Are you thirsting for a more intimate relationship with God but aren't sure exactly where to start? These two steps can help you get started on your Christian spiritual growth journey.

The new birth

Forgiveness is a command, not a suggestion!

We have access to the greatest power in the universe, because it comes from the One who created the universe. How can we tap in?

The door into the kingdom of God

Can a simple slogan sweep a candidate to victory in a presidential race? The shortest and most honest answer to that is simply; yes! It wouldn’t be the first time

The modern church can be just as much against God as the Pharisees they would swear they are the opposite of.

In the US the justice system is symbolized by the blindfolded women with the scale in her hand. We hope justice is blind and no respecter of persons but as it pertains to celebrities it seems the blindfold may be made of a very flimsy see through cloth.

Within the pages of the Holy Scriptures you will find that there are a number of different baptisms. These different forms of Baptism are listed below.

Types of baptism
1) Baptism of repentance
2) Baptism into the body of Christ
3) Baptism in water
4) Baptism into the Holy Spirit
5) Baptism with fire

Teaching that there is a time to sow and a time to reap, meaning that the Word has to grow in a Christian before they can reap--be able to accomplish what they, the Bible, or others may want them to accomplish.

Many of the stars are said to be billions of light years away, meaning it took billions of years for light to travel to Earth. People on Earth now see this light; therefore, Earth must be billions of years old. Christians learn, in plain language, the deception of such teachings which refute Earth's approximate age, according to the Bible. It's not important to know Earth's age as far as salvation is concerned. However, it is important to realize that there are no errors in God's Word.

This article looks at the issue of bullying.

The following video chronicles the Flack Memorial Church Youth Group's outreach event called "FM Fear Factor". There were Six events with the winner receiving a cash prize. Also included is the message from the event.

How sinful man by nature enters into the kingdom of God

Many are trying to pray without having the firm foundation of God's Word in their lives. They are suffering from "spiritual malnutrition" because of it.

How should Christians perceive New Age?

In attempting to attain an ever-elusive world peace and inner peace, humanity disregards the reality that, until mankind is at peace with God, peace shall ever elude them.

Is Christmas a focal point for you to attend church?.

Who is praying for the Arabs? In our zeal to experience the fulfillment of Bible prophecy in the Middle East, those Arabs who have been born again, have become the forgotten sector of the body of Christ. Is anyone praying for the Arabs?

An exposé on what kind of worship God wants.

Bible schools and seminaries may have to teach freshmen the difference between liberal and conservative theology but there is little hope of getting the average American to understand the difference.

I am American born, but not a hyphenated-American. There are many American born citizens who insist on qualifying their heritage by appending their ethnicity to it.

Following the death of an actor who played a gay man in Brokeback Mountain, a member of a radical Christian sect declared her intention to picket his funeral. This woman pickets the funerals of US servicemen, causing further grief to those who mourn them.

While Christians must make a brave stance against evil in their society, there is a line which should not be crossed. The love of Christ, not condemnation, needs to be shown to grieving people. Only God is Judge over all the universe.

America has a reputation of being a throwaway society. We discard things that those in some other nations would feel privileged to possess. We take food so much for granted that it often becomes a throwaway item. Our clothes are treated in the same cavalier manner.

Mitt Romney, one of the Republican candidates for President, is reaching out the the evangelical conservative in an effort to calm their fears about his Mormon religion.
We are all the same.......kumba kumba......

Realistically, do we want someone that is willing to lie about his faith in office? We've put one there before.......Romney is rapidly shedding his Mormon skin for a Kennedy impression.....

It is time to decide, you going to vote your values? Or your fears?

The most-asked question during the Christmas season demands a response most are not ready to hear!

The perils of not letting your yea be yea and your nay be nay.

Another column on forgiveness. What are your thoughts on the article?

With an ocean of pro-choice Presidential candidates on the progressive side of the fence it seems reasonable to wonder why they are not labeled as digressive candidates. Wasting a human life should never be considered progress on any level.

This was an article I was given that puts a humous perspective from what Children have said about things in the Bible so innocently.

Hope you enjoy the article of one liners.

The curse of political correctness is killing America the same way alcoholisim kills the alcoholic.

If a person is doing wrong and If we tell them they are doing wrong we are not judging that person but we are judging that persons behavior, attitudes. It is true that there are certain forms of judgment that we should not make. Biblical correction is not Judging. Correcting or advising someone when they do wrong is not judgment, as the Bible says that we should correct, rebuke and be bold to those who are sinning in the wisdom of God.

Are your children unruly, defiant, or selfish? Do you think God thinks the same of us? Are unruly children and godly children mutually exclusive? Do you want refined children? Do you want to be refined yourself? This article expores the fact that our flesh and blood children don't act much different than we act as God's children.

This article is on the subject of stealing as questioning if it is biblical and offers some advise practical prayer tips for others to put into force.

One of the most common mistakes made by leaders is changing courses to fast. A church is a lot like a ship. If you turn too fast, you will turn the boat over. The sea of life if full of sunken ships that would have survived if the leaders would have transitioned instead of forcing abrupt and immediate change.

This is a prayer to pray if you have difficulty over your finances.

Do you know who are your aquaintances compared to your real mates?

Christians should primarily be concerned for the spiritual aspect of growth. The words of Jesus, when He was tempted by Satan to turn stone into bread, attest to this: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

This article asks some challenging questions and offers practical solutions to minister to alcoholics.

Sincere believers sometimes are at a loss regarding how to view the practice of gift-giving. The Bible offers the answer. God, himself, was the first Christmas gift-giver.

This is my contribution for new writers to be able to write good short columns.

What’s your addiction?.

If you are wise, you should have to take time to think before you react.

If you are wise, you should have take time to listen before you criticize.

If you are wise, you should have to take time to analyze before you emphasize.

Salvation is supposed to rescue lives on every level, not provide a more improved means of living deformed.

Are mistakes healthy?

A fresh snowfall is truly a testimony of God's glorious creation. However, along with its beauty, it also brings sub-zero temperatures, dented fenders, aching backs, frozen fingers, endless shoveling ... and those evil snowplows lurking nearby to un-do all your hard work.

This is an article on total fogiveness. Is that what you need to read today?

What do you think to the above question?

Some time ago, this author read with interest the comments someone sent to a large urban newspaper. They had to do with the writer's concern on the implications of genetic research on the prevailing ideas regarding sin and man's free will. Is humanity really responsible for some acts condemned by the Western religions? A United Methodist bishop also was quoted as wondering if sin is centered exclusively in free will.

Is your church a church or social club

Do we hear the voice of God when He speaks to us? Is His message clearly received? If not, the problem might be our heart and our relationship to Him.

Today’s society embraces an immoral lifestyle for the young (and old alike) but God never has. Paul wrote, “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. [1 corinthians 6:18]

The medical community bears out the truth of that statement. Consider for a moment some statistical information:...

All most everybody worries about what will happen when they face a stressful and scary situation. The prospect of not knowing what to do can be frightening. As a result, here is a list of techniques and suggestions on how to manage the fear of an upcoming situation.

Worry means to be anxious, troubled, or uneasy. It is a strong feeling of anxiety that causes unhappiness. It also causes mental agitation or distress which disturbs our peace. People tend to get stuck in worrying mode instead of finding a way out. We must ask ourselves if there is anything we could do to improve the situation. There is always something, we just need to find it.

Biblical guidelines for dating

This article looks at the biblical perspective or homosexuality.

You know, it just doesn't seem fair. Why Uzzah was only trying to protect the Lord's sacred object from harm. How can God be so unjust? There is a reason that Uzzah was put to death by the Lord. There is also a very valuable lesson in it for us as well.

What is all the talk about an “apostasy” or a “falling away” really about? Hundreds of examples have occurred in 2007 and this year holds the promise of more to come. Let’s examine just a few examples from the very first week of 2008.

When Christians first decided to take the pagan feast “Yule” and re-name it ‘Christmas’ they were making not only a corporate but a personal decision. They resolved that they were going to take the existing festivities and use them as an opportunity to publicly celebrate something far greater than food, drink and lights; namely, the birth of Jesus Christ – God in human form – into this earth. As a young Christian today at t

The basic premise of this book misses the biblical mark. The authors take more of a literary license with scripture than this reader is comfortable with. To be swept up into a romance, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, and to be the Beauty of the greatest story ever told echoes a man-centered gospel. This reader finds the book less than captivating because there are things about the book that are troubling.

They were gathered on a hillside outside the little town. Normally peaceful and quiet, these last days had seen roads full and dust-laden. But for the moment, the town was blanketed by a star-filled canopy ...

Some people don't see themselves accurately. God wants each of them to understand how He sees them.

I very seldom get lost when I am going somewhere. That is, unless your definition of seldom is every time I need to find a new place. Then all options are out the car window. Still I need to understand what you mean by “lost.”

A piece of Eden resides in each of us, just as a piece of God’s image, fanned by His breath, is planted in the soil of our heart. Like a story unfinished, it beckons. It is my story. It is your story. And though it began without us, it contains all we are – all we were meant to be.

The new year is a good time to examine ourselves as to whether we are living for the Lord as He intended. It can be a time for repentance, healing, re-dedication, and salvation in Him.

How well do you perceive God? Is He another wish granter to you?

This article highlights the fact that many Christians can't partake of important blessings and supplies of grace because we leave out an indispensable part of God's requirement of us.

The appointee to the new Encouraging Word Ministry seems to have ruffled some feathers. The story tells how God deals with all involved.

Months ago, this writer asked the Lord to explain the meaning of marching tree tops (2 Samuel 5:24; I Chronicles 14:15). On January 1, 2008, the Lord answered that request.

This article assists Christians with guidance in team member participation. Christians all around the world are subject to a diverse population. This includes culturally and religiously. The core lesson is to understand postmodern Christian beliefs as they are compared to traditional Christian beliefs.

A Christmas Poem

It is likely that, if asked, most Chrisitians, and even many non-Christians, could tell you what the three gifts given to the Christ Child by the Wise Men were. But what is the likelihood those same people could tell you why it was those three gifts? A young couple starting out in life as husband and wife with a newborn could certainly use gold, but frankincense and myrrh? Yes, frankincense and myrrh. Each gift has a particular significance that each of us would do well to learn.

It's time to return to our first love and be a part of the army of God.

From a missionary's heart, this poem frames what has been witnessed with this author's own eyes. A year after I wrote it, I still cry when I read it.

Erica sang mechanically. Sometimes she wondered why she even made the effort. There wasn't a song in her heart.

Her mind whirled as she thought of the argument that she and Josh had had that morning. It was only one of many that continuously flared between them. Arguments over things that had no eternal significance. What difference did it make if a little water got on the floor from her shower? Josh was just so picky!

The statement "everything is permissible" seems to be a statement being made by the Corinthians who had a misunderstanding of true freedom. Mankind still buys that idea in many circles. They say, "I can do anything I please and the grace of God covers me."� There is something very wrong about that statement and Paul addresses the idea here.

There are questions that need to be asked as to whether a Christian is free to engage in a certain activity. Below are some questions to consider...

If we choose to sin, it is a deliberate choice we make, because sin's power over us was defeated at the cross! I used to be the king of justification, rationalization, you name it! But now I realize that when I sin, it is I who has made the choice to sin. The devil didn't make me do it as the expression goes. In the book of James it says that we are tempted by the lure of our own evil desires. Proverbs 3 says to trust in the Lord with all (not some) of my heart and lean not on my own understandi

We know Nehemiah wasn’t the bullfrog, Jeremiah was! But maybe, just maybe Nehemiah really was a bullfrog in his own right. He took some big leaps when it came to restoring the broken walls of Jerusalem. Join the multitudes that stood in the presence of God for one of the most notable worship services recorded in the Word of God. Sing along to the tune of “Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog” as recorded by Three Dog Night.

Christian should love for God commanded them to do so! “Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13: 9-10, NIV). Loving and serving others shows that we love God. We are to believe in God (meaning have faith and believe what He has said in the Bible) and then we are to implement that faith in our life by obeying it.

An article surmising why Jesus didn't make it very clear to Judas who Jesus was so that Judas would be unlikely to betray Jesus.

Janice and Meryl were married on a beautiful, clear, afternoon in late June. The wedding and reception was perfect in every way. Many of their guests commented on the tender devotion that each displayed toward the other. No one could have convinced anyone at that moment that they would not live happily ever after.

Meryl had made plans for a wonderful honeymoon in the Bahamas. It was beautiful. Meryl was so thoughtful and tender. Janice was deliriously happy and knew that she had made a wise cho

As I grow in my relationship with the Lord, I find it helpful to keep a prayer journal. From time to time, it is an awesome encouragement to look back at where He has brought us and what He has brought us through. This is just days 1-28 of a 40 day prayer journal. The rest is coming, I just haven't typed it all yet. Thanks be to our gracious and forgiving Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who accepts us back with welcoming, loving arms no matter how far or how fast we ran from Him. AMEN!!

Popular Christian fiction has understandably gained ill rapport among many. However, the notion of entertaining while teaching important biblical truths can prove indispensable and is even shadowed in the Bible through the use of parables.

Reports of sycophantically driven crowds of Obama supporters are making news and bloating the blogs across the nation. Can this phenomenon be explained?

Anger occurs when things don’t go according to our expectations, for instance, when we expect people to be polite, and they are rude. Anger can also be a result of perceived loss of control over something that is important to us. Our anger is sometimes justified, because of other people’s poor behavior. However uncontrolled anger weakens us, and makes us lose focus on what is important. It is in our best interest to manage our anger.

Who is This Child? [A Christmas Poem]

What it means to choose the right thing in spirit and truth.

People have often asked me over the years what I would predict for America. I can only say what I have been able to discern and the few things God has intimated to my heart from time to time. I have never been nor do I want to be a public prognosticator but if I have to say anything it would be as follows.

There are innumorable benefits for those who choose to become a Christian. This article lists many of them.

Though he never used the term, The Violinist was an agnostic. He claimed that no one could know that a God really existed. He even attempted, unsuccessfully, to prevent his wife, Sara - a devout woman who was ill with a deadly illness - from going to church. Only through her perseverance was Joey, their infant son, baptized. It nonrtheless required a work of God's marvelous grace and healing power to bring the Violinist and Sara to a genuine saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

This is a short account of how my marriage rebounded when it almost became a casualty. No magic formula, just what happened.

We need to remind ourself more often about the cross. Amen.

Become a Smashing Success Instantly with Integrity using this one secret. What does success really mean? What does it take for you to be happy and satisfied and to be able to live the life of your dreams? Stop settling for less and learn how to become a smashing success right now, right here.

A poem about Ash Wednesday

Barack Obama has silenced and nearly shamed Hillary in the latest round of debates including the recent remarks made by Clinton about Obama’s changes being something you can Xerox.

Offers scriptures that, when heeded, will go a long way in protecting a Christians new heart from being corrupted.

It is not easy to deal with your fears, anxieties, or depression while maintaining a family and job. It can be very tough to have to manage your anxieties while making a living and taking care of the kids. As a result, here are a few techniques on how you can become better at dealing with your fears, depression, and anxieties.

If you need prayer for healing pray this this short prayer.

In a spiritual sense, this writer used to get her kicks on Route 66. An allegorical account of this fabled American roadway.

Heartfelt prayers God treasures. Those to impress others with fancy words "only reach the ceiling", as a counselor of mine says. This is a prayer I wrote while in a Christ-centered drug and alcohol rehabilitation program