Weathermen reported that there will be 4 to 5 more typhoons that will hit our country before the year ends. Just as we’re still in the rehabilitation stage from Ondoy’s aftermath it seems the nation is yet to brace for another calamity. God forbid. I pray not. And as much as prayer can make a difference, there are things in this life that only God knows why they are allowed to happen. But as I was contemplating on this, with a burdened heart, I can’t help but think of the worst storm that will befall upon the earth…soon!



“Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near.” Zephaniah 1:7Zephaniah 1:7
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7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. bid: Heb. sanctified, or, prepared  

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I’m reminded of Rev.8:1, “When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” It is right before the final series of judgment that is to come upon the earth. It is a strange, eerie, but awesome silence as if all of Heaven is holding its breath. It’s the lull before the storm. I believe that what they see at the opening of the 7th seal is so terrible, so horrendous, so incredibly frightening, that no one in heaven dares to breathe a word— like the silence in the courtroom, just before the verdict is read–it’s like the silence in the executioner’s chamber, just before he pulls the switch, or administers the lethal injection!

Zephaniah 1:7Zephaniah 1:7
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7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. bid: Heb. sanctified, or, prepared  

WP-Bible plugin “Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near.” Zechariah 2:13Zechariah 2:13
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13 Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation. his...: Heb. the habitation of his holiness  

WP-Bible plugin – Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.” And also, Habakkuk 2:20Habakkuk 2:20
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20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. let...: Heb. be silent all the earth before him  

WP-Bible plugin – “But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” At that point in the book of Revelation, judgment is about to come to the earth like never before. The storm is about to break in all of its fury, and the enormity of what is about to happen causes even God to pause!

Beloved, a great storm is coming…but in Christ you are safe in His hands, washed by His blood and surrounded by His mercy! When things are not going well, when you are down and discouraged, when you are overwhelmed with the pressures and pain of this life — take heart! In a flash…in the twinkling of an eye…in a moment…everything can change. So, the next time someone says “in a moment” – be reminded. That’s all it takes for everything to change.



To be ready is to simply trust Him each moment of your day, to seek to please Him and live godly lives… 2Pet.3:11-13

But in the meantime, what are we to do? We’re to be always ready! And to be ready is to simply trust Him each moment of your day; to seek to please Him and live godly lives (2Pet.3:11-13). 1Jn.3:3 – “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” And we’re to help others get ready for Jesus’ return. How? By sharing the gospel. What about family members and friends who would be left behind? Are we doing the best we can to influence them to accept Christ as their personal Savior? Time is getting shorter. Look up, for your redemption draws near!





Sounds familiar? Facebookers see this all the time in their Facebook account. And there they write whatever is on their mind. Glad that there is still some control of what is only allowed to be written there. Can you imagine if everything that goes on in our mind is written there? If you’re honest, it’s not all pleasant. And so, speaking of the mind, don’t you know that the greatest conflict taking place in the world today is the battle for control of our minds? So much of the walk of the Christian comes down to our minds.

The greatest conflict taking place in the world today is the battle for control of our minds…

You see, what feeds our fears and anxieties are an unhealthy thinking. What intensifies our worries is having negative and bad thoughts. It’s in the mind where worries and fears find their nest. The battle is in the mind. Wrong thinking leads to wrong feelings and before long the heart and mind are pulled apart and we are strangled by worry and paralyzed by fear. Somebody wrote, “Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.”

The battle for any temptation in your life begins in your mind; regardless of what the temptation is, the battle begins in our mind. What we think about, we will eventually feel, and what we feel we will eventually act on. Beloved, pay attention to what you are thinking about. Don’t allow your mind to wander in all kinds of directions. Instead we are to think of whatever is “true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Phil.4:8)!

Here are 8 filters. Everything we hear & everything we see need to pass through them. And if it doesn’t make it through these 8 filters then it shouldn’t be in our mind & in our heart. These are guidelines for us to have good discernment in a world that is full of lies and impurities! There is so much garbage in this world. And the old saying “garbage in, garbage out” is true. So think about it.

We are commanded to have pure thoughts, to have minds focused on what pleases God…

Church, we are commanded to have pure thoughts, to have minds focused on what pleases God. The Christian life is to be marked by a holy mind-set – that leads to holy living. We of course do this through the Word of God, giving regular, focused attention to the Bible, opening our minds to its truths, wanting God to mold our thinking by His Word. We do this through fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, building each other up. And through the working of His Holy Spirit in us!

So, WHAT’S ON YOR MIND?

We live in the generation of Information Overload. Have any question, a topic to research, a subject to study…just google it and boom…not one, not two, but hundreds of links for answers right before your eyes! And sometimes hours are spent just to get into all that! Now I wonder…how many followers of Christ spend time in their Bible reading it, meditating on it, studying it with the desire to apply it in their lives? I know one thing based on observation – there are many who are ignorant of the Scriptures. Just to give you an example of the Bible ignorance, here’s an excerpt from an article — in it contains real answers given on a Bible knowledge test –





People who said they knew their Bible gave the following answers: 1) Noah’s wife was Joan of Ark; 2) Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by the day and a ball of fire by night; 3) Moses went to the top of Mount Cyanide to get the Ten Commandments; 4) The seventh commandment is, “Thou shalt not admit adultery;” 5) Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption; 6) The people who followed Jesus were called decibels; 7) The epistles were the wives of the apostles; 8 ) Paul preached acrimony, which is another name for marriage; 9) David fought the Finklesteins, which is a race of people who lived in Bible times; 10) A Christian should have only one wife. This is called monotony!

I know it’s funny…but it’s serious at the same time! How can we expect to make a difference in this fallen, self-centered world when the very thing that can bring a change, God’s Word, is not known by those who claim to be followers of it? The members of a certain Chinese church used to have a saying, “No Bible – No Breakfast.” If we follow that motto, I wonder how many of us would go hungry!

For the unbelievers you cannot really expect them to have the right answers. But it is tragic when a person who calls himself a Christian is ignorant of the Word. Ignorance of the Word is ignorance of the Lord. Not knowing the God of the Word is an invitation for deception. And of course, it’s even more tragic when we claim we’re Christian, attend Bible studies and even occupy positions in church yet completely live lives that are opposite biblical teachings. We can know our doctrines, the Bible characters, know the Greek and the Hebrew, but if it’s not translated into daily living and becoming more like Jesus, it’s indeed a tragedy. In this situation, the opposite of biblical knowledge is not ignorance but simply disobedience!





So beloved, log off from Facebook, Myspace, Multiply, Twitter, etc…and be logged on to His Word! It’s a shame to have all the knowledge and infos the internet provides but so lacking and “niwang” about His life-giving and life-changing personal encounter with His UNCHANGING WORD!




The Old Gospel Song

It’s been raining hard, floods in some parts of Manila, classes and offices suspended at the time of this writing. And there I was missing my kids terribly, can’t wait to go home. It was a good time with my family though. Nice to minister and spend time with my Dad and Mom who are not getting any younger. Well your life may be in a storm right now and the flood waters are engulfing you. If you are, let me remind you that God has the whole world in His hands.” Remember the old gospel song? He’s got the wind, the rain, the tiny little baby, yes, even you and me in His hands.



He’s got the Middle East in His hands (that’s a relief, isn’t it?), not to mention North Korea and Iran…

His Sovereign Hands

How easy it is to forget that! And it isn’t limited to our geography or our culture, you know. He’s got the Middle East in His hands (that’s a relief, isn’t it?), not to mention North Korea and Iran, Cuba and India, Indonesia and Russia—all right there in the palms of His sovereign hands. And while we’re at it, He’s got our future, our children, our circumstances, our friends, and our foes in His hands . . . within His grasp . . . under His control. He’s there—in charge.



God Knows Your Ways . . .

But there are times when we find it really hard to believe that our circumstance is truly in His hands. Not only are the wind and the rain and the tiny little baby in His hands, but so are life’s minor interruptions as well as major calamities. In fact, would you believe they never leave His attention? There will be times we will need the reminder of the wise prophet named Isaiah, “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.” (Isaiah 49:16Isaiah 49:16
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16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.  

WP-Bible plugin) In other words, God sees us exactly as we are . . . warts and all, needs and all. He sees everything. And how close does He view it? It’s in the palms of His hands. God knows your ways . . . and He knows them continually. That includes your responses, your experiences, your reactions, what you call your calamities, your dead ends, your so-called impossible situations.



He has inscribed you and me on His palms. Things aren’t out of control…

Unshockable

Not only does He have you and me, the wind and the rain, and the tiny little baby in His hands, He has yesterday’s failures. He has today’s challenges, He has tomorrow’s surprises right there in His hands. And not one of them causes God to gasp. Not one causes Him to react with surprise, “Ah! I never knew that.” Not one. He is unshockable, He is immutable.

He’s got the whole world in His hands. What’s more, He has inscribed you and me on His palms. Things aren’t out of control.

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” 1Timothy 4:12







This is the welcome letter the campers received from Glen and Abba Tantio, a young couple who are youth ministry leaders in Calvary Chapel Dumaguete.



LIVINGSTONES YOUTH MINISTRY OF CALVARY CHAPEL DUMAGUETE

WELCOMES YOU TO YOUTH CAMP 2009!

Dear Camper,



I want you to know from the start that we are so excited you are here! You may be here for the first time and not too sure what to expect. You may have come unwillingly, or you may have come before and are expecting more of  the same. Whatever it may be, God has brought you here for a purpose. He wants to speak to you. I encourage you to lay all your expectations aside and be open to whatever the Lord may want to do in and through you this week.

God desires that you would know Him not just as some spiritual force or creator but as a loving, caring Father who loves you so much that He sent His only Son Jesus to die for your sins. This intimacy is only possible through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.

My prayer is that through this Camp God would develop in you an unquenchable hunger and thirst for more of Him. I pray you will surrender your life to Him and allow Him to transform you by His awesome power.

We have an exciting week ahead of learning, worship, fun activities and building new friendships so don’t miss out by holding back. Let go and let God have His way! I promise…you will never be the same again!


In His Grip,



Glen and Abba Tantio

Congrats to Glen and Abba on the new addition to
their family! Zar is now a ‘Kuya’ to baby Selah…




Snapshots








Evening Lecture Sessions with Pastor Jo:

1. “In Speech”
2. “In Life”
3. “In Faith”
4. “In Love”
5. “Jesus the Ultimate Example”



*For more photos of the Youth Camp visit the Livingstones Youth Ministry at their multiply website: www.livingstonesministry.multiply.com





The Apostle Paul: “Rejected”
Based on Bill Britton’s classic; modified and expanded by Dean VanDruff. From Acts 17:11Acts 17:11
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11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.  

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MYSTERY BABYLON DENOMINATION
FOREIGN MISSIONS BOARD

To: Rev. Saul Paul
First Christian Church
Antioch, Syria



Dear Mr. Paul:

I have your application for missionary appointment before me, and will be as frank as possible concerning your qualifications as a foreign missionary. We have to be very careful in choosing our missionaries, and our Missions Board has reviewed your case thoroughly. We have decided that it would be unwise to send you to the foreign field for the following reasons:

1. It has come to our attention that you are doing secular work on the side. We do not feel that making tents and full time ministry go together very well. [1Th 2:9h 2:9
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   9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. for the: or, by the  
   
   WP-Bible plugin] It seems that you do not have enough experience in trusting the Lord for your income. You should make up your mind whether you want to preach or continue your profession.
   
2. Your previous actions have been very rash and unseemly for a minister. We learned that in a public meeting you opposed Dr. Simon Peter, an esteemed minister with a high reputation. [Ga 2:11-14Ga 2:11-14
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   11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. ¹² For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. ¹³ And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. ¹⁴ But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?  
   
   WP-Bible plugin] We also hear that you refused to compromise with other ministers such that a special council meeting had to be called in Jerusalem to prevent a serious split in the churches. [Ac 15:1-30Ac 15:1-30
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   15 ¹ And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. ² When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. ³ And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. ⁴ And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. ⁵ But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. rose...: or, rose up, said they, certain ⁶ And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. ⁷ And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. ⁸ And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; ⁹ And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. ¹² Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. ¹³ And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: ¹⁴ Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. ¹⁵ And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, ¹⁶ After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: ¹⁷ That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. ¹⁸ Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. ¹⁹ Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: ²⁰ But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. ²² Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: ²³ And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: ²⁴ Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: ²⁵ It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶ Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. mouth: Gr. word ²⁸ For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; ²⁹ That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. ³⁰ So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:  
   
   WP-Bible plugin] We frown on putting ideology before people. For your own good, I am enclosing a copy of Daius’ Carnegus book on “How to Win Jews and Influence Greeks.” [Ga 1:10, 1Ga 1:10, 1
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   10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians ^{1 1} Paul, an apostle,  
   
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   4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? gifts: or, distributions ⁵ For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. ⁶ But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?  
   
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3. You have conflicted with mature Jewish brethren in nearly every city you have visited who simply want to encourage the converted Pagans to be properly circumcised. Mr. Paul, you must know that these men are our most learned sages with a deep sense of the roots and history of our faith. As well, and more importantly, these men control the synagogues you could be ministering in if you would simply tone down your dialog into a more friendly and respectful exchange. [Gal 5:2-12Gal 5:2-12
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   2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. ³ For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. ⁴ Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. ⁵ For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. ⁶ For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. ⁷ Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? hinder you: or, drive you back ⁸ This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. ⁹ A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. ¹⁰ I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. ¹¹ And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. ¹² I would they were even cut off which trouble you.  
   
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4. In checking back, we discovered your Christian education consisted of a three year course in Arabia. [Ga 1:15-20Ga 1:15-20
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   15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, ¹⁶ To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: ¹⁷ Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. ¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. went up: or, returned ¹⁹ But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. ²⁰ Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.  
   
   WP-Bible plugin] We find that the Arabian school has not been approved by our accreditation board.
   
5. Further, you admit to being an unskilled public speaker. [2Co 10:10, 11:6] Paul, surely you must know that people expect fine elocution from men of God, and that as a denomination we stand for the highest levels of excellence in the pulpit. Yet instead of going to much-needed oratory classes you spend your time making tents instead. From your correspondence, you also appear to be spending a considerable amount of time writing letters to insignificant little “churches” that meet in homes. [Ac 28:3-6Ac 28:3-6
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   3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. ⁴ And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. ⁵ And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. ⁶ Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.  
   
   WP-Bible plugin] Honestly now; do you really think that such misguided activities are what will lead to your success in the world of religion? We strongly suggest that you put down your tools and set aside your pen, and instead practice hand gestures, facial expressions, and voice modulation in front of a mirror for several hours a day until you come up to par.
   
6. It has come to the attention also that you often emphasize “the power of God” and “the gifts of the Spirit.” [1Co 2:3-5, 12:1-7] Also that you speak in tongues a great deal. [1Co 14:18] Surely you realize that such as this only drives off the better class of people, and attracts only the riff-raff. It would be better to tone down those more sensational forms of worship. You sound as though you are “off the deep end.” [1Co 3:18]
   
7. It has been proven to our satisfaction that you had hands laid on you at Antioch with prophecy going forth, [Ac 13:1-3Ac 13:1-3
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   13 ¹ Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. which...: or, Herod's foster brother ² As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. ³ And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.  
   
   WP-Bible plugin] with none of the Apostles or Headquarters brethren present to conduct this ordination service in the prescribed manner.
   
8. We see here that you have a jail record in several places. [2Co 11:23-27] If this is true, it puts you in a bad light, for our denomination has always stood for a high standard of civic responsibility. I fear it would damage our reputation to have someone representing us that had served time in jails and prisons. Frankly, Mr. Paul, we seriously doubt you could have been innocent and the judge wrong in so many cases. It just doesn’t look right.
   
9. It seems that you are a troublemaker, Mr. Paul. Several business men of Ephesus have written us that you were the cause of severe loss of business to them and even stirred mob violence. You must learn to cultivate the friendship and influence of men such as these. [Ac 16:16-22Ac 16:16-22
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   16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: of divination: or, of Python ¹⁷ The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. ¹⁸ And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. ¹⁹ And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, marketplace: or, court ²⁰ And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, ²¹ And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. ²² And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.  
   
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10. We also have some details of a shameful “over the wall in a basket” episode at Damascus, [2Co 11:30-33] plus a stoning at Lystra, and several other violent actions taken against your ministry. [2Ti 3:11] Haven’t you ever suspected that conciliatory behavior and gentler words might gain you more friends?
    
11. We have learned through channels that following some trouble with a preacher on the island of Cyprus, you began to allow yourself to be known by the Gentile pronunciation of your name rather than the proper Hebrew. [Ac 13:4-11Ac 13:4-11
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    4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵ And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister. ⁶ And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: ⁷ Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. ⁹ Then Saul, filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, ¹⁰ And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? ¹¹ And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.  
    
    WP-Bible plugin] Yet another conflict, and then a name change. This does not seem to us to be conduct becoming to the ministry.
    
12. You admitted in your application that in the past you neglected such needy fields as Bithynia, just because “the Spirit didn’t lead that way,” and that you undertook a hazardous journey on the strength of a dream you had at Troas. [Ac 16:6-10Ac 16:6-10
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    6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, ⁷ After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. ⁸ And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. ⁹ And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. ¹⁰ And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.  
    
    WP-Bible plugin] Mr. Paul, surely you don’t expect us to go along with such flimsy and fantastic excuses for your seemingly purposeless wanderings.
    
13. Many times you did not stay long enough, in our opinion, to get a church properly established. You left your converts many times without even a pastor to guide them, and without setting the church in order in some good hierarchical denomination. [Ts 1:5]
    
14. We hear also from Troas that you preach too long, one sermon lasting almost twenty-four hours, even to the extent that a young man fell asleep and was seriously injured. [Ac 20:7-12Ac 20:7-12
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    7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. ⁸ And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. ⁹ And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. ¹⁰ And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. ¹¹ When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. ¹² And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.  
    
    WP-Bible plugin] We understand that you claim to have restored his life and raised him from the dead by falling on him and embracing him. What nonsense! We need practical men in the ministry, Mr. Paul, not high strung emotional radicals. Our advice is for you to shorten your sermons considerably. We find that about twenty minutes is the longest a minister can hold the attention of his audience these days. Our motto is “Stand up, speak up, and shut up.”
    
15. It is reported from your home church that you could not get along with your fellow ministers; that John Mark–a commendable young man and nephew of one of our highest leaders–had to leave your party in the middle of a journey; and that you had a sharp quarrel with gentle, good natured Barnabas. [Ac 15:36-40Ac 15:36-40
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    36 And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. ³⁷ And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. ³⁸ But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. ³⁹ And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; ⁴⁰ And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.  
    
    WP-Bible plugin] Now these men are well thought of in Jerusalem and we wonder why you are always having trouble with your fellow workers?
    
16. We have notarized affidavits from four very popular and influential preachers: Diotrephes, Demas, Hymenaeus, and Alexander; to the effect that it is impossible for them to cooperate with either you or your program. [1Ti 1:20]
    
17. From what we hear, you seem to think that you have some direct sanction from on-high, boasting about your revelations and that God has chosen you to reveal some “Mystery”. [Ep 3:3-4Ep 3:3-4
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    3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, afore...: or, a little before ⁴ Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)  
    
    WP-Bible plugin] Can’t you realize that any truth that is to be revealed would come through Headquarters to the recognized, established brethren, and that after it had been checked by our Procedure and Doctrine Committee that we would distribute it on to the field workers?
    
18. Finally, we hear that you claim to be an Apostle. We know nothing of this being passed upon by the proper authoritative channels and wonder how you could back that claim up, when the last Apostle was voted into office right here in Jerusalem. [Ac 1:26Ac 1:26
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    26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.  
    
    WP-Bible plugin] Now that our denomination is firmly established, why do you imagine there would be any need for God to continue the Apostolic gifting?



As you see, Mr. Paul, we feel definitely after close scrutiny of your case, that you are undoubtedly the most unqualified applicant we have ever seen, and my advice for you is to find a church where you can work in harmony, and use your past education as perhaps a Sunday School teacher.

I hope I have prevented you from making a terrible mistake in your life.


Most sincerely yours,


J. Flavios Fluphehead, SECY









Don’t forget to thank God! And we really should…there are so many things that we should thank God for. But for a lot us we get caught up in the “Please God give me’s….”

Why don’t we start by thanking God for everyday things: breathing, walking, thinking, loving, existing…

How has God blessed your life?



“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord…” Psalm 92:1Psalm 92:1
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92 A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day. ¹ It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:  

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“Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalm 107:8-9Psalm 107:8-9
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8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! ⁹ For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.  

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“Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can declare all His praise?” Psalm 106:1-2Psalm 106:1-2
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106 ¹ Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Praise...: Heb. Hallelujah ² Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise?  

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“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.” Psalm 69:30Psalm 69:30
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30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.  

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“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-181 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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16 Rejoice evermore. ¹⁷ Pray without ceasing. ¹⁸ In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  

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Some ways to thank and praise God!

• Do it with your mouth, not just your mind – Psalm 51:15, 63:5, 66:8, 66:17, 71:8, 15, 24, 105:2, 109:30, 119:171-172, 145:21Psalm 51:15, 63:5, 66:8, 66:17, 71:8, 15, 24, 105:2, 109:30, 119:171-172, 145:21
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  15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.  
  
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• Seek God, thirst for Him – Psalm 22:26, 42:2, 63:8, 105:4Psalm 22:26, 42:2, 63:8, 105:4
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  26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.  
  
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• Thank God continuously – Psalm 71:6, 8, 14-15, 75:9, 79:13, 92:1-2, 115:18, 145:2Psalm 71:6, 8, 14-15, 75:9, 79:13, 92:1-2, 115:18, 145:2
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  6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee. ⁸ Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. ¹⁴ But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. ¹⁵ My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.  
  
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• Tell people about God’s wondrous works – Psalm 26:7, 96:3Psalm 26:7, 96:3
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  7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.  
  
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• Thank and praise God in front of your brothers and sisters in the congregation, among many people- Psalm 22:22, 25, 26:12, 35:18, 68:26, 111:1, 116:19Psalm 22:22, 25, 26:12, 35:18, 68:26, 111:1, 116:19
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  22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. ²⁵ My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. ²⁶ The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.  
  
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• Among the unsaved of all nations, thank and praise God – Psalm 18:49, 57:9, 96:10, 108:3Psalm 18:49, 57:9, 96:10, 108:3
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  49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. give...: or, confess  
  
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• Praise God to the next and all generations – 79:13, 102:18, 145:4

• Sing praises to God, sing with understanding, and make it glorious – Psalm 7:17, 47:7, 66:2, 66:4, 9:2, 27:6, 28:7, 57:9, 61:8, 63:7, 68:4, 32, 69:30, 71:22-23, 92:1, 96:2, 101:1, 104:33, 105:2, 135:3, 146:2Psalm 7:17, 47:7, 66:2, 66:4, 9:2, 27:6, 28:7, 57:9, 61:8, 63:7, 68:4, 32, 69:30, 71:22-23, 92:1, 96:2, 101:1, 104:33, 105:2, 135:3, 146:2
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  17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.  
  
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• Even sing for joy in your bed -  Psalm 149:5Psalm 149:5
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  5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.  
  
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• Do it with all your heart – Psalm 9:1, 86:12, 111:1, 138:1Psalm 9:1, 86:12, 111:1, 138:1
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  9 To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David. ¹ I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.  
  
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• Be glad and rejoice in God – Psalm 9:2Psalm 9:2
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  2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.  
  
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• Fear God, honor Him, glorify Him, revere Him – Psalm 22:23Psalm 22:23
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  23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.  
  
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• Love and respect God’s house – Psalm 26:8, 138:2Psalm 26:8, 138:2
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  8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. where...: Heb. of the tabernacle of thy honour  
  
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• Don’t sin, seek righteousness – Psalm 33:1Psalm 33:1
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  33 ¹ Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.  
  
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• Play musical instruments to praise God, and do it skillfully – Psalm 33:2-3, 43:4, 71:22, 92:3, 149:3, 150:3-5Psalm 33:2-3, 43:4, 71:22, 92:3, 149:3, 150:3-5
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• Shout for joy, rejoice – Psalm 33:3Psalm 33:3
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  3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.  
  
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• Be creative in your praise (write or sing God a NEW song, not always the same old one) – Psalm 33:3Psalm 33:3
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  3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.  
  
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• Stand in awe of Him – Psalm 33:8Psalm 33:8
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  8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.  
  
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• Remember and praise God’s names – Psalm 44:8, 45:17, 54:6Psalm 44:8, 45:17, 54:6
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  8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.  
  
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• Lift up your hands to Him – Psalm 63:4Psalm 63:4
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  4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.  
  
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• Think about God at night – Psalm 63:6Psalm 63:6
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  6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.  
  
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• Encourage other to praise and thank God – Psalm 67:3-5Psalm 67:3-5
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  3 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. ⁴ O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. govern: Heb. lead ⁵ Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.  
  
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• Praise him with dancing – Psalm 150:3, 30:11, 149:3Psalm 150:3, 30:11, 149:3
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  3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. trumpet: or, cornet ⁶ Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.  
  
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(from:  ChristianAnswers.net)



Smile and have a blessed day with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!



• Cartoon from:  KevinFrank.net

Dear Reader,

If you have anything that we can use for “Things that Make You Smile and Think” and “Interesting Stuff”, please give us the link or email us your article at calvarychapel.dgt@gmail.com (this is the CCD email address exclusively for website matters), and we will post it here with the name of the contributor…We however, reserve the right to edit and choose which contributions will finally be published.

We would love to hear from you!

Thank you,

The CCD Bezalel Circle



Just the mention of it we wince. We don’t pray it comes to us but it does. Why is there pain? Why do well-meaning, God-loving followers of Christ suffer? C.S. Lewis had a great answer for that. “Why not?” he said. “They’re the only ones who can handle it.”

Suffering was interwoven into the life of Paul, and he knew the right way to handle it. In Acts 13-14, Paul suffered opposition and slander from the Jews in Antioch and Iconium. When they found him at Lystra, they stoned him, dragged him out of the city, and left him for dead. Paul was doing God’s will when this happened. It would have been very easy to question God’s love and God’s calling on his life. But how did Paul interpret these experiences?

Look at 2 Corinthians 1:8-92 Corinthians 1:8-9
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8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: ⁹ But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: sentence: or, answer  

WP-Bible plugin. “For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.” Paul is saying, “Yes, it was bad, but it caused me to trust God as I never had before.”

Paul talks about his sufferings throughout 2 Corinthians, and he even boasts about it because of what it taught him. What do you do with pain? You shouldn’t apply some quick-fix, false theology to it: “I bind all pain and all suffering in Jesus’ name.” You should pray for an end to your pain, but you should also pray, “Let me not waste this time.” You should ask God, “What are you trying to teach me? What lesson should I be learning?”



For Paul, that lesson was summed up in 2 Corinthians 12:9-102 Corinthians 12:9-10
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9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.  

WP-Bible plugin. The Lord told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” And Paul concluded that he would take pleasure in his infirmities, and in the persecutions he suffered. He knew that his true strength came from God: “when I am weak, then I am strong” (v. 10).

Are you in some kind of pain today? I pray that you and I would learn what God is trying to teach us, even in the midst of pain. And rest your heart in the fact that His grace is sufficient for you!

A colorful rainbow brings to light the interconnected nature of one of the world’s most familiar books.

The Bible’s 1,189 chapters are plotted along the horizontal axis at the bottom of the image, with each bar’s length determined by the number of verses.

The arcs above the graph show the 63,779he 63,779
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Izbrano poglavje ne obstaja!

WP-Bible plugin cross-references between each chapter.

“It almost looks like one monolithic volume,” said Carnegie Mellon’s Chris Harrison, who–along with Christoph Romhild of North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hamburg, Germany–won an honorable mention for illustrations in the 2008 International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge.

Additional Information:

• This diagram arose from a collaboration between a Carnegie-Mellon Ph.D student and a Lutheran pastor to create a grand map of Biblical cross-references: “We wanted something that honored and revealed the complexity of the data at every level –- as one leans in, smaller details should become visible. This ultimately led us to the multi-colored arc diagram… The bar graph that runs along the bottom represents all of the chapters in the Bible. Books alternate in color between white and light gray. The length of each bar denotes the number of verses in the chapter. Each of the 63,779he 63,779
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  Izbrano poglavje ne obstaja!
  
  WP-Bible plugin cross references found in the Bible is depicted by a single arc – the color corresponds to the distance between the two chapters, creating a rainbow-like effect.”

• “Although the Bible is made up of 66 individual books written by several different people, a scientific graph of the intersection of the content shows it to be so united that it appears to virtually be the work of one hand. Just another proof of the veracity of the Word.” – Ed Hodge

• Read the original post from the National Geographic.

• Check out the original image at Chris Harrison’s site.

Take a look and see why his promising career as a lifeguard did not flourish…
Smile and have a blessed day with our Lord and Savior!



Moses did not make it as a lifeguard, he failed! He also had his own share of run-ins on several very serious setbacks. Read the following post about how God gave Moses second chances. If you’re experiencing failures like Moses did, there too, is hope for you:

• God is the God of ordinary men who accomplish extraordinary things.

Dear Reader,

If you have anything that we can use for “Things that Make You Smile and Think”, please give us the link or email us at calvarychapel.dgt@gmail.com (this is the CCD email address exclusively for website matters), and we will post it here with the name of the contributor…We however,  reserve the right to edit and choose which contributions will finally be published.

We would love to hear from you!

Thank you,

The CCD Bezalel Circle

Have you ever wondered, “Where will I spend eternity?” God’s Word gives only two ultimate destinations for all humans. The first one is called hell and the Bible describes another ultimate destination called Heaven.

The question may at first make you smile…”"How will you spend eternity-Smoking or Non-smoking?” But seriously, think for a moment and ask yourself the question…



Non-Smoking or Smoking?

No, I’m not talking about evolution’s missing link…there’s no missing link – that’s why it’s still missing! Read on. God offers instruction, but then it’s our move. We must accept His instruction and apply it to our lives. Then, and only then, can we expect to cash in on the benefits of His instruction. So you see, application is the essential link between instruction and change.

Imagine, if you will, that you work for a company whose president found it necessary to travel out of the country and spend an extended period of time abroad. So he says to you and the other trusted employees, “Look, I’m going to leave. And while I’m gone, I want you to pay close attention to the business. You manage things while I’m away. I will write you regularly. When I do, I will instruct you in what you should do from now until I return from this trip.”

Everyone agrees. He leaves and stays gone for a couple of years. During that time he writes often, communicating his desires and concerns. Finally he returns. He walks up to the front door of the company and immediately discovers everything is in a mess—weeds flourishing in the flower beds, windows broken across the front of the building, the lady at the front desk dozing, loud music roaring from several offices, two or three people engaged in horseplay in the back room. Instead of making a profit, the business has suffered a great loss.

Without hesitation he calls everyone together and with a frown asks, “What happened? Didn’t you get my letters?” You say, “Oh, yeah, sure. We got all your letters. We’ve even bound them in a book. And some of us have memorized them. In fact, we have ‘letter study’ every Sunday. You know, those were really great letters.” I think the president would then ask, “But what did you do about my instructions?” And, no doubt, the employees would respond, “Do? Well, nothing. But we read every one!”

In the very same way, God has sent us His instruction. He has preserved every word of it in a Book, the Bible. It’s all there, just as He communicated it to us. When He returns for His own, He is not going to ask us how much we memorized or how often we met for study. No, He will want to know, “What did you do about my instructions?” Be NOT hearers only but DOERS of the Word (Jam.1:22). What instructions from the Lord that you’ve not been doing? Do it now…and change will surely come.

If there’s one attitude families are guilty of more than any other when it comes to mothers, it’s presumption . . . taking them for granted . . . being nearly blind on occasion to the load moms carry. From a Mother’s Day Greeting card: “Forget the housework, Mom. It’s your day. Besides, you can always do double duty and catch up on Monday!”

Another one: On the front of the card was a beleaguered mother. Draped over her neck were three unmatched socks and at her feet was an enormous stack of unwashed clothes. On the stove was a hot skillet burning the food. A cold, stained coffee pot needed attention. The refrigerator door was ajar and milk had spilled in it. The dishes, naturally, looked like a homemade tower reaching out of the sink. Inside the card was scribbled: “Look, lady, nobody said it was gonna be a free ride!” But my favorite was a great big card that looked like a third-grader had printed it. On it was a little boy with a dirty face and torn pants pulling a wagonload of toys. On the front it read:“Mom, I remember the little prayer you used to say for me every day . . .” and inside, “God help you if you do that again!”

There’s an old song entitled “I Owe You.” In the song, a man is looking through his wallet and comes across a number of long-standing “I owe yous” to his mother . . . which he names one by one. Borrowing that idea, I suggest you who have been guilty of presumption unfold some of your own “I owe yous”. Consider the priceless value of the one woman who made your life possible—your mother. Think about her example, her support, her humor, her counsel, her humility, her hospitality, her insight, her patience, her sacrifices. Her faith. Her hope. Her love.

Somebody once said, “He is not poor who has had a godly mother.” Indebted, but not poor.



“If you don’t watch it, you’ll be planning lunch during the sermon (hahaha).”

Moms, on Mother’s Day Sunday we rise up and call you blessed. But knowing you, you’ll feel uneasy in the limelight. You’ll probably look for a place to hide. True servants are like that. If you don’t watch it, you’ll be planning lunch during the sermon (hahaha). But that would be a waste of time. Especially since you’re going to be taken out to lunch (which will add to our indebtedness!). But in all honesty, it won’t come anywhere near expressing our gratitude. So, live it up today. It’s all yours. My advice? Shake up the family for a change. Order your most favorite food and have an all-body massage!

THANK YOU MOMS! WE LOVE YOU! WE THANK GOD FOR YOU!

May 1- Labor Day, a day the Nation honors the laborers of the different sectors of society. Indeed they are to be recognized and commended, especially those who are diligent and honest, those who are devoted to their work. Without them there will be no progress. Same is true in the spiritual realm! Everyone involved in God’s work is to be recognized and commended (though that should not be the motive). Paul the Apostle, who once said that he forgot those whom he baptized (1 Cor.1:16), never forgot to mention those men and women who have labored with him one way or another. In Romans 16 and his other epistles, he mentioned by name and commended those wonderful believers. Like Paul, I greatly rejoice in the Lord for you who have been co-laboring with me in this work God has entrusted to us. God knows who you are. But there is so much work to be done; many lands to conquer, souls to save and disciple.

The harvest is great but the workers are few. What a contrast to the physical realm! In the physical, there are many workers but no jobs available (how many jobless Filipinos today?). But in the spiritual, there is a great work to be done but few workers! Jesus said, “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field (Matt. 9:37-38Matt. 9:37-38
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37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; ³⁸ Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.  

WP-Bible plugin).” Have you been asking? If so, then maybe you yourself are the answer to that prayer! Are you willing not just to pray, but to be the answer? Why not -  when Jesus through His Spirit gave His church gifts? You are included. Every believer has a gift. You are to simply be humble and available, willing to do the humblest of things. And when you step out in faith He will enable and empower you to do that work.

Jesus is looking for open hearts to which He could conform to His and hands through which He could perform His task. What a privilege to be co-laborers with Christ! There’s no greater task to do than do those things that last — those things which have eternal value! Praise God for His unsearchable wisdom and grace that we are made worthy for such great a task!

“Please Lord, be with me when I’m fearful, to make me faithful. Be with me when I’m faithful, to make me fruitful. Be with me when I’m fruitful, to make me humble. For it is only by Your grace that I was chosen to serve You; only by Your strength that I am even able to serve; only by Your faithfulness that I am still serving You today. Amen.”