Cell Phones vs. the Bible

I seldom forward emails, but received one this past week that really struck me and wanted to share (without forwarding or creating ultimatums for sharing :))

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone? What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets? What if we flipped through it several time a day? What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it? What if we used it to receive messages from the text? What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it? What if we gave it to kids as gifts? What if we used it when we traveled? What if we used it in case of emergency? This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible? Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected, because Jesus already paid the bill. Makes you stop and think about where are my priorities? And no dropped calls!

Parents, Protect Your Sons!

Are you confident that your son is prepared to handle the sexual temptations that face him every day in middle and high school? "Training Sons to Overcome Sexual Temptation" by Brian Kennedy is a great article that help start or continue that process.

Read what Brian writes:

"If so many of us struggled as young men to stay pure (and some of us are still struggling), then don’t we all the more have to commit ourselves to equipping our sons so they can resist sexual temptation? We must prepare them, especially since we know that promiscuous sex has the power to endanger their lives and even their souls (Proverbs 7:24-27; Matthew 5:27-30). " "We need to get over the awkwardness of having real talks about sex with our sons." Proverbs 22:6 is a great general truth of wisdom (not a promise or guarentee) from God "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."

Homosexuality: What does the Bible say?

Are you aware of the Biblical passages that speak to homosexuality as a sin? Do you understand God's purposes in sex and its intention for existing within the heterosexual marriage relationship alone? I have been extremely surprised at the number of people I have met who justify or tolerate homosexuality as natural and not sin, and who have no idea what God says about it. Instead of seeking, following, and trusting God's Word, they have decided to listen to and follow the cultural "norms" of the day. I am currently writing a research paper on the main homosexual church in America(Metropolitan Community Church=MCC) and have (as I expected) found many disturbing things in the process. In both speaking with homosexuals and reading their interpretations of these passages, it amazes me the ignorance and lack of intellectual honesty that is found in their dealing with the Scriptures. The current moderator of the MCC, Nancy Wilson, goes so far as to state and imply that Biblical characters such as David, Saul, Jonathan, Ruth, Naomi, John, & Paul are homosexuals (Our Tribe: Queer Folks, God, Jesus and the Bible , p.149,153,157, & 163). She even goes so far as to describe Jesus by saying "I believe that the most obvious way to see Jesus as a sexual being is to see him as bisexual in nature" (Our Tribe, 147). Nancy Wilson's book is so full of feminist and homosexual rhetoric that it is hard to believe that anyone could seriously follow her as a "spiritual leader." The MCC itself convolutes Scripture and maligns the cultural context of the day in a ridiculous attempt to justify the sin of homosexuality to themselves. Interestingly enough, they will affirm the Apostles and Nicene Creeds only to later twist and discredit the Scripture they are based upon. Their low view of Scripture is evidenced in their stated beliefs by failing to regard Scripture as inerrant or infallible. Nancy Wilson even states "the Bible is an elastic, resilient friend who bounces back and even talks back when I question it" (Our Tribe, 75). The Scriptures are clear, whether reading the original Hebrew, the original Greek, or any academically faithful English translation; homosexuality is a sin. Anyone who states otherwise is simply placing their personal opinions and judgments over God's inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word. See for yourself what God has to say about homosexuality... Romans 1:24-32

Genesis 19

Leviticus 18:22

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Galatians 5:19-21

Ephesians 5:3-3

1 Timothy 1:9,10

Jude 7

Romans 1:24-27, 32 " 24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. 26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion...32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. "

The best news available though, to homosexuals and all of humanity (we have all sinned), is that God's grace is sufficient to forgive us and cleanse us, should we choose to repent and turn away from our sins!

1 John 1:9-10 "9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives."

From www.gotquestions.org:

• What does the Bible say about homosexuality?
• Is it possible to be a gay Christian?
• What does the Bible say about gay marriage/same sex marriage?
• What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?
• What does the Bible say about bisexuality?
• What does the Bible say about transsexualism/transgenderism?

Church Membership - Charles Spurgeon

"If I had never joined a church till I had found one that was perfect, I should never have joined one at all; and the moment I did join it, if I had found one, I should have spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect church after I had become a member of it. Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us.” Charles Spurgeon on church membership from his 63 volume sermon series, 2234.633

The Pursuit of God - A.W. Tozer

Do you thirst for God? Do you desire to grow closer to God and want nothing but Him? In contrast to The Shack, A.W. Tozer's The Pursuit of God is an outstanding Biblical description of God and how our lives should be radically transformed in our relationship with Him. I am only through three chapters of it (listening to an audio version), but can already tell you what an amazing handling and exposition of Scripture He does in a convicting and inspiring manner! If you want to be convicted of the weakness of your own walk with God and invigorated with a passion to pursue God more, read or listen to this book! James 4:7-10 "7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."

Devotionals - Purity

Do you struggle with living a pure life in the midst of a sexually saturated world? Are you interested in a good devotional on purity? Pure: A 90 Day Devotional for the Mind, the Body, & the Spirit is written by Rebecca St. James. "Rebecca St.James shares her heart, her passion, and her energy, offering insight into the quest for purity. She's walking this journey with you, and she's radically committed to total purity - not just when it comes to sex., but when it comes to all of life." Freedom Begins Here: Finding Hope, Direction, and Change in a Sexually Saturated Culture is a 30 day devotional that is designed to challenge "Christians everywhere to break the chains of pornography in our culture. You may not be struggling, but you know someone who is." "A shocking survey recently revealed that 50% of Christian men and 20% of Christian women are addicted to pornography." 1 Peter 2:9-12 "9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

Family Devotionals - HeartConnex

Do you want to increase or improve communication within your family? Do you desire to start a family devotional time that is simple and effective? "The National Study of Youth and Religion has heavily documented the fact that parents are the number one influence in the lives of teenagers. Student ministers now know for certain that parents who teach the Bible to their teenagers will make a visible, lasting difference in their spiritual transformation." "Each week, parents receive two, twenty-minute Bible study devotionals via email. These studies, authored by Dr. Richard Ross, contain solid Bible teaching presented in a warm, interactive format. In addition, the devotions are set-up so that students & parents alike are involved - each given specific things to say or do. A meaningful way to pray as a family is also included at the conclusion of each study." "Heart Connex devotionals are designed for very busy families. The head of the household can print the studies and make preparations in only about five minutes. In most cases families can complete the studies in twenty minutes" Sign up HERE to subscribe to the weekly emails for HeartConnex or to see samples. HERE is the three-year topical plan for family devotionals. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."