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Talking to Your Children About Terrorism
This is an article that most families would never have had to read when I was a child. Today, the amount of attacks in numerous countries has brought terrorist activity to the forefront. Knowing how to talk to your children about these events can help to build a foundation of peace in their lives. What follows are some talking points in a broad outline which you can use to address this topic in an age … Read entire article »
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Fasting: Going Beyond Three Days
As a person who has not been able to go beyond the three day period, I would be very interested in reading what the rules and guidelines for fasting are. What is allowed in the body . . . such as water; otherwise a week is a death sentence. There are also physical restrictions concerning nourishment (of some form) and after, I believe 7 days, one becomes unable to respond in a manner that one is able to replenish and save his/her own life. I am also of the onderstanding that 40 days and 40 nights is a phrase of the time that should be interpreted as “for a very long time” and not be taken as a day count. Might you elaborate a bit on THAT? (signed Pete) Thanks for writing. I’m not writing as … Read entire article »
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Thoughts on Hell
Recently one of the Meditations mentioned hell as being a place designed by God. I received an e-mail response to that which I replied to privately. Since there are others who may have the same question or thoughts, I wanted to share my response here. … Read entire article »
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Why Do Parents Call Their Children Bad Names?
“Monday’s child is fair of face. Tuesday’s child is full of grace. Wednesday’s child is …” Do you remember the next part? If you were born on Wednesday, perhaps you do. “Wednesday’s child is full of woe.” And so on goes the little poem that most people have heard at least once. That rhyme carries little real weight in our culture, but it carries an even more important message. Names and stereotypes really do matter. I know someone whom we’ll call Brett (not his real name) who was raised by an abusive father. As he grew up, he consistently was told that he was stupid, worthless, a retard and other vile names. Hurt and confused, Brett began trying to find relief from pain in drugs and alcohol as a young teenager. … Read entire article »
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Thoughts on Tithing
Q. I appreciate this editorial [in a recent e-mail Meditation] on “Giving” and the way you went on to explain how it is supposed to be done, biblically. Does tithing have anything to do with what you described, or is it simply money and or items giving to organizations as offering? A. You pressed the sensitive button here. Almost 20 years or so ago, I decided to pull out all the scriptures on tithing that I could. What I found surprised me. Most people in NT churches preach on tithing, say it’s required and include ample exposition on Malachi that we are cursed with a curse because we are robbing God in our tithes and offerings. That never really set well with me, especially after the study on tithing I did myself. … Read entire article »
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Grace and Judgment
Q. Could you please share with me about this statement I got from a preacher that “Grace is judgment being postponed?” A. This statement is one of many which have been developed by man to help teach or relate a bit of truth about the character and nature of God. Like most man-made statements, you have to weigh it and figure out what it mean. At base level, we understand that we are all born in sin and are headed toward a day of judgment with the Almighty God. We also understand from scripture that we deserve eternal punishment for our wholesale rejection of God and His laws in our daily lives. Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we further understand that His death buys … Read entire article »
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What is the Refiner’s Fire?
A young friend recently wrote the following: Q. I was just reading todays meditation, what do you mean by going through the refiners fire, and how do you do that? A. The process is one of purification of precious metal by: fire. It has to do with the removal of impurities which would make the precious metal LESS than it should be. In the Christian life, we are so often weighed down by our own selfish desires, petty ambitions, amusements or attractions which are temporal instead of eternal. We focus on the skin of the person next to us rather than the soul. We judge by the eyes instead of valuing the person. In short, we don’t reflect the image and glory of God. How do we partake of this cleansing? You don’t “do” … Read entire article »
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How to Overcome Shyness
Q. I know I’m probably too shy, but it’s the way I am. I wouldn’t even know how to change now. So how does one begin to overcome shyness? A. I also know shyness. I lived it for years as a child and adolescent. I also craved attention enough that I would act the clown at times to get that attention. But inside, I didn’t know how to express myself or have a decent conversation about anything of substance with another person. (That leaves you, by the way, very open to negative and damaging relationships with the opposite sex. Simply put, the affection starved person often jumps at the first opportunity — no matter how deplorable the conditions. Then the downhill spiral really starts.) Here’s the truth: Some people will not like you … Read entire article »
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What Does It Mean to Trust God?
Q. I’ve been told that I have to do is believe and trust God right. Someone finally got it through to me that I’ve just got to do it, to ignore everything else within me that goes against believing and trusting Him. So, I finally got it and am ready to start again. But now someone else has told me it doesn’t work that way. Can you help clear things up for me a little please? A. I like to think in terms of relationship. Your walk with God is pretty much like any other relationship you can imagine: you exist as a person, and God exists as a “person.” In any relationship, one person will have questions, requests, desires or communication which he wishes to share. He has to be … Read entire article »
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Fasting: Do I Wait for God to Tell Me to Fast?
We recently received this question: Q: “When people fast, do they decide when to do it or does God tell them when to do it and for how long?” A: Our initial response was that in Matthew 6, Jesus said, “When you fast,” which assumes that His disciples would fast at some point. Some Christians practice a “fast day” per week when they fast one or more meals. Some people fast for special times of seeking God. Some churches fast together during times of intercession or renewal. There was a follow up question: Q: “So God doesn’t tell you when to fast? Just that you should fast?” A: He has the option to if He wants us to. That’s where being led of the Spirit comes in. But if He doesn’t say, “Fast today,” it … Read entire article »
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