Rest and Reflect

“The Buddha, for example, had little time for theological speculation. One of his monks was a philosopher manqué and, instead of getting on with his yoga, constantly pestered the Buddha about metaphysical questions: Was there a god? Had the world been created in time or had it always existed? The Buddha told him that he was like a man who had been shot with a poisoned arrow and refused medical treatment until he had discovered the name of his assailant and what village he came from. He would die before he got this perfectly useless information. What difference would it make to discover that a god had created the world? Pain, hatred, grief, and sorrow would still exist. These issues were fascinating, but the Buddha refused to discuss them because they were irrelevant.” (Karen Armstrong. The Case for God. p. 23)

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Without His tears, there is no comfort
Without His death, there is no life
Without His blood, there is no pardon
Without His cross, there is no crown

Without His shame, there is no glory
Without His grief, there is no joy
Without His stripes, there is no healing
Without His cross, there is no crown

Lamb of God, You bring salvation
And with Your grace, our hearts are sealed
Lord, with Your tears of love, You bathed our sorrows
In Your eyes we stand revealed

Without His tears, there is no comfort
Without His death, there is no life
Without His blood, there is no pardon
Without His cross, there is no crown

Makin’ a list of all of the good things you’ve done for me.
Lord, I’ve never been one to complain.
But, right now I’m lost, and I can’t find my way.
My world’s come apart, and it’s breakin’ my heart.
But it helps to know; Your heart is breaking too.

When I cry, You cry. When I hurt, You hurt.
When I’ve lost someone, it takes a piece of You too.
And when I fall on my face, You fill me with grace.
‘Cause nothing breaks Your heart, or tears You apart
Like when I cry.

Alone in the dark, face in my hands cryin’ out to You.
Lord, there’s never been a time in my life,
There’s so much at stake, there’s so much to lose.
But I trust it to You. You’ll bring me through.
And it helps me to know that I’m not alone.

When I cry, You cry. When I hurt, You hurt.
When I’ve lost someone, it takes a piece of You too.
And when I fall on my face, You fill me with grace.
‘Cause nothing breaks Your heart, or tears You apart
Like when I cry.

You’re the one who calmed the raging sea.
You’re the one who made the blind to see.
You looked through all of heaven and eternity,
And through it all you saw me.

When I cry, You cry. When I hurt, You hurt.
When I’ve lost someone, it takes a piece of You too.
And when I fall on my face, You fill me with grace.
Nothing breaks Your heart, or tears You apart
Like when I cry.

http://spectrummagazine.org/blog/2009/11/10/reflections_maine_event

Also Jon Paulien’s reactions
http://revelation-armageddon.com/2009/10/29/an-historic-event.aspx
http://revelation-armageddon.com/2009/11/01/an-historic-event-ii.aspx
http://revelation-armageddon.com/2009/11/06/an-historic-event-iii.aspx
http://revelation-armageddon.com/2009/11/11/an-historic-event-iv.aspx

The other point is that people cannot be forced to keep the Sabbath, inasmuch as it is a sign of faith, and no man can be forced to believe. Faith comes spontaneously as the result of hearing God’s Word. No man can even force himself to believe, much less can he compel somebody else. By force a man’s fears may be so wrought upon that he may say he believes, and he may act as though he believed. That is to say, a man who fears man rather than God may be forced to
lie. But “no lie is of the truth.” Therefore since the Sabbath is the sign of perfect faith, it is the sign of perfect liberty — “the glorious liberty of the children of God” — the liberty which the Spirit gives; for the
Sabbath, as a part of God’s law, is spiritual. And so, finally, let no one deceive himself with the thought that an outward observance of even God’s appointed rest-day — the seventh day — without faith and trust in God’s word alone, is the keeping of God’s Sabbath. “For whatsoever is
not of faith is sin.”

— Lessons on Faith

“The Lord wants His people to follow other methods than that of condemning wrong, even though the condemnation be just. He wants us to do something more than to hurl at our adversaries charges that only drive them further from the truth.” – 6T 121 (1901)

“In laboring in a new field, do not think it your duty to say at once to the people, We are Seventh-day Adventists; we believe that the seventh day is the Sabbath; we believe in the non-immortality of the soul. This would often erect a formidable barrier between you and those you wish to reach. Speak to them, as you have opportunity, upon points of doctrine on which you can agree. Dwell on the necessity of practical godliness. Give them evidence that you are a Christian, desiring peace, and that you love their souls. Let them see that you are conscientious. Thus you will gain their confidence; and there will be time enough for doctrines. Let the heart be won, the soil prepared, and then sow the seed, presenting in love the truth as it is in Jesus. (“Letter to a Minister and His Wife Bound for Africa” [June 25, 1887 = Letter 12, to Elder Boyd] in Testimonies to Southern Africa, pp. 14-20).

“If a brother differs with you on some points of truth, do not stoop to ridicule, do not place him in a false light or misconstrue his words, making sport of them; do not misinterpret his words and wrest them of their true meaning. This is not conscientious argument. Do not present him before others as a heretic, when you have not with him investigated his positions, taking the Scriptures text-by-text in the Spirit of Christ to show him what is truth. You do not yourself really know the evidence he has for his faith, and you cannot clearly define your own position. Take your Bible, and in a kindly spirit weigh every argument that he presents, and show him by the Scripture if he is in error. When you do this without unkind feelings, you will do only that which is your duty and the duty of every minister of Christ.” (EGW to G. I. Butler, Letter 21, 1888 [October 14])

Those who don’t know history are bound to repeat it. During the 1950-1980’s there as a group of retired missionaries living in the immediate Loma Linda Area. They almost all attended the LL Hill Church. They were known kindly as the “China Group”. They had labored long and hard in the mission field. Many had been mal-treated by the Japanese.

Now in their twilight years, they longed for Jesus to return.
They had a burden for the young people and professional people in Loma Linda, who to the China Group, were not congruent with the Spirit of Prophecy.

They would pick a target group to “work” with that they thought were sincere and “savable”. One of their tactics was to pin little selections from the Spirit of Prophecy on the front screen door. A few from my list came from those pinning. Like belt or susppenders.

Then Brimsmead came along. The brethren in Washington put two senior scholars on the issue. Dr. Des Ford, a teacher of the Brinsmeads,and Dr. Edward Heppenstall who was also British and a tested kindly scholar. Of course, Des Ford blew up in their face. Dr. Edward Heppenstall used a different tactic. He carried on a conversation with the central Brinsmead group and finally put his thoughts to a book entitled the Man Who is God. In that book, he took the position that man was cursed with “Original Sin”.

That knocked a hole in the entire “China Group” the belt/susppender step by step approach to perfection. By this time, they had completely co-oped the Head Pastor.

He wrote a monograph entitled: “In Sorrow and not in Anger” He sent copies to all the leading brethren including all the members of the Board of Trustees of Loma Linda University. I, of course, received a copy. Their primary target was Dr. Edward Heppenstall, the last of appointed the Brinsmead fighters. I wrote Dr. Heppenstall and said, in effect, that the manuscript: “In Sorrow and not in Anger” was the best evidence I had ever read in support of original sin. We had been good friends from Junior Camp days. Now we were close brothers of the Gospel, plus nothing.

The pastor of the Hill Church was given a reprimand and soon after was removed from his position at the Hill Church. He persisted and his ministrial credentials were removed. It was a very sad and traumatic period. Chuck was a young editor at the time and certainly remembers those days. The current dust up on creationism and homosexuality, I am sure made him recall those difficult days and prompted his sermon.

The answer to the question: “What must I do to be saved?” is the answer of Paul. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house!” Now the question how shall a “saved person” live his/her life. Well like their Master. Matt. 28 gives the sum. And that is the Gospel truth. Tom

Posted by: Tom Zwemer | 10 November 2009 at 7:40

http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2009/10/31/sabbath_sermon_dwight_nelson_homosexuality

Newman,

“I AM RIGHT! I have THE truth!” So Adventist. So sad. The opinions you express remind me of when I was a young woman and my children were all pre-teen. In those days it wasn’t unheard of for a “good” Adventist to tell their Catholic neighbors that they had the mark of the beast and wouldn’t be saved. Of course, they thought they loved those neighbors and were only trying to warn them. But, many Adventists have since learned that this was counterproductive and not Christlike. Now we seem to have a new “mark of the beast” issue to learn about. Homosexuality.

I believe you are wrong, Newman, to even suggest that your way is the only way, that if people don’t believe the Bible the way you do they are profligate sinners, and infer at the least that they will not be saved. I believe you are very enthusiastic and committed to your view and the solutions you have found to taking the Bible seriously.

Jesus Christ never approached people the way I think you do! I take the Bible very seriously. I’m sure others like Carrol Grady, David Larson, Jared Wright, etc. take the Bible very seriously! And I think it is very wrong for you to sit in judgment of whether those who read the Bible differently than you do are not taking it seriously.

My grandmother was expelled from nursing school at Paradise Valley Sanitarium for cutting her hair. That was “against the Bible.” Do you believe it is wrong for a woman to cut her hair? I’ve always cut my hair. Am I ignoring the Bible? The people in charge at Paradise Valley would have said so. But most Adventists today see the Biblical injunction about a woman’s hair being short differently than Adventists did 100 years ago.

When I was a young mother no self-respecting woman who truly considered herself an Adventist (“good Adventist”) wore a wedding ring. We believed what EGW said about it being wrong to wear a circle of gold on your finger. We were proud to be “different” and believed that if we lived virtuously it would be obvious to others that we were married even though the normal societal sign of saying “I’m married, I’m not available” was to wear a wedding ring.

Today good Adventist pastors and their wives wear wedding rings. People in rather prominent positions within the NAD and GC wear wedding rings.

So, Newman. Who was taking the Bible more seriously. Those who refused to wear a wedding ring (and some still sincerely do that) or those who now considered themselves to take the Bible seriously but do wear a wedding ring.

Views change. Ellen White told us to be prepared to have new understandings of the Word of God. It is fine to say, “With all due respect, I disagree with you.” But I believe it is wrong to suggest to someone else that they don’t take the Bible as seriously as I do because we understand it in different ways.

Hansen, I bother responding to you because I cannot quietly abide having people like my gay grandson and others I know even possibly discouraged from knowing that the Lord loves them and wants them. I take the Bible very seriously, and I believe with all my heart that this is the message from Jesus Christ as recorded in the Gospels.

Be very careful, please, lest you be the one who discourages a child of God and leads them to believe the lie that God no longer accepts them – regardless of the reason. Please be careful lest you become a “millstone” weighing down another child of God.

Believe the Bible as you do. Stand by it. But please stop short of claiming that anyone who believes otherwise is a lesser Christian. It is so wrong and I believe that this violates a clear Biblical injunction: JUDGE NOT! That command does not say, “Judge not those who you think agree with you and see the Bible as you do.” No! It says, “Judge not!” And I think that means, Newman, don’t judge anyone.

Newman, you are free to believe as you do and, as I’ve said, I’ll respect that. But I beg you not to judge those who believe differently. I think you’re wrong to even suggest that they don’t take the Bible seriously.

Sign me a concerned Adventist grandmother!
Posted by: Helen Dunn (not verified) | 03 November 2009 at 6:06

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He is trending in the direction of “New Perspectives on Paul”, in saying that the question Paul is answering in Romans is not how can I be saved, but can God be trusted? See Brad Cole’s comment.

http://spectrummagazine.org/blog/2009/10/24/richard_hays_targets_misreading_scripture_loma_linda_university

Here’s a quote from the article by Dave Larson:

Hays thinks it best to think of the Bible as the grand story of God’s endeavors to redeem the word, a story in which we ourselves continue to live today. [This should come as no surprise to people who read books with titles such as “The Story of Redemption,” “The Drama of the Ages” and “The Great Controversy!]

He offered five good ways to read the Bible:

1. As a story that it is primarily about God;
2. As a coherent narrative from Genesis to Revelation, requiring each portion of it to be read in light of the whole;
3. With awareness that specific texts can have multiple meanings;
4. In collaboration with others in contemporary Christian communities; and
5. A willingness to be surprised, challenged, and transformed.

Hays emphasized the importance of reading the Bible with others who also approach it with a willingness to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. (Romans 12: 1 – 3) No individual can be a symphony all alone, he observed. Neither can any individual successfully read the Bible.

On Friday Hays took up three case studies in Biblical interpretation. The first was a discussion of “The Bible and the Story of God’s Faithfulness,” especially as articulated in Paul’s letter to the early Christians at Rome. He made a special call for greater emphasis upon the faithfulness of Jesus to us and less on our faith in Jesus. Among other things, this switch (from an objective to a subjective genitive in Koine’ Greek) makes the ethical portions of Romans the summit of Paul’s message rather than the slope on its other side.

23 April 2001

Dear Dale:

I appreciated the opportunity to talk with you by phone. I suspect we could have lengthened the conversation considerably. My own “Arminian-Wesleyan” experience would differ from yours in several ways, I suspect. But I have become increasingly concerned that the Adventist emphasis on human freedom and responsibility makes it more difficult for us to give proper recognition to divine sovereignty and grace. That’s part of the reason why your writings and the video are of such high interest to me.

As I see it, however, the Evangelical/Reformed tradition finds it more difficult to make peace with the critical issues which our increasingly secular age presses upon us. One of my doctoral mentors, for example, became an Evangelical Christian in his teen years, but lost his faith when continuing studies undermined his “inerrancy” view of Scripture.

What struck me about the video was that virtually every criticism leveled against Ellen White and Adventism can be paralleled with similar critical attacks against Scripture and Christianity: there is at least as much to question in Scripture from a “scientific” point of view as there is in the work of Mrs. White. Scripture certainly contains (conditional) predictions which did not come to pass; and the “great disappointment” with its aftermath shows striking parallels with that earlier “great disappointment” which nearly crushed Jesus’ disciples.

When, at my request, my earlier-mentioned believer-turned-atheist mentor read and critiqued the manuscript of my book, Who’s Afraid of the Old Testament God? two of his comments struck me with particular force:

1. “As you would expect, the overall argument of the book does not convince me, though at a certain stage of my intellectual and spiritual development I can see that it would have considerably alleviated my doubts.”

2. “If I ever return to faith it will be as a Jew and not as a Christian.”

I could also add to the list of quotes his personal comment to me in conversation: “If I had maintained my devotional life, I never would have lost my faith.”

Speaking specifically to your interest in the “two covenants,” I would want to point out that the “new” covenant promise appears first in Jeremiah, a promise to the people of Jeremiah’s day. In other words, it was an “Old Testament” experience as well as a “New Testament” one. In that same connection, when Jesus says in Matthew 5 that he came to “fulfill” the law, the context indicates that he did not set the law aside, but made it even more rigorous, more demanding.

Thus I would take quite a different approach than the one found in your chapter 14 in Sabbath in Crisis (pp. 219-234, 2nd edition).8 At root, however, I surmise three key issues to be paramount in the experience of those who leave Adventism for an evangelical community:

1. Assurance. Paul (most forcefully in Romans and Galatians) finds assurance through a courtroom emphasis with Jesus as the all-sufficient sacrifice and advocate on our behalf. That perspective comes clearest in the Reformed and Evangelical communities. But the other New Testament road to assurance, perhaps more typical of Wesleyan communities, uses a family emphasis or model.

It is nurtured by the Gospel and Epistles of John and is best illustrated by Jesus’ story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. In that parable one finds grace and acceptance, to be sure; but instead of an accent on the price paid at the divine initiative, the parable highlights the human decision to return home to a loving and accepting Father. Some in Adventism have often gotten the worst of both worlds, suggesting a demanding Judge who waits to see if the prodigal son can do it right before granting him entrance to the welcome-home party. Salvation by works is always a distortion of the truth. The biblical view of obedience presents it as a grateful human response to divine grace.

2. Relations with Other Christians. When Adventism leaves a conscientious believer haunted with a sense of impossible demands, the discovery of gracious and buoyant evangelical Christians who do have assurance of acceptance through Christ, raises significant questions about the “truth” of Adventism. “Remnant,” “Babylon,” and “beast” can all become troublesome terms in this context. Here I find biblical models helpful.

A strident (sectarian?) separation seems to have been unavoidable at crucial points in the experience of God’s people: Israel and the Egyptians; Israel and the Canaanites; Judaism in the days of Ezra-Nehemiah; Christians and Jews in the days of Stephen. No wonder the Jews stoned Stephen – just read his blunt speech in Acts 7!

As for Adventism, events and circumstances in the 19th century made the scenario outlined in the book Great Controversy quite believable. But the book The Desire of Ages points to a quite different approach to people, one which seeks first to affirm people for their goodness rather than attack them for their evil. In this respect, the remarkable chapter 70 in The Desire of Ages (pp. 637-641) is crucial.

In interpreting the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25, Ellen White notes that the judgment of the nations turns on “one point”: “what they have done or have neglected to do for Him in the person of the poor and the suffering” (p. 637). She goes on to claim for God’s kingdom those among the heathen “who have cherished His principles,” “who have cherished the spirit of kindness” (p. 638). Evangelicals often stumble at that point, wanting to include only those who have explicitly accepted Jesus Christ. Those heathen who are “good” in God’s sight, the “good” Moslem, the “good” atheist are all excluded – in spite of what Romans 2:12-16 seems to make quite clear.

Similarly marking a positive approach to others is the counsel given in Gospel Workers on how to work for others: “Speak to them, as you have opportunity, upon points of doctrine on which you can agree. Dwell on the necessity of practical godliness. Give them evidence that you are a Christian, desiring peace and that you love their souls. Let them see that you are conscientious. Thus you will gain their confidence; and there will be time enough for doctrines. Let the heart be won, the soil prepared, and then sow the seed, presenting in love the truth as it is in Jesus” (GW 119-20). “Come out of her my people” (Rev. 18:4) represents quite a different perspective. Clearly both are biblical, but circumstances and experience determine which emphasis receives priority. I focus on the growth and development of Ellen White’s experience and theology as part of the solution to these tensions.

3. Sabbath: Gift or Test? Traditionally, Adventists have linked Sabbath with eschatology, emphasizing Sabbath as a test, and hardly noting it as a gift. Thus if a monolithic view of Adventist eschatology collapses for whatever reason, then the Sabbath goes with it.

Quite frankly, I don’t know how one can experience a joyous Sabbath gift if one thinks of it first of all as a test – even though I would affirm that the Sabbath is a test in a more subtle way. If my wife were to insist that a timely arrival in the evening is a “test” of our love, it would be difficult for me to return home with joy. The same applies to the Sabbath.

Ironically, just when former Adventists are jettisoning the Sabbath, an increasing number of thoughtful Christians are casting longing eyes at the idea of Sabbath and writing some very good things about Sabbath (e.g., Marva Dawn, Eugene Peterson), even if their view of Sabbath does not include an emphasis on a specific day of the week.

With reference to all of the above, the extent to which I am willing to modify traditional Adventism is solidly rooted in Scripture, in my study of Ellen White, and in my knowledge of Adventist history. “Change,” “growth,” and “development” are all difficult words, especially for those drawn to the Evangelical and Reformed tradition (as over against those in the Arminian and Wesleyan traditions).

Particular end-time scenarios are very fragile in Scripture. Dispensational evangelicals (the true inheritors of the Adventist love for a precise series of end-time events), solve the problem by projecting all unfulfilled aspects of Old Testament prophecy into the future, linked with the rapture, rebuilding of the temple, and an earthly millennium. To make it work, dispensationalism even brings back animal sacrifice during the 1,000 years. I believe there is a better way of being faithful to Scripture and to our Lord.

This is far more than you bargained for, Dale. By God’s grace, good may come of it. May the Lord bless and guide you in your work.

Sincerely, Alden Thompson, School of Theology, Walla Walla College, College Place Washington 99324

What is sin?
For Peter – wrong actions and behaviour
For Paul – twisted state of nature and appetite
For Apollos – rebellious choice and motivation

What does God say?
To Peter – you can do it
To Paul – My grace is sufficient
To Apollos – stay with me, we’ll go there together

What is righteousness? (song analogy)
For Peter – the lyrics
For Paul – the music
For Apollos – the soul

Characteristics of God
To Peter – justice and righteousness
To Paul – forgiveness and grace
To Apollos – love and faith

Our Response
To Peter – repentance and obedience (self-ward action)
To Paul – reliance and assurance (God-ward action)
To Apollos – reconciled relationship which draws the rest of God’s family into relationship (other-ward action)

Which mountain?
Peter – Sinai
Paul – Golgotha
Apollos – Zion

Jesus
Peter – the Prophet, the Truth
Paul – the Lamb, the Sacrifice
Apollos – the Priest, the Sanctuary

God
Peter – your Sovereign
Paul – your Saviour
Apollos – your Friend

Me
Peter – God’s servant
Paul – God’s son
Apollos – God’s friend

Transaction
Peter – a price paid upward (subjective/microscopic/anthropocentric)
Paul – a gift given downward (objective/teloscopic/theocentric)
Apollos – a message needed by all (Great Controversy/panoramic/universe-wide)

Courtroom
Peter – God as judge passes righteous judgment
Paul – God as advocate supports me
Apollos – God finds the best outcome for all in the situation

Sin revisited…
Peter – God makes the sinner acutely aware of it because he hates the sin
Paul – God forgives the sinner because it is what the sinner needs to move away from sin
Apollos – God fixes the sinner because God loves the sinner

Peter – optimistic, concrete, practical (assume God’s love, hence do not need it emphasised)
Paul – pessimistic, emotional, introspective (assumes our sin, hence do not need it emphasised)
Apollos – inquisitive, philosophical, reflective (assumes the theory, hence builds on the relationship)

Life – the difference between a rock and a rockmelon
Consciousness (Objective Perception) – the difference between a rockmelon and a rockfish
Subjective Perception – feelings, emotions
Self-awareness – how am I the “same” person I was when I was younger? Some animals are self-aware (bottlenose dolphins, apes, elephants). Babies develop this in the 2nd year of life.
Abstraction – reason/imagination/concepts/ideas/language/symbolism/”thought” (one of the unique features of humans)
Free will – volition/belief/values/morality/cognitive dissonance/rationalisation

… in the 5% you don’t know (Mark Finley)

It sounds illogical, but it could be that you don’t understand it (Ray Comfort’s closing statement at approx 40:00)

http://www.itiswritten.com/tvprogram/episode/2009/01/1021

Emergency Medicine – Reviews and Perspectives
http://uscessentials.com/online/
emrap.org
www.emrapcc.com [Critical Care]

prezi.com
ahead.com

notebooks HDD – OS and programs only
eSATA hotswappable array – work here
NAS – backup here
USB flash – Free File Sync – carry around here

Phoenix Audio Duet Executive
Logitech Wireless Headset

Gyration Mouse
Trackball

CARD MAGIC
Harry Lorayne’s Best Ever Collection
Green Magic by Lennart Green
Ricky Jay
Michael Vincent
Darwin Ortiz

MANIPULATION
Lance Burton
Peter Marvey
Jeff McBride

GRAND ILLUSION
The Pendragons – Metamorphosis http://magic.about.com/od/themagicbusiness/fr/020109pendragon.htm
David Copperfield – Saw
Hans Klok – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhZevSgX6-k

Rabbinic tradition (circa 300 BC) held that Noah kept 7 laws, of which the Sabbath was not one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Laws_of_Noah

1. Teach relationally, keep it simple and brief
2. Bait doctrine (share just 3 texts for people to look up at home, maybe they’ll turn into 1-on-1 deeper studies)
3. Share honestly, not superficially, ask for help and prayer
4. Be authentic, let down your guard, take off your mask, don’t pretend to be a superman
5. CARE, become a home and be a family, see each other during the week
6. Pray for more people to reach, pray for your friends and family who don’t know God, pray that God enlarges your influence, pray that God uses you to make an impact
7. Have a agreed curriculum (the integrity of teaching is the lifeblood of the church)
8. CARE group leaders should meet together regularly to discuss strategy and pray for each other and for those they care for

God calls for light bearers, who will fill the world with the light and peace and joy that come from Christ. He calls for humble men, men who cherish a sense of their weakness, and who remember what the service of God demands of them–the propriety of speech and action which shows the power of the grace of Christ. Such ones will reveal in their lives the virtues of Christ’s character.

There needs to be a deeper work of grace in the hearts of God’s people. Less of self, and more of Christ, must be seen. Tests, close and sharp, are coming to all. The religion of the Bible must be interwoven with all that we do and say. Every business transaction must be fragrant with the presence of God.

Monologue vs Dialogue
Compelling Proof vs Compelling Story
Presentations vs Conversations
Words vs Images
Our Language vsTheir Language
Us/Them vs Fellow Travellers
Fishing from the bank vs Swimming with the fish
Believe to belong vs Belong before believing
Event driven vs Context driven
Come and see vs Go and be
Scripted vs Spontaneous
Winning vs Nudging
Gospel presentations vs Gospel experiences

SDA for me — by Martin Weber in response to Dale Ratzlaff

It is one thing to dot the i’s and cross the t’s. It is quite another matter to write the lyric.

It is not about what you do. It is about what you are. And God can make you what you were always supposed to be (which is righteousness).

Desire of Ages p. 35-36

Through heathenism, Satan had for ages turned men away from God; but he won his great triumph in perverting the faith of Israel. By contemplating and worshiping their own conceptions, the heathen had lost a knowledge of God, and had become more and more corrupt. So it was with Israel. The principle that man can save himself by his own works lay at the foundation of every heathen religion; it had now become the principle of the Jewish religion. Satan had implanted this principle. Wherever it is held, men have no barrier against sin.

13 “My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

17 Have you not brought this on yourselves
by forsaking the LORD your God
when he led you in the way?

19 Your wickedness will punish you;
your backsliding will rebuke you.
Consider then and realize
how evil and bitter it is for you
when you forsake the LORD your God
and have no awe of me,”
declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

Can’t you see you’re hurting yourselves? Stop digging your own cisterns, which can’t hold water because they are broken, come back to the Lord.

God never intended for His commandments to be confused as the basis of salvation. Neither did He intend that the natural consequences of failure to keep their end of the covenant agreement be misconceived as God punishing them for their disobedience. (Instead: You’ve brought this on yourselves. I was trying to lead you in the right way.)

Here’s God’s solution. Isa 42:6
“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,”
Jesus, the Messiah, becomes the New Covenant!

Phil 2:12-13
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
Work out your own salvation, for it is God working in you!

Jean Zurcher – Touched With Our Feelings http://books.google.com.au/books?id=s4K8Xa06O8sC

Eric Claude Webster – Crosscurrents in Adventist Christology http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/books/webster/index.htm

Dennis Priebe – Face to Face with the Real Gospel http://www.scribd.com/doc/15359863/Face-to-Face-With-the-Real-Gospel

http://www.atsjats.org/publication.php?volume=17&number=1

John 8

When Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, “I don’t condemn you, go and sin no more.” He was transforming her completely.

Where before she saw herself as a hopeless sinner with no hope and no future except for condemnation. Jesus informed her it was all a lie. Her value was priceless. She was worth everything to Him, because she was God’s own daughter. Jesus restored her identity as a child of God.

And only when your identity is restored, can you live up to it.

Only when you believe you were made for something more, can you become what you were destined to be.

Love this perspective by Pastor Greg on Marriage… and Salvation

http://spectrummagazine.org/articles/column/2009/08/28/science_and_my_faith

Those who see the advances of science as the folly of “so-called science” think that true science of the physical universe is found in Genesis 1-3. To claim scientific value for the biblical accounts, however, is anachronistic, illusory and, at times, even fanatical. It is well known that science as knowledge acquired through specific methods that can be verified by others came to be part of our culture rather recently. It is also well known that writing history with the intention of describing with as much precision as possible what actually happened, making available to readers both the sources used and the reasons why one source is to be preferred over another when they do not agree, is also a rather modern development. To claim that the biblical authors wrote history or science is to do violence to the Bible. To further pretend that biblical “history” and “science” is superior to the history and the science written by “mere” human beings is doubly in error. It is wrong because in the Bible there is neither history nor science in the academic senses of the words. It is also wrong because just as history and science is written now, the Bible was also written by mere human beings. In other words, the biblical authors never ceased being fallible humans. — Herold Weiss

The Truth is, in uncritically (or even critically) embracing consensus undergirded “advances” in science, one may not have chosen to place her face in science, but has definitely chosen to place her faith in scientists. The same is true for history: we may not place our faith in history, but we certainly place our faith in historians. — Keith Burton

Historians who have studied the Gospels using the proper tools to evaluate evidence and giving reasons for prefering one source over another when they do not agree more or less agree as to what can be said historically about Jesus of Nazareth: He was born of a woman; he was baptized by John; he began his ministry in competition with John as a baptizer; he had many followers, but a close circle of special disciples; his coming to Jerusalem created a popular disturbance, he celebrated a last meal with this close circle; he was crucified by Pontius Pilate. It is very difficult for them to agree as to what was the core of his message. Undoubtedly it was such that caused Pilate to crucify him as one leading a revolt against Rome.
Now, is this information enough to make Him the Saviour of the World? The one who died for my sins? I know that Christians have claimed that their faith is based on historical facts. I don’t see how you can jump from a crucifixion, one among the hundreds performed by Romans between the years 25 and 35, to Savior of the World on account of the naked historical fact. The repeated mantra that the spade of the archaeologist confirms the Bible is a distraction. If it were the case that the spade of the archaeologist proves that the general historical circumstances described in the Bible are in accord with what we otherwise have come to know about the times, all we have proven is that the Bible is reliable history. We have proven nothing about its inspiration.
On the other hand, when I find that the Bible is not that good a historical source, does this disprove its inspiration? Absolutely not. I do not expect to find history in the academic sense written when such history did not exist. — Herold Weiss

What I believe is the correct understanding of Righteousness by Faith (the 1888 message)
(Adapted from Herbert Douglass)

1. A righteousness by faith seen in terms of “faithfulness” (good works) has the words but not the music of righteousness by faith.
2. Yet righteousness by faith is not “believism” where faith is only intellectual assent (this is the pervasive understanding in Protestantism).
3. Morality is relevant.
4. “Gospel to all the world.” The return of Jesus is not so much tied with a completion of missionary activity, but an end-time sealed people (as described in Revelation).
5. The objective truth of salvation is the gospel that though we are sinners, God still loves us and we are still in His family
6. While the objective elements are critical, the subjective elements must not be discounted. Objective truth must be applied… subjectively.
7. The subjective element is our (including angels and any other of God’s sentient creation) individual belief on whether God is trustworthy, loving, and righteous; and conversely that sin is deceptive, hateful, and blight to creation.
8. The door is kept open. Dare we believe it? Dare we return and walk through it?!
9. If we are born sinners and condemned for that and not our choices. Then salvation is a legal change in the books of heaven (mind of God). This is NOT the Adventist view.
10. The implications of that view are that we are doomed to remain sinners (it is after all our nature) and that the legal change in heaven cannot be changed (is not contingent on my actions – I wasn’t saved by my actions, so I can’t be un-saved by them either).
11. Note that acquittal or pardon (or forgiveness) – which is freely given by God – is not the same as dikaiosune or righteousness (best translated as “ones state as it ought to be” – what we were meant to be). Righteousness is the rightness of character/image/identity, not of legal status! Righteousness describes the restoration of the image of God in man.
12. Key point: Neither justification or righteousness by faith means: “because of my faith I am justified (acquitted)” nor “because of my faith I am made/set right (restored)”. Faith is NOT the substitute for righteousness. Faith is NOT even the virtue by which righteousness is gifted by God. Genuine faith is righteousness!
13. Faith is trusting in God’s trustworthiness. Faith is the natural response to God’s faithfulness. The Greek word for faith pistis indicates both thought and action.
14. Key point: In other words, someone who is saved by faith (all who are saved), are in reality safe to save (because they are all changed), because they all live (lives which are directed) by faith. Being “declared righteous” in this setting is actually true to fact – because we are back in harmony/relationship with God.
15. Thus Romans 8:4 – the righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled in us.
16. Revelation 19:8 – for the fine linen (of the Lamb’s bride) is the righteous acts of the saints
17. Romans 8:29-30 – conformed into Christ’s image
18. Salvation IS character change (restoration/healing)! (By definition)

Justification/righteousness by faith that does not remove the wrong condition in man
that had put him at enmity to God is not genuine, NT/righteousness by faith. If our sinful attitude
is not removed, then whatever is called justification/righteousness by faith is only a legal fiction.
(Many Bible commentators, other than Calvinists, understand this well). — Herbert Douglass

Thus the Cleansing of the Sanctuary = Day of Atonement = Yom Kippur = Reconciliation of God and the People = Afflicting our Souls = “Perfection”/Restoration of Character = Sealing of God’s People by the Holy Spirit = Last Generation of Faithful Witnesses (martureo) Gospel Going to All The World (not the verbal missionary message, but the “world” impacted by God’s people’s lives) = Vindication of God’s Actions/Character

This truly is the work of faith – joining the head with the heart. They have studied out the
reasons for their commitment to God’s calls for loyal Christians and they have discovered the
validating assurances of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The intellectual grasp of truth has
reached its transforming purpose—men and women have developed characters that will
vindicate God’s wisdom as He waits for the purpose of the gospel to be fully developed in the
lives of men and women. — Herbert Douglass

Note the bible emphasises this occurring corporately, not so much individually (although that does have to happen), for that is NOT the point!

Why is all this so important in the finishing of the Great Controversy?

Angels and unfallen worlds know (1) that the sealed ones are those who will never again rebel
against the will of God. Their habit patterns, their neuron-pathways, are so “settled into truth”
they never would be moved throughout eternity to say “No” to God!

(2) The sealed ones have proven God to be fair and true and Satan to be a liar: created
intelligences can obey God’s law and still be happy, at peace, and trustworthy. (“Great and
marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways” (Rev, 15:3).

(3) Everyone in the last generation, saved and unsaved, will have seen an undeniable display of
loyalty and commitment to God under the worst of times—no one will be denied an opportunity
to decide what they will do with truth. No one will say, “I never had a chance!”
– Herbert Douglass

Romans 13:9-14
Here are some commandments to think about. “Do not commit adultery.” “Do not commit murder.” “Do not steal.” “Do not want what belongs to others.” These and other commandments are all included in one rule. Here’s what it is. “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Love does not harm its neighbor. So love does everything the law requires.

When you do those things, keep in mind the times we are living in. The hour has come for you to wake up from your sleep. Our full salvation is closer now than it was when we first believed in Christ. The dark night of evil is nearly over. The day of Christ’s return is almost here. So let us get rid of the works of darkness. Let us put on the armor of light.

Let us act as we should, like people living in the daytime. Have nothing to do with wild parties. Don’t get drunk. Don’t take part in sexual sins or evil conduct. Don’t fight with each other. Don’t be jealous of anyone.

Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ as your clothing. Don’t think about how to satisfy what your sinful nature wants.

There is another and more important question that should engage the attention of the churches of today. The apostle Paul declares that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12. Why is it, then, that persecution seems in a great degree to slumber? The only reason is that the church has conformed to the world’s standard and therefore awakens no opposition. The religion which is current in our day is not of the pure and holy character that marked the Christian faith in the days of Christ and His apostles. It is only because of the spirit of compromise with sin, because the great truths of the word of God are so indifferently regarded, because there is so little vital godliness in the church, that Christianity is apparently so popular with the world. Let there be a revival of the faith and power of the early church, and the spirit of persecution will be revived, and the fires of persecution will be rekindled. — The Great Controversy, page 48

A fantastic point of view on Confidence (comment from a reader of Spectrum Magazine):

Confidence/assurance is fine as far as it goes. Different personality styles seem to need that more than others. Full disclosure would demand I am not one that fixates on my moment to moment salvic state.

I have always thought that Adventists in general have considered the issue in a healthy way. They certainly dont follow the shallow “Once saved always saved” or “Cheap Grace” of other churches.
I have also considered that Adventists probably respect the concept more and approach the issue in part as did Job in 42:6 “Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Having a great sense of their need of a Saviour. This humility can seem at odds with bold assertions of the state of ones salvation. Job certainly didn’t tell the Devil, I’m the best one on earth! God said so! Bring it on!

I guess the opposite side of the coin will be the ones experiencing the surprise of Matt 7:22,23 “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

Anyone here been prophesying lately? How about casting out demons? Part of your normal repertoire? How about working miracles? Probably every day right?
So who then is going to be surprised then? Evidently people with a better skill set than we all possess.
Perhaps a clarification of the concept would distinguish that we can have absolute confidence and assurance that Christs offer of salvation and sacrifice is valid and freely given, but our estimation of our salvic state at any particular point in time is best left in Gods hands.

Posted by: Michael | 01 September 2009 at 2:44

http://spectrummagazine.org/articles/sabbath_school/2009/08/31/confidence

Adventists don’t consider themselves the “remnant” because they believe they are superior in any way to everyone else, or that they have achieved a place in God’s heart that is exclusive to them.

Rather identifying with the “remnant” of the Bible reminds us of our mission to be exactly the kind of people the Bible describes the “remnant” as: people with integrity, who are fully faithful, completely committed in their loyalty to God and perfectly passionate about reaching other people. We were not called by God to be just the same as everyone else in the world; we are not called to conform, but to (be and to) transform (Rom 12:2). We are meant to be the “body of Jesus” that He “left behind” to continue His work.

The remnant (of and like Jesus) stands up, seeks out and saves; not sits down, stays in and feels saved.

The Synthesist: Sees likeness in apparent unlikes, seeks conflict, interested in change
The Idealist: Welcomes broad range of views, seeks ideal solutions
The Pragmatist: “Whatever works” seeks shortest route to payoff
The Analyst: Seeks “one best way,” interested in scientific solutions
The Realist: Relies on “facts” and expert opinions, interested in concrete results.

http://spectrummagazine.org/articles/spectrum_interview/2009/08/24/peek_inside

“all theology is autobiographical”

“Speak to them, as you have opportunity, upon points of doctrine on which you can agree. Dwell on the necessity of practical godliness. Give them evidence that you are a Christian, desiring peace, and that you love their souls. Let them see that you are conscientious. Thus you will gain their confidence; and there will be time enough for doctrines. Let the heart be won, the soil prepared, and then sow the seed, presenting in love the truth as it is in Jesus”

(Gospel Workers, 119-120 [1915]; Evangelism, 200; cf. “Letter to a Minister and His Wife Bound for Africa” [June 25, 1887 = Letter 12, to Elder Boyd; almost verbatim “original” of the Gospel Worker quote] in Testimonies to Southern Africa, pp. 14-20)

David Larson in the comments:

Here is what I like to do: (1) Distinguish between absolute and presumptive authority and (2) distinguish between formal (who says it) and material (what it says) authority.

So, conceptually speaking, we have at least four options:

1. Formal/absolute authority
2. Material/absolute authority
3. Formal/presumptive authority
4. Material/presumptive authority

The closer we get to #4 the better, the closer we get to #1, the worst.

But I think the “Great Controversy” theme, which holds that God tries to persuades people rather than coerce them, shows that inisiting on divine authority is not the way God does things. So, as you say, we can point to no legitimate example of, say, #1.

But lots of people prefer #1 and get as much of it as they can.

Example: “Why should you do this?” “Because I said so, that’s why!!”
Posted by: davidrlarson | 19 April 2009 at 3:00

The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains, proves that he has no brains of his own.

If happiness is drawn from outside sources, and not from the Divine Fount, it will be as changeable as varying circumstances can make it; but the peace of Christ is a constant and abiding peace. It does not depend on any circumstance in life, on the amount of worldly goods, or the number of earthly friends. Christ is the fountain of living waters, and happiness and peace drawn from him will never fail, for he is a well-spring of life. Those who trust in him can say: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High.”

We have reason for ceaseless gratitude to God that Christ, by his perfect obedience, has won back the heaven that Adam lost through disobedience. Adam sinned, and the children of Adam share his guilt and its consequences; but Jesus bore the guilt of Adam, and all the children of Adam that will flee to Christ, the second Adam, may escape the penalty of transgression. Jesus regained heaven for man by bearing the test that Adam failed to endure; for he obeyed the law perfectly, and all who have a right conception of the plan of redemption will see that they cannot be saved while in transgression of God’s holy precepts. They must cease to transgress the law, and lay hold on the promises of God that are available for us through the merits of Christ.

Our faith is not to stand in the ability of men but in the power of God. There is danger of trusting in men, even though they may have been used as instruments of God to do a great and good work. Christ must be our strength and our refuge. The best of men may fall from their steadfastness, and the best of religion, when corrupted, is ever the most dangerous in its influence upon minds. Pure, living religion is found in obedience to every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Righteousness exalts a nation, and the absence of it degrades and ruins man.

From the pulpits of today the words are uttered: “Believe, only believe. Have faith in Christ; you have nothing to do with the old law, only trust in Christ.” How different is this from the words of the apostle, who declares that faith without works is dead. He says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” We must have that faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Many seek to substitute a superficial faith for uprightness of life, and think through this to obtain salvation. The Lord requires at this time just what he required of Adam in Eden,–perfect obedience to the law of God. We must have righteousness without a flaw, without a blemish. God gave his son to die for the world, but he did not die to repeal the law which was holy and just and good. The sacrifice of Christ on Calvary is an unanswerable argument showing the immutability of the law. Its penalty was felt by the Son of God in behalf of guilty man, that through his merits the sinner might obtain the virtue of his spotless character by faith in his name. The sinner was provided with a second opportunity to keep the law of God in the strength of his Divine Redeemer. The cross of Calvary forever condemns the idea that Satan has placed before the Christian world, that the death of Christ abolished not only the typical system of sacrifices and ceremonies but the unchangeable law of God, the foundation of his throne, the transcript of his character. Through every device possible Satan has sought to make of none effect the sacrifice of the Son of God, to render his expiation useless, and his mission a failure. He has claimed that the death of Christ made obedience to the law unnecessary, and permitted the sinner to come into favor with a holy God without forsaking his sin. He has declared that the Old Testament standard was lowered in the gospel, and that men can come to Christ, not to be saved from their sins but in their sins. But when John beheld Jesus he told his mission. He said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” To every repentant soul the message is, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

Amos 3:7
Surely the Lord GOD does nothing,
Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

Hebrews 1:1-2
God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

Acts 2:16-21
But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
‘ And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.’

Revelation
1:2 John was the witness of the witness of Jesus Christ. His life reflected the things he saw.
6:9 Many have been killed for God’s word and for their witness for Jesus
10:7-11 God has declared his “mystery” to his servants the prophets. And John as symbolic representative of God’s servants must “digest” the witness of Jesus, the mystery. In doing so he will be martyred, that is his witness for Jesus. But he is encouraged to continue to prophesy.
12:11 God’s servants overcome by the blood of Jesus and their faithful witness, which is not to love their lives over Jesus.
12:17 Satan went to make war with God’s servants, who obey God’s word and live their lives according to the witness of Jesus.
19:10 The witness (testimony) of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
22:6 God has sent his angel to show his servants the future through John’s Revelation
22:9 God servants, including the prophets, who keep the words of John’s Revelation

Prophecy is linked with witness/testimony (Gr. martyria). Jesus’ life was his witness – the revelation of what God is like in character. Those who saw Jesus’ life lived accordingly, their witness, their prophecy. Many became martyrs. God’s people are prophets/witnesses/martyrs, who sacrifice their life for God.

Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:28, Ephesians 4:11
God has appointed ambassadors (apostles, those sent), prophets (speakers), evangelists (preachers of the good news), teachers, healers.

1 Corinthians 14:1-5
Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

Matthew 24:11
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

2 Peter 2:1
But there will also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them–bringing swift destruction on themselves.

1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1 Thess 5:19-22
Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

I very much appreciate the insights of Dr Graeme Bradford in this Spectrum Magazine article (http://spectrummagazine.org/articles/sabbath_school/2009/01/05/prophetic_gift).

David Asscherick Monday Manna

Steps to Christ, p63-4
There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do not draw back in despair. We shall often have to bow down and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God. No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Said the beloved John, “These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1. And do not forget the words of Christ, “The Father Himself loveth you.” John 16:27. He desires to restore you to Himself, to see His own purity and holiness reflected in you. And if you will but yield yourself to Him, He that hath begun a good work in you will carry it forward to the day of Jesus Christ. Pray more fervently; believe more fully. As we come to distrust our own power, let us trust the power of our Redeemer, and we shall praise Him who is the health of our countenance.

He who is trying to reach heaven by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility. Man cannot be saved without obedience, but his works should not be of himself; Christ should work in him to will and to do of his good pleasure. If a man could save himself by his own works, he might have something in himself in which to rejoice. The effort that man makes in his own strength to obtain salvation, is represented by the offering of Cain. All that man can do without Christ is polluted with selfishness and sin; but that which is wrought through faith is acceptable to God. When we seek to gain heaven through the merits of Christ, the soul makes progress. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, we may go on from strength, from victory to victory; for through Christ the grace of God has worked out our complete salvation.

{RH, July 1, 1890 par. 11}

Character isn’t built in a day; it is built day by day

The choices you make today create the person you are tomorrow. The person you are tomorrow may not even be capable of making the choices of today.

http://songza.com/

Big Daddy
The First and the Best Humanitarian – and not just for kids in Africa, but for you and me too
Mr Dependable
The Go-to Guy

Unless you preach everywhere you go, there is no use going anywhere to preach.

Preach the gospel everywhere you go, and, if necessary, use words.

Start by doing what is necessary, then do what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

One day, through the primeval wood,
A calf walked home, as good calves should;
But made a trail all bent askew,
A crooked trail, as all calves do.

Since then three hundred years have fled,
And, I infer, the calf is dead.
But still he left behind his trail,
And thereby hangs my moral tale.

The trail was taken up next day
By a lone dog that passed that way;
And then a wise bellwether sheep
Pursued the trail o’er vale and steep,
And drew the flock behind him, too,
As good bellwethers always do.

And from that day, o’er hill and glade,
Through those old woods a path was made,
And many men wound in and out,
And dodged and turned and bent about,
And uttered words of righteous wrath
Because ’twas such a crooked path;
But still they followed — do not laugh —
The first migrations of that calf,
And through this winding wood-way stalked
Because he wobbled when he walked.

This forest path became a lane,
That bent, and turned, and turned again.
This crooked lane became a road,
Where many a poor horse with his load
Toiled on beneath the burning sun,
And traveled some three miles in one.
And thus a century and a half
They trod the footsteps of that calf.

The years passed on in swiftness fleet.
The road became a village street,
And this, before men were aware,
A city’s crowded thoroughfare,
And soon the central street was this
Of a renowned metropolis;
And men two centuries and a half
Trod in the footsteps of that calf.

Each day a hundred thousand rout
Followed that zigzag calf about,
And o’er his crooked journey went
The traffic of a continent.
A hundred thousand men were led
By one calf near three centuries dead.
They follow still his crooked way,
And lose one hundred years a day,
For thus such reverence is lent
To well-established precedent.

A moral lesson this might teach
Were I ordained and called to preach;
For men are prone to go it blind
Along the calf-paths of the mind,
And work away from sun to sun
To do what other men have done.
They follow in the beaten track,
And out and in, and forth and back,
And still their devious course pursue,
To keep the path that others do.

They keep the path a sacred groove,
Along which all their lives they move;
But how the wise old wood-gods laugh,
Who saw the first primeval calf!
Ah, many things this tale might teach —
But I am not ordained to preach.

Make your weekly church service a SAFE place to bring your friends (every week should be “Visitors’ Day”)

Don’t be afraid to be a fool for Christ and suffer for His sake

What is a Christian? Someone who has the heart of God. Love: seeking the blessing of others at any cost, even to the expense of oneself.

Courtesy of David Asscherick’s “The 15 Most Common Mistakes made by New Soul Winners”
http://www.yourvideos.net/hopevideo/MIMen/2007/New-David-Session-64.MP3

http://www.notaprophet.org/articles/open_letter_to_ernie_knoll.html

“If Satan has a specific target in our world today, it would be the sincere, spiritually minded Seventh-day Adventist, who is sighing and crying for the abominations done in the land and in the church. They are open to prophecy because they believe in the Spirit of Prophecy. They are open to new light because Ellen White has said there will be new light. They are open to dreams and visions, because Ellen White had dreams and visions, and the Bible prophesies that this will take place in the last days. So, what deception could Satan use to reach this group?”

I stand by the door.
I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out,
The door is the most important door in the world-
It is the door through which people walk when they find God.
There’s no use my going way inside, and staying there,
When so many are still outside and they, as much as I,
Crave to know where the door is.
And all that so many ever find
Is only the wall where a door ought to be.
They creep along the wall like blind people,
With outstretched, groping hands.
Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door,
Yet they never find it …
So I stand by the door.

The most tremendous thing in the world
Is for people to find that door–the door to God.
The most important thing any person can do
Is to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands,
And put it on the latch–the latch that only clicks
And opens to the person’s own touch.
People die outside that door, as starving beggars die
On cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter—
Die for want of what is within their grasp.
They live, on the other side of it–live because they have not found it.
Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it,
And open it, and walk in, and find Him …
So I stand by the door.

Go in, great saints, go all the way in–
Go way down into the cavernous cellars,
And way up into the spacious attics–
It is a vast roomy house, this house where God is.
Go into the deepest of hidden casements,
Of withdrawal, of silence, of sainthood.
Some must inhabit those inner rooms.
And know the depths and heights of God,
And call outside to the rest of us how wonderful it is.
Sometimes I take a deeper look in,
Sometimes venture in a little farther;
But my place seems closer to the opening …
So I stand by the door.

There is another reason why I stand there.
Some people get part way in and become afraid
Lest God and the zeal of His house devour them
For God is so very great, and asks all of us.
And these people feel a cosmic claustrophobia,
And want to get out. “Let me out!” they cry,
And the people way inside only terrify, them more.
Somebody must be by the door to tell them that they are spoiled
For the old life, they have seen too much:
Once taste God, and nothing but God will do any more.
Somebody must be watching for the frightened
Who seek to sneak out just where they came in,
To tell them how much better it is inside.
The people too far in do not see how near these are
To leaving–preoccupied with the wonder of it all.
Somebody must watch for those who have entered the door,
But would like to run away. So for them, too,
I stand by the door.

I admire the people who go way in.
But I wish they would not forget how it was
Before they got in. Then they would be able to help
The people who have not, yet even found the door,
Or the people who want to run away again from God,
You can go in too deeply, and stay in too long,
And forget the people outside the door.
As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place,
Near enough to God to hear Him, and know He is there,
But not so far from people as not to hear them,
And remember they are there, too.
Where? Outside the door–
Thousands of them, millions of them.
But–more important for me–
One of them, two of them, ten of them,
Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch.
So I shall stand by the door and wait
For those who seek it.
“I had rather be a door-keeper …”
So I stand by the door.

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about[a] himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

http://atoday.com/bible-facts-andor-truth

The bible is full of Parables, and Jesus often spoke in symbols, stories, hyperbole and metaphor.

Man’s justice fits the crime.
“An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth.”

God’s justice is fit for the criminal.
Only he sees the heart, for the motive determines the character of the crime.

God’s justice sets right the criminal.
Man’s justice sets right the crime.

John 9:2 The disciples asked Jesus, who sinned for this man to be born blind, himself or his parents

Jesus’ answer is revealing.

Jesus separated the consequences/effects/nature of sin in general from the choices/acts/behaviour which are condemnable and lead to guilt.

There is a popular gospel that says we are condemned because we have a sinful nature (nothing we chose, nothing we can do about it). And the solution is supposedly that God forgives us. All we have to do is accept.

But:
Results of evil or sinful nature (bad equipment) – don’t need forgiveness, they need restoration.

Guiltiness from sinful choices (conscious rejection) – needs forgiveness.

In reality, the Bible teaches we are condemned because of our own personal choice to go against God – or what is right (James 4:17; John 3:18-21). We are condemned for using our free will in a destructive (self or others) way. Jesus didn’t come to condemn but to save (John 3:16-17).

Our nature (the results of evil; bad equipment) is just a consequence of our choices (or sometimes the choices of others). For this we need healing, not forgiveness. Does any patient say to their doctor, I want forgiveness?

But because of God’s forgiveness, it draws us to the One who can heal.

—

At the cross, Jesus experienced two things:

1. Psychological and emotional torment — This is the natural consequence of “sin”. We feel separated from God (Isaiah 59:2). “Afflicted” (Isaiah 53:4). He took on the disease. But this was all unseen by us. He did this because he had already *charizomai* us (accepted us with his gracious favour).

2. Physical scourging — this was what we did to Christ. This we saw. And it was this torture that we see Jesus forgiving (Luke 23:34). This was the ultimate display of Christ’s matchless love – in ultimate suffering. “By his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Drawn to that we can be *aphiemi* (our burden be lifted away).

http://www.adventist.org.my/books.htm

Tell The World (Bible Speaks)
Studying Together – Mark Finley

Bible Handbook – SN Haskell
(http://www.adventistbookcenter.com/Detail.tpl?sku=0828005567 and http://maranathamedia.com/start/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=424&Itemid=99999999)

Seventh-day Adventists Believe
http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/books/27/

http://catalog.hopetalk.org/english

http://www.vop.com/article.php?id=386

http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=82396727

http://blip.tv/file/1890847

Download http://blip.tv/file/get/EclecticChoice-GrahamMaxwellInterview726.flv

Thanks to the Eclectic.

Conversations about God http://conversationsofgod.blip.tv/

As I see it is summarised in this way:

Justification is seen primarily as a legal adjustment in heaven (i.e. objective salvation only or “counting right” only not “making right” as well).

Sanctification (or “perfection”) is me doing the best I can and God fills in the gaps. Hence sanctification becomes faith + works. It’s not part of salvation, it’s what happens “after you are saved.” Which begs the question, “what actually happens when you are saved?” The answer will be a change in legal standing (a narrow definition of “justification”). This results in a belief in imperfection until Jesus comes. (This is in contrast to descriptions of “dying to sin”, “crucified with Christ”, “not I that live, but Christ living in me”. God clearly calls for “perfection” in the Bible. I feel the reason “New Theology” proponents have difficulty accepting this Biblical position is because of how they define “perfection”.)

I am really reluctant to use the terms Justification and Sanctification and Perfection in this setting because they are quite strictly defined in various ways by different people. Thus they carry a lot of baggage – they are loaded. Baptist and Methodist theology have always rigidly separated Justification and Sanctification. Whereas in reality, they are probably simply two models (one legal, one ceremonial) of describing the same change!

This “New Theology” viewpoint naturally develops from a purely forensic/legal model of looking at the sin problem. One that comes through the Magisterial Reformation and influenced by Anselm, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin and Arminius (all of whom were concerned with some sort of debt owed to God which demanded some sort of price/payment/penance/punishment). It misses the fact that Adventist soteriology developed from a Radical Reformation basis and progressed far away from Lutheran and Calvinist views. Adventist “Righteousness by Faith” brought out by the 1888 controversy is radically different from the conventional Protestant Righteousness by Faith taught today.

In “New Theology”, Sin is primarily our status (it is our nature or we are in great debt or we are under a death penalty). And hence salvation is primarily a change of this legal status. The emphasis on choice, that sin is a product of our misuse of free-will, is lost in Calvinistic TULIP. As a result, we are “sinful because we are sinners” (wrap your head around that one), we can’t help it, we were born that way – it’s in our nature. God (almost) appears to be the enemy. After all it is He who has determined our legal standing as lost or saved. And he’s blaming us for a nature we can’t help!

This naturally leads to a belief that Christ had a completely “sinless nature” (i.e. He was not like us in every way, but without sin). “There needs to be something Christ had that we don’t have access to, otherwise why do we keep sinning? Jesus can’t have all of the faulty equipment we have (otherwise He’d need a saviour too). We don’t have a choice in the matter, we’re imperfect and will be until Christ comes.”

But we are not condemned because of faulty equipment. Christ was “tempted in every way that we are” (in our equipment) “yet he did not sin” (Heb 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22). Yet even on the cross, Jesus is described (albeit by His mockers) as “trusting in God” (Matthew 27:43). We are condemned because we allow our temptations and faulty thought patterns to make us distrust God (make God the enemy). That’s what makes us sinners. John emphasises (1 John 4:2; 2 John 7) that is important to believe that Jesus Christ came in the flesh (and you will never find “holy” or “sinless” flesh in the bible – “flesh” is always a description of the fallen human condition).

All God asks of us is trust. We don’t need new “equipment”. We need healing of the “equipment” we have. Look at how the bible describes this “renewing of the mind” Rom 12:2, 2 Cor. 4:16, Eph 4:23, Col 3:10, Titus 3:5 (a great list of verse: http://www.christinyou.net/pages/renewmind.html). There is a real subjective change of heart described by the Bible of the saved. A change of heart leads to a change of action. But it’s not I that live but Christ in me (Gal 2:19-20). God now works in me (Heb 13:20-21).

I believe you don’t have to take any of the “New Theology” views to arrive at a fully grace-based soteriology. I believe that perhaps a trust-healing model could negate the necessity to adopt “New Theology” to find assurance and a loving God.

John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

Jesus’ disciples hearts had become teachable. Their hearts now cleansed, trusted in God. Christ calls the “clean” before the Cross! He says they are clean because of the “word”! There is far more to salvation than a legal acquittal of charges (although that is a fair way to describe one aspect of salvation).

Here is a statement by E.J. Waggoner in Christ Our Righteousness p. 69

The taking away of the filthy garments [Zechariah 3:1-5] is the same as causing the iniquity to pass from the person. And so we find that when Christ covers us with the robe of His own righteousness, He does not furnish a cloak for sin but takes the sin away. And this shows that the forgiveness of sins is something more than a mere form, something more than a mere entry in the books of record in heaven, to the effect that the sin has been canceled. The forgiveness of sins is a reality; it is something tangible, something that vitally affects the individual. It actually clears him from guilt, and if he is cleared from guilt, is justified, made righteous, he has certainly undergone a radical change.

In fact in the people who need them the most (those with low self-esteem), they have the opposite effect:

http://www.canada.com/health/Sorry+Oprah+Self+help+books+seldom+helpful/1756585/story.html

Just being told that “God is love” and “Christ died for you” over and over and over again is unlikely to have any benefit for the soul who feels lost and unworthy. Unless this is proven through experience (through a real relationship with Christ), nothing much may change. It’s interesting that one rarely is able to convince oneself to believe something when one is aware that one does not yet believe it. Most people who believe something strongly either have clear evidence, or have never needed convincing in the first place.

I appreciate the elegance of Rob Bell’s Trampoline analogy expressed in his book Velvet Elvis. The springs represent doctrine, which may or may not facilitate jumping. But the point is not the springs. The point is to jump.

Here are some alternate views:
http://www.blog.godfidence.org/2008/05/rob-bells-trampoline/
http://michaelkrahn.wordpress.com/2007/04/18/smashing-brickworld-rob-bells-velvet-elvis-part-4/

http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2009/06/30/why_mathematics_science_and_humanities_including_religion_don%E2%80%99t_have_quarrel

Proverbs 25:15 (BBE) “A judge is moved by one who for a long time undergoes wrongs without protest, and by a soft tongue even bone is broken.”

“Do as little as possible, and that unwillingly, for it is better to receive a slight reprimand than to perform an arduous task.” The corollary to this is that an awful lot of life’s problems solve themselves.

“The only thing we learn from history is that people learn nothing from history” – Hegel

I believe in rehabilitation not retribution.

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing” – Edmund Burke

The world is a playground, and life is pushing my swing. – Natalie Kocsis

Even hundredfold grief is divisible by love. – Jareb Teague

Insanity: Doing the same thing and expecting different results

“You will break the bow if you keep it always bent.”

“Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.” – James Dean

God’s demonstration of his powerful character of love. Creation, Deliverance (Exodus), Return (from Exile), Redemption, Recreation.

“I rest my case”

Listen to Ty Gibson at about 0:30:00

http://www.heavenlysanctuary.com/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=200705262033398

He talks about why Adventists are missing the mission — confusing our purpose. We are baptising people into 28 points, not into God. Isolated points, but far from the centre of God.

Just like Alcoholics Anonymous: Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.

Once a sinner saved by grace, always a sinner saved by grace. A saint is merely a sinner held in the arms of God. I must never forget where I came from, because when I do I risk becoming the most arrogant, critical, judgmental, self-righteous hypocrite the world has ever seen.

Once a sinner saved by grace, always a sinner if not for grace.

The struggle of Romans 7 is the struggle of every person. Is there anyone here who would deny that?

“Our vocation is, I believe, to build good out of evil. For if we try to build good out of good, we are in danger of running out of raw material.” Paul Tournier

Deut 7:16-23

Also you shall destroy all the peoples whom the LORD your God delivers over to you; your eye shall have no pity on them; nor shall you serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.
“If you should say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?’— you shall not be afraid of them, but you shall remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt: the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs and the wonders, the mighty hand and the outstretched arm, by which the LORD your God brought you out. So shall the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. Moreover the LORD your God will send the hornet among them until those who are left, who hide themselves from you, are destroyed. You shall not be terrified of them; for the LORD your God, the great and awesome God, is among you. And the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you little by little; you will be unable to destroy them at once, lest the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. But the LORD your God will deliver them over to you, and will inflict defeat upon them until they are destroyed.

Our illness is chronic. Had it not been…

There is no excuse for any one in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. We are living in perilous times, and it does not become us to accept everything claimed to be truth without examining it thoroughly; neither can we afford to reject anything that bears the fruits of the Spirit of God; but we should be teachable, meek and lowly of heart. There are those who oppose everything that is not in accordance with their own ideas, and by so doing they endanger their eternal interest as verily as did the Jewish nation in their rejection of Christ. The Lord designs that our opinions shall be put to the test, that we may see the necessity of closely examining the living oracles to see whether or not we are in the faith. Many who claim to believe the truth have settled down at their ease, saying, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” But Jesus says to these self-complacent ones, Thou “knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Let us individually inquire, Do these words describe my case? If so, the True Witness counsels us, saying, “Buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.”

{RH, December 20, 1892 par. 1}

Grant them peace,
Most precious gift of all,
Keep the worried world
Far away and small.
When they return
May quiet fill their souls
Dearest Lord, keep them safe
Within its walls

May the stone
Be cool beneath their feet,
The canyon breezes
Circle soft and sweet.
When darkness falls
The stars and opal moon
Find them wrapped in each other,
Ever warm.

May it be a refuge for their love,
A harbor for their deepest prayer.
May they come to flourish in the grove,
Grow ever nearer to you there.

Many a burdened friend
In their company rises.
A heavy heart
Is soon released to fly.
May their table be blessed with laughter and with grace,
And by the comfort of kinship
Be surprised.

May the cold winds
Blow far from their front door.
May the winter rains
Never bring them harm.
May their hearth fires
Burn throughout the night.
Grant them sleep
Until morning’s perfect light.

From David Person’s article in Adventist Today: http://atoday.com/content/price-membership

“What’s disturbing is that [me/you/we] doesn’t agree [with some particular thing - in the case of this article - jewelry]. They seem to think it’s their church and the rest of us are just here because they are benevolent hosts.”

Sometimes I need to remind myself that this isn’t “my” church. It’s Christ’s! And I don’t have the right to play referee.

One comment was very thoughtful and balanced:

On June 6th, 2009 statefarmsteve says:

Wouldn’t it be interesting if sermons came with 2 sides, or a second sermon were to follow the first from a different perspective?

I’m no theologian, but I’d encourage all to listen, take in the minister’s sermon, and then let it simmer and percolate in your heart. If it hits home, then fine. If not, then after the closing prayer, walk from your seat, out the center isle, jingling and jangling like a pocketfull of change at a double dutch competition. Then next week, come back, and listen to the next message. It might hit home or fit more into what you might need.

I’m sure the pastor enters into each of his studies with the earnestly prayerful desire that his words help, not hurt. If you’re not hurt, stay. If you are hurt, stay, but let him know. I don’t think he’s trying to push any of his flock out of the door. Who knows? This particular sermon may have really hit home to someone who needed it. I’m not saying the pastor was right, or that his message was on perfectly on point, but I believe that God uses us all, including pastors, to further his work. Sometimes we let him down. When we do, and we will, the best we can do is keep trying to move forward in our spiritual growth.

A lot of good pastors and adventists have to say “oops” every now and again.

Some insights from another comment:

I am somewhat disappointed at the comments on David’s opinion piece. No, I’m not surprised at Sorensen’s and his kin’s comments; they are consistent with their belief and approach. I am surprised at the reaction of those who feel the preacher shouldn’t have preached that sermon on jewelry. I am not sure we are consistent. My experience has been that the very “conservative” have been intolerant of their brother’s opinion, but the non-traditional have been very tolerant–some of my saints used to criticize us for allowing “pluralism”! But in the comments I find the non-traditionalist advocating walking out on the sermon. No, I wouldn’t preach that sermon against Jewelry. In fact, you should have seen my reaction when I found a guest lay-speaker preached that sort of sermon in my church while I was away at my small church that Sabbath. (and my wife almost did walk out on the sermon!)

But shouldn’t we leave that sort of reaction (walking out on the sermon) to the more narrow minded among us. (as “they” have walked out on my sermons!)

Yes, I would speak with the pastor (who I would have been friends with) about my concern for the sermon and its results. Yes, I probably would find somewhere else to worship if this was usual weekly type of sermon. But, walk out on the sermon? No, I don’t think anyone gains by that approach. I do like the idea of having a time at church for a good discussion of the sermon over “coffee,” though!

If I want people to take the time to understand and allow me my opinions, I must do the same for others. There is no situation in which the least gracious response (walking out, arguing) can be the right one. Let us have this attitude – the one that God has towards us even when we are sinning – come let us reason together (Isaiah 1:18).

http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/ashes.htm
http://www.freewill-predestination.com/unchanged.html

http://www.greatcontroversy.org/reportandreview/kir-gracelink-oi.php3

Well written piece.

Especially appreciate this line:
“The gospel is not there to beat us down, but it is not given either to lesson our interest in obeying God or our anxiety when we sin.”

Totally agree. Jesus didn’t die to make us “feel” better. He came to make us actually better.

From the Valuegenesis book:

“In college he [a former student of Roger Dudley] became enamored with the teachings of a professor who presented righteousness by faith as composed of justification alone. The work of salvation was completely objective — removed from our experience. It had only to do with the cross; nothing with daily living. . . . [after later being thrown in jail for intoxication] He was particularly sustained by his religion. Remembering what his professor had told him about righteousness by faith, he recalled, ‘Not for a moment, even while drunk in that dismal jail cell, did I forget that I was in right standing with God.’” Then follows the author’s analysis, and an amazing analysis it is: “Few of us understand righteousness by grace through faith in such a complete sense.”

Just because God loves us unconditionally. It does not follow that God necessarily approves of all our actions.

The theologian is obligated to be critical of every special expression of his ultimate concern. He cannot affirm any tradition and any authority except through a “No” and a “Yes”. And it is always possible that he may not take the risk of being driven beyond the boundary line of the theological circle. Therefore, the pious and powerful in the church are suspicious of him, although they live in dependence upon the work of the former theologians who were in the same situation. Theology, since it serves not only the concrete but also the universal logos, can become a stumbling block for the church and a demonic temptation for the theologian. The detachment required in one’s theological work can destroy the necessary involvement of faith. This tension is the burden and the greatness of every theological work.

2 Cor 5:14-6:2

I believe it sums up what I presently believe to be important as a Christian.

http://www.heavenlysanctuary.com/filemgmt/index.php?id=292

Excellent Sermon

“These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (Colossians 2:23).

http://www.inspirasjonsuken.no/en/dan.htm
http://ekebyholm.adventkyrka.se/tyrifjord

http://spectrummagazine.org/articles/column/2009/06/05/expert

The value of theological training

http://conversationsofgod.blip.tv/

On Ellen White:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ2AD09HvWg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6tkn01iJoA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nKpoaDvlb4

On diversity:

http://arthurandteresabeem.blogspot.com/2009/04/19th-century-millerite-headlines.html

http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/doctrines/au2002conference/guy/guy27origin.htm

http://blog.ozbargain.com.au/2008/price-usa-review-totally-awesome/
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/913221.html
—
http://www.bongous.com/
http://www.priceusa.com.au/
http://www.boxvoyage.com/
—
http://www.myus.com/index.shtml
http://secure.onenow.com/COMGATEWAY/
http://forwardit.us/
http://www.youronlinegenie.com/

I have just discovered Paul Washer, a Baptist preacher. His gospel hearkens back to the days of the Great Awakening – Whitefield, Edward, Spurgeon. His indictments of today’s version of Christianity is so true. Although his gospel is so clearly Baptist, how I wish that men like him would discover the Adventist Movement that I have found. The Advent message (and the Great Controversy/Trust-Healing model) would complete his message. Thank the Lord for the many who preach His word in truth and not a watered down gospel with no power at all.

—

One point I learned from Paul’s sermons:
The question is not will you allow Jesus to come into and renovate your heart? The question is has God done such a work in your heart that your passion and your desire and your greatest need is to throw yourself and cling to Christ alone? (Just like the woman with the issue of blood, do you have a faith borne of desperation? If you do, you will have a passionate love for God borne of God’s great love for you.)

Evangelism p. 525
“The divine commission needs no reform. Christ’s way of presenting truth cannot be improved upon. The worker who tries to bring in methods that will attract the worldly minded, supposing that this will remove the objections that they feel to taking up the cross, lessens his influence. Preserve the simplicity of godliness.”

Counsels on Health p. 498
“The Saviour gave the disciples practical lessons, teaching them how to work in such a way as to make souls glad in the truth. He sympathized with the weary, the heavy-laden, the oppressed. He fed the hungry and healed the sick. Constantly He went about doing good. By the good He accomplished, by His loving words and kindly deeds, He interpreted the gospel to men.”

God loves us no matter what. God will be good to us (grace) whatever we do. God wants to save us above anything else. But just as a doctor cannot help a patient who doesn’t seek or follow advice, God will not force the unbelieving man.

One day, you will no longer call me Master, but Husband.

To those who feel the best response to “apostasy” in the church is to separate and throw stones at those who remain, here are some selected thoughts of Ellen White as compiled in the devotional In Heavenly Places (1968).

Chap. 277 – Object of God’s Tenderest Care

In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Eph. 2:21, 22.

The living church of God is individually a habitation of God through the Spirit, that man may become a well-built temple for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God, that the Lord Jesus Christ may dwell in his innermost being, ennobling and sanctifying his human nature by His divine attributes.

The church of Christ is to be in the world but not of the world. In calling His people together in church capacity, God designs that they shall form one Christian family and daily be fitting for membership in the family above.

God thus forms the believers in His Word in one body, that their influence may be a blessing to one another and to the world. Each member converted reveals a transformation of character, and he is strengthened and sustained by the courage and faith of the whole. The weakest saint, if he believes in Christ, is a member of Christ’s body; and if he lives in humble dependence upon God, he will become strong; for he has a right to all the privileges of a child of God.

The church is the object of God’s tenderest love and care. If the members will allow Him, He will reveal His character through them. He says to them, “Ye are the light of the world.” Those who walk and talk with God practice the gentleness of Christ. In their lives, forbearance, meekness, and self-restraint are united with holy earnestness and diligence. As they advance heavenward, the sharp, rough edges of character are worn off, and godliness is seen. The Holy Spirit, full of grace and power, works upon mind and heart.

Christ has made provision that His church shall be a transformed body illumined with the light of heaven, possessing the glory of Immanuel. It is His purpose that every Christian shall be surrounded with a spiritual atmosphere of light and peace.

There is no limit to the usefulness of the one who, putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon the heart and lives a life wholly consecrated to God.

Chap. 278 – “The Apple of His Eye”

For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. Zech. 2:8.

The church of Christ, enfeebled and defective as it may be, is the only object on earth on which He bestows His supreme regard. . . . The Lord has a people, a chosen people, His church, to be His own, His own fortress, which He holds in a sin-stricken, revolted world.

The church is the property of God, and God constantly remembers her as she stands in the world, subject to the temptations of Satan. Christ has never forgotten the days of His humiliation. In passing from the scenes of His humiliation, Jesus has lost none of His humanity. He has the same tender, pitying love, and is ever touched with human woe. He ever bears in mind that He was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief. He forgets not His representative people who are striving to uphold His downtrodden law. He knows that the world that hated Him, hates them. Although Jesus Christ has passed into the heavens, there is still a living chain binding His believing ones to His own heart of infinite love. The most lowly and weak are bound by a chain of sympathy closely to His heart. He never forgets that He is our representative, that He bears our nature.

Jesus sees His true church on the earth, whose greatest ambition is to cooperate with Him in the grand work of saving souls. He hears their prayers, presented in contrition and power, and Omnipotence cannot resist their plea for the salvation of any tried, tempted member of Christ’s body. . . . Jesus ever liveth to make intercession for us. Through our Redeemer what blessings may not the true believer receive? The church, soon to enter upon her most severe conflict, will be the object most dear to God upon earth.

The confederacy of evil will be stirred with power from beneath, and Satan will cast all the reproach possible upon the chosen ones whom he cannot deceive and delude with his satanic inventions and falsehoods. But exalted “to be a Prince and a Saviour, . . .” (Acts 5:31), will Christ, our representative and head, close His heart, or withdraw His hand, or falsify His promise? No; never, never.

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Ego QV moisturisers
Neutrogena Norwegian Formula hand cream
Aquaphor petrolatum emollient for cracked/chafed skin/lips

1. Open wounds – early saline wash to decontaminate and saline soaked gauze dressing to prevent drying out of tissues
2. Irrigate with chlorhexidine antiseptic, clean wound, achieve haemostasis and close appropriately with minimal tension (i.e. sutures)
3. Apply topical chlorhexidine to prevent infection and adhesive tape (Hypafix/Mefix) to reduce tension across wound
4. Apply antibiotic ointment as an emollient and to prevent infection
5. Once sutures are out and skin has closed over use an emollient (e.g. petrolatum/Aquaphor) until inflammation has subsided
6. Approximately 2-3 weeks later (skin has “settled” down) use silicone gel sheets (Cica-care) to minimise complications (not for an open wound). This needs to be done for at least 12 hours a day for up to 4-6 months.
7. After this period if there remains complications seek medical advice (consider topical Protopic/tacrolimus or retinoids or Aldara/imiquimod)
8. Avoid sun (UV) damage

The wage paid by sin is death; the gift given by God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord

Here’s a very brief summary of NT Wright and the New Perspective on Paul: http://www.hornes.org/theologia/travis-tamerius/n-t-wright-evangelical-theology

Look at the following verses in Galatians:

Gal 3:29
“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s heirs, inheriting the promise”

Gal 3:16
“The promise wasn’t made to ’seeds’, as in Abraham’s many genetic descendants, but to one ’seed’. That ’seed’ is Christ.”

Gal 3:28
“So there isn’t: Jews and Greeks, bondservants and freemen, men and women, because all of you are one in Christ.”

Gal 3:7
“It’s those who have faith who are Abraham’s heirs.”

The theme in Galatians 3 is: you’re not saved by virtue of being Jewish (symbolised by “having the law/Torah/nomos”), but by virtue of being in Christ by faith. The argument really isn’t whether the law (moral or ceremonial) still stands or has been abolished. Instead the emphasis is on unity in Christ – not pointing out distinctions (e.g. circumcised vs not) which are not important in Christ.

Similarly, it’s not by virtue of being Sabbatarians, or commandment-keepers, or baptised Christians, or vegetarians, or Adventists that we are saved. Not by virtue of identifying with any group. But by “pistis” – our identity in Christ – our faith in Christ, our faithfulness to Christ, or the faithfulness of Christ, or Christ’s faithfulness towards us. All renderings of the Greek “pistis” are meaningful.

Bottom line: do we have a relationship with God?

It’s interesting how the “New Perspectives on Paul” are much more compatible with Adventist notions of law, grace, faith and works.

God abounded his grace to us in His wisdom and prudence.

God not only found the best way to save us. But I feel the real thrust of this verse is that saving us was a wise and prudent thing. To me, His actions in saving us vindicated His character, His leadership of the world.

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APTuner http://www.aptuner.com/

http://www.returnilvirtualsystem.com/rvspersonal.htm — steady state/virtualisation software
Evernote
FastStone Capture
Karen’s Replicator
URL Snooper

The gospel is not a gospel of fear. Many Christians believe in the soon return of Christ. Many of them believe in a pre-Advent crisis on Earth. I am one of those people. But there are some who prey on a coming crisis to push an agenda (whether with innocence and sincerity or questionable motives). Such people have baptised many who in actuality do not know (or even want to know) God. Such people have convinced many to walk away from normative (not overtly sinful) lives, friends and family, to become missionaries or even join separatist groups hidden away in remote communes.

But the gospel is not a gospel of fear. The urgency with which we share the gospel and with which we accept the gospel should not be driven by a fear of either a coming earthly crisis or of God’s judgment itself.

The crisis we should be concerned about is a spiritual one. That crisis is in your heart, your psyche, your relationships, your family, your friends, your community. Oh how many friendships have I damaged by a thoughtless word or phrase? How many times have I hurt my family through neglect? What damage have I wrought in myself physically, emotionally and spiritually through a reckless life?

We are all in a crisis. One that is here now, and one that will last 70, maybe 100, years. One that affects our happiness and our ability to lead a fulfilled life. One that (if you believe it) will eventually determine your eternal destiny depending on how you respond.

Fortunately there is the gospel. The gospel that says that God loves you. He has never left you alone. And He can heal you and me. He can and will solve our crises, our little ones, our big ones, our spiritual one and yes even the future economic and military crises.

When the Gospel of “Peace” actually makes sense, and makes a difference in your life, your reaction is not to run away from anything, but rather to run towards. Towards the God who is the answer to your problems. And towards others who need to hear about the Answer to their crises.

Limited atonement has been a subject of contention between Calvinist and Arminian poles of Protestant Christianity for centuries.

See this great summary article by David Larson:
http://spectrummagazine.org/articles/sabbath_school/2008/10/20/atonement_and_divine_initiative
(Another article by David Larson on the topic in the context of Des Ford’s biography: http://spectrummagazine.org/articles/column/2008/09/15/why_does_desmond_ford%E2%80%99s_biographer_lament_our_wesleyan_heritage)

Lorraine Boettner made an insightful comment which explains it something like this:

In the Calvinist view, the Arminian limits God’s power to save. If he chose to save all, He must be able to do so. If some will be lost, it must be that God’s grace does not apply to everybody. The Calvinist emphasises God’s sovereign power and His right to choose.

In the Arminian view, the Calvinist limits the extent to which God’s grace is offered. It must be that a loving God offers salvation to all. If not all are saved, it must be because we choose our destiny by our actions. The Arminian describes God’s grace as a gift to be freely received and emphasises our freedom to choose.

But the Bible story paints a picture which is a blend of both views, and is yet richer that each. Here we see a God who is all powerful (able to save all) and all gracious (offers freely to all). But His greatest strength of character is His willingness to seek not His own desires.

Here is a God who has done everything possible to persuade our hearts to change – including absorbing pain and suffering to the infinite degree. And yes His actions are all that is required to change hearts – the evidence is in the hearts that have already been changed. He is all-powerful and His actions are all-powerful. And when He is rejected, His response is not of retaliation or reproach; it is of regret and relentless pursuit.

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http://www.booko.com.au/ calculates the full price (including shipping) of books from various online sellers to Australia.

This search includes second-hand books:
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Search Australian Used Books
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“Dear Lord… enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.”

Sheridan Voysey in his Open House interview today spoke with William P. Young, the author of the novel “The Shack.” (Note, it’s a novel not a theological work.) Paul Young made the comment that God is the Prodigal Father (of Luke 15). The status of his sons was never in doubt. They were always sons. Nothing they could do could change that. But at different times in the story, the sons did not “comprehend the love of the Father.”

Even before He made the world, God loved us and determined to make us holy in Christ. We are without fault in his eyes. God made the decision in advance that we would be his children and will never change his mind.
(Paraphrased from Ephesians 1:4-5)

http://www.theopenhouse.net.au/2008/12/explore_the_shack_a_little_fur.html

“Despondency may shake the most heroic faith and weaken the most steadfast will. But God understands, and He still pities and loves. He reads the motives and the purposes of the heart. To wait patiently, to trust when everything looks dark… Heaven will not fail them in their day of adversity.

Nothing is apparently more helpless, yet really more invincible, than the soul that feels its nothingness and relies wholly on God.” (PK 174-5)

“God would send every angel in heaven to the aid of such a one, rather than allow him to be overcome.” (7T 17)

“By prayer, by the study of His word, by faith in His abiding presence, the weakest of human beings may live in contact with the living Christ, and He will hold them by a hand that will never let go.” (MH 182)

How can there be a good God if there is such a bad world?
Either God is not all powerful, or He is not good, or there is no god.

1 Cor 13 — Love suffers long

“If love is the end, freedom must be the means to that end.” (Gregory A Boyd)

Matt 13:28 — An enemy has done this

How long?
“Few give thought to the suffering that sin has caused our Creator. All heaven suffered in Christ’s agony; but the suffering did not begin or end with His manifestation in humanity. The cross is a revelation to our dull senses of the pain that, from its very inception, sin has brought to the heart of God… As the ‘whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together’ (Romans 8:22), the heart of the infinite Father is pained in sympathy.” (Education 263)

He shall wipe every tear from their eyes… and there shall be no more pain (Revelation 21:4)

Luke 11:1-13 — Jesus Teaches How To Pray

PETITION — our DAILY bread – he fulfills our needs as we need them, not months in advance, that’s how we know he is working miracles; we need to ASK so that we KNOW He GIVES – if we received without the asking, could it be that it would just have happened anyway? pray specifically and the answer to prayer will be obvious.
REPENTANCE
ADORATION
YIELDING — slow down to hear GOD’S AGENDA, not our will but the Father’s will be done
INTERCESSION — praying with GOD’S EYES
NAME OF JESUS — John 14:13-14;15:16;16:23-27. Mark 16:17.
GRATITUDE — each promise of God is as if it has already been done. there is no if. it is a sure thing. faith is an assurance of things that you don’t currently see, but certainly will.

Luke 11:5-13
Pray not for yourself, but so others may benefit.
(Amazon river vs Dead sea)
Pray persistently. Not because God does not hear, but a gift given after a great deal of persistence is valued much more.

James 4:2
You lust after it. You kill for it. You desire it. You fight and carry on for it. Yet you will not have it. Because you do not ask.

i) The where and when of the question: the context of the question.
ii) Why is the question important?
iii) How should we approach answering the question?
iv) What is/are the (best/possible) answer(s)?

http://maranathamedia.com

Lord thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from craving to straighten out everybody’s affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all, but thou knowest Lord that I want a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details, give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing and the lover of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others’ pains, but help me to endure them with patience.

I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a saint – some of them are so hard to live with – but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people. And, give me O Lord, the grace to tell them so.

Amen.

Before the world was made, the stars above displayed,
A loving God had made a great design.
Before the planets flew, and earth came into view,
Their forms were fashioned in the Master’s mind.
Now we can see that from eternity,
His perfect wisdom carried out a plan,
And we are all a part of what was in His heart,
The moment when He first created man.

The mountains and the leas, the deserts and the seas,
Were laid with utmost care from pole to pole.
And in my heart I know, it surely must be so,
He has a plan and pattern for my soul.
Why am I here, the reason is so clear,
He made me and He claimed this life of mine.
We’re more than just a slave,
Who’s heading for the grave,
My destiny is in His will divine.

The matchless love of God for a world that did not love Him! The thought has a subduing power upon the soul and brings the mind into captivity to the will of God. The more we study the divine character in the light of the cross, the more we see mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness blended with equity and justice, and the more clearly we discern innumerable evidences of a love that is infinite and a tender pity surpassing a mother’s yearning sympathy for her wayward child.

Steps to Christ 15

Confidence in God alone.
Embrace uncertainty. Certainty is an illusion.
Think and choose wisely. But do not allow “thinking” to be an excuse for indecision.
Just do it. And don’t be afraid to walk away from your mistakes.

Luke 18 speaks about a rich young ruler who apparently had everything he needed in this world. But then why did he come to find Jesus? What must I do to get eternal life? He asked, not knowing that the whole point to eternal life is knowing God (John 17:3). He went away sad because somehow the cost for knowing God was too great. Oh if only he simply came and followed as Jesus was inviting him to.

After all… “But what do we give up, when we give all? A sin-polluted heart, for Jesus to purify, to cleanse by His own blood, and to save by His matchless love. And yet men think it hard to give up all! I am ashamed to hear it spoken of, ashamed to write it.” (Steps to Christ p.46)

Genesis 3 Satan insinuated that if we really wanted freedom to live a great life, we need to leave God. God is an unnecessary distraction. No, moreover, God is holding us back from a life worth living. Our first parents bought into that lie and ate the fruit.

Oh but the heart is deceitful above all things (Jer 17:9), we are “corrupt because our lusts deceive us” (Eph 4:22). Really all we’re giving up is that. Are we really so deceived to think we are sacrificing anything of value to gain a relationship with God?!

Luke 18:30 Jesus promises that if we would give up our “sin-polluted heart” we will receive much more in this PRESENT life! Eternal life is not just in the future. It is right now.
Eph 3:8 Which is why I want to preach the “unsearchable riches of Christ”

You want to experience a life that is overflowing with fullness? Know God.

An excellent description of the major theological groupings of Seventh-day Adventists by NightEternal (http://christianforums.com/member.php?u=185580)

LIBERAL ADVENTISTS: This group is mostly centralized in southern California, but they can be found almost anywhere in the world. These are Adventists who have accepted the liberal Christian concepts where just about anything goes. Do not hold to literal interpretations of Scripture from Genesis through the Gospels as well as the remainder of the New Testament. Scripture is regarded as a collection of myths or stories and historical exaggerations used to teach moral lessons. Some may hold other Gnostic ancient books as on the same level of importance as the Bible. They do not believe in the literal creation account, world-wide flood, or miracles, including the resurrection of Jesus. Many have accepted evolution in some form into thier belief systems. Beliefs can range from no after-life to Universalism. Homosexuality is accepted as another lifestyle alternative and impulse that God created people with. Ellen White means nothing to them and they have all but discarded most of the distinctive fundamentals as well as orthodox Christian fundamentals. They are often ‘cultural’ Adventists who still enjoy the oppourtunity to discuss with others philosophical ideas concerning the Sabbath. They may enjoy church services of various kinds or none at all, from high church to celebrationn services. Will often call themselves Christian Agnostics or Agnostic Christians. In fact, the only SDA feature many liberal Adventists have retained is the Sabbath. Almost all attend movies of any sort, wear jewelry, eat meat, drink coffee and caffeinated pops, some partake of unclean foods, many drink alcoholic wine, especially in the areas of California where vineyards are found. Women’s ordination has never been a question and the SCC implemented it years ago against the official stand of the conference.

Key Adventist Figures: Steve Daily

PROGRESSIVE ADVENTISTS: Highly regard science, logic, reason and the historical-critical method. Will adopt any modern means of Biblical interpretation available. Want to do away with many of the fundamentals, especially the IJ/1844/Heavenly sanctuary doctrines. Believe Ellen White is a woman of her times whose works may contain inspirational material that may be used in a pastoral way. Do not believe she has doctrinal authourity. Some hold to a literal creation account, world-wide flood and miracles. Others see the Genesis story as non-literal and consider other methods of creation possible. The post-modern movement can also be traced to this group. In understanding post-modern philosophy, they desire to have the church be relevant in the present time and do not regard the history and legacy of the Adventist pioneers as the embodiment of religious truth. Some have adopted the views of the moral influence/larger view Adventists and rejected penal, legal atonemt. Others hold to such atonement theories as Christus Victor, Federal Head and Recapitulation. There may be an amalgam of several atonement theories. A credo would probably be reason over tradition. Spreading like wildfire in many European countries.

Key Adventist Figures: Riendeer Bruinsma, Alden Thompson, Richard Rice, Fritz Guy, John McLarty (Adventist Today), Spectrum Magazine

MORAL INFLUENCE/LARGER VIEW ADVENTISTS: Also found mostly in Southern California/Loma Linda area, this group denies that God will destroy the wicked in the end. They believe that sin itself will consume them without any intervention on God’s part. Absolutely deny legal/forensic/penal atonement. Heavy emphasis on the love and mercy of Christ to the exclusion of His anger and justice. Revere Ellen White, but they only pick and choose that which reflects thier unique views. Heavily influenced by the views of Peter Abelard. You can find many of them on the website Heavenly Sanctuary.

Key Figures: Graham Maxwell (Pine Knoll), Dan Smith, Ty Gibson (Light Bearers), Michael Klute.

EVANGELICAL ADVENTISTS: Champions of Reformation justification by faith and the closest segment to the positions of Luther and the reformers. Bitterly fight against sinless perfection/final generation theology and the belief in the sinful nature of Christ. Consider both full-blown heresy. The most user-friendly Adventism and the one subgroup that presents the most acceptable Adventist face to mainline Protestantism. Believe the atonement was completed at the cross. Stand firmly behind Questions On Doctrine as representative of balanced Adventist thought. Have realistic views of inspiration and completely reject verbal inspiration for both the Bible and Ellen White. Ardent holders to thought inspiration. Ellen White highly regarded, but do not believe she has doctrinal authourity and believe she is subject to the New Testament apostles. Some Evangelical Adventists have abandoned EGW, but not all. Completely reject traditional understanding of the IJ as detrimental to assurance of salvation. Hold to pre-Advent judgment where the salvation of God’s people is not under question. Very firm and uncompromising in thier opposition to Rome. Worship services are predominately contemporary with CCM as well as heavily influenced by Willow Creek seeker-services.

Key Figures: George Knight, Graeme Bradford, Hans LaRondelle, H.M.S. Richards Sr. (Voice Of Prophecy), Raymond Cottrell, Desmond Ford (Good News Unlimited), Edward Heppenstall, Frank Phillips

MODERATE ADVENTISTS: The largest subgroup by far, this constitutes the majority in the pews. Standard Adventist beliefs, hold to the fundamentals. Avoids either extreme and and tries to be balanced. High regard for Ellen white but do not hold to verbal inspiration nor elevate her above the Bible. Mainline believers who support official church mission ardently. Stay very close to offical GC policy, mandate and standard Adventist worldview.

Key Figures: Mark Finley, Dwight Nelson, Keavin Hayden, Marvin Moore, Roy Adams, Ed Christian, Morris Venden, Jack Sequeira (Vineyard Ministries), Shawn Boonstra (It Is Written), Steven Mosley, Steve Wohlberg, Lonnie Melashenko (Voice Of Prophecy), George Vandeman (Voice Of Prophecy)

CONSERVATIVE/TRADITIONAL ADVENTISTS: Close to moderate Adventists, but with a little more lean to the right. Bitterly oppose women’s ordination, CCM, meat-eating, justification by faith as taught by Luther. Very high regard for Ellen White, borderline verbal inspirationists. Revere the law and the Ten Commandments and have sinless perfection tendencies. Many are heavily involved in Jesuit/Catholic/Masonic conspiracy theories. Staunch defenders of the 28 fundamentals and lovers of pioneer, 1800’s style Adventism. Major representation in third world countries such as Africa and South America.

Key Figures: William Johnsson, Cifford Goldstein, Doug Batchelor (Amazing Facts), Sam Bacchiocchi (Biblical Perspectives), Sam Koranteng Pipim, Herbert Douglass, Ed Reid, Kenneth Cox, Richard O’Ffill (Revival Sermons), Danny Shelton (3 ABN), Walter Veith (Amazing Discoveries), Jan Marcussen, David Asscherick, Leo Schriven, Bill Tucker (The Quiet Hour), Robert Weiland and Donald Short (The 1888 Message Committee), C.D. Brooks

ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE/TRADITIONAL ADVENTISTS: Historical Adventists who represent the far right. Believe in the sinful nature of Christ, righteousness by works, have a hatred for the Reformation gospel. Sinless perfectionists who believe Christ merely set the example we can follow until we reach the condition of Adam before the fall-all before glorification, which they believe only changes the physical and nothing else. Bitterly oppose Questions On Doctrine, consider it the most hated book ever published in Adventism. Heavy emphasis on IJ, traditional style and making oneself worthy to pass inspection by Jesus. Strict diet reform emphasis, all are vegetarian, most are vegan. Borderline deificaiton of Ellen white, verbal inspirationist leanings. Most regard EGW as equal to the Bible in authourity and the final say in all matters not addressed in Scripture. Many can be found on such websites as Revival Sermons, Great Controversy, Adventist Affirm, SDA Defend, Temcat’s House

Key Figures: M.L. Andreason, Kevin Paulson, Larry Kirkpatrick, Joe Crews, Vance farrell, Dennis Priebe, Stephen Lewis

EXTREMIST ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE TRADITIONAL ADVENTISTS/FFSHOOTS/INDEPENDENT MINISTRIES: About as far right you can go in Adventism. The most disturbing, frightening Adventism available. Ultra-strict, unyeilding dress reform, diet reform, mind reform, any reform you can think of. Hyper-vegan, believe diet is a salvation issue and meat-eaters are lost. Heavy, extreme emphasis on historic Adventism and the pioneers. Agenda to purify the Adventist church and get back to 1800 style Adventism. Shepherd’s Rod believe they will be the instruments of destruction God will use to cleanse the camp of modern-day Adventism at some point in the future. Have thier own communes, schools, churches, camp meetings, etc. Deify Ellen White, all but have included her in the Biblical canon. Fringe groups who believe that only a literal 144,000 are going through to the end. Hatred for corporate Adventism and conference structure. Believe the GC is the seat of the beast, riddled with Jesuit infiltrators. Hatred for any modern expressions of Adventism, believe they are the only true Adventists and the rest are lost. All believe the mainline church is in apostasy and is fallen Babylon, and so a call for as many as possible to come out is needed. Many use cultish fear-tactics and brainwashing to recruit and retain thier followers.

Key Groups/Figures: Shepherd’s Rod (Victor Houteff), Branch Davidians, SDA Reform, Remnant Of The Remnant, Our Firm Foundation/Hope International (Ralph Larson), Hartland Institute (Colin and Russell Standish)

Two years ago, I wrote a list of simple truisms. Since then I have come a long way psychologically and emotionally. Here are a few more things I’ve learned about living life to the full.

1. Confidence is just learning not to feel insecure. Insecurity is a natural feeling that we all get from time to time. But, you can choose not to feel insecure (or challenge the feeling) about a situation. It doesn’t mean you have to be good at something or that the outcome must necessarily be pleasant. Your security should not depend on your performance. (What baby sips milk slowly because it is worried that mother would think it greedy?) So next time you walk into a situation that makes you feel small, say I’m going to do it anyway! The more you do, the more confidence you will build.

2. Savour and enjoy everything. If you’re not “in the moment” then get out of there. Even unpleasant things have some positive aspect to focus your thoughts on. At the very least, you can think about what the unpleasant things will allow you to achieve (or how you are serving God). If you really can’t think of anything enjoyable about a situation, you need to get out.

3. Take control of your life. Depression comes partially from the feeling that you can’t change anything. If you realise that you always have a choice (they might not be the choices you most want) and can make a difference to your life (no matter how small), that is the first step to making the changes you need. And when things work out, take credit for it (even if it was mainly down to luck). Treat yourself with a reward.

4. See life as full of opportunities. There are so many things you can do with your time and resources. Granted you probably aren’t interested in most of those options, but there are so many opportunities that you can’t seriously be sitting down doing nothing!

5. Reframe challenges as activities (or at least learning experiences). Some people see obstacle courses as playgrounds; others see it as a torture device. When you’re faced with a difficult situation, make it fun or interesting.

6. Many things in life just don’t matter. Don’t fight every battle. Don’t expect things to have to be a certain way. Don’t let yourself be driven by others’ expectations of you. Above all, don’t expect that you always need to perform at your best. All champions will lose once in a while. Sometimes you just need to let things just “be”.

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Fping
Radmin’s Advanced Port Scanner (has an installer which is really just an unpacker – doesn’t need permission)
http://sourceforge.net/projects/console/

GETTING MONEY
Read more: http://www.choice.com.au/viewArticle.aspx?id=105657&catId=100210&tid=100008 and http://forums.vogue.com.au/showthread.php?t=286234

1. Credit card — usually result in the cheapest total fees
Some credit cards offer no fees for overseas ATM withdrawals: e.g. Wizard Clear Advantage (the only one I know on the Aussie market)
http://www.wizard.com.au/creditcards/task.aspx?id=580
As long as you keep a credit balance, you can use your card as a debit card and make cash withdrawals without paying interest (unlike a cash advance).
Always bring more than one credit card as they may not all work. Use one credit card as a credit card… and use the other as a debit card.

2. Debit (“prepaid”) card in the currency in question — www.anzfx.com or Travelex Cash Passport via NAB or Australia Post — less commissions and better rate than at the Airport Travelex Bureau. However, these rates are usually worse than interbank rate or the ones used by Mastercard/Visa (usually ~2% more than interbank wholesale rates, see http://www.oanda.com/convert/fxhistory).

3. Use your local ATM card via Cirrus/Maestro — although there will be fees per withdrawal, so make sure you make large value withdrawals

4. American Express Travelers Cheques via Banks or Australia Post — less commissions and better rate than via bureaus

COMMUNICATION
Get a global prepaid GSM SIM card
Get a global phone-card (e.g. Ekit)

FLIGHTS AND HOTELS
Book cheap flights with zuji.com or opodo or adioso or kayak.com or LastMinuteTravel.com, etc.
Book hotels after checking with tripadvisor.com
Use a service like wotif.com to compare hotel prices
Either stay in the middle of the downtown city for easy access to sites by foot or (more preferably) get a good cheaper hotel ~30 minutes out of town but close to public transport (Metro, Bus, etc.)

God doesn’t want dutiful obedience, he wants passionate obedience.

“Man is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is glue.”

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_agent
www.useragentstring.com

Tennis: Head Flexpoint Radical Tour
Squash: Prince O3 Tour

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RareWares http://rarewares.org
Hydrogen Audio http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/

Sacrifices are not for God, they are for us. The were not meant to change the heart of God, but to change us. That applies to Jesus’ death too.

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I also use… del.icio.us and furl

http://toread.cc/

No Registration Required:
http://www.freefileupload.net/
http://www.mytempdir.com/

“But could they (those without specific saving knowledge as thought to be the case by men) even thus have escaped from sin? Not without that grace which you (the predestinationist) suppose God had absolutely determined never to give them. And yet you suppose him to send them into eternal fire, for not escaping from sin! that is, in plain terms, for not having that grace which God had decreed they should never have! O strange justice! What a picture do you draw of the Judge of all the earth!”

The Works of Wesley, vol.10 page 221 — Predestination Calmly Considered

“A generous man will prosper, he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” ( Proverbs 11:25 )

http://www.asianaid.org.au/aboutus.asp

http://www.yourbabycanread.com.au
http://www.yourbabycanread.com

Dr Robert C. Titzer. And it really works as far as I have seen.

Maths (Glenn Doman):
http://www.iahp.org/How_To.228.0.html
http://www.gentlerevolution.com/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0895295970/

But in my opinion, it’s not a good idea to (1) “over-stress” your children and (2) turn them into driven, competitive, “i need to be better than everyone else” type people. Although I admit, why do we wait until our kids are ~7 (when their minds are no longer so plastic and malleable and still developing) before we teach them? Start teaching your kids now, but there are much more important things to teach them: good emotional health, social skills, physical health and logical/common-sense thinking. But that’s just my opinion.

http://presentationzen.blogs.com/presentationzen/
http://presentationzen.blogs.com/presentationzen/2005/11/the_zen_estheti.html

“One of the things I learned about in the formative stages of my career was public speaking. I learned by watching lots of presentations, and one thing I figured out early on is that most CFO-level speakers — particularly CEOs, particularly male CEOs—really suck as speakers. They’re boring; they’re long; they wander around. I saw speech after speech, and I discovered that if there’s anything worse than a speaker who sucks, it’s a speaker who sucks and you have no idea how much longer he or she is going to suck. That’s a horrible feeling.

To prevent you from getting that feeling, I’ve developed a Top 10 format. All of my speeches are in Top 10 format, because if you think I suck, I at least want you to be able to track my progress through the speech so that you know approximately know how much longer I’m going to suck.”

– Guy Kawasaki

http://www.sethgodin.com/freeprize/reallybad-1.pdf

Where did he get his ideas?
Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln
Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince

Want to know the facts? Read these pseudohistorical books and then read the corresponding books by conventional mainstream historians. Then decide what we know to be true, what is probably true, what we know to be false, what is probably false, what we still cannot draw conclusions about, and what we will never know.

One of the most dangerous implications of Dan Brown’s religious viewpoint:
http://www.cbn.com/special/DaVinciCode/Mangalwadi_ReligiousSex.aspx
http://www.vishalmangalwadi.com/tsunami.pdf

Does this perspective really uplift women as Dan Brown claims?

“Those unfamiliar with the rituals of ’sacred sex’ may not realize that the novel alleges that Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples was a sexual ritual: the ‘Cup’ (Chalice) that Jesus offered to his disciples was the vagina of Mary Magdalene.”

This concept of ’sacred sex’ even made a cameo in the movie as the event which estranged Sophie Neveu from Saunière.

(Disclaimer: I have a Western-education and Christian religious background, but in all fairness and trying to be unbiased) I think this thought is repugnant. How could what is practically a gang-bang be honourable to the fairer sex? Dan Brown is basically teaching a sexually exploitative pagan philosophy by invoking the authority of Jesus (albeit a Gnostic version of Jesus). How can he turn around and criticise the church (specifically Middle-Age Catholicism) for discriminating against women? Having said that, he has written an engaging story; too bad he had to base it on an alternative history which is inaccurate, unfaithful to the evidence, in some places downright fraudulent and ultimately debasing.

In conclusion I ask the question: why after reading this book and/or watching the movie are we inclined to (1) reject mainstream Christian beliefs and (2) accept Dan Brown’s beliefs? The intelligent, sincere and thoughful person would in my opinion reject Dan Brown’s conjectures, suggestions and innuendo simply because it doesn’t make sense: Even if Jesus married Mary Magdelene, that doesn’t mean there are descendants in a special “holy blood line” today – after all isn’t Brown trying to assert that Jesus was just an ordinary man, anyway? And how in the world does their alleged marriage prove/support/justify ’sacred sex’ or paganism or Gnosticism or any religion for that matter? If I married someone does it mean I get to make some random religion true?)

I think we’re suckers for good yarns, and religion as a whole is full of them. There are more fraudulent religious theorists (including many within mainstream Christianity) than cheating used-car salesmen. Never give anything your trust without evidence. Be aware of your assumptions. Be on guard when anyone comes to you with “the truth”.

on different browsers

browsershots.org
http://www.danvine.com/icapture/
http://www.snugtech.com/safaritest/

http://www.mynrma.com.au/saferroads/links.asp

www.changedetection.com
watchthatpage.com
www.changedetect.com
www.trackengine.com

http://www.cssplay.co.uk/menus/final_drop.html
http://www.cssplay.co.uk/menus/drop_examples.html

DOWNLOAD ONLY (use a tiny Web HTTP:80 Server – in order of my preference)
http://www.ritlabs.com/tinyweb/
http://www.aprelium.com/
http://www.lighttpd.net/
http://nullhttpd.sourceforge.net/httpd/
http://www.acme.com/software/thttpd/

UPLOAD + DOWNLOAD
—————–

Web Browser-Based (HTTP/HTTPS)
http://ecosmear.com/relay/ (perl/PHP/AJAX) — the best! and newest
http://www.muquit.com/muquit/software/upload_pl/upload_pl.html (perl upload only)
http://barracudaserver.com/examples/BarracudaDrive/ (with embedded HTTP server)
http://www.efileman.de/ (perl)
http://wefis.sourceforge.net/ (perl/AJAX)
http://encodable.com/filechucker/ (perl/AJAX) — no longer free
http://uber-uploader.sourceforge.net (PHP/AJAX)
http://tomas.epineer.se/tesupload/ (PHP/AJAX)
http://sean.treadway.info/demo/upload/ (ruby/AJAX)
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ifolder/ (PHP)
http://file.sourceforge.net/ (PHP)
http://quixplorer.sourceforge.net/ (PHP)
http://yafm.sourceforge.net/ 2004 (PHP)
http://weeblefm.sourceforge.net/ 2004 (PHP)
http://onedotoh.sourceforge.net/ 2003 (PHP)
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/scripts/fileman/ 2002 (perl script)

FTP/SFTP/SCP
http://winscp.net/
http://www.whitsoftdev.com/slimftpd/

Proprietary Software
http://www.getbymail.com/ (need to install software on remote client)

P2P Active File Transfer (needs action at both computers)
http://www.whitsoftdev.com/ssft/

http://www3.sympatico.ca/gtopala/siw_download.html

http://www.xml-dev.com/blog/index.php?action=viewtopic&id=225

oneguycoding.com/automachron/

alternative:
http://www.thinkman.com/dimension4/index.htm

clocks:
http://ricolmer.actuary.pl/index_en.html
http://www.alfaclock.com/
http://www.geocities.com/jakemb21/

Beverly Kirby, Conversations About God Mailing List May 9, 2006
http://www.pineknoll.org/cag/volume9/121.txt

With sin there is a mental and physical change. Sin does terrible thing to us. It is not just the act itself, the consequence of sin – the change of what we were originally created to be.

After Satan Rebelled: “Satan stood in amazement at his new condition.His happiness was gone…..Now all seemed changed, He was gloomy, despairing. strife, discord, and bitter recrimination were among them…Previous to their rebellion these things had been unknown in heaven. Satan now beheld the terrible _ results_ of his rebellion.”

These things mankind has inherited.

“Satan felt the wretchedness, the since of guilt, disappointment. The loss he had sustained seemed to much to be borne….a great change in his disposition., he manifested malice, increased hatred and fiery vehemence.

MORE THAN FORGIVENESS: Satan trembled as he views his work….His mighty frame shook as with a tempest. an angel from heaven was passing. He called him and asked for an interview with Christ. This was granted him. He then related to the Son of God that he repented of his rebellion and wished again the favor of God. He was willing to take the place God had previously assigned him, and be under His wise command. Christ wept at Satan’s woe but told him, as the mind of God, that he could never be received into heaven…..The seeds of rebellion were still within him….he had hopelessly
ruined not only himself but the host of angels also.

For Satan there was no remedy – it was not a matter of forgiveness. “He had hopelessly ruined not only himself but the host of angels also…”SR 26

“It would not have been safe to suffer any who united with Satan in his rebellion to continue to occupy heaven. They had learned the lesson of genuine rebellion against the unchangeable law of God, love) AND THIS IS INCURABLE.” SR 17

“The angels warned him what must be the CONSEQUENCES if he persisted.”" SR 16

(Story of Redemption: first three chapters)

We need a Physician saying “Healed” – not a court room written “Pardon”.

———————————————————————-

I have heard many times and read several times that we were all born “condemned” because of sin…. this I don’t believe.

It was not by choice that we were born. I don’t believe God says, “Well, here is another little one that I condemn!”

I believe we were born “brain damaged” – “sin damaged” “sin scarred “- not condemned. All our thought, reason, choices, worship, and selfishness happens in the brain. We will be ‘brain dead’ if we do not seek the Physician for healing.

Because of sin, Adam’s and Eve’s distrust of God and their fall, this caused their children to inherit the sin damage of selfishness and distrust.Born in sin, separated from God something happened in our brain/mind that was contrary to the original design of creation to cause us to be born “brain damaged” and so it has been inherited by all..

If you are born condemned you need to be acquitted – a legal act, justified for fear of retribution. If you are born with brain damage you need to be healed – a loving act, put back to the original design, a righteous act of healing the damage done.

“It is a law of the mind that it gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is trained to dwell. If occupied with commonplace matter only, it will become dwarfed and enfeebled. if never required to grapple with difficult problems, it will after a time almost lost the power of growth. As an educating power the Bible is without a rival. In the word of God the mind finds subject for the deepest thought, the loftiest aspiration.” PP 596

“The brain nerves that connect with the whole system are the medium through which heaven communicated with man and affects the inmost life. Whatever hinders the circulation of the electric current in the nervous system, thus weakening the vital powers and lessen mental susceptibility, makes it more difficult to arouse the moral nature.” ED 209 Vol. 1 Mind character, & Personality

We have heard many stories telling us of the heartache we bring to God when we sin. We need more study of what sin actually does to us. This is what breaks the heart of God – what we are doing to ourselves. The unpardonable sin is that our minds/hearts are so sin-scarred that there is no remedy – not even from God. and He cries “Why? Why? Why will you die?

If you have any quotes or comments regarding what sin actually does to us, (not the remedy), I would like to hear them…

God the Holy Spirit accomplishes all that He can in your life so that you will truly love others, and be filled with a deeply-rooted joy, to give you an enduring inner peace that will allow you to stand steadfast in the face of any suffering, hardship or adversity. You will be a kind and gentle spirit, full of goodness – in your thoughts and actions – gracious always and to everyone, being faithful to and having faith in others – you will never doubt. Only when God has taken charge over your heart, will you truly have charge (command/direction) over your life.

There is nothing (no law, no human) that could ever condemn you.

http://community.reverse-engineering.net/viewtopic.php?t=4605
http://win32assembly.online.fr/
http://crackmes.de/
http://www.learn2crack.com/Cracking4Newbies-FAQ.htm
http://maven.smith.edu/~thiebaut/ArtOfAssembly/artofasm.html
http://webster.cs.ucr.edu/
http://www.drpaulcarter.com/pcasm/
http://www.woodmann.com/crackz/

http://mrclay.org/index.php/2006/04/23/mypage-bookmarklet/

Allows you to edit a page before printing. Cross-browser.

* http://www.hasilvestre.org.br/advir/imagens/GoldSat1/index.htm
* http://www.goodsalt.com — Lars Justinen
http://www.ebibleteacher.com
http://kids.christianpost.com/activities/bible1/index2.htm

Acts 5:32
We are God’s witnesses that these things occurred; and the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those that OBEY him, is also evidence.

God gives the Holy Spirit to those who are willing to listen to the Spirit and do what He instructs them to do.

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tried in every way like we are, yet never sinned. Let us, then, come close with joyful boldness to the “throne of grace”, where we may receive mercy, and find grace to help us in our times of need.”

Our “Chief Counsel” (advocate) in heaven feels our desperation, because he too has been afflicted with trials in every way, just like we are; and yet He never sinned. So we, in our helplessness, should be encouraged; and be drawn, by his tenderness towards us and sympathy for us, to God’s “throne of grace” with the sure knowledge that we will recieve all the mercy and grace we require in all our times of need.

http://www.cancer.org.au/content.cfm?randid=408243

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/informedconsent/formsindex.asp

http://www.scanr.com/

Scan copy or fax with your camera phone or digital camera.

STARS OF THE SHOW
Maximum Compression http://www.maximumcompression.com/
PAQ Matt Mahoney http://www.cs.fit.edu/~mmahoney/compression/
EmilCont Berto http://www.freewebs.com/emilcont/
Practical http://www.elis.ugent.be/~wheirman/compression/
Archive Compression Tests http://compression.ca/ (last updated 12 May 2002)

OTHERS
Compression Project (Ru) http://compression.graphicon.ru/ybs/ http://www.compression.ru/artest/index_e.html
Dog http://members.optushome.com.au/dogg01/index.htm
GIMP http://studwww.ugent.be/~jdebock/gimp_source_compression_test.htm
PE http://pect.y11.net/ http://pect.atspace.com/

MORE LINKS
http://www.maximumcompression.com/benchmarks/benchmarks.php
*Squeeze Chart

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parchive
http://www.quickpar.org.uk/index.htm
http://www.ice-graphics.com/ICEECC/IndexE.html

Only when you do not need anyone else. When you can be joyful just because God loves you. Only then can you feel needed by someone else. Only then can you love others and bring joy to their lives.

From the web without login or registration…

THE BEST
http://www.mytrashmail.com/anonymous_email.aspx
* mytrashmail.com has many cool features – simply the best!

OTHERS:
http://www.mailfreeonline.com/

READ EMAIL FROM ANY ACCOUNT
http://www.mail2web.com/

“There are two kinds of people: Those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group because there is less competition there.” — Indira Gandhi

“Focus on competition has always been a formula for mediocrity.” — Daniel Burrus

“You have no control over what the other guy does. You only have control over what you do.” — A.J. Kitt

“If you’re able to be yourself, then you have no competition. All you have to do is get closer and closer to that essence.” — Barbara Cook

http://microsoft.toddverbeek.com/index.html

NSW http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/Corporate/ll_agdinfo.nsf/pages/community_relations_daylight_saving

“If I am who I am because I am who I am and you are who you are because you are who you are then I am who I am and you are who you are, but if I am who I am because you are who you are and you are who you are because I am who I am then I am not who I am and you are not who you are.”

– “Art” by Yasmina Reza

http://www.shorttext.com/
http://www.notefish.com/

http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/ecg/index.html
http://www.ecglibrary.com/

Pay: KaVoom
Open-source/Free: Synergy

http://www.techsupportalert.com/issues/back_issues.htm
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best_46_free_utilities.htm
http://www.techsupportalert.com/more/extended.htm

Great Software:
http://www.anova.org/software/
http://tinyapps.org/
http://www.marktaw.com/reviews/MyFavoriteSmallware.html
http://www.donationcoder.com/Reviews/

http://www.print-conductor.com/

http://slayeroffice.com/code/imageCrossFade/xfade2.html

To view a PDF:
Foxit PDF viewer http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php
or
Sumatra: http://blog.kowalczyk.info/software/sumatrapdf/

To convert a file online:
http://convert.neevia.com/ (1MB max)
http://www.expresspdf.com/ (20MB max, far fewer document formats supported)
Convert back:
http://pdfdl.oceighty.net/pdf2html.php?url=

Free PDF printer driver:
CutePDF http://www.cutepdf.com/products/cutepdf/writer.asp
(http://www.primopdf.com/ is similar to cute, but I prefer cute)
(http://www.pdf995.com/ is a free suite, but bulky and unneccesary)

Best pay PDF printer driver:
PDF Factory http://www.pdffactory.com/ (which I believe uses industry-leading compression algorithms)

GPL Open-source PDF utility:
PDFCreator http://sector7g.wurzel6.de/pdfcreator/index_en.htm
(GhostScript http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/)

Many types of encoded videos found on the internet (usually MPEG4: DivX,XviD,H.264) might not be playable on your computer as it stands. Here’s a virtually brain-less way (and actually completely free) to get most videos to play.

VideoLAN Client plays virtually any media file (except RealMedia): http://www.videolan.org/
Just get the portable version – compressed for convenience:
http://portableapps.com/apps/audio_video/media_players/portable_vlc

(And… GOM Player plays broken AVIs)

Or if you want to use Windows Media Player or other DirectShow players, you need a filter.
FFDShow (Tryouts fork) is the best by far:
http://ffdshow-tryout.sourceforge.net/

If you want a “Codec Pack”, the only one I’d recommend is CCCP:
http://cccp-project.net/

Might post on more advanced things to do with video codecs in the future.

http://kryptonian-x.blogspot.com/2005/05/proxy-bypasser.html

but my personal favourites:
http://daveproxy.co.uk/
http://www.btunnel.info/

Philip Yancey defines faith as: “Believing in advance something that will only seem logical when seen in reverse.”

Doubt sees the obstacles. Faith sees the way!
Doubt sees the darkest night, Faith sees the day!
Doubt dreads to take a step. Faith soars on high!
Doubt questions, “Who believes?” Faith answers, “I!”

…For one day it will be gone…

Excerpted from Jeremiah 23:9-32

Here is my message about the prophets.
My heart is broken inside me.

The land is full of people who aren’t faithful to the Lord.
The prophets are leading sinful lives.
They don’t use their power in the right way.
Prophets and priests alike are ungodly, announces the Lord.
Even in my temple I find them sinning.

They are not faithful to me.
They are not living by the truth.
They strengthen the hands of those who do evil.
So the people do not turn from their sinful ways.
Do not listen to what the prophets are saying to you.
They fill you with false hopes.
They talk about visions that come from their own minds.
What they say does not come from my mouth.
I did not send those prophets.
But they have run to tell you their message anyway.
I did not speak to them.
But they have still prophesied.

Suppose they had stood in my courts.
Then they would have announced my message to my people.
They would have turned my people from their evil ways.
They would have turned them away from their sins.

I have heard what the prophets are saying.
They prophesy lies in my name.
They say, ‘I had a dream! The Lord has given me a dream!’
How long will that continue in the hearts of those prophets who tell lies?
They try to get others to believe their own mistaken ideas.

But let the one who has my message speak it faithfully.

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails

http://collabrank.web.cse.unsw.edu.au/

A meeting was held quite far from Earth!
“It’s time again for another birth.”
Said the angels to the LORD above,
“This special child will need much love.

“His progress may be very slow,
Accomplishments he may not show.
And he’ll require extra care
From the folks he meets down there.

“He may not run or laugh or play,
His thoughts may seem quite far away,
In many ways he won’t adapt,
And he’ll be known as handicapped.

“So let’s be careful where he’s sent,
We want his life to be content.
Please LORD, find parents who
Will do a special job for you.

“They will not realize right away
The leading role they’re asked to play,
But with this child sent from above
Comes stronger faith and richer love.

“And soon they’ll know the privilege given
In caring for their gift from Heaven.
Their precious charge, so meek and mild,
Is Heaven’s very special child.”

– By John & Edna Massimilla, December 1981

“He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the Lord will prosper.”

Habakkuk 1:2
Our LORD, how long must I cry for your help before you listen?

Habakkuk 3:17-19
Even if the fig trees no longer blossom, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will celebrate in the God who saves me. The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He will make my feet as sure as those of a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.

No matter what life may bring. Live joyfully.

“I’m never down; I’m either up or getting up.”

“To err is human, but when the eraser wears out ahead of the pencil, you’re overdoing it.” — Jerry Jenkins.

“I have not failed. I’ve successfully found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” — Thomas Edison.

“There is no failure. Only feedback.” — Robert Allen.

“The men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed.” — Lloyd Jones.

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable but more useful than a life spent in doing nothing.” — George Bernard Shaw.

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” — Theodore Roosevelt.

“It is defeat that turns bone to flint, and gristle to muscle, and makes people invincible, and formed those heroic natures that are now in ascendancy in our world. Do not, then, be afraid of defeat. You are never so near to victory as when defeated in a good cause.” — Henry Ward Beecher.

“A man may fall many times, but he won’t be a failure until he says that someone pushed him.” — Elmer G. Letterman.

“The is no failure except in no longer trying.” — Elbert Hubbard.

“Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” — Samuel Beckett.

“Our business in life is not to succeed, but to continue to fail in good spirits.” — Robert Louis Stevenson.

“It is a mistake to suppose that men succeed through success; they much oftener succeed through failures. Precept, study, advice and example could never have taught them so well as failure has done.” — Samuel Smiles.

“You always pass failure on your way to success.” — Mickey Rooney.

“The best way out is always through.” — Robert Frost.

“Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.” — Psalm 37:24 (NLT)

“Failures are not something to be avoided. You want to have them happen as quickly as you can so you can make progress rapidly.” — Gordon Moore, Chairman Emeritus, Intel

Nonpareil
ProxiFree — The Google of CGI Proxies

Recommended (mainly for speed and reliability)
Web Warper
Guardster
The Cloak

More
http://cexx.org/anony.htm
http://www.freeproxy.ru/en/free_proxy/cgi-proxy.htm
http://www.spiesonline.net/anonymous.shtml

“If you give yourself to Him, and accept Him as your Saviour, then, sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous. Christ’s character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned.” — Ellen G. White. Steps to Christ (1892). p62.2

“Our part is, by believing His word, to find rest in Christ Jesus. His words are spirit and life. In believing them there is rest and peace.” — Ellen G. White. Letters About Another Place (1905).

Comprehensive Lists & Comparisons:
dmoz
http://notlong.com/links/
http://linktrim.com/lt/links

Recommended:
http://snipurl.com/
http://notlong.com/
http://url123.com/

Others (alphabetical):
0url.com
1tiny.com
6url.com
babyurl.com
doiop.com
linkezy.com
linktrim.com
link.toolbot.com
lin.kz
makeashorterlink.com
metamark.net
minilien.com
qurl.net
rubyurl.com
shorl.com
shorterlink.com
shurl.org
skinnylink.com
smcurl.com
tiny2go.com
tinyclick.com
tinylink.com
tinyurl.com
urlcut.com
urljr.com
url.etusivu.net
v3.net

Note1: These services are only recommended for short-term (months) use. There is no garuantee these companies will last for more than the next 12 months.
Note2: You can even redirect to a mailto: link.

“Fear is that little darkroom where negatives are developed” — Michael Pritchard