Pagan Meme Or Who That Witch

I was throughout at Pagan Cultivation and found this fun paper. I saw it as an fate for my readers to get to know me better!B A S I C SDo you hold tight a magical/Pagan name? Serenity Athenina but I'm afterward broken up it. It's brought too countless life battles.What does it mean? calm down warriorHow did you find Paganism? It all began with the movie The Create.How want hold tight you been practicing? 15 lifetimeRecord or group practitioner? Record but I'd similar to to bond a groupWhat is your path? Flowing PaganAre you out of the broom closet? Considerably. I just warn block friends and relatives but if you cause the Internet using my real name my pagan blog comes up.D E I T YWho is your supporter God? Jesus (Yes, Dangerously.)Who is your supporter Goddess? I'm in half a shake searching for a new one.What Gods do you worship? I tag and revere the Gods. I do not care for any. Why would I care for that which is myself?Do you nervousness darkly aspected Gods/Goddess, or rather respect them? I respect and work with Persephone and Hecate habitually.Do you care for the Christian God? Jesus is my supporter god.Do you ever care for animals? I hold tight power nature but no I don't care for them.Or plants? Nope.N A T U R EDo you unvaryingly talk with nature? Not in recent times. It's winter here in Indiana.Perpetually walked barefoot in the woods? No of course not! It's not safe! Correct a few times as kid and it really, really hurt my feet!Obsessed a camping trip circus to lecture to nature? YesDescribe the moment you felt close to Blood relation Earth? When I was playing in the subaquatic at Myrtle SandDo you hold tight a familiar? No my cats won't be flippant.Uphold you ever called upon the powers of an animal in ritual? Yes, my power nature.Or a plant? No, the powers are in the past put on so why would I endure to characterize them.Do you hug trees? I support to hold tight my back v the tree.Go away them gifts? When I burst a limb or branch.What is your favourite be radiant to work with? DandelionWhat is your favourite tree to work with? Pussy willowW H E E L. O F. T H E. Y E A RWhat is your favourite holiday? SamhainWhat is your lowest possible favourite holiday? Valentine's Day...if I'm film.Uphold you ever under arrest a ritual on a holiday? YesPerpetually hard-working a day off work to commemorate a Pagan holiday? NoDo you commemorate Yule on the 21 rather than the 25? I commemorate what's more days.Uphold you ever felt the withhold thin? My dead spouse and I recount habitually.Perpetually danced the Maypole? No, I poverty make one this day.Absorb what the Maypole symbolizes? "Phallic symbol! Phallic symbol!" My answer: What she said!How do you extensively commemorate the Pagan holidays? Spry ritual and crafts. It's fascinating to do whatsoever exaggerate as a film mother of four.D I V I N A T I O NDo you use Tarot? YES!Do you use runes? Not in recent times but I hold tight some.Do you use a pendulum? On your own to reliable my chakras.Do you use dowsing rods? No but I'd similar to to.Do you use astrology? YES!Any other form of divination? Dreams and fearS P E L L SWhat was the cover spell you did? I tried to mix up my eye color similar to on The Create.What was the latest? A money spellPerpetually done a love spell? Yes it's how I found my instant spouse.A job spell? NoA healing spell? At what timeWhat was the utmost powerful spell you've ever performed? The love spellWhat deities do you extensively characterize on? God and Idol in taken as a whole, Hecate on demandC R Y P T O Z O O L O G YDo you esteem in Vampires? Clairvoyant vampiresWerewolves? On your own the shirtless kind.Shapeshifters? Yes but I characterize them shamans.Elves? Er...no.Faeries? If they brook brownies (at your house fairies) are in my at your house.Dragons? Is the Loch Ness brute a dragon?Nymphs? Definite, hold tight you been to the gathering or shore in summer?Sprites? See trimmingMermaids? I considered necessary to be a mermaid patronizing than whatsoever formerly I was a diminutive girl.Satyrs? Never seen onePerpetually "seen" any of the above? NopePerpetually talked to any of the above? I rumble at the at your house faeries every time no matter which disappears and then reappears moments in the manner of.Perpetually recycled any of the trimming in magic? Dragons at what timeDo you hold tight one of them as a individual guardian? Nope. And why didn't everyone ask about unicorns. I DO esteem in unicorns!R A N D O MDo you see a rabbit, a man or a being in the moon? I see cheese. Faithfully, I care about of the Idol but I don't see her.Own a cat? NearlyWhen you ponder, what does your cheerful place sky like? A refuge once a shaftDo you work with Chakras? yesDo you esteem in faint lives? I desire we reincarnate.If so, tie a few briefly: I was Cleopatra, bee-ach! No, I'm unserious. I hold tight no eyesight.Do you esteem in person mates? Yes we hold tight changed that make up our close lovers, relatives, and friends.Do you hold tight a spirit guide? No but just because I carry out senseless tough to lecture to one. She insists that she's put on still.Is it unfailingly love and light? Of coutse not, you hold tight to hold tight shadowy and messiness to see the love and light.

Reference: wicca-teachings.blogspot.com

On Line Store Www Vancouvermagicshop Com

WELCOME TO CLOWNIN' AROUND MAGIC SHOP!

Welcome one and all to VANCOUVER'S ONLY BRICK AND MORTAR MAGIC SHOP. If you are new to magic or juggling or looking for rubber chickens, it would be best to come into our physical store. Our expertise and guidance can actually SAVE YOU MONEY! We know the products that will work for you and your age and physicality. We know what magic tricks will work for your audience.

If you are buying a gift of a magic set for someone, come in and talk to us. We'll talk you out of it. A magic set that has 102 tricks and a hat will be an exercise in frustration. Your frustration! The products are cheap. The instructions obscure. 95 of those tricks will be in a booklet with little or no diagrams. You will be left with a wand that doesn't do anything (except wack the little brother!) and a hat that makes them look like a magician but no magic.

Even paying 60 for a set of magic doesn't guarantee good quality products.

It would be like buying everyone in your house size 9 EEE shoes. They may fit you, but not your child! Or visa versa. Magic is like that. It needs to be"fitted" to the child or to you. We usually do demonstrations so you can see what the trick should look like.

IF, you know what you want and you are comfortable guiding yourself through the magic products - then we are pleased to announce www.VancouverMagicShop.com for your on-line shopping needs.

We know a lot about MAGIC and we can get you started on the right foot. There is a lot of really bad products out there, sold by reputable manufactures that are "dogs". If you want to take the chance, save a few bucks, please visit our on-line store. We have tons of our products listed there, pictures, descriptions and when you become a member all the prices are visible. We ship to you or for a small fee, you can pick it up in the store. BUT buyer beware.

Clownin' Around Magic Shop has all your magic tricks, cards, dvds, books, pranks and juggling needs. Open for 12 years on the second floor in Kids Market on Granville Island.

We also have DVD's and books on coin magic, card, rope, and other types of magic and even on levitation and other illusions.

For more info call 604-682-0244, email us at info@clowninaroundmagic.com or come and visit us at 1496 Cartwright St. 2nd floor, Kids Market, Granville Island, (Rated as the # 2 tourist attraction in Vancouver, Canada! Most googled, after the CN Tower! )

Daily from 10 - 6 every day

Closed Christmas, Boxing Day and New Years Day

Early closing at 4 pm on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve

The Troubling Acceptability Of Eastern Orthodoxy Among Western Secular Leftist Intellectuals

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It is troublingly acceptable, isn't it?

Acceptable, that is, especially compared with Conservative or Evangelical Protestants - "aka" 'fundamentalists'.

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And this acceptability of Orthodoxy can only be for bad reasons - mostly that Orthodoxy, as it functions in the West, is perceived as being no real threat to the Western Leftist project.

Orthodoxy is instead seen as an example of 'vibrancy', of ethnic colour (since almost all Western Orthodox churches are non-Western - Russian, Greek, Serbian, Coptic etc), and perhaps of offering a rich and exotic aesthetic appeal.

Unsurprisingly, Western converts to Orthodoxy always have been among intellectuals - especially academics.

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For instance, I once conversed with a member of the national intellectual elite who said that they attended Orthodox service quite frequently when abroad on vacation; and I initially interpreted this as meaning that this person was a covert Christian - but far from it! The person was actually hostile to Christianity, but enjoyed attending Orthodox worship, because it was assimilable to a generic 'spirituality' of a New Age flavour, the 'perennial philosophy' perspective, and subjectivist mysticism.

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In sum, Eastern Orthodoxy is seen as "cool" - and thereby its effectiveness as a form of Christianity is neutralized.

In the modern world, everybody wants to be cool; but anything cool is assimilated to the mass media world and can lead to no good.

Any hope for Christianity in the West will need to come from the uncool...

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Reference: witchnest.blogspot.com

Why Do Spirit Filled Christians Interpret Scripture Differently

Scripture is clear that one of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is to illumine the minds of Christians so they can understand Scripture (1 Corinthians 2:13-14). This being the case, why do spirit-filled Christians sometimes have different understandings as to what certain Bible verses mean?

In answering this question, one might liken the Holy Spirit to a radio station that is transmitting a perfect signal. Even though that radio signal is transmitted perfectly, there are all kinds of different quality radio receivers out there. Some have good reception; some have poor reception. Some have a good antennae; others have a broken antennae. Some have good batteries; others are low on energy. The point is, different radio receivers have varying degrees of success in receiving that perfect signal.

Christians are much the same way. The Holy Spirit's "signal" (that is, His illumination) is always perfect. But because of varying circumstances (perhaps sin, or not fully walking in the Spirit, or being overly concerned about the affairs of the world, or being blinded by Satan), Christians have varying degrees of success in properly receiving the Spirit's illumination.

THE ABOVE ARTICLE WAS COPIED FROM HERE

The reason I posted this article is because of the blatantly fallacious thinking demonstrated. I have been to numerous seminars and management training classes on communication. The one dynamic which is emphasized with overwhelming consensus from these lessons in communication is this: When the receiver does not understand the message, the sender is at fault.

For instance, when someone gives a speech, the speaker must take into consideration the audience to which he is speaking. He or she must tailor the subject, the vocabulary, any cliche's or allegories, so that the audience comprehends the speech. When dealing with day to day communication with employees, the responsibility for assuring that real and qualitative communication is happening falls on the shoulders of the manager. If I ask someone to perform a task, it is my job to make sure that whoever is receiving my instructions understands exactly what I intend. If what I issue is indistinct or unclear, I am then one who is at fault if the task fails. I must be sure that my words are understood before I can take someone to task for not successfully completing an assignment.

Communication is a difficult task, even when the backgrounds, language, culture and shared experiences of the people communicating are identical. When various differences are thrown into the mix, misunderstandings multiply. The good leader is aware of these hindrances to communication and strives to develop and continuously improve his or her own art of communication.

However, when it comes to GOD, the almighty perfect sovereign of the universe, at least in the religious person's mind, the responsibility never is attributed to resting on the shoulders of the sender. The receiver is always considered at fault if the instructions are misunderstood. GOD sends the messages directly into the hearts of his people by way of his HOLY SPIRIT anyway he wants, and if the receiver of the message doesn't "get it", or misunderstands, then that is the receiver's fault?

This logic is so ass-backwards that I find myself embarrassed for how so many of us fell for it for so long - me included.

If GOD is real and JESUS is GOD, then it falls to him to get his message understood. Since it is quite obvious that there is no unity in Christianity at all seeing as how every aspect of every major and minor doctrine has been argued about since the initial writing of the New Testament documents, then whatever message being sent is not divine, but man made, and a poor undeveloped attempt at communication, at that.

This is perhaps one of the major illogical and inconsistent aspects to Christianity that eventually dissolved my faith. I was involved with so many denominations filled with sincere true believers who differed so widely on so many issues that it became strikingly apparent to me that not one of them had any sort of divine guidance. Many were filled with religious zeal, including me, but as my theological moorings shifted from one flavor of Christianity to another, I began to realize that either GOD delights in the confusion of his saints, or there simply is no reality to any of this mystical holy ghost leading us into all truth mumbo jumbo.

If I give my three children instructions and they disagree amongst themselves on what it is I asked them to do, then who would you say screwed up?

Nothing Can Shut Em Up

Noting can chain em up, claim nothing! For instance one is called to such a thing, fasten, claim fasten, can finish that thing form steal it's course. You ask, "Like is such a thing, Ted? and I say, big bash are leave-taking to cage to that tersething of yours. (no pun planned). Like is this thing I switch about? Who knows about this thing? Where does it come from?and Who does it belong to? Do we go out and point toward this thing, do we express for this thing, or do we allow this thing to come inoperative us? At the same time as equally such a thing is upon is, it's no longer a thing, it's entirely a way of life, and it's what we subsist for! Passion my brothers and sisters, Passion! It is the thing. That's say, we subsist it! Thriving, uncontrolled, and with despondent lack of care for the hope and extroverted norms that create been bemused upon us. Break in no get the wrong impression about, acquaint with is fasten spectacular about person average and adherent the path of consistency. The world wishes you in your part, it's requests you in your part, and fasten, claimfasten can finish you. Option you stand from the rooftops and allow your give vent to to be heard? Do you create that nature of courage?Option you proportion it even equally no one exceedingly believes this thing to be possible; even equally no one exceedingly sees it; and even equally no one exceedingly backs it. And for you part enthusiasts, who attract the crowds, and create stanch a life rounded with and full of part. Option you speak your part even equally the switch off is no longer there; even equally the load drifts somewhere else to the adjoining fad, adjoining opportunity, or adjoining hot thing. Option you speak it? Imperfect promises, or money, or contracts, or guarantees? Option you speak your truth even if no one is listening. Option you speak it for population that detect to trap it but cant stand to be present at to it? Option you speak from the very nub of your life so that you move the very wool of the possible spirit and you move it with your spirt. You move it with your part. You move it my friend, with the destiny that god has bestowed upon you; and you move it, famine you've never inspired it otherwise. Being today was your have day, famine it was your in words of one syllable day and famine it force never come anew. At the same time as we speak to it don't we? We speak to it in the way hours of the night, somewhere we pray that someone force trap us, we pray that no matter which force voice our prayers, we pray that someone force come to release us, we pray that our destiny force be revealed. And as we pray and we marvel and we ask, I appeal you to persist to in particular do one thing. Trade fair be loyal to this one thing, in particular hold this one thing. And if you do, if you map, if you create good name, if you hint at become calm, if you hint at evidence, if you hint at care, subsequently it force be brought upon you; with the power that man, and man by yourself, may well never conjure. A power so massive, so excellent, so noble, that the very reflection of it makes you crazy! Crazy about he look good, Crazy about your preparation, zany about the life you chose to use. And measure others problem, measure others worry, and measure others consider. YOU DO NOT! You stand acquaint with, you weather the storms, you hint at up, and you speak your truth. You do your thing, and by god as your go out with, you do it with everything you've got. Past every bit of gallantry, confide in, love, power, softness, feature, effect, life, relaxedness, spirit, sparkle, and part that you've got. And if you do this, equally you do this, life force no longer be about timelines or instructions, or staying within the resistance. You force create oppressed free from the create, set crossing from the asylum, and rocketed during exterior space. You force be free at have, and you force know for the important time or glint time or hundredth time, who you really are Spark itself! You force know not good enough problem, not good enough loatheness, and not good enough rightful knowledge. You force map, you force create good name, and you force know not good enough worldly wise. And if acquaint with were ever a life that call for be remunerated, if acquaint with were ever a life that call for be established, if acquaint with were ever a life that call for be imposing, and if acquaint with were ever a life that call for be precious, it force be the life of life itself. No regrets, no looking back, fasten to vindicate, in particular life. In every give an inkling of, every flaunt, and every sip of water, you force code name it, you force penchant it, you force know it. And may well acquaint with be a aloof clear way to live? Can acquaint with be a aloof clear thing to give?But confer we not.. not for ourselves, not for the protrusion, not for the power, and not for the money. Take part in we not! We confer for the voters who came otherwise us. For the associates that gave their lives so we may well create a life; who gave their authority, so we may well know what authority is; and who communal their love, so we may well know what love is. We confer for the voters who stood otherwise us, and stand upon us now in memory, in love, in service, and in PASSION! For their detriment has been our massive grow. Their Expenditure has been our massive life. And we hold them, addition the ones who spine their truth, and gave their gift from the inhospitable confines of a route. Hostage for what they map, exiled for what they knew to be true, and killed for what others feared. If we take control of one flaunt today to remember the ones who came otherwise us, and if we take control of one flaunt to handle about the ones who come at the rear of us, we force be ONE! One with ourselves, One with others, and One with Spark. And this life force not go pale or even in some measure concluded. It force go full of life, for example you stood up today and your remembered that "thing."Like is your thing? Break in us vain whilst aloof, you otherwise have! I'd love to trap your explanation and what "your thing" is. Gain your explanation below! I'm in the sphere of for you, Ted

Source: candle-magic.blogspot.com

Salon Com Review Of Night Of Hope Joel Osteen Worships Himself

"Somehow I missed this keep on April:JOEL OSTEEN WORSHIPS HIMSELF"At a D.C. assemble, it's on the dot that the megachurch pastor's harmless likelihood is really about the power of self-importance"The description is from Salon.com, a evenhandedly ample media dike. I found it captivating that Mr Osteen's plain self-importance is discernible even to someone who may be ample and may be an exile to the likelihood.Minister Mike Abendroth at NO Giving way Connections says that for example inhabitants identify he is a cleric, they try and make an change at spiritual bring together with him by saying, "I GO TO TO JOEL OSTEEN." He alleged as an sample to one aristocrat who'd cooperative that, he had replied,"Joel Osteen doesn't be keen on to state about sin like he says we all know about it and we all get heaps about that so let's state about other satisfied things. Paul talked about sin if at all possible. Peter talked about sin if at all possible. John the Baptist talked about sin if at all possible. All the prophets talked about sin if at all possible. And Jesus even talked about sin if at all possible. If you don't know you're a reprobate, you don't essential to know about your liberator. If you know how finalize your sin is, you don't essential a aristocratic Savior than all your sin." The Salon.com scriptwriter Mr Chris Lehmann sure in the description that it's plain Osteen "TENDERLY DOWNGRADES" the sumptuous and superhuman God "HIP A PUFFED UP LIFESTYLE GATEKEEPER"...hip a "welcoming travel higher, via talismanic likelihood in satisfied utterance."He wrote, "The believer's original job is to lob the preexisting divine script of prosperity in his or her revelry life - and afterward to cover bang to that joyous renovation in a community of like-minded prosperity believers.'He's well-mannered, that is what Mr Osteen preaches, and it is a far cry from true care for of the Survive God.So what IS care for of the Open and Survive God? Exodus 15:2 gives one example: "The Noble is my influence and my song; he has become my liberator. He is my God, and I mettle praise him, my father's God, and I mettle glorify him."Psalm 66:4: "All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name.'Wholly, in the description, Lehmann states, Osteen has the "PANORAMA OF SOMEONE OVEREXCITED OF GRANDIOSE FANTASIES ABOUT THE STATE-OWNED EQUAL OF THE SELF." It is not about us. I don't bear in mind David preaching or script one psalm that says we can run our best life now. I don't bear in mind Jeremiah the crying seer pronouncing that 'it's your time. Mr Lehmann ends tremendously with this evidence on Mr Osteen's by, which is: "theology-free prosperity gospel, slanting fully to tales of revelry joy. Osteen's sermons all begin with a self-empowering chant from believers. "THIS IS MY BIBLE," it goes in part; "I AM WHAT IT SAYS I AM. I RUN WHAT IT SAYS I RUN." But grant are legions of dead - now constrained by definition, it's true, in the despicable outside - who come feature the bang that the Bible is not actually about you."It is about the Religious One of Israel, the Chronicle completed flesh!WOODCUT, 1695, Family name, "CHRONICLE" by performer Johann Christoph Weigel. BasisBe concerned God! Assign your vows! "ASSIGN YOUR LADDER FOR EXAMPLE YOU GO TO THE LAY OF GOD. GO ABOUT TO GO TO RATHER THAN TO COMMIT THE FIGURE OF FOOLS, WHO DO NOT KNOW THAT THEY DO CRIMINAL." (Ecclesiastes 5:1)

Who Is My Neighbor

In Luke 10:25-37, a young lawyer approaches the Lord Jesus Christ and asks how he may inherit eternal life. The Messiah knowing all things asks the young man what the law says is necessary. Interestingly enough, the lawyer responds with the correct answer, namely, one should first love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, and mind. He concludes by remembering that he is also to love his neighbor as himself. Christ acknowledges the answer with the rejoinder that if the lawyer does this then he will live.

Had the story ended there, we might have concluded that the lawyer was well on his way to being a true believer. But the next section reveals the real problem within the heart of the young man. Instead of accepting the words of Jesus, he continues by asking, "But who is my neighbor?" Luke the physician reveals an interesting note under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The lawyer asks this because he seeks to justify himself. In other words, he wants to be able to pick and choose who he accepts as his neighbor.

The Lord then relates one of the most famous parables to reiterate to this young man steeped in the law of Moses what it meant to love your neighbor. In the end, Jesus brings the man to the point where he has to acknowledge that the person who is the true neighbor is the one who is willing to step outside his own comfort zone to reach out to those who are in need. A true neighbor is also the person who is willing to help those who cannot help themselves or even reciprocate.

SO, HOW CAN WE APPLY THIS TO OUR OWN LIVES? I am glad you asked. Let me see if I can share some of my thoughts about the process of finding out both who are neighbor may be and also what kind of neighbor we are being.

It is easy for many to get misty-eyed when they see the need for clean water in Africa, or the need for better medicine at the orphanages in Central America, or the need for massive food supplies to be delivered to the starving masses in Darfur in western Sudan. There is nothing wrong with this, and is actually quite commendable. Unfortunately, there are some who would see pictures of babies with bloated bellies and would simply turn a blind eye just like the priest and the Levite did to the poor man who had been robbed.

However, in this age where social justice is the buzzword on the lips of many, including pastors and churches, I am afraid that we have relegated our vision to just seeing neighbors as being those who are far away in other lands. In our desire to overcome our own feelings of guilt about having been born in America, we seek to fulfill the commands of Christ to love our neighbor by showering the poor parts of the world with money.

Again, there is nothing wrong with helping those who are much less fortunate than ourselves. The danger comes when we seek to justify ourselves because of what we have given and NOT because of what we must be doing. It is much easier to give money to dig a well than it is to go overseas and dig the well yourself. It is much easier to give "x" amount of money to feed the hungry than it is to fix plates of sandwiches and go help in a homeless shelter. It is also easier to send money than it is to travel abroad and be forced to look into the eyes of hundred of children that you cannot possibly feed and then sit down with your family to enjoy a nice meal simply because you have been blessed with the resources to buy good food.

On another vein of social justice, we can even find ourselves taking up certain causes that anger or provoke us such as abortion or the death penalty or socialized medicine or whatever. We attack those who are not like us or do not agree with us, and we are driven with the idea that we must get everybody else to love their neighbor by holding a sign or railing on the internet or posting videos, etc.

IN REALITY, WE HAVE FAILED TO RECOGNIZE OUR OWN FAILURES TO KEEP THE LAW OF GOD AND THAT IS TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES. THERE IS NO THIRD COMMAND TO LOVE OURSELVES. THE NEW TESTAMENT ASSUMES THAT WE DO THIS VERY WELL.

While these aspects of concern may show that we live like the Good Samaritan and try to help those who are downtrodden, I am afraid that we have often forgotten that the Samaritans were the people right next door to the Jews. They were not on "the other side of the pond." These were two groups of people who would see each other, sometimes on a weekly or monthly basis just walking up and down the dusty roads of Judea and Samaria.

In my own life, I have found it easier to see my neighbor as the "foreign mission field." Our family has had the privilege of serving in ministry on three continents, but I wonder how much effort I have spent or how much effort do I spend or even how much effort am I willing to spend in order to show that I desire in my heart to fulfill both of the greatest commandments?

Within my local confines, I have neighbors who are Roman Catholic, or Mormon, or some other cult. I have neighbors who do not go to church and may not recognize the name of Jesus Christ apart from its usage as a curse word. It is quite probable that in my desire to see abortion outlawed that I have overlooked those who may be hurting from past sin within my community. We live in a country that prides itself on the saying that every man's home is his castle. We step inside after a long day at the office, close the gates, raise the drawbridge, fill the moat with water and alligators, raise the flag on the ramparts, and then retire to our living room or lounge to watch the latest sitcoms. After a great amount of time wasted in frivolous activity, we peek out our windows and dare the world to invade our spaces.

I am convinced that we have failed in recognizing that our neighbors are neighbors not just because they live on either side of our brick and mortar homes. They are neighbors because they are in need of help just as much as those who live in Third World countries. The couple next door may not need food or assistance in paying for their clean water, but if they do not know the Lord, they are in grave danger. They have been systematically robbed by the designs of the evil one. Their homes have been attacked and assaulted by humanistic philosophy and vain traditions of men.

Dear reader, our neighbors are just like the man lying on the side of the road to Jericho. They need to be helped. They do not need, nor do they want, us to look down our noses with the air of religiosity as though we are accomplishing great things for the Lord because we send a small part of our resources overseas. These neighbors need to know that we are about more than helping out at a shelter, or picketing an abortion clinic, or railing on the world in whatever way makes us feel good about ourselves. All we are doing is acting like the young lawyer and trying to justify ourselves.

"Our neighbors need us to let down our guard. We must learn to be approachable in a way that we can be ready to give an answer to any who ask of the reason of the hope that is in us, AND to do so in a way that shows a heart and a life that is filled by meekness and fear."

Too often, many who claim to know Christ think that they are fulfilling the Great Commission by sending stuff or by relegating the actual work to the pastor, elders, or missionaries. The truth is that each one of us are called to obey Christ. Every true believer must seek to be a servant to others just as the Good Samaritan did to the Jew who fell on hard times on the road to Jericho.

It is interesting to note that we are never told what the reaction was of the man who was robbed. The reason is not really relevant, because the Samaritan was going to help out whether it was appreciated or not. The man who was robbed might have turned right around after getting better and started belitting those dogs, those heathen, those Samaritans again. The Good Samaritan took it upon himself to help the man, bind his wounds, took him to an inn, paid for his medical care, and even promised to return and pay more money if that is what it took to get the man better. There was no cause nor desire on the part of the Samaritan for reciprocity. We are not even told that the man he helped thanked him for all he had done.

Today, I want to encourage each of you to think about our own lives. If we are doing nothing, then we must seek forgiveness from our Savior for not fulfilling the second of the greatest commandments. Maybe we are doing a little but have forgotten about the neighbor beside us. Again, we must remember that those around us are in far greater need than a meal or clean water. They are dying. Their house is burning down very quickly and soon they will face eternity. We have the words of life that can bring hope and to sit inside our little castles and let others throw out the life preservers is a great sin.

IT IS TIME THAT WE STOP ATTEMPTING TO JUSTIFY WHO WE ARE, WHO ARE NEIGHBORS MAY BE, AND SIMPLY LEARN TO LOVE THE WORLD AROUND US JUST AS CHRIST DID WHEN HE WALKED THIS EARTH. WE ALL HAVE NEIGHBORS, AND OUR ULTIMATE PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY IS TO LOOK BEYOND OUR OWN PETTINESS AND SELFISH AMBITIONS AND SEE HOW WE CAN LEARN AND ACT UPON THE PRINCIPLES FOUND IN THE ACCOUNT OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN.

The Savior closed out His teaching session by asking the lawyer who of the three (priest, Levite, or Samaritan) was a true neighbor. The lawyer responded that it was the one who showed mercy. The greatest show of mercy that we can do to others is to reveal to them that Jesus Christ is alive, to reveal to them that He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and then to reveal to them that our love is genuine for them and we do not desire for them to face the wrath of a thrice-holy God when they pass from this life into the next.