I have been a Christian for 27 years, and during those 27 years, it appears to me that the culture in America is becoming more sinful with the passing of each day. It seems that the “cancel culture” or “WOKE culture” which is so popular in the mainstream media is penetrating every aspect of our lives, as well as in the lives of our children. For example, the new “Barbie” movie, which promotes vulgarity and homosexuality, tries to “normalize” these sins in the eyes of our young girls, while the promotion of homosexuality is also seen in children’s books and T.V. shows.
       Even some of our beloved restaurants are supporting the LGBTQ agenda. At the same time, those who stand against these popular culture items and the sins that they promote are seen as “homophobic” and “too strict” and are not supported by those who support this “cancel culture.”
     Even some Christians will not publicly support other Christians who speak out against sin being displayed in our popular culture for fear of being criticized by those who follow the mindset of the world.  Thankfully, there are still Christians out there trying to shine their lights into this dark world of “wokeness,” no matter what the cost is to their social standing and reputation.  Situations like these make it seem as if we are living in a time that is more perverse and corrupt than any other time in history. However, this is not the case. Perverse and corrupt societies have always been in existence, even in Bible times. The first case of this mentioned in the Bible is in the time of Noah in Genesis chapter 6.
        “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:5-7)
         The world in Noah’s time was so corrupt that only Noah and his 7 other family members were faithful to God. When we compare our world today with the world of Noah, we can most likely think of more than 8 faithful Christians that we of which we alone are aware. We can take comfort in this as well as knowing that there are many more faithful Christians out there in the world that we do not even know about!
         As we can see, the idea of a “cancel culture” that strives to normalize sin is nothing new. Even the prophet Isaiah saw this in the city of Jerusalem during his time. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”(Isaiah 5:20). As we can see from these verses, the promotion of homosexuality and other perverse sins is nothing new.
       Something else that is not new is the trend in today’s American culture is to disregard and/or silence those who speak out against this “cancel culture.” For example, Christians who speak against homosexuality on social media may be attacked verbally in a public way by those who support the “cancel culture.” These attacks are intended to silence the Christian so that the corruption can continue without interruption. We can see in the Bible how various prophets of God, such as Elijah and Jeremiah, were seen as the enemy and beaten and imprisoned for speaking out against the “cancel culture” of their time. Thankfully, most Christians in America do not have to face beatings and death for speaking the Truth. Most of our persecutors will either verbally attack us, give us the “silent treatment,” or give us some variation of these two responses.
       We can take comfort in the fact that we are not living in circumstances unseen by history. Many prophets, and Christians suffered persecution and even death for speaking out against the sinful “cancel culture” of their day, but no one dealt with this more than Jesus Christ. While in infancy, an attempt was made to get rid of Jesus by King Herod who, sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its coasts from two years old and under (Matthew 2:16).
        Once Jesus had grown up and began to meekly reveal Himself as the Son of God, those evil and corrupt factions of the Jews who opposed Jesus tried to “cancel” Him out as well. Their agenda went so far as to have Jesus crucified, which they thought would silence Him forever. However, as all faithful Christians know, Christ gained the real Victory, and paved the way for us to follow His Example by continuing to openly speak out against the “cancel culture” of our time.
​           By fearlessly doing so, we can reach our reward in Heaven in the end! “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12)  Let us rejoice in persecution!  Let us support those standing for the Truth!  In so doing, we shall be truly blessed by our Unchanging God!
 
 

        Just like so many others in this country who were following this story, I was so concerned about the five men who were at first considered trapped inside of the Titan submersable vessel over 13,000 feet in the ocean. These men were in this situation after paying around $250,000 apiece in order to catch a glimpse of the wreckage of the famous sunken ship, the Titanic.  They boarded the vessel on a Sunday morning, planning on seeing the wreckage and then returning again to safety eight hours later. After the eight hours had elapsed, however, there was no sign of the vessal. It was still at the bottom of the ocean.
          At first it was said that if unrescued, the men were in a situation where they could run out of air and/or freeze to death in the frigid waters. After several days of searching, however, it was determined that the vessel imploded upon itself on Sunday morning, just a couple of hours after going into the water.  
         All five men were financially very wealthy, and they had a great interest in seeing the wreckage of the Titanic. One of the men was even known as “Mr. Titanic” due to his love of everything to do with that famous ship. Even though being interested in ships and going underwater in a submersible vessal is not wrong at all, this story is still proof that even though these men were billionaires and one was the son of a billionaire, not one of them could buy one more minute of life when the submarine imploded on them.  Nothing else mattered in that last moment except their relationship with God.
          The saddest part about this situation is that all five men had more money than many people can dream of having, and yet, none of them could buy one more minute of their lives when the time of their deaths came upon them. This shows that when your life is over, you are not going to care about how much money you had, what your house looked like, what kind of car you had, or even what job you had. All that will matter in that moment is where you stand with God!
          Many people in this world will learn too late that they had all of their priorities in this life completely backwards. Many people will work on Sundays and forsake assembling for worship services. Others will choose to spend their Sundays sleeping in or partaking in certain hobbies that they enjoy rather than spending that time serving the Lord.  Some speak of having a personal relationship with the Lord, but you cannot have this without doing what He says do (John 14:15).  Acts 20:7 tells us this, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.” Hebrews 10:25-26 also tells us not refuse to assemble with other Christians for worship.
        You do not have to have a lot of money to lose your soul. You can be rich or poor, but when it comes down to what you value most, if it isn’t God, then you are spiritually bankrupt. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”(Ecclesiastes 12:13).
        The death of the five men on the Titan is tragic. Our hearts go out to the families of these five men.  Our prayers go up to the Father for their comfort.  Value the people in your lives.  Never take a moment for granted.
       Also, let us remember that these men who were financially well off could not take any of their worldly possessions with them when that submarine imploded. We can learn from this sad situation to not build our whole lives around acquiring worldly possessions. Being wealthy is not wrong, but we should work to build our lives around God, and He will bless our lives and provide for us in ways that we cannot even imagine! We have to get our priorties in this life in the right order. Instead of focusing just on the worldly things that interest us, we should instead put our focus on God, and do what He wants us to do first and foremost. After we do what we need to do to serve God, then we can spend time on our hobbies or other worldly things that are not contrary to God’s will. It is all about priorities, because you can never buy one more minute!
         
 

       


























​               Earlier this month, the L.A. Dodgers honored an LGBTQ group known as the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” the night before their 10th annual “Pride Night.” Members of the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” are homosexual men who are dressed in drag to look like flamboyantly dressed nuns. These men wear brightly colored nuns’ habits, as well as white makeup on their faces and designs drawn onto their faces. This group was given the “Community Hero Award” by the Dodgers for their work in the LGBTQ community.
         The award was given out at the Dodgers stadium prior to the beginning of a game. In the seats, there were only about 50 people sitting to witness the honoring of this group whose motto is to “go and sin some more.” Dodgers’ representatives commented on the low number in attendance by saying that on any other night, there would be 10 times more people in the stadium seats. Meanwhile, as the 50 people sat in the stadium seats to cheer on these sinful award recipients, thousands of people protested the giving of this award outside of the stadium.
     I believe that the fact that so few came to cheer on the celebration of homosexuality shows that the general public is becoming tired of having the LGBTQ agenda shoved down our throats almost on a daily basis. Not only are adults having to deal with pro-homosexuality propoganda, but even our children are targeted. My husband and I will not allow our children to watch the Nickelodeon station on TV this month, because there is a Pride commercial that comes on constantly because of June being designated as “Pride Month.” There should not be a month dedicated to being prideful about sin, and homosexuality is definitely a sin!
        Homosexuality is a sin that should not be celebrated.  Moses said in Leviticus 18:22, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” Also, in Leviticus 20:13, we see that, under the Old Law, homosexuals were punished by death.  This shows the seriousness of this sin, and how God views it.  Homosexuality was also condemned in the New Testament: 

“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” (Romans 1:26-32).
           Homosexuality is also a choice.  I Corinthians 6:9-10 says, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”  We see from these verses that it is possible for people to leave homosexuality for homosexuality is completely against nature, and must be left by those who are of that persuasion.  There is a difference between love and lust, and God is Love, and He has defined love for us.  Those who are homosexuals are urged out of love to give up this sin.  It is possible to change as some at Corinth had done in the First Century. Those who practice the sin of homosexuality have complete control of themselves and can stop having homosexual relationships at any time.  Let us do what we can to help them stop, and remember, they have to want to stop to actually stop.  Sadly, so many who practice this sin do not stop until it is too late.  
       Christians should also work to speak out against the sin of homosexuality as much as possible, without fear of facing criticism from those who support it. We will be blessed if we do not stay quiet on this issue and any other issue involving sin.  As Matthew 5:14 teaches, let us work to be the light of the world! 

          I am an animal lover. Throughout my life, I’ve had various dogs, birds, and fish. I even had a cat for one day.  I currently have two dogs, which my family and I love.  So many people love their pets just as much as they love people, and there is a prosperous market out there that provides clothes, shoes, and other accessories for our pets. With that being said, some may wonder if their beloved Fido or Fluffy will be in Heaven with them. We can go to several places in the Bible to see the answer to the question, do our pets go to Heaven?

1. Man was made in God’s Image. When God created man, He made them in His Own Image (Gen 1:27). Does that mean that God has arms, legs, hair, skin, etc? No. This means that mankind has a soul.  We are created as a spirit and we know that God is a Spirit (John 4:24).  Nothing is said in the Bible about animals being made in the Image of God. Both humans and animals are similar in that they both have “life,” but only humans have souls like God. This shows that humans are on a higher level than the animals. So those people who tend to focus on the welfare of animals more than the welfare of people do not have their priorities straight!
2. God granted humans a certain level of dominion over animals.  When God created Adam, He gave Adam dominion over the animals. “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (Gen. 1:28).  This means that humans and animals are not equal.
3. Humans are allowed to kill and even eat animals. Animals are for human use to eat (Gen 9:3), for clothing (Gen 3:21), and to provide a certain degree of companionship (Genesis 2:19-20), though clearly this companionship pales in comparison to the companionship provided by a spouse for even after the animals were created, Adam still did not have a companion comparable unto him (Genesis 2:21-24).  We are not allowed to kill other human beings (Exodus 20:13, Romans 13:9). Why are we allowed to kill animals but not our fellow man or woman? Because animals are not eternal beings that have eternal souls, but humans are.
4. Dogs are used as examples of sin in the Bible. For example, Peter likens a man who repents of his sins but returns to that same sin again to a dog that vomits, but then turns around and eats his own vomit (II Peter 2:22).
5. The souls of humans and animals go in different places. God through King Solomon tells that both humans and beasts experience death, but the spirit (or life force) of humans goes upward, while the life force of animals goes downward to the ground (Ecclesiastes 3:21).  Human beings are created with each having a soul, spirit, and body.  We find this mentioned in I Thessalonians 5:23.  Here we are told, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Our body will return to the dust as will animals (Genesis 3:19).  Our spirit will return unto God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7).  Our soul will either go Paradise or Torment  upon our death (Luke 16).  Our soul will be found in Heaven (Revelation 20:4) or Hell (Matthew 10:28).
6. God specifically says that there are no dogs in Heaven:  “For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” (Revelation 22:15).  According to this verse, dogs will not be in Heaven.  Those behave as dogs will not be there either.  If dogs are not allowed in Heaven, then it must be the case that all animals that walk the earth will not go into Heaven.

    From these verses, we can see that although our pets give us happiness and companionship in this life, they cannot follow us into eternity. How popular culture views pets is very different than how God intends them to be viewed, and we must make sure that we put animals in their proper place. After a beloved pet dies, it is indeed a sad time for the owner, however, that pet does not “cross the rainbow bridge” into eternity like many pet lovers believe. These animals merely cease to exist after death. This fact should encourage us to make sure that we do not spend too much time doting on our pets to the neglect of other human beings.  We must make sure that we are keeping our focus on serving God, rather than becoming distracted by worldly matters. 

 

     I have started a new group on Facebook called "Sisters Encouraging Sisters!" This group is for female members of the church to have a place where they can encourage one another to continue living the Christian life every day! If you would like to join this group ,please go to 
         https://www.facebook.com/groups/1156441385034653/   
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        ​With today being Good Friday, and this being Easter weekend, it is often the case that I will hear various people talk about how Jesus was crucified on the cross on Good Friday, and ressurected from the dead on Easter. It is true that Jesus died on a Friday, which was the day of preparation for the Passover (John 19:31). It is also true that Jesus was resurrected on a Sunday (Mark 16:9). However, does that mean that it is true that Godd Friday is the anniversary of Christ’s Death and Easter is the anniversary of His Resurrection? Also, should we celebrate Easter as a religious holiday? 
       As stated before, we know that Jesus died on a Friday and was risen from the dead on a Sunday. However, we are not told in the Bible the exact date of these two events.  The Bible does not specifically mention a “Good Friday,” nor an “Easter” in the way that the word “Easter” is commonly used today.  The King James Version of the Bible does mention “Easter” in Acts 12:4, however, the word here is for Passover.
      It appears that in the 2nd century A.D., some professed Christians wanted to have celebrations of their own that were similar to the Jewish celebrations of Passover. The celebration that they created was called by the Greek word “Pasha,” which means Passover. However, in the 3rd century A.D., the Council of Nicea made this celebration that was started in the 2nd century a holiday that would take place on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox. This new holiday would separate itself further from the Jewish Passover by observing Christ’s Resurrection from the dead. 
       Easter eggs are a tradition that began in Europe during the Middle Ages. It was a tradition in Eastern Europe to decorate eggs to signify “new life” during the Spring-time. This tradition was passed along to the U. S. with European immigrants. Other Easter traditions that children celebrate in the U. S. also came from Europe. 
      So, observing the holiday of Easter as a religious holiday is not commanded in the Bible, but was created over a century after Jesus died. With that being said, we cannot observe Easter Sunday as the exact day that Jesus was resurrected year after year.  Afterall, have you not noticed that the date of Easter changes from year to year?  More importantly, have you noticed that the Bible never commands us, nor authorizes us to observe Easter as a religious holiday (Colossians 3:17).  We are to observe and honor Jesus’ resurrection every Sunday, not just one time out of the year on Easter.  This makes Easter Sunday the same as every other Sunday of the year, and not a religious holiday.  Therefore every Lord’s Day is important in that we honor the death and resurrection of Christ on the cruel cross of Calvary that we might all have remission of our sins through obedience (Acts 2:38, Hebrews 5:9). We honor Christ in this way by assembling with the saints for worship every Sunday (Hebrews 10:25), and we are commanded to remember the Lord’s death in partaking of the Lord’s Supper every first day of the Week (I Corinthians 11:26). Only showing up for worship services on Easter is not enough to honor Christ in the way that God wants. 
        Of course, it is a matter of personal judgment as to whether to observe Easter as in a non-religious way as a matter of cultural custom  as a fun springime holiday for the kids, where they have an opportunity to decorate and hunt Easter eggs, for example.  Romans 14:5 says, “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”
       I hope that this article helps to shed some light on the origins of Easter and how that Easter Sunday is no more special than any other Sunday of the year. We are not commanded to observe Easter as a religious holiday, because it is not mentioned in the Bible.  Let us be thankful for the Resurrection of Christ every Sunday, and every day!

You are invited to the 100 Yesr Anniversary Homecoming of the Campaign church of Christ! Please see flyer below for more information! 

      At times, I cannot help but notice how some people in the world today are growing colder and less friendly to their fellow man than in years gone by. Living in the South, it is a common occurrence to see strangers say “Hello” to one another on the street, but I have noticed that the small gestures of kindness that used to be so prevalent in our society 50 years ago are slowly fading away, even among members of the church of Christ. So, I have decided to focus this article on a list that I have put together of things that it doesn’t hurt anyone to do:
   1. It doesn’t hurt anyone to say “Hello” in response to someone else’s greeting, or, dare I say it, be the first to say “Hello!” Verbalizing a greeting to one another should be one of the easiest things to do. You don’t have to be an extrovert to just say “Hello” to someone. You also do not have to wait for the other person to say “Hello” to you first. All you have to do is have enough love in your heart for others to want to show your love and friendliness towards them. Whether we see someone in town, or we have guests over at our home, we should ALWAYS greet them, even if they do not initiate the greeting themselves. “Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.”(I Peter 5:14).
      2. It doesn’t hurt anyone to be encouraging to others: We should always try to say and do things to make others feel good. We never know what another person is facing in his or her life, even if that person seems to be happy and to “have it all.” We should always try to find ways to lift the spirits of others, which will in turn, lift our spirits up as well! We do not have to wait until people are upset or facing challenges in order to be encouraging to them. We can encourage others during their good times and challenging times! “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” (Proverbs 16:24).
       As Christians, we should not be the type of people who sit back and expect encouragement to come to us. Rather, we should be willing to take the time to encourage others! When everything is said and done in your life, people will not remember you for all of the things that you accomplished, they will remember you the most according to how you made them feel! We should all strive to be like Barnabas, who in Acts 4:36 was called the "son of consolation" due to his  great encouragement to the disciples of Christ! 
    3. It doesn’t hurt anyone to go out of their way to help others. This is something that is on the decline, even in the church. It used to be the case that people would go out of their way to help someone in need, whether it be to help them fix something, give them money or food, or even give them a way to attend church services. Today, there are some people out there, even Christians, who are only willing to help others when it is convenient for them (i.e. they get something in return, or it doesn’t require too much effort on their part). Jesus tells us to do MORE than what is asked of us for those in need. “And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.”(Matthew 5:41).  
     As Christians, we should always be willing to help when asked, especially when the help is being requested by another Christian. Christian women should always be ready to help in the church. Whether we are asked to teach a Bible class, VBS class, serve others food, or whatever the case may be, we should always be sure to put the needs of others ahead of ourselves. Philippians 2:3 tells us to "in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." We should think about how we would want to be treated if the shoe was on the other foot "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets" (Matthew 7:12)
​     4. It doesn’t hurt anyone to say, “I’m Sorry.” This is a big issue for some people who do not want to apologize for anything. When we have made a mistake or have done something wrong, we must be willing to apologize to anyone involved. I have seen it be the case in recent years that more people are less willing to show humility and apologize. We are to be humble servants of God rather than live with pride in our hearts. Those who are unwilling to apologize for their mistakes are doing so out of pride. “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble”. (James 4:6). In order for us to be faithful Christians, we must resist the urge to be prideful, but rather, embrace a meek and humble spirit. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:10).  
     These are just a few examples of ways that I think some people in our world today can improve on the way they think, feel, and act. Our lives are temporary and “like a vapor” (James 4:14). Therefore, we should do all we can to help others and to serve God faithfully while we are still here on the earth. No matter what we have to give up or how much energy we have to use in order to serve God and help others, we will know that all of our efforts were worth it when we reach our home in Heaven! “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Revelation 22:12-14).

   

​        I have always loved antiques. I have various possessions that belonged to some of my ancestors, which are very old. These things may not be of much monetary value, but they are of great value to me. One of these items is a very old measuring cup.  This measuring cup belonged to my great-great grandmother who was a faithful Christian throughout her life, and her life was certainly filled with many challenges.  Our family called her “Mammie” and she died at the age of 90 when I was only 3 years old.
          As I have said, Mammie was very faithful in her Christian faith. I was too young to remember her when she died, but those who do remember her say that she was a very sweet lady, who was never known to say anything negative about anyone. In her old age, she helped the younger women who attended the congregation of the church of Christ that she attended in various ways. She led a sewing class in the basement of the church building on Saturday afternoons in order to teach the young women how to sew quilts. She taught the women in this congregation as well as those in her family how to cook, and from the accounts I have been given, she was an excellent cook.
         She was also very hospitable. The small house that Mammie shared with my great great grandfather and their children was always open to visitors.  It was very common for a visitor to be sitting at their supper table every night of the week. One person even tried to play a joke on Mammie and my great-great grandfather by putting on fake glasses and a fake mustache and walking into their house and sitting down, waiting to see if either Mammie or my great-great grandfather would ask him who he was or why he was in their home. The only response he was given was Mammie inviting him to supper!
          Mammie kept her faith in God through many challenges in her life. She was married at the age of 15, and she and my great-great grandfather had 9 children. However, Mammie would live to see her husband, 5 of her children, and one grandson die before her own death. Some people allow the death of a loved one to affect their faithfulness to God, but Mammie never did. When asked about how she will deal with a challenging situation that has been placed before her, Mammie was known to say “you just have to trust in God, and He will take care of you.”  She was certainly willing to shine her light for the Lord, just as Matthew 5:16 tells us!
      I have been told by family members about the wonderful faith that Mammie had throughout her life. This helps me to appreciate  the measuring cup that she had even more. This measuring cup is different from my newer measuring cups in that it is made of thick glass, and it is very heavy. When I use this measuring cup (which is on very rare occasions), I try to picture in my mind Mammie using it to prepare her meals just as I am sure she had done for many, many years.  
       Although this measuring cup is old and has not been used for many years, could I still use it to make the same recipes that Mammie made 50 years ago? Of course! No matter how many years have passed, the measurements on the measuring cup are still the same. What was half a cup of sugar back then, is the same today! The rules never change. The same goes for our influence as a Christians, and our ability to teach others. When we pass from this life, we can leave behind us a clear path to Heaven for those who remain on the Earth by living a spiritually Godly life.
      Ladies, if we are faithful to God in all aspects of our lives,  which means we put God above our jobs, our families, or hobbies, and everything else, so that there is no questions about where we are going after we die, then generation after generation of women can look back at how we conducted ourselves in this life, and measure themselves up to our example to see if they are living for the Lord as faithfully as we did. Isn’t that a wonderful goal to have? 
      That is why it is so important that you examine yourselves frequently to make sure that you are doing exactly what God needs you to do. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (II Corinthians 13:5). You are not commanded to just work to save yourself, but you are commanded to help lead others to Christ as well (Matthew 28:19-20). Can your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so forth use your life as a way to know how to get to Heaven? 
      For you young ladies, can your family and friends use you as a measuring cup to know how to get to Heaven? Can others see that you are a Christian by the way you speak, by the way you  dress, and by the company that you keep? Can they “measure themselves” up to you and know that if they follow your example exactly, then they will receive the blessing of eternal life? I hope so!  We must all work to show more of Christ than ourselves each and every day of our lives. Only then will we be good measuring cups that our descendants can compare themselves to in order to determine how faithful they are to God. Let us all strive to be the best measuring cups we can be!

        It’s that time again! If the Lord wills, the new year will ring in at midnight this Sunday morning, and I hope that the year 2023 will be a prosperous and wonderful time for everyone!  Making New Years’ resolutions is a tradition that many people make at the beginning of each year, with varying levels of success in keeping those resolutions. Making New Years’ resolutions is a good way to try to improve one’s self and one’s life, but there are a few resolutions that we should all be making and keeping each and every year. All of the resolutions that I am talking about have to do with worshipping God as we need to, and being the faithful Christian that we all need to be! 

1. Study your Bible everyday! II Timothy 2:15 says “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  We are to study our Bibles every day so that we can become spiritually stronger and also teach others about God. Studying our Bibles also helps us physically, mentally, and emotionally. I know that when I read my Bible every day, my day goes so much better, and my outlook is more positive throughout the day!

2. Pray often. I Thessalonians 5:17 states, “Pray without ceasing.”  We should pray throughout the day, many times a day. Having a healthy prayer life helps to keep us spiritually strong, and it helps us bear the challenges in this life much easier. It is my goal to get to the point in my life where I have prayed so much during the course of a single day, that  I lose track of how many prayers I have said in that day! We should pray in both prosperous times and in times of need.  We should always thank God for all of our many blessings, and we all have many, many blessings bestowed unto us by God! 

3. Attend worship services regularly. We are commanded in Hebrews 10:25 to not “forsake the assembling of ourselves together” meaning that we should not forsake the assembling of the church for worship services. We are to assemble together on the first day of the week (Sunday) as Jesus’ disciples did during the early days of the church. Allowing our jobs, school activities, or recreational activities keep us from attending worship services as we are commanded means that we are not putting God first in our lives as we are supposed to do. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

​4. Strive to convert at least one person to Christ. We, as Christians, are required to seek out and help save the lost. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew 28:19). We should do all we can to help those who are spiritually lost to learn more about what God expects them to do in order to go to Heaven. We should never take the stance that the spiritual state of others is none of our business. On the contrary, God will hold Christians accountable for the souls that they have failed to try to save (James 4:17). We will not be held accountable concerning whether or not the lost person does decide to become faithful, however, we will have to answer to God for not trying to teach others at all. 
         
          Please make the 2023 the year that you grow stronger as a Christian. Make sure that the four resolutions that I’ve mentioned above, be ones that you are sure to keep, for they are the most important things that you can do in this life. So, while the rest of the world are concerned about making New Years’ resolutions that involve the temporary things of this world, let us as children of God work to show more of Christ and less of ourselves in the New Year! 

       Since it is Christmas Day, I would like to talk about Christmas.  I have often seen the phrase “Jesus is the reason for the season” at various times in reference to this holiday. Christmas is seen by many as Christ’s birthday, and many celebrate this holiday as such. The truth is, however, we do not know the actual time and date of Christ’s birth, and there is no reference in the Bible that tells us to celebrate this event at Christmas. What the Bible does tell us is to honor Jesus and celebrate everything He has done for us all the time and during every season@!
       Jesus created us and created all of the universe, and we owe everything that we are and everything that we have to Him. Not only did He create us, but he died a cruel death on the cross so we could have forgiveness of sins and the opportunity for Everlasting Life! “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him” (Isaiah 43:7). “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God” (Romans 13:1).  With that being said, it is vitally important that we worship and honor Jesus during all seasons of the year, and not just during Christmas. We should honor and praise God every single day of our lives, and many times during the day. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31).
       Something that is often seen close to Christmas is higher rates of worship service attendance. It is sometimes the case where people who do not attend worship services any other time of the year will show up around Christmas time. It is good that these people attend worship service at this time, but it is more important that they are in regular attendance all year round. By regular attendance, I mean that a person should attend every worship service on the first day of the week and at any other time that the leaders of their home congregation set aside for assembling (Acts 20:7, Hebrews 13:17).  “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:23-25).
        It is certainly not wrong to glorify Christ and be to mindful of all the things He has done for us during Christmas, but we should make it a point to always have our minds on God and to work each and every day to be faithful servants of Him. The Holy Scriptures do not authorize us to celebrate December 25 as the date of the birth of Christ, but we should honor Christ every day and be thankful for His birth every day (Colossians 3:17, II Peter 3:18). I hope that this article helps to show the importance of remembering that Jesus is “the Reason for every season,” not just the Christmas season!

Merry Christmas, from my family to yours!

         
 

 ​          For the past few articles, I have covered the different characteristics of the Fruit of the Spirit that is listed in Galatians 5:22-23. Today, I will cover the final characteristic which is temperance, or self control.
            Self=control is an important character trait that faithful Christians must have. Living the faithful Christian life means that we have to think through everything that we do and say so that we do not commit sin.” Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded” (Titus 2:6). Christians are to deny themselves the pleasures of sin and not base their actions on impulse. And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23). Acting impulsively, unfortunately, is something that is commonly seen in the world today.
       Being impulsive is something that many people have a problem with today. The word “impulsive” comes from the word “impulse” which means “a sudden spontaneous inclination or incitement to some usually unpremeditated action” according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary.[1] The practice of speaking or doing things “before we think” is a common thing among some people. They choose to say or do certain things without thinking of the consequences of their actions. This habit is not viewed favorably by God, and it can cause us a lot of problems if we go through life acting on impulse. In this article, I would like to discuss some ways that a Christian can act on impulse, and the dangers that an impulsive mindset can provide.
          First of all, some Christians can have the negative habit of saying hurtful things to others before they think through all of the possible outcomes and consequences that their words will have on themselves and others. James 1:19 is a handy verse to have memorized in such a situation where a person may be tempted to speak negatively on impulse. “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:” It is often in times of anger that a person will “spout off at the mouth” so to speak and say things he or she will most likely regret later. The tongue is the one part of the body that cannot be tamed. “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:8). We can cause a lot of hurt and permanent damage to relationships when we impulsively use our tongue to hurt others. We can also hurt our influence by using our tongues to curse and to take God’s Name in vain.  “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. “(Exodus 20:7).[2] We should also not use our tongues to speak about perverted things. “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” (James 3:6).
        God tells us to use our tongue wisely, and to not be impulsive in our speech. “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:” (I Peter 3:10).  We are to think about what we are going to say before we say them. Anything that we say is a thought before we say it, so we must be sure to guard our thoughts as well. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8).   We must guard our thoughts and guard our tongues against any corrupt or evil thing in order to be faithful Christians. “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29). If we fail to do so, we will have to answer for our sinful words one day. “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36). 
       Unrighteous anger is another way that some people can act on impulse and commit sin.  Just as we should monitor our speech, we can also learn from James 1:19 that we should be “slow to wrath.” By being “slow to wrath” we must make sure that we do not have unrighteous anger. We can, however, have righteous anger and not sin. What is the difference between righteous and unrighteous anger? Righteous anger occurs when we become angry at sin. Jesus showed righteous anger when He came into the temple and saw the moneychangers selling items to use in animal sacrifices. “And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.” (Mark 11:15-17).
        Jesus showed righteous anger because He became angry with sin. It is acceptable by God to show righteous anger as long as we do it in a way that we do not sin ourselves. For instance, we cannot become angry at sin and use profanity or mistreat the person who is committing the sin.  On the contrary, we must treat everyone with respect and love, even when we are rebuking them regarding their sins. “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.” (Leviticus 19:17). 
      We commit sin when we have unrighteous anger. Unrighteous anger occurs when we become angry over matters of opinion rather than matters of biblical right and wrong in which we become angry about sinful things. For example, when I was a practicing mental health counselor, I saw many clients who were required to attend “anger management” therapy sessions. These sessions were often ineffective because the person who was under state probation often did not want to really change his or her pattern of behavior.  The person merely wanted to attend the required number of therapy sessions necessary to please the probation officer and let that be it.
        Anyways, I remember one client in particular who was already on state probation for offences that I cannot remember at the moment. He came to me for a certain number of therapy sessions that were centered on “anger management.” His probation officer made attending anger management therapy sessions with me a requirement in order to continue to be on probation and to not have to finish his sentence in jail. Why did this client have to see me for anger management? Because he had thrown an empty, plastic soda bottle at his girlfriend while they were arguing over something to do with the girlfriend’s dog,  and she called the police. As you can imagine, the girlfriend was unharmed by the plastic soda bottle, but this client could have avoided the 5 or 6 sessions with me if he had just learned to control his anger. At first, I thought the story could have been made up by the client to cover up what he actually did to his girlfriend, but he brought me a copy of the police report to prove that his story was true.  I tried to teach him ways to cope with his anger without doing something wrong, but he was one of those people who did not think he had a problem. This client would have done well to read Ephesians 4:26; “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:”
       Finally, some people can do things on impulse that are wrong, when they actually meant to do something good. They mean to do something good, but they do not fully think through the process by which they will do the good as they should, and they end up doing wrong. For instance, I had a client that I had one therapy session with which was comprised of taking down information about him to give to the Nurse Practitioner that would be handling his medications. He was an elderly gentleman who was a member of the church of Christ. He was happy to see me because I was one of two therapists there that was a member of the church of Christ. Prior to seeing me, he had spent a couple of days in jail for breaking into cars that he found parked in the street near the apartment in which he lived.  This man did not talk much, so I had to get most of my information from his son-in-law who was present during this session. 
            The son-in-law told me that the reason the elderly man was breaking into cars was because he wanted to leave religious tracts which taught about the churches of Christ on the car’s windshield in hopes of converting the owner, but since it was windy and raining on that particular day, the man was breaking the driver side window and leaving the tracts in the seats on the inside of each of the vehicles. This example shows a person who meant to do something good, but went about it the wrong way
           We should always think things through before we say or do anything.  We should always work to be more like Christ and less like the world in which we live every day. We can do this by praying every day, many times a day, and studying our Bibles every day.
          With a good knowledge of the Bible, we can help ourselves be faithful Christians, as well as teach others to do the same. We can use the Bible to rebuke others as well, in a loving manner. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (II Timothy 3:16). Saying sinful things and having unrighteous anger will cause us to suffer punishment for eternity if we do not repent of these sins before we either die, or the Day of Judgment comes.
         Acting in an impulsive manner, no matter the motive, is not worth losing our souls over. “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.” (Colossians 3:8). If Christ would not say or do it, then we should not say or do it as well. “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:” (Ephesians 4:31). I hope that this lesson shows the importance of thinking things through and not acting out impulsively. We must all be sure to take time to think before we speak or act, so that we can let our Christian light shine before the world. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16).
 
 

          We are continuing our study of the Fruit of the Spirit, which can be seen in Galatians chapter 5. In the last article, we discussed the characteristics of “goodness” and “faithfulness.”The characteristic that is mentioned next, is“meekness” (Galatians 5:23). Meekness is a highly regarded in the Bible. In Matthew Chapter 5, verse 5, Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” The personality trait of meekness is very important for every Christian to have. However, what does it mean to be meek, and how are those who exemplify meekness viewed by the world?
          First of all, what does it mean to be meek? The word “meek” that is used in this verse comes from the Greek word prays which means “mildness of disposition” or “gentleness of spirit.” The word “meek” can also mean “mild” and “humble.”  One who shows meekness would not act in any way that would be considered arrogant or attention-seeking. 
         There are various places in the Bible that encourage us to show meekness. The apostle Paul admonishes us to show meekness in Colossians 3:12 when he says, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;”.  He encourages Timothy to do the same in I Timothy 6:11, “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” We are encouraged to conduct ourselves before others in a meek manner, even when we are trying to help them see their mistakes. “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).  Finally, we are to be like Christ, and Christ described Himself as One who is meek, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
         A person who shows meekness has much spiritual strength, however, that same person may be seen as weak and a “pushover” by the world’s view. Many in the world today believe that in order to be considered strong, one must adopt an arrogant, loud, and self-centered personality. This cannot be further from the truth. People who conduct themselves in this manner are focused on the here-and-now and temporary things of this world. Those who behave in ways that are not meek cannot enter into Heaven.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
          Another good description of meekness is “strength under control.”  A person does not have to be big, loud, and boisterous in order to be strong. There are those who are spiritually strong who exemplify the Christian attitude of meekness. In today’s world which exalts those who loudly speak their mind, striving for the last word, we should work to be different from the world and maintain a manner of meekness and humility, always keeping our focus on our Home in Heaven! “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”(II Corinthians 4:18)
 
 

           In the past few articles, I have discusses several attributes of the Fruit of the Spirit, that we would do well as Christians to adapt into our own spiritual lives.  The next two on the list are "goodness" and "faithfulness." I'm sure that all of us know what it means to be a "good" person. However, in order for us to be faithful Christians, we have to do more than just be a "good" person. 
      In order for Christians to be pleasing unto God, we must have faith.. “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.” (Mark 11:22). We show our faith in God by trusting Him to take care of us, no matter what happens to us in this life.  We draw ourselves near unto God through our faith in Him. “But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.” (Psalm 73:28)
         Another way  that we show our faith in God is being faithful  to God. Being faithful to God mean that we are doing everything we can in this life to be obedient to His Commandments.  As Christians, we are to examine our own spiritual lives and make sure that it lines up with God’s Word in the Bible. We are commanded to examine ourselves in II Corinthians 13:5.   “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”
       The word “reprobate” in this verse means “unapproved” by God. So, in order for us to remain faithful Christians from the point at which we are baptized to the point of our death, we have to take the time to think about how we conduct ourselves from day to day and determine if there is anything amiss in our lives.
        To help you examine your spiritual standing with God, here are a few questions that may help.  Ask yourself these questions to help determine if you are still living the life of a faithful Christian:
1.     Are you keeping the greatest commandment which is to love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, and mind? (Matthew 22:37)
2.     Is the Lord First in every list of your priorities? Does God come First with your money and time? “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33).
3.     Have you been keeping the second greatest commandment, which is to love my neighbor as myself? (Matthew 22:39)
4.     Have you been seeking to teach others? “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew 28:19).
5.     Am you growing as a Christian? “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;” (II Peter 1:3-7). We should look to the 7 Christian Graces and working to grow in them every day. "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:5-8). 
6.   Have you not been forsaking the assembly of the church? “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”(Hebrews 10:25).
7.     Do you do personal devotionals to God? Do you pray without ceasing? (I Thessalonians 5:17)?  Do you study the Bible every day (II Timothy 2:15)?
8.     Do you keep yourself free from sin? “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (I John 3:9)  To keep oneself from sin, you have to watch everything you say and do, and the outside sources that you expose yourself to. You also have to guard what your children say and do as well, so that they can grow up to be faithful Christians throughout their lives.
9.     Are you guarding your thoughts? “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (II Corinthians 10:5).
10.    Do you diligently resist the temptation to sin? “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:1-2). Whenever we are tempted to sin, God will always provide a way for us to escape the temptation without committing sin. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (I Corinthians 10:13).
        We need to be self-monitoring ourselves frequently to make sure that we are living the most authentic, faithful Christian lives possible. Of course, we cannot earn heaven, but we can do God’s Will everyday of our lives, and through His Good Grace and Mercy, receive Heaven as our reward! Any persecution and pain that we suffer in this life will be worth it in the end!

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"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19)

          “Patience is a virtue.” This is not an actual verse in the Bible, but the Bible does speak about the importance of patience in a Christian’s life. The word “patience” comes from the Greek word, hupomone, which, according to Thayer’s Greek Dictionary means “steadfast, constancy, and endurance.
           Patience, or, “longsuffering” is one of the descriptions of the Fruit of the Spirit; “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” (Galatians 5:22). As Christians, we are not to act in such a way that can cause us to be tempted to sin, or cause others to sin as well. Here are some ways that we can become more patient

1. Be longsuffering during . trials and mistreatment. Part of being a faithful Christian is dealing with persecution and mistreatment. Being patient or “longsuffering” means that you are able to deal with persecution and mistreatment from others for long periods of time without becoming spiritually weak and bitter. “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering…” (Ephesians 4:1-2). We must trust that God will take care of those who have wronged us, without us having to seek revenge ourselves. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19).
2. Control your temper!:  Just as James 1:19 says, we are to be “slow to wrath.”  When situations arise that causes us to be tempted to lash out in anger, we have to work to be longsuffering and patient during these times so that we do not commit sin. Standing up to adversity with a patient attitude will help us become better Christians. “My brethren, bcount it all joy cwhen you fall into various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces 1patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be 2perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4).
3. Be patient with God’s Timing: God knows everything about us! He knows our past, present and future, long before He ever placed us in our mother’s womb. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). God knows what lays ahead in our lives, and He knows what is best for us in the long run. So, when we go to God in prayer, asking Him to make something that we want to happen in our lives, happen, we must be patient and wait for Him to do what He sees fit.  God will always take care of us, if we are faithful and obedient to Him, Therefore, even if we are not seeing the outcome that we want right away in our lives, we must trust that God has our best interest in mind, and that He will make sure that we get what’s best for us. “5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Psalm 3:5-6).

          I believe that most people could practice more patience in their lives. In a world where instant gratification is expected, it takes a truly dedicated and spiritually strong Christian to exemplify the patience that God  wants us to have. We must remember that God’s Thoughts are much greater than ours, and that He will make sure that any situation that we face in our lives will have a good outcome if we are faithful to Him. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28).
 

   

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​      If you want to start each day right, you need to study your Bible every day! A great way to learn more about the Bible is through Bible Correspondence Courses!
          For years, I have used Bible Correspondence courses to teach people from all over the world  about the Word of God. I am currently using 3 Bible Correspondence Courses, and they are as follows; 

1. Studies In the Bible: This correspondence course, which teaches basic information about the Bible, is a 30 lesson course.  

1. Foundations of Faith:  which focuses on lessons concerning strengthening your faith in God. This is also a 30 lesson course.
2. Bible Correspondence Course by John Hurt: This 8-lesson course is full of pictures and has wonderful information concerning topics in the Old and New Testaments.

         If you are interested in participating in any of these Bible Correspondence Courses, please email me your name, mailing address, and which correspondence course you would like to participate in. Once I get your information, I will send you your first lesson to complete and send back to me for grading. After I have received and graded your work, I will send your graded work to you, along with the next lesson to complete until you have competed all 30 lessons in the course. After you have completed all 30 lessons of one course, you can begin the next correspondence course for free and complete all 30 lessons of that course. Once again, both Bible correspondence courses are free! 
       I hope that you will take time out of every day to study God’s Word so that you grow closer to God! You life will improve greatly if you do this! "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15). 

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​“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
            The next Fruit of the Spirit that Paul mentions in Galatians 5:22 is Peace.  The fruits that we should have in our lives are listed with those being:  love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,and  temperance.
Something that faithful Christians have that non-Christians and unfaithful Christians do not have is peace of mind. We, who are striving to live for Christ every day, have a peace within us and with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1) that cannot be taken away by external events and situations that may arise from time to time in our daily lives.
            We have this peace of mind when we are spiritually right with God. This sense of peace is not only a wonderful emotion that we, who are living for the Lord, possess, but it is also an understanding that sin separates us from God (Ephesians 2:1-3), and by turning away from sin, and turning wholly towards Christ, we have the hope of Heaven in the end! “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”(Hebrews 5:9). If we trust in God and are obedient to Him unto death, then we can truly have the peace that passeth all understanding!