Why There? Attempts to ban building of Mosque at Ground Zero

A New York City panel voted unanimously Tuesday to reject landmark status for a building near the World Trade Center site, paving the way for construction of a mosque and an Islamic community centre.

Opponents of the project, including 9/11 first-responders and family members of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, have said the location would be insensitive.

The mosque is slated to be part of an Islamic community center to be operated by a group called the Cordoba Initiative, which says the center will be a space for moderate Muslim voices.

Several members of roughly 50 people who attended the hearing applauded the ruling, while others shouted "shame" as commission chairman Robert Tierney called for the vote. The city Landmarks Preservation Commission then proceeded to vote 9-0 against granting landmark status to the site's 152-year-old building, which can now be torn down to make way for the Islamic center.

One opponent, Linda Rivera, of Manhattan, held a sign reading, "Don't glorify murder of 3,000. No 9/11 victory mosque."

Supporters of the landmark status, including GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio and some Sept. 11 family members, had argued that the building warranted landmark status because it was struck by airplane debris during the attacks.

But commissioner Christopher Moore noted that the debris struck a number of buildings in the area.

"One cannot designate hundreds of building on that criteria alone," Moore said. "We do not landmark the sky."

The commission was asked to determine whether the building is architecturally important enough to preserve, not to consider the merits of the proposed mosque. Demolition and construction of the mosque can now proceed.

The move was applauded by the New York Civil Liberties Union and the American Civil Liberties Union, citing principles of religious freedom.

"We congratulate the Landmarks Preservation Commission for promoting our nation's core values and not letting bias get in the way of the rule of law," the groups said in a joint statement. "The free exercise of religion is one of America's most fundamental freedoms. For hundreds of years,our pluralism and tolerance have sustained and strengthened our nation. On 9/11, religious extremists opposed to that very pluralism killed 3,000 Americans. Those fanatics would want nothing more than for our nation to turn its back on the very ideals that make this country so great."

Oz Sultan, the program coordinator for the proposed Islamic center, said last week that the building has been changed too much over the years to qualify as a landmark.

"I think a lot of the negativity we're getting is coming from people who are politically grandstanding," Sultan said. "We're completely open and transparent."

Daisy Khan, executive director of the American Society for Muslim Advancement, told The Wall Street Journal in Tuesday's editions that the center's board will include members of other religions and explore including an interfaith chapel at the center.

"We want to repair the breach and be at the front and center to start the healing," said Khan, a partner in the building and the wife of the cleric leading the effort.

But Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, said Khan's proposals fail to address the crux of opponents' criticism that constructing the mosque near ground zero is insensitive to 9/11 victims' families.

Last week, the leading Jewish organization came out against the mosque. The ADL said "some legitimate questions have been raised" about the Cordoba Initiative's funding and possible ties with "groups whose ideologies stand in contradiction to our shared values."

Rick Bell, executive director of the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects, said the building does not deserve landmark status.

"The nature of the current building isn't worth preserving," Bell said.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg supported the mosque's construction, but the project has drawn opposition from former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, among others.

There can be no doubt that this is part of an aggressive thrust into the heartland of America by Islamic Fundamentalism, no doubt encouraged by Mayor Bloomberg's commitment to the imposition of Islamic Sharia Law on the secular marketplace. It's the old story once again. Give an inch and they take a mile! I will accept the building of Mosques in prominent positions in major cities in both America and the United Kingdom, provided that for every mosque that is built a Christian Cathedral and a Jewish Synagogue is built and protected from attack in every major city in the Islamic world. Seems only fair to me. After all, as the expression goes, what's good for the goose is good for the gander!

Hymn for today . . .

I wrote the following hymn in June 2006, and share it with you here today. The tune is Quam Dilecta, to which the hymn We love Thy place, O God, is sung. Why not sing it at home or in one of your church services. You can download more of my hymns by visiting www.sheerjoymusic.com

The One True God 6.6.6.6.
Tune: Quam Dilecta

You are the one true God,
And we our worship bring;
Creator of all things,
This song of praise we sing.

Alone You’re holy, Lord,
You are the One-and-Three,
The Father, Spirit, Son,
The holy Trinity.

All heav’n bows down to You,
Acknowledging Your ways,
In wonderment and awe,
Give love’s eternal praise.

We join with angel throng,
Who gather up above,
To glorify and praise
With wondrous songs of love.

So may it never end,
This holy song of praise,
We praise the one true God,
Our Father, all our days!
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, June 2006

Daniel Ubani : Killer GP. Who will be his next victim?

Second-rate Nigerian trained German doctor, Daniel Ubani, who killed David Gray by injecting him with ten times the recommended dosage of the pain-relieving drug, diamorphine, is attempting to use European Human Rights laws to silence the late Mr Gray's two sons from speaking out the truth about how he (Ubani) killed their father.

He claims that their campaign to bring him to justice is denying him the right to continue practising. Thank goodness that the brothers are waging their campaign, for by so doing they are preventing the killing of another victim of Ubani's flawed 'expertise'.

Ubani claims that the reason for the overdose he administered to David Gray was that he was unfamiliar with the drug and that he was tired, having only had three hours sleep after flying to the UK from Germany on the day prior to the incident. If these reasons are true then he is guilty of malpractice on both accounts. Firstly, if he was unfamiliar with the drug why did he not familiarise himself with it prior to using it? Secondly, if he was too tired to perform his duties safely and efficiently, why did he continue to proceed regardless?

Rather than allowing Ubani to succeed in his attempt to silence the Gray brothers protests he should be returned to the UK to face the charges that have been made in a British Court.

His continued refusal to be brought to justice for the killing should guarantee an ongoing ban against him working in the medical profession. He has proven by his actions that he is incompetent, so until he can prove that he is now competent then he should be barred from practice anywhere.

Poem for Today

When We Meet With Jesus 6.6.6.6.

When we meet with Jesus
And look Him in the face,
We’ll all be overjoyed
To stand there by His grace.

Stand before the Saviour,
And at His feet bow low,
Worship in His glory,
His power and blessings know.

Place your hand in His hand,
Then give to Him your heart,
Heaven’s Son before you,
Where love and mercy start.

Seek to be like Jesus,
Serve him your whole life through,
Claim Him as your Master,
And know that He’ll own you.

Walk each day with Jesus,
Be like Him in your ways;
Then one day in heaven,
Sing His eternal praise!
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, June 2006

Joanne Lowe's Meditations

CLEAN OUR HEARTS

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

Psalm 51:10 (King James Version)

I think if we are honest with ourselves that there are times when we harbor unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, jealousy and hatred in our hearts. These things hurt Jesus and break His heart.

We may not say unkind things to people but we think unkind thoughts about them. We need to ask God to clean our hearts and renew a right spirit within us. It is very important that we keep our hearts in right standing with God.

We don’t know when Jesus is coming back but He is coming back. What condition is your heart in today? If Jesus came for us right now, would you be able to look Him in the eyes or would you have to hang your head in shame?

We can take a bath when our bodies get dirty but only God can clean our hearts and renew a right spirit within us. Have you allowed God to give your heart a bath and renew a right spirit within you?

Heavenly Father, we come to You today confessing that we have allowed things to remain in our hearts that hurt You. We’re sorry. Please have mercy on us and forgive us. Help us to keep our hearts clean so we won’t hurt You. Thank You. Amen.

Joanne Lowe

joannelowe8@cox.net

www.joanne-ourprecioussaviour.blogspot.com

The King is Coming!

THE KING IS COMING

Read: Matthew 24: 4-14

Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name claiming, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many.

(Matthew 24: 4-5)

‘SUFFERING IN SUDAN’ — THE CHURCH IS UNDER THREAT IN IRAQ — PASTOR KILLED BY GUNMAN — ACCUSED CHRISTIAN BROTHERS KILLED OUTSIDE COURT — KYRGYZSTAN: CHRISTIANS BECOME LATEST TARGET IN ETHNIC VIOLENCE.
Just a selection of reports that have been sent to me in the last few weeks, and similar in content to reports which come in to me all the time from around the world. In this country we often hear about Christians who are being persecuted in one way or another for their faith, and only the foolish would dare to think that Christianity is not being systematically sidelined by the governing authorities.
In addition, there are increasing numbers of Christians who are being totally misled by false doctrines many of which start life in America and are then shipped over to the United Kingdom. These include the much-publicised ’Toronto Blessing’ and the more recent ’Lakeland Revival’, all of which display a variety of signs that indicate demonic influence. Tested against the indisputable truth of the Bible they can easily be seen to be suspect, and yet those who are being influenced by them seem to be blind to the facts that stare the more discerning Christian in the face.

Liberal theologians will tell you that the Bible is a collection of ideals which are to be interpreted by men for their betterment, and they will dismiss the aspects of the Bible that they fail to either fully understand or have the ability to offer a literal explanation for. You don’t have to go very far to find many clerics who refute the story of Creation as recorded in Genesis, yet Jesus Himself often referred back to it in order to underpin and stress the points that He was making. If the story of Creation is just a load of symbolism and folklore rather than the truth, why would Jesus quote from it so often? Countless members of the clergy refute the story of the virgin birth and there are those who deny the resurrection, so how can they retain their positions of leadership?
The truth is that many churches and church leaders have so watered down the bible in vain attempts to make it ‘user-friendly’ that have become guilty of misleading those whom they are appointed to lead. The result in the end will be that many are denied eternity with Jesus Christ because they have readily accepted false doctrine.

Only this year one member of my congregation told me that they believed that people would get to heaven if they were ‘good people’, despite the fact that this claim is disproved in the Bible. Jesus said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6). Yet when I pointed this passage out to the person concerned the immediate response was that they believed that the various gods worshipped by other religions were all Jesus under a different name!

I believe that we are in the end times, and that the state of the world is all the proof that we need when considered in the light of God’s Word. There are many indications in the Bible that point to God’s measure of time being far different to man’s understanding of it. Jesus warned against the coming of the Antichrists. These were not total strangers to the church; they had once been in the church, yet without belonging to it. Many people, including those in leadership positions, may call themselves Christians for dishonest reasons. For some people going to church is a tradition or a habit, often maintained because people enjoy the social contacts they make there. The only good reason for going to church has to be Christ-centred. It has to be that you want to be part of a fellowship of believers who come together to worship and praise God, and who desire to be loyal and trustworthy followers of Jesus Christ.

The apostle John warned against the Antichrists, Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many Antichrists have come (1 John 2:18). By his reference to ‘the last hour’ John is speaking about the last days, the time between the first and second coming of Christ. We are living in the last days, just as the First-Century believers were, but the indications are that we are also living in the end times of the last days. The purpose of the false teachers, who are the Antichrists referred to in Scripture, is to lure weaker members of the Church away from Christ by their false teaching.

Our faith, given to us initially as a gift from God, needs to be fed on God’s word in order to grow, and growth is important in faith as in all things. The Bible teaches us: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). Our greatest defence against false teaching is by immersing ourselves in the Word of God and trusting in its absolute truth. As we immerse ourselves in Scripture so we are drawn nearer to God through an increased knowledge of Him, and as our knowledge of, and closeness to, God increases so our ability to discern the truth increases proportionately.

Our hope is in Jesus Christ, and in His promises that He will return for us and that He has prepared a place for us in heaven to be with Him. To disbelieve these promises is to disbelieve Jesus Christ and to doubt the Word of God. Have no doubt in your mind that Jesus will come again. The important thing is to be ready for Him. Jesus said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father (Matthew 24:36); and the apostle Paul writes to the Thessalonians that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2).

As we move closer and closer to Christ’s return the first and most important sign that points to it is increased religious deception, and this will affect many of those who claim to follow Christ. Jesus warns that the false prophets will come performing great signs and miracles and deceive even the elect — if that were possible (Matthew 24:24). Paul writes to Timothy, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:13).

The George Barna Group, a market research company specialising in studying the religious beliefs and behaviour in America, has uncovered some alarming facts which, whilst they may be the results of research into American beliefs, may nevertheless be concluded to apply similarly to the United Kingdom. Their research demonstrates a radical gap between what many Christians publicly profess to believe and what they actually believe in private.
They found that:
59% do not believe in the existence of Satan.
51% believe that praying to dead saints is beneficial.
35% believe that you can communicate with the dead.
50% believe that salvation is earned and not a gift of grace.
75% believe that people are born neither good nor evil, and that therefore the concept of ‘original sin’ is untrue.
44% believe that the bible, the Qur’an and the Book of Mormon are all different expressions of the same truth.
54% believe that truth can only be discovered through logic, human reasoning and personal experience.
These deceptions grow in people who reject God’s Word as the infallible authority on truth, yet these same people claim that they are Christians.

Time is running short before our Lord returns. I believe that the disastrous state of the world is an indication that the birth-pains of His return are already with us. The early signs foretold in the Bible are with us already. We have wars, famines, earthquakes, and violence and disruption in our world. Christians are being persecuted on a massive scale. The persecution is very real. People are being executed and murdered because of their belief in Christ. All of these things are signs that the end is coming.

Do not be deceived! Test everything that you are told against Scripture, knowing that the Word of God is always absolute truth. When Christ returns there will be no time then to make ready. Scripture tells us that everything will happen in the twinkling of an eye, so we need to live our lives in a state of readiness.

Jesus has given us all the signs that point towards His return: Deception; Persecution; Global Birth-pains; False Prophets; Falling away from the truth; Wickedness and Global Evangelism.

Christ is coming again for certain, and He is coming soon!
Amen

A Smile from God!

......... and looking up into the night sky, the pink of the setting sun as the day prepared to rest, God sent a smile to reassure His people that He was there and that he cared for them.

Poem for Today

One Day 8.7.8.7.

One day we’ll all be in heaven,
singing praises to God on high;
we’ll be in glory with Jesus,
there in the sweet bye and bye.

One day we’ll all be in heaven,
lit by the pure light of God;
climbing the path to His kingdom,
in the footsteps of our Lord.

One day we’ll all be in heaven,
singing a glorious song;
we’ll stand face to face with Jesus,
praising Him all the day long.

One day we’ll all be in heaven,
standing in wonder and awe;
filled with His love and His glory,
praising Him there evermore.
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, June 2006

Joanne Lowe's Meditations

EVERY TIME

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”

Matthew 18:21, 22 (King James Version)

Have you ever heard a parent say to a child “You told me five minutes ago that you wouldn’t do that any more and you just did it again”? Have you ever said that to your children? I think if we will listen with our hearts we will hear Jesus saying to us “You told Me you wouldn’t do that again but you just did it”.

No matter how many times we fail Jesus and hurt Him, if we tell Him that we’re sorry and ask Him to forgive us, He is faithful to forgive us. If the Saviour of the world forgives us every time we hurt Him, how much more we should forgive those who hurt us.

How dare we ask God to forgive us if we are not willing to forgive those who hurt us. We need to remember that none of us are perfect. There was only one perfect person who ever lived or ever will live and His name is Jesus. He never sinned one time yet He died for our sins.

If we want our families and friends to forgive us, we had better forgive them. No matter how many times they hurt us, we need to forgive them. Do you forgive from your heart or do you just tell them that you forgive them? Are you only giving them lip service?

May God have mercy on us if we are harboring unforgiveness in our hearts. Heavenly Father, please forgive us for hurting You and for not forgiving those who hurt us. Help us to forgive from our hearts and not just give them lip service. Thank You. Amen.

Joanne Lowe

joannelowe8@cox.net

www.joanne-ourprecioussaviour.blogspot.com

Joanne Lowe's Meditations

THANK GOD FOR THE CROSS

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:2 (King James Version)

The cross that Jesus endured was a cross of shame, horror and excruciating pain. However, it was also a cross of unconditional love, mercy, grace, compassion and forgiveness. Our precious Saviour not only gives unconditional love; He is unconditional love.

Pastor Alfred Henry Ackley wrote a song that should challenge every Christian “Take Up Thy Cross”. Every time I read or sing these words, they challenge me. “Take up thy cross and follow Me.” I hear the blessed Savior call; How can I make a lesser sacrifice, When Jesus gave His all?”

After all that Jesus has done for us and does for us every day, may God have mercy on us if we don’t take up our crosses and follow Him. If ever someone deserves to be praised, adored and honoured, it is Jesus! He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Heavenly Father, we give You thanks for Jesus, our precious Saviour. Thank You for opening Your heart of compassion and sending Jesus to pay the price for our sins. Please forgive us for not taking up our crosses and following Jesus.

I love You, Heavenly Father. I love You, Jesus, and I appreciate all You have done for me and all that You do for me every day. I love You, Holy Spirit. Thank You for being my teacher. All hail, King Jesus! Worthy is the Lamb of God! Amen.

Joanne Lowe

joannelowe8@cox.net

www.joanne-ourprecioussaviour.blogspot.com

Kundalini Spirits invade the Church

I leave you to make up your own mind whether or not you are convinced that this is something really worthwhile being involved in or if it is, as Andrew Strom warns, something to be defeated and thrown out of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Of course, there will be many who are already involved who will be tempted to jump up quickly and protest, but this is a time for real discernment amongst those who are truly committed to Worshipping God as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ.

Being possessed by the Holy Spirit is good. Being possessed by the Kundalini-type spirits is evil.

Primary School Sex Education DVD introduces infants to pornography

The following arrived in my 'Inbox' today from a friend who is a very concerned parent. Personally, I think everyone, whether parent or grandparent, aunt or uncle, or simply a right-thinking adult, should be very concerned as well.

British Actor says Primary School Sex Education DVD ’has cartoon that is similar to Porn’
By Michael Ireland (Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service LIVERPOOL, UK (ANS)

A highly-trained British actor and his wife are protesting a sex education DVD being distributed in Primary (Elementary) schools across the United Kingdom.

British actor Christopher Lee Power, whose training includes The Lee Strasberg Studio, Richmond Drama School, RADA as well as having the opportunity to appear in many soaps, including the long-running Coronation Street, is protesting with his wife against a Channel 4 DVD called 'Living and Growing' which is being used in primary schools sex education for 7-11 year olds.

Christopher and Pauline grew up in the Northern England shipbuilding town of Birkenhead, just across the River Mersey from Liverpool.

Pauline Power says: “As parents we believe that our son should be educated at the appropriate time and with good quality material not this questionable material that has parents up and down the country out crying against. Britain has the highest teenage pregnancies in Europe and thousands of these DVD’s have been sold to our schools."

Christopher and Pauline had received a letter from the school asking them to view a DVD called 'Living and Growing' produced by Channel 4. The letter however did not inform parents about the sexual intercourse scene section of the DVD, but instead mentioned that it would be about puberty.

The DVD includes a naked cartoon couple chasing each other around a bed with a feather before having sex in a number of positions.

It includes a narrator talking about physical changes during sex, which is described as “very exciting for both as they feel happy being together.” The voiceover promotes sex as 'exciting' and 'fun' and with a child’s voice saying ‘they look so happy together.’

Christopher has called for the “How Babies Are Made” section of Channel 4’s 'Living And Growing' sex education video to be taken off the timetable at all primary schools and that their should be an inquiry into why this explicit material has been used.

Pauline Power added: "Parents have a duty to safeguard the well being of their children and have a right to be properly consulted, and we are calling for schools to have greater transparency as, often, parents are not told the contents of these DVD’s in detail as you would with any other DVD at home."

As parents Christopher and Pauline feel that the dangers of sex should be stated and taught responsibly to protect children, and the DVD that was shown to them made no mention of the dangers, and this should be a basic duty.

The couple says that the Channel 4 DVD in question has a cartoon that can only be described as pornographic as it is a sexually drawn cartoon of two naked people having sex in different positions. They says its graphic content does not discuss any of the dangers associated with sex, so how can this be educational? Rather, it is putting children at risk of early experimentation or exploitation.

Although Higher Bebington Junior school did agree the scenes trivialized the important messages and have edited some of the footage, Christopher and Pauline are hoping that primary schools in the UK will follow suit. They are still trying to get their school to remove other explicit material with in the series.
In a note to ANS, Christopher says that "all week my wife and I have been the focus of attention regarding the DVD 'Living and Growing' by Channel 4.
"As parents we believe that our son should be educated at the appropriate time and with good quality material, not this questionable material that has parents up and down the country outcrying against it," he said.
"Parents have a duty to safeguard the wellbeing of their children and have a right to be properly consulted, and we are calling for schools to have greater transparency as, often, parents are not told the contents of these DVD's in detail, and have (received) misleading leading letters which state puberty -- then show children films on intercourse."

Christopher went on to say: "We as a society have the responsibility of helping our children learn, but also to have a childhood. We as parents feel that the dangers within sex education should be stated and taught, and I know that from what my wife and I have seen so far there is no mention of the dangers -- this should be a basic duty.
"In our opinion we feel that the Channel 4 DVD in question has a cartoon that can only be described as pornographic as it is a sexually-drawn cartoon of two people having sex in different positions, and because of its graphic content and is not educational, but damaging to childen. It promotes sex as 'exciting' and 'fun', and what child does not want to feel all these things? So it encourages experimentation and, at the worse, exploitation. Where is the innocence of children growing up, 'let Children be Children'?
Christopher further went on to explain that parents, who are the experts on their children, should be empowered to teach sensitive children these issues, as they will know the appropriate time for them in the home rather than a large classroom.
He added: "The school should listen to them; unfortunately parents rarely are listened to. Let's not allow our Government or Channel 4 to dictate to us as parents what is an appropriate time. Let's not take away the responsibility of the parents and, in doing so, placing sensitive issues in the school which they are not getting right."

Christopher concluded: "As my wife and I clearly stated (recently) in Liverpool, we will march to 10 Downing Street, to the Prime Minister if we have to, in order to have the right to protect our children from illicit materials promoted by questionable sources such as Channel 4 who also produce programs such as 'Big Brother.
"Should our Government not be listening to the true experts. and that is the parents, who have a love for the child they have watched grown?"
If you wish to show your support to this campaign then e-mail the Power's at hamlet00@live.co.uk

To view a small section of the said DVD, go to Youtube and type in ‘Living and Growing: how babies are made.’

Kundalini Warning: Andrew Strom's latest book

For the past twenty five years shameful deceptions have captivated, entertained and deceived the Christian Church. As they have unfolded, so they have brought destructive and unholy influences into many areas of the church with the result that the body of believers has been grievously harmed.

This book is accurate in its outlined analysis of what has happened, clearly stating how the Holy has been profaned, and is a valuable resource to those unfamiliar with the roots and history of this demonic infiltration into the Church.

Let the wise heed the warnings in this excellent book, and be determined to set straight what has been deformed. Don't let the practises and errors of such false prophets as Todd Bentley and others in the Prophetic movement be repeated, as they bring shame and ridicule to the gifts and blessings of God.

This latest book by Andrew Strom is one that should be read by everyone who considers themselves to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. I would encourage everyone, especially new believers who have yet to learn true spiritual discernment, to prayerfully consider the teaching that this book affords.

Let those new to the things of the Spirit and those now disillusioned in their faith, learn from this resource and not let these mistakes be repeated.

Oil spill disaster : Why not blame everyone, Mr President?

Barack Obama, Kenyan-born President of the United States, continues his vitriolic rhetoric against beleaguered oil giant, BP, due to some extent to his wanting to deflect public opinion away from his diminishing popularity.

This foreign-born President constantly stresses the point that BP is a 'British', and hence foreign, owned Company, yet fails miserably to place any blame on the American Companies who are BP's partners in the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

There is no questioning the fact that this is a massive disaster, particularly from an ecological viewpoint, but if blame for the accident is to be apportioned correctly then it must be placed upon all involved, and that includes the federal Mineral Management Service who sold the oilfield lease concerned at auction to BP in 2008 for some $34 million; MOEX Offshore, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mitsui Oil Exploration Co. of Tokyo, Japan, which is based in Houston, Texas; Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, an American-owned company based also in Houston. The rig itself was the property of Transocean, the largest deepwater oil drilling specialist contractors in the world. Transocean, despite having relocated to Switzerland is just about as American as it can get, much like pumpkin or apple pie. This US Company, with around 26,000 employees working in America, moved to Switzerland for the tax benefits it could legally obtain, and maintains a relatively small staff in the Canton of Zug. The Company's move has saved them millions of dollars that would otherwise have gone into the US economy.

As I have already stated, there is no doubt that this is a disaster of epic proportion, but the way to resolve the tragedy is not the way that Obama is doing, stirring up hatred of a respected British/American owned Company by his vitriolic outbursts.

So, Mr President, if your way of dealing with this disaster is to apportion blame then why do you not apportion it to all concerned. That means that you must start with the MMS, and include MOEX Oil Exploration Co., Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and Transocean Ltd, as well as BP.

Of course, there is another way, and that is for the US administration, directed by it's President, to work with the companies involved to resolve the disaster. What a pity that the damaged pipeline cannot be repaired by hot-air. If it could them President Obama would have resolved the issue all on his own by now.

Grace Bawden sings 'Man of Colours'

Listen to the fabulous voice of Grace Bawden singing Man of Colours. I predict that this young Australian singer is going to go a very long way! In fact, I predict that it won't be too long before she is up there amongst the Megastars. Her voice control is excellent and she has an amazing 3.5 octave range.

I recently sent Grace several of my songs and she plans to record one of them soon in a demo. It would be fantastic to have my work sung by such a rising star. The music for all of the songs which I sent Grace is composed by my composer partner from Michigan, Greg Sheer. Greg is an amazingly talented composer and it's a great privilege for me to be able to work with him. We have collaborated on almost forty songs over the last three years or so, and I hope we manage to keep on keeping our 'Hit Factory' running for many years to come.

Joanne Lowe's Meditations

OUR FLESH IS WEAK

“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

2 Corinthians 12:8,9 (King James Version)

One of my favorite songs is “Just a Closer Walk with Thee”. The author of the song is unknown. These words are so precious to my heart. “I am weak, but Thou art strong; Jesus, keep me from all wrong; I’ll be satisfied as long as I walk, let me walk close to Thee”. It should be the heart’s cry of every Christian to walk close to Jesus.



The pain from the arthritis in my arms, legs, feet and back is getting worse and my flesh is getting weak. How thankful I am to know that when I am weak, Jesus is strong. Without Jesus, I could do nothing. He is the reason I get out of bed and He is every breath that I take. He is my all in all and the Sonshine of my heart.

Eva Mae and Mylon LeFevre wrote a beautiful song that describes how I feel “Without Him I Could Do Nothing”. O how I love this song! “Without Him, I could do nothing. Without Him, I’d surely fail. (Think about it.) Without Him, I would be drifting like a ship without a sail”. Thank God that Jesus is my lifeboat in the midst of turmoil, weakness and heartaches.

If your flesh is weak and you don’t think you can take another step or give another smile, allow Jesus to pick you up and carry you. He will be faithful to carry you through all the valleys of your life. Aren’t you glad we have a Saviour who really loves us and cares about us!

Joanne Lowe

joannelowe8@cox.net

www.joanne-ourprecioussaviour.blogspot.com

Susan Marrs sings 'When I'm With You'

This is the first video that was launched a while ago with my song When I'm With You, beautifully sung by Susan Marrs. It's the title song from her album of love songs released and available from the Sheer Joy Music online shop.

I hope you enjoy it!

'THE LEGO CHURCH '

This is amazing! Someone certainly is talented and patient to create such a masterpiece. It certainly has the WOW! factor for me! (If you want to see larger pictures then just click on them and they should enlarge automatically.)

A few quick facts:
Q: How long to build it?
A: It was about a year and a half of planning, building and photographing.

Q: How many pieces of LEGO to build it?
A: More than 75,000?

Q: How big is it?
A: About 7 feet by 5 1/2 feet by 30 inches (2.2 m x 1.7 m x .76 m)

Q: How many LEGO people does it seat?
A: 1,372

Q: How many windows?
A: 3,976?

It features a balcony, a grand entrance lobby , stairs to the balcony, toilets/restrooms , cloakrooms, several mosaics, a nave, a baptistery, an altar, a crucifix, a pulpit and an elaborate pipe organ.

Billy Graham's Prayer For Our Nation

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!'

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, 'The Rest of the Story,' and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One nation under God.'

Revival & Renewal Meetings in Devon

I leave for Devon on Sunday, and am busy preparing to lead the Mission that will take place at Wotter Community Chapel on the South Western corner of Dartmoor, just a few miles from Plymouth. There is a great team assembled and I am being joined on the Mission by singer Gary Cordice. I will be sharing the message of the Gospel from Tuesday to Saturday at 7 pm each evening.

If you can come along then it would be good to welcome you, but even if you cannot then it would be good to have you lifting the Mission up in prayer.

This is a Mission to share the Gospel, and there will be nothing on sale and no calls for money during the week. I feel that when you go to a Mission Service you go for the benefit of your soul and God's eternal Kingdom, and that money has no place there. Of course it costs money to mount these Missions, but I am doing so in answer to God's call to do so, and so I firmly believe that if I honour Him then He will honour what we are doing and cover all the costs in other ways.

I pray that there will be much renewing and reviving during the week, and pray for a rich harvest for the Kingdom.

Jesus Carries the Weary

There are times in your life when the going gets so tough that you feel really weary. So weary, in fact, that you don't quite know how you can carry on your journey, yet you still manage to make it. Why? Because these are the times that the Lord Jesus will carry you in His loving arms, helping you to overcome the hurdles in your path, helping you to get your breath and your strength back, enabling you to carry on and help to carry someone else in need in the name of Jesus.

Commitment and Faith to Christ

COMMITMENT & FAITH

A few years ago my nephew was diagnosed with terminal cancer, yet such was his faith that he refused to give up all hope, determined to be an inspiration to others. I stories about people who won’t give up because people who remain committed, even when the going gets tough, are a source of great inspiration.

Jesus inspired many to follow Him when He was here on earth, yet sometimes people would decide that they wanted to follow Him without realising what the cost would be. Whilst on the way to Jerusalem, where Jesus knew He faced persecution and death, a man approached Him and told Him that he would follow Him wherever He went. Jesus replied to him that foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head. (Luke 9:58). The decision to follow Jesus is one that requires total commitment. Jesus must always come first in your life. The decision require more than dedication, for total commitment means determination, regardless of what the cost might be. What Jesus was saying to this man in effect was that if he chose to follow Him the path would not be an easy one. There would be difficulties along the way. There would be days when he would not know where he would sleep that night, or know where the next meal was coming from. There would be times of discouragement, yet real commitment means that you keep looking forward.

If you start out on the journey which is the Christian Life, and then quit when the going becomes tough, then you risk being ridiculed by some and a source of discouragement to others. In the Book of Hebrews, chapter eleven has been referred to as ’Faith’s Hall of Fame’, listing as it does the heroes of faith who died without receiving what they had been promised. These are those who make up what is referred to in Chapter 12 as the ’great cloud of witnesses’, whose faithfulness is a great source of encouragement to every believer. When we think about them and the struggles that they faced and overcame, we realise that we do not have to struggle alone, neither are we the first to struggle with the type of problems that we face. Many others have run the race before us and won. Paul urges us to Run in such a way as to get the prize and points out that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize (1 Cor. 9:24). If we are to claim the prize then we must shed everything that would slow us down, and run the race with only that which we need for the journey. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (12:2). Facing death towards the end of his life, Paul writes to Timothy that I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). We too must complete the race set out before us and keep the faith, and then we too will know, as Paul did, that there is a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing (2 Timothy 4: 7).

Just as the great heroes of faith still continue to inspire us, we can strive to be the inspiration for others. When we consider Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Paul and all those whom we read of in the Bible, and the great encouragement that they are to us, we can also think about those people who encourage our faith today. Together they make up the cloud of witnesses who encourage us when we are discouraged, who help us to build up our faith, to refuse to give up just because life is hard, or to quit over the difficulties that we face. There are many people who encourage me in my ministry, and without whom I would be the poorer for their absence. Whenever I’m tempted to feel discouraged I remember that I am being held in prayer by them, and that serves to lift me once again. Their faith inspires me, and I, in turn, do all that I can to be an encouragement and inspiration to others as well.

The writer of Hebrews says that we need to be prepared for the struggles that we will inevitably have to face, and he tells us to ... throw off everything that hinders. There are many things that we hold onto from our past that create a burden for us to carry through life if we refuse to let them go. Whatever the burden is we need to let it go once and for all. Bitterness from past relationships will rule us if we harbour them, and they block out the opportunities to enjoy a full relationship with Christ. Sometimes the burden will be an unwholesome attachment to possessions that stands in the way of our being an effective witness, and it may be that we need to shed some of our possessions as well. Whatever serves to distract us from the race set before us needs to be removed from our lives if we are to complete the race and win the prize.

Of course, the one great burden that can cause us to fall at the first hurdle is sin. The writer of Hebrews refers to the sin that so easily entangles us in verse 1. Sin is like a climbing vine that curls around us, entangling us in its grip, and if it’s left unchecked, increasing and increasing until it strangles us altogether. It’s when we cut ourselves free that we are left to run the race. I remember times at school when we set out on a cross-country run. Some boys would race off at the start only to run out of steam early and fall by the wayside, whilst others would pace themselves and conserve their energy for the final sprint needed to finish in a good position. Many Christians run the Christian race like those boys I mentioned, starting off full of promise only to run out of steam along the way and fall back altogether before the finish line. Sometimes, even though we have got on well for a time, we reach a point where we feel like giving up, and that’s where we most need to heed the words in Hebrews to run with perseverance the race marked out for us. We are not left alone, for we have the Holy Spirit as our running companion, and it’s the power that the Spirit gives that enables us to win. To live effectively we must keep our eyes fixed firmly on Jesus, and not on ourselves or on our surroundings. If we allow ourselves to be distracted then we will stumble and fall. The race is a race for Christ’s benefit, not for ours, and we must keep Him always in sight. Notice what the writer of Hebrews says, Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, & sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary & lose heart.

No matter what opposition He met with, and no matter how much He was persecuted, Jesus carried on, obedient to His Father’s will until He had completed the race and claimed the prize. When we hold on to this fact then it will encourage us to be the same. How easy it is for Christians and even whole churches to throw in the towel and quit because it has got difficult to carry on. How easy it is to give up and say that you don’t need the bother any more, that you don’t have to do this or that any more, yet the Bible urges us to go on, no matter how tough the going gets. We must focus on Jesus and do all for him, because one day we will stand before Him as our judge.

Romans 3:23 says, There is no difference, for all have sinned & fallen short of the glory of God. One day we will all be called to account before our judge, and we will have to have an answer for everything that has occurred in our lives. Will we be found guilty of neglecting our faith or will we be presented with a crown for our faithfulness? If you were brought before a court on a charge of being a committed Christian and of sharing the Gospel, would you be found Guilty, as charged or would your case be dismissed through lack of evidence?

The only hope we have is found in Jesus Christ. Without Him we have no hope in eternal terms, and that is why we must never turn our eyes from Him. Run the race with patience, and don’t lose heart. Don’t become discouraged. Don’t quit. Keep on running the race that has been set before you until, at the end, you can stand to claim your crown from Christ Himself.

Hymn for today . . .

Thanks

Tune: QUAM DILECTA

We thank You, our Lord God,

For everything You give;

For everything we have,

That shows us how to live.

All things to us are giv’n,

Our lives You richly bless;

Now freely we repent,

And Jesus Christ confess.

The harvest fields are ripe,

You call us all to go;

To reap and gather in,

The harvest here below.

So let us labour here,

Until our work is done;

May all that we achieve,

Be for Your Kingdom won.

© 2008 Colin Gordon-Farleigh

The July edition of 'The Voice Christian News & Views' is on the way

The July/August edition of The Voice Christian News & Views is being printed now, even as I write. As usual it's packed with interesting articles, cartoons, photographs and all that our readers across the world have come to expect of it. This issue has a four-page special feature of Canterbury Cathedral, packed with pictures to support the article. There is also a great message from Carter Conlon of Times Square Church, with solid Christian teaching.

If you are not already a subscriber to this great FREE magazine, why not register today to be added to the Mailing List. Check it out on our website or go straight to the page to register by clicking this link.

Andalucia: Holiday time to look forward to

Later this year we will be enjoying our holiday in Wales, but we have just found a great holiday destination to go to before that. It's at Bacor in Andalucia, and will be something quite different because it's a holiday in a cave-house. A cave-house? Yes, that's right, but this is not a draughty cave that a hermit might choose, but rather a house built into the cave carved in the mountain-side. The picture above shows the outside of the building.

Bacor is a small mountain village located within the biggest concentration of inhabited caves in Europe, with around half the local population living as 'troglodytes' in cave dwellings. These houses were built to adapt to the landscape and to provide a pleasant and consistent temperature throughout the year providing a cool relief during the summer heat and warmth in the winter.

Lake Negratin (above) is a 13km long lake, with clear turquoise waters. It's only a few minutes away from Casa Cave where we shall be staying, and has plenty of activities on offer such as swimming, fishing, or boat or pedalo hire.

The Alhambra Palace in Granada, is one of Spain's major tourist attractions. The Alhambra is a palace and fortress constructed during the14th century by the Moorish rulers of the Emirate of Granada.

Based on the southeastern border of the city, it was originally the residence of the Muslim rulers of Granada and their court, but since those times the site became a Christian palace.

It exhibits some of Spain's most famous Islamic architecture, together with Christian 16th-century buildings and gardens.

The Sierra Nevada ski resort is around an hours drive from Bacor, and is one of Spain's best and most popular ski resorts with a fantastic infrastructure, making it very accessible for skiers on short visits. There are synthetic snow machines to ensure that the ski slopes carry a consistent surface throughout the winter ski season.

The world championship hand gliding trials have been based at the Sierra Nevadas during the summer, and with the fabulous scenery that the resort offers, it's a year round attraction.

THE THINGS KIDS SAY . . .

KIDS IN CHURCH

3-year-old Reese :
'Our Father, Who does art in heaven, Harold is His name.
Amen.'

A little boy was overheard praying:
'Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it.
I'm having a real good time like I am.'

After the christening of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy replied, 'That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you guys.'

One particular four-year-old prayed, 'And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets.'

A Sunday school teacher asked her children as they were on the way to church service, 'And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?' One bright little girl replied, 'Because people are sleeping.'

A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin 5, and Ryan 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake.
Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. 'If Jesus were sitting here, He would say,
'Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.' Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, ' Ryan , you be Jesus !'

A father was at the beach with his children when the four-year-old son ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore where a seagull lay dead in the sand. 'Daddy, what happened to him?' the son asked.
'He died and went to Heaven,' the Dad replied. The boy thought a moment and then said, 'Did God throw him back down?'

Mary Johanssen invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to her six-year-old daughter and said, 'Would you like to say the blessing?' 'I wouldn't know what to say,' the little girl replied. 'Just say what you hear Mummy say,' the wife answered.

.

The daughter bowed her head and said, 'Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?'

Joanne Lowe's Meditations

A CLEAN HEART

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

Psalm 51:10 (King James Version)

I was always reading when I was a teenager because I loved to read. I remember several times when I was reading a book that Mom would say “Joanne, wash the dishes”. I didn’t want to stop reading so I said to her “Why do I have to wash the dishes? They just get dirty again”.

I used to work in an airport as part of the janitorial service. It seemed like every time we cleaned the bathrooms they were dirty again in five minutes. When I mop my kitchen and bathrooms and hallway, it doesn’t take very long for them to get dirty and I have to mop them again.

The same is true with our hearts. God has forgiven us and given us clean hearts. However, our hearts get dirty again because we allow satan to put unforgiveness, resentment, hatred, bitterness, jealousy, sarcasm and criticism in our hearts. We need God to clean our hearts once again.

Is your heart clean or dirty? Do you need God to clean your heart? Heavenly Father, we ask You to please forgive us for hurting people and for doing things and saying things that hurt You. Please clean our hearts and renew a right spirit within us. Amen.

Joanne Lowe

joannelowe8@cox.net

www.joanne-ourprecioussaviour.blogspot.com

Joanne Lowe's Meditations

ARE WE WALKING WORTHY

“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

Colossians 1:10 (King James Version)

Johnson Oatman, Jr. who was a Methodist Episcopal minister, wrote the lyrics to five thousand Gospel songs. One of his songs that I really like is “Worthy the Lamb”. These words in the song should make us search our hearts and see if we are walking worthy of the Lord.

“Worthy is the Lamb, who shed His precious blood to restore a world to happiness and God; “When no eye could pity and no arm could save,” Jesus for our ransom, Himself freely gave.” Are we freely giving ourselves in service to Jesus?

Have we grasped in our hearts the urgency of telling lost souls of a risen Saviour? Do we really care that people are dying without Jesus? If we do care, then we will shut off the television and pick up the telephone and call people. We will go and tell everyone we see about Jesus.

Heavenly Father, please forgive us for neglecting to tell our families, our friends and everyone we see about Jesus, the Saviour of the world. Please give us a desire to witness for Jesus. May we be found worthy in the service of Jesus.

Help us, Father, to love lost people so much that we will pray for them and witness to them. I pray when others look at us that they will see the difference Jesus made in our lives. May we be a shining light for Jesus who died so that we may live.

Joanne Lowe

joannelowe8@cox.net

www.joanne-ourprecioussaviour.blogspot.com