An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about climate change. This follows this post about Star Wars and this post about Syria. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.
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An Overlooked Aspect of the Climate Change Debate

 by Mike Bennett Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

The Bible talks about a cause of future climate change that no scientific model can predict and that no amount of debate can debunk. The core of the Bible teaching is simple, but the future predictions are earthshaking.

On Monday the UN climate change conference began in Copenhagen with 192 countries represented. About 100 world leaders are expected to attend various parts of the two-week conference intended to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. An international survey commissioned by the BBC found that “64% of people questioned said that they considered global warming a very serious problem—up 20% from a 1998 poll.” But the recent so-called “ClimateGate” scandal has led to “widening concern about the state of climate science” that “could jeopardize any agreement at this week’s summit in Copenhagen,” said CBS correspondent Declan McCullagh. “To be sure, many—perhaps even most—climate researchers say any flaw in the leaked data assembled by the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit (CRU) does not mean the theory of man-made global warming is false. Nicholas Stern, chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics, calls evidence for that theory ‘overwhelming,’” Mr. McCullagh wrote. Still, a Rasmussen Reports survey shows many Americans are not convinced. Over half think it is likely that some scientists have falsified research data, and 35 percent believe it is “very likely.” Also 49 percent think the United Nations is not a reliable source of information on global warming. Besides these doubts, economic realities and different priorities between industrialized and developing countries seem likely to limit the final agreements of the conference. But in all the debate, is there an important aspect of climate change that is being totally overlooked? The Bible talks about a cause of future climate change that no scientific model can predict and that no amount of debate can debunk. The core of the Bible teaching is simple, but the future predictions are earthshaking. Cause and effect One of the key lessons of the Bible is the lesson of cause and effect. There’s the farming analogy that says you reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7). The wisdom of Proverbs 26:2 tells us that “a curse without cause shall not alight.” And two long chapters in the books of Moses spell out the causes of blessings and the causes of curses (Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28). These blessings and curses include physical things like good or bad weather and agricultural abundance or famine. Interestingly, the cause of these climate changes goes far beyond our decisions about how to treat the environment. God says the blessings and curses are the consequences of whether we obey His laws (Deuteronomy 28:1, 15). Part of God’s commands deal with how we care for His earth, and God is angry with those who destroy the earth (Genesis 2:15; Revelation 11:18). But God tells us that how we treat each other and how we treat Him is also a part of the cause-and-effect equation. Sin—disobedience to God’s laws—will lead to disastrous climate changes. Punishment for sin The mysterious book of Revelation is full of warnings of end-time plagues brought about because of humanity’s rejection of God. The calamities predicted include the death of “every living creature in the sea” and the sun scorching people with “great heat” (Revelation 16:3, 9). Sadly, God tells us that these plagues on the physical environment are necessary to wake people up to the evil effects of sin. But thankfully the God who sends these plagues will also reverse them, and will create a beautiful new environment in which to start over. In the Kingdom of God under Jesus Christ’s rule, the nations of the world will learn not only to care for the environment, but to obey the spiritual laws that create a peaceful climate between people and with God. The prophet Isaiah pictured it like a return to Eden, with hunger and disease removed and joy and gladness in their place (Isaiah 51:3; 35:1-2, 5-7) For a deeper understanding of God’s warnings for the end time and the hope He offers on beyond, read Are We Living in the Time of the End? More details are available in “The Destruction of Satan’s Kingdom” from the booklet The Book of Revelation Unveiled.

What Do You Mean By 'Success'?

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about what success is. This follows this post about the mother of Jesus. For a free magazine subscription or to get the book shown for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

What Do You Mean By 'Success'?

by James Firth



Source: Amanda Stiver

Recently, a Royal Prince of Saudi Arabia, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, placed a lawsuit against Forbes for defamation because the magazine underestimated his wealth in their annual “Rich List” of the world’s wealthiest people.

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal was ranked the 26th richest person in the world by Forbes with an estimated net worth of $20 billion US Dollars. He claims that the magazine underestimated his total wealth by $9.6 billion and thus harmed his business standing and public image of his financial standing, (Josh Halliday, “Saudi Prince Launches Libel Action Against Forbes Magazine Over Rich List,” TheGuardian.com, June 6, 2013).

The measure of worth

Being financially well-off is nice, and humankind generally strives to be successful, but what kind of success should we be chasing?

Is it having the most toys or the latest technology gadget? Is it having the most friends? Or always being top of the grade in every subject in school?

All these things can be beneficial in the right time and place, but being a Christian is all about moderation.

So what does God view as success?

In the book of Joshua, after Moses had died and Joshua was chosen to lead the nation of Israel into the Promised Land God gave Joshua this encouragement:

“Be strong and courageous, because you'll be leading this people to inherit the land that I promised to give their ancestors. Only be strong and very courageous to ensure that you obey all the instructions that my servant Moses gave you—turn neither to the right nor to the left from it—so that you may succeed wherever you go. This set of instructions is not to cease being a part of your conversations. Meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to carry out everything that's written in it, for then you'll prosper and succeed. I've commanded you, haven't I? Be strong and courageous. Don't be fearful or discouraged, because the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:6-9 [6] Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

[7] Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

[8] This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

[9] Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.



See All..., ISV)

For Joshua to be successful the Lord expected him to follow these tenets: be courageous, obey instructions, meditate, do what is expected of you, and avoid becoming discouraged.

The one thing God doesn’t mention is the endless pursuit of wealth.

Plan for success

Solomon, the wisest man that lived, speaks on success, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

See All..., NIV) Solomon was indeed successful, but he lost balance and the acquisition of wealth and wives became his focus later in life.

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21 [19] Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

[20] But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

[21] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.



See All...)

Working hard to make a living and being careful with our resources are good habits to develop, but Christ warns against making money our only goal.

Let’s not have our focus be on collecting the most social media “friends” possible, acquiring the most wealth, or the biggest house that money can buy. If we really want to be a story of success, then we must set our goals for life and align our value system with the example set by Jesus Christ.

Drill Here Drill Now Meetings!

A Big hat tip to www.americansolutions.com

Attend A Public Hearing on Drill Here, Drill Now

Remember Drill Here, Drill Now?

Last summer, the collective voice of 1.5 million Americans forced both the administration and Congress to reverse long-held, overlapping federal bans on offshore drilling.
Unfortunately, due to bureaucratic delay, massive amounts of American energy are still under lock-and-key. Last month, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced that a years-long process of identifying energy-rich areas offshore to lease for development would be delayed an additional six months. The secretary plans to use this time to conduct a series of four field hearings on the plan, hoping the public reinforces his view that the status quo be preserved, and no new energy be brought online anytime soon.
Make no mistake: the deck is stacked and the game is fixed. Just look at the four locations they have selected (and those they left out) for these hearings: Atlantic City, New Orleans, Anchorage, and San Francisco. The one thing they haven’t accounted for, though, is that supporters of American energy exploration might show up to these events and demand their voices be heard. And make no mistake, we will be heard.
If you live near one of the four events, we hope you can to attend and participate in this hearing. Here are two fact sheets that you can print off and bring with you: The Basics and Myth vs. Fact. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and your full participation couldn’t be more urgently needed. Here are the four locations along with the itinerary for each public hearing:
Dates/Venues
Monday, April 6 -- Atlantic City, NJAtlantic City Convention CenterOne Convention BoulevardAtlantic City, NJ
Wednesday, April 8 -- New Orleans, LATulane University, McAlister AuditoriumMcAlister Drive between Freret and Willow Streets6823 St. Charles AvenueNew Orleans, LA
Tuesday, April 14 -- Anchorage, AKDena'ina Civic & Convention Center600 W. Seventh AveAnchorage, AK
Thursday, April 16 -- San Francisco, CAMission Bay Conference Center on the campus of Univ. of California, San FranciscoRobertson Auditorium1675 Owens StreetSan Francisco, CA

Itinerary (same for all four events)
8:30am: Secretary Salazar meets with elected officials
9:00am: Secretary Salazar introduces proposed five-year energy plan
10:00am: Questions are submitted by audience
1:00pm – 4:00pm: The public is given a chance to offer comments
6:00pm – 8:00pm: The public comment process continues Posted by Dan Kotman

Bush's Legacy - LOWER Gas Prices!!!!

A great story to forward to everyone you know!

Price dip adjusts Bush's gas legacy
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/06/price-dip-adjusts-bushs-gas-legacy/
Stephen Dinan (Contact)
A once-popular bumper sticker says simply, "When Bush took office, gas was $1.46." It was meant to be a slam, but as the end of his eight years approaches, President Bush is seeing gas prices that, adjusted for inflation, are lower than when he was inaugurated.
Last week's $1.59 - the average for a gallon of regular on Dec. 29, according to the Energy Information Administration - works out to $1.33 in 2001 dollars, or 9 percent less than it was the day Mr. Bush took office. The tumble in prices, from a high of more than $4.05 in early July, has meant incredible savings.
John B. Townsend II, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic, said the inflation comparison doesn't mean much to consumers paying at the pump, but the drop in prices has put real money in consumers' pockets.
At gas prices' peak in July, Americans were spending $1.6 billion a day at the gas pump. Mr. Townsend said that has tumbled $1 billion in five months, and at today's prices drivers are spending about $600 million. For the average family that fills up once a week, that means paying $25 a week rather than $75.
Mr. Townsend said high prices contributed to sending the country into a recession by using up income and added that low prices could help end the downturn.
"Now we're saving this $1 billion a day, and it may be in the long run the thing that pushed us unto the recession is the thing that brings us out," he said.
Republicans said Democrats should issue a mea culpa.
"I wonder if the same people who blamed the president for the increase in prices will now credit him with the reduction in prices. It's only fair," said Don Stewart, spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican.
Mr. Stewart said the falling prices don't obviate the need to continue to develop American sources of energy, which he said also could produce new jobs.
Gas prices famously have bedeviled Mr. Bush, including at a February press conference when he was stumped by the price at the pump.
"Wait, what did you just say? You're predicting $4 a gallon gasoline?" a surprised Mr. Bush asked the questioner, CBS News Radio's Peter Maer, who said a number of analysts had made that prediction. At the time, the price was about $3.12 a gallon.
"That's interesting. I hadn't heard that," Mr. Bush said, drawing comparisons to his father, who earned a reputation for being out of touch in 1992 when the New York Times reported the then-president was amazed by an advanced electronic supermarket checkout scanner.
In April, Mr. Bush was back on the offense on gas prices, holding a press conference to call for action on energy such as oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Prices would rise past the $4 a gallon mark in June and July before tumbling.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was particularly forward in her criticism of Mr. Bush, though she herself was tripped up by the fickle prices. In 2007, her Web site blamed Mr. Bush for gas price increases, arguing they had more than doubled to $3.22 by May of that year.
The Washington Post, though, crunched the numbers and found that more than half of the increase had happened since Mrs. Pelosi had become speaker.
Mrs. Pelosi's office did not respond to messages seeking comment.
The current price isn't the lowest of the Bush administration. That came the week of Dec. 17, 2001, when gas averaged $1.04 a gallon.
The EIA says the declining economy worldwide has helped bring down demand, and therefore prices. The agency said worldwide demand would drop 450,000 barrels a day in 2009 and U.S. gas prices would average $2.03 this year.
Still, over the long haul, EIA says gas prices will rise, plateauing at $130 a barrel by 2030. The 2008 average was projected to be about $100 per barrel.
President-elect Barack Obama is already taking a hands-off approach; his transition team has announced he will not seek a windfall profits tax on oil companies.
In early June, with the average national price about to cross the $4 threshold, Mr. Obama said oil companies should face an extra levy to help fund a consumer rebate. However, by early December, with gas less than $1.80 and falling, Mr. Obama's team told the Houston Chronicle he had backed off.

Oil Prices - The Ship Turns

I wanted to send this article which shows how the rising price of oil is causing people to adjust their behavior and possibly make the prices come down with a market adjustment. It's an article about economics which is a topic that some people find interesting and others not so much, but it is worth a read. I hope you find it interesting and if you know anyone with budget problems, do remember that our church publishes a great book which I referenced after the article.

The Ship Turns
By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
Energy: Call it the paranoid theory of petroleum. Somehow, dark forces behind the scenes keep us from doing anything about soaring oil prices. In fact, something is being done to bring down oil prices. And you're doing it.
IBD Series: Breaking The Back Of High Oil
For some, rising oil prices prove that oil companies and petrotyrants around the world must be in cahoots to create energy shortages. By that theory, we can do nothing about it. Eventually, government will have to step in.But in fact, even as our own dithering Congress refuses to help ease the energy crunch, things are already changing — thanks to you, the consumer, and you, the producer. That's right: It's the private sector that's doing it.One of the glories of a capitalist system is that price signals are allowed to work. When the price for a good rises, that means it's in scarce supply. When the price falls, it's relatively abundant. This signals to users and producers they must change their behavior.For users, higher prices mean finding ways to do with less. For producers, they mean finding ways to produce more. The confluence of these two forces usually results in lower prices. This is what's happening now with oil.It's true that the booming economies of China and India are sucking up ever more energy. But guess what? As the price of crude has soared from $30 a barrel to $50, then to $70 and past $100, we've all changed our behavior.For oil companies, it has meant drilling for more oil. According to data from a variety of sources, world oil output has jumped by 11%, or 8.5 million barrels a day, since 2002, to 83 million barrels a day.Contrary to the predictions of petro-paranoids, private oil companies are producing flat out — even though government entities such as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and the U.S. Congress work to keep prices high.Fueled by the high prices, new sources of oil are being discovered. They include the 33-billion-barrel bonanza recently found off Brazil's coast and other huge finds in the Caribbean and Asia. The U.S. itself has 656 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 112 billion barrels of oil on federal lands alone — there for the taking if only Congress would allow it.But even without it, we're going gangbusters. As the American Petroleum Institute recently noted, "an estimated 4,577 (U.S.) oil wells were completed in the first quarter of 2008, up 12%" from last year and the highest rate since 1986. U.S. oil companies are going back to tapped-out wells and pumping oil that wasn't economically recoverable at $25 a barrel but is at $100.That's the supply side. What about demand? U.S. fuel demand in the first three months of 2008 was down 1.4% from a year earlier — the third straight quarterly year-over-year decline in a row.Gasoline consumption has risen about 1.5% a year since 2000. But Energy Department data showed demand in the first quarter edging down for the first time in more than two decades.In short, the tide has turned.The New York Times notes that U.S. car buyers have suddenly gone ga-ga over small cars. One in five purchases is now a compact or subcompact, while SUV sales are off 28%. "It's easily the most dramatic segment shift I have witnessed in the market in my 31 years here," said George Pipas, Ford Motor's chief sales analyst.So, even as Congress twiddles its thumbs, the private sector is doing its thing — adjusting to the market to make things better. The bad news is, there's no guarantee that oil prices won't go up more. The good news, as recent trends show, is that it won't last.
http://www.gnmagazine.org/booklets/MF/

Gasoline Prices Cheap?

We know gasoline prices have risen a lot in recent years and that is our reality. However, I wanted to send this article for a slight perspective. If you know any "green" people, they might be rejoicing that high gas prices might be saving the environment. Anyway, I thought you might find this interesting. Let me know if you have any comments.

Gasoline Is CheapFour dollars a gallon is outrageous! We should be paying much more.
By Robert BrycePosted Thursday, May 15, 2008, at 3:24 PM ET
The next time you have to take out a loan just to fill up your tank, remember this: Four-dollar-per-gallon gasoline is cheap. There's no doubt that high fuel prices are hurting low-income consumers, and high energy costs are placing a tax on the economy that is slowing investment while sending billions of dollars overseas. It's unsurprising that presidential candidates and members of Congress issue new proposals practically every day to lower gas prices: Stop filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve! Suspend the federal gas tax! Open ANWR to oil drilling! These proposals are delusions, and Americans are living in a fantasy land when it comes to energy and energy prices. Over the past few years, consumers have been inundated with news stories about the soaring price of gasoline. Invariably, these stories include comments from a motorist who is outraged at the evils of a) Saudi Arabia, b) OPEC, c) Big Oil, d) all of the above.
But by almost any measure, gasoline is still cheap. In fact, it has probably been far too cheap for far too long. The recent price increases are only beginning to reflect its real value. When measured on an inflation-adjusted basis, the current price of gasoline is only slightly higher than it was in 1922. According to the Energy Information Administration, in 1922, gasoline cost the current-day equivalent of $3.11. Today, according to the EIA, gasoline is selling for about $3.77 per gallon, only about 20 percent more than 86 years ago. Given the ever-increasing global demand for oil products—during the first quarter of this year, China's oil consumption jumped by 16.5 percent—and the increasing costs associated with finding, producing, and refining crude oil, it makes sense that today's motorists are paying more for their motor fuel than their grandparents and great-grandparents did. Gasoline is also a fairly minor expense when you consider the overall cost of car ownership. In 1975, gasoline made up 33.4 percent of the total cost of owning and operating a car. By 2006, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, gasoline costs had declined to just 17.1 percent of the total cost of car ownership. Of course, fuel costs have risen by about $1 per gallon since 2006, but even with those increases, fuel continues to be a relatively small part of the cost of car ownership. By contrast, the fixed costs of ownership—insurance, licensing, taxes, and financing—have increased nearly fivefold since 1975. Maintenance costs have also quintupled over the same time period. Given those increases and the relatively low price of fuel, it's not surprising that Americans are opting for big vehicles with powerful engines. Considering the overall cost of owning a vehicle, fuel expenses just aren't a very big deal. History shows that significant declines in U.S. oil consumption occur only after prolonged periods of high prices. Over the last two decades, U.S. consumers have been spoiled by low fuel prices. And those lower prices led to a buying binge that put millions of giant SUVs, pickups, and other gas guzzlers on our roads. Today's higher prices are forcing consumers to adapt. The EIA now expects U.S. gasoline consumption to decline this year—the first drop in demand in 17 years. In April, sales of small cars in the United States were up by 17 percent over the same period a year earlier while sales of SUVs, trucks, and large cars all fell by about 30 percent. On the environmental front, people concerned about greenhouse-gas emissions should be cheering today's oil prices. Expensive motor fuel is the only thing that will lead consumers to use less oil and make the switch to hybrid vehicles, smaller cars, and public transit. Higher oil prices are convincing automakers to change their fleets. Earlier this week, Nissan Motor Company announced that it will begin selling an electric car in the United States and Japan by 2010. Carlos Ghosn, the chief executive of Nissan, made it clear that fuel prices were a factor in the company's decision to build electric cars, telling the New York Times that "the shifts coming from the markets are more powerful than what regulators are doing." American gasoline is also dirt-cheap compared with gas in other countries. British motorists are currently paying about $8.38 per gallon for gasoline. In Norway, a major oil exporter, drivers are paying $8.73. In 2007, out of the 32 industrialized countries surveyed by the International Energy Agency, only one (Mexico) had cheaper gasoline than the United States. Last year, drivers in Turkey were paying three times as much for their gasoline as Americans were. The IEA data also show that in India—where the per capita gross domestic product is about $2,700 (about 6 percent of the per capita GDP in the United States)—drivers have been paying more for their diesel fuel and gasoline than their American counterparts.(Gasoline is also cheap compared with other essential fuels. A Starbucks venti latte costs the equivalent of $23 per gallon, while Budweiser beer runs $11 per gallon.)The simple truth is that Americans are going to have to get used to more expensive gasoline. And while they may continue grumbling at the pump, they need to accept the fact that even at $3.50 or $4 per gallon, the fuel they are buying is still a bargain.