Month: April 2025

The Flow of Healing Power in Worship – OpentheWord.org

The Flow of Healing Power in Worship – OpentheWord.org

Published by skeptic

Credit: Luca Bravo, unsplash.com By Dr. Steve Phifer Scriptures Describing the River of Life Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water,flowing from under the threshold of the temple…And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist.Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river…There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, …

¿Hay un mensaje secreto en el incidente del higuera muerta? – OpentheWord.org

¿Hay un mensaje secreto en el incidente del higuera muerta? – OpentheWord.org

Published by skeptic

El Higuera común del Medio OrienteCrédito: Bernard Gagnon/Wikipedia/Copyright Creative Commons 3.0 En este artículo quiero discutir una de las historias más desconcertantes de los Evangelios y quizás ofrecer una pequeña explicación del mensaje secreto que Jesús estaba tratando de transmitir. Involucra el momento en que Jesús maldijo una higuera, matándola, porque no dio fruto. Ah, sí, antes de que se me olvide, agarra un sándwich, lo necesitarás. Es una historia extraña, pero puede haber más de lo que nos damos cuenta. Y en este podcast quiero discutir el significado oculto en el incidente de la higuera muerta. En Mateo 21:18-22, leemos que Jesús y sus discípulos caminaban por un polvoriento camino justo afuera de Jerusalén cuando encontraron una higuera al lado del camino. Jesús se acercó al árbol buscando higos para comer, pero no había ninguno, así que Cristo maldijo el árbol. Al día siguiente, al regresar a Jerusalén por la misma ruta, los discípulos vieron que el árbol había muerto. Cristo dio a los asombrados discípulos una breve enseñanza sobre la fe, y continuaron …

Working for the Lord – OpentheWord.org

Working for the Lord – OpentheWord.org

Published by skeptic

By Jeffrey S. Powers    Many performers are motivated by a desire for fame.  Yet, fame is often illusory.  I have frequently been asked: “Have you heard of this or that orchestra, conductor or soloist?” and have had to reply, “No, but then they have probably never heard of me either”.  The people who are all the “buzz” in the relatively small circle of classical music are often completely unknown by the general public.  Fame is best considered a possible by-product of doing one’s job “with all your heart, as working for the Lord”. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving”. (Colossians 3:23f, NIV). In these verses the Apostle Paul calls us to do our work, whether playing in the orchestra or working in an office, so that it is an offering pleasing to God.  Performing or working for the right …

Gladiator Ripped apart by a Lion Reveals the Fate of Early Christians in the Roman Colosseum – OpentheWord.org

Gladiator Ripped apart by a Lion Reveals the Fate of Early Christians in the Roman Colosseum – OpentheWord.org

Published by skeptic

Christian Martyrs praying in the Roman Colosseumby Jean-Léon Gérôme, 1863, Wikipedia, Public Domain The discovery of the remains of a Roman Gladiator dated to the second century confirms the historical accounts about the deaths of Christians in the Roman Colosseum. The man believed to be around 30-35 years old was buried in a graveyard near York, England. It is suspected that he was a gladiator who fought to the death as a form of entertainment in the Roman Empire, the Daily Mail reports. But what caught everyone’s attention was the fact that this man had bite wounds. Malin Holst, a professor at the University of York, explained the finding’s significance: “The bite marks were likely made by a lion, which confirms that the skeletons buried at the cemetery were gladiators, rather than soldiers or slaves, as initially thought.“ “They represent the first osteological confirmation of human interaction with large carnivores in a combat or entertainment setting in the Roman world.” The man also had several head wounds that had healed indicating these were from earlier gladiatorial …

Interior designers share where they shop for rugs in Los Angeles

Interior designers share where they shop for rugs in Los Angeles

Published by Sam Flores

According to interior designer Amr Samaha of Samaha Studio, Mansour offers some of the most renowned fine rugs in the world. “Their collection is so prestigious that they are even a choice purveyor for His Royal Highness King Charles III,” he said. (A Royal Warrant of Appointment recognizing them as a supplier to the Royal Household hangs above the showroom entrance.) Offering a tour of the sprawling two-story showroom where rugs are displayed in stacks and rolls, Benjamin Soleimani, a third-generation partner of the Melrose flagship, said there is “nowhere you’ll find as much selection.” Acknowledging that it can be difficult for non-interior designers to shop for rugs, Soleimani said it helps to give yourself some parameters. “The size and style is very important,” he said, along with your budget. He also encourages customers to take rug samples home and live with them for a period. “The lighting in your home will change the rug’s color,” he said. “And your home is going to be different from our showroom.” Although Mansour specializes in antique rugs …

Best restaurants for weekend brunch in Los Angeles

Best restaurants for weekend brunch in Los Angeles

Published by Sam Flores

Brunch is a no-holds-barred meal for maximalists. Mimosas aren’t just customary, they’re poured endlessly. Bloody Marys and micheladas serve as appetizers, garnished with celery stalks, bacon, stuffed olives or shrimp. French toast, frittatas and Benedicts share menu space with seafood towers, stacked sandwiches and caviar service. Weekend brunch invites us to suspend belief — it’s easy to pretend that eggs don’t run $10 for a dozen as we order forearm-length breakfast burritos and plate-sized scrambles. Furthermore, it’s an excuse to say yes — yes to adding avocado, bacon and another round of drinks. Here in Los Angeles, we do brunch right. That means sun-dappled patios and rooftops overlooking the Pacific Ocean or the Hollywood sign. Creative menus that celebrate local producers and our city’s diverse culinary landscape. Alongside the usual pancakes and hashes, you’ll find Taiwanese egg crepes, pistachio-dusted mochi beignets, Turkish flatbread topped with spicy soujouk sausage and gochujang-glazed fried chicken. About This Guide Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What should …

Elevate your munchies: A food lover’s guide to 4/20 cannabis cravings

Elevate your munchies: A food lover’s guide to 4/20 cannabis cravings

Published by Sam Flores

When Matt Bellassai appears in a TikTok video, visibly stoned and wielding a spatula, it’s not your typical munchies montage. The comedian’s “Baked Baking” series, which features Bellassai preparing intricate desserts while delightfully elevated, has racked up millions of views — and perhaps just as many cravings. It’s a jubilant rejection of the guilt-laden connotations often associated with cannabis and food. Instead of shame, there’s joy. Instead of instant noodles, pâte à choux. That shift reflects a broader cultural evolution. As of early 2025, medical marijuana is legal in 38 states and Washington, D.C., while 24 states allow recreational use. The legal cannabis market is projected to reach $76.39 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research. Alongside legalization has come a culinary renaissance — one where cannabis and cuisine are increasingly intertwined. “Munchies” once meant hastily melted cheese over cornflakes (surprisingly good, to be honest). Now, it means saffron-infused honey, cannabutter croissants or carefully paired terpenes and tasting menus. “The biological relationship that people have with both food and cannabis — and the cannabis …

The 26 best Pilates studios in L.A.

The 26 best Pilates studios in L.A.

Published by Sam Flores

While interned during World War I, a German-born physical trainer named Joseph Pilates developed a precise method for rehabilitation. It began as a series of mat exercises and evolved into an exercise that made use of equipment he fashioned from bedsprings and whatever materials he could find to help bedridden patients regain strength. Pilates brought this complete system, originally called “Contrology,” to New York in the 1920s, where it gained popularity among dancers and performers. A hundred years and several wellness-industry booms later, he would hardly recognize the luxury studios his eponymous system now inhabits. Or the many equipment offshoots — Megaformers! Miniformers! — his method has inspired. For the record: 11:32 a.m. April 17, 2025A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Joseph Pilates inspired Wunda Chairs. He invented them. The equipment itself — sliding carriages and strange chairs surrounded by coiled springs and straps — can sometimes resemble medieval torture devices. Yet behind this machinery and the not-insignificant price one pays to use them lies militaristic precision: a workout that strengthens the body …

“Hacks” provides lessons in unlearning the rules of showbiz

“Hacks” provides lessons in unlearning the rules of showbiz

Published by Sam Flores

Our fear of the old boys’ club must be unlearned. What reads like political sloganeering is merely a reality-based statement. If a system favoring one gender at every turn is the one that raises you, you either figure out how to game that system in your favor or become what’s expected of you and make do with the proffered scraps. This is what Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) internalizes in “Hacks,” although the portions she carved from her Hollywood exile are anything but meager. All unwritten but commonly understood laws have loopholes, a lesson Deborah’s protégé Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) learns from Deborah before teaching her a few supplementary drills. Deborah rolled the dice on Ava, a nobody who revives the veteran comedian’s stagnant career. Yet at every turn, Deborah finds some excuse to backstab Ava, allegedly out of some version of respect, and Ava retaliates by sabotaging herself and her boss. Show business is fear-driven, and that fuels Deborah and Ava’s rashest decisions more than anything else. The third season’s close is, therefore, equally shocking …

Best carne asada tacos in Los Angeles from 101 Best Tacos guide

Best carne asada tacos in Los Angeles from 101 Best Tacos guide

Published by Sam Flores

Brothers Cousins, in the diverse Sawtelle neighborhood, is an institution. At 5:45 p.m. — 15 minutes before the puesto opens — a line is already down the sidewalk, wrapping into the adjacent Rite Aid parking lot. Blue tents with dangling light bulbs are propped up and a hulking trompo spins while festive music blares from a speaker. Seniors, parents pushing kids in strollers and baggy-pantsed teenagers wait patiently as the taqueros prepare for service. The assembly line moves quickly and efficiently once the stand opens, with six or so taqueros who slice strips of al pastor, stir meats in a choricera, dress tortillas, ladle aguas frescas into cups and take cash. The pastor is the most eye-catching option. It outsizes the taquero who watches over it, shearing thin slices and finishing them on the plancha directly below. But the carne asada, with crispy edges still juicy with fat and flavor, most impressed me. It has a deep earthiness and hints of citrus that are enhanced with creamy avocado, smoky red and medium-spicy green salsas, not …