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And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32). The Greek word “know” in this passage means “the possession of knowledge and wisdom that only comes through personal application or experience.” Having just a theoretical understanding or “head knowledge” of a particular subject is surely limited, but the possession of wisdom and true discernment comes only through the application of knowledge in our lives. For example, a private in the military who has seen (i.e., experienced) real combat is in a practical sense wiser than a military cadet from West Point who has only...

The God of More than Enough Today's Scripture "…the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am Almighty God…" (Genesis 17:1, NKJ) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Do you need more peace, joy, or any provision in your life? Friend, we serve a God who is more than enough and He has more than enough! The original Hebrew word in this verse is El Shaddai which means "the All-Sufficient One" or the God of plenty. In other words, our God is simply more than enough! He's not worried about how He's going to meet your needs....

Christian Perfection "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect . . ." —Philippians 3:12 It is a trap to presume that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do— God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you accept this concept of personal holiness, your life’s determined purpose will not be for God, but for what you call the evidence of God in your life. How can we say, "It...

December 2, 2009                                   Wednesday of the First Week of Advent Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Is 25:6-10a On this mountain the LORD of hostswill provide for all peoplesA feast of rich food and choice wines,juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.On this mountain he will destroythe veil that veils all peoples,The web that is woven over all nations;he will destroy death forever.The Lord GOD will wipe awaythe tears from all faces;The reproach of his people he will removefrom the whole earth; for the Lord has spoken. On that day it will be said:“Behold our God, to whom we looked to save...

This Jerusalem Post article is sure to raise eyebrows, and perhaps tempers, among Jews, Catholics, and anyone else who thinks it's wrong and ugly to spit at someone because of his religious beliefs. This report says that Catholic and Orthodox priests and religious are regularly assaulted by Orthodox Jews who spit at them in a show of contempt. . . .

Overflowing With Passion for Life Today's Scripture "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11, NIV) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Zeal is simply another word for passion. I've noticed that too many people today have lost their passion and enthusiasm for life. At one time, they were excited about their dreams and got up every day with purpose and passion. But now, because time has passed and they've experienced disappointments, they're not excited about those dreams anymore. They've lost their fire. Friend, God wants you to live with passion! You...

The Law and the Gospel "Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all" —James 2:10 The moral law does not consider our weaknesses as human beings; in fact, it does not take into account our heredity or infirmities. It simply demands that we be absolutely moral. The moral law never changes, either for the highest of society or for the weakest in the world. It is enduring and eternally the same. The moral law, ordained by God, does not make itself weak to the weak by excusing our shortcomings. It...

Some good insight into Sarah Palin's faith in Almighty God. Links below. Finding Faith On Facing Challenges Source for links BGEA

December 1, 2009                                 Tuesday of the First Week of Advent     Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Is 11:1-10 On that day,A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,and from his roots a bud shall blossom.The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,A Spirit of counsel and of strength,a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.Not by appearance shall he judge,nor by hearsay shall he decide,But he shall judge the poor with justice,and decide...

I knew it! I knew it. I just knew it. Even given all his florid protestations to the contrary, and all his glowing "at-a-boy!" praise for my own personal denunciation of torture notwithstanding, and in light of his constant grinding on literally anything that moved — if it had even the tiniest tincture of support for torture about it — all of Mark "Torture Is Eeeeeevil" Shea's claims about how he's all against torture and stuff have just gone up in smoke. . .

The Lisbon Treaty is Ratified The Lisbon Treaty is a reformatted "treaty" to replace the constitution thatfailed ratification owing to the French and Dutch rejection of it a few years ago. As is typical for the EU, they merely repackaged it, renamed it, and passed it by having the individual nation's parliaments approved it, instead of allowing the people to vote on it (Ireland was an exception to this). Jean Monnet, the true founder of the EU, suggested that to obtain passage of significant matters in the EU; never allow the people to vote onthe issue. That advice is now...

GRAND HAVEN -- After describing in court today how her 19-year-old son would want Kevin Babcock in heaven with him, Lynne Jacbos left a family Bible for the man who took her son's life in a drunken driving crash. "I couldn't do that unless I knew Curtis would have wanted me to do that," Jacobs said outside a Grand Haven courtroom after watching a judge sentence Babcock, 44, to 20 to 45 years in prison for killing Curtis Jacobs on June 27. Jacobs was riding with a church group, training for a bicycle mission trip, when Babcock went through a...

This month, the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) held their fall meeting in Baltimore. On the agenda was family, reproduction, the healthcare reform bill and sex abuse scandals. The meetings ran from November 16-18. The mission of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is to support the ministry of bishops with an emphasis on evangelization, by which the bishops exercise in a communal and collegial manner certain pastoral functions entrusted to them by the Lord Jesus of sanctifying, teaching, and governing.

It happens every year at this time: the battles of political correctness. When community puts up a Christmas tree, one of two things happens. Either there is a battle to take it down totally or someone fights to get a Chanukia (that's the real name not Menorah), Kwanza Candles or a symbol of some other religion's holiday placed right next to it. Then, Fox news follows by running stories about the latest battle in the "war against Christmas," and the ACLU starts suing any town who's Mayor ever went to a Church, Mosque and/or Synagogue. Hey ACLU give it up...

An Arab university lecturer and writer is hiding underground out of fear for his life after shocking the Palestinian Authority with a book that links Jews with the Temple Mount. The Arab world has been conducting a campaign, including removal of tons of dirt containing archaeological evidence, to try to eliminate historical Jewish links with the Temple Mount. Dr. Sari Nusseibeh, of Birzeit University in Ramallah, threw acid on the propaganda campaign that tries to convince Arabs that the First and Second Temples never existed. He wrote in a book, “The legendary Temple of Jerusalem may be the place of...

Those in the Northeastern Iowa Synod are providing significant leadership in trying to keep their synod together in spite of the biblical and theological crisis in the ELCA. Call to Faithfulness, one of the reform groups that comprise Lutheran CORE, has provided leadership in the efforts in the Northeastern Iowa Synod. The Northeastern Iowa Synod Council has passed two resolutions in response to the Churchwide Assembly’s votes. The first resolution calls upon the ELCA Church Council to reject and work to overturn the Sexuality Statement and the Recommendations on Ministry because they are contrary to the Confession of Faith in...

Every Day is a Gift Today's Scripture "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12, NIV) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Sometimes, our days can be so full and busy that we forget how fragile life really is. It can be easy to allow little things to creep in and steal our peace and joy. Something doesn't go our way, or someone says something upsetting. Even traffic can cause us to lose focus if we let it. We have to remember that each day is a gift. If we...

"By the Grace of God I Am What I Am" "By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain . . ." —1 Corinthians 15:10 The way we continually talk about our own inabilities is an insult to our Creator. To complain over our incompetence is to accuse God falsely of having overlooked us. Get into the habit of examining from God’s perspective those things that sound so humble to men. You will be amazed at how unbelievably inappropriate and disrespectful they are to Him. We say things such...

November 30, 2009                                    Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle   Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Rom 10:9-18 Brothers and sisters:If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lordand believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,you will be saved.For one believes with the heart and so is justified,and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.The Scripture says,No one who believes in him will be put to shame.There is no distinction between Jew and Greek;the same Lord is Lord of all,enriching all who call upon him.For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will...

The first of five U.S. cities will be hit by a new atheist holiday ad campaign this Thanksgiving weekend. Washington, D.C., residents can expect to see ads proclaiming, "No God?...No Problem!" inside buses and rail cars. Washington, D.C., residents can expect to see ads proclaiming, “No God?...No Problem!” inside buses, rail cars and on the side or tail of buses by week’s end. The campaign, sponsored by the American Humanist Association, will then target the transit systems of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. According to AHA, the holiday ad campaign is the first by a humanist group...

The Supremacy of Jesus Christ "He will glorify Me . . ." —John 16:14 The holiness movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them. There is nothing about them that needs the death of Jesus Christ. All that is required is a pious atmosphere, prayer, and devotion. This type of experience is not supernatural nor miraculous. It did not cost the sufferings of God, nor is it stained with "the blood of the Lamb" ( Revelation 12:11 ). It is not marked or sealed by the Holy Spirit as being genuine, and...

November 29, 2009                                         First Sunday of Advent     Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Jer 33:14-16 The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and Judah.In those days, in that time, I will raise up for David a just shoot ; he shall do what is right and just in the land.In those days Judah shall be safe and Jerusalem shall dwell secure; this is what they shall call her: “The LORD our justice.” Responsorial PsalmPs 25:4-5, 8-9, 10,...

Monday and Thrsday mornings, 11/30 and 12/3Kohen--Genesis 32:4-6Levi--vs. 7-9Yisra'el--vs. 10-13 Strday 12/5--Shabbat Parashat VaYishlachMORNING Kohen--Genesis 32:4-13Levi--32:14-30Shelishi--32:31-33:5Revi`i--33:6-20Chamishi--34:1-35:11Shishi--35:12-36:19Shevi`i--36:20-43Maftir--36:40-43Haftarah--The Book of Obadiah EVENING Kohen--Genesis 37:1-3Levi--vs. 4-7Yisra'el--vs. 8-11

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The Riches of the Destitute ". . . being justified freely by His grace . . ." —Romans 3:24 The gospel of the grace of God awakens an intense longing in human souls and an equally intense resentment, because the truth that it reveals is not palatable or easy to swallow. There is a certain pride in people that causes them to give and give, but to come and accept a gift is another thing. I will give my life to martyrdom; I will dedicate my life to service— I will do anything. But do not humiliate me to...

November 28, 2009                                 Saturday of the Thirty-fourth Week                                 in Ordinary Time Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Dn 7:15-27 I, Daniel, found my spirit anguished within its covering of flesh,and I was terrified by the visions of my mind.I approached one of those presentand asked him what all this meant in truth;in answer, he made known to me the meaning of the things:“These four great beasts stand for four kingdomswhich shall arise on the earth.But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingship,to...

How can there be a generation of souls wholly indifferent to this delicate thread that exists in each of us and that connects us backwards to the beginning and forwards to His return? But it is not just the Culture of Death that threatens the unbroken thread. There is also the Culture of Selfishness that avoids marriage and, once married, also avoids children. I am an example of the former. I did not marry until forty-seven. How did I come finally to be blessed with a wife and two children at my advanced age? How did I not break the...

Constant Gratitude Today's Scripture "O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever" (I Chronicles 16:34 AMP) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Gratitude is a powerful force in the life of the believer. No matter what may be happening in the world around you, you can always find something to thank God for. Having constant gratitude shows that you have faith in God because not only do you thank Him for what He has done in the past, you thank Him for what He will do in the future. It's...

The Consecration of Spiritual Power ". . . by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" —Galatians 6:14 If I dwell on the Cross of Christ, I do not simply become inwardly devout and solely interested in my own holiness— I become strongly focused on Jesus Christ’s interests. Our Lord was not a recluse nor a fanatical holy man practicing self-denial. He did not physically cut Himself off from society, but He was inwardly disconnected all the time. He was not aloof, but He lived in another world. In fact, He was so...

November 27, 2009                                     Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week                                 in Ordinary Time   Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Dn 7:2-14 In a vision I, Daniel, saw during the night,the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,from which emerged four immense beasts,each different from the others.The first was like a lion, but with eagle’s wings.While I watched, the wings were plucked;it was raised from the ground to stand on two feetlike a man, and given a human mind. The second was like a bear;...

Just a few years ago, it seemed curious that an omniscient, omnipotent God wouldn’t smite tormentors like Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris. They all published best-selling books excoriating religion and practically inviting lightning bolts. Traditionally, religious wars were fought with swords and sieges; today, they often are fought with books. And in literary circles, these battles have usually been fought at the extremes. Fundamentalists fired volleys of Left Behind novels, in which Jesus returns to Earth to battle the Anti-Christ (whose day job was secretary general of the United Nations). Meanwhile, devout atheists built mocking Web sites like...

A Door of Opportunity Today's Scripture "I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close" (Revelation 3:8, NLT) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria I believe that God is ready to present you with new opportunities. He wants to open new doors before you. It doesn’t matter what’s happening in the world around you, God’s Word remains true! Remember, in an instant, God can bring the right people into your life, the right opportunities, and the right resources to take you to a whole new level. But in...

The Focal Point of Spiritual Power ". . . except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . ." —Galatians 6:14 If you want to know the power of God (that is, the resurrection life of Jesus) in your human flesh, you must dwell on the tragedy of God. Break away from your personal concern over your own spiritual condition, and with a completely open spirit consider the tragedy of God. Instantly the power of God will be in you. "Look to Me. . ." (Isaiah 45:22). Pay attention to the external Source and the internal power...

November 26, 2009                                   Thanksgiving Day                                               (The following readings are selected                                                   from the options for this day.)       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Sir 50:22-24 And now, bless the God of all,who has done wondrous things on earth;Who fosters people’s growth from their mother’s womb,and fashions them according to his will!May he grant you joy of heartand may peace abide among you;May his goodness toward us endure in Israel to deliver us in our days. Responsorial Psalm138:1-2a, 2bc-3, 4-5 R.  (2bc)  Lord, I thank you for your faithfulness and love.I...

There are plenty of creative and effective things Catholics and other Christians can do to push back against militant secularism, and this new button campaign is a good example. It's an overt way of publicly making an important point — i.e., Christmas is about Christmas, not some generic "holidays" — and you don't even have to open your mouth to do it. To be sure, wearing one of these buttons will likely lead to opportunities to speak verbally about this message, but even if no one queries (or challenges) you about it, they will read the message, and it will...

I have had the privilege of appearing on several hundred radio shows over the past 12 years speaking about my books. I always try to bring the conversation around to the Rapture and the truth of the Word which states that the Lord will gather together His church and take them to Heaven before the Apocalypse proper begins. Invariably I receive emails from sincere fellow Christians insisting that we are indeed to go through the Great Tribulation and that I am a coward for not wanting to accept this trial of faith. I always reply with Romans 5:9 where Paul...

The war of gay rights and marriage is the hottest button issue since the protests of Vietnam. The lines have been drawn between those seeking and promoting equal rights and the those faithful to the church and its teachings. This fight has caused the fight between religious liberty and the law. As well as, caused the threat of the stopping of charitable services. Over the last month, the Diocese in our nation's capital, has come to odds with the proposed law of same sex marriage.

The Keys of the Kingdom Today's Scripture "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven" (Matthew 16:19, NIV) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Keys represent access. They represent authority. Whether it's a key to a building, car, or safety deposit box; if you've been given a key to something, it means you have a right to use it. You have access to whatever that key will open. Friend, because of Jesus, we have the...

The Secret of Spiritual Consistency "God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . ." —Galatians 6:14 When a person is newly born again, he seems inconsistent due to his unrelated emotions and the state of the external things or circumstances in his life. The apostle Paul had a strong and steady underlying consistency in his life. Consequently, he could let his external life change without internal distress because he was rooted and grounded in God. Most of us are not consistent spiritually because we are more concerned about being consistent...

November 25, 2009                                     Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week                             in Ordinary Time   Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Dn 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords,with whom he drank.Under the influence of the wine,he ordered the gold and silver vesselswhich Nebuchadnezzar, his father,had taken from the temple in Jerusalem,to be brought in so that the king, his lords,his wives and his entertainers might drink from them.When the gold and silver vesselstaken from the house of God in...

The temptation to have sex before marriage is as old as marriage itself. More than 1,600 years ago, St. Augustine, grappling with his desires, cried out to God, "Give me chastity . . . but not yet!"What is chastity? The word is often used to mean simply abstaining from sex, as if it were equivalent to celibacy. So it may be strange to learn that, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "All Christ's faithful are called to lead a chaste life." If that meant total abstinence, how would there be any new Catholics? (After all, cloning is...

Victims of Bomb Blast in Israel Recovering as Suspect Indicted Ami Ortiz, then 15, nearly six weeks after he opened Purim basket containing a bomb. (photo: Leah Ortiz) Messianic Jews hope for punishment from courts, mercy from God, for confessed killer. ISTANBUL, November 13 (CDN) — One morning during the week of March 10, 2008 in Ariel, Israel, David Ortiz opened his Bible randomly, read the words on the pages that opened before him and was filled with dread. “I opened the book to Jeremiah, and a verse jumped out, “Ortiz said, referring to Jeremiah 9:21: “Death has climbed in...

Islamic Extremists Execute Young Convert in Somalia Christian accused of trying to convert Muslim teenager found shot on Mogadishu street. NAIROBI, Kenya, November 23 (CDN) — Islamic extremists controlling part of the Somali capital of Mogadishu this month executed a young Christian they accused of trying to convert a 15-year-old Muslim to Christianity. Members of the Islamic extremist group al Shabaab had taken 23-year-old Mumin Abdikarim Yusuf into custody on Oct. 28 after the 15-year-old boy reported him to the militants, an area source told Compass. Yusuf’s body was found on Nov. 14 on an empty residential street in Mogadishu,...

Iran: Maryam and Marzieh free On November 18, Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh were released from Evin Prison in Tehran after being held for 259 days, according to Elam Ministries. Family members picked them up at the prison, and the women expressed heartfelt thanks to Christians around the world who prayed for them during their days in prison. “Words are not enough to express our gratitude to the Lord and to his people who have prayed and worked for our release,” they said. Maryam and Marzieh were released without bail, but charges against them have not been formally dropped, and...

Modernist Christianity must eventually die or cease to be Christian. At this time modernism still wears Christian clothes in the mainstream Protestant churches and in parts of the Catholic Church. This cannot last much longer for some very simple reasons: 1. Modernists deny supernaturalism and therefore they are not really religious. Now by 'religion' I mean a transacton with the supernatural. Religion (whether it is primitive people jumping around a campfire or a Solemn High Mass in a Catholic Cathedral) is about an interchange with the other world. It is about salvation of souls, redemption of sin, heaven, hell damnation,...

I know, this is hardly revolutionary or unique advice, but I was recently asked about this issue by a young Catholic man who called my "Open Line" radio show (heard every Thursday at 3:00 p.m. ET). He had been dating a devoutly Presbyterian girl, and her father didn't like it one bit that the guy was Catholic. I think my response to his "what do I do now?" question may have surprise him. (It apparently surprised and even dismayed a few of my listeners, judging from some of the e-mails that came in after that show.) My basic premise, which...

He Holds the Keys Today's Scripture "I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades" (Revelation 1:18, NIV) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Have you ever been locked out of your car or house? It can be very frustrating and inconvenient. Not having the right keys can keep you stuck and unproductive. It steals your time and can steal your peace and joy if you let it. On a spiritual level, we need keys to access what God has for us—eternal...

Direction of Focus "Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters . . . , so our eyes look to the Lord our God . . ." —Psalm 123:2 This verse is a description of total reliance on God. Just as the eyes of a servant are riveted on his master, our eyes should be directed to and focused on God. This is how knowledge of His countenance is gained and how God reveals Himself to us (seeIsaiah 53:1 ). Our spiritual strength begins to be drained when we stop lifting our eyes to...

November 24, 2009                                         Memorial of Saint Andrew Dung-Lac,                                     priest and martyr,                             and his companions, martyrs       Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Dn 2:31-45 Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar:“In your vision, O king, you saw a statue,very large and exceedingly bright,terrifying in appearance as it stood before you.The head of the statue was pure gold,its chest and arms were silver,its belly and thighs bronze, the legs iron,its feet partly iron and partly tile.While you looked...

The Bearing Witness series of seminars created by the Anti-Defamation League is designed to teach educators about anti-Semitism and the history of the relationship between Jews and the church. [snip] "The very first time I attended, I'll be brutally honest, it was difficult for me to hear some of the things that were said, like how the Fourth Lateran Council demanded Jews wear identifying hats," said Father Alexei Smith of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which helps develop and promote the conference. "That's horrendous and a precursor to the Nazis' demanded armbands."