Young People Reading Less
Reading habits are at risk. The younger generation’s reading skills are gone down in recent years. With the rise of television, ipod, internet and IMs, younger generations are loosing out their interest in plain old reading. In a new report released by the National Endowment for the Arts makes clear this plummeting reading trends among young people over two decades: a) Only 30 percent of 13-year-olds read almost every day. b) The number of 17-year-olds who never read for pleasure increased from 9 percent in 1984 to 19 percent in 2004. c)Almost half of Americans between ages 18 and 24…
Phrases like "Men don't make passes at women who wear glasses" or
"Gentlemen prefer blonds" may not be very popular here in India but the
idea they represent is definitely prevalent. Men endorse near perfect
beauties as the ideal image for women when they talk about serials such
as "Bay Watch" and "Xena". No woman can compare and should be compared with these phoney images of
women. However it is not only an outward image that is projected, there
is also an attitude that is propagated along with it. Young girls are
under tremendous pressure not only to look in a certain manner, in
terms of their physical make up, and wear a certain type of clothing so
that they are in the "IN crowd", but also to behave in a certain manner
in order to stay in that elitist circle.
Daniel never knew, when he started out being faithful as a young man (probably around 17 years old), what a tremendous ministry he was going to have. He just remained faithful to God in little things and big, and God accomplished a great ministry through him. Daniel's life was a testimony to the people of Medo-Persia concerning the true God. God allows trials to come to us too, in order to manifest our testimony to others. When we endure in persecution and love our persecutors, others will see Christ in us. And if we have to lay down our lives for the gospel one day, let us lay it down with our heads lifted up and a spirit of praise in our hearts to the Lord because we know that our God is on the throne. 
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 
In recent months there has been a lot of political, religious and now the killing assassination of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. As we reflect upon this Psalm and think about the current situation, our hearts are filled with pain to hear about problems described as “Chaos” by news headlines. Please pray for Pakistan, that God may bring peace and stability in the country. Also pray for political and religious leaders that they would fear God and make wise decisions. Please pray for the Church, leaders and believers that God will protect them and use them to share God’s love to many people. May the Lord grant His special grace to the church to continue in firm confidence in God and to rely on His presence, through His Son Jesus Christ, who came to this earth, as “God with us.” 
I don’t know if I want to plant a church that becomes the home for restless Indian Christians who are looking to hang out with more Indians. I don’t know if I want to pastor a bunch of disgruntled Indians who are mad at the churches they grew up in and will come to this church expecting it to be the solution. I don’t know if I want to lead a group of churched people who have preconceived ideas about how to do church and opinions about everything. Man, I can get excited about planting a church to reach people who don’t know Jesus. But I don’t know if I want Christians . . . So then, we are planting this church to reach second generation Indians, anyone who doesn’t know Jesus that God gives us access to and churched people who are coming along in their understanding of the Gospel.