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WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The dramatic story of the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt has been depicted in art and music for centuries. Today, the story travels on millions of Forever stamps with the U.S. Postal Service's issuance of the Holy Family stamp as the nation prepares for the holiday mailing season. The stamp goes on sale today at Post Offices nationwide and can be purchased online at usps.com/shop or by phone at 800-Stamp24 (800-782-6724). The stamp was unveiled at Bethlehem Chapel, the earliest completed portion of Washington National Cathedral. The center panel of the limestone...

A Gift from God Today's Scripture For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8, NKJV. Today's Word from Joel and Victoria We serve such a loving, gracious and generous God. He loves you so much that there isn’t anything He wouldn’t do in order to have a relationship with you. The Bible tells us that sin separates man from God. But God doesn’t want to be separated from us. That’s why He sent His Son into the world—to pay the penalty for sin so that...

The Unheeded Secret "Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world" —John 18:36 The great enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ today is the idea of practical work that has no basis in the New Testament but comes from the systems of the world. This work insists upon endless energy and activities, but no private life with God. The emphasis is put on the wrong thing. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation . . . . For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). It is a hidden, obscure thing....

October 19, 2012 Memorial of Saint John de Brébeuf and Saint Isaac Jogues, priests and martyrs, and their companions, martyrs   Reading 1 Eph 1:11-14 Brothers and sisters:In Christ we were also chosen,destined in accord with the purpose of the Onewho accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,we who first hoped in Christ.In him you also, who have heard the word of truth,the Gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him,were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,which is the first installment of our inheritancetoward redemption as...

Seven-time Tour de France cycling champion Lance Armstrong has long rejected the idea that God has dominion over his life. He has refused to accept that his Creator saved him from testicular cancer (“If there was a God, I’d still have two balls,” he once sneered). He has refused to credit the Almighty for his exceptional athletic prowess (“One of the redeeming things about being an athlete is redefining what’s humanly possible,” he once declared.) The Bible warns that “God opposes the proud.” And Armstrong’s stunning fall from grace offers proof that God’s Word does not return void. The disgraced...

An elementary school teacher in Chesapeake, Va. has been charged with simple assault after a parent claimed her daughter’s hand was cut open as a result of the teacher yanking her arm aggressively while trying to teach students an “Islamic hand sign.” Officer Leo Kosinski, a spokesman for the Chesapeake Police Department, told TheBlaze that Tara Harris was criminally charged with a misdemeanor on Oct. 11 and released on a summons. The case is currently under investigation. “It’s still a criminal charge. It happened at the school and it involved a student,” Kosinski said. The police department could not release...

Say Continually Today's Scripture Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, ‘Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.’ Psalm 35:27, NKJV. Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Notice in today’s verse, God’s people were commanded to go around saying continually, “Let God be magnified. He takes pleasure in prospering me.” I believe one reason they were supposed to say it all the time is so it would get down on the inside of their hearts. See, when we hear something long...

The Key to the Missionary’s Devotion ". . . they went forth for His name’s sake . . ." —3 John 7 Our Lord told us how our love for Him is to exhibit itself when He asked, “Do you love Me?” (John 21:17). And then He said, “Feed My sheep.” In effect, He said, “Identify yourself with My interests in other people,” not, “Identify Me with your interests in other people.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 shows us the characteristics of this love— it is actually the love of God expressing itself. The true test of my love for Jesus...

October 18, 2012   Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist   Reading 1 2 Tm 4:10-17b Beloved:Demas, enamored of the present world,deserted me and went to Thessalonica,Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.Luke is the only one with me.Get Mark and bring him with you,for he is helpful to me in the ministry.I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas,the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm;the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.You too be on guard against him,for he has...

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 [caption id="attachment_5052" align="alignright" width="215" caption=""The Water Torture.— Facsimile of a Woodcut in J. Damhoudère's Praxis Rerum Criminalium: in 4to, Antwerp, 1556.""][/caption] Pouring water over the covered face of an immobilized person is a brutal thing to do. The captive experiences severe pain and an overwhelming sensation of drowning. Some victims have even been known to break their bones as they struggle against the restraints. But waterboarding is nothing compared with what American theologian...

Believe and Declare Today's Scripture “It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak.” (2 Corinthians 4:13, NIV) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria I know a man who was believing to pay his house off. It was a standard 30-year mortgage, and he had 23 years left. In the natural, there was no way he could do it. But he was bold enough to say, “Father, I want to thank You that You are Jehovah Jireh; the Lord my provider. I know my job is not...

The Key of the Greater Work ". . . I say to you, he who believes in Me, . . . greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father" —John 14:12 Prayer does not equip us for greater works— prayer is the greater work. Yet we think of prayer as some commonsense exercise of our higher powers that simply prepares us for God’s work. In the teachings of Jesus Christ, prayer is the working of the miracle of redemption in me, which produces the miracle of redemption in others, through the power of God....

October 17, 2012   Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr   Reading 1 Gal 5:18-25 Brothers and sisters:If you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.Now the works of the flesh are obvious:immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry,sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy,outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness,dissensions, factions, occasions of envy,drinking bouts, orgies, and the like.I warn you, as I warned you before,that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,patience, kindness, generosity,faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.Against such there is no law.Now those who...

WASHINGTON - Lakewood Church worship leader Israel Houghton says after working with Pastor Joel Osteen for more than 11 years he can testify that "he's the real deal." The Grammy award winning gospel singer says he knows that some Christians dismiss Osteen's preaching as little more than positive thinking. But Houghton says he's seen the changes God has worked in the lives of members of the nation's largest congregation. Houghton estimates that about three million people are faithful viewers of the many preachers on Christian television. But he says an additional seven million un-churched viewers watch Joel Osteen every Sunday....

Unlimited Supply Today's Scripture And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe… Ephesians 1:19, AMP. Today's Word from Joel and Victoria If I had a thousand gallons of water to give you but you only had a one-gallon container, you wouldn’t be able to receive what I had for you. The problem would not be with the supply. It would be with your ability to receive. If you would get rid of the small container and get something larger, I could...

The Key to the Master’s Orders "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" —Matthew 9:38 The key to the missionary’s difficult task is in the hand of God, and that key is prayer, not work— that is, not work as the word is commonly used today, which often results in the shifting of our focus away from God. The key to the missionary’s difficult task is also not the key of common sense, nor is it the key of medicine, civilization, education, or even evangelization. The key is in following the Master’s orders—...

October 16, 2012 Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time   Reading 1 Gal 5:1-6 Brothers and sisters:For freedom Christ set us free;so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. It is I, Paul, who am telling youthat if you have yourselves circumcised,Christ will be of no benefit to you.Once again I declare to every man who has himself circumcisedthat he is bound to observe the entire law.You are separated from Christ,you who are trying to be justified by law;you have fallen from grace.For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of...

According to a new study by the Pew Forum, Protestants are, for the first time in history, not a majority in the United States of America. I don’t think that’s anything for evangelical Protestants, or anyone else, to panic about. Several years ago, I pointed out here that studies were showing a declining Protestant majority, and projections were being made for this very reality. Now, the surveys says we have a 48 percent plurality of Protestants. I wasn’t frantic about that several years ago, and I’m still not. When working toward our “God and country” badges, my childhood Boy Scout...

Therefore keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour. (Matt. 25:13) Those who shy away from the study of prophecy are fond of quoting the above verse as their justification. But earlier in the same passage, the Lord had admonished all who read His words of prophecy to understand them (Matt 24:15). In addition the Apostle Paul wrote that the events leading up to the end of the age should not take believers by surprise (1 Thes. 5:4) implying that we should be familiar with them. Since the Bible cannot contradict itself, Matt. 24:15 must have...

New Thinking, New Living Today's Scripture And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins. Mark 2:22, NKJV. Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Are you ready for increase? Are you ready to go to the next level, spiritually, physically and emotionally? Many times, people hear the truth that God has more in store, and something resonates on the inside. Their spirit comes into agreement with God; but often times, their natural mind...