by parliament. 'If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you', he said on National Television

'I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing people in Australia : one the Australian law and another Islamic law that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option', Costello said.

Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should 'clear off. Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who don't want, to live by Australian values and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off', he said.

Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote:

'IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians.'

'However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the 'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia .' 'However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand.' 'This idea of Australia being a multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. And as Australians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle.'

'This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom'

'We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!'

'Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.'

'We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.'

'If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like 'A Fair Go', then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others.

'This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE.'

'If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.'

Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, American citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and voicing the same truths.

Ceyanne Pepper - so strong it can stop a Heart Attack and yet gentle enough for ulcers

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 18:09:08 GMT

Sample of my www.xanga.com/druglesshealthdoc site:

If I was stuck on a deserted island and had the choice of only one herb - this is the one I would chose. What is the first thing you think of when you hear ceyenne or chili peppers? HOT right? Ok - you are right and wrong. They are spicy and warm to the pallet but they are a very cool pepper and extremely healing. During the pregnancy with my first 2 kids I had very high blood pressure in the last 6 weeks, resulting in total bedrest. When I got pregnant with my last child I decided that bedrest was for the birds and to nip this high blood pressure in the bud before it started. So, I went on a search for a natural remedy. Lo and behold I found out about Cayenne Pepper. Not once during this last pregnancy did I have any blood pressure issues.

From Wikipedia:
Named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, it is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum related to bell peppers, jalapeños, and others. The capsicum genus is in the nightshade family (Solanaceae).

The fruits are generally dried and ground, or pulped and baked into cakes, which are then ground and sifted to make the powder, Cayenne pepper. Cayenne is used in cooking spicy hot dishes, as a powder or in its whole form (such as in Szechuan cuisine) or in a thin, vinegar-based sauce. It is generally rated at 40,000 to 90,000 Scoville Units. It is also used as a herbal supplement, and was mentioned by Nicholas Culpeper in his Complete Herbal.

Medicinal Purpose

The potent, hot fruit of cayenne has been used as medicine for centuries. It has endorphin-stimulating properties.^{[citation needed]}

In addition, it has been used for the following problems:

Gastrointestinal tract: including stomachaches, cramping pains, and gas.
Diseases of the circulatory system: It is still traditionally used in herbal medicine as a circulatory tonic.
Rheumatic and arthritic pains: Rubbed on the skin it causes a counterirritant effect. A counterirritant is something which causes irritation to the area to which it is applied. This makes it distract the nerves from the original irritation (such as joint pain in the case of arthritis).
Sore throat: If gargled with water it can work as an effective treatment for sore throats.
Styptic: Application of cayenne powder has traditionally been considered to have a powerful coagulating ability.

Active components

Cayenne contains a pungent resin-like substance known as capsaicin. This chemical relieves pain and itching by affecting sensory nerves. Capsaicin temporarily causes various neurotransmitters to release from these nerves, leading to their depletion. Without the neurotransmitters, pain signals can no longer be sent. The effect is temporary.

Capsaicin and other constituents in cayenne have been shown to have several other actions, including reducing platelet stickiness and acting as antioxidants.

From: http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/cayenne.htm

Today cayenne is used worldwide to treat a variety of health conditions, including poor circulation, weak digestion, heart disease, chronic pain, sore throats, headaches and toothache.

Ayurveda also utilizes cayenne to treat poor digestion and gas. Chinese medicine uses cayenne for digestive ailments.

When taken internally, cayenne soothes the digestive tract and stimulates the flow of stomach secretions and saliva. These secretions contain substances which help digest food.

Cayenne is the greatest herbal aid to circulation and can be used on a regular basis. Dr. Richard Schulze, the medical herbalist, says that "If you master only one herb in your life, master cayenne pepper. It is more powerful than any other."

Cayenne moves blood

There is no other herb which increases your blood flow faster than cayenne. Cayenne moves blood. When people ask Dr. Schultze, "What are the 10 most important herbs to have in the home?" He tells them, "At the top of the list is cayenne pepper, because it will make the other 9 work better."

Cayenne is the greatest blood circulation stimulant known. You can take all the milk thistle you want, but if you have bad circulation to your liver, it's not going to do you any good. Cayenne increases your blood circulation immediately within seconds, more than any other herb.

When you have a sick area, there's often a restriction of blood flow to that area. Blood flow is what takes nutrition and the healing properties of herbs to those cells. Blood flow is also what carries out and removes waste material. Cayenne pepper is like TNT. It blasts through all that blockage to get to that area which is sick, taking with it all the minerals and vitamins from the foods you eat, and all the vital chemicals from the herbs you take - all the way to the sick area.

Cayenne pepper is usually labeled 40,000, 60,000, 90,000 or more heat units. Generally, the higher the number of heat units, the more beneficial. The lower-heat cayenne peppers are a lot less efficient, and they are the ones which are most highly contaminated. These are the ones you see labeled for 30,000 heat units. These are the ones to stay away from.

People who are not used to cayenne just need to work their way up. One problem people have is that they blow their mouths with cayenne, right off the bat. For those who have never used cayenne pepper before, a good initial dosage is 1/16th of a teaspoonful in some juice. Work your way up in dosage slowly. Put a small amount in some juice, stir and drink. Delicious.

Cayenne powder

It is recommended that the cayenne powder be used, as opposed to capsules. It is believed that you are only getting a small part of the potential effect of cayenne pepper by taking it in capsules. When you put cayenne in your mouth, your stomach secretes digestive juices before the cayenne ever gets there. So when the cayenne gets down there, your stomach is ready for it.

But if you swallow a capsule, your tongue tastes nothing. A capsule goes down in your stomach, and your stomach notices nothing, at first. Then, 5 minutes later the gelatin bursts, and you have a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in your stomach and your body is shocked. You surprised it.

What is going on is that some of cayenne's healing action occurs right in your mouth. As cayenne touches your tongue, the cayenne absorbs in seconds and nerve endings send signals throughout the body - sending waves of fresh blood throughout your body.

My favorite source for high quality, non-irradiated cayenne pepper 90,000 heat units by the pound is here. (If the link goes to a blank page, just search their site for 'cayenne'.) I also like Puritan Pride's special "Buy 1 Get 2 FREE" promotions on cayenne.

I highly recommend the book "The Health Benefits of Cayenne" by John Heinerman if you want to learn more about the power of cayenne. There is no other herb stronger or more effective than cayenne to make immediate physiological and metabolic changes in the body.

Sure, there are a few heating herbs like ginger and horseradish, but what other herb can you put in somebody's mouth and all of a sudden it makes their faces look like cherries? I don't know another herb that will do that, and cayenne does that through your whole body. Use it to improve blood flow throughout your body.

Benefits of Cayenne Pepper
http://health.howstuffworks.com/cayenne-pepper-herbal-remedies.htm

Are you a hot salsa or chili fan? Then you'll want to learn more about the virtues of the cayenne pepper. These ripe fruits of the Capsicum genus are widely used as a popular spice, but cayenne peppers also are dried and powdered or tinctured for medicinal purposes. In this article, you will learn some herbal remedies using cayenne pepper as well as some precautions you should take when using this fiery plant.

Uses of Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne stimulates digestion and muscle movement in the intestines, which helps restore deficient digestive secretions and aids absorption of food nutrients. (Stomach acid tends to decline with age, and some cases of poor digestion are related to a lack of this acid.)

©2007 Publications International, Ltd.
Cayenne peppers can be used in
a variety of herbal remedies from
indigestion to high blood pressure.

Cayenne also stimulates circulation and blood flow to the peripheral areas of the body. Because it stimulates digestion and circulation, cayenne is often added to a wide variety of herbal remedies; it improves the absorption and circulation of the other herbs throughout the body.

Have you ever gone after the chips and salsa with gusto and then felt flushed and drippy in the nose? Cayenne warms the body and stimulates the release of mucus from the respiratory passages. Anyone who has eaten cayenne knows that hot peppers can clear the sinuses and cause sweating.

Cayenne actually can raise the body temperature a bit, as it stimulates circulation and blood flow to the skin. An herb such as cayenne or ginger that promotes fever and sweating is considered to have a diaphoretic (sweat-inducing) action. This action can help reduce fevers and relieve such the congestion of colds and sinusitis.

Cayenne has become a popular home treatment for mild high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol levels. Cayenne preparations prevent platelets from clumping together and accumulating in the blood, allowing the blood to flow more easily. Since it is thought to help improve circulation, it's often used by those who have cold hands and feet.

You can use cayenne peppers topically as a pain-relieving muscle rub and joint liniment. The source of the heat is capsaicin, the fiery phenolic resin found in most hot peppers. Capsaicin causes nerve endings to release a chemical known as substance P. Substance P transmits pain signals from the body back to the brain.

When capsaicin causes substance P to flood out of the cells, you experience a sensation of warmth or even extreme heat. When the nerve endings have lost all of their substance P, no pain signals can be transmitted to the brain until the nerve endings accumulate more substance P. For this reason, topical cayenne pepper products are popular for the treatment of arthritis, bursitis, and for temporary relief of pain from psoriasis, herpes zoster, and neuralgia (nerve pain). These cayenne preparations are most appropriate for long-standing chronic conditions, not acute inflammations.

Heart

Cayenne has been known to stop heart attacks within 30 seconds. For example, when a 90-year-old man in Oregon had a severe heart attack, his daughter was able to get Cayenne extract into his mouth. He was pronounced dead by the medics, but within a few minutes, he regained consciousness. On the way to the hospital, he remained in a semi-conscious state, but the daughter kept giving him the Cayenne extract. By the time they got to the hospital, he had fully recovered and wanted to go home and mow the lawn. The doctor asked what she had given him, as he said it was the closest thing to a miracle he had ever seen.

If a heart attack should occur, it is suggested that a teaspoon of extract be given every 15 minutes or a teaspoon of Cayenne in a glass of hot water be taken until the crisis has passed. Dr. Anderson also knew of a doctor who rushed out into the parking lot and put cayenne tincture into the mouth of a man who had died of a heart attack while he was parking his car. Within a few minutes, the man’s heart starting beating again.

According to Dr. Richard Anderson, using cayenne and hawthorn berries together has a most incredible effect upon the heart. He believes that a regimen of cayenne and hawthorn berries for several months will greatly strengthen the heart, and possibly prevent heart attacks. He states further that if an attack were to occur in someone who had followed this regimen, chances are very good that no damage would occur. He tells the following story about his mother:

“I had her taking hawthorn berries and cayenne when she had a heart attack at the age of 79. Her diet had not been the best, and she was in an extremely stressful situation. While in the hospital, they found three blocked arteries and wanted to operate immediately. They did not think that she could survive for more than a few weeks if they didn’t operate. (How many have heard that story!) The doctors thought it would be very risky to operate, but they had her there, and there was a lot of money to be made. So they decided to take some tests in the hopes that they could find an excuse to operate. In spite of the fact that she had been taking lots of aspirin for her arthritis, smoked like she was the reincarnation of a boiler factory, and had just had a heart attack, they found that her heart was incredibly strong. In fact, they felt that her heart was stronger than most people in their 30’s! The good news was that not only did she survive the operation, but also she stopped smoking! Well worth the operation, don’t you think? In my opinion, that was the best thing the doctors ever did for her. Well, that is what hawthorn and cayenne can do for the heart, and every good herbalist knows it; every good doctor should also know it, but very few do.”

Emergencies

It is a good idea to always have some Cayenne extract on hand for emergencies. Dr. Anderson carries capsules of cayenne with him in the car and whenever he goes hiking, backpacking or mountain climbing. He says, “You never know when you may find someone having a heart attack or some other emergency.”

The following stories demonstrate only a few of the remarkable emergency uses of cayenne.

If a hemorrhage occurs in the lungs, stomach, uterus or nose, it is suggested that a teaspoon of extract (or a teaspoon of cayenne powder in a cup of hot water) be given every 15 minutes until the crisis has passed. The bleeding should stop in 10-30 seconds. The reason for this is that rather than the blood pressure being centralized, it is equalized by the Cayenne, and the clotting action of the blood becomes more rapid. For external bleeding, take cayenne internally and pour cayenne directly on the wound.

Dyspepsia

In a double-blind study, 30 individuals with dyspepsia were given either 2.5 grams daily of red pepper powder (divided up and taken prior to meals) or placebo for 5 weeks. By the third week of treatment, individuals taking red pepper were experiencing significant improvements in pain, bloating, and nausea as compared to placebo, and these relative improvement lasted through the end of the study.

A placebo-controlled crossover study failed to find benefit, but it only enrolled 11 participants, far too few to have much chance of identifying a treatment effect.

All double-blind studies of topical capsaicin (or cayenne) suffer from one drawback: it isn't really possible to hide the burning sensation that occurs during initial use of the treatment. For this reason, such studies probably aren't truly double-blind. It has been suggested that instead of an inactive placebo, researchers should use some other substance (such as camphor) that causes at least mild burning. However, such treatments might also have therapeutic benefits; they have a long history of use for pain as well.

Because of these complications, the evidence for topical treatments cited below is less meaningful than it might at first appear.

Pain

Capsaicin cream is well established as a modestly helpful pain-relieving treatment for post-herpetic neuropathy (the pain that lingers after an attack of shingles) peripheral neuropathy (nerve pain that occurs most commonly as a side effect of diabetes, but may occur with HIV as well as other conditions), nerve pain after cancer surgery and arthritis.

Capsaicin instilled into the nose may be helpful for cluster headache. (The fact that this has even been considered a viable treatment option shows how painful cluster headaches can be!)

Actual cayenne rather than capsaicin has been tested for pain as well. A 3-week, double-blind trial of 154 individuals with back pain found that cayenne applied topically as a plaster improved pain to a greater extent than placebo.

Skin Conditions

A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of almost 200 individuals found that use of topical capsaicin can improve itching as well as overall severity of psoriasis. Benefits were also seen in a smaller double-blind study of topical capsaicin for psoriasis.

Topical capsaicin is thought to be helpful for various itchy skin conditions, such as prurigo nodularis, but double-blind studies are lacking.

Bibliography

Certified organically grown cayenne pepper powder 90.000 HU (type "cayenne" in their search box
Cayenne- Hawthorn: A synergistic blend of popular cayenne and hawthorn combined with powerful antioxidants Vitamin E and Lecithi
Cayenne pepper tincture 2 fluid ounce from Nature's Answe
Cayenne ointment and other cayenne pepper compounds

Making Tinctures -An Example with Cayenne Tincture - Dr. Schulze

Start to make this and ANY Tincture, if possible, on a NEW Moon.
Take a Quart Canning Jar and fill it 1/4 FULL with DRIED Cayenne Peppers, getting the HOTTEST ones (i.e. - Habanero, African Bird, Serrano, Jalapeno - 90,000+ Heat Units), that you can obtain.
Add enough 50% Grain Alcohol (100 Proof Vodka) to the Cayenne Peppers (powdered, using a Blender or Grinder) to just COVER them.
Use enough FRESH Cayenne Peppers, that you can blend with 50% Grain Alcohol (100 Proof Vodka) to turn the Mixture into an Apple Sauce-Like Consistency.
Add this Mixture to the 1st Mixture, filling up the Canning Jar 3/4 FULL.
Fill up the rest of the Canning Jar with MORE 50% Grain Alcohol (100 Proof Vodka).
Shake it as MANY times as possible, during the Day.
Let this Mixture SIT, until the following FULL Moon (15-16 Days), but OPTIMALLY until the following NEW Moon (28-29 Days)!
Strain this Mixture through an UNBLEACHED Coffee Filter.
Bottle the RESULTING Tincture.

NOTE: Part EQUALS Volume, NOT Weight in this Tincture Method. If using 95% Alcohol (190 Proof), then DILUTE in half with Distilled Water. Modify this procedure by using DRIED Herbs ONLY, if FRESH Herbs are NOT AVAILABLE, and when making other Herbal Tinctures also. Also if you want to make a SUPER-POTENT Tincture (i.e. - Cayenne Pepper & Lobelia Seed Pod), then allow the Mixture to sit for a FULL 3 Months!

Cayenne for your health

"Cayenne has the ability to clear the blood of matter and gasses that cause digestive problems and to help people who suffer from cold hands or feet. It alleviates inflammation and can break up the deposits that contribute to the pain of arthritis. It clears sinus congestion, conjunctivitis, and spongy, bleeding gums. Because it also has astringent qualities, it can stop bleeding and prevent swelling. A source of Vitamin C, it rejuvenates the entire body when energy is depleted and is such a powerful stimulant that just a few sips of cayenne water or a few grains of cayenne on the lips may help prevent shock or depression in times of physical or emotional trauma. And it is believed to be a good tonic for strengthening the heart. From my studies and my own experience with cayenne, I consider it to be an important ingredient for anybody interested in taking educated and careful responsibility for his or her own well-being in situations that are not serious enough to require a doctor's care or in circumstances in which medical attention is not immediately available. "

Deception

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 01:19:25 GMT

In the last days I believe deception in all aspects of life will get greater and greater. Obviously this is apparent regarding the Anti-Christ but there are so many other aspects that Christianity has that is subjected to deception in our every day lives. Deception is rampant in the "News Industry", "Food Industry", "Medical/Insurance Industry", any form of politics, employers, friends and lovers. Our kids are masters of deception.

Psa 7:14 See how wicked people think up evil; they plan trouble and practice deception.

I for one HATE it what I have been deceived. I have recently learned that many food products that I thought were helpful in weight loss are actually responsible for exactly the opposite effect.

Is it really too much to ask for people to be up front with the truth? I mean come on!

Anyway, the assignment is this:

How can you tell you are being deceived?

Queen of Heaven - Sunburst symbol

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:04:33 GMT

Note the following pictures that each contain pagan sun images.

Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria in Bethlehem.
St. Catherine's in Bethlehem (at night).
The Cloister window in Bethlehem.
Traditional birthplace of Jesus - Basilica of the Nativity, Bethlehem.
Bethlehem homepage for the above links.

Golgatha, Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem.
Homepage for the above link.

New sunburst dome for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The typical depiction of "The Blessed Virgin Mary", the "Queen of Heaven", with a quite sizeable sunburst behind her head and the children of Fatima kneeling at her feet. The sunburst has become quite pervasive in the various forms of Catholic religious imagery. The sunburst is also referred to as an aureole, nimbus, or halo, and is a very common device to designate divinity or holiness in various forms of religious art. A sun worshipping pagan entering a Catholic cathedral for the first time would immediately recognize his god, the sun, in virtually every painting or icon, and feel right at home.

There has been a complete substitution of Mary for Jesus, in the work of our salvation, and in whom we pray to in times of need. The impression is that Mary will listen, but God is cold and unapproachable. Mary will grant your wishes, when God might otherwise reject them, and God is bound by the will of Mary. Salvation is obtained from Mary and God will rubberstamp her decisions. There is a word for this, it is AntiChrist. (The word anti means in place of, or substitution, as well as against.)

Another place this can be found is in The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (LUMEN GENTIUM) by Pope Paul VI, November 21, 1964, paragraph 59- (emphasis is mine)

... Finally, the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all guilt of original sin, on the completion of her earthly sojourn, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen of the universe, that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and the conqueror of sin and death.

The last part of that sentence (that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son) can be rephrased as follows ... that she might be more like her Son... As I said, this is plainly AntiChrist. This paragraph from LUMEN GENTIUM was most recently quoted and reaffirmed in the Vatican's new Catechism, paragraph 966.

Here is the full text of LUMEN GENTIUM online at EWTN.

In the apocryphal book of Baruch, which is considered to be inspired scripture by the Catholic Church, we find a very interesting description of the pagan practices of the Babylonians, who at the time held the Jews in captivity. The following quotation is from the Catholic Douay Rheims Bible:

Baruch 6:3 But now, you shall see in Babylon gods of gold, and of silver, and of stone, and of wood borne upon the shoulders, causing fear to the Gentiles.
Baruch 6:4 Beware therefore that you imitate not the doings of others, and be afraid, and the fear of them should seize upon you.
Baruch 6:5 But when you see the multitude behind, and before, adoring them, say you in your hearts: Thou oughtest to be adored, O Lord.
Baruch 6:6 For my angel is with you: And I myself will demand an account of your souls.
Baruch 6:7 For their tongue that is polished by the craftsman, and themselves laid over with gold and silver, are false things, and they cannot speak.
Baruch 6:8 And as if it were for a maiden that loveth to go gay: so do they take gold and make them up.
Baruch 6:9 Their gods have golden crowns upon their heads; whereof the priests secretly convey away from them gold, and silver, and bestow it on themselves.

So clearly it was the practice of the pagan Babylonians to crown the statues of their gods. This Pagan practice has also been adopted by the Roman Catholic Church.

Below you see John Paul II himself, bowing down and paying homage to crowned statues of Mary, the "Queen of Heaven", in direct violation of the Commandments of God:

Queen of Heaven Scriptures

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 18:36:59 GMT

Judges 2:11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.
13 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
14 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.
15 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

Judges 10:6 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.
7 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.
8 And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

1 Samuel 7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

1 Samuel 12:6 And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.
8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.
9 And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.
10 And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

1 Samuel 31:8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.
10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.

1 Kings 11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:
2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.
7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.

1 Kings 11:26 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.
1 Kings 11:29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
32 (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)
33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

2 Kings 22:1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.
2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
2 Kings 23:4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.
2 Kings 23:13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.
14 And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men.
2 Kings 23:25 And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.

Jeremiah 7:17 Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?
18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
19 Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?
20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.

Jeremiah 44:1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying,
2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,
3 Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers.
4 Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.
5 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.
6 Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day.
7 Therefore now thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain;
8 In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?
9 Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem?
10 They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.
11 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah.
12 And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.
13 For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence:
14 So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they have a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return but such as shall escape.
15 Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
16 As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.
17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
18 But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.
19 And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?
20 Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying,
21 The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into his mind?
22 So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.
23 Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.
24 Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of the LORD, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt:
25 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows.
26 Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the LORD, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord GOD liveth.
27 Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them.
28 Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine, or theirs.

Acts 19:21 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana [Strong's, RSV: Artemis], brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana [Strong's, RSV: Artemis] should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana [Strong's, RSV: Artemis] of the Ephesians.
29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused: and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana [Strong's, RSV: Artemis] of the Ephesians.
35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana [Strong's, RSV: Artemis], and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
20:1 And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.

Who is the "Queen of Heaven"

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 17:09:00 GMT

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance: Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary:
"6252. Ashtarowth ... or Ashtaroth ... the name of a Sidonian diety ... : —Ashtaroth."
"6253. Ashtoreth ... the Phoenician goddess of love (and increase): —Ashtoreth."

Webster's New World College Dictionary:
"Astarte ... a Semitic goddess of fertility and sexual love, worshiped by the Phoenicians and others: see also ASHTORETH, ISHTAR."
"Ashtoreth ... the ancient Phoenician and Syrian goddess of love and fertility: identified with ASTARTE."
"Ishtar ... see ASHTORETH ... the goddess of love, fertility, and war."

Encyclopedia Britannica:
"Astarte/Ashtoreth is the Queen of Heaven to whom the Canaanites had burned incense and poured libations."

Soul Vision website:
"Known by many names, across time and space, Lilith or Eve, Anath and Asherah, Astarte, the Queen of Heaven, the Shekhinah and the Matronit.... No matter Her name, she was loved."

Shekhina Hebrew Goddess website:
"Shekhina [is] the Hebrew Goddess of the Kabbala."

Encyclopedia Britannica:
"Ishtar is the Akkadian counterpart of the West Semitic goddess Astarte."

Encyclopedia Britannica:
"Through her identification with the Greek Aphrodite and the Roman Venus, Inanna-Ishtar, the queen of heaven, still survives in Roman Catholic iconography - e.g., as the Virgin Mary standing on the moon."

Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 1894:
"Queen of Heaven with the ancient Phoenicians, was Astarte; Greeks, Hera; Romans, Juno; Trivia, Hecate, Diana, the Egyptian Isis, etc., were all so called; but with the Roman Catholics it is the Virgin Mary."

Temple of the Temptress:
"Diana was called the Mother goddess and Queen of heaven, just as Mary is called Mother of god and queen of heaven."

Soon to come, a lot more on the Queen of Heaven.

Your assignment:

Who is the Queen of Heaven?
How is she worshipped today?
What is her history?

Assignment: Order in the church

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 01:11:18 GMT

Everything should be done decently and in order. I have heard this most of my spiritual life. To me, that is somewhat elusive in some ways and not in others. Sort of like trying to put your finger on "what is normal" and yet "being yourself". The bible established some protocols but for the most part there are no hard and fast rules about what a church should look like. There are churches that have broken up on "opinions" including how to dress, male or female preacher/teachers, music or no music, hymns or new songs, dance or no movement, raising of the hands vs. holding the hymnal, "THE KING JAMES VERSION", The Lord's supper every week vs. occasionally vs. never vs. daily, statues or no statues, collars or street clothes, clapping - shouting or stoic, how many fast and slow songs were sung, were the words on the screen or were we supposed to have the songs memorized, prepared messages or totally by the Spirit. Calling people deacon, bishop, prophet, father, pastor, reverand or brother or here is an idea - by their given name.... No wonder a lot of people shy away from churches. Do I kneel - stand - roll on the floor - go to the alter or stay at my seat, dance or stand still, raise my hands or keep them down, what do I call the preacher?, do we shake hands or just sit down, are they going to thump me on the head when I am prayed for or just take my hand, can I take communion if I (_________ fill in the blank smoke,drink, divorced, not baptized in this church).

It is tough for a seasoned Christian to walk into a new church, think how intimidating it can be for the hungry seeker of the Lord!

I personally do not think there is a "set way" to hold a worship service but there are established traditions that should also be honored. At one time I had a church and all of this was so confusing. I went to the extreme of NOT BEING Traditional and found out real quick there are things that people expect and then I went to the extreme of trying to do everything right and "by the book" - ewwww, didn't work either.

So, your assignment is this:

What should a Church Look Like?

Discuss the following:

1. Male only teachers/preachers Those called by the Lord Women only in certain positions

2. Styles of music

3. Meetings how many times a week

4. Any "bible" restrictions? (King James Only) - there is a very well known TV ministry that will not let you in their church if you are carrying anything besides KJV.

5. Baptism - no, yes - how

6. Lords Supper, when and how

7. Dimmed lights during worship or full lights entire time

8. Segregation? (Quietly instructing other race or handicapped to go down the street)

9 "Discipleship" classes or other classes required before any leadership involvement

10. Speaking in tongues or do that stuff at home if you feel the need

11. Laying on of hands for prayer, general assembly prayer only, hold the hands and gently pray with those who ask

12. Kids in service or their own thing

13. Collection passed around or go up front to put in basket

14. Bulletin or announcements

What else do you think should be in the church or not. Please elaborate.

As always, there is no such thing as a late assignment. Feel free to discuss other's answers - nicely - on this site so that a wonderful discussion can take place. I truely feel that this is a very timely topic.

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Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:14:18 GMT

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Assignment: Spiritual Gifts

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 13:44:46 GMT

There is a lot of misunderstandings about spiritual gifts that need to be addressed:

The Lord does things for a specific purpose. The WORD says that He has given us all gifts, told us not to neglect them and also to earnestly covet them.
So important are these gifts that many chapters in the bible addres this issue and the proper use of them. 1 Cor 12 and 14 are the "gift" chapters and sandwiched in between is not the "Love - don't seek the gifts" chapter but....make sure that Love is in the middle of the gifts - the ultimate purpose is to show the love and manifest presence and power of the Father.
The body is missing it's calling by attempting to operate without key components of ministry. Gift can be translated into the words "Spiritual endowment" or "Spiritual empowerment". The cry of the body is, Where is the POWER? Here it is - the WORD says to Earnestly Covet or Zealously Pursue the gifts of the Spirit.

Can you imagine how a word of wisdom from the Lord spoken into a broken life will radically change that person? A Word from the Lord spoke right into their spirit is priceless in evangelism. The sad thing is, all we have to do is ask. That's it. But we are too busy, don't believe the Lord will work through us that way, afraid or disbelieve this is true. The end result a lot of missed opportunities.

G5486 charisma From G5483; a (divine) gratuity, that is, deliverance (from danger or passion); (specifically) a (spiritual) endowment, that is, (subjectively) religious qualification, or (objectively) miraculous faculty: - (free) gift.

1Pe 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
1Ti 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
1Co 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, by the same Spirit.
1Co 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

So, your assignment:

I would like to further pursue this topic. Do you have questions about Spiritual gifts? Put them in the comments and let's talk.
Name some opportunities that you may have right at your doorstep right now -
What is preventing you from moving in the gifts of the spirit?
If you had to explain spiritual gifts to a new believer, what would you tell them?

There is no such thing as a late assignment. Only answer the questions that you wish. Please come back and participate as others contemplate / discuss / disagress / desire to know more about this topic.