What is a smile?

A smile costs nothing; but gives so much.

It enriches those who receive it; without making poorer those who give.

It takes but a moment; but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.

None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it; and none is so poor but that he can be made rich by it.

A smile creates happiness in the home; fosters goodwill in business; and is the countersign of friendship.

It brings rest to the weary; cheer to the discouraged; sunshine to the sad; and it is nature's best antidote for trouble.

Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away.

Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours - as no-one needs a smile as much as the person who has no more to give.

Defending the truth.

 

The modern, secular, State of Israel is not, as far as I can make out, identical to the Israel of the Bible.  However, it appears to be subjected to the same level of misinformation, and persecution, as the Jewish people have suffered for millennia.  The following is just one instance of the way in which, by the use of modern communication technology and social networking, anti-Israeli propaganda can be disseminated to a vast audience.

Ron Prosor, Israel's ambassador to the United nations, has called for the immediate dismissal of a Jerusalem-based U.N. agency employee who is widely known for her blatant anti-Israel activism.

Khulood Badawi, the information and media coordinator for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Jerusalem, (OCHA), tweeted a controversial photo, on March 10, showing an Arab girl covered in blood laying in the arms of her father, with a caption that read, “Palestine is bleeding … another father killed by Israel … another father carrying his child to a grave in Gaza.”The photo, however, was later identified as a 2006 Reuters photo. The girl died in a playground or car accident, not as a result of any actions taken by the IDF.
 
Yet, the Twitter message, which was re-tweeted by hundreds of other users, was highly instrumental in spreading a new wave of libels against the Israel Defense Forces.

Prosor sent a letter to the U.N. emergency coordinator, Valerie Amos, calling for Badawi’s immediate dismissal.

 Prosor wrote that Badawi’s actions not only “violate conduct expected of a UN official,” but that she also “actively engaged in the demonization of Israel, a member state of the United Nations. Such actions contribute to incitement, conflict and, ultimately, violence,” according to Fox News, which obtained a copy of the letter.

“Although Ms. Badawi’s portrayal of this photo was clearly a blatant falsehood, her post became the top tweet for anything related to Gaza on Twitter,” Prosor affirmed.

Amos issued a reply saying, “It is regrettable that an OCHA staff member has posted information on her personal Twitter profile, which is both false and which reflects on issues that are related to her work. The opinions expressed in her tweets in no way reflect the views of OCHA, nor has it been sanctioned by OCHA.”

Badawi, who has neither retracted not apologized for her inaccurate tweet, will remain employed by the agency during an internal investigation, Fox News reported.


ACT NOW FOR ISRAEL: Click below to DEMAND that UN employee Khulood Badawi immediately be fired.
http://www.un.org/en/contactus

The Secular Society

As anyone who knows me is aware, I have very little time for the soccer type of football (rugby football is a different matter altogether!).  However, certain events and incidents become part of the national news and, therefore, are brought to my attention.

Saturday saw the collapse, in the middle of a game, of a young man named Fabrice Muamba, the Bolton midfielder of whom, I confess, I had never heard before.   He suffered a cardiac arrest (not a heart attack, as some of the media insist on stating!) and, for some two hours, his heart was kept beating artificially.  Thankfully, especially for him and his family, the latest news from the hospital is that there are definite signs of improvement.  Of course, only when he is fully conscious again will the extent of any potential damage to, for example, his brain become apparent.

Apart from the incident itself, what I found to be of great interest was the constant reporting that asked for prayer for this young man.  Indeed, I'm certain that I caught a News report glimpse of a player in a match on Sunday who, having scored a goal for his team removed his jersey to reveal another one that had a number 4 clearly displayed.  A slightly closer look indicated that it read "Pray 4 Fabrice"!

One of today's newspapers reported that: "Bolton's reserve side were due to take on West Brom on Wednesday, but the game has been called off. 'Football is a close-knit community and everyone at West Bromwich Albion was shocked and saddened to witness the scenes at White Hart Lane,' a statement from West Brom read. 'All our thoughts and prayers are with Fabrice.'" (The Independent)

Over recent years, we have been informed by men like Richard Dawkins, that not only is there (probably!!!) no God, but that religion is almost as good as dead.  Mr Dawkins obviously doesn't do any research in the rest of the world where, in fulfilment of His own promise, Jesus is building His Church.  I know that I receive countless reports, from a wide range of organisations, that make it clear that the Body of Christ may say, as Mark Twain famously said, that "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated"!

Here, in the UK, there may be those who insist that we are a secular society, and that religion - specifically Christianity (which is not a 'religion', but a vital relationship) - is a spent force.  The popular reaction to Fabrice Muamba's collapse and hospitalisation would indicate otherwise!

Many centuries ago, Augustine summed it all up, so succinctly: "Thou has made us for Thyself; and our hearts are restless 'til they find their rest in Thee".

Hypocrisy!

The past weeks have revealed the extent of the hypocrisy of the United States of America!

The extradition of both a 65-year-old retired businessman, and a 23-year-old computer science student, to the other side of "the pond", was in order that they be tried for alleged crimes in the country against which said crimes are alleged to have been committed.  Both Mr Christopher Tappin, and Richard O'Dwyer are accused of having committed offences that did not involve their direct taking of any human life (although, in Mr Tappin's case, he is alleged to have tried to buy five industrial batteries, which he claims he thought were for use in the car industry, but that were actually a key component of the US Army's Hawk Air Defence Missile, which were being sought by Iran).

Earlier this week, a soldier of the United States of America, deployed in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, went on what appears to have been a drunken rampage in which sixteen civilians - including women and children - were murdered, in cold blood.   As he was already in Afghanistan, all that the United States of America had to do was turn him over to the local Afghan officials.  That, after all, would have been the end result of any extradition (I confess to not knowing if any formal extradition treaty between the USA and Afghanistan actually exists!).  It is certainly what the Afghanistan authorities are reported as having wanted.

So, what to the USA authourities do?  They transport him out of the country, back to Kansas, via Kuwait.  He will, it is assured, be properly tried there, in his home country, under that country's legal and penal codes.

I have no doubt that he will.  Indeed, it has already been suggested that, if found guilty (and, as he has already confessed, there would appear to be little doubt about that!), he would face the death penalty.  But if only an American trial is good enough for an American citizen, one wonders why a British trial is not considered, by the Americans, as being good enough for a subject of H.M. the Queen!

And some Americans wonder why they are not universally loved and respected!!!!

The Plight of Women

She was an intelligent 14-year-old Asian girl with a very bright future.

But Sena, like many women in Asia, was merely considered a toy for men to use. She faced harassment, was stalked and subjected to lewd comments and indecent exposure. Finally she was thrown to the ground and sexually assaulted by a group of men. Neighbours saw it happen—and did nothing.
Tormented, and unable to bear the humiliation, Sena turned to the only escape she knew— Suicide.

Jalem was headed toward the same fate…
Her family considered her a curse. As a child, Jalem was forced to perform manual labour. She was beaten, deprived of food and, at times, chained in her room. Why? She was a girl. Jalem also considered suicide as an escape.

But she met a Gospel for Asia supported missionary

She learned of the hope and dignity she could find in Jesus, and she would never be the same. Suddenly she discovered value that only comes from knowing Christ.
Jalem found a family in a loving church. They cared for her and helped her to build a new life. Today she shares how God miraculously changed her life with other hopeless women. She serves as a missionary, dedicated to reaching other Asian women as desperate as she once was.

Why is there such widespread desperation among Asian women?

Asian women face unimaginable challenges & degradation.
Young girls throughout Asia are abducted and forced into a life of prostitution, with every agonizing day one step closer to an early death from AIDS.
Widows in India bear the blame for their husband’s death. They’re shunned by their communities, rejected by their families and forced into an inhumane lifestyle. Tens of thousands take their own life just to end the pain.
Every year in India more than 7,000 women are doused with kerosene and burned to death—by their husbands. The wife’s crime: an insufficient dowry.

It is no surprise that the suicide rate among young women in India is ten times higher than the world’s average.

These are but a few of the tragic conditions faced by millions of Asian women. They are trapped in a never-ending cycle of misery. Utterly without hope.

Yet today, in the midst of a hopeless situation, there is glorious hope.

Through the heroic efforts of 2000 women missionaries like Jalem who have dedicated their lives to bringing God’s love to the women of Asia, we can reach them. In many Asian cultures, genders rarely mix, so traditional male missionaries are severely limited in ministering to women. However, it is possible to send trained, dedicated women missionaries to reach the millions who still wait to hear that they are precious to Jesus.
After three years of intense training, GFA-supported missionaries like Jalem are driven by a passion: to relieve the pain and suffering of women of Asia by introducing them to the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. They heroically face persecution, beatings and imprisonment to tell hurting women like Sena about a Saviour who offers hope for eternity, and strength for today.
Hundreds of thousands of Asian women’s lives are being transformed by GFA’s dedicated women missionaries, but millions more still wait.
Every day in South Asia, nearly 80,000 precious souls perish without knowing Christ’s love. We must send more missionaries.

Would you consider sending one of these dedicated Women Missionaries today?  You can enable her reach other Asian women with the love of Christ. For just £20 a month you can sponsor a missionary today.  Please go to (copy and paste):

http://www.gfauk.org/sponsor/SearchResults?bt=Missionary&gender=F.

Finding the true Sanctuary.

It is recorded that, one summer's day, the eighteenth-century Christian song-writer, Charles Wesley was sitting by an open window looking out over the bright and beautiful fields. A small bird, flitting about in the sunshine, attracted his attention. Suddenly, a hawk came swooping down towards the little bird. The poor thing, very much frightened, was darting here and there, trying to find some place of refuge. Neither in the bright sunny air, nor in the leafy trees, nor in the green fields,  was there any hiding place from the fierce pursuit of the hawk.

But, seeing the open window, and a man sitting by it, the bird flew, in its extreme terror, towards it, and with a beating heart and quivering wing found refuge on his chest. He sheltered it from the threatening danger, and saved it from a cruel death.

Mr.Wesley was, at that time, suffering from severe trials, and was feeling the need of a refuge in his own time of trouble as much as the trembling little bird did, that nestled so safely in his bosom. So he took up his pen and wrote that lovely hymn –

Jesus, Lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
'Til the storm of life is past.
Safe into the haven guide;
O, receive my soul at last.

Plenteous grace with Thee is found;
Grace to cover all my sin.
Let the healing streams abound; 
Make, and keep, me pure within.
Thou of life the Fountain art;
Freely let me take of Thee.
Spring Thou up within my heart;
Rise to all eternity.

Life getting you down?  Problems appearing to be insurmountable?  No obvious light at the end of the tunnel?  Then go to the One Who asked: "Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to Me.  Get away with Me, and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with Me and work with Me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy, or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with Me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."  (Matt.11:28-30; The Message).

Go to Him - the true Sanctuary!

10 Reasons to Come to Jesus

Jesus said, "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I AM." (John 8:58; Ampd.)

 Luke 2:11 - Jesus is the Saviour, come to Him, and be forgiven and saved.

John 10:9 - Jesus is the Door, come to Him, and enter His provision.

John 6:51 - Jesus is the Bread of Life; come to Him, and feast at His table. 

John 8:12 - Jesus is the Light of the World; come to Him, and see clearly.

John 10:14 - Jesus is the Good Shepherd; come to Him, and be led in right paths.

John 15:5 - Jesus is the Vine; come to Him, and abide in fruitfulness.

John 4:10 - Jesus gives living water; come to Him, and drink to the full.

John 11:25 - Jesus is the Resurrection; come to Him, and have blessed hope.

John 14:27 - Jesus gives peace; come to Him, and don't be troubled.

John 1:33 - Jesus baptises with the Holy Spirit; come to Him, and be empowered to witness.

Want to know more about this amazing Jesus?   Please feel free ot contact me at 

cbross@tiscali.co.uk

The truth will out!!

In an interview for a research project at the University of Oxford, the head of the BBC, Mark Thompson, has admitted that the broadcaster would never mock Mohammed like it mocks Jesus.

He justified the astonishing admission of religious bias by suggesting that mocking Mohammed might have the “emotional force” of “grotesque child pornography”.

But Jesus is fair game because, he said, Christianity has broad shoulders and fewer ties to ethnicity.

Mr Thompson says the BBC would never have broadcast Jerry Springer The Opera – a controversial musical that mocked Jesus – if its target had been Mohammed.

Mr Thompson said: “The point is that for a Muslim, a depiction, particularly a comic or demeaning depiction, of the Prophet Mohammed might have the emotional force of a piece of grotesque child pornography.”

Last year former BBC news anchor Peter Sissons said Christians are “fair game” for insults at the corporation, whilst Muslims must not be offended.

Mr Sissons, whose memoirs were serialised in the Daily Mail, said: “Islam must not be offended at any price, although Christians are fair game because they do nothing about it if they are offended.”

The former presenter also said that staff damage their careers if they don’t follow the BBC’s mindset.