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For ages: 4-and up
You grow a mustache every month except Movember. You drive a big old van with the words 'Free Candy' airbrushed on the sides. Your handshake is wet and limp, and you only smile with your upper lip. How can you become even more of a creeper? Easy! Wear sexy new Creeper Bracelets on both wrists and shout it out for the whole world to hear: I'm a Creeper and I'm proud of it!

subset: commoncrawl


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Empowered Patient, a regular feature from CNN Medical News correspondent Elizabeth Cohen, helps put you in the driver's seat when it comes to health care.
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Dr. Bernadine Healy can't even count the number of women who've complained to her about how tough it is to make the decision about hormone replacement therapy.
A 2002 study found HRT made women more vulnerable to health problems including heart attacks and strokes.
"Women say, 'Oh it used to be so simple. Now it's so complex,'" says Healy, a cardiologist and former director of the National Institutes of Health. "And I tell them, 'Yes, it used to be so simple because it was wrong.'"
This is what she means: Before 2002, it was practically standard operating procedure to put women on synthetic hormones as soon as they reached menopause. ("We were putting them in the drinking water," jokes Healy.).
But that turned out to be not such a great idea. A study in 2002 found that hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, made women more vulnerable to heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer and blood clots. In droves, doctors yanked their patients off the hormones.
Six years later, Healy and others are pleading for a middle ground -- a world where doctors don't paint women with a broad brush, but instead consider the medical needs of each individual woman.
The stumbling block to this middle ground is that patients often don't know what are good (and bad) reasons to go on HRT. And it's not just the patients who don't know. "A lot of the doctors are confused as well," says Dr. Wulf Utian, executive director of the North American Menopause Society and a consultant in obstetrics and gynecology at the Cleveland Clinic.
But there's some good news in this hormonal mess. Since 2002, a consensus has developed among the experts about legitimate and not-so-legitimate reasons for considering HRT. Here are the big five legitimate reasons:
1. Hot flashes
If you have severe hot flashes, you're a good candidate for hormones, our experts say. "They alleviate the problem by about 95 percent," Utian says.
Many women -- probably about two-thirds -- have mild to moderate hot flashes and won't need hormones, he adds. "Generally speaking, they can get away with layering clothing, avoiding spicy foods, breathing techniques or yoga."
2. Night sweats
"Night sweats are hot flashes when you're under blankets, so you can't get rid of the heat easily," Utian says.
If night sweats are making you lose sleep to the point you're dysfunctional the next day, hormones might be a good option. "Some women say, 'I can't live my life like this.' That's the woman who should not be denied the hormones," says Marcia Stefanick, professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center.
Stefanick is co-author of a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showing that women who took a type of HRT called combined therapy (estrogen and progestin together) had a higher risk for breast cancer even three years after they quit taking the hormones.
3. Sleeplessness
The onset of menopause often gives women sleepless nights -- sometimes because of the night sweats, sometimes because of hormone changes. HRT sometimes helps, Healy says.
4. Osteoporosis -- sometimes
Studies have shown that HRT can cut down on bone fractures for women with osteoporosis, but it's not for everyone.
"A younger woman in early menopause who has osteoporosis -- or risk factors for osteoporosis -- might benefit from HRT," Utian says. "Older women should use something else." (See page 14 of this NIH report for other ways to treat osteoporosis.)
Women are at high risk for osteoporosis if they're thin, have a family history of osteoporosis, are lactose intolerant or smoke.
5. You feel better on hormones
"That's absolutely a legitimate reason for taking hormones," Healy says. "You very often can't measure what makes a woman feel better. But just because you can't measure it doesn't mean it's not real."
It's important, however, that women who go on hormones for this reason -- or any reason -- understand the risks of hormones. "I tell women, 'I'll give you the prescription as long as you understand the risks and the responsibilities and come in for regular checkups to see to it that all is going well,'" Utian says.
And what are some not-so-good reasons for going on HRT pills? Vaginal dryness and itchiness are better treated with estrogen creams, our experts say. Irregular periods should be tolerated, or treated with birth control pills, Utian says.
And certainly don't go on HRT because you think it might prevent aging, heart disease or cancer. The NIH study in 2002 rejected those reasons.
If you do decide to go on HRT, you need to keep several things in mind. First, take the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time. That second part is pretty fuzzy. "The jury is still out. Is short-term two to three years? Five years?" Stefanick says. "When you go back to your doctor for checkups, ask, 'Should I go off it now?'"
Another question for your doctor: whether you should go on estrogen alone or combination therapy (estrogen plus progestin). Each has its pluses and minuses -- see Page 10 of the NIH document.
Choosing the right doctor is obviously of the utmost importance. Utian recommends an obstetrician-gynecologist rather than an internist. He recommends asking doctors how often they deal with hormone issues. "Some obstetricians are so busy delivering babies, they won't be spending much time on hormones," he says. E-mail to a friend
Elizabeth Cohen is a correspondent with CNN Medical News. Associate producer Sabriya Rice contributed to this report.
All About Menopause • Journal of the American Medical Association


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Lynch still mulling bid for Kerry's Senate seat
Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) is giving "serious" thought to running in the special election to replace Sen. John Kerry.
"I am giving serious consideration to a run for the United States Senate and am grateful for the support and encouragement I have received in recent days," Lynch said in a statement emailed to POLITICO late Wednesday night. "As we await Senator Kerry's confirmation hearings, I will continue to weigh my options and decide the best way to serve our communities."
Lynch would join Rep. Ed Markey, who announced his intention to run last week, on the Democratic side. Former Sen. Scott Brown is widely expected to run on the Republican side in an election that will likely take place in late spring.
Though Kerry, Vicki Kennedy and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee threw their support behind Markey late last week in an effort to clear the field for him, other Democrats most often mentioned for the race – at this point, Lynch and Rep. Michael Capuano – have both said they're still open to running.


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Brooklyn was asked by her friend's mom, Stacy, to participate in some photo shots modeling in Small Beans clothing. She and Hailey, her friend, were so darling and so fun! I think it was a fun experience for them both to dress up! They love to dress up so this was a big treat for them! Thank you Stacy for asking Brooklyn to have so much fun!
You can view this clothing line at www.smallbeans.etsy.com as well as other pictures taken by the photographer here.
Brooklyn's best friend Hailey, isn't she such a doll? And those blue eyes are gourgeous!
My favorite picture of Hailey.


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A while ago we published a link to a site that rates Personal Care Products. We had some requests from readers who were interested in finding the report, so here is an update.
The EWG has also published the most comprehensive study on chemical contaminants found in humans. Blood and urine from nine people was tested for 210 chemicals that occur in consumer products and industrial pollution. See the report here: Body Burden.
The Environmental Working Group has produced a list of the Best and Worst Personal Care Products. They have a huge Searchable Product Guide of harmful chemicals found in personal care products.
The report is extensive and very well organized. You can search by ingredient, product
name or product category.


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Safety Representative is very similar to another occupation for which we have
a full profile.
Check out our full profile for:
Mining, Geological, Mining Safety Engineers
Determine the location and plan the extraction of coal, metallic ores, nonmetallic minerals, and building materials, such as stone and gravel. Work involves conducting preliminary surveys of deposits or undeveloped mines and planning their development; examining deposits or mines to determine whether they can be worked at a profit; making geological and topographical surveys; evolving methods of mining best suited to character, type, and size of deposits; and supervising mining operations.
Design Engineer, Mining and Oil Field Equipment
Engineer, Design
Engineer, Exploration
Engineer, Geological
Engineer, Geophysical
Engineer, Mine Development
Engineer, Mine Equipment Design
Engineer, Mine Exploration
Engineer, Mine Production
Engineer, Mineral
Engineer, Ore Dressing
Engineer, Safety
Inspector, Safety
Mine Analyst
Mine Engineer
Mine Engineering Manager
Mine Engineering Supervisor
Mine Environmental Engineer
Mine Expert
Mine Inspector
Mine Manager
Mine Safety Director
Mine Safety Manager
Mining Engineer
Planning Engineer
Project Engineer
Research Engineer, Mining and Oil Well Equipment
Safety Analyst
Safety Director
Safety Engineer
Safety Engineer, Mines
Safety Representative
Seismic Engineer
Supervisor, Safety
Test Engineer, Mining and Oil Field Equipment
Validation Engineer
Validation Specialist


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Henning Jessen
After studying law in Kiel, Germany, and Copenhagen, Denmark, Dr. Jessen received a Law degree from Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Germany, in 2002. He then worked as a researcher for one year at the Institute of International Affairs at the Law Faculty of the University of Hamburg. In 2003-2004, he undertook postgraduate studies as a scholar of the German-American Fulbright Commission at Tulane University, New Orleans, receiving the LL.M. degree in Maritime Law & Admiralty. In 2005, he finished his Ph.D.


text: [i:Vibes] :: View topic - Sneaky Sound System performed a fantastic show on Saturday! Guidelines FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Bookmarks Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Main Menu Frontpage News Reviews Interviews Party Reports Artist Profiles Label profiles Diaries Tutorials What is... Links Radio-info Interactive Forum User Stats Info FAQ Crew-info i:Vibes Info Site Updates Sneaky Sound System performed a fantastic show on Saturday! [i:Vibes] Forum Index -> Other discussion View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message electric brixtonGetting acquaintedVibes: 1.45Joined: 29 Jun 2012Member #: 88,078Posts: 6 Post subject: Sneaky Sound System performed a fantastic show on Saturday! Sneaky Sound System performed a fantastic show on Saturday night to a heaving dance floor, a mixture of new and old drew strong reactions from the crowd and Sebjak kept the show going till doors close at 6am. Check some sneaky film footage from the night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZupK20bUM0 This Saturday we welcome Supermartxe Olympiade one of the worlds biggest party brands, expect spectacular stage shows, incredible costumes and production with a whole army of the best dancers and performers from across Europe plus the perfect SuperMartXe DJ line-up! Post rating: 0 Rate this post: Not logged in Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:31 pm Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First [i:Vibes] Forum Index -> Other discussion All times are GMT Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Spam----------------Spam posts Music----------------Music discussion (trance, techno, progressive and other genres)EquipmentArtist and Label NewsRadio BroadcastsMusic Production and DJ Mix PromotionClub Listings Non-music related----------------Other discussionBuy & Sell [i:Vibes]----------------Site Feedback and Help Content Discussion----------------News DiscussionReview DiscussionInterview DiscussionTutorial DiscussionWhat is...Party ReportsArtist ProfilesLabel Profiles You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forumYou cannot attach files in this forumYou can download files in this forum Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group


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FayZee wrote:kryton wrote:mscha wrote:lmjb1964 wrote:kryton wrote:<snip>
This was funny. However, I can't help but point out that it's "endeavo(u)r" with an "a." Also, offal is, from WIkipdia, "variety meats or organ meats, refers to the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal." I hope that's not what we're covered in after traversing Time. That would be awful. (get it? awful? offal?)
I think the offal is intended, and makes sense: that's what's left of the cancerbabies in the sea after many NewPages have past, no?
What I'm missing from kryton's hilarious post (I bet Douglas Adams is ROFLing in his grave) is: how can I get my towel serviced?
The management would like to thank you for your suggestion that will benefit other travelers and has hired the Alternatine History Engineerinc ltd. to retroactively make the stay of the past travelers more enjoyable than it was. Feel free to peruse the premises at
I really enjoyed the original amusing post when I came upon it, but the later edits rock even more.
Each edit was d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s in its wording. I could visualise the exact demeanour of the speakhhhhh writer.
Rest Stop Imperpetuate is pleased to announce the station has obtained the required 5 forumpages descent into the past and has activated its interquantum reactor, ensuring that it is active and ready for Blitzgirl and her pilgrims following in her footsteps. For those wishing to tour the facility, the portal (link above) is still active. We are delighted that you have shown interest in the services that Rest Stop Imperpetuate can offer to the most discriminating customers, and look forward to future business that will has already been concluded. For those who wish to engage in the thrill and excitement of trespass and vandalism, we applaud your adventurous spirit and desire that you feel assured that the hiring staff at R.S.I has gone to excess in hiring the most congenial and professional of private police officers, attorneys, judges, and prison guards, so that your apprehension, prosecution and incarceration will be among the high points of your foreshortened existence and a tale you will joyfully convey to your family members as you converse with them on the alternate Tuesday visitation days through our exclusive Dolby 32.5 surround sound prison-visitation intercom system.


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Colombian leftist guerrillas released two of their most prized hostages Thursday, in a deal brokered by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez that could pave the way for a broad agreement for the liberation of dozens of others being held in rebel camps.
Politicians Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez were whisked from the jungles of southern Colombia where they had been held for six years to the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, into the embrace of their families.
"They are finally safe, they are free," Ms. González's daughter Patricia Perdomo told Colombian radio from her hotel room in Caracas, her voice trembling with emotion.
It's the most important hostage release in the Colombian conflict since 2001, when the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, freed some 300 soldiers and police officers and it's being hailed as a political victory for Mr. Chávez and Colombian President Álvaro Uribe.
A delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Venezuela's interior minister, and Cuba's ambassador to Caracas received the two women from a rebel unit at an undisclosed meeting point. To facilitate the mission, Colombia suspended military operations in the area and closed the airspace above.
Their liberation came 10 days after an initial mission orchestrated by Chávez to free the women – plus the small child of Rojas who was born in captivity – was aborted abruptly after the revelation that the FARC were not in fact in possession of the boy.
Following a series of delays, the December release operation was called off on New Year's Eve when Mr. Uribe revealed that the rebels were dragging their feet on the announced handover because the boy they had promised to release had actually been in custody of Colombia's child protection services in Bogotá since 2005. DNA tests and a FARC admission confirmed Uribe's shocking announcement.
Victory for Chávez and Uribe
It was a victory for Uribe over the FARC and for Chávez, whom Uribe had grudgingly allowed to organize the handover operations. Embarrassed by having been fooled by the FARC, Chávez remained uncharacteristically quiet in the days that followed. But on Wednesday, Chávez announced that he had finally received the coordinates of where the two women would be dropped off by their captors.
Uribe had little choice but to allow the fiery leftist leader – who's called him a "puppet" and "lapdog" of Washington – to organize a new mission, but demanded it be done discreetly and "with respect for the Colombian government."
Despite the setback over the boy, the FARC now have the upper hand, analysts say. "The release will renew pressure on the government to make concessions for a wider agreement on the other hostages," says Román Ortiz, a security analyst with the Bogotá think tank Ideas Para la Paz.
Bruce Bagley, a Colombia analyst at the University of Miami, says that after the release the FARC will be expecting a response from the government. "They'll be thinking: 'OK, we made a gesture, now you make a gesture,' " he says.
Pressure to release more hostages
And while Uribe is not inclined to make gestures toward the FARC, international pressure will continue to build for him to seek the release of the other 44 high-profile hostages including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, three American defense contractors, and dozens of local politicians and military and police officers. Many have been held for as long as a decade. The rebels are using the hostages to gain political leverage nationally and internationally and to seek their exchange for jailed rebels.
"The issue is not going to go away," says Michael Shifter, an analyst with the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue. Since he took power, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France has made the release of Ms. Betancourt a foreign-policy priority. Washington, which backs the Colombian government with annual aid of more than $600 million, insists it does not negotiate with groups it regards as terrorist. However, Uribe was in direct contact with President Bush during the aborted December release mission.
A State Department spokesman welcomed the release of the hostages and called on the FARC "to release all hostages that it holds and we continue to support President Uribe's efforts to that end."
In addition to the so-called "exchangeable" hostages who have a political value, the FARC are estimated to hold more than 700 other hostages for ransom.
"This has to be the beginning of an effort that culminates with the release of all the "exchangeable" hostages and all the victims kidnapped for ransom," says Colombian Sen. Piedad Córdoba, who acted as facilitator when Chávez officially played the role of mediator between the Colombian government and the FARC last fall.
Will the FARC increase attacks?
But at the same time, according to observers, Colombia could see an increase in FARC attacks throughout the country. "They will try to demonstrate that despite the setback and despite their willingness to release hostages, they are still powerful," says Mr. Bagley.
In fact, top FARC leader Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda last week called on his forces, believed to number about 12,000, to launch a "general offensive" against the government. In a communiqué he said the rebels should launch attacks "on highways, in villages, in the jungle, and barracks, without giving the enemy respite."
The FARC has been weakened by a sustained government offensive that has pushed the insurgents into tactical retreat from urban centers into the mountains and jungles of the Colombia. But while the botched handover showed cracks in the command and control of the guerrilla army, Bagley says the FARC "retain considerable firepower."
The FARC will now set the tone for what is to come, says Ortiz. Previously, the rebels had demanded the demilitarization of two counties as a stage for negotiations for a hostage-for-prisoner swap, which Uribe had rejected. "There is no rationalization for a demilitarized zone now," says Ortiz. "The ball's in their court. They have to decide what they will demand now."
Under pressure to act to free the hostages, Uribe in August authorized Chávez to try to broker a deal with the FARC, who greatly admire Chávez.
But after three months of the Venezuelan leader's grandstanding, Uribe dismissed Chávez, raising tensions between the two leaders and unveiling a mutual mistrust.
But Chávez clearly plans to play a role in Colombia's conflict. On announcing the release of the women Chávez declared: "Venezuela will continue opening paths to peace in Colombia.
"We are ready, and in contact with the FARC, and we hope the Colombian government understands," Chávez said. "The world wants peace for Colombia."


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Goat Trench Coat
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- A textured trench tailored with duchess silk lapels and raw-edged leather lining.
- Relaxed fit
- Coat length: 100cm/39.4in. Model wears a size UK 8
- Model's height: 175cm/5ft 9in
- Outer: 100% farmed goat fur, capra hircus hircus, country of origin: China
- Trim: 100% lambskin
- Lining: 100% silk
- Sleeve lining: 100% viscose
- Buttons: buffalo horn
- Double-breasted closure
- Button-through welt pockets
- Signature details: epaulettes, hook-and-eye collar closure, gun flap, belted cuffs, D-ring belt, storm shield
- Specialist dry clean
- Made in Italy
Item 45482871


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Oct 24, 2012
By Holly Coletta and Monica Chapman
As the holiday season approaches, there are more and more opportunities for the OHIO community to give back to those in need. One such way is United Appeal's "United 2 Give, United 2 Help" fundraising campaign, which runs Nov. 1 through Dec. 24.
For 57 years United Appeal has been working to serve the less fortunate in Athens County. This year, the organization is partnering with 19 local agencies as well as Athens County 2-1-1, which will all benefit from OHIO's fundraising efforts. Athens County 2-1-1 is a free, 24-hour service through United Appeal that connects area residents to more than 300 local agencies and government services.
United Appeal's 2012 campaign aims for 12 percent participation among OHIO faculty and staff, with a campus-wide fundraising goal of $50,000. Last year, OHIO fell 1 percent shy of its 10 percent participation goal, with about $45,000 raised.
"We came so close to reaching our goal last year, and we felt it would be beneficial to increase the goal this year to provide an additional push for faculty and staff to participate," said United Appeal Co-Chair Jessica Wingett, manager of the Office of Research and Grants with Ohio University's Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
On Thursday, OHIO faculty and staff will receive a letter from United Appeal, which will include campaign information as well as the 2012 Pledge Form. Faculty and staff wishing to donate via payroll deduction may indicate this on the form.
But according to Wingett, all forms of giving and all amounts of giving do make a difference.
"In terms of value, I believe we are very, very fortunate to be part of the University community as well as the Athens community, and it's our responsibility to give back where we can," Wingett said. "This is a perfect opportunity to do that."
For more information on United Appeal, visit http://www.unitedappeal.org/. For campaign updates and information on the organizations benefitting from this year's fundraiser, check your bi-weekly Compass emails.
American Red Cross of Southeastern Ohio
Appalachian Community Visiting Nurse Association, Hospice & Health Services, Inc.
Appalachian Peace and Justice Network
Athens CASA/GAL Program
Athens County Child Advocacy Center
Athens County Food Pantry
Athens Photographic Project, Inc.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Athens County
Family Healthcare, Inc.
The Gathering Place
Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council
Habitat for Humanity Athens County
HAVAR, Inc.
My Sister's Place
NAMI Athens
Ohio University – Community Health Programs
Tomcat Bridgebuilders
Tri-County Mental Health and Counseling Services, Inc.
United Seniors of Athens County, Inc.


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Looking in our study at Acts chapter 3 and I'd like to read for you verses 19 through 26. Acts chapter 3 in our ongoing study of the book of Acts we come this morning to verses 19 through 26. Beginning at verse 19 Peter concluding his sermon in Jerusalem says these words; "Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ who was before preached unto you, whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the age began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me, Him shall ye hear in all things whatever He shall say unto you And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those who follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you in turning away every one of you from His iniquities." May God bless this most important and interesting passage to our hearts as we have read it and we shall study it.
Father, we call on You to be our teacher. We have not the ability in our own minds nor from our own experience to perceive Your truth and yet we can through the Spirit. So we ask the Spirit to be our teacher even as He has promised He shall be. We pray that what will be said here might not be human but it might be divine. Speak Your truth, Father. May we be able to see past the human vessel and see to You and desiring to communicate with us. God, help us to learn these truths that You've put in Your book that they might change our lives. We pray in Christ's name. Amen.
Well, this morning our text is Acts 3:1926; however I only managed in the early service to get through the first phrase of verse 19. But that had to do with some of the lengthy announcements, I'm sure, as well as my own particular pace. And so we're only going to scratch thesurface of this tremendous conclusion of Peter's sermon.
In our study we come to what is really the conclusion of what is Peter's second sermon, at least it's the second one recorded in the book of Acts, the church has been born, the church has been properly equipped to finish our Lord's unfinished work. And keep in mind, when I refer to our Lord's unfinished work I'm talking about the work of preaching which He began to do not the work of redemption which He finished. And so the church was given all the ingredients to preach and to teach and to go from the place that Christ left. Now in the early years they were all really commissioned to preach and they all did. But there was one who was especially commission to be the apostle to the Jews and that was Peter. So in the early portions of the book of Acts the apostle Peter is the one doing most of the talking.
He had already preached one great sermon on the day of Pentecost and we studied that in Acts chapter 2. The Spirit had provided the audience and the interest by the divine miracle of languages which had gathered the crowd and stunned them and caused them to focus on their own God then Peter bounced off that miracle and preached Jesus Christ. And in his preaching of Jesus Christ he did the two things that all effective apostolic preaching does, he first of all exalted Christ and secondly indicted the people. And this became the pattern for all gospel preaching and I think, even yet today must be the pattern. If we're going to evangelize, we must do two things. We must present Jesus Christ and secondly we must indict men who reject Him. And this is what Peter did precisely. As a result of that first sermon threethousand people believed and were added to the church thus forming the first fellowship and from there they went out to preach Jesus Christ and to live lives motivated and energized by the Holy Spirit to the glory of God.
Now in chapter 3 Peter preaches again and this time his theme is identical. Jesus Christ exalted, Israel indicted. And for that manner, any man who is not responding to Christ is indicted in this sermon. Now it's the same format also because the Holy Spirit performs a miracle to gather the crowd again. Now you remember the miracle of the languages in Acts 2 and here is the miracle of the healing of the lame man. Again, miracles to confirm the word as Hebrews 2:4 puts it so that men would believe their message. God attended their preaching by miracles. And you'll remember that we saw, first of all, the introduction in verse 12. How that Peter just jumps off the living illustration of the man who's been healed; and as Peter gets up to preach, in Solomon's portico in the great court of the temple, he's got John on the other side and hanging in the middle between both of them is the man made whole. So that he's right in the middle and everybody that looks at Peter is going to see this guy as a living illustration of the power of God. And so all during the preaching of Peter's sermon the people are visually connecting this to a divine miracle which is assuming that Peter's message must be divine. And that's exactly what the Spirit of God wants them to assume.
Now we saw the introduction in verse 12 as Peter just jumped off that living illustration. Then we saw Peter's theme. And his theme was in verse 13 to 18, and it was the same twofold theme as all apostolic preaching--exalt Christ and indict those who reject Him. And you'll remember that in his exaltation of Christ he presents Christ by six different names. Each one of those names were names in the Jewish mind would relate to Messianic prophecy and Peter is essentially saying, this is your Messiah.
He calls Him a servant, which is the correct translation of the word that the Authorized has Son; he has Servant, Jesus, Holy One, Just, Prince of life, Christ. Six Messianic terms describing Christ as their Messiah. Now woven through the presentation of Christ he discusses what they did to Him.
He says you denied Him, delivered Him, you desired Him not, you destroyed Him. So in just a brief section from verse 13 to 18 he pungently and with great power presents Christ in His majesty and Messiahship and indicts Israel for what they did to their Messiah. And it's a classic example of correct apostolic application of the gospel to the need of man.
But Peter doesn't stop with a hard, cold, indifferent kind of condemnation and damnation message. Gently he begins to ease off in verse 17, and I love that we saw it two weeks ago, "And now, brethren, I know through ignorance you did it". Somebody came to me after this morning's sermon and said, I didn't know that they did it through ignorance I thought they did it through rebellion. I said, Yes, and their rebellion is what caused their ignorance. The point was this, they weren't ignorant in crucifying Christ, they did that openly but they didn't know He was their Messiah. For had they really known that they never would have done it. They were ignorant as to who He was. They were ignorant because they had rebelled against the only God who is and who could reveal who He was. Do you see? So it wasn't that they weren't rebellious. They were rebellious but their rebellion spawned their ignorance. As long as they were living in rebellion towards God they would never understand Christ as their Messiah because they didn't know what God was trying to say. So they were ignorant. Well, God cracks the door on the city of refuge, remember in verse 17? And says I know you did it through ignorance; holds them guilty of manslaughter not premeditated murder. And says because it's manslaughter I'll extend grace to you. Even though they had executed their own Messiah the grace of God is activated on their behalf. And then Peter moves fast to his conclusion.
And here's his conclusion in a statement in verse 19, "Repent therefore and be converted". We'll stop right there. Repent therefore and be converted.
What is the therefore there for? Well the therefore is there for this reason that always takes you back, you see. Repent on the basis of what? Numberone, on the basis of the fact that you killed your Messiah, that you have blown it, you've got to repent. Secondly, on the fact that God has said, Come on, I'm gracious, I'll accept it. Repent therefore on the basis of what you've done and what God has provided for you. It wouldn't do any good to say repent if God hadn't given them grace to forgive. It wouldn't do any good to say repent if they hadn't done anything. So repentance therefore is based on the two things: their deed toward Christ and their attitude toward Him and God's deed toward them in grace and the offer of forgiveness. So Peter says, Repent therefore and be converted. You must change, he says. Now this introduces us to Peter's conclusion. His conclusion is just that simple, repent and be converted. And it also introduces us to two very important biblical doctrines: the doctrine of repentance and the doctrine of conversion. Now we're going to spend a little time on this this morning because we need to understand it.
First of all, what is repentance? We hear a lot about repentance and maybe we know about it, maybe we don't but let's find out what repentance is. The Greek word, the literal word metanoeo has to do with changing your mind. It has to do with turning around, a onehundred-and-eighty degree type turn, not just turning away from something, but turning all the way around to the opposite direction. To repent, then, is to change your mind. I'll give you a classic illustration in Matthew chapter 21--about the best one, I think, in the New Testament that we could use, Matthew 21:28 And listen to this; this you can relate some of this to your own life; some of you fathers who have young people to try to get to work in the yard will be able to understand this. "A certain man had two sons and he came to the first and he said, Son, go work today in my vineyard." Right? You identify with that?
Tell your son to do the yard. "He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented and did it." You say,That's good. But this is more realistic. "He came to the second and said to him the same thing and he answered and said, I go, sir; and went not." That's more like the real thing. Right? But you see here's the thing. Now pull the word repentance right out of the verse 29 and you've got the meaning of repentance. "He said I will not but he did." That's repenting. He repented means he said one thing, he changed his mind to the very opposite and went the other way.
Repentance has to do with opposite attitudes. It has to do with changing your mind totally to go the other way. That is the meaning of repentance.
Now when you apply that to Jesus Christ what He is saying to Israel is, You have had one attitude about Jesus reverse that attitude. Right? That's repentance. Reverse your decision. Reverse your judgment. Reverse your conclusion regarding Jesus Christ because you're wrong and he's piled up the evidence to prove it and he says on the basis of what you've done, on the basis of what God has provided for you reverse your decision. You have come to the wrong conclusion about Jesus Christ. And they, of course, had decided He was a blasphemer. They had decided He mocked God. That He was a threat to true religion. That He needed to be executed like a criminal.
And Peter says, you blew it on every count. He is the very opposite of what you concluded Him to be therefore turn around and reverse your decision. That's exactly what he is saying.
Now there was much involved in reversing their decision there was a whole economy involved in this. I want to get into this a little bit tonight when we talk about the new covenant. This was a whole new changing thing but I think it can be illustrated to us. Let me just kind of bounce off of Acts 20:21 for a minute as a starting point. In Acts 20:21 Paul talks about having taught and preached from house to house and here's what he said when he did this, "Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks or Gentiles repentance toward God." Now repentance toward God is the first thing and then he says, "Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ". Now to the Jews he preached repentance toward God. You say,What does that mean? First thing the Jews had to do was change their mind about God. They were going away from God not toward God. They needed to turn around and go toward God, you see. They needed to repent toward God. You say,Well what are you saying here? Can it be more specific? Sure. It's just as clear as the contrast between selfrighteousness and Christ righteousness. Let me show you what I mean. The nation Israel had decided that God's will for them, that God's revelation was a selfgenerated righteousness. Right? If you're good--good good-good or better than goodygoodgood, and you get more good points then bad points, and you live sort of a holy life you're pleasing God. All God wants is a sort of legalistic kind of thing, you know. If you just read a Bible once in awhile and you don't kick your cat and you give whatever your neighbor wants to your neighbor and you love your friends and you do all that, you're stacking up the goody things--then that's God's will for you.
God wants you to be good. And that way you generate your own kind of selfrighteousness. That's what the Jew thought about God's will. And that whole system of legalism was manipulated and maintained by a group of men known as the Pharisees. Pharisees kind of coordinated legalism. They made sure it maintained its organization and its hold over the people. And so there was a works righteousness system. And if the Jew kept the three hundred and sixtyfive negative commands and the two hundred and fifty positive commands, he was safe and he was righteous. And they thought that's what God wanted.
The apostles came along and said, you have got to change your attitude about what God wants, that is not what God wants. That's what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said, You think you're going to please God by keeping all these rules? Let Me lay it on you like it really is, if you've ever even thought these things in your heart you've committed them. You can't keep God's laws. Romans 3 says, "By the deeds of the flesh or: By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified." You can't be justified by works.
Ephesians 2 says simply this, "Not by works lest any man should boast".
Can't you imagine what we'd all be doing if we got in by works? What have you done? I'd like to tell you what I've done. See. Oh no. And who gets the glory? We do, not God. God doesn't operate on that basis. So the system of works righteousness needed changing and so Paul is saying to the Jew and the Greek, you cannot please God that way; you have to repent and go towards God; He has a different will in mind. It has nothing to do with your own works. Jesus said the same thing, He said, "No, there is no selfgained righteousness, no selfgained holiness through legalism and He commanded everyone to repent--turn around, you're going the wrong way. And He told them to repent and receive free righteousness through Him by faith. And all you need to do is turn away from a system of legalism to Jesus Christ, receive Him by faith and God imputes His righteousness to you. We'll see more about this this morning. But you see it is only Jesus who can make you righteous.
You can't make yourself righteous. Only Jesus Christ can do it by faith in Him. Paul is saying you have to change your attitude toward God's will; He doesn't want that, He wants this. He wants you to put faith in Jesus Christ.
That's Acts 20:21, change your attitude toward God and put faith in Jesus Christ. That's the only way to righteousness.
Now in order to do this they had to turn all the way around. They had to turn all the way around in their attitude toward God. They had to turn all the way around in their attitude towards Jesus. You see, they had to stop trying to be legalistic, God didn't want that and they had to stop thinking Jesus was a blasphemer. They had to turn around on both counts.
Well, Peter says you've got to turn all the way around. And that's the same message we give anybody today. Whatever it is in your life that you think you're doing to please God if it doesn't involve totally and only faith in Jesus Christ then turn around because you're going the wrong way. That's God's will. Now this is God's design for men is that they repent but it isn't that simple. God knows that there needs to be some prodding along the way. I remember when I was in High School I use to work in a pig ranch in El Monte. You didn't know that did you? We had twenty thousand hogs there and it was kind of a bacon factory, you know. My job was to herd the hogs.
And they gave us a tool that was very effective it was a long thing with an electrical charge in it. It was terrific fun for high school kids just to have one, you know. I mean, we used it on each other I think as much as we did on the hogs. But anyway it had a way of getting results. And you know whenever they weren't cooperating it was very easy to prod them. Now you know, God knows that He wants to herd us, as it were; although I don't like to use the analogy of pigs; that belongs only to false prophets, according to2 Peter. But God wants to herd us into the corral of repentance, as it were, and He's got some things to kind of hurry us up a little bit. God uses certain things to prod us into repentance. And just in studying this week I found at least five things that God uses to bring men to repentance and I want to share them with you. Number one is knowledge. God is so concerned that people come to Him, that they change their minds about selfrighteous,or they change their mind about Jesus being a good teacher, a good man or whatever else they think, and they turn around, and they know that God demands total righteousness; and God says it's only by faith in Jesus Christ. God wants me to turn so much that He has activated all these things to prod men to coming to Him. The first one is knowledge, just simply knowledge. God has revealed certain things to men that they knowing them should respond to. Let me just give you an illustration. In Matthew 11:21 God was going to reign judgment on Chorazin and Bethsaida, two cities in Galilee, He says, "Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes." God did certain things in the midst of certain people to cause repentance. And in Chorazin and Bethsaida God was doing things.
In that whole area Jesus the Messiah had come and proclaimed the truth and He had done miracle after miracle after miracle and they had the knowledge of these miracles and they had not repented; but the Bible says God did them to bring about repentance. God has done many miracles and they have been designed to bring men to Him. Didn't we say that also the gospel account Jesus was doing miracles to bring men to Himself. That the apostles kept doing miracles in the early years of the church to bring men to Jesus Christ. Miracles were signs to bring men to Christ and the knowledge of these things was to cause men to repent. Listen to Luke 16 and this is just another illustration, verses 30 to 31 and you have basically the same thing. It says, "And he said, Nay, father Abraham", this is the rich man--you remember, and Lazarus--and the rich man went to hell, and he said, I want to go back and tell my brothers, "Nay, father Abraham, if one went unto them from the dead they will repent, If I can only go back from the dead and tell my brothers not to come here they'll repent. He said unto him if they will not hear Moses and the prophets neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead." If they're going to repent, he says if I go back they'll repent.
He says, they won't repent if they don't believe the Word. Now God has given us a revelation, it all boils down to the Word. And God has given us the Word right here that men might repent. He tells us things in the Word to bring us to Himself. He tells us enough in here, do you know that? He tells us enough in here to know that we can't get to Him through selfrighteousness.
He tells us enough in here that we ought to turn from a self righteous attitude toward total faith in God plus nothing else through Jesus Christ. He tells us enough in here that we shouldn't assume Jesus is a blasphemer--we ought to turn all the way around and know that He is God. He tells us enough in here not to come along with any kind of patronizing dribble about Jesus being a good teacher and a nice guy and a religious leader. He tells us enough in here to know that He's far more than that, He's the very God of the universe and to turn around and acknowledge Him as such. He tells us enough in here to lead men to repentance. God, first of all, has given us knowledge. God's revealed truth is to bring men to repentance.
Second thing God has given us, designed by God, is sorrow for sin. Have you ever done something wrong and then you felt bad? You say, every time.
That's right. That's a good thing. Well, you say, guilt is a terrible thing. Why does God want to make us feel guilty all the time, I mean, if we're Christians and He's forgiven our sins why can't we forget them? It even says in the Bible God doesn't remember them how come we do? Now that's a legitimate question. Let me tell you why. It's because it's a good thing to remember your mistakes because you're likely not to make them again. I don't know much about medicine but I do know there is a certain kind of disorder and that I've seen a television thing done on it with people who do not feel pain. And people who do not feel pain are in great danger constantly because they can die and never really know they're dying, and so they must be constantly cared for to great extent because they're not sensitive to what's going on. I'll never forget in a football game when I was playing in college that I had torn up my knee but I didn't want to go out of the game, it was big game and I really wanted to be in it, so I didn't tell the coach I went to the doctor, got shots of cortisone and got Novocaine and then I got some ethyl chloride which freezes the area and you can't feel any pain at all and I went out and played the whole game and it felt terrific. I mean I didn't feel anything, you know. The game was all over and everything was great except I tore out the inside of my knee. You see I rejected the thing which God had put in me to tell me not to do that. And I believe guilt is the same thing. The reason that God lets us feel guilty is so we know that we've been there before and we're not to do that, you see. Oh, I'm glad for those scars, aren't you? Every time I'm prone to do something that I did before and felt the pain of guilt and I see the scars there I'm less likely to do it again.
This is God's gentle reminder. And God has built within us a certain kind of attitude that responds to sin. You sin and the bell goes off called conscience. But that leads us to a consideration of this idea of being sorry for sin.
Look at 2 Corinthians 7:9 and this is an important thing. You know a lot of people think that being sorry for your sin is repentance. That is not repentance. That is not repentance at all. I think that all people who do repent do so because at some point they're sorry for their sin but there are a lot of people who are sorry for
Don't ever confuse sorrow with repentance. You can be as sorry as you want about your sin. There are a lot of sorry people. There are a lot of sorry people. There are a lot of people sorry for sin. There are a lot of people sorry for sin who are not saved because they do not turn from sin, you see. That's what's important.
All right, then there's a third thing that God has devised to bring men to repentance that's in Romans 2:4 and that's goodness. Listen to Romans 2 and here he's indicting Israel because they had all the goodies that God could hand out. They had every blessing and promise and everything there was and they just really treaded on God's goodness and in verse 4 he says, "Despiseth thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and long suffering not know that the goodness of God leads thee to repentance". In other words, God's goodness is for the purpose of bringing men to turn around and change their mind about Him and about Jesus. Some of you may be saying at this point, Well gee, I think Jesus is the Son of God, I don't need to change my mind about that. If you have not embraced Him as your personal Savior then all that you say you believe really isn't faith because you've never committed yourself to it. Changing your mind about Jesus is coming all the way to Him in personal faith and trust. And the goodness of God is designed to bring men to Christ. There's so many things that God does for us. You know, have you just talked and thought about the goodness of God? God could have made the whole world brown, everything. Brown grass, brown--it's getting that way--brown flowers, brown sky, brown everything, and God could have done anything He wanted in terms of that. But as the Bible says, He makes the rain fall on the just and the unjust. He's a God of great goodness and He showered His goodness on people. There are joys in life. There is the joy of love.
There is the joy of a new thing. There is the joy of surprise. There is the happiness of a tranquil moment in a beautiful scene. God has made a world where man can know things that are good and yet men rather then seeing God in the good things despise God's goodness and tread upon His grace. His goodness is meant to bring men to Him.
Fourthly, and this is interesting, God has another tool if knowledge and sorrow for sin and goodness don't work this one might. It did in my case.
In Revelation 3:19, listen to this: "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten, be zealous, therefore, and repent". Do you know why God's rebuking you and chastening you? He wants to turn you around. God sometimes puts us through really serious crises to bring us to change. That happened in my own life.
If you'd have asked me in my high school years, first year of college if you'd have asked me,Do you believe in God? I would have said,Of course. Do you believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God? Absolutely. Do you believe all this and that? Yes, absolutely I really believed it all and I would have never denied it and yet in my heart I was a rebel. I was a rebel because I was rebelling against what I knew God wanted in my life and I was selfish and selfcentered and selfwilled. It wasn't a theological issue it was a personal commitment issue, see. I had all the theology straight, my dad and my mom had taught me that. I had no theology problem at all I just had a commitment problem. And God wanted my life and I knew it all along but I wouldn't yield to it because I had my own designs and I was going to do this and I was going to do this and God, I don't want you fooling around with my life because I want to do what I want to do. Well God tried knowledge and then He tried sorrow for sin and then He tried goodness and finally He got to chastisement on His list and it worked. I'll never forget, I was going seventyfive miles an hour down a highway without a car, I exited the car as it rolled, hit the highway and on my southern hemisphere, whatever, I slid down the highway approximately a hundred, a hundred and ten yards. It was an amazing thing, in the first place that I wasn't killed because I just hit and slid, you know, I didn't roll or anything. I even stayed in one lane. And during this, during this experience it's a shocking thing, 64 square inches of my back were removed a half inch deep, I had cuts and bruises and abrasions all over my elbows and knees and all kinds of problems and shock and trauma, the whole thing. And I had a severe kind of problem spiritually that really precipitated everything. And I remember I stood up after I had slid all this way, still totally conscious, knew everything that was going on. In fact I saw the car spinning around and so forth, no one else was injured in it but five kids were in it as the car rolled down the highway. They were all without injury except me, so I knew God was dealing with me. I felt bad that He had to bring them along but I guess that's the way it is. But I stood up finally and walked over to the highway totally conscious and enough sense to get off the highway. Didn't want to get hit by a car, you know.
That would have been insult to injury or something. But I had enough presence of mind to know that and I stood on the edge of the highway and I began to think about many things and then I began to think to myself, I know why this happened because God has been trying to get to me and I haven't been letting it. I knew that. I knew that as clearly I never even debated it in my mind, I said, God, I know what it's all about and I said I can't fight. I mean, on this level I can't fight. And I committed my life right there to Jesus Christ and to the Lord and I said, from now on I'll do whatever You want me to do. I'll never forget it and I said, If you've got a little job help me to do it and be satisfied and a big one help me to have the grace to do it and be humble and I committed everything to Christ right on the highway. That was the change in my life. That's when I really turned around.
And it was chastisement and chastening that God had to use in my life. And so I've always all my life warned people, if you see the goodness of God and you have the knowledge of the truth and you have a sense of guilt about your sin don't wait until God has to chastise you, it's needless. If He wants you He'll get you.
There's a fifth thing that God uses to bring men to repentance and that is final judgment. You know, I spoke up at Hume Lake last week and I was talking about sin and condemnation and whatever in our studies up there. Had a great time with about fivehundred and fifty college kids and I was preaching on judgment one time just in the midst of my sermons and we had a great time up there and so a girl wrote me a letter afterwards and somebody came up and gave it to me and said here's a note from a girl and of course my ego immediately said, Oh good, you know, this will probably say boy, I was terrific so I got this note and I opened it up and it said, Mr. MacArthur, I am turned off. period you know, slash and I thought Oh boy so then she went on to just really lay me out something fierce for preaching judgment, preaching judgment. Well, either she didn't understand it was meant to convict her of her own sin or she didn't understand the purpose of the preaching of judgment at all. And for that question I bring you to the answer of Acts 17:30 which says this, "And the times of this ignorance God overlooked but not commandeth all men to repent". now watch, "Because He hath appointed a day on which He will judge the world". You know why we have to preach judgment? Because it is judgment that God has designed to lead men to repentance. You can't preach without preaching judgment. You can't just get up and talk about the positive things. The message of judgment is all over the Scripture and it must be preached because it's designed by God to lead men to repentance. I'll give you a classic illustration of how Israel reacted to judgment preaching in Matthew chapter 21:32 it says this, "John came unto you in the way of righteousness and you believed him not", John the Baptist, "But the tax collectors and the harlots believed him and ye when you had seen it repented not afterward that you might believe him". They didn't repent, they didn't turn around so he says in verse 43, "Therefore as I say unto you the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits of it and whosoever shall fall on this stone shallbe broken, buton whomsoever it shall fall it shall grind him to powder". The capstoneis Christ. The life that falls on Christ is broken, broken in the sense of its own direction and its own will and it's broken to conform to Him but if a man doesn't fall and be broken on Christ then Christ the rock falls on that man and grinds him to powder. That's what He is saying. That's a strong message. "When the chief priests and Pharisees heard this parable, these parables they perceived that He spoke of them", quite perceptive, "and when they sought to lay hands on Him they feared the multitude because they regard Him as a prophet". They tried to kill Him. God had tried every single thing there was with Israel. He had tried knowledge--they had all the covenants, all the promises, and all the Old Testament and Jesus came and did all the miracles in their face. He tried everything. He not only tried that but He placed guilt within their hearts. He tried to render them guilty of their sin. He not only did that He chastised them as well as displaying His goodness to them. He not only did that He preached judgment to them.
He did everything He could do and they never did repent. And they wound up killing their own Messiah. You say,Well, that probably ended it for them didn't it? No. Because we have a God of great grace and you come back to Acts chapter 2 and what does Peter say in verse 3? He says, Hey, God's still waiting for you, repent. Then in chapter 3 verse 19 he says, Repent.
Now that's grace, friends. They had turned down all five of God's proddings to come to repentance, they had continued in their efforts against God and they had decided that Jesus was a blasphemer and they executed Him and Jesus had died on the cross and God comes right back to them and He says,Look, repent, I'm still waiting. I know that you did it through ignorance, the door of refuge is still wide open. And so Peter says in chapter 3, Change your mind about Jesus--it's not too late, it's not too late--change your mind about Jesus.
The second term, not only repentance, that's in verse 19 is conversion, epistrepho; means to turn back. And it's used in the New Testament of a sinner turning to God, a sinner who turns back to God. Now let me give you a definition of repentance and in relation to conversion. Repentance is let's put conversion as a total circle and split the circle in half. Half of it is repentance and half of it is faith, the whole circle is conversion Repentance is the negative, turning toward God. Faith is receiving Christ.
That makes conversion. But you'll notice it's a passive, Repent and BE converted. You can't convert yourself. And you always hear people say this, Well I use to be a this and I converted. No you didn't, you can't do that.
Have you ever heard anybody say that? Well I use to be a Catholic or I use to be this but I converted. You can't convert yourself, you can only what? Be converted. That's an act of God. To begin with you turn around from sin exercise faith in Jesus Christ and God changes you into His child. So both repentance and faith make up the total which is conversion. Now Peter makes a simple appeal then; turn around, change your mind and let God change you.
But you've got to change your mind about what God wants and you've got to change your mind about who Jesus is, see. And then in order to support his opinion, Peter doesn't just whack it off at the end of the word converted, he's going to put five reasons why men ought to repent. Five reasons why Israel ought to repent. Now we're going to look at just one of them briefly There are five reasons that he gives why men should repent. Let's just look at the first one and we won't get any further than this. "Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be", what? "Blotted out" Oh, that's a good one, isn't it? You need to repent, Peter says, in order that your sins may be forgiven. Now next week we'll consider the other four and they are fabulous and most important but let's look at this one for a moment.
He says if you change your mind about Jesus and turn around toward God your sins will be blotted out. Oh, what a promise. You know, that rang the bell in the brain of the Jew because his mind would go hmmmmmm, right back to Psalm 51:9 and he'd hear David and David's cry after his terrible sin and David's heart was bleeding and what did David say? Blot out all my iniquities, see.
David cried for that. You know something? It couldn't be done. It was a nice prayer, a nice thought on David's part but it just couldn't be done.
Under the old covenant, the old economy sin just didn't get blotted out. Did you know that? It didn't get blotted out it only got covered up for a while. It just got shoved under the rug till somebody could come along who had the eraser and the only one in the universe who had the eraser was Jesus Christ. And until Jesus Christ came nobody's sins got blotted out, they remained right there on the list and God just kind of shoved them under the rug for awhile and covered them for those who believed in Him, offered the sacrifices that expressed their faith. The old Levitical system could not blot sin out. We've seen this in the book of Hebrews haven't we? The old priesthood could not atone for sin it could only cover it temporarily.
Only Christ could do that, only Messiah could blot it out. Only Messiah could wipe it clean. God had said in Isaiah chapter 43, He said, I'm capable.
There's a wonderful statement there, let me read it to you. God says in Isaiah 43, I think it's verse 25 these words, "I even I am He who blotteth out thy transgressions", I can do it. And in chapter 44 verse 21 He prophesied the great conversion of Israel and says, "In that day I have blotted out like a thick cloud thy transgressions". He says I can and I will. But when David prayed it, when all the Old Testament saints lived they weren't blotted out, they were only shoved under the rug and the guilt was still there and there was never a clear conscience and there was never security and there was never the freedom that forgiveness gives. You know, we remember our sin but isn't it glorious to be free from the bondage of them that held against us? Let me give you what the word means. The word 'to blot out' literally means to wipe out and in the ancient world writing was done primarily on papyrus, sometimes on skins that were treated but whatever it was done on it was used, there was an ink that was used than never had any acid in it.
Now acid in modern ink causes the ink to bite into the page so that it maintains itself. And you write with ink and you just can't take some water and wipe it off but in those days ink had no acid and consequently whatever was written merely stood on the surface and somebody could come along with a sponge that was wetted and just wipe it off clean because it only stood on the surface, it had no property which permitted it to sink in to the page.
And so what he is seeing here in his minds eye as he reads this or hears this the Jew is thinking of someone writing, the ink standing on the page and God coming along with a sponge and just wiping it off. It's not the idea that the page remains with all your sins and God puts a big X over it. It isn't even there anymore. He just cleans it off so it can't even be reviewed or remembered. So does God wipe away forever the sins however horrible even the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ and standing with the crucifiers. And anybody who lives today in rejection of Jesus Christ is as guilty as Israel is as guilty as the Romans in rejecting Christ and only Jesus could come along and wipe it clean.
Let me take you to Colossians 2 and we'll just look at this passage and be done. Oh, this is great. Colossians 2:13, "And you being dead in your sins", spiritual death, "and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath He made alive", salvation made you alive watch this, "together with Him having forgiven you how many sins? "All trespasses", forgave you all your trespasses. Now I love verse 14, "Blotting", there we go again, "or wiping out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us". Now let me stop there for a minute and tell you what's going on here in Paul's mind as he writes this. There was Paul's mind a record kept by God and it was a record of every time an individual broke one of God's ordinances. And it was a handwritten record against that individual. It's as if God in heaven has a list of every sin that every man ever commits and He does. Did you know that the dead when they rise at the great white throne will be judged out of the books?
Did you know that God keeps a record of every sin of the unbeliever in order that He might have evidence for condemnation? And so it is that God has this long list. Can you imagine how long yours and mine must be, where He's written in every offense against His ordinance; and He's written it in and He's written it in and He's written it in? And it's against us.
And the implication of the term here and the identity of the character of what He's talking about particularly comes from the word handwriting is the idea that it was something that was signed by the individual. In other words it was common in those days that a person listed his debts and then signed at the bottom an IOU, saying in effect I agree these are my debts. That's exactly how it is with men you have all these sins and you owe God the wages of all those sins and you've signed at the bottom and it says, brrrrr John MacArthur, you see. And that's God's record of the sin. Now that's against us. That's kind of a serious thing. It's a selfconfessed indictment and we've signed it. And then notice what it says here. "But God blotted it out", how? "Nailing it to the cross." What is the wages of sin?
How do we pay off? Death. But you know the wonderful thing about it? We didn't have to die the death that is the wages of sin. Who died it for us?
Jesus did. So God took all, gathered up all in His universal library of whatever, wherever He stores this stuff, if He does, and He just put it all in Christ and He nailed Him to the cross. And when Jesus died God just took His wet sponge and wiped off every list of every person through all time who believed in Jesus Christ. Now you see in the Old Testament there was no cross to nail Him to so God just took the list and kind of kept covering it up as it went. But you never had the freedom to think that all the rest of the list wasn't there. You could always think,Boy, if He ever lifted that baby up it would all still be there. So Jesus came along and He just gave God the wet sponge when He died on the cross. What is the wages of sin? He died and I died with Him and consequently my sins were nailed to that cross and God took the sponge and wiped it clean.
You say,Well, I'm still sinning every once in awhile. That doesn't matter they were all in the future when He died and every one of them was already there and He erased them all. You say, Well do the sins that I commit now go on the list? No, He just keeps wiping it all the time. What does it say in I John 1:9? "He keeps on cleansing us from all sin." It's always clean. God never looks at the slate of a believer and sees one single sin because He sees you in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The wages of sin is paid. That's why Paul says in Romans 6, "That sin has no more", what? "Dominion over you", it can't require anything of you it only could require death and you died in Christ, it has no claim on you.
And so the point here is just what Paul is saying, It was only through Christ on the cross that the blotting out of sin could take place. That's why I say in the Old Testament it was only covered over. Finally, when Jesus died He wiped it clean--for Old Testament saints and for all those who hadn't even yet been born. And we as Christians have a slate that is eternally wiped clean and that's why Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no", what? "Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus." Why? Because God already erased it. When the day that you put your faith in Jesus Christ and turned around from your self righteousness which could only make a miserable list anyway and you turned toward Jesus Christ by faith God took out His eraser and wiped it clean. And the sins that you haven't even committed were there. And they're clean. Shall we sin that grace may abound? God forbid. That's not license, that doesn't mean now we can go out and say, Oh, it's all forgiven, whoohoo let's live it up. If you do that I doubt whether you're really forgiven because if you understand that kind of forgiveness the love in your heart would prevent you from living like that, gratitude. And so it is, God had a note and it said we owed Him all those things on that list, every time we broke His law but then He nailed it all to the cross and the wages was death and Jesus died and God wiped it off. And so Peter says, "Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be", what? "Blotted out" Now the Jewish mind, can you imagine what rejoicing was going on in the hearts of those who were responding to the message?
Isn't it wonderful to know that your sins are forgiven? Amen? Oh, it's wonderful to know. Let's pray.
Father, thank You that we've only begun to scratch the surface of this but, Lord, we just rejoice that our sins are forgiven. Oh, it isn't because of anything we've done, least of all do we deserve it, it's because of Your grace. Father, just to be alive in this age what a thrill to know that You cleaned the slate and You've given to us a clear conscience. You freed us from needless guilt and You've delivered us from the bondage of the fear of death. But, Father, we have nothing to fear because the penalty is paid in Jesus and when our old bodies die someday, this physical body falls apart that is not death that is promotion, that is glory. We fear it not. And so Father, we just thank You for what You've provided in Christ. Lord, there might be some here this morning who are in need of repentance. They may consider themselves very good but that's exactly what the Israelites thought, and they were at the opposite end. They may feel that if they're good enough and their attitudes are right and they're helpful and this and that and the other that they're doing Your will. God, just help them to turn all the way around and realize they've got to see themselves as vile and sinful.
They've got to come and fall on Your mercy not claiming anything of their own but just believing in the righteousness of Christ and His perfect atoning death. God, may they turn around today. Help them to change their attitude about God and know that He wants the righteousness of Christ only and not their own. And then, Father, if there are some here who have the wrong attitude about Jesus help them to turn around, help them to repent and change their mind about Jesus and see Him as God the Christ the Son of the living God. Father, may no one leave this place this morning who has not repented and known the joy and the thrill of their sins being blotted out. And then, Lord, for those of us who are Christians, God, deliver us from treading on such grace. Deliver us from knowing what grace you've extended to us and then going out to abuse it by being disobedient. God, help us to be so grateful that we live lives of pure holiness. To this end we pray, Father, that Jesus would be lifted up. We pray in His name. Amen.
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This sermon series includes the following messages:
Please contact the publisher to obtain copies of this resource.Publisher Information


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Year 6 SATs Information Evening
Year 6 SATs Information evening for Parents is next Wednesday at 7pm. Letters have been sent home, please can you return the slips to class teachers asap. Looking forward to, hopefully, seeing you there,
Mrs Shore.
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An otherwise boring and unpopular Louise is enamored with Brad, the star of the high-school football team, but her feelings are not reciprocated. One week before her birthday, she visits a psychic and is told she has latent, genetically predisposed witch abilities that will blossom on her sixteenth birthday. Soon she finds the information to be true and uses her powers to gain the typical teen goals: popularity, revenge on cruel teachers and other meanies, and high-school football star Brad... ~ Kristie...more
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"No hay desechos, solo recursos" - Sistema Biobolsa slogan
We've all seen it, smelled it, or stepped in it, though we go to great lengths to avoid it. It was responsible for catalyzing some of the worst epidemics in human history, when we couldn't properly manage or dispose of it. It is not a polite topic of conversation, and its name takes the form of a profane interjection in most languages.
It is a resource as ancient as the practice of animal husbandry itself, but one that, until recently, had not been appreciated for what it is: a commodity with the power to transform the energy economics of small farms and households.
We are talking about the very least glamourous thing in the world. We are talking about manure.
To say the least, it's a surpising phenomenon. How can it be?
It took some serious outside-the-box thinking to get here. Looking in the unlikeliest place of all, the team at Sistema Biobolsa, with whom I've spent the past two months, found the key to unlocking a sustainable counterbalance to the array of tightening economic pressures confronting the small farmers they serve.
The Problem
Small farmers have always been vulnerable to market forces and environmental swings that are largely out of their control. John F. Kennedy's observation that "the farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways" applies here as elsewhere, and over the past decade, rising prices for intermediate inputs like commercial fertilizer are squeezing small farmers more than ever.
The magnitude of the increases is clear in data collected by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N., below. Though chart below shows 2007-11 prices for Urea, DAP, and MOP (three of the most common kinds of fertilizer nutrients) relative to 2002-2004 prices, which are normalized to 100. As of 2011, real prices had increased steadily, except for a brief respite during the 2008-09 global economic crisis, to around three times the prices of not quite a decade ago:
And it appears that it will continue. The FAO predicts that by 2015, global consumption of commercial fertilzer will have increased by ~8% over 2011, driving prices up even further.
The growing difficulties for Mexican farmers with smallholdings don't end there. Many of them rely on propane and, increasingly, firewood to heat their water and power their kitchens, and these commodities are also getting more expensive every day. Propane prices, for example, increased at more than twice the rate of Mexican inflation from 2012 to 2013 in regions Biobolsa serves (Pemex, Gas LP Prices, 2012-13). Neópolo, a farmer in Tlaxcala who was buying a tank every 20 days, tells me this trend is nothing new: "the price goes up every two months, now going back six or seven years. Already this year, we've seen three price increases - so it's not even every two months anymore. There's no telling how high it will go."
The costs are not just material. As rural consumers substitute firewood for propane, they expose their families to indoor air contamination. Neópolo explains that while using firewood offers a savings, "it has its repercussions. Later you see all the illnesses coming from smoke inhalation, which we see from those who used to use it a lot. They're suffering from illnesses of the lung, cancer in the blood, from the smoke. You have to use it sparingly. Smoke also bothers the eyes - in the long run there's a big cost that goes with the savings."
The old ways of doing things, the supply chains and market conditions that enabled their parents and grandparents to work for themselves on their own land, to be entrepreneurs in the purest and oldest sense of the word, are not guaranteed to last. As one man told me, "we have hands, we have heart, we have the know-how. We need resources".
A Solution
Enter the biodigester.
The genius of the biodigester is that takes an input that farmers have a lot of, and would usually be inclined to make disappear as quickly as possible (animal waste), and outputs precious, expensive resources essential to their way of life (energy and fertilizer).
Here's how it works, in broad strokes: fresh manure is mixed with water and deposited into the organic waste inlet (B in the diagram below). At every point, water traps prevent odors from escaping the system, so it also represents a sanitary alternative to conventional methods for disposing of livestock waste. The solution passes into the reactor (A) where the process of anaerobic (without oxygen) digestion begins. Bacteria breaks down the animal waste into biogases that are stored in the biogas reservoir (I) before going through the biogas management system (F, G, H). Now, the biogas can be used for household energy purposes, in boilers, kitchens and generators.
Meanwhile, the liquid remains of the waste matter output into the container (E) as biol, high-quality liquid organic fertilizer.
Biodigesters have been around for a long time, but have typically been designed and manufactured at industrial scale, often in concrete dome models, and installation is usually burdensome and expensive.
Alex Eaton, Sistema Biobolsa's founder and the designer of its low-cost, user-friendly continuous-flow systems, realized the technology could be reimagined in a way that would address the pressures faced by small farmers in Mexico. "It's a biodigester, which has existed in lots of different forms, but this is the first modular, pre-fabricated system," he says, "What we've done is tried to design something that's very robust and durable so that it can adapt to the Mexican countryside....One of the benefits of our design is that they come in lots of different shapes and sizes so they can adapt to a lot of different farms."
Sistema Biobolsa biodigesters can take anywhere from 45 minutes to three hours to install depending on the size of the biodigester and the conditions of the site, and technicians follow up regularly in the first months after installation to ensure customers feel comfortable operating the systems to their full potential. The team also makes regular client service calls long thereafter to monitor the performance of the biodigesters and guarantee they are achieving the desired outcomes.
The savings generated are huge. Neópolo estimates his propane consumption is down 50% in the five months since he purchased (with Kiva financing) an 8-cubic meter Sistema Biobolsa biodigester. "For a household of 4 or 5 people, the biodigester provides all the energy we need for kitchen use," he told me. "I think for a bit smaller family, maybe 3 or 4 people, there would also be enough to power a boiler and heat water, if not every day then every other day. But for cooking three square meals a day, there's enough gas. And there's some left over."
The biogases can power Neópolo's stovetop for five hours at full strength before they start to run out, and replenish in 24 hours on the rare occasion they're fully exhausted. He's strongly considering purchasing another biodigester or upgrading to a larger size (he is still not using all the manure his animals produce), to power a boiler or to heat a greenhouse in the winter months.
Efrén, another Sistema Biobolsa customer who got financing from Kiva lenders, is based in the state of Puebla and has had his biodigester for about a year. Having had the opportunity to test the biol, he was exuberant about the result, with savings from diminished fertilizer consumption that are even more impressive than the reduction in energy costs. Watch as he elaborates on the pre- and post-biodigester experiences:
No hay desechos...
Alex, Neópolo, Efrén and Kiva lenders supporting the efforts of Sistema Biobolsa and its clients are all on the front lines of what can become a revolution in the way we think about "waste".
The word itself implies something useless. It's what is left when all the utility has been extracted. It's something to be discarded and forgotten.
In at least one case though, and probably in many, many others, the concept of waste only serves to describe something in which we, over the centuries, have just not been creative enough to see the value. Innovation doesn't always have to be about making something brand new appear out of thin air - it can also be about using something old to solve old problems, simply by looking at that old thing in a new way.
By looking hard enough, by digging deep enough, we may find....there is no waste. There are only resources.


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As you learn your way around campus, there are several resources that will help you be more successful academically and can help you with the resources you need for college. Whether you are an athlete, need funding for college, seeking tutoring support or are interested in testing for college credit there's something here for you. Check out the links below to learn more. You can also learn more about taking courses online through Michigan Colleges Online.
Grand Rapids Community College is part of the Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA). To learn more about the sports available at GRCC see Athletics.
- Ford Fieldhouse houses the main gymnasium, swimming pool, weight rooms, racquetball rooms and aerobic rooms. The Ford Fieldhouse provides numerous benefits to the students, faculty and community who use it.
- NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association; find information about athletic eligibility and more.
- NAIA National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics; athletic eligibility information.
Scholarship Information
All students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students receiving MEAP, the Michigan Merit Award or the Michigan Competitive Scholarship should contact the Michigan Department of Education for additional information. For information on the Tuition Incentive Program contact (TIP). The GRCC Financial Aid Office also provides a list of scholarships and student loan information.
GRCC Testing Services
Testing Services provides a variety of assessment and placement services. Students can earn college credit by completing CLEP tests or Challenge tests. GRCC nursing students can also complete the HESI test in Testing Services.
Test Information
Whether you are seeking information for a college entrance exam or looking for a test to earn college credit, there are many online resources. Additionally, many programs require exams for admission. Below are some examples:
- ACT – college admissions test
- SAT – college admissions test
- Advanced Placement (AP) – AP Program gives high school students an opportunity to take college-level courses and exams, and earn credit, advanced placement, or both for college
- College Level Exam Program (CLEP) – provides students of any age with the opportunity to demonstrate college-level achievement through a program of exams in undergraduate college courses
- DSST/DANTES – an extensive series of examinations in college subjects that are comparable undergraduate courses. DSST testing for eligible Service members and personnel at DANTES military Test Centers.
- Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) – the MTTC Registration Bulletin and test dates, as well as information about registering for the MTTC via the Internet
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) –measures the ability of nonnative speakers of English to use and understand North American English as it is used in college and university settings
- Test Prep Review – provide free practice test questions for various test such as ACT, SAT, GMAT, GRE, PCAT, etc.
- Princeton Review – Test Preparation Services, Admissions Services, and K-12 Services
- Kaplan – fee based preparation assistance for standardized tests such as ACT, SAT, PSAT, PCAT, MCAT, GMAT and more.
- Educational Testing Service – educational testing and measurement services
- Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) – specialized test for applicants of pharmacy colleges
- Graduate Records Exam (GRE) – measures analytical writing, verbal, and quantitative skills for graduate admission
- Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) – a test of general skills and abilities that you have acquired over time for admission to a graduate business program
- Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) – info on law school admission, provides law school advisors, and prep materials for the LSAT. The LSAT measures reading and comprehension, organization and information management, critical thinking, analytical skills and the ability to evaluate the reasoning and arguments of others and is used for law school admission.
The Academic Support Center provides tutoring to students in most subjects free of charge. Drop-in tutorial assistance and one-on-one tutoring are available. Drop in labs are available for:
- Advanced Math, Physics & Chemistry Tutorial Lab
- ATC Open Computer Lab
- Biology Learning Center
- Business/Accounting Tutorial Lab
- Computer Assisted Language Learning Lab
- Health Education Learning Lab
- Mathematics Computer Lab
- Mathematics Tutorial Lab
- North Building Computer Lab
- Writing Tutorial Lab
Michigan Colleges Online: Allows current Michigan community college students to take courses from other member colleges.


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Excerpt from the music box description:
Driven to madness by his own ego, syphilis and personal failures, Mordalin fell to the basest of human follies; Chaos Worship. Under the tutelage of Futharius, the Clockwork-Master, Mordalin learnt the secrets of creation and the connection between music, speech and the Essence of Reality.
The music box is rumoured to have been his final creation, his last piece of work before insanity and Chaos claimed him at long last.
When someone opens the music box, the figurine of a lady clad in a black dress will begin to turn. Weird, slow music will play and slowly a thick fog will pour out of it. The music will not be stopped and the lid will not close until ten minutes have passed. Strange marshlights / wisps will float out of the box along with the fog and after a while the surroundings will appear like a dark dream world. The box acts like a beacon to all restless spirits and roaming dead.
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Promoting or demoting a replica changes its role in the replication topology. Dedicated consumers can be promoted to hubs, and hubs can be promoted to masters. Masters can be demoted to hubs, and hubs can also be demoted to dedicated consumers. However, masters cannot be demoted directly to consumers, just as consumers cannot be promoted directly to masters.
The allowed promotions and demotions within the multimaster replication mechanism make the topology very flexible. A site that was formerly served by a consumer replica might grow and require a hub with several replicas to handle the load. If the load includes many modifications to the replica contents, the hub can become a master to allow faster local changes that can then be replicated to other masters at other sites.
When promoting or demoting replicas, be aware of the following:
If you promote a consumer, it becomes a hub. If you promote a hub, it becomes a master. You cannot promote a server directly from consumer to master. You must first promote the consumer to a hub, then promote the hub to a master. Likewise, when demoting a master to a consumer, you must demote the master to a hub before demoting from a hub to a consumer.
When demoting a master to a hub, the replica will become read-only and be configured for sending referrals to the remaining masters. The new hub will retain all of its consumers, whether hubs or dedicated consumers.
Demoting a single master to a hub will create a topology without a master replica. Directory Server will allow you to do this under the assumption that you will define a new master. However, it is better to add a new master as a multimaster and allow it to be initialized before demoting the other master.
Before demoting a hub to a consumer, you must disable or delete all replication agreements to and from the hub. If you do not do this, the demote operation will fail with this error: LDAP_OPERATIONS_ERROR "Unable to demote a hub to a read-only replica if some agreements are enabled".
If the hub's consumers were not updated by other hubs or masters, they will no longer be updated. You should create new agreements on the remaining hubs or masters to update these consumers.
When promoting a consumer to a hub, its change log is enabled, and you may define new agreements with consumers.
When promoting a hub to a master, the replica will accept modification requests, and you may define new agreements with other masters, hubs, or dedicated consumers.
You can use DSCC to perform this task. For information, see Directory Service Control Center Interface and the DSCC online help.