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1783 - Britain declared a formal cessation of hostilities with its former colonies, the United States of America. 

1789 - Electors unanimously chose George Washington to be the first president of the United States. 

1824 - J.W. Goodrich introduced rubber galoshes to the public. 

1847 - In Maryland, the first U.S. Telegraph Company was established. 

1861 - Delegates from six southern states met in Montgomery, AL, to form the Confederate States of America. 

1865 - The Hawaiian Board of Education was formed. 

1895 - The Van Buren Street Bridge opened in Chicago, IL. 

1901 - "Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines" opened in New York City. 

1904 - The Russo-Japanese War began after Japan laid siege to Port Arthur. 

1913 - Louis Perlman received a patent for his demountable tire-carrying rims. 

1932 - The first Winter Olympics were held in the United States at Lake Placid, NY. 

1935 - CBS radio presented "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" for the first time. 

1936 - Radium E. became the first radioactive substance to be produced synthetically. 

1938 - The play "Our Town", by Thornton Wilder, opened in New York City. 

1941 - The United Service Organizations (USO) was created. 

1945 - During World War II, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin began a conference at Yalta to outline plans for Germany's defeat. 

1948 - Ceylon gained independence within the British Commonwealth. The country later became known as Sri Lanka.

1952 - Jackie Robinson was named Director of Communication for NBC. He was the first black executive of a major radio-TV network. 

1953 - "The Stooge" premiered at the Paramount Theatre in New York City. 

1957 - Smith-Corona Manufacturing Inc., of New York, began selling portable electric typewriters. The first machine weighed 19 pounds. 

1964 - The Administrator of General Services announced that the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution had been ratified. The amendment banned the poll tax. 

1968 - The world's largest hovercraft was launched at Cowes, Isle of Wight. 

1973 - The Reshef was unveiled as Israel's missile boat. 

1974 - Patricia (Patty) Hearst was kidnapped in Berkeley, CA, by the Symbionese Liberation Army. 

1976 - An earthquake in Guatemala and Honduras killed more than 22,000 people. 

1985 - U.S. President Ronald Reagan's defense budget called for a tripling of the expenditure on the "Star Wars" research program. 

1993 - Russian scientists unfurled a giant mirror in orbit and flashed a beam of sunlight across Europe during the night. Observers saw it only as a momentary flash. 

1997 - A civil jury in California found O.J. Simpson liable in the death of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Goldman's parents were awarded $8.5 million in compensatory damages. 

1997 - Two Israeli troop-carrying helicopters collided on their way to Lebanon, all 73 soldiers and airmen aboard were killed. 

1997 - President Milosevic of Serbia apparently surrendered to the will of his people, ordering his government to recognize opposition victories in local elections held in November 1996. 

1997 - Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) scored his 600th National Hockey League (NHL) goal during his 719th game. Lemieux reached the milestone second fastest in history. Gretzky had reached the plateau during his 718th game. 

1998 - In northeast Afghanistan, at least 5,000 people were killed in an earthquake that measured 6.1 on the Richter Scale. 

1999 - Warplanes from Israel attacked south Lebanon just after rockets were fired toward Israel. No casualies were claimed on either side. 

1999 - Gary Coleman was sentenced to a $400 fine, a suspended 90-day jail sentence, and ordered to attend 52 anger-management classes. The sentence stemmed from Coleman assaulting an autograph seeker on July 30, 1998. 

1999 - Amadou Diallo, an unarmed West African immigrant, was shot and killed in front of his Bronx home by four plainclothes New York City police officers. The officers had been conducting a nighttime search for a rape suspect. 

2000 - Austrian President Thomas Klestil swore in a coalition government that included Joerg Haider's far-right Freedom Party. European Union sanctions were a result of the action. 

2003 - Yugoslavia was formally dissolved by lawmakers. The country was replaced with a loose union of its remaining two republics, Serbia and Montenegro.

Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee

cook time 8 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 tuna steaks
• 1/4 cup olive tapenade
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic (recommended: Christopher Ranch)
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1/2 cups Italian dressing (recommended: Newman’s Own)
• 4 cups mixed salad greens (recommended: Fresh Express)
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
• 1 cup frozen French cut green beans, thawed
• 2 tomatoes, quartered
• 1 (15-ounce) can sliced potatoes

Directions

Cut a pocket into the side of the tuna steaks; set aside.

In a bowl, combine olive tapenade, garlic, and capers. Stuff tuna steaks with olive mixture and secure opening with toothpicks. Place stuffed tuna steaks in a large resealable plastic bag with the salad dressing. Squeeze out air and seal bag. Place in second bag to prevent any leaking. Marinate in refrigerator 1 to 3 hours.

Remove tuna from marinade and let come to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Discard marinade.

Heat an oiled grill pan over medium-high heat. Place tuna in grill pan and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side or until done. Be careful not to cook past medium or tuna will dry out quickly. Remove from grill pan and set aside.

Place salad mix onto a large serving platter. Garnish with slices of boiled egg, green beans, tomato wedges, and sliced potatoes. Remove toothpicks from tuna and place on top of greens.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 
But the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; 
so that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 
For they who are according to the flesh mind the things of flesh, but they who are according to the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 
For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace 
because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can it be. 
So then they who are in the flesh cannot please God. 
But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. 
And if Christ is in you, indeed the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 
But if the Spirit of the One who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised up Christ from the dead shall also make your mortal bodies alive by His Spirit who dwells in you. 
Therefore, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 
For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die. But if you through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. 
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 
For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba, Father!

“ Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? “

Let’s continue.

This statement Paul makes is the point in all this.

“ Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? “

While Paul was leading up to this, listing all their claims to be experts in spiritual instruction, he now turns it back on them, pointing out their hypocrisy.

The main reason Paul points out their hypocrisy is because of the fact that like Peter, Barnabas, the church in Galatia, and other followers of Jesus who went back to living under the Law living in hypocrisy, so did these Roman followers of Jesus.

In making this statement Paul was not criticizing them or anyone else who teaches against sin. Many evangelical church leaders today who condone sin, even using God’s grace as a copout excuse for living in sin, the myth that “God controls everything” also used as a copout excuse for living in sin and refusing to take responsibility for one’s own actions.

Just a reminder to those of you who have been reading me since 2005, as I said then I still say today, what I say to you I say to myself as well.

The things I say is from firsthand experience in knowing people, working side by side with people and talking to them on a one on one basis.

Paul gets down to brass tacks when he plainly says;

“ thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? “

Interestingly, Paul had to say to the born again christians at the church at Ephesus;

“  Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. “   Ephesians 4:28

While stealing is quite obvious a sin, it is the next 2 sins that I want to discuss.

Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? “

This is an interesting sin;

“ adultery ”

It comes in 5 categories and all are for sure sin…according to the Holy Bible.

1.) Adultery is sex outside of marriage.

Ezekiel said;

“ But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband! “   Ezekiel 16:32

2.) Adultery is the result for a spouse who is divorced for any reason except for fornication.

Jesus said;

“ But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery:…“   Matthew 5:32

3.) Adultery is the result of anyone marrying a divorced person.

Jesus said;

“ …and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. “  Matthew 5:32

4.) Adultery is when a spouse divorces the other and marries another person.

Jesus said;

“ Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery. “  Mark 10:11-12

Now here is the big one that most evangelicals choose to ignore.

5.) Adultery is lusting after someone.

Jesus said;

“ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. “   Matthew 5:27:28

So my friend, just as Paul pointed out the hypocrisy in these Roman followers of Jesus in teaching from the Law against sin but yet they themselves committing the same sin, don’t be condemning divorced people, excommunicating them from fellowship, looking down your nose at them as if a divorced person committed the unpardonable sin which it is not the unpardonable sin ( only blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unpardonable sin according to Jesus ), when you lust after women upon looking at a woman, which is as much the sin of adultery as is divorce and remarriage.

God will judge His people and knows our heart.

“ For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. “  Hebrews 10:30-31

“ thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? “

The Greek word “ hierosuleis “ translated “ sacrilege “ means to rob temples.

It can also mean to commit sacrilege. Technically, robbing temples is obviously showing disrespect to what is sacred to God.

Webster defines the word “ sacrilege “ as - “ Violating something sacred to God or religion.”

It is interesting that even though Jesus is Himself the New Covenant, the New Testament and even though the temple was built under the time of the Law, He was still quite upset at the way people were disrespectfully treating the house of God.

“ And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. “   Mark 11:15-17

Notice Jesus would not allow anyone to bring any vessel into the temple.

“And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. “

Yes my friend, Mark did say;

“And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. “

My Dad was far from being a “ legalist “ but when I was a child, if he ever saw me showing disrespect in church he would let me know how he felt about it!   LOL

In today’s modern evangelical society, while I’m in church I see church goers bringing cell phones and even leaving them on, water bottles, coffee, energy drinks, standing out in the foyer talking to friends even after the service starts and entering the service whenever they feel like it, bookstores to sell products and make money, etc…

Now, to not do these things is not “ legalism “ as the church leaders would accuse those of being who believe these things are disrespectful in the house of God.

To do or not do these things I see in church nowadays, is not a matter of being legalistic.

It is a matter of what kind of relationship we have with the Lord.

Are we sacrilegious like these Romans Paul addressed this issue to or are we respectful to the Lord who saved us?

I know the age old excuse that the building is not the church!   LOL

I know it is those who belong to Jesus.

However, contrary to today’s modern evangelical philosophy about church, Jesus thought the temple was to be respected even in His day!

It is a matter of where our heart is.

I will continue with verse 23 in the next study.

Wayne Brown

(Reuters) - Wall Street traders and fund managers have opinions on almost everything - from politics to religion to the price of a spectacular bottle of wine. But ask about this Sunday's Super Bowl matchup between the New York Giants and the Boston-backed New England Patriots, and they're suddenly far from loquacious.

Even if they're Dan Fuss, one of the most respected fund managers in the country. Fuss isn't exactly in danger of losing his position, but wasn't keen to get chatty about American football's big championship game, which is annually the most-watched televised event in the United States.

"People really take this stuff seriously," said Fuss, vice chairman at Boston-based Loomis Sayles, which oversees more than $150 billion in assets. "The Patriots are playing a New York team and I don't want to comment because we have a lot of New York business," he joked.

The game adds to the long-simmering rivalry between the cities of New York and Boston, particularly because this game is a rematch from four years ago, when the Giants won 17-14.

The attitude was a little more relaxed on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday as an Anheuser-Busch/InBev sponsored event outside the exchange encouraged floor brokers to loosen up. Traders put on jerseys of their favorite players, with most donning the blue-and-red colors associated with the Giants.

Most of them, that is. Kenneth Polcari, managing director of Icap Equities, was one of the few brave Patriot fans to pull a Patriots jersey - bearing the number 83 of star wide receiver Wes Welker - over his shirt and tie, and the reaction was not exactly enthusiastic.

"You would have thought the building was going to collapse," he said of the rowdy reception he got as soon as he put the jersey on and began walking around the floor.

Polcari hails from Boston, so he's in a small minority on the trading floor, and the rest let him know it.

"I am the only one that dares to wear a Pats jersey and walk around. There might be closet Pats fans but they are not coming out," he said.

Wall Street has long been known as a place for trying to get one-up on your colleague or rival regardless of how mundane the event, so it's natural that the Super Bowl - the biggest U.S. sporting event of the year - becomes a big event for casual betting.

Most large banks, brokers and money managers tend to clam up when asked about betting pools - which are known to exist in many companies - either because such pools are illegal to begin with, or because they are wary that publicity could add to an already volatile atmosphere.

One executive prominent in Boston financial circles described bets he has made on the game on condition of anonymity because of concerns about legality.

He has bet a total of about $1500 on the Patriots. Clients and business partners from around New York and New Jersey have been calling steadily to make bets since the matchup was set two weekends ago, he said. "People are calling me every day. They're all crazy down there," he said.

"The New Yorkers all want to win because it's Boston. I'm getting a lot of calls on it. People are all over me," he said.

Still, the rocky markets of the last few years have a way of making Wall Street denizens more circumspect about their activities.

"Whenever markets are going up you can do whatever you want - you want to have a Super Bowl pool with an oak-tag poster in the middle of the room, you can do it," said Josh Brown, vice president of investments at Fusion Analytics, and a die-hard Giants fan. "These days people are more aware of extra-curricular activities that can get you fired."

That's not to say people aren't doing their fair share of trash-talking, especially at companies with offices in both places.

"I don't think there is another team that is represented on a fan basis at Knight other than these two teams, so that is really an intense conversation," said Peter Kenny, managing director at wholesale market makers Knight Capital Group in Jersey City, New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from Wall Street.

The needling has its way of spilling over into public events, such as the results conference call held by private equity firm Blackstone Group on Thursday.

Stephen Schwarzman, Blackstone chairman and CEO, at one point announced he was turning the call over to Laurence Tosi, referring to him as "LT," the same initials as famed former Giants defensive player Lawrence Taylor. He carried that abbreviated moniker when he starred in the 1980s and played on two championship Giants squads.

"That's an appropriate name given that the Giants are going to the Super Bowl," Schwarzman said.

Tosi, chief financial officer at Blackstone, retorted: "Thank you, Steve. Although I am a Patriots fan, I appreciate the thought."

Knight's Kenny, as a Giants fan, is naturally convinced of his team's chances, adding fuel to the fire by saying his Patriots-supporting colleagues are still having nightmares "waking up in the middle of the night about the Tyree catch."

"Ten times I have heard that from different people," he said, referring to the miraculous "Helmet Catch" by little-used Giants receiver David Tyree that continued the team's winning drive in its 17-14 victory over the Patriots in the 2008 Super Bowl.

That loss in the closing minute of the game - which also stopped the Patriots from recording an undefeated season - still stings badly in Boston. "From a fan's perspective you want to avenge that loss," said Lewis Piantedosi, portfolio manager at asset manager Eaton Vance Corp. in downtown Boston.

Piantedosi said he doesn't have any bets on the game. He said he'd bet on the Patriots, but won't find anyone in his office willing to take the other side.

When pushed hard, even Fuss responds to the goading from New York. "This is the Patriots," he said. "They're definitely going to win."

Back down on the New York Stock Exchange floor Wednesday, Jason Weisberg, managing director at Seaport Securities Corp, said Polcari didn't keep the Patriots colors on for long.

"There is one - and they took the jersey off - they were getting abused," he said.