Happy Wednesday

Today's Daily Devotional (think about it) is Combined with the Daily Smile...

We have enjoyed the redneck jokes for years. It's time to
Take a reflective look at the core beliefs of a culture that
Values home, family, country and God. If I had to stand
Before a dozen terrorists who threaten my life, I'd
Choose a half dozen or so rednecks to back me up.
Tire irons, squirrel guns and grit -- that's what rednecks are
Made of . If you feel the same, pass this on to your redneck friends. 

Y'all know who ya are................... 

You just might be a redneck...

 .
You might be a redneck if: It never occurred to you to
Be offended by the phrase, 'One nation, under God..'

You might be a redneck if: You've never protested about seeing 
The 10 Commandments posted in public places. 

You might be a redneck if: You still say ' Christmas'
Instead of 'Winter Festival.'

You might be a redneck if: You bow your head when 
Someone prays.
 
You might be a redneck if: You stand and place your
Hand over your heart when they play the National Anthem
 

You might be a redneck if: You treat our armed forces
Veterans with great respect, and always have.

You might be a redneck if:You've never burned an
American flag, nor intend to.
 
You might be a redneck if: You know what you believe 
And you aren't afraid to say so, no matter who is listening.

You might be a redneck if:You respect your elders and
Raised your kids to do the same. 
Some of you are so old you don't have elders to respect.
 
You might be a redneck if: You'd give your last dollar to
A friend.

You might be a redneck if: You believe in God & Jesus

And believe that others have the right to believe in which

Ever God they believe in as long as their God does not

Tell them to kill anyone who does not believe the same

As they do!!!!! 

If you got this from me, it is because I believe that
You, like me, have just enough Red Neck in you to have the
Same beliefs as those talked about in this message.

God Bless the USA ! 

God help our country to be strong
God help our country to be strong,
’Gainst all the battle-hosts of wrong;
In all we pledge or think or do
God help our country to be true.

God hold our nation’s aim sincere,
God save her heart from coward fear,
God prosper her with true success,
And crown her head with worthiness.

From foe without and foe within,
From open shame and hidden sin,
From boastful pride and greedy store,
God keep our nation evermore!

In The News:

North Korean Rocket Launch Bodes Ill for Christians
North Korea's successful rocket launch is putting an end to some of the mystery surrounding its new leader, Kim Jong Un, with many world leaders saying he is now proving to be just as provocative as his late father, Kim Jong Il. According to CBN News, this may also mean more trouble for North Korean Christians and those trying to reach the closed country with the gospel. "The message to the world is 'Don't mess with me; I not only have the weapons, I have the delivery capability now,'" said Jung Hoon Lee, Yonsei University professor. Many North Koreans publicly celebrated the rocket launch, which the White House called "regrettable" and "highly provocative." Meanwhile, human rights groups say North Korea is increasing its persecution of Christians under Kim Jong Un's leadership, and is targeting those who help them. The country is not only sending a growing number of spies to China and to border patrol locations to search for those who help North Korean refugees, but is increasing scrutiny of underground Christians within North Korea. Open Doors USA estimates about 50,000 to 70,000 Christians are living in horrific conditions in labor camps, some who have been "tortured so severely they cannot walk anymore."

Christianity in Britain Losing Ground to Islam, Secularism
New figures from the 2011 Census show that the number of people who identify as Christians in England and Wales has fallen by 4 million over the last 10 years -- from 37.3 million in 2001 to 33 million last year, the Religion News Service reports. Meanwhile, the number of people declaring themselves to be atheists rose by more than 6 million, to 14.1 million. "It should serve as a warning to the churches that their increasingly conservative attitudes are not playing well with the public at large," said Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society. Other polls have detected similar shifts: The 2012 British Social Attitudes Survey showed that only about half of Britons claim a religious affiliation, down sharply from 20 years ago when two out of three did. Barely a quarter of young people identify themselves as religious. The new figures also show that Islam is the U.K.'s second-largest religion, at 2.7 million. Hinduism is third, at 817,000, and the number of self-identified Jews rose from 260,000 to 263,000.

Happy Tuesday

He Sees You When You’re Sleeping

By Skip Heitzig

There’s a Christmas song that tells us how Santa Claus “sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, he knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!” The writer of this song was wrongly giving an imaginary elf the attributes of God. You see, only God knows everything. This attribute is called omniscience, and it makes Him so different, so much higher, than mere humans.

The thing about God that really grabbed David’s attention was His personal and thorough knowledge of him. He said in Psalm 139, “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether” (Ps. 139:1-4). Amazingly, the God who knows everything about everything cares enough to know each of us personally.

David reminds us that God knows us inside and out. He has searched and knows us, including our thoughts and our motives. He knows when we sit down to relax and when we get up to engage in the activities of our daily lives. He can even tell what we’re thinking and what we’ll say. Knowing that God knows about us should cause us to live lives that are pleasing to Him. In the words of the Christmas song, we should want to “be good for goodness’ sake!”

David also realized that God’s thoughts toward Him were both gracious and numerous: “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You” (Ps. 139:17). God’s thoughts toward us are precious; in other words, they are loving, concerned thoughts. And His thoughts toward us are continual; they are beyond counting. If the mythical Santa was said to be watching to see whether to give or withhold gifts, know this: God is watching because He wants to give “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20).
The Creator of the Universe, the Almighty God, who knows each star by name, is thinking about you. He sees you when you’re sleeping, He knows when you’re awake…and He is there diligently, lovingly watching over you. “He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He…shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:3-4).
 

I was there when it happened   (To Listen)

You ask me how I know that Jesus saves me,
How I know that all my sins are white as snow;
You ask me how I know that He forgave me;
Now listen, I must tell you how I know.

     Refrain

       I was there when it happened, and I ought to know;
       His Spirit burning in me, set my heart aglow;
       So I praise the Lord today, He has washed my sins away;
       I was there when it happened, and I ought to know.

You ask me how I know that He redeemed me;
And how I received the peace no gold can buy;
How from the guilt and pow’r of sin He saved me,
Made me an heir to mansions in the sky.

     Refrain

And now, as thru the world I go rejoicing,
I am telling what a Savior dwells within;
How I plunged into the cleansing, crimson fountain,
And Jesus washed my soul from ev’ry sin.

     Refrain

Daily Smile:

Doctor: "Good news you passed your hearing test!"

Patient: "HUH"

In The News:
Obama Administration Recognizes Syrian Opposition Forces
The U.S. is now officially standing with the coalition of fighters opposing Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's regime, President Barack Obama declared in an exclusive interview with Barbara Walters scheduled to air on ABC's "20/20" Friday. "We've made a decision that the Syrian opposition coalition is now inclusive enough, is reflective and representative enough of the Syrian population, that we consider them the legitimate representative of the Syrian people in opposition to the Assad regime," Obama said. "Not everybody who's participating on the ground in fighting Assad are people who we are comfortable with. There are some who, I think, have adopted an extremist agenda, an anti-U.S. agenda, and we are going to make clear to distinguish between those elements." ReligionToday.com previously reported that in February, al Qaeda's leader called for the ouster of the Assad regime, urging Muslims in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey to support Syrian rebels. Syrian Christians, who fear for their future should Assad be defeated, say the growing presence of foreign Islamic fighters in the country and many Islamist brigades within the opposition Free Syrian Army are of particular concern. Innocent Christians and communities that have not joined the uprising against Assad continue to become victims at the hand of radicals as the total death toll now tops 42,000.

U.S. Navy Cancels Nativity on Bahrain Military Base After Atheist Complaint
The U.S. Navy directed service members serving in Bahrain to cancel and dismantle a live nativity after receiving a complaint from a military atheist group who said the manger scene endangered Americans serving in a Muslim country and violated the U.S. Constitution, Fox News reports. The live nativity was a long-standing tradition at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain that featured the children of military personnel dressed as shepherds and wise men along with Mary and Joseph. It was part of a larger celebration that included a tree lighting, Christmas music and photographs with Santa Claus and a camel. The Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers filed a complaint with the Navy's Inspector General, arguing that it promoted Christianity as the "official religion of the base" and also put service members in danger because the local Muslim population could "see the U.S. military as a Christian force rather than a secular military." A statement the Navy sent the MAAF reportedly read: "Upon further review, the CRP [Command Religious Program] will be removing the Living Nativity Program from the general base secular holiday festivities and co-locating it more appropriately with some of our other private religious and faith-based observances at the chapel at a separate time." Some service members in Bahrain called the cancellation "heartbreaking," and children who were supposed to act in the nativity were devastated. "Here we are serving in the Middle East, defending our country and other people's religions, and we couldn't understand why we can't enjoy our own religious freedoms," said one officer who asked not to be identified. 

Happy Monday

A Gift for Him

By Suzie Eller

"Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God..." Psalm 50:14a (NLT)
I love presents. It's not about what is in the package, but unwrapping the surprise and knowing a loved one thought of me when they chose it.

I also love giving gifts. Recently I found a very old package of baseball cards at an estate sale. They were less than five dollars, and I know they will light up my son's face when he opens his stocking on Christmas day.

As Christmas approaches, gift giving is on our minds. We draw names. We plan out the Christmas list. Some of us get up before the sun to find incredible sales.

But as the actual day approaches, there is one gift we can give that is meaningful.

We can thank God.

Long before the cross, people labored to find the perfect gift to give Him. They brought sacrifices to honor God, but in Psalm 50:14a we hear a plea: "Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God..." It is a heart plea of a God who desires an intimate relationship with His people.

What could happen if this Christmas we offered Him exactly what is on His list?

I believe it would shift our heart away from our stressful to-do lists to thank Him for all the miracles around us.

God, thank You for my child who is healthy.

Thank You for my husband who loves us all so well.

Thank You for this hot meal prepared by hands of love.

God, have I told You how grateful I am for the warm home and covers to sleep under at night?

As we begin to offer our gifts of thankfulness, like layers of sparkling tissue paper, more is revealed beneath. We dig deeper to see all that we've received.

Thank You, God, that You saw me as a young teen and showed me love.

Thank You for that time at my son's hospital bed that You helped me make it through one more night.

Thank You for the time I needed mercy and found it in Your presence.

Christmas is a celebration of the ultimate gift, but family, finances, or just plain ole stress can cause this special day to dim. Offering up a gift of thankfulness has the power to give those things their rightful place as gratitude rises to the top.

Will you join me between now and December 25th to hold up a daily gift of thanks to Him?

Dear Lord, Christmas often gets lost in all the busyness and details, but for today I will stop and offer you a gift. I am grateful for all the good things You have given. Help me to celebrate this season with a heart of gratitude. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION 

Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin;
Each victory will help you some other to win;
Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue,
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.

   Refrain

     Ask the Savior to help you,
     Comfort, strengthen and keep you;
     He is willing to aid you,
     He will carry you through.

Shun evil companions, bad language disdain,
God’s Name hold in reverence, nor take it in vain;
Be thoughtful and earnest, kindhearted and true,
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.

   Refrain

To him that o’ercometh, God giveth a crown;
Through faith we shall conquer, though often cast down;
He Who is our Savior our strength will renew;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.

   Refrain

Daily Smile:
The man charged into the jewelry shop, slammed his fists angrily on the showcase, removed a wristwatch from his pocket and shook it under the nose of the owner. “You said this watch would last me a lifetime,” he yelled.

 “Yeah,” admitted the owner. “But you looked pretty sick the day you bought it.” 

In The News:

Coptic Christians Ask Free World to Cut Ties With Egypt Under Morsi
The founder of an international group of advocates for the equality and rights of Coptic Christians is appealing to the leaders of democratic nations to cut any ties with Egypt, the Christian Post reports. "We demand that world leaders withdraw their recognition of Egypt's phony 'pro-democracy' leader, Mr. Morsi, who is backed by the illegal Muslim Brotherhood party," said Dr. Ashraf Ramelah, president of Voice of the Copts, which is attempting to thwart president Mohammed Morsi's regime from implementing a primarily Islamic-based constitution. Coptic organizations around the world, including the U.S.-based Egyptian Front for National Salvation and Coptic Solidarity have been making similar appeals since Morsi issued a new constitutional declaration in which he granted himself sweeping powers and placed himself above judicial review. Thousands of Egyptians within the country continue to protest against Morsi's regime, and the government is bracing for likely mass demonstrations of both opponents and supporters of Morsi ahead of the Dec. 15 constitutional referendum.

U.S.: North Korea Missile Test 'Highly Provocative Act'
The White House called a long-range missile test by North Korea a "highly provocative act" that threatens regional security, CBN News reports. On Tuesday, North Korea announced the successful test of the Eunha-3 long-range rocket, which traveled directly over Okinawa before falling 180 miles north of the Philippines. The regime said it fired the missile to test technology to put a satellite in orbit, but the U.S. believes it's a cover to test missile technology. With further development, such a weapon could one day carry a nuclear warhead and potentially reach as far as California. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told CNN he was "very confident" that if North Korea were to launch a missile at the United States, the U.S. military could guard against it. However, Victor Cha of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said North Korea "could sell this technology to others, including Iran and Pakistan, who have been regular customers of North Korea's other missiles. They still have other technological thresholds to cross, but this was undeniably a major one." Iran on Wednesday praised North Korea's move.

Happy Sunday

Burdens and Trials a Necessity?
from the messages of Adrian Rogers
BIBLE MEDITATION:
James 1:3 - “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A man had a grandfather clock. One day he felt sorry for the grandfather clock because it had a weight on it, and that weight was always pulling on the clock. The man said, “Oh, Mr. Clock, you’ve held this weight so long; I’m going to remove it and let you rest.” The clock protested, saying, “Don’t take that weight from me. That’s what keeps me going.” In the same way, the trials and tests of life are there for your endurance. They’re to keep you going, keep you trusting, keep you praying, and keep you depending upon God.

ACTION POINT:
When was the last time you shared with someone that they need to be thankful for their trials? When was the last time you told yourself that?

Daily Smile:

While driving along the back roads of a small town, two truckers came to an overpass with a sign that read CLEARANCE 11'3."

They got out and measured their rig, which was 12'4."

"What do you think?" one asked the other.

The driver looked around carefully, then shifted into first. "Not a cop in sight. Let's take a chance!"

Happy Saturday

Don't Be a Flabby Christianfrom the messages of Adrian Rogers
BIBLE MEDITATION:
2 Timothy 2:15 - “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I’m amazed at the little bit it takes to stop some Christians from accomplishing the tasks the Father has given them to do. This thing of being a Christian is not a Sunday afternoon stroll! Shining God’s light in a dark world is a full time job. We must pray over it, weep over it, and study over it to show ourselves approved. Most of us in America get up on Sunday mornings and sit in streamlined comfort in an air conditioned church with beautiful stained glass windows. The truth is, we’re flabby, undisciplined, and exhibit no determination. Friend, God does business with those who mean business.

ACTION POINT:
Do you mean business in this Christian life? Then begin something today for the building up of God’s Kingdom to the glory of God.

Daily Smile:
A man follows a woman out of a movie theater. She has a dog on a leash. He stops her and says:"I am sorry to bother you, but I couldn’t help but notice that your dog was really into the movie. He cried at the right spots, he moved nervously in his seat at the boring parts, but most of all, he laughed like crazy at the funny parts. Don’t you find that unusual?" "Yes," she replied, "I find it very unusual... He hated the book!"

Happy Friday

Just Like You
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly... - James 5:17

If a person is going to accomplish anything in life, he's going to have to take action. And that's what I see in the life of Elijah the prophet, as we meet him in 1 Kings 17-19. At that time, Israel's sin was right out in the open, parading itself in the streets in defiance of the Word of God. And into this mess the Lord sent Elijah.

The book of James tells us Elijah was a man just like us, a man subject to like passions as we are. So often we think the people God uses are somehow different. They must have some special ability to resist temptation and stand up for what's right. But Elijah was a person with all the same emotions and struggles we have. He was also a man of action; he had a fiery spirit. He wasn't content to sit in his chamber and write memos to King Ahab. Elijah was right out there on the firing line, confronting the worst aspects of his world with the Word and the power of God.

Perhaps most important, Elijah was a man of prayer. His communion with God kept rain from the land for three-and-a-half years, then brought it back. His prayer called the fire of God down from heaven in a confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. He wasn't just a loud, angry voice condemning the sins of the nation. He was a humble servant of God, on his knees, pleading with the Lord to work miracles so that his people might come to repentance.

That's exactly the kind of person God is looking for today--an ordinary person facing the same problems as everyone else, but a person of action and prayer.

Prayer: Lord, make my life count for You in the things I say and do. Amen.

God's power is perfected in our weakness.

JUST WHEN I NEED HIM MOST

Just when I need Him, Jesus is near,
Just when I falter, just when I fear;
Ready to help me, ready to cheer,
Just when I need Him most.

     Refrain

       Just when I need Him most,
       Just when I need Him most,
       Jesus is near to comfort and cheer,
       Just when I need Him most.

Just when I need Him, Jesus is true,
Never forsaking all the way through;
Giving for burdens pleasures anew,
Just when I need Him most.

     Refrain

Just when I need Him, Jesus is strong,
Bearing my burdens all the day long;
For all my sorrow giving a song,
Just when I need Him most.

     Refrain

Just when I need Him, He is my all,
Answering when upon Him I call;
Tenderly watching lest I should fall,
Just when I need Him most.

     Refrain

Daily Smile:
“What did your mother do yesterday morning. Vicky?”

“She done her shopping, ma’am.”

“Done her shopping, Vicky? Where’s your grammar?”

“She done her shopping as well, ma’am.”

In The News:

British Boy Scouts Distance Themselves From God
Prospective Boy Scouts in Britain could soon be allowed to join the organization without pledging to uphold their "duty to God," WORLD News Service reports. A group of atheists, joined by TV adventurer and self-proclaimed Christian Bear Grylls, has asked the Scouts of Britain to consider providing an alternative Scout Promise for children who don't believe in God -- and many British Scout leaders see removing God as a step forward for the organization. "We are a values-based organization and exploring faith and religion will remain a key element of the Scouting programme," Wayne Bulpitt, the association's chief commissioner, told the British newspaper The Hillingdon Times. "However, throughout our 105-year history, we have continued to evolve so that we remain relevant to communities across the UK." Alternative versions of the oath for other faith groups -- including Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists -- have already existed for more than 40 years, according to The Times. In 1991, UK Scout executives decided it was discriminatory for the Boy Scouts to deny membership to girls, and vice versa, allowing equal access for girls and boys into any of its programs.

North Carolina Pro-Life License Plate Ruled Unconstitutional
North Carolina drivers who wanted to display a pro-life message on their car's license plate may never get a chance to do so, CBN News reports. U.S. District Court Judge James Fox ruled Friday the state cannot sell plates reading "Choose Life" because "the state's offering of a 'Choose Life' license plate in the absence of a pro-choice plate constitutes viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment." After North Carolina's Planned Parenthood complained that sales from the plates would go to pro-life pregnancy centers in the state, the judge halted production of the plates in 2011 until the lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina Legal Foundation. Chris Brook of ACLU-NCLF said it was a free speech victory for all residents of North Carolina regardless of their stance on abortion. State attorneys have not yet decided if they will appeal.

Ministry Helps 38 Workers Leave Abortion Clinics
A ministry started by a former Planned Parenthood center director is succeeding in helping abortion clinic workers leave the industry, Baptist Press reports. And Then There Were None (ATTWN), started by Abby Johnson after her departure from a Planned Parenthood clinic in Bryan, Texas, has helped 38 workers leave the abortion business, according to a report by LifeSiteNews.com. Johnson said her organization was helping five workers leave the same clinic in Atlanta, and three already have jobs. It has also assisted three employees of a Houston clinic. "[W]hen a worker came to us from a late-term abortion clinic in Houston, we were thrilled," Johnson said. "But when she was able to reach out to two workers who were still inside the clinic ... and then was able to pull them out with our ministry's help ... we were beside ourselves." Johnson worked at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Bryan for eight years, serving as its director for more than two years. She left her position and became a pro-life advocate in 2009 shortly after witnessing the destruction of a 13-week-old unborn baby as part of an ultrasound-guided abortion she assisted in.

Florida Atheist Installs 'Festivus' Sign Next to Nativity Scene
To protest a nativity scene that has been displayed every Christmas for the past 20 years in the South Florida town of Deerfield Beach, a local atheist has erected an 8-foot-tall "Festivus" pole with beer cans just six feet away from the manger, the Christian Post reports. "It's just 23 beer cans stacked eight feet high conveniently located six feet from Baby Jesus," the Sun Sentinel quoted atheist activist and blogger Chaz Stevens as saying. "Think of how many people have died over the years to give us our freedoms. So I've got to push back a little." Stevens' sign is based on the secular "Festivus" holiday featured in a 1997 Seinfeld episode, which was created by the father of Seinfeld writer Dan O'Keefe as an alternative to the commercial Christmas and is celebrated on Dec. 23. Stevens has been trying unsuccessfully for five years to get the city to stop the nativity scene, and this year he asked for permission to express his own non-religious beliefs. The Rev. Mark Luttio of Zion Lutheran Church and School in Deerfield Beach called the atheist's move "kind of silly." Luttio added: "It doesn't really represent a very big constituency, does it? But if there really was a strong group of people who feel a desire to express something about their identity as atheists, that would be absolutely OK for them to do so in a public forum."

Happy Thursday

How about that??? Friday the 13th falls on a Thursday this month... 
WHO, ME???

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." - Matthew 19:26

  Moses was raised as the son of Pharaoh's daughter, but through a series of circumstances he found himself on the backside of the desert, tending somebody else's sheep. It was there an event occurred that led him to become one of the greatest men the world has ever known. 

Here's how it happened: God called to Moses out of the midst of a bush that burned but was not consumed. When Moses saw this strange sight, he turned aside for a closer look. And God revealed Himself with these words: "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." Then He told Moses, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them" (Exodus 3:6-8).

Can you imagine the joy that must have flooded Moses' heart? God Himself was going to take action to deliver the children of Israel from the hand of their oppressors. Then God said, "So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."

Moses was dumbfounded. "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" he said. The question was so irrelevant that God didn't even bother to answer it. Instead He said, "I will be with you."

Christian, are you tempted to back out of something, ... to tell God to get somebody else to do it? Remember in whose power you go, and then launch out and watch the hand of God at work.

Prayer: Lord, I feel inadequate for the task ahead, but I press on, knowing that You will go with me. Amen.

God delights in using ordinary people to do extraordinary things. 


Daily Smile:


In The News:

Pro-Family Groups Welcome Supreme Court Decision on Gay Marriage Cases
Several pro-family groups are voicing their approval that the U.S. Supreme Court has decided it will hear highly controversial cases on gay marriage, OneNewsNow.com reports. The Supreme Court said Friday it would hear arguments on California's Proposition 8 -- the voter-approved state constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman -- and on a provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that defines marriage the same way for the purposes of deciding who can receive a range of federal benefits. Jordan Lorence of Alliance Defending Freedom said, "We hope that they are going to uphold both of these and say that it is legitimate, constitutional policy to define marriage as one man and one woman, because marriage between a man and a woman is a universal good that diverse cultures and faiths have honored throughout the history of Western civilization." The National Organization for Marriage is also optimistic about the Supreme Court upholding Prop 8. "We believe [taking the case] is a strong signal that the court will reverse the lower courts and uphold Proposition 8," said NOM's chairman, John Eastman. The Supreme Court is likely to hear arguments in March and hand down decisions in June.

Hamas: We'll Never Surrender 'Palestine'
Since the beginning of the so-called Arab Spring almost two years ago, the Muslim Brotherhood has made significant advancements both in Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood offshoot in Gaza, celebrated its 25th anniversary over the weekend, and hundreds of thousands gathered in possibly the biggest rally in the history of Gaza to hear Hamas' political leader, Khaled Meshaal, CBN News reports. Egypt's new government allowed Meshaal to enter -- something the Mubarak government would not do -- and it marked the first time in 45 years that he had been in Gaza. He used the opportunity to pledge Israel's destruction, saying: "Palestine will be Palestine. We will never surrender the land, Jerusalem, the right of return or [our right] to resistance. We will not leave any inch of Palestinian land and we'll never give up any of our rights." Israeli president Shimon Peres stated in response to Meshaal's speech: "He unmasked the real nature of Hamas: to kill, to conquer, not to compromise, the people of Gaza can remain poor and hungry." Some say the Hamas rally is a sign they feel they won the recent conflict with Israel, and they are also emboldened after the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Hamas announced its desire to reach a unity agreement with Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, and some have speculated Meshaal could one day be a candidate for president of the PA.

Food Stamp Use Hits New High
Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, reached another high in September, according to new data released by the United States Department of Agriculture, the Daily Caller reports. The data, released on Friday, shows that 47,710,324 people were enrolled in the program in September, an increase of 607,559 from the 47,102,765 enrolled in August. The number of households enrolled in the program also went up from 22,684,463 in August to 22,973,698 in September -- an increase of 289,235. The average benefit was $134.29 per person and $278.89 per household, and Texas, California and Florida were the states with the most recipients. The new numbers mean that an estimated one in 6.5 people in America were on food stamps in America. In the 1970s, one out of every 50 Americans was on food stamps, but spending on the program has quadrupled since 2001 and doubled in just the last four years.

Poll: Only 52 Percent of Americans Give Clergy High Marks for Honesty, Ethics
Who do Americans regard as the most honest and ethical people in their lives? According to a new Gallup poll, most people would not say a pastor or clergyman, Christianity Today reports. The survey, in which respondents rated the "honesty and ethical standards" of different professions, found that 85 percent of Americans ranked nurses as "high/very high" and nearly three-quarters said the same about pharmacists -- but only 52 percent of respondents said clergy were highly honest. However, this number is up 2 percent from similar data in 2009, which marked the lowest recorded level of public trust in clergy in 32 years. Confidence in clergy has stayed relatively stable over time, ranging from 61 percent in 1977 to a high of 67 percent in 1985, and remaining consistently in the low 50s in recent years. And in 2012, clergy still fell within the top half of all rated professions, ranking eighth. Respondents regarded car salesmen and members of Congress as the least honest, garnering high/very high responses from only 8 and 10 percent, respectively.

Happy Wednesday

GOD, Have You Forgotten Me???

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. - 1 Corinthians 2:12

Thirteen years passed from the time Joseph was sold into slavery until he entered Pharaoh's service--years of injustice, disappointment, and obscurity. It must have been a great day for Joseph when the mystery finally was solved, and he understood the leading of God in his life and in the lives of his family.

Through a series of almost unbelievable circumstances, God had worked out a plan to save the lives of Joseph's father and brothers and their household. They now were settled safely in Egypt, with plenty of food to eat and plenty of work to do. But the thing to remember is Joseph's statement to his brothers: "God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God" (Genesis 45:7-8).

Throughout the years of loneliness and all the months in an Egyptian prison, throughout all the difficulties that could have caused his faith to fail and his spirit to become bitter, Joseph saw the hand of God. In his mind there was nothing for which man could take either the credit or the blame.

Remember the account of the apostle Paul and Silas being beaten and cast into prison at Philippi? Acts 16:25 says, "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God." Why weren't they complaining, griping, demanding their legal rights? Somehow, like Joseph many centuries before, they were able to detect the merciful hand of God in it all.

Prayer: Lord, I praise You for Your hand on my life. Amen.

Failure to look up to God, whether your circumstances are good or bad, can mean the difference between victory and defeat. 

The True Shephard

I was wandering and weary
When my Savior came unto me;
For the ways of sin grew dreary,
And the world has ceased to woo me;
And I thought I heard Him say,
As He came along His way,

Refrain

O wand’ring souls, come near Me,
My sheep would never fear Me,
My sheep would never fear Me:
I am the Shepherd true.

At first I would not hearken,
And put off till the morrow;
But life began to darken,
And I was sick with sorrow;
Still I thought I heard Him say,
As He came along His way,

Refrain

At last I stopped to listen,
His voice could not deceive me;
I saw His kind eyes glisten,
So anxious to relieve me,
I was sure I heard Him say,
As He came along His way,

Refrain

He took me on His shoulder,
And tenderly He kissed me;
He bade my love be bolder,
And said how He had missed me;
Then I heard Him sweetly say,
As He went along His way,

Refrain

I thought His love would weaken,
As more and more He knew me;
But it burneth like a beacon,
And its light and heat go thro’ me.
And I ever hear Him say,
As He goes along His way,

Refrain

Let us do, then, dearest brothers,
What will best and longest please us.
Follow not the ways of others,
But trust ourselves to Jesus.
We shall ever hear Him say,
As He goes along His way,

Refrain

Daily Smile:
Peter says. Doctor, I see double!
Sit on the chair please the doctor says.
Which one? Peter replied.  

In The News:

Supreme Court Will Hear Gay Marriage Cases
The U.S. Supreme Court will take up California's ban on same-sex marriage, a case that could give the justices the chance to rule on whether gay Americans have the constitutional right to marry, the Associated Press reports. The justices said Friday they would review a federal appeals court ruling that struck down the state's gay marriage ban. The San Francisco-based appeals court said the state could not take away the same-sex marriage right that had been granted by California's Supreme Court. The court will also review a provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act that limits a range of health and pension benefits to heterosexual couples. The cases will probably be argued in March, with decisions expected by late June. Gay marriage is legal, or will be soon, in nine states -- Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington -- and the District of Columbia.

Egypt's Morsi Rescinds Power Decree, But Opposition Calls It a 'Stunt'
Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi has canceled his decree giving himself sweeping powers, but plans to push forward with the planned Dec. 15 referendum on a draft constitution, CNN reports. The announcement came after Morsi met with other political leaders in Cairo on Saturday -- despite calls by the opposition to boycott the meeting -- in an attempt to end the violence and unrest that erupted following his Nov. 22 power grab. Opponents of Morsi criticized the announcement: Human rights lawyer Gamal Eid said it was a "play on words" since Morsi had already achieved the desired aim of finalizing the draft constitution and protecting it from judicial challenge, and writer and activist Bassem Sabry called it a "stunt" that would embarrass Morsi's opposition but not resolve the problem. "In the end, Morsi got everything he wanted," Sabry said. "He protected the constituent assembly, the draft constitution and rammed into a referendum when people will have no time to study it against what he had promised before, which is that the document won't be put into a referendum without sufficient national consensus."

Violence Against Christians Moves Nigeria to No. 7 on List of Terror-Affected Nations
Boko Haram's violent jihad against Christians in Nigeria pushed the country into seventh place in annual rankings of countries impacted by terrorism, fueling more calls for the State Department to reconsider its decision not to designate the Islamist group as a foreign terrorist organization, CNSNews.com reports. Nigeria's ranking in the latest Global Terrorism Index, released this week, marked a shift from 12th place a year ago, from 16th place in 2008 and from 30th place in 2005. The top six countries this year are Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Yemen and Somalia. Produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the index is calculated based on the number of terrorist incidents, the number of deaths, the number of casualties and the level of property damage. The newly-published rankings relate to 2011, a year during which 168 terror attacks were recorded in Nigeria, accounting for 437 deaths and 614 injuries. This year, however, has already witnessed more than 700 Nigerian Christian deaths in Boko Haram-related violence, according to the Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans (CANAN), and the coming Christmas holiday could bring more, if past years are a guide.

California Episcopal Church Under Fire for Hosting Muslim Convention
Leaders of an Episcopal church in Pasadena, Calif., have come under fire for their decision to host the annual convention of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, the Washington Post reports. All Saints Church has received dozens of emails accusing it of condoning terrorism for hosting MPAC's 12th annual convention on Dec. 15, the first ever held in a Christian church. Ryan Mauro, national security analyst at RadicalIslam.org, wrote that MPAC -- which was founded by Muslim Brotherhood followers -- was "taking advantage of naive Christians," adding that Islamists sought to create an "interfaith bloc" to defend them from critics. Mauro, who also cited MPAC statements condemning Israel in the wake of the recent Israel-Hamas conflict, quoted MPAC as saying the partnership with All Saints was the "next step in its mission by crossing the interfaith line." All Saints rector Edwin J. Bacon Jr. said the emails criticizing the church's decision to host the conference were unexpected. "We've received so much joy and reinforcement from living an interreligious life, so we simply hadn't been aware this would cause offense for some people," he said. Salam Al-Marayati, MPAC's president, said the criticism had given the conference so much free publicity that part of the marketing budget would be transferred to provide extra security. 

Happy Tuesday

Editor's Note: Brrrrrrr.... 37º here... WELL, Was I surprised when I clicked to today's devotional??? It was BLANK!!! All I can say is that this is what happens when a man attempts multitasking...  (((Big Grin)))

Life Is Hard, and Then ...

If God is for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31

When should we expect life to get easier? When we graduate--when we marry--when we retire?

Today's passage contains a story that seems to nullify God's great promise that in Abraham all the families of the earth would be blessed. He is to take his son, Isaac, into the land of Moriah and kill him  --  offer him as a sacrifice upon one of the mountains. Verse 1 tells us this command came to him "after these things." After what things? After all the hardships and difficulties Abraham already had gone through.

All the tests and trials we have endured will not prevent other tests from coming our way. But these things need not destroy us nor wreck our faith. On the contrary, if you and I respond as Abraham did, in obedience and faith, these tough battles and trials can be the crowning moments of our lives.

For Christians, tough times are supposed to bring us higher and higher, closer to the Lord.

Christian, what winds are knocking you around today?
Family matters? ... Finances? ... Ill health? ... When Abraham faced his toughest test, he looked to the Lord. By God's grace and strength, you and I can do that, too.

Prayer: Lord, I will trust and obey You, no matter what. Amen.

God has determined that we should become conformed to the image of His Son.

I Surrender All

All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

   Refrain

     I surrender all, I surrender all,
    All to Thee, my blessèd Savior,
    I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

   Refrain

All to Jesus, I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

   Refrain

All to Jesus, I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

   Refrain

All to Jesus I surrender;
Now I feel the sacred flame.
O the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!

   Refrain

Daily Smile:

Groups of Americans were traveling by tour bus through Holland. As they stopped at a cheese farm, a young guide led them through the process of cheese making, explaining that goat's milk was used. She showed the group a lovely hillside where many goats were grazing. 'These' she explained, 'Are the older goats put out to pasture when they no longer produce.' She then asked, 'What do you do in America with your old goats?' 

A spry old gentleman answered, 'They send us on bus tours!  

In The News:

Fiscal Cliff Imperils Adoption Tax Credit
With Congress embroiled in debate over the so-called "fiscal cliff," many in the adoption community are concerned that the adoption tax credit set to expire at the end of the year could be forgotten, Baptist Press reports. The tax credit that provided last year a maximum of $13,360 to each adoptive family has helped countless low- and middle-income families afford the costly endeavor. Unlike a tax deduction, which only reduces taxable income, a tax credit actually reduces a person's tax liability. U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) introduced in September the Making Adoption Affordable Act, which would permanently establish the tax credit and make it "refundable," allowing adoptive families to receive a refund "in excess of their tax liability," but amid all the debate regarding the fiscal cliff, the bill "has sort of been stalled," says Bill J. Blacquiere, president of nationwide adoption agency Bethany Christian Services. "Throughout this year we've always been told by legislators that this bill would be taken up after the election," he said. "Well, now it is after the election..." Blacquiere fears that without the tax credit, there will be fewer adoptions. "People would just simply say, 'I can't afford this cost,' and they would back out of it," he said.

Pakistani Christians Hold Prayer Rally for Wounded Missionary
Hundreds of Pakistani Christians gathered in the city of Lahore to pray for a wounded Christian missionary, CBN News reports. Bargetta Emmi, a Swedish national and director of the Full Gospel Assemblies in Pakistan, is fighting for her life after being shot in the neck by a gunman on a motorcycle in front of her Lahore home earlier this week. The shooter escaped and no one has yet claimed responsibility or stated a motive for the attack. Emmi, who is in her 70s, has worked in the Muslim country for nearly 40 years.

Belgium: Two Newly Elected Muslim Politicians in Brussels Vow to Implement Sharia
Two Muslim politicians who won October municipal elections in Belgium's capital, Brussels, have vowed to implement sharia, or Islamic law, in Belgium, the Gatestone Institute reports. The two candidates, Lhoucine Ait Jeddig and Redouane Ahrouch, both from the fledgling Islam Party, won seats in two heavily Islamic municipalities of Brussels, and say they regard their election as key to the assertion of the Muslim community in the country. In a one-hour video of a post-election press conference, Ahrouch says at one point that he will strive to make sure the town council's "motions and solutions are durable and definitive and will emanate from Islam." The Islam party, which plans to field candidates in European-level elections in 2014, campaigned on three core issues: ensuring that halal meals are served in public school cafeterias, securing the official recognition of Muslim religious holidays, and pushing for a law that would legalize the wearing of Islamic headscarves in public spaces. Ahrouch has admitted he is taking a gradual approach, saying it may take decades to enforce sharia, but says his ultimate goal -- creating an Islamic state in Belgium -- has not changed. "I think we have to sensitize people, make them understand the advantages to having Islamic people and Islamic laws," he told a reporter. "And then it will be completely natural to have Islamic laws and we will become an Islamic state." Muslims now make up one quarter of the population of Brussels.

Israel Still Excluded From Obama Administration's Touted Counter-Terror Forum
Six months after the Obama administration said it was "committed" to involving Israel in its flagship international counter-terrorism initiative, there has evidently been little progress, and the State Department indicated Wednesday it was still trying, CNSNews.com reports. As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton prepares to attend a meeting of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) in the United Arab Emirates next week, a State Department spokesman said the U.S. would there again raise the issue with its GCTF partners. The Obama administration took flak from the start when it excluded Israel from the forum, because Israel has had decades of experience facing and combating terrorism -- far more than most other countries invited to join the forum. Critics said it was obvious Israel was left out because Muslim countries, which the administration wanted to draw in, would not have joined had Israel been involved. Eleven of the 29 countries welcomed into the GCTF are members of the 56-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC); a senior administration official said last summer a key aim of the GCTR was to "bridge old and deep divides in the international community between Western donor nations and Muslim-majority nations."

Happy Monday

and with an 80% chance of rain today I predict it will be a Glorious LORD'S Day... 

Minor Irritants
Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" NIV

Motivational books are crammed full of quotes to inspire, stimulate and encourage. Here are a few:

John Wooden --- "Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
UCLA Basketball coach. His team won 88 consecutive basketball games.

Dale Carnegie --- "Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success." He developed famous courses for self improvement.

John Wooden and Dale Carnegie lived what they believed.

Dale Carnegie was asked, "What is the secret of your life?" Dale replied, "Every day I pray. I yield myself to God, the tensions and anxieties go out of me and peace and power come in."

John Wooden when asked a similar question said, "I recited a good night prayer softly each night as I drifted off to sleep." 

And then there is Roger Crawford who was born with two deformed legs and no hands. Roger had only a thumb and finger at the end of his left forearm and a thumb-like projection at the end of his right forearm. He chose to see these as minor irritants and was determined that they would not keep him from leading a productive life.

Crawford became a high-school tennis champ and is now a motivational speaker. He attributes the success he enjoyed in his life to a positive mental outlook, faith in Jesus and prayer. As he became older, he began to believe that God specifically gave him his hands and legs for a very special reason --- "To help others overcome obstacles in their lives."

Our Lord works where he is invited. For John Wooden he humbly relied on Jesus every day --- for every win.

For Dale Carnegie he looked to Jesus as an example to build into his self help training programs.

Roger Crawford saw Jesus in everything he accomplished. His deformity was a minor irritation in doing the work of the Lord.

No matter where you fit in --- a talented sports person or coach, a talented business professional, physically challenged individual, teacher, lawyer, housewife or a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord has a special plan for your life that if you are willing to let him --- he will develop. Just ask Roger Crawford if you don't believe me!

You can see a video of Roger speaking before a group of business people by Clicking Here: (Notice --- the video is 11 minutes long)      

Prayer: Father thank you for rescuing the fully yielded who overcome minor irritants in life to make a masterpiece for Your Kingdom. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

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, 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'll never walk alone.
Always feel at home, wherever you may roam.
There is no power can conquer you while God is on your side.
Just 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:

A wise man once said ...... go ask a woman

In The News:

Israel: U.N. Palestinian Statehood Vote Won't Help Peace
Palestinians in the West Bank and Hamas-controlled Gaza celebrated Thursday's historic vote by the United Nations General Assembly to recognize the Palestinian Authority as a non-member state, but Israel maintained that the vote would make peace talks and negotiations even tougher, CBN News reports. "The truth is, when the party is over and when people wake up tomorrow morning, they'll see that nothing is changed, that reality on the ground remains as is," Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the vote "meaningless," adding: "The way to peace between Jerusalem and Ramallah is in direct negotiations, without preconditions, and not in one-sided U.N. decisions. By going to the U.N., the Palestinians have violated the agreements with Israel, and Israel will act accordingly." Speaking earlier ahead of the vote, Netanyahu said the resolution actually pushed peace backwards, and said no U.N. decision could break the "4,000-year-old bond between the people of Israel and the land of Israel."

Vatican Hails U.N. Palestine Vote, Wants Guarantees for Jerusalem
The Vatican hailed the United Nations' implicit recognition of a Palestinian state on Thursday and called for an internationally guaranteed special status for Jerusalem, something bound to be received negatively by Israel, Reuters reports. The 193-nation U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution to upgrade the Palestinian Authority's observer status at the U.N. from "entity" to "non-member state," the same status as the Vatican. A statement from the Vatican said, "The Holy See welcomes with favor the decision of the General Assembly," and also called for "an internationally guaranteed special statute" for Jerusalem, aimed at "safeguarding the freedom of religion and of conscience, the identity and sacred character of Jerusalem as a Holy City, [and] respect for, and freedom of, access to its holy places." It has been some time since the Vatican re-stated its position on Jerusalem so forcefully, and the statement was bound to irk Israel, said a diplomat with direct knowledge of their relations. Israel has always maintained that it already guarantees the city's special nature as sacred to Christianity, Judaism and Islam, and has always resisted the concept of any form of international mandate over Jerusalem. Israel declared Jerusalem its "united and eternal" capital in 1980 after annexing East Jerusalem in the Six Day War in 1967; however, world powers have not recognized the annexation. Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of an eventual state.