Happy Sunday

ABIDING FAITH
By M. Stanford
 
 "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him" (Col. 2:6).

One day we came to Him in utter need and reliance, and received life. Every day we are to abide in Him in utter need and reliance, that He may live that life in and through us. We are born again by faith, and we are to live anew by faith. "He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

'There are earnest Christians who are zealous for a free Gospel, with acceptance of Christ, and justification by faith alone. But after this they think everything depends on their diligence and faithfulness. While they firmly grasp the truth, 'justified by faith,' they have hardly noticed the larger truth, 'the just shall live by faith.' They have not yet understood what a perfect Saviour the Lord Jesus is, and how He will each day do for the sinner just as much as He did the first day when they came to Him.

"They know not that the life of grace is always and only a life of faith, and that in the relationship to the Lord Jesus the one daily and unceasing duty of the disciple is to believe, because believing is the one channel through which Divine grace and strength can flow into the heart of man. The flesh  of the believer remains evil and sinful to the last; it is only as he daily comes, all empty and helpless, to his Saviour to receive of His life and strength, that he can bring forth the fruits of righteousness to the glory of God." - A.M.

"Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Col. 2:7). 

He Lives
I serve a risen Saviour,
He's in the world today;
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy,
I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him
He's always near.

####Chorus:

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

In all the world around me
I see His loving care,
And tho my heart grows weary
I never will despair;
I know that He is leading
Thro' all the stormy blast,
The day of His appearing
Will come at last.

####

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:

From Brooke Marsh, 9 years old

What is a snake’s favorite subject?

Hisssstory!

In The News:

Chen Guangcheng: Forced Abortion in China 'Still Extensively Exists'
Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng, whose dramatic escape from house arrest and flight to New York captured the attention of the world in May, has issued a powerful video calling on the Chinese Communist Party to account for crimes committed against the Chinese people, ASSIST News Service reports. These include crimes committed against Chen's own family -- such as his nephew, who was just given a three-year jail sentence for defending himself when officials broke into his house and savagely beat him and his parents. Instead of improving, Chen says "the human rights situation in China is, in fact, getting worse. ... In China, no one is safe." Moreover, Chen says "the violence in maintaining China's one-child policy still extensively exists. It is a sin, because life is sacred." In 2006, Chen was detained and tortured for exposing the massive, systematic use of forced abortion and involuntarily sterilization in China. According to Reggie Littlejohn, president of Women's Rights Without Frontiers: "Chen Guangcheng has endured incalculable suffering for human rights in China, and in particular, for the rights of women not to be forcibly aborted or sterilized. He has confirmed that these barbaric practices are still being used 'extensively.' ... The leaders of the United States should join Chen in calling for a peaceful transition away from policies that are oppressing and terrorizing the people of China, who are one-fifth of the population of the earth."

Court Upholds Indiana's Ban on Secular Wedding Officiants
A federal court in Indiana has rejected atheists' requests to preside at wedding ceremonies, saying only clergy or public officials are licensed to solemnize marriages, the Religion News Service reports. A lawsuit filed by the Indiana chapter of the Center for Inquiry argued that an Indiana law requiring marriages to be "solemnized" -- made official by signing a marriage license -- only by clergy, judges, mayors or local government clerks violated the Constitution. The New York-based secular humanist organization claimed barring "secular celebrants" from solemnizing marriages provided preferential treatment to religious celebrants. But Judge Sarah Evans Barker of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana ruled Nov. 30 that since marriage has religious roots, government regulation of marriage is therefore an act of religious accommodation -- not endorsement -- and protected by the Constitution. She also noted that Indiana's law did not limit who may marry the plaintiffs, but only who may sign their license. The Center for Inquiry has promised an appeal of Barker's ruling. 


68 Percent Prefer 'Merry Christmas' Over 'Happy Holidays'
Most Americans still prefer signs in stores that say "Merry Christmas" rather than ones with "Happy Holidays," according to a new Rasmussen Reports national survey. The poll found that 68 percent of American adults prefer "Merry Christmas," while just 23 percent like "Happy Holidays" instead. The survey of 1,000 adults nationwide was conducted November 11-12, 2012, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

Pennsylvania Restaurant Forced to Open 'Church Bulletin Discount' to Atheists
A settlement has been reached in an atheist's complaint against a Pennsylvania restaurant that offered a 10-percent discount to customers who provided a church bulletin while dining on Sundays, the Christian Post reports. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission said Nov. 28 that Prudhomme's Lost Cajun Kitchen in Columbia may continue providing the discount on Sundays as long as it omits the word "church" from its discount offer and accepts pamphlets pertaining to all faiths, even "publications from the Freedom From Religion Foundation." The discrimination complaint was filed on behalf of local atheist John Wolff in the summer of 2012, who argued the discount was discriminatory because he did not attend church. In response, restaurant co-owner Sharon Prudhomme argued it was merely a marketing attempt to increase business during slow Sunday afternoons. 

Happy Saturday

GOD-CENTERED OR SELF-CENTERED
By Paul Hume

Scripture Reading: Ezek. 44:15-31; 2 Cor. 5:14-17

For centuries men believed that the sun was not the center of our solar system. They thought that the sun revolved about our planet, and the Earth was the center of our universe. Since the 16th century and the discoveries of Copernicus, men have recognized that the sun, not the Earth, is the true center of our solar system. The Earth, as everyone now knows, revolves once a year about the sun. We have a system which is "sun-centered."

By nature we are intensely self-centered. Even after becoming saved, we still tend to be self-centered. Only as we "grow in grace," and experience the working of the Lord in breaking us from our innate selfishness do we gradually move from being self-centered to being Son-centered! This is why the ministry of the sons of Zadok in Ezek. 44:15ff is so unique. Did you notice it? "They shall enter into My sanctuary, and thy shall come near to My table, to minister UNTO ME, and they shall keep My charge."

The Apostle Paul therefore declares that as the result of the "new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17), "they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but UNTO HIM which died for them, and rose again." This is God-centered living: living to please HIM; living to know more of HIM; living to make HIM known to others; living to do HIS will. Is this your heart's desire? Or are you still in "prison"--the prison of self?

"0 the bitter pain and sorrow,
That the time could ever be,
When I proudly said to Jesus,
All of Self and none of Thee.
But He sought me, I beheld Him,
Dying on the accursed tree,
And my feeble heart said faintly,
Some of self and some of Thee.
Higher than the highest mountain,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last has conquered,
None of self and ALL OF THEE." 

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.

Daily Smile:

A little boy came home with his parents from church one Sunday. He seemed a little depressed, so his mother asked him if something happened in Sunday school class that he would like to talk about. He told his mother "Well, we were singing songs and the teacher made us sing about a poor bear named Gladly that needed glasses and I can't stop thinking about him. She said he was cross-eyed and I feel bad for him.

The mother couldn't understand why the teacher would teach such a song in Sunday school, so she decided to call her. To the woman’s amazement, the teacher said she only taught hymns that morning. Then the teacher began laughing out loud and said to the mother, “I know what Jeffrey’s' talking about! We learned the hymn 'Gladly The Cross I'd Bear'".

 

In The News:

Philippines Typhoon Death Toll Still Rising
The death toll is continuing to rise from a powerful typhoon that flooded much of the southern Philippines, CBN News reports. More than 280 people have been reported dead, at least 151 of those in the worst-hit province of Compostela Valley, and more than 50,000 have been forced to flee from flooded villages. "The waters came so suddenly and unexpectedly, and the winds were so fierce -- that compounded the loss of lives and livelihood," Compostela Valley provincial Gov. Arturo Uy told Reuters. Officials fear the death toll from Typhoon Bopha will increase as rescue crews and soldiers reach other hard-hit areas that had been isolated by landslides and flooding.

Church Cancels 'Charlie Brown' Over Atheist Outrage
A Little Rock church has canceled a matinee performance of "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown" for local school children after critics complained the show was too religious and therefore violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution, Fox News reports. Students at Terry Elementary School had been planning to attend a school-day field trip to watch a stage version of the holiday classic hosted by Agape Church. The event was strictly voluntary and teachers sent home letters explaining the purpose of the trip. However, a parent objected and contacted the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers, a self-described community of atheists, agnostics and humanists. When the group told a local TV station they had received legal advice on pursuing a possible lawsuit against the school district, Agape Church took the school matinees off the table. "It is not our desire to put hard-working, sacrificial teachers and cast members in harm's way," said pastor Happy Caldwell. A spokesperson for the school district said school officials had nothing to do with the cancellation of the program, but that they had consulted with their legal team and determined the trip was appropriate. Caldwell praised what he called the "courageous stand" that the school's principal took in "not succumbing to the pressure of one complaint voice" and said it was clear the film did not post a constitutional threat, adding that the school children were more than welcome to attend weekend performances of the show.

 

Happy Friday

Life Choices
Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so? -Amos 3:3

In today's Scripture passage, we watch an entire nation take a dramatic turn for the worse. This downward spiral is directly related to the marriage of the new king, Jehoram. While his father and grandfather had been godly men, 2 Chronicles 21:6 tells us that Jehoram "walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord."

The Scriptures tie Jehoram's marriage and his conduct together. The lesson is clear: The choice of a marriage partner has far-reaching effects. If you're a young person feeling the tug of the Holy Spirit upon your life to serve the Lord, your marriage partner will either double your effectiveness for Christ or kill it. There is no in-between.

I heard of a young man whose wife is an encouragement and challenge to him. One of his unmarried friends asked him, "Where did you find a girl like that?" His answer was amazing. He said, "I asked God for a wife like that. Every day since junior high school I've prayed for God's perfect choice for me. And God has answered my prayers."

According to one recent book on marriage, the statistical improbability of a person finding the right mate is astonishing. The author based his mathematical calculations on six desirable qualities, including physical attractiveness, intelligence, and concern for others. He concluded that a person would have to meet more than fifteen thousand people before encountering one with all of the above requirements. If you consider other criteria like religion and age, the chances become even less optimistic. But we're dealing with the faithfulness of God, not the chances of finding the right person.

PrayerLord, I desire Your will for my life. Keep me in the palm of Your hand. Amen.

Are you asking God for His direction for your life?


Fairest Lord Jesus
Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine, Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.

All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.


Daily Smile:

From Saige, 9 years old

What does a dog put on its pizza?

muttzerrella and puperoni!

In The News:

Britain, France Threaten to Recall Israel Ambassadors
Britain and France threatened to recall their ambassadors after Israel announced plans to build on land Palestinian Arabs claim as part of a future Palestinian state, CBN News reports. In protest to last week's U.N. vote that granted non-member observer state status to the Palestinian Authority, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the announcement that Israel would build more than 3,000 new apartments in areas known biblically as Judea and Samaria. The U.N. vote abrogated agreements the Palestinians and Israel made to each other in the 1993 Oslo Accords, Israel said. Some lawmakers in Washington, D.C., wanted to cut funding to both the PA and the U.N., but the British and French governments objected to Israel's decision to build. "We don't tell the British or the French where to build in Paris or London and we do not expect anybody to tell us what do to," Israeli Minister of Infrastructure Uzi Landau said. Another part of the controversy concerns plans to expand Maale Adumim, a Jewish community just outside Jerusalem with a population of more than 40,000. Palestinians say the expansion would create a land barrier breaking the continuity of their future state, but for Israel, it would link the suburb to Jerusalem. Though U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and many nations call the land "occupied" territory, Israel says it is not "occupied" but "disputed," and that the nation has both a natural right and territorial claims to it. Meanwhile, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas addressed crowds in Ramallah after the U.N. vote, promising that "one day, a young Palestinian will raise the Palestinian flag over Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the state of Palestine."

West Point Hosts First Same-Sex Weddings
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point hosted its first same-sex weddings over the past two weekends, CBN News reports. Both weddings were held in historic campus landmarks: the Cadet Chapel and the Old Cadet Chapel in the campus cemetery. Army chaplains from other bases performed the ceremonies because the denominations of the West Point chaplains don't allow them to perform same-sex weddings. New York legalized same-sex marriage last year, just months before the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was repealed, allowing gays to serve openly in the military. According to Dr. Albert Mohler of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary: "The celebration of a same-sex marriage ceremony in Cadet Chapel at West Point, complete with the saber arch and full military honors, represents a huge step toward the normalization of same-sex marriage, and of homosexuality itself, in the larger society. The event was a powerful symbol of the great revolution in sexual morality that marks our times."

Happy Thursday

Come As You Are
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." - Matthew 11:28-29

Today's passage in Esther is a study in contrasts. And it all centers around a contrast in kingdoms. The Scriptures go to great lengths to describe the riches of the king's palace at Shushan. There were hangings of white, green, and blue fastened to silver rings with cords of fine linen and purple. The beds were of gold and silver on a pavement of red, blue, white, and black marble. It must have been something! But one day, every child of God will see something that will make the palace at Shushan look like a doghouse. We have no concept of what the glories of heaven will be like except that they will be beyond our wildest imaginings.

The second contrast emerges when Mordecai challenged Queen Esther to approach the king. Everyone knew the dangers involved. If she came to the inner court without being called by the king, she could be put to death if the king did not hold out his golden scepter.

What a contrast to the King of kings, whose word is, "Call unto me and I will answer thee." What a contrast to the urging of Scripture to come boldly to the throne of God, where we can find mercy and grace.

We can see it in the life of Jesus as well. He was the most inclusive person who ever lived. He welcomed people others turned away--little children, lepers, tax collectors, sinners, anyone who came to Him in simple faith and need. And today, without special invitation, the Lord of glory is waiting to reveal more and more of Himself to you and me in His Word.

Prayer  Lord, I am awed that Jesus died for me so that I could be Your child and have access before Your throne. Amen.

God wants us to come into His throne room unbidden, to "interrupt" Him with our prayers.

Face to face with Christ, my Savior

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

  Refrain

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

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

  Refrain

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

  Refrain

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

  Refrain

Daily Smile:
A little boy returned from the grocery store with his mom. While his mom put away the groceries, the little boy opened his box of animal crackers and spread them all over the kitchen table.

"What are you doing?" asked his mom.

"The box says you shouldn't eat them if the seal is broken," said the little boy. "I'm looking for the seal."

In The News:

Nigeria: Suspected Islamic Militants Kill 10 Christians in Machete and Gun Attack
Suspected Islamist militants killed 10 Christians in an overnight machete and gun attack in the remote village of Chibok in Nigeria's Borno state on Dec. 2, BBC News reports. Residents said a group of men went from house to house in a largely Christian area of Chibok, setting people's houses on fire before slitting the throats of 10 people. Later, gunmen attacked government targets and churches near the border with Cameroon, killing five policemen. It is still unclear who is behind the attacks, but the army suspects the Islamist sect Boko Haram, which has targeted churches and government establishments in the region in the last few years, killing more than 3,000. The group is fighting to overthrow the government and impose a strict form of sharia, or Islamic law.

Washington State to Eliminate 'Bride' and 'Groom' on Marriage Certificates
The words "bride" and "groom" are about to become archaic language in Washington state as officials prepare to remove the terms, along with "husband" and "wife," from marriage and divorce certificates, Todd Starnes reports. Tim Church, a spokesman for the Washington health department, told Fox News they will likely be removing those words in favor of more gender-neutral terms in response to the same-sex marriage law that takes effect in the state December 6. "We've been quickly moving ahead to change our marriage certificate to make sure it fits for everyone who is going to be using it," Church said. The words "bride" and "groom" could be replaced with "Spouse A" and "Spouse B" or "Person A" and "Person B." The department has been taking public input, but the state's secretary of health will ultimately decide which terms are used. "We want our form to work for everyone who is getting married," Church said. Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council said: "It is one sort of symbolic indication of how radical a change the legalization of same-sex marriage is. Symbolically, they are doing away with the whole concept of bride and groom, husband and wife -- at least in the eyes of the law."

Happy Wednesday

THE WILL OF GOD IN CHRIST
By Pastor Robert  Hanna

Scripture Reading: I Thessalonians 5:18

After having accepted God's great gift of eternal salvation by belief in the finished work of His dear Son at Calvary and thereby being found IN HIM, our most intense and cherished desire should be to comply with the will of God. It is not difficult to know what is His will; the difficulty is in becoming victorious over the weakness of the "old man."  To be spiritually adjusted and acceptable in our behavior in God's sight, we would do well to adopt as our formula verses 16,17 & 18 as an independent declaration:

"REJOICE EVERMORE. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. IN EVERY THING GIVE THANKS: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

Another Pauline admonition in concert with the above is one addressed to the Colossians saints. "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him" (Colossians 3:17).

The Apostle was not himself a stranger to the struggle between the old and the new creations. "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not" (Romans 7:18). And regarding prayer, he is cognizant of how our petitions are presented and received. "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us ... " (Romans 8:26). Knowing this, Paul offers this comfort: "In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God ... shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."


Are Ye Able
“Are ye able,” said the Master,
“To be crucified with Me?”
“Yea,” the sturdy dreamers answered,
“To the death we follow Thee.”
Refrain
    Lord, we are able. Our spirits are Thine.
    Remold them, make us, like Thee, divine.
    Thy guiding radiance above us shall be
    A beacon to God, to love and loyalty.

Are you able to relinquish
Purple dreams of power and fame,
To go down into the Garden,
Or to die a death of shame?
Refrain

Are ye able, when the anguish
Racks your mind and heart with pain,
To forgive the souls who wrong you,
Who would make your striving vain?
Refrain

Are ye able to remember,
When a thief lifts up his eyes,
That his pardoned soul is worthy
Of a place in paradise?
Refrain

Are ye able when the shadows
Close around you with the sod,
To believe that spirit triumphs,
To commend your soul to God?
Refrain

Are ye able? Still the Master
Whispers down eternity,
And heroic spirits answer,
Now as then in Galilee.
Refrain



Daily Smile:
What do you call a fly without wings?

A Walk!
- submitted by Ava

In The News:
Arrests of Christians Spike in Iran
International Christian Concern

Washington, D.C. (ICC) -- Reports of Iranian authorities arresting Christians for their faith are pouring in, indicating that the Islamic nation is running a massive campaign targeting house churches.

Officials from Iran's Cyber Police force raided the home of a Christian convert, Alireza Ebrahimi, in the northern city of Gorgan, the capital of Golestan Province, Mohabat News reported on Nov. 16. The officials had an arrest warrant for Ebrahimi, who was apparently not at home at the time and it remains unclear if he was being held in prison. The Christian man is a blogger who uses the social media for evangelism.

On Nov. 15, London-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said in a statement that the health of a 41-year-old pastor, who was arrested last year, was in critical condition and "there is a very real chance he will die." Pastor Behnam Irani, who is currently serving a six-year sentence, was a leader of the Church of Iran in the city of Karaj in Alborz Province. He had reportedly been beaten in prison and was being denied hospitalization despite having a bleeding ulcer. He was arrested allegedly for acting against the interests of national security, while the real reason was evangelism.

On Oct. 12, seven Christians from the Church of Iran were detained during a raid by security personnel in the south-western city of Shiraz, Fars Province, Mohabat reported. The seven were identified as Mohammad Roghangir, Suroush Saraie, Roxana Forughi, Eskandar Rezaie, Bijan Haghighi, Mehdi Ameruni, and Shahin Lahooti, who were taken to the notorious Plaque 100 detention center.

On Oct. 18, authorities arrested two more believers from the same church, identified as Afsar Bahmani and Massoud Rezaie.

However, Ameruni was freed last week on a bail bond of about $25,000 in local currency. Haghighi and Furughi were also released on bail on Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 respectively.

On Oct. 15, three of the five Christian converts who were arrested in February from Shiraz appeared before the Islamic Revolutionary Court in the city to respond to charges against them, which included burning of the Qur'an and having links with enemies of Islam abroad. The five were identified as Vahid Hakani, Mojtaba Hossein, Korush Partoey and Homayoun Shokohi and his wife Fariba Nazemian.

Shokohi and his wife were initially not brought to the court, and the hands and feet of the other three were tied with chains. The judge later asked authorities to bring the Christian couple after he saw their son, who had come to the court to see his parents, having an epileptic seizure near the courtroom. The judge released Nazemian on bail.

The official trial of four other Christian converts from the Assembly of God Church, who were arrested in December 2011, was also held on Oct. 15 at Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court in Ahwaz, the capital of Khuzestan Province, Mohabat reported. The four were identified as Pastor Farhad Sabokrouh and his wife Shahnaz Jeizan, and church ministers Naser Zamen Dezfuli and Davoud Alijani.

The charges against the four include "converting to Christianity, inviting Muslims to convert, as well as propagating against the Islamic regime through promoting Evangelical Christianity." They were each given a suspended sentence of one year's imprisonment and the confiscation of all their Christian materials.

In late September, intelligence officials arrested as many as 30 Christians in Shiraz, and sent them to the Plaque 100 detention center, according to the Farsi Christian News Network. Adyan News, partly owned by the state, also reported on the arrests, saying the Christians were part of "the Zionist enemy propaganda crusade in the Holy Islamic Republic of Iran."

The arrest are prompting leaders from various parts of the world to call on Iran to abstain from persecuting Christians.

On Oct. 29, U.K.'s All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) launched a report detailing evidence of the persecution on Iranian Christians by their own government, and calling on the British government to apply pressure on Iran to uphold the fundamental right of religious freedom for all Iranian people.

Reuters recently quoted Ahmed Shaheed, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, as saying that he estimated that "over 300 Christians have been arbitrarily arrested and detained throughout the country since June 2010."

"Scores of other Christians appear to remain in detention for freely practicing their religion," Shaheed said. "Churches continue to report undue pressure to report membership, in what appears to be an effort to pressure and sometimes even detain converts."

Christian persecution in Iran increased since June 2009, when the results of the presidential elections were disputed. Many believed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad  Authorities rigged the elections. To deal with growing opposition to his rule, Ahmadinejad began to restrict civil liberties -- including religious freedom -- and attack protesters.

The Iranian president claims that the West is fueling resistance to his regime. Arrests of Christians are also part of his efforts to tighten noose around people's freedoms in the face of domestic insecurity and international pressure over the nation's secret nuclear enrichment program.

International Christian Concern is a Washington, D.C.-based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides awareness, advocacy and assistance to the worldwide persecuted church. For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441 or visit www.persecution.org. c. 2012 International Christian Concern. Used with permission.

Happy Tuesday

THE LIVING GODby C. R. Stam

"My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God" (Psa. 42:2).

The recent "God is dead" theory had little true comfort or satisfaction for men in trouble or sorrow.

For years we supposed that the term "the living God," in the above passage, had reference to God’s power to help, in contrast to the impotence of dead heathen idols. A careful examination of the context, however, leads us to believe that it has rather to do with His ability to respond. The gods of the heathen, by contrast, were like children’s dolls; they could not even change their countenance or respond in any way.

"The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
"They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;
"They have ears, but they hear not, neither is there any breath in their mouths" (Psa. 135:15-17).

But the true God is a living God. He does see, hear and respond. The Psalmist, in Psalm 42, compares himself to a stag, panting with thirst. It is sometimes supposed that the scene is one of a stag pursued in the chase, but the passage says nothing of this. Palestine is a dry land and entirely apart from being hunted down, a deer might well pant for streams of running water.

Be this as it may, the stag, in this passage, is not seeking for help; he is thirsting for refreshment, and so did the Psalmist long for the refreshment of fellowship with God, the living God.

How wonderful it is that we may know the living God through faith in Christ! This is why the Apostle Paul declares in Heb. 10:19:

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus... a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh. "

By His death at Calvary our Lord tore away the veil that kept us from entering into God’s presence, and now in response to our need He says:

"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. 4:16).

Yes, God is a living God!


THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
“No power of hell, no scheme of man
could ever pluck me from His hand
til He returns or calls me home
here in the power of Christ I stand.”
( a portion of “In Christ Alone,”)


In Christ alone
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless Babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save

?Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory
Sin?s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From a life?s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Could ever pluck me from His hand
?Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand

I will stand, I will stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground, all other ground
Is sinking sand, is sinking sand
So I stand


Daily Smile:

From JOJO THE GIRL!, 10 years old

What kind of bug can't go into the men's bathroom?

 

A Ladybug!

In The News:

Islamist-Led Assembly Votes on Egypt Constitution
The Islamist-dominated assembly drafting Egypt's new constitution began a fast-track vote on a final draft Thursday, pushing through the document despite opposition, reports Yahoo! News. The issue of the role of sharia (Islamic law) in the constitution had been the subject of a long dispute between hardline Islamists and liberals in the assembly, and the draft largely reflects the ultra-conservative vision of the Islamists, with articles that many fear will lead to restrictions on the rights of women and minorities and civil liberties in general. Under sharia, non-Muslims and Muslim women face discrimination, and those who dishonor Islam can face "honor killings" by family members. Sharia also allows for women to be stoned to death for adultery, even if the woman is the victim of rape. As in past constitutions, the new draft says "principles of sharia" will be the main source of legislation, but a new article states that Egypt's most-respected Islamic institution, Al-Azhar, must be consulted on any matters related to sharia -- a measure critics fear will lead to oversight of legislation by Muslim clerics. Another article seeks to define "principles" of sharia -- a term long left intentionally vague -- which could vastly expand the reach of sharia in influencing society. Morsi is expected to call for a referendum on the draft as early as mid-December.

Anti-Israel Activity Spikes on U.S. Campuses Following Gaza Conflict
More than 100 anti-Israel demonstrations have been held in the United States following Israel's military operation in Gaza, with more than one-third on college campuses, the Times of Israel reports. The campus demonstrations have included comparisons of Israelis to Nazis and accusations that the Jewish state is trying to perpetrate "another Holocaust" in Gaza, according to the Anti-Defamation League. During the demonstrations and on social media, some students and professors openly expressed support for the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, which controls Gaza, and for terrorism targeting Israeli civilians. Many of the protests were organized by Students for Justice in Palestine.

Happy Monday

MADE NIGH IN CHRIST

By RUSSELL S. MILLER,

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:13

God gave up the Gentiles in Genesis eleven when He saved Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3). The vile affections wherein they sinned wickedly against themselves were, and still are today, an abomination to the Lord. These impure and unnatural sins brought God's wrath upon Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19), and the Lord is no less displeased with such sinners today.

But He chose Abraham through whom to bless the world.
"Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:3). Remarkable difference!

When our Lord Jesus Christ came upon this earthly scene He found His own people as far from God as the Gentiles. In the temple He quoted Isaiah 56:7 regarding the deplorable conditions there: "My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Mark 11:17).

And because this attitude toward the Messiah continued, God set the nation aside to raise up that other Apostle, who said to the saved Gentiles at Ephesians:
 "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ" (Eph. 2:13).

It is because these Gentiles were saved, they had trusted in the finished work of Calvary's cross and were "made nigh by the blood of Christ", that they were "in Christ Jesus". It is this same "believing", upon which believers today are "baptized into Jesus Christ".

"In Whom, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7).

Perhaps now you'll believe.


At Calvary
Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died on Calvary.
Refrain
    Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
    Pardon there was multiplied to me;
    There my burdened soul found liberty at Calvary.

By God’s Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary.
Refrain

Now I’ve given to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing of Calvary!
Refrain

Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary!
Refrain

Daily Smile:

From Corygreenwood, 10 years old

Why did the boy put sugar on his pillow?

So he can have a sweet dream!

In The News:

U.N. General Assembly Votes in Favor of Palestinian Statehood
The 193-member U.N. General Assembly on Thursday overwhelmingly voted to approve a resolution to upgrade the Palestinian Authority's observer status at the United Nations from "entity" to "non-member state," implicitly recognizing a Palestinian state, Reuters reports. There were 138 votes in favor, 41 abstentions and nine votes against the resolution. Granting Palestinians the title of "non-member observer state" falls short of full U.N. membership, but allows them access to the International Criminal Court, the World Bank and other international bodies. "The ICC issue is what the Israelis are really worried about," a U.N. official said on condition of anonymity. "They know this whole process isn’t really symbolic except for that." Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas led the campaign to win support for the resolution, which took place on the 65th anniversary of the U.N. General Assembly’s passage of the plan to partition the British Mandate of Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state.

Gay Marriage Comes to the Supreme Court Friday
The nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court will meet behind closed doors Friday to decide whether to take up several cases that could lead to the legalization of gay marriage in all 50 states, Baptist Press reports. The public won't find out what the court decided for several days -- as early as Monday -- but Friday's meeting is significant enough that both sides in the cultural debate are guessing what will happen. According to Baptist Press, if the court takes up the cases, "it could end up being the Roe v. Wade of gay marriage." At issue are two laws: the federal law known as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage in federal law as being between one man and one woman, and the California constitutional amendment known as Proposition 8, which was approved by voters in 2008 and defines marriage as between a man and a woman. It is not known when during the current term the court would hear oral arguments in the cases, although if they take the cases, a decision likely would be handed down in the spring or early summer.

http://the-starlight-news.blogspot.com/

Happy Sunday

When It Feels Better To Blame Someone Else 

by Lysa TerKeurst

"Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice." Proverbs 13:10 (NIV 1984)

You want to know one of the hardest three-word statements to make? "I am wrong."

It's so easy to point out wrong in others. It's so easy to want it to be someone else's fault. It's so easy to get critical and cynical and caught up in our limited perspectives.

But boy is it hard to see our own flaws. Where we went wrong. What we need to own.

I've been challenging myself on this. I recently had to correct one of my children for trying to blame someone else for something my child needed to own themselves. I could clearly see the pride, the insecurity, and the fear all wrapped around her blaming words. And why could I see it so clearly?

Because I see it in myself.

Bummer huh?

I had to have a conversation where I explained to my child something I'm learning myself. About blaming. And the dangerous path blaming can take us on.

In most conflicts I have two ways I can choose to travel:

The Path of Pride: I can blame the other person, focus only on their flaws, and refuse to own my part of it. That response will increase my pride and decrease the Lord's blessing in my life.

The Humble Way: I can honestly assess what I'm contributing to this conflict, admit where I went wrong, and ask for forgiveness. That response will lead to humility and increase the Lord's blessing in my life.

I see this principle woven throughout the Bible:

James 4:6, "That is why Scripture says: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (NIV 1984)

Proverbs 29:23, "A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor." (NIV 1984)

Matthew 23:12, "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (NIV 1984)

I know this. I believe this. So, why do I still find it hard to implement sometimes?

Well, here's where my head wants to go when I start examining certain conflicts: "But what if it really isn't my fault? It's not fair to assign the blame with me when this person did this and this and this."

But that's the wrong direction to go. Don't try to assign the blame. Just own the part you brought into the conflict. When I approach a conflict with a heart of humility, I've yet to see where I haven't added something to the issue.

And if the other person doesn't own their issues—the Lord will deal with them. (See the verses above.)

There are gifts hidden in the tough stuff of conflict. There is grace and honor to be gained. But I'll only see those gifts if I stop blaming others and start examining myself.

Dear Lord, I want to follow Your teaching in this. But it's so hard. I'm mad and frustrated and hurt. The last thing I feel like doing is examining where I am wrong. But I know that's what I need to do. Will You soften my heart? Will You give me eyes to see beyond my hurt? Will You help me cut through the assumptions and wrong-thinking? I want to honor You in this, I really do. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Tell me the story of Jesus

Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word.
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard.
Tell how the angels in chorus,
Sang as they welcomed His birth.
“Glory to God in the highest!
Peace and good tidings to earth.”

   Refrain

    Tell me the story of Jesus,
    Write on my heart every word.
    Tell me the story most precious,
    Sweetest that ever was heard.

Fasting alone in the desert,
Tell of the days that are past.
How for our sins He was tempted,
Yet was triumphant at last.
Tell of the years of His labor,
Tell of the sorrow He bore.
He was despised and afflicted,
Homeless, rejected and poor.

   Refrain

Tell of the cross where they nailed Him,
Writhing in anguish and pain.
Tell of the grave where they laid Him,
Tell how He liveth again.
Love in that story so tender,
Clearer than ever I see.
Stay, let me weep while you whisper,
Love paid the ransom for me.

   Refrain

Daily Smile:

A schoolteacher's son brought his report card home. The father said; let's see what you have accomplished. He opens the report and to his dismay sees all bad grades. What do you have to say about this Johnny? 

Well dad at lease you know I'm not cheating.

In The News:

Egypt: Copts Sentenced to Death for Anti-Islam Film
An Egyptian court Wednesday convicted in absentia seven Egyptian Coptic Christians and a Florida-based American pastor, sentencing them to death on charges linked to an anti-Islam film that had sparked riots in parts of the Muslim world, CNSNews.com reports. The case was seen as largely symbolic because the defendants, most of whom live in the United States, are all outside Egypt and thus unlikely to ever face the sentence. The charges were brought in September during a wave of public outrage in Egypt over the amateur film, "Innocence of Muslims," which was produced by an Egyptian-American Copt. The low-budget film, parts of which were made available online, portrays the Islamic prophet Muhammad as a fraud, buffoon and womanizer. Egypt's official news agency said the courts found the defendants guilty of harming national unity, insulting and publicly attacking Islam, and spreading false information -- charges that carry the death penalty.

'Two and a Half Men' Star Apologizes for 'Filth' Remarks
The teen actor in the CBS comedy "Two and a Half Men" is now apologizing for calling the show "filth" and urging people not to watch, CBN News reports. Nineteen-year-old Angus Jones, who has played the character Jake on the sitcom since he was 10, said he'd had a spiritual awakening and no longer wanted to be on the show. "I'm on 'Two and a Half Men' and I don't want to be on it," he said in a video testimony. "Please stop watching it. Please stop filling your head with filth. ... You cannot be a true, God-fearing person and be on a television show like that. I know I can't. I'm not okay with what I'm learning, what the Bible says, and being on that television show." But in a statement Tuesday, Jones said he was sorry if his remarks "reflected indifference to and disrespect" to his colleagues and "a lack of appreciation of a great opportunity."

Happy Saturday

When Following Gets Hard

By Glynnis Whitwer

"And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:27 (NIV)

"Follow me on Twitter!" the celebrity said. He promised insider information and witty words all in 140 characters or less. There's no cost to follow; only benefit. And if it's not to your liking, just unfollow him. It only takes a few key strokes and you can move on to the next entertainer.

Several thousand years ago, someone else said, "Follow me." Only He meant something much different.

There was no promise of pithy sayings; no offer of ease with Jesus. Though the entertainment value was high at times, especially when He performed a miracle, He didn't leave it at that. He asked for more from those who followed Him. Apparently Jesus never read any marketing books, because He sure didn't make it look easy.

When Jesus invited Peter and Andrew to follow Him, they walked away from their jobs. Others left family, wealth and possessions. He gently turned one away because the young man wouldn't give up riches. But those that followed gave up their rights in exchange for a relationship with the Messiah.

Following Jesus was an all or nothing invitation. There isn't one example in Scripture where Jesus made an exception. And yet too many times I find myself following Jesus with only part of me. In fact, at times I'd prefer the Twitter version of following Jesus. Quick and entertaining, and done from behind a screen.

When all the spiritual decorations are removed, the truth is I've tried to follow Jesus with only part of me. I consider His invitation, and I'm happy to follow Him with my mind and hands. As a writer, that makes sense to me. I'll follow You Jesus from behind my computer. That's enough, isn't it?

Not really, I hear. I want your heart too. Are you willing to let go of unforgiveness? And your legs need to follow me so I can send you to do My work in the hospital, your neighbor's home and the prisons if need be.

Okay then, I counter. I'll give You my legs when I've got some extra time in my schedule. Can I think about that unforgiveness request?

And yet I know Jesus wants more. He doesn't want a 140-character relationship with me. He doesn't want my obedience a few times a day when I think about it. He doesn't want my convenient offerings of service. Following Jesus means being His shadow ... walking in His footsteps to the leper colony, being a friend of the outcast, facing scorn from the religious community, and standing firm for what is right in spite of the cost. It means following Him in the very essence of who I am: The deep place where I submit my rights to the One who gave them up for me.

When I look at it in that light, I realize once again why I want to follow Jesus fully. He gave up everything for me. How can I do any less?

My footsteps on this earthly journey following Jesus are not always steady and strong. I've stumbled many times. Yet I know that following anyone else offers only temporary peace and joy. Only Jesus leads me from darkness to light, and from death to life. I don't expect I'll find that on Twitter.

Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I've tried to follow You part time. It seems I'm always withholding some part of me, especially when it's inconvenient or uncomfortable. Reveal those areas in my heart that I've kept to myself, and help me become a woman who follows You with complete abandon. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

We are climbing Jacob’s ladder
We are climbing Jacob’s ladder,
We are climbing Jacob’s ladder,
We are climbing Jacob’s ladder,
Soldiers of the cross.

Every round goes higher, higher,
Every round goes higher, higher,
Every round goes higher, higher,
Soldiers of the cross.

Sinner, do you love my Jesus?
Sinner, do you love my Jesus?
Sinner, do you love my Jesus?
Soldiers of the cross.

If you love Him, why not serve Him?
If you love Him, why not serve Him?
If you love Him, why not serve Him?
Soldiers of the cross.

Daily Smile:
Q. What did the digital clock say to the analog clock?

A. Look, No hands!

In The News:

Syria: Twin Car Bombs in Damascus Kill 34 People
Twin car bombs Wednesday morning killed at least 34 people and left dozens critically wounded in a Damascus suburb that is mostly loyal to President Bashar Assad and populated mainly by Christians and Druse, a minority sect, the Associated Press reports. The state news agency, SANA, said two cars packed with explosives detonated in a parking lot between two commercial buildings during rush hour as groups of laborers and employees were arriving to work. A series of car and suicide bombings have struck regime targets in Damascus and elsewhere since last December, confirming fears of an increasing Islamic militant presence among the forces seeking to topple Assad.

College: Students Can't Sell Trees Called 'Christmas'
A North Carolina community college has been accused of violating the First Amendment rights of students after it told a club they could not use the word "Christmas" to promote a Christmas tree sale, Todd Starnes reports. The BEST Society was planning to sell the Christmas trees to raise money for Angel Tree, an organization that provides Christmas presents to prisoners' children. Club members followed college protocol and submitted forms to promote the sale, with the proposed text reading, "The BEST Society will be selling Christmas trees..." But when the announcement appeared on the college's website and in other venues, every reference to "Christmas trees" had been replaced with "holiday trees." The communications relations director allegedly told the students, "We cannot market your trees in association solely with a Christian event." The Alliance Defending Freedom sent a letter to officials at Western Piedmont Community College, urging them to either reconsider their decision to censor the word "Christmas" or else face a possible lawsuit. "It's ridiculous that anyone would have to think twice about using the word 'Christmas' as part of a Christmas tree sale," said ADF attorney Matt Sharp.