the world from my point of view . . .
Religion
All things religious in nature.
Symbols – Tribute to September 11, 2001
0They were two symbols of power. Two symbols of peace. Thousands gained their very sustenance from them. For over 30 years, they had stood as examples to many of what great power could accomplish. But to some, they represented the enemy; the providence of a god whom they did not serve. And so they sought to destroy them at all cost. They judged based upon their own flawed faith and plotted a grand scheme to bring them down once and for all.
That fateful morning around 9:00 am, the first impact struck one of these symbols. The first blood in a new war was drawn. But this war was really not new at all. It began when man fell from perfection in the garden and had continued throughout history. Evil has always waged war with Good, and the enemy thought that these next few blows would end it all. The second impact was much like the first, its mirror image. Then a third strike, lower than the others, brought even more suffering to this terrible day. As the red of pain welled from the wounds, the innocent made last prayers before death made its claim. Not long after the ordeal began, it was finished. The symbols of freedom and peace fell slack where they once stood firm. With great rumblings, the earth shook. Like a tear in the sky from top to bottom, the unthinkable happened. As the sky was obscured, some that were thought to be dead were seen walking the streets.
Those that knew the symbols the best were overwhelmed with disbelief. How could something so strong be brought so low? And in the distance a fourth and final blow was rendered, confirming that the day’s tragedy was at an end. Those that looked on knew by now that this was a blow against none other than God in heaven and that their lives would never be the same.
But what the enemy did not realize was that the symbols were just that. Symbols of the true power, not the power themselves. Symbols that accomplished great deeds, but whose real source came from a much greater place. Hope was not lost, for the destruction was only temporary and on the following Sunday many were amazed as they discovered that God was still in control.
For on the third day Christ rose from the grave and appeared to many who witnessed of these events. He showed them the scars He received: the first being in one hand and the second, the mirror image of the first; the third scar in His feet, and the fourth and final scar from the spear wound in His side that proved He was dead. He assured them that His death was necessary and that it meant that the door to heaven was now being opened. His followers, who were so sad and confused before now had hope and understanding. Jesus Christ, whose loving hands had been symbols of peace and freedom while he lived on earth, had now created the path to the Peace of heaven and true Freedom from death for all time.
Jonathan Senn – 9/11/2002
Symbols of September 11, 2001
0They were two symbols of power. Two symbols of peace. Thousands gained their very sustenance from them. For over 30 years, they had stood as examples to many of what great power could accomplish. But to some, they represented the enemy; the providence of a god whom they did not serve. And so they sought to destroy them at all cost. They judged based upon their own flawed faith and plotted a grand scheme to bring them down once and for all.
That fateful morning around 9:00 am, the first impact struck one of these symbols. The first blood in a new war was drawn. But this war was really not new at all. It began when man fell from perfection in the garden and had continued throughout history. Evil has always waged war with Good, and the enemy thought that these next few blows would end it all. The second impact was much like the first, its mirror image. Then a third strike, lower than the others, brought even more suffering to this terrible day. As the red of pain welled from the wounds, the innocent made last prayers before death made its claim. Not long after the ordeal began, it was finished. The symbols of freedom and peace fell slack where they once stood firm. With great rumblings, the earth shook. Like a tear in the sky from top to bottom, the unthinkable happened. As the sky was obscured, some that were thought to be dead were seen walking the streets.
Those that knew the symbols the best were overwhelmed with disbelief. How could something so strong be brought so low? And in the distance a fourth and final blow was rendered, confirming that the day’s tragedy was at an end. Those that looked on knew by now that this was a blow against none other than God in heaven and that their lives would never be the same.
But what the enemy did not realize was that the symbols were just that. Symbols of the true power, not the power themselves. Symbols that accomplished great deeds, but whose real source came from a much greater place. Hope was not lost, for the destruction was only temporary and on the following Sunday many were amazed as they discovered that God was still in control.
For on the third day Christ rose from the grave and appeared to many who witnessed of these events. He showed them the scars He received: the first being in one hand and the second, the mirror image of the first; the third scar in His feet, and the fourth and final scar from the spear wound in His side that proved He was dead. He assured them that His death was necessary and that it meant that the door to heaven was now being opened. His followers, who were so sad and confused before now had hope and understanding. Jesus Christ, whose loving hands had been symbols of peace and freedom while he lived on earth, had now created the path to the Peace of heaven and true Freedom from death for all time.
Jonathan Senn – 9/11/2002
Malachi 3:3
1I cannot take credit for this story, but heard it and wanted to pass it along.
Malachi 3:3 says: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: “He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.” She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.
The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment.
Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?”
He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s easy — when I see my image in it”
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Paul Harvey’s On-Air Prayer
0“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed ourvalues. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it Enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!”