The Good News Blog

The Hugging Judge
‘Don’t bug me! Hug me!’ – Bumper Sticker

Lee Shapiro is a retired judge. He is also one of the most genuinely loving people we know. At one point in his career, Lee realized that love is the greatest power there is. As a result, Lee became a hugger. He began offering everybody a hug. His colleagues dubbed him “the hugging judge” (as opposed to the hanging judge, we suppose). The bumper sticker on his car reads, “Don’t bug me! Hug me!”

About six years ago Lee created what he calls his Hugger Kit. On the outside it reads “A heart for a hug.” The inside contains thirty little red embroidered hearts with stickums on the back. Lee will take out his Hugger Kit, go around to people and offer them a little red heart in exchange for a hug.

Lee has become so well known for this that he

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“…for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength)” -2 Corinthians 12:10, AMP

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

No matter what weakness you think you may have, no matter what inadequacies or setbacks you’ve encountered, God wants to give you His divine strength! He wants to make up the difference and put you further ahead than you ever thought possible. One time in the Old Testament, God simply multiplied the sound of four men’s footsteps and caused them to sound like a mighty army.

When their enemies heard them, they took off running. There were thousands of enemy troops running for their lives, scared to death, thinking they were being attacked by a massive army when, in fact, it was just four people! What happened? God made up the difference.

Friend, God can make you seem bigger than you really are. He

People don’t like to hear about hell. But I’m here to tell you that if Jesus is not your Lord and Savior, you are on your way to hell. Some of you will be upset at this bad news. You think that I’m all gloom and doom.

Tell me this… if your house were on fire, would you want me to let you know? Of course you would. You’d probably thank me for telling you. Well, if you go to hell, YOU will be the one on fire.

Hell may not be a politically correct topic these days, but many people enter hell everyday. Out of the 120,000 people that die everyday, most end up in hell. Hell is a real place despite the fact that people laugh and say that they want to go there. They simply don’t understand how terrible hell is. Just because you’ve never seen hell doesn’t

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind” – Proverbs 21:5, The Message

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

It’s amazing how taking a few minutes at the start of each day to plan and set your thoughts in the right direction can help you get ahead and empower you to accomplish so much more.

But too often, people get so caught up in the activity of life that they tend to just “go with the flow” instead. Of course, I’m not saying we shouldn’t be flexible, but when it comes to your life, you should be the one setting the flow. Of course, unexpected things happen. Our days won’t always go according to plan, but if you’ll take time each day to set your heart and mind in the right direction, you’ll be equipped for whatever comes your way!

Today I encourage you, make

by Anah Galathea

It was an event that’s meant to break the normal humdrum of our quiet nights. The air was teeming with excitement as production crew and performers alike run to and fro before the show started.

Gents and ladies wore casual get ups consisting of jeans, shirts, and since it was Bahrain winter, some of them wore shiny boots, scarves, and jackets. People piled up from seat to seat until finally, the lights went off, and the stage was set for a very unforgettable night…

A series of performers from different groups showcased their songs with live band accompaniment. The praise and worship line ups were indeed heart-warming and drew us closer to the Lord.

A little later, the curtains opened for a fresh surge of hot talent when the Worshipers in the Desert team hit the stage; kicking off with James Parmis’ rendition of “Hellsong.” (Hellsong is a Christian novelty

Tugtugan 2011 concert was indeed a great success. Praise the Lord!

The concert was organized by Day by Day with Jesus. It was held in Al Rajah School (Bahrain) last January 28, 2011. There were five Christian churches who participated in the concert, namely, Day by Day with Jesus, Jesus Is Alive Community Bahrain, The Shepherds Flock, Across the Nation Fellowship and El Shaddai.

Below are some videos of the song I sung during the concert. The songs are entitled, HELLsong by Ogie Cayabyab and Maging Sino Ka Man by Cesar Molina.

James Parmis sung HELLsong and Maging Sino Ka Man

HELLsong
by Ogie Cayabyab

Alam mo ba kung saan ka pupunta
kung patuloy ka sa pagkakasala
O alam mo ba kung saan ka pupunta
kung ikaw ay di handa

Kung anong ganda ng langit
Ay may lugar naman na kay pangit
At kay rami dung inaadmit
Lalo na yung

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory…!” -Judges 4:14, NLT

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and go into another year coasting on auto-pilot, expecting the same thing: same problems, same struggles and the same income. But God is a God of increase. He wants us to rise higher and continually grow and reach new levels.

What I sense in my spirit is that 2011 is going to be an exceptional year; a year for you to see promises come to pass; a year for you to accomplish your dreams. It’s going to be a year of surprises, and God is going to amaze you with His goodness!

Maybe there’s an area in your life that you’ve struggled with for a long time. It seems like you just can’t get ahead. You need to get ready. This is the

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” -Galatians 6:9, NKJ

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

This year, I believe, is going to be a year of great harvest for many people. Maybe you’ve been facing some difficulties. Remember, great difficulties lead to great victories. Maybe you’ve felt like the storms of life have been blowing against you, trying to hold you back. I believe this year that the winds are changing direction, and now they are going to start propelling you forward.

Due season is coming. It’s not time to sit back. It’s not time to let up. It’s time to press forward. It’s time to rise up! Don’t grow weary while doing good. Keep doing good and don’t lose heart because it’s your time, and it’s your season!

By faith begin to declare, “2011 is my

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” -Galatians 5:6B, NIV

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

So often, it’s easy to get caught up in our to-do lists of life. You might even have a spiritual checklist in your mind of all the things you think you need to do in order to please God. And we should have the desire to please Him and follow His commands, but pleasing Him starts with our heart condition.

Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians that only faith, hope and love will last into eternity. We can’t have faith unless we first have hope, and our faith won’t work without love. The point is that we have to remember to adjust our focus and make sure that we aren’t just going through the motions in our spiritual walk. We can do a lot of “good” things, too.

But if we

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life…” -Proverbs 21:21, NASB

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Have you ever noticed that righteousness and loyalty go together? In other words, if we’re not being loyal — to our family, friends, country, job — then we aren’t going to experience God’s best. Loyal people are honorable people.

When you’re loyal, you stick with someone through thick and thin. When you’re loyal, you keep your word — even if you get a “better” offer. Loyal people are respectful of their leaders. They honor their parents and defend their family. When you’re loyal, you are a person of integrity. You build trust and security in others.

Is this an area where you can rise higher? Can you be more loyal? Are you faithful in the things you’re committed to? Don’t let the distractions of everyday life keep you from pursuing loyalty. Look for ways to