OkChrist Blog

You say... God says...

2012-01-29T11:08:00.003-05:00

Homosexuality and the Bible

2012-01-23T14:15:00.001-05:00

Consider: Thesuicide rate for gay kids is four times that of heterosexual kids — nine times if they're rejected by their families.

Consider: Being gay is inherent. Given a choice, most would have chosen adifferent preference.

______________________

The following are extract of emails between a young womanand www.OkChrist.com

Dear Phil @ OkChrist. com

(From Selena – real name withheld and extracts edited and published with herpermission).

I have an important question in relation to God, Jesus Christ, the Bible andhomosexuality…

I am deeply troubled with my sexual orientation, myattraction towards women and not men. I strongly feel like God has made me thisway. As far as I can remember I have felt like I was a boy stuck in a femalebody.

I have always known I wasborn a Lesbian. I remember vividly. I was still so very young. As time went by,I struggled with this notion. In fact, I was so mad at God because I had thissexual preference; it was soooconfusing to me. Here I wasfeeling a type of love for our Lord Jesus Christ that I have yet to feel againin my life because of this struggle but I was taught that homosexuals,regardless of the Godly choices they made in their lives, would be casted intohell and I did not want to go to hell. Yet my natural feelings were overwhelming. So, I could not understand why God would allowthis to me. So at one stage I simplyrejected God altogether. I was in my pre-teens by then.

Now, decades later, I have re-committed my life to Godand believe without a doubt in my soul that the Lord Jesus Christ is my Saviorand God is my Father. I have given my life and I want to serve God with all myheart. I have surrendered so that He can utilize me in any way He needs me.

Mystruggle, my suffering is with my sexual preference. They say I am sinful in myways and I shall perish for all of eternity.

My dilemma is I have prayed as a child soooo hard for Godto take this Lesbian feeling from me and He never did. I have asked God as anadult that if He does not want me to be a Lesbian, to take this sexual stateand desires from me… but it does not work.

Now as an adult, I am still wondering why he is not changing my naturaldesires It is either because He has mademe this way or, is it because I really don't want to change..? I don't dislike men I just need a woman in order to feelcomplete and elevated in my life. Is this me oris this sin?

I know you are a Biblicist so how do you view this?

Thank you for this Phil... I am deeply troubled!

Selena

_____________________

Dear Selena,

What the Bible says and means about homosexuality.

As the following will show, there are generally 2 schoolsof thought on the interpretation of the Bible when it comes to same sex issues.

We do believe that this information will allowyou and our readers to make up their own minds or at the very least make us allthink on this substantial issue. As Christians ourselves, we pray that these passages andexplanations will be searched with an open heart allowing God the Holy Spiritto “teach you in all things”. As to our personal position, we have a tendencytowards the understanding of the position generally expressed by “ProgressiveChristians” and we are not expecting much support from the beloved religiouspeople on this entry but ask everyone to remain sensitive to what the Lordwants us to understand in relation with this most important subject.

Thank you Selena for asking the question.

In the following, we will use diverse sources. We haveedited this topic and used extracts in part fromhttp://www.religioustolerance.org/ Copyright © Ontario Consultants on ReligiousTolerance, Author: B.A. Robinson and from Dr. Robert Gagnon, Pittsburgh TheologicalSeminary, as well as many dictionaries such as Wikipedia and other sources.

There are 7 major passages that appear in the Bible inrelation with Homosexuality. We will notspend time on the Old Testament passages since we believe that the requirementsof the Old Testament have been answered by the sacrificial work of Jesus ofNazareth. Many verses in the OT are not applicable to us (don’t eat scaledfish, don’t eat pork, don’t wear two types of garments as in don’t mix cottonwith polyester for example and so forth).

So here is a very brief glance at the 4 major passages inthe New Testament that appear to discuss same-gender sexual behavior. Thefollowing very brief descriptions are necessarily over-simplified. They do notcover the full range of conservative/progressive beliefs. However, you may wellfind the beliefs that you have been taught in one of these sections:

Sections identified as i) are typical interpretation byreligious conservatives. “Religious conservatives” include some churches,Temples, etc. or some individuals in the following groups: the Baha'i faith,Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

Sections identified as ii) are typical interpretation by what we would call progressives Christians. “Progressive Christians” generally believe that theBible is silent on loving, consensual same-sex sexual behavior. God lovespersons of all sexual orientations and Christian morality requires that thebeauty of sex be consensual, non-manipulative, safe and within a loving,committed relationship.

(We believe in the inspiration of God of the entire Bible).

New Testament passages

1) Romans1:26-27

For this reasonGod gave them up to vile lusts; for both their females changed the natural useinto that contrary to nature; and in like manner the males also, leaving thenatural use of the female, were inflamed in their lust towards one another;males with males working shame, and receiving in themselves the recompense oftheir error which was fit.

i) Religiousconservatives

Condemns all homosexual behavior.

ii) ProgressivesChristians

Describes a group of heterosexuals who, against theirbasic nature, engage in same-sex behavior during ritual orgies.

2) 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (Common English Version)

Don’t you know that people who are unjust won’t inheritGod’s kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Those who are sexually immoral, those whoworship false gods, adulterers, both participants,[a] in same-sex intercourse, thieves, the greedy,drunks, abusive people, and swindlers won’t inherit God’s kingdom. Footnote: [a] 1 Corinthians 6:9 “Or submissive (young) and dominant male sexualpartners”

i) Religiousconservatives

Sexually active homosexuals will go to Hell, not Heaven,at death. Both the adult and the young maleswill go to hell. Also, once truly saved,homosexuals will be changed into heterosexuals.

ii) ProgressivesChristians

Within the context of the time, these were male childmolesters. There are various interpretations of 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 of whichthis is one. The Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, and James Moffatttranslation use the word "catamites," or the phrase "boyprostitutes" to describe one group of individuals that Paul believedcondemnable because of their behavior on Earth. Catamites and boy prostituteswere often a boy or male youth who was kept as a sexual partner/slave of anadult male. (This was also quite commonduring the classic Greek period).

3) 1 Timothy 1:9-10

…knowing this,that law has not its application to a righteous person, but to [the] lawlessand insubordinate, to [the] impious and sinful, to [the] unholy and profane, tosmiters of fathers and smiters of mothers; to murderers, fornicators,sodomites, kidnappers, liars, perjurers; and if any other thing is opposed tosound teaching…

i) Religiousconservatives

Condemns all same-sex sexual behavior.

ii) ProgressivesChristians

Within the context of this epistle, “sodomite” here refersto child molesters.

4) Jude 1:7

…as Sodom andGomorrha, and the cities around them, committing greedily fornication, in likemanner with them, and going after other flesh, lie there as an example,undergoing the judgment of eternal fire.

i) Religiousconservatives

Sexually active homosexuals will go to Hell, not Heaven,at death.

ii) ProgressivesChristians

Humans who have sex with other species “other flesh” (animals).

_______________________________________

The following comments may be of use and therefore areshared in all humility and with a sense of dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ.

Even if Christ our Lord has “accomplished” therequirements of the Old Testament and especially the 10 Commandments, the OldTestament remains both inspired by God and of immense value on a moral realm.Let us look now at some passages in the entire Bible directly or indirectlyrelated with our subject.

Genesis 1:28 "Befruitful and multiply". This verse makes it clear that God encouragessexual relationships, and having children. Some would argue that this can onlyinvolve one-man married to one woman. But is it so? God could approve of bothopposite-sex and same-sex committed relationships. He urges couples to have oradopt children. One personal example to share. We know of two Lesbians who livefaithfully together in true love and they adopt Down Syndrome children only. Webelieve that such a couple can only be commended.

Genesis 2:18 "Itis not good for the man to be alone". God creates humans for marriageand intends for all men to choose one wife. God intends heterosexuals to form aloving relationship with a person of the opposite sex. True. But this does notpreclude homosexuals to be involved with a person of the same sex and living asa faithful couple. In essence, God has created us social beings.

Genesis 2:23-24 "Thereforeshall a man leave his father and his mother, and cleave to his wife; and theyshall become one flesh”. God created union between one man and one womenbut it does not mean that God does not approve same-sex unions. We recognizethat same-sex unions are not the “norm” but surely God does not send people tohell because they are outside the “norm” and especially if they never asked tobe this way!

Deuteronomy 23:17; 1 Kings 14:24, 15:12; 22:46; 2Kings 23:7 Prostitutes; sodomites. Translationsdiffer: The King James Version (KJV) calls for exile of “homosexuals” fromIsrael but the New International Version (NIV) calls for the exile of all “shrineprostitutes”. The Hebrew word"Qadesh" is mistranslated as "sodomite" in the KJV. Godactually condemns ritual sex in temples. These verses are unrelated to modern-dayhomosexuality.

Matthew 8:5-13. The Centurion's (soldier) “slave”. Jesus cured the boy. The passage is unclearwhether the boy was the centurion's sex slave but according to the culture andmanners of the time, it would be probable. “Andwhen he had entered into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, beseeching him,and saying, Lord, my servant lies paralytic in the house, suffering grievously. And Jesus says to him, I will come andheal him. And the centurion answered andsaid, Lord, I am not fit that thou should enter under my roof; but only speak aword, and (he) shall be healed… when Jesus heard it, he wondered, and said tothose who followed, verily I say unto you, not even in Israel have I found sogreat faith… And Jesus said to the centurion, Go, and as thou hast believed, beit to thee. And his servant was healedin that hour.”

The reference to "eunuchs" in Matthew 19:12 hasbeen considered by some Christians as referring to homosexual men, particularlyin the case of those eunuchs "soborn from their mother's womb". Some other Christians oppose thisargument and state that the Bible's use of the word "eunuch" refersstrictly to men incapable of sexual intercourse or reproduction, through eitherbirth defect or castration. But if youlook at the definition of a Eunuch, you find a number of purposes for them.Wikipedia: “eunuch” is from the Greek eune ("bed") and ekhein("to keep"), effectively "bed keeper". Eunuchs were often servants or slaves who,because of their function, had been castrated, usually in order to make themreliable servants but the Jews did not castrate their Eunuchs (at the time ofJesus). In cultures that had both haremsand eunuchs, eunuchs were sometimes used as harem servants (compare the femaleodalisque). An odalisque (female) could, if attracted by the Master, become alover, not just a slave. It would appear the same to be true with HebrewEunuchs (males). Such Eunuchs could havebeen a sexual provider for the Master or/and for the Mistress. Dr. Robert Gagnon, prolific anti-gay,evangelical Christian author, writes that “born eunuchs” in the ancient worldwere probably gay. “Probably "borneunuchs" in the ancient world did include people homosexually inclined,which incidentally puts to the lie the oft-repeated claim that the ancientworld could not even conceive of persons that were congenitally influencedtoward exclusive same-sex attractions." - Dr. Robert Gagnon, PittsburghTheological Seminary.

Final points for your consideration:

• John 3:16 " For God so loved the world, that hegave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, buthave life eternal.” Whether ahomosexual or heterosexual, whether sexually active or not, all who believewill have eternal life. Yet, all are called to live faithfully.

• Are gayssinners? Yes, just like allheterosexual. We are all sinners. Thatis why we need a Savior. But gays arenot greater sinners because they were born gay. They are simply not within themajority of the people… but that does not make them worst, it makes themoutside the norm.

• Can a Gayperson serve the Lord. Yes! Christ needsdisciples in every group of Society and frankly, there are many “Christians”but too few “Disciples”.

• As a lastword, God is a God or order. It is imperative that Men and Women behave withmorals: loving, consensual, non-manipulative, safe and within a loving, faithfuland committed relationship.

______________

My dearest Philippe,

WOW!!! I am completely speechless... WOW! Thank you! Youhave brought light to my darkness and allowed me to lift this weight off myshoulders. (This Catholic bred burden that my earthly father has brain washedinto me).

I am not going to hell because of this... I was made inthis beautiful and wonderful way and God needs me to be this way for as yousaid He needs disciples in every corner of the world to reach every type ofbeing. As long as I serve Him, glorifyHim through the gifts and talents He has sent me here with, honor Him throughcontributing to the brethren of mankind and all that is life for it has beengiven by Him… I shall be walking in His light, standing with faith… then, Itherefore have nothing to fear for I stand with Him in all His glory andbelieve in His sacrificial work on the cross!

Wow…! Anyway, you have my ok on publishing ourexchanges. I do believe as well that itwould help so many with this burden that splits faith or our ability to havefaith in the Lord and still be who we are… all through standing in the light asyou stated… we are called to live a Godly life no matter our sexual orientation- meaning hetero or homosexual. I am not a pedophile -I am now a gay lover ofChrist who chooses to worship Him! Iknew you’d come through and because of this and your amazing website. God worksin mysterious ways!

Thank you again Phil… May God continue to bless you!

Thank you Selena.

This is so nice. Indeed, you can and must be bold. In fact,Christ has "commanded" us to "make disciples". That is thecalling of all Christians... but most have not heard this commandment... causeit's tough... it brings rejection...

As to Lesbians and Gays, if so many ofthem hate and reject God... that is mostly because the Church rejects them andtold them that God hates them... and that is not true at all...

We must not confuse the human (sinful)element of men (religiosity) – view this as the horizontal influence while thereal message comes from heaven (vertical force) and God tells all:

I LOVE YOU

and have paid for all your sins, past, present and future.

All you need to do is B E L I E V E.

So carry on baby. Become a faithful servant. Jesus looks upon you with a smile.

Philippe René
www.OkChrist.com

PS - You may also want to read Same Sex Issues.

Tim Tebow

2012-01-14T11:52:00.002-05:00

For your info, the NFL passed a law called the "Tibow law" that no longer allows messages in the face (black out pads) on players!

Jimmy Fallon laughing at Tim Tibow's faith.

Interesting discussion on Tibow as a person.

Religion/vs/Jesus

2012-01-13T03:09:00.000-05:00

Epic (must see for all)

2012-01-11T11:01:00.000-05:00

Epic by John Eldredge

About John Eldredge and his beloved wife Stasi

Also, please visit John's website.

Darwinist False Claims - YouTube

2011-12-20T17:25:00.000-05:00

Darwinist False Claims - YouTube: ""

'via Blog this'

Discipleship has many faces. Here is a very beautiful one.

2011-12-19T15:00:00.002-05:00

A message for all...

2011-12-12T10:54:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone.

2011-12-12T10:10:00.001-05:00

Click on this link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cP26ndrmtg&feature=share

Merry Christmas

The hope that he brings

This night

We pray

Our lives

Will show

This dream

He had

Each child

Still knows

We are waiting

We have not forgotten

On this night

On this very Christmas night

Marc Martel from Downhere becomes Lead vocals for the new Queen band.

2011-12-09T01:57:00.001-05:00

Downhere - Rediscover You Promo from Adam C. Erickson on Vimeo.

We just found out that some Christian Churches have cancelled performances by Downhere because of Marc's association with the Queen Extravaganza. We condemn such legalistic position... and once again, legal Christians push away people to come to Christ and falsely shows a side of Christ that Christ does not have. Shame on the leadership of those chruches!

Iran killing Christians because of their faith.

2011-11-29T12:32:00.001-05:00

The Future of Christians in the Middle East

by Habib Malik (Contributor to the Working Group on Islamism and the International Order)

Islamism threatens religious pluralism and democracy in the region, as tragic events in Egypt and Iraq remind us.

That the Middle East is the cradle of the world’s three monotheisms is a phrase one encounters in every high-school textbook or tourist brochure about the region. But this fact alone reveals little about present-day conditions that see two of the three great religions thriving in their geographic points of origin while the third, Christianity, appears in a state of terminal regional decline.

For its part Christianity may have surely "won the world" in the sense of being the most widespread religion in history with the largest number of adherents, but it is steadily losing ground in and around its birthplace. Why is that? Today, between 10–12 million native Christians remain in the Middle East, concentrated mainly in Egypt, the Levant (Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestine territories), and Iraq. Their numbers, however, continue to dwindle due to a variety of factors, both internal and external.

Most prominent among the outside sources of pressure has been the rise in recent decades of Islamic extremism, or Islamism, in both its Sunni and Shiite varieties. This is only the latest among potentially calamitous dangers besetting Middle Eastern Christians, not least because it tends to stir ancient antagonisms and revive atavistic rejections of the different other as the despised infidel.

Taking the longer historical view, it becomes apparent that Christianity had begun to exhaust its meager reservoir of hospitality in the Near East and Arabia toward the end of the first millennium, during the adolescent period of the new faith. This faith, which claimed that God Himself became a man so that all humans may be saved from their sins, was never able to find sustained easy acceptance nor permanent fertile soil in the Middle East where it first appeared—a mystery that is perhaps partially explained as confirmation of the familiar adage that no prophet receives honor in his place of origin among his people.

The Christian faith that had started out long ago as "a stumbling block for the Jews and absurdity for the Greeks" also became blasphemy for the Muslims, and it has not been too difficult for Islamist radicals to resuscitate this primordial repulsion from Christianity latent within political Islam and adorn it with a violent disposition. If forced or gradual conversions were the leading factors that diminished Christian numbers throughout the Middle East during the centuries following the early Islamic conquests, emigration has become the principal avenue in the last one hundred years or so through which the native Christian population is being culled, and this hemorrhaging by an exodus of individuals, families, and whole communities proceeds unabated.

Nurturing prosperous and reasonably free and secure native Christian communities in the Middle East can promote Islamic openness and moderation.

Suspicion of the West— prevalent in much of the Islamic world and often transformed into outright hatred because of the ravages attributed to Western colonialism and imperialism and unqualified support for Israel— has also served on occasion as a pretext to scapegoat indigenous Christians because they have been perceived as sharing the same religious beliefs with the vilified Westerners.

As this attrition of the region’s Christians accelerates, the lingering impression in the outside world is that what remains of these communities amounts to nothing more than vanishing relics of the past. The relic phenomenon is an alarming one and the numbers offer sobering evidence of its impending reality. In 1948 Jerusalem was about a fifth Christian; today, it is less than 2 percent. For centuries Christians used to constitute over 80 percent of Bethlehem’s population, but today they are barely a third and falling. In 1943, at the time of its independence, Lebanon was a majority-Christian country, but after thirty years of war and foreign occupation Lebanon’s Christians now make up around a third of the population and the trend is demographic contraction. It is estimated that about half of Iraq’s 1.4 million Christians have fled the country since the American invasion in 2003.

Accepting the relic status of Middle Eastern Christianity betrays at best a cold indifference and at worst complicity in the ongoing extinction. There are objective reasons why a Muslim-majority Middle East that nevertheless continues to exhibit pluralist acceptance of its non-Muslim indigenous communities, regardless of their demographic size or geographic spread, is a healthier Middle East that is less prone to extremism.

The crux of the problem for these native Christians lies in the resurgence of precisely this Islamic religious fanaticism, or Islamism. This phenomenon has been given a variety of names: fundamentalism, militant extremism, Islamism, Jihadism, Political Islam, radical Islam, Salafism, and more—but essentially they all boil down to the same thing for non-Muslims: intolerance, hostility, and violence.

Contributing to the success in recent decades of Islamist movements to attract followers among Muslim youth and become established across Muslim societies as a force not to be trifled with have been the perceived failures of secular ideologies like Arab nationalism, pan-Arabism, and Nasserism. The bitter fruits of these ideologies, as seen through an Islamist prism, have been the authoritarian regimes of Arab states that repress their peoples and act as Western surrogates inside the House of Islam. Add to this the worsening socioeconomic conditions in many Arab states in which populations have been on the increase, while the rift separating rich and poor has continued to widen, and nothing of innovative significance is being invented and produced by Arabs that the rest of the world is queuing up to acquire.

But none of this was supposed to have happened had the original notions and expectations of the theoreticians who first formulated the ideologies that imparted life to these regimes been accurate or realistic. Secularism did finally make its way to Middle Eastern shores in the middle of the last century, but this was not the liberal, democratic, free-market, and humanist secularism of the West. Instead, it was a curious blend of the violent and intolerant secularism of the socialists and ideological left mixed with its mirror image from the fascists and extreme nationalists of the far right, and transposed to a Third World setting to be manifested brutally through bloodshed and totalitarian-like rule.

The men who came up with this concoction were all Greek Orthodox Christian Arabs. The fatal flaw of these Arabists, born of their obsequious attitude toward Islamic requirements and priorities, lay in their misplaced choice of a secularism that necessarily had to pass through their adapted nationalist and socialist hybrids. And when their ideological brew helped catapult tyrants to power, shedding pools of their own people’s blood in the process, it came as no surprise—except maybe to them—to see an Islamist revival as the logical backlash.

In 1948 Jerusalem was about a fifth Christian; today, it is less than 2 percent.

Alongside Islamist fanaticism and the nasty regimes that have shown the ugly face of secularism, the Middle East’s Christians have had to contend with Western indifference to their plight as targeted Christians coupled with American "pragmatism" and "realism." Fundamentally, United States policies in the Middle East have never placed a significant priority on the conditions of indigenous Christians or the threats they have been up against just for being Christian. There is an ingrained culture in Washington’s foreign policy establishment that prefers to avoid addressing the existential phobias of the region’s Christians. These beleaguered Christian communities have become marginalized in American strategic thinking and hence expendable next to larger and more pressing economic, political, and security interests.

Despite the bleak tapestry, there are glimmers of good news for the Middle East’s long-suffering Christians. There is tangible evidence in many Christian communities across the region of spiritual renewal among the youth. Such a phenomenon is bound to guarantee the persistence of Christians rooted indefinitely in their native Middle Eastern environment. Outsiders are free to wash their hands of these Christians; however, certain steps that are not costly if undertaken could help advance the interests of both the Islamic societies and the wider world at large.

Nurturing settled, stable, prosperous, and reasonably free and secure native Christian communities in the Middle East has served in many instances as a factor promoting Islamic openness and moderation. Such moderation is sure to be strengthened when Muslims interact daily with confident fellow-native adherents to a creed that does not condone suicide bombers, respects women, is not out for religious domination, upholds the principle of religious pluralism, is compatible with liberal democracy, defends personal and group rights, emphasizes the centrality of education, and is not uncomfortable with many features of secular modern living.

What Muslims living in the West demand for themselves—and receive—by way of rights and legal protections they ought to be ready to grant to Christians living in Muslim-majority countries. Promoting democracy among Muslims that stresses minority rights, contemplating boldly federal options for local autonomy, and supporting benign liberal secularism wherever feasible—these would be ingredients for a roadmap toward anchoring a healthy pluralism in the Middle East.

This essay is an excerpt of the Hoover Institution volume "Islamism and the Future of the Christians in the Middle East."

Habib C. Malik was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Lebanese philosopher and diplomat Charles Malik. He is currently an associate professor of history and cultural studies at the Lebanese American University (Byblos campus). He is the author of Between Damascus and Jerusalem: Lebanon and Middle East Peace; Receiving Soren Kierkegaard: The Early Impact and Transmission of His Thought and editor of The Challenge of Human Rights: Charles Malik and the Universal Declaration, along with many articles, essays, and book chapters in both Arabic and English on pluralism, Arab Christians, human rights, Political Islam, and the Arab reception of Kierkegaard.

Letters to the editor may be sent to definingideas@stanford.edu. Editors reserve the right to reject or publish (and edit) letters.

Creation or Evolution.

2011-11-28T02:05:00.001-05:00

The making of art in "The Apostle". Thank U Steve CC.

2011-11-26T01:42:00.001-05:00

Tenth Ave North - You Are More - YouTube

2011-11-26T01:03:00.000-05:00

Tenth Ave North - You Are More - YouTube: ""

'via Blog this'

Yes, you have our permission.

2011-11-24T02:11:00.001-05:00

Many have asked to use this website for their own celebrations for Christmas (ei: Churches in the USA and Canada). This entry allows you to currently use anything on this website including it's Blog "WITHOUT QUOTING THE SOURCE". In other words, use anything you want and you have our permission and we are not asking you to give your source. But as much as possible, take it to the streets. Take it outside. People need to know about Eternal Life and those dudes are on the streets of your City or Village.

Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

Philippe Paquette
www.OkChrist.com

PS -Issues on copyright, send them to us www.OkChrist.com as long as you do not profit from any elements from www.OkChrist.com. If you do, pay the artists/publishers/etc. We ask for nothing.

PPS - This is a Standing Order to any Countries.

These point to Bible prophecy (Europe). History in the Making.

2011-11-23T09:43:00.001-05:00

What comes next after economy falls

www.wnd.com

Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around

2011-11-23T09:31:00.001-05:00

And I heard as it were the noise of thunder
One of the four beasts saying come and see and I saw
And behold a white horse

There's a man going around taking names
And he decides who to free and who to blame
Everybody won't be treated all the same
There'll be a golden ladder reaching down
When the Man comes around

The hairs on your arm will stand up
At the terror in each sip and in each sup
Will you partake of that last offered cup?
Or disappear into the potter's ground
When the Man comes around

Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers
One hundred million angels singing
Multitudes are marching to the big kettledrum
Voices calling, voices crying
Some are born and some are dying
It's Alpha and Omega's kingdom come

And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree
The virgins are all trimming their wicks
The whirlwind is in the thorn tree
It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks

Till Armageddon no shalam, no shalom
Then the father hen will call his chickens home
The wise man will bow down before the throne
And at His feet they'll cast their golden crowns
When the Man comes around

Whoever is unjust let him be unjust still
Whoever is righteous let him be righteous still
Whoever is filthy let him be filthy still
Listen to the words long written down
When the Man comes around

Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers
One hundred million angels singing
Multitudes are marching to the big kettledrum
Voices calling and voices crying
Some are born and some are dying
It's Alpha and Omega's kingdom come

And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree
The virgins are all trimming their wicks
The whirlwind is in the thorn tree
It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks

In measured hundred weight and penney pound
When the Man comes around.

Close (Spoken part)
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts
And I looked and behold, a pale horse
And his name that sat on him was Death
And Hell followed with him.

Scientists with their "facts" are wrong again...

2011-11-22T13:07:00.001-05:00

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/nov/22/neutrino-revolutionary-image

Read this great article also: http://www.lfpress.com/comment/2011/11/25/19021006.html

Jerusalem, The Covanent City

2011-11-21T13:11:00.001-05:00

You can see this movie on Netflix.

P.O.D.

2011-11-15T13:25:00.001-05:00

Few Christian bands touch the secular world as much as this metal band.

(Wikipedia)

Payable on Death (stylized as P.O.D.)^[4] is an American Christian metal^[5]^[6] band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.^[4]^[7]^[8]

They have released seven studio albums and have sold over 10 million records worldwide. Over the course of their career, the band have also received three Grammy Awardnominations, contributed to numerous motion picture soundtracks and toured internationally. With their third studio album, The Fundamental Elements of Southtown, they achieved their initial mainstream success; the album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2000.^[9]^[10]Their following studio album, Satellite, continued the band's success with the hit singles, "Alive" and "Youth of the Nation", pushing it to go triple platinum.^[10]^[11]

President Ahmadinejad talks about the return of Imam Mahdi and Jesus

2011-11-11T01:23:00.001-05:00

The Tree of Life Movie Trailer Official (HD) - YouTube

2011-11-10T23:45:00.000-05:00

A must see for all.

Isreal and Iran

2011-11-09T01:38:00.002-05:00

Intelligent Design?

2011-11-08T16:35:00.000-05:00

TobyMac

2011-11-08T12:10:00.000-05:00

TobyMac

http://www.youtube.com/embed/s52kGgFzRKI

To US all...

2011-11-05T04:45:00.002-04:00

Switchfoot

2011-11-01T16:28:00.001-04:00

Just discovered this Christian Band.

http://youtu.be/Wt35Tdj3hoI

Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman (lead vocals, guitar), Tim Foreman (bass guitar, backing vocals), Chad Butler (drums, percussion), Jerome Fontamillas (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), and Drew Shirley (guitar, backing vocals).

After early successes in the Christian rock scene, Switchfoot first gained mainstream recognition with the inclusion of four of their songs in the 2002 movie A Walk to Remember. This recognition led to their major label debut, The Beautiful Letdown, which was released in 2003. It went on to sell over 2.6 million copies. They have since been noted for their energetic live shows,^[6]^[7]^[8] and their seventh studio album Hello Hurricane received a Grammy award in 2011 for Best Rock Gospel Album.

According to Jon Foreman, the name "Switchfoot" is a surfing term. "We all love to surf and have been surfing all our lives so to us, the name made sense. To switch your feet means to take a new stance facing the opposite direction. It's about change and movement, a different way of approaching life and music."

Same Sex issues...

2011-10-29T21:50:00.006-04:00

Please read this and come back and click on the Title for an article on the inherency of being gay (born that way).

For the record. OkChrist has a stand on this issue and we are pleased to share it with you for clarity sake.

1. We are "Fundamentalist Christians";

2. We are "Evangelicals";

3. We are CHRISTIAN.

We believe that Scripture says this about the "same sex" issue.

a) Jesus, the Christ, has never mentioned this issue (thus a "non issue" according to God the Son);

b) Romans needs to be taken in "context";

c) The Old Testament needs to be taken in "context";

d) ...if you read a text without the context, you have a pretext... (PRP)

So OkChrist says as our Lord did: "Do Not Fear".

PS - It is wrong to blame Christians for being "anti" everything. We believe that the "norm" is - man and woman - but then we all know that. What we need to learn is very few of us if any would qualify as "normal" if all was revealed about us... so let's keep loving.

PPS - Statistics suggest that many young male Christians are committing suicide because of this issue (above the national average in the USA and in Canada. ..."approximately 32 per cent contemplate or attempt suicide (compared to 7 per cent of all youth)"- source Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), we would simply suggest before they commit such an act, think again... Yesterday and Today may be hard... but you will have your Tomorrow with so much laughter and happiness that you don't want to loose that moment... Stay alive and for Christ, with your head up!

PPPS - The one helping in my development of this issue is Randy (a friend that I have never met). This is a long presentation but I want you to listen to Randy. His presentation starts at 6 minutes 30 seconds in the video. Uploading is a tad slow so be patient. You may want to advance to that section (not underestimating the other presenters but this is a question of focusing on Randy's message first):
http://www.livestream.com/theuptake/video?clipId=pla_a7c451c6-075c-48f6-8b5a-817f80f934da

The following is important for us to consider as Christians. A most outstanding testimony!

From the Toronto Star, why so many commit suicide: http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/1096412--teens-and-suicide-queer-kids-especially-at-danger-in-school

___________________________________________________

Also read: Homosexuality and the Bible in the following link: http://okchrist.blogspot.com/2012/01/homosexuality-and-bible-consider-rate.html

WITHOUT...

2011-10-28T22:13:00.000-04:00

Written for their wives, applied to Christ. Interesting and beautiful.

2011-10-28T02:35:00.000-04:00

Red - Lie To Me

2011-10-25T16:49:00.001-04:00

Red (stylized as RED and R3D) is an American rock band from Nashville, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band's lineup consists of singer Michael Barnes, guitarist Anthony Armstrong, bassist Randy Armstrong and drummer Joe Rickard and are known for their Christian rock music while incorporating other sounds such as alternative rock, hard rock, heavy metal and post-grunge.

Downhere - You Are not alone

2011-10-23T00:34:00.003-04:00

Not to be confused with the album Down Here by Tracy Bonham.

http://youtu.be/az8EIHWM_Qw

Downhere (stylized as downhere) is a Juno Award-winning Christian rock band from Canada. They have released six major studio albums to date: downhere (2001), So Much for Substitutes(2003), Wide-Eyed and Mystified (2006), Ending Is Beginning (2008), How Many Kings: Songs for Christmas (2009), and On the Altar of Love (2011).^[1]

downhere
Background information
Origin	Canada
Genres	Christian rock Alternative rock
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Word Records, Centricity Music
Website	www.downhere.com
Members
Marc Martel Jason Germain Glenn Lavender Jeremy Thiessen
Past members
Tyson Manning

Giants did exist... Hummm... click here.

2011-10-22T15:48:00.004-04:00

Tks

Wayne Ralph As with all questions like these, Snopes has the answer:

http://www.snopes.com/photos/odd/giantman.asp
Expand Preview

about an hour ago ·
Luc Paquette Photograph Thanks Wayne!

Real Image:
http://www-news.uchicago.edu/releases/photos/expedition/excavation.jpg

Fake Image:
http://graphics2.snopes.com/photos/odd/graphics/giants3.jpg

http://www-news.uchicago.edu/releases/photos/expedition/excavation.jpg
www-news.uchicago.edu

about an hour ago ·
Philippe Paquette Thank you Wayne for this. Those students must have had a good grade. Thanks also in sharing that website. Priceless source of info.

Update: This week, I watched PBS. It was a show on discoveries of Giant skeletons and I am now being corrected again by the fact that THEY DID EXIST.

Marc Martel (from the Rock Group "Downhere") INTEREVIED by the CBC re: audition for Queen.

2011-10-20T09:56:00.005-04:00

Justin Beiber is a Christian

2011-10-18T03:27:00.005-04:00

Click on "blue Go Justin" below. :o (New Christmas songs).

Justin is a child of God by confession. In other words, he has proclaimed ("proclaim" - Justin in NEVER SAY NEVER prays to Jesus before his shows) that he is a Christian. Also, see bottom video for his personal confession of Faith. Cool. He doesn't have to continue any practice... what he has to do is not to be afraid to express the fact that he IS a Christian. That is "discipleship" and is needed by role models like Justin. We R all called. Carry on baby.

Go Justin.

Update: Justin accused of fathering a child while he was a juvenile with a female legal mature adult. Humm... (That would make her a child molester or something of the sort... and it would make him... a dude of some sort. The only folly is money). Justin claims with confidence that he does not know this woman. http://www.youtube.com/embed/D_NFFrw60gU

To B followed...

Update: Now we know that the accusation was false. Justin was the 6th male victim of that women... (same accusations for all of them) and her own lawyers resigned from the case discovering her past history.

http://www.vevo.com/watch/justin-bieber/pray/USUV71002691

2011-10-18T01:34:00.001-04:00

A man was beaten up by robbers on the road. He lay on the side of the road, half dead.

A humanist came along, saw him and passed by on the other side.

A Samaritan came by and also crossed to the other side.

Finally, a modern Christian came along, looked at the man and said: "Whoever did this to you needs help.”

If you believe in Jesus, you have eternal life. Do you?

2011-10-18T01:20:00.001-04:00

Just to be clear, we have no affiliation with denominations but love them all...

Our best wishes to you all - Ok Christ Blog

2011-10-17T21:46:00.002-04:00

We need volunteers to surf the Net. info@okchrist.com

'via Blog this'

Downhere - Let Me Rediscover You

2011-10-17T21:18:00.003-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbLydhMo-hI&ob=av3n

Tayyip Erdogan (Turkey) wants war with Israel

2011-09-11T13:13:00.007-04:00

Prophetic: According to the Bible, Turkey is one of the countries that will storm Israel along side Russia and Iran (Eze. 38 and 39).

Erdogan drives toward armed clash with Israel. Oil and gas at stake.

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report September 9, 2011, 12:04 AM (GMT+02:00)

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan this week coolly moved his country step by provocative step towards an armed clash with Israel – not just over the Palestinian issue, but because he covets the gas and oil resources of the eastern Mediterranean opposite Israel's shores.

Thursday night, Sept. 8, he announced that Turkish warships will escort any Turkish aid vessels for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. In his remarks to Al Jazeera television, the Turkish prime m

inister also said he had taken steps "to stop Israel from unilaterally exploiting natural resources from the eastern Mediterranean."

He did not say what steps he had taken. However, for some time now, he has moved mountains to isolate Israel by drawing a double diplomatic noose around it.

If Turkish ships breach the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza, which a UN report last week pronounced legitimate under international law, Erdogan will become the first Muslim leader to embark on military action in the Palestinian cause. The Arab nations which fought Israel time after time in the past will be made to look ineffectual and the Turkish leader the regional big shot. Even Iran would be put in the shade for never daring to provoke Israel the way Turkey has.

The Turkish prime minister clings to the belief that the foremost Arab powers, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which have been watching his maneuvers with deep suspicion, will have no choice but to play ball with him now that he has confronted Israel. The first crack in the Arab ice came about Thursday, Sept. 8, in the form of Egyptian consent to join the Turkish Navy in sea maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean.

Erdogan plans to send his warships into this water for two missions:

1. To split the Israel's small Navy into two heads – one for sustaining the blockade against Gaza and one for safeguarding the gas and oil rigs opposite its shores.

2. To scare Israel into the full or partial stoppage of its offshore oil and gas operations, thereby robbing it of energy power status and substantial economic gains. Erdogan is determined never to let Israel overshadow Turkey in the regional stakes and will put a stop to the Jewish state's progress – even if military aggression is called for.

DEBKAfile's military sources report that the Turkish prime minister is resolved to corner Israel into an inescapable military confrontation. It might not happen at once or even within a week, but it will happen a lot sooner than many Israeli politicians and military chiefs imagine because he is using Israel as his ticket to regional prestige.

Erdogan is driven to assert Turkey's importance additionally by the way he was shouldered aside in Libya. Ankara invested heavily in its support for the Libyan rebels. But when British, French, Jordanian and Qatari special forces stormed Tripoli on Aug. 21 and overthrew the Qaddafi regime, Turkey was left behind and forgotten in the heat of the action.

From Ankara, the Turkish leader watches the sharing out of Libyan oil as the spoils of war among the Western powers and Qatar as an outsider.

Since he can't pluck up courage to intervene in Syria, he has plumped for seizing eastern Mediterranean natural resources to elevate Turkey's standing. Not only will he snatch the treasure out of Israel's hands but no less important,

he will challenge his country's traditional rival Greece whose military ties with Israel are growing stronger.

As for Washington, Erdogan is counting on President Barack Obama's backing in a military clash with Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are less confident of US support. This gives Turkey an edge in a conflict – the cost of the passive military policy pursued consistently by Israeli leaders in the face of security threats.

The Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will also suffer if Turkey and Israel come to blows by being overshadowed.

Ultimately...

2011-09-03T03:17:00.000-04:00

Hummm... they are good..

2011-09-03T02:26:00.000-04:00

Monster by Skillet

2011-08-26T19:25:00.002-04:00

Monster lyrics
Songwriters: Brown, Gavin; Cooper, John Landrum;

The secret side of me, I never let you see
I keep it caged but I can't control it
So stay away from me, the beast is ugly
I feel the rage and I just can't hold it

It's scratching on the walls, in the closet, in the halls
It comes awake and I can't control it
Hiding under the bed, in my body, in my head
Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster

My secret side I keep hid under lock and key
I keep it caged but I can't control it
'Cause if I let him out he'll tear me up, break me down
Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
[ From : http://www.elyrics.net/read/s/skillet-lyrics/monster-lyrics.html ]
I must confess that I feel like a monster

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster

It's hiding in the dark, it's teeth are razor sharp
There's no escape for me, it wants my soul, it wants my heart
No one can hear me scream, maybe it's just a dream
Maybe it's inside of me, stop this monster

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I feel like a monster

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I've gotta lose control, he something radical
I must confess that I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster

Integrate Europe To A Degree Not Seen Since The Roman Empire

2011-08-18T15:47:00.002-04:00

The United States Of Europe: A Proposed “Economic Government” Would Integrate Europe To A Degree Not Seen Since The Roman Empire

Are you ready for "The United States Of Europe"? The integration of Europe is about to go to another level. As the European debt crisis deepens, there are cries all over the EU for full economic integration in Europe. On Wednesday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel sent a letter to European Council President Herman Van Rompuy which stated that they want a new "economic government" for Europe to be formed. According to the letter, Sarkozy and Merkel want the leaders of the eurozone countries to "elect" a president for the new "economic government". The idea would be that the president would hold twice-yearly summits to address the debt problems that Europe is facing right now. But many pro-EU critics are already howling that Sarkozy and Merkel have not gone nearly far enough. A whole lot of "experts" in Europe are proclaiming that without full economic integration and the creation of "eurobonds", Europe is doomed. Jennifer McKeown, an economist for Capital Economics, put it this way when asked what would happen if eurobonds are not created fairly soon: "The likely outcome is the eurozone ceases to exist".

This is often how huge changes occur in our world today. First a huge problem is created, then there is a negative reaction and then a solution is presented to us. Right now in Europe, the problem is the sovereign debt crisis. We are being told that the only way that the eurozone can survive is if all of the countries agree to much deeper economic integration.

In an article for Seeking Alpha, Cliff Wachtel broke down the choices facing the people of Europe in the following manner....

The continued existence of the EZ in its current form in exchange for vastly limited sovereignty. In particular, with limited financial autonomy, with some kind of centralized budget approval and or spending veto power over individual states.
Continued full sovereignty in exchange for a dissolved or radically altered EZ, probably one contracted down to member states with similar needs and reliable fiscal management.

Some choice, eh?

While some are applauding the possibility of increased integration in the eurozone, others are warning about the potential consequences.

For example, a Daily Mail article entitled "Rise of the Fourth Reich, how Germany is using the financial crisis to conquer Europe" contained the following assessment of what deeper economic integration for Europe would mean....

This would entail a loss of sovereignty not seen in those countries since many were under the jackboot of the Third Reich 70 years ago.
For be in no doubt what fiscal union means: it is one economic policy, one taxation system, one social security system, one debt, one economy, one finance minister. And all of the above would be German.

Nigel Farage was also deeply critical of the new proposal by Sarkozy and Merkel....

Bit by bit, eurozone members are losing their sovereignty as the European superstate is created. Nothing in these proposals will calm the markets. I am also prepared to bet that the European political elite will not ask the permission of their peoples via a referendum to make this happen.

But Sarkozy and Merkel seem unconcerned about the critics. In fact, they have announced plans to have a common corporate tax rate by 2013 and to coordinate work on their national budgets.

So if the leadership of the German and French governments both want deeper economic integration for Europe, will anyone else in the eurozone be strong enough to resist it?

Probably not.

EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso is already calling the proposals put forth by Sarkozy and Merkel "an important political contribution by the leaders of the two largest euro area economies to this debate and the on-going work."

Countries such as Greece, Portugal, Italy and Spain are already deeply financially dependent on Germany. Either they will have to leave the eurozone (which would be a financial disaster for them) or they will have to go along with what Germany and France want.

But economic integration in Europe certainly will not be easy. There is still a lot of resistance in the EU to the idea of a "United States of Europe". Many in the northern countries are very opposed to further economic integration with the financially irresponsible nations of southern Europe.

Craig Alexander, the chief economist at Toronto-Dominion Bank, recently made the following statement regarding the problems of trying to more fully integrate Europe.

"The problem is the political system in Europe can’t cope with the jump from the current system to a fiscal union in one go."

So it will certainly be very interesting to see what happens. There still is a very real chance that the EU could break up and the euro could implode. Absolutely nothing is set in stone right now.

But the leaders of the EU are going to do whatever they can to keep it together. They truly believe that a fully united Europe under the banner of the EU is what is best for the continent.

In the end, however, the real goal is to unite the entire world. Regional governments such as the EU are seen as an intermediate step toward a truly global government. As I have written about previously, the globalists hope one day to have a truly global economy that uses a new global currency.

In a recent opinion piece, former EU bigwig Javier Solana made the following statement....

Truly effective global governance is the strategic horizon that humanity must pursue today with all its energy.
It sounds difficult to achieve, and so it will be. But it has nothing to do with pessimism. The challenge of governing global risks is nothing less than the challenge of preventing the “end of history” – not as the placid apotheosis of liberal democracy’s global victory, but as the worst collective failure we can imagine.

People like Solana truly believe that if we can eventually unite the entire world that it will bring in a new era of peace and prosperity.

Many of them believe that if they can get the world to form 10 or 12 "regional unions" first, eventually they will be able to get all of those regional unions to form one giant global superstate.

Globalists such as Solana are convinced that they are doing this for the good of mankind. They really believe that war and poverty can be wiped out if we are all under one giant government.

But as we have seen in the past, the larger the governments get, the worse the tyranny tends to become. Setting up a "one world government" may seem like a good idea to some people, but the truth is that it would set the stage for greater oppression than we have ever seen before.

Those that love liberty and freedom should be 100% opposed to a "United States of Europe" and they should definitely be 100% opposed to a "one world government".

Eminem - Like Toy Soldiers

2011-08-10T23:36:00.002-04:00

We reproduce this video for one single reason. Art can give respect to humans, regardless of human life. The importance here is respect. Try to get it.

Tenth Avenue North, "By Your Side"

2011-07-20T11:43:00.005-04:00

Great message. Well done guys. Introducing "Tenth Avenue North"

By Your Side Lyrics"

Why are you striving these days, Why are you trying to earn grace, Why are you crying, Let me lift up your face. Just don't turn away. Why are you looking for love Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough To where will you go child Tell me where will you run To where will you run And I'll be by your side Wherever you fallin the dead of night Whenever you call And please don't fight These hands that are holding you My hands are holding you Look at these hands and my side They swallowed the grave on that night When I drank the world's sin So I could carry you in And give you life I want to give you life (Chorus 2x) Cause I, I love you I want you to know That I, I love you I'll never let you go (Chorus 2x)

Lead Me to the Cross with lyrics! by: Chris Kuti and Conrad Johnson

2011-07-20T10:14:00.004-04:00

Celebrating outstanding talent

Chris and Conrad are an American contemporary Christian music duo from Lakeland, Florida, consisting of Chris Kuti and Conrad Johnson. In early 2009 the duo was named the "#2 Artist You Oughta Know" by CCM Magazine.^[1] "Lead Me to the Cross", a radio version of the worship song written by Brooke Fraser, was released in early 2009 as the their first single. In August 2009, it reached #3 on Billboard magazine's top Christian Songs chart.^[2] "Lead Me to the Cross" was also their first #1 song on the Christian Radio Weekly Inspirational Chart on May 18, 2009 as well as the #1 song on the Billboard Soft AC/Inspirational Chart from July 20 to August 10, 2009.^[3]

The duo's self-titled debut album, Chris and Conrad, was released May 5, 2009 and was co-produced by Kuti, Johnson, and David Garcia. It features a 30-minute documentary on the making of the project including video of the songwriting sessions for the album. The second single from the debut project, "You're the One" is scheduled for release in late 2009 and will be preceded by a short-form video directed by Jon Ward (tobyMac, Third Day, Newsboys) of Jonny Grand Films and Media.

(Source: Wikipedia)

A friend of mine.

2011-07-15T16:49:00.002-04:00

Eric is a friend of the family for some years now. He is especially close to my oldest son but I sort of fell in love with his charming goofball humor and most amazing talent as a card exploiter.

Generally, we don't enter in these types of good entertainment but this time, I am making an exception. Eric is just a great guy and friend and I just had to. I tried to get his permission but did not yet. I trust he will agree to allow me to blog this 190th episode.

With my appreciation.

Phil

Sometimes we talk to the Lord, sometimes we yell

2011-07-06T21:53:00.001-04:00

U2 - Mysterious ways (imagine "she" is the Holy Spirit)

2011-06-27T21:23:00.002-04:00

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion). U2's early sound was indebted to post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music. Throughout the group's musical pursuits, they have maintained a recognisable sound built on melodic instrumentals, highlighted by The Edge's textural guitar playing and Bono's expressive vocals. Their lyrics, often embellished with spiritual imagery, focus on personal themes and sociopolitical concerns.

U2 formed at Mount Temple Comprehensive School when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. Within four years, they signed with Island Records and released their debut album Boy. By the mid-1980s, they became a top international act. They were more successful as live performers than they were at selling records, until their 1987 breakthrough album The Joshua Tree,^[1]which, according to Rolling Stone, elevated the band's stature "from heroes to superstars".^[2] Reacting to a sense of musical stagnation and a late-1980s critical backlash against their earnest image and musical direction, the group reinvented themselves with their 1991 hit album Achtung Baby and the accompanying Zoo TV Tour. U2 integrated dance, industrial, and alternative rock influences into their sound and performances, and embraced a more ironic and self-deprecating image. Similar experimentation continued for the remainder of the 1990s with reduced levels of success. U2 regained critical and commercial favour after their 2000 record All That You Can't Leave Behind. On it and the group's subsequent releases, they pursued a more conventional sound while maintaining influences from their earlier musical explorations.

U2 have released 12 studio albums and are among the best-selling groups in popular music, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide. They have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band. In 2005, U2 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Famein their first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone ranked U2 at number 22 in its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".^[3] Throughout their career, as a band and as individuals, they have campaigned for human rights and philanthropic causes, including Amnesty International, the ONE/DATA campaigns, Product Red, and The Edge's Music Rising. (Wikipedia)

Mary Mary - Shackles

2011-06-27T20:45:00.001-04:00

Song of the Year in 2011 - Sometimes I cry.

2011-05-27T16:21:00.002-04:00

Song of the year in 2011 according to the Dove Awards.

Charmed Life

2011-05-27T16:05:00.001-04:00

This is a new artist for me. She is a Christian, currently part of the Group called "The Civil Wars". 2 amazing artists. Enjoy this song.

Thoughts... on what they say... and are full of it...

2011-05-26T00:15:00.003-04:00

Ok. This is rather simple. Hercules is fiction. We all know it... so you cheat with such an example from the outset. Then, Paul (the Apostle) was not the first writer of the New Testament. Your premise is totally wrong and rather amusing. That will give a tone for the rest of your ill thought argument. (Good editing though). The New Testament started with James who was the son of Joseph, the adopted father of Jesus of Nazareth. James was the first. He must have known something. He was his bro.

The absence of time between Christ’s resurrection and the writing of the NT is divine. No allowance for idols in the written word. It must come from far from the true moment. Also, not one single original remains... Devine.

Your reference to Luke, a medical doctor, (*) is irrelevant. Historians of the day attest to the many miracles of Jesus. (ex: Josephus).

There are 4 sides to a house. Mark presents the Servant, Matthew the Messiah, Luke, the Son of Man... and John, the Son of God. Your noticing of the uniqueness of John is correct. Think of his Subject. Quite elevated. That is the mark of God in inspiration.

You state that John was written the 100’s to 150’s. Most interesting and revealing. Where did you get your info man. This is common knowledge... public domain... hello... You are full of it. There are no “inspired” scripture written after 99 ad. From 100 plus, we have Religion... no more Revelation. The entire NT was written before 100. Your Premise is wrong, your Conclusion is delusional dude.

And “you” are “annoyed” when you see: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (New International Version). The power of those words could not be written by men with ill desires. They died for their belief... martyred actually... Died and never denied... And you take this as a historical social insignificance. You are weak in mind and weak in substance, Sir. You are not logical.

You may accuse us (Christians) of being arrogant. Allow us to kindly say to you, YES, we are and shall continue to arrogantly promote the Christ of God. We are His disciples. Regardless of your energy and time, He remains the Truth and the Life. You remain a gifted person that requires a vertical pull... like all of us. You just waste your time and you just don’t see. You are stuck in the “horizontal”.

PS – Illiterate... now who is the arrogant one? Ok.

(*) Luc 2:22 (... listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know).

Oh ya... the idiot is here. Just click on this if you want to be entertained or waste your time.

YouTube - "Mary, Did You Know?" By Mark Lowry (with David Phelps & Guy Penrod)

2011-05-15T04:05:00.000-04:00

This is one part of the origin (of that great song).

YouTube - "Mary, Did You Know?" By Mark Lowry (with David Phelps & Guy Penrod): ""

Petra... This means WAR!

2011-05-06T01:22:00.002-04:00

We were young once... and Petra was as strong as any Prince. Sold them BIG TIME in our bookstore (45 William). The 4Front of R&R for the Man of Nazareth. B well gents... C U soon...

Micheal W. Smith - Healing rain...

2011-05-05T23:18:00.000-04:00

Sheeps or Wolves?

2011-05-05T15:16:00.005-04:00

OkChrist REPUDIATES these "so called" Ministers. Our God is righteous!

As for Me and My House - John Waller

2011-05-05T09:03:00.005-04:00

John Waller - As for me lyrics

See video below.

DEDICATED TO MY BELOVED WIFE AND CHILDREN, L, F, M, J.

Verse 1:
I'm done
Building my own kingdom
No more
Seeking worthless idols

Pre:
Like sheep we have all gone astray
We must choose this day
Whom we will serve

Chorus:
As for me and my house
We will serve the Lord
We will serve the Lord
Idols raised, tear them down
Cause we will serve the Lord
We will serve the Lord
To one king we bow down
As for me and my house
We will only serve the Lord

Verse 2:
I'm done
With powerless religion
No more
Living in deception

Pre:

Chorus:
As for me and my house
We will serve the Lord
We will serve the Lord
Idols raised, tear them down
Cause we will serve the Lord
We will serve the Lord
To one king we bow down
As for me and my house
We will only serve the Lord

Bridge:
We will cross over Jordan
We will claim what you promised

Chorus:

Out:
We will not give our hearts to another
Will not give our hearts to another
We belong to the Lord
We will not give our hearts to another
Will not give our hearts to another
We will only serve the Lord

Atheism and the lack of "thinking"

2011-05-04T20:55:00.004-04:00

Take the time to listen to this person. The author of an atheist book. By simple reasoning, you will have no difficulty in seeing the flagrant philosophical flaws of such thinking. Again, as many do, he confuses Religion with Revelation, Man with God... We have respect for these sad individuals with no hope and little wisdom. Yet we still love them in Christ. But listening to them demonstrates their weak mind, said with respect but the obviousness of it all is "in your face".

Part 1 of 2

Part 2 of 2

Muslim, muslim, muslim, muslim, muslim, muslim...

2011-04-30T13:47:00.003-04:00

How ex-muslim Nabeel found Jesus is Lord,Trinity is True

2011-04-30T13:47:00.001-04:00

From Atheist to Defender of the Faith - Kirk Cameron

2011-04-24T11:51:00.006-04:00

Matin Bashir summarizes the Creation vs. Evolution debate between Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort of "The Way of the Master" and Brian "Sapient" and Kelly of the Rational Response Squad.

11 Year-Old Reveals Jesus Throughout the Entire Bible!

2011-04-19T18:31:00.004-04:00

Obama on Christianity

2011-04-12T18:05:00.003-04:00

In Christ alone

2009-11-07T17:09:00.003-05:00

Church sign

2009-10-04T13:40:00.000-04:00

Does God exist?

2009-10-04T13:17:00.001-04:00

Amazing Grace

2009-07-19T14:03:00.005-04:00

John Newton, author of the lyrics to Amazing Grace, was born in 1725 in Wapping, London, England. Despite the powerful message of "Amazing Grace," Newton's religious beliefs initially lacked conviction; his youth was marked by religious confusion and a lack of moral self-control and discipline.

John Newton

After a brief time in the Royal Navy, Newton began his career in slave trading. The turning point in Newton's spiritual life was a violent storm that occurred one night while at sea. Moments after he left the deck, the crewman who had taken his place was swept overboard. Although he manned the vessel for the remainder of the tempest, he later commented that, throughout the tumult, he realized his helplessness and concluded that only the grace of God could save him. Prodded by what he had read in Thomas à Kempis' Imitation of Christ, Newton took the first step toward accepting faith.

These incidents and his 1750 marriage to Mary Catlett changed Newton significantly. On his slave voyages, he encouraged the sailors under his charge to pray. He also began to ensure that every member of his crew treated their human cargo with gentleness and concern. Nevertheless, it would be another 40 years until Newton openly challenged the trafficking of slaves.

Some three years after his marriage, Newton suffered a stroke that prevented him from returning to sea; in time, he interpreted this as another step in his spiritual voyage. He assumed a post in the Customs Office in the port of Liverpool and began to explore Christianity more fully. As Newton attempted to experience all the various expressions of Christianity, it became clear that he was being called to the ministry. Since Newton lacked a university degree, he could not be ordained through normal channels. However, the landlord of the parish at Olney was so impressed with the letters Newton had written about his conversion that he offered the church to Newton; he was ordained in June 1764.

In Olney, the new curate met the poet William Cowper, also a newly-converted Christian. Their friendship led to a spiritual collaboration that completed the inspiration for "Amazing Grace," the poem Newton most likely wrote in Kineton, Warwickshire around Christmas 1772. The lyrics are based on his reflections on an Old Testament text he was preparing to preach on, adding his perspective about his own conversion while on his slave ship, the Greyhound, in 1748.

Newton's lyrics have become a favourite for Christians, largely because the hymn vividly and briefly sums up the doctrine of divine grace. The lyrics are based on 1 Chronicles 17:16-17, a prayer of King David in which he marvels at God's choosing him and his house. Newton apparently wrote this for use in a sermon he preached on this passage on New Year's Day 1773, and for which he left his sermon notes, which correspond to the flow of the lyrics. (He entitled the piece "Faith's review and expectation.").

The song has also become known as a favourite with supporters of freedom and human rights, both Christian and non-Christian, in part because many assume it to be Newton's testimony about his slave trading past.

The hymn was quite popular on both sides in the American Civil War.

Source extracts: Wikipedia

End of times

2009-04-10T00:24:00.002-04:00

A French (mostly) and English presentation on the end of times.

Let it load... and take your time. This would take you 2 hours to read at the very least... especially if you can read French.

Christ: the Centre of Prophecy

2009-03-19T10:12:00.002-04:00

The book of Revelation is not simply an outline of chronological events of the last days. As we read in chapter 1, verse 1, it is a “revelation of Jesus Christ […] to show what must soon take place.” I want to underline the conjunction “of”. This book is a revelation of Christ in a special character in keeping with the contents and purpose of this intriguing book.

Let us describe what is meant here. This divine revelation not only emanates from Jesus Christ, but it is an actual unveiling* of his Person in a particular aspect hitherto not revealed during his first visit on earth and as described through out the Gospels. A fuller appreciation of the contents of this unusual revelation will be realized in the measure in which you, the reader, will grasp and value the glories of Christ as presented in this book. To summarize, we have a revelation provided for us through Christ and simultaneously, concerning Christ.

In Revelation 19:10 we read: “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” This verse could be inverted to say: “The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus.” The Apostle John, through the Holy Spirit, is communicating to us the objective and scope of prophecy. The very substance and essence, yes, the very goal and motive of prophecy is a testimony to us of the greatness of Christ. If we lose sight of Jesus in prophecy, we set aside the very reason why God, in his infinite grace, gave us these prophetic utterances. Understanding and appreciating this perspective will tremendously enrich our spiritual experience as we journey through time and ponder the wonderful book of the Apocalypse.

The gist of prophecy is God’s display of the prominence and grandeur of His Son, Jesus Christ.

At OKChrist, we want YOU to make this your very own experience.

If you need a New Testament, we will be happy to send you a copy FREE of charge. Just send us an e-mail and let us know.

André J. Lebrun

* (The Greek work for revelation means “to draw the veil aside”.)

Yearning for Deliverance

2009-02-01T13:26:00.002-05:00

Most of us, if not all of us, (from the poorest to the richest) are looking for some kind of deliverance from the thousands of different situations we are going through. If “by accident” [or by chance?] you happen to stumble on this short message, you might identify with one or more of the following situations. Most probably you are yearning for DELIVERANCE.

You may want to be delivered from:

• A difficult, tricky and intricate job situation - your supervisor or boss is lousy, the working environment is depressing and you even have a big tiff with one of your co-workers. You are worn out from “meeting the deadline syndrome”. You’ve had enough and you want to be delivered from that job.

• Unemployment - You had a wonderful job with good pay, great benefits and you were next in line for that elusive corner office with the ‘million dollar view’. You were indeed on “a roll”! Then, you got the bad end of your company’s down-sizing venture. You got laid off! You are now unemployed and ready to accept any job – even flipping burgers at the local fast food restaurant! You must get out of this situation and fast!

• Unpleasant financial circumstances – You’ve lost ‘big time’ in the past few months and your portfolio has shrunk dreadfully. You were planning a well deserved vacation and a well-earned early retirement. You now have to delay one or the other, or even both! You’re depressed, discouraged and distressed!! You want a way out!

• Soured family relationships – Relations with your spouse, even your own children have deteriorated. You’ve tried different types of counseling and given it your best shot but nothing seems to work. The more you try, the worse it gets. You are tired and desperate!

• Mental anguish - You are stressed out physically and mentally. Wherever you look you see ‘black’ and you just can’t get out of this anxious cycle. You need help but you don’t know where to look!

• Other (You know exactly the particular situation YOU are in and you feel trapped.)

One of today’s well-known songwriter and musician has penned the following words:

…We Live In Hope Of Deliverance From The Darkness That Surrounds Us. From the song: Hope of Deliverance by Paul McCartney

All of us live with the hope that someday, some how we will experience “deliverance from the darkness that surrounds us”. We constantly yearn for deliverance from unpleasant circumstances and entrance into more pleasant ones. Yet, the most crucial and vital deliverance is not the one that takes us out of disagreeable situations (as great as that is) but when our spirits and souls are delivered and brought to the lofty heights of the forgiveness of sins and the enjoyment of peace within our hearts. THAT is the very thing that Christ, the Son of God brings to those who seek solace under his protection.

Christ has said: “I have been sent to proclaim freedom (deliverance) for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind and to release the oppressed.” (Read Luke 4:18)

We at OKChrist want you to experience freedom, deliverance and the release from your anguish. That delivery is eternal, permanent and only Christ can do that for you. He’s offering it to YOU even as you read this!

We read in Acts 16, verses 22-24 how two men had been “stripped [of their clothes], beaten… flogged… and thrown in prison with their feet fastened in stocks.” What a dark, distressful, dismal and definitely dispiriting situation. What did they do? They sang praise to God (verse 25). I say WOW! What a display of joy coming from these liberated and emancipated spirits. They were enjoying the peace of Christ in the most nerve-racking circumstances.

Two men looked out through prison bars;
One saw mud, the other stars!

Now that’s DELIVERANCE! If you want it, come and get it (like the song says)! Christ is offering it to you NOW!!

Read about the real, bona fide deliverance as found in the New Testament!

Read Christ’s Words!
Read about Christ’s Work!
Discover how He can be YOUR Deliverer!

[Jesus] gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. (Gal. 1:4)

[We] wait for […] Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Thes. 1:10)]

The Good Lord bless you!

If you need a New Testament, we will be happy to send you a copy FREE of charge. Just send us an e-mail to info@okchrist.com and let us know.

André J Lebrun

Stetascope

2009-01-30T12:08:00.000-05:00

Mary... did you know...

2009-01-10T03:31:00.001-05:00

Indescribable

2009-01-08T14:50:00.001-05:00

Party Time

2009-01-07T21:57:00.004-05:00

Imagine for a brief moment you are having a BIG party. Huge… You have planned this for quite awhile. Your friends are there, even those you haven’t seen in a long long time! No one’s missing. The music is smooth, the ambience is superb, your guests are having a marvelous time and so are you. It doesn’t get any better than this. It’s the perfect party!!!

SUDDENLY, out of the blue a hand appears and writes a few words on the wall!

The message is clear and it’s specifically addressed to YOU!

It says: “[Your NAME], you have been weighed in the scale of Divine Justice and you have been found missing major elements which I REQUIRE. In 24 hours you will give an account to your Creator.”

The above has actually happened! Read Daniel chapter 5, verses 1-6 and 22-28. You can find this portion here.

What would you do?
(The way you respond to this question will determine your eternal destiny)

You could:

1. Ignore the message and continue to party. Don’t forget though, you’ve got a mere 24 hours to go!!

2. Run to your lawyer and update your will! There isn’t much time for that as it’s the week-end, his office is closed and you’re down to your last 24 hours!!

3. Call your friends and relatives and make sure they know your last thoughts and hopefully get things right with those you have sour relations with! Don’t forget you haven’t got much time! The clock is ticking!

4. Tell your guests that they need to go home. You want to be alone and think this through.

5. Attempt (in the best way you can imagine) to make things right with the One who just sent you that message!! He’s listening!

Assuming that you chose the last option you would probably ask yourself some of the following questions:

- What will happen when I give an account to the Almighty? What does that mean? Can I face Him and survive the ordeal?

- What does He mean by those “missing elements”?

- What does He look for and require from me?

- How do I go about ‘getting right with God’? Where do I start? Where do I go? What must I do to please Him?

- Is it possible to get on ‘good terms’ with the Great Eternal One? I do know ‘of’ Him and I know a little ‘about’ Him, but honestly, I don’t really know Him personally! Scary thought!

Dear friend, the answer to the above questions is quite simple. It is so simple that too often people misjudge, miscalculate and unfortunately simply give up on finding the Divine Solution!

We at ‘OKChrist’ are pleased to present the message of all messages: CHRIST, the Eternal Son of God is the answer to our deepest needs (temporal and eternal).

We leave you with the following straightforward words of Jesus Himself.

1. “Jesus said: I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

2. “Whoever drinks the water I give… will never thirst. Indeed the water I give [your name] will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

3. “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever trusts in him shall not perish but have eternal life… Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

If you need a New Testament, we will be happy to send you a copy FREE of charge.

God bless!

ajl

Expelled - by Ben Stein

2009-01-02T12:54:00.008-05:00

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed - DVD

In this groundbreaking documentary, economist, actor, lawyer, and columnist Ben Stein travels the world on a quest for truth, and learns that educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure, and even fired - for merely believing that there might be evidence of design in nature, and that perhaps life is not just the result of random chance.

This DVD will open your eyes to the shocking suppression of academic freedom in American schools, universities, and media.

Format: DVDDate: 2008Audience: GeneralLength: 90 min.Code: DEXPE1

Our best wishes from us to you all

2009-01-02T11:40:00.016-05:00

Have a wonderful year everyone and may the Lord bless you with health, love and happiness.

Every year is exciting at http://www.okchrist.com/ full of new challenges, letters to respond, people to help, expanding the knowledge of the Bible for many, even humbly attempting to educate some Christians and non-christians about Scripture. We trust, with an impact.

In looking back to last yearx, we are grateful to many.We still need your help in suporting this website. Our appreciation to you all.

Have a great year, again and again!

One simple Carpenter

2008-05-09T19:27:00.002-04:00

The Revised Church of Oprah

2008-04-10T21:09:00.023-04:00

The problem with Oprah's new religion (see Watch this below) is ignoring the question of "Revelation". If there is a God, does he/she has the ability to reveal "itself". If there is a God, can God Create and Reveal Himself? Yes or no? She mixes up Religion with Revelation.

God IS "jealous" because He wants true salvation from above... from outside our realm of Nature. God is Jealous because of the Love for His own Son. That is what Oprah is missing. She does not see that God did reveal himself. Simple... (I am surprised a women like that would miss that).

Her whole thing is a hoax. For example: when one of her key "spiritual" guests responds to the question of whether he believed in death or not: "I don't give it any thought", he replied. Now let me ask you if knowledge comes from "not thinking" about a fundamental subject such as death... Think of the death of children 2 years old... why... We have to "think" about these things!

Her religion is more a form of philosophy and psychology. Nothing new.

Watch this. Press the back button to return here.

Beyond our Fears

2008-04-05T17:47:00.009-04:00

But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?"

then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

Matthew 8:26

A frightening storm rose quickly on the Sea of Galilee, and the disciples are afraid. Because of their limited faith, they feared for their lives. When they turned to Jesus, He calmed the waters and he rebuked His disciples for their lack of faith in Him.

On occasion, we, like the disciples, are frightened by the inevitable storms of life. Why are we afraid? Because we, like the disciples, possesses imperfect faith.

When we genuinely accept God's promises as absolute truth, when we trust Him with life here on earth and life eternal, we have little to fear. Faith in God is the antidote to worry. Faith in God is the foundation of courage and the source of power. Today, let us trust God more completely and, by doing so, move beyond our fears to a place of abundance, assurance, and peace.

Fear lurks in the shadows of every area of life. The future may look very threatening.

Jesus says, "Stop being afraid. Trust me!"

Charles Swindoll.

Yes, I have seen God...

2008-02-29T11:06:00.006-05:00

Question

Have you seen God?

I’ve been living for 33 years,
Never seen God’s face and tears.
No one has ever seen Him,
He has been hiding, is seems.

An atheist client made me think,
Asked “Seen God?” without a blink.
I answered “Not yet” humorously,
At home, it puzzled me deeply.

Have you even seen God?
Nobody, even in the clouds.
Why is He hiding from us?
Do you think He’s real or a fuss?

If there’s God, there’ll be world peace,
How come violence never cease?
Why does He allow unfair suffering?
Endless diseases on human being.

Too much doubts on God’s existence
There’ll be no end in our evidence.
“”have you seen God?” may be the question,
To prove that God is only man’s invention.

Have you ever seen God in your life?
In real physical form and in your sight?
Have you ever wondered lately?
We need to wake up and face the reality.

HAVE YOU SEEN GOD?

By Florante Alumia

Answer

Have you seen God?

A Response to an Article published in the Mensa Society’s mc2 magazine (March 2008)

Have you seen God? The question is asked. Yes I have, I answer… But not the way you think.

You say: He has been hiding, it seems.

I will agree with you on this point. Though He has revealed Himself at different times and in different ways: not in a way we would expect, but He has shown Himself on His own terms! After all, He is the Master of the Universe, the Creator, the infinite One and we are all His offspring and creatures of His design.

How can a finite being like me grasp, understand, behold and comprehend an Eternal, Infinite Being? Logic dictates this to be impossible. He answers to no one! We answer to Him!!

I may not like this but He has made the rules and yes, He is the Inventor of this game called LIFE!

Still, He has not left us in the dark! He has seen it good to reveal attributes of Himself, even though He is, by nature, invisible, infinite and intriguing, to say the least.

“No one has ever seen God but the One who ever was at the Father’s side has revealed Him”. Someone once asked: “Show us the Father.” Christ answered: “Anyone who has seen ME has seen the Father.”

You ask: “Have you ever seen God in your life?” – Yes I have!

“In real physical form and in your sight?” you say. I answer: Not in “physical form” – we cannot show you that which has no form - but I have seen God’s eternal Love and Moral Qualities in Christ.

You ask: “What about world peace?” Now that is a noble query!

“And unfair suffering and endless diseases” you add. To which I respond: There are mysteries with no answers while we are down here.

At one point in time, Christ came and made incredible claims! He asserted that he was God ‘in the flesh’!

He either was a hoax, a joke, a big lie OR exactly what He claimed to be: God manifested and displayed in a human form.

This blows me away! The infinite, Eternal Being coming down to our level and living in poverty in our world of limited dimensions.

Christ was the Prince of Peace and yet, the world crucified Him. “We will NOT have this man rule over us” they cried. They preferred a murderer (Barrabas) to the Prince of Peace.

So I say: How can peace be a dominant factor in a world that rejected Him, and still does?

God has spoken and displayed Himself through the Person of Christ. But, FAITH is required to see through the clouds of darkness and appreciate God’s revelation of Himself. “For, without faith, it is impossible to please Him.”

André Lebrun

Love Letter to you

2008-02-24T17:07:00.005-05:00

This may take time to upload. It is worth the wait. Click TWICE on play. This is taken from one of the most beautiful christian websites I know. Once you have seen this Love Letter presentation, visit the original website here.

Bible Prophecy

2008-02-21T16:05:00.002-05:00

Here is a 4 minute casual discussion on Bible Prophecy for your interest.

The cross they bear - India's Christians persecuted

2008-02-20T14:08:00.005-05:00

On January 16th, 2008, as she prayed with a large group of Christians, a mob of Hindu extremists arrived. They chased worshippers away, set fire to a car and ten motocycles and, threatened to cut them "into pieces".

In recent weeks Hindu extremists in India's "tribal belt" have stepped up a vicious anti-Christian campain. Over Christmas in Orissa mobs set fire to 55 churches and 600 houses. This is the worst aniti-Christian violence independant India has seen. The population of Christians in India is between 3% to 6% of the population (close to 7 million individuals).

Most Indian Christians are dalits, at the bottom of the caste system, once known as "untouchables". Christian converts often claim to be Hindus to keep access to government jobs and college places "reserved" for Hiduism's lower castes.

More than 230 people have been arrested on conversion charges in one single state in the past two years. The recent Christmas violence was mostly directed at Catholics. Identifying religious minorities as a common enemy has proven an effective rallying cry for right-wing Hindu groups.

At this time, Christians fear more violence in the future.

Source: The Economist, Feb 9th, 2008 Edition.

How Populations Grow

2008-02-07T11:04:00.000-05:00

"And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them" (Exodus 1:7).

Populations can grow very rapidly. For example, one can calculate that the seventy who came into Egypt with Jacob (Genesis 46:27) could easily have multiplied to over five million in just ten generations, assuming only that the average family had six children who lived and reproduced, and that only two generations were living contemporaneously at any one time. This was less than half the number in Jacob's immediate family. The actual count of the grown Israelite men (not including the tribe of Levi) who left Egypt with Moses was "six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty" (Numbers 1:46). The total population was probably between two and three million at the time.

This illustrates how rapidly populations can grow when conditions are favorable. In fact, if a simple geometric growth rate is assumed (which was the assumption made by Charles Darwin in relation to his imagined "struggle for existence" in nature), it would only take about 1100 years--assuming 35 years per generation--to develop the present world population of six billion people. Immediately after the Flood, with only eight people and the whole world before them, with long life spans still prevailing, and with every incentive to have large families, the population surely would have grown explosively. Yet the average annual growth rate since the Flood need only have been one-fourth the present growth rate to produce the world's present population in the 4000 years (minimum) since that time.

All of which indicates that the evolutionary scenario, which assumes that human populations have been on the earth for about a million years, is absurd. The whole universe could not hold all the people!

HMM
http://www.irc.org/

The Army of the Lord

2008-01-21T12:53:00.000-05:00

A friend was in front of me coming out of church one day, and the preacher was standing at the door as he always is to shake hands. He grabbed my friend by the hand and pulled him aside.

The Pastor said to him, "You need to join the Army of the Lord!"

My friend replied, "I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor."

Pastor questioned, "How come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?"

He whispered back, "I'm in the secret service."

Source: Christian-Jokes.org (used with permission).

What's "Today"?

2008-01-20T01:55:00.001-05:00

Yesterday is history,

Tomorrow, a mystery,

Today, a gift thus the "the present".

Philippe Paquette
www.OkChrist.com

The logic of faith by St. Thomas Aquinas

2008-01-19T12:13:00.000-05:00

Background:

St. Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) was a Dominican priest, theologian, and philosopher. Called the Doctor Angelicus (the Angelic Doctor,) Aquinas is considered one the greatest Christian philosophers to have ever lived. Two of his most famous works, the Summa Theologiae and the Summa Contra Gentiles, are the finest examples of his work on Christian philosophy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The truth of the Christian faith...surpasses the capacity of reason, nevertheless that truth that the human reason is naturally endowed to know can not be opposed to the truth of the Christian faith."
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1. First Way: The Argument From Motion
St. Thomas Aquinas, studying the works of the Greek philosopher Aristotle, concluded from common observation that an object that is in motion (e.g. the planets, a rolling stone) is put in motion by some other object or force. From this, Aquinas believes that ultimately there must have been an UNMOVED MOVER (GOD) who first put things in motion. Follow the argument this way:
1) Nothing can move itself.
2) If every object in motion had a mover, then the first object in motion needed a mover.
3) This first mover is the Unmoved Mover, called God.

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2. Second Way: Causation Of Existence
This Way deals with the issue of existence. Aquinas concluded that common sense observation tells us that no object creates itself. In other words, some previous object had to create it. Aquinas believed that ultimately there must have been an UN CAUSED FIRST CAUSE (GOD) who began the chain of existence for all things. Follow the argument this way:
1) There exists things that are caused (created) by other things.
2) Nothing can be the cause of itself (nothing can create itself.)
3) There can not be an endless string of objects causing other objects to exist.
4) Therefore, there must be an uncaused first cause called God.

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3. Third Way: Contingent and Necessary Objects
This Way defines two types of objects in the universe: contingent beings and necessary beings. A contingent being is an object that can not exist without a necessary being causing its existence. Aquinas believed that the existence of contingent beings would ultimately necessitate a being which must exist for all of the contingent beings to exist. This being, called a necessary being, is what we call God. Follow the argument this way:
1) Contingent beings are caused.
2) Not every being can be contingent.
3) There must exist a being which is necessary to cause contingent beings.
4) This necessary being is God.

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4. Fourth Way: Argument From Degrees And Perfection
St. Thomas formulated this Way from a very interesting observation about the qualities of things. For example one may say that of two marble sculptures one is more beautiful than the other. So for these two objects, one has a greater degree of beauty than the next. This is referred to as degrees or gradation of a quality. From this fact Aquinas concluded that for any given quality (e.g. goodness, beauty, knowledge) there must be a perfect standard by which all such qualities are measured. These perfections are contained in God.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Fifth Way: The Argument From Intelligent Design
The final Way that St. Thomas Aquinas speaks of has to do with the observable universe and the order of nature. Aquinas states that common sense tells us that the universe works in such a way, that one can conclude that is was designed by an intelligent designer, God. In other words, all physical laws and the order of nature and life were designed and ordered by God, the intelligent designer.

Source: Paley's Teleological Argument.

The Christ

2008-01-05T13:41:00.001-05:00

In view of the previous entry (other Faith Systems), here is Wikipedia's definition of Christ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ

A view of other Religions

2008-01-05T13:26:00.001-05:00

Here are links (Souce: BBC) to understand other Faith Systems other than "Christianity". See also our page on the differences between Christ and other Beleif Systems here: Navigation number 5 - His Differences - (see right of page) on http://www.okchrist.com/son/son_e.html.

Mary... did you know?

2007-12-17T23:19:00.002-05:00

Mary did you know?

with permission from New Life Productions.

May you find a place in your hearts for the One that is called the "I Am" (see "Navigation" number 3 - His Divinity - top right upper corner) and blessings to you and your families.

Philippe Paquette
http://www.okchrist.com/

The currrent history of Israel... for your consideration.

2007-11-19T21:22:00.002-05:00

Size of Israel: 10,000 square miles (1/5th of Florida... or twice the size of Prince Edward Island in Canada).

Current population of Israel: 6.5 million

See the current history of Israel and Palistine... for your information.

See also the current demograpics of Israel.

Ethnic Makeup of Israel
Ethnic group Population
% of total
Jewish 76.0%
Arab 19.6%
Unaffiliated - many of which are Ethnically Jewish (some Christians) 4.3%

List of Jewish history topics here. List of Palestine history here.

Map of Israel and Palestine here.

For your information, www.OkChrist.com does not support the views of all the information in these links. Nevertheless, we believe them to be of interest for our viewers.

Multiple Charts explaining the Bible

2007-11-19T13:25:00.000-05:00

To simplify the understanding of the Bible (and prophecy), you will find many excellent "charts", explaining the Holy Scriptures in "illustration format". Either click on the title of this Post or click on the following link: http://www.ebiblenotes.com/charts.htm

With our appreciation to Bill from ebiblenotes.com.

Does the Universe Have a Purpose?

2007-11-16T16:22:00.002-05:00

...extracts... Click on the Title for the full article.

Yes
...I am psychologically incapable of believing that the universe is meaningless। I believe the universe has a purpose, and our greatest intellectual challenge as human beings is to glimpse what this purpose might be

...In the deep mystery of God's vast creative experiment there may be many facets that we, in human terms, would relate to as purposes of the universe। I believe that, incredibly, this includes the creator's self-revelation though human intelligence and personalities. With God's experiment comes the freedom of choice, and I choose to believe in a purposeful universe.

My thoughtful atheistic friends who deny that the universe has any ultimate meaning are also men and women of faith। Perhaps intimidated by intimations of design, they seek to understand the universe in other ways। Ironically, they themselves may well be part of the purpose of the universe.

Owen Gingerich is Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and of the History of Science at Harvard University and a senior astronomer emeritus at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory।

"Very Good"... no more death...

2007-11-07T12:02:00.001-05:00

"And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31).

On several occasions during the Creation Week, God had declared aspects of His creation as "good" (vv.10,12, 18,21,25). But once His crown of creation was in place, the very image of Himself (vv.26-27), He pronounced it all "very good" and ceased His creative activity (2:1-3).

Just what does it mean to be "very good" in God's eyes? This term is used elsewhere in the Old Testament by men and regarding men, but here God Himself, the sinless, ever-living One, declares creation to be just what He wanted--able to accomplish and fulfill each of His plans and desires for it. Whatever else may be said about this creation, it, at the very least, must have been without death, being a phenomenon anathema to Him.
Death is identified as "The last enemy that shall be destroyed" (I Corinthians 15:26).

"Death reigned from Adam to Moses" (Romans 5:14), and "it is appointed unto men once to die" (Hebrews 9:27). Indeed, "the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now" (Romans 8:22). The source of this condition is known as the curse pronounced on all of creation due to man's rebellion against God (Genesis 3) as had been promised (2:17). Even today "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23), and since all sin, all must die. Truly, sin has ruined God's original sinless, deathless, "very good" creation.

But the story does not end there. The very Creator who pronounced the awful curse of death as the penalty for sin has Himself died to pay that penalty and one day will repeal the curse (Revelation 22:3) and abolish death (21:4). The creation will be returned to its original created intent, and all will once again be "very good."

JDM
INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH

http://www.icr.org/

It's in the Bible

2007-10-31T14:39:00.000-04:00

There was a christian lady that had to do a lot of traveling for her business, so she did a lot of flying. Flying made her very, very nervous, so she always took her Bible along with her to read as it helped relax her on the long flights.

One time, she was sitting next to a man.

When he saw her pull out her Bible, he gave a little chuckle and smirk and went back to what he was doing.

After awhile, he turned to her and asked, "You don't really believe all that stuff in there do you?"

The lady replied, "Of course I do. It is the Bible."

He said, "Well, what about that guy that was swallowed by that whale?"

She replied, "Oh, Jonah. Yes, I believe that, it is in the Bible."

He asked, "Well, how do you suppose he survived all that time inside the whale?"

The lady said, "Well, I don't really know. I guess when I get to heaven, I will ask him."

"What if he isn't in heaven?" the man asked sarcastically.

"Then you can ask him," replied the lady.

Author is Unknown

No More Tears

2007-10-27T22:09:00.000-04:00

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Revelation 21:4).

Surely this is one of the most glorious promises in the Bible! No more suffering, no more sorrow, no more death! In this present life, in this present world, every one of us must endure suffering and sorrow in various degrees, and eventually death. But our gracious Savior "hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows" and because "the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. . . . He was cut off out of the land of the living" (Isaiah 53:4,6,8), and He endured for us the awful suffering of death on the cross.

In dying, however, He defeated death, rose from the grave, and is now alive "for evermore" (Revelation 1:18). Thus He can promise immortal physical bodies that will never die again to all who trust Him.

How can He do such a thing? He "shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself" (Philippians 3:21). "The dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (I Corinthians 15:52).

The believers of pre-Christian days will also share in these blessings. The prophet Isaiah recorded a beautiful promise to them, as well as us, hundreds of years before Christ came to make it possible. "He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: . . . And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him . . . we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation" (Isaiah 25:8-9).
HMM

INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH
http://icr.org/