What They’re Reading

The most popular EvangelMagazine.com articles from this week!

Rebuilding the Altar in Your Home 

“If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:25 NIV).

Mommy and Daddy, there’s someone in our backyard!”

Those are the shocking words our daughter yelled early one morning as we were getting the kids ready for school. That morning is one we’ll never forget because it is when we began a journey to rebuild our family altar one stone at a time.

I (Karen) will share more about that particular morning later in this article, but first let me tell you that Satan desires to steal, kill, and destroy your family’s destiny. We learned that without a divine interruption, even Christian parents will find themselves raising up a generation that does not know how to walk in the freedom, power, and presence of God. The Enemy is busy stealing the hearts of the next generation and blinding them to truth. It is our job to take them back. Continue Reading…

Trusting in God’s Promises 

Our “Right” Before God 

When we hear talk of human rights, it’s often in terms of what we feel people deserve. But Scripture does not talk rights in quite the same way.

Standing up for human rights is necessary. But when the language of human rights is invoked, it is nearly without fail because someone or some government has abused their power and cannot be trusted to do what humans should do: love their neighbor as themselves. Simply put, the appeal to “human rights” happens when humans aren’t humane.

As Christians, our involvement in these discussions should not be optional. And to be clear, as Christians we should be clamoring more for the rights of our neighbor than for our own. Why? Because that’s what love would have us do. The Bible has a lot to say about caring for the marginalized and disadvantaged, and we should always be prepared to “open [our] mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute” (Prov. 31:8 ESV).
Continue Reading…

First Things First

1. Love God 2. Love Others 

by David C. Cooper

While speaking at a minister’s conference, a pastor asked me, “How can we measure spirituality?”

He said that in his tradition, people measured spirituality by how demonstrative and emotional they acted in a worship service. He wanted to teach his congregation what true spirituality is. I gave him Jesus’ answer, saying spirituality means two things: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37, 39).*

The rest of Scripture agrees that these two commands sum up true spirituality. It is measured by our relationships with God and others, plain and simple.
Continue Reading…

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It’s VBS ordering time! Here are some great choices!

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Choosing VBS Made Easy.

As you begin planning for the summer months ahead we want to make the process of choosing and ordering Vacation Bible School easier for you. So, we’ve partnered with the best ministries to offer you great deals and resources you can trust! Here are 4 curated VBS Starter Kits for you: 

• Babylon Starter Kit
• Polar Blast Starter Kit 
• COG Finish Kids W/ DVD
• Shipwrecked Ultimate Starter Kit 

Check them out and order now while supplies last! 

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Living a Life of Gratitude

Teaching from James L. Marcum M.D. of Biblical Prescriptions For Life

Are you living a life of gratitude? Being thankful is a Biblical prescription for life.

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you,” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Many texts throughout the Bible encourage us to give thanks. What does it mean to give thanks? How does this state of mind change our physiology? These are all excellent questions to think about this month.
 
This word, gratitude, is often explained by other words including appreciation, indebted, relieved, and glad for something. Being thankful for me is an understanding of how good something is and how this is benefiting my life. Being thankful is an expression of love and can be an act of worship.
 
Physiologically, we know being appreciative activates brain regions associated with the reward neuro-transmitter dopamine.
 
Scientific studies have shown that being thankful:
1.   Improves sleep (Applied Psychology, LiveScience 2013)
2.   Improves hypothalamic function which is the part of the brain regulating bodily functions (J. Cerebral Cortex 2009)
3.   Decreases anxiety and depression (Psychology Today 2012)
4.   Helps cardiac function (U. of Cal San Diego 2015, Am, J of Card 1995)
5.   Improves Immune function (University of Utah)
 
We are just beginning to understand why giving thanks is important to our physiology. Giving thanks, via dopamine and other undiscovered mechanisms, lowers stress and can be a treatment for all chronic disease.
 
I have so much to be thankful for. As I was driving home today, I was thankful for my eyes that I could see the beautiful fall colors. I was thankful that my daughter returned safely from her semester in New Zealand. I was thankful for my work. I was thankful for the opportunity to know God.
 
Giving thanks is a Biblical prescription for life.
 
Today I am asking you to remember each day to thank God for at least three things.  When you feel bad, give thanks. When you feel good, give thanks.
 
This will improve your physiology. Our goal is to grow in our relationship with Christ so that we can give thanks in all circumstances. A life of gratitude is great for our health.

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