Join Us for the Next Billy Graham Television Special

Real Happiness: Why is it so hard to find?
The pursuit of happiness … The American dream, or the American disappointment?

Money, fame, personal success … How many of us pursue happiness from the world, only to find it becomes “chasing after the wind”?

Join us for the next Billy Graham Television Special, airing nationwide March 1-9, which shares the stories of Americans whose shattered dreams were the first step to finding lasting joy in Jesus Christ.

To check local listings and see a preview of the program,
visit http://www.billygraham.org/TV.

© 2008 BGEA

The Rapture and Jesus' Return to Earth

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

1. The Rapture and Jesus' Return to Earth

"So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man [Jesus] will come [again] at an hour when you do not expect him."1

When one of my nephews was only five, he heard me talking about Christmas being the time when we celebrate Jesus Christ's coming to earth. He wanted to know if Jesus would come back to earth again. I assured him that Jesus promised that he would come back again.2

According to Bible scholars the return of, or second coming of, Jesus Christ is called the Rapture which comes from the Latin word "Rapare" which means to take away or to snatch out.

Following Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, he was "snatched away" and taken up to heaven. While Jesus' disciples were standing there looking up in amazement, two angels appeared to them and said: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."3

Jesus' first coming to earth 2000 years ago is an undeniable fact of history. His second coming is just as certain. The critical issue is to be ready for Christ's return. According to God's Word here's what will take place at the rapture: "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we [true followers of Jesus] who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."4

Jesus is coming again just as he went. It could be today. He said that he would come at an hour when we do not expect him.5

To be absolutely sure you are ready for the rapture be sure to accept God's invitation for forgiveness and his gift of eternal life. To do so click on the God's Invitation" button below or for further help click on the "Know God" button or on: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, again I thank you for the promise of Christ's return. Thank you for your great salvation and the promise of a home in Heaven for all who believe in and have accepted you as their Savior. Help me to be sure I am ready today for Christ's return by having repented of my sins, asked for and accepted your forgiveness and received Jesus as my Savior. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

NOTE: For an interesting depiction of the Rapture click on: http://www.youtube.com/v/SmLhyPjHVes. We do not endorse any of the other links on this page.

1. Matthew 24:44 (NIV).
2. See John 14:3.
3. Acts 1: 11 (NIV).
4. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NIV).
5. See Matthew 24:44.

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Compassion and Kindness

Monday, February 25, 2008

1. Compassion and Kindness

"Be kind and compassionate [tenderhearted] to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."1

Michael Josephson of Character Counts shared how he "once read of a man on a subway with two young children who were being loud and unruly. The man seemed to ignore their behavior, so a fed-up passenger confronted him: 'Sir, don't you see how your children are disturbing everyone? How can you be so thoughtless?'

"The man sobbed, 'I'm so sorry. Their mom just died and I've been thinking of how we'll live without her.' In an instant the critic's self-righteousness turned to self-condemnation.

"Why is it that so many of us have to be hit over the head before we turn on our caring and empathy buttons?

"The next time you have the choice between being right and being kind, choose kindness."2

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me an understanding and compassionate heart so that I will always be kind when what is needed is understanding and kindness so that I will be 'more and more like Jesus in every way.' Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Ephesians 4:32 (NIV).
2. Michael Josephson, Character Counts, "Being Right or Being Kind." (533.5) Character Counts

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Letter from Barack Obama on Marriage and Gay Rights

Letter from Barack Obama on Marriage and Gay Rights

2004-02-11

As an African-American man, a child of an interracial marriage, a committed scholar, attorney and activist who works to protect the Bill of Rights, I am sensitive to the struggle for civil rights. As a state Senator, I have taken on the issue of civil rights for the LGBT community as if they were my own struggle because I believe strongly that the infringement of rights for any one group eventually endangers the rights enjoyed under law by the entire population. Since 1996, I have been the sponsor or a chief co-sponsor of measures to expand civil liberties for the LGBT community including hate-crimes legislation, adoption rights and the extension of basic civil rights to protect LGBT persons from discrimination in housing, public accommodations, employment and credit.

Today, I am a candidate for the U.S. Senate. Unlike any of my opponents, I have a legislative track record. No one has to guess about what I will do in Washington. My record makes it very clear. I will be an unapologetic voice for civil rights in the U.S. Senate.

For the record, I opposed DOMA [the Defense of Marriage Act] in 1996. It should be repealed and I will vote for its repeal on the Senate floor. I will also oppose any proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban gays and lesbians from marrying. This is an effort to demonize people for political advantage, and should be resisted ... .

When Members of Congress passed DOMA, they were not interested in strengthening family values or protecting civil liberties. They were only interested in perpetuating division and affirming a wedge issue. ...

Despite my own feelings about an abhorrent law, the realities of modern politics persist. While the repeal of DOMA is essential, the unfortunate truth is that it is unlikely with Mr. Bush in the White House and Republicans in control of both chambers of Congress. ...

We must be careful to keep our eyes on the prize—equal rights for every American. We must continue to fight for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. We must vigorously expand hate-crime legislation and be vigilant about how these laws are enforced. We must continue to expand adoption rights to make them consistent and seamless throughout all 50 states, and we must repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military policy.

I know how important the issue of equal rights is to the LGBT community. I share your sense of urgency. If I am elected U.S. Senator, you can be confident that my colleagues in the Senate and the President will know my position.


~ Senator Barack Obama
Democratic Candidate for the U.S. Senate

First Published by Windy City Media Group


N.B:

The Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, is the commonly-used name of a federal law of the United States that is officially known as Pub.L. 104-199, 110 Stat. 2419, enacted 1996-09-21 and codified at 1 U.S.C. § 7 and 28 U.S.C. § 1738C. The law has two effects.

1. No state (or other political subdivision within the United States) need recognize a marriage between persons of the same sex, even if the marriage was concluded or recognized in another state.

2. The Federal Government may not recognize same-sex or polygamous marriages for any purpose, even if concluded or recognized by one of the states.
The bill was passed by Congress by a vote of 85-14 in the Senate and a vote of 342-67 in the House of Representatives, and was signed by President Bill Clinton on September 21, 1996.

Renowned Author and Genealogist Darius A. Gray Presents 'Blacks in the Bible' and 'African American Roots'

22 Feb 2008 01:27 Africa/Lagos


African American History Month Celebration: Renowned Author and Genealogist Darius A. Gray Presents 'Blacks in the Bible' and 'African American Roots'

Darius A. Gray, renowned author, genealogist and co-director of the Freedman Bank Project, will speak about "Blacks in the Bible" at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History on Friday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. Gray's appearance is sponsored by New Detroit, the race relations leadership coalition, in partnership with the Wright Museum of African American History and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Friday night presentation is by invitation only but is open to media representatives.


On Saturday, Gray will present a free public workshop, "African American Roots" from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the museum. Gray, who is co-host of the television program "Questions and Answers" and a participant in the PBS series "Ancestors," will discuss the Freedman Bank records. Participants will learn about local family history centers and how to conduct online family searches. Free family search software will be provided for participants who bring their laptops. (The museum has wireless capability.) No pre-registration is required.


The Charles H. Wright Museum is located at 315 E. Warren Avenue in Detroit. Additional information is available by contacting the museum at (313) 494-5800.


Contact: Diana Christensen
(313)872-2202
dchristensen@bergmuirhead.com


PRNewswire-Feb. 21
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:


Source: Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Launch of New Christian Networking Website

Launch of New Christian Networking Website

From Vince Rizzo.

Feb 20, 2008


Greetings In Jesus Name,

I just wanted to drop you a line to let you know that we have just created a new Christian network very much like MySpace or Facebook.

If you are enjoying our Ames Community Kingdom, this is the next step. We have created Faith-Space and students will now be able to blog, view and post videos, converse with other Ames Students and you will be able to invite any of your Christian friends to sign-up as well absolutely free. We invite you to visit us at: Faith-Space.

Blessings,

Dr. Vince & Laura Rizzo
www.freebiblecollege.com

The "Angel" Within

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

1. The "Angel" Within

"So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image."1

I have read that "one of the most distinguished sculptors in American history was a man named Gutzon Borglum. He was a sculptor on a grand scale who is perhaps best known for his bust of Abraham Lincoln at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. On that project he carved the head of Lincoln from a large block of marble that had long been in his studio.

"The woman who cleaned his work area had swept around the formless mass of marble day after day for a long time. Then one day, as Borglum's work progressed, she began to see the face of Lincoln emerging from the stone. She quickly turned and, looking at Borglum, asked, "Is that master Lincoln?"

"Yes," he replied.

"How did you know he was in there?" she asked.

"The great sculptor knew, for he had double vision. All great artists have such a gift. They see what is and what can be."2

Years before Michelangelo said the same thing: "I saw the angel in the marble and I chiseled until I set it free."

And that's how God sees you and me. He sees the "angel" within us (our God-given potential) and when we are truly committed to him, through his Spirit he will keep "chipping away" until we become all that he envisions us to be.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that when I surrender my life to you, through your Spirit you are making and molding me into the person you have envisioned me to be. And when some of that chipping/molding is painful, help me to realize that is all a part of your refining work in my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (TLB).
2. Leader Links, http://www.leaderlinks.com

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Ignoring the Warnings

Ignoring the Warnings

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

1. Ignoring the Warnings

"Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment."1

I read about a West Virginia State Trooper who stopped a woman driver for going 15 miles over the speed limit. After handing her a ticket, the driver asked him, "Don't you give out warnings?"

"Yes, ma'am," he replied. "They're all up and down the road. They say, "'Speed Limit 55.'"2

I can imagine that many people—who have rejected God all their life and failed to accept his forgiveness for their sins—when they stand before God at the end of life's journey and are required to give an account of their life and receive God's judgment are going to want to say the same as the lady above: "Don't you give out warnings?"

I can imagine God saying, "Yes, sir/madam, my Word, the Bible, is filled with warnings from cover to cover to prepare for life after death. And every year of your life you were reminded of my offer of forgiveness and eternal life at both Christmas and Easter."

And this is what they will hear God say to them: "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"3

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that you have warned me over and over to prepare to meet you face to face after I die. Please help me to make my life right with you today, to obtain your forgiveness for all my sins and be prepared for life after death. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

And, Dear friend, if you have never put your life right with God, he is giving you that opportunity today. For God's Invitation go to: http://tinyurl.com/6k49w or for further help to know God go to: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9.

1. Hebrews 9:27 (NIV).
2. from Reader's Digest, "All in a Day's Work," by Patricia Greenlee.
3. Matthew 7:23 (NKJV).

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The Nigerian Fools Who Think They Can Fool God

The Nigerian Fools Who Think They Can Fool God

The largest Church in the world is located in Nigeria and there are more churches in Nigeria than schools. There is a church in every neighborhood and in fact, in the mega city of Lagos, you can find a church on every street. So, Nigerians are church loving people with over 55% of the population of over 140 million noted as Christians.

I have gone through the most popular Christian denominations in Nigeria, from the Roman Catholic Church to the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and had the privilege of being very close to the notable men of God in Nigeria, including the Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, the Archbishop of Lagos and Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the RCCG. I have also done street evangelism for over 11 years in Lagos where I preached the gospel on public transport buses and on the street. I have traveled to most cities in Nigeria and lived with Nigerians from different tribes. So, I know my fellow Nigerians very well.

I have seen that more than 90% of the Nigerians who claim to be Christians are not true Christians, but mere churchgoers, because, they do not live or work according to the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are hypocrites who only parade themselves as Christians in the masquerade of the Christian religion. They are good actors and actresses who are simply playing "church" in conceit and deceit. The evidence of their hypocrisy is the decadence in every facet of the Nigerian society. The rampant cases of corruption in high places and low places have exposed the falsehood of these so-called "Christians".

You see Nigerian parents who have abused the ethics of good parenting and cannot show good examples to their children. Mothers have become pimps and encourage their daughters to practice either full time or part time prostitution. They hawk their bodies to those who can pay the price and they often come cheap. Fathers no longer see anything wrong in the criminal activities of their children. They pat them on the back for being smart whenever any of their sons or daughters cheats, lies or steals to make money or pass the compulsory examination for the academic or professional certification required to get a dream job to boost their egoistic pursuits in the social hierarchy of their materialistic society.

Corruption is now a daily way of life in Nigeria.
The ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) is the most corrupt political party in the history of Nigerian politics. The elected members of the PDP and other office holders have stolen billions of dollars from public coffers and they armed most the political thugs who are now the gunmen and militants on rampage in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria since 1999 to date.

If the Nigerians claiming to be Christians but behave like devils are bad, the Nigerians claiming to be pious Muslims are worse. The Nigerian Muslims are not only as corrupt as the fake Nigerian "Christians", but they use their erroneous Sharia Law to institutionalize their hypocrisy and use it to violate the fundamental human rights of their fellow citizens and commit atrocities.
Only the poor Muslim women are always caught in adultery and they are condemned to be stoned to death. Only the poor Muslim men are caught stealing and condemned to be amputated. But the rich Muslims who steal public funds from public coffers are never tried or punished. In fact, the President of Nigeria, the Muslim Alhaji Umaru Yar' Adua gave them National Honors in Abuja, on February 14, 2008, to continue the perpetuation of corruption as the bedrock of the Nigerian society.

What are the Nigerian religious leaders doing to address the epidemic of corruption in Nigeria?
Most of the Nigerian religious are the beneficiaries of these corrupt Nigerian public officers and corrupt business leaders. They are willing receivers of the stolen goods.
The Nigerian churches have been collecting tithes and offerings from the misappropriated funds, Internet scams, robberies, and other financial crimes committed by the heartless, merciless and shameless Nigerian criminals and prostitutes operating in offices, on the streets and waterways in Nigeria. So, they are partners in crime.

The tragic irony is, they are still posing and posturing as pious God-fearing Nigerians.
These corrupt Nigerian cheats, liars, pretenders, prostitutes, fraudsters, robbers, looters, and other criminals are the worst species of humans I have ever seen since I was born.
This corrupt generation of Nigerians is what Jesus Christ called them “a generation of vipers”.

Witnessing Made Easy

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

1. Witnessing Made Easy

"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things."1

"Do you remember the Mercedes TV commercial a few years ago that showed a Mercedes crashing into a concrete wall during a safety test? An engineer in a white lab coat walks over after the crash and kneels down to examine the damage, which is minimal. A reporter then asks the engineer about Mercedes' energy absorbing car body. After the engineer tells all about the unique design the reporter asks him why Mercedes doesn't enforce their patent on the design, a design evidently copied by several other companies because of its success.

"The engineer then replied matter-of-factly, 'Because some things in life are too important not to share.' How true this is. There are many things in life that fall into this 'too important not to share category.' Advances in science, in medicine, in technology. But all of these pale in importance to that of sharing our faith."2

As Billy Graham said, "I am convinced the greatest act of love we can ever perform for people is to tell them about God's love for them in Christ."

There are many ways we can do this. Here's one very simple way. For example, whenever I eat at a restaurant, I always leave one of my Good News business witness cards with the tip. And whenever a suitable opportunity arises, without being pushy, I ask the person I am talking to if I can give him or her one of my cards. It is a very attractive card that invites people to visit one of our Good News websites. The site has many articles that speak to the felt needs of the average person—articles that deal with overcoming worry, stress, marriage, relationships, and the like.

And, by the way, speaking to an individual's felt needs is the only known sure-fire way to get people to read any message. The website also has a highly visible link to the clear gospel message, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian … without having to be religious." The general card I give out in the U.S. points to: www.GoodNewsfor.com/usa. (In time we will have them for other countries and in other languages as well.)

I've never had anyone ever refuse to accept one of these cards. They are attractively printed and are not in any way preachy. This is a very easy, attractive, and non-offensive way to witness even for the most timid person. If you live in the U.S., or have friends who live in the U.S., I encourage you to send for a package of 50 of the "Good News for USA" business witness cards to give to family, friends and contacts. They are only a web click away at: https://actscom.com/donate.php and are available for a donation, not only to cover the cost of printing and postage, but also to help support the building and maintaining of this gospel web outreach ministry.

It is true, the gospel message of Jesus Christ is far too important not to share. Please send today for a pack of Good News Business Witness cards so you, too, can be involved in what God is doing in the world today.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I come to you with all my fears making myself available for you to use as a witness for Jesus Christ. Please use me to be 'as Christ' in some way to someone in need today, and give me the courage to share my Christian faith in a non-offensive and gracious way. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Romans 10:15 (NKJV).
2. Rev. Steve Jackson, Sermon: "Come and See."

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My Tetimony-Healed of Brain Cancer

You have to read this to fully appreciate the awesome supremacy of Jehovah God in "My Tetimony-Healed of Brain Cancer".

A letter from an Orthodox Rabbi to the United Nations,protesting the Israeli government's blockade of Gaza

2. A letter from an Orthodox Rabbi to the United Nations,protesting the Israeli government's blockade of Gaza:
Click here to read the important Letter.


Other important features to read.
An amusing article from me on fighting identity theft

An article on gender issues by Father Elias, entitled, ,"Is the human male merely a godless killer monkey?!"