All posts filed under: z314

How to Lose it all: Have you seen the movie ‘Come Sunday’?

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Did you ever lose your faith? Yes, you did, if you are older than six. When I was a boy, I remember some other children who were told that Santa Claus was not real. I stayed out of that violent argument, but I saw their confusion and outrage. As we get older, people disappoint us, and if we are honest, we can disappoint ourselves. I formed a career goal when I was about twelve, and I saw myself as one of those people, just working on an education and waiting for an opportunity. I knew who I was, and my conviction was unshakable. Near the age of forty, I had to tell myself that it would never happen, and I had to keep the job I already had. I lost my faith. You are probably wondering; I saw myself as an archaeologist, like the ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and I thought of it first, before they made that movie. After reading all those books, and studying in so many university courses, it never happened. …

Why was ‘sorcery,’ Biblegateway’s top searched term in 2021?

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Biblegateway.com, a website used by tens of millions of people each year to search and study the Bible, just released its most popular searches over the past 12 months. It was a shocking to discover that the most searched Biblical words were terms related to sorcery, that registered a 193% increase over 2020. The remaining top three searches included: ‘Slow to anger’ that had a 169% increase, and ‘In my Father’s house are many rooms’ that saw a 140% increase over last year. Sorcery knocked out last year’s number one search, plagues and pestilence, which obviously spiked because of COVID. Searches for those terms actually saw a 71% decrease in 2021. But it is strange why sorcery would see such a dramatic increase this year. Biblegateway suggests that it may be due to sorcery being derived from the Greek word, pharmakeia, from which we get the English word pharmacy or drugs. In his article on Biblegateway, Johnathan Peters explains: The increase in sorceries is related to heightened interest in the Greek word pharmakeia which, according …

Nearly half of Americans state inflation is causing financial hardship

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According to a Gallup poll conducted in Nov 2021, 45% of Americans stated that the country’s inflation rate is causing ‘financial hardship.’ The Blaze noted that 10% of those surveyed said that inflation is having a ‘severe’ impact, meaning that they are struggling to maintain their current living standard. The survey also found that those on the lower end of the pay scale were the hardest hit, with 71% of those earning less than $40,000 annually reporting that inflation is becoming a problem, compared to only 29% for those earning over $100,000. The Blaze added that in October 2021, prices for consumer goods had increased by 6.2% compared to Oct 2020 and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization stated that in November, ‘commonly traded food commodities’ were 27.3% higher than in November 2020. READ: Nearly half of Americans say inflation has caused them ‘financial hardship’: Gallup A report this week also said that the country’s surging gas prices are having a significant impact on the poor. READ: Report: Surging Fuel Prices Hurt Poorer Americans the …

Get Used to the Heat and Get in the Kitchen

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By Dr. Michael L. Brown You’ve heard the saying, “If you don’t like the heat, then get out of the kitchen.” Well, that only works if you’re not called to be in the kitchen. For those of us who are called to be there, it would be better to say, “Get used to the heat and get in the kitchen.” When it comes to the conflicts and controversies of our day, if we love God and we love our neighbor, do we really have a choice? On a daily basis, often from many different sides, I get blasted for positions I take in writing or on the air. Should I have a pity party? Feel sorry for myself? Throw in the towel? How utterly ridiculous. If I’m going to address controversial issues or take controversial stands, the disagreements and counterattacks are sure to come. That’s the nature of the game, and that’s part of the process of public discourse, however messy it may be. I’m just glad that people take the time to read and …