God Is For Us!

by Jack Hayford

God is for us, loved one!

Those words are His—found in abundance in His Holy Word. They are found in verses so clear, so Self-expressive of our Father's love, so totally supportive and so fully committed to us that there is no mistaking His intent that we firmly grasp the idea. The reason? Because doubts and fears too easily and constantly beset us.

We are all tempted at times to wonder: Is God's mind tuned to my heart-cry...my need? Is His eye focused on me now...on my present situation? Will God's hand reach my way...to cover me—in time? But His Word answers these questions for us. When we cry out, "What shall we say to these things?" His Word thunders in response: "If God be for us, who can be against us!" (Romans 8:31).

What kinds of "things" does this cover? What are the situations where we can expect we will find, "God is for us"? Here's just the beginning of a list:

Open to the Savior

If you would like to welcome Jesus Christ into your life, you can do so at any time, anywhere. Consider these important facts:

God loves you and seeks a personal relationship with you! "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Rev. 3:20)

The problem is: everyone has been born into this world spiritually dead because of sin. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 6:23)

Jesus will forgive us of all sin, assuring us of eternity in Heaven! "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

To receive Jesus, pray in this manner: Lord Jesus, I'm a sinner. Please come into my life and forgive me of all sin. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. Now, fill me with Your Holy Spirit and guide me from this day forward. Thank You, Lord, for loving me! Amen.

http://www.jackhayford.org/articles1-443/OpentotheSavio

Healing Testimony : Pastor Jack Hayford

About Pastor Jack Hayford

Jack Hayford knows the awesome power of God firsthand. When he was a baby, he was gripped by a life-threatening illness. But as a result of the earnest prayers of friends and family, he was miraculously healed. The doctors had no other explanation except that the grace of God snatched him back from the brink of death. 


Several years later, Jack was struck down again by sickness. This time it was polio. The church elders anointed him and prayed for his recovery. God heard their petitions and granted a second miracle. 


These two extraordinary events ignited in Jack's heart a passion for God and convinced him that the Holy Spirit is alive and active in the contemporary church. 


"Contrary to our preconceptions, God is not economical with healings and miracles. Such wondrous works are frequently attending the proclamation of truth in Jesus’ name," asserts Pastor Jack.

My Powerful Judge

I had sinned. Despite my efforts to convince myself that I hadn't really failed God, guilt whispered quietly, and then more loudly when I ignored its protests. It didn't matter if anyone else was aware. I knew. That self-knowledge made it terrible to bear. 

During that period, I read every day from the Psalms. Although I didn't speak quite as dramatically as the poet, I understood his words on an emotional level: "When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever-heat of summer" (Ps 32:3-4, NAS).

I had sinned. 

To make it worse, it wasn't what the Old Testament refers to as a sin of ignorance. I had deliberately gone astray. Before I sinned, I told myself that I was protecting my rights, standing up for myself and being faithful to my convictions. At other times, I've told myself that I had technically sinned, but I had really been overwhelmed by temptation (as though that made it a lesser offense).

My Lawyer

Jesus is our advocate, or lawyer, before God. For many, this image conjures up a negative view of God.

Many have little trouble grasping Jesus as the loving, committed attorney out to defend us before a just and angry God who wants to condemn us all to eternal damnation. Because of Jesus, the Judge doesn't - but he really wants to.

Why not think of God as a loving judge, one who wants to free humanity, but has to have a reason to do so?

The apostle Paul writes: "God presented him [Jesus Christ] as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus" (Rom 3:25-26, NIV).

The Lawgiver

On the chalkboard for my Sunday school class I drew a small square inside a large circle. "The circle represents life and the box stands for the laws of God. Where are you?" I placed an X inside the box and I placed another outside the box. "Which best represents you and your understanding of the laws of God?"

From there I went on to explain that committed Christians tend to take one of two positions: inside or outside the box. Those inside the box are keenly aware of God's laws and carefully obey them. Their lives revolve around staying away from the four walls of the box. Their freedom, although limited, is that they can do what they want, but within the confines of the walls.

Some in the class used the box to define their lives. The laws, rules, regulations, injunctions, commands, and statutes of God were about as far as they would travel.

Is it Wrong to Question Your Senior Pastor?

by Mark Altrogge


The pulpit does not make pastors infallible.

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the Word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. (Acts 17:10-11)

Why were the Bereans more noble than those in Thessalonica? Two reasons: 1) They received the Word with all eagerness. 2) They went back home and examined the Scriptures to see if what Paul and Silas preached lined up with the Word of God.

The Gift of a Word of Knowledge

Rick Joyner Newsletters -Prophetic Insight

I was involved in another prophetic experience that I think has some great lessons. It happened when I was flying our ministry plane to Nashville, Tenn., with some of our musicians to do some recording.

After taxing to the General Aviation ramp, a line girl directed us to a parking spot. After we deplaned, the wife of one of our musicians said to the line girl as she walked past her, “You get along with animals better than you do people—you should have been a vet.” The line girl looked stunned, and I couldn’t help wondering if this had insulted her.

The Stubbornness of Hope

Written by Becky Toews

Ten reasons to hope.

“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed….” (Romans 4:18a)

I’m thankful that hope is so stubborn. If it wasn’t, I think I’d be a goner. Many times my circumstances have tempted me to throw in the towel, but each time I find hope popping to the surface and eventually taking over.

Oh, I’ve tried to resist. I’ve let discouraging thoughts smother the “noble, lovely and praiseworthy.” I’ve listened to the whispers of failure more times than I care to remember. I’ve allowed the voice of disappointment become louder than a scream. But with the predictability of a Hallmark movie, I find that after all my rants and raves, hope stands there quietly waiting. She penetrates my protests with the undeniable assurance that it’s gonna be okay.

FAITH NOW

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reach the lost and to empower Believers around the world.
If you are blessed by these messages, please prayerfully consider sowing a seed
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Luke 6:38
  Give and gifts will be given to you a good measure, packed together,
  shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.  
  For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”  

The measure you give by will be the measure you live by.  John W. Smith, Jr.

http://johnwsmithjr.com/live_webcast

Where you can find real healing

A drunken husband snuck up the stairs quietly one evening as his wife was sleeping. He looked in the bathroom mirror and bandaged the bumps and bruises he’d received in a fight earlier that night. He doctored himself up, then proceeded to climb into bed, smiling at the thought that he’d pulled one over on his wife.

	For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. — Psalm 103:11-12

When morning came, he opened his eyes and there stood his wife. “You were drunk last night weren’t you!”

“No, honey. I wasn’t.”

“Well, if you weren’t, then who put all the Band-Aids on the bathroom mirror?”

Many people today are much like that husband. They look into the mirror of their lives, see their scars, and do the best they can to bandage themselves up, replacing “bad behavior” with “good behavior.” But the reality is when they do that, they’re simply putting bandages on a mirror and doing nothing to really heal the sin in their lives.

California chefs in a stew over foie gras ban

By Michael Thurston | AFP News

An order of "Artisan Foie Gras and Liberty Farms Duck" awaits being served at the "Melisse" eatery in Santa Monica, California, on May 14. A simmering row between animal rights campaigners and a handful of California's top chefs is coming to the boil, ahead of a looming ban on foie gras in the western US state

A chef oversees orders of "Pistachio Crusted Foie Gras" at the "Melisse" eatery in Santa Monica, California, on May 14. A simmering row between animal rights campaigners and a handful of California's top chefs is coming to the boil, ahead of a looming ban on foie gras in the western US state

Paris sells most expensive club sandwich in the world: survey

AFP Relax

Paris may be known as the most romantic city in the world, but it's also the most expensive place to buy a club sandwich -- making it the priciest travel destination on the globe.

That's the conclusion of online accommodation booking site Hotels.com which surveyed 750 hotels in three to five star categories across 26 countries and price-checked a standard club sandwich -- a staple on nearly every hotel menu -- against one another.

Dubbed the Club Sandwich Index or CSI, a triple-decker sandwich in Paris averages $33.10, followed by Geneva and Oslo, where ordering the all-American chicken, bacon, lettuce and mayonnaise club will set you back on average $32.56 and $30.50 respectively.

Where to find the world's most expensive burger

AFP Relax 

A New York City tourist landmark has created the most expensive burger in the world, with a price tag of $295.

Serendipity 3, a Manhattan café that played a starring role in the 2001 blockbuster Hollywood rom-com Serendipity and is also home to the $1,000-dollar sundae, has created Le Burger Extravagant, a luxurious sandwich filled with a laundry list of premium ingredients that includes:

- Wagyu beef infused with 10-herb white truffle butter
- Salish Alderwood smoked Pacific sea salt
- hand-formed cheddar cheese that's been cave-aged for 18 months
- shaved black truffles
- fried quail egg
- white truffle-buttered Campagna roll
- blini, crème fraiche
- Kaluga caviar, farm-raised in Quzhou, China
- all speared with a solid gold ‘Fleur de Lis' toothpick encrusted with diamonds and designed by jeweler Euphoria New York

Most expensive club sandwiches found in Europe

AFP Relax

According to a survey of 750 hotels in 26 countries, Paris is the most expensive city in the world for ordering a club sandwich.

After surveying the price of the iconic triple-decker sandwich among three to five-star properties around the world, Paris, Geneva and Oslo emerged as the most expensive -- and therefore -- the priciest cities to visit, according to online booking site Hotels.com.

Their Club Sandwich Index (CSI) is meant to serve as a barometer of travel costs for globetrotters planning their upcoming vacations.

Here are the averages prices of a club sandwich -- a staple on nearly every hotel menu -- around the world:

Your Sexual Legacy

Fathers are ultimately responsible for their sons' sexual development. It takes more than one talk--it takes honesty, courage and positive role-modeling.

Your son looks to you as a model in every area of his life. Have you ever considered whether or not you are modeling healthy sexuality for him?

I have spent countless hours counseling men whose fathers' sexual role-modeling was either absent or, worse still, destructive. The absent role model never discusses sexuality with his son. He doesn't know what to say about it, so he says nothing and hopes for the best.

This Christian role model has to be honest with other adult men about any lust issues in his life. He responsibly blocks the Internet, and he monitors TV and media intake for himself and his family. He is emotionally connected to his son enough so that they can talk about sex. This father is a good, general role model for male sexuality.

Wired to Admire

Hard-wired into man's genetic code is a strong desire for beauty. But unrealistic expectations are short-circuiting God's design.

Let's face it, there's just something wired into the male psyche that causes the passionate admiration and pursuit of beauty.

Virtually every man has at least once in his lifetime fantasized about snagging the "perfect woman." And while any gathering of red-blooded males might stir up a healthy argument over which woman deserves the title, author and Christian "sexpert" Doug Rosenau says that most men have a hard time narrowing it down to one person.

"The confusion I see in guys is that they have about three or four different ideas of a perfect woman," Rosenau says. "They're confused as to which one is the one that they really would like."

INTERNET AND TEXTING RULES FOR COUPLES

The Internet can pose a significant threat to any relationship if misused. The Internet has led to a dramatic increase in use of pornography, which can become habitual, even addictive behavior that will have a negative impact on your own relationship with your partner. In addition, the Internet allows individuals to make contact with strangers and encourages inappropriate intimacy. It can lead to both emotional and physical infidelity.

Because some people view online relationships as harmless, they engage in behavior they would never consider in a face-to-face relationship. Many marriages and relationships have broken up when one member of a couple discovers that his/her partner has been involved in a relationship online or regularly visits pornographic or other inappropriate websites.

Here are a set of rules that will help each couple avoid the trauma that comes from discovering hidden relationships and porn use on the computer.

Can Your Child Find Porn on Your Phone?

By AMY O'LEARY

David Maxwell for The New York TimesSome parents neglect to consider how their children might access Internet content differently on mobile devices, versus a desktop computer.

Whether a six-year-old is tapping on Grover in “The Monster at the End of This Book” on an iPad, or a teen is blowing through “The Hunger Games” on a Kindle Fire, some parents don’t realize that many devices, marketed for reading, music listening or gaming, also provide Internet access — and sometimes a back-door to unwanted content.

When I was interviewing parents for “So How Do We Talk About This?”many said they had carefully set up parental controls on a home computer. But when I asked about the full range devices in their home like Wiis, PSPs, Nooks, and iPod Touches — all of which can access the Web—few of the parents had closely considered trying to extend those controls.

Teenagers and the Internet

In the 60's, Christian parents were outraged over the "shocking" youth culture.  However, parents today may wish for the "good old 60's," because on all levels, kids today are into far worse stuff, thanks mostly to the Internet. 


Who would have ever thought that the Internet would beat out television and movies as the most time-consuming form of entertainment for teens? It has! 96% of all teens in the U.S. daily access the Internet, averaging more than four hours online every day.  It now affects every family in some way, since it can be accessed in many more ways than it once could, and it is being used by teens in ways that may shock some less Internet-savvy parents. So, it is especially important for parents to know how their kids are interacting via digital media today, while also understanding that completely removing it isn't always the best move.

Sex addiction laid bare

Cosmopolitan


Sex addiction has more exposure today than ever, with household celebrities such as Russell Brand speaking openly about the condition; but what causes sex addiction and what does the problem entail? Dr Abigael San, a clinical psychologist at The Priory Hospital, says, “Sex addiction, like other addiction problems, is a way of escaping when things get difficult. It’s a coping strategy and it can be very preoccupying. Sex addicts might find themselves spending lots of time sourcing pornography, looking at it and trying to get hold of it.”

Most people think that a sex addiction must stem from a sex-related issue, but usually it comes from the nature of addiction itself and is more about the feeling of helplessness. Dr. San explains, “Sex addiction runs a lot deeper than just sex. Of course, factors like a high sex drive are going to be relevant but they’re rarely the cause of sex addiction.” 

Arousing Ourselves to Death

Russell Moore

The couple will typically tell me first about how stressful their lives are. Maybe he’s lost his job. Perhaps she’s working two. Maybe their children are rowdy or the house is chaotic. But usually, if we talk long enough about their fracturing marriage, there is a sense that something else is afoot. The couple will tell me about how their sex life is near extinction. The man, she’ll tell me, is an emotional wraith, dead to intimacy with his wife. The woman will be frustrated, with what seems to him to be a wild mixture of rage and humiliation. They just don’t know what’s wrong, but they know a Christian marriage isn’t supposed to feel like this.

It’s at this point that I interrupt the discussion, look at the man, and ask, “So how long has the porn been going on?” The couple will look at each other, and then look at me, with a kind of fearful incredulity that communicates the question, “How do you know?” For a few minutes, they seek to reorient themselves to this exposure, wondering, I suppose, if I’m an Old Testament prophet or a New Age psychic. But I’m not either. One doesn’t have to be to sense the spirit of this age. In our time, pornography is the destroying angel of (especially male) Eros, and it’s time the Church faced the horror of this truth.

Commit to Clicking Away from Internet Porn

Whitney Hopler

Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of Tim Chester's recent book, Closing the Window: Steps to Living Porn Free, (InterVarsity Press, 2010).

Pornography is all over the Internet. Even when people aren’t looking for porn, they can still encounter it unexpectedly because it’s so prevalent online. Many people in our culture give into porn’s temptations and experience pain as a result, and Christians aren’t immune to the problem. In fact, statistics show that about one in three Christians – men and women alike – reports being addicted to pornography.

If you’re one of them, you may feel as if you simply can’t give up your porn habit. But you can, with God’s help, because God’s grace is always greater than your sin. Here’s how you can click away from Internet porn, for good:

".XXX" - The Internet's New Red Light District

Randy Hicks

(WNS) -- It’s not likely you’ve heard of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), but this international organization in charge of Internet addresses has just approved a policy that will create what amounts to a red-light district online.

We’re all familiar with the top level domains like “.com”, “.edu” and “.org.” Now, after years of debate, ICANN has approved “.xxx” for porn websites.

So now, for the first time, a specific industry will have its own suffix on the Internet. In this case, it happens to be an industry that exploits women and ensnares thousands of men and even children into a harmful addiction that can ruin lives and relationships.

For starters, the new .xxx domain will significantly increase the amount of porn online since adult websites will not have to give up their current web addresses. Instead, they’ll create new websites with the new suffix, making their content more prevalent and accessible.

STRONGHOLDS OF THE MIND

2 Corinthians 10:5 - We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ

The nature of the battle for your mind is clearly presented in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."

The first thing you need to know about the battle for your mind is that it is not fought on the plane of human ingenuity or ability. You can't outsmart or outmuscle the flesh or the devil on your own. Your weapons must be "divinely powerful" if you are going to win a spiritual conflict.

The main targets which must be destroyed are the "fortresses" in the mind. The King James Version uses the word strongholds . Strongholds are negative patterns of thought which are burned into our minds either through repetition over time or through one-time traumatic experiences.

WHAT GOD HAS PROVIDED

Galatians 6:3 - If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself

 Satan promotes his lies in the world by encouraging us to self-deception. We deceive ourselves when we think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. "But I know who I am," you say. "I'm a child of God, I'm seated with Christ in the heavenlies, I can do all things through Him. That makes me pretty special." Yes, you are very special in the eyes of God. But you are what you are by the grace of God (1 Corinthians 15:10). 


The life you live, the talents you possess, and the gifts you have received are not personal accomplishments; they are expressions of God's grace. Never take credit for what God has provided; rather, take delight in accomplishing worthwhile deeds which glorify the Lord.


Furthermore, we deceive ourselves when we think we are wise in this age (1 Corinthians 3:18, 19). It is the height of intellectual arrogance to assume wisdom without the revelation of God. "Professing to be wise, they became fools" (Romans 1:22). 

THE ONLY LIMIT TO FAITH

Romans 10:17 - Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

When people struggle with their faith in God, it's not because their faith-object is insufficient. It's because people have unreal expectations of God. They expect Him to operate a certain way or answer prayer a certain way--their way, not His--and when He doesn't comply they say, "Forget You, God." But God doesn't change; He's the perfect faith-object. Faith in God only fails when people hold a faulty understanding of Him.

 If you want your faith in God to increase, you must increase your understanding of Him as the object of your faith. If you have little knowledge about God and His Word, you will have little faith. If you have great knowledge of God and His Word, you will have great faith. Faith cannot be pumped up by coaxing yourself, "If only I can believe! If only I can believe!" Any attempt to push yourself beyond what you know about God and his ways is to move from faith to presumption. You choose to believe God according to what you already know to be true from His Word. And the only way to increase your faith is to increase your knowledge of God, your faith-object (Romans 10:17).

Entering the Highway of Healing

In April of 2001, my pastor solemnly announced from the pulpit that he’d had a vision and in it I was healed. I didn’t believe healing was “for today,” but my face lit up and I smiled back at him from my pew. The Lord showed him that He was going to open me up to hear the truth.

At the time I was sick with an incurable disease called multiple sclerosis. I felt hopeless and helpless. Seismic tremors wracked my body. There were multiple malfunctions on every front. I was in a losing battle.

Later, Pastor “Doc” asked if he could come over once a week to show me what the Bible said about healing. He was a Class A+ worshipper, and he told me two things were required before I could enter the highway of healing and he wouldn’t begin working with me until they were done.

He said, “Here’s the first thing. Are you right with God? Do you willfully disobey Him?”

Hey, what kind of question is that? I go to church. I believe in Jesus. Though briefly offended, I knew I needed to pray. That night, I lay on my bed, alone, and I timidly asked, “Lord, am I right with you?” I heard no answer.

Do you want to get well?

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth
“Do you want to get well? Get up! Pick up your mat and walk” (John 5:6,8, NIV).

Friend to Friend
Do you want to get well?  That seems like a strange question, doesn’t it.  But sometimes we can get so used to being soul sick, we don’t even realize that we are not truly well. Sometimes the chains we wear shackled to our hearts become so comfortable, we get used to the pain and forget what it is like to be well. Perhaps some of us have never known. But the big question is – do you want to get well? Do you want to be free? Of course I do, I hear you say.  

But do you really?  

There was a certain man that Jesus encountered who faced the same crossroads in his life. In Jerusalem, men and women with various infirmities congregated at the Sheep Gate Pool. Surrounding the pool were five porticoes or shelters, where sick people clustered, waiting for the “moving of the waters.”  They believed an angel of the Lord came down from heaven at certain seasons and stirred the pool.  When the people saw the waters ripple, they all made a mad dash to jump in. They believed that the first one to make it to the pool would be healed.

Praying The Names Of God : Bright Morning Star

The Name
In the last chapter of the book of Revelation, Jesus calls himself the "bright Morning Star." In ancient times, the morning star was thought of as a herald of the new day, signaling the dawn of hope and joy. The brightest object in the sky aside from the sun and moon, it is a fitting type for Christ, who ushers in a new day for the entire world. When you call on Jesus, the Bright Morning Star, you are calling on the One from whom all darkness flees.

Key Scripture
"I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." Revelation 22:16

***

Praying the Name

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." Matthew 2:1 - 2

Receive the Man of God

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me." (John 13:20)

I can't tell you how many born-again, Holy Ghost-filled Christians pick their pastor apart on Saturday night and then expect him to pray the prayer of faith for them Sunday morning! They'll constantly make critical comments about the evangelists and preachers that God has sent to minister to them and then wonder why the rain of the Spirit has all but dried up in their churches.

Most of those folks would never dream of criticizing the ministry of Jesus. Yet, according to the Word of God, that's precisely what they're doing. You see, Jesus said, "He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me."

I know ministers fail sometimes. I know they make mistakes. Jesus knew they would too. But, even so, He said, "If you receive them, you receive Me."

A Pattern Of Powerful Prayer

Written by Dr. Charles Stanley

Open your bible and read Colossians 1:9-14 .

If someone should pose the question, “How can I pray for you?” would you be able to give a clear answer? Oftentimes we simply do not know what to say. The same thing can happen with our friends – when we ask them that question, we frequently get a vague answer. Learning to pray for one another does not come naturally; we have to be taught. That is why the Bible contains many patterns for effective prayer.

One such pattern is found in Paul’s epistle to the saints at Colossae. He asks that they may be “filled with the knowledge of His will” (Colossians 1:9). This means that we can come to know what God is up to in our lives. When we understand His will, that knowledge is most satisfying and precious.

Paul’s prayer also includes a second request on behalf of the Colossians. He asks that they will have more than just an understanding of what is right; he prays that they may walk in a manner worthy of Christ and that they should be strengthened with all power. (verses 10-11)

Arise My Daughter

Written by Barbara Alpert

Is it time to take a step of faith?

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. (Isaiah 60:1)  

My beloved daughter, it is time for you to arise and take your stance in the light of my Son. I, your heavenly Father, am calling you out of darkness. Arise from your affliction for my power within you is greater than your despondency. Healing, restoration, and freedom await but you must have faith. I beckon you to arise to the new things I seek to do within, for, and through you.    

Cleary, you do not perceive that your prison sentence, inner turmoil and suffering, is over. I, the Lord, have removed the chains that bound you. Your shackles are loose, and your prison doors are open. In your darkness, I heard your weeping and now I offer you my joy. Freedom and new life awaits but you must choose to come out of captivity. My precious one, it is time for you to step forward and partake in the new things I set before you. 

Internet Pornography Leading to 'Unhealthy' Attitudes about Sex

By Myles Collier , Christian Post Contributor

May 24, 2012|5:00 pm

There is new concern among parents and researchers alike that easily accessible pornographic material available on the internet leads many kids to get the wrong idea about sex, which in turn leads they to underestimate the emotional aspects involved in mature relationships.

William Struthers, an Associate Professor of Psychology at Wheaton College, stated that adolescents in the 12- to 18-year-old range were "rampantly" searching and viewing pornography on the internet.

With the ease of internet access coupled with the simplicity granted by smartphones, more and more young adults are curiously seeking out questionable content.

"It's not a question of if my 10-year-old son is exposed. It's a matter of when," Struthers said during a discussion of pornography at Wheaton College.

Struthers explained that few decades ago, there were few options that adolescents had to view pornographic material. Now, the internet era has essentially made pornography "intrusive" in these information-abundant days.

No Safety Net

Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth
“The Lord answered him, "I will be with you. It will seem as if the Midianites you are fighting are only one man" (Judges 6:16, NCV).

Friend to Friend
I was born to be an elementary school teacher – period. So when a total stranger tapped me on the shoulder and said, “While you were singing, God told me that you are supposed to be my Music and Youth Assistant this summer,” I felt sorry for him. He obviously needed to have his hearing checked.

I had just graduated from college with an elementary education teaching degree. A good friend was leading worship for a local church and asked me to sing a solo in the evening service. That’s all – or so I thought. When the service ended, my good friend introduced me to his good friend, the hard-of-hearing stranger, and said, “You should at least pray about his offer.” I did. And here I am – thirty years later – an unlikely servant who lives in constant amazement at God’s plan for her life.

Seek Me with Your Whole Heart

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV).

Friend to Friend
God promised, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV). This is more than a casual glance before heading off to work or to carpool in the morning. It’s more than a hit and run encounter with God. He desires to speak to us through the pages of our Bibles and it requires meditating and seeking God with our whole hearts.

Jesus told His followers, “If you abide in my Word then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32 NIV).  Abide means to continue in, to tarry, to dwell, to remain. It is not reading the Scripture for information, but for transformation. There are many scholars who have read the Bible for information but have never entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ. This reminds me of the difference between the woman who memorizes a menu at a restaurant and a woman who enjoys the food. Only one gets fed.

What Did You Say?

Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Proverbs 25:11).

Friend to Friend

Fruit is one of my favorite foods. When I go grocery shopping, it always takes me longer to get through the fruit section than any other area of the store. I spend what some might consider a ridiculously long time picking out what I hope will be the juiciest apples, the plumpest grapes and sweetest bananas. Experience has taught me to quickly discard any piece of fruit that is bruised, mushy or discolored. I shake cantaloupe and thump watermelons. Ripe strawberries have a unique sweet scent and only the reddest cherries will do. Plums and tomatoes must be firm to the touch, bright in color and wrinkle-free while the more wrinkles the better when it comes to choosing passion fruit.

God Wants You Well

"If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee." (Exodus 15:26)

Has the devil ever tried to put you under condemnation by telling you that it's contrary to the principles of faith to use doctors and medicine when you need healing? If so, here are some encouraging words that I believe will help you put your heart at rest.

It is God's will to heal you. That's the first and most important thing for you to understand. If your faith is strong and you can believe the Word without wavering (regardless of what circumstances or symptoms come against you), then you'll be able to receive that healing by faith alone.

But that kind of faith takes more than just hearing a few sermons about healing. It takes a deep personal revelation of God's healing power. So, if you haven't yet developed that kind of faith, the doctor is your best friend.

If you're not certain whether your faith is strong enough or whether you need a doctor's help, follow the instructions of the Apostle Paul (Col. 3:15) and let peace be your umpire.

If fear rises up within you when you think about doing without medical help, then go to a doctor. And go in faith! On the other hand, if you have a sure confidence within you that healing is yours strictly by faith, let your faith do its work and receive your healing directly. Whether or not you go to the doctor is not the issue. It is what you do with your faith.

Either way, you can rejoice knowing God is working with you, meeting you at the level of your faith. 

Thank God for your healing--however it comes!--and do not let Satan put you under condemnation. It is none of his business!

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 7:8-15

Is God Letting Your Family Down?

Tim Palla

The portable incubator


Thanks to the local 4-H office I have an egg incubator in my study. I thought it would be a fun project -- for the kids, of course. As it turns out, it's not a project at all. You set up the incubator, put eggs in the holders, set the thermostat to the correct temperature, and wait. That's it. What was I thinking?


It takes 21 days for chicken eggs to hatch, but that's irrelevant to the five resident egg inspectors that bear my last name. They intrude my study more now than ever -- especially the three youngest ones. "Hi, Dad! Just checking for peeps." I have a hunch this phrase will be repeated often enough to wear holes in my eardrums.


"Hey Dad, will you call me if anything happens?" they inquire. "Sure will," I reply with a slight nod. The fact that I've answered that same question, or a variation of it, twice already this morning means nothing to them. They need my reassurance and I'll continue to give it. This is one of my higher callings in life.

You Make Me Laugh : Government Pipe Specifications

1.  All pipe is to be made of a long hole, surrounded by metal or plastic centered around the hole.

2.  All pipe is to be hollow throughout the entire length - do not use holes of different length than the pipe.

3.  The I.D.  (inside diameter) of all pipe must not exceed the O.D.  (outside diameter) - otherwise the hole will be on the outside.

4.  All pipe is to be supplied with nothing in the hole so that water, steam or other stuff can be put inside at a later date.

5.  All pipe should be supplied without rust - this can be more readily applied at the job site. N.B.  Some Vendors are now able to supply pre-rusted pipe.  If available in your area, this product is recommended as it will save a lot of time on the job site.

What do you think cat's do?

http://www.cybersalt.org/funny-cat-pictures/what-cats-do

Three Relationships that Make Us Rich

Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:13-15).

This man came to Jesus to get him to "sort his brother out" over the inheritance, not realizing that his brother was the real treasure in his life - not the things he might inherit.

Here are three relationships that make us rich:

1.      Our relationship with God.  To know God makes you rich, no matter what material resources you may or may not have.

Some of those that the world would call rich are actually bankrupt when it comes to the most important treasure of all.

2.      Our relationship with others.  People, not things, are the real treasures in life.  I can honestly say that I am a rich man.  I have family and friends that I love and that love me. Things lose their meaning, and serve as a very poor substitute for relationships with people.

3.      Our relationship with our own heart.  Commune with your own heart… declares the psalmist in Psalm 4:4 (KJV).

That means hold some serious communication with your heart—get acquainted with your heart.  Don't let you and your own heart be strangers!

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
 LightSource@crosswalkmail.com

Why Are Submissive Fantasies a Turn-On?

Everyone's talking about the erotic novel “50 Shades of Grey,” and these three findings on sexual fantasies may explain why.

Shutterstock

Sometimes it takes a popular vampire series or Rihanna song to get people talking about otherwise taboo sex topics. Most recently, it’s the best-selling erotic novel “50 Shades of Grey,” which follows the dominant-submissive relationship between a powerful businessman and a college student, complete with explicit S&M sex scenes. Undoubtedly your neighbor has read it, and—mom jokes aside—maybe even your mom.

Since its re-release in April, it’s been shaking up book clubs, bedrooms—even sparking a debate about the power dynamics between women and men. Though only a small part of the population reports fantasizing about sadomasochism/bondage (8 percent, according to a Durex global survey), the theme has piqued interest on a mass scale.

Caveman sex

Conservative folks would have us believe that sexual intercourse has only one true purpose: procreation. The fact that sex has obviously evolved to be a pleasurable activity seems to have passed these dinosaurs by altogether, even in the face of overwhelming evidence that sex is actually a whole lot of fun! Perhaps they’re just not getting any?!

These mental Neanderthals often claim that in the animal world, sex is all business and no fun, suggesting that this should also apply to humans. But scientists have clearly refuted these allegations: animals engage in a staggering range of wild and wonderful sexual activities, so why shouldn’t we?

What about our ancient forebears, the early humans in the Stone Age, though? Surely for them sex was all about a bloke wrapped in bear pelt dragging a suitable female into a cave by her hair for a perfunctory shag to expand the gene pool and ensure the survival of the clan. Not at all! It turns out that our ancestors have enjoyed sex as a pleasurable act for literally much longer than anyone can remember – for tens of thousands of years!

Music for the Dance

by Max Lucado

Let's imagine that you want to learn to dance. Being the rational, cerebral person you are, you go to a bookstore and buy a book on dancing.

You take the book home and get to work. You do everything it says. The book says sway; you sway. The book says shuffle; you shuffle. The book says spin; you spin.

Finally, you think you've got it, and you invite your wife to come in and watch. You hold the book open and follow the instructions step by step.

You continue to read, then dance, read, then dance, until the dance is completed. You plop exhausted on the couch, look at your wife, and proclaim, "I executed it perfectly."

"You executed it, all right," she sighs. "You killed it."

"What?"