Bible verses for the new year.
New Birth - A Living Hope
1 Peter 1:3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (NIV)
Hope for the Future
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (NLT)
A New Creation
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (NKJV)
A New Heart
Ezekiel 36:25-27
"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Friday, November 9, 2007
THE USA REVIVAL - A Day of Thanksgiving for Our State and Nation
Jackson, Ms. (November 9, 2007) -- A very special Thanksgiving program has been planned for Tuesday, November 20, 2007, at the MISSISSIPPI AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY MUSEUM on Lakeland Drive in Jackson. The gates will open at 3:30 pm and the service begins at 5:00 pm. Admission is FREE!
"This event is simply people coming together to give thanks to God for our state, our country, our governmental leaders and the Blessings which God has poured over our land," Paul Ott, organizer and host of the event, said. “There is no commercialism in this event, and almost everything has been donated by individuals sharing a desire to peacefully assemble and recognize that we are a great nation dependent on great leaders and an even greater God," Ott continued. "The Bible gives us instruction to "give thanks to the Lord, for He is good". That is the essence of this event."
Those who have committed to come speak and pray and are on the agenda are: Dr. John Cameron (Greater Mt. Calvary Baptist Church), Rev. Larry LeBlanc (Sr. Pastor of FBC Summit Mississippi), Tom Lester (from Green Acres television show), Paul Ott (Listen to the Eagle), Dr. Dolphus Weary (Mission Mississippi), Dr. Jerry Young (President, Mississippi Baptist Convention and 1ST Vice-President of the National Baptist Convention), and a great handful of talented musicians to perform, including award winning members of the Greater Mt. Calvary Church Choir, part of the Mississippi Mass Choir. Shuttle transportation will be provided from the parking lots to the staging area for those who need special assistance. Attendees are asked to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets. In the event of bad weather, the event will be moved inside the Ag Museum Auditorium. Special seating will be available for those attending with special needs.
There will be representatives from ALL Christian denominations present at the event and the closing ceremony will include a candlelight prayer, while master violinist Mickey Davis, formally of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, plays “Nearer My God To Thee.” ALL participants and attendees will then join in a rousing chorus of GOD BLESS AMERICA!
For more information visit our website www.theUSArevival.com.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Mississippi governor assailed for taking casino cash
www.onenewsnow.com just reported that Governor Barbour has received $25,000 from state casinos and more than $200,000 from outside gambling interests.
Key Quotes:
The re-election campaign of Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, whose name is being floated as a possible Republican vice-president nominee, has directly received $25,000 from state casinos and more than $200,000 from outside gambling interests via the Republican Governors Association.
Meanwhile, Barbour's election opponent, Democrat trial lawyer John Arthur Eaves, has ardently opposed casino expansion in Mississippi and has vowed he will not take gambling money.
Earlier this year, Barbour's old lobbying firm helped fast-track a liquor license for the Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi, and Barbour's chief of staff, Charlie Williams, is on record saying the Governor's office "encouraged" the state Gaming Commission and alcoholic-beverage control division to "expedite" the casino's approval process.
You can read the entire article
www.onenewsnow.com/2007/09/mississippi_governor_assailed.php
Key Quotes:
The re-election campaign of Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, whose name is being floated as a possible Republican vice-president nominee, has directly received $25,000 from state casinos and more than $200,000 from outside gambling interests via the Republican Governors Association.
Meanwhile, Barbour's election opponent, Democrat trial lawyer John Arthur Eaves, has ardently opposed casino expansion in Mississippi and has vowed he will not take gambling money.
Earlier this year, Barbour's old lobbying firm helped fast-track a liquor license for the Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi, and Barbour's chief of staff, Charlie Williams, is on record saying the Governor's office "encouraged" the state Gaming Commission and alcoholic-beverage control division to "expedite" the casino's approval process.
You can read the entire article
www.onenewsnow.com/2007/09/mississippi_governor_assailed.php
Monday, October 22, 2007
Mississippi Constitution
SECTION 18.
No religious test as a qualification for office shall be required; and no preference shall be given by law to any religious sect or mode of worship; but the free enjoyment of all religious sentiments and the different modes of worship shall be held sacred. The rights hereby secured shall not be construed to justify acts of licentiousness injurious to morals or dangerous to the peace and safety of the state, or to exclude the Holy Bible from use in any public school of this state.
No religious test as a qualification for office shall be required; and no preference shall be given by law to any religious sect or mode of worship; but the free enjoyment of all religious sentiments and the different modes of worship shall be held sacred. The rights hereby secured shall not be construed to justify acts of licentiousness injurious to morals or dangerous to the peace and safety of the state, or to exclude the Holy Bible from use in any public school of this state.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Who's On Jesus' Side in Mississippi?
EDITORIAL
Who's On Jesus' Side in Mississippi?
Robert Parham
Robert Parham is executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics.
10-17-07
www.ethicsdaily.com
His momma read him Bible stories at bed time and rocked him to sleep singing the old hymn "In the Garden." He gave his life to Christ at age 8 and walked where Jesus did at age 9. Thirty-years later, he stood on the banks of the Jordan River as three of his own sons professed faith and were baptized. His wife's name is Angel. He is pro-life, pro-prayer, pro-Bible literacy and pro-guns. He's a Southern Baptist running for office.
And no, John Arthur Eaves is not a Republican. He's running for the governorship of Mississippi as a Democrat against Haley Barbour, the Republican incumbent who was chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1993 to 1997.
"I'm a Democrat because I'm a Christian," Eaves said in an interview. "Jesus came to help the people. He healed the sick, and he tried to help the poor. The Democrats' core fiber is to help people. That was Jesus' mission."
Eaves' mission is to convince enough voters that he's on Jesus' side to win the governor's race.
One TV ad opens with a picture of a wooden cross next to a lake on a cloudy day with Eaves' talking about his baptism. Following frames include his family holding hands and praying at supper time, posing together in front of their church and children praying in school. He closes by asking viewers to prayerfully consider voting for him.
Another TV ad begins with Eaves leaning on a farm fence holding what looks like a brown, leather-covered Bible: "Jesus ministered to the least and the lost. And he threw the moneychangers out of the temple. I'm not perfect, but I've dedicated my life to helping the powerless."
In a summer speech at the Neshoba County Fair, Eaves said, "I am running for governor because I believe Mississippi can be better and it will be better when we take the reins of government from the special interests who hold the keys to the governor's mansion."
"Haley Barbour has opened the doors of power to the moneychangers: Big Tobacco, Big Oil, Big Insurance. These groups--who Haley has lobbied for--may talk about helping Mississippi, but they are merely wolves in sheep's clothing who have been making false promises and pulling the financial strings of our leaders to force us to accept false choices," said Eaves.
Toward the end of his speech, Eaves said, "I am putting my entire life savings into this crusade. Instead of accepting money from special interests, I have freed myself to do my best to answer this call to service, with a clean conscience and with no allegiance to any but God and the great people of Mississippi."
Eaves' populace campaign is crammed with both obvious and veiled biblical imagery--wolves vs. sheep, moneychangers vs. Jesus, the powerful vs. the least of these, false choices vs. the true way, pridefulness vs. humbleness.
No wonder Barbour is annoyed about Eaves' aggressive insertion of faith into politics. After all, in a state where every home has more than one Bible, Eaves message has traction, while Barbour's persona looks religiously sterile.
"My opponent loves to quote the Bible," said Barbour, accusing Eaves of being sanctimonious and arguing that campaigns ought to be about public policy.
Of course, Barbour didn't seem to have a problem with the GOP being labeled as the God's Only Party over the past 25 years.
But now that a faithful Democrat is quoting the Bible, Barbour has flip-flopped on faith--faith has no role in politics, a shameful twist of hypocrisy.
Eaves, on the other hand, exhibits an authentic faith both through his example of regular church attendance with his family and his advocacy of those at the margins of life rather than advancing the interests of the powerful.
"I see him every week. He attends the Madison campus, unless he's out campaigning," said Jeff Redding, campus pastor for Pinelake Church, a church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and located on two different campuses in the Jackson-area.
Redding told EthicsDaily.com, "He has never mentioned the campaign to me on Sunday because we are wrapped up in what God is doing."
If Eaves ran as a Republican, his faith-based campaign would be accepted uncritically among conservative religionists, and the SBC bureaucracy would promote his candidacy.
As a Democrat, his faith appeal appears too excessive, too out of character for the way we think about faith and politics.
However, the more Democrats strive to display their faith and Republicans stumble away from faithfulness, the more likely that a resilient new cultural storyline will emerge, one that dislodges the 25-year prevailing myth that God favors on one party.
Robert Parham is executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics.
Who's On Jesus' Side in Mississippi?
Robert Parham
Robert Parham is executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics.
10-17-07
www.ethicsdaily.com
His momma read him Bible stories at bed time and rocked him to sleep singing the old hymn "In the Garden." He gave his life to Christ at age 8 and walked where Jesus did at age 9. Thirty-years later, he stood on the banks of the Jordan River as three of his own sons professed faith and were baptized. His wife's name is Angel. He is pro-life, pro-prayer, pro-Bible literacy and pro-guns. He's a Southern Baptist running for office.
And no, John Arthur Eaves is not a Republican. He's running for the governorship of Mississippi as a Democrat against Haley Barbour, the Republican incumbent who was chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1993 to 1997.
"I'm a Democrat because I'm a Christian," Eaves said in an interview. "Jesus came to help the people. He healed the sick, and he tried to help the poor. The Democrats' core fiber is to help people. That was Jesus' mission."
Eaves' mission is to convince enough voters that he's on Jesus' side to win the governor's race.
One TV ad opens with a picture of a wooden cross next to a lake on a cloudy day with Eaves' talking about his baptism. Following frames include his family holding hands and praying at supper time, posing together in front of their church and children praying in school. He closes by asking viewers to prayerfully consider voting for him.
Another TV ad begins with Eaves leaning on a farm fence holding what looks like a brown, leather-covered Bible: "Jesus ministered to the least and the lost. And he threw the moneychangers out of the temple. I'm not perfect, but I've dedicated my life to helping the powerless."
In a summer speech at the Neshoba County Fair, Eaves said, "I am running for governor because I believe Mississippi can be better and it will be better when we take the reins of government from the special interests who hold the keys to the governor's mansion."
"Haley Barbour has opened the doors of power to the moneychangers: Big Tobacco, Big Oil, Big Insurance. These groups--who Haley has lobbied for--may talk about helping Mississippi, but they are merely wolves in sheep's clothing who have been making false promises and pulling the financial strings of our leaders to force us to accept false choices," said Eaves.
Toward the end of his speech, Eaves said, "I am putting my entire life savings into this crusade. Instead of accepting money from special interests, I have freed myself to do my best to answer this call to service, with a clean conscience and with no allegiance to any but God and the great people of Mississippi."
Eaves' populace campaign is crammed with both obvious and veiled biblical imagery--wolves vs. sheep, moneychangers vs. Jesus, the powerful vs. the least of these, false choices vs. the true way, pridefulness vs. humbleness.
No wonder Barbour is annoyed about Eaves' aggressive insertion of faith into politics. After all, in a state where every home has more than one Bible, Eaves message has traction, while Barbour's persona looks religiously sterile.
"My opponent loves to quote the Bible," said Barbour, accusing Eaves of being sanctimonious and arguing that campaigns ought to be about public policy.
Of course, Barbour didn't seem to have a problem with the GOP being labeled as the God's Only Party over the past 25 years.
But now that a faithful Democrat is quoting the Bible, Barbour has flip-flopped on faith--faith has no role in politics, a shameful twist of hypocrisy.
Eaves, on the other hand, exhibits an authentic faith both through his example of regular church attendance with his family and his advocacy of those at the margins of life rather than advancing the interests of the powerful.
"I see him every week. He attends the Madison campus, unless he's out campaigning," said Jeff Redding, campus pastor for Pinelake Church, a church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and located on two different campuses in the Jackson-area.
Redding told EthicsDaily.com, "He has never mentioned the campaign to me on Sunday because we are wrapped up in what God is doing."
If Eaves ran as a Republican, his faith-based campaign would be accepted uncritically among conservative religionists, and the SBC bureaucracy would promote his candidacy.
As a Democrat, his faith appeal appears too excessive, too out of character for the way we think about faith and politics.
However, the more Democrats strive to display their faith and Republicans stumble away from faithfulness, the more likely that a resilient new cultural storyline will emerge, one that dislodges the 25-year prevailing myth that God favors on one party.
Robert Parham is executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Front Page New York Times Story on John Eaves
Hattip to cottonmouth
The New York Times:
“The Eaves campaign, with its heavy emphasis on prayer and faith, says it is gaining with evangelicals and born-again Christians in Mississippi, a voting bloc making up perhaps half of the electorate here. And evangelicals are paying attention.”
On Main Street in the small towns, some nod appreciatively as Mr. Eaves evokes a “new day in Mississippi, where our children go to school with voluntary, student-led school prayers.”
“‘I’m a Democrat because Democrats invest in people; I’m a Democrat because I’m a Christian,’ [Eaves] said in a recent interview, after shaking hands at a diner in the courthouse town of Kosciusko. ‘Jesus came to help the people. He healed the sick, and he tried to help the poor. The Democrats’ core fiber is to help people. That was Jesus’ mission.’”
“John Arthur sounds pretty good. He’s going to cut the sales tax and put prayer back in schools,” said Charles Salley, behind the cash register, as Mr. Eaves’s bus pulled out of town.
“Put the Good Lord back in everything. That’s a priority,” Mr. Salley said.
Entire Acticle
NY TIMES
The New York Times:
“The Eaves campaign, with its heavy emphasis on prayer and faith, says it is gaining with evangelicals and born-again Christians in Mississippi, a voting bloc making up perhaps half of the electorate here. And evangelicals are paying attention.”
On Main Street in the small towns, some nod appreciatively as Mr. Eaves evokes a “new day in Mississippi, where our children go to school with voluntary, student-led school prayers.”
“‘I’m a Democrat because Democrats invest in people; I’m a Democrat because I’m a Christian,’ [Eaves] said in a recent interview, after shaking hands at a diner in the courthouse town of Kosciusko. ‘Jesus came to help the people. He healed the sick, and he tried to help the poor. The Democrats’ core fiber is to help people. That was Jesus’ mission.’”
“John Arthur sounds pretty good. He’s going to cut the sales tax and put prayer back in schools,” said Charles Salley, behind the cash register, as Mr. Eaves’s bus pulled out of town.
“Put the Good Lord back in everything. That’s a priority,” Mr. Salley said.
Entire Acticle
NY TIMES
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