On this Earth Day, here are some practical things you and your family can do that will actually help you be better stewards, caring for God's creation.

? Temple Baptist Church - 4-24-2024John 15:12-17? Introduction:? ? A.? Another great benefit of abiding in Christ is that of friendship with Christ.? I find this amazing as we consider just Who this Friend is.? Three times in these three verses, Jesus Christ called His children friends!? 1.? Someone once said that if you end up with 5 True Friends in a lifetime, you are wealthy.? 2.? Here, we fine the possibility of having Jesus Christ as our Friend.? B.? The Value of our Friend.? 1.? Our Friend is Almighty Jehovah God, Creator and Sustainer of all things.? Our Friend created us for His pleasure and fellowship.? John 1:1-4? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.? (2)? The same was in the beginning with God.? (3)? All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.? (4)? In him was life; and the life was the light of men.? 2.? Our Friend became our Propitiation.? Our Friend died in our place, bearing our sin and our shame.? He gave His life as He became sin for us Who knew no sin that we might be made the righteous of God in Him.? John 1:14? And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.? John 1:29? The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.? 3.? Our Friend is our Mediator between us and God the Father.? Our Friend makes peace between God the Father and us.? 1 Timothy 2:5? For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;? 4.? Our Friend is our Advocate with God the Father.? Our Friend speaks on our behalf when we cannot speak for ourselves.? 1 John 2:1? My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:? 5.? Our Friend is our High Priest.? Our Friend continually cleanses us from all sin and defilement with His own blood.? Hebrews 7:25-26? Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (26)? For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;? 6.? Our Friend is our soon coming King of kings and Lord of lords.? Our Friend said that if He would go away, He would come again and take us home with Him.? When He comes back to set up His Kingdom, He will bring us with Him to rule and reign.? Revelation 19:11-16? And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.? (12)? His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.? (13)? And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.? (14)? And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.? (15)? And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.? (16)? And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.? C. And people relish friends in high places?? We have the Almighty, completely Sovereign, All Knowing, owns Everything, can do Anything, can Forgive anything God who just happens to Love us.? D.? True friendship is a valuable and rare commodity! We make many acquaintances as we pass through this life, but only very few true and genuine friends. In this passage, Jesus reveals something about the nature of His friendship with His people. When you have Him for your Friend, you have discovered a friendship that knows no limits. He is, by definition, the ultimate Friend.? Proverbs 18:24? A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.? E.? In a true friendship, there must be:? 1.? Investment.? While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.? The greatest love ever shown was at Calvary. There has never been a greater, nobler, or more costly display of love than that selfless moment when Jesus died for us on the cross.? 2.? Intimacy.? These disciples were Christ's inner circle.? They were privy to the most intimate discussions and sharing that only Christ could give.? True friends have a very personal and close relationship with each other.? A closeness that makes for personal sharing of our thoughts and lives.? 2 Samuel 1:26? I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.? 3.? Involvement.? These disciples could share their inner most thoughts, fears, and cares with Christ.? Friends deeply care for what their friends care for.? Someone once said, “A burden shared is half a burden!”? There is more to intimate sharing than just listening.? ? John 11:33-35? When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,? (34)? And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.? (35)? Jesus wept.? F.? The Values of a having Christ as your True Friend:? 1.? A true friend loves at all times.? Unconditional love.? Proverbs 17:17? A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.? Psalms 41:9-10? Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.? (10)? But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.? 2.? A true friend always builds you up and never tears you down.? ? 1 Corinthians 15:33? Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.? 3.? A true friend is always standing by you.? ? Hebrews 13:5? Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.? Psalms 27:9-10? Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.? (10)? When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.? 4.? A true friend cares deeply about you.? ? Hebrews 4:15-16? For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.? (16)? Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.? 1 Peter 5:7? Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.? 5.? A true friend makes you a better person.? ? Proverbs 27:17? Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.? 6.? A true friend gives you godly counsel.? ? Proverbs 27:9? Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.? Isaiah 25:1? O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.? 7.? A true friend will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.? ? Proverbs 27:6? Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.? Ephesians 3:20-21? Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,? (21)? Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.? 8.? A true friend gave his life for us.? When I think of this, I think of the Medal of Honor, our nation's? highest military award for valor.? Due to the nature of this medal, it is commonly presented? posthumously.? ? John 15:13? Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.? Conclusion:? What a Friend we have in Jesus!? He gave His all for His Friends!

"The states will determine by vote, or legislation, or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land – in this case, the law of the state," the former president said in a video. "Many states will be different. Many states will have a different number of weeks… at the end of the day it is all about the will of the people."

After lobbying from fellow Southern Baptists and Christians affected by the war, the House speaker moves a package forward. When deciding whether to protect his place in leadership as House speaker or go against his party to do what he believed was right, Mike Johnson turned to prayer.It had been weeks of hearing intelligence briefings and pleas from fellow Christians when Johnson ultimately sided with his convictions rather than conceding to the Republican Party’s isolationist wing. He backed a $95 billion foreign aid package that, despite the opposition of 112 GOP legislators, overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives last weekend.Like many of his fellow Republicans, Johnson had initially opposed further aid to Ukraine, voting against it prior to becoming speaker and waiting months to move forward with an aid package after the Senate approved its version in February.He “went through a transformation,” according to one GOP colleague, House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul. The shift may have come in part due to the influence of Ukrainian evangelicals, fellow Christian leaders, and his personal faith.“He got down on his knees, and he prayed for guidance and said, ‘Look, tell me. What is the right thing to do here?’” the Texas congressman told NOTUS’s Haley Byrd Wilt. The next day, Johnson said to McCaul, “I want to be on the right side of history.”The House vote on the Ukraine provisions, around $61 billion, was 311 to 112; a majority of Johnson’s colleagues voted against the measure, while aid to Israel and Taiwan had broader support. The Senate cleared the package Tuesday in a bipartisan 79–18 vote. Now the measure heads to President Joe Biden’s desk.Ukrainian leadership had grown more vocal about depleted weapons ...Continue reading...

After lobbying from fellow Southern Baptists and Christians affected by the war, the House speaker moves a package forward. When deciding whether to protect his place in leadership as House speaker or go against his party to do what he believed was right, Mike Johnson turned to prayer.It had been weeks of hearing intelligence briefings and pleas from fellow Christians when Johnson ultimately sided with his convictions rather than conceding to the Republican Party’s isolationist wing. He backed a $95 billion foreign aid package that, despite the opposition of 112 GOP legislators, overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives last weekend.Like many of his fellow Republicans, Johnson had initially opposed further aid to Ukraine, voting against it prior to becoming speaker and waiting months to move forward with an aid package after the Senate approved its version in February.He “went through a transformation,” according to one GOP colleague, House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul. The shift may have come in part due to the influence of Ukrainian evangelicals, fellow Christian leaders, and his personal faith.“He got down on his knees, and he prayed for guidance and said, ‘Look, tell me. What is the right thing to do here?’” the Texas congressman told NOTUS’s Haley Byrd Wilt. The next day, Johnson said to McCaul, “I want to be on the right side of history.”The House vote on the Ukraine provisions, around $61 billion, was 311 to 112; a majority of Johnson’s colleagues voted against the measure, while aid to Israel and Taiwan had broader support. The Senate cleared the package Tuesday in a bipartisan 79–18 vote. Now the measure heads to President Joe Biden’s desk.Ukrainian leadership had grown more vocal about depleted weapons ...Continue reading...

The payoff for Easter is Pentecost.

While pro-abortion Vice President Kamala Harris does most of the heavy lifting, President Joe Biden will also parrot the pro-abortion talking points as he did yesterday in Tampa, Florida. The administration reportedly believes that the abortion issue will put Florida's 30 electoral votes in play. Florida, Biden tells us, is “ground zero for Trump's MAGA […]The post Joe Biden: Not Being Able to Kill Babies in Abortions is a “Nightmare” appeared first on LifeNews.com.

I never tire of reading about the impact of ultrasounds. As the? New York Post's? Rikki Schlott? once wrote, “Today, ultrasounds are more? advanced? than ever. Gone is the era of the traditional, black and white, grainy 2D images. Now, through 3D, 4D, and HD ultrasounds —? which were developed and entered commercial use in the 1990s? — women are able to […]The post Ultrasounds Remind us That Unborn Babies are Human Beings appeared first on LifeNews.com.

The following letter by Bill Donohue is in response to the Inspector General's report on the FBI? probe of Catholics: April 24, 2024 Hon. Jim Jordan Chairman House Committee on the Judiciary 2056 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515-3504 Dear Chairman Jordan: After issuing a news release on April 19, the day after news stories […]The post FBI Still Must be Held Accountable for Targeting Pro-Life Catholics appeared first on LifeNews.com.

By Tyler Durden Several statements were issued by Iranian leaders on Wednesday as they attended a military parade at a base north of Tehran which...Ex-Mossad Chief Says Hitting Iran’s Nuclear Facilities ‘On The Table’

By Dave DeCamp Updated 1:14 am EST on 4/19/24 US officials told multiple media outlets that Israel launched an attack against Iran early Friday morning....Israel Launches Attack on Iran

By Tyler Durden Boston Dynamics unveiled Wednesday a new humanoid robot that creepily moves like no other robot has moved before. The new fully electric...Creepy New Humanoid Robot — “We Promise This Is Not A Person In A Bodysuit”

Today's category: PastorsFalling Off The Horse? ? ? ? ? ? The old time pastor was galloping down the road, rushing to get to church on time. Suddenly his horse stumbled and pitched him to the ground. In the dirt with a broken leg, the pastor called out, "All you saints in Heaven, help me get up on my horse!" ? ? ? ? ? ? Then, with superhuman effort, he leaped onto the horse's back and fell off the other side.? ? ? ? ? ? Once again on the ground, he called to Heaven, "All right, just half of you this time!"View hundreds more jokes online.Email this joke to a friend

Today Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL), the state's oldest and largest pro-life organization, launched a 7-figure TV and digital ad buy in a campaign to defeat the proposed so-called “Equal Rights Amendment” that would enshrine unlimited abortion in the Minnesota Constitution. MCCL's efforts also include print, radio, and social media advertising. MCCL will hold […]The post Minnesota Pro-Life Group Launches Campaign Against Amendment for Abortions Up to Birth appeared first on LifeNews.com.

Joe Biden's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new rule on Monday cracking down on prosecutors' ability to obtain abortion records. The rule strengthens a 1996 privacy law, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), by providing protections for those seeking an abortion, as well as those who perform the procedure, […]The post Biden Issues New Rule to Shield Abortionists Who Kill Babies in Illegal Abortions appeared first on LifeNews.com.

Joe Biden took his presidential campaign to Florida today and promoted abortions – because apparently killing one million babies a year in abortions is not enough. He told the handful of pro-abortion voters gathered for the small event that they should hold Donald trump accountable for overturning Roe so states could set their own policies […]The post Joe Biden Campaigns in Florida for More Abortions appeared first on LifeNews.com.

In addition to Noah and his family, two of every kind of land animal (seven pairs of some) were on the ark—but does that include what we today call dinosaurs?

Today is Earth Day. For some, this is a day to remind others to plant trees, reduce pollution, or clean up trash. But for many this is almost a religious day.

On this Earth Day, here are some practical things you and your family can do that will actually help you be better stewards, caring for God's creation.

Christians can disciple each other toward action, prayer, and hope.I’m 26 and mostly full of enthusiasm for the future. But when I think about the heat waves, floods, and humanitarian crises that I’ll likely experience in my lifetime, I feel a sense of dread. And even more so when I think about the future of my children and my children’s children. I wonder if they’ll get to experience all the beauty of God’s creation that I so cherished while growing up.As a young farmer, I feel my chest tighten as I watch weather patterns and the seasons become more and more erratic. I worry if there’ll be wars for food and water with a warmer climate, or if water sources will be polluted and the soil will be eroded.Many people, especially my age, feel the same way. A recent survey asked 10,000 young people across the world about their thoughts and feelings regarding climate change. According to the findings, three out of four young people think the future is frightening. More than half reported feelings of sadness, anxiety, anger, and powerlessness when thinking about climate change. And around 45 percent of respondents said their feelings about climate change negatively affected their daily life and functioning.These fears have become so prevalent in our generation that a new term has been coined: eco-anxiety.In a way, young people today have fulfilled climate activist Greta Thunberg’s provocation to leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in 2019: “I don't want you to be hopeful, I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day.”But while I respect Thunberg’s contribution to putting climate change on the world’s agenda, I disagree with her on this. I don’t believe that panic will help us. ...Continue reading...

United Methodist Church bishops are calling for unity as its General Conference kicks off Tuesday after thousands of churches left the mainline Protestant denomination amid efforts to alter its official stance against homosexuality and ordination of LGBT individuals.

Democrats are moving legislation that would remove Secret Service protection from President Trump. They are modern-day John Wilkes Booths. Give […]

Hundreds of pro-Hamas demonstrators clashed with police officers Monday night at New York University. Watch video of the riot below. […]

On this Earth Day, here are some practical things you and your family can do that will actually help you be better stewards, caring for God's creation.