learning religious ways, spiritual ways of life and religious institutions. ... On variations in religious forms and the relationships between different religions.
By Dan Wooding Founder of ASSIST and the ASSIST News Service DALLAS, TX - A racially, denominationally, geographically and generationally diverse representation of nearly 100 pastors, civic and faith- leaders from across the country gathered for...
This thought and action is the culprit of the challenge or trouble many marriages face. When a husband or wife always insists on having his or her way there is bound to be trouble. Even if the other spouse takes it without a fight, it cannot last forever,...
Matthew 5:4 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. I have read many commentaries and opinions about what this verse really means. I believe this verse is best explained by what we read in Joel 2: 12 "Yet even now," declares the...
We are fast approaching that time in New England where people are at odds with just about everything. As we just missed yet another storm (Storm warnings!), people are trying to figure it all out. In Vermont we have had a lot of snow. And like others,...
“Use me!” This week I will attend the funeral of a young person. This week I met with a young person planning for his future. The tale of two places. One ahead. One dead. Through out life we encounter choice, chance and opportunity. What...
Matthew 5:5 5 "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. This verse is more commonly known to use the word "meek" instead of "gentle". I have heard meekness defined as "power under control." Jesus was the most excellent example of meekness....
This is a special Book that is based on past prophecy that links itself to what is approaching our world now, present truth. This would make a Great Christmas Gift, only $3.99 in ebook format, just click link. just click link for your book! In the record...
This book is based on the books of Daniel and Revelation, but what you are about to read first is based on Daniel 7&8. Daniel 7 is the big picture on what is approaching this world, Daniel 8 is what lights the fuse for a term that is referred to...
Ghost Battleship – U.S.S. Texas (You may want to read up on this…) How do I respond to the news? That is a real question lately. And while some may respond with some of the following: “I never watch it.” “Who cares?” “It frightens me.” “You...
Matthew 3:1-6 1 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 3 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN...
You never know the impact. Personal change Last night as I was going to sleep I was praying for friends, family, my community, pretty much anything I could find as a target. I felt this pressure and a voice saying “teach them to pray”. I froze. I knew...
I see you near and far. If I ride the wings of morning Or dwell by the farthest ocean You are there to guide me. As I float on clouds of sleep Murmuring your praises You shelter me. You whisper joy and peace When I wake to walk the path You have prepared...
Last night I had one of those moments. One where fear tries to eat at you. My life was not in danger and there was no threat. It was just something invasive trying to take me off the balance I was maintaining. I can't always explain those things. But...
Matthew 3:7-10 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 "Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; 9 and do not suppose that...
Many years ago my wife and I were traveling through Toronto . Toronto is a very large city. My wife had the map on her lap and I was driving. As the road turned into 8 lanes, I said "hurry up, I am not sure where we are". This created instant panic and...
Happy New Year once again friends! I trust you began your year well. Many people are making or have already made New Year resolutions, have you made yours? Speaking of resolutions, have you even bothered to look up the meaning of the word? Well I did,...
Have you ever struggled with the actions of others? Perhaps it was injustice, neglect or wrongdoing. I understand, but Jesus understands more. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that He went through hurt, pain and rejection and walked through it. The easy response...
Broken promises, feeling taken for granted, unappreciated, unloved or misunderstood-these are some of the things that steal my joy. They cause me to lose sight of who I am in Christ and to whom I belong. Sin also robs me of joy. One of my heart's fondest...
My grandson Jacob will often joke with me when we are kidding around, with "what did you say". I grew up with a dad who was hard of hearing due to a war injury. My wife has hearing loss. "What did you say" is a comment I have heard often enough. What...
And the Sun shall not give its light upon the Earth in the last days. All honor and glory be unto the living God and His Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Darkness comes upon the face of the Sun. Behold, this generation is now witness to the Sun...
Matthew 3:11-12 11 "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 "His winnowing fork is in His hand,...
The old year leaves and a new one rushes in. All across the land people are making resolutions and putting things up on social media declaring what they are going to do differently. Seriously people, wake up! By the 20th of January most of the ones that...
Matthew 3:13-17 13 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" 15 But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit...
In the middle of the night I was awakened because I began to cough. I got up, grabbed a glass of water and returned to my bed. I sat there and the situations of the last few days began to mount up in my mind. At 2AM it always seems to be a time of just...
Matthew 4:1 1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Read that verse again. The Holy Spirit led Jesus into a place to be tempted. Your mind might be filling with questions concerning other scriptures right...
There were flashes in the air as the bombs went off. The small group abandoned their vehicle and headed for cover. They were more concerned for their safety than they were for the food and the vehicle that was left on the road. They brought music and...
The apple of the eye is mostly referred to as the pupil of the eye. It is a hole looking like a black circle located in the centre of the eye. The primary function of the pupil is to control the amount of light entering the eye. When you're in a bright...
This morning I awoke to noise. Lots of it. Not in the natural, but in a dream. I was in a cafeteria or conference room. Everyone seemed to know everyone but the volume of the conversations was maddening. A pregnant woman was standing next to me and people...
Matthew 4:2-4 2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." 4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN...
Limited or Limitless-Does life have limits? Like many nights I came out of a dream. The "problem" for me and dreams is that when I wake up I am not sure that I am "out" of the dream. So as I wandered down the steps to the living room, my thoughts were...
Last night as I watched the honor bestowed upon folks in sports , I thought about the lives that are lived in one venue or another. The life that is perhaps only seen in the workplace or the sports arena. And then I think about the divine reparation...
By Dave Jenkins Special to Inside The Pew One of my passions has always been sharing my faith. In my younger years, I was very rigid in my approach in sharing the Gospel. I left very little room for the other person to have a right to their opinion....
Everything God created can only be maintained by His word. He made everything by His Word and He sustains everything by His Word too. See John 1: 3 and Hebrews 1:3 God created marriage, He joined the first husband and wife and left them a manual for...
Yesterday while having a conversation the words, sleeper cell, came up. We started to talked about the wave of terrorism and what had happened in Paris . That discussion included a piece about sleeper cells, how they were communicated and what their...
Matthew 4:5-7 5 Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU'; and 'ON their...
You never know the impact. Last night I had a dream about an old friend I have known for over 20 years. He was one of those people who began to reveal the grace of God to me. My friend nearly 20 years later continues to have an influence on me. While...
The Milkman In New England When I was a child, the milkman delivered milk to us. It wasn't until there were three boys in our family that my parents would include milk in their weekly grocery shopping at the COOP. Three times a week, fresh milk, cream...
Matthew 4:8-11 8 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." 10 Then Jesus said to him, "Go,...
Mr. Harrison When I was a child we lived in a small rural community. My mother and father were always good at making friends and when we moved this time was no different. My dad's friends were frequently considerably different than my mother's. My dad...
This morning I awoke very early. Too early. I did not want to be awake. I just lay there. And I decided to hang out with Him. With God. I spent some time praying. Some time meditating. But I began to think "who is God". Not is He real? Or does He exist....
By Mark Ellis ASSIST News Wire A sad family legal battle will play out in an Atlanta courtroom this week over ownership of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s personal Bible - the same one President Obama used to take his oath of office at his inauguration...
Matthew 4:12-17 12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This was to fulfill what...
Naked, the trees stretch toward a merciless winter sky; not even a blanket of snow for warmth. Outside my window, they are big, gray skeletons, their bones rattling in the wind. They look lonely-forsaken by God. One is missing a limb and the large trunk...
Love the Lord your God with All your Heart Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is "Love your neighbor as yourself." All the Law and the Prophets...
Lee Johndrow Hearing God As I read about debacle the US is facing with the understaffed IRS and how they are being told “got a problem with taxes? We may not be able to help you” it is easy to become frustrated. What you find is people who either will...
Matthew 4:18-22 18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers...
As I stood waiting on my mentor to finish talking, praying in my heart that the people would stop asking too many questions so we could go in and sit down, this lady walked up to me and asked if I knew where our mentor bought her dress from. I replied...
One day we had a program going on and my mentor was ministering, I stood waiting on my mentor to finish talking, praying in my heart that the people would stop asking too many questions so we could go in and sit down, and this lady walked up to me and...
The Language With Which The Creator Speaks To You You didn't see that the Creator sent His messenger to you, and according to your level, you should have recognized it. So what do you suggest to do with yourself in this situation? We are forced to give...
This morning I had a dream that was so real. So amazing. When I awoke I wanted it to be real. The reason is the person in the dream I have been praying for for almost 20 years. The dream had the "real" compassion of God locked up in it. While waiting...
Matthew 4:23-25 23 Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. 24 The news about Him spread throughout...
I told myself that it was ok to be angry. After all, Jesus got angry in the Temple at the money-changers and mine was righteous indignation! One bitter thought bumped into another until I worked myself into a rage. That had been happening a lot lately....
Matthew 5:1-2 1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, Jesus had a multitude of followers. As we read at the end of chapter 4, they...
As I entered the large Christmas store , I was excited. I had my decorated bag in my hands. It had my stuff in there. Things I had brought. Nothing fancy or extravagant, but they were mine. They were things I carried. As I walked into the store I was...
