| Epistles From the Editor |
Dear Readers of PCN, In this journey that we have embarked together, sometimes we feel as if we are all alone. We see our finances dwindling, our homes going onto forclousers, our belongings being repossessed. It is as if everything that could go wrong does. But how good is our God? He is always by our side. Job became bankrupt in a period of 24 hours. He lost everything that meant something to him, and yet his trust was in the Lord. He was calm although his world had been shaken. Maybe the people on Wallstreet should crack open the good book and take a look at a true recession; and see how Job handled his financial crisis. Friends, we are not alone in this, and neither should we pretend that we are. Do you recall what happened in the last chapter of Job? It was not until Job had prayed for his friends did the Lord bless him twice fold, then what he had before. Pray for your friends as they pray for you. I guarantee someone else is going through just as difficult as time as you are. Pray for me and this ministry as I lift you up to our heavenly Father. And remember sometimes God is just trying to get rid of the things we have now so we can make room for better ones! Sincerely Your Sister in Christ, |
We want to here from you! What does it mean to be living in this time period, knowing what you have been exposed and privileged too, in comparison to those generations before your time? Last month we spoke about Black History Month. Did you know that certain groups of the Confederacy "Multi-Cultural" groups actually celebrate a holiday in the name of the Confederacy on January 19th? Also known as the national remembrance holiday of Martin Luther King Jr. What do you think about that?
So you are proud to be a part of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Great. But how much do you know about the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist? Only what you have heard? Did you know that if we follow our roots that we came from the Catholic church? What about the Baptist church... What makes us so different from our Protestant Brothers (Sisters)? Also did you know that there are churches who celebrate and have open homosexual doctrines but call themselves Seventh-day Adventist? We would love to hear from you and probe your mind... After all what's in a Name? *Information where facts have been obtained are available upon request. |
 Around this time of year we usually hear about the luck of the Irish. Sometimes their luck is good, like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Sometimes their luck is bad, like the potato famine that faced them centuries ago. On this month, lots of us wore green on the 17th. If not, we might have gotten pinched by another fellow well wisher... My question is what happened to the faith of the Christian? That through good and bad circumstances we had one solid faith that saw us through it all. That if we had faith like a small mustard seed, we could move the mountain that the rainbow was hiding behind. We may not find a pot of gold, but we certainly will find treasures beyond our understanding: "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him." "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17: 14 - 20 NIV Jesus called their generation who saw Him and walked with Him, unbelieving and perverse. What would He call us? "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' " And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18: 1 - 8 NIV What apparently is more valuable than gold to God is our prayers. The Son told us to pray and never give up. That my friends requires Faith! When your spirit is down and your luck has run out, will you still have your faith? Jesus is soon to return, perhaps we should through luck out the window and bring faith in. And as for me, well maybe the Irish have their gold and their luck. But give me my God and His faith any day because luck is for armatures, faith is for conquerors! |
| Religious Liberty by Sister Pitts |
The Religious Liberty Department of the Seventh-day Adventist church seeks to bring religious freedom to every corner of the world. This is done through an organization PARL, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, founded in 1901. Since then, PARL has been supporting religious liberty nationally as one of the "fundamental principles of our church as a God-given right." In addition PARL represents the church on government issues, has representatives is the U.S. Congress and the U.N. (United Nations) and hosts many diplomatic meetings around the world.
At Patmos Chapel the Religious Liberty Department is here to help members with religious liberty challenges when necessary. To achieve this, it encourages members to subscribe to a magazine "Liberty". The yearly cost is 6.00 dollars per subscription. A special offering is taken yearly to assist PARL in its religious liberty pursuits around the world. The subscription and offering has [had a] deadline, March 16, 2009. [However you can still] support these efforts and let us all pray that religious liberty will continue to be extended to people everywhere.
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| A Riddle for you, to see if you knew... .............Who Am I? |
| How well do you know the people in the Bible? Below is a riddle that is
filled with clues about some one in the Bible. The first reader to correctly
guess the Character and where their story can be located will receive a
prize. Just Click Here and fill out your information. In the subject box state "Riddle Solved". In the body, state the answer and you will receive a following email to let you know if you are the winner. The winner will be announced in the next issue's newsletter. Good Luck! |
| A gathering of the highest council came together. No rain or sleet, neither hail nor snow, or any type of weather, Could have stopped them from near and far they where to tell of their domains pure or marred. The king set up his move and the knight took the bait. While I, the pawn, my life stood in the balance; the rest held their breaths to wait. First one, then two and then the third one came. Each out of air, gasping, looking wildly insane. From the most affluent luxuries one could afford; to a scathed beggar scraping my pores; Did my grace from homogenous eyes I did fall. But grace of the Omnipotent did I call. With questions He did answer me. And with faith and restoration did He let me be. I am _______. |
| Do you want to talk about a topic? Or respond to any of the pieces that you see in PCN? Click Here to have your ideas heard today! |
• As the Pastor Ponders • Sex on the Sabbath - Thaddeus Jackson • Inside Anointed Praise and Domestic Abuse • Love Hurts - Shauntelle Stevenson • A.Y.S. Special Program on Abuse • Devotion with Ms. Jones • Download of the Month • Youth 2 Youth
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Dear Family, Do Not Worry... Be Happy....
In this time of growing challenges that plague our world on every hand
many have exchanged their faith for worry. Allow me to suggest seven biblical
reasons found in Matthew 6:25-34 that will encourage you not to exchange
your faith for worry.
1. The same God who created life in you can be trusted with the minute
details of your life. (6:25)
2. Worrying about the future hampers your efforts for today. (6:26)
3. Worrying is more harmful than helpful. (6:27)
4. God does not ignore those who depend on Him. (6:28-30)
5. Worrying shows a lack of faith in and understanding of God.
(6:31,32)
6. There are real challenges God wants us to pursue, and worrying
keeps us from them. (6:33)
7. Living one day at a time keeps us from being consumed with worry.
(6:34) Remember, planning for tomorrow is time that is well spent; worrying about tomorrow is time wasted. Sometimes it is extremely difficult to tell the difference. Careful planning is thinking ahead about goals, steps, and schedules, and trusting in God's guidance. When done well, planning can help alleviate worry. Worriers, by contrast, are consumed by fear and find it difficult to trust the Lord. They let their plans interfere with their relationship with God. Don't let worries about tomorrow affect your peace and relationship with God today. Hold fast to your faith in the promises of God!
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Is it a sin to have sex on the Sabbath? First of all, you better be a married person asking this question. Good. Secondly, “Are you kidding me? Are you suggesting that a married couple must wait until sun down to participate in that which is holy within the marriage? You can't be serious. If that's the case, then throw me under the bus because...........never mind, anyway, let's listen some opposing arguments. The basic objection to having sex on the Sabbath that some will say is that lovemaking is pleasurable and God forbids us from “doing thine own pleasure.” You must also realize that Isaiah 58 speaks of making the Sabbath a delight. So what do we have here? Could there be a contradiction in the bible? If good is the opposite of bad, then what is the opposite of pleasure? Misery? If so, how could misery be a delight? The contradiction is solved when research suggests that the word translated pleasure in the King James Version is the Old English word for secular pursuits. Moffattt’s Version gives an accurate picture of Isaiah 58; 13.”If you refrain from doing your own business upon the Sabbath....” There is nothing wrong with marriage love on the Sabbath simply because it provides pleasure. Another argument against having sex on the Sabbath is found in Exodus 19:15. Several days before giving the law on Mount Sinai, God commanded the men “Do not come near your wives.” Why not? The answer might lie in what the refugees from heathen slavery did with sex by dancing around the golden calf in a wild orgy. Evidently, sex was something animalistic to them, or something sinful and selfish. So, in realizing this, God kept them from indulging in their immorality before giving them the law. But sex isn't immoral or selfish to a loving Christian couple. Do you honestly think that when God created Adam and Eve on Friday, that he instructed Adam to wait until sunset Saturday to partake in that which is holy? Grime a break!!! Can't you imagine God saying to Adam, “Now, it's nearing sunset Adam and you can only hold hands and maybe exchange a quick kiss, but nothing more until sun down.” Can't you picture poor Adam waiting at the edge of the Euphrates River with his toes in the water, then walking to a nearby water fall as if taking a cold shower waiting for the sun to go down! What torture!! Absolutely ridiculous! The fear of having sex on the Sabbath can be traced to medieval thinking that glorifies celibacy as a way to be super religious. This is an extremist point of view and not God's way. Let's make the Sabbath a delight as the Lord intended. This subject is also a Sabbath –keeping standard which individuals may use the conviction of their own conscience. As for me and my house, when the sun goes down on Friday night, don't call me! Excerpts taken from “Adventist Hot Potatoes” by Martin Weber Have a question about today's world? Looking for Biblical answers? Send your questions to Author of "The Power of Positive Poetry", Elder and Motivator Speaker, Thad Jackson today! Just write in the subject box "Question for Thad" Click Here |
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By now, I'm sure that everyone is familiar with the Chris Brown and Rihanna story. If not, I'll give you a quick synopsis: On February 8th, while in a moving vehicle that Chris was driving, he was accused of the beating of his pop-star girlfriend Rihanna. According to the affidavit of a LAPD detective, Rihanna read a text message on Chris’ phone that was from another woman. They got into a heated argument, which resulted in Chris physically assaulting Rihanna. Chris repeatedly punched Rihanna to the point where she almost lost consciousness and blood splattered all over her clothes. He also bit her, smashed her head into the car window - then threatened to “kill” her once “they got home” after the singer alerted her assistant to call the cops, according to a search warrant in the case. Chris was charged on March 5th with one count of making a criminal threat and one count of felony assault both against Rihanna. How much truth there is to this story can be argued and debated, but the fact remains that Rihanna was severely injured that night and her injuries are said to be caused by Chris Brown. Millions of children and teens now, if not before, see that domestic violence can happen to anyone at any age. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, how pretty or handsome you are, how educated you are, how young or old you are, whether you are a girl or a boy, or where you are from. Domestic violence has no face. It doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t always look the same each time it happens; it could be an issue of physical abuse, mental abuse, financial/economic abuse, intimidation, threats of violence, and even sexual abuse. It doesn’t exempt anyone. EVER. I want to take a look at three myths surrounding domestic violence concerning Chris Brown and Rihanna and then give some resources to help anyone suffering from an abusive relationship. Myth #1: If the abuser is sorry, they won't abuse me again. Myth No. 2: People make mistakes and this was one of Chris Brown's mistakes. Myth No. 3: She’s young, rich and beautiful. If it was really as bad as
the media says, she’d leave. What I would suggest that we remember is that yes, you should never hit anybody and you should never let anybody hit you. But, we also need to remember that love DOES guarantee respect and that any relationship we find ourselves involved in should be based on both. Someone that respects you will not intentionally do things that they know will harm you. Yes, we all make mistakes and do things that we shouldn't, but those who truly love, care for, and respect us wouldn't want to see us bruised, beaten, battered, and emotionally scarred. If you are in a relationship or situation where you are being abused or you know someone that is being abused, please make note of the following resources that can provide assistance to you or them. National Hotline for Women and Men Victims of Domestic Violence 888-743-5754Orange County Center Against Domestic Violence 407-425-2502
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| A Note from Ms. Jones |
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“Be Blessed!” ........“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ”
“Bless and be blessed” Ms. Jones |
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