Recommended Viewing

It is a rare occasion when I recommend something.  Sometimes, friends and relatives have acted on a recommendation, and they have been disappointed.  So, I am very careful about what I endorse.

That said, I would like to recommend that you see:

“Body and Soul – The State of the Jewish Nation”

Directed by Gloria Z. Greenfield
Produced by George Violin
Associate Producers include Adam and Gila Milstein and the Zionist Organization of America
Numerous distinguished commentators

The program can be streamed through Amazon Prime, or you can order the DVD through Amazon.  It is not expensive to order the DVD.  By listing the Associate Producers, I am fully disclosing that this is a pro-Israel documentary.

If you have an open mind, and if you want to hear both sides of the story, you will find in this work the Jewish case for the existence of Israel as a nation-state with Jerusalem as its capitol.  It is clear, concise, correct, and complete.

BC and AD, etc.

I like to watch documentaries on television.  I tend to watch a lot of historical documentaries or programs about current events that use a chronological development.

Traditionally, dates from the Gregorian calendar have used the advent of Christ as a reference point.  Events that happened before Jesus’ birth were labeled BC (Before Christ); those after His birth AD (anno Domini, often translated as “in the year of our Lord”).

Recently, I have noticed that some programs, particularly those produced for PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), or on behalf of other faiths are using BCE (Before Common, or Current, Era); or CE (Common Era) in place of BC and AD.  The dates are otherwise the same.  I learned that this has been so, since the 1990’s or even earlier.

I guess that goes to show that I have gotten a little out of touch.  I keep busy, and I miss things while dealing with the challenges of daily living.  I was about to write a diatribe against political correctness, but I have reconsidered after researching the matter. “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” (Abraham Lincoln)

Apparently, using dates that do not refer to a particular religion is more comfortable or “inclusive” in the view of some.  That is understandable in the case of work that represents the point of view of a different religious tradition.  I am concerned that the educational system may begin to correct Christians when they use BC and AD in their work.  That would be an infringement of their First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and religious expression.

“Lamp in a Corner” is a Christian blog.  I will, therefore, continue to use BC and AD when referring to dates.

Open Letter to (former) President Barak Obama

Greeting:

Since President Donald Trump took office, you have given speeches, here and abroad, in which you have taken issue with his policies, actions, and the man himself.  Relying on the short memories of the uninformed, you have extolled the virtues of your years in office and your many so-called accomplishments; even claiming credit for the economic resurgence that happened after you left office; ending the strangulation of the goose that lays golden eggs (private enterprise).

You are a liar, and you always have been.  You had your chance, and you blew it.  Your presidency rivals that of Jimmy Carter as the worst in living memory.  Go home.  Write your memoirs.  Play golf all the time like you did when you were in the White House.  Just get out of the way and let a man who knows what is good for the country do his work.

What do you Believe?

What do you believe?  Do you know?  Can you describe it in detail?  Are you able to defend it? In love and truth, I ask you to examine what you believe, and how strongly you believe it.

Americans generally believe in things like freedom, individual rights, life, liberty, the ownership of private property,  and the rule of law.  Over the years many Americans have sacrificed their lives for our liberty and that of other peoples.  These beliefs have sway in the affairs of this temporal life and for the future of our progeny.

Here, I will ask you to think beyond worldly affairs.  What do you believe about God?  Do believe in life after death?  How does that impact the way you live your life now, and how you will spend eternity?  There is considerable disagreement about the answers to these questions.  Any number of major and minor religions and philosophies try to teach us about how we ought to live life.

This is a Christian blog, and we will be examining Christian beliefs. I will leave it to non-Christians to explain their religious beliefs or philosophies; as I think it would be presumptuous for me to do so.  The numbers of people in the United States who identify themselves with other religions is growing, as is number of atheists and agnostics. Generally, studies show a gradual decline in attendance at religious services in recent years.

The degree to which Christians follow the faith as the Holy Bible explains it varies widely.  A majority of people who say they are Christians  do not study the Bible regularly.  Some of us are fed spiritually by listening to religious programming on the radio and television, by reading books by Christian authors, or using other devotional materials.

http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/attendance-at-religious-services/

see also

www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/09/13/what-surveys-say-about-worship-attendance-and-why-some-stay-home/

and

https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/139575-7-startling-facts-an-up-close-look-at-church-attendance-in-america.html/2

Before Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press became operational (around 1450 AD), the common people had no access to the scriptures, and were dependent on the priesthood (often largely ignorant of the Word themselves) for knowledge about the faith.  At least they had an excuse.

The Roman emperor Constantine (a Christian convert) convened a conference of Bishops at Nicaea around 325 AD and forced them to come to a consensus about what constituted Christian doctrine.  One outcome of the conference was the Nicene Creed, which was a short but accurate summary of what Christians believe.  It was not all inclusive, but it was concise enough for the common man to memorize.  The intent was to make the faithful less vulnerable to heretical doctrines prevalent at the time, and to create a unified religion that Constantine could use to help unify the Roman Empire.

The Nicene Creed is still widely accepted throughout the various Christian denominations today.  It follows:

Modern Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty

Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,

begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us (mankind) and for our salvation he came down from heaven:

by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried.

On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

And his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life,

Who proceeds from the Father (and the Son).

With the Father and the Son, he is worshipped and glorified.

He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy Catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

www.christianity.wikia.com/wiki/Nicene_Creed?action=edit&section=15

Comments:

The statement in parenthesis “and the Son” is consistent with scripture.  It was added later to counter certain heretical teachings.  Scripture often refers to The Holy Spirit as the Spirit of God, or the Spirit, but there are also many passages where the Holy Spirit is referred to as the Spirit of Christ. Examples include: 1Peter 1:10-12, and Philippians 1:19.

The word “Catholic” can have different meanings, depending on the reader:

1.    Of, pertaining to, or designating the universal Christian church.

2.    Of, pertaining to, or designating the ancient undivided Christian church.

3.    Of, pertaining to, or designating any of those churches that have claimed to be representative of the ancient undivided church, especially the Roman Catholic Church.

4.    Of, pertaining to, or designating the Western Church, as opposed to the Eastern Orthodox Church.[1]

I believe that there is one true church that is composed of members from all denominations who are saved by faith in Jesus Christ.

Throughout the history of the Christian church, lot of Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms have been written.  The Creeds in particular, are not intended to be all inclusive.  Creeds are generally summaries of the main points of the faith intended to promote orthodoxy. Some of the Confessions attempt to be more complete, and they can be quite lengthy.  To the point, the Nicene Creed is a brief summary of what Christians believe.

What we believe about temporal things affects the way we live, and possibly whether we live or die.  What believe about spiritual things also affects how we live, and sometimes whether we lose our earthly lives.  However, it also determines our eternal destiny; with God in perpetual glory or burning with Satan in a lake of fire.

Please give Jesus a fair hearing.  Go to Him in prayer and ask Him to reveal real love and truth to you.  Respond to His call, and He will save you.

---

[1] Reader’s Digest Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1^st ed. (Pleasantville, New York: The Reader’s Digest Association, 1987), p. 285.

El amor de Dios en español

Romanos 8

5 Los que viven conforme a la naturaleza pecaminosa fijan la mente en los deseos de tal naturaleza; en cambio, los que viven conforme al Espíritu fijan la mente en los deseos del Espíritu.

6 La mentalidad pecaminosa es muerte, mientras que la mentalidad que proviene del Espíritu es vida y paz.

7 La mentalidad pecaminosa es enemiga de Dios, pues no se somete a la ley de Dios, ni es capaz de hacerlo.

8 Los que viven según la naturaleza pecaminosa no pueden agradar a Dios.

26 Así mismo, en nuestra debilidad el Espíritu acude a ayudarnos. No sabemos qué pedir, pero el Espíritu mismo intercede por nosotros con gemidos que no pueden expresarse con palabras.

27 Y Dios, que examina los corazones, sabe cuál es la intención del Espíritu, porque el Espíritu intercede por los creyentes conforme a la voluntad de Dios.

28 Ahora bien, sabemos que Dios dispone todas las cosas para el bien de quienes lo aman, los que han sido llamados de acuerdo con su propósito.

29 Porque a los que Dios conoció de antemano, también los predestinó a ser transformados según la imagen de su Hijo, para que él sea el primogénito entre muchos hermanos.

30 A los que predestinó, también los llamó; a los que llamó, también los justificó; y a los que justificó, también los glorificó.

31 ¿Qué diremos frente a esto? Si Dios está de nuestra parte, ¿quién puede estar en contra nuestra?

32 El que no escatimó ni a su propio Hijo, sino que lo entregó por todos nosotros, ¿cómo no habrá de darnos generosamente, junto con él, todas las cosas?

33¿Quién acusará a los que Dios ha escogido? Dios es el que justifica.

34 ¿Quién condenará? Cristo Jesús es el que murió, e incluso resucitó, y está a la derecha de Dios e intercede por nosotros.

35¿Quién nos apartará del amor de Cristo? ¿La tribulación, o la angustia, la persecución, el hambre, la indigencia, el peligro, o la violencia?

36 Así está escrito: «Por tu causa siempre nos llevan a la muerte;¡nos tratan como a ovejas para el matadero!»

37 Sin embargo, en todo esto somos más que vencedores por medio de aquel que nos amó.

38 Pues estoy convencido de que ni la muerte ni la vida, ni los ángeles ni los demonios, ni lo presente ni lo por venir, ni los poderes,

39 ni lo alto ni lo profundo, ni cosa alguna en toda la creación, podrá apartarnos del amor que Dios nos ha manifestado en Cristo Jesús nuestro Señor.

Romanos 10

13 … «todo el que invoque el nombre del Señor será salvo».

8 ¿Qué afirma entonces? «La palabra está cerca de ti; la tienes en la boca y en el corazón». Esta es la palabra de fe que predicamos:

9 que si confiesas con tu boca que Jesús es el Señor, y crees en tu corazón que Dios lo levantó de entre los muertos, serás salvo.

10Porque con el corazón se cree para ser justificado, pero con la boca se confiesa para ser salvo.

https://www.biblestudytools.com/nvi/

Jesús te ama. Por favor, pídale que sea su Señor y Salvador hoy.

God's Word in French

Jean

Chapitre 1, versets 1-18

1 Au commencement était la Parole, la Parole était avec Dieu, et la Parole était Dieu.

2 Elle était au commencement avec Dieu.

3 Toutes choses ont été faites par elle, et rien de ce qui a été fait, n'a été fait sans elle.

4 En elle était la vie, et la vie était la lumière des hommes.

5 Et la lumière a lui dans les ténèbres, et les ténèbres ne l'ont point reçue.

6 Il y eut un homme, appelé Jean, qui fut envoyé de Dieu.

7 Il vint pour être témoin, pour rendre témoignage à la lumière, afin que tous crussent par lui.

8 Il n'était pas la lumière, mais il était envoyé pour rendre témoignage à la lumière.

9 La véritable lumière qui éclaire tout homme était venue dans le monde.

10 Elle était dans le monde, et le monde a été fait par elle; mais Lui le monde ne l'a pas connu.

11 Il est venu chez les siens; et les siens ne l'ont point reçu.

12 Mais à tous ceux qui l'ont reçu, il leur a donné le droit d'être faits enfants de Dieu, savoir, à ceux qui croient en son nom,

13 Qui ne sont point nés du sang, ni de la volonté de la chair, ni de la volonté de l'homme, mais de Dieu.

14 Et la Parole a été faite chair, et a habité parmi nous, pleine de grâce et de vérité, et nous avons contemplé sa gloire, une gloire comme celle du Fils unique venu du Père.

15 Jean lui rendit témoignage, lorsqu'il s'écria en disant: C'est ici celui dont je disais: Celui qui vient après moi est au-dessus de moi, parce qu'il était avant moi.

16 Et nous avons tous reçu de sa plénitude, et grâce sur grâce.

17 Car la loi a été donnée par Moïse, la grâce et la vérité sont venues par Jésus-Christ.

18Personne n'a jamais vu Dieu; le Fils unique, qui est dans le sein du Père, est celui qui l'a fait connaître.

https://www.biblestudytools.com/ost/jean/1.html

Chapitre 3 Versets 16-18

16 Car Dieu a tant aimé le monde, qu'il a donné son Fils unique, afin que quiconque croit en lui ne périsse point, mais qu'il ait la vie éternelle.

17 Car Dieu n'a point envoyé son Fils dans le monde, pour condamner le monde, mais afin que le monde soit sauvé par lui.

18 Celui qui croit en lui n'est point condamné, mais celui qui ne croit point est déjà condamné, parce qu'il n'a pas cru au nom du Fils unique de Dieu.

https://www.biblestudytools.com/ost/jean/3.html

Veuillez accepter le don de la vie éternelle de Dieu en croyant en Jésus-Christ.

Psalm 23 auf Deutsch

Der dreiundzwanzigste Psalm

1 Ein Psalm Davids. Der HERR ist mein Hirte; mir wird nichts mangeln.

2 Er weidet mich auf grüner Aue und führet mich zum frischen Wasser.

3 Er erquicket meine Seele; er führet mich auf rechter Straße um seines Namens willen.

4 Und ob ich schon wanderte im finstern Tal, fürchte ich kein Unglück;

denn du bist bei mir, dein Stecken und dein Stab trösten mich

5 Du bereitest vor mir einen Tisch im Angesicht meiner Feinde.

Du salbest mein Haupt mit Öl und schenkest mir voll ein.

6 Gutes und Barmherzigkeit werden mir folgen mein Leben lang,

und ich werde bleiben im Hause des HERRN immerdar.

https://www.biblestudytools.com/lut/psalm/23.html

Möge Gott das Lesen und Hören seines Wortes reich segnen.