One Perfect Life, the Complete Story of the Lord Jesus

One Perfect Life, The Complete Story of the Lord Jesus by John MacArthur (published by Thomas Nelson) is a remarkable tool for anyone wanting to know more about Jesus.

One Perfect Life provides the story of Jesus based mostly on the Gospel of Matthew, but also drawn from the three other Gospels and other Bible Scriptures that paint a clear portrait of Jesus. Rather than flip through various Bible reference books to find out how the Scriptures weave together to depict Christ, MacArthur has done the work for us and laid it out in a comprehensive, easy-read manner.

Read my full review of One Perfect Life here in The Examiner. 

Outstanding features of One Perfect Life include:

• Extensive yet simple notes unpacking every verse contextually on every page.
• The seamless story of Jesus through a compilation of Scripture in an easy-read order (using the New King James Version of the Bible).
• A conglomeration of the Gospels—though mostly based on Matthew—and their connection to other Bible Scriptures pointing to Jesus.

One Perfect Life is another masterpiece of renowned pastor and Bible teacher, John MacArthur. A masterpiece designed to draw its readers into a closer relationship with the Master, Jesus.

A similar version of this story will also appear in Assist News Service.

Janey DeMeo M.A.

Copyright © April 2013

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Carry on Carrie -- A Higher Crown's at Stake

Most people think Miss California lost the crown. I say she didn’t. Oh, she may have lost the Miss America crown. But, I believe a greater crown is waiting for her-—in Heaven.

Carrie Prejean, Miss California almost became Miss America but . . . she lost her crown because she expressed her honest opinion—one that most Californians agree with but which irked the judges.

Prejean lost her crown because, when Perez Hilton, a gay activist, asked her view on gay marriage, she told him. Only her opinion differed to his, which angered him. She was not unkind, nor offensive and certainly not condemning. She expressed what she believes, that marriage should be between a man and a woman. And she represented the voice of most Americans from her state she’s representing. For that, she lost her crown.

Carrie’s story stirs up troubling issues. Issues I’ve mentioned previously on this blog. America is losing her freedom. She’s losing her saltiness.

Carrie has repeatedly stated that she holds no personal vendetta against gays. She simply stated her own convictions based on her own gut—and her faith. But that was unacceptable. It led to spouts of verbal aggression rising from those who disagreed with Prejean-—mostly gays and liberals. What’s their beef? Why are they so driven, so bent on imposing their opinions on those of us who think differently than they do? What about freedom of speech-—the right to believe as you wish, and express it?

As a European now living in America for five years, I’ve seen the pattern of erosion. Little by little freedom is being chipped away, and fewer and fewer people are standing up to fight for it.

When my husband and I lived in France, we were “persecuted” for our beliefs. We were victims of some serious hate crimes. But we wouldn’t be bullied. We fought for religious freedom, and won the battle in several arenas. But that’s another story for another time. My point here though is simple: Let’s not kowtow to the agenda-driven bullies. Let’s fight for freedom. Consider the movie Braveheart. William Wallace lived fighting for freedom, and died shouting, "LIBERTY!” I believe we should be ready to do the same And the way America is headed, it just might come to that.

If you think I’m an alarmist, or if you’d like to know more about what’s happening in America and how our freedom is being taken from us, check out this website: loyaltoliberty.com. It might open your eyes.

Watch Carrie Prejean stand up for truth on TV in the trailer below.


Yes, Prejean lost her crown, but she honored her convictions. And it’s my guess a higher crown awaits her. May she maintain her status as a voice of truth, and never forget that it’s a small thing to lose a mere earthly crown to gain an eternal one

“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev.2:10b).

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? . . .” (Mat.16:24-26).

Janey L. DeMeo
Copyright © April 2009

The Secret Holocaust Diaries

This year’s Easter celebration was a catharsis for many – a look back to why we can experience joy today in a world filled with so much pain. Our Lord is risen! And because He is, we have hope. May we never forget the price Jesus paid. And may we also never forget our History and gloss over events that reveal man’s darkest side. Here’s a book to help us:
The Secret Holocaust Diaries by Nonna Bannister with Denise George and Carolyn Tomlin. This book goes beyond simply reminding us of our tragic past. It offers unusual hope.

Introduction

Nonna Bannister appeared to be a typical American housewife. She married Henry, the love of her life, in 1951 and together they raised three children in Memphis, Tennessee. But Nonna was far from average. For half a century, she kept her story secret while living a normal life. She locked all of her photos, documents, diaries, and dark memories from World War II in a trunk in her attic.

Tyndale House Publishers announces the publication of The Secret Holocaust Diaries: The Untold Story of Nonna Bannister written by Nonna Bannister with Denise George and Carolyn Tomlin (April 2009, Tyndale House), the haunting eyewitness account of Nonna Lisowskaja Bannister, a remarkable Russian girl who saw and survived unspeakable evils during World War II.

Questions & Answers

1. The Secret Holocaust Diaries is written by Nonna although she passed away in 2004. Did she write the book before she died?

Yes, she slipped up into the attic each night, translated her diaries (from several different languages), and recorded them in English onto yellow legal pads. Much later, after she told her husband, Henry, about her incredible past, she showed him the stacks of yellow legal pads on which she had translated her diaries and recorded her thoughts about her past, and he typed them up into a manuscript.

2. Many people assume most of the people killed by the Nazis were Jewish. Was Nonna’s family Jewish?

Although it is estimated that approximately 6 million Jews were killed by the Nazis, other nationalities experienced suffering and death, also. Nonna's family was Russian and owned seven grain mills and homes in southern Russia and the Ukraine. Her father, Yevgeny, and his family were from Warsaw, Poland, which included a large population of Jews. Due to border restrictions, Nonna never met her father's family. Yevgeny never told Nonna and her brother, Anatoly, if his family was Jewish. If the children didn't know, they could not let it slip. The admission of being Jewish could have meant deportation or certain death. There is speculation, but no one is certain.

3. Nonna saved many documents from her time at Nazi camps; what are these artifacts?

In a small ticking pillow she kept tied around her waist, she kept many one inch square photos of her family and friends in the Ukraine. She also kept her small childhood diary. On tiny slips of paper, she wrote her experiences (in diary form) and also kept these in the little pillow.
Later she kept all these in a small trunk, which she painted bright green.

4. Why did Nonna keep her devastating secret for so many years?

Nonna kept her secret past from her family/friends because she had, at last, found such happiness with her husband, Henry, and her three children. She didn't want to express her past pain--she didn’t want it to interrupt the family's happiness and cast a shadow of despair over them.

5. What can people of Christian faith or Jewish faith/descent take from The Secret Holocaust Diaries?

That grave injustice exists--Nonna learned that from the Red Army (who killed many of her family members) and Hitler's army (who also killed many of her family members and imprisoned her in a labor camp). But that God's love and forgiveness for those who hurt us are stronger than even Hitler's evil and injustice. Nonna came out of the whole experience with her heart still filled with love. She experienced none of the bitterness and hatred that some Jewish Holocaust survivors have held onto. She was able to marry, raise children, and bring them much joy and happiness through her own love and through introducing them to God's love.

6. Why did Nonna feel it was so important to share her story?

The Secret Holocaust Diaries: The Untold Story of Nonna Bannister is a true story of a young Russian girl whose family was caught up in the Russian Revolution and in World War II. In spite of the injustice inflicted on her family and millions of others, it is a story of love and forgiveness. Nonna wanted others to know the horrors that occurred during the Hitler and Stalin era so that it might never happen again.
Nonna felt compelled to tell her story because she was an eyewitness to many dramatic events, and she was the only survivor of her entire family.
Conclusion

Late in life, Nonna unlocked her trunk filled with memories from World War II first for her husband, and now for the rest of the world. Nonna’s story is one of suffering, torture, and death—but also of incredible acts of kindness that show the ultimate triumph of faith and love over despair and evil. The Secret Holocaust Diaries is in part a tragedy, yet ultimately it’s an unforgettable true story about forgiveness, courage, and hope.

In a day when life is filled with fluff and lies, I recommend this book to help us remember the truth and what really counts.

Janey L. DeMeo M.A.
Copyright © April 13, 200

Expelled with Ben Stein, truth, free thinking & the end of America

In France, they don’t train you how to think; they tell you what to think. If you think outside their box, you’re a weirdo. Somehow, I thought it’d be different here in America. But not so. America is waning and yielding to dictatorship thinking.

This weekend, I saw Expelled with Ben Stein. Without spoiling the joy of having your own brains delightfully challenged, let me simply encourage you to see this film. It’s well worth it. And it’s worth bringing as many people with you as you can.

You see, we often think we’re hearing the truth. We believe so quickly what reputed scientists, big-wig brains and our government tell us. But they’re not telling us everything. They’re actually often covering up the truth, bottling it and hiding the bottle. Worse still, there’s a label on the bottle which reads, “Open this & share it & you’re EXPELLED”.

If you want to do your own thinking—especially with regard to Darwinism—then you need to hear both sides of the story. If you want to know one of the strongest forces behind Hitler’s hideous evil, then please do me a favor and see the film. Here’s the trailer: http://www.expelledthemovie.com/playgroundvideo3.swf

And when you’ve seen it, check out some more cool stuff to help you think some more here: Answers in Genesis: http://www.answersingenesis.org/

Ken Ham’s blog: http://blogs.answersingenesis.org/aroundtheworld/

(Btw, Ken Ham was a frequent visiting speaker at our Theological Seminary in France).

And here’s another one to make you think, The End Of America by Naomi Wolf. 10 steps on how American’s democracy is on it’s way out. History proves it. See Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler…SCARY. Check out it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjALf12PAWc

Finally, before hopping on a plane (yes, again! Can you believe it?), I’d appreciate your prayers for the ORPHANS SUMMIT in Florida this weekend. I will be attending to represent Orphans First (www.orphansfirst.org). It is my deepest prayer that many more children will find forever homes. And since May 1st, is the National Day of Prayer, let’s especially be praying for this.

Janey L. DeMeo

Copyright©April 2008

Legalism, Liberalism or Liberty

I love the Scripture which says a false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just balance is His delight (Prov.11:1). The NKJV translation of the same verse refers to “dishonest scales.” Isn’t dishonest the same as lacking integrity—or even authenticity? And when we throw away our core values – the things our gut tells us are right – isn’t that throwing away our authenticity? Maybe. Or maybe not. Maybe it’s just that some people no longer know who they are. They’ve been so wounded by false concepts, they don’t really know what they believe any more. Legalism can do that.

There’s something really tragic about what legalism does to people. I have many friends who’ve suffered under the heavy hand of legalistic teaching. They spent their time—lives even—trying to fit into the mold of ministry. And instead of conforming to Christ and His Word, the buckled under people’s impositions. It’s a very human thing. The so-called powerful – especially when in the guise of the spiritual – take advantage of the weaker. The saddest of all are those who thought they were following God when they were actually following a movement.

But the danger that presents itself to people with this kind of bad experience is that when they wake up -- when it dawns on them that they’re being duped by men wanting to control rather than knowing the true freedom found in Christ – then they tend to swing the pendulum in the totally opposite direction. They tend to reject everything they ever learned in the Bible – well, it’s more that they don’t know what’s true anymore -- and out goes the baby with the bathwater. Ouch!

The danger here is that instead of finding liberty, they embrace liberalism. Suddenly anything goes. But what really goes is their soul. It becomes empty. They question everything (which can be a good thing- and can’t believe anything anymore (that’s not a good thing. It leads to an empty soul, sad and confused).

So what’s the answer. Honestly, I don’t know. I believe the Bible is God’s Word so maybe we just need to get back into it. Deeply. Read it, meditate on it. Grab hold of the truths within the pages as if our life depended on it. Because it really does.

Janey L. DeMeo
Copyright©January 2008

Janey L. DeMeo --- www.JaneyDeMeo.com
Founder/director of Orphans First - www.orphansfirst.org
freelance writer, author of Heaven Help Me Raise These Children!
Biblical Direction for Practical Parenting Issues.
http://www.myspace.com/orphansfirst
http://www.myspace.com/janeydemeo

CSFF blogtour

I'll be posting a full review on The Bark of the Bog Owl by Jonathan Rogers on Wed.(in between posting the fire situation updates).

Janey L. DeMeo

'Tis No Secret

Not long ago, there was a big buzz about the book & film The Secret. I received emails on it that made me uneasy – frankly, even queasy. Christians were buying into the philosophy – using it to boost their belief in their biz opportunities and potential prosperity.

The Secret encourages a sort of New Age humanism, power-positive thinking, mind over matter, speaking into existence what is not etc. It’s a differently packaged form of “name it & claim it”. And it’s deceptive.

This book, like some others I’ve heard folks recommend for biz building, speaks of the “power of attraction”. If you’re positive, you’ll attract success etc. If you’re successful you’ll attract success etc. My question is: In whose eyes? What is successful to man is not necessarily successful to God. Or in eternity.

One highly successful person was Mother Teresa—in spite of her doubts. (Hey, who doesn’t have doubts at times? And if you’re caught up in a religious system, you likely have greater doubts). Most of Teresa’s time was spent with poor people. She attracted them. She also attracted people who wanted to help them, or who wanted to know Jesus. And although she was often in the company of rich, influential people, that was not where she was most at ease—and they were neither the source of, nor the inspiration for, her success. She hung with the poor and needy. They, and God, breathed success into her ministry.

While I realize that business is not ministry but rather it’s a means to make money, I think we must be as honest in business as in ministry. As Christians, we should present our goods with integrity. Promoting a belief system whereby you can speak yourself into becoming rich doesn’t cut it for me.

If we’re Christians, then let’s shine Christ’s light before hailing a philosophy that either contradicts biblical values or imitates them in a deceptive way (as does The Secret). Let’s think things through biblically and prayerfully before gullibly riding the current wave of forwarded emails.

The Secret is about “me” and my embetterment. The Gospel is about Jesus, and helping others. We help them not so they’d then help us; we help them just to help them, so they’ll have better lives. That’s what’s so beautiful about helping the poor and, as Jesus said, about inviting them into our homes. They cannot give back in lucrative terms.

My prayer is that we learn to discern. There’s a lot of stuff out there that sounds good, upbeat, positive…But is it biblical? There’re a lot of wounded Christians out there from unbalanced movements (either too legalistic or with a really warped sense of grace). Some have thrown out everything they ever learned of God—throwing out the baby with the bathwater just because they have a hard time finding the baby in the dirty water. (Granted, it does take a little bit of groping around in the murk, but that’s where the Word truly is a light. It helps us find the baby in the dirty bathwater). May God help us not to throw away the baby—the truth—and not to lose all Christian bearings and discernment becoming wishy-washy, gullible Christians who will now swallow every sugar-coated philosophy…

I say, “Time to wake up”. All of us. I don’t want to sleep the sleep of dullness and be lulled into lululand by lies. I want to wake up to the Master’s voice, to the sweet sound of our Shepherd calling and directing us (Isa.30:15). He will not remove our Teacher if we’ll hang on in there (Isa.30:20). So let’s hang on in there. Hang with Him. Hang with the poor. Cling to the Bible. Forget The Secret. Let’s read the Bible.

Here’s a good website to learn more about The Secret: www.alwaysbeready.com

Janey L. DeMeo©September 2007