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Thank-you for your response Yentyl, While we are busy judging people we absolutely are not available to love them. It is very easy for people to be busy judging others and and not listening to them, understanding them and loving them. In fact it is our nature to do this. Without Jesus living in our heart love for others will not be produced, but rather self righteousness, self justification, and a false representation of the love of God is shown. This drives other's away from God without exception. God is the true friend to everyone. Jesus could be with anyone and show them love and respect and kindness. But we exclude other's from our friendship, and show our bigotry to those we feel are outside the kingdom of God. This is what the religious elite did in Jesus day and brought the greatest grief to the heart of Christ. We forget that "Jesus is the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world." We do not have to fear someone because we believe that are not saved. We can show God's love to everyone and demonstrate that everyone is being profoundly and equally loved and valued by God, including the Pope, and atheists, and the mentally ill, and whoever else we feel are beyond the love of God. Spiritual bigotry is the worst. It leads the sufferer to stand between other's and the light of God's love and mercy shining from the throne of God.

I like them all.

I think in many respects people are more uncomfortable just being different no matter the occasion or circumstances. If you show up at a costume party wearing ordinary clothes you feel like the odd man out. So showing up at casual church wearing a suit you feel conspicuous, just as showing up at traditional church wearing motorcycle leather. I have to say that one thing I do appreciate about the one church I attend is that it really does not matter. People come in all manner of attire and everyone is just happy you are there. I don't think anyone gives it a second thought that they look different on the outside, because everyone is different. It is probably one of the most diverse churches I have ever been a part of.

Determination to be Joyful Today We live one day at a time. To make joy easier to attain, decide to be joyful just for today. Tomorrow you can be determined to make that day joyful. But today you only need to decide for today. Everyone would like to be joyful, but not everyone is willing to do all that they could to actually create daily joy. In general, the more determined you are to reach a goal, the more time and effort you are willing to invest. Since you are reading this book, you are already showing a strong interest in increasing your joy. Some people argue, “I’m just not the determined type. I start many things but don’t follow through. If something seems like too much effort, I give up right at the beginning.” When something is truly important to you, you will have much more determination than usual. This is especially true when you greatly enjoy doing what you are determined to do. (from Rabbi Pliskin's new book, Life is Now: Creating moments of joy, courage, kindness, and serenity, pp. 119-20) See Rabbi Pliskin's new book "Life Is Now" pk

That's what I'm up to today.

THE MOVABLE THRONE. WHEELS. In Daniel 7, where the Ancient of Days is described, it says of Him that "His throne was like the fiery flame, and [its] wheels as burning fire." (Daniel 7:8) I don't think anyone disputes that "wheels" is the correct rendering of the Hebrew word in this verse. The wheels are a significant element, I believe, inasmuch as the "wheels" point to the idea that the Father's throne is a "movable" throne. (It is for this reason that I have no problem with the idea that Jesus joined the Father in the Holy Place when He ascended to heaven.) STAVES/ POLES. One of the many illustrations given in Solomon's Temple related to the Ark of the Covenant. This also interests me in relation to the nature of God's throne. “And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the Holy Place before the oracle, and they were not seen without...” (1Kings 8:8) The staves were never to be completely removed from the Ark of the Covenant (Ex 25:15), and this in itself is significant. (Because none of the other articles of 'furniture' had this stipulation attached to them.) The Ark was always represented as ready for movement. But was it ready for movement anywhere? No. If the Ark was to go outside of the Temple, it needed to be specially covered so that no-one would be able to see it. (Num 4:5-6.) The Ark was not always ready for transit outside of the Sanctuary; but it was constantly ready for transit within the Sanctuary itself. In Solomons Temple the staves/poles were partly drawn out. The staves extended into the Holy Place, and they could be seen by anyone in that room. (Although they were not visible to anyone in the outer courts.) But again, I suggest that this illustrates the idea that the Ark's location would be in a state of transition. The 'picture' suggested that the Ark was moving from the Holy, into the Most Holy Place.

The Atlantic Union Conference (AUC) and the Jamaica Union Conference (JAMU) have entered into a non-formal agreement with the goal of sharing resources to enable each Union to achieve its strategic objectives. The first activity that the two Unions will be involved in is an Evangelism project in Jamaica. View the full article

So, then, our *best* denim jeans and t-shirt? 'Best' does not necessarily mean 'most traditional' or 'most like what the world wears on formal occasions'. If someone only owns jeans and t-shirts... and perhaps shorts, then choosing their best jeans and t-shirt is what they do to honor God. The widow's two mites were the most acceptable offering...

Supreme Court may hear case on school barring American flag shirts on Cinco de Mayo By DAVID G. SAVAGE A California school dispute that arose when students wore shirts emblazoned with the American flag on Cinco de Mayo could prompt the Supreme Court to take a new look at free-speech rules for high schools. Ever since students protested the Vietnam War by wearing black armbands, the justices have said the 1st Amendment protects the rights of students to peacefully protest at school, so long as their actions do not lead to a "substantial disruption." In recent years, however, some school officials have moved to curtail political fashion statements such as wearing T-shirts with Confederate flags or anti-gay slogans. They have argued that some limits were necessary to avoid offending other students and possibly provoking violence. On Friday, the justices met to decide on hearing a case asking whether a school official's fear of violence justified disciplining students for wearing American flags on their shirts. The appeal in Dariano vs. Morgan Hill Unified School District asks the justices to decide whether wearing an American flag can be curtailed as an unnecessary provocation, or instead is a right of every citizen protected by the 1st Amendment. A decision on whether they will accept the case could come as soon as Monday. The legal battle began on May 5, 2010, at Live Oak High School south of San Jose, when several students wore shirts bearing the American flag on the Mexican holiday marking the May 5, 1862, defeat of French invaders. Their protest came in response to an incident the year before when a group of Mexican American students unfurled a Mexican flag on the holiday and paraded around the campus, triggering tensions with white students who began chanting, "USA! USA!" The school had seen at least 30 fights between white and Latino students, school officials said. Upon seeing the white students wearing U.S. flags, Mexican American students called them racists and complained to Assistant Principal Miguel Rodriguez. Fearing violence, the assistant principal told several of the white students wearing the American flag that they had to turn their shirts inside out or go home. They chose to leave. The incident caused an uproar in the community, and Fox News channel picked up the story. It rewards those who believe the flag is a symbol of hostility toward minorities. If they think there is a problem, then don't hold a Cinco de Mayo celebration.- William Becker, lawyer who sued on behalf of several parents "This is heartbreaking to the students and parents who see the flag as a symbol of national unity," said Los Angeles lawyer William Becker, who sued on behalf of several parents. "It rewards those who believe the flag is a symbol of hostility toward minorities. If they think there is a problem, then don't hold a Cinco de Mayo celebration." He filed a free-speech suit on behalf of John and Dianna Dariano and two other families, but a federal judge in San Francisco dismissed the claim on the grounds that educators had acted to avoid violence or a disruption at school. The 9th Circuit Court in San Francisco affirmed that decision last year. "Our role is not to second-guess the decision to have a Cinco de Mayo celebration or the precautions put in place to avoid violence," wrote Judge Margaret McKeown. It was "reasonable for school officials to proceed as though the threat of a potentially violent disturbance was real." Judge Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain dissented, saying the ruling "permits the will of the mob to rule our schools." He noted that 1st Amendment law frowns on a "heckler's veto," by which a speaker can be shut down not for what he says, but how others may react. He questioned how the wearing of an American flag shirt could be seen as offensive or disruptive. Lawyers for the school district have urged the Supreme Court to turn down the case. They say all the students and even the principal have moved on from the school, and there is no need to revisit the matter. The justices met behind closed doors Friday to go over dozens of pending appeals, including the flag case. The vast majority of appeals are rejected. But some 1st Amendment lawyers think the flag case has a chance of winning a review because of uncertainty over how free-speech principles work in schools today. Supreme Court appears reluctant to force Texas to issue Confederate license plates The court has mostly steered clear of free-speech disputes at public schools in recent years, with one exception. A 5-4 ruling in 2007 upheld a principal's disciplining of a student for holding up a banner that said "Bong Hits for Jesus" on the grounds the sign could be seen as promoting illegal drugs. But Justices Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Anthony M. Kennedy, who were in the majority in that case, stressed that they would not go along with restricting speech "commenting on any political or social issue." By coincidence, the flag appeal petition came before the justices in the same week they were deciding whether a Texas group had a free-speech right to a specialty license plate bearing a Confederate battle flag. A state board refused the request on the grounds the symbol would be offensive to many, especially African Americans. The justices sounded closely split on whether strict free-speech rules should apply to state license plates. david.savage@latimes.com

Yeah... If that's really all there is to those suspensions, there's something seriously wrong with the teachers there.

Matthew 24:14 (KJV) "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Does this mean only SDA preaching, and SDA doctrine? Or is the SDA church considered only part of the way the gospel is preached?

Do you think a public apology for a public sin as this probably was is against the teachings of Christ? Or that this young boy will be scared for life because of that and a little physical exertion? The psychology that says you should not stand up and take responsibility for your actions is what some object to.

Tis strange how little people really understand the teachings of Christ.....even those that walked with Him failed to see the real picture, clouded by their own mind. Still happens today. The words of TW are well supported in the literature.....but then, some parts of Christianity don't trust psychology.

Robert, I also believe that Elihu's counsel and reproofs toward Job were correct. Again and again, Job seems to justify and vindicate himself, but it is Elihu that speaks on God's behalf. "Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God." (Job 32:2) ...Elihu spake moreover, and said, "Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?" (Job 35:1-2)

Satan made war in heaven by a war of words. He used false doctrine. Job is a book with correct and incorrect teachings about God in the discussion of Job and his friends. God in the end shows the correct way and explains about Satan(Leviathan).

______________________and not see something horribly wrong with the whole human race, I would suggest we have lost a deep seated recognition of the reason the Creator chose to give Himself for the love of this world. True love of life means forever, for everyone. http://www.ipahp.org/index.php?en_acts-of-genocide God is Love! Jesus saves!

"Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie."---J.R.R. Tolkien Sounds like this family needs to homeschool, Odessa's weird.

Secondly, for more than 20 years I travelled extensively for business ... most of the time alone. I can give you hundreds of accounts of insults I encountered as a "white" woman wanting to buy gas from what turned out to be a black owned service station ,,,,,,, or attempting to locate where Walmart's garden center kept their garden-hoes when I asked a could of black employees where they were located. The list goes on and on ..... In all cases I did the graceful thing and just walked away thanking them for their information. Your race suffered many atrocities ... so did my race, Jews and Scotch-Irish. Personally I worked 50-70 hours a week in difficult situations to support my children, but didn't suffer what my ancestors suffered. How about you????? At the same time my lady, I employed close to 500 people and hired many black people ... invited many who lived in the area to my home etc. It's not that I am so great, or do anything that many others have done ... nor do I expect anything from it ... what I do expect is for others to put away their racism (because it exist on both sides) and learn to deal with issues based upon the facts. Radical emotions solve nothing. For the record, you can respond as much as you want but this is my last word on the subject. The title of this thread is SDA in White House. Blessings

our Sabbath sermon yesterday was on Christian bigotry. How we as Christians are vulnerable in our fallen nature to judge who is saved and who is not by how well those around us are performing according to our criteria of righteousness. And broken people generally fail our evaluation. and how we treat the saved differently. This is truly altogether too common. And it is a form of bigotry that is very damaging to the struggling who find church is not a safe place. It was a timely sermon to this thread.

What I was attempting to say in #28 is that if a person wears denim to church is (for whatever reason) is personal option. In answer to the Topic, I would only wear jeans to church if I had no other alternative and then would probably wear a blouse and jacket. OTOH I do not judge or question if another wears denim. We all have to walk our own road.........................

I understand it as one of teaching about making choices and respecting choices even if you don't like them. This is in contrast with "external control psychology" of trying to make others do what we want them to do. The Satan accused God of forcing out loyalty from Job due to the blessings. So God choose to stop the blessings and to place Job in a place where he would have every reason in the world to choose to stop being faithful to God. Job continued to be faithful to God and respected God's choice. He hated God's choice, he wondered why God was choosing to treat him this way, but he respected God's choice and he continued to choose to be faithful. Eliphaz is our typical Augustinian/Calvinistic Fordite evangelical, telling Job about how depraved mankind is. Job's problems come because he must be trusting in his own works instead of the grace of God. If we trust in God's grace God has to respond by blessing us. If we don't trust in God's grace then we force God to pour out his wrath upon us that we disserve. Zophar is our typical conservative Adventist, where God has a law and Job must be breaking God's law and needs to trust and obey. That if he is faithful to God's law that God is obligated to bless him. Since he is not keeping God's law God is obligated to punish him. Bildad does not offer solutions like Eliphaz and Zophar, but frustrated he is saying "You're doing something wrong and that is forcing God not to bless you. If you were doing right then God is obligated to bless you. So stop saying that God's choosing to do this to you and see what you can do to make God bless you again. Elihu is somewhat like Bildad, not really having an answer but upset that the other 3 could not force Job to realize that he's in the wrong and trying to make Job realize that he must be doing something to make God curse him instead of doing something to make God bless him. God in the whirlwind reminds them of his power and freedom and choices. Then he talks about the Leviathan. The Leviathan was the ancient's world picture of the devil (today we have the horns and pitchfork, they saw him as a 7 headed sea monster). God asks if mere force would force the Leviathan (the devil) into obedience and submission. In the ancient myths there tends to be a god who fights the sea monster, the dragon, the leviathan and gains the victory. Baal, Thor, St. George and the dragon, Beowulf, etc. They use force to overcome the leviathan. Yahweh is different. He does not need to have the physical challenge these others had. He could use power over Satan as easily as throwing a pebble to the ground. But instead of using force, God overcomes the leviathan and brings life through using love and his glory and beauty. The leviathan dies of heart failure when he sees just how loving and beautiful Yahweh really is and this glory scares him to death. And thus yes, God did choose to treat Job this way but that Job and God were using this to overcome the leviathan and that while God's method will allow suffering that it is a better method than mere force and that God will make up for what we have lost.

Toxic shame is harmful it is relentless condemnation and inhibition of a person to even be themselves. By faith in God's love for us, however broken we are, we are free to be our self in Christ and stand reconciled to God. Healthy shame is social consciousness, and inhibits us from doing and saying things that are harmful to others. And it does not attach itself to our being but just to behaviors. Yes let everyone, and everyone is broken, be reconciled to God and to be true to themselves. This cannot happen in our church relationships while we continue to be shaming towards the broken, and this we do unless our hearts are changed by the Love of God. For everyone is a sinner, not just the whores and the drunks, as sinner's were described in Jesus day. The sin of religious self righteousness is far more dangerous to a person's eternal life. Just because someone may be broken in a different way then you are does not make you superior or less of a sinner.

Definitely some of those effects, Gregory, but I also decided to make some changes before my 50th. Starting about 5 months out, I lost 44 lbs and about 4" off the required belt length. There's a way to go yet, but I feel better than I have for years.

An excellent observation, Club. It is, in fact, the whole issue in the Great Controversy. It was Satan's claim that God the Son had no more right to be the authority than anyone else. It was Satan's charge that Eve could be an authority like God knowing good and evil.Or as Jesus put it in His parable, "We will not have this man rule over us." The Rebel tells us that authority is a restriction of our freedoms. The Sovereign tells us that authority is a protection of our freedoms.Authority demands responsibility for the happiness and welfare of those under authority. The absence of authority is not freedom it's anarchy.