Inner City Hospitals
November 30, 2009
Source: City Lights
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| Photo: Daniel Wilkinson |
Most of the hospital’s income is tied to the Medicare and Medicaid programs which pay for health care for elderly and low-income Americans. It has been out of compliance with the minimum standards of quality care required by the programs for almost three years and recently it failed in nine of 23 items checked by an inspection team from the Federal government. The immediate result is the loss of $200 million out of a $380 million annual budget, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Representative Maxine Waters and Jesse Jackson organized a “Save King Drew” event which was attended by most local African American pastors and civic leaders. The Los Angeles County board of supervisors has directed its health department to try to find a way to bring the King-Drew center under the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance in order to preserve some health care services in the community.
No Transportation
That is not a practical solution for most residents. “The people that come here [are] on fixed incomes,” explains Mollie Bell, a community activist. “How are they going to get to Torrance? They don’t have transportation.”
This story is sadly typical of urban neighborhoods across America. Hospitals with a long history of serving the poor are closing their doors or moving away. Our national “managed care” policies are failing those who most need healing hands and caring hearts. Many churches are responding by providing primary-care medical clinics free or at low cost, prevention education and a “parish nurse” or similar health educator/advocate to make sure those in need get health services.
Are you a health professional? Do you have civic action skills? Are you willing to get involved with local churches interested in health ministries? If so, contact our church and ask for the Health Ministries Director.
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By Monte Sahlin. Copyright © 2009 by GraceNotes. All rights reserved. Use of this material is subject to usage guidelines.
Original Post: http://e-gracenotes.org/article.php?id=1323
Faith and Science — November 30, 2009
November 30, 2009
Source: It Is Written's A Better Way to Live video podcast.
Summary: Many people have let one of today's predominant worldviews bully them into thinking that faith and reason don't belong together. Christians are sometimes referred to as uninformed simpletons even though there are bright Christian minds contributing to the scientific community. Peter reassures us that our faith is reasonable and defensible, and we can stand on what the Bible tells us!
Verse: "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear."
—1 Peter 3:15
Original Post: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/iiw/betterway/~3/TD0AvzTuYRg/30
We Are Covered
November 29, 2009
Source: Bible Says
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| Photo: Paige Foster |
Winter was always a special time for me in the hills of the Northeast, but nothing compared to the anticipation and drama in the promise of a full-fledged snow storm. I would crawl under the thick blankets of my bed at night, my mind filled with wonder at what the frosty morning would bring.
I was usually up extra early, and if an accumulation of snow had fallen the night before I would take my place at the kitchen table, hot chocolate in hand, and listen to the list of school closings on our large AM radio with the amber lighted dial.On the days that I heard the announcer call out the name of the school that I attended, my demeanor would change from one of anticipation, to that of pure joy and excitement.
My day's plans would take priority and I would bundle up in my winter clothes for a day filled with sledding, building snow men, and making snow angels in the new fallen drifts.Time seemed to fly on those wintry days and I recall the warm feeling of knowing that I didn't have to change classes when the bell rang, or listen to the steady drone of the long and boring study hall. I was free, and it all happened because of snow!
On a much larger scale, God promises us the freedom that we crave in this life from worry, sin, and quiet desperation. Through the example of clean, white snow (the kind that covers the ugliness and brown of the earth), our Creator gives us a picture of what it means to be covered with the perfect pureness of Christ's life.
The anticipation of it all is better than a winter "snow day." When the reality of this incredible transaction takes hold, that our sin-stained past can be clean and new again, our lives will never be the same. We are free, and it all happens with Christ's "snow-covering" love.Respond to this articleView Reader Comments______________________________
By Michael Temple. Copyright © 2009 by GraceNotes. All rights reserved. Use of this material is subject to usage guidelines. Scripture taken from the NEW KING JAMES VERSION © 1982.
Original Post: http://e-gracenotes.org/article.php?id=37
James A. Cress, ministerial secretary, dies
November 27, 2009
Source: Adventist News Network
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Donations for a memorial fund to support pastoral couples in team ministry may be sent to: James A. Cress Memorial Fund, c/o GC Treasury, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904
Original Post: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ann-en/~3/vsoOa7DY9c8/james-a-cress-minist.html
When Bad Things Happen to God’s People — November 27, 2009
November 27, 2009
Source: It Is Written's A Better Way to Live video podcast.
Summary: The fact that Daniel survived the lions' den raises a really important question: The Bible says that no injury whatever was found on Daniel because he believed in His God. But how do we reconcile the story of Daniel with the harsh realities of day-to-day disappointment? What should we make of the millions of people who also believed in God but didn't survive their ordeals?
Verse: "Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God."
—Daniel 6:23
Original Post: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/iiw/betterway/~3/M-77R19m7K4/27
The Power of His Word
November 26, 2009
Source: Bible Says
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| Photo: Bojan Dzodan |
Then, the Lord put His words and thoughts in my mind. I told myself (and later shared with them): “wait a minute, let’s go back to the beginning”. My mind went back to the very beginning, actually, to the books of Genesis and John: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). The Bible says that all things, all tangible artifacts, were made by the intangible, invincible, incorruptible Word of God.
The Word was so powerful that from absolutely nothing He said let there be something and atoms and molecules formed matter and it began to come together at the instruction of their Creator. All of a sudden trees, earth, sun, rocks, moon and stars responded to the voice of the Word—nothing but the Word, not a hammer, not a nail, not a knife, not a saw. He just said the Word and it became what He said.
Waves Laid Down
His word is so powerful that the disciples woke Jesus up one night on a boat when the wind and the waves were tossing the boat back and forth. Jesus just said: “peace, be still” (Mark 4:39). The wind heard the voice of who had created it and lay down and so did the waves.
When God wants to change something He speaks to it. That’s why when they rolled the stone away from Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus didn’t have to go in the tomb and give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. He didn’t have to go into the tomb, He just said His Word: “Lazarus, come forth” (John 11:43) and Lazarus came out! He called him by name. Had He just said: “come forth” it would it provoke the resurrection of every dead man in the world. That’s how powerful His word was. For King David, the Word was a lamp to his feet and a light to his path (Psalms 119:105). Paul recognized that the sword of the Spirit was the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
When the Spirit is ready to fight and protect, He does it through the Word of God. And for Jesus Himself the Word was more than bread, in fact, He said that in order to have life we have to have the Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
In these tough times we are living in right now, I invite you to once again trust in the Word. He still speaks now as He did in the past. The Word that He spoke thousands of years ago is still holding the sun in place, and as long as the sun has not gone down I don’t have to go down either, for the same thing that holds the sun up, is holding me up.
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By Irving Santiago. Copyright © 2009 by GraceNotes. All rights reserved. Use of this material is subject to usage guidelines. Scripture taken from the NEW KING JAMES VERSION © 1982 and from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®.
Original Post: http://e-gracenotes.org/article.php?id=3405
The Crucifixion — November 26, 2009
November 26, 2009
Source: It Is Written's A Better Way to Live video podcast.
Summary: The crucifixion of Christ changed the course of history—and each of our lives—forever.
Verse: "But the angel answered and said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.'"
—Matthew 28:5-6
Original Post: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/iiw/betterway/~3/MDa1yO2AFuk/26
“The Revealing” — November 25, 2009
November 25, 2009
Source: It Is Written's A Better Way to Live video podcast.
Summary: Many people live under the assumption that God operates our universe under a cloak of secrecy—like it's a covert operation. However, a close reading of the Bible tells a completely different story!
Verse: "And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, 'Come and see.'"
—Revelation 6:1
Original Post: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/iiw/betterway/~3/TuSVbmX2KyI/25
True Blue
November 24, 2009
Source: Hope Generation
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| Photo: Julie Elliott |
And then it happened! We were at a campout together and she caught his eye. She was the same age as us, and I learned quickly that Doug's loyalty to me as a friend had its limits when girls came around. It wasn't that he didn't like me; it was more like he didn't care that I existed.
When I showed up at a softball game he flatly refused to play, and instead sat on the bleachers and paid all of his attention to her. When there was a campfire in the evening he sat on a blanket with her and turned his back to me. All during that week he looked the other way when I showed up. I couldn't figure it out; it was like our friendship never happened.
And then when we returned back home and she wasn't there, he wanted to start being "soul mates" again. It was all very discouraging to think that my best friend would turn out to be my friend only when nobody else was around!
Now that I'm an adult, I can understand a little better why he might have behaved this way, but while it was happening I was devastated!
Maybe you've experienced this with some of your friends, or maybe you're experiencing it now. If it has happened, you understand how something like that can really hurt. Friends are supposed to be friends no matter what, but sometimes they fail to meet our expectations.
Jesus knows what it's like
You can read in the Bible where Jesus had the same experience with his soul mates in John chapter 18. When He needed them most they left Him. When He needed someone who would step forward and say, "He's my friend," his so-called buddy Peter actually cursed and said "nope, not me. I don't even know Him." After all Jesus had done for them they left Him high and dry. That really hurt!
There are at least two lessons in this sad story of Jesus. First, by watching how His friends treated Him, we can promise in our hearts that with God's help we can be the kind of friend that Jesus needed most with those who count on us.Second, even if our friends leave us for someone they think is better, there is One who never will. Jesus knows how it feels, and He'll always be there for us no matter who else comes along. When it comes to friendship, He's true blue!
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By Michael Temple. Copyright © 2009 by GraceNotes. All rights reserved. Use of this material is subject to usage guidelines.
Original Post: http://e-gracenotes.org/article.php?id=49
Daniel and the King (Living and Sharing Your Faith) — November 24, 2009
November 24, 2009
Source: It Is Written's A Better Way to Live video podcast.
Summary: Today you'll learn three important lessons from the story of Daniel. As people come under the conviction that they have sinned, they desperately start looking for answers. Many times they look to us as Christians—observing our relationship with God—to determine whether or not He is real.
Verse: "Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, 'Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?'"
—Daniel 6:18-20
Original Post: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/iiw/betterway/~3/sOk1eKG6RMo/24
