Happy Monday - New Year Eve's Day

Social Share Links By: Gail Cardwell

Psalm 46:10  Be still and know that I am God.

My mother's favorite Christmas carol is O Holy Night. She would play it over and over again during the Christmas season. While it's difficult to choose any carol as my favorite, I am drawn to Silent Night. When I kneel and stare at the crèche, I am overwhelmed with the Lord's peace - the tranquility of the family before me - brought to this humble place by the grace of God. The humility of the manger, Mary holding her newborn, and Joseph's deep commitment to the Lord are all cloaked in the sanctity of divine silence. Mary's "fiat" demonstrates her complete trust in God. The unity and the harmony of the Holy Family at this moment - this snapshot of perfect trust in God - transcend all the trials of their journey and the earthly anxiety it brought to them.
As a working mother of two sons and spouse of a devoted husband for 23 years, I am constantly juggling schedules and my work and personal life. The economic downturn and high unemployment can lead to significant stress. These are the realities of today's workplace. When I sense the "captivity of activity" taking over, I am reminded of the crèche scene. It wasn't a mere need to perform on the job that the Holy Family faced - it was their entire future. They placed it in the Lord's hands. The more I let go of my troubles and place them in God's holy hands, the better I perform at home and at work. When I presented before my new CEO last year, I prayed for wisdom, humility and for confidence that only the Lord can bring to us. He blessed me with a good night's sleep - a "silent night"- and the divine confidence I needed to perform. With the Lord in charge, my new

CEO complimented me on my presentation. All glory to our Lord for making me still. TAKE THE CHALLENGE: Do I begin my day by giving thanks to God before rushing into my daily routine? When a particular problem seems insurmountable, do I place it in the Lord's hands?

O Holy Night
O Holy Night!
The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviours birth;
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;
Fall on your knees,
Oh, hear the angels voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night,
O night divine!

V2
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand;
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend;
He knows our need,
To our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King, before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King, before Him lowly bend!

V3
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace;
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name;
Christ is the Lord,
Oh, praise His name forever!
His powr and glory evermore proclaim!
His powr and glory evermore proclaim! 

Unforgiveness

 by Joyce Meyer

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings. —Mark 11:25–26

One of the greatest reasons why prayer isn’t answered among Christians is unforgiveness. Jesus gave His disciples a command to forgive, and then He told them plainly that if they did not forgive, neither would their Father in heaven forgive them their failings and shortcomings. He was blunt with them, because He knew what a stumbling block unforgiveness would be for their spiritual life.

It is important to note that forgiveness and having faith to move mountains comes in the same context. There is no power in speaking to a mountain if the heart is full of unforgiveness. Yet this problem is rampant among God’s children. If there is anything that will short-circuit God from answering our prayers, it’s a heart full of unforgiveness and bitterness toward others. You can’t go into your prayer closet and expect God to move mountains for you or on behalf of others when you’ve hardened your heart with unforgiveness. Extend abundant mercy and forgiveness just as God forgave you in Christ.


Daily Smile:
Charlie took his girl friend to her first football game. They had really good seats, right above their team's dugout. At the end of the game, Charlie asked her if she liked it. "Yeah, it was great," she said. "I mean, with all the tight pants and stuff. I just don't get why all the fuss about a quarter!" Charlie is confused. 

 "At the beginning of the game," she explained, "I saw the two guys flip a quarter. Then the rest of the game, all they said was: Get the quarterback! Get the quarterback! Hello! It's only 25 cents!" 

In The News:

Putin Set to Ban Americans From Adopting Russian Children
Russian president Vladimir Putin said Thursday he would sign a bill banning American families from adopting Russian orphans, apparently in retaliation for U.S. criticism of his nation's human rights record, Fox News reports. The law would block dozens of Russian children expected to be adopted by American families from leaving the country and cut off one of the main international routes for Russian children to leave orphanages. Russia is the single biggest source of adopted children in the U.S., with more than 60,000 Russian children being taken in by Americans over the past two decades. According to UNICEF estimates, there are more than 700,000 Russian orphans but only 18,000 Russians waiting to adopt a child. The U.S. State Department has expressed deep concern about the Russian measure. "The welfare of children is simply too important to be linked to political aspects of our relationship," said spokesman Patrick Ventrell.

Supreme Court Won't Block Contraception Mandate
U.S. Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor has denied a request to immediately block part of Obamacare that requires employers to provide the "morning after pill" and similar drugs, CBN News reports. Hobby Lobby and a sister company sued the government over the requirement, saying it violates their religious beliefs. But Sotomayor said there was no legal ground to block the requirement on an emergency basis, adding that the company can continue its lawsuit in the lower courts. Hobby Lobby officials must now decide if they will violate their faith by going along with the regulation, or pay a daily fine of $1.3 million starting Jan. 1 if they ignore it.

Study: 26 Percent of American Children Grow Up in Single-Parent Homes
A newly released study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that 25.8 percent of American children live in single-parent homes, WORLD Magazine reports. That number is particularly troubling when considering that of the 26 other countries surveyed, the average was 14.9 percent. Among African-Americans, the rate was much worse: 72 percent of black children grow up in single-parent homes. No-fault divorce and social welfare policies are among the possible explanations for the high rates of single-parent homes in the U.S.

Happy Sunday

DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD 
by Russell S. Miller

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (II Cor.4:4).

People sin under the cover of darkness--"they that be drunken are drunken in the night" (IThes.5:7). They suppose darkness hides the things they do. This is why unsaved man prefers evolution to creation. It destroys the thought, so he thinks, of having to "give [an] account of himself to God" (Rom.14:12).

How sad! You cannot hide from God. Because there is coming a day "in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead" (Acts 17:31).

In "that day" these poor souls will only wish they could hide from God, but they will not be able to do so. See Revelation 6:15-17; 20:11-15. These same, now suppose that "that day" is so far away that they need not be concerned. To this the Apostle retorts:

"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight. But all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do" (Heb.4:13).

The difference between the unsaved and those of us who are saved is that we not only have a Saviour, but we also have "a great high priest", who intercedes for us when we fail. The Lord Jesus loves you, my unsaved friend, and wants to be your Saviour, too.

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us" (Rom.8:31-34).

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb.4:14-16).

Don't hide like Adam who sinned, but "seek the Lord, if haply [you] might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us" (Acts 17:27)

.Even in the darkness of this world's sin and wickedness God is there, and He will hear you, and save you, if you will simply ask Him (Rom.10:13).

The Lighthouse

There's a lighthouse on a hillside
That overlooks life's sea
When I'm tossed, it sends out
A light that I might see
And the light that shines in darkness now
Will safely lead me thru the night
If it wasn't for The Lighthouse
My ship would sail no more.


cho: And I thank God for The Lighthouse
     Well, I owe my life to Him
     For Jesus is The Lighthouse
     And from the rocks I've seen
     He has shown a light all around me
     That I might clearly see
     If it wasn't for The Lighthouse
     Tell me where would this ship be.

Ev'rybody that lives about me
They said tear that lighthouse down
'Cause the big ships they don't sail this way anymore
There's no use of it standing 'round
Then my mind goes back to that stormy night
When just in time, I saw that light
Yes that light from that old lighthouse
That stands up there on the hill.

cho:

He has shown a light all around me
That I could clearly see
If it wasn't for The Lighthouse
Tell me where would this ship be.

 
Daily Smile:
A women’s lib speaker was addressing a large group and said, “Where would man be today if it were not for woman?”

She paused a moment and looked around the room. “I repeat, where would man be today if it were not for woman?”

From the back of the room came a voice, “He’d be in the Garden of Eden eating strawberries.”

Happy Saturday

The Unraveling of a Marriage By Lysa TerKeurst

"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10 (NIV)

I had a favorite sweater I loved wearing. It wasn't too bulky but was still warm and cozy. The only problem was the threads were loosely woven together. It would snag on things, so I had to be careful.

I was mindful of the delicate nature of this sweater so I could protect it, make it last, and enjoy wearing it time and again.

Until one day I was in a hurry, grabbed some things I needed and rushed to my car. I tossed my stuff on the passenger seat, including a spiral notebook whose metal binding wire caught on my sleeve. As I pulled my arm toward the steering wheel, the notebook came with it and pulled a huge snag in my sweater.

I unhooked myself and assessed the damage. I should have taken the sweater off and later taken time to repair the snag the correct way.

But in my rush, I made the decision to do what seemed easiest in the moment. I snipped the lose threads and hoped for the best.

That decision started an unraveling process that ended the life of my beautiful sweater.

Recently, my husband and I got into an argument. In front of the kids. Over something so stupid. Right before we were about to head out the door to go on a date.

In the heat of the argument he announced the date was off. He no longer wanted to go. Honestly, I didn't either.

I wanted to sit in a coffee shop by myself and make a mental list of all the reasons I was right. All the reasons he was wrong. And justify my perspective.

But it's at this exact moment of resistance an unraveling can begin.

Doing what seems easy in the moment often isn't what's best for the long term.

I pushed for us to still go on our date. It wasn't fun. It wasn't easy. There were tears.

There were awkward stretches of silence. But we pushed through the resistance we both felt, and eventually talked.

Talking through the snags. The pulls. The things that threaten to unravel us.

There is a delicate nature to marriage. It's so easy to forget that. It's so easy to take it all for granted and stop being careful. Stop being mindful. Stop being protective.

The unraveling can happen so quickly. And the unraveling doesn't just happen in marriages. It can occur with best friends, children, in-laws ... especially during the holidays.

Yes, during what's considered the happiest season of the year, stress levels can be at an all time high. Between coordinating family get-togethers, shopping blow-out sales, and spending time with that relative you might not be friends with if you weren't related, Christmas can feel anything but merry and the New Year anything but happy. And all that's pulling at you can make tempers flare and your relationships feel like they're coming apart at the seams.

Be intentional about catching the snags in these relationships. Today. Right now.

For me, being intentional required an apology to my husband. By admitting I was wrong and asking for forgiveness. Repairing the snags the correct way—tying a knot and tucking it back into the weave of our relationship fabric.

Dear Lord, thank You for special relationships. I let my emotional state get the best of me sometimes, but I want You to be in control of how I react. Please give me the spirit I need to build up people around me instead of tearing them down. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Jesus Loves Me

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He who died,
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! loves me still,
When I'm very weak and ill;
From His shining throne on high,
Comes to watch me where I lie.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He will stay,
Close beside me all the way;
He's prepared a home for me,
And some day His face I'll see.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Daily Smile:
     There once was an old man who was about to die. He told his wife to put a bag of money in the attic "When I die I'll get it on my way up." chuckled the old man. Well when the old man died the wife went up to the attic and found that the bag of money was still there. 

     "I knew I should have put that money in the cellar!" said the old woman. 

In The News:

Iran: Pastor Nadarkhani Jailed Again
It was a bad Christmas for Iranian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, who has been returned to jail on an earlier charge, ASSIST News Service reports. In September, a court acquitted Nadarkhani of apostasy, but sentenced him to three years for evangelizing Muslims. Since he had already spent close to three years in Lakan Prison in Rasht, Nadarkhani was released after posting bail. However, sources at Christian Solidarity Worldwide now report that Nadarkhani has been returned to jail on the orders of the directors of Lakan Prison, who claimed he had been released several days too early due to the insistence of his lawyer, Mohammed Ali Dadkhah. "We are disappointed to hear Pastor Nadarkhani has been returned to prison in such an irregular manner," said Mervyn Thomas of CSW. "The timing is insensitive and especially sad for his wife and sons, who must have been looking forward to celebrating Christmas with him for the first time in three years. We hope that Pastor Nadarkhani will be released without delay once this alleged sentence has been fully served. We are also asking for prayers for the pastor's safety, and for his family at this difficult time."

British Kids List 'Dad' as Tenth Most Requested Christmas Gift
A study of 2,000 British parents found that the 10th most popular Christmas list request this year for children aged 3 to 12 was "a dad," The Telegraph reports. A new baby brother or sister topped the list, closely followed by a request for a real-life reindeer, a pet horse and a car. The top 50 requests also included snow, a dog, other pets and animals, chocolate, iPhones and iPads. A request for a mom also reached number 23 on the list.

Gunmen Kill at Least 12 Christians at Separate Church Services in Northern Nigeria
At least 12 Christians, including a pastor and a deacon, were killed by unknown gunmen in separate attacks in northern Nigeria on Christmas Eve, International Christian Concern reports. Witnesses said the gunmen also set a church on fire in connection with the attacks. Late on Christmas Eve, gunmen opened fire on the Evangelical Church of West Africa in Peri, killing the pastor and five worshippers. In a separate attack, gunmen attacked worshippers at the First Baptist Church in Maiduguri, killing a deacon and five church members. The Islamist group Boko Haram is suspected to be behind the attacks, even though the group has yet to claim responsibility. Boko Haram, which is fighting to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria's north, is known to target Christians, their places of worship, and government institutions. Leading up to the Christmas holiday, Christians and government officials had been preparing for potential attacks by Boko Haram, with many Christians considering not attending church services because of the potential of being attacked. 

Happy Friday

Salt Block Christians!
     "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:16
     In the final paragraph of Revelation, John records these words of Jesus Christ:  "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!'  And let him who hears say, 'Come!'  Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life" (22:17).  Here is a threefold invitation given by the Holy Spirit speaking through the Word of God;  by the bride of Christ, His church; and by those who have already responded to Christ.  To whom is this invitation given?  To all who are thirsty.

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

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

     Later that week, the man called and said he had become a Christian.  The way the family lived had convinced him of his need for Christ.

Prayer
"Lord, help me to be salt in the world, creating thirst for the Living Water. Amen."

     My home, my lifestyle, and my responses to the difficulties of life affect how non-Christians perceive their need for Christ."


Away In A Manger

Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed,
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the heavens
Looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing,
The poor Baby wakes,
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.
Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed,
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the heavens
Looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay

Daily Smile:
Holidays around the precinct are always lively, especially in the 911 areas.
One particular night, a drunk calls in, and the following communication began:
"911, what is your emergency?"
"Osifer, I've been robbed!"
"Can you be more specific sir?"
"Osifer, someone stole my steering wheel, my gas pedal and my brake pedal."
"Could you please repeat that sir?" By now there's a crowd gathering around the dispatcher's chair.
"Yes, shur. Someone stole my gas pedal, my brake pedal and my steering wheel."
"Sir, what is your location?"
"I'm in my car."
"Sir, could you explain to me exactly where your car is located?"
"Yes, shur. I'm on Baker Street. Uh, 488 Baker!"
"Alright, sir, we'll send officers out to investigate it. Try to stay calm."
The phone call ends at this point but not five minutes later another call comes in.
"911, what is your emergency?"
"Osifer?"
"Yes, what is your emergency please?"
"Osifer, this is me again. I just found my steering wheel, my gas pedal and my brake pedal."
"Okay, sir. Are you still needing assistance?"
"No, shur, I was just in the back seat."

In The News:

Poll: More Than One-Third of Americans See Signs of End Times in Extreme Weather
More than a third of Americans -- 36 percent -- believe the severity of recent natural disasters is evidence that we are the "end times" described in the New Testament, the Religion News Service reports. "There is a significant proportion of Americans who see these phenomena through a theological lens," said Daniel Cox of the Public Religion Research Institute. "It's hardly a fringe belief. It's nearly four in 10 Americans who are embracing this." The conviction is particularly strong among white evangelical Protestants (65 percent), and less common among Catholics (21 percent) and the religiously unaffiliated (15 percent). But a majority of Americans connect recent extreme weather to climate change: 63 percent say the severity of recent weather is evidence of global warming, compared to 33 percent who disagree. Cox noted religious divisions among Americans on recent destructive storms, floods, snowstorms and heat waves. Sixty-nine percent of religiously unaffiliated Americans link dramatic weather to global warming, compared to 60 percent of Catholics and 50 percent of white evangelicals. "They're experiencing the same weather, but how they perceive it is very different," Cox said. The differences among Democrats and Republicans are even starker, with 70 percent of Democrats and 65 percent of independents saying unusual weather patterns are evidence of global warming, compared to 43 percent of Republicans. The survey also found that 29 percent of Americans believe God sometimes punishes nations for the political decisions of their leaders, though 65 percent reject this idea.

Iranian Pastor Shares Joy Despite Imprisonment in Letter to Christians
Jailed Iranian pastor Behnam Irani, who last month was denied hospitalization despite his critical condition, wrote a letter from his prison cell before Christmas, ministering to Christians in his country and thanking God for letting him share "very little of" Jesus' suffering on the cross, the Christian Post reports. "Despite the pressure and difficulties in prison, I am pleased to share, what is like a fountain, my Christian joy with you in the new Christmas days to come," wrote Irani, who is currently serving a six-year sentence. "My brothers and sisters, I love you all. Christ has given you to me on Calvary. Even if I were sentenced to many years behind bars for the salvation of one of you, there would never be any complaint." Before his arrest in 2011 for "acting against the interests of national security," Irani was leading the Church of Iran in the city of Karaj. He has been tortured in prison and was denied hospitalization for a bleeding ulcer. Several times he was found unconscious in his prison cell, raising fears for his well-being. His wife and two children have said they are afraid that unless the beatings stop and he is offered proper medical care, he could die in prison soon. Yet suffering has not robbed Irani of the joy Jesus gives. "I congratulate all the saints at Christmas and the coming new year," he wrote.

Out-of-Wedlock Births Society's 'New Norm'
The number of children being born outside of marriage has increased sharply, according to a new study by the National Marriage Project and the Institute for American Values, CBN News reports. The report focuses on what it calls "middle America," the nearly 60 percent of Americans who complete high school but not college. Among that group, 44 percent of children are now born outside of marriage -- up from 13 percent in the 1980s. "Marriage in middle America is at a tipping point, with unwed childbearing threatening to become a new norm," said study co-author Brad Wilcox. Research shows children born or raised outside of marriage are more likely to suffer from a range of social and emotional problems, including drug use, depression, attempted suicide and dropping out of high school.

Happy Thursday

For Thou Art With Me

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

BIBLE MEDITATION: “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 Thy staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
There’s nothing, my friend, that will bring you more face-to-face with God than going through the dark valleys of life. When you are there, you are going to cling to His garments and hold onto His hand. You won’t stray far from the fold in the dark.

Do you believe that He is with you? The ultimate Sovereign is your loving Savior. You will not have to cross Jordan alone. You will not appear before the judgment of the Holy God alone. You are not going to die alone.

ACTION POINT:
What a joyful promise! You are not alone! Write these words on a card and post it in a place where you can see it all the time:

“I am not alone. God is with me.”

I serve a risen Savior

1. 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.
• 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 me how I know He lives?
      He lives within my heart.
2. In all the world around me
     I see His loving care,
   And though my heart grows weary,
     I never will despair;
   I know that He is leading,
     Through all the stormy blast;
   The day of His appearing
     Will come at last.
3. 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 Doctor was addressing a large audience in Tampa.. 'The material we put into our stomachs is enough to have killed most of us sitting here, years ago. Red meat is awful. Soft drinks corrode your stomach lining.. Chinese food is loaded with MSG. High fat diets can be disastrous, and none of us realizes the long-term harm caused by the germs in our drinking water. However, there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and we all have eaten, or will eat it. Can anyone here tell me what food it is that causes the most grief and suffering for years after eating it?' 

After several seconds of quiet, a 75-year-old man in the front row raised his hand, and softly said, 'Wedding Cake.' 

In The News:

Poll: Christmas Music Enjoyed by 70 Percent of Americans
Christmas music is nearly inescapable every December -- and according to a new LifeWay Research study, most Americans enjoy it, Baptist Press reports. According to the poll, 70 percent of Americans enjoy hearing Christmas music in December and 86 percent believe school choirs and bands should be allowed to perform religious Christmas music. However, 21 percent said the prevalence of Christmas music in December is "overdone," and 7 percent find it "annoying." More than eight in 10 Americans who consider themselves to be a born-again, evangelical or fundamentalist Christian say they find the prevalence of Christmas music enjoyable, compared to 59 percent of those who "never" attend religious services. When it comes to the type of Christmas music, 67 percent enjoy listening to "both secular and religious songs," 11 percent enjoy only "secular" songs and 6 percent only enjoy "religious" songs. One in 10 Americans say they prefer not to hear any Christmas music.

New 'Queen James Bible' Removes References to Homosexuality From Scripture
In an effort to eliminate all known Scripture references to homosexuality being sinful, a new gay-friendly "Bible" has been released, the Christian News Network reports. "We wanted to make a book filled with the word of God that nobody could use to incorrectly condemn God's LGBT children, and we succeeded," state the publishers of the "Queen James" version, which was published at the end of November. "You can't choose your sexuality, but you can choose Jesus. Now you can choose a Bible, too." The "Queen James" version, which features a rainbow homosexual cross on its cover, makes changes to eight scripture passages it feels have been wrongly construed to reference homosexuality. For example, instead of God's law in Leviticus 18:21 reading "Thou shall not lie with mankind as with womankind: it is abomination," it now reads, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind in the temple of Molech: it is an abomination," insinuating that homosexuality began as a pagan practice and is only prohibited when sexual acts are done in the name of paganism. In 1 Corinthians 6:9, the publishers replace the word "effeminate" with the phrase "morally weak." The edited Bible continues to garner criticism; one reviewer on Amazon writes, "You can change words in the Bible at your own peril, but just because you change the words to make yourself feel better about your grievous sin of homosexuality, it does not change the truth."

Pastor in Lahore, Pakistan, Threatened for Evangelizing
A 39-year-old pastor in Lahore, Pakistan, has been threatened for evangelizing in the Punjab province, ASSIST News Service reports. Kamran Gill has been working with various human rights organizations and denominations for development of youth and marginalized communities, emphasizing the importance of education. However, the locals are not in favor of educating the youth. "It is ironic that a person stands to educate the masses [and] instead they start threatening him," said Father John Samuel of the Lahore Diocese. "They are afraid to educate the youth and they fear that if they will become educated, they will start asking questions and they will start thinking on their own. Unfortunately, a few people in Pakistan want to keep the people covered with illiteracy, so that they can use them for their gain. ... We condemn such a violation of the basic human rights and we condemn the threats given to [Gill] for his work." Gill's wife passed away in Sept. 2011, leaving behind a 9-year-old daughter. The recent threats forced Gill to keep his daughter at home for fear that extremists may target her. A formal complaint has been lodged and police are investigating the matter.
 

Happy Wednesday

Knowing CHRIST As He Should Be Known 

By Pastor C.R. Stam

John the Baptist introduced our Lord with the proclamation: "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2). Throughout His earthly ministry Christ was known as the "Son of David," the King with whom God made a covenant to establish His kingdom forever.

The Old Testament prophets predicted that Christ would (and He will) reign on earth upon the throne of His father David. While His kingdom was being proclaimed "at hand" He walked and talked and ate with men as "the Son of Man". Wearied with traveling He sat at Jacob's well and asked for a drink of water. Pressed by the throng, He got into a fishing boat and addressed the multitude from the sea. Hated by His adversaries, He was tied, scourged, spit upon and nailed to a tree. This was indeed "Christ manifest in the flesh."

With regard to His humiliation, however, the Apostle Paul says by divine inspiration that "God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name" (Philippians 2:9).

Again, the Apostle declares that God's mighty power was "wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenliest, far above all (Ephesians 1:20). He is no longer to be known as "the lowly Jesus" but as the exalted Lord in Heaven. And this has its bearing on us too: "Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now, henceforth, know we Him no more" (II Corinthians 5:16). Our blessed Lord is now to be known as the glorified Son of God, the great Dispenser of Grace to a lost humanity; the One who in love and mercy "tasted death for every man" (Hebrews 2:9).


Oh, How I Love JESUS

1. There is a Name I love to hear,
   I love to sing its worth;
   It sounds like music in my ear,
   The sweetest Name on earth.
   • Refrain:
     Oh, how I love Jesus,
     Oh, how I love Jesus,
     Oh, how I love Jesus,
     Because He first loved me!
2. It tells me of a Savior’s love,
   Who died to set me free;
   It tells me of His precious blood,
   The sinner’s perfect plea.
3. It tells me of a Father’s smile
   Beaming upon His child;
   It cheers me through this little while,
   Through desert, waste, and wild.
4. It tells me what my Father hath
   In store for every day,
   And though I tread a darksome path,
   Yields sunshine all the way.
5. It tells of One whose loving heart
   Can feel my deepest woe;
   Who in each sorrow bears a part
   That none can bear below.
6. It bids my trembling heart rejoice;
   It dries each rising tear;
   It tells me, in a “still small voice,”
   To trust and never fear.
7. Jesus, the Name I love so well,
   The Name I love to hear:
   No saint on earth its worth can tell,
   No heart conceive how dear.
8. This Name shall shed its fragrance still
   Along this thorny road,
   Shall sweetly smooth the rugged hill
   That leads me up to God.
9. And there with all the blood-bought throng,
   From sin and sorrow free,
   I’ll sing the new eternal song
   Of Jesus’ love for me.

Daily Smile:

In The News:

Texas Policeman Gives Ticket and $100 to Needy Driver
A police officer in Texas -- who wants to remain anonymous -- is gaining attention after he gave a man a $100 bill folded in a citation, Fox News reports. When Hayden Carlo, 25, was pulled over by Plano police because he had an expired registration, he said he told the police officer he was struggling financially. "I don't have the money," he told the officer. "It was either feed my kids or get this registration done." The officer then handed him a citation, but when Carlo opened the paper, he saw a $100 bill. Carlo said he "broke down" in his car -- "What else can you do?" -- and was able to update both his and his wife's registrations with the money. The charitable act would have gone unnoticed, except Carlo's grandfather was moved to contact the police department about the gesture. The officer does not want to be identified, but a department spokesman said he is 43 and has a family. He apparently has a past of doing good deeds at his old post at another police department, and his coworkers are reportedly planning on honoring him for his generosity.

Christian Father of Five Shot to Death in Somalia for Leaving Islam
Gunmen in central Somalia on Dec. 8 killed an underground Christian who had been receiving death threats for leaving Islam, Morning Star News reports. Two unidentified masked men shot Mursal Isse Siad, 55, outside his home in Beledweyne, 200 miles north of Mogadishu, and fled immediately after the murder. Siad's oldest daughter, 15, said her father was killed "because he failed to attend the mosque for prayers and used to pray at home. He used to share with us about Jesus." She said he had received messages on his mobile phone stating, "We know what you are doing, and you must stop, otherwise you risk your life." A Christian source in Mogadishu confirmed the killing, and a Muslim resident of the Beledweyne area also said Siad was killed for leaving Islam. "Siad deserved to die because he was not committed to the Islamic religion," the resident said. Siad's 42-year-old wife, three daughters and two sons have fled the area, fearing for their lives.

Unbelief Now the World's Third-Largest 'Religion'
A new study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life shows that while Christians and Muslims make up the two largest groups, those with no religious affiliation -- including atheists and agnostics -- are now the third-largest "religious" group in the world, the Religion News Service reports. The study found that 84 percent of the world's 7 billion people adhere to some form of religion. Christians make up the largest group, with 2.2 billion adherents, or 23 percent worldwide, followed by Muslims, with 1.6 billion adherents, or 23 percent worldwide. Close behind are the "nones" -- those who say they have no religious affiliation -- at 1.1 billion, or 16 percent. "One out of six people does not have a religious identity," said Conrad Hackett, a primary researcher and demographer on the study. "But it is also striking that the overwhelming majority of the world does have some type of religious identity. So I think people will be surprised by either way of looking at it. The next largest groups, the report finds, are Hindus (1 billion people, or 15 percent), Buddhists (500 million people, or 7 percent) and Jews (14 million people, or 0.2 percent). More than 400 million people -- 6 percent -- practice folk traditions from African, Chinese, Native American or Australian aboriginal cultures. An additional 58 million people -- slightly less than 1 percent -- belong to "other" religions, such as the Baha'i faith, Jainism, Sikhism, Shintoism, Taoism, Tenrikyo, Wicca and Zoroastrianism.

Happy Tuesday - Christmas Day

Happy Birthday JESUS...

Loneliness During the Holidays

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

BIBLE MEDITATION: “For Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.” Psalm 116:8

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I believe that the holidays are the loneliest time of the year. Everywhere you look, people are told they’re supposed to be happy and they realize they’re not. They see everybody else acting happy, and they feel so lonely. Just walking down the mall can make you feel lonely.

But Jesus has said, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). When I’m discouraged, His presence sees me through. When I’m lonely His presence cheers me up.  When I’m worried, His presence calms me down. And when I am tempted, His presence will help me out.

ACTION POINT:
Write down the last portion of this devotional thought and personalize it. Now use it as a prayer of faith and trust.

A Russian Christmas Story - "For Always"

by Will Fish

In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on biblical principles) in the public schools. They were invited to teach at prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments and a large orphanage. About 100 boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused, and left in the care of a government-run program were in the orphanage. They relate the following story in their own words:

 

It was nearing the holiday season, 1994, time for our orphans to hear for the first time the traditional story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem . Finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a stable, where the baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger.

 

Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word.

 

Completing the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins I had brought with me. No colored paper was available in the city. Following instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the manger for straw. Small squares of flannel (cut from a worn-out nightgown an American lady was throwing away as she left Russia ) were used for the baby's blanket. A doll-like baby was cut from tan felt we had brought from the United States .

 

The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they needed any help. All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat--he looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project. As I looked at the little boy's manger, I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger.

 

Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the manger. Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at his completed manger scene, the child began to repeat the story very seriously. For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately --until he came to the part where Mary put the baby Jesus in the manger.

 

Then Misha started to ad lib. He made up his own ending to the story as he said, "And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no mamma and I have no papa, so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus, "If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?" And Jesus told me, "If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me." "So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him---for always."

 

As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed. The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon nor abuse him, someone who would stay with him--FOR ALWAYS.

“And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” –Deuteronomy 6:7

Away In A Manger

Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed,
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the heavens
Looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing,
The poor Baby wakes,
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.
Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed,
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the heavens
Looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay

For those of you that have lost loved one this year and in previous years...

 

Christmas in Heaven

I've had my first Christmas in Heaven
A Glorious, wonderful day.
I stood with the saints of the ages,
who found Christ the Truth and the Way.

I sang with the Heavenly Choir:
Just think: I who longed so to sing!
And oh, what celestial music
we brought to our Savior and King!

We sang the glad songs of redemption,
How Jesus to Bethlehem came,
And how they called His name Jesus,
That all might be saved through His name.

We sang once again with the angels,
The song that they sang that blest morn,
When shepherds first heard the glad story
That Jesus, the Savior, was born.

Oh, how I wish you had been there:
No Christmas on earth could compare
With all the rapture and glory
We witnessed in Heaven so fair.

You know how I always loved Christmas;
It seemed such a wonderful day,
With all of my loved ones around me
The children so happy and gay.

Yes, now I can see why I loved it:
And oh, what a joy it will be
When you and my loved ones are with me:
To share in the glories I see.

So dear ones on earth, here's my greeting:
Look up till the day dawn appears,
And oh, what a Christmas awaits us,
Beyond all our parting and tears.

In The News:

American Pastor Imprisoned Without Notice of Charges While Visiting Family in Iran
A 32-year-old Iranian who is a U.S. citizen and a Christian convert has been imprisoned without notice of any formal charges while visiting his family in Iran, Fox News reports. In July, the Rev. Saeed Abedini, who lives in the U.S. with his wife and two young children, was making one of his frequent trips to visit his parents and relatives in Iran, his home country where he spent many years as a Christian leader and developer of Iran's underground house church movement for Christian converts from Islam. The Iranian government pulled him off a bus, confiscated his passports and subjected him to intense interrogation, saying he must face a penalty for his previous work as a Christian leader in Iran. He is currently awaiting trial in Iran's notorious Evin Prison, where he has been since late September, and his family members -- who are also Christian converts from Islam -- are under house arrest. Two days before Abedini was thrown in prison, his wife, Naghmeh, received a call from someone she thinks was an Iranian government agent threatening that she would never see her husband again. "When he became a Christian, he became a criminal in his own country," Naghmeh said. The American Center for Law and Justice is providing legal support to Naghmeh by working through the U.S. government, members of Congress, various governments around the world, and leaders in the U.N. to help release Abedini. Over the course of Abedini's involvement, his house church movement had about 100 congregations in 30 Iranian cities with more than 2,000 members.

Syrian Christians Prepare for Somber Christmas
For Syrian Christians in the midst of a terrible civil war, Christmas will be different this year. Open Doors USA reports that there will be few decorations and no big celebrations, as Christians don't want to attract attention and make themselves a target for extremists. "We will use the Christmas time to visit the families that have been going through pain and suffering," a pastor in Damascus says. "The whole city is mourning the loss of their people, family and friends this year, so people will not really celebrate. ... We will be just serving others. We will focus on getting together for prayer." A church leader from the northern Syrian city of Aleppo says their Christmas celebrations will be somber too. "We are not  celebrating Christmas like before," he says. "We will have services in church and invite church people to come and bring their friends. The focus will be on children more than anyone else because they need to feel some joy." Syrian Christians ask prayers during this time for safety and strength, for the ability to meet during Christmas, for comfort, and for believers to be able to continue sharing the gospel with their Muslim neighbors.

Church Bells Ring Nationwide for Newtown Shooting Victims
Church bells tolled across the U.S. Friday morning in remembrance of the victims of the Newtown, Conn., school shooting last Friday, and religious leaders called on people to pause and reflect on the tragedy, the Christian Post reports. "Bells in churches historically have a variety of functions. They are announcements, they are a call to prayer, they are a memorial and they are a call to action," said the Rev. Richard Burnett of Trinity Episcopal Church Downtown in Columbus, Ohio. "I think all of those things at one level or another can speak to people in our community a week after the tragedy of the massacre." Some churches, like the one in Ohio, rang the bell 26 times in observance of the victims shot dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School, while others, like some in Texas, rang 28 times to include the gunman and his mother in the count. People across the U.S. on Friday morning also joined in a nationwide moment of silence called for by Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy.

Happy Monday - Christmas Eve Day

The Dime
Author: Unknown

Bobby was getting cold sitting out in his back yard in the snow. Bobby didn't wear boots; he didn't like them and anyway he didn't own any. The thin sneakers he wore had a few holes in them and they did a poor job of keeping out the cold. Bobby had been in his backyard for about an hour already.  And, try as he might, he could not come up with an idea for his mother's Christmas gift. He shook his head as he thought,

"This is useless, even if I do come up with an idea, I don't have any money to spend."

Ever since his father had passed away three years ago, the family of five had struggled. It wasn't because his mother didn't care, or try, there just never seemed to be enough. She worked nights at the hospital, but the small wage that she was earning could only be stretched so far.

What the family lacked in money and material things, they more than made up for in love and family unity. Bobby had two older and one younger sister, who ran the house hold in their mother's absence. All three of his sisters had already made beautiful gifts for their mother.  Somehow it just wasn't fair. Here it was Christmas Eve already, and he had nothing.

Wiping a tear from his eye, Bobby kicked the snow and started to walk down to the street where the shops and stores were. It wasn't easy being six without a father, especially when he needed a man to talk to.  Bobby walked from shop to shop, looking into each decorated window. Everything seemed so beautiful and so out of reach.

It was starting to get dark and Bobby reluctantly turned to walk home when suddenly his eyes caught the glimmer of the setting sun's rays reflecting off of something along the curb. He reached down and discovered a shiny dime. Never before has anyone felt so wealthy as Bobby felt at that moment.  As he held his new found treasure, warmth spread throughout his entire body and he walked into the first store he saw.  His excitement quickly turned cold when the salesperson told him that he couldn't buy anything with only a dime.

He saw a flower shop and went inside to wait in line. When the shop owner asked if he could help him, Bobby presented the dime and asked if he could buy one flower for his mother's Christmas gift. The shop owner looked at Bobby and his ten cent offering.  Then he put his hand on Bobby's shoulder and said to him, "You just wait here and I'll see what I can do for you."  As Bobby waited he looked at the beautiful flowers and even though he was a boy, he could see why mothers and girls liked flowers.  The sound of the door closing as the last customer left jolted Bobby back to reality. All alone in the shop, Bobby began to feel alone and afraid.

Suddenly the shop owner came out and moved to the counter.  There, before Bobby's eyes, lay twelve long stem, red roses, with leaves of green and tiny white flowers all tied together with a big silver bow. Bobby's heart sank as the owner picked them up and placed them gently into a long white box.  "That will be ten cents young man." the shop owner said reaching out his hand for the dime.

Slowly, Bobby moved his hand to give the man his dime. Could this be true?  No one else would give him a thing for his dime!  Sensing the boy's reluctance, the shop owner added, "I just happened to have some roses on sale for ten cents a dozen. Would you like them?"  This time Bobby did not hesitate, and when the man placed the long box into his hands, he knew it was true. Walking out the door that the owner was holding for Bobby, he heard the shop keeper say, "Merry Christmas, son."

As he returned inside, the shop keeper's wife walked out. "Who were you talking to back there and where are the roses you were fixing?"

Staring out the window, and blinking the tears from his own eyes, he replied, "A strange thing happened to me this morning. While I was setting up things to open the shop, I thought I heard a voice telling me to set aside a dozen of my best roses for a special gift. I wasn't sure at the time whether I had lost my mind or what, but I set them aside anyway.  Then just a few minutes ago, a little boy came into the shop and wanted to buy a flower for his mother with one small dime. When I looked at him, I saw myself, many years ago. I too, was a poor boy with nothing to buy my mother a Christmas gift. A bearded man, whom I never knew, stopped me on the street and told me that he wanted to give me ten dollars.  When I saw that little boy tonight, I knew who that voice was, and I put together a dozen of my very best roses."

The shop owner and his wife hugged each other tightly, and as they stepped out into the bitter cold air, they somehow didn't feel cold at all.

May this story instill the spirit of Christmas in you enough to pass this act along.

“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” - James 1:27  

The First Noel 

 The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepards in fields as they lay:
In fields where they lay a keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel.

They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far:
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued both day and night.
Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel.

And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from the country far;
To seek for a King was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

This star drew nigh to the north-west;
O'er Bethlehem it took it's rest,
And there it did both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

Then entered in those wise men three,
Fell reverently upon their knee,
And offered there in his presence
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the kind of Israel.

Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
That hath made heaven and earth of nought,
And with his blood mankind has bought.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

Daily Smile:

Top Things Overheard on the Wise Men's Journey to Bethlehem

- "OK, we got gold. We got the frankincense. We got the Myrrh. Think we should get something more practical, like diapers maybe?"

- "I thought this was SUPPOSED to be a WEEKEND road trip. Boy, is my wife ever gonna be ticked when I get home."

- "All this gazing at a star while riding a camel is making me woozy."

- "I still say it wouldn't hurt to drop by Balthazar's place for another visit on the way back. That was SOME buffet!"

- "16 hours a day on a camel. Are you sure this beats walking?"

- "Why should I always have to be in the rear? It's somebody else's turn to get sand in his face."

- "You guys have any idea how to treat saddle sores?"

- "Man, I'm starting to get a rush from this frankincense!"

- "You guys ever eat camel meat? I hear it tastes like chicken."

- "You know, I used to go to school with a girl name Beth Lehem."

- "What kind of name is Balthazar anyhow? Phoenician?"

- "Hey, do you either of you know why "MYRRH" is spelled with a "Y" instead of a "U"?"

- "Okay, who forgot to give their camel a bath before we left?"

- "Whaddya mean we'll be part of history? A year from now, nobody will have a clue why we did this."

And the top thing overheard on the Wise Men's Journey to Bethlehem:

- "I can't wait to see and bow down before the Messiah that has long been foretold!"  

In The News: Obama Announces More Gun Control by January
President Barack Obama announced Wednesday the formation of a new working group on gun violence to be chaired by Vice President Joe Biden in light of last week's school shooting in Connecticut, CNSNews.com reports. Obama told press gathered at the White House: "Look, like the majority of Americans, I believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual the right to bear arms. ... And the fact is, the vast majority of gun owners in America are responsible; they buy their guns legally and they use them safely. ... But you know what? I am also betting that the majority of responsible, law-abiding gun owners would be some of the first to say that we should be able to keep the irresponsible, law-breaking few from buying a weapon of war. I'm willing to bet that they don't think that using a gun and using common sense are incompatible ideas. That an imbalanced man should be able to get his hands on a military-style assault rifle so easily." Almost immediately following Friday's deadly shooting in Newtown, Conn., Obama hinted at taking action on gun control, but he did not talk about specific measures until Wednesday. Several members of Congress have also called for stricter gun control measures in response to the shooting.

In Debate Over Gun Control and Mental Health, Evangelicals Diverge From Rest of Nation
In the wake of last week's massacre of 20 first-graders at Sandy Hook Elementary, two main subjects of debate have emerged regarding how to prevent future tragedies: better gun control versus better treatment of mental illness. Both sides have vocal advocates, and a recent survey of attitudes toward gun control suggests where evangelicals and other religious groups stand on the issue, Christianity Today reports. The August survey by the Public Religion Research Institute and the Religion News Service posed the question: "What do you think is the most important thing that could be done to prevent mass shootings from occurring in the United States?" Only 8 percent of white evangelicals said "stricter gun control laws and enforcement," whereas 19 percent said "better mental health screening and support." Thirty-six percent chose a third option: "Put more emphasis on God and morality in school and society." Meanwhile, 41 percent of minority Christians favor focusing on gun control whereas 20 percent favor focusing on mental health and only 14 percent favor focusing on God and morality. By comparison, 27 percent of all Americans favor focusing on gun control, 22 percent favor focusing on mental health and 20 percent favor focusing on God and morality. Catholics and the religiously unaffiliated favor focusing on gun control, whereas mainline Protestants favor focusing on mental health. 

Parents Say Christmas Carols are Form of Bullying
A group of parents in Missoula, Mont., are upset over the religious nature of Christmas songs performed at a local elementary school -- alleging the songs about Jesus are unconstitutional and a "form of bullying," Fox News reports. The parents are threatening to sue the Missoula County Public School District unless songs like "Joy to the World" and "Good Christian Men Rejoice" are replaced with secular tunes. "Bullying is such a hot topic, yet that seems to be what is occurring here," the parents, whose children attend Chief Charlo Elementary School, wrote in a letter obtained by The Missoulian. "When the children are singing about the lord and savior Jesus Christ -- public school is not the place." The school has a number of students who are Jewish, Buddhist and Muslim, and according to the parents, "one of the largest complaints last year was the young children singing about 'their Lord.'" Superintendent Alex Apostle said he took church and state issues seriously. "These are difficult waters sometimes, and I think we are moving forward in a respectful way," he said. "We as a school system want our children to enjoy the holiday season. In the process, we are obviously respectful of the beliefs and cultures of all children and their families."

Egyptians Take to the Streets to Reject Islamist Constitution
Egypt's opposition is leading mass protests to reject the Islamist-backed draft constitution, days after President Morsi claimed victory in the first round of voting amid allegations of polling violations, International Christian Concern reports. The National Salvation Front, a coalition led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, called for mass demonstrations Tuesday to urge rejection of the constitution, which was finalized by the Islamist-dominated constituent assembly after Christians and secular parties had pulled out of it, alleging marginalization. Ten of Egypt's 27 districts cast ballots Saturday, Dec. 15 -- following which the Muslim Brotherhood claimed the constitution was approved by 57 percent of those who voted -- and voting in the remaining governorates is scheduled for this coming weekend. The constitution must be approved by more than 50 percent of voters who cast ballots. According to rights groups, irregularities and violations marred Saturday's voting -- including the presence of Muslim Brotherhood members at the polls, women being prevented from voting because they weren't wearing Islamic veils, and Christians being denied entry to polling stations.

Planned Parenthood Election Spending Highly Effective
The country's top abortion provider received a great return on the money it spent in this year's election, according to an analysis by the Sunlight Foundation, Baptist Press reports. The analysis showed that more than 98 percent of Planned Parenthood Action Fund's spending in election races produced the desired result, making Planned Parenthood No. 1 for effectiveness in the 2012 election cycle. Planned Parenthood, which spent about $15 million in the election, succeeded with a two-part approach, pollsters and strategists told The Washington Post. It used Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's words against him, and it identified about 1 million women voters, mostly in swing states, who were especially open to its message. "Those were the women that we were going to relentlessly target over and over again between June and November," said Dawn Laguens, Planned Parenthood's executive vice president. Planned Parenthood used Romney's opposition to Roe v. Wade and federal funding of Planned Parenthood to influence those voters -- part of a dramatic shift by campaigns and outside groups, which spent $39 million on advertising related to abortion. "There was a huge increase in the number of spots on these issues in 2012 versus 2008," said Ken Goldstein, president of the media tracking company Kantar Media. "Over