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Minister's Consider Their Options In Response To Obama's Attach On Marriage

Fri, 25 May 2012 20:31:00 GMT

Recently President Obama and Vice President Biden boldly affirmed their support of homosexual marriages. Some pastors have responded to this political move at the pulpit.

Other pastors support the president (that's for another article). Still, other pastors have felt their hands tied and have not said anything at all. Pastors who have felt their hands tied may be afraid of losing their church's tax exempt status-- and paying those taxes would be a very costly tag for the church.

Yet, according to Jerry Newcombe of the Christian Post, pastors can say more than they fear they can't. "I think part of the reason we don't hear much from pastors these days is because of a misunderstanding of the law. Some fear---wrongly---that if they say anything viewed as a political statement, then they might lose their tax exempt status," Newcombe wrote.

He said the church should not abandon the political process, and lawfully, they don't have to. "Many of the controversial issues of our day, such as abortion and marriage, have become political, but they are simply moral issues that have changed into political ones," he wrote.

He referred to historical cases when pastors were expected to speak out bravely. In fact, they served somewhat as a watchtower over the government, leading the way in societal reforms when government proved itself insufficient. For example, two-thirds of the 1835 abolition society were ministers.

And the Underground Railroad, which helped southern slaves escape to the safety of the north, was greatly supported by churches, Newcombe wrote.

He described how the Civil Rights movement was born in the basement of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery in 1955 and was led by a reverend: Martin Luther King, Jr. "Watch raw tapes of the civil rights marches, and you'll see many different Christian groups participating," he wrote.

He referred to pastors in the New England territory who, before the United States had become a nation, preached "election day sermons"-- "not necessarily endorsing particular candidates, but explaining biblical civic duties. "When did this all take a turn for silence? When did it become expected that churches and religious morals should not intermix with politics?

In a 2008 posting by the Los Angeles Times, Erik Stanley of the Alliance Defense Fund addressed this issue. Stanley referred to the "1954 federal Johnson Amendment" which "prohibits a pastor from talking about candidates from the pulpit in light of Scripture." According to the IRS, this law prohibits tax-exempt charities from engaging in political campaigns.

The IRS says that churches can "advocate for or against issues that are in the political arena" and "engage in a limited amount of lobbying. "Stanley, though, raises a flag of caution regarding the government's regulations:" ...based on what a pastor says about an election from the pulpit, the tax code allows the government to tax a church.

Consider that in light of the Internal Revenue Service's increasingly vague regulations, and you have a recipe for the censorship of religion. The IRS, through those vague regulations, reserves for itself tremendous discretion and power to decide which churches to punish for violations of the Johnson Amendment and which not to punish. Barry, I know you've seen this because you report a lot of churches to the IRS for alleged violations, but the IRS only acts on a minuscule portion of your complaints. What standard does it use? Who knows why it chooses to go after some churches and not others? When does a pastor's sermon somehow cross the line?" Stanley wrote.

However, Stanley also referred to a 1970 U.S. Supreme Court case (Walz vs. Tax Commission of the City of New York) which said that "the power to tax involves the power to destroy," and awarding a tax-exempt status "restricts the fiscal relationship between church and state, and tends to complement and reinforce the desired separation insulating each from the other.

"Some churches have felt that making themselves tax-exempt is like putting duct tape over their mouths. They'd rather pay the taxes and speak freely regarding politics then be strapped in their speech. But according to Stanley, tax exemption provides a healthy bar between church and state.

It appears that churches who are under tax-exempt status need to wade these waters carefully, recognizing the law they have agreed to, yet freely exercising the free speech this nation has aspired to.

I admire groups like Focus on the Family who have found themselves compelled to be engaged in the political happenings of the day and have discussed these events in their broadcasts-- all within the bounds of their tax-exemption laws.

They have even branched out a legally separate non-tax-exempt organization- Citizen Link- which can more freely speak on these politics. After all, a ministry in the business of helping families cannot ignore the political repercussions on the family from the Capitol.

Newcombe also addressed the importance of churches continuing to have a voice in politics: "For years, my pastor was the late Dr. D. James Kennedy, who noted, 'Someone said to me, "Do you think Christians should be involved in politics?

That's dirty business." I said, "Of course not, you should leave it to the atheists; otherwise, you wouldn't have anything to complain about." Well, we have got plenty to complain about today, because that is exactly what we've done.'"

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The Value Of Life Begins With God Because He Made Us Precious

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:33:00 GMT

A group of critics sent by the Pharisees descended upon Jesus. Intending to trick Him, they asked, "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?"

Jesus replied by asking for a coin. Then he asked, "Whose image and inscription is this?" "Caesar's," they said. Then Jesus said, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

After apologetics speaker Ravi Zacharias outlined this account from Matthew 22, he brought forth his point: who's image do we bear?

Good question. Genesis reveals the answer: "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.' So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."

After God had created all else, He made man and woman. They were God's only creation made in His own image. When considering abortion, suicide or euthanasia, then, we must ask: Do we have the right to demolish God's image?

Valued In The Beginning

The image of God is stamped upon human life from the moment of conception. David and Jeremiah refer to God's care of man when formed in the womb. God has assigned great value on a human life from the very beginning. Sadly, however, in our culture, more uproar would ensue over an abortion brutally done to an animal than on a human being, even though the image of God is inscribed upon humanity, not animals.

It's easy, when thinking of an unborn child, to decrease its value to the form of tissue. After all, we can't see it yet, and we certainly can't see what God sees. Yet I think that God has given us an inkling that life in the womb is precious. A mom, especially, can testify to that.

The Alabama State Supreme Court also testified to it, according to lifesitenews.com. Last February, they ruled in favor of a woman who sued because she was denied further testing of her unborn child. It was revealed in an ultrasound the possibility of anemia and hydrops. Her doctor did no further testing, and later her son became stillborn.

A lower court had ruled that the mother was not able to pursue a wrongful death claim because her baby was not developed enough to survive outside the womb.

The Alabama Supreme Court, however, referred to the Declaration of Independence and said "each person has a God-given right to life." They cited a 1973 Wolfe v Isbell decision which stated "that from the moment of conception, the fetus or embryo is not a part of the mother, but rather has a separate existence within the body of the mother."

The debate over abortion is often hung up over when life is considered valuable. Opinions differ across the spectrum here on Earth. Thankfully a person's value is not subject to man's opinion. God has made the unborn child, and from the moment of conception, life is precious.

Valued In The End

The image of God continues through a person's life. It's partly why we feel compassion for others, even before becoming saved. It's why we seek to create and discover and instinctively know right from wrong. Many things which set humanity apart during a lifetime are because God has made us in His image, and this is no less true in old age.

Yes, human life is precious to God, and its value does not dwindle with age or condition.

Nearly 50 years ago, Burt acquired a disease that has eaten away the cushion in his spine. This disease has caused him to shrink multiple inches. It has also decreased his mobility and he now lives with continual pain. There is no cure.

Yet Burt wears a smile and rarely speaks of his struggles. He continues to offer his life as a living sacrifice to his sovereign God. Burt has not let his condition absorb his purpose. Even though he is past 80 years of age, he continues to take leadership in ministry at his church. He is also sought after by others for advice.

Burt would never consider euthanasia to end his physical struggles. Even proponents of euthanasia may look at Burt's life and agree, "He has too much to offer..."

But what of those who are strapped to their beds by an incurable condition? It may seem they have nothing to contribute to society and the light of hope has left their eyes. Perhaps they have given up. Doesn't a quick, painless death seem to be most humane and beneficial for society?

On the contrary-- Burt and the person who is bedridden hold equal value in God's eyes. Thankfully, man's worth is not subject to man's opinion. Our value is also not determined by our circumstances. No, God has assigned the value. Life in the beginning is precious, and so is life in the end.

Precious In God's Eyes

Interestingly, the debate over euthanasia tends to center around quality of life. Proponents of it argue, "At what point is life no longer enjoyable or beneficial?" Thankfully, our life's value is not subject to how much we enjoy it. If that were the case, suicide should be applauded. (Scarily, sometimes it is.) Our life's value is also not subject to our society's opinion of when life is beneficial to others. What a dangerous line to draw!

Whether we trust in God or not, our life is precious to Him. However, it seems that one's opinion about the value of life is closely connected to one's trusts in His sovereignty.

One who trusts in God's sovereignty can comfortably leave the determinations of life in His hands. God has created life. He has assigned great value to life. And God is the giver and taker of life. It would be dangerous for us to assume authority regarding when life should end.

However, relying on God's sovereignty is a position in the minority these days. This explains why issues regarding life (abortion and euthanasia) seem to be taking a turn in our culture. God's sovereignty was at one time unquestioned by a majority of the population. With the plethora of opinions about God that exists today, it's no wonder that our culture has thought it okay to take life into our own hands. Those who don't trust or acknowledge God naturally feel it's okay to play god.

Interestingly, the very people who play god regarding the lives of others were still created, and are still highly valued, by God. They just don't know it yet. I hope someday they will know this and can pass it on to their children.

I have a routine with my children nearly every morning. They wake up, we cuddle, and I ask them, "Who made you precious? Did mamma make you precious? Dadda? Dora [the Explorer]?" "No," they say with a giggle. "Well then, who made you precious?" I ask. "Jeee-us," they say.

I love my kids. They are most precious to me. But their value is not tied to what I think, because I didn't make them. God did.

God made the Pharisees. When they sent their question, intending to trick Jesus, they were likely unsuspecting that Jesus would return with an answer calling them to give their lives fully to God.

God made us. May we carefully protect the life He has created and accurately display the image He has stamped upon us-- from the wrinkled flesh forming in the womb to the wrinkles displayed as we near the tomb.

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The Christian Worldview Is Always More Profitable Than The Secular Worldview

Tue, 22 May 2012 01:53:00 GMT

A Christian worldview is more profitable in every aspect of life, but in this article I'm going to talk about how a Christian worldview is more profitable in business.

A business with a Christian worldview is more profitable than a secular worldview, because it improves the lives of the customers, blessing their lives with wisdom that increases their ability to produce more and gain more out of life ? the abundant life ? which results in greater wealth, translating into customers that have more money to spend in the future.

Contras to a business with a secular worldview, that tries to profits off the natural human tendencies to crave things that are not good for us, like greed and selfishness and pride, which are sold as products like quick-divorce, gambling, sexual promiscuity, pornography, etc.

All of these things reduce the wealth of the customer and tear apart their lives, leaving them worse off than before they purchased the products and the result is that they have less money to spend in the future.

This is why the secular business model is completely dependent on people rebuilding their lives and can only be perpetuated by gaining new customer that the church has restored from previous purchases of these products that destroyed part of their lives.

Those that push for a complete secular worldview don?t realize what they are asking for, because their customer base is completely dependent on the Christian worldview to constantly restore the lives that their products are destroying.

Take Hollywood for example.

The Hollywood industry is a group of people that have some of the most broken lives in America, as Karen Covell, the Hollywood Prayer Network founder, said in a recent article on World.

?Christians look at the show differently: Instead of fixating on a small gold idol, they grasp the brokenness in the lives of seemingly successful actors and directors.?
Covell, a documentary producer, described the movie industry's makeup: "Only 2 percent of people go to church, many have never read a Bible, and are not at all aware of what faith in Christ is.?... [Hollywood] does not relate to the rest of America. It has its own culture, gods, language; we are ministering to a tribe of people who are not the same."

The broken lives of the Hollywood elites are exactly what Christ has a solution for. Yet, in the blindness of the image of success that they see themselves achieving, they cannot see the abundant life that the Christianity worldview provides.

In an same place that contains most of the richest people in the world, is a culture destruction surrounding the industry destroying many of the people that work in the industry because the business model is built on promoting and marketing sin.

?The environment is tough for anyone coming in, says Shun Lee, an actor, writer, and producer from Omaha, who moved to Los Angeles nearly 10 years ago. Young, impressionable people looking for their big breaks are easily entrapped by cults, the porn industry, sex trafficking, and prostitution. In a career filled with rejection, Lee sees a common danger: "Feeling discouraged, despair, loneliness," and going down the wrong track. ?

Thousands of people head to Hollywood each year in search of fame and worldly success, and they end up destroying their lives not realizing the dangers of the business model of marketing the most lethal poison in the world - sin.

They mock the Christians and ministries that have sprung up to help the many people in need of the savior, without realizing that their business model is completely dependent on the very ministries they mock to restore the broken lives that sin has revenged.

Just as predictable as the morning sun, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge .. They feed on the sin of My people. And direct their desire toward their iniquity." - Hosea 4:6-8.

The few that gain wealth in the Hollywood business model of marketing sin, is on the back of thousands of broken lives. Customers that will never again be able to purchase the products that destroyed their lives. The Hollywood business model is a perpetual circle of wealth destruction.

This is why a Christian worldview business model is always more profitable, both for the customers and for the business. Instead of marketing evil, and Christian worldview business model markets the knowledge of Christ, which is wholesome and good, capable of strengthening marriages and families so they can increase their wealth, by increasing their productivity, savings and relationships.

This enables them to become repeat customers for life.

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In These Last Days Pornography Has Become A Global Destroyer, Yet God Is Still Rescuing And Restoring Those That Call On Him

Fri, 18 May 2012 03:23:00 GMT

From porn producer to pastor-in-training? Yes, God works miracles. Donny Pauling began producing pornography in 1997.

He quit nine years later and recently has been working with XXXchurch in Pasadena, CA to become a pastor.

While Pauling shared his story (found at lifesitenews.com) during a "Porn Sunday" service at Mercy's Cross Church, he touched on the vastness of destruction connected with pornography. Not only does it hurt the families who absorb it; it damages the girls who perform it.

Pauling's story

Pauling was raised in a church he defines as "legalistic." His father was a pastor, and while Pauling saw parishioners who appeared to be great spiritually, he overheard conversations with his father revealing otherwise.

"I started hating Christians," Pauling said. "I was confusing God with the people that claimed to represent Him."

Later, Pauling married a Christian girl and began doing what he thought Christian men should do: attend church and early-morning prayer meetings. He came across porn when they acquired a computer and quickly saw it as a potential business.

"I started seeing something that I was not only finding very appealing, but something I could make money in," he said. While Pauling began running his own porn company, his wife thought he was working with a computer business. He kept this giant secret for three years.

"I ripped her heart out," Pauling said, when he confessed his secret to his wife. But now that the secret was out, his business grew. And since our culture tends to glamorize and soften porn (for example: family shows which have episodes of "porn with clothes on"), he had no problems recruiting new girls. His first month after confessing his secret he made more than $50 thousand, "and I was hooked," he said.

He was hooked on the money and hooked on the hatred he had built against God. Pauling said sometimes he ran into former church parishioners, and "I lived for the moment when I could say I was a porn producer."

His proud proclamation would often be followed by asking this question: "Do you consume porn or have you ever consumed porn?" He said that question would very often end the conversation.

The truth is that pornography has become a booming industry with the help of consumers, including those consumers who attend church. Pauling shared frightening statistics that 54 percent of Christian pastors, 90 percent of Christian men, and 70 percent of Christian women have admitted to their struggle with pornography. And the porn industry operates by supply-demand.

"There are millions of Christians in this country," Pauling said. "And if we would just stop consuming porn, we'd make a big dent."

It appears we'd make a big dent not only in the lives of families, but in the lives of those who've performed for the industry.

Behind-the-scenes

During his nine years as a producer, Pauling recruited 500-plus new girls to the industry. He said he never received a "thank you" for recruiting a girl. He understands why, and described the trauma he had seen as a porn producer when the camera was off.

"These models, they thought that we were their friends," Pauling said. After all, a $500 paycheck for one day's work seemed awful nice to a young girl. He said the women who posed for him came from a variety of backgrounds: pastors' daughters, college grads, and a university professor were among them.

"People think girls involved in porn must be broken," Pauling said. "That's not true. They become broken."

He said a girl might enjoy her job for two weeks, but then her life seemed to fall apart. He remembers one girl huddled in a corner sucking her thumb after a filming. Some girls require surgeries to repair their bodies after aggressively having to re-enact scenes.

"And we sell our families for this," Pauling said.

Other long-term effects exist. One girl was let go at Hewlett Packard because her previous work with porn was found out. Another was not allowed to finish her police academy training. Others had photos of them placed in awkward locations: on campus or on a relative's car.

It seems that many girls who are after the quick cash don't realize that once these pictures are posted on the internet, they are nearly impossible to remove. Pauling said the industry gets lots of calls from girls complaining about their photos still being online.

One girl wrote a letter to Pauling after her fiance found her pictures online.

"This will and is ruining my life," she wrote. Not only was her engagement at stake-- much of her future will be, too. Imagine what her grandchildren might find online someday, Pauling said.

The destruction caused by pornography is unmeasurable, from those involved to the families who absorb it. Sadly, families are placed on the chopping block in exchange for visuals which are just fantasies.

"We're putting people through horrible, emotional pain for a complete lie," Pauling said.

While Pauling's marriage is not yet restored, he has re-built his relationship with his ex-wife, whom he now calls his best friend.

"The reality of the fact is that it is an affair," Pauling's ex-wife had described pornography in a letter. "He would sacrifice his wife and children for photographs and fantasy," she wrote of men who engage in it.

Redemption

Pauling's breaking point came on the day that he was offered an additional $4 thousand per day for a new lesbian production. He was ecstatic about the deal, yet had mixed feelings inside.

"Inside I was just really having a hard time continuing," he said. "I was just, you know, miserable." While mulling this over in his car, he said he felt like an "electric shock" go through him. He said he didn't get a "you're going to hell" condemnation-- it was an "I've got a whole lot more for you than this" conviction. He pulled his car over and his hands were trembling. It was then that, despite the offer for more money, he decided to quit.

He hadn't made a commitment to Jesus at this point, but did called the XXXchurch and confessed that he was quitting porn production and had questions about God. Two weeks later, he decided to trust God as his redeemer regardless of the questions he still had.

XXXchurch is unique in that it has a very specific approach to the porn industry. In fact, their mission states, "XXXchurch is your resource online to fight porn addiction."

Pauling remembers their presence at porn conventions. Their booth displayed the message "Jesus loves porn stars." They offered to do makeup on models who were hired by porn companies. In these moments the church told models that they are beautiful and that God loves them no matter what they've done.

Pauling contrasted this with picketers he had walked past who held up signs about going to hell. The picketers had only fueled his anger toward God. "Who wants to be married to a person you're scared into loving?" he said.

It was the approach that XXXchurch had that Pauling said "started messing with my head."

"I'm finding a Jesus now who does not ask us to do things because he can send us to hell if you don't," Pauling said.

He said he does not struggle so much with temptations from his porn past because he has seen how destructive it was to the girls he worked with.

"Nothing on the screen is real," Pauling said. "So, no, I don't struggle with porn."

Pauling said now he looks for his former models so that he can apologize to them. Sometimes this leads to an opportunity to share his testimony.

He does offer three suggestions for those addicted to the industry: tell God, tell others, and get away.

Pauling said bringing the subject out in the open and talking about it makes a difference. "What we keep in secret becomes a big huge problem," he said.

XXXchurch offers resources to provide accountability regarding this area. (see www.xxxchurch.com)

In his talk, Pauling referred to the apostle Paul, who was a "super Christian" but also struggled to do things right. "I found out that I'm not alone," he said.

He's also not alone regarding his redemption. Who else but God could drastically change a life? Whether it be a Christian persecutor like Paul was, a producer of pornography like Pauling was, or a girl trading her body for some cash-- only God has the power to so justly change a life.

Here is Pauling's blog.

Last Days

-- Addition, By Curtis Ophoven

This story is interesting with regard to the last days, in which Revelations 17 talks about how the entire world becomes consumed by a global system of adultery, much like the pornography industry has become.

?With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries? ? ?The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries? ... ?This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH? -Revelations 17:2-5

This passage goes on to say that this system or woman was drunk with the blood of many saints that become involved in her adultery. This is just what Pauling said, he has recruited pastor?s daughters and many Christians are consuming the pornography that he was producing. Pauling also says that the porn industry is global and he has attended many events with people from all over the world, just as this passage goes on to say.

?saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.? ? Rev 17:6
?Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.? ? Rev 17:15

In the last days, just before the return of Christ, sexual immorality will increase and destroy many families and nations, as many trade the truth for a lie (Romans 1:25). Pauling's story reveals the incredible accuracy of God's prediction, which is greatly astonishing.

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Prayer Is Powerful Because It Is Direct Communication With The Living God

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:23:00 GMT

Prayer seems like such a simple concept that we, as Christians, should be familiar with. It is something we do in church or before meals, but shouldn?t it be more?

After all, most religions are familiar with prayer. The difference is that, for Christians, our prayers have power behind them because we have a Savior who is alive?a God who hears and answers our prayers.

However, it seems as if many of us do not have the prayer lives that God intends for us to have. We pray to God when we have a need, but what about when we are without need? Doesn?t the Lord deserve our thanks for meeting all of our needs? God plainly gives us His purpose in prayer that we should ?pray without ceasing.?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18- ?Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.?

Our prayers should include thanksgiving and rejoicing to our God for the incredible works He has done in our lives. Prayer is something that lies in the very center of our faith. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to pray to God and have a personal relationship with Him. As we ?pray without ceasing? we will remain in close relationship to our Savior.

Prayer is a powerful tool, yet it seems many Christians do not think twice about their prayer life. Maybe it is because they think God will not answer their prayers. The Lord has made it clear to us through His Word that He listens to our prayers and will answer. He actually tells us to ask for what we need in prayer, and as we pray in faith, the Lord will answer.

Matthew 21:22- ?And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.?
Mark 11:24- ?Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.?

God asks us to pray to Him about everything. He always answers our prayer?even though sometimes it may not be in the way we want Him to answer. God?s answer to our prayer requests can be an immediate yes, and He provides for our need.

Other times, the answer is no. This does not mean that God did not answer our prayers; it simply means His answer was ?no? or ?not at this time.? And there are even times where God has answered my own prayers by simply telling me to ?wait.? God has perfect timing for everything even if it is not our own timing.

Looking at another aspect of prayer?how many people in our lives need prayer and share prayer requests with us on a daily basis? I know I have a lot of prayer requests to pray for, but the question lies in whether or not we are actually praying. We have a God that is capable of powerful miracles, yet we aren?t praying and asking God to perform these miracles.

My sister and brother-in-law are missionaries in the Africa, and they recently shared a quote in their monthly newsletter by Wayne A.Grudem:

?If we pray little, it is probably because we do not really believe that prayer accomplishes much at all.?

For those who are serving the Lord in other countries, prayer is a great necessity in their daily lives. As they live among those who are not believers and in the midst of spiritual warfare, they are always in a constant state of prayer. I find it interesting that we do not live in the same way in our own lives. It shouldn?t matter where we are living or whether we are missionaries or not. God calls us to have a dedicated prayer life.

There are people in our lives that are in desperate need of a touch from God, and it is our responsibility as Christ-followers to pray for them. We should be praying for those with specific needs, and we should always be praying for our friends and family who are not saved. What will it take for Christ-followers to live a bold life of prayer? Do we treat prayer like it is not important or not powerful without even realizing it?

I think it is crucial, as Christians, to pray and ask God to reveal to us our attitude towards prayer and work toward living a life where prayer is not something we do only at meals or when we?re in church, but that we would do just as God asks of us??pray without ceasing.?

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Science Cannot Escape That It Begins With The Biblical Definition of Faith

Fri, 04 May 2012 20:08:00 GMT

The world of science is constantly trying to understand the world in which we live. Theories are proposed, research is conducted and conclusions are drawn.

Yet the numerable conclusions drawn by the scientific community throughout history that have been proven incorrect make it difficult to put much faith in modern science.

The problem with science is that it begins with an assumption. Before any theory can be proposed or any research can be done, a scientist must make an assumption.

The greatest myth of modern science is that science is a 'neutral' tool that can be used to discover the world and answer questions without bias.

Science begins in the mind of people. It is a collection of reasoning about the existence of the world under study. Science cannot begin outside the assumptions of our own thinking, or put another way, it is impossible to remove the ideas of the existence of the world from the mind of a scientist.

We have no research that was done before the world existed or from outside the world in which we live in. Because of this we are limited and forced to make assumptions about the world in which we study.

Does God Exist?

The first assumption that exists in the mind of all scientists is ?does God exist??

A scientist may say, I don?t know let?s find out, but the research that they begin with will always reveal the assumed answer to this question. Science is therefore always biased and never suggestive unless it could be done by someone other than a person. Science alone is not worthy of our trust.

The very thought that the world puts tremendous faith in the conclusions of science, despite their history of errors and direct conflicts with the Word of God, reveals the world?s willingness to believe in our own intelligence above God?s. The audacity of this claim is staggering. What this assumption really means is that we can be our own sovereign gods.

With each new conclusion that is against the knowledge that God, we are holding our heads up and declaring that our intelligence gives us the authority to determine our own path apart from God's influence.

But each new conclusion that the scientific community comes up with that is worshiped by the world is nothing new at all, it is as old the first man that thought he knew something. And just to show us how foolish our boasting is, God predicted before we even existed that we would do this very thing. (1 Cor. 1:20-21)

Science Begins With Faith

Science begins with faith, because faith believes in what is invisible. The very idea of science is to understand the invisible forces and energies that make up the world. To believe the invisible forces and energies that make up the world is by definition faith.

Science cannot begin without faith and it cannot redefine what faith is because faith is part of the world we live in, just as the Lord tells us.

?By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the Word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. ? ? Hebrews 11:3

The world was made out of things that are invisible and is held together by natural forces and energies and we have no choice but to but our faith in. This is how we understand the world, by faith.

And it is this very understanding the God created the world that has created the reasoning to explore the world, which the entire modern day scientific revolution was built upon. Without the understanding the God created the world, their would be no modern day scientific community.

The Lord also tells us the reason the world was created and what holds it all together.

?For in him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.? ? Colossians 1:16-17

Science is not bigger than God. Science is a human function that exists within the world that God created. It is the expression of man to learn about God. The thinking mind of man was created to discover who God is.

The most important discovery is that the creation of the world reveals that God loves us.

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Studying God's Word Reveals The Work He Has For Us

Wed, 02 May 2012 18:38:00 GMT

One thing that I?ve been learning every day since I started following Christ is that God has a plan for each one of our lives.

He has made each of us in a detailed way to accomplish the specific purposes He has for us. All of us have a different passion and purpose that comes flawlessly from the Lord.

Ephesians 2:10- ?For we are God?s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.?

God gave me a passion for the poor and the lost when I was in middle school. I can remember the exact moment I received a word from God about my purpose in helping the poor and sharing the hope of the Gospel with people who have never heard. Since then, I have participated in a few mission trips in the United States, specifically in Lame Deer, Montana.

However, it wasn?t until I traveled to Mali, Africa that I really saw God?s heart for those who lived in poverty and for those who have never had the opportunity to hear the message of the Gospel.

My heart simply broke. I can remember writing in my journal at the end of the day as wet tears slowly dribbled down my face until they made a wet impression on the page of my journal. I learned in that moment that I wanted to pray for God to break my heart just as His breaks for His people. This was a prayer that I wanted to pray with all my heart, but I also knew I would need to be ready for what was to come. When I asked God to begin to break my heart, it has been an ongoing and life-changing process.

I recently finished reading ?Holy Discontent? by Bill Hybels. This book altered my mentality on the purposes God has for my life. Hybels talks about how we all have a holy discontent?something that we simply can?t stand to the point that we are passionately driven to action. He calls this the ?Popeye moment.? It is the moment when we realize we ?can?t stand it anymore.?

For me, it is twofold. First, so many people live in extreme poverty where they are sentenced to death every single day for the simple fact that they lack access to clean water, healthy food and basic medications. The other side of my ?Holy Discontent? is that so many people have not accepted Christ as their Savior simply because they have never heard! And they have not heard because there is no one to tell them.

Romans 10:14- ?How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them??

Hybels book talks about the importance of praying that God would identify your ?Holy Discontent? to you and that you would not only recognize it, but pursue it. He discusses how it is our own responsibility to take action toward whatever ?Holy Discontent? we are burdened with. It is not enough to simply realize what it is, but we must follow God?s guidance and act.

?The danger in opting out of the holy discontent pursuit is that in doing so, you also opt out of tackling the good works God has wired you up to accomplish,? Hybels said.

God never asks us to do something that He will not provide the way and resources for. This is not to say that everything will be smooth sailing, but that we are called to trust in the Lord for guidance and provision as we walk in the purposes He has for us. While things do not always happen the way we want in the time frame we desire, God is always in control.

Habakkuk 2:2-3- ?Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end?it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will sure come; it will not delay.?

One huge principle God is teaching me now that I know my ?Holy Discontent? is that the solution comes in His timing. It is a process that I am walking each and every day. I am privileged to have a job where I am working toward helping the poor and sharing the Gospel with the lost. However, the dreams and passions that God is continuing to engrave in my heart will come in His timing, and it will be His alone. In the meantime, I continue to pray that the Lord would grow me more, strengthen my passions, and give me patience.

?The moral of the story is that a bad day lived from the energy of your holy discontent if far better than the best day lived anywhere else,? Hybel said.

Ultimately, as we seek God, he will reveal his purposes to us. God gives us confidence in Him?knowing that His purposes will happen in His timing. He simply asks that we be open and willing vessels as we pray for Him to awaken the passions He has placed within us.

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The Happiest Women In The World Are Married

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 01:54:00 GMT

Who are the happiest women in the United States?

Women who are married, attend church weekly with their husbands, and have at least four children, according to the University of Virginia's National Marriage Project.

A woman is especially likely to be happy in her marriage if she and her husband agree that raising children is a joy. Also, religious commitment shown by attending church regularly- and together- is a big plus.

According to Maggie Gallagher's column titled "The Happiest Wives in America," these traits mark the happiest women in our country. Gallagher referred to marriages currently in the limelight, like Rick and Karen Santorum's.

Though the Santorums have had their share of challenges associated with Rick's 20-plus years in politics and family circumstances like Bella's genetic disorder (with statistics showing a 10 percent chance of surviving past her first birthday), they've exemplified happiness with each other.

The Santorums also exemplify a marriage united in the Christian faith. These days marriage may be founded on one of a plethora of philosophies, but those set forth in the Bible provide the surest guidelines for a satisfying marriage.

Interestingly, one major focus of the University of Virginia's National Marriage Project is to determine whether a "soulmate" model of marriage (a.k.a. "for long as our love shall last") or an "unconditional" model of marriage (a.k.a. "till death do us part") is the best model for marriage.

NMP has chosen well the two models to study, because it seems that most marriages fall under one or the other category. The unconditional model is set apart because of the high commitment it requires from both couples. The vows "for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer" are poetically stated at marriage ceremonies, but are rarely taken seriously. An unconditional model of marriage takes these vows seriously.

In an unconditional model of marriage, when infatuation fades and differences set in, divorce is simply not an option. Couples faced with difficulties are stuck with each other, and they know it! Establishing this kind of commitment, though it seems trite, leaves no room to entertain thoughts of "what if..." simply because what-ifs are not an option!

So instead of exiting a difficult marriage, couples who have agreed to an unconditional model of marriage have no choice but to look at each other and ask, "What can we do to make this work?"

Therein blossoms true love. Selfishness is destructive, so giving becomes the resounding path. These couples are compelled to better one nother, not just themselves individually. They are also figuratively joined at the hip regarding any tragedies they or their families may face. Like sudsy dishsoap and a dishcloth, they are in it together.

With the unconditional model of marriage, negative perspectives are found to be disenlightening. So couples learn to embrace each other as a gift, admiring each other's unique and God-instilled qualities, instead of picking at each other's weaknesses.

In a sense, an unconditional model of marriage could be compared to an arranged marriage. On a couple's wedding day, the pair cannot foresee the challenges they may face nor the changes that may occur in each other. The person they married will look different, and may even have a different personality, after 20 years of marriage. Yet ironically, arranged marriages also seem to have a high rate of togetherness, perhaps because their nature of unfamiliarity demands an unconditional model "that we're together no matter what."

One of the best pieces of advice my husband and I received before we married was to never say the word "divorce" regarding each other. "Don't even joke about it," we were told, because casually speaking the word means it was casually thought, which raises a blaring alarm between couples.

The "soulmate," or "conditional" model of marriage, which is more emotionally driven, is very common and seems to be the most romantic and adventurous, but it simply is not realistic, and therefore leaves behind more heartache than happiness. In this model divorce is a viable option and, like aspirin for a headache, is too casually reached.

The "soulmate" model is also dishonoring to God. Ephesians 5:32 says that marriage is "a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one."

Marriage was created to glorify God. God's deep love and faithfulness is pictured in an unconditional model of marriage, and healthy marriage like these should point to Him. A "soulmate" model, however, does not.

Simply put, either our marriages glorify God, or they don't.

So, why are the happiest women found who are married, religiously united with their husbands, and raising children? Because herein lies the marriages which are most likely united unconditionally. A woman in this marriage has a sense of love and security that does not exist in the conditional marriages. She's also more likely decided to embrace the blessings of her family instead of sulking in the trenches (trenches do exist in every situation for those looking for them).

Because even though we aren't perfect, God still chose us, and remarkably sticks with us. We've been weak as a church and we've been unfaithful. Yet His commitment proves His tremendous love.

May our marriages provide that picture to the world.

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The Future Of Every Nation Rests On What People Believe About Jesus

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:19:00 GMT

The entire world rests on what Christ taught us. Jesus taught us that sin exists in the world and that sin is the reason for all of our struggles, because sin works against us to destroy us.

He taught us that we are born with sin in our hearts.

We are not born with good intentions, because our natural born condition is to follow the sin in our heart which guides us to do things that destroy ourselves and our relationships with others. Unless we address sin, we will lead a destructive life.

Jesus said the way to overcome sin is to deny it daily (Matt 16:24), while being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2) so that we do not conform to the evil desires that are in us, but remain holy as he is (1 Peter 1:15-16).

There is no possible way to accept sin, follow its desires and live a long, peaceful and happy life. The unsuccessful search for this path continues to frustrate even the brightest minds God has created.

We are our own affliction, our own disease. The sickness is ourselves, as Switchfoot sings about in their song ?Mess of Me?,

In our fruitless search for another way to live with our sin rather than rejecting it, we use our imagination to dream up a new reality in which to build our lives upon. But there is no other foundation that can sustain society. We cannot live without the truth about sin that Christ revealed to us.

Sin of the source of global calamity. It is the reason for poverty, for envy, for wars, for divorce, for death, for broken families, for corruption, for every problem we face daily.

Yet nation after nation tries to build a system which allows sin to exist rather than discriminate against sin. The idea that we are make peace with sin that we can compromise with it and somehow limit its destruction is a fantasy.

A worldview that ignores sin is irreconcilable with the worldview that Jesus taught. Death and life cannot co-exist. Sin results in destruction and death, and Jesus taught us how to reject sin and live holy, long and peaceful lives. The two are not compatible with each other.

Any worldview that does not reject sin will always be in constant conflict with the Christian worldview. As wickedness increases (Matt 24) around the world, so in the tension between the world's love of sin (John 3:19) and the Christian worldview.

A Popular Imagination

In order to get around the reality of the destructive nature of Sin, we use our imaginations to come up with new realities that if true we could build upon.

One of the more popular imaginations is that there is no all-knowing and all powerful God. There are then several ideas that can be built on top of this idea. Because if this idea were true, then we are not responsible to anyone and therefore we can embrace our natural desires and let them guide us to decide what is good and bad.

Furthermore, we don?t need God, because we can get together and define a ?common-good? which we can use to manage the undeniable evil among us ? while neglecting to address the source of evil within us. This is the thinking that this imagined reality leads to and many try to build their lives upon this foundation.

The problem is that this foundation cannot support our lives because of the reality of God and sin. Putting your faith in this idea does not lead to a better life because its assumptions are false. It may sound good to our ears, but it does not result is the abundant life that Jesus spoke about.

Common Good

It begins to fall apart, when we realize we cannot define a ?common-good? because no nation has been able to create laws apart from God?s laws that are not unjust. Unjust laws result in constantly changing them to try to make them just as we endlessly search for a ?common-good?.

But without justice, there is no peace and no hope because people cannot put their faith in injustice. The injustice that results from our "common-good" laws cause people to realize that a ?common-good? cannot be created by us.

And so, there is no justice and no peace, just endless fighting within each nation and with other nations. This is the result of this imagined reality that sin does not exist within us.

World Peace

Anyone that truly wants world peace should consider this. For we cannot have it without first addressing the source of evil among us, in which most popular worldviews do not.

The reality of God is not possible for us to overcome. God cannot be replaced. He cannot be overthrown. We cannot be our own gods. We cannot create a definition of good and evil, because we are biased by the evil that is in us. We need God to define good and evil for us. Only he, who has no evil in him, is capable of defining a ?common-good? or an absolute moral standard.

This is why Jesus is called the ?Prince of Peace?, because his laws are just and justice results in peace. The only way to bring peace to the world is to convince others to repent of their sins, become reborn in Christ and renew their mind with the knowledge of Christ.

The day is coming when there will be peace, when Jesus returns and removes those that refuse to reject their sin and established his presents on earth. In that day, the government of the world will rest upon his shoulders.

?For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever." (Isaiah 9:5-7 KJV)?

Sin Can Be Overcome

Sin can be overcome. Jesus taught us how to do it. (Matt 16:24)(Romans 12:2) A nation that's people reject sin will be a nation of prosperity, long life and peace.

A better life begins by acknowledging sin and then taking action to reject it and keep it out of your life. You will live longer and happier. (Proverbs 10:27)

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Christian Apologetics Student Group Gains Ground at Universities Giving Students Intelligent Arguments To Defend Their Faith

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:25:00 GMT

While browsing through books, a couple picked up a popular teenage Sunday School curriculum, chatted briefly, then put it down. What was missing? Apologetics.

"Apologetics" is the defense or proof of Christianity. Church leaders have come to recognize the importance of students learning apologetics and being able to defend their faith before they leave home.

A student who knows what he believes and why he believes not only strengthens his faith in God; he is also prepared to speak up when his faith is slaughtered in hostile environments-- particularly at a secular university.

The group Ratio Christi has also seen this importance. Ratio Christi is latin for "the reason of Christ" and operates like a club or chapter on college campuses.

Both Lee Strobel and Chuck Colson have taken notice of this ministry.

"It's no understatement that the church has done a poor job in teaching our young people that reason and faith are not opposites...," Colson said in a Christian Post article.

Colson quoted the Barna Research Group, which reports that three in five "Christian" kids leave the church after age 15. According to Colson, most kids check out of the church after age 15. Most "Christian" young people don't know how the Bible applies to their daily occupation.

President of Ratio Christi, Rick Schenker, told the Christian Post, "We believe, like Colson, that the Christian world offers the best explanation for all of the issues of life. And that we can equip university students and faculty to give historical, philosophical, and scientific reasons for following Jesus Christ."

They accomplish this through what they call servant-discipleship: "...We desire to be the ground troops in the movement to re-establish Christian thinking as a potent influence in society. This can only be accomplished by serving day in and day out on the campus."

A Ratio Christi group may hold weekly meetings like other Christian groups, but is different in that Ratio Christi seeks to work with other student ministries and faculty by offering apologetics training. Also, their student meetings are discussion-oriented instead of lecture-oriented. Students are free to ask questions-- any questions. Leaders of Ratio Christi are not afraid of confronting conflicting thoughts on campus. They address these questions with individual students and in large-group settings through interfaith dialogues, lectures and debates.

They have a strong purpose for their work. "Ratio Christi believes that Christians have failed to address the pressing questions of worldview, science, philosophy, history, etc.," stated the Ratio Christi website. "Consequently, the Secular Humanist worldview has overtaken the university and the minds of students. By situating apologetic clubs at universities across the nation, we hope to take part in the battle for the mind, and begin to reverse the Humanist trend of thought by providing and equipping students with the answers, or means of getting the answers, to the pressing questions of life."

Ratio Christi's mission statement hopes to address these areas which have been missing in Christian culture for some time. Their mission statement includes "a global movement that equips university students and faculty to give historical, philosophical, and scientific reasons for following Jesus Christ... We unashamedly defend the veracity of God, the Bible, and Christ?s resurrection and engage in the battle for the mind."

They have been successful in the lives of individual students. One named "JP" from North Carolina State wrote, "Ratio Christi has given me something that I did not know exists; a rational and logical defense for my faith. When I dialogue with atheists, they are shocked I have a defense... We must get this information to each and every campus."

"I gained my faith back after the first lecture," wrote another student from Ohio State University. "Three days ago, everybody made me feel stupid for believing in God ever since I got in college... I was beginning to lose my faith from day one at OSU... Dr. Turek, made me feel I'm sane and I'm smart for believing in God."

It is no surprise that this ministry has boomed. The group has been in operation for almost four years and has exploded from 12 to 65 chapters within less than a year. Most of these chapters are in North America, but three others exist in India, Brazil and South Africa. This sudden growth has put stress on their funding and ability to respond to the hastening of interested.

To support their work, visit their website: www.ratiochristi.org.

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Chick-fil-A CEO; Jesus Teachings Resulted In Double-Digit Increase In Sales Despite a Poor Economy

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 03:25:00 GMT

One of Jesus' early sermons provides more than good preaching material; it's good business material.

The passage resides in Matthew 5-7 and is known as the "Sermon on the Mount." Chick-fil CEO Dan Cathy jokingly stated that it's also a sermon on how to operate their restaurant.

Based on its annual sales, Chick-fil-A is the second-largest fast-food restaurant chain specializing in chicken. More than 1,500 of its restaurants exist in the U.S., employing approximately 60,000 people, according to wikipedia.

According to Cathy, Jesus' principles are especially effective when dealing with disgruntled customers. Cathy explained how Jesus taught to turn the other cheek when stricken, and to walk an extra mile for others.

"Following this example, Chick-fil restaurant employees have undergone 'the largest etiquette training' program in the country," described Michelle A. Vu with the Christian Post.

It also may be the most diverse and peculiar etiquette training. "Going the extra mile" is especially diverse at a restaurant where a meal costs only $6. Yet these employees are trained to place fresh flowers on tables and offer fresh ground pepper to customers. They'll carry meals to your table and even pull out chairs for female customers.

This way of serving fast food is peculiar enough that it's gathered attention. According to Cathy, this new model of service has resulted in double-digit sales increases over the past 48 months, even amid a struggling economy. They've had an extraordinary record of 43 consecutive years of annual sales increases.

"By focusing on having a positive impact on customers and glorifying God in the process, Chick-fil-A has managed to endear itself to customers," wrote the Christian Post.

Cathy shared his information at a summit in southern California about technology's impact on reaching people. He said that businesses do need high technology, but they also need a high level of personal customer service to be successful.

"'This (smart phone) represents all the things that are changing and this little New Testament represents all the things that haven't changed and never will change, and we got to have both,'" said Cathy.

They appear to have both. Chick-fil uses a specialized pressure cooker to prepare their chicken. And while their mission statement is "Be America's best quick-service restaurant," their corporate purpose is, "To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A."

A corporate purpose like that is bound to meet controversy, and it has. Those against Biblical marriage have brought opposition to the restaurant for their charitable donations to pro-family groups. The restaurant was also sued by a former Muslim employee who states he was fired because of his differing religious beliefs. Truly, Chick-fil-A has not only succeeded as a restaurant; they've succeeded in being counter-cultural. It's no surprise they've faced some opposition.

On the positive side, Cathy's advances on reaching people provide a great example of Jesus' teachings being integrated through all of life. The Bible should not be chained down to Sundays or in conversations only with our Christian friends at a Bible study. The principles in the Bible are profitable when applied on many fronts.

Truthfully, many business leaders who have no Bible training have instituted Biblical principles. Things like hiring people of character, showing kindness, being generous in the community and protecting honesty have been successful measures businesses have followed because they work. A business that compromises its integrity might succeed for awhile, but loses on public opinion once the deed is found out.

As Proverbs 11:3 states, "The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them."(NKJV)

Christian entrepreneur Dave Ramsey has launched EntreLeadership, a training resource for businesses, which stresses the importance of putting people first and operating with integrity. During podcasts groups are highlighted who have done well modeling these principles: Chick-fil-A, Zappos and Tony Dungy (former NFL coach) are among them.

Meanwhile, homemaking icon Martha Stewart provides just one example of the impact of sin done in secret. She was charged with a white collar crime and sentenced in 2004 to five months jail time for her dishonesty and mishandling of stocks. Since then, she will never regain the same integrity she had with her viewers.

Ironically, putting people first and living a life of integrity brings to mind a very popular scripture in Matthew 22, when Jesus said that the greatest commandments are to love God with all your being and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Cathy of Chick-fil-A seems to understand this well. "Here's the deal. All of us were created in God's image," he said. "Because we are created in God's image-- [who] is to be treated with honor, dignity, and respect-- we desperately in our deepest part of who we are... desire to be treated respectfully and with honor and with respect."

Who would have thought that those Sunday School lessons had so much application in the business world? This may be the best-kept secret from our secular college professors. Writer's Note: business owners who are looking for ways to integrate faith and work may benefit from Dave Ramsey's EntreLeadership training or a membership with The C12 Group.

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Defense Is Not Enough, Christians Must Engage In Offence To Get The Truth Out That Sets People Free

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 22:01:00 GMT

The Bible is arrayed with examples of leaders who played offense confidently: Moses approached Pharaoh and spoke God's terms unapologetically; Solomon harbored the world's audience and shared his wisdom without reserve; and John the Baptist was not afraid of deflecting culture and speaking the truth boldly, even to those who had the power to kill him.

An offensive leader takes a stand aggressively. Instead of playing defense and responding to opposing views as they come, an offensive leader is prepared to take the lead.

An offensive leader would be more likely to initiate a discussion on their stand rather than wait around to defend it.

Perhaps my favorite Biblical example of an offensive leader is King David. Why? Because though he was strong and revered, he was also humble and kind. He was devoted to God in a way that compelled him to operate decisively and with grace. This offensive yet compassionate approach is what Jim Daly, CEO of Focus on the Family, says Christian leaders need to take, according to Stephanie Samuel of the Christian Post.

Daly specifically referred to taking the offensive approach on unlikable stands like abortion and traditional marriage. They're not as captivating as other Biblical discussions, he said, and are often called "hateful" and "bigoted." But calling Christians names and twisting their words is nothing new, "All day long they twist my words" - Psalm 56:1

We Have The Advantage

Christian leaders have an advantage they can be confident in. That advantage is lasting truth. "When we talk about the debate on life let those who see a pro-choice perspective or an abortion perspective as the way, let them defend that. I say the better choice is life," Daly said.

Daly said that since Christians have truth on their side, they should have confidence when standing on a Bible-based position like marriage between one man and one woman. "God's church for 2,000 years has held strong," Daly said. "I have great confidence I think research over the long haul will prove that marriage between a biological mom and dad is the gold standard... No matter what the culture tries to say, when they measure it, kids do better with a mom and a dad."

Daly stated during a Focus on the Family radio broadcast at the end of March that when he is engaged in a discussion with someone who opposes his view of marriage, he calmly states that he is simply being a Christian following Biblical principles. One of opposition should not be angry at him. Instead, take the case up with the God, who has defined and defended marriage the past 6,000 years. Stating such a view is playing offense.

Instead of timidly defending one's position with mute points, we can more confidently point to the source of our convictions. One cannot fight against an individual when his beliefs are based on something much bigger than himself.

Truthfully, when society questions marriage, they are really questioning whose laws they will follow. Some feel comfortable making their own standards regarding marriage and morality. This philosophy brings to mind the classic novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, which illustrates what happens when we are left to make up our own rules: total destruction. Christians, on the other hand, can point to a sound source for their moral standard: the Bible. Its commands have held strong across many centuries and varied cultures.

They continue to give life to those who follow them today. Daly insisted that though Christians have Truth to their advantage, they must operate with grace and love amid the debates. In fact, Focus on the Family has sponsored a "Day of Dialogue" on April 19.

This movement challenges high school and college students to express Biblical truth-- specifically about marriage and bullying-- the way Jesus Christ would. On this day, the offensive will be played: compassionate open dialogue instead of silence. "The Day of Dialogue gives you, as a student, the opportunity to express the true model presented by Jesus Christ in the Bible?who didn?t back away from speaking truth, but neither held back in pouring out His incredible, compassionate love for hurting and vulnerable people," the website stated.

We are called to be bold yet loving, confident yet humble. Three-thousand years ago, King David demonstrated these components well. His life is told in 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, and 1 Chronicles. For example, after David finally took the throne, he heard of a lame man named Mephibosheth who was a relative of former King Saul, David's enemy. When David summoned him, Mephibosheth's response was, "What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?" Yet David insisted, "he shall eat at my table like one of the king?s sons."

David's humbleness amid his leadership was displayed when he was taunted by a seemingly enemy Shimei, who threw stones at David and cursed him continually. When David was asked by one of his defenders if he should take care of the man, David said no. He rested in the fact that God was sovereign, even over his enemies. Although he could have retaliated, he did not. Later, when Shimei begged for David's forgiveness, David vowed that he would spare Shimei's life. He kept this promise, later handing over the matter to his son, Solomon.

In another instance, when King David had the opportunity to kill his greatest offender, King Saul, he refused, insisting that God was the authority regarding Saul's life, not him. David's strong passion for the Lord offended some, including his wife. But his compassion made him so well-liked, that even when his son overtook the kingdom, hundreds of people left their homes and wandered into the desert to follow David instead.

Like David, we will face opposition when we take a stand. Our response to opposition is as much of a testimony as the voice of our stand. People are watching and may be expecting retaliation. Exhibiting God's strength and grace amid opposition is not only Biblical-- it's unusual. Dare to take a stand and do it God's way. Others may listen more closely to your voice once they see your spirit.

We may fear opposition and shake with trepidation when one spouts words against us, but we need not. As Matthew 10 says, "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Not only should we be confident when we take a stand on the Truth; we should also be confident that God is more powerful than any opposition we may face.

Writer's note: More information and an opportunity to commit to the "Day of Dialogue" is available at www.dayofdialogue.com.

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What Difference Does It Make That Jesus Was Raised From The Dead?

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:31:00 GMT

Three days after Christ died on a cross, his body was physically resurrected and he walked and talked among his followers.

The day of his resurrection changed everything. Just a few days ago his close followers clearly didn?t understand what he was planning and how they would be part of it.

The Living Christ

There hope was in the living Christ, not a dead Christ. So when he died they were devastated. Many of them left their families, gave up their jobs, education, wealth, homes, everything was riding on Christ to setup his Kingdom in which they would be a part of.

When Christ died, their hope in a future with the Messiah was shattered. They scattered when Christ was arrested just as Christ predicted, and they were in complete shambled when we died.

But the day of his resurrection changed the course of history forever. Suddenly, their lifes' purpose and ours was revealed. The resurrection of Christ illuminated what Jesus did for us so that we could have a future in his Kingdom.

Everything he said that they didn?t understand before was fulfilled in his resurrection. Not only is he not dead, but because our debt to sin was paid for with his death, we are free from the bondage of sin so that we can live with him forever more. And nothing can separate us from him.

Not only did he remain the ruling King over all of heaven and earth, but he has a purpose for each one of us that is more valuable and more profitable for us than anything in the entire world combined.

The followers of Christ were revealed a much bigger vision, with a much larger plan than they thought Jesus had come for. The resurrection revealed God?s plan for them to join Christ with their resurrection, just as He was resurrected.

Christ was not just a prophet or teaching like others before and after Him, the resurrection proves that He is indeed the Son of God, just as He claimed to be.

The life of the story of Christ is in the resurrection, because in this historical event lies the future of humanity.

It proves that God is just and if He is willing to give the life of His Son, He will surely judge the entire world. Furthermore, because God is just and will carry out His judgment on the world, He will remove the wicked from the righteous and the righteous will enjoy a peaceful future with Him and without the presence of evil.

Now then, knowing our future is not only glorious but completely secured in what He has done ? we can live with tremendous boldness and can achieve great and mighty things in His name. Unlike anyone else that does not have this revelation of what the Lord has done.

This is why the resurrection of Christ makes a tremendous difference in our everyday lifes.

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The Cyber Mission Field Is Likely The Greatest Opportunity In History to Share the Gospel

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 01:40:00 GMT

Do you know about him? Will you tell me about him? Where can we meet so you can tell us about him? Do you have a bible and can we have one?

These are some of the questions that missionaries hear all the time, when someone finds out they are Christians.

The information age has changed a lot of things in a short time. The ease of sharing information has brought with it an increase of sharing ideas, both good and bad.

In many ways, the advantages of the Internet of sharing ideas have been primarily used by those that work against Christ, in darkness to gather and mobilize those that work to discredit anyone that believes in Christ. Much of their exceeding boldness comes from the success they found using the Internet.

Some ministries have jumped into the information age, like Coral Ridge Ministries and Family Research Council, who are working to create a network of websites with a global strategy to promote and share the messages of Christ. But for the most part, very few ministries are active on the Internet and almost none of them are working on a strategy plan to take advantage of the Internet to convince people to believe in Christ. (Jeremiah 23:22).

In many ways, the church has not responded to the Internet. Perhaps the investment in large comfortable building, coupled with the existing revenue model has delayed churches from considering new approaches to evangelism on the internet.

On the other hand, those that oppose the gospel, groups like Atheist who do not have investments in building that are tied to revenue models have aggressively used the Internet to gather supporters and execute new strategies to gain influent.

Effects of Post-Modernism, Shortage of Truth

Because of this, there is a shortage of truth on the Internet. The effects of post-modernism, which is the theory that truth is relative, is gaining influence with the young generation because they spend more time on the Internet than anywhere else.

The church needs to realize that the greatest opportunity for its future is to target evangelism on the Internet, because most people that do not attend church are active on the Internet. The potential audience is much larger than any church can hold, with millions of people from all over the world surfing the web, looking for answers.

In an age when the truth is available to everyone, you would think that everyone would come to believe in Christ. As the theory of post-modernism collapses upon itself, people are looking for answers, they are searching for the truth ? and having a hard time finding it ? because the enemies of Christ have flooded the Internet with false ideas making the truth very difficult to find. Because of this, many are simply concluding that truth cannot be found.

One of the darkest places today is the Internet, dominated by the media which has long been abandoned by the faithful. It you want to go to a dark place in the world, to reach a lost group of people, where no one is shining the light of Christ, and leading people to salvation, consider the Internet as a place where your influent could have the largest impact.

Long titles

One of the key trends to helping people find information is to understand how people are processing data. Twitter has gained popularity because it only allows 140-characters to be sent at a time. These short messages are quick to read, for many reasons such as reading on a cell phone with a small screen and because people can scan several messages at a time.

This is the reason I always try to use long titles, because when articles are shared, most people are only reading the titles. So the titles have to convey the entire message.

Cyber missions

Unlike other mission fields the Cyber mission field does not have a financial support system. It is unlikely that there is a line item in your church budget for Cyber missions.

Not to mention that you will be going into hostile territory, in which you will likely be ridiculed and slandered, as the enemies of Christ try to discredit and silence you. All of these you will have to overcome. But consider what is at stake, the bible tells us of many times that a people lost faith in God in one generation and there several recent books indicate that the church is not reaching the next generation.

How will they know about Christ if we do not tell them, how will they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14) For now we still have the freedom to publish the message of Christ on the Internet, unlike most people in the world. We need to realize the tremendous opportunity we have and defend it as long as we can.

If you are looking for a place to save lives, to change the future of the next generation, by changing the atmosphere on the Internet, than I invite you to join the Cyber mission field.

Christians should move into the media to gain influence in the culture and cast down the arguments that are against the knowledge of Christ (2 Cor 10:5).

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Either We Defend Religious Freedom Now Or Mourn For It Later

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:00:00 GMT

"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed,"

said Martin Luther King, Jr.

King's quote encapsulates the truth that freedom-- including religious freedom-- requires sweat and perseverance to take root. Freedom is certainly not free.

We would be arrogant to think, then, that freedom could survive on its own after being reached at such a high cost. On the contrary-- once established, freedom can be taken in a flash flood or will more slowly erode with the gradual waves of opposition if not seriously defended and protected. Just as freedom requires sweat and sacrifice to become established, it requires the same to be maintained.

The United States has a brave history of fighting for and achieving freedom. It has historically been a beacon representing religious freedom to the world. Even others have taken notice of this.

The Economist is a popular secular magazine on world news. In a recent article, they describe America as a promoter of "the freedom to profess any religion or none" and said that other "more secular" Western countries should do more to defend that right. "...the West should not back down. Otherwise believers, whether Christian or not, remain in peril," wrote The Economist.

But will the U.S.A. continue to play its role defending religious freedom? That depends on its citizens.

Christians in the U.S.A. must make it a priority to fight for the continuance of religious freedom. When our country's laws were set in place, perhaps the highest priority on the minds of those first politicians was freedom of religion. It was, after all, the first amendment to the Constitution, which says,

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

The religious aspect was mentioned first in this amendment and historically stressed the importance of government not mandating a national religion. Through the centuries, though, courts began interpreting this clause as meaning that government shall not prefer one religion over another, as illustrated in this 1994 case found at Wikipedia.com: "Justice David Souter, writing for the majority, concluded that 'government should not prefer one religion to another, or religion to irreligion.'"

"Prefer"-ing a religion is loosely defined and has placed Christianity, namely, on the chopping block. This idea is stretched by some to promote the removal of religious statements from pieces of government history, like monuments with scriptural ideas, or plaques of the Ten Commandments.

However, this battle over the removal of religious material threads deeper-- it's a battle over the removal of history. Religion, particularly the Christian faith, was part of our nation's history. That's a fact, and the pursuit to cleanse our government buildings and monuments of religious material is not only erroneous, it's absolutely ridiculous.

No Law Respecting An Establishment Of Religion

A nation in which "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" is a nation which does not mandate a religion upon its people. This religious freedom is written into our Constitution adjacent to freedom of speech and the right to assemble. We are free to choose which god we will serve, which opinions we voice, and who we gather with. These rights are imperative.

In my opinion, religious freedom needs to be our highest priority when lobbying for government affairs. As we continue to watch news reports on the decisions made in Washington, D.C., pay special attention to those battles challenging freedom of religion. Do your part to protect this precious right.

Resources are available that make it easy for us to do this. American Family Association-- http://www.afa.net/-- posts regular governmental happenings of interest to Christians. Recently, they posted an alert that the Air Force decided to remove a latin reference to God from its logo after an atheist group complained. AFA also makes it easy to get involved. You can search for legislation in your area by zip code and email your legislators directly from their website.

CitizenLink, a Focus on the Family affiliate, operates comparably. At www.citizenlink.com, a recent story summarized the case of a child who was disallowed to have a Bible study during recess at his school. Other groups, like the Alliance Defense Fund - www.alliancedefensefund.org - sits in the trenches and fight religious freedom cases in the courts.

Recently, they posted the victory that a court order protects New York City churches from being kicked out of public schools where they hold Sunday services. (Previously, the city had mandated that churches could no longer rent space in their public schools.)

While we must defend our religious freedom, I hope our government never mandates the Christian faith (or any other faith) over its people. That would be just as disastrous as China's position to abolish all "unapproved" practices of faith! Pure religious freedom provides the environment necessary for authentic devotion to Jesus Christ. After all, faith that is mandated is no faith at all.

As former president Thomas Jefferson said, "Almighty God hath created the mind free; all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments of burdens, or by civil incapacitations, tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, who being Lord both of body and mind, yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either, as was in His almighty power to do."

His grace is enough to compel us to worship Him. May that natural desire never be puffed out by an authority figure mandating that we believe. And for those under religious persecution from their government, thank God for the freedom Jesus provides in our hearts when we are forgiven of our sins.

This freedom cost the blood of one life and lasts for eternity. Nobody can take that away.

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Unlike Any Other, The God Of The Bible Pursues Us So That We May Know Him

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 17:33:00 GMT

For many religions, the idea of knowing God is not common. It seems unreal and is even determined to be impossible.

Rituals, laws and good deeds are what numerous religions demand in order to make it to Heaven and not spend an eternity captured in fiery flames.

For millions of people around the world, the idea of a real, personal God is foreign instead of a reality.

Hinduism is a polytheistic and ritualistic religion. As they believe in numerous gods, they pray to these gods based upon their specific requests.

They believe that the only way for their prayers to be answered is if they appease their gods through rituals. Due to the complex nature of these rituals, Hindus? primary means of approaching their gods is through their priests.

Through actions, knowledge and sincere devotion, Hindus spend their lives without any personal acknowledgement from their gods. Instead of being able to pray, personally, their only means of communication and prayer come from these legalistic rituals and meditation, according to The Illustrated Guide to World Religions.

Their beliefs include nothing of grace or a personal relationship with God.

Even Buddhists believe that salvation comes solely through human effort. Each individual determines their own path, and only through their individual efforts are they able to appease the gods.

?[The main differences between Buddha and Christianity are that] Buddha claimed to point to the way by which we could escape suffering and attain enlightenment, [but] Jesus claimed to be the way by which we could receive salvation and eternal life,? according to The Illustrated Guide to World Religions.

Jesus tells us that He is the way to God in John 14:6, ?I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.?

Even in Islam, the idea of a God who seeks after His children is considered blasphemy. They do not know a personal God; they do not know a Savior. Intimacy between man and God is unrealistic and does not exist. They do not know of the ability to live a godly life by the power of the Holy Spirit.

?The dominant Qur?anic and Islamic image of God is that of a master, and our relationship with him is that of a servant to a master. Islam does not allow for any intimacy between humanity and God...? according to Encountering the World of Islam.

Each of these religions, and every religion, seeks after the same thing...to please their god. Every other religion, except for Christianity has the same result--the only way to please God is through our own power, through our own good deeds.

The Bible, however, tells us that it is impossible to please God because he is holy. Because ?we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,? we cannot be holy on our own. It is only by the grace of God, through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross that we can know and please God.

?In other religions, the human race seeks to find God--but in Christianity God seeks to find us,? said Billy Graham in an interview with Gaston Gazette.

God loves us and pursues us. He does not leave His children to perish and go through life without knowing him. He desires for us to know Him, and he gave us the ability to do so through his Word, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Spirit.

It is because of Jesus' sacrifice that there is no longer a gap between us and the Creator of the universe. God meets us where we are and draws us to Him.

John 3:16-17 ?For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.?

All we could ever need comes from God?s unending love. It is with that love that He is always pursuing us, to draw us near to Him so we may have relationship with Him. Unlike any other religion, the God of the Bible offers grace and the ability to know Him and speak with him personally.

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The Lord Has Promised Good To Me, His Word My Hope Secures

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 04:09:00 GMT

A humanistic worldview says that we deserve the promises of a good life; because we are good by our own definition and in that we should be able to put our hope in a good future.

But this is an empty promise because there is no truth to support its claim and the evidence of the lack of goodness in the heart of humanity is everywhere. It is a statement of blind faith that will continue to disappoint anyone that believes in it.

The promise of the good life will never be found while denying the reality of the condition of the human heart. The only place capable of supporting the promise of a good life is to stop denying the reality of the condition of the human heart and start believing in the reality of God?s solution to address our condition.

When they asked Jesus what the work of the Lord was he said, ?The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.? ? John 6:29 It is that simple.

The fourth verse of the famous song Amazing Grace - one of my favorites, goes like this; "The Lord has promised good to me... His word my hope secures."

The Lord created each one of us with a unique plan for our lives.

""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."" - Jeremiah 29:11

The Lord Promises Good To Us

People don't realize that there is tremendous value in reading what God says about us. He says good things about us, and reading about all the things he says about us is amazing. He has more good things to say about us than anyone else in this world. No other book contains as many good things about us.

His love for us is poured out from the beginning to the end. The bible is really just a love story about a King that is in love with his people and what he does to free them from the captivity of his enemies. It is the greatest love story you will ever read.

Here are just a few of the awesome things the Lord says about you;

"His steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD." - Psalms 32:10
"Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them." - Romans 4:8
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God?s grace that he lavished on us." - Ephesians 1:7-10
"Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one." - Romans 8:33-34
"What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us." - 1 Corinthians 2:12
"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.? - 1 Peter 1:18-19
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ?- Galatians 2:20
"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live" - John 11:25
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. " - 1 John 4:9
"The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day" - Proverbs 4:18:19
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8
"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. " - Psalm 28:7
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." - John 15:13-16

No other book in the world contains words like these. We are loved by God himself and he has rescued us from our own natural desire for destruction that we are born with. God didn?t stop there. He went on to give us a plan and purpose for our lives here and now and in the future with him.

His intentions are to bless and prosper us. If life was a football game, he has a position for each of us to be in the starting lineup, to play every play. He has no intentions of putting us on the bench. On the Lords team, everyone is a starter, unlike his enemies that bench nearly everyone. If you want to do something useful in life that is worth investing your life into, join the Lord?s team and he will use every gift you have and put you on the front line as soon as you open your month and testify of the Lord.

His Words Secure Our Hope

His word does not say our future is unsecure or in flux, but that it is so secure that nothing can separate us from him. Romans 8:35-39, Paul says not even death or any power in the universe or our past or anything that may happen in the future can separate us from him.

The reason the bible remains the all-time bestselling book in the world is because it contains what no other book does ? how to obtain the righteousness of God.

"For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed" - Romans 1:17

More than that, the gifts he gives us and the ministry he calls us into are irrevocable.

"for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable" - Romans 11:29

Finally, the bible secures our hope in the future, in which our inheritance and our purpose in his everlasting kingdom are securely waiting for us.

"Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off." - Prov 23:17-18

When we are reconciled with God, we join his family and since he is the reigning King no one that is against you can take away your present freedom or your future inheritance which is secured by the reigning King. This is where real hope is found, a hope that is greater than anything the world can offer. Real hope only comes from one place, the words that the Lord says about us.

So take courage and know; ?The Lord has promised good to me... His word my hope secures?

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How Do We Exercise Freedom Of Religion While Respecting Government Authority?

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:32:00 GMT

Disappointment dominates a Christian's look at government some days. We shake our heads as God's wisdom is seen as old-fashioned and Biblical values are tossed as so. What's a Christian to do when government seems to be leading its nation into a black hole?

Those of us who are continually frustrated with our governing rulers may benefit from remembering how the first king came to reign over Israel.

Near 1200 B.C., well after Israel had reached the Promised Land, the elders of Israel were dissatisfied with their status and wanted a king like other nations had. "Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations," they said to the prophet Samuel.

God was not happy with their request. "...they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them," God said. So God spoke through the prophet Samuel, warning the people what would happen if they had a king like all the other nations.

In short, God said that a king would require the use of their best resources (animals and produce). He would take their children and appoint them as servants for his governing purposes (to cook, ride chariots, etc.). "...And you will be his servants," God said, "And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves..."

After hearing this, the people continued to demand a king, reasoning, "that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." So, God gave them a king.

If only we could live in the time when God was our governing ruler and the one we depended on to fight our battles with other nations. Although, He certainly has not abandoned us. He has graciously granted wisdom when kings have sought it and has displayed the power of His hand in battles throughout human history. How great is our God, that even though His people rejected Him, He continues to provide when they cry for help!

It seems obvious through this passage, though, that human kingship was not God's original desire for His people. However, scripture is also clear that God has placed those authorities in place. The first two kings- Saul and David- were chosen through Samuel with God's guiding hand. These kings, obviously frail humans, did not always lead the people correctly. They made common sense mistakes and followed sinful temptations.

We might struggle with some of these same types of poor choices in our current governing rulers. Yet the Bible is very clear that we respect and pray for them. Even Jesus encouraged paying taxes when they are due. And Romans 13 is very clear about respecting the person and the law placed over us. After all, a king or president does not take their station unless it's okay with God.

Modeling respect is difficult when we disagree with our authority figures. We may not like paying higher taxes, for example, nor may we like the command to send troops here or there. But these issues are merely dislikes; they are not causing us to sin. We may certainly voice our opinion, but we must also submit to the decision made.

However, situations exist in which our respect for our governing authority might cause us to sin before God-- a nurse who is mandated to assist during an abortion procedure, for example. In explicit cases such as this, when it seems we have to choose whether to obey God or man, the decision is obvious. God is our final authority in all matters, and when His word conflicts with a lesser authority, our choice to obey God reigns over our choice to respect authority figures here on earth.

Perhaps Daniel is the best example of being submissive to government yet breaking the law when appropriate. When the nation he was subject to expected him to eat foods which were against his Jewish faith to consume, he did not compromise. When an edict was issued commanding that he pray to man, Daniel continued to openly pray to God. Daniel was one of the best and most favored politicians in his nation. Scripture describes him as "faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him." Yet when his job conflicted with his God, he knew where to stand. And God stood with him, even in the lion's den.

Cases which demand that we stand up and defend our God and our faith have sprung up routinely in history, although it seems to be happening more often in the U.S.A. now. Students battle daily to exercise their freedom of religion on campuses. Pastors have been eyed at for culturally controversial messages given at the pulpit. Families have been questioned for making faith-based decisions that appear shocking to the rest of the world.

Thankfully, citizens have fought where they must and challenged the rule of our authority figures when appropriate. Priests have sued Barack Obama for his insistence that religious groups comply with his policy. Pastors in New York City have stepped up to lobby against a city law unfairly targeting churches. Thank God that we are exercising our ability to defend our religious freedom!

Yet this must be done respectfully, with love and firmness. As Jim Daly said, "When a blind man steps on your foot you don't get angry, and we often forget that these people are spiritually blind." Although we may not rudely yell at a blind man standing on our toes, we will certainly make a strong case insisting that he remove his foot! This same approach must be used when defending any aspect of our faith with others.

Thank God that in the U.S.A. we can be actively involved in our government. We can run for office, or at the very least, write our politicians. We can organize groups of people to rally a message at the Capitol. We can peacefully and legally show our protest or our support over a decision. Yes, praise God!

Let's not take that for granted and be involved where we can.

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Persecution Does Not Stop Christianity, Rather It Gives Believers A Reason To Grow Their Faith Tell More People

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 20:32:00 GMT

In Ethiopia, evangelist Abraham Abera was lured out of a church and beaten to death with rods. When Abera's wife saw the attack and attempted to stop it, she was beaten and left unconscious.

The attackers threatened that "though the area's Christian population is growing, believers would be destroyed by Muslim extremists," according to last November's insert from The Church Around the World.

The attackers were wrong. Historically, persecution has fanned the flames of Christianity, not stifled it.

In fact, a secular world-news magazine The Economist reports that countries with the most persecution have seen a rise in the Christian faith, while countries which are more comfortable regarding religious freedom have seen a drop in numbers.

The article, interestingly titled, "The world's most widely followed faith is gathering persecutors. Even non-Christians should worry about that" reported research from the Pew Forum which said that within the past 100 years, Christianity spread in sub-Saharan Africa from 9 percent to 63 percent.

Meanwhile, Christianity has dropped in Europe from 95 percent to 76 percent and in North, Central and South America from 96 percent to 86 percent. (Sub-Saharan Africa includes Ethiopia and most of central and southern Africa.)

The Economist reported on specific examples regarding persecution from Muslims: "In Nigeria scores of Christian have died in Islamist bomb attacks..." "In Iran and Pakistan Christians are on death row for... quitting Islam--or blasphemy..." "churches in Indonesia have been attacked or shut (down)..."

Extremists from the Muslim faith have been responsible for much of the persecution lately. An excerpt directly from Muslim law passed in Algeria lays out the punishment for those who makes material "which has as its goal to shake the faith of a Muslim." The sentence? Two to five years imprisonment plus a large fine. The Algerian government passed other laws in 2006 against unregistered churches and pastors. (printed in Voice of the Martyrs magazine, May 2011, page 5)

But The Economist is careful to clarify that not all of this persecution stems from Muslims. Communist China, Vietnam, and some Indian Hindus desire to punish Christians who make converts. The continuing battle over land and Palestine places Christianity in Israel on the chopping block, also. "Followers of Jesus may yet become a rarity in his homeland," states The Economist.

Christianity Began Under Persecution

It is not surprising that the regions which seem to clamp down on Christianity have found it to be spreading. In the book of Acts, the apostle Stephen served as the first Christian martyr. After his death, Acts 8:1,4 says, "On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria... Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went."

The Christian faith spread under that first official act of persecution, and that was before the age of internet, telephones, and publication presses. It seems that historically, though persecution is undesirable, it has born tremendous fruit in converts. Even in that day, the believers should not have been surprised at such attacks, and neither should we. Jesus was very clear that persecution would occur.

In John 15:20, Jesus said, "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." He went as far as to tell His disciples, "you will be hated by all nations because of me."

Jesus also proclaims blessings on those who are persecuted and declares a heavenly reward for those who endure.

Jesus also promises to be with us, as he was with Stephen when he was martyred. Being a Christian is dangerous in many parts of the world, and it was in Jesus' day, too. He explicitly told his disciples: "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues.

On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."

In January's Voice of the Martyrs magazine, director Tom White writes, "God can use injustice as well as justice to accomplish his will."

Later on, he explains, "To present the persecution of Christians as 'wrong' or 'unjust' is half-baked theology. Jesus prophesied that persecution can be a natural outcome of our witness. It is right to cry out for justice for all who suffer violence or oppression. However, it is wrong to believe that the unjust treatment of Christians cannot be part of God's plan."

The U.S.A. has had its share of persecution through laws restricting faith passed by Congress and haughty attitudes toward Christians in schools, workplaces and a myriad of other locations. But perhaps the biggest attack on our Christian faith in the U.S.A. is complacency resulting from too little persecution. Perhaps we would see more Christians take a bold stand for their faith if they were forced to do so.

Persecution Reveals The Reality Of Christ

When the Columbine shootings occurred in 1999, Cassie Bernall was one victim who was asked at gunpoint whether she believed in God or not. She responded that she did, and was instantly killed.

An article printed by Time a month after the shootings suggests that Bernall's story "seems to have sparked a revival of Evangelical Christianity already in progress."

I was in tenth grade when the Columbine shootings occurred. Our Bible study was in the middle of preparing for our first evangelical outreach concert. I remember thinking through my position as leader of our Bible study and the vulnerabilities that entailed if somebody ever did want to go after Christians with a gun in our school. I had decided ahead of time that if put in the same position as Cassie, I would say "Yes."

I've never been in that situation, but I have been forced to be bold. A number of times through my life I've had to say "yes." I've felt faced with the choice to defend my Jesus when a professor knocks my faith in the classroom, or an obscene column is printed in the newspaper that I must respond to, or legislation is introduced that requires me to write my legislators and urge them to support freedom of religion.

I admit, I have not always spoken up. But the opportunities I've had to do so have strengthened my faith tremendously. A number of my college days were spent studying my Bible more than my homework. I just knew I had to be prepared. I've felt my heart pound as I've articulated my beliefs in a handful of unfavorable environments. If I had not been challenged to do so, would I be as certain about what I believe?

As persecution grows, may believers grow, too-- in faith and in numbers. And may those of us who have it easy pay attention and be bold, leaning upon humble and divine strength, wisdom and words, bearing our cross in every circumstance. There is no better way to live for Jesus.

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3 Of The Top Reasons Why It Is Not In Our Best Interest to Put Off Marriage

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:33:00 GMT

The current trend is to put off marriage until the age of mid to late twenties. Yet marriage remains one of the top desires.

The desire for marriage is none other than a character trait of our designer. Marriage fulfills our deepest desires to raise a family and build a life-long relationship with someone we can trust and share our lives with.

Here are the top three concerns young adults face regarding marriage;

First, the memories of relationships that have been hurt by years of the high divorce rate makes marriage look very risky.

Second, the cultural adoration for career success vs. marriage success.

Third, the decrease in moral conviction and the promotion of casual sex has led many into cohabitation before marriage, which undermines the reason to get married.

These three factors are behind the trend to put off marriage.

But what are we giving up when we put off marriage, what is the trade off and is it worth the trade? Because if we lose more than we gain, than it is not in our best interest to put off marriage.

So here are three counter reasons not to put off marriage.

1. Marriage is the union of two people?s lives, and the closer that union begins at the beginning of our lives away from our parents the better. Because it is easier to build a life together from the beginning then to try to let go of two separate lives that have also been built and then try to rebuild a new one together.

When we start from the beginning there is more joy and security in building a life together without memories of previous relationships that work against the intimacy of this our new relationship. Scripture tells us that God intended us to get marriage when we leave our parents and begin to build a life on our own. ?For this cause, a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.? (Genesis 2:24-25)

I realize this is not always possible for everyone, but the ideal marriage begins when we leave our parents oversight that cleave to our spouse. The implication is that the parents are no longer the primary support for the new couple. Parental dependency will hinder the intimacy of the marriage. So to increase the success of marriage and decrease the risks, it is better to get marriage when we leave our parents oversight and to cleave to our spouse giving them more influence than our parents.

We should also look at why people are getting divorced and plan not to. Divorce is primarily about selfishness, which is a natural human trait that everyone is born with. The only way to counter it is to continuously renew our minds with what Jesus taught us. So find someone that loves to study the Word and join them. This is perhaps the best way to strengthen your marriage.

2. There is little reward in a successful career unless you achieve it with someone. Working to support a family is very rewarding. Achieving career success without a family is lonely and it is easier to build a successful career with your life-long partner helping you then by yourself.

I have personally experienced the benefit of having my wife help me build my career. The personal counsel of a trusted spouse is a competitive advantage in the marketplace that few people realize. When you engage your spouse in helping you with relationships with your co-workers, you are getting advice from someone that knows your strengths and weaknesses better than anyone else and you are also deepening your relationship with your spouse because you are showing them that you are relying on them to help you ? in which you both benefit from.

In an extreme case, one of my friends became an executive as a very young age and when I asked him his secret he told me that it was his wife who helped him all along the way. Rather than seeking two careers with two middle class incomes, they teamed up together and both worked on his one career, pushing him up the ladder resulting in one very high income that they now both enjoy.

3. Living together before marriage (cohabitating) is one of the best ways to weaken the intimacy of your marriage.

The longer you date the more likely you are to live together before getting married, and the longer you cohabitate the more likely that your marriage with fail. The statistics clearly show that God's plan is the best.

Therefore, the longer you date the more likely your marriage is to fail. So based on the current statistics, the best strategy seems to be to find someone you like, date for a few months and then get married and then continue to invest time in your marriage to make it last a lifetime, in which you will be most blessed.

Conclusion

The current cultural trend to put off marriage until the mid to late twenties is based on theories that have been proven false again and again.

God's plan is clearly in our best interest, because it gives us the ideal marriage in which we can have the most fulfilling and blessed life. So get married and stay married and be blessed.

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Suzanne Somers Speaks Out About The Health Risks Of Oral Contraceptives

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:47:00 GMT

Suzanne Somers has hit headlines in health news again, and it's not for her ThighMaster. This time, she talked with NewsmaxHealth about her bout with breast cancer and what she believes is the cause: her birth control pills.

"What I do realize about birth control pills is that a woman doesn?t fully ovulate," Somers told Newsmax. "So therefore you?re messing with nature. And any time you mess with the balance of nature I think you?re setting yourself up for jeopardy."

Somers admitted that she could be wrong on her opinion, and questioned whether a study had been done on the connection between birth control pills and cancer.

But other research reported on by the National Cancer Institute supports Somers' case. The NCI report says that while oral contraceptives may decrease the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancers, they may increase the risk of cervical and breast cancers.

Dealing specifically with breast cancer, the report revealed that those who had been on birth control pills since their teenage years had the highest risk. But after 10 years of not using birth control pills, a woman's chance of developing breast cancer returned to the same risk as a woman who had never been on oral contraceptives.

The same report suggested that oral contraceptives may be responsible for a higher risk of cervical cancers, although the Human Papillomavirus, a sexually-transmitted disease, is most often responsible for this type of cancer.

Oral contraceptives have been available since the 1960s and have become the most popular form of birth control, according to WebMD. Some patients take birth control pills to help manage acne or for other non-contraceptive reasons. In most cases, oral contraceptives are taken to lessen the chances of a pregnancy by preventing an egg from being fertilized or to prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to a woman's uterus.

Some medical cases may necessitate the use of birth control pills to prevent a pregnancy. For example, a woman may be incapable of carrying a baby through to term or may have contracted a disease requiring treatment not recommended for a pregnant woman.

But those who are married and do not have such medical concerns should ask, "Do I need to prevent a pregnancy from occurring?"

Michelle Duggar has a strong testimony regarding this question. Certainly, we all aren't destined to have 19 plus kids as Michelle and Bob Duggar have. Lately, Michelle has been in the news regarding her latest miscarriage. She's quoted as saying they would be open to having more children "if God saw fit to bless us with more" in an article by TODAYMoms.

It appears that a large family was not the Duggar's original goal, though. Michelle's recent miscarriage would have been child number 20- a frightening number for many parents! Yet it was after her first miscarriage (would have been her second child) that this couple handed over their family size to God.

"That first miscarriage was what caused Michelle and Jim Bob early in their marriage to rethink their plan to have two or three children, and instead to eschew family planning and leave the number of children they have up to God," reported Rebecca Dube with TODAYMoms.

Arguments about the appropriateness of oral contraceptives seem valid on both sides. Some say that God provided the medical advances today to raise a smaller family for a special purpose. Others point to Biblical cases when God "opened and closed" wombs without the intervention of contraceptives-- particularly with Abraham's, Sarah, Isaac's Rebekah, and Jacob's Rachel and Leah.

One case that is Biblically without argument is the use of oral contraceptives to prevent pregnancy before a woman is married. God made his standards clear: purity before marriage. For unmarried woman, contraceptives to prevent pregnancy are not necessary because intercourse need not be in the picture.

Our national and state legislators have debated the appropriateness of this standard in the public schools. Some say it's not possible, so we should expose children to various contraceptives so that they know their options. But the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that no temptation is more powerful than ourselves. This verse also promises that when we are tempted, God will provide a way out so that we can endure under that temptation.

Taking birth control pills to prevent a pregnancy before marriage is a blatant statement of distrust and disobedience toward God. In this case, a woman has decided that sex might happen, so she'd better take the pill to avoid repercussions. The truth is that repercussions occur whether she gets pregnant or not. Sex before marriage impacts a woman regardless. The best choice she can make for herself is to decide that she's not going to have sex until she's married. That also happens to be the most obedient choice in relationship with God.

Somers testified to the physical vulnerabilities caused by birth control pills in her breast cancer battle 10 years ago. She did not mention the emotional and spiritual vulnerabilities that also exist from taking the pill for casual sex. However, just as Somers appears to have experienced physical healing, God has also provided a way for healing and forgiveness emotionally and spiritually. Thank God that we can be forgiven for the bad turns we have made in our past.

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Clean Water Saves Lives Everyday

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:49:00 GMT

A drop of clean, fresh water drips from the rusty faucet and lands in the dusty dark brown hand of a small young boy standing below.

As the water drips down in the center of his palm, a big bright smile immediately forms on his face. Immediately, he sips the next few droplets of water that come crashing down on his hand. It is the first time he has ever tasted clean water on his lips.

For many communities around the world, clean water is a foreign concept. They have never known water to be anything more than a swampy pond filled with dirty, brown water that is saturated with bacteria and is the same water they share with their livestock. They do not know what clean water even is, and they are unaware that this dirty water is the source that is causing numerous children to die right before their very eyes.

When dirty water is consumed, it carries bacteria that causes illness and ultimately steals the lives of those who drink it. In thousands of impoverished villages around the world, children are spending numerous hours each day trotting up the dusty, dirt roads along the pathway that leads to this murderous pond of water, unaware of its deadly means.

Not only does dirty water take the lives of innocent children, but it also keeps them away from school during the day as many of these villages have no access to clean water nor do they have even a dirty pond in close proximity to where they live.

Over six thousand children die each day from water-related causes and more than 40 billion hours are wasted in Africa each year, simply dedicated to fetching water from an unclean source, according to causelife, which was founded by Noel Brewer Yeatts and is the clean water initiative of World Help.

Living in a country where clean water is a commonality instead of a luxury, many are unaware that 90 percent of the 30,000 deaths that occur in one week?s time are caused by unsafe water, according to Charity Water, which is a non-profit organization.

Over 1 billion people in the world do not have access to clean drinking water, which in turn causes over 2 million deaths each year, according to Charity Water. By providing clean water, not only are lives being saved but communities are being transformed.

?The clean water crisis is massive, but there is a simple and inexpensive solution. Digging underground and building a well will give clean and safe drinking water for an entire village for 20 years,? according to Generosity Water, another clean water initiative founded by Pastor Philip Wagner.

Just this past December, causelife and their partners raised funds through their Change the Present campaign, to build six clean water wells from Guatemala to Nepal, which will save thousands of lives and sustain numerous communities.

Charity Water has funded 6, 185 water projects around the world including: 91 projects in clinics/hospitals, 703 projects in schools and 5, 391 projects in communities. Causelife has funded 196 water projects around the world, and Generosity Water has funded 199 water projects in 17 countries. All of these organizations are passionate about seeing the lives of children and families throughout the world being transformed by simply providing them with clean, safe drinking water.

Just as Christ serves as our spiritual living water, we can pray that God would reveal himself to these communities through something as simple as clean water. Not only is clean water meeting their physical needs, but it can also serve as a platform to reach their deeper spiritual needs.

Clean water is not only about sustaining villages and saving lives, but it is also an act of service and worship unto the Lord as we reach out our hands and feet to His beloved children who are suffering. The Lord clearly shows us his will in that we would care for those who are in need. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us that what we do for ?the least of these? we do unto him.

If you are interested in getting involved in saving lives by providing clean water around the world you can begin your own fundraising page through Charity Water's fundraising platform mycharity:water, Causelife's mycause or Generosity Water's mygenerosity.

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