Did Jesus Ever Advocate Violence?

Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!

 No, not for His Apostles or followers. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus instructed us to follow in His peaceful ways. We are to turn our Cheek to the violence of others. We are to spread spiritual seed and reap the harvest of souls. How can we lead others to salvation and heaven, if we turn to violence against those same people? We must follow the lead of the Prince of Peace.

It is true that on two different occasions Jesus made whips of rope, knocked over the tables of the moneychangers and drove them out of the Temple with the whips. The first time was in the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in the Gospel of John 2:11–12. The second cleansing of the Temple was recorded by all three Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This occurred at the beginning of His last week before His crucifixion. Jesus showed us that the Father’s Temple should only be a holy place of prayer.

In the two Temple cleansing, Jesus conducted the cleaning from the moneychangers Himself. His Apostles were not involved, and He did not ask any of His followers to assist Him. Jesus did it Himself, because He is God in the flesh. We Christians are to be peaceful, and to promote peace. If the Temple gets corrupted again, He is still around to cleanse it Himself.

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

My website: Roop-Crappell Ministries

 Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

Farmer Verses Lawyer

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Here is a lawyer joke for your entertainment. 

Farmer vs. Lawyer

A big city lawyer went duck hunting in rural North Alberta.
He shot and dropped a bird, but it fell into a farmer's field on the other side of a fence.
As the lawyer climbed over the fence, an elderly farmer drove up on his tractor and asked him what he was doing.

The litigator responded, "I shot a duck and it fell in this field, and now I'm going to retrieve it."

The old farmer Peter replied, "This is my property, and you are not coming over here."
The indignant lawyer said, "I am one of the best trial lawyers in Canada and, if you don't let me get that duck, I'll sue you and take everything you own."

The old farmer smiled and said, "Apparently, you don't know how we settle disputes in Alberta. We settle small disagreements like this with the 'Three Kick Rule.'

The lawyer asked, "What is the 'Three Kick Rule'?"
The Farmer replied, "Well, because the dispute occurs on my land, I get to go first. I kick you three times and then you kick me three times and so on back and forth until someone gives up."

The lawyer thought about the proposed contest and decided that he could easily take the old codger.
He agreed to abide by the local custom.

The old farmer slowly climbed down from the tractor and walked up to the attorney.
His first kick planted the toe of his heavy steel-toed work boot into the lawyer's groin and dropped him to his knees!
His second kick to the midriff sent the lawyer's last meal gushing from his mouth.
The lawyer was on all fours when the farmer's third kick to his rear end, sent him face-first into a fresh cow pie.

Summoning every bit of his will and remaining strength the lawyer very slowly managed to get to his feet.  Wiping his face with the arm of his jacket, he said, "Okay, you old fart. Now it's my turn."
The old farmer smiled and said, "You can have the duck."

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theolgical Seminary

The Lucky Find

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord! 

It's just a joke so don't be offended...

The Lucky Find

A New York attorney representing a wealthy art collector called and asked to speak to his client.
"Saul, I have some good news and I have some bad news."

The art collector replied, "You know, I've had an awful day, Jack, so let's hear the good news first."
The lawyer said, "Well, I met with your wife today, and she informed me that she has invested only $5,000 in two very nice pictures that she thinks will bring somewhere between $15 and $20 million... and I think she could be right."

Saul replied enthusiastically, "Holy cow! Well done! My wife is a brilliant business woman, isn't she? You've just made my day. Now, I know I can handle the bad news. What is it?"

"The pictures are of you and your secretary."
 
In My Defense...

Defense Attorney: "Will you please state your age?"

Little Old Lady: "I am 86 years old."

Defense Attorney: Will you tell us, in your own words, what happened the night of April 1st?

Little Old Lady: "There I was, sitting in my swing on my front porch on a warm spring evening, when a young man comes creeping up on the porch and sat down beside me."

Defense Attorney: "Did you know him?"

Little Old Lady: "No, but he sure was friendly."

Defense Attorney: "What happened after he sat down?"

Little Old Lady: "He started to rub my thigh."

Defense Attorney: "Did you stop him?"

Little Old Lady: "No, I didn’t stop him."

Defense Attorney: "Why not?"

Little Old Lady: "It felt good. Nobody had done that to me since my Albert died some 30 years ago."

Defense Attorney: "What happened next?"

Little Old Lady: "He began to rub my breasts."

Defense Attorney: "Did you stop him then?"

Little Old Lady: "No, I did not stop him."

Defense Attorney: "Why not?"

Little Old Lady: "It made me feel alive. I haven’t felt that good in years!"

Defense Attorney: "What happened next?"

Little Old Lady:" Well, by then, I was feeling a little hot and bothered, so I asked him to come closer."

Defense Attorney: "And did he?"

Little Old Lady: "Well, he came closer.... and then yelled, “April Fools!”

And that’s when I shot the bastard."

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

What Faith Can Do!

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

During a brutal study at Harvard in the 1950s, Dr. Kurt Richter placed rats in a pool of water to see how long they could stay afloat.  On average, they give up and sink in fifteen minutes.  But right before they gave up due to exhaustion, the researchers took them out, dried them, let them rest for a few minutes – and brought them back for a second round.

On the second try – how long do you think they lasted?

Another 15 minutes?
10 minutes?
5 minutes?
No!
60 hours!

It’s not a mistake.  Right! sixty hours sailing.
It was concluded that because the rats believed that they would eventually be rescued, they could keep their bodies afloat further than they had previously thought impossible.
I’ll leave you with this thought:
If faith can keep exhausted rats swimming for so long, what can faith in yourself and your abilities do for you?  “As long as a person does not give up, he is stronger than his fate!”

This was an article written by Erich Maria Remarque.

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

How Many Lawyers Does It Take To Change A Light Bulb?

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

How Many Lawyers Does It Take to Change a Light Bulb?

Such number as may be deemed to perform the stated task in a timely and efficient manner within the strictures of the following agreement:

Whereas the party of the first part, also known as “Lawyer,” and the party of the second part, also known as “Light Bulb,” do hereby and forthwith agree to a transaction wherein the party of the second part (Light Bulb) shall be removed from the current position as a result of failure to perform previously agreed-upon duties, i.e., the illumination of the area ranging from the front (north) door, through the entryway, terminating at an area just inside the primary living area, demarcated by the beginning of the carpet, any spillover illumination being at the option of the party of the second part (Light Bulb) and not required by the aforementioned agreement between the parties.

The aforementioned removal transaction shall include, but not be limited to, the following steps:

1.) The party of the first part (Lawyer) shall, with or without elevation, at his option, by means of a chair, step-stool, ladder, or any other means of elevation, grasp the party of the second part (Light Bulb) and rotate the party of the second part (Light Bulb) in a counterclockwise direction, said direction being non- negotiable. Said grasping and rotation of the party of the second part (Light Bulb) shall be undertaken by the party of the first part (Lawyer) with every reasonable caution by the party of the first part (Lawyer) to maintain the structural integrity of the party of the second part (Light Bulb), notwithstanding the aforementioned failure of the party of the second part (Light Bulb) to perform the aforementioned customary and agreed-upon duties. The foregoing notwithstanding, however, both parties stipulate that structural failure of the party of the second part (Light Bulb) may be incidental to the aforementioned failure to perform, and in such case the party of the first part (Lawyer) shall be held blameless for such structural failure insofar as this agreement is concerned so long as the non-negotiable directional codicil (counterclockwise) is observed by the party of the first part (Lawyer) throughout.

2.) Upon reaching a point where the party of the second part (Light Bulb) becomes separated from the party of the third part (“Receptacle”), the party of the first part (Lawyer) shall have the option of disposing of the party of the second part (Light Bulb) in a manner consistent with all applicable state, local, and federal statutes.

3.) Once separation and disposal have been achieved, the party of the first part (Lawyer) shall have the option of beginning installation of the party of the fourth part (“New Light Bulb”). This installation shall occur in a manner consistent with the reverse of the procedures described in Step 1 of this document, being careful to note that the rotation should occur in a clockwise direction, said direction also being non-negotiable.

NOTE: The above-described steps may be performed, at the option of the party of the first part (Lawyer), by said party of the first part (Lawyer), by his heirs and assigns, or by any and all persons authorized by him to do so, the objective being to produce a level of illumination in the immediate vicinity of the aforementioned front (north) door consistent with maximization of commerce and revenue for the party of the fifth part, also known as “The Firm.”

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

A Dead Man Saves Many!

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

 One stormy night in 1910, a group of traveling musicians arrived at the city of Riga in Latvia to fulfill a concert engagement.  However it was raining heavily and the weather was very bad.  The conductor of the orchestra tried to cancel the concert so that they could catch the next boat to go to Helsinki, Finland.  The Manager of the concert hall refused to cancel but he agreed that if no one came to the concert, then, they could cancel it. 

When the musicians arrived at the concert hall they found only one person sitting in the audience… he was a stout old man who seemed to smile at everyone.  Because of this one old man, the musicians were forced to play the entire concert and were unable to leave early to catch the boat.

After the concert was over the old man who was their only audience continued sitting in his seat.
Thinking he was asleep, an usher nudged his shoulder.  Only then was it discovered that the old man was dead.  The musicians had played the entire concert for a dead man!

But, ironically, in doing this they had actually saved their own lives because the boat that they would have taken to Finland sank that very night with a complete loss of life!

Through Adam’s one act of disobedience, death came to us all.  But because of Christ’s life of perfect obedience… which led Him to die on the cross for our sins…life may come to us all!

Have you accepted Jesus’ gift of salvation?

 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

The Plan of Salvation is found in the Book of Acts 2:38: Repent, and be baptized for the remission of your sins, and you will receive the Holy Spirit by speaking in another language. Acts 2:38.

Story by Pastor Doug Batchelor, Amazing Facts Daily Devotional, Concert for a Dead Man, August 20, 2019.

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

The Rabbi, Holy Man and the Lawyer

 The Rabbi, Holy Man and the Lawyer

Three friends, a Rabbi, a Hindu holy man and a lawyer, had car trouble in the countryside and asked to spend the night with a farmer.

The farmer said, "There might be a problem; you see, I only have room for two to sleep, so one of you must sleep in the barn." "No problem," chimed the Rabbi, "My people wandered in the desert for forty years, I am humble enough to sleep in the barn for an evening in their memory." With that he departed to the barn and the others bedded down for the night.

Moments later a knock was heard at the door; the farmer opened the door. There stood the Rabbi from the barn. "What's wrong?" asked the farmer. He replied, "I am grateful to you, good sir, but I can't sleep in the barn. There is a pig in the barn and my faith believes that is an unclean animal."

His Hindu friend agreed to swap places with him. But a few minutes later the same scene reoccurred. There was a knock on the door. "What's wrong, now?" the farmer asked. The Hindu holy man replied, "I too am grateful for your helping us out but there is a cow in the barn and in my country cows are considered sacred. I can't sleep on holy ground!"

Well, that left only the lawyer to make the change. He grumbled and complained, but went out to the barn.
Moments later there was another knock on the farmers door.

Frustrated and tired, the farmer opened the door, and there stood...

The pig and the cow.

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary