Today's verse

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you.

Proverbs 25: 21-2 (ESV)

Recommended reading

Don Kriefall at Common Sense for a Senseless World has written one of the best posts I have ever read. Be sure to chack out his other posts.

Today's verse

I know that the LORD will maintain
The cause of the afflicted,
And justice for the poor.

Psalm 140:12 (NKJV)

Sweet Ps

Almighty and Gracious Heavenly Father, I come before You with thanksgiving.

I thank You for the wonderful and welcome report on my sister's cancer operation. I thank You Lord for Your love and protection, and for the comfort that You showed to her.

I thank You for my students and colleagues, and for the chance to teach.

I thank You for my beautiful wife, and our wonderful son.

I thank You for good health, and for the chance to use it to serve You.

I thank You for my brother and his family, for my mother, and for all in my family in the United States. I thank You for my family and friends in Tanzania.

Lord, I thank You for the peaceful elections in Tanzania and the United States. Please bless all of the candidates and their families. Help them to always remember that service in government is a privilege from You and not a right.

Lord, there are so many that are suffering persecution right now. Especially I lift up to You our sister in Christ, Asia Bibi. Send your angels to comfort and guard her. As you did with the apostle Paul, soften the hearts of those who would seek her death.

Lord, there are many who are suffering from job loss or the threat of job loss. Give them hope and courage. Open every door and remove every barrier. Heal the souls of those who dispair, and give light to those who feel consumed by darkness.

Amen.

Update on Asia Bibi

A radical cleric in Pakistan offered a reward of 6,000 dollars to anyone who kills Asia Bibi.

Please continue to pray for Asia Bibi and her family.

Today's verse

And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people

Romans 16:17-18 (NLT)

New Bible application

Just found this over at Mission Network News.

Goodbye to the NIV?

Rev. Paul McCain over at Cyberbretheren has been following the controversy concerning the new NIV translation.

Update on Asia Bibi

Did the Lahore High Court’s order to bar President Asif Ali Zardari from pardoning Asia Bibi violate Pakistan’s constitution?

Keep in mind that radical Islam is a very deadly force in Pakistan, and judges may be afraid to go against religious prejudice.

Please continue to pray for Asia Bibi and her family.

Today's verse

The LORD lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let God be exalted,
The Rock of my salvation!

2 Samuel 22:47 (NKJV)

Update on Asia Bibi

Please continue to pray for Asia Bibi and her family.

UPDATE: Asia Bibi is not the only one in Pakistan facing persecution. Five Christians have been murdered under Pakistan's blasphemy laws.

Update on my sister

The surgery went well. A more complete biopsy will need to be done, but the initial one showed the cancer was not malignant. Praise God!

Today's verse

“What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

Luke 12 6-7 (NLT)

Today's verse

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

Isaiah 42:3 (KJV)

Update on Asia Bibi

The Chief Justice of Lahore High Court is blocking President Asif Ali Zardari from pardoning Asia Bibi.

Keep in mind that in Pakistan radical Islam is very strong. Even if a judge wanted to free Asia Bibi he may be afraid to do so.

Please keep Asia Bibi and her family in your prayers.

Today's verse

Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:11-12 (NLT)

Today's verse

How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Psalm 119:103 (NKJV)

"You can't possibly believe THAT!"

That is the reaction I sometimes get when I mention the fact that I am both a mathematician and a Christian. It is as if I have confessed to cannibalism or some other horrible social ill.

It is interesting to note that often the strongest proponents of the belief that science has disproven the existence of God are those whose own scientific knowledge is minimal or even non-existent. Often these individuals quote from Time, Newsweek, or - God spare us! - Scientific American without any apparent sense of irony that they are relying on people who may know less about science than they do. Talk about the blind leading the blind!

Here is an interesting list of famous scientists who believed in God.

Today's verse

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

Psalm 98:4 (KJV)

Are you legally married?

A million marriages in England might not be legal because of an error in the words used in the wedding ceremony.

This reminds me of the plot of the 1952 movie We're Not Married.

You might be a Christian if ...

... you are fat. At least, that is the conclusion reached by Tim Covell, the author of Born Atheist.

There is not much that can be said in response to Mr. Covell's "research", except that the secular media appears not to be particularly fussy about accuracy when it comes to Christians. Imagine the reaction by the secular media if some Christian made claims that research "proved" blacks smell funny, or Hispanics are dumb in school, or that homosexuals are ugly. At the very least, it is unlikely that the Denver Post would be willing to give them a platform the way they did for Mr. Covell to flog his book.

Atheism was once a well-reasoned, intellectual philosophy. Now it seems to be mostly concerned with "de-baptisms" and pushing crude stereotypes. If I were still an atheist, I would be embarrassed.

A prayer for my sister

Almighty and gracious Heavenly Father,

I come before You with thanksgiving. I thank you for my beautiful wife, and for our son. I thank You for my family in Tanzania and in the United States. I thank You for my students and colleagues, and for the chance to serve as a teacher.

Lord, You know that my sister will soon undergo surgery for cancer. I could see in her eyes and hear in her voice just how frightened she is. I ask that You heal her of this terrible affliction, and that You send an army of Your angels to surround her and comfort her. I ask that You restore her faith in You, and to once again call You Lord.

Lord, I also ask that You be with my sister's husband and their two children. I ask that You be with them and help to give my sister the strength she will need.

Amen.

Sharia law - enforced by the West?

A fifteen-year-old British girl is arrested for allegedly burning a copy of the Koran and posting the incident of Facebook. She was arrested under the new British "religious hatred" law passed in 2006. No word yet on when Madonna, who mocks Christianity with vulgar sexual references, will also be arrested.

It appears that Western governments are now in the business of enforcing Islamic anti-desecration laws. Recall how the US government blew a gasket what a Florida pastor merely threatened to burn a Koran?

I believe that this blatant favoritism shown by Western governments towards Islam is not because these governments are chock-full of secret Muslims. Western governments tend to be run by secular progressives who disdain all religious beliefs. Rather, Islam is seen by secular progressives as a rival to Christianity and Judaism. Christianity and Judaism hold that God's laws are superior to man's laws, and this enrages the secular progressives who view government as god.

And - this has to be said, since it is true - the fact that Christians and Jews are routinely imprisoned, tortured and killed by Muslims in Islamic countries is actually considered a plus by secular progressives. Osama bin Laden and his followers do what many secular progressives long to do, but lack the courage to actually carry out.

Thus, in the name of "tolerance" citizens of Western countries are ordered to be silent by their government. Meanwhile, Muslims (which in many cases are openly seeking a worldwide theocracy) are given a pass. That's why a 15-year-old girl incurrs the wrath of the authorities while those guilty of "honor killings" go unpunished.

One final note. Consider this quote from the article linked above:

The group that published the English-language version of the Koran is believed to have visited the school this week, to talk to pupils and explain the significance of the book to Muslims, the BBC reports.

Just imagine the shrieks of "Christianist theocracy!" in this country if a Christian group came to a public school to explain the significance of the Bible. Even in Britain, that would not go down very well.

Witnesses to the faith: Tanzania

Two church buildings in Zanzibar have been torn down.

Please pray for Christians living in Tanzania.

Update on Asia Bibi

Pakistani Muslims threaten violence if Asia Bibi is pardoned.

Please continue to pray for Asia Bibi and her family.

Today's verse

That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

Solomon replied, “You showed faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued your faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne.

“Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

1 Kings 3:5-9 (NLT)

Happy Thanksgiving!

May everyone have a blessed Thanksgiving this year!

May the God of your father help you;
May the Almighty bless you
with the blessings of the heavens above,
and blessings of the watery depths below,
and blessings of the breasts and womb.

Genesis 49:25 (NLT)

Today's verse

Offer to God thanksgiving,
And pay your vows to the Most High.

Psalm 50:14 (NKJV)

Have you been denounced yet?

The Southern Poverty Law Center has released a new list of "hate groups" that includes many Christian organizations. Unfortunately, I did not make the list.

My failure to draw the SPLC's wrath is disturbing, and makes me wonder what I am doing wrong. What does a poor math teacher have to do to get on the SPLC's blacklist, anyway? Alas, for the time being I must continue to toil in utter obscurity*.

* - Unless one of my kind readers is willing to take pity on me and turn me in to the SPLC's Revolutionary Watch Committee to be lynched. It would make a swell Christmas present!

Update on Asia Bibi

The Christian Science Monitor is reporting that Farahnaz Ispahani, an aide to Pakistani President Zardari, has said, "President Zardari has followed the case of Aasia [Asia] Bibi closely, and will take appropriate action, if necessary, to issue a pardon or grant clemency to ensure that Aasia Bibi is neither incarcerated or harmed."

Please continue to pray for Asia Bibi and her family.

Genetically-modified seeds are the Devil's work

...or so the ELCA seems to believe. There is an excellent post over at Farmer on a Mission about the ELCA's proposed social statement concerning genetics.

I know the ELCA is obsessed with secular politics, but ... wow!

God's law and "bound conscience"

An excellent post over at Common Sense for a Senseless World.

It should be pointed out that the whole "bound conscience" shtick employed by the ELCA is nothing but an effort to make the radical political gospel of the ELCA look brave and courageous instead of partisan and narrow-minded. If Luther were alive today, he would be nailing his 95 Thesis on the ELCA's door at 8765 W. Higgins Road in Chicago.

Today's verse

I have heard all about you, Lord.
I am filled with awe by your amazing works.
In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by.
And in your anger, remember your mercy.

Habakkuk 3:2 (NLT)

Update on Asia Bibi

CNN is reporting that Asia Bibi will be pardoned. The article does not say if she has been released yet, so I would assume she is still in prison.

Please continue to pray for our sister in Christ and her family.

UPDATE: This is an alarming post. The author is calling for the release of Asia Bibi, but had this to say as well:

I endorse capital punishment for those who bash Islam and its sacred symbols. And no one bashes Islam in Pakistan. Certainly not our Pakistani Christian brothers and sisters whose forefathers played a great role in Pakistan Independence Movement.

We own and defend our great religion and our great Prophet. But harassing a poor Pakistani Christian woman in the name of blasphemy is not justice. The great, fair-minded leaders of Islam, like Omar and Ali, would never endorse this. Shame on these half-educated mullahs who can't offer a word of support to a weak and poor woman being wrongly accused of blasphemy.

Sorry, but calling for the release of a Christian woman accused of "blasphemy" while endorsing "capital punishment for those who bash Islam and its sacred symbols" is nothing more than an effort by the author (Ahmed Qureshi) to work both sides of the street. In any event, this is the sort of article that does not do much to install confidence and trust in Islam.

Today's verse

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord GOD,
“That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the LORD.

They shall wander from sea to sea,
And from north to east;
They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD,
But shall not find it.

Amos 8:11-12 (NKJV)

Update on Asia Bibi

The Pakistani Christian Conference (Holland Chapter) has filed a petition to the Secretary General EU to grant asylum to Asia Bibi, her husband and five children.

There are also conflicting reports about Asia Bibi being released. At this point it appears she is still in prison.

Please continue to pray for Asia Bibi and her family.

UPDATE: The Christian Post is reporting that she has been pardoned by Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and released.

Today's verse

Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning

2 John 1:6 (NLT)

Update on Asia Bibi

Pakistan's president may pardon Asia Bibi.

Please continue to pray for Asia Bibi and her family.

UPDATE: Here is a more detailed version of the Associated Press article.

Today's verse

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’”

Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Luke 18:1-8 (NKJV)

Witness to the faith: Erin Burow

Please pray for Erin Burow, and for the end of the holocaust of abortion.