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'Prohibition is not the answer and it will never be the answer, because it does not and will not work,' says Stephen Downing. He favors legalizing, regulating and controlling illicit substances.
Stephen Downing speaks fondly of his 20 years with the Los Angeles Police Department, saying he misses the camaraderie and the integrity of the people he worked with in a career that took him from street cop to deputy chief. Along the way, as commander of the Bureau of Investigations, he oversaw the Administrative Narcotics Division.
And so when we had lunch at a sidewalk cafe in Long Beach the other day, it was more than a little strange to hear this life-long Republican insist that for the sake of cops, and in the interest of logic and public safety, the United States ought to legalize drugs.
You might be tempted to ask yourself, OK, what's this guy smoking?
But he's never touched any illegal drugs, Downing insisted. Not one puff, and nary a snort.
The way he sees it, the war on drugs hasn't reduced drug use and the violence that accompanies it; it's made matters worse. Law enforcement and the drug lords have been in an arms race for more than 40 years, perpetuating their own existence in a never-ending escalation that has bloated prison budgets and robbed us of funding for education and basic human services. The killing fields hold the bodies of cops, dealers and innocent victims. And still, after incalculable costs in blood and money, neither the supply nor the demand has abated.
Downing sent me a note after reading my column two weeks ago, in which I questioned drug policy priorities and drew a connection between U.S. consumption and the 50,000 bodies piled up in Mexico's drug wars.
"When I started, the show-and-tells for the media were a kilo or two, a couple of handguns and a few thousand dollars in cash," Downing wrote, referring to the news conferences called by the LAPD to celebrate its busts. "Today it's warehouses full of dope, pallets of cash and tens of thousands of war level weapons. That alone should tell us something about failed policy."
When Downing talks about legalizing drugs, he means we should "legalize, regulate and control" illicit substances. But he isn't referring only to marijuana, even though he finds it illogical that marijuana is illegal while alcohol and tobacco — proven killers — are perfectly legal. He's talking about legalizing cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, Ecstasy, the whole underground kaleidoscope.
With all those drugs, Downing said, "prohibition is not the answer and it will never be the answer, because it does not and will not work." About five years ago he was recruited by Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, which advocates for drug policy reform that would treat addiction as more of a health issue and divert savings to better uses.
"We have bravely fought the war on drugs for more than 40 years — arresting, prosecuting and imprisoning at ever-increasing levels," reads a statement on the group's website. "We have spent well over a trillion dollars and made more than 39 million arrests of nonviolent drug users. Ask yourself this simple question: Has it worked? As most of us can answer from experience: No."
Downing joined the LAPD in 1960 and moved quickly through the ranks, serving as commander of the juvenile division and then commander of special investigations, overseeing narcotics. He saw the beginnings of the Bloods and Crips, heard President Nixon's declaration of war on drugs, and watched rivers of federal money flow to create increasingly militarized police departments.
"Even small departments have gotten all this equipment," said Downing, who wrote and produced TV shows after leaving the LAPD and now lives in Long Beach. "I went to the Christmas parade last year, and they've got a big armored vehicle running down the street. At Christmas!"
Downing said that as a cop going after drug dealers, it gradually became clear to him that he might as well have been fighting the mythical Hydra — cut off one of the snake's heads, and two more sprout.
"We had a police officer shot in crossfire on a drug raid, and he went into a wheelchair for life, and I'm thinking, 'Wow, this guy's like this because he was trying to keep an addict from getting his heroin?' We had another cop killed in a buy-bust.... He shot him in the face. And this weighs on you, and you ask, 'What is the value of what we're doing?' "
Since then, California's prison population has exploded, gangs still control drug trade from inside and outside of prison, Mexican cartel violence has become all the more savage and law enforcement policy remains largely unchanged. Part of the reason, Downing suspects, is that law enforcers have gotten dependent on the asset seizures that are divvied up among various agencies and used to keep the whole thing humming along.
"There is not one metric that says this policy approach is working," said Downing, who believes decriminalization would defang criminal enterprises, and he noted that the leaders of several Latin American countries have begun calling for an exploration of legalization.
I asked UCLA professor Mark Kleiman, who teaches courses on drug policy, what he thought about all of this, and he sounded a more cautious note.
"If we legalized all drugs," he said, "there'd be smaller illegal profits, less violence among dealers, safer drugs and fewer people behind bars."
"We'd also have vastly more drug addiction and more crimes and accidents due to intoxication," Kleiman added. "There's no magic formula to end the drug problem. Details matter, and not all drugs are alike. I'd like to see cannabis made legally available for use by adults. I don't want to extend that to cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine."
OK, said Downing. Let's start with marijuana, regulate and control it as we do the wine industry, study the results, and learn what we can from countries that are decriminalizing other drugs.
"The harm to society is too great," he said, "to keep going as we are."
L.A. Tines By Steve Lopez June 17, 2012, 2:55 p.m.
A former L.A. cop calls for legalizing drugs
By ZenobiaSky · Jun 17, 2012 ·
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Skrewed Up Dude of the Week: Raymond Felton of the New York Knicks
I'm falling in love, more and more every single day, with the New York Post. What they get away with the writing in there wouldn't even scratch the surface in the Midwest. It would be kiboshed before they even let it get into print. I love the New York Post.
Telling it how it is!
Our Skrewed Up Dude of the Week is Raymond Felton of the New York Knicks. No not because the Knicks are god awful and Raymond Felton is a part of the puzzle, but because Raymond Felton apparently doesn't understand the gun laws of New York.
The wife of Raymond Felton has alleged that Raymond Felton threatened her with a firearm according to multiple reports and the New York Knicks point guard remained in police custody Tuesday after his arrest on gun charges.
Felton turned himself in at about 12:50 AM Eastern Tuesday not long after the Knicks lost to the Dallas Mavericks in a buzzer beater at home. Dirk with the buzzer beater.
Apparently Felton's wife, Ariane Raymondo-Felton, arrived at a Manhattan police precinct with a Belgian-made FN Herstal pistol - and like I said I love the New York Post - here is what one law enforcement source told the Post: "It's a badass gun."
Really taking those things seriously.
Investigators then contacted the director of security at Madison Square Garden in an attempt to each Felton before the game. Felton made no statement after he arrived at the precinct with his lawyer early, early Tuesday morning. He was charged with second and third degree criminal possession of a firearm, which are felonies, and fourth degree possession of a firearm, a misdemeanor according to a police spokeswoman. Police said Felton was in possession of a gun he wasn't registered to own.
How hard is it for these guys to figure out you can carry whatever you want, just register that stuff?
Ariane Raymondo-Felton is a law student at Fordham University School of Law. Court records show she filed for divorce from Felton on February 18th. Apparently Valentines Day didn't go so well.
Felton, 29, signed a 3-year, $10 million contract with the Knicks before the 2012-2013 season. He has struggled this season, his 9th in the NBA, shooting terrible from the field, terrible from 3-point range, while averaging only 10 points per game. He was part of a lot of packages the Knicks were trying to ship before the trade deadline.
We all remember Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the leg in 2009 and he was sentenced to 2 years in prison after accepting a plea deal on a firearms charge following that incident in which he suffered that self-inflicted gunshot wound to his thigh when his gun went off in a nightclub in Manhattan. He faced a minimum of 3-1/2 years if convicted at trial.
Now a couple differences from that: Felton was not out in public with the firearm, he wasn't carrying it, and it was found that he was concealing it illegally at his house and his estranged wife brought it to the police. And secondly, it was never discharged.
He never shot himself in the thigh is what I am getting at. So I think there are going to be some differences there when it comes to pleading. And I think, ultimately too, you have to look here at the motives from Ariane Raymondo-Felton, who again filed for divorce on February 18th.
Obviously, if she's filing for divorce, she doesn't want anything to do with this dude. And secondly she probably has a vendetta and that is why the gun ended up at the precinct. Although she claims she was threatened by Raymond Felton multiple times.
They said in the report in the New York Post that apparently four verbal altercations have occurred since July, and in the last one he pointed a loaded gun at her.
Remember, that law enforcement agent said it was a "badass gun."
I don't know which way I want to go on this one, because I think it is skrewed up that he had the gun in the first place and it wasn't registered. But secondly, she just shows up and says 'here's the gun.' Again, a vendetta? But again, it's illegal.
So, is he an idiot? Sure!
Is he the Skrewed Up Dude of the Week? Absolutely!
And we will see what happens. But the Knicks are so bad right now anyways, this just seems to be a microcosm of the entire season so far. I think it talks more about the franchise and the organization and the players on the team. They are unguided. They are undisciplined. They don't do what you should do as an organization or as a team.
It is becoming a laughingstock to watch this team. If I'm a Knicks fan, I seriously consider rooting for the Brooklyn Nets. At least their owner is willing to spend money on guys that are serviceable.
Hear what else Jeff had to say and how he responded when one listener questions him on domestic violence:
What do you think? Skrewed Up Dude or not? Comment below or on our Facebook page.

subset: commoncrawl


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Acknowledging the unspoken contradiction that supercar buyers somehow have buckets of money, yet the mental faculties of small children, Hamann has combined the super sweetness of a Gallardo with the total bitchingness of a fighter jet.
The Hamann Lamborghini Gallardo Victory can be based on any Gallardo of your choosing and comes with an exhaust that boosts power a little bit and noise a lot. That, in addition to all the fake rivets and faux warnings should easily boost the amount of money Vegas hookers charge to spank you by at least 15%. [via Autogespot]


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LOS ANGELES, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- "Star Wars: Episode VII" has been given a Dec. 18, 2015, release date, producers announced in Los Angeles Thursday.
Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn said in a statement the movie will "anchor the popular holiday filmgoing season [and] ensure our extraordinary filmmaking team has the time needed to deliver a sensational picture."
Disney is producing the movie with Lucasfilm, to be directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan -- who wrote the screenplay for "Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back."
Filming is scheduled to begin near London next spring.
The Dec. 18 release date puts "Episode VII" on a similar marketing track to blockbusters "Avatar," "Titanic" and "The Lord of the Rings," The Hollywood Reporter said.
The report said some movies are already scheduled for release on the same date -- including Universal's "Warcraft," based on the video game, and Sony's "Inferno," based on a Dan Drown book.


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Good morning, friends.
I don�t know why, but the other evening I got to thinking about some of the things my mother and daddy used to say, and, truth to tell, my grandparents, too.
The closest thing to a cuss word I ever heard my Daddy say was �Dad-gummit!� And he said it with a great deal of feeling.
He usually left the punishing up to Mother, who was a bit more graphic in some of her warnings and much more graphic in her punishments.
No offense, but some of my parents� fine old-timey sayings have been replaced in today�s vocabulary by words that, well, if I had said them in front of my mother, she would have �mashed my mouth.�
So we�ll start with that one.
�You sass me again, and I�ll mash your mouth.� I guess you couldn�t say that now for fear of being hauled into court for cruelty to children.
�This is the last time I�m gonna tell you this� or �This is your last warning.�
That�s pretty plain, I guess. The next step being the mashing of the mouth.
�Let me tell you one thing,� always followed by � �and another thing.�
�Wear you out.� Now, I�m not so sure any of my grandchildren would even know what that means.
But my children surely understood that carry-over from their mother�s growing up days.
That particular phrase almost always involved a good-sized switch off the persimmon tree out back of the smoke house.
And to make matters worse, we were expected to go get our own switch, and it had to be a good one or you were sent back.
One advantage of the second trip to the persimmon tree was that some of the parental anger would have faded a bit, depending on what you had done.
I remember quite well the last time my mother raised the persimmon tree switch to my fanny.
One day, Daddy had to run to town for something, and on the spur of the moment, Mother decided to go with him to pick up sugar and coffee at the A&P.
She left me sole custodian of a pot of snap beans that were cooking on the wood stove in the kitchen.
She must have warned me half a dozen times to keep an eye on them and not let them boil dry.
OK, OK .I know what you�re saying (all this under my breath, you understand).
And so they took off in the old Chevrolet, and I took off out to the side yard where I had a little playhouse.
And from there, I meandered over to the pear tree to see if there were any big enough to eat.
Hmm. Think I�ll go down to the spring and get some moss to use for carpet in my playhouse.
And before you know it, I see that old blue Chevy pulling up in the back yard.
I made a mad dash for the house but, alas, too late to save the snapbeans.
When I ran in the back door, Mother�s mouth was set in that all-too-familiar line that meant, �You�re in for it now, young lady.�
I was in big trouble and I knew it. It was as though when the car left the yard, all thoughts of taking care of the pot of beans left with it.
She didn�t have to tell me to go get her a switch. And she didn�t have to send me back for a better one.
Remember the phrase, �I�m gonna wear you out?�
She did.
Write to me at email@example.com


text:
Notice Number: NOT-HD-10-002
Key Dates
Release Date: October 20, 2009
Issued by
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (http://www.nichd.nih.gov)
This Notice is to inform applicants that the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development announces its intent to participate, effective immediately, in PA-08-078 "Research on the Economics of Diet, Activity, and Energy Balance (R01)" (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-078.html). All other aspects of this FOA remain unchanged.
The following ICs continue to participate in this FOA:
National Cancer Institute (NCI) (http://www.cancer.gov)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) (http://www.niddk.nih.gov)
National Institute on Aging (NIA) (http://www.nia.nih.gov)
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov)
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) (http://obssr.od.nih.gov)
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) (http://www.ninr.nih.gov/)
For scientific/research inquiries to the NICHD, contact:
Terry T-K Huang, Ph.D., MPH
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
6100 Executive Boulevard, 4B11, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510 (regular mail)
Rockville, MD 20852-7510 (courier)
Telephone: 301-594-1846
Fax: 301-480-9791
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
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9000 Rockville Pike
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and Human Services (HHS)
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text:
Originally Posted by Tartan
The only way I can post pictures is with my iPad because I am computer challenged. With the Ipad you take the picture first, go to open new thread in pictures, type in the title and your text, click on the little paper clip (manage attachments) and follow the prompts. The picture does not appear until you click submit. On the regular computer you use the little tree icon that is third from the right in the reply icon box. I cannot do that one because you then have to do stuff on the computer to


text:
Kamikochi, Nagano
Golden silence reigns with the dawn. There's little but the sound of the Azusa River as it passes under the bridge like a cerulean serpent.
Clouds clutch at the throat of Mt. Hotaka, not quite managing to grasp its snow-covered peaks. Stepping onto the bridge quietly; hoping to catch a glimpse of novelist Ryunosuke Akutagawa's Kappa before it shies away.
Autumn now and lush green gave way to monochrome with hints of red and gold. The full moon illuminates dreams. The din and chaos of the city forgotten as I relish the utopia of Kamikochi, the place where the gods descend.
Formerly pastureland, Kamikochi became part of the Chubu-Sangaku National Park in 1934. Access is by bus, taxi, or bicycle, since roads are closed to private vehicles. Buses run regularly from Takayama and Matsumoto.
(1) Clouds hang low over the Azusa River with Mt. Hotaka in the background.
(2) Autumn colored slopes reflected in Myojin Pond.
Standing on Kappabashi (Kappa Bridge): the setting for Ryunosuke Akutagawa's "Kappa.
Japanese macaque preparing to jump for his supper.
Myojin Pond and ceremonial boats.


text:
The Gabelli Small Cap Growth Fund Class AAA
Ticker Symbol: GABSX
Search Gabelli Funds
Portfolio Manager(s) Bios
Mario J. Gabelli is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GAMCO Investors, Inc., the firm he founded in 1977. A 1965 summa cum laude graduate of Fordham University's College of Business Administration, he also holds an M.B.A. from Columbia University Graduate School of Business, and honorary doctorates from Fordham University and Roger Williams University.
Mr. Gabelli serves on the Boards of Boston College, Roger Williams University, Columbia University Graduate School of Business, the American-Italian Cancer Foundation, the Foundation for Italian Art & Culture and is a Trustee of the Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States and of the E.L. Wiegand Foundation. He was Morningstar's Portfolio Manager of the Year in 1997. He was named Money Manager of the Year by Institutional Investor for 2011 and is a member of Barron's All Star Century Team.
Portfolio Manager
The Gabelli Asset Fund
The Gabelli Value 25 Fund
The Gabelli Small Cap Growth Fund
The Gabelli ABC Fund
The Gabelli Equity Income Fund
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TETON Westwood Mighty Mites
Gabelli Enterprise Mergers and Acquisitions Fund
The Gabelli Equity Trust Inc.
The Gabelli Convertible and Income Securities Inc.
The Gabelli Multimedia Trust Inc.
The Gabelli Utility Trust Inc.
The Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust
The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust
The GDL Fund
The Gabelli Healthcare & Wellness


text:
Russ Parsons: The California Cook
Russ Parsons: The California Cook
Grain salad convert sings the praises of quinoa, farro and couscous
There is none so pure as the reformed sinner. And since I overcame my irrational hatred of whole-grain salads a couple of years ago, I have been evangelizing like crazy. All I need is a big tent and a choir, and I can take my show on the road. Grain salads had always seemed to me just too healthful...
Thomas Keller's French Laundry marks 20 years of chasing perfection
It used to make me wonder a little when people would begin their critiques of dinner at the French Laundry by saying, "Well, it didn't change my life." Really?" I'd think, if your life is in such a state that a restaurant meal could change it, perhaps you have bigger issues to deal with. And then...
From Alain Passard, the beauty of a simple salad with a great sauce
We go to great restaurants for magic, for an extraordinary experience that is beyond our reach as home cooks. And so how to explain that the single most memorable dish I had at Alain Passard's Michelin three-star restaurant l'Arpege in Paris was a salad, and one that you could make quite easily...
How to cruise a farmers market like a pro
Unlike some of the blighted, benighted areas where some of our friends live (hello, Manhattan!), in Southern California, farmers markets are stacked deep with beautiful fruit and vegetables all year long. But there's no arguing that June marks the start of their high season, when even people who...
The unappreciated glories of rice salad
The world is cruel and unfair. Mediocrities are loved beyond all reason while their betters languish unappreciated. Consider the tragic case of rice salad. It's enough to make you weep. Walk by any deli case today and you'll see bowl after bowl of salads made with pasta, but hardly a single one...
Gardening skill doesn't live up to cooking talent
The California Cook: A few misfortunes in the garden were rescued with some inventive cooking, but sometimes talent in the kitchen doesn't translate to the soil.
This year's California salmon catch could be the last good one for a while
The 2014 California king salmon season that begins May 1 is predicted to be one of the better years recently, despite this winter's drought. But we'd better enjoy it while we can. It's been a long, rocky road for the California salmon. This year, you can take that literally. Because of the severe...
Hey, Los Angeles, want to know a really good food city? How about Carmel-by-the-Sea?
Conde Nast Traveler's readers may be seriously out to lunch, but it won't be at Providence, Mozza or any other Los Angeles restaurant. In its annual readers' choice survey, the magazine asked participants to rank their favorite American cities for eating. Los Angeles didn't make the Top 20. "This...
Hard-boiled eggs: OK, we tried it your way. But my way wins again.
The California Cook: The perfect hard-boiled egg should have firm but creamy whites, a set and orange yolk, and no green ring.
Farmers market favorite arrested in stolen fish case
One of the Hollywood Farmers Market's most popular vendors has been arrested on suspicion of stealing other people's fish and has been permanently kicked out of the market. John Wilson of Sea Fever Seafood, a longtime fixture at the market, was arrested Sunday in Santa Barbara after a two-month...


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Running Time: 99 minutes
Studio Name: Producciones Ruidher
Director: Paul Stone
Stars: Tamara Amparo John Pollon Pandilla X Rosa Tony T. ...More
Stars: Tamara Amparo John Pollon Pandilla X Rosa Tony T. Veronica ...Less
Categories: Amateur Euro BBW Spanish Speaking All Sex High Definition
Description: If you like exuberant women, in this movie you have tons of pleasure totally amateur and with a lot of vice.
4 Scenes from Kilos De Placer
Kilos De Placer: Scene 1 Free Preview
Starring: Tamara John Pollon ... More Details
Stars: Tamara, John Pollon
Sex Acts: Oral Sex, Vaginal Sex, Masturbation
Positions: Cowgirl, Doggy Style, Kneeling, Laying, Missionary, Side Saddle, Sitting
Settings: Hotel Room
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Starring: Amparo ... More Details
Stars: Amparo
Sex Acts: Oral Sex, Deep Throating, Vaginal Sex, Masturbation, Breast Play, Anal Sex
Positions: Cowgirl, Doggy Style, Kneeling, Laying, Missionary, Sitting, Standing, Crouching/Squatting
Settings: Living Room
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Starring: Rosa ... More Details
Stars: Rosa
Sex Acts: Oral Sex, Handjob, Masturbation, Vaginal Sex, 3-Way
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Settings: Bedroom
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Starring: Veronica Pandilla X ... More Details
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Sex Acts: Oral Sex, Vaginal Sex, Masturbation, Breast Play
Positions: Cowgirl, Doggy Style, Kneeling, Laying, Missionary, Sitting, Standing
Settings: Bedroom
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text:
Massey Ferguson is pleased to unveil the 'Next Generation' of axial combines and a new series of high horsepower tractors.
Simply put, the all-new Massey Ferguson 9500 Series Combines are the most productive and efficient combines ever offered from Massey Ferguson — providing greater power and capacity — designed to perform in even the most adverse crop conditions.
The 9500 Series combines are powered by new AGCO Power engines and offer exclusive advancements such as the new Trident processor, exclusive V-Cool system, redesigned cleaning system and more.
The Massey Ferguson 9500 Series exhibits exceptional fuel efficiency without compromising power or torque ratings. This is made possible by AGCO Power diesel engines that feature AGCO's exclusive e3 Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) clean-air technology to meet Tier 4 interim (Tier 4i) emission compliance standards.
With SCR technology, the exhaust reduction process takes place outside of the engine after combustion — allowing the engine to operate at a cooler temperature — so as to not diminish engine performance or fuel efficiency.
The Massey Ferguson 9500 Series features three all-new models.
With a six-cylinder 8.4 liter engine, the MF9520 is rated at 313 hp with up to 344 hp power bulge at 1,950 rpm.
The MF9540 and MF9560 offer an all-new 9.8 liter, seven-cylinder engine positioned inline with the axial rotor for maximum driveline efficiency.
The MF9540 with 370 hp at 2,100 rpm delivers a power bulge up to 426 hp at 1,950 rpm; and the model 9560 with 460 hp at 2,100 rpm provides a power bulge at 2,000 rpm that climbs to 477 hp and an unloading boost up to 502 hp.
The MF9540 and MF9560 models also feature the industry-exclusive V-Cool system. This setup positions the engine radiator, hydraulic cooling system and air-to-air intercooler in a V-shaped design below a hydraulically driven variable-speed fan which operates at the optimum speed according to temperature demand.
The unique design eliminates the need to "stack" cooling elements, thereby creating a more efficient system with less chance of blockage.
The V-Cool system even includes a "purge" cycle that reverses the fan as needed to clear the air intake of chaff and other debris.
This process is controlled by temperature sensors which verify air flow through the cooling system. When airflow decreases despite increased fan rpm, the system will reverse the fan to blow dirt and chaff away, cleaning the intake screen so airflow is not obstructed and the engine maintains optimal temperature.
The V-Cool "purge" cycle is triggered four different ways: detection of airflow restriction; engine speed reduced below 1800 rpm; manual control; and automatic cleaning at 15-minute intervals.
At the heart of the MF9540 and MF9560 models is the all-new Trident processor featuring a segmented-rotor design versus a straight-bar design to efficiently yet gently handle today's heavier, tougher crop material.
The mechanically driven rotor uses a combination of threshing elements and separation paddles arranged in a helical configuration.
Gentle separation of crops
The interchangeable narrow and wide paddles deliver even and gentle separation of crops in various conditions. To maximize crop flow, the Trident rotor features a multi-zone intake that feeds the rotor evenly and consumes less power.
In addition, the Trident processor has a six-segment concave design with three options for various crops — small wire (10.4 mm spacing; small grains), large wire (16.6 mm spacing; soybeans, corn) and round bar (16 mm spacing; soy and edible beans, corn).
These interchangeable concaves are designed to be easily removed and replaced by one person, allowing quick changes to optimize capacity if necessary.
The Massey Ferguson 9540 and 9560 models take added crop material in stride due in part to a new H-frame suspension system for the concaves which incorporates spring overload protection.
The springs allow the concave support frame to expand outward so crop material and obstacles in the field can more easily pass through, reducing the chance of damage to the concaves or frame.
To meet the increased capacity of the Trident processor, both models boast a newly designed cleaning system that naturally stratifies crop using three distinct air zones for full-length cleaning without the need for distribution augers.
By adding an upper deck air stream directly below the processor, a forceful air blast pushes material other than grain (MOG) towards the rear of the machine so less material is landing directly on the cleaning shoe.
A new adjustable pre-chaffer replaces the cascade pan on previous models for more capacity and adjustability in all crops.
A 10-inch clean grain cross auger and high capacity grain elevator both contribute to a 60 percent capacity increase in clean-grain delivery to the standard 350-bushel bin.
An optional 24-foot unload auger still maintains the industry's fastest average unload rate at four-bushels-per-second and gives a longer reach when using a larger header.
The feeder house of the MF9540 and MF9560 combines has been lengthened by more than six inches to improve operator visibility.
Additionally, header-drive power capacity has been increased by more than 50 percent compared to previous models to accommodate the power needs of today's larger headers.
By increasing power capacity, the variable or fixed speed header drive can efficiently handle the demands of increased crop volume combined with the tougher stalks and stems of today's crop genetics.
Massey Ferguson has also introduced the all-new Massey Ferguson 7600 Series high-horsepower row crop tractors to North American producers in search of a versatile, hardworking tractor that combines technology with exceptional comfort features.
Four new models
These new mid-frame row crop tractors are modeled after the highly advanced and popular Massey Ferguson 8600 Series and replace the 6400 and 7400 Series. Four completely new models ranging from 170 to 225 engine horsepower (140 to 180 PTO HP) give producers more choices in power, productivity
The 7600 Series boasts some of the most innovative technology you'll find today. The new Series is powered by Tier IV interim emissions-compliant AGCO POWER diesel engines with e3 selective catalytic reduction (SCR) clean-air technology for improved emissions, minimal maintenance and exceptional fuel consumption. AGCO's new Generation 2 e3 SCR system incorporates a catalytic converter and diesel oxidation catalyst that work with the tractor's engine to maximize efficiency and simplify maintenance. This approach provides the most innovative and functional SCR system in the agriculture market today and offers owners best-in-class total fluid usage.
With a choice of Dyna-6 (24-speed, partial-powershift) or Dyna-VT (CVT) transmissions, plus redesigned cabs that offer a wide-angle view and superior operator comforts, these machines are designed to make a long day of work more enjoyable. To make the most of the CVT transmission, Dynamic Tractor Management (DTM) provides greater communication between the engine and gearbox so that the engine speed can automatically adjust to the load for more consistent power to the ground and improved fuel efficiency.
SCR is widely regarded as the most efficient and well-designed engineering answer to meet new exhaust emission rules, and Massey Ferguson's innovative lead is one that virtually every other major manufacturer is now following. Unlike the alternatives, it does not require any additional valves, extra turbochargers, expanded cooling packages or extensive changes to existing engine designs. It also does not employ any complex internal engine components or external filter housings and is nearly maintenance free.
SCR technology allows these AGCO POWER engines to run better, stay cooler and last longer. The 7600 Series comes with large 114-gallon-capacity diesel fuel and 11-gallon diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tanks to allow for longer periods of work between refueling.
New for the 7600 Series is the inclusion of an OptiRide Plus cab suspension system. This unique cab suspension system relays information through an electronic control unit to automatically adjust the cab suspension to control bounce, rolling and pitching for a comfortable ride in the field or down the road.
Inside the redesigned cab, a right-hand Control Armrest, new Multi-pad control and new Multi-function Joystick provide easy-to-reach, fingertip control and ergonomic design that are comfortable for the operator to use. A new Datatronic CCD display offers greater performance and functionality and increased legibility so producers can accurately monitor and adjust tractor and implement settings.
For more information about the new Massey Ferguson 7600 Series, contact your local Massey Ferguson dealer or visit http://www.masseyferguson.com/products/tractors.


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INTERNATIONAL. Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the global interconnection and data center company, today announced the next phase in the evolution of its global platform through the direct physical and virtual connection of its International Business Exchange™ (IBX®) data centers around the world, enabling customers to connect on demand to any other customer from any Equinix location.
Over the coming months, Equinix will announce a series of coverage, connectivity and service initiatives that will deliver increasing value to customers by enabling them to rapidly scale their digital businesses through a dynamic data center and interconnection platform.
The new inter-metro connectivity will be delivered through the Equinix Cloud ExchangeTM (ECX), which has been renamed the Equinix Cloud Exchange™ Fabric (ECX Fabric). It will leverage the software-defined networking (SDN) capabilities currently built into ECX to enable any customer to dynamically connect its own infrastructure across Equinix locations or connect to any other customer on the Equinix global platform, regardless of location.
Customers can customize their connectivity to partners, customers and suppliers through an interface that provides all the benefits companies have come to expect from "as-a-service" models. This includes real-time provisioning via a portal or API, pay-as-you-go billing increments and the removal of friction in establishing elastic connectivity between metros.
The new ECX Fabric capabilities are immediately available in all ECX locations in North America and the EMEA region, including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Dublin, Frankfurt, London, Los Angeles, Manchester, New York, Paris, Seattle, Silicon Valley, Stockholm, Toronto, Washington, D.C. and Zurich.
In Q4 2017 and early 2018, ECX Fabric is rolling out to seven new metros in the Americas and EMEA regions (Denver, Düsseldorf, Geneva, Helsinki, Miami, Milan and Munich). Equinix will extend connectivity to São Paulo within the Americas region, and between APAC region ECX Fabric metro locations (Hong Kong, Melbourne, Osaka, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo), in 2018.
With this expansion, any Equinix customer will be able to more efficiently interconnect its global infrastructure and request connections to any of the more than 1,000 participants on ECX Fabric today. This includes some of the world's largest enterprises, cloud service providers (including Alibaba Cloud, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, IBM Cloud, Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud) and SaaS providers (including Salesforce, SAP and ServiceNow, among others).
Equinix Expands Internet Exchange to Nine New Markets
Earlier today, Equinix also announced the expansion of the Equinix Internet Exchange into nine new metros in the EMEA and Americas regions in Q4 2017 and early 2018, including Amsterdam, Denver, Dublin, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Manchester, Milan and Stockholm.
The Equinix Internet Exchange allows drivers of internet traffic, including ISPs and content providers, to easily and effectively peer traffic and expand operations globally.
As IP traffic driven by cloud, mobile, IoT, video, gaming and data/analytics continues to grow, the need for networks to exchange traffic, or "peer," is accelerating. Equinix is meeting this demand by expanding peering capabilities at the digital edge in proximity to dense populations of users, apps, data and content. This enables service providers and their customers to operate more efficiently, improving end-to-end network performance, speed and reliability while reducing overall IP transit costs.
Sara Baack, Chief Marketing Officer, Equinix said: "As digital transformation intensifies, business possibilities have no limits and neither should an organization's IT infrastructure. Building a digital business requires the ability to reach strategic global destinations on demand, to access everyone that matters, and to bring people, clouds, data and things together. Today's announcements and our future product and services roadmap are aimed at leveraging the Equinix global platform to serve as a strategic partner for companies on this journey."


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The first four parts of this series examined the first seven stages of an eight stage paradigm which historically leads to genocide. The framework used for the analysis was based upon a paper written by Greg Stanton which was presented as a briefing paper for the State Department in 1996 in which he postulated that genocide progresses through eight states. The fundamental research question posed by this multi-part series "Is the United States preparing for a mass genocide against selected segments of its population?"
Unfortunately, the United States fully meets the criteria for the first six stages and the groundwork is clearly in place for carrying out stage seven, Genocide. This stage examines the final stage, Denial. Further, this article will respectfully address the wholesale ignorance of Americans who believe that a genocide could never be visited upon the American people at the hands of its government. Denial comes in many forms. Stanton wrote about denial as a form of national policy following the genocide. Some see denial as the condition from which people deny their active or passive role in the act of genocide. This article looks at denial in both aspects.
In writing the first four parts of this series, I have been accused of being a member of the lunatic fringe or an undercover operative for DHS.
Some readers have angrily protested that a genocide could never happen on American soil. A few expressed outrage as they asked me how dare I disparage my country and my government with unsubstantiated charges of laying the foundation for future genocide? "This is America, by God, and we don't commit genocide." Really?
According to Ward Churchill, a professor of ethnic studies at the University of Colorado, the reduction of the North American Indian population from an estimated 12 million in 1500 to barely 237,000 in 1900 represents a vast genocide. In fact, biological warfare was committed against the Native Americans.
Crimes Against Humanity Committed On American Soil:
Just substitute Christians for Native Americans and you'll get the idea of what lies ahead.
Ward Churchill writes that on June 20, 1837, the U.S. Army began to dispense diseased "trade blankets" to the Mandan Indians (one of the tribes which aided the Lewis and Clark Expedition). The blankets were presented to the Mandans at Fort Clark in present-day North Dakota. Churchill states that the blankets had been taken from a army infirmary in St. Louis which had been previously quarantined for smallpox. and the Mandans became symptomatic on July 14 leading a local medical official to advise the Indians to scatter and seek refuge in the villages in nearby villages, thus, the pandemic commenced as it was spread far and wide.This was a clear cut case of biological warfare committed against a civilian population.
President Andrew Jackson was instrumental in the events leading up to what historians call the Trail of Tears. President Jackson's policies toward Native Americans involved the ethnic cleansing of several Indian tribes. This is not unlike what Obama and his DHS and military minions are in the early stages of doing to Christians. Genocide happened to the Cherokee and it is beginning to happen the followers of Jesus.
Trail of Tears
Under President Andrew Jackson, 17,000 Cherokees were forced off their land in 1838 and had to undertake the long journey across the Trail of Tears. Historical parallels conjure up images of the Death March to Bataan and the Nazi persecution of Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto. Make no mistake about it, this was an ethnic cleansing inspired genocide carried out with forethought and malice in what became one of the darkest chapters in American History as 4,000 Cherokees died on the Trail of Tears from malnutrition, exposure, and disease.
Some of the darkest days in history took place under Hitler's Final Solution. Interestingly, Hitler actually got the idea for his concentration camps from the "Final Solution" treatment of Native Americans.
And let's not forget the the biggest genocide in the history of the planet, namely, abortion, and this heinous persecution of God's most precious creatures has taken place right here on American soil. Some abortions are medically necessary. The vast majority are not. Tragically, adoption centers have waiting lists of loving parents ready to open their homes and their hearts. Through Planned Parenthood, we have institutionalized genocide against the helpless.
We presently live under a despotic President who is forcing Catholics to fund abortions against their religious doctrine. This is evil personified. Since abortion became "legal" in the early 1970's, 53 million innocent human beings have been the victims of this horrific genocide and now it is official governmental policy. And please spare me the political correctness arguments. To hell with political correctness, we are talking about mass murder, make no mistake about it.
Someone needs to speak for those who cannot. And there are still people who do not think genocide can happen here despite the fact that six of the eight Stanton stages of national genocide have been fulfilled in modern day America and we are in the midst of an ongoing holocaust which surpasses Hitler and Stalin.
I have news for my historically ignorant friends, there have been genocides in America, there is presently a genocide in America and the big genocide is right around the corner.
Stage Eight Denial:
He Had the Guts to Say No to Hitler. Do You Know Anyone Who Will Say No to Obama?
This leaves us with the final stage in the Stanton genocidal hypothesis, Denial. Stanton states that leaders will attempt to hide the genocide from world. However, this stage cold be a most point for this present administration, because if the globalists achieve the complete takeover of the world's economy and subsequently their governments, there will be nobody left to conceal the truth from.
Why do so many people still revere Andrew Jackson? Simple, those who win the battles, end up writing the history books. Or, do we not care because the Jackson's victims are only Indians? If that is the case, then we will surely manifest our own negative future through Karma or whatever religious term you choose to affix to this coming calamity. Regardless, if we allow the banksters who have hijacked our government to continue with their psychopathic policies, they too will write the next chapter of history and Ron Paul supporters, Christians, Second Amendment supporters, Constitutionalists and Libertarians will be the next generation of Native American genocidal victims.
Through the NDAA and the National Resources Defense Preparedness Executive Order (13603), Obama has already built in escape clauses into his heinous preparations on the road to the enslavement of the American people and ultimately to genocide. By some twisted logic, he has granted himself the authority to commit secret arrests and murder whether it be carried out by drones, robots or DHS jack-booted thugs backed up by their 2.2 rounds of newly acquired ammunition. Thanks to a series of Obama Executive Orders and the NDAA, enslavement culminating with genocide will soon be official national policy.
If we ever allow Obamacare to become fully implemented on January 1, 2014, with all of its euthanasia policies, we will never recover as a nation. Make no mistake about it, Obamacare is not about healthcare, it is about enslavement and the full implementation of systematic genocide.
Obama and his fellow band of communists deserve the same fate that they visited upon Chris Stephens. This event could have been our line in the sand and could have toppled this criminal administration. The push back against pending genocide could have been achieved. America, we missed a golden opportunity.
We are out of time and out of options.
At this point, all options should be on the table. We have been conquered by the mega-bankers. We are being ruled by sociopaths who do not play by any set of rules. The Benghazi murders gave me temporary hope because it was clear that there were some senior level military command officers willing to take on the President and his illegal policies. I am still hopeful that the military will rise up and take back our country against this illegitimate government because I am quite sure that the sheep that now inhabit this nation do not possess the intestinal fortitude to do it themselves. Stuart Rhodes may indeed become the most pivotal figure in our immediate future.
America, we have a little over seven months to reverse the suicidal direction our nation has undertaken, for if we do not, we will witness humanities darkest days within our national borders.
God Help us!
By Dave Hodges
Published from iblogstr8sicit.WordPress.com
[by Dawna Bowles (C)2014-15] all photography, poetry, and stories are (C) unless posted otherwise.


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Let's open our Bibles this morning again to 2 Timothy chapter 4, the study of these first five verses we have been continuing in over a number of weeks and this morning we will bring to a conclusion our look at verses 1 to 5...2 Timothy chapter 4 verses 1 through 5. As we begin again our thoughts along the lines of the teaching of the Apostle Paul here, let me remind you that in our last message the dominant element in these two letters to Timothy, I think, became very clear. The dominant element is really a series of commands. Both in 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy, the Apostle Paul is laying on Timothy a tremendous responsibility regarding the duties of ministry. He is calling on Timothy to perform his ministry with excellence, with commitment. The commands that come rapid fire in the first and second epistle to Timothy carry a broad and heavy weight of responsibility. The thing that impressed me as I have read and reread and reread these epistles is that these are commands which are tremendously difficult and well nigh, of course, impossible if attempted in the flesh. But they are rather, for Timothy and one who is in the Spirit of God, matter of fact and are nothing more than the basic elements of his own ministry which he must faithfully perform. As I thought about it this week I realized that perhaps there was an underlying presupposition in all of this with which I had not properly dealt, that there was probably a question here that ought to be looked at and that question is why should Timothy necessarily be bound to do all of this? I mean, if someone were to walk up to you and say, "Rebuke heretics, preach the Word, nourish yourself up in sound doctrine, confront false teaching, be an example to the believers, read the text, explain the text, apply the text, give your life, endure hardships, suffer along with me for the gospel," you might say, "Now wait a minute, what is to compel me to do that?" Now in general, I think, as we've studied First and Second Timothy, the Spirit of God has used the words of Paul to Timothy to touch all of our hearts and to call us all to general spiritual duty. But there's a sense in which these things directed particularly at Timothy are above most people in terms of the congregation of the church, they are uniquely given to a man who is uniquely in a position of responsibility before God to fulfill them. And so I submit to you that the underlying assumption here, the underlying presupposition is that Timothy must do these things because he has been called and mandated by God to this ministry. And that's an essential thing to keep in mind. The reason these are so binding on the life of Timothy is because God has set him apart to this end. That is the underlying assumption. He has been called by God to the public ministry of teaching and preaching the Word. He is therefore a man under divine appointment. He is therefore a man under divine authority. He is therefore a man under divine obligation. He really has no choice for as God has sovereignly called him unto salvation, so sovereignly did God call him to ministry, even the public ministry of the Word of God. Thus he is bound by the sovereign call of God and by his own conscience in response to that call to obey. He does not have a choice. And that strikes at the heart of a very important issue, the compelling thing in the life of any preacher is the call of God. And when that call is on your life, you know you must respond. You're bound to a duty given you by God.
Paul, wanting to sum that all up in one word, chose to call himself a bondslave of Jesus Christ. That is to say in a sense one who has no choices, one who does whatever he is bidden to do. And so the underlying and compelling thing in the life of Timothy through listening to all these exhortations is that he must respond because to that end he has been called by God. Now with that underlying assumption in place in our minds, how are we then to understand the call of God? How do you know you're called? How do I know I'm called? How do you know if you're called? We have here in our church in the Master's Seminary about a hundred and twenty young men this year and more coming who will be here because they sense the call of God. They want to train to serve the Lord. We have about 700 students at the Master's College, many of them are there because they feel the call of God on their life to preach the Word of God. There are approximately one hundred people right now in missionary candidate training in our church who are headed toward a career in missions around the world because they sense the call of God on their life, that is that God has uniquely set them apart to a ministry of publicly preaching and teaching His Word. Now how are we to understand that? How does one really know if one is called? How can that be affirmed so that we know whether we ought to in the first place respond to commands such as Paul has given to Timothy? Let's talk about that call for a few moments.
First of all, let me say to you that there's a general call to ministry in salvation. There's a sense in which all of us are called to ministry. We were saved, Ephesians 2:10 says, unto good works which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. In Revelation 22:17, all who hear are to say come, so all who have heard and believe the gospel have then the responsibility to call others to come to that same gospel. Peter says in no uncertain terms that we are a unique people. He calls us in 1 Peter 2:9 a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you. Now he's talking there about a general call to salvation and because we have been called unto salvation we have been given the responsibility to call others to salvation to recognize the excellencies of the Lord Jesus Christ who Himself called us. It goes all the way back, does this concept, to the Old Testament, the Pentateuch says in Deuteronomy 11:13, "It shall come about if you listen obediently to My commandments which I am commanding you today to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul." From the very beginning every believer was called upon to serve the Lord with all his heart and all his soul. So there is that compelling to service that is in the general call to duty belonging to every believer. In that sense serving the Lord and proclaiming the gospel of God's truth is not left just to a few, but to all who belong to Christ. Yes, in 2 Corinthians 5 Paul affirms himself as an ambassador of Christ but I think that affirmation can be broaden to include all who believe. We have all become responsible as ambassadors to call upon men to be reconciled to God. Charles Spurgeon wrote, "According to the measure of grace extended to him by the Holy Spirit, each man is bound to minister in his day and generation, both to the church and among unbelievers, to exert themselves to the utmost to extend the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ," end quote. We all have that responsibility.
Now that doesn't mean that all are to preach and to teach publicly God's Word. But it does mean that we're to do what our motto says that we are to exalt the King and extend the Kingdom. We have all been called unto good works. We have all been saved to serve the Lord God. We all have what Paul calls in Ephesians 4:1 a worthy calling, a high calling of service to Christ. We have all been gifted with spiritual gifts. We have all been enabled by the divine Spirit in some dimension to serve with blessing in the ministry. So that is the general call to service.
But secondly, and most pointedly for us this morning, there is a specific call to the direct ministry of the Word. And may I say that that is what I see as the unique call of God. It is a call to the ministry of the Word of God, to the direct ministry of the Word of God, not indirect. God has uniquely set apart some people whose mission in life is to publicly preach and teach God's Word. They are uniquely called as proclaimers of that divine truth. And whether you're going all the way back into the Old Testament where God identifies Aaron and says, "Aaron is to be properly cared for as the high priest so you shall speak to all the skillful persons whom I've endowed with the spirit of wisdom that they may make Aaron garments to consecrate him in order that he may minister as priest to Me." And God set apart a special man for a special duty. Or whether you come through Isaiah to whom God says, "Who will go for us...whom shall I send? Isaiah says, Here am I, send me. The Lord says go and tell this people." And he too is called. To Jeremiah to whom the Lord says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you, I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." Or whether you're talking about beyond Isaiah and Jeremiah to those others whom God called mentioned in Jeremiah 3:15, "I will give you shepherds after My own heart who will feed you on knowledge and understanding." What a great statement.
God has always called out special priests and prophets and shepherds for His people. He called that wonderful prophet Ezekiel, in chapter 2 He said, "Son of man, stand on your feet that I may speak with you, and as He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet and I heard Him speaking to me and He said to me, Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me, they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord God." Verse 7, "You shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not." That's the call. That's the unique call upon the life of one who is to publicly and directly minister God's Word. You come into the New Testament, in Acts 9, and you meet the Apostle Paul to whom the Lord says, "You are chosen by Me to go to the Gentiles." Paul was chosen of God, set apart. And God has ordained Apostles, prophets, evangelists, teaching pastors for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, Ephesians 4. Paul in Colossians 1 says, "I was made a minister by the stewardship given to me from God." And so God has ordained that certain people preach and teach directly His Word. They are uniquely called. All of us on a general level are called, some of us very uniquely set apart for the direct ministry of the Word of God. And Paul understood that compelling reality and so did Timothy. Paul knew it well. He knew he was called. First Timothy 1:12 he says, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, or putting me into the ministry." Chapter 2 he says, "For this I was appointed a preacher and an Apostle, as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth." In 2 Timothy 1:10 he says, "That marvelous appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus who abolished death and brought life and immortality light through the gospel for which I was appointed a preacher and an Apostle and a teacher." Paul knew his calling. He knew he was uniquely called of God. Timothy was such a called man. He had been set apart from Acts 16 when the Apostle Paul identified him, he had been trained by Paul, he had been gifted by the Spirit of God, he had been compelled to ministry. The question comes then, how does a man know if he's called? Since there's a difference between the general call and the unique call, how does one know if he's called to the direct ministry of preaching and teaching publicly, how do you know that? Four ways, four ways I believe are indicated in Scripture. First of all, subjectively...subjectively. I believe that men know they're called when they are internally compelled to that. Spurgeon called it, quote: "An irresistible overwhelming craving and raging thirst for telling others what God has done to our own souls," end quote. A raging thirst, an overwhelming craving...certainly something of what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:16 when he said, "Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel, I am compelled, he said, I am compelled," as if to say I am literally driven by a force within me, something in me that can do nothing else but that. He says even in verse 17, if I did it voluntarily I should have a reward, 1 Corinthians 9:17, but not so, verse 16, "I am under compulsion." Compulsion...Paul knew that compulsion, that driving force inside. When I say compulsion will you please understand that I don't mean ambition? Big difference. Ambition tends to be that drive which is generated by our need to fulfill certain goals and dreams which we have established. Ambition is that which primarily driven by ego, by the desire for self-fulfillment, by the desire for accomplishment. Compulsion is quite different. Compulsion is a driving force within us, the root of which may be completely outside of ourselves, but it's necessary. Those who are to preach and teach God's Word publicly and directly, I believe, are given by God's Holy Spirit an internal compulsion to that, like those mentioned in 3 John 7 who went out to preach for the sake of the name, like 1 Timothy 3:1 where it says if a man desires the office of overseer, he desires a good thing. And that's the compulsion again. In the hearts of some there's a tremendous desire for preaching and teaching God's Word...a compelling thing.
There were so many great Puritans in the 1600's, among them was a noble man of God by the name of Joseph Alain(?) whose primary work as far as this generation is concerned is his remaining book entitled, An Alarm to the Unconverted, which if you have not read you should read. It was said of Joseph Alain quote: "He was infinitely and insatiably greedy for the conversion of souls. Never did the evangel of Jesus burn more fervently in any English heart," end quote. He was known for his passion. He was known for his compulsion. So compelled was he that he was barred from the pulpit in his own life time. So compelled was he that he was oft imprisoned for preaching the gospel. In poor health he died at the age of 34 and left the world the legacy of that book and the example of a compulsive spirit to preach the truth. And I say to young men who would pursue the ministry, do not enter the ministry of the Word of God if you can help it, only enter it if you can't help it. It demands compulsion. Ambition will corrupt it. Compulsion will make it survive over the long haul.
And I believe Timothy fits that criteria. I believe Timothy was compelled on the inside to ministry. And I think there's some signs of that. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 1, you might miss this if you didn't take note of it carefully. In 2 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 1, Paul introduces himself in this way, "Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God...notice...and Timothy brother to the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia." Now Timothy here is with Paul. In fact, Paul pulls Timothy in and includes him in his personal references. That's why all the way through chapter 1 the pronouns are plural. Verse 2, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our affliction." Who is us and our? He and Timothy. Verse 5, "Just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundances." Verse 6, "But if we are afflicted..." And verse 8, "We do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction." Verse 9, "We had the sentence of death within ourselves." Verse 10, "Who delivered us from so great a peril of death." Verse 11, "You also joining and helping us through your prayers." So he's writing about himself and Timothy. Timothy was compelled enough in ministry to go along side the Apostle Paul enduring everything that Paul endured. And then you come down to verse 19, "For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us, by me and Silvanus or Silas and Timothy was not yes and now but is yes in Him." And here Paul embraces Timothy in his own ministry and his own preaching and his own suffering and his own trials and his own tribulations. And I believe that it's an indication of the heart of Timothy being compelled to ministry, or he would have bailed out long before.
Look at Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2 verse 19 really seals this issue. He says in verse 19, "I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition...now notice...for I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare." Beloved, that's part of the passion of the servant of God. The rest seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus, but you know of his proven worth that he serve with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father, therefore I hope to send him immediately as soon as I see how things go with me. Here was one of kindred spirit who when all else sought their own interests, sought only the interests of Christ Jesus. Here was one who had proven his worth in ministry, no defector he, but a compulsive servant of God. He was obviously a man who felt compelled to the duty of ministering the Word or he wouldn't have followed through as faithfully as he did. Again, Charles Hadden Spurgeon, that great English preacher, in lecturing to his students at the Pastors College one day said this, "If any student in this room could be content to be a newspaper editor or a grocer or a farmer or a doctor or a lawyer or a senator or a king in the name of heaven and earth let him go his way, he is not the man in whom dwells the Spirit of God in its fullness, for a man so filled with God would utterly weary of any pursuit but that for which is in most soul pants. If on the other hand you can say for all the wealth of both the Indies you could not and dare not espouse any other calling as to be put aside from preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, then depend on it, if other things be equally satisfactory you have the signs of this apostleship. We must feel that woe is unto us if we preach not the gospel. The Word of God must be unto us as a fire in our bones, otherwise if we undertake the ministry we shall be unhappy in it, shall be unable to bear the self-denial incident to it and shall be of little service to those among whom we minister. I speak of self denials, he says, and well I may, for the true pastor's work is full of them and without a love to his calling he will soon succumb and either leave the drudgery or move on in discontent, burdened with a monotony as tiresome as that of a blind horse in a mill," end quote.
You better be called, subjectively. There better be a driving compulsion within you. You better desire the office of an overseer with a strong desire. The second factor in the call because we're not in a supernatural era where God is speaking out of heaven as He did in identifying Aaron and Isaiah and Jeremiah and other shepherds and Paul and even Timothy who was identified by God's Spirit through the laying on of hands of Paul and the elders. But in our day where the supernatural call is not made visible, how do we know first subjectively a Holy Spirit planted compulsion? Secondly, we know it objectively...objectively. This term then takes into consideration the external factors, circumstances, opportunity, giftedness and God's providence pulling them all together. Compulsion has to be linked with innate talent, has to be linked with Spirit-given gifts. The man who is compelled in his heart to preach will find that his circumstances on the outside go along with that if indeed it is the call of God. He will have wisdom, he will have been given by God good judgment. He will have courage. He will have affection for God's people. He will have certain ruling ability, he will have spiritual giftedness to teach or preach, otherwise God would not put a Spirit-given compulsion in the man and not give him the objective abilities to fulfill it. And further, God will order his life so that he will have circumstances and opportunities and providential events in which his giftedness can come to its fruition.
So we say then that the call of the ministry begins with a compulsion. It then begins to take shape through God's providence ordering experience and ability, the two go together. John Newton wrote, "That which finally evidences a proper call is a correspondent opening in providence by a gradual train of circumstances pointing at the means, the time, the place of actually entering upon the work," end quote. In other words, God will order all the circumstances to make that work a reality. That was Timothy's experience. In Acts 16 there he was in his home town, the area of Galatia, along came the Apostle Paul. By God's gracious providence Paul identified Timothy as a young man he wanted to pour his life into. God gave Paul that information, no doubt, working in his heart. Timothy was then given a tremendous opportunity, tremendous privilege. Providence moved him alongside the Apostle Paul, the greatest teacher of ministry the world ever knew except Christ. And he sat at his feet and learned how to minister...that's opportunity. And when time came for him to step into ministry, he stepped in, he preached the gospel, he suffered alongside Paul. He pastored churches. It was all a part of God's ordering the objective to go along with the driving compelling subjective in his heart.
And then the time came, of course, early on for him to be ordained. It says in 1 Timothy 4:14 that the elders' hands were laid upon him and he was set apart for ministry. All the external circumstances were in place. He was gifted for it. He was set apart for it. He was trained for it. God ordered all of those and he was given opportunity to do it. There is no one running around fully gifted for ministry, driven in the heart to do that ministry, whose life is all it ought to be who doesn't have a place to do it. That brings us to a third element, very important. A man's call to ministry is known not only subjectively and objectively but collectively. And here is the judgment of the church so crucial. In 1 Timothy 3, "If a man desires the office of an overseer, desires a good thing." It starts with that compelling desire. It's then affirmed of course in his giftedness. But further it says, If that man is to do that, there has to be an examination of his life." And here's where the church steps in. "Is he above reproach? Is he a one-woman man? Is he temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, gentle, uncontentious, free from the love of money? Does he manage his own household well? Keep his children under control with all dignity? Does he have a good reputation with the people who are on the outside? He's not a new convert. And so forth. The same thing in Titus chapter 1, the church collectively has to affirm this. Why? Listen, there could be a man subjectively motivated to ministry, objectively gifted for ministry but who has sinned, who has violated God's standard, who is not exemplary in life and the church must hold him accountable for that. Collectively we are answerable to the church. The Holy Spirit, of course, in Acts 13 came into the assembly of the church at Antioch and the Spirit of God directed that church to assess Paul and Barnabas as suitable to the ministry and they affirmed their suitability and they sent them out. The church must be a part of that affirming toward ministry. So the subjective and the objective are linked to the collective. The church affirms, the church supports, the church lays its hands on by way of identification, by way of underwriting those whom it sends.
And there's another aspect to this and that is the fact that the church not only affirms and sends but the church collectively receives. And this is not often talked about. I believe that when a man is really gifted by God objectively, when he is compelled by the Spirit subjectively, the collective church is ready to receive that man. Let me put it to you again in the words of Spurgeon who said, "None of you can be pastors without the loving consent of the flock and therefore this will be to you a practical indicator if not a correct one. If your call from the Lord be a real one, you will not long be silent. As surely as the man wants his hour, so surely the hour wants its man. The church of God is always urgently in need of living ministers. To her a man is always more precious than the gold of Ophir. The anointed of the Lord need never be without a charge for there are quick ears which will know them by their speech and ready hearts to welcome them to their appointed place. Be fit for your work and you'll never be out of it. Do not run about inviting yourself to preach here and there, be more concerned about your ability than your opportunity and more earnest about your walk with God than about either. The sheep will know the God-sent shepherd. The porter of the fold will open to you and the flock will know your voice." That's right, exactly right. A man's gift makes room for him, it says in Proverbs. And collectively the church will not only affirm that you be sent but the church will receive you. So as Spurgeon says, spend less time trying to preach here and there and more time trying to be a better preacher and the preaching here and there will take care of itself. I believe Timothy fit the criteria collectively. In 1 Timothy 4 the elders of the church laid hands on him and sent him. Second Timothy 1:6, Paul put his hands on him and sent him. Collectively they all approved him. Further, Timothy was received, welcomed by churches to minister and serve there. He was presently in the church at Ephesus and while some resisted him there were many true believers who welcomed him. He was a representative of the Apostle Paul and of such kindred spirit that he could be received in Paul's own stead. The church had room for Timothy. Collectively they would send him, collectively they would receive him. And that's an affirmation of a man's call.
Fourthly and finally, not only is a call substantiated subjectively, collectively...subjectively, objectively, and collectively but get this one, effectively. The final seal on the call of God is how effective is the man...how effective is the man. What is the effect of his ministry?
I'll never forget going to preach at a church. A man invited me for a week. He said, "I want you to come and preach Monday...I think it was Monday through Sunday." And before two days were gone that week I was compelled by the Holy Spirit after seeing the circumstances and the situation to say to that man, "Based upon all that I know and all that I've seen here, you are ineffective in this. God loves you and God has gifted you but not for this. Your ministry has absolutely no effect at all. There is no response to anything you do." He said to me, "But I feel God's called me to do this." As far as I could tell there was some collective affirmation in a church that sent him but absolutely no collective affirmation in a church that had received him because his ministry had absolutely no impact, none at all. And while he chose not at that time to hear me, the Spirit of God continued to work in his heart until the time came when he ceased to try to do what God had not called him to do. There should be response. Let me take you back to Jeremiah chapter 23, just listen, I'm only going to read two verses but they are so potent, Jeremiah 23. God says this, "I did not send these prophets but they ran, they went anyway, I did not speak to them but they prophesied. But if they had stood in My counsel," in other words, if they were there because I sent them, "then they would have announced My words to My people...listen to this...and would have turned them back from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds." If they had been sent by Me they would have had an impact. They would have had an effect. They would have turned things around. It couldn't have stayed the same. Paul writing to the Thessalonians says, "You know when we came to you we didn't come in wisdom of human speech, you know that. We didn't come making...1 Thessalonians 2...some vain effort to pull something off. You know it was not insipid and empty. You know you saw the power of God." And that's right. That's exactly right. That's an essential indicator of those who are truly called.
And so, Timothy fits this as well. Timothy's ministry had an impact. First Corinthians 16:10, "If Timothy comes, see that he's with you without cause to be afraid...listen to this...for he is doing the Lord's work just as I am." Wow, that's pretty great commendation. Paul says Timothy's coming alongside me and God's hand is on his ministry just like it's on mine...just like mine. Do you want to know whether you've been called? You say I've got this driving compulsion to do it, and I think that objectively God has given me the gifts and opportunities and collectively I have a place to ministry...only one other question, is your ministry effective? Do people repent? Do people come to Christ? Do sinners face conviction? Do saints grow? Do people's lives change? Do they catch your fire? Do they adopt your convictions? That's the issue.
You can know you're called and those are the ways you know. Timothy was called and that was underlying all Paul's instruction and that's why he had to obey because God had called him. He had no choice.
Now let's go back to 2 Timothy 4 and wrap up the last few statements that he makes to this called man. Remember now, there are eight elements that should mark the faithful preacher. In verse 1 the seriousness of his commission, "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead and by His appearing and His Kingdom," the seriousness of it is you are doing what you do in full view of the one who will judge you. Then he says, "Preach the Word," that's the content of his commission. Then he says, "Be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with great patience and teaching," that's the scope of his commission. Then he says, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but wanting to have their ears tickled they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths," that's the urgency of his commission. The time is coming when they won't listen, do it now. Then verse 5, "But you be sober in all things," that's the attitude of his commission. Sober means balanced, consistent, solid, clear- minded stability. You be a rock, never picking up the ear- tickling stuff that entertains the lusts of the untruth masses. You be solid.
That brings us to the last three, just briefly. The cost of his commission. Verse 5, "Endure hardship...endure hardship." What it really means is go through suffering, accept suffering, go through suffering, expect it. It's amazing to me, dear friends, how many young men approaching ministry are wanting to find a place where there's no pain and that will only happen to people whose ministry is so innocuous there's never any resistance. But if your ministry has any power and any effect, get ready because there will always be pain. I suppose you could evaluate any preacher on two things, how faithful is he to the Word of God and how much pain is he able to endure. That's the criteria. How faithful is he to the Word of God and how much pain is he able to endure because the more effective he is because of his faithfulness, the more grief he's going to have to endure. And the idea that you can have an effective painless ministry is a lie. It isn't so. When you come to trouble or hardship in ministry, you have two choices. You endure or you compromise and find a short-cut out of the situation. The faithful preacher never compromises. So he says to Timothy, "Timothy, you've got to endure hardship. You've got to suffer." The verb in the Greek simply means to suffer evil. You have to suffer evil treatment, that's part of it.
Now he's already spoken of this many times. Second Timothy 2:1 to 4, we went into it in detail. Timothy was called to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. And here he reminds him again, be willing to suffer. In times of departure from the faith such as described in 1 Timothy 4, in times of dangerous peril to the church such as described in 2 Timothy 3:1, there's going to be hostility toward the preacher, the faithful will suffer. And he says endure it, go through it. Of course, he's the living illustration. Look at verse 6, "I'm ready already poured out as a drink offering, the time of my departure has come. My life is on the line. I'm going to be taken from this world. I fought the good fight, I finished the course, I've kept the faith, I'm your example. You endure it." Paul suffered from the start to the end of his ministry. Why? Because it was a powerful ministry. So he says to Timothy endure suffering.
Timothy was faithful to that, by the way. Look at the thirteenth chapter of Hebrews, the last chapter. I don't know if you've ever seen this verse, it's tucked away at the very end of the thirteenth chapter but it's wonderful insight. Hebrews 13:23, we don't know who wrote Hebrews, likely it wasn't Paul. But whoever wrote it knew Timothy well and loved him. And, of course, they all knew each other in the early days. But in Hebrews 13:23 it says this, the writer says, "Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released with whom if he comes soon I shall see you." Released from what? The Greek verb apoluo is used most frequently in the New Testament in relation to releasing from custody prisoners who were under arrest or in prison. Timothy was in prison. What that says to me was when the suffering came Timothy endured it. He didn't compromise. He didn't try to find a short-cut, the cheap way out. We don't know anything about his imprisonment, we don't have any details, but apparently he was jailed for preaching Christ. Since Hebrews was likely written soon after 2 Timothy, he may have been jailed right while he was ministering there in Ephesus not long after he received this very letter.
But I'm so glad for that little note at the end of Hebrews because it tells me that Timothy was faithful, doesn't it? That he endured. He was imprisoned and then God graciously granted him a release. That's the measure of a man's character. Not how clever he is, how faithful is he to the Word of God and how much pain is he able to endure and never waver...never waver, that's the cost. The cost of our commission: persecution, rejection, hostility and still we never compromise...never compromise.
Number seven in our little lest of eight marks of the excellent preacher, the extent of his commission. I wish we could spend a lot of time on this but we'll spend only a moment. Verse 5, "Do the work of an evangelist." Timothy, you're in the role of a teaching pastor, you're a sort of second level Apostle, you've done a lot of things in a lot of places, but, Timothy, in your work with the church at Ephesus, in your pastoring work, do also the work of an evangelist." He doesn't say Timothy is an evangelist. The word evangelist is only mentioned three times in the New Testament. There were certain men called evangelists, they're so designated in Ephesians 4:11. But even though the term evangelist is only mentioned three times, the verb form to proclaim the good news is mentioned 54 times and the noun for good news is mentioned 76 times. So it's a great part of the New Testament, preaching the gospel, that's what it means. He is saying, "Timothy, while you're shepherding the sheep, while you're pastoring the flock, evangelize the lost." I really believe that that is the extent of the ministry of the faithful preacher. We cannot engulf ourselves strictly in preaching to the saved, we must confront the lost. Evangelists here even though in three places it's a sort of an official title, the three I mentioned, Ephesians...the two I mentioned, Ephesians and Acts 21 where it mentions the evangelist Philip, here it seems unofficial. It does not have an article. It doesn't says, "Timothy, since you are an evangelist." I think in its form here it's simply a general reference and it could be translated, "Timothy, do evangelists kind of work." In other words, recognize that while you're feeding the flock and building the church, you have to be evangelizing the lost. That's why in our little motto we say, "exalting the King, extending the Kingdom." Part of our pastoral duty is not to forget the unsaved and not to forget that some of them are in the church. It's too easy to just settle for sort of entertaining the saints, we must preach boldly and faithfully to the lost. The evangelist was one who went where Christ was not named and led people to the saving knowledge of Christ. Preach the gospel, that too is the faithful preacher's duty. We must be faithful to proclaim the gospel. Why? Because there will be unsaved people in the church. Why? Because there are people in the church who need to know how to preach the gospel to the lost. Why? Because there will be in the hearing of the preacher in the church those unsaved who have been brought to the church, it's vital that we preach the gospel. We could say so much about that.
Let me just say a couple of things. Reminders to those who preach the gospel...a couple of things are important to me, one is that when you preach the gospel be sure you're simple and clear. Just be simple and clear, choose the simplest language. The temptation is, you know, you graduate from seminary and you think you're so erudite and you're so educated that you want to approach people like that. It's so important to stay simple. Do you remember this wonderful little rhyme? "Scintillate, scintillate, globulvavedic...feign what I fathom thy nature specific, loftily poised in the either capacious, strongly resembling a gem carbonaceous," ???? Or, "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are, up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky." The first one was done by a recent graduate of seminary, the second one had been around a little longer. There is no particular virtue in being impossible to understand. So be simple and be clear in preaching the gospel.
Secondly, know your limits...know your limits. In preaching the gospel you have limits. Preach for men to make a choice. Present the truth that calls for a response, but don't manipulate. Don't manipulate. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says, "Keep the music in its place, it shouldn't be allowed to control in any sense." How often we have heard someone give a gospel message and then all of a sudden comes the music and the lilting music and then comes turning down the lights. Martyn Lloyd-Jones called that "cheap psychological conditioning." And he said people justify it in terms of making it easier for people to believe and accept the truth which to him was unthinkable, and is to me as well. How in the world can music and dimmed lights make it easier for anyone to believe when believing is a divine work of God? What are we doing with that kind of stuff? Lloyd-Jones refused to follow such tactics for a number of reasons, he said, "It's wrong to put direct pressure on the will. The only place to apply anything is the mind where you give the truth. It is wrong to put direct pressure on the emotions, he said, the truth must compel the emotions. It is wrong to assume that sinners have the inherent power of decision and self-conversion when Scripture says and you hath He quickened, Ephesians 2:1. It is wrong to think that the preacher can manipulate the Holy Spirit to save somebody. It is wrong to produce superficial conversion." So preach the truth, know your limit. Don't manipulate, just preach the truth. Preach it with power and boldness. "No sinner decides for Christ, the sinner flies to Christ in utter helplessness and despair, compelled by the Spirit of God." "Crying foul eye to the fountain fly, wash me, Savior, or I die." That's a true conversion. The appeal must be in the truth and the truth alone, not the music and the lights and whatever other manipulative devices. The commission that we have must consume itself with a zeal for the lost. So much more to say on that but time is gone.
Timothy was a pastor but he was also committed to spreading the gospel. And since the glory of God is our chief object, we have to aim at the salvation of sinners. And if you're going to aim your preaching at the salvation of sinners, you have to preach Christ and Him crucified, you have to preach the law, sin, judgment, hell, you have to preach depravity not dignity of man, you have to preach the Second Coming and eternal judgment, you have to preach the cross, the resurrection, the atonement, grace, faith. There must be solemn preaching, persuasive preaching. As Spurgeon said, "You give the ungodly no rest in their sins." So in a sense we're teaching and evangelizing. The faithful preacher then knows the seriousness, the content, the scope, the urgency, the attitude, the cost, the extent of his commission and finally the goal...what's the goal? End of verse 5, "Fulfill your service," diakonia, fulfill your service. Fulfill means accomplish, fill it up, it's a beautiful word, fill it up, fill it up, do it all is what he means, don't do it half-heartedly, do it with all your might. Labor, as Paul said in Colossians 1:29, labor with the Spirit working in you mightily, no half-hearted effort will allow you to fill up your ministry. Can you imagine being able to come to the end of your life like Paul in verse 6, "I'm ready to die because I finished?" Wow, what a thought. To be done. Vividly in my mind do I have the memory of my Grandfather who in dying felt that he had not accomplished his ministry, desperately wanted to preach yet again. That has stuck in my mind. I don't know the dynamics of his own spiritual life, I know that he was a deeply committed man of God. I don't know what the Lord was doing particularly in taking him to glory, what His purposes were, but it stuck in my mind that he had the sense that he never fulfilled and finished what God gave him to do. And it's always been in the back of my mind that if you're going to finish at the end you have to go fast through the whole duration. You can't make up ground. And so you serve the Lord with a whole heart and a whole mind and a whole soul. That's what it means. We go all the way back where we started this morning, Deuteronomy 11:13, you've got to lerve me...love Me and serve me with all your soul and your heart and your mind. It takes that kind of total commitment.
And that's true for all of us. We all need to be committed. Now we're not all under the compelling of these instructions to Timothy as if we had a specific call to the public teaching and preaching of the Word, but we are all compelled under the general call to serve the Lord and extend His Kingdom proclaiming Christ. And we have to fill our ministry up. We have to complete it, do it all. It would be the most wonderful thing of all in my life leaving this world to be at the end of my life and say I'm ready to go, Lord, I'm done, to have that Holy Spirit confirmation that I had finished the work. Wow, what a thought...what a thought. But the only way that will ever happen at the end is if you're given the maximum effort all the way along in the process. The goal of ministry, the goal of commission, fill it up. Do the whole thing. Don't be half done when the Lord takes you home. That's the goal. It should be that way for all of us. That same commitment. Let's bow together in prayer.
Father, thank You for the commitment that Your dear people have made today. Seal it to our hearts and may it not have been hypocritical words without meaning. May we in this moment of silence affirm that we have meant what we have said.
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