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Bible Study Basics: Write Out Your Lesson

dfchrist — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:41:13 +0000

When I taught a class on how to lead Bible studies and teach in a group, the biggest push-back I received was when I promoted writing out – in full – your lesson for the week. People objected that writing out a lesson would squelch the Spirit of God and would make the lesson mechanical.

After having led adult Sunday School classes and small group Bible studies for over fifteen years, I disagree. Instead, I have found that thorough preparation – including writing out as completely as possible everything you want to say – brings only benefits to the group or class you are leading. And that holds true regardless of whether the class is more lecture-oriented or more discussion-oriented. Here are three areas that benefit significantly from taking the time to write out your lesson:

1. Content

Writing helps you focus your lesson and achieve your goals. It requires you to define your main point and decide how to explain it, support it, illustrate it, and apply it.

Writing out your lesson ensures that you have enough content to fill the allotted time. You won’t have to suffer the embarrassment of being done with your material and still have 15 minutes of dead time to fill, nor will you find that the bell has rung and you have 15 minutes of material still to cover.

Teaching is about expounding on points, not just stating points. It’s one thing to say “God calls us to forgive others.” It’s another to talk about the reasons we resist forgiving others, the process of forgiveness, and the benefits of forgiveness. When you write out your lesson, you can carefully develop all aspects of your main focus.

Since you know the points you want to cover when you write out your lesson, you can also prepare effective handouts and note-taking sheets to help the participants engage with the material and remember it.

2. Presentation

By writing out your lesson, you can learn how to pace yourself. You will see in black-and-white where you are spending most of your time, and what points need to be strengthened.

You will not find yourself groping for words, forgetting your points or sub-points, or faltering to make transitions between sections.

If you find that some portion of your lesson has taken longer than you planned and you are running short on time, a written lesson will help you evaluate faster what to eliminate and still achieve your goals for the session since you can literally scan the remainder of your content in a few seconds.

3. Discussion

Written lessons help you determine where to intersperse discussion to keep people involved and engaged.

By writing your lessons out, you are also able to guide discussion more effectively. Instead of asking “What do you think? Does anyone have any input?” – which can open the door to absolutely anything – you can ask targeted, well-crafted questions that lead the discussion in order to support the focus and goal of your class.

When you develop a written lesson, you are more likely to realize ahead of time where people might have questions – and prepare for them.

A written lesson will also help you recognize and derail tangents as soon as they happen – whether it’s you who are tempted to go off on a rabbit trail, or whether someone else is veering off during a discussion time.

When you consider the benefits, the time and effort it takes to write out a lesson becomes an investment that you can’t afford to be without. Rather than squelching the Spirit of God, God is able to move more powerfully in the hearts, minds, and lives of others because of your thorough preparation. And rather than make the lesson mechanical, your preparation sets you free to be at ease during the class – to lead and teach with confidence.

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Changing Our Negative Beliefs

dfchrist — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 23:43:37 +0000

We have no control over the beliefs we have as children. We are pretty much fed what to think. And much of what we are fed does not empower us. As a high school speaker, I see it all the time with my audiences. However, by the time we become adults, we may realize that there is a better way and we can begin to adopt beliefs strictly based on their utility to you. Thus, out the window gets thrown old Santa Clause to be replaced by a politician with similar beliefs to your own. (Maybe not such a good idea after all!)

When it comes to our beliefs, we should abide by one rule only. Does the belief empower me? If it does, keep it. On the other hand, if the belief keeps you stuck in a rut get rid of it and replace it with a more empowering belief.

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Letting Go Of Negative Beliefs

When engaging in self-improvement or energy work or studying the Law of Attraction, we’re often told that we have to release our negative and limiting beliefs. But what exactly do we mean by that? Change Your Beliefs With EFT

To change your life, change your negative beliefs. Our negative beliefs are often hard to identify but it can be done and they can easily be removed using EFT so that we can become our true selves. Eliminating Negative Beliefs

There is no other more influential dominating force in human behavior than one’s belief and its framework within the person’s subconscious mind. The nervous system is directly connected with one’s belief that the latter has the capacity to greatly determine the extent a person could… Change Negative Thoughts to Positive Beliefs

No one can put their hand on their heart and say that they never have negative thoughts – it’s a part of life. But when you start letting your negative thoughts take over your life you start to live negatively. Everything that you do is…Stay flexible.

You can learn from each and every person you meet and if they have uniquely empowering beliefs in a certain area where you are lacking, by all means, adopt those beliefs for yourself.

For example, if you meet someone with a passion for fitness that you wish you had, identify the beliefs that this person has that allows him to get up each morning and exercise regularly. His beliefs around fitness might include the following:

- If I am going to feel good about myself, I must remain fit.

- Running allows me to burn off stress.

- If I dont exercise, I will become less attractive.

Adopting his beliefs makes it possible to adopt his regime. Beliefs are not carved in stone. Remember, stay flexible. A belief that works well in one circumstance might be disastrous in another context.

Consistently identify your beliefs about different things in different contexts. Make it a habit to eliminate the negative ones. And just like flexing muscles to build up your strength, be certain to make it a habit to believe even more powerfully in your empowering beliefs.

Building Belief Structures

The best place to identify empowering beliefs is by learning from others with already empowering beliefs. Enhancing our listening skills to fully discover someone’s beliefs is an extremely useful skill in life. By probing and going deeper in every conversation until we understand and comprehend someone’s beliefs systems is like taking a snapshot into their uniquely original mind.

One of the more interesting benefits of this new found skill is whenever I discover someone has more empowering beliefs than the ones I currently hold: I simply nod my head and make a mental note to replace my current belief with their stronger more empowering belief. As a high school speaker, I am constantly seeking to improve my personal belief system. This exercise takes practice to become proficient at, but with consistent effort, the results will be astounding.

Religion Benefits to Health

dfchrist — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 06:59:43 +0000

There have been many claims and studies saying that religion benefit’s the health of a person. Before revealing what those benefits are, let us know first what religion is. According to Cicero, religion came from the word ‘relegare’ which means to go through again and read again. ‘Re’ means again while ‘legere’ means read. However, the modern writers and ancient writers linked the word religion to ‘religare’ which means to bind fast or unite. Taking it from the word origins, religion means binding oneself or meeting the ultimate creator, God.
Many doctors believe that health does not just mean the physical body alone, but also involves the mind and spirit. There have been numerous studies suggesting that religious people recover better, have longer life and are less likely to be depressed. Since religion involves a belief that someone divine provides things for people, a person who belongs to a religion tends to believe he will get healed when sick and he will survive when challenged. Religion benefits the mental health in a way that it improves the mental well being of a person. Experts say that if you truly believe in your faith, then what you prayed for will most likely come true. There were also cases that a person’s belief helped him fight a disease and get well again which they call the psychological effect in a person.
Religion benefits relationship as well. Since it involves mingling with other people, religion enhances one’s social aspect and this gives a person so many positive effects. Studies show that when a person eats with friends, he is most likely to feel full and contented. Encouragement from friends also helps a patient get well or a depressed person feel better. Physical contacts like hugs can also aid in healing a person. Physical contacts stimulate the nerves of the body sending signals to the brain; then the brain produces serotonin, the body’s natural anti-depressant and also called the ‘happy hormone.’
Other religion benefits for one’s health involve behaviors like good diet and refraining from alcohol and cigarette. People who are surrounded by a religious community also have positive image of oneself, sense of purpose and growth. Religion benefits the lonely people, too. When people lost a loved one or experience misery, they realize some situations are out of their hands and that they have to trust the Lord. Also, religion gives consolation and comfort to those in need making a person stronger in continuing life.
Religion is also life changing. How many criminals have turned back on their past and embraced God? Religion also shapes artistry and creativity through prayer and music. Participating in choirs and other events enhances a person’s skills.
Religion is not just a congregation that performs rituals or ceremonies regularly but also a relationship and community where people give and take, forgive and love, share and grow. If you belong to a religion, you may want to get yourself immersed and involved to it because of the many and sometimes unexplainable benefits of it to your health and life.

Christian Living With Christian Faith

dfchrist — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 13:12:01 +0000

A Christian’s life is the same as any other person’s. They have jobs, families to feed and care for just like anybody else. The only difference is that they live their lives with faith in God and dedicate it to praising him by being good to others and living a healthy life.
The Christian faith teaches everyone to love one another no matter how they have been treated. If wrong has been done to you, it should never be that you do the same to that person. Forgiveness is a way of the Christian life. They should treat others as they would like to be treated by others.
Prayer plays a very big role in Christian life. It is taught that nobody is without sin or faults. Families pray together whether it is everyday or every week. This brings them closer to God and to each other.
Christian faith is about helping those who are less privileged than you.

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Personal Beliefs Define Us

dfchrist — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:49:33 +0000

When my son was 4 years old we took him to the Spring Fair our church was having. There were lots of things for the kids to do-rides, a petting zoo, cotton candy, and games to play, all the usual activities that are at a normal fair. My son was having a wonderful time until he saw a clown walking toward him, then he began clinging to me in complete terror as it approached us. “It’s just Ms. Shelly dressed in a clown suit,” I said to him, trying my best to comfort and console him.
“You know her.” But there was no way he believed me; in his little 4 year old mind, that was NOT Ms. Shelly, it was a clown-something unknown and probably evil! His crying continued no matter what I said, he simply acted on what he believed to be true.
This episode is a bit of a joke in our family now, but the principle is profoundly true.

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The power of belief creates our results because we act based on our beliefs and then our actions create our reality. Any belief we have whether it is true or not can change the way we respond to events in our lives. Therefore we have ultimate control over our lives if we choose to shape our beliefs to serve us rather than vice versa. Personal Vision

Do you have a personal vision? How do your actions align with what is important to you? Just like businesses have a vision and mission statement to determine how they want to operate, each of us should define what is important and our actions should match. If not, there will be (and there are) problems.We all act on what we believe. Now this is great when it is based on faith in God. When we truly believe something in the scriptures, we will act on it, and we know that all scripture is truth. But what about the times when our actions do not match our beliefs? I’m not talking about these big theological beliefs, but the little ones that affect our daily lives.
Whatever we believe to be true is true to us. It may not be the truth, but it’s still true to us. How many times have we heard reports of beauty queens that think they are ugly? Or those struggling with anorexia who is convinced that they are fat? We may say, “God is my healer,”-which is the truth-but our actions may convey that what we really believe is, “God is trying to punish me for something I did wrong.” Our actions reveal what the belief really is. And if the belief is not truth, then it is a lie.
No matter what I told my son that day at the fair, he perceived it differently in his mind. He believed a lie-that that clown was not Ms. Shelly, it was someone else. I revealed truth to him, but he chose not to believe it. It had nothing to do with having poor integrity or dishonesty. Father God reveals truths to us-we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are the apple of His eye. He loves us with an everlasting love-and we may even say we believe it, but do our actions show it?

The Ruler Of This World

dfchrist — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 05:45:26 +0000

Satan is the current god of this world. Satan is a spirit conspirator manipulating the world by deception and by fostering the spirit of disobedience. While on this Earth, Christ admitted that someone other than himself was the current ruler of the world.
John 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” NIV
Paul identified who was the god of this world and warned his followers that it was Satan who blinded the world to the glorious gospel of Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. KJV
Satan is deceiving the entire world and is fooling the world to worship a false Christ. The book of Revelation identifies Satan as the great deceiver of the entire world.
Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the Earth, and his angels were cast out with him. KJV
Paul preached to the Ephesians that mankind’s true battle is against Satan and his demons.
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. KJV
Peter stated that a Christian’s enemy is the devil.
1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. NIV
Satan is the god of this world until Christ returns. The reason Satan is the current ruler of this world goes back to the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate of the Tree of Good and Evil, they allowed Satan to rule them instead of God. If Adam and Eve had resisted Satan and obeyed God, then Adam and Eve would have been under the Government of God. By yielding to the lies of the serpent, they started the process of the whole world being under Satan’s sway.
1 John 5:19 � the whole world is under the control of the evil one. NIV
Christ had to come to the Earth and live out his life as a flesh and blood human being so mankind can someday be free from the control of the evil one. Christ is called the second Adam. The first Adam failed in resisting Satan. One of Christ’s objectives while on this Earth was to successfully resist the temptation of Satan. By successfully resisting Satan and obeying God, Christ qualified to become the ruler of the world at his Second Coming.
Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”‘ 5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: “He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, “In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.”‘ 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, “You shall not tempt the LORD your God.”‘ 8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.”‘ 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. NKJV
Christ did not disagree with Satan concerning his ability to give Christ all of the Kingdoms of the World. He knew Satan was the ruler of this world and could turn them over to him if he so wished. Christ also knew that by obeying God instead of Satan, he would qualify to dethrone Satan at his return in power and glory. Overcoming Satan’s temptations were necessary so mankind could achieve its true destiny.

Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Matthew 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

Mark 3:22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

Luke 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Luke 11:15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
Luk11:17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.

John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince [NKJV: ruler] of this world be cast out.

John 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince [NKJV: ruler] of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the prince [NKJV: ruler] of this world is judged.

2 Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Revelation 2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat [NKJV, RSV: throne] is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

Revelation 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

What Would Your Spiritual Obituary Read Like?

dfchrist — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:15:07 +0000

Death is the common denominator which cuts across race, religion, social status, ethnicity, education, age, gender, birth origin, or even morality; everybody dies. It is that one appointment none of us will be late for or delay the death angel’s arrival. There is no bribe that can be offered or impassioned plea to prolong the inevitable for more time when the last grain in the hourglass of our life has emptied. Indeed, it would seem to be appropriate to seriously consider what kind of record we are writing in the book of our LIFE. Every newspaper across America and doubtless in other countries around the globe contains a personal section called Obituaries, which are brief overviews [biographies], maybe a couple of sentences or a large section, sometimes including a photo, about peoples lives and the impact their untimely passing [in many cases] has upon the survivors and loved ones they left behind. The endearing and emotional sentiments would make one think that all, or almost all of these departed souls will fly away to be with the LORD in Heaven; but is this the case?

John 5: 28-29
Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the grave will hear His [MY] voice and come forth-those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation [damnation].

John 8: 21a, 24
Then Jesus [Yeshua] said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come. Therefore I say to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He [Moshiach/Savior], you will die in your sins.

2 Corinthians 5: 10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ [Moshiach], that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Revelation 22: 10
And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give every one according to his work (Cp. Matthew 16: 27).

Revelation 20: 11-12, 15
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works by the things which were written in the [their] books. And anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

NOTE: There are people who believe in an eleventh hour, last minute death-bed confession after spurning or ignoring the invitation of divine grace, it is because they procrastinate and put off the day of salvation, but a principle to consider is found in the following:

Hebrews 3: 7-9a
Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me (Cp. verse 15; 4: 7b).

NOTE: Ok, but some will contend that all you have to do is just call upon the LORD to save you but here is what rightly dividing the word of God says in the matter, as in the following:

Romans 10: 13-15a, 8-9
How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear [learn] without a preacher [or the Bible]? And how shall they preach unless they are sent [or called for]? But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the LORD Jesus [Yeshua] and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Believe-1 a: to have a firm religious faith [or the basis for one]; 2: to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something [or in someone, such as God] 1 b: to accept the word or evidence.

Question: Could someone in their final hour of life on this earth and taking their last breath of air suddenly acquire or manifest the requisite mental elements of a rational mind and a purposeful decision to be saved out of a deep and profound sense of being a sinner who repents or is it instead, a desperate and spurious last minute attempt borne out of ‘unbelief’ and hardness of heart or shame, perhaps even regret, as a guilt-trip to masquerade a lifetime given to sin, rebellion and rejection of God’s love and mercy; knowing that tomorrow for them will never arrive and there are no more chances left?

NOTE: To produce unequivocal evidence on this very point regarding whether a person wants to change inwardly, let’s take a look at the Pharaoh of Egypt’s encounter with Moses. Pharaoh’s heart grew hard (Cp. Exodus 8: 19b); Pharaoh told Moses to intercede to God on his behalf but he didn’t change (Cp. Exodus 8: 28b, 32); Pharaoh confessed that he had sinned and was wicked, but he still resisted God (Cp. Exodus 9: 34b-35); Again Pharaoh said that he had sinned against the LORD God and Moses and wanted Moses to entreat God on his behalf to forgive his sin, but he remained obstinate (Cp. Exodus 10: 16-17, 20); Pharaoh let the children of Israel depart Egypt and asked Moses to bless him, but his heart was hardened yet again to the end. (Cp. Exodus 12: 30-32; 14: 5).

2 Corinthians 7: 10
For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow [regret/remorse] of the world works death.

Hebrews 12: 17
For you know that afterward, when he [Esau] wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

2 Corinthians 6: 2
For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

NOTE: There is a window of opportunity that God allows for every person to choose His offer of grace and salvation but it is a finite one and sooner or later, God’s justice and wrath will take center stage and mercy is no longer available.

Galatians 6: 7
Do not be deceived. God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Proverbs 14: 1a
Fools mock at sin.

Proverbs 1: 26
I will also laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your terror comes. When your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you (Cp. verses 28-31).

Hosea 8: 7a
They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind [tornado].

NOTE: to those who have been told to pray “THE SINNER’S PRAYER” should read below:

John 9: 31
Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshipper of God and does His will, He hears him.

Isaiah 59: 1-2
Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor is His ear heavy that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.

Job 27: 8-9
For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he may gain much, if God takes away his life? Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him?

2 Kings 20: 1-5
In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live,’ ” Then he [Hezekiah] turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, saying, “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I walked before you in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle of the court, that the word of the LORD came to him [again], saying, “Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you will go up to the house [Temple] of the LORD.

CONCLUSION: This above passage encapsulates the main point of the study as it pertains to believers, namely, when King Hezekiah was told of his impending death, he had a record to fall back on of good works [fruit] that could be reviewed by God which was so impressive as to reverse the prior divine edict; and God added an additional 15 years to his life (verse 6a). How many of us could tell the LORD to remember our walk of faith before Him in truth, with a loyal heart, and that we accomplished the right things according to His will? The prophet didn’t even make it halfway to the town gate before he had to turn around and go back to give King Hezekiah the latest divine newsflash. What he [King Hezekiah] didn’t do is remind God about was how religious he was, or how much he prayed using eloquent and lofty platitudes, or how devoutly he worshipped the LORD in the Temple.

Revelation 14: 12-13b
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus [Yeshua]. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, “Write, “Blessed are the dead that die in the LORD from henceforth: Yea, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them.”

Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 11, 2011robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Christian Wedding

dfchrist — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:55:40 +0000

Christian wedding reminds of beautiful peaceful wedding adorned in white color decor symbolizing purity. Christian weddings in India like other religions are deeply rooted in its religion and that is why the wedding takes place in the church before a priest and is attended by close relatives only. According to Christian belief a marriage is the union of two souls which is blessed by Christ.
A Christian wedding is formalized after the groom puts a ring into bride’s finger which is a sign of affirmation from the groom’s side that after this, he will marry her only.

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Christian Wedding Vows

Regarding your Christian wedding vows, there are a couple of things you need to know. The first thing you should know is that your wedding vows are the most crucial part of your wedding ceremony and therefore should be chosen with careful consideration. 3 Christian Wedding Vows Ideas

Looking for Christian wedding vows ideas? You know how it is going to be a day you stand before God to make a promise about your love and marriage. So why not use your favorite Christian vow on your wedding day? Find out more… Finding the Right Christian Wedding Scripture

Getting married should be one of the most exciting times of your life. Your wedding invitations are a great way to express your love and commitment to each other, and especially to God. Your invitations should be decorated not only with doves and laces, but also with a meaningful scripture from the Bible. Christian Wedding Invitation Wording – Make Your Wedding Invitations

It is true that it can be very expensive to get married these days with the high cost of everything that is needed for the wedding. You will spend much for your wedding. But of course, you can also save some money with help of some wedding planning ideas on a small budget. One good example of wedding planning idea on a small budget is making own wedding invitations.Then a priest or an elder in the family makes the Christian sign thrice with his hands so that they stay away from the evil. The wedding celebrations begin with Bridal shower in which all the female relatives and friends gift presents to the bride and bless her for her happy married life. This occasion is filled with fun and enjoyment where the bride serves a pink cake to all her relatives in which a thimble is hidden and whoever receives that thimble in her piece of cake will be the next to get married. Similarly, bachelor’s party is thrown by the groom for his friends. It involves enjoyment as all the men indulge into heavy drinking.
On the wedding day which usually happens in the morning or afternoon the Christian bride wears a wedding dress which is a white colour gown and sometimes Indian Christian brides also prefer a white colour saree with a white veil of net and a flower bouquet in her hands. The white colour is a symbol of purity and virginity. The Christian groom on the other hand, dresses in a formal suit which can be in white or black colour.
The bride and the groom then leave for the church where the wedding ceremony will be conducted. Unlike other Indian marriages where the groom is welcomed by the bride’s family, in Christian weddings the bride arrives later and the groom waits for her. The bride is then welcomed by the best man with a kiss on her hand and gives her a bouquet of flowers. They both then walk up to the place where the priest is standing beside whom the groom stands waiting for her bride-to-be. The best man leaves the bride besides the groom where they face towards the priest. The priest begins the ceremony with wedding hymns and recites reading from the bible, after which he asks separately from the bride and the groom whether they take each other as each others life partner. The couple gives answer in a promise that they take each other as their life partner and exchange their wedding rings and kiss each other and sign on a register and turn around to walk arm-in-arm and leave the church.
After coming out, the bride throws flowers backwards without looking back and whoever catches the bouquet is believed next in line to get married. The couple then sits in the car decorated with flowers and leave for a long drive.
After the marriage, the next occasion is reception party organized by both the families together where they call their relatives, friends and neighbors to bless the newly weds and enjoy music, multi-cuisine food and have a good time. The newly married couple cuts a huge cake and a close family member raise a toast in their honor and the party is carried on with lots of music and dance.

Obtaining an Online Education in Religion

dfchrist — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:44:12 +0000

Obtaining an online education in religion prepares students to enter a wide range of careers depending on their concentration. Students can learn about religion in regards to faith, the world, pastoral work, and more. Many online colleges offer degree programs at all educational levels.
Students that complete a degree program in religion can enter fields such as teaching, ministry, administration, journalism, and history. The main areas of study that students can enter include:
*Pastoral Counseling
Students learn the different methods used to become spiritual and religious counselors. Students learn about the different aspects of their chosen religion and the proper counseling techniques to work with clients. Education focuses on sociology, religious perspective, counseling theory, and human growth.
*Seminary
The goal of education in seminary studies is to prepare students to enter careers as priests, pastors, and other religious leaders. Education focuses on exploring the Bible and history of a particular religion. Many online programs dedicate schooling to Christian studies where students examine theology, divinity, and music.
*Theology
Theology degree programs focus on the spirituality of religions and teach students how it affects people and society. Students study how to live out their chosen religion and understand the philosophy behind it. Most students that complete an online theology degree program go on to enter religious careers where they become youth leaders, missionaries, and pastors.

*World Religion Studies
Inside degree programs in world religion students explore a broad view of the field. The relationship of religion and society is studied to present students with a thorough understanding of religion and how it impacts everyday life from politics to art. With this type of degree students are able to pursue secular careers in a variety of areas. Undergraduate study focuses on world religion. Students that go onto graduate level training typically want to enter a religious career.
To better understand what a degree in religion will offer students can research the different options in online studies. A bachelor’s degree in religion with a focus on entering clergy careers, for example centers on the history, text, and theology of a chosen religion. Undergraduate training gives students the opportunity to step into entry-level positions as Sunday school teachers and program coordinators. Graduate study prepares students for work as ministers, counselors, professors, and researchers.
Online education in religion covers a wide range of subjects based on student’s area of interest. Major topics studied in the four main areas of learning may include online courses in behavioral sciences, addictive behaviors, leadership, ethics, Judaism, Christianity and political religions. The goal of education is to train students to enter a career based on their area of interest. Students can learn about all of these areas through online study, which prepares them to take on leadership roles within their religious communities. Students that pursue a secular career are able to apply their understanding of religion to government, education, and more.
Students can find the right program for their goals by researching what accredited degrees are available. Full accreditation is offered to qualifying programs that offer the best quality education. Agencies such as the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) can fully accredit online schools for religion. Enroll in an accredited online college today and begin training for a fulfilling career.

Bible Study Methods

dfchrist — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:56:44 +0000

Studying the Bible should be a meaningful endeavor that gets you closer to God and helps you understand the meaning of his words. Understanding every passage you read and the meaning it holds for your life can be quite a challenge, however. Rest assured that God has a message for your life with every passage and in every scripture, but it is your job to study the Bible and determine this meaning for yourself. There are many Bible study methods you can use to uncover God’s message to you, find the meaning in his word, and relate it to your life. Here are some tips on developing a method that will work for you. You should read passages and chapters systematically in order to uncover the entire meaning of God’s word as it applies to you. It is easier to study the bible when you build on lessons and allow them to uncover their meaning and build on each other.

It can help to put yourself in the passage you are reading in order to understand its message. Imagine yourself in the same situation and think about how it would feel to be there and how you would react to the words being said. Putting each passage in your own words is also a great way to understand the message in it. A good Bible study method is to paraphrase each passage by restating it your own words. When you use simple and familiar language it will help you to understand the message contained in the passage. Writing down your thoughts is another good way to discover the message contained in each passage. Write down your insights and what reflections you have from each passage and create a way to apply these insights into your own life. You can also carry your favorite verse with you on an index card or small paper so that you can read it occasionally throughout the day to remind yourself what lesson you are trying to apply to your life. This method will help you to remember passages and the message contained in them