Have a Blessed Christmas!

“Silent Night”

EAGLE’ S REVIVAL

 

“BEN HUR” DIED TODAY

 

 

Charlton Heston died today, age 84 after a long marriage (60 years)

 

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is a novel by Lew Wallace published on November 12, 1880 by Harper & Brothers. Wallace’s work is part of an important sub-genre of historical fiction set among the characters of the New Testament. The novel was a phenomenal best-seller; it soon surpassed Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) as the best-selling American novel and retained this distinction until the 1936 publication of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. In 1912, Sears Roebuck published one million copies to sell for 39 cents apiece: the largest single-year print edition in American history. The book was also the first work of fiction to be blessed by a pope.

Lew Wallace said that he wrote Ben-Hur as a way to sort out his own beliefs about God and Christ.

In doing so he inspired many readers by combining romanticism and spiritual piety common in sentimental novels of the 19th century with the action and adventure found in the more vulgar stories of the day. It prompted many clergy to reverse their church’s long-held opposition to novels and actually encourage their congregations to read Ben-Hur, as a result helping it to become one of the best selling novels of its time. It not only helped wipe away any lingering American resistance to the novel, it was instrumental in introducing many Christian audiences to theater and film. Ben-Hur has been hugely popular, and often appearing on lists of great American literature, which has been a source of frustration for many literary critics over the years. They point to problems such as flat characters and dialogue, unlikely coincidences that drive the plot and tedious and lengthy descriptions of settings.

The novel was quickly adapted into numerous stage productions, including one which recreated the climactic chariot race on stage using live horses, full size chariots, and a series of treadmills.

With the subsequent development of the cinema, the novel was also adapted into motion pictures in 1907, 1925, 1959, and 2003.

Ben-Hur was inspired in part by Wallace’s love of the story The Count of Monte Cristo (1846) by Alexandre Dumas, père, which was based on the true memoirs of a French shoemaker in the early 19th century who had been unjustly imprisoned, and who then spent the rest of his life seeking revenge. In his autobiography Wallace said that while he was writing Ben-Hur “…at my rough pine-table, the Count of Monte Cristo in his dungeon of stone was not more lost to the world.”

The tale revolves around two storylines: the story of Jesus and the story of Ben-Hur. The author supposedly was engaged in a discussion with the famous politician, orator, and outspoken agnostic Robert G. Ingersoll on a train ride from Chicago to Indianapolis over the truth about Jesus of Nazareth when he discovered how little he knew about the actual historical setting of the Messianic events. He set to work, and after a season of research, turned up with the book, his primary purpose being to teach. Wallace wrote parts of the book in Indianapolis, and the rest in the territory of New Mexico, where his room in the historic Palace of the Governors on the plaza in Santa Fe is still described as the birthplace of “Ben-Hur.” Wallace did say in his memoirs that he wrote the climactic scenes of the Crucifixion in that room by lantern light, after returning from a dramatic encounter of his own with William Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid.

 

Biblical references: Matt. 2:1-12, Luke 2:1-20

The first part describes the Nativity events, with a special focus on the Magi from the east. In the opening scene, Balthasar, an Egyptian, is riding a camel. The camel stops at a certain spot in the desert, where he sets up a tent. Two other men arrive at the same spot within hours. One is Melchior, a Hindu, and the other is Gaspar, a Greek from Athens.

The three men each tell their stories. They realize they have been brought together by their common goal of seeking redemption from the world’s problems. They are promised they would see God’s Christ, the agent of redemption, after much prayer.

That night, as they prepare for the journey to come, a bright star shines over the region, and they take it as a sign that they are to leave. They follow the star, and head on through the desert towards the province of Judaea.

The scene changes to the Joppa Gate in Jerusalem. Here, Mary and Joseph are travelling through on their way from Nazareth to Bethlehem in connection with a Roman enrollment. They stop at the inn at the entrance to the city, where the Shaikh informs them that there is no vacancy in the lodge due to the influx of people associated with the enrollment.

Mary is now with child and undergoing her labour pains. Advised by the Sheik, they head to a cave on the hillside behind the inn, where mangers are kept for the animals. One particular cave has great historical significance, for King David himself had lived there at certain points of his life. In here Mary and Joseph, along with a few of their friends, stay, and Jesus is born.

In the pasturelands outside the city, a group of seven shepherds are keeping watch over their flocks. Angels from heaven announce the Christ’s birth. The shepherds hurry towards the city. They are rebuked by one of the men supervising the khan, but nevertheless, inspired by the angel’s message, they enter the caves on the hillside and worship Christ. They spread the news of the Christ’s birth around, and many come to see him.

The Magi soon arrive in Jerusalem, and inquire for news of the Christ. Herod the Great is flabbergasted to hear of another king to challenge his rule, and asks the Sanhedrin to find information for him. The Sanhedrin brings out a prophecy written by Micah, telling of a ruler to come from Bethlehem Ephrathah, interpreting it to signify the Christ’s birthplace. The Magi then head to Bethlehem, and following the star’s direction, head right to the khan, and find the Christ they had sought for so long.

It is revealed later in the work that the Magi were told by the Holy Spirit not to return to Herod but to go to a certain Arab trader named Sheik Ilderim.

 

Biblical references: Luke 2:51-52

The book now turns away from the Messianic events temporarily, steering the reader for the first time to the title character, a prince of seventeen descended from the royal family of Judaea. Valerius Gratus was about to become the fourth Roman prefect of Judaea, and Messala, the son of a Roman tax-collector, had just returned from five years of education in the imperial capital.

Messala had been a childhood friend of Judah ben Hur, but now, after all the years of indoctrination from Roman officials, he had returned as a bitter relation. He mocked Judah for not giving up Judaism for the Roman spirit, and continually stated his belief that war and military activity had become the new fashion, almost as if it were a religion. Even romance seemed minute compared to this passion for conquest.

Judah is aghast to hear the mockery of his religion, and becomes Messala’s enemy. He goes home sad, but picks up Messala’s advice, and decides to go to Rome for military training, but use it against the Roman Empire. After his mother allows his journey, he immediately decides to set off.

The next day, Gratus is inaugurated, but Judah, by accident, pressed so hard on a tile on his roof that it fell down and injured the governor as he was passing by. Messala betrays him to arrest, and he is forced, without a trial or any other legal proceeding, to become a slave aboard a Roman warship. Judah’s family is led away to life imprisonment in the Antonia Fortress. The palace is seized and becomes government property.

Judah vows vengeance at the Romans. He is then pulled aboard a caravan towards the sea when he meets Jesus along the way in Nazareth. He is offered a drink from him, before continuing on his way. He, too, is moved by his nature and keeps him in his mind.

The attention now turns to a scene in Italy. Greek pirate-ships had tried to loot many Roman vessels in the Aegean Sea, and Sejanus had ordered that Quintus Arrius take warships out to combat the Greeks.

Judah Ben Hur is aboard one of the vessels, having been condemned to a life rowing war-ships. Unlike many others, who often died soon into their job, he had survived three rough years, mostly because of his strong passion and his will to revolt against Rome.

Arrius asks the hortator to permit a private audience for the boy before him, and has his request granted. Ben-Hur appeared on deck and talks about his life. Arrius is now very interested in the life of the youth, and he eventually starts admiring him for his qualities and despising those that had punished him for his attempted assassination charge. The Romans were supposedly lovers of justice, but apparently it had not materialized.

The pirates come onto the scene and start attacking. Judah returns to his spot and starts rowing. The hortator, in kindness to him, allows him to remain free when everyone else is bound in chains, for he sees that he is a man of spirit. Therefore, Ben-Hur, in the midst of battle, seeing that he is being defeated, escapes, getting flooded by the waters. He reaches for a plank that is floating on the water, and when the dust clears, he is alone on the sea, while the warships have moved farther away.

Arrius surfaces besides him, and the two of them hold tight, sharing their feelings, until a Roman ship appears, defeating the pirates and picking them up along the way. When they return to the port at Misenum, they are happily and joyfully welcomed. Ben-Hur is then adopted by Arrius and becomes a faithful citizen of Rome.

Judah has now trained five years in the palaestra in Rome. Arrius having died, Ben-Hur inherits his possessions and takes the name of Arrius as an heir. Judah goes to Antioch on state business. On the voyage, he learns from a fellow Jew that his father’s chief servant, Simonides, lived in a house in this city, and that his father’s possessions had been entrusted to him. He then pays a visit to the house.

Simonides’ daughter, Esther, starts taking an interest in Ben-Hur’s affairs. He tells his story, from the capture to that day, but Simonides demands more proof – in the world of that time imposition was common. Ben-Hur replies he has no proof, but asks one last question: whether any knew where his mother and sister were. The answer is in the negative, and he leaves the house with an apology.

Simonides then decides to put the supposed Ben-Hur to the test, hiring Malluch, one of his servants, to spy on him. Malluch meets Ben-Hur in the famous Grove of Daphne, an outdoor Greek temple, where he is finding solace. They head to the stadium together. There, Ben-Hur finds Messala, whom he now considers a traitor, racing in one of the chariots, preparing for the race to come in one week.

There comes an announcement from one of the servants of Sheik Ilderim, a prosperous Arab who owned a huge expanse of land to the east of Antioch. It said that a chariot driver was wanted. Ben-Hur, wanting nothing better than revenge on Messala, decides to drive the sheik’s chariot and defeat Messala once and for all.

Meanwhile, Balthasar and his daughter were sitting at a fountain in the stadium. Messala gives his chariot a jolt that speeds him in their direction. Ben-Hur stops him, upon which Messala apologizes. Balthasar thanks Ben-Hur and presents him with a gift.

Ben-Hur heads to the Ilderim tent. Malluch follows him there, and along the way they talk about the Christ and Malluch, who has heard Balthasar’s story, relates it. Suddenly, they realize that the man they rescued at the fountain was the same Balthasar as he that saw the Christ.

Malluch returns to Simonides upon their arrival. Back at Simonides’ house, he, Esther, and Malluch all discuss together, and they conclude that Ben-Hur is indeed who he claims to be, and that he is on their side in the fight against Rome.

Messala is dining with some friends at the palace across the river from Simonides’ house. While in conversation with them, Messala realizes that Ben-Hur has been adopted into a Roman home and has been restored to his honour, and now threatens to take revenge on him.

Meanwhile, Balthasar and Iras arrive at the Ilderim tent, and greetings are exchanged with Ben-Hur and the Sheik. They talk about the Christ, and how he must have now been ready to enter public ministry as he was now approaching the age of thirty. In another storyline, Ben-Hur appears to be taking an interest in the beautiful Iras.

Messala sends a letter to Valerius Gratus about his discovery that Ben-Hur is alive and well. However, Sheik Ilderim, who is presently watching Ben-Hur train the horses, receives the letter from a servant who intercepted it as the courier carrying it was passing through his territory.

Ben-Hur seems to be just the right person to propel the horses, for he takes them on such a journey that Sheik Ilderim is impressed. However, the Sheik reports that he has urgent news for him. He opens the intercepted letter, and Ben-Hur starts reading it. He gets angry when he finds a reference in the letter that appeared to indicate his family was dead in their cell at the Antonia Fortress. He then becomes surprised and aghast when he realizes Messala knew a lot about him and his whereabouts. It turned out that Messala was sending spies to the tent posing as people wanting to be hired as Ilderim’s chariot-drivers.

The door opens, and Simonides, Malluch, and Esther enter in. At this point there is a brief note in the story that Ben-Hur is also attracted to Esther.

They converse for a while, and Simonides offers Ben-Hur 673 talents: 120 talents in cash, and 553 talents more in property. This was the accumulated fortune of his father’s business. The humble Ben-Hur, however, accepts only the money, leaving the rest to the merchant to use at his own disposal.

Their next topic of discussion is the coming Christ. They refer to prophecies from the Tanakh, and begin debating about the nature of the promised Christ. Eventually, they come to an agreement that they will each do their part to fight for the Christ, whom they believe to be a political saviour from Roman authority.

It is now the day before the race. Ilderim prepared his horses and hauls them to the stadium. Ben-Hur instructs Malluch to learn as much as he can about the race and try to attract attention for it. Now, chariot races were big sporting events and almost everyone in the city would get into the spirit, declaring their support for one of the participants, thereby forming “campaigns” in support of the contestants. In light of this, Ben-Hur also appoints Malluch to organize a “campaign” for him.

Meanwhile, Messala strikes back, organizing a huge campaign and also revealing Ben-Hur’s identity to the world. Furthermore, he wins the support of the gamblers, and the odds slant towards his campaign greatly. Malluch, however, challenges the Messala group and offers Messala himself a wager, which, if the Roman lost, he would enter into poverty.

The day of the games arrives, and the first events pass quickly. Finally, it is time for the chariot race. Ben-Hur’s friends are all in the stands, watching intently. Now, there were originally six contestants in the race, but just as the race is starting one of them, Cleanthes the Athenian, crashes his chariot and falls to his death. After several laps, Messala and Ben-Hur became the clear frontrunners, and three remaining contestants were de facto in another race behind them for third place.

Near the end of the race, Ben-Hur deliberately scrapes his chariot wheel against Messala’s in such a way that the Roman’s broke. Messala’s chariot then fell apart. Furthermore, Admetus, a Sidonian, came out fast and crashed into the wreck. Ben-Hur, however, was unharmed, and won the race practically uncontested, as the other two chariots were too far behind. Ben-Hur was crowned winner and showered with prizes, and was very glad at finally taking revenge, and earning his first strike against Rome.

After the race, he receives a letter from Iras asking him to go to the Roman palace of Idernee the next day. When Ben-Hur arrives there, he realizes that he has been tricked, probably by Messala, for he has been locked inside the palace and Iras is not there.

Shortly afterwards a certain Thord, a Saxon man who had trained Ben-Hur in the Roman lanista, arrives with a friend and admits he was paid by Messala to kill Ben-Hur once and for all. They duel, but before it is over Ben-Hur offers Thord four thousand sestercii to let him live. Then, the two of them abandon Thord’s friend and leave. Thord claims to Messala that the man trapped inside the palace is Ben-Hur himself, and that he has killed him. In this way, Thord collects money from both Messala and Ben-Hur and returns to Rome to open a wine shop.

Now that Ben-Hur had supposedly “died”, he fled into the desert with Ilderim and started planning his future, safe from his enemies.

Simonides bribes Sejanus to remove Valerius Gratus from his post, as a service to Ben-Hur, who now had more freedom to move around as one of his enemies was gone. Soon after the accession of the new prefect, Pontius Pilate, Ben-Hur sets out for Jerusalem to find his mother and sister.

Meanwhile, Pilate has ordered a review of the prison records to ensure that Roman justice is being maintained. The probe reveals that one cell of the prison has been omitted from Gratus’ charts, and that Gratus was deliberately trying to conceal the existence of the cell.

Pilate’s troops reopen the cell and find that there are two leprous women inside – Ben-Hur’s mother and sister. They are released, and stop for a while at their old house, which is now the property of Rome and up for sale. Here, they find Ben-Hur sleeping by the house, and they offer thanks to God but weep that, as lepers, they are to be banished and can never see Ben-Hur again.

Amrah, the Egyptian maid that once served at Ben-Hur’s house, discovers Ben-Hur and wakes him up, and they are reunited. Amrah reveals that she has stayed in the Hur house for all the years, unbarring one of the gates and sneaking out of it every now and then to buy from the market. She had also kept in touch with Simonides through these trips and had even discouraged many potential buyers of the house because they thought she was a ghost!

Amrah and Ben-Hur independently try to find information about their lost relatives. While Ben-Hur obtains an official Roman report about the release of two leprous women, Amrah opts for hearsay and finds Ben-Hur’s mother and sister first. They urge Amrah to keep their new “residence” a secret. For this reason, Ben-Hur was not successful in finding his long-lost relatives.

Around this time a plan had just been approved to use funds from the corban treasury in the Jewish Temple to construct a new aqueduct to bring water to Jerusalem. This was seen as sacrilegious by the Jewish people, and they petition Pilate to veto the plan. Pilate, however, sends his soldiers in disguise to mingle with the crowd. At the appointed time they struck and massacred the protesters. However, Ben-Hur manages to strike against Rome again by killing a Roman guard in a duel, and becomes a hero in the eyes of a group of Galilean protesters.

Biblical references: John 1:29-34

At an emergency meeting in Bethany, Ben-Hur and his Galileans organize a resistance force, an army which would revolt against Rome when necessary. He applies to Simonides and Ilderim for help, and they establish a training base in Ilderim’s territory, deep in the desert. After training for some time, Malluch sends him a letter announcing the appearance of a prophet who he believes to be the Christ, and Ben-Hur’s troops are delighted.

Ben-Hur journeys to the fords of the Jordan, and on the way meets Balthasar and Iras again, travelling for the same purpose. Ben-Hur, however, still does not accept Balthasar’s reasoning that the Christ was a Saviour rather than an earthly king, and sticks with his armies.

They reach the community of Bethabara, where a group has gathered to watch John the Baptist. All of a sudden, a man walks up to John, and asks to be baptized. Ben-Hur recognizes him as the same man that gave him water at the well in Nazareth many years earlier, and Balthasar worships and almost faints from the joy of once again seeing the Christ.

 

Biblical references: Matthew 27:48-51, Mark 11:9-11, 14:51-52, Luke 23:26-46, John 12:12-18, 18:2-19:30

During the next three years, Jesus preached his gospel around Galilee, and Ben-Hur became one of his eager followers. He, however, starts to think Balthasar may be right after all, when he sees that he is behaving with humility, choosing fishermen and similar people considered “lowly” as apostles. Furthermore, he believes Jesus to be wasting valuable time by not proclaiming himself king immediately. Yet, he has seen Jesus perform miracles, and is convinced that the Christ really had come.

During this time Malluch, armed with the Hur fortune, bought the old house on the Via Dolorosa and renovated it, restoring it to a splendour that was even greater than before the incident with Gratus. He then invited Simonides and Balthasar, with their daughters, to live in the house with him, and they become regular occupants of the house, while Ben-Hur, ironically, seldom stays in the house, and even when he does, is treated like a guest.

Now, the day before Jesus was planning to enter Jerusalem and, finally, proclaim himself, Ben-Hur returns and gives them a full account of what has happened through the years he has followed Jesus. When he mentions the healing of ten lepers, Amrah realizes that Ben-Hur’s mother and sister could be healed, and the next morning hurries to the lepers’ cave to tell them the good news. They wait along a road, and amidst all the rejoicing and din during the Triumphal Entry, they ask Jesus to heal them, and their request is granted.

After they are cured, Ben-Hur, spotting them, embraces them, and Amrah likewise, as they finally are truly re-united.

Several days later, Iras talks with Ben-Hur, saying he has trusted in a false hope, for Jesus had not started the expected revolution. She says that it is all over between them, and departs, saying she loves Messala. Ben-Hur remembers the “invitation of Iras” that led to the affair with Thord, and accuses Iras of betraying him and spying on him for Messala’s gain.

That night, Ben-Hur realizes how different Balthasar and his daughter are, and resolves to go back to Esther. While he is lost in thought, he sees a parade marching down the street, and falls in with it, utterly confused. He notices that Judas Iscariot is leading the parade, and many of the temple priests and Roman soldiers are all marching together. What was their objective of this rare collaboration between Romans and Jews?

The answer is not long in waiting; they went to an obscure olive grove, called Gethsemane, which confuses Ben-Hur even more, and he sees, ahead of him, Jesus walking out to meet them. The famous “Whom seek ye?” discourse occurs, in which, for the only time in the novel, Jesus is mentioned by name. Ben-Hur, aghast at the betrayal, is spotted by a priest who pulls on his garments to lead him to custody; however, he breaks away and flees naked. He reclaims some clothing that he had taken off previously, and wrapping himself in it, retires to the lodge.

When morning comes, Ben-Hur learns that the Jewish priests have tried Jesus before Pilate, and although he was originally ruled “not guilty”, has nevertheless been sentenced to crucifixion due to the people’s insistence. Ben-Hur is most surprised at how his legions have all deserted him in his time of need, and furthermore, how a Roman was more kind toward the Christ than his own people.

They head up to Calvary, and Ben-Hur resigns himself to what he believes is God’s will, and watch the crucifixion of Jesus. The sky darkens, despite there not being an eclipse. Ben-Hur offers Jesus wine vinegar to return Jesus’ favour for him, and Jesus utters his last cry. All that had assented to his crucifixion now ran in fear, as an earthquake had arrived and the sky was still dark.

For Ben-Hur and his friends, however, this was a moment in which they committed their lives to Jesus, who they now realized was not the earthly king they had previously hoped for, but a heavenly king and a Saviour of mankind.

Epilogue

The story contains an epilogue with two scenes in the years after the Crucifixion.

In the first scene Ben-Hur and Esther have married and had children, as they sit in their villa in Misenum. Iras drops around, and marvels at the children she might have had, announcing that she has killed Messala and finally discovered that Romans were ‘brutes’. She leaves just as suddenly as she arrived.

In the second scene Ben-Hur is staying at Simonides’ house in Antioch. Simonides’ business has been successful, and now, as an old man, he has sold all his ships but one, and that one has returned from probably its final voyage, and was destined for the same fate; most of the fortunes of Simonides and Ben-Hur had been offered to the church of Antioch.

Ben-Hur’s mother has died, but their family, being Christian, did not suffer much trauma or depression from the event. Shaikh Ilderim the Generous has passed his entire fortune and title on to his son, also named Ilderim, with the exception of the Orchard of Palms, which went to Ben-Hur. The Christians in Rome were suffering persecution under the hands of Emperor Nero, and Ben-Hur and his friends decide to do something to help.

Soon after, Ben-Hur, Esther, and Malluch set out on the last of Simonides’ ships to Rome, and bring with them some of the money they had received from Shaikh Ilderim. They decide to build an underground church, which, the author says, has survived through the ages and is now known as the Catacomb of San Calixto in Rome.

 

coipied from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben-Hur:_A_Tale_of_the_Christ

GOD EXISTS

 

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said:

“I don’t believe that God exists.”

“Why do you say that?” asked the customer. 

“Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn’t exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can’t imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things.”

The customer thought for a moment, but didn’t respond because he didn’t want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard.
He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber:

 

“You know what? Barbers do not exist.”
“How can you say that?” asked the surprised barber. “I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!”

 
“No!” the customer exclaimed. “Barbers don’t exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.”

“Ah, but barbers DO exist! That’s what happens when people do not come to me.”

 
“Exactly!” affirmed the customer. “That’s the point! God, too, DOES exist! That’s what happens when people do not go to Him and don’t look to Him for help. That’s why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world.”

 

 

AMAZING GRACE

This song’s lirics were written by Jown Newton in 1772, short time after his covert to christianity. This is this song legend:
As a child, John Newton lived with his mother in a house, at the seaside, on the northern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. His father was a slave dealer: he used to catch black peoples in Africa and carry them in Europe, to sell them as slaves. About all the time he was gone away from his home, so the child rests in his mother care,  and she taught him the beautiful principles of the Christianity. She told him about God’s love, the christian mercy, His power to forgive, she taught him to love the people. So, this way, he became a wonderful youngman dedicated to God.
But one day, here it is his father, coming back form one of his long trips. It looked like a dark storm when he appeared at of the door’s house. He was a scary man: “Hm!” he said, his boy has grown enough to work for the food he is eating. “Tomorrow I will take him with me on the boat. I’ll teach him how to do his work”. His mother started to cry but no tear would persuade the man to give up on his plan. “How long do you think I will work for him? From now on, he will work for his food. This is the final decision! He will gain lot of money by selling the slaves he will catch in Africa”
So, the boy left his home and joined his father on this ugly job. So he was tought to catch black people in their homeland and carry them by ship in Europe, to sell them on the slave markets in Europe. Was so hard for this boy who was taught to love the neighbors. Where is the beautiful christian love? Where is God’s mercy? How could he whip those people? But his father was there, close to him: “Whip him!” he said. And the boy did it. He whiped a person for the first time. How hurtful that was. His felt the pain as he was whipping on his own skin. But his father is there, and is yelling at him: “Whip him, whip him, you are weak! So, day by day, the boy is growing up. And day by day is far, far away from the christian teachings of his mother. He became a tough man. Who could ever reverse the time and come back to the pure boy he was?
But nothing goes forever. Here this situation gets to its end. John was sailing, as usual, when a storm began. A great one. Especially for a sailor like him. This was the worst storm ever. The wind blows so hard that was about to break the mast. The ship fills with water. The waves were about to pull him over in the sea. He had to bind himself by the steering wheel with ropes so he could stand on his ship. The only noise he could hear was the storm. But wait; there is still something else he can hear. What is that? Music?? Where it come from? The slaves were singing, down there, in the bottom of the ship. They sang their home sick and their family sick.
This was too hard for him. He looked up, in the black sky and remembered his mother and her teachings; he remembered the Truth seed sew in his heart. It was about to come up now. “God”, he said, “What you are trying to tell me? If you help me to get out of this storm, I shall devote myself to You!” And God helped him. Because God never sleeps. He is working. The weather began to clarify and the slip landed. Everything looks as it usual does. But not for John. He is a changed now. He entrust himself in God’s hands, there, in that storm, and God didn’t let him down. Because He never disappoints anyone. Few years ago, we can find John a new person, dedicated to God. A man who never forgot God’s mercy, His AMAZING GRACE, how God worked to call him, how He took him off from that storm, but beside that, how He took him off this dirty, selfish, sinful world. On the music he heard in his last trip he wrote the lyrics we know today.
This song is still working in peoples’ hearts and tells them how much God loves them, keep calling souls to Him, so one day He will receive them HOME. Amazing grace, how beautiful sound!

***

Amazing Grace Lyrics

John Newton (1725-1807)

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
‘Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we’ve been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’ve first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

The lirics are copied from: http://www.constitution.org/col/amazing_grace.htm

YOU RAISE ME UP

 

 

YOU RAISE ME UPWhen I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until You come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up… To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on Your shoulders;
You raise me up… To more than I can be.

There is no life – no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when You come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on Your shoulders;
You raise me up… To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on Your shoulders;
You raise me up… To more than I can be.

You raise me up… To more than I can be.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/joshgroban/youraisemeup.html

About this song: 

“You Raise Me Up” is a popular inspirational song. The music was written by Secret Garden’s Rolf Løvland; the lyrics by Brendan Graham. The song has now been covered more than 125 times.

The song was originally written as an instrumental piece and entitled “Silent Story”. The melody is based on a traditional Irish tune, the Derry Air, which is best known as the usual tune to the 1910 song Danny Boy. Løvland approached Irish novelist and songwriter Brendan Graham to write the lyrics to his melody after reading Graham’s novels. It was originally released on the 2001 Secret Garden album “Once in a Red Moon”, with the vocals sung by Irish singer Brian Kennedy, and sold well in both Ireland and Norway.  Originally, Brian Kennedy was supposed to follow Secret Garden on their Asian tour in 2002, but fell ill, and could not attend. He was replaced by Norwegian singer Jan Werner Danielsen, who also later recorded the song together with Secret Garden, but it was never released.

Popularity:

In 2004, the song was played more than 500,000 times on American radio. In late 2005, there were over 80 versions available in USA alone, and it has become nominated for Gospel Music Awards four times, including “Song of the Year”. This version by Christian group Selah (with both verses included, as originally written) also went to No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian Charts.

On 21 September 2006, You Raise Me Up became the first song to have sold over 20,000 copies of the score on the popular sheet music website musicnotes.com.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Raise_Me_Up

THE BUTTERFLY AND THE FLOWER

 

God always knows what we need, and He knows that better that we do. He wants only THE BEST for us, due to His amazing, huge love. So, the only thing we need is TO ENTIRELY TRUST in His love, power and wisdom

THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD

A group of students was asked to compose again the list with

the 7 wonders of the world, according to our time.

There were many versions of them, but here there are the best works:

1. The Pyramids in Egipt

2.  Taj Mahal

3. The Great Canyon

4. The Panama Channel

5. Empire State Building

6. The San Pietro Basilica, Rome

7. The Great Wall of China

…

While the works were read, the teacher noticed a student

who was still writting on her paper.

He asked her if she has problems with her work, and the student answered:

“It’s so hard to decide which to write, there are so many wonders in the world!”

The teacher asked her if she needs help.

She hesitated for a moment, then she answered:

“I think the seven wonders of the world are:”

1. TO  SEE

2.  TO  HEAR

3. TO  TASTE

4 . TO  FEEL

5.  TO  LAUGH

6.   TO  CARE

7.   TO  LOVE

…

A great silent filled the classroom.

These thinghs are so simple, so we don’t realise how wonderful they are!

Don’t forget:

The precious thinghs can not be bought or built by man hands.

(from a .pps)

***

OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES FULFILLED IN JESUS CHRIST

 

In this Post the New Testament is abbreviated with NT, and the Old Testament with OT.

The woman’s offspring will crush the snake’s head  OT: Genesis 3:15;  NT: Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 2:14-15; Colossians 1:13; Revelation 20:10

Abram’s descendent: through his offspring all the nations on earth will be blessed: OT: Genesis 12:3; 22:18; 26:4; NT: Matthew 1:1

Isaac descendent: OT: Genesis 17:19; NT: Luke 3:34

Jacob descendent: OT: Numbers 24:17; NT: Matthew 1:2

He came from Judah trib: OT: Genesis 49:10; NT: Luke 3:33

David’ succesor: OT: Isaiah 9:7; NT: Luke 1:32, 33

Annointed and forever living: OT: Psalm 45:6,7; 102:25-27; NT: Hebrews 1:8-12

Born in Bethlehem: OT: Micah 5:2; NT: Luke 2:4,5,7

Time of his birth: OT: Daniel 9:25; NT: Luke 2:1,2

Born from a Virgin:  OT: Isaiah 7:14; NT: Luke 1:26,27,30,31

Killing of the chidren: OT: Jeremiah 31:15; NT: Matthew 2:16-18

Escape in Egipt: OT: Hosea 11:1; NT: Mathew 2:14,15

The way was prepared for Him: OT: Isaiah 40:3-5; NT: Luke 3:3-6

A messenger was sent before: OT: Maleachi 3:1; NT: Luke 7:24,27

Elijah was sent before: OT: Maleachi 4:5,6; NT: Matthew 11:13,14

He was called Son of God: OT: Psalm 2:7; NT: Matthew 3:17

He honor Galilee: OT: Isaiah 9:1,2; NT: Matthew 4:13-16

The zeal for the Lord consumes Him: OT: Psalm 69:9; NT: John 2:17

He talks in parables: OT: Psalm 78:2-4; NT: Matthew 13:34,35

He will bind up the brokenhearted: OT: Isaiah 61:1,2; NT: Luke 4:18,19

He was despised and rejected by men: OT: Isaiah 53:3; NT: John 1:11; Luke 23:18

He was the Prophet: OT: Deuteronomy 18:15; NT: John 6:14;7:40; Luke 24:19; Acts 3:20,22

Priest in the order of Melchizedek: OT: Psalm 110:4; NT: Hebrews 5:5,6

The way He entered in Jerusalem: OT: Zechariah 9:9; NT: Mark 11:7,9,11

The children praises Him: OT: Psalm 8:2; NT: Matthew 21:15,16

They don’t believe Him: OT: Isaiah 53:1; NT: John 12:37,38

A friend betray Him: OT: Psalm 41:9; NT: Luke 22:47,48

They paid thirty pieces of silver for Him: OT: Zechariah 11:12; NT: Matthew 26:14,15

The witnesses told lies to accuse Him: OT: Psalm 35:11; NT: Mark 14:57,58

He did not open his mouth before those who accused Him: OT: Isaiah 53:7; NT: Mark 15:4,5

He didn’t hide his face from mocking and spitting: OT: Isaiah 50:6; NT: Matthew 26:67

They hated Him without reason: OT: Psalm 35:19; NT: John 15:24,25

Died for us, was punished because of us: OT: Isaiah 53:5; NT: Romans 5:6,8

On the cross, close to the transgressors: OT: Isaia 53:12; NT: Mark 15:27,28

His hands and legs are pierced: OT: Zechariah 12:10; Psalm 22:1,7,8,16,18; NT: John 20:27

Those who see Him mock, hurl and insults Him: OT: Psalm 22:7,8; NT: Luke 23:35

He was thirsty: OT: Psalm 22:15; NT: John 19:28

They gave Him vinegard to drink: OT: Psalm 69:21; NT: Matthew 27:34,48

He was insulted: OT: Psalm 69:9; NT: Romans 15:3

He prays for the enemies: OT: Psalm 109:4; NT: Luke 23:34

They cast lots for his clothing: OT: Psalm 22:17,18; NT: Matthew 27:35,36

“My God, why have You forsaken Me?”: OT: Psalm 22:1; NT: Matthew 27:46

Not one of His bones will be broken: OT: Psalm 34:20; NT: John 19:32,33,36

His side was pierced with a spear: OT: Zechariah 12:10; NT: John 19:34

He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His dead: OT: Isaiah 53:9; NT: Matthew 27:57-60

He was resurrected: OT: Psalm 16:10; 49:15; NT: Mark 16:6,7; Acts 2:27,31

He was taken up into heaven and He sat at the right hand of God: OT: Psalm 68:18; NT: Mark 16:19; 1Corinthians 15:4; Epesians 4:8

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these thinghs and then enter His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. (Luke 24:25-27)

Copied and translated from the romanian christian website Resurse Crestine Romanesti http://www.rcrwebsite.com/mesia.htm