Session Notes

Q&A: What about the sanctification mentioned in Hebrews 12:14?:

“t sure couldn’t be the old performance-based sanctification they were resorting to because that bogus sanctification had no power over sin. The only possible sanctification he demands is that of the once and for all done deal of Christ. Now, also notice the connection: peace with all men and this sanctification. This is INCREDIBLY significant!! Why? Because there is NO real peace we can have with one another unless it is based upon the peace established by Christ in breaking down the barriers between us. In 1 Corinthians 2:2 Paul writes: ”For I determined to know nothing among you except Christ, and him crucified“. This is the same thing referred to by the writer of Hebrews because ”pursuing“ this sanctification is the determination to see all things in view of it.”

This is an incredible article that stresses the two HEB verses 12:10 and 14! We have been made righteous and holy by Christ alone!!!

Q&A: Tell me about your prayer life!:

“ I count on God’s Spirit to interpret the desires of my heart … for it is one with Christ.  The fact is that we are already IN the throne room of God all day, every day.  From within my heart – that new one created in Christ – I am always in communion and communication with God.  As I grow in this confidence I am recognizing how much a part of my life this is.  Here I was trying to make this ”prayer“ thing happen … and it had been already happening.  To have thought that my ”praying“ caused me to enter God’s throne only conflicted with the work of Christ in having already done it for me!”

TheStar.com | Ontario | Chemical hurts children, demonstrators say :

“Smith was referring to a chemical that is used in hard plastic baby bottles, sippy cups and the lining of some food cans. Bisphenol A is known to leach into food. More than 130 peer-reviewed studies have associated bisphenol A with a variety of health problems, including breast cancer, obesity, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and a wide range of other developmental problems, according to Aaron Freeman, the policy director of Environmental Defence.”

snopes.com

Bill Donohue, president of The Catholic League, has condemned The Golden Compass as a “pernicious” effort to indoctrinate children into anti-Christian beliefs and has produced a 23-page pamphlet titled The Golden Compass: Unmasked in which he maintains that Pullman “sells atheism for kids.” Donohoe told interviewer John Gibson on 9 October 2007 why he believes Christians should stay away from the film:

Isn’t fundamentalism of every stripe fun? They’re a guaranteed marketing plan for nearly everything:

Want to make a movie about the death of Christ? Just position it to make the zealot Jews mad and get free marketing.

Want to market a fantasy movie to secular society? Get the Christian fundamentalists mad and turn a show likely to do nothing at the box office into an instant hit via all of their free marketing.

Want to release the most dismal and unartistic film about sex and violence possible (One with no redeeming quality that would get it a decent review anywhere)? Just position it so it riles up the family coalition and get free marketing.

Want to release the dumbest cowboy story ever that has such a lame plot it would never get a second glance? Just make sure the cowboys are gay, bent on doing each other and the anti-gay marriage lobby will go crazy while even sane reviewers will give you a positive review. They’ll generate enough fire and smoke that the academy awards will be your oyster…

Want to be a huge star as a radio talk show host and a shock jock? Just tick-off Mr. Al Sharpton and, after a brief vacation, get re-signed to a huge salary and possibly even take in damages via the court system to boot. (Yes, I consider Rev. a term of far to high of respect to apply to him…)

Welcome to the world — it’s hardly just Islamofascism that’s sweeping the planet… Problem is, it’s not just fun — it’s a threat. Fundamentalism of every stripe is being fanned to a furious flame all over the world — and legitimizing the control of themselves and everyone else through their insane actions. Apparently, the members of such are all too stupid to figure out they are probably pawns in a much larger game.

DemocracyNow.org

The foundation of any system of freedom is the rule of law rather then the rule of the elite. The rule of law must be maintained through the voice of the people who are free to learn and think. When they are daily submerged in a swamp of inflammatory rhetoric, they neither think nor learn. In such, freedom dies and tyranny rules.

While the fundamentalist Christian elite think they are bringing a new dawn of the rule and reign of Christ on earth, they are actually destroying the freedom of religion so many fought and died for.

Simply, if they can control others to think their way, so can anyone else:

The person who uses political power to force others to conform to his ideas seems inevitably to become corrupted by the power he holds. In due course, he comes to believe that power and wisdom are one and the same, and since he has power, he must also have wisdom. At this point he begins to lose his ability to distinguish between what is morally right and what is politically expedient. [Unknown]

No one is exempt from this principle — not even the Christian Right.

Two comments that are totally profound:

Ministry and the Spiritual Life

All Jesus’ words and actions emerge from his intimate relationships with his Father. “Do you not believe,” Jesus says, “that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? What I say to you I do not speak of my own accord: it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his works. You must believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe it on the evidence of these works” (John 14:10-11).

Just as all Jesus’ words and actions emerge from his communion with his Father, so all our words and actions must emerge from our communion with Jesus. “In all truth I tell you,” he says, “whoever believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself, and will perform even greater works. … Whatever you ask for in my name I will do” (John 14:12-13). It is this profound truth that reveals the relationship between the spiritual life and the life of ministry.

Acting in the Name of Jesus

Ministry is acting in the Name of Jesus. When all our actions are in the Name, they will bear fruit for eternal life. To act in the Name of Jesus, however, doesn’t mean to act as a representative of Jesus or his spokesperson. It means to act in an intimate communion with him. The Name is like a house, a tent, a dwelling. To act in the Name of Jesus, therefore, means to act from the place where we are united with Jesus in love. To the question “Where are you?” we should be able to answer, “I am in the Name.” Then, whatever we do cannot be other than ministry because it will always be Jesus himself who acts in and through us. The final question for all who minister is “Are you in the Name of Jesus?”" When we can say yes to that, all of our lives will be ministry.

There are counselors who happen to be Christians — and then there are Christian Counselors. I pray I am in the latter category for the former is the definition of useless. Of course, that also would apply to plumbers…

McKinley Health Center - Dietary Sources of Iron - University of Illinois:

“The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for
iron for non-vegetarian pre-menopausal women is 18 mg/day. The RDA for
non-vegetarian men and post-menopausal women is 8 mg/day. Because of iron
absorption issues in a healthful, high-fiber vegetarian diet, the RDAs for
vegetarians are higher - 14 mg/day for vegetarian men and 33 mg/day for
vegetarian women. The upper level of intake should not exceed 45mg/day.”

Lack of iron causes stomach aches. Iron needs to be taken at lunch not at bedtime with calcium.

Iron Rich Foods for Iron Deficiency Anemia:

“Heme Iron, found in animal sources, is highly available for absorption. Non-heme iron on the other hand, found in vegetable sources, is less available. Iron rich foods of an iron rich diet are listed below: ”

Q&A: Formulating an argument against the responsibility guilt tri:

“Of course, even when believers are ”guilted“ into something our Father is able to cause this to work out for their good. This doesn’t make it ”okay“ for leaders to do such things, but actually makes it evident that such leaders are motivated and motivating by the flesh. But God is not hindered by the flesh … for His grace is only made more obvious against this lifeless backdrop!!
I have a question though: Why do you think God is in the business of convicting believers of disobedience when, in fact, He only ministers grace and life to us in Christ … because He has ALREADY made us slaves of obedience? Were you not aware of this? Somehow, we have misread the passage in John 16:7-11 so that we have assumed that this ”conviction“ is directed toward those rescued OUT of the world, instead of toward the unbelieving world itself.”

This is a fantastic article that talks about what obedience means to believers and unbelievers! I pray the churches would give the truth about the difference. Focusing on sin CANNOT TAKE SIN AWAY US, JESUS ALREADY DID FOR BELIEVERS.

I suspect the meeting really went more like this:

“We have a problem. If those people ever get wind of what freedom in Christ actually means, if they grasp what it means to be totally free from even the concept of sin itself and all the condemnation and judgment that goes along with it vanishes, there will be nothing to keep them from such a deep intimacy with their Creator. If they are enveloped with that depth of a love relationship with Him, they will never come out, their hearts will be totally changed and will start spreading that love to others.

So, here’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna tell them that they are free from sin — and then tell them that they have to continually struggle to make it so. We’re gonna tell them that they are free from the law — but that freedom only applies to eating pork. We’re gonna trap people in cycles of absurdist confession of everything other then the dietary laws — and some of them we’ll even get confessing pork too. We’re gonna tell them that God loves them, but that He can not look on the sin that covers them. No one’s heart can live through that loneliness.

Then we’re gonna invent even more laws. We’re gonna make them feel guilty for not giving money — and for giving it to the wrong places. We’re gonna tell them that they have to attend church on Sunday — and then use the pulpit to preach even more ethical demands and threats of broken relationship with God at them. We’re gonna use that pulpit to substantiate the idea that they can’t know God, hear from God or follow His voice — and make them depend on religious leaders to lead them.

Then we’ll present a God who is so pathetic and insecure that He sulks like a house cat whenever they violate one of the laws they were actually freed from. That will leave them trying to suck up to Him for so much of the time that they’ll never be able to hear how His heart just longs to hold them. As long as we can keep them wrapped up in shame and guilt, they will live under the law and never get anywhere near His love for them — by that time, we’ll OWN THEIR SOULS.”

Here’s what Jeremiah said: ‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,’ declares the Lord. ‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will put My Law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord, ‘for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.’ (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Here is Jeremiah’s comparison/contrast:

The Old Covenant The New Covenant

Law on stones ————- Law on the heart
Taken by the hand ———- Led from within
Covenant Broken ————– Covenant Kept
A broken relation ——– Unbroken Relation
Man’s teaching ——– No need for teaching
No knowledge of God ———– All Know Him
No true forgiveness —— All sins forgiven
Constant reminder of sin —– Sin forgotten

Ever stopped and thought about why we usually only hear sermons about shame and guilt? Think it has something to do with control?

Calgary’s Child - The Bully in All of Us:

“”My, you are very influential. How about doing that again and finding a way to include everyone?“”It seems the other children follow your direction, will you make sure they each get a turn?“”I see that being first in line is very important to you. As the leader, will you show the rest of the line how to wait patiently and quietly for the teacher?“”You are a real expert at this game! Will you show the other children how to play too?“”

This is an excellent article that takes punishment out of the equation. If offers excellent ideas on turning the negative into a positive. Since Jesus took away sin wouldn’t this be the best way to bless the identity of Jesus in a child?

Calgary’s Child - The EIGHT SECRETS To Family Happiness:

“One of the most important keys to family happiness is maintaining a positive attitude and helping encourage positive attitudes among the children and your spouse. Negativity breeds negativity. Whether you begin exercising or spend a half hour each day meditating (which ever way you prefer to ‘meditate’), finding a way to reduce the amount of stress you bring into a household is essential. ”

This is an good article on focusing on the positive and relaxing to minimize conflicts. We can choose to see our child as demanding or determined. The positive reframe and seeing them in the Finished Work of Jesus, may encourage a positive identity in Christ.

Music - Creative Kids:

“Freely dance a celtic jig, a lively polka, or a steamy salsa while developing rhythm, coordination, and beat. Let your child refine what they already do naturally, and come and have fun”

No right or wrong. It is just letting a kid’s imagination develop so they are not black and white thinkers.

charlotte.com

The Rev. Creflo Dollar disclosed the World Changers Church International’s financial information to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, but said the money he spends is his own.

Dollar said his income comes from personal investments, including businesses and real estate ventures. But the church gave him a Rolls Royce, which he mainly uses for special occasions, he said.

“Without a doubt, my life is not average,” he said. “But I’d like to say, just because it is excessive doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong.”

Remember the story of the day where Jesus stormed into an area the size of a city block, braided up a flog of cords and spent a good hour and a half driving out the gays and the hookers??? Oh, uhh, ya, never mind…

Maybe the federal government of the United States can braid up a flog of their own and take over for Jesus — starting with the rather aptly named Rev. Dollar?

No need for panic, doctors say after Toronto child contracts drug-resistant ailment:

“Yaffe said the child had been otherwise healthy before coming down with the bug and had received all the recommended vaccinations, according to hospital officials. The child had not travelled outside of Ontario before becoming ill more than two weeks ago.”

This is an interesting article because this bacteria was a new strain that could not be vaccinated against. I pray all are protected.

calgary.ctv.ca - Calgary news from CTV:

“Even though most Albertans have been vaccinated when they’re young doctors are learning one dose may not be enough.

Most Canadians born after 1990 did receive two doses of the vaccine, one as an infant and another a few years later and they shouldn’t be affected by the outbreak.

In the second phase of the initiative, all Albertans aged 17 to 26 years who may be at risk of the disease will be targeted for a mumps vaccination.
/
Mumps is generally a mild viral illness that results in fever, swelling and tenderness of one or more salivary glands, located at the angle of the jaw.

But officials say some people can be infected but show no symptoms and thereby unknowingly infect others.

Complications of mumps can include inflammation of the testes or ovaries, meningitis and more serious infections of the brain.”

Even though I have given the fear/confusion that my girls could get meningitis, He seemed to say it will be allright whatever we decide for boosters. I have peace at this point rather than terror when we vaccinated before. I pray so for all He lives out His faith/protection for us to trust Him in our choices.

Pew Research Center

The public is losing confidence in itself. A dwindling majority (57%) say they have a good deal of confidence in the wisdom of the American people when it comes to making political decisions. Similarly, the proportion who agrees that Americans “can always find a way to solve our problems” has dropped 16 points in the past five years.

Americans feel increasingly estranged from their government. Barely a third (34%) agree with the statement, “most elected officials care what people like me think,” nearly matching the 20-year low of 33% recorded in 1994 and a 10-point drop since 2002.

Young people continue to hold a more favorable view of government than do other Americans. At the same time, young adults express the least interest in voting and other forms of political participation.

We’ve known for years that the opinions of the American people have been slipping when it comes to the state of their government — that’s not news. What’s striking about this study is more what it doesn’t say then what it does.

The commentary of the study is focused on the loss of support for the leadership and the cynicism about those officials ability to solve the problems before them. Yet, the statistics of the study paint a totally different picture: A loss of confidence in democracy as a functional system.

The public has finally woken up and realized that the country no longer holds elections — it holds popularity contests. They are media driven games wherein the person who manages to most throughly sell his or her soul to and thus raise the most money from corporate and other interests launches the most elaborate media blitz and wins the game. The moment that person takes office, it’s time to pay the piper with a series of decisions that, to the average person, are nearly always destructive.

The official no longer represents the people — the official represents the corporation. Thus even young idealistic men and women, who still trust government, won’t stir themselves to vote.

If the media was actually the watch dog they are supposed to be, they’d be crying out in rage for the cancellation of any person’s ability to raise funds or use personal funds to run a campaign — mandating a simple government payout for advertising purposes. Finally, that would really make it to be about the issues. But no, they are at the trough themselves…

It’s easier to simply distract the public with, oh, I don’t know — perhaps racism? Ya, cool. There’s a plan. Even though, apparently, the same study found that the public is mostly no longer racist…

Interpersonal racial attitudes continue to moderate. More than eight-in-ten (83%) agree that “it’s all right for blacks and whites to date,” up six percentage points since 2003 and 13 points from a Pew survey conducted 10 years ago.

But, never mind that. Let’s devote most of the news coverage this week to some ex-con bounty hunter (Dog) who swore and used racial epithets in a private conversation with his son. That’ll throw them off the issues that really matter…

I just got this one today. It’s a classic example of the new marketing systems now being employed via the web…

We may as well just admit it. The preceding has been a paid advertisement for Britax Regent and is a chief marketing system for the following site…

And, it includes just a few inconsistencies…

The CDC reports that the average age for an 80lb child is between 10 and 12 yrs of age. Apparently, they plan to keep some children in a car seat until they are teens? How to transform your child into a permanent social outcast in his or her Jr. High in one easy lesson…

The stats on seat belt failure date from cars manufactured on cars before the 70’s and even lawyers will admit it. (Getting truth out of them should be cause for national celebration…)

The accident type is a roll over — yet the video demonstrates an accident type mostly caused by seat belt misuse (and unrelated to the video subject) as proof of the danger.

The other booster seat worked — the death was caused by a rare seat belt failure — so buy a new car seat???

Video claims it is recommended — by who? Definitely not the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the US government…

Finally, there have been aggressive attempts for years to mandate 5pt harness systems in all vehicles. The Federal governments of both the US and Canada have refused them. Reason? They are a pain in the butt, no one will wear them. Seat belts that are worn are worth a lot more then the small increase in safety offered by the 5pt systems no one will bother with wearing.

In years gone by, you had to have accurate ads or someone would sue. In an age of user generated content, who is there to sue?

Classic FUD — Fear, Uncertainty and Despair. It’s the marketing currency of our brave new world — and there is no watch-dog…

waterboarding.org

The confirmation vote for Michael Mukasey, nominee for United States Attorney General, is scheduled for Tuesday, November 6. In his confirmation hearing Judge Mukasey was asked for his opinion on waterboarding as a constitutionally valid technique for interrogation. Mukasey replied, “I don’t know what’s involved in the technique. … I think it would be irresponsible of me to discuss particular techniques with which I am not familiar.”

Waterboarding.org would like to offer to help the nominee become more familiar with water-based coercive interrogation techniques. Using unclassified sources, news reports, and historical records we are attempting to put together as clear a picture as possible of this technique, its history, its legality, and the scope of its use. We are also attempting to organize a group of doctors, paramedics, lawyers, and volunteers to allow anyone who remains confused or unclear on the details of waterboarding to safely subject themselves to as much of the technique as they are willing to endure.

We look forward to advising, educating, and assisting Michael Mukasey, future candidates, public figures, and anyone else who professes ignorance of our nation’s most controversial coercive interrogation technique.

I suspect the proper subtext under this is a line from Lord Acton:

“Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Or to put it in other terms:

The person who uses political power to force others to conform to his ideas seems inevitably to become corrupted by the power he holds. In due course, he comes to believe that power and wisdom are one and the same, and since he has power, he must also have wisdom. At this point he begins to lose his ability to distinguish between what is morally right and what is politically expedient.

Christian Right, meet the, “God fearing,” man who promised he would not let you down: Your president. (He’s a man so holy he likely has never even read that ungodly work of pagan thought called the Geneva Convention.)