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At the time of this writing, it is still pretty early in the race for the presidency.  As far as the predictions for 2012 Presidential election results, there are several scenarios that could play out this year.  President Obama is going to run for President again, and at the time of this writing, Mitt Romney appears to have the presidential nomination locked up for the Republican Party.  As a result, we will assume these are the main candidates.

I am going to make several major predictions for the 2012 presidential election.  One of these will come true!

Prediction 1:  Obama could win in a landslide victory.

It seems like this is not even possible right now, but I do believe that Obama could win re-election in 2012 by a huge margin.  We have already seen how candidates can quickly gain and lose momentum in the Republican primaries.  Probably the best example we have seen of how this can happen is with Herman Cain.  When the Republican debates first started, Cain’s popularity exploded.  He led in the polls for a short time, and then the allegations of sexual harassment and affairs started popping up.  Within weeks, Cain was out of the race.

If Romney’s financial records are released in the spring, and there are any major inconsistencies within his tax returns, then he could lose a lot of support within his own party.

The other major issue is that Romney is much more moderate than most of the other Republican challengers.  When conservatives learn that Romney has supported many liberal causes throughout his history, there are going to be many more conservative Republicans who refuse to vote for him in the elections.

Prediction 2: Obama wins after a third party splits the Republican vote.

Of all of the predictions for the 2012 presidential election, this frightens Republicans the most.  Romney is simply not a strong conservative candidate.  He does not get the conservative base excited, and the Tea Party does not support him either.  As a result, the odds of getting a third party candidate are increasing by the day.

Ron Paul has refused to completely rule out the possibility of running as a third party candidate.  He ran in 2008 as a third party candidate, and he could run again.  Paul has more support than he had in 2008, and that means he could seriously damage the chances of a Republican winning the presidency in 2012.

Prediction 3: Romney wins because of the economy

The jobs numbers and other economic data will play a major role in whether Obama gets reelected at the end of the year.  With high unemployment numbers, he will have a hard time convincing Americans that he knows how to turn around the economy.  Blaming Bush is not going to help him win this time.  Romney is going to get a lot of people to vote for him simply because they are voting for “anyone but Obama”.

Prediction 4: Romney wins because another candidate runs against Obama.

Obama is a weak candidate too.  It is entirely possible that someone else could split the Democrat ticket.  If someone splits the Democrat ticket, then the election victory goes to Romney.

These are my predictions for the 2012 presidential election.  One of these scenarios will happen!

When you purchase church candles for your services, there are many components of candles that most people miss.  Candles have been used in services for thousands of years, and they are still popular in services today.  Before the days of electricity, they played an important role in providing light in church buildings.  Church candles are designed for different occasions, so you’ll want to make sure you purchase the appropriate candles for the appropriate occasions.  The Catholic Church and other denominations have specific rules regarding the materials that must be used in the production of the candles.

Here are five occasions when you would use church candles during church services.

1.       Candlelight Services

Candlelight services are among the most popular services held in church services.  Some candlelight services are held around Christmas Eve, and the New Year’s Eve service is growing in popularity around the country.  Many people can’t remember the sermons preached by the pastor the last few weeks, but they will remember the candlelight service held on Christmas Eve.  One of the leading manufacturers of church candles is Emkay Candle Company.  Emkay Congregation Candles are specifically designed for churches.

2.     Weddings

Altar candles are an essential part of most wedding ceremonies.  In many weddings, the new couple will light a unity candle at the altar to symbolize the beginning of their lives together.  Wedding candles are often placed along the aisles of the church, and they are often used for candlelight services during evening wedding services.  Altar candles are an important aspect of church candles in churches.

3.       Catholic Mass

Church candles are a huge part of the Catholic church.  Many Catholic churches have candles burning in the sanctuary at all hours of the day, and each candle has specific symbolic meanings.  In the Catholic church, the liturgical candle has to be manufactured with at least 51% beeswax.  There are many complex rules regarding the lighting of candles within the Catholic church, but they usually symbolize the light of God.  They can also symbolize people offering themselves to God.  Votive candles in the Catholic church symbolize individual Catholics trying to be more like Jesus.  Paschal candles symbolize the Light of Christ.

4.       Advent Candles

Perhaps the most famous use of candles in Christmas services is during the Christmas season.  Candlelight services are very popular in Christmas Eve services.  Most churches will display advent candles in the four weeks leading up to Christmas.  There are five advent candles, and one additional candle is lit each Sunday in the four advent Sundays leading up to Christmas.  The fifth center candle is lit on Christmas Eve.

5.       Memorial Services

Church candles are also popular during Memorial services.  Candles are often situated near the coffin to symbolize the baptismal vows the deceased made during their life.

These are just some of the occasions where church candles are used in regular services.  Baptismal services for infants often include candles.  When members of a church are excommunicated, candles are extinguished to symbolize the member that has left the body.  Easter services often include church candles too.

Men and women have been looking for Samaritan Fundraising reviews to see if this is a program that will raise money for their organization. This really is because a lot of churches are looking at Christian fundraiser companies that can help them raise cash for their ministries. Many church budgets have fallen on tough times as tithing is down at most churches. Men and women basically aren’t donating as much as they used to, and this has hit the church hard. This indicates that several churches have had to work harder at raising money just to make ends meet.

Numerous congregations have a great deal of debt from having mortgages on new buildings. Churches with a big mortgage to pay won’t be able to help it’s members when they need help in a financial emergency. Samaritan Fundraising is the Christian fundraising company that may help churches raise cash today.

Samaritan Fundraising’s main product is the Samaritan Card. You’ll be able to save lots of money at more than 100,000 merchants across the United States. The Samaritan Card gives discounts as much as a year. You can save a great deal of money on many national fine dining and fast food restaurants. A lot of buyers have used the Samaritan Card to get discounts at restaurants. It is possible to get a great deal of discounts for your vacation packages and hotel and rental car deals.

There are many other methods you’ll be able to get discounts too. Grocery retailers will give you discounts with the Samaritan Card. Shoe stores and apparel retailers will offer you discounts too. The majority of these shops give discounts. Neighborhood shops and restaurants also give discounts. Their website will show you all the offers available as soon as you activate the card. A lot of people in the Samaritan Fundraising reviews are reporting fantastic deals and discounts in the shops in their region.

The Samaritan Cards are purchased in certain specified blocks. Should you purchase 1,000 cards, you can get the best deal on the cards, as each card costs $5. For 100 cards, you pay $9 per card. You do not need to pay everything up front. You simply pay a deposit of $1 per card to begin, and then you pay the balance of the cards after the fundraiser is over. You’ll be able to also pay every little thing up front, and they’ll give you 30% off on the cards. The cards are sold to the general public for $20 per card. Your total profit is the money you raised for the fundraiser minus anything that’s still owed to Samaritan Fundraising.

There are lots of stories of how the Samaritan Card has helped organizations raise the income they need. Among many of the Samaritan Fundraising reviews, you can find stories of people going on mission trips merely by selling the Samaritan cards to folks within the neighborhood. You will find other Samaritan Fundraising reviews of folks raising money for orphanages, for band camps, outreach programs, and various other nonprofit opportunities.

Thanksgiving sermons are much more than just a sermon about giving thanks to the Lord in difficult circumstances.  This is a time of year when people are more sensitive to listening to the voice of God.  Christians know that they need to be thankful for everything they have, but many people need to be convicted for their selfish attitudes toward life.  We may not be happy about working two jobs.  We might not like that our homes are worth less than we owe.  We may not like the way our marriage is going, but some people don’t have any family at all.

If things are going great for you, then you should realize that things are going to get a lot more difficult!  If things aren’t going so well for you, then you should recognize that you are going through a trial!  When God presents a problem in your life, ask him to show you what it is he is trying to teach you through this season.  God uses the trials of our lives to teach us and mold us and shape us into the person he wants us to be.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 says to “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” God commands us to give thanks!

The book of Job tells the story of a man who lost everything.  If there was ever anyone who had a right to complain about his circumstances, then Job was that guy!  Despite all of the problems and issues he faced, he continued to put all of his faith and hope in God.  Many Thanksgiving sermons include references to Job.

There are many other great scripture references you can share in your Thanksgiving sermons too.  Colossians 3:15 states “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.”  When we are thankful for what we have, we can have peace in our hearts.  We don’t have to worry about what tomorrow will bring, as tomorrow has enough trouble of its own.  Walking with Christ is a daily process, and we have to constantly renew our minds when we live in Christ Jesus.

Many people don’t associate worship with thanks, but there are many Scripture verses that closely associate giving thanks with worship.  Psalms 30:4 says “Sing unto the Lord, o ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”  We need to give thanks to God with singing and praise.  Praise and worship should be a part of the Thanksgiving celebration!

These are some ideas for Thanksgiving sermons your congregation needs to hear today!

Displaying Christian Christmas decorations is a great way to decorate your home or business for the Christmas season without getting away from the real reason for the holiday.  If you are working in an office or retail establishment, customers are going to expect you to decorate for the holidays.  Families are always going to expect you to decorate your home for Christmas, and it is important for kids to learn the importance of Christmas early in life.  Your kids will learn about our culture’s commercial Christmas if you don’t teach them the real meaning of Christmas!

There are many Christian Christmas decorations you can display on your Christmas tree, around the fireplace, outside the home, and everywhere else too.  Here are a few great ideas for Christian Christmas decorations.

Christian Christmas Ornaments

Santa Claus might not be real, but there is a tree ornament of Santa Claus kneeling down at the baby Jesus.  The ornament has a scripture reference for Philippians 2:30 that states “That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow.”  This is an interesting ornament because Santa Claus, a commercial fixture in secular Christmas culture, is bowing down to the baby Jesus!  Younger children will see this ornament on your tree and ask questions about why Santa Claus is bowing down to Jesus, and this could lead to a salvation discussion with your child.

There are many miniature plaques you can hang on your tree too.  You can also get a Jesus Plaque ornament with the printed scripture reference for Isaiah 9:6.  You can also get a Believe plaque with the scripture reference for Luke 2:30-32.  The Faith plaque has the scripture John 3:16 imprinted.  You can spread out these ornaments around the tree in various places where people will see them as they view your tree.

Christmas Nativity Sets

No Christian decoration display is complete without Christmas nativity sets.  I like to display multiple nativity scenes around the home to have a constant reminder of what I am celebrating.  Most people display a nativity scene near the Christmas tree, over the fireplace, in the kitchen, or outside the home in the front yard.  If you are going to have a big Christmas light display in your yard, make sure you have a nativity scene too!  This is the most important aspect of any Christmas display.

Christmas Tree Toppers

There are a few Christmas tree toppers I think of when I think of Christmas.  I think about Christmas tree stars which could remind us of the star of Bethlehem, and I also think about angels sitting on the top of the tree.  One of the most popular tree toppers is the Angel on High tree topper.  This looks great on the top of your Christmas tree.

Christmas Angels and Figurines

It is common to decorate the fireplace mantle with figurines that represent the Christmas season.  One of the most popular figurines is a 9.75 retro musical TV.  This TV plays old Christmas music that reminds the older generation of the old box televisions with old Christmas music playing during the holidays.  You can display other angel figurines, nativity scene figurines, birds, snowmen, and lots of other beautiful Christian Christmas decorations around the home.

Christian Christmas decorations are a great way to celebrate the real reason behind Christmas!

It is my opinion that Christmas sermons are some of the most fun sermons that pastors get to preach every year. People are excited about the Christmas season and everything that goes along with the most wonderful time of the year! Church members are busy caroling at nursing homes and buying gifts for those people less fortunate. Parents are out buying gifts for their children, and pastors are busy attending Christmas parties for every single ministry in the church! In the midst of the busy season, it is easy to forget about the true meaning of Christmas. Here are some great ideas for Christmas sermons:
The Story of the Birth of Jesus
This sermon is best for the Sunday before Christmas or for the Christmas Eve service. Many families spend time reading the Christmas story every year, and we need to hear this story several times during the Christmas season. Children and adults can easily forget what all the celebration is about as we run around staying busy in the weeks leading up to the holidays. This is one of the most Christmas sermons you can give.
Stories of other people at Christmas
There are many other Christmas stories you can share in your Christmas sermons. There are many stories of people serving in the armed forces who surprise their family and come home for Christmas. There are other stories of families who are so poor they cannot give their children any gifts for Christmas. Nurses, police officers, and other essential personnel have to work on Christmas morning. There are many stories of people helping the less fortunate around the holidays.
Some of the stories you hear during the Christmas season are emotionally moving. Stories that stir the emotions of people in the congregation can help you introduce a sermon message that people will still remember in future holiday seasons. People love to hear stories during Christmas sermons.
Study of Christmas Traditions
Most people don’t understand all of the origins of the Christmas traditions that occur around the holidays. Many of these traditions have a Christian or Biblical significance. You can tie these traditions into Christmas sermons that your congregation will remember when they are hanging ornaments on the tree or opening presents on Christmas morning.
The Grinch who stole Christmas
Most everyone is familiar with the book and the movie of the Grinch who stole Christmas. The Grinch tried to stop Christmas by stealing all the food and all of the presents from all the homes. In the end, everyone realizes that Christmas is not just about the presents and food, and it is about a lot more than these trivial activities.
The devil is the Grinch of Christmas. You may not recognize him, but he is a part of our daily lives around the Christmas season. The devil is in the excessive busyness that keeps us from spending more time with God. The devil is also in our pocket books when we buy expensive gifts for people we don’t care about when that money could be used on giving to people less fortunate. The real-life Grinch known as Satan is doing everything he can to distract us from the true meaning of Christmas.
These are just some of the ideas for Christmas sermons you could preach this year. If you are stumped about what to preach on Sunday morning, check out sermon outlines where you can get tons of ideas on sermons for Christmas.

Christmas sermon videos are becoming an important part of the Sunday morning services during the advent season.  Pastors are always looking for new ways to share the message of Jesus.  The Christmas season is a great time for evangelism-style messages, as this is the time when many visitors attend church.  While many people know they should spend time in church, other people attend church when it gets close to Christmas.  This is the perfect time for pastors to reach to people they might not be able to reach any other time of year!

Christmas sermon videos are great for those not walking with the Lord.  Many people have a perception that church is boring, or they are just too busy to go to church.  Here are some great Christmas sermon videos you can show at church during the holiday season:

Christmas Spirit the Right Way

This video talks about lots of the Christmas traditions including Christmas trees, Christmas lights, nativity scenes, and Christmas cookies.  The video encourages people to have more of the right Christmas spirit.  It encourages people to give more in time and energy to other people.  It discusses how we trust God more because he sent his only Son to live with us here on Earth, and it helps us remember that God is always with us despite all of the struggles we face on a regular basis.

Christmas in a Nutshell

This video jokes about some of the awful gifts people have received over the years.  Sweaters, socks, banana bread, and other re-gifts are popular bad gifts during the Christmas season.  Despite these terrible gifts we have given and received, God gave us the greatest gift anyone could ever receive.  He sent his son to die on the cross for us, and we can have the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  God sent the most unexpected gift to us 2,000 years ago in the form of a baby.  God wants to show up in our neighborhoods, in our workplace, and in our friend’s lives.  He wants to give everyone the gift of eternal life.

Christmas Is Jesus

Christmas is all about Jesus.  Despite everything else that happens during the season, Christmas is ultimately about the Son of God.  It is easy to get mixed up with Christmas lights, Christmas songs, family, community, and everything else that happens during the season.   This video helps reestablish the true meaning of Christmas.

There are many other Christmas sermon videos you can show to the church too.  This is just a small example of everything that is available today.

Are you trying to figure out how to get your book published?  Most people that want to become full-time authors never figure out the keys to becoming a successful award-winning author.  The problem is that many authors don’t know the first thing about marketing!  Marketing is a complex subject that many people don’t understand, and even fewer people master.

The easiest step of learning how to get your book published is picking a company to get your work published.  There are many self-publishing companies who have the resources to publish your book.  They will take care of all of the little details for you.  You don’t need to worry about designing a book cover or some of the other minor details that many authors face.

The big secret in how to be a successful writer is in your marketing skills!  This is the big secret!  Here are some tips to market yourself and your writing skills:

The internet is where you need to be.

The internet has made it easier than ever to stay in touch with lots of people.  You need to learn how to market online.  There are many high traffic websites where you can market yourself and your expertise.

The places where you should market depend on the topic of your book.  There are several places where everyone should be marketing.  Some of the best places to market your work include Twitter, Facebook, Google, YouTube, Amazon and even Craigslist.

You need to market through social media.

Successful authors don’t become successful by accident.  They know a lot of people.  They know people who are connected to the biggest names in the publishing industry.  Social media makes it easier than ever to get connected with other people.  Facebook is a must for social media.  You should create a Facebook Page to market your book.  If you are selling an informational book, you should follow other people on Twitter who are interested in your topic.  Some of these people will follow you back.  Begin exchanging messages with other people.  Develop online relationships with people who may be able to help you market your book.  If you want to know how to get your book published and marketed, then you need to know how to use social media.

Market your work through internet forums.

Internet forums are some of the best places to market your work.  If you are writing a fiction novel, then you should hang out on Amazon forums and other places where writers like to hang out.  If you are writing a how to book, then learn where everyone is hanging out.  There are internet forums on a wide variety of topics.  Hang out in these forums, and start to make connections with other people there.  Share your knowledge and insight with everyone there.  If you establish yourself as an expert on a specific subject in an internet forum, people will buy your book when it is published.

Learning how to do effective marketing is not easy.  It can take years to learn everything you need to know about effective marketing for your book.  The best way to get everything done right is to work with a self-publishing company that does most of the work for you.  You can work with companies that will publish your book, edit your book, and market your book for you!  If you are working with a self-publishing company, the price to publish your book matters.  The companies who will do more work for you generally charge more, but it is worth it to pay a company to help you market your product.  Work with a reputable Christian company if you really want to learn how to get your book published.

Check out these great free christian ecards!

One of the easiest ways to show you care about others is through free Christian ecards.  More and more people are sending ecards today because it is much easier to send ecards to people than it is to send regular snail mail!  The post office may be going bankrupt, but there will always be email and free Christian ecards you can send to anyone who needs a few words of encouragement.

There are many occasions where you can send an ecard.  Birthdays are some of the most common times when you may want to send cards.  Think about Facebook for a moment.  If you have a Facebook account (and who doesn’t), then you know how everyone wishes you a Happy Birthday every year.  Imagine if you spend an extra few minutes to send out a Birthday ecard to someone who has a birthday.  This is a great way to reach out to someone who is going through a difficult season or to someone who you are witnessing to.  People like to know that there are people that care about them.

Holidays are another time when it is appropriate to send free Christian ecards.  Everyone sends Christmas cards, and more and more people are sending Christmas ecards every year.  If you are going to send cards for Christmas, you might consider sending ecards instead of physical cards to some people.  The Christmas ecard can include a personalized message with a Scripture reference that talks about the real meaning of Christmas.

Once you establish that you are sending Christmas ecards, you can send cards for other seasons too.  Most people don’t send cards for Easter, but Easter is the most important holiday for Christians.  While you may not consider sending cards for Easter, it is completely free to send ecards for Easter.  Easter cards are perfect for new Christians.  As Christians, we should place much more significance on this sacred day, and ecards are an easy way to recognize this most significant holiday.

There are many other occasions where free Christian ecards are appropriate.   If someone is grieving over the loss of a loved one, this is the perfect time to send an ecard.  You may not know the physical address of the person, but it is usually easy to find an email address.  You can show you care by sending a sympathy card letting them know that you are praying for them.

If a friend is getting married and they live far away, you may not be able to attend their wedding, but you can send them free Christian ecards!  You may have a friend getting married who lives 1,000 miles away, but sending a card will let them know that you are excited for them!  Ecards are great for other occasions where you might not otherwise send a card.  The birth of a child is always an appropriate time to send a Christian ecard.  Patriotic cards are great for the 4^th of July and Memorial Day.  There are many occasions when it is appropriate to send free Christian ecards.

Christian Blog: Since the early years of Christianity, various myths, legends, and even conspiracy theories about the origins of the Bible have enjoyed wide circulation.

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David Lose: Where Did the Bible Come From?