To get the most out of life, we need to understand how the blood Jesus shed put us back into God’s favor. Before Jesus went to the cross, people had to work hard to earn blessings from God. After His death and resurrection, “doing” changed to “believing.” Most people still live as if Jesus never went to the cross; consequently, they perform but see no breakthrough in their lives.
We most likely learned to read the Bible from an old-covenant perspective, which focuses on self-effort. The Old Testament has valuable lessons to teach us, but we no longer need to live under the old-covenant Law of Moses. Correctly dividing and analyzing the Word of truth sheds light on what God says to us now, under the new covenant of grace. His message to us is that faith in the finished works of Jesus accomplishes what our own works can’t.
Before the cross, the truth was that people lived in sin and condemnation. Now, the truth is that we’ve been forgiven of our sins and given the chance to break free of our less-than-perfect pasts. We do that by accepting Jesus Christ and being born again, which gives us a new start in life. Being in Christ makes us new creatures; the old things have passed away.
We’ve become so accustomed to slogging along depending on our own works that we forget about what grace has already made available to us. If something is by grace, then it’s no more of works, but if it’s by works, then it’s no more by grace. This free gift of grace is by Jesus, who brought us out from under the law so our sins wouldn’t have dominion over us anymore. Learning the unforced rhythms of grace gives us results we could never achieve on our own.
Prayer:
Lord, Your Word gives us the knowledge and the wisdom to see the differences between the old and the new covenants. We no longer have to strive to see good things happen in our lives, because grace has made them available to us through faith. Thank You for this. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Scriptures:
2 Timothy 2:15
2 Corinthians 5:17
Romans 11:6
Romans 5:15
Romans 6:14
Matthew 11:28-30, MSG
To learn more about the covenant of grace Jesus established through His blood, click on the link for the two-message series, Living Under the Correct Covenant.
Our
ancestral, human father, Adam, delivered us and our world to satan’s
hordes. So, our spiritual Father, God, patiently waited for the right
time to provide the now-risen Jesus as the only effective ransom
payment. But, we must individually choose to be redeemed. And, our
re-alliance with God upon accepting Jesus as our Savior is referred to
as redemption. It is a redemption because Jesus paid for our lives with
His blood. Upon redemption, and returning to the Family, we have the
rights, through Faith, to ask Abba (Strong’s concordance, G5) Father for
any good thing we desire – we are family. In fact, we have a covenant
agreement (Strong's concordance, H1285) with God, both as a Father and
as a pledge between God and Man, a treaty, and as alliance of divine
origin. The covenant allows us to pray as we wish, including for those
good things which are petitions (requests, entreaties).
Even when asking for something from another human, generally one
speaks in a respectful manner. Such a reverent, respectful manner
(Strong’s concordance, H3374) should be characteristic of your petitions
to God. However, there is nothing about our covenant relationship with
God that implies that you should always be in a prone position,
prostrate and begging. Contrarily, God is most generous and ready to
respond favorably and abundantly. However, God has no need to foolishly
waste resources upon prodigal sons and daughters who would repeatedly
squander their abundance (Luke 15:11-32), to let His abundance fall as
seeds onto stony ground that will never subsequently flourish (Matt
13:1-8) or to have His abundance wasted as might a lazy worker (Matt
25:14-30), hiding resources under the rock of his/her own pleasure only,
not applying it to the Great Commission (Matt 28:16-18).
Some Christians are so confused about abundance and prosperity that
they allege they would rather not receive it while on Earth. Some even
say such things as "I would rather have Jesus than all the riches in the
world." They believe themselves to sound more righteous and pious than
others by making such statements. But, all the gifts given to the
toddler Jesus by Wise Men, after his birth, made His family wealthy
(Matt 2:1-11), although there is no Biblical evidence that they
subsequently lived ostentatiously. During His ministry Jesus was
prosperous enough to have a treasurer (Judas Iscariot). He paid taxes,
funded the travel, board and lodging for large ministerial groups, and
so on.
God allows Believers to live as paupers if such is your wish or you
refuse to learn to work in the earthly systems (Hosea 4:6). But, unless
you presently have spiritual gifts that allow you to turn five loaves
and two fish into enough to feed more than 5,000 and yield leftovers
(John 6:1-14), then you won’t be able to reach out and help others as
you may wish (such as following hurricanes Katrina, Irma and Jose). So,
if for no other reason, petition for wisdom, skills and knowledge
development, as well as abundance even if only to assist others.
Manifestation, as referred to here, is the appearance in this world
of that for which you prayed. Many are unwilling to acknowledge God’s
generosity, such as expressed in John 10:10 and 3 John 1:2 because of
fear and doubt (opposing their belief), or because they feel that they
have yet to experience positive manifestations in their own lives, in
those of their congregations, or among others close to them. People
often overlook daily, simple grace and mercy they regularly experience,
being most aware of miracles not yet materialized and pending responses
to supplications. As you also consider others’ lives, you cannot know
what they actually believe versus that which they say and demonstrate as
public behavior and rhetoric.
In spite of earthly ne'er-do-wells and detractors, we are the
Redeemed. Our covenant with God allows us to pray as we wish, with good
petitions, to be satisfied abundantly, to develop tremendously with all
manifested while we are corporeal. Of course, we will all be ultimately
satisfied in Heaven. And, if at that time your memories of the past are
intact and you remember a prayer-related disappointment, ask "God, why
did you not…?", even if apparently lacking the wisdom to understand the
response.
We have both formal religious curricular education and
many years of informal study regarding multiple Christianity-related
topics. Feel free to peruse our recent work.
The Blessings of God - https://wordpress.com/view/theblessingsofgod.wordpress.com
Hasani Spann - Basketball College Recruitment Video (Class of 2021) - Summer 2020
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Shooting Fundamentals - Art and Science of Basketball
In this course, we will focus on the art and science of shooting. Through a detailed analysis of elite shooters, we will examine key fundamental components and techniques.
Designed for serious students of the game and for those trying to master the intricate concepts that go into the seemingly simple skill of shooting.
If you’ve ever wondered what separates the average shooters from the great marksmen of today’s game, this is the right place for you.
With over two decades of experience as a player, scout, video analyst, and head coach I have seen the game through many different lenses.
Having been a part of championship teams and having worked with players at the professional, university and high school levels, I am confident in the lessons from this course and excited to share them with passionate learners of the game. Book this course.....
The difficult part is behind you, but that doesn't mean an
experienced lifter can't fine-tune the working weights. Here are a
couple of tips to keep in mind.
1 BUILD IN PROGRESSIVELY HEAVIER WARM-UPS
Some consider warm-ups a waste of time, but they actually enable you
to lift more weight. Your tissue is more elastic, and you've practiced
the motion before tackling the heavier weights. It's important to note
that even though a bodybuilder trains to muscle failure, warm-up sets
are never taken to failure. Stop all lighter-weight sets well short of
muscle failure. For a bodybuilder who wants to bench with a working
weight of 225 pounds, so that they fall within that 8-12-rep range,
warm-up weights might start with 135, 185, and 205 pounds.
The whole ATP Science crew joins in a round table discussion on the iconic training topic of ‘Muscle Hypertrophy’ what it is by definition.
Because your energy starts to sag over the course of a hard workout,
choose the most difficult exercises early in your training session, when
you're fresh. You can even train in the lower range of the hypertrophy
zone, choosing a weight in which you can do just 8 reps. Over the course
of your body-part workout, train with different relative intensities so
that you're also including sets of 10 (near failure) and 12 later on as
well. Warm-ups excluded, start your exercises in the lower rep range
and keep your sets of 12 for later in your workout.
OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR BODY-PART WORKOUT, TRAIN WITH DIFFERENT RELATIVE INTENSITIES.
3 BE MINDFUL OF PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD
Muscles adapt to training by growing bigger and stronger. Strength
trainers and bodybuilders know that the most adaptation occurs within
their fast-twitch muscle fibers. In graphical terms, your strength curve
has shifted outward, and you can now do more reps with any given
weight.
How do you know when to go up in weight? Try this method: When you
can do 2 more reps with a given weight than you started out with, for
two consecutive workouts, increase your weight. So if you started on the
bench press with 8 reps of 225 pounds, but can now do 10 reps, and
you've been able to achieve 10 reps for two workouts in a row, increase
the weight.
For upper-body exercises like the bench press, increase the weight by
approximately 5 percent. So instead of using 225 pounds, use 235.
For lower-body exercises like the squat, increase the weight by
approximately 10 percent. So instead of using 225 pounds, use 245.
Let's say you make gains in size and strength. To continue making
more gains, you must increase the challenge to your muscles by once
again increasing the resistance. As you can see, you must progressively
increase the overload over time or you'll simply stall. Complacency is
your biggest enemy no matter what your goal, so pushing yourself to do
more reps or use a slightly heavier weight can help you continue making
progress.
Even the most dedicated lifter hits a training plateau sooner or
later. Advanced techniques in which you manipulate weight can further
spur gains in size and strength, but should be done in a specific,
intentional manner rather than randomly. Study various techniques that
allow you to cycle your training over time.
You'll soon learn that the bigger and stronger you get, the less
you'll see "accidental" results, and the more you'll have to plan your
training. Seems counterintuitive, but you'll find you make greater gains
the more you know.
How Watching Your Diet Can Help Your Arthritis Symptoms
Author
Mark Smith
Did you
know that by 2040, it’s estimated 78 million Americans 18 years or older
will have some form of arthritis? That’s an astonishing amount of
people that a trusted Riverside arthritis doctor can help prevent you
from being a part of. (Continued below......)
Talk to a Dr. Berg Keto Consultant today and get the help you need on your journey. Call 1-540-299-1556 with your questions about Keto, Intermittent Fasting or the use of Dr. Berg products. Consultants are available Monday through Friday from 8 am to 10 pm EST. Saturday & Sunday from 9 am to 6 pm EST. USA Only. Learn more.....
(....Continued....) The truth is, there is no magic diet that is going to make your
arthritis disappear forever — whether it’s osteoarthritis, rheumatoid
arthritis or another form. But, here’s the good news: If you’re
realistic about your goals, paying attention to your diet can greatly
ease your symptoms.
Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Differences
There are many variables between these two common forms of arthritis,
but an easy way to think of the main difference between RA and OA is
this: rheumatoid arthritis is about inflammation of the tissue around
the joints—osteoarthritis is about deterioration of the cartilage
between the joints. Of course, there are other differences between
rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis that can go into great detail.
One of the main similarities is they can both impact your spine. Following are a few more differences.
First and foremost, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease,
and is not associated with the wear and tear of joints. This type of
disorder occurs when your body's immune system turns against
itself—attacking your body's healthy tissues when it should be
protecting them. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) complications are known for
affecting all parts of the body, not just the joints. The same
inflammatory processes that cause joints to hurt and become damaged also
cause problems to the eyes, lungs, skin, heart, blood vessels and more.
Ongoing RA inflammation can destroy the joint cartilage and bone
around affected joints. Severe cartilage loss eventually leads to bones
becoming deformed. Deformities make it hard to use an affected joint and
may eventually lead to disability. RA joint damage is usually
irreversible and while many patients experience flares followed by
periods of remission, sometimes the disease gets steadily more serious.
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and is sometimes
referred to as “wear-and-tear arthritis”. Other names include
degenerative joint disease, degenerative arthritis, DJD, and
osteoarthrosis. It develops when cartilage, the flexible tissue that
allows bones in a joint to glide over each other, breaks down and
usually begins in an isolated joint. When your cartilage begins to wear
away, you lose that barrier between the bones of your joints. So your
bones then can rub onto one another, which can be very painful.
Osteoarthritis causes pain, stiffness, and swelling of the affected
joints. While it is most common among adults over age 65, people of any
age can develop it. Women are two to three times more likely to be
affected after the age of 45, and men are more likely to be affected
before the age of 45.
The Ultimate Arthritis Diet
A carefully thought out diet high in nutrients is a great place to
start, and many foods can help fight inflammation and improve joint
symptoms. It’s also important to remember that consistency and thinking
long-term is key. If you know you won’t stick to a new way of eating for
the long-haul, find ways of healthy eating that you will confidently
commit to.
There’s a well-established relationship between obesity and pain, so
diet plays a key part in preventing and managing arthritis symptoms. A
low-calorie Mediterranean diet high in Omega 3 fatty acids and low in
Omega-6 fatty acids has proven one of the best habits of health for
those suffering with arthritis.
Studies confirm that eating foods commonly part of the Mediterranean diet can do the following:
• Lower blood pressure
• Protect against chronic conditions, ranging from cancer to stroke
• Help arthritis by curbing inflammation
• Benefit your joints as well as your heart
• Lead to weight loss, which can lessen joint pain
The Mediterranean diet consists primarily of the following:
• Fish
• Nuts & Seeds
• Olive Oil
• Fruits & Veggies
• Whole Grains
• Beans
• Nightshade Vegetables
A recent study compared diet and exercise with diet alone and
exercise alone in lowering the stress on the knees in people with
obesity and osteoarthritis. Diet and exercise combined yielded the best
results — so your best bet is to work with your doctor to develop a diet
plan and an exercise routine that takes your condition and potential
limitations into account.
TOP 5 Ways you can secure your property or home from invasion or burglars
Author
Jennifer Yakin
TOP 5 Ways you can secure your property or home
Home security is a must for all households and properties.
There has been a rise in crime.
So what is the most effective way of securing your property. Here we have a list of the top 5 ways of securing your property
Number 5 Get a guard dog
Burglars or intruders are usually instantly put of by barking by a
dog. For them it is not worth the hassle of getting bitten or attacked
when they simply can move on to the next one. Downsides of owning a
guard dog, it can be time consuming and costly to maintain. Also there
is no guarantee that this will work
Deputies Rescue Tied-Up Adults and a Child, Unhurt, Hiding Inside
Volusia sheriff’s detectives are investigating a Deltona home invasion that occurred Saturday night in which several armed, masked suspects entered a home and tied up several adult victims, while a child hid undetected inside a locked bedroom. Learn more.....
These are excellent schemes run by the local community, where each
neighbour would look after the street or your property, if something
does happen, responses will be fast and your neighbours will be more
vigilant naturally. Downsides to this, is again there is no guarantee
your neighbours will be able to spot anything or be able to prevent an
event from happening.
Number 3 Reinforce your locks and windows
A well reinforced lock and window could definitely prevent a burglar
or intruder from coming in. Physical security can deter common or
amateur thieves. However there is always worry whether the lock you are
getting is good quality. There is always a weakness in any type of lock
which can be bypassed by any thief with the right knowledge
Number 2 Install a Alarm System
Provides 24/7 security and peace of mind when you leave the property.
Modern alarm systems are even able to notify you and the police
automatically via automated voice calls and text messages. Most alarm
security systems use a motion detection method that can detect movements
in your property when armed. The downside is that there is no video
proof of the intruder.
CCTV systems can now be integrated with its own alarm and
notification systems. The great thing about CCTV security surveillance
systems is that they are able to provide video evidence for the police.
CCTV systems now have Smartphone viewing over an internet connection. So
you can keep a visual eye over all of your property when away from the
property. Learn more about CCTV security systems.....
The Most Offensive Company I've Seen as a Christian
Author
David Jhonson
Before I found the Lord in
2007, I was clearly unaware of the numerous subcultures that exist in
direct opposition and blatant offence of the faith I hold so dear. Being
out of the Christian community also seemed to shelter me from the other
extreme since I did not travel in these circles. However, I am
compelled by the Spirit to highlight the moral degradation of society in
hopes of compelling my brothers and sisters to moral and righteous
action for the preservation of the standards that can only lead to a
better society for all.
While we have all witnessed the immorality that runs rampant in the
entertainment community, there seems to be a shift within the rest of
the culture. Christianity is no longer attacked, shall I say, politely
or quietly. The promotion of evil seems to be no longer veiled within
music. The days of backward masking are over. Now it seems to be
socially acceptable to launch a direct and blatant attack upon the
values that made America strong in the first place.
Even the blasphemous expressions delivered by 'famous' figures such
as Marilyn Manson, Aleister Crowley, Frederick Niche, and numerous
others in times past would pale in comparison to those surfacing in
these last days.
I stumbled upon an offensive t-shirts company (Obscenitease.com) last
week that filled me with pity and sadness over the state of our
culture. However, it also gives me hope all the more as we see the day
of the Lord approaching.
It didn't take long to be utterly appalled at the blasphemy, heresy,
and sickening filth that is sold by this company that seems to have a
growing number of fans. The owner of the online store, Zeno Rossetti,
does not hesitate (and even seems boastful) to share the story of his
previous life as a 'Christian. While I am very doubtful that he ever
knew the Lord at all, he is obviously convincing many ignorant followers
of his Christian authenticity... and making money doing it.
The online apparel company offers their customers Personalized
stickers, buttons, hoodies, and stripper clothes in addition to t-shirts
and tank tops. While the satanic wears, inverted pentagrams, and
sayings that promote depraved sexual fetishes pointed to the sick nature
of their store... what really bothered me was their unabashed attack on
the Word of God and Christianity.
My hope in highlighting the following t-shirt sayings is certainly
not the glorification or promotion of debauchery, but rather to spur
those who love our Lord to take a stand against such immorality...
especially through the Power of Prayer. What kind of evil darkness lurks
within this culture of depravity?!
They carry a shirt that says... 'I tried Christianity, but was tired
of being a judgmental prick.' How can this be considered anything less
than a hate crime? Furthermore... how could anyone even buy this shirt?
It is obvious from this saying that the owner certainly never knew the
love of the Lord.
While the shirt that declares 'F*ck Christ' is certainly repulsive, I
couldn't believe that this company is allowed to be in business while
carrying a t-shirt design that has a picture of a church with the words
'Got Matches?' underneath. How is this not blatantly promoting violence,
destruction, and pure hate? This in not at all funny, humorous or a
laughing matter in the least as so many of their fans seem to think.
I pray sincerely that you will seek the Will of the Lord as to how we
may stand for Truth in these Last Days that seem to be growing so much
darker as we patiently await the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ!
"The
separation of church and state is rooted in the Scripture in the
declaration of Jesus: ""Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's
and to God the things that are God's"" (Mk. 12:17). It was defined by
Roger Williams in the seventeenth century when he referred to a ""hedge
or wall of separation between the garden of the church and the
wilderness of the world."" And it was codified in the First Amendment to
the constitution which says, ""Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.""
I believe in the separation of church and state. However, when we
gather to celebrate our nation's birthday, I want to take another
approach. I want to talk about the point at which church and state come
together.
The point at which church and state come together is not in our
belief in God, for we have many different understandings of God
prevailing in America today, and we always have. The point at which
church and state come together is not in our understanding of morality,
for there is a wide divergence in the ethical understanding of Americans
today, from those who think it is a sin for a woman to wear makeup to
those who think it is a sin for a woman not to wear makeup! Where church
and state come together is not in our theology and not in our morality
but in our love for and belief in and commitment to freedom.
At the heart of our nation is a commitment to freedom.
The force that compelled our forefathers to come to this land was not
only their love for God but their desire for freedom. The power that
prompted our forefathers to resist England and establish a new nation
was not simply a desire to be good but a desire to be free.
Freedom was one of the inalienable rights mentioned by Thomas
Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, the first right guaranteed
in the Bill of Rights, the name given to our nation in the closing
phrase of the Star Spangled Banner. America is the ""land of the free,""
a nation which guarantees the right of freedom to all its citizens:
freedom to choose, freedom to think, freedom to speak, freedom to be
different, freedom to live.
I read again Patrick Henry's famous speech, which was delivered in
1775 to the Second Revolutionary Convention of Virginia. He concluded
the speech with these striking words: ""Is life so dear and peace so
sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it,
almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me,
give me liberty or give me death!""
Patrick Henry epitomized the central commitment that has driven the
grand experiment called the United States -- our love for, belief in and
commitment to freedom.
Likewise, at the heart of biblical faith is a commitment to freedom.
In the Old Testament, from the time God sent Moses to deliver the
Hebrews from slavery to the time God brought back the Hebrews from
Babylonian captivity, He has revealed Himself to be a
""let-my-people-go"" kind of God.
The same is true of the New Testament. Jesus announced freedom as the
purpose of His life when He said, ""The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because He anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me
to proclaim release to the captives"" (Lk. 4:18). Jesus proclaimed
freedom to be the focus of His ministry when He said, For you shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free"" (John 8:32). Paul
declared freedom to be the consequence of Jesus' death when he said,
""It was for freedom that Christ set us free.""
The central element of the Christian faith and the predominant
purpose of the American politic is to provide freedom. It is at that
point, not in the support of a certain theology, not in the
establishment of a certain morality, but in support of freedom that
church and state come together.
This raises some probing questions about freedom that I want to consider.
Question Number One: Do we believe in freedom enough to do what is necessary to experience it?
A young lady said to a famous opera star, ""I'd give the world to be
able to sing like that."" The opera star responded, ""Would you give
five hours a day?""
Personal freedom is never free! Instead, it comes as the result of
discipline. An Olympian has the freedom to win the race because he has
spent years in disciplined preparation. A pianist has the freedom to sit
down at the piano and play because she has spent years in disciplined
practice. A Christian has the freedom to live a victorious Christian
life because he has spent years in disciplined obedience. Freedom is
never free! Freedom comes to a person who has paid the price of
discipline and commitment.
Do we believe in freedom enough to do what is necessary to experience
it? Then we must oppose complacency, the tendency toward an
undisciplined and unmotivated life, for complacency is the enemy of
freedom.
Question Number Two: Do we believe in freedom enough to allow others to have it?
There is an interesting exchange between Jesus and His disciples
recorded in Luke 9:49-50. The disciple John said to Jesus, ""Master, we
saw a man driving out demons in your name, and we told him to stop,
because he doesn't belong to our group."" Jesus responded, ""Do not try
to stop him because whoever is not against you is for you."" (Good News
Bible)
It is not enough just to demand personal freedom for ourselves. We
must also grant personal freedom to others even if they are not in our
group, even if they do not agree with us, even if they are not like us,
even if they do not do things the way we do.
I remember hearing years ago about a group of Christian women in
Germany who were discussing the habits of some Christian women in
America. When it was reported that some Christian women in America
smoked, one of the German Christian women was so shocked she dropped her
beer mug!
To demand that others be like us is to presume upon the prerogative
of God who made them the way they are and it is to presume upon the
prerogative of others to chose how they will live their lives.
Do we believe in freedom enough to allow others to have it? Then we
must oppose conformity, the desire by intimidation and accusation to
squeeze everyone into the same mold, for conformity is the enemy of
freedom.
Question Number Three: Do we believe in freedom enough to support the government when it upholds it?
Our greatest threat is not a government void of religion but a
government controlled by religion. History has taught us that. When
religion took control of the government under Charlemagne, emperor of
the Holy Roman Empire, it led to the death of every Saxon who chose to
remain unbaptized. When religion took control of the Spanish government
under General Torquemada in the Spanish Inquisition, 100,000 people were
put to death in his 18-year reign, and 10,000 were burned to death. The
same lessons were taught by Cromwell's Puritan England and Khomeni's
Islamic Iran.
Christian control of the American government would not usher in a
golden era but would instead usher in a new dark ages. For as Baptist
ancestor John Leland said, ""Experience, the best teacher, has taught us
that fondness of magistrates to foster Christianity has done it more
harm than all the persecutions ever did."" That's why our greatest need
and our only hope in America today is to have a government that believes
in freedom and provides freedom for all people.
Do we believe in freedom enough to support the government when it
upholds it? Then we must oppose control, the attempt by any religious
group to control the government and determine its policies, for control
is the enemy of freedom.
Question Number Four: Do we believe in freedom enough to affirm a faith that allows it?
When you take the element of freedom out of the expression of faith,
then you have moved away from Biblical faith, for biblical faith
involves a free choice.
This was the point at which Jesus consistently conflicted with the
religious leaders of His day. A good example is Mark 2:18-20. The
religious leaders, observing Jesus' life of joyfulness and spontaneity
which so contrasted to theirs, asked Him the question, ""Why do John's
disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do
not fast?"" (Mark 2:18). They were asking Jesus, ""Why are you so
different?"" There is something threatening about an innovator,
something frightening about change, something risky about freedom.
Consequently, the Pharisees were always trying to coerce people with
their rules and regulations. The kind of faith which is so often
expressed today, which demands that everyone believe just like they
believe, express their belief in the same terms, and live out their
belief in the same way, is much closer kin to the Pharisaim which Jesus
opposed than the faith which Jesus espoused.
Do we believe in freedom enough to affirm a faith that allows it?
Then we must oppose coercion, the demand that everyone believe like us
and express their faith in our terms, for coercion is the enemy of
freedom.
As we struggle with these questions, we understand what George
Washington meant in his first Inaugural Address when he said, ""It is a
strenuous thing, this living the life of a free people.""
Many people today find the burden of freedom too heavy, and the
demands of choice too great, so they support a political philosophy and a
Christian polity that replaces freedom with a tightly structured,
narrowly interpreted, and at times viciously applied system of control,
all in the name of God.
As American citizens and as Christians, we must oppose that trend
with all our energy. We must oppose coercion in matters of faith. We
must oppose control in the government. We must oppose conformity in
personal relationships. We must oppose complacency in our lives. We must
support freedom for all people, for as our text suggests: ""It was for
freedom that Christ set us free."""
Brian L. Harbour, PhD. has been a pastor since 1965,
having served in churches in many southern states. Brian received his
bachelor's degree from Baylor University in 1966 and his doctorate in
theology from Baylor University in 1973. He is a lifelong proponent of
christianity and regularly preaches independence day sermons focusing on the balance of church and state.
#1 Dutch Fork (8-0) vs #6 (8-0) Sumter High 🔥🔥South Carolina HS Football | #UTR Highlight Mix
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Stopping RPO`s Throws in Multiple Coverages: Nick Davis
Nick Davis begins his ninth season on the Rose-Hulman staff, with this being his sixth year as defensive coordinator in 2020. He was promoted to assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator for the 2018 season. Coach Davis also works as the team's the team's strength and conditioning coach and holds a USA Weighting certiciation. Before he became the defensive coordinator for Rose-Hulman, Coach Davis served as the special teams coordinator, video coordinator and running backs coach. His previous stints were at Ottawa University where he coached defensive backs in 2010 and linebackers in 2011. Coach Davis also served as a strength and conditioning football intern at the University of Michigan and Western Illinois University in 2010. Book this course.....
Other
than physical appearance weight affects a person in many ways. This
could be the overall quality of life, self-esteem, depression, health
risks, and physical incapability. There are a lot of positive changes
once a person experience weight loss. It is for this reason why a lot
of people are searching for a weight loss technique that will surely
trim down those fats and get a super slim head turner body.
The first thing that an over-weight should do is seek a doctor to
recommend the best weight loss regimen. This will be done after a full
physical examination, which leads to the determination of proper weight
loss technique. And to lose weight fast and effectively four aspects of
life should be changed: what to eat, how to eat, behavior and activity
level. (Continued below.........)
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(......Continued.....)Here are fast tips that can change an over-weight's life:
First: Fast weight loss composes of a multi-faceted technique that
consists mindset, exercise, and in other cases, diet supplements. Begin
by learning a diet food plan that can easily be accustomed with.
Incorporate an exercise plan that allows even at least fifteen minutes a
day like brisk walking, running, swimming, and dancing.
Second: Set realistic approaches. The ability to focus and have
proper mindset enables someone on a diet to quickly lose those extra
pounds. With discipline and proper mind set, a dieter will never be
discouraged and lose focus.
Third: Listen as the body speaks. Each and everyone's body
metabolism reacts differently to different fast weight loss programs and
plans. Try substituting one program for another to compensate the
body's reaction. Exercise program must be suitable to one's body, as
others are not able to exercise as rigorously as others can. If walking
is all that can be done, then walk for this is proven the best
exercise. Muscles burn more calories than fats so it's also best to put
on a little muscle and looking good too.
Fourth: Eat more fibers for it makes a person full sooner and stays
in the tummy longer, slowing down the rate of digestion. A single
serving of whole grain bread moves fat through the digestive system
faster. Grains turn into blood sugar that spikes the body's insulin
level. Thus, making the body more energized and ready to tell the body
when it should stop burning fats or start storing.
Fifth: Keep away from fried foods especially deep-fried as this
contains a great amount of fat. Although fish and chicken appear leaner
than beef, this white meat can contain more fat than when a beef is
fried. It is recommended for those on strict diet to opt for grilled
food as this does not have or contain less amount of fat after the food
is cooked.
Sixth: Takes lots of fluid. Drinking at least six to eight glasses
of water a day keeps the body refreshed. Since weight loss depends on
how the body eliminates body wastes, the body must stay hydrated.
All in all, discipline and consistency is still the best practice and
the key to a rapid weight loss success. Light dieting, workout, and
right amount of supplementation applied in a regular way everyday will
result in faster weight loss than having a massive action only to be
followed a return to old habits as this would only lead to gaining more
weight than when the weight loss plan has started.
One Easy way to fight belly fat is to eat balanced diet.
To effectively do this, one needs education. The website
www.bellyfatlossng.com is an excellent place to start in learning what
is right and what is not when it comes to eating.
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