#unlimited loin works

[lordadmiralfarsight]

A new plot bunny enters the fray

MHA/Fate plot bunny

Mineta is replaced by Shirou (already, an improvement).

Shirou's quirk, Round Table, at first appears to be summoning knights of the Fate round table, with Artoria being his first summon. Cue her introducing herself as "ARTHUR, KING OF THE BRITONS". She doesn't know the reference.

Izuku is still very much like canon at the start of the series, and Shirou does not come in at Aldera. Things really start to change at the entrance exam.

Due to a misunderstanding (and maybe a bit of Nezu sadism?) Artoria isn't allowed to join the exam and has to sit this one out. Of course, she expresses her displeasure in a manner befitting her royal standing (she is NOT pouting).

Shirou summons Gawain and Lancelot for the exam, and they promptly start stomping all the robots into the ground. Of course, there is tension between them, but they manage to keep it to jeering and snarking.

Because he needs to be taken down a peg, Bakugo is in the same arena as Shirou. So he has to share his pool of robotic victims with two knights in shining armor (very litterally in Gawain's case), all while Shirou (being much more well adjusted than in the VN/anime) helps people around.

so, the result is Bakugo landing, like, 3rd in the exam, with Shirou somewhere around 8th. He's good, but he's not OP (that's the knights' job).

Due to the increase in costs associated with the Knights being there, the Emiya household needs more funds. Retired underground hero Kiritsugu doesn't have enormous savings, and Irisviel's car racing is not a very regular source of income. It is, however, a regular source of costs. Between her tunning habits and her wreacking cars ... The only one to really bring regular income is ... their third(?) Maiya with her job in private security.

So, Artoria saves the day by ... writing books. On how life was in 5th Century Britain, on the religious and cultural context of the time, and of course transcriptions of plays and treaties lost to time. She makes a pretty penny off of that, and of course gets tear stained letters of gratitude from historians every week.

Her existence does cause a fair bit of a stir in Europe mind you ...

[brightlotusmoon]

The Louvre Is Thrilled to Announce It Is Rebranding to “UVR” - McSweeney’s Internet Tendency

If there’s one thing we’ve concluded from the millions of visitors who pass through our doors every year, it’s that art is passé. Art is stale in an age of content—unlimited content you can hardwire to your cerebellum with maximum connectivity, allowing you to upload videos with your smart shoe, get a crappier version of the cable television you cut the cord on years ago, and watch reality shows transpire in real-time in reality with no scripts, no actors, no directors, no cameras, no crews, no catering, and no pesky union wages that make it impossible to hoard all the profit for yourself for work someone else did.

You see, in the future of tomorrow’s today, we’re visioneering. You can do banking with a flicker of your eye, communicate with your dead loved ones with incoherent AI that regurgitates gibberish that sounds nothing like them, and record audio with your mind before it’s swiftly forgotten unless you order our memory-enhancement supplements—be sure to sign up for a subscription, fam, for the best deal and assurance you’ll never run out, lest all your cherished memories be erased. Memories are content, and content is here for its coronation, baby. After all, we once hosted French kings, so we’re an authority in telling you there’s a new king in town, and that king is content, beautiful, sweet, sweet content—oh, content, my love, how I long for thee, how my aching loins quiver for thy sweet embrace.

[fiftytwotwentythree]

Wellness Wednesday:

Picture Me Rollin'

We are officially 186 days into the year - Only 179 days remain - The Year, My Challenge, is half way complete.

I cannot see/feel the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel, but I feel confident I will still travel ahead full steam.

In other news - I had a banger of a week. Lots of PTO from work, took 2 massive - but - highly needed day time naps (truly reset my brain), hung out with family and friends, some awesome fireworks and...

I saw Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny.

I've been waiting a long time and... I was not awed - but - I wasn't upset either. It was a okay flick with some nice moments - just not "Wow-wah-wee-wah!" moments. It's a movie that wasn't need, but I enjoyed because it removed some of the stank that was Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Lastly, I treated myself to (aka signed up for a free trial) Comixology Unlimited - in this last week I have been tearing into some comics. Never felt so satisfied.

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27th CHECK-IN:

Current Goals:

Lose 52 lbs

Completed as of 4/12/2023

New Goal: Maintain or Continue on The Weight Loss Path

Avoid "Junk Food"

Minimize Take-Out / Fast Food Consumption

Short Term:

Vegetarian-ish Diet: Completed

End Date: 4/09/2023 - 46 Days Total

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Stats from June:

Food:

Salads: 21

Bags of Popcorn: 18

Oranges: 15

Leftover Meals: 6

Cans of Soup: 1

Take Out: 0

Candy/Sweets: 0

Workout:

Jumping Jacks: 6,000

Push-Ups: 3,000

Glute Bridges: 3,000

Assisted Push-Ups: 3,000

Reverse Leg Lifts: 1,500

Leg Kickbacks: 1,500

Sit-Ups: 1,500

Plank (mins): 75 mins

Squats: 0

Weight Loss:

Weightloss This Month: -10.8 lbs

Average Weightloss per Week: -2.7 lbs

Total Weightloss: -76.2 lbs

Entertainment:

Movies Watched: 12

Favorite from the Month:

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse

Hours of Television Watched: ~ 19 hours (The Bear; Clone High; Ink Master; Samurai Jack; The Righteous Gemstones; Crime Scene Kitchen)

Reading

Books:

Books Completed This Month: 0

Book Title(s) Completed This Month: -n/a-

Book Total for the Year: 2

Comics:

Comics Completed: 5

Trades Completed: 6

Comic/Trade Titles Completed:

Afterlife with Archie Vol. 1: Escape from Riverdale

Afterlife with Archie (Issues 6-10)

Spider-Man: Miles Morales Vol. 1 (2016-2018)

The Umbrella Academy Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Vol. 1: Squirrel Power (2015)

Doom Patrol (1987-1995) Vol. 1: Crawling from the Wreckage Vol. 1

Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man Ultimate Collection Vol. 1: Ultimate Spider-Man Ultimate Collection Book 1

Magazine(s):

Magazine(s) Completed: 1

Magazine Titles:

Readers Digest July 2023

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Meal Tracker:

THURSDAY

Lunch:

(2) Hotdogs on Sweet Hawaiian Hotdog Buns

Large Plate of Buffalo Chicken Fries

- Nacho Cheese

- Sour Cream

(2) Glasses of Chocolate Milk

Snack:

(4) Bowls of Smartfood's White Cheddar Popcorn

(2) Handfuls of Sahale Pomegranate Vanilla Flavored Cashews Glazed Mix

(2) Handfuls of Sahale Pomegranate Flavored Pistachios Glazed Mix

Supper:

Chicken and Pepperjack Cheese on a Toasted Everything Bagel

FRIDAY

Lunch:

StarKist Deli Style Tuna with Pepperjack Cheese on a Croissant

Handful of Wonderful's Smokey BBQ Pistachios

Snack:

(4) Bowls of Smartfood's White Cheddar Popcorn

Supper:

StarKist Deli Style Tuna with Pepperjack Cheese on a Croissant

(2) Small Oranges

(1) Glass of Chocolate Milk

SATURDAY

Lunch:

American Pasta Salad

(1) Glass of Chocolate Milk

Snack:

(2) Large Bowls of Wonderful's Shelled Salt & Pepper Pistachios

Supper:

(2) Johnsonville Chili Cheese Smoked Sausages on Hawaiian Buns

(2) Scoops of Macaroni Pea Salad

(2) Spring Pasta Salad

SUNDAY

Lunch:

Santa Fe Style Salad

Handful of Wonderful's Salt & Vinegar Pistachios

(1) Glass of Chocolate Milk

Snack:

Bag of Orville Redenbacher Ultimate Butter Popcorn

Supper:

Cesaer Salad

(2) Small Oranges

(1) Glass of Chocolate Milk

MONDAY

Lunch:

Spinach Dijon Salad

Handful of Good & Gather's Tex Mex Trail Mix

Supper:

Chef Salad

(5) Slices of Smoked Pork Loin

(2) Scoops of Potato Salad

(1) Scoop of Spring Pasta Salad

(5) Cubes of Watermelon

(2) Small Oranges

TUESDAY

Lunch:

Chef Salad

(1) Small Orange

Snack:

(3) Cups of Smartfood's White Cheddar Popcorn

Supper:

Santa Fe Style Salad

(1) Small Orange

WEDNESDAY

Lunch:

(1) Johnsonville Chili Cheese Smoked Sausage on a Hotdog Bun

(2) Scoops of Broccoli Cheddar Pasta Salad

Snack:

Bowl of Smartfood's White Cheddar Popcorn

Supper:

(8) Pieces of Rana's Chicken & Roasted Garlic Ravioli

- Prego Roasted Garlic Alfredo

- Black Pepper

- Crushed Red Pepper

(6) Rich Farm Mozzarella Sticks

- Michael Angelo's Marinara Sauce

(1) Glass of Chocolate Milk

(2) Small Oranges

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Workouts:

THURSDAY

(200) Jumping Jacks [4 sets of 50]

(100) Glute Bridges [4 sets of 25]

(100) Push-Ups [10 sets of 10]

(100) Assisted Push-Ups [2 sets of 50]

(50) Reverse Leg Lifts [5 sets of 10]

(50) Leg Kickbacks [5 sets of 10]

(5 min) Planks [5 Sets of 1 min]

FRIDAY

(200) Jumping Jacks [4 sets of 50]

(100) Glute Bridges [4 sets of 25]

(100) Push-Ups [10 sets of 10]

(100) Assisted Push-Ups [2 sets of 50]

(50) Reverse Leg Lifts [5 sets of 10]

(50) Leg Kickbacks [5 sets of 10]

(100) Sit-Ups [5 Sets of 20]

SATURDAY

(200) Jumping Jacks [4 sets of 50]

(100) Glute Bridges [4 sets of 25]

(100) Push-Ups [10 sets of 10]

(100) Assisted Push-Ups [2 sets of 50]

(50) Reverse Leg Lifts [5 sets of 10]

(50) Leg Kickbacks [5 sets of 10]

(5 min) Planks [5 Sets of 1 min]

SUNDAY

(200) Jumping Jacks [4 sets of 50]

(100) Glute Bridges [4 sets of 25]

(100) Push-Ups [10 sets of 10]

(100) Assisted Push-Ups [2 sets of 50]

(50) Reverse Leg Lifts [5 sets of 10]

(50) Leg Kickbacks [5 sets of 10]

(100) Sit-Ups [5 Sets of 20]

MONDAY

(200) Jumping Jacks [4 sets of 50]

(100) Glute Bridges [4 sets of 25]

(100) Push-Ups [10 sets of 10]

(100) Assisted Push-Ups [2 sets of 50]

(50) Reverse Leg Lifts [5 sets of 10]

(50) Leg Kickbacks [5 sets of 10]

(5 min) Planks [5 Sets of 1 min]

TUESDAY

(200) Jumping Jacks [4 sets of 50]

(100) Glute Bridges [4 sets of 25]

(100) Push-Ups [5 sets of 10]

(100) Assisted Push-Ups [2 set of 50]

(50) Reverse Leg Lifts [5 sets of 10]

(50) Leg Kickbacks [5 sets of 10]

(100) Sit-Ups [5 Sets of 20]

WEDNESDAY

(200) Jumping Jacks [4 sets of 50]

(100) Glute Bridges[4 sets of 25]

(100) Push-Ups [10 sets of 10]

(100) Assisted Push-Ups [2 Sets of 50]

(50) Reverse Leg Lifts [5 sets of 10]

(50) Leg Kickbacks [5 sets of 10]

(5 min) Planks [5 Sets of 1 min]

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WEIGHT TRACKER:

Starting Weight (Noon, 1/01/2023): XXX.X lbs

Weight at Last Check-In, 6/29/2023: -3.0 lbs

Weight As of Noon, 7/05/2023: -1.0 lbs

Total Weight Loss: -77.2 lbs

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Closing Thoughts:

The Good:

Had a good time chilling with family and friends this week.

Also had some awesome R&R, which quelled my sleep hunger pains.

The Bad:

Although I caught up on some sleep - I feel like I headed down a rocky yet again.

The Ugly:

After the 4th July festivities I was truly hit with devastating cravings. Missed out on a lot of good looking food. My dread expanded thinking of Thanksgiving and Christmas that are yet to come.

[fantasyideas1]

quotes almat

everyone, that we have never lived, because we are slaves on the sale of low salaries, we live for the sake of waste, the one who deceived will be lasciviously glad, but in the soul there is a stench from wasted time into oblivion, problems and stupidities speed up time, your seed dries up in you, love yourself, and not your sweetheart, the anger in you towards you will not dry up because you lived in the fictional life of the ego of dreams, dreams are the tears of time, the sediment of cartoonish optimism, the ambitions of a giant maniac, a narcissistic erotomaniac womanizer and the enthusiasm of stupidity, then revaluation, bought a lot, but you feel stupid, why do I need all this, I want a lot of new things, I don’t know where I’m going, in the ego fornication of non-existence, you did not exist, you were not born yet, if you are not a spiritual person, they are drowned in materialistic garbage, the baggage of sins in the back, everyone has a different physiology of luck, the rich are in slavery to their desires in the time frame of life, the saint thinks about eternity , he is an eternal wanderer in the infinity of wisdom, in the romance of wisdom he saw spiritual happiness, reincarnation is a detoxification of amnesia from the garbage information of bad memories, dumping calories of pride, philosophical, modified personality transformations, eternity leads to madness from boredom people sin, look for problems and fight, disconnected from logic Poetry Show me your awesomeness, from loving you I feel much more pleasure than from sex, from the fact that you are nearby, it’s even much better and cooler than sex, to realize that you are nearby, hypertension of love, I want to stick my flash drive (penis) into you into the network of endless love passion, the reflex of my ideal of passion leads to you, I love instinctively, reflexively, in the love loop player mode, I think about you with pleasure again, sweet tender attraction, the current of passion carries me to you, brutal attraction, magically beautiful, detailed profitable, perfectionists, carefully crafted temptation, my loins groan from endlessly growing pleasure, a wild storm of excited passion, I love bottomlessly unlimited, the hard drive in each ball bursts from love for you, the special power of love is in the hard-on in my soul, in my fidelity to you, autism of falling in love with you, indifference to other people, extremely alluring beauty, it’s hard to breathe from passion for you, Jokes Peeling of a person's nerves is when optimism tries to eat and digest pessimism and shit realism In communication, as in life, not everything works out well... well, you will definitely say something wrong On the mirror it says hold on baby Kel zhanym (translated from the Kazakh language come, dear), kelchonok (Kel means come, kelchonok is a new word I invented, a diminutive of a term of endearment for my beloved girl) You are young and beautiful, but when you are forty, you are like a mosquito that is ready to attach itself to any open toe on a holey sock. You look like something hiding in a pizza joint at a shady joint. I studied at school, it was some kind of night bar, there were always fights and the teachers said that they would not cancel classes I heard that your muscular girl can cum with a protein shake, and fart with what she mixed in a blender, the fart leaves chocolate powder from the shake on her pants, protein spray between the buns, and you'll see your muscles grow A man took his best friend out for a drink, and as a result, he drags his drunken friend into the car, leave me alone, who are you anyway, I’ll sleep on the curb, damn it’s blowing in the back, close the window Scratched with teeth on the grave epitaph, don’t marry prematurely Your soup didn’t pass passport control, you were near the toilet all night, why did your soup do this to me, I ate it out of respect This granny has seduced you again, she is insatiable in bed, prefers to dominate in bed, I am starting to fall in love with her Your ass is literally levitating from air kisses

Author: Musin Almat Zhumabekovich

[petri808]

For the Inuyasha Sins event, Envy day

“Kagome, your tutor is here,” her nursemaid Kaede fetches the young Princess.

“Ugh, must I? What is the point if my place will be in stately silence.”

But the older woman rarely gives in to the young woman’s whining. She’s raised the girl from birth and wished to see Kagome take a proper place in their kingdom. “One day you may be a Queen my dear, and we wouldn’t want a foolish one. I know you’ll do great things when your time comes, which means, you need to study!”

The Princess sighs and continues to stare out of her window, longing for more than what her crown dictates. Her younger brother was the heir not her, so why should she care? She watches the palace staff hustling and bustling about. It was hard work for sure, but at least once their duties were finished, they went home at the end of the day, free to do as they pleased. Everyone believed royals have so little to worry about, that they sit in their fancy rooms and dine on golden plates. But it felt more like a gilded cage to Kagome, full of responsibilities and images to uphold. A woman’s place in this world often meant very little, even with her status. To one day sit beside a King and produce an heir is all her life would amount to. Or so it’s been in her view.

“Fine,” Kagome grumps and pushes away from the windowsill. Her shoulders slumped, communicating her intense displeasure. “But after tutoring I wish to go riding. Anything to get away from the palace.”

“As you wish milady. I shall notify the stable hand to prepare your steed Buyo, as well as your personal guard.”

“No, no, please not Miroku. The stable hand will do. I just want to relax Kaede, and I can’t do that with a palace guard watching my every move.”

“Your mother will not be pleased with that arrangement. Your safety is of the utmost importance.”

“Tch, have you seen the stable hand? He is more capable than Miroku at protecting me.”

“Tis true,” the woman chuckles. “Very well,” Kaede bows then shoo’s Kagome out of her bedroom, “now, off to the study with you.”

Today’s lessons included literature and linguistics. Not terribly boring subjects to the Princess, but also not hated as much as mathematics. And at least such fiction proses provided an escape into a fantasy world. Sometimes Kagome would lose herself in the stories. Of adventures and dragons, Princes saving Princesses from horrible circumstances and living happily ever after. She wanted that fairy tale ending like some of the characters in her books. If she could find a Prince like in these tales, perhaps being a Queen won’t be so bad.

At the end of the session, Kagome bids her tutor Sango farewell after the woman reminds her of their schedule the next day. She liked Sango, they got along like sisters, and sometimes the woman brought her pet cat Kirara to the sessions. Those days were infinitely more pleasing to attend. But deep down, Kagome was mildly jealous of the woman, not that she wished ill will. Sango came from a noble household, but because of her intelligence, her father gave her a lot of freedom to make her own decisions. It wasn’t fair.

Her mood lightens as she steps into the stables and sees the stable hand. The man had started working at the palace just a few months earlier but was quite adept at his position. No one really knew much about his past or where he’d come from. The most he would say was a neighboring kingdom, but what was for certain, is he wasn’t fully human. They were known as half-breeds, hanyo’s or the product of a human and a yokai.

In their world some yokai were evil but not all of them, in fact one of her kingdoms allies was ruled by the Inuyokai. Kagome surmised based on the dog-like ears perched on Inuyasha’s head, that is probably where he was from. Perhaps his family was poor and that’s why he’d set out to make his own way in life.

“Good day Inuyasha,” the woman smiles as she runs her hand over her horses neck, placating the steed. She truly appreciated his care of Buyo. The horse was always groomed impeccably, and his stall mucked and strawed to keep his hooves in perfect condition.

“Good day Princess,” Inuyasha smiles back. “And where did you wish to ride today? I was advised to accompany you in your quest.”

“Hmm, maybe towards the forest. I’ve been told of a lake hidden behind the trees, have you heard of it?”

“I have.”

“Wonderful! You shall lead the way kind sir.”

Inuyasha helps the Princess onto her horse before mounting his own, Kagome blushing from the close contact. His hands were strong, yet gentle despite the claws. Many of the palace women fawned over the man and she was no different. He was handsomely rugged, gruff at times, but very protective and loyal. Kagome would be lying if she didn’t admit to herself the fantasies, she’s had of him. Such a tryst would be highly frowned upon since he wasn’t of the same status, but she couldn’t help it. Nature beckons and such a fine specimen of maledom called to her loins.

“How do you like our kingdom so far Inuyasha?” Kagome asks as they trot past the city gate. Now that they were beyond any eavesdroppers, they could chat more freely.

“It’s quieter than my own. But I like it. I enjoy the sense of freedom I have here.”

“Lucky.” She sighs, “I wish I could say the same.”

“You still hate being a Princess?” He chuckles, “be happy you’re not a Prince, they have much more responsibilities resting on their shoulders.”

“Pfft, how do you know that?”

“It’s not difficult to figure out,” he smiles at her. “Of course, it’s harder to see when your perception is skewed.”

“Excuse me!” Kagome harrumphed. “I understand just fine! You’re not a royal so you don’t really understand how it feels to be stuck behind a wall! Constantly watched and managed, a-and told what to do! It’s not fair!”

“You think us regular citizens have unlimited freedom? There are rules we must follow, customs to respect. We work in the hopes to make money so we can enjoy a few fineries in life. But you, Princess, are given those luxuries without restraint.”

“Tch!” She turns her head away. How dare Inuyasha pretend to know anything about her life! “Let us drop this subject. I came here to relax, not to be reminded of the life I envy.”

“My apologies Princess. Even though you’re being the brat,” he mumbles under his breath.

“Did you say something?”

“Nope.”

Growing bored and annoyed with his banter, Kagome takes off at a sprint towards the tree line. She just wanted to get to the lake quickly. Inuyasha screams at her to slow down, but she ignores him. She’s ridden Buyo many a time to know what she’s doing, and it brought a sense of freedom to gallop as fast as they could. When she reaches the denser forest, she slows the horse back to a trot.

He couldn’t lie that it was alluring to see Kagome show a zest for life beyond her normal duties. Princesses were expected to be demure creatures, but she was nothing like that, and her fire is what drove her frustrations. Inuyasha could understand that. Nobody enjoys feeling hampered or confined. The woman also had a natural beauty and he loved the fact she didn’t wear heavy make up or tout ridiculous hair styles like some ladies of the court do. Like right now, she didn’t care as her raven tresses whipped wildly behind her stately poise.

But it was dangerous for her to take off like that, and if anything happened to her it was his hide on the line. So, he takes off in a full gallop to catch up to his wayward Princess. He knew she wouldn’t know where to go once they reach the forest and needed to make sure she wouldn’t do anything else foolish.

“Do you wish for my execution?” He growls and grabs hold of her horses halter. “If you get hurt, I’m the one who gets in trouble not you.”

“I— you’re right, I’m sorry Inuyasha.”

“Just follow my lead until we get to the lake. There are animals in the forest and even thieves willing to attack anyone. So, stay close to me.”

Suddenly the romance of the unknown died away as she succumbed to the dark, almost foreboding chill that trickled down her spine. With her senses on alert now, the sounds of the forest are heightened. The hooting of an owl, the scurrying of tiny feet over crunchy leaf litter, to the thumping of horses hooves echoing in the dense woods. Kagome keeps Buyo to the side and right behind Inuyasha’s.

“H-How do you know where to go?” There was no path she could discern.

“I can smell the water, it’s not far.”

“Oh... so that’s like one of your abilities?”

“Yeah. Smell, hearing, strength, it’s all better than a humans.”

Guess that makes sense, she muses. Like a canine. Kagome wondered what else made Inuyasha different from a human... she shakes those seedy thoughts away, no sense in taking that path. But the silence between them only left room for the mind to wander.

“Do you have any siblings Inuyasha?”

“One.”

“Any girlfriends?”

The man abruptly stops his horse and turns to Kagome. “No, but why such personal questions all of a sudden?”

“I-I don’t know, bored, and trying to make conversation?”

His eyebrow raises, “uh-huh. So, instead of how’s your day going, or what’s your favorite food, you jump to any girlfriends?” Inuyasha laughs and continues to trot away. “Smooth, Princess, very smooth!”

“Hmph!” She didn’t mean to... okay she did but hey! Kagome presses Buyo to follow him again. “Fine! You want normal? Then what is your favorite color Inuyasha?”

“Red.”

“Favorite food?”

“Noodles.”

“Do you know how to use a weapon?”

“Sword. But I don’t really need one,” he flashes his claws, “I only carry a dagger just in case.”

Oh, right, she’d forgotten again. His claws look sharp, but since he was so gentle with them, she hardly payed attention. Guess who ever is on the other end of an angry Inuyasha was in a lot of trouble.

“You know, with your strengths, why didn’t you try out for a soldier position?”

“I’d rather not fight if I can avoid it.”

“I see...” thankfully, there hasn’t been any major wars or battles in a long time, so the likelihood of a soldier seeing one was slim. Maybe something happened in his past to make him weary of fighting. Whatever it was, it may have also been the reason he left home.

“We’re here.”

Kagome pulls away from her thoughts just as they break through the tree line. “Wow...” The lake was bigger than she’d imagined. “This is beautiful! I wonder why no one really comes here?”

“Citizens will fish here during certain seasons, but right now is not one of them so it’s relatively empty.”

The pair stop at the edge of the water and get off, tying the horses close so they can drink. Inuyasha gestures to an old fallen log, before taking a seat. Kagome hikes up her skirt and ties it above the knee, so it won’t get dirty.

Inuyasha chuckles, “that’s new. I don’t think I’ve ever known a Princess to care about such things.”

“What do you mean?”

“If the dress gets dirty, they don’t care because the servants will wash it, or they just replace it.”

“Oh, well, I don’t really like to cause more work for the servants. I’d make my own meals if they let me.”

“You’re such an odd Princess.” But as Kagome’s mouth opens to retort, he stops her, “in a good way.”

“Um, thank you Inuyasha,” she blushes and averts her eyes.

Inuyasha sighs. “The fact you care about such things makes you a good Princess, not one of those stuck up ones who only care about themselves and money. I know you think commoners have it better, and maybe in some ways they do, but you have an ability to use your status to affect more things. If you treat your subjects well, their gonna love you for it and that’s how you keep your kingdom peaceful.”

“I never... I never thought of it like that before.”

“It’s okay. Sometimes it’s difficult to see beyond our own stories. We have to get it through the eyes of another or live in another’s shoes.”

Kagome smiles brightly. “Thank you, Inuyasha.”

“You’re welcome,” he smiles back.

Things grow into a companionable silence between the two as they take in the still, placid waters of the lake. It wasn’t a very large lake and isn’t fed by any rivers or streams but rather an underground aquifer system. Perhaps this depression in the ground was formed by a long-ago meteor, but how ever this ancient body was created, it provided a nice addition for the areas ecology.

After a long time, Kagome breaks the silence with a wispy sigh. “A cottage on the side of this lake would be perfect.”

Inuyasha notices the dreamy look on her face and smiles. “Agreed.” To raise a family here, teach them to fish and hunt, a little garden farm... Their eyes lock in as he finishes his train of thought. “That would be... really... nice.”

Heat swarms her cheeks and body at the softened gaze he’s leveling at her. Inuyasha looked ethereal as the light absorbs into his white hair, almost creating an aura surrounding his body. Her eyes focus in on the slight part in his lips. How would they feel against hers? She’s never known the pleasure. “C-Could I kiss you?” Kagome questions in a whisper filled with hesitation and trepidation. To be so forward but how could she not take such an opportunity?

He smiles, caressing her cheek lovingly with his thumb, before sweeping in and placing a gentle kiss upon her lips. It was bold, maybe even treasonous, but who was he to rebuke her request. Inuyasha moved to pull away but is thwarted when Kagome weaves her hand behind his neck to hold him in place. She presses in, tilting her head to deepen the mold between them. Oh, he was happy to oblige, running his tongue against her seam to further the kiss along. Back and forth like a waltz with Inuyasha the teacher, coaxing the Princess to learn this lesson well. Suddenly, a bit of jealousy washes over him. Teach her for who? Another guy? His stomach turned at the thought, but he didn’t want to stop.

His decision is made for him when her hands slide up and start to rub his ears. Inuyasha has no choice but to stop things from going any further. “Don’t get too familiar, Princess,” his tone grows gruff. “You know this is already crossing the line.”

“I know— but it just feels so wonderful.”

“I agree,” he groans, “but we should get back to the castle before it starts to get dark.”

Kagome nods disheartened that their day had come to an end and that he’d rebuffed the advances. It didn’t matter if she understood why, because it still hurt. She follows quietly as Inuyasha guides them back to the castle proper, all the while reflecting on everything that had happened. Inuyasha could irritate her at times, while at other times she just felt drawn to him for some reason. He was always willing to listen to her complain or did anything she requested within reason. But anxiety flows in and makes her wonder, had he kissed her because a Princess requested it, or because he actually wanted to? Ugh, if he was just following a pseudo order that... that would hurt, because she really enjoyed her first kiss.

She’s so lost in her thoughts again, that even as they make it all the way to the stables, and he’s helping her to dismount, she doesn’t notice someone else walking in.

“Oh, my goodness! It’s you! Inuyasha, that is you!”

Wait, what?! Kagome whips her head to the sound of a female voice calling Inuyasha’s name. Excuse them, he’s her ma-er, stable boy. So, who the hell is talking to him in such a familiar fashion?!

“Rin?”

“I’m sorry, no one’s allowed back here except place staff or guests.” Kagome’s voice is full of disdain for this pretty newcomer.

“My apologies. I came to meet Princess Kagome and they told me she was in here. Are you she?”

“Yes,” Kagome looks to the woman, to Inuyasha who appears to be motioning for the woman to leave, then back to the woman. “And who are you?”

Rin slaps playfully at Inuyasha’s hands, thinking it was just that, playing. She smiles and giggles. “I’m Princess Rin, Inuyasha’s niece. I never thought I’d find him here too! This so exciting!” She turns back to her uncle. “What are you doing here? Are you courting Kagome?! She’s really pretty! Oooh, tell me you’re courting her uncle Inu!”

If it wasn’t for Inuyasha’s quick instincts and strong hands, Kagome almost slips off the horse in shock. She chokes on her words, “U-uncle Inu?!” If Rin was a Princess, that had to mean?! But Rin’s not much younger than she is. “H-How?! If that’s true,” she turns to the man, “you’re?!”

“A prince...” he cringes, ears flattening against his skull from Kagome’s shrieks. “Rin is the daughter of my much older half-brother, the heir to Kamakura.”

“Why’d you lie to me this whole time!” Kagome beats her fists against his chest in anger. “I-I opened up to you because I thought you weren’t royalty and might sympathize more! But you’re actually a Prince?!”

He grabs her wrists. “Don’t you get it Kagome! I ran away from that life! If anyone knows how you feel it’s me!” When the woman stills at his words, he lets her go. “I’m just a second son in my kingdom, stuck behind rules, yet with no real place in it. So, I wanted freedom, just like you long for.” He sighs, “but now that I’ve been found, I’ll probably have to return home.”

“Wait a minute,” Rin cuts in. “So, you’re not here as a Prince? Then what are you doing here?”

“He’s been our stable hand,” Kagome mumbles. If their ally found out their Prince was working as a stable hand… “T-This is not... I’ll have to inform my parents.” She turns to Inuyasha with tears building in her eyes. It wasn’t the revelation that made her upset, but the thought of losing him before she’d had a chance to get to know the real him. “All those things you told me... about seeing from the outside. Now it makes complete sense.”

“And I meant all of it. Even though I left home feeling the same way as you, and while I enjoy the freedom of being normal, I’ve come to realize we can’t run from it forever. We all have our roles in life. I knew eventually I’d have to go back home, but then the closer we got, it became complicated and today didn’t make it any easier.”

“I don’t want you to leave.”

An awkward pause develops with neither Kagome nor Inuyasha sure of what to do next. She knew her duties and would have to report this. He knew as well, that his rouse was now gone. Today was the first time they’d allowed the feelings they were harboring to break free, but how could they make it work? If only his niece hadn’t shown up, he could have figured out how to handle the situation brewing with Kagome on his own time and terms but now?

“Ehem.” Rin clears her voice. “You know for adults, you’re both really dense in the romance department.”

“Huh?” Kagome and Inuyasha blurt out.

Rin grins at them. “So, new plan. This is what you tell your parents. Inuyasha set out to find a bride who’d love him for him and not a crown. It’s just ironic that said person ended up being a Princess. That’s why he came here and pretended to be a stable hand. When he found said person, you,” she points to Kagome, “he confessed. And I am here to confirm he’s not a crazy person trying to kidnap a Princess. Simple. Sort of,” she giggles. “Uncle Inu, if her parents allow it, you could stay to continue your courtship, as a Prince.”

“But what about afterwards?”

“Like you said uncle, you’re not the heir to Kamakura, so you are free to live outside of the palace or come home. You two can decide when the time comes.”

“Inuyasha, your niece is really smart! Are you sure you two are related?”

“Ha-ha!” He grabs a laughing Kagome around the waist and picks her up. “Who’s the idiot who picked me?”

“Tch, I blame a lack of options.”

“I ought’a drop you.”

“I’m kidding! I’m kidding!”

“You two really are courting,” Rin laughs.

“Actually, we weren’t,” Kagome corrects the woman.

“Again, dense in the romance department. But never mind. I’m glad it all worked out.”

Kagome opens her mouth to retort, but Inuyasha puts her down on her feet and covers her mouth briefly, then tips her head up. “Well, Princess? Do we go with Rin’s plan or not?”

“Mmm. On one condition. You build me a cottage by a lake.”

“Done.”

[importantlovecolor]

Riverbed Nightmare Pathfinder

It’s the find of a lifetime. A dried out riverbed, full of pre-colonial relics, untouched since it bore witness to a brutal battle sometime in the twelfth century. A team of Miskatonic University researchers are dispatched to Clayton River at once, and by July 10th, 1927, work is underway. Then the first people go missing. Riverbed Nightmare Quest During one of the night’s rests, the main character will have a nightmare with a noisy river. You should find the location called Nettle’s Crossing, which is located on the right of Old Sycamore. Head for this location, then go to the top right corner and talk to a ghost. Sep 30, 2018 Getting drawn into this stalemate starts the quest “Riverbed Nightmare”. If you pick the Neutral option you’ll just watch as both sides butcher each other, and Jaethal will show she’s a poor gambler, as the Nixie does not, in fact, have a better chance of winning.

These farming guides are designed to help you gather materials you may need for your chosen professions. All of these guides are up to date with patch 9.0.2

If you are like me, you have many times wondered where the best location would be to farm for certain items. Here I have compiled a list of the best farming places for most items.

Contact me if you have other great farming spots!

Shadowlands Farming

Herbs

Death Blossom Rising Glory Marrowroot Vigil's Torch Widowbloom Nightshade

Leathers

Desolate Leather Pallid Bone Heavy Desolate Leather Callous Hide Heavy Callous Hide

Ores

Laestrite Ore Solenium Ore Oxxein Ore Phaedrum Ore Sinvyr Ore Elethium Ore

Meat

Creeping Crawler Meat Tenebrous Ribs Raw Seraphic Wing Phantasmal Haunch Shadowy Shank Aethereal Meat

Battle for Azeroth Farming Guides

Leathers

Dredged Leather Cragscale Coarse Leather Tempest Hide Shimmerscale Mistscale

Meat

Briny Flesh Stringy Loins Meaty Haunch Thick Paleo Steak Moist Fillet Rubbery Flank

Herbs

Zin'anthid Anchor Weed Akunda's Bite Winter's Kiss Sea Stalk Riverbud Siren's Pollen Star Moss

Ores

Osmenite Ore Monelite Ore Storm Silver Ore Platinum Ore

Cloths

Gilded Seaweave Tidespray Linen Deep Sea Satin

Old World Farming Guides

Cloths

Linen Cloth Wool Cloth Silk Cloth Mageweave Cloth Runecloth Netherweave Cloth Frostweave Cloth Embersilk Cloth Windwool Cloth Sumptuous Fur Lightweave Cloth Shal'dorei Silk

Meats

Lean Shank Leyblood Fatty Bearsteak Wildfowl Egg Big Gamy Ribs

Ores

Copper Ore Tin Ore Iron Ore Mithril Ore Thorium Ore Fel Iron Ore Adamantite Ore Cobalt Ore Saronite Ore Obsidium Ore Elementium Ore Ghost Iron Ore Blackrock Ore True Iron Ore Empyrium Felslate Leystone Ore

Rare Ores

Dark Iron Ore

Leathers

Light Leather Medium Leather Heavy Leather Thick Leather Rugged Leather Knothide Leather Borean Leather Savage Leather Exotic Leather Raw Beast Hide Fiendish Leather Stormscale Stonehide Leather

Rare leathers

Heavy Hide Fel Scales Blackened Dragonscale

Elementals

Vanilla

Essence of Fire Essence of Water Essence of Earth Essence of Air Essence of Undeath Living Essence

Outland

Mote of Fire / Primal Fire Mote of Water / Primal Water Mote of Earth / Primal Earth Mote of Air / Primal Air Mote of Shadow / Primal Shadow Mote of Life / Primal Life Mote of Mana / Primal Mana

Northrend

Crystallized Fire / Eternal Fire Crystallized Water / Eternal Water Crystallized Earth / Eternal Earth Crystallized Air / Eternal Air Crystallized Shadow/Eternal shadow Crystallized Life / Eternal Life

Cataclysm

Volatile Fire Volatile Water Volatile Earth Volatile Air Volatile Life

Pandaria

Spirit of Harmony

Herbs

Vanilla

Silverleaf Peacebloom Briarthorn Mageroyal Stranglekelp Bruiseweed Grave Moss Wild Steelbloom Kingsblood Liferoot Fadeleaf Goldthorn Khadgar's Whisker Sungrass Firebloom Purple Lotus Blindweed Ghost Mushroom Gromsblood Golden Sansam Dreamfoil Mountain Silversage Icecap Sorrowmoss

Outland

Felweed Dreaming Glory Terocone Ragveil Nightmare Vine Netherbloom

Northrend

Goldclover Tiger Lily Deadnettle Talandra's Rose Adder's Tongue Icethorn Lichbloom

Cataclysm

Cinderbloom Stormvine Azshara's Veil Heartblossom Twilight Jasmine Whiptail

Pandaria

Green Tea Leaf Rain Poppy Silkweed Snow Lily Fool's Cap

Draenor

Frostweed Fireweed Starflower Gorgrond Flytrap Talador Orchid Nagrand Arrowbloom

Legion

Astral Glory Aethril Dreamleaf Foxflower Fjarnskaggl Starlight Rose

Home >Magic >Spells (Paizo, Inc.) >N >

Schoolillusion (phantasm) [mind-affecting, evil]; Levelalchemist 5, bard 5, sorcerer/wizard 5; Domainmadness 5; Subdomainsleep 6

CASTING

Fangberry For Bokken

Casting Time 10 minutes Components V, S

Pathfinder Kingmaker Shrike River

EFFECT

Range unlimited Target one living creature Duration instantaneous Saving ThrowWill negates; see text; Spell Resistance yes

DESCRIPTION

You send a hideous and unsettling phantasmal vision to a specific creature that you name or otherwise specifically designate.

The nightmare prevents restful sleep and causes 1d10 points of damage. The nightmare leaves the subject fatigued and unable to regain arcane spells for the next 24 hours.

The difficulty of the save depends on your knowledge the subject and the physical connection (if any) you have to that creature.

Riverbed Nightmare Pathfinder Dnd

KnowledgeWill Save ModifierNone*+10Secondhand (you have heard of the subject)+5Firsthand (you have met the subject)+0Familiar (you know the subject well)-5ConnectionWill Save ModifierLikeness or picture-2Possession or garment-4Body part, lock of hair, bit of nail, etc.-10

*You must have some sort of connection to a creature of which you have no knowledge.

Dispel evil cast on the subject while you are casting the spell dispels the nightmare and causes you to be stunned for 10 minutes per caster level of the dispel evil.

If the recipient is awake when the spell begins, you can choose to cease casting (ending the spell) or to enter a trance until the recipient goes to sleep, whereupon you become alert again and complete the casting. If you are disturbed during the trance, you must succeed on a Concentration check as if you were in the midst of casting a spell or the spell ends.

Riverbed Nightmare Pathfinder Character

If you choose to enter a trance, you are not aware of your surroundings or the activities around you while in the trance.

Riverbed Nightmare Pathfinder Armor

You are defenseless, both physically and mentally, while in the trance. (You always fail Will saving throws, for example.)

Pathfinder Kingmaker Feather Tokens Quest

Creatures who don’t sleep (such as elves, but not half-elves) or dream are immune to this spell.

[one-piece-dumpster-fire]

Can you do an extremely dirty headcanon of Mont-d'Or?

I certainly can try, there needs to be more for the cheesehubby xD

Warning for filth under the cut~!

Charlotte Mont-d'Or DIRTY headcanon

being the anti-social clam that he usually is,Mont-d'Or actually couldn’t care less about getting involved in allthat romantic and sexy nonsense some of his sisters always gush about. Butthat does not mean that he hasn’t got any particular… urges

most of the time he represses himselfsexually, or better put tries to ignore any fire or friction in his loin area, but of course it’salways fruitless and actually makes things even worse. Mont-d'Or is just a ball of sexual dissatisfaction and desire sometimes

…and as a result he’s also quite the excessive masturbator, if Imay add. There is so much stress and build-up tension from work thathe sometimes can’t help himself and is unable to come up with a different way to take care of it all. Healso uses pleasure as a way to cope with certain moments of anxiety orwhen he is randomly overcome with emotions- masturbating really helps himsettle down.

his repertoire of sex toys is nearlyunlimited, and thanks to his Devil Fruit powers he also manages to keep ithidden from everyone- especially noisy family members- for most of thetime

none of his sexual fantasies arelimited to just his mind, and even though he does not ever publishthem, Mont-d'Or has his own secret stash of erotic novels written bynone other than himself as well

and he might or might not even bringthem to life for his own enjoyment and of course, pleasure

…well to be fair only a fool would nottake advantage of powers like those he was blessed with, and Mont-d’Or certainly learned how to utilize them in the most efficient way- both for battle as well as to satisfy sexual desires

however, in the rare case that he does end up getting involved with another ‘real’ person and not just some pornheroine from a book, he is… actually suprisingly boring and tame in bed, especially if you consider all of his fantasies and raunchy thoughts…. Call him selfish oractually ashamed of his dirty mind, but Mont-d'Or is verystrict about not immersing himself or his partner in one of the bookswhile they’re doing the thing. It just… gets weird and awkward when there’ssomeone with you and sees all of your sick fantasies alive and bouncing around…

regardless, there are definitely waysto spice sex with him up a bit- well, that is if you’re in a creativemood. His favorite positions are the 'ol'reliable ones’ such asmissionary or doggy style (he doesn’t like eye contact during the do), but he is rather lanky and capable of stretching andtwisting into other, more exciting positions as well. Just give him a little push.

oh and he’s also a big fan of blowjobs. Seriously, Mont-d’Or could just lie there on a bed with his arms crossed behind his headas he listens to you sucking him off. It’s almost as if you’re alsosucking out all of his stress and worries for the small amount oftime that you’ll get to spend with him…

[thehungrykat1]

Meat and Greet With Chef Jay McCarthy at Marriott Cafe

Renowned Texas Chef Jay McCarthy held a one-day only “Meat & Greet” activity last November 17, 2022 at the Marriott Hotel Manila as he took over the Meat Overload Station of Marriott Cafe. It was a very meaty and beefy afternoon filled with all sorts of barbecues and steak specially prepared by Chef Jay as he showed all the guests how cowboys enjoy their grilled meats.

Marriott Cafe served as the venue as Chef Jay McCarthy, hailed as "The Best Chef in San Antonio, Texas,” put together a spectacular buffet selection featuring the supersized Meat Overload Station together with their other international stations. In partnership with Alternatives Food Corp. and U.S. Meat Export Federation, the afternoon also included special U.S. Bourbon Whiskey-based cocktails which were all included in the buffet price of only P2,888 nett per person.

Born in New York, raised in Jamaica, and educated in Texas— Chef Jay McCarthy is a multicultural visionary who has parlayed his diverse background into a unique and innovative culinary style that has earned him repeated accolades. He worked as an aerospace engineer for a short time and found he was more inspired by blending flavors than he was by mixing jet fuels.

Chef McCarthy’s unique style utilizes the native flavors of Texas. Drawing from his Jamaican roots, his cooking style has been recognized for blending native Texas cuisine with tropical flavors. He fully showcased his culinary talents at Marriott Cafe’s Meat Overload Station which has packed to the rim with all these delicious meaty dishes.

The Meat Overload Station featured specialties courtesy of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. These imported products included U.S. Beef, U.S. Pork, and American Homegrown Lamb items that guests were all excited to try.

The U.S. Angus High Choice Beef was the main attraction at the Meat Overload Station. Among the dishes presented were Braised Short Ribs Bone In Red Wine Glazed - sterling silver; Oven Baked Country Road Top Sirloin - sterling silver; and Herb Marinated Pittsburgh Style Prime Rib Eye Boneless CAB.

These were accompanied by Green Peppercorn Sauce, Wild Mushroom Sauce, Red Wine Jus Sauce, and Assorted Bottled Hot Sauce.

For the U.S. Pork Kurobuta products, specialties included Home-Made Smoked Kurobuta Ham; Southern Smoke Hickory Grilled Kurobuta Belly; BBQ Spice rubbed JD Essence Baby Back Ribs; BBQ spice rubbed Wood Fired Brisket Bones; and Sugarcure rubbed Caramelized Bone In skinless Pork Loin. These were accompanied by sauces as well as assorted grilled organic vegetables.

We also got to try some American Lamb Ribs as well as these juicy Grilled Wagyu Frankfurters. There were so many meaty dishes to choose from but we really wanted to eat everything.

The main attraction at the Meat Overload Station was this huge U.S. Wagyu Snake River Farm Steamship Bone In. This big chunk of meat was rubbed with rosemary serrano and slow cooked in an open flame.

Accompanying the mother ship was a variety of sauces including the Chard Kansas BBQ Sauce, St Louis Smoked BBQ Sauce, Texas Barbacao Style BBQ Sauce, Bourbon BBQ Sauce, Tomato Chutney, Red Capsicum Chutney, Guacamole Dip, and Chimichurri.

We were really excited to try all of these U.S. Meat dishes. You can really see it from the big smile on our faces.

The Chef McCarthy Meat and Greet event also featured several whiskey-based cocktails that were all part of the buffet. Marriott Cafe had its own Bourbon Cocktail Bar courtesy of Jack Daniels and Jim Beam where guests can request for their handcrafted cocktails.

I asked for the Ginger Tennessee which had a combination of Jack Daniels, calamansi juice, and ginger syrup. My husband got the Manhattan Rocks with its mix of Jim Beam, Martini Rosso, and Angostura bitters. Other cocktails include the Lynchburg Lemonade and the Old Fashioned.

What could be better than a plate full of barbecued U.S. meats and unlimited glasses of bourbon cocktail? Marriott Manila really went all out with this Meat and Greet activity.

Of course, all the other buffet stations at Marriott Cafe were still available to guests that afternoon. This included the salad station and the fresh seafood station that featured mussels, prawns, clams, and crabs.

The Japanese station is always a favorite with its sushi and sashimi offerings. There were also plenty of tempura plus they have a teppanyaki station where you can customize your teppanyaki orders.

One of the best areas at Marriott Cafe is the Paluto Station. Here you can ask for their Fresh Catch of the Day and have it cooked to your liking. I usually have my fish done Sweet and Sour style. Make sure to also ask for their live crabs which I asked to be cooked Singaporean style.

You can check my last visit to Marriott Cafe a few months ago to see all the other exciting dishes and stations that are available daily for guests. We ended our Meat and Greet activity with indulgent sweets and cool scoops of gelato from the Dessert Station.

We would like to thank Marriott Manila, Alternatives Food Corp., the U.S. Meat Export Federation, and Chef Jay McCarthy for hosting this amazing afternoon filled with barbecues and steaks. Watch out for other exciting events at Marriott Hotel Manila.

Marriott Cafe

Ground Floor, Marriott Hotel Manila, Newport City, Pasay City

8988-9999 / (0917) 5849560

www.marriottcafemanila.com

www.facebook.com/marriotthotelmanila

[elizabethgoldlokidottir]

Something Precious: Gold King Version, Ch. 1, The Meeting of the Dark Ones

The walls of Tartarus were a lot more common than one would expect. The deepest pit of Hades was now fit to meet the age of which the earth now held. It was like any other dungeon, but with differences that one would expect when entering the land of the dead. The glowing volcanic rock surrounded the prisoners, the hot stone serving as the building material for the bricks building the dungeon wall. The walls were paved with brimstone mixed with tar. The smell of sulfur wafted through the air as the foul environment encompassed the lowest criminals of the underworld. Through the smoke-strangled air an ancient language whispered and echoed. It spoke in a long lost language that no man or woman dead or alive remembered. It was the raw language of magic, speaking the raw language of the universe from which virtue and evil is built. The language could either goad the actions of man or push them away from such actions. In the middle of this particular dungeon sat a cracked black marble table, lit by a blue flame in the brazier at each corner of the room.

Perhaps even more terrifying were those who gathered around the table to meet. These had been the prisoners of this dark realm. They were known in life as the dark ones. They were the most feared sorcerers in the land. Like pit vipers, they could kill with a single strike. The men and women with glittering golden scales covering their bodies showed that same pension for greed. In life, every decision that they had ever made had been selfish. All magic is based on emotion, and theirs was born out of thoughts and emotions of darkness. Selfishness, greed, envy, pride, gluttony, adultery, cowardice, hatred, jealousy, bigotry, sadness, pain and fear only named a few fires which fueled their powers. They wore cloaks so dark that one could mistake them for shadows covering their glistening features. Around each of them was a heavy pile of golden chains. Every man, woman and child who dies receives a chain to bear as punishment for their misdeeds in life. Every act of kindness and goodness causes them to be free of a chain link. Every act of evil causes them to gain a chain link. A ponderous chain encircled and fettered each of these individuals, so many that their spirits could hardly move. Every one of their faces showed the same expression: one of regret.

There were two dozen of them that had lived these past four thousand years since the first dark one had walked the earth, yet only one of them was female. The first dark one appeared at the head of the table, a woman who had a sad and faraway look in her amber eyes. Zozo, the last dark one before the one who now lived was the first to speak up. “Nimue, why have you called us here? Aren’t our afterlives hard enough without some tedious meeting? Speak, woman.” And it should be noted that that one person was rather bitter, even more so than the others. Nimue, carrying the regal air of a queen, placed her hands on the table in a gesture of power and stood up among them once again. “I have called you here because we have a new dark one. Zozo has joined us in death, which means another dark one now lives.” Boron, another of these dark creatures spoke up bravely. “Yet we have never had a meeting before this. Why have you called us here when in the past we just let them live out their lives? Why have you called us here…why now?” Under the questioning, she maintained that queenly way in which she carried herself. “I have called this gathering because Rumplestiltskin has been called to a very important mission for the rest of us. He alone is fit among us to carry out this task. From his loins shall spring the new light one.”

With this admission, disagreeable sighs, glares of disbelief and restrained and doubtful laughter came from the rest. “Rubbish.” One of the others said. “There has not been a light one since Merlin and he has been transformed into a tree. He didn’t stand a chance.  And of course you know all about that…” he said with somewhat of a teasing smirk. Nimue’s eyes immediately began to burn with anger and a look of heartbreak began to cross her face. An animalistic growl issued from her throat in the way that all dark ones growled when they became exceptionally angry. “You speak of Merlin that again and these claws go in your throat. I will find a way to make it hurt.” With this threat, the insubordinate one backed down and slunk to the end of the table where he once was. Zozo raised another point. “He does have a son, I know this to be true.” Nimue simply shook her head. “No. It will not be Baelfire who will carry on my lover’s legacy. The boy was spawned when Rumplestiltskin was human. Have you all forgotten the prophecy?” and what she had gotten back were blank stares. 

She gave another growl as she paced back and forth like a human lion. “You didn’t even read the book of the dark one, did you? Unlimited power and ultimate opulence just to read a book and you still couldn’t do it!? And don’t give me that look, Rookworm, when each of you took on this mantle you were given the ability to read! Must I do everything myself? Men…” she said with an annoyed sigh and waved her hand. A book appeared in her hands. “Rumplestiltskin, another one who hasn’t even read it yet. He won’t miss it for a moment.” With a roll of her eyes she turned to one page in particular, an illuminated text with a celtic design of a horse with wings, and the only page in the book which had color. The vibrant colors and the gold text itself shone in the darkness, as if they entire page echoed the knowledge within its words.

One day, a second light one will return to walk the earth. This creature will pay the price of magic so that every dark one along with everyone who practices magic shall be not be automatically met with damnation at the end of their lives. This will come in the form of a child, for the innocence of children is the only light from which the magic of true love and light can emerge. The child will be the offspring of a human mother and a dark one father and the product of true love. Other children will come before her, but not one will meet this requirement. The sex shall be female to make amends for the actions of the first dark one. She will not be what you expect. She will meet many challenges and undergo much suffering within her life so that she will learn compassion for those who suffer.  She will appear both in the form of a child and a horse. She will be the most powerful light magician to ever live and will bring light to those who dwell in darkness. She will feed the hungry, house the poor, and protect all children like herself. She will raise the dead. Horses will be sacred to her and animals will worship her. This child will come in an unexpected way. Therefore, do not judge by appearances, for a book cannot be judged by its cover.

“The problem is…” Nimue sighed some. “…this child will not be born for another three hundred years. Certain events must take place first before she can arrive in the world. And a certain mother must be chosen out of all. She must be Rumplestiltskin’s true love, not just some woman that he beds. She herself will not be born for another two hundred and seventy-five years. In order for us to be freed from our chains and from this prison, we must guide him towards the right path. The seer that spoke with him fourteen years ago has already set things in motion, but now she is even more under my control. I plan to inspire her to take a prophecy to him that will lead him down the right path. Until then, we must keep hope. She will return to us, and she will come to save us. This meeting is now adjourned.” And as soon as she said that, the spirits were gone, all to their separate cells in tartarus, Nimue being drawn back into her own. Her clawed hand lay over the one physical thing that she was allowed to bring with her into this realm. She closed her eyes and held the engagement ring gingerly within her claws. She remembered him…how he worked and slaved so hard to save up for that ring. She remembered how he had been transformed into a tree, how he had died. He was trying to stop her, trying to save her from herself. She had her own doubts. If Merlin could not save her…how could a child save all of them? But she would not lose hope. She would see him once again. I’m coming, my love. Wait for me still.

[johnchiarello]

Sunday sermon

SUNDAY SERMON  12-10-17

 2 Peter 3:8

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

 Sunday sermon- https://youtu.be/qNVuuTMZch4

https://vimeo.com/247486075

 Isaiah 28:6

And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

 Update  https://youtu.be/DazUlC0XaCs

 ON VIDEO-

.Verses from the Mass and Church Unlimited

.Your warfare is finished

.The fore runner is on the way

.Einstein and time

.Creation and the flood event

.Mars [the planet]

.Science and politics

.One day with God

.John the Baptist

.Qumran community and the Essenes https://www.gotquestions.org/Essenes.html

.John baptizes Jesus

.Herod’s slaughter of the children

.Kingdoms in conflict

.Dead Sea Scrolls

.Reliability of scripture

  NEW-

I talked on the verses from the Sunday Mass and a few from Church Unlimited-

I’ll add my past teachings below and try and simply share a point or 2 here-

 The reading from the Old Testament focused on the calling of John the Baptist-

Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Isaiah 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

And in the reading from the gospel we see the fulfillment-

Mark 1:2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Mark 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Mark 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

John came out of nowhere if you will- some scholars think John was part of the Qumran community- these were Jews who separated themselves and lived a solitary life-

 Whether John was an Essene I don’t know-

But he was certainly a culture shock to the people he preached to-

He was dressed like a wild prophet- wore camels skins and ate locusts and honey-

Mark 1:6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

Yet- he was sent by God- and was spoken about some 600 years before he appeared on the scene-

Even Malachi prophesied about him-

Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

Jesus himself said this was speaking about John-

Matthew 11:7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

Matthew 11:8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

Matthew 11:9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

Matthew 11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Matthew 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Being we are in the chapter- he also said John fulfilled the Elijah prophecy as well-

Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Matthew 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

Matthew 11:14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias [Elijah] which was for to come.

We find this prophecy in Malachi as well-

Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

Malachi 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

So John comes on the scene- challenges the authorities of his day-

And has the great honor of baptizing Jesus himself-

Mark 1:9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

Mark 1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

Mark 1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

I taught the whole gospel of Mark this past year and will add any past teaching that relates below-

The passage from Peter talked about being ready for the coming of the Lord- the Day of God-

2Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

2Peter 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

2Peter 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

2Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

2Peter 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

I also applied the principle of time- and how God is not limited by time- as we are.

Of course had to get into Einstein again-

But the practical point I tried to make was when we have a day in the presence of God-

Then simply having that communion with God-

Can in a way accomplish a ‘years’ worth of trying to do something in the flesh- by our own ability- without that ‘day’ or time in the presence of God-\

Get it?

2Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Ok- talked about much more- but for this brief intro- I’ll end it here-

 God bless all-

John

 Other links- [Other stuff I talked about on today’s video]

https://www.space.com/17048-water-on-mars.html

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/evidence-for-a-flood-102813115/

https://answersingenesis.org/the-flood/global/worldwide-flood-evidence/

 PAST POSTS-

https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/12/10/sunday-sermon-18/

https://ccoutreach87.com/genesis/

https://ccoutreach87.com/mark-links/

https://ccoutreach87.com/romans-updated-2015/

https://ccoutreach87.com/john-complete-links-added/

EPHESIANS- LINKS

https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/11/30/ephesians-1/

https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/12/13/ephesians-2/

  MONDAY 2-27-17 Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

https://youtu.be/ZqN2KEmxBRk JERSEY CITY [Mark 1] https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/2-27-17-jersey-city-ride-mark-1.zip ON VIDEO [Past links- verses below] .See Jersey City- Journal square- Kennedy Blvd. to 41st st. .CNN and Jesus? .John who? .Why no miracles before Jesus baptism? .Alone with God .Who said this ‘Prayer is strength for the weak’? .Another Mustang story NEW- Took a drive thru Jersey City and did the video from the car. In Mark 1 we read about the forerunner- John the Baptist. He baptized in water but said ‘a mightier one is coming- he will baptize you with the Spirit’. Sure enough- Jesus shows up and John baptizes him in the Jordan. As Jesus comes up out of the water we hear ‘this is my beloved Son- in whom I am well pleased’. The Father is testifying of the Son. Jesus is now anointed for the 3 year earthly ministry we read about in the gospels. He begins going to the synagogues and preaching- casting out demons. The people are shocked ‘he preaches with authority- not like the regular preachers we are used to’. Jesu beings gathering his team of men- and the crowds are being drawn. Yet- he seems to be avoiding the crowds. He heals a leper and tells the man not to spread the word about it. Yet the man ‘blazes’ the matter to everyone. The Spirit descending on Jesus like a ‘dove’ was right before his temptation of 40 days- in the wilderness- by satan. It was this test that prepared him for the work. We read in another gospel that he returned in the power of the Spirit after his temptation. The same Spirit that anointed Jesus also is now with us. The Spirit of God is in all who believe-and that same Spirit empowers us for the task. Jesus rose up early in the morning and went to a place where he could be alone with the Father. Even after the anointing of the Spirit- and the test- yet he taught us to have ‘alone time’ with God. Jesus told his men ‘Pray- the spirt indeed is willing- but the flesh is weak’. In this chapter we see the beginning of the ministry of Jesus- and his proclamation that the kingdom of God is near. He called the people to repentance- and to believe the good news of the kingdom. John [the Baptist] served his purpose well- he introduced the Lamb of God- and then fades from the scene. Yes- John showed us what it was all about. 26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. PAST LINKS- [My past teaching that relates to today’s post] https://ccoutreach87.com/hebrews-updated-2015/ https://ccoutreach87.com/john-complete-links-added/ https://ccoutreach87.com/romans-updated-2015/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/01/18/acts-1/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/01/26/acts-2/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/02/02/acts-3/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/02/09/acts-4/

VERSES- [I quoted/talked from 3 accounts of the baptism of Jesus and the temptation of Jesus as recorded in the gospels- below are all 3 accounts- as well as the verses I quoted on the video] Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; Mark 1:2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Mark 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Mark 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Mark 1:5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. Mark 1:6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; Mark 1:7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. Mark 1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. Mark 1:9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. Mark 1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: Mark 1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Mark 1:12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. Mark 1:13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. Mark 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Mark 1:16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. Mark 1:17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. Mark 1:18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. Mark 1:19 And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. Mark 1:20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. Mark 1:21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. Mark 1:22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. Mark 1:23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Mark 1:24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. Mark 1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. Mark 1:26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. Mark 1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. Mark 1:28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee. Mark 1:29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Mark 1:30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. Mark 1:31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. Mark 1:32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. Mark 1:33 And all the city was gathered together at the door. Mark 1:34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. Mark 1:36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. Mark 1:37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. Mark 1:38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. Mark 1:39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. Mark 1:40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. Mark 1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. Mark 1:42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. Mark 1:43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; Mark 1:44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. Mark 1:45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter. ________________________________________ Matthew 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, Matthew 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Matthew 3:4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Matthew 3:5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, Matthew 3:6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Matthew 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: Matthew 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Matthew 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Matthew 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Matthew 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. Matthew 3:14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? Matthew 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. Matthew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. ________________________________________ Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Matthew 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. Matthew 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, Matthew 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Matthew 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; Matthew 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Matthew 4:11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. 4 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. 3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. 4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. 5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: 10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: 11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. Luke Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations Deuteronomy 32:2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

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(1145) THE FLOOD- Okay, this is a hot topic. First, the flood really happened! Some old earth creationists insist on a local version of it, others say it was worldwide [I’m in the world wide camp]. God tells Noah to embark on a very long building program. He certainly looks like a nut to those around him. Eventually the Ark is finished and Noah and his family get in, they bring 7 of every clean animal and 2 of every ‘unclean’ type. It rains [some say 40 days and nights, others think it rained longer] and the ‘fountains of the deep are opened up’ obviously a reference to some type of Tectonic action. After everything dies, the Ark rests and Noah and his family repopulate the planet. The young earth creationists have good arguments from this story [real event!] some of the old earth brothers tend to trivialize it. Ever since the science of geology gained ground [19th-20th centuries] many have argued for a very old earth based on the geologic table. They look at the different strata of the earth [levels] and say ‘see, these levels took millions of years to develop, you have dinosaurs buried in the lower levels, then other types of animals, birds and then man is rarely found fossilized’ these brothers see a sort of scientific record that backs up the progressive creation view. They say the creation days are ages, and the science shows us deep time. Are there any other explanations for the various fossil levels? Yes. The young earth brothers will make a very good argument that the cataclysmic effect of the flood caused the levels. They say the reason you find dinosaurs and other land animals at lower levels is a result of natural panic and survival during the flood. The slower, heavier animals would die first and get buried first. The birds lasted longer of course; they kept flying to high land until they too died off. Man was the smartest of the bunch, he managed to survive longest, and that’s why you don’t find as many fossils of man as you do other creatures [those who die late would not get covered in sediment and would simply rot!] This argument isn’t that bad, to be honest. There are of course many other things besides this, the point I want to make is if you rule out the biblical record of a world wide flood, then you are leaving out other interpretations of the data. Most young and old earth brothers agree on the actual record [i.e.; we do see things buried at different levels] they simply disagree on the interpretation of the data. Lets do a few practical things here, God had Noah prepare things ahead of time. He also spent some down time in a huge boat with a ‘lot of dung’ [ouch!] Often times on the journey we hit spots that don’t look [or smell] that great. People might even mock us ‘look at that idiot Noah, he’s even got his family believing in this stuff!’ but when it was all said and done he was vindicated. Those who tend to spiritualize the stories of Genesis usually see the first 11 chapters as a mix of symbol and history. The genealogies of chapters 4, 5 and 11 are sometimes seen as not exact [by the way, in the last entry I used Enoch as an example of the ascension, the Enoch who was taken up was the Enoch of chapter 5]. The reasons are various [like the other ancient near east genealogies used 10 generation lists, both chapter 5 and 11 are 10 generation lists]. Some do this in order to fit more time into the biblical record. Jesus, Peter and the writer of Hebrews all speak of Noah and his flood as a real historic event! There should be no reason for believers to doubt or spiritualize these stories away. But we also want to be open to the reality that other cultures had their own tellings of these stories, and that the recording of genealogies does not mean there is no room for an older earth [the genealogies are accurate, but they don’t start right at the beginning of time!]. And let’s finish in a practical way, are you going thru a season of feeling stuck in a big box with a lot of dung? Sometimes the word of the Lord to us is ‘just survive at this time, when the storms over things will look better again’. The Lord used Noah to have an influence on the entire civilization that would re-populate the planet! God will increase your influence if you simply find a way to survive the flood.

 There were Jews at the time of the first century who tried to ‘get along’ with Rome- and with the person in charge of their region [one of the sons of Herod the Great at the time of Christ].

These are referred to as Herodian’s in the bible.

Some wanted a revolution to rid Rome from Jerusalem- these were the Zealots [one of Jesus disciples was in this group].

Some thought if they returned to a legalistic obeisance of the law- that this would bring in a deliverer- like the stories we read about in the Old testament- these were the Pharisees.

And some took more of a political compromise- these were the Sadducees.

Eventually a war with Rome would be fought [By the way- Josephus- the famous 1st century historian- fought on the side of the Jews in the war- and after Jerusalem was sacked in A.D. 70- he went to Rome and wrote his great works- thinking he would make a case for the Jewish people with the Romans. This is why we have his works today- which are very valuable to scholars].

NOTE- In time I’ll try and cover how we ‘got our bibles’ [called the Canon- meaning Rule/ Measurement].

Frankly- there is a lot of confusion in the general public about conspiracies [like the Catholic Church had some type of plot to keep certain books out].

Or stories about how the Church taught Mary Magdalene was a prostitute so they could discredit her.

Actually- we read in the gospels that Jesus cast out ‘spirits’ from a woman who was probably living this type of life-

And Jesus had a ministry to the down and out- it is indeed possible that Mary was one of these women-

And if true- it would not demean her in any way-

That’s how this tradition more than likely developed- But- we don’t know for sure.

So a few years back the Church officially said ‘we don’t know’.

Ok- Plot?

[parts]

Ok- the ruling empire at the time of Christ was Rome- just prior to the appearance of Jesus- the Roman Emperor- Caesar Augustus- consolidated the Roman Empire under his rule-

Rome was ruled by a senate- some famous names from history were in it- Cicero being one.

Caesar Augustus was the nephew of Julius Caesar- his real name was Octavian [Octavius].

After the death of Julius Caesar- there were some power struggles that took place- between some other famous people.

Marc Antony being one of them [Cleopatra too- he was in love with the girl for sure].

Now- we read about Augustus in the New Testament- and we read in the book of Revelation about the Mark of the Beast- and that those who don't worship- give homage to the Beast- they will be killed.

So- Many Christians would be killed because they would refuse to give homage to Caesar Augustus [meaning son of the Divine].

‘Wow- how did he get a name like that’ [there was more than one Caesar by the way- as well as more than one Herod- who did play a part in these power struggles- it can get confusing- even to me].

When Octavian defeated Marc Antony at Actium [32 BC].

Herod [The Great] had a problem- he had previously sided with Antony and found himself on the losing side.

Yet he was smart- did some ‘brown nosing’ as we say-and patched things up.

Herod had 3 sons- who would eventually take positions of authority in the Roman government at the time of Christ.

Herod Antipas was over the region that we read about in the New Testament where Jesus did most of his ministry- Galilee.

Ok- Octavian claimed deity because of a heavenly sign associated with his rise to power- and this is how he became called ‘Caesar Augustus’.

He sort of saw himself as a   ‘re-incarnate’- of his great uncle Julius Caesar.

‘John- what in the heck does this have to do with the Dead Sea Scrolls’.

Ok- good question.

The Jews had various responses to the empires that ruled over them during various times.

Alexander the Great instituted Hellenization- a sort of cultural compromise over the people he conquered.

They could keep their religious/cultural roots- but would be subservient to Alexander and Greek rule.

Some Jewish people rejected any compromise- we call them the Essenes- they moved out of town- so to speak, and lived in what we refer to as the Qumran community.

This was a few centuries before the time of Christ- and this was where the Dead Seas Scrolls were found in the 20th century.

A Bedouin boy was looking for his goats- threw a rock in a cave right off the Dead Sea- and that’s how we found the scrolls.

The scrolls might have been hidden there by the Essenes-

Now- when my friends asked me about them- I told them that it’s been a while since I read up on any of this- but to the best of my memory the thing that made them significant was the fact that they were very old manuscripts- from the bible- and they backed up what we had had all along.

I did read up this week- and basically had it right.

The earliest Hebrew manuscripts of the Old Testament we had previously dated back to around 900- 1000 A.D.

These manuscripts went back about 1000 years earlier- and they contained portions from almost every book of the Old testament- and some complete books.

The only book missing was Esther.

So- this was indeed a very significant find for scholars.

But the Scrolls also contain some of the writings from the Essenes themselves- things we never had before- so this too was significant.

There were Jews at the time of the first century who tried to ‘get along’ with Rome- and with the person in charge of their region [one of the sons of Herod the Great at the time of Christ].

These are referred to as Herodian’s in the bible.

Some wanted a revolution to rid Rome from Jerusalem- these were the Zealots [one of Jesus disciples was in this group].

Some thought if they returned to a legalistic obeisance of the law- that this would bring in a deliverer- like the stories we read about in the Old testament- these were the Pharisees.

And some took more of a political compromise- these were the Sadducees.

Eventually a war with Rome would be fought [By the way- Josephus- the famous 1st century historian- fought on the side of the Jews in the war- and after Jerusalem was sacked in A.D. 70- he went to Rome and wrote his great works- thinking he would make a case for the Jewish people with the Romans. This is why we have his works today- which are very valuable to scholars].

NOTE- In time I’ll try and cover how we ‘got our bibles’ [called the Canon- meaning Rule/ Measurement].

Frankly- there is a lot of confusion in the general public about conspiracies [like the Catholic Church had some type of plot to keep certain books out].

Or stories about how the Church taught Mary Magdalene was a prostitute so they could discredit her.

Actually- we read in the gospels that Jesus cast out ‘spirits’ from a woman who was probably living this type of life-

And Jesus had a ministry to the down and out- it is indeed possible that Mary was one of these women-

And if true- it would not demean her in any way-

That’s how this tradition more than likely developed- But- we don’t know for sure.

So a few years back the Church officially said ‘we don’t know’.

Ok- Plot?

No- just being careful.

So there are other misguided beliefs like this- that sincere people have- and over time I hope to get to them.

I’ll do one more in keeping with this post.

I mentioned above that Caesar Augustus did indeed take the title of ‘son of God’.

And some critics of the Church say ‘see- there were all types of religions that had Sons of God’.

I watched one show a few years back- and it stated that these religions had ’12 disciples- a leader named Lord and Savior- and he healed and claimed to be God’s Son- and rose from the dead’.

Ok- that show was ‘fibbing’ to put it lightly- they went too far [historically speaking] in trying to diminish the Christians claim of Christ by doing this.

Now- is there some truth to this at all?

Yes- like I just mentioned above- Octavian did indeed claim deity- a ‘son of god’.

So- how do we explain this?

In the book of Galatians the bible says ‘in the FULLNESS of times God sent forth his Son’.

Jesus came at a set time in history- in fulfilment of the Jewish Prophets- to be who he was- and to do what he did.

Now- this is not special pleading here- but I find it a masterpiece that God’s Son came at a time when the Roman Empire had one sitting on the throne- who too claimed deity.

Yet Jesus was in a region of the lower class- his men were not highly educated- and his followers were people under oppression.

Augustus lived in the wealthy and influential capital of ‘the world’- he had all you could ever ask for- he was worshiped as a god.

Yet in 3 short centuries- one of the heirs of the empire- Constantine- would have an experience – not with a former Caesar- but with a vison of a Cross-

He would convert to Christianity- and declare Christianity to be the religion of the realm.

 [parts]

 VERSES- [These are the verses I either quoted or taught on today’s post- Sunday Sermon- 12-10-17]

Luke 13:32 [Full Chapter]

And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

 Luke 2:41-52

King James Version (KJV)

41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.

42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.

44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.

46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Matthew 2:18

In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Isaiah 41:10

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

2 Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

    December 10, 2017

 « December 9  |  December 11 »

Second Sunday of Advent

Lectionary: 5

Reading 1

IS 40:1-5, 9-11

Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins. A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Go up on to a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 85:9-10-11-12, 13-14

R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD—for he proclaims peace to his people. Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. Justice shall walk before him, and prepare the way of his steps. R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Reading 2

2 PT 3:8-14

Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard "delay," but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out. Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be, conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.

Alleluia

LK 3:4, 6

R. Alleluia, alleluia. Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: All flesh shall see the salvation of God. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

MK 1:1-8

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths." John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: "One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

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    Note- Please do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on-  Copy text- download video links [Wordpress- Vimeo] make complete copies of my books/studies and posts- everything is copyrighted by me- I give permission for all to copy and share as much as you like-  I just ask that nothing be sold. We live in an online world- yet- there is only one internet- meaning if it ever goes down- the only access to the teachings are what others have copied or downloaded- so feel free to copy and download as much as you want- it’s all free-

Thanks- John.

[ciathyzareposts]

Game 365: Muryaden (1989)

You are not misinterpreting this screen. The troll is having his genitals stimulated by a magic stone. It’s that kind of game.

           Muryaden

France

Elrik et Deckard (developers); Bytlejuice (publisher)

Released in 1989 for Apple II

Date Started: 12 May 2020

Date Ended: 14 May 2020

Total Hours: 5 Difficulty: Moderate (3/5) Final Rating: (to come later) Ranking at time of posting: (to come later) 

           At first glance, Muryaden is another Ultima clone, but I guess it was intended as a sort of anti-Ultima. It was made by developers who held at least mild contempt for not only Lord British but the entire history of American RPGs. I get this from a web page that one of the authors used to maintain; I would appreciate if anyone who speaks French fluently would scan this page and let me know if there’s anything in the following account that I got wrong. I can read French, but I’m having trouble with this French, which seems to include a lot of slang and nonstandard uses of words. Do French people really use ricaines as a slur for “Americans”?

      Anyway, the chief complaint of Elrik and Deckard seems to be that the American approach to fantasy RPGs was too “clean.” They were less interested in high fantasy of the Tolkien type and more interested in gritty Conan-style sword and sorcery, with attendant sex and gore. In their authors’ desires to ensure that their programs wouldn’t be banned by “austere Puritan traditionalists,” they argued, American RPGs always take place in a “quasi-religious atmosphere” in which a noble purifier “arrives at the right time to deliver the world from a diabolical oppressor.” The plots are interchangeable and the universes are “clean and hygienic,” with no sex, brothels, or even any latrines.

           The game is credited to “Elrik” and “Deckard.”

         I think the authors go a bit too far in imputing motive to American RPG developers (and not far enough in appreciating them for, you know, inventing the genre in the first place), but I’ll concede that they have a point. American CRPGs in the 1980s are awfully vanilla. I don’t know that the solution lies in graphic descriptions of demon ejaculate, but at least it gets points for originality.

      The backstory for the game thus reads less like someone trailblazing a new era in realism and more like the fruits of the perverse imaginations of two sex-starved young men. I’m going to elide quite a lot, partly to prevent Google from putting an NC-17 warning on my blog, partly because I didn’t always understand the language, and partly because I just found it gross. Some misunderstandings of my previous positions have led to an incorrect “The CRPG Addict has a problem with breasts!” belief, but I have no problem with the perception that I have a problem with graphic description of anal manipulations with tentacles. That belief is 100% accurate.

The story begins when a sorcerer named Mithgul moved into the middle of a fairly generic fantasy kingdom. He holed himself up in his fortress and got to work on various inventions and experiments, almost all of a sexual nature. He created a “stone of beauty,” an artifact that endowed its holder with “unlimited charisma,” such that he could drive a crowd of people to mass suicide. He mated humans with demons and beasts to produce all kinds of abominations. He collected fluid samples from dozens of species and invented a number of creative aphrodisiacs.

               The game is at first visually indistinguishable from one of the Ultimas.

          Mithgul’s efforts came to an end when the seed of a demon mixed with some other chemicals and caused an explosion that destroyed Mithgul’s tower. Unfortunately, the escaping vapors engulfed the nearby town of Bar-Calenlad and turned the entire population into nymphomaniacs, leading to massive population growth. A local order of paladins didn’t have any hope of maintaining their chastity vows, and soon their fortress had expanded enough in population to form a new city, Bar-Tolainor. Trolls escaping from Mithgul’s dungeon formed their own city, Echorkeliant. Generations later, each city has developed its own sado-sexual traditions. Lately, a villain named Beltrik the Skatomancer has re-inhabited the ruins of the fortress. He’s kidnapped the daughter of King Valdrin and caused such strife among the trolls that they’ve split into two factions. Into this milieu, the character is dropped without an explicit quest yet.

                 Character creation.

         Character creation doesn’t break much new ground. You assign a name and race (human, elf, dwarf, hobbit), after which the game randomly rolls for wisdom, strength, dexterity, and intelligence, modified by race. These four attributes together determine the derived statistics of vitality, charisma, skill, and perception. Your choice of class (sorcerer, priest, warrior, thief) has further effects on these statistics, and finally you can specify a “type” (charmer, skillful, attentive, resistant) that makes further modifications.

           My early-game character sheet.

          The game begins with the character standing on the plains outside Bar-Calenlad. The game world is a small 58 x 58, but it seems larger because of frequent random encounters. There are the three cities mentioned in the backstory plus a few dungeons and Castle Gondarnost. The interface follows Ultima‘s tradition of mapping commands to individual keys, such as C)hercher (search), O)uvrir (open), and P)énétrer (enter, as in a city).

           Can someone tell me what the phrase y-a peau d’Zébi means?

           Enemies mostly include fantasy standards like orcs, trolls, bandits, mercenaries, zombies, kobolds, and giant spiders and snakes. They’re not seen in the environment until they attack. Combat is a little more complex than Ultima but not quite as complex as, say, Wizardry. You face only one enemy at a time, and you have options to fight, change weapons, cast a spell, use an object, advance, back off, surrender, or steal. “Advance” and “back off” are unusual commands, but there’s a distance consideration in combat, with enemies and characters occupying four potential spaces from très proche (very close) to très loin (very far). Certain weapons work better (or don’t work at all) at various distances. 

         Fighting an ettin from “close enough.”

                    The cities are menu cities that offer various options depending on the city. Bar-Calenlad offers an inn, a Temple of Eros, a guild, an alchemist, a weapon/armor shop, and a fence. Early on, I didn’t understand the options for the other places, so I just bought a dagger and robe (the only items my strength would let me wield) and headed out to fight.

             Menu options in the troll city of Echorkeliant.

           It took me a lot of deaths (fortunately, reloading is quick) before I realized the importance of getting physically close to the enemy when all you have is a dagger. The good news is that when you’re that close, enemies spend a lot of their turns trying to back off, which you can allow or not. If you’re successful in disallowing it, the enemy has wasted the turn; if he manages to back off, you can just advance your next round. These advantages helped make up for how lousy a dagger and robe are as melee weapons.

         After I strike a decisive blow, the thief tries to back off.

          Still, combat was pretty hard, so after I’d won a few battles, I went into the town to check out some of the other options. Fully healing takes only a single gold piece at the Temple of Eros, which is nice. But equally beneficial are temporary boosts to each attribute that the temple offers for 20 gold pieces. If you load up with a couple of these (strength, dexterity, or vitality) before heading out, they greatly improve your chances in combat. You can get similar boosts from potions at the alchemist’s, only these you can carry with you and use in the field at the appropriate times. Finally, when you earn a few hundred experience points, you can spend them at the guild for permanent attribute increases. As you buy these, the game re-calculates the derived statistics. All told, it’s a tight, satisfying combination of character development and economy.

Even better, you can pay experience points to change classes. If you decide you want some magic in your life, that’s only 100 or 200 experience points away.

           In 7 more experience points, I can increase my dexterity or change to a sorcerer or warrior class.

        I spent a couple hours fighting, building my fortune, and buying attribute increases as I tried to count the number of tiles in the land. Once I was loaded up on buffs, I headed off on the first quest lead, which I got from the inn. When I first checked into the inn, I saw three options with escalating values, and I assumed they were different quality rooms. Later, thinking I was buying a room for the night, I chose the first option. It turns out that the three options are subjects about which you’re bribing the bartender. For the subject “Ered-Morglin,” I learned:

           It is a cyclops who directs the mines of Ered-Morglin. His talents as a blacksmith allowed him to make powerful relationships. However, the wise men of Bar-Tolainor suspect him of having allied with Beltrik. They promise their eternal gratitude to whoever brings them the head of the one-eyed monster.

        I explored around until I found the dungeon of Ered-Morglin. Dungeons are top-down in this game, not first-person. Otherwise, they’re like exploring cities in the early Ultimas. Some enemies appear out of nowhere, just like in the wilderness, but others are in fixed locations. Secret doors are clued with little breaks in the walls, just as in Ultima IV.

          Note the secret door in the wall to my left.

          If there’s any way so far in which Muryaden lives up to its backstory and intent, I suppose it’s in the room descriptions that you receive while exploring the dungeon, although none of them are as bawdy as the backstory.

        You see a convergent layer of manticore excrement and blood.

The remains of an orgy: the bowels of elves marinated in the blood of gnomes.

You see a statue of Grumsh impaling an elf on a lance!

         The combats in the dungeon wore down my vitality to the point that I couldn’t really take any damage or I’d have to reload, but I stubbornly kept at it until I found the cyclops and managed to kill him and take his head. I also found a key beyond him that must be important somewhere. There were only two treasure chests in the dungeon; both had a modest amount of gold.

             I have slain the cyclops and can now take his head.

            I triumphantly carried the cyclops head to the city of Bar-Tolainor. I visited the sage, who I don’t think gave me any reward at all unless you consider a new quest a reward:

         My premature ejaculation is a sign! You are the chosen one. Your destiny is to fight the libidinous Beltrik whose secret I will reveal to you. In fact Mithgul did not perish when his complex exploded. He and the demon he had summoned suffered the full effect of the brunettes. Thus they have fornicated for centuries until the effect of the malefice dissipates. The demon then became familiar with Mithgul. The archmage is daring and perverted by his experience. Had lost much of his knowledge. He renamed himself Beltrik and dedicated himself to the forces of chaos. Here is a letter of introduction to the king. Valdrin will no doubt offer you a substantial reward.

            Meanwhile, from the other two auberge options back in Bar-Calenlad, I learn:

            In Térégroth resides the Matriarch and her supporters. All are fanatical worshipers of Vaprak and pay bloody tributes to him. The ritual sacrifices organized in honor of the Destroyer are also cannibal orgies, where sins of flesh and money are indiscriminately consumed. This citadel has never, until now, been threatened, thanks to its high walls and its mithril door. Yet each door has its own key; that of Térégroth could also open the Matriarch’s chastity belt.

The lair of Beltrik, the lustful wizard, remains unknown to this day. The sages, however, called it Coron Raugul and claimed it was protected by an invisibility spell. They also say that it is guarded by a nigh-invincible golem. This sentinel, however, has a weak point: its diarrhea, which it can only wipe with the sheets of a spellbook cursed three times. This book is the Pnakoticus Qhultis of Count Bren-lette, also called P. Q. The golem will gladly let pass anyone who offers him a roll of this precious paper. [The joke here is that P. Q. in French is the abbreviation for toilet paper.]

            So few golems in ricaine RPGs are cursed with diarrhea, and I just want to say I think it’s what’s been missing. 

          Getting a clue on the final quest.

           Unfortunately, I ran into a technical problem that’s going to prevent me from continuing with the game without starting over. While I was exploring Ered-Morglin, testing the walls for secret doors, I found an illusory wall that let me out of the dungeon, onto a random part of the map terrain. I figured that it was a secret “back door.” By walking one space back the way I’d come, I returned to the dungeon. I didn’t think anything of it, and I finished the dungeon. Because it was closer the cyclops than the main entry, I used the “back door” to get out. I was able to turn in the quest without any problem.

I soon realized that the “back door” wasn’t that at all but a game corruption. The game still thinks I’m in the dungeon, and if I wander on the map into any coordinates that the dungeon level covers, I suddenly find myself back in the dungeon. Since there are towns and dungeons, and I think even the castle in that coverage area, that’s no good. I need to be able to enter those areas on the main map without warping to the dungeon. Unfortunately, trying to exit from the dungeon the regular way just freezes the game. I thought maybe if I found a second dungeon and entered and exited, it would work, but those aren’t on the accessible part of the map.

           As far as I can get.

       Fortunately, I don’t need to win it myself because “Deckard’s” web page describes what happens: The player takes the letter of introduction from the sage to King Valdrin of Gondarnost, who steps out of his harem long enough to give the player a new quest. Valdrin’s daughter was kidnapped by Beltrik, used as a “toy” for a while, then given to the Matriarch of Térégroth. Valdrin wants her back so he can marry her to the troll king, Bortrog, to seal an alliance between the cities. Valdrin also suggests that Bortrog would reward the character for killing the Matriarch.

            Defeating the Matriarch. Don’t ask me why the screen shots are in this color.

         The key found in Ered-Morglin turns out to be the key to Térégroth and the Matriarch’s chastity belt. The player goes to Térégroth, kills the Matriarch, recovers the chastity belt as proof, and frees the princess. The game makes a point of noting that the princess’s cell smells of urine, because that was important. The princess appears in your inventory, and from then on you can “use” her like any object for things I’ll leave to your imagination.

     You return the princess to Valdrin, who does marry her to Bortrog. Bortrog rewards you for the Matriarch’s belt. But he doesn’t think his new bride is sexy enough, so he wants Beltrik’s beauty stone. The scroll found in Térégroth turns out to be the key to finding the invisible city of Coron Raugul. It’s also the item necessary to give to the golem to let you pass. 

           The player confronts Beltrik.

        In Coron Raugul, the player defeats Beltrik and his pet demon and finds the stone, which turns out to be called “Muryaden” for whatever reason. Bringing it back to the troll king results in a congratulatory screen in which the troll king gives you the stone (after he’s done using it). His mage attunes the stone so that it will serve like a permanent Potion of Healing. The player can continue killing monsters and building his statistics if he wants.

           The winning screen.

           It will surprise no one that the plot elements of Muryaden aren’t my favorite parts of the game. The authors’ complaints about a certain lack of grit in the typical RPG of the period are not wrong, but the solution would lie in the future, with more complex characters, more nuanced plots, an in general better writing, not in the toilet humor of a couple of teenagers. At the same time, though, there are plenty of elements of the game that I don’t mind. I like the low-key nature of the quests. I like that the main character is more of a mercenary than a hero, and that none of his employers are sparkling clean. I like that the developers kept it small and short, understanding that they didn’t have the mechanics for an epic game. And as I said above, character development and combat are pretty tight. It earns a 24 on my GIMLET, doing best in character development, combat, economy, and gameplay (3s). That’s not a horrible score for an independent Ultima clone.

Elrik and Deckard continued their partnership with Muryaden Livre 2 in 1991. I can only hope that the extra two years matured their storytelling while preserving their inventiveness. I’m not sure what happened to them after that. “Elrik” was a pseudonym for Eric Bertrand, and there is a programmer of that name with numerous credits on Ubisoft titles, but his ludography doesn’t pick up until 2006, or 17 years after Muryaden, and I’m not sure if it’s the same developer. “Deckard” seems to be a Jean-Marc Boutillon; from an interview he gave, I don’t get the impression that he worked on anything more than these two titles.

We are going to move on to Abandoned Places: A Time for Heroes after another Britannian episode.

source http://reposts.ciathyza.com/game-365-muryaden-1989/

[tripstations]

Quick keep: Paschoe Home, Devon, UK

Michelin inspectors are conserving an in depth eye on Paschoe Home’s stratospheric rise into foodie heaven. Since its opening in August 2017, Paschoe Home has been on a hovering trajectory, awarded 5 stars by the AA for its discrete luxurious and on the verge of a 3rd AA rosette for its imaginative delicacies.

It’s a phoenix from the ashes story. By 2010 Juan Amador had run out of funds in his try and revive a grand 19th century home inbuilt Tudor Gothic fashion. The household house lay derelict for six years, till his daughter Tabitha, on the age of 26, revived a teenage dream. She raised the finance in four weeks, gained planning permission in 2 years and created an intimate 9 room boutique resort.

In the meantime, on a separate web page of historical past, Tabitha, now married as Mrs Fern, introduced chef Craig Davies to Paschoe Home. Having labored with a “Who’s Who” of nice British cooks, Davies is keen to develop Paschoe Home as one of many nation’s prime locations for lovers of nice meals and wine.

The welcome

When you fly into Exeter Airport or roll into an area railway station, Robin Fern will fortunately acquire you in Paschoe Home’s Land Rover Discovery.

There’s a pleasant welcome from workers as they take your baggage and offer you a picket tagged old style key to one of many nation themed rooms; Badger, Deer, Hedgehog, Rabbit and so forth.

Within the room there are home-made sweets in a Treasure Island fashion mini-chest, a jar of Davies’ cookies and contemporary milk for tea or espresso.

The room

That is country-living rewired for the 21st century. A mission-control panel opens and closes the curtains on a push of a button in addition to managing the lighting. Below-floor heating infuses heat by way of a neutral-tone carpet.

Tabitha, who project-managed and designed each room, has introduced Designers Guild wallpaper and a lightweight contact to conventional nation decor.

Down an extended, lengthy rural drive, the place even the birds are too relaxed for a lot of a daybreak refrain, this can be a place for deep restorative sleep immersed in a fluffy white cloud of pillows, sheets and quilt.

The toilet

A separate thermostat, initially set for 23 centigrade, with heat from beneath the sunshine gray slate end flooring tiles, retains the toilet toasty. Vibrant floral wallpaper and unique artwork work – “Operating Hare” by Rachel Toll and “Boxing Hares” by Kat Lightfoot in our Rabbit room – give a relaxed lounge vibe to a room the place company are inclined to linger beneath the rainfall bathe or loosen up within the roll-top tub.

When you fall in love with the artwork work or the Bamford toiletries and their refined aroma of geranium, lavender and peppermint – each can be found to buy as souvenirs to take house.

Services

Company journey from afar for the restaurant. The seven course tasting menu begins with canapés and drinks within the Library Bar or amongst the Morning Room’s luxurious sofas. A outstanding crunchy mini-haggis that includes Davies’ home-made succulent black pudding units the tone. It sits alongside a smoked haddock brandade and a mini onion cappuccino.

Shifting by way of to the eating room, with a press release 13th century stone hearth from the unique Paschoe Home, the tasting begins with a parsnip veloute: taleggio cheese bringing creamy flavours and parsnip crisps a contrasting crunch. Subsequent up is a young lobster tail, 10 minutes of sous-vide cooking seals in flavour, accompanied by Champagne in a wine-pairing that brings a glass for each course.

A pig cheek – so comfortable, flaky and refined that it’s finest complemented by one other white wine from the Rhone – has been sous vide cooked for considerably longer; 6 hours and 45 minutes at 85 C. It’s a constant method that preserves meals’s molecular integrity.

A Portuguese Dao is the one crimson amongst the pairings. It’s strong earthy flavours working effectively with the Christmas-on-a-plate course; a mini shoulder of crimson deer  en-croute, a medallion of crimson deer loin, chestnuts, red-currants and a venison jus.

After the Snow Egg pre-dessert, there’s a decadent wealthy end. A glistening fragment of gold-leaf tops a whisky jelly on the centre of a concentric creation of Manjari, the Grand Cru of Chocolate – and the ultimate wine is a 10 12 months outdated Madeira.

Extra informally, a Informal Eating Menu is accessible within the Library Bar and Morning Room. In addition to the Tasting Menu there’s an A La Carte menu too.

Different good touches

Paschoe Home is a haven of experiences. The Clay Capturing days, starting with breakfast, resting for elevenses and taking a leisurely lunch are widespread.

Many company benefit from the chauffeur-driven Devon excursions taking in sights similar to Fortress Drogo and the market city of Chagford.

In summer time there’s tennis and croquet on the garden. And you may ebook spa remedies for the privateness of your individual room.

One of the best bit

Paschoe Home is foodie heaven. Tabitha has plans for a helipad in order that culinary aficionados can fly in from distance. Nor will they only be there for dinner. Afternoon tea, with tasty twists, taken within the drawing room, is widespread with each residents and guests alike.

Uniquely the breakfast buffet of cereals, fruit and morning pastries is delivered to your desk, accompanied by a miniature crate of bottles of fruit juices.

Egg dishes, a full English breakfast or pancakes with bacon in maple syrup are cooked to order.

Price

Rooms with B & B start from £139

The Tasting Menu is £80 with the Wine Flight costing £55.

Location

Paschoe Home is positioned on the Two Moors Stroll, an extended distance path of some 100 miles, by way of each Exmoor and Dartmoor.

Simply west of Crediton, it’s a couple of 25 minute drive from Paschoe Home to Exeter.

The ultimate verdict

Paschoe Home tweaks the nation home idea with quirky taxidermy, there’s a cheeky ostrich conserving eyes on the bar, and appreciable up to date fashion. An unlimited antler chandelier, within the entrance corridor, not solely performs to Paschoe’s rural heritage but additionally the stag’s antler brand too.

There’s a comfortable female contact to Tabitha’s makeover. By the logs crackling on the fireplace are sofas that includes delicate shades of aubergine, lovat and salmon. And Tabitha has considered the whole lot; a Boot Room stuffed with wellies for nation walks, popcorn to order for a film night time in your room, lavender bubble tub, chamomile tea baggage to float off to slide and jacketed mini sizzling water bottles.

Disclosure: Our keep was sponsored by Paschoe Home.

The post Quick keep: Paschoe Home, Devon, UK appeared first on Tripstations.

from Tripstations https://ift.tt/2PIVqas via IFTTT

[yegfoodie]

For those of you that are not regular followers, BBQ is life.  I am a certified Kansas City BBQ Society Judge as well as a judge for the Canadian BBQ Society.  I love the smell and the taste of smoked meats. I was hooked the first time my bestie gifted me with a smoked rainbow trout as a child.

Smoke and Ash Canadian BBQ has been on my hit list for quite some time.  They were running a food truck out in front of the Peavy Mart in Spruce Grove for most of the last summer.  I did make it out once to see them, but it was just before closing time and they were unfortunately sold out.  I did get a chance to chat briefly with Kelly (one of the owners) and the chat just stuck in my head. You can tell with just a brief chat that he is “good people”.

Last summer was plagued with vehicle difficulties for me.  It was rough to try and make it much of anywhere, so food truck season ended and I did not get a chance to sample Smoke and Ash.   “Next Summer”, I thought.

Summer ends and haunt season begins.  I put my head down in September and it doesn’t come back up until November.  Extra busy season this year though as we moved Deadmonton to a new building. When Smoke and Ash came up in my Facebook feed advertising smoked turkeys for Christmas,  SOLD! My mom-in-law doesn’t like all the work that comes with cooking for all of us ungratefuls, so I thought I would make her life just a little easier and pick up the turkey.  I am SO glad that I did.

In October, Smoke and Ash made 106 Fulton Drive out in the Acheson Industrial area their new restaurant’s home.  It is a bit of a drive, but worth the effort.

I made a point to make sure that I had enough time to have a meal while we were there doing the pick- up.  Brisket is always my standard of judging a new BBQ place because it is the hardest meat to smoke properly so that it is tender and juicy. They did not disappoint!

This was actually the first place that had asked me if I wanted fatty or lean brisket.  The favourite part of the brisket for me is the burnt ends. It is a beautiful heart attack on a bun! Slight smoky flavour, so tender and juicy.  Some very good BBQ!

Of course I hauled my husband along with me because he loves good BBQ as well and he has been lucky enough to taste competition grade along with me. Hubby doesn’t normally like Potato Salad.  I have no idea what Shirley does to her potato salad, but it is amazing and my husband loves it. Shirley is a little shy (especially compared to Kelly) but she is the creative force behind all of the salads and the sides.  It is all delicious. She makes one of my childhood favourites, Ambrosia Salad (Fluff Salad).

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After the amazing meal and the equally amazing smoked turkey that we enjoyed over the Christmas holiday, I had to find out more about these two lovely people.

RR First off; what is your Muse?

KK I have always liked cooking since I was 8 years old. I grew up on a farm. One night I looked in my mom’s cookbook and found a cake pudding recipe. So I made it, and it turned out exactly how it was supposed to. From that day on I liked cooking. Even though my mom insisted I became a chef, I went into the trades. I started enjoying the flavor of smoke at around the same time as my uncle was a commercial fisherman. He supplied us with smoked salmon all the time. So when I was about 17, I started cooking jerky and very much enjoyed it.

RR What inspired you to start a BBQ food truck?

KK I have always wanted a restaurant. A couple years ago I became unemployed, so I was doing body and paint on hotrods but it was barely paying the bills. Our kids were over one sunny sunday afternoon enjoying some ribs, and I had mentioned that I had to find a job as I was not making enough money. Our oldest daughter spoke up and said

“You should make and sell sausage because whenever I get some to take home, my friends go nuts over it and it’s gone in one sitting.”

So we looked into what we would need to do. The renovations required in our house were out of the question, so we decided to start a food truck with beef or pork on a bun. It just took off like crazy, so we have just been having fun with it.

RR Tell me about the other half of Smoke & Ash, Shirley

KK Shirley is a very compassionate loving person. She has a very strong love for everyone in her family. Her youngest daughter was born with congenital heart disease and she was a stay at home mom so she could love and care for her daughter Britany, who lived a short but awesome life. Britany passed away in  2013 at the age of 17. Shirley then faced the task of caring for both of her elderly parents who were in their 80’s whom both passed away in 2016 during the infant stages of Smoke & Ash. Her Mom passed in August, and her Father on Jan 3 2017. With all the children gone from home, she now channels her energies into Smoke & Ash making all the sides and the baking and of course keeping Kelly in line.

RR I hear that you have a new restaurant located out in the Acheson Industrial area.  What can a guest expect when they walk through your doors?

KK The first thing to expect when you walk through our doors, would be the awesome aroma of BBQ. You would also expect a warm, welcoming greeting from our staff. Depending on the time of day, you may hear people laughing and talking and having a great time in our family friendly environment.

RR What kind of hardwood do you use for smoking?

KK We generally keep to 2 different hardwoods  pecan for when we are smoking light meats like pork chicken or sausage.

Meats such as brisket, prime rib, or rib eye we use a blend of mesquite, oak, and hickory.

RR How long does it take to make a brisket?

KK The actual smoking of a brisket takes about 12 hours.  Normally, we rest it for another 12 hours or more, so I generally start the brisket by 8 am for the next day.

RR Where did you learn to BBQ?

KK I have always had a love for BBQ.  I was in my mid-teens when I first started. I have also loved entertaining on the patio. So many, many years of trial and error until I got to the point where I am now. I seem to be getting a handle on it!

RR What menu item would you say is unique to Smoke & Ash?

KK Originally, I would have to say the garlic fries. Since there so many other restaurants making them now, I think I would go with Potato salad. It may not be unique, but the level of flavor Shirley gets to go with it makes it unique.

RR What exciting things can we expect from Smoke & Ash in 2018?

KK We have just struck a deal with a big food supplier that promises to bring superior cuts of meat to our house at an affordable price. We will be able to put these meats on your plate at very reasonable savings. We have been talking about Prime Rib. Ribeye and Strip loin. If you have never tried BBQ Strip loin roast, you are missing out.

RR We are also planning, and you heard it here first, to continue our “all you can eat” buffet special on through February.

KK We are also working on becoming licensed so y’all can enjoy a beer or wine with your BBQ. We are working with Steam Whistle who, by the way,  have been very supportive so we have decided to carry only their beer on tap.

RR Where do you want Smoke & Ash to be in five years?

KK That’s a very interesting question, one which we ponder on quite a bit. We have thought of the possibilities of opening multiple locations, but are more apt to think that we will either be doing a small scale franchise, or just being humble and keeping it to one location. The problem is Kelly is a shaker and a mover and can’t seem to keep still!

Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the month of February, there is an “All You Can Eat” BBQ buffet for only $20!  This includes your beverage and unlimited sides. On Saturday, you can add a 6oz portion of smoked Prime Rib for an extra $5. They are open from 11am to 8pm on each of the buffet nights. The buffet special is eat in only.

They also have take-out specials if you don’t eat that much meat.  $10 for one meat and two sides or $15 for 3 meats and 2 sides. Follow them on Social Media to keep in the loop about the specials.

Smoke and Ash is a little slice of home.  Kelly and Shirley will take great care of you when you visit, you will not walk out of their restaurant hungry. Go and get yourself some meat sweats!

Website: http://www.bbqfood.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Smoke-Ash-174453822999337/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SmokeNAsh_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smokeandash_/ Yelp: https://www.yelp.ca/biz/smoke-and-ash-acheson

[yasr_visitor_multiset setid=0]

Smoke & Ash; My BBQ Obsession! For those of you that are not regular followers, BBQ is life.  I am a certified Kansas City BBQ Society Judge as well as a judge for the Canadian BBQ Society.  

[avanneman]

Ramesh Ponnuru, suffering a failure of nerve

I often visit the website of the National Review, to find out what “responsible conservatives” are thinking, one of the most responsible (usually) being Ramesh Ponnuru, though Ramesh, I’m sad to report, while once a fairly stout Never-Trumper, has been sliding slowly into the slough of hemi-demi-semi Never-Trumpism, where, like misery, he enjoys company.

NR is, in fact, a mix of fairly exuberant yay sayers and increasingly awkward nay sayers when it comes to Cap’n Two Scoops. Ramesh can be pretty harsh on Uncle Donald—writing at Bloomberg rather than NR, Ramesh reviewed the recent “immigration summit” meeting between Trump and congressional leaders, when Trump first said he would sign anything Congress passed—followed, of course, by vicious tweets and statements ridiculing Democratic leaders, not to mention immigrants—and concluded “It is not entirely clear why the meeting was held and televised; perhaps to prove that White House meetings don’t look like footage of the Gorilla Channel.”

Oh, snap! n'est-ce pas? That’s Ramesh for you, trying to give the old GOP elephant a boot, or at least a nudge, in the ass: “Wake up, kids! This guy’s a disaster!”

Well, it isn’t working. The GOP base is still coo-coo for Donald—that is to say, still the party of white nativism—which, for non-white conservatives like Ramesh, is a bit of a downer. They hate the Democrats too much to cross party lines, so they end up silent, feeling guilty and morally compromised. And, when you’re feeling guilty and morally compromised, the last thing you need is some self-righteous schmucks pointing out the fact that you are guilty and morally compromised, which is just what happened to Ramesh when a couple of left-wing smarty pants named Jonathan Rauch and Benjamin Wittes wrote a piece in the Atlantic calling for a boycott of the Republican Party on the grounds that it is, for all intents and purposes, completely loyal to Trump and nothing and no one else. Hey, guys, you shouldn’t say things just because they’re true, God damn it!

Well, this charge/observation is true, and I have made it myself many times, but in the old days, when the whole point of the English common law was to protect the big shots, there was a saying “The greater the truth, the greater the libel,” and poor old Ramesh is really feelin’ the sting. So, naturally, he goes on the attack: “If Rauch and Wittes believe what they say they believe, isn’t there a more straightforward argument they should be making? Shouldn’t they be arguing, that is, for the impeachment and removal of the president, and for voting Democratic as a way of enabling that specific result?”

Well, here’s the thing, Ramesh. We Democrats (or at least me Democrat), unlike you Republicans, believe that impeaching a president should not be a partisan activity. Yes, Donald Trump is entirely unique as the first president ever “elected” to be entirely without honor. But unless and until a large percentage—a very large percentage—of the Republican Party believes he should be removed from office, the impeachment process is destructive rather than constructive. The impeachment by the House, and ultimate conviction by the Senate, of Richard Nixon, forestalled by his resignation, was both constitutionally and politically valid; the partisan impeachment of Bill Clinton, on grounds that would never win approval in the full Senate, was not.1 We know that Trump is damaging America every day he stays in office; but attempting to remove him when the Republican base still worships him “as an unlimited governmental power that protects them against the other classes and sends them rain and sunshine from above” (Karl Marx, describing the French peasant’s attitude towards Napoleon III) would be an even greater disaster.

It’s time, Ramesh, to stop looking at others’ faults and to start looking at your own. It’s time to gird up your loins like a man and speak truth to white nativists, even if it means you’ll never have lunch in this town again. Stop pretending that “the Democrats are just as bad.” You know it isn’t true. No president, and few public figures, have ever been as remotely ignorant, vicious, and corrupt as Donald Trump. If you spend the next three years pretending you don’t know this to be true, you won’t have a mind, or a soul, when you’re finished.

After Clinton was impeached, Republican Senate Majority Leader Tent Lott began to work out an informal deal with Senate Democrats that would forego a formal trial, complete with Chief Rehnquist presiding, in favor of a preliminary vote that would effectively dismiss the charges. The Republican leadership in the House demanded a meeting with Senate Republicans and insisted that the trial go forward. Former US Appeals Court Judge Richard Posner, who hated Clinton for his insufficient devotion to Israel, was nonetheless stunned by the sight of the prosecutors demanding a secret meeting with the jury ahead to time to “fix things”. ↩︎

[johnchiarello]

Easter

EASTER

Acts 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Easter videos-

https://youtu.be/nTHPsPmhjgA

https://vimeo.com/263643319

 ON VIDEO [Verses from the Easter Mass and Church Unlimited]

.Story from a dead man

.The dreams

.Giving to the poor

.The angel had a message

.Peter sees a vision

.Apologetics https://ccoutreach87.com/atheism-apologetics-links-added/

.Review of Passover

.A quote from the movie- Dead Poets society- Carpe Diem

 Note- I talked about Easter- and Christmas- December 25th- I know Easter is not on December 25th- I was speaking about the ‘pagan’ backgrounds to these Christian holidays and wanted to say that God- thru Jesus [Logos- Word] is able to redeem all things- even the past ‘pagan holidays’ and change the remembrance of them to the Birth and Resurrection of Jesus- that was my point- http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/2009/april/was-easter-borrowed-from-pagan-holiday.html

  OTHER VIDEOS [These are the videos I post just about every night to my various sites]

 Silence- [4-6-18- under 1 minute videos- no talking]

Wind n water- see the Lexington museum https://youtu.be/2BRjtJwlDAs

Packery channel https://youtu.be/umQnfqGuFf8

JFK causeway https://youtu.be/QHKf_rd_hR4

Friends https://youtu.be/tOQ3TdEv5OM

 Some videos from my annual trips to New York City and New Jersey [North Bergen where I grew up- just across the Hudson river from Manhattan]

See the New York City skyline- from the Hometown where I grew up- North Bergen https://youtu.be/EmPKxPxIH4Y

Landing in Houston- heading to New York- new Jersey visit https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMgRaJljUk-oNXQg9O

Leaving Houston on plane https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMgRcItMaVafSduWok

 Don’t seek glory from men https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bhOxpgFwanBMud-5_uWDJTGlHBSwKBp5/view?usp=sharing

4-5-18 Update- Homeless- some bible teaching too- Jerome- Latin Vulgate- Septuagint- https://youtu.be/EGXKkhvuPS8

Andy- Crow and Jimmy D https://vimeo.com/263593742

Homeless friend teaches https://vimeo.com/263685841

Another one bites the dust https://drive.google.com/file/d/15r_SpcD6hsVpSxXXAemD3SXdhKHWUdRG/view?usp=sharing

  NEW

Today I taught on the verses from the Catholic lectionary for this Easter Sunday,

I also taught some about the Passover- and how Jesus fulfilled what the Passover stood for-

The passage from Corinthians-

1Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:

The Jewish feast of Passover was a reminder of God’s great deliverance- the Blood of the spotless lamb was put over the doors- and the death angel [the price for sin is death] passed ‘over’ those homes-

Exodus 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,

Exodus 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

Exodus 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:

Exodus 12:4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.

Exodus 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:

Exodus 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

Exodus 12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

Exodus 12:8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.

Exodus 12:9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.

Exodus 12:10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.

Exodus 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's passover.

Exodus 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.

Exodus 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Exodus 12:14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

Exodus 12:15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

Exodus 12:16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.

Exodus 12:17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.

Exodus 12:18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.

Exodus 12:19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.

Exodus 12:20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

Exodus 12:21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.

Exodus 12:22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.

Exodus 12:23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

For many hundreds of years the Jewish people celebrated this holiday- and this was the same week when Jesus- the Lamb of God himself would be crucified- thus fulfilling the symbol- he would be the last and only Lamb of God who died for the sins of the world- putting an end to the sacrificial system-

John 1:29 [Full Chapter]

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

 The passage from Acts-

Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

Acts 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Acts 10:36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

Acts 10:37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Acts 10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

Acts 10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

Acts 10:41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

Acts 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins

On the video I covered the entire chapter- and focused on Peter proclaiming the resurrected Christ

Acts 10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

It was the proclamation of Jesus being raised from the dead- the message of the Cross- that would bring redemption to mankind.

 There were 2 gospel passages that could be read from the Mass- I spoke on the passage from John’s gospel-

John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

John 20:2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the LORD out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

John 20:3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

John 20:4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

John 20:5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

John 20:6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

John 20:7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

John 20:8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

John 20:9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Here’s my past teaching on the chapter-

https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/2016/10/26/john-20/

 And the other passage from Mark 16 is covered here- https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/09/28/mark-16-2/

 I quoted the Colossians passage-

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

And it just so happens that this will be the next chapter I teach in our current Colossians study- Here’s the link to my study on Colossians 1-

https://ccoutreach87.com/2018/03/20/colossians-1/

  The Psalm from the Mass was Psalm 118-

Here are a few verses I ‘picked out’-

Psalm 118:5 I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.

Psalm 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

Psalm 118:23 This is the LORD's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

On this Easter Sunday- Jesus- the stone that was rejected- the Lamb of God- was raised from the dead.

 He is the Head of the Church- the ‘House with many mansions’ [Set in a large place]

He was the stone that was rejected of men- but chosen of God-

1 Peter 2:4

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

 This past Holy Week we meditated on the suffering of Jesus [Isaiah 53- also quoted on the video]

And it was thru his death for us- and his Resurrection- that we have salvation.

 He paid the price for the sins of men- and rose from the dead on the third day- in fulfillment of the scriptures.

From the words of the angel who also was there that day-

5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Matt. 28

 Amen- and Amen

 [I’ll post all the verses from the Mass as well as the others at the bottom of this post]

 These are the verses Pastor Bil spoke on at Church Unlimited-

Romans 6:11-12, Colossians 3:14, Romans 8:17

And Ephesians 1:20

I’ll paste the links of my past studies on these chapters below- in the PAST POSTS section. I’ll also add the full text of my past studies from some of the chapters from both the Mass as well as Church Unlimited.

 PAST POSTS [My past teaching that relates to this post- Easter]

 https://ccoutreach87.com/john-complete-links-added/

https://ccoutreach87.com/ephesians-links/

https://ccoutreach87.com/romans-updated-2015/

https://ccoutreach87.com/1st-2nd-corinthians/

https://ccoutreach87.com/mark-links/

https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/05/07/acts-10/

https://ccoutreach87.com/2018/04/05/colossians-2/

https://ccoutreach87.com/acts-links/ I talked about chapters 8- 10- 14 and 15 on today’s video- Easter]

https://ccoutreach87.com/2018/04/01/palm-sunday/

   955)1st CORINTHIANS 5:6-8 Okay, lets get back to Corinthians. ‘Your glorying is not good, get rid of the old leaven. Don’t you know that a little yeast can affect the whole lump? Get rid of it, you are all unleavened, Christ is our new Passover Lamb who has been sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth’ [my own paraphrasing]. A few things. I want you to see something here, over the years I have read and studied lots of great theologians. It is common for these brothers to go back to the reality of the early church fathers belief in the ‘Real Presence’ of Christ in the Eucharist [Lords supper]. It is also becoming less common [in theological circles!] to defend the symbolic view of the Lords Supper. I believe Paul is presenting the idea of all believers spiritually sitting at the ‘table of life’ on a daily basis and receiving from Christ’s new life in a spiritual/symbolic way. He clearly says ‘let us keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth’ [clearly symbolic!] Peter writes of the new sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. Jesus speaks in an interesting way about this in John chapter 6. The Jews ask him ‘show us a sign, Moses gave us bread to eat from heaven. If you’re from God then prove it like Moses’. I find it interesting that in the key chapter of Jesus being the bread that comes down from heaven, the conversation turns to Moses. The beginning of the chapter does say the Passover feast was getting close, but the imagery is Moses and Manna. Moses represented the Old system of law and works, John’s gospel tells us that ‘the law came from Moses, but grace and truth from Jesus’. Jesus contrasts himself with Moses. He says ‘I am the real bread that has come down from heaven, if men eat my flesh and drink my blood they will live’. Now we must understand the tremendous offence this statement caused. The Jewish people had Levitical laws [commands in their law] that forbid the drinking of any type of blood, never mind the blood of a person! But yet Jesus would speak this way to them. In the conversation the hearers acknowledge the difficulty of the saying, Jesus will say ‘the flesh profits nothing, it is the Spirit that gives you life. The words I am speaking to you are Spirit and life’. At the last supper [which was the symbolic end of the Passover and the beginning of a new celebratory meal centered on the final sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God] Jesus seems to be saying ‘from now on, as long as you do this, you are showing my death until I come again’ [we get this from Paul later on in Corinthians]. As you put all of this imagery together, you get the sense of the New Covenant being one of an ongoing continual New Covenant meal from which all believers daily eat from and ‘keep the feast with the new leaven of truth and sincerity, not the old leaven of sin and wickedness’. You clearly see a symbolic element in this language. Now, I do not discount the importance of the actual ordinance of the Lords Table. I recently defended the Catholic idea to an ex Catholic who is now Protestant. They said ‘how can people believe something so silly’ I had to say that many serious intellectual believers accept the Real Presence doctrine by faith in the literal reading of Jesus words. Luther himself believed it, he made no bones about it when he slammed his fist on the table in his dispute with Zwingli and said ‘this IS MY BODY!’ [I think he slammed his fist, he might have carved it in the table?] Standing for the literal interpretation of the sacrament. John Wesley, the founder of the great Methodist movement, wrote many hymns speaking of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. So make no mistake about it, many good believers hold to the literal belief. I just wanted you to see that it is also in keeping with the scripture to see the entire Christian walk as one huge ongoing ‘feast’ that is kept with spiritual sacrifices and symbolic language. Jesus is the bead that came down from heaven, those who would stay with ‘Moses bread’ [law] would die, those who would eat from this new table would live forever.

 (957)1ST CORINTHIANS 5:9-13 Now Paul clarifies what he meant when he said ‘don’t associate with those who sin sexually’. He wants to be clear that his instructions on ‘not being with sinners’ is not misunderstood. After all we are called salt and light, Jesus himself was accused of spending too much time with the lost. So Paul says ‘what I meant was don’t keep ongoing fellowship with a brother who is practicing unrepentant sin’. He also says ‘if you thought I meant all sinners in general, then heck you wouldn’t be able to live in society this way’. Some believers have taken a stand on ‘separation from the world’ in such a way that they have no unbelieving friends. Others seem to view the unbeliever as the enemy. Sort of like we are in this culture war and the enemy is YOU! I can’t even watch the O’Reilly factor [Fox news] too long, he says he’s fighting this culture war and then in the ads for upcoming shows he shows the raciest pictures on any news show. What’s up with that? I feel we need to make the distinction between separating from a sinning brother [for his own good] and having friendships with unbelievers. People you can influence down the road. Paul also says if we judge our own [by shunning them for their own good] that this is a type of ‘present chastening’ that believers do experience. But those who are ‘outside the camp’ [unbelievers] are left to be judged by God. We see this same theme in chapter 11 ‘when we are judged we are disciplined by the Lord so we will not be condemned with the world’ [at the final judgment]. I believe that this idea is one of the best arguments for eternal security [once saved, always saved. Though I don’t like this language, you get the hint]. The concept of believers being presently dealt with for sin, even to the possible point of physical death, seems to indicate that they will not face a future judgment like the lost [eternal damnation]. When we recently did one of our Old Testament studies, I overlooked a verse that said to King David ‘I will raise up one of your sons [Solomon/Jesus- dual Messianic prophecy] and he will build this new temple/people. The way I will deal with the people under this new covenant is, if they commit sins, I will chasten them, but I will not utterly take my mercy from them’ [my paraphrasing- it is said to the actual son, Solomon/Jesus, but in the New Covenant revelation of the church actually being part of the Body of Christ, this is how you could apply it]. You can also read this idea in a few other places. I think Jeremiah uses it ‘I will give them a new heart and I will put my Spirit in them’ and he also speaks about not being totally rejected if they commit sin under this new covenant. So the point is, if there is a mechanism under this new covenant whereby sin is dealt with in the present time, and if this is compared to the other choice which is ‘judgment at a later time’. This would seem to indicate a type of ‘in house discipline’ that says ‘if you openly sin now, God will judge you now. He does this for your own good, so you won’t face the judgment of the unbeliever at the end’. So the fact that some were sinning, even pretty badly! Did not mean that they were expelled completely from the benefits of the covenant. As a matter of fact, temporal excommunication itself was one of the benefits! I don’t want to be too dogmatic on this, I just want you to see a repeated theme in scripture that says God will deal with his kids in the here and now [no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous- Hebrews] but this in itself is a blessing that is designed to ‘produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby’ Hebrews.

 (958)1ST CORINTHIANS 6: 1-7 Paul rebukes them for taking each other to court. He tells them ‘don’t you have any wise people among you who could handle this? Why go before unbelievers!’ he also tells them ‘plus, why even fight for your rights, if you think you have been wronged in some way by your brother, then simply see it as part of the cost of carrying your cross’. Paul contradicts the prevalent mindset in much of Christianity today. He doesn’t teach ‘get what’s yours, know your rights!’ he teaches the ethos of self denial, of living with the expectation of giving up your rights and dreams. Of taking loss, if it glorifies the Father. Now we get into some ‘stuff’. Paul appeals to them by saying ‘don’t you realize that we shall judge angels some day, we shall judge the world’. A few years back there was a debate going on in theological circles. Some theologians popularized a new way to look at God’s sovereignty. This new system was called ‘Open Theism’. Scholars like Clark Pinnock and others held out the possibility that God doesn’t foreordain all future events, they actually went further and said ‘he doesn’t know all future events’. Well of course this sparked off a firestorm among the Calvinists. Does scripture teach that God is sovereign and does know all that will happen? To be honest about it, yes. But the idea of open theism was saying ‘because God has chosen to give man free will, he, by his own design, has chosen to limit his knowledge in the area of knowing all of mans future choices’. In essence that God purposely ‘does not know’ the future outcomes of decisions that have not been made by humans. If free will is real [of course the Calvinists say no] then God must limit himself to knowledge in these areas. I personally do not believe this, but I think I needed to share it to explain this section of scripture. Paul does tell them they will judge the world and angels. In second Peter 2, the apostle says the fallen angels are being held for a future day of judgment. In Matthew [19-?] Jesus says those who follow him will play a part in a future ruling over human government. These scriptures do indicate that believers will play a role in future judgment scenarios. So if we ‘judge angels and the world’ we should be able to arbitrate between ourselves! Now, in the world of theology you have sincere questions on ‘is it fair for God to judge people who have never heard the gospel’ or ‘if God is truly sovereign in all things, even in predestinating certain people to salvation, then this is unfair’. Many have turned to universalism, or a belief in ‘no hell’ in order to quell these questions. I want to simply float a scenario to you. Jesus says ‘whosoever sins you remit [forgive] they are forgiven. Those you retain [not forgive] will be retained’ while there are differing views on these verses, I want you to see how these scriptures, in keeping with all that I just showed you, might leave us room for another possible way out of all the so called questions on Gods ‘fairness’. Say if at the judgment, we are all gathered [Calvinists, Arminians, Catholics,…] and say if we are all waiting to see who’s right ‘I’ll show that Arminian…I’ll show that Catholic…’ and we are at the day where the future destinies of millions are at stake. What will God do? It’s possible that much of the final decision will rest in the hands of the church. I know it sounds heretical, but keep in mind all the verses I just quoted to you. Say if all of our pompous pontificating [wow!] amongst varying theories of the atonement and universalism and all the other stuff. Say if Jesus turns to us and says ‘You are now going to make the most important judgment of your lives, you shall judge the world and angels’ and all of a sudden all of our scrutiny of God’s fairness turns on us. We see in the crowd of masses, faces of people who we hate. People who have been demonized by history [Darwin, Hitler]. Those we always wondered about [eastern religions] and now much of their final destiny rides on us. Even the possibility of fallen angels being forgiven! [Hey, maybe Origen was right?] The whole point of this scenario is to simply say we might have been asking the wrong questions all along. Now for sure, no one gets in without Jesus and his blood! But there are also a few other verses [Peter] that seem to indicate a second hearing [or first!] of the gospel before the final day. The point being how willing are you to really carry out something like this? Are you really ready for the great responsibility of having someone’s destiny depend on how forgiving you are? I really don’t believe 100 % in this scenario I just floated. But Jesus does put us in positions of responsibility all thru out our lives. He does say ‘whoever’s sins we don’t forgive, these sins will be held against them by your own choice’ we keep people in ‘chains of bondage’ today! Never mind the future. God has committed to us great responsibility as believers, if we are still fighting each other over insignificant things [taking our brothers to court, if you will] then we are truly not ready to ‘Judge the world’.

 (959)1ST CORINTHIANS 6: 8-20 Paul paints a ‘canvas’ of those who will not inherit the Kingdom. The list not only includes the big ones, but also the ‘average Joe’. Homosexuals, covetous, straight people who commit sexual sin; just the whole gambit. I do want to stress that Paul is not politically correct, he does categorize homosexuality as sin. He is not simply saying ‘non monogamous homosexuality’ but all types. I know there is an honest effort being made to try as much as possible to be more inclusive of other people’s views and lifestyles. I am for this approach as much as possible, but we also need to be honest about sin, all sin. Now covetous is that strong desire to amass wealth, it is the daily longing and confessing and believing for more material abundance. Yes folks, it’s what many of us have been duped into thru wrong teaching. I had a homeless friend who used to tell me how his dad, who was retired, used to wake up every day and simply consume his day with the stock market and how his retirement was going, he didn’t realize that he made the funding of his retirement [an okay goal] the main thought pattern of his life. I also just saw a story similar to this on some business channel. We need to be ‘ware’ of covetousness. Now Paul makes special mention of the destructive nature of sexual sin, he says ‘it destroys you’. I have been reading Proverbs the last month or so and there are many warnings about sexual sin. It says ‘he that does this destroys his own soul’. A few years back I watched [or read?] a local story of a professor who came down with a disease called Dementia. As they shared his story they described the progressive nature of him slowly losing his mind, and how his family eventually brought him back home [he was not married, his parents took him in] as they shared the sad story, they kinda  tactfully said ‘one of the possible signs of this disease is obsessive compulsive sexual behavior’. They basically were saying part of this mans history included obsessive sexual sin. I wonder if the dementia in some way is a result of the behavior, as opposed to a symptom. There was also a study done years ago that showed the difference in the brain scans of Homosexuals and Heterosexuals, they seemed to have found some real physical brain distinctions. But once again, is it possible that sexually engaging in certain sinful behaviors is actually ‘destroying the soul’, or causing a change in the brain? Paul singled out this sin [not just Homosexual behavior, but all sexual sin!] as causing actual damage to a person’s physical make up in a way that was more damaging than other sins. I think we all need to heed his warning. [note- sexual sin is a common struggle in life. Many believers do struggle and have fallen into this sin. Paul actually is addressing these sins because of the prevalence of the problem. I don’t want to condemn any one who reads this site and struggles this way, Paul is offering hope and forgiveness thru out this letter. He seems to be extra harsh with the Corinthians  because of their lax attitude towards this sin].

 · ROMANS 6: 1-11 ‘shall we continue to sin, so grace may abound? God forbid! How shall we, who are dead to sin, live any longer therein?’ Now begins the ‘actual part’ the result, if you will, of being ‘made righteous by faith’. One of the main accusations against Paul, by the Jewish believers, was that he taught ‘sin a lot, because you are no longer under the law’. Paul spends time defending himself against this accusation thru out the New Testament. Here Paul teaches that the believer has been joined unto Christ [baptized, immersed into him] and this ‘joining’ identifies him with Christ’s death. So how can ‘we, who are dead to sin, live any longer in sin’? Paul’s argument for righteous living comes from the fact that we have died with Christ unto sin. ‘We have died with him, and we have also been raised with him to new life’. In Ephesians chapter 2, Paul says we who were dead in sins have been made alive in Christ. Now, we live a new life, free from sin [practically speaking- not absolute sinless-ness!] because we are identified with Jesus in his new life, we are ‘alive with and in him’. ‘Since we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection’! Jesus died once, and now he lives forever unto God ‘likewise count yourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God thru Jesus Christ our Lord’. Paul’s basis for the transformed life is Grace and being ‘in him’. Paul does not appeal to the law to try and effect holiness in the believer, he appeals to Christ ‘in him you have died to legalistic practices, trying to earn salvation and acceptance; and now because of this new position [placement] you too have died to the old man [lifestyle] and are alive unto God’. Paul obviously did not teach ‘sin hardily’ to the contrary he taught ‘live unto God’.

 (834)Romans 6:12-23    ‘Let not sin therefore rule in your mortal body’ if we have died with Jesus, we are ‘dead with him to sin’. If we are risen with Jesus ‘we are alive unto God thru him’ for this reason don’t sin! Paul makes sure his readers understand him, he in no way was teaching a sinful gospel. He encourages the believers to renew their minds to this truth. ‘For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace’ Paul clearly saw the dangers of legalism [living under strict ‘do this, don’t do this’ guidelines] he saw that the law actually quickens the fleshly nature and brings to the surface mans sin. Now, because we are under grace, does this mean we get to keep on sinning? ‘God forbid!’ Paul launches into the explanation of sin and bondage. Remember, sin was in the world before the law. Men were dying ever since Adam sinned. So for Paul, this means even though we are not under the restraints of law, yet the reality of sin, bondage and punishment still exist. Paul says ‘if you yield to sin and allow it to rule you, you will become its slave’. There will be a penalty and price to pay ‘the wages of sin is death’. But because you are identified with Jesus ‘sin shall not have dominion over you… you have been made free from sin’. Paul teaches the victorious Christian life. He does not deny the struggle [next chapter!] but he shows the reality of redemption. He obviously never taught the concept of ‘sin more, so grace can abound’. He understood the dangers of preaching ‘we are not under the law’ but he also understood the reality of ‘being under grace’ he figured it was worth the risk of being misunderstood if he could truly imbed the gospel into the believing community.

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Romans 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Romans 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

Romans 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

Romans 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Romans 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

Romans 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

  (835)ROMANS 7:1-4 Paul uses the analogy of a married woman ‘don’t you know that the law has dominion over a person as long as he is alive’? If a married woman leaves her husband and marries another man she is guilty of breaking the law of adultery. Now, if her husband dies, she is free to marry another man. The act that freed her from sin and guilt was death! Every thing else in the scenario stayed the same. She still married another, she still consummated the new marriage. But because her first husband died, she has no guilt. I always loved this analogy. For years I wondered why these themes in scripture are for the most part not ‘imbedded’ in the collective psyche of the people of God. We have spent so much time ‘proof texting’ the verses on success and wealth, that we have overlooked the really good stuff! Now Paul teaches that we have been made free from the law by the ‘death of our husband’ [Jesus] so we can ‘re-marry’. Who do we marry? Christ! He has not only died to free us from the law, he also rose from the dead to become our ‘husband’ [we are called the bride of Christ]. Paul connects the death and resurrection of Jesus in this analogy. Both are needed for the true gospel to be preached [1st Corinthians 15]. Notice how in this passage Paul emphasizes ‘the death of Christ’s body’. The New Testament doesn’t always make this distinction, but here it does. In the early centuries of Christianity you had various debates over the nature and ‘substance’ of God and Christ. The church hammered out various decrees and creeds that would become the Orthodoxy of the day. Many of these are what you would call the ‘Ecumenical councils’. These are the early councils [many centuries!] that both the eastern [Orthodox church] and western [Catholic] churches would all accept. Some feel that the early church fathers and Latin theologians [Tertullian, Augustine and others] had too much prior influence from philosophy and the ‘forensic’ thinking of their time. They had a tendency to describe things in highly technical ways. Ways that were prominent in the legal and philosophical thinking of the West. Some of the eastern thinkers [Origen] had more of a Greek ‘flavor’ to their theologizing [Alexandria, named after Alexander the great, was a city of philosophy many years prior to Christ. This city was at one time the center of thinking in the East. That’s why Paul would face the thinkers at Athens, they had a history in the east of Greek philosophy]. Well any way the result was highly technical debates over the nature of God and Christ. The historic church would finally decree that Christ had 2 natures, Human and Divine. And that at the Cross the ‘humanity of Jesus’ died, but his ‘Deity’ did not. I think Paul agreed by saying ‘we are free from the law by the death of Christ’s Body’ here Paul distinguishes between the physical death of Jesus and his Deity. Note- actually, Augustine would be in the same school as Origen. Alexandrian.

  (836)ROMANS 7: 5-13 ‘But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of the Spirit, not in the oldness of the letter’. This is such a powerful statement! WE ARE DELIVERED FROM THE LAW, surely Paul must mean ‘the fleshly law [carnal nature] in our members’? No, he means ‘the law’, the actual moral code that was contained in the Ten Commandments. He writes to the Colossians ‘Jesus took the handwriting of ordinances that were against us [the real law, not the sinful nature!] and nailed it to his Cross’. He tells the Ephesians ‘the middle wall of partition [law] has come down in Christ’. I know it’s easy to develop ideas that justify this radical grace concept in our minds, it’s just part of mans nature to want to be able to do something, contribute some way to our salvation. ‘Surely the law helps me stay in line’? No it doesn’t! You are ‘dead to the law by the Body of Christ’. We now live and are regulated by the ‘Spirit of life in Christ Jesus’. It is the fact that we have been raised to life in Christ that frees us, not the law. Paul goes on and explains that there was a time when ‘he was alive without the law’ but when the commandment came ‘sin revived, and I died’. Paul was a strict Pharisee, the further he advanced in law, the more he found himself to be ‘exceeding sinful’. The more he learned, the worse he got! It’s sort of a catch 22, you see and hear the ‘do not do this’ portions of law, and it stirs up the sinful nature to ‘do it’. Now Paul recaps an earlier theme of the law serving the function of revealing sin to man. He defends the law by saying ‘was that which is good [law] death unto me’? No, but the law simply ‘awakened’ the sin that was always there, hiding under the covers. It brought to a head the ‘disease’. The law revealed the underlying problem of sin, and made it ‘exceeding sinful’. The law is good, we are bad! [apart from Christ and the Spirit of life].

 (837)ROMANS 7:14-25 Paul now shows us the reality of Gods law and its effect on man. ‘When I do something that I DON’T WANT TO DO, then I consent unto the law that it is good’. Did you ever think of this? The fact that you [or even the atheist!] have done things that ‘you don’t want to do’ proves the existence of God and natural law [which the 10 commandments were only a glimpse, they reveal a small part of Gods character and nature]. So if you, or anybody else, have ever struggled with ‘I am doing something that I hate’. Then why do it? Or better, why hate it? You yourself are an actual living testimony of ‘the law of God’. Your own conscience testifies that there are  ‘good things’ and ‘bad things’. You also testify of the fact of sin ‘why do you keep doing the bad things’? Alas, that thing called ‘sin’ does exist! Paul shows us that the experience of every human member on the planet testifies to both the righteousness of God and the sinfulness of man. Freud [the father of modern Psychology] saw this war rage in the psyche of man, he came up with an idea that we need to ‘free man’ from this inner moral struggle. He espoused the idea that in mans ‘head’ he has this preconceived image of ‘God’ and right or wrong. Being Freud was a child of the Enlightenment, as well as a student of Existentialism [though the Father of Existentialism was a Christian, the Danish theologian/ philosopher Soren Kierkegaard] he taught that if we could just eliminate this ‘God idea’ and ‘church moral code’ from mans mind, then all would be well! Geez, I could hardly think of a more destructive thing than to tell man ‘if it feels right, do it’! Paul taught ‘if you can’t stop doing something that ‘feels right’ then you are sinning!’[if that which ‘feels right’ is making you miserable!] And the very fact that you can’t escape the guilt, proves that God exists and that his law is this unstoppable force that invades all human consciences. Paul knew the struggle, he testifies thru out scripture that he tried to become right with God over and over again, but the ‘law of sin’ [the sinful nature. Here ‘law’ is speaking of the ‘principle of sin’ and the fleshly nature] prevented him from keeping the ‘law of God’ [doing what’s right], he then found the ‘righteousness of God that comes thru faith in Christ’. Paul ends the chapter ‘O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death’? ‘I thank God thru Jesus Christ my Lord’. Paul found the answer, his name was Jesus.

Romans 7:1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

Romans 7:2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

Romans 7:3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

Romans 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Romans 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

Romans 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Romans 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

Romans 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Romans 7:10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

Romans 7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

Romans 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Romans 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Romans 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

Romans 7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

Romans 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Romans 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Romans 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Romans 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

Romans 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Romans 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

ROMANS 8-10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDqIktzp8Xc

https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/2-24-15-romans-8-10.zip

 VIDEO- [I cover stuff on the videos that are not in the post- here are a few]

.Council of Trent- what did the Church say?

.Do we get the final say- at the Judgment?

.What are the Catholic virtues- did Paul teach them?

.Augustine, Calvin, Whitfield and Wesley.

.Infusion or Imputation? How bout both!

At the bottom I added some quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic church- to show that the official teaching of the church DOES NOT TEACH SALVATION BY THE LAW- BUT BY CHRIST.

 . REMINDER- This is a commentary I wrote years ago- the videos are new.

.CHAPTER 8- FEW POINTS;

· Did God choose us to believe- or did we choose him?

· When Paul says ‘he makes our bodies alive’ is he only speaking about resurrection?

· Does God use difficulty- or is it to be rebuked?

· Was Paul a ‘hyper- Calvinist’?

(839)ROMAN 8:1-4 ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh [sinful nature] but after the Spirit [new nature]’. Now, having proved the reality of sin and guilt [chapter 7] Paul teaches that those who ‘are in Christ’ are free from condemnation. Why? Because they ‘walk according to the Spirit’ the ‘righteousness of the law is being fulfilled in them’. Having no condemnation isn’t simply a ‘legal function’ of declared righteousness, and Paul didn’t teach it that way! Paul is saying ‘all those who have believed in Jesus and have been legally justified [earlier arguments in chapters 3-4] are now walking [actually acting out] this new nature. Therefore [because you no longer walk according to the flesh] there is no condemnation’! This argument helps bridge the gap between Catholic and Protestant theology, part of the reason for the ongoing schism is over this understanding. After the Reformation the Catholic Church had a Counter Reformation council, the council of Trent. They dealt with a lot of the abuses of the Catholic Church, things that many Catholic leaders were complaining about before the Reformation. They did deal with some issues and reformed somewhat. To the dismay of the more ‘reform minded’ Catholics [with Protestant leanings] they still came down strong on most pre reform doctrines. This made it next to impossible for the schism to be healed. But one area of disagreement was over ‘legal’ versus ‘actual/experiential’ justification. The Catholic position was ‘God can’t declare/say a person is justified until they actually are’ [experientially]. The Protestant side [Luther] said ‘God does justify [legal declaration] a person by faith alone’. Like I taught before, both of these are true. The Catholic view of ‘justification’ is looking ahead towards a future reality [The same way James speaks of justification in a future sense- He uses the example from Genesis 22, when Abraham does a righteous act] while the Protestant view is focusing on the initial legal act of justification [Genesis 15]. Here Paul agrees with both views, he says ‘those who walk after the Spirit [actually living the changed life] have no condemnation’.

 (840)ROMANS 8:5-13 Paul will teach the impossibility of the ‘carnal minds’ ability to submit to Gods law. Those who are ‘in the flesh’ [the unregenerate nature- not simply ‘in the body’. We will get into these distinctions in a minute] can’t submit to God. Society spends so much time and effort trying to get the ‘lost man’ to do what’s right. The prohibition movement [outlawing liquor], the increase in the severity of punishment for crimes dealing with drugs. Making the child kidnappers crime punishable by death. While all these laws are necessary and good [though some debate the wisdom of the kidnapper one, they think the kidnapper might just go ahead and kill the victim if the same punishment applies to both crimes] they have little effect on getting ‘the carnal man to submit’. Paul also says ‘if the Spirit of him who raised up Christ from the dead dwells in you, then he that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken [make alive] your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you’. Let’s do a little teaching here. Most commentators see this as speaking of the promise of the resurrection ‘your mortal bodies’. I see this more in line with the context of chapter 7. The discussion of ‘mortal bodies’ [your actual body, the flesh- which is different than ‘the fleshly nature’ which refers to the sinful nature] speaks of your actual life now ‘let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies’. Also in verse 13 of this chapter the same theme is seen ‘if ye thru the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live’. I believe Paul is primarily saying ‘if you are in the Spirit [born of God] the Spirit of life will make alive your physical life in such a way that you will glorify God in your body and spirit, which are Gods’ [Corinthians]. Chapter 12 says your bodies are living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God. Now later on in this chapter [8] we do see the resurrection, which is called ‘the redemption of the body’ [verse 23] so these two concepts work together. The fact that the believer is ‘training his mortal body’ for God [thru obedience] is sort of a precursor to the resurrection! Now, some believers confuse the resurrection of the body and the work of regeneration in ‘making you alive’ [Ephesians 2]. The work of regeneration brings your dead spirit back to life [born again] when you believe [which is a Divine imputation of faith at the moment of conversion, a sovereign act]. This ‘coming alive’ is purely spiritual. This qualifies you for the future physical resurrection of the body [Ephesians calls this the ‘down payment’, the ‘earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession’. The word ‘earnest’ here is used in the same way as ‘earnest money’ in a real estate transaction. The fact that we have been ‘sealed’ with the Holy Spirit is our ‘guarantee of future bodily resurrection’]. Bishop N.T. Wright, the bishop of Durham [the church of England- Durham is the 3rd most influential post in the Church of England. Canterbury is at the top] has recently written on the truths of the resurrection of the body. He is an excellent scholar, way way above my league. He has been instrumental in ‘re introducing’ the reality of Christ’s resurrection as well as our future resurrection as a very real Christian belief [and historic truth as well]. I have read some of Wrights stuff and am a little surprised at some of the ideas on ‘soul sleep’ and the immortality of the soul. Bishop Wright seems to side with some of the ideas that certain restorationist groups [7th day Adventists] espouse, that the Catholic Church kind of corrupted the ideas of heaven and the soul by being overly influenced by Greek thought. While it is possible for Bishop Wright to have come to his understanding entirely thru scripture and history, yet I felt it a little strange to see him make these arguments. For the most part I like brother Wright and totally agree with his stance on the future ‘new heavens and new earth’ as the final place of rest [as opposed to dying and going to heaven now, which is a temporary place] but there is the biblical reality of a present ‘heaven’ and this doesn’t only come from Greek thought. I have often used the Christian doctrine of the new heavens and new earth while speaking with the Jehovah’s witnesses, I always agree on the reality of a future kingdom on earth. I simply steer the conversation back to ‘who qualifies for it’ and get straight to the gospel. Well anyway we have a promise of a future resurrection, and also a ‘quickening of the body now’ [God actually using our physical life to glorify him]. These are both great truths!

 (841)ROMANS 8: 14-18 ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God’. Many of us are familiar with this verse [I hope!]. We often see it as saying ‘Gods direction in our lives is proof that we are Christians’ true enough. But in context ‘being led by Gods Spirit’ means living the new life thru Christ. The putting to death of the old man and being ‘made alive’ thru Christ is what this is saying. Paul agrees with John [1st John] ‘those that do what is right [led by the Spirit] are of God’. Paul says ‘we have received the Spirit and a natural result of this is crying “Abba, Father”. I don’t want to do too much here, but Paul sees the ‘confession’ and heart cry of the believer as proof, a result of being ‘a habitation of the Spirit’. A sign, if you will, of being born of God is confessing/ praying to the Father. Paul quoted David in chapter 4 ‘for this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found’ [Psalms 32- actually Paul quotes a different section from the Psalm, but this theme is consistent with Paul’s view]. Paul knew the reality of ‘the godly calling upon God’ they have an inner cry of ‘Abba, father’. ‘We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ’. For many years this has been a popular verse among many believers, often times it is used to say ‘God owns the cattle on a thousand hills’ [which he does] therefore if we are heirs ‘give me some cattle’! [stuff]. Here Paul uses this term in speaking of our identification with Christ’s sufferings. ‘If we suffer with him, we too shall share [joint heir!] in his glory’ [future glorification at the resurrection- we shall see him and be changed in a moment, at the twinkling of an eye. This mortal shall put on immortality]. It’s a symptom of modern American Christianity to view all these scriptures thru a materialistic lens, Paul held to the promise of a future reward [at the resurrection] that enabled him to go thru great difficulty and suffering in this present life. He counted the suffering as a privilege that he shared with Christ.

 (843)ROMANS 8: 19-25 ‘the sufferings of this present time [are you ‘presently’ suffering?] are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us’. Paul compares the difficulty to the reward. The reward here is the future resurrection. Paul did not see suffering as ‘from the devil’ or the reward as something material [monetary stuff! The resurrection body will be ‘material’ – real]. Paul teaches that the whole creation is waiting for this day. Not only will we get a ‘makeover’ but there will be a new heaven and a new earth! The creation itself longs for this [almost as much as Al Gore!] This resurrection is called ‘the redemption of our body’. The next verse says ‘we are saved by hope’. John also says [1st John] that the future reality of the resurrection ‘causes us to be pure in this life’ [every one that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure]. Why? Because we know God has a purpose for our bodies as well as our spirits! The ‘getting saved by hope’ simply means the future hope of the resurrection ‘encourages’ us to live clean now. Once again ‘saved’ is a neutral term. In can apply to all sorts of things. I always found it funny how when you read certain commentaries, that you see the difficulty Christians have when coming across these types of verses. There’s a verse that says ‘the woman will be saved thru childbearing’ geez, you wouldn’t believe the difficulty some writers have when they come across this stuff. Some teach ‘she will be ‘saved’ thru the birth of a child [Jesus]’ and all sorts of stuff. I think if we simply changed the word ‘saved’ for ‘delivered’ [which are basically the same thing] that maybe this would help. But thank God that we have a future resurrection to look forward to, let this truth ‘deliver’ you from the temptation to think ‘what’s all this suffering worth, why even go thru it?’ Because we have a great promise at the other end!

 (845)ROMANS 8:26-28 ‘Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities’ why does Paul say ‘likewise’? He is saying ‘not only does the future hope of the resurrection sustain us, but also Gods Spirit helps us’! He knows how to make intercession for us in ways that we cannot. I just finished an hour prayer time, not an ‘official’ intercession time [which I do a few times a week now]. But an ‘unofficial’ time where I try and hear what the Spirit is speaking. When you are ‘praying in the Spirit’ [which can include the charismatic expression of tongues] you are depending upon the Spirit to transcend your limited ability to articulate what needs to be said. ‘All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are ‘the called’ according to his purpose’. A very famous verse indeed. What does it mean? It means what it says! Over the years I have heard so many excuses for trying to get around difficult things. Why do the righteous suffer? Some taught it was because of their ignorance of scripture. Why did the things that happened to Job happen? Some said it was because he ‘feared’ that the things would happen [this group seems to miss the whole underlying reason for the book. Job’s friends are continually looking for a reason thru out the book. The point is, sometimes there is no reasonable explanation. I realize you can pick apart certain statements from Job and come up with ‘reasons’, but the meaning of the book is God is sovereign and we shouldn’t always think we can figure him out or ‘work the system’]. Here Paul says ‘whatever is happening to you right now [even very bad stuff!] will eventually work out for you benefit’. What about Hitler? Did he love God? I don’t believe so. This scripture says ‘to them that love God’. Your only responsibility thru the difficulty is to ‘love God’.

 (846)ROMANS 8:29-30 ‘for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed into the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: whom he justified, them he also glorified’. Let’s talk a little. When I first became a Christian I began a lifelong study of scripture, where I continually read a certain amount of scripture every day for many years. Over the years I have varied on how fast I should read [that is how many chapters per day and so forth]. But during the early stages I always took these verses to teach predestination in the classical sense. Simply put, that God ‘pre chose’ me [and all whom come to him] before we ‘chose him’. The Fundamental Baptist church I began to attend [a great church with great people!] taught that ‘classic Calvinism’ [predestination] was false doctrine, and they labeled it ‘Hyper Calvinism’. I simply accepted this as fact. But I never forgot the early understanding that I first gleaned thru my own study. I also was very limited in my other readings outside of the scripture. I did study the Great awakenings and Charles Finney. I read some biographies on John Wesley and other great men of God. These men were not Calvinistic in their doctrine [which is fine], as a matter of fact Wesley would eventually disassociate from George Whitefield over this issue. Whitefield was a staunch Calvinist! Over time I came to believe the doctrine again, simply as I focused on the scriptures that teach it. Eventually I picked up some books on church history and realized that Calvinism was [and is] a mainstream belief among many great believers. I personally believe that most of the great theologians in history have accepted this doctrine. Now, for those who reject it, they honestly struggle with these portions of scripture. Just like there are portions of scripture that Calvinists struggle with. To deny this is to be less than honest. The Arminians [Those who deny classic predestination- the term comes from Jacob Arminias, a Calvinist who was writing and studying on the ‘errors’ of ‘arminianism’ and came to embrace the doctrine of free will/choice] usually approach the verses that say ‘he predestined us’ by teaching that Gods predestination speaks only of his foreknowledge of those who would choose him. This is an honest effort to come to terms with the doctrine. To be ‘more honest’ I think this doesn’t adequately deal with the issue. In the above text, as well as many other places in scripture, the idea of ‘Gods foreknowledge and pre choosing’ speak specifically about Gods choice to save us, as opposed to him simply knowing that we would ‘choose right’. The texts that teach predestination teach it in this context. Now the passage above does say ‘those whom he foreknew, he also did predestinate to be conformed into the image of Christ’ here this passage actually does say ‘God predestinated us to be like his Son’. If you left the ‘foreknowledge’ part out, you could read this passage in an Arminian way. But we do have the ‘foreknowledge’ part. So I believe Paul is saying ‘God chose us before we were born, he ‘knew’ ahead of time that he would bring us into his Kingdom. Those whom he foreknew he also predestinated to become like his Son.’ Why? So his Son would be the firstborn among many. God wanted a whole new race of ‘children of God’. Those he predestinated he ‘called’. He drew them to himself. Jesus said ‘all that the Father give to me will come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no way cast out’. Those who ‘come’ are justified, those who are justified are [present tense] glorified. Gods design and sovereignty speak of it as a ‘finished task’ like it already happened. God lives outside of the dimension of time. I believe in the doctrine of predestination. Many others do as well. You don’t have to believe it if you don’t want to, but I believe scripture teaches it.

 (847)ROMANS 8: 31-39 ‘What shall we say then to these things? [what things? The fact that God predestined us and has guaranteed completion of the purpose he has designed us for!] If God be for us, who can be against us?’ Paul teaches that Christ is the only one with the ‘right’ or authority to pass judgment. If the only person in existence who can ‘officially’ condemn and pass legal judgment has actually died for us for the purpose of ‘freeing us from a state of condemnation’, then who ‘gives a rip’ about others opinions and views of us? Most of us struggle with how others view us. Paul did teach that Elders should have good character and a fine reputation in the community. But there is another type of ‘persona’ that preachers can fall into. A sort of ‘concern’ about what the critics are saying. In this context Paul says ‘If the opinion of the only person in existence whose opinion really matters, is one of “I accept you unconditionally, I declare you free from what others think, you are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Ever since I have known you, you have been pleasing in my sight” [all true scriptures by the way] Then who cares what others think! Paul also teaches that nothing can separate us from Christ’s love ‘not tribulation or distress or famine or persecution’ IN all these things we are more than conquerors thru him who loved us. Most times we view this passage from a ‘Calvinistic’ lens. I want you to see the impact of this statement thru a different lens. In the American church we have taught people ‘would a good father not pay the bills of his kids? Would a good father allow his kids to suffer? If you were really partaking of the New Covenant you would have it made’. While I do realize that many well meaning ministers have taught these viewpoints with honest and sincere hearts, I also have seen how this mindset accuses the saints. It basically tells the struggling believer ‘what kind of father do you have? If he really loved you would you be going thru these things’? In essence we are saying ‘tribulation and distress and persecution’ are all signs that ‘you have been separated from Gods love’! Paul blows this false [materialistic] mindset out of the water. He says it is thru these things that we are more than conquerors. It is the ability to look into the face of Pontius Pilate and say ‘you have no power over me, my father has permitted these things to take place. I am here to lay my life down for his glory’. Paul said all these things we are suffering are opportunities to glorify our father. To look into the face of society and say ‘nay, we are more than conqueror’s thru him that loved us’. The early church set the world on fire when they were laying their lives down for the cause, refusing to deny their Lord even at the point of death. They were ‘more than conquerors’.

Ephesians 1

POSTED BY CCOUTREACH87 ⋅ NOVEMBER 30, 2017 ⋅ LEAVE A COMMENT

EPHESIANS- INTRO- CHAPTER 1

Ephesians 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Ephesians 1- Intro.

https://ccoutreach87.com/11-21-17-ephesians-intro-chapter-1/ https://ccoutreach87.com/11-21-17-ephesians-intro-chapter-1-2/

ON VIDEO- .Butterfly .Background on the city of Ephesus .Sovereignty .Paul’s prayer .Plymouth Rock .Mayflower .Jamestown .Puritans .Reformation .Church of England .Some history of the Puritans and their rejection of the Church of England [Anglican] keeping some of the High Church practices of the Catholic Church

NEW- [Notes- corrections? Below]

Intro- Ephesus was the capitol city of the Roman province of Asia- it was one of the top cities of the day [Like Rome- Corinth- Alexandria- etc]. It was a major commercial center because of a port to the Aegean sea- [Now silted up]

And if you remember my Acts study- the famous temple of Diana was located there- which was considered to be one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world- https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/08/09/acts-19/

Paul spent more than 2 years there and he probably penned this letter while sitting in jail at Rome [House arrest] I actually just covered the history of this in my study on the book of Acts- so I thought it fitting to now start a new study on the letter the apostle wrote to this Christian community.

Chapter 1- Paul begins the letter acknowledging God’s sovereignty in his own calling-

Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

His own conversion was an example of God’s choice- God converted Paul that day on the Damascus road- when Paul was on the way to persecute Christians- https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/04/18/acts-9/

So his own experience is seeing God picking him- not based on his [Paul’s] own choice- And Paul reminds the believers that is the same choice of God that picked them as well- Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, The doctrine of predestination is clearly taught in this passage- It has been a hotly debated doctrine thru out the history of the church- But it is simply stated in the above passage- God chose us to become his children- before the world was made.

Yet- the purpose of God is greater than us- people in time- who have believed- God’s greater purpose is reconciling all creation to himself thru Christ- who was/is the eternal Logos who himself made all things- Ephesians 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one ALL THINGS in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: Paul also speaks of this redemption of creation in his letter to the Romans- https://ccoutreach87.com/romans-updated-2015/ [see chapter 8]

The scope of what God has done in Christ is difficult to grasp at the start- and the apostle prays that their spiritual eyes might be able to see the bigger picture- Ephesians 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Ephesians 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, Ephesians 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Ephesians 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, The raising of Jesus from the dead and his ascension to the right hand of the throne of God shows us that ultimate rule and authority are now exercised in the kingdom of God- A kingdom that is above all others- Ephesians 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: This authority given to Jesus Christ has also been delegated to us- the body of Christ- We are the community of people where the Spirit of God resides- Jesus being the head of the church- we being the Body- and all things having been put under his feet- speaks of all authorities being subjected to the Body as well- who we are- Ephesians 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Ephesians 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. All of these great mysteries have come to pass- because these things are planned by the counsel of God himself- Ephesians 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: The power given to the church is an enormous responsibility- the gift of the wisdom of God to enter into these realities also comes with a balance- a discretion- Ephesians 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; All of these things were made possible only thru the obedient act of the Son who went to the Cross to redeem us-

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: Phil 2- Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; The death of Christ for the sins of man positions those who believe to stand blameless before the throne-

Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

As we walk before him in love- seeing the grace and peace that has come to us as a free gift- we then can become change agents in the world- A world that is destined to be redeemed as well- a creation that looks forward to the final day of the redemption of all things-

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

NOTES [corrections?]- On this video I talked ‘off the cuff’ about the Puritans- the Mayflower- etc. Then a day or so later I watched a history special on PBS- Sure enough- I figured I better make a few corrections- They said the date for the Mayflower was 1630- but I just checked- I was right- I said the date was 1620- here’s a link http://www.history.com/topics/mayflower The PBS documentary also seemed to say William Bradford was not the governor of Plymouth colony [actually- they did not mention Bradford at all- but spoke of the whole story of the founding of Plymouth colony]- So- I thought I was wrong on Bradford too- because I mentioned him as one of the original founders- and the governor- But as I just checked- I got that right too- http://www.history.com/topics/william-bradford I have written on Plymouth rock in the past- and will try and find those notes and add them below. I don’t mean to say ‘see- I was right’ – I actually was upset when I watched the PBS show- because I thought I was wrong on a lot of stuff- and that’s why I started ‘correcting’ the post right now. Then found the above links. It simply shows us to fact check stuff- use more than one source. It is also frustrating because when I added one of the above links- I had to delete it and add it again- and it deleted all the notes I just wrote! And you are now re-reading the 2nd version. So yes- doing this takes time- takes checking- and sometimes it’s nice to see you did get it right- the first time around. To be fair- PBS is usually a reliable source- and I didn’t watch the whole documentary- I fell asleep while watching it- thinking ‘Geez- I will have to correct my post’- We live in a day where we talk about ‘fake news’ we see bias in all the media- whether they mean to do it or not. On the video I talked about the Puritans to show how their faith in God was THEE determining factor to sail the Mayflower and come to the new world. It’s also possible that some documentaries want to down play the whole aspect of God and the founding of the country. William Bradford was brought up in a Puritan home- his faith was the key reason he- and the others- sailed to America. If you read the founding documents [Mayflower Compact and others] you clearly see this- https://www.plimoth.org/learn/just-kids/homework-help/mayflower-and-mayflower-compact But the whole debate about the so called ‘separation of Church and state’- the establishment clause- comes into question when you see the actual writings of the founding fathers. And these might be reasons that good news outlets shy away from certain facts- Not that they are ‘wrong’ on their coverage [though they are at times] but that they might simply overlook the importance that certain people played in the actual stories of history.

PAST POSTS- Did a quick search of my past posts- here are a few where Plymouth Rock showed up in the text- https://ccoutreach87.com/2016/04/27/stuff-2016/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2016/05/17/gideon/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2016/06/26/history-of-everything-3/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2016/12/28/samuel-revelation-kingdoms/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/07/18/kings-9/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/04/18/acts-9/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/11/22/acts-28/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/08/09/acts-19/ https://ccoutreach87.com/galatians-links/ https://ccoutreach87.com/romans-updated-2015/ https://ccoutreach87.com/protestant-reformation-luther/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/11/23/wednesday-5/ https://ccoutreach87.com/john-complete-links-added/

You might find some past teaching on the Puritans in these- I obviously do not re- read my past posts- I just try and copy the ones I think are relevant to each teaching post-

[past stuff I taught]

I mentioned our Revolutionary war- below are my past teachings that relate- I have taught in the past how some of our Founding Fathers were influenced- heavily- by Enlightenment thinking. Thomas Jefferson is the best example. Why is this important? On my previous post [Plymouth Rock] I tried to show the role that religion played in the founding of our country. Yet- at the time of the Continental congress [The first meeting was in 1774- the 2nd was in 75. The Declaration was approved in 1776] some of our founding fathers were leaning towards Deism [Ben Franklin- etc.] and the wording of the Declaration of Independence [below] was written more along the lines of Enlightenment thinking [also strong influence from the writing of John Locke]. The phrase ‘we hold these truths to be SELF EVIDENT’ was indeed a contrast from the traditional view of the church. Believers do indeed believe in ‘self-evident’ truths [Romans1-2] but in context- this term challenged the historic thinkers of the church. I add this to simply show that Thomas Jefferson [who wrote the Declaration- at the young age of 33] added language that was in a sense- a ‘compromise’. John Adams- Jefferson’s colleague in the congress- would later be challenged in a presidential run by Jefferson. The accusations flew- and Adams supporters said the beliefs of Jefferson would be the downfall of Christianity in America! Why did they make this accusation? Because the Enlightenment thinkers were indeed challenging some of the core beliefs of Christianity in the 18th century. Jefferson spent 5 years in France- right at the time of French Revolution [remember the post I did recently on it?]. The French Revolution was indeed a ‘revolution’ against the church in a way. Many Americans in the colonies were shocked by the bloodshed of the French Revolution. Yet Jefferson sided with it- and even wrote in support of some American merchants who were rebelling against paying their debts here in America. This outraged John Adams. Eventually Jefferson would serve on the cabinet under President Washington- and he would conflict with Alexander Hamilton over the direction of our New Republic. Jefferson felt that Hamilton wanted to give too much power to the Federal govt. [Federalism] Eventually Adams and Jefferson would be on opposing sides- of just about everything! Adams was a good friend of Jefferson during the continental congress in Philadelphia. Jefferson was the representative from Virginia- he was not an eloquent speaker- but he gained the respect of the other representatives. He was seen to be a hard worker- When the drafting of the Declaration came up- Benjamin Franklin turned down the job- and it was given to Adams and Jefferson. Jefferson wanted Adams to do it- yet Adams [Jefferson’s senior] recognized the great skills of his younger colleague- And Jefferson went to work. Yet their friendship was strained over the years- and at the end of their lives they became friends again. Jefferson would become the 3rd president of the U.S. And his legacy remains with us today. It has been said that our country is founded upon a Creed- We- as Americans- give our assent to a creed. And that creed- was penned By Thomas Jefferson. A preacher stopped at a tavern [Inn] In Virginia for the night. The story goes that he spoke with a stranger while there- they talked about mechanics- and the minister thought the man was an engineer. They then spoke on various subjects- and the preacher saw the stranger was knowledgeable in many fields. They finally spoke about religion- and the minister thought ‘he must be a preacher too’. The next day he asked who the man was- it was Thomas Jefferson. How did Jefferson gain all this knowledge? At the age of 6- he was reading the books from his father’s library. He learned Latin and Greek- on his own. His dad died when Jefferson was 14. He eventually went to the college of William and Mary- and became a dedicated student. It was said that 15 hours out of every 24- he was reading/studying. Jefferson kept this up throughout his life. He had a large library at Monticello- his home on a mountain in Virginia. One of his slaves [yes- slaves] said whenever someone had some question- Jefferson was well able to answer the question- and refer to one of his many books. Jefferson was the 2nd largest slave holder in his county- owning more than 200 hundred slaves at one time. Yet- he tried to enact legislation to outlaw slavery. He even added some language at the continental congress about it. The other representatives from the 13 colonies rejected it. He also tried to pass laws in Virginia against slavery. Yet he himself had them- how could this be? It even violated his own words in the Declaration ‘All men are created equal’. Many historians differ on why/how this could be. In the end- Jefferson was like all of us- he was able to articulate noble ideas- yet he himself struggled to fully live up to them. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Thomas Jefferson- Declaration of Independence. [PARTS]

PLYMOUTH ROCK https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/1-9-16-plymouth-rock.zip https://youtu.be/DyDv5n6U-3o Plymouth Rock ON VIDEO- .God’s choice .Mayflower .John Robinson .Scrooby believers .William Bradford .Objections .All creation waits .John Locke .King James [bible] .Puritans .Geneva bible 1st .Virginia colony- 1607 .Plymouth- 1620 .Cape Cod [Past posts- verses below]

NEW STUFF- As I cover some history from the 16th/17th centuries- a significant event came from the religious controversy over the Puritans [separatists] disagreement with the Church of England. After the death of queen Elizabeth of England- she had no direct heir to the throne- and the son of Mary- queen of Scots- became the new king of England. James the 1st took the crown- and the Puritans had hoped that he would compromise with them. They disagreed with the role of Bishops in the church and other ‘Catholic’ beliefs. Though England broke from Rome- it was mainly in the area of the papacy- they were in reality a ‘Catholic’ church- with no pope [or the King of England replaced the Pope]. So- the Puritans wanted more reform- sort of like what was taking place in Germany under Martin Luther. But James rejected the appeals of the Puritans- and gave them only one request- a new English version of the bible. The King James Version [1611] became the favorite bible for Protestants for many years [even till this day]. Yet- it was actually not the ‘original’ Protestant bible. The first one was the Geneva bible- put together by the reformers. So- some of the Puritans who had already started their own churches [one in Scrooby England] fled England- and went to Holland. The pastor of the Scrooby church- John Robinson- stayed in the Netherlands for a few years, but then decided to go back to England. In 1620- they agreed to leave England once again- and sail to the ‘new world’. The English already established a colony in Virginia in 1607- and their goal was to arrive in Virginia and hopefully have the freedom to worship God according to their conscience. They left on the Mayflower- with some other merchants and adventurers. It was a daring journey to say the least. And instead of landing in Virginia- because of bad weather- they hit Cape Cod instead. Before coming ashore- they made a ‘deal’- called the Mayflower Compact. It was a sort of Democratic agreement that would govern the new colony. The new colony was founded in what is now called Plymouth Massachusetts. William Bradford became the governor of the new colony- and was only a teen when he first left England with the Scrooby believers. The area in England where they left from- was called Plymouth [Devon- North England]. So the new colony was named Plymouth. PAST POSTS- . JOHN LOCKE- Locke taught that each man has individual rights- and he empowers government- an elected designated body- to have rule- [parts]

POSTED BY CCOUTREACH87 ⋅ JULY 3, 2017 ⋅ LEAVE A COMMENT

ACTS 15- Amos 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:Amos 9:12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. https://youtu.be/rteq0keHKsQ Acts 15 https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/6-22-17-acts-15.zip https://ccoutreach87.com/6-22-17-acts-15/ ON VIDEO- .Key chapter .The argument .The agreement .Tabernacle of David .Free in grace- but not a license to sin .Written and oral tradition .Paul and Barnabus have a falling out .1st church council .visions played a role in setting doctrine [Peter and thee sheet vision recounted] .Yet we test the spirits- they are not all of God

PAST POSTS [verses below] https://ccoutreach87.com/james-2015/ http://corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com/p/protestant-reformation-luther-1766-lil_25.html My daughters non profit- https://www.facebook.com/jimwellscountypetsalive/ ACTS- https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/01/18/acts-1/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/01/26/acts-2/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/02/02/acts-3/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/02/09/acts-4/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/03/23/acts-5/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/03/31/acts-6/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/04/06/acts-7/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/04/14/acts-8/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/04/18/acts-9/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/05/07/acts-10/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/05/16/acts-11/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/05/22/acts-12/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/06/01/acts-13/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/06/14/acts-14/

(739)ACTS 15- Some brothers from Judea came down to Antioch and taught the believers that they had to be circumcised and keep the law in order to be saved. These are the Pharisees out of Jerusalem who became believers. They tried to put the gentile believers under the yoke of the law. Paul and Barnabas disagree strongly with this teaching. They decide to bring the question before the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem. This is the first ‘church council’ in history. The ‘Jerusalem council’. At the meeting the dispute arises. Peter speaks up and recounts his experience at Cornelius house. How God showed Peter that he would justify people by faith, without having to become converts to Judaism. James chimes in and quotes a famous verse [famous now!] from the prophet Amos ‘in those days I will rebuild David’s tabernacle and all the gentiles upon whom my name is called will see me’. I want to stop here for a minute. On this blog I wrote a chapter on David’s tabernacle. It is in the booklet ‘The great building of God’ you might want to read it if you are not familiar with David’s tabernacle. I want to note that scholars disagree on what James means here. Some see ‘David’s tabernacle’ as the house or dynasty of David. Like Paul saying ‘house of God’ when speaking of ‘the family of God’. Others say this verse teaches the rebuilding of the Temple. The main reason James is quoting this verse is really not for the ‘rebuilding of David’s tabernacle’ section. It is for ‘all the gentiles who call upon my name’ part! James is agreeing with Peter and taking the side of grace when he says ‘look, even Amos said gentiles would call on Gods name’. Paul does this in Romans, he quotes the Old Testament prophets in context of the gentiles being accepted. So I wanted to just put some context to why James is bringing up this verse. But I also give credence to seeing ‘David’s tabernacle’ as speaking of the New Testament house of God [the Body of Christ] and Gods intent to ‘tabernacle in his people’. Acts does teach that Jesus has ascended and is seated on a throne that includes Israel as well as the whole universe! So in this context Christ can be seen as ‘building the tabernacle of David’ [spiritual temple of believers] that includes all ethnic groups. Yes, gentiles too can call upon his name! The Apostles and Elders and brothers all reach agreement and write a short letter and send Judas and Silas along with Paul’s group back to Antioch to read the final decree. They told the gentile believers they were not under the law and did not have to convert to Judaism to be saved. They did give four simple restrictions. Don’t eat meat with the blood in it, don’t eat food offered to idols or strangled animals. Don’t commit fornication. Basic requirements that later on will lose their emphasis as the church grows in grace [accept for fornication! God does require believers to walk in holiness]. Now this chapter is vital for every believer. The 16th century reformation restored the truth of people being saved freely by grace. Many Christians were lost in the legalistic requirements of religion. Many believers thought they could buy their way out of purgatory with money! Others thought they would be saved by keeping church law. This early church council gave freedom to the church in seeing herself accepted by grace. The church grew in her understanding of Gods grace. As God’s revelation of himself progressed thru out the early church, they saw him as being ‘inclusive’ not exclusive! The more they learned about God, the more they understood him justifying people freely. It is easy to lose the reality of God justifying man freely thru grace. No excuses for living in sin, but true acceptance and forgiveness because of Christ. This is truly the heart of the gospel. The first church council laid the foundation of Gods free grace. The gentiles at Antioch and the other towns were ecstatic over this decision. Truly the gentile churches are experiencing more freedom than the church at Jerusalem, after all they had the ‘Pharisees who believed’ at Jerusalem, and they weren’t willing to give up on their belief of the importance of the law and circumcision. They will haunt Paul thru out his life. After the letter is read, Paul and Barnabas continue to teach at Antioch and the 2 brothers who were out of Jerusalem are free to leave. Judas goes back, but Silas likes the freedom at Antioch and decides to stay. Paul says ‘lets go visit all the brothers in the cities where we preached’ Barnabas says ‘great, lets take John Mark!’ Paul doesn’t want him because he abandoned them on an earlier missionary journey. Paul takes Silas and John goes with Barnabas. The ‘visiting of all the brothers’ is also described as ‘visiting the churches’. Once again, the brothers [and sisters] in the cites are defined as ‘the churches’. They were called out groups of believers who were recognized not because they ‘attended church on Sunday’ but because they were followers of ‘the way’.

VERSES- 1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spiritswhether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. Acts 15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. Acts 15:3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. Acts 15:4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. Acts 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. Acts 15:6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. Acts 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. Acts 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; Acts 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Acts 15:12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. Acts 15:13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Acts 15:14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. Acts 15:15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, Acts 15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: Acts 15:17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Acts 15:18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Acts 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: Acts 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. Acts 15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. Acts 15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren: Acts 15:23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. Acts 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: Acts 15:25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, align=top> Acts 15:26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 15:27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; Acts 15:29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. Acts 15:30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: Acts 15:31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. Acts 15:32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. Acts 15:33 And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. Acts 15:34 Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still. Acts 15:35 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. Acts 15:36 And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the LORD, and see how they do. Acts 15:37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. Acts 15:38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. Acts 15:39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; Acts 15:40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. Acts 15:41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

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 [parts]

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith , Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29

And looking upon Jesus as he walked , he saith , Behold the Lamb of God! John 1:36

And I beheld , and, lo , in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain , having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. Revelation 5:6

And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying , Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints

And he saith unto me, Write , Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of theLamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Rev 21:23

 NOTE- The proclamation of John ‘Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world’- In Latin the term is Agnus Dei- as a boy we sung this hymn in Catholic church ‘Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world- have mercy on us’.

[Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.- this is the full phrase in the Latin – taken from John’s declaration- where the Christian song/chant comes from]

[parts]

Note- Morrison got the name for his group from Aldous Huxley’s book ‘The Doors of Perception’. Strangely- the book- 1st published in 1954- deals with Huxley’s drug trip- on Mescaline [the drug I took- and seemed to open up a fascination with near death experiences]. Huxley recorded his own trip on Mescaline- and even used the term ‘sacramental vision’ describing the hallucinations he had.

 One of the quotes I found interesting while researching for this post was ‘We need to experience death consciousness to awaken to what’s important’ the bible says ‘teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom’.

 Another quote- from the Nihilistic perspective- ‘we are condemned to be free’- without a God perspective- free will- even when talking about the ‘choice’ to die- has no real meaning- there really is no higher good served- because life has no meaning. But- when your death serves a greater purpose [like redeeming mankind] then it can actually be a virtue- a good thing- if your death impacts others in a positive way- then yes- it’s not meaningless- to the contrary- it’s profitable.

  https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/2-25-16-to-god-be-the-glory.zip

https://youtu.be/oy6XffCE58w  To God be the glory

ON VIDEO-

.Alternative Christianity’s?

.Baptized ‘last one’

.Cop or mob?

.Holy ground

.Wind blown bible

.Robin Williams

.Carpe Diem

  VERSES [from the Mass as well as other I taught or quoted on the video- Easter Sunday]

Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Isaiah 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Isaiah 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

Isaiah 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Matthew 21:42

Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Mark 12:10

And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Luke 20:17

And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

1Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

1Corinthians 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

1Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

1Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

1Corinthians 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

1Corinthians 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

1Corinthians 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

1Corinthians 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

John 6:53

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

 John 14:2

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Psalm 40:7

Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Hebrews 10:7

Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

 « March 31  |  April 2 »

Easter Sunday - The Resurrection of the Lord - The Mass of Easter Day

Lectionary: 42

Reading 1

ACTS 10:34A, 37-43

Peter proceeded to speak and said: "You know what has happened all over Judea,  beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached,  how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil,  for God was with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name."

Responsorial Psalm

PS 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23.

R. (24) This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. or: R. Alleluia. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Let the house of Israel say, "His mercy endures forever." R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. or: R. Alleluia. "The right hand of the LORD has struck with power; the right hand of the LORD is exalted. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD." R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. or: R. Alleluia. The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. or: R. Alleluia.

Reading 2

COL 3:1-4

Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,  where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory. Or

I COR 5:6B-8

Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough,  inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast,  not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness,  but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Sequence Victimae Paschali Laudes

Christians, to the Paschal Victim Offer your thankful praises! A Lamb the sheep redeems; Christ, who only is sinless, Reconciles sinners to the Father. Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous: The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal. Speak, Mary, declaring What you saw, wayfaring. "The tomb of Christ, who is living, The glory of Jesus' resurrection; bright angels attesting, The shroud and napkin resting. Yes, Christ my hope is arisen; to Galilee he goes before you." Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining. Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning! Amen. Alleluia.

Alleluia

CF. 1 COR 5:7B-8A

R. Alleluia, alleluia. Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed; let us then feast with joy in the Lord. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

JN 20:1-9

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark,  and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter  and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,  "They have taken the Lord from the tomb,  and we don't know where they put him." So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter  and arrived at the tomb first;  he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him,  he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,  and the cloth that had covered his head,  not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in,  the one who had arrived at the tomb first,  and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture  that he had to rise from the dead. Or

Gospel

MK 16:1-7

When the sabbath was over,  Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome  bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another,  "Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. He said to them, "Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go and tell his disciples and Peter,  'He is going before you to Galilee;  there you will see him, as he told you.'" Or

Gospel

LK 24:13-35

That very day, the first day of the week,  two of Jesus' disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them,  "What are you discussing as you walk along?" They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?" And he replied to them, "What sort of things?" They said to him,  "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning  and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see." And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?" So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, "The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!" Then the two recounted  what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.

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[thehungrykat1]

Bubbly Girls’ Night Out at Sugar Factory

Girls just want to have fun, right? After a long day at work and a full week of meetings, chores, and activities, we all need to de-stress and let loose with our girls squad. Boyfriends and significant others are not so bad, but sometimes, we really need to have a Girls’ Night Out where we can throw away all our inhibitions and enjoy the evening with bubbly beverages and sweet concoctions. I have just the perfect spot for such occasions.

Sugar Factory is the place where all our sweet fantasies come true. With locations in some of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities including Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, Miami, and Bahrain, Sugar Factory Philippines opened its playful doors last September 2016 at the ground floor of Shangri-La at the Fort in Bonifacio Global City. The restaurant is a foodie wonderland for kids and families in the afternoon with its sweet offerings like pancakes, milkshakes, candies, and sundaes. But come evening, it becomes a playground for adults as well where they can enjoy delightful cocktails and luscious desserts in the company of friends.

I have visited Sugar Factory a couple of times in the past year, including its opening weekend (Read about it here) when I was first introduced to this one-of-a-kind dining environment. Leading the kitchen of Sugar Factory Manila is Chef Peter Ayson, who is known for his role with the Red Crab Group of restaurants. I usually dine at Sugar Factory in the afternoon, but I had never visited it during the evening until now, when it has a more energetic vibe.

Sugar Factory is not a restaurant, but also offers a retail section featuring all sorts of colorful sweets and candies for sugar cravings of all ages. These are all imported from the United States where Sugar Factory is always a popular destination of iconic celebrities such as Britney Spears, Drake, Nicole Scherzinger, Kim Kardashian, Eva Longoria, Carmen Electra and more. 

The highlight of this section are its celebrity-endorsed Couture Pops, which have turned sweets into the latest designer accessory. These sparkly lollipops are endorsed by sisters Kylie and Kendall Jenner, who are probably the most popular celebrities on the planet. The chic lollipop accessories may be a bit expensive at ₱1,200 each, but that’s the price of being fashionable. The candies themselves are actually refillable, so just choose your lollipop casing and pair it with a jeweled handle.

The girls and I decided to drop by on a Friday night, which was great because DJ Brandon Jon was there playing some awesome hits. Sugar Factory has live DJ sets starting at 9:00pm during Friday and Saturday evenings, so the weekends are the best times to party.

This rubber duckie seems to be thirsty! Sugar Factory has an unbelievable lineup of beverages, cocktails, martinis, and goblets to make get-togethers truly special. 

They actually serve Unlimited Flavored Margaritas for only ₱295 per person during Friday and Tuesdays, so we really chose the perfect date and place for our Girls’ Night Out. I ordered a glass of strawberry margarita for myself, but that was just the start of our bubbly evening.

Other cocktails on the menu include the Hubba Bubba Gum (₱320) which is a unique bubble gum-flavored cocktail garnished with bubble tape. 

Red seems to be the color of the night because we also tried Peace, Love and Harmonie, an enchanting margarita with Hpnotiq Harmonie liqueur and other natural fruits. It has that explosive fruity flavor with a hint of rose.

If you happen to visit during the weekdays, you don’t have to worry because you can avail of their Happy Hour from 5:00pm to 8:00pm daily during Monday to Thursday. Enjoy Buy 1 Take 1 deals on their specialty cocktails like the Sexual Chocolate (₱360), a combination of strawberries and chocolate which will surely bring out your romantic side.

But the main attraction at Sugar Factory are the huge cocktail Goblets which contain 60 oz. of their signature concoctions. Girl bonding moments are best shared with a big Goblet and several straws.

The White Gummi (₱1000) Goblet is a fresh and fruity cocktail loaded with lots of gummi worms and gummi bears. These Goblets are also available in a non-alcoholic version (₱480) so even kids can have fun with their beverages and gummies.

One new Goblet flavor introduced to us that night was the Coconut Gone Bananas Goblet. This is a combination of coconut and banana flavors together in a sweet mixture then topped with worms and candies. Each Goblet can be good enough to share for a group of four girls, but we were in a party mood that evening.

Just when you think you have seen everything, Sugar Factory then brings out their unbelievably Insane Milkshakes! These monsters serve as your appetizers, main course, drink, and dessert all rolled into one giant work of art. On the right is the Peanut Butter and Jelly Milkshake (₱795) which has a milkshake made with Vanilla ice cream blended with peanut butter. It is then literally topped with an actual peanut butter and jelly sandwich plus strawberry jelly, sprinkles, and Resse’s Peanut butter cups. The craziness doesn’t stop there because it is served in a peanut butter covered mug dressed with Nerds!

The Strawberry Bacon Cheeseburger Milkshake (₱795) is even crazier with its strawberry-flavored milkshake topped with a mini cheeseburger and candied bacon! Then add a few rainbow sprinkles with whipped cream and put it all inside a chocolate covered mug dressed in M&M’s and chopped pretzels. There is simply nothing else like it! 

To celebrate the 1st Year Anniversary of Sugar Factory Philippines on September 19, 2017, they are offering Junior Milkshakes and Signature Goblets for only one peso with a minimum spend of P1000. Diners can also get a choice of Pizza and Pasta for only P365. 

Of course, the girls weren’t just thirsty that night, we were also hungry! Sugar Factory is not just a place for sweet drinks and desserts, but also offers a savory lineup of mouthwatering dishes. 

The Sugar Factory Party Nachos (₱420) is a great appetizer for everyone on the table. These warm nacho chips are topped with spiced ground beef, melted Cheddar cheese, Jalapenos, sour cream and tropical salsa. I was quite impressed with the beefy flavors of the toppings and I can honestly say that this is one of the best and meatiest Nachos I have tasted.

A healthier option would be the Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad (₱440). This comes with mixed salad greens, candied walnuts, and bacon bits topped with a blue cheese dressing and blue cheese crumble. The bacon gives its delightful salty notes while the candies walnuts provide the sweet crunchy flavors to make this a salad I would love to eat.

Sugar Factory is also introducing some new items to commemorate their first anniversary. The Jalapeno Poppers (₱420) are fried pickled Jalapenos filled with Mozzarella cheese and wrapped in bacon. They are then served with marinara sauce and a cute Gummi Chili for that added treat. The savory jalapenos are not too spicy because the oozing cheese and delicious bacon balance the flavors.

They are also presenting their lineup of pizzas including the 4 Cheese Pizza (₱365). This tempting combination comes with Mozzarella, Parmesan, White Cheddar and Blue Cheese which you can smell and really taste. Kids and adults alike will love this pizza.

An all-time favorite on the menu is the The Big Cheesy Burger (₱615) which has an Angus beef patty topped with melted white cheddar, creamy mac & cheese, and bacon then served with BBQ sauce on a toasted potato bun. This meaty burger can definitely rival all those others from dedicated burger joints. It also comes with a side of french fries.

Chef Peter Ayson has also included dishes to satisfy the Filipino palate, like the Paella (₱795) with its big sizzling plate of mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari, chicken, and pork loin. This serving is good enough for up to three persons and is packed with toppings and ingredients.

American comfort food can’t get more comforting that the Baby Back Ribs (₱895). These tender pork ribs are marinated overnight in their homemade barbecue sauce and grilled to perfection. The ribs were sweet and flavorful, a must-try when you visit. It is also served with fresh coleslaw and crispy french fries.

Dessert options also abound at Sugar Factory and diners can go for the White Chocolate Cheesecake (₱415), a thick cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries, cookie crumbs and white chocolate ganache. Another option is the Chocolate Cake (₱340) which is served with rich chocolate sauce. The night is always young and there’s no better place to spend a sweet and bubbly evening than at Sugar Factory. So call the girls and plan your next Girls’ Night Out! You will definitely love it!

Sugar Factory

Unit GF5, G/F Shangri-La at The Fort, 3rd Avenue corner 30th Street, Bonifacio Global City

958-5175 / (0916) 746-0716

www.facebook.com/sugarfactorymanila

www.sugarfactory.com