Words from the SoapBox

You are a fun loving Christian who just have a passion for God. You know that He has given everything that you love and enjoy and you just want Him to be a constant part of your life — especially in your home. So how do you let the spirit of God into your home? How can you possibly honor Him in your personal space?

NOTHING SAYS IT LIKE HARMONY

We all know that God isn’t a fan of lying, shouting or fighting. Let harmony circulate upon your home. Resolve any conflict that lies between all the family members. Teach your kids to give to each other, tell them to teach other with their assignments and help each other out with all the household chores. As a parent it is our responsibility to hold the house together. It is hard at times especially if you are a single parent. But it is doable. Of course before you can do the talk you would first have to do the walk. Teach yourself to be harmonious too. You would have to be a great exmaple to your partner and kids first before you can lead an example.

A MUCH NEEDED SANCTUARY

Construct your very own prayer room. Select a room that will be solely dedicated to prayer and reflection. Carpet up the room and place big and soft pillows on the floor. Paint the wall with a color that relaxes you and do not enter the room without taking off your shoes and flip flops. Keep this room clean. This is your much needed sanctuary. Treat it with outmost love and respect — as if it is the house of God; as if it were a mini church or chapel inside your home.

Set up a focal point in your prayer room. If you are a Catholic, you can use a crucifix. If you are a Muslim you can use a painting or a idol of Allah. Exercise your beliefs. Don’t worry. A prayer room is interfaith. It doesn’t matter what religion you are. The thought is to have a room where you can escape your busy life and just be able to be silent and pray to God about your worries.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE AND MORE LOVE

Spread love all through out your home. Love can be translated into so many things. Here are a couple of things that is vowed to transmit love all through out your home. Practice them like regimen.

1. Put up beautiful and colorful flower arrangements. Make your home beautiful.
2. Leave thoughtful and comforting love notes where your family can read them. Put something like: “Have a wonderful day darling. I love you and may God bless you today.”
3. Spray a favorite scent on the air.
4. Tidy up your house and keep it clean. Remember, cleanliness is next to Godliness.
5. Teach respect. Your partner and kids will learn to repect you and respect each other if you respect them first. Again, be a great role model.

A lot Godliness has never known to fail or to downgrade anyone. And with every stress and pressure present in our actual world, this appears to be just what we need in our homes. Put God into the center of your universe by starting to let Him in your house.

Author Bio: This writer for Pool Prodigy specializes in chlorine generator and salt water pool systems as well as many other pool supply products.

The pharisaical priests carried a priestly anointing, but were devoid of God’s power. This produced a religious life based on outward appearance of holiness without an inward change of heart. This oppressive system brought God’s final judgment on Israel. Both failed to accomplish God’s purpose in the earth.

In effect the anointing would be divided between men titled “Kings” and others titled “Priest” the kings would be destroyed by kingly anointing because of a lack of holiness. The Levite priest would take the priestly anointing and prostitute it by the absence of authority and power in their lives.

ANOINTED FOR POWER ONLY

[1 SAM 10:1] [When the children of Israel asked for a King 1st Samuel 8, 9, 10:1]

Why was Saul later rejected as king? It was because he grew impatient waiting for Samuel, and intruded into the priest’s office and offered sacrifice [I Sam 13:8-14]

When Saul tried to function in that for which he had received no anointing, he was immediately judged and rejected. This illustrates the point. When Israel demanded a king, the anointing was divided. The king only had a partial anointing. No longer did Israel’s leader have both the Prophet-Priest and the Kingly anointing. He only had the kingly anointing for power – not the priestly anointing for ministry to God with obedience and holiness.

It wasn’t God’s will for Israel to have a king “like the other nations”. God’s pattern for leadership had emerged through Melchizedek, Moses, Joshua, the Judges and Samuel.

He had been faithful to raise up leaders who bore His full anointing and judged Israel as both Priest and King. But Israel chose rather to have a “King like the other nations”. They rejected God’s theocratic rule, they turned their backs on God as their king. And God gave them the desire of their hearts.

A true theocratic ruler bears God’s full anointing. He rules as both a Prophet-Priest and King. But with Israel’s choice of a King “like the other nations” a man began to rule over God’s people with a partial anointing. It was not restrained by holiness and good character. These dividing of the anointing had never been God’s highest will for His people.

LACK OF HOLINESS BRINGS FAILURE:

God knew that no man would ever be able to reign under a Kingly anointing unless it was balanced by the Priestly anointing for holiness to the Lord.

Most of the kings in Israel and Judah failed in their leadership because of a lack of holiness in their lives.

The Lord rejected Saul from being King for disobedience and intrusion into a ministry for which he had no anointing. Saul ultimately took his own life. David’s reign was impaired by his immorality with Bathsheba. Solomon’s reign came to a disastrous end because of unholiness and idolatry.

Israel eventually seceded from Judah and after about two hundred years, went into captivity chiefly because of the sins of her unholy Kings. Her kings bore the power of Gods authority. They didn’t walk in His holiness. This brought divine judgment on the nation resulting in the Israelites dispersion to the ends of the earth.

Thus the most tragic era in Israel’s painful history ended in ignominy [shame] and defeat.

Author Bio: God Still Speaks Today by the Holy Spirit, Through his written word, Through his anointed servants,Through such supernatural means as * Dreams * Visions * Inward Assurance * Divine providence of circumstance God never speaks to us in any subjective experience in contradiction to His written word. All Such experience must be judged by and agree with the Holy Scriptures. Let The Lord Speak to You

As babies, we are born twice.

The first time is when your mother delivers you into this world, her hand in your father’s hand. She’s in great pain due to the nature of childbirth. But all the suffering she’s been through during the last nine months evaporates like they never happened the moment she hears your first cry, your first gasp for air, and all of a sudden everything is alright once again. She holds you close to her chest and kisses your forehead. You are born as a human being.

Many weeks later, you are born once again, as a Christian, a believer of God. It is celebrated through the act of baptism. You aren’t aware of it right now, but this is perhaps one of the most defining moments of your life. This is your second birth and it is more important than the first one. You being born again as a Christian will shape your life and how you make decisions in the years to come.

As Christians we are thought the lessons of the Bible. The Bible tells us that God had created the universe and had saved Man from natural disasters as well as the tyranny of its own kind. God sent his Son to crucifixion so He could save us from our sins.

We have been forgiven, and as believers of the Lord and Jesus Christ, we are promised eternal life and repose in heaven in the Kingdom of God.

But some Christians take all of this for granted. Some tend to take these Bible lessons the wrong way.

God is watching us. Yes, our guardian angel looks after us in our sleep. But that doesn’t mean that life on Earth won’t be… difficult. If anything, our earthly lives are full of trials and tribulations that will test our faith in God. In my honest opinion it is much harder to be a Christian today than it is back then when God would perform miracles in front of everyone, like the parting of the Red Sea.

And who is behind all this? Satan, of course, the devil.

So how should a modern Christian live these days?

The most important aspect of having faith in the Lord is first and foremost communicating with Him on a regular, much better daily, basis. This is done through constant reading and re-reading of the Bible, with the conscious effort of trying to memorize the verses little by little over time. Very few Christians are aware of just how much a little Scripture memorization could take them a long way in their faith.

Prayer is also a powerful tool to maintain a close relationship with God and pushing away earthly temptations from the devil. Take a couple minutes to thank God for a wonderful day ahead as soon as you wake up in the morning, and a few seconds to say your prayers at night before you go to bed. If you pray with all your heart, God will hear you and answer your prayers in ways you least expect.

‘Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”‘ John 3:3 ESV

Remember, Bible reading and constant prayer, it is the way of the modern Christian to show his love for God.

Author Bio: Are you looking for famous bible verses? Do you wish to recite famous bible quotes to refresh your memory? Satisfy your daily need to communicate with God by reviewing bible verses at Top Bible Verses.

‘For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.’ Romans 13:4 ESV

The world is wound together by a set of rules. You’re only allowed to cross the street on zebra lanes. You shouldn’t steal, material or intellectual properties of other people. Killing is a heavy offense in almost every country in the world. Simply put, this system of society works.

The same is true with Christianity. The Christian religion is bound by a set of rules, the most important being the Ten Commandments that God had passed down to Moses. But if we have rules, it only means one thing: there are people who break those rules and rebel against the accepted norm. We have rebels in society. In Christianity, we have rebels, too, and their history stretches all the way back to the beginning of the Bible.

Rebellion first showed itself to Christianity in the Genesis. God told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge while He was gone. But the couple was seduced by the serpent and each took a bite, setting into motion a chain of events that would force God to banish them from His Kingdom to atone for what would become known as Man’s original sin.

From that point onwards Adam and Eve had grown conscious, and their offspring rebelled against God in ways that we would inherit to this day.

‘An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.’ Proverbs 17:11 ESV

There were times when God would show His love and compassion to His people, and yet these people would in turn look the other way and rebel against God in the Bible.

For example, Egypt had ruled Israel for many years. When Israel was finally released from the tyranny of the Egyptian rule, God commanded miracle after miracle to help save the Israelites from pursuing Egyptian soldiers. In return, when the people were finally safe, they built idols and resorted to idolatry even when God warned them not to in His Ten Commandments. Rebellion had found its way even in God’s own chosen people.

The Apostle Paul explained in the New Testament that God does not view idol worship in favorable light. It is demonic worship, one that doesn’t have a place in the Christian religion.

As modern Christians, we all have times when we fall down and rebel against God. But we must also remember at all times that God gave Adam and Eve a second chance. He banished them, but He never stopped looking after their needs and safety in their new world outside His Kingdom.

If you find yourself rebelling against God in your life, the first step to redemption is accepting your wrong decisions and praying to God that, next time, you’ll do what is right in honor of His name.

Author Bio: Are you looking for bible verses by topic? Do you wish to recite bible verses to refresh your memory? Satisfy your daily need to communicate with God by reviewing bible verses subject at Top Bible Verses.

‘Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.’ Matthew 7:15 ESV

The world has its fair share of false teachers.

I was watching a TV documentary the other day about the abundance of false doctors and other specialists especially in rural countries. In areas where modern technology has yet to make it presence felt, up in the mountains, false doctors go about their day prescribing fake symptoms and medication to the local townsfolk. And they get paid for it. Sometimes there are even false teachers in these areas who teach the poor little kids all the wrong things.

Christianity is no stranger to false teachers, but they have a better term for it – false prophets. Let’s dig a little deeper into the world of false prophets and their effect on the Christian religion.

Most people these days don’t even believe in false prophets anymore. This is the modern world we’re living in, these are no longer the hectic and dangerous times described in the Bible. But truth is, more and more false prophets have come out of the wilds to drive people away from God’s rightful path.

You see them everyday. How about those Church leaders who talk about the Words of God 10 hours a week in front of their people, but then gets caught in an adultery scandal? Or how about that homeless woman who claims herself to be a prophet of God, but has a record for mugging people when she’s cornered them out of site?

Remember this quotation,

“My dear brothers, never forget, when you hear the progress of enlightenment vaunted, that the devil’s best trick is to persuade you that he doesn’t exist!”

“Le Joueur genereux,” pub. February 7, 1864; translation by Cat Nilan, 1999.

Satan is the fallen angel, and he is hell bent in swaying Mankind, God’s creation that resembled His likeness, to his favor. What better way to do just that than to send out his minions in disguise and proclaim themselves as prophets of God?

If ordinary men see them as their fellow human beings, they are less likely to associate their intentions with the devil. This is what false prophets are and Satan is using them to further his own evil goals.

‘Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.’ 1 Peter 5:8 ESV

So how does a modern Christian steer clear of these false prophets? Simple. Turn to God’s words and teachings, the Bible.

If you invest time to read and contemplate the Bible a few minutes each day, there’s no way false prophets would be able to break through your faith. The Bible is all you need, if you think about it, to be guided back towards God’s Kingdom, which is why Scripture memorization goes a long way into solidifying your Christian faith.

Read and meditate the Bible verses as much as you can, at least five to ten minutes every day. If you can do this, you won’t have a problem with false prophets for the rest of your life.

Author Bio: Are you looking for encouraging bible verses? Do you wish to recite encouraging scriptures to refresh your memory? Satisfy your daily need to communicate with God by reviewing bible verses at Top Bible Verses.

Once upon a time, there was a couple named Naomi and Elimelech that lived in Bethlehem. There was a severe famine in Bethelem at that time and everyone had no food. Because of the famine, Elimelech found that it was hard to provide for the family and instead of depending on God, he decided to move to another place where there was no famine. Elimelech took his family and went to Moab. Elimelech had two sons including Mahlon and Chilion, which both of them were not married at the time when they moved to Moab. While at Moab, Mahlon and Chilion got to know two Moabite women and they actually married them later. Mahlon’s wife was Orpah, while Chilion’s wife was Ruth. After that, Elimelech, the father, had died. Now, Naomi was left with his two sons and daughters in law.

Later, Naomi’s two sons died. After some time, Naomi heard that there was no more famine in Bethlehem and it was having an abundance of harvest. So, she decided to return home, but before she returned to Bethlehem, she told her two daughters in law to return to their own tribes. Orpah bid her mother in law goodbye and left. However, Ruth held on to Naomi and refused to leave her as she told her that she would go wherever Naomi goes. She also said that she wanted to die along side Naomi. Ruth was faithful to Naomi and she kept on insist to follow her.

At last, Naomi allowed Ruth to go back to Bethlehem with her and when they reached Bethlehem, it was harvest time, but they were without money and had no food. Ruth told her mother in law that she wanted to go and pick up leftover grains from a field. The field where Ruth gathered the grain belonged to a rich relative called Boaz. While Ruth was gathering grains, Boaz happened to enter into the field along with her. Boaz asked the workers at the field where Ruth was and told her that she is the daughter in law that came back with Naomi.

During meal time, Boaz, invited Ruth to have dinner with her and Ruth came to sit down at the table with Boaz. She did not eat up all her portion and saved some to bring back to Naomi so that she had food to eat. When Ruth returned home, she poured out the food she saved for her and told her how Boaz had been very kind. Naomi told Ruth that Boaz was a relative and that he is responsible for buying back their land. She told her to put on her best clothes and perfume and to go and lay at the feet of Boaz when he is lying down at the threshing floor.

Ruth did as Naomi told her and layed down at the feet of Boaz, though when he woke up in the middle of the night and became shocked that a woman was sleeping at his feet. Ruth told him everything. Boaz told Ruth that there is another closer relative that is supposed to buy back the land and marry her. If the relative refused, he would be the one to marry her. The next morning, Boaz went to the city gate and talked to the closer relative, whom refused to buy back the land, which in turn allowed Boaz to marry Ruth. Boaz and Ruth had a son immediately following there marriage, called Jesse. Jesse is the father of King David, which has turned to be the family line from which Jesus Christ belonged.

Author Bio: Jason Bacot – Want to read more children bible stories like this? Then I suggest you check out ChildrenBibleStories.net which offers a variety of children bible stories. It includes more than 500 bible stories for Sunday School and personal use.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)

Everybody loves Christmas. Especially the children. On Christmas, most likely there will be snow falling outside the window next to the hearth. In the kitchen the dining table is filled with delicious foods. There will be a Christmas tree in the living beside the warm and cozy couch, and under the tree, colorful Christmas gifts waiting to be opened on Christmas morning. This is the image that comes to mind when a Christian thinks about Christmas.

But we’ve all heard the story. Christmas is more than just Christmas trees and Christmas gifts and snow falling piling up on roofs. It is much more than that.

The story of Christmas begins with the birth of a savior into the world. People didn’t know it back then, and even now many are more than happy to express their disbelief, but according to the Bible – God’s own words – that is the truth. God promised that He would send us the Messiah that would save us from the eternal damnation of our sins. And not long after, Jesus Christ was born on Christmas day.

“And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” Matthew 1:16 (KJV)

The wheels were already set in motion even before Jesus Christ was born into the world. His earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, promised that they would become husband and wife when the time comes. One day Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel. He told she’d be pregnant and would be carrying the Son of God in her womb. Joseph almost backed out of his promise when he heard this. But in a dream God spoke to him about how important his role was in God’s plans. Soon Mary and Joseph were married and their marriage was blessed with the birth of a healthy young child.

Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem. Mary had went into labor while she and Joseph were on their way to register for the census. All the inns were taken, and so they had to seek temporary refuge in a nearby stable, where the Savior of Mankind and Son of God would be born into this world.

The angels spread the word of the Savior’s birth and many wise men came to see him. The three wise men also came bringing gifts. This is what makes Christmas so special. Thousands of years ago, on the exact same date of our celebration of the birth of Jesus, the entire world was at peace. As the song goes, it was a holy night indeed.

Today Christmas is perceived to be one of the most popular holidays in the world. People take a step back from their jobs to relax and spend some time with their families. But let’s not forget the true story of Christmas: it is the story of the birth of the Savior and the beginning of the salvation of Mankind.

Author Bio: Are you looking for Bible quotes and verses? Having a hard time with Bible verse search? Satisfy your daily need to communicate with God by reviewing inspiring bible verses at Top Bible Verses.

‘For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things DONE IN THE BODY, according to what He has done, whether good or bad.’ 2 Corinthians 5:10

It is taught as early as high school that what separates Man from animal is the ability to think. We are much more intelligent than the average orangutan, more talkative than the next parrot, more efficient in hunting for food than the king of the jungle. Human beings aren’t animals. On the food chain, we occupy a much superior class all our own.

But free will is something that could also hurt us in the long run. Most Christians, for instance, prefer to live their own lives and follow their own plans, not even bothering to know what God has planned for them. You are a Christian and yet you may not pray at night. Some Christians only bother to show up to church on Sundays, sometimes even none at all. Many don’t read the Bible past Genesis. Some don’t even know what Genesis is!

It should be noted that your actions in life has a direct impact on the rewards waiting for you in heaven. For those who are in doubt, the Bible speaks for itself…

‘So Jesus answered them and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brother or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or land, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a HUNDREDFOLD now in this time … and in the age to come, eternal life.”‘ Mark 10:29-30

In life, God expects us to make sacrifices, if necessary, in order to live and fulfill the life of a Christian. Yes, we are endowed with free will and God encourages us to use it. But there are situations in life when we are called as Christians to give up what we want to do in order to fulfill God’s wishes, and heavenly rewards await those who are faithful and true believers of Christianity. Jesus Christ gave us this promise as the time comes when we enter the Kingdom of God.

All Christians are aware of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Some Christians believe this is going to be when it will be decided who is entitled to what heavenly rewards in God’s Kingdom. But isn’t it strange that doing good on Earth just so you could look forward to your rewards in heaven, there’s nothing Christian about that logic at all.

A true Christian is one who is selfless and does good regardless of whether there are any rewards waiting for him or her at the end of the journey. Remember that God is watching, and He knows what is inside your heart. He knows who is deserving and undeserving. Only Christians who serve in the name of the Lord and Jesus Christ have heavenly rewards waiting for them when the time comes.

‘… I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you ACCORDING TO YOUR WORKS.’ Revelation 2:23

As a Christian, do your best to perform good deeds with a clean and honest heart. You can be rest assured that God will do the rest.

Author Bio: Are you looking for inspirational Bible verses? Do you wish to recite inspirational Bible quotes to refresh your memory? Satisfy your daily need to communicate with God by reviewing bible verses at Top Bible Verses.

What is self mastery? Believe it or not most people will describe it as having inner peace of being comfortable with the world around you. There are many circumstances that can arise in your everyday life, some of which can be extremely stressful. These situations can be caused by a number of different sources, some of which you can rid yourself of, and some that you will need to deal with through self mastery.

First, you have co-workers, and these are not something that you can get rid of on your own if you are not the manager. In addition to that you will have family members, frustrating experiences, and perhaps even disaster. Can you get rid of these? As sad as it sounds, you cannot circumvent the advent of random chance, and you certainly cannot get rid of your family, but you can at the very least learn to master your environment and keep calm in the face of adverse circumstances.

Self Mastery by Dick Sutphen is one book you can use to take control of the world around you, and there are quite a few individuals that have found its words to be helpful. That being said, you can learn to liberate yourself from aggressive individuals, high expectations that you could never hope to meet, and other conditions that are holding you back from true success. This book presents a method by which you can turn your entire life around and become the person that you have always wanted to be.

It sounds like a fantasy, and it most certainly sounds like something you could never achieve, but now is not the time to lament your misfortune. Instead you should purchase Self Mastery by Dick Sutphen and begin to work on your life through a method that combines Zen philosophy with modern mind programming techniques. This will create a powerful transformation experience never before seen in the modern word, and by using this you will be reaping the benefits of several decades worth of research, and you will have the honor of implementing these strategies into your own life. Are you ready?

If you are, then it’s time to purchase this book and see just what it can do for your life. There is a strong chance that you have been disappointed by false promises and products that simply have not delivered in the past, but Self Mastery by Dick Sutphen is not one of those quick fix books. It is a book that works over time to shape you into the person you’ve always wanted to be. We have the ability to become confident, and we can easily master the world around us, but it all depends on us having the right tools. Do you have the right tools? Are you prepared to become the person you’ve always wanted to be? We thought you might be, and with that being said, it’s time for you to obtain those tools and begin your journey.

Author Bio: Please visit The Personal Development Company if you would like to learn more about Self Mastery by Dick Sutphen

Today, Christians are striving in the effort of educating the next generations about Christianity. Indeed, Christian education is no longer being prioritized. In fact, there are some instances that the idea is being laughed at. However, when we think about it, what is the purpose of Christian education? At the end of the day, can students benefit from an educator with a Christian point of view? Before judging the ways of Christians in terms of education, it is important that you understand their goals.

Christian education aims at educating children about the bible. Christianity aims at spreading the truth through the doctrines. It basically creates a theological framework in the minds of the children through tapping their schools and family.

Christian education does not only focus on the children being taught. Rather, it also seeks to assist and reach out to the parents from the Scriptures. In that way, their biblical responsibility in raising and educating the ways of the Lord is carried through successfully. Basically, Christian has always aimed at educating people — regardless of whether that person is a believer or a non-believer.

Christian education gives way to the vital tools used in catechism. On the other hand, this does not mean that Bible teachings will be replaced. Rather, it is more of inculcating the basic concepts of Christianity into the people so that they may easily comprehend the language being used. In this presently modern world, it aims more on increasing the number of people who are being taught of the ways of the Christians.

Teachers, pastors, and other members of the Church are also included in the primary aim of Christian education. It is by training pastors that they will be able to pass on the teachings to the next generations to come. Just like professionals, they are expected to be trained for many years in considering them the “experts”. Pastors, too, need training and education. But, perhaps the most challenging aspect is maintaining spiritual health. Aside from that, pastors need to be well-versed in theology. In other words, this kind of job does not just require a good knowledge of the theory. Rather, they should also live the life of a Christian and maintain their spiritual health.

The development of academic excellence is also one of its goals. The fact is that Christianity promotes education, and it is through acquiring wisdom of their ways that should be known. An inquisitive mind will increase the value of this aim since a good teacher can surpass any type of questions asked of them. It is due to the fact that faith is not easy to develop, and most teachers are not able to answer the queries asked of them in Bible studies. It may be easy to shrug off children’s questions if you, as a teacher, do not understand what is being taught. But, in the end, it is important to remember that Christian education aims at sharing the wisdom of Christianity, and giving people a chance to learn the ways of a Christian.

Author Bio: Nicole Mae Patrick enjoys writing for Worshipguitarclass.com which offers Christian guitar lessons and guitar fingerpicking patterns as well as a host of additional services.