Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Friday, 7 October 2011
THE (SCIENTIFIC) DEATH OF JESUS
For the next 60 seconds, set aside whatever
You're doing and take this opportunity! Let's see if Satan
Can stop this.
... ... ... ... THE (SCIENTIFIC) DEATH OF JESUS
At the age of 33,
Jesus was condemned to death .
At the time
Crucifixion was the "worst" death. Only the worst
Criminals were condemned to be crucified. Yet it was
Even more dreadful for Jesus, unlike
Other criminals condemned to death by
Crucifixion Jesus was to be nailed to the
Cross by His hands and feet.
Each nail
Was 6 to 8 inches long.
The nails
Were driven into His wrist. Not
Into His palms as is commonly
Portrayed. There's a tendon in the wrist that
Extends to the shoulder. The Roman guards knew
That when the nails were being hammered into the
Wrist that tendon would tear and
Break, forcing Jesus to use His back
Muscles to support himself so that He could
Breath.
Both of His feet
Were nailed together. Thus He was forced to
Support Himself on the single nail that
Impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus could
Not support himself with His legs because of the pain
So He was forced to alternate between arching His
Back then using his legs just to continue to
Breath. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the
Suffering, the courage.
Jesus endured this
Reality for over 3 hours.
Yes,
Over 3 hours! Can you imagine this kind of
Suffering? A few minutes before He died,
Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring water
From his wounds.
From common images
We see wounds to His hands and feet and even the spear wound
To His side... But do we realize His wounds
Were actually made in his body. A hammer
Driving large nails through the wrist, the feet overlapped
And an even large nail hammered through the arches, then a
Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. But
Before the nails and the spear Jesus was whipped and
Beaten. The whipping was so severe that it tore the
Flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His
Face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. The
Crown of thorns cut deeply into His scalp. Most men
Would not have survived this torture.
"
He had no more blood
To bleed out, only water poured from His
Wounds.
The human adult body contains about 3.5 liters
(just less than a gallon) of blood.
Jesus poured all 3.5
Liters of his blood; He had three nails hammered into His
Members; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond
That, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into His
Chest..
All these without
Mentioning the humiliation He suffered after carrying His own
Cross for almost 2 kilometers, while the crowd spat in his
Face and threw stones (the cross was almost 30 kg of weight,
Only for its higher part, where His hands were
Nailed).
Jesus had
To endure this experience, to open the
Gates of Heaven,
So that you can have free
Access to God.
So that your sins
Could be "washed" away. All of them, with no exception!
Don't ignore this situation.
JESUS
CHRIST DIED FOR YOU!
He died for you! It
Is easy to pass jokes or foolish photos by e-mail, but
When it comes to God, sometimes you feel ashamed to forward
To others because you are worried of what they may think
About you.
God
Has plans for you, show all your friends what He experienced
To save you. Now think about this! May God bless your
Life!
60
Seconds with God...
For the next 60
Seconds, set aside what you're doing and take
This opportunity! Let's see if Satan can stop
This.
All you have to do
Is:
1. Simply
Pray for the person who sent this message to
You:
2.Then, send this
Message to people.. The more the better.
3. People will
Pray for you and you will make that many people pray to God
For other people.
4. Take a
Moment to appreciate the power of God in your life, for
Doing what pleases Him.
If you are not
Ashamed to do this, please, follow Jesus' instructions.
He said (Matthew 10:32 & 33): "Everyone therefore
Who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge
before My Father in heaven; but whosoever denies Me
before others, I will deny before my Father in heaven.
Click Share so that they'll know about Jesus :)
Thursday, 6 October 2011
Monday, 3 October 2011
HEAVEN IS CALLED HEAVEN BECAUSE GOD IS THERE
If you asked a number of people if they believe there is a place calledheaven, most would probably say yes. But if you asked them what it’s like or how to get there, I suspect you’d get a variety of answers. Though many people cling to a belief in heaven and hope to go there when they die, very few have an accurate understanding of it.
Since human beings are earth-bound until death, misconceptions about heaven are common. Some people imagine it as a foggy haze where formless spirits float about or winged saints sit on clouds playing harps. Movies about the afterlife present their own version of what awaits. And a few people who have reportedly returned from near-death experiences have described what they believe they saw.
Amid all the confusing and contradictory views, we need to remember that the only sure source of accurate information about heaven is the Bible. In its pages, God gives us glimpses of celestial scenes. Although we may long for more details and descriptions, the Lord has revealed what He wants us to know and, more than likely, what we can handle. Our human limitations keep us from adequately comprehending the inconceivable glories above. We have no frame of reference for understanding all that God has prepared for us (1 Cor. 2:9). Many times we have more questions than answers.
How Do I Get to Heaven?
The Bible clearly states that after death, there are only two possible destinies for mankind—heaven or hell. In a story that vividly contrasted the comfort of eternal life with everlasting torment, Jesus explained that switching locations is impossible (Luke 16:19-31). Knowing this, we would be foolish to ignore God’s Word and risk relying on our own ideas about how to get to heaven.
Many people think that eternal destiny is determined by behavior. If their good works outweigh the bad, they believe God will accept them. But the Lord says all our good works are like filthy rags in His sight (Isa. 64:6). Since every person on earth inherits a fallen nature, no one is qualified to enter God’s holy dwelling place.
Our entrance into heaven has nothing to do with how good we are; what matters is how good Jesus is, and what He did for us. He lived an absolutely perfect life and paid the penalty for our sin by dying in our place. Those who believe this and accept His payment on their behalf are given a ticket to heaven which can never be revoked.
Why Should I Be Interested in Heaven?
Some Christians are content simply to know they are eternally secure. Sure, they want to experience the glories above but see no immediate connection between their daily lives and their future destiny. Therefore, they feel no desire to learn more about it. But Christ wants believers to know “the hope of His calling, . . . the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:18). None of us would be uninterested in an earthly inheritance, yet many of God’s children make no effort to discover what He has prepared for them in eternity.
Heaven is our future home. That’s where our citizenship is; we’re only travelers on earth. A lifetime here will seem like a mere breath compared to the time we spend in eternity. Whenever you read a Bible passage that describes some heavenly scene or activity, put yourself in the picture, because that is going to be your reality. The pearly gates and the street of gold are not just a fairy tale. You will one day walk through those gates, step on that street, and come face to face with Jesus.
This eternal dwelling place is home for all of God’s family. We’ll meet the saints from every age and be reunited with our believing loved ones. But this reunion will be so much better than any we’ve previously experienced. There will be no conflicts or misunderstandings—only perfect love and intimacy. The ideal fellowship we all yearn for will be ours forever.
But the most important reason to learn more about heaven is because it’s the dwelling place of God. We will finally be in the presence of the One who died for us. For all of our earthly years, we have loved and served Him, but in eternity, our faith will become sight. The sin that kept us from perfect, intimate fellowship with the Lord will never again hinder our relationship.
What Is Heaven Like?
Because Jesus came from the Father to earth, He had firsthand knowledge of our glorious future home. Shortly before dying, He told His disciples that He was returning to His Father’s house to prepare a place for them and would come back to take them to their new home (John 14:1-3). Ever since that day, Christians throughout history have been waiting for His promised return.
Today, when believers die, their souls are ushered instantly into the Lord’s presence to experience all the joys and comforts of heaven (2 Cor. 5:6-9). Jesus will bring them with Him when He returns for His church, and their souls will be reunited with imper-ishable resurrected bodies (1 Thess. 4:13-17). Those of us who are alive at that time will be changed—our bodies will be transformed from weak, mortal, and sinful to glorious, immortal, and perfect.
If you want to know what your new body will be like, look at Jesus’ body after His resurrection. He was not an ethereal spirit but literal flesh and bone; the disciples could see and touch Him. He even ate with them (Luke 24:36-43). But the best thing about our new bodies is that they will be free of sin and its curse. Never again will we experience an inward struggle to obey the Lord. Nor will we ever live with the pain, suffering, and death that came as a result of the fall of mankind.
Many years after John heard Jesus promise to prepare a place for His followers, he was given a vision of the future. He saw a new heaven and earth that were completely cleansed of all sin. Standing on a high mountain, he watched the New Jerusalem come down out of heaven. The promised place was prepared and ready. The sight was beyond human description, but John did his best to put this celestial vision into earthly language (Rev. 21:1-22:5).
The brilliance of God’s glory radiated from the structure, and its foundations gleamed with various colors of precious stones. The gates were made of pearls and the street of transparent gold. This 1500-mile-long cube-shaped city was designed by the Lord as a place where He and mankind would share an intimate, perfect relationship forever.
Though we may have difficulty imagining the physical structure of this city, we have no trouble understanding the meanings of the things that are not in the New Jerusalem. There will be no pain, tears, mourning, or death. All frustration, boredom, and problems will cease. No one will have handicaps, and our bodies will never grow old, tired, or sick.
What Will I Do in Heaven?
Although most of us understand that heaven is a place of great joy and delight, we may wonder what we are going to do there. Some Christians have even voiced their concern that it might be boring—one long church service that never ends.
Although praise of our God and Savior will be an essential part of our activities, we must be careful not to view it strictly from the perspective of our present earthly experience. Right now we live in fleshly bodies and struggle with self-centered thinking, but then we will be free from selfishness and will take constant delight in praising the Lord. When the blinders of this mortal life are removed, we will see things as they really are (1 Cor. 13:12). Knowing fully what Christ has saved us from and seeing the glories He has provided for us, we will not be able to stop ourselves from joyfully thanking and exalting Him.
In fact, everything we do will be an act of worship. In Luke 19:12-26, Jesus told a parable that clearly shows we will be given responsibilities in heaven according to our degree of faithfulness with what God entrusted to us on earth. Even in eternity, we’re described as bondservants of the Lord (Rev. 22:3). Our service for Christ began the moment we were saved and will continue forever. Relocation to heaven does not bring about the end of service but rather the perfection of it—all the frustration, failure, and inadequacy that has accompanied our work since the fall will be removed.
How Can I Prepare for Heaven?
Knowing the glories of eternity should motivate us to live for Christ during our time on earth. Keeping an eternal perspective enables us to endure hardship and pain without losing heart. Like Paul, we will realize that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18). When the difficulties of this life become burdensome, remember that the only trouble and pain you’ll ever experience will occur during your earthly lifetime, but the ecstasy of heaven will be yours forever.
As long as we remain here, God has work for us to do. Because we’re Christ’s witnesses, it is our responsibility to tell others about the Savior so they, too, can be with Him forever. In fact, everything we do is to be done as for the Lord (Col. 3:23-24). Our purpose is to live for Him, not for our own pleasures and ambitions.
An awareness of eternity should also motivate us to live godly lives that are worthy of reward. When believers stand before the judgment seat of Christ, their eternal destiny will not be the issue; that was settled at the cross. But He will evaluate their works and compensate them accordingly (1 Cor. 3:10-15). Those who have been faithful servants will be rewarded with increased responsibility, a greater capacity for joy in heaven, and praise from the Lord (Matt. 25:20-23).
Each day is an opportunity to prepare for our eternal home. It’s so easy to get sidetracked with the cares of this life, but what we do today will shape our experiences in eternity. Let’s spend our lives in faithful service to God, glorifying Him by bearing much fruit, and selflessly storing up treasure in heaven. Christ’s commendation of “Well done, good and faithful servant” will be worth every earthly sacrifice.
Questions for Further Study
Description of Heaven
Read Revelation 21:1-22:5 and imagine yourself in the scene. Describe what you see as you approach the New Jerusalem and enter through its gate. What are you going to experience in this city? What will you not experience?
Benefits of an Eternal Mindset
How does Peter describe our inheritance (1 Pet. 1:3-5)? Knowing this, what attitude and perspective can we have (vv. 6-9)? Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-18. What difficult conditions are mentioned in verses 7-11? Describe the hope that is presented in verses 14-18. To prevent us from losing heart, where should our focus be?
Preparation for Heaven
As we wait for our eternal home, what ambition should motivate us (2 Cor. 5:6-9)? Read 2 Peter 3:10-15. What is going to happen to the earth and everything that goes on here? How should this knowledge shape our lives now? What does Jesus recommend that we do to prepare for eternity (Luke 12:15-34)? Read the parable of the minas inLuke 19:11-27. How did the slaves’ faithfulness affect their futures? How did the master respond to each one? What has the Lord entrusted to you? How can you use what He’s given you to faithfully serve Him?
Friday, 30 September 2011
Salvation by Paul Washer
Have you ever felt life is empty, void of purpose, useless or even pointless? These feelings are quite common.
So why do so many feel this way? The Bible says that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” What that means is that we have all separated ourselves from God, and we need God as a child needs his or her parents. You may ask: how did I separate myself from God? Well, God has given us a conscience, He has told us the difference between right and wrong and we all have chosen wrong at one time or another. We have all “sinned” by doing this, like lying, hating, lusting, cheating etc.
So what’s the good news? The Good News is this: although God is just and obligated to not only separate us from Himself, but destroy us for our “sin,” He loves us and He sent His Son Jesus to take our punishment and die in our place. Let me explain, as we said earlier we have all made mistakes. These mistakes have separated us from God, left us empty and left us so guilty that God in His justice should destroy us. Not wanting to destroy us, God made Himself into a man (Jesus); He lived as a man and even was tempted to do evil like we do, and once the correct time had come He (Jesus) was crucified and put to death for you and me. If you are willing to turn from sin, accept that sacrifice for yourself and live for God, Jesus will give you a new life, restoring your fellowship with God and sparing you from the judgment that you (like all of us) deserve.
Receiving Jesus Is as Easy as Praying this Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I recognize that I have sinned. I ask you Lord to forgive me my sin. I choose to turn from sin and follow you. I choose to live for you, tell others about you and love others. I choose to be your servant and spread your love. I thank you Lord that you died in my place. I thank you for forgiving me my sin. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
God asks that we turn from sin, from selfish evil ways and that we take up the new purpose of following Him. If you have made a decision today to turn from your old life, please take a moment to let us know:
Did you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior? If so we would like to connect with you!
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Friday, 23 September 2011
The Different Kinds of People
We all have difficult people we need to deal with in our lives on a daily basis. While such characteristics may be exaggerations, you may find traits of them in a few of the people in your workplace, amongst your friends, or even a loved one. Psychological research has suggested several ways of coping with difficult people in your life, e.g. hostile co-workers or bosses, complainers, super-agreeables, know-it-all experts, pessimists, and stallers.
1. The Hostile Co-worker or Boss
Dealing with hostile people requires both tact and strength. Since persons who feel they have been wronged are more likely to be belligerent and violent, you should first try to be sure they have been dealt with fairly.
In addition, it would be wise to help them meet as many of their needs as possible without reinforcing their aggressiveness or discriminating in their favor. Likewise, avoid interactions with them that encourage intense emotions or threats of violence. Certainly do not interact with your angry “enemies” when they are drinking or carrying weapons. Say or do nothing that would incite more anger or, on the other hand, cause you to appear to be scared, weak, and a “pushover.”
In most cases, strong retaliation against an aggressive person is the worst thing you can do. Nastiness begets nastiness. Hostility escalates. Threats of punishment may also work. Remember punishment is only effective while the punisher is observing — watch out for subtle rebellion.
If you can divert the angry person’s attention to some meaningful task or a calm discussion of the situation, the anger should subside. Also, offer him/her any information that would explain the situation that upsets him/her. Point out similarities or common interests between him/her and the person they are mad at (you). Let him/her see or hear about calm, rational ways of resolving differences. Almost anything that gets him/her thinking about something else will help.
The Institute of Mental Health Initiatives provide a brief list of ways to calm an angry person: reduce the noise level, keep calm yourself, acknowledge that the irate person has been wronged (if true) or, at least, acknowledge their feelings without any judgment, ask them to explain their situation (so you can tactfully correct errors), listen to their complaints without counter-attacking, explain your feelings with non-blaming “I” statements, show that you care but set limits on violence (“I’d like to work it out with you but I’ll have to call the police if you can’t control yourself”).
2. The Chronic Complainer
What about the chronic complainers? They are fault-finding, blaming, and certain about what should be done but they never seem able to correct the situation by themselves. Often they have a point — there are real problems — but their complaining is not effective (except it is designed to prove someone else is responsible).
Coping with complainers involves, first, listening and asking clarifying questions, even if you feel guilty or falsely accused. There are several don’ts: don’t agree with the complaints, don’t apologize (not immediately), and don’t become overly defensive or counter-attack because this only causes them to restate their complaints more heatedly. Secondly, as you gather facts, create a problem-solving attitude. Be serious and supportive. Acknowledge the facts. Get the complaints in writing and in precise detail; get others, including the complainer, involved in collecting more data that might lead to a solution. In addition to what is wrong, ask “What should happen?” If the complainer is unhappy with someone else, not you, you may want to ask, “Have you told (the complainee) yet?” or “Can I tell __________?” or “Can I set up a meeting with them?” Thirdly, plan a specific time to make decisions cooperatively that will help the situation…and do it.
3. The Super-Agreeable
What about the persons who are super nice and smilingly agree with your ideas until some action is required, then they back down or disappear. Such people seek approval. They have learned, probably as children, that one method for getting “love” is by telling people (or pretending) you really care for and/or admire them. Similarly, the super-agreeables will often promise more than they deliver: “I’ll get the report done today” or “I’d love to help you clean up.” They are experts in phoniness, so don’t try to “butter them up.”
Instead, reassure the super-agreeable that you will still like them even if they tell you the truth. Ask them to be candid and make it easy for them to be frank: “What part of my plan is okay but not as good as it could be?” Help them avoid making promises they can’t keep: “Are you sure you can have the money by then? How about two weeks later?” Tell and show them you value their friendship. Let them know you are ready to compromise because you know they will be more than fair.
4. The Know-It-All Expert
Know-it-all experts are of two types: the truly competent, productive, self-assured, genuine expert and the partially informed person pretending to be an expert. Both can be a pain.
The true expert may act superior and make others feel stupid; they may be bull headed and impatient with differing opinions; they are often self-reliant, don’t need or want any help, and don’t want to change. If you are going to deal with the true expert as an equal, you must do your homework thoroughly; otherwise, they will dismiss you. First of all, listen to them and accurately paraphrase their points. Don’t attack their ideas but rather raise questions that suggest alternatives: “Would you tell me more?” or “What do you think the results will be in five years?” “It probably isn’t a viable choice but could we consider…?” Secondly, show your respect for his/her competence but don’t put yourself down. Lastly, if the expert can not learn to consider others’ ideas, you may be wise to graciously accept a subordinate role as his/her “helper.” True experts deserve respect.
The pretentious-but-not-real expert is relatively easy to deal with because he/she (unlike liars or cons) is often unaware of how little he/she knows. Such a person can be gently confronted with the facts. Do it when alone with them. Help them save face. They simply want to be admired.
5. The Pessimist
Another “burden” to any group is the pessimist –the person who always says, “It won’t work” or “We tried that.” These angry, bitter people have the power to drag us down because they stir up the old pool of doubt and disappointment within us. So, first of all, avoid being sucked into his/her cesspool of hopelessness. Don’t argue with the pessimist; don’t immediately offer solutions to the difficulties predicted by the pessimist.
Instead, make optimistic statements — showing that change is possible — and encourage the group to brainstorm leading to several possible alternatives. Then ask what are the worst possible consequences of each alternative (this gives the negativist a chance to do his/her thing but you can use the gloomy predictions in a constructive, problem-solving way). Also ask, “What will happen if we do nothing?” Finally, welcome everyone’s help but be willing to do it alone because the pessimist won’t volunteer.
6. The Staller
Every group has a “staller,” a person who puts off decisions for fear someone will be unhappy. Unlike the super-agreeable, the staller is truly interested in being helpful. So, make it easier for him/her to discuss and make decisions. Try to find out what the staller’s real concerns are (he/she won’t easily reveal negative opinions of you). Don’t make demands for quick action. Instead, help the staller examine the facts and make compromises or develop alternative plans (and decide which ones take priority). Give the staller reassurance about his/her decision and support the effective carrying out of the decision.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JUNREY NUEVAS
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
SOUL SURFER
Bethany (played by AnnaSophia Robb) was born to surf. A natural talent who took to the waves at a young age, she was leading an idyllic, sun-drenched, surfer girl's life on the Kauai Coast, competing in national competitions with her best friend Alana (Lorraine Nicholson), when everything changed in a heartbeat. On Halloween morning, Bethany was on a typical ocean outing when a 14-foot tiger shark came out of nowhere and seemed to shatter all her dreams.
In the wake of this life-changing event that took her arm and nearly her life, Bethany's feisty determination and steadfast faith spur her toward an adventurous comeback that gives her the grit to turn her loss into a gift for others.
SOUL SURFER reveals the moving aftermath of this headline-making story, as Bethany fights to recover and grapples with the future. Strengthened by the love of her parents, Tom (Dennis Quaid) and Cheri (Helen Hunt), she refuses to give in or give up, and begins a bold return to the water. Still, the questions keep hammering her: Why did this happen? Why did she have to lose everything? Will she ever feel the joy and power of riding the waves again? And if she can't be a surfer, then who is she?
The devastating 2004 tsunami in the Pacific Ocean unexpectedly gives Bethany a new perspective. Traveling to Phuket, Thailand with her youth-group leader Sara Hill (Carrie Underwood), she witnesses life beyond her own shoreline and discovers her greater purpose-she can make a difference in the lives of others. Filled with a new sense of hope and direction, she returns home with a renewed resolve to conquer her own limitations and set an encouraging example for people facing adversity.
At the National Championships, Bethany bravely faces off with her fiercest rival, Malia Birch (Sonya Balmores), and takes her astonishing one-armed surfing technique to the limit. But as the horn blows, and the suspenseful competition kicks off, Bethany is no longer thinking about the challenges of her body. Now, her surfing, her biggest dreams and her life have become about pushing her own physical limits to touch the souls of others.
Directed by Sean McNamara, the screenplay was by McNamara, Deborah Schwartz. Douglas Schwartz and Michael Berk.SOUL SURFER is based on the book by Bethany Hamilton, Sheryl Berk and Rick Bundschuh. The screen story by Sean McNamara, Deborah Schwartz, Douglas Schwartz, Michael Berk, Matt R. Allen, Caleb Wilson and Brad Gann.
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