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From the Editor
Life After The Cross
It would be terrible if, having come through the glories of the cross, we are unaffected by it. If we are unmoved by the cross, we have not understood the depths of our sin or the lengths to which God has gone to save us. However, if we do understand the cross, life can never be the same again. So, the question that I ask is, do you really understand the cross? This lesson looks briefly at how our understanding of the cross ought to influence our thinking and our
behavior. Reflecting on (Luke 9:2126), 21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." 23 Then He said to them all: "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will
Table of Contents From the Editor Men Women Teens Children Seniors Marriage Education Health Financial Feature Article Personal Revival Guiding Light The Cross Peace From The Pulpit Salvation
3 5 8 10 12 14 17 19 21 23 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26 If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. So, what should a follower of Jesus do? 1) Deny themselves (2) Take up their Cross daily. We are to give up living our self-absorbed lives and surrender our lives to Jesus. This will result in true salvation. When He said it is finished, He meant His part, not ours too! We are supposed to surrender our will, our dreams and our ambitions to Him. We are not to be ashamed of being a follower of Jesus, despite the opposition we might face. Don’t shy away from Christian sacrifice. What is the message of the cross according to the bible? (1 Corinthians 1:18) To some (those who are perishing) it is ‘foolishness’, but to others (those being saved) it is the power of God!
What did the apostle do with the message of the cross? Paul placed it in the center of his life and ministry. The Gospel ruled Paul’s life. What does this mean for the Christian minister? The Cross must be central to our thinking, preaching, ministry and all of life what does this mean for the Christian? The same thing! The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body See LIFE AFTER on Page
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LIFE AFTER Continued from Page 3
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and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. So, what ought the Christian to do before he eats and drinks? We Manufacturers Since 1867
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our non-Christian friends live properly in the world? The only way to “live properly in the world” is to come back into a relationship with the Creator of the world. The only way this is going to happen is if we proclaim the gospel to our friends. Consider some of the changes you need to make to your life because of the cross. Consider how you will offer your body as a living sacrifice. What priority are you giving to personal holiness? What priority will you give to personal godliness in the future? Remember, we are to be transformed by dying to self and taking up our Cross and following Jesus. This will mean changing our goals and ambitions and reordering our priorities to keep the Cross at the center of our lives. Pray to God thanking Him for something that has struck you during this lesson. Read the bible for knowledge and for relationship. Ask God to help you commit to godliness and the proclamation of His gospel. It’s a great way to say thank you in both words and actions. Save the Nations Ministries>
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are to examine ourselves in the light of what Christ has done for us. In the light of these verses, what things should be present in the Christian life? (1) There should be a sensitivity to sin and a striving for godliness as we examine ourselves (2) Our hope and faith must remain in the Cross where our sins were paid for a and where we received Christ’s righteousness. (Romans 12:1-2). 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- His good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 1-11) outlines some of the glories of the cross and what has been achieved for the Christian. Think about how you can tell a non-Christian about the cross. Take a few moments to pray for your non-Christian friends. We will see the power of God at work in our lives and the lives of unbelievers and will help us to keep our focus on Christ and those who are perishing rather than on ourselves. How will proclaiming the gospel help
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Men, One Way to Take Charge of Your Life Is by Having Accountability Partners By John Clark Are you a man who is struggling with bad habits or addictions? Maybe everything is okay in those areas but you simply want to become a better husband or father? Then too, it is possible that if you are a Christian or religious person you desire to have a more disciplined walk in your faith? In all of these cases, one of the things that could be of help to you is getting one or more accountability partners. Accountability partners are other Christian men who really care about you and are committed to your personal maturity. Let's say you are struggling to overcome temptation, anger, depression, or just anything in your life or relationships that you believe is not right or does not belong. You may benefit from talking to other men for counseling, wisdom, and support. If you are a religious person maybe you need someone who will pray with you. You need man to man conversation and interaction. Do man things together, and while you are, talk about your problems. Have your accountability partners call you once a week, or however often you believe is necessary, to see how you are doing. Provide them with a list of key questions to ask you that will help you own up to taking charge of your life. These questions should be tailored to your specific needs. I have listed some sample questions at the end of this article. You can also meet with them on a regular basis over a cup of coffee. These men should be ones who you can call at a moment notice, within reasonable hours, if you find yourself really tempted or falling into a negative pattern of behavior or thinking, and you need some "emergency" help. Have their numbers programmed into your cell phone. You may need accountability partners over a short-term or long-term basis, depending upon your situation and how quickly you are experiencing victory over your struggles.
Accountability is like counseling in that you get practical and ongoing wisdom and support. Best of all, its free, but it should not replace professional counseling if that is what is necessary for you to experience freedom over your issues. Your accountability partners should probably include a pastor and someone who has been through what you are experiencing. They must be people who will not judge you when you fall. Your goal should be to wean yourself off of your accountability partners, but still retain them in case you need them again at a later time. One last but very important thing, tell your wife you have an accountability partner, and why. I am sure many wives would be excited and encouraged to know that their husbands are holding themselves responsible to someone in order to overcome some struggle or to be a better husband. Now, here are some sample questions for your accountability partner to ask you: 1. How is it going with your wife in terms of attitudes, having meaningful conversations, doing things together, etc.? 2. Are you wrestling with something in secret? 3. How are your finances doing? Are you using your money wisely? 4. Were you tempted this week in some area? 5. Have you been with a woman this past week that might be seen as compromising? 6. Have you exposed yourself to any seductive material? 7. Have you just lied to me? Having accountability partners is working for me. I hope it might be of help to you. Reminder: General questions are fine, but try to make them fit the need of the moment as much as possible. ©2020 FaithWriters.com. All Rights Reserved >
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Men Dear Friend
Dear Friend, How are you? I just had to send you a note to tell you how much I care about you. I saw you talking with your friends yesterday and I wanted to rush down so we could talk and I could tell you all the ways I love you! I have so many gifts for you! I gave you a colorful sunset to close your day and a cool breeze to rest you. As I saw you sleeping last night and longed to touch your brow so I spilled moonlight upon your face, My morning kiss of a warm sunset awakens you as the birds sing you love songs. I tell you in blue skies and in the quiet green grass. I whisper it in the leaves on the trees and breathe it in colors of flowers, shout it to you in mountain streams and perfume the air with nature scents. If you listen, you can hear all the ways I love you. If you look you can see them. My love for you is deeper than the oceans and bigger than the
biggest need in your heart. Ask me! Talk with me! I have so much to share with you! I will not hassle you, it is your decision. I have chosen you and I will wait-because I love you. Your friend, Jesus Save the Nations Ministries>
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Does your daughter believe that to get attention from boys she needs to walk around with no clothes on? Why do young women think that to be liked by boys they have to have sex? Why are young girls experimenting with sex and drugs at such an early age? Peer pressure is always a tough issue to deal with for teenagers. But when parents aren’t talking to their teens about important issues that are affecting them, a teen is more likely to submit to peer pressure. I encourage parents to help their teenagers cope with this overly self-indulgent society and learn to adjust by being the person they truly are. Help them to understand what the true meaning of love is through God. I highly encourage dads, to make more of an effort in helping their daughter make the right decisions and choices for her life. A father’s influence is so very important in helping his daughter to feel worthy of who she is as a woman. Get involved with the disciplining of your daughter and get involved with her life. She needs this from you. The agenda’s and programs of society are everywhere; some of them good, most of them unethical. You cannot run from these agenda’s no matter where you go. As a matter of fact, they will chase you! They are on TV, advertisements, magazines, videos, music, games, Internet, theatre, schools, etc. You can’t run from them. But what you
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can do is protect your children from them by teaching about right from wrong. The problem is many things in society seem like they are ok on the outside but they actually lead to what only seems right down a road to what is unethical. Discernment is the key here. Parents need to definitely be aware of these factors when deciding what would be appropriate and what would be inappropriate for their teenagers. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11 The sad truth is the immoral and corrupt conditioning process of society is not going to change. It is the parent’s responsibility to do whatever it takes to bring on the values and principles their children need in life to be honest and upright individuals. If we don’t talk to them about the trash going on in the world, they won’t know anything else other than what they see and have been taught by society. This damages everyone in the long run, not just your children. What happens when a daughter is not protected by her father? Many things can and do happen. Children are getting raped, beaten, molested, and murdered all over the country. And every single time this happens
they are by themselves. A cell phone isn’t going to save your child from getting molested! What will is not allowing them to walk around all by themselves. How smart is it for a young girl to be walking around alone with barely any clothes on? Have you been on social media lately? I have been told that many of the young teenage girls on there are exposing a lot more than their names and addresses. Dad, where are you? I urge you to take more time to love your children. Take the time to teach them to love and respect themselves! It is a real tragedy of society to not discipline and love our children properly. Have you talked to your teenager today? Dad, are you watching over your daughter? Are you instilling godly values and wisdom in her? Are you building up her spirit or are you killing her spirit? Are you devaluing your daughter by not protecting her the way she needs to be protected from the world? God gave you the job of protecting your daughter from the ravages of society. Don’t let her get eaten up! Dads, please stand up for your God-given authority and spiritual leadership in the home and protect your children. God gave you this position for a very good purpose. Don’t destroy it? Protect your daughter! She will love and respect you for it in the long run. By Angie Lewis © 2002-2020 Heaven Ministries. All Rights Reserved. www. heavenministries.org >
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The Marks of a True Friend
Did you know that the deepest need of the human heart is for intimacy? That's just another way of saying friendship. Now, I'm not talking about casual acquaintances or false friends, but true friends. Let me give you three marks of a true friend. How to Know a True Friend A true friend sharpens. He will make you a sharper person, a better person. (Proverbs 27:17) says, "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." A true friendship will put an edge on your life. False friends dull your life, blunt your influence, and drag you down. Anybody who makes it easier for you to do wrong is not a true friend. One of the true tests of any friendship is asking yourself, "Am I a better person for having known this person?" A true friend sticks. A true friend is steadfast. We read in (Proverbs 17:17): "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." If you want to see who your real friends are, just make a mistake and see whether or not they leave you. Life is like a ship. Some people get on and off board very easily. Some will stay on board as long as everything is sailing smoothly; but let the rough weather come, and they will abandon the ship. A true friend is the one who will stick with you. A true friend stabs. You say, "I don't want to be stabbed." Well, listen to (Proverbs 27:6): "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." A
friend who really loves you will wound you if it's necessary. That is, he will tell you the truth and won't give you hypocritical kisses when he needs to do a little spiritual surgery on you. Flattery is not true friendship. A true friend cares enough to confront. I'm so grateful that throughout my life I've had those who would put their arms around my shoulders and help me when I’ve done wrong. How to Be a True Friend True friends are built. You don't make them overnight. Friendships are not toadstools; they are oak trees. Jesus said, "...Love one another, as I have loved you" (John 15:12). Now, that's the principle, but let me give you five secrets that come from it. If you will practice these, you will make you a great friend. Accept. The Bible says in (Ephesians 1:6) that God has "made us accepted in the beloved." We all want people to accept us. Jesus accepted the disciples. He said, "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you..." (John 15:16) Jesus did not accept the disciples because they were perfect but because they needed Him. Acknowledge. Recognize people. Give them your full heart and attention. When you talk to people, listen to them also. Look them in the eye. Understand that people are important. They're a soul for whom Christ died. When we acknowledge others, we're saying, "You're important to me. I acknowledge your presence and your importance." Appreciate. I got an e-mail from my son recently. It brought tears to my eyes because he said, "Dad, I'm just so grateful for the heritage that I have. Thank you." I could live six months on that. It didn't take him but a few minutes to write that little
message, but it meant so much to me. Folks, you're lying if you say you don't want to be appreciated. Tell your husband, your wife, your children, or your friends that they are appreciated. Affirm. Appreciation is for what people do; affirmation is for whom people are. The Lord Jesus affirmed His disciples over and over again. It doesn't mean you approve of everything a person does when you affirm them. The Bible is full of affirmations, and yet it acknowledges the fact that we're sinners and that we fail. But affirmation is important. Assure. Assure them that you understand. We all want empathy. The apostle Paul said in (Romans 12:15): "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." Find a way to let people know that you're sensitive to what they're up against, what they feel,
what they're going through. Assure them that you're there, and that, to your limited ability, you understand or you're trying to understand what they're going through. True friendship is costly. It's not easy to maintain a friendship. Remember (John 15:13:) "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." And (Proverbs 17:17) says, "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." You must be willing to pay the price. But finding a true friend and being one in return is one of the best investments you can ever make. By Adrian Rogers ©2020 Love Worth Finding Ministries, P.O. Box 38300, Memphis,TN 38183, www.lwf.org >
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Cold Eggs Never Killed Anyone I have taken on this season of being a stay at home mom and wife with a sense of purpose ... I really do believe that this is exactly where God wants me right now. So in that spirit , I have obeyed God with a small but never the less a calling to get up early and make my family a hot breakfast and read from the book "Jesus Calling" ... I know it may not seem like a big thing but when my bed is all nice and cozy and with fall rolling in and it staying darker longer ... being the first one out of bed when I don't have a time card to punch ... really does take a bit of a push ... I not bleeding or agonizing or in any sort of pain ... but it is an effort on my part. So with this "gift" that I am giving to my family I guess I sort of imagined everyone would come running downstairs as soon as they could to get their hot breakfast I labored over and just gloat about what a wonderful wife and mother I am. So when I noticed my husband and then my son started coming down later and later each day and it started getting to be a routine that I was serving them cold eggs ... it started to get a little under my skin. Not in a big way but just in that little annoying voice that says " it does not even matter what you do ... serving them breakfast is not really any big deal “. So I decided to say something ... but not really in a direct way but kind of a read-through-thelines type of way ... like "well you must like eating cold eggs because it seems you are just getting later and later every morning." Well, my timing sucked because for whatever ingenious reasoning I had I decided to say this the 8 Easter/Late Spring 2020
morning of my husband’s birthday. Now, I did not rant or rave or make a hissy ... but you know it was just the "tone" and very soon after I realized I set the tone for the day ... on my husband's birthday. My husband is not perfect by any means, nor am I, but I can tell you one thing ... he is a great man who I am proud of. He tells me I am beautiful , he supports all my decisions , he works hard , he is a dedicated and responsible man and father ... I am blessed to have him. Did I feel a little irked that he did not skip down the stairs to eat my hot breakfast singing my praises ... well, yes. But luckily , I have a God who allowed me to see how silly and pretty darn critical I was being ... so I get up early and I make breakfast ... I will continue to do so and I won't do it for any reason other than it is my small way of giving back to God and to my family. If the eggs are cold when they come down ... they will get the picture and realize if they want a hot breakfast they better come down earlier. After all, no one ever died over cold eggs and in the big scheme of things it really does not matter. We have the power to speak life into others ... I am reminded to choose my words and refrain my tongue when it does not serve a higher purpose ... I certainly cannot do this on my own ability but pressing into God I can. It is a small thing, I know... But the small things all really add up to big things and make our life what it is. I want to, I desire to make those small moments matter ... after all my words will have more impact on my family than my eggs. My family and I recently moved across the US from NV to CT. This has brought about great change in our lives as well as in my own personal walk with God. I have rediscovered an old love of mine in this process - writing. I appreciate your feedback. Thanks for reading. By Jennifer Cardinal Š2020 FaithWriters.com. All Rights Reserved >
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Forgiving Is The Hardest Thing You Will Ever Do
There was a time in my life when I was in a dark, dark place. You can call it: Depression. Despair. The Black Dog. A valley. A dark night of the soul. Choose your term—it doesn't really matter. What matters is that it hurt to live. My chest was crushed. I could not cease from crying. Day after day, I would lie there, not moving, incapable of distraction . . . my thoughts spiraling down and down. Thankfully, I have real friendships in my life and a few people knew me well enough to rally and intervene and to care. They asked hard questions and made hard statements like: What aspects of this are spiritual? Do we need to get you to medical assistance? I am going to call you this afternoon, and you MUST pick up. You must. If you do not, I will leave work and come to your home. You do not have the option of not picking up. As I reflect on that time, I remember telling one friend who asked me a specific, wise, question that I didn't really think my depression (or whatever you choose to call it) was chemical. I am undoubtedly genetically predisposed to chemical imbalances in the brain—I have relatives up both sides of the family tree who have been greatly helped by medicines related to mental illnesses. But my body did not respond well to psychiatric medicines when I tried them. And I could clearly point to a situational cause: hurt. Hurt tied to a relational breach. Temptation to bitterness. An internal screaming of anger and rage in response to betrayal. Shock. Fear. Frustration. Not seeing a way out. Not seeing
any light at the end of the tunnel— or if there is a light, it's a train coming down the tracks to run over you again. Choosing to risk and love means that sometimes we will be hurt. Initially, when I thought about all of this darkness and despair, I was tempted toward self-condemnation. I would think, what kind of Christian are YOU that you get SO hurt and SO upset and go to SUCH a dark place?!? But as I have reflected more on my response (and with the blessed gift of time to grieve and think and pray and mourn—and submit and trust, by the way), I am not kicking myself as much. Okay, sure, I still have a LOT of growing up to do in the Lord. And yes, absolutely, I think it would be really cool to be one of those emotionally-stable, prone to readily overlook and cover over with grace, super-duper loving and godly people. But I am being a little more gentle and gracious with myself because I also think that my response revealed something good. Right. Appropriate. And it is this: forgiveness is a death. Bearing with is hard. Choosing to risk and love (which are one in the same) means that sometimes we will be hurt. Friends will love us, but they will love us imperfectly. And then we have to choose: Pull back from all relationships? Stop loving? Stop risking? Keep an emotional barricade around our hearts so we are never hurt again? Give in to judgment and bitterness. Stand above the people around us and rejoice that "we are not like them!" Act all godly on the outside, but inside, consider ourselves to be gods. Living in our little kingdoms.
Attempting to ascend to the throne of God, while all the while, descending into the bowels of hell itself. Or forgive. Those are all the choices I see. That's the realm of our response. And in view of God's mercy (Rom. 12:1), it seems to me that actually, our only choice is choice #3. This death to self, remembering of God, right view of others, and this blinkof-an-eye we call "life"—forgiveness. Is it easy? Absolutely not. Pleasant? No way. Necessary? Undoubtedly, 100%, with all my heart, yes. We cannot claim to love God and hate our brother (1 John 4:20). It is dishonoring to God and destroys our testimony to stand back and say, "Okay, sure, I don't have a problem with her . . . I mean, if she has a problem with me, then she can come and talk to me. But from my perspective? We're good. I've done everything I need to do. Yeah. Right. It's all good." While everyone who knows the real us knows that we are not truly, deeply, actually reconciled in the "unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Eph. 4). Forgiving is the hardest thing you will ever do. And so, we forgive. To quote Andree Seu: "Forgiving is the hardest thing you will ever do." And to paraphrase her brilliant essay that I urge you to read: If we think it's easy to forgive, if we can piously claim to have forgiven while knowing our hearts are cold and distant and judgmental to the person (or persons) who hurt us, then we have absolutely NO idea what we are talking about. And there is no way that we have ever forgiven anyone of anything. Today, I pray that we will forgive one another. And if we are stuck
and can't forgive, if we are caught in bitterness, if our anger towards others has turned inward in depression and we've gone past the point of caring anymore, that especially then, we will get help. Know that you are not alone in the battle! The Lord is with you. And if you're struggling with some big ol' sin, then I can probably relate too (as can many people in your real, non-virtual, life). With love from the trenches, Tara B. PS: Two of the books that have helped me the most related to this topic: Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Choosing Forgiveness: Your Journey to Freedom and Ed Welch, Depression. © 2001-2020 Revive Our Hearts. Used with permission. www.ReviveOurHearts.com.>
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Teens Am I Ugly? One, because many people leaving comments for these girls were horribly unkind. Two, because had YouTube been around when I was a teen, I could have been one of these questioning girls. I remember what it was like to feel different. Unaccepted. Not pretty. Desperate for someone to validate me. Craving acceptance from friends and attention from boys. Because that’s what I thought would fix me. And that’s why I partnered with Shaunti Feldhahn to write "Made to Crave for Young Women" that moms can use with their girls to address this exact issue. Unlike the original "Made to Crave" book, "Made to Crave for I read a disturbing article over Young Women," goes beyond just the weekend about a new trend addressing cravings for food. It among teen girls. Teens are posting addresses three major longings of a videos on YouTube asking the ques- young woman’s heart and explains tion, “Am I ugly?” how God is the only true source for This broke my heart on several getting our “soul needs” met. levels. When writing this book, Shaunti
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and I asked a focus group of girls some very direct questions about their needs. We found it interesting that they all agreed God could meet their needs. But when we asked “how” everyone remained silent. One girl broke the tense silence by uttering, “I know God can meet my needs. But I just don’t know how to get closer to God and really learn to rely on Him in this way.” I think a lot of Christian teen girls feel this way. They hear at church that God is the answer. But they don’t know how to apply that knowledge when their hearts feel desperately insecure. Moms, "Made to Crave for Young Women", is the tool I’ve been wanting to use with my girls. And when I couldn’t find it, I wrote it. I’m determined to do everything I can to equip my girls spiritually and emotionally against some of the most common pitfalls teen girls face: • Thinking that right boy will fix all their wrongs and fill up their insecurities. • Struggling with overeating or under-eating.
• Relying on material possessions to make them feel noticed. If you want to be equipped to really talk about these issues in a way that will resonate with your daughter, sister, niece or any other important young woman in your life — "Made to Crave for Young Women" is now available. And by the way whether you’ve had a shower and are looking good today… or if you are sporting three day old hair like me — you are beautiful, treasured, and adored. God says so.> By Lysa TerKeurst Proverbs 31 Ministries © 2001-2020 Revive Our Hearts ReviveOurHearts.com.
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Dangers Of Young Men
There are some special dangers that young men need to be warned against. (1) One danger to young men is PRIDE. I know well that all souls are in fearful peril. Old or young, it doesn't matter; all have a race to run, a battle to fight, a heart to humble, a world to overcome, a body to keep under control, a devil to resist; and we may very well say, Who is sufficient for these things? But still every age and condition has its own peculiar snares and temptations, and it is well to know them. He that is forewarned is forearmed. If I can only persuade you to be on your guard against the dangers I am going to name, I am sure I shall do your souls an essential service. Pride is the oldest sin in the world. Indeed, it was before the world. Satan and his angels fell by pride. They were not satisfied with their first situation and status. Thus pride stocked hell with its first inhabitants. Pride threw Adam out of paradise. He was not content with the place God assigned him. He tried to raise himself, and fell. Thus sin, sorrow, and death entered in by pride. Pride sits in all our hearts by nature. We are born proud. Pride makes us rest content with ourselves--think we are good enough as we are-keep us from taking advice--refuse the gospel of Christ--turn everyone to his own way. But pride never reigns anywhere so powerfully as in the heart of a young man. How common is it to see young men with big heads, high-minded, and impatient of any counsel! How often they are rude and uncourteous to all around them, thinking they are not valued and honored as they deserve! How often will they not stop to listen to a hint from an older person! They think that they know everything. They are full of conceit of their own wisdom. They think elderly people, and especially their relatives, are stupid, and dull, and slow. They want no teaching or instruction themselves: they understand all things. It almost makes them angry to be spoken to. Like young horses, they cannot bear the least control. They must be independent and have their own way. They seem to think, like those whom Job mentioned, "You are the people, and wisdom will die with you" (Job 12:2). And all this is pride. Rehoboam was such a person, who despised the counsel of the old experienced men who stood before his father, and listened to the advice of the young men of his own generation. He lived to reap the consequences of his folly. There are many like him. The prodigal son in the parable was also such a person, who needed to have his share of the
inheritance so he could set himself up in the lifestyle that he desired. He could not submit to live quietly under his father's roof, but would go into a far country, and be his own master. Like the little child that will leave its mother's hand and walk alone, he soon feels the sting for his folly. He became wiser when he had to eat husks with the swine. But there are many like him. Young men, I beseech you earnestly, beware of pride. Two things are said to be very rare sights in the world--one is a young man that is humble, and the other is an old man that is content. I fear that this is only too true. Do not be proud of your own abilities, your own strength, your own knowledge, your own appearance, your own cleverness. Do not be proud of yourself, and your endowments of any
kind. It all comes from not knowing yourself and the world. The older you grow, and the more you see, the less reason you will find for being proud. Ignorance and inexperience is the pedestal of pride; once the pedestal is removed--pride will soon come down. Remember how often Scripture sets before us the excellence of a humble spirit. How strongly we are warned "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought" (Romans 12:3). How plainly we are told, "The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know!" (1 Corinthians 8:2). How strict is the command, "Clothe yourselves with humility" See YOUNG MEN on Page 34
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Jesus' Resurrection, The Crucified Savior, Arose From The Dead Matt. 28:2-16; Mark 16:5-14; Luke 24:4-12; John 20:2-18 THE HOURS OF watching dragged slowly by to the Roman soldiers who guarded the tomb where the body of Jesus lay. No one had come even to visit the grave; and perhaps the soldiers laughed at the fears of the Jews. The eastern sky was beginning to light up with the promise of a new day when suddenly the ground beneath the watcher's feet began to
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tremble. Another earthquake had come. Then the fearful watchers saw a mighty angel come down from the sky and roll the stone away from the door of the tomb and sit upon it. The face of this angel had the appearance of lightning, and the garments he wore were as white as snow. At sight of him the soldiers fell to the ground, trembling and helpless, and lay there as if they were dead. All this happened because Jesus had, in the grave,
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come back to life. He was raised from the dead. When the women came to the garden, they found the tomb empty, and the angel had not yet gone back to heaven. At first the women did not see the angel, and they wondered who had come and stolen the body of their Lord. Mary Magdalene left the others and ran quickly to tell Peter and John that the body of Jesus had been taken away from the tomb and hidden they knew not where. After Mary had gone from them, the other women saw in the empty tomb the beautiful angel and they were afraid and bowed themselves to the ground. But the angel said, "Do not be afraid. Why are you seeking the living among the dead? Jesus is not here; He is raised as He said. Go quickly and tell His disciples and Peter that he is alive and will meet
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them in Galilee." The women ran from the place, filled with joy yet trembling with excitement and fear. The good news which the angel told seemed too wonderful to be true, still they believed and hurried to tell the disciples and other friends who were sorrowing. But the disciples refused to believe the glad message. Peter and John ran to see the empty tomb for themselves, and when they came to the place, they found no one, for the soldiers had risen and fled into the city to tell their strange experience to the enemies of Jesus who had stationed them to watch by the grave. John outran Peter, and coming first to the grave he looked and saw it was empty. Then Peter came, and he went into the dark room where the body of Jesus had lain. He saw there the grave-clothes that Joseph had wrapped round the body of Jesus, and he believed that surely Jesus was alive once more. John, too, entered the grave and saw the clothes lying where Jesus had left them, and he also believed. Mary Magdalene had not stayed in the garden long enough to hear the message of the angel, and now she returned from the city, longing to find the place where her crucified Lord had been taken. She did not yet know of the new hopes that were gladdening the hearts of her friends. Entering the garden again, she stood by the empty grave and wept. Then she stooped down and looked into the grave and saw two angels sitting, one at the head and another at the foot of where the body of Jesus had lain. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She replied, "Because they have See RESURRECTION on Page 13
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6 Simple Easter Ideas For Families
RESURRECTION Continued from Page 12 taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have laid Him." Then turning about, she saw Jesus himself standing near. But tears blinded her eyes, and she did not know Him. He, too, asked her why she wept, and supposing Him to be the man who cared for the garden, she said, "Sir, if you have carried away my Lord, tell me where you have laid Him that I may take Him." Then Jesus said, "Mary!" and she knew his voice. What glad joy filled Mary's heart when she knew that Jesus was speaking to her again! She fell at His feet and cried, "Master!" Then He told her to go at once and tell her sorrowing friends that she had seen Him and that He had told her to tell them he was going to ascend to their heavenly Father's home. While these things were happening, the soldiers came into the city and told the chief priest what had taken place in the garden tomb. And the chief priests were alarmed. They quickly called the other enemies of Jesus; and they all wondered what to do. They had no thoughts of accepting Jesus even though He had truly risen from the dead. They still hoped to persuade the people that Jesus had been a false prophet, so they decided on a plan and they asked the soldiers to help them carry it out. They offered them much money if only they would promise to tell no one else that Jesus had risen and an angel had opened the tomb. They urged the soldiers to tell the people that the disciples came and stole Jesus' body away while they were lying asleep. The Roman soldiers cared nothing about the Jews and their religion, and they gladly took the money and went away. And when they were questioned about the disappearance of Jesus' body from the grave they said the disciples had stolen it while they slept. Christiansunite.com>
Traditions that point your child to Christ don’t have to be complicated. The thing I remember most about Easter Sunday as a kid was the candy. My family would arrive at church dressed in our Easter best, and at some point during the day, I could expect to receive a pure white box filled with about a dozen chocolates. To an 8-year old, a box of candy all my own was a treasure. But it may have overshadowed the celebration of our Savior’s resurrection just a bit. With Easter bunnies, baskets, egg hunts, and candy to compete with, how can parents help their children get excited about true meaning of the holiday? Before you rush to Pinterest, here are six simple ideas to get you started: Rolled Away. Clubhouse Jr. magazine offers this great Easter recipe that provides a yummy picture of the empty tomb. Make the rolls and read the Easter story from (Luke 24:1-12). Talk about how Jesus’ friends must have felt to discover an empty tomb! Beyond Baskets. Oh Amanda suggests adding more meaning to your Easter baskets by filling them with small gifts that will help your child grow in the Lord. Resurrection Eggs. These plastic eggs containing small objects that tell the Easter story are inexpensive to buy. Or you can find a template online and make your own. Song Study. If your child loves music, there are many great hymns and worship songs that talk about Christ’s death and resurrection. Listen to a song, such as “In Christ Alone” or “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us,” and talk about the
My mouth is filled with Your praise, declaring Your splendor all day long. Psalm 71:8
concepts. Ask simple follow-up questions, such as: What did Jesus do for you? Why was He the only one who could do that for you? Why is it good news that He rose again? Celebration Sunday. The box of candy may have been my earliest Easter memory, but as I grew older, new traditions became more important. Throughout my teen years, my family attended the sunrise service at our small church followed by Easter breakfast. Attending Easter service with my family provided a setting for me to absorb the meaning of the holiday and to worship alongside other believers. Create special family traditions as you make Easter a special day to celebrate! Sweet Story. Use jellybeans to explain different parts of the gospel. Yellow=Heaven (street of gold) and God’s love. (Jer. 31:3) Black=The darkness of sin. (Rom. 3:23; 6:23) Red=Jesus’ blood which He shed, so we could be saved (1 Cor. 15:3-4) White=God’s promise to cleanse
us from sin when we call out to Him for Salvation. (Rom. 10:13; 1 John 1:9) Green=Growing things—we can grow to be more like Jesus by reading the Bible, praying, and meeting together with other believers. (2 Pet. 3:18) Easter traditions that point your child to Christ don’t need to be complicated. Even small things can make a big impression. That’s something I learned from a box of candy. By Suzanne Gosselin ©2001-2020 Revive Our Hearts>
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A Grandparents Day At The Park
Fun is a relative quantity. One person’s fun may be somebody else’s drudgery and pain. I know someone, and her name shall remain anonymous, whose idea of fun is rooting through thrift stores all day long. That concept of fun has never darkened the shadowy corridors of my mind. The idea of spending time in the park has to be amended to include one very important ingredient. On my own, I probably would not even think of going to the park. Not that I do not like the park, I just would not come up with the idea all by myself. Then, the important equation of fun is a little granddaughter. A day at the park by myself does not equal to very much fun. After all, I have talked to myself and I am rather boring. I have heard all my stories before and by the time, I tell myself the story for the 19th time it is no longer funny.
A day at the park with the granddaughter does equal fun. I think grandchildren are God’s way of reminding grandfathers how much energy we do not have and, for that matter, never had. The date was set and my wife and I set off to take our little granddaughter to the park. On the main features of this park was a merry-goround. I am rather certain they had merry-go-round when I was a child but for the life of me, I cannot remember the last time I took a spin. As we set out for our destination in the park, I nonchalantly told the little granddaughter that there was a merry-go-round in the park. That was the end of my talk for the trip. The whole way there, all she could talk about was the merry-go-round and how fast it went in how many ponies there were. By the time we got to the merry-go-round I had
learned about all there is to know about a merry-go-round from a sixyear-old’s viewpoint. According to her, the merry-goround is about the most fun you could ever have in the whole wide world. And, she emphasized, “I’m serious.” We rounded the corner, before us was the park and in the middle of the park was this mysterious, mystical merry-go-round. It elicited a deep heartfelt “Wow,” from the younger member of our walking troop. She immediately began running and pulling me along to the point where I had to walk a little faster than I normally walk. I mean, at my age running is completely out of the question. And so, she ran, I shuffled enthusiastically and before long we were in front of the merry-go-round. “Isn’t it beautiful, grandpa,” she almost whispered. We did not stand long admiring the merry-go-round. She let out a squeal and said, “Come on, grandpa. Let’s go ride the merry-goround.” My plans were very simple. I would let her get on the merry-goround, pay for the ticket, sit down on the bench and watch her go round and round and round. Well, that was my plan. She, on the other hand, had other plans. With almost superhuman force she drug me pass the admission gate, I hardly had enough time to pay for the ride and to the pony she was going to ride. “This is my pony, grandpa. Where’s yours?” I quickly searched my plans and could nowhere find any notation about riding a pony on a merry-goround on this particular day. Instead, I helped her up on her pony and I stood by her and said, “We’ll do this one together.” She was too excited about riding the merry-goround that she did not respond.
I grabbed hold of one part of the pony, right next to us was another pony and I held onto that. “Are we ready to go, grandpa?” No sooner had she said that until the bell rang and the merry-goround began going round. And round. And round. Not only that, the pony she was on, went up and down and the pony next to her that I was hanging onto went down and up. It was as if I was in perpetual motion. It seemed as if that merry-go-round ride lasted 17 hours. Eventually, with my head spinning and my stomach doing whatever stomachs do, we came to the end of our merry-go-round. Being grateful that we have finished our ride, I proceeded to disengage her from the pony. However, that was not her plan. “Oh, grandpa, just one more time.” The problem with grandfathers is that nowhere in their vocabulary lurks in any fashion any sound resembling “no.” Consequently, we went round on the merry-go-round “just one more time.” I learned a deep lesson that afternoon. When a little granddaughter says “just one more time,” it is not in any literal sense of the word that they say it. I’m not prepared to say how many times we went on that merrygo-round, needless to say, by the end of the afternoon I was in a complete whirl not knowing whither I was coming or whither I was going. As we walked over to get our ice cream treat, I remembered what the apostle Paul said about Timothy. “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15) KJV. By James Snyder ©2020 FaithWriters.com. All Rights Reserved >
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As Easter approaches, the thoughts of Christians of all ages turn to celebrating the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The thoughts of parents, grandparents, and children also turn to Easter eggs and Easter egg hunts. Trust me, I know because I was a kid once, and I’m now a grandparent with seven grandkids. For me Easter egg hunts were always more than just an Easter egg hunt, it was a time to teach the grandkids about Jesus. Real Eggs Vs Plastic Eggs Today, too many parents, and grandparents take the easy, less messy, way out, buy those cheap, hollow plastic eggs, and stuff them with pieces of candy. Perhaps using plastic eggs is more economical than buying real eggs and dying them, they do cost less than real eggs, and the dye used to color them with. The plastic eggs can be repeatedly for years to come too, but using plastic eggs short changes our children and grandchildren on learning the rich Christian traditions involved with using real eggs. You miss the opportunity to teach during the preparation of the Easter eggs. There will be no time to teach once the hunt begins. A Myriad of Christian Traditions Throughout recorded history, Christians have used Easter eggs to teach their children about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Although, originally, the egg was the pagan symbol for “New Life,” the new life that comes from nature is cycles of renewal. The Easter egg took on a completely new set of meanings for the Christians. For Christians, the hard egg-
shell was symbolic of the sealed tomb of Jesus, the cracking of that shell symbolizing Jesus rising from the dead. Since many forms of life begin as an egg, for the early Christians, the egg reminded them that Jesus truly was their source for new life spiritually. Learning those traditions and teaching those traditions to our children and grandchildren will deepen their grasp on our Christian beliefs and help them develop a closer, more joy filled walk with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We will have room to explore only a few of those traditions in this article. The Shed Blood of Jesus The early Christians living in Mesopotamia were the first to use Easter eggs as symbols of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. They were the first to dye eggs red to symbolize the shed blood of Jesus Christ and the power of that shed blood to give sinners new life in Christ. The Mesopotamian Christians blessed those red eggs, and the priests of some orthodox churches still bless those red eggs today during Paschal (Easter) vigil services on the night before Easter Sunday. The teaching opportunity here is that you can explain how Jesus loved us so much that He willing went to the cross and shed His blood to pay for our sins so that we might have forgiveness and eternal life. I like to go one-step further and set the eggs we dye red into the folds of a braided bread cross; the red dyed eggs symbolize the bloodstains on the cross. See EASTER EGG HUNT on Page 16
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Easter/Late Spring 2020 15
Changing Times
EASTER EGG HUNT Continued from Page 15
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The Pysanky Eggs The Pysanky eggs are a multicolored egg representing “Pysanky” art that originated in the Ukraine and other Eastern European countries. Pysanky art used waxed drawings and writing on eggs layered between different colored dyed layers. Traditional Pysanky colors to represent the different faith concepts related to Easter. White represented purity, yellow represented light and joy, orange represented strength and endurance, red the passion of Jesus on the cross, green represented hope and spiritual growth, blue represented spiritual health, brown represented earth, and black represented eternity. Between the dyed layers, phrases like “Christ is risen” and pictures like pictures of ladders were used. As you and your kids create these works of art you can use the time to discuss how God works in our lives. Create Easter Egg Symbols Of Our Faith We can create symbols of our faith by drawing symbols on the eggs before we dye them. Cover the drawings with wax before dying them so the area behind the drawings stayed on a white background. Symbolically a “fish” represents Christianity, “birds” represent hope, “Evergreen trees” and “ribbons” represent eternal life, “sun and stars” represent spiritual growth, “flowers” represent joy, “triangles” represent the trinity, and “crosses” represent Jesus’ great sacrifice for our sins. A Place for Plastic Eggs Now is the time for those hollow plastic Easter Eggs that you bought at the dollar store. Create a multicolored Easter egg tree to represent the empty tomb of the risen Christ. Personally, I prefer creating an Easter egg tree the way we did it when I was a kid using real eggs. To use real eggs you need to make small holes in the two ends of each egg and then blow the raw egg out of the shell. For health, reasons use a straw between your lips and the eggshell when blowing the liquid egg from its shell. The Old Egg Knocking Game Richie Culotta This is a twoplayer game enjoyed by adults and children alike, but too few people play it correctly Zach Dustin today. The correct
way to play it is for each player to shout out “Christ is risen” while knocking his or her eggs together. The contestant whose intact egg breaks open his or her opponents egg is considered the winner, the broken open egg represents Jesus’ empty tomb on Easter morning. Easter Egg Gifts I think that one of the reasons so many parents and grandparents have switched to plastic eggs is that their kids and grandkids made themselves sick from eating all the eggs. The Early Christians had a better way to handle that problem; they made up gift baskets and gave them to charity. We need to go back to using real eggs and adopt their idea of donating the majority of the left over eggs to the needy—pray for God to show you who your eggs should go to. For years, we have made up small Easter decorated bag of eggs and then take them to the inner city parks where the homeless gather and hand them out with a tract of the Gospel of John tucked in among the eggs. Pray over you Easter egg gifts and the Holy Spirit will direct you to whom He wants you to share them with. By Jerry Walch ©2020 FaithWriters.com. All Rights Reserved >
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5 Ways To Serve Your Spouse
Marriage
Showing Love through Actions
I recently read a story about a man in New Jersey who has written his wife a love letter every day of their 37-year marriage—more than 10,000 notes in total. While Bill Bresnan’s gesture may seem like an impossibly romantic ideal for the rest of us to follow, there are many ways—big and small—we can serve our spouses every day. Here are a few of them:
Do something simple. Like Bresnan and his 10,000 love notes, look for something simple you can do every day to serve your spouse. Perhaps you can make him a cup of coffee each morning before work, or load the dishwasher for her each night. Maybe you can care for the children so your beloved can take a nap or enjoy some down time. Be
sure to ask your spouse what acts of service are most meaningful to her. I once joked with a friend that in this stage of life, while I’m caring for three young children, “kitchen cleaning” is my love language. Unplug. Our technology-rich lives are full of distractions. Smartphones, TVs, and computers all compete to steal our focus. Paying attention to your spouse is one great way to serve them. Set aside some time each day to unplug from technology and focus on your mate. One couple I know has a “no smartphones after dinner” rule. They look forward to this uninterrupted time to talk and connect. Prioritize intimacy. Media paints some unflattering pictures of sex in marriage, but these examples couldn’t be further from God’s plan for intimacy. Paul writes that intimate oneness in marriage reflects the profound mystery of Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:31-32). Husbands and wives serve one another by cultivating a thriving sexual relationship in which they seek to meet one another’s physical needs. Sacrifice. I think we’d all like it if neither spouse ever had to sacrifice to serve the other. But the best acts of service require sacrifice—sacrifice of time, personal preference or
both. Paul acknowledges the battle between our selfish natures and our calling to serve. “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13). Selfless service is an overflow of God’s love in our hearts. Serve spiritually. Spurring your spouse on to greater spiritual maturity is one of the greatest investments you can make in his life. A friend says the greatest way her husband serves her is by praying for her each night before they go to sleep. You can also serve your spouse by helping him make time with God a priority and attending church together. You may think that Bresnan’s relationship with his wife was like one big romantic movie, but he offers this surprisingly practical advice: “The key to any relationship is that you both have to work at it every day,” Bresnan said. “And never go to bed mad. Talk about everything. Everything should get resolved before your goodnight kiss.” That’s great advice from someone who’s lived it. By Suzanne Gosselin Copyright © 2020 oChristian, All Rights Reserved, oChristian.com.>
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Easter/Late Spring 2020 17
MARRIAGE
Changing Times
Beware The Husband Basher
I had a rare morning out with a friend last week. We sipped yummy coffee and enjoyed quiet conversation. As a mom of two little kids, outings like this are a rare treat. I couldn’t have done it without my hubby who watched the kids while I was gone (he even did the laundry and dishes!). He’s wonderful. Even so, when I got home, I was cranky. I griped at my husband and pointed out the jobs he didn’t accomplish in my absence. I wouldn’t have fed the kids that. I definitely wouldn’t have dressed them in those clothes! As I heard the shrill sound of my own voice, I wondered what was wrong with me. Why was I acting this way? Then I remembered some
than a decade. But she’s forgotten the power of her words when it comes to her husband. I can say from experience that her memory loss is contagious. She’s not my first friend to speak poorly of her husband. I’ve hung out with men bashers before. It always amazes me how easily I slip into a pattern of negativity and criticism when I have frequent contact with such women. It is a habit that doesn’t make much sense of the turns my conversation had to me. I’m crazy about my husband. taken during my morning getaway. There are so many reasons to brag My friend said things like: on him and so few reasons to com“I told him it’s my decision. He plain. And yet, when I spend time may not like it, but I have the final with a husband hater, it doesn’t take say.” long for the bashing to begin at my “My husband’s been working a house. Even worse, I’ve noticed that lot of overtime. I’m so aggravated. my heart tends to follow my words He never sees the kids.” (and vice versa). The more I talk “He mowed over my flowers negatively, the less I admire, love, again. I don’t know how many and respect my man. times I have to show him the differThere’s a lesson to be learned ence between a flower and a weed.” here. There’s so no such thing as Harmless comments, right? After harmless conversation. I think all, don’t two girlfriends deserve the that’s why Paul wrote: right to vent? I no longer think so. Do not let any unwholesome My coffee loving friend is a com- talk come out of your mouths, but mitted Christian. I happen to know only what is helpful for building she adores her husband of more others up according to their needs,
that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29). Ladies, this passage is especially helpful when we apply it to how we talk about the men in our lives. In public and in private we need to be committed to esteeming them highly and speaking words that build up instead of tearing down. So what about my husband bashing friend? Do I ditch her? Call her out? Cut off the coffee dates until her words sound more like a Hallmark card? I don’t think so. Instead I will look for every opportunity to speak highly of my man when she’s around. If the conversation goes south, I’ll make an extra effort to steer it in a different direction. I may even bring along a friend who has a history of speaking well of men to our next java stop. The bottom line is that my friend’s mouth is not my responsibility. It’s my job to love my husband well and to speak highly of others at every opportunity. I want to encourage you to do the same. How can you specifically praise the men in your life today? By Erin Davis © 2001-2020 Revive Our Hearts>
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The Resurrection—Answering The Skeptics
Education were transformed. Many boldly rection assures yours. Because He held their faith to the point of mar- lives, you will live forever. tyrdom. Even the day of worship Adapted from “Charles Stanley’s was changed from Saturday to Sun- Handbook for Christian Living” day to celebrate His resurrection. (1996). How does the resurrection give By Charles F. Stanley us hope? There was a time when ©2020 oChristian. I would nearly become physically com. All Rights ill when I thought about having to Reserved > bury my mother one day. My father died when I was nine months old, and she and I were a team as I grew up. She loved me with all her being, and I loved her. One Easter Sunday, she fell down some basement steps. It was not long after that she suffered a stroke and was hospitalized. In November of that same year, God took her We invite you to join us! home to Himself. Sunday services begin at 11am Although deeply saddened, I Livestream and Archives Available knew it was not a final parting. If I harahancc.com served a Savior who was still in the Rev. David Lauricella, Jr. grave, I would have no hope whatPastor soever that my mom is also alive. But I know that “because He lives, 504-737-4154 all fear is gone.” What I dreaded for 1535 Hickory Ave. so long was cloaked in His victory. Of course, we grieve when someone we love is taken by death. But we mourn differently than the world does (1 Thess. 4:13). We look forward to a wonderful reunion with all the faithful departed and our Savior, who died— and lives—for us! If Jesus had remained dead, we EquippingMen Men& &Women Women of Equipping of God God would have noththrough Christian Education for over through Christian Education for over 35 40years! years! ing—no, hope, no BACHELOR, MASTER, DOCTORATE, Th.D., Ph.D. faith, no comfort. Ask about our “ Degree By Testing! ” But we have a Honorary & Combined & Accelerated Degrees Available for qualified applicants “Accredited by TAC” living Savior who transcended the Affordable Quality Education—FREE Evaluation—Credit for Life Experience laws of death and 888-837-4931 or visit www.omega.edu crushed them forever. His resur-
Happy Easter
Did Jesus really rise from the dead? was stolen. Two groups of people Critics of our faith find it hard to could have taken it: His friends or believe. Even Christians sometimes His enemies. Many of His disciples wrestle with doubts regarding His went to their graves still claiming resurrection. Does it matter wheth- Jesus was the Christ and that He er or not our Savior rose from the rose from the dead. People don’t dead? The apostle Paul certainly typically die for what they know to thought so. He wrote, “If Christ be a lie. has not risen, then our preaching is His enemies had a better opporvain, and your faith is also vain . . tunity to steal the body. They could . and if Christ has not been raised, have struck a deal with the soldiers your faith is worthless; you are still standing guard. Even so, Jesus’ in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:14,17). enemies had no reason to steal Let’s look at a few theories that His body. But if they had stolen it, attempt to discredit the resurrecwhen news of the resurrection surtion and examine the evidence that faced, wouldn’t they have produced disproves them. the body to disprove rumors that The swoon theory maintains Christ was alive? Of course, they that Jesus was not really dead but would. The only reasonable explaonly fainted on the cross. After nation is that He died, was buried, He was laid in the grave, the cool, and rose from the dead. After all damp environment of the cave this, He walked the earth for 40 revived Him. days. There are numerous problems Some believe that Christ’s folwith this from both a biblical and lowers merely imagined seeing practical perspective. The Bible Him alive. After Jesus arose, He said Jesus was dead. He “yielded up appeared both to individuals—such His Spirit” (Matt. 27:50). Even the as Mary Magdalene (John 20:11Pharisees wanted the tomb sealed, 18) and Peter (1 Cor. 15:5)—and “lest His disciples come and steal to small groups of people—such as Him away, and say to the people, the two men on the road to Em‘He has risen from the dead’” maus (Luke 24:13-27) and His (Matt. 27:64). disciples (John 20:26-29; Acts 1:3From a practical point of view, 11). (First Corinthians 15:6) tells those who hold to the swoon of five hundred followers seeing theory do not understand the horHim at once. rors of crucifixion. Even the solWhen skeptics assert that only a diers who went to break Jesus’ legs handful of people imagined seeing realized they didn’t have to because the Lord Jesus, they have a hard Affordable Beachside Vacation Condos He was dead. Furthermore, no one time refuting His appearance to Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, Al. just awakened from a swoon could 500 people. It is impossible to think Rent direct from Christian family push away the huge stone that that a crowd this size would imag3 NIGHT SPECIAL AS LOW AS $530! sealed the door to the tomb, much ine the same thing, no matter how (Total price includes condo, tax, gratuity, clean-up, and parking!) less subdue the guards stationed grief-stricken they were. www.gulfshorescondos.com there. The fact is, He said He would dont@gscondos.com • Call Don at 251.752.2366 Others claim that Jesus’ body rise, and He did. The disciples’ lives Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Easter/Late Spring 2020 19 Lord our Maker. - Psalm 95:6
HARAHAN CHRISTIAN CHURCH
EDUCATION
Changing Times
Promoting The Kingdom: Being A Team Player
God is building His team in reverse fashion compared to professional sports teams. Athletic scouts go out looking for athletes who already have the gifts and talents needed, and recruit them to play. God, on the other hand, calls individuals to join Him and then gives them the gifts they need to be a team player with others who are called. Therefore, if you are a Christian, you have been called by God to join His eternal family (team). When you were called, you were given a spiritual gift(s)—perhaps commen-
surate with your natural talents and abilities, perhaps not—that makes you part of God’s “team” (1 Corinthians 12:18). As a Christian, you have no doubt heard the doctrine of spiritual gifts in the body of Christ (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4; 1 Peter 4). You may even know what your spiritual gift(s) is and be exercising it fruitfully in ministry. Becoming a Team Player There are wonderful benefits to being a member of God’s eternal team—no tryouts, no “All Star”
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competition, you can’t get cut from the team, and there will always be a position for you to fill. So you have built-in job security in a job for which you are perfectly qualified! All you have to do is discover your spiritual gift(s) and begin to use it in the position for which it is best suited. When that happens, Paul says, the whole church begins to function like a human body—the body of Christ. Just as the parts of a body working together allow a person to accomplish his or her personal mission, so each member of Christ’s body allows Him to accomplish His purpose in the world (1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Ephesians 4:11-16). “Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work” (Vince Lombardi). I don’t think the great coach would have minded if I add that individual commitment to a group effort is what makes the church work as well. Not pure human effort, mind you—the church is different in that regard. It’s the supernatural empowerment of the Spirit working in us. When we are cooperating with Him, great things for God’s glory will happen. Are You Eligible? May I suggest the following for you to consider with regard to your status as a team player in the body of Christ? First, are you on the team? Have you given your life to Christ and joined God’s forever family? You can’t be a team player if you’re not on the team! Next, make sure you know the gift(s) God has given you. If you’re not sure what gift(s) our Coach has given you, ask Him—He wants you
to know and promises not to criticize you for asking (James 1:5). He’s the one who invited you to be part of the team and wants nothing more than for you to be a contributing member. Finally, look around at all the marvelous positions you might fill in the body of Christ. Many positions are available that call for gifts like the ones God has given you—and many of them are outside the venue of your local church. But let me say emphatically that the first place Christian team members should look to serve is in their own local church. But sometimes your gift(s) may need a broader or deeper playing field than your church can provide. For instance, your gift(s) might be perfectly suited for missionary agency administration or support, audio or video broadcast ministry, open-air or inner-city evangelism, publishing ministry, internet or multimedia ministry, medical service or administration . . . the list is as long as the list of needs in our world. Are you ready to be a team player? You’ve been given the gifts you need—and the rest is up to you. It’s what’s in your heart that will either accelerate or hinder the advancement of God’s kingdom in the world. So step up and be the team player God called you to be—for the kingdom’s sake and God’s glory. By David Jeremiah Dr. Jeremiah is the founder of Turning Point for God, and serves as Senior Pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California. For more information about Turning Point, go to www.DavidJeremiah.org.>
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Health
9 Natural Remedies For Killing Intestinal Parasites
help with digestion in the body. Cloves & Onion Turmeric (Powder or Juice) Onion juice is naturally sulfuric For the fight against intestinal and it can be used to treat worms of worms, turmeric can be used in a the intestine. Two times daily, concouple of ways. First, the powder sume two teaspoons for fourteen form can be added to eight ounces days. Cloves can also be used in of buttermilk. Second, the juice home treatments by eating around form can be added to some water to three cloves each day. drink. Using these methods to sup- By Dr. Don Colbert plement create wonderful benefits Dr. Don Colfor the body. bert is a graduFresh Coconut ate of Oral Fresh coconut can be added to the Roberts School breakfast meal. The best way to do of Medicine this is to eat three teaspoons of freshand shares his ly grown meat of the coconut. At years of experilunch time (approx. 3 hrs. later), ence and Intestine parasites can be ingested Lemony Spearmint drink a glass of luke-warm milk with research in through the foods we eat as well as Daily drink a mixture of eight six teaspoons of oil castor added. nutritional in the water we consume. These ounces of spearmint juice along Seeds of the Papaya medicine in all parasites can live within the body; with two to four ounces (to taste) of PROOF SHEET The seeds of the papaya which of his work. He they love to adhere to the inside wall lemon juice. Add a small amount of are black in color can help the body is a national speaker, bestselling of the intestines. Meats which are black salt to this mixture. to rid itself of intestinal parasites. author and host of a national talk not cooked properly is one source of Pumpkin Seed Delight Oftentimes, we throw the dark show titled Your Health Matters. infection. Drinking water can Attached also is Adding a proof of pumpkin your ad thatseeds will runto in the October/November of EDGE of the Lake magazine. This ad will run as is unless we your seeds awayissue when preparing the © All rights reserved 2020 Dr. by Wednesday (09.14.2018) at 5:00 PM. Please make any changes or approve via be infected with these creatures. receive Left changes diet on a daily basis can help to fruit to eat. Simply, create a paste email. Don Colbert, MD PA www.drcolunchecked, these parasites can cre- paralyze mature worms within the out of the crushed seeds to be conbert.com > ate damage within the body. body. This allows the worms to be sumed, while eating the fruit. Natural Ways to Kill Intestinal moved out of the bowels more easReliable Community Alternatives, LLC. Parasites ily since they are unable to cling to L. L.C. Let us be the non-medical care and support for you or Another concern is that of worms their prey. your loved one(s) in the comfort of your home. within the human intestines. SurPineapple Fruit 24-Hour on-call management available to monitor your services prisingly, individuals can go for Pineapple fruit is a great food Our services include, but not limited to assistance with: Bathing, Grooming, years without knowing they even item to add to the diet to help rid the Personal Hygiene, Meal Preparation, Light Housekeeping, Companionship, etc. have the worms. Symptoms may body of tape worms. This is mainly Our Professionals are Licensed and Insured. • www.rcahomecare.net Orleans/Jefferson Region 1 504-779-4740 • St. John/St. Charles Region 3 985-725-3058 occur as soon as a few weeks which due to the bromelain enzymes which include fatigue, weakness, problems sleeping, and weight loss. Other abdominal symptoms may EAST ST. TAMMANY’S ZERO COPAY FLU be present including dissension of FAVORITE FAMILY SHOTS ON INSURANCE the belly, foul smelling gas, and PHARMACY AS VOTED watery bowel movements. Immunizations / Vaccinations ON BY EDGE MAGAZINE Naturally Safe Options walk-ins welcome READERS. THANK YOU! There are naturally safe options to use at home which are useful in gaining control over intestinal parasites along with intestinal worms. Here are some of those options used by many with favorable results: Garlic Cloves Garlic can do wonders when it comes to treating intestinal worms. The garlic and the oils it releases are good for home treatment. Crust 3044 Gause Blvd. E. NOW SERVING ALL OF cloves of garlic and apply this to Slidell, LA 70461 ST TAMMANY PARISH. the skin. The body will naturally Introducing our medication dose cards for healthier absorb the oils and transport it in Call Us To Switch! patient outcomes. to the blood stream. The recomWe Do All the Work! (No additional charge) mended use is three cloves upon Mon. - Fri. 9am-7pm arising in the early of the day for Sat. 9am-2pm / Sun. closed several days.
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For the freshest seasonal fruits and vegetables, spring is the best time. Plus, when those foods are locally harvested, they taste even better, and they provide you with a healthier, more nutritional punch. When fruits and vegetables are grown far from your home and have to be transported for several hours (or even days), they lose valuable nutrients (a process known as “respiration rate,” which is the amount of carbon dioxide released per 100 grams of the food - during each hour after harvesting). However, when you prepare and eat local, seasonal foods, you get that one-two punch - better tasting and more nutritious. Of course, what’s in season in the spring depends on where you live, so this is a general guide to seasonal foods that may be available in your area during the spring months. SWEET CORN No other vegetable says spring like sweet corn on the cob. It’s the sweetest right after picking, so choose corn that’s ripe with bright green husks. TOMATOES Fresh tomatoes have been linked to heart health, and have been shown to help lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. GREEN BEANS To retain their maximum amount of phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals, steam green beans for only five minutes. This also brings out their peak flavor, and makes them tender. BERRIES The freshest will look firm and colorful. Choose from strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Because the price of berries is normally based on their cost of transport, the more expensive they are, the more likely it is
they travelled thousands of miles. So, locally grown equals a better price, and more nutrition. SWISS CHARD As one of the most nutritious vegetables you can eat, research shows that chard leaves contain at least 13 different polyphenol antioxidants. Swiss chard is one of the most popular vegetables in healthy Mediterranean diets. BABY GREENS AND ROMAINE LETTUCE Fresh lettuces start to appear in the spring and will continue through the summer. The freshest heads of lettuce will be the crispiest. SPINACH Not just for salads, add fresh spinach leaves to pasta, or eat them steamed as a side dish. Look for crisp leaves that aren’t spotted. SWEET BELL PEPPERS To maximize the availability of vitamin C and carotenoids from bell peppers, allow this amazing vegetable to fully ripen. SUGAR SNAP PEAS Choose crisp sugar snap peas with firm, green pods. Avoid any that are darker or lighter green. Sweet and delicious sugar snap peas are also great for snacking. ASPARAGUS Unlike the asparagus you find year-round, fresh spring asparagus spears look and taste their best when they’re in season. Look for straight, crisp, green stalks. AVOCADOS Because research has shown that the greatest concentration of carotenoids in avocados occurs in the dark green flesh just beneath the skin, don't slice into that dark green portion any more than necessary. Better yet, the best method is what the California Avocado Commission calls the "nick and peel" method where you peel the avocado like a banana. This entry was posted in Health Tips by Dr. Don Colbert © All rights reserved 2020 Dr. Don Colbert, MD PA www.drcolbert. com >
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Dear Dave, My husband passed away last year at just 45 years old. We always tried to be careful with our money, and we were in good enough shape financially that I paid for his funeral with cash. A few days ago, I started getting letters from the funeral homes in town encouraging me to pre-pay for my own funeral. I’m 42, and in very good health, so is this a good idea? —Janet Dear Janet, My advice is to pre-plan, not pre-
pay. Unfortunately, you learned first-hand how hard it is to make important decisions in the middle of that kind of grief. Many times, people are so emotional when they face these kinds of things that they make bad decisions. That’s why pre-planning, and making decisions ahead of time, is a really good move. Now, here’s why it’s never a good idea to pre-pay for this kind of thing. If you live to an average age, for what you’d prepay today at your age, you could invest the amount and be self-insured. You’d have a ton of money sitting there when the time comes. Events like this make you realize the need for proper planning, but don’t ever pre-pay for them. God bless you, Janet. I’m so sorry you’re going through this. —Dave
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—Dave * Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 16 million listeners each Dear Ami, week on 600 radio stations and My advice to have an emergency multiple digital platforms. Follow fund of three to six months of Dave on the web at daveramsey. expenses, sitting in a good money com and on Twitter at @Davmarket account with check writing eRamsey. privileges, is designed to cover the * Dave Ramsey is unexpected things that life will America’s trusted throw at you. The cash, combined voice on money and business. He’s auwith the easy access that kind of thored four New York account allows, will make it quick Times best-selling and easy to take care of things in books: Financial the event of a financial emergency. Peace, More Than Extended warranties, of any Enough, The Total kind, are not a good deal and I don’t Money Makeover and EntreLeadership. recommend them. You’re better off The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by to self-insure against things break- more than 5 million listeners each week ing down, and put what would have on more than 500 radio stations. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and been profit for the extended war- on the web at daveramsey.com. >
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We Need Both An Atoning Savior And A Sanctifying Spirit
There is a great similarity between the discourse in Luke— and that given in Matthew. There are also such marked differences that many writers think they were spoken at different times. The law of love was taught in the Old Testament. If one met his enemy's ox or donkey going astray— he was to bring it back to him. But here the teaching goes much further, "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you; bless those
who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." This is not an easy lesson. It is never easy to be a Christian. The easy way does not lead toward heaven. It takes a new birth to make us a Christian at all. Loving enemies is not a natural affection. People talk about the Sermon on the Mount, as having in it the entire gospel they want; but if they try to live it they will find that they need both an atoning Savior and a sanctifying Spirit. Yet Christ wants us to make
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these teachings the rule of our life. Of course we cannot love enemies—just as we love our friends. It is a different kind of love that is required. We cannot take them into our confidence, nor can we make them our intimate companions; but we can desire and seek their good. We can restrain all feelings of resentment, and all wishes to return evil for evil. This and all the other precepts of this lesson find their perfect illustration, in the life of Christ Himself. We remember how Jesus Himself lived out this law of love. There were many who cursed Him and reviled Him—but He never lost the sweetness of love out of His heart. He never on any occasion returned a word of cursing or anger or even of impatience—in answer to the bitterest reviling of His enemies. That is the example for us. We are to be silent when others speak evil of us or to us; or, if we speak, it is to be the soft answer that turns away wrath. We need not worry ourselves about the deserts of those who treat us unjustly, feeling that we should see to their punishment. We are to leave that to God—who
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I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.” -Psalm 16:2
judges righteously and who will take care also that no real harm shall come to us, from the wrongs which others inflict on us, provided we keep ourselves in His love and in an obedient spirit. The lesson has its ideal exemplification in our Lord's Prayer on His cross for His murderers. His only answer to the driving of the nails through His hands and feet was, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!" (Luke 23:34). That is the way He wants us to answer the cruelties and injuries which others may inflict upon us. "If someone strikes you on one cheek—turn to him the other also." Christ did not so much give rules for special cases—as principles to govern all conduct. We all think of these words as presenting a very beautiful direction for life, and yet we apt to feel that they cannot be followed literally. Actually turning the other cheek to one who has smitten you in the face, would most likely aggravate the person's anger. See SANCTIFYING on Page 35
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Easter/Late Spring 2020 25
Personal Revival The Commitment Crisis Why do you follow Christ? We can all list reasons that we follow Christ, from “my grandmother influenced me” to a more dramatic personal story of how Jesus changed us. Some reading this may conclude they are not sure, or worse -do not follow Him at all. Some people when pressed on this question might list the results of following Christ as reasons why they choose to do so. For example: having a better life, don’t want to miss Heaven, and that it is a more peaceful existence. Although these reasons suffice to the ordinary human being as great personal benefits. In my humble opinion, following Christ is a soul searching and thoughtful one. Consider the teaching by Jesus in Luke 14. Surrounded by the idea that we should “consider the cost” if we are going to follow Him. In Luke 14:26 Christ says, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life
26 Easter/Late Spring 2020
also, he cannot be My disciple.” This, my friend is NOT a casual decision. We all should consider this question of why we follow Jesus. The Apostle Peter once exclaimed when pressed by Christ, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68) Today, we are in a crisis of commitment. Marriages are not committed. Employees are not committed. Employers are not committed. Friends used to friends forever. Our obsession with the comforts of this life has peeled away, one layer of commitment after another. This obsession with comfort is a result of the “if it feels good do it” mantras of the past. Our society cannot flourish without loyalty and commitment. As American sociologist, Robert Bellah in 1979 wrote after an extensive study on how the “habits of the heart” affected relationships, he said, “Any sensible society must address the problem by edu-
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cating people that commitment is the very essence of human relationships.” He further wrote, “the basic building blocks of society erode without commitment.” This obsession with comfort at all cost has spawned generations of people who are shallow, unfaithful, and disloyal and uncommitted. Is it no wonder that more than two-thousand years ago Jesus addressed this subject to His followers? He has not changed. He still requires unwavering loyalty from us all. After 20 years of pastoring, I have seen many levels of Christian commitment. Below, I list 5 levels of Christian Commitment: 1. Interested – People who are aware of the basics of Christianity, and like the idea of being a Christian. They love His teachings and that’s about all. Also, like church Facebook pages from around the world. 2. Informed – People who are more than interested. They have read the Bible some; they made a declaration of Salvation. They attend church occasionally and often listen to TV/Internet preachers. 3. Involved- People who are not only Saved or informed. This person is attending church regularly, volunteering occasionally and giving to help finance the ministries of the
church when they can. They are committed to Christ yet they can be swayed easily. (my spouse, entertainment, sports, kid’s birthday parties) 4. Immersed – people whose lives revolve around glorifying Christ. Attendance to their church is mandatory. They begin leading in bible classes or small groups. Christ is their everything; cannot be easily swayed. 5. Invested – These people do all the above but now others are learning from them. They stand out. They give more than 10% of their income to the cause of Christ. They mentor, they create, they lead and cannot be shaken; They make it their business to grow the Kingdom of God everything else is secondary. Why do you follow Christ? Where is your commitment level today? Wherever you find yourself, my prayer is that you choose to move one level higher. This we do with God’s help working in us. Blessings to all of you.
By Doug Gilford, Senior Pastor, Cornerstone Church 23051 Hwy 1088 Mandeville, LA 70448 985-624-8652 cornerstonenola. com>
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Guiding Light
The Psalms Must Be Fulfilled The Son’s Script and Strength for Holy Week
As Holy Week comes, we can listen to the soul of Jesus as He silently sings the Psalms. Jesus quoted the Psalms more than any other Old Testament book: He offered the true bread as better than the God-given manna of (Psalm 78:24) (John 6:31). He interpreted the children’s hosannas as an echo of (Psalm 8:2) (Matthew 21:16). He announced with (Psalm 118:26) that the day would come when all Israel would see Him in final triumph and say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:39). He saw in Himself the marvel of a rejected stone becoming the head of the corner from (Psalm 118:22– 23) (Matthew 21:42). He absorbed the hatred of His enemies with the words of (Psalm 35:19) (John 15:25). He embraced the tragic role of Judas with (Psalm 41:9) (John 13:18). He deflected the charge of blasphemy with Psalm (82:6) (John 10:34). He stunned the high priest by claiming a seat at God’s right hand from (Psalm 110:1) (Matthew 26:64). His cry of forsakenness on the cross burst from (Psalm 22:1) (Matthew 27:46). With His last breath, He commended His spirit to God with (Psalm 31:5) (Luke 23:46). When Jesus quoted the Psalms, He was never looking down at a manuscript. You can’t hold a manuscript when your hands are bound in court, or nailed to a cross. He knew them. Many of them, no doubt, by heart. In other words, Jesus not only fulfilled the Psalms; He was full of the Psalms. He not only said, “Everything written about Me in . . . the Psalms must be fulfilled”
(Luke 24:44); He also said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). The Psalms were His food. And He was their fulfillment. His Script and Strength For Jesus, the Psalms were the very word of God. He said that David wrote his psalms “in the Holy Spirit” (Mark 12:36). This is why they “must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). This is why, after quoting (Psalm 82:6), he said, “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). This is why they were his food, and he was their fulfillment. All of Scripture — but especially the Psalms — was the script and the strength of Jesus’s life. Jesus was truly God and truly man. As true God, he was omnipotent and needed nothing. As true man, He was frail and needed strength. He needed the food of Scripture to have the strength to fulfill Scripture. In this way, He became for us an example of living by faith. Christ . . . suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly. (1 Peter 2:21–23) In His perfect manhood, Jesus was not self-sufficient. He looked to His Father for all that He needed in order to do the Father’s will. He knew that He must die. And He knew that without the sustaining power of His Father, the weakness of His human flesh would fail in the hour of trial. So, He prayed. Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to Him who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. (Hebrews 5:7) Not that He was saved from the event of death, but He was saved from the faith-destroying curse of death. Death came, but it did not defeat. Hear What His Soul Sings The strength to conquer unbelief, as Jesus died, came through the sure word of God — especially the Psalms. He did not get His power from bread. He got it from “every
word that comes from the mouth of God.” He trusted His Father’s promises. And followed His Father’s plan. The plan was scripted in the Psalms. And the strength was given through the Psalms. They were His faith-sustaining food so that He could be their Father-obeying fulfillment. So, the example He left us was how to live by faith in future grace — the future grace promised to Him in the Psalms. Not because He needed grace, but because He needed the help which for us is all grace. Jesus had no sin (1 Peter 2:22). When His Father heard His prayers, He was worthy to be heard. Jesus did not plead the blood of Jesus in order to be heard. But He did pray for help. And He did trust His
Father’s promises, and provision, and power. This is how He becomes our example in suffering. The sustaining food of the Psalms and the infallible script of the Psalms brought Jesus to Holy Week — and to the cross. So, I invite you again: Come, listen to the soul of Jesus as He silently sings the Psalms in His final days. Tune your heart to the Psalms with the sound of Jesus’s faith. By John Piper Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org ©2020 Desiring God Foundation. Website: www.desiringGod. org. Email: mail@ d e s i r i n g G o d . o rg . Toll Free: 888-346-4700 >
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Sealed With A Kiss
We are following Jesus to the cross in this Passion Week. In my last blog post, I talked about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He is in deep agony, as He considers the horrors of the cross. His trial on trumped-up charges before a kangaroo court of injustice will soon begin. Enter the betrayer, Judas Iscariot. In films about the life of Christ, Judas has sometimes been portrayed sympathetically. He is presented as a man who wanted the world to know Jesus was Messiah, and he was simply trying to get the Lord to declare Himself. Nothing could be further from the truth. Judas was a wicked man who, despite the fact that he had spent three years walking and talking with Jesus, cold-heartedly betrayed Him. What’s even worse is the way he did it. Why a Kiss? Luke’s Gospel describes the scene for us vividly: “And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?'” (Luke 22:47-48) Why did Judas betray Him with a kiss? Why not just a gesture like pointing at Jesus? It was because Judas was a “hyp28 Easter/Late Spring 2020
ocrite extraordinaire.” Even in this, his hour of ultimate betrayal, he wanted to appear to be spiritual! Like when he falsely accused Mary for anointing Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume because that could have been sold and the money given to the poor. Scripture tells us he said this was not because he cared for the poor, but because he was in charge of the money and he was effectively “skimming off the top.” Peter to the rescue! Despite his greed and wickedness, Judas still wanted to come off as a super-spiritual man. This is almost like a sickness, wanting to look good on the outside when you are diseased on the inside. When it says that Judas kissed Him, this literally means Judas “smothered Jesus with kisses.” In other words, he kissed him repeatedly. This was a “kiss from hell.” The disciples are outraged and want to take action! They are ready to take up swords and defend Jesus. Peter wasn’t waiting around. He took action. “When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, ‘Lord, shall we strike with the sword?’ And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear” (Luke 22:49-50 NKJV) Old Peter can’t take it anymore and pulls out a sword and takes a swing, cutting off the ear of the high priest’s servant (whose name was Malchus).
On one hand, we want to commend Peter for his act of bravery. But on the other hand, Jesus did not commend this action and told Peter to put the sword away. Boasting when he should have been listening Poor Peter just couldn’t get it right. He was boasting when He should have been listening, and sleeping when he should have been praying. Now he was fighting when he should have been surrendering. What was he thinking? He wasn’t! He was reacting. Peter seemed to be an emotional man, given to the impulse of the moment. Peter made a number of mistakes when he struck Malchus and these are mistakes that we all make. He was fighting the wrong enemy with the wrong weapon! Our enemies are not flesh and blood, and they cannot be defeated with ordinary weapons. Scripture says, “The weapons of our warfare are not physical but mighty before God” (2 Corinthians 10:4 AMPLIFIED). Preaching the gospel and praying are two of our most powerful weapons in our arsenal. Sadly, they are often if not usually neglected. The last miracle of Jesus In this midst of this flurry of activity in the garden, very few noticed the last miracle of His earthly ministry. It was not a big, flashy, go-out-with-a-bang miracle, but a quiet one. This final miracle showed His true heart. He healed the ear of one of the ones who came to arrest Him.
As (Luke 22:51) says, “And He touched his ear and healed him” (NKJV). If ever a man did not “deserve” a healing, it was Malchus. He probably got sliced by Peter because he was leading the charge against Jesus. And yet Jesus had compassion on him. Our Lord received no thanks from this man (that we know of). But Jesus, in the face of this lynch mob, had not forgotten about the need of the individual. It’s also worth noting the last miracle performed by Jesus was made necessary because of a blundering disciple. And He probably has been busy ever since then, healing the wounds made by blundering disciples. Let’s use those “secret weapons” God has given to us as the Church, praying and preaching the gospel, especially as Easter approaches and people are more open to attending church with us.
By Greg Laurie ©All Rights Reserved Harvest Ministries 2020>
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Experience Peace In The Midst Of Anxiety
Anxiety can steal peace from our lives. And if you’re like most Americans, you’re probably experiencing anxiety on an everyday basis. This familiar feeling often comes over us like uneasiness, apprehension, dread, concern, tension, restlessness, or worry. It’s the feeling of impending danger or doom. For many of us, our anxiety is a result of our fear of the future. We fear failing, we fear another terrorist attack, an economic downturn, or that our kids won’t turn out right. We fear singleness, or that our marriages won’t ever get any better. Or we fear rejection, abandonment, and on and on… God's Wisdom for Building Great Relationships, confronting immature behavior image For others of us, our anxiety is caused by some conflict we’re dealing with in the present or a regret about something that happened in the past. We feel overwhelmed with guilt and shame over things we can’t change. So how do we overcome anxiety – and is it even possible?
Peace
the midst of your struggles and rec- allowing God to work in my life ognizing God for who He is. and my heart. And I don’t have Some of us have practiced being peace. anxious for most of our lives. So, I have to remember that it’s only we’re really good at it! We’re when our focus, our mind, and our experts at worrying. We learned it trust is on Christ that we can expefrom our parents and we see almost rience the peace He has to give us. everyone doing it. And it begins with prayer. We’ve also learned from others how to deal with our anxiety. When we feel anxious, most of us shift our attention onto something else like TV or shopping, food or prescription pain pills. We’ll try anything to get our minds off of our gnawing anxiety. I have to confess, when I feel The last night with His disciples, anxious, I often watch ESPN. Or Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so I’ll pour myself into my work or that in me you may have peace. In go work out. These things aren’t this world you will have trouble. evil or bad in themselves, but By Chip Ingram But take heart! I have overcome the when I do them, instead of letting Copyright © Living on the Edge. prayer answer the door, I’m not All rights reserved.> world.” (John 16:33) It is possible to absolutely be at peace in the midst of horrendous, difficult, and uncertain times. Jesus promised it. But how do we access it? Retail / Wholesale / Commercial Sales The Apostle Paul shows us how: “Do not be anxious about any- Top Prices Paid for old Batteries thing, but in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksBatteries For almost everything giving present your requests to • Cellular Phones • Cordless Phones • Hand Held Radios • Pagers • Autos God. And the peace of God, • Trucks • Heavy Duty Equipment • Motorcycles • Personal Watercraft • Boats which transcends all understand• RV’s • Security Systems • Medical Equipment • Emergency Lighting • Custom Battery Packs • VRLA/SLA Rechargeable • NICAD/NIMH/Lithium ing, will guard your hearts and • UPS Systems • Camera • Camcorder • Lap Tops • C-MOS • Lead Acid your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) 8 am - 4 Pm The promise is that when you mon - FRi pray, God’s peace will guard your 700 Jefferson Hwy. • Jefferson, LA 70121 • www.thebattman.com heart and your thoughts – or literally – your minds. This isn’t just any kind of prayer. It’s very specific. It’s the idea that the moment you feel anxious, you turn your thoughts and feelings upward. It’s pausing in
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Easter/Late Spring 2020 29
FROM THE PULPIT
What Gospel Ministers Don't Do (Part 3 Of 4)
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. “We have been given the privilege of being heralds; we must bear disgraceful, underhanded ways. We testimony to God before men and refuse to practice cunning or to women, for we will answer to God tamper with God's word, but by the for what we have said to them. “We refuse to tamper with open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to God’s word.” We have already noticed that loss everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is of heart may sometimes tempt minveiled, it is veiled to those who are isters of the Gospel to practice outperishing. In their case the god of right deception. At the same time, this world has blinded the minds of however, Paul also acknowledges a In (2 Corinthians 4:1–6), we the unbelievers, to keep them from subtler, yet equally dangerous, find Paul making a series of great seeing the light of the gospel of the temptation faced by pastors: the declarations concerning the minis- glory of Christ, who is the image of temptation to distort God’s Word. Scripture makes clear that ministry of the Gospel—declarations that God. For what we proclaim is not stand to encourage today’s pastors ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, ters of the Gospel are not to dilute in their vital work: with ourselves as your servants for God’s Word so as to make it palatTherefore, having this ministry Jesus' sake. For God, who said, able. We do not engage in the kind by the mercy of God, we do not “Let light shine out of darkness,” of preaching that responds to the JJ-NOLA_ChngTimes-3rdpgvert_April2020_JJExt_NOLA-ChngTimes-April,ThirdVert_3-26-20 3/26/2020 3:32 PM Page 1 lose heart. But we have renounced has shone in our hearts to give the “itching ears” of (2 Timothy 4:3). We are not called to tickle people under their chins, pat them on their backs, and make them feel that they Because Louisiana has it ALL... are the most wonderful persons in the world. Instead, we have been given the privilege of being heralds; we must bear testimony to God before men and women, for we And because nature does go on, will answer to God for what we spring rain and summer heat bring out have said to them. We see this commitment in Paul the TERMITE swarms, and they’re looking before Felix and Drusilla in (Acts for space to occupy NOW. 24). Imagine his situation in contemporary terms: You’re in the White House, you’re shut away, and suddenly the President and the First Lady invite you up. They’ve been playing checkers in the evening, they’ve been watching TV, they’ve been keeping themselves occupied, but now they’ve run out of stuff to do—and so one says to the other, “Why don’t we get the apostle Paul up and see what he’s on about? After all, he’s apparently a wonderful preacher.” And so Paul enters in (Acts 24:24). You can imagine him coming in: not a particularly pre-possessing kind of individual; he’s certainly, by all accounts, not the kind E.P.A. and State of person who would have made it approved. years! as the quarterback in the high school football team. And he comes in and says, “Thank you for inviting me up. I’m glad to have the opportunity of talking with you. I just have a Call for a FREE inspection! Ask about our three-point sermon I’d like to give Termite & Mosquito Elimination & Control Systems
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Changing Times
you, and my first point is righteousness. I want to talk to you about the moral law of God, and how you stand in an abjectly horrible situation in front of it, because God calls us to be righteous in his sight.” And then, as the beads of perspiration start coming out on the brow of Felix, and as he sees that Drusilla is wriggling around on her throne, he continues: “I come to my second point: self-control.” And of course, they were living in an adulterous relationship; Felix, you may know, had stolen this woman away from her husband as a result of the work of a magician. And still he goes on: “And as my third point, I’d like to tell you that there is a judgment that you are going to face when you will stand before God.” Paul’s approach is not the one that begins by saying, “I wonder what it is that Felix and Drusilla are into. Perhaps I should talk to them about stress; I’m sure they must be very stressed out. Perhaps I should talk to them about finances; they seem to have a lot of money.” No, Paul goes right up the stairs and says, “Thank you for the opportunity. Number one: righteousness. Number two: self-control. Number three: a coming judgment.” You may have heard people say, “I don’t like to hear all these hellfire and damnation sermons.” Let me ask you: When was the last time you heard a hellfire and damnation sermon? When was the last time you preached one? When’s the last time you were bold enough to stand right up to the members of your congregation—sleek, wealthy, selfassured—and tell them, “You have an appointment with the risen Christ, you are out of line with his righteous law, and your lack of selfcontrol is an indication of the fact that you need Christ!” The sad reality is that in many congregations today, the people are sitting there singing with Fleetwood Mac, “Tell me lies, tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies.” As pastors, may we respond by boldly rejecting the distortion and dilution of the Gospel, and instead preach God’s Word with conviction and clarity. © 1994 - 2020 Truth For Life. All Rights Reserved>
www.changingtimes.info
"Salvation By Works" Is A Stumbling-Stone
According to the Apostle Paul, salvation by works is a stumbling stone. "Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone." (Rom 9:32) Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it." (Matt 7:13) Because of the sins committed
by Adam and Eve, there is a separation of God and man making it impossible for mankind to earn salvation by works (by doing enough good deeds), or attempting to live a good and perfect life. God said to Adam and Eve, "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Gen 2:17) Adam and Eve did not obey, and their sin caused all of mankind to be sentenced to both a spiritual and
Salvation physical death. However, God, in His unsearchable love for man, provided a way to salvation for all who would accept His plan, by sending His only Son Jesus to die in our place. Jesus, the Son of God, took all of mankind's sins upon Himself making it possible for anyone who would believe on Him to be pardoned from the death sentence. The only death the Christian will face is the physical death, and someday that to will be conquered. Unless the unsaved accept God's Plan of Salvation, they will face both, a "physical death," and a "spiritual death," in Hell, eternally separated from God. Man cannot receive salvation by works. There is only one way to enter Heaven, and that is through faith in Jesus, and what He accomplished on the cross. The Apostle Peter tells us, "... there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” - Psalm 23:4
Your salvation is between you and God, and no one else can do it for you. Unless you have been born again, you can receive nothing from God. Make sure of your salvation! The only way to be born again and receive eternal life is to follow God's plan. Paul makes this plan very clear: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Rom 10:9-10) Make sure of your salvation by accepting God's plan, then study His Word to learn the things He wants you to do, as well as the things He forbids. Salvation by works is not God's plan. Good works are an expression of our faith, obedience, and the overflow of love we receive from God. By Sam Mills © Copyright 2006-2020 Trustingin-Jesus.com. All Rights Reserved.>
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Changing Times
Steve McQueen: The Salvation Of An American Icon Steve McQueen is recorded as the number one Hollywood box office star of the 1960’s and 70’s. In the era of Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Gregory Peck, et al, he was the man, the “King of Cool”. He stole beautiful women from Elvis! In modern parlance, he was Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Johnny Depp rolled into one, as his biographer Pastor Greg Laurie declares. But as the Bible records of the great general Naaman in the Book of Kings, “He was a Leper”. McQueen had the dread disease of sin, and he had it bad! Greg Laurie, the Pastor of a 12,000-member church, took on the task of chronicling the life of this unique American “Hero”. Hero in quotations because McQueen, like many of us, was deeply flawed. Author Laurie, as he’s done with his book on Johnny Cash, follows close parallels between his own life and the lives of these two famous men. Along with Steve McQueen, Greg Laurie had the absence of a dad, along with dysfunctional alcoholic moms. These severe personal handicaps left both men with seeming insatiable longings to fill holes in their hearts. Pastor Greg found healing early in life through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Mc. McQueen took the hard road and came to Jesus, importantly, just before being told he had terminal cancer. Author Laurie weaves the hard story, telling the heart-wrenching journey his desperate subject took in finding the true answer to life’s longings. The Bible calls King Solomon, the son of King David, “the wisest man who ever lived”. He wrote the wisdom book “Ecclesiastes” in the Bible where he declares early on, “Everything is meaningless…completely meaningless”! This statement is clarified in the scriptures as anything “under the sun” being deemed “meaningless” or “vanity” or even “without profit”. The plain sense is that humanly we can’t figure life out, it’s beyond our ability to know what’s truly best for us. Steve McQueen is only one of billions of humans who have found this truth out, only in his case, the real hard way. Like Solomon, who by the way was also probably the richest man who ever lived, as well as wisest, and had the wealth and clout to experiment with all the pleasures available to men and he found them ultimately hollow. “The King of Cool” was made fabulously wealthy, could call the shots in Hollywood, had all the women he could want,
and reputedly, then some. Yet McQueen’s life was strewn with heartache and a bitter quest to fill a hole in his soul, which Saint Augustine long ago postulated, could only be filled by a relationship with Almighty God. A disastrous, fatherless childhood, a delinquent adolescence, later a fiercely competitive nature made for touch sledding! Constant squabbles with Hollywood studio bosses, failed marriages, all led to an existence of serial disappointments. What author Pastor Greg Laurie relates to his readers is that much of the chaos that Steve McQueen, as well as much of the world’s population experiences could be avoided by heeding the ancient wisdom of the scriptures. Solomon wrote in his book titled Ecclesiastes, “So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?” Pastor and Author Laurie faithfully narrates how so man of the pitfalls faced by the famous
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McQueen, and by the average pilgrim attempting to navigate the shoals of life could be avoided. By seeking the Lord early in life and attempting to live a Goddirected life according to the Holy Scriptures, we can experience a joy in life which can temper the unavoidable curves life invariably will throw every individual. Steve McQueen had been granted, in the words of the great Novelist Walker Percy, many ‘sign posts’ pointing him to the Christian life. It’s easy to believe that God plants those signposts for all those who eventually wind up as true believers. But for many of us, it takes the proverbial “Two by four” to the head to awaken us to our need for the Spirit and guidance of almighty God to bring us to the light. Of the many biographies written concerning the life of Steve McQueen, Author Greg Laurie chose to write one dealing with the Spiritual quest of this iconic American. While telling the tale of McQueen, the good, the bad, and the ugly, to the believing community, of which I am apart, the happy ending for this movie fan is glorious. It is the ‘rest of the story’. No one is beyond the reach of an infinitely loving God no matter how lowly a person seems, he/she are invaluable to God the father. No matter how humanly mighty, as I wrote about the conversion of Bob Dylan, or of “the King of Cool”, this grace almighty God extends to all who truly believe, “for without faith it is impossible to please him”. This biography comes highly recommended to anyone with an interest in Hollywood history, the story of famous men, or sharing the journey of a fellow traveler trying to figure out life’s true meaning. A happy ending, we all like. When another soul bows the knee to Jesus and all the angels in heaven celebrate, we still living “under the sun” have cause to smile and celebrate as well as the hymn-writer wrote, ‘tis so sweet to trust in Jesus’. Steve McQueen is and will be experiencing that joy through endless ages.> By Peter Basirico
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Easter/Late Spring 2020 33
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Changing Times
YOUNG MEN Continued from Page 11 (Colossians 3:12). And again, "Clothe yourselves with humility" (1 Peter 5:5). This is the garment of which many seem not to have so much as a rag. Think of the great example our Lord Jesus Christ leaves us in this respect. He washed the feet of His disciples, saying, "You should do as I have done for you" (John 13:15). It is written, "Though he was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor" (2 Corinthians 8:9). And again, "He made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself" (Philippians 2:7, 8). Surely to be proud is to be more like the devil and fallen Adam, than like Christ. Think of the wisest man that ever
lived--I mean Solomon. See how he speaks of himself as a "little child," as one who "does not know how to carry out his duties" or manage for himself (1 Kings 3:7). That was a very different spirit from his brother Absalom's, who thought himself equal to anything: "If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that he gets justice" (2 Samuel 15:4). That was a very different spirit from his brother Adonijah's, who "exalted himself, saying, I will be king" (1 Kings 1:5) Humility was the beginning of Solomon's wisdom. He writes it down as his own experience, "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him" (Proverbs 26:12). Young men, take to heart the Scriptures just quoted. Do not be too confident in your own judgment. Stop being so sure that you are
always right, and others wrong. Don't trust your own opinion, when you find it contrary to that of older men, and especially to that of your own parents. Age gives experience, and therefore deserves respect. It is a mark of Elihu's wisdom, in the book of Job, that "Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he" (Job 32:4). And afterwards he said, "I am young in years, and you are old; that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know. I thought, 'Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom" (Job 32:6-7) Humility and silence are beautiful graces in young people. Never be ashamed of being a learner: Jesus was one at twelve years; when He was found in the temple, He was "sitting among the teachers, listening to them and ask-
ing them questions" (Luke 2:46). The wisest men would tell you they are always learners, and are humbled to find after all how little they know. The great Sir Isaac Newton used to say that he felt himself no better than a little child, who had picked up a few precious stones on the shore of the sea of knowledge. Young men, if you would be wise, if you would be happy, remember the warning I give you-Beware of pride. By J. C. Ryle GRACE GEMS! A Treasury of Ageless Sovereign Grace Devotional Writings Our Purpose To humble the pride of man, to exalt the grace of God in salvation and to promote real holiness in heart and life. ©GraceGems.org 2020 >
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We take our Lord's example as the true exposition of His precepts. When He was on His trial, one of the officers standing by struck Him with his hand. Yet Jesus did not literally turn the other cheek to the smiter. Instead He calmly protested against the act, saying, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smite you Me?" At the same time He fulfilled the spirit of His own precept—for He did not resist the wrong. Paul was one of the noblest of Christ's followers, and we have an example in his life. He was smitten on the mouth by the command of the high priest. He did not literally turn the other cheek—but strongly rebuked him who had committed the outrage. We must therefore look for the true meaning of this teaching—in its spirit, and not in its letter. We must be ready to endure not one—but many injuries from the others. We must be unresisting like our Lord. No wrongs from others— should ever turn our love to hate. Christ's own life was an illustration of this. He was treated wrongfully at every step—but His heart never lost its sweetness, its gentleness, its patience, its desire to bless others and do them good. "Give to everyone who asks from you." If this rule were to be literally carried out, it would put us at the mercy of every idle, greedy, grasping person. The result of such indiscriminate, unregulated giving— would be only evil. It would do untold harm to those to whom we
might thus give—fostering idleness, pauperism, and selfishness! It is the result of the observation and practical experience of all thoughtful and wise philanthropists, that men should give most sparingly and discriminating to the poor. There are many cases where money or its equivalent is really needed; but ordinarily, giving money only harms the beneficiary. Human sympathy, love, cheer, strength to rise again, encouragement and opportunity to work— such help is far better than that which merely gives temporary aid, while it makes the person not more— but less, able for going on afterward. We are indeed to "give to everyone that asks" us—but the giving must be that which will be a real benefit or blessing—never that which will do harm to a life. We are to give as God gives, generously, freely, lovingly—but always wisely, withholding that which would only hurt. But Christians must do more than lost sinners. They are born again, are children of God, have a new heart in them, and are to be like God Himself—loving enemies, doing and lending, hoping for no return. There are elements of character which to us may appear unlovely because we see them in a certain light—but which, seen from a different point of view, in a different light, are really very lovely. Let us learn to be charitable and tolerant, seeking for the good things and the beautiful—rather than the evil and the repulsive! Save the Nations Ministries>
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