How Does Jesus Christ Define Marriage?

By Ted Baehr and Tom Snyder

MarriageFor the first time in recorded history, our government is trying to change a fundamental social institution and tradition – marriage. Thus, in recent months, courts in Massachusetts, California and Iowa, and now the legislature of Vermont, have decided to allow same-sex marriage.

Forget for a moment the fact that no other society in human history has ever defined marriage in this way and the fact that the United States Constitution does not give such power to the judiciary or our elected representatives – what does Jesus say about marriage?

In Matthew 19:4-6, Jesus says that marriage is for a man and a woman.

“Haven’t you read,” he says, referring to the Book of Genesis, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not tear apart.” (more…)

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Only If The British Stayed In Sri Lanka – It Could Have Been Another Australia

By Pr Danny Nalliah
President – Catch The Fire Ministries Inc.

Sri Lankan FlagDear Friends and Family in Christ around the World,

I have always wondered whether it was a big mistake Sri Lanka made when it got its independence from the British in 1948. Then known as Ceylon and very famous for its Ceylon Tea, the nation now called Sri Lanka has been in civil conflict for the past 50+ years.  Thank God for the British who set foot on Australia some 200 years ago and made it a wonderful land to live in! I am so happy that they did not leave Australia.  As a Sri Lankan born Aussie, I must say we should be so grateful  for our great Nation.

Tea Plantations of Sri LankaMy parents studied under the British administration in Sri Lanka in a season when all people studied in English, and spoke English as their first language. They never looked at each other as a particular race group but rather as fellow Ceylonese.

As soon as the British left in 1948,  corrupt power hungry Government officials divided the once united country, giving some groups more privileges than others, and leaving minorities in the country to languish. This sparked off ethnic tensions and communal violence, thus requiring Sinhalese to study in Sinhalese and Tamils to study in Tamil. This divided a once united community in Sri Lanka, and made it a Sinhalese-Buddhist nation. (more…)

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When A Bishop Has To Leave The Church Of England To Stand Up For Christians, What Hope Is Left For Britain?

By Melanie Phillips, writing in the Daily Mail

Shock: Michael Nazir-Ali is leaving his post as the Bishop of Rochester The resignation of Michael Nazir-Ali as Bishop of Rochester is a terrible blow, not just for the Church of England but for Britain.
The bishop says he is resigning so that he can work for endangered or beleaguered Christian minorities both abroad and in the UK.
What a shocking rebuke to the church, that he has to leave his post of influence and authority as a bishop in order to carry out the church’s core duty to defend its own against attack.
Shocking – but hardly surprising. Across the world, in countries such as Nigeria and Sudan, millions of Christians are being persecuted at the hands of militant Islam, with forced conversions, the burning of churches and widespread violence.

Yet in the face of this global onslaught, the Church of England makes scarcely a peep of protest.
Worse still, when Dr Nazir-Ali warned last year that Islamic extremists had created ‘no-go areas’ across Britain where non-Muslims faced intimidation, he was disowned by his fellow churchmen who all but declared that he was a liar – even though he was telling the truth. (more…)

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Hate Crimes Undermining The West? Christian Broadcasting Network / Christian World News Interview With Pastor Danny Nalliah

Dear Friends and Family in Christ around the World, Following is the Christian Broadcasting Network / Christian World News (Pat Robertson’s worldwide ministry based in the US) interview with Pastor…

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Australia To Boycott UN Anti-Racism Conference

The Australian

AUSTRALIA will not take part in a controversial United Nations anti-racism conference in Geneva this week.

The Federal Government’s decision to boycott the Durban Review conference was prompted by the outcome of the original event in 2001, which was marred by claims of anti-Semitism…

Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said the Geneva meeting reaffirms the 2001 outcomes, singling out Israel and the Middle East.

“Regrettably, we cannot be confident that the review conference will not again be used as a platform to air offensive views, including anti-Semitic views,”… (more…)

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The Anzac Spirit

The Anzac Spirit – Article by Col Stringer, Col Stringer Ministries, Queensland Australia

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 5:13)
                                                                                                                                                                        
What does the word ‘Anzac’ really mean to this modern generation? I believe we are in danger of losing much of our heritage in this nation. The words of John Williamson’s song ‘True Blue’ seem to be proving chillingly accurate in modern Australia.

(more…)

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Good News – UN Commission – NO To Abortion!

By Samantha Singson

UN Commission Ends with Delegations Saying No to Abortion

(NEW YORK – C-FAM)  As the sun rose on the last day of negotiations at the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) at the United Nations (UN) today, delegations were still embroiled in a contentious debate over language concerning “sexual and reproductive health and rights,” which some radical NGOs and UN committees have interpreted and used to promote abortion. As UN member states came together at the closing meeting to adopt the document, delegations took the floor to define abortion out of the document.

Up until the eleventh hour, the contentious term “sexual and reproductive health and rights” remained in the draft document. Just prior to adoption, Iran took the floor to object to the phrase which has never before been included in any negotiated UN document.  Iran stressed that the term remained problematic for a number of delegations and urged the Commission to revert back to previously agreed upon and carefully negotiated language from the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Program of Action, which is understood not to create any right to abortion.  (more…)

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Report From Pastor Danny’s USA-Canada Trip 9th April – 22nd April 09

Hollywood, Los AngelesDear family and friends in Christ,

All glory and honour goes continually to the wondrous King of kings and the Lord of lords! What a glorious time of seeing God move so incredibly among His people and a time of personally receiving direction and encouragement, during the past 2 weeks in Canada and the US!

Toronto, CanadaI was so excited in my spirit when the time came to minister God’s Word in Canada (Toronto) during the Easter weekend (an Easter Crusade) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Each service was attended by more than 400 people hungry for the Lord and not satisfied with less than His best as their portion!

Scarborough (or better known as little Sri Lanka) in Toronto has around 350, 000 Sri Lankan Canadians living there, with most having fled Sri Lanka due to it’s civil war. Hence here are around 30-40 Sri Lankan churches in this area.

The church I ministered in had approx 90 plus Hindu converts to Christianity, including the pastor himself. God moved most powerfully at every service, as the people pressed in to the Lord, revealing their hunger and thirst for Him. Many of these dear people have loved one’s trapped in the middle of the battle zone in the north of Sri Lanka. (more…)

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Lesbians, Condoms Go Wild In Attack On Christian Church

Making out at pulpit, shouting blasphemies in front of children

By Bob Unruh

Worshippers at a Bible-teaching church in Lansing, Mich., were stunned when members of a pro-homosexual, pro-anarchy organization named Bash Back interrupted their service to fling propaganda and condoms around the sanctuary, drape a profane banner from the balcony and feature two lesbians making out at the pulpit.

According to a blog posting by Nick De Leeuw on Right Michigan, the Bash Back organization orchestrated a protest in front of Mount Hope Church to draw the church’s security staff away from the sanctuary.

Then Bash Backers who had dressed up and mixed in with church worshippers took action.

According to De Leeuw, “Prayer had just finished when men and women stood up in pockets across the congregation, on the main floor and in the balcony. (more…)

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Why The Cross?

By Greg Laurie

Greg LaurieI came across a list the other day of the worst inventions of all time. Among them were a detachable dog sack, which allows you to drive with your dog on the outside of your car, wigs for cats, an inflatable dart board, an anti-eating face mask, a battery-powered battery charger and an anti-prank fire alarm trap that handcuffs pranksters to the alarm they just pulled. (Of course, it is also a deterrent for anyone who may want to use it in the event of an actual fire.)

While all of these are great candidates for the worst idea of all time, there is one bad idea that rivals them all: It was when God himself was put on trial. Here was the long-awaited Messiah of Israel, the Savior of the world, God in human form – and men come up with the idea of putting him to death.

But humanity’s worst mistake was, at the same time, God’s master plan. The Bible says that “it pleased the Lord to bruise Him” (Isaiah 53:10 NIV). This means the crucifixion of Jesus was not a mistake. Nor was it an afterthought. It was part of God’s plan from the very beginning. Before there was a solar system, much less a planet called Earth or a garden called Eden or a couple known as Adam and Eve, a decision was made in the councils of eternity that God himself would come to Earth as a man and would go to a cross and die in the place of all sinners. Why? So that humanity could be put into contact with God. (more…)

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Church And State Reunited

Amanda O’Brien – The Australian

Australian Flag

SIX months after being elected, a god-squad of devout Liberals preaching morality and Christian values in a parliament better known for misconduct and lewd behaviour is shaping as a new force in West Australian politics.

While their views are not unique – other state politicians such as Liberal David Clarke, Christian Democrats Fred Nile and Gordon Moyes in NSW, and Family First’s Robert Brokenshire and Dennis Hood in South Australia, have pushed similar themes for years – the new MPs in Western Australia potentially pack a bigger punch.
They’re in government, not Opposition, and they have the numbers.

The group is being closely watched after putting Premier Colin Barnett on notice that integrity and moral certainties would guide their votes.
Chief among the Bible-belters, Peter Abetz, an ordained minister of the Christian Reformed Church and the brother of right-wing Liberal senator Eric Abetz, makes no bones about his intention to put his Christian values first, even if it means breaking ranks. (more…)

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Jewish Reporter Moved By Genuine Christian Friendship

Pat RobertsonBy Teresa Neumann – The Jerusalem Post

“With so many challenges facing the Jewish state, it is time we recognize a clear and cogent fact: There are large numbers of Christians around the world ready and willing to stand with us. And, I might add, thank God for that.”

(Jerusalem)—A recent column in the Jerusalem Post by Michael Freund exhorts the Jewish community to embrace Christians as true friends. Freund prefaces his article by recalling his reception at Rev. Pat Robertson’s CBN station in Virginia Beach a week earlier.

Said Freund: “I was moved by the level of heartfelt support for the Jewish state among the staff members. Nearly everyone had been to Israel numerous times, and they described in great detail, and with genuine passion, their profound love for the country and its people.” (more…)

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Australians Not So Sceptical About Jesus, Survey Finds

Dear Friends and Family in Christ,

We’re forwarding the following newspaper article from the Age for your unceasing prayer and evangelistic action!

Let’s continue to rise up as the Body of Christ to reap an ever increasing harvest of souls in Australia for Jesus!

By Barney Zwartz  – The Age

MORE than four in 10 Australians who don’t consider themselves “born again” nevertheless believe Jesus rose from the dead, while one in 10 doesn’t believe he even existed.

These are two of the surprising results from an independent survey of 2500 Australians, according to noted author and church historian John Dickson, co-director of the Centre for Public Christianity in Sydney.

The survey, to be released today, showed that 42 per cent of Australians believe Jesus had divine powers and 54 per cent believe he rose from the dead. But even among those who do not identify as born again, 45 per cent believe in the resurrection. Dr Dickson said this certainly included agnostics and secularists because the total was far higher than the remaining Christians surveyed.

“We are staggered. We thought the survey would show the profound scepticism of Australians,” he said. “Instead it shows there is a base-level assumption among the Australian public that accepts the Jesus story even if it has no relevance to their lives.” (more…)

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Survey Finds That Most Americans Would Welcome A Friend’s Invite To Church

By Aimee Herd – Christian Post, CBN News

Sharing“…63 percent would listen to a family member tell of their church, and a surprising 56 percent would actually accept an invitation…”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This survey is helpful to keep in mind as we consider our friends, family and neighbors who don’t yet know the Lord, or who feel disconnected from a church. Many times we figure they will not be open to hear about a fellowship we may attend, and so we don’t mention it. Perhaps we should in light of this new research. We just never know who the Lord may draw through a simple invitation! –Aimee Herd, BCN.

According to a recent survey by LifeWay Research, over half of Americans said they would “attend church if invited by a friend or family member.” (more…)

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Hospital Bans Bibles, Crosses From Chapel

Mosman Mayor Dominic Lopez inside the RNS chapelWORSHIPPERS at one of the state’s largest hospital chapels have been ordered to get rid of crucifixes and Bibles and pull down religious pictures and symbols for fear of offending other religions.

The decision by Royal North Shore Hospital has outraged patients and their families, many of whom have turned to the chapel for comfort in their darkest hours.

Hospital managers ordered the ban on symbols of any kind because the chapel was increasingly being used by a number of different faiths.

But Mosman Mayor Dominic Lopez said angry patients were offended that the chapel no longer represented a holy place.

Ban will incite fear, religious leaders say

“I used to sit there and pray when my wife was dying of breast cancer and look at that cross,” he said. “Now it is just a hall and the decision is bulls. . .. You either have a chapel or you don’t. It’s offensive to have a church or chapel and not have a cross in it.” (more…)

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