Groundhog Day enthusiasts will tell you that for decades there has only been one groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil, even though groundhogs only live for six years or so. In a similar way, it can feel like there’s always a single distraction in American culture; we just keep switching out the bodies.

Our fresh amusements or outrages are periodically lifted up by the next man with a top hat, making it especially appropriate that the groundhog celebration coincides this year with the pageantry of Super Bowl Sunday. What makes February 2 a strikingly sad illustration of our national propensities is the splendor of what it conceals.

But don’t take my word for it; take Pope Pius IX’s. The definer of papal infallibility and author of the 1864 Syllabus of Errors claimed the Virgin Mary was called “Virgin Priest by the Fathers of the Church.”

The 20th-century priest René Laurentin decided to fact-check this pontifical declaration, just as puzzled readers might do today. Two dissertations later, Laurentin learned the Pope was right—the priesthood of Mary saturates the Christian tradition, and even has biblical basis. Mary is connected, through her kinswoman Elizabeth, to a priestly lineage even higher than Elizabeth’s husband, the priest Zechariah (Luke 1:5, 36). Hence church authorities like Theodore the Studite could say regarding Mary, “Hail daughter, young sacrificial priest,” and Tarasios the Patriarch of Constantinople could call her “the greatest among the high priests.”

Such associations are especially clear in art history, where Mary regularly sports vestments reserved for the clergy. This appears even in mainstream illustrations for the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, celebrated February 2, but which most people only know as “Groundhog Day.”

In classic Byzantine depictions of the event, Mary approaches the altar and offers Jesus over what look like the royal doors through which—in the Orthodox tradition—the sanctified elements emerge. In accordance with the law (Ex. 13:1–2; Luke 2:22­–23), she offers back to God the son she was given as if she were a second Abraham. (In some churches in Cyprus, Mary’s sacrifice and Abraham’s are even depicted in tandem.)

The Feast of the Presentation was celebrated in the West as well, where some say it was used to counteract the annual pagan festival of Lupercalia. It was also known as Candlemas because it fell in dark winter when artificial light was especially required. Martin Luther, understanding the feast’s biblical basis, suggested Protestants retain it. To those wondering how much longer winter would last, one German folk tradition offered an answer: “If Candlemas is bright and clear, the crops will be damaged, and it will be a bad year.”

Such predictions were also linked to badgers, foxes, or bears in German-speaking Europe; when German settlers came to the United States, specifically to Pennsylvania, this tradition latched on to the groundhog, the sight of whose shadow testified to a “bright and clear” day, and hence a prolonged winter.

We can be sure that neither Mary nor any of the church fathers ever laid eyes on a groundhog, with or without his shadow. A more immediate animal to connect Candlemas to would be the turtledove, which the holy family presented at the temple in place of a lamb because they were poor (Lev. 12:8; Luke 2:24). The terrified doves are highlighted in the center of Lorenzetti’s colorful depiction of the scene. In one haunting Orthodox icon, the offering of Mary’s son and the birds overlap: Jesus’ head is twisted as if he were a sacrificial pigeon, neck snapped for the sin of the world.

Source: Christianity Today

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

Mike Glenn is Senior Pastor at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, Tennessee. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily represent those of BCNN1.

A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit…a sower went out to sow…consider a grain of wheat…in story after story, Jesus used scenes from everyday farm life to illustrate His points about the gospel and the kingdom of God. This shouldn’t be too surprising. Most of Jesus’ listeners would have been farmers themselves or, at least, very familiar with farming. It would have been very easy, not to mention effective, to be able to point to a farmer in the field, shepherds tending nearby flocks, or the numerous plants growing around them and reference the heart of God or another gospel truth. The illustrations Jesus needed to make His points were literally all around Him.

For a long time, these stories worked without much thought or explanation. Our churches were filled with farmers. Remember, the reason we started our worship services at 11 in the morning was to give our farmers time to take care of their morning chores, and then, get to church. But more and more of us have moved to the cities. Fewer and fewer of us grew up on farms, and thus, we miss a lot of subtle points Jesus is making in some of His stories. Jesus wouldn’t have had to fill in all of the details because His listeners would have gotten it.

I’m not sure we do.

For one thing, farming is hard work. Farmers work 365 days a year, regardless of the weather. Animals have to be fed, crops have to be fertilized and watered, and it doesn’t matter how the farmer feels on that particular day. The work still has to be done. In the same way, most of us don’t understand how hard life is. We seemed to be surprised by the hard work required by life. Building a good life is harder work, and every day, just like the farmer, we have to show up and do the work. Every day, relationships have to be tended. Weeds have to be removed, watered and fertilizer added. Neglect a relationship and just like a field left unplowed, weeds will overrun everything and whatever was planted will die.

Farming takes time. You can’t speed up nature. Cows, like people, reproduce in about nine months. You can’t speed that up. Corn takes anywhere from 90 to 100 days to be ready to be harvested. Nature takes its own time. A million factors can control the time it takes for the crop to ripen. The amount of rain, the warmth of the days, the cool of the nights, soil condition, insects – the lists goes on and on. On some days, the only thing the farmer can do is sit and wait.

Patience is a required virtue for a farmer. Patience is a needed virtue for life. Some things just take time. Some things dictate their own schedule. A baby will learn to walk when the baby is ready. Not before. Children, in fact, will do most everything they do in their own time. Every parent has a horror story of trying to rush a child into something before they were ready. All of us have endured small disasters because we tried to do something before the moment was ready. We pushed to repair a relationship before there had been time for true healing. Farming takes time. Life takes time. The smart farmer knows when the moment is ready. So does the wisest of us in living.

Source: Christianity Today

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

TEXT: Hebrews 12:1-3

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

———-

Charles Stanley said, “As you begin a new year of walking with Jesus, remember you’re never alone in your struggles. And with Christ’s strength, you can confidently face whatever comes your way.”

Not too long ago Andy Stanley said that Christians should unhitch themselves from the Old Testament. Of course he was wrong, but I took a liking to the word unhitch. Here are 12 things that Christians should unhitch themselves from as they enter the new year.

Last time, we saw that we need to unhitch ourselves from sin, weights, people who pull us into sin, politics, false teachers, and following others..

Seventh, we need to unhitch ourselves from the abomination of homosexuality. Leviticus 18:22 says, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” Denominations are splitting over this issue. Homosexuality is clearly condemned in the Bible as an abomination. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their homosexuality. Paul condemned it also in the New Testament, and Jesus stated that God created marriage for a man and a woman. John MacArthur said, “One of the supreme tragedies of our time is the declassification of homosexuality as a sin because when you declassify it as a sin, you cut them off from their salvation source. It is a damning declassification. You’re not being nice to homosexuals to call it an optional lifestyle, a sexual preference. You’re not nice to them to do that. That isn’t kind. That isn’t thoughtful. That isn’t loving. That is damning. The kindest thing you could ever say to someone engaged in homosexual sin is it is a sin that will damn you and it will exclude you from the kingdom of God forever. That’s the kindest thing you can say. A proper diagnosis is absolutely crucial. This is not a preferred sexual orientation. This is not an alternative lifestyle. This is not a genetic thing. This is sin and perversion that damns men’s and women’s souls. “ The abomination of homosexuality is not something that the church should tolerate or be connected to in any way.

Eighth, we need to unhitch ourselves from debt. Proverbs 22:7 warns that “the borrower is servant to the lender.” Dave Ramsey said, “The decision to go into debt alters the course and condition of your life. You no longer own it. You are owned.” Ron Blue said, “Nowadays you can find many financial pundits who will tell you that leverage – the use of borrowed money to buy assets for appreciation – is the “way to prosperity.” It goes without saying that this is not a biblical perspective. Absolutely nowhere in the Scriptures are we advised or commanded to use debt to accomplish God-given economic goals. On the contrary, the Bible contains many warnings against the use of debt. It doesn’t say God will bail you out of debt. Some Christians who are heavily indebted seem to have the impression that God has promised to get them out of their problems. The verse most often cited is Philippians 4:19: “And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” That promise is true, of course, and God will meet our needs. But He hasn’t pledged Himself to cancel the consequences of our unwise behavior. Ultimately, a believer has a moral obligation to repay his or her creditors to the best of their ability.” Debt cripples you with continual worries about money. Debt will have you wondering whether it’s more important to pay for food or pay your lender. You need to work hard to get out of debt and never get in it again.

Ninth, we need to unhitch ourselves from lying about our family. Psalms 101:7 says, “He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.” How many times have we seen a family that looks so well put together in public but are then embroiled in a messy divorce a week later? Earlier this year, a family was torn apart after the mother killed her two children and then committed suicide. Tim Challies said, “The Bible leaves no doubt that God hates deceit. Three times in the book of Proverbs he states it bluntly. In Proverbs 6 we read a list of “six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him,” and two of them relate to deceit: “a lying tongue” and “a false witness who breathes out lies”. Proverbs 12:22 echoes the theme: “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight”. God hates deceit because he so values truth. He so values truth because he himself is the source of all truth. “Sanctify them in the truth,” prayed Jesus, “your word is truth”. Truth reflects God’s holy character, his pure heart. God’s revelation is wholly and perfectly true because he himself is wholly and perfectly true.” Although you shouldn’t be airing your problems to everyone you know, you shouldn’t be lying on social media with posts about your picture-perfect family either.

Tenth, we need to unhitch ourselves from hate and racism. Romans 10:12, “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.” Recent years have seen an exacerbation of racial tension in this country, so that at one point the Klan and white supremacists held marches. There have been several deadly attacks by both black and white supremacists this past year. Kevin DeYoung said, “Woe to us if our vision of the good life here on earth will be completely undone by the reality of new heavens and new earth yet to come. Antagonism toward people of another color, language, or ethnic background is antagonism toward God himself and his design for eternity. Christians ought to reject racism, and do what they can to expose it and bring the gospel to bear upon it, not because we love pats on the back for our moral outrage or are desperate for restored moral authority, but because we love God and submit ourselves to the authority of his word.” As Christians, the Bible tells us that Jesus call to save us all, regardless of race. Christians should condemn racism and preach the truth that God created us all, loved us all, and sent His Son to die for us all.

Eleventh, we need to unhitch ourselves from prayerlessness. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to, “Pray without ceasing.” Leonard Ravenhill said, “Prayerlessness is disobedience, for God’s command is that men ought always to pray and not faint. To be prayerless is to fail God, for He says, Ask of me.” Dave Butts said, “Failing to pray is also an indicator of a lack of love for the Lord. Prayer, at its heart, is communicating with God. What does it say to Him when we fail to find time to talk with Him? Do we say by our lack of prayer that we are not at all interested in spending time with the Lord or hearing anything from Him? When we do not pray, we move away from any possibility of intimacy with Christ. When prayerlessness is prevalent in our lives, we are also guilty of failure to love one another. There is scarcely any greater way to demonstrate love than to pray for someone. In godly intercession, we lift the needs of another to God and watch as He moves to meet needs and provide for the one we are praying for. Through prayer, bodies are healed, families are knit together, individuals are saved, and churches are revived. When we withhold prayer on behalf of others, we demonstrate hardened hearts and a failure to love them enough to bring their needs before a loving Father.” Prayer is where we commune with God and receive strength from Him. It changes our hearts so that we are aligned with His will rather than attempting to align His to ours. If we prayed more, we would be doing a lot better – not because God gives us what we want, but because we are doing what God wants.

Twelfth, we need to unhitch ourselves from not evangelizing. In Mark 16:15-16, Jesus tells his disciples “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Erik Raymond said, “Hell is for real! In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, there was pleading from hell to have someone come and warn his family. Why? Because hell is for real! It is the eternal, consuming, unrelenting, miserable, abode of all those who reject Christ. People are really dying and going to hell. You may not like to think about it but you really should! The answer to this is the gospel. We are running around with all kinds of innovation, marketing, philanthropy, and other “stuff” in the name of reaching people. Meanwhile, the gospel itself is benched. Listen, good things happen when you pray and preach the gospel. Nobody gets saved when you don’t.” It is only through the labor of God’s disciples throughout the centuries that those of us who are Christians have been saved from damnation. Unfortunately, today’s church is preoccupied with everything except the Great Commission. We are involved in politics, social justice, and preaching on everything other topic under the sun, but we have failed in witnessing to the loss. In this New Year, let’s dedicate ourselves to obeying God’s commandment to preach the Gospel.

We had a Merry Christmas
And now we welcome the New Year
We’ll march into this New Year blessed
Ready to fight and persevere.

Yes, I have sinned and made mistakes
And even so have you
But God forgave us and washed us clean
And made us all brand new

I have been forgiven much
And even so have you
Let’s learn from all our past mistakes
And succeed in what we do.

This is a New Year, my friend
So stand and do not fall
Hold up the banner of our Lord
And answer the Gospel call.

I prayed to God each day last year
And He heard my cry
He answered me with miracles
My prayers He never denied

I had some friends to die last year
My troubles were not few
But God in love and mercy gave
And carried me through.

I’m happy for this New Year
But I’ll be happier still
When Jesus Christ comes back to earth
According to His will.

Jesus died for me, my friend
And Jesus died for you
He saved me from the pits of hell
And He can save you too.

Let all past troubles be forgotten
But remember friends so dear
Let’s praise and thank our God forever
And rejoice in this New Year!

——-

Now, if you are with us today and you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, allow me to show you how you can place your faith and trust in Him for Salvation from sin and Hell.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 18:8: “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at [email protected] and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.

He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

TEXT: Hebrews 12:1-3

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

———-

Charles Stanley said, “As you begin a new year of walking with Jesus, remember you’re never alone in your struggles. And with Christ’s strength, you can confidently face whatever comes your way.”

Not too long ago Andy Stanley said that Christians should unhitch themselves from the Old Testament. Of course he was wrong, but I took a liking to the word unhitch. Here are 12 things that Christians should unhitch themselves from as they enter the new year.

Last time, we saw that we need to unhitch ourselves from sin, weights, people who pull us into sin, politics, false teachers, and following others..

Seventh, we need to unhitch ourselves from the abomination of homosexuality. Leviticus 18:22 says, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” Denominations are splitting over this issue. Homosexuality is clearly condemned in the Bible as an abomination. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their homosexuality. Paul condemned it also in the New Testament, and Jesus stated that God created marriage for a man and a woman. John MacArthur said, “One of the supreme tragedies of our time is the declassification of homosexuality as a sin because when you declassify it as a sin, you cut them off from their salvation source. It is a damning declassification. You’re not being nice to homosexuals to call it an optional lifestyle, a sexual preference. You’re not nice to them to do that. That isn’t kind. That isn’t thoughtful. That isn’t loving. That is damning. The kindest thing you could ever say to someone engaged in homosexual sin is it is a sin that will damn you and it will exclude you from the kingdom of God forever. That’s the kindest thing you can say. A proper diagnosis is absolutely crucial. This is not a preferred sexual orientation. This is not an alternative lifestyle. This is not a genetic thing. This is sin and perversion that damns men’s and women’s souls. “ The abomination of homosexuality is not something that the church should tolerate or be connected to in any way.

Eighth, we need to unhitch ourselves from debt. Proverbs 22:7 warns that “the borrower is servant to the lender.” Dave Ramsey said, “The decision to go into debt alters the course and condition of your life. You no longer own it. You are owned.” Ron Blue said, “Nowadays you can find many financial pundits who will tell you that leverage – the use of borrowed money to buy assets for appreciation – is the “way to prosperity.” It goes without saying that this is not a biblical perspective. Absolutely nowhere in the Scriptures are we advised or commanded to use debt to accomplish God-given economic goals. On the contrary, the Bible contains many warnings against the use of debt. It doesn’t say God will bail you out of debt. Some Christians who are heavily indebted seem to have the impression that God has promised to get them out of their problems. The verse most often cited is Philippians 4:19: “And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” That promise is true, of course, and God will meet our needs. But He hasn’t pledged Himself to cancel the consequences of our unwise behavior. Ultimately, a believer has a moral obligation to repay his or her creditors to the best of their ability.” Debt cripples you with continual worries about money. Debt will have you wondering whether it’s more important to pay for food or pay your lender. You need to work hard to get out of debt and never get in it again.

Ninth, we need to unhitch ourselves from lying about our family. Psalms 101:7 says, “He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.” How many times have we seen a family that looks so well put together in public but are then embroiled in a messy divorce a week later? Earlier this year, a family was torn apart after the mother killed her two children and then committed suicide. Tim Challies said, “The Bible leaves no doubt that God hates deceit. Three times in the book of Proverbs he states it bluntly. In Proverbs 6 we read a list of “six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him,” and two of them relate to deceit: “a lying tongue” and “a false witness who breathes out lies”. Proverbs 12:22 echoes the theme: “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight”. God hates deceit because he so values truth. He so values truth because he himself is the source of all truth. “Sanctify them in the truth,” prayed Jesus, “your word is truth”. Truth reflects God’s holy character, his pure heart. God’s revelation is wholly and perfectly true because he himself is wholly and perfectly true.” Although you shouldn’t be airing your problems to everyone you know, you shouldn’t be lying on social media with posts about your picture-perfect family either.

Tenth, we need to unhitch ourselves from hate and racism. Romans 10:12, “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.” Recent years have seen an exacerbation of racial tension in this country, so that at one point the Klan and white supremacists held marches. There have been several deadly attacks by both black and white supremacists this past year. Kevin DeYoung said, “Woe to us if our vision of the good life here on earth will be completely undone by the reality of new heavens and new earth yet to come. Antagonism toward people of another color, language, or ethnic background is antagonism toward God himself and his design for eternity. Christians ought to reject racism, and do what they can to expose it and bring the gospel to bear upon it, not because we love pats on the back for our moral outrage or are desperate for restored moral authority, but because we love God and submit ourselves to the authority of his word.” As Christians, the Bible tells us that Jesus call to save us all, regardless of race. Christians should condemn racism and preach the truth that God created us all, loved us all, and sent His Son to die for us all.

Eleventh, we need to unhitch ourselves from prayerlessness. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to, “Pray without ceasing.” Leonard Ravenhill said, “Prayerlessness is disobedience, for God’s command is that men ought always to pray and not faint. To be prayerless is to fail God, for He says, Ask of me.” Dave Butts said, “Failing to pray is also an indicator of a lack of love for the Lord. Prayer, at its heart, is communicating with God. What does it say to Him when we fail to find time to talk with Him? Do we say by our lack of prayer that we are not at all interested in spending time with the Lord or hearing anything from Him? When we do not pray, we move away from any possibility of intimacy with Christ. When prayerlessness is prevalent in our lives, we are also guilty of failure to love one another. There is scarcely any greater way to demonstrate love than to pray for someone. In godly intercession, we lift the needs of another to God and watch as He moves to meet needs and provide for the one we are praying for. Through prayer, bodies are healed, families are knit together, individuals are saved, and churches are revived. When we withhold prayer on behalf of others, we demonstrate hardened hearts and a failure to love them enough to bring their needs before a loving Father.” Prayer is where we commune with God and receive strength from Him. It changes our hearts so that we are aligned with His will rather than attempting to align His to ours. If we prayed more, we would be doing a lot better – not because God gives us what we want, but because we are doing what God wants.

Twelfth, we need to unhitch ourselves from not evangelizing. In Mark 16:15-16, Jesus tells his disciples “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Erik Raymond said, “Hell is for real! In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, there was pleading from hell to have someone come and warn his family. Why? Because hell is for real! It is the eternal, consuming, unrelenting, miserable, abode of all those who reject Christ. People are really dying and going to hell. You may not like to think about it but you really should! The answer to this is the gospel. We are running around with all kinds of innovation, marketing, philanthropy, and other “stuff” in the name of reaching people. Meanwhile, the gospel itself is benched. Listen, good things happen when you pray and preach the gospel. Nobody gets saved when you don’t.” It is only through the labor of God’s disciples throughout the centuries that those of us who are Christians have been saved from damnation. Unfortunately, today’s church is preoccupied with everything except the Great Commission. We are involved in politics, social justice, and preaching on everything other topic under the sun, but we have failed in witnessing to the loss. In this New Year, let’s dedicate ourselves to obeying God’s commandment to preach the Gospel.

We had a Merry Christmas
And now we welcome the New Year
We’ll march into this New Year blessed
Ready to fight and persevere.

Yes, I have sinned and made mistakes
And even so have you
But God forgave us and washed us clean
And made us all brand new

I have been forgiven much
And even so have you
Let’s learn from all our past mistakes
And succeed in what we do.

This is a New Year, my friend
So stand and do not fall
Hold up the banner of our Lord
And answer the Gospel call.

I prayed to God each day last year
And He heard my cry
He answered me with miracles
My prayers He never denied

I had some friends to die last year
My troubles were not few
But God in love and mercy gave
And carried me through.

I’m happy for this New Year
But I’ll be happier still
When Jesus Christ comes back to earth
According to His will.

Jesus died for me, my friend
And Jesus died for you
He saved me from the pits of hell
And He can save you too.

Let all past troubles be forgotten
But remember friends so dear
Let’s praise and thank our God forever
And rejoice in this New Year!

——-

Now, if you are with us today and you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, allow me to show you how you can place your faith and trust in Him for Salvation from sin and Hell.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 18:8: “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at [email protected] and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.

He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

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A Texas mother who intended to transition her 7-year-old son James into a girl named Luna has lost again in court.

Dallas judge Mary Brown ruled Wednesday against the request of Anne Georgulas, who asked the court to revert to an October jury ruling that might have yielded her receiving sole conservatorship of her son James Younger, a 7-year-old boy she says is a transgender girl named Luna, and his twin brother, Jude, according to LifeSiteNews.

Brown also ruled against another motion from Georgulas’ team, that a parenting coordinator in the case, Stacey Dunlop, be dismissed.

“The argument to disqualify the parenting coordinator centered mainly around the concern that he becomes a tie breaker rather than a mediator and would then ultimately be making most of the difficult decisions for the twin boys,” LifeSiteNews explained.

The case garnered international media attention in October after a jury awarded Georgulas sole conservatorship in an 11-1 decision, allowing her to continue “transitioning” James into “Luna.” The father, Jeffrey Younger, has maintained that James shows “no signs of wanting to be a girl when given the choice.”

Amid massive public outcry, Judge Kim Cooks overruled the Oct. 21 jury verdict and ruled that conservatorship would be 50-50, shared between Georgulas and Jeffrey Younger, who has been resisting the transitioning of his son.

The matter was back in court this week because Georgulas’ attorneys were successful at getting a new judge after they argued Cooks had acted improperly when she posted an article about the ruling on her Facebook page following the conclusion of the proceedings. In the post, Cooks asserted that neither Texas Governor Greg Abbott nor any legislature influenced her decision. Cooks was summarily recused from the case.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Brandon Showalter

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Government officials from the United States and several countries will convene in Washington, D.C., next week on the eve of the National Prayer Breakfast for the inaugural meeting of the new International Religious Freedom Alliance.

U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback told reporters on Wednesday that the alliance is essentially like an “activist club” of countries that are serious about pushing religious freedom globally.

The alliance was first announced by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last July and touted by President Donald Trump at the United Nations General Assembly in September. It is said to be the first-ever alliance of nations devoted to confronting religious persecution around the world.

The alliance comes at a time when most of the world’s population lives in countries where religious freedom is limited in some way.

“I have not seen this type of organization or push on a human right that I am aware of before,” Brownback explained this week. “This is the first effort really to get a group of nations that will be the activist on a particular human right to try to champion and pursue that cause more aggressively.”

He stressed that there is strong support for religious freedom around the world even though there is much “encroachment” on it.

“We will be looking at things we can work collectively on and [how] we can push for religious freedom efforts around the world,” he said. “We are excited about the countries and their enthusiasm.”

According to Brownback, at least 17 countries so far have committed to the alliance. But he hopes that the number of countries represented at the Wednesday event will be in the “upper 20s.”

The former Kansas governor and U.S. senator could not yet disclose which countries will participate in the meeting.

“We got a pretty high bar for joining it, honestly,” Brownback detailed. “We want nations that respect religious freedom in their own country and are willing to push religious freedom in international venues. This is the activist club of countries.”

SOURCE: Christian Post, Samuel Smith

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This is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International with the Whyte House Family Devotional Reading of Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening podcast. This is Episode #14.

Charles Spurgeon was a prominent English Particular Baptist preacher. He was very influential among the Christians of various denominations during his age and even today, and is commonly called the “Prince of Preachers”. After some time of alternately searching for God and running from God, he had a powerful encounter which led him to give his life to Christ. Spurgeon was only 16 when he preached his first sermon and he began publishing books shortly afterward. At the time of his death, he had preached nearly 3,600 sermons and published 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, anecdotes, illustrations and devotions. Spurgeon said, “encouraging thoughts are like honey to the heart”, and wrote this devotional in hopes that its uplifting messages for each day of the year would bring comfort and refreshment to our walk with God. He was inspired by Isaiah 50:4 which reads, “He wakeneth morning by morning. He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned” and Psalm 63:5-6 which says, “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips; when I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.”

Song of Solomon 4:12 reads: “A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.”

Observe the sweet titles with which the heavenly Solomon with intense affection addresses his bride the church. “My sister, one near to me by ties of nature, partaker of the same sympathies. My spouse, nearest and dearest, united to me by the tenderest bands of love; my sweet companion, part of my own self. My sister, by my Incarnation, which makes me bone of thy bone and flesh of thy flesh; my spouse, by heavenly betrothal, in which I have espoused thee unto myself in righteousness. My sister, whom I knew of old, and over whom I watched from her earliest infancy; my spouse, taken from among the daughters, embraced by arms of love, and affianced unto me forever. See how true it is that our royal Kinsman is not ashamed of us, for he dwells with manifest delight upon this two-fold relationship. We have the word “my” twice in our version; as if Christ dwelt with rapture on his possession of his Church. “His delights were with the sons of men,” because those sons of men were his own chosen ones. He, the Shepherd, sought the sheep, because they were his sheep; he has gone about “to seek and to save that which was lost,” because that which was lost was his long before it was lost to itself or lost to him. The church is the exclusive portion of her Lord; none else may claim a partnership, or pretend to share her love. Jesus, thy church delights to have it so! Let every believing soul drink solace out of these wells. Soul! Christ is near to thee in ties of relationship; Christ is dear to thee in bonds of marriage union, and thou art dear to him; behold he grasps both of thy hands with both his own, saying, “My sister, my spouse.” Mark the two sacred holdfasts by which thy Lord gets such a double hold of thee that he neither can nor will ever let thee go. Be not, O beloved, slow to return the hallowed flame of his love.

PRAY.

Thank you for listening to the Morning and Evening podcast. If you do not know the Lord as your Savior, here is how you can be saved from Hell and walk with the Lord morning and evening until you go to that wonderful place called Heaven when you die:

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 18:8: “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at [email protected] and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

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The arched brick halls of San Francisco’s Archbishop Riordan High School are about to undergo a seismic shift – not from an earthquake, but from girls. The school board voted last night to make the all-boys school co-ed.

“There’s not going to be another time in history where we can accept students at all grade levels from another Catholic school,” Riordan President Andrew Currier told KPIX 5.

The move comes after the all-girls Mercy High School on 19th Avenue announced earlier this month it would be closing its doors after nearly 70 years.

That’s when a lingering thought about taking the school co-ed was kicked into gear. “We think a better long-term solution for young Catholic school students, girls and boys is to come to Riordan,” Currier said. “With the closure of Mercy, there is one less option. Riordan is now open to accepting all students.”

He says the school has enough room to absorb all of the Mercy students who already join in for music and theatre.

The school will need to hire three to four more teachers as well as a dean of women and another counselor.

Some of the 660 boys at Riordan says it’s a change that will take some getting used to.

SOURCE: KPIX 5/CBS SF BayArea

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