Idolatry is the worship of idols. This does not just mean the worship of images made out of stone, wood, or precious metals. An idol is anything that is more important to you than God.
The works of the flesh are characteristics of the sinful nature of man caused by lust [sinful desire]. They are opposites of the qualities which the Holy Spirit wants to develop in your life. There is a constant spiritual battle going on in the life of a believer. The works of the flesh are trying to destroy the fruit of the Holy Spirit. <more...> Work Five: IDOLATRY
Idolatry is the worship of idols. This does not just mean the worship of images made out of stone, wood, or precious metals. An idol is anything that is more important to you than God.
0 Comments
'Polycarp: Destroyer of Gods' has been announced as the next film project from Joe and Jerica Henline, an award-winning brother and sister filmmaking team. 'Polycarp' will be their first feature and the first film made under the banner of Henline Productions, formerly J&J Productions. Joe will direct and Jerica will write the screenplay. The full-length feature film, based on a novel authored by Pastor Rick Lambert, will depict the story of second century church father, Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, who faced severe persecution at the hand of Roman oppressors. Joe and Jerica's father and also the film's executive producer, Jerry Henline, says, “We are seeking to use the medium of film to inspire today's generation to stand for their faith against all opposition.” A French court on Thursday ordered Twitter Inc to help identify the authors of anti-Semitic posts or face fines of 1,000 euros ($1,300) per day, as the social network firm comes under renewed pressure to combat racist and extremist messages. The order, requested by a Jewish student union and rights groups, concerned anti-Semitic material but could open the floodgates to legal pursuit of Twitter users who post a wide range of messages deemed illegal or offensive. Mr Saeed Abedinigalangashi, a convert to Christianity with dual United States/Iranian nationality, was sentenced to eight years in prison on 27 January for “actions against the national security of Iran.” His lawyer told Mohabat News that the charges against him concern the planting of house churches that are “intended to undermine national security.”
Love Hope and Faith Magazine Volume 2 Issue #1 now published! Feature Articles: -The Limits of Grace How far does grace take us? Does the grace of God have limits? The struggle of living with grace is that grace asks us the question, “When is it time to no longer be gracious?” There is a very honest struggle happening inside of Christianity (and I use that with a big “C”) today. -The Big Picture We live in an age where the movements of people globally are on the increase and are being intentionally tracked through charts and statistics on many different levels. Passport policies are being renewed and multinational corporations are planning with this in mind. That said, it may be helpful to focus on one particular Bible story that will help us glean some new insights into this significant issue. -Top Official: 'China Must Unwaveringly Adhere to the One Child Policy' A top family planning official dashed hopes that the One Child Policy will be abolished, or even modified significantly, any time soon. "We must unwaveringly adhere to the One Child Policy as a national policy to stabilize the low birth rate as the primary task," stated Wang Xia, Chairman the National Population and Family Planning Commission, at a national conference on January 14. -Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Reached Millions With Gospel in 2012 Nearly 8 million people around the world were presented with the message of Jesus Christ in 2012 through the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's PeaceWithGod.net ministry. Of those, nearly 1.5 million -- more than 4,100 per day -- registered that they prayed a salvation prayer in response to the presentation. Plus Much More! Birthdays come only once a year. Today just happens to be my birthday and I have found myself reflecting on the past year. How many of us take our birthday as a time as reflection? I like doing that because it helps me make each year better than the one before. <more...> Issue: I feel that God has called me to do something, however I find that I am constantly distracted by my daily life; how can I focus on God's calling? Riding alongside Lance Armstrong for 10 miles, brothers Jedidiah and Caleb Coppenger sought to share their faith in 2006 with the now-disgraced cycling legend. Armstrong, who was cycling in the annual 450-mile ride across Iowa known as RAGRAI, was in a pack of enthusiasts until a serendipitous crash left the brothers beside the cycling legend. Harvest of Hope will celebrate its 1,000th child placed in a home during Martin Luther King's Commemoration Weekend. Since 1996, Somerset County-based Harvest of Hope Family Services Network, Inc., has recruited and trained 435 families to become licensed foster families. During the month of December, Harvest of Hope accomplished a significant milestone with the placement of their 1,000th child into those homes; 250 foster children were adopted by Harvest of Hope resource families providing a permanent solution for their need of a loving family. On Sunday, January 27, First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens (FBCLG) will give a special recognition during its 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services to the board and staff of Harvest of Hope as a part of its month long celebration of the lifelong work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Children are a blessing from the Lord" is the heart cry of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar of the popular TLC Channel series 19 kids and Counting. So much so that a family trip taken a couple of years ago made an unexpected yet profound impact on them. Michelle recalls, "Our family visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. The designers of the museum did an incredible job telling the tragic story of over 6 million Jews who were brutally executed. The purpose of the museum is to educate others on what happened, so that hopefully, something like this will never happen again! A couple of weeks after we went to the Holocaust Museum it dawned on us that there is a holocaust taking place right here in America!" On January 9th, Greater Grace Protestant Church in Azerbaijan's capital of Baku lost its final appeal against closure. This means that any further religious activity carried out by the church is now considered illegal according to the recent Supreme Court ruling. Unfortunately, those representing the congregation no longer have any more options available to further challenge this ruling through the court system. |
Walter Blackwood
Associate Pastor with The Bridge Community of Faith in Kelowna BC Canada. Archives
May 2017
|