Monday, January 15, 2018

Mon Jan 15th Todays News

Don't give up on hope. We all make choices, and sometimes there are unintended consequences. And sometimes those consequences are known. Like when Green Party politician Lee Rhiannon embraced Stalinism and then defended it. It is clear Aboriginal peoples too often lead appalling lives, but who or what is to blame for that? The victims? The survivors? Those who weren't victims? How about those so called compassionate ones who were contributing abusers? In '07, Rudd was in government a short time when he had contracted lawyers to find mechanisms to undo the intervention in the top end of Australia. Racist bodies designed to exploit Aborigines were not profiting from the intervention, and Rudd's ALP did not want to lose the money permanently? How many die from such 'compassion'? Who gets counted? It is as with the compassion that has thousands dead paying people smugglers to come to Australia. Do we count all those we know died en route? Or only the thousands in Australian waters? Or the quarantining of welfare to accounts so it isn't diverted to grog and cigarettes. It is not freedom. Who is free who cannot support themselves? Who is free who can support themselves? What would Stalin do? 

 USAID is now being directed, thanks to Mike Pence, away from terrorist supporting UN towards victims of terror in Ninevah. Meanwhile the Victorian government is spending an extra $600 million so the Victorian Police Force can fight the ethnic gangs it claims are not there. But all that is needed is to allow the Police to do their jobs, and stop corrupt judiciary from hindering police. 

I am a decent man and don't care for the abuse given me. I created a video raising awareness of anti police feeling among western communities. I chose the senseless killing of Nicola Cotton, a Louisiana policewoman who joined post Katrina, to highlight the issue. I did this in order to get an income after having been illegally blacklisted from work in NSW for being a whistleblower. I have not done anything wrong. Local council appointees refused to endorse my work, so I did it for free. Youtube's Adsence refused to allow me to profit from their marketing it. Meanwhile, I am hostage to abysmal political leadership and hopeless journalists. My shopfront has opened on Facebook.
















































































Here is a video I made Tangled up puppet

Harry Forster Chapin (December 7, 1942 -- July 16, 1981) was an American singer-songwriter best known in particular for his folk rock songs including "Taxi," "W*O*L*D," and the number-one hit "Cat's in the Cradle"; as well as his folk musical based on the biblical book of John, "Cotton Patch Gospel." Chapin was also a dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger, his work a key player in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977. In 1987, Chapin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his humanitarian work.


=== from 2017 ===
I viewed Chris Johnston-Luke as a friend of mine, although I never knew her. She was not hysterical or hyper ventilating, but reasonable and kind. I feel the best way to show respect for her is to be a little like that. She was only in her mid sixties. Born in 1952. She was a wife, a mum, a step mum and grandma. Chris actually messaged me in 2015. She was concerned about some trolls. She didn't like banning for banning sake, but these were .. trolls. She messaged me later in support when she read some of my issues. She knew first hand of corruption in South Australia involving a family court which destroyed her son. I am not certain right now if that is the child of hers who predeceased her. I understand, a little, of that pain. The judicial system were aware of exculpatory evidence regarding false allegations, but the justice system had persecuted him and demanded he confess anyway. A process of near two years in which the poor guy lost his family and couldn't work. Australia is built by people who stand up for what is right. And those who inherit Australia have entrusted us with the sacred duty of making good choices. We are to make hard decisions quickly, not, as Turnbull does, make decisions seem hard. I don't know how she died, or why. Chris died in her sleep about a week into 2017. Many mourn the passing of celebrities in 2016. I celebrate Christine's life. 

=== from 2016 ===
Terror explosions in Jakarta and US defence held hostage by Iran and forced to apologise. Obama has given a state of the union address and it is worth looking at what he has achieved. Student Loans, Food Stamps, US Federal Government debt, Money printing and  Health insurance costs all resemble hockey graphs under Obama. However, Obama has managed to severely restrict Labor Force Participation, Worker's Share of the Economy, Median Family Income and Home Ownership. And now Obama wants to run the UN. To be fair, Obama's credentials for the UN show impeccable incompetence. And we know he was  born in a UN state and meets the residential requirements. Although there is no evidence of it. Obama may be the first former CIA agent to be UN chief. And an apostate Muslim would go down well with Islamic member states. 

For some, at the moment, the Sex Party has more credibility.
=== from 2015 ===
The story of the day that the media are ignoring is NSW ALP Leader admitting he has twice been done for drink driving. Last time in 2007. He recently ran for the leaders position and never flagged the issue where superior candidates might have exploited it. But he denied them that opportunity and then shafted a sitting member to take their place in one of the most corrupt and compromised electorates, a safe ALP seat. Luke Foley claims it is his only skeleton. Former Attorney General Jeff Shaw was permanently pickled, also of the same left faction, and often referred to as having a fine legal mind. Does Luke Foley have a similarly fine legal mind? Clearly it isn't as good as Shaw's, as Shaw wasn't convicted of drink driving when he crashed his car into a parked car, and staggered out of hospital with his blood samples. Only after the Liberal Party put pressure on the PIC did it eventuate that Shaw resigned from the judiciary. Brilliant way to illustrate the ALP continuation of corrupt service. 

Meanwhile the press is enamoured with a decision by the Government of Australia to hold off on some of their medical reforms. No one following the press would know it, but the $5 co payment is still set to proceed in June.

On this day in history, 69, Otho seized the throne of the emperor of Rome, but he suicided only three months later. Three months is a long time to keep a child interested in a toy. In 1541, King Francis I of France tasked Jean-François Roberval to make Canada Roman Catholic which will cloud the understanding of Atheists as to why it happened. In 1559, Elizabeth I was crowned in London. Her rule defined the world. In 1844, University of Notre Dame was commissioned in Indiana. In 1870, a political cartoon defined the Democrats with an ass kicking a dead lion. In 1947, someone brutally killed the Black Dahlia. In 1951, the witch of Buchenwald was sentenced to life in jail. Ilse Koch appealed the sentence, was denied, and made it correct by committing suicide years too late for her victims. The first Super Bowl in 1967. In 1981, Pope John Paul II received a Polish Labor delegation led by Lech Walesa. In 1991, Saddam forgot to withdraw troops from Kuwait, and so the UN approved Desert Storm. In 2007, Saddam's half brother was executed for crimes against humanity. 
From 2014
Should is a powerful word. Teachers should be competent. Politicians should be honest. Police should be fair. On the whole, I find should matches those I respect. The Liberal Party does what it should in Australia. Many teachers I know do the work they should. Police do the work they should. When an exception occurs, you'd think that people would note the exception. They should. But, there are excuses instead. And diversions. One tradesman I met recently is a lifelong ALP supporter. He still supports them. But he doesn't think politicians do what they should. Policemen apprehending a dangerous high thief shot him multiple times with a non lethal weapon which killed him. They should not have done that. A teacher defended himself against a student, but not in the way he should. 

It isn't balanced to have a double standard. It should not happen. Don't expect the media to behave as they should. Demand it. Make them. You might not think it matters, but you should. 
Historical perspective on this day
In 69, Otho seized power in Rome, proclaiming himself Emperor of Rome, but ruled for only three months before committing suicide. 1541, King Francis I of France gave Jean-François Roberval a commission to settle the province of New France (Canada) and provide for the spread of the "Holy Catholic faith". 1559, Elizabeth I was crowned Queen of England in Westminster Abbey, London, England. 1582, Russia ceded Livonia and Estonia to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. 1759, the British Museum opened. 1777, American Revolutionary War: New Connecticut (present day Vermont) declared its independence.

In 1782, Superintendent of Finance Robert Morris went before the U.S. Congress to recommend establishment of a national mint and decimal coinage. 1815, War of 1812: American frigate USS President, commanded by Commodore Stephen Decatur, was capturedby a squadron of four British frigates. 1822, Greek War of Independence: Demetrios Ypsilantis was elected president of the legislative assembly. 1844, University of Notre Damereceived its charter from the state of Indiana. 1865, American Civil War: Fort Fisher in North Carolina fell to the Union, thus cutting off the last major seaport of the Confederacy. 1870, a political cartoon for the first time symbolized the Democratic Party with a donkey ("A Live Jackass Kicking a Dead Lion" by Thomas Nast for Harper's Weekly). 1876, the first newspaper in Afrikaans, Die Afrikaanse Patriot, was published in Paarl. 1889, the Coca-Cola Company, then known as the Pemberton Medicine Company, was incorporated in Atlanta, Georgia. 1892, James Naismith published the rules of basketball.

In 1908, the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority became the first Greek-letter organization founded and established by African American college women. 1910, construction ends on the Buffalo Bill Dam in Wyoming, United States, which was the highest dam in the world at the time, at 325 ft (99 m). 1919, Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, two of the most prominent socialists in Germany, were tortured and murdered by the Freikorps at the end of the Spartacist uprising. Also 1919, Boston Molasses Disaster: A large molasses tank in Boston, Massachusetts, burst and a wave of molasses rushed through the streets, killing 21 people and injuring 150 others. 1933, a twelve-year-old girl experienced the first Marian apparition of Our Lady of Banneux in Banneux, Belgium. 1936, the first building to be completely covered in glass, built for the Owens-Illinois Glass Company, was completed in Toledo, Ohio. 1937, Spanish Civil War: Nationalists and Republican both withdrew after suffering heavy losses, ending the Second Battle of the Corunna Road. 1943, World War II: The Soviet counter-offensive at Voronezh began. Also 1943, the world's largest office building, The Pentagon, was dedicated in Arlington, Virginia. 1947, the brutalized corpse of Elizabeth Short (The "Black Dahlia") was found in Los Angeles' Leimert Park. 1949, Chinese Civil War: The Communist forces take over Tianjin from the Nationalist Government.

In 1951, Ilse Koch, "The Witch of Buchenwald", wife of the commandant of the Buchenwald concentration camp, was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in West Germany. 1962, the Derveni papyrus, Europe's oldest surviving manuscript dating to 340 BC, was found in northern Greece. 1966, the Nigerian First Republic, led by Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was overthrown in a military coup d'état. 1967, the first Super Bowl was played in Los Angeles, California. The Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35–10. 1969, the Soviet Union launched Soyuz 5. 1970, Nigerian Civil War: After a 32-month fight for independence from Nigeria, Biafra surrendered. Also 1970, Moammar Gadhafi was proclaimed premier of Libya. 1973, Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, President Richard Nixonannounced the suspension of offensive action in North Vietnam. 1974, Dennis Rader aka the BTK Killer killed his first victims by binding, torturing and murdering Joseph, Joseph II, Josephine and Julie Otero in their house. 1975, the Alvor Agreement was signed, ending the Angolan War of Independence and giving Angola independence from Portugal. 1976, Gerald Ford's would-be assassin, Sara Jane Moore, was sentenced to life in prison.

In 1981, John Paul II received a delegation from Solidarity (Polish trade union) at the Vaticanled by Lech Walesa. 1991, the United Nations deadline for the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from occupied Kuwait expired, preparing the way for the start of Operation Desert Storm. Also 1991, Elizabeth II, in her capacity as Queen of Australia, signed letters patent allowing Australia to become the first Commonwealth realm to institute its own Victoria Cross in its honours system. In 1992, the international community recognized the independence of Slovenia and Croatia from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. 1993, Salvatore Riina, the Mafia boss known as "The Beast", was arrested in Sicily, Italy after three decades as a fugitive. 2001, Wikipedia, a free Wiki content encyclopedia, went online. 2005, ESA's SMART-1 lunar orbiter discovered elements such as calcium, aluminum, silicon, iron, and other surface elements on the moon. 2007, Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti, former Iraqi intelligence chief and half-brother of Saddam Hussein, and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, former chief judge of the Revolutionary Court, were executed by hanging in Iraq. 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 made an emergency landing in the Hudson River shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport in New York, New York. All passengers and crew members survive. 2013, a train carrying Egyptian Army recruits derailed near Giza, Greater Cairo, killing 19 and injuring 120 others.
=== Publishing News ===
This column welcomes feedback and criticism. The column is not made up but based on the days events and articles which are then placed in the feed. So they may not have an apparent cohesion they would have had were they made up.
===
I am publishing a book called Bread of Life: January. 

Bread of Life is a daily bible quote with a layman's understanding of the meaning. I give one quote for each day, and also a series of personal stories illustrating key concepts eg Who is God? What is a miracle? Why is there tragedy?

January is the first of the anticipated year-long work of thirteen books. One for each month and the whole year. It costs to publish. It (Kindle version) should retail at about $2US online, but the paperback version would cost more, according to production cost.If you have a heart for giving, I fundraise at gofund.me/27tkwuc
===
Editorials will appear in the "History in a Year by the Conservative Voice" series, starting with August, September, October, or at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/1482020262/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_dVHPub0MQKDZ4  The kindle version is cheaper, but the soft back version allows a free kindle version.

List of available items at Create Space
Happy birthday and many happy returns Magda Kowalska and Hang Nguyen. Born on the same day, across the years, along with
January 15: John Chilembwe Day in Malawi; Korean Alphabet Day in North Korea
USS President
Our frigate has done us proud. We have the sea. Civil war is a waste. We are independent. We have honour. Let's party. 
Deaths
===
Tim Blair 2018

===
Piers Akerman

Unholy matrimony and a culture’s hidden stain

AS much as it may discomfort the multi-culti crowd, Australia must realise that there are some appalling aspects of ­Islamic culture that can never be embraced here — forced marriage, Piers Akerman writes.
PIERS AKERMAN 14 Jan 
===
Tim Blair

FAKE ATTACKS AND REAL ATTACKS

Alleged attacks by Trump supporters on helpless peace-loving Hillary fans tend to have one thing in common.
15 Jan  

HARDY BOY MYSTERY

The Australian Liberty Alliance's Kirralie Smith exposes Sydney Morning Herald staffer Peter Munro’s secret second identity – he’s also Marie Claire writer Robert Hardy.
15 Jan 
===



===

FROM BASEMENT TO TOP

Tim Blair – Friday, January 15, 2016 (1:04pm)

They don’t mess around in Jakarta. This was filed during yesterday’s terrorist attack: 
Indonesian police shot dead four suspected militants who were part of a bomb and gun attack in the capital, Jakarta, on Thursday and the area is being secured, a police spokesman said.

“We are sterilising the building from basement to top,” Iqbal Kabid told reporters … 
Islamic State has since claimed responsibility for the attacks.
===

INK FOR GAIA

Tim Blair – Friday, January 15, 2016 (12:51pm)

“You call that a climate justice tattoo?” asks Iowahawk. ”THIS is a climate justice tattoo.”
===

Inside the corrupt heart of pure hatred

Piers Akerman – Thursday, January 15, 2015 (6:01pm)

THANKS to the hashtag sentimentalists and the Je Suis Charlie faddists, social media addicts are now aware that a number of French satirical cartoonists were among the 12 people gunned down in and around Charlie Hebdo’s Paris office last week.
 Continue reading 'Inside the corrupt heart of pure hatred'
===

PEAK QUANTOCK

Tim Blair – Thursday, January 15, 2015 (1:32pm)

Skip forward to 3.40 for climate comedian Rod Quantock’s prediction that petrol will soon be too expensive for audiences to attend his shows:

As Tony Thomas notes, Quantock – now an associate at Melbourne University’s Sustainable Society Institute – was sadly out of whack when making that prophecy. By the way, even at current fantastically-low prices, petrol is stilltoo expensive to waste on a Quantock show.
===

AAH-OOOOOO! LONE WOLVES OF ISLAM

Tim Blair – Thursday, January 15, 2015 (11:52am)

Another apparent representative from the Amalgamated Union of Lone Wolves is apprehended in the US: 
Christopher Lee Cornell, 20, of Green Township, was arrested on charges of attempting to kill a U.S. government official, authorities said.
According to government documents, he allegedly planned to detonate pipe bombs at the national landmark and open fire on any employees and officials fleeing after the explosions.
The FBI first noticed Cornell several months ago after an informant notified the agency that Cornell was allegedly voicing support for violent “jihad” on Twitter accounts under the alias “Raheel Mahrus Ubaydah,” according to charging documents. In addition, Cornell allegedly posted statements, videos and other content expressing support for ISIS - the brutal terrorist group also known as ISIL - that is wreaking havoc in Iraq and Syria …
Earlier today, while also taking “final steps” to travel to Washington for the attack, Cornell allegedly bought two semi-automatic rifles and 600 rounds of ammunition from a store in Ohio, authorities said. 
Warren Zevon saw this coming.
UPDATE. He’s a hairy-headed gent:
===
Post by Diamond Imports.
===
How we walk with the broken speaks louder than how we sit with the great. HSN
===
Andrew Laming MP

Religious food certification. Who should shoulder the cost? Customers or the religious entity?
It is like marriage. It is absurd for government to regulate it. But as with any corporate transaction, it needs to be monitored for standards. - ed
===
Joel Osteen Ministries
When you’re good to people, when you meet a need, when you become a miracle, God will make sure that you get paid back. Your gifts, your generosity, your kindness will all come back to you.
===

New Zealand is simply beautiful

Andrew Bolt January 15 2014 (12:20am)

Even its weeds by the road sides are beautiful - lupins, vipers bugloss, briar rose, tobacco plant, broom, poppies and more. I’ve even see hollyhocks. In the north, of course, the lushness is a knockout.
Why did I never before consider visiting the place? Now I even lazily dream of buying a cottage just north of Queenstown, lake below, mountains above. In fact, had I millions I would knock on the door of Paradise itself.
Sigh. Back home today
UPDATE
Reader Doc is right about the loveliest ferry ride I’ve ever had - outside perhaps Piraeus to Corfu:
Try beating Picton where ‘the boats come in’!
You would be mad as a tourist to fly from Wellington to the South Island when you can cruise through the Marlborough Sounds.  
===
Don't blame me, I'm the deputy editor ... climate change turns SMH staff past and present
www.theaustralian.com.au
SHOCK horror. Fairfax publishes article by climate denier ... and a Twitter witchhunt begins.

How politics clouds the climate change debate

===
<Well-played, Hurley and Abetz, well-played We don't need more ambulance chasers trying to sue our military personnel defending our borders and cleaning up Labor's mess.>
Navy sailors now on 'war footing' to turn back boats
www.theage.com.au
Navy personnel carrying out border protection were quietly stripped of some workplace safety protections and obligations last month in an apparent preparation for dangerous operations such as turning back boats.
===
Climate Depot Analysis: 'There have been at least five separate explanations for the standstill...
www.climatedepot.com
Welcome to the world of 'settled science'. With the latest study now placing blame on Sun for the 'pause' in global temperatures, that means there have been at least five separate explanations to attempt to explain the standstill in global warming. There is seemingly no end to warmists' attempts to…
===
www.news.com.au
IF YOU'VE ever needed an excuse to spend more time having fun under the covers, we've got you sorted.
===
Post by David Daniel Ball.
===
Post by David Daniel Ball.
===
Post by David Daniel Ball.
===
Post by David Daniel Ball.
===
Post by David Daniel Ball.
===
Post by David Daniel Ball.
===
Post by David Daniel Ball.
===
Post by David Daniel Ball.
===
===

===
“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” - 1 John 4:20-21
John had been close to Jesus. He had thought, for a long time, that Jesus had promised John would never suffer mortal death. But God keeps all of his promises. In some ways, John died at least twice. Killed by Romans who wanted to silence his cult, John survived and died later, possibly of old age. He wrote this letter probably around the year 98. 

Pastoral care is a strong part of any community. Clearly this Christian community had issues and cliques had formed. Maybe not actual siblings, but Christian brothers and Christian sisters. Or maybe actual siblings. But what can one do that is not outmatched by the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus? Eternal life with God suggests those treasures in life, love, is brought with someone. But division is not part of Heaven, and should not be something someone tries to bring with them.  
===
Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

January 14: Morning
"Mighty to save." - Isaiah 63:1
By the words "to save" we understand the whole of the great work of salvation, from the first holy desire onward to complete sanctification. The words are multum in parro: indeed, here is all mercy in one word. Christ is not only "mighty to save" those who repent, but he is able to make men repent. He will carry those to heaven who believe; but he is, moreover, mighty to give men new hearts and to work faith in them. He is mighty to make the man who hates holiness love it, and to constrain the despiser of his name to bend the knee before him. Nay, this is not all the meaning, for the divine power is equally seen in the after-work. The life of a believer is a series of miracles wrought by "the Mighty God." The bush burns, but is not consumed. He is mighty to keep his people holy after he has made them so, and to preserve them in his fear and love until he consummates their spiritual existence in heaven. Christ's might doth not lie in making a believer and then leaving him to shift for himself; but he who begins the good work carries it on; he who imparts the first germ of life in the dead soul, prolongs the divine existence, and strengthens it until it bursts asunder every bond of sin, and the soul leaps from earth, perfected in glory. Believer, here is encouragement. Art thou praying for some beloved one? Oh, give not up thy prayers, for Christ is "mighty to save." You are powerless to reclaim the rebel, but your Lord is Almighty. Lay hold on that mighty arm, and rouse it to put forth its strength. Does your own case trouble you? Fear not, for his strength is sufficient for you. Whether to begin with others, or to carry on the work in you, Jesus is "mighty to save;" the best proof of which lies in the fact that he has saved you. What a thousand mercies that you have not found him mighty to destroy!
Evening
"Beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." - Matthew 14:30
Sinking times are praying times with the Lord's servants. Peter neglected prayer at starting upon his venturous journey, but when he began to sink his danger made him a suppliant, and his cry though late was not too late. In our hours of bodily pain and mental anguish, we find ourselves as naturally driven to prayer as the wreck is driven upon the shore by the waves. The fox hies to its hole for protection; the bird flies to the wood for shelter; and even so the tried believer hastens to the mercy seat for safety. Heaven's great harbour of refuge is All-prayer; thousands of weather-beaten vessels have found a haven there, and the moment a storm comes on, it is wise for us to make for it with all sail.

Short prayers are long enough. There were but three words in the petition which Peter gasped out, but they were sufficient for his purpose. Not length but strength is desirable. A sense of need is a mighty teacher of brevity. If our prayers had less of the tail feathers of pride and more wing they would be all the better. Verbiage is to devotion as chaff to the wheat. Precious things lie in small compass, and all that is real prayer in many a long address might have been uttered in a petition as short as that of Peter.

Our extremities are the Lord's opportunities. Immediately a keen sense of danger forces an anxious cry from us the ear of Jesus hears, and with him ear and heart go together, and the hand does not long linger. At the last moment we appeal to our Master, but his swift hand makes up for our delays by instant and effectual action. Are we nearly engulfed by the boisterous waters of affliction? Let us then lift up our souls unto our Saviour, and we may rest assured that he will not suffer us to perish. When we can do nothing Jesus can do all things; let us enlist his powerful aid upon our side, and all will be well.
===


Asher 
[Ăsh'ûr] - happy.
The eighth son of Jacob and second of Zilpah, Leah's maid and progenitor of a tribe (Gen. 30:13, 35:26; 49:20;Deut. 33:24, 25). The New Testament form is Aser (Luke 2:36; Rev. 7:6). Asher was the founder of the Asherites (Num. 1:13; Judg. 1:32). Also the name of a town east of Shechem ( Josh. 17:7).
The Man with Shoes of Iron and Brass
In the blessings of Jacob and Moses, Asher is described as being not only acceptable to his brethren, but as one blessed of God with royal dainties or bountiful supplies. Of all the tribes of Israel the tribe of Asher has the least eventful history. It never produced a great warrior, judge, king or counselor. The land of Asher was as uneventful as the tribe itself. No great battles were fought there in Israel's time.
I. Asher and his bounties. Asher was the tribe of rich pastures. Asher dwelt in the midst of plenty and being willing to share what he had, was most acceptable to his brethren. Dipping the foot in oil may refer to the olive-trees, so plentiful in that thickly wooded part of Palestine. Acre, the port and town given to Asher, has been regarded as the key of Palestine, and as oil has been recently discovered near by, perhaps the fatness of the prophecies of Jacob and Moses is about to be realized to the full.
II. Asher and his female representative. No other tribe of Israel is represented in Scripture by a woman. One member of the tribe, a widow, represents the individual history of the tribe. "One Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher" (Luke 2:36-38). It was Anna who confessed Christ, at His birth, on the part of Israel.
III. Asher and his love of ease. The chief defect in the character of Asher was his unwillingness to drive out the Canaanites. He was content to dwell among them. The command was to utterly drive them out and make no terms with them. "Live and let live," seems to have been Asher's policy. Asher's rich bounties had an enervating effect upon the tribe. The people were conspicuous by their absence during the war with Sisera (Judg. 5:17). Apart from Anna, none of the tribe appear to have been eminent for prowess or piety. Prosperity resulted in ease and declension.
IV. Asher and the promise of endurance. Completing the blessing of Moses was a wonderful promise of endurance for the days of pilgrimage. "Thy shoes shall be iron and brass, and as thy days so shall thy strength be." The words for shoes and strength are peculiar to this verse, and are found nowhere else in the Bible. Many guesses have been made as to the true meaning of these words. Such a promise was well understood by those who, as they journeyed through the great and terrible wilderness had raiment that waxed not old upon them and feet that did not swell. Anna is a fitting illustration of the promised endurance, seeing that she was long past eighty years of age when she saw the Saviour.
===

Today's reading: Genesis 33-35, Matthew 10:1-20 (NIV)

View today's reading on Bible Gateway

Today's Old Testament reading: Genesis 33-35

Jacob Meets Esau
1 Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. 2 He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. 3 He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. 5Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. "Who are these with you?" he asked.
Jacob answered, "They are the children God has graciously given your servant...."

Today's New Testament reading: Matthew 10:1-20

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give....

===
Bible Gateway's 2010 in Review
The New Year is well underway now, and all of us at Bible Gateway hope it's off to a great start for you and yours! Looking back, we are happy to say that 2010 was a good year for us at Bible Gateway. We are blessed to be part of an extraordinary community of people-people who visit Bible Gateway to undergo the life-changing experience of reading God's Word.
You might be interested to know that, in 2010:
  • More than 70 million people visited Bible Gateway.
  • We spent more than 23 million hours (over 1.4 billion minutes!) reading Scripture on Bible Gateway.
  • More than 18 million people visited Bible Gateway from outside the United States.
  • We had visitors from more than 236 countries or territories.
  • Three of our top ten most popular Bible translations were Spanish language versions.
  • People visiting Bible Gateway on mobile devices increased by 83% over last year, and by 51% for mobile device visits from outside the United States.
It is clear that Bible Gateway continues to be a favorite online destination for people who want to read God's Word, and more people than ever are finding Bible Gateway on their mobile devices or from countries around the globe, some of which offer only restricted access to the Bible, if any at all. Praise the Lord!
What's in Store for 2011
We are immensely blessed by this opportunity to share the Bible with people in as many languages and translations as we are allowed. With this opportunity comes great responsibility, and we take it very seriously. In 2011, we are in a position to continue growing and become an even more powerful force for God in the world, and we aim to be worthy stewards of such a responsibility.

Here are some of the things we are working on to continue making Bible Gateway a home for all those who wish to engage with the Holy Scriptures:

  • The new BibleGateway.com design. You can see our work in progress at http://beta.biblegateway.com. This new design focuses on keeping Bible search and reading as easy to use as ever, while offering some enhanced features like improved parallel viewing, integrated Bible audio. Eventually, we'll add features that allow you to personalize your Bible Gateway experience.
  • New translations. We are constantly working on adding new translations and enhancing existing ones. We recently added the Common English Bible and the Chinese Contemporary Bible. The Nuevo Traduccion Viviente is nearly ready to go live, as are the SBL Greek New Testament and the Phillips New Testament. We are so very grateful to our many publishing partners who allow us to license these translations and share them with you online.
  • More newsletters. In 2010, we introduced email newsletters to Bible Gateway for the first time. In 2011, we plan to bring you more newsletter options to choose from, including devotionals, verses-of-the-day in other languages and translations, and even an exclusive apologetics newsletter we will talk more about in the coming months.
  • A mobile app. That's right! We're working on it. Stay tuned in the coming months for news on this.
I want to take a moment to thank you, our dear visitors and readers. We are here for you by God's blessing because you have supported us over the years-by praying for us, by visiting the site, and by holding us accountable when we've gone astray. We humbly ask you to continue upholding us in these ways in the coming days, months, and years.
As we endeavor to make Bible Gateway an ever better place to read and study Scripture, we remain committed to the core of what makes us tick: the transforming Word of God. Scripture tells us to
"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need." (Romans 12:11-12, NIV)
By God's grace, may we be blessed to continue zealously sharing with the Lord's people around the world-both online and off-the living, breathing Word of God, every day, for as long as we are able.
Richest blessings for a Word-filled 2011!
===
Get a free copy of Tortured for Christ
It was the book that shocked the nation. After surviving 14 years in communist prisons, Pastor Richard Wurmbrand came to America to proclaim the trials and testimonies of our persecuted brothers and sisters.

In Tortured for Christ, Wurmbrand tells of his imprisonment for his work with the underground church and introduces the work of The Voice of the Martyrs. Forty years later, The Voice of the Martyrs remains true to its calling to be a voice for persecuted Christians, to serve with them in their time of need and to assist them in their efforts to proclaim the gospel.
We would like to extend this special opportunity for you to request a complimentary copy of Tortured for Christ. Help spread the message of today's persecuted church.

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)