Monday, October 28, 2013

Mon Oct 28th Todays News

The White Australia Policy was initiated by protectionists with support of the ALP. It was eventually ended by the Liberal Party with the opposition of the ALP. Something worth remembering while looking at the extreme act of bastardry of the wharf unions in striking and leaving vulnerable POW returnee soldiers stranded in dire circumstance. After all, the unionists had reason to fear capable, hard working men coming from overseas and looking for work opportunity. One must look at both sides of the story, so I include the wharfist viewpoint. In keeping with ABC policy of showing both sides of the argument, I note the ALP had union welfare and needs at heart and had first abandoned the soldiers overseas before delaying their return. ALP had stranded men in Singapore, failed to mount a rescue when invited to do so, and obstructed investigation of friendly fire. But you won't read about that on Wikipedia where gatekeepers protect the reputation of the elite left wing. Bob Carr revives White Australia issues now he is no longer in government. 
Mike Carlton has funny mannerisms. Kudos to children who copy them. But it is probably irresponsible in an adult. On the issue of irresponsible, Al Gore gave a speech. ABC Insiders selects women on merit? Foreign press are a little confused about global warming, so it is no surprise they have no idea about geography. Apparently, the public are not allowed to know the truth about the footprint of nuclear power versus Wind or Solar power. 
Beating up Jews is undertaken by someone with a southern European name, not an Islamic one? 
Greer is paid millions of dollars for old notes, and I'm struggling to give away encyclopaedia. I'm sure the money could have been put to better use. ABC interviews Milne on Global Warming and fails to correct any of the lies. Fairfax celebrates finding some lefties in the US. It was terrible Palmer was able to buy seats in parliament. But where does the money come from? FitzSimons consults Wikipedia and takes as fact what Hunt was criticised for treating as issues. Religious extremists believe in global warming .. with their religion being the worship of wealth redistribution. But the faith of Forrest is questioned despite its sincerity and effectiveness .. At worst, Forrest's faith is in nothing but good manners. At best .. 
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Hatches
Happy birthday and many happy returns Alan TranBorn on the same day, across the years, as
Matches
Despatches
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TALK LIKE MIKE

Tim Blair – Monday, October 28, 2013 (5:00am)

International Talk Like a Pirate Day is so passé. Today, thanks to a wonderful discovery on the internet, we celebrate International Talk Like Mike Carlton Day.
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AL ALONE

Tim Blair – Monday, October 28, 2013 (4:57am)

Al Gore celebrates his massively popular 24-hour global warmathon:

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(Via CL)
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HATE UNLEASHED

Tim Blair – Monday, October 28, 2013 (4:44am)

The vicious weekend attack on a group of Jewish Australians in Bondi is just the latest outrage committed against Sydney’s Jewish community.
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OUTSIDERS

Tim Blair – Monday, October 28, 2013 (4:43am)

The ABC’s Insiders program selects its female guests on merit.
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A LAND OF SWEEPING FLAMES

Tim Blair – Monday, October 28, 2013 (4:05am)

Australia is a deeply puzzling land, especially to foreign media types. Even our basic geography is sometimes a cause of bewilderment.
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ENEMY WITHIN

Tim Blair – Monday, October 28, 2013 (3:46am)

In October, 1945, following the Japanese surrender, the small British aircraft-carrier HMS Speaker carried some of the surviving Australian soldiers released from Japanese prison camps back to Sydney.
They had had no mail or news from their families for more than three and a half years. Most were in desperate physical straits and it was a medical rule of thumb at the time that their suffering had taken ten years off their life expectancies. Already, all but the strong had perished and many of them said later that in another month they would all have been dead: their ordeal had simply gone on too long.
When Speaker arrived at Sydney, watersiders went on strike for thirty-six hours, preventing them being disembarked. 
Do read on.
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THE EARTH-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE

Tim Blair – Monday, October 28, 2013 (3:34am)

Nuclear vs solar vs wind farms – it’s the infographic that the British government doesn’t want anybody to see.
(Via The Indomitable Snowman, Ph.D.)
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Astonishing. Amira Willighagen sings O Mio Babbino Caro

Andrew Bolt October 28 2013 (6:19pm)


She is just nine years old. Amira Willighagen sings Puccini for the judges of Holland’s Got Talent
(Thanks to reader Scott.) 
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Greer’s cast-offs snapped up for a fortune - by a university, of course

Andrew Bolt October 28 2013 (5:15pm)


Melbourne University is paying $3 million for Germaine Greer’s old notes and letters? Really? It honestly can’t think of a better purpose for such cash? And would Greer truly have not settled for less? 
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Greens leader Christine Milne tells ABC seven global warming porkies.  ABC corrects none

Andrew Bolt October 28 2013 (3:45pm)

Global warming - propaganda, Media

Once again, the ABC gives the platform to a warming alarmist and does not challenge a single false claim on the “science”.
This time the alarmist is Greens leader Christine Milne, venting yesterday on Insiders about global warming, and how the NSW bushfires are evidence of it.
MILNE’S FIRST DECEPTIVE OR MISLEADING CLAIM:
...we know that south-eastern Australia is experiencing a drying trend. 
In fact, that answer is misleading and deceptive for at least five reasons:
First, the correct measure of global warming is global temperature, which has actually been flat for 15 years:


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Second, the “long-term drying trend” in south-east Australia seems no more than a return to rainfall levels of the first half of last century:


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Third, the rainfall levels in NSW, home of these fires, actually show no such drying trend:

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Fourth, and most telling, is that the Climate Council two years ago denied what it now claims - that the alleged drying in south-east Australia is evidence of global warming:

Our capability to project future changes to rainfall patterns, apart from the drying trend in southwest Western Australia, remains uncertain… It is difficult from observations alone to unequivocally identify anything that is distinctly unusual about the post-1950 pattern [of rainfall].
Fifth, ... what added to the fire danger in NSW was not “long-term drying” but three years of good rains, which built up a dangerous fuel load.

MILNE’S SECOND DECEPTIVE OR MISLEADING CLAIM:

We’ve had the hottest year...
That is misleading and deceptive for two reasons.  First, global temperatures have been flat for 15 years, and this is not the hottest year globally on record. Second, the Bureau of Meteorology may argue that last year was the hottest in Australia, but satellite measurements monitored by the UAH disagree.


MILNE’S THIRD DECEPTIVE OR MISLEADING CLAIM:


We’ve had ... the hottest winter...
This is false and misleading on two grounds. In fact, the measure of global warming is global temperatures, and last winter (in the Southern Hemisphere) was not the hottest on record. Nor did Australia have its hottest winter on record.

MILNE’S FOURTH DECEPTIVE OR MISLEADING CLAIM:

... And the scale of the fires.
False or misleading on at least two grounds. First.  these fires were not biggger, earlier of deadlier than other Australian fires. Our biggest known bushfire burned out 5 million hectares in 1851. These NSW fires burned out 60,000.  Second, the intensity of a fire has little link to global temperatures. Top fire experts such as Phil Cheney and David Packham, both former CSIRO bushfire researchers, believe far more relevant factors include fuel loads in the bush and fuel reduction management. Past rains are also highly relevant, adding to the fuel load.


MILNE’S FIFTH DECEPTIVE OR MISLEADING CLAIM:


It’s the intensity and scale of the ... floods and cyclones that is going to be driven by global warming.
Again, false or misleading for at least four reasons.  First, even the IPCC says there is little evidence of global warming making floods worse:

...there continues to be a lack of evidence and thus low confidence regarding the sign of trend in the magnitude and/or frequency of floods on a global scale.
Second, even Tim Flannery’s Climate Commission admitted our recent floods in Queensland in particular were not linked to global warming:

The floods across eastern Australia in 2010 and early 2011 were the consequence of a very strong La Nina event and not the result of climate change.
Third, even the IPCC says there’s little evidence global warming has made cyclones worse or more numerous:

In summary, this assessment does not revise the SREX conclusion of low confidence that any reported long-term (centennial) increases in tropical cyclone activity are robust… In summary, confidence in large scale changes in the intensity of extreme extratropical cyclones since 1900 is low. 
Fourth, Australia has in fact had fewer cyclones, according to the Bureau of Meteorology:

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MILNE’S SIXTH DECEPTIVE OR MISLEADING CLAIM:

Tony Abbott is doing is tearing down the only policy that we’ve got in place which is reducing emissions...
False again. We also have in place a renewable energy target. Unfortunately.

MILNE’S SEVENTH DECEPTIVE OR MISLEADING CLAIM:


We are already seeing lives lost and billions of dollars worth of damage. Look at Cyclone Yasi, look at the floods, now the fires in New South Wales.
False or misleading for many reasons.  Even the Climate Commission said Yasi and the floods it brought were ”not the result of climate change”.  Yasi was not historically big or unusual, and cyclones have actually decreased in our region. The IPCC says it has low confidence in any claims that floods world-wide have got worse because of global warming, and says cyclone numbers in our region have, if anything, fallen.  Likewise, there is nothing about these NSW fires that was unusual - not their size, destruction or timing - and no link with global warming can be credibly made.
So Christine Milne on Insiders made seven claims about global warming that were clearly false, deceptive or deeply misleading.
How many of those claims were challenged or corrected?
None.
Something for the ABC’s Media Watch to criticise tonight, right? 
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Unleashing the Jew-bashers

Andrew Bolt October 28 2013 (9:55am)


Tim Blair:
The vicious weekend attack on a group of Jewish Australians in Bondi is just the latest outrage committed against Sydney’s Jewish community…
A crude loathing of Jews and Israel is also obvious in protests against the Max Brenner chain of chocolate shops, which is Jewish-owned....
Young, supposedly educated student activists seem remarkably prone to opposing Israel, and this opposition can quickly dissolve into conspiracy theories and general dumb hostility. It isn’t a big leap from describing the entire Jewish nation as a “rogue state”, as Tanya Plibersek once put it, to slurring the entire Jewish people.
Those protests are the middle-class, white-collar version of what we saw in Bondi on the weekend.
One of the victims:

Jewish National Fund envoy to Australia Shlomo Ben Haim, told Army Radio: “There was a group of 10 youths. They started yelling ‘dirty Jews’ at us and then they just assaulted us. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. Someone punched me in the face and I just fell to the ground, and then they wouldn’t stop hitting us for 15 to 20 minutes.
A non-sequitur:

‘’It is extremely shocking that an attack like this could happen in Australia let alone in Bondi being such a multicultural area.’’
It is in precisely a multicultural area where you’d expect such tribalism:

In more linguistically diverse suburbs, both foreign-born and Australian-born respondents are less inclined to trust those around them. The negative relationship between trust and ethnic diversity is not unique to Australia. Separate studies looking at the US, Britain, India, Kenya and Pakistan have shown that diversity is associated with lower levels of trust and less investment in shared resources.
I am struck by the failure to publicly identify the alleged attackers in any way - by name, complexion or ethnic group. Don’t police want help to catch the rest?
UPDATE
The Jerusalem Post:
Although some websites jumped to the conclusion, based on inconclusive security camera footage that captured part of the attack, that the assailants – two 16-yearolds and a 23-year-old – were Muslims, an Australian source said that only the adult’s name was released, and it sounded “southern European.”
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Fairfax celebrates! It finds some American who winced at Abbott

Andrew Bolt October 28 2013 (9:33am)


Hold the Fairfax presses! Some American we’ve never heard of thinks Tony Abbott was rude to describe the Rudd and Gillard governments as “wacko” and “wasteful"L

Norman Ornstein, an author and political scientist with the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, said he ‘’winced’’...
I wonder if Fairfax tried to find another American - among the 313 million people in the United States - who thought Abbott was spot on?
But we should care either way? Fairfax is so choked with hatred of Abbott that it’s making itself a joke.
UPDATE
It’s nothing a former US ambassador hasn’t already told Washington, at least about Kevin Rudd:
Rudd … undoubtedly believes that with his intellect, his six years as a diplomat in the 1980s and his five years as shadow foreign minister, he has the background and the ability to direct Australia’s foreign policy. His performance so far, however, demonstrates that he does not have the staff or the experience to do the job properly…
‘’Rudd … has made a number of missteps on foreign policy. Repeatedly, Rudd has made snap announcements without consulting other countries or within the Australian government…
‘There has been persistent criticism from senior civil servants, journalists and parliamentarians that Rudd is a micro-manager obsessed with managing the media cycle rather than engaging in collaborative decision-making… Mistakes that have occurred because of a haphazard, overly secretive decision-making process are likely to continue…
‘’Rudd’s self-serving and inaccurate leaking of details of a phone call between President Bush and him cast further doubt on his foreign policy judgment.
UPDATE
How hard did Fairfax work to find a critic of Abbott’s words? Here’s the one academic it found:

International studies expert Clinton Fernandes told Fairfax Media Mr Abbott’s comments to the Washington Post left behind an image of “coarseness, amateurishness and viciousness”.
Mr Fernandes, an associate professor of international and political studies at the University of New South Wales, said Mr Abbott’s predecessors, including John Howard, “would never have done any of this stuff, ever”.
Familiar name.
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The Perils of Palmer, money and votes

Andrew Bolt October 28 2013 (8:52am)


Hedley Thomas on the interesting finances of “billionaire” Clive Palmer:

BHP Billiton was so worried about the future of its Queensland Nickel refinery when it sold it to Clive Palmer that the mining giant imposed extraordinary conditions that would prevent the businessman stripping it of assets or cash.

However, Mr Palmer overcame the contractual restrictions in the sale agreement to spend tens of millions of dollars of the Townsville refinery’s working capital on golf courses on the Gold Coast, the Hyatt Regency resort at Coolum (now a five-star dinosaur park), a wedding venue, luxury cars and a coal tenement…

Mr Palmer, whose Palmer United Party is likely to hold the balance of power in the Senate after July 1, has argued that the investments made by Queensland Nickel are part of a strategy to diversify the business. But large cash sums have been channelled from the refinery’s coffers to interests including the Club of Madrid, a think tank in Spain that rewarded Mr Palmer by giving him the new title “joint secretary-general, World Leadership Alliance”.

The spending spree with Queensland Nickel funds has now ceased as Mr Palmer’s refinery, which has exhausted most of its cash reserves, has been unprofitable with a low nickel price, while senior sources claim production capacity has been hit by the loss of key staff, operational decisions and cuts to maintenance.
Meanwhile:
SEVERAL hundred ballots have been found mistakenly placed in the informal pile during the extremely tight recount of the West Australian Senate vote, which will determine whether mining magnate Clive Palmer’s party wins a third upper house seat and bolsters his voting bloc…
(T)he outcome hinges on a crucial choke point where the Australian Christians candidate was knocked out during the initial count after finishing 14 points behind the Shooters and Fishers Party candidate.

That initially delivered wins to the Palmer United Party’s Zhenya Wang and Labor’s Louise Pratt, and ousted Greens senator Scott Ludlam…

If the Australian Christians finish ahead of the Shooters and Fishers party this time, Senator Ludlam and (Australian Sports Party candidate Wayne) Dropulich will receive the flow of preferences and secure the last two WA Senate positions.
(Thanks to reader Peter of Bellevue Hill.) 
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Warmist FitzSimons should check his own paper, not Wikipedia

Andrew Bolt October 28 2013 (8:15am)


Sydney Morning Herald columnist Peter FitzSimons, October 2013:
The debate has moved on a little since then, with denialists furiously saying these kinds of bushfires are QUITE NORMAL for October…
Me? I thought this was effectively blown out of the water by Fairfax writer Tony Wright, who looked a little deeper at Wikipedia and established that: ‘’According to Wikipedia ... they’re the first major conflagrations over more than a century that have occurred as early as October. With the exception of a couple in November, all the rest – and there are about 40 of them – have been in December, January, February, March, and once, in April.’’
A Sydney Morning Herald writer should surely not be this ignorant about what the Sydney Morning Herald has written about previous October fires.

Sydney Morning Herald
, October 1928:

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Sydney Morning Herald
, October 1948:

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Sydney Morning Herald
, October 1951:
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Peter FitzSimons writes history books. True.
UPDATE
Reader idbkiwi in New Zealand is puzzled by FitzSimons’ research:
Clearly then, according Mr FitzSimons, these things as reported to us across the ditch never happened:
SERIOUS FIRES IN NEW SOUTH WALES
Sydney, 17th October 1890

Tremendous bush fires are raging at Lismore, an agricultural district situated on the north arm of the Richmond River, about 530 miles north of Sydney. Vast tracts of territory has been devastated, and the township of Clunes is in danger. The inhabitants of the last-mentioned place are out fighting the flames.

SERIOUS BUSH FIRES
SYDNEY, 16th October. 1923

As a result of the drought serious bush fires are raging in the Upper Richmond district of New South Wales, menacing large areas of timber and grass


TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION CUT OFF.
14th October 1926

SYDNEY, This Day. Huge bush fires are reported in the northern part of the State. The whole country from the Queensland border to Tabulam,, across the Tooloo Range, is ablaze. Unconfirmed reports state that some houses were burnt. All telegraphic communication is cut off. There has been little rain for months, and the country is exceedingly dry.


DAMAGE IN NEW SOUTH WALES
SYDNEY, 15th October. 1926

Bush fires are still racing on the north coast, and, fanned by a gale, are travelling at a remarkable rate. Thousands of acres of valuable forest, country have been devastated, many homesteads destroyed, and much fine dairying country swept.

BLACK SUNDAY
A WILD STORM ENORMOUS DAMAGE IN N.S.W.
SYDNEY, 17th October. 1928

This year summer heat has descended upon New South Wales unusually early. Already there have been several trying days, but the worst of these was last Sunday, when a high temperature of 95 degrees was accompanied by a cyclonic gale, which left behind it a trail of enormous damage.

BUSH FIRES IN N.S.W.
SYDNEY, October 15, 1944

Bush fires in New South Wales have destroyed thousands of acres of timber and pasture country. Prolonged drought conditions have caused the fires to spread rapidly. Already this month Sydney has had three days on which the temperature reached more than 90 degrees. High humidity has made conditions uncomfortable.
UPDATE
Reader Aard Knox says fires have hit NSW even earlier:

Thousands of old reports here on fires around Sydney in September. It’s important to remember that these earlier fires would been potentially more disastrous if fuel levels on the ground had been as high as they are today.
I’m amazed that, with a world-class resource like Trove, some journalists continue to demonstrate an abysmal ignorance of history.
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Bob Carr talks big now he’s out

Andrew Bolt October 28 2013 (8:09am)


But he didn’t, did he?

Former foreign minister Bob Carr revealed yesterday he canvassed the option of prohibiting Australians who had fought in [Syria’s civil war] from coming home, arguing the threat of exile would be a powerful deterrent to extremists.
Nor did Labor restrict the kind of immigration that leaves us exposed to such threats. 
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Only a religious extremist could think a tax stops bushfires

Andrew Bolt October 28 2013 (8:04am)


Henry Ergas:
LIKE the theologians Voltaire skewered for attributing the great Lisbon earthquake of 1755 to licentiousness and vice, the green lobby has seized on the NSW bushfires as a sign that the carbon tax must be retained… To believe Australia’s unilateral carbon tax reduces the likelihood of global warming, and hence could cost-effectively avert an increase in bushfires, is on a par with faith in the tooth fairy.
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Forrest’s faith - and his mysterious keys to heaven

Andrew Bolt October 28 2013 (7:54am)


Very little has been said before about the faith that drives mining billionaire Andrew Forrest:

Forrest publicly pledged this year to give away most of his fortune - recently estimated by Forbes magazine at $5.7 billion - to charity. It’s a promise that could make him Australia’s greatest philanthropist.
He revealed the biggest inspiration for his giving: the Bible. Forrest’s devout Christianity is unusual for a prominent Australian entrepreneur, perhaps especially so for one who thrives on risk and adopts a win-at-all-costs approach to business. But none of Forrest’s friends doubts his piety. They have experienced enough Forrest- led prayer sessions, or caught him sneaking a quick read of his Bible during enough hectic overseas business trips, to understand that belief in God appears to guide his every waking hour.
Admirable, but his way of finding God seems disturbingly trivial:
Forrest “found” God as a nine-year-old boy in the sandhills near Minderoo, the family property. He grew up in a family of Anglicans, but the Forrests were not overtly religious. Late one afternoon, Andrew was riding his motorbike miles from the homestead when he decided to throw the key to the machine away in the dunes to see if he could find it again. He related the anecdote last year: “One of the reasons I became a Christian and am still a Christian now is because after about three or four hours of fruitless search among the spinifex and the hot sand for this key which I was probably never going to find, I tried everything, every physical thing to find the key. And eventually, when I had given up all hope ... I prayed. And when I came up from praying, there was the key between a little petrol overflow hose and the carburettor on the motorbike.
“Now there’s not a snowflake’s chance in hell that I threw it there; I threw it over my shoulder. So I just thought, ‘OK, that’s cool, we’re showing off a little here, God. That’s a very obvious sign, I won’t ever test you again’ - and I haven’t.”  
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More you won’t hear on Media Watch

Andrew Bolt October 28 2013 (7:36am)


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Electricity Bill won’t win an election

Andrew Bolt October 28 2013 (7:32am)


TO celebrate his 50 days since winning the election, Tony Abbott made a special meal - of “Electricity Bill” Shorten.
What the Prime Minister did last weekend to the Opposition Leader in just one sentence should terrify Labor. He put a label on Shorten that will stick like Tarzan’s Grip, reminding voters Shorten is keeping power bills too high by stopping Abbott in the Senate from scrapping the carbon tax.
“That’s what people will be thinking every time their power bill comes in until the carbon tax goes - that’s Electricity Bill who’s responsible,” Abbott said.
Labor’s fantasy then shattered.
(Read full article here.) 
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Sell SBS and make porn lovers pay for it themselves

Andrew Bolt October 28 2013 (7:21am)


SBS was created for people just like my dad, and now sucks up more than $200 million a year of taxpayers’ money.
It says it’s there to “ensure that all Australians, including the estimated three million Australians who speak a language other than English in their homes, are able to share in the experiences of others, and participate in public life”.
But public life or pubic life?
(Read full article here.
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Timothy Ly Martial Arts Showreel 2013 from Timothy Ly on Vimeo.
Timothy Ly
Alrighty! Four years ago I stopped training and filming Martial Arts thinking that I was done and dusted with what I learn't until opportunities came this year knocking at my door. Taking a bold decision, I decided to put 3 months of intense
training in getting back into shape and dusting off some of the old Kung Fu skills and also picking up some new ones. Here's a little something i've been working on to say a little hello to the world again #preparingfortv #maximumchoppage#iknowkungfu #lifting #MMA
Awesome .. but I'm a little puzzled as to why those trees are still upright at the end. Who did the music? It works. Good quote too. - ed
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And you will never know the value of a forgotten thing - ed
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Easy .. the safety switch to the house gun .. Blade Runner?
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Terrorists from the Gaza Strip have fired over 20 rockets into #Israel since the beginning of 2013. Still today, Israel's civilians are constantly under the threat of terror attacks.
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John Wayne: Playboy Interview – May 1971

http://independentfilmnewsandmedia.com/john-wayne-playboy-interview-may-1971/

“Well, the liberals seem to be quite willing to have Communists teach their kids in school. The Communists realized that they couldn’t start a workers’ revolution in the United States, since the workers were too affluent and too progressive. So the Commies decided on the next-best thing, and that’s to start on the schools, start on the kids. And they’ve managed to do it. They’re already in colleges; now they’re getting into high schools. I wouldn’t mind if they taught my children the basic philosophy of communism, in theory and how it works in actuality. But I don’t want somebody like Angela Davis inculcating an enemy doctrine in my kids’ minds.” ~ John Wayne
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While it may sound like something taken straight from the books of fiction, the Sandbox Tree (Hura. Crepitans) is all too real for the scores of Central and South American farmers who've had their cattle injured by these explosive plants. Upon ripening, the fruit of the Sandbox tree will explode like a botanical hand-grenade carrying seeds up to 40m at 240kph, easily penetrating any animal or poorly placed window.

Read more: http://www.unbelievable-facts.com/2013/10/theres-tree-covered-in-spikes-whose.html#ixzz2j0bhuzmO

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Monday: A wife says she’s torn over whether she should take back her husband, who she claims is abusive. 

“I see red and lose myself,” he says.

And, tune-in for a very important announcement from Robin McGraw!
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Emma Watson
"I like books that aren't just lovely but that have memories in themselves. Just like playing a song, picking up a book again that has memories can take you back to another place or another time."
Exactly why I love Watership Down .. or Delderfield .. or Redeeming Love .. ed
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http://www.shockmansion.com/2013/10/16/video-three-guys-motorboating-girls-for-breast-cancer-awareness-everybody-wins/#.UmPCuOc29Ws.facebook
Science must be repeatable! - anon
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Probably one of the best #Halloween costumes I have ever seen!
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Craig Kelly
ANOTHER VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN THE ECONOMY

Great to see the re-decorated Bona Fides café in Macquarie Mall Liverpool doing well.

If you’re in Liverpool, call by – they do a great coffee.
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One  for this IDF soldier! 
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Why is this a meme? - ed
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How to scare a Doctor Who fan.......
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Larry Pickering
NO CHIPPS OFF THE OLD BLOCK LEFT

The late Don Chipp once gave me some advice, he said: “Larry, no-one learns anything while they are talking.” Since then I have listened to everyone... except Al Gore that is.

I always listen very carefully to Tanya Plibersek... before dismissing what she says as camel crap. But we’d better get used to hearing from (if not listening to) our Lady Tanya.

This ambitious, self-promoted Deputy Opposition leader’s only qualification as Shadow Foreign Minister is that she made my tobacco packet brown and doubled its price. Oh, and she visited Turkey once.

As deputy, Tanya had the choice of shadow portfolio and what better choice could there be than the much rorted Foreign Affairs gig. Just ask Bob Carr, it was first class all the way!

Of course the recently-elected Bob has shot through now he is in Opposition and his favourite gig has gone to the far Left. The unelected mob is now positioning for the Senate vacancy.

The first thing the Julia-cloned Plibersek needs to do is buy an atlas and find out where everything is.

She lines up behind her Palestinian-promoting Green mate, Comrade Lee Rhiannon, who demands the destruction of Israel among a bucket list of other odious Communist policy “initiatives”.

But Tanya will keep her nose clean and her powder dry while waiting for her leader Bill Shorten to falter before she swoops on the top job. She has demonstrated treachery equal only to Kevin Rudd’s when jockeying for position.

Labor has learnt nothing from its six years of bumbling ineptitude and Shorten and Plibersek, in an unholy alliance, are set to continue the trend with the full support of a smarting Fairfax and ABC who believe Abbott is illegitimate.

Bill Shorten is an accident waiting to happen and Plibersek is waiting. Shorten has more skeletons in his cupboard than did Pol Pot, he can never be trusted, he is the Don of the mob and mobsters always meet a nasty end.

What he did to whistleblowers Bob Kernohan and Kathy Jackson would make the Cosa Nostra proud.

Plibersek is determined to avenge Bill’s killing of Australia’s first female prime minister. To her it’s a morally symbolic must and not borne of a love for Gillard, or anyone else for that matter.

Shorten will get whacked, it’s just a matter of time. There is much more blood to be spilled and this crime family will readily rat on each other when facing jail time.

A block of formerly occupied Labor cells awaits Williamson, Obeid, Ludwig, Wilson and a raft of others.

Labor unions and crime families go hand in hand and chief unionist Bill Shorten’s teflon is wearing thin... Plibersek sees herself in the void.

Don Chipp may be dead but the dishonest bastards live on.

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Emoticats!
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I don't see the need for the bread, except as a visual frame .. ed===

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Sarah Palin
Goosebumps! God, thank you for America! And thank you for giving talent like this to a gracious man who can express our pride in the USA!

http://is.gd/6waoD6
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G'day again,

Just couldn't resist marking this monumental moment of political retirement with a goodbye cartoon for 
Bob Carr. As critical as I have been throughout the years of his reign, particularly as Premier of NSW, I will concede that he did contribute to the country and acknowledge I that now that he has left the Parliament, the IQ of the entire Federal Labor Party has just halved.

Godspeed
Zeg

Freelance Editorial Cartoonist/Caricaturist
041429765

www.facebook.com/zegtoons

Carr is an anti semitic low life, not a good man .. not a smart man .. but probably merely corrupt - ed
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Rip off, tribute, whatever - ed
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Husband of Laurie Anderson. How did he live so long? - ed
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Madu Odiokwu Pastorvin
You must have had that the wealthiest places on earth are not the oil fields of the Middle East nor the diamond mines of South Africa. The wealthiest places are the cemeteries. Buried in the ground are businesses that were never formed, songs that were never sung, books that were never written, potential that was never realized,hopes that were not achieved and dreams that never came to pass.Scripture says, "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him.”
(Matthew 12:35, NIV)

Saints, don’t let that be you. Don’t go to your grave with your treasure still in you. Keep growing. Keep learning. Step out in faith and trust God. Bring forth the good treasure that God has placed within you. If you don’t know where to start, start by meditating on His Word. Let Him speak to your heart. Learn to hear His voice. Learn to obey quickly. Trust that He is good and will lead you in the path He has prepared for you.God bless you.
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DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW HIM?
Crimes are on the increase.Every two or three months there is a new disease or epidemic to be afraid of. It is so bad that it makes you believe that we are living in a world that has forgotten God. The problem today is not that people have forgotten Christ. No, the problem is that they never really knew him. Once you’ve met Christ, you can’t forget him. He has a magnetic personality. He will leave a lasting impression in your mind. He affects your life in such a way that you find yourself worshipping him whenever there is an opportunity. 

Those who know Christ want to be around other people who know Christ. I believe you don’t have to beg people who know God, to come to Sunday school. You don’t have to beg people who know Christ to support Wednesday night Bible study. When you know Jesus you want to talk about Jesus. You want to share with other believers how Jesus has affected your life. You ought to be at Sunday school saying, “Guess what he did for me this week.” Instead of immersing themselves in the work of the Lord, they go back to the bottle. Instead of doing God’s work they go back the other women. Or the arms of someone else’s husband. Or to the casinos. Or to just sitting at home feeling sorry for themselves on Sunday morning. They run back to things they did before they knew Christ.
Remember we are not talking about men that had forgotten Christ. They knew him. Spent time with him. Ate meals with him. Even laid their heads on his chest. But sometime even those who know Christ back slide. Even those of us who have shared intimate moments with Jesus find ourselves down in the dumps. We know he’s alive. We’ve seen him work miracles in our own lives. But still we may find ourselves heading back to from whence we came. Even the Apostle Paul said when he tries do good, evil is all around him. It is not always outside evil trying to get us. Sometimes it stuff in our past trying seep back into our lives. Let there be a change in you.Worship Him in truth and in Spirit.God bless you.
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Father,I thank You for the good treasures You’ve deposited in me. I will be faithful to develop what You’ve entrusted to me. Help me, by Your Spirit, to stay close to You and follow Your leading every step of the way in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Pastor Rick Warren
I don't have to know all the answers. I just have to know that God knows, that he's good and that he loves me.
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Hmm, too old to be the Doctor, so now we choose an older guy .. is this a workplace insult or praise for the Time Lords? - ed===

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Or Meidan
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I corrected Merkel's support statement for Jewish peoples for a reason. This is wrong. HRC is a bigoted body. - ed
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While the UN & Middle East Arab States condemn Israel for anything and everything possible, Israel gets on with it by treating wounded Syrians. 
#IsraelSyria #Syria #CivilWar #Humanitarianism#Absurd #Hypocrits
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#TomJones performs in Israel despite BDS bullying.
#BDS #BDSFail
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Kol Achai Sings Naomi Shemer on Jerusalem!
Love these guys, what beautiful voices!
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Enjoy seeing the center of the earth and of humanity!
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27
OCTOBER
2013

New York Times Gives Column to Anti-Israel Conspiracy Theorist

NYTimes Magnifying Glass

Egyptian writer Alaa Al Aswany believes in anti-Israel conspiracy theories and is opposed to the normalization of Egyptian-Israeli relations. So why is the NYTimes giving him a platform? Read more...

Slideshow: The Demonization of Israel

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“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”Hebrews 4:12 NIV
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Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

Morning

"It is a faithful saying."
2 Timothy 2:11
Paul has four of these "faithful sayings." The first occurs in 1 Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." The next is in 1 Timothy 4:6, "Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation." The third is in 2 Timothy 2:12, "It is a faithful saying--If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him"; and the fourth is in Titus 3:3, "This is a faithful saying, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works." We may trace a connection between these faithful sayings. The first one lays the foundation of our eternal salvation in the free grace of God, as shown to us in the mission of the great Redeemer. The next affirms the double blessedness which we obtain through this salvation--the blessings of the upper and nether springs--of time and of eternity. The third shows one of the duties to which the chosen people are called; we are ordained to suffer for Christ with the promise that "if we suffer, we shall also reign with him." The last sets forth the active form of Christian service, bidding us diligently to maintain good works. Thus we have the root of salvation in free grace; next, the privileges of that salvation in the life which now is, and in that which is to come; and we have also the two great branches of suffering with Christ and serving with Christ, loaded with the fruits of the Spirit. Treasure up these faithful sayings. Let them be the guides of our life, our comfort, and our instruction. The apostle of the Gentiles proved them to be faithful, they are faithful still, not one word shall fall to the ground; they are worthy of all acceptation, let us accept them now, and prove their faithfulness. Let these four faithful sayings be written on the four corners of my house.

Evening

"We are all as an unclean thing."
Isaiah 64:6
The believer is a new creature, he belongs to a holy generation and a peculiar people--the Spirit of God is in him, and in all respects he is far removed from the natural man; but for all that the Christian is a sinner still. He is so from the imperfection of his nature, and will continue so to the end of his earthly life. The black fingers of sin leave smuts upon our fairest robes. Sin mars our repentance, ere the great Potter has finished it, upon the wheel. Selfishness defiles our tears, and unbelief tampers with our faith. The best thing we ever did apart from the merit of Jesus only swelled the number of our sins; for when we have been most pure in our own sight, yet, like the heavens, we are not pure in God's sight; and as he charged his angels with folly, much more must he charge us with it, even in our most angelic frames of mind. The song which thrills to heaven, and seeks to emulate seraphic strains, hath human discords in it. The prayer which moves the arm of God is still a bruised and battered prayer, and only moves that arm because the sinless One, the great Mediator, has stepped in to take away the sin of our supplication. The most golden faith or the purest degree of sanctification to which a Christian ever attained on earth, has still so much alloy in it as to be only worthy of the flames, in itself considered. Every night we look in the glass we see a sinner, and had need confess, "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." Oh, how precious the blood of Christ to such hearts as ours! How priceless a gift is his perfect righteousness! And how bright the hope of perfect holiness hereafter! Even now, though sin dwells in us, its power is broken. It has no dominion; it is a broken-backed snake; we are in bitter conflict with it, but it is with a vanquished foe that we have to deal. Yet a little while and we shall enter victoriously into the city where nothing defileth.
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Today's reading: Jeremiah 12-14, 2 Timothy 1 (NIV)

View today's reading on Bible Gateway

Today's Old Testament reading: Jeremiah 12-14

Jeremiah's Complaint
1 You are always righteous, LORD,
when I bring a case before you.
Yet I would speak with you about your justice:
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why do all the faithless live at ease?
2 You have planted them, and they have taken root;
they grow and bear fruit.
You are always on their lips
but far from their hearts.
3 Yet you know me, LORD;
you see me and test my thoughts about you.
Drag them off like sheep to be butchered!
Set them apart for the day of slaughter!
4 How long will the land lie parched
and the grass in every field be withered?
Because those who live in it are wicked,
the animals and birds have perished.
Moreover, the people are saying,
"He will not see what happens to us."
God's Answer
5 "If you have raced with men on foot
and they have worn you out,
how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble in safe country,
how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?
6 Your relatives, members of your own family-
even they have betrayed you;
they have raised a loud cry against you.
Do not trust them,
though they speak well of you....

Today's New Testament reading: 2 Timothy 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thanksgiving
3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God....
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Naphtali, Nephthalim

[Năph'talī, Nĕph'tha lĭm] - obtained by wrestlingThe sixth son of Jacob and second by Bilhah, Rachel's maid. Rachel gave her son his name because she had wrestled in prayer for God's favor and blessing (Gen. 30:8; 35:25). The tribe that descended from Naphtali bears his name (Num. 1:15, 42).

The Man Who Lacked Self-Control

In the last words of Jacob ( Gen. 49:21), the patriarch speaks of Naphtali as "a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words" - a fluent orator but as erratic as the wild gazelle. Henry Thorne wrote of him,
He is gifted undoubtedly, but he has no self-control. He will scamper through life aimlessly and without a goal. His uncontrolled energy may some day be his ruin. He may possibly leap over a fence, but he may also jump into a ditch. Byron was gifted, but of him it has been said -
He laid his hand upon the ocean's main,
And played familiar with his hoary locks.
He was a man of brilliant talent and magnificent capacity, but he was also "a hind let loose." There was a wild extravagance in his career of wrong-doing that marred his influence and spoiled his life.
Nothing but divine grace can restrain those who are erratic. He who rebuked the rude tempest with a word (Job 38:11; Mark 4:39) and produced a great calm, can rebuke the turbulent and the reckless in any nature, and cause the energy that is wasted by folly to flow into channels of usefulness. God can make the rebel a priest and a king.
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October 27, 2011
Never Lost
Today's Truth
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands... (Isaiah 49:16a)
Friend to Friend
A few years ago our family got a bouncy little puppy named Roman. One of the first things we did when Roman became a Smith was head to the pet store for doggie supplies. In addition to purchasing chew toys, a collar, and food, we ordered Roman a nameplate to go on his collar in case he ever gets lost. The cashier sold us two tokens for the tag, and sent us to the other side of the store to the engraving machine.
The kids and I approached the engraving machine with giddy hearts. After we slid the two metal tokens into the coin slot, we looked at our ID options and settled on the blue bone for Roman's collar. Then the engraving machine prompted us to enter Roman's puppy information. Once we were satisfied that all the information was accurate, I gave the command for the computer to begin the engraving.
The machine engraved just one letter at a time. With each stroke of the machine's needle, Roman's name began to appear, along with our address and phone number. When the engraving was finished, we immediately put the tag onto Roman's collar. The blue bone boasts that Roman belongs to the Smith family.
For us, in this world, we have to put our names on things so we don't lose them. We put our names on our luggage, on our pet collars, on our backpacks, and in our Bibles. I even have a "page" button on my cordless phone so it can beep when I lose the phone in my house. I've also been known to lose my keys, my driver's license, my cell phone and my purse. (Scary!) Thankfully, God doesn't have the same problem with losing things. He doesn't need to put His name on anything. What's His is His forever.
If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, take comfort in the fact that you can never be lost and that you are never out of God's sight. There might be times when you feel invisible - times when you feel lost - times when you stubbornly choose your ways over His - or times when you feel alone, but the Bible tells us that your name is engraved on the palms of God's hands, and that nothing can separate you from God's love or snatch you from His hand. Nothing.
"I'm absolutely convinced that nothing-nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable-absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us." Romans 8:38-39, MSG
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand." John 10:27-29, ESV
"All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me]."John 6:37, AMP
God knows your name. He knows where you live. He's got your number. You're never lost. Praise Him!
Let's Pray
Heavenly Father, Thank you for engraving my name on the palms of your hands. Please help me to remember the way home when I get lost, distracted or confused. "Because Your love is better than life, and my lips will glorify you!" (Psalm 63:3, NIV)
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
Now It's Your Turn
Read Romans chapter 8 today.
How does it make you feel to know that nothing can separate you from God's love? Let's talk about it on my Facebook wall:www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic.
How committed is your love for Him? Do your daily choices line up with His standard? Take a moment to ask God to search your heart and reveal how your ways could line up better with His standard.
More from the Girlfriends
As a mother, I know what it is to love a child, but as much as I can love my kids - the love I have is stained with imperfections. God loves perfectly...no matter what. Be sure to relish that thought today - and spend a few moments to direct the attention of your heart to His in worship!
GOT BEAUTY? God delights to transform lives...including your own. In her book, Broken Into Beautiful, Gwen Smith invites you to experience how the unconditional love of Jesus can change your life and then stand back and watch the wonder of grace at work. He is willing to eternally forgive and forget and to transform your life into something beautiful. To order the book, go to Amazon or, for a signed copy, visit Gwen's website: www.gwensmith.net.
NEED SOME SOUL REST? Check out Gwen's new CD,Uncluttered. Now available on iTunes! The songs ofUncluttered are purposed to sweep you away from life-noise and to focus your heart and mind on the one thing that matters: your relationship with Jesus Christ.
Seeking God?
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how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Girlfriends in God
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Matthews, NC 28106
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P31Header
Lysa TerKeurst
October 27, 2011
You Don't Like Me
Lysa TerKeurst
"Do not be anxious about anything..." Philippians 4:6(ESV)
"You are not liked."
"Who are you to think you could do that?"
"Why did you say that? Everyone thinks you're annoying."
"Your kids just illustrated every inadequacy you have as a mom."
"You are invisible."
Have you ever been taunted by these thoughts? I have. Why do we let such destructive words fall hard on our souls? Toxic thoughts are so dangerous because they leave no room for truth to flourish. And in the absence of truth, lies reign.
The other day I was discussing something with my husband and I said, "I know you think I'm being annoying and overly protective about this but..."
He stopped me and said, "How do you know that's what I'm thinking? Please don't hold me liable for saying things that are really only thoughts in your mind."
Wow. He's so right. He hadn't said those things. I was assuming he was thinking them and operating as if those toxic thoughts were reality.
I think we girls do this way too often. People aren't thinking about us and assessing us nearly as much as we think they are.
As Christian women we should hold our thoughts to a higher standard. How dare these run away thoughts be allowed to simply parade about as if they are true and manipulate us into feeling insecure, inadequate, and misunderstood! Oh how much trouble we invite into our lives based on assumptions. We are instructed:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me - practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. ( Philippians 4:6-9 NIV 1984)
This is probably a verse you've read before. But, have you thought of applying it to your every thought...especially the toxic ones?
We are to think on, ponder and park our minds on constructive thoughts-not destructive thoughts. Thoughts that build up not tear down. Thoughts that breathe life not drain the life from us. Thoughts that lead to goodness not anxiety.
So, here are three questions we'd do well to ask ourselves when thoughts are dragging us down.
1. Did someone actually say this or am I assuming they are thinking it?
If they actually said it, deal with it then. If I'm assuming it, that's unfair to them and unnecessarily damaging to me. Instead of staying anxious, I need to seek truth by seeking God and asking Him for peace.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
2. Have I been actively engaging with truth lately?
The more we read God's truths and let truth fill our mind, the less time we'll spend contemplating untruths.
Thinking run-away, worrisome thoughts invites anxiety. Thinking thoughts of truth wraps my mind in peace and helps me rise above my circumstances.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
3. Are certain situations or friendships feeding my insecurities?
If so, maybe I need to take a break from these for a season.
I need to seek friendships that are characterized by truth, honor, and love.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Good gracious I know this is tough stuff. I know these issues can be more complicated than three simple questions. But it's a good place to start holding our thoughts accountable.
After all, how a woman thinks is often how she lives.
I think we need to read that one again, don't you? How a woman thinks is often how she lives. May we think upon and live out truth-and only truth today.
Dear Lord, reveal to me untruths throughout my day that can so easily distract and discourage me. Help me see You and Your truth in all I do. You have taught that only Your truth will set me free. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Give your friends an amazing gift today. It's free. It's life changing. It will strengthen her heart and make your friendship feel safe. To read more about this gift, visitLysa's blog today by clicking here.
Lysa will be speaking in more than 40 cities this year.Click here to see her schedule. She would be honored to meet you.
If you enjoy Lysa's devotions, be sure to sign up for notes of encouragement she sends out from her blog byclicking here. They are free and great for passing along to friends.
When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, your purchase supports many areas of ministry we provide at no cost. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us!
Application Steps:
We've got to hold our thoughts to a higher standard. Oh how much trouble we invite into our lives based on assumptions. Look up powerful verses on truth in the Bible. Seek wisdom and peace in the words of truth Jesus spoke.
Reflections:
The more I read God's truths and let truth fill my mind, the less time I'll spend contemplating untruths.
Power Verses:
Ephesians 4:15, "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." (NIV 1984)
John 8:32, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (NIV 1984)
© 2011 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org
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Help Noah gather and feed animals, collect wood, and build the Ark before the flood arrives!
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There's even a bonus daily trivia question to test your knowledge about the story of Noah.


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Visit Girlfriend's In GodVisit GwenSmith.netVisit Gwen on Facebook
celebration sale
Buy Uncluttered and Get Gwen's Previous CD for 1.99

I am all about celebrating the small milestones of life, and since my facebook page is dancing with 25,000 amazing friends, it seems only fitting to throw down a celebration sale! (Woot!). For ONE WEEK ONLY, we are going to invite you to celebrate with us as we offer a 50% off celebration sale!
gwen
And because I'm a girl who LOVES a great sale, I'm going to go one step further and let you save even MORE!
Get a "BARGAIN BAG BONUS" for only $40*!!!!!
Get all six of my CDs (Uncluttered, Unsearchable, Through All Generations, Because, Show Me the Way and Let it Rain) and my book "Broken Into Beautiful" for $40*
Place your order today, CLICK HERE to visit my store. Feel free to share this sale with some friends or to add it to your Facebook page as you join me in celebrating a ministry milestone!

Thanks for doing life with me!
Blessings and Grace,
Gwen Smith
gwen
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always." Psalm 105:4
* All orders will be charged shipping and handling, please allow 7-10 business days to receive your order


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Is There Evidence That Psalm 22 Foretells the Crucifixion of the Messiah?

Today's reading: Psalm 22:1-31
The phrases of Psalm 22 have long been thought to be prophetic of Jesus' crucifixion. Even Jesus' recitation of verse 1 while on the cross (see Matthew 27:46Mark 15:34) would have reminded people standing nearby of this psalm. They would have recalled phrases such as "they pierce my hands and my feet" (Psalm 22:16), "people stare and gloat over me" (Psalm 22:17), and "they ... cast lots for my garment" (Psalm 22:18).
Some people have tried to cast doubt on the Messianic nature of this psalm and the gospel accounts by attacking the crucifixion story. For instance, an article in the Harvard Theological Review concluded many years ago that there was "astonishing little evidence that the feet of a crucified person were ever pierced by nails." Instead, the article said, the victim's hands and feet were tied to the cross by ropes.
But archaeology has now established that the use of nails was historical, although there may have been times that ropes were indeed used. In 1968 archaeologists in Jerusalem found the remains of about three dozen Jews who had died during the uprising against Rome around A.D. 70. One victim, whose name was apparently Yohanan, had been crucified. And sure enough, they found a seven-inch nail still driven into his feet, with small pieces of olive wood from the cross still attached. This was excellent archaeological confirmation of a key detail in the Gospels' description of the crucifixion.
A few critics have charged that the word "pierce" in Psalm 22:16 is an incorrect translation that Christians later imposed to make it look like the verse foreshadows the crucifixion. The proper rendering of the Hebrew, they claim, should be, "Like a lion, they are at my hands and feet."
Dr. Michael Brown, whose doctorate is in Near Eastern languages and literatures, disputes that claim. "The oldest Jewish translation-the Septuagint-translates it as 'they pierced,' " he said. "The oldest Hebrew copy of the Psalms we possess, dating back to the century before Jesus, uses the Hebrew word ka'aru, which comes from the root meaning 'to bore through'-not ka'ari, which means 'like a lion.'
"But let's assume the correct translation is, 'Like a lion at my hands and feet.' What is the lion doing with the victim's hands and feet-licking them? The renowned Jewish commentator Rashi says it means 'as though they are crushed in a lion's mouth.' So the imagery is clear: The metaphorical lions are tearing and ripping at the sufferer's hands and feet. This mauling and biting graphically portrays great physical agony. It's entirely consistent with what occurs in a crucifixion. So either translation could be said to foreshadow the suffering of the Messiah.
"The bottom line is there's no Christian tampering with the text, just honest efforts to accurately translate the Hebrew, where only one character determines the difference between ka'aru, or 'pierced,' and ka'ari, or 'like a lion.'"

Adapted from interview with Dr. Alexander Metherell and Dr. Michael L. Brown.
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Today's reading is from theThe Case for Christ Study Bible
by Zondervan


Investigate the Bible's most compelling claims: the existence of a compassionate God and the promise of eternal life through His Son, Jesus.


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TV Dinner or Pot Pie?

This week's reading: Psalm 96:1-13
When was the last time you ate a frozen TV dinner? If you're old enough, you may remember those early meals that were sold in an aluminum tray and marketed by the Swanson® company in the mid-1950s. If you've had one lately, you're probably well aware that this idea has been adapted for the microwave. Separate compartments house different components of the entrée, and after a few minutes these "nuked" delicacies are ready to savor-from corn to chicken to a brownie for dessert. Delicious! Or so some folks say.
The frozen dinner is an appropriate image for guys-and not just because it keeps us from having to cook. Men often try to compartmentalize their lives-much like a frozen dinner. As most men are wired to think in a linear fashion, this kind of separation usually works nicely: The job goes in one compartment of the tray. Put the family in another. Friends and extended family in another. And sometimes God is relegated to the dessert compartment-the smallest one in the tray that gets attention only for an hour or so on Sunday.
But another idea surfaced around the same time as the TV dinner, one that we could look at as a new representation for our lives as men. The "pot pie" is a more realistic image for life. Inside the flaky crust is a (typically scalding) combination of food groups-it's nearly impossible to separate the different parts of the pie from each other.
Consider the point to this culinary conversation: Life doesn't fit into neat compartments. The psalmist illustrates this in his writing when he charges the sum of God's creation to praise God. The earth, sea, land, stars, trees, forests, fields-everything! All of creation rejoices because of God's deeds, his splendor and majesty, his strength and glory.
Now, let's flip that around. Consider your life-every aspect of it. Does it all belong to God? Does it all praise God?
Chances are you're going to say no. That's okay, because today is a new day! Maybe you struggle to believe that God cares about your finances, the challenges you face at work or your struggles with sin. But he does! Life works best when you stop making God an add-on to your days-something to consider once a week before moving on. He longs to be brought into the discussion, to permeate every aspect of your life. Like sauce in a pot pie, once you allow him to cover every aspect of your life you'll discover a richer and more satisfying daily experience.

To Take Away

  • In what areas of life are you experiencing specific problems right now?
  • Are you struggling with any areas that you're hiding from God right now? Why?
  • What would it look like for God to help you with these issues? Take the time to talk to God and ask him for his help.
Recommended Reading: 2 Chronicles 16:9; Psalm 37:5; Jeremiah 2:12-13; Matthew 22:37-40
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New Men's Devotional BibleToday's reading is from theNew Men's Devotional Bible
by Zondervan


The New Men's Devotional Biblehelps apply God's Word to a new generation of Christian men. It includes a full year of all-new devotions by well-known and not-so-well-known men of God.


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Sharing the Bible in 2 Minutes
Wouldn't it be great if everyone in your church could tell the story of the Bible in just a few minutes? Well, there's a simple and yet profound way to train them to do this using four symbols...
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The Story is helping people everywhere experience Scripture like never before. Carefully selected verses from the Bible are organized chronologically. From Genesis to Revelation, you will come to understand God's story and your story intersect with it.
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