WHAT IS T H E WORLD C O M I N G T O?
by Billy Graham
Billy Graham preached this message April 17, 1983, during his Central Florida Crusade in Orlando, Florida. Nearly 38 years later, the Biblical teaching is as relevant as it was then.
Many people are asking, "Are we moving toward the end of the world?" "Are we moving the end of the age?" Those questions are haunting people everywhere today. We see the news, and we ask the question, "What is the world coming to?" Millions of people all over the world are desperate to know what the future holds.
In the midst of the pessimism, the gloom and frustration of this present hour, there is one hope-the promise of Christ: "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again" (John 14:3). Jesus died upon the cross, rose again from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God the Father. And the next great event is His return. That is the hope of the church and the hope of the Christian believer. And without hope, our world could not go on.
A great theologian in Switzerland once said, "What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope for the meaning of life." The great ereeds of the church teach that Christ is coming back.
Charles Wesley, one of the founders of Methodism, Wrote 7,270 hymns; 5,000 of them had to do with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
So FIRST, I want to stress the fact o Christ's return. His coming again is mentioned hundreds of times in the New Testament. Of course, many people say, "He hasn't come so far. All these years have passed, and He hasn't come. He promised He was coming. Why hasn't He come?'' Well, they asked that in the first century too. And this is what the Apostle Peter predicted: "Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lust, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.' For this they willfully forget'' (2 Peter 3: 3-5).
When He returns, you will see Him The thing that is hidden from our eyes at the moment is the power, the might and the glory of God in Christ. But in a single moment of time, the power and the glory of God will be revealed. No wonder the Scripture tells us that then every knee shall bow. The King is coming! The Bible teaches that.
SECOND, there are the signs of His coming. Jesus left a number of signs. He said, "When it is evening you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red; and in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times?'' (Matthew 16:2-3). In that parable Jesus ws saying. "In the realm of scientific observation, man is extraordinarily intelligent. But in the realm of spiritual awareness, he is astronishingly ignorant."
We live in a world of maddening complexity, an age of doubt and upheaval, a generation that has lost its bearings. And as we scan the face of the contemporary skies, what do we see? We see exactly what He said: the birth pangs of a new world.
Every mother knows something about birth pangs. Jesus uses this analogy to describe what the world will be like at His coming. Jesus said these birth pangs would be the unmistakable sign that the time of His return may be fairly near. He said it will be worse than anything since the beginning of the world until this time. He said things are going to get worse, and we are going to reach a climax in history. That is where we are moving now very rapidly.
We see adversities, afflictions, all the tribes of the earth mourning anguish, brothers betraying brothers, children rising up against parents, parents beating children, people being held captive and hostage, distress of nations, days of vengeance. We see deceivers, revelers, drunkenness, earthquakes in escalating frequency, false prophets and false Christs, famines, great distress, tribulation, signs and wonders in the skies, sexual immorality, God's people being hated in many parts of the world, hypocrisy unparalleled in history, iniquity abounding. we see turmoil in the Middle East, kingdom rising against kingdom, love growing cold among believers, men's hearts failing them because of fear, perplexities, persecutions, pestilences, the powers of the heavens being shaken, numerous wars.
The Scripture says there will be birth pangs of a world seized by wars, woes and weeping. It will be a world gone mad.
Does that sound like our world today? Does it sound like what we read about or see in the news? Of course it does.
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Ms. Sylvia Bonaparte
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2 年READ: 1/22/2022 Welcoming the Spirit in Prayer Prayer—conversation with God—is the first priority of living in the Spirit. We all know that it takes time and commitment to build true and lasting friendships. In the same way, we grow close to God as we spend time in prayer opening our hearts to him and listening to his voice. The more we are committed to prayer, the more we will know what it is like to live in the Father’s heart. Why? Because prayer makes us sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Throughout his letters, St. Paul encouraged his readers to pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17; see Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:18-20; Philippians 4:4-7). Constant prayer means not only praying every day, but also taking a few moments at different points in our day to turn our hearts to God. Through constant prayer, we give the Holy Spirit freedom to move in us. We come to know what he likes and what he dislikes. We learn how to discern his voice and how to please him. Constant prayer also makes us sensitive to the word of God and to the Eucharist. Praying with the scriptures opens our minds to God and makes our hearts burn with love for him (Luke 24:32). We all have heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” Spiritually, the more we eat the bread of Christ with prayerful hearts, the more we will think and act like Jesus. Constant prayer—at home or at Mass, whether we are reading the scriptures or driving to work—is our secret to intimacy with God. Prayer, flowing from a pure heart, is the best way we can learn to be led by the Spirit. LinkedIn: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/sylvia-bonaparte-b1b465166 M. S. A. Rose-Bonaparte [AMARE] https://www.strategist-curiosity.com Amare: www.myamareglobal.com/46719 www.amarehempgbx.com/?rwpid=46719 For more information: Lifevantage: sylviab55.lifevantage.com code: 1927889? Dr. Brian Dixon [ Tri Synergizer ] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrlavVDlCKA? Ms. Sylvia Bonaparte???????? #FollowMefourFollowback @Follow4Followback @ Sylvia Bonaparte
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2 年READ: 1/20/2022 ~~~ Your Money ~~~ STEERING CLEAR of FAKES >> Reduce your chances of buying counterfeit products by Lisa Lee Freeman As online shopping has surged, so have sales of counterfeit product. U. S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency that monitors imports into the country, seized $1.9 billion worth of knockoff goods in a recent seven-month period -- up from $1.3 billion in the prior full year. The items seized most often, according to the CBP, included handbags, wallets, clothing, footwear, watches, jewelry and electronics like headphones and smartwatches. Some of the nabbed fakes were pandemic- related products such as face masks, COVID-19 test kits and hand sanitizer. While many counterfeits are sold online, they also show up at flea markets and even in retail stores. Counterfeit's can be tough to spot. Even worse, some of them -- such as electrical products, auto parts, contact lenses and cosmetics -- can put your safety at risk. Protect yourself by taking these precautions. ~~~ BUY FROM REPUTABLE SELLERS. One of my golden rules for any retail transaction is to focus on whom you buy from as much as on what you buy. When buying brand-name products, buy directly from known national retailers. If you choose a smaller vendor, including third - party "marketplace" sellers on sites such as Amazon and Walmart, comb through user reviews and return policies, and check to see if the product is shipped from China: nearly 80 percent of fakes originate from there and Hong Kong, the CBP says. Be especially wary of small companies that advertise on social media sites. "That's where a lot of the fraud lies," says Saoud Khalifah, CEO of Fakespot, a company that analyzes and flags fake product reviews. ~~~ GET SOME BACKKUP. Seek out sites that will guarantee a product's authenticity, especially if you're buying luxury goods. The authentication program that eBay uses, for example, applies to select high - end handbags and watches, as well as certain sneakers. Products that pass inspection have an "Authenticity Guarantee'' badge on their listings. Also check brand websites. Coach, Roles and some other manufacturers have detailed guides to help you get the real deal, or they offer their own certificates of authenticity. ~~~RECOGNIZE red FLAGS. Super low prices are a big danger sign, according to the fraud experts at Redpoints.com, which helps businesses combat counterfeits. But even slightly lower prices can be a sign you're not dealing with a legit retailer. Another way to spot sketch listings is to download the Fakespot extension for the Chrome of Firefox browser. When you're shopping online on Amazon, Walmart, eBay and several other sites, you'll be warned about suspicious reviews, which could help you avoid counterfeits. Another browser extension, from ReviewMata.com, does the same thing on Amazon. ~~~ PAY WITH A CREDIT CARD. If you receive a counterfeit product, or no product at all, and the seller is unresponsive, you can contact the card issuer and dispute the charge. ~~~ INSPECT THE MERCH. Look for shoddy word-man-ship and materials. If you're buying a product advertised as new, beware of packaging that doesn't appear authentic or lacks safety seals. Also check for off or weird smells. Shopping online a few years ago, I received a counterfeit bottle of a certain brand of hair spray I was looking for. The tip-off was the fragrance, which was different from the one at the hair LinkedIn: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/sylvia-bonaparte-b1b465166 M. S. A. Rose-Bonaparte [AMARE] https://www.strategist-curiosity.com Amare: www.myamareglobal.com/46719 www.amarehempgbx.com/?rwpid=46719 For more information: Lifevantage: sylviab55.lifevantage.com code: 1927889? Dr. Brian Dixon [Tri Synergizer ] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrlavVDlCKA ? Ms. Sylvia Bonaparte???????? #FollowMefourFollowback @Follow4Followback @Sylvia Bonaparte
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2 年Beauty of Reading where there No TV set in the Home. Hugs God's watching over us. [ Holy Spirt ] There must be more than this. So, what are we waiting for? ? The one command that Jesus gave his followers before igniting his movement was “Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the gift my father has promised . . .” (Acts 1:4). Jesus is telling them to anticipate — to wait for — a movement of the Holy Spirit. He knew that for a movement to accomplish the mission of God, it must be Spirit-led. The longer we are in ministry, the easier it becomes to forget that this simple commandment was meant for us, too, in our lives and churches today. Jesus’ charge bids us to ask: Is the Holy Spirit driving everything that we do? Are we inviting him in and waiting on his leading? And, if God’s Spirit were suddenly removed from our churches, would our ministries look any different? In Matthew 3, the ministry of Jesus was launched by a powerful commissioning moment when the Holy Spirit came upon him: “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’” (Matt. 3:16–17). Right now, in this time in history, the church is poised to participate in an awakening — a moment when his Spirit comes and empowers his people for more. The presence and power of the Spirit are ours to reclaim — through empowered hearts and lives, movements and cultures that open our minds to what God desires next for our mission and ministry. We long to see a movement that echoes from “Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” And we know that it begins when “the Holy Spirit comes” (Acts 1:8), resulting in a renewed call to action.? An Empowered Heart The movement begins when we discover what it takes to have an empowered heart. Although “the heart is desperately wicked,” the good news is that we can “be filled by the Spirit,” and we can reclaim His power and presence in our lives. We look for ways to get outside of our comfort zones and reach for new opportunities to learn and grow; to seek out where God is at work and ask him how we can join in that mission; to recommit to silence and solitude before God. We embrace a posture of prayer and fasting to live in communion with the Spirit. ?An Empowered Life Allowing the Spirit to have an impact in our lives is not meant to be a one-time event but an ongoing occurrence in the life of every believer. Galatians 5:25 says: “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” God is calling us to live an empowered life in which we discover how to keep in step with the Spirit. To do so, we must recapture the power of prayer and other personal disciplines that are essential for moving with Spirit-led expectations. An Empowered Culture Church leaders have the unique opportunity to build an empowered culture in the church they lead by creating an expectancy and dependency on the Holy Spirit. This requires a willingness to ask for, depend on and listen to his leading during quiet time, prayer, teaching, and gatherings. It means allowing people to wrestle with their questions and doubts, and letting the Spirit speak to the heart in their search for answers. ? An Empowered Movement The brokenness and disorientation of this cultural moment is the greatest evangelistic opportunity of our lifetime. As leaders continually shape a culture that is dependent on the Holy Spirit, an empowered movement will begin to take place. Churches will join forces to ask for an awakening and revival in our communities, cities, nation, and world. It is then that we will see a move of the Spirit like we read about in Acts 2.? ? What Are We Waiting for? God uses different moments in time to ignite the kindling of our willingness and availability. What begins with holy dissatisfaction — “there must be more” — is fulfilled in a newfound empowerment to action. The same empowered commission that was promised to the first followers of Jesus is promised to us as well. It is time to ask God for a moment in which he reveals his will for our ministries through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Together, we can work toward another great awakening in our time. ???Linkedin: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/sylvia-bonaparte-b1b465166 M. S. A.? Rose-Bonaparte??[AMARE] https://www.strategist-curiosity.com Amare: www.myamareglobal.com/46719 www.amarehempgbx.com/?rwpid=46719 For more information: Lifevantage: sylviab55.lifevantage.com code: 1927889? Dr. Brian Dixon [ Tri Synergizer ] ??https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrlavVDlCKA? Ms. Sylvia Bonaparte???????? #FollowMefourFollowback @#Follow4Followback @Sylvia Bonaparte
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3 年Reading: Great information Policy and Practice: The Spiritual Gap Despite the evidence presented above regarding the merits of spirituality in relation to mental health, a systematic policy review using UK government databases identified policy and government directives as regards the spiritual care of people in general, and more specifically of people with intellectual disabilities or mental health problems (Sango and Forrester-Jones?2014). Further, although all UK NHS trusts are required to provide spiritual support for patients staff and relatives through chaplains/faith representatives [NHS?2001;?2003?(updated 2015)], people with mental health problems have tended to be treated primarily with medication. In line with the medical model, psychiatrists are likely to pathologise the patient’s spiritual experiences (Awara and Fasey?2008), absenting spiritual matters from treatment models (Genic?1994); Foskett (1996) calling religion ‘psychiatry’s last taboo’ (cited in Macmin and Foskett?2004). This is despite evidence that cognitive behavioural psychotherapies which include patient’s spiritual convictions can help treat depression and anxiety (Razali et al.?2002; Faulkner and Layzell?2000). Only recently has spirituality started to be viewed as a vital dimension of holistic practice and person-centred care (Barrera et al.?2012) with clinicians being trained in Mindfulness, (a form of meditation based on the Buddhist tradition), and more recently Mindfulness Stress Reduction, and Mindfulness Cognitive Therapy (see Williams and Penman?2011), and to incorporate spiritual matters within therapeutic interventions (B?gels et al.?2010; Paulik et al.?2010). Spirituality is also now acknowledged as a support mechanism for mental health professionals (see de Zoysa et al.?2014). Cohen and Koenig (2004) and Koenig (2013), however, caution clinicians against prescribing religious practices or imposing their own religious beliefs on patients. Nevertheless, despite this progress, a ‘spiritual gap’ (Thoresen?1999) between mental health patients and health professionals appears to remain. D’Souza’s (2002) study reported that?although the majority of mental health patients found spirituality important, and wanted their doctors/therapists to take their spiritual needs into account during treatment, this did not routinely happen. Possible reasons for such ‘spiritual oversight’ have been posited as?clinicians being generally less spiritual then their patients (Hill et al.?2000), and the absence of precise measures of spirituality/religiosity (Miller and Thoresen?2003). This means that any attempt at ‘curing’ spiritual issues within the medical model is bound to be beset with problems. It is also unclear as to whether it is the spiritual element of communal spiritual activity which helps avoid or aid recovery of mental ill health, or the social environment provided by a spiritual community (Hadzic?2011:223). In Macmin and Foskett’s (2004) grounded theory study, service users/survivors participated as both interviewers and interviewees. Analysis of 11 interviews provided evidence of the significance of spirituality for some participants, as well as how difficult it was for this aspect of their lives to be taken seriously by mental health professionals. In Awara and Fasey’s (2008) study of 43 patients attending a psychiatric outpatient service for 3?months, over half (54%) felt that their spiritual or religious beliefs improved their coping strategies (p. 183). Despite this, half the sample interviewed reported that they felt that their beliefs were not regarded as important by the service. This may be due to the fact that psychiatrists and psychologists still receive little or no training in how to deal with spiritual issues which may arise during clinical practice (Sansone et al.?1990) despite research advocating inter-professional training (Carpenter et al.?2006). Bonelli et al. (2012) state that further studies on this topic are required. Linkedin: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/sylvia-bonaparte-b1b465166 M. S. A.? Rose-Bonaparte??[AMARE] https://www.strategist-curiosity.com Amare: www.myamareglobal.com/46719 www.amarehempgbx.com/?rwpid=46719 For more information: Lifevantage: sylviab55.lifevantage.com code: 1927889? Dr. Brian Dixon [ Tri Synergizer ] ??https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrlavVDlCKA? Ms. Sylvia Bonaparte???????? #FollowMefourFollowback @#Follow4Followback @Sylvia Bonaparte
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3 年September 21, 2021 Searching, -- sb -- Thinking?in terms of worldviews helps us to have constructive conversations with unbelievers. In order to have a constructive conversation with another person about any topic of importance, you need to have a good understanding of their basic outlook on life and what ultimately motivates their beliefs and responses. The?world?is changing faster than it ever has. To succeed in this New?World, you need to go beyond knowledge-learning to think differently, to solve problems and to ask the right questions. Subconscious Mind.?The?subconscious mind?is accepted by psychologists is a great source of inspiration, intuition and creativity. It is assumed to make up approximately 92% of the entire brain. This means that the?conscious mind?only takes up 8% of the human brain. Linkedin: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/sylvia-bonaparte-b1b465166 M. S. A. Rose-Bonaparte??[AMARE] https://www.strategist-curiosity.com Amare: www.myamareglobal.com/46719 www.amarehempgbx.com/?rwpid=46719 For more information: Lifevantage: sylviab55.lifevantage.com code: 1927889? Dr. Brian Dixon [ Tri Synergizer ] ??https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrlavVDlCKA? Ms. Sylvia Bonaparte???????? #FollowMefourFollowback @#Follow4Followback @ Sylvia Bonaparte