Happy Friday

Waiting Patiently

by Jilly Lyon Taylor

"Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." Genesis 37:10–11, NIV

How good are you at waiting? It seems to me that in our society we have become more and more used to instant results – instant coffee, microwave meals, fast travel, and instant credit, and that most of us have lost the art of waiting patiently.

In Exodus Chapter 32 we read about the people of Israel who were waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain, where he had gone to meet with God and to receive instructions from Him. He had been gone for forty days and forty nights, and during that time the people became impatient and seemed to forget the amazing miracles that God had worked for them only a short time before in bringing them out of Egypt. In their impatience they demanded that Aaron make them a ‘god’ to be with them. As they began to worship the golden calf, all restraint went and they began to indulge in all kinds of revelry and debauchery. The consequence of this was death for many of them – all because they couldn’t wait.

During the time of waiting God was giving to Moses very precise instructions about the tabernacle and the pattern for worship and living. This was to be how the people would meet with their God and know His blessing and protection, but by not waiting to receive these instructions they replaced God’s plan with their own substitute, and there were dire consequences.

God has a plan for each of our lives. If we fail to wait on him for specific instructions, and if we substitute our own way of doing things, the consequences can be disastrous. Abraham failed to wait for the fulfilment of God’s promise and he put his own solution into effect – resulting in the birth of Ishmael. We are still reaping the consequences of that in our world today!

Are you waiting for the fulfilment of a promise in your life? Don’t be tempted to look for the ‘quick fix’. Wait patiently for God. Spend time in His presence, listening to Him and receiving His instructions. That’s the safest place to be and He will never let you down.

Prayer: Father, forgive me for not waiting patiently for You. Please help me to remain in Your presence, listening to You, receiving instruction from You and not acting on my own thoughts and ideas. Amen.

I serve a risen Savior
I serve a risen Savior, he's in the world today;
I know that he is living whatever men may say;
I see his hand of mercy; I hear his voice of cheer,
And just the time I need him, he's always near.

Chorus:
He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life's narrow way.
He lives, he lives, salvation to impart!
You ask my how I know he lives?
He lives within my heart.

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,
Lift up your voice and sing.
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the king!
The hope of all who seek him,
The help of all who find,
None other is so loving, so good and kind.
Daily Smile:

A bicycle can’t stand on its own because it’s two tired.

In The News:

Florida Planned Parenthood Clinic Offers Black Friday Discount
The traditional first day of Christmas shopping known as "Black Friday" took on a whole different meaning for a South Florida Planned Parenthood clinic that offered special pricing on birth control and emergency contraception to women who visited between certain hours, the Christian Post reports. In what appears to be an email offer to a supporter, the message read: "We are truly thankful for all our patients and supporters, so this Thanksgiving we are offering a day after Thanksgiving special! Visit the Kendall or West Palm Beach health center for this one-day deal." The coupon offered $10 off for a visit on Friday, Nov. 23, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and was also good for $5 off an "emergency contraception." Though Planned Parenthood advocates said the discounts were not for abortions but for birth control pills, pro-life blogger Jill Stanek disagreed, saying the $10 off part read as if it could be used for an abortion procedure. "When you step back and look at the ad objectively, there is no legitimate clinic that offers ads like this for women's healthcare," Stanek said. "I mean, we're not talking about Lasik [eye] surgery here. This is about killing babies. I think the ad is simply insidious." It isn't the first time an abortion clinic has offered a discount for their services; the Orlando Women's Center, for example, has offered Sunday discounts since last year.

Atheist Group Gets Major Funding at the University of Wisconsin
An atheist group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison seems on track to receive nearly $70,000 in student fees for staffing and programming next year, in what is believed to be the first major funding of any atheist student group at a state university, the Journal Sentinel reports. The group -- Atheists, Humanists, and Agnostics, or AHA -- said it would provide support services for students struggling with doubts about their faith and offer a safe place to discuss religious issues without fear of recrimination. The allocation marks the first time that an atheist group has qualified for funding beyond the small, event-specific grants most student-run organizations receive, and it appears to be the largest ever awarded to any campus group of its kind in the country, the Columbus-based Secular Student Alliance stated. "It's pretty common for groups to have budgets of a few hundred dollars," said Alliance spokesman Jesse Galef. "This is something on a different magnitude entirely." According to Dr. Albert Mohler of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary: "The decision to fund an atheist student group at the University of Wisconsin follows the appointment of atheist chaplains at several major universities, including Harvard University. Taken together, this is another sign of the increasingly secularized character of the nation's leading academic institutions."

'Two and a Half Men' Star: Don't Watch My Show
The teen actor in the CBS comedy "Two and a Half Men," which is known for its raunchy humor and sexually explicit dialogue, has denounced the show as "filth" and is urging people to stop watching, CBN News reports. Nineteen-year-old Angus Jones, who has played the character Jake since he was 10 years old, said he recently had a spiritual awakening and now wants to leave the show. However, he said he can't, so instead he is encouraging viewers to tune out. "Please stop watching 'Two and a Half Men,'" he said in a video posted by Forerunner Christian Church in California. "I'm on 'Two and a Half Men' and I don't want to be on it. Please stop watching it. Please stop filling your head with filth. ... You cannot be a true, God-fearing person and be on a television show like that. I know I can't. I'm not okay with what I'm learning, what the Bible says, and being on that television show."

Survey Finds Less Cheating in High Schools
A new survey from the Josephson Institute of Ethics finds that the portion of high school students who admit to cheating, lying or stealing dropped in 2012 for the first time in a decade, the Religion News Service reports. The reasons aren't totally known, but the results of the poll of 23,000 high school students are "a pretty good sign that things may be turning around," said Michael Josephson, founder and president of the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization. Among the highlights from the survey: The number of students who said they lied to a teacher in the past year about something significant plunged from 59 percent in 2010 to 51 percent in 2012, and the number of students who said they had stolen from a store fell from 27 percent in 2010 to 20 percent in 2010. Though the survey suggested overall improvement, it found that boys are more likely than girls to engage in dishonest conduct: 45 percent of boys said they believe "a person has to lie and cheat at least occasionally in order to succeed," compared with 28 percent of girls.

Happy Thursday

This Lady Drove Me Nuts

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe."1

"For several years now," wrote Nancy Streza, "I've been the phone answerer for Christian Outreach Week in our area. One year I absolutely hated it because I kept getting phone calls from an Iranian lady named Sahok
(name changed). She needed detailed directions for some 15 events … and she would talk and talk and talk, complaining that I wouldn't give out the phone numbers of the hosts. I thought I was much too busy, so sometimes I would give Kris and Tom the message and they would spend an hour or two on the phone with her, giving her directions.

"Outreach Week came along and guess who showed up at
15 events? Sahok. I met her and talked with her. After the week was over she started calling me again … asking about Christianity … asking about baptism.

"And guess what, today I am going to Sahok's baptism! Yesterday she called and invited me to come to her baptism at church--a small 'private' one--with her family and me. It brought me to my knees!

"'Forgive me, Lord, for all the complaining I did about Sahok's phone calls. Thank you, God, for letting me participate in this huge event for a Muslim convert to Jesus! I pray that the transformation in Sahok's life will impact her family, her community, and her entire world.'"2

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be sensitive to the needs of every person you bring into my life … especially the ones that drive me nuts. Help me to listen with my heart and be as Jesus to them so that they, seeing Jesus in me, will want you for themselves. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."


Heavenly Sunlight

Walking in sunlight all of my journey;
Over the mountains, through the deep vale;
Jesus has said, “I’ll never forsake thee,”
Promise divine that never can fail.

   Refrain

     Heavenly sunlight, heavenly sunlight,
     Flooding my soul with glory divine:
     Hallelujah, I am rejoicing,
     Singing His praises, Jesus is mine.

Shadows around me, shadows above me,
Never conceal my Savior and Guide;
He is the Light, in Him is no darkness;
Ever I’m walking close to His side.

   Refrain

In the bright sunlight, ever rejoicing,
Pressing my way to mansions above;
Singing His praises gladly I’m walking,
Walking in sunlight, sunlight of love.

   Refrain

Daily Smile:
A pipe burst in a doctor's house. He called a plumber. The plumber arrived, unpacked his tools, did mysterious plumber-type things for a while, and handed the doctor a bill for $600.

The doctor exclaimed, "This is ridiculous! I don't even make that much as a doctor!."

The plumber quietly answered, "Neither did I when I was a doctor."

In The News:

Nigeria: At Least 30 Dead in Suicide Bombing at Kaduna Church
Suicide bombers attacked a church inside a military barracks in Kaduna state in northern Nigeria, killing at least 30 people and injuring at least 45 others. According to ASSIST News, a military spokesman said two vehicles were driven into the barracks in Jaji in what he described as "surprising and an embarrassment." A bus entered the barracks and was driven into the wall of the church, where it exploded. Ten minutes later, a car blew up outside the church. "The first blast caused no casualties, and curious worshipers gathered around the scene looking at the debris ... and that was when the second blast happened," the spokesman said. It is not clear who is responsible for the attack, but the army suspects the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which has recently targeted churches in the state. The group is fighting to overthrow the government and impose a strict form of sharia, or Islamic law.

Jamie Foxx Calls Barack Obama 'Our Lord and Savior'
Appearing on Sunday night's Soul Train awards in Las Vegas, Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx called Barack Obama "our lord and savior," Examiner.com reports. "It's like church over here," he said. "It's like church in here. First of all, give an honor to God and our lord and savior Barack Obama. Barack Obama." Examiner notes that since the 2008 election, several have attempted to deify Obama. In November 2010, Newsweek declared him "god of all things" on its cover, and first lady Michelle Obama once said of her husband, "This president has brought us out of the dark and into the light." During the 2012 Democratic National Convention, a poster was sold that called Obama "prophesy fulfilled," and a calendar at the event appeared to compare Obama to Jesus. Most recently, a book written by Florida A&M professor Barbara A. Taylor called Obama an "apostle" sent by God to create a political heaven on earth.

CDC: U.S. Abortion Rate has Fallen
U.S. abortions fell 5 percent in 2009, the biggest one-year decrease in at least a decade, according to a report from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Nov. 21. While the exact reasons for the decline are difficult to pinpoint, an Associated Press report attributed it to more people using contraceptives and more women being careful because they could not afford to get pregnant in the economic recession. However, the AP report didn't mention other factors, such as the undeniable growth of the pro-life movement and pro-life groups and the growth of pregnancy resource centers across the country. Participation in Students for Life has doubled in the past five years, while 40 Days for Life now promotes prayer vigils in 400 cities, and Care Net has doubled the number of its affiliated crisis pregnancy centers to 1,100 in the past decade. The media has also failed to mention recent polls that found public opinion of abortion changing, with a majority of Americans identifying themselves as pro-life and only a little more than 40 percent being pro-abortion.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak Stepping Down
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak abruptly announced Monday that he was leaving politics and would not run in parliamentary elections in January, the Washington Post reports. Barak, who said he would stay in office until a new government is formed after the election, said he felt he had "exhausted my involvement in politics." Barak has held a number of government positions over the years, including prime minister in 1999, when he beat current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu said he respected Barak's decision and very much appreciated his contribution over many years to Israel's security.

Happy Wednesday

"I have been crucified with Christ, 

nevertheless, I LIVE ..." Galatians 2:20

    The Apostle Paul made this bold announcement -- in Galatians 2:20 -- one of many such BOLD announcements ... 
    I suppose my  most appreciated quality of Paul is his BOLDNESS for Jesus and THE WORD! -- Paul was BOLD when proclaiming the Gospel of Salvation!-- given to us by King Jesus!  Paul was truly all about Jesus!
    I have been accused of being BOLD for the cause of Christ!  To this accusation, I plead GUILTY!  May I ever be found GUILTY for BOLDLY proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus, the Christ! -- the only hope of salvation!  --the only way -- the only   truth -- the only light of this world!  All praise, honor and glory to King Jesus!
    " I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith  in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."  Galatians 2:20
    Christian friend, I hope you too can say BOLDLY, like Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ."-- etc.  BUT, be prepared to be hated by the world! ... for the world hates those who take a stand for King Jesus!  Are YOU willing to pay such a high price for standing firm for Christ? I hope that you are.
     Paul also said, "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power  of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and  also for the Greek ---- For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
    I say to you, stand firm for Jesus -- be not moved by false doctrines --truly, Jesus is the only way, the truth and the light of this world -- the ONLY HOPE for salvation ...
     To be crucified with Christ is to LIVE for Christ! -- day-by-day, moment-by-moment -- never mind that your enemies come against you!  --  they are not flesh and blood as you suppose, but powers and principalities -- Satan and his followers! 
     I say to you, if you love the world, and the things of this world, the love of Jesus is not in you.  For what does the world have that you should desire it over that which Jesus can give to you? ... PEACE -- ETERNAL JOY... COMPASSION -- LOVE -- TRUE HAPPINESS not found in the world!
    If you are one of HIS KIDS, boldly tell "whosoever" this -- that they too might be saved!-- "not by works, lest a man shall boast, but by the blood of Jesus..."  the precious life-blood of Jesus!
    Paul also said,"I count it all JOY that I have been crucified with Christ." -- "for I bear the mark of salvation -- in Christ, Jesus!"  What a bold statement of faith!
    YES, friends, Jesus is ALIVE and well! -- All Praise and Honor and Glory to King Jesus!
    I have a dear Preacher friend who told me he does not like to talk about Satan -- he likes to talk about the love of Jesus.  He is mostly correct-- we must not give Satan undue recognition, but we must be aware that 'ol Sleufoot is real and roams about this world seeking whom he may devour.
    There are two sides to this coin -- When I preach the Gospel of Jesus, I trample on Satan and his followers.  All Praise, Honor and Glory to King Jesus!
    Turn your eyes upon Jesus and LIVE in His Glory and Grace!   Who do you know that needs to hear the good news of the Gospel?  GO and SHARE your testimony with that person -- then PRAY that they come under conviction of The Holy Spirit that the seed that you plant may flourish and grow until that person begins a life-saving relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ.

    dare to be BOLD for King Jesus!  -- show the love of Jesus for "Whosoever"!

Saved, Saved

I’ve found a Friend, who is all to me,
His love is ever true;
I love to tell how He lifted me
And what His grace can do for you.

  Refrain

        Saved by His power divine,
        Saved to new life sublime!
        Life now is sweet and my joy is complete,
        For I’m saved, saved, saved!

He saves me from every sin and harm,
Secures my soul each day;
I’m leaning strong on His mighty arm;
I know He’ll guide me all the way.

  Refrain

When poor and needy and all alone,
In love He said to me,
“Come unto Me and I’ll lead you home,
To live with Me eternally.”

  Refrain

Daily Smile:
Son: Dad there is some one at the door to collect donations for a swimming pool.

Dad: Then, Give him a glass of water.

In The News:

Hobby Lobby Appeals Obamacare Mandate Ruling

Christian-owned Hobby Lobby is appealing in federal court over its case against the abortion-pill mandate in Obamacare, CBN News reports. The federal healthcare law forces employers to provide the "morning-after" pill and "week-after" pill in their health insurance plans or face more than $1 million in fines per day, but the owners of Hobby Lobby, the Green family, asked to be exempted from the mandate because it violated their belief that abortion is wrong. A lower court on Tuesday denied their initial request to be excused from the mandate, ruling that though the Greens have religious beliefs forbidding them from providing abortion-causing drugs, they were only "indirectly" burdened by the mandate's requirement. The company filed an emergency appeal to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Kyle Duncan, general counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which is representing Hobby Lobby, said: "Every American, including family business owners like the Greens, should be free to make a living without forfeiting their religious beliefs. The Green family needs relief before Jan. 1 and so we have asked the federal appeals court in Denver to issue an injunction against the mandate."

Thousands Protest Egypt Presidential Decree

A day after Egypt's Islamist president Mohammed Morsi decreed himself sweeping new powers, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Cairo and across the country on Friday. State TV reported that protesters burned offices of the political arm of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group in the cities of Alexandria, Ismailiyah and Port Said, while Islamists engaged in fistfights with Morsi opponents in southern Egypt. Tens of thousands of Egyptians angered by Morsi's decisions converged on Cairo's Tahrir Square, the epicenter of protests that brought down former president Hosni Mubarak, chanting anti-Morsi slogans. "The people want to bring down the regime," some protesters shouted. Large crowds opposed to Morsi also gathered in the predominantly Christian neighborhood of Shubra and on the west bank of the Nile in the Muhandeseen neighborhood, and in the working-class neighborhood of Seyda Zeinab, a large banner picturing Morsi as a pharaoh read, "Down with the president." Later, Morsi spoke to large crowds of Islamist and Muslim Brotherhood supporters outside the presidential palace. Islamist speakers took turns riling the crowds with anti-Israel slogans as supporters chanted, "The people support the president's decree."

Happy Tuesday

Patience and Hope

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning – Psalm 30:5

Weeping does indeed endure. In fact, the night of weeping can sometimes appear to be endless. When sorrow comes over us in waves, when disappointments follow hard on the heels of each other, when physical pain wracks our body — the night stretches on and on.

But here is the great consolation of Scripture. Joy is coming! It may seem to linger, but it is irresistibly moving toward you and will reach you with the darkness-shattering power of the dawn. Now matter how severe the shadows, no matter how stormy the darkness, once the dawn comes the night is easily and quickly forgotten. No darkness is so great that the coming of the Son does not drive it away.

For the Christian, the best is always yet to come. Is the energy and beauty of youth behind you? The best is yet to come. Has health and strength left you? The best is yet to come. Have you lost a loved one to that old enemy Death? The best is yet to come.

Weeping may endure; there are sorrows that simply cannot be faced without tears. But joy is coming…dawn is approaching…the best is yet to come.

Whispering Hope

Soft as the voice of an angel,
Breathing a lesson unheard,
Hope with a gentle persuasion
Whispers her comforting word:
Wait till the darkness is over,
Wait till the tempest is done,
Hope for the sunshine tomorrow,
After the shower is gone.

     Refrain

       Whispering hope, oh how welcome thy voice,
       Making my heart in its sorrow rejoice.

If, in the dusk of the twilight,
Dim be the region afar,
Will not the deepening darkness
Brighten the glimmering star?
Then when the night is upon us,
Why should the heart sink away?
When the dark midnight is over,
Watch for the breaking of day.

     Refrain

Hope, as an anchor so steadfast,
Rends the dark veil for the soul,
Whither the Master has entered,
Robbing the grave of its goal.
Come then, O come, glad fruition,
Come to my sad weary heart;
Come, O Thou blest hope of glory,
Never, O never depart.

     Refrain

Daily Smile:

A husband was having great difficulty getting along with his wife – nothing but arguing and friction – so he decided to consult a marriage counselor. After they had talked for a while, the counselor said, “I suggest that you run five miles each day for a week. Then please call me back.”

A week later the counselor received a call from the husband, “Well,” asked the counselor, “how are things going with you and your wife?

“How should I know?” said the husband. “I’m thirty-five miles away.”

In The News:

Nigerian Army Chief Estimates Death Toll by Boko Haram at 3,000
The militant Islamist group Boko Haram, which is waging war against Christians in Nigeria, has been responsible for an estimated 3,000 deaths since 2009, according to an army chief -- the highest number of victims reported by an official source, ASSIST News Service reports. Boko Haram has been carrying out deadly attacks on churches and Christian communities as well as security forces and government targets in its campaign to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria. Barnabas Aid contacts in Nigeria have been logging attacks against Christians by Boko Haram and other Muslim groups over the last two years, including bombings, shootings, hackings, mass killings and the cold-blooded assassination of Christian families in their homes -- children, pregnant women and the elderly not being spared. "Barely a week goes by without a report of another anti-Christian attack in Nigeria, while the security forces seem at a loss as to how to bring Boko Haram under control," said a spokesperson for Barnabas Aid.

First Hindu Elected to U.S. Congress to Take Oath on Bhagavad Gita Instead of Bible
The first Hindu elected to the United States Congress is expected to take oath on the Bhagavad Gita instead of the Bible, the Christian News Network reports. Tulsi Gabbard, 31, a Democrat, won her bid for election in a heavily Democratic area of Hawaii earlier this month and will be representing Hawaii's second district in Congress beginning in January. However, instead of taking oath on the Bible as many elected officials do, Gabbard is slated to swear on the Bhagavad Gita, a compilation of Hindu writings which she states is one of her favorite Hindu texts. Following her successful bid for office, Gabbard stated that she hoped her presence in Congress would cause others to understand and embrace Hinduism in America.

Happy Monday

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

BIBLE MEDITATION: “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.” Mark 11:22

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I ask some Christians, “How are you doing?” They say, “Okay—under the circumstances.” How did you ever get there?

Circumstances are like a mattress. You’re supposed to be on it, not under it. Under the circumstances, you suffocate; on them you rest pretty well.

The only way you can run the race is to take your eyes off things or people around you and look to Jesus. He’s the author of the race. He’s the goal to which you run. If you look to Jesus to supply your every need for the race, you’ll find faith growing in your heart and in your life. You see, it’s not great faith in God; it is faith in a great God.

ACTION POINT:
Do you have a hymnal in your home? Find the hymn “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” by Helen Lemmel and make it your anthem today!


Turn your eyes upon Jesus

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

   Refrain

    Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
    Look full in His wonderful face,
    And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
    In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!

   Refrain

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

   Refrain

Daily Smile:
A wise old gentleman retired and purchased a modest home near a junior high school. 

He spent the first few weeks of his retirement in peace and contentment. Then a new school year began. The very next afternoon three young boys, full of youthful, after-school enthusiasm, came down his street, beating merrily on every trashcan they encountered. The crashing percussion continued day after day, until finally the wise old man decided it was time to take some action.

The next afternoon, he walked out to meet the young percussionists as they banged their way down the street. Stopping them, he said, "You kids are a lot of fun. I like to see you express your exuberance like that. In fact, I used to do the same thing when I was your age. Will you do me a favor? I'll give you each a dollar if you'll promise to come around every day and do your thing." The kids were elated and continued to do a bang-up job on the trashcans.

After a few days, the old-timer greeted the kids again, but this time he had a sad smile on his face.

"This recession's really putting a big dent in my income," he told them. "From now on, I'll only be able to pay you 50 cents to beat on the cans."

The noisemakers were obviously displeased, but they did accept his offer and continued their afternoon ruckus. A few days later, the wily retiree approached them again as they drummed their way down the street.

"Look," he said, "I haven't received my Social Security check yet, so I'm not going to be able to give you more than 25 cents. Will that be okay?"

"A lousy quarter?" the drum leader exclaimed. "If you think we're going to waste our time, beating these cans around for a quarter, you're nuts! No way, mister. We quit!"

And the old man enjoyed peace.

In The News:

Ceasefire Deal Between Israel and Hamas Announced
After a deadly eight-day conflict, Israel and Gaza militants agreed to a ceasefire effective Wednesday at 9 p.m. (2 p.m. ET), Egypt's foreign minister announced at a press conference, Fox News reports. Mohammed Kamel Amr made the announcement in Cairo, flanked by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. "Egypt is assuming the responsibility and leadership that has long made this country a cornerstone of international peace," Clinton said. The ceasefire agreement was later confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Reuters reported that Netanyahu warned in a statement that more forceful action may be necessary if the ceasefire deal is unsuccessful. President Barack Obama called Netanyahu and commended the decision; Obama also spoke with Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi and thanked him for his efforts in the deal. According to a copy of the agreement obtained by the Associated Press, Israel will end its policy of assassinating top Hamas officials, and Hamas is promising to stop all rocket fire from the many militant groups operating in the Gaza Strip. After a 24-hour cooling-off period, Israel pledges to ease its blockade of Gaza, though there are no firm assurances on how that will be done. Israel has maintained that blockade since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007, and has gradually lifted many of the restrictions.

Iran Speaker Confirms Military Aid to Hamas
Iran has supplied military aid to the Islamist group Hamas in Gaza, Iran's parliament speaker said Wednesday, reports AFP. "We are proud to defend the people of Palestine and Hamas ... and that our assistance to them has been both financial and military," Ali Larijani said without elaborating. Iran has never made a secret of its support for Israel's foes Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, but generally avoids mention of sending military aid. Israel has accused Iran of supplying Hamas with its Fajr 5 missile, used to target Tel Aviv since Israel launched its offensive on Gaza on Nov. 14. The Fajr 5 rocket can hit targets up to 75 kilometers (46 miles) away, a far greater range than the home-produced Qassam rockets used in the past by Palestinian militants in Gaza to target Israel. Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari claimed Wednesday that Tehran was only responsible for having shared the missile's "technology." According to Jafari, "Iran provides technical assistance to all Muslims who fight against world arrogance," a term used by Iranian officials to describe the West and Israel. Iran also stepped up calls for Gazans to be "armed to defend" themselves and urged the Muslim world to retaliate against Israel.

Church of England Rejects Women Bishops
In a surprise move that shocked both sides of a years-long debate, the Church of England on Tuesday (Nov. 20) rejected an expected move to allow women bishops, the Religion News Service reports. Many of the 470 members of the church's three-tiered General Synod (bishops, clergy and laity) were stunned that the House of Laity couldn't garner a two-thirds majority in favor of women bishops. The vote failed by just five votes, 132 to 74, after easily passing the bishops and clergy. "The consequence of the 'no' vote of terminating any further consideration of the draft legislation means that it will not be possible to introduce draft legislation in the same terms until a new General Synod comes into being in 2015," a church statement said.

Happy Sunday

Jesus is ... Lord of ALL!
Zecharia 5-6

    "And beginning with Moses and the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself."  - Luke 24:27

    One of the primary things to remember as you read God's Word is that both the Old Testament and the New Testament are basically the story of Jesus Christ and the life He came to give to us.

    For instance, we have both a type of Christ and a direct prophecy regarding Him in Zechariah 6:11-13. Joshua, the high priest, is a type or a picture of Christ, the coming Messiah, the high priest of our profession. We also have the direct prophecy concerning the Lord Jesus Christ as the Branch, a title applied to the Messiah or the offspring of David, son of Jesse, a righteous branch, beautiful and glorious.

    Joshua was active in building the temple of Zechariah's day.  In like manner, the Branch, the Messiah of the New Testament, would build the spiritual temple, ...  the church ...  the body of Jesus Christ.  Now if all this sounds a little theological and remote, let's think about what it means to you and me.

    If Jesus Christ is the central theme of the Old and New Testaments, the central figure of the entire Bible, then what place should He have in our lives?  If He is the centerpiece of history, the Bible, and the Christian faith, where have we placed Him in our hearts today?

    A practical way of looking at what this means is to realize that every decision we make must involve Jesus Christ, His Great Commission, and His will for our lives .... truly, our lives must be All About Jesus!

Prayer
"Lord Jesus, come and take Your rightful place in my heart and my life as Lord of all.  Amen. "

    The same Lord who will return in majesty and power to occupy the place of honor on the stage of human history, patiently awaits my invitation to take His rightful place in my heart.   Praise His Holy Name!

Face to Face with Christ, my Savior

Face to face with Christ, my Savior,
Face to face—what will it be,
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ Who died for me?

   Refrain

    Face to face I shall behold Him,
    Far beyond the starry sky;
    Face to face in all His glory,
    I shall see Him by and by!

Only faintly now I see Him,
With the darkened veil between,
But a blessèd day is coming,
When His glory shall be seen.

   Refrain

What rejoicing in His presence,
When are banished grief and pain;
When the crooked ways are straightened,
And the dark things shall be plain.

   Refrain

Face to face—oh, blissful moment!
Face to face—to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer,
Jesus Christ Who loves me so.

   Refrain

Daily Smile:
Two barbershops were in red-hot competition. 

One put up a sign advertising haircuts for 7-dollars. 

His competitor put up one that read, “We repair 7-dollars hair cuts.”

In The News:
Syria: Dozens Injured, Killed in Third Attack in New Assyrian Quarter in Aleppo

A bomb exploded near a Syriac Orthodox church in Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city, at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 16, injuring dozens and killing many more, ASSIST News Service reports. The exact number of victims is not known. According to the Assyrian International News Agency, the bomb damaged the Al Kalima School and the Syrian French Hospital, as well as a nursing home. It is the third attack in four weeks in the New Assyrian Quarter in Aleppo; the first occurred on Oct. 21 and the second on Oct. 26. Syrian rebels continue to inflict fear and terror on residents in the New Assyrian Quarter; meanwhile, Islamist rebel groups in Aleppo say they reject the new Western-backed opposition coalition. In an online video, rebels denounced what they called "the conspiratorial project" and said they intend to establish an "Islamist state" in Syria, something that is feared by the country's Christian population. It is believed that more than 38,000 people have died in the 20-month uprising against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad. Thousands of Christians have fled across the borders to Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon to escape the conflict, and more than 2 million people are displaced within Syria. The international charity Save the Children has warned that 200,000 Syrian refugee children are at serious risk from freezing temperatures as winter begins in the Middle East.

Egypt's Morsi Grants Himself Far-Reaching Powers

Egypt's Islamist president Mohammed Morsi decreed extensive new powers for himself Thursday, freeing his decisions from judicial review and ordering retrials for former top officials, including former president Hosni Mubarak, the Washington Post reports. The decree, issued just a day after Morsi received U.S. and international praise for mediating the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, appears to leave few, if any, checks on his power. Morsi framed his decisions as necessary to protect the revolution that toppled Mubarak nearly two years ago, but many liberal activists immediately criticized the decrees as dictatorial, with some even saying they exceeded the powers once enjoyed by Mubarak. "Morsi today usurped all state powers & appointed himself Egypt's new pharaoh," former presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei wrote on Twitter. "A major blow to the revolution that [could] have dire consequences."

Happy Saturday

There Is Power In The Blood

    While perusing through a Christian Hymnal, I came to a realization that there is a wealth of "Gospel" in the hymns that we Christians sing.  From The Old Rugged Cross to Power in the Blood     we sing about Jesus and His love for us.    what incredible LOVE!   
    Most of the hymns we sing are truly "All About Jesus"... I don't know what YOUR favorite hymn is, but, as I went from hymn to hymn, it occurred to me that I have many favorites . Basically, I prefer hymns and songs that tell of the saving Grace of God and the POWER of the blood of Jesus to cleanse us of our sin.   Hymns that tell of SALVATION by the shed blood of Jesus --  of LIFE after death--- eternal LIFE with Jesus!

Hymns that LIFT UP the name of Jesus and Glorify our Lord and Savior.  I feel led to begin a series about the time-honored hymns and spirituals, which I believe have been given to the various song writers by Almighty God Himself, to help us to WORSHIP God for WHO HE IS.
    God lives in our PRAYERS and WORSHIP ... HE demands that we sing PRAISES to Him!  Scripture tells us that if we do not WORSHIP GOD, the hills and mountains will clap their hands in praise to Almighty God!
    Truly, all creation is admonished to WORSHIP GOD in some form or fashion.  One of the FIRST HYMNS that I learned to love after becoming a child of the Living God more than fifty years ago, was introduced to me by a dear Methodist friend.   It tells of the wonderful cleansing power of the Blood Of Christ.   YES, There is truly POWER IN THE BLOOD!
    "Would you be free from your burden of sin?  There's POWER in the BLOOD, POWER in the Blood.
Would you over evil a victory to win?  There's wonderful POWER in The BLOOD.
    There is POWER, POWER, wonder working POWER in the BLOOD of the LAMB, There is POWER, POWER wonder working POWER in the precious blood of the LAMB!
    Friend, if that don't light your fire, your wood is wet!  Many songs have been given to us about the POWER of the BLOOD of Jesus to CLEANSE us from SIN.  I am at a loss to name my FAVORITE... they are all so marvelous!  Perhaps YOU will tell me what YOUR favorite hymn is... I would appreciate that very much.
    Scripture tells us that without the shedding of blood, there can be no cleansing from sin --- In the old testament, we had the shed blood of animals ... and burnt offerings.  The NEW TESTAMENT brings salvation and cleansing from sin by the shed blood on that Old Rugged Cross by none other than the Son of God, Jesus, our Redeemer.  Jesus shed His blood that you and I might LIVE!  Jesus became sin in our place!  Such incredible LOVE--- AGAPE LOVE!
    Oh, what a Savior!  Because Jesus shed His blood on that cross at Calvary, you and I can claim VICTORY over death!  We call it SALVATION through the shed blood of Christ, plus NOTHING we can do to deserve or earn salvation!  It is a free gift, bought and paid for by God... WHY?  because God desires that NONE should perish, but that all might be SAVED!  GOD IS LOVE!
    "Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving even me ... so much that you would have died on that cross if I was the only sinner in this world!  Lord Jesus, I love you and want to serve you.  I want to be in Your perfect will at all times.  Help me, Jesus, to be your vessel here on earth, filled with Your Holy Spirit --- ready to say, Here am I, Oh Lord--- send ME.  May I ever proclaim to "whosoever" that JESUS SAVES."
    YES, there is POWER in the BLOOD OF CHRIST!  Now, GO and TELL somebody where they, too, can find LIFE -- EVERLASTING LIFE IN JESUS!
    You may reply to this email with YOUR FAVORITE HYMN or SONG.  I will share it with "whosoever"...
    Grace to you and yours ABUNDANTLY!

Recuse The Pershing

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.

   Refrain

   Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
    Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

Though they are slighting Him, still He is waiting,
Waiting the penitent child to receive;
Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently;
He will forgive if they only believe.

   Refrain

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.

   Refrain

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way patiently win them;
Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died.

   Refrain

Daily Smile:
Sign on company bulleting board:

 “This firm requires no physical-fitness program.

Everyone gets enough exercise jumping to conclusions,

flying of the handle, running down the boss, 

flogging dead horses, knifing friend in the back, 

dodging responsibility, and pushing their luck.”

In The News:

Franklin Graham 'Shocked' to Find Mormonism Listed as 'Cult' on BGEA Site
A month after the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association removed an article describing Mormonism as a "cult" from its website, ministry head Franklin Graham clarified he was unaware of the article's existence, the Christian Post reports. Graham told CNN he did not write the article and that he was "shocked" to find it on the BGEA website. "We have 10,000 pages and I don't write the 10,000 pages," he said. "Other people have written it. There was a discussion as to what a cult was and [the article] had a definition of a cult and then they gave some examples and when I found out there were examples they took them off. But I was shocked that we even had that on there. ... If I want to win a person to Christ, how can I call that person a name? That's what shocked me, that we were calling people names." The article was categorized under BGEA's "Looking for Answers" section where the question "What is a cult?" was posed. It defined a cult as "any group which teaches doctrine or beliefs that deviate from the biblical message of the Christian faith. It is very important that we recognize cults and avoid any involvement with them. Cults often teach some Christian truth mixed with error, which may be difficult to detect." As examples of cults, the article listed Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, the Unification Church, Unitarians, Spiritists and Scientologists. The article was taken down in October shortly after Billy Graham, 94, met with Mitt Romney, a Mormon, at his home in Montreat, N.C. But even with the election over, Franklin Graham stated that the "cult" article will never be posted again.

Obamacare Forces Supporter's Company to Lay Off Workers
A corporation whose part owner gave $2 million to a group committed to re-electing President Obama announced this week that it will be forced to lay off more than 1,000 employees in lieu of the financial hardship imposed by the president's signature health care law, WORLD News Service reports. Stryker Corporation, a medical device and equipment manufacturer, will cut 5 percent of its global workforce, resulting in an estimated 1,170 layoffs. Obamacare requires businesses to provide government-defined health care plans to employees who work 30 or more hours each week, with those failing to do so facing fines of up to $3,000 per employee. Obamacare also includes 18 new taxes and penalties that are estimated to bring $836 billion to the federal government over the next 10 years, according to Alyene Senger of The Heritage Foundation. "As businesses are affected by these taxes they are going to either -- as you see with Stryker -- lay people off, or they are going to turn full-time workers into part-time workers so that they don't have to pay the employer mandate," Senger said. More than a dozen companies are also facing layoffs or the possibility of having to reduce employees' hours to help combat the effects of Obamacare, according to the governmental watchdog group Freedom Works.

Happy Friday

GOD WILL DO IT

By M. Stanford

" For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.  (Phil. 2:13, KJV)

As we mature we come to see more and more clearly that our Father just as fully controls our lives as He does the universe. As CA. Fox said, "Climb on, and you will find the correcting, the chastening, the cleansing, the calming of the deep affection of God."

"All the testing and trying is to first deal with, by the Cross, that which can never stand the stress and which must be forever failure to the Lord, and then to develop that which is Christ within us. That is the spiritual life - Christ in us in all His fulness. 'I will make him a pillar.' 'I will write upon him the name of my God.' He is going to do it. All the striving will never bring that end about, but He will do it.

"The great majority of us would say, 'If it all depends on me, then it is a bad lookout! ' Well, of course, that is true, but let us look at the blessing of Joseph - The arms of his hands were made strong, by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob. . . even by the God of thy father' (Gen. 49:24, 25)." --CO.

"Let a man renounce himself, and see himself as crucified with Christ, and soon another Himself ----the Lord Jesus Christ - will take the central place in the heart, and quietly bring all things
under His sway."

"It is a great thing to offer the Lord Jesus Christ as the Saviour to sinful man, but it is still greater to express Him in a world where He is rejected."-----J.B.S.

"According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (II Pet. 1:3).

God Will Take Care Of You

Be not dismayed whate’er betide,
God will take care of you;
Beneath His wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.

Refrain

God will take care of you,
Through every day, over all the way;
He will take care of you,

God will take care of you.

Through days of toil when heart doth fail,
God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail,
God will take care of you.

Refrain

All you may need He will provide,
God will take care of you;
Nothing you ask will be denied,
God will take care of you.

Refrain

No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon His breast,
God will take care of you.

Refrain

Daily Smile:
One reason the Military Services have trouble operating jointly is that they don't speak the same language. For example, if you told Navy personnel to "secure a building," they would turn off the lights and lock the doors. 

The Army would occupy the building so no one could enter. 

Marines would assault the building, capture it, and defend it with suppressive fire and close combat. 

The Air Force, on the other hand, would take out a three-year lease with an option to buy. 

In The News:

Christian Convert From Islam Beheaded in Somalia
Islamic extremists from Somalia's rebel al Shabaab militants killed a Christian in Somalia's coastal city of Barawa on Nov. 16, accusing him of being a spy and leaving Islam, Morning Star News reports. The extremists beheaded 25-year-old Farhan Haji Mose after monitoring his movements for six months, underground Christians in Somalia said. Mose drew suspicion when he returned to Barawa in December 2011 after spending time in Kenya, which is nearly 83 percent Christian, opposed to Somalia, which is close to 100 percent Muslim. Mose had converted to Christianity in 2010 while in Kenya. Sources said a crowd assembled in Barawa to watch the slaughter of Mose. "His body was split into two, then carried away, only to be dumped near the beach of Barawa city," a Christian who witnessed the murder said. Other Muslim witnesses independently described the same scene, saying the extremists accused Mose of being a spy for foreigners and of embracing the "foreign religion of Christianity." Al Shabaab rebels have killed dozens of Christian converts from Islam since embarking on a campaign to rid Somalia of Christianity. The extremists, variously estimated at 3,000 to 7,000, seek to impose a stricter version of sharia (Islamic law) on Somalia.

Pakistani Court Drops Blasphemy Charges Against 14-Year-Old Rimsha Masih
The case against Rimsha Masih, the teenage Pakistani Christian girl accused of blasphemy, was dropped Tuesday by the court in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. Rimsha, who was arrested in August on suspicion of desecrating Islamic texts, was originally charged in an adult court with a penalty of life imprisonment, but her case was transferred to a juvenile court after her age was certified and medical evidence emerged that her mental capacity was impaired. Since then, her case went through several dramatic twists and turns, during which she spent three weeks in protective custody in a maximum security prison. Rimsha's lawyer, Akmal Bhatti, said Tuesday her case had been a misuse of law. "The court has quashed the case, declaring Rimsha innocent," he said. An imam of a mosque near Rimsha's former family home, Khalid Jadoon, now faces a charge for allegedly planting torn Quranic pages as evidence to frame Rimsha. So far, there has been no response from Rimsha or her family, who remain in hiding at an undisclosed location and will never be able to return to their home for safety reasons. "This is the first case of its kind when a person charged under the strict blasphemy laws is exonerated from the accusation," said Naveed Chaudry, another of Rimsha's lawyers. "This case has also brought for the first time a debate on how these laws are misused to target innocent people."

Hamas Kills Suspected Collaborators With Israel
Masked gunmen publicly shot dead six suspected collaborators with Israel in a large Gaza City intersection Tuesday, witnesses said. An Associated Press reporter saw a mob surrounding five of the bloodied corpses soon after the killing. Some in the crowd stomped and spit on the bodies, and a sixth corpse was tied to a motorcycle and dragged through the streets as people screamed, "Spy! Spy!" The Hamas military wing, Izzedine al-Qassam, claimed responsibility, saying the six were killed because they gave Israel information about fighters and rocket launching sites. Israel relies on a network of local informers to identify its targets in Gaza; the killings brought to eight the number of suspected informers being shot dead in public since Israel began its military offensive against Hamas last Wednesday. On Friday, the body of one alleged informer was found in a garbage bin, and another was shot dead in the street. Hamas claimed responsibility for both.

Court: Hobby Lobby Must Provide Morning-After Pill
A federal judge on Monday denied a legal challenge to President Barack Obama's signature heath reforms, ruling that the owners of arts-and-crafts chain Hobby Lobby must provide emergency contraceptives in their group health care plan, Reuters reports. The Christian owners of Hobby Lobby asked to be exempted from providing the "morning-after" and "week-after" pills on religious grounds, arguing that it would violate their belief that abortion is wrong. But judge Joe Heaton of the U.S. District for the Western District of Oklahoma denied the request for a preliminary injunction, ruling that while individual members of the family that owns and operates Hobby Lobby have religious rights, the companies the family owns are secular, for-profit enterprises that do not possess the same rights. Hobby Lobby is the largest non-Catholic U.S. company to go to court over the issue of the contraceptive mandate in Obamacare. There are more than 40 other lawsuits challenging the mandate that requires all group health plans to provide contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs.