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| *Welcome to HearTheGoodNews.com | |
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Positive News |
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| We always see and hear the bad news first on TV, radio, and in the paper. This web site is a place for the Good News. There is so much going on in our world that is positive and inspiring that I wanted to create a place to herald the fact. I will post stories and links to stories from around the country, and the world, that celebrate the everyday heroes, dedicated leaders, caring parents, helpful neighbors, and good citizens that are so often overlooked. You will find stories here of communities made better, people helped selflessly by others, and lives saved. |
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| Questions | |
The Questions page is all about life's biggest questions. I don't claim to have all the answers. No one does. Many of these questions lead to even more questions. The Discussion bulletin board is an open forum for considering these important issues and comparing points of view. |
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| Books, Music, and Movies | |
The Bookstore features titles of interest to anyone interested in learning more about Christianity and the Music Store offers hymns, gospel, bluegrass, and rock. You'll also find selected movies and software. I hope you will enjoy listening to my MP3 Playlists . Each one will play about 40 minutes of music in the category of your choice. |
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| The Word | |
The The Word page features links to BibleGateway.com that allow you to compare the various translations of the scripture. There are also interesting facts about, and history of, The Bible. I have featured several great audio Passages from the King James Version with accompanying text, and have an index of biblical Promises with short commentaries. |
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| Messages | |
The Messages page allows you to listen to or read sermons by some of the greatest ministers of the past and pesent. Many thanks to Sermonindex.org for freely sharing their wonderful resource. You will also find a Testimony bulletin board. I invite you to share your personal message with others. |
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| * Positive News | |
Stories and links to stories from around the country, and the world, that celebrate the everyday heroes, dedicated leaders, caring parents, helpful neighbors, and good citizens that are so often overlooked. |
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| Stories of Contemporary Heroes | |
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Heroes seem rare these days. Many of the time honored role models of past generations have become tainted by scandel and misconduct in their ranks: from entertainment and sports figures to people in the highest public offices. Here are some articles about people who have proven that heroism is not dead.
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| Stories of Outstanding Citizenship | |
Brotherly love, honesty, and charity are also alive and well; as the stories of these everyday citizens attest.
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| Stories of Selfless Dedication | |
We all understand dedication: to our jobs, our goals, our hobbies or sports activities, to mention a few examples. These are stories of people whose dedication turns outward toward others rather than to themselves. They are individuals who truly love others as themselves.
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| Stories of Great Generosity | |
It's great to see that some people will still step forward with support for those in need; even if it works a financial hardship on themselves.
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| *How Can I Be Saved ? | |
Are you seeking God's grace and salvation ? Jesus promised us that if we seek God through Christ and we will find Him. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." He is our intercessor and our advocate before God. "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him" I hope you will take the steps to salvation in Christ. You won't regret it. IF THIS SOUNDS GOOD TO YOU, TAKE THE FIRST STEP |
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| *The First Step | |
Don't you need to be forgiven ? Everyone has made mistakes in their lives. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" The Old Testament gives us God's commandments, and I'm sure you will find that at one time or another you have broken one or more of these. Christ tells us that the greatest of the commandments are to love God and to love others. The other commandments all fall into one of these categories. I know that I have broken these many times in my life. It's not a big guilt trip, It's just a matter of admitting that you aren't perfect, and probably never will be. It's not hard to admit that we need God's help to even come close. Once you have faced up to your own sinful nature, something we all have to do eventually, you are ready to take your next step. |
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| *The Big Step | |
Accepting Christ as your Savior The Bible tells us "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." That's really all there is to it. We are taught in the scripture that it's not our good works, or any ritual like baptism; but confession of sin and faith in Christ that saves us. To accept Christ you only need to pray a simple prayer. You can do this anywhere. You don't have to be in church, and you won't need anyone's help. Christ expressed his distain for those who pray "before men" in some fancy fashion. You just need to express yourself as you always do. It may seem strange to you at first - as though your talking to the walls - but you will be heard. Over time, prayer will become like talking with a friend. I have written a prayer you can read if you feel you need it. Heavenly Father, I believe in you and in your awesome power. I know that you care for me and I want to know you. I believe you came to man through Jesus Christ, who died to pay for my sins and save me. I know that He lives, and I accept your gift of life through Him. I pray you will send your spirit to guide me and help me to live my life for your glory. - Amen If you have prayed this prayer, or prayed your own, you are now "a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Welcome to the Body of Christ! You're ready for your next step. |
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| *Giving your life to Christ | |
Pray Now that you have been saved you should thank the Lord in prayer. Remember, your prayers don't have to be fancy, just speak to God from your heart. Express your thankfulness for his mercy, and for having chosen you to be a follower of Christ. Thank God for all that you have, and thank Him often, because God is your provider. Another prayer you should pray early and often in your Christian life is a prayer of surrender. We tend to want to run our own life. It can be difficult for a determined person to let go of the controls and let the Lord guide you. If you ask the Lord to lead you, and surrender your life fully to Him, you will be filled with the Holy Spirit and will begin to feel the freedom and peace of mind that is one of the greatest blessings you will enjoy as a Christian. Pray often. You don't have to set a schedule. I think you will find, before long, that you will soon develop a desire to pray often. Christ taught us to pray in Matthew 6:9-13 He begins with praise and reverence for god.This is the model you should follow. Praise God and thank Him. Ask for help for others that you know are in need. Christ told us that God already knows our physical needs, so focus on your spiritual needs. Ask for forgiveness for your moments of weakness. Remember that the sins of the spirit are a black as the sins of the flesh. Ask for His help in being long suffering, kind, and helpful to others. Ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and protection from the temptations and dangers of daily life. Close your prayers with honor for his holiness. Prayers are answered. The answer may not be instantaneous, and the answer may not be "yes", but they will be answered. One word of warning: don't expect a miracle every time you ask for one. I mean, don't pray for a winning lottery ticket, or a new car. And NEVER tempt God. By this I mean, to ask that He perform some miracle to prove himself to you. If you pray in these ways in is an offense to the Lord. |
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| *Giving your life to Christ | |
Read Studying the Bible is very important in the Christian life. This may seem a little daunting if you may have never read it before, have been forced to read it, or you just don't like to read. Now that you have accepted Christ earnestly and asked the Lord for the help of the Holy Spirit I guaranty you will be willing and able to do it. I recommend beginning with the Gospel of John. If you don't have a bible you can read and listen to the King James Version of this book here on my site. I will also be glad to send you a free copy of "The Message" New Testament or Gospel of John. BibleGateway.com is a great online source and has many different versions and translations available. There is free bible software available to download as well. Listening to the Bible being read is an easy and fun way to study. There are CD audio Bibles available, or you can listen to the King James Version on line at Audiobible.com. Of course, you will probably need at least one Bible in print. On "The Word" page you can compare, and read a bit about, the various English versions of the Bible. This may help you decide which version you want before buying a Bible. If you have trouble with the 15th century English used in the King James Version start out with 'The Message". This is a paraphrase of the Bible that is very pleasant to read and easy to understand. You will probably want to have a second Bible though, because "the Message" is not really intended as a study Bible. This is very important because God speaks to us through his Word. You will be amazed how relevant this book is to our 21st century lives. It is truly timeless. Even after reading a passage several times you will find more meaning with each reading. I am sure that there will be times while you are reading when you will feel that the words were meant for you, right here, right now. I know that this happens to me often: I feel as though what I read was just what I needed to read at that particular moment, or on that particular day. You will enjoy it and will develop a thirst for it in time. |
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| *Giving your life to Christ | |
Work As you grow in the faith you will feel a need to share your time, money, abilities, and your faith with others. To love and help others is a natural way to express your love of Christ. He told us to do this. Different people find different ways to serve the Lord, and you will find yours. We are not saved by our good works, but by faith. Good works are just an expression of our faith. We don't go around doing good things for attention either. This is pride, and is not godly at all. Whatever you do to serve the Lord, do it quietly and humbly; not to show off your goodness and impress others. Don't be embarrassed if you aren't able to do much. Christ taught that even the slightest gift, given by someone who has very little, is a great gift. You can give of yourself if you can't afford to give money. Worship As a new Christian you may want to be baptized. This is only a ritual, and is not required for salvation, but it is a public expression of you acceptance of Christ. I'm sure you will have no trouble finding a minister who will help you if you decide you want do this. The Eucharist, or Communion, is a ritual of thanksgiving in which we remember Christ's sacrifice for us on the cross. It is like a reenactment of the last supper that Jesus had with his disciples. Christ told us to do this in his honor. Most churches have communion on the first Sunday of each month. This is something you should do. There aren't any rules about how often we are to do this, but as a new Christian you should do this soon. Pray about it and you will know when the time is right for you. Regular church attendance is not a requirement of Christianity, but regular worship is. If you find a church you would like to attend, by all means do so. You will probably find that fellowship with other believers will be helpful to you. If you aren't comfortable with the churches you visit there is nothing wrong with worshipping alone; because you are not really alone. God is with you wherever you are. Radio broadcasts and online sermons are an acceptable form of worship. You may have to work on Sunday. This is no a sin. You are to worship in some fashion, however, in honor of, and praise to, our God. Walk Walk with Jesus and you will not need to stress out over daily life, because you have faith that your needs will be met. You will be content with, and thankful for, whatever you have. You will feel the peace of knowing you are living your life in a way that has value is fulfilling. You will find a joy that can't be found elsewhere. You will have strength to face trials and troubles because you have hope in God's plan for you. When your time here ends you will see the Kingdom of Heaven. Sometimes the Kingdom seems far away. There may be times you find it difficult to stay close to the Lord. You may have times of doubt, lose faith, or lose hope. Always remember that God's love for you is unconditional. He knows we are weak. Remember that God knows you. He knew you would come to him, and if you stumble, he knew you would. If you lose your way, don't feel you need to hide from the Lord. He will be glad to see you come back again. A place to find strength in times of doubt would be to read God's Promises. |
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| I would he very much appreciate hearing from you.
Please feel free to CONTACT me
any questions. ********************************************************************************************************- Thanks, Daryl |