3 Ways to Pick Your Spouse Over Other Commitments

lightstock_12788_xsmall_user_7954000 - people - love - coupleRecently my husband and I were talking to our engaged friends about showing each other love through service. The husband-to-be said, “I feel like you treat a lot of your friends better than you treat me. When they come over, you’re willing to cook a full meal, run errands for them, or listen to their long boring stories without missing a word. Honestly, I just wish you would treat me as well as you treat your friends.”

His fiance sat in silence with a smirk on her face for a few minutes and quietly whispered, “Well, that’s pretty embarrassing. I think you’re right.” I loved observing this interaction from a young couple, but thought to myself, I don’t have that issue.

A week later, I found myself awake until 1 A.M. picking up a friend and dropping her car off at the mechanic, and then waking up at 4:45 A.M. the next morning to spend two hours in the car for an airport drop-off. I was battling a cold, had a huge to-do list in front me, and for some reason I said yes to being a before-the-sun-was-up chauffeur! As I was driving home, I let out a big sigh as I thought about the errand my husband asked me run that same day. Before I even had time to complain, I thought of the observation from my friend, I just wish you would treat me as well as you treat your friends. I laughed out loud as I thought about how God had shown me I’m guilty of the same offense. I treat my friends better than I treat my husband. I was so willing to bend over backwards to help a friend but was frustrated about running a simple errand for Caleb.

Have you ever experienced this? Why is it easier to help your friend, serve at the church, or even volunteer at a local shelter than it is to serve your own spouse? The design of marriage is to love and serve each other above everyone else! Honestly, this “aha moment” caused me to sit down and ask God to show me how to make my husband more of a priority. Here are a few practical steps the Lord has taught me on how to do just that.

For more see: http://www.todayschristianwoman.com/juli-slattery/2015/june/how-to-prioritize-your-husband.html

Slain Ministers Children Forgive Gunman

Dramatic sky silhouettes wooden cross with shafts of sunlight breaking through the clouds

The teenage children of one of the victims of the Charleston shooting have said they forgive the killer. Chris and Camryn Singleton have said that they forgive the killer of their mother Sharonda. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, 45 years old and one of the ministers at the church, was one of nine people killed in the attack on worshippers at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Dylann Roof, 21, has been arrested in connection with the killings. In a BBC interview at a service at a Charleston high school, her children Camryn and Chris said they felt “love” for the killer. “I just feel a lot of love, I’m a little bitter, but I’m overewhelmed with love,” said Camryn.

Chris Singleton said: “We already forgive him for what he’s done, there’s nothing but love from our side of the family.”

For more of this story see: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/charleston.shootings.teenage.children.of.slain.minister.forgive.killer/56639.htm

Jesus Name in Use at the House of Representatives

JESUS NameRev. Gregory Goethals of Los Angeles closed his House opening prayer on May 19 by saying, “We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.” The prayer was another example of guest chaplains invoking Jesus’ name as the House began its day.

Nearly 18 percent of the prayers read at the beginning of each House session in this Congress have referred to Jesus, and all of those prayers have been given by guest chaplains. Of the 29 guest chaplains who have addressed the House in the 114th Congress, 13 of them have made a specific religious reference, all of them to Jesus. All but one of the guest chaplains have been Christian. Guest chaplains are nominated by members of the House, and, given that more than 90 percent of House members are Christian, the probability that a guest chaplain is Christian is high, because members typically invite clergy from their home churches.

For more on this see: http://blogs.rollcall.com/hill-blotter/praying-to-jesus-on-the-house-floor/?dcz=

Marine Court-Martialed for Refusing to Remove Bible Verse from Work Computer

Bible close up

A United States Marine was convicted at a court-martial for refusing to remove a Bible verse on her computer – a verse of Scripture the military determined “could easily be seen as contrary to good order and discipline.”

The plight of Lance Corporal Monifa Sterling seems unbelievable – a member of the Armed Forces criminally prosecuted for displaying a slightly altered passage of Scripture from the Old Testament: “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”

Sterling, who represented herself at trial, was convicted February 1, 2014 in a court-martial at Camp Lejune, North Carolina after she refused to obey orders from a staff sergeant to remove the Bible verses from her desk.

For more of this story see: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/05/26/marine-court-martialed-for-refusing-to-remove-bible-verse.html?intcmp=latestnews

How Not to Answer the Phone

Steam iron isolated on white backgroundA guy walks into work, and both of his ears are all bandaged up. The boss says, “What happened to your ears?” He says, “Yesterday I was ironing a shirt when the phone rang and I accidentally answered the iron.” The boss says, “Well, that explains one ear, but what happened to your other ear?” He says, “Well, I had to call the doctor!” 🙂

Faith in our Government: The Religious Composition of the 114th Congress

President Barack Obama delivers a health care address to a joint session of Congress at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., Sept. 9, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)   This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House.

Proverbs 29:2 (KJV)
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

When the new, 114th Congress is sworn in on Jan. 6, 2015, Republicans will control both chambers of the legislative body for the first time since the 109th Congress (2005-2006). Yet, despite the sea change in party control, there is relatively little change in the overall religious makeup of Congress, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center. More than nine-in-ten members of the House and Senate (92%) are Christian, and about 57% are Protestant, roughly the same as in the 113th Congress (90% and 56%, respectively). About three-in-ten members (31%) are Catholic, the same as in the previous Congress.

For more on this see: http://www.pewforum.org/2015/01/05/faith-on-the-hill/

Roma Downeys New Television Show ‘Answered Prayer’

Praying HandsDowney, the “Touched by an Angel” actress, will host the new six episode TLC series that she’ll also produce alongside her husband, Mike Burnett. The husband and wife duo recently teamed up to create the successful television miniseries “The Bible” and “AD.”
Both Christians and non-believers who tune in will bear witness to real life footage, interviews and reactions to divine encounters such as one young boy surviving being buried under 11 feet of sand for hours, a pastor being stabbed 37 times and one family’s car falling into an icy river bank with them in it.

In the premiere episode of the show, viewers will witness the power of God after the Indiana woman is warned about a tornado in a miraculous way and how prayer helped one family struggling with the decision to amputate their son’s leg after a lawn mower accident.

“Each hour-long episode paints a vivid portrait of ordinary people who have faced extraordinary circumstances, and miraculously lived to tell the tale,” TLC said in a statement shared with The Christian Post. “Each individual’s unwavering faith and trust in the power of prayer has transformed potentially heartbreaking situations into stories of true inspiration.”

The series will make its official debut at 10 p.m. ET Sunday, July 2.

For more of this story see: http://www.christianpost.com/news/roma-downey-brings-real-life-miracles-to-television-in-new-show-answered-prayers-140332/#QbTCjVsr7XLbkRo6.99

The Testimony of George Foreman

George_Foreman_2009A young man growing up in the wrong part of Houston became a bully. He would get in fights in school, in the neighborhood, and began mugging people to get spending money. He even beat up people just for the sake of doing it. He learned to box, and became pretty good at it. He began to make a lot of money and could have almost anything he wanted. One day, during his training session for an upcoming bout, he heard his mom talking to his sister on the telephone about his favorite nephew. The young boy had had a seizure and now lay in a coma in the hospital. Doctors said he would probably die, but that if he came out of the coma he wouldn’t be able to move his limbs, or speak, or do any of the human functions we consider part of living.
He ran into the room where his mom was on the phone and shouted, “Momma, call the hospital and tell those doctors to give him the best of everything. Tell them I’ll take care of all the bills, to fly in the best doctors from wherever they have to. Tell them who I am, and that I’ll take care of everything — whatever it costs.” His mom spoke to the doctors, and then told him, “Son, you’re just going to have to pray.”
He realized then how grave the situation was. When someone tells you the only thing you can do is pray, things are looking pretty bad. Then it hit him. All of his money, his fame, his influence, his friends — none of that could solve this problem. It was out of his hands, out of the doctor’s hands, out of everyone’s hands. For the first time, he was totally powerless.
And for the first time, George Foreman dropped to his knees and prayed.
He wasn’t sure God existed, but he knew that when all else failed, people prayed. He asked God, if he really existed, to help his nephew. Then he got back in bed. A few seconds later, he got back on his knees and offered to give up all his wealth if God would heal his nephew. Then he got back in bed again. A few seconds later he got back on his knees a third time and got angry at God for letting this happen to his nephew, a child who hadn’t experienced life yet. George told God to take his life instead. Let the boy live and take George’s life instead. The next morning George’s sister called from the hospital. His nephew had woken up and could move his eyes, but the doctors said he wouldn’t ever walk again.
She called later that day, and the boy had begun moving his toes. The next day the boy was talking, and a week later he was on his way home, “walking, talking, and back to normal.” The doctors had no logical explanation. But George Foreman knew God had just given him a miracle.
Three months later in March 1977, George Foreman died in his locker room after fighting Jimmy Young. He collapsed in a heap, and entered what he describes as “a deep, dark void, like a bottomless pit.”
In his book, God in My Corner — A Spiritual Memoir, George wrote “I knew I was dead, and that this wasn’t heaven. I was terrified, knowing I had no way out. Sorrow beyond description engulfed my soul, more than anyone could ever imagine. If you multiplied every disturbing and frightening thought that you’ve ever had during your entire life, that wouldn’t come close to the panic I felt. …
“ I screamed with every ounce of strength in me, ‘I don’t care if this is death. I still believe in God.’
“Instantly, what seemed to be like a giant hand reached down and snatched me out of the terrifying place. Immediately, I was back inside my body in the dressing room.”
George accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and devoted himself to being a disciple of Jesus Christ. He realized his human power, his money, his prestige, were worthless in the next life, and meant to be used as tools to lead others to Jesus during this one.
He went on to win the Heavyweight Championship of the World twice. He was ordained as an evangelist in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and became pastor of a small church. He also became involved in prison and hospital ministries.
You probably know him best for the George Foreman Grills that continue to sell around the world. And he recently baptized his own 23-year-old daughter who finally decided to dedicated her own life to Jesus.
That’s God’s idea of power.

Using Prayer to Fight Crime and Violence

lightstock_42850_xsmall_user_7954000 - child- praying - peopleHundreds of people gathered in Baltimore last week and prayed together in a demonstration of unity against crime and violence that has shaken the city to its core. Armed only with their prayers, the people who joined the Cherry Hill Prayer Walk paraded on the streets to declare their determination to fight crime. “It’s very important because we believe that God can do any … and prayer changes things,” said Pastor Ebony Harvin.

The Cherry Hill Prayer Walk was established four years ago with just 46 people. On Saturday, nearly 200 people in their red and white T-Shirts graced the event, all believing that prayer changes things.

For more on this see: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/baltimore.residents.turn.to.prayer.power.to.fight.violence/55758.htm

How Lilian B. Yeomans Was Healed of Drug Addiction

JesusDr. Yeomans said that if anyone would have asked her how she managed to become a drug addict she would have had one response: “Thorough my fault, through my most grievous fault.” She had experienced salvation in her younger days, but under the heavy stress of practicing medicine and doing surgery she would take morphine, or other drugs, so that she could sleep. She was extremely aware of the dangers of this habit, having treated addicts in her own practice. She believed that she had it under control, until the terrible day she discovered that the drug was the master and she was the slave. She was taking drugs at levels fifty times of those prescribed for an adult male. Dr. Yeomans tried to quit numerous times. She said that if she managed to go twenty-four hours without them that she would go into withdrawal where she had heart palpitations, hot and cold sweats, nausea, racking pain, mental delusions, intense cravings, and an inability to even stand. She made at least 57 attempts do break free of her addiction. She would throw away the drugs swearing to never use them again, only to be driven back into them. She sought medical help and attempted medical cures. None of which made any difference. Her health was disintegrating and one nurse described her as “a skeleton with a demon inside”. She prayed day and night to be delivered, but she did not believe that God really healed people. Dr. Yeomans came to the point where she was bedridden. Her doctors would not take away the drugs, for fear that she would just die. She came to John Alexander Dowie’s healing homes in Chicago in 1898. She was left alone for long stretches and turned to the Bible for solace. God began to speak to her, not just in a single verse but throughout the entire thing. She read in Job about healing, saw God’s heart in Genesis that God called us to walk in His image, saw in Exodus that there were “no feeble among them” in the wilderness, that Deuteronomy called for ritual cleansing of lepers, Numbers showed sickness being dealt with through prayer, sacrifice, and atonement, and many others. It became clear to her that the Word of God had healing as a part of every section, not just some but every section. She also came to the realization that she was healed. Her craving for drugs was gone and her health returned. She never again took drugs. The truth of God’s healing power became a reality, which she shared from that time on.

To read more see: http://healingandrevival.com/BioLYeomans.htm 

Christians In Cambodia Aid in Stopping Sex Traffic

made-in-cambodia-barcode-vector-illustration_GyX50Wd_Cambodia: What was once the world’s top destination for sex tourism has essentially eliminated child sex trafficking. A decade ago, 15 to 30 percent of Cambodia’s sex workers were 15 or younger, International Justice Mission (ijm) reports. The nation went from no laws and little social accountability to having an antitrafficking police unit in every province and a Christian-run reporting hotline. “The beauty of this story is that you have God’s people coming alongside a nation,” said Christa Hayden Sharpe, IJM’s Cambodia director. “That’s why so much has changed.”

From Christianity Today: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/may/stopping-traffic.html?share=ARW1yQv%2faZpUmBgH3apf5IUfTyyJVVWQ

Jesus Visits ISIS Fighter in Dreams

ISISReport: ISIS Fighter Who ‘Enjoyed’ Killing Christians Wants to Follow Jesus After Dreaming of Man in White Who Told Him ‘You Are Killing My People’
“One of our YWAM workers in the Middle East was contacted by a friend earlier this year and they met up and he was introduced to an ISIS fighter who had killed many Christians already. I mean that’s a horrible situation, and admittedly, he was probably on guard,” Gina Fadely, director of Youth With A Mission Frontier Missions, Inc. (YWAM), said during a recent appearance on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network.
Fadely, who appeared on the VOM radio program along with Kevin Sutter, another YWAM leader, went on to share that this Islamic State jihadi confessed not only to killing Christians but “that he had actually enjoyed doing so.””He told this YWAM leader that he had begun having dreams of this man in white who came to him and said, ‘You are killing my people.’ And he started to feel really sick and uneasy about what he was doing,” Fadely continued. “The fighter said just before he killed one Christian, the man said, ‘I know you will kill me, but I give to you my Bible.’ The Christian was killed and this ISIS fighter actually took the Bible and began to read it. In another dream, Jesus asked him to follow him and he was now asking to become a follower of Christ and to be discipled.”