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The Word Became Flesh

The Word Became Flesh"The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw His glory, such glory as of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). This is the real meaning of Christmas. Not office parties, not presents, not Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, not Santa Claus: the real meaning of Christmas is that God the Word was clothed in human nature so that we may be clothed in the divine nature.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him. Without Him was not anything made that has been made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:1-4). The pre-eternal Word of God through Whom God created the cosmos has become a human baby boy. "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).

From the very start, this caused confusion and doubt: was Mary really a virgin? The Jewish leaders threw that accusation at Him: "They said to Him, 'We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God.' Therefore Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven't come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why don't you understand My speech? Because you can't hear My word. You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn't stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it" (8:41b-44). The devil is a liar, a deceiver – that's how he operates. People who have been deceived and taken in by a lie simply cannot understand the truth: their minds are set against it.

But Jesus, the Word of God, is truth: "Jesus said to him [Thomas], 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me" (John 14:6); also – "Sanctify them in Your truth. Your Word is truth" (John 17:17) – Jesus is both the Word and the Truth. And yet, people get tricked and deceived by those who want to "control the narrative" (deceive us) – "By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit who doesn't confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God, and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already. ...Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God" (1 John 4:2-3 & 15).

Here we see three things: 1) Jesus is the Messiah (the Christ) come in human flesh; 2) Whoever doesn't confess that Jesus is the Messiah is not of God, instead he is of the Antichrist; 3) We must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God in the flesh in order to be in God. The Apostle John reiterates this in his next letter – "For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who don't confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the Antichrist" (2 John 1:7).

God has not only sent the Living Word into the world, He has also given us His written word, as the Apostle Paul writes – "All Scripture inspired by God is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction which is in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16). But right after that, Paul writes - "For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside to fables" (ch. 4:3-4). Deceivers are always "out there," teaching their distorted, lust-driven doctrines.

But how then can we tell the truth from error? The Apostle Peter writes – "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation, as no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:20-21). The connecting word "as" is sometimes translated "for" or "because" – it tells us the explanation of the previous phrase "no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation" – Why? Because just as holy men of God (Moses and the prophets) spoke being moved by the Holy Spirit, in the same way it takes holy men of God to interpret the Scriptures. Not any and every Christian is qualified to explain and teach the Scriptures!

In the very next verses, Peter warns us – "But there also arose false prophets among the people, as among you also there will be false teachers, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction. Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned. In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn't linger, and their destruction will not slumber" (ch. 2:1-3). Notice again how destructive, deceptive heresies are often linked to immoral ways.

A little further, St. Peter warns us that understanding and interpreting Scripture is no easy task – "Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction" (ch. 3:15-16). BTW, here the Apostle Peter considers the Apostle Paul's letters as Scripture.

The Apostles John, Peter, and Paul all considered that their preaching and writing about the Good News of Yeshua the Messiah – Jesus the Christ – was the continuation and fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies. In Micah 4:1-3 we read – "But in the latter days, the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established on the top of the mountains, and it will be exalted above the hills; and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will go and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.' For out of Zion will go forth the law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem; and He will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, Neither will they learn war any more." Just like the prophets of old, the Apostles were eagerly expecting the Messiah to come and rule the nations in righteousness and peace.

But when will this happen? Micah continues – "Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion; for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs brass; and you will beat in pieces many peoples: and I will devote their gain to the Lord, and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth. Now you shall gather yourself in troops, daughter of troops. He has laid siege against us; they will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek. But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you One will come forth to Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. Therefore He will abandon them until the time that she who is in labor gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the people of Israel." (ch. 4:13 - 5:1-3). Military invasion, siege of Jerusalem, then "she who is in labor gives birth" in Bethlehem.

Many, many other Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled with the coming of Yeshua, the Messiah – Jesus the Christ, the Annointed One – more prophecies than I have time to recount. Finally, "The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw His glory, such glory as of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! Christ is among us! He is and ever shall be!

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NOW, THE NEWS:

 

THE COVID-19 THREAT IS REAL
from: The Daily Signal

covid in winter (10 Dec.) Winter is coming and ... many are scared to death with the specter of COVID-19 continuing to loom... There is no sign of COVID-19 letting up, and nearly 15 million coronavirus cases have been reported in the United States since February.

With daily infection rates increasing, our entire citizenry must embrace common sense in this overly politicized and ever-growing pandemic: COVID-19 is not a hoax, and it's not a partisan issue. This virus doesn't affect liberals differently than conservatives, and so-called red and blue states are equally at risk.

COVID-19 is an equal-opportunity killer, and all Americans must work together to slow its spread and protect our loved ones. We need to set aside the blinders of partisanship and accept this reality together so that we can do everything possible for things to return to normal and to take back control of our lives. As Americans, we must pay attention and do the right thing, political affiliation aside. We are talking about public health – the health of not only ourselves but our neighbors, parents, children, and friends.

Iowa’s Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who once called mask-wearing a "feel good" measure, reversed her stance ... in the wake of rising infections in the state. She signed a proclamation requiring Iowans over the age of 2 to wear masks in indoor public spaces starting Nov. 17.

"If Iowans don't buy into this, we'll lose," Reynolds said at a news conference. "Businesses will close once again, more schools will be forced to go online, and our health care system will fail." The facts are daunting, and hospitals across the nation are frantically searching for nurses because their staff is stretched so thin. [read more...]

COMMENTARY: Although the COVID-19 pandemic has become a political football during the recent U.S. election campaign, it's past time to deal with it calmly and rationally. The media has doubtless played up this issue – it should be obvious that the escalating numbers of "new cases" is due to vastly increased testing and that a "case" doesn't necessarily mean a person is sick with COVID-19.

Also, about 75% of the deaths attributed to this disease are people with "comorbidities" – as the root word "morbid" implies, they were people already at risk of dying from morbid obesity, heart disease, respiratory illness such as athsma or COPD, cancer, etc. This, however, should not let us drop our guard about this disease's danger: it spreads easily through the air, so wearing a mask is a good defense. After all, surgeons and nurses wear masks during surgeries for good reason. Be wise and stay safe!

 

 

RUSSIA: RAIDS, INVESTIGATIONS, TORTURE
by Victoria Arnold: Forum 18 News Service

Ruslan and Kristina Alyyev (18 Dec.) Regional Investigative Committee branches, the FSB security service, and armed police have carried out at least 86 house searches between late October and mid-December alone across 16 regions of Russia as investigations and criminal prosecutions of Jehovah's Witnesses continue. Some raids involve violence.

Raids on Jehovah's Witness homes in Russia and subsequent prosecutions for alleged extremism-related offences are showing no signs of stopping, nearly three years after the first criminal cases were opened in January 2018. Regional Investigative Committee branches, the FSB security service, and armed police have carried out at least 86 house searches between late October and mid-December alone across 16 regions of Russia, and are thought to have instigated 13 criminal cases against at least 26 people.

The raids continue as two more Jehovah's Witnesses were convicted on "extremism" charges in mid-December. A Novosibirsk court jailed Yury Savelyev for six years on 16 December, while the following day a Rostov court gave Ruslan Alyyev a suspended sentence of two years and six months.

In total, more than 400 Jehovah's Witnesses remain under investigation, are on trial, or have been convicted since the Supreme Court ordered the liquidation of their Administrative Centre as an "extremist organisation" in 2017 and banned its activities nationwide. Well over half of Russia's 83 federal subjects have now seen raids and arrests.

Investigations usually begin with late-night or early-morning raids by the FSB security service, the Investigative Committee, or both, accompanied by armed and masked officers of the National Guard or police. After searching properties and confiscating electronic devices and personal items such as bank cards, religious literature, and photographs, investigators then take some people away for questioning. This can often continue all night.

After their initial interrogation, individuals are either released (often under travel restrictions) or sent to temporary detention centres while investigators apply to courts to have them placed under house arrest or in pre-trial detention. This can be for an initial period of two months, which may be subsequently renewed. People may also be summoned for questioning as suspects or witnesses without unannounced raids on their homes. [read more...]

COMMENTARY: While I and many Christians do not consider the Jehovah's Witness beliefs to be truly Christian (they deny the Trinity and the deity of Jesus Christ), we ought to be concerned about state denial of freedom of religious expression anywhere in the world, especially when it is accompanied by beatings and torture. This kind of anti-religious bias and ill-treatment, if we don't stand up against it, can easily spread to other less-favored religious believers including traditional, conservative Christians.

 

 

TWO YEARS AGO, THE OCU WAS FORMED, AND ITS PRIMATE WAS ELECTED AT THE UNIFICATION COUNCIL
from: Religious Information Service of Ukraine

unification council of OCU (15 Dec.) On December 15, 2018, the Unification Council was held in Kyiv, where its participants created the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and elected its Primate Epifaniy (Dumenko).

The meeting was attended by 40 bishops of the UOC-KP, 12 from the UAOC and two bishops of the UOC-MP: Metropolitan Oleksandr (Drabinko) of Pereyaslav-Khmelnytskyi and Metropolitan Simeon (Shostatsky) of Vinnytsia. Tens of thousands of people gathered in the square in front of the church to pray for the successful development of the Council.

The meeting was held behind closed doors. In addition to the Ukrainian hierarchs, the Council was attended by four representatives of the Patriarchate of Constantinople: one of the most influential hierarchs, an informal curator of the Ukrainian issue, Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, exarchs of the patriarch - ethnic Ukrainians, Metropolitan Daniel and Archbishop Hilarion, as well as Metropolitan Amphilochius of Andrianopolis.

Bishops of three Ukrainian churches also were presiding: Metropolitan Simeon of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Makary of the UAOC, and Patriarch Filaret of the Kyiv Patriarchate. As the fifth President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko later admitted, the Unification Council was running a risk of failure more than once.

"Now I can say that the Council could have been disrupted at least five times. When negotiations during the Council reached an impasse, a way out was found. Including with my participation," the then head of state said, without specifying the reasons. Poroshenko noted that representatives of Churches made a compromise and therefore the work of the council was a success.

"For the past week, I've been sleeping three hours a day. The consultations were very intense, but each time they found a way out in an absolutely democratic way when the parties made concessions to each other and in the end it happened," Petro Poroshenko said. He confirmed that the Unification Council started its work late due to the inconsistency of the positions of its participants. [read more...]

COMMENTARY: The past two years have been a challenge for the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine but they have shown themselves up to the task of solidifying their base and encouraging more parishes, priests, and bishops from the Moscow Patriarchate's "Ukrainian" Orthodox Church (UOC-MP) to join this new Church which is truly Ukrainian. Orthodox doctrine teaches that each nation should eventually have its own autonomous Orthodox Church. It took Ukraine less than 30 years. It has taken the U.S. over 100 years trying to form a united, autonomous Orthodox Church, but sadly they have not yet succeeded.

 

 

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SETTLEMENT FORCES AMTRAK TO FIX ADA VIOLATIONS
from: Disability Scoop

Amtrak station (10 Dec.) Amtrak will make big changes at over 100 train stations across the country to ensure that 30 years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, people with disabilities can finally access its rail network.

Under a settlement this month with the U.S. Department of Justice, Amtrak will fix inaccessible stations and pay $2.25 million to people with disabilities who sought to travel at 78 stations with significant issues. When the ADA was passed in 1990, lawmakers gave Amtrak 20 years to come into compliance. But the Justice Department found that the rail system did not follow through and continues to discriminate against those with disabilities.

"Amtrak failed or refused to comply with the congressionally-mandated 2010 deadline, and Amtrak’s noncompliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act injured individuals with disabilities. Passengers with disabilities have waited long enough," said Eric Dreiband, assistant attorney general at the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

The agreement stipulates that Amtrak will design at least 135 accessible stations over the next 10 years. Construction of 90 of the stations should be completed within that time frame and changes should be underway at a minimum of 45 more. In addition, the rail system created an Office of the Vice President of Stations, Properties & Accessibility to handle ADA compliance and a settlement fund is being set up to compensate affected travelers.

Amtrak has also agreed to train its staff on ADA requirements and implement a process for ADA complaints. Kimberly Woods, a spokeswoman for Amtrak, said that information about eligibility for compensation through the settlement fund will be posted on Amtrak's website by the end of the month. Additionally, Woods noted that the rail system invested $109 million toward accessibility improvements in its last fiscal year. [read more...]

COMMENTARY: In order to travel by train, a person with mobility issues must be able to board the train and get off the train. While airports and airliners have been accessible for a long time, it has taken until now for most U.S. train stations to have wheelchair ramps on the station platforms.

 

 

ETHICISTS PROPOSE STANDARDS FOR COVID-19 TRIAGE
from: BioEdge

concern over covid triage (13 Dec.) With a second wave of Covid-19 sweeping through Europe and the United States, threatening to overwhelm hospital ICUs, discussion of triage is again coming to the fore.

"A lack of intensive care ventilation units owing to rapidly increasing infection rates numbers among the most significant nightmare scenarios of the corona pandemic," says Mathias Wirth, of the University of Bern (Switzerland), because: "Shortages of supply can result in triage of patients suffering from severe cases of COVID-19 and thus force a life or death decision."

Together with experts from Yale University, King's College London, Charité Berlin and Essen University Hospital, Wirth has prepared a statement on these difficult decisions in the American Journal of Bioethics (AJOB).

The experts warn against prematurely implementing triage; even though triage allows for decisions based on fairness in extreme situations, it leads to significant strain on the affected parties, relatives and medical personnel. They write:

"It is unbearably difficult for a patient and their families and friends not to interpret a classification based on specific triage criteria as a moral judgment about the worth of an individual life. How can the unsubstitutable dignity of each and every individual be affirmed even as resources are given to some people and not to others?"

In order to avoid it, every effort must be made to transfer seriously ill patients to other hospitals without shortages of supply – across country borders in case of emergency, according to the authors.

The authors recommend increased regional, national and even international collaboration in intensive care for Covid-19 patients in preparation for future waves of infection. "Just because triage is correct under some circumstances does not mean that it is correct under all circumstances," says Wirth. "There is no real and legitimate triage situation as long as treatment spaces are available elsewhere."

Secondly, a negative triage decision for individual people should not under any circumstances mean that their medical and psychological care is neglected. Quite the opposite: If they are deprived of a ventilator, maximum effort is required for their care and treatment, both for them and for their relatives. [read more...]

COMMENTARY: Very soon, due to this "second surge," we may be facing difficult moral decisions about who to care for and what level of care is possible to give, as personnel and physical resources are stretched to the breaking point. Another article from BioEdge, TRIAGE ACCORDING TO STANDARD TESTS OF FRAILTY, SAYS OXFORD BIOETHICIST, uses "frailty" as a guide: "Frailty is normally associated with old people, but not all old people are frail and not all frail people are old" – states the article.

 

 

LAVROV BLAMES U.S. FOR ATTEMPT TO "UNDERMINE ORTHODOXY" IN EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
from: Interfax-Religion

Interfax Religion (16 Dec.) Russia considers the United States' policy in the Eastern Mediterranean to be unconstructive, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on Wednesday. "As regards the United States' policy in the Eastern Mediterranean, we still think that it is unconstructive. Just one example: the United States effectively bans all countries of the region from having normal cooperation with the Russian Federation, whether it is military-technical interaction or cooperation in any other crucial sphere," he said.

"And, of course, one cannot help but notice the subversive role the United States has been playing in an attempt to undermine Orthodoxy, including in the region," he said. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday accused Russia of continuing to "threaten Mediterranean stability" and of sowing "chaos, conflict, and division" in the region by means of disinformation. [read more...]

COMMENTARY: Of course, the Russian brand of Orthodoxy, i.e. Russia trying to re-establish its former empire in its church's clothing, is unconstructive for U.S. interests in the eastern Mediterranian, including U.S. encouragement for those Orthodox countries to recognize the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). As more and more parishes and clergy switch from the UOC-MP to the new OCU, Russia risks losing its status as the largest Orthodox Church in the world and thus its claim to leadership of world Orthodoxy.

 

 

OTHER NEWS HEADLINES:

 

DEMOCRAT REP. TULSI GABBARD INTRODUCES HOUSE BILL TO PROTECT ABORTION SURVIVORS
from Live Action

CHINA: CHURCH MEMBERS TORTURED TO REVEAL INFORMATION
from Christian Persecution

STOP SHUNNING THE DISABLED: IMPROVE DIVERSITY IN THE TV INDUSTRY
from Disabled World

TWO MORE ORTHODOX CHURCHES MAY RECOGNIZE THE OCU AFTER THE PANDEMIC – POROSHENKO
from Religious Information Service of Ukraine

SOUTH KOREA BANS BALLOON LAUNCHES INTO NORTH KOREA
from Mission Network News

RUSSIAN CHURCH ADMITS ITS GUILT IN INTERVENTION OF CONSTANTINOPLE IN UKRAINE
from Interfax-Religion

METROPOLITAN HILARION: THE 'SCHISM PROVOKED BY CONSTANTINOPLE' IS DEVELOPING OUTSIDE OUR CHURCH
from Russian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate

CONSTANTINOPLE REPORTEDLY PLANNING TO SUSPEND EPISCOPATE OF UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (MP)
from Orthodox Christianity

CHINESE COMMUNIST 'GOSPEL' TEACHES THAT JESUS KILLED AN ADULTRESS – OPED
from Eurasia Review

THESE CHURCHES WERE BUILT IN THE ATHEISTIC USSR (PHOTOS)
from Russia Beyond the Headlines

 

 

NOW, OUR VIEWS:

 

 

Grace defined

Here's How to Reach the World

(Maybe you've read this before and you're wondering, "Why am I seeing this again?" But millions of other Christians haven't seen it! So please help us by clicking on the title above, then use the "share" buttons to share it with your social media friends. Thanks!!)

At age 15 in 1958, while taking care of lawns at an apartment complex, the Lord gave me a vision: I saw a map of the Soviet Union in the sky and a voice said: "Remember this apartment complex plan - you'll build it when you're an old man." After serving 40 years in mission work that included 17 years in the USSR and Russia, I'm now in my 70s, so I guess I'm old enough to start this new project!

In my previous message, I wrote about our *free* 1-year, 6-course training program "Social Ministry of the Church" that's in English and Russian to train people how to care for the disabled. The purpose of these courses is to prepare people for "Building the ARC" - an Agape Restoration Community Christian housing co-op with a built-in community room / chapel. Most of the units will be wheelchair-accessible because of the aging of the "Baby Boomer" generation: 70 million people born between 1946 and 1965 have reached or are reaching retirement age (10,000/day = 3,650,000/year!), at which time 45% of these people are already disabled.

And as they continue aging, 70% of them will be disabled and require accessible housing or nursing home care before they pass on. This is a huge social concern: 70% of 3,650,000 people = 2,550,000 disabled people per year for the next 20 years = over 50 million people! Medicare will be insolvent by 2026 and Social Security will reach insolvency by 2034, the trustees of these funds report, so they won't be able to care for all these people at present levels. Our basic problem, however, is that like most people, we don't want to think about such things... until it's too late. Then, when we're too old and too feeble to pack up and move, our family may well be too far away or just too busy with their own jobs and family issues.

Christ commanded His disciples to "Bring in the poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind, go into the highways and the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that My house may be full" (Luke 14:21-23). This defines our ultimate target audience and our goal, but how can we "compel them to come in" unless they can come in? Why aren't the churches full? In many cases the "maimed, the lame and blind" can hardly get out of their homes, and getting transported to church is difficult or flat-out impossible.

Also, many church buildings aren't very wheelchair-accessible. Solution: "Build the ARC": 8-to-10-unit buildings that form an accessible, affordable Christian housing co-op including a community room/chapel, most living units wheelchair-accessible, plus parking spaces just outside wide enough for wheelchair use right next to the buildings. And our "Social Ministry of the Church" courses will train the healthier residents as "home healthcare workers" to care for those who need it.

This isn't just one heart-touching story of one child with a disability -- it's Over 50 Million People, a huge percentage of our whole country! Perhaps you have a family member who needs accessible housing, or you're an "empty-nester" in your 50s, 60s, or 70s and you'd like to travel more, maybe do some short-term mission work, but who will take care of your house? Get one of our co-op units! (Hint: it's a lot easier to move when you're healthy than when you're crippled with arthritis, or your back or knees have worn out, or you've had a stroke, etc.) Consider NOW getting a home in our Christian community!

Most homes, condo and townhouse communities in our greater Pittsburgh area have at least 1/2 to 1 flight of stairs, often 2 or 3 flights, creating a nearly-insurmountable problem for people with disabilities: they often can't climb stairs. Why not add an elevator or a stair lift? In an emergency such as a fire or when the electricity goes out or the elevator breaks, they could be trapped if depending on an elevator or a stair lift. Disabled people can't use the stairs and it's awfully hard to carry them in a wheelchair down the stairs - we've learned that the hard way! With most older couples it's the man who ages first and becomes disabled: he very likely weighs more than his wife who often injures her back or knees trying to lift or carry him. Also, we've met many older people - able-bodied and disabled - who have been trapped in an elevator so now refuse to ride them. Armed with such experiences, we aim to change the built environment for these people!

We've been functioning since 1998 as Agape Restoration Society, a donor-advised fund of WaterStone.org, a foundation through which people can channel their benevolent donations but only to other non-profits. In 2017, we incorporated as Agape Restoration Society Inc., an IRS-recognized non-profit corporation, so that we can disburse funds to for-profit architects and builders. We are listed with Charity Navigator and GuideStar. Continue reading these pages to see our sketches.

Please check out our detailed info about "having a home in the ARC." You can see a preview HERE.

Also, here's how to share this project with others: help us find more people who may need accessible housing and people who can help fund this project!

Will you be praying for and pulling for us in this project? If so, please use the Subscribe link below. Thanks in advance!

Yours sincerely,

"Dr. Bob"

Robert D. Hosken, M.Min., D.Min.

 

 

Here's a classic quote: "And I say, the inmates have taken over the asylum. There is a madness loose in the society stemming from the collapse of classical, Biblical, sexual morality." It's from the article "America’s Two Plagues" – you should really consider subscribing to the American Thinker!

 

 

Our next free online (click →) Course 300 - "A Biblical Theology of Ministry" - deadline to enroll: 3 January 2021 (← click) starts soon! So enroll today, before you forget!

 

Are you letting your eyeballs roll over the highlighted course above and the donation link below? Do the thoughts "Too busy" or "Tapped out" flit through your mind? After all, "theology" is pretty heavy stuff! And "Restoration" of people with disabilities ...is that even possible? YES, IT IS! If just 1% of our readers would enroll, I would be absolutely delighted!

And if just 5% of you would get behind Agape Restoration Society and donate $5 per month, it would enable us to expand our ministry to "the poor, lame, maimed, and blind," to "widows and orphans," and cover all our operating expenses for website hosting, email hosting, and subscribing to news services for the whole year! Can you afford to give up a couple cups of Starbucks coffee a month to keep this ministry "on the air"? And remember: using our "Amazon Smile" link below for your Christmas shopping doesn't cost you any more – and Amazon donates 0.5% to Agape Restoration Society!

 

Make a One-Time or Monthly Donation to Agape Restoration Society Inc..
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Great news! Earlier this week, I finished writing my last final exam for my diaconate studies! This is all that's really required (beside spiritual and moral qualifications) in order to be ordained as a deacon. But by taking an extra semester to write a thesis, I can receive another master's degree. So why not write a 40-page-minimum thesis with nice footnotes and bibliography? If you know me and my verbosity, though, 40 pages will likely grow to 140 pages. But I need to finish it before my "shelf life" expires so that I can put it to use before the "use-by date"!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

 

Prayer and Praise:   For a daily reminder to pray for the items below, go to My Daily Prayer Guide and click on the "H-N pr." link!

Sun. - Praise the Lord that the Word has become flesh, and lived among us. We have seen His glory, such glory as of the only begotten Son of the Father.
Mon. - Pray that people will take great precautions during this Christmas and New Year season: wear masks and social distance to reduce the spread.
Tue. - Intercede for those in Russia who are being raided, arrested, and beaten, having religious books, bank cards, and electronic devices confiscated.
Wed. - Thank the Lord for the formation of the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine two years ago, on 15 December, 2018 and pray for continued growth.
Thu. - Pray that more people with disabilities will be able to use the Amtrak railway system as stations and cars will be made more accessible for them.
Fri. - Ask God that compassionate, moral, and fair triage rules will be observed in the event that health care systems are overwhelmed in the pandemic.
Sat. - Pray for fair and peaceful resolution of the dispute between East and West over the recognition of the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

 

Map of former USSR   Please remember to pray for Christians in Secularized Countries, and for...

  Your fellow-servants,

  Bob & Cheryl

  p.s. The answer to the ever-present "Why?" is the everlasting Who.