We are subjected to all kinds of tests throughout our lifetime. Some are routine, but others are unavoidable, deeply personal tests: peer pressure, emotional suffering, financial upheaval, and temptation. With a fear of failure, we usually don’t consider these as positive experiences. However, with good preparation we can face self-examination confidently. “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is … [Read more...] about Self-Examination: Are We in the Faith
Character
Courtesy
The political discourse of this country and indeed, the globe, is gnashing, antagonistic and very personal. We see this erupting into brawls and looting, cruelty and even killings. That feeling of the breakdown of civilization is palpable and it is depressing to see videos on You Tube praising the smallest act of kindness. The sort of thing that we just think of as normal, how human beings should live. Suddenly it becomes a heroic video, and a lot of people are viewing it and being encouraged by … [Read more...] about Courtesy
The Most Dangerous Temptation That Faces Our Youth
Imagine your beaming little boy or energetic little girl. You’re watching them grow and develop year after year and you wish that time would stand still. “Stop growing…” is a phrase you’ve almost certainly told your child at some point in time in their young life. The years go by, and you see this innocent and inquisitive child learn new things. You know they’re going to be exposed to some filthy things in their life. But right now, you see the light in their eyes and the purity in their spirit … [Read more...] about The Most Dangerous Temptation That Faces Our Youth
Character: Our #1 Goal
God created mankind in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). The Bible makes it clear that the basis of God's character is love, so developing Godly love is to be our primary focus in life as followers of Christ. The entire universe has been finely tuned to facilitate a life that can choose to develop this character trait. There are 4 main forces at play in the universe. Two of them are gravity and electromagnetism. It is obvious that a lot of thought and effort has gone into balancing … [Read more...] about Character: Our #1 Goal
Character Is All That’s Left
It’s worth taking some time to look at what we know about the creation and what the Bible tells us about where it’s going. What really is real and what is not. What is lasting and what is temporary. In the beginning God created a physical infrastructure in order to create a family in His image and likeness. That creation is 13.8 billion years old, and two of the four main forces at work are gravity and electromagnetism. Gravity is very weak and needs a lot of mass, rocks, molten iron, etc., … [Read more...] about Character Is All That’s Left
The Importance of Godly Respect
Job made an interesting observation when he was answering his friends’ accusations as to why so many bad things had happened to him: “A lamp is despised to the thought of one who is at ease; it is made ready for those whose feet slip” (Job 12:5). While the structure of this verse might at first appear confusing, it is simply warning of the dangers of being “at ease.” It is a mental/spiritual condition of being self-satisfied. The connection between being at ease and feet slipping is made in … [Read more...] about The Importance of Godly Respect
As A Little Child
In a family relationship, children play an important role and help contextualize the meaning of God’s government in the realm of human beings. We all understand, academically, that we are children of God, but adults think, reason, and act differently than children do. This is the natural progression of maturity. As adults, molded by the realities of life, we tend to value reason and self-reliance. We can also complicate things that are inherently simple, questioning what we see and hear, and … [Read more...] about As A Little Child