emaxads on "Time zone issue"

if i use date function outside wordpress i get correct time
date("F j, Y, g:i a");
November 18, 2014, 9:57 pm
in a word press template i get
November 19, 2014, 3:57 am

Off 6 hours regardless of setting in settings general Time Zone
Is there a place i can set a default timzone in wordpress or any other ideas

Thanks