Friday, January 31, 2014

Thought for the morning of Sat February 1, 2014


Verse


"They shall sing in the ways of the Lord."

ps 138:5


Thought


The time when Christians begin to sing in the ways of the Lord is when they first lose their burden at the foot of the Cross. Not even the songs of the angels seem so sweet as the first song of rapture which gushes from the inmost soul of the forgiven child of God. You know how John Bunyan describes it. He says when poor Pilgrim lost his burden at the Cross, he gave three great leaps, and went on his way singing-


"Blest Cross! blest Sepulchre! blest rather be

The Man that there was put to shame for me!"


Believer, do you recollect the day when your fetters fell off? Do you remember the place when Jesus met you, and said, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love; I have blotted out as a cloud thy transgressions, and as a thick cloud thy sins; they shall not be mentioned against thee any more for ever." Oh! what a sweet season is that when Jesus takes away the pain of sin. When the Lord first pardoned my sin, I was so joyous that I could scarce refrain from dancing. I thought on my road home from the house where I had been set at liberty, that I must tell the stones in the street the story of my deliverance. So full was my soul of joy, that I wanted to tell every snow-flake that was falling from heaven of the wondrous love of Jesus, who had blotted out the sins of one of the chief of rebels. But it is not only at the commencement of the Christian life that believers have reason for song; as long as they live they discover cause to sing in the ways of the Lord, and their experience of his constant lovingkindness leads them to say, "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." See to it, brother, that thou magnifiest the Lord this day.


"Long as we tread this desert land,

New mercies shall new songs demand."



Devotional provided by Heartlight®

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via Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon http://ift.tt/1fuG143

Thought for the evening of Sat February 1, 2014


Verse


"Thy love to me was wonderful."

2sa 1:26


Thought


Come, dear readers, let each one of us speak for himself of the wonderful love, not of Jonathan, but of Jesus. We will not relate what we have been told, but the things which we have tasted and handled-of the love of Christ. Thy love to me, O Jesus, was wonderful when I was a stranger wandering far from thee, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. Thy love restrained me from committing the sin which is unto death, and withheld me from self-destruction. Thy love held back the axe when Justice said, "Cut it down! why cumbereth it the ground?" Thy love drew me into the wilderness, stripped me there, and made me feel the guilt of my sin, and the burden of mine iniquity. Thy love spake thus comfortably to me when, I was sore dismayed-"Come unto me, and I will give thee rest." Oh, how matchless thy love when, in a moment, thou didst wash my sins away, and make my polluted soul, which was crimson with the blood of my nativity, and black with the grime of my transgressions, to be white as the driven snow, and pure as the finest wool. How thou didst commend thy love when thou didst whisper in my ears, "I am thine and thou art mine." Kind were those accents when thou saidst, "The Father himself loveth you." And sweet the moments, passing sweet, when thou declaredst to me "the love of the Spirit." Never shall my soul forget those chambers of fellowship where thou has unveiled thyself to me. Had Moses his cleft in the rock, where he saw the train, the back parts of his God? We, too, have had our clefts in the rock, where we have seen the full splendours of the Godhead in the person of Christ. Did David remember the tracks of the wild goat, the land of Jordan and the Hermonites? We, too, can remember spots to memory dear, equal to these in blessedness. Precious Lord Jesus, give us a fresh draught of thy wondrous love to begin the month with. Amen.



Devotional provided by Heartlight®

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via Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon http://ift.tt/1iiLfRv

Heard By God

Our Daily Bread Cover February 2014


After reading several children’s books with my daughter, I told her that I was going to read a grown-up book for a while and then we would look at books together again. I opened the cover and began to read in silence. A few minutes later, she looked at me doubtfully and said, “Mommy, you aren’t really reading.” She assumed that since I wasn’t speaking, I wasn’t processing the words.






via Our Daily Bread http://ift.tt/1beAcDP

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”



via Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day http://ift.tt/YncjUX

MEPS WANT TO BLACKMAIL COMMISSION

Joel Osteen Returning to NYC's Yankee Stadium for 'America's Night of Hope' — What Should You Expect?

Megachurch pastor and bestselling author Joel Osteen is making a second trip to New York City's Yankee Stadium this summer for his annual "America's Night of Hope" tour. The last time the Texas preacher and his family visited the baseball stadium in 2009, they brought a near-capacity crowd with them. But what happened during Osteen's visit to Yankee Stadium, and what can the estimated 55,000 worshippers who will likely join him in June expect this time around?



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1hZo1z2

Southern Baptist Convention's ERLC to Host Summit About Human Sexuality and the Gospel

The Southern Baptist Convention plans to host a summit about human sexuality and its relation to the Gospel in order to equip pastors and church leaders to speak about related issues within their own congregations.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1eemfvx

Are Gentile Believers Part of Israel?



via Bible Prophecy Blog http://ift.tt/1eegqOt

United Methodist Church's Support of 'Evolution Weekend' Questioned

Perhaps hundreds of churches across the United States and abroad plan to participate in an annual observance next month meant to reconcile science and faith known as "Evolution Weekend."



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1frDBmw

Interview: Greg Laurie on Praying for America, Sharing the Gospel and the Church Under Siege

In an interview with The Christian Post Laurie shares why he has a renewed fervor for sharing the Gospel; speaks about how Christians can engage nonbelievers and talk to them about Jesus Christ, and why he believes Christians must focus more on prayer and preaching instead of boycotting and complaining.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1jSWmn1

US WANTS PEACE DEAL BY THE END OF 2014

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Thought for the evening of Fri January 31, 2014


Verse


"Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi."

2sa 18:23


Thought


Running is not everything, there is much in the way which we select: a swift foot over hill and down dale will not keep pace with a slower traveller upon level ground. How is it with my spiritual journey, am I labouring up the hill of my own works and down into the ravines of my own humiliations and resolutions, or do I run by the plain way of "Believe and live"? How blessed is it to wait upon the Lord by faith! The soul runs without weariness, and walks without fainting, in the way of believing. Christ Jesus is the way of life, and he is a plain way, a pleasant way, a way suitable for the tottering feet and feeble knees of trembling sinners: am I found in this way, or am I hunting after another track such as priestcraft or metaphysics may promise me? I read of the way of holiness, that the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein: have I been delivered from proud reason and been brought as a little child to rest in Jesus' love and blood? If so, by God's grace I shall outrun the strongest runner who chooses any other path. This truth I may remember to my profit in my daily cares and needs. It will be my wisest course to go at once to my God, and not to wander in a roundabout manner to this friend and that. He knows my wants and can relieve them, to whom should I repair but to himself by the direct appeal of prayer, and the plain argument of the promise. "Straightforward makes the best runner." I will not parlay with the servants, but hasten to their master.


In reading this passage, it strikes me that if men vie with each other in common matters, and one outruns the other, I ought to be in solemn earnestness so to run that I may obtain. Lord, help me to gird up the loins of my mind, and may I press forward towards the mark for the prize of my high calling of God in Christ Jesus.



Devotional provided by Heartlight®

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via Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon http://ift.tt/1bFiOrA

Thought for the morning of Fri January 31, 2014


Verse


"The Lord our Righteousness."

jer 23:6


Thought


It will always give a Christian the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and peace, to think of the perfect righteousness of Christ. How often are the saints of God downcast and sad! I do not think they ought to be. I do not think they would if they could always see their perfection in Christ. There are some who are always talking about corruption, and the depravity of the heart, and the innate evil of the soul. This is quite true, but why not go a little further, and remember that we are "perfect in Christ Jesus." It is no wonder that those who are dwelling upon their own corruption should wear such downcast looks; but surely if we call to mind that "Christ is made unto us righteousness," we shall be of good cheer. What though distresses afflict me, though Satan assault me, though there may be many things to be experienced before I get to heaven, those are done for me in the covenant of divine grace; there is nothing wanting in my Lord, Christ hath done it all. On the cross he said, "It is finished!" and if it be finished, then am I complete in him, and can rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, "Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." You will not find on this side heaven a holier people than those who receive into their hearts the doctrine of Christ's righteousness. When the believer says, "I live on Christ alone; I rest on him solely for salvation; and I believe that, however unworthy, I am still saved in Jesus;" then there rises up as a motive of gratitude this thought-"Shall I not live to Christ? Shall I not love him and serve him, seeing that I am saved by his merits?" "The love of Christ constraineth us," "that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them." If saved by imputed righteousness, we shall greatly value imparted righteousness.



Devotional provided by Heartlight®

© 1996-2014. All rights reserved.








via Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon http://ift.tt/1fs9kVs

Buyer’s Remorse

Our Daily Bread Cover January 2014


Have you ever experienced buyer’s remorse? I have. Just prior to making a purchase, I feel the surge of excitement that comes with getting something new. After buying the item, however, a wave of remorse sometimes crashes over me. Did I really need this? Should I have spent the money?






via Our Daily Bread http://ift.tt/1khCqbc

OSLO FIRM BLACKLISTS ISRAELI FIRM FOR BUILDING ON ISRAELS OWN LAND

Psalm 86:5

“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.”



via Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day http://ift.tt/XTVVZX

Greg Laurie: 'Nothing Says America Better Than Dallas;' City to Host Harvest America 2014

Pastor Greg Laurie was in Dallas, Texas, earlier this week to announce the selection of the city to host Harvest America 2014. In his speech to officially launch the crusade, Laurie told local pastors assembled at the American Airlines Center Tuesday, where the crusade will take place on Oct. 5, that since the death of his oldest son, Christopher, who died in 2008, he's had a renewed fervor for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1iQwtUC

The Church Should Not Dismiss Millennials as Selfish, Says Ministry Director at Redeemer NYC

Twentysomethings are eager to create change in an era led by technological advances and a struggling economy, however, the church doesn't seem to engage them, says the executive director of the Center for Faith and Work at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1kep6UT

OBAMAS JEWISH HALF BROTHER MARK RECONNECTS TO BARACK

ISRAELIS PROTEST ON TEMPLE MOUNT AGAINST PEACE PROCESS-END IT NOW

Phil Johnson: "Sometimes the Lord's supply seems meager, but it is always sufficient"

I've been thinking about money. This is not so surprising for me at this time of year. I work in a school system that I value highly and enjoy. My colleagues from one end of the district to another are wonderful. Some of those are the people in Payroll. Our tradition is that we conclude the first half of the year before Christmas and we enjoy a long break from school, coming back the first week of January. In order to ease the Christmas giving frenzy, the payroll people work in a frenzy themselves to get our paychecks to us before Christmas instead of the last day of the month like usual. We're paid monthly.



This year we were paid December 18 and we will be paid again on January 31. So we will go six weeks between paychecks, and that is a stretch for anyone.



I am paid almost exactly enough to get by, with little to no surplus month to month. The job itself is a complete blessing. I work with kindergarten children as a teacher aide (now called para-professional.) It fulfills me professionally, because it gives me joy to be with children. It is clean, inside work. Ha, I've worked outside before and in very dirty jobs, and this is better, even when a five-year-old throws up on me. It is way better than picking the worms out of freshly caught cod in a freezing fish factory in Maine, which is what I did to pay the rent during college. Among other jobs. My school job also comes with health care benefits, which is a relief, not having had coverage for many years and whistling past the graveyard by on a promise and a prayer.



So the job has many benefits if not being cushy in the paycheck department. I was musing about this over the past week. I'm ending the month in very good shape. Projecting 6 weeks out is a hard things to do but I'm coming in for a precise landing and tomorrow when my paycheck arrives I'll not have wanted for anything. It takes discipline, self-denial, and constant prayer to make it through to the end of the month.



In the end I'm glad that my financial life is this way, I decided. My discipline flows from a relaxed reliance on the promise of God to provide for us. If I had more money I know I'd become spendthrift. I tend toward greed and selfishness. So with more, I'd turn to God less and I know I'd start to be greedy and selfish. I'd also begin to believe satan's propaganda that my comforts were self-acquired. I fear Him enough to know that when I get a glimpse of self-awareness, it's not a pretty picture, and to look back at Him.



I like turning to the scriptures to feed myself even if the fridge isn't stocked with everything I ever wanted. I know that it is HIM sustaining me. What a comfort.



Am I going to sing "In Christ Alone but send a few dollars extra just in case"? Am I going to pray, "I Need Thee Every Hour, except a bit of a cushion would be nice"? Or, proclaim, " 'Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus and my wallet"? What does it mean to sing, pray, speak, and think these things? It means what it means, trust Jesus to provide. Why do we sing "Trust and Obey" on Sunday and then go home and stress about finances on Monday?



So I was pondering these things. It'd good for me to live this way. Maybe other people can handle more money or more of a cushion, but the Lord knows, I can't. I'm blessed.



I decided to do some cooking and listen to Phil Johnson's latest sermon while chopping. His sermon is called "Not So Radical" and it is a message he is preaching through the Psalms of Ascents. He is up to Psalm 128.



Pastor Johnson explained that the psalms of ascents were songs the Israelites would sing on the way to Jerusalem. No matter what direction you approached Jerusalem from, and mostly the only way to go was the Jericho road, was uphill. You hiked. You climbed. You sweated. It was 3400 arduous feet uphill all the way. You did this three times a year. Grandma had to be carried in a cart drawn by an ox. The rest just hiked. These songs were songs they would sing in praise and anticipation of the worship festival to come, and would remind them of Who they were going to worship in the coming days.



Psalm 128:5 states the following:



"The LORD bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life!"



Pr. Johnson looped back to verse 1 which opens with a message about how fearing the LORD brings blessing. He said,



"We don't hear enough about holy fear these days. Modern preachers like to encourage familiarity rather than fear, and that's why so much of today's worship is casual, flippant, man-centered. But Scripture is full of admonitions to fear the Lord. For many today, that is an unfamiliar concept ."



Then he moved into explaining prosperity and blessing.



"The word prosperity here in our text speaks of the biblical concept of divine blessing, spiritual affluence, and material sufficiency. This kind of prosperity has nothing whatsoever to do with the worldly idea of mammon. The world's idea of prosperity is overabundance, opulence, luxury, self-indulgence--all dependent on material wealth. The Lord's definition of prosperity (by contrast) is full forgiveness, the imputation of perfect righteousness, and "grace to help in time of need"--all blessings of eternal value.


"Sometimes the Lord's supply seems meager, but it is always sufficient. He measures his blessings carefully, so that a glut of earthly prosperity doesn't extinguish our hope of heaven. And even that is a great blessing ."



Sometimes the Lord blesses by sustaining with a large cushion, as He did with Job and Abraham. Sometimes the Lord blesses by sustaining exactly, as He does with me and perhaps with you. The Lord takes care of us financially and He takes care of us spiritually. What may seem meager is in truth perfection. I wouldn't make the trade for anything.



"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all." (Matthew 6:31-32)



"So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” (Genesis 22:14)



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



For further reading:



Phil Johnson: Not So Radical

(if the link still isn't working yet listen here at sermon audio )



9 Marks: Trusting God Through Unemployment



Our Daily Bread: God provides...but how?



Pastor Rick Henderson: The False Promise of the Prosperity Gospel: Why I Called Out Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer

Former NFL Quarterback Jeff Kemp Challenges Men to Become Godly Leaders, Attend Event Day Before Super Bowl (INTERVIEW)

Former NFL quarterback Jeff Kemp found support and encouragement during his career by meeting regularly with other Christian players on his team. Now he's encouraging groups of men to gather in locations throughout the U.S. for Stepping Up Super Saturday, an event that addresses manhood and is designed to help them become godly leaders in their homes, churches and communities.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1kdvcVu

David Platt Asks If Women Can Serve As Deacons within Church

Women can serve in deacon and leadership roles within the church, according to the Bible, says David Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala., who recently addressed the controversial topic in a sermon.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1fzLjdh

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Thought for the evening of Thu January 30, 2014


Verse


"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance."

eph 1:11


Thought


When Jesus gave himself for us, he gave us all the rights and privileges which went with himself; so that now, although as eternal God, he has essential rights to which no creature may venture to pretend, yet as Jesus, the Mediator, the federal head of the covenant of grace, he has no heritage apart from us. All the glorious consequences of his obedience unto death are the joint riches of all who are in him, and on whose behalf he accomplished the divine will. See, he enters into glory, but not for himself alone, for it is written, "Whither the Forerunner is for us entered." Heb. 6:20. Does he stand in the presence of God?-"He appears in the presence of God for us." Heb. 9:24. Consider this, believer. You have no right to heaven in yourself: your right lies in Christ. If you are pardoned, it is through his blood; if you are justified, it is through his righteousness; if you are sanctified, it is because he is made of God unto you sanctification; if you shall be kept from falling, it will be because you are preserved in Christ Jesus; and if you are perfected at the last, it will be because you are complete in him. Thus Jesus is magnified-for all is in him and by him; thus the inheritance is made certain to us-for it is obtained in him; thus each blessing is the sweeter, and even heaven itself the brighter, because it is Jesus our Beloved "in whom" we have obtained all. Where is the man who shall estimate our divine portion? Weigh the riches of Christ in scales, and his treasure in balances, and then think to count the treasures which belong to the saints. Reach the bottom of Christ's sea of joy, and then hope to understand the bliss which God hath prepared for them that love him. Overleap the boundaries of Christ's possessions, and then dream of a limit to the fair inheritance of the elect. "All things are yours, for ye are Christ's and Christ is God's."



Devotional provided by Heartlight®

© 1996-2014. All rights reserved.








via Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon http://ift.tt/1fhtBwg

Thought for the morning of Thu January 30, 2014


Verse


"When thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, then thou shalt bestir thyself."

2sa 5:24


Thought


The members of Christ's Church should be very prayerful, always seeking the unction of the Holy One to rest upon their hearts, that the kingdom of Christ may come, and that his "will be done on earth, even as it is in heaven;" but there are times when God seems especially to favour Zion, such seasons ought to be to them like "the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees." We ought then to be doubly prayerful, doubly earnest, wrestling more at the throne than we have been wont to do. Action should then be prompt and vigorous. The tide is flowing-now let us pull manfully for the shore. O for Pentecostal outpourings and Pentecostal labours. Christian, in yourself there are times "when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees." You have a peculiar power in prayer; the Spirit of God gives you joy and gladness; the Scripture is open to you; the promises are applied; you walk in the light of God's countenance; you have peculiar freedom and liberty in devotion, and more closeness of communion with Christ than was your wont. Now, at such joyous periods when you hear the "sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees," is the time to bestir yourself; now is the time to get rid of any evil habit, while God the Spirit helpeth your infirmities. Spread your sail; but remember what you sometimes sing-


"I can only spread the sail;

Thou! Thou! must breathe the auspicious gale."


Only be sure you have the sail up. Do not miss the gale for want of preparation for it. Seek help of God, that you may be more earnest in duty when made more strong in faith; that you may be more constant in prayer when you have more liberty at the throne; that you may be more holy in your conversation whilst you live more closely with Christ.



Devotional provided by Heartlight®

© 1996-2014. All rights reserved.








via Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon http://ift.tt/1n0EUdq

Precious In God’s Eyes

Our Daily Bread Cover January 2014


In response to the news that a mutual friend of ours had died, a wise brother who knew the Lord sent me these words, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Ps. 116:15). Our friend’s vibrant faith in Jesus Christ was the dominant characteristic of his life, and we knew he was home with God in heaven. His family had that assurance as well, but I had been focused only on their sorrow. And it’s appropriate to consider others during their grief and loss.






via Our Daily Bread http://ift.tt/MiJEQc

THE DICTATOR OBAMA

GERMANY SEES NEED FOR SEPARATE EUROZONE PARLIAMENT

Ephesians 4:2

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”



via Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day http://ift.tt/14u0bpw

The Local Church is Primarily Responsible for Segregation Within Congregations, Says Multi-Ethnic Network Leader

Mark DeYmaz and Oneya Fennell Okuwobi attempt to tear down system of segregation within local churches in new multi-ethnic small group curriculum.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1jKKkvR

Catholic Leader Pleads With Thieves to Return Pope John Paul II Blood Relic

Thieves who stole a reliquary containing blood from Pope John Paul II are being asked by an Italian Roman Catholic Church official to return the item.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/MglPZo

Snow rollers, paralyzed Atlanta, Deep South shocked by ice: these "rare meteorological events" no longer so rare

We here in Georgia are suffering under a snow and ice storm that on the surface doesn't seem bad, but it is having repercussions and effects that far outstrip the three inches of snow on the ground.



Shawn Reynolds of The Weather Channel took several of TWC producer Stephen Neslage's photos and put them into one montage. Here clockwise, we see ATL gridlock, (some stopped for over 10 hours), abandoned cars littering the Atlanta highways, and people sleeping in various grocery store aisles. Shawn is at @WCL_Shawn and Stephen is at @StephenNeslage. The AJC reports that the governor has sent National Guard humvees to try and rescue the students still on buses trapped in the traffic, and others to bring food and water to students over-nighting in schools.






The UK Telegraph reports,



"Thousands of commuters were trapped in cars overnight on highways in the greater Atlanta area, hundreds of students remained inside dozens of schools Wednesday morning and at least 50 children spent the night on school buses because of an ice storm that is still gripping the deepest parts of the South. Residents ran out of medicine, a baby was born to a stranded mother and pleas for help flooded Twitter and Facebook as a region that rarely deals with ice and snow came to a screeching halt during a rare meteorological event that was still icing points this morning as far south as Brownsville, Tex. "



It was the icing, the speed with which the storm came, and the volume of traffic that made things worse than simply the flakes that fell. There are some students still on buses that left school yesterday as the snow began that became swamped in traffic and snarled to a halt overnight on the highway. The National Guard was sent to try and move the buses and rescue the students still trapped aboard, and also to bring food and water to schools with hordes of students that sheltered-in-place. Nearly 4,000 students remain sheltered at their schools in Alabama, according to Gov. Robert Bentley.



Rare, snow, ice shock Deep South

[Governor] "Deal declared a state of emergency for the entire state late Tuesday afternoon and pleaded for residents, many unaccustomed to coping with snowy driving conditions, to stay off the roads. "I know many people are trying desperately to pick up their children or simply to get home, and I hope they can get to safe, warm stopping point soon," Deal said. "Once at your destination, if at all possible, please stay off the roads until conditions improve ."



Below is a graphic showing how fast Atlanta traffic went from cruising comfortably to total paralyzed gridlock










Source



How rare is rare? We read that Alaska was warmer than Georgia for part of this week. We read of snowmageddon/snowpocalypse in 2011, another rare weather year. But 2012 produced weird and unusual weather, as did 2013, and now again in 2014. So, is rare the new normal?



Dec. 2013: Rare December Snow Blankets Jerusalem (PHOTOS) - weather.com

Jan. 2014: What are snow rollers? Weird weather phenomenon sweeps Midwest

Oct. 2013: Weird weather: Fogged-in Boulder sees 1.4 inches fall after rare 'thundersnow'



Here is a more detailed report of the snow bales/snow rollers












Ohio Problems @OhioProbz


Only in Ohio do we experience this rare phenomenon called Snow Rollers



Snow rollers: Rare, strange phenomena eerily made by winter freeze

They are called snow rollers and they look like something out of a Stephen King travel guide to the Arctic Circle -- weird, cylindrical snow formations created in the middle of nowhere without the benefit of human touch. And the sight of them provides more evidence of the strange winter weather that’s sweeping the country, threatening snow in the Sun Belt, thrusting Minnesota temperatures even further below zero than usual and menacing the Super Bowl during its own rare appearance in foul-weather country. Even the National Weather Service waxes just a little poetic when describing the eerie shapes, which have cropped up in recent days in pristine fields in Ohio and Pennsylvania. (And let’s not even talk about the breathless descriptions of television newscasters.)



Last January the NY Times reported on how weather around the world is growing stranger and weirder.



Heat, Flood or Icy Cold, Extreme Weather Rages Worldwide

"Each year we have extreme weather, but it’s unusual to have so many extreme events around the world at once,” said Omar Baddour, chief of the data management applications division at the World Meteorological Organization, in Geneva. “The heat wave in Australia; the flooding in the U.K., and most recently the flooding and extensive snowstorm in the Middle East — it’s already a big year in terms of extreme weather calamity.”Such events are increasing in intensity as well as frequency, Mr. Baddour said, a sign that climate change is not just about rising temperatures, but also about intense, unpleasant, anomalous weather of all kinds. "



Intense unpleasant weather...you could say that. It is predicted to only get worse. No, Weather Underground's Dr. Jeff Masters didn't predict this. Nor The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore. nor your local weather man. God did.



During the Tribulation, no wind will blow. Drought will occur. Water will be made into poison, and/or blood. One hundred pound hail will fall, dwarfing the largest hail that has fallen so far, large as it was. (18 inches, Nebraska ). The heat waves will be so intense men will burn just by stepping outside.



Revelation 16:9 says



The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.



If you are a fan of global warming, just know that when the sun is heated seven times hotter (Isaiah 30:26) and men are scorched by it, (Rev 16:9) the ice caps will melt. The little polar bear Al Gore set upon the ice floe all forlorn, will drown. For real this time. The released water from the ice caps will swamp low lying cities and they too will drown. All this weather craziness will only continue to get worse. It will not re-set. It will not return to weather of old. It has all been inexorably running down to the moment when nothing about the weather will work at the end of time, since the moment Adam and Eve sinned in the garden and God cursed the air and the ground (Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 8:20-22).



Rare IS the new normal, but if you want to escape all these things, be a part of the Church when Christ comes. His global bride will be whisked to heaven to enjoy a rewards ceremony called the Bema Seat , and those left behind will see these rare and horrible weather things happen for which they will have no words to describe.



How does one become part of the Bride of Christ? Recognize you are a sinner; doing, saying, and thinking things that are at enmity against Christ. Be repentant of them, and ask His forgiveness. Because He took God's wrath on the cross for your sins, once you're forgiven, God's wrath will be set aside, having been atoned for and endured by Jesus. God exhausted His wrath upon His Son, so you can be saved from it! You will be part of the group of believers taken up to heaven before all these horrific things come to pass in an event known as the rapture.



The alternative is to cling to your sins, and remain on an increasingly destroyed earth, as God UNdoes His handiwork in a horrific UNcreation. By the end, there won't even be a sky to look at. (Revelation 6:14).



God is the powerful Creator. He made the world and He will unmake the world. (2 Peter 3:10). Please don't be on it when He does. These weather events are His warnings to us on an increasingly rebellious world. Heed the warnings and repent.



"and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15).

170,000 ROCKETS AIMED AT ISRAELS CITIES SAYS IDF INTEL HEAD

Athaliah: the only Queen of Judah

I'm reading through Kings. I finished 1 Kings and I'm up to chapter 12 of 2 Kings. It is taking me a long time. I am not super-spiritual and I'm not super-smart and the going is slow.



There were quite a few kings of Israel. The history behind them all is daunting, never mind simply keeping the names and family lines straight. Without context it's hard to keep it all from running together. Oh well, I've got to read through the first time, don't I, and then I'll have context for the second time, and so on.



In chapter 11 we meet Athaliah. She was Queen Regent for 6 years over Judah. She was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and she was just as zealous that Baal worship be re-instated as the official worship as her mother had been. BibleGateway has a summary of her life, titled "The Woman Who Was a Notorious Murderess "












Athaliah, as depicted in

Antoine Dufour’s Vie des femmes célèbres, c. 1505;

in the Dobrée Museum, Nantes, France.

Giraudon/Art Resource, New York

Why was she a murderess? She killed all who could lay claim to the throne, even grandchildren. Well, almost all.



"And Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal seed." (2 Kings 11:1)



The Bible Gateway summary is interesting and good, and it's not long. Here are a few excerpts from Bible Gateway's life of Athaliah.



--She was the granddaughter of Omri, 6th king of Israel, “who waded through slaughter to a throne he never inherited.”

--After reigning for eight years Jehoram died, unmourned, of a predicted incurable disease. While he reigned, he was dominated by Athaliah who had the stronger character of the two, and who, having inherited from her evil mother strength of will and fanatical devotion to the worship of Baal, made Judah idolatrous.

--After putting to death her young grandsons, Athaliah reigned for six years, and was the only woman to reign as queen of Judah.

--The daughter of a king, wife of a king, mother of a king, she is now queen.

--During her reign part of the Temple of Jehovah was pulled down and the material used in the building of a temple of Baal.

--Unknown to Athaliah as she set out to massacre all her grandsons, the youngest was hid from the orgy of destruction.

--Athaliah was left in a horse-path, to be trampled upon. Like her mother she died a queen, but without a hand to help her or an eye to pity her.



"So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword at the king's house." (2 Kings 11:20)



I took two things away from my reading this morning. One is, like Jezebel, Athaliah was a near-perfect fulfillment of the curse of Eve and the promise that God made in the Garden:



"Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." (Genesis 3:16b). Both Jezebel and Athaliah sought power from and not submission to their husbands and thereby did not submit to God. They both ruled over their husbands and their husbands let them. Abandoning one part of God's best (Ephesians 5:22) will inevitably lead to abandoning more parts of God's word and then all parts. Both women, left to their sinful desires, fully served Baal and not God.



Secondly, Athaliah sought to wipe out the line of David. You want to know what satan is like? Like this: he kills babies without a second thought. Just as satan tried to wipe out Noah's line, which remained perfect in his generations, (Genesis 6:9), and as Herod tried to wipe out the babe Christ in the massacre of the Innocents (Matthew 2:16–18), Athaliah tried to wipe out the Davidic line. However, the Word of God will never be undone by man nor women!



"The previous deaths of Jehoram's brothers and Ahaziah's brothers and relatives (2 Kings 10:12-14, 2 Chron 21:17, 21:14), left only her grandchildren for Athaliah to put to death to destroy the Davidic line. Though the LORD had promised that the House of David would rule over Israel and Judah forever, Athaliah's purge brought it to the brink of extinction ." (source MacArthur Study Bible).



Only one little grandbaby was left of the Davidic line, it all came down to one child. And Jehosheba, Ahaziah's sister, hid Joash and did so successfully for 6 years until Athaliah was ignominiously killed. The LORD is mighty to protect and is perfect to fulfill His word.



In the midst of all that murder and plotting and Baal-worship, the ultimate glory of the passage for me today is that the Lord is will fulfill what He says He will fulfill, no matter what machinations satan and man throw in His way.



"The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever." (Psalm 12:6-7a)



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



For Further Reading-



Bible Study Tools: Athaliah



Bible Hub Topical Study: Athaliah


Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Thought for the morning of Wed January 29, 2014


Verse


"The things which are not seen."

2co 4:18


Thought


In our Christian pilgrimage it is well, for the most part, to be looking forward. Forward lies the crown, and onward is the goal. Whether it be for hope, for joy, for consolation, or for the inspiring of our love, the future must, after all, be the grand object of the eye of faith. Looking into the future we see sin cast out, the body of sin and death destroyed, the soul made perfect, and fit to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light. Looking further yet, the believer's enlightened eye can see death's river passed, the gloomy stream forded, and the hills of light attained on which standeth the celestial city; he seeth himself enter within the pearly gates, hailed as more than conqueror, crowned by the hand of Christ, embraced in the arms of Jesus, glorified with him, and made to sit together with him on his throne, even as he has overcome and has sat down with the Father on his throne. The thought of this future may well relieve the darkness of the past and the gloom of the present. The joys of heaven will surely compensate for the sorrows of earth. Hush, hush, my doubts! death is but a narrow stream, and thou shalt soon have forded it. Time, how short-eternity, how long! Death, how brief-immortality, how endless! Methinks I even now eat of Eshcol's clusters, and sip of the well which is within the gate. The road is so, so short! I shall soon be there.


"When the world my heart is rending

With its heaviest storm of care,

My glad thoughts to heaven ascending,

Find a refuge from despair.

Faith's bright vision shall sustain me

Till life's pilgrimage is past;

Fears may vex and troubles pain me,

I shall reach my home at last."



Devotional provided by Heartlight®

© 1996-2014. All rights reserved.








via Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon http://ift.tt/1mVvi3F

Thought for the evening of Wed January 29, 2014


Verse


"The dove came in to him in the evening."

ge 8:11


Thought


Blessed be the Lord for another day of mercy, even though I am now weary with its toils. Unto the preserver of men lift I my song of gratitude. The dove found no rest out of the ark, and therefore returned to it; and my soul has learned yet more fully than ever, this day, that there is no satisfaction to be found in earthly things-God alone can give rest to my spirit. As to my business, my possessions, my family, my attainments, these are all well enough in their way, but they cannot fulfil the desires of my immortal nature. "Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee." It was at the still hour, when the gates of the day were closing, that with weary wing the dove came back to the master: O Lord, enable me this evening thus to return to Jesus. She could not endure to spend a night hovering over the restless waste, not can I bear to be even for another hour away from Jesus, the rest of my heart, the home of my spirit. She did not merely alight upon the roof of the ark, she "came in to him;" even so would my longing spirit look into the secret of the Lord, pierce to the interior of truth, enter into that which is within the veil, and reach to my Beloved in very deed. To Jesus must I come: short of the nearest and dearest intercourse with him my panting spirit cannot stay. Blessed Lord Jesus, be with me, reveal thyself, and abide with me all night, so that when I awake I may be still with thee. I note that the dove brought in her mouth an olive branch plucked off, the memorial of the past day, and a prophecy of the future. Have I no pleasing record to bring home? No pledge and earnest of lovingkindness yet to come? Yes, my Lord, I present thee my grateful acknowledgments for tender mercies which have been new every morning and fresh every evening; and now, I pray thee, put forth thy hand and take thy dove into thy bosom.



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Great Expectations

Our Daily Bread Cover January 2014


I once asked a counselor what the major issues were that brought people to him. Without hesitation he said, “The root of many problems is broken expectations; if not dealt with, they mature into anger and bitterness.”






via Our Daily Bread http://ift.tt/1b39D7t

Mark 9:35

“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.””



via Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day http://ift.tt/T2XpUy

HOLOGRAM OF TURKEY LEADER GIVING SPEECH

SYRIA CONTINUES MAKING WEAPONS WITH IRANS HELP

The first of 11 reasons pastors aren't trusted today

Paul is giving Titus some advice as to how older men and older women should live.



"to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." (Titus 2:5).



Then Paul gives advice for how younger men should live and also pastors:



"and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us." (Titus 2:8)










Living Water by AmBr0



Paul speaks about how even slaves are supposed to live. Even though they are not free in life, they are free to make Godly choices.



"not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior." (Titus 2:10).



Do you notice how in verse 5 and 8 and 10 Paul attaches to the verse the reason why we should live holy lives?



Paul says the same thing to Timothy in these verses:



"So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander." (1 Timothy 5:14)



"All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered." (1 Timothy 6:1 )



So that the teaching of Jesus may not be slandered! Satan is always looking for an opportunity to accuse us

of being hypocrites. So are the lost. it is so important that since we have been given the Light, not to share the dark. Yet more and more often, Christians hide their light under a bushel basket and allow the way of Christ to be slandered. This is from Thom Ranier:



Eleven Reasons Pastors Are Trusted Less Today

The moral failures of a minority of pastors receive widespread coverage. The media loves the sensational stories behind clergy failure. For sure, some stories such as sex abuse should be brought to the public eye. But many people now believe the bad behavior of a few is normative for all pastors.












Wikipedia creative commons photo, Dunn County Farm

Kerby Anderson wrote in his essay "The Decline of a Nation "



The refrains that are often heard are: "It can't happen here," or "Our country is different." But the reality is that nations are born and die just like individuals. Their longevity may exceed the average person's lifespan. But the reality is that nations also die.


History has shown that the average age of the great civilizations is around two hundred years. Countries like Great Britain exceed the average while other countries like the United States are just now reaching the average age.


Each of the great civilizations in the world passed through a series of stages from their birth to their decline to their death. Historians have listed these in ten stages.


The first stage moves from bondage to spiritual faith. The second from spiritual faith to great courage. The third stage moves from great courage to liberty. The fourth stage moves from liberty to abundance. The fifth stage moves from abundance to selfishness. The sixth stage moves from selfishness to complacency. The seventh stage moves from complacency to apathy. The eighth stage moves from apathy to moral decay. The ninth stage moves from moral decay to dependence. And the tenth and last stage moves from dependence to bondage.


These are the ten stages through which the great civilizations have gone. Notice the progression from









The Civilization Express Station by theflickerees, cc photo

bondage to liberty back to bondage. The first generation throws off the shackles of bondage only to have a later generation through apathy and indifference allow itself to once again be enslaved.



I believe the US, and perhaps even the entire world, are at the end of stage nine and readying for the final stage before the antichrist comes to power, by taking advantage of humankind's dependance and moving them into the prophesied bondage.



But back to Paul's admonitions. Paul ended his letter to Titus 2:15 this way-



"Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you."



Paul is serious about holy living. On the Day when we all stand before Jesus, think of whether you want Him to congratulate you when your works are not burned up, that you lived for Him with good motivations. Or will you (or I) be embarrassed that our sins were exposed to the world and the word of God was reviled? Why give satan ammunition? He'll only use ti against us. (Zechariah 3:1, Revelation 12:10).



Spurgeon said of holy living:



"There are legitimate reasons why the world, the church, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself, may expect more from Christians than from the rest of mankind. And, the first is, because they profess more. Professions should always be supported by facts, or else they are deceits, impostures, and hypocrisies. A Christian professes himself to be a renewed man; he has learned the evil of sin, repented of it, and fled from it to Christ Jesus; he professes to have been pardoned, and to have received a new heart and a right spirit; he professes, also, to be a child of God, and an heir of heaven. Other men do not profess this. ... Now, Christian, if you profess this, your life must prove it, or else, if your life gives the lie to your religious pretensions, you stand convicted of a flagrant falsehood, a fraud on men and a felony against God. "



"But, secondly, we may well expect more from Christians than others, because it is a fact in the case of those who are truly Christians that they are more than others. It is not mere talk, it is a fact that the believer in Christ is born again. He is not only as other men are, made by God, but he has been twice made, new born, new created in Christ Jesus. It is no fiction but a matter of truthful experience; we have passed from death unto life. We have received the Spirit of God into our souls, which has implanted in us a new nature higher than the nature of other men ."



"Again, it is certain that true Christians can do more than others. "Can," saith one, "why, they can do nothing." True, but through Christ that strengtheneth them they can do all things; and Christ does strengthen his people ."



Be strengthened, live holy, that the way of Christ not be reviled!


Fired 'Feed The Children' CEO's Successor Explains His 'Calling;' Insists Aged Nonprofit's Future Is Bright

Feed The Children, a 35-year-old anti-hunger relief organization known for its work in the U.S. and abroad, as well as a scandalous fallout with founder Larry Jones, is banking on a new president and CEO to plot its course in attaining the lofty position of becoming "the world's most respected nonprofit brand with the greatest impact of any nonprofit in the world."



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1f9eEwe

Seattle Seahawks Interview Kicks Off Resurgence Leadership Podcast Program

To celebrate the launch of Resurgence Leadership, we've got a special episode this week. I recently interviewed a few members of the Super Bowl-bound Seattle Seahawks. These are men doing their best to use the influence and position God has blessed them with to glorify Jesus. I was very encouraged by our conversation.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1cqwyuz

Thought for the morning of Tue January 28, 2014


Verse


"Perfect in Christ Jesus."

col 1:28


Thought


Do you not feel in your own soul that perfection is not in you? Does not every day teach you that? Every tear which trickles from your eye, weeps "imperfection"; every harsh word which proceeds from your lip, mutters "imperfection." You have too frequently had a view of your own heart to dream for a moment of any perfection in yourself. But amidst this sad consciousness of imperfection, here is comfort for you-you are "perfect in Christ Jesus." In God's sight, you are "complete in him;" even now you are "accepted in the Beloved." But there is a second perfection, yet to be realized, which is sure to all the seed. Is it not delightful to look forward to the time when every stain of sin shall be removed from the believer, and he shall be presented faultless before the throne, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing? The Church of Christ then will be so pure, that not even the eye of Omniscience will see a spot or blemish in her; so holy and so glorious, that Hart did not go beyond the truth when he said-


"With my Saviour's garments on,

Holy as the Holy One."


Then shall we know, and taste, and feel the happiness of this vast but short sentence, "Complete in Christ." Not till then shall we fully comprehend the heights and depths of the salvation of Jesus. Doth not thy heart leap for joy at the thought of it? Black as thou art, thou shalt be white one day; filthy as thou art, thou shalt be clean. Oh, it is a marvellous salvation this! Christ takes a worm and transforms it into an angel; Christ takes a black and deformed thing and makes it clean and matchless in his glory, peerless in his beauty, and fit to be the companion of seraphs. O my soul, stand and admire this blessed truth of perfection in Christ.



Devotional provided by Heartlight®

© 1996-2014. All rights reserved.








via Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon http://ift.tt/1ndRWqU

Thought for the evening of Tue January 28, 2014


Verse


"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them."

lu 2:20


Thought


What was the subject of their praise? They praised God for what they had heard-for the good tidings of great joy that a Saviour was born unto them. Let us copy them; let us also raise a song of thanksgiving that we have heard of Jesus and his salvation. They also praised God for what they had seen. There is the sweetest music-what we have experienced, what we have felt within, what we have made our own-"the things which we have made touching the King." It is not enough to hear about Jesus: mere hearing may tune the harp, but the fingers of living faith must create the music. If you have seen Jesus with the God-giving sight of faith, suffer no cobwebs to linger among the harp strings, but loud to the praise of sovereign grace, awake your psaltery and harp. One point for which they praised God was the agreement between what they had heard and what they had seen. Observe the last sentence-"As it was told unto them." Have you not found the gospel to be in yourselves just what the Bible said it would be? Jesus said he would give you rest-have you not enjoyed the sweetest peace in him? He said you should have joy, and comfort, and life through believing in him-have you not received all these? Are not his ways ways of pleasantness, and his paths paths of peace? Surely you can say with the queen of Sheba, "The half has not been told me." I have found Christ more sweet than his servants ever said he was. I looked upon his likeness as they painted it, but it was a mere daub compared with himself; for the King in his beauty outshines all imaginable loveliness. Surely what we have "seen" keeps pace with, nay, far exceeds, what we have "heard." Let us, then, glorify and praise God for a Saviour so precious, and so satisfying.



Devotional provided by Heartlight®

© 1996-2014. All rights reserved.








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Book Review: 'The Fallible Prophets of New Calvinism' by Michael John Beasley



via Bible Prophecy Blog http://www.bibleprophecyblog.com/2014/01/book-review-fallible-prophets-of-new.html

Monday, January 27, 2014

Better Than Planned

Our Daily Bread Cover January 2014


Interruptions are nothing new. Rarely does a day go by as planned.






via Our Daily Bread http://ift.tt/1aE9xpl

John 4:24

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.””



via Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day http://ift.tt/TJQd1q

CHRISTIANS SLAUGHTERED IN NIGERIA AND THE WORLD

ALL KINDS OF PROPHECIES BEGGININIG TO HAPPEN DAILY NOW

"If Jesus returns, kill him again" says Canadian man, echoing prophecy in Revelation 19:19

I want to dwell for a moment on the hatred satan has for Jesus and the people of Jesus. It is not a pleasant subject, but a necessary one to examine. We are warned repeatedly in the bible that satan prowls around like a lion-



"The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it." (Job 1:7)



"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8)



He has schemes; and those schemes are not for our good-



"in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes." (2 Corinthians 2:11)



Satan has pride and plans and a purpose. It is to be higher than God. It is to usurp God.



"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit". (Isaiah 14:13-15)



It is good news that in the end God will calmly and easily flick satan into the Lake of Fire, but until then, we are on his world and we are prey to his prowling which seeks to devour and destroy us.



Do you know how much satan hates us and hates Jesus? Do you have an inkling? Just as God's love is incomprehensible, satan's hatred of the Holy One is inchoerent, yet, it is relentless and it is horrific. This hatred extends to you and to me, as His children. His hatred is unreasonable, impenetrable, unfathomable. I want us to try and fathom it, for a moment.



Here is one example of satan's hatred. We can't plumb the depths of it, because there is no end to this hatred, but here is one earthly expression of the hate that satan has for Jesus and His children:



Darwin Bedford is a Canadian man on a mission. He calls himself an atheist messiah. His message is simple and it is straightforward. It is this:






Bedford says "If Earth is to remain an everlasting paradise, then socially we need to denormalize religion because it is so harmful ."




It goes without saying that Bedford is on a mission to stamp out religion. You notice that he focuses on Christianity as the sole cause of the world's ills. Muhammad is [supposedly] coming back, but Bedford doesn't mention that. His rabid focus on Jesus and the death of Jesus is due to the work Jesus did on the cross, atoning for the world's sins. He mocks it with a typically darkened understanding of the plan of God to forgive sins, saying that we need to kill Jesus over and over in order to atone for the living people who have not yet had this 'benefit'. he says,



"Will you please help me kill Jesus should He return? I'm thinking of forming an official society under the Societies Act for the purpose of killing Him should he return. And should God send us His only daughter in flesh instead (for the purpose of dying for forgiveness of sins) then we should kill Her too. "



In days of yore and not so long ago, a position like Bedford's would have been unthinkable to speak out loud. Simple peer pressure from the majority who believed in Jesus would have kept those with extremist and utterly blasphemous views like his from even being spoken aloud. Now, not only does he appear at political events with his sign, but Bedford has alliances with other organizations who believe the same.



Such hatred of Jesus is shown to us in the bible. At the end of time, satan successfully incites all of the world's armies to assemble at the plains of Armageddon. Most people think this is so that they can fight each other. The world will have been in a perpetual state of war by the time the 7th year of the designated tribulation period arrives, so the assumption is logical. It is not entirely correct, though. (Revelation 6:4). While peace is taken from the earth, the moment at the time when all the world's armies are ready to fight is not so that they fight each other. It is so they can fight and kill Jesus. Here is the scene.



Jesus is introduced in Revelation 19:11 as the returning rider on the white horse. Jesus in His glory is described, and so are His armies. Then a few things happen. Finally in Revelation 19:19 we read the following:



"And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh." [emphasis mine]



The armies are ready to fight Jesus, who is returning on His horse. The eons-long hatred of satan against the Holy One will culminate ins a fruitless assembly of the world's military to fight Him who is called Faithful and True.



Of course it is over in a moment. Jesus utters a word and they all fall. Satan is captured and locked up and the antichrist & false prophet, who are leading the armies, are captured and thrown into the Lake of Fire. This scene is previewed for us in John 18:6. When the soldiers who had come to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane asked if He is the man they are seeking, Jesus replied 'I AM He'. And the soldiers all fell to the ground under the power of His name. They will do the same at Armageddon. And the vultures will feast on their dead carcasses.



In 2 Peter 3, Peter is writing reassurances to the Christians at that time (and us at this time). He reminds His flock that the prophets of old have much to say to us about this time (2 Peter 3:2). He moves on to say that mockers and scoffers will try to intimidate us by their ridicule, but don't worry (verse 4). He specifically reminds us that thought it may seem slow in coming, His Day will arrive on perfect schedule. (vv9-10).



Then Peter says, since we know all this, what kind of people shall we be as we are "waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God" ?



"be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. ... You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." (2 Peter 2:14b, 17-18)



"Knowing this beforehand"...we know how much satan hates us, so let's be holy and diligent. Why diligence? Because of the satanic hatred leveled at us every second of every day. (Ephesians 6:10-20). What is diligence? Pray ceaselessly. Read the bible daily. Encourage one another constantly. Tithe or donate sacrificially to meet needs. As Peter urged, remain stable - and that stability is only on the Rock. Cling to the love of Jesus, but don't relax in knowing satan's hate will try to knock you off your game. Don't underestimate his prowling and his constant and sole goal of destruction



No matter how or where or why satan has his schemes, no matter how deep his hatred is for Jesus and by extension, of us, it will all come to naught. Our momentary afflictions are but a wisp of time and almost weightless compared to the glory and joy awaiting us in heaven.


Statues of Jesus, Virgin Mary at New Jersey Churches Vandalized in 'Sicko' Manner, Says Official

Statues of Biblical figures recently vandalized at two Catholic churches in Vineland, N.J., were done so in such a way that seems to convey a vicious message, say authorities.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1n9oSkh

Presbyterian Church (USA) Mulling Divestment from Israeli Companies

A committee within the Presbyterian Church (USA) has recommended that the mainline protestant denomination divest from three companies that do business with Israel.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/Lh88cp

United Methodist Church to Review Resolution Supporting Same-Sex Marriage

The United Methodist Church will review a bishop's decision to support a regional conference's resolution passed in support of same-sex marriage.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/MmHL5K

False Gestures/Jesters of Peace



via parablesblog http://ift.tt/1hFaM6h

NC Megachurch Pastor on 'Disturbing' Doctrine of Hell

The reality of hell is difficult to accept, but we can't fully understand God and His world unless we grapple with it, says N.C. megachurch Pastor J.D. Greear, who has started a blog series on the doctrine of hell, a topic over which he once almost lost his faith.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1iDzUxU

Pastor Hosts Christian Radio Show to Counter Church's 'Twitter Theology'

Dr. Randy White, host of a new radio program, "Ask the Theologian," says the church today is offering a biblically invalid theology, and he calls it the "Twitter theology," which is easy to post and repost, to like and to share, and to put into sound bites.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1esrWk8

Can Another 'Gay-Friendly' Faith Group Help Steer the Conversation for Christians on Homosexuality?

The Imago Dei campaign is the latest among a handful of emerging faith-friendly initiatives attempting to defuse heated conversations among Christians on certain polarizing issues, specifically homosexuality. While one called it another "right wing evangelical Christian" movement, others welcomed it, especially at a time when evangelicals have largely become known for what they oppose.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1clhPkB

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Thought for the morning of Mon January 27, 2014


Verse


"And of his fulness have all we received."

joh 1:16


Thought


These words tell us that there is a fulness in Christ. There is a fulness of essential Deity, for "in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead." There is a fulness of perfect manhood, for in him, bodily, that Godhead was revealed. There is a fulness of atoning efficacy in his blood, for "the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin." There is a fulness of justifying righteousness in his life, for "there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." There is a fulness of divine prevalence in his plea, for "He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by him; seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." There is a fulness of victory in his death, for through death he destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil. There is a fulness of efficacy in his resurrection from the dead, for by it "we are begotten again unto a lively hope." There is a fulness of triumph in his ascension, for "when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and received gifts for men." There is a fulness of blessings of every sort and shape; a fulness of grace to pardon, of grace to regenerate, of grace to sanctify, of grace to preserve, and of grace to perfect. There is a fulness at all times; a fulness of comfort in affliction; a fulness of guidance in prosperity. A fulness of every divine attribute, of wisdom, of power, of love; a fulness which it were impossible to survey, much less to explore. "It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." Oh, what a fulness must this be of which all receive! Fulness, indeed, must there be when the stream is always flowing, and yet the well springs up as free, as rich, as full as ever. Come, believer, and get all thy need supplied; ask largely, and thou shalt receive largely, for this "fulness" is inexhaustible, and is treasured up where all the needy may reach it, even in Jesus, Immanuel-God with us.



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via Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon http://ift.tt/1e1uMlg

Thought for the evening of Mon January 27, 2014


Verse


"But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart."

lu 2:19


Thought


There was an exercise, on the part of this blessed woman, of three powers of her being: her memory-she kept all these things; her affections-she kept them in her heart; her intellect-she pondered them; so that memory, affection, and understanding, were all exercised about the things which she had heard. Beloved, remember what you have heard of your Lord Jesus, and what he has done for you; make your heart the golden pot of manna to preserve the memorial of the heavenly bread whereon you have fed in days gone by. Let your memory treasure up everything about Christ which you have either felt, or known, or believed, and then let your fond affections hold him fast for evermore. Love the person of your Lord! Bring forth the alabaster box of your heart, even though it be broken, and let all the precious ointment of your affection come streaming on his pierced feet. Let your intellect be exercised concerning the Lord Jesus. Meditate upon what you read: stop not at the surface; dive into the depths. Be not as the swallow which toucheth the brook with her wing, but as the fish which penetrates the lowest wave. Abide with your Lord: let him not be to you as a wayfaring man, that tarrieth for a night, but constrain him, saying, "Abide with us, for the day is far spent." Hold him, and do not let him go. The word "ponder," means to weigh. Make ready the balances of judgment. Oh, but where are the scales that can weigh the Lord Christ? "He taketh up the isles as a very little thing:"-who shall take him up? "He weigheth the mountains in scales"-in what scales shall we weigh him? Be it so, if your understanding cannot comprehend, let your affections apprehend; and if your spirit cannot compass the Lord Jesus in the grasp of understanding, let it embrace him in the arms of affection.



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The Wonder Of The Cross

Our Daily Bread Cover January 2014


While visiting Australia, I had the opportunity on a particularly clear night to see the Southern Cross. Located in the Southern Hemisphere, this constellation is one of the most distinctive. Mariners and navigators began relying on it as early as the 15th century for direction and navigation through the seas. Although relatively small, it is visible throughout most of the year. The Southern Cross was so vivid on that dark night that even I could pick it out of the bundle of stars. It was truly a magnificent sight!






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Ephesians 6:12-13

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”



via Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day http://ift.tt/XDKGnL

JEWISH ANTISEMITISM HATE SPREADS ITS HEAD AGAIN

Theologians Debate Whether Gift of Healing Has Ceased

Dr. Michael L. Brown, a foremost Messianic Jewish apologist, believes the gift of healing continues in a powerful way, while Dr. James White, a director of Alpha and Omega Ministries, says the gift was to establish the authority of the Apostles at the time. Their debate was streamed live Saturday.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1n2u5uo

SEAGULL AND CROW ATTACK TWO VATICAN PEACE DOVES-IS WAR NEAR

FATAH CALLS FOR COORDINATED ARMED RESISTANCE

Creation Grace: Fog and Mist










Fog rolling onto the beach at Lubec, Maine. EPrata photo

Isn't it comforting to know that God ordains every single thing that happens, even every droplet in the fog bank rolling over the beach roses at the easternmost point of a nation.

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Thought for the morning of Sun January 26, 2014


Verse


"Your heavenly Father."

mt 6:26


Thought


God's people are doubly his children, they are his offspring by creation, and they are his sons by adoption in Christ. Hence they are privileged to call him, "Our Father which art in heaven." Father! Oh, what precious word is that. Here is authority: "If I be a Father, where is mine honour?" If ye be sons, where is your obedience? Here is affection mingled with authority; an authority which does not provoke rebellion; an obedience demanded which is most cheerfully rendered-which would not be withheld even if it might. The obedience which God's children yield to him must be loving obedience. Do not go about the service of God as slaves to their taskmaster's toil, but run in the way of his commands because it is your Father's way. Yield your bodies as instruments of righteousness, because righteousness is your Father's will, and his will should be the will of his child. Father!-Here is a kingly attribute so sweetly veiled in love, that the King's crown is forgotten in the King's face, and his sceptre becomes, not a rod of iron, but a silver sceptre of mercy-the sceptre indeed seems to be forgotten in the tender hand of him who wields it. Father!-Here is honour and love. How great is a Father's love to his children! That which friendship cannot do, and mere benevolence will not attempt, a father's heart and hand must do for his sons. They are his offspring, he must bless them; they are his children, he must show himself strong in their defence. If an earthly father watches over his children with unceasing love and care, how much more does our heavenly Father? Abba, Father! He who can say this, hath uttered better music than cherubim or seraphim can reach. There is heaven in the depth of that word-Father! There is all I can ask; all my necessities can demand; all my wishes can desire. I have all in all to all eternity when I can say, "Father."



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via Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon http://ift.tt/MdBUQ3

Thought for the evening of Sun January 26, 2014


Verse


"All they that heard it wondered at those things."

lu 2:18


Thought


We must not cease to wonder at the great marvels of our God. It would be very difficult to draw a line between holy wonder and real worship; for when the soul is overwhelmed with the majesty of God's glory, though it may not express itself in song, or even utter its voice with bowed head in humble prayer, yet it silently adores. Our incarnate God is to be worshipped as "the Wonderful." That God should consider his fallen creature, man, and instead of sweeping him away with the besom of destruction, should himself undertake to be man's Redeemer, and to pay his ransom price, is, indeed marvellous! But to each believer redemption is most marvellous as he views it in relation to himself. It is a miracle of grace indeed, that Jesus should forsake the thrones and royalties above, to suffer ignominiously below for you. Let your soul lose itself in wonder, for wonder is in this way a very practical emotion. Holy wonder will lead you to grateful worship and heartfelt thanksgiving. It will cause within you godly watchfulness; you will be afraid to sin against such a love as this. Feeling the presence of the mighty God in the gift of his dear Son, you will put off your shoes from off your feet, because the place whereon you stand is holy ground. You will be moved at the same time to glorious hope. If Jesus has done such marvellous things on your behalf, you will feel that heaven itself is not too great for your expectation. Who can be astonished at anything, when he has once been astonished at the manger and the cross? What is there wonderful left after one has seen the Saviour? Dear reader, it may be that from the quietness and solitariness of your life, you are scarcely able to imitate the shepherds of Bethlehem, who told what they had seen and heard, but you can, at least, fill up the circle of the worshippers before the throne, by wondering at what God has done.



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TORAH PORTION FROM JAN 26 TO FEB 01,2014

JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.



TORAH PORTION FROM JAN 26 TO FEB 01,2014

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via EVENTS IN TIME (BIBLE PROPHECY LITERALLY FULFILLED)(BY GOD) http://ift.tt/1mZy1vV

The Discipline Of Waiting

Our Daily Bread Cover January 2014


Waiting is hard. We wait in grocery lines, in traffic, in the doctor’s office. We twiddle our thumbs, stifle our yawns, and fret inwardly in frustration. On another level, we wait for a letter that doesn’t come, for a prodigal child to return, or for a spouse to change. We wait for a child we can hold in our arms. We wait for our heart’s desire.






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James 4:10

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”



via Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day http://ift.tt/Y5q2zx

Did Jesus Die for All or for Only the Elect? Two Theologians Debate

For whom did Jesus die? For the sins of the entire humanity or only for the elect? This was the topic of a live debate between Messianic Jewish apologist Dr. Michael L. Brown and Alpha and Omega Ministries Director Dr. James White on RevelationTV.com Friday evening.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1envGn9

SADDAM ORDERED CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST ISRAEL IF TOPPED

Michigan Congregation Holds 'Man Church' Services as Outreach to Men

A Michigan church recently began offering worship services geared toward bringing more men into the congregation and helping with the everyday issues they may face.



via The Christian Post Church & Ministries http://ift.tt/1la9HJ6

Friday, January 24, 2014

Thought for the evening of Sat January 25, 2014


Verse


"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."

ro 3:31


Thought


When the believer is adopted into the Lord's family, his relationship to old Adam and the law ceases at once; but then he is under a new rule, and a new covenant. Believer, you are God's child; it is your first duty to obey your heavenly Father. A servile spirit you have nothing to do with: you are not a slave, but a child; and now, inasmuch as you are a beloved child, you are bound to obey your Father's faintest wish, the least intimation of his will. Does he bid you fulfil a sacred ordinance? It is at your peril that you neglect it, for you will be disobeying your Father. Does he command you to seek the image of Jesus? Is it not your joy to do so? Does Jesus tell you, "Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect"? Then not because the law commands, but because your Saviour enjoins, you will labour to be perfect in holiness. Does he bid his saints love one another? Do it, not because the law says, "Love thy neighbour," but because Jesus says, "If ye love me, keep my commandments;" and this is the commandment that he has given unto you, "that ye love one another." Are you told to distribute to the poor? Do it, not because charity is a burden which you dare not shirk, but because Jesus teaches, "Give to him that asketh of thee." Does the Word say, "Love God with all your heart"? Look at the commandment and reply, "Ah! commandment, Christ hath fulfilled thee already-I have no need, therefore, to fulfil thee for my salvation, but I rejoice to yield obedience to thee because God is my Father now and he has a claim upon me, which I would not dispute." May the Holy Ghost make your heart obedient to the constraining power of Christ's love, that your prayer may be, "Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight." Grace is the mother and nurse of holiness, and not the apologist of sin.



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via Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon http://ift.tt/KYXabf

Thought for the morning of Sat January 25, 2014


Verse


"I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us."

isa 63:7


Thought


And canst thou not do this? Are there no mercies which thou hast experienced? What though thou art gloomy now, canst thou forget that blessed hour when Jesus met thee, and said, "Come unto me"? Canst thou not remember that rapturous moment when he snapped thy fetters, dashed thy chains to the earth, and said, "I came to break thy bonds and set thee free"? Or if the love of thine espousals be forgotten, there must surely be some precious milestone along the road of life not quite grown over with moss, on which thou canst read a happy memorial of his mercy towards thee? What, didst thou never have a sickness like that which thou art suffering now, and did he not restore thee? Wert thou never poor before, and did he not supply thy wants? Wast thou never in straits before, and did he not deliver thee? Arise, go to the river of thine experience, and pull up a few bulrushes, and plait them into an ark, wherein thine infant- faith may float safely on the stream. Forget not what thy God has done for thee; turn over the book of thy remembrance, and consider the days of old. Canst thou not remember the hill Mizar? Did the Lord never meet with thee at Hermon? Hast thou never climbed the Delectable Mountains? Hast thou never been helped in time of need? Nay, I know thou hast. Go back, then, a little way to the choice mercies of yesterday, and though all may be dark now, light up the lamps of the past, they shall glitter through the darkness, and thou shalt trust in the Lord till the day break and the shadows flee away. "Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses, for they have been ever of old."



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