Religion; In the Beginning

I am in the process of spring cleaning my files and today I came across an old Ann Landers column on the "Origin of Faith Denominations." I found it, once again, to be informative, interesting, and worthy of being repeated for this generation, so I decided to pass it along.

If you are of the Jewish faith, your religion was founded about 4,000 years ago.

If you are Hindu, your religion was developed in India around 1,500 B.C.

If you are a Buddhist, your religion split from Hinduism and was founded by Budda, Prince Siddhartha Gautama of India about 500B.C.

If you are Roman Catholic, Jesus Christ began your religion in the year 33.

If you are Islamic, Mohammed started your religion in what is now Saudi Arabia around 600 A.D.

If you are Eastern Orthodox, your sect separated from Roman Catholicism around the year 1000.

If you are Luthern, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk in the Catholic Church, in 1517.

If you belong to the Church of England(Anglican), your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the tear 1534 because the pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to remarry.

If you are Presbyterian, your religion was founded when John Knox brought the teachings of John Calvin to Scotland in 1560.

If you are Unitarian, your religious group developed in Europe in the 1500's.

If you are a Congregationalist, your religion branched off from Puritanism in the early 1600's in England.

If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1607.

If you are Methodist, your religion was founded by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1744.

If you are an Episcopalian, you religion was brought over from England to America, by Samuel Seabury in 1789.

(to be continued...)

Which Will You Choose?

JEREMIAH 17:5-8

"CURSED is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength. Whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited".

"BLESSED is the man who trusts in the LORD , and whose hope is in the LORD. For he shall be planted by the waters which spread out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit".

The Word of God speaks to the situation in America today. Men who have put their trust in stocks, banks, and all forms of riches are finding themselves in desperate situations at the dawn of each new day this year.

On the other hand, God's people who have trusted solely in Him and who continue to stand on His promises found in His Word, are experiencing blessings and peace. They are able to have all of their needs met to all sufficiency in every situation.

I am a witness. My faith is being tested as to whether or not I believe what I write and say. Sometimes I get right down to the wire, BUT GOD ALWAYS comes through. He always makes a way where there seems to be NO WAY. He is FAITHFUL.

I Praise His Holy Name!

Set Free

"Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32

What is Freedom?

To be free of restraint and obligation. To owe no man nothing but to pray for him. To be free of all bondage. To be liberated.

What is Truth?

God is truth. He can not lie. Truth in all of its fullness and scope is embodied in Jesus Christ.

Therefore, to know God intimately and to believe and obey His word will truly set you free!

Give your heart to Jesus today and become free from all your bondage, all your fears, all your anxieties. Enter into His freedom. His shed Blood on the cross paid the price for you to be free. All you have to do is believe and receive. Jesus loves you that much!

Remember

MAY I ALWAYS REMEMBER TO:

1. Encourage youth.

2. Find time to keep a promise.

3. Forgive a grudge.

4. Forgive an enemy.

5. Listen.

6. Think first of someone else.

7. Laugh a little.

8. Gladden the heart of a child.

9. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of God's earth.

10. Speak always of God's love.

Give God The Glory

"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:17

I have found that heeding this scripture will save you a lot of stress and heartache. Because, no matter how hard you try, you can not please people. They will always find fault with something you do, or your motives.

Therefore, just please God and give Him the glory. He is easy to please!

Remember He loves you and He alone knows your heart.

The Harvest

It is rumored that if you have planted good seed in 2008, that you can expect to reap a good harvest in 2009.

Some of these seeds are:
right relationships, finances, ministry, tithes, service, and of course worship, prayer and obedience to Father God and His Word.

Quality seed will bring a quality harvest of maturity and completeness.

I pray that if the rumor is true, I have sown quality seed.