The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has announced
the winners for the 2016 Christian Book Award® program. Presented annually to the finest in Christian publishing since 1978, the Christian Book Award® program honors titles in seven categories: Non-Fiction, New Author, Inspiration, Fiction, Children, Bibles, and Bible Reference. Christian Book Expo 2016 Sometimes life works – and sometimes it doesn’t. But in the ups and downs, the good times and bad, and the trials and triumphs, one thing is constant. One thing always works. ... Pastor Jack Graham takes you straight to the New Testament book of James to show you life-changing biblical truth on subjects like why a Christian worldview is so important to facing trials, how to tame your tongue, and true value as a member of God’s people. My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?
If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. James 2 When Tubman crossed into Pennsylvania's free soil she felt like she had been born again: "I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person now (that) I was free. There was such a glory over everything, the sun came like gold through the trees and over the fields, and I felt like I was in Heaven."
She earned the nickname of 'Moses' because she led so many of her people from bondage in the house of slavery to the promised land of freedom along the Underground Railroad. A woman of deep Christian faith, she followed God's voice and pursued the visions He planted in her heart to achieve true greatness. Soon she will be honored as the first African American to be featured on U.S. currency. Raised on a plantation in Maryland, her mother—a cook in the "big house"—taught her Bible stories. She came to faith in Jesus as her Savior and Lord at her mother's apron strings... Open the Door Alistair Begg Truth for Life What is your desire this evening? Is it focused on heavenly things? Do you long to enjoy the high doctrine of eternal love? Do you desire liberty in very close communion with God? Do you aspire to know the heights and depths and lengths and breadths of His love? Then you must draw near to Jesus; you must get a clear sight of Him in His preciousness and completeness: you must view Him in His work—in His role as prophet, friend, and king—and in His person. He who understands Christ, receives an anointing from the Holy One, by which He knows all things. Christ is the great master-key of all the chambers of God: There is no treasure-house of God that will not open and yield up all its wealth to the soul that lives near to Jesus....
The constant cry of the world is, "Who will show us any good?" They seek satisfaction in earthly comforts, enjoyments, and riches. But the quickened sinner knows of only one good. "I wish I knew where I might find Him!" When he is truly awakened to feel his guilt, if you could lay a fortune before him he would say, "Take it away: I want to find Him."
It is a blessed thing for a man when he has brought his desires into focus, so that they all center in one object. When he has fifty different desires, his heart resembles a stagnant pool spreading out into a marsh, breeding disease; but when all his desires are channeled in one direction, his heart becomes like a river of pure water, running swiftly to fertilize the fields... I’ve heard it told how they catch monkeys in the South Sea Islands: they take a coconut, make a hole in the top, and put a hand full of rice in. A monkey will reach his paw in, take the rice; but then his fist is bigger than the hole, and he can’t withdraw it. Now, when the captor comes, that monkey will scream and plead; but he’ll never let go of the rice. You say, “Foolish monkey!” Well, foolish person, who will not relinquish the sin he is clinging to, that he might have the blessings of God. Foolish person, taken captive by Satan, who will not have power with God because of some handful of rice — some sin, some habit, some grudge — that he holds onto. Let go! Don’t be captive! The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
2 Timothy 2:24-26 In northern Iraq, radical Muslims (ISIS) spray-painted the Arabic letter ن, or “N,” on the homes and businesses of Christians. The property owners were publicly identified as Christ-followers and given a choice to convert to Islam, leave or die. The courageous believers refused to deny their faith, and more than 100,000 fled with little more than the clothes on their backs. Today you can stand with them by making the following commitment: I will not let them suffer in silence. I will not let them serve alone. Become an “N” Christian. Make your commitment to stand with our persecuted brothers and sisters now. Provide your contact information so we can send you a free copy of our new Christians Facing Islamic Extremists guide. Make Your Commitment Secret Church is an intense time of Bible study with teacher and author David Platt. It is simulcast live around the world, to over 60,000 participants —lasting 6+ hours—including a time of prayer for Christian brothers and sisters across the globe who are facing persecution and for those who still have not heard the gospel.
We all have questions when it comes to sharing the gospel with people of different faiths . . . Isn't it intolerant to say that Jesus is the only way to be right with God? Don't all people really serve the same God in different ways? What if I'm not an expert on Islam ... should I still witness to my Muslim friend? Why do I need to know about other religions if I'm not a missionary? What do I need to know about other religions when I'm witnessing to people? Secret Church 2016: "A Global Gospel in a World of Religions" During the next Secret Church, David Platt will explore the claims of Christ in the gospel and consider how these claims both inform the way we understand religions in the world and impact the way we live and share the gospel with others when surrounded by believers with diverse belief systems. (Read the full topic synopsis here) Open Doors is partnering with Radical, the ministry of David Platt, to bring Secret Church to you via simulcast. We want to invite your church, small group, friends, or family to join us and to be a part of the next Secret Church Simulcast, on Friday, April 29, 2016. Register Today → ...The remains are thought to be of the namesake of the monastery, Saint Julian, who was martyred in 284 AD for refusing to deny his faith. The saint, who had healed the sick, was killed by his own father, a Roman officer. He was buried in the sarcophagus, which had laid uncovered for centuries until ISIS used bulldozers to raze the Mar Elian monastery, which is more than 1,500 years old... |
Annie's Blog
God to enfold me,
God to surround me, God in my speaking, God in my thinking. God in my sleeping, God in my waking, God in my watching, God in my hoping. God in my life, God in my lips, God in my soul, God in my heart. God in my sufficing, God in my slumber, God in mine ever-living soul, God in mine eternity. All Scripture at Annie's Blog
Utilizes: New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Archives
November 2017
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