Free Republic

Living the Abundant Life Today's Scripture "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)" (John 10:10, AMP) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Too many people today have a barely-get-by mentality, "Barely able to pay my bills, got an okay job, an okay marriage." Friend, don’t settle there. Jesus came so we could live an abundant life! That means an abundance of joy, an abundance of peace, an abundance of health, an abundance in our...

The Forgiveness of God "In Him we have . . . the forgiveness of sins . . ." —Ephesians 1:7 Beware of the pleasant view of the fatherhood of God: God is so kind and loving that of course He will forgive us. That thought, based solely on emotion, cannot be found anywhere in the New Testament. The only basis on which God can forgive us is the tremendous tragedy of the Cross of Christ. To base our forgiveness on any other ground is unconscious blasphemy. The only ground on which God can forgive our sin and reinstate us...

When Bill O’Reilly asked Sally Quinn questions regarding Sarah Palin’s faith on The Factor, Quinn was all over the answer board.

November 20, 2009                                        Friday of the Thirty-third Week                             in Ordinary Time     Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Mc 4:36-37, 52-59 Judas and his brothers said,“Now that our enemies have been crushed,let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it.”So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion. Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month,that is, the month of Chislev,in the year one hundred and forty-eight,they arose and offered sacrifice according to the lawon the new altar of burnt offerings that they had made....

Continue in the Faith Today's Scripture "If indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard…" (Colossians 1:23, NAS) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Have you been holding on to a promise or dream in your heart that seems to be taking a long time? When things don't go the way we've planned, it's easy to get discouraged and feel tempted to give up. But God wants to breathe new life into your dreams. He wants to breathe new hope into your heart....

"When He Has Come" "When He has come, He will convict the world of sin . . ." —John 16:8 Very few of us know anything about conviction of sin. We know the experience of being disturbed because we have done wrong things. But conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit blots out every relationship on earth and makes us aware of only one— "Against You, You only, have I sinned . . ." ( Psalm 51:4 ). When a person is convicted of sin in this way, he knows with every bit of his conscience that God would...

November 19, 2009                                    Thursday of the Thirty-third Week                                     in Ordinary Time   Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Mc 2:15-29 The officers of the king in charge of enforcing the apostasycame to the city of Modein to organize the sacrifices.Many of Israel joined them,but Mattathias and his sons gathered in a group apart.Then the officers of the king addressed Mattathias:“You are a leader, an honorable and great man in this city,supported by sons and kin.Come now, be the first to obey the king’s command,as all the Gentiles and the men of Judahand...

Today's America is in need of a spiritual reawakening. It may come upon just that as the righteous remnant remains faithful in prayer and thanksgiving.

Pray For an Open Door Today's Scripture "And at the same time pray for us also, that God may open a door to us…" (Colossians 4:3, AMP) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria In this life, we are blessed with so many opportunities and privileges. In this day and age, we have tools and resources to figure almost anything out. It's easy to just depend on our own natural ability to make things happen. But God wants to be intimately involved in our lives. He wants us to come to Him, depend on Him, and allow Him to show...

Winning into Freedom "If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" —John 8:36 If there is even a trace of individual self-satisfaction left in us, it always says, "I can’t surrender," or "I can’t be free." But the spiritual part of our being never says "I can’t"; it simply soaks up everything around it. Our spirit hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin—...

November 18, 2009                                 Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week                             in Ordinary Time   Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 12 Mc 7:1, 20-31 It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrestedand tortured with whips and scourges by the king,to force them to eat pork in violation of God’s law. Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother,who saw her seven sons perish in a single day,yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord.Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly...

Nazi Germany celebrated Christmas without Christ with the help of swastika tree baubles, 'Germanic' cookies and a host of manufactured traditions, a new exhibition has shown. The way the celebration was gradually taken over and exploited for propaganda purposes by Hitler's Nazis is detailed in a new exhibition. Rita Breuer has spent years scouring flea markets for old German Christmas ornaments. She and her daughter Judith developed a fascination with the way Christmas was used by the atheist Nazis, who tried to turn it into a pagan winter solstice celebration.

Press Past Adversity Today's Scripture "For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries" (I Corinthians 16:9, NKJ) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Are you walking by faith or sight today? In other words, are you choosing to believe God no matter what your circumstances look like, or are you making decisions and focusing your mind on what you can see. Remember, it's always darkest right before the dawn appears. I believe that you are about to give birth to that promise. The enemy sees the supernatural doors that are opened before...

The Eternal Goal "By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing . . . I will bless you . . ." —Genesis 22:16-17 Abraham, at this point, has reached where he is in touch with the very nature of God. He now understands the reality of God. My goal is God Himself . . . At any cost, dear Lord, by any road. "At any cost . . . by any road" means submitting to God’s way of bringing us to the goal.There is no possibility of questioning God when He speaks, if...

Question Of the Month: What are practical ways to involve and teach your preschoolers during your family devotional times (ie: morning pray/read/sing) A Word of Warning First, let me say that I do not believe in ‘dumbing down’ family worship (or the worship of the church for that matter) for small children. We aim our family worship at Mom, Dad, and our older children (nineteen and sixteen), while recognizing the need to bring the younger children (five, two, one, and newborn) along. Our philosophy is simple; our younger children do not need to be entertained, they need to be taught....

November 17, 2009                                   Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, religious   Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 12 Mc 6:18-31 Eleazar, one of the foremost scribes,a man of advanced age and noble appearance,was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork. But preferring a glorious death to a life of defilement,he spat out the meat,and went forward of his own accord to the instrument of torture,as people ought to do who have the courage to reject the foodwhich it is unlawful to taste even for love of life. Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took the man aside privately,because...

Former Episcopalians who have found a traditional refuge in Catholicism, where the priesthood remains closed to women and openly gay clergy, are applauding the Vatican’s plan to help additional dissatisfied conservatives convert. But while the welcome extends to married priests — a narrow loophole in the Catholic Church’s celibacy requirement — most of those who have already converted say they want to remain rare exceptions. “We trust the church’s wisdom regarding the discipline of celibacy,” said the Rev. D. Paul Sullins, who left the Episcopal Church 10 years ago with his wife and recently surveyed his colleagues on this issue....

The Episcopal Church is joining the Interfaith Immigration Coalition postcard campaign, aimed at sending a holiday message to members of the U.S. Congress. The message: "Help keep immigrant families together by supporting comprehensive immigration reform now." An action alert from the Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN) said its goal is to collect 10,000 signed postcards "and send a strong message to Congress that people of faith want to see action on comprehensive immigration reform." "Your participation in the Holiday Postcard campaign will help us remind Members of Congress that our broken immigration system is hurting immigrant families, and needs to...

Walk by Faith Today's Scripture . . . whatever you do, do all to the glory of God —1 Corinthians 10:31 Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Are you walking by faith or sight today? In other words, are you choosing to believe God no matter what your circumstances look like, or are you making decisions and focusing your mind on what you can see. As believers, we have to remember that we aren't just subject to this natural realm–what we can see, hear, touch, and smell. No, we have access to the unseen, supernatural realm where all the...

Still Human! ". . . whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" —1 Corinthians 10:31 In the Scriptures, the great miracle of the incarnation slips into the ordinary life of a child; the great miracle of the transfiguration fades into the demon-possessed valley below; the glory of the resurrection descends into a breakfast on the seashore. This is not an anticlimax, but a great revelation of God.We have a tendency to look for wonder in our experience, and we mistake heroic actions for real heroes. It’s one thing to go through a crisis grandly, yet quite...

November 16, 2009                                   Monday of the Thirty-third Week                                 in Ordinary Time Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Mc 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63 [From the descendants of Alexander’s officers]there sprang a sinful offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes,son of King Antiochus, once a hostage at Rome.He became king in the year one hundred and thirty‑sevenof the kingdom of the Greeks. In those days there appeared in Israelmen who were breakers of the law,and they seduced many people, saying:“Let us go and make an alliance with the Gentiles all around us;since we separated from them, many evils have...

No doubt such a program is full of perils. Might it not be safer for our future ministers to close their ears to all modern voices and remain in ignorance of the objections that the gospel faces in the modern world? We reply that of course it might be safer. It is safer to be a good soldier in comfortable barracks than it is on the field of battle. But the great battles are not won in that way. Thus we encourage our students to be fearless in their examination of the basis of the faith. Let no one say...

"Always In Prayer" Network In His earthly life, even Jesus had to wait on His Father's appointed times and seasons. John 2 Water Turned to Wine  1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.� 4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.� 5 His...

Bishop John D'Arcy has announced his retirement over the weekend. Bishop D'Arcy holds the priestly duties of the Fort Wayne/South Bend Diocese. At the Cathedral Of Immaculate Conception, parishioners will see the changing of the guard. The Bishop is retiring because of mandatory retirement age rules. He has served the diocese for 24 years as Bishop. John D'Arcy was born......

"What Is That to You?" "Peter . . . said to Jesus, ’But Lord, what about this man?’ Jesus said to him, ’. . . what is that to you? You follow Me’ " —John 21:21-22 One of the hardest lessons to learn comes from our stubborn refusal to refrain from interfering in other people’s lives. It takes a long time to realize the danger of being an amateur providence, that is, interfering with God’s plan for others. You see someone suffering and say, "He will not suffer, and I will make sure that he doesn’t." You put your...

Contrary to a popular fallacy that science and religion are at odds with each other, it's quite the opposite. Science and religion are the best of friends. And like good friends, they complement each other and produce beautiful music together. Take the recent incident of the young woman in Bryan, Texas – the director of the Planned Parenthood abortion mill down there – who had a change of heart and quit her job when she saw, for the first time, an unborn child on an ultrasound screen. As Abby Johnson related her story to Bill O'Reilly, "What I saw on...

November 15, 2009                                     Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time   Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Dn 12:1-3 In those days, I Daniel, heard this word of the Lord:"At that time there shall ariseMichael, the great prince,guardian of your people;it shall be a time unsurpassed in distresssince nations began until that time.At that time your people shall escape,everyone who is found written in the book. “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake;some shall live forever,others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.“But the wise shall shine brightlylike...

Apologies for the vanity. I'm looking for FReepers in Dallas, TX to try to regain contact with someone in an Evangelical Church there.They helped me make it through one of the toughest times of my life and promised to email me later, but never did. I never got a chance to properly thank them and tell them my life was truly changed.The only clues I have are that they had in 2006 an assistant pastor whose voice sounded like Al Michaels and they were about 20 minutes away from downtown Dallas.Can someone jog my memory?

Monday morning 11/16Kohen--Genesis 25:19-22Levi--vs. 23-26Yisra'el--25:27-26:5 Tusday 11/17--First Day Ro'sh Chodesh KislevKohen--Numbers 28:1-3Levi--vs. 3-5Shelishi--vs. 6-10Revi`i--vs. 11-15 Wdnsday 11/18--Second Day Ro'sh Chodesh KislevKohen--Numbers 28:1-3Levi--vs. 3-5Shelishi--vs. 6-10Revi`i--vs. 11-15 Thrsday morning, 11/19Kohen--Genesis 25:19-22Levi--vs. 23-26Yisra'el--25:27-26:5 Strday 11/21--Shabbat Parashat ToledotMORNING Kohen--Genesis 25:19-26:5Levi--26:6-12Shelishi--26:13-22Revi`i--26:23-29Chamishi--26:30-27:27Shishi--27:28-28:4Shevi`i--28:5-9Maftir--28:7-9Haftarah--Malachi 1:1-2:7 EVENING Kohen--Genesis 28:10-12Levi--vs. 13-18Yisra'el--vs. 19-22

Saturday, November 14, 2009 About those self-proclaimed internet health gurus Be very skeptical when it comes to self-proclaimed internet health gurus. For instance, Mike Adams of "NaturalNews" also owns a company that sells email marketing software, Arial Software. Be sure to check out their extensive client list. (This is obviously not some obscure little guy fighting health care goliaths; Arial Software is in bed with some very big corporate giants.) He calls it "permission email marketing software." Every time you read one of his articles that requires you to input an email address to read the rest of the article,...

By Paul Thigpen, Ph.D. Do Animals Go to Heaven? Responding to a common question from children Not long ago a TCA reader wrote us to ask a familiar question: What should we tell children when a pet dies and they ask whether animals have souls and go to heaven? She reported that she had upset some parents when she told their children (students in her class) that the answer to both questions was no.The answer to the first question -- do animals have souls? -- depends, of course, on how we define "soul." Ancient and medieval writers, both pagan and...

Discovering Divine Design "As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me . . ." —Genesis 24:27 We should be so one with God that we don’t need to ask continually for guidance. Sanctification means that we are made the children of God. A child’s life is normally obedient, until he chooses disobedience. But as soon as he chooses to disobey, an inherent inner conflict is produced. On the spiritual level, inner conflict is the warning of the Spirit of God. When He warns us in this way, we must stop at once and be renewed in...

November 14, 2009                                 Saturday of the Thirty-second Week                                     in Ordinary Time       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Wis 18:14-16; 19:6-9 When peaceful stillness compassed everythingand the night in its swift course was half spent,Your all-powerful word, from heaven’s royal thronebounded, a fierce warrior, into the doomed land,bearing the sharp sword of your inexorable decree.And as he alighted, he filled every place with death;he still reached to heaven, while he stood upon the earth. For all creation, in its several kinds, was being...

see link !

Muslim Extremists Attack Worship Service in Uganda Christians examine damage to their church outside of Kampala, Uganda. Church member taking photos beaten, building damaged. NAIROBI, Kenya, November 11 (CDN) — About 40 Muslim extremists with machetes and clubs tried to break into a Sunday worship service outside Uganda’s capital city of Kampala on Nov. 1, leaving a member of the congregation with several injuries and damaging the church building. Eyewitnesses said the extremist mob tried to storm into World Possessor’s Church International in Namasuba at 11 a.m. as the church worshipped. “The church members were taken by a big surprise,...

Convictions Few in Anti-Christian Violence in Orissa, India Violence devastated Kandhamal district, Orissa state in August-September 2008. BJP legislator, a key suspect in Kandhamal violence, acquitted again and out on bail. NEW DELHI, November 11 (CDN) — Following six acquittals last week in trials for those accused of the 2008 anti-Christian violence in India’s Orissa state and the release on bail of a key suspect, Christians are losing heart to strive for justice, according to a prosecuting attorney. The acquittal of six suspects last week raises the total to 121, with just 27 convicted in the Orissa violence by Hindu...

Indonesia: Police Evict Students On Oct.27, The Voice of the Martyrs contacts reported nearly 1,000 Arastamar Bible school students face eviction from a West Jarkata Mayors office building where they were living temporarily, in Indonesia. The day before the High Court of West Jakarta’s eviction notice, local government authorities cut off electricity and water to the site and this led to the student demonstrations. “That day … a thousand students were demonstrating outside of the building and making [a barricade with their bodies] to prevent the police troops, local government security troops, and High Court officials from going into the...

Kazakhstan: Christian Fined, Deported Two Christian brothers, Viktor and Didrikh Leven, have been convicted of participating in religious worship without state registration in Akmola Region, Kazakhstan, according to Forum18 News. On Oct. 14, Viktor, who was born in Kazakhstan but holds German citizenship, was found guilty of "carrying out missionary activity without local registration" under Article 375-3 of Kazakhstan’s Administrative Code. The charge is punishable by a fine and/or deportation for individuals who are not citizens. Viktor was fined a total of 6,480 Tenge (US $43) and ordered deported. He successfully appealed his sentence, and his fine and deportation have...

Iran: Church Closed Central Assemblies of God Church has been forced to close down its regular Friday afternoon services and can only hold two services on Sundays, Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN) reported. The Assemblies of God authorities announced at the conclusion of their Oct. 30 service that Friday worship services would no longer take place and only Sunday services, in two separate shifts, would be conducted. The church, which is the largest public and formal gathering of Iranian Christians in Iran, was forced to close by the Iranian Ministry of Information. The church has faced extreme pressure from government...

You've Come Too Far Today's Scripture "I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward" (Philippians 3:14, AMP) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria One thing I've learned is that whenever life seems extra difficult, whenever it seems like the intensity has been turned up, that's a sure sign that you are close to your victory. Whenever negative thoughts are bombarding your mind, or you're tempted to get discouraged, that's not the time to give up! That's not the time to back down. That's the...

Faith or Experience? ". . . the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" —Galatians 2:20 We should battle through our moods, feelings, and emotions into absolute devotion to the Lord Jesus. We must break out of our own little world of experience into abandoned devotion to Him. Think who the New Testament says Jesus Christ is, and then think of the despicable meagerness of the miserable faith we exhibit by saying, "I haven’t had this experience or that experience"! Think what faith in Jesus Christ claims and provides— He can present us faultless before...

November 13, 2009                                 Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, virgin       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Wis 13:1-9 All men were by nature foolish who were in ignorance of God,and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing him who is,and from studying the works did not discern the artisan;But either fire, or wind, or the swift air,or the circuit of the stars, or the mighty water,or the luminaries of heaven, the governors of the world, they considered gods.Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought...

If the United Nations has its way, Jesus won’t be found in church anymore. With the approval of pious priests and ministers, Jesus is being squeezed out of the House of God to make way for global warming/climate change proselytizing. Church bells around the world, which call Christians worldwide into church on Sundays, will join the din of drums and gongs to sound a UN ordered message 350 times on December 13 during the Copenhagen climate change summit. The church bells are a call to action on global warming...

Monday, the Vatican unveiled a stunning website that offers a virtual tour of the Lateran Basilica.

Payday Is On Its Way Today's Scripture "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!" (Hebrews 10:35, NLT) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria What are you believing God for today? Promotion? Healing? Stronger relationships? Freedom from addiction? God has promised all these things to you in His Word. He wants you to live in blessing and wholeness all the days of your life. But in order to experience His promises, we have to do our part. We have to keep believing and trusting in Him. That's what today's...

The Changed Life "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" —2 Corinthians 5:17 What understanding do you have of the salvation of your soul? The work of salvation means that in your real life things are dramatically changed. You no longer look at things in the same way. Your desires are new and the old things have lost their power to attract you. One of the tests for determining if the work of salvation in your life is genuine is— has God changed the things...

November 12, 2009                                 Memorial of Saint Josaphat, bishop and martyr   Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Wis 7:22b–8:1 In Wisdom is a spiritintelligent, holy, unique,Manifold, subtle, agile,clear, unstained, certain,Not baneful, loving the good, keen,unhampered, beneficent, kindly,Firm, secure, tranquil,all-powerful, all-seeing,And pervading all spirits,though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion,and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity.For she is an aura of the might of Godand a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty;therefore nought that is sullied enters into her.For she is...

You Are Closer Than You Think Today's Scripture "So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit" (Galatians 6:9, the Message) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria God has put dreams and desires in every person's heart. We all have goals we want to accomplish and situations we are believing will be turned around. Sometimes it seems to take longer than we thought. Sometimes things don't work out the way we planned, and it's easy to lose enthusiasm. Negative thoughts come...

The Supreme Climb "He said, ’Take now your son . . .’ " —Genesis 22:2 God’s command is, "Take now," not later. It is incredible how we debate! We know something is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it immediately. If we are to climb to the height God reveals, it can never be done later— it must be done now. And the sacrifice must be worked through our will before we actually perform it."So Abraham rose early in the morning . . . and went to the place of which God had told him"...

November 11, 2009                                   Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, bishop     Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Wis 6:1-11 Hear, O kings, and understand;learn, you magistrates of the earth’s expanse!Hearken, you who are in power over the multitudeand lord it over throngs of peoples!Because authority was given you by the Lordand sovereignty by the Most High,who shall probe your works and scrutinize your counsels.Because, though you were ministers of his kingdom, you judged not rightly,and did not keep the law,nor walk according to the will of God,Terribly and swiftly shall he come against...