Happy Monday

Ye Shall know them

Devotion thought:  Matthew 7:16a   "Ye shall know them by their fruits."

The Word of God uses animals to describe the nature of those who make up the kingdom of God and subsequently, every local New Testament Church.  The three main animals are sheep, goats, and wolves.  As most of us know, sheep are a type of a Christian who is submissive to the will of the shepherd.  A goat is a sheep that is not submissive, but hard headed, wanting his way. Then there are the wolves.  The wolf, of course, is the lost person who mingles in with the sheep.  The particularly dangerous version of the wolf is that wolf that has learned how to slaughter sheep and use their covering to hide among the sheep so as to gain their trust.  A good shepherd is able to pick them out because of the tracks they leave behind.  Jesus makes it clear that you can know them by their fruits.  It is when they are found out that the wolves begin to turn upon the shepherd.  The good news is that the "Great Shepherd" is watching and is protecting His under shepherd and His sheep.

Action Point:  Be careful of that so-called sheep who calls you up on the phone to inform you about the shepherd.  Their so-called concern is nothing more than a search for someone who will give them attention so they can use you as a covering.

Dr. Thomas R. Steele

By Grace alone through faith alone in Christ
Trust in Christ today!

Be Thou Exalted
Be Thou exalted, forever and ever,
God of eternity, Ancient of Days!
Wondrous in majesty, perfect in wisdom,
Glorious in holiness, fearful in praise.
Refrain
      Be Thou exalted by seraphs and angels,
      Be Thou exalted with harp and with song;
      Saints in their anthems of rapture adore Thee,
      Martyrs the loud hallelujahs prolong.

Be Thou exalted, O Son of the Highest!
Gracious Redeemer, our Savior and King!
One with the Father, co-equal in glory,
Here at Thy footstool our homage we bring.
Refrain

Be Thou exalted, O Spirit eternal!
Dwell in our hearts, keep us holy within;
Lead to Thy home in the life everlasting,
Open its portals and welcome us in.
Refrain 

 
Daily Smile:
At a circus in a nearby town a man stood thoughtfully looking at the camels. Then he picked up a straw, placed it on the camel's back and waited.

Nothing happened,"Wrong straw," he muttered and walked away.


In The News:

Obama Planning First Visit to Israel as President
President Obama is planning his first trip to Israel since taking office in 2008, CBN News reports. The trip is planned for the spring, but the White House has not yet released the date or details about the itinerary. While in the region, Obama will also make stops in the West Bank and Jordan. Obama last visited Israel during his 2008 campaign, and his lack of visiting the Jewish state during his first term as president has drawn criticism from some pro-Israel groups who say the administration isn't supportive of the United States' closest ally in the Middle East. The president visited other countries in the region during his first term, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Christian Persecution in China Rises Over 40 Percent in 2012
ChinaAid, a Texas-based Christian nonprofit organization that monitors religious freedom in China, said in its 2012 annual report this week that the Chinese government continues its increase of persecution against Christians for the seventh consecutive year, the Christian Post reports. The report examined 132 persecution cases involving 4,919 people and found that persecution incidences rose 41.9 percent from 2011. Additionally, the number of people sentenced in cases relating to religious persecution jumped 125 percent from 2011. "If the Chinese government had its druthers, religion would not be practiced at all within its borders," ChinaAid said. "Beijing fears a higher authority, and it's also horrified by any group that is able to organize, particularly around an ideology or belief." According to the report, methods for suppressing Christianity in China include "forcibly banning and sealing up churches, pressuring churches to join the official 'Three-Self' church system, detaining church leaders and sending them to labor camps on the pretext of 'suspicion of organizing and using a cult to undermine law enforcement' and strictly restricting the spread of the Christian faith among students." However, ChinaAid added, "The church ... is still standing firm, flourishing like the cedars of Lebanon and fruit trees planted by the streams, bearing much fruit at the appointed time."