Paradise on Earth

(My Photo)

Would you like to experience
paradise while at work, home,
or even shopping at Wal-Mart?


You can experience heaven's benefits while in this flesh. 

The thief on the cross gives the greatest example.....Jesus said to him, "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43)."



Jack VanImpe wrote the following words regarding this thief:
".....as he looked at the center cross and saw Christ, he heard an unbelievable utterance falling from the Lord's lips: Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34). The thief was startled by the love shown to such villains. It was superhuman. Because of it, he suddenly changed his mind about Christ."

The thief experienced two major changes that day: 
1.  His thoughts about Jesus.
2.  His anticipation of a future. 

When the thief changed his mind and accepted Jesus,  he was assured he would experience paradise THAT DAY!  The paradise which is in the third heaven....the place where Christians go when they die.

Paradise is also a term used for a place that is positive, harmonious and timeless.  We often talk about finding a little bit of paradise on earth.  Is it possible to turn 'where you are' into a paradise?  I believe it is, at least to a degree.  The next question you may ask is, How?  Start inside yourself.  Adopt a new attitude towards people (loving/forgiving people as Jesus did) and make a decision to love Jesus (as the thief did), we can experience a little of "heaven on earth".

Today you have the opportunity to create moments of bliss...walk on cloud nine (while on this earth).  Simply surrender to Jesus Christ and make a determined choice to love others, especially the unlovable.  

Reality check, here. Christians struggle, too. Not everything about a christian's life is a bed of roses. The difference is that Jesus Christ makes it possible (through him) to overcome the world, turning a less than perfect place into a place of paradise. He promised us a peace that passes all understanding. His peace in you doesn't change those around you...or necessarily change your circumstances...but it will change the inside of you. With Him you are more than a conqueror! The peace and presence of Jesus inside...creates a calm - a new positive persepective...thus, creating an anticipation for a great future, your future! Hopelessness and negativity will wane in your newly discovered paradise.

Paradise is in you...until you are in paradise.

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HELL'S FREEDOM

This is the story of Mr. I. Resist

Mr. I. Resist lives a life of freedom.  He lives his way - doing what he wants.  He loves his life of freedom.  He lives life to the fullest!  No restraints.  Ah, the freedom he has!

Mr. I. Resist has chosen this path and as his name suggests, he resists any concern shown by parents or christians.  Many people are like Mr. Resist.  They want nothing to do with God.  They pursue their freedom to live a life which is opposite of everything Heaven has to offer. 

There are also freedoms in hell. If the things of God are resisted and unwanted here, people will have the opportunity live without them in hell. In other words, hell has freedom...and some of those freedoms are listed here.

IN HELL THERE IS FREEDOM FROM:

1.  The Presence of God the Father and Jesus Christ, His Son.
2.  Righteousness.
3.  The Word of God.
4.  Worship of God the Father.
5.  The love of God.
6.  The angels in heaven.
7.  Eternal bliss and joy. 
8.  The glory of God.
9.  The peace of God
10. Eternity with redeemed loved ones.
11. Reigning with Christ.
12. Heavenly rewards.
13. Health and healing.
14. Relief of pain and sorrow.
15. Holiness.
16. Heaven itself.

I know.  This is not a fun read. It's not a normal blog.   But, Jesus talked about hell more than heaven and He is not willing that any perish.  Hell was made for the devil and his angels...not for mankind. 

You can resist Jesus Christ and His call to repentance.  You have the freedom to choose your destiny.  If you don't want Him and His love in this life  - you are allowed an eternity without Him.  In hell you can live a life of free of everything belonging to God.  Hell does have freedoms...but you won't enjoy them.  Everything in the above list that is missing in hell is enjoyed by saints of God when they inherit heaven. 

Or,  you can choose salvation through Jesus Christ while on this earth and inherit eternal life in a place of beauty.  John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

Someone wrote:  Whatever we consider to be a joy here on earth will be heightened millions of times beyond anything we can conceive when we get to heaven.  The apostle Paul put it this way: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (I Corinthians 2:9).

Revelation 7:16 "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun beat down on them, nor any heat..."

Heaven is a real a place, just as hell is a real place.  And heaven is a better country, a city built by God.  It's where Christians go when they die.  It's where Jesus is. 

I'd rather have Heaven's Freedoms...than hell's freedoms, any day.

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Simple Ways to Increase Intelligence??

I was drawn to this article:  5 Simple Ways to Increase Your Intelligence.

Right off the bat, I am confused.  If the five ways are simple, then how will it increase my intelligence?  Just for fun I think I'll take a look at these five ways.  You might want to do a copy/paste here...or at least put your own spin on the points!  We could benefit from getting smart-er.

1) Stop Watching Television So Much.  I paraphrased that.  But it's 'simpler' to understand.  :)  Their point was: I don't have to think when I watch television and my brain doesn't have to recharge.  By the time I crash at night, I have little concern about my brain recharging.  In fact, my energy is as far as the east is from the west, and I don't want to think.  So, I watch the news.  Or Netflix.

They suggest reading a book instead of watching television.  While I totally agree with this thought, I must admit that if I start to read after a long day - I won't be awake through one chapter.  It would benefit me to pile up earlier, I suppose, and read while I have my right mind.

2)  Exercise.  Now, this is a unique thought!  Why haven't more people listed this as a source of gaining intelligence?  True, it does invigorate you, and true, it does increase your energy.  But, I've also seen a few buff bodies...with little brains.  On TV.

3)  Next, I should read books that are challenging.   I did that.  Stephen James' series, The Pawn and four that follow - will challenge the dog out of you to make it through each chapter without feeling like a wimp.  I read every one of the books.  n...I didn't have to re-read the book to discover the author's style!  The article stated that reading a classic book would change my view of the world.  If that's the case, I need to send a classic book to the President of Iran and a few more leaders .... they are the ones who need their views changed.  I have a good view of the world from where I sit.  So far, I'm the one in a free country!

4)  Go to bed early, Get up early -  That's a good point.  A good one, but an old one.  Early to bed, early to rise....has been around a long, long time...long before people knew how to increase their intelligence.  They also advise taking naps when sleepy.  Yeah, sure...run that by your boss after lunch.  Go ahead, lay your head down on the desk.  You may increase your intelligence alright, but you will find yourself unemployed.  (Just joking here...I know we need proper rest...but it hasn't yet increased my intelligence)

5)  Last, but not least:  Take a Walk and Think about things and get those thoughts organized.
Reflect.  Reflect.  Reflect.  Simple.  Feel smarter yet?  You should.

Forgive me for being a smart alec about this guy's simple article providing simple ways to get smart...but it's late - I'm tired - and sleepy - and this is just about as intelligent as I can get.  It's just that simple.

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Layered Chicken Three-Cheese Enchilada

Use your favorite enchilada sauce to prepare this recipe, which layers corn tortillas, chicken and three kinds of cheese into one hearty casserole.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 3/4 cups red enchilada sauce
• 9 corn tortillas, each about 6 inches in diameter
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup shredded yellow cheddar cheese
• Sliced green onion tops for garnish
• Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions:

In a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil.  Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, 6 to 7 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let cool.

Add the chicken to the onion and stir well to combine.

Spread 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 3 1/2 qt round whide Dutch oven.  Arrange 3 tortillas in a single layer on the sauce, overlapping them as needed to cover the sauce.  Top with a generous 1 cup of the chicken-onion mixture, 1/2 cup of the sauce and 1/4 cup of each cheese.  Repeat the layering 2 more times, alternating the direction of the tortilla layers and finishing with 1/2 cup sauce and 1/4 cup of each cheese. 

Transfer to the oven and bake until the ingredients are heated through and the cheese is melted, about 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and garnish with green onions and cilantro.  Serves 4 to 6.


Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

A GATE TO NOWHERE

My Photo-May, 2012

We were camping on a nearby mountain. I went for a short walk around the area and discovered  two gates. One in particular captured my attention.  It looked like a gate, blocked like a gate, opened like a gate - but it lead nowhere.    There was no road on the other side.  Nothing on the other side needed to be contained. I couldn't find a purpose for the gate.  It was nothing more than a Gate to Nowhere.

I've heard of a road to nowhere but this was my first time to see a gate to nowhere.  Segments of life can resemble a gate to nowhere. There is far too much nonsense consuming our time and energy, leaving us dissatisfied and wanting more out of life.

A Gate to Nowhere (pertaining to life) might be worry, doubt, maybe a critical spirit, sin, anger...get my drift?  Negative thoughts serve no purpose and will get you nowhere.   I was driving back from Texas a few days ago and caught myself sinking emotionally and mentally...because of negative thoughts.  Immediately I captured the thoughts and began to speak aloud:  Lift it Up!  Lift it Up!  Lift it Up!  I scribbled these three words  on a notepad while driving!  Lift it Up!  I continued to talk out loud:  You don't have to think like this.  You can think differently.  Lift up your head.  Lift up those thoughts!  Come on!  It's not like this.  Lift it Up!

It worked!  I didn't open a Gate to Nowhere! 

From a sermon (not mine): People with a clear-cut sense of purpose can withstand many challenges, inconveniences, and difficulties that others cannot. They do not give up. They do not break the 11th commandment — “Thou Shalt Not Whine.”

I must not open a gate called Self-Pity.  Someone said, "If you get into the habit of self-pity, you will probably ruin a lot more of your life than bad circumstances will ever ruin".  I don't need a gate called Self, period.   The gate of Self excludes God and will get me nowhere.  I have no purpose outside of Jesus Christ because He is the giver and sustainer of life.  

Jesus provides gates with purpose....gates to somewhere.  His gates are profitable for living. 

Psalm 118:19
"Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:"

Revelation 21:21
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

Revelation 21:25
And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

Revelation 22:14
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

A Gate to Nowhere or A Gate to Somewhere? 

It's a choice.
....