"You have lost a dear child. Was there not a word of the Lord to cheer you? You lost your property: was there not a passage in the Scriptures to meet the disaster? You have been slandered: was there not a word to console you? You were very sick, and withal depressed: had not the Lord provided a comfort for you in that case? I will not multiply quesitons: the fact is that you never were high, but the Word of the Lord was up with you; and you never were low, but what the Scripture was down with you." Charles Spurgeon
Study: 26 Percent of American Children Grow Up in Single-Parent Homes
A newly released study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that 25.8 percent of American children live in single-parent homes, WORLD Magazine reports. That number is particularly troubling when considering that of the 26 other countries surveyed, the average was 14.9 percent. Among African-Americans, the rate was much worse: 72 percent of black children grow up in single-parent homes. No-fault divorce and social welfare policies are among the possible explanations for the high rates of single-parent homes in the U.S.
Supreme Court Won't Block Contraception Mandate
U.S. Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor has denied a request to immediately block part of Obamacare that requires employers to provide the "morning after pill" and similar drugs, CBN News reports. Hobby Lobby and a sister company sued the government over the requirement, saying it violates their religious beliefs. But Sotomayor said there was no legal ground to block the requirement on an emergency basis, adding that the company can continue its lawsuit in the lower courts. Hobby Lobby officials must now decide if they will violate their faith by going along with the regulation, or pay a daily fine of $1.3 million starting Jan. 1 if they ignore it.
Putin Set to Ban Americans From Adopting Russian Children
Russian president Vladimir Putin said Thursday he would sign a bill banning American families from adopting Russian orphans, apparently in retaliation for U.S. criticism of his nation's human rights record, Fox News reports. The law would block dozens of Russian children expected to be adopted by American families from leaving the country and cut off one of the main international routes for Russian children to leave orphanages. Russia is the single biggest source of adopted children in the U.S.,with more than 60,000 Russian children being taken in by Americans over the past two decades. According to UNICEF estimates, there are more than 700,000 Russian orphans but only 18,000 Russians waiting to adopt a child. The U.S. State Department has expressed deep concern about the Russian measure. "The welfare of children is simply too important to be linked to political aspects of our relationship," said spokesman Patrick Ventrell.
Some Scientific Facts from Creation Moments, Inc
There are mountains on the bottom of the ocean floor (Jonah 2:5-6). Only in the last centruy have we discovered that there are towering mountains and deep trenches in the depths of the sea.
Joy and gladness understood (Acts 14:17). Evolution cannot explain emotions. Matter and energy do not feel. Scripture explains that God places gladness in our hearts (Psalm 4:7), and ultimate joy is found only in our Creator's presence - "in Your presence is fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11).
Blood is the source of life and health (Leviticus 17:11; 14). Up until 120 years ago, sick people were "bled" and many died as a result (e.g. George Washington). Today we know that healthy blood is necessary to bring life-giving nutrients to every cell in the body. God declared that "the life of the flesh is in the blood" long before science understood its function.
The Bible states that God created life according to kinds (Genesis 1:24). The fact that God distinguishes kinds agrees with what scientists observe - namely that there are horizontal genetic boundaries beyond which life cannot vary. Life produces after its own kind. Dogs produce dogs, cats produce cats, roses produce roses. Never have we witnessed one kind changing into another kind as evolution supposes. There are truly natural limits to biological change.
(101 Scientific Facts and foreknowledge, www.creationmoments.com)
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
America At A Spiritual and Moral Crossroads
by Franklin Graham
The United States is at a spiritual and moral crossroads. Change has been taking place, and it's not the kind of change we want. Government at every level is increasingly dismissive, even hostile, to God and the role of faith in civic and political affairs.
The moral fabric of our country is slowly but steadily unraveling, as Bible-based morality - the very foundation of our nation - is seen as irrelevant and intolerant.
Our courts and schools continue to suppress public expressions of faith, eroding the hard-earned freedoms secured by earlier generations.
I am reminded of the words of Abraham Lincoln who, in a time of grave national peril, proclaimed that our nation should set aside a day for corporate prayer to confess our sins. Lincoln said that as we acknowledge our transgressions, we should do so "yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon . . . announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.
"We have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own . . . We have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God who made us! It behooves us then . . . to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgivness."
America is a nation that has largely forgotten God, has abandoned the faith of our founders and is pursuing a godless agenda. I see the exercise of raw political power without any sense of humility and dependence on God.
God sees it all, too. My mother used to enjoy pointing out God's response to all the schemes of the wicked (Psalm 2:4). He knows exactly what His purposes and plans are for this nation and for its people. He is steadfastly at work accomplishing His agenda that will ultimately bring Him glory and prepare the way for His soon return.
Until He does, prayer is a mighty weapon He has entrusted to us. Charles Spurgeon said, "Prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscle of omnipotence." Through our petitions, as imperfect as they may be, God works to achieve His good and perfect will.
Thank you for joining with me and believers from across this country to seek God, humble ourselves, turn from wickedness and ask for His blessings. Our Lord promises in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that when we do this, He will hear from Heaven, forgive our sins and bring healing to our land.
It is healing we desperately need.
("Calling Our Nation to Prayer" by Franklin Graham, 2010 Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, from Intercessors For America, www.IFAPray.org)
"There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation.....
One is by sword....
The other is by debt." John Adams 1826
The United States is at a spiritual and moral crossroads. Change has been taking place, and it's not the kind of change we want. Government at every level is increasingly dismissive, even hostile, to God and the role of faith in civic and political affairs.
The moral fabric of our country is slowly but steadily unraveling, as Bible-based morality - the very foundation of our nation - is seen as irrelevant and intolerant.
Our courts and schools continue to suppress public expressions of faith, eroding the hard-earned freedoms secured by earlier generations.
I am reminded of the words of Abraham Lincoln who, in a time of grave national peril, proclaimed that our nation should set aside a day for corporate prayer to confess our sins. Lincoln said that as we acknowledge our transgressions, we should do so "yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon . . . announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.
"We have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own . . . We have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God who made us! It behooves us then . . . to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgivness."
America is a nation that has largely forgotten God, has abandoned the faith of our founders and is pursuing a godless agenda. I see the exercise of raw political power without any sense of humility and dependence on God.
God sees it all, too. My mother used to enjoy pointing out God's response to all the schemes of the wicked (Psalm 2:4). He knows exactly what His purposes and plans are for this nation and for its people. He is steadfastly at work accomplishing His agenda that will ultimately bring Him glory and prepare the way for His soon return.
Until He does, prayer is a mighty weapon He has entrusted to us. Charles Spurgeon said, "Prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscle of omnipotence." Through our petitions, as imperfect as they may be, God works to achieve His good and perfect will.
Thank you for joining with me and believers from across this country to seek God, humble ourselves, turn from wickedness and ask for His blessings. Our Lord promises in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that when we do this, He will hear from Heaven, forgive our sins and bring healing to our land.
It is healing we desperately need.
("Calling Our Nation to Prayer" by Franklin Graham, 2010 Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, from Intercessors For America, www.IFAPray.org)
"There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation.....
One is by sword....
The other is by debt." John Adams 1826
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Several Items of Interest
Pastor John MacArthur: Democrats "Adopted the Sins of Romans 1 as Their Platform"
Evangelical pastor and author John MacArthur said the Democratic Party had "adopted the sins of Romans 1 as their platform," CNSNews.com reports. "And as you know," MacArthur told his Southern California congregation Sept. 30. "I'm not one to talk about politics as such, but I was essentially amazed that one of the historic parties here in the United States adopted the sins of Romans 1 as their platform. Parties which used to differ on economics now differ dramatically on issues that invade the realm of God's law and morality . . . In an ideal situation, their platform would mean that the government passes out condoms so people can fornicate at will. For those who happen to get pregnant in the process, the platform advocates that you kill the baby at the will of the mother, up and including the ninth month. At the same time, it advocates homosexual marriage, which is an oxymoron, and utter impossibility, and a gross violation of the law of God. . . All of that is Romans 1. Romans 1 says God will judge, God has judged,throughout human history, nations that experience sexual freedom. . . .And then Romans 1 says God will judge those nations that advocate homosexual behavior, men with men, women with women, doing what is unnatural." The Democratic Party voted to include support for same-sex marriage in its platform at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. At the convention, the party also affirmed its endorsement of Obamacare, which includes a regulation requiring virtually all healthcare plans to cover sterilizations, contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs. God's name was also initially omitted from the platform, though it was eventually reinserted.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines - Dec. 17, 2012)
Mike Huckabee: Removing God From the Clasroom Leads to Violence in Schools
In response to the deadly mass shooting Friday in Newtown, Conn., former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said new laws regulating guns won't deter such shootings, linking the removal of God from the classroom to increased violence in schools, CNN reports. "We ask why there's violence in our school but we've systematically removed God from our schools," Huckabee said on Fox News. "Should we be surprised that schools have become such a place of carnage? Because we've made it a place where we don't want to talk about eternity, life, what responsibility means, accountability. That we're not just gonna have to be accountable to the police if they catch us but one day we stand before a holy God in judgment. If we don't believe that, then we don't fear that. People are going to want to pass new laws. This is a heart issue....laws don't change this kind of thing." Huckabee made similar comments following the mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., earlier this year,saying violent acts should not be a surprise considering the removal of God from public forums.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 18,2012)
Atheist Billboard in Times Square Dubs Jesus a "Myth"
The group American Atheists has put up a billboard in Times Square with an anti-Christian message, WORLD News Service reports. The billboard features a picture of Santa Claus and the caption "Keep The Merry!" above a picture of Jesus with the caption "Dump the Myth!" American Atheists' David Silverman told Fox News: "Most Christians are really atheists who feel trapped in their family's religion. They need not be Christian to enjoy the holiday season." Silverman said a private donor paid more than $25,000 to have the billboard posted above a nightclub in the crossroads of the world for one month, ending Jan. 10, 2013. "We chose Times Square because it is a place where people go to shop and be festive, which has nothing to do with religion," Silverman said. Lamar Outdoor, the advertising giant that leased the space to Silverman's group, said it wasn't the company's place to censor the message.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 18,2012)
North Korean Rocket Launch Bodes Ill for Christians
North Korea's successful rocket launch is putting an end to some of the mystery surrounding its new leader, Kim Jong Un, with many world leaders saying he is now proving to be just as provocative as his late father, Kim Jong Il. According to CBN News, this may also mean more trouble for North Korean Christians and those trying to reach the closed country with the gospel. "The message to them is 'Don't mess with me; I not only have the weapons, I have the delivery capacity now,'" said Jung Hoon Lee, Yonsei University professor. Many North Koreans publicly celebrated the rocket launch, which the White House called "regrettable and highly provocative." Meanwhile, human rights groups say North Korea is increasing its persecution of Chrtistians under Kim Jong Un's leadership, and targeting those who help them. The country is not only sending a growing number of spies to China and to border patrol locations to search for those who help the Korean refugees, but is increasing scrutiny of underground Christians within North Korea. Open Doors USA estimates about 50,000 to 70,000 Christians are living in horrific conditions in labor camps, some who have been "tortured so severely they cannot walk anymore."
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 14, 2012)
Christianity in Britain Losing Ground to Islam, Secularism
New figures from the 2011 Census show that the number of people who identify as Christians in England and Wales has fallen by 4 million over the last 10 years going from 37.3 million in 2001 to 33 million last year, the Religion News Service reports. Meanwhile, the number of people declaring themselves to be atheists rose by more than 6 million, to 14.1 million. "It should serve as a warning to the churches that their increasingly conservative attitudes are not playing well with the public at large," said Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society. Others have detected similar shifts: The 2012 British Social Attitudes Survey showed that only about half of Britons claim a religious affiliation, down sharply from 20 years ago when two out of three did. Barely a quarter of young people identify themselves as religous. The new figures also show that Islam is the U.K.'s second largest religion, at 2.7 million. Hinduism is third, at 817,000, and the number of identified Jews rose from 260,000 to 263,000.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 14, 2012)
CAIR Urges Michigan Governor to Veto Anti-Sharia Bill
As Michigan lawmakers are working on a bill that could ban sharia (Islamic law) in their state, the Muslim activist group Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is urging Gov. Rick Snyder to veto any legislation that would block Islamic law if it should reach his desk, CBN News reports. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Dave Agema (R-Grandville), doesn't specifically mention Islam or sharia - only "foreign laws that would impair constitutional rights" - but supporters have said they are concerned about the use of sharia spreading. CAIR issued a statement criticizing what it called the "anti-Islam bill" and urged that it be rejected. At least 4 states are considering similar measures.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 14, 2012)
Evangelical pastor and author John MacArthur said the Democratic Party had "adopted the sins of Romans 1 as their platform," CNSNews.com reports. "And as you know," MacArthur told his Southern California congregation Sept. 30. "I'm not one to talk about politics as such, but I was essentially amazed that one of the historic parties here in the United States adopted the sins of Romans 1 as their platform. Parties which used to differ on economics now differ dramatically on issues that invade the realm of God's law and morality . . . In an ideal situation, their platform would mean that the government passes out condoms so people can fornicate at will. For those who happen to get pregnant in the process, the platform advocates that you kill the baby at the will of the mother, up and including the ninth month. At the same time, it advocates homosexual marriage, which is an oxymoron, and utter impossibility, and a gross violation of the law of God. . . All of that is Romans 1. Romans 1 says God will judge, God has judged,throughout human history, nations that experience sexual freedom. . . .And then Romans 1 says God will judge those nations that advocate homosexual behavior, men with men, women with women, doing what is unnatural." The Democratic Party voted to include support for same-sex marriage in its platform at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. At the convention, the party also affirmed its endorsement of Obamacare, which includes a regulation requiring virtually all healthcare plans to cover sterilizations, contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs. God's name was also initially omitted from the platform, though it was eventually reinserted.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines - Dec. 17, 2012)
Mike Huckabee: Removing God From the Clasroom Leads to Violence in Schools
In response to the deadly mass shooting Friday in Newtown, Conn., former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said new laws regulating guns won't deter such shootings, linking the removal of God from the classroom to increased violence in schools, CNN reports. "We ask why there's violence in our school but we've systematically removed God from our schools," Huckabee said on Fox News. "Should we be surprised that schools have become such a place of carnage? Because we've made it a place where we don't want to talk about eternity, life, what responsibility means, accountability. That we're not just gonna have to be accountable to the police if they catch us but one day we stand before a holy God in judgment. If we don't believe that, then we don't fear that. People are going to want to pass new laws. This is a heart issue....laws don't change this kind of thing." Huckabee made similar comments following the mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., earlier this year,saying violent acts should not be a surprise considering the removal of God from public forums.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 18,2012)
Atheist Billboard in Times Square Dubs Jesus a "Myth"
The group American Atheists has put up a billboard in Times Square with an anti-Christian message, WORLD News Service reports. The billboard features a picture of Santa Claus and the caption "Keep The Merry!" above a picture of Jesus with the caption "Dump the Myth!" American Atheists' David Silverman told Fox News: "Most Christians are really atheists who feel trapped in their family's religion. They need not be Christian to enjoy the holiday season." Silverman said a private donor paid more than $25,000 to have the billboard posted above a nightclub in the crossroads of the world for one month, ending Jan. 10, 2013. "We chose Times Square because it is a place where people go to shop and be festive, which has nothing to do with religion," Silverman said. Lamar Outdoor, the advertising giant that leased the space to Silverman's group, said it wasn't the company's place to censor the message.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 18,2012)
North Korean Rocket Launch Bodes Ill for Christians
North Korea's successful rocket launch is putting an end to some of the mystery surrounding its new leader, Kim Jong Un, with many world leaders saying he is now proving to be just as provocative as his late father, Kim Jong Il. According to CBN News, this may also mean more trouble for North Korean Christians and those trying to reach the closed country with the gospel. "The message to them is 'Don't mess with me; I not only have the weapons, I have the delivery capacity now,'" said Jung Hoon Lee, Yonsei University professor. Many North Koreans publicly celebrated the rocket launch, which the White House called "regrettable and highly provocative." Meanwhile, human rights groups say North Korea is increasing its persecution of Chrtistians under Kim Jong Un's leadership, and targeting those who help them. The country is not only sending a growing number of spies to China and to border patrol locations to search for those who help the Korean refugees, but is increasing scrutiny of underground Christians within North Korea. Open Doors USA estimates about 50,000 to 70,000 Christians are living in horrific conditions in labor camps, some who have been "tortured so severely they cannot walk anymore."
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 14, 2012)
Christianity in Britain Losing Ground to Islam, Secularism
New figures from the 2011 Census show that the number of people who identify as Christians in England and Wales has fallen by 4 million over the last 10 years going from 37.3 million in 2001 to 33 million last year, the Religion News Service reports. Meanwhile, the number of people declaring themselves to be atheists rose by more than 6 million, to 14.1 million. "It should serve as a warning to the churches that their increasingly conservative attitudes are not playing well with the public at large," said Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society. Others have detected similar shifts: The 2012 British Social Attitudes Survey showed that only about half of Britons claim a religious affiliation, down sharply from 20 years ago when two out of three did. Barely a quarter of young people identify themselves as religous. The new figures also show that Islam is the U.K.'s second largest religion, at 2.7 million. Hinduism is third, at 817,000, and the number of identified Jews rose from 260,000 to 263,000.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 14, 2012)
CAIR Urges Michigan Governor to Veto Anti-Sharia Bill
As Michigan lawmakers are working on a bill that could ban sharia (Islamic law) in their state, the Muslim activist group Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is urging Gov. Rick Snyder to veto any legislation that would block Islamic law if it should reach his desk, CBN News reports. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Dave Agema (R-Grandville), doesn't specifically mention Islam or sharia - only "foreign laws that would impair constitutional rights" - but supporters have said they are concerned about the use of sharia spreading. CAIR issued a statement criticizing what it called the "anti-Islam bill" and urged that it be rejected. At least 4 states are considering similar measures.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 14, 2012)
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
The Virgin Birth
Each year on Christmas Eve our church holds a candlelight and carol service, and at the end of this service, after we have read all the Christmas lessons and sung most of the great Christmas carols, we stand in the candle-lit sanctuary and sing "Silent Night" together.
Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child. . . .
In this way we profess belief in the virgin birth of Jesus as an important part of the Christmas story. And so do millions of others. Unfortunately, many do not believe it, and others who do, do not know why it is important.
In the early decades of this century (1900s), the virgin birth was a focal point for liberalism's many denials of Christian truth. Those who believed the Bible recognized that the virgin birth is indeed biblical and rose to the doctrine's defense, answering the liberal objections. They did such a good job that eventually most liberals refused even to grapple with the arguments made on behalf of this truth. They just continued in their unbelief, as some people do, in spite of the fact that the Word of God clearly teaches the virgin birth and that the objections to it have been answered.
Much of this debate centered around the Old Testament text that Matthew cites as a prophecy of the virgin birth: Isaiah 7:14. "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,and they will call him Immanuel" (Matt. 1:23). It has been argued that Isaiah's word for the young woman, bethulah, does not necessarily mean "virgin," though it usually does. It can mean merely a young woman of marriageable age. But whatever Isaiah meant in his own context is a secondary matter here, since it is beyond doubt that Matthew at least meant to teach that Jesus was conceived by God apart from any human father. He makes this clear in Matthew 1:18, which reads, "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit."
The account then goes onto explain that Joseph was disturbed by Mary's pregnancy, as any man in his position would be. Being a righteous (that is, an upright) man, he did not think it proper to go through with the marriage and decided to break his engagement to Mary in a private manner. But while he was pondering this, an angel appeared to him to explain that Mary had not been unfaithful to him but that the child she was carrying had been conceived by God. The angel said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (vv. 20-21).
Joseph did as the angel had commanded, and the account concludes, "But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus" (vv.24-25).
(James M. Boice, Matthew Commentary Vol. I)
Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child. . . .
In this way we profess belief in the virgin birth of Jesus as an important part of the Christmas story. And so do millions of others. Unfortunately, many do not believe it, and others who do, do not know why it is important.
In the early decades of this century (1900s), the virgin birth was a focal point for liberalism's many denials of Christian truth. Those who believed the Bible recognized that the virgin birth is indeed biblical and rose to the doctrine's defense, answering the liberal objections. They did such a good job that eventually most liberals refused even to grapple with the arguments made on behalf of this truth. They just continued in their unbelief, as some people do, in spite of the fact that the Word of God clearly teaches the virgin birth and that the objections to it have been answered.
Much of this debate centered around the Old Testament text that Matthew cites as a prophecy of the virgin birth: Isaiah 7:14. "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,and they will call him Immanuel" (Matt. 1:23). It has been argued that Isaiah's word for the young woman, bethulah, does not necessarily mean "virgin," though it usually does. It can mean merely a young woman of marriageable age. But whatever Isaiah meant in his own context is a secondary matter here, since it is beyond doubt that Matthew at least meant to teach that Jesus was conceived by God apart from any human father. He makes this clear in Matthew 1:18, which reads, "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit."
The account then goes onto explain that Joseph was disturbed by Mary's pregnancy, as any man in his position would be. Being a righteous (that is, an upright) man, he did not think it proper to go through with the marriage and decided to break his engagement to Mary in a private manner. But while he was pondering this, an angel appeared to him to explain that Mary had not been unfaithful to him but that the child she was carrying had been conceived by God. The angel said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (vv. 20-21).
Joseph did as the angel had commanded, and the account concludes, "But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus" (vv.24-25).
(James M. Boice, Matthew Commentary Vol. I)
The Faith of The Wisemen
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. (Matthew 2:1-2)
It is not known who these wise men were. Their names and dwelling-place are alike kept back from us. We are only told that they came "from the East." Whether they were Chaldeans or Arabians, we cannot say. Whether they learned to expect Christ from the ten tribes who went into captivity, or from the prophecies of Daniel, we do not know. It matters little who they were. The point which concerns us most is the rich instruction which their history conveys.
These verses show us that there may be true servants of God in places where we should not expect to find them. The Lord Jesus has many "hidden ones," like these wise men. Their history on earth may be as little known as that of Melchizededk, and Jethro, and Job. But their names are in the book of life, and they will be found with Christ in the day of His appearing. It is well to remember this. We must not look round the earth and say hastily, "All is barren." The grace of God is not tied to places and families. The Holy Ghost can lead souls to Christ without the help of any outward means. Men may be born in dark places of the earth, like these wise men, and yet like them be made "wise unto salvation." There are some travelling to heaven at this moment, of whom the Church and the world know nothing. they flourish in secret places like the "lily among thorns," and seem to "waste their sweetness on the desert air." But Christ loves them, and they love Christ.
We read of no greater faith than this in the whole volume of the Bible. It is a faith that deserves to be placed side by side with that of the penitent thief. The thief saw one dying the death of a malefactor, and yet prayed to Him, and "called Him Lord." The wise men saw a new-born babe on the lap of a poor woman,and yet worshipped Him, and confessed that he was Christ. Blessed indeed are they that can believe in this fashion!
This is the kind of faith that God delights to honour. We see the proof of that at this very day. Wherever the Bible is read the conduct of these wise men is known, and told as a memorial of them. Let us walk in the steps of their faith. Let us not be ashamed to believe in Jesus and confess Him, though all around us remain careless and unbelieving. Have we not a thousand-fold more evidence than the wise men had, to make us believe that Jesus is the Christ? Beyond doubt we have. Yet where is our faith?
(J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on Matthew)
It is not known who these wise men were. Their names and dwelling-place are alike kept back from us. We are only told that they came "from the East." Whether they were Chaldeans or Arabians, we cannot say. Whether they learned to expect Christ from the ten tribes who went into captivity, or from the prophecies of Daniel, we do not know. It matters little who they were. The point which concerns us most is the rich instruction which their history conveys.
These verses show us that there may be true servants of God in places where we should not expect to find them. The Lord Jesus has many "hidden ones," like these wise men. Their history on earth may be as little known as that of Melchizededk, and Jethro, and Job. But their names are in the book of life, and they will be found with Christ in the day of His appearing. It is well to remember this. We must not look round the earth and say hastily, "All is barren." The grace of God is not tied to places and families. The Holy Ghost can lead souls to Christ without the help of any outward means. Men may be born in dark places of the earth, like these wise men, and yet like them be made "wise unto salvation." There are some travelling to heaven at this moment, of whom the Church and the world know nothing. they flourish in secret places like the "lily among thorns," and seem to "waste their sweetness on the desert air." But Christ loves them, and they love Christ.
We read of no greater faith than this in the whole volume of the Bible. It is a faith that deserves to be placed side by side with that of the penitent thief. The thief saw one dying the death of a malefactor, and yet prayed to Him, and "called Him Lord." The wise men saw a new-born babe on the lap of a poor woman,and yet worshipped Him, and confessed that he was Christ. Blessed indeed are they that can believe in this fashion!
This is the kind of faith that God delights to honour. We see the proof of that at this very day. Wherever the Bible is read the conduct of these wise men is known, and told as a memorial of them. Let us walk in the steps of their faith. Let us not be ashamed to believe in Jesus and confess Him, though all around us remain careless and unbelieving. Have we not a thousand-fold more evidence than the wise men had, to make us believe that Jesus is the Christ? Beyond doubt we have. Yet where is our faith?
(J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on Matthew)
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Mother of All Battles
U.S. cities shouldn't be afraid to challenge new and outsized mosque sites.
(WORLD News Service ) - I've seen massive mosques built by Saddam Hussein (remember the "Mother of All Battles" mosque with minarets built in the shape of Scud missiles?), and I've visited the beautiful Hassan II mosque in Casablanca, where 105,000 people can worship at one time. It fronts the Atlantic Ocean, has the world's tallest minaret, and clocks in at over 22 million square feet.
By comparison, the mosque that opened last month in Murfeesboro,Tenn., seems small-scale: The 12,000-square-foot worship center of a planned 52,000-square-foot complex began services on Aug. 10. But Casablanca is a city of over 3 million Muslims, while Murfeesboro - a county seat in middle Tennessee of 108,000 residents - has perhaps 500 Muslims. (The Islamic Center of Murfeesboro reports 200-300 families living in the area but shows only 45 active paying family members in its annual report.) That means 15 times more square feet per Muslim in Murfeesboro than in Morocco. It raises the question: If they've built it, who will come?
According to figures compiled by The Wall Street Journal, the number of U.S. mosques has more than doubled in the last 20 years - from about 900 in 1992 to more than 2,100 today - while the Muslim population, at less than 1 percent of the U.S. population, has grown substantially less - from an estimated 1.5 million in 1990 to about 2.6 million today.
If a mosque has gone up recently near you, you know that as buildings go they are outsized and imposing. It's not surprising that most have been accompanied by controversy. It's surprising how many, in this era of small footprints and "good growth," have found their way past local zoning boards and city councils.
Residents in Murfeesboro did battle against the Islamic Center since its project was announced two years ago, losing only in July when a federal district judge - acting on a motion filed by the federal U.S. attorney on behalf of the Islamic Center - overruled a state court judge. Plaintiffs' attorneys are still scratching their heads: "It's a big question mark in our mind. The federal district court can't be an apellate court for a state court ruling, and that's what they've done," said attorneyTom Smith.
Not surprising, funds to finance the project in a Muslim community so small are coming from outside sources. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the National American Islamic Trust (NAIT) are believed to be providing support. Both are unindicted co-conspirators in a 2007 Hamas terrorist funding case involving the Holy Land Foundation.
With support from two of the largest Muslim advocacy groups in the country, also not surprising is that efforts haven't stopped with the Islamic Center's opening. Abdou Katih, vice president of the center, has suggested the county school board become compliant with Sharia, or Islamic, law.
A pamphlet he sent to the board advises school administrators to provide space for Muslim students to pray during the day (and warns that they may not answer a teacher during prayer times). It warns against serving foods containing vanilla extract or Dijon mustard because they contain alcohol. And it encourages school boards to employ "qualified Muslim educators" in the textbook selection process, "particularly for history, social studies, and geography texts."
Statewide, Republican lawmakers last month challenged Gov.Bill Haslam, also a Republican, over the use of an American Muslim Advisory Council to consult with the state's public safety and children's services departments.
Local officials, cowed by sympathetic media coverage and charges of bigotry from Muslim groups, are hoodwinked into believing that these battles are about religious liberty. But they are about religious coercion. Religious liberty is no absolute right, but exists alongside preserving other rights, and the common good. That includes legitimate concerns over local - and national - security. Around the world radical, jihadist teaching against the West, against Christians, and against Jews begins in local mosques. An added hurdle for communities like Murfeesbore: What's said inside the mosque is said in Arabic. Local communities shouldn't shrink from the opportunity these challenges present to reach out to Muslims and learn more about them. But neither should they shrink from asking hard questions and demanding good citizenship of all.
( Mindy Belz is the editor of WORLD Magazine.)
(WORLD News Service ) - I've seen massive mosques built by Saddam Hussein (remember the "Mother of All Battles" mosque with minarets built in the shape of Scud missiles?), and I've visited the beautiful Hassan II mosque in Casablanca, where 105,000 people can worship at one time. It fronts the Atlantic Ocean, has the world's tallest minaret, and clocks in at over 22 million square feet.
By comparison, the mosque that opened last month in Murfeesboro,Tenn., seems small-scale: The 12,000-square-foot worship center of a planned 52,000-square-foot complex began services on Aug. 10. But Casablanca is a city of over 3 million Muslims, while Murfeesboro - a county seat in middle Tennessee of 108,000 residents - has perhaps 500 Muslims. (The Islamic Center of Murfeesboro reports 200-300 families living in the area but shows only 45 active paying family members in its annual report.) That means 15 times more square feet per Muslim in Murfeesboro than in Morocco. It raises the question: If they've built it, who will come?
According to figures compiled by The Wall Street Journal, the number of U.S. mosques has more than doubled in the last 20 years - from about 900 in 1992 to more than 2,100 today - while the Muslim population, at less than 1 percent of the U.S. population, has grown substantially less - from an estimated 1.5 million in 1990 to about 2.6 million today.
If a mosque has gone up recently near you, you know that as buildings go they are outsized and imposing. It's not surprising that most have been accompanied by controversy. It's surprising how many, in this era of small footprints and "good growth," have found their way past local zoning boards and city councils.
Residents in Murfeesboro did battle against the Islamic Center since its project was announced two years ago, losing only in July when a federal district judge - acting on a motion filed by the federal U.S. attorney on behalf of the Islamic Center - overruled a state court judge. Plaintiffs' attorneys are still scratching their heads: "It's a big question mark in our mind. The federal district court can't be an apellate court for a state court ruling, and that's what they've done," said attorneyTom Smith.
Not surprising, funds to finance the project in a Muslim community so small are coming from outside sources. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the National American Islamic Trust (NAIT) are believed to be providing support. Both are unindicted co-conspirators in a 2007 Hamas terrorist funding case involving the Holy Land Foundation.
With support from two of the largest Muslim advocacy groups in the country, also not surprising is that efforts haven't stopped with the Islamic Center's opening. Abdou Katih, vice president of the center, has suggested the county school board become compliant with Sharia, or Islamic, law.
A pamphlet he sent to the board advises school administrators to provide space for Muslim students to pray during the day (and warns that they may not answer a teacher during prayer times). It warns against serving foods containing vanilla extract or Dijon mustard because they contain alcohol. And it encourages school boards to employ "qualified Muslim educators" in the textbook selection process, "particularly for history, social studies, and geography texts."
Statewide, Republican lawmakers last month challenged Gov.Bill Haslam, also a Republican, over the use of an American Muslim Advisory Council to consult with the state's public safety and children's services departments.
Local officials, cowed by sympathetic media coverage and charges of bigotry from Muslim groups, are hoodwinked into believing that these battles are about religious liberty. But they are about religious coercion. Religious liberty is no absolute right, but exists alongside preserving other rights, and the common good. That includes legitimate concerns over local - and national - security. Around the world radical, jihadist teaching against the West, against Christians, and against Jews begins in local mosques. An added hurdle for communities like Murfeesbore: What's said inside the mosque is said in Arabic. Local communities shouldn't shrink from the opportunity these challenges present to reach out to Muslims and learn more about them. But neither should they shrink from asking hard questions and demanding good citizenship of all.
( Mindy Belz is the editor of WORLD Magazine.)
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Several Items of Interest
Christian Convert From Islam Beheaded in Somalia
Islamic extremists from Somalia's rebel al Shabaab militants killed a Christian in Somalia's coastal city of Barawa on Nov. 16, accusing him of being a spy and leaving Islam, Morning Star News reports. The extremists beheaded 25-year-old Farhan Haji Mose after monitoring his movements for six months, underground Christians in Somalia said. Mose drew suspicion when he returned to Barawa in December 2011 after spending time in Kenya, which is nearly 83 percent Christian, opposed to Somalia, which is close to 100 percent Muslim. Mose had converted to Christianity in 2010 while in Kenya. Sources said a crowd assembled in Barawa to watch the slaughter of Mose. "His body was split into two, then carried away, only to be dumped near the beach of Barawa city," a Christian who witnessed the murder said. Other Muslim witnesses independently described the same scene, saying the extremists accused Mose of being a spy for foreigners and of embracing the "foreign religion of Christianity." Al Shabaab rebels have killed dozens of Christian converts from Islam since embarking on a campaign to rid Somalia of Christianity. The extremists, variously estimated at 3,000 to 7,000 seek to impose a stricter version of sharia (Islamic law) on Somalia.
Nigeria: Suspected Islamic Militants Kill 10 Christians in Machete and Gun Attack
Suspected Islamist militants killed 10 Christians in an overnight machete and gun attack in the remote village of Chibok in Nigerian's Borno state on Dec. 2, BBC News reports. Residents said a group of men went from house to house in a largely Christian area of Chibok, setting people's houses on fire before slitting the throats of 10 people. Later, gunmen attacked government targets and churches near the border with Cameroon, killing five policemen. It is still unclear who is behind the attacks, but the army suspects the Islamist sect Boko Haram, which has targeted churches and government establishments in the region in the last few years, killing more than 3,000. The group is fighting to overthrow the government and impose a strict form of sharia or Islamic law.
Washington State to Eliminate "Bride" and "Groom" on Marriage Certificates
The words "bride" and "groom" are about to become archaic language in Washington state as officials prepare to remove the terms, along with "husband" and "wife," from marriage and divorce certificates, Todd Starnes reports. Tim Church, a spokesman for the Washington health department, told Fox News they will likely be removing those words in favor of more gender-neutral terms in response to the same-sex marriage law that takes effect in the state December 6. "We've been quickly moving ahead to change our marriage certificate to make sure it fits for everyone who is going to be using it," Church said. The words "bride" and "groom" could be replaced with "Spouse A" and "Spouse B" or "Person A" and "Person B." The department has been taking public input, but the state's secretary of health will ultimately decide which terms are used. "We want our form to work for everyone who is getting married," Church said. Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council said: "It is one sort of symbolic indication of how radical a change the legalization of same-sex marriage is. Symbolically, they are doing away with the whole concept of bride and groom, husband and wife - at least in the eyes of the law."
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Nov. 21 and Dec. 4, 2012)
Some scientific facts -
The earth free-floats in space (Job 26:7), affected only by gravity. While other sources declared the earth sat on the back of an elephant or turtle, or was held up by Atlas, the Bible alone states what we now know to be true - "He hangs the earth on nothing."
Creation is made of particles, indiscernible to our eyes (Hebrews 11:3). Not until the 19th centruy was it discovered that all visible matter consists of invisible elements.
The Bible specifies the perfect dimensions for a stable water vessel ( Genesis 6:15). Ship builders today are well aware that the ideal dimension for ship stability is a length six times that of the widtth. Keep in mind, God told Noah the ideal dimensions for the ark 4,500 years ago.
When dealing with disease, clothes and body should be washed under running water (Leviticus 15:13). For centuries people naively washed in standing water. Today we recognize the need to wash away germs with fresh water.
Sanitation industry birthed (Deuteronomy 23:12-13). Some 3,500 years ago God commanded His people to have a place outside the camp where they could relieve themselves. They were to each carry a shovel so that they could dig a hole (latrine) and cover their waste. Up until world War I, more soldiers died from disease than war because they did not isolate human waste.
Oceans contain springs (Job 38:16). The ocean is very deep. Almost all the ocean floor is in total darkness and the pressure there is enormous. It would have been impossible for Job to have explored the "springs of the sea." Until recently, it was thought that oceans were fed only by rivers and rain. Yet in the 1970s, with the help of deep diving research submarines that were constructed to withstand 6,000 pounds-per-square-inch pressure, oceanographers discovered springs on the ocean floors!
(101 Scientific Facts and Foreknowledge, www.eternal-productions.org and www.creationmoments.com)
Islamic extremists from Somalia's rebel al Shabaab militants killed a Christian in Somalia's coastal city of Barawa on Nov. 16, accusing him of being a spy and leaving Islam, Morning Star News reports. The extremists beheaded 25-year-old Farhan Haji Mose after monitoring his movements for six months, underground Christians in Somalia said. Mose drew suspicion when he returned to Barawa in December 2011 after spending time in Kenya, which is nearly 83 percent Christian, opposed to Somalia, which is close to 100 percent Muslim. Mose had converted to Christianity in 2010 while in Kenya. Sources said a crowd assembled in Barawa to watch the slaughter of Mose. "His body was split into two, then carried away, only to be dumped near the beach of Barawa city," a Christian who witnessed the murder said. Other Muslim witnesses independently described the same scene, saying the extremists accused Mose of being a spy for foreigners and of embracing the "foreign religion of Christianity." Al Shabaab rebels have killed dozens of Christian converts from Islam since embarking on a campaign to rid Somalia of Christianity. The extremists, variously estimated at 3,000 to 7,000 seek to impose a stricter version of sharia (Islamic law) on Somalia.
Nigeria: Suspected Islamic Militants Kill 10 Christians in Machete and Gun Attack
Suspected Islamist militants killed 10 Christians in an overnight machete and gun attack in the remote village of Chibok in Nigerian's Borno state on Dec. 2, BBC News reports. Residents said a group of men went from house to house in a largely Christian area of Chibok, setting people's houses on fire before slitting the throats of 10 people. Later, gunmen attacked government targets and churches near the border with Cameroon, killing five policemen. It is still unclear who is behind the attacks, but the army suspects the Islamist sect Boko Haram, which has targeted churches and government establishments in the region in the last few years, killing more than 3,000. The group is fighting to overthrow the government and impose a strict form of sharia or Islamic law.
Washington State to Eliminate "Bride" and "Groom" on Marriage Certificates
The words "bride" and "groom" are about to become archaic language in Washington state as officials prepare to remove the terms, along with "husband" and "wife," from marriage and divorce certificates, Todd Starnes reports. Tim Church, a spokesman for the Washington health department, told Fox News they will likely be removing those words in favor of more gender-neutral terms in response to the same-sex marriage law that takes effect in the state December 6. "We've been quickly moving ahead to change our marriage certificate to make sure it fits for everyone who is going to be using it," Church said. The words "bride" and "groom" could be replaced with "Spouse A" and "Spouse B" or "Person A" and "Person B." The department has been taking public input, but the state's secretary of health will ultimately decide which terms are used. "We want our form to work for everyone who is getting married," Church said. Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council said: "It is one sort of symbolic indication of how radical a change the legalization of same-sex marriage is. Symbolically, they are doing away with the whole concept of bride and groom, husband and wife - at least in the eyes of the law."
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Nov. 21 and Dec. 4, 2012)
Some scientific facts -
The earth free-floats in space (Job 26:7), affected only by gravity. While other sources declared the earth sat on the back of an elephant or turtle, or was held up by Atlas, the Bible alone states what we now know to be true - "He hangs the earth on nothing."
Creation is made of particles, indiscernible to our eyes (Hebrews 11:3). Not until the 19th centruy was it discovered that all visible matter consists of invisible elements.
The Bible specifies the perfect dimensions for a stable water vessel ( Genesis 6:15). Ship builders today are well aware that the ideal dimension for ship stability is a length six times that of the widtth. Keep in mind, God told Noah the ideal dimensions for the ark 4,500 years ago.
When dealing with disease, clothes and body should be washed under running water (Leviticus 15:13). For centuries people naively washed in standing water. Today we recognize the need to wash away germs with fresh water.
Sanitation industry birthed (Deuteronomy 23:12-13). Some 3,500 years ago God commanded His people to have a place outside the camp where they could relieve themselves. They were to each carry a shovel so that they could dig a hole (latrine) and cover their waste. Up until world War I, more soldiers died from disease than war because they did not isolate human waste.
Oceans contain springs (Job 38:16). The ocean is very deep. Almost all the ocean floor is in total darkness and the pressure there is enormous. It would have been impossible for Job to have explored the "springs of the sea." Until recently, it was thought that oceans were fed only by rivers and rain. Yet in the 1970s, with the help of deep diving research submarines that were constructed to withstand 6,000 pounds-per-square-inch pressure, oceanographers discovered springs on the ocean floors!
(101 Scientific Facts and Foreknowledge, www.eternal-productions.org and www.creationmoments.com)
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