Is Something Other Than Christ Controlling Your Life?

Is Something Other Than Christ Controlling Your Life?
By Rick Warren

“‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything.” 1 Corinthians 6:12 (ESV)

The Bible is full of wisdom for decision-making. In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul says, “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything” (ESV).

When deciding whether to allow something into your life, you can think of this as the Independence Test.

Ask yourself: Could this begin to control and dominate my life? Could it become addicting to me? Could I become dependent on it?

No matter how fun something is, it’s bad for you if it becomes an addiction.

Why is this so important? Because whatever dominates your life eventually becomes your god. The first of God’s Ten Commandments—says, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3 NIV).

God knew how easily you could slip into worshiping other things. He knew you could get addicted to your idols.

What are idols? You likely think of idols as something in the past—maybe little stone statues that people put on a shelf and worshiped. But people still have idols today. Maybe you worship the maker of your car, the label in your clothing, or the corner office in your building.

That’s not to mention all of the things you can become addicted to: Work. Sex. Money. The Internet. The list is endless.

How do you know if you’ve fallen into an addiction? How do you know if something is starting to dominate your life—when you no longer are independent of it? Ask yourself: What do I think about the most? When I’m alone, where does my mind go?

For most of us, it’s hard to be honest about the things that dominate our lives. If you’re thinking, “This is not what I’m addicted to. It couldn’t be that.” Guess what? It’s probably that. That’s probably the thing you’re struggling with.

In another translation of 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul says, “I can do anything I want to if Christ has not said no, but some of these things aren’t good for me. Even if I am allowed to do them, I’ll refuse to if I think they might get such a grip on me that I can’t easily stop when I want to” (TLB).

Paul decided not to let anything—other than Christ—control his life. Jesus is the only one that’s worthy of that place in your life, too. Anything else that you put in that place will eventually dominate and ruin your life. But when Christ is in control, he encourages, enables, and empowers you.

The next time you’re deciding whether something is in its proper place in your life, use the Independence Test. Christ is the only one who deserves your dependence.

Thoughts on Today's Verse

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." Ephesians 4:30-31

Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware

Don't make God's Spirit grieve! But how do we do we cause the Spirit of God to grieve? By harboring bitterness, unleashing anger-driven rage, fighting with others and slandering their name while plotting to harm them.

Not only are these behaviors in direct opposition to the will and character of God, they are are also the exact opposite of the qualities the Spirit is seeking to produce in our lives — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control faithfulness (Galatians 5:22-23). No wonder such evil behaviors grieve the Holy Spirit.

My Prayer...

Almighty Father, please conform me to be more like Jesus by the power of your Holy Spirit as I commit to display Jesus' character and compassion in my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

MAY 7 IS THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

Your Humor for Today

Your Humor for Today
“Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet to see who they really are.” Will Ferrell

Psalm 56:3

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in You." Psalm 56:3

Quote from Anonymous

Don't let the trials and tribulation of life bog you down! PRESS ON!  Anonymous

Sacrifice

Sacrifice by Dr. D. James Kennedy
“Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Mark 8:34

Have you ever noticed how virtually all of the people we call heroes have made great sacrifices in one way or another?

To achieve the ends they deemed worthwhile, these people sacrificed their time, their finances, their health, even their lives. And because they willingly relinquished any claims to these things (which we take for granted), we view these people as heroes, worthy of honor and emulation.

Throughout the centuries, God has used sacrifice as the marble from which He carves greatness. Here are some people we call heroes for the sacrifices they made:

• the apostles who gave their lives at stakes, on crosses, and in other torturous ways;

• the early Christians in the Colosseum of Rome, who watched iron grates rise and famished lions charge;

• Christians who were tied to stakes and watched as torches ignited kindling beneath them;

• the Pilgrims who, in the dead of winter, sailed across tumultuous seas to the inhospitable coasts of New England;

• George Washington and his brave soldiers at Valley Forge, who left bloody footprints in the snow as they departed;

• Jesus Christ, who made the ultimate sacrifice, His life, at Calvary.

What sacrifice can you offer to God this day? What material will you give Him so that He can carve greatness from your life?

“There has never yet been a man in our history who
led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering.”
Theodore Roosevelt

Today in History

Today in History
1945
U.S. Army liberates Dachau

On April 29, 1945, the U.S. Seventh Army’s 45th Infantry Division liberated Dachau, the first concentration camp established by Germany’s Nazi regime. A major Dachau subcamp was liberated the same day by the 42nd Division.

Established five weeks after Adolf Hitler took power as German chancellor in 1933, Dachau was situated on the outskirts of the town of Dachau, about 10 miles northwest of Munich. During its first year, the camp held about 5,000 political prisoners, consisting primarily of German communists, Social Democrats, and other political opponents of the Nazi regime.

During the next few years, the number of prisoners grew dramatically, and other groups were interned at Dachau, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, Gypsies, homosexuals and repeat criminals. Beginning in 1938, Jews began to comprise a major portion of camp internees.

Prisoners at Dachau were used as forced laborers, initially in the construction and expansion of the camp and later for German armaments production. The camp served as the training center for SS concentration camp guards and was a model for other Nazi concentration camps.

Dachau was also the first Nazi camp to use prisoners as human guinea pigs in medical experiments. At Dachau, Nazi scientists tested the effects of freezing and changes to atmospheric pressure on inmates, infected them with malaria and tuberculosis and treated them with experimental drugs, and forced them to test methods of making seawater potable and of halting excessive bleeding. Hundreds of prisoners died or were crippled as a result of these experiments.

Thousands of inmates died or were executed at Dachau, and thousands more were transferred to a Nazi extermination center near Linz, Austria, when they became too sick or weak to work.

In 1944, to increase war production, the main camp was
supplemented by dozens of satellite camps established near armaments factories in southern Germany and Austria. These camps were administered by the main camp and collectively called Dachau.

With the advance of Allied forces against Germany in April 1945, the Germans transferred prisoners from concentration camps near the front to Dachau, leading to a general deterioration of conditions and typhus epidemics.

On April 27, 1945, approximately 7,000 prisoners, mostly Jews, were forced to begin a death march from Dachau to Tegernsee, far to the south. The next day, many of the SS guards abandoned the camp. On April 29, the Dachau main camp was liberated by units of the 45th Infantry after a brief battle with the camp’s remaining guards.

As they neared the camp, the Americans found more than 30 railroad cars filled with bodies in various states of decomposition. Inside the camp there were more bodies and 30,000 survivors, most severely emaciated.

Some of the American troops who liberated Dachau were so appalled by conditions at the camp that they machine-gunned at least two groups of captured German guards. It is officially reported that 30 SS guards were killed in this fashion, but conspiracy theorists have alleged that more than 10 times that number were executed by the American liberators. The German citizens of the town of Dachau were later forced to bury the 9,000 dead inmates found at the camp.

In the course of Dachau’s history, at least 160,000 prisoners passed through the main camp, and 90,000 through the subcamps. Incomplete records indicate that at least 32,000 of the inmates perished at Dachau and its subcamps, but countless more were shipped to extermination camps elsewhere.

Can a City Be Transformed?

Can a City Be Transformed?
From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman
April 29, 2020

"All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord." Acts 9:35.

Can an entire city be transformed for Jesus Christ? The book of Acts reveals that at least one city was. There are four key ingredients required among its Christian leaders to see a city transformed. These include prayer, humility, unity, and knowledge of God's ways.

Prayer
In every city in which transformation has taken place, believers have come together to pray for their city. Prayer changes the spiritual climate of a city. Some of the main areas of influence that must be the focus of our prayers include churches and businesses; the legal, political, educational and medical fields; and the media/entertainment industry. Workplace leaders must be strategically aligned with intercessors to impact their city.

Humility
God uses men and women who recognize that they need each other and who do not seek glory for their work. "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way" (Psalm. 25:9). The workplace leaders that God is using today care little about being in the limelight.

Unity
Jesus said, "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" (John 17:23). God calls each of us individually and corporately to represent Christ to the world, but our independence, pride and egos often prevent us from becoming unified in the purposes of Christ.

Knowledge of God's Ways
Sometimes leaders can move in presumption instead of in a faith that is rooted in knowledge of God's ways. Such was the case of David, who wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the city of Jerusalem. He was zealous for God and celebrated as he brought the Ark into the city. However, the ark was being carried into the city on a cart instead of by priests on poles, as God required. When a man named Uzziah reached out to catch the Ark when the oxen stumbled, he was immediately struck dead by God. David was devastated. He lacked a knowledge of God's ways.

Do you want to see your city transformed? Make sure the ingredients of prayer, humility, unity and knowledge of God's ways exist in your leadership team.

Thoughts on John 9:12-31

Thoughts on John 9:12-31 by Martin G. Collins

"Then they said to him, Where is He? He said, I do not know.
(13) They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. (14) Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. (15) Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” (16) Therefore some of the Pharisees said, 'This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.' Others said, 'How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?' And there was a division among them. (17) They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” (18) But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. (19) And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” (20) His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; (21) but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” (22) His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. (23) Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” (24) So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.” (25) He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” (26) Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” (27) He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?” (28) Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. (29) We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.” (30) The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! (31) Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him."

Knowledge plays a part in the man's healing; this theme is suggested by the fact that each of the parties claim both to know and not to know something. Since the claims and the reasons for them differ, the contrasts highlight their various types of knowledge. By their questioning, the Pharisees try to discredit the man's testimony, attempting to find a cause to brand the healing a fraud and to attack Jesus (verse 19). They imply that the parents should stop lying and come clean (verses 20-21). Yet, the parents affirm two facts: that the healed man was indeed their son and that he was born blind. They knew this, and they were not afraid to affirm it.

Conversely, they denied knowing how he came to see and who did the miracle. Why do they not acknowledge what they know of Christ's role in the healing? “They feared the Jews.” They know that the leaders would excommunicate anyone who confessed Jesus as the Messiah. The parents simply did not want to get involved. They were afraid to acknowledge what had been revealed to them.

This is an accurate picture of many today.

The truths of Christianity have been proclaimed to them—perhaps by parents, friends, or the church. Intellectually, they know and even believe these truths, but they will not admit them. They are afraid to acknowledge Christ for fear of the consequences.

WHITE HOUSE UPDATE

WHITE HOUSE UPDATE
The White House offers an update to how policies and actions are being crafted to assist American families during this time. Here are some major points of their effort:

President Trump signed historic legislation to provide direct payments to Americans and significantly expand unemployment benefits.

The Administration negotiated legislation which will provide tax credits for eligible businesses that give paid leave to Americans affected by the virus.

President Trump put a 60 day pause on immigration to protect American workers as we face this challenge as a nation.

The Department of Labor issued guidance to help inform Americans about the paid family and medical leave available to them.

The Administration took action to provide more flexibility in unemployment insurance programs for workers impacted by the coronavirus.

The Treasury Department moved tax day from April 15 to July 15.

President Trump signed legislation providing funding and flexibility for emergency nutritional aid for senior citizens, women, children, and low-income families.

USDA announced new flexibilities to allow meal service during school closures.

USDA announced a new collaboration with the private sector to deliver nearly 1,000,000 meals a week to students in rural schools closed due to the coronavirus.

USDA launched a partnership with Panera Bread and the Children’s Hunger Alliance to provide meals to children across Ohio, with more states to come.

HHS has announced $250 million in grants to help communities provide meals for seniors.

The Administration is halting foreclosures and evictions for families with FHA-insured mortgages.

The Department of Labor announced up to $100 million in dislocated worker grants in response to the coronavirus national health emergency.

The White House worked with the private sector to launch a central website where families, students, and educators can access online education technologies.

President Trump signed legislation to provide continuity in educational benefits for veterans and their families who attend schools that have had to switch to online learning.

The Department of Education has given broad approval to colleges and universities to allow them to more easily move their classes online.

The Department of Education set interest rates on all federally-held student loans to 0% for at least 60 days.

The Department of Education announced borrowers will have the option to suspend their payments on federally-held student loans for at least two months.

The Department of Education is providing waivers for federal testing requirements to states that have had to close schools.

The Department of Education announced over $6 billion in emergency grants to be distributed immediately to help college students impacted by the virus.

The Department of Education announced nearly $3 billion in funding available to governors to ensure education continues for students of all ages impacted by the coronavirus.

The President has directed the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council to focus on supporting underserved communities impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

The President announced a $19 billion relief program for farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus.

Thoughts on Today's Verse

"But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul." Deuteronomy 4:29

Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware

When was the last time you truly searched after God?

I'm not talking about an obscure theological insight about God or another best selling book about God. When was the last time you sought after the Father so that you could know him better and appreciate him more?

Let's open our hearts and go on the Great Quest to find God. Like the prodigal son in Luke 15, we will find he's waiting and watching for us to come home!

My Prayer...

Precious Heavenly Father, majestic in glory, awesome in might, and ever near with your loving presence, please bless me with a deeper and more personal knowledge and experience of you in my life. Until the day I can see you face to face in heaven, please draw me closer and closer to you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Your Humor for Today

Your Humor for Today
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.” Charles M. Schulz

Mark 8:36

"What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet lose his own soul?" Mark 8:36

Treasure

The treasure depicted below is nowhere near as valuable as the treasure of God's love and salvation as evidenced to us through the propitiatory life, death and resurrection of JESUS CHRIST that saves us from our sin.

Prayer at Work

Prayer at Work

From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman

April 28, 2020

"Epaphras, who Paul states to the Colossians 'is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus. . . . He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured'" (Colossians 4:12).

Many of us have been entrenched in the "secular versus sacred" model for so long that it can be difficult for us to view our responsibility to share our faith wherever we are -- including in our workplace -- to see ourselves as missionaries in the 9 to 5 Window. However, God tells us clearly that we are to glorify God in all that we do (see Colossians 3:17, 24). Having people pray for us to fulfill our purpose and calling is consistent with the will of God for every individual.

While the idea of a workplace intercessor may be a new concept for us, we need to remember the examples we find in the New Testament of believers praying for one another such as Epaphras in the scripture above.

Colin Ferreira is a friend, a board member for our ministry, and an owner of an optical business in Trinidad. I first met Colin in 2001 when he invited me to speak at a Caribbean workplace conference that he was organizing. I have watched Colin develop into a Kingdom business leader.

Through a series of struggles common to most businesses, Colin began to recognize the need for more prayer coverage. One of the organizations for which he had been supplying financial and leadership support maintained a prayer ministry. Colin asked the minister who headed the organization to intercede for him and his company on an ongoing basis, and she gladly agreed.

The two met periodically to discuss prayer needs and critical issues developing within the organization, which the minister then addressed discreetly in her intercessory group meetings. Often, this woman would recognize specific problems during these prayer meetings and know how to pray for them effectively.

Is prayer a regular part of your time with God? Are you in relationship with others who are praying for you? Are you praying for others?

Earth-Shaking Forgiveness

Earth-Shaking Forgiveness by Scott DeVries
Scripture Reading: Matthew 27:45-56

"The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (by the hand of God). . . . The earth shook . . . and the tombs broke open. . . . People who had died were raised to life . . . and went into the holy city." Matthew 27:50-52

When Jesus gave up his spirit—when he died—it set off a chain reaction, from the tearing of the temple curtain from top to bottom, to people rising from their tombs and entering the holy city.

The beginning and end of this chain of events are significant.

The temple curtain, which separated God’s holiness from the world, tore open. And people who were dead—which, according to the law, meant they were unclean—entered the holy city.

Matthew is showing that Jesus’ death changed the relationship of the holy God to the world. Previously God and the world were kept apart—at least symbolically. But now things would be different. The curtain of separation was torn from top to bottom, showing that God Himself had opened the Holy of Holies so that mankind could enter.

Jesus dies to cleanse us of sin and make us worthy to approach our Holy God At the moment Jesus died on the cross, our sins were paid for. That’s earth-shaking, rock-shattering news. We’re not guilty anymore. He took our guilt upon himself.

Since we are no longer guilty, God doesn’t have to protect us from his holiness. Do you ever think some things are too good for you? Well, thanks to Jesus, even God is no longer too good for you—that’s what the torn curtain means for us.

Many of the neighbors around my former church told me they felt they were too sinful—too unclean, you might say—to ­visit our church. Nope. “Unclean” bodies from the tomb went into the holy city. Jesus’ death provides all the cleansing that anyone will ever need.

Dear Jesus, thank you for forgiving all my sins. Thank you for dying so that I could be in your presence and with your people. Amen.

Today in History

Today in History
1945
Benito Mussolini Executed

On April 28, 1945, “Il Duce,” Benito Mussolini, and his mistress, Clara Petacci, were shot by Italian partisans who had captured the couple as they attempted to flee to Switzerland.

The 61-year-old deposed former dictator of Italy was established by his German allies as the figurehead of a puppet government in northern Italy during the German occupation toward the close of the war.

As the Allies fought their way up the Italian peninsula, defeat of the Axis powers all but certain, Mussolini considered his options. Not wanting to fall into the hands of either the British or the Americans, and knowing that the communist partisans, who had been fighting the remnants of roving Italian fascist soldiers and thugs in the north, would try him as a war criminal, he settled on escape to a neutral country.

He and his mistress made it to the Swiss border, only to discover that the guards had crossed over to the partisan side. Knowing they would not let him pass, he disguised himself in a Luftwaffe coat and helmet, hoping to slip into Austria with some German soldiers. His subterfuge proved incompetent, and he and Petacci were discovered by partisans and shot, their bodies then transported by truck to Milan, where they were hung upside down and displayed publicly for revilement by the masses.

Quote from President James Monroe

"When the people become ignorant & corrupt ... they become the willing instruments of their own ... ruin" President James Monroe

All Things for Our Good

All Things For Our Good by Dr. D. James Kennedy
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28

Have you ever looked back on a difficult time in your life and been amazed at how, in an entirely unforeseen way, it turned out positively? As we go through life, God operates behind the scenes, working everything for good on behalf of those who love Him. We may not recognize it in this lifetime, but when we get to Heaven and God replays the pictures of our lives, we’ll discover the positive end to each trial we’ve endured.

I hope you’ll claim this truth today. I hope you know God has everything under His control, even the chaotic times in your life. He has a plan for everything you undergo. You may face an avalanche of trial, trouble, and tribulation. Maybe you face it even today. Anyone in that situation would feel discouraged. I have often found myself in the deep, dark pit of despair and discouragement, wondering how I’d ever get out.

But in those times God encourages me by reminding me of His promise: He works everything for good. We must view everything that comes our way, even the most difficult situations, through the filter of God’s love.

I invite you to do that today, whatever trial you face. Remember that God has a perspective on your problems that you can’t see as a limited human being here on earth. Be encouraged that God can see the big picture and that He’ll put the pieces of your life together to an end far beyond your wildest dreams.

The Integrity Test

Not Sure What to Do? Use the Integrity Test. by Rick Warren

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” Proverbs 10:9

When it comes to making decisions—big or small—the Bible offers plenty of wisdom. One principle it offers over and over again is what I call the Integrity Test.

When you’re making a decision, ask yourself, “Would I want everyone to know about this decision?”

If the thought of other people finding out about your decision worries you, then you’re probably making the wrong decision. Bad decisions lead to secrecy, and that kind of secret always leads to pain in your life.

The Bible says: “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out” (Proverbs 10:9).

Notice it doesn’t say “might be found out” or even “probably will be found out.” You will be found out!

You’ve seen how this happens. You’re about to make a bad choice. You know it’s wrong, but you think, “I’ll go ahead and do it because no one will ever know.”

Then, as soon as the decision is made, you think, “Somebody’s going to find out!” And you feel the fear that comes from that. That’s when you’ve violated the Integrity Test.

When you have integrity, your public life and your private life match. What’s in your heart is the same as what other people see on the outside. What you say and what you do are in harmony.

The truth is, when it comes to integrity, you may fool everyone else, but you can’t fool yourself. And if you violate your own conscience, you have to pay for that.

James 4:17 says, “Knowing what is right to do and then not doing it is sin."

When making a decision, ask yourself: Can I do this with a clear conscience?

Violating your conscience is a big mistake. God will forgive you for the wrong you do. But forgiveness doesn’t free you from the consequences of bad decisions.

You can be forgiven and still have regrets. You can be forgiven and still face pain. You can be forgiven and still have broken relationships.

Many decisions you make are clear-cut. But what about those where it’s harder to know right from wrong? The Bible speaks to that, too: “If someone believes it is wrong, then he shouldn’t do it because for him it is wrong” (Romans 14:14).

It’s simple: When in doubt, don’t. Whatever is not from faith in your life is sin.

The next time you’re faced with a decision, follow the Integrity Test.

Ask:
Am I okay with other people finding out about this decision?
Can I make this choice with a clear conscience?
Do I believe this is wrong?

God’s given you the wisdom of the Bible and of your conscience because he loves you. The Integrity Test will help keep you on the path that God knows is for your good.

Thaddai Barthoma Speaks

Thaddai Barthoma

April 25 at 7:18 PM

Breaking news

Japan's Nobel prize winning Professor of Medicine, Professor Dr Tasuku Honjo, created a sensation today by saying that the Coronavirus is not natural.

"If it is natural, it wouldn't have adversely affected the entire world like this. Because, as per nature, temperature is different in different countries. If it is natural, it would adversely affect only those countries having the same temperature as China. Instead, it is spreading in a country like Switzerland, in the same way it is spreading in the desert areas. Whereas if it were natural, it would have spread in cold places, but died in hot places.

I have done 40 years of research on animals and viruses. It is not natural. It is manufactured and the virus is completely artificial. I have worked for 4 years in the Wuhan laboratory in China. I am fully acquainted with all the staff of that laboratory. I have been phoning them all, after the Coronavirus surfaced. But all their phones are dead for the last 3 months. It is now understood that all these lab technicians have died.

Based on all my knowledge and research till date, I can say this with 100% confidence - That the Coronavirus is not natural. It did not come from bats. China manufactured it. If what I am saying today is proved false now or even after my death, the government can withdraw my Nobel Prize. China is lying and this truth will one day be revealed to everyone".

Join the Fight!

Join the Fight!

ACT for America is proud to announce our Made in the USA Campaign, dedicated to help bring business back to America and promote others to buy products Made in the USA!

ACT for America Founder and Chairman, Brigitte Gabriel, believes it is a national security priority for medical supplies, military equipment, and food to be Made in the USA!

Thoughts on Today's Verse

"They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen." Acts 4:28

Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware

The cross of Golgotha, the sacrifice of Jesus for our sin, was no after-thought, mistake, or revised formula. Jesus came as God's anointed, his holy Messiah, to die for the sins of the people and bring life and immortality to us.

Those who were evil and conspired to kill him to keep their place and their position were doing only what God knew they would do; he just ransomed what was intended for evil by a few and made it the source of salvation for all.

My Prayer...

Almighty God and loving Father, thank you for your awesome sacrifice that fulfills your demand for justice and allows you to dispense your rich mercy and grace.

Thank you Jesus, in whose name I pray, for your loving sacrifice, your holy example, and your promise to return for me. Amen.

A Great Awakening is Coming

A Great Awakening is Coming by Mike Evans
(or “What 34-year old note prophesying a plague in New York is tucked in your Bible?”) by Jessica Renshaw

The following is from Dr. Mike Evans, journalist, commentator, and the head of several international non-profit organizations in the U.S. and Netherlands. He has written 71 books and has provided analysis and commentary on Middle East affairs for a variety of media:

“God has given me a word that has shaken me to my knees.

“As I was working on this revelation that God put in my heart, I picked up an old Bible, and a handwritten note fell out. It was from a meeting I had with Dr. David Wilkerson* at the Embassy Suites near the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport on a Tuesday in 1986 when we were having breakfast. The letter he wrote was addressed to Rev. Richard Dortch, who ran PTL* under Jim Bakker.

“It said, ‘Within 12 months from the date of this letter, the judgment of God will fall on PTL. You are fornicating with brick and stone. Flee now and repent. Bats will fly through the empty building.’

“It was exactly 12 months to the day that the Charlotte Observer broke the PTL scandal story.

“In that meeting in 1986, Dr. Wilkerson said something else to me:

“’I see a plague coming on the world, and the bars and churches and government will shut down. The plague will hit New York City and shake it as it has never been shaken. The plague is going to force prayer-less believers into radical prayer and into their Bibles, and repentance will be the cry from the man of God in the pulpit. And out of it will come a third Great Awakening that will sweep America and the world.’”

*American Christian evangelist, best known for his book The Cross and the Switchblade. He was the founder of the addiction recovery program Teen Challenge, and founding pastor of the non-denominational Times Square Church in New York City.

**The PTL Club, also known as The Jim and Tammy Show, was a Christian television program that was first hosted by evangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. It ran from 1974 to 1989. PTL stands for “Praise The Lord” or “People That Love.”

To download a transcript of this message from Dr. Mike Evans and prophecy from Dr. Wilkerson, click here: Dr. Mike Evans Message and Dr. Wilkerson Prophecy.

Your Humor for Today

Your Humor for Today

“I haven’t spoken to my wife in years. I didn’t want to interrupt her.” Rodney Dangerfield

Important Issues

"Some important and far-reaching issues will be decided in Washington in the near future, I want to make sure we make healthcare work for patients, and socialized medicine does not work. I want to ensure our families and communities thrive—to do that we must protect our constitutional freedoms." Chuck Dietzen, MD and congressional candidate

Jonah 2:6

"You, Lord, brought my life up from the pit." Jonah 2:6

Prayer

Prayer by Sujay Samuel

God of all Truth, I spend much time thinking, planning and worrying about my life, although Your word says that even when I plan my course in my heart, it is You who establishes my steps.

Help me to make You the center of my planning. I can do nothing without You giving me the strength carry it out. I can plan nothing without You giving me the mind to plan it. The desires of my heart can only be satisfied in You. Direct my steps, Lord, to follow You.

Father, I bow before You. Hallowed be Your Name. Let YOUR Kingdom come, let Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

I specifically ask You, Dear Father, to heal and restore this world from the deadly coronavirus. I look to YOU, Almighty God, for not only my personal salvation, but for he salvation of the people of the world as they place their lives at the feet of Jesus.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, I pray. .Amen.

Quote from Anonymous

"Will we let fear and darkness overwhelm us, or will we choose to shine the light of hope?" Anonymous

Unrighteous Acts

Unrighteous Acts
From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman
April 27, 2020

..."Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?" - Nehemiah 5:9

Nehemiah was the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes in Babylon. Jerusalem's walls had been destroyed and word had come to Nehemiah that the remnant of his people left in Jerusalem were distressed over the plight of the wall.

Nehemiah was grieved over this situation. He appealed to his king for permission to rebuild the wall. When he got to the city, he found many problems among his own people, due to an economic crisis in the region, even though it was unlawful for Hebrews to charge interest to other Hebrews.

Among the classes affected by the economic crisis were:

(1) the landless, who were short of food
(2) the landowners, who were compelled to mortgage their properties
(3) those forced to borrow money at exorbitant rates and sell their children into slavery

"Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our countrymen and though our sons are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others" (Nehemiah 5:5).

Nehemiah stepped forward to admonish his people for this wrongful action on the basis that not only was it wrong, but God would respond to such action by making them susceptible to His judgment through the Gentile enemies.

Nehemiah was modeling to each of us a spiritual principle regarding sin. Whenever we sin, we give God permission to unleash the enemy into our souls to deal with that sin.

Nehemiah understood this principle and warned the people of what this action would encourage from God. The people repented and returned the money gained through usury.

As Christian believers we must make sure that our practices are righteous in God's sight. If not, we can expect the enemy to be released to judge that sin.

Ask the Lord today if there is any unrighteousness in your practices that make you vulnerable to judgment.

Forgiven, We Set the Table

Forgiven, We Set the Table by Scott DeVries
Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:17-30“Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:27-28

Before Jesus died, God’s people sacrificed a lamb each year during the Feast of Passover to remind them that God brought them out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12). Jesus' death took place at the beginning of Passover—when God’s people were sacrificing their lambs.

This shows that Jesus’ death is the once-for-all sacrifice of God to save his people from their slavery to sin. Now we remember Jesus’ sacrifice by celebrating the Lord’s Supper, instituted by Jesus the night before he died.

We call this communion, the Lord’s Supper, or Eucharist (which means “thanksgiving”). It is a celebration, but it is also a confession that we need to be forgiven. Matthew highlights this point as Jesus says that his blood is “poured out . . . for the forgiveness of sins.”

Notice also that the disciples were the ones who prepared the meal. They gathered and prepared the food and set the table—as we also do for communion today.

Every time we take the bread and the cup, we remember together that we are sinners who needed Jesus to die for us. We had to set that table—we needed his sacrifice. But in the Lord’s Supper our guilt is met by the saving grace of God. And as we eat and drink, we are assured that God’s saving grace overcomes our guilt because of Jesus’ sacrifice.

Dear Jesus, I am sorry for my sins. Thank you for dying in my place so that I could be forgiven. Your love is unquestionable. Amen.

Ring the Bells

Ring the Bells by Dr. D. James Kennedy
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name.” Psalm 103:1

Think for just a moment of two things. First, when was the last time you asked God to give you something? Got it in mind? Now, when was the last time you praised God just because of Who He is?

So often we get on our knees and pray, “O Lord, bless my soul.” We constantly ask God to touch our lives. In contrast, the psalmist who wrote Psalm 103 got on his knees and said, “O my soul, bless the Lord.” A complete antithesis. Why? Because the psalmist was in the “graduate school” of prayer. He had risen to that elevated atmosphere of praise and adoration. As we read the rest of the Psalms we find everywhere the same note of praise: “Praise the Lord.” “Give thanks unto the Lord for He is good.”

Do your prayers begin in a similar fashion?

Such an element of praise and adoration, I believe, can change our lives completely. How? First, it will make a difference because we will become much more pleasing to our Father . . . and that will be the beginning of some wonderful things. Second, we should ring the bells of praise not only for God’s sake but also for the sake of others. Praise draws people to God, even as ringing church bells filter over the community and draw people to hear the Gospel. We need to become a steeple set with bells. We need to ring out the happy bells of thanksgiving, the golden bells of praise, until the whole world abounds with the echoes of that sound.

What praise can you “ring” to God today? Unbelievers yearn for real joy and praise, and when we express gratitude and praise to God, those unbelievers will be drawn to Christ. So today ring the bells of praise.

"If Christians praised God more, the world would doubt Him less." Charles Jefferson

Today in History

Today in History
4977 B.C.
Universe Created, According to Kepler

On April 27, 4977 B.C., the universe was created, according to German mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler, considered a founder of modern science. Kepler is best known for his theories explaining the motion of planets.

Kepler was born on December 27, 1571, in Weil der Stadt, Germany. As a university student, he studied the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus’ theories of planetary ordering. Copernicus (1473-1543) believed that the sun, not the earth, was the center of the solar system, a theory that contradicted the prevailing view of the era that the sun revolved around the earth.

In 1600, Kepler went to Prague to work for Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, the imperial mathematician to Rudolf II, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

Kepler’s main project was to investigate the orbit of Mars. When Brahe died the following year, Kepler took over his job and inherited Brahe’s extensive collection of astronomy data, which had been painstakingly observed by the naked eye. Over the next decade, Kepler learned about the work of Italian physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), who had invented a telescope with which he discovered lunar mountains and craters, the largest four satellites of Jupiter and the phases of Venus, among other things. Kepler corresponded with Galileo and eventually obtained a telescope of his own and improved upon the design.

In 1609, Kepler published the first two of his three laws of planetary motion, which held that planets move around the sun in ellipses, not circles (as had been widely believed up to that time), and that planets speed up as they approach the sun and slow down as they move away. In 1619, he produced his third law, which used mathematic principles to relate the time a planet takes to orbit the sun to the average distance of the planet from the sun.

Kepler’s research was slow to gain widespread traction during his lifetime, but it later served as a key influence on the English mathematician Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727) and his law of gravitational force.

Additionally, Kepler did important work in the fields of optics, including demonstrating how the human eye works, and math.

He died on November 15, 1630, in Regensberg, Germany.

As for Kepler’s calculation about the universe’s birthday, scientists in the 20th century developed the Big Bang theory, which showed that his calculations were off by about 13.7 billion years.

Use the Light of God’s Word

Use the Light of God’s Word by Rick Warren
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105

There’s no doubt about it. Today we’re faced with more decisions than ever before. We live in a multiple-choice culture.

And decisions are significant. Sometimes even little decisions are like the hinges that let a giant door swing—they seem so small but can completely change the direction of your life.

When I was in college, I decided at the last minute to go to a meeting. I arrived late and sat in the back row. The only other person in that row was a woman named Kay. After the meeting, I asked her out on a date. And eight days later we were engaged. A seemingly insignificant decision shaped the direction of my whole life.

Since decisions matter so much, we must be wise in how we make them. The book of Proverbs says: “If you want better insight and discernment . . . learn the importance of reverence for the Lord and of trusting him . . . He shows how to distinguish right from wrong, how to find the right decision every time” (Proverbs 2:3-5, 9).

How do you listen to God when making a decision? Look at his Word. I like to call this the Ideal Test. Do your decisions and actions line up with God’s will? Are they in harmony with God’s Word?

You have two choices about who your ultimate authority will be: the world or God’s Word—what other people say or what God says.

If you base your decisions on current popular opinion, you’ll always be on shaky ground because culture changes every day. On the other hand, if you base your decisions on God’s Word, you’ll have a solid foundation because his truth never changes.

Recently I went up into the attic of our house. The attic light had burned out. I was walking around in the dark and kept bumping my head. “I need a flashlight,” I thought. Sometimes when you’re making a decision, you may feel like you’re bumping around in the dark. Fortunately, God’s given you a flashlight: the Bible.

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."

And when the light of God’s Word makes your choice clear, just obey—even if you don’t understand. I don’t understand electricity, but that doesn’t stop me from turning on lights and watching my television. I don’t understand the physics of internal combustion, but I still drive a car.

You don’t need to understand why God says what he does in the Bible to benefit from it. You just need to obey his instruction and follow his principles. He gives his instructions for your benefit, and you’ll be blessed as a result of following them.

Thoughts on Today's Verse

"Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." Proverbs 4:27

Thoughts on Today's Verse by Phil Ware

When I see someone swerving in and out of their lane of traffic, I immediately go into a defensive driving mode. Whether they are drunk, sleepy, or just plain careless, I know they are dangerous. God wants us to know the same is true of us when we allow ourselves to wander by and sample every form of temptation available. Let's stick to the straight and narrow with our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus!

My Prayer...

Loving Father, please forgive me for being so easily distracted by sinful temptations. Please give me wisdom to see the things that the evil one has designed for me and avoid them and resist them. Please make Jesus, his costly sacrifice, and his holy life very real to me today, and every day, as I seek to be your holy child in the corrupt world in which I live. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Your Humor for Today

Your Humor for Today

“Halloween is the beginning of the holiday shopping season. That’s for women. The beginning of the holiday shopping season for men is Christmas Eve.” David Letterman

Psalm 34:8

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34:8

Quote from Joel C. Rosenberg

"Israel is leading the league in battling this pandemic. With far lower death toll than comparably-sized countries, Israel begins to cautiously re-boot the economy and re-open society." Joel C. Rosenberg

Pray

Annie Garrett

April 5 at 7:21 AM

Can you imagine the weight this man is feeling right now? I have only a wife that depends on me daily, yet on some days my stress level is through the roof and I feel like the weight of the world is all on me. When he signed up for this role (without pay) He was willing to take on the job, but the magnitude of what we’re currently experiencing has got to be paralyzing. This is possibly the first time he has ever felt powerless over something. To some, nothing he does is ever right or good enough and i understand that, but do you ever wonder how he must be dealing with it all? When his head finally hits the pillow at night after press conferences, the scrutiny of the media, countless meetings, the endless negative and derogatory comments thrown at him, and constantly trying to defend himself and protect our country.
Does he break down and cry from all the pressure?
Is he scared and confused?
Is he even able to sleep?
Can he shut his mind off at all?
Or does he lay there and talk to God all night praying for strength and answers?
Whether he’s making you proud or not, look at this photo and ask God to soften your heart just a litte bit and lift this man up in prayer. He needs them right now more than ever. He is carrying the weight of OUR country on his shoulders and I don’t think anybody could or would want to be in his position right now.
Feel free to share this post and remind everyone to be kind(to everyone) and to pray for President Trump and for the entire world

Mocking GOD Isn't a Good Idea

Mocking GOD Isn't a Good Idea

A man of 32 years, was smoking, while smoking his cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said: 'God, that's for you.' He died later that year of LUNG CANCER
.
After the construction of Titanic, a reporter asked the man who built it how safe the Titanic would be.
With an ironic tone he said: 'Not even God can sink it'
The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic

Marilyn Monroe (Actress)
She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show. He said the Spirit of God had sent him to speak to her about salvation through Christ.
After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said:
'I don't need your Jesus'.
A week later, she was found dead in her apartment

Bon Scott (Singer)
The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC. On one of his 1979 songs he sang, 'Don't stop me; I'm going down all the way, down the highway to hell'.
On the 19th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead, he had been choked by his own vomit.

Campinas (IN 2005)
In Campinas , Brazil a group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a friend.....
The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter holding her hand, who was already seated in the car:
'My Daughter, Go With God And May He Protect You.'
She responded: 'Only If He (God) Travels In The Trunk, Cause Inside Here.....It's Already Full '
Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal accident, everyone had died, the car could not be recognized what type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the trunk was intact.
The police said there was no way the trunk could have remained intact. To their surprise, inside the trunk was a crate of eggs,
none was broken

Christine Hewitt (Jamaican Journalist & entertainer) said the Bible (Word of God) was the worst book ever written.
In June 2006 she was found burnt beyond recognition in her motor vehicle.

Many more important people have forgotten that there is no other name that was given so much authority as the name of Jesus.

Many have died, but only Jesus died and rise again, and he is still alive....

'Jesus' is the only name given under Heaven whereby mankind might be saved.

Here is Bishop T..D. Jakes '8 Second Prayer.' Just repeat this prayer and see how God moves!!

'Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen.'

May we add, 'Lord, deliver Your people, our land, this world from the scourge of the coronavirus. In Your mighty, matchless name we pray, Jesus. Amen."