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David never holds any of His feelings back when he pleads with His Heavenly Father. Every heartfelt song/prayer is written with so much anguish and humble spirit behind it. David’s words can teach us to pray to God in the same fashion. There is an undeniable closeness between God and David that the Psalms show us. In Psalm 39 David is recognizing how small we all are in God’s eyes. Imagine that, a King humbling himself enough to see the futility of holding onto material things in our short life compared to eternity. His son Solomon writes in this similar...

Follow Me… Apr 1st, 2012by Gary Zimak.  As Jesus passed on from there,He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. (Matthew 9:9)As we head into the final 2 weeks our Spiritual Exercises retreat, I just wanted to reach out and share a few thoughts. Today, with the celebration of Palm Sunday, we enter into the holiest week of the year. Over the next five days, on my nightly radio show, we’ll meditate on Our Lord’s Passion and death. As we do this, we’ll recognize...

The culture war might be likened to fighting a war against a coalition of powers. Imagine WWI-style trench warfare on a long front. In the center of the enemy lines are the forces of moral relativism. These forces oppose the idea that there is a universal moral law. On one flank are the forces of the sexual revolution, including gays, feminists, adulterers, the promiscuous, and the pro-abortion folks. On the other flank are the cultural relativists, and multiculturalists. This camp opposes the ideas of truth, beauty, and intrinsic quality. It seeks to suppress the literary, philosophical, and artistic heritage of...

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Campaigning in South Carolina on Thursday, both Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry visited a hotel ballroom to seek the support of a crucial coalition here, as well as in Iowa: Evangelical pastors. They were both featured speakers at the Pastors Policy Briefing, a gathering of roughly 400 church leaders hosted by the South Carolina Renewal Project, a branch of an under-the-radar evangelical group that holds similar events in other major primary states. Gingrich and Perry– one recently thrust into the glare of public favor, the other trying to get back in it – gave speeches that demonstrated...

....What if Perry were an atheist who called for a day of secular discussion of solutions to the many challenges we face as a nation, and as a sidelight pushed the notion that the faithful should not play a role in the discussion? The Constitution's establishment clause was designed to protect freedom of religion by protecting us from one religion, authorized by the state. But the noxious nature of the governor's proposal does not merely hinge on the question of its constitutionality. ....Perry's proclamation, and the Response website, seek cover with a timeline of historical calls for national prayer, quoting...

Concern about disasters, terrorism and morality led Stone County supervisors and the Wiggins mayor and Board of Aldermen to pass resolutions declaring Aug. 6 to be a day of prayer, fasting and humility for the city, county state and nation. ...Wiggins Mayor Jerry Alexander said the power of prayer has been evident in his own life. “There is nothing like the power of prayer,” he said. “I’m a Christian; I was saved 17 years ago, and I can tell you I wouldn’t be here today otherwise. I believe the Lord is sending us a message -- we are so hard...

My family and I went to an art exhibit recently. It was dingy, dirty, unkempt, probably dangerous, and just plain creepy, and I could not wait to leave. The artist was inspired by God to create his numerous and various works. As we were leaving, there was a quote from the artist on the wall to the effect of: God provides the art, I am just the brush (not the exact wording) and I thought "I am sure that God could come up with something better than this!" I am not a fan of this particular art style to start...

Divine Mercy Diary Exerpts   Jesus's words are in italics.  St. Faustina's words are in regular print.   "Your task is to write down everything that I make known to you about My mercy, for the benefit of those who by reading these things will be comforted in their souls and will have the courage to approach Me." (1693)     "Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy." (300)     

To Walk Humbly with Thy God     Elder Marlin K. JensenOf the Presidency of the SeventyMarlin K. Jensen, "“To Walk Humbly with Thy God”", Ensign, May 2001, 9  True humility will inevitably lead us to say to God, “Thy will be done.”  One of the memorable themes of last October’s general conference was that, in addition to being concerned about what we do, we Latter-day Saints ought also to pay attention to what we are and are striving to become. 1 With that principle in mind, I listened attentively last November to President Gordon B. Hinckley’s address to the youth of the...

Since Obama first stepped on the national stage, pundits have fallen all over each other in a race to declare that Obama is special type of genius. Tom Shales of the WaPo recently called Obama "the smartest kid in the class." Billionaire Julian Robertson claimed, "Obama, from all I read, thinks that on every occasion that he is the smartest person in the room. And I think he often probably is. ..." Robertson may be half-right. Obama apparently does consider himself the smartest person in every room. According to Peter Baker of the NYT, "One prominent Democratic lawmaker told me...

Dear Speaker Boehner/Cantor/Bachmann/Whomever, Speaking as a citizen, a conservative, and a Tea Partier, I’d like to give you some advice as you prepare to take up the reins for the 112th Congressional session. These suggestions come from my desire to get our country back on track, to mitigate the disasters wrought by the 111th Congress, and to start Congress delving into the bigger picture about what will happen to America if we allow ourselves to continue on our current path. They are very simple suggestions, and I hope you will take them in the spirit in which they are offered....

...[S]he’s right. While she’s discussing the corporate world, it’s equally true — perhaps even more so — in the world of politics. Surely it takes a robust ego for anyone to think she’s got the stuff it takes to lead a school committee or town, much less a state or even the entire nation: and not just lead it, but take it in the right direction, all the while avoiding the dizzying emoluments of the culture of greed, graft, bribery, quid-pro-quo, and you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours. Not only that, but you’ve got to have the apparently not-so-common...

United States president Barack Obama says he and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd share several personality traits - one of which is humility. The US president made the comments to the 7.30 Report's Kerry O'Brien during an interview which will be aired on ABC1 tonight.

Apologies to all of my FReeper friends for an extended absence from the forum. I have checked in now and then, and did not want to answer some pings and not others, so have merely participated in 'spectator mode' these past few months. I am offering the following as a Christmas wish for all of you -- some of whom I have known here for longer than ten years. Despite long silences over that time (often on both ends), I believe we all share a timeless common bond, formed by a love of country that will not die ... and...

DEAR PRECIOUS GRACEFUL, I think shame is an interesting thing. Have certainly wrestled with plenty of it in my life. Not sure it's all over, either. There was a church member or pastor . . . speaking, I forget which . . . recently . . . a sermon, I think . . . probably Pastor Christie . . . how Christ . . . Cast down shame on The Cross. Not just took it upon Himself but conquered it, and cast it down. Banished it from having any effect or influence on Him. I think there was some...

Sister Sobodka said: "Several times he (Pope John Paul) would put himself through bodily penance. "We would hear it – we were in the next room at Castel Gandolfo. You could hear the sound of the blows when he flagellate himself. He did it when he was still capable of moving on his own." The flagellation is also confirmed by another bishop who has given testimony. Emery Kabongo was a secretary for Pope John Paul. "He would punish himself and in particular just before he ordained bishops and priests," he said. "I never actually saw it myself but several people...

Striping away the nuance of public discourse and gazing at the underlying foundation of competing belief systems seems to reveal two general camps into which people fall. There are those who believe, for whatever reason and to varying degrees, that human beings have evolved from lower animal or social forms and are continuing to evolve toward some future perfection or apotheosis. Conversely, there are those who believe man is inherently flawed, limited, and in a very literal way retarded. I believe the latter self-evident, and wish to ask those who believe the former to present me with an answer to...

[snip long aside about Joe Wilson] Whether he knows it or not, Chambliss should be grateful that the dust-up over Wilson's outburst overshadowed the senator's own remarks about Obama. In a Tuesday interview on Fox News, Chambliss was talking about Republican expectations for the president's address when he said, "I think what you're looking at is folks on my side anxious to see what the president has to say (Wednesday) night. I think he's going to have to express some humility based on what we've seen around the country during August, and that's not his inclination." Take a closer look...

Here is video of Sen. Saxby Chambliss talking to Stuart Varney yesterday where he said Republicans will be looking for Obama to show some "humility" in his speech tonight, based on the outcry from Americans this past month against a Government take over of Health Care. Chambliss added that "humility" is "against his inclination." He makes the comment at around the 2:30 mark of the video. The whole segment contains a discussion of what Obama and the Democrats may try to do to pass a Health Care bill. . . (VIDEO)

Watch video poem at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53cwvVDP7bk Talk about hope and dignity. Try to look beyond the decay I see. More than a word to set me "free." Help me see real meaning. Make me what I ought to be. When I tell you: "No, I don't really care." When your invitation meets a vacant stare. Please, give me a needed kick in the ass. Please, make me fight for the things that last. When a lonely stranger needs your hope and joy. When a starving mother cannot feed her boy. When a dying patient cries out in pain. Will I stop...

MOSCOW, May 22 (RIA Novosti) - The leader of the Russian Orthodox Church spoke of the importance of meekness during a service on Friday in central Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral to commemorate St. Nicholas' Day. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, fishermen, children, travelers, the falsely accused and the sick, as well as of the cities of Bari, Amsterdam and Liverpool. He is also the archetype for the British and U.S. version of Santa Claus. He is especially venerated in Russia. On Friday, the Russian Orthodox Church marks the day when the relics of St. Nicholas the...

1 Peter 1:3-9 (King James Version) 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7That the trial of your...

The Galileo affair: history or heroic hagiography? by Thomas Schirrmacher Summary The 17th century controversy between Galileo and the Vatican is examined. Fifteen theses are advanced, with supporting evidence, to show that the Galileo affair cannot serve as an argument for any position on the relation of religion and science. Contrary to legend, both Galileo and the Copernican system were well regarded by church officials. Galileo was the victim of his own arrogance, the envy of his colleagues and the politics of Pope Urban VIII. He was not accused of criticising the Bible, but disobeying a papal decree...

EXCLUSIVE: For much of the past seven years, President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney have waged a clandestine operation inside the White House. It has involved thousands of military personnel, private presidential letters and meetings that were kept off their public calendars or sometimes left the news media in the dark. Their mission: to comfort the families of soldiers who died fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and to lift the spirits of those wounded in the service of their country. On Monday, the president is set to make a more common public trip...

“And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People?We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But...

WASHINGTON -- On Wednesday, I was an unwilling eyewitness to a dramatic political event, and it made me wonder where we are headed as a nation. More on that in a moment. First, a little background. There is no doubt that leadership matters. The study of human history provides evidence that empires -- even entire civilizations -- rise and fall on the ideas, virtues and skills (or lack thereof) of great leaders. From Mesopotamia to Europe, those who chronicled the triumphs and failures of great leaders in the Western world measured success based on military prowess and territory conquered. Herodotus...

Pardon a vanity, but I'd like to have a discussion on McCain's plain talk. Humility and being humble are traits not shown by politicians except in rare cases.

2 Kings 5 1 Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman's wife. 3 She said to her mistress, "I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his...

When our middle son was in preschool, his teacher asked him to explain to the (overwhelmingly non-Jewish) class what the Jewish New Year was all about. Four-year-old David told them that on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Jews go to a big building and "forgive God." Well, something like that. This week, Jews all over the world are gathering to observe the "Ten Days of Awe," the period that begins with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and culminates with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Like other Jewish holidays (Passover, Sukkot), Rosh Hashanah is celebrated for two days in...

        Shunning Over- Familiarity - Imitation of Christ DO NOT open your heart to every man, but discuss your affairs with one who is wise and who fears God. Do not keep company with young people and strangers. Do not fawn upon the rich, and do not be fond of mingling with the great. Associate with the humble and the simple, with the devout and virtuous, and with them speak of edifying things. Be not intimate with any woman, but generally commend all good women to God. Seek only the intimacy of God and of His...

  Having A Humble Opinion of Self - Imitation of Christ EVERY man naturally desires knowledge; but what good is knowledge without fear of God? Indeed a humble rustic who serves God is better than a proud intellectual who neglects his soul to study the course of the stars. He who knows himself well becomes mean in his own eyes and is not happy when praised by men. If I knew all things in the world and had not charity, what would it profit me before God Who will judge me by my deeds? Shun too great a desire...

Pres. Faust knew who comes first By Jerry Johnston Deseret Morning News Published: August 18, 2007 If you took everything said and written about President James E. Faust over the past week and counted how often certain words were used, words like "kindness," "sweet" and "loving" would be near the top of the list. But the most-used word, I think, would be "humility." James E. Faust was a humble man. And I think all those other words — kind, sweet, loving — flow from the word "humility." I think that because I'm convinced most Bible stories, lessons and commandments flow...

"Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor is humility."—Proverbs 18:12. ALMOST every event has its prophetic prelude. It is an old and common saying, that "coming events cast their shadows before them;" the wise man teaches us the same lesson in the verse before us. When destruction walks through the land, it casts its shadow; it is in the shape of pride. When honor visits a man's house, it casts its shadow before it; it is in the fashion of humility. "Before destruction the heart of man is haughty;" pride is as surely the sign of...

Ted Sorensen’s service to John F. Kennedy (as both US Senator and President) earned him legendary status as the most celebrated speechwriter in US history. Sorensen crafted the famous “Ask not…” phrase in the inaugural address, and wrote JFK’s stirring “New Frontier” acceptance speech when he won the Democratic nomination in 1960. Last week, Sorensen (now 79) wrote another speech intended to inspire the Democratic hordes who scent victory in another watershed election. He wrote a proposed “Acceptance Speech” which he means to offer to whichever candidate prevails in the nomination fight. Some of the carefully crafted language reads like...

Sunday, May 6 “Growth Is Intentional” 2 Peter 1:1-11 Webster’s defines “growth” as “progressive development: evolution; increase, expansion.” In the first half of chapter one, Peter profiled spiritual maturity, a kind of growth that does not “just” happen. Verses 5-7 itemize seven character traits, the greatest one being “love” (v. 7; see also 1 Cor. 12:31-13:13). Two factors promote their development: [a] God’s Initiative and [b]Individual Involvement.

1 Peter 4 ends with a prepositional phrase, “in doing what is right.” The “therefore” in 5:1 connects that prepositional phrase to final instructions (5:1-10). A doxology (5:11) precedes the conclusion (5:12-14) of the letter. 1. Leaders of the Church: Do What Is Right. In verses 1-5, Greek adjectives, translated “elder” or “fellow elder,” occur three times. In the Early Church, according to the New Testament, “elder” was a title of authority (e.g., Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 5:17; Jas. 5:14). The Apostle Paul twice used “elder” and “overseer” — another title — interchangeably. For example, he had charged the elders...

I would like to thank the Anchoress for pointing out this photo from the Daily Mail of President Bush aiding Robert Byrd to his seat at the ceremony for the awarding of a congressional Gold Medal to the Tuskegee airmen who served our country so nobly during WWII. George W Bush is the President of the United States, not an usher. Robert Byrd is a former Ku Klux Klan member-turned elder statesman of the US Senate, a Democrat who has said that the President lied about the reasons for invading Iraq. “Eventually, the truth will emerge. And when it does,...

Ladies and Gentlemen. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the start of the season of Lent. A season where we are called to reflect on the death and resurrection of Christ, and the reason He had to die in the first place. A time to repent, and to realize just how fallen and sinful we are, and that our sins are why Jesus had to be nailed to the cross. Lately, here in the FR Religion forum, there have been a lot of articles attacking other Christians. Now, there is a place for doctrinal discussions, and they are often fruitful. However the...

Each Sunday morning where my wife and I worship we admit that we are public sinners. Upon an invitation from the pastor, we join in what is called the General Confession. The words are incisive and solemn. We admit that we have sinned against God, in “thought, word and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have failed to do.” It is a general statement, and we are not called upon to stand up and say publicly what particular sins we have committed. Now and then I worship in churches that offer written forms of confession that...

Maths genius declines top prize Photos of the reclusive genius are rare Grigory Perelman, the Russian who seems to have solved one of the hardest problems in mathematics, has declined one of the discipline's top awards. Dr Perelman was to have been presented with the prestigious Fields Medal by King Juan Carlos of Spain, at a ceremony in Madrid on Tuesday. In 2002, the mathematician claimed to have solved a century-old problem called the Poincare Conjecture. So far, experts working to verify his proof have found no significant flaws. There had been considerable speculation that Grigory "Grisha" Perelman would...

The True Lover Of God Mary Lindow Jun 25 2006 06:04PM THE TRUE LOVER OF GOD DOES NOT NEED TO BE LAVISHED UPON BY MAN THE PRESENT EVILS AND PRESSURES OF OUR TIME ARE NOT NEW TO GOD OR......TO THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD! The Bride of Christ has been either over stroked with false platitudes or has been allowed to be spoiled with a gluttony of self-love, self-analysis, and self-promotion. All members of the Lord’s Body, leaders and simple followers, have all had the virus of “I WANNA BE SOMEBODY” attempt to sidetrack and infect the human nature side...

VIRGINIA BEACH-Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson is warning that, according to God, storms and possibly a tidal wave will pound America's coastline this year.

The gift had to be right, something she would never forget. After all, Adaline Davis had reared her grandson like he was her own, making him everything that he had become. He even called her "Ma." So on her birthday two years ago, Vernon Davis did what only a college freshman would do. He had her name tattooed to the inside of his left arm. Then he raced home with his surprise.

Have you ever observed someone making a fool of himself? Even if you are a detached bystander, such a scene can be excruciatingly hard to watch. When I see a person embarrassing himself on television – such as a singer singing the national anthem off key or an actor forgetting a line in a live performance – I find myself flipping the channel, as if that will somehow help end the awkward situation. Clearly, we all have a keen sensitivity to “shame� and “humiliation�, making it truly painful to observe, let alone experience. We commonly hear the word “humility� associated...

Experienced a recent bout of arrogance and want to feel small? Then, come on down to Florida and immerse yourself in Hurricane Wilma. Having flown down with my wife and children to Miami Beach to spend the Jewish festival of Sukkoth, which mandates sitting outside in makeshift huts for a 7-day duration, with my mother and siblings, the most severe damage we thought we'd experience is cooking out in the Florida heat. Little did I expect that a most unlady-like Wilma would huff and puff, and blow all the Sukkos down. I am writing these lines in my brother's dining...

WASHINGTON, May 5 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) today delivered remarks on the importance of humility in public service and asked for continued prayers for the U.S. Congress at the annual National Day of Prayer service. Below are excerpts from his remarks. "No man or woman of any faith or of no faith can truly love, truly serve, truly persevere, truly dare mighty deeds, truly hope for the future or truly honor the past, without a humble heart. "So it is for humility, then, that, on behalf of the legislative branch -- both houses, both parties...

Humility Is A Weapon Carla Rickard March 16 2005 Live Word as Recorded. There has been and is going on now a shift. thank you Lord. there is coming a shift ... we are in it. More power is being made available More Authority. You can't see it, but you can feel it There is oh the lack of words ... Help me Jesus The fight is heavy for some now, light for others but nevertheless... there is an increase. The war that is increasing is not against flesh but one that will require the flesh to lay down and...

William "Bill" Crawford certainly was an unimpressive figure, one you could easily overlook during a hectic day at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Mr. Crawford, as most of us referred to him back in the late 1970s, was our squadron janitor. While we cadets busied ourselves preparing for academic exams, athletic events, Saturday morning parades and room inspections, or never-ending leadership classes, Bill quietly moved about the squadron mopping and buffing floors, emptying trash cans, cleaning toilets, or just tidying up the mess 100 college-age kids can leave in a dormitory. Sadly, and for many years, few of us gave...

On Wednesday something very special happened at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. For the first time in US history – for the first time in all of history for that matter – a sitting president of the United States led a delegation from the US to The Vatican to pay their last respects to a great spiritual leader and honor the legacy of a visionary whose calling lead him to the reverence and preservation of human dignity. The US delegation, led by the president, included First Lady Laura Bush, the president’s father President George H.W. Bush, President Bill Clinton, Secretary...

St. Joseph's Spirit of Silence The prudence of St. Joseph had soared to the highest point possible, to the extent of seeing nothing but divine things, sola divina intueatur. It towered over the fleeting course of transitory thigns. We see him as a contemplative absorbed in God, as the man of silence and mystery who is on the earth without being of the earth and from whom nothing may, even for a moment, take away the thought of eternity. Let us also admire him as a man of silence; to know how to refrain from speaking is an outstanding part...