All posts filed under: z55

Did a college professor punish a girl with zero grades because of her Christian beliefs?

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Liberty Counsel has taken on the case of a 16 year-old girl, referred to only as G.L. who as a high school student under a special program was also attending classes at Florida’s Polk State College. According to Liberty, G.L. had a grade point average of 3.9 in high school, but while attending a class taught by college humanities professor Lance Russum had received “0” marks on four assignments. Liberty alleges this happened because the young student would not allow herself to be influenced by the teacher’s strong anti-Christian, pro-marxist, pro-homosexual and pro-feminist beliefs.

The Crown Prince

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[by Earl Blacklock] Elizabeth Gray Vining was an experienced American teacher who, in 1946, had the opportunity of a lifetime – to be the English tutor of the Crown Prince of Japan. Emperor Hirohito had specified the qualifications she was to meet. She was to be a Christian woman, “but not a fanatic”. Japan was recovering from a devastating military defeat; the Emperor had been permitted to remain as a figurehead ruler. Real power, however, rested with the Allied commander General Douglas MacArthur, and the Emperor wanted the Crown Prince readied for this new world. Elizabeth was told her purpose was to open windows to the world outside Prince Akihito’s household and culture. Elizabeth’s influence went beyond her lessons.

It was an odd discovery — the first reference to King David from outside the Bible

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[by Dean Smith] An archaeological discovery in 1993 was the first historical reference to King David found outside the Bible. And it was an odd reference. The discovery was made by archaeologist Avraham Biran at Tel Dan located in Northern Israel. The inscription was found on a stela dated to the 9th century BC. A stela is a stone slab that would have been installed publicly as a monument usually to commemorate a major event. What was odd is that the stela was not written by the Israelis themselves, but by their enemy. The stone, which was only partially intact, was commemorating the victory of an unnamed Aramean king over “The king of Israel” and the “king of the House of David” — a reference to the nation of Judah. Neither of the three kings involved are named, though their names may have been referenced on parts of the slab that were broken off.

Controversial Bethesda pool discovered exactly where John said it was

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There is a story in the Gospel of John that proved problematic for liberals who don’t believe the Bible. I am talking about Jesus healing of the lame man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15). In the account, Jesus came across a lame man lying by the pool. According to tradition, when an angel stirred the waters, the first sick person to enter the pool was healed. When Jesus asked the man, who had been lame for 38 years, how he was doing, the man said because he did not have anyone to help him, when the waters stirred someone always stepped in before him. Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk” (v 8) and the man was instantly healed. In the account, the apostle John provides some detail about the pool. First he said it was near the “sheep’s gate” and secondly it had “five porticoes” (verse 2). A portico, similar to a porch, is a covered entrance way. It was a five-sided pool. However, because the healing …

Casual sex connected to depression and suicidal thoughts

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Researchers at Ohio State University discovered a link between casual sex and poor mental health. This included increased depression and thoughts of suicide.  They interviewed 10,000 students in grades 7 to 12 and then re-interviewed them between the ages of 18 to 26. The research group specifically surveyed them on depression and suicidal thoughts. Of these students, 29% said they participated in casual sex (women 24%, men 33%).

Where do healing and miracles come from?

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The dramatic healing of a dwarf in a church in England teaches an important truth about healing. Jesus said His disciples would perform more miracles than He did during His brief ministry. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” (John 14:12 NASV) Though these miracles would come through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49), believers are the instruments through which this healing power flows. An article in the Daily Mail reporting on a miraculous healing in England demonstrates this principle at work. 

A Mighty Fortress is our God — our wedding song

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A unique rendition of “A Mighty Fortress is Our God, my favourite hymn, sung by Brian Doerksen. My wife basically planned our wedding many years ago. I only wanted one thing. I wanted her to come down the aisle with this song. I know this is not a traditional wedding song, but it was a powerful entrance. Brian Doerksen is a song writer and worship leader based in Abbotsford, B.C., Canada. 

Tehran, Iran Credit: rasool abbasi17/Wikipedia

Iranian Christians sentenced to 80 lashes for drinking communion wine

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On October 6, four Iranian men were sentenced to 80 lashes each for drinking ceremonial wine as part of a communion service in their local house church. Alcohol is forbidden under Iran’s sharia law which governs the justice system and the death penalty is an option for any Muslim who converts to Christianity. Last December, Behzad Taalipasand, Mehdi Rez Omidi (Youhan), Mehdi Dadkhah (Danial) and Amir Hatemi (Youhanna) were attending a house church in Rasht, Iran, when the meeting was raided by Iranian police. According to sources, the portion of their name in brackets represents their Biblical names. 

Marriage on the rocks in England

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Marriage is under attack around the world. Here  are a few facts reflecting marriage and divorce trends in England. These stats are probably similar to those found in many developed nations. Did you know more people were married in the UK in 1862 than were married in 2011. 1862 was the first year records were kept of England’s marriage rates. in 1996, there were 1.6 million people between the ages of 45-62 living alone. By 2012, that number had increased to 2.4 million — an 800,000 increase. 

Shocking number of Americans believe we have entered the end times

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In July 2013,  James F. Fitzgerald, author of The 9/11 Prophecy — Startling Evidence of the End Times, commissioned a poll to find out if Americans believe the world has entered the end times. Fitzgerald said he was stunned by the results. According to the poll conducted by the Barna Group, 41% of Americans believe we have entered what Bible teachers have popularized as the “end times” and what the Bible describes as as the “Latter Days” (Hosea 3:5) or the “Day of the Lord” (Ezekiel 30:3). This percentage included the views of all Americans — religious and not.