PositivePartners: April 2006

Sunday, April 30, 2006

Avoiding Self-Based Faith

by Os Hillman, April 30, 2006

We live by faith, not by sight. - 2 Corinthians 5:7

Over the years I have run into many businessmen who make the statement, "Whenever I get things in order in my business, I want to get more involved in ministry." What are these men really saying? They are saying that as soon as they can get the amount of money that creates security, they will trust God. They are saying that what they have been doing to date has not been ministry. This separation of "work and faith" is common among our culture. We fail to understand that life is sacred to God and there is nothing "holy" and nothing "sacred" in itself.

I would love to hear one workplace believer say, "I have spent my life in this business. The Lord has blessed me with great resources. However, now I want to see His faithfulness in this stage of my life. That is why I am giving away my wealth and trusting Him to provide for me through new ways." Wouldn't that be a novel concept? That is exactly what C.T. Studd, the great cricket player in the 1800s, did. He was reared in a wealthy home, but his deep conversion experience led him to take actions that forced him to trust God in ways he never had to before. He became one of the great missionaries of all time.

Whenever we seek to plan ways of ministry that depend on our ability to manipulate and plan outcome, this is not faith. The ministry that comes from this will be minuscule. Faith that bears fruit is faith that is born from experience with a living God. It is faith that says, "I don't know where the next check is coming from. All I know is that God told me to do this and trust Him for the next step." That is faith that moves mountains and moves God's heart. God rarely allows His servant to see beyond the next faith step. However, those who are willing to take the first step and leave the outcome to Him see His works.

Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the Lord... (Psalm 107:23-24).

Saturday, April 29, 2006

YOUTH RESTIVENESS IN THE NIGER DELTA:

AREF Remarks at Bayelsa State Launch of Mamuzees’ Aristo-Project,
At The State Cultural Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa, on Thursday April 27, 2006 on

YOUTH RESTIVENESS IN THE NIGER DELTA:
AN AREF PERSPECTIVE

(All Protocols observed)

Wars start in the minds of men, and it is indeed in the minds of men that the defenses for peace must be built…the real need is now perceived as being preparing for peace in other to avoid wars.
....Ambassador Segun Olusola, Founder/Patron, AREF, C.O.M.P.A.C.T., Lagos 2001

The African Refugees Foundation (AREF) is a non-profit non-governmental organization in special consultative status with the United Nation’s ECOSOC in Africa, with focus on the continent-wide prevention of conflict-causes that create refugees and internally-displaced persons and in helping resolve those conflicts that do break out, by Anticipating disasters, Rehabilitating victims, Encouraging peace, and Facilitating development through its numerous programmes, projects and interventions, even including such a futuristic sociocultural campaign as we are gathered here today to launch … namely the timely MAMUZEES’ ARISTO-Project in Bayelsa State, under the generous patronage of the state’s helmsman, Governor Goodluck Jonathan.

The recent hostage crises brought, once again, to the fore the need for urgent attention to be paid to the problems of youth restiveness in the Niger Delta and the need to better prepare for peace in order to avoid war, especially in light of the then warning of the USA National Security Adviser, given before the US Senate, to the effect that the Niger Delta crises, if not speedily resolved, could trigger off a chain of events culminating in a civil war and an unprecedented massive outflow of tens of millions of Nigerian refugees, and that this could possibly lead to the destabilization of Africa, impact Europe very negatively, and gravely damage current UN’s crisis-management mechanisms.

By the way, let it go on record that AREF was very actively, though quietly, involved in intimate mediation processes during those trying days of the hostage-taking crises, the only public of which interventions was the issuing of a public appeal, via releasing to the world’s press a missive calling on the young men in the creeks to release their captives or at least grant the latter phone-access to their families, whilst readily admitting that there was urgent need for the needs and legitimate requests of these youths to be sincerely addressed by all relevant parties, especially governments, oil multinationals, and other concerned stakeholders in a peaceful Niger Delta and Nigeria.

Whilst we all give God thanks for His having employed many mediators, including our good host today, Bayelsa State’s Governor Goodluck Jonathan, to resolve that crisis-situation, nobody can deny that the ominous youth restiveness in the Niger Delta that threatens not only the whole of Nigeria, but the global energy system, is far from being resolved to date.

The kidnappings, bombings, threats and warnings being dished out by these youths are too self-evident for us to begin deliberating on whether evidence exists that there is youth restiveness in the Niger Delta; just as there is no gainsaying the fact that the Niger Delta is the most underdeveloped region of Nigeria, especially considering the fact that over 90% of this oil-rich nation’s wealth is derived from this self-same impoverished region’s natural resources, and that the primary reason adduced by these restive youths of the Niger Delta for their restiveness is that they have been shortchanged along with the region for too long.

So what can we do to resolve the issue of youth restiveness in the Niger Delta? This is the question every true friend of Nigeria must be considering today, and it is to assist in finding answers to this question that we humbly present this not-so-simplistic AREF-perspective to this august gathering which has both national and foreign leaders in attendance. Of course we are all aware of the most recent and promising initiative launched by President Obasanjo, just as we are aware of the earlier more all-encompassing summit that was brokered here in Yenagoa by our host, Governor Jonathan, and that had representatives of all youths’/elders’ groups, major oil/gas multinationals, five foreign governments, Federal/Niger Delta-States Governments et al…in attendance. Again let it be mentioned that in the earlier-mentioned interventionist public statement, AREF did aver that it believes the Yenagoa Accord is speedily actualisable given the caliber of parties present and represented at that auspicious Special Niger Delta Forum. AREF’s position is still the same, even whilst AREF welcomes every programme aiming to improve the lives of all our brethren in the Niger Delta, including the youths of course.

AREF posits that the primary step towards a sustainable resolution of the harrowing crisis of youth restiveness in the Niger Delta is THE POLITICAL WILL to carry out any positive action that stakeholders, especially governments and corporate players, know will move the process of peace and development along smoothly.

And there is need to URGENTLY contend with issues associated with environmental degradation, lack of opportunities to fully participate in the oil industry as workers and investors, visible developmental efforts as guided by the people’s expressed will alone, urgently reviewing all laws and regulations that may have been overtaken by the realities of today’s nation-state, the tackling of fundamental political, social, economic issues at the core of the youths/elders’ agitation; and, even more importantly, creating and sustaining mechanisms to prevent, better manage and more speedily resolve any crises that exist openly, that may surface, or even those that fester less visibly, whilst we cannot overemphasise the need for there to be a fully representative interactive jaw-jaw between The Federal Government and these youths’ true leaders without any attempts by either party to deceive or vanquish the other.

Nigeria’s prolonged slow growth and imbalances that are so easily abused by our leaders, with the resultant widespread social disharmony and economic environment of high uncertainties plus gross abuse of the people of the Niger Delta have derived in the main from the weak institutions that dot our political and economic landscape like windmills set up merely for quixotic jousting by knaves of all age-ranges. Strong institutions of good governance, impartial anti-corruption, fiscal prudence, people-targeted programmes, and positive behavioural change mechanisms must needs be developed and efficiently-transferred to the youths and all other relevant parties targeted for growth and peace. We must emphasise that there may be initial opposition to even the best-willed plans or action, at least at the beginning before good intentions are proved as being exclusively so.

AREF reminds all of us that the Nigerian nation is not as seamlessly united as it was a decade or two ago, and so we all must tread carefully. The sentiments of all the groups making up the federation MUST BE RESPECTED AND NOT BRUSHED ASIDE. And we must rapidly and consciously develop and deploy mediators, conflict-resolution peacemakers and peacekeepers onto every theatre where they are currently urgently demanded, and AREF believes that the Niger Delta’s restive youths qualify right now for such urgent positive action.

In this last respect, AREF has been honing an already globally-tested and approved Mediation Process called PROJECT C.O.M.P.A.C.T. for impacting the youth in the Niger Delta positively and urgently. CO.M.P.A.C.T. is the acronym for Corps Of Mediators, Peacemakers And promoters of the Culture of Peace Training Project, a holistic project designed to foster peace, encourage reconciliation, and prevent conflicts within and between nation-states. The project, draws on situation-relevant cultural strengths and value-systems to devise solutions to real conflicts, is approved by the UN and the African Union, even as the latter body, collaborating with the Japanese government, has sponsored it for continental execution in Lagos-Nigeria, Addis Ababa-Ethiopia, and Cape Town-South Africa between 2001 and 2003. It is the considered belief of AREF that ongoing events in the Niger Delta urge us to rapidly deploy this proactive conflict-avoidance/resolution mechanism in this region NOW!

We are happy to report that soon after the Trustees and Patrons of AREF, led by Founder/Patron Ambassador Segun Olusola and Hon President Chief (Mrs.) Opral Benson, took the decision to positively impact the Niger Delta with PROJECT C.O.M.P.A.C.T the Akwa Ibom government embraced it warmly, just as the project has been approved and facilitated for execution in Cross River State in May 2006. We are hopefully confident that the forward-looking Government of our host state, Bayelsa, will soon follow suit to ensure that this key Niger Delta state benefits from this unique and positively proactive PROJECT C.O.M.P.A.C.T. in Yenagoa before the second quarter of 2006 ends.

Once again, AREF congratulates the MAMUZEES and felicitates with the government and people of Bayelsa State on this epochal Aristos-campaign that is commencing even as the world comes to Bayelsa to celebrate Africa’s cinematic development and its movie-stars at the AMAA.

Aristos leave the young girls alone to become all that God has destined them to be … STOP CORRUPTING TOMORROW’s MOTHERS OF NIGERIA.

Thank you.

TO: MEND COMMANDER,

To
MEND COMMANDER,

REQUEST FOR JOINT ACTION FOR THE LIBERATION OF THE PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH SOUTH ZONE
It has become necessary for a joint operation with all the militant group in the Niger Delta for effective and timely liberation of our people.

It is our candid suggestion that there should be an affiliation of South South Liberation Movement (SSLM),Niger Delta peoples volunteer force (NDPVF), and the break away Niger Delta Allied force (NDNF), the martyr Brigade. And other known groups in the Niger Delta with MEND for effective operation.

This suggestion has become imperative because of the known fact that having gone this far no government will have a reasonable negotiation with us (freedom fighters) it has never happened in any country. The only option left for us now is to go into guerrilla warfare with the Federal Government to liberate our people. A trained soldier Obasanjo is. He will always deceive his enemies in order to capture them.

The security report South South Liberation Movement gathered from Abuja is that the Federal Government will never release our detained leaders. The Federal Government of Nigeria in alliance with Britain and America is planning to go into a full blown bombardment, arrest and killing of leaders of the freedom fighters in the Niger Delta. So the only option left for us is to consolidate for greater efficiency.

We have a good case and a good terrain to fight our enemies. Our terrain is similar to that of the Vietnamese ‘ The Mekong Delta" where the Americans were taught a lesson of their lives.

Let us act now to prevent unnecessary massacre of our people by president Obasanjo and his mad allies.

Comrade John Adie Commander Goddy E. Ewerode
National Co-ordinator Direct, Strategy, Research & Planning
South South Liberation South South Liberation Movement
Movement (SSLM) (SSLM)

Commander Oyake P. Olotu, Comrade Francis Job
Delta State Co-ordinator Akwa Ibom State Co-ordinator
South South Liberation South South Liberation Movement (SSLM) Movement(SSLM)

Attached:
Our Past Activities
CC:
Chief Oboko Bello
Dan Ekpebide
Kennedy Orubebe
Denis Otuaro
Tony Uranta

Monday, April 24, 2006

Psalms: A Companion for all Times

by: David Jeremiah

Perhaps no other book can act as a such a companion in our daily lives-joy, heartache, drama, songs, prayers, poetry. Psalms takes us from the heights to the depths. We cry with the psalmists; we cry because of the psalmists. Most importantly, we feel that the psalmists-and God himself-cry with us.

The Why's of Wisdom In the Psalms, we find the answer to questions like: Who am I? Why am I here? (Psalm 8) Is my life valuable? (Psalm 139) Why do good things happen to bad people? (Psalm 73) How can I be happy? (Psalm 1)

Search the Psalms for stories and writings of real people in real difficulties and apply the lessons the psalmists learned from God.

Wonder of Worship The Psalms show us how to worship God with our courage, memory, intellect, and whole body. We see the psalmists literally summoning thanksgiving from deep in dark caves and amidst turmoil, and we realize that we, too, can do that. We see them turn from lamentation to joy by trusting in the absolute, divine sovereignty of God. We listen as they recapture their memories of a past faith nearly squelched by present circumstances.

In the very act of praising God, the psalmists illustrate worship, and we find ourselves joining in-a kind of corporate worship of two people, millenniums apart, in awe of the One God who created everything.

Magnifying the Master Psalms gives a true picture of my God, and He now seems larger. I see Him in charge of an army of angels, covering the entire earth as under the wings of a dove.

Presenting Your Plan The Psalms put into words our pain, disappointment, and depression. If the thoughts are in your heart, you need to express them so that they can be dealt with by God and dismissed for good. The Psalms do this for you.

Journaling the Journey When we record our thoughts, feelings, and prayers, we learn about God and ourselves. The Psalms are like personal journals, with all the emotions that one might expect in times of uncertainty: fear, stress, anguish, despair, and praise.

As we read the Psalms, we study accounts of lives filled with pain, joy, hope, and loss. We read about the full range of human emotions and circumstances. We can hardly complain that no one knows how we feel because it's clear from reading the Psalms that someone most certainly did!

Maybe the psalmists' example will motivate you to start your own journal. If you keep a record of your life, even though you don't notice it at the moment, you may discover God at the heart of every happening in your life, good or bad. And it will be God's provision and peace in the bad times that makes good come from it.

Praise-Filled Poetry Aside from their spiritual impact, the Psalms stand as great pieces of literature. They are Hebrew poetry, though unfamiliar in poetic structure from English verse. They are examples of masterful writing, containing the most beautiful language and a way with words that is unparalleled.

The psalmists' vivid imagery inspires us to worship God creatively. Although we may never capture the brilliance of these writers, their words compel us to stretch our word power and stretch our minds to grasp the vastness of God. When we fail to find the words ourselves, we can turn to the Psalms for words of worship.

Scriptural Songs Actually used in the hymnal in Old Testament times, the Psalms are joyous, triumphant songs of praise. Today, many of these psalms have been put to contemporary melodies, giving us the opportunity to worship with the very words of Scripture that the psalmists penned.

What a vast treasury of devotion and praise we've been given in the Psalms! They have always been a source of praise, strength, and encouragement for me-even more so in recent years. I have found great help in the Psalms through difficult as well as good days. By studying the Psalms, I trust you will find your faith strengthened and enlightened, too.

This article was excerpted from Turning Points, Dr. David Jeremiah's devotional magazine. Call Turning Point at 1-800-947-1993 for your complimentary copy of Turning Points.
• Turning Point (Monday, October 24, 2005)

Psalms: A Companion for all Times

Praying for Prodigal Loved Ones......

If you are praying and standing for a prodigal spouse, how should
you be praying?

* For their CORRECTION -

God has His ways of getting the attention of every prodigal,
spouse, child, and family member alive today. Like any parent,
His call is at first soft. As the disobedient child fails to
respond, that voice becomes louder and louder. Like any parent,
He does not go away because someone is ignoring His divine call.
You need to pray that God, through His Holy Spirit, will speak
truth to your prodigal spouse. Pray also, that the one you love
will have his or heart softened, and be open to Gods’s correction.

* For their PROTECTION -

Sadly, some of the new standers that God sends our way, seeking
help for the restoration of their marriage, view their prodigal
spouse (or the other person) as the enemy of their marriage. They
are praying that harm will come to their spouse, causing them to
come home. These well-intended folk have the cart before the
horse. Foremost, the one causing the problem is Satan. He is
their enemy, not their spouse, nor that other person. A stander
who loves their spouse, and wants them home, should be praying
that God’s protection would engulf that spouse.

The Bible tells us that at marriage you and your spouse were
made "one flesh." If you are praying bad on them, you are, in
effect, praying evil on yourself also.

There is no one else on earth in the position that you are to pray
for your prodigal spouse. The one you love is probably burning
the candles at both ends, so to speak, and is in danger. You do
not need to pray tragedy for your spouse to find Christ, and to
subsequently return home. You need to pray (and pray and pray)
that Jesus will touch them. That is how marriages are restored.

We know there are standers hurting over the death of the one for whom
they were praying. We also know many of these people are perplexed
over where their beloved is spending eternity. May these words
help them to leave that matter in the hands of God.

Before I sign off, may I ask you a question? If you were to die
today, and stand before God, and He were to ask you, "Why should I
let you into my Heaven?" what would you say? It is our prayer that
you can say that you have confessed your sins, and are trusting in
the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, for your
guidance in this life, and for life eternal. If you are unsure,
Charlyne and I invite you to visit a page that explains in detail how
you can come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Please
see - http://www.rejoiceministries.org/salvation.html

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in
me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I
would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for
you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back
and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You
know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to
him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we
know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and
the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:1-6

Blessings,
Bob Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc

Knowing the Will of God

I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do. John 17:4

There are four categories of people when it comes to knowing the will of God. There are those who are indifferent. They’re not really concerned about knowing the will of God. Then, there are those who are rebellious. They say, “I don’t want to know the will of God, and I’m not going to do it.” Then, there are those who might want to know the will of God, but they’re ignorant. They don’t know how to do it. And finally, there are those who are victorious. They are finding and doing the will of God.

In order for us to do what God wants us to do, two things are necessary: we must have a knowledge of what He wants us to do, and we must have the power to do it. Most of us want a formula, but I’m not going to give you a formula; I’m going to give you a principle. Knowing God’s will comes in realizing this principle, and it is in three parts: Jesus Christ is the pattern for knowing the will of God; Jesus Christ is the purpose for doing the will of God; and Jesus Christ is the power for achieving the will of God. It is all centered in the Lord Jesus.

Jesus Christ is the Pattern
In John 17:4 Jesus said to the Father, “I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.” Wouldn’t you like to be able to come to the end of your life and say, “Father, I have glorified You. I have finished the work You gave me to do?” To do so, we must follow Christ’s example.

God had a plan for the Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus set Himself apart for that plan. In verse nineteen Jesus said, “… I sanctify Myself ...” To be sanctified is to be set apart for a purpose. His purpose was only to do the will of God. But how did Jesus know the will of God? Did He reason it out? Did He think it out? No, it came from an intimate relationship with God. And in verse twenty-one Jesus prayed the same for us: “That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us …” Knowing the will of God means knowing God and walking intimately with Him, just as Jesus did.

Jesus Christ Is the Purpose

Not only is Jesus the pattern, He is the purpose for serving. Jesus sanctified Himself and desired for us to be sanctified or set apart also, but for what purpose? John 17:21-22 says, “That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one…”

That’s our purpose: that the world might believe in Jesus and see His glory. When we’re looking for God’s will, we need to find what points people to Jesus and gives Him glory. When people look at me, they’re to see the glory of God.Jesus Christ is the Power

But it’s not enough just to know the will of God; we must also be able to do the will of God. The good news is that the same God Who calls us will enable us and lead us. Verse twenty-three says, “I in them, and Thou in Me….” He is in us to empower us to live for Him.

What is the will of God? It is letting Jesus live His life through us and receiving the glory to Himself. That’s the reason I said that the will of God is not a formula. It is not a roadmap; it is a relationship. Jesus Christ is the pattern. Jesus Christ is the purpose. And Jesus Christ is the power.

God has a purpose for you just as He had a purpose for His Son. God has a work for you to finish — a story written for you. Wouldn’t you like to come to the end of the trail and say, “Father, I have finished the work You gave me to do?”

Monday, March 27, 2006

Bin Laden Tries to Put Religious Spin on Darfur Conflict

Patrick Goodenough
International Editor

(CNSNews.com) - Osama bin Laden is trying to portray the bloodshed in western Sudan as part of a Western anti-Islamic crusade, even though victims of the three-year-old Darfur conflict are Muslims.

Some experts saw the attempt to exploit the crisis as a sign of weakness as the fugitive al Qaeda terrorist tries to reestablish his authority in the eyes of jihadists.

An audiotaped message ostensibly from bin Laden, broadcast Sunday on Al-Jazeera television, contained repeated references to a "Zionist-Crusader" war against Muslims. Citing intelligence officials, the White House said the recording was believed to be authentic.

"I call on mujahideen and their supporters in Sudan ... and the [Arabian] peninsula to prepare all that is necessary to wage a long-term war against the Crusaders in western Sudan," the message said.

"I urge holy warriors to be acquainted with the land and the tribes in Darfur."

War broke out in Darfur three years ago between government-sponsored tribal militias and rebel groups claiming to be fighting to end the economic and political marginalization of the region. Since then, some 200,000 people have died and two million more have been displaced.

The Islamist government in Khartoum and its proxy militias are identified as Arabs, while the rebels and civilians have an African ethnic background.

But unlike Sudan's 21-year civil war between Arab Muslim northerners and Christian and animist African southerners, which ended with a comprehensive peace agreement in January 2005, analysts say the sides in Darfur are not divided along religious lines.

All parties - the government, its notorious Janjaweed militia ally, the Darfurian rebel alliance comprising two main groups, and the millions of civilians caught in the crossfire - are Muslims.

In fact, one of the rebel groups, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), itself pursues an Islamist agenda.

In the face of Chinese opposition in the U.N. Security Council, the United States is pressing for sanctions against specified individuals on both sides of the fighting for their roles in the crisis.

Washington also supports a move to replace a 7,000-strong African Union (A.U.) peacekeeping force with a larger, more robust U.N. mission later this year, a plan rejected by Khartoum.

In his message, bin Laden accused the U.S. of stirring up a conflict arising out of "some differences among the tribesmen."

The move was "in preparation for sending Crusader forces to occupy the region and steal its oil under the cover of maintaining security there," he said. "It is a continuous Zionist-Crusader war against the Muslims."

'Religious spin'

"Bin Laden wants to politicize and radicalize the Muslims, and in order to do that, he will take whatever issue where Muslims are even remotely connected and will seek to exploit it," Rohan Gunaratna of the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies in Singapore said Monday.

"This has been a strategy for a long time. He's doing this because he believes that unless he mobilizes the wider Muslim community, he has no chance. So he's seeking to pinpoint issues which will have resonance among Muslims."

That appeared to be the purpose of the entire wide-ranging statement, which also touched on the Palestinian issue, Kashmir, Chechnya, Indonesia/East Timor and Bosnia - even on the France's ban on Muslim headscarves in public schools and the fact no Islamic nation is represented in the U.N. Security Council.

On Darfur specifically, however, Gunaratna did not think the issue would resonate.

"He's trying to give it a religious spin, but there's no religious dimension to that particular conflict. That's what he's trying to create. Wherever there are cleavages and fissures, he will try to exploit them."

Gunaratna, author of the 2002 book Inside al-Qaeda: Global Network of Terror, said bin Laden knew his profile was diminishing.

"The focus is increasingly on [Iraqi-based terrorist] Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who is leading the fight in the front. Radical Muslims increasingly look towards Zarqawi."

With little "command and control" capability, bin Laden was therefore resorting to casting around for political issues.

Prof. Jim Veitch, a specialist in religious conflict and terrorism at New Zealand's Victoria University, also saw the latest bin Laden message as a sign of weakness rather than strength.

His terrorist network had not carried out a major strike against the West in some time, was unable to put as many people on the ground as it once was, and had largely delegated authority to locally-based groups, he said Monday.

Darfur offered a "ready-made cause for it to latch onto."

"Al Qaeda looks for situations that are in the public eye. It tries to identify with these situations so the public doesn't forget about it."

Veitch did not expect the appeal to be very effective, and believed al-Qaeda to have little capability in the Darfur region.

History

Nonetheless, bin Laden, a Saudi national until Riyadh revoked his citizenship in the early 1990s, does have a strong history in Sudan.

He invested heavily in the country and lived there from 1991 until May 1996 when Khartoum, under pressure from the Clinton administration and the Saudis, negotiated his departure.

Gunaratna and other researchers say it was made to look like an expulsion but was not really.

Yossef Bodansky, author of a 1999 biography of bin Laden, said when Sudan "expelled" him, he was flown out of Khartoum but then landed at another airstrip a few miles away. Sudanese intelligence agents then whisked him to Darfur, where there was "a vast terrorist-training infrastructure."

There, he and his aides arranged the relocation of terrorists and assets to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Bodansky said. Bin Laden then himself moved to the Taliban-ruled country.

Gunaratna said bin Laden still enjoyed some support in Sudan but probably more elsewhere in East Africa, especially in Somalia.

Even if he was able to mobilize some support in or around Sudan, and even organize a couple of terrorist attacks there, getting support from Khartoum was unlikely, he argued.

"The Americans and Europeans have deepened their influence in Sudan, and Sudan today has much to lose if [its leaders] cooperate, or even appear to cooperate, with bin Laden."

Is God in Every Circumstance?

Thursday April 20, 2006

Genesis 50:15-21

The Christian life is to be characterized by a growth process — from spiritual milk to solid food. We are to absorb the elementary truths of our faith and then begin to chew on the “meaty” ones. The question, “Is God in every circumstance?” falls into this latter category because the answer to it conflicts with human thinking. You see, God is in both the triumphs and tragedies of life. He either sends them or permits them to happen.

When we ponder the deeper teachings of Scripture, it’s important to start with the Lord’s character and promises. For example, in meditating on the fact that He does permit some extremely hard times, it is critical to remember: God is good (Psalm 145:8-9) — His purposes are good, as is everything He does; God is sovereign (Psalm 103:19), so there is nothing that is outside of His control; God promises believers that He will work things together for good (Romans 8:28); God keeps His promises (2 Corinthians 1:20). These facts form a filter through which we can seek to understand the Lord’s presence in every situation.

Consider Joseph. Betrayed by his brothers, falsely accused by his employer’s wife, and imprisoned unjustly, he was powerless and, in many ways, forgotten. But he refused to be swayed by circumstances — he grasped the deeper truth that God had orchestrated it all for good.

Whether the Lord sends a trial or permits one, He has said He will use it as part of His plan for our good. Do you believe Him?

Weapons of Warfare

by Os Hillman, February 18, 2006

Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. - Joel 3:10a

In this third chapter of Joel, we hear the prophet describe a time yet to come. It will be a time of great harvest on the earth, and this verse describes the catalyst. A plowshare is an agricultural instrument used to till the soil. At this point in history, it was a tool that spoke of one's vocation. However, the prophet was speaking of a time yet to come. The prophet described the plowshare as an instrument that will be turned into a sword. The sword is often used in the Bible to describe God's Word. The only way a plowshare can be turned into a sword is for it to go through extreme heat, and then the blacksmith must beat that plowshare into shape. Heat and punishment of the metal turns that plowshare into an instrument of battle. God must do this in each of our lives in order for us to be useable as a worthy sword. We are all in a battle - a spiritual battle. Paul describes our battle as one against the principalities of the unseen world. I believe God is going to rise up many in the workplace to use their plowshare as a weapon of righteousness in these last days. That weapon won't be used for destruction, but as a weapon of love. That weapon of love will yield a great harvest in our lifetime. But this is only part of the story.

God is also going to turn our pruning hooks into spears. A pruning hook is used in two ways. First, it is used to prune a tree for greater growth and productivity. It is also used to cut the fruit from taller trees in which one cannot reach the fruit. This fruit from our vocation is going to be cast forth like a spear, but even more as seed planted to bring the harvest of which Joel speaks. Fruit from our work life is often the financial rewards generated. God wants to use our finances and everything else for His purposes. We must use our vocations and the fruit that comes from them as seed to bring the great harvest that God is planning.

How are you using your plowshare and your pruning hook for God's glory today? Ask God to show you how He wants to use your skills, resources, and relationships to prepare for the great harvest He has planned.

Loose Your Donkey

by Os Hillman, February 21, 2006

..."Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them...." - Matthew 21:2-3

A donkey was an animal of commerce in Jesus' day. It was used to carry great burdens of goods from place to place and it was known as the "beast of the burden." The donkey in Matthew 21 was surely owned by a village workplace believer. But Jesus told His disciples to fetch the donkey for "He had need of it." This donkey played an important part in Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It was a day that was the culmination of three years of ministry. Jesus chose to use a vehicle of commerce to bring Him into His most important public display.

We are entering a time in our own history in which God is saying to workplace believers, "Loose your donkey for My purposes. I have need of it." God is preparing His Church to be a vessel for ushering in a great harvest of souls. He is preparing His remnant of workplace believers, who are like a tribe within the Church, to be a major force in this great harvest.

"He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk" (Gen. 49:11-12). Is your donkey tied to the living Vine, the choicest branch of Jesus Himself? When we are tied to the living Vine, designed for His use, we will be useful in God's Kingdom. Jesus wants to free us from the bondage of work slavery; He wants us to walk in freedom so that others may see God's grace flowing through us and our place in the work world. Is your donkey available for His use?

Today, ask Jesus to allow the Vine to flow through you in every area of your life.

A sure covenant

"And because of all this we make a sure covenant."-Nehemiah 9:38

There are many occasions in our experience when we may very rightly,
and with benefit, renew our covenant with God. After recovery from
sickness when, like Hezekiah, we have had a new term of years added to our
life, we may fitly do it. After any deliverance from trouble, when our
joys bud forth anew, let us again visit the foot of the cross, and renew
our consecration. Especially, let us do this after any sin which has
grieved the Holy Spirit, or brought dishonour upon the cause of God; let
us then look to that blood which can make us whiter than snow, and
again offer ourselves unto the Lord. We should not only let our troubles
confirm our dedication to God, but our prosperity should do the same. If
we ever meet with occasions which deserve to be called "crowning
mercies" then, surely, if He hath crowned us, we ought also to crown our God;
let us bring forth anew all the jewels of the divine regalia which have
been stored in the jewel-closet of our heart, and let our God si!
t upon the throne of our love, arrayed in royal apparel. If we would
learn to profit by our prosperity, we should not need so much adversity.
If we would gather from a kiss all the good it might confer upon us, we
should not so often smart under the rod. Have we lately received some
blessing which we little expected? Has the Lord put our feet in a large
room? Can we sing of mercies multiplied? Then this is the day to put
our hand upon the horns of the altar, and say, "Bind me here, my God;
bind me here with cords, even for ever." Inasmuch as we need the
fulfillment of new promises from God, let us offer renewed prayers that our old
vows may not be dishonoured. Let us this morning make with Him a sure
covenant, because of the pains of Jesus which for the last month we have
been considering with gratitude.

"The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is
come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land."-Song of Solomon
2:12

Sweet is the season of spring: the long and dreary winter helps us to
appreciate its genial warmth, and its promise of summer enhances its
present delights. After periods of depression of spirit, it is delightful
to behold again the light of the Sun of Righteousness; then our
slumbering graces rise from their lethargy, like the crocus and the daffodil
from their beds of earth; then is our heart made merry with delicious
notes of gratitude, far more melodious than the warbling of birds-and the
comforting assurance of peace, infinitely more delightful than the
turtle's note, is heard within the soul. Now is the time for the soul to
seek communion with her Beloved; now must she rise from her native
sordidness, and come away from her old associations. If we do not hoist the
sail when the breeze is favourable, we shall be blameworthy: times of
refreshing ought not to pass over us unimproved. When Jesus Himself
visits us in tenderness, and entreats us to arise, can we be so base a!
s to refuse His request? He has Himself risen that He may draw us
after Him: He now by His Holy Spirit has revived us, that we may, in
newness of life, ascend into the heavenlies, and hold communion with Himself.
Let our wintry state suffice us for coldness and indifference; when the
Lord creates a spring within, let our sap flow with vigour, and our
branch blossom with high resolve. O Lord, if it be not spring time in my
chilly heart, I pray Thee make it so, for I am heartily weary of living
at a distance from Thee. Oh! the long and dreary winter, when wilt Thou
bring it to an end? Come, Holy Spirit, and renew my soul! quicken Thou
me! restore me, and have mercy on me! This very night I would earnestly
implore the Lord to take pity upon His servant, and send me a happy
revival of spiritual life!

MORE THAN A CONQUEROR

"You hem me in-behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to
attain." Psalm 139:5-6

Let's admit it. Sometimes there are moments or hours or even days
in our stand when we feel like we are being dragged, kicking and
screaming, into something we don't really want to do. It was so much
easier when we did not have this knowledge wasn't it? We didn't
have to worry about all that turn the other cheek stuff and that
unconditional love and that going the extra mile. We didn't have to
worry about zipping the lips or covering nakedness. But our lack of
knowledge is what brought our house down in the first place. God
tells us this in Hosea 4:5 - "My people are destroyed from lack of
knowledge."

Further in Psalm 139, verses 7-10, it says, "Where can I go from
your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the
heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are
there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far
side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand
will hold me fast."

Much as we would like to ignore it, there is no escaping and no
denying what God has called us to do. Even if we think we want to
go back to the way things were, He won't let us. We cannot flee from
His presence. We cannot turn our back on His calling. He has
placed a knowledge and a desire deep in our hearts and it holds us
fast, no matter how hard we kick and scream. Even if we feel this
knowledge is too lofty for us to attain, it is knowledge that He has
given us and we cannot turn away. It is a scary thing, but He
doesn't call us to be perfect; He just calls us to believe.

The next two verses read, "If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide
me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not
be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is
as light to you." Psalm 139:11-12

This verse speaks of God's omnipresence. He is watching over us no
matter where we are - whether in the despair of a lonely night or
the dawn of a new day. To some people this omnipresence might be a
scary thing, to know that God searches our heart. But not to us who
have been called. God's eternal presence in our lives is a
comforting thing. No matter where we go we can never be far from His
presence. And this is something to sing about!

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your
works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14

Have your ever felt afraid of what God has called you to do? Have
you ever been fearful that you cannot do what He has asked? How can
I forgive someone who has hurt our family so badly? How can I
continue to turn the other cheek when they just keep taking a bite
out of the other one? How can I zip my lips when someone has to
tell them where they have gone wrong!

This is probably one of the hardest things God calls us to do as we
stand for our marriages - to show love to the unlovable; to give up
the cloak and then offer the tunic as well; to walk the extra mile.
Sometimes we just have to say, "Not possible!" And in our own
strength, it would be impossible. But God gives us the strength we
need to forgive as He has forgiven and to love as He loves -
unconditionally.

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And
God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can
bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so
that you can stand up under it." I Corinthians 10:13

The word tempted in this passage also means tested. God will not
give you a trial that you cannot, with His strength, bear. Every
thing that happens is filtered through His hands and He has promised
that it will all work together for good. Our human nature is such
that we long to be vindicated when lies are told about us. We want
to return evil for the evil done to us. We long to say, "Sic 'em,
God!" But it is not our job to judge others. Hard as it may be
sometimes, the Bible tells us we must turn the other cheek.

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right
in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends
on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my
friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is
mine to avenge; I will repay," "says the Lord. On the contrary: "If
your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him
something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on
his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with
good." Romans 12:17-21

Returning good for the evil done is a difficult task for anyone and
often one of the most difficult tasks for a stander, especially when
the evil involves our family. But with God's strength, we can do
it. Knowing that God is in control, we can turn all of it over to
Him, knowing we will be vindicated; knowing He will not let us go,
no matter how hard we kick and scream.

This is a journey none of us really wanted to take. I'm sure that
there is not one stander who has said, "God give me a marriage
trial!" Yet it is a journey we have been called to embark on. We
have been given an awesome assignment - to stand in the gap for our
loved ones. We have a choice - to turn away from the assignment,
saying, "It's too hard!" - or to embrace the task knowing that we
have someone in our corner who is greater than any trial we face.

"The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet
of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights." Habakkuk 3:19

God bless

Anti-logging activist wins award

A campaigner who risked his own safety to expose illegal logging operations in Liberia has been recognised with a prestigious environmental award.
Silas Siakor, 36, has won a Goldman Environmental Prize for his efforts, which resulted in the UN banning the export of Liberian timber.

The awards are described as "the Nobel Prize for grassroots environmentalism".

Mr Siakor and five other winners will receive their awards on Monday at a presentation ceremony in San Francisco.

Working for the Liberian environmental group Save My Future Foundation (Samfu), Mr Siakor revealed in 2002 that President Charles Taylor's regime was selling off the nation's forests to timber companies.

It is understood that warring factions in the region turned to logging after the trade in so-called "blood diamonds" became subject to UN sanctions.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep), illegal logging during the 14 years of civil war had reduced the nation's forest cover by almost one fifth.

Personal touch

Mr Siakor worked alongside industry contacts and fellow campaigners to gather a dossier of evidence showing the full extent of the illegal logging, corruption and human rights abuses that was fuelling the civil war.

What started as a simple exchange of material amongst a small group of people soon formed the basis of a report which caught the attention of the international community.

"In 2002, we decided that we needed a change in strategy," Mr Siakor said. "We knew that the personal touch would have an impact on international policy.

"When we published the report it was being quoted more and more within the international debate, and the Liberian Government came under increasing pressure to act," he added.

The publicity surrounding the report angered the government. Evidence contained in the report had led to the UN Security Council banning the export of timber from Liberia, which had an impact on the funds available to the warring factions in the civil war.

'Big trouble'

"At one point, President Taylor himself referred to the report on national radio," Mr Siakor recalled.

"He said that the people who were responsible for the report would be in very big trouble if he got his hands on them."

The president's warning, combined with a summons to appear before the nation's Senate, led to Mr Siakor's colleagues advising him to leave Liberia for a period of exile spent in several neighbouring countries.

In August 2003, Charles Taylor himself fled, handing power to his deputy. Soon after, UN peacekeepers arrived in Liberia.

Mr Taylor would eventually face trial for crimes against humanity during the civil war which saw more than 250,000 people killed.

Towards the end of 2005, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became president, the first woman to be elected as an African head of state.

She cancelled all previous timber concessions made by the previous government and has promised to carry out a series of reforms.

However, this is not the end of the road for Mr Siakor. The international sanctions on timber exports are set to be lifted in June.

'Social momentum'

As director of the Sustainable Development Institute (SDI), he published a report in January outlining the sort of reforms he feels need to be carried out in order to protect the long term future of Liberia's forests and the wildlife that depends upon them.

Mr Siakor hopes that winning the Goldman Environmental Prize will encourage others to follow in his footsteps. "I would like to see more and more local people take on these issues," he said.

"We are going to need people who will insist that the rate we extract these natural resources must allow for natural regeneration.

"What we are doing now within the SDI is to support more grassroot involvement, a social momentum, that will take on this sort of campaign. If people are empowered to actively engage with the government, I strongly believe that this will be good for overall political governance."

The other winners of the Goldman Prizes, being presented in San Francisco on 24 April, include:

a young Ukrainian lawyer who successfully brought a temporary halt to the construction of a canal that would have cut through one of the world's most valuable wetlands, the Danube delta.
a veteran of the Vietnam War who convinced the Pentagon to stop plans to incinerate stockpiles of old chemical weapons.
a Brazilian whose efforts led to the creation of the world's largest group of protected tropical forests, which had been under threat of illegal logging.

Sunday, April 23, 2006

God's University:The Epistle of James!

The Epistle of James is God's University, which offers practical and down-to-earth advice. "The fact of the matter is, I know of no epistle that pinches like the Epistle of James. He hurts us," says Rev. Dr. Vernon McGee, "because he gets right down to where we are living—or, probably, I should say where we're not living." This collection of sermons covers several issues, including:

· How your tongue -- one of the most dangerous weapons in the world -- relates to your faith.
· How to resist the devil, and why he delights in those who don't believe he exists.
· Why you can rest assured that God never tempts you to sin.
· How hearing and then acting upon what the Bible says can inspire you to a more original, creative response for the Lord.

Don't be content with anything less than a vibrant, enthusiastic relationship with God. Discover the compelling, life-changing faith in Him that you so desire!

Is God in Every Circumstance? YES!

Genesis 50:15-21

The Christian life is to be characterized by a growth process — from spiritual milk to solid food. We are to absorb the elementary truths of our faith and then begin to chew on the “meaty” ones. The question, “Is God in every circumstance?” falls into this latter category because the answer to it conflicts with human thinking. You see, God is in both the triumphs and tragedies of life. He either sends them or permits them to happen.

When we ponder the deeper teachings of Scripture, it’s important to start with the Lord’s character and promises. For example, in meditating on the fact that He does permit some extremely hard times, it is critical to remember: God is good (Psalm 145:8-9) — His purposes are good, as is everything He does; God is sovereign (Psalm 103:19), so there is nothing that is outside of His control; God promises believers that He will work things together for good (Romans 8:28); God keeps His promises (2 Corinthians 1:20). These facts form a filter through which we can seek to understand the Lord’s presence in every situation.

Consider Joseph. Betrayed by his brothers, falsely accused by his employer’s wife, and imprisoned unjustly, he was powerless and, in many ways, forgotten. But he refused to be swayed by circumstances — he grasped the deeper truth that God had orchestrated it all for good.

Whether the Lord sends a trial or permits one, He has said He will use it as part of His plan for our good. Do you believe Him?

Understanding the Roadblock

by Os Hillman, April 23, 2006

And Joshua said, "Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!" - Joshua 7:7

Have you ever felt like you were doing what God wanted you to do, but your plans were totally frustrated? This was how Joshua felt.

The Lord had been with the people of Israel as they entered the Promised Land. They defeated every enemy because of God's blessing and protection. They had just taken the city of Jericho. The next battle was the city of Ai. They scouted the enemy and determined it would require only 3,000 men to defeat them. They attacked, and soon the reports came back that they were being routed. Joshua could not understand this. He cried out to God asking why this was happening.

The Lord said to Joshua, "Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated My covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction" (Joshua 7:10-12).

Whenever we open ourselves up to sin, we become liable. God removes His protective shield from our lives in order for the sin in our lives to be purged out. He often uses the enemy of our souls to accomplish the task. If you feel you are being thwarted in some way, examine your life to see if there is any sin that is the cause of the problem. Adversity is not always due to sin, but it can be. Ask Him. He will show you. As with Joshua, God immediately answered this prayer when Joshua asked. He desires for His children to live in a right relationship with Him.

Unprofitable Anger

by Os Hillman, April 20, 2006

Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. - Ecclesiastes 7:9

Every day of our lives we are placed in situations that engage us with other people, whether it is in the office, our homes, or in public places. Do you recall the last time someone cut you off in traffic, or you were forced to wait in line because someone up front got held up? Perhaps your employer did something that was downright unfair. Anger can result from many circumstances.

A friend once told me that anger is like warning lights on the front of your car dashboard. They signal that there is something going on under the hood, and we should take a look to examine the source of the problem. Anger can be traced to a few sources. First, when we lose control of a circumstance that we have placed certain expectations on and those expectations do not result in our desired outcome, we are tempted to get angry. The source of this type of anger is both fear and protection of personal rights. You see, when we believe we have a right to something, we have not given the Lord permission to allow an outcome different from what we want. If an outcome is different from our expectations, this may stimulate fear.

For instance, if a vendor failed to deliver an important job on time due to something out of his control, you may respond out of anger. Please know that the source of your anger is the fear of what might happen to you or what this might say about your abilities to manage a project. You no longer are in control of the circumstance and this creates fear in you.

The next time you get angry ask the Lord what is the source of that anger? Did the Lord allow that failure to let you see what is "under your hood"? God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind (see 2 Tim. 1:7). Give up your rights to expectations that God never gave you. You will find a new freedom in Christ you never knew you could have.

Indigenous Canadians occupying a construction site on land they claim as their own have rebuffed an overnight police attempt to force them out.
Protesters blocked an approach road to a half-finished housing project in Ontario, burning tyres as police moved in and made several arrests.

The group has occupied the land for 52 days, insisting it was granted to native Canadians in 1784.

But officials say the site was ceded in 1841 to make way for a road.

Deputy Commissioner Maurice Pilon blamed protesters for agitating against police, saying "officers were required to use some force" in making a reported 16 arrests, Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper said.

Protesters blamed police for disrupting a peaceful occupation.

'Ready for more'

A judge granted an injunction in March to force the protesters from the Six Nations off the land in Caledonia, about 110km (70 miles) from Toronto.

Authorities held talks with occupation leaders but those discussions broke down earlier this week.

A spokesman for the group, Janie Jamieson, said police used pepper sprays and dragged people from the tents where they slept.

"The OPP [police] has made the decision to break the peace, and that's what's happened," she said.

The protesters were ready to continue their occupation and expected another visit from the police, she added.

Mr Pilon insisted the police wanted to resolve the long-running dispute.

"We would ask everyone to work with us in restoring calm," he said.

"Violence is certainly not the answer."

Police said they had no immediate plans to return to the site.

"Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night."-Psalm 91:5

What is this terror? It may be the cry of fire, or the noise of
thieves, or fancied appearances, or the shriek of sudden sickness or death. We
live in the world of death and sorrow, we may therefore look for ills
as well in the night-watches as beneath the glare of he broiling sun.
Nor should this alarm us, for be the terror what it may, the promise is
that the believer shall not be afraid. Why should he? Let us put it more
closely, why should we? God our Father is here, and will be here all
through the lonely hours; He is an almighty Watcher, a sleepless
Guardian, a faithful Friend. Nothing can happen without His direction, for even
hell itself is under His control. Darkness is not dark to Him. He has
promised to be a wall of fire around His people-and who can break
through such a barrier? Worldlings may well be afraid, for they have an angry
God above them, a guilty conscience within them, and a yawning hell
beneath them; but we who rest in Jesus are saved from all these t!
hrough rich mercy. If we give way to foolish fear we shall dishonour
our profession, and lead others to doubt the reality of godliness. We
ought to be afraid of being afraid, lest we should vex the Holy Spirit by
foolish distrust. Down, then, ye dismal forebodings and groundless
apprehensions, God has not forgotten to be gracious, nor shut up His tender
mercies, it may be night in the soul, but there need be no terror, for
the God of love changes not. Children of light may walk in darkness,
but they are not therefore cast away, nay, they are now enabled to prove
their adoption by trusting in their heavenly Father as hypocrites
cannot do.

"Though the night be dark and dreary,
Darkness cannot hide from Thee;
Thou art He, who, never weary,
Watchest where Thy people be."

ARE YOU PRAISING AND THANKING YOUR LORD?

"...Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among
the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is
exalted. Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things;
let this be known to all the world." Isaiah 12:4-5

This Sunday is one week after we celebrated Resurrection Sunday. Are
you still praising and thanking God for all that He has done for
mankind this past week? Jesus Christ arose and He defeated Satan!
May you continue to praise, worship and thank your Lord for all that
He has done, and is still doing, for you and your loved ones. Be
sure to go to church this weekend!

"I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for
ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name
for ever and ever." Psalm 145:1-2

Do you take your salvation for granted? Are you praising your Lord
daily for all that He is doing in your life and in your marriage?
If your spouse came home suddenly, would you continue to put your
Lord first? Would you make time to continue to praise the Lord,
praying and reading your Bible when your spouse is not around each
day? I know you may think, I would never stop praising my Lord, but
I know that the Enemy wants us to never praise and thank our Lord
for all that He does for us. Do you know that praise defeats the
enemy? Satan will leave if you start praising and thanking your
Lord.

My prayer is that you will always praise and thank your Lord,
especially in the dark stormy days.

May I share a story about Jesus going into a village where there were
ten men who had leprosy. Imagine your Lord coming to your town that
had ten spouses who had fallen into sexual immorality and had
divorced their spouses. What would you do?

"Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border
between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten
men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called
out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" When he
saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as
they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was
healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself
at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus
asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was
no one found to return and give praise to God except this
foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has
made you well." Luke 17:11-19

I know personally I cried out to my Lord so many times during my
stand, "Have pity on us Lord. Have mercy on us Jesus, heal my
husband and touch our family. Lord, nothing is too hard for You to
do!" These men had no hope with leprosy, they were unclean. Their
only hope was to cry out to Jesus, praying that He would have
compassion on them. The men had heard of all the miracles that
Jesus was doing as He traveled from one city to another.

Have you chosen to sell out to your Lord Jesus Christ to be your
only hope in restoring your marriage? Have you come to the point
that you know that the only One that can touch, change, heal and
deliver your spouse from the bondages of sin, is your Lord Jesus
Christ? Have faith in your Lord, He will never fail you.

Jesus told the men to go and show themselves to the priests, who had
the authority to say to the men with leprosy that they were clean
and able to return to their home. First, they all obeyed Jesus and
when they did on the way to the priests they were cleansed and
healed. Is it not shocking, that only one man came back praising
God in a loud voice and he was a Samaritan, a foreigner! So do not
allow the enemy to say to you that you are not worthy enough to have
your marriage restored, as that is a lie from the enemy. What is
the Lord speaking to your heart about this story?

Have you had many miracles and answers to your prayers? Are you
praising and thanking your Lord for all that He has done in your
life? Do you have a restored marriage? Are you praising and
thanking your Lord for your Lord restoring your marriage? Are you
helping others proclaim that God heals hurting marriages? Be
careful, when your marriage is restored that you do not become like
the nine other men that were healed and disappear never thanking the
Lord or helping others to find Jesus to restore their sick bodies or
hurting marriages. May you go and proclaim the power of your Lord
Jesus Christ!

"O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever." Psalm 30:12

God bless,
Charlyne Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.®
Post Office Box 10548
Pompano Beach, FL 33061 USA
http://rejoiceministries.org
http://stopdivorce.org

A SUNDAY BOBSERVATION -

When we were divorced, I would get angry and upset observing other
married couples together, especially in church. "It works for them.
Why didn’t our marriage work out?" That was really a rhetorical
question. Our marriage stopped functioning because I had blown it,
time and time again. Yet, the Enemy had me deceived and I could not
see that sin was why we were divorced; primarily my sin. This Sunday
pray that your prodigal mate’s eyes will be opened to what Satan has
done.

It was difficult for me to attend church and see all the "happy"
couples. After SIXteen years of ministering to people in hurting
marriages, I now know that a surprising percentage of those church
couples are far from happy. Many were facing issues exactly liKe
ours, but were taking off the boxing gloves one day a week, and
wearing masks to church.

This past week, I heard a well-known Christian leader say that of all
he had been involved in, from books to broadcasts, keeping his
marriage healthy had been the most difficult task the Lord had ever
given him. Charlyne and I can testify that keeping our marriage
healthy requires work, but it is a work for which we have Jesus. He
is the key.

Today, when you sit in church, and see husbands and wives together,
please pray for that marriage. Doing so will give you an entirely
different perspective on attending church alone. Have a blessed
Sunday.

Nigerian militant car bomb attack!

Nigerian militants have claimed responsibility for exploding a car bomb at an army barracks in the southern oil city of Port Harcourt.
Two people died in the attack a day after the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta renewed its threat to target oil installations.

On Wednesday, Mend rejected plans announced by President Olusegun Obasanjo to develop the Niger Delta.

The militants are demanding more local control of the region's oil wealth.

In recent months there has been an upsurge of attacks on foreign oil interests which have cut the country's oil production by 20%.

This has cost Nigeria millions of dollars of lost revenue and helped to drive up world oil prices.

Warning

In a statement, Mend said the attack which killed two people and critically injured six more on Wednesday night "was symbolic rather than strategic".

The group said the attack was a warning to the Nigerian military and the oil companies in the area and proved that the Nigerian military was incapable of protecting itself, let alone protecting the oil industry.

"We suddenly heard one heavy bang and saw fire shoot up and everybody fled," nearby witness Tekena Lawson told AP news agency.

Military spokesman Maj Sagir Musa said explosives were placed in a Mercedes car parked inside the barracks and were detonated by remote control.

He said a number of civilians on the base were caught in the blast but he said no military personnel were hurt.

The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says the use of a car bomb by militants is new.

Most previous militant attacks have been carried out among the creeks of the Niger Delta, not inside a major city like Port Harcourt.

It is also the first time Mend has claimed responsibility for an operation in the eastern Niger Delta. So far, their attacks have been confined to the west, our correspondent says.

Recently the militants announced it would stop taking hostages and use different tactics in its campaign to gain greater local control of the area's oil wealth.

'Injustice'

Mend says the government's development plan announced this week was trying to remedy 50 years of injustice with the promise of menial jobs.

At the first meeting of a council set up to speed up development in the Niger Delta, President Obasanjo promised thousands more jobs and a $1.8bn (£1bn) motorway project for the oil-rich region.

Despite being home to Nigeria's oil industry for more than 50 years, there is acute poverty in the Delta.

Our reporter says the militants' grievances were not addressed at the meeting.

Although there have been promises of development in the past, few have become reality, he says.

In recent months, Mend have kidnapped foreign oil workers and warned them to leave the Delta.

Nigeria is the world's eighth largest oil exporter.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Losing Your Life for His Purposes

by Os Hillman, April 18, 2006

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it. - Luke 9:24

When the time came for God to fulfill Joseph's dreams, Joseph himself had virtually no interest at all in it. Jesus said, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it" (Lk. 9:24). God wants to teach us a different set of values so that the kind of thing we start out wanting becomes secondary. God has something in mind for us that is far greater than the interest we began with.

Joseph's day of exaltation had arrived. Yet, through it all, a very real humiliation had to take place. We know about the humiliation Joseph had experienced for 13 years after being sold by his brothers into slavery, then taken to Egypt. We know how he was falsely accused and cast into prison.

Then came a different situation. Joseph had had a triumph and was given an exaltation, but the kind he really never asked for. He did not appear to be all that interested in what was about to happen. He watched as the Pharaoh took his ring off his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. Joseph never asked for that. All he wanted was to go home. He longed to go back to Canaan, to see his father, and to have his dreams fulfilled.

Therefore, here we find an extraordinary incongruity: a humiliation in the heart of vindication. A triumph that was the opposite of everything he, himself, could have envisaged. Joseph wanted to go home, but a one-way ticket to Canaan wasn't available. Before he knew it, he had Egypt in his hip pocket. He had never prayed for that. But God wanted Egypt. What God wanted is what Joseph got.

Joseph was given something that he could be trusted with because it didn't mean that much to him. [R.T. Kendall, A Treasury of Wisdom Journal (Uhrichsville, Ohio: Barbour and Company, 1996), January 16 day reading, email books].

Possessions of the Kingdom

by Os Hillman, April 19, 2006

But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. - Genesis 15:14

Whenever God brings you through a time of great adversity, you can expect to come out of that experience with great possessions, if you have been faithful through the trial. This is a universal truth. Wisdom comes from obedience, not knowledge. When we have been tested and proven, the reality of our faith results in possessions from God that we would never receive if we had not gone through those trials. These are precious in His sight and should be valued greatly. Those who know you will be amazed at the wisdom that comes from your mouth. It is one of those mysteries of the gospel that only those who experience incredible testing and hardship can explain.

God kept the people of Israel enslaved 400 years, but when the time came to free them from the bondage of slavery, they came out with great possessions. These physical possessions symbolize the spiritual possessions we receive when we come out of being enslaved to those things that have hindered us all our lives. These possessions are to be shared with others so that they also can know how they might become free.

What has God freed you from that allows you to share your possessions with others? Share what God has done in your life with someone you work with today. It may be the possession they need most in their life.

"Then they remembered His words." Luke 24:8

LOOKING FOR THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD -

"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women
took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb" . . ."Why
do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has
risen! Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in
Galilee? 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of
sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'
Then they remembered His words." Luke 24:1;5-8

Monday morning we had Easter testimonies regarding a spouse who had
come home only hours ago in Australia. Parents in Canada were
reporting Easter dinner with their child and estranged spouse. A man
had received an Easter phone call from a divorced wife, whom he was
able to take to dinner.

Did you receive an Easter miracle in your marriage? Even if your
restoration is yet to come, there is still an after-Easter message
for you in the Easter story.

On that first Easter morning the two women named Martha had gone to
the tomb of Jesus and had found it empty. Although they found the
empty grave clothes that had encircled the body of Jesus still
intact, the resurrection had to be confirmed to them by two angels
who asked, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?"

That same question might be asked this Easter season of men and women
who are praying and standing with God for the restoration of their
marriage. They have been touched by God and have heard from Heaven
the promise that God has given them for the restoration of their
family.

When anything has been touched by God, it is alive. If your troubled
marriage is alive, why would you continue to seek it among the dead?
People turn to dead churches seeking help. Advice is sought from
friends who have no relationship with the Lord. Counselors who are
dead to the things of God tell us what we "should" do. Even though
the Lord directs us to His ways of life, through his Word, many
spouses standing for restoration of their marriage continue to be
bitter, to be angry, and to retaliate against prodigal spouses. They
demonstrate not the unconditional love that the Lord showed toward
each of us, but a dead and selfish love.

We pray that this spring might be the time of resurrection for your
marriage to the newness that can be found only in Jesus Christ. May
you find people and places of life to encourage you during your stand
and until that perfect time when the Lord heals your home.

"Then they remembered His words." Luke 24:8

God bless,
Bob Steinkamp
Rejoice Marriage Ministries

"And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good."-Genesis 32:12

When Jacob was on the other side of the brook Jabbok, and Esau was
coming with armed men, he earnestly sought God's protection, and as a
master reason he pleaded, "And Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good." Oh,
the force of that plea! He was holding God to His word-"Thou saidst."
The attribute of God's faithfulness is a splendid horn of the altar to
lay hold upon; but the promise, which has in it the attribute and
something more, is a yet mightier holdfast-"Thou saidst, I will surely do
thee good." And has He said, and shall He not do it? "Let God be true, and
every man a liar." Shall not He be true? Shall He not keep His word?
Shall not every word that cometh out of His lips stand fast and be
fulfilled? Solomon, at the opening of the temple, used this same mighty plea.
He pleaded with God to remember the word which He had spoken to his
father David, and to bless that place. When a man gives a promissory note,
his honour is engaged; he signs his hand, and he must discharg!
e it when the due time comes, or else he loses credit. It shall never
be said that God dishonours His bills. The credit of the Most High
never was impeached, and never shall be. He is punctual to the moment: He
never is before His time, but He never is behind it. Search God's word
through, and compare it with the experience of God's people, and you
shall find the two tally from the first to the last. Many a hoary
patriarch has said with Joshua, "Not one thing hath failed of all the good
things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass."
If you have a divine promise, you need not plead it with an "if," you
may urge it with certainty. The Lord meant to fulfil the promise, or He
would not have given it. God does not give His words merely to quiet
us, and to keep us hopeful for awhile with the intention of putting us
off at last; but when He speaks, it

She bound the scarlet line in the window."-Joshua 2:21

Rahab depended for her preservation upon the promise of the spies, whom
she looked upon as the representatives of the God of Israel. Her faith
was simple and firm, but it was very obedient. To tie the scarlet line
in the window was a very trivial act in itself, but she dared not run
the risk of omitting it. Come, my soul, is there not here a lesson for
thee? Hast thou been attentive to all thy Lord's will, even though some
of His commands should seem non-essential? Hast thou observed in his
own way the two ordinances of believers' baptism and the Lord's Supper?
These neglected, argue much unloving disobedience in thy heart. Be
henceforth in all things blameless, even to the tying of a thread, if that
be matter of command.

This act of Rahab sets forth a yet more solemn lesson. Have I
implicitly trusted in the precious blood of Jesus? Have I tied the scarlet cord,
as with a Gordian knot in my window, so that my trust can never be
removed? Or can I look out towards the Dead Sea of my sins, or the
Jerusalem of my hopes, without seeing the blood, and seeing all things in
connection with its blessed power? The passer-by can see a cord of so
conspicuous a colour, if it hangs from the window: it will be well for me if
my life makes the efficacy of the atonement conspicuous to all
onlookers. What is there to be ashamed of? Let men or devils gaze if they will,
the blood is my boast and my song. My soul, there is One who will see
that scarlet line, even when from weakness of faith thou canst not see
it thyself; Jehovah, the Avenger, will see it and pass over thee.
Jericho's walls fell flat: Rahab's house was on the wall, and yet it stood
unmoved; my nature is built into the wall of humanity, and yet whe!
n destruction smites the race, I shall be secure. My soul, tie the
scarlet thread in the window afresh, and rest in peace.

UK Govt Plans to attract overseas students unveiled

Plans to attract a further 100,000 overseas students to the UK over the next five years have been unveiled by Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Bringing foreign students to the UK has become a major economic consideration for universities, amid fears Britain is losing market share.

At a reception for students and sponsors, Mr Blair called for more links between education establishments.

He also officially launched a joint scheme between the UK and India.

The UK-India Education Research Initiative aims to improve educational and research links between the UK and India.

It was launched alongside the second phase of the prime minister's Initiative for International Education (PMI), which aims to attract an additional 100,000 overseas students to study in the UK.

The links between the UK and overseas highlight the "growing internationalisation" of education at all levels, the prime minister said.

'Crossing boundaries'

"Increasingly education is crossing national boundaries as it prepares our young people for careers in the global economy," he said.

He added: "And it's not just about getting students to choose UK universities and colleges. It's about building sustainable partnerships between our universities and colleges and those of other countries."

HAVE YOUR SAY
University education is open to the same market forces as any other business
David Mather, Fareham

Firms BP, BAE Systems, GlaxoSmithKline and Shell are to be "corporate champions" for the project.

International students, who are charged higher fees than their British counterparts, are estimated to bring in about £4bn a year to UK universities and about £10bn to the economy as a whole.

Numbers have been rising and there are now about 300,000 overseas students in the UK.

Recent predictions have suggested the global market for international students will grow fast, with one major report predicting the number wishing to study in the UK could triple by 2020.

Shared research

More than £27m is to be invested over the next two years by the government, the British Council, the education sector and businesses to attract more foreign students.

Mr Blair called for more shared research projects, shared courses and joint degrees and more exchanges of students and academic staff between universities and colleges in the UK and abroad.

Lord Kinnock, chair of the British Council, said: "We very much welcome these initiatives and will play our full part in supporting them financially and organisationally."

Baroness Blackstone, vice-chancellor of the University of Greenwich - which has more than 3,000 international students from more than 100 countries - said overseas students benefit from a long tradition of high quality education in the UK.

The Conservative's spokesman for higher education, Boris Johnson, said the prime minister was right to highlight the economic contribution made by overseas students.

But he warned universities must not be reliant on fees paid by overseas students.

He said: "I have just been to China and seen for myself how fierce the market is becoming in international students. Rather than setting more targets and quotas we must make sure that UK universities continue to offer the best possible education for the world's brightest students."

Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Secretary, Sarah Teather MP said it was right to encourage overseas students to study in the UK but the fees must not be used to "plug gaps" in university finances at the expense of places for UK students.

Universities UK said the initiative would help the UK in an increasingly competitive market for overseas students.

Its president, Professor Drummond Bone, said: "We must work hard to maintain our status as one of the foremost partners in international higher education.

"This, after all, is a major export industry - worth more than food and drink, tobacco, insurance, ships and aircraft. It could be worth £20bn to the UK economy by 2020."

"The Amen."-Revelation 3:14

The word AMEN solemnly confirms that which went before; and Jesus is
the great Confirmer; immutable, for ever is "the Amen" in all His
promises. Sinner, I would comfort thee with this reflection. Jesus Christ
said, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest." If you come to Him, He will say "Amen" in your soul; His
promise shall be true to you. He said in the days of His flesh, "The
bruised reed I will not break." O thou poor, broken, bruised heart, if thou
comest to Him, He will say "Amen" to thee, and that shall be true in
thy soul as in hundreds of cases in bygone years. Christian, is not this
very comforting to thee also, that there is not a word which has gone
out of the Saviour's lips which He has ever retracted? The words of
Jesus shall stand when heaven and earth shall pass away. If thou gettest a
hold of but half a promise, thou shalt find it true. Beware of him who
is called "Clip-promise," who will destroy much of the comfort of!
God's word.

Jesus is Yea and Amen in all His offices. He was a Priest to pardon and
cleanse once, He is Amen as Priest still. He was a King to rule and
reign for His people, and to defend them with His mighty arm, He is an
Amen King, the same still. He was a Prophet of old, to foretell good
things to come, His lips are most sweet, and drop with honey still-He is an
Amen Prophet. He is Amen as to the merit of His blood; He is Amen as to
His righteousness. That sacred robe shall remain most fair and glorious
when nature shall decay. He is Amen in every single title which He
bears; your Husband, never seeking a divorce; your Friend, sticking closer
than a brother; your Shepherd, with you in death's dark vale; your Help
and your Deliverer; your Castle and your High Tower; the Horn of your
strength, your confidence, your joy, your all in all, and your Yea and
Amen in all.

Diabetes inhaler rejected for NHS

Insulin that can be inhaled rather than injected has been rejected by NHS advisers on grounds of cost.
The drug, Exubera, is designed to offer adults with diabetes an alternative to their daily insulin injections.

Exubera for Type 1 and 2 diabetes costs £1,100 per person per year but patients would still need injections at night.

Campaigners said the draft guidance by the watchdog the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for England and Wales was disappointing.

The inhaled insulin is the first non-injected option for insulin therapy since the discovery of the treatment for diabetes in the 1920s.

The clinical experts we asked advised us that using injected insulin is not usually a concern for the majority of people with diabetes
Andrea Sutcliffe, of NICE

About 800,000 people in the UK manage their condition with daily injections.

During clinical trials, researchers found inhaled insulin generally was as effective as injections in controlling blood sugar levels.

The drug has already been given approval by the European licensing body, but the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence was testing it on cost-effectiveness grounds for England and Wales.

Charity Diabetes UK said the inhaler was a "medical breakthrough" and access to new developments "should not be restricted on the basis of cost".

A spokesman added: "Many people with diabetes will be deeply disappointed that they are being denied this alternative form of treatment.

"There is an urgent need for more research to support the improvements made by using inhaled insulin on quality of life."

Evidence

Manufacturers Pfizer said: "NICE has dismissed the robust scientific and medical evidence used by international medical experts in the US and Europe to grant widespread approval for this medicine.

"The choice here is quite simple: force patients to keep enduring the burden of multiple daily injections and poor compliance, as they have since the 1920s, or give them an alternative."

NICE said its guidance was not yet final and healthcare professionals and the public could comment before a final statement is published in October.

Andrea Sutcliffe, deputy chief executive at NICE and executive lead for the appraisal, added: "Our review of the evidence indicated that inhaled insulin should not be recommended because it could not be proven to be more clinically or cost effective than existing treatments.

"The clinical experts we asked advised us that using injected insulin is not usually a concern for the majority of people with diabetes."

Nigeria's president offers Niger Delta boost

Nigeria's president has promised thousands more jobs and a new motorway for the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
Olusegun Obasanjo told officials from the troubled states that new jobs would be created in the military, police and the state oil company.

There has been an upsurge of violence in recent months in the Delta, which remains poor despite its oil wealth.

Attacks by militants on foreign oil interests there have cut the country's oil production by a quarter.

They have cost Nigeria millions of dollars of lost revenue and helped to drive up world oil prices.

Grievances

Announcing the new jobs and a $1.8bn (£1bn) motorway project, President Obasanjo told state representatives that the meeting was "a wonderful opportunity for a new beginning".

OBASANJO'S PROMISES
Jobs in oil, navy, police
Widening of main highway
Health care
Environmental repair
Better schools
Electrification

He was addressing the first meeting of a council designed to speed development in the region.

An opposition politician, Gani Fawehinmi, told the BBC the measures were not enough, as 75% of young people in the Niger Delta were without jobs.

He suggested the timing of Mr Obasanjo's initiative was because he wanted a third term in office.

And a spokesman for one of the militant groups said the president's announcement was "not exciting enough to compel a positive response".

Oronto Douglas, an activist mediating for the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), told Reuters news agency that the struggle had gone "beyond just development".

In February, Mend kidnapped nine foreign workers in the region, but later released them all. The group has threatened further attacks on oil industry targets.

The militants, who say they are angered by poverty in the region, are seeking greater local control of the area's oil wealth.

The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says the militants' grievances were not addressed at the meeting.

Although there have been promises of development in the past, few have become reality, he says.

The real test will be to see if this time the development will reach the communities who are in need, our correspondent says.

Name: TIUranta

Location: Lagos City, Lagos State, Nigeria

About POSITIVE PARTNERS... A SUMMARY: POSITIVE PARTNERS is a civil society mechanism birthed out of a God-centred passion for compassion concerning the many voiceless people that are in urgent and dire need of food, water, shelter, health, education, protection, and liberation worldwide, with initial emphasis on Nigeria and Africa; a non-profit organisation creating awareness of positive opportunities, and building the capacities of citizens and civil society groups, so they can be self-reliant; with focus on individual and community empowerment; HIV/AIDS prevention and management; restoration and resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons; holistic women and children protection advocacy/action; boosting and harnessing global individual, institutional, transnational, and corporate altruism; peace promotion and conflicts prevention/resolution; strengthening of pan-African civil societies’ unity and capacities; and enshrining God-centred compassion, peace, and prosperity for the global common good.

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PositivePartners

Sunday, April 30, 2006

Avoiding Self-Based Faith

Saturday, April 29, 2006

YOUTH RESTIVENESS IN THE NIGER DELTA:

TO: MEND COMMANDER,

Monday, April 24, 2006

Psalms: A Companion for all Times

Psalms: A Companion for all Times

Praying for Prodigal Loved Ones......

Knowing the Will of God

Bin Laden Tries to Put Religious Spin on Darfur Conflict

Is God in Every Circumstance?

Weapons of Warfare

Loose Your Donkey

A sure covenant

MORE THAN A CONQUEROR

Anti-logging activist wins award

Sunday, April 23, 2006

God's University:The Epistle of James!

Is God in Every Circumstance? YES!

Understanding the Roadblock

Unprofitable Anger

"Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night."-Psalm 91:5

ARE YOU PRAISING AND THANKING YOUR LORD?

Nigerian militant car bomb attack!

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Losing Your Life for His Purposes

Possessions of the Kingdom

"Then they remembered His words." Luke 24:8

"And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good."-Genesis 32:12

She bound the scarlet line in the window."-Joshua 2:21

UK Govt Plans to attract overseas students unveiled

"The Amen."-Revelation 3:14

Diabetes inhaler rejected for NHS

Nigeria's president offers Niger Delta boost

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