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At the beginning of a new year we often resolve to improve our lives in some way. Change a habit, drop a few pounds, be nicer, happier, and maybe even go to services more often. It has been about a month since those resolutions were made, if we even bothered to do so this year. How are you doing so far? The spiritual teacher Neem Karoli Baba often asked "Can't you see it's all perfect?"
You, the world, everybody and everything else in it, this very moment ... all perfect. If that is so, why do we often have the urge to change or improve? Because we have a deeper knowing, an inner wisdom that senses there is a better place, a higher, more beautiful place. We sense there can be greater joy and contentment than we are experiencing now in this "perfect" moment.
Jesus suggested that all real change begins within.....
.....I realize we're all in this together to learn how to let the image of God become visible, first within and then, perhaps through a lifetime of practice, little glimmers of the light might be seen by others: God's reflected glory, from my heart to yours. Marsha Sinetar wrote that "we touch heaven when we make elegant choices, options that tend toward honor, courage and truth and that when we consciously choose to do so, we bring God into the presence of the universe and heaven is all around."
Let's resolve to fill the rest of 2010 with as much heaven as we can. No need to wait for a new year to begin again; DO IT NOW! I resolve to be at the Dingletown Community Church every Sunday for 10:30 a.m. worship at 376 Stanwich Road at Barnstable Lane. See you there.
COMMENT:
ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS IS THAT
NO ONE IN MAINSTREAM GREENWICH CHURCHES
IS TAUGHT TO FEAR JESUS ALMIGHTY
That's Why Greenwich Hedge Fund Managers Think That It's Alright That They Pay A Lower Tax Rate Than Their Working Class Receptionists.
That's Why Greenwich Bankers Think It Is OK To Take Multimillion Dollar Bonuses Funded By Low And Moderate Income Taxpayers.
That's Why Greenwich Wall Street Executives Refuse To Let Their Household Help And Other Poor Folks Have Access To Health Insurance, While They Enjoy The Benefits Of A Cadillac Heath Plan.
That's Why Poor Children In Byram Often Go To Bed Hungry, While Greenwich Multimillionaires By Their Teenagers Audis And BMWs To Drive To Greenwich High School.
MOST GREEDY GREENWICH HEDGE FUND MANAGERS
HAVE HEARD THAT THEY TOO CAN BE SAVED:
The Bible says there is only one way to Heaven
Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." (John 14:6)
Good works cannot save you.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Trust Jesus Christ today! Here's what you must do:
Admit you are a sinner.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Romans 5:12)
"If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:10)
Be willing to turn from sin (repent).
Jesus said: "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:5)
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:" (Acts 17:30)
Believe that Jesus Christ died for you, was buried, and rose from the dead.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners. Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9)
Through prayer, invite Jesus into your life to become your personal Saviour.
"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10)
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)
What to pray:
Dear God, I am a sinner and need forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ shed His precious blood and died for my sin. I am willing to turn from sin. I now invite Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal Saviour.
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" (John 1:12)
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
If you have received Jesus Christ as your Saviour, as a Christian you should:
Read your Bible every day to get to know Christ better.
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalms 119:105)
Talk to God in prayer every day.
"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." (Matthew 21:22)
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4:6)
Be baptized, worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a church where Christ is preached and the Bible is the final authority.
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" (Matthew 28:19)
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25)
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Timothy 3:16)
Tell others about Christ.
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15)
"For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!" (1 Corinthians 9:16)
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)
BUT WHAT ABOUT THAT BIBLE THUMPING GREENWICH ROUNDUP
WHO NEEDS TO STOP JUDGING AND REMOVE THE IMPEDIMENTS FROM HIS OWN LIFE FIRST:
It is True That Greenwich Roundup Had better quit worring about the speck of sawdust in his eye and start paying attention to the plank in his one partially good left eye or he might find himself crying with the hedge fund losers in Hell?
Greenwich Roundup is a one eyed Jewish Hill Billy who grew up in the hills and the hollars of the Ozark mountains.
Being from the "show me state" he slowly converted to Christianity after repeatedly hearing and reading theNew Testiment for about a year.
However, Greenwich Roundup still has this intense desire to cry out for social justice that tends to cause him to deliver his thoughts in a less than genitle way.
Social justice has a central place in Judaism.
One of Judaism’s most distinctive and challenging ideas is its ethics of responsibility reflected in the concepts of simcha ("gladness" or "joy"), tzedakah ("the religious obligation to perform charity and philanthropic acts"), chesed ("deeds of kindness"), and tikkun olam ("repairing the world").
Likewise, Jesus' message was about both personal salvation AND social justice.
It's amazing to witness what God's Church is doing in what we're told is a post-modern world.
Most Of His people have always been generous to a fault.
Studies show Christians are much more philanthropic than the public at large. Even Christians in lower tax brackets are prone to giving what they have much more readily than those who make more money.
Matthew 5
1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,
2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
But Then Again:
J. Paul Getty once said
"The meek shall inherit the earth, but not the mineral rights."
That's Why Jesus Said:
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. - Matthew 19:24
Forget all the technicalities:
Bottom line-what is good and what is not?
A gold watch or food for a starving child?
A new car or medicine for a dying baby?
A facelift or comfort for a disabled person?
Come on, we all know the answers.
People need to quit fooling themselves.
Deep down, you know what's right and what's wrong, and you make the choices.
And Jesus knows.
Riches bind us to material posessions (the earth).
Also, Did the Lord also say that those who are first on earth will be last in the next life?
Keep what you need... giving yourself enough to live on for years to come... sell and GIVE AWAY what you do not need to many people who do need.
IF YOU DON"T WANT TO FOLLOW JESUS,
THEN YOU CAN JUST GO TO HELL
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