Your Moral Compass. What Is Faith? Help Starving Bees!

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Your Moral Compass

“Without a belief in God, there is no anchor for absolute moral truths. Russian novelist, writer and philosopher Fyodor Dostoyevsky, in his novel The Brothers Karamazov, wrote, “If God does not exist, everything is permitted.”

For Christians, God’s Word is our guide and our moral compass.

For Christians, God’s Word is our guide and our moral compass. Philosophies attempting to describe what is moral without acknowledging God can be traced back many centuries. When we consider just the past 95 years we find that prior to the 1920s young men would ask parents’ permission to court their daughter, and there was often a chaperone if they went on a date.

The “New Morality” of the 1920s brought about significant change. An emphasis on personal freedom resulted in social conventions being ignored. Women’s clothing became more revealing, and young men and women became more sexually active. In 1930, President Hoover’s White House Conference on Child Health Protection prepared a report emphasizing “social hygiene” as opposed to moral conduct, with the report encouraging youth to have a “healthy sexual lifestyle” (Sex, Youth, and Sex Education: A Reference Handbook, David Campos, p.73). The moral decline continued in the 1940s and 50s with the advancement of the idea that sexual impulses were not to be ignored as long as two individuals consented.

In 2008 The Barna Group, which does research regarding religious faith and culture in America, conducted a survey about moral issues. Founder George Barna, concluded: "The consistent deterioration of the Bible as the source of moral truth has led to a nation where people have become independent judges of right and wrong, basing their choices on feelings and circumstances."

Moral relativism, also known as situational ethics, promotes the belief that what might be the morally right thing for you may not be the right thing for someone else, and there are no absolute moral truths. The Bible, however, warns, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12), and in Romans we read about the consequences of a debased mind (Romans 1:28-32).

The Apostle Paul in his letter to the church at Corinth addressed the results of unrighteous, unjust, immoral conduct, listing those that “will not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Bible prophecies have also predicted the devastating consequences of decadent immorality in the end time. "For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money... without self-control... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:2-4).

The Seventh Commandment, "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14) is focused on protecting marriage. This is the umbrella command for the many biblical laws that forbid illicit sex. The Bible candidly tells of the penalties suffered by Samson, King David, King Solomon and many others when they ignored this commandment.

Jesus Christ, in His prayer to the Father just before His death, clearly stated: “Your word is truth” (John 17:17), and Deuteronomy 30:15-18 tells us God’s instructions are for our good. But although mankind does not have the authority to define right and wrong, God does allow us to choose. Today more than ever it is crucial that parents instill a solid moral compass into the hearts of their children (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Fathers are specifically instructed to “bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

For those who have committed sexual sins, it's vital to understand God's grace, and that He will forgive sin upon sincere repentance (Acts 3:19-21). We can echo the prayer of King David who prayed: "Have mercy upon me, O God... blot out my transgressions... Create in me a clean heart, O God" (Psalm 51:1,10).

Source:  https://www.ucg.org/members/united-news/united-news-november-december-2016/what-your-spiritual-moral-compass

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What is faith?

“Many think of "faith" as a feeling or a collection of ideas representing our convictions, but although these concepts involve elements of faith, the full definition is much broader. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as “...being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (New International Version).

The New Testament Greek word translated "faith" is pistis, and is also rendered "belief." It basically means "firm persuasion" and "conviction based upon hearing." (Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1985, "Faith").

It's impossible to have living faith in a God we don't know. The God of the Bible tells us we can develop a relationship with Him, and know what He has planned for us in this life and in the future: "...godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come" (1 Timothy 4:8). Abraham "believed God" and "he did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to [and would] perform" (Romans 4:3 and 20-21).

Faith is more than a conviction. To believe in God is only the starting point of faith. God expects us to act on our belief in Him. As the Apostle James noted: "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons [fallen angels] believe—and tremble!" (James 2:19). We must come to trust God to involve Himself in our lives and, with His help, do His will. God's Word assures us that "the just shall live by faith" and "we walk by faith, not by sight" when we repent of our sins and begin to live dedicated, godly lives directed by our Savior (Romans 1:17 and 2 Corinthians 5:7).

Our model for living faith should be Jesus Christ. Many other biblical figures also provided wonderful examples of living faith. Hebrews 11 identifies people who long ago lived examples of faith. They believed God and obeyed Him even to death, confident that He would deliver them or resurrect them to eternal life in His Kingdom. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). This verse describes two aspects of faith. First we must believe God exists and that He is the Almighty Creator of the universe. Then we must believe God will ultimately reward those who humbly, obediently seek Him—trusting the promises He makes in the Bible.

Since faith involves diligently seeking God, we must base our faith on a correct understanding of His Word and the admonition of Jesus Christ: "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Changing our lives to start obeying God—what the Bible refers to as repentance—is based on the conviction that God will intervene in our lives and ultimately grant us eternal life. Jesus cautions us against the danger of false faith: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). Simply saying "I believe" without making accompanying life-altering changes is not sufficient.

But what about Paul's statement in Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God"? Was Paul saying there is no need for obedience to God’s commandments? This passage shows us that God's grace—His undeserved favor toward us—is a gift through faith. It includes unmerited forgiveness of sins through accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who died in our place. No amount of obedience will cancel out our past disobedience. Only the blood of Christ can provide atonement for our sins.

But it is wrong to assume that, since grace is a gift, no actions—good works demonstrating a repentant heart—are needed (James 2:14-26). Living faith requires commitment and evidence of that commitment. James asks this rhetorical question, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?" (James 2:14, NIV). God does not forgive our sins so we can keep on sinning. He wants us to change. The book of James makes it clear that faith, if unaccompanied by works, is utterly useless. That is why the Apostle Paul wrote, "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified" (1 Corinthians 9:27).

We are not saved by grace through inactive faith. We exhibit evidence of our faith when we respond obediently to the love of Christ by keeping His commandments. God gave us the Bible to provide hope and instruction through the examples of others (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:6; 2 Timothy 3:16). By studying their experiences, we can see real-life examples of faith in action, which will help us to build faith as well.

Source:  https://www.ucg.org/members/united-young-adults/spiritual-growth/vertical-thought-january-march-2004/what-faith

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20th of May was National Bee Day. 

Help Starving Bees!

“If you see a bee of any description on the floor or not flying other than on a flowering plant, it is STARVING! You can help.

We are currently well into the 'June Gap' - the time between when the Spring flowering plants stop and the Autumn flowers start producing pollen and nectar.

You can help by mixing two parts sugar to one part water and offering the syrup to the bee. She (and they are mostly ladies) will happily drink from a teaspoon. You'll see her little black tongue as she drinks. It will take about 10 minutes for her to convert the syrup to energy, but she will fly away if you've helped her in time. The feeling you get on seeing her recovery and flight is well worth your time.

PLEASE NOTE - This is a temporary measure and 'First Aid' only. The Bees need diversity in their diet and need to pollinate plants in their search for food. I'm not suggesting we feed sugar to Bees as a regular thing.

NO HONEY PLEASE - Disease can be spread easily from colony to colony through this practice and you will do more damage than good. White sugar and water only please x

They can't thank you, so I will on their behalf.”

Thanks a million xx

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Help Feed Starving Bees

I may be small, but my work once helped the world grow. I pollinated the flowers you love, the fruits you eat, the trees that clean your air. My wings carried life from one blossom to another, day after day, season after season.

But now… we are vanishing.

Amazing Story : https://youtu.be/o27HAo1w9D0

The flowers are fewer. The fields are poisoned. The skies are silent. And with every bee that disappears, the Earth loses a little more of its heartbeat.

People say, “It’s just a bee.” But without us, there is no food. No color. No balance. Without us, the future fades.

That’s why I’m reaching out to you—not with fear, but with hope.

Please protect us. Protect the flowers. Protect the wild.
Support those who fight for nature. Share our story. Plant for us. Speak for us. Teach others that we matter.

Because when you protect the bees, you protect your own future too.

Let’s bring life back—one garden, one flower, one act of kindness at a time.

With all my tiny heart,
A bee that still believes in you.

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Around the world, bees are in crisis. Send aid this World Bee Day

“One out of every three bites of food in the United States depends on honeybees. Without their pollination, much of our food supply would be lost. Bees are responsible for over 130 of the fruits and vegetables we love – and we aren’t the only ones who need these plants and crops. Animals and insects everywhere depend on these plants and crops too!

Natural disasters can have devastating effects on ecosystems, destroying crops and leaving pollinators struggling to survive. In the wake of hurricanes, wildfires, and other disasters, beekeepers face a critical challenge: ensuring their hives have enough food to recover. With natural forage wiped out, bees lack the nutrients they need to rebuild their colonies just as spring—their most active season—begins.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, commercial beekeepers across the United States are reporting the near or total collapse of their colonies—some seeing 70-100% losses—with the apiary industry calling this the worst bee die-off in U.S. history.

Our partner, Greater Good Charities, provides emergency bee pollen substitute to beekeepers to sustain their hives through natural disasters. So far, they’ve supplied tens of thousands of gallons of syrup and pollen substitute, feeding billions of bees and helping pollinators get back to work.

But there is still work to be done. As flowers bloom and crops begin to grow, bees need your help now more than ever. Donate today to ensure our pollinators thrive through springtime!”

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9 Best Charities That Help to Save the Bees (Complete 2025 List)

https://impactful.ninja/best-charities-that-save-the-bees/

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PENTECOST. If I Were a Rich Dad. Helping Our Children Grow.

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FEAST OF PENTECOST

Note to parents

“We encourage you to read through this material with your children to provide an overview of the meaning of the Day of Pentecost and what it pictures in God’s plan. Then choose appropriate material from the supplemental pages that you feel will be helpful in teaching and reinforcing the meaning of this festival.

This solemn ceremony had profound spiritual significance because it depicted Christ’s ascension and acceptance by the Father as the first of the firstfruits of humanity.”

More at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/uploads/eei/EEI-LessonOverview-WOG-Pentecost.svg

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If I Were a Rich Dad

“The book Rich Dad, Poor Dad taps into our desire to understand what the rich know. But I look to a different book to understand fatherhood—and true riches!

Many years ago on a long road trip taking our kids to summer camp, a friend played an audio book called Rich Dad, Poor Dad. The subtitle of the book is “What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!”

The author’s basic theme is that his real dad, a highly educated public servant, constantly complained about being broke, while his best friend’s father constantly enjoyed the finer things in life. The book claims to be a collection of financial lessons he learned from both men. From the parts I heard, it was clear that he had more respect for his “rich dad’s” street sense and his financial goals and choices.

I admit that I didn’t hear the whole book and I remember even less, so I’m not trying to comment on any financial principles the book might espouse. But what stuck with me was the low esteem the author seemed to have for his real dad’s accomplishments in life.

My poor dad

My own father has never been rich, but I have felt richly blessed to have him as my father. My dad was actually doing fairly well financially working for a huge aerospace firm, but when he learned about the biblical Sabbath, he faced a choice between keeping his job or obeying the things he was learning in a best-selling book: the Holy Bible. He chose faith over financial security.

In his new profession as a self-employed house painter, my dad worked hard. He was fair—and more than fair—to his clients. He never wanted to charge more than he thought was reasonable, and he ended up absorbing some losses because he was too nice.

Doing these things did not lead my dad to financial success, but they are admirable qualities of a true and giving Christian. I saw the biblical principles of turning the other cheek and esteeming others better than himself in action (Matthew 5:39; Philippians 2:3).

My rich Dad

As much as I respect and appreciate my poor dad, I also appreciate that he helped introduce me to my rich Dad and His wonderful instruction book. By bringing me up “in the training and admonition of the Lord,” my dad helped me to identify the true riches (Ephesians 6:4).

What are those true riches? The Bible records this breathtaking promise to those God is calling:

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1).

God—the Creator of the entire universe, the owner of all the gold and silver, the most powerful being imaginable—loves us and wants us to be His sons and daughters!

That’s a message that I want to share with my family and friends and everyone!

If I were a rich dad …

I am not considered rich in this society, but I have been blessed in many ways, including living in the United States and having a rewarding job that takes care of my needs. In talking with people from developing countries, I am reminded of how blessed I truly am!

However, I don’t have a large inheritance to pass on to my children in this world. Like Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, I could wish I were a rich man—at least for the sake of my family.

But most of all, I hope that I have shared with my children what has been entrusted to me—the true riches of a spiritual relationship with God our Father. In the eternal scheme of things, that relationship is far more valuable than all the silver and gold in the universe.

I hope you will want to learn more about my rich Dad and His offer to humans to become His children. There is no priority more important! Please take time now to read more of what the Bible reveals about this wonderful truth in the article “Children of God.”

Happy Father’s Day to my poor dad and my rich Dad!”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/if-i-were-a-rich-dad/

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Helping Our Children Grow

“How can we create the best environment for teaching and helping our children grow? How can we make a peaceful home for the children God has entrusted to us?

All humans start out as sweet, lovable and innocent little babies. They come into this world without emotional baggage or bad habits to break.

Practically everything has to be learned—how to eat, when to sleep, how to use the toilet, crawl, walk, talk, listen, read and so much more—and parents are their first and most important teachers. What and how they learn greatly affects whether they grow up to be wise or foolish.

Many factors influence the minds of our children as they grow up, including their peers, entertainment and the powerful influence of social media. But most studies show that the family still has the strongest effect of all of these.

How we parent our children determines to a great extent their future. It deeply impacts how well they will do on their jobs, the type of person they will choose to marry and the success of that relationship, how they will parent their own children and the relationship they will have with them.

No parent wants to go through the anguish of seeing his or her children choose a path that will destroy their future happiness. So what can we do to ensure our children become successful adults?

“Unless the Lord builds the house”

The foundation of a successful home and family begins even before you marry. What can you do to prepare to be a godly mate and parent? And what kind of person do you want to marry and have as the father or mother of your children?

Solomon wisely noted, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it” and “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord” (Psalm 127:1, 3). A wise person will therefore first seek God’s blessing on his or her marriage. And once you are married and decide to have children, why not first ask God to bless the conception, birth and your parenting efforts?

God blesses us with these little ones, and He is the One who can teach us how to bring them to adulthood successfully.

Two great commandments: principles for how to raise a child

God has not left us without guidelines we can use to provide a more fulfilling life for our children. Certainly there is no guarantee, as children sometimes make bad choices, but applying these guidelines will greatly increase our odds of a good outcome.

The greatest laws of life are also the greatest guides to successful childrearing. Jesus said the entire law of God could be summarized as two great commandments: Love God with all our hearts and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-39). These two great laws provide the most important framework for steering our children toward a successful, fulfilling life.

When we realize that every human has an awesome potential, including these little ones in our care for a brief period of time, parenting takes on a whole different outlook. What is our purpose in life? What is their future and purpose? It all ties in with our relationship with God and each other.

If God is first in our lives, then He will be our go-to source for the help we need in this most important task of parenting. He will help us create the environment to assist our children in growing into the kind of adults they need to be—people who love God with all their hearts and their neighbors as themselves!

Positive environment for child development

When I think about an environment for growth, an experience from years ago comes to mind.

Indiana is beautiful in the summer; but in the dead of winter, it can be a cold, dreary place. Very few evergreens exist to provide color, and when no snow falls the landscape is a dull gray.

On one of those cloudy days, my wife and I visited a couple who owned a nursery farm. We stepped from our car into the cold north wind and made our way over to some long buildings.

As we stepped through the doors, we were welcomed by a pleasant 72-degree temperature and met with rows and rows of beautiful flowers and many varieties of verdant young vegetable plants.

No matter how cold, snowy and windy it was outside, inside those buildings we found the ideal environment in which plants could thrive. If we create the right environment, we can grow almost anything we want to.

The same is true for children. Give them the right environment, and they will develop the qualities they’ll need for a great future.

We can’t totally insulate our children from all the negative things of this world, but we can create an environment in our homes where they can grow and thrive.

Peaceful home

My wife and I had the goal of making our home a sanctuary for our children. No matter what kind of day they had at school or in the neighborhood, we wanted our home to be a place they would find peace, security, kindness and love. The family environment is what makes a house a home. The world is not always the nicest place, and after a hard day at school or work, we all need a warm place to come home to.

My wife and I had the goal of making our home a sanctuary for our children. No matter what kind of day they had at school or in the neighborhood, we wanted our home to be a place they would find peace, security, kindness and love.

“For God is not the author of confusion but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Teaching family members to respect others and providing the security of structure for everyone establishes an atmosphere for growth.

A few of the building blocks for creating this kind of environment in the home include:

• Settling differences without screaming and anger.
• Having meals together.
• Viewing television and computer screens less and talking and listening more.
• Creating family traditions, such as family activity nights and family Bible studies.
• Reading to children a lot, especially when they are small. They love it! It provides not only a great emotional connector with the parents but it instills in them a desire to learn.

And, of course, the most powerful method of instruction is our example. A picture is worth a thousand words, and a good example of what to do is worth a thousand spoken “don’ts.” 

Above all, it’s vital that we teach our children about God as early as possible and also that they see that God is important to us. They need to know that He is the source of every good and perfect gift we have to enjoy (James 1:17).

Teaching our children

God tells us to teach our children about Him and His instructions for us every day, all through the day, to explain how obeying His laws makes life good for us and others.

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7, 24; see also 10:13).

When our children were small, our family was frequently together in the car. On long trips, our children would often ask me to tell them stories. I would make up stories about young heroes and villains, but I always worked in a moral to the story as another way to teach them about honesty, serving others or sacrifice for a good cause.

It can be challenging to find time to teach our children. Thankfully, God gave us the Sabbath command—to cease from our work and play on the seventh day. (For more about this, download our free booklet The Sabbath: A Neglected Gift From God.) My family found that the Sabbath was special time unlike the rest of the week, because it provided great opportunities to enjoy time together and to talk about God’s Word and way of life.

My wife always prepared a nice meal for the beginning of the Sabbath, Friday evening. Our children knew that dessert came after our family Bible study, so they were always excited for the study to begin. We tried to keep it interesting and relevant for their ages and to involve them by making it interactive.

Helping our children grow in discipline and accountability

Rules and discipline are a necessary part of life. If parents don’t require their children to live within the boundaries of correct conduct, life will, and experience can be the harshest disciplinarian. Even God, our Father, disciplines us for our benefit (Hebrews 12:10).

The Bible teaches loving discipline and instructs parents to avoid harsh and unreasonable rules and enforcement (Proverbs 13:24; 22:6; Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21).

Recent research backs up the effectiveness of this loving approach. “A large body of research on attitudes indicates that parental warmth together with reasonable levels of control combine to produce positive child outcomes” (Joan E. Grusec, PhD, and Tanya Danyliuk, BA, “Parents’ Attitudes and Beliefs: Their Impact on Children’s Development”).

Wise parenting, however, looks deeper than just correcting specific infractions. Even more important than wrong actions are the attitudes or motives behind them. Consider what those may be so you can address those when necessary.

There are no perfect parents

No matter how well parents have done, they all say in hindsight, “I made some mistakes. I could have done better.” There are no perfect parents. So don’t get discouraged. Do the best you can with God’s help, and entrust the outcome to Him.

God gave His Son as a gift to the world. Although God’s gift is far above anything we can imagine, there is a way in which He wants us to give our children as a gift as well. He wants us to prepare them to make a contribution to the world—to make it a better place for others!

We encourage you to learn more about what the Bible says about parenting and building a strong family. The articles in the “Parenting” and “Family” sections can help.

Bible Verses About Parenting Responsibilities

The apostle Paul tells us the most important things a parent can teach:

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath [lest they become discouraged, Colossians 3:21 adds], but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

Paul packs a lot into this short instruction to parents.

First, he gives a warning not to be unreasonable, severe or demeaning—not to dishearten them, but to encourage them.

“Bring them up” is from the same Greek word translated “nourishes” in Ephesians 5:29, where Paul points out how much we nourish and cherish our own bodies. It is natural that parents should lovingly feed their children’s bodies and minds.

And what is the main subject of all the training and admonition? It is the way of the Lord. This is the most important thing a parent can teach. How to obey God. How to fear Him, please Him and even become like Him. Why?

Because children are a heritage from the Lord (Psalm 127:3)—He gives them to us to raise, but they are really His.

We must learn the way of the Lord ourselves in order to teach it, but, thankfully, it is all laid out for us in one textbook—the Holy Bible. The Bible gives us the foundational truths that help us—and our children—make sense of all other important truths.

Introduce your children to God through age-appropriate Bible study, prayer, exploring His creation and practical application of biblical principles. As your child sees you live out your faith, he or she will learn how reverence of God leads to wise choices and blessings. Obeying God’s laws brings benefits now—and forever.

Some of those benefits are described in the verses at the beginning of Ephesians 6. Learning to honor parents is a step toward honoring God, and God specifically listed the benefits obeying this Fifth Commandment can bring: “‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth’” (verses 2-3).

Read more in our articles “How to Help Your Children Build a Relationship With God” and “Fifth Commandment: Honor Your Father and Your Mother.”

Parenting: Instructions Not Included

Even though we might not endorse the film itself, the title to the 2013 movie Instructions Not Included certainly resonates with many new parents!

Many governments require training for teachers, camp directors and child protective services, yet it seems we expect parents to intuitively know what to do. We expect mothers and fathers to learn on the job—and they sure do!

But the biblical expectation is more effective and encouraging. God ideally wanted parents to learn to be parents from their parents. If your parents haven’t given you this training, consider asking them for it. It’s a biblical principle and even if they made some big mistakes, perhaps they learned from those and can now provide meaningful advice within the framework of God’s principles.

If your parents aren’t available or qualified, other family members or wise people you know might step into this role.

Beyond personal experience, it can be helpful to study child development and what parenting “experts” have to teach. But beware of the parenting “fad of the year,” and compare the advice you read with that which has truly stood the test of time—the Bible. God created children and family, and our Heavenly Father truly knows what’s best. For more on Christian parenting, see the biblically based articles in our Life, Hope & Truth “Parenting” section.”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/parenting/helping-our-children-grow/

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How to Have a Happy Marriage. The Pros of Garlic Powder for Heart Disease.

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How to Have a Happy Marriage

“Whether you are considering marriage or are already married, you likely have questions about how to deal with the challenges and build a happy marriage.

Over 200 years ago George Washington wrote a letter to a friend saying: “I have always considered marriage as the most interesting event of one’s life, the foundation of happiness or misery.”

It seems the experience of all the intervening generations has not changed this assessment very much.

There are many differing ideas today about what marriage should be. But regardless of one’s approach, marriage always involves blending two different personalities, with unique experiences, biases and visions for the future, into one unit.

Having two people so intimately intertwined in each other’s lives is challenging by itself. But when the pressures of career, finances, children, aging parents and more are added to the mix, marriage can become a very challenging relationship!

With marriages today failing at an alarming rate, some might ask if there is any hope for the modern marriage! If you are contemplating marriage, are there things you should consider to give your future marriage the best chance of success? If you are married, but your marriage is struggling, can it be saved? If your marriage is solid, can it be improved and strengthened?

These topics and more are addressed in this section. It is our sincere desire to help strengthen marriages, and it is in that desire that we invite you to read and study the advice that is freely presented here.

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Topics On How to Have a Happy Marriage

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  What Is Marriage?

  The Creator God made humans male and female, and He made the institution of marriage. He tells us why He created it and what marriage is supposed to be.

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  Living Together Before Marriage

  More couples are living together before marriage. But statistics show the “cohabitation effect” is not what they expected. What does our Creator say?

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  Marriage Problems

  Four marriage problems are so lethal a well-known counselor labeled them the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”: criticism, contempt, defense and stonewalling. The Bible gives advice about how to overcome them with God’s help. The biblical solutions include the golden rule, honor, humility and forbearance.

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  How to Save Your Marriage

  Marriage problems face almost every married couple; many are on the brink of divorce. Invest time now and learn how to save your marriage!

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  The Gift of Sex

  The word sex is horribly abused and misunderstood. The media have created an artificial meaning in many minds. Is sex a wonderful gift or nothing but smut?

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  Is Birth Control Wrong?

  To responsibly care for their families, many couples choose to limit how many children they have. But is birth control wrong? What does the Bible say?

  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/marriage/

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The Pros of Garlic Powder for Heart Disease 

 

“See what a penny a day’s worth of garlic powder can do.

In ancient Greece, “the Art of Medicine was divided into three parts”: cures through diet, cures through drugs, and cures through surgery. Garlic, Hippocrates wrote, was one such medicinal food, but that was to treat a nonexistent entity called “displacement of the womb,” so ancient wisdom can only go so far.

Those who eat more than a clove of garlic a day do seem to have better artery function than those who eat less than that, but you don’t know if it’s cause-and-effect until you put it to the test.

As I discuss in my video Benefits of Garlic Powder for Heart Disease, heart disease patients were randomized to receive either garlic powder or placebo tablets two times a day for three months. Those lucky enough to be in the garlic group got a significant boost in their artery function—a 50 percent increase in function from taking only 800 mg of garlic powder a day. That’s just a quarter teaspoon of garlic powder. A 50 percent increase in artery function for less than a penny daily!

If regular, plain old garlic powder can do that, what about those fancy Kyolic® aged garlic extract supplements? They can be 30 times more expensive and don’t work at all. After four weeks, there was zero significant improvement. It’s hard to improve on Mother Nature.

Garlic powder can improve the function of our arteries, but what about the structure of our arteries? Dozens of studies on garlic all compiled together show that garlic can reduce cholesterol levels in the blood by more than 16 points. So, might garlic powder actually be able to slow the progression of atherosclerosis? Researchers studied a garlic powder tablet versus a placebo for three months. As you can see below and at 1:42 in my video, the placebo group got worse, which is what tends to happen. Eat the same artery-clogging diet, and your arteries continue to clog. However, the progression of the disease appeared to slow and even stall in the garlic group.

Of course, it would be nice to see the thickening of the artery wall reverse, but, for that, one might have to add more plants than just garlic to one’s diet. Still, though, that same quarter teaspoon of a simple spice available everywhere may be considered as an adjunct treatment for atherosclerosis, the number one killer of both men and women in the United States and around much of the world.

What about garlic for high blood pressure? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials “demonstrated that garlic has a statistically significant and clinically meaningful effect” on both systolic and diastolic blood pressures, reducing the top number by nearly seven and the bottom number by about five. That may not sound like a lot, but reducing diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by five points can reduce the risk of stroke by about a third and heart disease by 25 percent, as you can see in the graph below and at 2:38 in my video.

“Plant-based medicine provides beneficial effects, alongside with only minimal or no complications”—that is, little or no side effects—“and compared to other medicine are relatively cost-effective.” I’d say so, at as little as a penny per day.

What else can garlic do? See related posts below.

Here’s a tasty, garlicky recipe from The How Not to Die Cookbook: Garlic Caesar Salad Dressing.

Of course, the best way to treat heart disease is to simply get rid of it by treating the underlying cause. See How Not to Die from Heart Disease.

Key Takeaways

• In ancient Greece, garlic was recognized as a medicinal food.

• Researchers found that daily consumption of 800 mg of garlic powder (equivalent to a quarter teaspoon for less than a penny a day) significantly improved artery function of heart disease patients by 50 percent.

• While plain garlic powder demonstrated significant improvements in artery function, expensive aged garlic extract (Kyolic®) supplements showed no significant improvement after four weeks.

• Dozens of studies compiled together show that garlic can reduce blood cholesterol levels by more than 16 points, and the potential of garlic powder to slow the progression of atherosclerosis, the thickening of artery walls associated with heart disease, was demonstrated in a three-month study.

• A daily supplement of a quarter teaspoon of garlic powder may be considered as an adjunct treatment for atherosclerosis, the leading cause of death globally.

• A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that garlic has a statistically significant and clinically meaningful effect on both systolic and diastolic blood pressures, helping to reduce risks of stroke and heart disease.

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From: https://nutritionfacts.org/blog/the-pros-of-garlic-powder-for-heart-disease/

What Is Marriage? 1 & 2. Farmed Fish vs. Wild-Caught.

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What Is Marriage? 1  (Special thoughts for Valentine’s Day)

“The Creator God made humans male and female, and He made the institution of marriage. He tells us why He created it and what marriage is supposed to be.

There is only one original source on earth where you can find out how, when, where and why marriage began. More copies of this book—the Holy Bible—have been published than any other written work, yet it is little understood. But by going to it, you can find an understanding of the meaning of marriage.

 

Summing up what the Bible teaches about marriage

1. God designed marriage to be a lifelong, faithful relationship between one man and one woman.
2. Adam was created first and was initially the lone human. From one of his ribs God lovingly formed a woman and presented her to Adam. They were “one flesh,” and she was the perfect complement to Adam. Together they formed a whole, and together they were able to build a family, having and raising children together.
3. Because of sin, polygamy and divorce entered. Christ said divorce was only allowed in Israel because of their hardness of heart. While God does provide provisions for a marriage to dissolve under some circumstances, it is an extremely painful experience. God didn’t want His children to hurt one another in that manner.
4. Through the words of Jesus Christ and the apostles, we can see that God’s perspective of marriage as a loving, monogamous relationship between one man and one woman has not changed. In the New Testament God reaffirms it and shows how very important fidelity within marriage is.

Men and women are different by design, intended to complement each other. And it is only through the marriage relationship that God intended children to be brought into the world—to be raised and taught under the loving, thoughtful care of their mother and father.

If you would like to read further about how to have a happy marriage, this “Marriage” section has many related articles for you to read. You will be glad you did!”  Complete article at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/marriage/what-is-marriage/

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What Is Marriage?  2

“Some topics are more personal than others and tend to trigger more emotional reactions. Food and holidays, for example. Or “is that dress white and gold or blue and black” and, of course, marriage and sexual relations.

Although the Bible has a lot to say about marriage, it never explicitly answers the question, “What is marriage?” Probably for the same reason it doesn’t give a precise definition for travel, war, and sacrifice. Everyone in the Bible’s original audience already knew what marriage was, so why waste expensive paper and ink explaining it.

Our world, on the other hand, has become so full of confusion that we need to spell out even the most basic ideas. So, let me begin at the beginning…

Adam gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field, but the man could not find a helper fit for him. So YHWH God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that YHWH God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman (ishah), because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.      Genesis 2:20-24

This passage gives us the three most important elements of the definition of marriage.

1. Marriage exists to help a man fulfill his assigned role in Creation.
2. Marriage is meant to be a lifelong union of a man and woman.
3. Marriage was instituted by God from the very beginning.

Marriage Exists to Help Man Fulfill His Mission

Although Genesis 1:28 records that the first collective mission of mankind was to be a caretaker over the earth and all life on it, Adam’s first individual assignment was to evaluate all of the other creatures to see if one of them might serve as a special helper for him. Of course, God knew that none of them would, but he had Adam go through this process so that the man would also know. When Adam was satisfied that none of the animals would meet his requirements, God created a woman, whom Adam named Eve.

Adam and most other creatures were created from the ground, but Eve was created directly from Adam. God didn’t create Eve from Adam’s head or foot, but from his side, showing that she wasn’t supposed to rule over him nor be his slave, but was supposed to be a peer. The woman was to be more like the man than any other creature in heaven or earth, a counterpart who would rule over and care for the earth together with him.

Eve wasn’t created to be exactly like Adam, though, or else God would have created another man and made them hermaphrodites or capable of parthenogenesis. Woman shares in the collective purpose of mankind as God’s stewards on earth, but each woman does so primarily by assisting her husband in his individual mission.

For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.    1 Corinthians 11:8-9 ESV

I know that doesn’t sit well with many people, but it is the plain teaching of Scripture. Eve was created specifically to be a helper for Adam, and Paul asserts that this principle applies within all marriages.

While the original task of humanity was to be a caretaker of God’s creation, the Fall necessitated a change in mission parameters. Our task now is to expand the Kingdom of God through procreation, evangelism, establishing justice, and generally doing good works according to God’s standards of justice and good. How each individual and family participates in this mission varies in as many ways as there are individuals and families, but you can know this with absolute certainty: A woman’s divinely appointed mission will never be at odds with her husband’s.

All kinds of things can prevent us from fulfilling marriage’s full purpose: illness and other circumstances that might be out of our control, the husband isn’t fulfilling his calling, or the wife isn’t fulfilling hers. However, our circumstances and failings can’t change the reason God created marriage.

Marriage Is a Lifelong Union

Genesis 2:24 says that the relationship of Adam and Eve is to be a pattern for all marriages, that a new marriage is inaugurated when a man leaves his father and mother to become one flesh with his wife.

“One flesh” implies that they are united in a way that would be painful and unnatural to separate and Yeshua (Jesus) confirmed this understanding when he said “They are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” (See Matthew 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-9.)

“Leaves his father and mother” doesn’t necessarily mean that he physically leaves their dwelling place. The Scriptural example is for extended families normally to live close together, frequently on the same land, and obedience to God’s instructions for the use of the land in Israel requires this. What this statement actually means is that the man steps outside of the nuclear family unit into which he was born and creates a new family still under the broad umbrella of his father’s clan and tribe.

This also doesn’t mean that marriage cannot be ended. God hates both divorce and death, but both happen, whether for good or bad, and both end a marriage. I’ll write more about this another time, but the Torah, Prophets, Yeshua, and Apostles all discuss when it is and is not appropriate to end a marriage. Divorce should be avoided because it breaks something that God didn’t want to be broken, but it is still possible.

Marriage Was Instituted by God

From the very beginning, God intended mankind to be male and female and to be joined in a union that he uses as a metaphor of his relationship with Israel.

Like the Sabbath, marriage was created for mankind’s benefit. Both parties, as well as their children, benefit from the arrangement, especially if it is conducted according to all of God’s instructions. However, also like the Sabbath, God created marriage because it suited his purposes. Every good master provides his servants with the tools necessary to accomplish his assigned tasks. The servant benefits because his job is made easier and more enjoyable. The master benefits because the servant is able to do a better job with greater economy.

Also like the Sabbath, marriage is not a man-made custom and man doesn’t get to define it. People today insist that they can make marriage whatever they want it to be: a man and another man, a woman and herself, and every other perversion one can imagine. Yet, Yeshua said that marriage is “what God has joined together”, so there can be no real question on this score. God makes the rules, not us.

Marriage was the very first government and was created by God to serve as the core of ministry, labor, justice, and civilization. It is a model of God and of our relationship to God and, as God is one (Hebrew echad), man and woman are to be one in spirit and flesh. Marriage benefits us and was created to help us in the work for which we were created, but ultimately both we and marriage belong to God and we have a responsibility to him to protect and honor it.”  From: https://www.americantorah.com/2023/03/27/what-is-marriage/

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Farmed Fish vs. Wild-Caught

Transcript of video at: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/farmed-fish-vs-wild-caught-2/

“The levels of industrial pollutants found in aquaculture.

Although the levels of dioxins and PCBs continue to decline, there is one dietary source that still remains a threat: fish. Everything eventually washes into the sea. Yes, we can get some from eating horses, but most of human dioxin exposure comes from eating fish. The World Health Organization puts the tolerable upper daily limit of intake at 1 picogram—one trillionth of a gram. As you can see, just eating dairy and we’re already skirting with the max, and fish takes us straight over the top.

Everyone agrees that the omega-3 fatty acids, like DHA, found in fish, are healthy. But, given the industrial contaminants in fish, as a recent analysis in Food and Chemical Toxicology concludes: “If people choose to get their recommended long-chain omega-3 intake from fish, the majority of consumers would exceed the safety limits for dioxins and dioxin-like substances (like PCBs).”

And, just like with eggs, factory-farmed fish have significantly more dioxins. In fact, for every toxin tested, farmed fish had higher levels of DDT, these other banned pesticides, over ten times more PCBs, and ten times more dioxins than wild-caught fish. Aquaculture fish can be considered farmed and dangerous.”

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Dianne Moore.

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Are You Happy? Don’t Think Christ Came to Destroy the Law. Got Milk, Got Disease.

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Are You Happy?

“Many people are not happy! They lead unfulfilled lives and wonder if happiness will ever come. Are you happy? If not, there is a solution you should try.

In every country, people experience varying degrees of happiness and unhappiness.

Only a third of Americans say they are very happy, according to a Harris Poll. And, according to a worldwide ranking, the U.S. is the 19th happiest country in the world. The World Happiness Report lists another 137 countries that are even less happy!

Declining happiness

And even in a comparatively happy country like the United States, different groups can face decreasing levels of happiness.

According to the World Happiness Report 2019, “Happiness and life satisfaction among United States adolescents, which increased between 1991 and 2011, suddenly declined after 2012. … Thus, by 2016-17, both adults and adolescents were reporting significantly less happiness than they had in the 2000s.”

We all want to achieve a level of well-being and satisfaction in our lives, but few of us have been taught or discovered the keys to happiness. Many of the popular ideas and self-help solutions turn out to be temporary or even counterproductive. The pursuit of happiness can seem like a fool’s game.

How to become happy

However, becoming happy is not as difficult as you might imagine. God gave us guidance on how to become happy in Proverbs 29:18: “Happy is he who keeps the law.”

Can becoming happy be that simple, and will it work? The answer is yes!

Unfortunately, many teach that the laws of God are no longer relevant in this “enlightened” society. Listings of the 10 Commandments have been removed from U.S. schools and from other public institutions. The mention of God or Jesus Christ in public forums is frowned upon.

Jesus explains what makes you happy

Notice how the Founder of Christianity summarizes God’s law-the way to true happiness.

Jesus Christ makes it very plain in Matthew 22:37-40: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

These two great commandments encompass all of God’s laws. God wants us to honor Him and not allow idolatry or anything else to come between us and our worship of Him. He doesn’t want us to take His name in vain, and He wants us to keep His Sabbath.

God also wants us to respect others by honoring our parents and rejecting murder, adultery, stealing, lying and coveting.

These are the 10 Commandments. They reflect God’s thinking and bring automatic benefits for us and for those around us. And God promises blessings and happiness to those who obey His laws!

Happiness is a world with God’s laws

Can you imagine a world where everyone tries to keep God’s laws? Can you just picture the peace there would be? Can you visualize how much happiness and joy everyone would have?

The Bible says this will become a reality after Jesus Christ returns to the earth and initiates a world of peace and happiness. Everyone will be taught to keep the laws of God.

Isaiah 2:3-4 says, “Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob.; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”

And one of the results of that action will be that “nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (verse 4).

Happy day: no more war!

Think of that—no more war! Wars have claimed millions of lives over the centuries. The vast majority of wars are the result of lust (disobeying the 10th Commandment) and break the Sixth Commandment, “you shall not murder” (James 4:1-2; Exodus 20:13).

Even now, if everyone obeyed the Sixth Commandment, there would be no more war, plus no one would be murdered! We would never hear of tragic stories of school or workplace shootings. People would be freed from the fear of being shot, stabbed or poisoned.

Ultimately, when God writes His laws in our hearts and minds, there will be no more hatred—of anyone. Jesus equated unrighteous anger toward others with the sin of murder (Matthew 5:21-22). A world without hatred would no longer see bigotry, road rage, violent beatings or bullying.

Just keeping this one commandment would change the entire way people deal with others. Therefore, if you want to be happy now, don’t harbor the spirit of murder or hate others.

Happiness comes by obedience

Just think how happy everyone would be if they obeyed all the laws of God!

For instance, the Seventh Commandment demands that we not commit adultery. How many marriages would be saved if no one gave in to infidelity? How many people would be spared from contracting horrific sexually transmitted diseases if everyone obeyed this one law?

Just as Jesus emphasized the deeper meaning of the commandment against murder, so He expanded on the meaning of the command against adultery (Matthew 5:27-28). For a man to even look lustfully upon a woman who isn’t his wife is adulterous!

If this law were obeyed, the pornography industry would no longer exist, children would never be sexually exploited again, and rape would be a scourge of the past.

If you want to be happy, don’t commit adultery—period.

The same reasoning applies to all of God’s commandments. If you want to be happy—don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t steal and, above all, honor God at all times and keep His Sabbath holy.

You want to be happy and God wants to help

Doing these things is not impossible—and God wants to help. The apostle John wrote the following definitive statement in 1 John 5:3: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”

And you will be happier! Though even those who obey God suffer in this current evil world, they are making the choices that will lead to satisfaction and joy now and for eternity (Psalms 34:19; 16:11).

As the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness [becoming like our loving God] is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).

So give it a try! According to Revelation 22:14, “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life.” The sooner we begin to keep God’s laws, the happier and more blessed we will be.”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/10-commandments/the-ten-commandments/are-you-happy/

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Don’t Think Christ Came to Destroy the Law

Matthew 5:17-19

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

“Some misunderstand Jesus Christ’s mission, feeling He did away with the teachings of the Old Testament and replaced them with new teachings. But Christ made clear that His teachings were a continuation of the teachings He inspired to be a part of the Holy Scriptures.

It was the One who became Jesus Christ who thundered the 10 Commandments from Mount Sinai and spoke to Moses (1 Corinthians 10:4; see “Jesus in the Old Testament?”).

What does it mean to “fulfill” the law? The Greek word translated “fulfill” is pleroo, which means “to make full, to fill to the full” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words).

Jesus Christ continued in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6 and 7) to expand the meaning of God’s law, to show its spiritual intent. By doing this, He gave fuller understanding and magnified and exalted the law (Isaiah 42:21). He in no way destroyed or annulled it.

In Matthew 5:19 Jesus clearly tells His followers to obey even what someone might consider “one of the least of these commandments.”

The essence of the New Covenant is not a change in the commandments, but the fact that they can be written on our hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit dwelling in Christians (Hebrews 10:16). This allows us to internalize and fully obey God in a way ancient Israel never could.”    Listen to the "Verse by Verse" episode covering this scripture at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/dont-think-christ-came-to-destroy-the-law/?

For more about God’s commandments, see “The 10 Commandments for Today” and download our free booklet God’s 10 Commandments: Still Relevant Today.

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Got Milk, Got Disease

The British Medical Journal reported in the news on October 29, 2014 on “Milk intake and risk of mortality and fractures in women and men: cohort studies.” This observational study found higher death rates for men and women who drank 3 or more glasses of milk daily, compared to less than a glass a day. There were also more fractures in general, and hip fractures, in the higher milk-consuming women. The researchers from Sweden focused on the milk sugar, D-galactose, as the trouble causer. They believe that oxidative stress and inflammation all over the body is caused by D-galactose.

An accompanying editorial in the British Medical Journal, as well as the worldwide lay press; have tried to put these findings in perspective for the consumer.  In reality, this balanced reporting has kept the consumer from making sensible decisions that would undermine the dairy industry.

Cow’s milk is not only unnecessary for strong bones and healthy bodies, but this category of food is a more important cause of obesity and illness than is red meat. See my article: When Friends Ask: Where Do You Get Your Calcium?

May I remind you of some of the harmful qualities of this product?

1) The milk sugar, galactose, is toxic. As far back as 1981, cow’s milk was reported to cause cataracts of the eyes.

2) The fat you eat is the fat you wear. (Overweight and obesity.) Whole milk is 50% fat, milk advertised as 1% (low fat) is still 18% fat, and cheese is 70% fat.

3) Risk for heart attacks and stroke is most strongly tied to animal fats also called saturated fats. Dairy fat is 97% saturated fat. Dairy is loaded with cholesterol.

4) Milk is loaded with people poisoning chemicals. High levels of pesticides and herbicides are present in these foods. They cause cancer and brain damage.

5) Milk is filthy with microbes. Cow’s milk drinkers consume bovine leukemia viruses, bovine immunodeficiency viruses, listeria bacteria, mad cow prions, and much more.

6) Osteoporosis and kidney stones are from bone loss caused by eating animal proteins and dietary acids. Hard cheese is the greatest source of dietary acids.

7) Constipation is caused by lack of dietary fiber. Dairy products contain no dietary fiber. Plus cow’s milk protein causes allergic reactions, which paralyze the bowels making it almost impossible for children and adults to move their rock-hard stools.

8) Cow’s milk protein is the most common dietary cause of allergy and autoimmune diseases, including nephritis (kidney disease) and severe forms of arthritis.

9) Lactose, the basic milk sugar, causes the majority of people worldwide to become sick with diarrhea, stomach cramps, and gas (lactose intolerance).

10) The factory farming of dairy cows is considered to be animal abuse and production of dairy foods is a leading cause of environmental pollution and climate change.

Hopefully, today’s headlines will cause you to eliminate all cows’ milk products from your life.”  From: https://www.drmcdougall.com/education/nutrition/got-milk-got-disease/

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What Does the Bible Say About Gender Identity? 7 Characteristics of Healthy Families. A Treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

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What Does the Bible Say About Gender Identity?

“There was a time when sex and gender were synonymous. Things have changed—but have they changed for the better? What does the Designer say about gender?

In today’s society there is certainly no shortage of discussion about gender and what it means to be a man or a woman.

The two words sex and gender used to be synonymous. But many today no longer think that’s the case.

Activists and other cultural voices have succeeded in decoupling these two terms. This change in definition is due in part to the feminist theories of Simone de Beauvoir, Judith Butler and others and their impact on current progressivist thinking.

Thus, sex is now the term that refers to the biological classification of a person as male or female, and gender is now defined as an identity—a personal, internal perception of oneself that is based on socially constructed roles, behaviors and customs. In other words, gender is now based on how someone feels.

This feeling definition of gender has opened the door to increasing numbers of people (particularly young people) who are identifying as something other than their biological sex.

But what does God’s Word have to say about gender?

What does the Bible say about gender?

As the Creator, God is quite clear in the book of Genesis about His intent for His created order—particularly human beings.

God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Genesis 1:26).

The account continues, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (verse 27).

It is significant that God created humanity in His image. He further states that He chose to express this most important part of His creation as male and female. It is clear from the Word of God that His purpose was to fashion mankind biologically and physiologically as male and female.  

In the next chapter of Genesis God comments on the relationship between male and female—between husband and wife:

“And the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him’” (Genesis 2:18).

The word comparable in verse 18 is translated from a Hebrew term that also means suitable, complementary and counterpart. This distinction is important, as it shows God’s intent to provide a partner, a mate of the opposite gender to help. Marriage was designed to be a complementary, supportive and interdependent relationship between two different genders of people to fulfill God’s purpose for humans.

“And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

“And Adam said: ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:21-24).

As the designer of human life, God intended for a man and woman to commit to each other, come together in that commitment, have a complementary relationship (recognizing the unique strengths and abilities of each other), become one flesh and produce a family.

God’s design was straightforward and clear.

Contrary to God’s created order

Confusing genders is something God says is wrong and is contrary to His created order. Deuteronomy 22:5 says, “A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the LORD your God.”

God knows the negative results of this path, and while He loves those caught up in this tangled web, He hates the results. This law was designed to maintain a clear distinction between the two genders God created.

Cross-dressing and other examples of gender fluidity and transgender transitioning today are evidence of growing confusion, but ultimately, they reflect society’s rejection of God and His instructions and plan.

God knows the negative results of this path, and while He loves those caught up in this tangled web, He hates the results. Twisting His pure creation and polluting His purpose (as humanity has done in so many ways) is simply wrong in the eyes of God. The Hebrew term translated as “abomination” is toebah—something that is disgusting or wrong. It is not what our loving Designer intended.

From God’s perspective, when men and women embrace other-gendered expressions of identity, it is a shame or dishonor (1 Corinthians 11:14-15). While God clearly has allowed humanity to choose its own morality since the Garden of Eden, His intention is that we should glorify Him with our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), which includes the manner in which He created human beings in His image—as male and female.

The increasing confusion about human identity (and thus the identity of the only beings made in the Creator’s image) has led to God’s purpose for humanity being fundamentally deconstructed. The long-term consequences for society and the human family are far-reaching.

However, the real tragedy is the impact this chaos in defining sex, gender and the human family has on those individuals whose personal lives have been devastated in the process.

Human beings are complex. And without having the direction and guidance of the One who created them, they will remain in a state of turmoil and confusion, having departed from the traditional purpose and role that men and women were created to enjoy.

Transcending gender confusion

Andrew T. Walker’s book God and the Transgender Debate provides some helpful thoughts:

In this confused world, which has departed from God and His instructions, every human being experiences the results of sin. Because of this, sometimes Christians have “to say ‘no’ to what they think they want or how they feel” (2017, p. 136). Instead, they choose to believe God knows what He is talking about.

Mr. Walker’s comments hit at the core of the issue. Those who believe the Bible come to the realization that not everything we want or feel is necessarily right or good. And given the track record of humanity—it generally isn’t.

Though we should show compassion to those who are confused and have a distorted perspective on gender, discerning Christians should lean on the unchanging design of our Creator when it comes to these basic issues of life instead of relying on the ever-changing views and definitions of the world around us.”

For related reading, see “Questions About Sex Answered by the Bible” and “The Divine Design of Family.”

From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/family/bible-about-gender-identity/?

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7 Characteristics of Healthy Families

“The Bible has much to say about how to have a healthy family. Studying the common traits shared by successful families can help you strengthen your family.

Browse the self-help section of any bookstore or library, and you will likely find a sea of books about creating and maintaining a harmonious and healthy family life. Belonging to a loving, secure family unit is a basic human desire. Most of us can readily see the value of close family connections and healthy family dynamics.

Characteristics of a healthy family include: 

1. Having a deep commitment to one another.
2. Making family time a top priority.
3. Communicating in a way that’s constructive.
4. Showing sincere appreciation for one another.
5. Looking out for one another.
6. Resolving conflicts quickly and promptly.
7. Sharing a spiritual commitment.

A strong family can be a source of emotional support, love, security and protection, which makes the challenges and trials of day-to-day living easier to face. Children flourish when they feel loved, nurtured and supported by their parents and siblings. A good family life can even have positive effects on your physical and mental health, including improving blood pressure and increasing life expectancy. 

Healthy families are the building blocks of society

Certainly, God wants our families to succeed and prosper. He designed the family to be the basic building block of society; thus in order for our communities to be stable, the families that comprise them must be as well. And ultimately, God wants us to have spiritually healthy families so we can produce godly offspring (Malachi 2:15) and expand His family.

But while family relationships are important, we all know strong families don’t “just happen.” Sustaining a marriage and raising children are challenging things to do. If we want to have happy homes, we have to work hard to create them.

How to build a healthy family

Continued at: Characteristics of a Healthy Family (lifehopeandtruth.com)

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A Treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Transcript of YouTube: 

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/a-treatment-for-chronic-fatigue-

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/a-treatment-for-chronic-fatigue-

“An industry-funded, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial study suggests chocolate may improve symptoms for those suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome—a debilitating condition currently affecting as many as seven million Americans. But how do you get the cacao phytonutrients without the saturated fat and added sugar?

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a debilitating condition characterized by a minimum of six months of crushing mental and physical exhaustion, and we have no idea what causes it. We don’t even have a good idea of how many people even have it. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that as many as seven and a half million Americans currently suffer from it. And we as physicians have very little to offer patients in terms of relieving those symptoms. So, this is one of the conditions that I’m always keeping an eye out for in terms of new treatments.

And one of the latest they just discovered? Chocolate.

Evidently, Montezuma the Second, who reigned the Aztec empire 500 years ago, noted: “This divine drink, which builds up resistance, and fights fatigue. A cup of [cocoa] permits people to walk for a whole day without food.’’ Not willing to take the emperor’s word for it, it was put to the test.

I’m always skeptical of industry-supported research, but it was actually a pretty good study. At first glance, it looked like they were basically saying eat three chocolate bars a day for eight weeks, and call me in the morning. But it was actually a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial, which is about as good as you can get.

The mad scientists over at Nestle took white chocolate, dyed it brown, and then added some sort of fake chocolate flavor, such that people couldn’t tell if they were eating the real chocolate or the fake. Comparable amounts of sugar and fat, but one had cocoa solids—phytonutrients—and the other basically didn’t.

So, they were able to put people on one, and then switch them over, without anyone knowing, to see if their chronic fatigue symptoms got better or worse. And there was a significant improvement in the real chocolate group, meaning it apparently wasn’t just the yummy taste of chocolate, but the action of the cacao phytonutrients.

Of course, no one should be eating three chocolate bars a day, but you can get the equivalent dose of cocoa solids, the equivalent dose of those wonderful cocoa phytonutrients, by consuming two and a half tablespoons of cocoa powder a day.

You can put it in coffee, you can make a chocolaty smoothie, or, my personal favorite, you can blend it in a high-speed blender with frozen cherries or strawberries, a touch of non-dairy milk, vanilla extract, and some dates, and you have instant, decadent chocolate ice cream; low-fat, low-calorie, no cholesterol, no added sugar chocolate ice cream. The more you eat, the healthier you are—whether or not you’re suffering from chronic fatigue.” From: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/a-treatment-for-chronic-fatigue-

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.              syndrome/

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