I wrote this blog after reading the following blog posted at this link on the Universal Life Church website:
http://blog.ulc.org/2010/08/homosexuality-is-neither-sinful-nor-immoral/comment-page-1/#comment-149
On Gay Churches - Homosexuality and The Church
Let me just say that I have nothing personally against homosexuals that choose to live their lives in sin any more than I have against anyone else living in sin as I once lived. Let me add that I am not perfect and I don't think that I'm better than anyone.
I am also sensitive to the fact that everyone should have the right to pursue their spirituality wholeheartedly and if I were homosexual I imagine I would also want to find God. Finding God, however, is different than playing God or pretending to know what God thinks outside of what is indicated in the Word of God if you believe that is what the bible truly is.
But to try to twist the Word of God around to justify a lifestyle that is clearly not God's will for men and women, especially those who claim to follow Christ is an offense that is actually greater than the homosexuality per se, I believe, because the practicing homosexual sins against God, himself and his partner and it ends there.
This church of yours seems to misrepresent God's Word in order to support homosexuality which not only misleads practicing homosexuals into thinking that they are morally pure but also places all of the bible's validity into question. If the bible is wrong about homosexuality, what else is it wrong about?
I used to use drugs. Crack to be specific. What if someone was able to convince me that there was no sin in my drug usage? Should I continue to use drugs at the risk of addiction, harming my body, losing my job and my family? Should I then start a church with fellow crackheads so that we can all console each other by convincing one another that God is pleased with our behavior and reinterpret scripture to support that belief?
I think that homosexuals have the same problem as everyone else that is born. They are born in sin and shaped (by society and culture, nature and nurture) in iniquity. The deck is stacked up against all of us at birth which is why we all need rebirth through Jesus Christ.
Truth seekers do not try to change the bible to fit their sinful lives, they work to change their sinful lives in order to conform to God's purpose for their lives as is indicated in the bible. This is straight talk and it may not be easy for a man who is attracted to men or a woman who is turned on by women but consider this - I am a married man who is attracted to voluptuous women and not only the woman I am married to. If I could change anything in the bible, I would change the rule on adultery and have as many women as would have me. But I do not live MY life anymore. I live the life of CHRIST in me. Not my will, but Thy will.
Please stop misleading homosexual Christians. They have as much right to know the truth about the eternal consequences of their homosexuality as heterosexual Christians have a right to know the truth about the eternal consequences of their sexual immorality. Sin is sin. Just because you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Is Facebook To Blame?
This blog was written in reference to the recent report about New Jersey Pastor Cedric A. Miller of Living Word Christian Fellowship who allegedly blamed Facebook for his sexual immorality and insists that his ministers delete their Facebook accounts (see - http://blog.themonastery.org/2010/11/pastor-blames-facebook-for-adultery)
If we look hard enough we can always find an excuse for our behavior. Some of us have legitimate reasons why we behave badly. Some have been abused as children or grew up without a mom or a dad. Many prostitutes and drug addicts fit that description and are still "looking for love" in a bottle or a needle. The latest craze is "sexual addiction," the term that cheaters use when they get caught being unfaithful to their spouses or lovers.
Blaming Facebook for sexual infidelity is like blaming television and movies for violent crime. There is nothing wrong with television and movies - you just have to carefully decide and choose what you and your family will watch! You have to know the difference between entertainment and reality. There is nothing wrong with Facebook! The only thing that can be right or wrong are the decisions that we make as to how we should use Facebook.
If married men and women choose to use Facebook to flirt and seek out the promiscuously curious then they may eventually get caught up in a web of deceit and sexual immorality. While it is true that the advanced technology increases the opportunities for temptation and the likelihood that past relationships may be rediscovered, it is ultimately the individual's personal moral character and integrity that will determine how he or she will handle every situation.
This is especially true of Christian believers who are supposed to be trying to live up to a godly standard of marital fidelity and sexual morality. I won't delete my Facebook page because it caused some Pastor to stumble.
Besides, I don't need Facebook as a source for temptation. There are a million temptations out there everyday! And even if I threw away my computer and my TV set and stopped going to the movies it still won't stop my mind from revisiting already implanted pornographic images, and it won't stop the lustful stimulation that occurs whenever a voluptuous female is nearby!
Here is the bottom line -
Temptation is a part of a Christian's process. Learning how to handle it appropriately and staying within the guidelines of God's will is the important thing. Remember - there was a forbidden tree in the garden of Eden at the beginning of human existence. It didn't get there accidently. God placed it there for a reason.
I'm not judging Reverend Miller. I don't know if I would behave any differently than he did under the same circumstances. Hopefully, nothing like that will ever occur in my marriage or during my walk with Christ, but if it ever does don't blame Facebook, don't blame it on the alcohol either! Just blame it on me and pray for my forgiveness!
If we look hard enough we can always find an excuse for our behavior. Some of us have legitimate reasons why we behave badly. Some have been abused as children or grew up without a mom or a dad. Many prostitutes and drug addicts fit that description and are still "looking for love" in a bottle or a needle. The latest craze is "sexual addiction," the term that cheaters use when they get caught being unfaithful to their spouses or lovers.
Blaming Facebook for sexual infidelity is like blaming television and movies for violent crime. There is nothing wrong with television and movies - you just have to carefully decide and choose what you and your family will watch! You have to know the difference between entertainment and reality. There is nothing wrong with Facebook! The only thing that can be right or wrong are the decisions that we make as to how we should use Facebook.
If married men and women choose to use Facebook to flirt and seek out the promiscuously curious then they may eventually get caught up in a web of deceit and sexual immorality. While it is true that the advanced technology increases the opportunities for temptation and the likelihood that past relationships may be rediscovered, it is ultimately the individual's personal moral character and integrity that will determine how he or she will handle every situation.
This is especially true of Christian believers who are supposed to be trying to live up to a godly standard of marital fidelity and sexual morality. I won't delete my Facebook page because it caused some Pastor to stumble.
Besides, I don't need Facebook as a source for temptation. There are a million temptations out there everyday! And even if I threw away my computer and my TV set and stopped going to the movies it still won't stop my mind from revisiting already implanted pornographic images, and it won't stop the lustful stimulation that occurs whenever a voluptuous female is nearby!
Here is the bottom line -
Temptation is a part of a Christian's process. Learning how to handle it appropriately and staying within the guidelines of God's will is the important thing. Remember - there was a forbidden tree in the garden of Eden at the beginning of human existence. It didn't get there accidently. God placed it there for a reason.
I'm not judging Reverend Miller. I don't know if I would behave any differently than he did under the same circumstances. Hopefully, nothing like that will ever occur in my marriage or during my walk with Christ, but if it ever does don't blame Facebook, don't blame it on the alcohol either! Just blame it on me and pray for my forgiveness!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
YOUR BEAUTY (To my lovely wife Debra)
YOUR BEAUTY (To my lovely wife Debra)
by Jerome V. Bogan
You are the most beautiful woman in the world to me today.
You possess a beauty far beyond the beauty of an ordinary woman.
The emotion that you evoke in me when you are under the anointing
and in the fullness of your glory is like an encounter with a spirit.
Your holiness is your beauty, and you wear it non-judgmentally.
The beauty in you does not see the ugliness in me.
You have seen my faults, all of them, forgiven them one by one!
Your beauty is like that of a child; I want to hold you not as a man holds a wife,
But as a father holds a child who is wounded,
as a mother who carries her child to the altar for prayer!
Your tears are beautiful to me: When you cry I see rivers of compassion,
as though you have found some endless well!
You are filled with emotion and love, and pain and despair,
and I ache when you cry, and I feel your pain along with you,
Because I know your tears are for me, because I am the one who is lost and sick
and you are carrying me to the altar like a mother carries a child
and prays for her child to be healed, and i have come to love the tears
that you have shed for me, and the pain that you see in me, and feel for me;
For my pain is beautiful, and your tears for me are beautiful and you are beautiful.
And when I am able to feel again because your love has healed me,
I will cry for you and carry you to the altar of my soul;
and you will also be healed and you will finally receive your reward;
That for the love that you have given to me and to others, measure for measure,
So shall it be returned unto you.
(written 1990's exact date unknown)
by Jerome V. Bogan
You are the most beautiful woman in the world to me today.
You possess a beauty far beyond the beauty of an ordinary woman.
The emotion that you evoke in me when you are under the anointing
and in the fullness of your glory is like an encounter with a spirit.
Your holiness is your beauty, and you wear it non-judgmentally.
The beauty in you does not see the ugliness in me.
You have seen my faults, all of them, forgiven them one by one!
Your beauty is like that of a child; I want to hold you not as a man holds a wife,
But as a father holds a child who is wounded,
as a mother who carries her child to the altar for prayer!
Your tears are beautiful to me: When you cry I see rivers of compassion,
as though you have found some endless well!
You are filled with emotion and love, and pain and despair,
and I ache when you cry, and I feel your pain along with you,
Because I know your tears are for me, because I am the one who is lost and sick
and you are carrying me to the altar like a mother carries a child
and prays for her child to be healed, and i have come to love the tears
that you have shed for me, and the pain that you see in me, and feel for me;
For my pain is beautiful, and your tears for me are beautiful and you are beautiful.
And when I am able to feel again because your love has healed me,
I will cry for you and carry you to the altar of my soul;
and you will also be healed and you will finally receive your reward;
That for the love that you have given to me and to others, measure for measure,
So shall it be returned unto you.
(written 1990's exact date unknown)
Thursday, October 7, 2010
SHOULD WE CHANGE OR DOES GOD ACCEPT US AS WE ARE?
I just wanted to clarify so that we all understand that since no one is perfect and perfection is the goal there are some changes that we all have to make in order to grow into perfection and to be one with God who is perfect! Is that confusing?
On God accepting us as we are -
God accepts us as we are because we have no choice but to come to Him as we are. Many try to "fix" themselves up and them come to Him thinking that they can make themselves acceptable to God if they would just clean up their act. What they don't understand is that God's Holy is different than when we work on ourselves by quitting smoking or when we stop drinking, or start being nicer to people. His Holiness is not about us at all; we can stop fornicating and committing adultery and even try to control our thoughts but we cannot reach the perfection and Holiness of God no matter what we do. His Holiness is infinite cleanliness and righteousness and we are finite and mortal; we simply cannot reach that standard!
Man-made religions have adopted religious rituals and set ridiculous standards that are not biblical like vows of poverty and vows of celibacy in order to sound pious and in an attempt to please God but God doesn't require us to go beyond His requirements and we only frustrate ourselves and others when we set impossible to reach -
Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. - Luke 11:46
So here is our dilemma -
1. We are imperfect and cannot reach perfection on our own.
2. Perfection and complete holiness is a requirement for citizenship in heaven and the new earth.
3. Imperfection or unholiness (sin; missing the mark) which we are born into by genetic predisposition because we are descended from flawed Adam who sinned against God and received the curse of death is punishable by death in Hell and endless torment.
4. Obviously we are in a jam unless there is someone who can deliver us from this imperfection and death sentence.
5. Only God Himself can meet the standard (and in case you are wondering why couldn't He just remove the death sentence and free us that way, remember that once His Word goes out it accomplishes what He said it would do and therefore He cannot revoke or go against His Word because that would make Him a liar and God cannot (is incapable of) lie.
6. Since God Himself is the only One that can meet His standard of perfection, God came in human form in the person of Jesus Christ to free us from the death sentence by paying the "wages of sin" which is death by dying on the cross FOR us and so in place of us having to die for our sins He died for us sins so that now WE DO NOT HAVE TO DIE!
That is the promise of eternal life through Christ!
7. We still have the problem of being imperfect and needing perfect holiness in order to live at peace with God. Let me say this at this juncture because this is important. WE CANNOT QUALIFY FOR HEAVEN; WE CANNOT EARN IT, CANNOT DESERVE IT AND GOD WILL NEVER OWE US ANYTHING! That being said please understand that because God loves us so much, even enough to die for us, enough to come to life again so that we would not be eternally lost - now this is the really deep part so I don't want any one to miss this.
A human cannot totally enter a human and take over his or her body, mind and soul, but a spirit can!
When Christ died on the cross he took on a spirit form so that he could enter humans who were willing to accept His offer of forgiveness and promise of eventual perfection unto eternal life! This is called the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit and this is what separates Christians from every other religion on the planet! We receive in effect a new heart, a new mind and new desires, a desire to serve and worship a loving God! That new spirit perfects us gradually, depending on how much we allow it to work in us. Depending on how much we submit, obey, study His word, allow ourselves to serve others (love) rather than ourselves (lust) and willingly give up things that are against God and contrary to our own growth; as we become privy through prayer and study to the true character and personality of God we begin to understand what He wants, what He loves and what He hates.
Why do saved people call themselves Christians still have problems and still commit sins?
8. Because that Holy Spirit which is working in the Christian is working against the person's fleshly desire.
9. Because the Christian maintains his free will in spite of the "urging" of the Holy Spirit (conscience).
10. Because there is an enemy called Satan who relentlessly attacks the Christian and sends temptations, obstacles, tragedy, disappointments, lies, fear, insecurity and a host of other spirits our way to cause us to stumble and disobey God.
Why does God permit this relentless attack from Satan?
11. Because resisting the devil is how we grow into perfection! We don't know how much we can do with help of God until we are out to the test. So in effect, Satan is only a tool that God uses by permitting him to attack us which will either push us to perfection or back into sin depending on how strong our resolve is and how great our love for God is. This is why it is written in Romans 8:28:
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for
good, for those who are called according to his purpose...
Whichever has more of our love, God or sin is what will be victorious over us.
God bless and I pray that this helps our understanding.
I just wanted to clarify so that we all understand that since no one is perfect and perfection is the goal there are some changes that we all have to make in order to grow into perfection and to be one with God who is perfect! Is that confusing?
On God accepting us as we are -
God accepts us as we are because we have no choice but to come to Him as we are. Many try to "fix" themselves up and them come to Him thinking that they can make themselves acceptable to God if they would just clean up their act. What they don't understand is that God's Holy is different than when we work on ourselves by quitting smoking or when we stop drinking, or start being nicer to people. His Holiness is not about us at all; we can stop fornicating and committing adultery and even try to control our thoughts but we cannot reach the perfection and Holiness of God no matter what we do. His Holiness is infinite cleanliness and righteousness and we are finite and mortal; we simply cannot reach that standard!
Man-made religions have adopted religious rituals and set ridiculous standards that are not biblical like vows of poverty and vows of celibacy in order to sound pious and in an attempt to please God but God doesn't require us to go beyond His requirements and we only frustrate ourselves and others when we set impossible to reach -
Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. - Luke 11:46
So here is our dilemma -
1. We are imperfect and cannot reach perfection on our own.
2. Perfection and complete holiness is a requirement for citizenship in heaven and the new earth.
3. Imperfection or unholiness (sin; missing the mark) which we are born into by genetic predisposition because we are descended from flawed Adam who sinned against God and received the curse of death is punishable by death in Hell and endless torment.
4. Obviously we are in a jam unless there is someone who can deliver us from this imperfection and death sentence.
5. Only God Himself can meet the standard (and in case you are wondering why couldn't He just remove the death sentence and free us that way, remember that once His Word goes out it accomplishes what He said it would do and therefore He cannot revoke or go against His Word because that would make Him a liar and God cannot (is incapable of) lie.
6. Since God Himself is the only One that can meet His standard of perfection, God came in human form in the person of Jesus Christ to free us from the death sentence by paying the "wages of sin" which is death by dying on the cross FOR us and so in place of us having to die for our sins He died for us sins so that now WE DO NOT HAVE TO DIE!
That is the promise of eternal life through Christ!
7. We still have the problem of being imperfect and needing perfect holiness in order to live at peace with God. Let me say this at this juncture because this is important. WE CANNOT QUALIFY FOR HEAVEN; WE CANNOT EARN IT, CANNOT DESERVE IT AND GOD WILL NEVER OWE US ANYTHING! That being said please understand that because God loves us so much, even enough to die for us, enough to come to life again so that we would not be eternally lost - now this is the really deep part so I don't want any one to miss this.
A human cannot totally enter a human and take over his or her body, mind and soul, but a spirit can!
When Christ died on the cross he took on a spirit form so that he could enter humans who were willing to accept His offer of forgiveness and promise of eventual perfection unto eternal life! This is called the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit and this is what separates Christians from every other religion on the planet! We receive in effect a new heart, a new mind and new desires, a desire to serve and worship a loving God! That new spirit perfects us gradually, depending on how much we allow it to work in us. Depending on how much we submit, obey, study His word, allow ourselves to serve others (love) rather than ourselves (lust) and willingly give up things that are against God and contrary to our own growth; as we become privy through prayer and study to the true character and personality of God we begin to understand what He wants, what He loves and what He hates.
Why do saved people call themselves Christians still have problems and still commit sins?
8. Because that Holy Spirit which is working in the Christian is working against the person's fleshly desire.
9. Because the Christian maintains his free will in spite of the "urging" of the Holy Spirit (conscience).
10. Because there is an enemy called Satan who relentlessly attacks the Christian and sends temptations, obstacles, tragedy, disappointments, lies, fear, insecurity and a host of other spirits our way to cause us to stumble and disobey God.
Why does God permit this relentless attack from Satan?
11. Because resisting the devil is how we grow into perfection! We don't know how much we can do with help of God until we are out to the test. So in effect, Satan is only a tool that God uses by permitting him to attack us which will either push us to perfection or back into sin depending on how strong our resolve is and how great our love for God is. This is why it is written in Romans 8:28:
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for
good, for those who are called according to his purpose...
Whichever has more of our love, God or sin is what will be victorious over us.
God bless and I pray that this helps our understanding.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
THE SIMPLE TRUTH
There is a TRUTH that I share with people but it is at the same time extraordinarily simple and simultaneously unfathomably profound! It is TRUTH by definition, yet neither Wikipedia nor Webster can define it accurately. It is a characteristic but also a character.
Let's play charades -
Question 1: is TRUTH a person, place or thing?
Answer: the TRUTH is a PERSON!
Question 2: is TRUTH a male or female?
Answer: the TRUTH is a male!
Question 3: I give up! Who is He?
Answer: the TRUTH is JESUS CHRIST!
When He told them the honest to God truth they didn't believe Him! He said - I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE! No one comes to the Father but through me. - John 14:6
That is the absolute truth and the reason why we can't seem to find it is because we are looking for the truth as though it is a thing - a virtue or a moral. But the truth is actually a person. TRUTH is who He is just as LOVE is who the Father is. As long as we look for TRUTH externally we will not find it because it is intangible in spirit form. If we look for it internally we only find it when we have accepted Christ and he enters us; just as devils enter bodies and possess them, Christ can enter bodies and possess them also. In both cases I believe there must be a degree of willingness to receive but I also believe that the Devil is rude and will try to enter you by force whereas the Spirit of God will only enter a willing participant. In anticipation of the next question which is "Why then, do Christians lie?
Let me say this - Because Christians are not yet fully transformed and do not have perfect bodies we are subject to stimuli from the world, the superworld (heaven) and the underworld. Because we are allowed free will to make our own decisions and are not yet perfected in intelligence, wisdom, morality or on any other level, we sometimes make bad choices.
The difference between the bad choice of a Christian and the bad choice of an unbeliever is that Christians have a God who is willing to allow their mistakes to happen, afford them an opportunity to learn from it by virtue of experience gained; giving them time to revisit His Word to confirm their error and identify the correct response to the temptation in the future, receive forgiveness for the wrongful action, gain the wisdom through His word to make wiser decisions and to receive absolute forgiveness so that they can live out the remainder of their lives guilt free. It is a process that will continue to perfect us until we die. And when we die we will receive the ultimate transformation into a glorified body! The unbeliever, unfortunately simply does not have those fringe benefits!
Let's play charades -
Question 1: is TRUTH a person, place or thing?
Answer: the TRUTH is a PERSON!
Question 2: is TRUTH a male or female?
Answer: the TRUTH is a male!
Question 3: I give up! Who is He?
Answer: the TRUTH is JESUS CHRIST!
When He told them the honest to God truth they didn't believe Him! He said - I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE! No one comes to the Father but through me. - John 14:6
That is the absolute truth and the reason why we can't seem to find it is because we are looking for the truth as though it is a thing - a virtue or a moral. But the truth is actually a person. TRUTH is who He is just as LOVE is who the Father is. As long as we look for TRUTH externally we will not find it because it is intangible in spirit form. If we look for it internally we only find it when we have accepted Christ and he enters us; just as devils enter bodies and possess them, Christ can enter bodies and possess them also. In both cases I believe there must be a degree of willingness to receive but I also believe that the Devil is rude and will try to enter you by force whereas the Spirit of God will only enter a willing participant. In anticipation of the next question which is "Why then, do Christians lie?
Let me say this - Because Christians are not yet fully transformed and do not have perfect bodies we are subject to stimuli from the world, the superworld (heaven) and the underworld. Because we are allowed free will to make our own decisions and are not yet perfected in intelligence, wisdom, morality or on any other level, we sometimes make bad choices.
The difference between the bad choice of a Christian and the bad choice of an unbeliever is that Christians have a God who is willing to allow their mistakes to happen, afford them an opportunity to learn from it by virtue of experience gained; giving them time to revisit His Word to confirm their error and identify the correct response to the temptation in the future, receive forgiveness for the wrongful action, gain the wisdom through His word to make wiser decisions and to receive absolute forgiveness so that they can live out the remainder of their lives guilt free. It is a process that will continue to perfect us until we die. And when we die we will receive the ultimate transformation into a glorified body! The unbeliever, unfortunately simply does not have those fringe benefits!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
The Breach
Sin caused a breach in the perfect relationship between Adam and his Creator. Abraham, the descendant of Adam pleased God because of his faith. Faith is the "holy grail," the "rites of passage." Do anything you want but without FAITH it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)
Man before the breach, or separation, was immortal, but because of a Law of God which made sin punishable by death, mankind lost his immortality. God is Life and separation from God who is Life causes Death - it is a principle as sure as the Law of Gravity.
Since Death was not God's intention for man, God had prepared a plan to repair the breach and restore man so that men could live forever as God had intended. Following God's instructions, men in Israel began to sacrifice lambs and other animals who symbolically took on the sins of the people and paid the "wages of death."
This pleased God, but only temporarily. And so the animal sacrifices had to be made continually because Israel sinned continually. Besides, the sacrifices were officiated by priests who were themselves sinners who also needed to be forgiven. Where it may seem that an animal's death could not adequately achieve full satisfaction of God's Law, all we know from the bible is that "blood" is required for the remission of sin; it does not necessarily say that it has to be human blood!
Nevertheless, it seems logical to me that the "perfect" fulfillment of the legal requirement would be that the "soul that sins shall die."
Jesus Christ, the descendant of Abraham pleased God and was the perfect sacrifice; the "Lamb of God." He is "The Way" to God because He is God.
- Jerome Bogan
The next excerpt is credited to an author I found on line who calls himself "Spirit Word."
"During the Old Testament times God commanded Israel to offer animal sacrifices for sin in order to establish symbols pointing to the true and ultimate sacrifice for sins, the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Just as animals, typically a lamb without blemish (Exodus 12:5) was offered as a sin offering in order to appease God's wrath upon man, in the fullness of time Jesus Christ Himself came as the true sacrifice for mankind. Jesus is the lamb without blemish because he was the only man who has ever lived without sin, He was indeed perfect and thus was also the perfect sacrifice. The blood of bulls, goats and rams were shadows and symbols pointing to the reality that was to come, they in themselves *cannot* take away sin. (Hebrews 10:1-4) God used animals as symbols for a short period in history in order to demonstrate to mankind what His salvation plan would be.
In the book of Exodus chapter 12 we read about the Jewish Passover. In order for the Israelites to escape the last plague God would send upon Egypt they needed to sacrifice a lamb and put the lamb's blood on the doorposts of their homes. When the angel of death would come and kill every first born in Egypt, anyone who had the lamb's blood on their houses was spared from the calamity. After this final plague, Israel was released from Egypt and freed from their bondage to Pharaoh. God commanded Israel to remember that day and so this became the celebration of the Jewish Passover which the Jews have celebrated for many many centuries.
Christ came as the true Lamb of God, the true sacrifice in order that mankind might be spared from eternal death and released from their bondage to sin and to Satan. Notice also that Christ was crucified on the exact day of the Jewish Passover celebration! What beautiful fulfillment of the scriptures we have here!
Ultimately Jesus Christ is called the Lamb of God because He was crucified on the cross so that all mankind may be free from bondage to sin and Satan. He is the only one we can put our trust in for our eternal salvation and the only one that can forgive us of our sins. The payment for sin is eternal death which means that in order for Christ to save anyone and be the perfect sacrifice He Himself would have to pay the price... No animal sacrifice can do what is equivalent to the work Christ has done on the cross which is why Jesus is called the Lamb of God."
If we have not been forgiven by God through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb, we will have to pay the punishment for our sins in an eternity of suffering and torment. (Romans 6:23) All those that believe and trust on Jesus will be saved from the last and final plague to hit mankind, eternal death.
Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
Joh 5:24 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."
God calls out to each one of us to believe on the Lamb that was crucified and to put our faith and trust in Him and in the Word of God for our salvation. If we will acknowledge our sins, believe on Christ and the Word and repent of our sins God will save us!
John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
- Spirit Word
Man before the breach, or separation, was immortal, but because of a Law of God which made sin punishable by death, mankind lost his immortality. God is Life and separation from God who is Life causes Death - it is a principle as sure as the Law of Gravity.
Since Death was not God's intention for man, God had prepared a plan to repair the breach and restore man so that men could live forever as God had intended. Following God's instructions, men in Israel began to sacrifice lambs and other animals who symbolically took on the sins of the people and paid the "wages of death."
This pleased God, but only temporarily. And so the animal sacrifices had to be made continually because Israel sinned continually. Besides, the sacrifices were officiated by priests who were themselves sinners who also needed to be forgiven. Where it may seem that an animal's death could not adequately achieve full satisfaction of God's Law, all we know from the bible is that "blood" is required for the remission of sin; it does not necessarily say that it has to be human blood!
Nevertheless, it seems logical to me that the "perfect" fulfillment of the legal requirement would be that the "soul that sins shall die."
Jesus Christ, the descendant of Abraham pleased God and was the perfect sacrifice; the "Lamb of God." He is "The Way" to God because He is God.
- Jerome Bogan
The next excerpt is credited to an author I found on line who calls himself "Spirit Word."
"During the Old Testament times God commanded Israel to offer animal sacrifices for sin in order to establish symbols pointing to the true and ultimate sacrifice for sins, the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Just as animals, typically a lamb without blemish (Exodus 12:5) was offered as a sin offering in order to appease God's wrath upon man, in the fullness of time Jesus Christ Himself came as the true sacrifice for mankind. Jesus is the lamb without blemish because he was the only man who has ever lived without sin, He was indeed perfect and thus was also the perfect sacrifice. The blood of bulls, goats and rams were shadows and symbols pointing to the reality that was to come, they in themselves *cannot* take away sin. (Hebrews 10:1-4) God used animals as symbols for a short period in history in order to demonstrate to mankind what His salvation plan would be.
In the book of Exodus chapter 12 we read about the Jewish Passover. In order for the Israelites to escape the last plague God would send upon Egypt they needed to sacrifice a lamb and put the lamb's blood on the doorposts of their homes. When the angel of death would come and kill every first born in Egypt, anyone who had the lamb's blood on their houses was spared from the calamity. After this final plague, Israel was released from Egypt and freed from their bondage to Pharaoh. God commanded Israel to remember that day and so this became the celebration of the Jewish Passover which the Jews have celebrated for many many centuries.
Christ came as the true Lamb of God, the true sacrifice in order that mankind might be spared from eternal death and released from their bondage to sin and to Satan. Notice also that Christ was crucified on the exact day of the Jewish Passover celebration! What beautiful fulfillment of the scriptures we have here!
Ultimately Jesus Christ is called the Lamb of God because He was crucified on the cross so that all mankind may be free from bondage to sin and Satan. He is the only one we can put our trust in for our eternal salvation and the only one that can forgive us of our sins. The payment for sin is eternal death which means that in order for Christ to save anyone and be the perfect sacrifice He Himself would have to pay the price... No animal sacrifice can do what is equivalent to the work Christ has done on the cross which is why Jesus is called the Lamb of God."
If we have not been forgiven by God through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb, we will have to pay the punishment for our sins in an eternity of suffering and torment. (Romans 6:23) All those that believe and trust on Jesus will be saved from the last and final plague to hit mankind, eternal death.
Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
Joh 5:24 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."
God calls out to each one of us to believe on the Lamb that was crucified and to put our faith and trust in Him and in the Word of God for our salvation. If we will acknowledge our sins, believe on Christ and the Word and repent of our sins God will save us!
John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
- Spirit Word
Monday, August 30, 2010
The Secret
I'm so completely overwhelmed! So many great things have happened already and I haven't even gotten to Orlando yet! First my nephew Thurman drove me to Terminal 3 in my car and took the car back to the house for me...no cab fare and I was early for my flight! Next I didn't get a seat assigned until Delta started boarding. I wound up with a window seat and nobody next to me! Now as I began to think about that, the Erikah Badu song "Window Seat" started playing in my head.
I had been playing the YouTube video for weeks so that I could learn how to play the song on my Yamaha Motif8 keyboard (and not so I could see Erikah naked like you're probably thinking!) The lyrics had become so profoundly engraved in my subconscious mind. Because of how I've been feeling about my job lately and with all of the stress and drama that my life has gone through recently I can certainly relate to Erikah's plea for a " window seat, don't want nobody next to me I just want a ticket outta town to look around in a safer town..." This was exactly how I felt! (Except for the line "if anybody seen Scotty tell him beam me up..." I did enough of that in the early 90's).
When the plane took off this time I didn't have the usual butterflies and nervous anticipation. I simply bowed my head and said a quick prayer. When I looked up again I realized that the plane was nothing more than an overgrown kite! It glided along the runway for a few minutes and then... whoosh! We were on a big kite 25,000 feet in the air. Thinking of the plane as a kite really helped me overcome whatever fear of flying or altophobia that may have been secretly lingering in my heart. I'm certainly not ready to skydive like my co-worker Shirley but I'm having fun right now with this whole kite concept.
One of the fondest memories I have of the short time I spent being a father to my son U.S. Army Captain Kumalo Bogan is the time I bought a kite and took him to an open grassy area near where we lived in Flushing. I had taken a 1000 foot roll of string from the toy factory where I worked and I remembered that Kumalo was in his stroller crying as I finally got the kite going. Eventually the wind took that kite up so far I used every inch of that 1000 foot string. I could no longer see the kite as it blended into the sky. I am imagining that right now I am on that kite; completely safe in the arms of the wind, high above the clouds at the mercy of the Lord!
Another great thing happened on this flight. I brought Rhonda Byrne's book "The Secret" with me! It had been sitting in the outer pocket of my laptop case, hardly touched since the last time I read up to page 45. I always loved this book and ever since I opened to the first few pages I knew that this was another great holy book taking its rightful place as one of the greatest inspirational books of all time. Clearly this book is correlated to the Holy Bible with its simple believe and receive message. Quoting Matthew 21:22 on page 54 it says "whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." And Mark 11:24 "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that you receive them, and ye shall have them."
The message of "The Secret" seems oversimplified, almost too good to be true at first. But then I consider the simplicity of Salvation which begins with a few earnest words of repentance; acknowledging the need for a Savior and recognizing and confessing (and BELIEVING) that Jesus Christ is that one and only true Savior. I ask myself, how many people overcomplicate this simple plan and nearly miss out on their blessing because it just seems too easy and too good to be true?
Anyway, back to the Secret. As I continued reading and the amazing "kite" gained altitude and as soon as the French-speaking white man stopped complaining because his non-English speaking Black children were not allowed to sit at the emergency window because if an emergency did happen they wouldn't be able to understand the flight attendant's instructions, I began to experience a heightened sense of exhiliration, an almost euphoric state. I know that the altitude and surroundings played a part, but the words in the book were the primary catalyst and they became immediately empowering. I decided right then and there that I was going to take the author's advice and implement positive thinking and unrelenting faith immediately. Realizing that it would take time to convert from discouraged to courageous and from retired to inspired I began to search for a starting point.
I began thinking about the test that I had coming up to remain certified for the X-ray at work. After failing twice, I would need a lot of faith in order to battle the aching sense of failure and the low self-esteem that usually goes with it. But the book expressed little tolerance for weak, wavering faith; the author made it clear that the Secret only works when the believer behaves as though he has already received the thing requested. Clearly Matthew and Mark concur. God knowing that I wasn't ready for such a great leap of faith so soon prepared a little step of faith for me instead.
Here is how it played out, and to me it reveals how great and compassionate God is and how He operates on us on so many levels and peels back so many layers at the same time. When I first took the book out of the laptop case I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was a bookmark indicating the last page read previously. But now somehow the bookmark was gone! I used the missing bookmark as an excuse to not panic and to put the principles of faith from the book to work. I began to look for the bookmark in the seat beneath me and next to me, but not frantically. I kept quoting from the book in my mind while at the same time fighting rationalizing that the bookmark was not that important. The bookmark had to be important enough to me to generate enough faith to accomplish the task I hand. I had to be absolutely sure that I would find that bookmark! The unwavering faith that it would be found made me happier than I had ever been over a bookmark.
I didn't understand why my feelings were so strong at that time, but I was about to find out. I got up to go to the bathroom and I had to wait for a while because the flight attendant was blocking the bathroom with a beverage cart. When I got back to my seat the bookmark was on the floor under the seat! When I picked the bookmark up it was turned over from the way it was when I first saw it. Now I could see the full glossy design of the front of the bookmark. It was a bookmark from my 10-year-old daughter's elementary school P.S.90. At the top of the bookmark was a picture of my daughter from when she was 5 or 6. I kept staring at my daughter's photo and a wave of emotion passed over me. I could sense the very deep love that I feel for my daughter and at that moment I was surrounded by benevolence. The euphoria increased and a great lesson learned. Keep on searching, keep on believing until you find what you've been searching for. The least of things have incredible value. Hold on to them, treasure them. Hold on to your faith and your dreams and the people and things that are important to you! Don't let anyone talk you out of it! Better that you die believing and never receive than never to have believed at all!
Now I've got to start getting happy about passing the next test!
I had been playing the YouTube video for weeks so that I could learn how to play the song on my Yamaha Motif8 keyboard (and not so I could see Erikah naked like you're probably thinking!) The lyrics had become so profoundly engraved in my subconscious mind. Because of how I've been feeling about my job lately and with all of the stress and drama that my life has gone through recently I can certainly relate to Erikah's plea for a " window seat, don't want nobody next to me I just want a ticket outta town to look around in a safer town..." This was exactly how I felt! (Except for the line "if anybody seen Scotty tell him beam me up..." I did enough of that in the early 90's).
When the plane took off this time I didn't have the usual butterflies and nervous anticipation. I simply bowed my head and said a quick prayer. When I looked up again I realized that the plane was nothing more than an overgrown kite! It glided along the runway for a few minutes and then... whoosh! We were on a big kite 25,000 feet in the air. Thinking of the plane as a kite really helped me overcome whatever fear of flying or altophobia that may have been secretly lingering in my heart. I'm certainly not ready to skydive like my co-worker Shirley but I'm having fun right now with this whole kite concept.
One of the fondest memories I have of the short time I spent being a father to my son U.S. Army Captain Kumalo Bogan is the time I bought a kite and took him to an open grassy area near where we lived in Flushing. I had taken a 1000 foot roll of string from the toy factory where I worked and I remembered that Kumalo was in his stroller crying as I finally got the kite going. Eventually the wind took that kite up so far I used every inch of that 1000 foot string. I could no longer see the kite as it blended into the sky. I am imagining that right now I am on that kite; completely safe in the arms of the wind, high above the clouds at the mercy of the Lord!
Another great thing happened on this flight. I brought Rhonda Byrne's book "The Secret" with me! It had been sitting in the outer pocket of my laptop case, hardly touched since the last time I read up to page 45. I always loved this book and ever since I opened to the first few pages I knew that this was another great holy book taking its rightful place as one of the greatest inspirational books of all time. Clearly this book is correlated to the Holy Bible with its simple believe and receive message. Quoting Matthew 21:22 on page 54 it says "whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." And Mark 11:24 "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that you receive them, and ye shall have them."
The message of "The Secret" seems oversimplified, almost too good to be true at first. But then I consider the simplicity of Salvation which begins with a few earnest words of repentance; acknowledging the need for a Savior and recognizing and confessing (and BELIEVING) that Jesus Christ is that one and only true Savior. I ask myself, how many people overcomplicate this simple plan and nearly miss out on their blessing because it just seems too easy and too good to be true?
Anyway, back to the Secret. As I continued reading and the amazing "kite" gained altitude and as soon as the French-speaking white man stopped complaining because his non-English speaking Black children were not allowed to sit at the emergency window because if an emergency did happen they wouldn't be able to understand the flight attendant's instructions, I began to experience a heightened sense of exhiliration, an almost euphoric state. I know that the altitude and surroundings played a part, but the words in the book were the primary catalyst and they became immediately empowering. I decided right then and there that I was going to take the author's advice and implement positive thinking and unrelenting faith immediately. Realizing that it would take time to convert from discouraged to courageous and from retired to inspired I began to search for a starting point.
I began thinking about the test that I had coming up to remain certified for the X-ray at work. After failing twice, I would need a lot of faith in order to battle the aching sense of failure and the low self-esteem that usually goes with it. But the book expressed little tolerance for weak, wavering faith; the author made it clear that the Secret only works when the believer behaves as though he has already received the thing requested. Clearly Matthew and Mark concur. God knowing that I wasn't ready for such a great leap of faith so soon prepared a little step of faith for me instead.
Here is how it played out, and to me it reveals how great and compassionate God is and how He operates on us on so many levels and peels back so many layers at the same time. When I first took the book out of the laptop case I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was a bookmark indicating the last page read previously. But now somehow the bookmark was gone! I used the missing bookmark as an excuse to not panic and to put the principles of faith from the book to work. I began to look for the bookmark in the seat beneath me and next to me, but not frantically. I kept quoting from the book in my mind while at the same time fighting rationalizing that the bookmark was not that important. The bookmark had to be important enough to me to generate enough faith to accomplish the task I hand. I had to be absolutely sure that I would find that bookmark! The unwavering faith that it would be found made me happier than I had ever been over a bookmark.
I didn't understand why my feelings were so strong at that time, but I was about to find out. I got up to go to the bathroom and I had to wait for a while because the flight attendant was blocking the bathroom with a beverage cart. When I got back to my seat the bookmark was on the floor under the seat! When I picked the bookmark up it was turned over from the way it was when I first saw it. Now I could see the full glossy design of the front of the bookmark. It was a bookmark from my 10-year-old daughter's elementary school P.S.90. At the top of the bookmark was a picture of my daughter from when she was 5 or 6. I kept staring at my daughter's photo and a wave of emotion passed over me. I could sense the very deep love that I feel for my daughter and at that moment I was surrounded by benevolence. The euphoria increased and a great lesson learned. Keep on searching, keep on believing until you find what you've been searching for. The least of things have incredible value. Hold on to them, treasure them. Hold on to your faith and your dreams and the people and things that are important to you! Don't let anyone talk you out of it! Better that you die believing and never receive than never to have believed at all!
Now I've got to start getting happy about passing the next test!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Should The "Ground Zero" Mosque Be Allowed?
I usually don't get too involved with politics, but religion I find extremely interesting and my years as a paralegal student peaked my interest in law. The case to build or not to build a Mosque at Ground Zero is an interesting mix incorporating all of these elements. Since a friend of mine, Olu Teague brought up the topic, I've decided to blog my opinion on the subject.
Personal beliefs and feelings aside, the short answer is yes, the mosque should be permitted to be built. Unless there are issues with zoning or building codes and if there are no other financial or legal restraints, the Mosque should be permitted to be built wherever they want. If lawmakers intended for Ground Zero to be off limits to certain groups interested in the real estate there then they should have taken action early on. The site could have been declared "holy ground" or a national landmark or perhaps some other legal term that would limit the sale and purchase of real estate on the site. Then, the lawmakers and the victims families could possibly decide what can be built there. Without the legal rights to do so we cannot prevent anyone from purchasing a lot and building property on it. And certainly, we cannot in good conscience profess to be Americans and deny someone real estate based on religion.
Unfortunately, when the evil actions of "a few" are done in the name of a particular religion, as with the Crusaders, the religion becomes associated with the evil actions of the few. Few people talk about the tremendous acts of charity by the Catholic church, but mention a Catholic priest and many people think about the sexual abuse committed by a small minority of Catholic priests.
The building of the mosque at ground zero may not be the most sensitive decision that can be made in terms of honoring the WTC victims and their families. But the American ideal of freedom of religion requires us to respect the Moslems right to build it there. If it was a Baptist church would there be so much controversy?
On the other hand, Islamic religious leaders who fail to denounce and disassociate themselves from terrorist Islamic extremists and their ideologies are in part to blame for the paranoia. Horror stories like 19-year-old Bibi Aisha, whose nose and ears were cut off by Islamic extremists only add to the hysteria. (Copy the link and read the following article for the full story):
http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/18/shaming-her-in-laws-costs-19-year-old-her-nose-ears/
The U.S. has an open door policy but we have to draw the line and throw people out when they support or promote militant extremism, and acts of cruelty such as in the case of Bibi Aisha, regardless of what their religion is. Anyone whose ideology is totally contrary to the American ideals as expressed in the Bill of Rights should not be permitted to live here. If we had enforced this principle effectively there would be no tolerance for the Ku Klux Klan or any other "hate-based" ideology. Freedom of speech or not - some folks just need to get the heck out of the United States.
Personal beliefs and feelings aside, the short answer is yes, the mosque should be permitted to be built. Unless there are issues with zoning or building codes and if there are no other financial or legal restraints, the Mosque should be permitted to be built wherever they want. If lawmakers intended for Ground Zero to be off limits to certain groups interested in the real estate there then they should have taken action early on. The site could have been declared "holy ground" or a national landmark or perhaps some other legal term that would limit the sale and purchase of real estate on the site. Then, the lawmakers and the victims families could possibly decide what can be built there. Without the legal rights to do so we cannot prevent anyone from purchasing a lot and building property on it. And certainly, we cannot in good conscience profess to be Americans and deny someone real estate based on religion.
Unfortunately, when the evil actions of "a few" are done in the name of a particular religion, as with the Crusaders, the religion becomes associated with the evil actions of the few. Few people talk about the tremendous acts of charity by the Catholic church, but mention a Catholic priest and many people think about the sexual abuse committed by a small minority of Catholic priests.
The building of the mosque at ground zero may not be the most sensitive decision that can be made in terms of honoring the WTC victims and their families. But the American ideal of freedom of religion requires us to respect the Moslems right to build it there. If it was a Baptist church would there be so much controversy?
On the other hand, Islamic religious leaders who fail to denounce and disassociate themselves from terrorist Islamic extremists and their ideologies are in part to blame for the paranoia. Horror stories like 19-year-old Bibi Aisha, whose nose and ears were cut off by Islamic extremists only add to the hysteria. (Copy the link and read the following article for the full story):
http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/18/shaming-her-in-laws-costs-19-year-old-her-nose-ears/
The U.S. has an open door policy but we have to draw the line and throw people out when they support or promote militant extremism, and acts of cruelty such as in the case of Bibi Aisha, regardless of what their religion is. Anyone whose ideology is totally contrary to the American ideals as expressed in the Bill of Rights should not be permitted to live here. If we had enforced this principle effectively there would be no tolerance for the Ku Klux Klan or any other "hate-based" ideology. Freedom of speech or not - some folks just need to get the heck out of the United States.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Are Men Ever Satisfied?
Men are NEVER satisfied with anything the earth has to offer.
Neither can a man find complete satisfaction in a woman. The original man (Adam) was designed by God and had a relationship with God. Although it would seem that the relationship with GOD ALONE should be enough to satisfy Adam, God said "it is not good that man should be alone!" That was just before he made WOMAN.
So now everything was perfect with Adam and he was probably the first man in history to have complete satisfaction. But then along comes the first "indecent proposal" from a serpent and everything in the perfect world became chaotic. Satisfaction was no more. Man had been tricked out of the perfect order that God had created for him. And what is the perfect order that has to be present in a man's life in order for him to have complete satisfaction?
Here is the formula - MAN + WOMAN + GOD = SATISFACTION.
Whenever any part of that formula is missing there is no satisfaction; neither for man or woman. So if anyone, male or female is not completely satisfied there is something lacking; maybe they have a good man or woman but they don't have God or maybe they have God in their life but don't have a good woman or man. Out of that fruitful union there will probably be seed (children). Children are the physical manifestation of the union between man, woman and God.
The other part of the innate lack of satisfaction stems from the fact that we are creatures created from a perfect, orderly God and yet we are still living in a world where there is imperfection and disorder. We are in a spiritual and psychological conflict with our world. We will not truly have COMPLETE satisfaction until we are citizens of the new world order which can only take place when the kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdoms of Our Lord, Jesus Christ! When he returns he will set everything straight and we will have total satisfaction once again.
But can we at least experience SOME of that satisfaction right now?
YES WE CAN!
IT IS BECAUSE OF THE HOPE THAT IS IN US THAT WE HAVE SATISFACTION IN OUR SOULS. OUR SOULS ARE SATISFIED NOT BECAUSE THE WORLD IS IN ORDER BUT BECAUSE OUR HEARTS, SPIRIT AND SOULS ARE IN SYNC WITH CHRIST! BECAUSE WE ARE SAVED WE ARE IN THIS WORLD BUT NOT OF IT - There lies the conflict!
BUT WE HAVE THE HOPE OF SALVATION IN US WHICH GIVES US PEACE IN THE MIDST OF THE CONFLICT IN AND AROUND US! OUR SATISFACTION IS IN JESUS CHRIST!
GRACE AND PEACE!
Neither can a man find complete satisfaction in a woman. The original man (Adam) was designed by God and had a relationship with God. Although it would seem that the relationship with GOD ALONE should be enough to satisfy Adam, God said "it is not good that man should be alone!" That was just before he made WOMAN.
So now everything was perfect with Adam and he was probably the first man in history to have complete satisfaction. But then along comes the first "indecent proposal" from a serpent and everything in the perfect world became chaotic. Satisfaction was no more. Man had been tricked out of the perfect order that God had created for him. And what is the perfect order that has to be present in a man's life in order for him to have complete satisfaction?
Here is the formula - MAN + WOMAN + GOD = SATISFACTION.
Whenever any part of that formula is missing there is no satisfaction; neither for man or woman. So if anyone, male or female is not completely satisfied there is something lacking; maybe they have a good man or woman but they don't have God or maybe they have God in their life but don't have a good woman or man. Out of that fruitful union there will probably be seed (children). Children are the physical manifestation of the union between man, woman and God.
The other part of the innate lack of satisfaction stems from the fact that we are creatures created from a perfect, orderly God and yet we are still living in a world where there is imperfection and disorder. We are in a spiritual and psychological conflict with our world. We will not truly have COMPLETE satisfaction until we are citizens of the new world order which can only take place when the kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdoms of Our Lord, Jesus Christ! When he returns he will set everything straight and we will have total satisfaction once again.
But can we at least experience SOME of that satisfaction right now?
YES WE CAN!
IT IS BECAUSE OF THE HOPE THAT IS IN US THAT WE HAVE SATISFACTION IN OUR SOULS. OUR SOULS ARE SATISFIED NOT BECAUSE THE WORLD IS IN ORDER BUT BECAUSE OUR HEARTS, SPIRIT AND SOULS ARE IN SYNC WITH CHRIST! BECAUSE WE ARE SAVED WE ARE IN THIS WORLD BUT NOT OF IT - There lies the conflict!
BUT WE HAVE THE HOPE OF SALVATION IN US WHICH GIVES US PEACE IN THE MIDST OF THE CONFLICT IN AND AROUND US! OUR SATISFACTION IS IN JESUS CHRIST!
GRACE AND PEACE!
Monday, July 26, 2010
If Forgiveness Is The Key, Why Can't God Forgive Satan?
Jerome Bogan Ministry Blog 072710
If Forgiveness Is The Key, Why Can't God Forgive Satan?
I was wondering why I couldn't sleep. I know it's hot and I know I had a nice long nap earlier and that may have had something to do with it. But when I got up I found this profound question posted on Facebook by my inquisitive co-worker, I thought the reason why I was unable to sleep at 2:30 AM might be because I was divinely chosen to attempt to answer this question - If forgiveness is the key, why can't God forgive Satan?
I pray that God has prepared me with the wisdom and understanding to tackle such a difficult task because sometimes how we answer can alter the course of someone's life; reinforcing an already existing faith or casting one that is undecided into total unbelief.
Just earlier today I was contemplating my own walk of faith and I decided to make a stand for what I believe to be right; to try and live as morally correct as possible. Given my personal circumstances; environment, upbringing, spiritual maturity (or lack thereof) and personality, I realized immediately that this would be no easy task for me, one that would require a period of purification, introspection and prayer.
It is not because I am so completely morally corrupt that I must struggle so intensely to satisfy God's requirement for absolute moral perfection, but rather it is God's absolute moral perfection that makes my simplest imperfection seem so imperfect. On earth we measure everything in finite measurements like the distance from here to the airport might be five miles. And so we measure Satan's sinfulness the way we measure our own - in degrees as on a scale from 1 to 10. If a lie is 5 on the scale, then surely a murder must be a 9 and raping and murdering a child, oh that has to be an unforgivable sin, we would call that a 10! But with God all sin is a 10! That is why the penalty for every sin is the same. There is a death penalty attached to every sin. The only difference between our death sentence and Satan's death sentence is that we are eligible for a "governor's pardon" through faith in Jesus Christ.
In a finite existence such as ours where distance can be measured in inches or miles and time can be measured in seconds or years it may be appropriate to apply finite measurements to facilitate our understanding. However, in the spiritual realm, the realm of the Creator, God the Father of Jesus Christ and the Creator of the heavenly creation, and the realm from which Lucifer who became Satan when he sinned against God came, earthly measurements do not apply. For whereas we can measure the distance between America and England we cannot measure the distance from where God sits on His throne to the earth where Satan fell, and if the distance can be measured it is not given for us to know for it is not written in the Holy Scriptures. Likewise, we cannot measure the appropriate penalty for a sin of the infinite magnitude that a high-ranking official such as Lucifer committed. We know that God is a righteous and a good God and He is compassionate and loving. If He has purposed in His heart that Satan must die we must accept it and know that God is yet merciful and righteous and holy. What is man that we should judge God? Although He welcomes our humble questions, the answer remains the same - God is merciful and righteous and holy.
What is man that we should judge God?
So we are finite men with a definite beginning and a definite end talking about God who is infinite and immeasurable and Satan who was once the great angel Lucifer and who was created into that infinity. The fact of the matter is that Satan's sin was far greater than ours because of one solitary fact - HE WANTED TO BE GOD!
Isaiah 14:12, which tells us of Lucifer/Satan's choice. "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High."
You may argue that there are men who also want to be God, Julius Caesar was one but there are key differences. Man is made a "little lower than the angels."
Psalm 8:5 KJV - "For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour."
Now we know that this scripture refers mainly to Christ himself but keep in mind that although Christ is 100% God He is also %100 man. If man is "lower than the angels" than it makes sense to assume that angels are higher than man in the hierarchy of creation. Then it also makes sense to infer that "angels" are held to a higher standard.
All of the creatures that God created prior to the fall of man were perfect, had eternal life, extraordinary intelligence and immortality. Men and angels were also given freedom to choose and to make key life-changing decisions on their own without interference or coercion from God, but God made clear what the consequences of rebellion and disobedience would be - He is a good, kind and loving Father but He had to let them know that He is God Almighty; the Source of all Life and to disobey Him would be spiritual suicide.
Now I have to ask you, who do you think was the higher evolved creature, more capable of making a sound decision, more familiar with God's character, and to whom was God's glory revealed; having been given authority to create music in heavens by simply moving, because in his wings were instruments whose majestic harmonies doubtlessly sang glorious praises unto the Most High God? Satan or Adam?
There are many reasons why Satan cannot be forgiven. Lucifer knew God, perhaps better than anyone in heaven except for Logos The Word, who became Christ Jesus in the incarnation. Lucifer was given extraordinary beauty and power and was possibly the highest ranking official in heaven after God himself and Christ. Moreover, because of his perfection and intellect he would have been fully aware that his decision to be "like the Most High" would create huge political and spiritual problems both in heaven and on earth. Not only did Lucifer decide to rebel against God, as some that translate the scriptures believe, he also recruited a "third of the angels" to make war in heaven in an effort to overthrow the Sovereign Government of the Most High God in a "coup d'etat."
Jude 1:6 - "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day."
Since he was a high ranking official in heaven he was also immortal which would mean that he would have been an immortal enemy had God not decided to ultimately end Satan's life.
One more thing to consider is that given the history of events over which Satan has been allowed influence, nothing has gotten better under Satan's control. The world has become increasingly evil and Satan has never made an effort to repent. Under Satan's influence this world and its inhabitants have become increasingly violent and immoral, moving quickly away from the principles that God set forth for our own good and clearly we see that we are suffering dire consequences as a result. In his pride and arrogance he may even actually believe that he can defeat God and achieve world dominance. Ironically, he even offered the kingdoms of this world to Christ, who is already heir to the kingdoms of this world. And if that's not enough, the book of Revelation teaches us that Satan will gather the nations of this world to war against
God and His people.
Revelation 16:13 - "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon."
One last point. If Satan is the true enemy of God then he would have to at least be a worthy competitor. If God is infinitely good, then it seems fair to assume that Satan is infinitely evil. Evil that deep cannot be forgiven; it has to be destroyed. God Himself will do it when He appears again as Jesus Christ and evil will be destroyed forever. We will live as we were originally intended - in perfect peace and harmony with no possibility of evil ever returning. It will be destroyed forever in a lake of fire. Evil is not a concept, it is a person and his name is Satan. I no longer have sympathy for him for I know that he is infinitely evil just as I know that God is infinitely good!
If Forgiveness Is The Key, Why Can't God Forgive Satan?
I was wondering why I couldn't sleep. I know it's hot and I know I had a nice long nap earlier and that may have had something to do with it. But when I got up I found this profound question posted on Facebook by my inquisitive co-worker, I thought the reason why I was unable to sleep at 2:30 AM might be because I was divinely chosen to attempt to answer this question - If forgiveness is the key, why can't God forgive Satan?
I pray that God has prepared me with the wisdom and understanding to tackle such a difficult task because sometimes how we answer can alter the course of someone's life; reinforcing an already existing faith or casting one that is undecided into total unbelief.
Just earlier today I was contemplating my own walk of faith and I decided to make a stand for what I believe to be right; to try and live as morally correct as possible. Given my personal circumstances; environment, upbringing, spiritual maturity (or lack thereof) and personality, I realized immediately that this would be no easy task for me, one that would require a period of purification, introspection and prayer.
It is not because I am so completely morally corrupt that I must struggle so intensely to satisfy God's requirement for absolute moral perfection, but rather it is God's absolute moral perfection that makes my simplest imperfection seem so imperfect. On earth we measure everything in finite measurements like the distance from here to the airport might be five miles. And so we measure Satan's sinfulness the way we measure our own - in degrees as on a scale from 1 to 10. If a lie is 5 on the scale, then surely a murder must be a 9 and raping and murdering a child, oh that has to be an unforgivable sin, we would call that a 10! But with God all sin is a 10! That is why the penalty for every sin is the same. There is a death penalty attached to every sin. The only difference between our death sentence and Satan's death sentence is that we are eligible for a "governor's pardon" through faith in Jesus Christ.
In a finite existence such as ours where distance can be measured in inches or miles and time can be measured in seconds or years it may be appropriate to apply finite measurements to facilitate our understanding. However, in the spiritual realm, the realm of the Creator, God the Father of Jesus Christ and the Creator of the heavenly creation, and the realm from which Lucifer who became Satan when he sinned against God came, earthly measurements do not apply. For whereas we can measure the distance between America and England we cannot measure the distance from where God sits on His throne to the earth where Satan fell, and if the distance can be measured it is not given for us to know for it is not written in the Holy Scriptures. Likewise, we cannot measure the appropriate penalty for a sin of the infinite magnitude that a high-ranking official such as Lucifer committed. We know that God is a righteous and a good God and He is compassionate and loving. If He has purposed in His heart that Satan must die we must accept it and know that God is yet merciful and righteous and holy. What is man that we should judge God? Although He welcomes our humble questions, the answer remains the same - God is merciful and righteous and holy.
What is man that we should judge God?
So we are finite men with a definite beginning and a definite end talking about God who is infinite and immeasurable and Satan who was once the great angel Lucifer and who was created into that infinity. The fact of the matter is that Satan's sin was far greater than ours because of one solitary fact - HE WANTED TO BE GOD!
Isaiah 14:12, which tells us of Lucifer/Satan's choice. "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High."
You may argue that there are men who also want to be God, Julius Caesar was one but there are key differences. Man is made a "little lower than the angels."
Psalm 8:5 KJV - "For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour."
Now we know that this scripture refers mainly to Christ himself but keep in mind that although Christ is 100% God He is also %100 man. If man is "lower than the angels" than it makes sense to assume that angels are higher than man in the hierarchy of creation. Then it also makes sense to infer that "angels" are held to a higher standard.
All of the creatures that God created prior to the fall of man were perfect, had eternal life, extraordinary intelligence and immortality. Men and angels were also given freedom to choose and to make key life-changing decisions on their own without interference or coercion from God, but God made clear what the consequences of rebellion and disobedience would be - He is a good, kind and loving Father but He had to let them know that He is God Almighty; the Source of all Life and to disobey Him would be spiritual suicide.
Now I have to ask you, who do you think was the higher evolved creature, more capable of making a sound decision, more familiar with God's character, and to whom was God's glory revealed; having been given authority to create music in heavens by simply moving, because in his wings were instruments whose majestic harmonies doubtlessly sang glorious praises unto the Most High God? Satan or Adam?
There are many reasons why Satan cannot be forgiven. Lucifer knew God, perhaps better than anyone in heaven except for Logos The Word, who became Christ Jesus in the incarnation. Lucifer was given extraordinary beauty and power and was possibly the highest ranking official in heaven after God himself and Christ. Moreover, because of his perfection and intellect he would have been fully aware that his decision to be "like the Most High" would create huge political and spiritual problems both in heaven and on earth. Not only did Lucifer decide to rebel against God, as some that translate the scriptures believe, he also recruited a "third of the angels" to make war in heaven in an effort to overthrow the Sovereign Government of the Most High God in a "coup d'etat."
Jude 1:6 - "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day."
Since he was a high ranking official in heaven he was also immortal which would mean that he would have been an immortal enemy had God not decided to ultimately end Satan's life.
One more thing to consider is that given the history of events over which Satan has been allowed influence, nothing has gotten better under Satan's control. The world has become increasingly evil and Satan has never made an effort to repent. Under Satan's influence this world and its inhabitants have become increasingly violent and immoral, moving quickly away from the principles that God set forth for our own good and clearly we see that we are suffering dire consequences as a result. In his pride and arrogance he may even actually believe that he can defeat God and achieve world dominance. Ironically, he even offered the kingdoms of this world to Christ, who is already heir to the kingdoms of this world. And if that's not enough, the book of Revelation teaches us that Satan will gather the nations of this world to war against
God and His people.
Revelation 16:13 - "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon."
One last point. If Satan is the true enemy of God then he would have to at least be a worthy competitor. If God is infinitely good, then it seems fair to assume that Satan is infinitely evil. Evil that deep cannot be forgiven; it has to be destroyed. God Himself will do it when He appears again as Jesus Christ and evil will be destroyed forever. We will live as we were originally intended - in perfect peace and harmony with no possibility of evil ever returning. It will be destroyed forever in a lake of fire. Evil is not a concept, it is a person and his name is Satan. I no longer have sympathy for him for I know that he is infinitely evil just as I know that God is infinitely good!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Master Cleanse – Day 17 June 17, 2010
Master Cleanse – Day 17 June 17, 2010
OK, so it’s day 17 and it looks like I’m going to make my 20 day Master Cleanse commitment after all! I didn’t do the salt water or the Trimm Maxx laxative tea nearly as much as I should have. Nevertheless the weight loss has been incredible as usual!
I started on June 1st merely seventeen days ago I was 190. Today I weighed in at 173 for a 17 lb loss. That averages to a pound a day!
I should be elated and I do thank God. But I’ve been on this rollercoaster, yo-yo crash diet stuff many times and I’ve always gained the weight back!
This time, determined to lose the weight and keep it off I’ve come up with a game plan!
Not only did I do the Master Cleanse which involves no food but only Stanley Burroughs’s specially made lemonade. I also exercised which I’ve done before by running in Forest Park two or more times a week, but this time I’ve also included periodic P90X workouts and bench presses to speed the metabolism and weight loss (my weight loss would have been more had I not done this because I may have actually gained a few pounds of muscle weight).
The last four or five times that I gained the weight back I think my mind was not ready to commit to a totally new nutritional dietary mindset. My wife and I have studied nutrition for years so we both have a pretty good idea of what’s good and bad. It’s really common sense – fruits and vegetables good, sweets, fats and too many carbs bad! Exercise good, lazy couch potato-ness bad!
Coming off of 14 and 22-day liquid diets takes a toll on mind, body and spirit and most of the time all I could think of was getting it done and going to Appleby’s!
This time, I feel differently; loving the exercise, restoring the self-esteem of my youth, basking in the compliments and fitting back into my clothes which include three or four suits that I could not wear to church a few months ago. My goal is to hit the upper 160’s and I only have 3 days left on the lemonade – soon to embark on the post-cleanse phase where I’ve always started to gain the weight back. I really needed some help here so through prayer and a smart wife, I believe I’ve found the solution and it’s really common sense!
Since I’ve had so much success with liquids why rush back to solid foods? Why not do the customary 2 days of orange juice followed by 2 days of vegetable broth and then, on the fifth day after create some delicious tasting and nutritious smoothies in the Montel Williams’ HealthMaster blender and juice large amounts of fruits and vegetables in our Jack Lalane’s Juiceman Power Juicer. I can extend the liquid diet that way for another week and make it to the end of June surviving off of nothing but liquids! If that, plus jogging, plus P90X doesn’t result in additional weight loss and health benefits, then I don’t know what else to do!
Here’s the summary:
June –
20 days Master Cleanse
2 days Orange Juice
2 days homemade vegetable broth
6 days of Juicing and HealthMaster smoothies
July –
Large salads; fruit, nuts, salmon, baked or grilled chicken, soups, fruit juice and smoothies. Low fat, low carbohydrate diet.
1 cheat day a week
lots of water, sun, relaxation, P90 X exercises, jogging, yard work, housework – de-stress and REST, REST, REST!
OK, so it’s day 17 and it looks like I’m going to make my 20 day Master Cleanse commitment after all! I didn’t do the salt water or the Trimm Maxx laxative tea nearly as much as I should have. Nevertheless the weight loss has been incredible as usual!
I started on June 1st merely seventeen days ago I was 190. Today I weighed in at 173 for a 17 lb loss. That averages to a pound a day!
I should be elated and I do thank God. But I’ve been on this rollercoaster, yo-yo crash diet stuff many times and I’ve always gained the weight back!
This time, determined to lose the weight and keep it off I’ve come up with a game plan!
Not only did I do the Master Cleanse which involves no food but only Stanley Burroughs’s specially made lemonade. I also exercised which I’ve done before by running in Forest Park two or more times a week, but this time I’ve also included periodic P90X workouts and bench presses to speed the metabolism and weight loss (my weight loss would have been more had I not done this because I may have actually gained a few pounds of muscle weight).
The last four or five times that I gained the weight back I think my mind was not ready to commit to a totally new nutritional dietary mindset. My wife and I have studied nutrition for years so we both have a pretty good idea of what’s good and bad. It’s really common sense – fruits and vegetables good, sweets, fats and too many carbs bad! Exercise good, lazy couch potato-ness bad!
Coming off of 14 and 22-day liquid diets takes a toll on mind, body and spirit and most of the time all I could think of was getting it done and going to Appleby’s!
This time, I feel differently; loving the exercise, restoring the self-esteem of my youth, basking in the compliments and fitting back into my clothes which include three or four suits that I could not wear to church a few months ago. My goal is to hit the upper 160’s and I only have 3 days left on the lemonade – soon to embark on the post-cleanse phase where I’ve always started to gain the weight back. I really needed some help here so through prayer and a smart wife, I believe I’ve found the solution and it’s really common sense!
Since I’ve had so much success with liquids why rush back to solid foods? Why not do the customary 2 days of orange juice followed by 2 days of vegetable broth and then, on the fifth day after create some delicious tasting and nutritious smoothies in the Montel Williams’ HealthMaster blender and juice large amounts of fruits and vegetables in our Jack Lalane’s Juiceman Power Juicer. I can extend the liquid diet that way for another week and make it to the end of June surviving off of nothing but liquids! If that, plus jogging, plus P90X doesn’t result in additional weight loss and health benefits, then I don’t know what else to do!
Here’s the summary:
June –
20 days Master Cleanse
2 days Orange Juice
2 days homemade vegetable broth
6 days of Juicing and HealthMaster smoothies
July –
Large salads; fruit, nuts, salmon, baked or grilled chicken, soups, fruit juice and smoothies. Low fat, low carbohydrate diet.
1 cheat day a week
lots of water, sun, relaxation, P90 X exercises, jogging, yard work, housework – de-stress and REST, REST, REST!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Marriage
I say yes to marriage but I would like to first attempt to define it so that we're all on the same page.
Marriage is a very difficult topic for most people. It is thoroughly misunderstood largely because it is usually interpreted through a world view lens which distorts its intended purpose. In fact, marriage is an institution ordained by God; a support mechanism designed to protect humans and provide them with everything they will need on this earth! The depth of intimacy, loyalty and security which ought to perpetuate marriages so often fails because we fail to view marriage as God views it; we fail to accept it on God's terms, we fail to observe to do all that God (and by God I mean the God of the bible exclusively) so wisely advises us to do in order to sustain marriage.
I don't think marriage is for everybody because some of us simply do not have the character, faithfulness, knowledge and patience that it takes to make it work. On the other hand, sex outside of marriage is spiritually illegal along with other sexual and morality issues that I won't go into here for fear of offending some of my FB friends.
Think about it before you get into it. Choose someone that you want to see everyday of your life and who feels exactly the same way about you. Somebody that makes you laugh, feeds you and doesn't beat you! Somebody that goes to church, but not for show; not perfect but not still struggling with drugs or alcohol, employment, or the past, infidelity or being honest, sensitive and compassionate yet strong and firm. And if you can't find him marry somebody like me instead! LOL!
Seriously, Women! Take Steve Harvey's advice and find a real man! Someone that respects women, takes care of his mother, would die to protect his sister's virtue, is not lazy, not a drunkard, a man who knows who he is because he has already found himself in the Word of God and has worked diligently to reconcile himself to God's will as it is so eloquently expressed in the bible.
Grace and Peace,
Jerome Bogan
I say yes to marriage but I would like to first attempt to define it so that we're all on the same page.
Marriage is a very difficult topic for most people. It is thoroughly misunderstood largely because it is usually interpreted through a world view lens which distorts its intended purpose. In fact, marriage is an institution ordained by God; a support mechanism designed to protect humans and provide them with everything they will need on this earth! The depth of intimacy, loyalty and security which ought to perpetuate marriages so often fails because we fail to view marriage as God views it; we fail to accept it on God's terms, we fail to observe to do all that God (and by God I mean the God of the bible exclusively) so wisely advises us to do in order to sustain marriage.
I don't think marriage is for everybody because some of us simply do not have the character, faithfulness, knowledge and patience that it takes to make it work. On the other hand, sex outside of marriage is spiritually illegal along with other sexual and morality issues that I won't go into here for fear of offending some of my FB friends.
Think about it before you get into it. Choose someone that you want to see everyday of your life and who feels exactly the same way about you. Somebody that makes you laugh, feeds you and doesn't beat you! Somebody that goes to church, but not for show; not perfect but not still struggling with drugs or alcohol, employment, or the past, infidelity or being honest, sensitive and compassionate yet strong and firm. And if you can't find him marry somebody like me instead! LOL!
Seriously, Women! Take Steve Harvey's advice and find a real man! Someone that respects women, takes care of his mother, would die to protect his sister's virtue, is not lazy, not a drunkard, a man who knows who he is because he has already found himself in the Word of God and has worked diligently to reconcile himself to God's will as it is so eloquently expressed in the bible.
Grace and Peace,
Jerome Bogan
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Why Am I Blogging Again?
I need to explain why after a very long absence I intend to start blogging again. I hadn't written a blog since Michael Jackson died until one of my co-workers asked me for the Master Cleanse. As I began to re-realize (did I just coin a new word?) how easy and professional (and free!) blogging is I've decided to take it up again.
In the past I've used websites, blogs and networking sites like MySpace and Facebook as a means of promoting my music. That didn't always pan out the way I'd hoped it would. But today I think I will assert my desire to participate in the reconciliation ministry of Jesus Christ in a very unique way - by starting an online ministry that is not preachy, non-judgmental and just as real as a live conversation! I've named it Jerome Bogan Ministry. Today I command it to come to life in Jesus' name!
I reserve the right to offer my opinion, insert an occasional scripture and to sometimes be wrong! Nobody's perfect...not even me! But since I enjoy writing and enjoy discussing the things of God, I think I will enjoy this journey.
I've gained a lot of life experience in my 53 years (mostly through pretty horrific mistakes!), I've learned a lot of lessons. I also believe I have gained considerable wisdom by reading and listening to great spiritual leaders like my former Pastor and brother-in-law Prophet Hunter; my present Pastor, Dr. A.R. Bernard, the television ministries of T.D. Jakes, Creflo Dollar, Mark Chironna, Joel Osteen and so many others.
If I can use any of what I've gained to help somebody in need or to help somebody who is not in need help somebody else who is in need then this online ministry will be a great success.
God bless you all and good night!
Jerome Bogan
In the past I've used websites, blogs and networking sites like MySpace and Facebook as a means of promoting my music. That didn't always pan out the way I'd hoped it would. But today I think I will assert my desire to participate in the reconciliation ministry of Jesus Christ in a very unique way - by starting an online ministry that is not preachy, non-judgmental and just as real as a live conversation! I've named it Jerome Bogan Ministry. Today I command it to come to life in Jesus' name!
I reserve the right to offer my opinion, insert an occasional scripture and to sometimes be wrong! Nobody's perfect...not even me! But since I enjoy writing and enjoy discussing the things of God, I think I will enjoy this journey.
I've gained a lot of life experience in my 53 years (mostly through pretty horrific mistakes!), I've learned a lot of lessons. I also believe I have gained considerable wisdom by reading and listening to great spiritual leaders like my former Pastor and brother-in-law Prophet Hunter; my present Pastor, Dr. A.R. Bernard, the television ministries of T.D. Jakes, Creflo Dollar, Mark Chironna, Joel Osteen and so many others.
If I can use any of what I've gained to help somebody in need or to help somebody who is not in need help somebody else who is in need then this online ministry will be a great success.
God bless you all and good night!
Jerome Bogan
The Master Cleanse
Hey Guys and Dolls!
Since many of you have asked me about my weight loss I am referring you all to this blog site for information about Stanley Burroughs' "Master Cleanse." Good luck.
For more information and critiques of this liquid cleanse Google Master Cleanse or Stanley Burroughs.
The Lemonade Diet
-- The Master Cleanser --
by Stanley Burroughs
Purpose
• To dissolve and eliminate toxins and congestion that has formed in any part of the body.
• To cleanse the kidneys and the digestive system.
• To purify the glands and cells throughout the entire body.
• To eliminate all unusable waste and hardened material in the joints and muscles.
• To relieve pressure and irritation in the nerves, arteries, and blood vessels.
• To build a healthy blood stream.
• To keep youth and elasticity regardless of our years.
When to Use It
• When sickness has developed - for all acute and chronic conditions
• When the digestive system needs a rest and a cleansing.
• When overweight has become a problem.
• When better assimilation and building of body tissue is needed.
How Long and Often?
Follow the diet for a minimum of 10 days or more - up to 40 days and beyond may be safely followed for
extremely serious cases. The diet has all the nutrition needed during this time. Three to four times a year will do wonders for keeping the body in a normal healthy condition. The diet may be undertaken more frequently for serious conditions.
How to Make Lemonade
• 2 Tbsp lemon or lime juice (approx. 1/2 lemon)
• 2 Tbsp genuine maple syrup (not maple flavored sugar syrup)
• 1/10 Tsp cayenne pepper (red pepper) or to taste
• Water, medium hot (spring or purified water)
Combine the juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper in a 10 oz. glass and fill with medium hot water.
(Cold water may be used if preferred.) Use fresh lemons or limes only, never canned lemon or lime juice nor frozen lemonade or frozen juice. Use organic lemons when possible.
An ideal formula involves freshly extracted juice from the sugar cane (readily available in India, but not generally in the United States at the present time):
• 10 oz. fresh sugar cane juice (medium hot or cold) 2 tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/10 tsp cayenne (red pepper) or to taste
• Another possible but lesser replacement could be pure sorghum. (Do not use for Diabetes). It does not produce equal or close to the benefits of maple syrup.
Blend a part of the lemon skin and pulp with the lemonade in a blender for further cleansing and laxative effect. (Note: commercially procured lemons may have had their skins dyed with yellow coloring and may have been subjected to poisonous insect sprays - be sure to peel off the outer skin if you cannot get uncolored, organically grown lemons.) The properties in the lemon skin also act as a hemostatic to prevent excess bleeding and to prevent clotting internally should there be any such prevailing condition. (Don't worry - normal conditions will continue during the menstrual periods.)
Adding the cayenne pepper is necessary as it breaks up mucus and increases warmth by building the blood for an additional lift. It also adds many of the B and C vitamins.
Mint tea may be used occasionally during this diet as a pleasant change and to assist further in the cleansing.
Its chlorophyll helps as a purifier, neutralizing many mouth and body odors that are released during the
cleansing period.
Special Instructions for the Diabetic:
DIABETES is the result of a deficiency diet consisting in part of white sugar and white flour. The lemonade with molasses is an ideal way to correct this deficiency. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY FOR BEST RESULTS. The molasses supplies the necessary elements for the pancreas to produce insulin. As the necessary elements are supplied to the pancreas, the amount of insulin taken may also be gradually reduced -- as an example.
ON THE FIRST DAY use a scant tablespoon of molasses to each glass of lemonade and reduce insulin by about 10 units. Daily from then on reduce the insulin as you increase the molasses to 2 full tablespoons per glass.
When this proportion has been reached, the insulin can normally be eliminated; then replace the molasses with
2 tablespoons of maple syrup in each glass. Make regular checks of the sugar level in the urine and blood to
satisfy yourself and eliminate any possible fear. Vita Flex and color therapy may be used to advantage to
stimulate the liver, pancreas, and spleen and thus insure proper use of the minerals supplied. Many people have found they no longer have need for insulin. They must be sure to follow every detail of the recommended diet as
explained in the following pages.
How Much Does One Drink?
Take from six to twelve glasses of the lemonade daily during the waking period. As you get hungry just have
another glass of lemonade. NO OTHER FOOD SHOULD BE TAKEN DURING THE FULL PERIOD OF
THE DIET. As this is a complete balance of minerals and vitamins, one does not suffer the pangs of hunger. Do not use vitamin pills.
All solid food is turned into a liquid state before it can be carried by the blood to the cells of the body.
The lemonade is already a food in liquid form.
For those who are overweight, less maple syrup may be taken. For those underweight, more maple syrup may be taken. For those who are underweight and worried about losing more weight, REMEMBER, the only things you
can possibly lose are mucus, waste, and disease. Healthy tissue will not be eliminated. Many people who need to gain weight actually do so near the end of the diet period.
Never vary the amount of lemon juice per glass. About six glasses of lemonade a day is enough for those wishing
to reduce. Extra water may be taken as desired.
Helping the Cleansing Along
As this is a cleansing diet, the more you can assist Nature to eliminate poisons, the better. If your system feels upset, it is because you are not having sufficient elimination. Avoid this possibility by following the directions completely. Above all, be sure you have two, three, or more movements a day. This may seem unnecessary not eating solid food, but it is Nature's way of eliminating the waste it has loosened from the various cells and organs in the body. They must leave the body some way. It would be just the same as sweeping the floor around and around and never removing the dirt from the house if the wastes were not passed out. The better the elimination, the more rapid will be the results.
A LAXATIVE HERB TEA is found to be the best helper for most persons. It is a good practice to take a good laxative herb tea right from the beginning - the last thing at night and first thing in the morning. There are several good laxative teas. They are best taken in a liquid form. Buy them in your health food store.
Another Cleansing Aid: Internal Salt Water Bathing
As it is necessary to bathe the outside of our bodies, so it is with the inside. Do not take enemas or colonics
at any time during the cleansing diet or afterwards. They are unnecessary and can be extremely harmful.
There is a much superior method of cleansing the colonic tract with- out the harmful effects of customary
colonics and enemas. This method will cleanse the entire digestive tract while the colonics and enemas will only
reach the colon or a small part of it. Colonics can be expensive while our salt-water method is not.
DIRECTIONS: Prepare a full quart of lukewarm water and add two level (rounded for the Canadian quart) teaspoons of uniodized sea salt. Do not use ordinary iodized salt as it will not work property.
Drink the entire quart of salt and water first thing in the morning. This must be taken on an empty stomach.
The salt and water will not separate but will stay intact and quickly and thoroughly wash the entire tract in about
one hour. Several eliminations will likely occur. The salt water has the same specific gravity as the blood,
hence the kidneys cannot pick up the water and the blood cannot pick up the salt.
This may be taken as often as needed for proper washing of the entire digestive system.
If the salt water does not work the first time, try adding a little more or a little less salt until the proper balance
is found; or possibly take extra water with or without salt. This often increases the activity.
Remember, it can do no harm at any time. The colon needs a good washing, but do it the natural way -
the salt water way. It is quite advisable to take the herb laxative tea at night to loosen, then the salt water
each morning to wash it out. If for some reason the salt water cannot be taken in the morning, then the herb laxative tea must be taken night and morning.
How to Break the Lemonade Diet
Coming off the lemonade diet properly is highly important - please follow the directions very carefully.
After living in a semi-tropical and tropical climate for many years, I find that people have increasingly turned to
a raw fruit, nut, and vegetable diet. Following is the schedule for people who normally follow such a natural vegetarian diet:
FIRST and SECOND DAY AFTER DIET:
Several 8 oz. glasses of fresh orange juice as desired during the day. The orange juice prepares the digestive system to properly digest and assimilate regular food. Drink it slowly. If there has been any digestive difficulty prior to or during the change over, extra water may be taken with the orange juice.
THIRD DAY:
Orange juice in the morning. Raw fruit for lunch. Fruit or raw vegetable salad at night.
You are now ready to eat normally.
For those who have characteristically lived the unnatural way of meat, milk, refined and devitalized food,
it may be best to change over as follows, gradually adopting the raw fruit, nut, and vegetable diet:
FIRST DAY:
Several 8 oz. glasses of fresh orange juice as desired during the day. Drink it slowly.
SECOND DAY:
Drink several 8,oz. glasses of orange juice during the day - with extra water, if needed. Some time during the afternoon prepare a vegetable soup (no canned soup) as follows:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recipe for Vegetable Soup
Use several kinds of vegetables, perhaps one or two kinds of legumes, potatoes, celery, carrots,
green vegetable tops, onion, etc. Dehydrated vegetables or vegetable soup powders may be added for
extra flavor. Okra or okra powder, chili, curry, cayenne (red) pepper, tomatoes, green peppers, and zucchini
squash may be included to good advantage. Brown rice may be used, but no meat or meat stock.
Other spices may be added (delicately) for flavor. Use salt delicately as a limited amount of salt is necessary.
Learn to enjoy the natural flavor of the vegetables. The less cooking the better. Read the special article on
salt in the September 1977 issue of National Geographic magazine.
Have this soup for the evening meal using the broth mostly, although some of the vegetables may be eaten.
Rye wafers may be eaten sparingly with the soup, but no bread or crackers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD DAY: Drink orange juice in the morning. At noon have some more soup; enough may be made the
night before and put in the refrigerator. For the evening meal eat whatever is desired in the form of vegetables, salads, or fruit. No meat, fish, or eggs; no bread, pastries, tea, coffee, or milk. Milk is highly mucus forming
and tends to develop toxins throughout the body.
(Milk, being a predigested food, has been known to cause various complications in the stomach and colon,
such as cramps and convulsions. The calcium in milk is difficult to assimilate and may cause toxins in the form
of rheumatic fever, arthritis, neuritis, and bursitis. The resulting lack of proper digestion and assimilation of the calcium allows it to go into the blood stream in a free form and it is deposited in the tissues, cells, and joints
where it can cause intense pain and suffering.)
FOURTH DAY:
Normal eating may be resumed, but best health will be retained if the morning meal consists of our type of
lemonade or fruit juice; and, of course, if a strictly fruit, vegetable, seed and berry diet is followed.
If, after eating is resumed, distress or gas occurs, it is suggested that the lemonade diet be continued for
several more days until the system is ready for food.
Recap of the steps to be taken in the diet.
Be careful to read the entire instructions so that the diet will
be of the best benefit to you.
First prepare yourself mentally to follow in detail the entire directions and continue as long as is needed to make
the necessary changes. One of the best signals of the completed diet is when the formerly coated and fuzzy
tongue is clear pink and clean looking. During the diet it becomes very badly coated.
The Night Before starting the diet take the laxative tea.
In the morning take the salt water (or) laxative tea. This should be done each night and morning during the diet - rare exception - if diarrhea develops. When diarrhea is ended then continue above directions.
Now the lemonade formula (see How to Make Lemonade. For diabetic people, see Special Instruction).
Breaking the diet. Be absolutely sure you follow the directions very carefully to prepare your body for normal eating (our way). Do not over eat or eat too soon. Serious problems (nausea) can occur if detailed directions are not followed.
About Lemon
The lemon is a loosening and cleansing agent with many important building factors. The ability of the elements in the lemon and the maple syrup working together creates these desired results.
Its 4911/o potassium strengthens and energizes the heart, stimulates and builds the kidneys and adrenal glands.
Its oxygen builds vitality.
Its carbon acts as a motor stimulant.
Its hydrogen activates the sensory nervous system. Its calcium strengthens and builds the lungs.
Its phosphorus knits the bones, stimulates and builds the brain for clearer thinking.
Its sodium encourages tissue building.
Its magnesium acts as a blood alkalizer.
Its iron builds the red corpuscles to rapidly correct the most common forms of anemia.
Its chlorine cleanses the blood plasmas
Its silicon aids the thyroid for deeper breathing.
The natural iron, copper, calcium, carbon, and hydrogen found in the sweetening supplies more building and cleansing material.
It truly is a perfect combination for cleansing, eliminating, healing, and building. Hence, supplements are not needed during the diet and may actually interfere with its cleansing action.
About Maple Syrup:
The maple syrup is a balanced form of positive and negative sugar and must be used, not some "substitute.
"There are three grades of maple syrup. Grade A is the first run - mild in taste, sweet and with less minerals than the other grades. It is more expensive and less desirable but it may be used. Grade B is the second run with more minerals plus more maple taste. It is more suitable for the diet and is less expensive. Grade C is the third run with even more minerals and still stronger taste of maple and slightly less pleasant for most people, although acceptable in the diet. It is lower in price. As Grade C is less expensive it can be used as an excellent sweetening agent in preparing foods. The strong maple flavor blends very well.
The maple syrup has a large variety of minerals and vitamins. Naturally, the mineral and vitamin content will vary according to the area where the trees grow and the mineral content in the soil. These are the minerals found in average samples of syrup from Vermont: Sodium; Potassium; Calcium; Magnesium; Manganese; Iron; Copper; Phosphorus; Sulphur; Chlorine and Silicon. Vitamin A, Bl, B2, B6, C, Nicotinic acid and Pantothenic acid are also present in the syrup. Information on the need and effect of these properties will be found in the Biochemistry in the back of the book, "Healing for the Age of Enlightenment."
Some uninformed operators of the sugaring of the maple syrup do use formaldehyde pellets, run through polyethylene tubing but there are many more that don't. Search out and demand the kind not using formaldehyde. The Maple River Company in Youngstown, New York does not use it. This is the kind I recommend.
Dozens of letters weekly, from around the world highly praise the many superior benefits of the lemonade diet. Thus, we must conclude that since it does so much for so many it is truly The Master Cleanser. The following is a quote from one of the letters: "I tried the lemonade diet with exceptionally beneficial results. I would like to order at least six at whatever your wholesale price would be - I know I will need many more as I do push the books. I believe they are the best in their field."
What About the Use of Honey?
Honey must not be used at any time internally. It is manufactured from the nectar picked up from the flowers by the bees - good enough in itself, perhaps - then predigested, vomited and stored for their own future use with a preservative added. It is deficient in calcium and has many detrimental effects for the human being.
According to one authority, honey is "a magical and mystical word in Healthfoodland. It is one of the most over promoted, overpriced product being sold to gullible health foodists. The great value attributed to honey is delusive ... honey is only a little less empty and more dangerous than sugar."
Just as with alcohol, honey, being predigested, enters the blood directly, raising the sugar content very rapidly above normal. To correct this, the pancreas must produce insulin immediately or possible death can occur. More insulin than necessary is likely to be produced, and the blood sugar level then drops below normal. This can produce blackout spells and even death if it goes too low. When blood sugar is below normal, a person will feel depressed. The regular use of honey can create constant imbalances, which in turn will adversely affect the normal function of the liver, pancreas and spleen. Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia are the results of the use of unbalanced sugars. The balanced sugar in maple syrup and sugar cane juice causes no dangerous side effects. All natural fruits and vegetables have balanced sugars in them. Artificial, synthetic, and refined sugars have no place in a natural diet.
Should I Take "Supplements"?
Some people want to take vitamin pills or food supplements while on the diet. This frequently fails to produce the desired result. There are many reasons. As the lymphatic glands become clogged, they are no longer able to assimilate and digest even the best of foods. As we cleanse our bodies and free our cells and glands of toxins that clog and paralyze our assimilation, we free our various organs and processes to do their proper jobs. Note Page 20. All the necessary vitamins and minerals are in the lemonade, and therefore we do not need an additional supply in most cases.
Vitamin pills and supplements do not grow on trees as such but rather come to us in fruits, berries, vegetables and plants. Man will never take a group of natural or synthetic foods; process and combine them in a variety of products, and come up with anything equal or better than the original. They have lost much of their basic life and energy by combining them according to a man made concept. Many dangerous side effects can occur because of improper and unequal balances present. Stay with the natural laws of balance. First one must decided if God is right or if man is right. If God is right then man and his ideas of processing -tearing apart and rearranging - are likely to be wrong.
Later, as we consume a more complete variety of foods, we find our sources of vitamins and minerals complete and in forms that are easily assimilated - it should not be necessary to return to these supplements even if one is accustomed to taking them. The sources of good food are steadily being enlarged as people become more educated concerning them. Search these sources and rely on them for your total nutritional needs.
What About the Use of Vitamins
Vitamins and minerals have always been a necessary part of natural living. Not satisfied with God's plan, man has attempted to improve the situation by separating them from fresh live foods, then processing and combining them to conform to his concept of what they should be. Not satisfied with the finished product, attempts were made to produce them synthetically. It was big business - and we became a world of "pill pushers," whether they were needed or not. More often they were not needed. No one really knew if the pills were needed, or how many - people just took them because they might have a deficiency!
Just how these vitamins and minerals should be balanced and formulated led to many differences of opinion. A large variety of experts, in processing and manufacturing of pills, disagree as to how the many billions of pills should be made. They all have different formulas and claim theirs are the best even though much is lost in the processing. However, even without any clear consensus as to their worth and use, they were manufactured and processed; therefore they must be sold with no thought as to possible side effects from overdosing or imbalances. Millions of dollars are made by the producers and the sellers with little regard for the true needs of the consumer.
In reality, the whole process could have been completely avoided. Our Creator has already done a better job of making sure we receive all the needed vitamins and minerals in a perfectly balanced form. Only the finest of natural foods in their original package are good enough for bringing complete energy and life to build and retain a healthy body. Any time man attempts to improve on God's formulas and plans, the result is bound to be a failure.
The simple rules to complete nutrition include all the vitamins and minerals needed by all mankind and all animals. Our Creator has given the right food for the right animal for complete nutrition. This is also true for man. When these foods are properly prepared and eaten, there is nothing more that man can do to prepare a better food.
As we eat the correct foods without excesses, the body will produce ALL the needed vitamins. Foods grown properly, in complete, mineral- rich soil, will have all the minerals in them. Thus, we have no need for vitamin-enriched foods, created synthetically by man, nor for extra minerals.
All refined and devitalized foods must be completely eliminated from our diet. If refined and devitalized foods are eaten, then and only then does man have any need for additional supplements. Just how much and what combination, even with long and complicated tests, will probably never be determined, so this form of unnatural nutrition will always be lacking. Such a plan is a very poor substitute for the right way.
How Do I Get My Protein?
Often the question is asked about the need for amino acids, and animal protein foods. The need is highly exaggerated as only 16% of our body is protein. The answer to the question is very simple. We first need to understand that pure protein is primarily nitrogen, with oxygen, hydrogen and some carbon. We all know we get a large share of our oxygen and hydrogen needs from the air along with some carbon. There is four times the amount of nitrogen in the same air as there is oxygen, hydrogen and carbon combined. Since we are able to utilize and assimilate a large amount of our needs of these elements into our bodies we are able to assimilate and build the nitrogen also into our bodies as protein. This is done by natural bacteria action which is capable of converting it to our use.
From the combination of the best of foods and clean air we are able to create our own amino acids, just as well as the animals do. We never try to feed amino acids to the animals. Thus we are able to eliminate the need for toxic dead animal flesh and have no further need to worry about our constant source of protein. Eat only the best variety of fruits, berries, nuts, vegetables, seeds and sprouted seeds for a further complete source of protein.
People who smoke cannot pick up the nitrogen from the air so easily, but will still get enough from proper food without the use of animal flesh. For your well being, however, elimination of smoking is a must.
Many people believe that eating meat gives them strength. If this is so, then why are the strongest animals in the world vegetarians? Did you ever stop to think that the animals you do eat are vegetarian? Where did they get their strength? All the meat-eating animals find it necessary to sleep 16 to 18 hours daily because of excess toxins. The meat eating animals live a very short life. God has supplied such a bountiful supply of fresh, wholesome food that there is never a need to kill an animal for its more toxic flesh in our modern civilization.
Burroughs, S. (1976). The Master Cleanser (14th ed.) Moana Lane Reno, NV: Burroughs Books.
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Since many of you have asked me about my weight loss I am referring you all to this blog site for information about Stanley Burroughs' "Master Cleanse." Good luck.
For more information and critiques of this liquid cleanse Google Master Cleanse or Stanley Burroughs.
The Lemonade Diet
-- The Master Cleanser --
by Stanley Burroughs
Purpose
• To dissolve and eliminate toxins and congestion that has formed in any part of the body.
• To cleanse the kidneys and the digestive system.
• To purify the glands and cells throughout the entire body.
• To eliminate all unusable waste and hardened material in the joints and muscles.
• To relieve pressure and irritation in the nerves, arteries, and blood vessels.
• To build a healthy blood stream.
• To keep youth and elasticity regardless of our years.
When to Use It
• When sickness has developed - for all acute and chronic conditions
• When the digestive system needs a rest and a cleansing.
• When overweight has become a problem.
• When better assimilation and building of body tissue is needed.
How Long and Often?
Follow the diet for a minimum of 10 days or more - up to 40 days and beyond may be safely followed for
extremely serious cases. The diet has all the nutrition needed during this time. Three to four times a year will do wonders for keeping the body in a normal healthy condition. The diet may be undertaken more frequently for serious conditions.
How to Make Lemonade
• 2 Tbsp lemon or lime juice (approx. 1/2 lemon)
• 2 Tbsp genuine maple syrup (not maple flavored sugar syrup)
• 1/10 Tsp cayenne pepper (red pepper) or to taste
• Water, medium hot (spring or purified water)
Combine the juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper in a 10 oz. glass and fill with medium hot water.
(Cold water may be used if preferred.) Use fresh lemons or limes only, never canned lemon or lime juice nor frozen lemonade or frozen juice. Use organic lemons when possible.
An ideal formula involves freshly extracted juice from the sugar cane (readily available in India, but not generally in the United States at the present time):
• 10 oz. fresh sugar cane juice (medium hot or cold) 2 tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/10 tsp cayenne (red pepper) or to taste
• Another possible but lesser replacement could be pure sorghum. (Do not use for Diabetes). It does not produce equal or close to the benefits of maple syrup.
Blend a part of the lemon skin and pulp with the lemonade in a blender for further cleansing and laxative effect. (Note: commercially procured lemons may have had their skins dyed with yellow coloring and may have been subjected to poisonous insect sprays - be sure to peel off the outer skin if you cannot get uncolored, organically grown lemons.) The properties in the lemon skin also act as a hemostatic to prevent excess bleeding and to prevent clotting internally should there be any such prevailing condition. (Don't worry - normal conditions will continue during the menstrual periods.)
Adding the cayenne pepper is necessary as it breaks up mucus and increases warmth by building the blood for an additional lift. It also adds many of the B and C vitamins.
Mint tea may be used occasionally during this diet as a pleasant change and to assist further in the cleansing.
Its chlorophyll helps as a purifier, neutralizing many mouth and body odors that are released during the
cleansing period.
Special Instructions for the Diabetic:
DIABETES is the result of a deficiency diet consisting in part of white sugar and white flour. The lemonade with molasses is an ideal way to correct this deficiency. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY FOR BEST RESULTS. The molasses supplies the necessary elements for the pancreas to produce insulin. As the necessary elements are supplied to the pancreas, the amount of insulin taken may also be gradually reduced -- as an example.
ON THE FIRST DAY use a scant tablespoon of molasses to each glass of lemonade and reduce insulin by about 10 units. Daily from then on reduce the insulin as you increase the molasses to 2 full tablespoons per glass.
When this proportion has been reached, the insulin can normally be eliminated; then replace the molasses with
2 tablespoons of maple syrup in each glass. Make regular checks of the sugar level in the urine and blood to
satisfy yourself and eliminate any possible fear. Vita Flex and color therapy may be used to advantage to
stimulate the liver, pancreas, and spleen and thus insure proper use of the minerals supplied. Many people have found they no longer have need for insulin. They must be sure to follow every detail of the recommended diet as
explained in the following pages.
How Much Does One Drink?
Take from six to twelve glasses of the lemonade daily during the waking period. As you get hungry just have
another glass of lemonade. NO OTHER FOOD SHOULD BE TAKEN DURING THE FULL PERIOD OF
THE DIET. As this is a complete balance of minerals and vitamins, one does not suffer the pangs of hunger. Do not use vitamin pills.
All solid food is turned into a liquid state before it can be carried by the blood to the cells of the body.
The lemonade is already a food in liquid form.
For those who are overweight, less maple syrup may be taken. For those underweight, more maple syrup may be taken. For those who are underweight and worried about losing more weight, REMEMBER, the only things you
can possibly lose are mucus, waste, and disease. Healthy tissue will not be eliminated. Many people who need to gain weight actually do so near the end of the diet period.
Never vary the amount of lemon juice per glass. About six glasses of lemonade a day is enough for those wishing
to reduce. Extra water may be taken as desired.
Helping the Cleansing Along
As this is a cleansing diet, the more you can assist Nature to eliminate poisons, the better. If your system feels upset, it is because you are not having sufficient elimination. Avoid this possibility by following the directions completely. Above all, be sure you have two, three, or more movements a day. This may seem unnecessary not eating solid food, but it is Nature's way of eliminating the waste it has loosened from the various cells and organs in the body. They must leave the body some way. It would be just the same as sweeping the floor around and around and never removing the dirt from the house if the wastes were not passed out. The better the elimination, the more rapid will be the results.
A LAXATIVE HERB TEA is found to be the best helper for most persons. It is a good practice to take a good laxative herb tea right from the beginning - the last thing at night and first thing in the morning. There are several good laxative teas. They are best taken in a liquid form. Buy them in your health food store.
Another Cleansing Aid: Internal Salt Water Bathing
As it is necessary to bathe the outside of our bodies, so it is with the inside. Do not take enemas or colonics
at any time during the cleansing diet or afterwards. They are unnecessary and can be extremely harmful.
There is a much superior method of cleansing the colonic tract with- out the harmful effects of customary
colonics and enemas. This method will cleanse the entire digestive tract while the colonics and enemas will only
reach the colon or a small part of it. Colonics can be expensive while our salt-water method is not.
DIRECTIONS: Prepare a full quart of lukewarm water and add two level (rounded for the Canadian quart) teaspoons of uniodized sea salt. Do not use ordinary iodized salt as it will not work property.
Drink the entire quart of salt and water first thing in the morning. This must be taken on an empty stomach.
The salt and water will not separate but will stay intact and quickly and thoroughly wash the entire tract in about
one hour. Several eliminations will likely occur. The salt water has the same specific gravity as the blood,
hence the kidneys cannot pick up the water and the blood cannot pick up the salt.
This may be taken as often as needed for proper washing of the entire digestive system.
If the salt water does not work the first time, try adding a little more or a little less salt until the proper balance
is found; or possibly take extra water with or without salt. This often increases the activity.
Remember, it can do no harm at any time. The colon needs a good washing, but do it the natural way -
the salt water way. It is quite advisable to take the herb laxative tea at night to loosen, then the salt water
each morning to wash it out. If for some reason the salt water cannot be taken in the morning, then the herb laxative tea must be taken night and morning.
How to Break the Lemonade Diet
Coming off the lemonade diet properly is highly important - please follow the directions very carefully.
After living in a semi-tropical and tropical climate for many years, I find that people have increasingly turned to
a raw fruit, nut, and vegetable diet. Following is the schedule for people who normally follow such a natural vegetarian diet:
FIRST and SECOND DAY AFTER DIET:
Several 8 oz. glasses of fresh orange juice as desired during the day. The orange juice prepares the digestive system to properly digest and assimilate regular food. Drink it slowly. If there has been any digestive difficulty prior to or during the change over, extra water may be taken with the orange juice.
THIRD DAY:
Orange juice in the morning. Raw fruit for lunch. Fruit or raw vegetable salad at night.
You are now ready to eat normally.
For those who have characteristically lived the unnatural way of meat, milk, refined and devitalized food,
it may be best to change over as follows, gradually adopting the raw fruit, nut, and vegetable diet:
FIRST DAY:
Several 8 oz. glasses of fresh orange juice as desired during the day. Drink it slowly.
SECOND DAY:
Drink several 8,oz. glasses of orange juice during the day - with extra water, if needed. Some time during the afternoon prepare a vegetable soup (no canned soup) as follows:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recipe for Vegetable Soup
Use several kinds of vegetables, perhaps one or two kinds of legumes, potatoes, celery, carrots,
green vegetable tops, onion, etc. Dehydrated vegetables or vegetable soup powders may be added for
extra flavor. Okra or okra powder, chili, curry, cayenne (red) pepper, tomatoes, green peppers, and zucchini
squash may be included to good advantage. Brown rice may be used, but no meat or meat stock.
Other spices may be added (delicately) for flavor. Use salt delicately as a limited amount of salt is necessary.
Learn to enjoy the natural flavor of the vegetables. The less cooking the better. Read the special article on
salt in the September 1977 issue of National Geographic magazine.
Have this soup for the evening meal using the broth mostly, although some of the vegetables may be eaten.
Rye wafers may be eaten sparingly with the soup, but no bread or crackers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD DAY: Drink orange juice in the morning. At noon have some more soup; enough may be made the
night before and put in the refrigerator. For the evening meal eat whatever is desired in the form of vegetables, salads, or fruit. No meat, fish, or eggs; no bread, pastries, tea, coffee, or milk. Milk is highly mucus forming
and tends to develop toxins throughout the body.
(Milk, being a predigested food, has been known to cause various complications in the stomach and colon,
such as cramps and convulsions. The calcium in milk is difficult to assimilate and may cause toxins in the form
of rheumatic fever, arthritis, neuritis, and bursitis. The resulting lack of proper digestion and assimilation of the calcium allows it to go into the blood stream in a free form and it is deposited in the tissues, cells, and joints
where it can cause intense pain and suffering.)
FOURTH DAY:
Normal eating may be resumed, but best health will be retained if the morning meal consists of our type of
lemonade or fruit juice; and, of course, if a strictly fruit, vegetable, seed and berry diet is followed.
If, after eating is resumed, distress or gas occurs, it is suggested that the lemonade diet be continued for
several more days until the system is ready for food.
Recap of the steps to be taken in the diet.
Be careful to read the entire instructions so that the diet will
be of the best benefit to you.
First prepare yourself mentally to follow in detail the entire directions and continue as long as is needed to make
the necessary changes. One of the best signals of the completed diet is when the formerly coated and fuzzy
tongue is clear pink and clean looking. During the diet it becomes very badly coated.
The Night Before starting the diet take the laxative tea.
In the morning take the salt water (or) laxative tea. This should be done each night and morning during the diet - rare exception - if diarrhea develops. When diarrhea is ended then continue above directions.
Now the lemonade formula (see How to Make Lemonade. For diabetic people, see Special Instruction).
Breaking the diet. Be absolutely sure you follow the directions very carefully to prepare your body for normal eating (our way). Do not over eat or eat too soon. Serious problems (nausea) can occur if detailed directions are not followed.
About Lemon
The lemon is a loosening and cleansing agent with many important building factors. The ability of the elements in the lemon and the maple syrup working together creates these desired results.
Its 4911/o potassium strengthens and energizes the heart, stimulates and builds the kidneys and adrenal glands.
Its oxygen builds vitality.
Its carbon acts as a motor stimulant.
Its hydrogen activates the sensory nervous system. Its calcium strengthens and builds the lungs.
Its phosphorus knits the bones, stimulates and builds the brain for clearer thinking.
Its sodium encourages tissue building.
Its magnesium acts as a blood alkalizer.
Its iron builds the red corpuscles to rapidly correct the most common forms of anemia.
Its chlorine cleanses the blood plasmas
Its silicon aids the thyroid for deeper breathing.
The natural iron, copper, calcium, carbon, and hydrogen found in the sweetening supplies more building and cleansing material.
It truly is a perfect combination for cleansing, eliminating, healing, and building. Hence, supplements are not needed during the diet and may actually interfere with its cleansing action.
About Maple Syrup:
The maple syrup is a balanced form of positive and negative sugar and must be used, not some "substitute.
"There are three grades of maple syrup. Grade A is the first run - mild in taste, sweet and with less minerals than the other grades. It is more expensive and less desirable but it may be used. Grade B is the second run with more minerals plus more maple taste. It is more suitable for the diet and is less expensive. Grade C is the third run with even more minerals and still stronger taste of maple and slightly less pleasant for most people, although acceptable in the diet. It is lower in price. As Grade C is less expensive it can be used as an excellent sweetening agent in preparing foods. The strong maple flavor blends very well.
The maple syrup has a large variety of minerals and vitamins. Naturally, the mineral and vitamin content will vary according to the area where the trees grow and the mineral content in the soil. These are the minerals found in average samples of syrup from Vermont: Sodium; Potassium; Calcium; Magnesium; Manganese; Iron; Copper; Phosphorus; Sulphur; Chlorine and Silicon. Vitamin A, Bl, B2, B6, C, Nicotinic acid and Pantothenic acid are also present in the syrup. Information on the need and effect of these properties will be found in the Biochemistry in the back of the book, "Healing for the Age of Enlightenment."
Some uninformed operators of the sugaring of the maple syrup do use formaldehyde pellets, run through polyethylene tubing but there are many more that don't. Search out and demand the kind not using formaldehyde. The Maple River Company in Youngstown, New York does not use it. This is the kind I recommend.
Dozens of letters weekly, from around the world highly praise the many superior benefits of the lemonade diet. Thus, we must conclude that since it does so much for so many it is truly The Master Cleanser. The following is a quote from one of the letters: "I tried the lemonade diet with exceptionally beneficial results. I would like to order at least six at whatever your wholesale price would be - I know I will need many more as I do push the books. I believe they are the best in their field."
What About the Use of Honey?
Honey must not be used at any time internally. It is manufactured from the nectar picked up from the flowers by the bees - good enough in itself, perhaps - then predigested, vomited and stored for their own future use with a preservative added. It is deficient in calcium and has many detrimental effects for the human being.
According to one authority, honey is "a magical and mystical word in Healthfoodland. It is one of the most over promoted, overpriced product being sold to gullible health foodists. The great value attributed to honey is delusive ... honey is only a little less empty and more dangerous than sugar."
Just as with alcohol, honey, being predigested, enters the blood directly, raising the sugar content very rapidly above normal. To correct this, the pancreas must produce insulin immediately or possible death can occur. More insulin than necessary is likely to be produced, and the blood sugar level then drops below normal. This can produce blackout spells and even death if it goes too low. When blood sugar is below normal, a person will feel depressed. The regular use of honey can create constant imbalances, which in turn will adversely affect the normal function of the liver, pancreas and spleen. Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia are the results of the use of unbalanced sugars. The balanced sugar in maple syrup and sugar cane juice causes no dangerous side effects. All natural fruits and vegetables have balanced sugars in them. Artificial, synthetic, and refined sugars have no place in a natural diet.
Should I Take "Supplements"?
Some people want to take vitamin pills or food supplements while on the diet. This frequently fails to produce the desired result. There are many reasons. As the lymphatic glands become clogged, they are no longer able to assimilate and digest even the best of foods. As we cleanse our bodies and free our cells and glands of toxins that clog and paralyze our assimilation, we free our various organs and processes to do their proper jobs. Note Page 20. All the necessary vitamins and minerals are in the lemonade, and therefore we do not need an additional supply in most cases.
Vitamin pills and supplements do not grow on trees as such but rather come to us in fruits, berries, vegetables and plants. Man will never take a group of natural or synthetic foods; process and combine them in a variety of products, and come up with anything equal or better than the original. They have lost much of their basic life and energy by combining them according to a man made concept. Many dangerous side effects can occur because of improper and unequal balances present. Stay with the natural laws of balance. First one must decided if God is right or if man is right. If God is right then man and his ideas of processing -tearing apart and rearranging - are likely to be wrong.
Later, as we consume a more complete variety of foods, we find our sources of vitamins and minerals complete and in forms that are easily assimilated - it should not be necessary to return to these supplements even if one is accustomed to taking them. The sources of good food are steadily being enlarged as people become more educated concerning them. Search these sources and rely on them for your total nutritional needs.
What About the Use of Vitamins
Vitamins and minerals have always been a necessary part of natural living. Not satisfied with God's plan, man has attempted to improve the situation by separating them from fresh live foods, then processing and combining them to conform to his concept of what they should be. Not satisfied with the finished product, attempts were made to produce them synthetically. It was big business - and we became a world of "pill pushers," whether they were needed or not. More often they were not needed. No one really knew if the pills were needed, or how many - people just took them because they might have a deficiency!
Just how these vitamins and minerals should be balanced and formulated led to many differences of opinion. A large variety of experts, in processing and manufacturing of pills, disagree as to how the many billions of pills should be made. They all have different formulas and claim theirs are the best even though much is lost in the processing. However, even without any clear consensus as to their worth and use, they were manufactured and processed; therefore they must be sold with no thought as to possible side effects from overdosing or imbalances. Millions of dollars are made by the producers and the sellers with little regard for the true needs of the consumer.
In reality, the whole process could have been completely avoided. Our Creator has already done a better job of making sure we receive all the needed vitamins and minerals in a perfectly balanced form. Only the finest of natural foods in their original package are good enough for bringing complete energy and life to build and retain a healthy body. Any time man attempts to improve on God's formulas and plans, the result is bound to be a failure.
The simple rules to complete nutrition include all the vitamins and minerals needed by all mankind and all animals. Our Creator has given the right food for the right animal for complete nutrition. This is also true for man. When these foods are properly prepared and eaten, there is nothing more that man can do to prepare a better food.
As we eat the correct foods without excesses, the body will produce ALL the needed vitamins. Foods grown properly, in complete, mineral- rich soil, will have all the minerals in them. Thus, we have no need for vitamin-enriched foods, created synthetically by man, nor for extra minerals.
All refined and devitalized foods must be completely eliminated from our diet. If refined and devitalized foods are eaten, then and only then does man have any need for additional supplements. Just how much and what combination, even with long and complicated tests, will probably never be determined, so this form of unnatural nutrition will always be lacking. Such a plan is a very poor substitute for the right way.
How Do I Get My Protein?
Often the question is asked about the need for amino acids, and animal protein foods. The need is highly exaggerated as only 16% of our body is protein. The answer to the question is very simple. We first need to understand that pure protein is primarily nitrogen, with oxygen, hydrogen and some carbon. We all know we get a large share of our oxygen and hydrogen needs from the air along with some carbon. There is four times the amount of nitrogen in the same air as there is oxygen, hydrogen and carbon combined. Since we are able to utilize and assimilate a large amount of our needs of these elements into our bodies we are able to assimilate and build the nitrogen also into our bodies as protein. This is done by natural bacteria action which is capable of converting it to our use.
From the combination of the best of foods and clean air we are able to create our own amino acids, just as well as the animals do. We never try to feed amino acids to the animals. Thus we are able to eliminate the need for toxic dead animal flesh and have no further need to worry about our constant source of protein. Eat only the best variety of fruits, berries, nuts, vegetables, seeds and sprouted seeds for a further complete source of protein.
People who smoke cannot pick up the nitrogen from the air so easily, but will still get enough from proper food without the use of animal flesh. For your well being, however, elimination of smoking is a must.
Many people believe that eating meat gives them strength. If this is so, then why are the strongest animals in the world vegetarians? Did you ever stop to think that the animals you do eat are vegetarian? Where did they get their strength? All the meat-eating animals find it necessary to sleep 16 to 18 hours daily because of excess toxins. The meat eating animals live a very short life. God has supplied such a bountiful supply of fresh, wholesome food that there is never a need to kill an animal for its more toxic flesh in our modern civilization.
Burroughs, S. (1976). The Master Cleanser (14th ed.) Moana Lane Reno, NV: Burroughs Books.
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