Psalm 91
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.
9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
12/27/2010
12/25/2010
12/24/2010
VOM–Prayer Update for week of Dec 24, 2010
VOM–USA Prayer Update for December 24, 2010
The Voice of the Martyrs USA: www.persecution.com
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
INDONESIA—House Churches Closed— VOM Contacts
Hebrews 10:32–39
But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; 34 for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
“For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”
But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
On Dec. 12, seven house churches were forcibly closed in West Java, Indonesia, by Muslim extremists who claimed the buildings were being used for “illegal church meetings,” according to VOM contacts. Between 200 and 300 extremists from the Islam Protector Front, Moslem Forum and Islamic Reformation Movement gathered outside the houses and demanded to inspect the buildings. The extremists said the buildings, which were being used by the Protestant Batak Christian Huria Church, could not be used for Christian worship services, and they told the congregation to meet elsewhere. The owners of the houses were told they could remain in their homes but could no longer open their homes for Christian worship services. Ask God to use this incident to strengthen the members of this church. Pray that they will demonstrate Christ’s love to those who oppose them and that their faith will be a light that helps guide others to the Lord. Pray that persecuted Christians in Indonesia will keep their eyes on Jesus, persevere in faith and not grow weary or lose heart.
CHINA —Worship Service Raided in Hunan Province— China Aid Association
Hebrews 10:23–25
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Chinese authorities raided a house church on Dec. 12 in the city of Changsha, Hunan Province, according to China Aid Association. Dozens of believers from the Hope Church in Changsha were gathered for worship when police officers and government officials arrived and forced them to disperse. Authorities confiscated several items belonging to the church, including the podium, chairs and air conditioner. Pastor Zing Jinfu and Minister Le were taken to a local police station and questioned for a couple of hours before being released. Pray that members of the Hope Church will be encouraged to continue worshiping together despite government harassment. Ask God to embolden all believers in China to proclaim their faith boldly and demonstrate God’s love to others in the nation.
INDIA—Priest Attacked— VOM Contacts
Psalm 91:1–5
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day…
On Dec. 16, Fr. Thomas Chirattavayalil was attacked by a group of unknown men at his parish house, according to VOM contacts. When Fr. Thomas opened the door of the parish house, armed assailants wearing masks hit him on the head and continued to beat him as they chased him. Fr. Thomas sustained two deep wounds on his head and also received injuries to his shoulder and other parts of his body. Pray that Fr. Thomas will recover completely and that the assailants will be brought to justice.
Add the PrisonerAlert.com application on Facebook by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/prisoneralert/
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Voice of the Martyrs USA: www.persecution.com
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
INDONESIA—House Churches Closed— VOM Contacts
Hebrews 10:32–39
But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; 34 for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
“For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”
But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
On Dec. 12, seven house churches were forcibly closed in West Java, Indonesia, by Muslim extremists who claimed the buildings were being used for “illegal church meetings,” according to VOM contacts. Between 200 and 300 extremists from the Islam Protector Front, Moslem Forum and Islamic Reformation Movement gathered outside the houses and demanded to inspect the buildings. The extremists said the buildings, which were being used by the Protestant Batak Christian Huria Church, could not be used for Christian worship services, and they told the congregation to meet elsewhere. The owners of the houses were told they could remain in their homes but could no longer open their homes for Christian worship services. Ask God to use this incident to strengthen the members of this church. Pray that they will demonstrate Christ’s love to those who oppose them and that their faith will be a light that helps guide others to the Lord. Pray that persecuted Christians in Indonesia will keep their eyes on Jesus, persevere in faith and not grow weary or lose heart.
CHINA —Worship Service Raided in Hunan Province— China Aid Association
Hebrews 10:23–25
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Chinese authorities raided a house church on Dec. 12 in the city of Changsha, Hunan Province, according to China Aid Association. Dozens of believers from the Hope Church in Changsha were gathered for worship when police officers and government officials arrived and forced them to disperse. Authorities confiscated several items belonging to the church, including the podium, chairs and air conditioner. Pastor Zing Jinfu and Minister Le were taken to a local police station and questioned for a couple of hours before being released. Pray that members of the Hope Church will be encouraged to continue worshiping together despite government harassment. Ask God to embolden all believers in China to proclaim their faith boldly and demonstrate God’s love to others in the nation.
INDIA—Priest Attacked— VOM Contacts
Psalm 91:1–5
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day…
On Dec. 16, Fr. Thomas Chirattavayalil was attacked by a group of unknown men at his parish house, according to VOM contacts. When Fr. Thomas opened the door of the parish house, armed assailants wearing masks hit him on the head and continued to beat him as they chased him. Fr. Thomas sustained two deep wounds on his head and also received injuries to his shoulder and other parts of his body. Pray that Fr. Thomas will recover completely and that the assailants will be brought to justice.
Add the PrisonerAlert.com application on Facebook by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/prisoneralert/
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
12/21/2010
The Christmas Child (movie)
Christmas Child is a 2003 American Christian film directed by William Ewing and starring Steven Curtis Chapman. The film is based on "The Christmas Cross," a short story by Max Lucado, and is a story about a Chicago journalist who finds himself in Clearwater, Texas around Christmas time to discover his past. "Christmas Child" is based on the Book The Christmas Child : A Story of Coming Home by Max Lucado. (Wikipedia)
12/20/2010
"... that greatness is your birthright. Who are You to shine brighter than others? Who are You to take a step forward when others are shrinking back? Who are You to make others feel insecure with your greatness? You are a child of God. Take a step forward, shine bright, ...- inspire others with your light to their own greatness."
12/17/2010
VOM–Prayer Update for week of Dec 17, 2010
VOM–USA Prayer Update for December 17, 2010
The Voice of the Martyrs USA: www.persecution.com
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
PAKISTAN — Mullah Offers Reward for Killing Asia Bibi — VOM Contacts
Matthew 5:10
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
On Dec. 3, 2010, a mullah in Pakistan offered more than $6,000 (U.S.) to anyone who kills Asia Bibi, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts. In the past, Christians have been killed in jail, on their way to court and even after being released from jail. “There is threat that she can be killed even after her releasing from the jail,” said VOM contacts in Pakistan. “It’s not just a statement by mulana, but we have examples of previous blasphemy cases.” Following the mullah’s statement, Muslims protested against Asia and a proposed amendment of the blasphemy law. Protests were held in many major cities in Pakistan. Pray for Asia’s release from prison and for her safety after her release. Ask God to minister to her family, especially her children.
AZERBAIJAN — Government Considers Stiffer Penalties for Religious Activity — Forum 18 News
2 Thessalonians 1:4–6
…so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you…
Less than two years after increasing penalties for illegal religious activity, parliamentary deputies are about to consider even harsher penalties in proposed amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences, according to Forum 18 News Service. “Minimum fines for individuals violating the Religion Law, such as by holding unregistered religious worship, could be increased fifteen-fold,” Forum 18 reported. Rabiyat Aslanova, chair of parliament’s Human Rights Committee, told Forum 18 News, “This is connected with religious communities which have failed to gain re-registration but still function. It’s so that they realize the responsibility for their actions. People are not fined just for praying to God. This is a question of national security.” Pray that these amendments will not pass. Ask God to protect believers who continue to worship him openly despite oppressive government restrictions.
CHINA — Christian Lawyer Still Missing — China Aid Association
Matthew 5:44
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…
Christian human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng has been imprisoned by Chinese authorities for more than two years, and his whereabouts are currently unknown, according to China Aid Association. In an October radio interview, Gao’s wife, Geng He, expressed her family’s eagerness to find him. “My family only wants to get some news of him,” Geng He said. “When I talked with his sister, she said, ‘He is a member of the family. No matter what he does, such as eating the daily meals, sleeping or even taking a walk outside, anything would make us miss him. Where on earth has he gone? The entire family of mine is puzzled and we have been looking for him ever since.’” Pray that Gao will continue to look to the Lord for strength and guidance, and pray that God will comfort his family and enable them to persevere in hope and faith. Pray that the Church in China will continue to shine the light of God’s love and truth and that it will continue to grow despite opposition from some government officials.
Add the PrisonerAlert.com application on Facebook by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/prisoneralert/
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Voice of the Martyrs USA: www.persecution.com
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
PAKISTAN — Mullah Offers Reward for Killing Asia Bibi — VOM Contacts
Matthew 5:10
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
On Dec. 3, 2010, a mullah in Pakistan offered more than $6,000 (U.S.) to anyone who kills Asia Bibi, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts. In the past, Christians have been killed in jail, on their way to court and even after being released from jail. “There is threat that she can be killed even after her releasing from the jail,” said VOM contacts in Pakistan. “It’s not just a statement by mulana, but we have examples of previous blasphemy cases.” Following the mullah’s statement, Muslims protested against Asia and a proposed amendment of the blasphemy law. Protests were held in many major cities in Pakistan. Pray for Asia’s release from prison and for her safety after her release. Ask God to minister to her family, especially her children.
AZERBAIJAN — Government Considers Stiffer Penalties for Religious Activity — Forum 18 News
2 Thessalonians 1:4–6
…so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you…
Less than two years after increasing penalties for illegal religious activity, parliamentary deputies are about to consider even harsher penalties in proposed amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences, according to Forum 18 News Service. “Minimum fines for individuals violating the Religion Law, such as by holding unregistered religious worship, could be increased fifteen-fold,” Forum 18 reported. Rabiyat Aslanova, chair of parliament’s Human Rights Committee, told Forum 18 News, “This is connected with religious communities which have failed to gain re-registration but still function. It’s so that they realize the responsibility for their actions. People are not fined just for praying to God. This is a question of national security.” Pray that these amendments will not pass. Ask God to protect believers who continue to worship him openly despite oppressive government restrictions.
CHINA — Christian Lawyer Still Missing — China Aid Association
Matthew 5:44
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…
Christian human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng has been imprisoned by Chinese authorities for more than two years, and his whereabouts are currently unknown, according to China Aid Association. In an October radio interview, Gao’s wife, Geng He, expressed her family’s eagerness to find him. “My family only wants to get some news of him,” Geng He said. “When I talked with his sister, she said, ‘He is a member of the family. No matter what he does, such as eating the daily meals, sleeping or even taking a walk outside, anything would make us miss him. Where on earth has he gone? The entire family of mine is puzzled and we have been looking for him ever since.’” Pray that Gao will continue to look to the Lord for strength and guidance, and pray that God will comfort his family and enable them to persevere in hope and faith. Pray that the Church in China will continue to shine the light of God’s love and truth and that it will continue to grow despite opposition from some government officials.
Add the PrisonerAlert.com application on Facebook by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/prisoneralert/
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
11/25/2010
"I gave you my heart. I gave you everything I had. I waited for you. I wanted to be all that I could be for you. I wanted to give you the best. I wanted to make your dreams come true. I wanted to believe in you. I wanted to stand by you and support you. I wanted to admire and honor you. I wanted to give in to you. I wanted to trust you. I wanted to be able to turn to you. I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to feel safe and secure with you. I wanted to feel the wave of passion and climbs the mountains of life with you. I wanted so, so much. I tried so hard over and over. And then I realized that it wouldn't stop and it would never change. The change had to come or it would never work. I couldn't live in that cycle of betrayal and pain, over and over again. I finally had to say, 'No. No more.' There is an illness and I can't change it. Only you can. But, you don't want to accept it and deal with it; you don't even want to see it. Maybe because you don't know anything else. Maybe because it's too hard to accept. I don't know because I'm not you. I only know what has happened and been said to me. I am in so much pain. My heart hurts a lot. I feel sad and I have cried. Letting you go was one of the hardest things that I ever had to do. I didn't want to have to do it. But, I did have to. So I did. You said nothing to challenge it. Nothing to say you would change. So I accepted it too. I feel like wisdom told me to. I hope and pray to God it really was the right decision. I give it in to God's hands. You will always hold a special place in my heart. I always loved you and I always will. Maybe we will see each other in Heaven someday and we will be friends because we will be perfect and we can't hurt each other anymore."
11/21/2010
Autism Awareness
A first-hand account of young adult autism and how it affects people and their families. This video shows a young man who has a milder form of autism and his mother speaking about it.
Severe Autism
"Easy to be a Christian when everything's going great ..but how do you keep believing during years of what seems like torture? God doesn't give us more than we can handle? Sometimes hard to believe.....but you press on.....you can't give up on your autistic child. They depend on you. You must stay strong. Crisis of faith. When God doesn't make sense. Suffering. pain. wilderness experiences"
This video shows a mother dealing with her young adult son who is severely autistic.
11/18/2010
"Life will knock you down more times than you can possibly imagine. Don't knock yourself down. Don't avoid feeling embarrassed because you're afraid that something isn't going to go well...put yourself out there. Give yourself a chance."
"If you never ask for what you want, you'll never know if the answer's going to be yes or no. You gotta take the risk."
"If you never ask for what you want, you'll never know if the answer's going to be yes or no. You gotta take the risk."
11/15/2010
Bethlehemian Rhapsody
Music "Bethlehemian Rhapsody" is a re-take of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" by ApologetiX; funny video is by pastormacman on YouTube. It is about the account of David and Goliath.
ApologetiX
This is called "Corinthians" by ApologetiX which is a twist of Linkin Park's "In The End." I recently came to find this Christian band's music by way of the Living Waters/Way of the Master email newsletter that I receive. Then I looked up ApologetiX's website and also searched YouTube for some videos. The band takes popular songs and puts a Christian twist to the lyrics. They appear to have been releasing records since 1994. It's really cool. Check 'em out...
http://www.apologetix.com/
Hollywood Prayer Network Newsletter (Nov)
Dear HPN Pray-ers,
It’s time to be THANKFUL. Let’s spend this Thanksgiving month thanking God for all He is and everything He’s done for us, given to us, directed us toward and created for us. Even as we pray for those going through difficult times, let’s hold on tightly to a posture of thanksgiving because with God NOTHING is impossible.
SUMMARY:
• Praise God for answering Jennifer’s prayer request from last month
• Praise God for joining Christian parents at LA’s High School for the Arts
• Praise God for the HPN Miami event this past week-end
• Pray for Johnny Depp, EW’s #1 most influential actor on the planet
• Pray for Dean and other industry pros who have to work out of town
• Pray for Miley Cyrus and her parents, as they go through a divorce
• Pray that we can start thanking God for entertainment professionals
• Choose one person in Hollywood to pray for every day this month
• Pray for writer/director Randall Wallace and his film "Secretariat"
• Pray for the decision-makers at NBC who green-light family movies
• Pray for the members of our Christian community who can’t get work
• Let’s pray for Rod and Alana Stewart and their 30 year old son, Sean
• Pray God's blessing on HPN member Deborah
• Let’s pray with and for Erin as she works on a new film
• Let’s pray for Rick, who is a dad and working out of town
• Pray for Joe’s family who is mourning Joe’s death while on a set
• Pray for our new Local Chapter Kick-off Meeting in Omaha, NE
PRAISES:
• Praise God for His miraculous response to Jennifer’s request in last month’s HPN email. God gave Jennifer a miracle! She needed money to pay her rent because her part-time job was ending. Well, God moved through an HPN member in Arkansas, whom, without even knowing Jennifer, sent her this month’s rent!!!! Wow, is our community cool, or what?! Thank you GOD! And thank you for praying.
• Last week 6 mom's of High School performing arts students who all attend LACHSA, the L.A. County High School for the Arts, met for a fabulous prayer walk around the campus. The mom of a senior said this was the first gathering of Christians on campus in the four years they have been on campus. Praise God that He has brought at least eight Christian families to the largest Arts High School in the country so that there can be prayer, laying a foundation for all of the young blossoming performers coming out of that strategic school.
• Praise God for the HPN Miami event this past week-end. God showed up and people gained a vision for our mission field and what God is doing in the entertainment industry in Florida and Hollywood. Thanks Gladys, for all you did!
REQUESTS:
• Pray for Johnny Depp. Last month Entertainment Weekly named him #1 on their “Power List” of the most influential performers on the planet. Here’s what EW says about Johnny: “Depp’s career has been a long, strange trip — and ending up the most powerful actor in Hollywood is the weirdest twist of all. He’s rarely followed the standard playbook, choosing roles as misfits (Edward Scissorhands, Gilbert Grape) and oddballs (Ed Wood, Ichabod Crane) over the usual romantic leads and action heroes. With his uncompromising gonzo turn as Capt. Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in 2003, his stardom went supernova. In the wake of smashes like the Pirates films, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Alice in Wonderland, Depp can do anything he wants. And the one — maybe the only — thing you can be sure of is that he’ll do exactly that.” Let’s pray that Johnny does one more bizarre thing In Hollywood; become a Christian!
• Pray for our friend Dean who had to leave his LA family for two months to shoot a TV series in Toronto. Like so many industry pros these days, he’s away from his family to work in Canada where the tax breaks, production costs and labor are all cheaper than in America. May we also pray for protection for these people and pray that California can keep more of the work that we so badly need.
• Pray for Miley Cyrus and her parents, Tish and Billy Ray who are filing for divorce. They are yet another Christian family who has become victims of extreme money, power and fame. Our hearts break for that family because HPN believes that the fame Hollywood offers is more often a curse than it is a blessing. Would you ask God to wrap His arms around all of them and bring them closer to Him and each other. For more info. click on: http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/ourcountry/69855/miley-cyruss-parents-file-for-divorce/
• Pray that we can start thanking God for the entertainment professionals who bring joy to our lives. Thank Him that He created the media, in order to give us entertainment, a break from our stressed lives and fun shows to share with our families and friends. Without the arts, our world would be cold and dry of creativity. There is so much to be thankful for that comes out of Hollywood!
• Choose one person in Hollywood to pray for every day this month. It may be your favorite actor, singer or director. Maybe it’s the producer of your favorite TV show. Or research the agent who makes the decisions for your favorite performer and pray for that person. Be creative and know that your prayers for that person are making an eternal difference in hearts and lives.
• Pray for writer/director Randall Wallace whose film "Secretariat" just came out. Randall has a beautiful heart for the Lord and he has brought God’s truths into this commercial feature film. We are so thankful for the growing number of Christians in Hollywood who are great at what they do and who don’t hide their Godly worldview in the content of the projects they create. Let’s thank the Lord for Randall and the other believers who entertain the public and please God with their creative gifts.
• Pray for the decision-makers at NBC to continue to green-light family movies on their network. This Dec. 3rd NBC is promoting their new Family Movie Night by airing a film called “A Walk in My Shoes,” which is sponsored by two family friendly companies, Walmart and Procter & Gamble. We know that this is an answer to many of your prayers, those of you who want to have more TV shows that your family can watch together. You can watch the trailer at: www.moms4familytv.com
• Pray for the members of our Christian community who can’t get work and have chosen to leave the industry. This month alone, three friends have told us that they have given up and are pursuing other careers. May the Lord guide them into exactly what He created them to do. May they find His pleasure in their pursuits, not feeling that they have failed here, but recognizing that God used this time to lead them into something else. Pray also that as they die to their dreams, that the Lord will restore their capacity to dream with Him and restore to them a thousand-fold blessing. May our friends hear God’s still small voice!
• Let’s pray for Rod and Alana Stewart and their 30 year old son, Sean, who has had terrible addiction problems. He's not working and his parents are looking for a regular volunteer spot somewhere for Sean. May the Lord use this time to bring all three of them to a saving knowledge of Him, as He leads them into what’s best for Sean.
REQUESTS FROM HPN MEMBERS:
• Pray God's blessing on HPN member Deborah, who needs money for her upcoming projects. She has poured so much of her life into her scripts and can’t get the financing to move them forward. Deborah represents thousands of creative professionals who are so confused and frustrated in not seeing their passions fulfilled. May we hear God’s voice and His leading in what’s next for all the creative artists who are deeply discouraged with not able to see their projects completed. It is such a common, difficult and heartbreaking situation.
• “As an actress, I recently booked an independent feature film. This is the biggest role I've ever done in film and I would love for this film and the people involved to be covered in prayer. As far as I know, I'm the only Christian working on it. The writer and star of the movie is a Mormon… Erin” Let’s pray with and for Erin as she works on this film.
• LA based husband and dad, Rick says: “I have been working on another feature film on the east coast. It's been a pretty challenging project, but I am thankful to be a part of it. The hours are very long and I have to do a lot for the movie on the weekends as well, so personal time has been particularly limited.” Would you pray for Rick and his family during this month?
• “I would ask that you pray for a young man's family that had been working on this feature. We had a terrible accident on set when Joe, who was driving a gator to pick up some props, lost control of the vehicle and crashed off the road. Tragically, he died later at the hospital. He was only 27 and in great shape, so this was a shock to the entire crew. Please pray for Joe's parents and siblings, who are dealing with not only Joe's death, but his grandmother passed away the same night. This was a sobering reminder of just how fragile life is. I understand one of his co-workers had been sharing the Gospel with him and only hope he had time to make a decision before his death. This is really why I focus so much of my personal energy and time on movies like ours. Life is short and I want what I do to matter in the big scheme of things. Money doesn't matter, success doesn't matter, fame doesn't matter, all that matters is God and our relationship to Him. If I can point people in the right direction, then I'll feel like I spent my time on things that DO matter…” Rick Garside
• Prayer for our new Local Chapter Kick-off meeting happening this coming Saturday, November 20th in Omaha, NE. Click here for details!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
• On Thursday, November 18, 2010 HPN is hosting a night of worship in the Wylie Chapel of Hollywood Presbyterian Church (1760 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, CA 90028) from 7:30 to 9:30 pm. Come join with us to be encouraged, strengthened and to be a source of support to others. We are believing that this night will be a powerful evening where we can come together as a community to praise God for all he is doing in Hollywood and to corporately pray for each other’s needs. Pray like your career depends on it...
• Jan. 25 - 29th, 2011 a group of 75 National Prayer Leaders are coming to Hollywood to get God's vision for the entertainment industry. HPN will be hosting The National Prayer Committee and many Christian leaders in our community will be welcoming them, loving them and mobilizing them to pray more for the people in Hollywood and the global media.
• For other upcoming events in our industry, click on: http://hollywoodconnect.com/events/upcoming
Thanks so much for praying with us and know that we are ALWAYS SO THANKFUL FOR ALL OF YOU!
Karen and Caren
TIP OF THE MONTH:
If a Christian says to you, “God told me to….” Or “God gave me this script....” beware: http://www.philcooke.com/god_ideas
QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
“I would have given my entire fortune to have a successful marriage.” J.Paul Getty
VERSE OF THE MONTH:
But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Joshua 22:5
This message was sent from:
Hollywood Prayer Network
1763 N. Gower St.
Hollywood, CA 90028
United States
http://www.hollywoodprayernetwork.org/
11/14/2010
Pakistani Woman Sentenced To Death For Her Christianity
Pakistan: Asia Bibi—Death Sentence
On Nov. 8, Asia Bibi was sentenced to death by a judge in Pakistan, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts. The judge also fined Asia $1,190 (U.S.) and told her she had seven days to appeal the decision. VOM contacts reported that her attorney will appeal the sentence.
Asia was arrested by police on June 19, 2009, and charged with blasphemy after she engaged in a religious discussion with co-workers. Many of the local women, including Asia, worked on the farm of Muslim landowner Muhammad Idrees. During their work, many of the Muslim women had pressured Asia to renounce Christianity and accept Islam. Her family is one of only three Christian families in a village of more than 1,500 families.
On June 19, there was an intense discussion among the women about their faith. The Muslim women told Asia about Islam, and, according to VOM sources, Asia responded by telling the Muslim women that Christ died on the cross for our sins. She told them Jesus is alive. “Our Christ is the true prophet of God,” she reportedly told them.
Upon hearing this response, the Muslim women became angry and began to beat Asia. Then some men took her and locked her in a room. They announced from mosque loudspeakers that she would be punished by having her face blackened and being paraded through the village on a donkey.
Local Christians informed the police, who took Asia into custody before the Muslims could carry out their plan. She is currently being held at the police station in Nankana city. Christians there had urged the police not to file blasphemy charges, but police claimed that they had to go forward because of pressure from local Muslim leaders.
VOM is assisting Asia’s family and urges you to continue praying for Asia and her family during this difficult time. Pray that her appeal will be successful and that God will act on her behalf. Pray that Christians in Pakistan will continue to stand for Christ.
This is tomorrow! I don't have an update yet, but I have prayed for God's will to be done.
On Nov. 8, Asia Bibi was sentenced to death by a judge in Pakistan, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts. The judge also fined Asia $1,190 (U.S.) and told her she had seven days to appeal the decision. VOM contacts reported that her attorney will appeal the sentence.
Asia was arrested by police on June 19, 2009, and charged with blasphemy after she engaged in a religious discussion with co-workers. Many of the local women, including Asia, worked on the farm of Muslim landowner Muhammad Idrees. During their work, many of the Muslim women had pressured Asia to renounce Christianity and accept Islam. Her family is one of only three Christian families in a village of more than 1,500 families.
On June 19, there was an intense discussion among the women about their faith. The Muslim women told Asia about Islam, and, according to VOM sources, Asia responded by telling the Muslim women that Christ died on the cross for our sins. She told them Jesus is alive. “Our Christ is the true prophet of God,” she reportedly told them.
Upon hearing this response, the Muslim women became angry and began to beat Asia. Then some men took her and locked her in a room. They announced from mosque loudspeakers that she would be punished by having her face blackened and being paraded through the village on a donkey.
Local Christians informed the police, who took Asia into custody before the Muslims could carry out their plan. She is currently being held at the police station in Nankana city. Christians there had urged the police not to file blasphemy charges, but police claimed that they had to go forward because of pressure from local Muslim leaders.
VOM is assisting Asia’s family and urges you to continue praying for Asia and her family during this difficult time. Pray that her appeal will be successful and that God will act on her behalf. Pray that Christians in Pakistan will continue to stand for Christ.
This is tomorrow! I don't have an update yet, but I have prayed for God's will to be done.
11/12/2010
VOM–USA Prayer Update for Week of 11-12-2010
The Voice of the Martyrs USA: www.persecution.com
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3–91
PAKISTAN — Asia Bibi Sentenced to Death — VOM Contacts
Proverbs 21:1
The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD,
Like the rivers of water;
He turns it wherever He wishes.
On Nov. 8, Asia Bibi was sentenced to death by a judge in Pakistan, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts. The judge also fined Asia $1,190 (U.S.) and told her she had seven days to appeal the decision. VOM contacts said Asia’s attorney does plan to appeal the sentence. Pray for Asia and her family during this difficult time. Pray that God will turn the heart of the judge in his hand and that Asia’s appeal will be successful. Pray that Christians in Pakistan will continue to stand for Christ.
IRAQ — Muslims Attack Church in Baghdad — VOM Contacts / Compass Direct News
Hebrews 10:32–39
But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
“ For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”
But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
On Oct. 31, Islamic extremists attacked worshipers at the Syrian Catholic Church of Baghdad, killing 59 Christians and severely injuring more than 80 others, according to VOM sources. Several gunmen armed with automatic weapons and explosives entered the church during a worship service and opened fire on worshipers. Two priests were among those killed in the attack. “[This church was attacked] because they are very active, especially among the youth and community,” VOM contacts said. “This church works closely with the United Bible Society and VOM by distributing Bibles and Action Packs in Iraq. This is the second time this church has been targeted; in 2004 it was hit with a car bomb.” A militant organization called the Islamic State of Iraq, which has links to al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Compass Direct News. Following the attack, sources told VOM that churches throughout the city had received death-threat letters, warning them to stop their Christian activities or face similar consequences. The threats have caused many churches to cancel services. VOM contacts reported that on Nov. 2, 16 bombs exploded in Baghdad within an hour, killing 100 people and injuring 380. Pray for Iraqi Christians, especially for the families of those killed and injured in the Oct. 31 attack. Ask God to comfort and minister to them during this difficult time. Pray that in the aftermath of this brutal violence, Iraqi Christians will keep their eyes on Jesus, persevere in faith, and not grow weary or lose heart. Pray for peace and stability in Iraq.
AZERBAIJAN — Police Detain Believers at Christian Celebration — Forum 18 News
Hebrews 12:1–3
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
Police raided a Christian celebration in Kusar, Azerbaijan, on Oct. 31 and detained four believers, according to Forum 18 News. Eighty members of a Baptist church were gathered in a believer’s home to thank God for the harvest when police arrived and began to interfere with their activities. Police officials turned off the gas and electricity to the house to prevent the believers from preparing their meal. They also took photographs and video of the service and recorded the names of those present. Police then took four believers to a local court, where they were tried on charges of “insulting people.” In a closed hearing, the believers each were given five-day jail terms. The following morning, a church member who went to the police station to check on the men was told that another trial would be held in five days. He also learned that authorities were threatening one believer with a 12-year prison sentence. Ask God to help these four believers stand firm in their faith. Pray that they will be released without further legal action and that God might use their testimony to touch the hearts of those who unjustly detained them.
Pray for the Persecuted Nov. 14
Hebrews 13:3
Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.
Churches across the United States and around the world are preparing to “remember those in bonds” on Nov. 14, the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). Begun in 1996, IDOP is a day of intercessory prayer and citizen action on behalf of persecuted Christian communities worldwide. Encourage your churches and prayer groups to intercede for persecuted believers around the world.
Add the PrisonerAlert.com application on Facebook by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/prisoneralert/
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3–91
PAKISTAN — Asia Bibi Sentenced to Death — VOM Contacts
Proverbs 21:1
The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD,
Like the rivers of water;
He turns it wherever He wishes.
On Nov. 8, Asia Bibi was sentenced to death by a judge in Pakistan, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts. The judge also fined Asia $1,190 (U.S.) and told her she had seven days to appeal the decision. VOM contacts said Asia’s attorney does plan to appeal the sentence. Pray for Asia and her family during this difficult time. Pray that God will turn the heart of the judge in his hand and that Asia’s appeal will be successful. Pray that Christians in Pakistan will continue to stand for Christ.
IRAQ — Muslims Attack Church in Baghdad — VOM Contacts / Compass Direct News
Hebrews 10:32–39
But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
“ For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”
But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
On Oct. 31, Islamic extremists attacked worshipers at the Syrian Catholic Church of Baghdad, killing 59 Christians and severely injuring more than 80 others, according to VOM sources. Several gunmen armed with automatic weapons and explosives entered the church during a worship service and opened fire on worshipers. Two priests were among those killed in the attack. “[This church was attacked] because they are very active, especially among the youth and community,” VOM contacts said. “This church works closely with the United Bible Society and VOM by distributing Bibles and Action Packs in Iraq. This is the second time this church has been targeted; in 2004 it was hit with a car bomb.” A militant organization called the Islamic State of Iraq, which has links to al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Compass Direct News. Following the attack, sources told VOM that churches throughout the city had received death-threat letters, warning them to stop their Christian activities or face similar consequences. The threats have caused many churches to cancel services. VOM contacts reported that on Nov. 2, 16 bombs exploded in Baghdad within an hour, killing 100 people and injuring 380. Pray for Iraqi Christians, especially for the families of those killed and injured in the Oct. 31 attack. Ask God to comfort and minister to them during this difficult time. Pray that in the aftermath of this brutal violence, Iraqi Christians will keep their eyes on Jesus, persevere in faith, and not grow weary or lose heart. Pray for peace and stability in Iraq.
AZERBAIJAN — Police Detain Believers at Christian Celebration — Forum 18 News
Hebrews 12:1–3
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
Police raided a Christian celebration in Kusar, Azerbaijan, on Oct. 31 and detained four believers, according to Forum 18 News. Eighty members of a Baptist church were gathered in a believer’s home to thank God for the harvest when police arrived and began to interfere with their activities. Police officials turned off the gas and electricity to the house to prevent the believers from preparing their meal. They also took photographs and video of the service and recorded the names of those present. Police then took four believers to a local court, where they were tried on charges of “insulting people.” In a closed hearing, the believers each were given five-day jail terms. The following morning, a church member who went to the police station to check on the men was told that another trial would be held in five days. He also learned that authorities were threatening one believer with a 12-year prison sentence. Ask God to help these four believers stand firm in their faith. Pray that they will be released without further legal action and that God might use their testimony to touch the hearts of those who unjustly detained them.
Pray for the Persecuted Nov. 14
Hebrews 13:3
Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.
Churches across the United States and around the world are preparing to “remember those in bonds” on Nov. 14, the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). Begun in 1996, IDOP is a day of intercessory prayer and citizen action on behalf of persecuted Christian communities worldwide. Encourage your churches and prayer groups to intercede for persecuted believers around the world.
Add the PrisonerAlert.com application on Facebook by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/prisoneralert/
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
11/11/2010
11/08/2010
Psalm 15
A psalm of David.
1 Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?
Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?
2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,
speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
3 Those who refuse to gossip
or harm their neighbors
or speak evil of their friends.
4 Those who despise flagrant sinners,
and honor the faithful followers of the Lord,
and keep their promises even when it hurts.
5 Those who lend money without charging interest,
and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.
Such people will stand firm forever.
1 Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?
Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?
2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,
speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
3 Those who refuse to gossip
or harm their neighbors
or speak evil of their friends.
4 Those who despise flagrant sinners,
and honor the faithful followers of the Lord,
and keep their promises even when it hurts.
5 Those who lend money without charging interest,
and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.
Such people will stand firm forever.
11/07/2010
11/06/2010
In Memory of my Grandpa (24 March 1916 - 6 November 2008 and beyond)
My Dad heard this song on the radio the day my Grandpa died. I think God made that happen as a blessing. I always associate this song with my Grandpa.
Weak and wounded sinner,
Lost and left to die,
O, raise your head for love is passing by,
Come to Jesus,
Come to Jesus,
Come to Jesus and live.
Now your burden's lifted,
And carried far away,
And precious blood has washed away the stain... so
Sing to Jesus ,
Sing to Jesus ,
Sing to Jesus and live.
And like a newborn baby,
Don't be afraid to crawl,
And remember when you walk sometimes we fall... so
Fall on Jesus,
Fall on Jesus,
Fall on Jesus and live.
Sometimes the way is lonely,
And steep and filled with pain,
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain... then
Cry to Jesus,
Cry to Jesus,
Cry to Jesus and live.
O, and when the love spills over,
And music fills the night,
And when you can't contain your joy inside... then
Dance for Jesus,
Dance for Jesus,
Dance for Jesus and live.
And with your final heartbeat,
Kiss the world goodbye,
Then go in peace, and laugh on glory's side... and
Fly to Jesus,
Fly to Jesus,
Fly to Jesus and live,
Fly to Jesus,
Fly to Jesus,
Fly to Jesus and live.
11/05/2010
Kari Jobe - The More I Seek You
The more i seek you,
the more i find you.
The more i find you,
the more I love you
I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath,
hear your heart beat
This love is so deep,
it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming
The more i seek you,
the more i find you.
The more i find you,
the more I love you
I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath,
hear your heart beat
This love is so deep,
it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming
I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath,
hear your heart beat
This love is so deep,
it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming
I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath,
hear your heart beat
This love is so deep,
it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace...
when you've been rejected, when you've been trashed out, when you've been made low - as if you're worth nothing at all, when you've been despised and hated - as if you've committed some horrible crime against humanity, when you've been betrayed...the pain, the hurt, the anger, the sadness, the letdown...what do I look up to?...Jesus...there is light
Lead Me To The Cross (Christian Trance Remix)
Lead Me to the Cross by Hillsong United, remixed by DJ Tony Foxx. There is a lot of really cool Christian music that you can find on the Internet, including dance music like this; especially on YouTube.
11/04/2010
let's get ready to partay!
So looking forward to the weekend after a school week of hardly any sleep, papers and tests. Party time lalalala
11/02/2010
Evanescence/Amy Lee - You
The words have been drained from this pencil
Sweet words that I want to give you
And I can't sleep
I need to tell you
Goodnight
When we're together, I feel perfect
When I'm pulled away from you, I fall apart
All you say is sacred to me
Your eyes are so blue
I can't look away
As we lay in the stillness
You whisper to me
Amy, marry me
Promise you'll stay with me
Oh you don't have to ask me
You know you're all that I live for
You know I'd die just to hold you
Stay with you
Somehow I'll show you
That you are my night sky
I've always been right behind you
Now I'll always be right beside you
So many nights I cried myself to sleep
Now that you love me, I love myself
I never thought I would say this
I never thought there'd be
You
Trick-or-Treat Report (Halloween 2010)
I almost forgot to mention my trick-or-treating report from halloween night. I passed out halloween-themed, kid-themed Gospel tracts with candy to trick-or-treaters on halloween. This was my 4th year to do this. I've noticed a significant drop in halloween celebration over the years, which I find ironic given the darkness of the times. But, I received about 27 or 28 kids in a span of about 40 minutes from 7:07PM-7:55PM. Praise God for the opportunity to reach out to the kids with the Gospel!
Braille - The IV
There's a lot of really good Christian hip hop artists out there. I think this is one of them. Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SyntaxRecords
11/01/2010
General Elections (Nov 2nd)
Remember to vote in the general elections, this tuesday, november 2nd. Every vote counts!
10/31/2010
Touched By An Angel - "The Occupant"
(Season 6 Episode 6). The Angels minister to a man who has been demonically tormented most of his life after taking the wrong turn at a young age and getting involved in the occult. Eventually, the man reaches out to saving faith in God and is able to become free of his demonic possession after he receives help from the Angels and his old childhood friend.
*I don't own anything. I have posted this purely for personal, non-commercial reasons. This is an embedded video uploaded by someone else to a host site. I believe in supporting those who make and distribute the product by rightfully purchasing their products. However, in Touched By An Angel's case to the best of my knowledge only seasons 1-4 have been officially released to buy. This episode is from Season 6 and as far as I know has not yet been officially released to buy.*
The History of Halloween
from www.History.com
Halloween, celebrated each year on October 31, is a mix of ancient Celtic practices, Catholic and Roman religious rituals and European folk traditions that blended together over time to create the holiday we know today. Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity and life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. Halloween has long been thought of as a day when the dead can return to the earth, and ancient Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off these roaming ghosts. The Celtic holiday of Samhain, the Catholic Hallowmas period of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day and the Roman festival of Feralia all influenced the modern holiday of Halloween. In the 19th century, Halloween began to lose its religious connotation, becoming a more secular community-based children's holiday. Although the superstitions and beliefs surrounding Halloween may have evolved over the years, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people can still look forward to parades, costumes and sweet treats to usher in the winter season.
CONTENTS
* Ancient Origins of Halloween
* Halloween Comes to America
* Today's Traditions
* Superstitions
Ancient Origins of Halloween
Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).
The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.
During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.
By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.
The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.
By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.
Halloween Comes to America
As European immigrants came to America, they brought their varied Halloween customs with them. Because of the rigid Protestant belief systems that characterized early New England, celebration of Halloween in colonial times was extremely limited there.
It was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies. As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups, as well as the American Indians, meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included "play parties," public events held to celebrate the harvest, where neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other's fortunes, dance, and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, America was flooded with new immigrants. These new immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing Ireland's potato famine of 1846, helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally. Taking from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today's "trick-or-treat" tradition. Young women believed that, on Halloween, they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings, or mirrors.
In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers, than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft.
At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season, and festive costumes. Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything "frightening" or "grotesque" out of Halloween celebrations. Because of their efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century.
By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular, but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague Halloween celebrations in many communities during this time. By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated. Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. In theory, families could also prevent tricks being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats. A new American tradition was born, and it has continued to grow. Today, Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country's second largest commercial holiday.
Today's Traditions
The American Halloween tradition of "trick-or-treating" probably dates back to the early All Souls' Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray for the family's dead relatives.
The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as "going a-souling" was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food, and money.
The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies often ran low and, for the many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry. On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits. On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter.
Superstitions
Halloween has always been a holiday filled with mystery, magic and superstition. It began as a Celtic end-of-summer festival during which people felt especially close to deceased relatives and friends. For these friendly spirits, they set places at the dinner table, left treats on doorsteps and along the side of the road and lit candles to help loved ones find their way back to the spirit world.
Today's Halloween ghosts are often depicted as more fearsome and malevolent, and our customs and superstitions are scarier too. We avoid crossing paths with black cats, afraid that they might bring us bad luck. This idea has its roots in the Middle Ages, when many people believed that witches avoided detection by turning themselves into cats. We try not to walk under ladders for the same reason. This superstition may have come from the ancient Egyptians, who believed that triangles were sacred; it also may have something to do with the fact that walking under a leaning ladder tends to be fairly unsafe. And around Halloween, especially, we try to avoid breaking mirrors, stepping on cracks in the road or spilling salt.
But what about the Halloween traditions and beliefs that today's trick-or-treaters have forgotten all about? Many of these obsolete rituals focused on the future instead of the past and the living instead of the dead. In particular, many had to do with helping young women identify their future husbands and reassuring them that they would someday--with luck, by next Halloween!--be married.
In 18th-century Ireland, a matchmaking cook might bury a ring in her mashed potatoes on Halloween night, hoping to bring true love to the diner who found it. In Scotland, fortune-tellers recommended that an eligible young woman name a hazelnut for each of her suitors and then toss the nuts into the fireplace. The nut that burned to ashes rather than popping or exploding, the story went, represented the girl's future husband. (In some versions of this legend, confusingly, the opposite was true: The nut that burned away symbolized a love that would not last.) Another tale had it that if a young woman ate a sugary concoction made out of walnuts, hazelnuts and nutmeg before bed on Halloween night, she would dream about her future husband. Young women tossed apple-peels over their shoulders, hoping that the peels would fall on the floor in the shape of their future husbands' initials; tried to learn about their futures by peering at egg yolks floating in a bowl of water; and stood in front of mirrors in darkened rooms, holding candles and looking over their shoulders for their husbands' faces.
Other rituals were more competitive. At some Halloween parties, the first guest to find a burr on a chestnut-hunt would be the first to marry; at others, the first successful apple-bobber would be the first down the aisle.
Of course, whether we're asking for romantic advice or trying to avoid seven years of bad luck, each one of these Halloween superstitions relies on the good will of the very same "spirits" whose presence the early Celts felt so keenly. Ours is not such a different holiday after all!
This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only.
©1996-2010, A&E Television Networks, All Rights Reserved
http://www.history.com/topics/halloween
Halloween, celebrated each year on October 31, is a mix of ancient Celtic practices, Catholic and Roman religious rituals and European folk traditions that blended together over time to create the holiday we know today. Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity and life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. Halloween has long been thought of as a day when the dead can return to the earth, and ancient Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off these roaming ghosts. The Celtic holiday of Samhain, the Catholic Hallowmas period of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day and the Roman festival of Feralia all influenced the modern holiday of Halloween. In the 19th century, Halloween began to lose its religious connotation, becoming a more secular community-based children's holiday. Although the superstitions and beliefs surrounding Halloween may have evolved over the years, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people can still look forward to parades, costumes and sweet treats to usher in the winter season.
CONTENTS
* Ancient Origins of Halloween
* Halloween Comes to America
* Today's Traditions
* Superstitions
Ancient Origins of Halloween
Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).
The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.
During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.
By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.
The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.
By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.
Halloween Comes to America
As European immigrants came to America, they brought their varied Halloween customs with them. Because of the rigid Protestant belief systems that characterized early New England, celebration of Halloween in colonial times was extremely limited there.
It was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies. As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups, as well as the American Indians, meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included "play parties," public events held to celebrate the harvest, where neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other's fortunes, dance, and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, America was flooded with new immigrants. These new immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing Ireland's potato famine of 1846, helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally. Taking from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today's "trick-or-treat" tradition. Young women believed that, on Halloween, they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings, or mirrors.
In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers, than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft.
At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season, and festive costumes. Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything "frightening" or "grotesque" out of Halloween celebrations. Because of their efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century.
By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular, but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague Halloween celebrations in many communities during this time. By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated. Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. In theory, families could also prevent tricks being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats. A new American tradition was born, and it has continued to grow. Today, Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country's second largest commercial holiday.
Today's Traditions
The American Halloween tradition of "trick-or-treating" probably dates back to the early All Souls' Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray for the family's dead relatives.
The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as "going a-souling" was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food, and money.
The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies often ran low and, for the many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry. On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits. On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter.
Superstitions
Halloween has always been a holiday filled with mystery, magic and superstition. It began as a Celtic end-of-summer festival during which people felt especially close to deceased relatives and friends. For these friendly spirits, they set places at the dinner table, left treats on doorsteps and along the side of the road and lit candles to help loved ones find their way back to the spirit world.
Today's Halloween ghosts are often depicted as more fearsome and malevolent, and our customs and superstitions are scarier too. We avoid crossing paths with black cats, afraid that they might bring us bad luck. This idea has its roots in the Middle Ages, when many people believed that witches avoided detection by turning themselves into cats. We try not to walk under ladders for the same reason. This superstition may have come from the ancient Egyptians, who believed that triangles were sacred; it also may have something to do with the fact that walking under a leaning ladder tends to be fairly unsafe. And around Halloween, especially, we try to avoid breaking mirrors, stepping on cracks in the road or spilling salt.
But what about the Halloween traditions and beliefs that today's trick-or-treaters have forgotten all about? Many of these obsolete rituals focused on the future instead of the past and the living instead of the dead. In particular, many had to do with helping young women identify their future husbands and reassuring them that they would someday--with luck, by next Halloween!--be married.
In 18th-century Ireland, a matchmaking cook might bury a ring in her mashed potatoes on Halloween night, hoping to bring true love to the diner who found it. In Scotland, fortune-tellers recommended that an eligible young woman name a hazelnut for each of her suitors and then toss the nuts into the fireplace. The nut that burned to ashes rather than popping or exploding, the story went, represented the girl's future husband. (In some versions of this legend, confusingly, the opposite was true: The nut that burned away symbolized a love that would not last.) Another tale had it that if a young woman ate a sugary concoction made out of walnuts, hazelnuts and nutmeg before bed on Halloween night, she would dream about her future husband. Young women tossed apple-peels over their shoulders, hoping that the peels would fall on the floor in the shape of their future husbands' initials; tried to learn about their futures by peering at egg yolks floating in a bowl of water; and stood in front of mirrors in darkened rooms, holding candles and looking over their shoulders for their husbands' faces.
Other rituals were more competitive. At some Halloween parties, the first guest to find a burr on a chestnut-hunt would be the first to marry; at others, the first successful apple-bobber would be the first down the aisle.
Of course, whether we're asking for romantic advice or trying to avoid seven years of bad luck, each one of these Halloween superstitions relies on the good will of the very same "spirits" whose presence the early Celts felt so keenly. Ours is not such a different holiday after all!
This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only.
©1996-2010, A&E Television Networks, All Rights Reserved
http://www.history.com/topics/halloween
10/28/2010
Castlevania : Lords of Shadow (Official Trailer)
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a video game in the Castlevania series, and is a reboot of the franchise. It is an action-adventure game in a fantasy setting in Southern Europe during the Middle Ages.
10/26/2010
Letters To God (movie trailer)
A young boy fighting cancer writes letters to God, touching lives in his neighborhood and community and inspiring hope among everyone he comes in contact. An unsuspecting substitute postman, with a troubled life of his own, becomes entangled in the boy's journey and his family by reading the letters. They inspire him to seek a better life for himself and his own son he's lost through his alcohol addiction.~IMDB
http://letterstoGodthemovie.com
http://bailee-madison.com
Dear Mr. Jesus
Dear Mr. Jesus, I just had to write to you
Something really scared me, when I saw it on the news
A story 'bout a little girl beaten black and blue
Jesus, thought I'd take this right to you
Dear Mr. Jesus, I don't understand
Why they took her mom and dad away
I know that they don't mean to hit with wild and angry hands
Tell them just how big they are I pray
Please don't let them hurt your children
We need love and shelter from the storm
Please don't let them hurt your children
Won't you keep us safe and warm
Dear Mr. Jesus, they say that she may die
Oh I hope the doctors stop the pain
I know that you could save her and take her up to the sky
So she would never have to hurt again
Please don't let them hurt your children..
Dear Mr. Jesus, please tell me what to do
And please don't tell my daddy
But my mommy hits me, too.
Please don't let them hurt your children...
words and music by Richard Klender
© 1985 Klenco, Inc. (Klenco Music Group), ASCAP
10/24/2010
Jesus Is Better Than Football
I found this neat video on YouTube. Points out the obvious. We need to not be obsessed with sports. Sports are great, but we need to keep things in perspective and keep our priorities straight. God is #1 and deserves first place in our hearts and the most praise.
"To be clear, OBVIOUSLY Jesus is better than football. We cannot demean Christ's love or sacrifice by comparing it to something as insignificant as a game. BUT many DO glorify football beyond their praise of God. I am guilty of this in other areas, too!
We obsess about the material things of this world while ignoring and downplaying the greatness of our God.
A secondary point of the song and the slideshow is that there is an exuberance to following Christ that does not have to conform to the stereotypical, staid image that many armchair quarterbacks have of church and God's word. GOD INVENTED FUN!
The song says:
1. Jesus Is Better than Football
2. Jesus already won the SUPER Bowl (meaning won the greatest victory, using a phrase that an avid football fan would "get")
3. That the storied comebacks that Peyton Manning has engineered are nothing compared to Jesus's victory over sin and death after three days in the tomb
4. That we should shout and sing about Jesus's greatness
5. That all the whining that peoplel did about the Colts not going undefeated was absurd compared to the perfect record Jesus has and offers(the word "try" there is sarcastic, as if to say "Perfect YEAR? Try perfect FOREVER!")
6. Think a seat at the 50 yard line is the pinnacle of life? Bowing at the feet of our Lord and Savior is far, far more valuable.
7. You raise a foam finger as if to say you or your team are the BEST? Spend that energy praising God! Use that finger to point to where real victory is already won.
8. Instead of spending your Sunday glued to the furniture, wondering if your fantasy team or your betting line will turn out okay, trust in GOD!
9. Jesus is better than a good pass to Reggie Wayne.
10. Touchdowns cannot compare to God's glory.
11. People get crazy enough to paint themselves blue for their team, but then sit in church like it's a punishment.
12. EVERY DAY IS A VICTORY WHEN JESUS LOVE GRABS HOLD OF YOU.
Even some of the images in the slideshow, like Jesus playing football, have a purpose: Jesus, who people know suffered for our sins, is still accessible to the common man who doesn't know the Athanasian Creed by heart.
As Luther said: "Put the best construction on everything. It doesn't take much to see that this glorifies God."
Casting Crowns - Praise You In This Storm
Praise You in This Storm
words by Mark Hall/music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms
I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.
Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away
Chorus
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
Chorus
Bluetree - Story Behind "God Of This City"
Bluetree is a Northern Irish contemporary Christian band. The band is most well known for its song "God of This City", which received international exposure when it was covered by Chris Tomlin on the Passion: God of This City and Hello Love albums. -Wikipedia
Brandon Heath - Give Me Your Eyes
A good song that I think illustrates the desire to want to have the same love that Jesus has for humanity, and a willingness to give more of ourselves.
Congrats are in order...
Congratulations on the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants winning the ALCS and NLCS Titles. I had been rooting for those two teams and now I'm so excited about this World Series match-up coming up. And, although I would prefer the Texas Rangers to win because I'm a Texan myself, I say, "may the best team win."
10/23/2010
Rich Mullins - Awesome God (yes!!!!!!)
The Lord reigns! Let the peoples tremble! Let the earth be moved! The Lord is great in Zion, And He is high above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awesome name-- He is holy. Psalm 99:1-3
Alice Cooper's Christian Faith
Alice Cooper interview where he speaks about his Christian experience and beliefs on a radio show, 2007.
10/22/2010
Queen - We Are The Champions
My personal tribute to the Texas Rangers winning the ALCS Title for 2010. Go Rangers!
VOM–USA Prayer Update for week of Oct 22, 2010
The Voice of the Martyrs USA: www.persecution.com
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13–14
IRAN —Pastor Sentenced to Death — VOM Contacts
Matthew 5:44–45
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Christians in Iran are reporting that Pastor Youcef Nardarkhani has been sentenced to death for what is called a “thought crime.” VOM contacts confirm that the pastor’s trial was held in recent weeks in the 11th Chamber of The Assize Court of the province of Gilan, but a formal verdict has not yet been delivered by the court. Pastor Youcef, a leader in the Full Gospel “Church of Iran” network, is one of several members of his church who have been imprisoned. The Iranian government has also threatened his wife with life imprisonment and has threatened to take away their two children, who are currently being cared for by relatives. Pastor Youcef was arrested in October 2009 after protesting a decision by the government requiring that his son study the Quran. Media reports suggest that Pastor Youcef was transferred to Lakan prison, which is supervised by the Political Police of the Islamic Republic. If a death sentence is officially handed down by the court and Pastor Youcef is executed, his would be the first judicial execution of a Christian in Iran in two decades. This arrest is the latest in a series of arrests of believers in Iran in the past year. Eighty-three Christians are known to have been arrested in Iran since the beginning of 2010. Of those, 65 were subsequently released, but 18 are still believed to be in custody. Pray for Pastor Youcef, his family and other believers in prison. Ask God to protect them and to embolden them to proclaim his name in the face of great persecution.
IRAQ — Christian Disappears — VOM Contacts
1 Thessalonians 3:7–9
Therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.
For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God,
The Voice of the Martyrs contacts in Baghdad, Iraq, report that a Christian woman disappeared several days ago after being caught reading her Bible. VOM contacts are not sure who may have discovered the woman reading the Bible, but Christians in Iraq are concerned for her safety. Pray that God will protect this woman and that Christians will be encouraged during this uncertain time. Praise God for all believers in Iraq.
CHINA — Authorities Harass Christian Attorney — China Aid Association
Matthew 5:10–11
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.”
On Oct. 10, police officers confronted Christian attorney Jiang Tianyong while he was on his way to a worship service in Beijing, according to China Aid Association. As Jiang was walking to church with his wife and child, police officers blocked his way and told him that the deputy director of Yangfangdian Police Station would not allow him to go to church. When Jiang called the station to confirm their claim, he was told that an official from the Haidian Public Security Branch, Song Aixin, was the one preventing him from attending church. Jiang told the officers that he was determined to go to church but said they could follow him if they wished. Then, at a subway station, two young police officers grabbed Jiang from behind. Jiang told his family to leave, then tried to talk with the two officers. They told Jiang that it would be a “serious act of dereliction” if he attended church, and they held him long enough to prevent his church attendance before escorting him home. Pray that Jiang and his family will persevere in faith amid this harassment. Pray that they will continue to yield their hearts to God’s will and demonstrate his love even to their oppressors. Pray that Christians in China will continue to exercise their right to worship, despite opposition.
Add the PrisonerAlert.com application on Facebook by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/prisoneralert/
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13–14
IRAN —Pastor Sentenced to Death — VOM Contacts
Matthew 5:44–45
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Christians in Iran are reporting that Pastor Youcef Nardarkhani has been sentenced to death for what is called a “thought crime.” VOM contacts confirm that the pastor’s trial was held in recent weeks in the 11th Chamber of The Assize Court of the province of Gilan, but a formal verdict has not yet been delivered by the court. Pastor Youcef, a leader in the Full Gospel “Church of Iran” network, is one of several members of his church who have been imprisoned. The Iranian government has also threatened his wife with life imprisonment and has threatened to take away their two children, who are currently being cared for by relatives. Pastor Youcef was arrested in October 2009 after protesting a decision by the government requiring that his son study the Quran. Media reports suggest that Pastor Youcef was transferred to Lakan prison, which is supervised by the Political Police of the Islamic Republic. If a death sentence is officially handed down by the court and Pastor Youcef is executed, his would be the first judicial execution of a Christian in Iran in two decades. This arrest is the latest in a series of arrests of believers in Iran in the past year. Eighty-three Christians are known to have been arrested in Iran since the beginning of 2010. Of those, 65 were subsequently released, but 18 are still believed to be in custody. Pray for Pastor Youcef, his family and other believers in prison. Ask God to protect them and to embolden them to proclaim his name in the face of great persecution.
IRAQ — Christian Disappears — VOM Contacts
1 Thessalonians 3:7–9
Therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.
For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God,
The Voice of the Martyrs contacts in Baghdad, Iraq, report that a Christian woman disappeared several days ago after being caught reading her Bible. VOM contacts are not sure who may have discovered the woman reading the Bible, but Christians in Iraq are concerned for her safety. Pray that God will protect this woman and that Christians will be encouraged during this uncertain time. Praise God for all believers in Iraq.
CHINA — Authorities Harass Christian Attorney — China Aid Association
Matthew 5:10–11
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.”
On Oct. 10, police officers confronted Christian attorney Jiang Tianyong while he was on his way to a worship service in Beijing, according to China Aid Association. As Jiang was walking to church with his wife and child, police officers blocked his way and told him that the deputy director of Yangfangdian Police Station would not allow him to go to church. When Jiang called the station to confirm their claim, he was told that an official from the Haidian Public Security Branch, Song Aixin, was the one preventing him from attending church. Jiang told the officers that he was determined to go to church but said they could follow him if they wished. Then, at a subway station, two young police officers grabbed Jiang from behind. Jiang told his family to leave, then tried to talk with the two officers. They told Jiang that it would be a “serious act of dereliction” if he attended church, and they held him long enough to prevent his church attendance before escorting him home. Pray that Jiang and his family will persevere in faith amid this harassment. Pray that they will continue to yield their hearts to God’s will and demonstrate his love even to their oppressors. Pray that Christians in China will continue to exercise their right to worship, despite opposition.
Add the PrisonerAlert.com application on Facebook by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/prisoneralert/
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Josh Hamilton Interview (Daystar TV)
Baseball star of Texas Rangers talks on Daystar Christian television. Josh Hamilton is a professional baseball player who went through a series of events and circumstances that lead him to seek God for help and find his own faith.
http://www.daystar.com/
http://www.crossbridge.com/
10/21/2010
Newsboys - Belly Of The Whale
Newsboys performing "Belly Of The Whale" to clips of "Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie."
10/19/2010
A powerful lesson from ER.
from The Way Of The Master YouTube: A number of people called our attention to this clip from the popular TV series ER. It really is amazing for secular television.
The "Fair Use" law allowed us to teach from it, without violating copyright laws. It has wonderful evangelistic potential, so please use it all over the Internet.
Are you a good person?
"Are you a good person?" animation produced by Cedric Hohnstadt from www.cedricstudio.com
Additional animators include Michael Foster & Chance Dodd
Mr. Nice Guy........................Kirk Cameron
Narrator.............................David Jeremiah
Criminal/ Judge.....Emeal ("E.Z.") Zwayne
Woman..............................Rachel Proctor
Based on Hell's Best Kept Secret by Ray Comfort
www.needGod.com
www.wayofthemaster.com
www.livingwaters.com
Celebrity Intelligence Test
Can you name that Celebrity?
What do the most famous stars in the world believe about God? Find out in Ray Comfort's riveting book "What Hollywood Believes."
Now available at www.WhatHollywoodBelieves.com
www.needGod.com
Darrell Mansfield - Tears In Heaven (live)
Darrell Mansfield from his Orphan Blues Tour in Moldova 2005.
Darrell Mansfield - Stand By Me (live)
Darrell Mansfield is a Christian gospel/blues artist. He got his musical start in 1974, releasing his first album Gentle Faith in 1976. He later formed the Darrell Mansfield Band. Over the years he has recorded and toured the US and Europe, as well as the Middle East, Asia and Australia. Mansfield has contributed vocals and harmonica to many other artists' recordings, including Eddie Van Halen, Jon Bon Jovi, Adam Again and Loverboy. He has also played alongside Jimmy Hall, Joe Turner, Richie Sambora, Billy Idol, Ted Nugent, Five Blind Boys, Earl Slick, Rick Derringer and Billy Sheehan. Darrell Mansfield was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2009, and inducted into the Hohner Harmonica Hall of Fame in 1980. A musician and songwriter, he has released more than thirty albums.
Larry Norman - Why should the devil have all the good music?
Learn more about Larry Norman at http://larrynorman.com/
Feb. 25th, 2008, Salem, Oregon - Larry Norman, the singer, songwriter, and producer known as the "father of Christian rock music," died of heart failure on Sunday (Feb. 24) in his Salem, Oregon home. He was 60.
Norman was an eccentric visionary whose songs drew controversy from both the conservative religious establishment and the secular music press for his lyrical mix of radical religious, political, and social themes. His 1969 solo album Upon This Rock was the first Christian rock record, and his milestone 1972 release Only Visiting This Planet is considered one of the best albums in the genre. His music was an influence on such diverse artists as U2, John Mellencamp, and the Pixies.
"Larry was my door into the music business and he was the most Christlike person I ever met," former Pixies singer Frank Black said Monday upon hearing of Norman's passing.
Time Magazine once called Norman "the most significant artist in his field." Over 300 cover versions of his songs have been recorded by artists such as Petula Clark, Sammy Davis, Jr., Frank Black, and Cliff Richard. His songs have also been recorded by contemporary Christian artists like DC Talk, Rebecca St. James, and Audio Adrenaline. He performed for The White House, twice - and in Moscow at the 80,000 seat Olympic Stadium. He headlined venues like The Hollywood Bowl, The Sydney Opera House, The Palladium and London's prestigious Royal Albert Hall, which he sold out six times, once filling it twice on the same day. In the last 40 years Norman has released nearly 100 solo albums.
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