Mystic Toad Press Blog

Buying property in paradise is not quite the same as buying a home in the Midwest. There are many factors to consider when buying a home on the Big Island of Hawaii. This article will help you along your path to your dream home.

Here is a list of things you should consider before you contact a Real Estate Agent on the island. We’ll discuss each one of these items later on.

• Do you want to live on the wet side or the dry side of the island?
• How far away from the big cities do you want to live?
• What type of construction do you prefer?
• Fee Simple or Leasehold?
• Do you want a view? If so, ocean views or mountain views?
• Price range you can afford?
• Specifications of the home you want?
• How many beds/baths?
• Square footage wanted?
• Older or newer home?
• Size of lot?

Take the list above and try and answer as many as you can before proceeding. If you can answer them all you are doing well! Now let’s discuss each one of these.

Do you want to live on the wet side or the dry side of the island? This is a pretty simple straight forward question. Hilo is on the east or wet side of the Big Island and gets about 140 inches of rain a year. Kona is on the west or dry side of the island and gets about 15 inches of rain a year. The wet side is green and lush and in constant high humidity. Whereas the dry side can be hot and dry and quite desert like. Also, consider the elevation in which you want to live. The higher the elevation the cooler the days and nights. And nights can be quite chilly. Some homes require wood burning stoves.

How far away from the big cities do you want to live? The closer to the big cities of Hilo or Kona that you want to live the more expensive the homes and land get. Traffic can be bad in and around the cities. And of course privacy is less around the big cities. So you need to decide how far away from the big cities do you want to live? Some areas of Hawaii can be quite rural (True country living at its best) and as far away from civilization as you’ll ever want to be. Markets can be a 20 mile drive and medical facilities can be 20-40 miles away. This is something to decide before you begin to look for your new home.

What type of construction do you prefer? Most people don’t care, but there is a difference and both have advantages and disadvantages. The traditional type of construction is post and pier. The newer type of construction is slab and footing which is how most homes on the mainland are constructed. Post and pier construction is a home that is raised up off the ground like on stilts. I have heard and read two different explanations for this type of construction. One explanation is cooling. By raising the home off the ground the heat is blown out from under this type of home by the trade winds. The other explanation I’ve heard is that it helps to keep bugs and vermin out of your home. And it makes it easier to figure out where they are getting in and to close off their access. I am not sure which reason is correct or if both are correct. The downside to post and pier is that your house is not anchored to the ground so if a hurricane were to hit (very rare in Hawaii) you have a better chance of losing your home. Also, you will feel earthquakes with more intensity in this type of home. Concrete slab and footing construction is becoming the norm on the island these days. The only real downside to concrete slab construction is cooling. I have heard that concrete slabs can remain warm and can heat your house. This can be a good thing if you live in a cooler climate or a bad thing if you live in the more desert like environment.

Fee Simple or Leasehold? Fee Simple means you own the land the house sits on. Leasehold means you buy the house but not the land. You will have to pay the monthly lease payments to the landowner. There is not much downside to Fee Simple. But there may be an advantage with Leasehold for those who don’t have much money and want to buy in Hawaii. I have heard stories of savvy individual buyers who negotiate the price of a Leasehold home way down (because they can be hard to sell). Then save their money while living there and are able to buy a Fee Simple home within a few years. Though I am not sure this would work out in today’s market.

Do you want a view? If so, ocean views or mountain views? Most people want an ocean view. But can you afford it? Mountain views can be just as stunning and much less expensive. Having no views in Hawaii is hard to find but some people prefer it that way. Either way the old adage “Location, location, location!” really applies here.

Price range you can afford? Only you can answer this question. Just be reasonable and stay within your means. Don’t be willing to buy more than you can afford because you fell in love with a place. You will regret it later and may have to sell it because you cannot afford it. Before you settle on your price range see the section below titled “Other things to consider”. Some things could affect your affordability factor.

Specifications of the home you want? How many beds/baths? Square footage wanted? Older or newer home? Size of lot? Let’s face it, everyone would love to have a huge estate on 40 acres, right? Get ready to downsize. An average size home in a lower price range can be 800sq.ft. to 1,200sq.ft. Smaller size homes are the norm on Hawaii rather than the rule. Don’t get me wrong, if you have the money you can find plenty of large homes. An older home can be trouble if you are not careful. As always, do your homework when buying any home. Make sure to get the home inspected and have a termite inspection as well!

• What lava zone is your potential home in? The United States Geological Service has a lava zone map and has defined these zones as 1 through 6 with 1 being likely to see another lava flow and 6 not so likely. If your house is in zones 1 or 2 your home insurance will cost more, period. You need to do your homework before you buy a home in one of these zones.
• Most lenders on the mainland will not provide a mortgage for a home in Lava zones 1 or 2. Some won’t, even if your home is in zone 3. If your home is in zones 1 or 2 you will probably only be able to get a mortgage through a bank in Hawaii. Because you will be going through a bank you can expect a % to % higher APR. But since you are in lava zones 1 or 2 you can expect an additional 1% (approx.) higher APR.
• Is the home permitted? A lot of homes on the island have been built without permits. Are there other structures on the property? If so were they built with permits? Be careful about buying un-permitted structures.
• Buying land and building your own home. Unless you are going to build the house yourself, there is no longer much of a price advantage to doing this.
• Some homes are not hooked up to electricity. Always ask if the home is on or off the grid.
• Some homes are not connected to the city water system. If this is the case you catch your own rain water and will have a large water storage tank on your property.
• Your home may use a cesspool if not connected to the city sewer system.

Now go out and interview numerous Real Estate Agents! Find the one that you feel will be able to help you the most. By knowing exactly what you want and what you can afford you will help your Real Estate Agent help you find the home you are looking for. And it will save them a lot of time by having the answers already to the questions in this guide. Also, it will show them that you mean business and you will get more of their time than someone who is undecided about what they want and where they want to live.

David Brilliant owns and operates The Kona Forum http://konaforum.com, An online resource for people who want to visit and/or move to Kona and the Big Island of Hawaii. He also owns Da Kine Website Design http://dakinewebdesign.com and Da Kine Web Hosting http://dakinehosting.com providing Hawaii with premier website design and web hosting services. You can e-mail him through any of these websites.

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Cheap Vacation Informational Site

Copyright 2006 Marketing On The Playground (TM)

What I have discovered through my experience of marketing is, it’s all in how we define it. We can think of marketing the way most of us do which puts us in the box of making cold calls, knocking on doors, going to numerous networking groups, sending out mail, speaking, the list goes on and on of what we have known. The simple definition of marketing is: letting your audience know what you do. From this simple idea, it’s up to you how you want to market. You have complete freedom in “how”.

Here’s the bottom line!

No Marketing = No Clients = No Money = No Business!

HOWEVER…

You do get to Market YOUR WAY! You get to have FUN! and be extremely creative. In fact, give yourself permission to market YOUR WAY and change the formula above to:

Market YOUR Way = More Confidence = Attract more clients = A THRIVING BUSINESS!

Now, let’s change your definition and Guess What…your definition will be different from each businessperson you meet. We are all unique. We choose different business paths; wear different clothes; drive different cars; have different viewpointsour marketing approach should be just as unique?

Here are 3 examples of “marketing” provided from entrepreneurs.

1. I didn’t like networking groups but thought I would try some out. My definition of a networking group is this: It had to fit with my values, it had to be fun, and the group had to come from a unique perspective. Most of them were about collecting as many cards as you can. I tried 4 groups and one fit perfectly. EwomenNetwork comes from “giving first” and they have a wonderful format that gave me permission to ask for what I wanted. It was very safe, very professional and very genuine. I’ve been a member for 3 years - it’s the only one I attend consistently.

2. I have a Web Design company and one of my passions is voyager canoeing. I began to utilize outdoor-related themes in our marketing messages and promotions. Most important, I decided that canoeing was also a great way to network. As a professional woman business owner and an experienced canoe guide, I developed a Ladies Voyageur Day. I hosted a group of entrepreneurial women on a guided canoe trip. The event was so successful it has become an annual sponsored event.

3. I had always found marketing to be a distasteful chore. I was diligent and had managed to stay busy as a consultant by networking and following up on leads, but it was an unpleasant duty, and I avoided it whenever possible. I think one of the best-kept secrets to becoming successful at marketing is first choosing to be of service to a group of people you truly care about. With my new mission in mind, all of a sudden, marketing became effortless.

The clients I wanted to serve were people I really cared about, I wanted to spend time with them. Instead of dreading networking events. I began looking forward to them as a place to meet new people I could help. Before, I had avoided business lunches finding them boring and awkward, but now I enjoy listening about new opportunities to be of service.

To summarize our 3 marketing definitions:

- Giving first, asking, “How can I help you forward your business, “rather than saying, “What do you do.”

- Creating a marketing approach that doesn’t feel like marketing because I’m doing what I love…Voyager Canoeing

- Being a service to a group of people

OK, do you have a new perspective on the definition of marketing? What are your thoughts with the questions below?

1. What was your original definition of marketing and is it different now?

2. Did you give yourself permission before this class to think of marketing ideas outside of the box? If not, what permission will you give yourself now?

There is a marketer inside of all of us - it’s just a matter of identifying the true, authentic marketing person inside of YOU.

Beth Woodward, CPCC, is the creator of the popular Marketing On The Playground Program, and the “My Way” Marketing Plan. Find out more about how to market “YOUR WAY” with the free e-course 5 Steps To Market Your Way at www.asimplemarketingplan.com .

How did our universe come into existence?

The question of how our universe came into existence has mystified scientists, philosophers and lay thinkers for centuries. The fact that we are here, suggests an origin. Yet the universe’s origin, from a scientific perspective, is far from clear-cut or obvious. Even more puzzling is that in this age of high-tech, when we can peer into vast regions of space, penetrating literally billions of light-years into the cosmos, as well as observe phenomena on the microscopic and atomic levels, the origin of our universe is still not that obvious.

Or is it?

Is it possible that the origin of our universe is staring us right in the face and we don’t see it? Like the old murder mystery about the police who question the postman for hours as to who he saw near the house on the day of the murder. But it never occurs to them that the postman might be the murderer.

When confronted with questions about the origin of the universe, scientists usually speak of the “big bang.” In 1929, astronomer Edwin Hubble published his finding that the universe is expanding. That is, in any direction you look up into the sky, you will find that most stars are flying away from us.

Hubble’s discovery led to an extrapolation of where all matter in the universe might have begun. If the direction of all the galaxies flying apart were reversed, it appeared that everything would meet at one point. At some distant past, scientists believe, all matter in our universe began at that one single point, exploded, and, thus, the “big bang.”

Scientists also believe that the laws of nature at the moment of the big bang must have had some remarkable properties. All matter in the universe being condensed into such a small area would have produced something called a “singularity” — a point of infinite density in which, much like the inside of a black hole, time and the laws of nature, as we know them, cease to function. And it is this singularity that prevents the formulation of theories about the universe prior to the big bang — if the big bang totally distorted the laws of nature, there’s no telling what “nature” might have been like prior to that.

Some view the big bang as science’s answer to our origin, other’s view the complexity of our universe as proof of a Creator. These two camps have held their ground for many years now, and a “Time Magazine” article entitled “Science, God and Man” pretty much reflected these ongoing contentions.

At one point, the Time article seems to maintain that our ability to decipher some of science’s mysteries and complexities seem “enough to dampen a person’s hopes for higher meaning.” The very next paragraph makes the paradoxical statement that “looking at the big picture … there is more to this universe than meets the eye, something authentically divine about how it all fits together.”

A deeper analysis of this subject matter, however, might demonstrate how some of the above contentions are simply wrong. The big bang answers very little. Describing the complexities of our universe is not at all necessary to ponder the existence of a Creator, and solving some of science’s mysteries does not in any way detract from the need for a Creator.

To begin with, the entire big bang scenario only adds a step to the question of “Where did we come from?” The big bang refers to only one point in time. The originating force that gave the big bang its power and potency would be the key to “where we came from.” Of course, you could add several more steps, as scientists sometimes opt to do, almost in seriousness, that there may have been other universes before or parallel to ours. But this only adds unverifiable assumptions, clouds the issue and solves nothing.

To talk about a “beginning” you have to go back to a time before which literally nothing existed. And this is what science does not and cannot do.

The universe we live in gives every indication of having “come from somewhere.” The laws of nature dictate this. Nothing in our universe seems to have the ability to create or destroy itself. Matter and energy only go through transformations, with no elementary (subatomic) particle components gained or lost, in the big scheme of things. A fire may destroy a house, but every subatomic component that encompassed the house is still in existence after the fire. An atomic bomb may destroy an entire city, but only in the form of a transformation, no substance is actually lost to some exotic void.

In the same vein, nothing in our universe is ever created. Stars are formed (of gas), they do not “create” their constituent components. Meteorites are formed (or chipped off larger bodies), they do not “create” rock or ice. Apple strudels are baked, they do not come from strudel machines.

This leaves us with a very serious dilemma. Based on known laws of nature — that nothing can create itself — our universe shouldn’t exist. But it does.

At one point, scientists thought they had the answer when they observed subatomic particles appearing from “nowhere.” It seemed only logical that if enough subatomic particles created themselves they would eventually form an entire universe.

This notion, however, of “something” coming from “nothing” is neither logical not scientific. The entire concept of “nothing” implies complete and utter nothingness — nothingness not only in substance, but also in potentiality. Something that has the potential to produce anything, even if at present it has no observable form or properties, is obviously not “nothing” — it is apparently a latent force of some kind.

Furthermore, to verify that “something” came from “nothing,” you’d have to prove that there was in fact nothing there to begin with. And that’s impossible. For “detecting nothing” can always mean that your experiment or apparatus is simply not sophisticated enough. In fact, the very fact that something seems to suddenly appear from “nowhere” is, ironically, concrete proof that something actually does exist where you think there is nothing.

And this is precisely what scientists discovered in the above case. As science became more sophisticated, it became apparent that what scientists previously thought came from “nothing” was actually a transformation of a more basic or subtle form of subatomic substance into a form more readily detectable with cruder observational methods.

So, the question of “Where did our universe come from?” isn’t just some idealistic venture into the realm of metaphysics. It isn’t just some exercise in nonsensical philosophical deliberation. It isn’t a “complex” scientific question which we may have the answer to in the future. It is, scientifically speaking, a profoundly disturbing question which the laws of nature themselves indicate is unanswerable. No matter how long you claim the universe has been in existence, no matter how powerful that big bang may have been, no matter what kind of transitions the laws of nature may have gone through during that big bang, at some point in the past all the stuff of the universe (or universes) had to come into existence. How?

The only possible explanation is that the ultimate origin of everything that exists must have been from a source that is itself not bound by our laws of nature. A source which did not necessarily have to “come from” anywhere. This may not be an easy concept to comprehend. But the alternative leaves us with the completely irrational, unscientific and absurd notion that in spite of the fact that our universe exists, there was no way for it to have come into existence.

At this point, to start entertaining the thought of a Creator isn’t simply a “convenience,” a “way out,” a “fanatical” view, or even “religious dogma.” It is a very realistic, necessary and logical step in explaining our existence. Furthermore, it can even be classified as science. The concept of a Creator is no more removed from science than the notions of “other universes,” the inner workings of black holes, the laws of nature at the moment of the big bang, and a host of subatomic particles that scientists spend literally millions of dollars trying to track down that never pan out. These scientifically unverifiable concepts, based solely on logical deductions, are quite clearly entertained by bona fide scientists. Then why not the “theory” of a Creator? What can be more logical than the notion that a universe with laws of nature that preclude its own creation to have been brought into existence by a Creator? And what alternative would be more logical or scientific?

Apparently, the inclination to avoid a Creator at all cost by some, constitutes nothing but an extreme form of bias. It has nothing to do with logic or science.

Getting back to the Time article: That scientific advances are somehow “enough to dampen a person’s hopes for higher meaning” is totally absurd. The need for “higher meaning” (a Creator) does not stem from the complexities of our universe. It stems from the simple fact that the universe exists. What’s more, if the entire universe contained nothing but one spec of dust, it would suggest a Creator, since the spec of dust could not have created itself. If the universe contained an imponderable amount of mass and energy, as it does, but none of it in any complex or aesthetic form, it would most certainly suggest a Creator. So by the time you get around to talking about complexities, you’ve already gone way past the point of establishing the fundamental need for a Creator. The complexities, at that point, far from “dampening hopes for higher meaning,” go a long way in describing the power, resourcefulness and ingenuity of the already-inferred Creator. And the more complexities you decipher, the more brilliant a Creator you establish.

Personally, I think one of the most brilliant aspects of Creation is, ironically, those people who don’t believe in God. To Create an intelligent person, put him in the midst of a universe that seems almost limitless in space, energy and matter, give him the scientific capability of deciphering some of the universe’s complexities and secrets, and, at the same time, endow him with an emotional feature that somehow gives him the capacity to deny that any of this required a Creator, is about as brilliant as the implementation of “free will” can get.

by Josh Greenberger
Get his free book on evolution at EvolutionDead.com.

shopndrop.com

Josh Greenberger: A computer consultant for over two decades, the author has developed software for such organizations as NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies, AT&T, Charles Schwab, Bell Laboratories and Chase Manhattan Bank. Since 1984, the author’s literary works have appeared in such periodicals as The New York Post, The Daily News, The Village Voice, The Jewish Press, and others. His articles have ranged from humor to scientific to topical events.

This old saying which addresses the variability of the weather in
Montana is also applicable to the volatile market dynamics for an
online business. If there is one thing that is certain about the
future of online marketing, it is that it will continue to
constantly change.

A generation in Internet marketing seems to last 12 months or
less and therefore it is very important for online marketers to
reassess their marketing plan frequently. It wasn’t too long ago
that popups and banner ads were all the rage and now they’re
about as welcome as a telemarketer or a lawyer.

In earlier times, just getting traffic to your website could
spell success. That just is not the case today. In the current
environment, Internet marketers have many tasks before them
including increasing traffic, maximizing traffic quality, and
improving conversion ratios. Much simpler said than done, but
the key element is to understand that we are dealing with a
dynamic marketing landscape where change is almost a continuous
process. A successful Internet marketing campaign will always be
a work in progress.

A dynamic internet marketing campaign will be a continuous
process of monitoring & analyzing, followed by tweaking &
experimenting, followed by measuring the impact (more monitoring
& analyzing) of the changes made.

The first step in analyzing your marketing campaign is
pinpointing precisely where the prospects are coming from.
Whether it’s search engines, email, or from other sources. All
of this data can be found in your server logs and there are some
very good traffic analysis tools (many of them free) that will
provide you with the information without requiring you to become
technically proficient at deciphering raw server logs.

By analyzing the information taken from the traffic analysis
tools you can track keywords and other parameters which will tell
you how visitors are getting to your site which, in turn, will
help you improve and target traffic.

The goals for your particular site will depend upon the nature
of your online business or endeavor. A good way to determine
how well your site attracts and converts visitors is to analyze
your traffic and then experiment or tweak some of the different
elements of your site such as sales letter copy, special price
promotions, limited time offers, free offers, headlines, color
schemes, testimonials, etc., etc.

After making changes in your program, once again analyze your
traffic to obtain a measure of the impact (good, bad, or none)
that your tweaking has produced. And then start the process all
over again, retaining the changes that yielded a positive result
and, of course, rejecting those that did not.

Remember folks, it is up to us to stay in touch with the fact
that there is one certainty about the future of online marketing,
and that is that it will continue to change.

Kirk Bannerman operates his own successful home based business
and also coaches others seeking to start their own home based
business. For more information visit his website at Proven Work At Home Business

Website advertising is an art and you must understand its dynamics before it will work for you.

Here are a few website advertising insiders’ secrets that will enable you to seduce your customers and make them buy from you.

(1) Use Verbs, Action Words in your website or ad copy!

Action words speak to the subconscious mind directly!

By reaching for their subconscious mind, you bypass the objecting conscious mind and make them to desire what you’re selling.

The subconscious is the Motivator, the Action Taker, the very seat of all Emotions.

Action words (especially the first word in bulleted benefits) easily get the inner mind to open saying yes, yes let’s do it!

Use words like…create, profit, turn, discover, keep, develop, open, build and any more you can think of.

Look close at some of the greatest advertiser’s ads and you’ll see ads full of action!

(2) Be passionate and emotional in the presentation of your offer!

People respond to passion, to excitement and drama. It doesn’t matter who they are, doctors, lawyers or bankers!

(3) Break Up Your Copy - Create White Space!

Nothing loses more sales than a solid page of type.

People just won’t read it.

Responses have increased 300% or more just by breaking the copy up, making it inviting to read!

Use short sentences, short paragraphs and simple words!
Make it easy and clear!

(4) Use the Seductive Power of Confidence!

Always show absolute confidence in your letters.

State your claims simply and boldly - DON’T EVER BEG!

You must be confident in your presentation if you desire to inspire confidence in your buyers.

May these website advertising insiders’ secrets improve your website advertising and make you a lot of money.

Warmly,

I-key Benney, CEO

I-key, a Millionaire CEO from New York City is the creator of “Mscsrrr: Millionaire Secret Cash System”, (online currency trading), program which has helped thousands of ordinary people from all over the world to attain financial security and shining success during the past 2 yrs.

Mscsrrr Millionaire Secret Cash System helps you to generate $1,500+/Week for life, from home or office, part time or full time. No large investment or hassles. Win $1000-$2000 free “cash”…

At one time there was little to distinguish between one credit card and another. About the only difference was the provider’s name, and how much credit they were willing to extend to you.

Nowadays all that has changed, of course. Fierce competition means that credit card issuers are falling over one another to offer you rewards and incentives, in a bid to get you to sign up with them rather than one of their rivals.

In this article I’ll be looking at the wide range of incentives on offer from credit card providers, and offering some advice on how best to choose between them. But before we get on to that, I must sound a note of caution.

If you are likely to leave a balance outstanding on your credit card, rewards should NOT be your first priority when deciding what card to apply for.

There are two main reasons for this. Most important, if you are paying interest on an outstanding balance, the cost of this will almost certainly outweigh the benefit of any rewards. And secondly, some card issuers only offer incentives if you clear your balance every month. If you are going to be leaving a balance on which interest is charged, therefore, your first priority should be to pick a card with a low APR (annual percentage rate) and/or a long interest-free introductory period.

If you are confident that you will be able to pay off your balance every month, you should certainly shop around for a card offering the rewards and incentives you want. Here are just a few examples of the kind of offers currently available…

Cashback - This is a very popular incentive. For every dollar you spend on your card, the card issuer will give you back some money, usually once a year. The amounts vary, but typically range from 0.5 to 2 per cent of total spending. There is often a cap on the total amount you can get back in a year.

Gas Discounts - With the price of gas seemingly going up every day, any way of getting a discount has to be worth considering. One card offering this type of reward is the Discover® Platinum Gas Card. This provides a 5% cashback bonus on your gas purchases, and up to 1% cashback on all other purchases.

Travel - Other credit cards let you collect points which can be exchanged for travel bonuses. An example is the Miles Card from Discover®. This gives you 5,000 Bonus Miles after your first purchase, and 1 Mile for every $1 you spend thereafter. Miles can be redeemed for airline tickets, cruises, vacation packages, merchandise, hotel and car rental certificates, and so on.

Vehicle Purchase - A few cards let you earn money from every transaction, which can then be put towards buying or leasing a new vehicle. An example is the GM Card, which credits you with 5% of the value of each purchase you make on the card. This is redeemable toward the purchase or lease of an eligible new vehicle from Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, GMC, Hummer or Cadillac.

Other Discounts - A wide range of other discount cards is also available. These range from the Starbucks Visa® Card, which gives you discounts and free products from the well-known coffee-shop chain, to the World Series of Poker® Visa® Card, which lets you earn points you can redeem for WSOP buy-ins.

In summary, before choosing a card, first decide whether or not you will be paying off your balance in full. If not, a card with a low APR and/or long interest-free introductory period should be your priority. Otherwise, look for a card with rewards and incentives that are attractive to you.

To choose the best credit card reward scheme for you, try to put a dollar value on each one, based on your lifestyle and likely expenditure. If you drive a lot, for example, a card which offers a discount on gas may make the most sense. On the other hand, if you are a frequent flyer, a card such as the Miles Card from Discover®, mentioned above, may be more valuable to you over the course of a year.

Having decided on the type of card you want, take the time to study the market and see what is available. Do not simply fill in and return the next credit card application form that arrives in the mail. Credit card comparison sites such as www.finest-credit-cards.com can make this easier for you by listing all the best current card offers for you to choose from, and also have a range of articles offering unbiased advice and information.

Nick Davis is the owner of http://www.finest-credit-cards.com, which aims to match you up with the ideal credit card to suit your situation. With details of all the leading card offers updated daily, plus informative articles to guide you in your choice, you will never pick the wrong credit card again.

Prayer

What has the Lord been saying to me? As I begin to write and
formulate this article, I am faced with the inevitable question.
What is the Lord saying to you. In answer to this question, it
is easy to fall into the trap of presenting a sermon on a topic
that is on my heart and has been for the preceding week.
Instead, I am going to attempt to answer this thought with a
more informal response.

The Lord has shown me that His people were first known as :’The
Ones who called upon the Lord’. In Genesis 4:26 :”And as for
Seth, to him also a son was born and he named him Enosh. Then
men began to call on the name of the Lord.”

In Jeremiah 33:3 we read :”Call to me and I will answer you, and
show you great and mighty things, which you do not know”.

God wants us to call upon Him. In the Book of Acts we read about
how the apostles were all in one accord, in one place. They (the
apostles) had a habit of meeting and praying daily, in one place
in one accord, and thats when the building started to move,
thats when the Holy Spirit descended upon them! Praise God! You
see even the Apostles who had walked with Jesus, talked with
Jesus, ate with Jesus, had to come together in one accord in
prayer, before the Holy Spirit moved. This really ministered to
me. I have seen what happens when a Church gathers in one
accord, in one place in prayer. Mountain moving faith manifests,
people get saved, sick get healed, and the Holy Spirit starts to
move.

If we as a church would come together in one accord, we too can
expect God to show up. Are you ready for the supernatural? The
biggest handicap that the Body of Christ faces today is division
amongst ourselves. Christ will return for a united body of
believers irrespective of doctrinal beliefs and differences. We
find in Acts that the disciples were in one accord , praying
daily for a period of ten days. The preacher (Peter) did not
have any fancy gimmicks, audio visual systems or even any
training (as far as we know) in oratory presentation. What he
did have was the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We read in Acts
2:41 that three thousand were added to their number.

I believe we as pastors have gone off on a tangent looking for
the latest trend in either music or audio visual in an effort to
gain believers into the body. While I do not deny the need to
remain current in our presenting of the Word, I believe we have
lost the urgency to seek the Lord with open hearts, crying out
to Him. This is what brings conviction and revival. Men are
convicted by the Holy Spirit and not man’s words, audio visual
effects or gimmicks.

If we are to study Jeremiah 33:3 the key element in this
scripture (in my opinion) is call upon the Lord. As a body of
Christ today, we need more calling upon the Lord as ONE body of
Christ. We have many parts, but we are one body. Lets unite as
one body, and seek God with a new urgency. Hebrews 11:6 says
that God rewards those that seek Him. We need to get back to a
urgent seeking of God.

There are too many Scriptures to cite here which show that we can pray in faith for our family. Over and over again, we are told that it will go well with our children. These many Scriptures demonstrate the great fact that our families are included in the promises from God to Abraham.

The Abrahamic covenant included four great blessings. They were healing, prosperity, and family well being in addition to salvation.

Over four hundred years later, God added the Mosaic Law to the blessing promises in the Abrahamic covenant to deal with their sin problem. Here is how this worked.

When a Jew sinned in the Old Testament period, he was required to make the proper sacrifice for his particular sin. When he did, he maintained the blessings he was born with in the Abrahamic covenant. As we showed above, they were healing, prosperity and family well being in addition to salvation.

Now, the Jew who sins no longer makes animal sacrifices because God no longer accepts them. Now, He only accepts the blood of his son, Jesus. You see, Jesus is now God’s final sacrifice for sin.

Therefore, the Jew who sins must now accept Jesus as God’s final sacrifice for his sins. When he accepts Jesus as the final sacrifice for sin, the sinning Jew maintains what he was born with in the Abrahamic covenant, namely, healing, prosperity and family well being in addition to his salvation.

When you see Scriptures, like the ones we list in this article, that say there are commandments that must be kept to receive well being for our families, this is exactly right. But right how?

You see, part of the commandments in the Mosaic Law were the commands to sacrifice properly when anyone sinned. These commands to sacrifice were, indeed, an inconvenience. Nevertheless, any one could obey these commands to sacrifice properly.

Now that Jesus is the final sacrifice for sin, when a Jew who has accepted Jesus sins, rather than make the animal sacrifice to maintain his blessing of family well being, he tells Jesus what he did and requests cleansing for it. In other words, he claims the blood of Christ as his cleansing. He claims it by faith as having been his once for all sacrifice.

I Jn 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (KJV)

Furthermore, we Gentile Christians are grafted into this blessing promise of family well being right along with Abraham. Here is just a few of these building scriptures for your family well being. We look at the actual grafting Scripture later but now look at some specific promises of family well being.

Deut 4:40
Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, forever. (KJV)

Above is the classic Abrahamic promise: God promises to make sure that all goes well with us (including prolonged days) and with our children. Remember that in the Old Testament, the commandments they had to keep included the animal sacrifices when they sinned by breaking any of the other commandments. Remember also that God no longer accepts the blood of bulls and goats. He only accepts the blood of Jesus.

Isa 44:3-4
3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. (KJV)

Here, both God’s Spirit and his blessings are poured upon his offspring. (These are our children.) In addition, they spring up where it is fertile and safe, as among the grass and the watercourses. These are precious promises and they belong to us Christians today by grafting.

When we Gentiles receive Christ as our savior, we are grafted into every one of the above promises. Our roots go back to Genesis 12 and so do the roots of our children.

Rom 11:17
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; (KJV)

This is an amazing thing. Our children are right there with us. What benefits there are for Gentile grafted Christians. As a member of the Abrahamic Seed Group, not only us but also our children are promised the very same things that God promised Abraham, namely, healing, prosperity, family being and salvation.

We were and are important to God. He wants us to feel and know the level of importance he has placed upon us beginning in Genesis 12. God has so much in store for our children as the following scriptures plainly state.

Isa 54:13
And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. (KJV)

Is there any Christian parent today who does not pray and long for peace for their children? Ever since my children were born, one of my main prayers for them has been the prayer for peace. Furthermore, I have wanted them to be taught of God. Here, however, God goes way past being taught about God, he says he will teach my children himself.

Ps 103:17
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; (KJV)

The children’s children mentioned here are our children. God says that his righteousness will not only be upon us but also upon our children and our grandchildren. This is almost too good to be true. But it is true!

You see there are sixty promises in the Abrahamic covenant and thirteen of these sixty promises include us Gentile Christians.

We Gentile Christians are grafted into the Abrahamic covenant right along with the Jews. These promises concerning the children include our children also.

Isa 49:25
25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. (KJV)

God is a God of War for the Abrahamic Seed Group. Those of our children who might be taken captive by the devil and his strongholds will be delivered. Thank God that the battle is the Lord’s and not ours.

He said above that he will contend with him that contends against us. This is a real encouragement for me. I have had to face some battles in my life. Yet, God always comes through for me.

There is even more. He also says above that He will save out children. Get this well! “I will save thy children.” Do you get this? God will save our children.

He promised over and over in his covenant with Abraham that all would go well with us and with our children. Therefore, God must deliver. He must save our children. He must come through for our little ones. We are grafted into the promises of Abraham.

Start acting on these Scriptures. Speak them out loud. Quit saying how bad things are for your children. Speak over them these promises listed here. God will perform what He has said when you speak them.

Dr. Jay Snell: Author of books concerning the healing, prosperity, family well being and salvation contained in the Abrahamic covenant for Christians. Books presented many times on TBN. www.jaysnell.org

Poor James Frey. His A Million Little Pieces will no longer be made into a movie (I wonder if he wll have to give the money back to producers), he was publicly discredited by Oprah (which should sell another million copies for him), and he’s put the whole publishing industry under a cloud. Questions about who knew what when will be circulating for months. It seems that no one associated with his book checked the facts. No one had discovered that he had originally tried to publish Pieces as a novel.

The question arises: When does factual inaccuracy become actual lying? As we all know, two people can witness the same event and come up with totally different accounts of what happened. Were this the case, Frey could be exonerated. But knowingly publishing fabrication under the guise of fact is a different matter entirely. Frey admitted to inventing the facts.

Now the question becomes, Do the Same Rules Apply to Fiction? Most readers do realize that since a novel, short story or play is a work of imagination, it doesn’t have to conform tightly to historical or even physical reality. No one could possibly know what Alexander the Great was thinking when he conquered the Persians, but no one disputes the fact that he fought and won against them. But what if the writer makes up a totally unfactual battle in a made-up country. Must she explain that this is just a fabrication, just as Bottom feels it is necessary to explain to the audience that what happens on stage isn’t real in Midsummer’s Night’s Dream? In a similar vein, should the reader necessarily discount everything else in the book as make-believe? Novels have given us priceless looks into the societies of their day. What should the reader believe, and what should she disbelieve?

A case in point is my novel, The Cellini Masterpiece. The country of Malta exists, but as far as I know, my hero Rick Olsen doesn’t. The capital of the country is Valletta, but you won’t find Black Dolphin shipping there. Furthermore, there are still remnants of noble families on the island, but there never was one called the Cornacchias. How much should be included in a disclaimer? Should there be one at all?

I hope I can claim plausibility for the events in the story, but I certainly don’t have to claim that they actually happened, or if they did, in the way I have told it. I have been called to task for a rather silly gaffe about where Queen’s University is located, and the error was corrected. Will it hurt that someone might actually believe it is in Toronto instead of Richmond? A great work of fiction must blend truth and fabrication seamlessly. I have been asked many times if the Cellini Masterpiece actually existed. The answer is no, but I’ve been flattered that they wondered if it did.

The fall-out from Frey likely will not end soon. It has become a much-needed forum for discussion of the nature of fiction and non-fiction. I expect it will add fuel to questions about the insularity of the publishing world. How long will the giants be putting out only those books that they feel has best-seller potential? Why is it that despite the difficulty a new writer has to face just to get a book read, there are more than 200,000 new books published every year? How many of the books that purport to be non-fiction actually are that?

In the words of a respected purveyor of factual knowledge, Good Night and Good Luck.

John Anderson is the author of The Cellini Masterpiece, written under the pen name of Raymond John. If you have anything to add to this article, he welcomes comments at his website http://www.cmasterpiece.com You may also read the first chapter of the novel online at that location.