One of my strengths is that I can make decisions quickly.

However, it can be a weakness if I decide on something without consulting the Holy Spirit.

Time and time again, I have consciously slowed myself down and spent some time in conversation with God about a direction or a choice or a decision.

Jesus teaches us that the Holy Spirit, "The Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13)

We need the Holy Spirit – specifically when it comes to this area of guidance.

I may sense a specific direction, godly people I trust may share their opinions about a decision I am making, but what does the Holy Spirit day? What am I sensing God saying to me?

Let’s use the analogy that the … [Link]

Philip Jenkins, Anglican scholar, speaking at the recent Synergize3! interdenominational conference in Orlando, Florida, discussed the fact that exploding churches in the old Soviet Union are using previous communist venues that were built for great rallies. He said, “If you ever wondered what the historic purpose of communism was, it was to build buildings large enough for Pentecostal congregations.”

Tags: church growth, Communism

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A Call for Mercy – The Voice of the Martyrs http://t.co/sSIz5YgC

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         (I Pledge Allegiance -Photo: Richard Elzey)

Atheist parents of three children in the Acton Public Schools and the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District are suing to have the ‘under God’ clause removed from the Pledge of Allegiance that is recited in the Massachusetts schools every day according to state law.

The name of the family is being withheld (identified as only John and Jane Doe) but they are represented by attorney David Niose, president of the American Humanist Association. This is his take on the issue:

“The daily recitation in public schools of a pledge declaring that the nation is ‘under God’ is discriminatory toward atheists and humanists

“No child should go to school each day to have the class declare that her religious …

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@ dswalker12 oh I wish. No,it’s a Galaxy S II – which AT&T gave me for free, to comp me for all my trouble AND an entire wasted day…

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Joseph Wannenmacher, former pastor of Calvary Assembly of God (Milwaukee, WI) and former superintendent of the Hungarian Branch of the Assemblies of God, is interviewed by his son, Philip Wannenmacher, in Springfield, Missouri, in 1986.

ID: V109 ; T2290

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My heart and mind are still reeling from the revelation that God gave me yesterday about information vs…. http://t.co/eYXBGhIm

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Admit it: You’ve been waiting for today, for quite a while.

You’ve been saying you’ll try something new in your business, but you just haven’t had the chance to do it.

Creating an e-mail newsletter.

Investing the time to really understand Twitter.

Or Facebook.

Or to create a video.

To ask your best customer for a testimonial, or better yet, a testimonial video.

The time is now.

The wait is over.

Today is the day to try something, anything, new for 30 days.

It’s only 30 days.

How bad can it be?

30 days will pass whether you do something new or not, so why not take a chance and try something new.

Right now.

And then keep doing it for the next …

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If you need “stuff” for work – mailing envelopes, blank CD’s, boxes, bubble wrap, trash can liners, pallet jacks,… http://t.co/1E9FDZrC

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Dear Facebook – I have not sent friend requests to people I don’t know, but you’ve blocked me from friending… http://t.co/9lffPo8T

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We must steward the inheritance we’ve been given, not hoard it or squander it… we must make it grow for a… http://t.co/6JXI0bG3

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The Keystone Pipeline / Keystone XL project is controversial, here in North Dakota and elsewhere. Many environmentally concerned people have protested the pipeline, driving to the protests in their gas-powered vehicles. Others have supported the pipeline because of the thousands of jobs it would bring, but are too busy kicking homeless oil workers out of parking lots to do much protesting on their own.

This confusing issue caused me to turn to research in books to find some answers.

I present to you book #26 from the Hardy Boys Casefiles: Trouble in the Pipeline, published in 1989. I knew, as soon as I saw it at the used bookstore, that I had found a source of good information. With white knuckles, I quickly learned — according to the …

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Do you secretly believe that you are better than, or superior to your partner in some way?
Many people believe that if their husband or wife was just more like them or would just do things their way, their relationship issues would be fixed.
WRONG.
This is a lie of the enemy. It's also why in many marriages one person refuses to go to counseling. (They don't think they have any problems — they think everything is the other person's fault.)
Mutual respect starts with coming to terms with the fact that your spouse is a capable person worthy of respect. You have different gifts, but you are both just as valuable.
Competition is a marriage killer. Your spouse may not be as good as you are at organization, or … [Link]

Don’t forget – the Watchman conference is this Saturday. If you haven’t registered, let Ruth Mangiacapre know… http://t.co/vh7UroPE

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According to the tracking #, my new phone will arrive today. Please, Lord, let it be early.

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Last weekend in Miami, Florida, Christians from 200 local churches of different denominations across the greater Miami area came together to worship God at the ONE Conference.

The 3 day conference, held at the BankUnited Center on the campus of the University of Miami, brought together folks from every denomination including  charismatics, Pentecostals, non-denominational evangelicals along with  traditional Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists and others.  The get together for Jesus was the culmination of a vision by Pedro Garcia, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Kendall. He hoped that the meetings would ignite a new passion for Jesus and impact the the entire region and world for the glory of God.

Approximately 6,000 attended the event sharing a common focus on Jesus Christ, …

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What are Christians in American most known for?

A few years back, David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons published unChristian, which surveyed the perceptions non-Christian young adults held of the American Church. The results were not pretty. We American Christians are perceived, according to Kinnaman and Lyons’ research, as hypocritical, too salvation-focused, antihomosexual, sheltered, too political, and judgmental.

Obviously, caveats apply. Perception is not reality, for one thing. For another, surveys may only reveal “lies, d***ed lies, and statistics,” as Mark Twain famously put it. On the other hand, as any marketing expert can tell you, perception is reality as far as the customer is concerned. So if we’re perceived as a laundry list of negative qualities, then we’ve got a problem.

What should Christians in American …

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“Every son whom He loves, He corrects. Behind the travail of every affliction is a blessing waiting to be born. Satan will try to draw you off your steadfast course to heaven in still another way– by the presence of circumstances you cannot understand. With them Satan argues against God's love, and for your soul. First (by God's permission) he pillaged Job's earthly possessions, and then fell to work on his spiritual estate. He used every circumstance and everybody at his disposal. He had … [Link]

What a great day – got to pray with a lady at the post office, then tonight we got to pray with someone who got… http://t.co/56wAjofK

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A word from the Lord, spoken in due season, from a pure heart… Thank You Lord!

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This I know not how to express otherwise than by a calm, sweet abstraction of soul from all the concerns of this world; and sometimes a kind of vision, or fixed ideas and imaginations, of being alone in the mountains, or some solitary wilderness, far from all mankind, sweetly conversing with Christ, and wrapt and swallowed up in God. The sense I had of divine things would often of a sudden kindle up, as it were, a sweet burning in my heart; an ardor of soul, that I know not how to express.
… I walked abroad alone, in a solitary place in my father’s pasture, for contemplation. And as I was walking there, and looking upon the sky and clouds, there came into my mind … [Link]

Valentimey Supper – Chicken Alfredo with artichokes and mushrooms and fresh-from-the-oven homemade bread. Yum.

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Mmmmmm. Bottom a cup with just a wee dollop of hot fudge and caramel sauce. Pour in hot espresso. Top with whipped cream. Ahhhhh con panna.

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Today is my birthday, and I turned 53 years old today. It is really hard for me to imagine. I was talking to my brother earlier and he was talking about the same thing, as he turned 69 two weeks ago. Just doesn't seem possible. I was shaving this morning and as I looked in the mirror I was looking at the greying, thinning hair, the wrinkles around the eyes and I said to myself, (literally) "Dude, I remember the day you turned 13 like it was yesterday!"
Then in my mind, I thought and I can recall specific details of each day… the day I turned 13 and that certain girl that I'd been crushing on kissed me in the hallway after school and melted … [Link]

Because chicken nuggets are healthier than a turkey sandwich??

Ummmmmmm. http://t.co/xPegPgTW

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Many times when people bring up respect in marriage, it's not in a mutual context, and Larry and I have come to believe that it's one of the main reasons many marriages don't last.
Strong marriages have a high degree of mutual respect. Not one sided respect. God never intended respect to be one sided. That just makes for a lopsided, out of balance relationship and it's no wonder why many marriages don't last. Even in lasting marriages, many are not truly happy because God never intended for us to disrespect anybody, man or woman.
Larry and I shared openly with the couples in New Smyrna Beach on Sunday that there hasn't always been mutual respect in our relationship. That was the reason for some seasons … [Link]

One thing I know as a Christian: Our spiritual and relational life together was meant to go beyond Sunday morning attendance.

We are called upon to experience our life in Christ together, outside the four walls of the church.

What is the way to facilitate this? Life groups.

Meeting together in homes.

If you are new(er) to our church, I encourage you to check out a life group!

And let me say this: If you can't find a life group that you feel comfortable with – please share this with David Dewes, Rick Malender or myself. What we will do is this: we will start another one!

We can never have "too many" life groups!

Along that line, I am often asked, "what makes a healthy life group"?

Let me with you some … [Link]

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The continuing saga of President Obama verses the Catholic leaders on Contraceptives and abortives is drawing out many to take sides and causing some to say some  things that they have thought for years, spoke about only among friends, but haven’t dared to speak about in public.

Last week it was the shocking display of those questioning if maybe the Founders made a mistake when they guaranteed religious freedom in the Constitution.  This week there are those outwardly stating that there must be limits to that freedom in the face of higher rights defined by a progressive agenda. In this case, women’s right to choose and be provided with contraceptives, abortives, sterilization, and ultimately abortion.

Here’s the latest to propose …

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Had a conversation with a friend from church yesterday regarding a lost tribe. No, not one in the Amazon basin of South America, but in our own church. Truthfully, many churches suffer for the loss of this people group. Maybe yours does too.

The lost tribe? Adults 18-28.

Sure, some of these youth group graduates go on to college or leave the area to pursue jobs elsewhere. But, in general, churches don’t seem to retain this group. These young adults aren’t sticking around.

My experience has been that young people from churches with denominational or theological ties to the Azusa Street revival fare the worst. Pentecostal and Assemblies of God churches seem hardest hit.

My friend suggested that perhaps those young people never really grasped …

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information outside of intimacy and connection doesn’t build anything of real value.

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AMEN. http://t.co/HEiosQlG

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@ loverevivalist which song – set a fire?

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@ PiedmontNG and understanding that some wrinkles need to get ironed out in the process. It’s a good thing & I appreciate all your help!

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@ PiedmontNG No problem – the HW heater is annoyance not emergency. I’m being patient – excited that PNG is using Twitter to reach out to ppl

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During the past five years, Foursquare Missions International (FMI) Missionaries Garry and Brenda Kean and their four daughters have been living and serving in the bustling capital city of Nairobi, located in Kenya, Africa.

Kenya is notable for its distinctive physiography, perhaps most famously the Kenyan Highlands, which comprise a region deemed one of Africa’s great agricultural successes. Despite this fact, episodes of drought and flooding, decades of rapid population growth, and diseases such as HIV/AIDS are a few of many contributors to the nation’s high poverty rate, according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Nairobi is counted as one of the most populous cities in East Africa, and at around 3.3 million people can easily be called a place of …

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David W. Thornhill – praying for you this morning, my friend. How are you doing?

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Happy Valentine’s day, Ken!! I love you so much – and so much more than yesterday, and will love you even more tomorrow…

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The Sheriff’s got it… http://t.co/HCPJJxjc

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I realized last night that there’s a reason Ken and I gained back a ton of weight over the holidays. Yes, we did… http://t.co/mxoJJ44F

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I’m looking for opportunities to work for a ministry or company doing administrative/technical type work… FT,… http://t.co/OWHcWKbm

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This morning I want to remind you of a glorious simple truth. It is the foundation of all truly Christian hope. It is the very centre of the gospel. Merely to announce that we are sinners and one has died for us is not enough. It never has been. No matter how accurate your doctrine [...] The rest of this article is available by following the link above [Link]

Is the Bible out of touch with contemporary sexual mores?

First Thessalonians 4:3–8 seems to be so, for three reasons: First, it frames Christian conduct in terms of “holiness,” a word contemporaries typically use ironically rather than sincerely. Second, its prohibition of “sexual immorality” seems quaint, given the prevalence of extramarital sex and widespread use of pornography, even among Christians. Third, its warning that the Lord will “punish” the sexually immoral seems heavy-handed, as if God is a pleasure-hating killjoy just waiting to send unmarried, sexually active couples to hell.

Consider, with this last point in mind, verses 6–8:

The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, …

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“ Another way to fortify yourself against Satan is to study that grand gospel truth of a soul's justification before God.If you want to be protected from your enemy as a troubler, you … [Link]

@ PiedmontNG STILL haven’t heard from any of your people about the hot water heater…

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We still need to do a dancing in the rain party – as soon as it warms up – Pastor Lorie!! http://t.co/X3JXyYbD

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How often do we hear “the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous”, but never consider the importance… http://t.co/6olsOeyW

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I just got done watching Syracuse nip Louisville; I'm still plesently amazed at the live TV you can get online. I watched the last four minutes of the game via ESPN3 while starting my tutoring shift online.

One odd thought from the game; Rick Pitino had a white suit on that looked either like he was heading for a gig on TBN (the suit looked like it was up Benny Hinn's alley) or was auditioning for the role of Mr. Roarke in a Fantasy Island remake.

Second odd thought; Fab Melo is the  'cuse big man after Melo Anthony played there last decade. Fab Melo sounds like a rapper's nom de guerre.

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Strange political year; Santorum and Romney are neck and neck nationally and Santorum …

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Kingdom Identity http://t.co/21fBlYKS

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From the BBC: British society is under threat from the rising tide of “militant secularisation” reminiscent of “totalitarian regimes”, a Cabinet minister will warn on Tuesday. In an historic visit to the Vatican, Baroness Warsi will express her “fear” about the marginalisation of religion throughout Britain and Europe, saying that faith needs “a seat at [...] The rest of this article is available by following the link above [Link]

Another “happy husband” recipe for dinner in a hurry – brown some ground beef and leftover… http://t.co/A5XjSOIG

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Silly question, but one of serious intent and concern:

Why is it that prophetic people declare a good thing, and… http://t.co/cvAKBkJv

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Doing All That Jesus Began to Do and Teach
We want to thank you for co-laboring with us during 2011 to obey Jesus command to make disciples of every nation. You helped us reach nearly 10,000 people a week in 90 nations with discipleship materials designed to help them fulfill God’s plan for them and the nations.
Someone recently asked why we have not actively asked for support. I said that we believed that many who receive ministry would be unable to give and if they could give, would not be able to send us a gift from where they live around the world. To this my friend said that we were robbing people of an opportunity to be obedient to God or to co-labor with us, … [Link]

Thoughts from the weekend:

Dave and Millie Gable, what great people!

Dave is an excellent communicator.

One thought from the marriage seminar – it really matters how you speak with your spouse.

Men and women think and talk differently.

Men and women have different goals in our talking:

For men the goals are independence, new information, resolution and announced conclusions. For women, the goals are interdependence, intimacy resonance and talking through conclusions.

As a result, women's words are often not conveying new information, and are awarded little value by men who then don't feel like listening – this frustrates women, who want to further the relationship and get help or understanding in doing it (from Dave Gables notes).

In other words, we men like to share information and seek bottom line conclusions to … [Link]

This is great!! http://t.co/CupX19Q1

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My morning. And a good part of my afternoon. http://t.co/s68fJkZP

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Wayne E. Warner interviews Robert C. Cunningham, longtime editor of the Pentecostal Evangel, in Springfield, Missouri, March 14, 1984.
ID: V048

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One of the most valuable things I can offer you dear reader is access to some of the smart people I come in contact with and learn from. Sometimes I interview them, sometimes I share their guest posts and other times I just refer to them. Never before have I offered a regular column to anyone, but now, I am doing just that.

Brad Shorr and I have known each other for several years, since before he was working with his current employer Straight North. He’ll be writing small business social media tips 2 Mondays a month, and occasionally I may return the favor and write on the Straight North blog.

Because you’ll be seeing quite a bit of Brad, I thought I’d better introduce …

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My new Galaxy II phone is on its way. I’m on hold for Lester’s supervisor because the guy took two hours, but he… http://t.co/WUZM731Y

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Just as the AT&T rep was about to say, “one more moment please” my phone crashed and rebooted.

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Unfortunately thanks to AT&T, I’m not making it to prayer today.

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