Observe: You are Better Than Your Wife

Written by Neal Black

 “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.” (Romans 12:9, NLT)

It’s true, you are better than your wife… in one particular area. Overall, as a man, are better at observation than she is. (For more information see Secrets of Happily Married Men by Scott Haltzman) Now before you go trotting off to locate her in the house and read that line to her, let’s talk about using this special talent to blow her mind!

You’re better at observation; your wife likes to be observed by you. This is good but it’s not just a matter of watching her wiggle (although perfectly good use of your amazing observation abilities!) There is more. By observation you can learn some great intel that will change your relationship.

Romans 12:9 says, “Don’t pretend to love others. Really love them.” So, this week watch your wife till you see her respond to something in a very positive way. Maybe someone complimented her cooking, her hair or maybe it was someone emptying the dishwasher, or buying her a small gift or giving her a hug. You may observe one of your kids playing a game with her that brought lots of smiles and fun interaction.

Hit Him With the Rock

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." (Psalm 23:1-2)

Have you ever thought about David and wondered how a shepherd boy could become a man after God's own heart? A man so strong in spirit that God chose him to be king of Israel? I have.

In fact, I asked God about it, and He showed me that revelation was what turned David into such a spiritual powerhouse--revelation that came to him through hours of thinking about the things of God. I imagine the day he wrote Psalm 23 he was just sitting and singing praises to God and meditating on His goodness. Just fellowshipping with Him when suddenly the anointing of the Lord came upon him and he said, "The Lord is my Shepherd!"

Help, or Harmonic Convergence?

I will lift up my eyes to the hills -- from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.  
Psalm 121:1-2

Recommended Reading Psalm 121

What did the psalmist mean when he said he was looking to the hills for help? He certainly didn't mean that the hills themselves provided help. He wasn't like the New Age thinkers in Arizona who suggest that the red hills around Sedona emit a "harmonic convergence" that gives healing and strength to visitors. Nor was he expecting the cavalry to come charging over the hills like in a TV Western.
Though various commentators of Psalm 121 offer different suggestions, perhaps the simplest explanation is the best. The psalmist, in facing great difficulty, looked up and saw the hills that God had made. And he said to himself: "The Creator of heaven and earth is my Lord, and if He can create all things, He can surely take care of me."

Chaos Now For Beauty Later

Written by Claire Colvin

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19, NLT)

I am in the midst of a kitchen reno and my house looks like a disaster zone. The simplest tasks are complicated and frustrating. The kettle is in the en suite bathroom, the tea bags are on the coach, the mugs are somewhere in the living room. Everything takes longer. Nothing looks familiar.
Even when it’s time to rest it’s hard to relax in a room that is literally stacked to the ceiling. The other day I stood on the bare concrete floor and thought about the beautiful kitchen that is going in. I remembered all the years I had prayed for a place of my own and I took a deep breath. “It’s chaos now for beauty later,” I said to my roommate and I heard a whisper in my heart. Oh, there’s a lesson in that.

Who Lives Longer: Tall or Short People?

Shorter people tend to live longer.

Though many cultures value height, there may be good reason to hope that you won't grow tall. Studies based on millions of lives seem to suggest that shorter people tend to outlive their taller counterparts. Not only do they have lower death rates, but they tend to have fewer diet-related chronic diseases. Studies and experiments on animals show similar results

More about height and lifespans:

• Some studies suggest that the very rare Methuselah gene may be the reason for long life for some people. People with this gene aren't as sensitive to IGF-1, a growth-encouraging hormone. As a result, these people tend to be shorter. They also tend to live longer. Women are even more susceptible to the hormone which may support the reason why there are generally more female centenarians than men.

How Did I Get Into This Mess?

Jeff Strite

Scripture: Proverbs 22:7

OPEN: Years ago, I had a friend who attended a Bible Study at my home. He shared with our study that when he graduated from High School, he had a life goal. His life goal was to be a million dollars in debt before he reached the age of 30… and THEN he’d declare bankruptcy.

He said he was more than half way there when he became a Christian. As a Christian he realized that he had to responsibility for those debts and he’d just recently paid them all off.

Now, a couple of observations:

1st - Bankruptcy is not a shameful nor ungodly option. Our nation’s bankruptcy laws are loosely based on the Law of Moses.

The Power of Song

“On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song…” — Judges 5:1

This Torah portion for this week, Beshalach, is from Exodus 13:7–17:16 and Judges 4:4–5:31.
The Haftorah for the Torah portion of Beshalach is taken from the book of Judges and tells us the memorable story about two biblical heroines — Deborah and Jael. Deborah was a prophetess and the leader of Israel. She was commanded by God to defeat the armies of Jabin and their General Sisera through her own second-in-command, Barak.

After Barak insisted that Deborah accompany him on the battlefield, the two defeated the enemy armies and only the enemy general, Sisera, escaped on foot. Sisera took refuge in the home of someone he considered an ally and friend, Jael. But instead, Jael chose to help Israel and killed Sisera in his sleep. The war was won, the enemy completely vanquished, and Deborah celebrated victory.

Praise Brings Results

Written by Dr. Bill Bright


“And at the moment they began to sing and to praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to begin fighting among themselves, and they destroyed each other!” 2 Chronicles 20:22

The armies of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir had declared war on King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah. So Jehoshaphat called the people together and prayed, “Oh, our God. Won’t you stop them. We have no way to protect ourselves against this mighty army. We don’t know what to do but we are looking to You.”

Then the Lord instructed the people, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be paralyzed by this mighty army for the battle is not yours, but God’s! Tomorrow, go down and attack them!…But you will not need to fight. Take your places; stand quietly and see the incredible rescue operation God will perform for you” (2 Chronicles 20:15-17).

The Man Who Was a Dresser of Sycamore Trees

Amos [Ā'mos]—burden-bearer or one with a burden.

1. This prophet of “judgment,”; which is the key word of the book he wrote, was a citizen of Tekoa, west of the Dead Sea (Amos 1:1; 7:8-16; 8:2).

Although he was one of the oldest of the prophets, we know little about Amos save what he himself tells us. He does not appear to have belonged to any rank or influence. The opposite is the case, seeing he styles himself a herdsman (Amos 7:14). 

He was no “professional prophet, speaking for a living.” Amos did not belong to the order of the prophets, nor had he been educated in the school of the prophets. The prophetic office was thrust upon him (Amos 7:14, 15). When the call came he exchanged the life of a shepherd and cultivator of sycamore trees for that of a prophet.

Just Love Them

Lynda Hanna

“On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)

While watching animal rescue videos on YouTube recently, I was touched by a non-profit organization that travels through the country to rescue abandoned and abused dogs throughout the U.S. I have a soft spot for dogs, so I cried when I saw the animal rescuers reach out to these poor dogs. Some of them were so tiny it’s hard to believe that someone could abandon them.

The rescuers brought food – usually a cheeseburger – with them to feed the dog and gain its trust. Little by little, the dog would respond, some would shake with fear and anxiety and others would cower away. In the end, after the patient attempts of the rescuers, all the dogs, whether big or small would end up in the arms of the rescuer as if they’d been friends for life. All they needed was love.

At Issue - Rejection

2 Chronicles 11:13–17

Rejection hurts—when your boss hands you a pink slip, or your husband walks out on you, or a close friend deserts you. 

Rejection makes you doubt your abilities, your worth, your purpose in life. But not all rejection is bad. 

The Levites were rejected by Jeroboam, who wanted to choose his own priests to offer sacrifices to false gods. Painful as the rejection was, it motivated the Levites to move to Jerusalem to serve God there—a change they wouldn’t have made otherwise. 

f Jesus Hasn't Changed, Why Isn't He Moving Like in the Past?

JAMES MALONEY

 

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More than once I’ve led a team of evangelists in a series of crusades in Madras/Chennai, India. The last time I was there, the magnitude of the people’s needs was totally overwhelming. Every kind of sickness and disease imaginable was represented in the vast crowd that thronged to hear the Word of God.

It was amazing to see the response of these precious souls receiving the greatest miracle of all: the born-again experience. However, as I watched, a gnawing question rose up within my spirit. I recognized it as coming from the Lord, and it shook me to the very core of my being.

“When will I be presented to the multitudes today as I was presented yesterday? Have I changed in 2,000 years? Is it not still My desire to heal the sick and set the captives free?”

How to Manifest God’s Promises in Your Life

RUTH L. WHITFIELD

 

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After years of owning used cars—dealing with surprise breakdowns on busy streets and highways, being stranded, and scrounging for money for car repairs and maintenance—we were finally able to buy a “new” car. It was new to us and we felt blessed indeed.

It was a 1994 Taurus and we bought it late summer of 1995, so it had already depreciated two years before we drove it off the lot. But it was “new” and came with full warranty at an excellent price, and for several years we enjoyed its many amenities.

Then one summer the air conditioner went out. We live in central Florida, where this is a must-have—not a luxury. Based on past experiences we believed the dealership would charge too much money for repairs, so we opted to have an acquaintance look at it. He recommended a friend and together they worked on the repairs. They were veteran auto mechanics and although we paid a substantial sum, we thought we were being frugal because it was better than “what the dealer would charge.” We were satisfied that we were being good stewards and made the right decision.

The Key to Faith

How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God? —John 5:44

This verse is a warning and an encouragement to you and me. The warning: if you and I do not make an attempt to receive the praise that comes from God rather than the praise of people, we too will find it impossible to exercise genuine faith. The encouragement: we are not required to have obtained the honor and praise of God, but only to make an effort to obtain it. God's commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3).

He is not demanding that we perfectly repudiate the praise of people and absolutely receive His praise; He is only asking us to make an effort to obtain His praise. Nothing can be more reasonable than that.

The Old Covenant

If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people. —Exodus 19:5

After four hundred years of bondage in a pagan nation, the Israelites did not understand God. Soon they returned to idol worship. From Mount Sinai, God gave them a set of laws (engraved on tablets of stone) to help them learn how to live holy lives. Yet, the first thing that Israel did was build a golden calf, breaking the first commandment. The Law reveals our sin but cannot empower us to be obedient or righteous.

Living under the old covenant clearly revealed the need for a new and improved covenant (Hebrews 8:7). The old covenant foreshadowed the greater one to come.

Jesus instituted a better and more perfect contract signed in His blood. God’s commandments no longer lie rigid and cold in stone, but now live and breathe inside us (2 Corinthians 3:3).

The Spirit Moves

Rick Joyner

And the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters (see Genesis 1:2).
With the first mention of the Spirit, He was moving. The Holy Spirit is the agent of God who does the work. He is ever moving, working, and bringing forth the purposes of God. It is crucial for every Christian to know the Holy Spirit, and learn how to follow Him in all things. In order to do this, we have to keep moving. The nature of the Christian life is to be moving and going somewhere.

The Christian life is never stagnant, but flowing like a river. We have a destination and a work to accomplish with the Holy Spirit. In the beginning "the Spirit of God was moving," and the Spirit continues to move. That is why the River of Life is a river, not a pond or lake. A river is always going somewhere.

The Day

Rick Joyner

And there was evening and there was morning, one day (see Genesis 1:5).

Here we see that a day begins with the evening. This is a prophecy that with the great things the Lord brings forth, there is usually darkness before the dawn. This is a consistent truth throughout the Scriptures.

For example, Israel was subject to four hundred years of slavery before they were led into the freedom of the Promised Land. Their oppression became the greatest just before they were set free by the power of God. The great saints of Scripture usually went through a period of darkness before they were brought forth into the purposes of God. Joseph had to go through slavery and imprisonment. King David was persecuted by Saul, and chased by the very people over which he was called to rule. Jesus had to go to the cross and die before He could be resurrected to His place of authority and glory.

L i f e

Rick Joyner

Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures,

and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens."

And God created the great sea monsters, and every living creature that moves,

with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind;

and God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:20-21).

The Lord said that His people were worth "more than many sparrows" (see Matthew 10:31), so sparrows are obviously worth something to Him. When He created the beasts He "saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:25). The creation is precious to the Lord, which is why we see in Revelation 11:18 that when the Lord's great wrath comes at the end, one reason is "to destroy those who destroy the earth." Christians should be the most devoted conservationists of all, counting precious what our wonderful Creator has given us to enjoy on the earth. Life, in all of its forms, must be esteemed and protected. However, this must not be confused with the idolatrous worship of the creation in place of the Creator.

Help in Conflict

Written by Gail Rodgers

“And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

No one likes to be thought of as needy. We prefer other adjectives for ourselves, words that reflect strength or wisdom. Think about your own needs for a moment. It’s easier to think of someone else and how to help them but can you identify where you are have been needy lately?

There is a tool we can use to help us see our own need. It is the tool of paying attention to any conflict in our lives. Conflict often reflects unmet needs. Think about it for a moment.

Take a moment to recall the last encounter you had with conflict. Most of us don’t have to dig very far into our memories. Sometimes the unmet need is basic and easy to remedy such as the need for sleep. Yet often it is much deeper. The need to feel valued and heard or the need to be accepted or respected can cause conflict from a wounded heart.

Can believers fall away?

Luke 8:13

It would seem so, according to this verse. But some see another possibility: that this verse looks at how people appear, rather than their true spiritual condition. They suggest the appearance of falling away (that is, turning away from the faith entirely and decisively) reveals that the person never had true faith.

Others, however, say it’s possible to believe for a while. They say the New Testament warns believers to persevere in their faith—a warning different from that given to unbelievers. They say God gives people a free will—something they still have when they commit to Christ.

Heaven's Economy

"Giving thanks unto the Father .. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." (Colossians 1:12-13)If, in spite of all the Bible's promises about prosperity...in spite of all the prayers you've prayed...you are still struggling financially, consider this question: Where do you think God is going to get the resources to meet your needs?

Many believers limit God without even realizing it by training their eyes on the limited resources of this world rather than the unlimited riches of God's kingdom. Their faith fails when they think of the troubled economy on the earth, of the shortages and scarcity that surrounds them. They wonder, "How is God going to bless me in the middle of all this?"

Owned or Loaned?

by Marilyn Ehle

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Genesis 2:15

Our car went into the garage for work so we were given a ‘loaner’ for use today. We have no title to this car, it’s not ours, it has only temporary usefulness for us. We are responsible to drive it safely and return it in good condition at the end of the day.

If only we looked at all the things in our lives as ‘loaners’. In many of our churches we regularly affirm belief in “God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.” 

Money Matters

by Darren Hewer

“41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.’” Mark 12:41-44

Do you ever feel anxious when the collection plate comes around? Paul somewhat surprisingly tells us that “You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give.” Not only that, but giving should be joyful, not forced: “Don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully”

Hallelujah!

“He brought out His people with rejoicing,
His chosen ones with shouts of joy;
He gave them the lands of the nations,
and they fell heir to what others had toiled for –
that they might keep His precepts
and observe His laws.
Praise the LORD [Hallelu Yah].” — Psalm 105:43–45

Hallelujah is an amazing word. It spans continents, cultures, and languages. Hallelujah beautifully expresses our praise of the Lord. Yet, the only place that it actually appears in the Hebrew Bible is in the book of Psalms. Even then, it isn’t introduced until the last third of the book. It first appears in the last line of Psalm 104, or according to some, the first line of Psalm 105. And it is in Psalm 105, which concludes with “Hallelu Yah” that we can understand its full meaning.

What does hallelujah really mean?

Crushed In Spirit

Written by Barbara Alpert

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

When sadness and depression settles into one’s mind, heart, and soul it is not easy to shuck the feelings off, break out of the rut and move on as some may suggest or think. At times, inner despair remains regardless of the goodwill offered from those that care. If this sounds like you, realize you are not alone. Many others have or are currently battling with valleys of darkness too.

Are you aware that numerous men and women of the Bible struggled with sadness? Yes, God believing people experienced depressed feelings, emotional grief, and times of despair. Moses asked God to take his life (Numbers 11:10-15), Job cursed the day of his birth (Job 3:1-26), Jonah was angry with God and wanted to die (Jonah 4:3-9). Hanna grieved because her womb remained closed for many years (1 Samuel 1:1-16), Tamara, after her brother raped her, lived a desolate life (2 Samuel 13:1-21), Naomi was filled with bitterness and pain after experiencing multiple hardships (Ruth 1:1-20), Hagar sobbed in the desert as her son was about to die (Genesis 21).

The Top 10 Most-Searched Bible Verses: What’s Missing?

After watching many National Football League games growing up, I finally grew curious enough to walk into my parents’ office and pick up the family Bible. It seemed every football broadcast included shots of someone standing in the end zone, behind and between the goal posts, holding up a simple sign: JOHN 3:16. I knew enough about the Bible to locate the Book of John in the New Testament.
When I read John 3:16, I wasn’t impressed. Turns out the verse was familiar, thanks to Sunday school. I guess I expected to read some sort of decoded message that would unlock a valuable secret. In some sense that’s exactly what I read, but I didn’t yet have the eyes of faith to behold the beauty of what God has done in Jesus Christ.

You probably won’t be surprised to learn that John 3:16 is the most-searched Bible verse, according to Bible Gateway’s statistical analysis. We reviewed the behavior of some of the 8 million visitors who stop by the site each month, many of them chasing results provided by Google. I was intrigued to review the top 10 results, which I’ve listed in reverse order.

Popular Bible Verses on Love for Valentine’s Day

Around holidays like Valentine’s Day, we see traffic spikes from people looking for Bible verses related to those holidays. For example, visits to 1 Corinthians 13, the “Love Chapter,” started to increase yesterday, and we expect it to continue for the rest of the day and into tomorrow.

For all the sappiness and blatant commercialism of Valentine’s Day, it’s still one of the few times during the year that we’re encouraged to express our love and affection for the people in our lives. And since Jesus tells us to love our neighbors, any excuse to celebrate love is fine by us!

We thought we’d save you some time and collect some of the more popular Bible verses about love. Think of these verses collectively as a sort of primer on Christian love:

Psalm 133:1-3

How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!

It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.

The Top 10 Bible Verses of 2012

What were the most-read Bible verses on Bible Gateway in 2012?

We’ve crunched the numbers to find out which parts of the Bible were the most heavily looked up and read last year. 

Here’s a countdown of the top ten most popular Bible verses of 2012, based on Bible Gateway visitor data:

10. Proverbs 3:6

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (KJV)

9. Psalm 23:4

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (NIV)

8. 1 Corinthians 13:4

“Love is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant….” (CEB)

7. Proverbs 3:5

“With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment.” (CEV)

Our Daily Bread -- A Song To Remember

Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn

READ: Deuteronomy 31:16-22

Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect. —Deuteronomy 32:3-4

I was delighted when I received a free gift in the mail—a CD of Scripture set to music. After listening to it several times, some of the melodies took root in my mind. Before long, I could sing the words to a couple of verses in the book of Psalms without the help of the recording.

The Wise Know God is Constantly With Them

by Rick Warren

“God is always on the alert, constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9 MSG)

When God gives you a mission, you can be sure you’ll run into delays, difficulties, detours, and dead ends along the way. They are a natural part of life. But you can be ready for them.

For example, if anybody had a right to be discouraged, it was Noah. Do you know how long it took Noah to build the ark? 120 years. Could you go 120 years on a project without one word of encouragement from anybody else in society?

Noah trusted God. And when he heard God's warning about the future, Noah believed him, even though there was no sign of a flood. I bet there were many days that Noah didn't feel like going to work, but for 43,800 days, he went to the same place, and he worked. He never gave up.

Don't give up on your dream, either. Don't give up on your marriage. Don't give up on your health. Don't, don't, don't give up. God is in control. You haven’t read the final chapter of your life. God's already written it, but you haven't read it yet.

The Bible says, “God is always on the alert, constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9 MSG). God is looking for people that he can bless.

Talk About It -

• What is the God-size dream you’ve been ready to give up on because of difficulties and delays?

• How do you want God to bless you as you commit your life fully to him?

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and most influential churches. Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller "The Purpose Driven Life." His book, "The Purpose Driven Church," was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also the founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for pastors.

Why Porn Can Be Good For You (And Society)

Easy access to porn is blamed for everything from a decrease in male desire to poor body image in women. But are there social upsides?

  

A 2006 New York magazine story by Naomi Wolf warned that pornography is so seriously turning men off to real women that now, six years later, you’d think it’s a miracle there are any children in first grade. 

Porn has always had plenty of detractors, but since the web has brought it into our homes on demand, a multitude of 21st-century criticisms have been leveled at it. The breakup of relationships, violence, sexual pressure, body image problems for women and sexual addiction and dysfunction in men have all been blamed on the avid use of porn.
One could argue that all these things existed before search engines did; Henry VIII handily exemplified two or three. And is there no upside to having a world of human sexual wonders at your grown-up fingertips? Is the world in no way better for having a film called Bitanic? Let’s take a look past the implants and see if -- and when -- a little voyeurism is a good thing.

Why Most Men Aren’t Man Enough to Handle Web Porn

By ALAIN DE BOTTON

Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

All parties, on left and right, believe in freedom. The question is whether there are ways of having too much freedom, or of using it in the very wrong way, so that it starts to hurt other things we care about, like prosperity, safety and happiness.

The issue comes to a head with internet pornography. The standard view is that people should be left to look at porn as much as they like, just as they should be left to buy guns, eat unhealthy foods, divorce and remarry eight times and make nothing of their talents: it’s a free country, after all.

But what is freedom? If you listen to the theologian and philosopher St Augustine, real freedom doesn’t mean the right to do anything whatsoever. It means being given access to everything that is necessary for a flourishing life – and, it follows, being protected from many of the things that ruin life.

How Do I Escape the Trap of Pornography in My Life?

These five steps will help you break free.
by Dave Boehi and Mike Pickle

Pornography has become one of the most destructive forces in our culture today. Never has it been so widespread … and never has it been so easy to find.

What we would call "hard-core pornography"—the more explicit images, videos, or descriptions of erotic behavior—has grown rapidly during the last two decades. In the past, pornography was available only at stores or through the mail. But the pornography industry is often the first to take advantage of new media technology—and now with cable television, DVDs, cell phones, iPods, and especially the Internet, it is easier than ever to find, and harder than ever to resist.

Internet pornography has earned itself a reputation for being the crack cocaine of sexual addiction. "It works so quickly and it's so instantly intense," says Dr. Robert Weiss of the Sexual Recovery Institute in Los Angeles. "We're seeing a whole population of clients who have never had a history with the problem, but for the first time, they're beginning one particular activity and getting hooked."1

The Man Beloved of Jehovah

Benjamin [Bĕn'jamĭn]—son of the right hand.

1. The youngest son of Jacob and the only one born in Canaan; founder of a tribal family. His mother, Rachel, who died in giving birth to Benjamin, named him with her last breath Benoni “son of sorrow.” Jacob changed the name to Benjamin (Gen. 35:18, 24).

The prophecy of Jacob regarding Benjamin is short and easily verified. Personal courage and martial temperament, a characteristic of the Benjamites throughout history, are before us in Benjamin as a ravening wolf devouring the prey and dividing the spoil. 

How Snow Illustrates One Of The Bible’s Most Important Messages

Photo by Stefan Perneborg.

Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:

though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
Isaiah 1:18

Snow is poignant illustration of one of the most important messages in the Bible:

Each of us is a sinner. We need to be purified. We need God’s forgiveness.