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November 30, 1998
Funeral homes drawing DNA samples from the dead
Now funeral homes are beginning to collect DNA samples from the dead - for a fee - to preserve a genetic record that could provide medical information.
``I imagine every funeral home will have this service in the future,'' said Terry Travis, funeral director of Riddle Funeral Home in Vermilion, about 30 miles west of Cleveland.
Major Indonesia earthquake kills at least six
At least six people were killed and more than 30 injured when a powerful earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale rocked remote islands in eastern Indonesia, police and government officials said on Monday.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
14. For this reason Scripture urges us to acquire the knowledge of God, so
that through our works we may serve Him rightly.
November 29, 1998
Pope lashes out at traffic in human beings
Pope John Paul II lashed out Sunday at people who traffic in human beings, saying the deaths last week of immigrants trying to reach Italian shores would haunt the smugglers.
``As I pray for the victims of the shipwreck, I cannot but express the strongest condemnation of those who, because of the thirst for money, trade in the misery of so many poor people,'' the pope said. ``The dead will weigh on their consciences.''
John Paul spoke after a Mass at St. Peter's Basilica at which he presented a papal bull offering the faithful new chances for forgiveness in the year 2000.
The bull upholds a 700-year-old tradition of celebrating church anniversary years, or Jubilees, by offering ``indulgences'' - acts of penance that allow forgiveness for sins.
In his homily, John Paul reminded the faithful that ``God comes toward us, whether we have searched for him, whether we have ignored him, or even when we have avoided him.
``He is the first to approach, with open arms like a loving and merciful father.''
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
14. For this reason Scripture urges us to acquire the knowledge of God, so
that through our works we may serve Him rightly.
November 28, 1998
Report: weather causes record $89 billion damage, humans not innocent
Violent weather has cost the world a record $89 billion this year, more money than was lost from weather-related disasters in all of the 1980s, and researchers in a study released Friday blame human meddling for much of it.
In addition to the material losses, the disasters have killed an estimated 32,000 people and displaced 300 million - more than the population of the United States - according to the report.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
13. Often our knowledge becomes darkened because we fail to put things into
practice. For when we have totally neglected to practise something,
our memory of it will gradually disappear.
November 27, 1998
Medjugorje Monthly Message of November 25, 1998
"Dear children! Today I call you to prepare yourselves for the coming of Jesus. In a special way, prepare your hearts. May holy Confession be the first act of conversion for you and then, dear children, decide for holiness. May your conversion and decision for holiness begin today and not tomorrow. Little children, I call you all to the way of salvation and I desire to show you the way to Heaven. That is why, little children, be mine and decide with me for holiness. Little children, accept prayer with seriousness and pray, pray, pray.
Thank you for having responded to my call."
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
12. Even though knowledge is true, it is still not firmly established if
unaccompanied by works. For everything is established by being put
into practice.
November 26, 1998
THANK YOU, JESUS!!!!!!
(Rom 1:8 ) First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.
(1 Cor 1:4 ) I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.
(1 Cor 14:18 ) I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
(Phil 1:3 ) I thank my God every time I remember you.
(1 Th 1:2 ) We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.
(1 Th 2:13 ) And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
(1 Th 3:9 ) How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?
(2 Th 1:3 ) We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.
(2 Th 2:13 ) But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
(1 Tim 1:12 ) I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.
(2 Tim 1:3 ) I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
11. Those who, because of the rigour of their own ascetic practice, despise
the less zealous, think that they are made righteous by physical works.
but we are even more foolish if we rely on theoretical knowledge and
disparage the ignorant.
November 25, 1998
U.N.: Number of AIDS cases up by nearly 6 million
The estimated number of people with the AIDS virus is expected to increase by nearly 6 million in 1998, with the majority of the new cases in Africa, according to a U.N. report released Tuesday.
"This epidemic is not losing its steam worldwide," said Sally Cowal of the United Nations.
Some 33 million people worldwide are infected with HIV, according to the report by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS and the World Health Organization. Two-thirds of all news cases are developing in sub-Saharan Africa, where there are 5,500 funerals every day for people who have died of AIDS. In Mutare, Zimbabwe, an estimated two out of every five pregnant woman are HIV positive.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
10. Some people when praised for their virtue are delighted, and attribute
this pleasurable feeling of self-esteem to grace. Others when reproved
for their sins are pained, and they mistake this beneficial pain for the
action of sin.
November 24, 1998
Arctic chill and blizzards kill dozens across Europe
An early season Arctic cold wave and accompanying blizzards were reported Monday to have killed at least 71 people across Europe.
Fountains in front of the Eiffel Tower were completely frozen, and in Mouthe, eastern France, temperatures fell to six below zero. About 100 homeless people staged a sit-in at the headquarters of the state-run medical assistance service in Paris to demand better protection in winter.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
9. Afflictions that come to us are the result of our own sins. But
if we accept them patiently through prayer, we shall again find blessings.
November 23, 1998
30,000 homeless following deadly China earthquakes
A series of earthquakes in southwest China have left 30,000 people living outside in the cold, officials said Sunday.
Two earthquakes Thursday rattled the Ninglang Yi Autonomous County in Yunnan province and neighboring Yanyuan County in Sichuan province, killing three people and injuring 1,543, officials and state media said. The area is 1,300 miles southwest of the capital, Beijing.
Police: Members of Denver doomsday cult are in Israel
Ten members of a missing Colorado doomsday cult are in Israel, where the cult's leader has predicted he will die next year, police said Sunday.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
8. Unexpected trials are sent by God to teach us to practise the ascetic
life; and they lead us to repentance even when we are reluctant.
November 22, 1998
U.N. agency warns of food crisis in Somalia; appeals for aid
The U.N. World Food Program has warned of a major food crisis in Somalia, saying three years of failed harvests could mean hunger for hundreds of thousands of people.
Food shortages already have driven at least 7,000 Somalis from their homes to the coast and to the border with Kenya.
(Rev 6:7-8) When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
7. If you love true knowledge, devote yourself to the ascetic life; for mere
theoretical knowledge puffs a man up (cf. 1 Cor. 8:1).
November 21, 1998
A MESSAGE FROM OUR LORD given through Fr Jack Spaulding
St. Thomas the Apostle Chuch, Phoenix, AZ, NOVEMBER 16, 1998
My dear ones, I come to you this night to assure you one more time that I am always with you. You have nothing to fear, so I ask you to calm yourself in My presence. As I did for that blind man of old, I ask you this night, what do you want Me to do for you?
My dear ones, please respond as the blind man did, "Lord I want to see." I encourage you to answer this night, this way, because each of you need to begin to see with the eyes of the world. You need to look better to be healed for eternity. Your life here on this earth is brief. So many are blinded by what this world is offering. If you come to me, if you allow Me to heal your blindness, then you will be able to see everything through My eyes.
You will truly be able to see the good and bad, the holy and the unholy. It will be as if a cloud was taken away form you sight. If you allow Me to cure your blindness, then your eyes will always be on heaven. Be holy My dear ones, My Father and your Father gives you this night the strength to be holy. Accept it and live it and see heaven here on earth. I bless you this night with My Peace and My Mercy. I heal your heart in those areas in which you lack peace and joy.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
6. He who honours the Lord does what the Lord bids. When he sins or
is disobedient, he patiently accepts what comes as something he deserves.
November 20, 1998
Knesset Bill aimed at Messianic Jews:Considered the most hated people in the world
The most persecuted nation in world history, Israel, could become the persecutors of the most hated people -- Messianic Jews -- if a Knesset (Pinchasi) bill is passed within the next 48 hours.
Despite being only one-tenth of one percent of Israel's population of more than 6 million, Messianic Jews are considered a subversive threat.
There are hundreds of horror stories against this most hated people, from job threats to torching of their synagogues. But the most formidable threat yet may be the Pinchasi Bill.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
5. He who relies on theoretical knowledge alone is not yet a faithful servant:
a faithful servant is one who expresses his faith in Christ through obedience
to His commandments.
November 19, 1998
Prayers Following Wye Acceptance
With the coming of the new Hebrew month of Kislev, thousands of persons were on hand on Wednesday afternoon to participate in Yom Kippur Katan prayer services at the Western Wall, following the ratification and imminent implementation of the Wye memorandum.
Prayer services were also held at many holy sites, including the Maarat Hamachpelah (Cave of the Patriarchs) in Chevron, where Sephardic Chief Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron and Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu led services.
Participants in the prayer services called upon the heavens to remove the evil decree, namely the Wye memorandum, which results in the release of Arab terrorists and the 13.1 percent Israeli withdrawal.
(Psa 122:6) Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
Leonids peak may have come early
The greatest meteor show in decades may have peaked 16 hours earlier than expected, Royal Astronomical Society said Wednesday in a statement.
If that is accurate, that means the best vantagepoint for viewing the shower was Europe, not Asia as widely predicted.
Dr. Alan Fitzsimmons of the Queen's Uersity, Belfast, who observed the meteor shower from the Canary Islands, reported seeing meteors at a rate of 2,000 per hour at 5000 GMT on Tuesday.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
4. 'Christ died on account of our sins in accordance with the Scriptures;
(1 Cor. 15:3); and to those who serve Him well He gives freedom. 'Well
done, good and faithful servant,' He says, 'you have been faithful over a
few things, I will make you ruler over many things; enter into the joy of
your Lord' (Matt. 25:21).
November 18, 1998
Six Priests Among Dozens Killed In Congo Massacre
Six priests were reported killed in a massacre of more than 50 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday as they gathered in a church to pray for peace.
Representatives of the country's various faiths had gathered in the church to seek a peaceful resolution to violence that has plagued southern Congo, mainly perpetrated by fighting between government soldiers and a rebel group called the Ninjas. Three surviving priests said members of the Ninjas took the six priests and about 45 other people, including women and children, out of the church and shot them. An exact death toll has not been released.
(Mat 24:9) "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
Hurricane survivors make desperate trek to stay alive
Between their ravaged homes and their only hope of survival lie 50 kilometers of mud, debris-clouded rivers and hot, humid air that smells of decay. Yet each day, the residents of this Honduran fishing village embark on a desperate journey to reach a U.S. airfield where cargo planes deliver tens of thousands of pounds of food. Some walk for hours through muck up to their knees, others ply flooded rivers in dugout canoes or navigate the treacherous landscape in four-wheel-drive trucks.
(Mat 24:19) How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
3. A slave does not demand his freedom as a reward; but he gives
satisfaction as one who is in debt, and he receives freedom as a gift.
November 17, 1998
Arkansas Ban On Partial-Birth Abortion Struck Down
A 1997 Arkansas law banning partial-birth abortions was struck down by a federal judge on Friday because it was too vague.
(Lev 20:4-5) If the people of the community close their eyes when that man gives one of his children to Molech and they fail to put him to death, I will set my face against that man and his family and will cut off from their people both him and all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molech.
LEONIDS UPDATE Tuesday, 17 Nov 1998, 0500 am CST -- Observers in France and Israel report what may be a mini-outburst around 0130 UT, with zenithal hourly rates between 400 and 600.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
2. Wishing to show that to fulfil every commandmenet is a duty, whereas sonship
is a gift given to men through His own Blood, the Lord said: 'When you have
done all that is commanded you, say: "We are useless servants: we have only
done what was our duty"' (Luke 17:10). Thus the kingdom of heaven is
not a reward for works, but a gift of grace prepared by the Master for his
faithful servants.
November 16, 1998
Chiang Mai News Online (Thailand)
Chiang Mai News Online (Thailand)--US Mirror
Milkyway Live from Agawa village (Japan)
Real-time All Sky Video (Colorado)
The Leonids, Live! (California)
(Heb 12:26) At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "No Righteousness By Works"
1. In the texts which follow, the beliefs of those in error will be refuted
by those whose faith is well founded and who know the truth.
November 15, 1998
Great Expectations- The 1998 Leonid Meteor Storm
Ready or not, here they come: the 1998 Leonid meteors. On the morning of November 17th, bits and pieces of periodic comet Tempel-Tuttle will hurtle into Earth's atmosphere at a head-spinning 158,000 mph.
There is little danger - few will reach the ground. Most will distintegrate and, in the process, produce a "shooting star". Experts think that this year's Leonids could rival any meteor storm this century, with peak rates greater than 40 shooting stars per second. Or, it could be another run-of-the-mill meteor shower. We won't know for sure until next week.
Next week during the Leonid meteor shower NASA scientists will launch a helium-filled weather balloon from the Marshall Space Flight Center. The payload will include a video camera to record the Leonid meteors. High above the clouds, at 100,000 ft, and far from city lights the view could be spectacular.
Transmissions from the balloon will be broadcast on the web at http://www.leonidslive.com/.
(Dan 6:26-27) "I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. "For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions."
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
200. Always do as much good as you can, and at a time of greater good do
not turn to a lesser. For it is said that no man who turns back 'is
fit for the kingdom of heaven' (cf. Luke 9:61).
November 14, 1998
Pray with us for the Persecuted Church!
"I am in prison," says the Lord, "and you are not visiting me."(Matthew 25:43)
Priests are being arrested and sometimes shot in China and Cuba. Over 200 Catholic priests and bishops and thousands of Catholic and Protestant laity currently suffer in the Chinese slave-labor camps for their loyalty to Christ.
Christians who testify to their faith in Iran or Saudi Arabia may be put to death for blasphemy. Mobs have wiped out whole villages of Christians in Pakistan. Believers are forbidden to buy goods or own property in Somalia.
The "post-communist" government of Romania refuses to return the church buildings and other properties confiscated by the communists in 1948, to the Catholic Church of Byzantine Rite (the Greek-Catholic Church).
The cardinal, the bishops, the priests and tens of thousands of Catholic believers celebrate open air Masses every Sunday, being exposed to rain, snow and sub-freezing temperatures.
It is time to shatter the silence.
Pray with us this Sunday, November 15, 1998, the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.
(Rev 6:9-11) When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
199. Jacob made for Joseph a coat of many colours (cf. Gen. 37:3), and the
Lord gives knowledge of truth to the gentle; as it is written, ' He will
teach the gentle His ways' (PS. 25:9. LXX).
November 13, 1998
At the end of a dirt road, a sign arches over a gated entrance welcoming visitors to the Valley of the Dawn. A few feet away, a billboard-sized image of Jesus looms over a huge painted wooden star. The sound of chanting wafts from a squat stone temple nearby.
With about 5,000 members, the Valley of the Dawn is one of some 150 al religious groups that have sprung up around Brasília in the past few years. Now the government hopes to cash in on the city’s image as “the capital of the third millennium” by promoting events around 2000, which coincides with Brazil’s 500th anersary.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
198. A good conscience is found through prayer, and pure prayer through
the conscience. each by nature needs the other.
November 12, 1998
A MESSAGE FROM OUR LORD given through Fr Jack Spaulding
St. Thomas the Apostle Chuch, Phoenix, AZ, NOVEMBER 9, 1998
My dear ones, I ask you this night to come to Me with all humility. Give your heart to Me this night,so that I can truly use you as living stones to rebuild, to rebuild My body stone. As a stone mason ships the rough edges away, the main stone fits perfectly with the others, building a strong, strong edifice. I too, My dear ones, take you and smooth the routh edges of your heart, of your mind, of your emotions and yes even of your personality, so that I can use you. My dear ones, allow Me to use you. The way you allow Me into your heart is by giving up your pride, allowing Me truly to be the Lord of your life. The gifts you have are many because they have been given to you by your Father, but dear ones, please remember where those gifts come from. Pride ruins My Father's gifts within you. It hardens your heart. Where there is pride,I am unable to fashion you into a living stone which the body really needs, living stone. I love you with the everlasting love of My Father. Come to Me. Allow Me to take and shape you into the living stone. Allow Me to use you as I need to use you. I bless you this night, My dear ones, with My healing and My mercy. Open your hearts to these gifts and your pride will be destroyed.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
197. It is said that gold rules everything; but spirtual things are
ruled by the grace of God.
November 11, 1998
Physical Manifestation of a Spiritual Struggle?
(Rev 7:1 -4) After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree.Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
Something clicked for me today and I want to run it past you. Last week one of the days the reading at Mass was on the 144,000 being sealed and when it was read I had the hair raise straight up on my neck. I asked the Lord to connect me with the meaning - but soon thereafter forgot about it. But tonight I believe the Lord has shown me the answer. I went back and looked at the relevent scripture (above) and it hit me about Hurricane Mitch and the sustained winds of over 150 mph for days that literally destroyed Nicaragua and Hinduras - literal annihilation of their nations. Mitch has been called the worst hurricane in 100 years (I guess that means forever in terms of reliable record keeping)... Ok - the link is that Mitch was still very much in the news when the scripture was read at Mass about the four angels holding back the winds *until* the 144,000 should be sealed. Now think about a hurricane. Which way does the wind blow? The answer is "in every possible direction" the reason being the wind rotates about the eye of the hurrricane as we have all seen on radar images on TV etc. So did it blow from all "four corners" north, south, east and west? The answer is yes, it clearly did. In fact one could think of the four angels all standing around the eye of the hurricane and each one pushing in his respective direction resulting in the winds going faster and faster - and in fact they went over 180mph - which is almost tornado speed!!
Note also that Mitch was very unusual in three physical things: 1) the intensity and extended time of its life (about 7 days of destruction interestingly) 2) its location and path was unusual 3) the lateness of the year. It was also unusual in a prophetic or spiritual sense as it was so closely associated with the Wye agreement. These things taken together indicate that we can see it as a significant marker in both the physical and spiritual planes where the raging spiritual battle in the heavens is now going to begin to manifest strongly in the physical realm.
We note also that at virtually the same time there was a major typhoon in the Phillipines so "both sides of the world were signaled at once". ...I think China had a typhoon also.
The prophetic connection then is that perhaps these unprecedented hurricanes were a major sign from the Lord that the 144,000 have been now been sealed and these four angels of the four winds in Rev 7 have been released to do mighty damage upon the earth with the combined power of their winds - and in cooperation with each other - in other words - we may be entering a period of time where we experience typhoons, hurricanes and tornadoes (cyclonic winds) of unprecedented ferocity.
Source: Dick <[email protected]>
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
196. If someone makes a display of wisdom and instead of applying it
talks at length, he has a spurious wealth and his labours 'come into the
houses of strangers' (Prov. 5:10. LXXX).
November 10, 1998
China arrests over 140 underground Protestants
Chinese police have arrested over 140 members of underground Protestant churches and beat their leaders in what one dissident says is a new crackdown on worship.
(Mat 5:10-12) Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
195. All material wealth is the same, but is acquired in many different
ways;, similarly, virtue is one, but is many-sided in its operations.
November 9, 1998
Sons of jailed Egyptian cleric join bin Laden terrorist network
Two sons of an Egyptian cleric convicted of plotting terrorist attacks in New York City have joined the terrorist organization of Osama bin Laden, which is suspected of carrying out deadly bombings against two U.S. embassies in east Africa, CNN has learned.
Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, serving a life sentence in a federal prison, also has written a will calling on his sons to seek revenge against the United States, according to sources who have seen it.
It was at a press conference in May that bin Laden publicly unveiled his International Islamic Front and talked about an edict he issued in February, calling for a jihad, or holy war, against American civilians anywhere in the world.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
194. Fulfilling a a commandment means doing what we are enjoined to do; but
virtue is to do it in a manner that conforms to the truth.
November 8, 1998
Goodness
gracious! Hubble spies great balls of
fire
Fiery clumps of gas dancing around a super-hot, short-lived star have been captured in new images by the Hubble Space Telescope, researchers said Friday.
Each of the "fireballs" has about 30 times the mass of the Earth, scientists said in a statement.
(Acts 2:17-21) "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
193. Fulfilling a commandment is one thing, and virtue is another,
although each promotes the other.
November 7, 1998
A message of hope from David Wilkerson
The economies of the nations are shaking and crumbling, and fear is mounting worldwide. And now, as this shaking continues, we’re witnessing Jesus’ words come to pass:
“...upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity...men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:25-26). Christ is warning us, “Without hope in me, multitudes of people are literally going to die of fright!”
For Jesus’ followers, however those who trust in God’s promises to preserve his children there is glorious freedom from all fear. In fact, all who come under the lordship of Christ never need fear again, if they’ll just lay hold of the following secret: True freedom from fear consists of totally resigning one’s life into the hands of the Lord.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
192. Peace is deliverance from the passions, and is not found except
through the action of the Holy Spirit.
November 6, 1998
Federal judge declares Kentucky anti-abortion law unconstitutional
A federal judge on Thursday threw out a new Kentucky law that banned certain late-term abortion procedures. U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II said the law is "unconstitutional and invalid," saying the statute too broadly defines the prohibited abortion procedures.
He prohibited any prosecution of doctors who perform such abortions, which the statute from the 1998 General Assembly made subject to criminal penalties.
The law banned so-called "partial-birth abortions," in which a fetus is partially delivered vaginally and destroyed, then the delivery completed.
(Rom 1:32) Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
191. Do not say: 'I have fulfilled the commandments, but have not found
the Lord'. For you have often found 'spiritual knowledge with righteousness',
as Scripture says, 'and those who rightly seek Him shall find peace' (Prov.16:
8. LXX).
November 5, 1998
Genetic Warfare- The "Ethnic Bullet"
Recently, an unconfirmed report from South African sources indicated that Israeli scientists may have succeeded in developing an "ethnic bullet" - a type of biological weapon tailored to attack Arabs only. According to this unconfirmed report, aspects of the Arab genetic system were discovered after years of research on Jews of Arab origin, especially Iraqis.
(Rev 6:7-8) When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
190. The Lord is hidden in His own commandments, and He is to be found
there in the measure that He is sought.
November 4, 1998
Mitch veers toward Yucatan, leaves devastated lives
As Mitch, downgraded from hurricane to tropical storm, veered toward Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday, it left in its wake devastated lives and ravaged communities, with an estimated 9,000 dead and 1 million homeless.
Papal condolences for hurricane victims
Pope John Paul called on "all people of good will" to show their "fraternal sentiments of solidarity and Christian charity" toward the surviving victims of the hurricane, by providing fast and effective aid.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
189. If a man tries to overcome temptations without prayer and patient
endurance, he will become more entangled in them instead of driving them
away.
November 3, 1998
International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church
Sunday, November 15, 1998 is designated as the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Over 100,000 churches across the United States and in 130 nations worldwide will be coming together to celebrate and pray for those who share our faith, but not our freedom.
Its primary focus is the work of intercessory prayer and citizen action on behalf of persecuted communities of the Christian faith, for the souls of the oppressors, for the nations that promote persecution, and for those who ignore it.
(Mat 5:10) Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
188. He who knows God's will, and performs it according to his power,
escapes more severe suffering by suffering a little.
November 2, 1998
News Headlines
Death toll from Mitch tops 1,000 assearch for survivors begins
Israel delays implementation of peace deal
Arafat faces challenge to peace accord as Hamas, Hezbollah issue threats
Iraq renews defiance of arms inspections
Teen in Indonesia kills family with hammer
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
187. He who does not choose to suffer for the sake of truth will be
chastened more painfully by suffering he has not chosen.
November 1, 1998
Around the world, harassed Christians are killed for their beliefs
Christian minorities around the world are being harassed and killed for their beliefs despite international laws protecting religious freedom and American efforts to punish persecutors, The Oregonian reported in a series of stories.
In Pakistan, Noor Alam, a Presbyterian pastor who built the first Christian church in his region, was stabbed to death in his home last January.
In Egypt, a Muslim who converted to Christianity was arrested by secret police and tortured. Mustapha el-Sharkawy told the newspaper his interrogators wanted him to inform about other converts.
In Sudan, soldiers sent a 15-year-old Roman Catholic boy into slavery, where he said he was given an Islamic name and beaten by his master's wives.
Sudanese Roman Catholic Bishop Marcus Gassis said the incident revealed a wider problem, one that he became aware of when he saw the bruised hands and feet of a lay religious leader.
"He was crucified for 24 hours," Gassis said. "He was not nailed but tied to a pole in the form of a cross. He was denied food, denied water and beaten with the butt of a gun."
(Rev 6:9-11) When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.
The Philokalia excerpt: St. Mark the Ascetic "On the Spiritual Law: Two Hundred Texts"
186. The conscience is nature's book. He who applies what he
reads there experiences God's help.
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