Glow stick joy http://t.co/MNBLPeYQ

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I posted a new photo to Facebook http://t.co/wMc3f1IE

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On Sunday the New England Patriots and New York Giants battle in Super Bowl XLVI for supremacy of the National Football League. Although only one team can win pro football’s ultimate prize, there are countless churches across the United States that are all winners. Those are the churches using the Pentecostal Evangel to share the gospel in their communities.

Altogether, more than 122,500 bulk copies of the Jan. 29 Pentecostal Evangel Super Bowl Outreach Edition were ordered, literally blowing away the record for secondary sales of a Super Bowl issue that was established last year with 37,870 magazines. In recent history, only the Evangel’s Sept. 23, 2001, Visitors Edition had higher initial bulk sales with 128,833 copies purchased.

The incredible demand for this year’s Super …

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I posted a new photo to Facebook http://t.co/RQgmls1d

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I posted a new photo to Facebook http://t.co/xxEAz2vs

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Mitt Romney's getting razzed for voting in the Democratic primary in 1992, which he could do as a registered independent at the time. In MA, independents could vote in either primary, but were logged into the party they voted for temporarily. Since most of the action in MA was on the Democratic side, signing up as an independent made sense strategically.

In 1992, you had nose-holding choice on the GOP side of a tax-raising Bush 41 or Pitchfork Pat; I recall passing on that election as a grad student in Ohio, not wanting to encourage either of them, as the old non-voter saw goes. Had I had the option of crossing party lines in Ohio and supporting a neoliberal Paul Tsongas, as Romney did, I might …

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If the Giants need an extra cornerback, they can check out the Komen folks, for they backpeddle very well to secular orthodoxy. I will leave it there for now, for I don't want to fire off ill-aimed salvos in the culture war.

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The scent of freshly mowed grass in the salt air. Ahhh.

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I posted a new photo to Facebook http://t.co/y2dBK2X4

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Is about to occupy Kure Beach.

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Are you more involved in helping people, or in hurting them?

I enjoy the Red Elephant in Tampa. So much that I took 20 other people with me in the month that followed my first visit! I introduced these new customers to the place by scheduling lunch meetings and appointments there at various times during the month. All of them liked it and now they're going back too. Since then I've taken about 20 more people. I'm responsible for at least 40 additional Red Elephant customers who are now loving the roasted tomato soup and the chicken grill and the elephant ears as much as I do!

Red Elephant customer service is what really sold me on the food because my first time there they brought me … [Link]

I avoid using a font with serifs when writing, if at all possible. The last thing I need to do is give my words feet. I already have a difficult enough time getting them out of my head and onto the page in the right order; they certainly don’t need any kind of transportation devices attached.

Any good writer should be able to create a written masterpiece capable of transporting the reader into a wonderland of imagination, carrying the mind into realms of exquisite delight. The writing should be good enough to give the story wings, in other words.

Wings.

Not feet.

Serif fonts used as body text seem to be the written visual cousin to hoarding. Why should a font take up that extra space? …

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This week in the book of Mark, we will read a host of questions the disciples asked Jesus, trying to grasp the depth of truth He taught. Sometimes they were simply slow to understand, but at other times Jesus indicated they were just being stubborn: “Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?” (Mark 8:17, NKJV).

The disciples weren't the only ones who have struggled with the depth of truth Jesus taught. We love the aspects of Jesus the Savior reconciling the world to God, of settling our debts and removing our condemnation, of bringing us into His life and giving us the word of reconciliation. But sometimes we’re not as excited about His payment for sin when we’re …

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started playing Kris Vallotton’s message on eschatology for Ken just as we passed a car with license plate… http://t.co/Sd7lWSZg

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Not sure this is readable… Had to make a picture… It’s a contrsuction company! http://t.co/QfJzKdyO

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Hey Charlie Perkins – We’re leaving soon… not quite five and not quite noon!

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Piedmont Natural Gas may have the worst online payment system in the history of the world. It’s almost enough to… http://t.co/vTb4tVgA

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Just saw an advertisement: 2012 – it’s not just an election, it’s a restraining order.

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In understanding how to win the daily fight of faith or war and how God intends for us to properly use the weapons He provides we must understand the strategies and ways of our enemy. Paul tells us that he would not have us to be ignorant and neither does our commander. So I encourage you to be persistent in these studies and not to grow weary as we learn to Fight the Good Fight.


“As the master workman, Satan cuts out the temptation and … [Link]

Shopped for hotwheels together. Got Ken to hula-hoop in the store.

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Kayti Laclair – http://t.co/rKDlx7XQ http://t.co/H54c8JVb

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Dear Christian: Christ lives in you. You are seated with Him right now in Heaven, on the throne of God. He even… http://t.co/GVPCZnJ3

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George Beverly Shea’s signature song, “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” poses tough questions for every honest listener. Read more at  Out There.

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I took my best friend to lunch yesterday for her birthday. It’s hard to believe a couple years of college and more than 25 years of marriage have passed since I met Jodie and bought her that first Snoopy birthday card.

Today, glancing through Facebook notifications (not of the impending IPO, but actual status updates from friends), I discovered George Beverly Shea shares Jodie’s birthday. He turned 103 yesterday. You can catch a recent interview with Shea  here.

Shea has blessed millions of listeners through the generations with his singing ministry, most notably in partnership with Billy Graham. He set to music Rhea F. Miller’s poem “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” creating one of the standards he introduced to audiences around the world.

I grew up listening …

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The Christian hymn, We Rest on Thee, was written by Edith G. Cherry around 1895 . This hymn is probably most well known as it was the last hymn sung by the Jim Elliot and the missionaries involved in Operation Auca before their deaths. From thence came the title of Elisabeth Elliot's book about that incident, Through Gates of Splendor.:


We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender;

We go not forth alone against the foe;
Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender.
We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.
Yea, in Thy Name, O Captain of salvation!
In Thy dear Name, all other names above;
Jesus our Righteousness, our sure Foundation,
Our Prince of glory and our King of love.

We go in faith, our own great … [Link]

HA! There it is. http://t.co/RQIb2Kmh

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I know, some of my readers will have read a headline like that and panicked. Has Warnie slipped into “Health wealth and prosperity” or “Word of Faith” ? Nope, not at all. But I do feel that it is so easy for us to throw out the baby with the bathwater. I remember at one [...] The rest of this article is available by following the link above [Link]

Yuuuuupppp. http://t.co/b4VKTu2m

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As if there were any doubt at all… this is what happens when women exercise their right to “choice”:… http://t.co/203UUAeR

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It isn't often you get a general-purpose charity make a culturally-conservative stand, especially when it is a women-oriented one, but the news of the week is that the Komen breast cancer research folks stopped funding Planned Parenthood for breast cancer referrals; the link goes to a nice Megan McArdle piece on the issue.

Of course, the usual suspects on the left are up in arms, which brings forward the question of whether they are more pro-abortion or pro-liberal than they are pro-women. Everyone benefits from a reduction in breast cancer, while a thriving Planned Parenthood helps largely those on the left side of the ideological/theological spectrum; PP has some benign GYN activities, but abortion is its stock in trade.

So far, the new donors are outweighing …

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Eternal damnation in fire seems anything but just. The punishment is more than disproportional to the crime, really to any crime imaginable. Besides, there are folk, which by just about any measure, seem to be of a good sort, but whom the Bible offers little hope because they do not believe Jesus is the Christ. With this in mind, I ask, "Can hell have anything at all to do with justice?"

My answer is no (and yes).

Ultimately, the purpose and need for hell is not justice, it is peace– God’s peace. Due to his omni characteristics, opposition to what he knows is right and best from other beings puts him, in effect, at odds with himself. Opposition to God (sin) cultivates chaos into the … [Link]

Those of us who manage an online business know that the virtual world provides us with more than enough challenges and opportunities, places where we can grow and problems that stand in our way. We can work to boost SEO, attempt to find the best online storage sites, and market our business across a wide variety of platforms. We can add interactive media to our sites, increase revenue by bringing in advertisers, and post content on other sites as a way of insuring our credibility. The possibilities are truly endless.

Due to the never ending opportunities offered online to online enterprises, few online businesses consider expanding their horizons and marketing themselves in the physical world – off of the internet. For some, this is a …

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I just could not resist passing this along.

FIRST PLACE WINNER: BESSEMER, MICHIGAN’S FOURTH OF JULY PARADE FLOATBessemer, Michigan is a small community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Bessemer is located near Ironwood and Wakefield, Michigan and Hurley, Wisconsin.
For those who don't recognize it, the trailer behind the tractor is a manure spreader… [Link]

At its core, the Gospel of Christ is a Gospel of simplicity.

Jesus was born, he died, he rose, and he is coming back again.

To "make" heaven, all I need to know is that Jesus was the Son of God, He forgives me for my sins, and I am to live a holy life.

I love it. I love it that God has made is so simple (I was tempted to use the word easy – but that wouldn't be correct – it can be "hard" to accept even such a simple message).

Jesus when he taught, he taught with stories. Parables the Bible calls them. Stories that the people of His day could relate to.

That is my role in teaching. "Breaking down" the Word of God so … [Link]

getting the house-sitter settled in… the glorious weekend starts in just a few hours!

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Vanderbilt University administrators held a town hall meeting on Tuesday, concerning the university enforcement of a ‘nondiscrimination policy’ for all on-campus student groups. 4 out of 5 Christian groups on campus have been found to be in violation of the policy which does not allow groups to require their leaders to adhere to a core standard of beliefs or conduct.

Apparently the meeting did not go all that well when a large crowd who wanted to attend was turned away and only 200 students were allowed in for the official forum.

According to this article, the controversy started when a gay student was kicked out of the leadership of a Christian fraternity:

Controversy ensued when the university asked nearly a …

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Foursquare Connection 2012 will bring together pastors and their ministry teams in ways never experienced before as we “Reclaim Our Voice” in Phoenix from May 28–31, 2012.

Internationally renowned worship leader and songwriter Matt Redman will lead corporate worship during the evening general sessions. Eric Diaz—worship leader with the Hispanic congregation at The Rock (Anaheim Foursquare Church) in Anaheim, Calif., and previously the worship leader at Angelus Temple Hispanic Foursquare Church in Los Angeles—will lead worship during the morning sessions.

Of specific interest to pastors and worship leaders this year will be focused time during the morning Connection Tracks with Matt and Eric, along with a collaborative group of Foursquare worship leaders. Matt and Eric will be leading a Connection Track focused on …

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“If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain, or help one fainting robin up to his nest again, I shall not live in vain.”
~ Emily Dickinson

If I don't take time each day to help somebody, what's the use of this day?


I live my life to worship God. And I've learned that as one gets in the presence of God, He stirs a heart to serve, to be broken and poured out on behalf of others. Taking time to help, to serve is not a burden. It is the great blessing imaginable.


Stopping to help others gives life meaning.


Some people who teach on time management share how to … [Link]

Think the world’s going to hell in a handbasket? I disagree … check out this message from Kris Vallotton… http://t.co/jukt0T72

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So much to do today… where to begin? I might literally need to throw a dart and start there!

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We don’t need to fake the power of God, it is real.

I have been to hundreds of meetings over the years where the Holy Spirit power of God was so evident that folks were naturally falling down all on their own. Then I have observed those who seem to want to help things along with a shove or two.

I can remember one occasion where I was given a slight shove but I responded by refusing to go down. On other occasions I have found myself naturally on the floor and didn’t know how I got there and had real trouble getting up to leave an hour or so later.

Here’s a timely article by J. Lee Grady who …

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“Satan is the greatest intelligence agent in the world. He makes it his business to inquire into your inclinations, thoughts, affections, and plans.Another of the enemy's methods is to spy on the saint's affairs. Satan is the greatest intelligence agent in the world. He makes it his business to inquire into your inclinations, thoughts, affections, and plans. Then he sets to work accordingly– finding which way the stream goes, opening the passage of temptation, and cutting the channel to the fall of your affectionsIs ambition the lust the heart favors? Such pleasing projects he will put that soul upon! How easily, having first blown him up with vain hopes, he draws him into horrid sins. This is how he hurried Haman, who was willing to … [Link]

Fifty-two years ago today, four brave men sat down where they were not allowed to sit – the “whites only” lunch… http://t.co/GL9gGDX8

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This sermon is a good illustration of the difference between what Ed Stetzer calls an “aspirational charismatic” and one who pursues God for all he has for us today.  I urge you to watch it, and be stirred to enjoy what Jesus has purchased for us.  Downloads are available on the Jubilee site. The rest of this article is available by following the link above [Link]

Comfy Shirts & Cardigans

I loved just throwing on a relaxed pair of jeans with a comfortable school T-shirt when I was in school but I always felt like a part of my outfit was missing. I had never thought about adding a cardigan! So today we will be looking at tons of cute cardigans you can throw on over your comfy shirt.

Navy Blue

Have a school tee or a shirt from band, choir, or a sports team that’s navy blue? Try adding a cardigan like one of these over top! Throw on comfortable jeans like these and wear a pair of cute sneakers. Complete your outfit by carrying your school supplies in a great navy blue tote.

Black

Have a black tee you’d …

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So glad to live in a culture where honor is the foundation, not just the window-dressing.

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I got really excited about your interest in growing in the Lord–actually a little too excited. Last night, my wife and I were walking along and talking about your desire to have all God has to offer. Suddenly, I hooked my toe on a rock, fell
face down on the brick path and broke my nose. Blood was spurting everywhere and of course really frightened my wife.

For years I have taken Tai Chi and am always promoting it for older people as a way of being balanced and thus avoiding the dangerous falls that can happen to us who are elderly. When I walk, I am always fully focused on where my body is in space and where my feet are planted.

So, this morning, my … [Link]

There are some stories that I read that need no explanation or amplification.

I read one today:

Nicole Servel, aged 61, was on the Costa Concordia luxury liner that ran aground last week.

Her children gave her the trip as a gift for her 60th birthday. Nicole survived the disaster, but her husband gave his life to save hers.

As the ship started to sink and everyone had to jump overboard, Nicole panicked because she can't swim.

So her husband Francis gave her his life jacket and then they both jumped.

According to Nicole, Francis' last words were, "Don't worry! I'll be all right." But the water was only eight degrees and she never saw him again. Nicole said, "I owe my life to my husband."

That story touches me. No need … [Link]

Mind-reading scientists? A medical miracle or the ultimate invasion of privacy? Read more at  Out There.

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Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, are learning to read minds … sort of. By placing electrodes in the brains of study participants, Brian Pasley and his team have decoded a few brain patterns and identified a handful of basic words formed in thought.

Pasley’s project builds on earlier work by Berkeley psychology and neuroscience professor Jack Gallant and his team. Gallant’s researchers showed study participants brief movie clips, then partially reconstructed associated images from their brain patterns using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and computational models.

News coverage touts these projects as preludes to medical miracles. With enough refinement in the brain interface technology, experts suggest, coma patients, the severely disabled, and others unable to communicate might have their thoughts interpreted.

Then again, with enough …

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Surrendering your schedule to God is so important for two reasons.

First, the most important thing we do in all of the roles we carry is to point people to Him.

Second, seeing the hand of God move in hearts and lives makes the mundane or difficult things we go through worth it all.

Tuesdays are very busy days for me and my working day doesn't typically end until late as I'm doing a full day of ministry stuff and coaching. On Tuesday nights I always have a meeting with my boss Kathryn to give a report on all my job seekers and assignments. Last night I called and she said she was still on the phone with a client, and asked if I had the flexibility in my … [Link]

Qualifier. Before I fully vent my views on the subject at hand, you should know that there is one glaring exception to my conclusion, Veterans who were injured defending our country. Such men and women deserve disability income above and beyond the rate they'd command in the civilian work force. Families of such patriots are equally deserving, especially when their loved ones die in combat.

BUT the rest of you should get a job! Yesterday I was eating lunch at McDonalds. I inadvertently eavesdropped on a conversation at a table next to mine. I say eavesdropped, yet the incredibly loud volume of the participants' voices as well as the attempt of the grossest offender to bring me into the conversation by staring at me while I … [Link]

Another reason I’ve left Avon – there is a LARGE credit balance on my account; they want me to wait 45+ days… http://t.co/5eM1YxrH

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Warren Grant interviews James E. Hamill, pastor of First Assembly of God (Memphis, TN), on the occasion of his 50th anniversary in the ministry on August 1, 1980.
ID: V009

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Several years ago, when I was feeling creative, I made some worksheets. They were meant to help people get through times when they were feeling blocked creatively, when they were unable to think of ideas or were overwhelmed in some way about their life to the point that they weren’t able to process all of the ideas in their head. It was for that, and for those of us who like worksheets.

Sometimes I just like worksheets. They make me feel like I’m getting things done, whether I am or not. At the end of the day, I feel accomplishment.

“What did you do today?”

“Why, I finished these worksheets.”

Anyway, because I’m creatively blocked today, here on this blog, I’m re-purposing this worksheet, pulling it from …

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This month, we honor three faithful Foursquare servants who went to be with the Lord. The following list reflects data compiled through January 23, 2011.

Rev. Myron M. Corser Jr.
Deceased: January 2, 2012
Last appointment: retired, MidSouth District

Rev. Geoffrey L. Nelson
Deceased: January 4, 2012
Last appointment: Central Office/Foursquare Missions International

Rev. A. Wendell St. Clair
Deceased: December 24, 2011
Last appointment: retired, Central Pacific District

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During the month of January, nine Foursquare churches were closed, and 10 Foursquare pastors retired. In addition, 10 senior pastors were appointed to Foursquare churches in the U.S. No new churches were opened.

There are now 1,752 Foursquare churches in the U.S., with 6,798 credentialed ministers serving at churches and in the field.

The following reported data was confirmed by the Foursquare board of directors between January 5–January 26.

Churches
Church Closings (Permanent*) — 9

• Boulder Downtown Foursquare Church in Lafayette, Colo. (Gateway District)
• Bridgeport Hispanic Foursquare Church in Bridgeport, Wash. (Northwest District)
• Centro Cristiano Gerizim (Chino Hills Spanish Foursquare Church) in Chino Hills, Calif. (Southwest District)
• Dios es Amor Foursquare Church (Anaheim Hispanic 4 Foursquare Church) in Anaheim, …

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Oh! No wonder it’s so stinking cold in here, Ken – I had the heat turned off. D’oh!

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The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has determined that it is illegal to display the following phrase from the Declaration of Independence in a public school:

“…all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator…”

Also equally problematic is the sign above containing the official US Motto, along with a phrase from the Pledge of Allegiance plus lines from 2 prominent patriotic songs I learned to sing when I was a kid in school.

What is the problem with these official and traditional American phrases and mottos? They all mention God or the Creator and therefore they are unacceptable in public schools according to 3 judges in the radical 9th Circuit.

Last week (Jan.24) the Thomas More Law Center announced that it …

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