SIGN NEW PETITION - (Jan. 27) American Pastor Saheed Abidini - An Iranian leader has said that clemency for the pastor after almost 1 and 1/2 years being falsely imprisoned. Please sign this new petition at: http://beheardproject.com/ 2/6 - PRAISE GOD that after pastor Abedini has been unjustly imprisoned for over a year and a half, President Obama finally spoke out himself for the pastor's release as well as that of Ken Bae from North Korea (see below)!
SIGN A PETITION TO THE UN FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHRISTIANS :" The church in Syria has shone brightly for 2,000 years. But today violence and persecution threatens its survival. Thanks to an incredible response, Open Doors is helping 8,000 families in Syria survive each month. We believe the signatures and prayers of 500,000 people will encourage the UN to act and protect the rights and lives of all Syrians, especially the vulnerable Christian community." Go to: http://lp.opendoorsusa.org/emails/nov-13-action/save-syria.html?utm_source=action&utm_medium=email&utm_content=button&utm_campaign=november
WORLD-WDE PRAYER REQUESTS:
PRAYER ALERT! - Soci, Russia, Olympics -1) TERRORISM THREAT: Let's be sure to be praying for God to move against all who would bring harm to the athletes and others. Pray that the security forces would be effective in rooting out any terrorist plans and preventing them from being carried out. Pray for the families of the athletes who must be very anxious for their loved ones being in harm's way; 2) EVANGELISM EFFORTS: Let's also be praying that the many efforts being made to share the gospel with athletes and visitors to the Olympic Games will be effective in seeing many respond positively and make decisions for Christ. Pray esp. that athletes and visitors from little evangelized countries will take the gospel back with them and share it with others.
Oct. 23: "Christians Fleeing IRAQ Area Once Considered Safe," - CBNNews.com, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/October/Christians-Fleeing-Iraq-Area-Once-Considered-Safe/ PRAY that believers in Iraq will know God's protection and provision; that believers will know[ whether they are called to flee or remain and persevere; and that their persecutors may come to hear the gospel and come to faith in Christ. - Stan]
Continue to Pray for EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]
Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"- CBNNews.com, Aug 14, 2013 http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/ - The United States is willing to engage North Korea to secure the release of imprisoned American Christian Kenneth Bae. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the United States is "willing to consider a number of different options" to bring him home.In a video recently released by a North Korean newspaper, Bae requested the United States send a high-ranking official to North Korea to seek his pardon. It is unclear if he spoke of his own volition in the video. Bae, 45, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for sharing his faith. He suffers health problems such as diabetes and is currently hospitalized.[PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.] Monday,
November 04, 2013 - Saeed's Life in [Greater] Jeopardy After Prison Transfer - CBNNews.com, ; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/November/Saeeds-Life-in-Jeopardy-after-Prison-Transfer/ IRAN - Vigils Mark One Year Imprisonment of Pastor Saeed - CBNNews.com, Thursday, September 26, 2013 - Today marks one-year that American pastor Saeed Abedini has been held in an Iranian prison. He is serving an eight-year sentence because of his Christian faith. It has been a year of torment as he has suffered beatings, physical pain from untreated medical conditions, and separation from his wife and two children... The suffering has not dampened his passion for Jesus. Pastor Abedini has led more than 30 prisoners to Christ during his time in prison. This afternoon, thousands of Americans from coast to coast will pray for his release. Events will be held in 40 states at capitols, city halls, parks and churches. Thousands more will join from 15 nations around the world
November 04, 2013 - Saeed's Life in [Greater] Jeopardy After Prison Transfer - CBNNews.com, ; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/November/Saeeds-Life-in-Jeopardy-after-Prison-Transfer/ IRAN - Vigils Mark One Year Imprisonment of Pastor Saeed - CBNNews.com, Thursday, September 26, 2013 - Today marks one-year that American pastor Saeed Abedini has been held in an Iranian prison. He is serving an eight-year sentence because of his Christian faith. It has been a year of torment as he has suffered beatings, physical pain from untreated medical conditions, and separation from his wife and two children... The suffering has not dampened his passion for Jesus. Pastor Abedini has led more than 30 prisoners to Christ during his time in prison. This afternoon, thousands of Americans from coast to coast will pray for his release. Events will be held in 40 states at capitols, city halls, parks and churches. Thousands more will join from 15 nations around the world
PRAY: - For comfort and peace for Saeed’s wife and children here in the U.S.\
- For a strong witness and testimony from Pastor Abedini in the prison where God has placed him
- For Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ
- BOLDly (Beside Our Leaders Daily) for leadership from the White House and State Department in defending the freedoms of Abedini and other Americans
- GO TO SaveSaeed.org to sign a petition over 600,000 others asking for his immediate release
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"Honest Abe" - February 1, 2014 by WebAdmin, Truth in Action Ministries; --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary by Dr. D. James Kennedy, http://www.truthimpact.me/index.php/2014/02/honest-abe/?src=impactemail20140204&utm_source=TruthInAction&utm_campaign=980dfa36e4-2_4_14_Impact_Newsletter_February_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_67fb03e2fb-980dfa36e4-294381373#.UvujeGJdWxA
In February we celebrate President’s Day. And in honor of that, I’d like to focus on one of the greatest of our Presidents, Abraham Lincoln. As you know, he was called, “Honest Abe.” Now, that’s a most singular fact because, as you may also know, he was a lawyer—and if that is not astonishing enough, he was also a politician!
But there are some interesting things that we read about Lincoln in history. For example, when he was a clerk, he once walked miles to pay back a matter of a few cents, which he had overcharged a customer at his store. As a lawyer, if the opposing counsel forgot some argument or omitted some point in his favor, Lincoln would tell him about it, which helped to gain him the epithet of, “Honest Abe.”
Lincoln’s life has had a tremendous impact upon this nation since his death. It is interesting, I think, that our two greatest Presidents, Washington and Lincoln, were both most famous for their integrity and honesty. It’s their honesty that makes them stand out like snowcapped peaks in the midst of mud-covered foothills. Each learned that honesty at his mother’s knee, as he was taught the Word of God. Mothers, take note. You might have a future famous president on your knee!
Lincoln said that all of the good from the Savior of the world to mankind comes to us through the Bible, and that, except for the Bible, we could not know right from wrong. How obviously true that is today in our schools that, having jettisoned the Bible and God, they now find it impossible to know right from wrong, even as schools in Kentucky are forced to remove the Ten Commandments from their walls lest, as the Supreme Court said, reading those commandments from day to day, the children should be influenced to obey them.
Horrors! We can get along with sex and immorality … with premarital pregnancies … with drugs and alcoholism … with mugging and rape in our schools … with murder of teachers and students … but at least the students aren’t being influenced to obey the Ten Commandments!
We live in a nation which is awash in relativism, has lost sight of absolute morality, and is told day after day by professors and teachers that there is no such thing as absolute truth. We are told that we can’t be sure of anything. In fact, one professor said to his class: “We can’t be absolutely certain of anything!” One of the students said, “Are you certain?” He replied, “Absolutely!”
No wonder we find such high percentages of people who cheat on their taxes, lie to their families and friends, and steal from their employers. Though everyone in the world might agree that it is perfectly all right to lie, cheat, and steal, God is not impressed. Let me remind you, that once in the days of Noah, He destroyed the entire world — except for one family! God believes in absolute truth because He is absolute truth.
I saw a bumper sticker which said, “Christians aren’t better—they’re just forgiven.” Cute, yes, but not true; it’s a heresy. If Christians aren’t better, they’re not forgiven. We’re saved by grace, and we’re changed by grace.“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 kjv).
May God grant that each of us might also be known as “honest Abes.”
[bold and italics emphasis mine]
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