Daniel, Where Are You?

By Milan Ford
        

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been a huge fan of crime and mystery stories. I can remember the first time I ever picked up a Hardy Boys novel, and after reading just a few pages, I was convinced I could point out who the culprit was without reading the rest of the story.

Sometimes I was right. But most of the time, I was way off.
I must admit that despite all of my futile attempts of becoming the next Sherlock Holmes, there remains one mystery that I have yet to solve. No matter how many times I try, I have yet to put all the pieces together. I hope together we can do so on today.

I’m sure you will agree that story and life of Daniel is a remarkable one. Many scholars believe it was at the young age of 14 or 15 that Daniel, along with his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were summoned by King Nebuchadnezzar (the ruler of Babylon) to serve in his palace.

(You may recognize Daniel’s friends by some other names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego)

According to the first chapter of Daniel, these four boys were wise and gifted beyond their years, and Daniel was the rarest of them all, because of his ability to interpret visions and dreams.

After impressing King Nebuchadnezzar with their knowledge and faith in the Lord, all four were promoted by the king to govern over the affairs of Bablyon. But Daniel, was given an even higher position as a ruler who sat at the very gate of the king (see Daniel 2:46-49).

And this is where it gets interesting.

In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar sent out a word to ALL of those who ruled under him to gather to dedicate a special golden image he had created. A decree when out to every governor, judge, and high ranking official serving within his kingdom, that at the sound of music, everyone would have to bow and worship the image he had created. EVERYONE.

The penalty for anyone who did not bow was death courtesy of a fiery furnace, not exactly the most pleasant of executions. So when the music was cued, every governor, judge, and high ranking official that was called to gather bowed before the image. Except for three.

Not four. But three.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to bow, but to rather stand on FAITH against the king. The penalty of their actions caused them to be thrown into the fiery furnace. Yet to the surprise of the king and all who gathered around to see them executed, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were not being consumed by the fire. In fact, they were joined by another person: the Son of God!

Now this is the part of the story where most people jump to their feet and cheer. But it is here where the mystery begins. Have you ever stopped to wonder…where was Daniel?

Why were there only three that defied the king’s orders, and not four? There are many who would like to say that Daniel just wasn’t there at the time, but the decree called for EVERYONE to be present. There are others who just believe the king gave him a pass for the day, but for those familiar with the tyranny of King Nebuchadnezzar, that probably isn’t true either.

While the whereabouts of Daniel still remain a mystery to many of us, could it have been possible that our beloved young Daniel, surrounded by the pressures of life and his newly appointed position, took a bow for the first time in his life? As unpopular and uncomfortable as that may be to consider, there is a far greater lesson we all can pull out from this story. A far greater question must be asked.

To every Daniel reading this devotional today…where are you?

Where is the FAITH you once had in that job God told you to apply for earlier this year? Where is the FAITH you once had in your marriage, (you know) the one you now are looking for a way out of? Or what about the FAITH in God you once could not stop sharing with others, that now has been minimized to just an invitation for people to visit your church?

Daniel…where are you?

(I pray that question stays in front of you and I on today!)

Now is not a time to BOW out of what God has promised you. Daniel, no matter what the obstacles may look like, know that God will deliver you. And if you don’t believe me, maybe I should show you what He can do with some lions! (Daniel 6:10)

Scripture Of The Day: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” - Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

Milan Ford has been a leader and survivor of ministry within the local church for most of his life. The author of 83 Things I Wish The Black Church Would Stop Doing, Milan is now working on his second book, I Still Love Those Fries, which is scheduled for release Fall 2011. For more on Milan Ford, log onto http://milanford.com.…

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Why We Meet Together Regularly

By Ron Luce

Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer. - Hebrews 10:25, CEV

The Bible specifically talks about the importance of getting together with other Christians so that you can learn and grow and continue going for God with all your heart. A lot of people think that after they make their commitment to the Lord, they can do whatever they want as long as they don't fall into major sin.

The point is, however, that you are not designed to be a Lone Ranger Christian. You are designed to do incredible things for God and to change the world, but you have to be connected with other people who want to do the same thing. In Hebrews 10:25, the Bible gives you a specific instruction: "Don't you dare quit going to church! Don't you dare stop getting together with people who have a like mind and a like faith."

This is an important point for young people today. A lot of people say, "I can't really make it to church. My job--my sports, my hobby, my whatever--interferes with my church and youth group." But, you have to surround yourself with people who love God and are going after God in the same direction. The Bible calls it fellowship.

I have talked to so many youth pastors who get really discouraged. They work their heart out for their young people, yet the young people don't seem very committed. For example, I know youth pastors who have planned and planned and planned a retreat or some other activity. They announced it for two months and mentioned it during meetings.

But when it came time for the activity, no one came. It turned out that the teenagers were more committed to a school activity or sport than they were to their youth group--people with whom they are going to heaven and spending eternity.

As a follower of Christ, you need to turn that reputation around. You need to be the kind of person who says, "I know God has plugged me in here. God has a plan and a reason for my being here. I'll not commit to just Wednesday nights or just Sunday mornings. But every time that there is an opportunity for me to grow, I'm going to be here."

Does that mean you have to be there every time the doors are open to church? No. But at the very least, be committed to the regular services and special events that your pastor and youth pastor have going so that they know you are a serious Christian.

Don't be an airhead floating around saying, "I have my Bible and my study manual, and I'll do my own thing." If you are committed to the Lord, then there ought to be other people around you who know about your commitment to the Lord and who can help you grow.

Maybe you have done some things that I've mentioned here or even other things to show a lack of commitment to your pastor or youth pastor. I want you to take a moment and think about anything you may have done to show a lack of commitment. Take some time this week to ask your youth pastor and pastor to forgive you for anything you have done to make their jobs more difficult.

Think of some things that you can do that will show your commitment to meet with other Christians. How can you show that you have determined that you will not allow yourself to get out of the habit of meeting for worship? How can you show your commitment to your youth group and church? Don't just be a flighty, air-headed, haphazard Christian who floats in now and then.

Scripture Of The Day: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." - Hebrews 10:25 (NKJV)


President and founder of Teen Mania Ministries, a Christian organization reaching millions of young people worldwide, Ron Luce passionately declares the Gospel through Acquire the Fire TV broadcasts, youth events, camps and media resources, challenging teens to take a stand for Christ. For more information about Ron, log onto http://www.teenmania.org…

Serve One Another With Humility Of Mind

By Bishop Keith Butler


Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews. Acts 20:17


Do you know what a good leader does? The best leaders are always those who have humility of mind. They are very strong-minded, yet, on the other hand, they know how to submit their minds to new ideas that did not come from them. They know how to bow their minds so that other information can come from other people, giving them the credit for it.

Humility is what you must have if you are going to succeed, not just in the ministry, but also in life. Listen to what the Apostle Paul had to say. He said, "You know how I have served you. I have served you with humility of mind. I have not allowed myself to become arrogant of mind, even when it came to the so-called 'religious' things of God."

In other words, he bowed his mind to the will of the Holy Ghost. He learned the ways and practices of the Holy Ghost regarding his brethren and he served them with humility of mind.

If you have humility of mind, you can serve one another. But you cannot serve if you have an arrogant mind. One reason why some people do not serve in the church is that they are high minded.

First Corinthians 1, verse 10 tells us to speak the same thing and be perfectly joined together with the same mind. So, when we do this, we come to the same judgment because it is all based on one thing -- the Word of God.

We should all speak the same thing in accordance with the Word of God. Our brother should be able to tell us, "Brother, that is not the Word. What are you doing? The Word of God says such and such." And our response should not be, "Mind your own business." No, humility says, "You are my brother. You love me. You want to see me grow."

You see, that is how iron sharpens iron. When all of us are like minded and speak the same thing, serving one another in love, then all of us will get God's results and grow in the things of God.

Scripture Of The Day: "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." 1 Corinthians 1:10v. NKJV



Bishop Keith A. Butler is the founder and pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, MI, and Word of Faith Christian Center in San Antonio, TX. For more information about Bishop Butler, visit http://www.woficc.com.

He Did That For Me

Alan Riley

Theologians have a fancy phrase for it... they call it "Substitutionary Atonement." What it means in plain English is that Jesus died on the cross paying the penalty for sin. From the beginning of the church, there has been a clear understanding of what Christ's death on the cross meant. It was not simply the unjust murder of an influential if somewhat unorthodox Jewish teacher on a Passover weekend. It was the only begotten Son of God willingly giving up His life to pay the price for sin. Your sin. My sin.

But for any truth to be a life-changing one, we must come to the place where it moves from being simple fact to being a truth that we embrace with our entire being. It is one thing to know that Jesus died for you, but another thing altogether for the full weight of that truth to become painfully clear to you. Someone once said this process involves making the 18-inch journey from your head to your heart.

I remember when I was 17 years old and a brand new Christian, so excited about my new-found faith. It was the Easter season, so the old movie "King of Kings" was on TV. When the movie showed the crucifixion, I was deeply moved as I saw Him beaten and mocked. As Jesus said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do," tears began to roll down my face. How could they have done this to Jesus? Why would they want to crucify Him? Why didn't He call down angels to destroy them all and save Him?

It was then for the first time in my walk with the Lord I clearly sensed the Holy Spirit speak to my heart, as clearly as if I had heard it audibly. Just five simple words that pieced my heart like a knife: "I did this for you."

For the first time the full weight of that truth hit me like a ton of bricks. It was my sin that put Him there. He suffered and He died in my place. He did that for me.

Many years later I was reminded of that experience again, as I saw someone else experience the same thing. We went with a group from church to see the film "The Passion of the Christ." I wept along with most everyone in the theatre as I watched a much more true to life depiction of Jesus' suffering and death. As we were leaving the theatre, I noticed a member of our church - a 92 year-old retired physician who walked with two canes - make his way to a seat in the lobby and begin sobbing loudly. Several of us walked over to him. No one said anything for a few moments. The doctor struggled to regain enough composure to speak. When he finally did, he cried out through his tears, "That was for me!"

How long has it been since the reality of God's grace and forgiveness reduced you to tears? When was the last time you wept over your sin and what it cost the Lord Jesus? For most of us it has been way too long.

I encourage you to get caught up - again, as if for the first time - in the awe and wonder of the fact that the only begotten Son of God would give His life for you.

Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life... my all.


Rev. Alan Riley is the Director of Web Operations for Streaming Faith and serves as the Managing Editor of StreamingFaith.com. He is an ordained Baptist Minister and a frequent contributor to the Streaming Faith Daily Devotional. His personal blog can be found at www.alansblog.com.



© Streaming Faith all rights reserved

Tips to Keep the Faith During Hard Times
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Forgiveness and Corrie Ten Boom

At times we all find it hard–if not impossible–to forgive those who’ve hurt us most.

In the mid-70s, not long after I became a Christian, I heard about a woman who had spent time in Nazi concentration camps for hiding Jews in her home during the Holocaust. 52 and unmarried, she had lived at home with her elderly father and older sister Betsie. All three of them had been sent to concentration camps when the Nazis discovered they had been hiding the Jewish refugees. The woman’s name was Corrie Ten Boom.

Corrie lost her freedom, her dignity, and her beloved sister and father in the span of a few months in those concentration camps. In God’s providence Corrie was released due to a clerical error, just one week before the other women in Ravensbruck her age were executed.

After the war Corrie was invited to speak all over the world, and she tirelessly traveled the globe, thankful for every opportunity she was given to tell people about Christ. She always marveled at God’s infinite mercy toward sinners like us.

She also knew that everyone who had received God’s mercy had no choice but to show mercy to others; and she knew from her own experience that wasn’t always easy. In her book The Hiding Place she tells the following story:

It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck. He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time. And suddenly it was all there – the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsie’s pain-blanched face.

He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. “How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein.” he said. “To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!”

His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who had preached so often to the people in Bloemendaal the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.

Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him.

I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me Your forgiveness.

As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.

And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.

No one understood both the difficulty and the absolute necessity of forgiving others better than Corrie Ten Boom. I will be forever grateful for the example this humble, tireless servant of Christ set for me when I was a new believer.

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The Road to Life

The Road to Life
At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I really didn’t know Him.

But later on when I met Christ, it seemed as though life were rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal.
I don’t know just when it was that He suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since.

When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable… It was the shortest distance between two points.

But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places at breakneck speeds; it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He said, "Pedal!"

I worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and didn’t answer, and I started to learn to trust.

I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I’d say, "I’m scared," He’d lean back and touch my hand.

He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance and joy. They gave me gifts to take on my journey, my Lord’s and mine.

And we were off again. He said, "Give the gifts away; they’re extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He’d wreck it. But He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, knows how to jump to clear high rocks, knows how to fly to shorten scary passages.

And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I’m beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.

And when I’m sure I just can’t do it anymore, He just smiles and says… "Pedal!"

Author unknown

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The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr

The Serenity Prayer
by Reinhold Niebuhr
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen.

It's a Spirit Thing

Acts 1:8: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 2:1-4: "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
I Corinthians 12:13: "For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink."
I Corinthians 12:4-7: "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."

John 14:16-17: "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth."
Romans 12:1: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
Ephesians 5:18-20: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Romans 8:3-4: "For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit."

I Corinthians 14:12: "Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church."
I Corinthians 14:26: "What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening ("edification" N.A.S.B.) of the church."
Romans 12:4-6: "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace give us."
Luke 11:20: "But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you."

I John 3:8b: "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work." Ephesians 6:10-20: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.... And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."
John 14:12-13: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father."
Romans 15:18-19: "I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done - by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit."

I Corinthians 4:20: "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power."
Romans 8:9-10: "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you."
John 16:7: "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor ["Comforter, Advocate, Helper"] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you."
John 14:26: "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

John 16:13-15: "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you."
Romans 8:14: "...those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."
Luke 24:49: "I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
Acts 4:31: "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."

Acts 8:18-19: "When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ "
Acts 19:1-2: "While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ They answered, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ "
I Corinthians 2:4-5: "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power."
II Corinthians 4:7: "But we have this treasure [the gospel] in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

II Corinthians 6:4-7: "Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: ... in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left...."
Joel 2:28-29: "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days."
Acts 2:15-17: "These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God, says, I will pour out my spirit on all people....’ "
I Corinthians 12:7-11: "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.... All these [gifts] are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines."

I Corinthians 14:1: "Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy."
I Corinthians 14: 5: "I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy."
I Thessalonians 5:19-21: "Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good."
Acts 8:14-17: "When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit."

Acts 19:6: "When Paul placed his hands on them [new converts in Ephesus], the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied."
Mark 1:41: "Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man [a leper]. ‘I am willing [to heal you],’ he said, ‘Be clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured."
Luke 6:18b-19: "Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all."
Mark 16:18: "...they [the evangelists] will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

Acts 13:1-3: "In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off."
I Timothy 4:14: "Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you."
II Timothy 1:6: "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands."

Pope: A Smaller Church?

New Pope Benedict XVI to follow a conservative path
from the Taipei Times

Papa Ratzi Post
The question, in his own words: "Is the church really going to get smaller?"

A Leaner, Smaller, Purer Church?
from BusinessWeek

Grass-roots innovation may help new pope reclaim Europe's churches

East Bay papal expert says pope sees smaller church

Ministers of Faith, Churchless Christians

Business is Sacred at North Point
They have 17,000 ministers at North Point Ministries. Most of them are businesspeople . . . BusinessAsMissionNetwork.com

Churchless Christians
exiledpreacher.blogspot.com: The thoughts of an Evangelical and Reformed Welsh Preacher living in Wiltshire, England.

Speed Record, Barna, Faith, Super Crunchers, Mobs and Motivation

75 year old likely set Internet speed record
Her fiber-optic connection could be world's fastest home uplink

Barna surveys Catholics
from the DallasNews Religion

I Learned What It Means to Have Faith
In this 1945 letter, an American soldier liberated from a German POW camp, tells his family what kept him going.

Era of the Super Cruncher
Intuition is losing ground to data mining, a new book claims.

Moms Mabley Agitation in Motion
Moms Mabley was one of the greatest comedians of all time. She is widely regarded as one of the most important African-American entertainers that ever lived and as the first bonafide female stand-up comedy superstar.

The stars' homes away from home
There’s no place like home. But if you’re a celebrity, there’s also no place like your second (or third, or fourth) home.

Get Motivated to Do More With Less
A Colin Powell speech got a BusinessWeek columnist thinking about force multipliers. Here are five ways to get more done with what you already have

Ice Cream Wars
Nestlé vs. Unilever: the $59 billion industry is dominated by two global giants looking to expand in Asia and Latin America

Who Am I?

Who am I?
They often tell me I would step from my cell’s confinement calmly, cheerfully, firmly, like a squire from his country-house.

Who am I?
They often tell me I would talk to my warden freely and friendly and clearly, as though it were mine to command.

Who am I?
They also tell me I would bear the days of misfortune equably, smilingly, proudly, like one accustomed to win.
Am I then really all that which other men tell of, or am I only what I know of myself, restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage,
struggling for breath, as though hands were compressing my throat, yearning for colors, for flowers, for the voices of birds, thirsting for
words of kindness, for neighborliness, trembling with anger at despotisms and petty humiliation, tossing in expectation of great events,
powerlessly trembling for friends at an infinite distance, weary and empty at praying, at thinking, at making, faint and ready to say farewell to it all.

Who am I?
This or the other? Am I one person today, and tomorrow another? Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others, and before myself a contemptibly woebegone weakling? Or is something within me still like a beaten army, fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved?

Who am I?
They mock me, these lonely questions of mine. Whoever I am,Thou knowest, O God, I am thine.

Another Day, More Places: Spiritual Health, Ipod.net, StumbleUpon, Church and Web and George Will

Spiritual Health Analyzer
Check your spiritual well being. Take these easy quizzes to help determine your
spiritual health.

Christian Ipod.net
The ways today's generation finds God

StumbleUpon:
Channel surf the internet with the StumbleUpon toolbar to find great websites, videos, photos and more based on your interests. StumbleUpon learns what you like and makes better recommendations

Marc Andreessen discovers StumbleUpon.
Elevens Lessons Learned About Blogging, So Far

Church on the Web
A Place to Explore Christianity

Google Maps: Tour de France Live Tracker 2007

Hale - Yeah! Nice Site

from the BBC: Most Expensive Home for sale in the US

Quite Interesting
Quite Interesting: Have you ever wondered what you should be doing with your life? What it's all about? We have too. And that's why QI exists - to satisfy our curiosity about... well, everything.

Groopik
Easily manage your small group ministry online

MyChurch
The best way for a church to build an online community

George Will
George F. Will: Unwinding Brown vs. Board of Education