Are You Afraid To Share Your Faith?

My sister, Ann, introduced me to this clip. I have used many of the same excuses given in this message as supposed reasons for why I "can't" share my faith. Most of the time, I fear that I will not communicate clearly as I get rather phobic when I talk to people in general, let alone speaking on the topic of salvation. In my better moments, I remember Moses' fear of speaking before the children of Israel and Pharoah and I am comforted by the Lord's response...
"Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?" (Ex. 4:10, 11) That pretty much silences any excuse I can come up with.
This clip is convicting while at the same time lending that touch of smile so you don't feel terribly overwhelmed by the truth of the content. May we "not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Rom. 1:16)

When children ruled the land?

Proverbs 23:13,14
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
The Scripture is very clear as to the child's place in the home and society. They are gatherers of wisdom, not producers. They are to glean from the wisdom of those placed in authority over them in the hopes that one day they will be godly wisdom bearers and sharers.

The Lord is my light; the God of heaven is my King and his law is at enmity with the governments of this world. This enmity to God's law is clearly seen in the belief that Mr. Ogden (nominated by President Obama for deputy attorney general) holds that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child binds the US. Please read the following information sent out by HSLDA. Though it may seem late, the Lord can work his will however he chooses, so please call your senator and "voice your opposition to Ogden's confirmation".


Also, please pray which is obviously more important. Jesus taught us in the Lord's Prayer to pray..."thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven...". Christ's rule is our nation's need. This is our world's need.


Isaiah 55:1-3
1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.Isaiah 40:10, 15,18,21-23
10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance:
18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from teh beginning? have ye not understood from teh foundations of the earth?
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, adn spredeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.









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From the HSLDA E-lert Service...
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HSLDA: Call to Stop Confirmation of Justice Candidate

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends:

We previously informed you that David Ogden has been nominated by
President Obama for the position of deputy attorney general of the
United States, the second highest position in the Justice Department.

The Senate Judiciary Committee held their confirmation hearing for
Ogden on Feb. 5. The committee could vote on his confirmation as early
as tomorrow.

Home School Legal Defense Association urges you to immediately contact
your U.S. senator who is on the committee, as listed below, and voice
your opposition to Ogden's confirmation.

The most important reason to oppose Ogden's nomination is his belief
that the rules found in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
(http://www.hslda.org/elink. asp?id=6077) are already binding on the
United States under the doctrines of international law.

For background information on this doctrine, see Michael Farris'
article, "A Deeper Understanding of the Threat of International Law"
(http://www.hslda.org/elink. asp?id=6078) in the November/December 2007
Home School Court Report.

This means that Ogden believes that the legal rules contained in the
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are already binding on the
United States, even though this treaty has never been sent to the U.S.
Senate for ratification.

Homeschoolers have long understood the dangers of this international
treaty, which contains the core principle that the government may
decide what it believes is best for each child without any proof of
wrongdoing by the child's parents. Ogden promoted the use of this UN
treaty in the Supreme Court to reach the conclusion that America's
courts have the power to overrule state law, using international law
as their guidepost for constitutional interpretation. Unfortunately,
he was successful in doing so in the Roper case.

It also means that Ogden is a proven advocate for the position that
international law should be used to interpret the Constitution of the
United States and bind the decisions of our elected officials.

If this weren't enough, Ogden has a history of representing Playboy
and other purveyors of pornography in high-profile legal cases. He
also challenged the legality of using filters on library computers to
protect children from seeing pornography. It would be hard to imagine
how Ogden would faithfully enforce the nation's pornography laws if he
is placed in this position at the Justice Department.

The United States Senate needs to understand right now that the
American public will not countenance the idea of the nation being led
by people who believe that international law trumps American law.
Please call your senator today to register your opposition to David
Ogden.

You can also use our Legislative Toolbox to contact your senator:
http://www.hslda.org/elink. asp?id=6079

SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Patrick J. Leahy
Chairman, D-Vermont
(202) 224-4242

Herb Kohl
D-Wisconsin
(202) 224-5653

Arlen Specter
Ranking Member, R-Pennsylvania
(202) 224-4254

Dianne Feinstein
D-California
(202) 224-3841

Orrin G. Hatch
R-Utah
(202) 224-5251

Russell D. Feingold
D-Wisconsin
(202) 224-5323

Charles E. Grassley
R-Iowa
(202) 224-3744

Charles E. Schumer
D-New York
(202) 224-6542

Jon Kyl
R-Arizona
(202) 224-4521

Richard J. Durbin
D-Illinois
(202) 224-2152

Jeff Sessions
R-Alabama
(202) 224-4124

Benjamin L. Cardin
D-Maryland
(202) 224-4524

Lindsey Graham
R-South Carolina
(202) 224-5972

Sheldon Whitehouse
D-Rhode Island
(202) 224-2921

John Cornyn
R-Texas
(202) 224-2934

Ron Wyden
D-Oregon
(202) 224-5244

Tom Coburn
R-Oklahoma
(202) 224-5754

Amy Klobuchar
D-Minnesota
202-224-3244

Edward E. Kaufman
D-Delaware
(202) 224-5042


Sincerely,

J. Michael Smith
HSLDA President
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Update on Child Product Safety Law

Psalm 97

1 The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.
4 His lightning enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.
6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.
7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.
8 Zion heard, and was glad; adn the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD.
9 For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.
10 Ye that love the3 LORD, hate evil: he preserves the souls of his saints; he delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
11 Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

The following post is the latest on the Child Product Safety Law as outlined by HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association). Looks like this law won't affect those small business owners and producers. Praise the Lord.

Commission Announces Major Changes to Child Product Safety Rules

February 9, 2009

Introduction

HSLDA met on Wednesday with Commissioner Thomas Moore, of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, to discuss the law imposing strict limitations on lead and phthalates in children’s products. The proposed regulations had persuaded many small family businesses to shut their doors and cease production. We are pleased to report that CPSC announced numerous changes to their regulations. Home School Legal Defense Association is satisfied with the meeting and its aftermath and remains strongly convinced that no small business should close down because of the lead requirements, which take effect February 10.

Changes made by the Commission

Last Friday, the CPSC declared numerous changes in their regulations, including the following exemptions that correspond with requests made by HSLDA in our meeting with Commissioner Moore:

• An exemption for certain natural materials such as wood, cotton, wool, and certain metals and alloys that rarely contain lead;
• An exemption for ordinary children's books printed after 1985;*
• An exemption for textiles, dyed or undyed (not including leather, vinyl, or PVC) and non-metallic thread and trim used in children's apparel and other fabric products, such as baby blankets.

* HSLDA asked for an exemption for all books. Commissioner Moore argues, however, that the ink in books prior to the 1980s did contain lead.¹

Prosecution under the law, the CPSC announced, will ensue only if “someone had actual knowledge that one of these children’s products contained more than 600 ppm lead or continued to make, import, distribute or sell such a product after being put on notice.”² In fact, according to Commissioner Moore, manufacturers will not be prosecuted for violating the law during the one-year postponement of testing requirements (lasting till February 10, 2010), unless their products actually cause an injury or have the potential to hurt someone.³ Moore further assured HSLDA that small businesses, in particular, will have nothing to worry about. “Historically, we haven’t gone after these kinds of businesses,” he told HSLDA, “not cottage industries.”

HSLDA hopes that these policies, along with the Commission’s yearlong postponement of testing requirements, will provide significant relief to family businesses and providers to the homeschool community.

Conclusion

“If there is one message a small manufacturer should take from the Commission’s action [of delaying testing requirements] it is this,” Commissioner Moore said: “If you have been making products without receiving any safety-related complaints, you should go on selling your products.” This will remain true for at least until February 10, 2010. Even beyond this date, HSLDA is confident of the future of small businesses under this law, and is grateful to the Commission for its cooperation and its sensitivity to the needs of family businesses.

Additional Information

CPSC Spells Out Enforcement Policy for New Lead Limits in Children’s Products Effective February 10

Statement of Commissioner Thomas Moore on the one-year extension of testing requirements (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Statement of Acting Chairman Nancy Nord on the one-year extension of testing requirements (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Notes

1. Thomas Moore, letter to Senators Rockefeller and Pryor, and Representatives Waxman and Rush, http://www.cpsc.gov/PR/Moore020309.pdf (February 3, 2009), p. 4

2. Consumer Product Safety Commission, “CPSC Spells Out Enforcement Policy For New Lead Limits In Children’s Products Effective February 10,” http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09120.html (February 6, 2009).

3. Thomas Moore, letter to Senators Rockefeller and Pryor, and Representatives Waxman and Rush, http://www.cpsc.gov/PR/Moore020309.pdf (February 3, 2009), p. 5.