Happy Sunday

The Power of The Word! 
 "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God". - 1 Peter 1:23

     Sports commentators often remind us how difficult it is for a visiting team to play at someone else's home court or field, because the home fans are so fanatical about their team.  But any coach will tell you that in order to be successful and win on the road, a team must be able to overcome all the jeers and cheers.

     Have you noticed in the book of Acts that Paul rarely had the home field advantage?  He was usually preaching the gospel in difficult venues.  In Acts 19, we find him in the city of Ephesus.  Here stood the great temple to Artemis -- a worship built around the practice of immorality.  The city reeked with all the pollutions of paganism, while the people were dominated by sorcery, black magic, witchcraft, and demonism.

    Paul didn't have the home field advantage, but his message was the power of God unto salvation. The book he carried in his heart was the Word of God. And his life was under the control of the Spirit of God. Soon, many people from this city gripped by Satan's power responded in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ against the backdrop of an evil power that seemed unstoppable, once again the Bible proved to be alive and powerful.

    What will it take to change the lives of people we know and to clean up our towns that are in the grip of drugs, alcohol, false religions, materialism, and secularism?  In Ephesus, it took the Bible. I'm sure it will take nothing less today.  ...  study the Word, live it, share it, and watch God work!

Prayer

    " Lord, I am reminded today that Your Word has given me the home field advantage in the war against Satan.  I love Your powerful Word.  Amen."

    "The Word of the Lord endures forever".  Proverbs

    "Thy word have I hid in my heart"   Proverbs

    "Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet"  Proverbs

     This morning we studied the 23rd Psalm during bible study and discussed it among the senior adults at my church.   We all know this beautiful Psalm, and claim it in time of trials, sorrow  and tribulation, but have you ever really meditated on this beautiful Psalm written by King David?

    "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:  he leads me beside the still waters.   He restoreth my soul.  He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness  for his name sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I  will fear no evil; for  thou art with me; thy rod and they staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.  Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of  my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

    Yes, The WORD of God endures forever!  It is just as relevant today in year 2012  as when it was written.

    Thank you, Dear Jesus, for YOUR WORD!

    Grace to you
Jesus is tenderly calling you home

Jesus is tenderly calling you home
Calling today, calling today,
Why from the sunshine of love will you roam,
Farther and farther away?

    Refrain

     Calling today, calling today,
     Jesus is calling, is tenderly calling today.

     Jesus is calling the weary to rest,
     Calling today, calling today,

Bring Him your burden and you shall be blest;
He will not turn you away.

    Refrain

     Calling today, calling today,
     Jesus is calling, is tenderly calling today.

     Jesus is calling the weary to rest,
     Calling today, calling today,

Jesus is waiting, O come to Him now,
Waiting today, waiting today,
Come with your sins, at His feet lowly bow;
Come, and no longer delay.

    Refrain

     Calling today, calling today,
     Jesus is calling, is tenderly calling today.

     Jesus is calling the weary to rest,
     Calling today, calling today,

Jesus is pleading, O list to His voice,
Hear Him today, hear Him today,
They who believe on His Name shall rejoice;
Quickly arise and away.

    Refrain

     Calling today, calling today,
     Jesus is calling, is tenderly calling today.

     Jesus is calling the weary to rest,
     Calling today, calling today,

Daily Smile:
Mother asks little Johnny, as they wait for the bus, to tell the driver he is 4 years old when asked because he will ride for free. As they get into the bus the driver asks Johnny how old he was. "I am 4 years old". 

"And when will you be six years old?" asks the driver. 

“When I get off the bus" answers Johnny.

In The News:

Mormonism's Cultural Rise Likely to Continue
Although Mitt Romney lost his presidential bid, Christians should be prepared for higher Mormon visibility and credibility in America, according to an interfaith witness expert and a seminary professor, Baptist Press reports. Tal Davis, who spent more than 20 years with the North American Mission Board training Christians in interfaith witness, said: "When Mormon missionaries knock on people's doors, they will be seen in a more positive light when people know that [Romney] was once a Mormon missionary. They will likely gain entrance into homes where they formerly would have been denied." Ant Greenham, assistant professor of missions at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, said Mormonism may be on track for complete acceptance in American culture, but that it would be "due more to society's postmodern tendencies than to ongoing Mormon efforts to achieve acceptance." Both Greenham and Davis encouraged Christians to become better informed of their own faith, the distinctives of the Mormon belief system, and the differences between the two. "Mormonism is not Christianity," Greenham said, "no matter how much Mormons would like to be considered part of the Christian mainstream." Davis advised Christians to "engage Mormons with love and friendship. ... Nonetheless, we cannot ignore the need to share Christ with them. Mormonism is undeniably a false system and those in it are lost and need the salvation that only Jesus can provide."

Justice Department Targeting Abortion Protesters
According to CBN News, government officials are increasingly using lawsuits to target pro-life protesters outside abortion clinics. A variety of laws have already put restrictions on these protests -- a major one being the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which can cause convicted protesters to face thousands of dollars in fines as well as jail time -- and the Feds have steadily stepped up the number of cases in the past few years. "They're trying to shut down free speech at abortion clinics, but then [Planned Parenthood president] Cecile Richards is one of the most frequent  visitors to the White House, so you know she's having an impact," said Jo Scott, a longtime protester outside Planned Parenthood in Denver who has faced several charges of obstructing the clinic's entrance with her husband, Ken. Though the government has had a tough time winning many of its cases against pro-life protesters, the FACE Act remains "dangerous in so many ways," said pro-life attorney Rebecca Messall. "And it's been used ... across the country to try to intimidate and punish people for exercising their First Amendment rights."