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If Galatians 3:28 has any merit, it would seem that discrimination based on gender isn't ok. When it comes down to it, being ordained is an advanced level of a particular profession, namely the ministry. It could be construed that ordination is similar to an advanced degree with which might come more exacting roles and responsibilities in the workplace. I would posit, then, that as a professional in the ministry, what difference does a person's internal plumbing have to do with their ability to carry out those roles and responsibilities? This hullabaloo on the matter has been going on since the late 60s, maybe earlier, but that's what I recall. Ordination doesn't make the man. After ordination he isn't suddenly more skilled or a better administrator. Ordination is merely a level of credentials. Any woman so blessed with the skills and a passion for the ministry should be able to progress in a professional path serving their fellow "man" just like any male counterpart, including being ordained. Why limit advancement in the field based on "plumbing?" Are the skills and abilities necessary for quality ministry only exhibited by the population with XY chromosomes? Saying women can't be ordained is as close minded and foolish as saying priests can't marry. Needless to say I voted yes !

I have published a new book, this time a novel (parable). I decided to publish it as an E-book through Amazon. You can obtain it and have it downloaded to an area reserved for you in an Internet "Cloud," then read it on a Kindle device, or on your computer (using a free downloadable app from Amazon). Here is the link for the book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q7COXT4 Angel In the End of Time: A Parable of the End Times (Kindle Edition) Ronald R. Lambert (Author) Kindle Price: $4.99 Book Description: Many people seem to have gotten the idea that the interpretation of Bible prophecy is something like a competitive sport, and vie with each other to see who can come up with the most fabulously fanciful version. But 2 Peter 1:20, 21 strictly forbids fanciful interpretations: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” This leads us to recognize what must be the one and only reasonable way to avoid a private interpretation of Bible prophecy. That is to follow these three basic rules of interpretation: (1) Allow only the Bible itself to define all its prophetic symbols. (2) Allow context to indicate when in history to apply the prophecies. (3) Use common sense literary analysis—especially noting how the phrases involved are used elsewhere in Scripture—to determine whether a given passage should be taken literally or symbolically. The fact that these simple rules do work, and provide consistent results with symbolic prophecies written many centuries apart in three different languages, is one of the strongest evidences for the divine inspiration of Scripture. It shows that all the prophecies did come from One Divine Mind. Jesus Christ did much of His preaching employing stories that helped his listeners understand what He was trying to get across. This story is told from the viewpoint of a former guardian angel, Laron. We meet him as he chooses to address the family and friends of the young lady who had been his charge, who was killed. Then he proceeds to Atlanta, Georgia, where terrorists detonate a small nuclear bomb. Next he must hasten to the White House, and try to resist the efforts of the enemy (fallen angels) to persuade the president to authorize use of a much more powerful nuclear bomb to prevent any contagious diseases that may have escaped from Level Four containment in the Centers for Disease Control from spreading throughout the countryside. After that, we follow Laron through the key events outlined in Bible prophecy for the time of the end, including the final organized conspiracy to place the whole world under the control of one religious authority, that unfortunately is not on God’s side. There is no “Secret Rapture.” All living on earth face a final judgment based on the choice they must make, whether to put their faith in the righteousness of God the Creator and Redeemer, or in the supposed righteousness of the creature--humans and human institutions. The Mark of the Beast is the Mark of creature worship. A note about E-publishing: authors typically get 70% royalties, so can afford to charge much less for books, allowing more people to be able to afford to read them. While the E-publisher does not get as large a percentage as a print publisher, the E-publisher has negligible actual publication costs. Amazon currently has about 60% of the E-book market. Next to Amazon is Barnes & Noble, with 30%. More and more public libraries are offering rental of E-books. Also, I discovered that going to the Amazon Kindle library, I find a lot of short stories available by themselves, some of them by well-known writers. For example, there are a couple of short works by Lee Child, that feature his popular character, Jack Reacher, that are available no where else, at prices of $1.99 or lower. In the past, to get a short story published, I had to get some magazine editor to like it enough to publish it in his magazine (such as Analog Science Fiction, where I have been published several times). Or someone compiling an anthology of short fiction might solicit short stories already published, and occasionally some that are new, to include in his anthology. The market for short fiction thus has always been very tight--until now. Now it is easy to get a short story or novelette published. I would hate to see the demise of printed books, but clearly E-books are the way of the future. They allow much greater freedom, and make literature much more readily available.

There is an Ebola outbreak happening in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia right now. The latest I've heard is that a patient was located in Nigeria, so now that country is involved. Ebola is VERY deadly as far as viruses go. I thought that the mortality rate is 60% but if a person does not get treatment it could be higher. The problems the foreign medical people were having is that the population suffers from lack of information. They believed that if their loved one went to hospital s/he wouldn't come out, that it was a death sentence. Others didn't want to give up the dead bodies, preferring that families handle their own dead. And that has led to the spread of the plague. My daughter-in-law through her non-profit was able to distribute 3500 * information packets through her staff, who are locals and are trusted. She is still working on this. But she has asked for prayer for her and Kevin's friends who are still in the country. Some are with Samaritan's Purse, who Kev used to work for. They are very concerned at this point. I've read that the head doctor working with the Ebola patients has now come down with the disease. Thanks for all who feel impressed to lift up petitions to God for the people of West Africa in this situation. * Note- I need to fix that number. It should be 3,025 packets. Sorry for the error- Gail

Lieutenant Colonel Harjit Sajjan, OMM, MSM, CD, has become the first Sikh in Canada to take command of a Canadian regiment

to see a larger image: click on http://i.imgur.com/HhqlkMK.png

A minister parked his car in a no-parking zone in a large city because he was short of time and couldn't find a space with a meter. So he put a note under the windshield wiper that read: "I have circled the block 10 times. If I don't park here, I'll miss my appointment. FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES." When he returned, he found a citation from a police officer along with this note: "I've circled this block for 10 years. If I don't give you a ticket, I'll lose my job. LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION."

AT News Team, Jan. 21, 2015: Josephine Patinella is 108 today, placing her among the few hundred longest-lived Americans. She joined the Adventist faith as a young adult in Brooklyn, New York City, and continues to this day as a faithful member of the La Mesa Adventist Church in the suburbs of San Diego, California. Read rest of article here: http://atoday.org/adventist-woman-san-diego-area-turns-108.html

Myths Debunked Some myths are easy to discredit. Others, not so much. Here are seven urban legends that just aren’t true. Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Entertainment/Galleries/7-Urban-Legends-You-Thought-Were-True.aspx#kVcFAKLbUzKTfH2H.99

Recently I was party to a strange but interesting conversation. I have recently read Nikola Tesla's autobiography entitled, "My Inventions." Tesla had extraordinary powers of intuition and visualisation as well as an enhanced sense of hearing. He desired to use his inventions for the betterment of the world. Even his "death ray" device was intended as a defensive weapon in the light of the newly-formed and threatening Third Reich. His greatest idea was the transmission of wireless power. He foresaw back then wireless communication which would include images and dissolve the problem of distance that they faced back in his day. Occultism raged during his time. He mentions once nearly tossing out a delegation from Henry Ford for some occultic suggestion within a business proposal. He felt that occurrences deemed to be occultic would eventually be explained through science and did not believe them to be spiritual. This discussion morphed into one of dimensions. It brings to mind a talk by Rob Bell where he pictured that in a two-dimensional world if you stuck your 3-dimensional hand into the plane of existence of someone in a two-dimensional world, all that person would discern of your hand would be a line. Your fingers would appear to them as 5 lines. But you with your 3-dimensional existence know for certain the appearance of your hand. God inhabits a dimension that is beyond us, where time and matter are different and transcend what we are able to understand. He calls us just to believe and trust what He tells us in His word. It sounds spacey but scientifically-speaking, Why not?

Galatians 4:22-26 “For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar-- for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children-- but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.” I’m just going to repeat a few words here for emphasis. The Sinai covenant “gives birth to bondage.” The Jerusalem of Paul’s day was “in bondage” - because they were still laboring under the Sinai covenant, and had not accepted the New Covenant - with the Spirit.

How does, not being under the Law, effect the Sabbath? Well, we know the Law didn't make the seventh day holy and blessed God did many years before Sinai, the Law only protected it's holiness. The Law brought strict work prohibition even to stoning for picking up sticks. We are no longer under that old system of relating to God through fear of punishment. Jesus ushered in a system of love, which honors God's will by a different motive. If we love God we will look like someone who is keeping the Law because the Law defines love. Romans 13:8-10 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,“You shall not covet, and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Under the old system we drew our worth and value in the eyes of God by how well we obeyed the commandments. In Christ we draw our worth and value from the cross. The cross teaches us that God's loves us in spite of our sin. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Let's express our love for God and man the way God defines love. Be blessed and happy Sabbath...o/

Noted Preacher John Loor Sr. is Dead at 87 By AT News Team, Jan. 23, 2015: The well known and widely beloved Adventist preacher, Pastor John R. Loor, Sr. passed to his rest last week. http://atoday.org/noted-preacher-john-loor-sr-dead-87.html

Question, If for whatever reason you visited a local SDA church for the Sabbath service and discovered that the format and events of that service were no different to what would be done at a local Assemblies of God church, would you approve or disapprove? For those who may not have ever encountered the Assemblies of God or a Pentecostal denomination before, that format of meeting would resemble something like this, (note that this might only be in part during the weekly meeting and varies from week to week). Opening Praise and worship songs - flowing, all members standing. Singing in the Spirit - Singing in Tongues. Prayer, (which may lead into further prayer in Tongues) Prayer in tongues - General across Congregation, Single Tongues and interpretation by another members with potentially a prophetic focus of what G-d is saying to the congregation. Words of knowledge "there is one amongst us here that has a sore knee, come forward and be healed" and similar cases. Communion - every second week, bread and grape juice in thimble glasses. Offering Sermon Altar Call - invitation to be born again, personal prayer for members needs, Anointing with oil of the sick. Slaying in the Spirit - prayer that ends with the person becoming overwhelmed by the presence of G-d and falling over backwards. Personal Prophecy, Songs to finish and often through the altar call. Fellowship.

The official Triumvirate was only 10 years long (43 BC - 33 BC), and the elected officials only held office for a period of 5 years. While admittedly there were politically-induced Roman civil battles during those 10 years, there were no iconoclastic happenings which would precipitate the inclusion of the Triumvirate as part of John's vision. Apparently, the SDA denomination is not really *your* denomination... Mr Tierney, in nearly every one of your posts you make sarcastic remarks directed towards the ones who bother to read your posts. You're not going to win anyone to your side with that attitude... Ironically, Pope Francis seems to have more humility and demonstrates more caring than what is being shown here in your remarks....

I don't think there were any Popes living at the time John received the vision. Yet the angel said, "one is living now". Revelation 17:9-10 "This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven hills on which the woman is sitting; also they are seven kings - five have fallen, one is living now and the other is yet to come; and when he does come, he must remain only a little while." (CJB) Doesn't SOUND like the last 8 Popes.

Yes! These are well worth considering. Complaining reveals that our eyes are earthward instead of fixed on Christ

What happened to Australia? If they redid relocation of people based on square miles, Canada would become a Hindu nation, good side of that would be great food.

See: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/januaryfebruary/season-of-adventists-can-ben-carson-church-stay-separatist.html?utm_source=ctweekly-html&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=16245031&utm_content=330461672&utm_campaign=2013

True. The truth matters. So why follow an "I don't know" with a bunch of unsubstantiated and fabricated rumor mongering if you don't know!

That video creeps me out. I would not be comfortable at that service. To me, it seems like some dignity is going out the window

Here's a couple of quotes that might add some direction when considering the value of speaking in tongues. God is love! Jesus saves!

Given the current circumstances, that could be noted as a plausible scenario. However, for "the Gospel to go to all the world, then the end come" (Matthew 24:14; Mark 13:10), the lands that are now closed to the Gospel must open up (aka, Communist and Islamic controlled countries). I do think it will be the inadvertent consequence of the work of the earth and sea beasts which will allow this. Islam won't be stamped out of existence...but its power will remain broken. God broke it back in 1840, and it will not rise to dominance again. Even so, "lift up your heads, for your redemption draws nigh". Blessings,

I've been getting more and more involved with a more traditional SDA Church lately because they are more interested in the Word than Spirit manifestation. I've really been into eschatology lately - something many charismatic/pentecostal churches don't like to talk about. I think both traditional SDA's and charismatic churches could do a better job at striking a balance between the two.

The type of service described above doesn't do anything for me. I love Scripture and it touches my heart

As published in the online REVIEW, the following is the latest update:

“Seventh-day Adventists have been given a work of the most solemn import—the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels messages. There is no other work of so great importance. They are to allow nothing else to absorb their attention.” 9T 19

You skipped something that Daniel didn't skip. After Messiah is cut off, but not for himself, Daniel shifts the focus to the destruction of the city and the sanctuary by "the people of the prince who is to come". It is true that "people" is plural (in English), but if Daniel were to speak of the "prince who is to come", he would use a singular "he" just as Daniel did at the beginning of verse 27. We'll need to examine more evidence to determine who the "he" is that confirms the covenant. If verse 27 were written about a pagan Gentile prince, it would be a story of treachery and deceit. First he confirms a "covenant" of some sort with many for seven years, but then when that period is only half over he reneges on that covenant and causes the sacrifices to cease. Later he is instrumental in destroying the city and the sanctuary. He doesn't sound like a trustworthy fellow at all. In fact he has a number of characteristics in common with the vile person that Daniel describes starting in verse 21 of Daniel 11: his conquests are like "a flood" he makes an alliance but practices deception desecrates the sanctuary stops the sacrifices closely associated with abominations Does the story improve if instead of a pagan Gentile prince we assume (without a shred of evidence) that Daniel reverted to talking about the Messiah in verse 27? Not much. Daniel would never have thought that the person who causes sacrifices to cease could possibly Messiah. Messiah was foretold to be a righteous person. Righteous people don't prevent God's priests from carrying out the commands that God gave them. Daniel was familiar with the prophecies of Jeremiah, where God confirms that the Levitical priests were expected to continue offering sacrifices as long as day and night continue. If Daniel 9:27 speaks of Messiah, which covenant did Messiah confirm with many for only seven years? Where did the New Testament writers record the fulfillment of that prophecy? Does God make covenants that last only seven years? If it was the "new covenant" that Jesus confirmed for seven years, why would he cause the sacrifices to cease in the middle of the seven years? The promise of the new covenant in Jeremiah 31 says that God will put his torah in the hearts of Judah and Israel, but you're saying that Messiah would prevent Judah and Israel from following God's Torah by causing the sacrifices to cease. The new covenant doesn't say anything about changing God's torah or changing the definition of sin. Rather, in the new covenant God says of Judah and Israel, "I will be their God, and they shall be My people," and, "they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." But it seems that you're trying to say that God confirmed that new covenant through Messiah by doing the opposite-- by condemning and permanently rejecting Judah and Israel. How could that be any kind of a confirmation of the New Covenant promise? Both History and the New Testament show that the sacrifices in Jerusalem did not cease during the time that Jesus was on earth, nor within 7 years of when he ascended. So if it was Messiah that was supposed to cause the sacrifices to cease in the midst of the seven years, Daniel's prophecy would get a "fail" because what was foretold did not come to pass. God's Word says, "When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken." (Deut 18:22) Any false prophet can claim that the fulfillment of a failed prophecy was "spiritual" or that it happened "in God's eyes" even though it didn't happen in reality. God's Word doesn't allow us to accept that kind of explanation when what was foretold did not come to pass. Why should we interpret Daniel's prophecy in a way that makes it turn out false and shows that interpretation "is the thing which the LORD has not spoken"?

Beloved Mr. Cub, Hall of Famer Banks dies at 83 http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/107316594/beloved-mr-cub-hall-of-famer-banks-dies-at-83

The Book of Negroes: How much do you know about it? It is a book that has draws rave reviews. It is a TV miniseries that will soon be shown on television. It has been said to rival the ROOTS miniseries. For a starter look at this element of history, see: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2h58.html For more information: It is on the Internet.

From an architectural standpoint, removing the need for shelter and protection (elements and danger) really opens the possibilities for design. I would be delighted to have a house with the sky as my roof. It would seem just something to create a screen for privacy or sound buffer and a place to put basic furnishings to accommodate fellowship, meals and a place to rest and relax. Many people have that covered on their deck or patio or garden area. In the woods a bed of moss. Hang out in the broad limbs of a nice tree or rocks down by the babbling brook.

The Eternity of God's Love O Lord, you have made us very small, and we bring our years to an end like a tale that is told. Help us to remember that beyond our brief day is the eternity of your love.