Friday, March 30, 2018
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
What does the Bible teach about anger?
What does the Bible teach about anger?: What does the Bible teach about anger? Is anger always sinful? Is it okay for Christians to be angry? What is a biblical view of anger?
Monday, March 26, 2018
Saturday, March 24, 2018
Are prayer and fasting connected?
Are prayer and fasting connected?: Are prayer and fasting connected? What is the relationship between prayer and fasting? Does the Bible talk about fasting in connection with prayer?
Friday, March 23, 2018
Thursday, March 22, 2018
What does the Bible teach about discernment?
What does the Bible teach about discernment?: What does the Bible teach about discernment? What is discernment? Does the Bible talk about the need to be discerning?
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Free Moral Agency
While the precise expression "free moral agency" is not found in
the scriptures as such, the concept is present. By "free" is meant the
enjoyment of certain rights, "moral" suggests right principles or conduct,
and "agency" refers to the state or being of exerting power or choice.
God has endowed man with freedom of choice. The scriptures urge man to
"choose," "come unto me," and "open the door" (Josh. 24: 15; Matt. 11: 28;
Rev. 3: 20). Adam and Eve were given the choice to obey or disobey God (Gen.
2: 17; 3: 1-6). The famous "curses" of the Hebrew scriptures were based on
the Jew's free moral agency: "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not
hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God...that all these curses shall
come upon thee..." (Deut. 28: 15-20, 45). Jesus said to those who were
spiritually doomed, "ye would not!" (Matt. 23: 37).
Man is responsible for his own actions. Since man has the freedom to obey
or disobey and God does not overpower the will of man, man is responsible
for his own actions. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die," declared the
prophet (Ezek. 18: 20). Sin, as such, is not inherited. "The son shall not
bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity
of the son." The prophet further states, "...the righteousness of the
righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon
him" (Ezek. 18: 20, cf. Matt. 18: 3-6; 19: 13-15).
In view of the freedom of choice belonging to man, the book of Acts
abounds with examples of the sinner being urged to come to God. At the very
outset we read, "And with many other words did he testify and exhort,
saying, save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly
received his word were baptized..." (Acts 2: 40, 41, KJV).
the scriptures as such, the concept is present. By "free" is meant the
enjoyment of certain rights, "moral" suggests right principles or conduct,
and "agency" refers to the state or being of exerting power or choice.
God has endowed man with freedom of choice. The scriptures urge man to
"choose," "come unto me," and "open the door" (Josh. 24: 15; Matt. 11: 28;
Rev. 3: 20). Adam and Eve were given the choice to obey or disobey God (Gen.
2: 17; 3: 1-6). The famous "curses" of the Hebrew scriptures were based on
the Jew's free moral agency: "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not
hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God...that all these curses shall
come upon thee..." (Deut. 28: 15-20, 45). Jesus said to those who were
spiritually doomed, "ye would not!" (Matt. 23: 37).
Man is responsible for his own actions. Since man has the freedom to obey
or disobey and God does not overpower the will of man, man is responsible
for his own actions. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die," declared the
prophet (Ezek. 18: 20). Sin, as such, is not inherited. "The son shall not
bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity
of the son." The prophet further states, "...the righteousness of the
righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon
him" (Ezek. 18: 20, cf. Matt. 18: 3-6; 19: 13-15).
In view of the freedom of choice belonging to man, the book of Acts
abounds with examples of the sinner being urged to come to God. At the very
outset we read, "And with many other words did he testify and exhort,
saying, save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly
received his word were baptized..." (Acts 2: 40, 41, KJV).
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Poison,
A man went to his father and said:
‘Father, I can't take it anymore, my wife is driving me insane!!! I want to kill her, but I'm afraid someone might find out I did it. Please help me?!
The Father replied:
‘Yes I can help you, but there's a but... you're going to have to make amends with her so no one would suspect that it was you, when she dies… You'll have to take very good care of her, be kind, grateful, patient, caring, less selfish, listen more and help her with chores... you see this powder here? Every day you have to put a little in her food. So, she dies slowly.
Thirty days had passed and the son came back and said to his father:
‘I don't want her to die! I have come to love her. And now… how do I cut the effect of the poison?’
Then the father said:
‘Don't worry! What I gave you was rice powder. She's not going to die, because the poison was in you!’
‘When we feed grudges, our love slowly dies. When we make peace with ourselves and with those who offended us, then we can deal with the other, as we would like to be treated.’
Then, we will have the initiative to love, to give, to offer, to serve, to care for... and not just have the need to win, to be served, or to take advantage of and exploit the other.
We all need to stop, pray and ask for that antidote called forgiveness.
‘Father, I can't take it anymore, my wife is driving me insane!!! I want to kill her, but I'm afraid someone might find out I did it. Please help me?!
The Father replied:
‘Yes I can help you, but there's a but... you're going to have to make amends with her so no one would suspect that it was you, when she dies… You'll have to take very good care of her, be kind, grateful, patient, caring, less selfish, listen more and help her with chores... you see this powder here? Every day you have to put a little in her food. So, she dies slowly.
Thirty days had passed and the son came back and said to his father:
‘I don't want her to die! I have come to love her. And now… how do I cut the effect of the poison?’
Then the father said:
‘Don't worry! What I gave you was rice powder. She's not going to die, because the poison was in you!’
‘When we feed grudges, our love slowly dies. When we make peace with ourselves and with those who offended us, then we can deal with the other, as we would like to be treated.’
Then, we will have the initiative to love, to give, to offer, to serve, to care for... and not just have the need to win, to be served, or to take advantage of and exploit the other.
We all need to stop, pray and ask for that antidote called forgiveness.
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Monday, March 12, 2018
Sunday, March 11, 2018
Definition of cult - “a pyramid-shaped authoritarian regime with a person or group of people that have dictatorial control. It uses deception in recruiting new members (e.g. people are NOT told up front what the group is, what the group actually believes and what will be expected of them if they become members).”
Characteristics of destructive cults: Destructive cults are characterized by:
- Behavior Control: An individual’s associations, living arrangements, food, clothing, sleeping habits, finances, etc., are strictly controlled.
- Information Control: Cult leaders deliberately withhold or distort information, lie, propagandize, and limit access to other sources of information.
- Thought Control: Cult leaders use loaded words and language, discourage critical thinking, bar any speech critical of cult leaders or policies, and teach an “us vs. them” doctrine.
- Emotional Control: Leaders manipulate their followers via fear (including the fear of losing salvation, fear of shunning, etc.), guilt, and indoctrination.
Characteristics of destructive cults: Destructive cults are characterized by:
- Behavior Control: An individual’s associations, living arrangements, food, clothing, sleeping habits, finances, etc., are strictly controlled.
- Information Control: Cult leaders deliberately withhold or distort information, lie, propagandize, and limit access to other sources of information.
- Thought Control: Cult leaders use loaded words and language, discourage critical thinking, bar any speech critical of cult leaders or policies, and teach an “us vs. them” doctrine.
- Emotional Control: Leaders manipulate their followers via fear (including the fear of losing salvation, fear of shunning, etc.), guilt, and indoctrination.
Saturday, March 10, 2018
Friday, March 9, 2018
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Saturday, March 3, 2018
Friday, March 2, 2018
Thursday, March 1, 2018
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