Miles to go before I sleep...
It's all good...here are a few bits of 'history' I probably should have included in my earlier posts...
I apologize for the lengthy nature of this post, however, there are many miles to go before I sleep.
Exodus
[SUP]
3 [/SUP]“You shall have no other gods [SUP][b][/SUP]before Me.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]“You shall not make for yourself [SUP][c][/SUP]an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. [SUP]5 [/SUP]You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, [SUP]6 [/SUP]but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
Deuteronomy 5
[SUP]
8 [/SUP]‘You shall not make for yourself [SUP][g][/SUP]an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above [SUP][h][/SUP]or on the earth beneath [SUP][i][/SUP]or in the water under the earth. [SUP]9 [/SUP]You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, [SUP]10 [/SUP]but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
Numbers 14
Moses Pleads for the People
[SUP]11 [/SUP]The Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst? [SUP]12 [/SUP]I will smite them with [SUP][e][/SUP]pestilence and dispossess them, and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they.”
[SUP]
13 [/SUP]But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from their midst, [SUP]14 [/SUP]and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, O Lord, are in the midst of this people, for You, O Lord, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. [SUP]15 [/SUP]Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will [SUP][f][/SUP]say, [SUP]16 [/SUP]‘Because the Lord could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ [SUP]17 [/SUP]But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have [SUP][g][/SUP]declared, [SUP]18 [/SUP]‘The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children [SUP][h][/SUP]to the third and the fourth generations.’ [SUP]19 [/SUP]Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”
2 Kings 17
Why Israel Fell
[SUP]7 [/SUP]Now this came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and they had [SUP][a][/SUP]feared other gods [SUP]8 [/SUP]and walked in the [SUP][b][/SUP]customs of the nations whom the Lord had driven out before the sons of Israel, and in the customs of the kings of Israel which they had [SUP][c][/SUP]introduced. [SUP]9 [/SUP]The sons of Israel [SUP][d][/SUP]did things secretly which were not right against the Lord their God. Moreover, they built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. [SUP]10 [/SUP]They set for themselves sacred pillars and [SUP][e][/SUP]Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, [SUP]11 [/SUP]and there they burned incense on all the high places as the nations did which the Lord had carried away to exile before them; and they did evil things provoking the Lord. [SUP]12 [/SUP]They served idols, concerning which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” [SUP]13 [/SUP]Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My statutes according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you through My servants the prophets.” [SUP]14 [/SUP]However, they did not listen, but stiffened their neck [SUP][f][/SUP]like their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God. [SUP]15 [/SUP]They rejected His statutes and His covenant which He made with their fathers and His warnings with which He warned them. And they followed vanity and became vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the Lord had commanded them not to do like them. [SUP]16 [/SUP]They forsook all the commandments of the Lord their God and made for themselves molten images, even two calves, and made an [SUP][g][/SUP]Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. [SUP]17 [/SUP]Then they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and practiced divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him. [SUP]18 [/SUP]So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His [SUP][h][/SUP]sight; none was left except the tribe of Judah.
[SUP]
19 [/SUP]Also Judah did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the [SUP][i][/SUP]customs [SUP][j][/SUP]which Israel had [SUP][k][/SUP]introduced. [SUP]20 [/SUP]The Lord rejected all the [SUP][l][/SUP]descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them [SUP][m][/SUP]out of His sight.
[SUP]21 [/SUP]When He had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam drove Israel away from following the Lord and made them [SUP][n][/SUP]commit a great sin. [SUP]22 [/SUP]The sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them [SUP]23 [/SUP]until the Lord removed Israel from His sight, as He spoke through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away into exile from their own land to Assyria until this day.
Some earlier histories...
The Forgotten Books of Eden: The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter XX
AFTER Cain had gone down to the land of dark soil, and his children had multiplied therein, there was one of them, whose name was Genun, son of Lamech the blind who slew Cain.
2 But as to this Genun, Satan came into him in his childhood; and he made sundry trumpets and horns, and string instruments, cymbals and psalteries, and lyres and harps, and flutes; and he played on them at all times and at every hour.
3 And when he played on them, Satan came into them, so that from among them were heard beautiful and sweet sounds, that ravished the heart.
p. 77
4 Then he gathered companies upon companies to play on them; and when they played, it pleased well the children of Cain, who inflamed themselves with sin among themselves, and burnt as with fire; while Satan inflamed their hearts, one with another, and increased lust among them.
5 Satan also taught Genun to bring strong drink out of com; and this Genun used to bring together companies upon companies in drink-houses; and brought into their hands all manner of fruits and flowers; and they drank together.
6 Thus did this Genun multiply sin exceedingly; he also acted with pride, and taught the children of Cain to commit all manner of the grossest wickedness, which they knew not; and put them up to manifold doings which they knew not before.
7 Then Satan, when he saw that they yielded to Genun and hearkened to him in every thing he told them, rejoiced greatly, increased Genun's understanding, until he took iron and with it made weapons of war.
8 Then when they were drunk, hatred and murder increased among them; one man used violence against another to teach him evil taking his children and defiling them before him.
9 And when men saw they were overcome, and saw others that were not overpowered, those who were beaten came to Genun, took refuge with him, and he made them his confederates.
10 Then sin increased among them greatly; until a man married his own sister, or daughter, or mother, and others; or the daughter of his father's sister, so that there was no more distinction of relationship, and they no longer knew what is iniquity; but did wickedly, and the earth was defiled with sin, and they angered God the Judge, who had created them.
Has much really changed in 7,000 years?
I'm going to go out on a limb here and put forth a slice of personal philosophy...if I may?
Yes, it's a raw deal but such is the life they (we) chose. They (we) chose to turn their backs on the Father. He didn't turn His back on us first. He was very patient with them (us).
To call into question the possibility that the Father is "less than just" is arrogant in the extreme concerning the paths that we have chosen to walk.
The Father warned them (us) not to follow the murderous, lying "watchers."
The Father bailed them (us) out of so many jams over and over...and over!
Who is anyone to suggest that somehow the Father above is to blame, or that He is obligated to rescue us for any of the suffering which we inflict on ourselves?
The saying "they made their bed, let them sleep in it." comes to mind.
Think about the Hebrews sacrificing their kids to demons (watchers/fallen angels), killing each other, treating each other like dirt on a daily basis, not to mention ignoring and twisting the Father's commandments in order to create a 'priest business' and sell a product.
Metaphorically speaking...if you were to look at the "product" created by the Priesthood (Scribes/Pharisees/Saducees/Sanhedrin), you would probably find a little sticker on the back that says "MADE IN CHINA". That's how worthless the product was that they were selling to the general public.
Is it any wonder that Christ tried to enact an embargo against "Chinese" made products?
Acts 7
[SUP]35 [/SUP]“This Moses whom they disowned, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one whom God [SUP][t][/SUP]sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the [SUP][u][/SUP]help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. [SUP]36 [/SUP]This man led them out, performing wonders and [SUP][v][/SUP]signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. [SUP]37 [/SUP]This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet [SUP][w][/SUP]like me from your brethren.’ [SUP]38 [/SUP]This is the one who was in the [SUP][x][/SUP]congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you. [SUP]39 [/SUP]Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, [SUP]40 [/SUP]saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us; for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt—we do not know what happened to him.’ [SUP]41 [/SUP][SUP][y][/SUP]At that time they made a [SUP][z][/SUP]calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. [SUP]42 [/SUP]But God turned away and delivered them up to [SUP][aa][/SUP]serve the [SUP][ab][/SUP]host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘It was not to Me that you offered victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel? [SUP]43 [/SUP]You also took along the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of the god [SUP][ac][/SUP]Rompha, the images which you made to worship. I also will remove you beyond Babylon.’
The only thing that I can think of that Christ promised that the Father would deliver is...
Mark 10[SUP]
28 [/SUP]Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” [SUP]29 [/SUP]Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, [SUP]30 [/SUP][SUP][i][/SUP]but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in [SUP][j][/SUP]the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. [SUP]31 [/SUP]But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”
Revelation 19
The Coming of Christ
[SUP]11 [/SUP]And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. [SUP]12 [/SUP]His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. [SUP]13 [/SUP]He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. [SUP]14 [/SUP]And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. [SUP]15 [/SUP]From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will [SUP][d][/SUP]rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the [SUP][e][/SUP]wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. [SUP]16 [/SUP]And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Ephesians 5
[SUP]14 [/SUP]For this reason [SUP][a][/SUP]it says,
“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”
[video=youtube;KxLFdJLSho8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxLFdJLSho8[/video]
Consider the "horrors" that the children of the "pagans" had to endure...
There are times that I have felt like Col. Kurtz in wanting to "tear my teeth out" when I see the suffering...but even more so when I see people's spirits being led astray by the "powers that be."
"There's nothing I detest more than the stench of lies."
Remember, don't shoot the messenger...he's just a bicycle courier weaving in and out of traffic all day long on his 10 speed bike delivering messages around the city, trying to avoid potholes, getting clipped by taxi cab drivers who aren't watching where they are driving...and when the day is done and he lays down to rest, tired and sore from a long day of pedaling, he invariably has many bruises to show for his travels.
It's interesting to note how many taxi cab drivers who are driving without a license in today's day and age.
Peace and love to you all, and especially to you CNikki.
May the Lord bless and keep you.
It's all good...here are a few bits of 'history' I probably should have included in my earlier posts...
I apologize for the lengthy nature of this post, however, there are many miles to go before I sleep.
Exodus
[SUP]
3 [/SUP]“You shall have no other gods [SUP][b][/SUP]before Me.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]“You shall not make for yourself [SUP][c][/SUP]an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. [SUP]5 [/SUP]You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, [SUP]6 [/SUP]but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
Deuteronomy 5
[SUP]
8 [/SUP]‘You shall not make for yourself [SUP][g][/SUP]an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above [SUP][h][/SUP]or on the earth beneath [SUP][i][/SUP]or in the water under the earth. [SUP]9 [/SUP]You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, [SUP]10 [/SUP]but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
Numbers 14
Moses Pleads for the People
[SUP]11 [/SUP]The Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst? [SUP]12 [/SUP]I will smite them with [SUP][e][/SUP]pestilence and dispossess them, and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they.”
[SUP]
13 [/SUP]But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from their midst, [SUP]14 [/SUP]and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, O Lord, are in the midst of this people, for You, O Lord, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. [SUP]15 [/SUP]Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will [SUP][f][/SUP]say, [SUP]16 [/SUP]‘Because the Lord could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ [SUP]17 [/SUP]But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have [SUP][g][/SUP]declared, [SUP]18 [/SUP]‘The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children [SUP][h][/SUP]to the third and the fourth generations.’ [SUP]19 [/SUP]Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”
2 Kings 17
Why Israel Fell
[SUP]7 [/SUP]Now this came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and they had [SUP][a][/SUP]feared other gods [SUP]8 [/SUP]and walked in the [SUP][b][/SUP]customs of the nations whom the Lord had driven out before the sons of Israel, and in the customs of the kings of Israel which they had [SUP][c][/SUP]introduced. [SUP]9 [/SUP]The sons of Israel [SUP][d][/SUP]did things secretly which were not right against the Lord their God. Moreover, they built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. [SUP]10 [/SUP]They set for themselves sacred pillars and [SUP][e][/SUP]Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, [SUP]11 [/SUP]and there they burned incense on all the high places as the nations did which the Lord had carried away to exile before them; and they did evil things provoking the Lord. [SUP]12 [/SUP]They served idols, concerning which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” [SUP]13 [/SUP]Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My statutes according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you through My servants the prophets.” [SUP]14 [/SUP]However, they did not listen, but stiffened their neck [SUP][f][/SUP]like their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God. [SUP]15 [/SUP]They rejected His statutes and His covenant which He made with their fathers and His warnings with which He warned them. And they followed vanity and became vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the Lord had commanded them not to do like them. [SUP]16 [/SUP]They forsook all the commandments of the Lord their God and made for themselves molten images, even two calves, and made an [SUP][g][/SUP]Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. [SUP]17 [/SUP]Then they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and practiced divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him. [SUP]18 [/SUP]So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His [SUP][h][/SUP]sight; none was left except the tribe of Judah.
[SUP]
19 [/SUP]Also Judah did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the [SUP][i][/SUP]customs [SUP][j][/SUP]which Israel had [SUP][k][/SUP]introduced. [SUP]20 [/SUP]The Lord rejected all the [SUP][l][/SUP]descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them [SUP][m][/SUP]out of His sight.
[SUP]21 [/SUP]When He had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam drove Israel away from following the Lord and made them [SUP][n][/SUP]commit a great sin. [SUP]22 [/SUP]The sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them [SUP]23 [/SUP]until the Lord removed Israel from His sight, as He spoke through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away into exile from their own land to Assyria until this day.
Some earlier histories...
The Forgotten Books of Eden: The Second Book of Adam and Eve: Chapter XX
AFTER Cain had gone down to the land of dark soil, and his children had multiplied therein, there was one of them, whose name was Genun, son of Lamech the blind who slew Cain.
2 But as to this Genun, Satan came into him in his childhood; and he made sundry trumpets and horns, and string instruments, cymbals and psalteries, and lyres and harps, and flutes; and he played on them at all times and at every hour.
3 And when he played on them, Satan came into them, so that from among them were heard beautiful and sweet sounds, that ravished the heart.
p. 77
4 Then he gathered companies upon companies to play on them; and when they played, it pleased well the children of Cain, who inflamed themselves with sin among themselves, and burnt as with fire; while Satan inflamed their hearts, one with another, and increased lust among them.
5 Satan also taught Genun to bring strong drink out of com; and this Genun used to bring together companies upon companies in drink-houses; and brought into their hands all manner of fruits and flowers; and they drank together.
6 Thus did this Genun multiply sin exceedingly; he also acted with pride, and taught the children of Cain to commit all manner of the grossest wickedness, which they knew not; and put them up to manifold doings which they knew not before.
7 Then Satan, when he saw that they yielded to Genun and hearkened to him in every thing he told them, rejoiced greatly, increased Genun's understanding, until he took iron and with it made weapons of war.
8 Then when they were drunk, hatred and murder increased among them; one man used violence against another to teach him evil taking his children and defiling them before him.
9 And when men saw they were overcome, and saw others that were not overpowered, those who were beaten came to Genun, took refuge with him, and he made them his confederates.
10 Then sin increased among them greatly; until a man married his own sister, or daughter, or mother, and others; or the daughter of his father's sister, so that there was no more distinction of relationship, and they no longer knew what is iniquity; but did wickedly, and the earth was defiled with sin, and they angered God the Judge, who had created them.
Has much really changed in 7,000 years?
I'm going to go out on a limb here and put forth a slice of personal philosophy...if I may?
Yes, it's a raw deal but such is the life they (we) chose. They (we) chose to turn their backs on the Father. He didn't turn His back on us first. He was very patient with them (us).
To call into question the possibility that the Father is "less than just" is arrogant in the extreme concerning the paths that we have chosen to walk.
The Father warned them (us) not to follow the murderous, lying "watchers."
The Father bailed them (us) out of so many jams over and over...and over!
Who is anyone to suggest that somehow the Father above is to blame, or that He is obligated to rescue us for any of the suffering which we inflict on ourselves?
The saying "they made their bed, let them sleep in it." comes to mind.
Think about the Hebrews sacrificing their kids to demons (watchers/fallen angels), killing each other, treating each other like dirt on a daily basis, not to mention ignoring and twisting the Father's commandments in order to create a 'priest business' and sell a product.
Metaphorically speaking...if you were to look at the "product" created by the Priesthood (Scribes/Pharisees/Saducees/Sanhedrin), you would probably find a little sticker on the back that says "MADE IN CHINA". That's how worthless the product was that they were selling to the general public.
Is it any wonder that Christ tried to enact an embargo against "Chinese" made products?
Acts 7
[SUP]35 [/SUP]“This Moses whom they disowned, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one whom God [SUP][t][/SUP]sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the [SUP][u][/SUP]help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. [SUP]36 [/SUP]This man led them out, performing wonders and [SUP][v][/SUP]signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. [SUP]37 [/SUP]This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet [SUP][w][/SUP]like me from your brethren.’ [SUP]38 [/SUP]This is the one who was in the [SUP][x][/SUP]congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you. [SUP]39 [/SUP]Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, [SUP]40 [/SUP]saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us; for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt—we do not know what happened to him.’ [SUP]41 [/SUP][SUP][y][/SUP]At that time they made a [SUP][z][/SUP]calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. [SUP]42 [/SUP]But God turned away and delivered them up to [SUP][aa][/SUP]serve the [SUP][ab][/SUP]host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘It was not to Me that you offered victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel? [SUP]43 [/SUP]You also took along the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of the god [SUP][ac][/SUP]Rompha, the images which you made to worship. I also will remove you beyond Babylon.’
The only thing that I can think of that Christ promised that the Father would deliver is...
Mark 10[SUP]
28 [/SUP]Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” [SUP]29 [/SUP]Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, [SUP]30 [/SUP][SUP][i][/SUP]but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in [SUP][j][/SUP]the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. [SUP]31 [/SUP]But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”
Revelation 19
The Coming of Christ
[SUP]11 [/SUP]And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. [SUP]12 [/SUP]His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. [SUP]13 [/SUP]He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. [SUP]14 [/SUP]And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. [SUP]15 [/SUP]From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will [SUP][d][/SUP]rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the [SUP][e][/SUP]wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. [SUP]16 [/SUP]And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Ephesians 5
[SUP]14 [/SUP]For this reason [SUP][a][/SUP]it says,
“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”
[video=youtube;KxLFdJLSho8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxLFdJLSho8[/video]
Consider the "horrors" that the children of the "pagans" had to endure...
There are times that I have felt like Col. Kurtz in wanting to "tear my teeth out" when I see the suffering...but even more so when I see people's spirits being led astray by the "powers that be."
"There's nothing I detest more than the stench of lies."
Remember, don't shoot the messenger...he's just a bicycle courier weaving in and out of traffic all day long on his 10 speed bike delivering messages around the city, trying to avoid potholes, getting clipped by taxi cab drivers who aren't watching where they are driving...and when the day is done and he lays down to rest, tired and sore from a long day of pedaling, he invariably has many bruises to show for his travels.
It's interesting to note how many taxi cab drivers who are driving without a license in today's day and age.
Peace and love to you all, and especially to you CNikki.
May the Lord bless and keep you.
