The Elections - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

The Elections

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“Do you want to be on good terms with the government? Be a responsible citizen and you'll get on just fine, the government working to your advantage.” (Romans 13:3-4, The Message)

Every four years in American politics the voting age population has a choice to make in the selection of the one who will sit in the presidential office seat. Voting for our elected officials is one of the many freedoms that our founding fathers fought so hard to obtain, and many, many since then have fought to maintain. The freedom to choose is not found in all nations. But in this country, since 1776, it has been one of the great freedoms we have as a people.

Sad to say that too many choose not to exercise this democratic freedom. Since I turned the voting age of 18 in the early 70’s, I have not missed a presidential election, going to the voting booth every time. I am proud, if I can say that humbly, to have done that.

The opportunity taken to vote or not to vote was never a decision I considered not doing. As a citizen of this nation, while I still abide here, I will always feel it is included as one of my basic responsibilities. No doubt I will continue to vote at every opportunity I have. If I am going to pray for our government leaders (not as much as I should), I believe it is also my responsibility, every time I am given the choice, to also vote for the ones who adhere to the principles I stand for. I find it hard to think that other believers often choose to not participate.

How can those who say they are walking in the Lord’s ways not also take the time to know the candidates and then vote for those they want to see lead our local, state, and national offices? Even if our choice we voted for does not win, at least we can say we participated in the process.

Believing that the Lord sets in place those in authority who govern, He also wants us to take part in bringing that about. We are not just to sit it out and say that whatever will be will be, or to glibly say that our actions do not matter in the outcome, so why bother? Does the Lord not tell us to be a light on a hill? Is not the government realm another area where that light is so sorely needed in our time, where we can participate in taking His principles into all areas of life? Even to this one area.

If and when you are given the opportunity, take it, and do one more thing in extending the Lord’s kingdom on this earth. As an American, do the right thing, and vote for those who will act on our behalf. As a big election block voting in unison, we carry a lot of influence, and can do a lot of good. Many have gotten elected because of us. Others have lost because we have not done our part.

If we don’t exercise this freedom, we cannot rant and rave when the darkness even more so penetrates the halls of our government buildings.

We can participate in what the Lord desires to yet do in this nation. This is one opportunity He freely gives you and me to do, as we go to vote, with His wisdom and guidance leading us.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People, Inc.

P.S. I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

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Now Think On This - In the New Year of our Lord 07.22.16 - #262 –“The Elections” – Friday at 7:40 pm

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This

Again, I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

Mention the Name Jesus in Hollywood and All Hell Breaks Loose - BILL DONOHUE/ CATHOLIC LEAGUE FOR RELIGIOUS AND CIVIL RIGHTS CHARISMA NEWS

The Barna Group recently conducted a survey of Republicans and Democrats asking them whether Hollywood is biased against Christianity. It found that 32 percent of Republicans, and 5 percent of Democrats, believe that Hollywood generally portrays Christianity in a negative way. (Eva Luedin)

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Mention the Name Jesus in Hollywood and All Hell Breaks Loose

7/22/2016 BILL DONOHUE/ CATHOLIC LEAGUE FOR RELIGIOUS AND CIVIL RIGHTS   CHARISMA NEWS

The Barna Group recently conducted a survey of Republicans and Democrats asking them whether Hollywood is biased against Christianity. It found that 32 percent of Republicans, and 5 percent of Democrats, believe that Hollywood generally portrays Christianity in a negative way.

We know from other surveys that Republicans are much more likely to attend religious services on a regular basis than Democrats, and that the latter are home to most agnostics, atheists and the unaffiliated. It therefore does not surprise to learn that Democrats are more inclined not to see Hollywood's portrayal of Christianity in a negative light; such depictions are more likely to be seen as accurate representations.

The anti-Christian bias is not new to Hollywood. Over a decade ago, actress Jennifer O'Neill remarked that "If you mention the name Jesus Christ in Hollywood, all hell breaks loose." Right about that time, Mel Gibson validated her observation when he tried to find a studio for "The Passion of the Christ."

In 1997, John Dart wrote for the Los Angeles Times that "Hollywood and organized religion have regarded each other with deep suspicion, and sometimes open hostility, since the days of the flickering silents." But it never got really bad until the 1980s, and while things have turned around somewhat, it is no credit to the big Hollywood studios that they have.

"Frustrated with Hollywood, which shied away from making films with spiritual themes or religious characters," wrote Andre Chautard for the Los Angeles Times in 2002, "a handful of independent producers are striking out on their own to make Christian-themed films to entertain more than preach."

Hollywood should start treating Christians the way it treats gays. But then the moguls would have to suffer blowback from some in their own party. 

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A Hispanic View Of America’s Future - Pastor Ramiro Pena (Day 2) on the Jim Bakker Show

A Hispanic View Of America’s Future 

Watch here: Pastor Ramiro Pena (Day 2) on the Jim Bakker Show

Ramiro Peña
Jim Bakker Show 2016 | Show# 3040 | Aired on July 22, 2016


Jim Bakker Show © 2016 • Morningside Studios

God Continues to Move at the Burlington Revival - CBN News Mark Martin

God Continues to Move at the Burlington Revival

07-22-2016

CBN News Mark Martin

 +2

The revival in Burlington, North Carolina is continuing through the summer. Hundreds have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior at the services held under a big tent near Interstates 40 and 85.

"All we know is we're here until God tells us to shut it down," Heath Williams, an evangelist who is also the tent director of the revival, told The Times-News, a Burlington newspaper. "Everybody's welcome here. We just want Jesus to be able to do something for their heart and life."

CBN News covered the Burlington Revival. In the video above, watch highlights and hear from Pastor Randy Hobbs, Evangelist C.T. Townsend, and people who have experienced the saving power of God.

Williams shared stories of how God is transforming lives at the revival.

"The mother that flew her son up here from Florida because she knew he needed something in his life. He had a lot of problems, but he got saved, and God changed his life," Williams told the newspaper.

He also talked about how the community is getting involved.

"The Econo Lodge in Burlington, their general manager came here one night and got saved, and he's been offering us some free hotel rooms and helping out, so we're grateful for them," he said. "And a lot of local guys that maybe do landscaping on the side have been helping us spread some rock, and we had pest control guys spray the whole area."

"It's just everybody kind of chipping in from the community wanting to see God move," Williams continued.

The revival started as a week-long event back on Mother's Day at New Hope Baptist Church, but as it neared the end, Pastor Randy Hobbs and Evangelist C.T. Townsend sensed that God wanted to do more.

"Brother Randy got up and said, 'I don't believe God's done.' And I said, 'I don't either,'" Townsend told CBN News.

"It's just amazing to be a part of this. This is something we've been praying for in our church for several years," Hobbs shared. "We had been meeting over 15 years, praying for revival to touch us locally and nationally."

"All I can say is it's just God. God is doing something in this day, in this hour that no man can take credit for, and no man can possibly fathom what God is doing in this day," D.R. Harrison, a man who accepted Christ under the ministry of C.T. Townsend, told CBN News. "And it's a real move of revival that God is sending to us in the last days right before Jesus comes."

The Burlington Revival Facebook page now has more than 15,000 likes. The latest post reads:

"Thankful for what the Lord did in Burlington tonight! 11 people walked an aisle and got saved. Huge anticipation for the next 2 nights! Please help us pray that God would continue to move here at the ‪#‎BurlingtonRevival‬ ‪#‎PrayPrayPray."

Townsend and Hobbs believe prayer is the key to the ongoing revival.

The tent sits directly off the highway at 3860 Danbrook Road in Burlington, NC -- just off Exit 140 from I-40.

WATCH HERE: God Is Moving In Burlington

The NBA Is the National Bullying Association - MICHAEL BROWN CHARISMA NEWS

Eastern Conference guard Kyrie Irving (2) of the Cleveland Cavaliers brings the ball up court during the 2014 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 16, 2014. (Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)

The NBA Is the National Bullying Association

 7/22/2016 MICHAEL BROWN  CHARISMA NEWS

My oldest granddaughter is 15, and thanks to North Carolina's HB2, if a 15-year-old boy in her school identified as a girl, he would not be allowed to play on her sports team or share her locker room. I for one am glad that North Carolina, my home state since 2003, has taken a stand for common sense, for safety and for privacy, yet the NBA is punishing the state for protecting its residents, announcing that it will pull next year's All Star game from Charlotte.

What hypocrisy; what bigotry; what intolerance. The NBA is now the National Bullying Association.

Let us not forget that when the NBA decided to bring the All Star game to Charlotte, the laws were just as they are today: Men were expected to use men's bathrooms and locker rooms and women were expected to use women's bathrooms and locker rooms.

If this was so terrible, why did the NBA agree to bring their annual, week-long, festive event here? The State legislature simply reversed a radical bill passed by the Charlotte City Council earlier this year, a bill which had effectively rendered all public bathrooms and locker rooms gender neutral.

The state simply put things back to where they were before. Why then the outcry from the NBA? Why punish the state for moving things back to the way they were when everything was fine?

A few weeks ago, a man who identifies as a woman was arrested for videotaping women in the dressing room at Target, apparently a direct result of Target's much-protested policy to allow men who identify as women to use the women's dressing rooms. (And remember: Any male can walk into one of these dressing rooms and say, "I identify as a woman," and no one can stop him from entering, even if he's dressed as a man.)

According to a police affidavit, the man arrested at Target, who goes by the name Shauna Smith, "eventually admitted to me that she had made videos in the past of women undressing. The defendant told me that she makes these videos for the 'same reason men go online to look at pornography.' The defendant told me that she finds the videos sexually gratifying."

These are the very abuses that North Carolina is seeking to prevent, and while the state cannot stop a private business like Target from engaging in this dangerous social experiment, it can take a stand on a statewide, public facility level. Yet for taking this stand, the NBA has declared North Carolina unworthy of hosting the 2017 All Star game.

Shame on Adam Silver, the Commissioner of the NBA, and shame on all those who stood with him in this disgraceful decision.

The Alliance Defending Freedom pointed out that "Nearly 1 in 8 high school girls have been sexually assaulted" and "Nearly 1 in 5 women have been sexually assaulted," noting that, "For many sex abuse survivors, the mere presence of a biological man in a women's restroom, locker room, or changing room is a trigger that causes severe emotional and mental harm—regardless of that man's intentions."

What does the NBA say to them?

Commissioner Silver stated, "We have been guided in these discussions [about the All Star game] by the long-standing core values of our league. These include not only diversity, inclusion, fairness and respect for others but also the willingness to listen and consider opposing points of view."

In reality, the NBA has sided against these very values, unless the words "diversity, inclusion, fairness and respect" have taken on a whole new meaning, since the NBA is showing zero tolerance for any diversity of views, absolute exclusion of all those who want to keep a biological boy out of a girl's shower room, complete unfairness towards young ladies who would now be forced to compete against young men in sports, and utter disrespect for the commonsense values of the clear majority of the residents of North Carolina.

As I asked in a previous article, would the NBA allow a star like LeBron James to play in the WNBA if he felt he was a woman trapped in a man's body? If not, why are they forcing schools to do what they would never do?

As for showing a "willingness to listen and consider opposing points of view," you don't demonstrate this by pulling a previously-scheduled, major event out of a city. This is what is called bullying, punishing and intimidating.

Ironically (and hypocritically), LGBT leaders, who frequently share poignant stories of the bullying they have experienced, are now cheering on the bullying of the NBA. The bullied have become the bullies.

But the story doesn't end here.

To underscore its hypocrisy, the NBA announced that it has relocated the 2017 All Star game to New Orleans, a city that has the same ordinances as Charlotte, allowing "for 'separate bathroom, restroom, shower or similar facilities for males and females' in its local ordinance."

In terms of bathroom access, there's no fundamental difference between Charlotte and New Orleans, yet Charlotte is being punished for refusing to bow down to the goals of radical gay activists.

Not only so, but both North Carolina and Louisiana, along with 22 other states, have filed suit against the federal government, protesting the Obama administration's gross overreach in this very area—trying to force schools to comply with radical LGBT activism—yet Louisiana is being rewarded and North Carolina is being punished.

That leaves only reasonable course of action: Stand up to the bullies and ride out the storm until common sense prevails again. The bullying must ultimately backfire.

Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicatedLine of Fire radio program. His latest book is The Grace Controversy. Connect with him on Facebook or Twitter.

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Revival in Iran: 'I Want to Be a Christian' - CBN News Chris Mitchell

Revival in Iran: 'I Want to Be a Christian'

07-21-2016

CBN News Chris Mitchell

CENTRAL TURKEY -- When we think of Iran, scenes of mobs shouting "death to America," blindfolded hostages, and radical leaders demanding nuclear technology come to mind.

But there's another side of the country: Iranians who love America, Israel, and Jesus Christ.

CBN News Middle East Bureau Chief Chris Mitchell met and talked with some of these Iranian believers outside of their country in central Turkey.

Infectious Faith

When someone gets baptized in this house church, people clap and cheer like fans at a World Cup match. While they've suffered persecution and often fled for their lies, they still possess an infectious and joyous faith like Iranian believer Raizal.

"Growing up I wanted to say I grew up [with] Jesus Christ," Raizal told CBN News. "Every time, His name was in my mind. And the next moment I started liking Christianity."

"It was really sweet to me, the feelings, the stories, everything. So by the time I was 15, I believed in Him and I said I want to be a Christian," he said.

Many Iranian refugees have fled Iran and come here to Turkey where they can seek refugee status with the United Nations. Some say it's just like coming out of the darkness.

 
"[It's] totally different from Iran," Iranian Christian Afshin told CBN News. "I can privilege [speak about] God's Word to other guys. I can freely praise the Lord. I can easily go to church. It's completely different."

Pastor Saeed's Church

Afshin attended the church led by American Pastor Saeed Abedini, who languished for years in an Iranian prison.

Following his arrest in the summer of 2012, the church disbanded. Later Afshin found himself on the run.

"As a result, I came out of Iran because day by day it was more difficult and it was more risky for me also," he explained.

"I had to change our home because I was sure that one day they would realize my home as an underground house church," he continued. "They would recognize it; the intelligence services would recognize it."

Internet Church 

Others, like Raizal and Reza, her brother, fled for their lives.

"It was really a bad situation there," Raizal recalled. "I couldn't pray [to] God with all my heart because all trouble was there. Even if I say 'Jesus Christ,' they may kill me."

"It become [sic] [a] problem for my job and my health," Reza said. "They tried to kill me [and] then I start to run away."

Despite the constant threat, danger, and risk, these believers keep the faith. Now they've found a church home and family. Their pastor leads house churches in Iran, as well as the United States, Canada, Germany, and Malaysia, all via Skype.

"The main church is my house, and through the Internet I connect to everybody," Reza said. "That's why it's become like an Internet church."

He says a great revival is underway within the Islamic Republic of Iran.

"Right now you can see the results of the Holy Spirit," he said. "From 1994, there were about 100,000 believers. Right now, there are 3 million. You can see what the Holy Spirit is doing with the people."

Dreams and Visions of Christ 

Many came to faith through a dream or a vision.

"I had a dream. I had a dream long time back and every time that Jesus was with me," he continued. "And in all of my life, He was helping me and I didn't know who was this Person. Suddenly Jesus Christ was over there and He said, 'Come to Me.' And I came to that side and He accepted me."

Despite all the hardship and being forced from their homeland, these believers exude joy. Many hope to achieve refugee status one day and immigrate to other countries.

In the meantime, they want believers in the West to pray for the Church in Iran.

"And I'm just begging, really, from the other believers, from other sisters and brothers from all over the world, to pray for Iran and to all the people of Iran to find new God and be familiar with God, with Jesus Christ," he said.

Watch report here: Believers in Iran

This is Why We LOVE the Hebrew Language! ✡ "Upon the Doorposts of Thy House"- ISRAEL365

And thou shall write them upon the doorposts of thy house, and upon thy gates. Deuteronomy 6:9 (The Israel Bible™)   וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ דברים ו:ט ukh-tav-tam al m'-zu-zot bay-te-kha u-vish-a-re-kha

Shabbat Inspiration Here's why we love the Hebrew language! In Hebrew, a human dwelling is called a "dirah", while an animal dwelling is called a "dir". The difference between these two words is the letter "hey" which represents the name of God. The Almighty's presence in our homes is what characterizes us as distinctively human, spiritual beings. As a reminder of God's protection, we place a mezuzah on the doorposts of our homes, just as commanded in today's verse. Get a beautiful Mezuzah case from Israel ON SALE NOW! » What's Inside a Mezuzah? You see it on doorposts around the world, but what is inside the mezuzah? Find out in this entertaining and informative video!   Watch here » UNESCO Temple Mount Vote is the Cause of Global Terror, Says Sanhedrin In response to UNESCO's pending vote to deny any Jewish connection to the Temple Mount, a group of Rabbis assert that the current wave of global terror is a direct result of UNESCO's unholy actions.   Read more » Your chance to grace your home with blessing!   Having a Mezuzah on your doorpost reminds you to always be conscious of the fact that there is one God which we are commanded to love with all of our heart. The Mezuzah will serve as a spiritual reminder for all those who enter and exit your home.   Buy you Mezuzah for 20% off today! »   Today's Israel Photo Today's fantastic photo by Sharon Gabay shows the ancient stone homes built into the hills of northern Israel.   See more photos by Sharon Gabay » Thank You Please help us continue to spread the beauty and significance of the Land of Israel!   Sponsor a day in honor of a loved one » “Thanks for Connecting Me to Israel365” It’s great to hear from so many of you - stay in touch and let us know where in the world you are enjoying Israel365!   Stay in Touch » Hi. As a new subscriber from Tacoma, Washington, USA to your site, I really enjoy the pictures of Israel as much as the news. It's nice to see what Israel looks like in something other than standard USA news photos in the background while their reporters speak. Dennis Purdy Hi, Thanks for connecting me to Israel365. This connection is divine for me. I daily get in touch with the holy land, the beauty of the land that the Lord of host watches over without slumber or sleep. Long live Israel- Justin Tabu I truly enjoy the reading,and can't wait for the new reading each day.May God bless you. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Tuly Weisz RabbiTuly@Israel365.com

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