Iran Claims to Be Nuclear Nation
Iran is among the top states in terms of its nuclear technology, the country�s atomic chief was quoted as saying today. �Within the 150 IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] member states, we are among the top 15,� Ali-Akbar Salehi claimed. �We are of course not yet at the same level as Japan but within the Islamic world, we are the number one,� he claimed. �Even though Pakistan has the atomic bomb but that does not mean that also it possesses all nuclear technologies,� he added. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday that Iran has succeeded in producing its first batch of uranium enriched to 20 percent. He also claimed his country�s nuclear technicians had the capacity to enrich up to the 80 per cent needed for weapons grade material, and was therefore to be counted among the nuclear powers.
Pray for our nation�s leaders to guide our nation�s policies in our relationship with Iran. Pray for peace and safety for Israel as it faces new threats and dangers from Iran.
I'm thinking this is pretty huge, folks.
For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.
I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites.
I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.
Continuing from yesterday's theme of integrity, David demonstrates his integrity in two ways; "his separation from sinners and his identification with Yahweh. The structure of David's life rested on two pillars: God's love and God's truth." (From A Musician Looks At the Psalms, by Don Wyrtzen)
The pillar of God's love is unconditional. David knows that God will love him no matter what. This is a truth that we need to wrap our hearts around 100%. God loves us. God, alone, is capable of that love that we call agape. We cannot make him love us more. We cannot cause him to love us any less. This is a glorious truth, worthy of our celebration!
The pillar of God's truth means that we must be careful in our selection of people that we call "friend." It doesn't mean that we can never associate with "sinners." Heaven forbid. How could we share the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ if we did not ever associate with sinners. What it does mean is that we don't make "evildoers" our closest companions and friends. We should enter into relationships in which we can hold each other up, spiritually. A "friend" who is a drunken carouser will not hold you up. He will bring you down.
Two pillars: God's love and God's truth.
Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.
(Taken from Matthew Henry Daily Readings, from Henry's commentary on James 5:19-20)
"For six thousand years he has been multiplying pardons, and yet his free grace is not tired nor grown weary. Certainly divine mercy is an ocean that is ever full and ever flowing. May the Lord give us a part in this abundant mercy, through the blood of Christ, and the sanctification of the Spirit...And then, by such conversion of heart and life, a multitude of sins shall be hid. A most comfortable passage of Scripture is this. We learn hence that though our sins are many, even a multitude, yet they may be hid or pardoned; and that when sin is turned from or forsaken it shall be hid, never to appear in judgment against us."
Hallelujah!!
I am also praising you for your unconditional love. We who are finite cannot truly grasp the concept of unconditional love. We claim that we will love someone no matter what, but, if we are truthful, our love waxes and wanes with the performance of the individual receiving it. The closest thing we experience to your unconditional love, is the love we have for our own children. But, have mercy, there are times when we would just as soon shove them out the front door to make their own way in this cruel world. For that, Lord, we must beg forgiveness. But we are thankful that you will never do that to us, nor will you ever even feel that way towards us. Your love is unconditional! It is not dependent on what we do or say. Let us never forget that! And also let us never try to earn more of it, for that cannot be done.
Thank you, Lord!
Grace and peace, friends.