Pray for Rimsha

Pray for 11-year old Christian girl Rimsha Masih.

She is being held in a Pakistani jail under threat of death because she allegedly was in possession of some burned religious materials - including parts of the Koran. This case comes under Pakistan's harsh blasphemy laws.

Rimsha Masih has Down's Syndrome!

She has been denied bail 'for her own safety"as authorities feel that her release would endanger her life and that of her family. Many enraged Muslins are calling for her to be burned alive. Many of Rimsha's family, and other Christians in the area have been taken into protective custody, or have left the area (the Christian section of Islamabad).

Rimsha Masih

Update on Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani:

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani remains on death row for sharing his faith. He has been in prison since October 13, 2009

Youcef Nadarkhani and his two sons

Also: Pastor Behnam Irani
Pastor Irani is suffering terribly in an Iranian jail for preaching the Gospel in Iran. He has been severely beaten while serving out his sentence at Karaj's Ghezel Prison after his arrest in 2011. Pastor Irani is under a death sentence.

Pastor Behnam Irani

All the "Spirit of" Names of the Holy Spirit

Here are 24 "Spirit of" names of the Holy Spirit - if you put them all together, they describe Him beautifully:

He is the Spirit of God - Gen. 41:38; 1Cor. 6:11                                  

He is the Spirit of Judgment and Fire - Is. 4:4        

He is the Spirit of Wisdom - Is. 11:2                           

He is the Spirit of Counsel & Power - Is. 11:2          

He is the Spirit of Knowledge - Is. 11:2                      

He is the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord - Is. 11:2        

He is the Spirit of Justice - Is. 28:6                              

He is the Spirit of the (Sovereign) Lord - Is. 61:1; Micah 2:7      

He is the Spirit of Grace - Zech. 12:10; Heb 10:29                                

He is the Spirit of the Father - Matt. 10:20                        

He is the Spirit of Truth - Jn. 14:17; 16:13                                

He is the Spirit of Jesus - Acts 16:7; Phil. 1:19                                

He is the Spirit of Holiness - Rom. 1:4                          

He is the Spirit of Life - Rom. 8:2                                    

He is the Spirit of Christ - Rom. 8:9                                

He is the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus - Rom. 8:11  

He is the Spirit of Adoption/Sonship - Rom. 8:15          

He is the Spirit of Supplication - Rom. 8:26-27                    

He is the Spirit of the Living God - 2Cor. 3:3                

He is the Spirit of Faith - 2Cor. 4:13                                

He is the Spirit of His Son - Gal. 4:6                            

He is the Spirit of Wisdom/Revelation - Eph. 1:17        

He is the Spirit of Glory - 1Pet. 4:14                                

He is the Spirit of Prophecy - Rev. 19:10  

These are not the totality of Holy Spirit names, but they are some of the key descriptions of His person and function.                      

  

Noble People - Noble Plans

Most dictionaries will tell you that a noble person is one who is born into nobility. While that might be the case in some kingdoms, in the Kingdom of God, nobility is not determined by our birth but by our life - how we live and how unassailable our character is.

These 9 qualities of a noble character are found in Galatians 5:22:

Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-Control

There are so many things we could possibly add here, but no greater list of honor and integrity has ever been assembled before or since. These 9 attributes can make ordinary people noble and great people extraordinary.

There is something special about Bible verses that mention a single for three times - here is a great verse about noble people who make noble plans:

Isaiah 32:8

But the noble man makes noble plans,

and by noble deeds he stands. (NIV)

Isaiah 32:8

But the noble-hearted man has noble purposes,

and by these he will be guided. (BBE)

Noble plans –

Plans that are inspired by God

Plans that give glory to God

Plans that build the Kingdom of God

Plans that build blessing, nobility and dignity into others

Plans that are bigger than your ability to make happen—they require great faith

Plans that pursue wise counsel (you may make mistakes)

Plans filled with expectancy

Plans filled with faithfulness

Plans filled with peace and patience

Plans filled with integrity

Plans filled with excellence

Plans that will cause you to complete what you start

Dreams fulfilled help others fulfill their dreams

(Anne Romney at the Republican Convention in Tampa Florida Aug. 28 2012)

We have never been victims of destiny -

we have always been masters of our own (destiny)

(Chris Christie at the Republican Convention in Tampa Florida Aug. 28 2012)

7 Things to Ascribe to the Lord

Look at this fabulous song form the angels - they tell us seven things that we should pour out upon the Lord in worship - even though the Lord has all these things to their fullest extent:

Rev. 5:12
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive:
power
and riches
and wisdom
and strength
and honor
and glory,
and blessing!

The Lord is worshiped by us declaring His 7-fold perfect attributes. This is how we give to the Lord the glory that is due to Him - we describe His beauty and glory and stand amazed as He reveals layer after layer of Himself.

In this passage there are ten thousand times ten thousand angels who sing this sing to the Lord. Just imagine this number of angelic beings crying out with loud voices! None of them are redeemed like we are, and yet they seem to lead all creation in this extreme worship. Look at the response of creation - including all people from all denominations and nations:

13

And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!"
14 Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

Notice that the Lord finds this loud, passionate and extreme worship to be "normal." He doesn't have a separate section out to the side for all the shy people, the Baptists, or the English who want al things to be done in a "proper" manner. No, all this is acceptable for all people of all nations, generations and denominations.

The elders fall down prostrate and worship the Lord, while every living thing on earth and in the sea cry out the same song of worship.

Give Him Praise For His:

Power = omnipotence
Riches = active charity, goodness and kindness
Wisdom = omniscience
Strength = power
Honor = the highest reputation
Glory = resplendent beauty, magnificence
Blessing = Thanksgiving from the whole of creation

Worship Arts Conservatory

A new class "Worship, Prayer and Meditation" will begin on September 3rd at our school:

Worship Arts Conservatory.

You can access these classes from anywhere in the world - all you need is an internet connection.

Go to Worship Arts Conservatory for more info:

Blessings From Obedience

Blessings that come from obedience:

• It will go well with you and your children—Deut. 12:28; Jer. 28:20; 42:6; Acts 6:1–2

   • God will bless you—Deut. 15:5–6; 28:1–6

   • You will be God’s special and holy people—Deut. 26:16–19; 28:9

   • Your enemies will be defeated and will flee 7 ways—Deut. 28:7

   • You will prosper at everything you set your hand to—Deut. 28:1–14; Job 36:11

   • You will have rain for your land–Deut. 28:12

   • You will have finances enough to lend to others—Deut. 28:12

   • God will put curses on your enemies—Deut. 30:7

   • Your rulers will follow the Lord—1 Sam. 12:14

   • God will be our God, and things will go well for you—Jer. 7:23; 11:4

   • God’s heart will turn towards you—Jer. 26:13

   • People from far away will come to build the house of the Lord—Zech. 6:15

   • You will be a friend of God—John 15:14

   • You will have the Holy Spirit given to you—Acts 5:32

   • Your obedience will lead to righteousness—Rom. 6:16

   • You will receive salvation—Heb. 5:9

Crazy Quotes

"Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances."

--Department of Social Services, Greenville , South Carolina

"Traditionally, most of Australia 's imports come from overseas."

--Keppel Enderbery

"If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their heart throughout the night. And the next morning, when they wake up dead, there'll be a record."

--Mark S. Fowler, FCC Chairman

"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.."

--Al Gore, Vice President

"Half this game is ninety percent mental."

--Philadelphia Phillies manager, Danny Ozark

"That lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death by a jackass, and I'm just the one to do it,"

--A congressional candidate in Texas ...

"Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country,"

--Mayor Marion Barry, Washington , DC . 

"I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body,"

--Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky basketball forward.

"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life,"

-- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for federal anti-smoking campaign

(On September 17, 1994, Alabama's Heather Whitestone was selected as Miss America 1995.)

Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?

Answer: "I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever,"

--Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest.