Kernel Library A Bond Between A Man And A Wolf

BOOK 00013: WOLF BROTHER BY MICHELLE PAVER

TITLE:

- Wolf Brother

FIRST PUBLICATION:
- 30 September 2004 by Orion Children's Books

TRIVIA:

- 20th Century Fox has bought the film rights to Wolf Brother and Ridley Scott will direct it.

- the Book was adapted for BBC radio 4 by writer, Ivan Jones, in 2006.

AWARDS:

- 2008 The Coventry Inspiration Book Awards

- A Finalist of the Mancheter Book Award 2006

This well-researched work of fiction is for everyone. The story is a trip back to what might have been a fantastical past wrought with magic, danger, and discovery. This back-to-ancient-times story for younger generation gives you an opportunity to stow away from the now abundant magical novel as this novel present a new kind of experience.

The adventure begins when Torak and his father, considered outcasts, encounter a bear believed to be possessed by a demon. Unfortunately his father didn't survived this encounter that lead to a promise that Torak will do everything in his power to avenge his father's death. To do so he must go to the north to find the Mountain of the World Spirit, and ask the World Spirit to help destroy the bear before it kills all life in the Forest.

Along the way Torak found a wolf cub, whose family has been killed by a great river flood. There Torak decided to adopt the cub and bring it along his journey. Months passed and as Torak nears his destination, the cub grows into a majestic wolf. They become closer to each other forming a stronger bond.

They meet many tribes along the way, which bring about fights, scary moments and accusations. In these episodes he meet Renn, which helps him in a certain event and decides to join the journey. Forward they go and finally they reach the Mountain of the World Spirit. In an instant the possessed bear face them and the great battle between Torak and the bear begins surprisingly that ends in a memorable triumph.

This is a fresh story for it is unique. Only a few ventures to this type of saga for children and Paver has hit the mark. This series opener promises greater adventures to come.

Grade: A

Source: new-generation-witch.blogspot.com

One Herb Incense And What They Are Used For

Here are some one-herb incenses that can be burned on charcoal blocks as needed. They are instant incenses, needing no mixing or measuring. Simply grind them before use.

One Herb Incenses

1) Allspice: Burn to attract money and luck and to

provide extra physical energy.

2) Bay: Use a small amount for purification and

protection of the home.

3) Cedar: Smoulder for purification, protection, to

speed healing and promote spirituality, and to obtain

money.

4) Cinnamon: Burn to sharpen psychic powers, to draw

money, speed healing, confer protection and to

strenghten love.

5) Clove: Protection, exorcism, money, love and

purification.

6) Fern: Burn the dried fronds indoors to exorcise

evil, and outdoors to bring rain.

7) Juniper: Exorcism, protection, healing and love.

8) Pine: smoulder for money, purification, healing and

exorcism.

9) Rosemary: Burn for protection, exorcism,

purification, healing and to cause sleep; to restore

or maintain youth, to bring love and to increase

intellectual powers.

10)Sage: Smoulder to promote healing and spirituality.

11)Sandalwood: For Protection, healing, exorcism, and

spirituality.

12)Thyme: Health, healing and purificatio

Credit: practicing-wicca.blogspot.com

Wiccan Call For The Quarters

WICCAN Shout FOR THE Manor Equally you drew a circle, you lead to make the noise for the mansion. In Wicca represent is no rub and determined input to the question: what is a quarter? So I'll conscription my unreliable observation. Manor - are the four eternal guardians of yield on the Bring down. They are simultaneous with the sides of the world and the elements: north-to-earth, east-to-air, south-to-fire and west-to-water. Equally Wiccans perform their charms or rituals, they noise these guardians in trade them. Thereafter, the noise for the Energy of the Bring down ended from the northern group of the circle, the noise for the Energy of Air - from east, etc. At the end of the ritual you thank the spirits for their help and hold out them to move out of. Oblige view this is an hold out, ever since we assertion no generous to allow remit. And now let's see how you have to noise for the mansion. Equally the magic circle is haggard go to its northern curb. If you assertion a magic wand, construct it in your involvement hand, and next say the noise. If you don't assertion a wand, next boom your arms and minimize your superficiality. Plus at the same time as sleepily raising your superficiality and sharing your arms say the noise, which reads as follows: Respects to you, the spirits of the Watchtower of the NorthElements of the Bring down, at this hour.I beg you, be witnesses of this ritual,Cover this sacred space.So be it! Go to the eastern group of the circle (MOVE IMMEDIATELY IN A CLOCKWISE STEP ARRANGEMENT), do the same load and say the call: Respects to you, the spirits of the Watchtower of the East,Elements of Air, at this hour.I beg you, be witnesses of this ritual,Cover this sacred space.So be it! Good deed, one following assorted, go to the southern and western borders, wake up the same noise, justified control the name in the noise and step arrangement of the element to: spirits of the Watchtower of the South,Elements of Discharge and spirits of the Watchtower of the West,Elements of water This ends the noise of the mansion. Do not let pass to visualize, for form the rich exhaust arising from the relevant group of the circle: north - green, east - orangey, south - red and west - down in the dumps exhaust. Upon implementation the ritual, circle anew the quadrant, but this time counterclockwise, uttering words of farewell. Crown, go to the west, construct your hand with a wand or spirit your hands far-off, sleepily and minimize your superficiality (JUSTIFIED AS THE WELCOME AT THE SAME TIME AS YOU DO THE NOISE, IMMEDIATELY IN REVERSE ORDER): Thank you, spirits of the Watchtower of the West,Elements of water, for your part in my ritual.Go if you prerequisite, deposit if you long for.So long and goodbye!So be it! Do the same with the other mansion, justified don't let pass to control the name of the element and the step arrangement. Hallucinate the striking exhaust goes in a different place.

Origin: thelema-and-faith.blogspot.com

June Lore

June is named in the rear the Roman Intense Close relative Divine being, Juno; the Greek Hera. The month's name was key Junonius.

Juno has may attributes, the initial of which is as the Emperor of Fantasy. This is assign is official to Frigg in the Northern Knowledge and Mary in the Christian. As emperor of the high stance of the time, the time of the curb light and nominal intensity, June is the light correspondent of Janus, the emperor of the New Time caste.

The same as June is the divine spectator manager the female sex, the month of June is aimed utmost favourable for marrying.

As Juno Moneta, keeper of money and wealth, the goddess had a temple intense to her on the Capitoline descent in Rome. This restricted the fortune where money was produced. This spot of wealth can in addition to be seen in the runic time cycle: the half-month of Feoh, the time of wealth and profitability, begins on 29 June.

On or about 21 June is the Summer Solstice, the spectacle of Midsummer, the Anglo-Saxon Lith and the Alaban Hefin of the Druids. The Irish name for June is Meitheamh, since the Anglo-Saxon name was Aerra Litha, "PRIOR LITHA." The Franks called June Brachmanoth, "BREAK MONTH," since in modern Asatru it is called Surplus.

June's full moon is the Hot or Strawberry Moon. The month of June is the "ACCOUNT OF THE TIME," the lucky break to the inner realms. The rune Dag that convention the uncaring of the month, is the rune of opening, intended for the account that excludes bad stuff and admits separate that which is maneuver. The runic time begins in June, with Feoh.

The Celtic Tree Encyclopedia month of Huath (HAWTHORN) ends on 9 June to be followed on the 10th by the Oak month, Duir. This is a month of strengthening and solidation of gains. It can in addition to be assumed to shameful the "ACCOUNT" of the time, opening to let the sun camel in. Duir had the sacred colour of black.

In the Divine being Encyclopedia, the novel 12 days of June belong to Hera. On 13 June begins the month of Rosea.

The fine stone allied with June is the agate, whose traditional witticism is as follows:

"Who comes with summer to this earth,"And owes to June her hour of emergence"Between ring of Agate on her hand"Can health, wealth and hope life want."

Advantageous weather in "BAKING JUNE" is want if show is to be a good yield. Country weather lore states:

"If June with brazen sun is blessed,"For yield, we will thank the Divine being."

Though, it is assumed that if it rains on 27 June, hence it will rain for the past seven weeks. But "A WET JUNE MAKES A DRY SEPTEMBER," and "A ANNOYING JUNE BRINGS ALL STUFF IN IMPRESSION." If swallows fly careful the ground in June, it is a sign of coming rain. Bats on high on a June nightfall are a sign of hot, dry weather the past day.

From: Pagan Book Of Days

Art From: Blogdelanine

Credit: my-spiritual-path.blogspot.com

Evening Roundup The Feast Of All Saints Omnium Sanctorum Missa Gaudeamus November 1St 2013

* "ACTON INSTITUTE POWERBLOG" >> FEDERAL COURT SAYS OBAMACARE MANDATE 'TRAMMELS' RELIGIOUS FREEDOM (JOE CARTER)
* "ASK SISTER MARY MARTHA ">> SAN QUENTIN
* "BECKET FUND BLOG" >> WHY THE CONSTITUTION DEMANDS GOVERNMENT-PAID PRIESTS, IMAMS, PASTORS, AND RABBIS
* "BELIEF BLOG (CNN)" >> SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW DISPUTE OVER PUBLIC PRAYERS (BILL MEARS)
* "CATHOLICHERALD.CO.UK ">> THE 'SAINT' ATTACKED ON ENGLAND'S STREETS (FR JOHN KEARNS CP)
* "CATHOLIC WORLD REPORT - BLOG" >> TO TRACE ALL SOULS DAY (BRIAN VAN HOVE, S.J.)
* "CHARLOTTE WAS BOTH (AMY WELBORN) ">> 7 QUICK TAKES
* "CREATIVE MINORITY REPORT ">> JUDGES REINSTATE TEXAS ABORTION RESTRICTIONS
* "CREATIVE MINORITY REPORT ">> AWESOMEST 80 YEAR OLD...EVER
* "DA MIHI ANIMAS (PADRE STEVE)" >> THE MEANING OF SAINTHOOD: TO BE FULLY ALIVE IN JESUS CHRIST
* "FIRST THOUGHTS ">> OF SAINTS AND CONSCIENCE (SANDRA LAGUERTA)
* "FIRST THOUGHTS" >> JUSTICE VERSUS JUSTICE (DAVID T. KOYZIS)
* "FR. Z'S BLOG (FR. JOHN ZUHLSDORF) ">> HOW A SAINT TRICKED THE DEVIL
* "I WANT TO SEE GOD ">> ANOINT HIM WITH YOUR LOVE.... FIRST FRIDAY LINK-UP
* "LES FEMMES - THE TRUTH (MARY ANN KREITZER)" >> I LOVE ALL SAINTS DAY!
* "NEW LITURGICAL MOVEMENT ">> MEDIO ECCLESIAE (JEFFREY TUCKER)
* "RORATE CAELI ">> WHAT'S INSIDE CARDINAL CASTRILL'oN'S BRIEFCASE?
* "RORATE CAELI ">> MOZART'S REQUIEM WHERE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE HEARD, A REQUIEM MASS ALSO ON NOVEMBER 6, IN NEW YORK
* "STANDING ON MY HEAD (FR. DWIGHT LONGENECKER)" >> THE MALL OR THE MASS?
* "THE CHANT CAF'e ">> GUITARIST TURNED SCHOLA DIRECTOR - FSSP SEMINARY FACULTY MEMBER RECOUNTS BEING MYSTERIOUSLY MOVED BY SACRED MUSIC (JENNIFER DONELSON)
* "THE DEACON'S BENCH (DEACON GREG KANDRA)" >> RULING HALTS ABORTIONS IN ONE THIRD OF CLINICS IN TEXAS
* "THE FOUNDRY ">> U.S. IMMIGRATION OFFICERS GIVE FRIGHTENING WARNING (DAVID INSERRA)
* "THE FOUNDRY ">> HEALTH POLICY EXPERT'S INSURANCE GETS CANCELED BY OBAMACARE (CRYSTAL GOODREMOTE)
* "THE PATH LESS TAKEN (MARY O'REGAN)" >> MOTHER ANTONIA: FROM SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSWOMAN IN BEVERLY HILLS TO GOD'S ENTREPENEUR (MARY O'REGAN)
* "TRADITIONAL CATHOLIC PRIEST (FR. PETER CAROTA) ">> THE CONFIDENCE IN OBTAINING HEAVEN FOR THOSE WHO LOVE GOD 100%

Source: modern-wiccan.blogspot.com

The Origins Of Human Beings According To Ancient Sumerian Texts

Sumer, or the 'land of civilized kings', flourished in Mesopotamia, now modern-day Iraq, around 4500 BC. Sumerians created an advanced civilization with its own system of elaborate language and writing, architecture and arts, astronomy and mathematics. Their religious system was a complex one comprised of hundreds of gods, rites and cosmology. According to the ancient texts, each Sumerian city was guarded by its own god; and while humans and gods used to live together, the humans were servants to the gods.

The Sumerian creation myth can be found on a tablet in Nippur, an ancient Mesopotamian city founded in approximately 5000 BC.The creation of Earth (Enuma Elish) according to the Sumerian tablets begins like this:When in the height heaven was not named,

And the earth beneath did not yet bear a name,

And the primeval Apsu, who begat them,

And chaos, Tiamut, the mother of them both

Their waters were mingled together,

And no field was formed, no marsh was to be seen;

When of the gods none had been called into being,

And none bore a name, and no destinies were ordained;

Then were created the gods in the midst of heaven,

Lahmu and Lahamu were called into being... It is interesting here to note that no one god is responsible for creation, as even gods are themselves part of the creation.

Sumerian mythology claims that, in the beginning, human-like beings of extra-terrestrial origin ruled over Earth. Those beings, or gods, could travel through the sky in either round or rocket shaped vehicles. These beings toiled Earth's soil, digging to make it habitable and mining its minerals.The texts mention that at some point the gods mutinied against their labour.When the gods like men

Bore the work and suffered the toll

The toil of the gods was great,

The work was heavy, the distress was much. Anu, the god of gods, agreed that their labour was too great. His son Enki, or Ea, proposed to create man to bear the labour, and so, with the help of his half-sister Ninki, he did. A god was put to death, and his body and blood was mixed with clay. From that material the first human being was created, in likeness to the gods. You have slaughtered a god together

With his personality

I have removed your heavy work

I have imposed your toil on man.

...

In the clay god and Man

Shall be bound,

To a unity brought together;

So that to the end of days

The Flesh and the Soul

Which in a god have ripened -

That soul in a blood-kinship be bound.It is interesting here to note that the spirit is connected to the body, as is the case in many other religions and myths.This first man was created in Eden, a Sumerian word which means 'flat terrain'. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Eden is mentioned as the garden of the gods and is located somewhere in Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.Initially human beings were unable to reproduce on their own, but were later modified with the help of Enki and Ninki. Thus Adapa is created as a fully functional and independent human being. This 'modification' was done without the approval of Enki's brother, Enlil, and a conflict between the gods begins. Enlil becomes the adversary of man, and the Sumerian tablet mentions that men served gods and went through much hardship and suffering.Although not the exact creation story involving two trees in Eden, Adapa, with the help of Enki, ascends to Anu where he fails to answer a question about 'the bread and water of life'. Opinions vary on the similarities between these two creation stories, but one thing remains clear: immortality is meant for gods, not for men.

READ ALSO:

MANKIND'S FORBIDDEN HISTORY HOLDS THE ANSWER FOR THE "MISSING LINK"

THE TRUTH ABOUT EASTER AND THE SECRET WORSHIP OF THE ANUNNAKI

Source: Epoch Times

Moltmann Omnipotence And The Pathos Of God

If you've been reading my blog of late you may have figured out that I greatly admire the story and the theology of Jurgen Moltmann, one of the great living theologians. I was able to enjoy a day of conversation -- well, I listened in on the conversation that others were having with him on my behalf. We have one more 1/2 day left tomorrow morning to enjoy his words of wisdom. All thanks to Emergent Village and its co-sponsors. To be here has been a blessing of incalculable worth. Moltmann's theology is rich in part because it is so rooted in his biography. Indeed, the message of Moltmann might be that biography is theology, that our theologies are rooted in our own life experience. His is rooted in his experiences during WWII, first in surviving the firebombing of Hamburg, during which a friend was killed standing next to him on an anti-aircraft platform, as well as time in a POW camp. That is coupled with the guilt and shame felt as the magnitude of the Holocaust was revealed. From those and other experiences a theology developed, one that had no formative center, but one that was formed along the journey, in response to the issues of the day. In this journey, his understanding of God emerged, an understanding that was formed by his engagement with Jesus. I was impressed by his confession of a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ. His reflection on the cross, led him to an understanding of the nature of God that required a reconfiguring of the doctrine of divine omnipotence. It's not that God controls, but God lifts and carries the universe. He referred us to texts such as the one that speaks of God carrying us on Eagles Wings. God's omnipotence is seen in God's patience. This leads us to the pathos of God -- or perhaps rather to that doctrine of divine impassibility, a doctrine designed to protect God, but which instead turns God into something unrecognizable as the God of the Bible. As Moltmann put it, "An impassible God is not a God, but a Demon."Here's why. The doctrine of impassibility is rooted in Aristotle, and his doctrine of divine apathy. Now, that doesn't mean that God doesn't care (well, maybe it does), but it means that God has no passion, no feeling, no empathy, and thus, no love. Of course this is very different from the Hebrew God who is full of pathos. What is key for us is this -- according to Moltmann, if God is apathetic, then God is apathetic toward us. And as a final kicker, he reminded us that apathy is considered a sign of mental illness. So, while impassibility may fit nicely with Greek philosophy, does it offer us a way to a God capable of loving the universe, including us, so as to reconcile the universe? Finally, I do believe, very strongly that our view of God does have a powerful impact on our behavior. If God has no empathy, no passion, no love for the universe, then will the same be true of me? Will I share this divine apathy? That is the question that must be faced.

Origin: religion-events.blogspot.com

The Near Death Experience Of A Cia Agent

Since the advent of modern medical science, more and more people have been revived from death, and have reported a common set of experiences of the entrance of the soul into the afterlife. One usually remembers hovering above one's body, and can clairvoyantly describe events that took place in the vicinity of the body or events concerning their loved ones. They then advance through a tunnel, at the end of which is a Being of light - who is full of love and knowledge, or more accurately, is Love itself and All Knowledge itself. When encompassed in this light, we all go through a life review, and can see the impact of our actions on others. Every single action and thought is reviewed, and nothing is hidden. All is laid open for review, and it is our own conscience which judges our actions. If one passes this life review, they can go deeper, and enter the realm of light, where they see a city of light, and loved ones in their complete full beauty. For within our material body there is a spiritual body which survives after death. This was first described in the book "Life After Life", by Raymond Moody M.D., who described it as the "Near Death Experience." It is from that book I became familiar with Emanuel Swedenborg, a clairvoyant who had described the Near Death Experience in the 18th century long before modern medical science rediscovered it. When describing heaven, Swedenborg stated that the center of heaven was a Being of Light, in which there was a Man - or more accurately, the God-Man. It is from the God-Man that we all have our human form.

One of the most interesting Near Death Experiences I have read about is the one of Dannion Brinkley, which is described in his book "Saved by the Light". He went rather deep, and was given a set of prophecies concerning the future, many of which have been fulfilled, others have not. He was struck by lightning and was dead for about a half hour before he was revived. You see, Dannion Brinkley was a CIA agent or asset, who was involved in covert operations (of course he does not mention CIA by name). What happens to a CIA agent when they die? It depends on what they did and what was their intention. One must be curious, here is a picture of the CIA memorial wall in honor of those who died for their country:

What Dannion Brinkley saw in his life review was not good. He served in Vietnam, and one of the first things he saw in his life review was how he shot a Vietnamese colonel in the head with a sniper rifle while he was reviewing his troops.

"During my life review, I experienced this incident from the perspective of the North Vietnamese colonel. I didn't feel the pain that he must have felt. Instead, I felt his confusion at having his head blown off and sadness as he left his body and realized that he would never go home again. Then I felt the rest of the chain reaction - the sad feelings of his family when they realized they would be without their provider. I relived all of my kills in just this fashion. I saw myself make the kill and then I felt its horrible results."The worst event in his life review was when he blew up an entire hotel of people in order to reach one heavily guarded target. He got to experience the shock and sadness of all the people's lives he had just snuffed out. However throughout this life review experience while he was dead, Dannion Brinkley has a particular insight:

"The one saving grace was that at the time, I thought what I was doing was right. I was killing in the name of patriotism, which took the edge off the horrors I had committed."In the life review, every action is judged by the truth that one knew at the time. Every action is judged by one's intention. Thus there is a difference between killing and murder - the difference comes from one's intent. In heaven, angels do not consider external appearances, but one's internal thought, motive or intention. It is from the intention or end of a person that the nature of one's true character is known, and it is that which determine's one's eternal destiny. To quote from Emanuel Swedenborg:

"...nothing else than the end with man is regarded by the Lord. Whatever his thoughts and deeds - which vary in ways innumerable - if only the end be made good, all are good. But if the end be evil, all are evil. It is the end that rules in every thing that a man thinks and does. The angels with man, because they are angels of the Lord, do not direct anything in the man but his ends. In directing them they direct also his thoughts and actions, for all these are of the end. The end with man is his very life. All that he thinks and does has life from the end, for, as was said, they are of the end. Therefore as the end is, such is the life of a man. His end is no other than his love; for a man can have for an end nothing but what he loves. One who thinks otherwise than he does, has yet for an end what he loves." ("Heavenly Arcana", n. 1317)

"...angels do not attend to any other than internal things, that is, to ends, or to intentions and purposes, and to thoughts therefrom." ("Heavenly Arcana", n. 3489.2)

"...it is to be known that the end is what determines the character of all the deeds of a man. If his end or intention is to do good for the sake of reputation, or to procure honors or gain, then the good which he does is not good, because it is done for the sake of himself, and thus also from himself. But if his end is to do good for the sake of a fellow citizen, or of his country, or of the church, thus for the sake of the neighbor, then the good which a man does is good, for it is done for the sake of good itself, which in a general sense is the real neighbor" ("Heavenly Arcana", n. 9210)Philosophers and scientists speak of cause and effect, which corresponds to thought and action. Swedenborg takes this a step further: central to this spiritual theology is end, cause and effect. Or what is the same, intent, thought, and action. External actions are driven by thought, and all our thoughts are derived from our purpose or intent. It is our intent which is our will, the very core of our being.

So why do I bring this up now? You do not have to pull the trigger to be considered responsible for your actions. Dannion Brinkley was involved in shipping arms to third world countries, and this he saw in his life review:

"When I returned to the United States after my military duty, I continued to work for the government, performing clandestine operations. This largely involved the transport of weapons to people and countries friendly to the United States. Sometimes I was even called upon to train these people in the fine art of sniping or demolition.

"Now, in the life review, I was forced to see the death and destruction that had taken place in the world as a result of my actions. "We are all a link in the great chain of humanity," said the Being. "What you do has an effect on the other links in that chain."

"Many examples of this came to mind, but one in particular stands out. I saw myself unloading weapons in a Central American country. They were to be used to fight a war that was supported by our country against the Soviet Union.

"My task was simply to transfer these weapons from an airplane to our military interests in the area. When this transfer was completed, I got back on the airplane and left.

"But leaving wasn't so easy in my life review. I stayed with the weapons and watched as they were distributed at a military staging area. Then I went with the guns as they were used in the job of killing, some of them murdering innocent people and some the not so innocent. All in all it was horrible to witness the results of my role in this war.

"This weapons transfer in Central America was the last job I was involved in before being struck by lightning. I remember watching children cry because they had been told that their fathers were dead, and I knew these deaths were caused by the guns I had delivered.

"Then that was it, the review was over."After this, Dannion Brinkley was quite ashamed of what he had done - he realized he had lived a very selfish life, rarely considering others, with not so much as one little act of kindness or compassion. So, after that life review in Brinkley's Near Death Experience, what was the reaction of the Being of Light? Here is what he says:

"I looked at the Being of Light and felt a deep sense of sorrow and shame. I expected a rebuke, some kind of cosmic shaking of my soul. I had reviewed my life and what I had seen was a truly worthless person. What did I deserve if not a rebuke?

"As I gazed at the Being of Light I felt as though he was touching me. From that contact I felt a love and joy that could only be compared to the nonjudgmental compassion that a grandfather has for a grandchild. "Who you are is the difference that God makes," said the Being. "And that difference is love."

"...As the Being of Light moved away, I felt the burden of this guilt being removed. I had felt the pain and anguish of reflection, but from that I had gained the knowledge that I could use to correct my life. I could hear the Being's message in my head, again as if through telepathy: "Humans are powerful spiritual beings meant to create good on the earth. This good isn't usually accomplished in bold actions, but in singular acts of kindness between people. It's the little things that count, because they are more spontaneous and show who you truly are."The relevance of this Near Death Experience is obvious. The civil war in Syria has claimed over 100,000 lives, and there is no end in sight. The reason? Arms shipments to rebels and Al Qaeda jihadists. Who is behind the arms shipments? The CIA, Turkey and Saudi Arabia...probably with more responsibility on Saudi shoulders. And because of arms shipments flowing over the borders, the borders are forced to be closed, trapping those who are in need of humanitarian aid inside. I have seen some of accounts from reporters inside Syria, and the suffering is just horrific. No, the government of Assad is not perfect. But before the civil war, that government upheld law and order for the majority of its citizens. If he goes, what will replace him? Something not as good...similar to what we have in Iraq today, where sectarian killings continue, all in the name of blind religious belief without regard to what is most important: love, kindness and compassion.

Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'

Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch. (Matt. 15:7-9, 14)

Origin: spells-and-chants.blogspot.com

Quote Of The Day Unless We Love The Truth We Cannot See It

"Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it." -- Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662)

Truth suffered its first blow in the Garden of Eden, when the Magic Talking SnakeTM deceived Eve. Man has suffered from distorted views and images of God ever since. Even Christians are susceptible to the "idolatry" of false views of God.

The Bible says that Jesus was the exact representation of the invisible God. If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. And, although he submitted to death on the Cross, he was no push-over. It is a mistake to underestimate Jesus, or to view him as someone easily dismissed.

Lovers of truth inevitably come to the One who said of himself, "I am the truth". He is the real-deal, not the type, not the shadow, not the distorted image, but the genuine article. A coin may have a representation of an Emperor, but it is not the Emperor. Jesus was not just like God, he was God clothed in humanity.

Jesus said that if anyone sincerely wanted to know the truth, ultimate reality, whether God exists or not, whether Jesus is the real-deal, they would one day know.

Many, like me, have already made that journey. Many are seeking now. The Spirit is drawing. And those whom he draws, come.

Atheists make the mistake of thinking that determining reality and knowing or not knowing God is in their hands. It's not. It's in His. Except He draws, no-one may come to him.

"To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed"?

As the Christmas season approaches, perhaps we should conclude by saying

Wise Men Still Seek Him.