Monthly Archives: March 2013

Discipline of children, Guests

My Find

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A find I didn’t know I had.

Off and on for much of this fleeting Saturday, I have invested in studying for tomorrow’s Bible lesson during Sunday School hour at First Baptist Satsuma. And in the process I chased a number of rabbits. :) I do that often with the various study tools I have. This one is Logos. Isn’t it delightful when you find you have something you didn’t know you had?

So reading, clicking and exploring my Logos Library I found the following and decided I’d post a small portion of my find here. I am thinking of my grandchildren. Perhaps you have children or grandchildren that will come to  mind as well:

Selecting a Mate

Many young people have a romantic expectation of meeting someone who is erotically attractive and elicits a mysterious sense of compatibility. “Falling in love” hits like a powerful religious experience and is taken to be the voice of God: “This is the one for you.” Christian young people are sitting ducks for this deception.

They need compelling instruction that identifies Christian love as service love, founded on a decision, drawing from the emotions but not grounded in them. They also need wise criteria for selecting a spouse. We suggest they consider questions like the following:

—What kind of life is God calling you to live? What kind of spouse would support that?

—What kind of person would likely make a good father or mother for your children?

—What personality traits would put additional stress on your personal weaknesses?

—What are the important qualities in a spouse “for the long haul”? How do attractive appearance and an urbane sense of humor rate over time with a trait like faithfulness?[1]

I wonder how many divorces would have been avoided had the marriages been predicated on these criteria?  I also wonder how many godly homes would have been established?  It is not too late for this generation if our generation will make some changes. 

Food for thought.

Happy Saturday, my Friends,

Guests, Political awareness, Prayer Requests

Because we Need to Know & Pray

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VOM-USA Prayer Update for March 22, 2013

The Voice of the Martyrs USA: www.persecution.com

Pakistan—Christian Neighborhood Destroyed in Riot
Source: VOM Contacts

Romans 12:12

A mob of about 3,000 people looted and burned a Christian neighborhood in Lahore on March 9 after a man in the neighborhood was accused of blasphemy. The riot forced 200 families to flee. Mosque loudspeakers began to broadcast news of the blasphemy charge at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 8, and a mob of extremists appeared in the neighborhood at 9 the next morning. Terrified Christians fled their homes, remembering a 2009 riot in Gojra, Pakistan, in which eight Christians were killed, many more injured and at least 40 homes destroyed. As in Gojra, police in Lahore apparently stood by while the mob destroyed at least 175 homes in the neighborhood over a five-hour period. The man accused of blasphemy is in police custody.

Senegal—Brazilian Christians Remain in Jail After Conversion Complaint
Source: VOM Contacts

1 John 5:14

Two Brazilian Christians remain in prison in Senegal on charges of kidnapping and child trafficking. The Christians operated a home for street children, many of whom were members of Quranic schools that force their pupils to sleep on the streets. The home provided food, shelter and education to about 17 children. After one of the youths told his father he had become a Christian at the home, the boy’s father made accusations against Pastor Jose Dilson Alves Da Silva. Legal efforts and intervention by Brazilian diplomats have so far had no effect. “This is a prayer subject for all of us,” said VOM’s field worker in Senegal. “The only person who can solve this problem is the Lord.”

Turkey—Murder Conspirators Released on Bail
Source: VOM Contacts

Colossians 4:2

All but one of the 14 men arrested in a murder plot against Pastor Emre in Izmit have been released on bail, pending the investigation and trial. According to VOM’s field worker for the region, “Christians have to work harder than most people to get justice in Turkey, a country where victims need lawyers to push the justice system to pursue justice.” Pastor Emre has already offered forgiveness to the conspirators.

Laos—VOM Project

Pray for eight young Khmu women who are receiving training in biblical studies and in tailoring. The young women are daughters of pastors, ministry leaders and PSP workers. Some of their families have been directly persecuted, and many of them see opposition to Christianity in their villages.