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If you are a guy, you have been tempted with sexual sin. If you deny it, you are a liar or are you are dead. But there are some powerful principles for gaining victory over sexual sin and some great Scripture passages regarding the subject. Here are Perry Noble’s wise, succinct words. #1 – Who or what you pursue will ultimately determine what you do and who you become. It is a spiritual impossibility to pursue Jesus AND sexual sin at the same time. (Psalm 25:15) #2 – As a friend of mine has often said, “God is not after our begrudging submission but rather our joy!” And long term joy, peace and fulfillment are never the result of pursuing sexual sin. (Please read Proverbs 5, Proverbs 6 & Proverbs 7 for further confirmation in regards to this point.) #3 – Sexual sin is not something that can be “prayed away,” nor can we simply read Bible verses about grace after committing it in order to feel better. NOR can we simply promise God over and over that we won’t do it again (how’s that working for you?) We CAN be set free from it…but it will not be pretty. It must be confessed (James 5:16) and repented of (Revelation 2:21-23!) (I did not overcome my nearly 20 year battle with pornography until I confessed it and asked for help!) YES, it may “cost you” when it comes to your reputation…but remember, the costs of concealment are far greater than the costs of confession…and repentance is WAY more important than our reputation. #4 – Sexual sin costs us our spiritual esteem…people who are involved in sexual sin feel disconnected from God, guilty and spiritually dead. #5 – For those who want to STOP sinning sexually…a decision MUST be made to renew your mind (Romans 12:1-12,) to FIGHT the battles in your mind (II Corinthians 10:5) and to ask GODLY men and women to come along side of you and both encourage and spur you when necessary (Hebrews 10:24-25). (PS…this means you have to stop saying, “I messed up sexually.” OR, “I made a mistake!” Call it what it is…sin. AND stop meeting with people who are doing the same things that you are doing and so when you get together to “hold one another accountable” you are actually hoping that the other person “messed up” so that you don’t feel bad about doing so!) #6 – Understand that IN CHRIST you CAN have victory over sexual sin!!! (See Romans 8:37, I Corinthians 15:57, Philippians 4:13!) IN CHRIST you are NOT a victim but rather a receiver of VICTORY! If Jesus overcame DEATH then Christ in you can help you breakthrough the stronghold of sexual sin!!! (Luke 1:37!!!) #7 – For those who belong to Christ and are trying their best to pursue Him on a daily basis but are still haunted by a sexual past…remember that is who you WERE, it is not WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST!!! (II Corinthians 5:17!) Do not allow what used to defeat you to define you! You are no longer defined by what you did but rather by what CHRIST did for you on the cross!!!

Romans 14 is an excellent chapter for study in regard to making decisions concerning various issues not addressed in the Bible. Since most of what we do affects our relationships with others, study of this passage may help you reach a Christ-like decision that is best for you in your walk with the Lord, as well as your relationships with others. Often it is easy to fall into the practice of passing judgment on those whose thinking does not line up with our own regarding a particular issue. Rather than pass judgment, we are to accept one another (Romans 14:1). Matters of the conscience–those not strictly addressed in the Bible–must be settled in relationship to God (14:4, 7-8, 12, 22). Our actions should not bring condemnation on us. We should be completely convinced in our own mind concerning our convictions. If we have heard God correctly, we will have a clear conscience. Pleasing God is the determining factor for a clear conscience, not the opinions of others. We are not to do anything without believing that it is right. Everything that does not proceed from faith is sin (verse 23). We are, however, to guard our influence. Verses 13, 20, 21 say not to do anything that makes your brother stumble. Others are watching our walk as a Christian, therefore, it is important to keep in mind the higher law of love. The welfare of my brother is more important than my rights. Verse 16, 17 say, “Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The kingdom of God requires real righteousness, personal integrity, loving relationships with others, and a moral influence. How do we resolve the conflict that may arise when we feel released by the Lord to exercise our freedom to participate in an activity while others feel just as strongly that such participation is unChristlike? How do we accept others and refrain from passing judgment, yet still guard our influence and not cause another to stumble? The answer is by imitating Christ. What did Christ do? Obviously, we will encounter situations in today’s society which Christ did not encounter, yet we can always look to Him as our example for every decision. Look at the first few verses of Romans 15. Jesus glorified the Father (15:5-7). He accepted others (15:7). He became a servant of others on behalf of God’s truth (15:8-12). When our life in relationship to others is in conflict, imitate Christ. A good motto to follow is, “In essentials unity, in nonessentials liberty, in all things charity.” In Psalm 32:8, the Lord says that He will lead you and guide you in the way that you should go. You can be confident that He will make His will clear to you in this matter if you are diligently seeking Him. It is your responsibility to follow the leading of the Lord. Susannah Wesley said, “If anything hinders your relationship with God, for you it is sin.” Our place is to listen to what God says and not worry whether God is dealing more or less strictly with a brother or sister in the Lord. Our job is to hear and obey, not to judge. http://www.josh.org . Used by permission.

Have you heard about this church that’s building itself on a military metaphor? It’s led by a general, not a bishop. Their clergy are not referred to as pastors, priests or vicars – instead it’s captain, major, colonel and commander. Officers go through seven years of training and are barred from earning outside income. This church even tells officers whom they can and cannot marry. Membership requirements are rigorous. When you join this church, you are referred to as a soldier. You must sign a declaration of faith and practice known as Articles of War, and you are required to give volunteer service to the church. You’re required to abstain from all tobacco, illegal drugs and alcohol. The organization’s magazine is called War Cry! Sounds like some weird cult, doesn’t it? So what’s the name of this unusual church? The Salvation Army. You may not realize it, but the Salvation Army is a church. Unlike most churches, it’s not known for its worship services. Instead, it’s known for helping people. And no church feeds more, clothes more or comforts more. The church has only about 600,000 members, but this year alone it will help more than 30 million people. The Salvation Army is at work in more than 100 countries around the globe. How is it possible to accomplish so much with so few members? While most churches are built around an academic model, the Salvationists are building on a military model. The entire church is structured for outreach. As a result of this structure, this relatively small denomination is able to accomplish more social service than all other denominations combined. What lessons can the local church learn from the Salvation Army? A masculine organizational model is desirable. By using a military metaphor, the Army. High standards are good. Call many, choose few. Effectiveness is more important than size. Most churches try to be everything to everyone. But a church that focuses like a laser on a particular aspect of the gospel will outperform the multi-focused church every time. It’s time to lift the de facto ban on military imagery and songs in the church. How long has it been since we’ve been allowed to sing Onward Christian Soldiers? Military imagery does not create violent men; it helps them focus their passions on the good fight. Instead of gender neutralizing our churches, we should celebrate both masculine and feminine expression. Androgyny has no place in God’s creation.

God has promised so many gifts for His children. Here are just a few. Gifts from Romans 5 : 1. Justified by faith (v. 1) We have a right standing with God because we have been declared righteous before Him. This is a legal verdict, and it includes: pardon from the guilt and penalty of sin; imputation of our sin to Christ’s account; our sins no longer counted against us; Christ’s righteousness credited to our account; and God declaring us “righteous,” solely on the merits of Christ’s righteousness. 2. Peace with God (v. 1) We are no longer God’s enemy. “God has declared Himself to be at war with every human being because of man’s sinful rebellion against Him and His laws. But the first great result of justification is that the sinner’s war with God is ended forever.” (John McArthur) 3. Access to the Father (v. 2) The access that was unthinkable in the Old Testament is now made possible through Jesus Christ. 4. Stand before God in grace (v. 2) In God’s saving grace, we enjoy a permanent, secure position. We also have sanctifying grace, sustaining grace, enabling grace, and suffering grace. Our position is not based in our own performance, but in God’s. 5. Hope of the glory of God (v. 2) “Hope” does not speak of uncertainty, but of something that is certain, but not yet realized. Our ultimate destiny is to share in the glory of God. 6. Suffering and tribulation (v. 3) Trials are the “pressure” that, like a “juicer,” produces the sweet “juice” of perseverance, endurance, character, and hope. This gift comes especially as a result of our relationship with Christ or because we choose to do right. 7. Love of God (v. 5) is lavished on us, overflowing in us. Understanding His great love for us will result in overflowing love for Him. 8. The precious Holy Spirit (v. 5) He lives in us: “God has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” ( 2 Cor. 5:5 ). The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, comforts us, makes Christ known to us, teaches us the truth, and guides us. 9. Saved from God’s wrath (v. 9) Christ bore the full fury of God’s wrath against us and our sin. 10. Reconciled to God (vv. 10-11) Formerly separated and alienated from God, we are now brought to a state of right relationship with Him. Gifts from Ephesians 1:1-8 11. Adopted into God’s family (v. 4) God is our Father. We are children of God with a new nature, in a new family relationship. We bear God’s likeness. 12. Redemption through His blood (v. 7) This is a word picture from the ancient slave markets. A redeemer paid the necessary ransom to purchase the prisoner or slave’s release from bondage. We can sing, “Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child, and forever, I am.” 13. Forgiveness of sins (v. 7) In the words of another song: “My sin–oh, the bliss of this glorious thought–my sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul.” Forgiveness leads to joy: “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” ( Ps. 32:1 ) Because of the blood of Jesus, God is faithful to forgive our sins–past, present, and future ( 1 John 1:9 ). 14. Purpose for living (vv. 12, 14) We exist “for the praise of His glory.” Gifts revealed in other scriptures: 15. The righteousness of Christ ( 2 Cor. 5:21 ) Christ’s righteousness comes in exchange for our sinfulness. 16. Christ in you ( Col. 1:27 ; Gal. 2:20 ) He is our “hope of glory,” and the perspective of our lives is “no longer I, but Christ.” 17. Life ( 1 John 5:11-13 ) We have eternal life, which speaks of its quantity (length), and we have abundant life, which speaks of its quality. We are spiritually alive because we are in relationship with Jesus, partaking of His life. 18. Mercy ( Ps. 103:10-11 ) God does not treat us as our sins deserve, or repay us according to our iniquities. We will experience His unmerited mercy throughout our entire life. 19. The peace of God ( Phil. 4:6-7 ) God’s peace, which comes as a result of prayer, stands guard in our hearts and minds. 20. Joy ( Ps. 16:11 ; 1 Peter 1:3-9 ; 4:13 , 14 ) In God’s presence, there is “fullness of joy.” Far more than earthly happiness, we receive “exceeding joy,” a joy not based on circumstances. There is even joy as we endure trials of our faith, partaking in Christ’s sufferings and reproach. 21. Victory over sin ( Romans 6:6-23 ) We are “freed” from the power of sin. When we reckon ourselves to be “dead” unto sin (crucified with Christ), and yield our bodies to God as instruments of righteousness, we are no longer under the dominion of our flesh. 22. The Body of Christ ( 1 Cor. 12:12-27 ; Romans 12:5 ) We instantly have countless “brothers and sisters” in the family of God and are “members one of another.” 23. Spiritual gifts ( 1 Cor. 12:4-7 ; 1 Peter 4:10 ; Rom. 12:6-8 ; Eph. 4:7 , 11-16 ) Every believer has one or more spiritual gifts-which are to be used to glorify God and edify the Body of Christ. 24. Future glory ( Rom 8:17-18 ) As heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, we will be glorified in heaven. 25. Two great intercessors ( Heb. 7:25 ; Rom. 8:34 ; Rom. 8:26 ) Jesus intercedes for us in heaven, and the Holy Spirit intercedes within us. 26. The power of God ( Eph. 1:18-20 ) We begin to understand how God uses His exceedingly great and mighty power on our behalf. 27. Prayer ( Heb. 4:16 ; Phil. 4:6 ) We are encouraged to “come boldly unto the throne of grace” and to let our “requests be made known unto God.” Remember: “Oh, what peace we often forfeit… when we do not carry everything to God in prayer.” 28. Wisdom ( Prov. 2:6 ; James 1:5 ) Man may have knowledge, but true wisdom comes from God. He enables us to see from His perspective. Want more wisdom? “Ask of God.” 29. A home in heaven ( John 14:2-3 ) Christ is preparing a place for us in our Father’s house. 30. Freedom from fear ( Ps. 23:4 ) God’s presence makes all the difference in the world. Because God was with Him, the Psalmist said, “I will fear no evil.” 31. No condemnation ( Rom. 8:1 ) While the Law condemns, there is no condemnation in Christ, our Deliverer. 32. An advocate ( 1 John 2:1 ; Rev. 12:10 ) We have a defense attorney in heaven: “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.” Jesus defends us against the prosecution, Satan, who accuses believers day and night. 33. Future rewards ( 1 Cor. 3:11-15 ; 2 Cor. 5:10 ) Rewards will be given for faithfulness and for service. 34. The presence of God ( Matt. 28:20 ; Heb.13:5b )-His loving presence is continuous: “I am with you always.” The changeless Christ will never leave or forsake His own. 35. The Word of God ( Ps. 119:105 ; John 17:17 ; John 15:3 ) Not only is the precious Word a light to illumine our path, it also sanctifies and cleanses us. 36. Provision ( Ps. 37:25 ) The Psalmist said, “I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” God’s provision is expressed in a powerful church hymn, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”–“All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided.” 37. Guidance ( Psalm 23:3 ) David said, “He leads me in paths of righteousness . . .” All we have to do is follow and obey. 38. Protection against the enemy ( Ps. 121:1-8 ; Eph. 6:10-17 ) God, who never sleeps and is always watching over us, gives us His armor for protection, and His presence preserves us from evil “evermore.” God gives us victory over Satan. 39. All spiritual blessings ( Eph. 1:3 ) “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” 40. He restores my soul ( Ps. 23:2-3 ) “He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” 41. A future inheritance ( 1 Peter 1:3-4 ; Eph. 1:13 ; Rom. 8:17 ; 1 Cor. 3:21-23 ) Christians will receive “an inheritance that is imperishable” and “kept in heaven.” 42. Kept by God ( Ps. 121:5-8 ; 1 Peter 1:5 ; Jude 24 ) God’s power will keep us from all evil. 43. Life and godliness ( 2 Peter 1:3 ) God’s power gives us “all things pertaining to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him.” 44. Great promises ( 2 Peter 1:4 ) God has “granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of this divine nature.” 45. Call to ministry ( Gal. 1:15 ; Eph. 3:7-8 ; 1 Tim. 1:12 ) “He who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace.”

Why Men Hate Going to Church is a best-selling book by David Murrow, founder of www.churchformen.com . He offers invaluable information pastors and church leaders should digest. If we take Murrow’s work seriously (and we should), we will change the way we do church forever. Here are just a few statistics we should know: The typical U.S. Congregation draws an adult crowd that’s 61% female, 39% male. This gender gap shows up in all age categories. [1] On any given Sunday there are 13 million more adult women than men in America’s churches. [2] This Sunday almost 25 percent of married, churchgoing women will worship without their husbands. [3] Midweek activities often draw 70 to 80 percent female participants. [4] The majority of church employees are women (except for ordained clergy, who are overwhelmingly male). [5] Over 70 percent of the boys who are being raised in church will abandon it during their teens and twenties. Many of these boys will never return. [6] More than 90 percent of American men believe in God, and five out of six call themselves Christians. But only one out of six attend church on a given Sunday. The average man accepts the reality of Jesus Christ, but fails to see any value in going to church. [7] Churches overseas report gender gaps of up to 9 women for every adult man in attendance. [8] Christian universities are becoming convents. The typical Christian college in the U.S. enrolls almost 2 women for every 1 man. [9] Fewer than 10% of U.S. churches are able to establish or maintain a vibrant men’s ministry. [10] Church is good for men: Churchgoers are more likely to be married and express a higher level of satisfaction with life. Church involvement is the most important predictor of marital stability and happiness. [11] Church involvement moves people out of poverty. Its also correlated with less depression, more self-esteem and greater family and marital happiness. [12] Religious participation leads men to become more engaged husbands and fathers. [13] Teens with religious fathers are more likely to say they enjoy spending time with dad and that they admire him. [14] And men are good for the church: A study from Hartford Seminary found that the presence of involved men was statistically correlated with church growth, health, and harmony. Meanwhile, a lack of male participation is strongly associated with congregational decline. [15] FOOTNOTES: [1] “U.S. Congregational Life Survey – Key Findings,” 29 October 2003, < www.uscongregations.org/key.htm >. [2] This statistic comes from Barna’s figures on male/female worship attendance, overlayed upon the Census 2000 numbers for adult men and women in the U.S. population. [3] I came up with this figure by taking the U.S. Census 2000 numbers for total married adults and overlaying Barna Research’s year 2000 percentages of male vs. female attendance at weekly worship services. The figures suggest at least 24.5 million married women attend church on a given weekend, but only 19 million married men attend. That’s 5.5 million more women, or 22.5%. The actual number may be even higher, because married people attend church in much greater numbers than singles. [4] Barna Research Online, “Women are the Backbone of Christian Congregations in America,” 6 March 2000, < www.barna.org >. [5] Ibid. [6] “LifeWay Research Uncovers Reasons 18 to 22 Year Olds Drop Out of Church,” PowerPoint presentation accompanying study, available at the LifeWay Web site, http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0,1703,A=165949&M=200906,00.html , accessed 12 September 2007. [7] Barna, “Women are the Backbone of Christian Congregations in America.” [8] I get an e-mail message about once a month from a pastor overseas whose congregation is almost totally female. [9] Camerin Courtney, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Christianity Today, Single Minded. View at http://www.christianitytoday.com/singles/newsletter/mind40630.html . [10] Based on a show of hands at the National Coalition of Men’s Ministries meeting in 2005. The consensus in the room among hundreds of men’s ministry experts was that less than 10% of congregations had any ongoing ministry to men. Compare this to the 110% of churches that offer women’s and children’s ministries. [11, 12] “Why Religion Matters: The Impact of Religious Practice on Social Stability ,” The Heritage Foundation Backgrounder, 1064, 25 January 1996,  < www.heritage.org >. [13] Penny Edgell (Becker) and Heather Hofmeister, “Work, Family and Religious Involvement for Men and Women,” Hartford Institute for Religion Research, < http://hirr.hartsem.edu >. [14] Christian Smith and Phillip Kim, “Religious Youth Are More Likely to Have Positive Relationships with Their Fathers,” University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 12 July 2002, findings based on the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1997). [15] C. Kirk Hadaway, FACTs on Growth: A new look at the dynamics of growth and decline in American congregations based on the Faith Communities Today 2005 national survey of Congregations. Hartford Institute for Religion Research, http://hirr.hartsem.edu . Read Why Men Hate Going to Church , David Murrow, Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005, or to book David for a conference, visit www.churchformen.com

I have learned that my faith in Christ is an intelligent faith. It is based on the weight of the evidence. This brings my mind and my heart into harmony, for I trust Christ with my whole mind, will, and emotions. Intelligent faith provides meaning and purpose for my everyday circumstances, for I see how they fit into God’s plan for my life. That intelligent faith enables me to apply truth to my life, knowing that everyday circumstances can be God’s tools for making me become like Him. Faith reveals God’s purpose for me.   The man without God says: “You and I control our own destiny. God expects us to make things happen. Faith may give you peace and the freedom to find meaning for yourself, but remember, faith is a private matter. The important thing is for each person to determine his own purpose in life, hoping in some way to leave a lasting impression on the world…”   But God invites us to ask, seek, and knock. This requires the use of our minds, for He wants to share with us His intimate secrets so that we may relate truth to our everyday living.   1. Understanding requires application   Understanding takes place when we know how to apply truth correctly. Simply knowing a truth or principle without applying it with the hearts is not satisfactory.   “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good life, his deeds performed in the gentleness of wisdom” ( James 3:13 ).   “And the one on whom sees was sown on the good ground, this is the man who hears the Word and understands it; who indeed produces a crop, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty” ( Matthew 13:23 ).   Intelligent faith unites the intellectual evaluation of truth and inward perception of the heart with its application to our lives. We glorify God when our faith results in the mind and heart joining together to produce godly behavior.   2. Understanding requires association.   In some of the richest language of Scripture, Paul emphasizes that the key to understanding is knowing Christ.   “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” ( Philippians 3:8 ).   “…That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…” ( Philippians 3:10 ).   Understanding with our hearts and minds how truth applies depends upon our knowing Christ well. As believers, our hope is founded upon the intimacy of our relationship with Christ.   3. Understanding requires examination.   The early church leaders frequently urged believers to evaluate intelligently any doctrine they received. They gave their converts solid criteria for judging doctrine ( 2 Corinthians 11:4-15 ; Galatians 1:6-9 ).   A stimulating challenge to us, as believers, is the example of the Bereans. Pail and Silas preached the gospel to the Bereans, who didn’t just accept this new doctrine blindly. ( Acts 17:10-15 ).   The Bereans were not about to accept something just because missionaries in sandals came along and taught it! The Apostle Paul did not discourage their open-minded search by saying, “Just believe.” Examining the Scriptures to understand how to apply God’s truth to our own lives is the only sure way of establishing a solid foundation for our faith.   II. Intelligent faith provides purpose ( Romans 8:28-39 ).   Faith is the assurance of the heart, resting in the adequacy of the evidence.   Certainty about God’s control comes when I intelligently submit, surrender, rest in, acknowledge and accept His work in my life. This creates a deep conviction that God does have a plan for me to follow. I am a person of destiny!   God, who is in control of the events of every believer’s life, focuses even apparently meaningless events into one meaningful purpose. His plan is to make us like His Son Jesus. He is at work in each experience and circumstance to give us the opportunity to trust intelligently in His control. And while God does not will adverse conditions or circumstances upon us, He is able to use them to achieve the goals of making us more like Christ.   Intelligently understanding the basis of my faith leads to a deeper understanding of God’s purpose for every circumstance I face. He does not want me to accept blindly what comes; rather; He delights in my humble search to know Him and His plan for me. When I acknowledge and submit to His sovereign control, I discover how He uses my present circumstances to create in me the family likeness of His Son. He wishes to use even mundane events as opportunities for me to trust in His control.

A successful businessman was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together. He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. “The young executives were Shocked, but the boss continued. “I am going to give each one of you a SEED today – one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.” One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if I had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. The president called all of the executives into the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful—in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him! When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown,” said the CEO. “Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!” All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, “The CEO knows I’m a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!” When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed – Jim told him the story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, “Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!” Jim couldn’t believe it. Jim couldn’t even grow his seed. “How could he be the new CEO?” the others said. Then the CEO said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead – it was not possible for them to grow. So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!” ·      If you plant honesty, you will reap trust ·      If you plant goodness, you will reap friends ·      If you plant humility, you will reap greatness ·      If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment ·      If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective ·      If you plant hard work, you will reap success   Think about this for a minute….   If I happened to show up on your door step crying, would you care? If I called you and asked you to pick me up because something happened, would you come? If I had one day left to live my life, would you be part of that last day? If I needed a shoulder to cry on, would you give me yours?  This is a test to see who your real friends are or if you are just someone to talk to. Do you know what the relationship is between your two eyes? They blink together, they move together, they cry together, they see things together, and they sleep together, but they never see each other; ….that’s what friendship is.. Your aspiration is your motivation, your motivation is your belief, your belief is your peace, your peace is your target, your target is heaven, and life is like hard core torture without it!

Angels are spiritual beings, usually invisible, although they can take on human forms. We learn in Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 10 there are different types of angels.  Angels serve as messengers.  Angels serve as protectors.  And you don’t know when you might encounter one.  But they are not to be prayed to.   Hebrews 13:2 reads: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”   Twenty-two years ago the Southeast Church bus was out in the middle of nowhere on the WK Parkway, bringing about 25 kids back from church camp.  That night the steering column malfunctioned and the bus was going about 60 mph when it wrecked in a ditch.  About five or six kids had to be taken to the hospital but fortunately there were no life-threatening injuries.   But right after the wreck, there was a man who helped the kids get out of the bus and tried to comfort them and encourage them during those frightening moments while some were still in shock.  Later, as they compared notes, they realized that many of them had the same story: they had come in contact with this same calming and helpful man (he was wearing a cap), but what was strange to those who had been comforted by him, was that no one saw him come on the scene, nor did anyone see him leave.  At that stage, when it initially happened out in the middle of nowhere, there was no other vehicle on the scene as he helped the kids off of the bus.  Now was that an angel?  Could be…or it could have been a very unusual coincidence when that exact moment a man was out walking along the edge of acres of farmland with no house in sight.    Matthew 18:10 is where the concept of guardian angels for kids originated. Jesus says: “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.  For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”   These angels aren’t to be prayed to—only God is worthy of our prayers.  And while I would guess that most of those are unseen beings, obviously some are visible or else the Hebrew writer wouldn’t say that, at times, we’ve been unaware that we have been socializing and greeting angels.   Evidently, angel appearances are quite rare.  Throughout the entire time period of the Bible, spanning some thousands of years, an angel appears only a dozen times or so.  So on Monday don’t expect a divine apparition to show up at your cubicle!   Angels typically were delivering some type of a message.  They are trying to convey God’s plan for a situation in which they find themselves.  At Christmas, we see angels everywhere—on front lawns, in nativity sets, in children’s plays, and in malls (though you probably won’t see a lot of angels in the parking lots of malls!), but you will see figurines.  Here’s what I’m hoping…I’m hoping that whenever you see an angel you will immediately think: God is at work—unfolding His plan .   We look at life as though we’re looking at the backside of a tapestry.  Every thread looks jumbled up and it has no meaning.  But God sees our lives from the correct side – the eternal side – and from his vantage point every thread has a purpose.  The tapestry was woven together so that when it was completed, from one side it would make sense and it would be beautiful.   Throughout Biblical times and even today there are plenty of moments when we aren’t sure why things happen the way they do.  In some of those rare occurrences God allowed angels to clarify His plan to help with the process.  You see, angels are images of providence.

Me. Myself. And I. The three people we tend to care about the most in western civilization. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, the sickness of self-absorption has infected all of humanity, but it has particularly affected segments of the population that have adopted cultural values that revolve around the preservation of personal happiness. We are narcissists. In their book, The Narcissism Epidemic, psychologists Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell explore the rise of narcissism in American culture… Understanding the narcissism epidemic is important because its long-term consequences are destructive to society. American culture’s focus on self-admiration has caused a flight from reality to the land of grandiose fantasy. We have phony rich people (with interest-only mortgages and piles of debt), phony beauty (with plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures), phony athletes (with performance-enhancing drugs), phony celebrities (via reality TV and YouTube), phony genius students (with grade inflation), a phony national economy (with $18 trillion of government debt), phony feelings of being special among children (with parenting and education focused on self-esteem), and phony friends (with the social networking explosion). All this fantasy might feel good, but, unfortunately, reality always wins. The mortgage meltdown and the resulting financial crisis are just one demonstration of how inflated desires eventually crash to earth. So how do you know when you’re a carrier of this deadly disease? Well, first of all, you are. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.– I saiah 53:7 NLT Obviously, some of us are affected by the narcissism more than others. There are plenty of people in our society who commit selfless acts of kindness on a daily basis and even heroic self-sacrificing deeds on occasion. We support causes, give to charity, and try to protect the people we love. But on the whole, we’re still highly concerned with protecting and providing for ourselves above anyone else. Thankfully, narcissism is a disease with a cure. But few people will discover the antidote and among those who hear about its healing power will be willing to swallow it entirely, having counted the cost of doing so. The cure for our narcissism epidemic is found in the cross. Jesus put it this way: Jesus told his disciples, “The nation’s leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law of Moses will make the Son of Man suffer terribly. They will reject him and kill him, but three days later he will rise to life.” Then Jesus said to all the people: If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross each day and follow me. If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will save it. What will you gain, if you own the whole world but destroy yourself or waste your life? Luke 9:22-25 CEV Practice self-forgetfulness. Take up your cross. Daily. Follow Jesus. That’s it. Stop focusing on your own wants and desires above all others and instead, embrace your cross on a daily basis and follow the example of Jesus in every possible way. And what does it mean to take up your cross? Well, it’s not about trying harder, doing better, or improving self. That’s all junk that came from our narcissism to begin with. Taking up our cross is a choice we must consciously make, but the cross we bear isn’t ours to choose. Just as Jesus submitted himself to every single detail of the painful plan of God for his life down to the last drop of blood he spilled on the cross, so we must choose to recognize that God himself is the very center of our universe and His will supersedes ours in every way. Whether life or death, happiness or suffering, taking up our cross involves us saying, as Jesus did in the garden on the eve of his death, “whatever you will, God.” Think of it this way. You don’t fly to Chicago. You can try, but your arms will get rather tired. What you can do is decide to get on the plane and allow yourself to go where the pilot takes you. Furthermore, the choice to take up our cross and follow Jesus is both a one-time decision as well as a daily series of decisions. I’m still learning to follow Him. I’m still fighting the remaining effects of the disease of narcissism. Thankfully, when I fail, I get to fall on the inexhaustible grace of God, look back to Jesus, and start following him again. The antidote is within reach. It’s free for the taking. Salvation is a gift from the Father of the One who died to make our redemption possible. Re-printed from www.brandoncox.com. Visit www.gracehillschurch.com.

Guest Author: Dr. Faydra Shapiro Introductions are funny things – sometimes it’s what is unsaid, what is assumed, that can tell you the most. Several years ago I gave a talk at a church in North America about Israel and Jewish-Christian relations. The listeners were very encouraging and as the talk drew to a close I felt I had really done a superb job of teaching and inspiring the audience. Until the moment when one elderly gentleman stood up to ask me a question. He said: “Thank you very much, Dr. Shapiro. That was a great talk. But one thing you didn’t really speak about was the role of your faith in Jesus Christ”. “Oh, dear”, I thought, my heart sinking. Clearly I had done a brilliant job, but I had missed an essential point. Since that day I take the time to state it plainly and for the record: I am a Jew. Admittedly a Jew with an out-of-the-ordinary interest in Christianity and the New Testament, but still, simply, an “Orthodox” Jew. That doesn’t necessarily matter much, but it’s always useful to know where a person is coming from. Today I want to discuss an issue that comes up often in my conversations with Christian – almost always evangelical – friends and students. This is the matter of “having a relationship with God”, and the belief that this is one of the benefits of the Jesus path. While I do recognize that the whole rhetoric of “relationship not religion” is a product of 1970s popular American evangelicalism, it is an attiude that has important implications even if it might not be mobilized by many Christians. Now again, let’s pay attention to the unsaid. Having a relationship with God as opposed to what? The other (clearly undesirable) option is “religion”. So with Jesus one can ostensibly have something true and immediate – a personal relationship with God, whereas Jews only have “religion”. Let’s unpack this a little. “Relationship” is understood to refer to something intimate, experiential, mystical, personal, friendly, deep, spiritual. “Religion” is ascribed the associations of being rule-oriented, man-made, legalistic, formal, distanced and superficial. Given these resonances, clearly having a relationship is something desirable whereas religion is something to progress past. And it is not uncommon for Christian readings of the gospels to assume precisely this – that what Jesus offered people was a personal (intimate, deep) relationship with God specifically in distinction to the Jews who only offered (formal, sterile) religion. You can imagine the impact that this kind of slogan has for Christian understandings of Judaism. It’s also interesting how this emphasis resonates with the current wave of people who insist that they are “spiritual, not religious.” The fact is that Judaism takes the idea of the individual’s relationship with God very seriously. It is obvious to Jews that both fear of God and love of God are important, and that emphasizing one over the over leads to an unhealthy imbalance. But the Jewish love of God and personal relationship with Him ends up looking quite different than that of contemporary evangelical Christianity for several reasons. First, most Jews find popular evangelical lyrics and expressions like “My Saviour, my closest friend” and “Jesus take the wheel” to be far too casually intimate with the Holy One Blessed be He, to be comfortable. The concern is that this approach casts the sovereign, powerful, Master of the Universe into a being dangerously much like ourselves. Second, Jews believe that doing His will is the highest expression of love, gratitude and clinging to God. In short, good relationships are expressed in action. Because performing mitzvoth (commandments) often looks so foreign to outsiders, it is very difficult for Christians to recognize things like keeping the dietary laws or Sabbath observance for what it is supposed to be – a declaration of love for God. I believe that the ideal for both Judaism and Christianity is a balance and an integration of heart and hands, relationship and religion, informal and formal, spontaneous and fixed. Our challenge is to look for the unseen behind the slogan, and behind our assumptions – to learn to see the “spiritual” in Judaism and the role of “practice” or “holy living” in Christianity. Soon Jews around the world will be marking the holiest day of the year – yom kippur (the Day of Atonement). It is a powerful day, dedicated to intensive prayer and fasting, with some of the most profound and moving liturgy of the Jewish tradition. Several times on that awesome day we will describe our relationship to God with these words: For we are your people, and you are our God. We are your children, and you are our Father. We are your servants, and you are our Lord. We are your community, and you are our Portion. We are your heritage, and you are our Lot. We are your flock, and you are our Shepherd. We are your vineyard, and you are our Keeper. We are your work, and you are our Maker. We are your companions, and you are our Beloved. We are your treasure, and you are our Friend. We are your people, and you are our King. We are your betrothed, and you are our Betrothed. From www.eteacherbiblical.com

Why do kids lie? They start early. It’s hard to trust again after a child has started habitually lying. How can you be sure he won’t lie again? How do you break him of the habit? Because once he starts, it’ll only get worse. If you’ve got a child who’s started lying, here are some things you may want to know. Kids lie for two basic reasons. One is for wish fulfillment . Some kids will come home and tell you they scored three goals in soccer…and then you find out they didn’t play at all. The second is out of fear . “Did you break that vase?” you demand. “No, I didn’t do it! Little Joey did it!” your seven-year-old claims. Most children lie out of fear. in order for there to be a relationship between two human beings, it must be based on trust otherwise the lying will become a mountain and get between them. So if your child lies to you, he needs to be caught in that lie and told that lying is not acceptable. There also needs to be a second consequence for lying. Let’s say that, a couple days later, your child says something like, “Can I go next door and play with Ronnie?” Your answer needs to be a matter-of-fact “No.” “Buy why?” your child asks. “You always let me go.” Now’s the teachable moment. “Honey, I don’t have any assurance that you’re going to be where you said you’ll be. Remember Wednesday night, when you told me you were going to be at Susan’s—and you weren’t?” Do you beat the kid over the head with the lie? No. Don’t drag it out long term. But saying something like that two or three times makes a memorable impression on a child that lying isn’t what you do. It doesn’t gain you anything, and it breaks down trust between the two of you. Children need to see and feel that immediate result. Remember the age old admonition: “You won’t get in trouble if you tell me the truth.” That needs to be true of your family. If your child tells the truth she can know that you’re unhappy, but she should not be punished for telling the truth. In those situations, you’ll need to think carefully before you open your mouth. How you respond to such a situation directly relates to how comfortable your child is in telling you the truth. Kids can be as dumb as mud and will do stupid things, but if they own up to them and say they’re sorry, they need to know that life will go on and you won’t beat them over the head for years for their mistake. Lastly, parents too have to be careful about their own lies; even those pesky little white lies are still lies. If you say to your child, “If someone from work calls, I’m not here,” and it’s not the truth, your child is smart enough to know it. And then your kid thinks, If it’s okay for you to lie, it’s okay for me to lie. Don’t forget, if you value honesty, you must also model it for your children. And that goes for any bit of character you’d like to see develop in your child For more on raising kids, Have a New Kid by Friday is a valuable resource! Purchase Have a New Kid by Friday HERE . – See more at: www.birthorderguy.com/parenting/liar-liar-pants-on-fire/

1 Corinthians 6 - Skip Heitzig Calvary Church is dedicated to doctrine, and we want you to experience the life change that comes from knowing God's word and applying it to your life. So we explain the Bible verse by verse, every chapter, every book. This is Expound. You're my folks. I tell you this so often. I hope you have one of these. Did you bring one of these? It could be that you don't have one or you didn't bring one. I hope you do have one. If you don't, I think it's good to actually get a real Bible that has real pages and real words written on it. You'll never lose it in the cloud. You may lose it-- like, you might leave it somewhere, but somebody will find it and read it. But it's good to have it, because unlike an electronic Bible-- though, they're fine. And if you have one, it's fine. But when you have a Bible that you carry with you, you're able to visually remember where certain things are on certain pages, right. You know what that's like? I know it's on the left hand column right around there, and you have it marked. And it's like studying a map over time. You become very familiar with it, and it's important to know the Bible well enough that you can turn to it when you need to pull out certain truths to remind others of or to remind ourselves of. So if you don't have a Bible, we'd be happy to help out with that in some capacity. We have them in our bookstore next door, a good selection of Bibles. If there's a Bible close to you tonight, you could just maybe take your friends and just see if they're a good Christian and take it from them and see what they do. Or better yet, there's one probably in the seat in front of you. You could borrow that and follow along. We're in the book of 1 Corinthians, and we're in chapter 6. And as we begin, I'm mindful that we are still in a very uncertain period in the world, a world filled with chaos, a world filled with mental distress, people facing all sorts of uncertainty in their own future with their jobs, with their health, et cetera. It's a good time to remember those that we love, those in the church in our prayers as we begin tonight. Father, we come before you and present ourselves before you as living sacrifices. That's how Paul told us to do it. And so Father we give you us. We give you our bodies. We pray that as we live out our sacrifice for you in this world that you would use us for your purpose and your glory. And we pray that you will minister to us tonight giving us answers, helping us to get a grasp of this letter that Paul wrote not only to the Corinthian church but that the Holy Spirit has given to this church. And so Father, it is for us. It is very contemporary, and I pray that we would learn its lessons. Father, we want to pray for those that are loved of us, relatives or friends that are struggling in their health. They may be a part of our own family. They may be a part of our local church community. They may be outside this city and in various states or around the world, but we are remembering them just now before you're throne. And we pray that you will touch, and we pray that you will restore health. We pray that you will strengthen their physical body. We pray that you will speak to them in their very heart of hearts assuring them of your care and your love for them, reminding them of your great promise, promises in your word to keep them and to enact your plan perfectly in their lives. I pray you give them that confidence. And as we begin, not only remember them and pray for them, but we also say we trust you. That you are good and that no matter what we are seeing or feeling around us, you never change. And as we approach your word tonight, I pray that we would have that confidence, and that confidence would be bolstered. We ask in Jesus's name, amen. In chapter 6 of 1 Corinthians, in the first verse it begins with the question. Paul writes to his beloved believers in Corinth saying dare any of you having a matter against another go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints. Now I want to give you a little bit of context to what we're reading in case you weren't with us the last few weeks or you haven't been a part of this book. Even if you have, it's good to sort of get a running start into these texts. The book, the letter of 1 Corinthians is addressing various issues, problems that the church of Corinth was facing. It happens to be a favorite book of mine, because it was a church filled with problems. I don't say that because I like problem churches. I just know that every church is indeed a problem church. Every congregation has its own issues, and I am glad that-- and I've said this before many times that the New Testament portrays accurately just how lacking the New Testament church was. So when people say we need to get back to the New Testament church, I'm always wondering which one are you thinking of. Because Corinth was a New Testament church, and it's very contemporary and applicational to us. Chapters 1 and chapters 2, chapter 1 and 2 of 1 Corinthians is about congregational disunity. They were breaking up into various groups. They were playing favorites, one with another or one against another, some saying I'm of the group that loves the teachings of Paul or I'm of the group that loves the teachings of Apollos or I'm of the group that loves Cephas, Peter. And so they were-- there was disunity among this one congregation preferring certain emphases of Bible teachers, one against the other. That's chapter 1 and 2, organizational disunity. Chapters 2 and 3 addresses spiritual immaturity. They thought they were so wise being Corinthians, being of Greek origin. They had the Greek writers as part of their heritage. Paul says that they were immature. They were carnal. They were fleshly. And he talked about the difference between the spiritual man and the fleshly person, and he says that you are carnal. So that's chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4. Chapters 5 and 6-- and we looked at chapter 5 last week, thought we would make it a chapter 6. We didn't, so we will tonight-- is about sexual impurity. So we have organizational disunity, we have spiritual immaturity, and now we have sexual impurity. And it wasn't that they were just struggling with what every human being struggles with as they are living in a world that is very loose in their morality. They were dealing with an issue that they actually prided themselves in their toleration of, and that is a case of incest in the Church of Corinth. Chapter 5, verse 1 addresses this it is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you and such immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles that a man has his father's wife. So there is a man coming to church married to probably his stepmother and the church priding themselves and the fact that they were so filled with grace and love that they would just accept this person, no matter what his proclivity is or propensity might be or personal choice. Oh, he's so brave to make that personal choice and come to church. And Paul said, well, I'm not even there, and I can tell you what you should do. Next time you get together, kick him out. I gave-- he said, I'll give you that ruling from the Lord that you deliver him to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his Spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. He's telling them to use some sanctified authority. Now with that in mind, we get into chapter 6, because he is continuing on this theme that the church needs to take its authority and make certain kinds of judgment calls. Because they were having a problem in trusting themselves as a local group, a body of Christ to make good judgments, they weren't even judging sin within the church when they should be judging sin within the church. Chapter 5, verse 12 says what have I to do with judging those who are outside. Do you not judge those who are inside? So we looked at that last week, and we noted that the church has a responsibility, indeed a mandate to make certain discriminations against character by those who claim to be of Christ, who name the name of Christ. That's just what a body does. A body, a human body, your body is marvelous. It's amazing, amazing how it responds to problems that it encounters. So if you get infected, you have blood cells that will surround the germ, sort of, just like mounting an attack against them, to glom onto them, to isolate the problem. If you cut yourself, red blood cells rush to an area and deposit a certain kind of a substance that will provide a sticky ability for new skin to grow on top of it later on. And then once the wound is fully developed, it will begin to shrink. It's just you're fearfully and wonderfully made. The body is created to purge itself of problems. God did that. The body of Christ should have the same ability. We are the body of Christ. When God wants to do something on the Earth, when Jesus wants to do something on the Earth, he does it through us. We are his hands. We're his feet. We're his mouthpieces. If he's going to work a work on the Earth, he does it through his body. Well, his body can sometimes get infected. The church can get infected. And the church at Corinth was infected with-- well, we noted three things it was infected with. And Paul said, you need to come in and do something about that. You need to extra extricate that person who calls himself a brother, put him into Satan's domain that he may learn not to sin the way he's sending so flagrantly. Do that. That's what the body of Christ should do. Now continuing with that thought, he now moves from immorality-- though, he's going to get back to it in chapter 6-- but he includes now legality, the courtroom scene. We just sang a minute ago a beautiful statement of faith, and I know you believe it, because I just heard you singing it. You said-- the words we all sang is I have the authority. Jesus has given me. Well, in Corinth, it's like they didn't believe they had as the church the authority that Jesus had given them. You see one of the problems in the Greek culture was litigation. The Greeks were a very litigious culture, by and large. In fact, they even made fun of themselves. There was a saying going on just 60 miles to the Northeast over in Athens that every Athenian is a lawyer, that everybody just-- and people loved law cases, lawsuits back then. They loved to follow legal proceedings. In fact, people wanted to be called for jury duty, very different than today. We do everything we can to get out of it even though it is a civic duty that we should all perform. But back in those days, people loved it. I mean, they were into Judge Judy before there was ever Judge Judy. It was like entertainment to them. And the juries in those days were enormous, sometimes over 100 people on a single jury. So in that culture if there was a problem, you would usually go to an arbiter, somebody who would arbitrate the case, who wouldn't be taken to court. You tried to settle that dispute through a private arbiter and then another private arbiter. They would try to get together and settle the deal. If you couldn't settle it, you would take it into the public Greek courts that had a typical jury of 40 people. Now the typical jury today is 12 people in our country, in those days, 40 people. Good luck trying to come up with a good outcome in that. And if by the time you reach 60 years of age, you had to give yourself to a period of time to be on a jury. And so you had to have maturity. You had to have lived a while. So in your 60th year, you would then sign up for jury duty. And people were just-- I don't know if they just had time on their hands but, they love to do it. Some juries were over 1,000, according to the ancient records. So they loved this. And here's the problem with the church. Instead of believing I have the authority-- we as the church have the authority to settle disputes between ourselves, they were taking the disputes of the church into the civic law courts before unbelievers to make an adjudication or a judgment. So in chapter-- chapter 6, verse 1, dare any of you or how dare that you do this as God's people. Having a matter against another-- and this is, in particular, a Christian brother against another Christian brother, because he'll go on to say in the following verses brother against brother. So we know it's talking about some internal dispute in the church between brothers and sisters or one party and another who are all part of that Christian group. Dare any of you having a matter against another go to law before the unrighteous and not before the Saints. Now Paul has two concerns. Concern number one, you are not respecting the ability of the church and the authority given you by Christ himself to settle a matter of dispute from one Christian and another Christian. That's one concern. The other concern is by going to the unbelievers law courts, taking this out into the secular courts, you are airing the dirty laundry of the church before unbelievers. You are providing a terrible testimony to the unbelieving world. You're showing them just how bad it is. You're telling them that they should get saved and come to Christ and all of hope and peace and joy and all these great things, and they're seeing you take your brother to court going I don't need to be a part of that. There's no difference between them and us. So that is a concern of Paul. What are you doing taking this dispute into the law courts? Verse 2, do you not know that the saints will judge the world? Now I just want that to fall on your hearts. This is your future we're talking about. Do you know that one day you, all of you, all of us as the Saints of God, as the children of God are going to judge the world? I just want you to hear that, because, again, like we said last week, some people say, the Bible says don't judge. Really? Do you know that one day we're going to actually judge the world. Now I'm going to describe what that means as we go on. And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge in the smallest matters? OK, Jesus left this Earth. He went away, and he said if I go I am coming to you again. Ever since he said that, we're waiting for Jesus to come again. When Jesus comes again, Revelation chapter 19, the Saints are going to come with him at that second coming. After that judgment at the second coming, Jesus is going to set up a kingdom on the Earth that will last 1,000 years, according to the book of Revelation. It is called also the Millennium or the kingdom age. It is a glorious international ruling and reigning of Jesus Christ on planet Earth for 1,000 years called the Kingdom age. Jesus in Matthew 19 said to his 12 disciples even, he said you know, fellas, you guys are going to sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Now he said that speaking yet future. You're going to sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. So the apostles have an adjudicating position coming up. Also you and I, I think are going to help them. Don't you know that the Saints are going to judge the world. In Revelation chapter 2, Jesus addresses the church, one of the churches there, and he says to the over comers of the church, the true believers, he said, I have given you authority over all the nations. And you will rule with a rod of iron. Now we know that Jesus will have an iron rod rule in the Millennium. He will rule and reign with absolute authority for 1,000 years. It will be the only time there will be a perfect government on the Earth. Don't care who you voted for, you'll never get it on this Earth. We certainly don't have it now. It's far from perfect. But you say, oh, yeah, but if so-and-so runs, still not going to be perfect. Be better than what we have but still not going to be perfect, perhaps, perhaps not. Never know. One never knows. But one day when Jesus returns, he will set up his kingdom upon the Earth and give authority to the twelve apostles and to the saints, the body of Christ, God's people to rule and reign with him to have some kind of co-rulership with him in the kingdom. He has given us authority over the nations to rule with him with a rod of iron. That Is something that was talked about even in the Old Testament. It is alluded to many times and spoken about in the New Testament, but way back in the Old Testament in chapter 7 of Daniel, Daniel has a vision of the Son of Man. And the Son of Man is given a kingdom, and it says in that chapter I was watching in the night visions and, behold, one like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He came to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. Then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom. This is all on the Earth that all peoples, nations, and languages, all that context is earthly in scope should serve him. His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion, which shall not pass away, his kingdom the one which will not be destroyed. Same chapter, it says then the kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people, the saints of the most high. And his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. So in the future, there's some big stuff ahead for you. In the future in some role, you're going to help in the kingdom age with Jesus Christ as he rules and reigns. He's going to let you help him adjudicate that perfect government with a rod of iron. A lot could be said in describing that. Someday I'll preach a series just on the kingdom age. It would be a fun thing to study. But we're going to have some kind of rulership. So here's Paul's thinking, because he is thinking eschatological when he writes this in the ends times, don't you know you're going to judge the world. So if you're going to have that kind of a role in the future, if God is going to allow you to be on his Supreme Court in the kingdom age, why do you think you're unqualified to deal with issues between brother and brother in the church that you have to take it to a secular court to handle it? And he's writing that to their shame. They should be qualified. Now hear me out. When a Christian takes another Christian to court, nobody wins except the devil. You are saying, number one, I don't trust that this can be handled by God's people. It's a statement of faith against the church. And number two, it is allowing dirty laundry to be erred before the unbelieving world. Paul makes that point. Do you think you're unworthy to judge in the smallest matters? Verse 3 continues, chapter 6 1 Corinthians, do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more the things that pertain to this life? Now if I'm an angel and I look at that, I'm not stoked. I say wait, wait, wait, wait. Hold up, God. They're going to judge us, those guys, right. Remember the Angels are looking into things pertaining to salvation, Peter said. They marvel at the fact that God could extend such grace and love to us. They're blown away at God's grace toward mankind. And yet God says, yeah, my people, my Saints, the ones that aren't getting along there on the Earth, they're going to judge the Angels. Now what does that mean exactly? Well, I don't think it means that you're going to find your guardian angel when you get to heaven to go, hey, I have a couple of questions for you. Remember that time I got in a car crash, where were you? What's up with that? I don't think that's the idea. I don't think we're going to be judging good angels. I think we're going to have some kind of role in judging evil angels. You remember both in the book of 2 Peter and in the book of Jude, both of them right almost the identical truth that God did not spare the Angels that sinned but cast them into hell and has them in everlasting chains of darkness awaiting judgment. Some kind of judgment call will be made that you and I are going to help administrate. That's what I believe it's a reference to, not the good angels, but the evil angels, the fallen angels. He's going to let us help in some kind of a capacity. So again, if you're going to judge the world and if you're going to judge angels to some degree in the future, you can't handle a squabble between brother and sister in the church? Here's Paul's point. The most untrained believer, the least, the most untrained believer in legal matters but who believes and knows the word of God and is filled with the Holy Spirit is much better at handling a case like that than the most trained Harvard Law student or professor who doesn't have the word of God or the Spirit of God. So Greeks put that in your pipe and smoke it. Verse 4, if you then have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. See he's getting-- he's getting very pointed here. It's like he's saying to the Corinthians, shame on you Corinthians. You should know better. I say this to your shame. Is it so that there is not a wise man among you, not even one who will be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goes to law against brother and that before unbelievers. Now, therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you should go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be defrauded? No, you yourselves do wrong and defraud, and you do these things to your brethren. The whole idea here is an idea of love. So you know that Jesus said you're to love one another. You're to love each other. You're to even love your enemies. Paul the apostle will say to the Corinthians, if you have great gifts but you don't have love, you're like a noisy gong. You're like a clanging symbol-- that the expression, especially brother to brother, sister to sister, brother and sister in the body of Christ. The chief expression ought to be the expression of love. So what do you do if somebody wrongs you? Well, that was the question Peter had for Jesus. He said, hey, Jesus, you talk a lot about forgiveness. So how many times am I supposed to forgive my brother? Like, I don't know, seven times? Because that'd be a lot. If somebody messed with Peter, like, seven times, for me to forgive him-- that's huge. So I'm going to go big here, God-- seven times? Jesus said, nope, not seven times-- 70 times 7. So we talked about that kind of love, that kind of forgiveness, that kind of willingness to be defrauded-- and even be wronged-- by people. Just forgive. Just move on. Don't hold a grudge. But in that same chapter, Jesus gives a context. He says this-- if your brother sins against you, go to him personally, privately. That's how you handle it-- one on one. Try to work it out. Go charge him with the wrong. And say, you know what? What you said was offensive to me. That really hurt. I took that as an offense. Oh, I'm so sorry. I'll never do it again-- or they say, I didn't do anything wrong. You know, you're the idiot. So if you go and your brother that has sinned against you will not receive your admonition, your rebuke, your reconciliation, Jesus said, then you take with you two or three others-- that by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word would be established. Now you have arbitration. Now you have some impartial witnesses who can give their wisdom and help you settle the issue. Jesus said, if that doesn't work-- do you remember what He said? He said, tell it to the church. Tell it to the church. Bring it within the context of church, the church environment, and the authority of the body of Christ. And let the church make that decision. It seems that Paul has this in mind when he writes that. Take it to the church. Isn't there one wise person among you who can make this decision and help you out on these matters instead of going to the secular courts? Now, here's a question. Because we're sharing this tonight. Maybe right now, you're in the midst of a lawsuit. And you go, man, I didn't know that verse was in there. But now I've got a lawsuit against a-- well, once it's in the courts, you have to let it-- usually, you have to ride it out. Although when you hire a lawyer-- I've given this counsel before. And I won't get into the detail. But the guy said, what do I do? I've already hired the lawyer. I said, well, that's it. You hired the lawyer. You can fire the lawyer. You just call them up and say, I don't need your services anymore. Bill me for whatever you've done. And then call it quits. Handle it a different way. But if it's in the courts already, you have to ride it out. If it's not in the courts already, number one-- go to your brother. Try to handle it. Number two, bring people with you. If they don't want to listen, then bring it to the leadership of the church. And get elders and deacons and leaders involved in that. You know, fortunately, we live in a city that has seen great success with biblical reconciliation. In fact, a national group was started in New Mexico by Christian lawyers some years ago, all for the purpose of fulfilling this passage as a biblical mandate-- keeping things outside the courts, getting people who are skilled in law-- but more than that, Spirit-filled believers, people who believe the word of God, to settle the issues, to settle the disputes outside of the secular courts in the context of the church. And because of their work, now around the country, the idea of independent arbitration or reconciliation before it goes to a judge is widely accepted because, largely, of the work that was done with that Christian group in town some years ago. He says in verse 7-- "Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be defrauded?" That's a novel concept. What am I going to do-- like, let them walk all over me? Well? Well? Well, what did Jesus say? Jesus said, turn the other cheek. If somebody slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek. Instead of, "Yeah, what am I supposed to do, let him slap my cheek?" No, both cheeks. And He says, if he sues you to take away your tunic, give him your cloak also. What, well, just let them take my cloak? He has no right. Go buy another cloak. Let yourself be defrauded. Because yeah, you can go to court. And you can win the case and lose your brother and lose your testimony. It's not worth it. He says, "No, you yourselves do wrong and defraud. And you do these things to your brothers, your brethren. Do you not know--" verse 9-- "do you not know that the unrighteous--" see, you're bringing this before the unrighteous, the unbelieving world. You're settling these court cases instead of playing the role of the judge, the arbiter, making adjudications, making discriminations when people have these behaviors, whether it's for incest or whether it's for legal cases. He's kind of tying these things together. If you're willing to take it before the unrighteous-- but He says, "Don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God?" You're bringing kingdom matters before unrighteous judges. Don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? "Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators--" fornication is sexual sin. Usually, it is a sin described in the Bible before marriage, when a person is single. "Nor idolaters--" worshipping false gods, false religious systems-- "nor adulterers--" usually a sin talked about as once a person is married-- "nor homosexuals, nor sodomites--" it's an unfortunate translation. Because you don't really get the force of the Greek language. Those two words, that homosexuals are sodomites, the Greek language is much more precise. And incidentally, the old King James version happens to be a more accurate translation than the New King James, or for that matter, most of the other translations of this particular verse. The old King James translates those last two sins by saying this way-- "Nor the effeminate, nor the abusers of themselves with mankind." The effeminate-- that word translated here, homosexuals-- usually refers to in a homosexual relationship the person who takes the passive role. In a male homosexual relationship, it would be who would take the female role, the softer role. And then the second word, sodomites-- or abusers of themselves with mankind, in the King James-- is, in a homosexual relational context, somebody who takes the more dominant, aggressive role. And he's bringing that up because he's speaking to Greeks. And highborn Greeks saw homosexuality, a couple thousand years ago, as the purest form of all love. Well, William Barclay says that Socrates was a homosexual-- as was Plato. In fact, Plato's writings-- that famous writing, The Symposium of love was Plato writing about homosexual lovers. And in those days, it was an adult with an underaged male child. And that was accepted in that culture. I think I mentioned last week that 14 of the first 15 Roman emperors were also homosexuals. So it was very, very common in those days. And in those days, the older male usually took the aggressive, dominant role. And the young boy in that culture took the passive role. That's the reference of the word. Sorry to be so explicit. But I figured you should know that's what he's writing about. So He says, "Do you not know that fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, nor sodomites--" whichever role they take-- "nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the Kingdom of God." Now I know. You read that. Some of you go, man, that messes with me. It's not my problem. It doesn't mess with me. Well, that really bothers me. It's not my problem. My only duty is to declare to you what God has said through His word. And you either accept it or you don't. So in the book of Romans, chapter 1-- which we already covered. I'll just remind you of this. Paul writes about the gentile flow of sin throughout ancient culture-- throughout, actually, all time. "Therefore, God gave them up to uncleanness in the lusts of their hearts to dishonor their bodies among themselves who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshipped and serve the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever-- amen. For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions, for even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature"-- against nature. "Likewise, also, the men leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men, committing what is shameful and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due." Now you might say, well, you know, that was back then in that culture. But in today's culture, things are different. And you can't say those things. Because in this culture, that kind of stuff is acceptable. It was more acceptable in that culture. The reason it's becoming now acceptable after a long period of time is because of the rich Judeo-Christian heritage this country has had for so long to abate and stem the tide of that kind of stuff in modern history. It was the injection of Christianity in the world that put an end to that. Now you're seeing a resurgence back to an ancient culture. So understand when Paul wrote these things, it was like-- when people read this, like-- because if 14 of the 15 first Roman emperors were homosexuals and Paul is, like, talking smack pretty up-front, you know he got blowback for it. So here's what I want you to see. Paul says in Romans 1-- these things, they happen. They have happened. But it's against nature. And the word there in Greek is , And it means, "against God's natural created order"-- God's natural created order. God has set a created order from the beginning. And He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. God does not change. And His word does not change. So if you tell me, well, God made me this way, I'm going to say, no, he did not. You may be a product of your environment. You may be a product of some social conditioning. You may be a product of a lot of different messaging that is going on. You might even be the victim of some feelings that every human being has toward his or her own sexuality. But there is God's , and then there are those things that are against , against the natural creative order. And Paul says, "Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites." But let's not just stop with a few sins. Because you-- oh, yeah, that's right. Preach it, man. Well, keep going. "Nor thieves--" how are you doing on your income tax reporting? How are you doing with taking things home from the office that really don't belong to you? "Nor covetous--" that's just wanting something that you don't have and doing things you can to get what you don't have. "Nor drunkards nor revilers--" people who are in your face and talk negative, talk smack about other people-- "nor extortioners will inherit the Kingdom of God." See, those are part of that same list. So none of us can say, well, that sin is really bad. But these sins are OK. Why? Well, because I do them. Now look at verse 11. This is key. "And such were some of you." Notice it's past tense, not "and such are some of you." Such were some of you. Hey, Corinthians, some of you were extortioners. Some of you were sodomites. Some of you were revilers. Some of you were adulterers. But that's in your past. That's in your rear view mirror. You may struggle with those things. You may even fall into those things. But you don't live in them. You hate them. You want to move on from them. You want to serve Christ. That's your past tense. And if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5 says, "All things are passed away. All things become brand new." God is in the business of fixing people, fixing broken things, adding the glue of His grace to fix the sin in our lives. "Such were some of you. But you were washed, cleansed by the blood. You were sanctified, set apart. You belong to God. You are justified." God declared you forgiven. God declared you His son, His daughter in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God. "All things are lawful for me. But all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me. But I will not be brought under the power of any-- foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods. But God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body." It seems that Paul is using two slogans that were very popular around Corinth in those days, spoken by Corinthians or Corinthian Christians. Slogan number one-- "All things are lawful for me." In other words, I have complete liberty and freedom. Because I'm a Christian. I've been set free. I'm not under the law. "The law was the schoolmaster to lead me to Christ," Galatians says. Now that I belong to Christ, I'm not under that law any longer. I'm free. Paul said, "Indeed, all things are lawful for you." That seems to be a slogan that they used, that the Corinthians loved. Now it is true. You are not under the law. But it doesn't mean that you can act any way that you please. Because Paul then corrects that. And he says, "All things are lawful for me. But not all things are helpful." So if I do certain activities, if I drink certain things or smoke certain things, sure, I can do that. That's not the issue. Are they helpful? Do they benefit? Are they expedient? That's the old King James-- "expedient." Do they expedite me? Do they push me along my path, my journey, help me reach my goal? All things are lawful. But not everything's helpful. So keep that in mind. Look at the next. "All things are lawful for me. But I will not be brought under the power of any." Now I want you to keep a marker here. Turn a few pages to the right. Go to chapter 10. Because he writes something very similar. And I want to put all these together, all these three. 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 23-- "All things are lawful for me. But all things are not helpful"-- same thing he wrote back in chapter 6. But now he adds to that and changes something. "All things are lawful for me. But not all things edify." All things do not edify. So there's three principles. I want you to grab a hold of them tonight. If you are ever wondering what to do when it comes to the gray areas where the Bible is not very explicit about certain behavioral-- should I do this, can I do this, is it permissible for a Christian to do this or that-- apply these three principles. Number one-- is it helpful? If I do this, if I drink this, if I smoke this, if I get involved in this activity, if I go visit this person or do this thing, will it help me? Will it expedite me? Is it good for me spiritually? That's the first thing to sift it through. Second, all things are lawful for me. But I will not be brought under the power of any. So if I get involved in this right now, will later on it make me addicted to it? Will it bring me under its power? Oh, I have the power. I can do anything I want to now. But will I come to a point where I can't make that choice any longer? Right now I can. But if I keep drinking this, or smoking this, or doing that, maybe I'm going to be brought under its power. And I'll become a slave to it. Now it's not helpful, certainly. And now I've become a slave to it. Number three-- all things are lawful for me. But not all things edify. So if I do this thing, what will it-- what message will it say to other believers? Maybe it'll stumble a Christian. Maybe a Christian will look at that and go, uh, well what's he doing drinking that stuff? Or what are they doing smoking that? Well, I have the freedom. I have liberty. I'm a Christian. Right. Is it helpful? Could it become addictive, bring you under its power? Does it edify the body of Christ, others who are watching? That's the law of love-- love for yourself, the temple of the Holy Spirit, love for others, love for God, ultimately. So those three things are important. So they were-- that was slogan number one. All things are lawful. But Paul said they're not helpful. And those things may bring you under its power. And then later on, is it edifying? Second slogan-- verse 13. "Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods." Now that seems to have been a slogan that was popular in Corinth in general-- sort of like, no, I don't eat to live. I live to eat. I'm a foodie, man. It's all about the taste, the cuisine. So foods for the body and the body for foods was a common way of saying sort of the same thing. The body was meant to enjoy the pleasures of cuisine that is around me. Paul corrects that by saying, "But God will destroy both it and them." So your body is temporary. One day you'll die. But notice this. "Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body." So just like they were saying the body for food and food for the body, they were saying, sex for the body and the body for sex-- just like I eat a meal. And that's just simply a physiological choice that I make to grab that cheeseburger and eat it-- no big deal. You got to eat, you got to eat. They were looking at sexuality the same way. Look at it. It's a natural proclivity. It's a natural desire that we all have. And Christians were saying, God gave that to us. So this is how I seek to fulfill that. Paul corrects that and says, "The body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not." Remember, there was that temple outside of Corinth-- temple of Aphrodite. They were prostitutes, priestesses who were coming down into town at night. Men were indulging themselves. That was very common practice. Maybe some in the church thought they had the ability to do that. So foods for the body, body for foods-- he's equating that with sexuality and that, no, Jesus died for you. You belong to him. He'll say He bought you with the price. So glorify God in your body. Sex is God given. It's a gift. It's a good idea. It's a great idea God gave us. But because it is God given, it must be God governed. Everything that is God given must also be God governed. God gives us things. But then He governs the use of those things. He didn't say, just have at it, man. You decide. No. God says, I've decided. And this is how I've made you. And this is how I've made them. And this is what I want. And this is my , my order. And you do it for the Lord, especially as members of the body of Christ. I remember having this conversation with a man who was struggling against my Christianity. He was a Cambridge graduate in advanced science. And I lived with him on a kibbutz in Israel. And I was sharing the gospel with him. And he goes, Skip, I will not become a Christian because of the sexual negatives that the New Testament pronounces. I mean, he was just up-front-- if I do that, I can't have all the fun that I'm used to having. And I remember him saying, you know, I don't know why God is so negative. I said, Tony, if you saw a sign that said "Keep Out," what would you do? He said, I'd open the door and go in. I said, but keep reading the sign. What if the sign said, "Keep Out-- Danger-- Explosives"? Oh, well, that's a different thing. Exactly. So when God says keep out, He does it because He doesn't want you to blow yourself to smithereens-- sexually, morally, relationally. The negative command has a positive rationale attached to the negative command. Just like the sign that says, "Keep Out-- Danger-- Explosives," all God's commandments that are in the negative have a positive rationale. It's because God loves you. And He made you. And that which has God given must be God governed. He goes, well, I never thought of it that way. And about six months later, he gave me a call. He had read a book that I had given him. And he was very humble on the other end of the phone. He said, I just want you to know I've given my life to Christ. And it's the best decision I've ever made. "Do you not know--" verse 15-- "your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not. Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For--" notice the quote from the Old Testament. "The two," he says, "shall become one flesh. But he who is joined with the Lord is one spirit with Him." What is he doing? He's quoting Genesis. He's going back to the creation account, when God put man and woman on the Earth. And He said, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother, be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." So God established separation, permanence, unity, and then intimacy. "The man and his wife were naked. And they were not ashamed." That's what he's quoting from. He's going all the way back to that. And he's saying, look, when two people get involved sexually, they are actually becoming one with each other. And when a person goes out and is loose with somebody other than his permanent mate, he is giving a piece of his soul away to others. He's diminishing himself. He's not gaining anything by it. So he says, verse 18-- "Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man commits is outside the body. But he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you?" By the way, if you're wondering, there's only one reason that the New Testament allows for divorce. And that is adultery. Because of this truth, the oneness bond is broken when a person has sexual relations with somebody other than husband or wife. When that happens, the oneness bond that was intended to be permanent is now broken. That person becomes one flesh with another person. And for that reason, that's such a profound disruption that that becomes the only allowable biblical rationale for divorce. "Do you not know--" verse 19-- "your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own." Here it is. "You were bought at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body and your spirit, which are God's." Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The priestesses were from the temple of Aphrodite. They were coming down into town. Paul says, you join yourself to a harlot, you're becoming one with that person. Don't you know your body is a temple? And a temple is meant for worship. A temple is meant for the presentation of sacrifices. Romans 12:1-- "Present your body a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable under God"-- which is your reasonable service. You have a guest living inside of you. I hope He feels at home in your heart. It talks about God dwelling in us, settling down, and making Himself feel at home in our hearts. I hope He does. I hope He's in your life and not going, man, I don't-- I'm in this person. But boy, the trash this person looks at, and listens to, and gets involved in. You have a guest living inside of your body. You belong to Him. "Therefore, glorify God in your body and your spirit." How do you do that? By presenting yourself. By yielding yourself-- Romans chapter 12, Romans chapter 6. We are to yield ourselves minute by minute to the Lord. Lord, I'm yours. Use me. Lord, I don't belong to myself. You purchased me. Help me to glorify You. Father, as we bring this chapter to a close and we consider this wide variety of truth that Paul the apostle addressed with his church, I pray that we who live in the age in which we live in-- the things that we shared tonight seem so narrow, and so negative, and so old-fashioned and non-progressive to outsiders. We're here, Lord, at the end of this message to say, we don't care what they think. We really care what You think. We want to honor You. We give You our bodies, our minds. We pray, Lord, that we would serve You and worship You in integrity, in purity. And Lord, then even in those other activities that we could get involved in, I pray that Your Spirit will bring this little grid back to our remembrance. Is it helpful, expedient, beneficial? Is it something that will get me in its grip, under its power? Could I become addicted to it? And is it something that builds other people up or tears them down? I pray, Father, that we will live to glorify You since You bought us in Jesus' name.