Walking with the Giant

Friday, January 11, 2008

Devilish debate on end for Church of England

LONDON (AFP) — Eyebrows were raised in the House of Commons on Thursday when a motion calling for the Church of England to be disestablished was listed with the number 666, symbol of the AntiChrist.

"This number is supposed to be the mark of the Devil. It looks as though God or the Devil have been moving in mysterious ways," said Bob Russell, a Liberal Democrat MP among those proposing the motion for debate.

"What is even stranger is that this motion was tabled last night when MPs were debating blasphemy," he added.

The motion calls for an end to the formal link between Church and State in England -- embodied in the monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who is both head of state and head of the Church of England.

Read more of this story on AFP.

Writer's Strike

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Lake Butler First On Wednesday

I will be preaching at my home church, First Baptist Church of Lake Butler, on Wednesday, January 16th at 6:30pm. Pastor Jason Johns will be on a mission trip to Honduras. Please be in prayer for the trip and the service too.

The church is located at 195 East Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida. For more info call the church office at (386) 496-3704.

Study: How Unchurched Americans View Christianity

In a portrait of the "unchurched" in America, a new study found that most are willing to hear what people have to say about Christianity but a majority also sees the church as a place full of hypocrites.

"A full 72 percent of the people interviewed said they think the church ‘is full of hypocrites,’" said LifeWay Research director Ed Stetzer. "At the same time, however, 71 percent of the respondents said they believe Jesus ‘makes a positive difference in a person’s life’ and 78 percent said they would ‘be willing to listen’ to someone who wanted to share what they believed about Christianity."

LifeWay Research studied 1,402 adults who were unchurched - those who had not attended a religious service at a church, synagogue or mosque in the previous six months - last spring and summer.

Many unchurched adults don't have a biblical understanding about God and Jesus, according to the survey.

Read more about this study on The Christian Post.

Turbulent Times

A plane hit a patch of severe turbulence and the passengers were holding on tight as it rocked and reeled through the night. A little old lady turned to a minister who was sitting behind her and said, "You're a man of God. Can't you do something about this?"

He replied, "Sorry, I can't. I'm in sales, not management."

Florida School Board Hears Final Evolution Arguments

Different camps weighing in on the debate on whether Florida schools should teach evolution said at a public hearing that the other has no proof on how life originated.

Speakers that included local educators, parents and students made their final arguments Tuesday in favor of and against the teaching of evolutionary theory in science classes at Everglades High School in Miramar.

It was the last of three public hearings before the Florida School Board votes the issue on Feb. 19. Just last week, a meeting was held in Jacksonville.

Among other revisions in the state science standards, the board is expected to decide whether to mandate the use of the word "evolution" in place of "biological changes over time," which is used now.

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

Apology Hotline

Our Daily Bread

ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download

READ: Matthew 5:21-26

Leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. —Matthew 5:24

About this cover

Jesse Jacobs has created an apology hotline that makes it possible to apologize without actually talking to the person you’ve wronged. People who are unable or unwilling to unburden their conscience in person call the hotline and leave a message on an answering machine. Each week, 30 to 50 calls are logged, as people apologize for things from adultery to embezzlement. “The hotline offers participants a chance to alleviate their guilt and, to some degree, to own up to their misdeeds,” said Jacobs.

The apology hotline may seem to offer some relief from guilt, but this is not how Jesus instructed His followers to handle conflict. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us to deal with conflict by taking the initiative and going to the offended brother to apologize for the offense (see also Matt. 18). In fact, Jesus taught that the problem of human estrangement is so serious that we should even interrupt our worship to go on a personal mission of reconciliation (Matt. 5:24). The Master encouraged His followers to be reconciled with one another eagerly, aggressively, quickly, and personally (v.25).

Are any of your relationships broken or estranged because of something you said or did? Take the initiative. Go now and do all you can to be reconciled.
—Marvin Williams

God cannot prosper those who try
To cover sin and wrong deny;
But all who humbly will confess,
The Savior with His love will bless. —D. De Haan

At the heart of all conflict is a selfish heart.

For similar resources, search these topics:

Relationships > Relating to others > Forgiveness Of

Where Do Babies Come From?

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

JOY Box Ministry Video

Residents of Frank Wells Nursing Home in Macclenny, Florida receive JOY Boxes from James Croft Evangelistic Association.

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

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

Easy Miracle

New Oak Grove On January 20th

I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Terry D. Elixson at New Oak Grove Baptist Church on Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 11am and 6pm. The church is located at 18100 NW 262nd Ave. near Alachua, Florida. Please be in prayer for these services.

Animator vs. Animation

This is one great presentation of animation. It is call "Animator vs. Animation."

Purpose Of A Necktie

Awaiting Rose Parade, crowds along streets hear the Gospel

PASADENA, Calif. (BP)--In the hours before the Tournament of Roses Parade, 70-plus volunteers led 12 people in making decisions for Christ among thousands who staked out a spot to view the festivities along Pasadena's Colorado Boulevard.

Volunteers from churches across the country, including a number of evangelists, participated in a variety of New Year's Eve initiatives spearheaded by San Diego businessman Martin Davis for the 12th consecutive year.

Two mime teams performed more than 35 times throughout the night at various spots along the crowded street. After each performance, evangelist Darrel Davis shared the Gospel.

Read more of this story on Baptist Press.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Preach It, Frosty!

The Back Pew

Beware Of Open Doors

Our Daily Bread

ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download

READ: Philippians 1:8-11

Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment, but a man of understanding walks uprightly. —Proverbs 15:21

About this cover

Sometimes Christians follow an “open door” policy. When a door of opportunity opens, they assume that it’s God’s will to go through it.

Bestselling author Terri Blackstock knows this is untrue. She never openly rebelled against God, but she found herself far away from Him after walking through open doors of opportunity. “I had allowed myself to believe that God was blessing my career . . . because He had opened all the doors,” she wrote in Soul Restoration. Although she got what she wanted—a successful career writing romance novels for Harlequin and Silhouette—she lost what she needed: a close relationship with God.

When she finally admitted that her career was keeping her from God, she turned her back on success and renewed her commitment to the Lord. Since then, her writing career has been revitalized, and she has become an award-winning author of Christian fiction.

Just because the Lord doesn’t stop us from something doesn’t mean He wants us to continue. To discern which opportunities to pursue, we need to “approve the things that are excellent” and to be “filled with the fruits of righteousness . . . to the glory and praise of God” (Phil. 1:10-11). —Julie Ackerman Link

FOR FURTHER STUDY
For help with understanding God’s will for your life, read the online study How Can I Know What God Wants Me To Do? at www.discoveryseries.org/q0704

The best way to know God’s will is to say “I will” to God.

For similar resources, search these topics:

Relationships > Relating to God > Fellowship with

Charismatic Christianity in US - myths exposed

Charismatic churches are growing in number in the Unites States, but many Americans still have inaccurate assumptions about the particular brand of Christianity, according to surveys released Monday.

Many people believe that charismatic Christianity is almost exclusively a Protestant phenomenon, but research shows that one-third of all U.S. Catholics (36 percent) fit the charismatic classification, according to the new Barna study. And nearly one-quarter of all charismatics in the U.S. (22 percent) are Catholics.

Charismatic Christians are defined in the study as those that say they have been “filled with the Holy Spirit” and believe in “charismatic gifts, such as tongues and healing, are still valid and active today.”

Read more about this survey on Christian Today.