Regression of Ethics by Jordan McRae aka Young Soldier

This article was written by a awesome Christian young man I know at my church. Just read and think for second. There are young men that do think!!!!




Regression of Ethics

Recently in the news I have heard topics such as: Police beating in P.G. County, Budget mistakes in D.C., and Children falling out of windows in Virginia. Truthfully, I am not surprised, it is the same bad news everyday. Shootings, deaths, economic problems, and even international problems. The United States has “seemingly” resurfaced from our recession, which is a good thing, but I think we need that time to humble ourselves as a country. We were too reliant on other, and that left us weak and defenseless when this recession came. We were lazy, we didn’t want to work, we were complacent with our luxurious lifestyle. Now if you say you don’t have a luxurious lifestyle, you are lying to yourself right now. If you are a teenager and you have a cell phone, Ipod, or various video game systems, you are living a luxurious life. You may not think about it like that, but you should, because I know some teens, and many adults in poorer countries don’t have anything close to the items that we have. With those items, and our lifestyle we became lazy, but that changed, and it changed very quickly. People were losing jobs, businesses were being reduced to smaller numbers, and the job fairs held in the DMV area were always packed with people willing, and ready to do any job that would put money in their pockets. We quickly realized that we can’t be lazy anymore, that we need to work, and once we start working again the economic machine will be fine.We lost our hard working ethics, and we became complacent with the comfortable lifestyles we had, which led to greed for money and possessions. While we were blinded by that, we didn’t realize that behind the scene there were greedy people in high places taking more and more, leaving us for broke until we hit rock bottom, the Recession.

What happened to the hard working America, was there ever really a generation where we can say, those Americans truly worked, and paved a way for the future. I say that any generation without the fancy technology that we have now, really worked hard. I’m not saying that our technology isn’t good, this technology that we were given is a gift from God that we need to use properly, but sadly we don’t use it that way. While we are supposed to be doing work we are usually enjoying the possessions we have instead of working, which makes us slack off, which leads to laziness.We have become a rude, ignorant, and proud people. We have an ethnocentric way of thinking, and that is somewhat correct. Name any other world power that can match the United States, there might be China and Russia, but the U.S. plays the biggest role in the world. The United States is known for our foreign policy, we like to help out others who can’t help themselves. We play a big role in NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), The United Nations, The International Red Cross, and The World Bank. The U.S. is crucial, but most of the times we have the more problems within our country, than other war torn countries. Within our country we don’t appreciate each other, we are rude, we are ignorant, and we do so much unnecessary things. We forget about the world outside of us, and we focus on our little agendas. For example, Haiti was in the news for a bout a week or two, but then all the relief commercials stared going away, and once again poor Haiti was tossed out of the World’s eyes, and we are basically leaving them to fend for themselves, and we are their allies! We make little scandals more important than the government, or foreign policy, and that is very ignorant.

We have lost our values, our ethics, and I think we needed that Recession, Haiti, and the earthquakes around the world to snap us back into reality. I hope that we become more focused now, and harder workers, because if we don’t we will keep falling back into this same situation over and over again. For progress to be made we need to be humbled, we need to get back to basics, and I pray to God that this generation can do that. Humility is needed in all things, and once we settle down, listen, and work hard then, and only then is progress made.

Parenting, 3 reasons why we must not give up! by Brother Rod Montgomery

I hope this article by Brother Rod encourages you parents not to give up. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ for His patience with us!!!!



Reason #1 why we must not give up. It is the will of God. God has destined us for this purpose. He brought both husband and wife together in marriage. He enabled their bodies to conceive. He appointed each child to the family. If it is thus God’s will that we are the parents and they are the children and if God has thus called children to parent; then we must parent, and we must not give up.

Parenting is at times discouraging, frustrating and down right disheartening. But God has appointed us to this. He has appointed us as parents, weak, lacking wisdom, easily frustrated and tired as we are. And He has appointed these children to us, foolish, stubborn, sinful and childish as they are. And God never errs. He never makes mistakes. He did not forget that you were weak. He did not forget that you too would struggle with sinful inclinations and responses. He did not forget that you might be tired or that it might be hard. He also did not forget or fail to realize how difficult this child would be. Nor did not overlook that you would have many sleepless, teary eyed nights over this unrepentant, sometimes belligerent soul. In fact He planned it all. He planned it all first for His glory and next for the good of the two of you. Yes, He gave you two to each other for the sanctification of each of you. And perhaps if your child is yet to believe, then He has planned them first for your sanctification.

Furthermore in His mercy, in His plan, with His call, He provides greater grace. For God always gives grace to the humble and He always gives grace sufficient for the weaknesses of those whom He calls to service.

Reason #2 why we must not give up. This is why children need parents. Children are born sinners. Thus their intellect, their capacity for “reason,” their ability to know their limitations and to discern right from wrong is all corrupt. It is tainted with sin. Thus children need guidance. They need wisdom. It is not inherent in them. What is inherent is to sin. What is inherent is to choose what is most pleasing to them alone, whether it is wise or right for them to do. Children are never taught to sin. They never need to be taught to cry for something that they want. They know instinctively how to become angry when a perceived need is not met. However they do need to be taught to delay gratification. They need to be taught discipline. They need to be taught that food is for the belly and not the belly for food. They need to be taught that fun isn’t always safe. They need to be taught the nature of action and consequence. They need to be taught boundaries. If parents do not teach them these things then their folly will ensnare them. Their desires will overwhelm them until they become utter slaves to their lusts, whatever those lusts may be. They need to be taught these things or else they will perceive no boundaries, either human or divine; thus incurring both the judgment of man and eventually the judgment of God.

Reason #3 why we must not give up. The Lord is patient with us. If we would but count the times of our stubbornness, the times when we’ve scorned the reproof of the Lord, the times when we’ve ignored His chastening and rebuke, the times when we’ve returned to the vomit of our sin even in light of His discipline, the times when we’ve shaken our fists at God’s law in pursuit of our own passions…we would be ashamed at our lack of patience with our children. For the Lord God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness towards us…and that so beautifully and bountifully displayed on a wooden cross on which He hung His Son to suffer, bleed and die for our sins while we were sinners and His enemies. He did that for us. And He rose Him from the dead and gave Him glory and the promise of new life and glory to us as well, though we were His enemies. If God has thus done so for us, how can we not do so for our dear (sometimes wicked) sweet children, the fruit of the womb, the blessing from the Lord?

Certainly there are more reasons. These have been the most outstanding in my own heart recently as I’ve considered this stewardship of parenthood which the Lord has thus given us. May they be a blessing to your soul as well. Remember these principles when you are at your last, remember that the Lord is Sovereign, even over the course of their young, seemingly uncontrolled lives, and often seek the Fountain of Grace whenever your cup runs empty.

Maranatha!

Defensiveness - Article by I'll Be Honest

Defensiveness

One of the dictionary definitions for a barometer is that it is 'an indicator'. So any time we sense defensiveness in ourselves or in others, it is a barometer indicating pride or immaturity.

You cannot become defensive if you are going to exhibit humility and Christlikeness.

You cannot become defensive if we are going to be teachable and taught by the Lord.

You cannot be defensive if pastors, elders, and other believers are to have their proper place in our spiritual growth.

An honest and valid question-- Am I a defensive person?

If we get defensive when others point something out in our lives, then we are still immature to some extent.

Defensiveness is rooted in pride and prejudice.

Not being willing to be corrected is defensiveness rooted in pride.

Racism or Reverse-racism is defensiveness, rooted in holding on to racism because you don't want to let it go as a defense mechanism.

Defensiveness rears its ugly head whenever anyone touches a nerve in my soul, possibly exposing that I could be wrong about something.

Defensiveness is that feeling I get when anyone challenges me on something, possibly exposing that I have blind spots they see that I don't see.

Defensiveness shows itself in touchiness when anyone disagrees with me in any way.

If I am defensive, pride is raising its head in me.

If I am defensive, I still think I know better than anyone who disagrees with me.

If I am defensive, I still am, to some real degree, unteachable.

If I am defensive, I am revealing an inner attitude that I could not be wrong.

If another Christian or one of my pastors, comes to me to share something they feel is a need in my life, do I respond with defensiveness or do I quietly listen, truly hear what they are saying and make sure I understand it, and thank them for coming, and then examine myself before the Lord to receive what He wants for me? If I do, that is maturity and Christ-likeness. How I respond at those times will make all the difference between real growth and change or not.

If I am defensive when another brother or sister in Christ says something I don't agree with, I am showing that I am still trying to live like an island, separating myself from the body, asserting my carnal independence from the body, and thus from the Head as well.

Defensiveness is so ingrained in us, it's almost like breathing--we exhibit it even when we don't know it if we get challenged, corrected, or rebuked; it is ugly, immaturity in action, and pride holding forth its inglorious presence.

When I am defensive, I am far from being like the Lord Jesus right then. May God save me from this wicked and ongoing evil. Jesus was never defensive one time in his life, not even once. And He is calling me to put it off, die to self daily, and become defenseless, with all my defense being in Him alone.

-- Mack Tomlinson