Happy Sunday

A Baby's Hug

We were the only family with children in the restaurant.. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, "Hi." He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment.

I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. We were too far from him to smell anything, but I was sure he smelled! His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists.

Hi there, baby; Hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster," the man said to Erik. My husband and I exchanged looks, "What do we do?" Erik continued to laugh and answer, "Hi".

Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, "Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek- a-boo."

Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk.

My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skidrow bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments. We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. "Lord, just! let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik," I prayed.

As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's "pick-me-up" position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man's.

Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship.. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back.

No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, "You take care of this baby."

Somehow I managed, "I will," from a throat that contained a stone.

He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in pain I received my baby, and the man said, "God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift." I said nothing more than a muttered thanks.

With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, "My God, my God, forgive me."

I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not.

I felt it was God asking, "Are you willing to share your son for a moment?" when He shared His for all eternity. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, "To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children."

Sweet Little Jesus Boy

Sweet Little Jesus Boy
They made made you be born in a manger
Sweet Little Holy Child
We didn't know who you were

Didn't know you come to save us Lord
to take our sins away
our eyes were blind, we could not see
We didn't know who you were

You have shown us how
We are trying
Master you have shown us how
Even when you were dying

It's just seems like we can't do right
Look how we treated you
But please Sir, forgive us Lord
We didn't know it was You

Sweet Little Jesus Boy
Born long ago
Sweet Little Holy Child
And we didn't know who you were

Daily Smile:
Editor's Note:
 After reading "A Baby's Hug" and listening to "Sweet Little Jesus Boy", I had tears in my eye and a huge smile on my face... 
Just didn't want to run the moment with a joke... Richard
 
In The News:

Mike Huckabee: Removing God From the Classroom Leads to Violence in Schools
In response to the deadly mass shooting Friday in Newtown, Conn., former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said new laws regulating guns won't deter such shootings, linking the removal of God from the classroom to increased violence in schools, CNN reports. "We ask why there's violence in our school but we've systematically removed God from our schools," Huckabee said on Fox News. "Should we be surprised that schools have become such a place of carnage? Because we've made it a place where we don't want to talk about eternity, life, what responsibility means, accountability. That we're not just gonna have to be accountable to the police if they catch us but one day we stand before a holy God in judgment. If we don't believe that, then we don't fear that. People are going to want to pass new laws. This is a heart issue ... laws don't change this kind of thing." Huckabee made similar comments following the mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., earlier this year, saying violent acts should not be a surprise considering the removal of God from public forums.
Islamists Claim Victory on Egypt Constitution Vote
Islamists appear to have won a narrow victory in the first round of voting on Egypt's constitution, though Egyptian rights groups are charging that there were widespread violations, CBN News reports. The opposition umbrella group, the National Salvation Front, condemned irregularities and violations and called for a massive rally against the constitution on Tuesday, Dec. 18. According to rights groups, violations included the presence of Muslim Brotherhood members at the polls, women being prevented from voting because they were not wearing Islamic veils, individuals falsely identifying themselves as judges, and Christians being denied entry to polling stations. Additionally, as polls closed, hundreds of Islamists attacked the offices of one of Egypt's oldest liberal parties. The controversial draft constitution would empower Islamists to enforce the most widespread and strictest implementation of sharia (Islamic law) that modern Egypt has ever seen. One voter, Mohamed Ewais, said: "I cannot accept a constitution with very limited, very limited actually, rights for minorities, rights for women, rights for even children. It's not suitable for Egypt, actually. We are talking about a country that has been in place for over 210 years as a modern state." Israelis are also watching the Egyptian vote with concern, as an Islamist victory could threaten the 33-year peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.
Atheist Billboard in Times Square Dubs Jesus a 'Myth'
The group American Atheists has put up a billboard in Times Square with an anti-Christian message, WORLD News Service reports. The billboard features a picture of Santa Claus and the caption "Keep The Merry!" above a picture of Jesus with the caption "Dump the Myth!" American Atheists' David Silverman told Fox News: "Most Christians are really atheists who feel trapped in their family’s religion. They need not be Christian to enjoy the holiday season." Silverman said a private donor paid more than $25,000 to have the billboard posted above a nightclub in the crossroads of the world for one month, ending Jan. 10, 2013. "We chose Times Square because it is a place where people go to shop and be festive, which has nothing to do with religion," Silverman said. Lamar Outdoor, the advertising giant that leased the space to Silverman's group, said it wasn't the company's place to censor the message.

Happy Saturday

Two Important Christmas Truths

By  Late Pastor Ernest R. Campbell

Dear Friends:
As Christmas draws near, our focus is on two very important truths. First, the fact that the eternal Son of God became incarnate in a human body. Second, what He accomplished in His sinless body.

The fact that the Son of God was destined to become incarnate in human flesh was prophesied in the Old Testament. The Spirit of God says in Isaiah 7:14: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." In Matthew 1:23, the Holy Spirit applies this statement to Mary, adding that the name Immanuel means God with us.

The Holy Spirit also applies what He said through the prophet Micah, hundreds of years earlier, to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, that "out of you One shall come forth to be a ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" Micah 5:2. The incarnation of the Son of God in a human body is also affirmed in the New Testament. The Holy Spirit says in Matthew 1:18, prior to a conjugal relation between Joseph and Mary, "she was found with child by the Holy Spirit."

This was a great shock to Joseph, a Jew imbued with the high moral standards of the Law! As he reflected on the counsel given to him, that he should secretly separate from Mary, the Lord said to him through an angel, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your woman, for the one conceived in her is out of the Holy Spirit" (cf. Matt. 1:20). This verse certainly affirms that the Holy Spirit produced in Mary's womb the body which the Son of God was to occupy!

The Holy Spirit via Luke gives us a very graphic picture of how God produced the physical body for His Son to inhabit on earth. The angel of the Lord told Mary: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the one who is born will be called holy, the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). How could language more explicitly declare that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Son of God?

Now let us consider the second important truth, which is based on the fact that the conception and birth of Jesus was produced by God via the Holy Spirit. As the Mediator between the holy God and sinful men, the Person of Jesus Christ had to be both true God and true man. As the eternal Son of God, He is true God, and as a result of the Holy Spirit producing Mary's conception, He is true man, void of Adam's sin.

In the book of Hebrews, this same truth is confirmed regarding Jesus Christ's relation to God and to men. First, the Spirit says that He is a "Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God . . . who has been tried as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:1 4-15).

Second, since He came to rescue flesh and blood sinners, "He Himself also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 1:14). Furthermore, "He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people" (Heb. 2:17).

Grateful to Him for the sacrifice of His perfect, sinless body for our sins.

We Three  Kings
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar.
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.

O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect Light.

Born a king on Bethlehem's plain,
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign.

O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect Light.

Frankincense to offer have I.
Incense owns a Deity nigh.
Prayer and praising all men raising,
Worship Him, God on high.

O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect Light.

Myrrh is mine: it's bitter perfume
Breaths a life of gathering gloom.
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding dying,
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect Light.

Glorious now behold Him arise,
King and God and Sacrifice.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Sounds through the earth and skies.

O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect Light

 

Daily Smile:
A father says to his teenage daughter: “Hannah, did you have a fight with your mother?”

“Yes, daddy, I’m sorry.”

“Well, she has driven around the block nine times!!! Go out and make peace with her before she wears out my tires!” 

In The News:

Nigerian Christians Ask for Prayer at Christmas Amid Attacks
Nigerian Christians are asking American churches to pray they will be safe from attacks this Christmas, CBN News reports. The radical Islamic group Boko Haram is carrying out a war to drive Christians from northern Nigeria, and dozens of Christians have died in bombing attacks during Christmas services the past two years. Rev. Musa Asake, general secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, says he's "very, very worried" -- but he says that won't stop Nigerian Christians from going to church on Christmas. He is asking Christians in America to pray that "the Lord will intervene to protect churches." More than 770 people have been killed in Boko Haram attacks so far this year, making 2012 the worst year of violence attributed to the group.

Grad Student Expelled for Stance on Homosexuality 'Vindicated'
Eastern Michigan University has settled a lawsuit with a graduate student who was kicked out for refusing to affirm homosexuality, CBN News reports. Julea Ward was a student in the school's counseling program when she asked her superiors to refer a gay client to someone else, saying her Christian faith prohibited her from affirming homosexual behavior. Instead, EMU officials expelled her from the masters program. The school has now settled with Ward for $75,000, and her lawyer said her constitutionally protected rights had been "vindicated." Alliance Defending Freedom legal counsel Jeremy Tedesco, who argued Ward's case, said: "Public universities shouldn't force students to violate their religious beliefs to get a degree. The Sixth Circuit rightly understood this and ruled appropriately, so the university has done the right thing in settling this case." 

Happy Friday

The Christmas Story Unplugged

By Pres Gillham

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And every-one went to his own town to register.

"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David. because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child."1

Not far from Bethlehem, bivouacked in the Judean hills with his hoards of demons, Satan contemplated Joseph's journey. In the spiritual battle for the hearts and lives of humankind, this inconsequential couple, pregnant out of wedlock, an embarrassment, were the avenue by which God would initiate His coup de grace of mankind's redemption. While the world took no notice, Satan knew, God knew, the demons and angels knew, and Joseph knew Mary was pregnant with the Messiah. With His birth, it would be Christmas.

God was not perturbed or anxious. His plan was working just as He had conceived it from before He laid the foundations of world. Although not visible to Joseph and Mary, an elite corps of angelic, special agents guarded their every move. The hosts of heaven stood ready to trumpet their praise to God with a celebration second only to that planned for the End of Time. The archangel, Michael, and the armies of heaven stood at "red alert" should God issue them a command. Christmas must
not be deterred. Meanwhile, Satan paced, spat, and cursed to himself, brooding, There must be a way.

While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, "the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

With the sound of Mary's labor pains, Satan stalked closer, determined to destroy and devour the child, the hope of mankind, the light of the world, the Crown Prince of heaven's kingdom. His was a desperate plan conceived for a desperate moment. In Satan's war of rebellion, this birth was the harbinger of a heavenly weapon unparalleled in the universe and was without equal in all of hell's arsenal. In the intimate quiet of this Middle Eastern stable, in a stall filled with fresh straw, Mary labored while all around her the demons lurked and the devil poised for a fatal blow to her helpless child. Christmas was imminent.

The ranks of angels in heaven's army waited in disciplined anticipation for a command from Michael, whose eyes were fixed on God. Before them was an earthly scene not unlike any other birth. But from a spiritual perspective, a great initiative was about to be launched. Awaiting the birth of Jesus was an anxious man, Joseph, and a great, red dragon-Satan-having seven heads and ten horns and a tail that twitched from side to side doing violence throughout the universe as if to destroy the stars in the sky.2 His rage at this young woman was controlled only by his anticipation of her giving birth to the Son of God, the heir to the throne, a seat he wanted for himself.

1 Reference Luke 2:1-20 (NIV)
2 General reference to Revelation 12: 1-17 (NASB)

With one final push the baby was born and the enormous dragon lurched forward. The heavenly hosts broke into praises to God accompanied by trumpets and cymbals. God nodded. Michael and the armies of heaven leaped at His bidding and there was war in the heavens between Michael and his angels and the dragon and his demons. The tide turned quickly against the serpent of old, the great dragon, the deceiver of the world. It was Christmas morning.

As the world slept placidly Mary cradled her new-born. Joseph methodically tended to his family and freshened the straw in the stable while the cattle chewed their cud. "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'

"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.'''

On this night, the course of history changed. Earth, hell, and heaven would never again be the same. In a placid Judean town, nestled in the hills, in a simple feeding trough for livestock, a helpless boy-child with an olive complexion was wrapped in rags and laid to rest on fresh straw. God had invaded earth, the seat of the dragon's bastion. All around the spiritual world convulsed with the ebb and flow of combat. The great dragon did signs and wonders, children were murdered, and Joseph and Mary eventually fled to Egypt for safety. Michael and the army of heaven carried them as though on eagle's wings. While the hosts of heaven declared the glories of the Lord and his grace, the dragon dragged the very stars from heaven and flung them angrily about.

In Bethlehem, a baby was born. In heaven, a spiritual revolution established an earthly beachhead that would forever change the course of history and reclaim the hearts of mankind. Christmas had come. The angels filled the universe with their songs. God had become a man.

We live in parallel worlds, and as Philip Yancey says, "One world consists of hills and lakes and barns and politicians and shepherds watching their flocks by night. The other consists of angels and sinister forces and somewhere out there places called heaven and hell. One night in the cold, in the dark, among the wrinkled hills of Bethlehem, those two worlds came together at a dramatic point of intersection. But the few eyewitnesses on Christmas night saw none of that. They saw an infant struggling to work never-before-used lungs.

Unflinching in His determination, God continues to execute His plan of reconciliation. It is His all-out,  last ditch effort to once again state in words we can not mistake, in words that echo from the lips of an angelic envoy in the Judean hills, down to the pits of hell, up to the ramparts of heaven, and into the hearts  of every man, woman, boy, and girl:  "I love you. Merry Christmas." 


Daily Smile:
A church was preparing for Christmas services, and the pastor decided he wanted a banner made for the entryway. The job was promptly delegated to a church member.

The member called the banner company and told the man on the phone the banner lettering he wanted and the dimensions needed for the entryway. 

A few days later the sign arrived, with the following lettering: "Unto Mary Jesus was born, six feet long and two feet wide".

Happy Thursday

A MESSAGE OF JOY

by Ernest R. Campbell

As Christmas draws near, our focus is on two very important truths: First, the fact that the eternal Son of God became incarnate in a human body; Second, what He accomplished in His sinless body.

The fact that the Son of God was destined to become incarnate in human flesh was prophesied in the Old Testament. The Spirit of God says in Isaiah 7: 14: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." In Matthew 1:23, the Holy Spirit applies this statement to Mary, adding that the name Immanuel means "God with us."

The Holy Spirit also applies what He said through the prophet Micah, hundreds of years earlier, to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, that "out of you One shall come forth to be a ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2).

The incarnation of the Son of God in a human body is also affirmed in the New Testament. The Holy Spirit says in Matthew 1:18, prior to a conjugal relation between Joseph and Mary, "she was found with child out of the Holy Spirit."

This was a great shock to Joseph, a Jew imbued with the high moral standards of the Law! As he reflected on the counsel given to him, that he should secretly separate from Mary, the Lord said to him through an angel, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your woman, for the one conceived in her is out of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 1:20). This verse certainly affirms that the Holy Spirit produced in Mary's womb the body which the Son of God was to occupy!

The Holy Spirit via Luke gives us a very graphic picture of how God produced the physical body for His Son to inhabit on earth. The angel of the Lord told Mary: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the one who is born will be called Holy, the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). How could language more explicitly declare that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Son of God?

Now let us consider the second important truth, which is based on the fact that the conception and birth of Jesus were produced by God via the Holy Spirit. As the Mediator between the holy God and sinful men, the Person of Jesus Christ had to be both True God and True Man. As the eternal Son of God, He is True God, and, as a result of the Holy Spirit producing Mary's conception, He is True Man, void of Adam's sin.

In the book of Hebrews, this same truth is confirmed regarding Jesus Christ's relation to God and to men. First, the Spirit says that He is a "Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God ... who has been tried as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:14-15).

Second, since He came to rescue flesh and blood sinners, "He Himself also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 1:14). Furthermore, "He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people" (Heb. 2:17).

Grateful to Him for the sacrifice of His perfect, sinless Body for our sin,

May we all renew our purpose to make the Gospel of His Grace known to all!

 
Away In A Manger
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes;
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there.

Daily Smile:
One day, a cowboy rode into a Wild, Wild West town. The people in the town love to play jokes on visitors. After tying his horse to the pole outside a bar, the cowboy went in. "A cup of milk please." he said to the bartender. After drinking, he went out, only to find his horse missing. Knowing that the villagers did it, he went back into the bar and said to everybody," I am going to have another drink and when I finish it, I want to see my horse outside! Or else, I will have to do what I did in Texas - HERE!" The people were very frightened. When he finished his drink, he went outside and saw his horse. The villagers had put it back. Curious, the bartender asked the cowboy,” What did you do in Texas?"

The Cowboy replied," Well, I had to walk home

In The News:

CAIR Urges Michigan Governor to Veto Anti-Sharia Bill
As Michigan lawmakers are working on a bill that could ban sharia (Islamic law) in their state, the Muslim activist group Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is urging Gov. Rick Snyder to veto any legislation that would block Islamic law should the bill reach his desk, CBN News reports. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Dave Agema (R-Grandville), doesn't specifically mention Islam or sharia -- only "foreign laws that would impair constitutional rights" -- but supporters have said they are concerned about the use of sharia spreading. CAIR issued a statement criticizing what it called the "anti-Islam bill" and urged that it be rejected. At least 20 states are considering similar measures.

Poll: 21 Percent of Small Business Owners Will Cut Their Workforce in 2013
A recent poll from the Wells Fargo/Gallup quarterly survey shows that U.S. small business owners are growing "increasingly pessimistic" as the new year approaches, with 21 percent expecting to decrease their workforces in the next 12 months to a level not seen since Aug. 2003, CNSNews.com reports. Wells Fargo small business head Marc Bernstein attributed the potential decline in part to the possibility of going over the "fiscal cliff," or the automatic tax hikes and defense cuts scheduled to occur if Congress and the White House do not reach a budget deal by the end of this month. "Business owners who navigated through the Great Recession now face more uncharted territory created by ongoing uncertainty in Washington," he said.

Happy Wednesday

Today's Daily Devotional (think about it) is Combined with the Daily Smile...

We have enjoyed the redneck jokes for years. It's time to
Take a reflective look at the core beliefs of a culture that
Values home, family, country and God. If I had to stand
Before a dozen terrorists who threaten my life, I'd
Choose a half dozen or so rednecks to back me up.
Tire irons, squirrel guns and grit -- that's what rednecks are
Made of . If you feel the same, pass this on to your redneck friends. 

Y'all know who ya are................... 

You just might be a redneck...

 .
You might be a redneck if: It never occurred to you to
Be offended by the phrase, 'One nation, under God..'

You might be a redneck if: You've never protested about seeing 
The 10 Commandments posted in public places. 

You might be a redneck if: You still say ' Christmas'
Instead of 'Winter Festival.'

You might be a redneck if: You bow your head when 
Someone prays.
 
You might be a redneck if: You stand and place your
Hand over your heart when they play the National Anthem
 

You might be a redneck if: You treat our armed forces
Veterans with great respect, and always have.

You might be a redneck if:You've never burned an
American flag, nor intend to.
 
You might be a redneck if: You know what you believe 
And you aren't afraid to say so, no matter who is listening.

You might be a redneck if:You respect your elders and
Raised your kids to do the same. 
Some of you are so old you don't have elders to respect.
 
You might be a redneck if: You'd give your last dollar to
A friend.

You might be a redneck if: You believe in God & Jesus

And believe that others have the right to believe in which

Ever God they believe in as long as their God does not

Tell them to kill anyone who does not believe the same

As they do!!!!! 

If you got this from me, it is because I believe that
You, like me, have just enough Red Neck in you to have the
Same beliefs as those talked about in this message.

God Bless the USA ! 

God help our country to be strong
God help our country to be strong,
’Gainst all the battle-hosts of wrong;
In all we pledge or think or do
God help our country to be true.

God hold our nation’s aim sincere,
God save her heart from coward fear,
God prosper her with true success,
And crown her head with worthiness.

From foe without and foe within,
From open shame and hidden sin,
From boastful pride and greedy store,
God keep our nation evermore!

In The News:

North Korean Rocket Launch Bodes Ill for Christians
North Korea's successful rocket launch is putting an end to some of the mystery surrounding its new leader, Kim Jong Un, with many world leaders saying he is now proving to be just as provocative as his late father, Kim Jong Il. According to CBN News, this may also mean more trouble for North Korean Christians and those trying to reach the closed country with the gospel. "The message to the world is 'Don't mess with me; I not only have the weapons, I have the delivery capability now,'" said Jung Hoon Lee, Yonsei University professor. Many North Koreans publicly celebrated the rocket launch, which the White House called "regrettable" and "highly provocative." Meanwhile, human rights groups say North Korea is increasing its persecution of Christians under Kim Jong Un's leadership, and is targeting those who help them. The country is not only sending a growing number of spies to China and to border patrol locations to search for those who help North Korean refugees, but is increasing scrutiny of underground Christians within North Korea. Open Doors USA estimates about 50,000 to 70,000 Christians are living in horrific conditions in labor camps, some who have been "tortured so severely they cannot walk anymore."

Christianity in Britain Losing Ground to Islam, Secularism
New figures from the 2011 Census show that the number of people who identify as Christians in England and Wales has fallen by 4 million over the last 10 years -- from 37.3 million in 2001 to 33 million last year, the Religion News Service reports. Meanwhile, the number of people declaring themselves to be atheists rose by more than 6 million, to 14.1 million. "It should serve as a warning to the churches that their increasingly conservative attitudes are not playing well with the public at large," said Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society. Other polls have detected similar shifts: The 2012 British Social Attitudes Survey showed that only about half of Britons claim a religious affiliation, down sharply from 20 years ago when two out of three did. Barely a quarter of young people identify themselves as religious. The new figures also show that Islam is the U.K.'s second-largest religion, at 2.7 million. Hinduism is third, at 817,000, and the number of self-identified Jews rose from 260,000 to 263,000.

Happy Tuesday

He Sees You When You’re Sleeping

By Skip Heitzig

There’s a Christmas song that tells us how Santa Claus “sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, he knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!” The writer of this song was wrongly giving an imaginary elf the attributes of God. You see, only God knows everything. This attribute is called omniscience, and it makes Him so different, so much higher, than mere humans.

The thing about God that really grabbed David’s attention was His personal and thorough knowledge of him. He said in Psalm 139, “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether” (Ps. 139:1-4). Amazingly, the God who knows everything about everything cares enough to know each of us personally.

David reminds us that God knows us inside and out. He has searched and knows us, including our thoughts and our motives. He knows when we sit down to relax and when we get up to engage in the activities of our daily lives. He can even tell what we’re thinking and what we’ll say. Knowing that God knows about us should cause us to live lives that are pleasing to Him. In the words of the Christmas song, we should want to “be good for goodness’ sake!”

David also realized that God’s thoughts toward Him were both gracious and numerous: “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You” (Ps. 139:17). God’s thoughts toward us are precious; in other words, they are loving, concerned thoughts. And His thoughts toward us are continual; they are beyond counting. If the mythical Santa was said to be watching to see whether to give or withhold gifts, know this: God is watching because He wants to give “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20).
The Creator of the Universe, the Almighty God, who knows each star by name, is thinking about you. He sees you when you’re sleeping, He knows when you’re awake…and He is there diligently, lovingly watching over you. “He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He…shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:3-4).
 

I was there when it happened   (To Listen)

You ask me how I know that Jesus saves me,
How I know that all my sins are white as snow;
You ask me how I know that He forgave me;
Now listen, I must tell you how I know.

     Refrain

       I was there when it happened, and I ought to know;
       His Spirit burning in me, set my heart aglow;
       So I praise the Lord today, He has washed my sins away;
       I was there when it happened, and I ought to know.

You ask me how I know that He redeemed me;
And how I received the peace no gold can buy;
How from the guilt and pow’r of sin He saved me,
Made me an heir to mansions in the sky.

     Refrain

And now, as thru the world I go rejoicing,
I am telling what a Savior dwells within;
How I plunged into the cleansing, crimson fountain,
And Jesus washed my soul from ev’ry sin.

     Refrain

Daily Smile:

Doctor: "Good news you passed your hearing test!"

Patient: "HUH"

In The News:
Obama Administration Recognizes Syrian Opposition Forces
The U.S. is now officially standing with the coalition of fighters opposing Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's regime, President Barack Obama declared in an exclusive interview with Barbara Walters scheduled to air on ABC's "20/20" Friday. "We've made a decision that the Syrian opposition coalition is now inclusive enough, is reflective and representative enough of the Syrian population, that we consider them the legitimate representative of the Syrian people in opposition to the Assad regime," Obama said. "Not everybody who's participating on the ground in fighting Assad are people who we are comfortable with. There are some who, I think, have adopted an extremist agenda, an anti-U.S. agenda, and we are going to make clear to distinguish between those elements." ReligionToday.com previously reported that in February, al Qaeda's leader called for the ouster of the Assad regime, urging Muslims in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey to support Syrian rebels. Syrian Christians, who fear for their future should Assad be defeated, say the growing presence of foreign Islamic fighters in the country and many Islamist brigades within the opposition Free Syrian Army are of particular concern. Innocent Christians and communities that have not joined the uprising against Assad continue to become victims at the hand of radicals as the total death toll now tops 42,000.

U.S. Navy Cancels Nativity on Bahrain Military Base After Atheist Complaint
The U.S. Navy directed service members serving in Bahrain to cancel and dismantle a live nativity after receiving a complaint from a military atheist group who said the manger scene endangered Americans serving in a Muslim country and violated the U.S. Constitution, Fox News reports. The live nativity was a long-standing tradition at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain that featured the children of military personnel dressed as shepherds and wise men along with Mary and Joseph. It was part of a larger celebration that included a tree lighting, Christmas music and photographs with Santa Claus and a camel. The Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers filed a complaint with the Navy's Inspector General, arguing that it promoted Christianity as the "official religion of the base" and also put service members in danger because the local Muslim population could "see the U.S. military as a Christian force rather than a secular military." A statement the Navy sent the MAAF reportedly read: "Upon further review, the CRP [Command Religious Program] will be removing the Living Nativity Program from the general base secular holiday festivities and co-locating it more appropriately with some of our other private religious and faith-based observances at the chapel at a separate time." Some service members in Bahrain called the cancellation "heartbreaking," and children who were supposed to act in the nativity were devastated. "Here we are serving in the Middle East, defending our country and other people's religions, and we couldn't understand why we can't enjoy our own religious freedoms," said one officer who asked not to be identified. 

Happy Monday

A Gift for Him

By Suzie Eller

"Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God..." Psalm 50:14a (NLT)
I love presents. It's not about what is in the package, but unwrapping the surprise and knowing a loved one thought of me when they chose it.

I also love giving gifts. Recently I found a very old package of baseball cards at an estate sale. They were less than five dollars, and I know they will light up my son's face when he opens his stocking on Christmas day.

As Christmas approaches, gift giving is on our minds. We draw names. We plan out the Christmas list. Some of us get up before the sun to find incredible sales.

But as the actual day approaches, there is one gift we can give that is meaningful.

We can thank God.

Long before the cross, people labored to find the perfect gift to give Him. They brought sacrifices to honor God, but in Psalm 50:14a we hear a plea: "Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God..." It is a heart plea of a God who desires an intimate relationship with His people.

What could happen if this Christmas we offered Him exactly what is on His list?

I believe it would shift our heart away from our stressful to-do lists to thank Him for all the miracles around us.

God, thank You for my child who is healthy.

Thank You for my husband who loves us all so well.

Thank You for this hot meal prepared by hands of love.

God, have I told You how grateful I am for the warm home and covers to sleep under at night?

As we begin to offer our gifts of thankfulness, like layers of sparkling tissue paper, more is revealed beneath. We dig deeper to see all that we've received.

Thank You, God, that You saw me as a young teen and showed me love.

Thank You for that time at my son's hospital bed that You helped me make it through one more night.

Thank You for the time I needed mercy and found it in Your presence.

Christmas is a celebration of the ultimate gift, but family, finances, or just plain ole stress can cause this special day to dim. Offering up a gift of thankfulness has the power to give those things their rightful place as gratitude rises to the top.

Will you join me between now and December 25th to hold up a daily gift of thanks to Him?

Dear Lord, Christmas often gets lost in all the busyness and details, but for today I will stop and offer you a gift. I am grateful for all the good things You have given. Help me to celebrate this season with a heart of gratitude. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION 

Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin;
Each victory will help you some other to win;
Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue,
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.

   Refrain

     Ask the Savior to help you,
     Comfort, strengthen and keep you;
     He is willing to aid you,
     He will carry you through.

Shun evil companions, bad language disdain,
God’s Name hold in reverence, nor take it in vain;
Be thoughtful and earnest, kindhearted and true,
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.

   Refrain

To him that o’ercometh, God giveth a crown;
Through faith we shall conquer, though often cast down;
He Who is our Savior our strength will renew;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.

   Refrain

Daily Smile:
The man charged into the jewelry shop, slammed his fists angrily on the showcase, removed a wristwatch from his pocket and shook it under the nose of the owner. “You said this watch would last me a lifetime,” he yelled.

 “Yeah,” admitted the owner. “But you looked pretty sick the day you bought it.” 

In The News:

Coptic Christians Ask Free World to Cut Ties With Egypt Under Morsi
The founder of an international group of advocates for the equality and rights of Coptic Christians is appealing to the leaders of democratic nations to cut any ties with Egypt, the Christian Post reports. "We demand that world leaders withdraw their recognition of Egypt's phony 'pro-democracy' leader, Mr. Morsi, who is backed by the illegal Muslim Brotherhood party," said Dr. Ashraf Ramelah, president of Voice of the Copts, which is attempting to thwart president Mohammed Morsi's regime from implementing a primarily Islamic-based constitution. Coptic organizations around the world, including the U.S.-based Egyptian Front for National Salvation and Coptic Solidarity have been making similar appeals since Morsi issued a new constitutional declaration in which he granted himself sweeping powers and placed himself above judicial review. Thousands of Egyptians within the country continue to protest against Morsi's regime, and the government is bracing for likely mass demonstrations of both opponents and supporters of Morsi ahead of the Dec. 15 constitutional referendum.

U.S.: North Korea Missile Test 'Highly Provocative Act'
The White House called a long-range missile test by North Korea a "highly provocative act" that threatens regional security, CBN News reports. On Tuesday, North Korea announced the successful test of the Eunha-3 long-range rocket, which traveled directly over Okinawa before falling 180 miles north of the Philippines. The regime said it fired the missile to test technology to put a satellite in orbit, but the U.S. believes it's a cover to test missile technology. With further development, such a weapon could one day carry a nuclear warhead and potentially reach as far as California. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told CNN he was "very confident" that if North Korea were to launch a missile at the United States, the U.S. military could guard against it. However, Victor Cha of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said North Korea "could sell this technology to others, including Iran and Pakistan, who have been regular customers of North Korea's other missiles. They still have other technological thresholds to cross, but this was undeniably a major one." Iran on Wednesday praised North Korea's move.

Happy Sunday

Burdens and Trials a Necessity?
from the messages of Adrian Rogers
BIBLE MEDITATION:
James 1:3 - “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A man had a grandfather clock. One day he felt sorry for the grandfather clock because it had a weight on it, and that weight was always pulling on the clock. The man said, “Oh, Mr. Clock, you’ve held this weight so long; I’m going to remove it and let you rest.” The clock protested, saying, “Don’t take that weight from me. That’s what keeps me going.” In the same way, the trials and tests of life are there for your endurance. They’re to keep you going, keep you trusting, keep you praying, and keep you depending upon God.

ACTION POINT:
When was the last time you shared with someone that they need to be thankful for their trials? When was the last time you told yourself that?

Daily Smile:

While driving along the back roads of a small town, two truckers came to an overpass with a sign that read CLEARANCE 11'3."

They got out and measured their rig, which was 12'4."

"What do you think?" one asked the other.

The driver looked around carefully, then shifted into first. "Not a cop in sight. Let's take a chance!"

Happy Saturday

Don't Be a Flabby Christianfrom the messages of Adrian Rogers
BIBLE MEDITATION:
2 Timothy 2:15 - “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I’m amazed at the little bit it takes to stop some Christians from accomplishing the tasks the Father has given them to do. This thing of being a Christian is not a Sunday afternoon stroll! Shining God’s light in a dark world is a full time job. We must pray over it, weep over it, and study over it to show ourselves approved. Most of us in America get up on Sunday mornings and sit in streamlined comfort in an air conditioned church with beautiful stained glass windows. The truth is, we’re flabby, undisciplined, and exhibit no determination. Friend, God does business with those who mean business.

ACTION POINT:
Do you mean business in this Christian life? Then begin something today for the building up of God’s Kingdom to the glory of God.

Daily Smile:
A man follows a woman out of a movie theater. She has a dog on a leash. He stops her and says:"I am sorry to bother you, but I couldn’t help but notice that your dog was really into the movie. He cried at the right spots, he moved nervously in his seat at the boring parts, but most of all, he laughed like crazy at the funny parts. Don’t you find that unusual?" "Yes," she replied, "I find it very unusual... He hated the book!"

Happy Friday

Just Like You
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly... - James 5:17

If a person is going to accomplish anything in life, he's going to have to take action. And that's what I see in the life of Elijah the prophet, as we meet him in 1 Kings 17-19. At that time, Israel's sin was right out in the open, parading itself in the streets in defiance of the Word of God. And into this mess the Lord sent Elijah.

The book of James tells us Elijah was a man just like us, a man subject to like passions as we are. So often we think the people God uses are somehow different. They must have some special ability to resist temptation and stand up for what's right. But Elijah was a person with all the same emotions and struggles we have. He was also a man of action; he had a fiery spirit. He wasn't content to sit in his chamber and write memos to King Ahab. Elijah was right out there on the firing line, confronting the worst aspects of his world with the Word and the power of God.

Perhaps most important, Elijah was a man of prayer. His communion with God kept rain from the land for three-and-a-half years, then brought it back. His prayer called the fire of God down from heaven in a confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. He wasn't just a loud, angry voice condemning the sins of the nation. He was a humble servant of God, on his knees, pleading with the Lord to work miracles so that his people might come to repentance.

That's exactly the kind of person God is looking for today--an ordinary person facing the same problems as everyone else, but a person of action and prayer.

Prayer: Lord, make my life count for You in the things I say and do. Amen.

God's power is perfected in our weakness.

JUST WHEN I NEED HIM MOST

Just when I need Him, Jesus is near,
Just when I falter, just when I fear;
Ready to help me, ready to cheer,
Just when I need Him most.

     Refrain

       Just when I need Him most,
       Just when I need Him most,
       Jesus is near to comfort and cheer,
       Just when I need Him most.

Just when I need Him, Jesus is true,
Never forsaking all the way through;
Giving for burdens pleasures anew,
Just when I need Him most.

     Refrain

Just when I need Him, Jesus is strong,
Bearing my burdens all the day long;
For all my sorrow giving a song,
Just when I need Him most.

     Refrain

Just when I need Him, He is my all,
Answering when upon Him I call;
Tenderly watching lest I should fall,
Just when I need Him most.

     Refrain

Daily Smile:
“What did your mother do yesterday morning. Vicky?”

“She done her shopping, ma’am.”

“Done her shopping, Vicky? Where’s your grammar?”

“She done her shopping as well, ma’am.”

In The News:

British Boy Scouts Distance Themselves From God
Prospective Boy Scouts in Britain could soon be allowed to join the organization without pledging to uphold their "duty to God," WORLD News Service reports. A group of atheists, joined by TV adventurer and self-proclaimed Christian Bear Grylls, has asked the Scouts of Britain to consider providing an alternative Scout Promise for children who don't believe in God -- and many British Scout leaders see removing God as a step forward for the organization. "We are a values-based organization and exploring faith and religion will remain a key element of the Scouting programme," Wayne Bulpitt, the association's chief commissioner, told the British newspaper The Hillingdon Times. "However, throughout our 105-year history, we have continued to evolve so that we remain relevant to communities across the UK." Alternative versions of the oath for other faith groups -- including Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists -- have already existed for more than 40 years, according to The Times. In 1991, UK Scout executives decided it was discriminatory for the Boy Scouts to deny membership to girls, and vice versa, allowing equal access for girls and boys into any of its programs.

North Carolina Pro-Life License Plate Ruled Unconstitutional
North Carolina drivers who wanted to display a pro-life message on their car's license plate may never get a chance to do so, CBN News reports. U.S. District Court Judge James Fox ruled Friday the state cannot sell plates reading "Choose Life" because "the state's offering of a 'Choose Life' license plate in the absence of a pro-choice plate constitutes viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment." After North Carolina's Planned Parenthood complained that sales from the plates would go to pro-life pregnancy centers in the state, the judge halted production of the plates in 2011 until the lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina Legal Foundation. Chris Brook of ACLU-NCLF said it was a free speech victory for all residents of North Carolina regardless of their stance on abortion. State attorneys have not yet decided if they will appeal.

Ministry Helps 38 Workers Leave Abortion Clinics
A ministry started by a former Planned Parenthood center director is succeeding in helping abortion clinic workers leave the industry, Baptist Press reports. And Then There Were None (ATTWN), started by Abby Johnson after her departure from a Planned Parenthood clinic in Bryan, Texas, has helped 38 workers leave the abortion business, according to a report by LifeSiteNews.com. Johnson said her organization was helping five workers leave the same clinic in Atlanta, and three already have jobs. It has also assisted three employees of a Houston clinic. "[W]hen a worker came to us from a late-term abortion clinic in Houston, we were thrilled," Johnson said. "But when she was able to reach out to two workers who were still inside the clinic ... and then was able to pull them out with our ministry's help ... we were beside ourselves." Johnson worked at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Bryan for eight years, serving as its director for more than two years. She left her position and became a pro-life advocate in 2009 shortly after witnessing the destruction of a 13-week-old unborn baby as part of an ultrasound-guided abortion she assisted in.

Florida Atheist Installs 'Festivus' Sign Next to Nativity Scene
To protest a nativity scene that has been displayed every Christmas for the past 20 years in the South Florida town of Deerfield Beach, a local atheist has erected an 8-foot-tall "Festivus" pole with beer cans just six feet away from the manger, the Christian Post reports. "It's just 23 beer cans stacked eight feet high conveniently located six feet from Baby Jesus," the Sun Sentinel quoted atheist activist and blogger Chaz Stevens as saying. "Think of how many people have died over the years to give us our freedoms. So I've got to push back a little." Stevens' sign is based on the secular "Festivus" holiday featured in a 1997 Seinfeld episode, which was created by the father of Seinfeld writer Dan O'Keefe as an alternative to the commercial Christmas and is celebrated on Dec. 23. Stevens has been trying unsuccessfully for five years to get the city to stop the nativity scene, and this year he asked for permission to express his own non-religious beliefs. The Rev. Mark Luttio of Zion Lutheran Church and School in Deerfield Beach called the atheist's move "kind of silly." Luttio added: "It doesn't really represent a very big constituency, does it? But if there really was a strong group of people who feel a desire to express something about their identity as atheists, that would be absolutely OK for them to do so in a public forum."