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Visible Holiness

8/31/2018

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“. . . for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:16)

For about 20 years, I have had the privilege of teaching a course called “Doctrine of Holiness” at various Nazarene institutions. It is a course that contributes to ordination requirements for ministry candidates, and it explores a key emphasis of the Church of the Nazarene—that God is willing and able to transform us in such a way that we can consistently say  “yes” to Him and “no” to things that pull us away from Him. 

Throughout the course, many students ask questions like “Do we believe that we can never sin?” and “Does this happen to all believers?” and “Are we the only group that believes this?”

The answer to all three of these popular questions, of course, is “No.”

We believe that even sanctified believers still have free will, which means that we have the ability to disobey God.

Furthermore, though all believers have access to this dynamic and ongoing work of grace, we believe that many do not allow God to move them in this direction. This is why we believe that we as Christians are called to proclaim the great message of holiness.

Finally, we are certainly not the only group that believes that God can move us more toward Christlikeness. Our way of presenting and emphasizing this great message may have some unique characteristics, but we are joined by many groups—Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant—in proclaiming that God wants to do more than simply secure us a place in heaven after we die. God wants to transform us, in the words of Scripture,​ “into His [Christ’s] image with ever-increasing glory. . .” (2 Cor. 3:18).

By the end of the course, my goal is more than academic. I want students to receive more than just the historical development of the doctrine, the ways in which other groups (comparatively) articulate the doctrine, and a way to communicate the doctrine well enough to convince an ordination committee that they understand it!

I do want these things, of course, but the nature of the doctrine of holiness is that, like all good theology, it is meant to be lived! The Christian life is about an ongoing, dynamic relationship with the living God through the person and work of Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is lived out not just individually, but in the context of the Christian community God has created—the Church.

Unless people see holiness lived out, they will have little interest in hearing about doctrinal formulations involving holiness.

This week, how is God calling us to grow in holiness? The answer involves living “out loud” the doctrine of holiness, which means loving as Christ loved, serving as Christ served, surrendering as Christ surrendered to the will of the Father, and living out what we say we believe.

Prayer for the Week:

Holy God, I pray that day by day I may become more and more like the Lord Jesus as I yield to Your Holy Spirit’s work within. I pray that I may learn to walk in Your love and truth, yielding to Your Spirit’s guidance in my life day by day. I ask that You search my heart and point out any areas that are displeasing to You, and lead me in the path of righteousness, for His name’s sake. Amen.

This post was written by Charles W. Christian the managing editor of Holiness Today.  You can find the original post here:  holinesstoday.org/visible-holiness


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Never Give Up

8/30/2018

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So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. 
Galatians 6:9-10


Observation:

There is a moment here where Paul calls for a fact check! What are the motives of those who are serving God? The temptation always exists to be spurred on to finding success in the flesh. This is the short-cut approach in which we may be not always do what is right, because it’s not as expedient. 

Paul admonishes the believers in Galatia to not give up, but to be committed to that which is right for the long-haul. The harvest doesn’t come overnight — or if it does, it’s not a good harvest. The true harvest is that which comes after the long-term investment in caring for the soil and the seeds, working for the good of all. This is especially true for those who are a part of the church. 

Application:

We all want instant results, whether in business, in relationships, in diets, in exercise, in cooking, in school, and even in church. The speed at which everything in this world is changing only reinforces the pressure that we may feel. However, the cultivation of the spiritual life and the milieu of discipleship should be anything but fast. It simply takes time and persistence. We should not give up. 

When we feel like we are expending energy in doing good and not seeing any results, its easy to want to give up. But what if God is telling us to hang in there, and to keep at it? Keep praying for that child. Don’t give up on that spouse. Love the person who is prickly. Go out of your way to create space for the cultivation of relationships in which spiritual life and development are grown. 

There will be those who make you feel like doing the right thing is the wrong thing. Slow down, spend time with the Lord, and wait to move forward, only when you feel clear in your heart. This is not giving up. While the world may be speeding up, we are in a relationship with our Lord for all of eternity. God has all the time in the universe so maybe we don’t need to succumb to the tyranny of the urgent. This is seeking God’s guidance for the right thing.

Doing the right thing means we consider the needs of others and not just our own. We wait and work for the common good, which may not be as profitable for us, personally. It’s a spirit of generosity and hospitality, in which we willingly share our lives with others. 

If you feel like giving up today — don’t! Seek the face of God and the Lord’s leading in your work, relationships, hobbies, pleasures, spiritual life, and church. Do what is right, not necessarily what is expedient, and then wait for the harvest. 

Prayer:

Lord, may your patience grow in my heart and life. Amen. 

This post was written by Rev Carla Sunberg.  You can find her original post here:  reflectingtheimage.blogspot.com/2018/08/dont-give-up-scripture-galatians-69-10.html


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Spiritual Intimacy = Sexual Intimacy

8/29/2018

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Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together. Matthew 19:6

How is your sex life?

That’s a fair question, isn’t it? After all, sexuality is not a given, something that somehow miraculously takes care of itself once we enter marriage. It needs nurture, tenderness, education and—are you ready for this—religion.

It’s a fact.

Religion, according to some studies, is good for your sex life. As strange as it may sound, there is a strong link in marriage between spirituality and sexuality.

Married couples who cultivate spiritual intimacy are far more likely to report higher satisfaction with their sex life than other couples. 

This fact makes sense if you think about it. The mysteries, wonders, and pleasures of sex in marriage are a divine gift to celebrate. Those who try to limit sex to procreation are simply ignoring the Bible.

Scripture — right from the beginning — enthusiastically affirms sex within the bonds of marriage.

Start with the first chapter of the Bible. It contains a magnificent comment on the meaning of sexuality in marriage. As God is bringing the universe into existence we are told that the human creation is set apart from all others, for it is the imago Dei, the image of God: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen. 1:27). 

Our maleness and femaleness is not just an accidental arrangement of the human species. Our male and female sexuality is related to our creation in the image of God.

This point is echoed throughout scripture. 

And Jesus certainly underscores a high view of sex in marriage when he refers to the Genesis passage and then adds, “So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate” (Matt. 19:6).

In the Old Testament and in the New Testament, in the Gospels and in the Epistles, is found the call to celebrate sexuality in marriage. There is no denying that your spiritual growth helps to enhance your sexual intimacy in marriage.

So, we’ll ask it again. How’s your sex life? We don’t need you to tell us (really, we don’t). But it’s an important question to ask each other from time to time.

This post was written by Drs Les & Leslie Parrott.  You can find them at www.lesandleslie.com



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4 Ways to Date Your Wife All Over Again

8/28/2018

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Does your marriage feel flat? Studies show that after three years of marriage, many couples start complaining about their relationship being stale and boring. It’s no surprise then that most divorces occur within the first three years of marriage.

How can you beat the marital blahs and consequently beat divorce? The answer is simple: date your wife all over again.

Feeding the Flame  Remember how you felt when you were dating your wife? You couldn’t wait to spend time with her. You’d call her on the phone just to see how she was. You’d surprise her with a nice evening on the town or a small gift.

You can spark up your marriage by recapturing those same feelings you had when you first dated your wife. A marriage is like a fire. If you don’t tend to it and feed the flame, it will quickly die out. Enriching a marriage doesn’t require you to plan big getaways; small and simple activities will do the trick. Here are 4 simple ways you can revitalize your marriage by dating your wife again.

Expressions of Love  You probably told your wife “I love you” hundreds of times a day when you first dated. Yet after a few years of marriage, some men can go days without telling their wife they love them. A common excuse men give for not telling their wife they love her is, “I already show my wife I love her by working long hours to provide for the family and mowing the yard.” While it’s true that love can and should be shown through actions, women need to hear that you love them. It’s reassuring for them to hear it come from your mouth.

Also, when was the last time you told your wife she looked beautiful? This is especially important to do if your wife gets all fancied up. I’ve been in the doghouse a few times for failing to take the time to tell my wife how great she looks after she’s dolled up. Even though you might think your wife looks hot, she cannot read your mind. Open your mouth and tell her.

In addition to telling your wife you love her, try writing a note that expresses your love. My wife loves it when I leave her a short note or email saying how beautiful she is or how much I love her. It shows your wife that you were thinking about her during the day.

Courtesy  When you first dated your wife, you probably did your best to behave as a gentleman. You opened doors for her or gave her your coat when she was cold. You had to do these things if you wanted to win her over. But all this probably ended a few weeks after the wedding.

Chivalry is not confined just to courtship. Courtesy and consideration for your wife is just as important after the ceremony as it is before. Each day, perform little acts of kindness and courtesy with your wife. Open the car door for her, pack her lunch for work or school, and be on time with appointments with her.

Gifts  When was the last time you bought an inexpensive gift as a surprise for your wife for no other reason than just to please her? Small gifts show your wife that you’ve been thinking about her during the day. Find something that you know your wife enjoys and get it for her. If she likes flowers, get her flowers every now and then. Don’t wait for an occasion like Valentine’s Day to buy flowers. She will be ten times more happy with them if you buy them just because you were thinking about her. If there’s a particular magazine she likes, pick up a copy next time you’re at the grocery store.

A gift doesn’t even have to be a tangible good. It can also be in the form of a service.Clean the house while she’s gone or give her a twenty-minute message.

A caveat with gifts: don’t give gifts only when you want sex. I read a sad story about a woman who broke down and cried every time her husband brought home flowers because it meant he just wanted sex. Your wife is not a prostitute, so don’t treat her like one by trying to buy her with stuff. Give gifts just to please her. If she’s happy, then you succeeded. Of course, if you get sex, that’s just an added bonus to the happiness you’ve brought to your wife.

Date Night  When you first dated your wife, you probably took her out somewhere every weekend. It may have been the Taco Bell, but you at least you made sure to spend an evening out with her. When was the last time you actually went on a date with your wife?

Establish a date night with your wife and treat this time with her as sacred. When you plan your week, block out an hour each week during which you’ll be taking your wife out. If a meeting comes up, reschedule the meeting. If you have kids, find a babysitter. If you can’t afford a babysitter, find another young couple with kids and offer to trade babysitting services. They take your kids while you and your wife go out and you take their’s when they go out.

Your date night doesn’t have to be fancy. A date night that my wife and I both enjoy is eating pancakes at IHOP followed by browsing magazines at Borders. Even a trip to the ice cream store can be a great date night. The idea is to just get out of the house and spend time together.

Every now and then, surprise your wife by planning a fancy date. Women love it when men plan a night out. Pick a restaurant you know she’ll like and make reservations. Pick out the dress she should wear and lay it out for her on the bed. When she gets home from work or school, surprise her at the door with your suit on and a bouquet of flowers. Your wife will melt right there on the spot.

This post was written by Brett & Kate McKay for The Art of Manliess website.  You can find the post here:  http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/01/04/spark-up-your-marriage-6-ways-to-date-your-wife-all-over-again/



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Behind the 8-ball:  8 Lies That Ruin Marriages

8/27/2018

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Imagine meeting with an engaged couple a few weeks before they are married. With excitement they describe how they met and how their relationship developed. The husband-to-be proudly describes how he set up a perfect romantic evening so he could pop the big question. 

Then they surprise you by saying, “We want to get married and have some children. At first we will feel a lot of love for each other. Then we’ll start arguing and hating each other. In a few years, we’ll get a divorce.”

Who would enter marriage intending to get a divorce? And yet, divorce is occurring at alarming rates. A large number of people in my church have been hurt deeply by divorce—they’ve been divorced themselves, or they’ve felt the pain of a parent or relative divorcing.

As common as divorce is, I’m convinced that most of them could be avoided. Mark this down on the tablet of your heart: Every wrong behavior begins with believing a lie. Our culture promotes many deceptions that can quickly destroy a marriage. Here are eight:

Lie #1. "My happiness is the most important thing about my marriage.”  

As a pastor, I can’t tell you how many people have justified breaking up their marriages by saying, “I have to do this. God just wants me to be happy.” 

But according to God’s Word, a spouse’s individual happiness is not the purpose for marriage. 

The Bible says in Colossians 3:17: “Whatever you do in word or deed,” do for the glory of God. While all parts of creation are to glorify God, mankind was made in God’s very image. Through marriage, husbands and wives are to reflect His character and have children who will reflect His character … all the way to the end of time. 

Every marriage knows unhappiness. Every marriage knows conflict. Every marriage knows difficulty. But everyone can be joyful in their marriage by focusing on God’s purposes and His glory instead of individual happiness. 

Lie #2. “If I don’t love my spouse any longer, I should get a divorce.”    

It’s a tragedy to lose love in marriage. But the loss of human love can teach us to access a deeper love—the very love of God Himself. That love is patient and kind … it never fails (1 Corinthians 13). It even cares for its enemies. 

When human love dies in a marriage, a couple can enter into one of the most exciting adventures they’ll ever have: learning how to love each other with God’s love. Romans 5:5 tells us that this very love “has been poured out within our hearts, through the Holy Spirit.” 

Lie #3. “My private immorality does not affect my marriage.” 

A lot of people think, I can view pornography in the privacy of my home. It’s just me and my magazine, or computer … it doesn’t affect my marriage. 

Oneness in marriage is hijacked by sexual immorality. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:15, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute?” 

In the 21st century, there are many ways to join oneself with a prostitute: physically, through the pages of a magazine, on a computer’s video screen, etc. Paul’s advice is the same today as it was thousands of years ago: Flee immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18).  

If you take your emotional and sexual energy and spend it on someone else, there will be nothing left for your spouse. Those who continually view pornography or engage in sexual fantasies are isolating themselves. 

Lie #4. “My sin (or my spouse’s sin) is so bad that I need to get a divorce.” 

The truth is God can fix our failures—any failure. The Bible says to forgive one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven us (Colossians. 3:13).

“But,” you ask, “Doesn’t Matthew 19:9 say that God allows divorce in the case of sexual immorality?” Yes. I believe that it does—when there is an extended period of unrepentance. Yet, nowhere in that passage does God demand divorce. When there is sexual sin, we should seek to redeem the marriage and so illustrate the unfathomable forgiveness of God.

Some of the greatest life messages I know are the marriages of people who have repented from sexual sin and spouses who have forgiven them. Their lives today are living testimonies to the truth found in Joel 2:25: “… I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten.” 

Lie #5. “I married the wrong person.”

Many people have told me, for example, that they are free to divorce because they married an unbeliever. “I thought he/she would become a Christian, but that didn’t happen. We need to get a divorce.” They recall that they knew it was a mistake, but they married anyway—hoping it would work out. Others claim that they just married someone who wasn’t a good match, someone who wasn’t a true “soul mate.” 

A wrong start in marriage does not justify another wrong step. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good,” says Romans 8:28, “to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” 

God tells us not to be poured into the world’s mold. Instead we are to be transformed and that begins in our minds. By doing this, God will give us exactly what we need for our lives. God’s will for us is good, acceptable, and perfect (Romans 12:1-2).

Here’s the key for those who are now married: The Bible clearly says do not divorce (with the exception for extended, unrepentant sexual immorality). God can take even the worst things of life and work them together for good if we will just trust Him. 

Lie #6. “My spouse and I are incompatible.” 

I don’t know a lot of husbands and wives who are truly compatible when they get married. In marriage, God joins together two flawed people. 

If I will respond correctly to my spouse’s weaknesses, then God can teach me forgiveness, grace, unconditional love, mercy, humility, and brokenness. The life of a person who believes in Jesus Christ is developed by responses to not only happy things, but also to difficulties. And those very difficulties include weaknesses.  

That is why we are told in Colossians 3:12-13 to “put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other.” My spouse’s weaknesses are not hindrances. Instead, they are the doorway to spiritual growth. This is a liberating truth. 

If I will respond to my spouse’s shortcomings with unconditional acceptance, my love won’t be based on performance. I won’t say, “You need to live up to these expectations.” I will be able to accept my spouse, weaknesses and all. And that acceptance will swing open the door of change for not only my spouse, but also for me.

Lie #7. “Breaking the marriage covenant won’t hurt me or my children.” 

When divorce enters a family, there are always scars. I know this firsthand; although I was an adult when my father committed adultery and divorced my mother, decades later there are still effects. Many consequences of divorce never go away.

Blake Hudspeth, our church’s youth pastor, also understands the pain of divorce. He was 5 years old when his parents divorced, and it was hard for him to understand God as Father and to trust people. “The people I trusted the most split up.” He also found it difficult to accept love from others “because I didn’t know if they truly loved me.” And Blake developed a fear of marriage. “Am I going to follow the trend of divorce, because my parents and grandparents divorced?”

Blake’s father even wrote him and said, “This was the worst decision I made in my life. It was bad. It hurt you. It hurt our family. When I divorced your mom, I divorced our family because I broke a covenant that we were a part of.”

Blake says that his parents (who both remarried) have embraced the gospel, resulting in him readily accepting advice and encouragement from them. “Watching the gospel play out … with my mom and dad was huge,” he says.

Lie #8. “There’s no hope for my marriage—it can’t be fixed.” 

This may be the most devastating lie of all. Because in more than four decades of counseling couples, I’ve seen God do the seeming impossible thousands of times. In a dying marriage, He just needs two willing parties. God knows how to get us out of the messes we get ourselves into.

I tell these couples about people like Chuck and Ann, who were involved in drugs and alcohol before God restored their home. Or Lee and Greg, who were engaged in multiple affairs. God brought them back to Christ and to each other. Now they have six children and a marriage ministry. Or Jim and Carol who had taken off their wedding rings and were living in separate bedrooms and about to live in separate worlds when God redeemed them. 

If you begin to think, There is no hope for my marriage, realize that, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

We must combat the lies about marriage. The truth will set us free (John 8:32). God can fix anything!


Copyright © 2012 by Bill Elliff. 

Bill Elliff is the directional pastor of The Summit Church in North Little Rock, Arkansas. His passion is to see both genuine revival and methodological renewal in the church. He is a frequent conference speaker, writer, and consultant to churches drawing from his four decades of pastoring and revival ministry. He is also involved in helping lead “OneCry! A Nationwide Call for Spiritual Awakening.” Bill and his wife, Holly, have eight children and six grandkids (at last count).

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Prayer is Important at the Altar

8/26/2018

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Brother, when any persons come forward to be prayed for, and you undertake to lead in prayer, then pray for them. If you are not in a spiritual condition to do it, then be honest and go forward for prayers yourself. But do not substitute a sermon on your knees for prayer. Do not attempt to inform the Lord what he is. Come to him in simplicity, and in plain, earnest language ask him to do the work that the Spirit makes you feel needs to be done. Many words are not necessary. Borrowed beauties of expression are not necessary. But definiteness and simplicity, and faith, are necessary. If the seeker is not under conviction, as he should be, pray conviction upon him. If he lacks light, try and bring to his soul the light of the Holy Ghost. If the Lord gives you anything for him, it can be said in a few words; say it, and they keep him looking to the Lord for deliverance. All our members should be good workers at the altar. They may be, if they will.

If you are not a good altar worker, will you become one?

Consecrate yourself to God for this service, and he will fire you up, and use you.

Roberts, B.T.. Pungent Truths (Kindle Locations 1404-1412). Unknown. Kindle Edition. 

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The Advocacy of Christ

8/25/2018

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There is only one advocate in all the universe that can plead our cause in the last judgment.  Sometimes in earthly courts, attorneys have specialties, and one man succeeds better in patent cases, another in insurance case, another in criminal cases, another in land cases, another in will cases, and his success generally depends upon his sticking to that speciality.  

I have to tell you that Christ can do many things; but it seems to me that His specialty is to take the bad case of the sinner, and plead it before God until He gets eternal acquittal.  But what plea can He make?

Sometimes an attorney in court will plead the innocence of the prisoner.  That would be inappropriate for us; we are all guilty.  

Sometimes, he tries to prove an alibi.  Such a plea will not do in our case either.

The Lord found us in all our sins, and in the very place of our iniquity. Sometimes, an attorney will plead the insanity of the prisoner, and say he is irresponsible on that account.  That plea will never do in our case.

We sinned against light, knowledge and the dictates of our own consciences.  What then, shall the plea be?

Christ will say, "Look at all these wounds.  By all these sufferings, I demand the rescue of this man from sin and death and hell.  Constable, knock off the shackles...let the prisoner go free."

"Who is he that condemneth?"

written by T. De Witt Talmage, page 31 in ​One Thousand Evangelistic Illustrations, edited by Webb, A. (1924).  New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers


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Beware of Success

8/24/2018

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"Then He said to them, 'Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions'" (Luke 12:15, NIV).

​This passage from Luke 12 seems almost counterintuitive, but that should not surprise us since Jesus consistently finds ways to disrupt the “normal” patterns of our lives. A worldly message with which many of us are familiar goes something like this: work hard, accumulate possessions, defeat the competition, and enjoy all the lovely perks of wealth.


However, Jesus does not advocate for that approach in this passage.

Jesus is not “anti-success,” but He does remind us that financial success should come with a warning label: “Watch out!” as the NIV translation interprets it.

Why would there be a warning label on success? Isn’t financial and numerical success the name of the game?

Here’s why: the more we “succeed” by the world’s definition, the easier it becomes to rely upon ourselves rather than upon God.

Since our worldly success often protects us from accountability and sacrifice, it allows us to come up with shortcuts in regard to the plans of God.

Jesus, the author of life (see John 10:10), reminds us that the life God intends for us does not consist of how much money we accumulate. While it is not a sin to have possessions or to succeed financially, it can be dangerous if we let it pull us away from the needs of others and cause us to think that our ways are somehow smarter or more effective than the ways of Jesus.


This warning message about success is not uncommon in the teachings of Jesus, and it is often a source of frustration for those receiving it. Remember the “rich young ruler” (Luke 18:18-30 and parallels)? This young man walked away from Jesus sad and frustrated because Jesus pointed out that the only way the young man could gain eternal life was to sell all he had, overcoming his addiction to power and possessions.

In the time of Jesus, it was not uncommon for the wealthy to be treated as if they were gods. They were seen as the wisest simply because they had accumulated the most wealth. Judaism in Jesus’ day struggled with this as did the early Church.

Many tend to think that wealth and worldly success are the measuring sticks for godly wisdom. Sometimes they coincide, but we all have been warned by Jesus that no amount of wealth or success is worth exchanging Jesus’ ways—though they may sometimes seem inefficient—for the ways of the world that ultimately lead to destruction.

Prayer:
Almighty God, we thank You for Jesus, 
Your Son and our Redeemer, 
who came among us to show us the way to eternal life. 
Jesus was the perfect steward of Your gifts, 
showing that complete trust in You is necessary, 
and that giving of self is a most important part of following Him. 
May the offerings of our time, our talents, and our material resources 
be made in the same spirit of sacrifice that Jesus taught us by His life and death for us. 
Amen. 
(adapted from The Diocese of Salisbury)

This post was written by Charles W. Christian the managing editor of Holiness Today.  You can find the original post here:  holinesstoday.org/beware-of-success



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For This Reason

8/23/2018

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For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, 2 Peter 1:5

Observation:

In the preceding verse we have been welcomed to become partakers of the divine nature. This is an invitation to koinonia (fellowship) with the Trinity, bound together by holy love. Then the conversation turns to our response. 

For this reason...

We are to become active participants in the work of God and this means that we have certain practices that help us to develop spiritually. Some would call these the practices of virtue. 

Virtue (Latin: virtus, Ancient Greek: ἀρετή "arete") is moral excellence. A virtue is a trait or quality that is deemed to be morally good and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting collective and individual greatness. (Yes, this definition is brought to you by Wikipedia) 

In other words, because we are called into fellowship with God, we are called to moral excellence. And this, says Peter, begins by adding to our faith. Faith is the foundation on which everything is to be built. We are to have a life that steps out in faith, believing and trusting in that which we cannot see. At the same time, it is the cultivation of a relationship that is very real. 

Application:

For this reason we are to begin with faith, but we must add to this the virtue of goodness. Christians are called to be good people. The world should know Christians by their goodness — the ways in which they interact with others. This should include a spirit of generosity and goodwill toward others in the world. 

Once this virtue is developed, we are to add the virtue of knowledge. Far too often I have heard knowledge and education condemned in Christian circles. Some have come to believe that too much education will destroy people and therefore it’s better to go without. Now, there is a difference between education and knowledge, knowledge being the result of the application of one’s education. Education does not always have to be formal, but can be informal, as we embrace becoming life-long learners. 

Having a self-discipline of study will help cultivate the virtue of knowledge. In the early days of the holiness movement the lay leaders of the church were voracious readers. Nearly every one was a theologian as they were willing to wrestle with the deep truths of the faith. We have traded this for a lighter version of Christianity that we can pick up on the fly. We are losing the virtue of knowledge and this will be damaging to the church. 

For this reason — because I am a partaker of the Divine Nature — I must give of myself to practice the virtues, and to practice becoming more like Jesus Christ. At the same time, grace poured out by the holy love found in the Trinity is at work on me. Something synergistic happens and God’s children are continually transformed into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. For this reason, Christlike disciples are those who practice the virtues. 

Prayer

Lord, please help me to give of myself for the life you have placed before me. Amen. 

This post was written by Rev Carla Sunberg.  You can find her original post here:  reflectingtheimage.blogspot.com/2018/07/for-this-reason.html


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Teaching About How to Have Sex

8/22/2018

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It’s really important that you understand what I’m NOT talking about here. What I’m NOT talking about is having “the sex talk” with your son. You absolutely need to do that, too. But that’s a totally different conversation, a much earlier conversation. 

No, what I’m talking about is a much more advanced course, a frank discussion where you explain the mechanics of how sex actually works to a young man who’s psychologically, mentally, and most important, spiritually prepared to hear about it. You not only have to allow plenty of time to get into all the nitty-gritty details, but you also want to be sure you give your son space to ask lots of questions. (And besides, let’s face it, Dads: When you’re super-expert Casanovas like we are, there are going to be lots of things that he’ll need explained.) 

And if you’re thinking you just might try to dodge this session because you know it’s going to be weird and uncomfortable, let me tell you a little story that I hope changes your mind. 

I have this buddy who was the king when it came to having the “sex talk.” Not only was this guy fearless, but he had a fantastic relationship with his son that he had been building up over years. When he was sure his son was ready, over the course of several different sessions, he would told him where babies really came from, how Dad and Mom had met, how they had gotten to know each other, how they fell in love, and how they were continuing to pursue God with their lives together. But apparently, he never really talked through the “how” of sex. Because one day, when he was routinely checking the Internet history on their computer, he found some porn videos. He checked the date and time when they had been downloaded, so he knew exactly who to go to to talk about it. When he confronted his boy with what he had discovered, his son responded with, “I just wanted to see how people actually have sex. I kind of got how sperm and eggs and all that stuff works from what you had told me, but I didn’t really get how they get together, and what goes where and stuff.” 

This is just one reason why I encourage all dads to step into the pain. When your son is ready—which is NOT at six years old, by the way—talk them through the “how to’s” of sex. Explain the urges, what erections are and what causes them, foreplay, and orgasm, and come.  You want my advice? Tell them as much as you can think of, including both the proper terms and the “vulgar” synonyms they might hear other people use. 

Your relationship overall will ultimately benefit from your honesty during this series of conversations. And if you’re still not sure, or maybe you’re kind of second-guessing whether you should give them all this information, let me ask you to seriously consider these questions: 

Where do you want them to learn this stuff? From a friend at school? From porn videos? From some girl they just met at a party? 

Or would you rather be in control of the honesty and truthfulness of where they get their information? 

This post was taken from the booklet Sex, Lust and XXX:  Fighting for your kids' purity in a sex saturated world. 

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