Tuesday, October 16, 2007

The Ministry of Marriage

Someone asked me once whether marriage was a ministry or calling. I never had an answer that day, but the more I look at it, marriage is indeed a calling and there is a ministry in marriage. Well, I am not yet fully ready to comment on this issue, maybe I will soon, but I came across a blog with a powerful message. This lady writes a message that I believe encourages people to get back to the basics and discover the true purpose of marriage - a ministry that ministers the love that Christ has for the church to the world.

You can get the entire blog and more here.

Otherwise, here is some really good reading from Nikki Washington, CEO Glowmagazineonline.com.

The Marriage Ministry

I don't think people take marriage seriously anymore.

For some it's just something you do so that you can jointly file taxes, or share benefits, or some other silly means of economizing. For some marriage is just a means to cure loneliness or a pass to have guiltless sex. I think somewhere along the way we inherited distorted expectations of marriage.

People are getting married, and finding out that what they thought would be a cure all actually comes with its own set of issues. Did you know that you can be married, and still be lonely? Did you know that you can be married, and still have a broken heart? Did you know that you can be married, and still not be getting any? Now that offically sucks.

Seriously, if you've never done so I want to encourage you to assess your expectations. Are they aligned with God's word? Do you have rose colored glasses on in relation to marriage? Do you really know what marriage means? Marriage has nothing to do with what you can get, but rather what you give. Make no mistake about it, marriage is beauty. But it's also work. It's death to your will. It's sacrifice. It's ministry. I can't speak for you, but I want to see the sanctity of marriage return. I don't want to go to another wedding and wonder if the couple really meant what they said before the preacher.

The question we should ask ourselves is 'Do I have what it takes to work the ministry of marriage?' And then after you ask, be real with yourself. If you know you have areas that require growth, acknowledge them. That's the only way your going to evolve.

I don't know about you, but I'm going to be a great wife. And not because I said so, but because God is yet working on me. My bible reminds me that He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it. I'm so glad about that. You should be too. Let God work on you. And while He's working live for goodness sake! Don't wait to get married for life to start. Live now. Love what you live, and appreciate all that is around you.

And I know I'm not going to get any love here, but it's time-out for planning weddings.

Seriously, there is something wrong when you spend your whole life dreaming of a wedding, yet spend very little time thinking about the aftermath. Honestly, what happens after 'I do?' What happens when it's just you and your spouse, and you're faced with moving forward in life? We can't continue to put value on temporal things, and then expect the "things" to get us to the place of purpose. It almost seems as if, some not all, are getting married for the wrong reasons. He was fine. She could cook. He had money. What's up with that??? A nice physique, kitchen skills, nor money can sustain God's agenda for your life. No sir and no ma'am. You don't need someone who can just make the grade right now; you need someone who can push you into purpose 15 years from now.

Amen somebody!

I don't know your testimony but I thank God I didn't marry when the opportunities arose. I wasn't a wife back then. I was young and stupid and didn't have enough foresight to see down the road. I thank God He awakened in me purpose. Understanding my purpose gave way to revelation knowledge, and knowledge helped me to come to the understanding that there is no settlement in God.

The lesson: don't settle.

Don't be so hard pressed to get married that you accept just anyone. I can't express that enough. I'd much rather wait for the right one, than settle down with the wrong one. I speak these things because I want to see God honoring marriages on display. My prayer is that you'll think about the people you allow to be a part of your life and rightly discern them prior to entering into a relationship.

I know some of you are like, "Whatever Nikki! I'm tired, I'm lonely, I'm discouraged, and I don't want to hear another, hold on and be encouraged message." And I hear you. I can't tell you to get to a place where I haven't been. Really what kind of hostess would I be encouraging you to come to the party, and I haven't even hit the dance floor? Honey, know that I'm two-stepping all up and through this message too (smile).

The difference will be found in how you view things.

I've been sad, and I've had joy. Joy is much better. I've complained, and I've encouraged myself. Encouragement is what helped me. I've been hopeless, and I've walked in expectancy. Expectancy is where I live. Honestly, I can't even articulate into words how at peace I am with where I am in life. I pray you find the same peace. Then and only then can you prepare to receive all that God has is store. And know that God can't bless you with who He has for you until you let go of the people that were never attached to His will for your life. Sis, leave that man alone. You know in your heart he isn't God's best for you. Bro, look beyond her physical. Do you see fruit baring life? Just a little food for thought. I pray you're Holy Spirit lead in your choices. Yeah, that's what's needed in this hour. Holy Ghost led folk. It time to bring real marriage back. It's time to display holy examples. Will & Jada are cool, but have you looked at Rebekkah & Isaac? Read Genesis 24. Now that's how a hook-up is made. I'm telling you, the world ain't got nothing on a God thing honey (smile)!

Be encourage. God hasn't forgotten you. He knows your name. He has already completed the work. You just have to await the manifestation. While you're waiting, occupy until He comes.

Stop stressing.

Exhale already.

Purple was never you color anyway (smile).

I love you

Nikki Washington, CEO

Glowmagazineonline.com

"It's already done, done!

It's already done done done done!" -The Anointed Pace Sisters

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Heaven and Hell. Is it real?

Recently, one of my friends and I had a debate on heaven and hell - it's existence and what is it's state today, in the past and in the future. Also, there was the issue of whether people go to heaven now or are just in a state of suspended animation of sorts till Jesus returns. Now they presented a very good case on their points and well I presented mine.
In the end we agreed to disagree - hey, we are still friends - we are not going to let doctrinal issues separate us. After all, Paul talks of the unity of faith and not unity of doctrine. I am not sure we will achieve that this side of eternity.
Eph 4:12-16 MKJV
(12) for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
(13) And this until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
(14) so that we no longer may be infants, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, in the dishonesty of men, in cunning craftiness, to the wiles of deceit.
(15) But that you, speaking the truth in love, may in all things grow up to Him who is the Head, even Christ;
(16) from whom the whole body, fitted together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of each part, producing the growth of the body to the edifying of itself in love.


Anyway, I will post their views first then my comments.

I would be grateful if you would do me the courtesy of forwarding this to your friends who also received the first email. Reasonable that they should read a dissenting view and think about it, discuss it or (best) study it. Here goes:
I imagine these attachments and the people who contributed to them to have been well intentioned. It is very unfortunate that they are not consistent with what the bible teaches. I just believe that we have to be more careful about what we promulgate when it comes to God. This popular depiction of heaven and hell draws more on Dante than the bible.
"The wages of sin is death", according to Rom 6:23. Naturally - since God is the source of life, and final rejection of him will result in death. The people described in these 'visions' do not seem dead to me!
Rev 20:9 plainly states the ultimate end of those who reject God: 'And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them'. Subsequent verses may seem confusing at first, but biblical examples prevent a superficial reading of 'forever' as translated into English, as a timeless concept. The term rather denotes continuity - and may mean a short or long period of time. Please see Exodus 21:1-6; 2 Kings 5:27; 1 Chronicles 28:4; 1 Kings 2:10, 11; 1 Chronicles 29:27, 28; Acts 2:29, 34; Acts 13:36;1 Chronicles 23:13; Numbers 20:28, 29; Numbers 33:38, 39; Exodus 40:17; Leviticus 25:29, 30; Jonah 1:17 for examples of the use of this word - this is important.
Similarly 'Everlasting Punishment' of Matt 25:46 means 'everlasting death', which we know is the punishment/'wages' of sin (Romans 6:23). "the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord." (2 Thes 1:7-9). Peter describes the fate of the ungodly as that of Sodom and Gomorrah: "the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly." The meaning of destruction is obvious.
Please take time to study it for yourself - from the bible, of course. A short but excellent discussion by biblical scolar Rober Odom can be read at http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/How%20Long%20Is%20Forever.htm. There is also a very cheap booklet called Dark Tunnels and Bright Lights by Mark Finley and Steven Mosley.
That is my specific response. But I wish to make a much larger point if you will bear with me:
We all know we are rapidly approaching the 'End of the Age' spoken of by Christ. But what does it mean, besides going to heaven or hell? What is the real issue behind sin, salvation, life, death, heaven and hell? The real issue is the nature and character of God. This is the centre of the Great Controversy of which we are each a part: a challenge raised by Satan as to the integrity, love, benificience and justice of God - ie, the very Character of God. (It was to dispel the distorted picture of God - of One to be feared, arbituary and vindictive, always seeking to punish - that Jesus came to live among men - John 1:18; John 14:8,9; Matt 11:27.)
This challenge, that God was not as loving and just as he claimed, is the challenge that was raised when there was 'war in heaven' (Rev 12), and this will be the issue that is finally settled at the return of Christ and at the final judgment, when rewards and punishment are meted out - for Satan in particular, for whom 'hell' is really prepared (Matt 25:41). The salvation story is not only about us as individuals. The purpose is for all the Universe (s), heavenly beings as well as earthly ones, to see and agree that Satan was dead wrong - that God is love, mercy and justice all at the same time. (just as He revealed himself to Moses, Exodus 33:18, 19)
If not for this issue of who God is, we wouldn't be here: the sin problem could have been aborted the moment (or even before) it started.
Why am I talking about this? Because to understand how the Enemy works, one must understand his ultimate purpose, which is to create among people a false understanding of the nature and character of God. He does not accomplish this by blatent lies (too obvious), but by half-truths. The very definition of deception is that it must seem acceptable or potientially credible to work. The mixture of truth and falsehood is the classic MO of Satan. One of his favourite areas of focus is this issue of life/death, mortality/immortality, heaven/hell. Always, he must contradict God is some way (Remember 'You shall not surely die" [Gen 3:1-5]?); but there is nearly always some truth, or how could he deceive even Christians? In fact, he is a great impersinator, even of Jesus himself (Matt 24:24).
The point is, it is important for us to acknowledge that many of our most closely held beliefs, even as Christians, might not be truly biblical. In fact most usually our belief systems here in the west - our view of the world, life, God - are generally derived from many sources, carried from generation to generation. In fact, historically many if not most of our 'Christian' traditions are just that - traditions carried over from entrenched pre-christian belief systems, eg Yule tide, Easter, keeping Sundays rather than Sabbaths. As another important example, the popular concept of an 'immortal soul' is not from the bible, nor is the notion that we may exist in any form apart from our bodies. [When our bodies die so do we; otherwise there is no purpose in the final ressurection, is there? So no, our loved ones do not 'die and go to heaven', but simply die - that is, sleep - as Lazarus did, before Jesus called him back to life; as we do, until the ressurection - when we are called to life, all at once! (Eccl 9:5,10; John 11:11; 1 Cor 15:50-52; 1 Thes 4: 16-18) Jesus frequently used the term sleep to refer to death. (Mark 5:39; John 11:11-13) Jesus Himself, after two nights dead, had not gone to heaven (John 20:17).]
Why is this important to Satan? By feeding beliefs that are in contradition to the word of God, he undermines the faith that we have in God and his Truth. Yes, it is truth that is at stake here - I am not just being picky. Jesus was very passionate about the truth. (John 4:21-24; Matt 5:18; John 14:6) As with the woman at the well, he confronts us with our sinfulness (the purpose of his law, which reflects his perfect character, and therefore cannot change) in order that we will turn to him. If we are willing and accept Him, He saves us and His perfect righteousness stands in place of our useless righteousness which cannot save us. But this is merely the beginning of the relationship - of really getting to know Him and (by extension) to truly love Him. Prayer and bible study, with the help of the Spirit (John 16:13) are an essential to this process.
One of the writers made mention of a man with 666 on his head. Does he understand that the end time issue is an issue of loyalty to God and his Truth, at a time when Satan is mixing the truth up all around us? (Matt 24:24) And when the only thing we can rely on is His word, and our personal relationship and experience with Him? The 'mark of the beast' (Rev 14:9) is not something literally visible, nor is it the mark of someone with 'lifestyle issues' of drugs, sex,etc - but of christians who have not valued truth and obedience to God's word above anything else. It is the mark of those who align themselves - actively or passively - with any system, religious or otherwise, whose purpose is to contradict God's word. Any of us can be used for Satan's purposes if we help to perpetuate untruths.
First ask yourself, Is the Person who would subject people to such disgusting and heinious torture depicted in the attached stories consistent with the God presented in the bible, who loves humans enough to become human, live with them and die for them?
When studying it is very important that the bible is studied carefully, prayerfully and in as a whole (it generally explains it self very well); we must be prepared to read other sources if necessary to understand the context. Most of all, it is important to put away any preconceived notions, even those that are well-entrenched or impressed upon us in children by our well-meaning parents, teachers and ministers.
You know, the various writers of different parts of the bible, Old and New Testaments, have one thing in common, which is that they depict events and persons (yes, even our 'heros' of faith) as they were, warts and all, ugly stories as well as beautiful ones. This is because God wants it that way - even when we read things that - superficially - make God not look good. Even in those cases, we are reading not uncomfortable truths about God, but of human flaws and the sinful state, even of those that claim to serve Him. It is of course a common feature of Hebrew literature, for example, to present all events as direct 'acts of God', as insurers still refer to natural disasters today. We might sometimes be initially confused. But to the careful, enlightened student who takes the time - who remembers the ultimate purpose of ALL scripture, which is to reveal to us some truth about the nature and character of God - God always looks good. And when he expresses himself directly, there is no question whatsover - whether to Moses on the mountain (Exodus 34:6,7 -read chap 33 and 34) or in the flesh as our Christ. ("And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." 1 John 5:20.)
For generations, many well-intentioned believers have been tempted to add, exaggerate, even create new stories, that we think will have a certain desired effect, eg depictions of hell to frighten people into (superficially, grudgingly) serving God. But this is not God's desired effect. These are shortcuts, and ultimately counterproductive. He only wants people to know the truth about Him and make a choice - an informed choice. For another example, statements intended to comfort the bereaved, such as 'She is in heaven now', or 'Mom is looking down on me', etc - apart from being contrary to the bible, if you really think about them, are not good. (Think about it.) God does not want that kind of help - and Jesus was passionate about that - because the scriptures, all of it, and the gospel story - are there to tell us about God. (Matt 5:18; John 5:39; Luke 4:16-21). Yes, written by men but inspired by God and miraculously preserved by Him for precisely this purpose. Those horrible depictions by those well-intentioned (we hope) young people are not, thankfully, consistent with the God of the Scriptures.
What a shame that many Christians are worshipping (so they think) God out of fear, as pagans do their gods. With the picture that many people are taught and believe about God, I sometimes think the ones who reject the church are exercising more integrity! I might also refuse to worship such a god!
Jesus warned us in Matt 24 that not all visions, dreams or teaching comes from God. Whenever we are presented with a statement or doctrine about God, let us take the approach of the Bereans in Acts 17:11.
Let's ensure that at all times and in all things, we are worshipping him (as best we know) 'in Spirit and in Truth'. Let's be that salt and light to the world!

Now to my response:
Good to hear from you. I did forward the email as you requested, before I had read it as it was quite lengthy. I have however managed to go through it today and here is my response.

First of all, I disagree with your view about a God who is so loving not being capable of sending people to Hell. I know and have absolutely no doubt and do teach and preach that God is Love. God doesn't have love, He is the very embodiment of Love. He is Love. Jesus Christ was made a manifestation of His Love for us. As the Word became flesh, so Love came and dwelt among men. That is what I know and believe.

However, God's Love for us is such that if we make a choice to go to hell by failing to choose the sacrifice that reconciles us to Him - Jesus Christ, His Love that allows us to have freedom to choose has to let us go to Hell. Why? Because He is just. His justice is such that He cannot break His Word. Now, don't get me wrong, God doesn't want a single one of us to go to Hell; but at the same time, will not deny us our choice. He will do everything to get us not to go there, but if we reject Jesus - then we will go there because He is JUST. That is the very essence of His Kingdom. We are offered mercy, but if we reject mercy - we get justice - and that justice means Hell. You see, people think it is all their sins that gets them to hell - but the thing is this - the only sin that can take you to hell is this - rejecting the Son of God and the sacrifice He made for us.

Also, you say the wages of sin is death and rightly so. For you death means ceasing to exist. However, death means complete and total separation from God. In Genesis, when God told Adam that should they eat from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they shall surely die. They did eat - but we do not see them physically die - did God lie? No, He did not for it is impossible for Him to lie. Death meant separation from God. For these - Adam and Eve, who had lived all this time in God's glory walking with Him in the cool of the day and fellowshipping, separation from God was death. They no longer had access to His glory. The moment they sinned - God's glory, their covering left them. That is when physical death was introduced in the earth - it took hundreds of years to manifest, but it was there. However, the moment they sinned, another death was introduced that took effect immediately - spiritual death. That is why Jesus had to come and die in our place, that through Him, we may be 'born-again' of the Spirit and become one with God again - have access to Him through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Now we can enter boldly into the presence of God as Adam would - why - because no longer are we dead to God, but the life we now live - we live through Jesus Christ the Son of God who has made access available to God through a new a living way.

Now about the descriptions of Hell not being consistent with scripture, I do beg to differ. Let me start with this. Jesus himself mentioned.

Mar 9:42 And whoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in Me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck and he were cast into the sea.
Mar 9:43 And if your hand offends you, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than to have two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched
Mar 9:44 where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.
Mar 9:45 And if your foot offends you, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame than to have two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched
Mar 9:46 where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.
Mar 9:47 And if your eye offends you, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes to be cast into hell fire
Mar 9:48 where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.

That is very clear about hell being a place where the fire is not quenched and the worm dieth not. Consistent with what the youth saw in their vision. I will try and provide some more scripture here that does clearly show that Hell is real and it is a place where those who reject Christ are. By the way, Hell was never made for man - it was made for the devil and his angels - but those who choose the devil will join the devil eventually.
Mat 25:41 Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!

Secondly, the purpose of such visions is not to scare people, but to alert them to the fact that hell is real and heaven is real. We need to get out of our cushy sterile Christianity that is so focused on 'me' and get to a place where we are actively motivated to preach the Gospel - not with condemnation and not in fear, but genuinely loving the unbeliever with the heart that God loves them - not wanting them to experience the horror of hell (which I maintain is real). God in His love doesn't want us to go to hell, and perfect love casts out all fear.

So, maybe I can set the record straight here:
Isa 24:22 And they will be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in a pit or dungeon; they will be shut up in prison, and after many days they will be visited, inspected, and punished or pardoned. [Zech. 9:11, 12; II Pet. 2:4; Jude 6.]
2Pe 2:4 For God did not [even] spare angels that sinned, but cast them into hell, delivering them to be kept there in pits of gloom till the judgment and their doom.
Jud 1:6 And angels who did not keep (care for, guard, and hold to) their own first place of power but abandoned their proper dwelling place--these He has reserved in custody in eternal chains (bonds) under the thick gloom of utter darkness until the judgment and doom of the great day.
These show that Hell is a place that exists even now and was reserved for the devil and his angels - those who sinned against God.

Pro 7:26 For she has cast down many wounded; indeed, all her slain are a mighty host. [Neh. 13:26.]
Pro 7:27 Her house is the way to Sheol (Hades, the place of the dead), going down to the chambers of death. (AMP )
Pro 7:26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
Pro 7:27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. (KJV)
Neh 13:26 Did not Solomon king of Israel act treacherously against God and miss the mark on account of such women? Among many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; yet strange women even caused him to sin [when he was old he turned treacherously away from the Lord to other gods, and God rent his kingdom from him]. [I Kings 11:1-11.]
These talk about the house of the unfaithful woman being the way to Sheol or Hell.

Jon 2:2 And said, I cried out of my distress to the Lord, and He heard me; out of the belly of Sheol cried I, and You heard my voice. [Ps. 120:1; 130:1; 142:1; Lam. 3:55-58.] AMP
Jon 2:2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. KJV
Jon 2:6 I went down to the bottoms and the very roots of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever. Yet You have brought up my life from the pit and corruption, O Lord my God.
Once more talks about the pit alluded to earlier.

Isa 14:9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
Isa 14:10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?
Isa 14:11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. (KJV)
Isa 14:9 Sheol (Hades, the place of the dead) below is stirred up to meet you at your coming [O tyrant Babylonian rulers]; it stirs up the shades of the dead to greet you--even all the chief ones of the earth; it raises from their thrones [in astonishment at your humbled condition] all the kings of the nations.
Isa 14:10 All of them will [tauntingly] say to you, Have you also become weak as we are? Have you become like us?
Isa 14:11 Your pomp and magnificence are brought down to Sheol (the underworld), along with the sound of your harps; the maggots [which prey upon dead bodies] are spread out under you and worms cover you [O Babylonian rulers]. (AMP)
Isa 14:9 "In the place of the dead there is excitement over your arrival. The spirits of world leaders and mighty kings long dead stand up to see you.
Isa 14:10 With one voice they all cry out, 'Now you are as weak as we are!
Isa 14:11 Your might and power were buried with you. The sound of the harp in your palace has ceased. Now maggots are your sheet, and worms your blanket.' (NLT)
Mat 10:28 "Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (NLT)
These talk of their being living beings/people in Hell. Also talks about worms or maggots, which Jesus talked of. Hell is a place of weakness. So, there is a place where people do go after they are dead, and in those in hell do have a body.

Mat 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
Mat 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
Mat 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
Mat 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
Mat 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (KJV)
Mat 13:37 He answered, He Who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
Mat 13:38 The field is the world, and the good seed means the children of the kingdom; the darnel is the children of the evil one,
Mat 13:39 And the enemy who sowed it is the devil. The harvest is the close and consummation of the age, and the reapers are angels.
Mat 13:40 Just as the darnel (weeds resembling wheat) is gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the close of the age.
Mat 13:41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of offense [persons by whom others are drawn into error or sin] and all who do iniquity and act wickedly,
Mat 13:42 And will cast them into the furnace of fire; there will be weeping and wailing and grinding of teeth. (AMP)
Luk 16:23 And in Hades (the realm of the dead), being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24 And he cried out and said, Father Abraham, have pity and mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Child, remember that you in your lifetime fully received [what is due you in] comforts and delights, and Lazarus in like manner the discomforts and distresses; but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.
Luk 16:26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who want to pass from this [place] to you may not be able, and no one may pass from there to us. (AMP)
These and more talk of Hell being a place of fire, where there is burning. And see, the rich man in the story of Lazarus is in hell. The flames are not metaphorical as water would not suffice to cool his tongue.

Rev 9:2 He opened the long shaft of the Abyss (the bottomless pit), and smoke like the smoke of a huge furnace puffed out of the long shaft, so that the sun and the atmosphere were darkened by the smoke from the long shaft. [Gen. 19:28; Exod. 19:18; Joel 2:10.] (AMP)

Where there is smoke - there must be a fire.

Rev 14:10 He too shall [have to] drink of the wine of God's indignation and wrath, poured undiluted into the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. [Gen. 19:24.]
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no respite (no pause, no intermission, no rest, no peace) day or night--these who pay homage to the beast and to his image and whoever receives the stamp of his name upon him. [Isa. 34:10.] (AMP)
Also here we see that there is a place for those who reject God - and they are tormented forever and ever. I don't know what forever means to you in English, but I know forever means everlastingly: for a limitless time.

Rev 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and the One Who was seated upon it, from Whose presence and from the sight of Whose face earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
Rev 20:12 I [also] saw the dead, great and small; they stood before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is [the Book] of Life. And the dead were judged (sentenced) by what they had done [their whole way of feeling and acting, their aims and endeavors] in accordance with what was recorded in the books.
Rev 20:13 And the sea delivered up the dead who were in it, death and Hades (the state of death or disembodied existence) surrendered the dead in them, and all were tried and their cases determined by what they had done [according to their motives, aims, and works].
Rev 20:14 Then death and Hades (the state of death or disembodied existence) were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Rev 20:15 And if anyone's [name] was not found recorded in the Book of Life, he was hurled into the lake of fire.
After the White Throne Judgment - Hell and death are thrown into the lake of fire - which means they must exist today. Notice there are no rewards at this judgment because it is a judgment for those who are apart from God - who rejected God.

One key factor of Christianity is that Christ paid the price for us in hell. He wasn't in some suspended state after He died on the cross. He went to Hell and disarmed principalities and powers, gaining our freedom for us.
Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

So now, is this to scare us - no - because once we receive Christ into our lives, we never will experience hell. This is to remind us of where the rest will go if they reject Christ. So it is up to us to preach Christ to them - to tell them that God loves them so much He wants each and every one of them to be delivered from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom if His dear Son.
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

So, if you are born again as the Word of God teaches then you have no need to fear hell. You have heaven to look forward to.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

So, at the end of the day, whether you believe or not is up to you. But what about those who don't know Him yet. We need to preach Christ - the God of Love who doesn't want them to experience death - separation from Him - but life - abundant life - John 10:10. Let us have a passion for what God has a passion for - souls.

That is my response to your email. These are just a few scriptures I have picked where the Bible talks of Hell. There are so many more.
For further reference I would recommend that you look at:
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/225803.aspx

http://www.amazon.com/23-Minutes-Hell-Bill-Wiese/dp/1591858828

http://www.spiritlessons.com/

These talk more in depth than what I can do in this limited space and give scripture references. There is so much reference on Heaven and Hell and how each is a real place with real people.

So, in conclusion, God is LOVE and never doubt that, and in His LOVE He does not want anyone to go to Hell. It is our responsibility as long as we have breath - to worship Him in Spirit and Truth - and to Love Him - which means to obey His commandments:
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

So let the knowledge of the existence of Heaven and Hell spur us on to reach more and more for Christ. He needs us to do it as we are His mouthpiece on the earth.

Well, that is it. Comments please - keep it clean though.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Roma, Firenze and Tivoli

I got a chance to take a week's holiday in Italy so I made use of it by visiting a couple of sites in Rome, Florence and Tivoli.

As it is said, a picture speaks more than 1000 words, I guess that is what will speak most in this posting. It is an enjoyable place.

Tip: When traveling to Italy and you intend to do the tour - the best way to see the place is on foot. Pack a good pair of shoes and if it is in the hot summer, take plenty of water along each day. The walking may be tiring, but the fun of seeing all these wonderful sites - mostly ancient (some not so ancient) is worth every step.

My first tour was of St. Peter's Basilica and the surroundings. It was a wonderful place to tour and the crowd to see the place was quite large. Then we took to the streets, looking at the old town, the Tiber River, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountaon, Castel Sant'Angelo, Fountain of the Four Rivers (which was being restored), the Spanish steps - which provided a very nice panoramic view of Roma, the Colosseum and then, finally walked through the second most expensive street in Italy. For the most expensive street, see my posting on Milan.

Rome



St. Peter's Basilica


The Colosseum

The next day I took a walk on the via Appia Antica or what is more commonly known in the English world as the Appian Way - the first paved road in the world. Ok, the road now called via Appia Antica is not the original road. The original one lies a couple of feet under the current one, but I also got a chance to walk on that one too - courtesy of the catacombs. There are lots of sites/ruins along the road and one can take the entire 6 mile walk to see all the famous ruins and sites along the road. I did the 3 mile walk on the via Appia Antica to the Caetani Castle and then took the way back using via Appia Pignatelli.

Via Appia Antica 1

After that, took the bus to the city center and went to visit the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano. Now this is one cool place. The frescoes on the ceiling are decorated in gold leaf. Man, even the organ is gold-plated. Lots of marble statues too. And as usual the sarchophagi are there. All in all, the decor in this church is really cool.

San Giovanni in Laterano

After that I visited more churches - well, you cannot go to Rome without at least visiting a couple of churches - each has its own style and story. Some were where St. Peter was buried (for a while at least), others were where St. Paul was buried (for a while at least). Others were dedicated to some saint or other, while others were commissioned by some important figure of his/her time. So many stories, too many to tell here. The best thing is to have the pictures to look at and possibly, tell their own story.
Also, I took a tour of the Roman forum - where the Roman emperors tried to make their mark - and all that is left is the ruins. Well, again, the pictures speak for themselves.

Churches and More


Roman Forum

Then there was Florence. That was one cool place. There is so much art and history in that town. The most prominent being the statues of David by Michaelangelo. I made a point to visit and see all three statues. Now that Michaelangelo guy was one great sculptor because that statue is so lifelike. It may be huge (and naked) but still is so lifelike. You can even see the veins on the marble statue. I was impressed. Then there was the view of Florence from Piazalle Michaelangelo. Nice does not do that view justice. It is really a breathtaking sight. I spent so much time outside there just looking over the city and trying to identify the sites we had visited.
There were some really cool churches like the San Miniato al Monte, Santa Maria del Fiore, Santa Croce, the Duomo, San Salvatore al Monte and Santa Maria Novella.
Then there was the Ponte Vecchio. It was a covered bridge that houses only jewelery shops. Apparently, in some time past, the shop keepers would dump their trash into the river and pollute it. So the city council issued an order that only jewelers would be allowed to have shops on the Ponte Vecchio.

Florence

Finally, my last major touristic act was taking a hike in Tivoli. I guess that was the highlight of my trip because I really like the outdoors and nature. Let the pictures speak for themselves.
Got to see where the ancient Romans would enjoy nature and it looks like a place where they would take holidays. Villa Gregoriana also has some ruins of ancient temples. It is really interesting.

Tivoli

All in all, it was a wonderful trip to Italy and time well spent on tourism and vacation. I was tired when I got back home, but the wiser and the richer for all my experience. A place worth visiting for pleasure.

5 Tips to Avoid Having an Office Affair

Posted September 12, 2007 | 02:53 PM (EST)



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A few nights ago, a friend told me an interesting story. When she'd started her job at a major financial institution, a family friend, who also worked there, pulled her aside to give her some advice about avoiding having an affair.

Many of the people who worked at their firm had affairs, he said. He'd seen it himself. And lots of marriages broke up. His own marriage had stayed strong for thirty years, and he wanted to tell her the five rules he'd always followed to make sure he'd never be tempted.

1. Never take a first step in flirtation, even in jest.

2. Never have more than one drink with people from work. If that.

3. Never confide details from your personal life to people from work, and don't allow them to confide in you.

4. Never allow yourself to have a "special friend" of the opposite sex (sometimes called a "work spouse") to whom you turn for particular support.

5. Unless it's an unmistakably professional context, don't meet alone with a colleague or client of the opposite sex. E.g, when a client calls with tickets for the U.S. Open, don't go in a twosome.

He explained the reasoning behind his advice.

He'd seen the same thing happen over and over. There comes a time in every marriage, he said, when a couple doesn't get along very well. This period might even last several years. Difficult kids, difficult in-laws, difficult schedules, health worries, money worries, and all the rest can create a lot of conflict.

If you have an intimate friend at work, someone who knows you very well, and understands your troubles, and appreciates you properly, and can offer you a sympathetic, conflict-free refuge from your annoying spouse, the temptation to turn to that person is very strong.

Or if you're alone at night with someone, or out drinking - you might give in to a sudden impulse.

Now, some of this advice conflicts with the happiness research. For instance, as Penelope Trunk discussed in a post on Brazeen Careerist, studies show that people who have good friends at work are happier than people who don't, and Tip #3, in particular, would make it hard to have a real friend.

Nevertheless, thinking back to my days working in an office, I think there's some real value to these injunctions. They're worth thinking over, to adapt to each person's particular situation.

My friend has been working at that major financial institution for a couple of years now. "Are a lot of people really having affairs?" I asked. "Oh, yes," she said. She lives by those rules herself -- except #3, sometimes she breaks #3. She's a very friendly person, so she can't really stop herself from having those kind of conversations.

If you'd like to read more about happiness, check out Gretchen's daily blog, The Happiness Project.



Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gretchen-rubin/5-tips-to-avoid-having-an_b_64139.html

Sunday, September 02, 2007

Milano

Visiting the fashion capital of the world was rather interesting. I saw a D&G (Dolce and Gabbana) Handbag for 35900 Euro with a matching pair of shoes for 1900 Euro. Now even if the price was in KES (Kenya Shillings) that would be a bit pricey - ok, maybe not a bit but a lot.
I guess the target market is that class of people who have their own private jet, with a private runway which you can taxi to the back of their house (such as John Travolta) and probably own a Caribbean Island as part of their real estate portfolio.
Well, here are some photos.

Milan

The Duomo I guess was the highlight of the visit. Built in a Gothic style, it is the third largest of its kind. It is undergoing restoration but well, it is a really cool building. The chaps who worked on it were really dedicated. Rather complex and intricate designs.

Night Out


Walking on the fashion streets lets you know why Milan is indeed the fashion capital of the world.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Listen to music to help you sleep

Forget counting sheep, next time you are having trouble dropping off to sleep try putting on a jazz CD.

Researchers have shown just 45 minutes of relaxing music before bedtime can make for a restful night.

The Taiwanese researchers studied the sleeping patterns of 60 elderly people with sleep problems.

They told the Journal of Advanced Nursing, how the technique was easy to learn and lacked the side-effects of other treatments.

If anyone is a bit agitated before they go to bed then anything that can help calm them down and relax is a good thing.
Professor Jim Horne, from the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University

The study participants were either given a choice of music to listen to before going to sleep or nothing at all.

The music group were able to choose from six tapes that featured soft, slow music - around 60-80 beats per minute - such as jazz, folk or orchestral pieces.

Listening to music caused physical changes that aided restful sleep, including a lower heart and respiratory rate, the researchers found.

Sweet dreams

The people in the music group reported a 35% improvement in their sleep, including better and longer night-time sleep and less dysfunction during the day.

Lead author Professor Hui-Ling Lai, of the Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital and the University of Taiwan, said: "The music group reported a 26% overall improvement in the first week and this figure continued to rise as they mastered the technique of relaxing into sedative music."

Professor Jim Horne, from the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, said: "If anyone is a bit agitated before they go to bed then anything that can help calm them down and relax is a good thing.

"Some say making sure older people sleep less in the afternoon and get plenty of exposure to daylight can help them get a better night's sleep."


Source BBC News

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Transformers

For those of you who are Transformers fans, you can try out the quiz at:

http://www.funflip.com/quiz/transformers


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Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Link to call me for free


I am using jaxtr, and if you also sign up, we can talk for free on the phone at any time.

-Andrew

P.S. Here is the link to sign up:
http://www.jaxtr.com/user/ticket?n=T1mats1ix6r279&type=joininvite

Delivered by jaxtr, Inc., 855 Oak Grove Avenue, Suite 100, Menlo Park, California 94025. Click here to stop receiving messages from this sender.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Isaac Newton's Prophecies Revealed to Public for First Time in Jerusalem—Makes Prediction About Second Coming of Christ

Believed the temple in Jerusalem mirrored the cosmos and that Christ would not return until at least the year 2060, and maybe later. Said Newton, 300 years ago: "This I mention not to assert when the time of the end shall be, but to put a stop to the rash conjectures of fanciful men who are frequently predicting the time of the end, and by doing so bring the sacred prophesies into discredit as often as their predictions fail."

AP/TN (June 20th, 2007)

(Jerusalem)—One of the world's greatest scientists of all time, Sir Isaac Newton, was known for his spectacular breakthroughs in science and astronomy, but he was also a deeply religious man. Now it is revealed that documents by Newton, purchased by a Jewish scholar at a Sotheby's auction in London in 1936 and kept safe in Israel's national library in Jerusalem since 1969, and which were reportedly available for decades only to a small number of scholars, have for the first time been opened to the public.

According to an AP report, the 300-year-old manuscripts calculate the exact date of the apocalypse (no earlier than 2060, according to Newton who used the book of Daniel for his calculations), and detail the precise dimensions of the ancient temple in Jerusalem, besides some Bible interpretations as well. (Photo: AP / The Jewish National and University Library, handout)

"It may end later," noted Newton, referring to the Second Coming of Christ, "but I see no reason for its ending sooner. This I mention not to assert when the time of the end shall be, but to put a stop to the rash conjectures of fanciful men who are frequently predicting the time of the end, and by doing so bring the sacred prophesies into discredit as often as their predictions fail."

In another document, Newton reportedly interpreted biblical prophecies to mean that the Jews would return to the Holy Land before the world ends. The end of days will see "the ruin of the wicked nations, the end of weeping and of all troubles, the return of the Jews captivity and their setting up a flourishing and everlasting Kingdom."

The placement of, and exact dimensions of the temple in Jerusalem mirror the arrangement of the cosmos, Newton adds.

Yemima Ben-Menahem, one of the exhibit's curators, is quoted as saying that the Newton papers complicate the idea that science is diametrically opposed to religion. "These documents show a scientist guided by religious fervor, by a desire to see God's actions in the world," she said.

More prosaic documents on display show Newton keeping track of his income and expenses while a scholar at Cambridge and later, as master of the Royal Mint, negotiating with a group of miners from Devon and Cornwall about the price of the tin they supplied to Queen Anne.

Source: AP

Friday, May 04, 2007

The hidden dangers of documents

Dot.life - how technology changes us
By Mark Ward
BBC News Online technology correspondent

Your Microsoft Word document can give readers more information about you than you might think. Even Alastair Campbell has fallen foul of the snippets of invisible data few of us realise our documents contain.

Drop of water, Photodisk/Eyewire
You could be leaking sensitive information
Usually with Microsoft Word, what you see is what you get.

If you make a change to a document, then that is what you see when it gets printed out.

But in fact, in many cases it is what you cannot see at first glance that proves more interesting.

Hidden and dangerous

Analysis of hidden information in the so-called Iraq "dodgy dossier" showed, among other things, the names of the four civil servants who worked on it.

Downing Street press office head Alastair Campbell had to explain who these people were to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee investigating the genesis of the plagiarised document.

Alastair Campbell, PA
Alastair Campbell had to explain hidden names
"The time when most information tends to leak is when you are using a document that has a number of revisions or a number of people working on it," says Nick Spenceley, founder director of computer forensics firm Inforenz.

The UK government has now largely abandoned Microsoft Word for documents that become public and has turned to documents created using Adobe Acrobat which uses the Portable Data Format (PDF).

"I'm not sure many people check Word documents before they go out or are published," says Mr Spenceley.

He says he knows of a case in which someone found previous versions of an employment contract buried in the Word copy he was sent. Reading the hidden extras gave the person applying for the job a big advantage during negotiations.

Sometimes the mistakes are even more public.

During the hunt for the Washington sniper the police allowed the Washington Post to publish a letter sent to the police that included names and telephone numbers.

HIDDEN TEXT
Text from other documents open at the same time
Previously deleted text
E-mail headers and server information
Printer names
Data about the machine where the document was written
Where the document was saved
Word version number and document format
Names and usernames of document authors
The newspaper tried to hide these details using black boxes which were easily removed and the sensitive details exposed for all to see.

But it is not just governments, businesses and newspapers that can be embarrassed in this way.

You could be too.

There is a function in many versions of Microsoft Office programs, which includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint, that means that fragments of data (which Microsoft refers to as metadata) from other files you deleted or were working on at the same time could be hidden in any document you save.

This could be embarrassing for any home workers whose colleagues find out that they have been applying for jobs while working at home or being less than complimentary about their co-workers.

Look and learn

With the right tools this hidden data can easily be extracted.

Unix and Linux users can turn to tools such as Antiword and Catdoc to turn the document, including its formatting information, into a simple text file.

Computer researcher Simon Byers has conducted a survey of Word documents available on the net and found that many of them contain sensitive information.

Montgomery County police chief Charles Moose, AP
Sensitive data was exposed during the hunt for the Washington sniper
He gathered about 100,000 Word documents from sites on the web and every single one of them had hidden information.

In a research paper about the work Mr Byers wrote that about half the documents gathered had up to 50 hidden words, a third up to 500 words hidden and 10% had more than 500 words concealed within them.

The hidden text revealed the names of document authors, their relationship to each other and earlier versions of documents.

Occasionally it revealed very personal information such as social security numbers that are beloved of criminals who specialise in identity theft.

Also available was useful information about the internal network the document travelled through, which could be useful to anyone looking for a route into a network.

Mr Byers wrote that the problem of leaky Word documents is pervasive and wrote that anyone worried about losing personal information might want to consider using a different word processing program.

Alternatively he recommends using utility programs that scrub information from Word documents or following Microsoft's advice about how to make documents safer.

"Microsoft is aware of the functionality of metadata being stored within Word 97 documents and would advise users to follow the instructions laid out in [the Microsoft Knowledge Base - see Related Internet Links]," says a spokesperson. "However, Microsoft do not wish to comment on how customers use the functionality within our software."

Source: BBC News

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Taking Action for the Course of Purity

"God has given me a message about sexual purity that He has promised to bless and that He's asked me to steward."

Staff Reports/CR (May 2nd, 2007)

With society constantly overwhelming men and boys at younger and younger ages with a flood of sexual images and messages, it's very difficult for them to stay the course towards purity. But one man, Fred Stoecker, feels he's been called to be a "steward" and beacon for purity in men. And that's precisely what he's doing. He wants to help turn the tide on temptation and equip men for the battle they face.

"God has given me a message about sexual purity that He has promised to bless and that He's asked me to steward," Stoeker says. "That's a big responsibility, and as I kneel to shoulder that load...."

With a mission that is more urgent today than ever, Stoeker is addressing the needs of a generation that is struggling to live with purity, or even to see that as possible. "The cost of sexual sin is enormous, but young people don't always recognize the danger," he says. "What seems like freedom soon becomes a prison of destructive desires and behaviors."

With his words on the truth behind dangerous sexual behaviors, Stoeker has released a new book entitled Tactics, which teaches a defensive stance towards temptation, and how to take purity beyond sex. His next release, scheduled for this month, is a CD to reinforce the defensive attitude by using football metaphors. The CD titled Win This War features the struggle for purity. Two of its songs will be released to the radio this month.

Source: Christian Newswire

Betrayal and Forgiveness: the Extraordinary Story of Kathi Winter

"HIV could have ruined my love of God or turned me into a bitter, angry person. I thank God that it did not."

Dan Wooding (May 2nd, 2007)

Kathi Winter is an American business woman who has experienced both betrayal and forgiveness and now she is dedicating her life to helping others who, like herself, are HIV-positive.

She has traveled all over Africa and also to China on her unique mission to bring the message of Christ's forgiveness especially to children and women who feel betrayed by those who gave them the deadly virus.

And she should know because she was given HIV by a man whom she'd trusted.

Days after returning from another trip this time to Congo and Uganda, Kathi, who has been a successful business woman for 32 years and is a committed Believer in Jesus Christ, agreed to share her dramatic story.

She began by saying, "I was born in Northern California to a white, upper middle-class family with strict religious beliefs and was taught reverence for God and to obey and never question a priest—or any man, for that matter," said Kathi. "Our family life revolved around my father who spent most of his time at work training super-star athletes. My mother was a Sorbonne-educated alcoholic, a condition my father chose to ignore.

"Taking my cue from him, I began what became a course of denial that led to my looking at life through rose-colored glasses. The tragedy is how that caused me eventually to blindly make certain decisions that will affect me the rest of my life."

Kathi says that she always had a deep compassion for homeless people and some years ago, at Christmas; she went to a Homeless Shelter to bring dinner to needy families.

"At first sight, I fell in love with a young man who was managing the Shelter when he testified that God had delivered him from ten years of drug addiction in one day," she said. "He loved Jesus and had the light of God all over him. Shortly after our working together, he fell in love with me, too, and for seven months I was ecstatic. Even though he had been an I.V. drug user, Fred wouldn't get tested for HIV. 'I'm not sick and don't need to,' he told me. This should have been a red flag, but being prone to denial, it was all I needed to hear."

"But seven months later, when he moved temporarily to the East coast, I decided I should get tested. I did and was told I was negative. What a relief! In my mind, that meant that neither he nor I was infected with the dreaded disease. We kept in touch and two years later, he returned to Southern California and we resumed our relationship and our work with the homeless.

"For Easter of 1995, together we planned and then hosted a huge feeding program for the homeless that was attended by 5,000 people. We both awoke that morning with flu-like symptoms. By the end of the day, we dragged home and went to bed. I got up 24 hours later feeling tired, but relatively o.k. Fred couldn't get out of bed but refused to let me call a doctor. Three weeks later, I drove him to Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California, to be tested. The doctor asked me to wait outside while he examined Fred, and when he called me in for the verdict, he told me that Fred had AIDS and he was likely to die in three days.

"He also told me that I needed to be tested, and when I explained that I had already done that, he said, 'Just because you had one test doesn't mean that you don't need another.' Two weeks later, I was given the diagnosis that I was HIV positive. The fear that overcame me was inexplicable. Not for myself, but because the man of my life was going to die, the very man who, after my two failed marriages, had taken my heart to a new level of trust. I forgot about my own health and hoped the prognosis for him was wrong. It turned out that it was and for the next three years I took care of Fred: that is how much I loved him."

Kathi said that probably the worst day of her life was when Fred revealed to her that he had been told in 1989 that he was HIV positive, but that he didn't accept it, and never believed he would give it to anyone.

"On hearing this, I was so angry I wanted to kill him," she said. "True, he was the man who helped me accept the Lord and brought me into my wonderful relationship with Jesus. But now he turned out to be a man who didn't protect or care for me more than he cared for his own desire to be with me. I felt totally abandoned by family and friends. But more than that, I felt that God had betrayed me. I asked myself, 'Where is God in all this?' Why hadn't He protected me? Where was God when I was making poor judgments? Well, now I know He was with me all along, letting me have my free will and now letting me receive the consequences. God loves us that much that He gives us free will to do what we want. But we do reap what we sow.

"With God's help, I found the proper spirit to listen to Fred's apologies and take in his repentance, forgive him, and actually maintain a friendship with him. (It took me much longer to forgive myself). HIV could have ruined my love of God or turned me into a bitter, angry person. I thank God that it did not. But there is no question that the whole experience has kept me from trusting men again and it's been thirteen years. I pray that I can one day trust them as I now trust God."

HIV Is a Disease of Brokenness

Kathi said that HIV is a disease of brokenness—of the heart, the spirit, the mind, and the body.

"Christianity demands that we help heal the entire person, not just the physical part," she said. "For the three years after my diagnosis and of caring for Fred, I sought help and, looked for a way to get over the pain in my heart. The only place I could find counseling was in a gay and lesbian center that had state funding to provide it without charge. My church pastor told me he was sorry to hear my bad news, but never again did he address the issue, and in his own way he asked me to stay quiet about it, not wanting to 'upset the congregation."

"Churches have been so quiet for the past 25 years about this disease, out of ignorance. It is not curable, but it is preventable. It is heartening that more and more public and private groups are taking the lead in sponsoring educational HIV/AIDS programs. And increasingly, some churches are joining them. But more are needed. This devastating disease will continue to spread and there is a major role for more churches to play. They must wake up and talk openly about sexually transmitted disease."

"The painful rejection that I felt from the Church could have kept me from God for the rest of my life, but the Holy Spirit pulled me in deeper to depend more and more on His guidance to repair my broken spirit and mind. It is the role of our Christian Church to love and accept everyone, as Christ did. I know God loves me and accepts me. He is my best friend. His grace and mercy are what have pulled me through. And while my teaching is directed toward preventing women from making the mistakes that I did, I also pray that reading my story will lead those who are infected to recognize that their faith can see them through."

To read more of this inspiring story, follow the link below.

Source: ASSIST Ministries