Parenting/Family

Would You Complain about a Cripple? Would You Laugh at a Leper?

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mark ballenger love peopleThose who Jesus spent his time with were the very ones the Pharisees sought to avoid. It’s easy to pass judgment on the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, thinking we would never act as repulsively as them.

Jesus did heal the physically ill, but ultimately he came to heal the spiritually ill. Jesus performed miracles on the sick to symbolize how he alone is able to perform a miracle on the sinful. The mission field for all of us, if we are followers of Jesus, is not ultimately the physically sick, but the spiritually sinful.

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9 Biblical Ways to Avoid Being Deceived By a Leader

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How to avoid being deceived by others
(Note: Most of AGW’s content is much shorter. I’ve categorized this piece under “sermons” due to its length.)

In Genesis 20, Abimelech was deceived by Abraham. Abraham lied to Abimelech about Sarah being his sister rather than his wife. In Genesis 20:18 we see that Abimelech was negatively impacted by the deceit of Abraham. Abimelech did nothing but believe the words of Abraham, and yet God did not spare Abimelech of the consequences of following Abraham’s lies.

Likewise, when we are deceived by others and thus participate in their wrong doings, either inadvertently or otherwise, God still holds each of us accountable for doing the right things regardless if we were duped or not.

In short, God expects all of us to avoid being deceived by others. Thankfully, we can learn from Genesis 20:1-18 on how to avoid falling for the lies of others.

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What Does the Bible Say About Busyness?

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What Does the Bible Say About Busyness“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” -Psalm 46:10

The Bible says that busyness leads to doubt and a spiritual disconnection from God. In Psalm 46:10 there is a direct link between being still and knowing that God truly is God. If  we are too busy for God, our stillness before the Lord will vanish, along with our peace.

The sinful nature, the world, and Satan thrive when we are too busy for God. The Bible says, therefore, that if you want to know God, then you must avoid busyness.

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How to Get Someone to Forgive You

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how to get someone to fogive you
Luke 17:3-4, Colossians 3:12-17

How do you get someone to forgive you? As hard as we try not to, we all sin against those we love. Sometimes it is difficult for them to forgive us.

Whether it’s because we keep sinning against them the same way or because the sin we confessed was so hurtful (like cheating/adultery), there are times in life when we will confess our sins to those we have hurt, but they will struggle to forgive us.

Thankfully the Bible talks a lot about forgiveness. Here are five truths found in Scripture that will help answer the questions, “How do I get someone to forgive me?”

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3 Reasons to be Thankful for the Gospel

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Gospel thankfulness

It’s Thanksgiving and there is so many reasons to be thankful. James 1:16-18 states, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

It’s so easy to “be deceived” in thinking that we should accredit God’s blessings to other sources. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,” therefore God is the primary one who deserves our thankfulness.

Above all God’s gifts is the gospel of Jesus Christ, for “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” The gospel gives us endless and countless blessings. Here are at least 3 reasons Christians can be thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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Should Christians Watch TV? Is Watching TV Sinful?

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Should Christians Watch TV?
Bible Verses: “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! (Matthew 6:22-23)

Should a Christian watch TV, R rated movies, PG-13 rated movies, “Game of Thrones,” the “Big Bang Theory,” or soap operas? Should Christians watch anything on TV other than low budget, cheesy Christian movies that play too much slow, epic music throughout every scene of inner turmoil the main character goes through? To most of us, it seems “Christian entertainment” forgot the “entertainment” part.

So what’s a Christian to do who enjoys watching TV? Chuck the TV out the window? Suck it up and just watch “Fireproof” and other Kirk Cameron specials until reading through the genealogies and ceremonial lists found in the Old Testament begin to look like a better source of fun? Perhaps there’s a better way.

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Who Should Be the Spiritual Leader in the Home?

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Key Scriptures for this Article: Genesis 2:15-18, 1 Timothy 2:12-14
Bible Verses: Genesis 2:15-18, 1 Timothy 2:12-14

In a day and age where we are told as children that we can be whatever we want if we just try our hardest, to be told God has ordained men to be the spiritual leaders, not women, in the home and church is seen as a crime.

Regardless, the Bible makes clear that Christian men and women are equal and yet are to play different roles in their homes and churches, which is theologically described as complementarianism.

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Marriage, Parenting, and How to Not Let Children Take Over

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Testament or temptation

Ideally, children are supposed to be a sign pointing to the health of the marriage. A strong union of love will always create life in a selfless way.

Likewise, God was perfectly happy in communion with himself, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He had no need within him that caused a desire to create humans. Rather, his desire to create us was because he was so full of love and joy within himself, thus he made others out of love so they too could enjoy him. It was not an emptiness that made him make us, but the fullness within himself.

God’s creation is a testament to his love. So often with humans, however, the good we produce becomes a temptation to neglect those we love, mainly God.

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