ITSOGS

With the November elections fast approaching, the candidates in New York are increasing their rhetoric and accusations. The Republican candidate in New York, Carl Paladino has caught his Democratic rival in a lie when he told the public that he voted for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, when in fact he threw his hat in the ring with Democrat Freddy Ferrer. In Bloomberg’s latest race, Cuomo backed Democrat Bill Thompson. On the flip side of the coin, Democrat Andrew Cuomo tries to associate Carl Paladino as a political insider who, in the past has contributed to several politicians of his choosing. It seems as though the Tea Party is siding with the Republican candidate Carl Paladino on this one.

“‘Get smart! Your leaders are handing you a pack of lies, and you’re swallowing them! Use your heads! Do you think you can rob and murder, have sex with the neighborhood wives, tell lies nonstop, worship the local gods, and buy every novel religious commodity on the market, and then march into this Temple, set apart for my worship, and say, “We’re safe!” thinking that the place itself gives you a license to go on with all this outrageous sacrilege? A cave full of criminals! Do you think you can turn this Temple, set apart for my worship, into something like that? Well, think again. I’ve got eyes in my head. I can see what’s going on.’” God’s Decree! (Jeremiah)

Every election we look forward to the same tired accusations that our political wannabes spew out to us, just so that we can vote them into office, just so they can fail us again. Handing the voters a bunch of lies is bad enough by itself, but failing to keep your promise to them, well that is something entirely different. I realize that the political arena is nothing but a filthy cesspool, but politicians are expected to be men of their word, (yea right) if only to prove that they have an ounce of integrity.

Cpl. Jeremy Morlock, (of Wasilla, Alaska;) Spc. Michael Wagnon, (of Las Vegas) Pfc. Andrew Holmes, (of Boise, Idaho) Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs ( of Billings, Mont) and Army Spc. Adam Winfield were all charged with murder and an alleged plot to randomly kill civilians for sport in Kandahar Province of Afghanistan, they have all denied the charges. Army Spc. Adam Winfield has claimed that “He told his dad that he was afraid that this was happening, that maybe his staff sergeant was committing murder,” His dad, (a retired Marine) immediately attempted to contact the CID (U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command). It has been alleged that Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs was the mastermind behind the “kill team”.

Next day the Jews worked up a plot against Paul. They took a solemn oath that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed him. Over forty of them ritually bound themselves to this murder pact and presented themselves to the high priests and religious leaders. “We’ve bound ourselves by a solemn oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul. But we need your help. Send a request from the council to the captain to bring Paul back so that you can investigate the charges in more detail. We’ll do the rest. Before he gets anywhere near you, we’ll have killed him. You won’t be involved.” (Acts)

The video game mentality appears to be spreading on to our battle fields. When the United States military decides to deploy in other parts of the world, it is stating in no uncertain terms that it is there to help. “Kill squads”, if this allegation is true, are not intended to be part and parcel of the exercise. This situation is by no means unique, and probably happens more often than we realize. There are two things that concern me here, first of all when our allies get wind of this, what do you suppose they will think of us? Secondly, if these individuals were never turned in, do you realize that they would end up loose in the United States and could possibly be your neighbor?

About one million Cubans will have to find alternate means of earning a livelihood. The self elected  government of Cuba has realized that it can no longer continue to support workers long after there jobs have been terminated. With the financial crisis being as poor as it is in Cuba and around the world and with Cuba losing most of its communist support from countries like the Soviet Union, it has been forced to make some tough decisions. The wages paid by the Cuban government has already been puny at best, but it helped some people who had no other alternative.  These days, Castro’s communist regime is looking to expand its small business opportunities as an option to help stimulate the economy.

If we educated our souls to have more faith, more love, greater patience, a more perfect trust in our heavenly Father, we would have more peace and happiness as we pass through the conflicts of this life. The Lord is not pleased to have us fret and worry ourselves out of the arms of Jesus. He is the only source of every grace, the fulfillment of every promise, the realization of every blessing. . . .Our pilgrimage would indeed be lonely were it not for Jesus. “I will not leave you uncomfortable” (John 14:18), He says to us. Let us cherish His words, believe His promises, repeat them by day and meditate upon them in the night season, and be happy.–(EGW – MS 75, 1893. (HC 120.) 2MCP 468)

The communist regime in Cuba has long since oppressed their people, with little regard for the consequences that they could (and will) face on judgment day. Communism is an oppressive form of government that leaves little freedom (if any) for its citizens. Many communist and military dictators, are finally becoming aware that finance is an extremely important part of survival in any government, especially if they hope to “keep up” with the rest of the world. A fact that may or may not be a good thing.

After being faced with a four in the morning fire, Both Joe and Delores Herron barely escaped with their lives, with their three children still trapped inside. Their boys (foster children) one ten years  and the other eleven, were rescued by firefighters on the scene, however, they soon realized that saving Jamaya was going to be a bit more difficult. There can be consequences to us being overweight and today Jamaya would realize what some of those consequences were. At five hundred pounds and with little possibility of an easy exit from the dwelling, two firefighters were injured while attempting to save Jamaya, sadly they failed. Very active in her church, this five hundred pound singer and daughter of a pastor, died at the scene from smoke inhalation.

“Our physical health is maintained by that which we eat; if our appetites are not under the control of a sanctified mind, if we are not temperate in all our eating and drinking, we shall not be in a state of mental and physical soundness to study the word with a purpose to learn what saith the Scripture –what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Any unhealthful habit will produce an unhealthful condition in the system, and the delicate, living machinery of the stomach will be injured, and will not be able to do its work properly. The diet has much to do with the disposition to enter into temptation and commit sin. (EGW – CD 52)

Like most other sins, the temptation of food is one that causes quite a bit of pain in many of our lives. The introduction of rich and flavorful foods can introduce many health issues that can be considered as dangerous and life threatening. There is little reason to argue that the United States is experiencing a serious epidemic in the area of obesity, however, it can be corrected if we take the right steps and adjust our eating habits. Don’t allow yourself to end up like this unfortunate child, who simply could not help herself, or those who were trying to help her.

After being turned away from entering an off-campus party in South Orange, New Jersey, Nicholas Welch left and met up with his friend, nineteen year old  Marcus Bascus. It has been alleged that Marcus gave Nicholas a firearm with which he returned to the party. On his return, he allegedly began firing freely into the room, where nineteen year old Jessica Moore (a sophomore) was killed while trying to help her roommate Nakeisha Vanterpool. In addition to Jessica losing her life, her nineteen year old roommate Nakeisha Vanterpool, (Bronx, New York) nineteen year old Nicosia Henry, (Bolingbrook) twenty five year old Yvan Christophe (New Jersey) and twenty year old Xavier Lee (New York) were all suffered injuries resulting from the shooting rampage.

No one else can lessen our influence as we ourselves can lessen it through the indulgence of uncontrollable temper. A naturally petulant man does not know true happiness and is seldom content. He is ever hoping to get into a more favorable position or to so change his surroundings that he will have peace and rest of mind. His life seems to be burdened with heavy crosses and trials, when, had he controlled his temper and bridled his tongue, many of these annoyances might have been avoided. It is the “soft answer” which “turns away wrath.” Revenge has never conquered a foe. A well-regulated temper exerts a good influence on all around; but “he that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” (EGW – 4T 367)

A simple rejection to someone who is merely trying to “fit in” can sometimes backfire (literally) on many of us. There is no justifiable reason for the shooter to react the way that he did, yet maybe we can see the irony here.  Nicholas was simply out to have a good time, just like everyone else at the party, yet because he was refused his piece of the joy, he developed jealousy, which turned into anger, which turned into revenge, which are all sins. All he needed here was a little push from the right source, (Satan) who used one of his appointees (Marcus) to provide him with the tools that he needed, and the rest is history.