Kamis, 30 April 2015

“Switch Break: Set Apart”

Free Youth Series: “Switch Break: Set Apart”

Youth Series - Set Apart

Free Youth Series

From Open.Church, “A lot of people say they’re Christians, but not all of them live their lives for Christ. Do people know that you’re a Christian because you say you are or do they know it because of how you live? Don’t miss this retreat! It may just change your life!”
This 3-week series package includes:
  • Experiential options
  • Youth pastor guide
  • Leaders guides
  • Live Speak PDFs


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Resource provided by Open.Church

Download Instructions: 
Follow the on-screen directions at the download site.

Free Album Download: "Rich & Poor" by Robbie Seay Band

Free Album Download: "Rich & Poor" by Robbie Seay Band

Album___RSB_419670463.jpg

Free Album Download

Download this 13-track album from Robbie Seay Band.
NoiseTrade recommends this album for fans of David Crowder Band, John Mark McMillan, Phil Wickham, Gungor and Sandra McCracken.


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Judah Smith: Pastors, Be Strong in Your Giftedness


Free Youth Series: “Challenge Accepted”


Free Youth Series: “Challenge Accepted”

Youth Series - Challenge

Free Youth Series

From Open.Church, “Things happen in life. Some things we can’t change, but there are other things in our lives that we do have control over. In order to change your circumstances you must accept your challenges. Will you accept the challenge to check out this new series Challenge Accepted?”
This series package includes:
  • Experiential options
  • Promo video
  • Youth pastor guide
  • Leader guides
  • Message videos


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Resource provided by Open.Church

How to Measure Life Change in Youth Ministry

How to Measure Life Change in Youth Ministry

4.13.aa.life-change
Two weeks ago, I wrote about measuring your ministry. When it comes to the tangible (i.e., attendance) it’s easy to keep track. When it comes to the intangible, it’s not always clear.
The intangible side of youth ministry deals with life change. How do you measure what’s going on in someone’s mind or heart? While there is no solid science, a few ways you can start measuring life change is by:

CAPTURING STORIES

You don’t really know how people feel about their faith journey until they share it with you. Capturing stories means you are asking people to be vulnerable and share what’s happening in their life.
A few strategies to capture a story is through:
  • Testimonies
  • Letters 
  • Social media posts
  • Feedback on a survey
  • One-on-one conversations.
It takes trust to open up, so make sure you are building that. Also lead the way by sharing your story and showing others the impact it can have.

TRACKING PERSONAL INVITATIONS

On top of attendance, you should track why someone started coming. Every time a new teen comes to your ministry, ask them, “How did you hear about us?”
If it’s a friend or a peer, track it. If that person has a habit of inviting, ask them why. The more you look at the why behind your teens’ actions, the more you’ll understand the impact your ministry is having on their lives.
FOLLOWING THEIR NEXT JOURNEY
Just because a teen is no longer in your ministry doesn’t mean that you are no longer their youth minister. When your teens head off to college or take the next step, keep in touch.
Ask them what they are doing. Look at their major, the clubs they are involved in, and measure it against the topics you’ve discussed and the experiences your ministry has provided. You might have played a small part, but it’s still significant.
MEET WITH PARENTS
Teens might not tell you what’s going on in their lives, but parents will. Ask parents about their teens and whether or not they are seeing anything different. Seek their insight and welcome their feedback. They’ll let you know if they are seeing a difference.
ENCOURAGE LEADERS TO BE AWARE
You won’t be able to track all the lives coming in and out of your ministry. That’s why investing in leaders is important. Ask them to be on the look out for life change. Encourage them to ask the questions and gain more information on how a teen is growing in their faith.
As you collect this data, look at commonalities. Record what is working and share it with others. Just because it’s not a number doesn’t mean it cannot be measured. You just need to look and listen more.  
Chris Wesley Chris graduated from Xavier University in 2003 with a BA in Communications: Electronic Media. He moved to Baltimore in the fall of 2003 where he served as a Jesuit Volunteer for a year. During that time, he was a Case Manager at Chase Brexton, met my wife Kate and felt God's calling to Student Ministry. In the summer of 2004, heI was hired by the Roman Catholic Parish Church of the Nativity in Timonium, Maryland as a Middle School Youth Minister. Today he oversees grades 5-12 as the Director of Student Ministry. More from Chris Wesley or visit Chris at http://www.christopherwesley.org

5 Messages the Next Generation Needs to Hear

5 Messages the Next Generation Needs to Hear

4.20.aa.5-messages
I still recall the look on my mentor’s face when I first started in ministry. She would get this quiet smile as I would tell her that I already knew everything and I didn’t have much to learn. My opinion was truth, and there wasn’t anyone who could tell me anything differently.Years later, I understand that look she used to have. It wasn’t bitterness or even resolve. She understood there comes a point when you realize actually how little you know.
I am thankful for mentors who let me think I knew it all so that I could learn I am actually desperate for help. I do wish, however, that I had been shown how to navigate the pitfalls a little better. There are lessons learned along the way that I wish I had learned long ago. As I walk alongside the next generation, I see there are heartaches they could miss. If they could just “get” these five things, I truly believe they would take this world for Christ in ways that would boggle our minds:
1. Only Christ has what you need.
I know it sounds elementary.Yet, I don’t think we teach our youth HOW to have their identity in Him. Why? We don’t really believe that he has everything. I heard Francis Chan say recently that we will look to Jesus as a Savior, but will we see Him as our role model for living?
When we are unhappy or the world is unfair, we try to find our identity in our work, our looks, our status and even our ministry. We must learn early that we must look at ourselves through the eyes of our Savior and never lose our desperation for Him. The moment we think we can gain control, we have actually lost everything.
2. Take the hurdles head on.
I had a mentor tell me once, “You can choose to run around the hurdles in your life. We all want to do it. The problem is that there will always be another one. At some point, you need to learn how to jump them.” We can run away from our challenges; the one catch is that there will be another one.That verse in James says to consider it pure joy WHEN we face trials of MANY kinds. The sooner we can learn hurdles aren’t so scary, the more we can live a full life for the Lord. It may not feel like it in the moment, but with His hand we can get over them.
3. The journey matters.
When you are 10, you want to be 13. At 13 you just want to be 16. Then 18.Then 21.Then married.Then have children. Our focus can always be on that “next thing” there is to attain. We should have goals, that is important. However, the most important lessons learned are in the journey. (It may sound like a Hallmark card, but it’s true.) Where you are right at this moment is part of the shaping process that makes you look more like Jesus. We need to help students ask the Lord, “What do you want me to learn in the adventure we are on together today?”
4. Scars are just tattoos with better stories.
We get wounded in life, and sometimes it is beyond our control. Other times, people hurt us. There are moments when those that should have loved stab deep.There are even moments when our decisions are indeed irreversible. The result is always a gaping and oozing sore. What we need to ask is, “Do we want to be healed?” Our attention can be solely on the unfairness of the lesion. Forgiveness is not giving the offense absolution. Instead, it is the understanding that no one can be effective if they are trying to ignore a bullet hole in the leg. Forgiveness recognizes that bitterness causes separation in our relationship with the Lord. Forgiveness is an act of choice that is followed by feeling. Our wounds do leave scars. But, when we let the Lord heal them, then we can learn to embrace them. We are no longer the walking wounded but those who are not afraid of the tale of our scars.
5. Don’t lose your zeal.
We have a tendency to feed this mentality that all teens rebel. You know when they “grow up,” then they will live fully for Christ. The other side of this is that we can teach our youth that at some point they should be less excited and passionate about Christ. Today is the day called for Salvation. Today is the day that the Lord wants you to be fully his to be used fully by him. Does rebellion happen? Yes, we have free will. Should we expect it? No. Let’s teach this generation they don’t have to be complacent. They can be a light that the world is drawn to, no matter the age.
If I could some it all up, I would say this to my youth, “Live without regret.” If we can look back with as few cringing moments as possible it will all be worth it. I think most of all I just want this generation to understand that they are more powerful than they know. Now I stand with that same smile of knowing while I remind them that they have the full potential to put my faith to shame.  
Leneita Fix Leneita Fix is the founder and lead consultant for Blue Sky/Green Sky Consulting whose heart is : ”Passionate about developing and training youth-oriented programs that are looking to take a generation from surviving to thriving in Christ. In 2012 she will reach the 20 year mark of experience in youth ministry, suburban, urban and rural. Most of her time has been spent in the urban community, living as a neighbor to those around her. More from Leneita Fix or visit Leneita at http://www.blueskygreensky.com/

Jesus Loves Murderers

Jesus Loves Murderers
By Brian Nixon, Special to ASSIST News Service
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO (ANS – April 28, 2015) -- 16,238.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, that's the number of homicides that occurred in the United States in 2012.[1]
As alarming as the number is, for certain cities the homicide rate has decreased in 2013.
murderers 1The FBI estimates that the number of murders in 2013 at 14,196.[2]
Reporting for The Daily Beast, writer Brandy Zadrozny states, ''From New York to Los Angeles, police departments are touting big drops in their murder rate—and for good reason. If the country’s largest and most historically violent cities are any marker, the U.S. is on track to have one of the lowest murder rates in four decades, continuing a steady decline in overall violent crime.”[3]
To a certain extent, statistics like these may be encouraging—a drop in murders is always a good thing. But the truth is one murder is too many, particularly here in the United States where we have the highest murder rate in the developed world.[4]
Murder is a sin that humanity has dealt with since its earliest days. Genesis 4 records the first murder: Cain killed his brother Abel. From this time forward, murder has been a constant reality throughout history. By the time Moses received the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, murder was codified as an abomination to God: simply, “You shall not murder.”[5]
Murder is clearly tragic for the victim, but the effects of murder on loved ones are equally disheartening.
In an article written by Connie Saindon, MA, LMFT, she states, “After a murder, the family unit undergoes permanent changes that are difficult for the surviving members to accept. As each member of the family struggles with their own pain and grief, being a source of emotional support and comfort to other members in the family network can be problematic.
Not only must each member navigate their feelings of loss of their loved one; they must also deal with the way they died. Familial roles undergo major transformations; family members' relationship will face challenges for reconstruction. The murder may trigger other types of losses a family has had that may need to be reprocessed. No other experience has prepared the family or its members with how to deal with homicide. There is a sudden, uninvited intrusion in their lives that changes their existence from private to public.”[6]
According to Saindon, all of these unknowns can put family members at risk, especially if they have already been struggling with issues such as suicide, depression, or substance abuse. “There is abundant clinical evidence indicating that following a homicidal death, family members are at risk for developing sustained and dysfunctional psychological reactions.
And since the nearly 30,000 homicides annually in the United States affect between 120,000 and 240,000 relatives and other survivors, the magnitude of these numbers suggests that homicidal bereavement represents a major public health problem.”[7]
As troubling as information is concerning murder and its effects, through Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and forgiveness, those who have suffered a loss due to murder can be healed, can find hope, and—incredible as it sounds—find a way to forgive the murderer. Jesus paid the price for us all—murderers included.
Before Cain killed Abel, God counseled Cain, saying, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”[8]
It was a warning Cain did not take to heart. But it's also a warning to those who have lost a loved one: guard your hearts. That's where murder starts, as Jesus made clear.[9] As you deal with your pain, know that God loves you and is near to you. And remember, Jesus loves murderers, too.
As hard as it is to accept, Jesus can forgive a murderer. Even one of the most heinous murderers of the past century, serial killer and cannibal Jeffery Dahmer, can receive forgiveness. According to many sources, he did.[10]
Jesus’ sacrifice is greater than the greatest sin, and His forgiveness is boundless.
Define
In God's commandment, “You shall not kill,” the word for kill (also translated as murder) is ratsach, and it covers everything from premeditated murder to accidental killing to vengeance. According to Dictionary.com, murder is “the killing of another human being under conditions specifically covered in law.”[11]
Merriam-Webster.com adds the stipulation that the act is done with “malice aforethought.”[12]
Legal definitions of murder are more complex, and depend on circumstances as well as intent. Regardless, murder is and has been a serious crime around the world and throughout human history. It goes beyond the obvious impact on the life of the individual, with repercussions that affect the family, friends, and community of both the murdered and the murderer.
Discover Murder strikes at the heart of God's first gift to all of us: life. Even before He gave Moses the overt commandment not to kill, it was clear that God valued life and wanted us to do the same. Here are some Bible verses that affirm God's high regard for life, and describe the destructive power of murder.
Genesis 9:5-6: “Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God ​​He made man.”
Exodus 20:13: “You shall not murder.”
Matthew 5:21-22: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.”
1 John 3:15: “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
Psalm 139:13-14: “For You formed my inward parts; ​You covered me in my mother’s womb. ​​I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.”
John 10:10: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Romans 8:38-39: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities
nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 12:19: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'“ (ESV)
Develop
When reaching out to someone whose life has been impacted by murder, show them the LOVE of Christ:
L—Listen to people. Make a sincere effort to get to know them and their situation.
O—Observe their life. Where are they coming from—emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually? The root of the issue will obviously center on the loss they have experienced, but there will be other emotions affecting them, too. Ask yourself, How can I assist them?
V—Voice God’s truth. What does the Bible teach concerning the situation? In the case of a murder, it's safe to assume that the person affected knows that God is against murder. However, make sure they know what the Bible has to say about mercy, taking vengeance, anger, and God's great, healing love.
E—Embrace them with the love of God in Christ. If possible, empathize based on shared experiences, but keep Jesus the focus of your conversation and outreach.
Jesus loves those affected by murder—will you?
To learn more about the Jesus Loves People series, click here: www.jesuslovespeople.com
Photo caption: Logo
[1] http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/homicide.htm
[2] http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2014/november/crime-statistics-for-2013-released/crime-statistics-for-2013-released
[3] http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/01/the-year-in-murder-2013-marks-a-historic-low-for-many-cities.html
[4] http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/09/u-s-murder-rate-higher-than-nearly-all-other-developed-countries-fbi-data
[5] Exodus 20:13
[6] http://www.svlp.org/impactofhomicide.html
[7] Ibid, (http://www.svlp.org/impactofhomicide.html)
[8] Genesis 4:7
[9] See Matthew 5:21-22.
[10] http://www.cbn.com/entertainment/books/elliott_Jeffrey.aspx
[11] http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Murder
[12] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/murder
Brian Nixon is a writer, musician, minister, and family man. You may contact him at www.briannixon.com or https://twitter.com/BnixNews
** You may republish this story with attribution to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net)
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Cancer Survivor Touches Lives Worldwide

Cancer Survivor Touches Lives Worldwide
 
By Jeremy Reynalds, Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service (jeremyreynalds@gmail.com)  
 
Norma Rasheed Jeremy ReynaldsBELTSVILLE, MARYLAND (ANS. APRIL 26, 2015) -- Some people go through life wishing they could make a difference. Others actually make a difference. Norma Nashed belongs to the latter group.
 
Through her ministry Restore a Child, Nashed (born in Ramallah, Palestine but raised in Jordan)  helps meet the needs of economically disadvantaged children and those orphaned due to HIV/AIDS and living on the streets in Africa and elsewhere.
 
Nashed said she works mainly with American missionaries who she knows personally, or who have been introduced to her by trusted Christian friends. Nashed said she has a lot of input into ministries enabled or assisted by Restore a Child, and her involvement goes beyond just funding. She visits the projects where her ministry money is being involved, and regularly monitors progress.   
 
In an e-mail interview, Nashed said her ministry has been in existence since 1999. She said she works alone in a small den in her apartment, directing “this huge global ministry for poor and orphan children.”
 
Nashed said she does get an occasional volunteer. She said she relies on United Nations Online volunteers all over the world, some of whom are Muslims,  for graphic design and web development and translation into Spanish and Korean.
 
I asked her the motivation for founding the ministry. Battling cancer was a big part, she said. She added, “I felt God call me to leave my career and dedicate my life to serve Him through suffering humanity, especially disadvantaged and orphan children.”
 
Nashed said her penniless and widowed mother with seven children, whom she called her mentor and role model, also played a part. 
 
Her mother, Nashed said, “Was a woman of great faith and unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and would give Bible studies and share her faith even with Muslims in Jordan.  She taught me to give Bible studies to adults when I was around 14 years old.”  
 
She said that at age 12 she began bringing children from the neighborhood to her one room home, and would sing with them and pray and teach them about Jesus.
 
Nashed added, “These years were the highlight of my youth.  I loved children even when I was a child, and wanted to share what I learned about Jesus.”
 
Returning to her mother's influence in her life Nashed said, “Very frequently through my adult life, knowing how sensitive I was to God's call for believers, she would tell me, ‘Norma, leave your job and go serve HIM, and HE will take care of you.’” 
 
Nashed said while the idea appealed to her, that was initially as far as it went. She said, “I did not have the courage or enough faith to trust God to do what He promised to do when He said, ‘Why do you worry about what you eat and what you wear... I will take care of you.’”  
 
But all that changed when she was diagnosed with cancer.
 
Restore a child Jeremy ReynaldsNashed said she works in 15 countries,  mostly with Christian missionaries who have dedicated their lives to serve the poor,  to bring the lost to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.  
 
She added, “These missionaries sacrifice their lives, and they have all responded to the call of ‘Who shall I send?’ saying, ‘Here am I, send me.’”
 
As a result, Nashed said, she trusted God and believed His promises, and launched out into a new journey of faith having no idea what was waiting for her.  
 
Nashed knew she still needed treatment for cancer, and leaving her job, she had the potential of not being able to afford medical insurance or pay for rent. But, she said, she believed God would take care of her.   
 
He did. Nashed said one day a friend and his wife called her from Egypt, having heard about her situation and promised to take care of all her expenses.  
 
She said, “He faithfully did for three years which amounted to over $100,000, until I called him and told him I was well enough to work." 
 
Not having to work, Nashed said, allowed her to start her ministry, take care of her health and still spend a substantial amount of time daily studying the Bible. 
 
She said, “I was never as happy in my life before than during these three years.”
 
In 2007 Nashed's ministry was growing, and she started building the first orphanage in Ethiopia. One morning she left to Ethiopia to check on the construction.  
 
That evening she received media calls asking to interview her, because her home and office had been devastated by a fire.   
 
Nashed continued, “I stayed doing the work, for there was nothing for me to come to.  I did not cry when I had cancer, but I cried when I heard that.  Why would God allow this to happen when I was serving Him, I thought?”
 
Nashed said area media kept checking when she was coming back, and were all at the airport to meet her with their camera crews.
 
All the publicity had an unexpected effect.  Dr. Mitchell Davis from Washington D.C.,  saw her on FOX5 News and called to say, “I am a Jewish man who wants to help this Arab woman.”  
 
Nashed said Davis gave her more than $300,000 for her ministry.  He also helped her with dental bills. Nashed said Davis still donates more than $30,000 annually.
 
She said God continues to take care of the ministry.  More than 80 percent of her funding comes from personal friends who are Christians from the Middle East, particularly those originally from Iraq.  
 
In addition, Nashed said, she occasionally speaks in churches, schools and even organizations which invite her to share her testimony. She picks up a few donors from that. 
 
Local and international newspapers and magazines articles, several TV and radio interviews also help attract new donors.  
 
Norma with two of the kids she has helped Jeremy ReynaldsNashed said she has plans for expansion.  She said in 2009 the ministry built an elementary school for Maasai children in Tanzania.  Last year it built Restore a Child Academy in Las Cahobas, Haiti. This year they are building two new vocational training schools in Haiti and Argentina to serve young boys on the streets.
 
She added, “I believe Christian education is where children learn their value in God's sight, and start believing in themselves and start to find a way out of their vicious cycle of poverty and have aspirations for a better future.”
 
Nashed shared some examples of her ministry’s work
 
Lina Situmeang, she said, is from a small village near Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. She was  born to a very poor family with five children.  After the age of 12 she could not go to school due to lack of funds.  A smart girl, she started cleaning homes so she could save for her education.  
 
Nahed said her ministry took Situmeang into the orphanage in Medan in 2007, two years after the massive tsunami hit Indonesia in Dec. 2004.  
 
“Seven years later,” Nashed said, “she finished high school with honors, so we sent her to university and she graduated in 2014 in mathematics.  During my visit to Indonesia in November 2014, I had the privilege to meet her and attend her wedding.”  
 
Nashed said Situmeang’s husband also graduated with a math degree. They teach in a Christian school near the orphanage in Kupang, East Timor. 
 
“They both tutor the children in the orphanage and give back some of the blessings they have received,” Nashed said.
 
Tshava, Nashed said, was an orphan from a village near Kinshasa, Congo (DRC) living on the streets.  He was picked up by the ministry’s director in Congo, and was in the orphanage until he finished high school with distinction. 
 
Nashed said he became a Christian, and the ministry is sending him to medical school because he wants “to be a doctor and help the sick people.”  He is now in his third year, and doing very well.
 
Nashed added, “It is no easy life these children have living in poverty and destitution.  But if only we give them a chance, God can do miracles in healing their brokenness and lead them to the truth in His word. What better way to live our lives, but to serve others and lead them to the Master.”
 
Nashed said Restore a Child is a ministry of faith.  
 
She said, “All I wanted is reach out, seek and find vulnerable children and help them by giving them hope and a future –  like one American missionary who took me to their home as an orphan after my father died, and gave me hope and a future.”
 
Restore a Child helps to provide the basic needs for protection, nutrition, education, and health care of orphans and underprivileged children so that they may become fulfilled and productive adults. The ministry helps children regardless of race, color or religious affiliation.  
 
For more information visit www.restoreachild.org
 
Photo captions: 1) Norma Nashed. 2) Some of the children she has helped through Restore a Child. 3) Norma Nashed with two of the kids she has been able to help. 
 
About the author: Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, http://www.joyjunction.org. He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "From Destitute to Ph.D." Additional details on "From Destitute to Ph.D." are available at http://www.myhomelessjourney.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his wife, Elma. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@gmail.com.  
If you would like to help ASSIST continue bringing you these stories, please consider making a donation to ASSIST (tax-deductible in the US), which would be deeply appreciated by the ANS team. To do so, just click on https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=_OrC9nPWZatClqXMAqxnn9UoO5Wn_jJALwgZ-GpgZ-c6ZMxbtcafU447HJe&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d96f000117187ac9edec8a65b311f447e and enter the amount. 
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Boxing champ Manny Pacquiao heard God’s voice, saw angels, and was born again

Hasil gambar untuk manny pacquiao
Boxing champ Manny Pacquiao heard God’s voice, saw angels, and was born again
By Mark Ellis, Special to ASSIST News Service
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (April 28, 2015) -- He grew up poor in the Philippines and went to work at an early age to support his mother after his parents separated. At 14 he began to fight, rising through the ranks to win 10 world titles. But the current WBO welterweight champion’s bold profession of faith in Jesus Christ is what sets him apart.
“God has a purpose,” he told Fox News. “He brought me back into his kingdom to use me to glorify his name, to let people know there is God who can raise the people from nothing to something.”
Surprisingly, he and noted quarterback Tim Tebow grew up in the same town on the island of Mindanao, in the southern Philippines.
Raised Roman Catholic, Manny strayed from the church as he rose to fame in his boxing career. “I went to church on Sunday, but from Monday through Saturday I was in the bar drinking,” he told CBN. “I was gambling. Careless words came out of my mouth. I committed adultery. I didn’t care.”
But one day he read a letter that gripped his heart. “I received a letter from my mother saying my sister stopped going to school because I stopped sending them the money. I cried, blaming myself for spending all the money on alcohol.”
That same night in 2011, not long after his third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, God visited Manny in a powerful dream. “I heard the voice of God in my dream. His voice was ten times louder than thunder. He said to me, “My child, my child, why have you gone astray?” he recounted to CBN.
In the dream, which unfolded in a beautiful forest amid flowers, he also saw two angels, according to an interview with The Blaze. “When I heard the voice of God I felt like I died. … I was in the middle of the forest and I was kneeling and praying with my face on the ground and then I saw a light, a very white light and I heard the voice.”
He said the angels had “white, long, big wings” and said that God revealed to him “about the end of time.”
“I felt I was melting when I heard the voice of God. It was the turning point in my life. God spoke to me and he told me what He wanted me to do and I had to follow (Him).”
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An Army of Love

An Army of Love: Stephen Christian and Aaron Gillespie Join Forces to Combat Terror By Dan Wooding, Founder of ASSIST Ministries and the ASSIST News Service
Aaron GillespieALBUQUERUQUE, NEW MEXICO (ANS – April 29, 2015) -- For those familiar with rock music, the names Stephen Christian and Aaron Gillespie will be all too familiar.  Both are architects of the modern form.
Stephen Christian is the lead vocalist of the mega-band, Amberlin.  Having seven studio albums with hundreds of thousands of sales, Stephen Christian has seen his band tour the world and climb Billboard rock charts.
Aaron Gillespie is the former drummer and front man of the rock band, Underoath.  With two Grammy nominations and several hit record on the Billboard charts, Gillespie spends his time producing, writing, and touring with the rock band, Paramore.
There’s a lot in common between the two musicians.  Both are from Florida.  Both have successful musical careers.  And both love their family and God.
Now there’s one more thing they share in common: a collaboration on a new song, Army of Love, to help children caught in the crossfire of terror for the ministry Reload Love.  The song will be released in late Spring of 2015.
Reload Love is a relief and awareness organization based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Its focus is to bring awareness and support to children caught in terror.  Their motto is “We are the army of love.  We dream of a day when children do not fear for their lives.  By transforming spent bullets we help heal little ones around the world whose lives have been damaged by the ugliness of terrorism.”
It’s a timely organization; terrorism and its effects are felt everywhere around the world.
BrianbackstageI reached out to Brian Nixon—one of the co-writers of the song, Army of Love—to give some input regarding terrorism, Reload Love, and the song.
Do you have any idea on the amount of deaths due to terrorism, I ask?
“I’ve read that terrorism has caused over 130,000 fatalities around the world between the years 2006-2013. And according to ABC News, 17,800 people were killed around the world in terrorist acts in 2013.[1] http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/04/state-17800-plus-people-killed-globally-in-terrorist-attacks-in-2013/
These are frightening numbers, increasing every day.  And in the midst of these numbers are children, helpless and harmed.  And here is where Reload Loves steps in, helping those children deal with the effects of terrorism.
I ask Brian about Reload Love.
“Reload Love was founded by Lenya Heitzig for the sole purpose of helping children caught in terror.  She had the idea of turning bullets into jewelry charms to help babies. Her team—Jennifer Santiago, Murray Byrne, and Jarrett Petero—have traveled to Burma and the Middle East to scout out areas to assist, and have assessed the damage of terrorist acts on children.  It’s an amazing ministry.”
I asked Brian Nixon how the song, Army of Love, began.
“It happened quite quickly.  Nathan Heitzig—one of the Executive Pastors at Calvary Albuquerque—asked the worship team to write a song for Reload Love.  I happened to be in the meetings where it was discussed.  ReloadLoveSo right after the meeting, Stuart Laws, Ryan Wylie, Tamara Aragon, and myself went into a room and wrote the basic song structure.  I came up with the verse melody, Stuart did the pre-chorus and chorus, and Tamara wrote the bridge melody.  Then Ryan and Stuart took the song—worked out the lyrics, chords, and arrangement—and it was performed two weeks later for the Reload Love awareness campaign.  People really seemed to like it.”
How did you get the two big names to sing on the song, I ask?
“Again, that was Nathan.  Aaron had been working with our worship team on a new album project called the War is Over.  Aaron is the producer of the album.  So it was natural to have him sing back up and play most of the instruments.  Stephen is a friend of the ministry who happened to be in town to lead worship.  Nathan asked Stephen to sing the song.  The rest was put together by our engineer, Kenny Riley.”
Who played most of the instruments on the song?
Uganda Holocaust cover“Aaron did most of the instrument work on the recording.  I believe Kenny played some guitar and I played the Moog Synthesizer.”
Is the song like the music of Amberlin or Underoath?
“Not really.  Both Amberlin and Underoath are harder rock bands. Army of Love is more on the pop side.  But both guys do an amazing job with the vocals, though.  Talk about talent—these guys are the real deal; great musicians.”
How will the song help Reload Love?
“All proceeds of the sale of the song will go directly to Reload Love.  Our prayer is that people will download the song from the website—reloadlove.com.  100% of the money will be directed towards the support and assistance of children caught in terror.”
Do you think there will be future partnerships between Aaron Gillespie and Stephen Christian?
“Hard to say.  Both are friends of our church, Calvary Albuquerque.  And both are frequent guests at our worship services.  I’d love to see the two collaborate more. We can only hope.  For the time being—let’s say that their partnership will be a blessing for many children around the world.”
For more information about Reload Love, click here: www.reloadlove.com
To follow Reload Love on Facebook, click here: https://www.facebook.com/ireloadlove?ref=br_rs
For updated YouTube videos, click here:  https://www.youtube.com/user/ireloadlove
To read a story about an historic terror event, read my story about How Idi Amin changed my life while I was writing, with Ray Barnett, the book, Uganda Holocaust: http://patch.com/california/lakeforest-ca/bp--how-idi-amin-the-butcher-of-uganda-changed-my-life708577d29
Photo captions: 1)  Aaron Gillespie of Underoath and Paramore. 2) Brian Nixon. 3) Reload Love necklace. 4) Uganda Holocaust cover.
Dan Wooding, 74, is an award-winning journalist who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for more than 51 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and he hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on the KWVE Radio Network in Southern California and which is also carried throughout the United States and around the world. He is the author of some 45 books, the latest of which is a novel about the life of Jesus through the eyes of his mother called “Mary: My Story from Bethlehem to Calvary”. For more information, please go to http://marythebook.com/, where you can find details of how to order the book.
** You may republish this and any of our ANS stories with attribution to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net). 
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We have a major CRISIS right now

Hasil gambar untuk stand true pro life
We have a major CRISIS right now.
I will keep this short and to the point: WE NEED YOUR HELP!
I was about to sit down and write a letter explaining how critical our financial situation is right now when I got a phone call from the City of Troy. They were calling to warn me that a major leak had sprung under our missionary house, and water was coming out of the side. Our plumber crawled under the house and found a major pipe burst and had to shut down our water. Tomorrow he will have to completely tear up the bathroom floor to get to the pipes and make the repairs.
On top of the repairs to the pipe and the new flooring we will have to buy for the bathroom, we have much more to do to get ready for our missionaries' arrival. We have three full time missionaries right now and several more arriving in just a few weeks and we have less than $300 in our account.
We need your help TODAY! Please support the work of Stand True and our amazing Pro-life Missionaries. Please donate $25, $50, $100, $500 and help Stand True continue to educate, activate and equip this generation. If you can donate please do so at https://give.cornerstone.cc/Stand+True.
Donations can also be mailed to Stand True – PO Box 890 – Troy, OH 45373 or call 937-570-0671 to donate by phone.
Here is the schedule for the mission team; please keep this so you can pray for them over the summer.
June 1 Team arrives in Troy
June 2 – 5 Training in Troy, OH
June 5 Grill Out at Stand True Courtyard
June 6-7 Strawberry Festival Outreach Troy, OH
June 8 Day off
June 9 Abortion Clinic Training
June 10 – 13 Abortion Clinic Outreach/Social Media Projects
June 13 Troy Pool Day
June 14 Day off
June 15 -16 Office/Social Media Project Days
June 17-19 Abortion Clinic Outreach/Activism
June 20 – 21 Days Off
June 22 – 26 Abortion Clinic Outreach/Social Media Projects
June 27 – 28 Days off
June 29 – July 3 Abortion Clinic Outreach/Social Media Projects
July 4-5 Off
July 6 Prep for NRLC
July 7 Drive to New Orleans
July 8 Arrive in New Orleans
July 9 – 11 NRLC 2015 in New Orleans
July 12 Drive to Charlotte, NC
July 13 White Water Center Day in Charlotte, NC
July 14 Pro-life Activism in Charlotte, NC with EPIC
July 15 Drive to Troy, OH
July 16 – 17 Unload/Cleaning Days
July 18 -19 Days Off
July 20 – 22 Clinic Outreach/Social Media Projects
July 23 Drive to Chicago
July 24 – 25 National Sidewalk Counseling Symposium in Chicago
July 26 Drive to Troy
July 27 – 31 Retreat in MI
August 1 Day Off
August 2 Drive to NYC
August 3 Activism in NYC/Afternoon off in NYC
August 4 – 5 Training at PFL
August 6-8 Soulfest, Gilford, New Hampshire
August 9 – 10 Drive to Troy, OH
August 11 -13 Unpack, Clean and Debrief
August 14 Go Home
We need your help TODAY! Please support the work of Stand True and our amazing Pro-life Missionaries. Please donate $25, $50, $100, $500 and help Stand True continue to educate, activate and equip this generation. If you can donate please do so at https://give.cornerstone.cc/Stand+True.
Donations can also be mailed to Stand True – PO Box 890 – Troy, OH 45373 or call 937-570-0671 to donate by phone.
Bryan Kemper


Kamis, 23 April 2015

Help Rescue Girls from Forced Prostitution

Help Rescue Girls from Forced Prostitution

Rather than write a bunch of words about the dire problem of human trafficking and forced prostitution, I decided to just post some pictures and infographics. Sex slavery and forced child prostitution a bigger issue than most realize, and it is is huge problem right here in the United States. You most likely have human trafficking and child prostitutes right in your own town.
forced prostitution
Human trafficking
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forced prostitution
Human Trafficking and Drug Trade 7-06-2014A 10271147_727945063933005_7918263557732447964_o-1
forced child prostitution
sex slavery
Human trafficking
forced prostitution
Invite others to participate by using the sharing buttons below. Thanks!
To learn more about Human Trafficking and sex slavery, check out some of these posts:

Human Trafficking Posts

  1. Sex Slaves
  2. Would You Fight Slavery?
  3. Rescue Russian Sex Slaves
  4. Rescue Russian Girls from Sex Slavery
  5. Stop Her Nightmare
  6. Another Girl Rescued Today
  7. Girls for Sale
  8. Goal Reached!
  9. I Want to be a Prostitute
  10. $52,000 raised!
  11. 31 Million Sex Slaves
  12. Renting Lacy
  13. More Than Rice
  14. Human Trafficking Ring Busted
  15. The Other Big Game
  16. Sex Slavery, Planned Parenthood, and Your Tax Dollars
  17. How to Minister to Prostitutes
  18. Wisconsin Woman Held as Sex Slave in Brooklyn
  19. Coked-Up Whore
  20. Human Trafficking has Many Faces
  21. Into an India Brothel
  22. You Need a Girl?
  23. Human Trafficking Media
  24. The Son of God is Selling Children
  25. My Girls Raised $300 to help stop Human Trafficking
  26. Rape for Profit
  27. Human Trafficking Statistics
  28. Help Rescue Girls from Forced Prostitution

Sometimes Flight Is the Best Fight

Sometimes Flight Is the Best Fight

 
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“A man who desires to view a pornographic image can resist this desire, but only if he considers a competing desire, such as inheriting the kingdom of God or cherishing his wife … will result in a superior pleasure.”
Don’t try to reason with your sin-infected appetites. An aroused appetite is almost always unreasonable. When a desire is awakened in you to indulge in some sin, your best defense is often escape.

Who Rules the Kingdom of the Heart?

We might like to think that reason rules the human heart, but it doesn’t. Delight rules.
In the kingdom of the heart, the commanding hierarchy is this: King Delight rules and he tells General Desire what to want. General Desire then issues commands to Lieutenant Will to act on the want. No one does anything by “sheer will-power.” The will is not an independent agent. It is a soldier under authority that receives and obeys commands. The will might be strong or it might be weak and, like a soldier, it can be trained. But the will does what desire commands. And desire commands whatever delight believes will bring it the most pleasure or the least pain.
So what role does Reason play in the hierarchy of the human heart? Reason is Royal Counsel to King Delight and advises the king on what he should believe and value. When King Delight agrees with Counsel Reason, General Desire and Lieutenant Will act reasonably. But if King Delight doesn’t agree with Counsel Reason, the king is going to have his way.

The Will Always Obeys Desire, Even to Do Undesirable Things

But don’t we sometimes will to do what we don’t desire? Yes and no. Yes, our will can move us to do something that, on one level, we don’t desire, but only if, on another level, we desire something else more.
A man who desires to view a pornographic image can resist this desire, but only if he considers a competing desire, such as inheriting the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9) or cherishing his wife (Ephesians 5:28–29) or avoiding the shame of being caught will result in a superior pleasure. A woman who desires to smoke a cigarette can resist that desire because of her superior desire to enjoy more robust health now and avoid lung cancer in the future. Jesus desired to avoid crucifixion and bearing the Father’s wrath, but he endured it because he desired even more the superior eternal joy set before him (Hebrews 12:2). Likewise, a Christian denies himself, picks up his cross, and follows Jesus because he wants the same eternal life of joy more than earthly pleasures (Matthew 16:24–25).

Cool Reason vs. Hot Desires

It’s important to understand how the hierarchy of the heart functions, especially when it comes to battling sin-infected appetites, which are sinful desires issuing orders to the will. When we experience those desires, what’s happening is that King Delight is being persuaded by a temptation that a sin will yield pleasure. And in that moment, the king may not be open to Counsel Reason.
That’s why reasoning with an awakened sinful appetite is like reasoning with a devil. It isn’t interested in or compelled by the truth; it is interested in a pleasure being offered. In fact, that appetite will seek to manipulate our reason in order to get the pleasure it seeks. It will twist every reasonable objection and minimize and muddle it in our minds. This is why we have often succumbed to an appetite’s demand even when our reason tells us it is wrong and even destructive. Cool reason usually melts in the presence of a hot desire.

Know When to Run

Reason is necessary in the battle against sinful desires. But typically not when a sinful appetite’s craving is upon us, especially if the source of gratification is close at hand. What we need to do at this point is run!
The apostle Paul understood this. That is why he wrote “flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Sin-distorted sexual desire is a very powerful, persuasive appetite. Paul’s recommendation—no, his command—in the face of this appetite was to flee. Paul was very aware of this appetite’s ability to overpower our reason. So he told us to employ this intelligent, righteous alternative strategy: Hightail it out of there.
Joseph in Genesis 39:11–13 is a great example of this. When Potiphar’s wife cornered him and tried to seduce him, Joseph wasted no time reasoning with her, which he knew from experience was a waste of time. He “fled out of the house.”
David in 2 Samuel 11 is an example of a failure to flee. When he was on his roof and saw Bathsheba bathing, he could have done what Joseph did. But he didn’t. He lingered and looked. His reason and conscience told him it was wrong. But the longer he lingered the stronger his appetite grew and the more he listened to its promise of pleasure and he let it overcome him.

Proximity and Visibility: Plan Your Escape

We have all had our Joseph moments and our David moments. We’ve fled from and we’ve caved into sinful temptation. We all have certain familiar sinful appetites that tempt us to stumble. Therefore, we must make some plans of escape for the times when the temptation hits.
You know yourself. What are the patterns of temptation? When are the times that you are more vulnerable? When does the seductive voice speak sweet insanities to you in such a way that you want to linger and look and listen?
There are two ways to flee from sinful appetites that seek to entrap us. The first is to flee from proximity to the temptation. Get out of the house, away from the computer or T.V. or phone or fridge or Facebook.
But sometimes fleeing from proximity to temptation is not an option. At that point we need to flee to visibility. Either we must flee to a visible place that will minimize temptation or we must let a trusted friend know about the temptation. Often the quickest way to douse a hot desire is to tell someone else about it.
The time for Counsel Reason to speak with King Delight about the highest, truest pleasures is when he’s open to listening to reason. But if a deceitful appetite is awakened today, don’t reason with it; run from it! Be ruthless. Run from proximity to the temptation or run to visibility on it.
Sometimes flight is the best way to fight sin.  

Jon Bloom Jon Bloom is the Executive Director for Desiring God Ministries More from Jon Bloom or visit Jon at http://desiringgod.org