Happy Friday

THERE IS ONE FAITH
By HAROLD STEINBRON, Bible Teacher

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:5

Some speak of the Catholic "faith" or the Muslim "faith". I used to, until I studied God's Word. Since God gave His Word to reveal "one Faith", all other "faiths" must be spurious. They may be very similar, but if God has one Faith for our hearts to believe, then we better detail and define that One Faith, because there is none other! !!! The more some of these "faiths" look and sound like the One Faith, the more dangerous they become. Some are so far from the real one, only the most gullible are deceived.

I believe God permitted a variety of "faiths" to cloud our vision, so that only the student of the Word of God ever arrives at the One Faith. The reward for this demanding, even exhausting search, is Eternal Life! A heart void of offense before God! A life of tranquility in a very troubled age! If you have talked to some who are searching for "the truth" or "reality", you see in their eyes the unrest, the unsettled feeling, the uncertainty. No human is TRULY happy until he has discovered and settled his life on -THUS SAITH THE LORD. It is not enough to just read the Bible, good as that is. It is not enough to study the Bible, rewarding as that is. We must persevere in our reading and study until we arrive at the ONE FAITH Paul speaks of, lay hold of it, build our life upon it, and know it well enough to teach others also, then the joy of the Lord will permeate our being even though everything may be going wrong.

The price for this attainment is high. Five minutes a day devoted to a "quiet time" will not suffice. 

Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling

1. Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, 
 calling for you and for me; 
 see, on the portals he's waiting and watching, 
 watching for you and for me. 
Refrain:
 Come home, come home; 
 ye who are weary come home; 
 earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, 
 calling, O sinner, come home! 

2. Why should we tary when Jesus is pleading, 
 pleading for you and for me? 
 Why should we linger and heed not his mercies, 
 mercies for you and for me? 
 (Refrain) 

3. Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing, 
 passing from you and from me; 
 shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming, 
 coming for you and for me. 
 (Refrain) 

4. O for the wonderful love he has promised, 
 promised for you and for me! 
 Though we have sinned, he has mercy and pardon, 
 pardon for you and for me. 
 (Refrain) 

 

Daily Smile:

From Joe, 10 years old

What kind of song can you sing in a car? 

A cartoon!

In The News: 

LSU Digitally Erases Cross in Picture of Students
A group of Louisiana State University football fans is outraged after the school digitally erased the tiny crosses they painted on their bare upper chests at a recent football game, Fox News reports. LSU officials sent out a photo of The Painted Posse -- Christian students who paint their bodies with LSU school colors and small crosses for home games -- in a weekly email newsletter following LSU's Oct. 13 game against South Carolina, and the students were shocked to see that the crosses had been edited out of the photo, which appeared to be otherwise untouched. "I was a bit surprised, because our pictures get used so frequently, and the cross had never been edited before," Posse member Cameron Cooke said. "The cross painting is important to me because it represents who I am as a Christ follower. And it reminds me who I need to act like in Death Valley," he added, referring to Tiger Stadium's nickname. School spokesman Herb Vincent said the school altered the image to prevent other students from being offended. "We don't want to imply we are making any religious or political statements, so we air-brushed it out," LSU said in a statement. "Only one of the students, who didn't appreciate it, actually contacted us about it. So next time, we'll just choose a different photo. ... It was just a straight sports communication message, no politics involved, no religion."
 
Less Religious are Less Likely to Vote, New Poll Finds
A new poll released Monday from the Public Religion Research Institute finds that Americans who are less religious are less likely to head to the polls this election season, the Christian Post reports. Religiously affiliated Americans are more likely to vote than those who are religiously unaffiliated or less religious, by a margin of 73 to 61 percent, the survey found. If these findings are true, it could spell troubling news for the Obama campaign, since voters who are less religious are also more likely to support the president. Americans who identify themselves as religiously unaffiliated -- now 19 percent of the population -- are the fastest-growing group in America's religious landscape. Obama holds a substantial lead among the religiously unaffiliated -- 73 percent of those polled, compared to only 23 percent of that group who say they support Mitt Romney. The latest Real Clear Politics average of national polls shows Romney with a narrow lead over Obama, 47.7 to 46.9 percent.
 
Research Shows Unborn Twins Interacting in the Womb at 14 Weeks
An Italian researcher has published interesting data about twins and how they develop in the womb, WORLD News Service reports. According to LifeSiteNews, "Umberto Castiello of the University of Padova, Italy, published a report in October showing unborn babies have the ability to interact as early as 14 weeks into the pregnancy." The research team examined video footage of twins gathered by a four-dimensional ultrasound. They found that the "14-week-old twins touched each other head to head, arm to head, and head to arm. At the 18th week, they made more contact and, as the team wrote, began 'spending up to 30 percent of their time reaching out and stroking their co-twin.'"
 
Court Blocks Indiana Defunding of Planned Parenthood
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago ruled Tuesday that Indiana cannot cut off funding for Planned Parenthood just because the organization provides abortions, WORLD Magazine reports. The court upheld the core portion of a lower court order that said Indiana could not enforce a state law barring abortion providers from collecting Medicaid funds for any medical services. The law, signed by Republican governor Mitch Daniels in May 2011, made Indiana the first state to deny Planned Parenthood Medicaid funds for general health services, including cancer screenings. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List, spoke out against the ruling: "Over the last two years -- as 14 states have introduced or enacted measures to end taxpayer funding of abortion businesses -- America's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, has been able to rely only on sympathetic courts and the Obama administration to buck the will of the taxpayers," she said. "Taxpayers across the country want out of the abortion industry, and pro-life lawmakers will not stop working until every dime of taxpayer funding is cut from Planned Parenthood."

Happy Thursday

THREE TIMES WHEN THE LORD WOULDN'T ANSWER
  by C. R. Stam
 
    In the various accounts of our Lord's earthly ministry we find three occasions when He declined to answer those who appealed to Him or questioned Him.

First there is the Gentile woman of Matthew 15:21-28. Her daughter was possessed of a demon and in her trouble she appealed to the Lord to help her, "but He answered her not a word." Finally, in His grace He did help her, but not until He had taught her the lesson that as a Gentile she had no claim on Him. As Romans 1:28 tells us, the Gentiles had been "given up" because "they did not like to retain God in their knowledge." In this connection we Gentiles should read carefully Ephesians 2:11,12 and see how utterly without hope we are apart from the grace of God.

Next there was a Jewess, in trouble of a different kind. She had been caught in adultery and was brought to him for judgment (John 8:1-11). Unlike the Gentile woman, she belonged to the chosen race and possessed God's holy Law, a distinct advantage -- unless you are a law-breaker. Our Lord also helped her in grace, but not until He had demonstrated that the law is the great leveler of mankind, bringing all guilty before God (Rom.3:19).

But finally we find how it was that our Lord could show grace -- and do it justly -- to both Jew and Gentile, for in the third instance we find the Lord Himself in trouble. On trial for His life before the representatives of Hebrew and Roman law, He is accused of all sorts of wicked crimes. But on this occasion too, He declines to answer.

First Caiaphas, the High Priest, said to Him: "Answerest Thou nothing? What is it which these witness against Thee? But Jesus held His peace..." (Matt. 26:62,63).

Next Pilate, the Gentile judge, said: "Hearest Thou not how many things they witness against Thee? And He answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marveled greatly" (Matt.27:13-14).

Why did our Lord not answer and defend Himself? Because He had come into the world specially to die for man's sins. Had the sinners of all ages been there to accuse Him of their sins, He would still have remained speechless for He stood there as man's representative, so that we might be "justified freely by God's grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom.3:24). 

Daily Smile:

From Arul, 10 years old

Why did the computer catch a cold ?

 

Because he forgot to shut his windows!

 

In The News:

Two Hours After Benghazi Attack, White House Knew Terrorist Group Took Credit
According to emails obtained by Reuters from government sources, officials at the White House and State Department were advised two hours after the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11 that an Islamic militant group had claimed credit. An email identifying the Libyan group Ansar al-Sharia asserting responsibility for the attack -- which killed U.S. ambassador Christopher Stevens and four others -- was sent to addresses including the White House Situation Room, where the president was, no more than 2.5 hours after the attack. In the days following, however, White House spokesman Jay Carney maintained the attacks likely were a spontaneous protest against an anti-Muslim film, and while officials did mention the possible involvement of "extremists," they did not lay blame on any specific militant groups or possible links to al Qaeda until intelligence officials publicly alleged so on Sept. 28. According to Townhall.com blogger Carol Platt Liebau, "Granted, as the [Reuters] story is careful to note, not all intelligence accounts can be immediately credited as automatically accurate in these situations. But what is so shocking about the email Reuters has obtained is that it means that the administration's repeated characterizations of the attack as 'spontaneous' demonstrations in response to a YouTube video -- for two full weeks thereafter -- were knowingly, hideously false, misleading and incomplete." Spokesmen for the White House and State Department had no immediate response to requests by Reuters for comments on the emails.

Pastor and Family Executed in Syria as Violence Continues
More than 30,000 have died in Syria's civil war, with innocent Christians continuing to become victims at the hand of radicals, Mission Network News reports. According to the Middle East director of Christian Aid Mission, bands of militant Islamists are responsible: "They're not necessarily Syrians, but they're very radical Muslims, and their goal is to eradicate Christians. They believe it's an abomination to have Christians within Syria." The director, who cannot reveal his identity for security reasons, cited a Christian Aid-supported pastor who was a recent victim. "There was a band of militia that came through and told all of the people to get out; then they went ahead and killed the pastor and his family. So there [are] quite a few now -- I think there are 11 [Christians] -- who have been killed in that one area from that ministry that we help." The director added: "All of the typical security that you would have in the country is trying to protect the country. They're not worried about providing police protection for the little communities around, and so the people are all vulnerable." Syrians continue to flee into Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey; it is estimated that more than 300,000 have now fled their homeland.

Fatal Shooting Reported at Creflo Dollar's Georgia Megachurch
A gunman reportedly killed another male Wednesday morning inside Creflo Dollar's World Changers Church International in Georgia, and the shooter is still on the loose, the Christian Post reports. The shooting occurred during a 10 a.m. Bible study at the College Park campus in unincorporated Fulton County. The gunman, reportedly a staff member at the church, walked into the service wearing a suit and tie and shot the Bible study leader at point-blank range while he was leading prayer. Initial reports said the victim was transported to a local hospital, but subsequent reports indicate he has died. No official statement has been yet released by the church in response to the shooting. Dollar, who was recently arrested for allegedly physically assaulting one of his daughters, founded World Changers International Church in 1981. The church currently has about 30,000 members.

Taliban Targets Another Girl in Pakistan
The Taliban is targeting a second young girl in Pakistan known for her women's-rights activism and pro-education stance, CBN News reports. Hina Khan, 16, returned home from school this week to find a red "X" painted on the gate of her family's home, then her mother received a phone call warning her that her daughter was the Taliban's next target. Just two weeks ago, Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, a blogger and activist who spoke out for women's education, was shot on a school bus on her way home from school. She survived the attack and is recovering in a hospital in Britain, but the Taliban has threatened to finish their job and kill her. Both Khan and Yousafzai are originally from Pakistan's Swat Valley, an area that was under complete Taliban control for years. Locals say terrorist cells are reactivating their network in the valley, taking advantage of the U.S. military's decision to withdraw forces.

Happy Wednesday

The Greatest Worker Makes The Least Noise

Don't we usually connect loud noise with work? What a racket our great machines make! Perhaps you've seen highways being built. Great earthmovers, concrete mixers, power shovels, and ditch diggers with their big diesel motors make a terrific rattle, clackety, clack, rumble, and groaning. And when rock is blasted to make way for the highway, what a big boom or go in a busy factory. In some you can't hear yourself talk. Or stand by a busy street crossing when all the cars and trucks start up as the light turns green. The very earth shakes with the racket. So we might easily believe that work and noise must always go together. But the world's greatest worker does most of the world's work in complete silence or with very little noise. We are so busy listening to man-made noises we don't take time to think that all about us God is causing great changes right under our noses and with absolutely no sound whatever or with very little. Consider the important ways His work is done.

The grass under our feet, in the cow pastures, on the prairies of the West and the plains of Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America—this grass that covers millions of square miles—is the food for all grazing animals. Without it we wouldn't have milk on the table. All this grass grows without a sound. So do the other crops on which human life depends grow—tomatoes, potatoes, bananas, beans, squash, peaches, apples, and the hundreds of other crops that give us life. The work our human minds perform—how silent that is! The brain sends signals to our muscles, telling them what to do or not to do. And without the faintest whisper of noise, God works through our brains. I could go on to list the silent works done by man, too, and show how most of our best work is done silently. But let's save that for another time. So don't mistake noise for power or work. Don't mistake man's noise for God's voice. For he speaks and works quietly, And we should stop and listen more often. Now stand here quietly before the Lord as I remind you of all the great things the Lord has done for you and your ancestors. 1Samuel 12:7.

Daily Smile:

From Vivian, 7 years old

What do you call witches that live together ?

Broom-mates

In The News:

No Arrests Made in Beating of Pastor, Family in India
An Indian evangelical pastor is recovering from injuries after he and his family were beaten by anti-Christian Hindu extremists near New Delhi, International Christian Concern reports. Lal Mani Prasad of the Immanuel Believers Fellowship congregation was reportedly beaten October 14 at his home while he was getting ready for his church's Sunday service. At least two men entered the house and used "a steel water bucket" to hit his head until he was unconscious, according to his son, who suffered a broken hand. His wife, son and daughter were also badly bruised with rods, and the beatings were encouraged by nearly a dozen other Hindu radicals who had earlier hurled stones and other materials at the pastor's home. Prasad, who required 18 stitches on his head, was taken to the local hospital, treated and released, but after a few days he was readmitted with internal bleeding. Local Christians said the attack came after the family was told this year by "extremist Hindus" that they would kill the pastor if he continued with his Christian activities. So far, no arrests have been reported in the case.

University Bans Christian Group for Requiring Leaders to Adhere to 'Basic Biblical Truths'
Tufts University in Medford, Mass., has banned a Christian group from campus over the group's requirement that its student leaders adhere to "basic biblical truths of Christianity," the Weekly Standard reports. The decision to ban the Tufts Christian Fellowship -- the Tufts chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA -- was made by members of the university's student government, specifically the Tufts Community Union Judiciary. The group "will lose the right to use the Tufts name in its title or at any activities, schedule events or reserve university space through the Office for Campus Life," the Tufts Daily reported, and it will also be unable to receive money from a pool students are required to pay into that is specifically set aside for campus group funding. According to the Tufts Daily, "the group had been operating in a state of suspended recognition after the Judiciary found that the group's constitution excluded students from applying to leadership positions based on their beliefs. The clauses in question require that any TCF member who wishes to apply for a leadership role must adhere to a series of tenets called a Basis of Faith, or eight 'basic biblical truths of Christianity.'" The group is planning to appeal the student board's decision.

Egyptian Christian Youth Unite to Pray for Their Nation
Earlier this month, some 10,000 Egyptian Christian youth gathered for an urgent time of prayer and fasting, seeking God's protection from the rising influence of Islam on Egyptian society, CBN News reports. The massive prayer rally was called One Thing, and the youth gathered each day from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. for praise, prayer and worship. Some traveled hundreds of miles from across Egypt to attend, and an additional estimated two million people around the world watched the event online.

Scottish Church Leader: Don't Force Church on Children
The moderator of the Church of Scotland has warned parents not to "force" church on their children, WORLD News Service reports. According to the newspaper The Scotsman, the Rt. Rev. Albert Bogle "believes it may be counter-productive for the iPod generation to have to sit on pews and be made to listen to ministers 'rabbiting on.'" It’s no surprise that the 63-year-old minister’s stand won praise from the National Secular Society. On the other hand, Rev. David Robertson, of St. Peter's Free Church in Dundee, said the problem in Scotland is not ministers "rabbiting on," but a "famine" in preaching and hearing "the word of the Lord." The Church of Scotland, once dominant in Scottish life, now claims less than 10 percent of the population as adherents and regular attenders. Officially, membership stands at about a half-million, down by more than half since the 1960s.

Happy Tuesday

Who Is Winding Your CLOCK???

Who are you serving? The Bible says that it’s either God or the devil. If it’s God, you will believe that there’s a devil, and if it’s the devil, you won’t believe that there’s a God. Not the God of the Bible, that is. You will either deny God’s existence or you will make up your own image of a god.

If you are serving the devil, you will live for yourself. If you are serving God, you will live for the One who gave you life, for others, and you will care about those who live for the devil. You will plead with them, pray for them, and hopefully weep for them. Whatever their fate, one day they will understand why. They are blinded by the devil, and as the Bible says, he has taken them captive to do his will. And his will they gladly do.

If he is winding your clock, your time is running out. You will soon be in eternity. If you are serving sin, you are serving the devil, and his wages are really bad (see Romans 6:23). I strongly suggest, no I plead with you, quit before Payday.

It Is No Secret

The chimes of time ring out the news, another day is through
Someone slipped and fell, was that someone you?
You may have longed for added strength, your courage to renew
Do not be disheartened, for I have news for you 

     It is no secret what God can do
     What He's done for others, He'll do for you
     With arms wide open, He'll pardon you
     It is no secret what God can do 

There is no night for in His light you never walk alone
Always feel at home, wherever you may go
There is no power can conquer you, while God is on your side
Take Him at His promise, don't run away and hide 

     It is no secret what God can do
     What He's done for others, He'll do for you
     With arms wide open, He'll pardon you
     It is no secret what God can do 

 

Daily Smile:

From Lori, 11 years old

What runs faster, hot or cold?

 

Hot, ’cause you can always catch a cold!

 

In The News: 

Gallup: Only 3.4 Percent of U.S. Adults Identify as LGBT
A comprehensive poll released this week by Gallup based on more than 120,000 interviews shows that only 3.4 percent of Americans say they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender -- far short of the numbers routinely cited by pro-gay groups who claim that approximately 10 percent or more of the population have homosexual tendencies, the Christian Post reports. The study is billed as the largest single study of the distribution of the LGBT population, and the margin of error was projected at approximately 1 percent -- low by poll standards. The poll, conducted between June 1 and Sept. 30 of this year, asked, "Do you personally identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender?" Of the 121,290 total responses, 3.4 percent answered "yes," 92.2 percent said "no" and 4.4 percent refused to answer. Though the exact percentage of LGBT Americans has sparked much debate between pro-family and pro-homosexual groups, the Gallup results mirror those of similar, albeit smaller, studies as far back as 2002.
Court Rules Texas Cheerleaders Can Use Bible Banners
A judge ruled last week in favor of high school cheerleaders in Texas who were fighting to display Bible verses on banners at football games, CBN News reports. Last month, after a complaint from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, school officials told Kountze High School cheerleaders they could no longer use scripture on the signs they created for the football team to run though. But district judge Steve Thomas said Thursday that the school district's policy violated the cheerleaders' free speech rights. He issued an injunction allowing them to display the banners, pending the outcome of a lawsuit next June. Earlier last week, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and state Attorney General Greg Abbott both backed the cheerleaders' right to keep using the banners. "There's a reality here and that is that the First Amendment does not demand hostility toward religion, nor does it demand silence on the part of students in this state or in this country," Abbott said. Cheerleader Kieara Moffett said, "I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders as of right now." Cheerleader Macy Matthews said the banner at Friday night's game would read, "All things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
Welfare Jumps 32 Percent During Obama Presidency
According to numbers released Thursday, federal welfare spending has grown by 32 percent over the past four years, swelled by President Obama's stimulus spending and a growing number of Americans whose recession-depleted incomes now qualify them for public assistance, the Washington Times reports. Federal spending on more than 80 low-income assistance programs reached $746 billion in 2011, and state spending on those programs brought the total to $1.03 trillion, the Congressional Research Service and the Senate Budget Committee reported. That makes welfare the single biggest chunk of federal spending -- topping Social Security and basic defense spending. The biggest item on the list is Medicaid, the federal-state healthcare program for the poor, which at $296 in federal spending made up 40 percent of all low-income assistance in 2011. That total is up $82 billion from 2008. The next big program, food stamps, was at $75 billion in 2011, or 10 percent of welfare spending. That's nearly twice the size it was 2008 and accounts for 20 percent of the total welfare spending increase over the past four years. In that time period, the number of people on food stamps has also risen from 32 million to 47 million.
Study: Fathers Greatly Affect Teens' Sexual Behavior
A new review of studies shows fathers' attitudes toward teen sex and the emotional closeness of their relationships with their teens have a sizeable influence on their teens' sexual behaviors, separate from the influence of moms, Yahoo! News reports. The review showed that dads' attitudes toward teen sexual behavior were linked to the age at which teens first had sex. Teens whose dads approved of adolescent sexual activity tended to start having sex earlier than teens whose dads did not approve, according to studies in the review. In addition, teens who were close to their fathers tended to start having sex later. According to study researcher Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, a professor of social work at New York University, the findings "suggest that fathers may distinctly influence the sexual behavior of their adolescent children. Fathers may parent in ways that differ from mothers, and therefore represent an additional opportunity to support adolescent health and well-being."

The Presidential Election is Just Two Weeks Away...

Happy Monday

What Can Hinder My Prayers?

Pastor LeRoy Carter of Back to Basics Ministries. 

Most prayers are hindered because of sin.  No, I did not make that up.  God said it in His Word.  Sin is a major hindrance to God's hearing and answering our prayers.  We can pray all night long; but, if we knowingly try to hide or deny the sin that is in our heart, our prayers will not be heard. What does Psalm 66.18-20 say?  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

When we pray and confess our sins, God is faithful and just to hear us and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.  Once we know that we have cleansed our own hearts by confessing our sins, we know also that God will hear us and bless us.  What does the Word say in I John 1:9? If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

What assurance do we get from God's Word in I John 5.14-15?

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

In the book of Isaiah, God told the people that He would hide His eyes from them when they prayed.  The people made many offerings to God, but they refused to break off their sins.  God did not honor their prayers or their worship practices.  What did God say to the people in Isaiah 1:15-18? Isaiah 1:15-18, And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.  Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

A lot of people's prayers are hindered because they refuse to forgive others.  Jesus taught us the importance of forgiving others if we want God to forgive us.  To harbor unforgiveness in our spirit is a sin and it is also a hindrance to our prayers reaching God's ears. What did Jesus say in Matthew 6.14-15? For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

God has a special Word for husbands, so that a husband's prayers will not be hindered.  What does the Word say in I Peter 1 3:7?  Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

God wants us not only to confess our sins, but also to break off our sins.  We need to discontinue doing those things that we know displease God.  Each of us has areas in our lives where sin has dominion over us.  We need to take charge of our lives and be delivered from these sins.  I'm talking about me too!  What does the Word say in Romans 6.1-2?  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

We should not expect God to hear our prayers and continue to bless us if we are determined to continue to sin against Him. I would like to conclude this lesson by listing some things that we can do, in addition to what we have already studied in this lesson, to make sure that our prayers are not hindered.  Please observe the following:

Maintain a right attitude toward God.

See that you reverence God.

Ask God; don't demand anything from Him.

Ask in faith, believing that God will hear you and answer you. 

Be grateful and thankful to God even as you pray.

Be thankful that God hears your prayer and that He will answer you.

Be thankful for the relationship that you have with your Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ and that He provides the opportunity for you to pray to Him.

How Great Thou Art 
O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!


When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.


Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!


And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.


Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!


When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"


Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
  
Bible Verses

"Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in praises, working wonders?"
Exodus 15:11

"There is no one like You among the gods,
O Lord, Nor are there any works like Yours."
Psalm 86:8

"Herein is love, not that we loved God,
but that he loved us, and sent his Son
to be the propitiation for our sins."
1John 4:10

"Jesus said to him,
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life;
no one comes to the Father
but through Me."
John 14:3

"Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds, to meet the Lord
in the air: and so shall we
ever be with the Lord."
1 Thes 4:17 

Daily Smile:

From Grace, 11 years old, USA 

Wanna hear a dirty joke?

The pig fell in the mud!

 

Happy Sunday

God's Care for His Children
And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19

When the Israelites' supplies ran out, they accused Moses and Aaron of leading them out in the wilderness to kill them. Their complaint was really against God, for He was the one who had brought them forth out of the land of Egypt.

Now, you'd think they would quickly learn the lesson of the bountiful provision of God! But here they are, putting on a repeat performance and forgetting the long chain of miracles whereby God had delivered them, served them, and fed them. God didn't forget His people, and once again He met their needs.

In addition to God's provision of food and water, He sent them a management consultant in the person of Jethro, Moses' father-in-law. Jethro watched Moses in action and saw that he was overworked and needed to delegate some responsibilities. He gave Moses some sound advice: "You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him" (Exodus 18:19). Then he said, "Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform." He had to teach them the Word of God and then lead by example.

So in these three chapters, we see the God who provided food to eat, water to drink, and leadership to help meet their spiritual needs.

What is the greatest need in your life today? Maybe you need more money to meet the obligations of life. Or maybe you need a companion, friend, or advisor to help you through a time of aching loneliness or critical decision making. Whatever your need, let me encourage you to depend on God to meet it.

Prayer
Lord, I trust You to meet all my needs. Amen.

God doesn't deal with us as we deserve. God is love. 



Every day with Jesus 
Every day with Jesus
Is sweeter than the day before
Every day with Jesus
I love Him more and more.
Jesus saves and keeps me
And He's the one I'm waiting for
Every day with Jesus
Is sweeter than the day before



Daily Smile: 
What do birds give out on Halloween?

Tweets!
- submitted by Louise


In The News:

Obama Promotes Planned Parenthood Funding in Debate
Planned Parenthood was among President Obama's buzzwords during the second presidential debate Oct. 16 as he mentioned the nation's largest abortion provider five times, using it to distinguish himself from Republican candidate Mitt Romney, Baptist Press reports. In discussions about tax cuts, workplace inequalities, differences between Romney and George W. Bush, and earning votes for reelection, Obama underscored Romney's pledge to cut federal funding for Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood, in the last statistics available, received $487.4 million in government funds in 2009-10 and performed 329,445 abortions in 2010. In this election season, Obama launched a television ad campaign that made his pro-choice views a major theme; no previous Democratic nominee has ever made abortion a major general election theme in TV ads.

University Official Suspended for Signing Marriage Petition Seeks Reinstatement
Last week, Gallaudet University's Dr. Angela McCaskill was suspended for her position as chief diversity officer because she had signed a petition opposing Maryland's Question 6, which would make same-sex marriage legal in the state. After news of McCaskill's suspension drew fire -- and more than 52,000 people across the country signed a petition  for her reinstatement -- Gallaudet president T. Alan Hurwitz released a statement Tuesday saying he would "like to work" with McCaskill to "enable her to return" to the university, WORLD Magazine reports. Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council said the situation had a chilling effect on supporters of traditional family  values. "Dr. McCaskill is the perfect illustration of what's at stake if Question 6 passes," he said. "The effort to redefine marriage is all about our most basic civil rights -- the right to worship, to speak freely, to cast our ballots, even, in Dr. McCaskill's case, to pursue a livelihood. Even the simple act of participating in the political process is grounds for dismissal."

Happy Saturday

Every Day with God
My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul. - Psalm 108:1

Today's passage in Exodus, describing the tabernacle and the Holy of Holies, is a reminder of all that God has done to make it possible for us to have fellowship with Him. In the tabernacle, the veil separated the holy place from the most holy place. And into that Holy of Holies went the high priest once a year.
This veil was the very one that was torn from top to bottom when Jesus Christ died on the cross, indicating that the way now was open for the likes of you and me to enter into that close, intimate communion with God that for centuries was reserved for the high priest alone. It took the death of the Son of God to make that intimate fellowship possible.
Another special feature in the temple was a courtyard enclosed with hangings of the finest linens. The court was fifty yards long and twenty-five yards wide. This was the court David longed for and into which the people of God entered with praise and thanksgiving. The court could only hold a few worshipers.
But thanks be to God, in the New Testament times the enclosure was taken down, and today there is room for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus.

Tomorrow, when your alarm goes off, remember that Jesus Christ died to make it possible for you to come directly into the presence of the Lord, a privilege that once was reserved for a special few. Thank God that today there is room for every heart that longs to enter the place of prayer.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for that most precious of privileges--the priesthood of the believer, that gives me perpetual access to Your holy presence. Amen.
Many Christians are missing out on one of their greatest privileges as children of God--a daily quiet time with their Heavenly Father.

O 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:
    O how I love Jesus, 
    O how I love Jesus, 
    O 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.

Refrain:
    O how I love Jesus, 
    O how I love Jesus, 
    O how I love Jesus, 
    because he first loved me! 

 
3. It tells of one whose loving heart 
    can feel my deepest woe; 
    who in each sorrow bears a part 
    that none can bear below.

Refrain:
    O how I love Jesus, 
    O how I love Jesus, 
    O how I love Jesus, 
    because he first loved me! 

Daily Smile:

From Noah, 10 years old, USA 

Have you heard about the sidewalk joke?

It’s around town.

From Abby, 11 years old, USA

Why did the teachers tie their students’ legs together?

They were taking a class trip!

In The News:

New York Appeals Court Nixes Defense of Marriage Act
A divided federal appeals court in Manhattan struck down the Defense of Marriage Act Thursday as unconstitutional, joining an appeals court in Boston in rejecting the law that defines marriage as between one man and one woman, WORLD Magazine reports. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued its 2-to-1 ruling just weeks after hearing arguments Sept. 27 on a lower court judge's ruling that DOMA was unconstitutional. The majority opinion, written by judge Dennis Jacobs, rejected a section of the law that defined "marriage" as only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife and "spouse" as only a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife. The Supreme Court is expected to take up the case in the next year.

Trial of Pakistani Christian Girl Accused of Blasphemy Postponed, Persecution Continues in Region
The juvenile court hearing of Rimsha Masih, a 14-year-old Christian girl arrested for blasphemy in mid-August and released on bail three weeks later, has been postponed until November 14, Asia News reports. The ruling came after Rimsha's lawyer filed a petition stating that the blasphemy charges were false and baseless, demanding the case be dismissed and Rimsha be released since there was no offense. The lawyer added that the local imam who deliberately desecrated the Quran to frame Rimsha fabricated the story in order to force out minority Christians from their homes and seize their assets, and that if anyone committed blasphemy, it was him, according to the testimony of three witnesses who, however, later retracted. The imam remains free on bail, and his lawyers are trying to delay proceedings. Prosecutors have indicated they are not planning to try him on blasphemy charges, which, critics point out, is an example of how the blasphemy law is used arbitrarily against minorities and adversaries. Meanwhile, persecution targeting Pakistani Christians continues, with attacks on churches in Karachi and Faisalabad over the weekend.

Happy Friday

Leaving the Path
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. - Psalm 51:4

Every time I read the story of David and Bathsheba, I watch in horror as David, the man of God, falls into immorality and murder. What prompted this godly man to fall into such sin? I believe the Bible gives us a number of reasons.

First of all, he was not where he was supposed to be. This was the time of year when kings went forth to battle. David, as commander in chief, should have been with his soldiers, leading the army on the field. When we wander away from our duty, we can easily fall into sin.

Second, it appears that David was indulging a slothful spirit. Why do I suspect that? Because the record tells us that David arose from his bed at eventide. He had dozed away the whole afternoon! David's bed of sloth soon turned into a bed of lust.

Third, he gave in to a wandering eye. A missionary friend of mine pointed out that it's the second look that can get you. When the women of the night passed by, he couldn't help but see them, but he could keep from the second look. And so, David was tempted by what he saw.

His next step downward was the murder of Uriah, Bathsheba's husband and one of David's loyal men. It's almost impossible to commit only one sin. They seem to multiply as we try to hide the results of the first one.

I wish all this had never happened in David's life, but it did, and this account is written for our admonition that we might take heed lest we fall. The next time Satan comes to you with an offer to leave the narrow path, seek God's power to resist. Then look down the road and don't take that first step.

Prayer
Lord, as I meditate on Your Word, give me a heart of wisdom to recognize when my foot leaves Your path. Amen.

God has made a way of escape from your temptations (see 1 Corinthians 10:13 ... "No temptation has seized you except was is common to man.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. .."



Daily Smile:

From Heather F, 13 years old, USA

What did the tree wear to the swimming pool?

 

Swimming trunks!

 

 

From Pumpkin, 8 years old, USA 

Why does the hummingbird hum?

 

Because it doesn’t know the words to the song?

 

INTO MY HEART    

Into my heart, into my heart,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus;
Come in today, come in to stay;
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
Out of my heart, out of my heart,
Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus;
Shine out today, shine out alway;
Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus.


In The News:

After Romney Meeting, Billy Graham Website Scrubs Mormon 'Cult' Reference
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association removed language labeling Mormonism a "cult" from its website after the famed preacher met with Republican nominee Mitt Romney last week and pledged to help his presidential campaign, the Religion News Service reports. The removal came after a gay rights group reported that the "cult" reference remained online even after Graham all but endorsed Romney, a Mormon, last week. Ken Barun, the BGEA's chief of staff, confirmed the removal on Tuesday. "Our primary focus at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has always been promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ," Barun said in a statement. "We removed the information from the website because we do not wish to participate in a theological debate about something that has become politicized during this campaign."
Elon University May Ban Chick-fil-A From Campus
Elon University's student senate voted 35 to 11 last week to recommend the removal of Chick-fil-A from the school's dining hall because of the restaurant president's support for traditional marriage, WORLD Magazine reports. Though a poll conducted in September by student newspaper The Pendulum showed 64 percent of students, alumni, faculty and staff wanted the restaurant to stay put, most of the students who addressed the senate before the vote asked the representatives to support the resolution to remove Chick-fil-A. The document, drafted by the school's gay-straight alliance, claims Chick-fil-A does not comply with the school's nondiscrimination policy. It must be approved by the Student Government Association president before it can move forward, and school administrators have the final say over whether Chick-fil-A goes or stays.
School District Pays $70K for Banning 'Christ' From Valedictorian's Speech
A Montana school district has been ordered to pay $70,000 in attorneys' fees for banning a valedictorian from speaking at her graduation in 2008 because her speech contained religious references, CBN News reports. Former Butte High student Renee Griffith's speech included the sentence "I don't let fear keep me from sharing Christ and his joy with those around me," and she was told by the Butte School District that she had to remove the references to God and Christ because religious references were not allowed in graduation speeches. A lower court had ruled in favor of the school district, but the Montana Supreme Court overturned that ruling 6-1, saying Griffith's free speech rights were violated.
Gallup: Romney Opens Up 4-Point National Lead Among Likely Voters
Half of likely voters now prefer Mitt Romney for president and 46 percent back President Barack Obama, according to the latest interview data from Gallup. "While Romney's four-percentage-point advantage is not statistically significant, he has consistently edged ahead of Obama each of the past several days in Gallup's seven-day rolling averages conducted entirely after the Oct. 3 presidential debate," Gallup said. "With three weeks to go in the campaign, Obama appears to be losing momentum, and now trails Romney by four percentage points among likely voters," Gallup said. "That contrasts with his seven-point win over McCain in 2008. Given the shift in overall voter preference, it follows that Obama will have lost support among at least some subgroups of the electorate. Those losses are not proportionate across all subgroups, however. He shed the most support among Southerners, college graduates, postgraduates, 30- to 49-year-olds, men, and Protestants. He also lost a moderate amount of support among whites, Easterners, women, and Catholics -- while not building new support elsewhere."

 

Presidential Election

Tuesday

November 6th 

If you Have not Registered To Vote By Now, You Are Too Late... 

Happy Thursday

The Good Seed
For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. - 2 Corinthians 2:15

I am convinced that lay men and women need to recapture a biblical view of their role in the kingdom of God. In Matthew 13, Jesus uses a parable about sowing seed to introduce a tremendous concept concerning the kingdom of God. "The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom" (13:38).
Here Jesus points out the magnitude of the job: "The field is the world"--a world of people who need the message of the gospel. And what is the Lord's plan for accomplishing this? Planting good seed that will be fruitful and multiply throughout that needy world.
All too often we see the good seed as those among us with unique gifts and abilities that enable them to fulfill the roles of Bible teachers, seminary professors, missionaries, or pastors. Now, it's a great privilege to pray for full-time Christian workers, support them financially, and encourage them in their work. But that's not all God has called us to do.
Jesus said, "The good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom." Christian, that's not just the people who can sing, preach, and translate the Bible into another language; it's all of us who know Him. We are the good seed of the kingdom He wants to scatter throughout the world to bring the message of salvation to the lost.
Christian, you are important to God, and He has a job for you to do.
Prayer
Lord, as I live and work among people, help me to reproduce the good seed in the world until we crowd out the tares. Amen.

Jesus desires to fulfill His Great Commission through all of us, not just a select few.



Draw Me Nearer

1. I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
   And it told Thy love to me;
   But I long to rise in the arms of faith
   And be closer drawn to Thee.
   • Refrain:
     Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
     To the cross where Thou hast died;
     Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
     To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2. Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
   By the pow’r of grace divine;
   Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
   And my will be lost in Thine.
3. Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
   That before Thy throne I spend,
   When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
   I commune as friend with friend!
4. There are depths of love that I cannot know
   Till I cross the narrow sea;
   There are heights of joy that I may not reach
   Till I rest in peace with Thee.

Daily Smile:

From BINKS, 10 years old

What’s the difference between a snowman and a snowoman?

 

SNOW DIFFERENCE

 

In The News: 

Gay-Marriage Activists Increase Donations, Seeking First Win at Polls
Since 1998, 32 states have held votes on same-sex marriage, and all 32 have opposed it. This year, as four states -- Maryland, Maine, Washington and Minnesota -- have Nov. 6 referendums on the issue, homosexual activists are trying to break the streak, WORLD Magazine reports. The pro-homosexual Human Rights Campaign is contributing at least $4.4 million in its effort to influence the vote -- more than twice as much as the $2 million raised and spent by the National Organization for Marriage. In Maine and Washington, gay marriage seems to be leading in the polls; however, polls have been notoriously inaccurate on this issue, and tend to shift in the last few days before an election -- almost always in the direction of traditional marriage.

New York Times Editor Scolds Paper for Burying Libya Scandal
In response to criticism from The New York Times' public editor, Margaret Sullivan, about the paper's decision not to run its story about the Oct. 10 Libya congressional hearings on the front page, the Times' managing editor and executive editor explained that they didn't see "anything significantly new" in the "politicized" hearings and that's why they tucked coverage inside, Politico.com reports. "I can't think of many journalistic subjects that are more important right now, or more deserving of aggressive reporting," Sullivan wrote on the Times website, adding that readers wrote to her "in dismay" about the apparent downplaying. The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal both gave the hearings prominent position above the fold on their front pages, while the Times put its story on page A3 and placed stories about Lance Armstrong and other topics on the front page.

University Draws Fire After Placing Official on Leave for Signing Marriage Petition
A federally chartered university's decision to place its chief diversity officer on paid leave over her support for a referendum challenging Maryland's same-sex marriage law is drawing fire, the Christian Post reports. Conservative and LGBT groups alike have denounced Gallaudet University's decision to suspend Dr. Angela McCaskill after signing the marriage referendum petition. "Quite simply, it was well within her rights to sign the petition," said Derek McCoy, chairman of the Maryland Marriage Alliance. Josh Levin of Marylanders for Marriage Equality also commented: "We strongly disagree with the decision to put the chief diversity officer on leave and hope she is reinstated immediately. Everyone is entitled to free speech and their own opinion about Question 6." After Maryland became the eighth state to legalize gay marriage, traditional marriage supporters collected signatures to place the new law on the November ballot to allow voters to decide on the issue of marriage. McCaskill signed the petition in July while at church, but a Gallaudet faculty member, who remains anonymous, recently discovered her name on the petition and filed a complaint with the university. The university then announced last Wednesday that McCaskill would be placed on administrative leave effective immediately while "the appropriate next steps" were determined.

Pakistani Girl Shot by Taliban Treated in the UK
A 14-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot by the Taliban has arrived in the United Kingdom for medical treatment, CBN News reports. Gunmen shot Malala Yousafzai, a blogger and activist who spoke out for women's education, along with two classmates as they came home from school last week. She remains in critical condition, and her skull and neck wounds along with the shock of the attack are serious enough that authorities decided on a prolonged stay out of the country. The Taliban has also threatened to finish their job and kill her. Meanwhile, some 10,000 demonstrators gathered in Pakistan's largest city to protest the shooting and the Taliban.

Don't Forget To Vote On

Tuesday, November 6th