ARIEL H. CUSTODIO

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RIYADH, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA, Saudi Arabia

Sunday, June 26, 2011

How to Keep Your Christian Marriage Strong and Healthy



5 Steps to Building Your Christian Marriage
How to Keep Your Christian Marriage Strong and Healthy
Step 1 - Pray Together:
Set aside time each day to pray with your spouse.
My wife and I have found that first thing in the morning is the best time for us. We ask God to fill us with His Holy Spirit and give us strength for the day ahead. It brings us closer together as we care for each other every day. We think about what the day ahead holds for our partner. Our loving affection goes beyond the physical realm to the emotional and spiritual realm. This develops true intimacy with each other and with God.
Perhaps a better time for you as a couple might be just before you go to bed each night. It's impossible to fall asleep angry when you've just held hands together in God's presence.
Step 2 - Read Together:
Set aside time each day, or at least once a week, to read the Bible together.
This might also be described as a time of devotions. About  years ago my wife  and I began setting aside time each weekday morning to read the Bible and pray together -- a couple's devotional time. We read to each other, either from the Bible or from a devotional book, and then we spend a few minutes in prayer together.

Step 3 - Make Decisions Together:
Commit to making important decision together.
I'm not talking about deciding on what to eat for dinner. Major decisions, like financial ones, are best decided as a couple. One of the greatest areas of strain in a marriage is the sphere of finances. As a couple you should discuss your finances on a regular basis, even if one of you is better at handling the practical aspects, like paying the bills and balancing the check book. Keeping secrets about spending will drive a wedge between a couple faster than anything.
If you agree to come to mutual decisions on how the finances are handled, this will strengthen trust between you and your partner. Also, you won't be able to keep secrets from each other if you commit to making all important family decisions together. This is one of the best ways to develop trust as a couple.

Step 4 - Attend Church Together:
Get involved in a church together.
Find a place of worship where you and your spouse will not only attend together, but enjoy areas of mutual interest, such as serving in a ministry and making Christian friends together. The Bible says in Hebrews 10:24-25, that one of the best ways we can stir up love and encourage good deeds is by remaining faithful to the Body of Christ by meeting together regularly as believers.
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Step 5 - Continue Dating:
Set aside special, regular times to continue developing your romance.
Once married, couples often neglect the area of romance, especially after the kids come along. Continuing a dating life may take some strategic planning on your part as a couple, but it is vital to maintaining a secure and intimate marriage. Keeping the romantic love alive will also be a bold testimony to the strength of your Christian marriage.

Conclusion:
These 5 steps require real, committed effort on your part. Falling in love may have seemed effortless, but keeping your Christian marriage strong will take ongoing work. The good news is—building a healthy marriage is not all that complicated or difficult if you're determined to follow a few basic principles.



GOD BLESS TO ALL…

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

This year , July has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays this once happens every 823 years

Why 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays don’t occur every 823 years

The Truth is…

The first three weekdays of any 31-day month are repeated 5 times within that month. So, any month that has 31 days and begins on a Friday has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays, and 5 Sundays. And this happens much more often than every 823 years.


Proof in cold print: July 2011 and July 2834 are not even the same.
Have a look at our calendars and take it to the test!

Repeating Calendars

The next time that the 2011 calendar repeats itself is in the year 2022, which is only 11 years later. What’s more, a calendar month that contains 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays occurs nearly every year: Both July 2011 and March 2013 have 5 Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The next July with same days as July 2011 is July 2016.

It does not repeat after 823 years at all

Even the claim that the year 2834 has the same calendar as the year 2011 is false (see picture).
For instance, July 2011 has 5 Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. 823 years later, July 2834 has 5 Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. That is a 5th Monday instead of a 5th Friday.

Variations of the urban myth:

  • This year July has 5 Fridays 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This happens once every 823 years. This is called money bags.
  • This year, July has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This happens only once every 823 years.
  • This year October will have 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays and 5 Saturdays. This happens only every 823 years.
  • 2010: October will have 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays & 5 Saturdays which only happens every 823 years
  • October 2010 has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. Only happens every 823 years…

How recurring calendar months work

Every year has 7 months with 31 days. Each of these 7 months has three weekdays of which there are 5. There are 7 different days a month can start on. So on average, over time, each combination happens once yearly. But for each individual year, there are only 6 of 7 combinations, and two 31-day months start on the same weekday.
In a common/regular year, January and October look the same. In a leap year, January and July look the same.

5 of the same day in one month in 2011

5 Fridays
  Not occurring in 2011: A month with 5 Wednesdays, 5 Thursdays, 5 Fridays

5 of the same day in one month in 2012



Days that occur 5 times, on these dates:

1 / 8 / 15 / 222 / 9 / 16 / 233 / 10 / 17 / 24
31 day month29th of month30th of month31th of month Comments
January 20125 Sundays5 Mondays5 TuesdaysSame as July
March 20125 Thursdays5 Fridays5 Saturdays
May 20125 Tuesdays5 Wednesdays5 Thursdays
July 20125 Sundays5 Mondays5 TuesdaysSame as January
August 20125 Wednesdays5 Thursdays5 Fridays
October 20125 Mondays5 Tuesdays5 Wednesdays
December 20125 Saturdays5 Sundays5 Mondays
Not occurring in 2012: A month with 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays, 5 Sundays


God Bless us all..

Monday, June 13, 2011

A silver coin that was used to pay the half-shekel head tax to the Temple was found in what was the main drainage channel of Jerusalem in the Second Temple period.

Rare silver coin found in excavations in Jerusalem

19 Mar 2008 A silver coin that was used to pay the half-shekel head tax to the Temple was found in what was the main drainage channel of Jerusalem in the Second Temple period.


Silver coin used to pay half-shekel tax to Second Temple (Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority)





(Communicated by Israel Antiquities Authority)
This coming Thursday, before reading the Scroll of Esther, all devout Jews will contribute a sum of money, “a reminder of the half shekel” which was paid by every household in ancient times for the purpose of maintaining the Temple. Today, this sum is translated into local currency and donated to the needy.
A rare ancient silver coin, of the type used to pay the half-shekel tax in ancient times, was recently discovered in an archaeological excavation that is being conducted in the Walls Around Jerusalem National Park near the City of David, in what was the main drainage channel of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period.
The excavations, directed by Eli Shukron of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Professor Ronny Reich of the University of Haifa, are being conducted on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Nature and Parks Authority and the Ir David Foundation.
Archaeologist Eli Shukron surmises, “Just like today, when coins sometimes fall from our pockets and roll into drainage openings at the side of the street, that’s how it was some two thousand years ago – a man was on his way to the Temple, and the coin which he intended to use for paying the half-shekel head tax found its way into the drainage channel.”
The origin of the commandment to pay the half-shekel head tax to the Temple is in the weekly Biblical reading “Ki Tisa”, in the Book of Exodus: “When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his soul to the Lord when you number them … half a shekel … the rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less… you shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall appoint it for the service of the Tent of Meeting; that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your souls.”
At the time of the Temple’s construction, every Jew was commanded to make an obligatory donation of a half shekel to the edifice. This modest sum allowed all Jews, of all economic levels, to participate in the building of the Temple. After the construction was completed, they continued to collect the tax from every Jew for the purpose of purchasing the public sacrifices and other needs of the Temple. The collection began every year on the first day of the month of Adar when the “heralding of the shekelim” took place, and it ended on the first day of the month of Nissan, the beginning of the new fiscal year for the Temple, when the purchase of public sacrifices was renewed.
It was most likely a shekel of Tyre that Jesus and Peter used to pay the Temple head tax (a half shekel each): "Go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money. That take, and give unto them for me and thee" (Matthew 17:27). Moreover, Tyrian silver coins probably comprised the infamous payment to Judas Iscariot, when "they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver" (Matthew 26:15).
The annual half-shekel head tax was given in shekel and half shekel coins from the Tyre mint, where they were struck from the year 125 BCE until the outbreak of the Great Revolt in 66 CE. At the time of the uprising, the tax was paid using Jerusalem shekelim, which were specifically minted for this purpose. In the rabbinic sources, the Tosefta (Ketubot 13:20) states “Silver mentioned in the Pentateuch is always Tyrian silver: What is Tyrian silver? It is Jerusalemite.” Many have interpreted this to mean that only Tyrian shekels could be used to pay the half-shekel head tax at the Temple.
The shekel that was found in the excavation weighs 13 grams, bears the head of Melqart, the chief deity of the city of Tyre on the obverse (equivalent to the Semitic god Baal) and an eagle upon a ship’s prow on the reverse. The coin was minted in the year 22 CE.
Despite the importance of the half-shekel head tax for the economy of Jerusalem in the Second Temple period, only seven other Tyrian shekels and half shekels have previously been found in excavations in Jerusalem.


ADDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE…
GOD BLESS TO ALL..

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Do you have a friend ? Lets see what the Bible tell us of true friendship..






What is true friendship according to the Bible?"

Answer: The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the definition of a true friend: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" (John 15:13-15). Jesus is the pure example of a true friend, for He laid down His life for His "friends." What is more, anyone may become His friend by trusting in Him as his personal savior, being born again and receiving new life in Him.

There is an example of true friendship between David and Saul's son Jonathan, who, in spite of his father Saul's pursuit of David and attempts to kill him, stood by his friend. You will find that story in 1 Samuel chapter 18 through chapter 20. Some pertinent passages are 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 19: 4-7; 20:11-17, 41-42.

Proverbs is another good source of wisdom regarding friends. "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity" (Proverbs 17:17). "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24). The issue here is that in order have a friend, one must be a friend. "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses" (Proverbs 27:6). " As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17).

The principle of friendship is also found in Amos. "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3 KJV). Friends are of like mind. The truth that comes from all of this is a friendship is a relationship that is entered into by individuals, and it is only as good or as close as those individuals choose to make it. Someone has said that if you can count your true friends on the fingers of one hand, you are blessed. A friend is one whom you can be yourself with and never fear that he or she will judge you. A friend is someone that you can confide in with complete trust. A friend is someone you respect and that respects you, not based upon worthiness but based upon a likeness of mind.

Finally, the real definition of a true friend comes from the Apostle Paul: "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:7-8). "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." (John 15:13). Now, that is true friendship!

God Bless us all...

Thursday, June 9, 2011

How do you define contentment....





Contentment


Webster defines contentment as "the state of being contented: satisfaction…not desiring more than one has: satisfied; resigned to circumstances, assenting, satisfied with things as they are." In the Bible content is from two words. The first word, ARKEO; means "to be possessed of unfailing strength, to be strong, to suffice, to be enough; passively to be satisfied with a thing, contented." The second, AUTARKEIA describes "a perfect condition of life in which no aid or support is needed; hence, sufficiency of the necessities of life: contentment."
It Is Not…
Gratification. Paul did not always have all he needed. Sometimes he even went hungry (Philippians 4:11). However, he was always content (v. 12). Thus, gratification does not guarantee contentment and one may be content though lacking necessities and comforts.
How often have we seen someone who thought they could be happy if they could just have, or do, or be…only to experience disappointment, once gratified. Contentment is not rooted in possessing or pleasure.
Lack of Ambition. There is nothing wrong with wanting to succeed, improve, or do better. As a matter of fact, God's word teaches us to be thrifty and diligent in the management of our resources in order to increase our substance (Proverbs 10:4). God encourages us to work hard, achieve and rejoice in our success (Ecclesiastes 2:24; Proverbs 10:5; Ephesians 4:28).
What God disapproves is a covetous spirit and an insatiable desire for more and more (Ecclesiastes 5:10-11; Proverbs 1:19). The real joy in work, success and possessions is the realization that one has enough and the joy that comes from giving to other (Ephesians 4:28, 29; Proverbs 30:8-9; Acts 20:35).
Indifference. Laziness is a sin, and neglect is a greater sin (Proverbs 24:30-34). The man who will not work is unworthy of support (II Thessalonians 3:10). Too many try to ennoble their disorderly conduct by calling it contentment (Proverbs 21:24-25).
It Is…
Submission. In order to be content one MUST be realistic (Matthew 6:25-34; Ecclesiastes 1:15). The short man is not going to be tall, nor the bald man grow hair. There are some things we cannot change, but change the things you can and use the things you cannot (Luke 19:4). As one fellow observed they're not stumbling-blocks or barricades, but stepping stones.
Pleasure. The secret to finding contentment is learning to enjoy the things you have, rather than finding displeasure in what you do not (Hebrews 13:5). This wrong perspective leads to jealousy and envy (Ecclesiastes 4:4; Proverbs 14:30). Life is robbed of its joy when we waste it pining away for what we do not possess while never savoring the what is ours and ours alone.
Satisfaction. Paul wrote the Philippians and said, "I am full" (4:18). Contentment comes when one is able to recognize "It is enough." The wise man says there are four things that are never satisfied: the grave, a barren womb, the earth which drinks in the rain and fire (Proverbs 30:14-16). He describes the men of his day as horse leaches that cry continually, "Give! Give!" (cf. Amos 4:1). There is a point when we have enough (I Timothy 6:8-10).
Contentment Must Be Learned
The Apostle Paul said, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Philippians 4:11). It is obvious then that we do not just wake up one morning and realize we are content. It is a state of mind that we must acquire through the discipline of the word of God. It is something that comes through the faithful practice of the religion of Jesus Christ (I Timothy 6:6).
We may learn to be content by following the example of Christ. Jesus did not possess a lot of things (Matthew 8:20), but surely He was one of the happiest men that ever lived. He understood that life is not measured by the size of one's bank account (Luke 12:15; Matthew 6:19-21, 25). He learned to trust in the Providence of God and the goodness of His brethren (Luke 6:27-38; Matthew 6:33). He was a giver not a taker (Acts 20:35).
We can learn contentment from the discipline of suffering. We can be perfected through suffering even Jesus was perfected (Hebrews 2:11). Trials build character which is of greater worth than things (1 Peter 1:5-7). Through suffering we develop greater faith and inner strength (Philippians 4:11-13; Romans 5:3-5).
The experiences of life will teach us how to be content if we will let them. The average or common lifestyle produces the heartiest people and those most likely to be truly reliant upon God (Proverbs 30:8, 9; cf. Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 6:24). Abundance tends toward dependence upon what one possesses (Ecclesiastes 4:6). Poverty often seduces to despair and cynicism (I Timothy 6:6-10). But a life filled with hard work and a thrifty lifestyle brings one to know that God is good and takes care of the righteous (Ecclesiastes 5:12; Proverbs 11:28; 22:4; 1 Peter 3:12). It is important that men learn it is what you are and do that endures, rather than what you had and spent (Proverbs 23:5; Ecclesiastes 2:18-19).
We can learn to be content from the examples that are about us. I remember hearing my mother say of the life during the Depression, "We were all poor we just didn't know it." What they lacked in material things they made up for in love and affection. The simple life can be a wonderful life if there is love in the home, whereas we can have both fists full and be miserable because we are consumed with things rather than relationships (Proverbs 16:8; Proverbs 17:1).
Strength of character is what gives enjoyment to one's possessions. Jesus knew it was not having that brought joy but doing (Acts 20:35). When we put our faith and trust in God rather than things (Hebrews 13:5) and get our priorities in order (Matthew 6:33) putting our substance under His authority (Proverbs 22:7; 11:16; 12:11; 21:17), then we will be on the road to contentment.

God Bless us...

Monday, June 6, 2011

The Purpose of Blessings



The Purpose of Blessings

How do we respond to the life God has given us? One important aspect of our response is a willingness to help other people. The good things God gives us should be used to serve others.

People often ask why God allows trials. When we are in a trial, we want to know why. Why has this pain come upon us? Why me? We may even stay awake at night thinking about it, praying about it.

But have we ever considered why God allows blessings? We usually don't lie awake at night wondering why God has allowed such a thing to happen to us. We act like it's normal for God to give us a good life. We usually accept these blessings, give thanks and enjoy them without a lot of further thought.

But we really do not deserve blessings, so when they come, we ought to ask, Why? God doesn't owe us anything. He has not promised us health and wealth. Yet every one of us has blessings, and we need to ask, Lord, why has this happened to me?
What is normal?

The parable of the fig tree in Luke 13 gives us an illustration about blessings. If we start in verse 1 we will see the context of the parable: "There were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices."

And it seems that the people assumed the victims were somehow more sinful than others. That was the thought Jesus answered in verse 2: "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

The common assumption was that people got what they deserved, that pain and suffering are a result of sin. But the cause is not always the sin of the people who are suffering. Sin hurts innocent people—that is one reason that God hates it so much—so people who suffer are often suffering because of someone else's sin.

The people of Jerusalem used an example of Galileans who suffered. Now Jesus uses an example of Jerusalemites who suffered: "Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish" (verses 4-5).

In this fallen world, disasters are normal, and our response to them should be repentance. That is the context of the parable of the fig tree.
A tree with a purpose

Then Jesus told the parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, `For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' `Sir,' the man replied, `leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down' " (verses 6-9).

The owner could have used the space for grapevines, but he wanted figs, so he planted a fig tree. But the tree wasn't doing what it was supposed to do. The owner made a business decision: Get rid of it. It's just taking up space.

Jesus was not giving us agricultural advice. The parable is not really about trees—it is about people. When Jesus first gave the parable, he was talking about the Jewish people. But the same principle applies to Christians today. God wants people to bear fruit—good results. He wants them to love him, but most people are just taking up space, doing nothing in particular. But God did not create us to do nothing—he created us to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). Good works are not for our own benefit, just as fruit does not benefit the tree that produced it—good works are to help others.

God doesn't want us doing nothing. He made us for more than being selfish. We are to love our neighbors. That means doing something. It means producing fruit. It means making a difference in other peoples' lives. Of course, we can't fill every need of every person. But each of us is able to help some people in some ways. Are we a blessing to other people?
Blessings for the tree

But Jesus also offers forgiveness. The parable doesn't end with the removal of the fig tree. It has a different twist, and that's what we need to focus on now. The vinedresser asks for patience and mercy. Wait, he says, let me give the tree some special attention. Let me dig around it and put in some manure to fertilize the tree. And if it still doesn't produce any fruit, then we'll cut it down.

The vinedresser is saying, in effect, Let me give this tree lots of blessings, and if it doesn't start producing fruit after it has been blessed, then we'll get rid of it. So, if we have blessings in our lives, perhaps we should consider them as fertilizer given to us so that we will bear some fruit and do some good and not just take up space.

We have all had times in our lives when we have been unfruitful. God is patient and merciful. He gives us blessings anyway, with the hope that we will begin to bear fruit again. We deserve punishment, but sometimes we get grace and blessings, and the purpose is that we bear fruit. Blessings afford us an opportunity to be a blessing to others.
Can't judge by appearances

If someone saw the tree being fertilized, he might assume that the tree was especially good to deserve such treatment. But the truth would be the opposite. In this case, the tree with blessings is the bad tree.

Likewise, a person who is being richly blessed may not be particularly righteous. Maybe the person is, but maybe not — the blessings may have been given because the person was unfruitful. He or she is being fertilized in the hope that those blessings will help the person become a blessing to other people.

This parable challenges some common assumptions. People don't always get what they deserve. People who have trials may have been fruitful Christians. It may be that they are simply being pruned for a while to help them produce more fruit in the future.

And on the other hand, when we are blessed with abundance, we would like to think that we are being rewarded for good behavior. Perhaps, but it's not necessarily so.

Even worse, when we have blessings we find it easy to look down on people who have trials. But the well-fertilized tree is not necessarily better than the vines that have been pruned. We cannot judge by appearances.
Blessings are for sharing

It is easy for people to receive blessings and enjoy them for themselves. Ironically, though, blessings can distract us from God and into ourselves. But blessings are given to us so that we might produce more fruit, and if we don't, there is a word of warning here. Blessings are a sign of God's grace, that is, his goodness to us even though we don't deserve it, not a reward for good works. We need to use them in the way that God wants.

Grace is given to us so that we will bear fruit for God and for other people, so that we might help others and become a blessing to others. Grace enables us to become a conduit of God's love and grace and blessing to others.

Just as he has loved us, we should also love others. Just as he has been forgiving toward us, we should be forgiving toward others. Just as he has been generous with us, we should be generous with others.

Let us think about how we might use our physical blessings for God's glory. We all have spiritual blessings, too, and we need to think about how God may want us to bear fruit with those, to use them for the common good (1 Cor. 12:7).

Blessings are wonderful, and as God's people, we can learn how to share them with others, just as God shares his good gifts with us.

God Bless us All..