"A Study on Character Based Appearance" - Amy Lawrence
There are so many methods that we use to communicate. Did you know that only 7% of human conversation uses words? 37% is in our tone of voice, but 55% of our communication is in our body language. That’s more than half ! How we sit or stand, how we use our hands or the expressions upon our faces - these all communicate to others, right down to even the clothes we wear. What many do not know is that there are outward behaviors that indicate inward ideals - and they show, whether we want them to or not.
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Keeping Focus - Jamie Oliver
But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God”. Not many have had the experience of plowing a field today unless they grew up on a farm. Have you ever passed a field and wondered how they made the lines so straight? A point must be found ahead of you, and you must focus on that point all the way from the start of the row to the end of the row. If you turn even slightly to one side your line is going to get off. Christ is telling us we must focus on Him; we can’t let the world divert our focus.
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An Unhealthy Home - Amy Lawrence
In order to come to an understanding of what constitutes an unhealthy home, we must first define a healthy one. God describes the tools needed to establish a healthy home in Ephesians chapters 5-6; how husband and wife should behave toward one another, how children should behave toward parents, and how parents should behave toward children. In Jeremiah chapter 35, Jeremiah tells us of a family known as the Rechabites. God contrasts the disobedience of Judah to the obedience of the sons of Jonadab. Jonadab had taught his sons how to respect authority and be obedient, whether it be toward him or God. God commends Jonadab and his sons, concluding that his household will always have a man that will stand before God. Positive peer pressure. Abraham was given the same commendation (Gen. 18:19). We see in this a healthy home.
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"What is Forgiveness?" - Amy Lawrence
We as the fallible humans that have been made in the image of God often have conflicting ideas concerning forgiveness. Our sinful nature would have us to hold grudges and forgive but never forget. Scripture teaches, however, that we can control that sinful nature and bring it under subjection to the law of Christ (Romans 7-8). The words of forgiveness Jesus spoke while in agony on the cross are the words that ring in the life of a faithful Christian that would forgive the way God forgives. What does scripture say about how God forgives? Let’s see.
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Abortion, Birth Control, and the Issue of Life
From the first book of the Bible to the last book, God’s Word is concerned about the lives of His creation - not only the spiritual life and one’s relationship to God, but also the physical life and one’s relation to his fellow man (Genesis 1:26,27). Moses wrote to the Israelites in Genesis 9:6: “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.” Again, in the law, God instructs man not to “shed innocent blood” (Deuteronomy 19:10). Jesus’ teachings and example stress the importance of life (Luke 9:56). When our Lord walked the streets of Palestine, He ministered to the lame, blind, downtrodden, and social outcasts, of whom the world thought it best if they had never been born. He showed that these individuals were human, created in His image. So it follows that Christ’s disciples, the people making up His church, would strive in all ways to live and teach as the Master does. Thus, on issues such as abortion, our hearts should break when we think of the millions of innocent lives that have been extinguished in the name of “choice” and “freedom”. Our stomachs should churn when we hear of programs such as Planned Parenthood cutting up and selling aborted baby parts (or even that such a foundation as Planned Parenthood exists). Many want to ride the fence of the abortion issue and appeal to the worst-case scenario (such as rape, incest, etc.) as a reason abortion should be acceptable. The facts are, however, that most cases of abortion are not the result of a woman who has been forced in some way. Most abortions occur from a woman who willingly had sex, but did not want the responsibility that comes with it ( https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3711005.pdf ). The legalization of abortion has promoted more individuals to live promiscuous lives and think it is morally acceptable because it is legal. Therein lies the problem with such sinful activity (such as legalization of homosexual “marriage”) due to the lack of knowledge of God’s Word among the populous.
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Attitude Of Thankfulness
A wise, older preacher once told me, “Your attitude determines your altitude.” The older I have gotten the more I understand this and the truer it has become. What we think in our minds and hearts affects our actions and lives. “Out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). Many days end (good or bad) depending on our mindset that day. Many situations could have turned out differently if an attitude check had preceded the event. The overall mindset we possess in life will ultimately determine where we end up. This applies in the physical realm with our careers and earthly endeavors, but also, more importantly, it applies in the spiritual realm – where we will be in eternity. So, what kind of attitude should a child of God exhibit? We should have an attitude of thankfulness. God’s Word stresses the importance of having a disposition of thanksgiving. Thankfulness is key to possessing and maintaining an overall attitude that is pleasing to God. Having gratitude as our foundation will help us to continue to appreciate the love God has shown toward us and not take His blessings for granted; it will helps us keep in remembrance the sacrifice Christ paid for us, thus “setting our minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2, 15; Ephesians 4:23-24). With thanksgiving at the center of our mind, we will have the attitude of the Psalmist (Psalms 100:4) and live a Spirit-filled life as commanded in the New Testament (Ephesians 5:15-21).
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Children’s Church – Is It Authorized?
The practice of taking the young children out of the worship assembly has come to be called “children’s church” in many corners. The purpose of this is to train and teach the children in a less formal setting that encourages them to “enjoy” church while allowing their parents to worship without distraction. This may sound good on the surface. However, it is important to ask some questions before giving in to any practice that involves worship to our God. Firstly, and most importantly, what does God’s Word teach on the subject? Is it authorized in the Scriptures? Does the Bible give us examples or principles to draw from that may help us come to a conclusion as to whether this is acceptable in God’s sight? Why would we separate children from the worship assembly in order to teach them about worship?
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Gossip: Let Your Speech Always Be With Grace
Why do we as human beings feel the need to always be speaking about something new or interesting and have itching ears that long to hear some alluring piece of information? Maybe that is a question for psychology, but it certainly plays a part in our spiritual walk on this earth as God’s people. One cannot go through a checkout aisle without seeing the gossip magazines the media produces on a daily basis. Maybe as Christians we are not concerned with that type of gossip as much as the everyday hearsay of a coworker, neighbor, or brother/sister in Christ. Many times we can get caught up in what others are saying about someone or a particular situation involving another, and even if we do not have all the facts, we feel compelled to give “our two cents” worth. How often do we stop before we speak and think, “Will this help the person or hinder them?” “If the person in question were here would I say this to their face?” “Am I trying to be sincerely helpful or unfairly judgmental?” In other words, before we join in a conversation about another person who is not present we need to firstly examine our own motives. How we use our tongues everyday reflects upon the church of which we are a part and the God whom we serve.
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Pornography and Purity
We all know there is a sexual revolution occurring in our world. One cannot go out in public or even watch television without seeing some product being sold in the name of sex. Sexual images, sensual movements, and poorly-clade individuals are literally everywhere. The Internet is no exception. One may be looking at totally innocent information on a site and suddenly an illicit picture pops up. Young children receive cell phones (most of which have the Internet) at very early ages and they learn how to use them sometimes better than their parents! This means that children are going to be exposed to pornographic images increasingly at earlier ages. In fact, the average age that boys first encounter pornography on the Internet is 11 years old - and that number is falling ( http://national.deseretnews.com ). Boys are not the only ones affected. The same source reported that more and more girls are increasingly viewing pornography. Some psychologists have suggested that children need to explore their sexuality and that viewing “soft porn” is not harmful to individuals. Unfortunately, many people have this mindset today. In this independent and subjective-truth-believing society, many will argue pornography can help in some situations (such as bring the passion back into a marriage); but God’s Word (objective truth) has something else to say on this topic (John 17:17). Let us explore some scriptural principles on this difficult-to-discuss subject and be honest with ourselves and with our God. The destiny of our souls depends on it!
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Which Lady of Proverbs Are You?
The book of Proverbs is full of wise sayings on many respects. The difference between the foolish and the wise, the peril of trusting in riches, and how to use one’s tongue for good are just a few of the topics covered in the book. The overall theme of Proverbs is of course, wisdom. Not wisdom of the world but wisdom according to God’s Word as is mentioned throughout the book (“the fear of the Lord…” – Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 14:27; 19:23; 23:17). Proverbs 8 portrays wisdom crying out, “Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, and from the opening of my lips will come right things; for my mouth will speak truth” (Proverbs 8:6-7). The book implies that there are two “ladies” calling out to us throughout our lives. One is from God, lady wisdom whose words are righteousness (Proverbs 8:35). The other is from the evil one, the immoral woman whose words cast one down to hell (literally, Sheol, where the wicked dead await, Proverbs 7:27). All women will give ear to one of these “ladies”; the decision made will determine their fate. One will lead us down the path to true life, while the other leads us down the path to death. The question every Christian woman must ask herself is which type of woman portrayed in the book of Proverbs is she – the sinful woman (Proverbs 7) or the virtuous woman (Proverbs 31)?
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Women Working Outside the Home
This subject has been a heated one in some circles among God's people. It seems many go to one of two extremes on this issue (as humans often do). One end of the spectrum states mothers should work outside the home to be an experienced, complete woman, while the other end claims women should not work outside the home because a woman can not keep her house/children in order and have a secular career. Both of these thoughts are unbalanced and are not founded upon Scripture. The purpose of this article is to examine what our Lord desires for women (particularly mothers) with reference to the home.
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The Role of Women
The role of women in the Lord's church is a topic that seems to be resurfacing more and more in our society that pushes for equality on all fronts. For many years women have fought for equal rights in voting, the work place, and the community as a whole. Overall, these aspects are not wrong in and of themselves. It is a problem when we as the Lord's body allow our culture to influence the way we view God's Word and the application thereof. Some think men suppress or trample the talents of women when they are not allowed to preach in the assembly. This mindset is appealing to equality among the sexes and forgets what God has revealed in His Word. Is this subject an equality issue? The Word of God is clear that all humans are equal in God's sight (Genesis 1:26-28). Those who obey God are one in Christ no matter their background, their skin color, or their gender (Galatians 3:28). However, being equal before God as His created beings does not mean that men and women have the same function in His body. All Christians have a role in the kingdom. These functional roles are different and one is not more important than another. The roles of men, women, and children are all important and necessary for edifying and building up the church. All of us have the responsibility to work in our designated niche, if you will, and to make sure we are following God's will therein. For the purpose of this writing, we will study what God's Word says about a woman's role in His kingdom.
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What Does Submission Mean?
Many individuals in our culture today have negative connotations about the word “submit”. Images are conjured up in the mind of a tyrant standing over his or her subjects beating them into submission or a doormat-type person that does whatever others want them to do. Webster defines the word as “to yield oneself to the authority or will of another”; “to permit oneself to be subjected to something” or “to defer to or consent to abide by the opinion or authority of another”. These definitions may still convey unfavorable thoughts of some kind since no one likes to become someone else’s subject or never get their own way. In the fallen world in which we live, humans have rejected various authorities over the centuries, especially God’s authority. Although the world and culture play a large part of our understanding of certain concepts, it is the Christian’s responsibility to understand God’s meaning behind a word or phrase found in His Word. What does it mean to submit according to the Bible? Are there commandments in the Bible for certain individuals to submit to others? Is submission really such a negative term? Let’s explore these questions by looking at the one source that contains words of life – the Word of God (John 6:68, Luke 4:4, 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
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