Most Liked Religion & Spirituality Blogs (1,491)

Ask almost any waiter, waitress, or server and they'll tell you: They dread the Sunday after-church crowd. Perhaps it's undeserved, but many churchgoers have the reputation of being demanding and stingy. Somehow, we have gotten a bad name in the restaurant community, at least on Sundays.

It behooves us to be kind to those who serve us. One of the ways we express our thanksgiving to God is by treating others with gratitude and kindness. Proverbs 19:22 says, "What is desired in a man is kindness."

Those who serve us -- waiters, clerks, tellers, flight attendants, bellhops and skycaps, ushers, babysitters, valets, supermarket baggers, parking attendants, shuttle drivers, and so forth -- often work long hours and receive minimal pay. Yet they bear the brunt of complaints. They often have to put up with arrogant, unkind, irritable clients.

Go out of your way to smile at the guy behind the counter. Be pleasant to the woman on the phone. Tip when appropriate. Be a pleasure to serve. Show unusual kindness. A dash of gratitude can brighten the skies of others and represent Christ to their hearts!

A warm smile is the universal language of kindness!

William Arthur Ward

Atlanta Archibishop Wilton Gregory did the right thing when he sold his $2.2 million Atlanta home. He was so wrong, from the start. His first act of wrongness was building the mansion. His second act of wrongness was his initial statement that he “would consider selling the mansion.” If he was at all in tune with Pope Francis, his first statement would have been, “I will sell the property.” He eventually sold it.

Reportedly, Joseph Mitchell, nephew of Margaret Mitchell who authored the book, “Gone with the Wind,” bequested $15 million to the Archdiocese. Gregory openly used some of the funds for his personal dwelling. And, there is at least one other archbishop who committed a similar act. Reportedly, Newark Archbishop John Myers was crucified by his parishioners for spending $500,000 to beautify and upgrade his retirement home. Amazingly, these two men made such expenditures despite the position of the pope! And, thats not all. The Vatican forced German Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst to submit his resignation for the same type of “unholiness.” This man spent $31 million euros ($43 million) on his own residence. German people were outraged. Reportedly, the mansion had conference halls, a museum, private apartments, and a chapel.

Where is this nonsense coming from? The new pope is clear. The pope don’t play that. Upon his appointment he clearly showed his expectations for respecting and uplifting families and individuals who were poor and disenfranchised. The blueprint for the issues that were to define the pope’s expectations were forthright and in some instances “shocked the world.”

He criticized capitalism and called upon the rich to share their wealth and challenged the media to refocus on priorities. Let’s recall some excerpts from the pope’s speech, following his appointment:

“How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it’s news when the stock market loses two points. Today, everything comes under the laws of competition and the survival of the fittest, where the powerful feed upon the powerless.”

He commented on the idolatry of money. He said:

“I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confirmed and clinging to its own security.”

Before any Protestants start throwing stones, take a look at Protestant ministers. Joel Osteen, senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. He has a private residence valued at $10.5 million. Osteen boasts that he does not take a salary from his church. He really doesn’t need the church’s money as he makes his money selling books. However, the congregation made him rich before he sold one book. He has made millions on his publications with book advances as high as $13 million. Osteen pastors the largest congregation in America. And, there are others who are reportedly multi-millionaires living in mansions. Chris Oyakhiome has a net worth of $50 million, Benny Hinn $42 million, and Creflo Dollar (pardon the pun) $27 million, to name a few. These men sport BMWs, Rolexes and mansions, while most of us have trouble keeping our cars in running condition, while wearing mickey mouse watches, and paying mortgages on average priced homes which are badly in need of repairs.

Osteen’s on-going verbiage is, “You are entitled to a life of abundance God intended for you.” If God intended for all of us to have financial abundant lives then why are there millions of faithful, dedicated poor Christians? If the wealthy ministers have millions of dollars tied up in cars, why not sell a few and buy some of the carless worshippers Impalas? And, what about those faithful worshippers who give their last dollars in collection plates, through faith, in lieu of paying their utility bill, and have no heat the next week?

By Brandon Smith Part 3

Again, as in the Huffington Post column, the claim is that science knows all or will eventually know all and that whatever has not been dissected and observed by science like the conceptions of religion must, therefore, be dubious myth.

Ironically, there is far more scientific evidence of God and spiritual life than there is evidence against. So by the very standards many atheists hold dear, it is they who are peddling indoctrination rather than truth.

In the world of mathematics, the good friend of Albert Einstein, Kurt Godel, is famous (but not as famous as he should be) for writing what would be called the “incompleteness proof.” In mathematics, a proof is a statement that is ALWAYS true and can always be proven true. Godel’s proof shook the very foundations of the mathematical world, because it outlined the fact that all mathematical knowledge is limited by numerical paradox, and that humanity will never be able to define all things through mathematical means.

Global elites such as Bertrand Russell had spent years of effort attempting to prove that mathematics was the unbridled code of the universe and that the universe could be understood in its entirety through the use of numbers. Godel shattered this delusion with his incompleteness proof, establishing once and for all that math is limited, not infinite. The existence of mathematical paradox along with an undefinable “infinity” lends credence to the religious view that there are indeed some things man will never know, but at least he has the ability to prove that he can never know them.

In the world of quantum physics, the work of Werner Heisenberg, along with that of many other scientists, has shown that the very mechanics of the world around us are not at all what they seem and that traditional physics is only a hollow shell of knowledge limited by our ability to observe.

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle dictates that the observer of a particular physical state always affects the object being observed, making it impossible to know all the data necessary at one time to predict the future of that object. If a person hoped to become a god, he would certainly need to be able to tell the future; and to tell the future, one would need the ability to observe and record every aspect of every particle interacting in the environment around him. Any unknown quantity could change the outcome of any particular event. Heisenberg found that particles act very differently depending on how they are observed. In some experiments, he even discovered that individual particles appeared to be in two places at the same time, thus making them wholly unpredictable.

This behavior in the building blocks of matter is confounding to many in the realm of physics. Add to it the fact that scientists remain fixed on an endless and apparently futile quest to find the base particle that makes up the universe, and once again we find that the dreams of the transhumanist atheists to attain godhood fall terribly short. In addition, the apparently “intelligent” behavior of inanimate particles under observation leads one to question whether the universe is really just a chaotic mess of matter, or a dynamic living machine.

In the realm of psychology, Carl Gustav Jung discovered through decades of research the existence of inborn psychological contents. That is to say, from the moment of our birth, human beings contain complex elements of knowledge and identity, meaning we are NOT merely products of our particular environments. Jung called these pieces of inherent information “archetypes.”
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For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6



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Last night I was looking at a documentary about black magic and witchcraft.
The documentary was over one man ALeister Crowley and his religion and philosophy of Thelema.

This was an eye opener . I could not sleep for the rest of the night...

By Brandon Smith Part 4

The most important aspect of archetypes for our discussion is the existence of opposing views, or “dualities.” The concepts of good and evil, the concepts of conscience as well as guilt and regret, are not necessarily taught to us. Rather, we are born with such elements already within us. The fact that we are born with an at least unconscious understanding of good versus evil means we have the potential power of choice, a power beyond the realm of environment and beyond the reach of would-be tyrants and collectivists. If this does not constitute scientific evidence of a human “soul,” then I do not know what does. The fact of archetypes is undeniable. The question is: Since they do not come from environment, where do they come from?

Istvan’s column doesn’t mention or regard any of the scientific evidence for the existence of an intelligent design. He merely argues that science is the only definable known quantity, and only the known quantity is an acceptable form of belief. But what if the known quantity is so limited as to make a society dangerously ignorant?

“What the author reveals in his work of fiction is the greater threat of the atheist and transhumanist ideology.”

The article goes on to promote (somewhat shamelessly) the author’s book, in which the hero, a transhumanist atheist, is given the power to reshape society into any form he wishes. The hero questions whether he should remove religion from the picture entirely, for if religion were erased, wouldn’t the world finally be at peace? Istvan himself questions whether religious expression should be banned in the case of children, so that they are given the chance to “choose” what they wish to believe later in life. This, of course, disregards the fact that children are already born with the prospect of choice, which is why many children who grow up Christian do not practice it later in life, and why many children from atheist homes end up joining religious movements. The idea that all children are permanently molded or damaged by their parent’s unchecked beliefs is complete nonsense.

“What the author reveals in his work of fiction is the greater threat of the atheist and transhumanist ideology.” — namely, the arrogant assumption that they know what is best for the world and the public based on their scientific observations, which are limited and often misinterpreted. This problem extends into the oligarchy of globalists, who adore the theories expressed in Plato’s “The Republic,” in which an elite cadre of “philosopher kings,” men who have achieved a heightened level of academic knowledge, are exalted as the most qualified leaders. However, leadership requires more than knowledge, even if that knowledge is profound. Leadership also requires compassion and informed consent, two things for which the elites have no regard.
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“NO GOOD THING WILL HE WITHHOLD FROM THEM THAT WALK UPRIGHTLY!” (PSA.84:11).

He’s willing to do anything for us and give us anything that’s good for us. But the Lord doesn’t always necessarily let us have everything, because it’s not always good for us! He tried that on the children of Israel! He let them have the desires of their hearts, even a few times when it wasn’t good for them, and He sent leanness to their souls! (Psa.106:15).

Lord, You said if we’ll just pass the test and put You first, delight ourselves in You and Yours most of all, then You can trust us with other things, everything we need and even everything we want, because they will not come between You and us! If it’s good for us, You let us have it, Lord, and if it’s not good for us, please keep it from us! In Jesus’ name.–Amen! DDB (Psa.37:4)




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By Brandon Smith

The New World Order, an ideal often touted by globalists and defined by their own rhetoric as a scientific dictatorship in which collectivism is valued and individualism is criminalized, seems to me to be — in its ultimate form and intention — a battle for the human soul. They try to convince us that there is no such thing, that there is no inborn conscience, that there is a rationale for every action, that spiritualism is a frivolous and terroristic pursuit, and that cold logic and science, as defined by them, are the paths to prosperity and peace. They also seek to tempt the masses with imaginary stories of attainable godhood and artificial Eden, promises on which they can never deliver. Anyone can point a gun at you and demand your fealty, but this is not what the elites want. Rather, they want you to voluntarily resign yourself over to the hive mind and sacrifice your conscience in the process. While one might argue over what it is they “truly” believe at the core of their cult, it is undeniable that collectivism, moral relativism, and atheism are their favorite promotional weapons.

The reactionary responses to my criticisms of the elitist philosophy will likely involve endless renunciations of crimes committed in the name of religious fervor. I agree; religion has always been exploited, usually by the elites themselves, to enslave as well as to murder. Even today, I hear some so-called Christians argue in favor of genocide using half-baked interpretations of biblical reference. But at bottom, I much prefer a world in which religious expression is free, rather than abolished in the name of an overarching zealotry in the form of a stunted mathematical morality. I prefer a world where the spiritual side of existence is allowed to add to observational awareness. Logic alone is not wisdom, after all. Wisdom is the combination of reason, intuition and experience.

I refuse to live under any form of theocracy, whether religious or scientific. The idea that we must choose between one or the other is a farce — a controlled debate. The individual soul (or whatever you want to call it) is the only thing that matters. It is important that we never forget that when we fight against the NWO, we are not just fighting for liberty; we are also fighting for something profoundly and inherently spiritual. Though we might not be able to define it, we can feel it. And that is enough.
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EVERY PRODUCT OF GENIUS MUST BE A PRODUCT OF INSPIRATION!

You’ll be amazed if you’ll just pray! He’s no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). “If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is as the waves of the sea, and let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord!” (Jam.1:5-7). If you lack wisdom just ask the Lord.–And of course we always lack wisdom, so always ask the Lord!

You can pray and get the answer quick, but if you lean on your own understanding and your own wisdom you’re apt to make a sad mistake. If you do it in your own strength, your own talent, your own wisdom, your own pride, your own knowledge, it will come to naught! But if you depend on the Lord, “in all your ways acknowledge Him, He shall direct thy paths.”

No matter how small you are, there’s a very big God waiting to help you Who is more than big enough for the job! So ask the Lord! Lean on the Lord, look to the Lord! Don’t depend on your own talents! God has more talents than you have! He’s greater than you’ll ever be. But if He inspires you and He guides you, whatever you do will be the greatest! DBB




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We are all connected
to that mystical primordial source
which underlies and transcends
all time and space

It floods the consciousness
lifting it to a dimension
that lies beyond
thought and language

To some
the source is manifested as a divine essence
with an attribute of the holy
that instils a sense of awe and worship

To some
the source is the essence of the creative spirit
that seeks expression
in original works of art

The source lies beyond thought and language
As Lao-tse says:
He who knows does not speak
He who speaks does not know

We are all connected to that source
for there is a fundamental unity
of everything in the cosmos
of which we are merely a part

Well, we are all aware that Christmas is around the corner. Many Christian people around the world will be celebrating this day that has been set aside in honor of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. His birth was a very special unselfish gift of life freely given to the world by God; so that whosoever would believes in Jesus as their Lord and Savior (Redeemer) through repentance of your sins, would not perish, but would have everlasting (eternal) life to live with the Lord in heaven after death from this earth, forever.

For some, Christmas is not a good time of celebration, joy, love, peace, laughter, giving, good food, or being with family or fiends. Some are estranged from loved ones, and many loved ones have died. But that's no excuse for anyone to sit around being sad, or feeling lonely or depressed due to anger during Christmas. It shouldn't matter if you have family or friends, because there is much you can do to make yourself happy, and in return others will be happy.

Happiness is a choice YOU make for your inner self and peace. GIVE YOURSELF AWAY TO OTHERS THIS CHRISTMAS! GIVING OF YOUR TIME TO VISIT AN ELDERLY PERSON IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, OR IN A NURSING HOME GO SIT WITH THEM AND READ, OR SHAVE AN ELDERLY MAN, OR HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE... GIVE YOURSELF AWAY THIS CHRISTMAS BY WORKING IN HOMELESS SHELTERS OR TO HELP FEED THE POOR. THIS IS THE GREATEST GIFT OF LOVE AT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR, BUT ESPECIALLY, DURING CHRISTMAS WHEN YOU FEEL DEPRESSED, SAD, LONELY, AND HAVE NO MONEY TO BUY GIFTS FOR OTHERS. CHRISTMAS IS NOT about buying gifts, ITS ABOUT FREELY GIVING OUR OF LOVE TO OTHERS... helping others in need is the more EXCELLENT WAY, because GOD OUT OF LOVE GAVE OF HIS SON TO US. AND THERE IS MUCH YOU CAN GIVE!

PLEASE DO NOT EVEN ENTERTAIN DOING THE DAMNABLE THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON AND OFT TIME THIS HAPPENS. SUICIDE IS NOT THE ANSWER NOR THE WAY, THIS IS SELFISHNESS! Only to leave others in total grief and sadness, and your soul damned for hell to spend eternity tortured forevermore. CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF AND UNBELIEFS, HELL IS A REAL PLACE!

DEPRESSION HURTS, NOT ONLY YOU, BUT EVERYONE CONNECTED TO YOU. SUICIDE IS NOT THE ANSWER!... REACH OUT TO OTHERS... DON'T WAIT AROUND! NEED HELP? CALL SOMEONE FOR HELP TODAY!
Call 1-800-273-8255

You are NOT alone. No matter who you are or what problems you are struggling with, hurting yourself isn't the answer. We want to help you find hope.

If you or someone you know exhibits any of these signs, seek help as soon as possible by calling the Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself.
Looking for a way to kill oneself, such as searching online or buying a gun.

It can be scary when a friend or loved one is thinking about suicide. Let us help.

If someone you know has any of the following warning signs we encourage you to call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) so that you can find out what resources are available in your community or area. Your call is routed to the Lifeline center closest to your area code. The local crisis center may have resources such as counseling or in-patient treatment centers for your friend or family member. Most importantly, please encourage them to call the Lifeline.

Offer hope that alternatives are available but do not offer glib reassurance.
Take action. Remove means, such as guns or stockpiled pills.
Get help from persons or agencies specializing in crisis intervention and suicide prevention.

People having a crisis sometimes perceive their dilemma as inescapable and feel an utter loss of control.

If you experience these feelings, get help! If someone you know exhibits these symptoms, offer help!

Source:

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

This content was developed by the American Association of Suicidology.

ENJOY YOUR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION WITH OTHERS BY GIVING YOURSELF AWAY TO OTHERS!

Emmanuel means "God with us"! Matthew 1:23 KJB

A compilation DECEMBER 4, 2014

What is Christmas? The answer may just surprise you.

For many, Christmas is the time to think of Jesus Christ as a baby in a manger. While the birth of Christ is a special and miraculous event, it isn’t the primary focus. The central truth of the Christmas story is this: the Child of Christmas is God.

Christmas is not about the Savior’s infancy; it is about His deity. The humble birth of Jesus Christ was never intended to conceal the reality that God was being born into the world. (John 1:1-4)

But the modern world’s version of Christmas does just that. And consequently for the greater part of humanity, Christmas has no legitimate meaning at all.

I don’t suppose anyone can ever fathom what it means for God to be born in a manger. How does one explain the Almighty stooping to become a tiny infant? Our minds cannot begin to understand what was involved in God’s becoming man.

Nor can anyone explain how God could become a baby. Yet He did. Without forsaking His divine nature or diminishing His deity, He was born into our world as a tiny infant.

He was fully human, with all the needs and emotions that are common to us all. Yet He was also fully God—all-wise and all-powerful. (Colossians 2:9)

For nearly 2,000 years, debate has been raging about who Jesus really is. Cults and skeptics have offered various explanations. They’ll say He is one of many gods, a created being, a high angel, a good teacher, a prophet, and so on. The common thread of all such theories is that they make Jesus less than God. But the biblical evidence is overwhelming that this child in the manger was the incarnation of God.

One passage in particular, written by the apostle Paul, captures the essence of Jesus’ divine nature and underscores the truths that make Christmas truly wonderful.

Colossians 1:15–20 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For … all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”—By John MacArthur

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It was therefore necessary for Jesus, who is the second person of the Trinity, to become incarnate, to take on full humanity, to be both fully God and fully man, to make salvation possible. (1 Corinthians 15:20–22)

Often people focus on the deity of Jesus and push His humanity into the background. But while Jesus was God living on earth in human flesh, He was just as human as you and me. He had the same physical needs and weaknesses that we have. He had the same physical and mental limitations. He had the same emotions. He was tempted to sin and had internal spiritual suffering, just as we do. He was a man, and He was born, lived, and died just like any man. He had human nature, meaning both a material body and a rational soul, or mind.—Peter Amsterdam

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The true meaning of Christmas is love. God loved His own and provided a way—the only Way—for us to spend eternity with Him. He gave His only Son to take our punishment for our sins. He paid the price in full, and we are free from condemnation when we accept that free gift of love. “But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8




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By Peter Amsterdam NOVEMBER 10, 2014

When you are faced with a decision that represents an investment of your time and resources, you have to think realistically about whether you can follow through on the decisions you make and how. Sometimes you have to decide that you can’t do something, even something that’s very good and seems like it would be beneficial, because you just can’t take it on right then.

It’s very important to pray and hear from the Lord so He can order your steps and your priorities, but also to factor in reality. Not just, “I really want to do this, or this sounds good; therefore it’s what we’re going to do.” You have to think about what you actually can do. As Paul reminds us in Romans: “Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” Romans 12:3 NLT

We’ve all heard the old adage, “Good, better, best” … but in this fast-paced day and age and considering the contemporary challenges with living our faith and making a difference in the time we’ve been given, there isn’t a lot of time to spend on good and better.

If we’re doing that, we’re going to see more creativity and fresh ideas that get us to where we want to go, and more quickly than before. We’re going to see more change and progress that is significant and that lasts.

Sometimes you have to put forth big effort and make big investments to reap big results. But if you know that, “Yes, it’s a big investment, but it’s going to be worth it, because it’s what will help us to achieve what’s best,” then even if it does take a big investment of your time or resources, it fits the bill, because you’re doing what’s best. But you may not always hit the mark in selecting and focusing on doing the best. Sometimes you do a lot of work for something that’s very good, but if it’s not the best, then it can end up holding you back from reaching for God’s best.

The key is to be realistic. You need a healthy dose of realism, as well as a healthy dose of faith. It takes both. There is the God factor, and we can’t underestimate that, but there’s also wisdom and reality. You need both. You have to get ahold of the Lord and focus on what’s best, and sometimes you will have to let the good and better go, because realistically, there is rarely enough time to do everything. Maybe in the future you will, but maybe not, because by the time you get to the future, there may well be something else that’s “best.”

And “best” doesn’t mean perfect. “Best” doesn’t mean a walk in the park, or no challenges or tests or attacks of the Enemy or setbacks along the way. “Best” also doesn’t mean the most elaborate and complicated approach or solution. Sometimes meeting the most urgent need in “the best way possible” means taking the simplest, bare-bones, no-frills route.

Of course, “simple, organized, and streamlined” doesn’t necessarily mean no or little hard work, or approaching the matter without much thought or prayer. It just means that you don’t get sidetracked or top-heavy with other ideas that are “good” or “better,” but will ultimately be self-defeating, because you end up overextending yourself or others, or overdoing and taking on more than is necessary or feasible to the neglect of your greatest priorities.

Finding and doing “the best” in our lives and work for the Lord may be all that we have time for if we hope to realistically accomplish the most important things, while not neglecting the many responsibilities we each have or wearing ourselves out. So let’s run our decisions, plans, projects, ideas, and goals by the touchstone of good, better, best, and aim for “best,” by the grace of God.
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--Luke 14:28–30 ESV

—Psalm 37:23–24 NLT




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