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Re: Scripture of the Day
I am more outstandingly [a minister of Christ]: in labors more plentifully, in prisons more plentifully, in blows to an excess, in near-deaths often.—2 Corinthians 11:23.
Preaching with zeal and urgency is vital to keeping on the watch. The apostle Paul was an outstanding example in this regard. He exerted himself zealously, traveling extensively and establishing many congregations. He endured many hardships, yet he never lost his zeal or his sense of urgency. (2 Cor. 11:24-29) Consider our last glimpse of Paul in the book of Acts, as recorded in Acts chapter 28. Paul arrived in Rome, where he was to appear before Nero. He was kept in custody, perhaps chained to his guard. Yet, no chain could silence the zealous apostle! Paul continued to find ways to bear witness. After three days, Paul summoned the principal men of the Jews in order to give them a witness. Then, on a chosen day, he gave an even greater witness.—Acts 28:17, 23, 24.
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Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Re: Scripture of the Day
There exists a way that is upright before a man, but the ways of death are the end of it afterward.—Prov. 14:12.
If we rely on our own thinking, especially when we face serious problems, we are likely to endanger ourselves and those we love. For example, a family head may face severe pressure in providing materially for “those who are his own.” (1 Tim. 5:8) He might be tempted to take a job that repeatedly causes him to miss out on attending Christian meetings, taking the lead in family worship, etc. If he relies solely on human thinking, such a course could seem justifiable, even upright. However, it may well result in spiritual sickness or death. How much better to follow the counsel of Proverbs 3:5, 6! Said Solomon: “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight.”
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Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Love . . . in deed and truth.—1 John 3:18.
The love produced by holy spirit is markedly different from the sort of love that is common in the world. Jesus highlighted this difference in the Sermon on the Mount. (Matt. 5:43-48) He noted that even sinners will follow a policy of like for like, treating others as others treat them. Such “love” does not involve real sacrifice but amounts to an exchange of favors. If we want to ‘prove ourselves sons of our Father who is in the heavens,’ we must be different. Rather than treating others as they treat us, we are to view and treat others as Jehovah views and treats them. Our love for fellow believers goes further. “We are under obligation to surrender our souls for our brothers.” (1 John 3:16, 17) More often, though, we can show love in smaller ways. The intense love produced by holy spirit can help us to cover over minor transgressions, freely forgiving others “even as Jehovah freely forgave” us.—Col. 3:13, 14; 1 Pet. 4:8.
Now to know the truth, go to:
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To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.—James 4:8.
Young ones, the first step on the road to life is to make the truth your own. Have you taken that step? Ask yourself: ‘Am I a spiritual person, or is my participation in spiritual activities dependent on my parents? Do I cultivate qualities that make me pleasing to God? Do I make an effort to maintain a consistent routine of sharing in the activities related to true worship? Am I drawing close to God by nurturing a personal relationship with him?’ Reflect on Moses’ example. Despite having been subjected to a foreign culture, he chose to be identified as a worshipper of Jehovah rather than a son of the daughter of Pharaoh. (Heb. 11:24-27) Christian youths, you too need to be determined to serve Jehovah faithfully. By doing that, you will gain true happiness, the best quality of life now, and the hope of getting “a firm hold on the real life.”—1 Tim. 6:19.
Now to know the truth, go to:
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5)
6)
7)
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Well Here We See The Islamic Goal Of World Control – Read The Evidence
Clearly they are NOT for freedom of religion.
The Return of Al Qaeda and Jihadby Raymond Ibrahim
FrontPageMagazine.com
August 8, 2013
In the ousting of Muhammad Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, al-Qaeda has been vindicated and the terror-jihad exonerated, in the opinion of many Islamists, that is.
According to the Associated Press, in a new video, al-Qaeda leader Ayman Zawahiri "said the military coup that ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi provides proof that Islamic rule cannot be established through democracy and urged the Islamist leader's followers to abandon the ballot box in favor of armed resistance [i.e., jihad]."
In fact, in the Arabic video, Zawahiri gloats over two points that he has championed for decades despite widespread opposition: that the Brotherhood was foolish to engage in democracy and elections in the first place, and that the triumph of Islam can only be achieved through jihad.
Interestingly, these two points go back to a long but internal debate between nonviolent Islamists, like the Muslim Brotherhood, and violent jihadis, like al-Qaeda. While both groups pursue the same exact goals—a Sharia-ruling caliphate followed by the subjugation of the "infidel" world, according to Islamic teachings—they follow different strategies. The Brotherhood has long argued that, because the Islamic world is militarily weaker than the West, now is not the time for an all-out jihad, but rather a time for infiltration and subversion, a time for taqiyya and short-lived promises. Conversely, jihadis generally disavow pretense and diplomacy, opting for jihad alone.
Since the 1960s in Egypt, Ayman Zawahiri was an outspoken proponent of jihad (see "Ayman Zawahiri and Egypt: A Trip Through Time for a brief biography). In the early 1990s, he wrote an entire book titled Al Hissad Al Murr, or "The Bitter Harvest," where he argued that the Brotherhood "takes advantage of the Muslim youths' fervor by bringing them into the fold only to store them in a refrigerator. Then, they steer their onetime passionate, Islamic zeal for jihad to conferences and elections…. And not only have the Brothers been idle from fulfilling their duty of fighting to the death, but they have gone as far as to describe the infidel governments as legitimate, and have joined ranks with them in the ignorant style of governing, that is, democracies, elections, and parliaments."
Even so, after the terror strikes of 9/11, many became critical of al-Qaeda, whose actions were seen as setting back the Islamist agenda by creating more scrutiny and awareness in the West. The attacks further set off the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and gave many Arab governments—including former President Mubarak's—free reign to suppress all Islamists. As Montasser al-Zayyat, Zawahiri's biographer, wrote:
The poorly conceived decision to launch the attacks of September 11 created many victims of a war of which they did not choose to be a part…. Bin Laden and Zawahiri's behavior was met with a lot of criticism from many Islamists in Egypt and abroad…. In the post-September 11 world, no countries can afford to be accused of harboring the enemies of the United States. No one ever imagined that a Western European country would extradite Islamists who live on its lands. Before that, Islamists had always thought that arriving in a European city and applying for political asylum was enough to acquire permanent resident status. After September 11, 2001, everything changed…. Even the Muslim Brotherhood was affected by the American campaign, which targeted everything Islamic.
If the West "targeted everything Islamic," that was obviously short lived; for, from a different perspective, the post 9/11 world has proven to be the heyday of the Muslim Brotherhood. For starters, many Islamists began to see the wisdom of the Muslim Brotherhood's strategy of publicly renouncing violence (jihad) and appropriating Western language and paradigms in an effort to infiltrate and subvert.
And it certainly worked: the Brotherhood got what they wanted; their strategy of opting for elections and renouncing jihad, coupled with a highly sympathetic Obama administration, culminated with the Brotherhood leaving Egypt's prisons and filling the highest posts of government, beginning with the presidency.
However, now that the Brotherhood and Morsi have been ousted, the jihadis—chief among them Zawahiri, leader of al-Qaeda—are in full "we told you so" mode, renewing the argument that Islamic Sharia can never be established through infidel democracy, but rather only through jihad, long recognized as the only way to force people—including Muslims themselves—to comply with Allah's rule on earth. And it's becoming harder for nonviolent Islamists to argue otherwise, especially the now disgraced Brotherhood.
Thus, among an increasing number of Islamists, al-Qaeda's strategy—jihad and terror—has been justified and may well return in full force. Indeed, it's in this context that one must understand recent news that the U.S. "ordered the unprecedented closure of embassies in 19 countries across the Middle East and Africa," a decision sparked by Ayman Zawahiri's recent communiques.
No doubt Western apologists will now argue that it's in the West's interest to support and make concessions to the Muslim Brotherhood, since the alternative will be a renewal in jihadi terror. However, aside from the fact that such an argument is tantamount to submitting to blackmail—or that the resumption of jihad is just another reminder that al-Qaeda and the Brotherhood are two faces of the same coin—is it not better to get the ugly truth out in the open now, while the U.S. still has some power and influence, rather than later, when it will likely be even more infiltrated and handicapped?
Raymond Ibrahim is author of Crucified Again: Exposing Islam's New War in Christians (published by Regnery in cooperation with Gatestone Institute, April 2013). He is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and an associate fellow at the Middle East Forum.
Related Topics: Radical Islam, Terrorism | Raymond IbrahimThis text may be reposted or forwarded so long as it is presented as an integral whole with complete and accurate information provided about its author, date, place of publication, and original URL.
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Interesting How Politian’s Who Are Members Of Islam Are Against The Rights Of Others – Read Reality
Freedom Of Religion Is Swept Under The Rug.
Erdogan has abandoned his moderate facadeby Sam Nunberg
The Washington Times
August 8, 2013
The Turkish criminal courts have increasingly been used to further Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamist agenda through hate-speech prosecutions. The May 22 sentencing of Turkish-Armenian Sevan Nisanyan continues this disturbing trend of strangling political and social discourse.
Mr. Nisanyan is a man of many interests and talents. Linguist, journalist and hotel entrepreneur, Mr. Nisanyan is not only known for his guidebook to small, affordable hotels in Turkey, but also was awarded the 2004 Freedom of Thought Award by Turkey's Human Rights Association for advocating the open discussion on the Armenian genocide. In 2008, he authored "The Mistaken Republic: 51 Questions about Ataturk and Kemalism," arguing that Turkey's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, established a fascist dictatorship under the guise of nationalism. Mr. Nisanyan continues to frequently publish witty critical posts against the authoritarian bodies of the Turkish government on his blog, often with direct critiques on the Erdogan regime.
Following the worldwide protests last September by Muslims enraged by the release of the satirical YouTube film "The Innocence of Muslims," Mr. Nisanyan argued in a Sept. 29 post that such discourse should not be criminalized. While mocking Muhammad is "ugly," it does not constitute a "hate crime." Putting emphasis on the distinction, Mr. Nisanyan wrote:
"Mocking an Arab leader — who claimed that he contacted God hundreds of years ago and who gained political, financial and sexual profit from this — is not a hate crime. Almost at the level of kindergarten, it is a test case of the thing called 'freedom of expression.'"
Mr. Nisanyan subsequently explained that his 377-word posting was spawned by Mr. Erdogan's uproar over "that cheapo Muhammad film" and his demand that the West recognize "Islamophobia as a crime against humanity."
The post not only prompted 15 separate criminal complaints, but Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag, an Erdogan confidant, called on prosecutors to launch an investigation. Breeching the sovereignty of the Turkish judiciary, he declared, "I'm announcing a crime. This is a typical hate crime. It is a hate crime, and it is a crime that is defined in our penal code."
On Oct. 15, Mr. Nisanyan appeared on CNN Turk's "Contrary to the Questions" to discuss the "The Innocence of Muslims" riots and the Turkish government's denouncements of the film. The Supreme Board of Radio and Television fined the private broadcast on the grounds that Mr. Nisanyan's comments "insulted the Prophet Muhammad," "exceeded the boundaries of freedom of expression" and were "insulting and injurious" to society.
In April, a month before Mr. Nisanyan's trial, world-renowned pianist Fazil Say was handed a 10-month suspended jail sentence under Article 216(3) for tweets made in jest about a call to prayer and heaven. On April 15, European Union foreign-policy chief Catherine Ashton's office criticized Mr. Say's sentence, calling for Turkey "to fully respect freedom of expression." Three days later, Mr. Bozdag defended the conviction because Mr. Say "was swearing at someone's values," and "[n]obody should confuse freedom of thought with freedom of swearing."
With both Mr. Bozdag's public declaration of Mr. Nisanyan's guilt and endorsement of the Say verdict, combined with the radio-TV board's ruling, Mr. Nisanyan could not expect an impartial trial. Prosecuted under Turkish Criminal Code Article 216(3), which declares, "Any person who openly disrespects the religious belief of a group is punished with imprisonment from six months to one year if such act causes potential risk for public peace," the magistrate judge of course found Mr. Nisanyan guilty, sentencing him to a 13-month prison sentence, six weeks beyond the statutorily permissible punishment.
Currently appealing his conviction in the Court of Cessation, Mr. Nisanyan will have to serve the entire jail sentence should the magistrate's sentence be upheld. The sentence violates the European Convention on Human Rights' Article 6 (right to a fair trial) and Article 10 (freedom of expression). Mr. Nisanyan's next best course is an appeal with the European Court of Human Rights.
Reporters Without Borders immediately condemned the sentence as a "grave violation of freedom of information" and called for the immediate repeal of the "draconian" Article 216(3), which "has no place in a secular country such as Turkey."
While the Turkish government is secular, the Erdogan regime is not. Following his narrow 2002 victory, Mr. Erdogan declared, "Secularism is the protector of all beliefs and religions. We are the guarantors of this secularism, and our management will clearly prove that." Now in the 11th year of his rule, Mr. Erdogan has abandoned any moderate facade.
Neither the State Department nor any EU agency has issued a statement about Mr. Nisanyan's plight. At this critical juncture, human rights organizations should file appeals on his behalf in the European Court of Human Rights. It is imperative that the international community become engaged; otherwise, opinions will continue to be criminalized by the Erdogan regime.
Sam Nunberg serves as director of the Legal Project, an activity of the Middle East Forum.
This text may be reposted or forwarded so long as it is presented as an integral whole with complete and accurate information provided about its author, date, place of publication, and original URL.
�" at(���is secularism, and our management will clearly prove that." Now in the 11th year of his rule, Mr. Erdogan has abandoned any moderate facade.
Neither the State Department nor any EU agency has issued a statement about Mr. Nisanyan's plight. At this critical juncture, human rights organizations should file appeals on his behalf in the European Court of Human Rights. It is imperative that the international community become engaged; otherwise, opinions will continue to be criminalized by the Erdogan regime.
Sam Nunberg serves as director of the Legal Project, an activity of the Middle East Forum.
This text may be reposted or forwarded so long as it is presented as an integral whole with complete and accurate information provided about its author, date, place of publication, and original URL.
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Re: Scripture of the Day
The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy spirit.—Romans 5:5.
“The Romans’ greatest . . . bequest to those who succeeded them [was] their law and their sense that life should be lived according to law.” (Dr. David J. Williams of the University of Melbourne, Australia) However valid that might be, there is a bequest or gift of far greater value. This gift is a divine means to have an approved and righteous standing with God and the prospect of salvation and everlasting life. In a sense, there were legal aspects to how God made this gift available. In Romans chapter 5, the apostle Paul did not present these aspects as a dry, legalistic treatise. Rather, he began with this thrilling assurance: “We have been declared righteous as a result of faith, [so] let us enjoy peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:1) Those who receive God’s gift are moved to love him in return. Paul was one.
Now to know the truth, go to:
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To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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There will also be false teachers among you.—2 Peter 2:1.
Jehovah through the apostles Paul and Peter warns us about false teachers. (Acts 20:29, 30; 2 Pet. 2:1-3) Who are such teachers and from where do they come? To elders of the Ephesus congregation, Paul said: “From among you yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things.” So they may arise from within the congregation. Such ones are apostates. What do they want? They are not content just to leave the organization that they perhaps once loved. Their aim, Paul explained, is “to draw away the disciples after themselves.” Note the definite article in the expression “the disciples.” Rather than going out and making their own disciples, apostates seek to take Christ’s disciples with them. Like “ravenous wolves,” false teachers are out to devour trusting members of the congregation, destroying their faith and leading them away from the truth.—Matt. 7:15; 2 Tim. 2:18.
Now to know the truth, go to:
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To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Re: Scripture of the Day
The man at peace with me, in whom I trusted, who was eating my bread, has magnified his heel against me.—Psalms 41:9.
With these words, it was foretold that the Messiah would be betrayed by a treacherous associate. A person who ate bread with someone was thought to be his friend. (Gen. 31:54) So the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot was treachery of the worst sort. Jesus called attention to the fulfillment of David’s prophetic words when He referred to his betrayer and told his apostles: “I am not talking about all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But it is in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, ‘He that used to feed on my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’” (John 13:18) For this act of treachery, Judas received 30 pieces of silver—the price of a slave! Judas never spent his ill-gotten sum, for he threw the money into the temple and went off and committed suicide.—Matt. 26:14-16; 27:3-10.
Now to know the truth, go to:
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To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Re: Scripture of the Day
To obey is better than a sacrifice.—1 Samuel 15:22.
In order to be accepted by Jehovah, the sacrifices prescribed by the Mosaic Law had to be offered with the right spirit and heart condition. The Bible, however, contains cautionary examples of sacrifices that were not acceptable to God. Consider the case of King Saul. The prophet Samuel told Saul that the time had come for Jehovah to execute judgment on the Amalekites. Saul therefore was to exterminate this enemy nation along with its livestock. After his victory, however, Saul allowed his soldiers to preserve alive Agag, the king of the Amalekites. Saul also spared the best of their livestock as something that could be sacrificed to Jehovah. (1 Sam. 15:2, 3, 21) What was Jehovah’s reaction? He rejected Saul for his disobedience. (1 Sam. 15:22, 23) What do we learn from this? That to be acceptable to God, a sacrifice must be accompanied by obedience to his commands.
Now to know the truth, go to:
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To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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