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"Emmanuel(Wonderful Counselor)" a song written by Jordan & Mark Biel and recorded by Amanda Ownby Stacey makes Canadian radio !!!
Christmas Songs Radio also featured Amanda on their website and Facebook page. This song was also featured in the video "Unconditional Love ( A Christmas Story)".
Visit the Christmas Songs Radio website here... https://christmassongsradio.com/2021/12/02/new-song-by-amanda-ownby-stacey/?fbclid=IwAR2ozrCw72oDpRqk-lMem8d7QAhkZt-xqTGH8n8LNhQfOdoGDL41XG6qiZU
Their Facebook page.... https://www.facebook.com/ChristmasSongsRadio/
"Unconditional Love ( A Christmas Story)".... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzOW5GqqXTk
Keep up with Amanda & her new single here...Hearnow
Her new single can be purchased here ...Dreamin' Out Loud Ent. Store
Dreamin' Out Loud, LLC, a credited limited liability company registered in the state of Missouri is very proud to announce the re-launching of its' indie record label Dreamin' Out Loud Entertainment.
Here's an idea for a Christmas present. My book, "Random Thoughts on Life, Love, Laughter and Living for Jesus". See it at http://covenantbooks.com/books/?book=random-thoughts-on-life-love-laughter-and-living-for-jesus.
From a friend's book review...
"I received his book about a week ago.
I started reading it and was enthralled.
I was halfway through it before I realized it. I had bible study homework and chores that took some precedence for a few days. And recovery from a bad cold.
I picked the book up again at about 1:00 am and was just going to read a couple of the sketches.
It is now 5:24 AM and I just finished it.
I can’t say enough good things. I plan on giving copies to several friends and family for Christmas.
The book is a series of sketches including all kinds of subjects relevant to believers. Some are personal; some biographical; some just a lot of fun facts. I laughed, rejoiced, cried and thanked God.
This book is available on Amazon.
Buy it, you won't be sorry."
It's Important To Know How Sinful We Are
Today's post is a good devotion to share with someone you know who doesn't know our Lord Jesus. It is straight to the point on both ends - of our sin and of our salvation. Click on the link below to read today's post.
https://www.ramckinley.com/its-important-to-know-how-sinful-we-are/
🔥In the news...❤💙❤
The Prince George's County Drug Policy Coalition Student Scholarship Honorees Receive Care Boxes from Suntrust.
Fort Washington, MD -- November 23, 2021--The Prince George's County Drug Policy Coalition, Inc (PGCDPC) in partnership with Suntrust Bank (now Truist) was delighted to share the evening with bank executives to support our 13 scholarship award honorees. Ms. Sharol Henry (Vice President and Sr. Branch Leader) other bank executives Ms. Leslie Rush (Camp Springs Branch), School Board member Edward Burroughs, and some of our student honorees and parents were back in the area to accept their "care boxes" from the Indian Head Highway Branch. The care boxes included dormitory supplies needed by the students (such as: towels, sheets, socks, soap, hats, scarfs and gloves etc.)
Students or parents representing the University of Miami, Towson University, Morehouse University, and the University of Maryland were in attendance. The other Coalition student honorees will pick up their care boxes through mutual time arrangements with Suntrust bank. Vice President Sharol Henry told everyone, "We hope to make this an annual tradition." Dr. Campbell, President of the Prince George's County Drug Policy Coalition, Inc. thanked all of the attendees and said, "We are so excited that Ms. Henry and her team selected our nonprofit for this community project. We are looking forward to working with them for many years to come."
To learn more information about the Prince George's County Drug Policy Coalition, Incorporated or to read the recent Press Release, please visit https://www.pgcdpc.com
#PGCDPC #Suntrust #StudentScholarshipAwards
God Takes No Pleasure In The Life Of The Wicked
King David wrote, the Lord takes no pleasure in the life of the wicked. We choose where we will stand with Him. If we choose to live the life of the wicked, we will suffer the consequences. Check out today's post by clicking on the link below.
https://www.ramckinley.com/god-takes-no-pleasure-in-the-life-of-the-wicked/
This is rather long but I think you’ll agree that it’s worth it. This is a true story. It appeared in the Reader’s Digest in December, 1954. Underlining and hi-lighting are mine.
This happened to a pastor who was very young. His church was very old. Once, long ago, it had flourished. Famous men had preached from its pulpit and prayed before its altar. Rich and poor alike had worshipped there and built it into a beautiful church. Now the good days had passed from the section of town where it stood. But the pastor and his young wife believed in their run-down church. They felt that with paint, hammer, and faith they could get it in shape. Together they went to work.
But in late December a severe storm whipped thru the river valley, and the worst blow fell on the little church – a huge chunk of rain-soaked plaster fell out of the inside wall just behind the altar. Sorrowfully, the pastor and his wife swept away the mess, but they couldn’t hide the ragged hole.
The pastor looked at it and had to remind himself quickly, “Thy will be done!” But his wife wept, “Christmas is only 2 days away!”
That afternoon the dispirited couple attended the auction held for the benefit of a youth group. The auctioneer opened a box and shook out of its folds a handsome gold-and-ivory lace tablecloth. It was a magnificent item, nearly 15 feet long. But it, too, dated from a long-vanished era. Who, today, has use for such a thing? There were a few half-hearted bids. Then the pastor was seized with what he thought was a great idea. He bid it in for $6.50.
He carried the cloth back to the church and tacked it up on the wall behind the altar. It completely hid the hole. And the extraordinary beauty of its shimmering handwork cast a fine, holiday glow over the chancel. It was a great triumph. Happily he went back to preparing his holiday sermon.
Just before noon on the day of Christmas Eve, as the pastor was opening the church, he noticed a woman standing in the cold at the bus stop. “The bus won’t be here for 40 minutes!” he called, and invited her into the church to get warm.
She told him that she had come from the city that morning to be interviewed for a job as governess to the children of one of the wealthy families in town, but she had been turned down. A war refugee, her English was imperfect. The woman sat down in a pew, chafed her hands and rested. After a while she dropped her head and prayed. She looked up as the pastor began to adjust the great ivory-and-gold lace cloth across the hole. She rose suddenly and walked up the steps of the chancel. The pastor smiled and started to tell her about the storm damage, but she didn’t seem to listen. She took up a fold of the cloth and rubbed it between her fingers.
“It is mine!” she said. “It is my banquet cloth!” She lifted the corner and showed the surprised pastor that there were initials monogrammed on it. “My husband had the cloth made especially for me in Brussels! There could not be another like it.”
For the next few minutes the woman and the pastor talked excitedly together. She explained that she was Viennese; that she and her husband had opposed the Nazis and decided to leave the country. They were advised to go separately. Her husband put her on a train for Switzerland. They planned that he would join her as soon as he could arrange to ship their household goods across the border.
She never saw him again. Later she heard that he had died in a concentration camp. “I have always felt that it was my fault – to leave without him,” she said. “Perhaps these years of wandering have been my punishment!”
The pastor tried to comfort her and urged her to take the cloth with her. She refused. Then she went away.
As the church began to fill on Christmas Eve, it was clear that the cloth was going to be a great success. It had been skillfully designed to look its best by candlelight. After the service, the pastor stood in the doorway; many people told him that the church looked beautiful. One gentle-faced, middle-aged man – he was the local clock-and-watch repairman looked rather puzzled.
“It is strange,” he said in his soft accent. “Many years ago my wife – God rest her – and I owned such a cloth. In our home in Vienna, my wife put it on the table” – here he smiled – “only when the bishop came to dinner!”
The pastor suddenly became very excited. He told the jeweler about the woman who had been in the church earlier in the day. The startled jeweler clutched the pastor’s arm. “Can it be? Does she live?”
Together the two got in touch with the family who had interviewed her. Then, in the pastor’s car they started for the city. And as Christmas Day was born, this man and his wife – who had been separated thru so many saddened Yuletides – were reunited.
To all who heard this story, the joyful purpose of the storm that knocked a hole in the wall of the church was now quite clear. Of course, people said it was a miracle, and I think you will agree that it was the season for it.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
God is faithful. What the devil meant for evil, God meant for good (Genesis 50:20). That’s resurrection power. May this Christmas season remind you of the One who was not only born in a manger but is the reigning King of Kings.
For His Kingdom,
Dave Maynard
https://bsssb-llc.com
A Lifetime Of Thanks And Heart Full Of Praise
David compelled us to show our thankfulness through praising the Lord. He managed to get six attributes of God into the eight verses of Psalm 138. Click on the link below to read today's post. Enjoy your day and have a Happy Thanksgiving Day!
https://www.ramckinley.com/a-lifetime-of-thanks-and-heart-full-of-praise/
Greetings Network Members,
This month's newsletter will be some highlights from our members around the world. I hope you enjoy our November Newsletter! Share this news with your family and friends. Have a wonderful and blessed holiday. Love you all!
Let's give a warm welcome to our 26 new members that have joined in the month of November. Here is the link to view our new members at https://heypapipromotions.com/members
We have some great nonprofit organizations in our network that are doing awesome community service activties around the world helping people in need. Please support our (4) Network nonprofit orgainzations with a donation. You can make a donation from their websites below:
1. The Prince George's County Drug Policy Coalition, Inc. awarded 13 $1,000 scholarships to students for its annual “Empowering Future Leaders” scholarship awards program. Over the past nine years, the Prince George's County Drug Policy Coalition, Inc. has awarded over $200,000.00 in scholarships to students, allowing them to continue their education in preparation for their future careers. To donate visit the website at https://www.pgcdpc.com
2. Since 2012, Pure Heart Children’s Fund in Managua, Nicaragua has opened a feeding center near the Managua city dump. They serve around 200 meals every day to the children that live in the communities along the dump site. To donate visit the website at https://pureheartchildren.org
3. The Thirst No More Corporation provides humanitarian aid in countries suffering from extreme poverty. Over the years, they have provided humanitarian aid in Africa and Central America through a variety of efforts including construction projects, educational resource provision, computer distribution, fresh water projects, food distribution, and more. As a result, they have helped hundreds of people in foreign countries by providing much needed assistance. To donate visit the website at https://www.thirstnomorecorp.org
4. The L.M. Foundation works to rebuild and restructure with those in need, those who are underprivileged, and those who are underserved. Their focus lies on community efforts, including small-scale construction projects, shelter, food supply, community awareness, and educational opportunities. To donate visit the website at https://www.thelmfoundation.org
Need Help With Your Holiday Gifting?
Our network member Jacqueline Jones business called Divine Beginnings, LLC has a great Black Friday sale for Christian-Themed Boutique for Kids. To learn more information about her products or to shop visit the website at https://www.divinebeginnings.com
Our network member Sheron Mingo Y wants to share some of her Thanksgiving Recipes with you. She created a Blog on our network website called "Make Thanksgiving A Joyous Experience!" To read and download these free recipes visit her blog at https://heypapipromotions.com/blogs/happy-thanksgiving-2021 and if you will like to see more of her work visit her website at https://supermementosyea.bigcartel.com
Network member Pastor Joyce Nyante recently had her new book launch called THE MARRIAGE INSTITUTION 'Set Up By God'. The Marriage Institution describes marriage as instructed by God in the bible. The book sets out the origination of marriage from the garden of Eden when God made Adam and Eve and blessed them in a matrimony and then HE empowered them, and for that matter mankind, to rule and dominate the earth and multiply. You can purchase her book from our network's bookstore at https://heypapipromotions.com/bookstore or at Barnes and Noble Bookstore
If you have upcoming events including church services, please add to our network's EVENTS page so our members around the world can view and support it. Here is the link to our EVENTS page at https://heypapipromotions.com/events
https://heypapipromotions.com/blogs/hey-papi-promotions-network-november-newsletter
The poems discussed below—by Milton, Rossetti, and Hopkins—are just three of many classic poems that should be read and cherished by Christians today. The three selections are examples of what I call “devotional poetry.” They are taken from my new volume, The Soul in Paraphrase: A Treasury of Classic Devotional Poems (Crossway)—a collection of more than 90 poems that, when read devotionally, provide a unique way for Christians to deepen their spiritual insight and experience.
Along with the text of the poems below, I have included my commentary on them, which I hope will enhance your experience of the poems and highlight their specifically devotional aspects.
When I consider how my light is spent,
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide;
“Doth God exact day-labor, light denied?”
I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need
Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o’er land and ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait.”
The occasion of this sonnet is Milton’s becoming totally blind at the age of 44. An early editor coined what became the familiar title for the poem—“On His Blindness.” The poem develops two lines of thought, both encapsulated in the last line (“They also serve who only stand and wait.”). On the one hand, the poem is a statement of resignation, as the poet expresses an implied submission to the situation of standing and waiting. But the poem is also a statement of justification, as the poet finds a way to assert that “they also serve” who only stand and wait. The poet’s meditation is based on an underlying quest motif in which he searches for and finds a way to serve God acceptably. The poem is built around the implied question, What does it take to please God? The entire poem assumes that God requires service, and the key verb serve appears three times.
This poem is constructed on the classic two-part structure of the Italian sonnet. The argument in the first seven-and-a-half lines is that God requires active service in the world. This line of thought becomes an increasingly intense anxiety vision for the blind poet, who cannot perform active service. The sestet then offers an alternative type of service, placed into the mouth of a personified Patience. The alternate service consists of standing and waiting, and this has multiple meanings. It is an image of monarchy, first of all, and is offered as a picture of serving God in heaven as the angels do, in praise and worship. The last line also evokes a picture of a life of private retirement, out of the public eye, and it is helpful at this point to know that before Milton became blind he was a famous international figure in his role as international secretary to Oliver Cromwell.
The poem is a mosaic of biblical allusions. Particularly prominent are the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matt. 20:1–16) and the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14–30). Both parables portray God as the master who calls workers to their tasks and as the judge who rewards stewards for active service and punishes them for sloth. Also important is Jesus’s famous saying about doing the works of his Father “while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.” The last three lines are based on angelology (the study of angels), and the contrast between active angels who fly about the world and contemplative angels who remain in God’s heavenly court.
Am I a stone and not a sheep
That I can stand, O Christ, beneath thy cross,
To number drop by drop Thy blood’s slow loss,
And yet not weep?
Not so those women loved
Who with exceeding grief lamented thee;
Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly;
Not so the thief was moved;
Not so the sun and moon
Which hid their faces in a starless sky,
A horror of great darkness at broad noon—
I, only I.
Yet give not o’er,
But seek thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;
Greater than Moses, turn and look once more
And smite a rock.
This is a subtle poem in which the first three stanzas gradually build a tension that reaches a breaking point in the packed last stanza. The point of unity in the first three stanzas is the speaker’s self portrait of being unmoved by the spectacle of Jesus’s crucifixion. The speaker emerges as the archetypal outsider, ignominiously out of step with the sorrow that other people and even nature showed when Jesus was crucified. Even though the speaker does not respond with appropriate grief, the very pictures that the poem paints lead the reader to sorrow for the dying Christ. The imagery of the opening line—stone and sheep—are a subtle setup for the memorable last stanza.
The first three stanzas are the speaker’s self-address, but in the last stanza the poet turns in prayer to Christ. Having implicitly declared herself to be a failure in the Christian walk, the speaker asks for a rescue operation. The prayer draws upon three separate biblical reference points. The first is Jesus as the Good Shepherd who seeks and saves his lost sheep. The second is Moses, a supreme hero of the Old Testament and yet someone regarding whom Christ is declared superior in two famous New Testament passages (John 1:17 and Heb. 3:1–6). The climactic prayer—to be smitten by Christ and subdued by him—draws upon the Peter’s denial of Jesus. On that occasion, Jesus is said to have “turned and looked at Peter” (Luke 22:61), leaving Peter convicted. Further, the name Peter means rock, so (as the last line has it) Jesus can be said to have smitten Peter with his look, and additionally Moses smote the rock in the wilderness.
The devotional potential of the poem is at least two-pronged. One is to move us to the grief that we should feel when confronted with the details of Jesus’s suffering for our sins. The second lesson is that to follow Jesus requires that we repent of what is lacking in us and submit to him. As we live with this poem, it gradually emerges as a confession and plea for forgiveness.
The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil,
And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell; the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.
And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went,
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs—
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.
The subject of this sonnet is the permanent freshness that nature possesses: no matter what the human race does to exhaust nature, it remains perpetually resilient and living. The interpretive slant that Hopkins gives to this phenomenon of nature is the assertion that it declares God’s grandeur or greatness. The poem is thus a nature poem that becomes a psalm of praise, even ending with a specifically theological statement about the Holy Spirit in his role as Creator.
The poem is organized on a three-part, envelope principle. The first four lines celebrate what might be called God’s nature. The question that concludes this unit is actually a transition to the middle section, which describes the ways in which the human race does not reck or heed God’s rule. Lines 5 to 8 describe humankind’s “nature,” that is, their exploitation of nature and failing to nurture it. The last six lines then return to God’s nature, declaring that the creative power of the Holy Spirit makes nature indestructible.
As with other Hopkins’s poems, this one requires that we take the time to unpack the meanings of the individual images. Verbal effects like internal rhyme within a line and alliteration (repetition of initial sounds in words located close to each other) enliven the effect.
Leland Ryken is emeritus professor of English at Wheaton College, where he is in his 51st year of teaching. He has published more than 50 books, including The Soul in Paraphrase: A Treasury of Classic Devotional Poems and 40 Favorite Hymns on the Christian Life: A Closer Look at Their Spiritual and Poetic Meaning.
This is the story of the Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving, beginning with the landing of the Mayflower at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts. That 1st winter of 1620-21 was the time of the ‘General Sickness’. Often a lingering cold, trudging thru the snow or sleeping in the damp ground flared up into consumption or pneumonia. The Pilgrims started dying. Six dead in December, eight in January. In February, they were dying at a rate of 2-3 per day. At one time, there were only five men well enough to care for the sick. But the more adversity mounted against them, the harder they prayed to God…never giving in to despair or depression.
When the worst was finally over, 47 people had died, nearly half their total. Thirteen of the eighteen wives had died while only three families remained unbroken. The children fared best. Of 7 daughters, none died…of 13 sons, only 3 had died. And thru it all, their hearts had remained tender to God.
If any one event marked the turning point in their fortune, it would be meeting Squanto, the Christian Indian chief who would teach them to plant corn the Indian way. Learning this skill saved every one of their lives. The summer of 1621, they began to harvest 20 full acres of corn. Squanto helped in a thousand other ways like teaching them to hunt deer, refine maple syrup from maple trees, discern which herbs were good to eat and which ones were good for medicine and where to find berries to eat.
That summer of 1621 was beautiful. Much work went into building new homes. Ten men were sent north to conduct trade with the Indians. Squanto once again acted as their guide & interpreter. The Pilgrims were brimming over with gratitude – not only to Squanto and the Indians, who had been so friendly, but to their God. They had trusted Him and He had honored that trust. So, Governor Bradford declared a day of public Thanksgiving in October. The Indian Chief Massasoit brought 90 braves. Counting their numbers, the Pilgrims had to pray hard to keep from giving in to despair as feeding such a crowd would seriously cut into their winter food supply. But they had learned to trust God implicitly. As it turned out, the Indians didn’t come empty-handed. They brought several deer and wild turkeys. They also taught the Pilgrim women how to make hoecakes and a tasty corn meal & maple syrup pudding. Then they showed them an Indian delicacy…how to roast kernels of corn until they popped. Yes, it was POPCORN.
The Pilgrims provided many vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, radishes, etc. They also introduced blueberry, apple & cherry pie to the Indians. It was all washed down with sweet wine made from wild grapes. I’ll bet you’re surprised to hear that the Pilgrims drank wine. A joyous occasion was had by all. This 1st Thanksgiving lasted several days. Thru it all, they thanked God for His provision and for just being with them.
In November 1621, the 1st ship from England arrived with more colonists, many of them were family members pf the original Pilgrims. In the air of celebration that followed, no one stopped to realize that no one had brought any equipment, no food, clothes or bedding with them. In the cold light of morning, a sobering appraisal was taken and a grim decision was reached. They all would have to go on half rations to make it thru the winter. This turned out to be overly optimistic.
Thus, did they enter their own time of starving in the winter of 1621-22. They were ultimately reduced to “5 kernels of corn a day per person”. It is inconceivable how anyone could exist on 5 kernels of corn per day. But, as always, they had a choice to make: to give in to bitterness & despair or to go deeper in Christ. They choose Christ and not one of them died that winter.
Then, in the summer of 1622, that years corn crop was so abundant that they traded some of it with the Indians, who had not had a good growing season. A 2nd Thanksgiving Day was planned. Chief Massasoit was again the guest of honor. This time he brought 120 braves. Fortunately, they brought venison & turkeys.
The 1st course of that 2nd Thanksgiving….on an empty plate in front of each guest was 5 kernels of corn…lest anyone should forget…
These Pilgrims were a mere handful of Light-bearers on the edge of a vast and dark continent. But the Light of Jesus Christ was penetrating into the heart of America. Governor Bradford would write with remarkable discernment, “As one small candle may light a thousand, so the light kindled here has shown unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation…We have noted these things so that you might see their worth and not negligently lose what your fathers have obtained with so much hardship.”
May we never forget. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Reference book: “The Light and The Glory” by Peter Marshall & David Manuel
For His Kingdom,
Dave Maynard
http://BSSSB-LLC.com
Former Council Member and State Delegate Tony Knotts Announces His Candidacy for the Council District 8 Special Election
Experienced Public Servant Offers Stability, Accomplished Leadership, and a Steady Hand in a Time of Public Health and Economic Challenges
Oxon Hill, MD – Tony Knotts, who served as the District 8 Council Member from 2002 to 2010 and Maryland State Delegate for District 26 from 2014 to 2018, today is announcing his candidacy for the District 8 Special Election and is also filing his candidacy for the 2022 regular District 8 Primary to be held in June. Yesterday, District 8 County Council Member Monique Anderson-Walker announced her intent to resign her office, which, if effective before December 7, 2021, will trigger a special primary and general election in the early months of 2022.
Today, Council Member Knotts issued the following statement:
"From my time as a U.S. Marine to my service to the residents of District 8 as County Council Member, including serving as Council Chairman, and representing District 26 as a State Delegate, I have dedicated my life to the cause of public service and, specifically, to improving our quality of life in Prince George's County. I am proud of the tremendous progress that I helped District 8 and our County realize during my tenure as County Council Member, including the development of our County's signature economic development achievement -- the National Harbor Project, building the Southern Area Technology and Recreational Complex in Fort Washington, and establishing the new Oxon Hill High School in Oxon Hill. In the wake of the most serious public health crisis in our lifetime, the COVID-19 pandemic, the residents of District 8 need an experienced, steady, and accomplished hand to lead our communities into the future, not on-the-job training or instability. I fully understand the need to establish smarter development and environmental policies, increased infrastructure investments in Maryland 210 and Southern Maryland Light Rail, new investments in our public schools, and more direct support and services for our seniors, veterans, minority-owned businesses, and returning citizens. Most of all, I understand that a County Council Member cannot get anything done for the residents of District 8 without knowing how to work as a team with his or her colleagues on the County Council and with the County Executive. I am ready on day one to lead as the next County Council Member for Councilmanic District 8."
Tony Knotts is a lifelong resident of Prince George's County. He is a Vietnam War Veteran having served his country in the United States Marine Corps. Knotts is married to Wanda Knotts and currently resides in Oxon Hill, Maryland. He is a graduate of Fairmount Heights High School, where he was a substitute teacher while pursuing a Master’s Degree. Knotts earned an Undergraduate Degree in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Administrative Management from Bowie State University. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of Maryland, College Park. Knotts worked for the Washington Suburban and Sanitary Commission (WSSC), one of the largest public utilities in the nation, as a Budget Analyst, Minority Business Enterprise Officer and finally retiring as a Strategic Management Specialist. Knotts maintains membership in a host of civic associations and an active membership in the Ebenezer AME Church in Fort Washington. Knotts’ professional affiliations include the Coalition of Concerned Black Christian Men and the South County Economic Development Association among many others.
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How To Survive The Judgment Of The Eternal Fire
We will all enter eternity when we leave this earth. We will all face one of two fires in eternity. Will you go through the fire that will judge your works or will you end up in the fire of eternal torment? Click the link below to read today's evangelistic post.
https://www.ramckinley.com/how-to-survive-the-judgment-of-the-eternal-fire/
Here's another excerpt from my book, "Random Thoughts on Life, Love, Laughter and Living for Jesus"...
Squanto was born at Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 1580 to the Pawtuxet band of the Wampanoag Indian tribe. In 1605, he and 4 other braves were ‘kidnapped’ by Captain George Weymouth and taken to England where they lived with Sir Ferdinando Gorges. It was here that Squanto learned the English language. He was hired to be an interpreter and Indian guide. They were treated well and eventually returned to Cape Cod. But in 1614, Squanto and 20 other braves were kidnapped by the English explorer Thomas Hunt. He sold them off as slaves in Spain. Spanish friars rescued Squanto from slavery. He then traveled to England where he met and lived with John Slaney, a wealthy merchant and Christian. When Slaney heard his story, he vowed to return Squanto home. It was here that Squanto became a believer.
In 1619, Squanto finally made it back to Cape Cod only to learn that his entire Paxtuxet tribe had been wiped out by disease. It was either smallpox or tuberculosis. A few months later, the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock, at Cape Cod. Imagine their surprise when they were greeted by an Indian who spoke English. I can imagine their jaws hitting the ground when this Indian said ‘Hello’! They were especially surprised to find out that he was a believer in Jesus. The Pilgrims, who were sick and dying from a difficult journey, needed help badly. Squanto taught them how to plant corn, how to farm, introduced them to local Indian tribes and acted as an interpreter for trade between them and the local tribes. Because of his help in teaching the Pilgrims farming, he literally saved the lives of all of them.
In the diary of Pilgrim Governor William Bradford, he said Squanto “became a special instrument sent by God for our good…He showed us how to plant corn, where to fish and how to procure other commodities…and was our pilot to bring us to unknown places for our benefit, and NEVER left us until he died.” God can use even bad things (Squanto being sold into slavery) for good (Romans 8:28). He did this several times in Joseph’s life in the Old Testament (Genesis 45:1-8). Taking something bad or dead and using it for good is a GREAT example of His resurrection power (Colossians 2:13). The ultimate example of course is Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Squanto died of a fever in 1622, just 2 years after meeting the Pilgrims. He bequeathed his few belongings to God, to be used by the Pilgrims as remembrances of his love for them.
Who but God could so miraculously weave together the lives of a lonely Indian and a struggling band of Englishmen? While you’re sharing turkey and pumpkin pie this next Thanksgiving, be sure to share the stories of Squanto and the 2nd Thanksgiving (see blog#34) with your families. You will have a much fuller appreciation of Thanksgiving.
Reference: just google Squanto
Thankful for His Kingdom,
Dave Maynard
http://BSSSB-LLC.com
What a GREAT blog from a scholar over at Y-Jesus.com. In America, I’m running into more people who think that Jesus has had a much bigger negative impact on our country than a good one. This blog shows very succinctly the positive impact that Jesus Christ has had on the world.
“Despite evidence to the contrary, there are people who still insist that Jesus is a #myth. But myths have little, if any, impact on history. The historian Thomas Carlyle said, “The history of the world is but the biography of great men.”¹
There is no nation or regime which owes its foundation or heritage to a mythological person or god.
But what has been the impact of #Jesus Christ?
The average Roman citizen didn’t feel his impact until many years after his death. Jesus marshalled no army. He wrote no books and changed no laws. The Jewish leaders and Roman Caesars had hoped to wipe out his memory, and it appeared they would succeed.
Today, all we see of ancient Rome is ruins. Caesar’s mighty legions and the pomp of Roman imperial power have faded into oblivion. Yet how is Jesus remembered today? What is his enduring influence?
Amazingly, Jesus made all of this impact as a result of just a three-year period of public ministry. When noted author and world historian H. G. Wells (and not a believer) was asked who has left the greatest legacy on history, he replied, “By this test Jesus stands first.”4
Yale historian Jaroslav Pelikan writes of him, “Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for almost twenty centuries… It is from his birth that most of the human race dates its calendars, it is by his name that millions curse and in his name that millions pray.”5
If Jesus didn’t exist, one must wonder how a myth could so alter history.” Who do you think Jesus was?
With you on the journey,
Dave Maynard
Can You Trust God In All Your Circumstances?
The apostle faced similar problems that we face. He, just like us was surrounded by godless people. Even though life was tough, none of the actions taken against Paul shook him up. He wants us to be confident in the Lord as well. Click on the link below to read today's post.
https://www.ramckinley.com/can-you-trust-god-in-all-your-circumstances/
The year is 313 AD and Christianity has just been legalized. Up to this point in time, it was illegal to be a Christian. The last two Roman Emperors, Decius and Galerian, had instituted the worst of the Christian persecutions. But when Constantine became Emperor, he issued his ‘Edict of Toleration’ that said that Christianity was now a “legal” religion.
Up to this point, Christianity had only minor doctrinal differences in the church-at-large. They were mainly concerned about spreading their faith and not getting beaten or killed for it. The church councils arose because it was the first time when Christian leaders could meet openly and all together. These councils were like a state-of-the-union for the church at large. They also decided other certain things and they gave everyone a view of what the larger church was like and what it was doing wherever it existed.
The Council of Nicea (325 AD)
Around 315 AD, a popular priest from Egypt, Arius, came into serious disagreement with his bishop, Alexander. Arius didn’t believe in the trinity. He taught that Jesus was a god but not THE God. Our modern day equivalent is the Jehovah’s Witnesses. A common Arian slogan was “There was a time when He (the Son of God) was not”.
Constantine called this meeting of Christian leaders, the first one since the Council at Jerusalem in 49 AD (Acts 15) to deal with this issue and other church matters in general. The meeting was held in the city of Nicea, in modern day Turkey. Over 300 leaders attended. Many of them had disfigured, scarred bodies from the persecutions of the few previous years. Within one month, the Nicene Creed was produced. It was a ringing endorsement of the trinity and a condemnation of Arius’ views. The vote was something like 2318-2.
Also at that meeting was a bishop named Nicholas from the area of Myra (like a state in modern day Turkey). Yes, he’s the one who later was known as Saint Nicholas, the person whom Santa Claus was modeled after. He voted with the majority.
Even though the Arians would rise to ascendency a few times in the next hundred years or so, the orthodox view eventually triumphed. A bishop named Athanasius was one of the champions of the orthodox view of Jesus and the trinity. The Nicene Creed established once and for all, the identity of Jesus as one part of the trinity. Arius was ex-communicated from the church. His views were considered heretical. This council specified that Christ was fully God in addition to being human. Here is the Nicene Creed;
The Council at Constantinople (381 AD)
Constantinople is present day Istanbul. The most significant outcome of this council was to uphold and update the Nicene Creed and to condemn Arianism and Sabellianism. Sabellianism taught that sometimes God appeared as the Father, other times as the Son and yet other times as the Holy Spirit. So, this was one God who appeared in different “modes” (or put on a different face) at different times. This belief is called modalism and was condemned at Constantinople. This council specified that Christ was fully human in addition to being God.
The Council at Ephesus (431 AD)
Ephesus is in modern day Turkey. This council was an affirmation of the creeds of Nicea and Constantinople and condemned the views of Nestorius, a pastor in Antioch who became the bishop of Constantinople. Nestorius had some strange views on Christ but he was widely hated for his views on Jews. This council taught that Christ is a unified person in His godly and human side. The two natures are separate but unified.
The Council at Chalcedon (451 AD)
Chalcedon was a town near Constantinople. This council also affirmed the full deity and full humanity of Christ by the union of His spiritual and human natures into one person. The council condemned any other view of Christ. As you can see, once Christianity was legalized, the devil worked overtime in muddying our view of who Jesus really was. If he couldn’t stop Christ at the cross and the resurrection, he’d try stopping His church early on by confusing us about the very nature of Jesus. The devil is a liar. He tries to convince us of a false Jesus. And we know what the apostle Paul thinks of a false Jesus (Galatians 1:6-8). And that has eternal consequences (Galatians 1:10 Matthew 24:4,5, 23-25). This council defined once and for all time who Jesus really is.
The Apostle’s Creed
The rise of false teachings required believers to state their faith in shortened form. Several New Testament letters were written to counteract these false teachers.
– Colossians counteracted Gnosticism
– Galatians counteracted the Judaizers
– 1st, 2nd & 3rd John plus Jude warned against false teachers.
We think the Apostle’s Creed derives from the 2nd century baptismal creed used in Rome. It was not written by the original apostles.
For example, the Gnostics, a little like today’s New Age religions, had no problem fitting Jesus into their belief system. After all, He was just another god. Christian apologists defeated Gnosticism in the arena of ideas but it took a while. By the 5th century, Gnosticism was pretty well defeated. But, in the process, believers found that creeds (a short summary of what Christians believed) worked well for them, especially declaring their faith at their baptism. Here is the Apostle’s Creed;
The person of Jesus Christ is clearly defined. Humanity is defined also as being in rebellion against God. Mankind does not need a teacher, a guru or ascending to a higher spiritual plane. He needs a Savior. And that Savior is Jesus Christ.
Book references:
“The History of Christianity” – A Lion Handbook
“Church History in Plain Language” by Bruce L. Shelley
“The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics” by Ed Hindson & Ergun Caner
For His Kingdom,
Dave Maynard
https://bsssb-llc.com
You live 70-80 years if you’re lucky, then you die. Unless you’re a handful of famous/infamous people, after a couple of generations, nobody remembers you anymore. So, what is the real purpose of your life?
If you’re an atheist, there is no real purpose. You may say that you want to make the world a better place. But you’re just a bunch of electrons, protons and neutrons randomly thrown together. Where did this idea of making the world a better place come from? Certainly not from a bunch of matter randomly thrown together.
In fact, you act the way you act because your genes (which are just a bunch of electrons, protons and neutrons) tell you how to react. Atheist philosopher Michael Rise says “…ethics, as we understand it, is an illusion fobbed off on us by our genes, to get us to cooperate…ethics is a shared illusion of the human race.” One wonders how our genes know how to get us to cooperate.
Atheist philosopher William Provine says, “There is no ultimate foundation for ethics, no ultimate meaning for life, and no free will for humans either (because our genes determine our actions).”
Atheist filmmaker Woody Allen says in a Newsweek magazine article, “I make movies not to make any type of grand statement but simply to take my mind off the existential horror of being alive.” Allen numbs this bleakness with humor.
Atheists say that;
– you’re nobody special. You’re just a conglomeration of chemicals.
– there’s no special purpose to your life. You live, you die, you cease to exist. There is no afterlife.
– there’s no right and wrong. Just an agreed upon set of morals to live by that can and will change over time.
Yet humans do have a universal morality. Its expressions may vary but there are certain universals. Where did these morals come from? Humans are a hopeful group. Where does this hope come from? Why do we consider suicide an unfortunate option, one that is looked with pity on? Why do we look on adultery as wrong? Because we violated our promise to another person, you say. But if there are no absolute morals, why is adultery wrong? So you temporarily changed our mind, so what? But we do feel guilty when we commit adultery. Any morality atheists have is borrowed from other religions.
If you don’t believe in God, there is nothing to live for, no afterlife to look forward to, no reason to live a good life because there are no absolute morals, only an agreed upon set of opinions. Its all vanity of vanities (Ecclesiastes 1:2-11). But you say, mankind is getting better. There are brighter days ahead. What makes you say that? Its just the chemicals in your brain saying that. But what makes chemicals think? After observing the 20th century where more people were killed than in any other century, what makes you think so positively about our chances of survival? Humanity’s actions speak otherwise. Your heart’s desire that humanity will get better but why do you think that? If there is no God, where does that thought come from? If there is no purpose in life, after a devastating event (like the death of a spouse), then suicide becomes a rational option.
Any way you look at it, atheism doesn’t square up with reality on just about anything.
It is universal that everyone has a yearning to feel that they matter, that their life and what they did with it matters. We all want meaning and purpose in our lives. Where does this yearning come from? We have a desire for our children to live a good, productive life. Parents are protective of their children. We will sacrifice for them. Why? Where do these feelings come from? If our spouse or child is drowning, why would you try to save them? Where does this feeling come from? We have an innate desire to be productive. Work satisfies this. We desire friendship and being part of a good community of friends. Why do we have these desires? Where do they come from? Atheism has no answer for these yearnings, but Christianity does.
Christianity says we’re made in the image of God, that we’re made with eternity in our hearts. That’s why we look forward to a better world here and now but also in the afterlife. It’s also why we don’t consider suicide a rational alternative. We love other people because God loves us and we’re made in His image. We sacrifice for our loved ones because God sacrificed His son, Jesus, for us. We have hope because He instilled it in us. We have a certain morality because we’re made in His image and He’s a moral God. We feel bad when we fall short of His morality. Only when we repeatedly violate His morality on a constant basis can our consciousness become “seared”. This is what happens to serial killers and people like Stalin, Mao and Hitler. We are protective of our spouse and children because He is protective of us and He sacrificed His only son to be in a relationship with us.
We want to learn and advance our society because God gave us dominion over the created cosmos (Genesis 1:26-28) and wanted us to rule it according to His standards. But because we are fallen human beings, we fall short of this mandate. Yet we still strive for it.
Christianity squares up with reality. Atheism doesn’t.
For the sake of the Name,
Dave Maynard
