Happy Wednesday

BE STILL! by Pastor Cecil 

Psalm 65:7 You who still the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples.

So you want to get away from the rat race. You long for peace and tranquility which will settle your stress and frustration. You dream of a simpler and more sedate time.

There is a program on Public Television called Alone In the Wilderness that chronicles the year in the life of a man who left civilization and built a cabin in the Alaskan wilderness. The utter isolation was interrupted occasionally by a small bush plane which brought him supplies and mail -- but other than that, it was only Dick and the wild animals.

As idyllic as the scenes of the program might be, isolation is not the answer to the hustle and chaos of daily living. Man is by his very nature created to have interaction with others. There may be recluses who cut themselves off from other people, but by their very actions they reveal there are problems which have not been resolved.

In Mark 4, Jesus told His disciples to take the boats to the other side of the lake. While Jesus slept peacefully on a cushion, a furious squall came up and threatened the boats. Remember that many of these disciples were seasoned fishermen who had spent their lives out on this lake in all kinds of weather. Now they trembled! If ever they needed peace and quiet, it was now. In their fear and alarm they called out to Jesus. It seemed impossible that He could sleep through such a storm. The men woke Jesus and asked Him if He didn't care if they were about to drown. It is then that we read the quiet words of power which we read in Mark 4:39: Quiet! (peace) Be still! Immediately the wind died down and the sea became calm.

The disciples had concluded that all was hopeless and that they would never reach shore again. It was only then that they called to Jesus -- perhaps they thought to wake Him to prepare for the inevitable drowning, because they had never before witnessed Him quieting the wind and waves.

You may be facing situations that are threatening to swamp your boat! Now is the time to call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember…it is Jesus who has the power to calm and bring order out of chaos.

Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!

- - - Pastor Cecil

Daily Smile:

     For all of you with teenagers or who had teenagers, you may want to know why they really have a lot in common with cats:
1. Neither teenagers nor cats turn their heads when you call them by name. 

2. No matter what you do for them, it is not enough. Indeed, all humane efforts are barely adequate to compensate for the privilege of waiting on them hand and foot. 

3. You rarely see a cat walking outside of the house with an adult human being, and it can be safely said that no teenager in his or her right mind wants to be seen in public with his or her parents. 

4. Cats and teenagers can lie on the living-room sofa for hours on end without moving, barely breathing. 

5. Cats have nine lives. Teenagers carry on as if they did.

In The News:

Military Says No Court Martials for Sharing Faith

Members of the military are free to share their faith as long as they don't harass others, the Department of Defense said in a statement Thursday. A Pentagon ban on proselytizing had caused concern among religious liberty groups as some speculated that service members could face court martial for talking about Jesus, but a Defense Department spokesman said evangelizing is allowed as long as it is not disruptive. "Service members can share their faith (evangelize), but must not force unwanted, intrusive attempts to convert others of any faith or no faith to one's beliefs (proselytization)," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen. "If a service member harasses another member on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age or disability, then the commander takes action based on the gravity of the occurrence. Likewise, when religious harassment complaints are reported, commanders take action based on the gravity of the occurrence on a case-by-case basis." Christensen said there were no plans to single out evangelical Christians for punishment: "The U.S. Department of Defense has never and will never single out a particular religious group for persecution or prosecution. The Department makes reasonable accommodations for all religions and celebrates the religious diversity of our service members."

Gay Marriage Now Legal in Rhode Island

Rhode Island became the 10th state to legalize gay marriage on Thursday as Gov. Lincoln Chafee signed the legislation into law on the steps of the Statehouse, ABC News reports. The first marriages could take place Aug. 1, when the new law takes effect. "Today we are making history," Chafee said just before he signed the bill. "We are living up to the ideals of our founder. ... When your belief and heart is in something, it's easy work. I am proud to say that now, at long last, you are free to marry the person you love." The House passed the bill in January at the behest of House Speaker Gordon Fox, D-Providence, who is gay. The Senate was seen as the bigger challenge, but the bill passed easily last week after Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, D-Newport, said she would allow a vote despite her opposition to gay marriage. The House gave final approval Thursday with a 56-15 vote.

Government Seeks 45 Years for Family Research Council Shooter

Prosecutors are seeking a 45-year sentence for the man who pleaded guilty to plotting an attack at the Family Research Council's Washington, D.C., headquarters in August 2012, WORLD reports. Floyd Corkins II, of Virginia, never got past the building's lobby thanks to a security guard. Leo Johnson tackled and subdued Corkins, but not before the attacker fired three shots, hitting the guard in the arm. After Corkins' arrest, police found nearly 100 rounds of ammunition and 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches in his backpack.  Corkins, 28, told authorities he planned to shoot as many people as possible and smear the sandwiches in their faces as a political statement. The volunteer for The DC Center for the LGBT Community was angry over the position conservatives, including Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy, had taken on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. In court documents filed Friday, government prosecutors said their sentencing recommendation was based on Corkins' intent. Without Johnson's intervention, the attacker "would have almost certainly succeeded in committing a massacre of epic portions," the filing said.

Paul Ryan Comes Out in Support of Homosexual Adoption

Former vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan, who made a bid for the White House as the running mate of Republican nominee Mitt Romney last year, revealed this week that he now believes homosexuals should be able to adopt children, the Christian News Network reports. Ryan was speaking at a town hall gathering in Janesville, Wis., when he was asked by an attendee about his views on same-sex marriage, the Employer Non-Discrimination Act, and homosexual adoption. He explained that while he remains opposed to same-sex marriage, his views have changed about permitting children to be adopted by gay couples. "Adoption, I'd vote differently these days," he said. "That was, I think, a vote I took in my first term, 1999 or 2000. I do believe that if there are children who are orphans who do not have a loving person or couple, I think if a person wants to love and raise a child, they ought to be able to do that. Period. I would vote that way."

 

Happy Tuesday

Lingering Sin!

Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall! - -Hosea 14:1-2
Years ago, I memorized Numbers 33:55 as a warning to my own soul: "But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come to pass that those whom ye let remain of them shall be as pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell" (KJV).
I memorized that verse because I was working with a group of guys and was trying to get across to them the importance of confessing sin to God -- of keeping short accounts with the Lord and living a clean life before Him.
If you and I harbor sin in our lives, this verse says our vision for the work of God will be clouded, our forward progress will be hindered, and the sin that remains in our lives will be a constant vexation to us, both in our fellowship with God and in our service to Him.

Some people hear this verse and think back to a time in their lives when they should have dealt with a certain sin, and didn't. They become tremendously discouraged when they see what has happened in their lives and the wasted years of being out of fellowship with the Lord.  That may be exactly how you're feeling.

Psalm 119:97 says, "Oh how I love thy law, it is my meditation all the day" (KJV). One reason I love this verse is because it's first-person singular, present tense.  Oh, how I love thy law means it is right now -- currently, today -- my meditation. That can be your experience, too, if you choose it.  It's never too late to come back to where you once were with the Lord.

Prayer: "Lord, reveal to me my unconfessed sin so that I may stay in close fellowship with You and be effectively used in the lives of others. Amen."

God can't use us to accomplish His purposes if we have lingering sin in our lives. 

Trust and Obey

1. When we walk with the Lord 
 in the light of his word, 
 what a glory he sheds on our way! 
 While we do his good will, 
 he abides with us still, 
 and with all who will trust and obey. 
Refrain:
 Trust and obey, for there's no other way 
 to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. 

2. Not a burden we bear, 
 not a sorrow we share, 
 but our toil he doth richly repay; 
 not a grief or a loss, 
 not a frown or a cross, 
 but is blest if we trust and obey. 
 (Refrain) 

3. But we never can prove 
 the delights of his love 
 until all on the altar we lay; 
 for the favor he shows, 
 for the joy he bestows, 
 are for them who will trust and obey. 
 (Refrain) 

4. Then in fellowship sweet 
 we will sit at his feet, 
 or we'll walk by his side in the way; 
 what he says we will do, 
 where he sends we will go; 
 never fear, only trust and obey. 
 (Refrain) 

Daily Smile:
In 1997 at the age of 87 and not acquainted with modern technology, Ruth was given a "cordless" phone by her son. He lived 1500 miles away. After setting it up and showing her how to use it he went home and called her. "How is your new phone working, Mom." 

Her reply astonished him. "Oh we took it back. It wouldn't work. It did not even have a cord."



In The News:

North Korea Sentences Christian American to 15 Years of Hard Labor

An American detained for nearly six months in North Korea has been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for crimes against the state, Fox News reports. The sentencing of Kenneth Bae, described by friends as a devout Christian and a tour operator, comes amid signs of tentative diplomacy following weeks of rising tensions in the region. Analysts say Pyongyang could use Bae as a bargaining chip as it seeks dialogue with Washintgon, but the U.S. State Department had no immediate comment. Bae's trial on charges of "committing hostile acts" against North Korea took place in Supreme Court on Tuesday. He was arrested in early November in Rason, a special economic zone in North Korea's far northeastern region bordering China and Russia, and the exact nature of his alleged crimes has not been revealed. Friends and colleagues say Bae, a Korean American who was living in Washington state, was based in the Chinese border city of Dalian and traveled frequently to North Korea to feed orphans. Bae is at least the sixth American detained in North Korea since 2009, three of whom were also devout Christians. The others were eventually deported or released.

Over-the-Counter 'Morning-After' Pills Only for Ages 17 and Up, Justice Department Says

Less than one day after the Food and Drug Administration approved a drug company's application to make the "morning-after" pill available over-the-counter to women ages 15 and up, the U.S. Department of Justice has appealed a federal judge's ruling that the FDA lift all age restrictions on the drug, Christianity Today reports. In early April, a federal judge ruled that the FDA should make all emergency contraceptives available without prescriptions to women of all ages -- a decision that would put Plan B and similar birth control pills among women's health products on drug store shelves. The judge mandated that his ruling be implemented within 30 days, and the FDA seemed poised to comply by making the Plan B One-Step drug available to anyone over 15. However, the latest action by the Justice Department could stop the FDA from placing other morning-after pills on store shelves any time soon. The Justice Department's request for an injunction does not impact the FDA's decision to allow over-the-counter sales of Plan B to 15-year-olds, but instead would limit sales of all other non-name-brand drugs. 

Saudi Diplomats Trafficking Women?

A case of "possible human trafficking" at a Saudi diplomatic compound in Virginia is under investigation, Townhall.com reports. Agents from U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement/Homeland Security Investigations and Fairfax County police were called to a home in McLean overnight and, in the words of a source familiar with the situation, "rescued" two women. It's not clear if the women, who sources say are from the Philippines, called investigators to the home themselves or if someone else did. "Homeland Security Investigations D.C. did encounter two potential victims of trafficking and the investigation is ongoing," a D.C.-based spokesman for ICE/Homeland Security Investigations said. If the women are from the Philippines, there is a high chance they are being trafficked for sex, as Saudi Arabia has a history of using the sex trade in the Philippines. According to Townhall.com, "This story will most likely be treated as a local crime issue when in fact, it's a major international problem. The incident above didn't happen in the Philippines or in the Middle East, it happened in one of the most affluent parts of the United States. Not to mention, these women allegedly escaped from an official Saudi government compound."

Ireland Proposes Law to Loosen Ban on Abortion

Irish lawmakers are considering a bill that would loosen the country's ban on abortion by clarifying a doctor's right to approve an abortion in cases where the mother's life is at risk, including the possibility of suicide, WORLD reports. That exception to the ban could open the door for abortion-on-demand in the staunchly pro-life country. Although supported by abortion rights activists, the measure likely will face stiff opposition from the majority of the country's Catholic residents. The proposed bill comes just a week after an inquest into the death of Savita Halappanavar, a woman who died from a lethal infection. Pro-abortion activists said Halappanavar's life could have been saved if doctors had allowed her to have an abortion. But after hearing testimony from medical experts, a judge ruled Halappanavar's death was the result of the hospital’s mismanagement of her severe infection.

Happy Monday

Sorry about forgetting Sunday 's Devotional... Didn't realize this until later Sunday afternoon... So here it is for Monday...
Happy Reading,
Richard

Salt Block Christians ... for Jesus!

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:16

In the final paragraph of Revelation, John records these words of Jesus Christ:  "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!'  And let him who hears say, 'Come!'  Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life" (22:17).  Here is a threefold invitation given by the Holy Spirit speaking through the Word of God;  by the bride of Christ, His church; and by those who have already responded to Christ.  To whom is this invitation given?  To all who are thirsty.  "Whosoever" .

Dairy Farmers scatter large blocks of salt in the pasture where the milk cows graze.  Apparently, these cows need salt that was not in their grain and hay.  Shortly after the cow goes to the salt lick, she will head for the water tank. And that is exactly what Jesus Christ wants for His people.  If we are salt in the world, the way we live and the words we say should make the non-Christians around us thirsty for God.

I recall a family who wanted to lead one of their friends to Christ.  They did all the usual things, even taking him to hear the gospel preached.  One week they invited the guy over for dinner.  The family did nothing special, just went about as they normally did.  The kids were friendly and talkative at the meal, the father led in a prayer of thanksgiving for the food, the kids helped with the dishes, did their homework, and scurried off to bed.
Later that week, the man called and said he had become a Christian.  The way the family lived had convinced him of his need for Christ.

Prayer: "Lord, help me to be salt in the world, creating thirst for the Living Water that only You can give. Amen."My home, my lifestyle, and my responses to the difficulties of life affect how non-Christians perceive their need for Christ.  May I be found to be a salt block for Jesus!

This Is My Father's World

1. This is my Father's world, 
 and to my listening ears 
 all nature sings, and round me rings 
 the music of the spheres.  
 This is my Father's world:  
 I rest me in the thought 
 of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; 
 his hand the wonders wrought.

2. This is my Father's world, 
 the birds their carols raise, 
 the morning light, the lily white, 
 declare their maker's praise.  
 This is my Father's world:  
 he shines in all that's fair; 
 in the rustling grass I hear him pass; 
 he speaks to me everywhere.

3. This is my Father's world.  
 O let me ne'er forget 
 that though the wrong seems oft so strong, 
 God is the ruler yet.  
 This is my Father's world:  
 why should my heart be sad?  
 The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!  
 God reigns; let the earth be glad!

Daily Smile:
Dolphins are so intelligent that within a few weeks of captivity they can train a man to stand on the edge of their pool and throw them fish three times a day.

In The News:

Pentagon: Religious Proselytizing is Not Permitted

Religious liberty groups have grave concerns after they learned the Pentagon is vetting its guide on religious tolerance with a group that compared Christian evangelism to "rape" and advocated that military personnel who proselytize should be court-martialed, Todd Starnes reports. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation -- whose president, Mikey Weinstein, met privately with Pentagon officials on April 23 -- is calling on the Air Force to enforce a regulation that they believe calls for the court martial of any service member caught proselytizing. Weinstein, who called the act of evangelizing "a version of being spiritually raped," said U.S. troops who proselytize are guilty of sedition and treason and should be punished -- by the hundreds if necessary -- to stave off what he called a "tidal wave of fundamentalists." He said: "Someone needs to be punished for this. Until the Air Force or Army or Navy or Marine Corps punishes a member of the military for unconstitutional religious proselytizing and oppression, we will never have the ability to stop this horrible, horrendous, dehumanizing behavior." Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, told Fox News he was stunned that the Pentagon would be taking counsel and advice from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. "Why would military leadership be meeting with one of the most rabid atheists in America to discuss religious freedom in the military?" Perkins said. "That’s like consulting with China on how to improve human rights." The FRC has launched a petition drive urging Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to protect the religious freedom of troops "and not to proceed with the purge of religion within the ranks called for by anti-Christian activists."

'Morning-After' Pill Goes Over-the-Counter to 15-Year-Olds

The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that the so-called "morning-after" pill will now be available over-the-counter without a prescription to girls as young as 15, WORLD reports. The drug, sold under brand names like Plan B and ella and marketed as a method of "emergency" contraception, prevents implantation of a fertilized egg or causes an early abortion. According to the FDA ruling, drug stores will be able to stock the drug on store shelves just like condoms, but buyers would have to prove their age at the cash register. Previously, the government had required a prescription for girls 16 and younger. And in 2011, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius disregarded a recommendation by the FDA to make the drug available over-the-counter -- a decision that surprised many given the Obama administration's strong support for abortion. A federal judge ruled earlier in April that there should be no age restrictions for the drug, giving the FDA 30 days to act. The FDA said Tuesday's decision was not a result of the judge's ruling.

Jury Deliberations Could Be Long in Gosnell Case

After more than six hours of heated closing arguments Monday in the murder trial of Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell, the jury began deliberating on the charges against him, Baptist Press reports. "Those deliberations could be long," according to The Philadelphia Inquirer April 30, adding that the jury of seven women and five men "will have to parse their way through a verdict sheet reportedly more than 30 pages long." Among the charges the jury must address are four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of viable children who were killed after delivery and a count of third-degree murder in the death of a Virginia woman during a 2009 abortion. Gosnell, who has pleaded not guilty, could receive the death penalty if he is convicted of first-degree murder. Other charges include conspiracy, theft, corruption of minors, solicitation and operating a corrupt organization.

15 Countries Cited for Religious Freedom Violations

For its annual report of the world's worst violators of religious freedom, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom counts 15 nations where abuse of religious liberty is "systemic, egregious and ongoing." The commission, which was created by Congress in 1998 as an independent watchdog panel, also wants to highlight the crimes of non-nations, which for the first time this year get their own section in the report. "Violence perpetrated by non-state actors against religious minorities and others who conflict with their worldview is increasingly common, with incidents occurring in places as diverse as Pakistan and Nigeria," said Knox Thames, the commission's director of policy and research. Somalia, for example, which doesn't make the list, is home to al Shabaab, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization that has brutally suppressed Christians and Sufi Muslims who do not subscribe to its radical interpretation of Islam. "Somalis accused of committing crimes or who al Shabaab deems to have deviated from accepted behaviors are punished through stoning, amputation, flogging, and/or detention," according to the report. On its 15-nation list of the worst offenders, USCIRF includes eight that the U.S. State Department also considers "Countries of Particular Concern": Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan. But as in years past, the commission wants the State Department to add seven more: Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam.

Happy Saturday

Old Habits

By: Walt Seale

Ephesians 4:29

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Old habits die hard. Growing up, the manner of speaking among my peers was anything but wholesome. We made an ongoing game of ridiculing each other for all manner of defects, real and imagined. The nicknames we chose for each other often featured some pretty undesirable traits, both physical and mental. We might have said it was all in good fun and without malice, but I've since learned that no matter the design, words have power beyond our intentions.

After I decided to change my life for the better, I had to unlearn some habits that still pop up even though I know they are wrong. Early on in the process of cleaning up my act, I had the benefit of knowing good Christian men who modeled good speech for me and gently corrected me as I matured in this area.

Sometimes our work situations throw us together with folks whose manner of speaking doesn't meet our standards of civility. The mercy and kindness extended to me in this area has allowed me to look past this defect in others to find the person behind the harsh or frank speech.

No one looks forward to being corrected after making a mistake, but as fellow believers we are obligated to help each other in our pursuit of goodness, holiness and effectiveness in the cause of the Lord. Though correction can sting, the wise man prefers correction to neglect.

We can agree to be accountable to each other in this area. Honestly acknowledging our shortcoming is the beginning of change. Forming new habits- like the habit of encouraging and building up rather than tearing down-is possible, especially when we enlist the help of our others. 


In The News:

American Christian May Face Death Penalty in North Korea

North Korean officials announced Saturday that detained American citizen Kenneth Bae will be tried before the country's Supreme Court on charges of plotting to overthrow the government, WORLD reports. If convicted, Bae could face the death penalty. According to media accounts, Bae is thought to be a Christian missionary linked with an Ohio organization called The Joseph Connection, tough all reference to his faith connections appear to have been removed recently from the Internet. North Korea is known for its brutality toward Christian missionaries, and evangelism in the country is a serious crime. Bae has been in North Korean custody since early November after being arrested by officials in Rason, a zone which borders China and Russia. The exact nature of his alleged crimes has not been revealed, but North Korea accuses Bae, described as a tour operator, of seeking to overthrow the country's leadership. According to friends and colleagues, Bae is a devout Christian from Washington state, based in the Chinese border city of Dalian, who traveled frequently to North Korea to feed orphans. At least three other Americans detained in recent years have also been devout Christians.

ESPN Analyst Chris Broussard Under Fire After Calling Homosexuality a Sin

ESPN analyst and sportswriter Chris Broussard is under fire after calling homosexuality a sin during a televised discussion Monday, WORLD reports. Broussard, a well-known and committed Christian who has written about his beliefs before, was asked to comment on NBA player Jason Collins' announcement that he is gay. During the ESPN program "Outside the Lines," which also featured openly gay sportswriter LZ Granderson, the host asked Broussard to comment on Collins' claim to be a Christian. "Personally, I don't believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle or an openly premarital sex between heterosexuals, if you're openly living that type of a lifestyle, then the Bible says you know them by their fruits, it says that's a sin," Broussard said. "If you're openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals, whatever it may be, I believe that's walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ. I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I do not think the Bible would characterize them as a Christian." In a statement released after the show, ESPN distanced itself from Broussard, saying: "We regret that a respectful discussion of personal viewpoints became a distraction from today's news. ESPN is fully committed to diversity and welcomes Jason Collins' announcement." 

Poll: 55 Percent of Americans Don't Know Planned Parenthood Does Abortions

Half of Americans don't know Planned Parenthood does abortions -- let alone that it is the biggest abortion business in the United States, according to a new Polling Company survey conducted for the National Right to Life Committee, LifeNews.com reports. The poll found that 88 percent of registered voters are familiar with Planned Parenthood, 40 percent know someone who has received services at Planned Parenthood, and 63 percent have a favorable impression of the organization. However, the same poll found that 55 percent did not know Planned Parenthood performs abortions. Fifty percent of pro-life respondents did not know Planned Parenthood performs abortions, and of the 45 percent who knew, the majority greatly underestimated the number of abortions Planned Parenthood performs annually. In 2011, the last year for which data is available, Planned Parenthood performed 333,964 abortions, or just over 27 percent of all abortions in the United States. "The polling reflects the results of Planned Parenthood's campaign to publicly minimize and obfuscate is involvement with abortion," said David N. O'Steen, National Right to Life executive director. 

Survey: Nearly 1 in 4 Teens Drive While Impaired

Nearly a quarter of teens -- 23 percent -- admit to driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or prescription drugs used illegally at some point, a new survey finds. What's worse, they don't view themselves as a danger: Almost 20 percent of those who drink and drive say it improves their driving, a view shared by 34 percent of those who drive under the influence of marijuana. Those are among findings of a new survey of 1,708 11th- and 12th-graders by SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and insurer Liberty Mutual. The survey highlights the vital role of parents in keeping teens safe behind the wheel. It found that teens are more likely to drink around relatively unsupervised events, such as the Fourth of July or during the summer, than during heavily supervised activities like proms or graduations. About twice as many teens report drinking on summer vacation than teens who admit drinking after prom or graduation, the survey found. Cathy Chase of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety says the percentage of teens who think they can drive safely after drinking or using marijuana "seems high. But unfortunately, it's not surprising because teens think they're invincible and they thing nothing will happen to them. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a friend or someone in their school getting killed before the reality kind of hits them."

Happy Friday

Why I'm Breaking Up With My "Quiet Time"

Lysa TerKeurst

"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water." Psalm 63:1 (NIV)

I'm taking a break from having a quiet time. Because sometimes I can get in a rut. Even with good things. And having a daily quiet time is a good thing. Until it becomes more about routine than actually connecting with God.

When God becomes routine rather than revival, it's time to switch things up.

Otherwise, I might start seeing this time as less important. It becomes the second or third thing I do. After other things. Seemingly more pressing things. Before I know it, it's been days since I connected privately and personally with Truth.

And then my soul feels a bit off and sluggish. Like when my stomach has been denied food, a desperation starts creeping over other parts of my body. That happens with soul hunger too.

Only the triggers for stomach hunger are much more apparent. My brain quickly reminds me, "You feel awful because you need to eat."

Sometimes my brain isn't as quick to pick up on soul hunger. So I just lumber forward but wonder, "What's wrong?" I think of a list of reasons ... I'm tired, I haven't had enough fun, or my butt looks big in these jeans.

And while some of those things may be true—it's not why I feel off.

I need more time with God.

Not more quiet time.

More listening time. Like the writer in Psalm 63:1 needed. "You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You; I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You, in a dry and parched land where there is no water." (NIV)

This morning as I sat with God with nothing but willingness to listen, three things popped into my mind. I can't say "God spoke to me" but it felt right. I need to do some new things as I listen.

Study wisdom by reading a chapter in Proverbs everyday.
Ask God to reveal "my verse" for the day and think of ways to apply it. I listen.

Read something from someone I admire.
I need to study leadership in this season of my life. So, I pick up a book written on this topic by someone I admire and glean from their wisdom. I listen.

Read something from someone I trust.
There's a book I'm reading right now that is whimsical and grounded all at the same time. It makes me feel like this writer gets me. They get my struggles and offer up advice I know I can trust. I listen.

Maybe you think all this still sounds like a quiet time, but to me it's different. It's a listening time. A time to shake things up a bit and get outside my normal routine. A time to listen to God speak. And He does speak ... through His book of wisdom, through someone I admire, and through someone I trust.

And this morning? My soul felt that thrilling and comforting full feeling. Complete. Satisfied. Deeply nourished.

Dear Lord, I'm seeking to grow a stronger relationship with You today. Help me to break out of the routine so that I can connect with You and hear You speak. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Daily Smile:
Old Rev. Johnson was begging his board of directors to buy a new chandelier for the church. Pleading for more than an hour, he sat down sullen and hopeless in his ambition to acquire a chandelier. 


Then the elder president of the board stood up. "What're we wasting time talkin' for?" he said rhetorically. 

"Foist of all, a chandelier, .. we ain't got nobody who could even spell it. 

Second, we ain't got nobody who could even play it. 

And third, what we need most in the church is more light!"


In The News:

American Pastor Saeed Abedini Thrown Into Solitary Confinement in Iran

Family members in Iran have confirmed that American pastor Saeed Abedini, who has been imprisoned since last fall, has been placed in solitary confinement with new reports indicating that in addition to the severe, untreated internal bleeding he is experiencing from months of bleeding and torture, he is now facing issues with his kidneys, the ACLJ reports. The ACLJ confirmed that horrible conditions in Evin Prison led Pastor Saeed and a number of prisoners in Ward 350 to sign a letter expressing to prison officials their concern about the lack of medical care received and the threats and harsh treatment facing family members who came to visit. The prisoners expressed their dissatisfaction in a peaceful, silent protest in an outside courtyard at the prison, which apparently prompted prison officials to retaliate, selecting 10 of the prisoners and placing them in solitary confinement. Sources indicate Pastor Saeed is likely to be beaten again, in private, and at the same time, there is concern that his kidneys are no longer operating properly, the result of internal injuries he has received over many months. Pastor Saeed has been told not to expect medical treatment or care for many months, and has also been told he is no longer permitted to have visitors.

Pastor Saeed Abedini Excluded From State Department's Iran Prisoners List

The U.S. State Department's "virtual embassy" to Iran, which highlights that country's human rights abuses, has a site listing those jailed for dissent or religious beliefs -- but it doesn't include imprisoned American pastor Saeed Abedini, who has been tortured because of his Christian faith, the Christian Post reports. According to department spokesman Patrick Ventrell, the Virtual Embassy Tehran page "has a Faces of Iran site that highlights the cases of dozens of individuals imprisoned in Iran for their political or religious beliefs, their status as a journalist, human rights or women's defender, their role as a student activist, or for simply exercising their universal human right to speak freely. So we call on the government of Iran to protect this fundamental human right for all its citizens." The page carries dozens of names, but not that of Abedini, who was sentenced in January to eight years in prison for "threatening the national security." The State Department claims there's a reason why Abedini, whose dual citizenship is not recognized by Iran, has not been included on the list: According to a member of the State Department, officials are advocating on his behalf based on his status as an American citizen and do not want to dilute that argument by calling him an Iranian citizen. But Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law and Justice, which is representing Abedini's family in the U.S., said: "The omission of name from this State Department website is disappointing and represents a missed opportunity for our government to stand up for the rights of a U.S. citizen, who happens to be an Iranian citizen. ... Doesn't a U.S. citizen -- who holds dual citizenship -- deserve to be included on this list?"

Obama: State Pro-Life Laws Impeding 'Progress'

President Obama addressed the nation's largest abortion provider Friday, criticizing pro-life laws on the state level and saving that those who wish to restrict or ban abortion are trying to turn back "progress," Baptist Press reports. Obama -- the first sitting president to address Planned Parenthood -- never mentioned the word "abortion" during his speech at the gala, preferring words such as "choice." He said: "After decades of progress there's still those who want to turn back the clock to policies more suited to the 1950s than the 21st century. And they're involved in an orchestrated and historic effort to roll back basic rights when it comes to women's health. Forty-two states have introduced laws that would ban or severely limit access to a woman's right to choose. ... In North Dakota, they just passed a law that outlaws your right to choose, starting as early as six weeks. ... When you read about these laws, you want to check the calendar. You want to make sure you're still living in 2013. Forty years after the Supreme Court affirmed a woman's constitutional right to privacy, including the right to choose, we shouldn't have to remind people that when it comes to a woman's health, no politician should get to decide what's best for you." Planned Parenthood performed a record 333,964 abortions during 2010-11, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, had released a statement prior to Obama's speech saying he had "done more than any president in history for women's health and rights."

Pro-Lifers, Pro-Choicers Weigh In on Gosnell Trial

As the murder trial for abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell moved into closing arguments on Monday, both sides of the nation's abortion debate continued to weigh in, CBN News reports. Abortion rights advocates say the testimony points to the need for procedures to be more accessible, while pro-life supporters say the media has under-publicized the trial out of fear that it would weaken support for abortion rights. In a recent article, Washington Post politics writer Melinda Henneberger said journalists "didn't write more because the only abortion story most outlets ever cover in the news pages is every single threat or perceived threat to abortion rights. In fact, that is so fixed a view of what constitutes coverage that it's genuinely hard, I think, for many journalists to see a story outside that paradigm as news." Gosnell faces counts of murder for killing a female patient and four babies born alive in his clinic and several lesser charges.

Happy Thursday

Don't Wait for the Attack to Get Prepared

  

Picture this. A young man is walking down a dark street when he is approached by a large, mean-looking man who will not let him pass. The young man isn't quite as physically fit as he should be because he hasn't been exercising or working out. Seeing that he is no match for the attacker, the young man says, "Excuse me just one moment while I go home and work out with my weight set. Stay right here. Don't move. I'll be right back. Then we will fight." At this point the young man runs home, works out on his weights for 10 minutes and then goes back to the dimly lit street and fights the attacker. He wins because of his ten-minute workout.

It sounds silly, doesn't it? But that's the way many Christians try to live their lives spiritually. They wait until Satan attacks and then at the last minute try to exercise spiritually by reading a few verses and praying under pressure. Any time we read God's Word and apply it to our lives, it is good, but usually when the man stops us in the alley or Satan attacks our home, it's too late to exercise our body or our faith.

If our spiritual muscles aren't built up before the attack, we may find the attack more than we had expected. Be prepared. Build your faith daily. Then when the attack comes, your shield of faith will protect you.

So here's the point. We must walk by faith each and every day. We cannot live like the world six days a week and then put in our two hours and two dollars on Sunday and expect that to be our faith.

Walking by faith is a lifestyle. Second Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." Everything we do, everything we seek to accomplish, each day is to be in faith.

A few years ago, a friend of mind was facing a disaster in his life. He was at the end of his rope and didn't know where to turn. He had tried everything except God, but now he was desperate. He would try anything to get out of the jam he was in. He wanted me to tell him how to pray to God and how to get his prayers answered.

Even though this man was a Christian, he always tried to solve everything in his life by his own power. I knew that in order for him to be helped, he needed some straightforward teaching and needed to be shown these teachings in the Word.

I showed him that according to James 1:6, we must pray in faith if we expect to receive anything from God. I told him that when we pray according to God's Word, we must believe and expect God to answer our requests.

A few weeks went by and I ran into this man at a local store. When I asked him how things were going, he made an all-too-common statement. He said, "Well, I tried praying in faith, but it didn't work. Somehow I knew before I even prayed it wouldn't and I guess I was right."

Well, you don't try faith. When we say we will try faith, we are admitting that there is a chance our prayers won't be answered. When we believe there is a chance our prayers won't be answered, there is doubt. Where there is doubt there is no faith. Where there is no faith, God is restricted by His own Word.

We must walk by faith! 

Daily Smile:
A brilliant magician was performing on an ocean liner. But every time he did a trick, a talking cat in the audience would scream, "It's a trick. It's not magic. You're a big phony!"

Then one night during a storm, the ship sank while the magician was performing. And who should end up in the same lifeboat together, all alone, but the talking cat and the magician! For three days, they glared at each other, neither one saying a word to the other. 

Finally the cat sighed and said, "All right, smart-aleck. You and your darn tricks. What did you do with the ship?"

In The News:

Gosnell Trial: Pro-Life Leaders Plan Courthouse Prayer Vigil During Closing Arguments

A group of national pro-life leaders plan to hold a prayer vigil outside the Philadelphia courthouse where abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell is being tried for murder as closing arguments in the case begin Monday, the Christian Post reports. "We will be gathering in prayer and public witness to ask God that these violent and barbaric acts of violence against women and children would be brought to justice," said the Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition. "We will also be praying that we would live in a nation where human rights and equality would be guaranteed and embraced by all and we would never have to witness atrocities like this again." Gosnell, a late-term abortion provider, is charged with killing babies born alive in his clinic, reportedly targeting poor women who could not afford better health care. Though the accounts of what went on in his facility have been gruesomely graphic and have been made public since the court hearing began, it is only recently that major news outlets began their coverage of the case. Pro-life leaders argue that aborting and killing babies in the sixth and seventh months of pregnancy are not unique to Gosnell's clinic. "Sadly, the tragedy and horror surrounding the actions of Kermit Gosnell show that government officials and the pro-choice movement are more interested in protecting abortion rights than they are protecting the rights and health of women and their children," Mahoney said.

Burma: Christian Converts Lose Jobs and Homes

Persecution is increasing in Burma for Buddhists who convert to Christianity, Voice of the Martyrs reports. As people turn to Jesus Christ, they have difficulty keeping jobs and are often driven from their hopes, according to a VOM worker. Two families currently working with VOM's Burma fish farm project lost their jobs and homes after coming to faith in Christ last July. One family is living in a hut used for secret worship services, while the other is living in a hut where fish feed is stored. Amid the increasing pressure, the fish farm just completed its second harvest cycle. Despite setbacks from flooding and government opposition, it still generated income, which will be invested in church planting as well as re-invested to make the farm more productive.

Happy Wednesday

Take Me As Is

 

On her 50th wedding anniversary, a woman revealed the secret of her long and happy marriage. She said, "On my wedding day, I decided to make a list of ten of my husband's faults which, for the sake of the marriage, I would overlook."

 

One of her guests asked her what some of the faults she chose to overlook were. "To tell you the truth," she replied, "I never did get around to making that list. But whenever my husband did something that made me hopping mad, I would say to myself, 'Lucky for him that's one of the ten!'"

 

It's nice to decide what to overlook. In relationships, I get plenty of practice overlooking the foibles of other people. And I suspect they get plenty of practice with me, too.

 

As they hung wallpaper together, one husband became frustrated with his wife. She seemed, to him, to be indifferent about the quality of her work. He felt she was doing a poor job. He finally put it into words this way: "The problem is that I'm a perfectionist and you're not."

 

"Exactly!" she replied. "That's why you married me and I married you!"

 

Miss Perfect certainly did one thing well. She knew how to overlook annoying observations from her perfectionist husband.

 

We human beings are nothing if not flawed and imperfect. But, the point is, people are not meant to without blemish. We're scraped and scarred, flawed on the inside and marred on outside. It's just the way we are. (Sometimes I think it's one of our more endearing qualities.) I never want to forget that "perfect" is only found in the dictionary.

 

All of us sport an invisible sign around our necks -- "AS IS." It means, take me as I am. I may not become what you want me to be. And I'm far, far from perfect. But I have some great qualities, too, as well as my share of faults. You will have to take me "AS IS" and I'll take you that way, too.

 

AS IS will be the best guarantee any of us can offer. But quite frankly, most of the time we're getting a pretty good deal.

~Steve Goodier

Daily Smile:
“Please keep your dog beside you, sir,” a woman said crossly to the man sitting opposite to her on the bench at the park. “I can feel a flea in my shoe.” 

“Midnight, come here,” replied the man. “This woman has fleas.”

In The News:

Obama: 'Planned Parenthood is Not Going Anywhere'

President Barack Obama praised the Planned Parenthood Federation of America for saving lives and helping women and families in a 12-minute speech on Friday -- enough time for 7.6 abortions to take place at Planned Parenthood clinics, based on the abortion data in their latest annual report, CNSNews.com reports. In his speech, the president referenced two women that he said faced health problems with fertility and caner, and claimed they had found help at Planned Parenthood. "So every day in every state and at every center Planned Parenthood operates, there are stories like those," Obama said. "Lives you saved, women you've empowered, families that you have strengthened. That's why no matter how great the challenge, no matter how fierce the opposition, there's one thing the past few years have shown. It's that Planned Parenthood isn't going anywhere. It's not going anywhere today, it's not going anywhere tomorrow. As long as we've got got a fight to make, make sure women have access to quality, affordable health care and as long we’ve got to fight to protect a woman’s right to make her own choices about her own health care I want you to know that you’ve also got a president who’s going to be right there with you fighting every step of the way. Thank you, Planned Parenthood, and God bless you." Obama is the first sitting president to address Planned Parenthood.

68 Percent of Voters Still Unaware of Gosnell Murder Story

The news media are often criticized for spending too much time covering sensational crime stories, but not so in the Philadelphia murder trial of late-term abortionist Kermit Gosnell, who is accused of killing babies born alive in his abortion clinic. According to a new Fox News national poll, only about a third of voters say they are familiar with the Gosnell story (11 percent say "very" and 21 percent "somewhat" familiar). Most voters -- 68 percent -- are unfamiliar with it. But why has the Gosnell case received relatively little attention from the national press? According to the poll, 41 percent of voters think the lack of coverage is because of a pro-abortion-rights bias in the news media. Another 26 percent say the lack of coverage is because it is a local crime story, while 17 percent blame it on the gruesomeness of the story's details. Pro-life respondents (42 percent) are twice as likely as pro-choice respondents (22 percent) to be familiar with the case; likewise, nearly twice as many Republicans (43 percent) as Democrats (22 percent) say they know about it. Last Thursday, 72 members of Congress signed three separate letters to network news executives expressing their displeasure with the lack of news coverage and demanding the networks report on the story. Court resumes Monday with closing arguments.