What we know about illegal immigration from Mexico
Even as border apprehensions dropped, deportations of Mexican immigrants reached a record high in 2013 of 314,904, up from 169,031 in 2005. This is due in part to a 2005 shift in policy that has increased the chances of being deported following apprehension in the border region, instead of just being sent back without an order of removal.
How the Gospel ended My Same Sex Relationship
Beloved brothers and sisters, if this battle rings true for you, I want you to know that I get it, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you have a VERY hard choice to make. I’m sorry because I know it doesn’t feel like a choice at all. I’m sorry because more people may judge you for trusting Christ and repenting than for “accepting your real self.”
I know how much you want it to be ok, but you’ll have to decide some things. Foremost, you’ll need to decide what the authority guiding your life will be. Will the Bible be your authority as it has been for Christians of all ages, or will the shifting winds of culture win the day? If the former, you need to hunker down and genuinely study what the Bible has to say. Read those on both sides of the debate, and pray that God would get you to truth, even if that truth is earth shattering. Jesus is worth the soul-searching anguish that may be awaiting you.
Why the world is not listening to the church
For example, did you know that in the United States you can divorce your mate for any reason at all and marry someone else. That is clearly against Scripture, but I do not remember Christians in an uproar over this clearly unBiblical view of marriage. What the world hears is “divorce OK but not same sex marriage.”
The Bible sure seems to indicate you should only marry a Christian. We sure are quiet about that.
Living together? Pretty quiet, aren’t we?
Seems very inconsistent. Or hypocritical.
The rhetoric I hear most from Christians is about how our country is abandoning our Christian principles and worry/fear about what is happening to America. Guess what is not in the Bible? Allegiance to an earthly kingdom. America is not a Christian nation. Never has been. Non-believers see the inconsistency.
Planned Parenthood, Selling Body Parts, and Appropriate Outrage
There are things not to be outraged about, and there are things to be outraged about.
Watching people have discussions about how best to kill and dismember an unborn baby would be one of the things to be outraged about.
Aborted baby parts for sale: Did journalists drag their feet on Planned Parenthood story?
I realize I haven’t really critiqued the media coverage itself with this post. My inability to offer a quick, easy opinion probably makes me a bad blogger (right, Sarah?). But as much as I hate to admit it, I’m still trying to understand the complexities and separate the fact from fiction — the reality from spin — in this situation.
What Are We Offended By Today?
The biblical response to a world offended by everything and anything is love. Just as God always has more grace than sin, Christians ought to have more love in their hearts than there is intolerance and indignation in the world. Love covers a multitude of sins, and it remains the identifying mark of Jesus followers. So the next time we find ourselves offended by those who are easily offended, perhaps we should note the emotion triggered by their easily-triggered indignation. Are we angry that they are offended? Do we want to lash out in bitterness or malice? Do we want to throw up our hands in disgust?
What would it take for us, instead, to pray a brief prayer of repentance and thanksgiving, praising God for loving us in spite our offensiveness to him? Ask for the power to live as Jesus did and love/forgive those who are so easily offended.
5 Ways Mission Agencies Stretch the Truth
There is nothing new in ministry exaggeration or riding on coattails of someone else—just read about Paul’s opponents in Corinth. For those of us who report back to donors and supporters, let’s seek to tell the truth so we don’t undermine what God is actually doing.
Christians and Non-Violence: Are We Where They Were?
In Acts, there are at least 13 instances where Christians are persecuted. The most famous of all is the persecution in Acts 8, by Saul of Tarsus. What was the churches reaction? Did they rise up and fight? Did they send in the F-16’s? Surely, they didn’t “take that lying down!” They, “Went about preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). That was their mighty weapon against persecution…the preaching of Jesus the Christ. They didn’t use violence, but preached the peace of Jesus. The interesting “pattern” within scripture is, that no matter how extreme the persecution was, the church responded in a non-violent way. Isn’t it interesting that the more the church was persecuted, the more the church grew through a strictly non-violent, gospel saturated, proclamation to those around them?
Hey Look the Most Nightmarish Idea for Plane Seating Ever
Zodiac Seats France, an industry supplier, has patented a new seating configuration that rips out the (horrid) middle seat in favor of one that faces the rear. With “Economy Class Cabin Hexagon,” you get more neighbors than ever before—and they are right in your face.
Can you guess which of these NBA players will make more money than Tim Duncan next season?
Tim Duncan just made another huge sacrifice. The 39-year-old legend is one of the 15 greatest players of all time and is still an All-Star, yet he signed a contract for just over $5 million next season so the Spurs had enough cap space to get LaMarcus Aldridge.
This quiz should put into perspective just how much Duncan sacrificed.