Rivendell Christian Blog

Remembering 9-11 – 2001-2011–Never Forget!

2011-09-11T12:56:00.001-04:00

911 Tribute – Music by Christian band the Fray

We remember all those who died that day as victims to the atrocious acts of a few evil men.

We remember all the hero's that day, the fire fighters and policemen, those that lived and died trying to rescue people.

And, we remember all those who lost their love ones that day. May God comfort them all!

We hope that no one politicizes this day for their own political agendas because this is a day for memorial, reflecting and paying our respect.

Also, finally remember NEVER let our government take away our essential liberties to protect our safety.

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~ Ben Franklin

Open Letter to Rick Perry on his Progressive Record

2011-09-07T20:36:00.001-04:00

Governor Perry, let me be clear: It is not that you supported Al Gore that worries us.

It is that you supported Hillary Clinton's health care plan.

You pushed for federal bailout and stimulus funds.

You support welfare for illegal immigrants.

You tried to forcibly vaccinate 12-year-old girls against sexually transmitted diseases by executive order.

Ron Paul with Ronald Reagan

You raised taxes twice.

And, state debt has more than doubled in your tenure as governor, pushing Texas to the brink of our constitutional debt limit.

It's that you supported ALL of these bad ideas that are inconsistent with how most Republicans understand conservatism, yet you now try to swagger your way into the Tea Party.

Governor Perry, with all due respect, you have used great rhetoric. But you will have to answer to the voters of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and across the country as to why that rhetoric does not match your record.

~ Congressman Ron Paul

To Learn more about Ron Paul click:
Ron Paul for President 2012 Issues

Ron Paul can be TRUSTED vs. Rick Perry Not to be Trusted.

2011-09-06T20:05:00.001-04:00

Rick Perry is a liberal in conservative clothing.

For all you Rick Perry Supporters who think he is a conservative. Its all lip service, pretending he is a 10th amendment conservative

Rick Perry supported Al Gore as his cheerleader for US President. Ron Paul can be TRUSTED vs. Rick Perry who is NOT to be Trusted

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OAA0NG19_I

W Friday Night Invite w/ Dominic Balli

2011-07-27T22:13:00.000-04:00

US Eastern Time 10:30 PM/US Pacific Time 7:30 PM

Watch Live Here

W FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE WEBCAST W/ ALL OR NOTHING

2011-06-17T14:35:00.001-04:00

US Eastern Time 10:30 PM/US Pacific Time 7:30 PM

Watch Live Here

Watch the Whosoevers Friday Night Live Webcast w/ Safe Haven

2011-06-01T13:11:00.000-04:00

Starts 10:30 PM US Eastern Time, 7:30 PM US Pacific Time

Click here to watch live!

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Join the Whosoevers Friday Night Live Webcast w/ The Breax

2011-05-27T11:23:00.001-04:00

Starts 10:30 PM US Eastern Time, 7:30 PM US Pacific Time

Click here to watch live!

Technorati Tags: The Whosoevers,Sonny Sandoval,P.O.D.,Brian Head Welch,Ryan Ries,Ronnie Faisst,The Breax

Join the Whosoevers Live Webcast tonight

2011-05-13T14:59:00.001-04:00

*10:30 PM Eastern Time (7:30 PM Pacific Time)

Watch live here

No Whosoevers Friday Night Live Webcast from Cali this week May 6th – Scott Whosoever gives us the details

2011-05-05T14:24:00.001-04:00

Reminder: No Whosoever Friday Night Live Webcast for this Friday because of Good Friday Services

2011-04-21T18:28:00.000-04:00

You are more than welcome to watch the ‘Good Friday’ Service at Golden Springs Calvary Chapel at 10:00 PM EST and 7:00 PM PST right here.

Reminder: No Whosoever Friday Night Live Webcast for this Friday because of Good Friday Services

2011-04-21T16:19:00.001-04:00

You are more than welcome to watch the ‘Good Friday’ Service at Golden Springs Calvary Chapel at 10:00 PM EST and 7:00 PM PST right here.

No Whosoevers Friday Nights Live Webcast this April 22nd, Good Friday

2011-04-19T18:13:00.001-04:00

No Whosoevers Friday Nights Live Webcast this Friday, because of Good Friday Services at Host Church Golden Springs Calvary Chapel.

You are more than welcome to watch the ‘Good Friday’ Service at Golden Springs Calvary Chapel at 10:00 PM EST and 7:00 PM PST right here.

Devotional by Raul Ries

2011-04-13T13:16:00.001-04:00

Spiritually Prepared

“So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people.”
Deuteronomy 20:2

Who were the leaders? The leaders were the priests, not the Captains or the Generals, the spiritual leaders. Why? The priests stood for the Lord who was the One fighting their battles. The people had to come before the Lord to deal with their spiritual lives, before going to war.

That is why we have to start each day with the Lord. We should be in the Word and in prayer every morning before we leave the house, so we will be spiritually prepared for the battles. Then, we will be walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

How can God do warfare when people’s hearts are not with Him? Seriously, how can He do it? You are going to be challenged every day. You will face problems; you will deal with difficult people; and you will be overwhelmed by people and circumstances.

How are you going to handle these situations without spiritual preparation? I can tell you. You will handle them in the flesh. When we deal with things in the flesh, we no longer bring glory to the Lord. We bring shame. We tell the world our problems are too big for God. Live your life to bring Glory to God, not shame or reproach.

The only thing that God is bound to do is the very
thing that He requires of us—to glorify Himself.
~J. I. Packer~

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Let Jesus fight for you

2011-04-13T12:47:00.001-04:00

And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.
Mark 1:13

To the people of Israel, the wilderness was an eerie place that was inhabited by every hostile animal and beast imaginable, including demons. But here we see Jesus walking into the wilderness, a place you would least expect the Savior of the world to enter. And sure enough, Mark tells us that not only were there wild beasts in the wilderness, but Satan was also there. For forty days, our Lord Jesus confronted every possible hostile thing and temptation in that wilderness--and He emerged victorious.

It should be a great comfort for you to know that when you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you don't have to be afraid--of the wild beasts of the world, of temptation, or of the devil. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind." Knowing that Jesus took your place--not only in the wilderness, but on the cross--should make you so thankful. You no longer have to try to confront the enemy; Jesus Christ conquered that for you! Today, whatever you are facing, let Him fight for you, and stand victorious in His strength.

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Leviticus 14:1-57

Mark 3:20-35

Psalm 26:1-5

Proverbs 10:6-7

Join us for the Whosoevers Friday Nights with Josh Hamony followed by the Word of God taught

2011-04-08T14:09:00.001-04:00

Tonight 7:30 PM (US Pacific Time) – 10:30 PM (US Eastern Time)

Persecution of the Church by Raul Ries

2011-04-04T10:14:00.001-04:00

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.”
Matthew 24:9

Christians have been attacked around the world, and we see the persecution coming to our own country. Issues important to Christians have come under attack, like family and marriage. Next, the church, itself, is going to be attacked. Our tax exempt status and other laws will be attacked.

Many times, when we read what is going on in the world today, we become naïve and say, “Well, that is not really going to affect me.” It is going to affect all of us, believe it or not. It is going to affect jobs; it is going to affect housing; and it is going to affect everything we do in this country. We need to wake up to the real truth, because it is coming.

As I read and study, I see what the Lord is putting on my heart and the hearts of other pastors who are really in tune with what God is doing, but many in the body of Christ have gone to sleep. Many people are trying to live their normal lives. There is no normal life anymore. You are dreaming—there is no normal life!

When you read Matthew 24, Luke 21 and Mark 13, on the Coming of the Lord, Jesus spoke about deception being a major factor. There are no happy days ahead. People are going to really be tested in their faith, to see where they are spiritually, to see if they really believe and trust in the Lord. We have been so spoiled. We have had it all, but times are changing and Jesus warned us.

The fire of God can’t be damped out by the
waters of man’s persecution.
~A. W. Tozer~

Join the Whosevers Friday Night Pray Hard live Webcast

2011-03-25T16:35:00.001-04:00

10:30 PM Eastern Time/7:30 PM Pacific Time

Devotional by Raul Ries

2011-03-25T16:19:00.001-04:00

Stumbling a Brother

Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ~ Romans 14:16-17

Paul wrote the entire chapter of Romans 14 about eating and drinking. If you make someone stumble, you are guilty. You are guilty for what happens to the person you stumble. Wow, that is heavy stuff—eating or drinking can bring judgment.

Remember, in that culture, they used to eat meat offered to idols. They would buy it after it was offered at the temples. The meat was taken to the market to sell. Christians would buy the meat because it meant nothing to them, but if someone came to the house to eat, and they found out it was pagan meat, they would be stumbled. So, they had to check it before they bought it. Why? There were weaker brothers and sisters in the Lord.

You have to know your boundaries. Think of how many people keep away from the power of God for a little sin in their lives—smoking, drinking, watching dirty movies, whatever it is. These little things can become big things. The little sins in life can kill you as easily as the big sins.

It is really important we understand God has these things for us, so we are careful of the things we do. If you want to be used by God, you need to have holy hands and a holy life.

The secret of clean living is clear thinking.
~John R. W. Stott~

Devotion by Raul Ries

2011-03-24T10:20:00.001-04:00

This really spoke to me as I have throughout my walk had major times of backsliding, and I don’t want to live a life of the continual backsliding Christian. God made us brand new, and he warns us of coming sin, always makes a way out for us, and we can say no to sin through his Power. ~ Kirby Harris

Now here is Rauls Devotion:

We Cannot Continue in Sin

“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer.”
Deuteronomy 18:10

What else did God warn the children of Israel about? He warned them against witchcraft, which also refers to drugs. In the New Testament, it is pharmakeia, referring to people who take drugs.

It is amazing. I was talking to this person the other day, and he told me he likes to get high once in a while. He is a Christian. I asked him if he had read Galatians 5 or Ephesians 5. Had he read the Book of Revelation and what it says about drugs, pharmakeia? When you come to Christ, the Bible says all things are brand new, and all things are passed away.

If you are brand new, you cannot continue to be a social drinker. You cannot continue to be a social drug user. You cannot continue to do these things, because the Bible says, in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

You cannot be effective spiritually if there is any leaven in your life. You cannot; there is no power. You really have to be upfront with what God says in His Word. You either obey it, or you disobey it.

Be obedient even when you do not know
where obedience may lead you.
~Sinclair Ferguson~

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Devotional by Raul Ries

2011-03-14T12:39:00.001-04:00

People Follow Their Leaders

“When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.”
Deuteronomy 18:9

Notice the command and the warning. He spoke very specifically, very clearly. Now, God did not have to address the people after He spoke to the Levites and the priests. He gave the leaders clear instructions on how to lead the people. Why would He give a warning to the people? The leadership of Israel were the first ones to be deceived. It was not the people. The people followed the priests.

That is how it is even today. The people follow the leaders. When there is weak leadership, there are weak people. Understand that.

In your home, if you are a weak parent, your children will be weak. If you are not the leader in your place of employment, the people will be weak. They will not follow you; they will follow the trends—the world.

God was speaking through Moses. He was talking about the evil practices done by the people. Yet, He was warning His own people about the people of the land and their practices. Despite the warnings, the children of Israel would eventually be enticed by their practices of magic, astronomy and idol worship.

Here, Moses is very upfront. He says we have to be careful of the Canaanites—be careful of the abominations of the world infecting our lives.

Enemy-occupied territory—that is
what the world is.
~C. S. Lewis~

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Daily Devotion by Raul Ries

2011-03-10T18:12:00.001-05:00

God Provides for His Own

“And this shall be the priest’s due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it is bull or sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach.”
Deuteronomy 18:3

What was Moses saying? God is going to provide through His people. Priests and Levites should never worry about money. The Bible says if you are really anointed of the Lord, and God really called you, then He will provide for you.

That is what Pastor Chuck Smith taught me. Never depend on anyone. Depend on the Lord. That has been my philosophy for more than 37 years.

I get blown away every Sunday morning with the offering, because we do not ask; we receive. Every time we receive, I am blown away by the Lord—how God takes care of us.

We have learned to trust in the Lord completely in this ministry. There was a time when we had no money, and our payment was due on the building. God provided the exact amount for the payment, and then He provided for all of us, but we had to have faith. We had to trust in the Lord. During this trial, do you know what God did? He moved out all the murmurers and complainers, all who lacked in faith. That is what God did here in years past.

Never, never have we ever gotten up and said, “You know what? We are going broke, and we need this amount of money.” Never— we should never do that—ever. My dependency is on the Lord. If I cannot afford this or that, then we will close the doors. We will shut down and do something else.

In your own lives, do you trust in the Lord, or do you trust in your paycheck? Jobs come and go, but God is always faithful!

Where there is no hope, there is no faith.
~William Gouge~

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Devotional by Raul Ries

2011-03-09T08:32:00.001-05:00

Living Examples

“Therefore they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the LORD is their inheritance, as He said to them.”
Deuteronomy 18:2

Why were the Levites not given an inheritance? Because they were to trust God by faith. They had the greater inheritance, because they had God, and He told them, “I will take care of you.”

Isn’t that interesting? God will take care of you. God will take care of me. What do people worry about the most? Money, retirement, where they will live, what they will eat. We do not have to worry about our retirement. We do not have to worry about anything. God will take care of us.

Do you remember what God said in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:25-34? He said, “Why are you anxious? You are to seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things shall be added to you.”

This is what God is teaching. He is making the Levites and the priests depend on the Lord. The people were depending on the Lord, but when the priests became corrupt, the people became corrupt.

The priests and the Levites were supposed to be the models for the whole body of believers, so they could see their faith in God. They were to be living holy lives, so when they stood before the presence of God, to give the sacrifices of the people, the sacrifices would be accepted by God.

Think about it. Today, God wants believers to be examples of holy living. He wants you and me to be examples, to believers and nonbelievers, of people who have faith in the Lord—people who trust in the inheritance of God.

Faith is the identifying mark of the Christian.
~Ronald Dunn~

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Don’t miss the Whosoevers ‘Only Way To Live And Die’ Conference

2011-03-03T10:33:00.002-05:00

Friday March 4th - 5th, 2011 - Eastern Time Schedule

Watch Live Here Friday at 3PM Eastern Time

Who rules your heart? -- Today's Devotion from Mike MacIntosh

2011-03-03T09:51:00.001-05:00

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian." But Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you."
Judges 8:22-23

We should never be too caught up in any accolades that come our way. We must always remember where our gifts, abilities, intellect, and accomplishments come from, and that is only through the Hand of God.

God has given you everything you have. And when it comes to people's lives, in no way do you want to rule over anybody. You just don't want to do that. You want to be in a place where you can say, "The Lord rules over me." There are a lot of congregations that are ruled over by the elders and ruled over by the pastor. You belong to God. And I, as a pastor, don't want my fingerprints on any of the people that I serve. If you're a wolf, I'll be the first one to usher you out the door. If you're a wounded lamb, I'll do my best to pick you up, give you a hug, pat you on the back, and turn you over to the right person to help you. But as a pastor I will not rule you. The Lord is your ruler. Don't ever let a man rule over you; submit and be obedient to authority (1 Peter 2:18), but don't allow anyone but God to rule in your heart. Man demands, takes authority, and gets prideful--God doesn't! His ways are gentle and full of peace.

The people of Israel marveled at Gideon's power, but didn't have the spiritual sense to realize that it was God who allowed Gideon to succeed in battle. Had they realized this, maybe they would have worshiped God and asked Him to rule over them instead. Starting today, let God rule in you. Confess those things in your life that you've been holding on to and controlling. Let His gentle authority direct your ways.

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful" (Colossians 3:15).

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Make Your Decision
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More Resources:

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Know God?

New Believer Bible Studies

Questions About God

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Through the Bible in 1 Year
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Teach Your Children Well – Devotion by Raul Ries

2011-02-24T09:07:00.001-05:00

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

I heard recently, seventy percent of girls under the age of 14 have already had sex. Think about it—seventy percent. That is some of your daughters. That is my granddaughters coming up. That is why I talk to them. It is heavy stuff. We are living in an evil world. We are living in a horrible world. If we do not teach them, if we do not share with them in love, tell them and inform them, what is going to happen to them?

I was talking to a guy at the gym. He is in his late thirties. He went to Calvary Chapel West Covina when he was very young, but he walked away from the Lord. He has four, beautiful children, and he always talks about how they are in baseball, they are in dance, doing this and doing that. They are so happy.

I asked him, “Are you teaching them anything spiritually?” He just looked at me. I said, “You better teach them spiritually, more than anything else, because you are going to lose them.” That is the bottom line.

We have to do what God calls us to do. It starts with each one of us, individually, coming to the place where God has called us to be priests of the family, to be men and women of God and live lives of holiness, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).

It is really incredible to see what God is doing and what He intends to do with each one of our lives. As we give ourselves to Him, as we are instructed by the Holy Spirit, and as we take God’s Word and let it affect our lives first, then we can affect others.

There is no such person as a person
without influence.
~J. A. Motyer~