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Why Are So Many Christians Unhappy?

Joy is the emotion of salvation. We rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory (1 Peter 1:. If you’re a Christian, the Spirit gives you soaring delight in Christ. His beauty and greatness thrill your soul. But quite a few believers struggle to experience joy. Why is that? Read more......


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

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There are many reasons to encourage optimism in our children, including long-lasting positive affects on their mental and physical well-being. (Did you know optimists are much more likely to live past 100?) But how do you go about raising an optimist? Put these six tips into practice, for starters, and watch the positive benefits extend to the rest of your household.... Read more. www.familynuggets.org


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

Your voice counts. Sign up and join the forum today which will take less than a minute. www.familynuggets.org

What are six sneaky little lies the Devil wants you to believe.


Everyone’s Doing It

If some Christians can do something that to them is not sin, then we can’t automatically think its okay for us. What if we have a guilty conscience after doing it (whatever it is)? That tells us something’s wrong. The lie from Satan is, “Everyone’s doing it

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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

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Self-control is a key to getting on well with others, performing well at school and feeling secure in ourselves.

Children who do not have it will display a variety of behaviours that indicate they are not in control of their actions, impulses or feelings.
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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

Your voice counts. Sign up and join the forum today which will take less than a minute. www.familynuggets.org

What does the Bible say about Christian fathers?”

Israelite history reveals that the father was to be diligent in instructing his children in the ways and words of the Lord for their own spiritual development and well-being. Read more..... www.beforegodanswer.com


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

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Who or what group of people is the most undervalued and underappreciated in churches today?


The Elderly

It seems that in our disposable society, when someone reaches a point where they cannot take care of themselves, they are pushed aside and moved into a nursing home or skilled nursing facility where they don’t have to be a burden to anyone anymore. Read more.... www.beforegodanswer.com

I want a baby, but my spouse does not. What do we do?
Question: "I want a baby, but my spouse does not. What do we do?" Answer: The Bible declares children to be a blessing. Psalm 127:3 says, "Behold, children are a ......... Read more...www.beforegodanswer.com


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

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We know that God promised great blessings to the nation Israel if they would obey God’s laws, but as we know, they fell into idolatry time after time and then fell into the hands of the enemy.So obedience would bring blessings while disobedience would bring curses. ..... Reaad more...... www.beforegodanswer.com


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

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My three kids are natural-born scientists. They’re full of questions, always experimenting to see how things work, and mesmerized by watching a tiny ant carrying a morsel of food. So when my daughter, Stella, started kindergarten, I was shocked to hear that her class studies science for only one hour each week. ...... Read more wwww.familynuggets.org


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

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Post to all married couple.

TEN (10) GOLDEN SECRETS OF MARRIAGE:
TO THOSE WHO ARE MARRIED AND THOSE PREPARING TO GET MARRIED SOON

1. EVERYONE YOU MARRY HAS A WEAKNESS

Only God has no weakness. Every rose flower has its own thorn. If you focus too much on your spouse’s weakness, you can’t get the best out of his/her strength.
Post to all married couple.

TEN (10) GOLDEN SECRETS OF MARRIAGE:
TO THOSE WHO ARE MARRIED AND THOSE PREPARING TO GET MARRIED SOON

1. EVERYONE YOU MARRY HAS A WEAKNESS

Only God has no weakness. Every rose flower has its own thorn. If you focus too much on your spouse’s weakness, you can’t get the best out of his/her strength. Read more.......www.familynuggets.org


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

Your voice counts. Sign up and join the forum today which will take less than a minute. www.familynuggets.org

Whether we even realize it or not, Christians are under spiritual attacks. We might not think about it that much, but that makes us even more vulnerable to the enemy’s ploys. This is why the Apostle Paul told the church at Ephesus, to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might,” (Eph 6:10), but how can we be “in the strength of his might?”. Read more..... www.beforegodanswer.com

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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

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We have two children – a 10-year-old daughter and a son who has just turned seven. Our son, Daniel, has almost total disregard for authority. He won’t make eye contact, or keep still when being told off (behaviour does not differ depending on who is telling him off). Even when he knows the rules at home and at school, he will do what he likes, when it suits him, and doesn’t actually seem to mind being put in time out. Read more.....www.familynuggets.org


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

Your voice counts. Sign up and join the forum today which will take less than a minute. www.familynuggets.org

Question: “What is divine healing?”

Answer: Divine healing involves a supernatural act which resolves a physical, emotional or spiritual problem. In a Christian context, the supernatural element is God, many times through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Read more..... www.beforegodanswer.com


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

Your voice counts. Sign up and join the forum today which will take less than a minute. www.beforegodanswer.com

Parenting on the same page


“Of course we will work as a team!” All couples intend to work together well in their parenting but most eventually admit it is a bigger challenge than they expected. It is an even bigger challenge when parents live in different houses or in a blended family situation.
Read more.....www.familynuggets.org


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

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What are the most famous/important questions in the Bible?”

Answer: There are many, many questions in the Bible. It is difficult to give a precise number because ancient Hebrew and Koine Greek did not use punctuation—we can’t just pull out the Dead Sea Scrolls and count the question marks! Often, it is difficult to know if a sentence is truly intended to be a question. But Bible scholars estimate that there are approximately 3,300 questions in the Bible.
Read more www.beforegodanswer.com


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

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Question: “Why does God allow good things to happen to bad people?”

Answer: This question is similar to its opposite: “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?” Both questions refer to what seems to be the perplexing injustice we witness every day. The 73rd Psalm is our answer to the very same questions that also tormented the psalmist. Read more..... www.beforegodanswer.com


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

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How to keep the friendship alive
I want to suggest that the best way to protect a couple’s relationship is as simple as learning to build and maintain a deep friendship – a solid, fail-proof foundation. None of us are immune to conflict and the potential of separation, and so we need to treat our relationship with our partner as something very precious to keep nurturing. Read details. www.familynuggets.org

Single parents, you’re not alone
It’s the catch cry of the toddler, that call to independence all parents hear at some point, “I can do it myself”. It’s the struggle to work out just how to stand on one foot while you get your jeans on, find a toilet in time or work out how to get the blocks stacked without them all crashing down to the floor. Read details. www.familynuggets.org


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

The most interesting part is that the site comes with a forum where we share opinion, ideas and read comments. What you read learn and share today will make a big difference for a better society. We can not do it along by our self.

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Question: “Why do so many people have to experience terrible suffering before death?”
Suffering is a universal part of our humanity that exists in a fallen world. The question of why there is suffering in death for some and not as much for others is really not answerable. Read more. www.beforegodanswer.com


Question: “Is it wrong to be angry with God?”
Being angry at God is something that many people, both believers and unbelievers, have wrestled with throughout time. When something tragic happens in our lives, we ask God the question, “Why?” because it is our natural response. Read more. www.beforegodanswer.com



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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

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If you have ever experienced culture shock, you’ll know how alarming it is to have all your subconscious ‘rules’ about how to survive and live, come crashing down as you are immersed in a country totally foreign to your own. Culture shock is a real phenomenon, and something similar is often experienced by two people when they get married or enter into an intimate relationship – even if their ‘cultural origins’ are the same.

We all tend to think that our way of doing things and approaching issues is more ‘normal’ than everyone else’s. As arguments flare over family protocol and manners, and loyalties to our extended families create conflict, we quickly discover what assumptions we have hidden below the surface. The types of assumptions we have may vary from the best way to discipline kids, to how to spend a Saturday morning, to which way the toilet roll should face! Perhaps you had no idea that you felt so strongly about the ‘under’ method (because that’s the way your family has always done it), until your partner replaced the toilet roll using the ‘over’ method.
We all tend to think that our way of doing things and approaching issues is more ‘normal’ than everyone else’s.
To sacrifice our views in the interest of compromise and family harmony can feel a lot like sacrificing a part of ourselves. The question, “Why should I be the one to compromise?” is a heartfelt cry I hear fairly often in my clinic. As a counsellor, I regularly see the need for couples to have a third party present when they’re discussing issues and topics that trigger some pretty strong reactions. This may not be necessary (depending on the issue), but sometimes having someone of moderate views and a common-sense approach around can help bring alternative tools and responses to the table.

With some good, honest communication, polarising issues can often be resolved by finding a ‘third way’ – a common language. Developing a common language has less to do with our mother tongue and culture of origin than it has to do with the depth of respect we have for our partner’s differences, and the level of awareness we have of our own differences. Respect for a ‘foreign’ perspective is maintained through negotiation (refer to issue 65 for more on this), faith in the other’s motives, giving the benefit of the doubt repeatedly, and learning how to hear deeply. Knowing what our own assumptions and triggers are will also lead to honesty and humility – key factors in having conversations that can lead to positive change.

Difference and diversity is a beautiful thing – and respecting it in one another is a great way to model respect to our kids. However, if your differences are becoming a point of constant tension in your relationship with your partner, it may be a good idea to seek some help

Source: theparentingplace


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

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Question: “Is being holy even possible, since only God is holy?”

Answer: Holiness is not only a possibility for the Christian; holiness is a requirement. “Without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). The difference between God and us is that He is inherently holy while we, on the other hand, only become holy in relationship to Christ and we only increase in practical holiness as we mature spiritually. The New Testament emphasizes the pursuit of holiness in this world and the final attainment of holiness in the world to come.

To be “holy” means that we are, first of all, “set apart for honorable use.” Whereas we were “once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures . . . God our Savior . . . saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:3-5; cf. 1 Corinthians 6:11). The Lord took the initiative to pull us out of our former lifestyles. He saved us, cleansed us, and set us apart for righteousness. If we have believed in Christ for salvation, we have been washed by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit and set apart from the world for godliness (see Romans 12:2).

However, the pursuit of holiness does not end when we come to Christ. In fact, it just begins! There is a positional holiness that we inherit at regeneration and a practical holiness which we must actively pursue. God expects us to cultivate a lifestyle of holiness (1 Peter 1:14-16) and commands us to “cleanse ourselves of all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1 NASB). Bringing holiness to “perfection” means that we should be increasing in spiritual fruitfulness every day. We are to consider ourselves “dead to sin” (Romans 6:11), refusing to revert back to our former lifestyles. In this way we “cleanse [ourselves] from what is dishonorable,” becoming vessels for “honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master . . . for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21). Holiness is the mark of every true Christian (1 John 3:9-10).

Cultivating a lifestyle of holiness does not mean that we must draft a list of do’s and don’ts to live by. We are free from the letter of the law which kills (2 Corinthians 3:6) and now live according to the dictates of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-18).

We are told, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13). In this verse, we see cooperation between God and His children in sanctification. We “work out” what God “works in” us, because God has a timeline for the virtues that He wishes to cultivate in our lives. Our responsibility is to yield to His wishes, “working out” with focused attention and great care those things that He is causing to grow in us. Holiness will not be brought to completion in our lives with no effort on our part. We are invited to participate in God’s work in us. We will not be “carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease,” as the old hymn says.

This is, perhaps, the most important lesson that we can learn as Christians. God’s ultimate desire for His people is that we be holy—conformed into the image of His Son, Jesus (Romans 8:29; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4). Holiness is the will of God for our lives.

Of course, the flesh is weak (Mark 14:38). None of us will reach sinless perfection in this world, but God has made provision for our sin. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Our pursuit of holiness in this world includes daily confessing and forsaking sin (see Hebrews 12:1-3).

God helps us in our weakness by giving us His Holy Spirit who reveals the mind of Christ to us and enables us to carry out His will (1 Corinthians 2:14-16; Philippians 2:13). When we yield to the Spirit, we become fruit-bearing Christians, yielding a harvest with which God is well pleased (Galatians 5:22-23). On the other hand, when we suppress the work of the Holy Spirit by rebelling against His will for us, we stifle the design of God, sabotage our own spiritual growth, and grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30).

If God was gracious enough to redeem us from sin and death and give us new life in Christ, the very least that we can do is offer our lives back to Him in complete surrender and holiness, which is for our benefit (cf. Deuteronomy 10:13). Because of God’s mercies, we should be living sacrifices, “holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1; cf. Deuteronomy 10:13). One day, in heaven, we will be free from sin and all its effects. Until then, we “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” and keep running our race (Hebrews 12:2).

Recommended Resource: Is God Really in Control? / The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges


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The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

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Question: “Should a Christian work as a bartender?”

Answer: As Christians, we are called to “go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15). Clearly, bars are usually filled with people who need to hear the gospel. Further, many people will open up to a bartender more than they would to some other random individual, especially when they are intoxicated. So, yes, a Christian might have some ministry opportunities while working as a bartender. However, working and building relationships in a sinful environment, surrounded by ungodly music, the abuse of alcohol, and sexual temptations for several hours a day is clearly unwise. “What fellowship does righteousness have with lawlessness? And what partnership does light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).

Realistically, after a long shift of serving drinks in a bar, would the spirit of a Christian be edified? Would he/she leave with an increasing hunger for God’s Word? Would his/her mind be filled with holy images? Would his/her thoughts be that of Philippians 4:8? Scripture clearly teaches us to “hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good” (Romans 12:9). Perhaps a Christian feels he/she would enjoy interacting with unbelievers to share the message of Jesus Christ. But is that the biblical model of evangelism, to share in their lifestyle? Yes, Jesus ate and drank with sinners (Matthew 11:19); however, with a heart of true compassion, His primary goal was, and still is, to save sinners. He never indulged in their lifestyle; rather, He commanded them to come out of it and live godly lives (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Many refer to 1 Corinthians 5:10 when debating over whether we should work in an environment where sin is prevalent. However, Paul is not encouraging us to enter into full-time business relations with the “fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters.” He is simply saying we cannot escape their company altogether: “In that case you would have to leave this world.” But we must not spend huge amounts of time with those indulging in evil lifestyles—as is certainly the case when working in a bar—in hopes of having a moment or two in which to share the gospel. Realistically, not many bar owners would tolerate a bartender who spent a majority of his/her time evangelizing the customers. He knows that would be detrimental to his bottom line. The fact is that people who go to bars are not usually in any frame of mind to hear the gospel.

As Christians, we are to obey the commandment of God to “abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22). So “let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy 2:19).

Recommended Resource: Balancing the Christian Life by Charles Ryrie

Please find time to visit our website site www.beforegodanswer.com

The knowledge and wisdom you have today can be a life changer for a better future. Some families and individuals have missed out to read what would help shape a better home and society. The best time to start is now. Nobody has all the answers.

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How to raise enthusiastic readers



There is something magical about the first time your child picks up a book and sits down to read it alone. At first it’s just to enjoy the pictures of a familiar story, one read so often they can recite it off by heart. Later on, it’s because they have enough words on board to decipher it themselves. This happens around the same time they start reading signs everywhere (including all the adult-orientated ones they then ask you to explain!)

Once your child is ready to read independently, you have an easy entertainment supply anywhere you go. It’s cheap, fun and quiet. Pretty much perfect really. Children are not drawn to reading naturally. It’s not part of their ‘normal’ development in the same way walking is. It’s our job to help them see a need to read, and to show our own enjoyment in it.

How to help your children love reading
Talking and relating to our children can be the single most powerful early reading activity we ever do with our preschoolers.
1. Start them early

Use board books with babies and toddlers. Read to them every day. A child who has had 1000 books read to them before five, is likely to find learning to read a simpler task once they get to five. That’s only one book a day over three years.

2. Use the library

It’s free! We were lucky to often get books given to us. But the library was a weekly visit when I had preschoolers. We’d often find books that were tatty and a little bedraggled for sale there for a dollar or less. We’d also pick up books at fairs, and secondhand shops. The idea is to have books easily accessible.

3. Make some books extra special

These books, which are for special settling times, or to be used for special cuddles, are put up high and are only to be shared with you. It helps children learn to honour and treasure books, and time with you. Other books should be accessible all the time.

4. Help children associate cuddles with books

I call it ‘catching the intimate moment’. This is your chief snuggling time, rather than in front of DVDs. They will request books so they can get snuggle time.

5. Make books with your children

They don’t need to be fancy or typed. Just write stories that record special trips, favourite stories about when you were a child, or about your family. One of our favourites is a book we made using a small photo album and photos of extended family. It paid off when my daughter met aunts and uncles for the first time and greeted them all by name!
It’s our job to help them see a need to read, and to show our own enjoyment in it.
6. Be prepared to read some favourites again and again (but feel free to say no to books you really hate)

This is contrary to much advice out there. The reasoning behind it is that our children will pick up on our disinterest towards a particular book (I used to have a strong aversion to some of the badly written fairy tale books out there!). If they really want it, they can either read it to themselves quietly or let you also read a book you really like (which means they get two). If a child is showing extreme disinterest, let them walk away.

7. Bring stories into your play

Talk about Goldilocks when making porridge, Cinderella when going out somewhere nice, and trolls while crossing over bridges.

8. Make costumes and props for book characters out of what you have on hand

Instead of buying ready made costumes, work with children to create simple costumes of their favourite characters. Get them to sit alongside you while you google some options (showing that we need reading to search for information).

9. Create a family cookbook of recipes together with your child

It can have recipes you’ve cooked together. Even just rifling through recipe books with children is a fun pastime.
This is your chief snuggling time, rather than in front of DVDs.
10. If you’ve got a ‘I can fix it’ child, provide them with plenty of how to craft and DIY books

Work through them together. Often they have step by step instructions alongside great photographs. They can “read” the photos and you can read the written instructions. This helps teach our children that they can use the pictures to help work out the words later on.

11. Use the language in books to help children learn about letters, punctuation and words

We used capital E’s in a book to teach my youngest Emily the beginning of her name. We used to go on E hunts, or get books out of the library with stories about Emilys. I wrote stories about the other two and read them. I found exclamation marks and asked them to count how many there were in a favourite book. Or I found the word ‘the’ and ask them to see if they could find me another one.

12. Model, model, model

Read as much as you can, anywhere you can when your children are around. Think of it as license to chill out with a magazine or a book while your children are up and around. The more they see you reading, the more they’ll expect it’s a normal part of their future too.

The more we talk to our children about the world, and give them real life experiences, the more we set them up to become a successful reader. If a child has never seen a swede and touched it, it’s hard to fully understand that word in a book. The simple act of selecting a fruit or vegetable they’ve never tried before, bringing it home and showing it to them uncooked, letting them touch it, help cook it if necessary then taste it creates a pile of learning experiences that prepares them for a life with books. Talking and relating to our children can be the single most powerful early reading activity we ever do with our pre-schoolers.


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What is an appropriate level of intimacy before marriage?”

Answer: Ephesians 5:3 tells us, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity…because these are improper for God’s holy people.” Anything that even “hints” of sexual immorality is inappropriate for a Christian. The Bible does not give us a list of what qualifies as a “hint” or tell us what physical activities are approved for a couple to engage in before marriage. However, just because the Bible does not specifically address the issue does not mean God approves of “pre-sexual” activity before marriage. By essence, pre-intimacy is designed to get one ready for sex. Logically then, pre-intimacy should be restricted to married couples. Anything that can be considered pre-intimacy should be avoided until marriage.

If there is any doubt whatsoever whether an activity is right for an unmarried couple, it should be avoided (Romans 14:23). Any and all sexual and pre-sexual activity should be restricted to married couples. An unmarried couple should avoid any activity that tempts them toward sex, that gives the appearance of immorality, or that could be considered pre-intimacy. Many pastors and Christian counselors strongly advise a couple to not go beyond holding hands, hugging, and light kissing before marriage. The more a married couple has to share exclusively between themselves, the more special and unique the sexual relationship in that marriage becomes.

Recommended Resource: Why True Love Waits by Josh McDowell



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“Is working on Sunday a sin?”

Answer: Working on Sunday is definitely not a sin. Working on Sunday is not prohibited in the Bible. The idea that Christians should not be working on Sunday comes from a misunderstanding of Old Testament Sabbath-keeping for the Israelites and its relation to Sunday worship for Christians. According to Exodus 20:8–11, the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week on which the Israelites were to rest in remembrance that God created the universe in six days and then “rested” on the seventh day. “Keeping the Sabbath holy” was defined as not working on the Sabbath.

When God provided manna in the desert during the Exodus wanderings, He commanded that the manna was to be gathered for six days only with enough gathered on the sixth day to feed the people during the Sabbath rest. Gathering the manna was considered to be work, just as planting and harvesting was considered work. Exodus 31:14–16 and 35:2 prescribed death for anyone who worked on the Sabbath. Buying and selling on the Sabbath day was also considered a desecration of the Sabbath (Nehemiah 13:15–17). Clearly, keeping the Sabbath day “holy” required the cessation of all work for the Israelites.

The Sabbath day was established so the Israelites would rest from their labors, only to begin again after a one-day rest. Why, then, do Christians not have to observe the same law? The key to understanding this is to see that the various elements of the Sabbath symbolized the coming of the Messiah, who would fulfill the Law by providing a permanent—as opposed to a one-day—rest for His people. With the establishment of the Old Testament Law, the Jews were constantly “laboring” to make themselves acceptable to God. Their labors included trying to obey all the commandments of the ceremonial law, the temple law, and the sacrificial law. Of course, they couldn’t possibly keep all those laws, so God provided an array of sin offerings and sacrifices so they could come to Him for forgiveness and restore fellowship with Him, but only temporarily.

Just as they began their physical labors after a one-day rest, so, too, did they have to continue to offer sacrifices. Hebrews 10:1 tells us that the law “can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.” But these sacrifices were offered in anticipation of the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross, who “after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). Jesus rested after performing the ultimate sacrifice—He ceased from His labor of atonement because there was nothing more to be done, ever. Because of what He did, we no longer have to “labor” in Law-keeping in order to be justified in the sight of God, and this includes the observance of the Sabbath. Jesus was sent so that we might rest in God and in what He has provided.

By saying, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27), Jesus was restating the principle that the Sabbath rest was instituted to relieve man of his labors, just as Jesus came to relieve us of our attempting to achieve salvation by our works. We no longer rest for only one day, but forever cease our laboring to attain God’s favor. Jesus is our rest from works now, just as He is the door to heaven, where we will rest in Him forever. There is no other Sabbath rest besides Jesus. He alone satisfies the requirements of the Law, and He alone provides the sacrifice that atones for sin. He is God’s plan for us to cease from the labor of our own works.

In Colossians 2:16–17 the apostle Paul declares, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” We are no longer commanded to cease working on the Sabbath, nor is Sunday now the “Christian Sabbath.” Although many Christians prefer to take Sunday off and spend at least part of it in corporate worship, working on Sunday is not sin. Many Christians, such as doctors and nurses, have no choice but to work on Sunday and, as a society, we should be very grateful to them. But Christians who work on Sunday should do so with the understanding that worship is not limited to any one day of the week but is to be an ongoing part of their lives.

Recommended Resource: The End of the Law: Mosaic Covenant in Pauline Theology by Jason Meyer


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Question: “Why is giving so emphasized in the Christian faith?”

Answer: Our God is a giving God. He is a God of abundance (John 10:10; James 1:5; Psalm 103:8; Isaiah 55:1-7; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Romans 5:20), and He loves to give. He sacrificed willingly on the cross and then invited us into fullness of life. As His children, we are called to imitate Him (Ephesians 5:1). Our generosity in giving is a demonstration of God’s character and a response to what He has done for us.

Christians are a light to the world (Matthew 5:14-16). As we become more and more who God has called us to be – more like Him – through the process of sanctification, we reflect God more and more. We become more loving, more gracious, and, yes, more giving. Because God is generous, we are also called to be generous. Generosity not only points others to God, it is an appropriate response to what God has done for us.

“To whom much has been given, much more will be expected.” This has become a common phrase in Western society. Its biblical roots are in Luke 12:48. Because we have been so freely loved, we now love others (John 13:34). Because we have been forgiven, we forgive others (Matthew 18:21-35). Our response to God’s abundance with us is to share that abundance with others. When we appropriately receive God’s generosity, it humbles us. We recognize that we are not worthy of His gift. Out of gratefulness, we become more gracious with others. We begin to learn the heart of God and want to be more like Him.

Generosity has positive effects in human relationships. When one person gives freely to another, the recipient often “passes forward” the gift. In the Christian life, the impetus is much greater. Jesus taught us that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

Not only does our giving demonstrate God’s character to the world, it results in increased faith for us. When we are willing to give, we declare that our faith does not depend on material possessions. Instead, we show that our faith is in God, who is always faithful to provide (1 Kings 17:7-16).

Christians are giving people, and, in giving, they lose nothing. As Bunyan wrote, “A man there was, tho’ some did count him mad, / The more he cast away the more he had.” When we give, we empty ourselves in order to be filled again by God. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38).

Recommended Resource: Perspectives on Tithing: 4 Views by David A. Croteau



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“Are men and women equal in God’s eyes?”

Answer: Yes, men and women are equal in God’s eyes in that both men and women are created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). Men and women are also equally sinners in need of grace and salvation. Redeemed men and women are equally forgiven, equally indwelt by the Holy Spirit, equally invited before the throne of grace, and equally heirs of God (Galatians 3:28).

In Genesis 2:18 the Lord says, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” After God creates the woman from Adam’s rib (Genesis 2:21–22), Adam proclaims, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man” (Genesis 2:23). We then read the first description of marriage: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Everything about this passage points to the fact that men and women are equal in God’s eyes. The woman was “suitable” for (not inferior to) the man, she was created from him, and she becomes “one flesh” with him in marriage.

Nowhere does Scripture imply that women are unequal to men in God’s eyes or that they should have less significance than men. Men and women have different roles in the home and in the church, but different roles do not indicate differing worth. A screwdriver has a different role in the carpenter’s shop than a hammer, but that doesn’t mean one tool is more valuable than the other. The roles of men and women are divinely designed to be complementary.

People who believe men and women are not equal in God’s eyes often have a misunderstanding of God’s Word. First Peter 3:7 says, “Husbands . . . be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” Some readers latch on to the word weaker and get offended. But what does it mean that the wife is the “weaker partner”? It has nothing to do with her mental or spiritual capabilities. It simply refers to the fact that a woman has a different physical makeup from a man. Men are naturally stronger, and, from the beginning of time, men have been the primary providers and protectors of their families. We find an allusion to this in God’s curse on Adam: “Through painful toil you will eat food from [the ground] all the days of your life” (Genesis 3:17). God’s curse on Eve explains the age-old battle of the sexes: “Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you” (verse 16), or, as the NLT has it, “You will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” The harmonious relationship between the man and woman was broken by sin, and God predicted a new dynamic would emerge. But, even in Eve’s curse, there is no hint of her inferiority or inequality.

People who take umbrage with Peter’s mention of a woman’s physical weakness completely miss the rest of 1 Peter 3:7, which clearly says that the husband and wife are spiritually equal. They are “heirs” of the “gift of life” together. A wife should be treated with “respect,” and a husband who fails to honor his wife will find that his prayers are “hindered.” The Amplified Bible renders the verse this way: “You husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way [with great gentleness and tact, and with an intelligent regard for the marriage relationship], as with someone physically weaker, since she is a woman. Show her honor and respect as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered or ineffective.”

Another passage that some people can get confused about is 1 Timothy 2:11–15, “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety” (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:34). In the church, women are not to exercise spiritual authority over men; that much is clear. The reasons for God’s directive for the church are also clear: the order of creation and the deception of Eve. Men, not women, are to be pastors; this difference in role, however, has no bearing on a woman’s intrinsic worth before God. A quarterback may call the plays on a football field, but that doesn’t make him any more valuable as a person than a tight end.

Those who focus on what women cannot do in 1 Timothy 2 often overlook what men cannot do in the same passage. Men will never experience the blessing of a life forming inside of them. Women are the only ones who can bear children (verse 15). The fact is, men and women have different, God-given roles, and those roles should be celebrated and assumed with thanksgiving.

Just because men have spiritual authority over women in the church doesn’t mean men are superior or that they have a special standing with God. It does mean that men bear a greater responsibility for the condition of the church and the family. Concerning the marriage relationship, 1 Corinthians 11:3 says, “The head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” Men will answer to God for how they lead their families and the church.

Are women and men equal? In some ways, yes, and, in some ways, no. Spiritually, men and women are absolutely equal. Physically, they are obviously not equal. God has chosen distinct roles for both men and women that they may complement each other in a way that most glorifies Himself. Women may be fragile in some regards, but so are many things that are most precious to us. Men and women should work together, each fulfilling their respective, distinct roles, for the common goal of glorifying God.

Recommended Resource: Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth: An Analysis of More Than 100 Disputed Questions by Wayne Grudem



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“Is there anything I can do to guarantee myself a long life?”

Answer: “‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise—‘that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth’” (Ephesians 6:3–4). In this passage, the apostle Paul is quoting from the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:12 specifically: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” This represents the only instance of God connecting long life as a reward for something we do. Is this promise of long life for honoring your parents true? And, if so, why is honoring your parents so highly valued to God that He rewards it with long life?

First, yes, the promise is true, but not in a universal sense. There are people who honored their parents but died young. And there are people who did not honor their parents but lived a long life. Therefore, it is a principle that is generally true. If you honor your parents, God will, generally speaking, reward you with a long life. However, this promise does not override other decisions we make that impact how long we live. For example, if a man honors his parents, but then decides to commit suicide, the act of suicide “negates” the reward of long life. The same can be said of those who engage in reckless and dangerous activities. God’s reward of long life for honoring parents does not miraculously make you immune from serious injury or death.

Again, the reward of long life for honoring your parents is a general principle, not a universal truth. God considers the way a child treats his/her parents so important that He usually rewards those who honor their parents with long life. Solomon urged children to respect their parents (Proverbs 1:8; 13:1; 30:17). Jeremiah 35:18–19 describes how God blessed the Rechabites for obeying their father. Disobedience to parents is a trait of those who rebel against God (Romans 1:30; 2 Timothy 3:2). This brings us to the second point. Why is honoring your parents so highly valued to God that He rewards it with long life?

There are at least two reasons for the value God places on honoring your parents. First, God entrusts parents with the responsibility to raise their children in a godly manner. The task of parenting is not easy. It is painful, stressful, expensive, and often unappreciated. For a child to not recognize, and be grateful for, the sacrifices parents make on his/her behalf is an affront to the position of authority and value God has given to parents. It is similar to how we are to respond to the government (Romans 13:1–7). If God has placed us under authority, to rebel against that authority is to rebel against God Himself.

The second reason God desires us to honor our parents is because our relationship with our earthly parents is an illustration of our relationship with our Heavenly Father. For example, Hebrews 12:5–11 compares the discipline a child receives from parents to the discipline believers in Christ receive from God. Just as our parents are our biological progenitors, God is our Creator. We are children of God and children of our parents. To dishonor our parents is to distort the picture of what our relationship with our Heavenly Father is to be.

Do you want to live a long life? Honor your parents. Why? Because God placed you under their authority and guidance, and because your attitude toward your parents is illustrative of your attitude toward God. While this reward is not universal—and while it does not override every other decision you make—it is still generally true. If you want to live a long life, honor those who gave you life in the first place.

Recommended Resource: Bible Answers for Almost all Your Questions by Elmer Towns

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ipobarecriminals:
NO! They should wear leaf

Just wish facts should be made or referred back to the bible. Why they should or why they should not

Five unexpected behaviours to expect from your teen

Between the ages of 8-12, your lovely child will go through a crazy stage called puberty. It will be awkward and unpredictable, but it’s only the beginning. Between the ages of 12-18 you may wonder if they are still your child. They will have lots of feelings, unrealistic desires and genuinely believe that reality TV is reality. Here is a list of five unexpected behaviours that you should expect from your teen.
Often it doesn’t seem like they are listening, but trust that your voice will be in their head because your opinion matters.
1. They will speak a different language

It’s normal to hear your teen using nothing but grunts, noises and weird slang to communicate. Some of these noises may sound like they are swearing in Swahili or imitating a goat. And that’s totally normal. Our language is developing faster than ever in this technological era and it will be hard for you to keep up. If you can’t understand them it probably means that there is a group of people who do understand them. This means that they belong somewhere, and that’s not a bad thing.

2. You won’t be funny anymore

When they were seven, they would laugh for hours if you said, “Venison’s dear, isn’t it?” But now at 16 they may just look at you with pity and disgust. (Little do they realise that in the future they will be regurgitating the same jokes to their kids). While your precious darlings are in the process of becoming adults, they develop their own sense of humour and are desperately trying to be cool. Sometimes this means they won’t laugh when you leave coffee cups on the lawn and tell them that it’s muggy outside. But don’t stop having fun. Fun is the glue that holds families together.

3. They will get into a relationship with a screen

Their phone will seem like their best friend. They’ll spend as much time with it as possible and they will wonder what it’s getting up to when they are not around. It’s easy to think that young people are addicted to technology, but what they are really addicted to is connection. Avoid taking away screen time without offering some alternative form of connection in its place. There are plenty of great ways to connect – sports, board games, or technology-free coffee dates.

4. They will do things that you don’t want them to
Fun is the glue that holds families together.
Every normal teenager will test the boundaries. They will break curfew, try and keep secrets or roller skate in their undies over the harbour bridge. (Okay, that last one is not normal.) You don’t want your wild teenager doing these things, and you should tell them that. Bestselling author, Diane Levy, recommends that you use this line – “You can do that if you want, but if you do, you are doing it without my permission.” Most teenagers don’t actually like disappointing their parents.

5. They still care about your opinion

While it might seem like the only thing they care about is their friends’ opinion of them and wearing the right shoes, your opinion is still incredibly important. A study involving around 12,000 teenagers found that adults have a powerful effect on their children’s behaviour, right through the high school years. As a parent, your job is to tell them what they need to hear even if it’s not what they want to hear. Often it doesn’t seem like they are listening, but trust that your voice will be in their head because your opinion matters. In fact, over 50 percent of New Zealand young people said the reason they didn’t drink at a party was because they didn’t want to let their parents down.



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“What makes Christianity unique?”

Answer: Is Christianity really unique, or is it just one of many roads on the path to Truth? Is Christianity truly unique among the many religions around the world? If it is, what makes it so? Unique among all religions, Christianity makes several claims that others do not. First, all other religions exhort man to reach up to God and grasp hold of Him through their own efforts. Christianity is the only religion where God reaches down to man. Second, other religions are systems of do’s and don’ts to appease God; whereas Christianity is a relationship with God. Third, Christianity looks to the Bible as the singular source of Truth. Finally, Christianity is based upon truly the most amazing event in all of human history—the resurrection.

As to the first issue, other forms of religion subscribe to a system of works—those we should do and those we should avoid—which will make us “good enough” to please God and merit His favor. Christianity, on the other hand, is based on the biblical principle that we can never be good enough to be in the presence of a perfect, holy God. The Mosaic Law was given to mankind to prove to us that we can’t keep it. Galatians 3 describes the purpose of the Law. It is a “tutor” or “schoolmaster” to lead us to Christ because “…by observing the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16). The impossibility of keeping the Law is revealed in what Jesus called the “first and greatest commandment” in Matthew 22:37: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This would mean loving God with every fiber of our being 24/7, with never a thought for ourselves, an impossible task for anyone. But rather than condemning us as law-breakers and leaving it at that, God provided a substitute—Jesus Christ—who obeyed the Law perfectly for us. By faith in Him and accepting His work on our behalf, we are justified and made righteous. Here is the crucial difference between Christianity and all other religions.

As to the second point, Christianity is not a religious system, but a relationship with God, one that He initiated and maintains. Christians believe that mankind was created specifically to have a relationship with God, but sin separates all men from Him (Romans 3:23, 5:12). Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ walked this earth, fully God, and yet fully man (Philippians 2:6-11), and died on the cross to restore the relationship that was broken by sin. After His death on the cross, Christ was buried, He rose again, and now lives at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for believers forever (Hebrews 7:25). The intimacy of this relationship is revealed in two poignant pictures. Now no longer seen as law-breakers, we have been adopted into God’s own family as His children (Ephesians 1:5). Even more intimately, believers are the very “body of Christ” of which He is the head (Ephesians 1:22-23), having been purchased by His blood (Hebrews 9:12). No other religion makes assertions that even begin to approximate this incredible truth.

Another thing that makes Christianity unique is its source of information. All religions have some sort of basis of information that outlines its beliefs and practices, but none have one source of information that makes the claims Christianity does about the Bible—it is the written Word of God, and it is infallible and inerrant and all that is necessary for faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16). Christians believe that the Bible is the inspired—literally “God-breathed”—Word of God and that its teaching is the final authority (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21). Though there are other religions that use prophecy, none are 100% accurate, as are those in the Bible, and none of them point to someone like Jesus who made incredible claims and performed incredible deeds.

Perhaps the most defining principle of Christianity that makes it truly unique in every way and provides its fundamental basis is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Within Christianity, the resurrection is vitally important, for without it, Christianity does not exist, and our faith is useless (1 Corinthians 15:14). It was Jesus’ resurrection that changed the lives of the disciples. After Jesus was crucified, the disciples ran and hid. But when they saw the risen Lord, they knew that all Jesus had said and done proved that He was indeed God in flesh. No other religious leader has died in full view of trained executioners, had a guarded tomb, and then rose three days later to appear to many people. The resurrection is proof of who Jesus is and that He did accomplish what He set out to do: provide the only means of redemption for mankind. Buddha did not rise from the dead. Muhammad did not rise from the dead. Confucius did not rise from the dead. Krishna did not rise from the dead. Only Jesus has physically risen from the dead, walked on water, claimed to be God, and raised others from the dead. He has conquered death. Only in Christianity do we have the person of Christ who claimed to be God, performed many miracles to prove His claim of divinity, died and rose from the dead, and claimed that He alone is “the way the truth and the life” (John 14:6) and that no one comes to the Father except through Him.

Recommended Resource: Jesus Among Other gods by Ravi Zacharias


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“Should Christian women wear pants?”

Answer: The question about whether Christian women should wear pants or slacks is an issue that is raised about externals when the life of the child of God should rather be about a spiritual relationship based upon our position in Christ as believers. The obedience of a child of God is not measured by what clothing we wear but by our walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16).

When looking at “doubtful things,” we need to use Scripture in context for the principles that will help us walk as believers, which means considering the dispensation and the whole counsel of God and not taking passages out of context. There is a passage in the Old Testament that speaks about a woman wearing men’s clothing: “A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this” (Deuteronomy 22:5). The context of this passage is the second giving of the law to the nation of Israel as they were poised to enter the Promised Land. Deuteronomy 22:5 is an admonition not to live as a transvestite. This has to do with more than just clothing; it also speaks of a life that emulates in every way those of the opposite sex. Transvestitism was a practice of the Canaanites, and Israel was to consider it an abomination. We take a principle from this and apply it to our lives as believers, but we must use it in the context in which it is given and do so in relation to the dispensation of grace.

The Apostle Paul wrote extensively on the difference between the law and grace in Romans. We are not justified by our adherence to the law, but we are justified by faith in Christ (Romans 3:21-28). The believer in Christ Jesus is “dead” to the constraints of the law. “But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code” (Romans 7:6). Therefore, a believer does not live by legalism, nor by license, but rather by grace.

What has that to do with a believing woman wearing pants? There is no biblical law that says what a woman should wear or not wear. Rather, the issue is one of modesty. Paul addresses the modesty of women in his first letter to Timothy. “I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God” (1 Timothy 2:9-10). The Greek word translated modest is kosmios, which occurs twice in the New Testament, once as “modest” in this passage and once as “of good behavior” in 1 Timothy 3:2. It came to mean “well-arranged, seemly, and modest.”

The word clothes is the Greek word katastole. The meaning of the word was “to send or to let down or lower.” It was primarily a garment that was let down and in that day referred to a stole or a loose outer garment worn by kings and persons of rank. Since we know that Paul was not speaking to people of rank, the context here is simply modest attire, and it does not specify what that entails. Paul addressed this issue here because the women in the church were trying to outdo each other in how they dressed, and the flashier the better. They were losing sight of the things that should adorn a godly woman—humility, sobriety, godliness, and good works. The words “dress modestly” are not used here in the context of specific garments, but rather to being clad in a modest covering. It should not be used to prove a prohibition against wearing pants (also see 1 Peter 3:3-4).

So, the issue is that a woman should wear modest clothing. Whether or not that includes a pair of slacks should be a matter for the woman’s own conscience before the LORD. If a woman allows her outward appearance to be the measure of her inward relationship with Christ, she is living under the constraints of legalism. Born-again women are free in Christ to wear whatever modest apparel they choose, and the only judgment they should be under is that of their own conscience. “Everything that does not come from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). We are not to allow our consciences to be dictated to by legalism and the consciences of others, but by our own relationship with Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). God will take care of the outward woman if we walk in obedience in the inward woman.

Recommended Resource: A Woman After God’s Own Heart by Elizabeth George



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