Month: November 2021

News Of The Day – November 30th

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized / By

Biden Administration Criticized For Removing Nigeria From Religious Persecution List

Religious liberty watchdogs are criticizing the Biden administration for removing Nigeria from an annual list of religious freedom violators, charging that it denies reality and is motivated solely by foreign policy interests. An annual list released by the State Department examines the status of religious freedom in every country in the world and designates the worst violators as a “Country of Particular Concern,” which means they are guilty of “particularly severe violations of religious freedom.” Nigeria was considered a Country of Particular Concern in the State Department reports of 2020 and 2019, yet was missing in the State Department’s 2021 report. Read more about the list here.

 

New York Pastor Who Advocated Spousal Rape Resigns

Days after a video surfaced of a controversial sermon during which Bronx pastor Dr. Burnett L. Robinson seemed to advocate for spousal rape, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church has stripped him of his title permanently. Robinson made his controversial remarks during a Nov. 13 sermon on the idea that wives should “submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord,” as the apostle Paul wrote in his Letter to the Ephesians. Speaking about submission Robinson said, “You are your husband’s. You understand what I’m saying? And I would say to you, gentlemen, the best person to rape is your wife.” Read more about his resignation here.

 

Family Of Pastor Killed By Drunk Driver Forgives Perpetrator

The family and congregation of a Minnesota pastor killed in a car crash by a drunk driver have extended forgiveness to the driver after he was sentenced to almost three years in prison. Pastor Verlyn Strenge of First Baptist Church in Clearbrook was killed when his jeep was rear-ended by David Nelson, who was going close to 70mph in a 30mph zone and had a blood alcohol content of .267. Strenge’s family and congregation told Nelson that they forgave him for his actions saying, “We forgive you, Mr. Nelson. As hard as it was at first, we want you to know that we have been praying for you for the past year because we know your life has been impacted by the biggest mistake of your life,” Read more about their gracious response here.

 

11 Year Old girl Discovers Ancient Shekel Coin

An 11-year-old girl in Jerusalem uncovered a silver shekel coin that archeologists believe could have been minted by a priest in the Temple Mount 2,000 years ago. The discovery of the coin was made by Liel Krutokop, who was sifting through dirt during a family-friendly “archaeological experience”. One side of the coin bears the image of a cup and the ancient Hebrew text “Israel Shekel, Year Two”; the other face has the words “Holy Jerusalem” and a depiction of pomegranates. Dr. Robert Kool, Head of the Coin Department of the Israel Antiquities Authority, says with caution that this coin is, apparently, one of the only items we hold today that originated on the Temple Mount. Read more about the discovery here.

November 30th – Colossians 3:15

Leave a Comment / Daily Devotional / By

Colossians 3:15

With the holiday season upon us, wishes of “peace on earth and goodwill to men” fill the hearts of people around the world. But for Christian’s, the peace of Christ should rule in our hearts everyday, not just at Christmas. When we receive Jesus as our Savior, wonderful things begin to happen. First, we become adopted members of God’s family. Next, the Holy Spirit enters and gets to work transforming us into the likeness of Jesus. He begins by softening the rough edges of our heart. Next He takes out the garbage, and replaces it with the joy, love, and peace of Christ. A peace we are to let reign in our lives, and a peace we are to extend especially to fellow Believers. For we are each valuable members of the body of Christ. And out of thankfulness for the grace shown to us, we need to show the peace of Christ to a world that is anything but.

November 29th – Luke 12:7

Leave a Comment / Daily Devotional / By

Luke 12:7

Although it varies by both the individual and the color, a person averages around 100,00 hairs on their head at one time. That’s a lot of hairs to count, yet God knows the exact number each person has. Why? Because with His hands, He created every individual specifically according to His purpose and plans. And to Him, we are of great value. He loves us unconditionally, perfectly, and without end. As His beloved children, our Father in heaven cares about every part of our lives. God is deeply devoted to everything He makes, especially us, because we were created in His image. The Lord knows us intimately. Better than we even know ourselves. He knows our our good and bad, our problems and victories, and our joy and pain. And He collects every tear we shed in His bottle. (Ps. 56:8) How thankful are we that even if the whole world rejects us, God never will. For He loves us like no other!

November 28th – Deuteronomy 33:27

Leave a Comment / Daily Devotional / By

Deuteronomy 33:27

We are all searching for a port in the storm. A place of safety and refuge. And a place to call home. For Christian’s we have that in the secret place of God’s presence. He is our mighty fortress, and our dwelling place is underneath His everlasting arms. We know the earth is only our temporary home, and our hearts long to be with the Lord forever. The Israelites wandered for forty years in search of their new home. And through Moses, God brought them to the promised land. Yet even during their journey, God reminded them that He was their dwelling place. And no matter where they settled, He would always be their truest home on earth. The same goes for us. Until God calls us to eternal destination in heaven, He is our safe harbor, security, and sanctuary in this world. So we can rejoice and give thanks. For no matter where we wander, God is always our true north, and in Him alone can we find our forever home.

November 27th – John 10:11

1 Comment / Daily Devotional / By

John 10:11

The term “sheep” is the current insult of the day. It’s used to describe people who blindly follow the crowd without doing any critical thinking of their own. But for me, I see being called a sheep as a badge of honor. For I follow the Good Shepherd. And He will never lead me astray. It is said the reason people are followers, is because our hearts are created to long for connection. Connection with each other, but most importantly, connection with God. And as our Good Shepherd, the Lord cares about every member of His flock, and wants a close, intimate relationship with each of us. So much so, that He laid down His life to save ours. And so with a heart overflowing with thankfulness, I will gladly follow my Shepherd, Savior, and Friend. For from His great love, He will never abandon nor forsake me, His lowly sheep. And His path leads to an eternity of love, peace, and righteousness.

November 26th – Psalm 118:24

1 Comment / Daily Devotional / By

Psalm 118:24

Life has its up and downs, and some days are better than others. But each day that we are given, is a precious gift from God. And the morning dawn brings with it fresh opportunities. Opportunities to love another, to grow in our relationship with God, and to start anew. Yet while the Lord is indeed the Creator of every day and we should in fact rejoice in each one, the psalmist is actually speaking about a specific day. The wonderfully glorious day in which Jesus triumphantly entered the city of Jerusalem. Riding on the back of a donkey, He entered the city praised as “the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38) So give thanks. For our Savior, Jesus Christ, and each day we are given on this earth to spend with those we love. Rejoice and be glad in it!

November 25th – 1 Chronicles 16:34

Leave a Comment / Daily Devotional / By

1 Chronicles 16:34

As we celebrate this thanksgiving day, I pray that as the autumn leaves shower the land with their beauty, the Lord will shower you with His love, blessings, and goodness. Wishing you all a very happy holiday!

Lord, give me a thankful heart,
one that is appreciative
one that to all Your blessings
is attuned and sensitive.

Let it be a heart,
that sings its daily praise
let it be my heartfelt gratitude
that to You I earnestly raise.

Let me have a heart,
truly thankful for all things
no matter what in my life
You should choose to bring

Let my heart flow with,
the rivers of Your peace
so my appreciation to You
I may continually release.

Lord, give me a thankful heart,
one that is steadily hopeful
let it be the heart of one . . .
who is truly, forever grateful! ….Deborah Ann Belka

 

 

November 24th – 1 Corinthians 15:57

Leave a Comment / Daily Devotional / By

1 Corinthians 15:57

Charles Spurgeon once said, “The best moment of a Christian’s life is his last one, because it is the one that is nearest heaven.” For followers of Jesus, death isn’t to be feared, but to be celebrated. Because we know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:8) Through His death and resurrection at the Cross, Christ defeated death forever. And now all Christians can look forward to an eternity spent at the side of our Savior. There we will celebrate Christ’s victory forever with songs of thanksgiving and continual praise for His mercy and love. Never again will we suffer from the pull of sin, for we will finally be the complete perfect images of our Lord. So with our last breath we can rejoice and give thanks to God. For His Son, Jesus Christ, has stolen both the victory and the sting of death forever!

News Of The Day – November 23rd

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized / By

Pastor Pleads Guilty To Killing His Wife

A Yonkers man pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2019 killing of his estranged wife in front of her grandchildren. The plea comes just over two years after Victor Mateo ran over his estranged wife with a car and then stabbed her to death with a machete, according to the District Attorney Darcel Clark. Mateo, a pastor in the Bronx, and his wife, Noelia Mateo, had been estranged for about a month when he “mercilessly killed her in front of her two young grandchildren and bystanders” on Oct. 3, 2019, Clark said. Mateo will be sentenced to 23 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision. Read more about the murder here.

 

New Hampshire Student Suspended For Saying There Are Only Two Genders

A New Hampshire high school student who was punished by his school for allegedly saying there “are only two genders” has sued the school district and its vice principal. The student and his mother filed a state lawsuit this month against Exeter High School and Vice Principal Marcy Dovholuk after he was suspended for one football game for stating his beliefs about gender in a text message to a classmate.  The student then turned the texts over to the vice principal, who, along with the football coach, allegedly told him he was “not respecting pronouns” and that he needed to “respect how people identify.” Read more about the case here.

 

Christian Teacher Makes Over 2100 Desks For Students
After the COVID-19 pandemic forced many students to attend school remotely, a Christian teacher from Central Iowa got busy making desks for children in need of a proper workspace. Nate Evans, who teaches at Des Moines Christian School in Urbandale, launched “Woodworking with a Purpose” last September when he realized that some students didn’t have a space at home to do their assignments. So far, he and his team have made over 2,100 desks. According to Evans, the effort is “100 percent led by God. I’ve always wanted to help kids. That’s why I became a teacher,” he pointed out. “Education was my ministry. In the last year or so, God has truly revealed Himself to me.” Read more about his efforts here.

 

November 23rd – Psalm 66:19

Leave a Comment / Daily Devotional / By

Psalm 66:19

Don’t you hate it when you’re trying to reach someone and your call goes straight to voicemail? That never happens with God. Through the privilege of prayer, we have a direct line of communication with God. And He’s always there, ready and eager to answer the call. Some Christians mistakenly believe that God only cares about the big stuff. But the truth is, He cares about every area of our lives both big and small. Prayer is a gift our heavenly Father gives to us so that we can come to Him with everything. Be it a petition, guidance, thankfulness, or to unburden our heart, God wants to be our first destination. For when we talk to Him, God promises to both listen and respond. And although we may not like the answer, we can give thanks that no prayer will go unanswered.