Survey: Christians Worldwide Too Busy for God

Christians worldwide are simply becoming too busy for God, a newly released five-year study revealed.

In data collected from over 20,000 Christians with ages ranging from 15 to 88 across 139 countries, The Obstacles to Growth Survey found that on average, more than 4 in 10 Christians around the world say they "often" or "always" rush from task to task.

Busyness proved to be the greatest challenges in Japan, the Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Indonesia. Christians in Uganda, Nigeria, Malaysia and Kenya were least likely to rush from task to task. But even in the less-hurried cultures, about one in three Christians report that they rush from task to task. In Japan, 57 percent agreed.

The busy life was found to be a distraction from God among Christians around the globe.
Read more about this survey on The Christian Post.

Pay The Preacher

After the church service a little boy told the pastor, "When I grow up and get a job, I'm going to give you some money."

"Well, thank you," the pastor replied, "but why?"

"Because my daddy says you're one of the poorest preachers we've ever had."

Persecution of Christians Increasing, but Most Americans Unaware

RONT ROYAL, Virginia, July 30 /Christian Newswire/ -- Christians continue to be martyred abroad, but few American believers are aware of how pervasive religious persecution is around the world. "Christians in this nation don't realize how fortunate they are to live in the U.S.," observes Jim Jacobson, president of Christian Freedom International.

Read more of this story on Christian Newswire.

New Security Measures

Judges Overturn Ban on School Board Prayer

A Louisiana school district that has been riddled with religious lawsuits got some backing Wednesday after a panel of judges overturned a decision that had formerly barred them from opening their meetings with prayer.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled that the Tangipahoa Parish School Board – which has had five religious-related lawsuits brought against it in the past 13 years – could not be held accountable for an “offended observer” and has the right to have voluntary prayer at their meetings.

According to attorneys from the faith-based legal group Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), the decision severely undercuts the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which has been filing the suits, in their use of the Establishment Clause.

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

A Great Heritage

The Cherokee Indians have a heritage that they are proud to exhibit. The Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee, North Carolina is a great place to learn about this heritage. James Croft, 3'10" tall evangelist from Olustee, Florida, recently visited the museum and discusses the Christian heritage.



You can receive e-mail notifications when new videos are added:
Subscribe to Walking With The Giant Videos by Email

For more information about this ministry visit these sites:

• Evangelist James Croft
• Walking with the Giant Videos
• Walking with the Giant Podcast

You may also contribute financially to this ministry to help with evangelism projects by following these links:

• Credit Card
• Check or Money Order

May God richly bless you for your prayerful and financial support!

Youth Revival Begins Sunday Night

Click to view a larger version.

Global Warming Blog Poll

My ministry Blog Poll for this week is about "global warming". You can cast your vote in the left-hand column of this site.

Did you see the results of last week's poll? If not, click this link: Blog Poll #2 Results.

Children Vote God as Their Inspiration to Make a Better World

NOTE: I wonder how American children would respond to this survey.

British children have voted God as the most inspirational person to make the world a better place, a recent survey has shown.

The survey, carried out by Buzz, and produced for the 4Children charity, spoke to 1000 children aged between four and 14.

Read more of this story on Christian Today.

Moth Balls

Allison went into a hardware store and bought a box of mothballs. The next day she returned again and purchased a second box.

When she came back a third time, the sales-person's curiosity got the best of him and he says, "You sure must have a lot of moths in your house, lady! That's the 3rd large box you're buying."

"Oh, I do," says Allison. "And I can't take it anymore. I've been throwing these little balls at them for two days and I haven't hit a single one yet!"

NOTE: Yeah, it is a really bad joke! 8-(

Keith Green remembered 25 years after his death

GARDEN VALLEY, Texas - Christian singer-songwriter Keith Green never shirked an opportunity to share his vision.

Offered a chance to provide an aerial tour of the wooded East Texas pasture that was home to his Last Days Ministries, he didn't hesitate.

The overloaded, twin-engine Cessna crashed less than 30 seconds after takeoff, killing all 12 aboard. The dead included Green, 28, two of his young children, pilot Don Burmeister and missionaries John and DeDe Smalley and their six children.

That was 25 years ago. Now Green's work is about to be rediscovered.

Read more of this story on One News Now.

Evangelicals branch out into art

There are no crosses in Makoto Fujimura's paintings. No images of Jesus gazing into the distance, or serene scenes of churches in a snow-cloaked wood.

Fujimura's abstract works speak to his evangelical Christian faith. But to find it takes some digging.

After the 2001 terrorist strikes on the World Trade Center, three blocks from Fujimura's home, his work explored the power of fire to both destroy and purify, themes drawn from the Christian Gospels and Dante's "The Divine Comedy."

"I am a Christian," says Fujimura, 46, who founded the nonprofit International Arts Movement to help bridge the gap between the religious and art communities. "I am also an artist and creative, and what I do is driven by my faith experience.

"But I am also a human being living in the 21st century, struggling with a lot of brokenness - my own, as well as the world's. I don't want to use the term 'Christian' to shield me away from the suffering or evil that I see, or to escape in some nice ghetto where everyone thinks the same."

Read more of this story on One News Now.

Nine Out Of 10 People

Gay promiscuity focus of controversy in city

NOTE: It's amazing that wanting to stop a crime is considered hatred. Treating sin with "political correctness" is becoming too popular in our country and others too. What do you think? Post you comments below.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (BP)--The mayor of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is under fire from homosexual activists for wanting to rid the city's public restrooms of sex acts committed by homosexuals, often in the daytime at local parks.

The controversy began in early July when Mayor Jim Naugle proposed that the city spend $250,000 on robotic toilets for the beach to curb homosexual sex in public restrooms. Such toilets, which have robotic doors that open after a certain period, are similar to the ones used in San Francisco to combat the same problem.

But homosexual activists and other members of the local government lashed out at Naugle, accusing him of hatred toward homosexuals. They demanded an apology and he promised to give one at a press conference July 26, but it wasn't what they expected.

Read more of this story on Baptist Press.

Blog Poll #2 Results

Our Blog Poll #2 question was "Do you think Congress should be opened with prayer?", and the results are:

Yes, but only by Christians 16 (84%)

Yes, but by representatives of all religions 2 (10%)
No, no prayer should be given 1 (5%)
I don't care either way 0 (0%)

Total votes: 19

There will be a new poll each week in the left-hand column of this site.

Steve Harvey introduces Jesus Christ

Steve Harvey has reportedly "cleaned-up" his act to honor God, so I thought I would share this clip with you.

Biblical Theme Songs

Noah: "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head"

Adam and Eve: "Strangers in Paradise"

Lazarus: "The Second Time Around"

Esther: "I Feel Pretty"

Job: "I've Got a Right to Sing the Blues"

Moses: "The Wanderer"

Jezebel: "The Lady is a Tramp"

Samson: "Hair"

Salome: "I Could Have Danced All Night"

Daniel: "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"

Esau: "Born To Be Wild"

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: "Great Balls of Fire!"

The Three Kings: "When You Wish Upon a Star"

Jonah: "Got a Whale of a Tale"

Elijah: "Up, Up, and Away"

Methuselah: "Stayin' Alive"

Nebuchadnezzar: "Crazy"

Slow Internet Connection

Evangelical Theologian: Bottom Line is Mormons are not Christians

NOTE: This is a story related to a previous post on this site.

Mormons believe in a false gospel and are not Christians, concluded one of the nation’s preeminent evangelicals in what appeared to be the close of an online debate over Mormonism.

“Here is the bottom line. As an Evangelical Christian – a Christian who holds to the ‘traditional Christian orthodoxy’ of the Church – I do not believe that Mormonism leads to salvation,” wrote Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, on Wednesday evening.

“To the contrary, I believe that it is a false gospel that, however sincere and kind its adherents may be, leads to eternal death rather than to eternal life,” he stated.

Mohler’s response is part of an ongoing “blog dialogue” sponsored by the Web site Beliefnet.com. Since June 28, the evangelical scholar and prominent Mormon science-fiction writer Orson Scott Card have been debating whether Mormons can be considered Christians.

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

Related stories:

• Mormon Defender Skirts Christian Question; Instead Calls for Unity
• Baptist Seminary Head Highlights Mormons' Self-Contradictory Church Claims
• Prominent Evangelical Scholar Takes on Mormonism in 'Christian' Debate

It takes one to know one -- Preaching Jesus to the celebrities

A prison minister in California says statistics and his personal experience prove neither jail nor rehabilitation clinics usually work to change anyone, unless they're faith-based and involve a message focused toward Jesus Christ. That's one of the main reasons that Marty Angelo says is behind his motivation for reaching out to offer help to entertainment celebrities, including Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.

Read more of this story on One News Now.

N.Y. Episcopalians Come to Aid of Baptist Congregation

New York -- A New York Episcopal church is engaging in an unexpected act of charity, helping a neighboring Baptist church fundraise for renovations.

Antioch Baptist Church, located in Bedord, N.Y., is currently trying to raise $600,000 to construct a new second-story addition to their building and has been joined in its efforts by St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church with no strings attached.

Church leaders were grateful for the kindness shown by the local congregation.

“It’s overwhelming,” explained Velma Lewis, a chairwoman for Antioch Baptist’s development committee, to the Lower Hudson Online. "I cannot think of any previous experience where someone has come forward to make such an offer with no expectation of getting something back."

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

Bishop & Family Attacked with ‘Hammers & Axes’ in Nigeria

The family of Rt Rev Dr Benjamin Kwashi, Anglican Bishop of Jos in Plateau State, Nigeria has been attacked in their home on Tuesday 24 July 2007 by a gang armed with hammers, axes and diggers, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has reported.

This is the second time the family has been targeted, as the gang had previously attacked them while the bishop was visiting the UK last year.

Read more of this story on Christian Today.

A Grave Tragedy

A man placed some flowers on the grave of his dearly departed mother and started back toward his car when his attention was diverted to another man kneeling at a grave.The man seemed to be praying with profound intensity and kept repeating, "Why did you have to die? Why did you have to die? Why did you have to die? Why did you have to die?"

The first man approached him and said, "Sir, I don't wish to interfere with your private grief, but this demonstration of pain is more than I've ever seen before. For whom do you mourn so deeply? A child? A parent?"

The mourner took a moment to collect himself, then replied... "My wife's first husband."

Awesome!

Our Daily Bread

READ: Psalm 47

The Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. —Psalm 47:2

About this cover

It’s an often-used word, and we hear it in the most unusual contexts. It’s the word awesome.

My 9-year-old grandson Josh and I were playing with a radio-controlled racecar set on the living room floor. Several times he would say, “Awesome!”

On another occasion, as my wife and I were leaving a restaurant, the manager, who was standing by the door, asked, “How was everything, folks?” “Fine,” I replied. “Awesome!” he said.

These two occasions set me to thinking: While it’s fun to play with my grandson and to enjoy a meal at a restaurant, are these experiences really awesome? So I consulted Mr. Webster’s unabridged dictionary. The primary definition lists awesome as “deeply reverent,” “dreadful,” “awful.” I remembered the time that I stood on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. That was truly an awesome experience.

Then I thought of a more awe-inspiring reality still. It’s knowing the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe. No wonder the psalmist wrote, “The LORD Most High is awesome” (Ps. 47:2).

The next time we hear the word awesome, may it remind us of our great God, who truly is awesome! —Dennis J. De Haan

God of everlasting glory,
Filling earth and sky,
Everywhere Thy wonders open
To our searching eye. —Peterson
© 1965 John W. Peterson Music Co.

Nothing is more awesome than to know God.

For similar resources, search these topics:

Basics Of Faith > Worship > God

Food Pyramid

The Plate

This video, called The Plate, gives a great illustration for Christians.

Sunday, July 29, 2007 Schedule

I will be preaching at New River Baptist Church this Sunday, July 29, 2007, at 11am and 6pm. The church is located at 16703 SW 144th Ave., near Brooker, Florida. Please be in prayer for these services.

Prayer Sponsor

JC's PC

Jesus and Satan have an argument as to who is the better computer programmer. This goes on for a few hours until they agree to hold a contest with God as the judge.

They set themselves before their computers and begin. They type furiously for several hours, lines of code streaming up the screen.

Seconds before the end of the competition, a bolt of lightning strikes, taking out the electricity. Moments later, the power is restored, and God announces that the contest is over. He asks Satan to show what he has come up with. Satan is visibly upset, and cries, "I have nothing! I lost it all when the power went out."

"Very well, then," says God, "let us see if Jesus fared any better."Jesus enters a command, and the screen comes to life in vivid display, the voices of an angelic choir pour forth from the speakers. Satan is astonished.

He stutters, "But how?! I lost everything yet Jesus' program is intact! How did he do it?"

God chuckles, "Jesus saves."

The Gay Agenda Triumphant

It doesn’t pay to take your constitutional right to free speech seriously anymore—at least, not if you live in Oakland, California. There, a handful of African-American Christian women recently found out that their free speech rights had effectively been outlawed.

The women, who are Oakland government employees, had formed an organization called the Good News Employee Association. As their flyer put it, their group was “a forum for people of Faith to express their views on the contemporary issues of the day. With Respect for the Natural Family, Marriage, and Family Values.”

Read more of this article on The Christian Post.

Radically The Same

Online Video Penetration At 57%

NOTE: The results of this survey reinforce my belief in using the internet to share the Gospel and maintaining an online video ministry. You can see the video ministry of James Croft Evangelistic Association at the following locations:

• Walking With The Giant Video Blog
• Walking With The Giant Video RSS Feed
  
• Walking With The Giant Video iTunes Link
• YouTube Channel
• GodTube Videos
• GospelTube Videos

Podcasting News -- According to the latest research by Pew Internet, online video is hotter than ever. 57% of internet users have watched videos online and most of them share what they find with others.

Highlights of the research:

The growing adoption of broadband combined with competition among content providers has helped pave the way for mainstream audiences to embrace online video viewing. The majority of adult internet users in the U.S. (57%) report watching or downloading some type of online video content and 19% do so on a typical day.

Young adults (those ages 18-29) are among the most active video viewers. Three in four young adult internet users (76%) report online consumption of video, compared with 57% of online adults ages 30-49. Less than half (46%) of internet users ages 50-64 watch or download video and just 39% of those age 65 and older do so.

Read more about this survey on Podcasting News.

Here are two more related stories you may find interesting:

Internet Media Is The Way To Reach College Students

Media Budgets To Shift To Internet Video

Have You Voted?

Have you checked our new feature on this site, the Poll? This is the second week of using this new interactive feature. It is located in the left-hand column of this site. Each week I'll be posting a new question. I think it's good to see what others are thinking, so cast your vote. Don't worry there's no way for me or others to know how you voted only the total results are displayed.

This is by no means a scientific system, just a little fun. 8-)

Have You Subscribed?

Keeping up with the various areas of our ministry is easy with the E-mail Subscription service powered by Feedburner. Just complete the forms below for the areas in which you are interested. You will be able to unsubscibe at any time and your e-mail address will not be shared with anyone. So, sign-up today for one or all of the notifications!

PLEASE NOTE: This is a "double opt-in" system. After entering your e-mail address you will be sent an e-mail containing a link to validate your address.

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Preaching Schedule

An e-mail will be sent each time an event is added to Evangelist James Croft's ministry schedule.

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Numerical Correctness?

Fletcher VBS Video

My friend and ministry associate Jon M. Fletcher has produced a video review of the 2007 Vacation Bible School at his home church. He is a member of Raiford Road Church in Macclenny, Florida and also produces the church's website. All of the photos in the video were taken by Jon.



To view even more of Jon's outstanding work or to learn more about his work with this ministry click on the Jon Fletcher category in the left column of this website. This will allow you to view previous posts on this site about Jon's work and ministry projects with James Croft Evangelistic Association.

New Sermon Delivery Method

FBC Lake Butler Added For Next Wednesday

I will be preaching next Wednesday night, August 1, 2007, at First Baptist Church of Lake Butler beginning at 6:30pm. For more information call Pastor Jason Johns at (386) 496-3704. The church is located at 195 East Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida.

Calling It A Day

God: "Whew, I just created a 24-hour period of alternating light and darkness on earth."

Angel: "Oh yeah? What are you going to do now?"

God: "I think I'll call it a day."

Egypt's Top Religious Advisor OKs Muslims Leaving Islam

Egypt’s official religious advisor said Muslims are free to change their religion – a statement that could significantly impact the status of Muslims who convert to Christianity and the county’s Christian population in general.

“The essential question before us is ‘Can a person who is Muslim choose a religion other than Islam?’ The answer is ‘Yes, they can,’” the Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa said in a posting on a Washington Post-Newsweek forum and picked up by the Egyptian press on Tuesday, according to Agence France-Presse.

The Grand Mufti is the highest official of religious law in a Sunni Muslim country. His opinions and interpretations of Islamic law assist the government in regulating civil laws but are not binding.

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

Whale Of A Tale

I (Heart) America

Are Americans gradually becoming illiterate? It’s not because we never learned to read, but because we’re relying more and more on images instead of words.

A debate about this recently broke out on The Point—BreakPoint’s blog site. One of the BreakPoint staff wrote about the frustrations of test-driving a new car: “There were many buttons and knobs with pictures on them instead of words,” she wrote. “What did they do? One of them had a picture with a big ’X’ painted over it, as if someone had made a mistake and crossed it out.”

Response from our blog readers was fierce.

“You’ve hit on one of my biggest pet peeves,” one blogger wrote. “I experienced the exact same thing with a rental [car] recently with the most perplexing image. [It] looked like a tire on fire. Why would anyone want to push that button?”

Read more of this opinion on The Christian Post.

Funeral Instructions

An elderly woman died last month. Having never married, she requested no male pallbearers. In her handwritten instructions for her memorial service, she wrote, "They wouldn't take me out while I was alive, I don't want them to take me out when I'm dead."

'JESUS' film now in 1,000 languages

ORLANDO, Fla. (BP)--The "JESUS" film reached a major milestone in July when it debuted in its 1,000th language, Lanka Kol, spoken by more than 1 million people in India.

"Now we have the opportunity to begin sharing the Gospel story with them in their own language," Jim Green, executive director of The JESUS Film Project, said in a statement.

As the most translated film in movie history, the JESUS film outpaces translations of blockbusters like "Gone with the Wind," "The Wizard of Oz," "Star Wars," "Titanic" and "The Lion King" combined, according to a news release.

Read more of this story on Baptist Press.

29,000 MySpace Sex Offenders Removed

MySpace.com has found and removed more than 29,000 sex offenders with profiles on the popular social networking site, according to state officials on Tuesday.

The newly released figure was a huge jump from 7,000 profiles of sex offenders just two months ago on a site with about 180 million profiles. Roy Cooper, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper along with several others had demanded data on the number of registered sex offenders using the social networking site, owned by News Corp.

"I'm absolutely astonished and appalled because the number has grown so exponentially over so short of time with no explanation," said Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, according to The Associated Press.

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

NOTE: I maintain a ministry page on MySpace.

Yes, No And Maybe?

The Back Pew

Megan's Heart

Our Daily Bread

ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download

READ: James 1:19-27

Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only. —James 1:22

About this cover

When Megan was in third grade, she kept coming home from school without her winter gloves. It drove her mom crazy because she had to keep buying new ones, which the family couldn’t afford. One day Mom got angry and said, “Megan, you’ve got to be more responsible. This can’t go on!”

Megan began to cry. Through her tears she told her mom that as long as she kept getting new gloves, she could give hers away to kids who didn’t have any.

Now at age 18, Megan’s hobbies include volunteering in the community and mentoring inner-city kids. Referring to her desire to help people, she said that it “felt like that was the kind of thing I was supposed to be doing.”

As Christians, we too are to have a heart of giving. James tells us to listen to the Word and do what it says (1:22-23). But he doesn’t stop with just telling us to obey. He gives us specific instructions about what we must do. Then he gives us a practical way we can give of ourselves: “Visit orphans and widows in their trouble” (v.27).

Ask God for a heart like Megan’s. Out of love for God, obey what He tells you to do. It’s what we’re “supposed to be doing.” —Anne Cetas

Give as ’twas given to you in your need,
Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed,
Unto your mission be true. —Wilson
© Renewal 1952 The Rodeheaver Co.

You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.

For similar resources, search these topics:

Christian Life > Attitudes > Compassion

Sacrificial Giving?

Down In The Valley

Just before Sarah drags him to the top of the mountain, 3'10" tall Evangelist James Croft talks about going through valleys. He reminds us that, if we know Jesus Christ as our Savior, we don't go through those valleys alone.

Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? For more information visit Do You Know?




You can receive e-mail notifications when new videos are added:
Subscribe to Walking With The Giant Videos by Email

For more information about this ministry visit these sites:

• Evangelist James Croft
• Walking with the Giant Videos
• Walking with the Giant Podcast

You may also contribute financially to this ministry to help with evangelism projects by following these links:

• Credit Card
• Check or Money Order

May God richly bless you for your prayerful and financial support!

New River Baptist Added To Schedule

I will be preaching at New River Baptist Church this Sunday, July 29, 2007, at 11am and 6pm. The church is located at 16703 SW 144th Ave., near Brooker, Florida. Please be in prayer for these services.

Simon The Tanner?

The Back Pew

Seattle airport panel proposes ban on religious holiday displays

NOTE: I guess my memory is failing with age or something, but what "event" sparked all of this holiday celebration, days off from school, etc? I thught it was the birth of Christ; thus, the name Christmas. I guess now we are to celebrate the ending of December or "winter holiday"? Why not celebrate, decorate, etc. for the ending of February, or March, or June, or October...?

Feel free to post your thoughts by clicking "comments" below.

SEATTLE - Decking the halls with boughs of holly is fine as long as it doesn't look like Christmas at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, an advisory panel has recommended.

The region's largest airport, scene of a controversy over holiday displays last winter, should be decorated for the holidays again this year, possibly with trees, lights, colors and fabric but not with any religious symbols, the Port of Seattle's Holiday Decorations Advisory Committee decided.

"The use of light and color is especially appropriate in Seattle due to our dark winter travel season," but holiday decorations should "reflect the Pacific Northwest environment and our diverse community, and convey universal values, such as peace and harmony," the panel recommended. "Our goal is to create an inclusive and warm environment at the airport."

Read more of this story on One News Now.

Dead Wood

New Poll

Cast your vote in our new web poll in the left column of this site. This week's question is:

Do you think Congress should be opened with prayer?

He Was A Saint

There were two evil brothers. They were rich and used their money to keep their ways from the public eye. They even attended the same church and looked to be perfect Christians.

Then, their pastor retired and a new one was hired. Not only could he see right through the brothers' deception, but he also spoke well and true, and the church started to swell in numbers.

A fundraising campaign was started to build a new assembly.

All of a sudden, one of the brothers died. The remaining brother sought out the new pastor the day before the funeral and handed him a check for the amount needed to finish paying for the new building.

"I have only one condition," he said. "At his funeral, you must say my brother was a saint."

The pastor gave his word and deposited the check.

The next day at the funeral, the pastor did not hold back. "He was an evil man," he said. "He cheated on his wife and abused his family." After going on in this vein for a small time, he concluded with, "But, compared to his brother, he was a saint."

How to Turn Wizardry, Harry Potter into Jesus Talks

Kids around the globe dressed in wizard hats and Hogwarts school uniforms complete with capes and scarves got their hands on the final book in the Harry Potter series Saturday morning at 12:01 a.m.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is the seventh and final installment in J.K. Rowling's hugely popular series and critics and fans are calling it possibly the best with action-packed drama from the start. With 325 million copies sold worldwide, it's a Harry Potter phenomenon that booksellers have never seen before and may possibly never see again.

But it's a series some Christian parents are still trying to avoid.

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

Valued Opinion

Lawsuit Supports Woman's Right to Promote Easter in Parks

A Christian legal group filed a lawsuit on Friday against a Florida county that prohibited a woman from handing out Easter invitations in a public park.

Liberty Counsel lawyers explained that Orange County’s park policy violated Shirley Snyder’s First Amendment rights for free speech, and that she had every right to encourage people to come to her church’s Easter service.

“Protecting private religious expression was the motivating factor behind the First Amendment,” explained Mathew Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel. “The voice of freedom is most at home in public parks."

The incident in question occurred on Apr. 1 when Snyder was in Cypress Grove Park in Orange County inviting people to her home congregation, Orlando Baptist Church, for their Easter service on the following Sunday. As part of her outreach, she handed out pocket-size tracts about Jesus Christ.

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

Judge Of Character

Instincts

Our Daily Bread

READ: Psalm 32

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. —Psalm 32:8

About this cover

Flying into a storm is a dangerous experience. The temptation is to fly by your instincts, or, as aviators say, “by the seat of your pants.” But as any pilot will tell you, that’s a prescription for disaster. If you rely on your feelings and instincts, you become disoriented, thinking the plane is going up when it’s actually going down. Thankfully, the instrument panel is set to magnetic north and can be trusted every time. Letting your instruments guide you, even when it feels like they’re wrong, helps ensure safety in the storm.

We all face storms that threaten to confuse and disorient us. It may be a call from the doctor’s office, a friend who has betrayed you, or a shattered dream. Those are the times to be especially careful. When you are blinded by life’s disappointments, don’t trust your instincts. Flying by the seat of your pants in the storms of life can lead to despair, confusion, and vengeful responses that make matters worse. God wants to guide you, and His Word is packed with wisdom and insights for living. His “Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105). Where He leads is always right!

Go to your Bible, and trust God to guide you. He promises, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go” (Ps. 32:8). —Joe Stowell

The God who governs galaxies
And makes the thunder roar,
Gently guides my little craft
With safety to the shore. —Berg

The closer we walk with God, the clearer we see His guidance.

For similar resources, search these topics:

Basics Of Faith > Bible/Scripture > Truth vs. Error

Georgia man says witnessing is not parading

If two is company and three is a crowd, does that make one a parade? In Cumming, Georgia, it just might.

Frederic Baumann, a resident of Cumming, was arrested on April 22 for distributing tracts outside the Cumming City fairgrounds. The charges? Officials told Baumann that he did not have a parade or demonstration permit. Attorneys for Baumann are waiting for a judge's ruling following a hearing this week, in the unusual case and lawsuit against his alleged violation of a parade ordinance.

Attorney David Cortman says the legal question for the day, is "Does one person a parade make?"

Read more of this story on One News Now.

Downloading Music

Remembering July 20, 1969

Are you old enough to remember July 20, 1969? If so, do you remember what happened on that day? I was 11 years old and recovering from a surgery for a retinal detachment in my left eye, but I remember what happened that day. Man walked on the moon for the first time!

Below are a couple of videos to help you relive that day or discover it for the first time. The first video features the challenge put forth by President John F. Kennedy to place a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth. The clip also feature some footage of the first steps on the moon.

The second video is part 6 of a series called 1969: A Documentary on the Space Race. In this video, you will see much more footage of astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin during their time on the surface of the moon and their return to earth with fellow astronaut Michael Collins.

Statenville, GA On Sunday, July 22nd

I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Ted Sauls at Statenville Baptist Church this Sunday, July 22, 2007. The services will begin at 11am and 7pm. The church is located at 109 Baptist Church Street in Statenville, Georgia. Please be in prayer for Brother Ted and his family as they are on vacation. Also, pray for the services.

Canadian pastor faces legal reprecussions because of hate crimes laws

A Canadian pastor is facing a hearing before the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission over a letter he wrote to a newspaper condemning homosexuality. Some accuse the pastor's letter of influencing the assault days later of a homosexual teenager.

The letter was written five years ago in an Alberta newspaper by Minister Stephen Boissoin. Two weeks after the letter was published, a 17-year-old homosexual youth was beaten. A complaint was filed against the minister, and the commission is hearing the case this week.

Read more of this story on One News Now.

Economic Indicators

Communion On The Moon

NOTE: I remember the first steps on the moon even though I was only 11 years old, but I never knew about the Lord's Supper being taken on the moon until I read my devotion today. I honestly thought I knew all about that mission, having followed it so closely an reading all about it. I even have an LP Record set called "Man on the Moon" narrated by Roy Neal of NBC News that includes recordings from various parts of the lunar mission.

Our Daily Bread

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READ: Psalm 139:1-12

If I ascend into heaven, You are there. —Psalm 139:8

About this cover

Apollo 11 landed on the surface of the moon on Sunday, July 20, 1969. Most of us are familiar with Armstrong’s historic statement as he stepped onto the moon’s surface: “That’s one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind.” But few know about the first meal eaten there.

Buzz Aldrin had brought aboard the spacecraft a tiny communion kit provided by his church. Aldrin sent a radio broadcast to earth asking listeners to contemplate the events of that day and to give thanks.

Then, in radio blackout for privacy, Aldrin poured wine into a silver chalice. He read, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” (John 15:5). Silently, he gave thanks and partook of the bread and cup.

God is everywhere, and our worship should reflect this reality. In Psalm 139 we are told that wherever we go, God is intimately present with us. Buzz Aldrin celebrated that experience on the surface of the moon. Thousands of miles from earth, he took time to commune with the One who created, redeemed, and fellowshiped with him.

Are you far from home? Do you feel as if you’re on a mountaintop or in a dark valley? No matter what your situation, God’s fellowship is only a prayer away. —Dennis Fisher

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be. —Anon.

God’s presence with us is one of His greatest presents to us.

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Relationships > Relating to God > Presence

Hindu prayer in Senate defies nation's founding, some say

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Some Americans took offense when a Hindu chaplain led the morning prayer in the United States Senate July 12 because they said it defied the Judeo Christian heritage set forth by the nation's founders.

"We meditate on the transcendental glory of the deity supreme, who is inside the heart of the earth, inside the life of the sky and inside the soul of the heaven. May he stimulate and illuminate our minds," Rajan Zed, director of interfaith relations at a Hindu temple in Reno, Nev., said in his prayer.

Zed was the first Hindu to offer a Senate prayer since the formation of the governing body in 1789, and he was invited by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D.-Nev. But Zed was not the first Hindu to pray in Congress. That distinction belongs to a Hindu priest who prayed before the House in 2000. Also, a Muslim prayed before the Senate several years ago.

Read more of this story on Baptist Press.

Watch The Ant

Polish town places enormous statute of Christ the King

Warsaw, Jul. 18, 2007 (CWNews.com) - The town of Swiebodzin, Poland is constructing a 31-meter (102-foot) high statue of Christ the King, the KAI news service reports.

Read more of this story on CWN.

Muzzling talk radio?

NOTE: This is a very interesting opinion about the "Fairness Doctrine". Post your thoughts by clicking "comments" below.

DALLAS (BP)--The buzz on Capitol Hill about reinstating a "fairness" regime for radio brings to mind all sorts of possibilities. Perhaps a syndicated daily talk program co-hosted by Rush Limbaugh and Al Franken. Another interesting pair might be Laura Ingraham and Janeane Garofalo.

Stations could provide "balance" to Richard Land's radio programs by airing shows hosted by atheists like Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens. Or maybe blandness would work: Bill Bennett's "Muzak in the Morning" featuring home decorating and gardening tips.

Franken and Garofalo are the biggest names featured on Air America, the liberal talk network that was forced to file bankruptcy last year and is attempting a re-launch. But so far, few Americans are tuning in. A group headed by former Clinton White House Chief of Staff John Podesta has the stats to prove that liberal or "progressive" radio can't thrive like conservative talk. The Center for American Progress studied news/talk programming on 257 stations owned by the top five commercial station owners.

Read more of this opinion on Baptist Press.

Wal-Mart to Sell Biblical Action Figures in Some Stores

Wal-Mart said Tuesday it will test sales in some stores of biblical action figures whose makers say they are aimed at Christian parents who prefer their children play with Samson, David or Noah rather than with a comic book character or Bratz doll.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) spokeswoman Melissa O'Brien said the toys made by One2believe, a Valencia, Calif., company, will be offered in 425 of Wal-Mart's 3,376 discount stores and Supercenters.

One2believe Chief Executive David Socha said his products were part of a "battle for the toy box" with dolls and figures that he said carry negative messages.

"If you're very religious, it's a battle for your children's minds and what they're playing with and pretending. There are remakes out there of Satan and evil things," Socha said.

Wal-Mart's O'Brien said the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer believes there is demand for faith-based toys.

Read more of this story on FOX News.

Read another story about Bible based toys that is posted on this site.

Trick Question

Introducing the Thought Police

Never judge a book by its cover, so goes the old expression. But what’s true about books is even more true about legislation. For example, a bill pending before the Senate is titled the “Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007.” Since few people want to promote “hate crimes,” preventing hate crimes sounds like a laudable goal. Right?

Not if you read what’s between the covers: The title of this bill ought to be the “Thought Control Act of 2007.”

I told Christian Post readers about the bill when it was pending before the House. Unfortunately, that bill passed the House and now faces Senate ratification—this time, in typical Washington fashion, as an amendment tacked on to the National Defense Authorization Act.

The law is just as dangerous now as it was then.

Read more of this opinion on The Christian Post.

Korean Golfer Close to Becoming First Asian to Win Major; Credits Success to Faith

South Korean K.J. Choi could become the first Asian in history to win a major golf championship, but instead of crediting his ability he is pointing to his Christian faith.

“My game now has a lot of patience, due to my faith,” said Choi on Wednesday, just one day prior to the start of the British Open.

“On every shot, I will have a song in my mind and my Christian faith helps me to stay calm on the golf course,” he said, according to Agence France-Presse. “It’s given me more ability in my game.”

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

Cambodia Bans Evangelism; Accuses Christians of 'Disrupting Society'

Christians in Buddhist-dominated Cambodia are officially banned from evangelising because they “disrupt society,” officials said Tuesday.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Cults and Religions declared that “Christians are prohibited from visiting people’s houses by knocking on the door and waiting to say ‘the Lord has arrived,’” in a directive, according to Agence France-Presse.

In addition, Christians are restricted to only distributing religious literatures in churches. Moreover, the ministry demands that it authorise the construction of a church before it is built.

“They can do any activity inside their institutions, but are not allowed to go door-to-door,” said Sun Kim Hun, deputy minister of cult and religion, according to The Associated Press.

Read more of this story on Christian Today.

Kids say e-mail is, like, soooo dead

NOTE: This story emphasizes the need for the Church and ministries to utilize the web in every way possible. I have had some folks tell me that my videos should not be on YouTube or I shouldn't have a page on MySpace because there are so many "bad" things on these sites. I believe that Jesus said Christians should be "salt" and "light". Jesus met people where they were without falling into sin. Christians must put on the whole armor of God and go after the lost wherever they are. Salt and Light must go where needed. We have a new generation that is growing up on the web, sounds like that is where Christians need to be too. What do you think? Post your comments below.

For more information visit Internet Evangelism Day or Internet Evangelism Coalition. You can also listen to an interview with Dr. Sterling Huston of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and IEC Chair on the May 2006 edition of Walking with the Giant.

SAN FRANCISCO--The future of e-mail might be found on the pages of MySpace.com and Facebook.

Just ask a group of teen Internet entrepreneurs, who readily admit that traditional e-mail's more suited for keeping up professional relationships or communicating with adults.

"I only use e-mail for my business and to get sponsors," Martina Butler, the host of the teen podcast Emo Girl Talk, said during a panel discussion here at the Mashup 2007 conference, which is focused on the technology generation. With friends, Bulter said she only sends notes via a social network.

"Sometimes I say I e-mailed you, but I mean I Myspace'd or Facebook'ed you," she said.

To be sure, much has been written about the demise of e-mail, given the annoyance of spam and the rise of tools like instant messaging, voice over IP and text messaging. But e-mail has hung on to its utility in office environments and at home, even if it's given up some ground to new challengers. It may be that social networks are the most potent new rival to e-mail, one of the Internet's oldest forms of communication. With tens of millions of members on their respective networks, MySpace and Facebook can wield great influence over a generation living online, either through the cell phone or the Internet.

Read more of this story on CNET News.

EGYPT: Security Police Torture Christian Convert Woman

ISTANBUL, July 18 (Compass Direct News) – Security police in Alexandria, Egypt have repeatedly tortured a young woman convert to Christianity in custody since Monday (July 16).

Fanatic Islamist relatives of Eman Muhammad el-Sayed, 26, attacked her two days ago while she and her husband were strolling through a local fair in Alexandria. Although police intervened in the street-side fracas, they promptly arrested the victim herself, allegedly to protect her from her Muslim family.

Each day since then, El-Sayed, 26, has been transferred to a security police headquarters in Alexandria, where inside sources confirmed to Compass that she has been subjected to hours of interrogation and severe physical torture.

Read more of this story on Compass Direct News.

Plans Underway for World's Largest Cross in Nazareth

A group of Christian businessmen in Israel are planning to build the largest cross in the world in the childhood town of Jesus Christ.

According to officials, the initial private building plan is already underway for the “Nazareth Cross”, which will be 60 metres high and decorated by some 7.2 million mosaic tiles made of Nazareth stone.

The site will be an attempt to draw tourism to boost the struggling economy of Nazareth as well as pay homage to the early life of Christ.

Read more of this story on Christian Today.

Stealing Identities

Statenville Baptist On Sunday

I will be preaching at Statenville Baptist Church this Sunday, July 22, 2007 at 11am and 7pm. Pastor Ted Sauls and his family will be on vacation, so please pray for them and the services. The church is located at 109 Baptist Church Street in Statenville, Georgia.

Carver officially promoted to Army chief of chaplains

FORT MYER, Va. (BP)--Doug Carver remembers the day he held a pair of bloody dog tags in his hand. That same hand recently rested on the Bible his wife Sunny gave him for college graduation as he was sworn in as the 23rd U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains.

Carver was promoted to major general during ceremonies at Fort Myer, Va., on July 12. He is the first Southern Baptist to hold the position of chief of chaplains since Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Ivan L. Bennett held the post in 1954.

"The selection of Maj. Gen. Carver to be the chief of chaplains for the U.S. Army is an historic event for Southern Baptists," said Geoff Hammond, president of the North American Mission Board, which endorses Southern Baptist chaplains. "We are grateful to the Lord that the Army has recognized his outstanding qualities as a leader and the spiritual support that he has provided to our troops and their families.

Carver said God has called him to serve the needs of soldiers and their families.

Read more of this story on Baptist Press.

Letter From Hell

This is an interesting and thought-provoking video I found on GodTube.

FIRST-PERSON: Is your church sending mixed messages?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--As you sit at home –- or in your office –- reading this story, your church continues to communicate many messages to your community.

Right now, someone is reading your church sign while driving by your church. Another person is studying your small ad in the Yellow Pages. A young couple is checking out your church website. Neighbors are watching your church van drive down the main road in your town. A newcomer to the area is listening to your church answering machine message, after business hours, to find out about the times of services.

If you don't present one clear and inviting message for your church through every touch-point, then a single weak communication can counter all of the strong church promotion you are working so hard to build.

Read more of this story on Baptist Press.

Free Trip

Pray For Rulers

While in Tallahassee, Florida recently, I stopped by the Florida Capitol to record this video. The subject is based on 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NKJV):

1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

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Alachua County, Florida Youth Revival

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Staying In Contact

Good Samaritan Was Good

I really had an enjoyable time at Good Samaritan Church yesterday. This was my first time at the church pastored by David Collins (right in photo). A couple of the youth from my home church, First Baptist of Lake Butler, ministered in music during the service too. Brett Maddox (left in photo) and Jay Norman (2nd from left in photo) did an outstanding job.

If you visit or live in the Jacksonville, Florida area, visit Good Samaritan Church at 44 Jericho Road.

NOTE: Is it just me or do I look little in this picture? 8-)