Press Release for immediate Release
Official Statement
Submitted by
DR. Sammy D.James
On
MARITAL RAPE ACT AMENDMENT BILL
(MORE CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS)
MARITAL RAPE PROPOSED AMENDMENT
A SERIOUS ISSUE DEMANDING ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
The highly debated and sensitive bill addressing the issue of “Marital Rape” is gravely serious, complex, complicated, and multi-dimensional subject that has the potential of leveling far-reaching and cross-generational affects on any Western Society built on Judaic-Christian principles. The impact and implications of such a law could be incalculable.
First, I almost think it is unnecessary to say that any reasonable civic-minded citizen would ever condone, support, tolerate, allow, accept or imagine the act of rape in any form or kind, be it in the context of marriage, out of marriage, male or female, male and male, female and female, adult and youth or child, incestuous or any type. Rape is the greatest violation of the human spirit and there is no greater abuse of the human person. Rape is wrong, inhumane, unacceptable, and should not be named among members of a civil society in or outside a marital covenant.
The Loud Silence
Many are wondering why responsible, civic-minded, social, religious and spiritual leaders were not hasty in their response or seem reserved in addressing this issue publically. This is because of its complexity and far-reaching implications. This silence is a loud deafening cry of caution on this matter, because it touches the very inner sanctuaries of the time-honored institution of marriage.
Questions of a Young Democracy
This issue brings to the national table many questions that we, in The Bahamas as a young democracy, are yet to resolve. Many of these questions are so complex that even historically mature democracies such as the United States, Canada, and Great Britain are still grappling with them and have uneasily settled on enforcing it into law (See: Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women- UN General Assembly).
Here in the Bahamas, while discussing these issues, we must also be cognizant of the national ideal on which our culture, national psyche, and spiritual foundations are constitutionally built which embraces the historic Judao-Christian faith. This is essential because it creates the context of our perception and perspective of life.
Here are some of the questions for a growing democracy such as the Bahamas:
1.What is the primary role of Government?
2.What is the role of Government as it relates to personal freedoms?
3. What is the role of Government in regulating marriages and family.
4.What are the limitations of Government as they relate to citizen’s
Privacy?
5.When and why should the State (Government) take custody of our marriages, families and children?
6.How much should the Government police the inner chambers of the most sacred relationship in Western society and protect the most private institute left among our citizens?
7.How much Should the Government encourage the creation of laws that could undermine the confidentiality, security, confidence and private rights of the citizens?
8.Should the Government allow laws to be created that could give potentially abusive power and legitimacy to the vindictive, spiteful, confused and ill-tempered among us?
9.Is this Bill an attempt to address a symptom at the expense of creating greater causes of a myriad of new problems?
10.Do the judicial institutions and court systems posses the mechanisms, personnel, legal instruments and maturity to entertain the potential accusations and allegations that could potentially destroy countless lives, reputations and character of innocent individuals?
11.Should the long arm of the Government extend to the marriage bed?
These are just a few of the many questions that MUST be considered before any attempt to address such a serious issue as marital rape.
Questions for Consideration
WE cannot make light of the gravity and seriousness of the issue of rape of any form, but we must balance our zeal with caution and wisdom. Here are some questions that must be discussed and answered:
How many cases of marital rape have been documented (what response have the proposers gotten from counselors, clergy, psychiatric and social work professionals) to substantiate this strong response for consideration of a new law?
From a global perspective, is this issue being imposed from the situation in other foreign cultures where such prevalence of marital rape is a result of social norms that have no relevance in our culture?
Should we as a society adopt laws that were intended to correct social concerns in distant societies and impose them on our culture without ensuring that our unique concerns are the same?
DEEP CONCERNS
Perhaps the principle challenge with this Bill is that it attempts to criminalize the act of sex separate and apart from the activity that led up to the act.
The legal marital covenant creates the context for sexual intimacy and protects the individual’s right to sexual intimacy from interference by the law or government. However, the principle concern here is not the sexual act, but rather the conditions and physical activities that preceded and led to the actual act. If the activities preceding the sexual act are considered acts of force, violence, abuse and unreasonable pressure in the context of marriage, then this can be considered Domestic Violence, and if it ends in sexual intercourse, then it could and perhaps should be considered Rape.
There are laws already on the books that address the issue of Domestic Violence and laws that address the issue of Rape. These laws deal with separate and different aspects of abuse and violence. It is suggested that the Penal Code Chapter 84, coupled with the current Sexual Offence and Domestic Violence Act Chapter 99, more than provide remedies for an individual within a marriage.
Further, if domestic violence (including the element of non-consenting sex) occurs within a marriage, then if upon conviction, the appropriate aggravating factors should be seriously and thoroughly considered during Sentencing.
It is important that no law be created to criminalize the legitimate act of sex between a married couple, but it should criminalize any and all acts of forced violence even if the act results in sexual intercourse. It is also important to properly and effectively define “violence” in this context.
CONSIDERATION
It is important that every citizen, whether male or female, married or unmarried, young or old, be protected from any type of abuse including rape. It is critical that the present laws on the books be examined to see how they can be strengthened to address all types of situations relevant to this issue of Marital Rape.
It is interesting to note that in spite of all the laws given by the biblical Law-Giver, Moses, most of which we and all Western societies have adopted today, he addressed such subjects as adultery, fornication, co-habitation, rape, domestic abuse, and many others, but there is no law addressing such an issue as “marital rape.” Perhaps it should warn us of the danger in tampering with this delicate balance between the “private”, “sacred” and the “public.” Perhaps it should also indicate our need to consider the wisdom of the Law-Giver in this regard.
It would be prudent and wise for the governing powers and those responsible for creating law to regulate our society to slow the drive to present this Bill to the House and postpone any decision in this regard until all the right questions are asked and answered?
Some Challenges with the Proposed Bill
The principles of decision-making are not what a decision would accomplish, but its consequences must also be weighed as much as the decision. On this issue the questions continue! Caution and patience are recommended.
THE PRESENT LAW
The present Law on the books states:
Rape is the act of any person not under fourteen years of age having sexual intercourse with another person who is not his spouse-
without consent of that other person; without consent which has been extorted by threats or fear of bodily harm;
with consent obtained by personating the spouse of any other person; or
with consent obtained by false and fraudulent representations as to the nature and quality of the act.
The above statement of emphasis, “who is not his spouse”, is the crucial concern in this debate and should be the heart of any consideration for amendment of the Bill; as it only limits “rape” to incidents outside of marriage.
The amendment to the law should be revised for this statement to include any act of violent, forced, extorted, threatened or fraudulent act of sexual intercourse of “another person who may or may not be a spouse” of the perpetrator.
This amendment should not and would not change the present law and its intent of protecting any person from the act of Rape no matter what is the context of their relationship.
The amendment should not allow the marital covenant to be used as a shield to protect the individual from any act of Violence against another person whether they are married, separated or divorced at the time.
However, it should and must be strongly stressed and emphasized that the law should be focused on, against and to address the preceding acts of violence, extortion, threat and act of fraud rather than against the act of sexual intercourse. Some of the major concerns inherent in this proposed Bill amendment as it relates to marriage include the following:
Will the institution of marriage be preserved?
What is the principle issue that Parliament is attempting to cure?
What is the ratio (percentage) between women who may suffer at the hands of a vicious husband as oppose to the stigma to be permanently attached to an innocent husband who has done no wrong?
Does the Bill purposely avoid a penalty for false accusations by the spouse?
Why has the Bill intentionally extended (via Section 5E) the limitation of time for an offence triable under this Act to two (2) years?
What are the unintended consequences of any amendment as it relates to the rights of both parties being protected?
Will the amendment be used a means of spite or the excuse to end marital relationship differences?
Will the proper checks and balances be put in place to ensure that unfounded claims are not made?
Will those investigating these matters be given clear written protocols and would they be mature, confidential persons?
Will mandatory counseling be a part of the initial intervention by the law?
Is the amendment being considered within the context of the other family related laws to ensure that the potential for conflict is minimized?
Will Government revisit the development of a “family life” curriculum to be taught as a core subject in each school?
Should any charges be established under the Act without the Attorney General’s consent so as to minimize the potential for abuse?
Marriage as an institution is already under tremendous stress and this proposed amendment incorporates the potential to further damage the thousands of marriages that are struggling to survive the many challenges couples face, without adding the insecurities, fear, uneasiness, suspicions, and potential manipulation inherent in the atmosphere this issue could create.
CONCLUSION:
The above extensive lists of questions indicate how complicated and complex this issue is as it relates to Married couples and the extent of its implications and possible consequences on the greater social net and moral fabric of our society.
In light of the many questions above, the recommendations as it relates to the proposed amendment are as follows:
To reaffirm the collective abhorrence of any form of violence and the act of Rape in our society.
The perceived “Fast-track” process to amend this bill in its present form should and must be slowed down for opportunity for further careful consideration and answers to the many questions raised above.
The need for the establishment of a National Committee on the issues incorporating a diverse, appropriate, broad sector of persons from our community to review and study the concerns presented in this document.
The need for broad consultation with diverse minds in the community for re-presentation of this proposed bill addressing the distinctions between the various issues such as; defining “violence”, defining and establishing the criteria for the distinction between “sexual consent’ and “forced Sexual intercourse”.
Reconsider including the vague terminology of
“Marital Rape” as a broad paint brush to address and cover a very complicated and complex intimate and private issue as sexual relations in Marriage.
Agree that this issue is not just a legal or social issue but a moral and spiritually confidential issue of a grave magnitude.
Agree that ‘violent Rape’ could and may occur in marriage and should be legally prevented, and judged by society, but the framework and context for this judgment must not jeopardize the security and in some cases the fragility of the marriage institution.
Agree that Caution and postponement is evidence of strength and wisdom not weakness and failure.
Submitted by:
Dr. Sammy D.James
President/Chairman
Bahamas World Vision Ministries International
World Visin Seminary Theology School
September 2009
LEGAL ABSTRACT
Even though many countries still permit husbands to rape their wives with little or no consequence, there is a growing trend that marital exemption is unjust and has no place in a civilized society. Recognition of the inappropriateness of marital exemption is, however, only the first step towards its elimination. To effectively equalize treatment of marital and non-marital rape, legislatures and judiciaries must take action. Several countries have already been host to the abolition of marital immunity, but their approaches may not be the most effective. This Note examines the experiences of England and Canada as examples of judicial and legislative abolition of marital exemption, respectively. The Author explores several factors that would lead to effective change, including timely alignment with societal morals, thorough and thoughtful consideration of the issues, and legitimacy in the eyes of citizens. After reviewing the effectiveness of approaches such as those employed in England and Canada, the Author argues that an even better method would rely on equal protection provisions found in state constitutions and international treaties.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION
II. ENGLAND: A MODEL OF THE JUDICIAL APPROACH
A. Chipping Away at Common Law: The
Path Leading to Abolition of Marital
Immunity
B. Public Response to Judicial Criminalization
of Marital Rape
III.CANADA: A MODEL OF THE LEGISLATIVE APPROACH
A. Feminist Activism and Parliamentary
Notice of a Problem Leading to a
Change in Marital Rape Law
B. Reactions to the Passage of Bill C-127
IV. SHORTCOMINGS AND SUCCESSES: THOROUGH
AND TIMELY REVIEW VERSUS LEGITIMACY
A. The Judicial Approach 1. Advantages: Holistic Review of an
Historical Concept
2. Disadvantages: Legitimacy, Retrospectiviand Case Dependency
B. The Legislative Method
1. Advantages: Legitimacy and Prosecutorial
Independence
2. Disadvantages: Legislative Delay and
Abstract Review
V. PROPOSED SOLUTION: EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSES
AS A TOOL FOR CRIMINALIZING MARITAL RAPE
VI. CONCLUSION
I. INTRODUCTION
For centuries, husbands around the world have been granted marital exemption (1) to the crime of rape. It was not until the last half of the twentieth century that marital rape was even recognized as a legal problem. (2) Prior to that time, most believed that it was impossible for a husband to rape his wife. (3) This conclusion was justified under three separate theories: the implied consent theory, the unities of person theory, and the property theory. (4)
The most common theory behind the impossibility of marital rape is the implied consent theory, which is structured around contract law. (5) Stated succinctly by Sir Matthew Hale in the seventeenth century, "the husband cannot be guilty of a rape committed by himself upon his lawful wife, for by their mutual matrimonial consent and the contract the wife hath given up herself in this kind unto her husband, which she cannot retract." (6) Hale believed that "matrimonial consent" was irrevocable. (7) Variations on Hale's strict irrevocability principle allow for a wife to revoke her implied sexual consent only in times when "ordinary relations" in the marriage are suspended. (8) For example, a woman can revoke her implied consent when she and her husband are separated. (9) Until recently, this view was widely accepted. (10)
The unity of person theory, on the other hand, does not even recognize the wife as a separate being capable of being raped. (11) This theory stems from the belief that when two people marry, they become one. (12) The being of the woman is incorporated into that of the husband such that the existence of the woman is effectively suspended during marriage. (13) Marital rape is thus impossible because a husband is not capable of raping himself. (14)
2 oct 2009
Dr: Sammy D.James
As we live our lives as people, we are also Christians meaning that we follow the examples of how to live and to love. These given to us by the very Son of God, Jesus the Christ. Living fully means that we live every day with compassion for others in need of food, clothing, shelter, healing, and freedom. Those who "have" are to share with those who " have not". This is the church teaching- to be in solidarity with all in the world through charity, prayer, and activism.Whether you're a businessperson, homemaker, student, or head of state, Myles Munroe explains how you can make your dreams and hopes a living reality. Your success isn't dependent on the economy or job market. You don't need to be hindered by the limited perceptions of others or by a lack of resources. Discover time-tested principles that will enable you to fulfill your vision no matter who you are or where you come from. You don't exist just to earn a paycheck and you weren't meant for a mundane or mediocre life. Revive your passion for living! Pursue your dream! Discover your vision, and find your true life.
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Works of Life relies heavily on and greatly appreciates the corporate and private donations we receive that benefit those with special charitable and financial needs in our local and global community.
Donate to W V M I
People care & they share!
Making a charity donation to Works of Life is Fast & Easy!
Financial Donations
Car Donation
Computer Donations
Donate Real Estate
Donate Collectibles
Boat Donation
Donate Car.
Donate Car For W V M I accepts all vehicle donations, whether running or not, including: cars, boats, trucks, RVs and more. Call us you can complete your vehicle donation using our blog.
W V M I .need your partnership.Dr Sammy D.James
I share the food for ten people. The amount of food is never enough for us. Sometimes, we go two or three days without solid food. I am a kind woman. I am helpful, sincere, and forgiving. I would to become a beautician. Farah paul
I have to carry 20 gallons of water per day. Some times I go to bed without a meal. I am suffering from different kind of sicknesses. I am generous and I am a strong girl. I would like to get the chance to go to school like every child. Jean Charles
Sometimes we spend more than 2 days without eating. I dream to go to school and send all my children to school but I can’t. I think that my friend and God first can help me to reach my dreams and I think God he loves me. Saint-Juste
When we finish selling every thing that we possess, if our situation doesn’t change we are surely going to starve until we die. We just drink salty water and go to sleep hoping to find something to eat the next day. It is hard to live this kind of life. It is hard. Cheilla fredline
My father is in prison. Now, only my grand mother takes care of us. If we don’t have anything to eat, and our neighbors don’t have either, and we spend the day with no food. The most important thing for me is school. I would really love to go to school. Loudia
I sleep on the ground on a piece of carton. Many times, she has nothing to give me and I go to sleep without eating. I never celebrated my birthday, and I do not know if I will one day. I never went to school, but I dream to become a doctor. Alex Jhonny
I would like to have a bed to sleep. I don’t know how to read and write. My mother is dead and my father is far away. I don’t eat regularly. Sometimes I sleep with no food. Some other times, I eat bread with sugar water. I don’t have clothes, sandals, shoes and underwear.Ricalande .
W V M I.We need 2 buses,3 pick up, 5 jeeps. 200 computer,Please partner with us.
In my whole life,
I've got a dream
Too many people
Hate apartheid
Why do you like it?Hey European,Indian man
We've got to come together as one
Not forgetting the Japanese,american,african,caribbean,latin american,ocean...
The cats and the dogs
Have forgiven each other
What is wrong with us All those years
Fighting each other
But no solution.
When we read in the bible about the creation of the earth, it tells us that man was created in the image of God. but it does not tell us if God was white, black, coloured, indian or whatever. when i see a black man...i see the image of God, when i see a white man...i see the image of God,
i see an indian...i see the image of god, colours and everybody, we are the images God. God is one. and that is why, we are his children, and the only thing that is keeping us apart is apartied. we must stop it, and come together as one.
We are one.Help each other?
I have to carry 20 gallons of water per day. Some times I go to bed without a meal. I am suffering from different kind of sicknesses. I am generous and I am a strong girl. I would like to get the chance to go to school like every child. Jean Charles
Sometimes we spend more than 2 days without eating. I dream to go to school and send all my children to school but I can’t. I think that my friend and God first can help me to reach my dreams and I think God he loves me. Saint-Juste
When we finish selling every thing that we possess, if our situation doesn’t change we are surely going to starve until we die. We just drink salty water and go to sleep hoping to find something to eat the next day. It is hard to live this kind of life. It is hard. Cheilla fredline
My father is in prison. Now, only my grand mother takes care of us. If we don’t have anything to eat, and our neighbors don’t have either, and we spend the day with no food. The most important thing for me is school. I would really love to go to school. Loudia
I sleep on the ground on a piece of carton. Many times, she has nothing to give me and I go to sleep without eating. I never celebrated my birthday, and I do not know if I will one day. I never went to school, but I dream to become a doctor. Alex Jhonny
I would like to have a bed to sleep. I don’t know how to read and write. My mother is dead and my father is far away. I don’t eat regularly. Sometimes I sleep with no food. Some other times, I eat bread with sugar water. I don’t have clothes, sandals, shoes and underwear.Ricalande .
W V M I.We need 2 buses,3 pick up, 5 jeeps. 200 computer,Please partner with us.
In my whole life,
I've got a dream
Too many people
Hate apartheid
Why do you like it?Hey European,Indian man
We've got to come together as one
Not forgetting the Japanese,american,african,caribbean,latin american,ocean...
The cats and the dogs
Have forgiven each other
What is wrong with us All those years
Fighting each other
But no solution.
When we read in the bible about the creation of the earth, it tells us that man was created in the image of God. but it does not tell us if God was white, black, coloured, indian or whatever. when i see a black man...i see the image of God, when i see a white man...i see the image of God,
i see an indian...i see the image of god, colours and everybody, we are the images God. God is one. and that is why, we are his children, and the only thing that is keeping us apart is apartied. we must stop it, and come together as one.
We are one.Help each other?
W V M I.Development Strategy.
A. Development Goals and Strategy.
1. The W V M I.’s poverty reduction strategy reaffirms that eradicating poverty and accelerating the pace of social development are the nation’s most important long-term strategic goals. The poverty reduction strategy describes the W V M I plans to help the country meet the MDGs by 2015 and to graduate from least developed country status by 2020. The three pillars of the strategy are to:
foster economic growth with equity
sociocultural development
sustainable environment preservation. Agriculture, health, education, and infrastructure are the key sectors prioritized in the national poverty reduction effort.
The priority sectors of the poverty reduction strategy have been costed and mainstreamed into the SEDP6, 2009–2013. Agriculture, health, education, and infrastructure remain the priorities in a five-plank agenda for poverty reduction:
expansion of economic opportunities, with an emphasis on commercial agriculture, rural development, infrastructure development, and fostering
improved provision of basic social services, with a focus on health, education, and clean drinking water
stronger human security, including measures aimed at fostering food security, reducing threats from unexploded ordnance, and ensuring protection against natural disasters
enhanced participation by and empowerment of the poor
a concentrated effort to develop the poorest areas through a range of targeted interventions.
2.also includes a series of crosscutting strategies for fostering , regional integration, good governance, gender development, combating HIV/AIDs, and environmental protection. is to be fostered by improving the enabling environment, promoting foreign investments, and developing new infrastructure. Transforming the x from a landlocked to a landlinked nation is the key vision underlying w v m i’s support for regional integration. To achieve this, emphasizes developing economic corridors, reducing trade barriers, promoting cross-border investment, and capitalizing on the benefits that membership of the W V I, WVMISTS,WVO, and SVM, together with bilateral trade agreements, can bring. Governance is to be improved by implementing sector financial management, administration, rule of law, and people’s participation. Under , gender equality is to be fostered by improving access by girls and women in essential social services, enhancing income-earning opportunities for women, and mainstreaming women’s development in public services at all levels. The spread of HIV/AIDS is to be combated by public health programs that combine both prevention and treatment. Improved environmental management is to be achieved by strengthening environment protection agencies, implementing new environmental laws and regulations, protecting the forest, conserving vital biodiversity corridors, and managing watersheds and land resources in a sustainable manner.
While generous inflows of foreign assistance have helped the W V M I address its poverty reduction priorities, a high degree of aid dependence has made it difficult to build sound domestic programs, and to meet the recurrent outlays required to keep pace with rapid growth in public facilities and services. The public investment program accounted for 61% of total public expenditures between 2009 and 2014.
1. The W V M I.’s poverty reduction strategy reaffirms that eradicating poverty and accelerating the pace of social development are the nation’s most important long-term strategic goals. The poverty reduction strategy describes the W V M I plans to help the country meet the MDGs by 2015 and to graduate from least developed country status by 2020. The three pillars of the strategy are to:
foster economic growth with equity
sociocultural development
sustainable environment preservation. Agriculture, health, education, and infrastructure are the key sectors prioritized in the national poverty reduction effort.
The priority sectors of the poverty reduction strategy have been costed and mainstreamed into the SEDP6, 2009–2013. Agriculture, health, education, and infrastructure remain the priorities in a five-plank agenda for poverty reduction:
expansion of economic opportunities, with an emphasis on commercial agriculture, rural development, infrastructure development, and fostering
improved provision of basic social services, with a focus on health, education, and clean drinking water
stronger human security, including measures aimed at fostering food security, reducing threats from unexploded ordnance, and ensuring protection against natural disasters
enhanced participation by and empowerment of the poor
a concentrated effort to develop the poorest areas through a range of targeted interventions.
2.also includes a series of crosscutting strategies for fostering , regional integration, good governance, gender development, combating HIV/AIDs, and environmental protection. is to be fostered by improving the enabling environment, promoting foreign investments, and developing new infrastructure. Transforming the x from a landlocked to a landlinked nation is the key vision underlying w v m i’s support for regional integration. To achieve this, emphasizes developing economic corridors, reducing trade barriers, promoting cross-border investment, and capitalizing on the benefits that membership of the W V I, WVMISTS,WVO, and SVM, together with bilateral trade agreements, can bring. Governance is to be improved by implementing sector financial management, administration, rule of law, and people’s participation. Under , gender equality is to be fostered by improving access by girls and women in essential social services, enhancing income-earning opportunities for women, and mainstreaming women’s development in public services at all levels. The spread of HIV/AIDS is to be combated by public health programs that combine both prevention and treatment. Improved environmental management is to be achieved by strengthening environment protection agencies, implementing new environmental laws and regulations, protecting the forest, conserving vital biodiversity corridors, and managing watersheds and land resources in a sustainable manner.
While generous inflows of foreign assistance have helped the W V M I address its poverty reduction priorities, a high degree of aid dependence has made it difficult to build sound domestic programs, and to meet the recurrent outlays required to keep pace with rapid growth in public facilities and services. The public investment program accounted for 61% of total public expenditures between 2009 and 2014.
1 oct 2009
Thank you for entrusting us with your education.Dr Sammy D.James
Friends:
For over 3 years, World Vision Institut has provided relevant education for our students and has had a strong sense of social responsibility. The W V I,is in a position to nimbly react and respond as the needs of our nation and our students change.
Right now is a time we feel we must respond. It's no secret that we are facing one of the most turbulent times in Haitian history. Not since the Great Depression have more companies, individuals and families experienced such financial turmoil.
However, unlike in the 2006s, today’s global economy is demanding a greater number of knowledgeable workers. W V I plays a pivotal role in fulfilling the need for these workers by providing quality education to people across the country and throughout the world.
For over 3 years, World Vision Institut has provided relevant education for our students and has had a strong sense of social responsibility. The W V I,is in a position to nimbly react and respond as the needs of our nation and our students change.
Right now is a time we feel we must respond. It's no secret that we are facing one of the most turbulent times in Haitian history. Not since the Great Depression have more companies, individuals and families experienced such financial turmoil.
However, unlike in the 2006s, today’s global economy is demanding a greater number of knowledgeable workers. W V I plays a pivotal role in fulfilling the need for these workers by providing quality education to people across the country and throughout the world.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
The 21st century poses many challenges and opportunities for our nation and the world. As our next generation of leaders, you will have responsibilities in determining how these issues are addressed.
I commend you for taking the initiative to prepare for these future challenges by examining firsthand how our democratic process works.
As you meet with people in government, the military, media and business,churches,organizatin,groups,association etc, you can gain a deeper understanding of how public policy and law are shaped in American,and the rest of the world. These experiences should prove both informative and inspirational as you go on to pursue careers or other opportunities in public and community service. The Presidential Classroom program will help you develop the knowledge, skills and wisdom you will need to guide our world to a brighter tomorrow.Dr Sammy D.James
Recently while I was in prayer the Lord laid a message on my heart that
will be a blessing to all who are in need financially. This ministry is
mainly focused on sending you stories and poems that have a deep meaning,
but occasionally the Lord lays a message on my heart that will be more
beneficial than a story. I hope you'll be blessed by what the Lord has
led me to write.
As you may know, we have a prayer ministry with over 1,500 prayer partners
joined with us and we receive more than 1,000 prayer requests per month.
Prayer is mostly asked for physical healing, but the second most request is
for financial breakthrough and to be completely free from debt. We do pray
and believe God to meet every need, but in order for there to be a change,
we need to follow what God's Word says concerning finances.
There are more people in financial trouble today than there ever has been
in all of history. Statistics have shown that the average household is
more than $8,000 in debt. I believe people are not where God wants them
to be because they are not following His laws. We need to remember that
God is no respecter of persons. God does not have favorites. If we comply
with what is written in His Word, then God promises we will reap the
benefits of doing it God's way. (Acts 10:34) (Malachi 3:10-11)
Jesus says in Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure,
pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your
bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to
you." Many people have read this scripture and always associate it with
money or financial gain, but money is not mentioned anywhere in the
scripture. Jesus says, give and It will be given unto you good measure,
pressed down, shaken together, and running over. That It is what ever it
is that you need. If you are in need financially, then give to God what
finances that you do have now. If you are in need of a friend, then be a
friend to someone else today. Whatever the need is in your life; give what
you have to God now and He will multiply it and bring it back to you. The
Scripture says, give and It will be given unto you.
Action must be first taken by the sower, and then God will multiply the
seed that has been sown, 30, 60, and 100 fold. Imagine a farmer who goes
out to cut down and take in his harvest. In order for him to have a
harvest, there first must have been seeds planted. It would be foolish for
a farmer to go and collect their harvest if they never planted their seeds
in the beginning of that season. It is the same thing concerning our
financial blessings. (Mark 4:8)
If there has not been a seed sown into the kingdom of God, then we should
not be looking for a harvest to come in. God says in Malachi 3:10 "Bring
all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And
try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you
the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will
not be room enough to receive it." God says in this verse, try me and see
if I will not do what I said I would do. God is not a man that He should
lie, so if God said it, then His Word will come to pass. (Numbers 23:19)
If you are in trouble financially and need God to open the windows of
heaven and pour you out a blessing that you cannot contain, then I ask you
to sow into the Church or Ministry that God leads you to, and in doing so,
you should expect to reap the benefits of obeying God's Word. Stay
diligent and steadfast and do not be moved by the circumstances that you
are presently in, but rather know that God in heaven will be faithful in
guarding over the tithes and offerings that you have sown into His work
and He will bring it back to you multiplied in ways that you never thought
possible. (Galatians 6:9) (Malachi 3:11-12) (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Malachi 3:8-10 "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say,
Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a
curse: for ye have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the
tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and
prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the
windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be
room enough to receive it."
Deuteronomy 8:18 "But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is He
that giveth thee power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant
which He sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day."
3 John 2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and
be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."
Ephesians 3:19-20 "And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,
that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto Him that is
able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according
to the power that worketh in us."
All scriptures can be found in the King James Version.
Remember: In order for there to be a harvest, there must first be a seed
planted, watered and cared for.
God Blessing You Financially
Many people miss the formula of how to get their financial breakthrough. It's all very simple; you have to understand why God does things. He will not bless you so as you have a fat bank account. He wants you to have money so as you can feed, educate and shelter the needy. He wants you to be able to make a lasting change in someone else's life. That's the only time he will give you more than you need. The day you will truly understand this principle, you will be on your way to financial overflow.
God never does something with one person in mind. He loves all of us the same and he wants to impact in everyone's life regardless of the relationship you have with him. It does not matter whether you are born again or not, God loves you and cares about you a lot. He will therefore send someone to take care of you for he is your father. As Christians, it is our duty to continue the work Jesus Christ started here on earth. This was taking care of the underprivileged in the society.
When you start taking care of the poor and needy around you, doors of blessings will start opening up. God will make sure your barns expand for he trusts you to feed others with what he has blessed you with. It is very wrong for a Christian to be ignorant of other people's needs and tribulations. Let us follow Christ's footsteps and do that which he would want us to do as his true followers.
I commend you for taking the initiative to prepare for these future challenges by examining firsthand how our democratic process works.
As you meet with people in government, the military, media and business,churches,organizatin,groups,association etc, you can gain a deeper understanding of how public policy and law are shaped in American,and the rest of the world. These experiences should prove both informative and inspirational as you go on to pursue careers or other opportunities in public and community service. The Presidential Classroom program will help you develop the knowledge, skills and wisdom you will need to guide our world to a brighter tomorrow.Dr Sammy D.James
Recently while I was in prayer the Lord laid a message on my heart that
will be a blessing to all who are in need financially. This ministry is
mainly focused on sending you stories and poems that have a deep meaning,
but occasionally the Lord lays a message on my heart that will be more
beneficial than a story. I hope you'll be blessed by what the Lord has
led me to write.
As you may know, we have a prayer ministry with over 1,500 prayer partners
joined with us and we receive more than 1,000 prayer requests per month.
Prayer is mostly asked for physical healing, but the second most request is
for financial breakthrough and to be completely free from debt. We do pray
and believe God to meet every need, but in order for there to be a change,
we need to follow what God's Word says concerning finances.
There are more people in financial trouble today than there ever has been
in all of history. Statistics have shown that the average household is
more than $8,000 in debt. I believe people are not where God wants them
to be because they are not following His laws. We need to remember that
God is no respecter of persons. God does not have favorites. If we comply
with what is written in His Word, then God promises we will reap the
benefits of doing it God's way. (Acts 10:34) (Malachi 3:10-11)
Jesus says in Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure,
pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your
bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to
you." Many people have read this scripture and always associate it with
money or financial gain, but money is not mentioned anywhere in the
scripture. Jesus says, give and It will be given unto you good measure,
pressed down, shaken together, and running over. That It is what ever it
is that you need. If you are in need financially, then give to God what
finances that you do have now. If you are in need of a friend, then be a
friend to someone else today. Whatever the need is in your life; give what
you have to God now and He will multiply it and bring it back to you. The
Scripture says, give and It will be given unto you.
Action must be first taken by the sower, and then God will multiply the
seed that has been sown, 30, 60, and 100 fold. Imagine a farmer who goes
out to cut down and take in his harvest. In order for him to have a
harvest, there first must have been seeds planted. It would be foolish for
a farmer to go and collect their harvest if they never planted their seeds
in the beginning of that season. It is the same thing concerning our
financial blessings. (Mark 4:8)
If there has not been a seed sown into the kingdom of God, then we should
not be looking for a harvest to come in. God says in Malachi 3:10 "Bring
all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And
try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you
the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will
not be room enough to receive it." God says in this verse, try me and see
if I will not do what I said I would do. God is not a man that He should
lie, so if God said it, then His Word will come to pass. (Numbers 23:19)
If you are in trouble financially and need God to open the windows of
heaven and pour you out a blessing that you cannot contain, then I ask you
to sow into the Church or Ministry that God leads you to, and in doing so,
you should expect to reap the benefits of obeying God's Word. Stay
diligent and steadfast and do not be moved by the circumstances that you
are presently in, but rather know that God in heaven will be faithful in
guarding over the tithes and offerings that you have sown into His work
and He will bring it back to you multiplied in ways that you never thought
possible. (Galatians 6:9) (Malachi 3:11-12) (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Malachi 3:8-10 "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say,
Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a
curse: for ye have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the
tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and
prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the
windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be
room enough to receive it."
Deuteronomy 8:18 "But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is He
that giveth thee power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant
which He sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day."
3 John 2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and
be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."
Ephesians 3:19-20 "And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,
that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto Him that is
able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according
to the power that worketh in us."
All scriptures can be found in the King James Version.
Remember: In order for there to be a harvest, there must first be a seed
planted, watered and cared for.
God Blessing You Financially
Many people miss the formula of how to get their financial breakthrough. It's all very simple; you have to understand why God does things. He will not bless you so as you have a fat bank account. He wants you to have money so as you can feed, educate and shelter the needy. He wants you to be able to make a lasting change in someone else's life. That's the only time he will give you more than you need. The day you will truly understand this principle, you will be on your way to financial overflow.
God never does something with one person in mind. He loves all of us the same and he wants to impact in everyone's life regardless of the relationship you have with him. It does not matter whether you are born again or not, God loves you and cares about you a lot. He will therefore send someone to take care of you for he is your father. As Christians, it is our duty to continue the work Jesus Christ started here on earth. This was taking care of the underprivileged in the society.
When you start taking care of the poor and needy around you, doors of blessings will start opening up. God will make sure your barns expand for he trusts you to feed others with what he has blessed you with. It is very wrong for a Christian to be ignorant of other people's needs and tribulations. Let us follow Christ's footsteps and do that which he would want us to do as his true followers.
30 sept 2009
Welcome to W V S M I BlogSpot.com
World Vision Minstries International, is an International Organization working an different area aound the world.Dr Sammy D.James President and Founder.Nassau Bahamas
Presentation of Education Projet/Mission and Purpose
The mission of World Vision Institut is to provide access to higher education opportunities that enable students to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their professional goals, improve the productivity of their organizations, and provide leadership and service to their communities.
Purposes
To facilitate cognitive and affective student learning-knowledge, skills, and values -and to promote use of that knowledge in the student's work place.
To develop competence in communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and information utilization, together with a commitment to lifelong learning for enhancement of students' opportunities for career success.
To provide instruction that bridges the gap between theory and practice through faculty members who bring to their classroom not only advanced academic preparation, but also the skills that come from the current practice of their professions.
To provide General Education and foundational instruction and services that prepare students to engage in a variety of university curricula.
To use technology to create effective modes and means of instruction that expand access to learning resources and that enhance collaboration and communication for improved student learning.
To assess student learning and use assessment data to improve the teaching/learning system, curriculum, instruction, learning resources, counseling and student services.
To be organized as a for-profit institution in order to foster a spirit of innovation that focuses on providing academic quality, service, excellence, and convenience to the working adult.
To generate the financial resources necessary to support the World Vision Institute’s mission. Review the World Vision Institute's Mission and Purposes Statement.
We aim to meet the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
Honesty
Leadership
Excellence
Environmental concern
Social responsibility
Long term view
Financial strength
Focus
Innovation
Care for people
Basic Education Strengthening Project (Education II Project)
We need your support to builds 5 primary school an haiti.Gonaives,St marc,port de Paix,St Louis du Nord,and anse a veau haiti.
Despite the significant progress resulting from the Government efforts to develop education, the sector’s performance is still weak. To rectify the situation the Government has initiated several actions the most recent of which concern the new Framework Law on Education.the construction will cost us 250.000 thousands usd dollars,american.
ObjectiveThe specific objectives are to:
1.expand access to, and strengthen equity and quality of basic education cycles 1 and 2;
2.improve school health and intensify the fight against STD/HIV/AIDS in schools; and
3.build the institutional capacity of basic education.
Description
The project comprises four components:
1.improve access to, and quality of basic education cycles 1 and 2;
2.support for girls’ enrolment and women’s literacy education;
3.improvement of school health and the fight against STI/HIV/AIDS in the school environment; and
4.project management.
Purposes
To facilitate cognitive and affective student learning-knowledge, skills, and values -and to promote use of that knowledge in the student's work place.
To develop competence in communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and information utilization, together with a commitment to lifelong learning for enhancement of students' opportunities for career success.
To provide instruction that bridges the gap between theory and practice through faculty members who bring to their classroom not only advanced academic preparation, but also the skills that come from the current practice of their professions.
To provide General Education and foundational instruction and services that prepare students to engage in a variety of university curricula.
To use technology to create effective modes and means of instruction that expand access to learning resources and that enhance collaboration and communication for improved student learning.
To assess student learning and use assessment data to improve the teaching/learning system, curriculum, instruction, learning resources, counseling and student services.
To be organized as a for-profit institution in order to foster a spirit of innovation that focuses on providing academic quality, service, excellence, and convenience to the working adult.
To generate the financial resources necessary to support the World Vision Institute’s mission. Review the World Vision Institute's Mission and Purposes Statement.
We aim to meet the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
Honesty
Leadership
Excellence
Environmental concern
Social responsibility
Long term view
Financial strength
Focus
Innovation
Care for people
Basic Education Strengthening Project (Education II Project)
We need your support to builds 5 primary school an haiti.Gonaives,St marc,port de Paix,St Louis du Nord,and anse a veau haiti.
Despite the significant progress resulting from the Government efforts to develop education, the sector’s performance is still weak. To rectify the situation the Government has initiated several actions the most recent of which concern the new Framework Law on Education.the construction will cost us 250.000 thousands usd dollars,american.
ObjectiveThe specific objectives are to:
1.expand access to, and strengthen equity and quality of basic education cycles 1 and 2;
2.improve school health and intensify the fight against STD/HIV/AIDS in schools; and
3.build the institutional capacity of basic education.
Description
The project comprises four components:
1.improve access to, and quality of basic education cycles 1 and 2;
2.support for girls’ enrolment and women’s literacy education;
3.improvement of school health and the fight against STI/HIV/AIDS in the school environment; and
4.project management.
The meaning of peace in the 21st century by Dr. Sammy D.James
One of the important tasks of the 21st century is redefining social concepts. I would like to start redefining the word "peace". The main question here is whether peace means the absence of war. In other words, if a country is not involved in a war, do the people of that country live in a green peace?
Definitely no. This definition of peace belongs to a few centuries ago. In the twenty first century peace has to be defined otherwise. For example the devastating situation of Aids patients in the world, specifically in African countries is more dangerous than guns and bullets.
Pursuant to a report of Unicef, in the year 2006, the number of children under fourteen years of age who are suffering from Aids is 2.1 million. These children will lose their lives although their country is not involved in a way.
Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer and defender of human rights. In 1975-79 she served as president of Tehran's city court, but was forced to resign after the 1979 revolution. In the 1980s, she founded the Association for Children's Rights, and was briefly jailed for her exposure of plans to assassinate dissidents.
Among her books are The Rights of the Child: a study of legal aspects of children's rights in Iran (1994), The History and Documentation of Human Rights in Iran (2000). She was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 2003. She published her autobiography, Iran Awakening: From Prison to Peace Prize (Rider / Ebury, 2007)
Also by and about Shirin Ebadi in openDemocracy:
Nazila Fathi, "Shirin Ebadi and Iran's women: in the vanguard of change" (30 October 2003)
"A single family: Shirin Ebadi speaks"
(17 June 2004)"
America and human rights"
(6 September 2004)
In some fifty poor countries such as Chad, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Afghanistan and Somalia, one of every six children dies before reaching the age of five. The cause of death is not having access to health, vaccination, clean drinkable water and malnutrition. These children do not lose their lives to bombs, they die of extreme poverty. This is why we need a new definition of peace. Peace means serenity. One can only feel serene if one's human rights are not violated and one's integrity is protected. Obviously a human being who does not have access to education due to extreme poverty, or who has been sentenced to imprisonment for expressing his/her opinion does not enjoy serenity and does not live in peace. The same is true about a person who has lost his/her home and lives on the streets. Peace can only be permanent if it is based on two principles - democracy and Social Justice.
In authoritarian societies, whether religious or political, where votes of people don't count, where any opposition voice is silenced with bullets and imprisonment, peace cannot be permanent.
The other principle of peace is social justice. Peace cannot be established in a society where a big class distinction exists. We can only be happy if our neighbours are not suffering from hunger. How can we hope to establish worldwide peace when 75% of the wealth of the world is in the hands of 1% of the population of the world?
Pursuant to a report of the International Labour Organisation published in 2004, one hundred and 26 million of the children of the world are engaged in performing dangerous work. Social justice should be regarded not only at the international, but also, at national levels.
History proves that a society where a big gap exists between the rich and the poor will not be peaceful. In America, the total wealth of one per cent of the population equals the total wealth of the remaining 65%. In a country like India, millions of people are born homeless. They get married on the streets, live on the streets and die on the streets, whereas the most expensive and luxurious hotels and homes exist for only five per cent of the population.
Democracy should be redefined too. In its classical meaning, democracy means the government of the majority. But a majority who wins in free elections does not have the right to govern as it wishes. Let's not forget that most dictatorships in the world have been elected democratically, meaning by the majority of the vote of the people. Like Hitler. Therefore, winning elections does not guarantee democracy. The majority that gains power through free elections should observe the framework of democracy. Now what is the framework of democracy?
Shirin Ebadi was in attendance at the meeting of the Nobel Women's Initiative (NWI) in Galway, Ireland, on 29-31 May 2007
Also in openDemocracy from the NWI:
Isabel Hilton, "War, peace, and women: lessons we have failed to learn" (1 June 2007)
Nadwa Sarandah, "Nothing is impossible, the difficult takes longer" (1 June 2007)
The framework of democracy is human rights law. In other words, the majority who has won power can only perform within the framework of the laws of human rights and cannot violate such laws. No majority in power can use religion as an excuse to oppress half of the population of society, in other words women. The oppression that women in Iran are suffering at the present is an example of such excuse. No majority in power should have the right to prevent freedom of speech with the excuse of ideology. Like what has happened in Cuba and China. No majority in power should have the right to limit political freedom, like the United States of America that does not permit the activity of communist parties and limits their work, opening or in secret.
In light of the above, governments do not gain their legitimacy through votes of people and voting boxes. They gain their legitimacy through votes of people and respect for human rights. Excuses for violation of human rights such as cultural relativism, religion and ideology are not acceptable. Human rights have been derived from religions and civilisations and can be applied to any civilisation and culture.
1. the normal, nonwarring condition of a nation, group of nations, or the world.
2. (often initial capital letter) an agreement or treaty between warring or antagonistic nations, groups, etc., to end hostilities and abstain from further fighting or antagonism: the Peace of Ryswick.
3. a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, esp. in personal relations: Try to live in peace with your neighbors.
4. the normal freedom from civil commotion and violence of a community; public order and security: He was arrested for being drunk and disturbing the peace.
5. cessation of or freedom from any strife or dissension.
6. freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquillity; serenity.
7. a state of tranquillity or serenity: May he rest in peace.
8. a state or condition conducive to, proceeding from, or characterized by tranquillity: the peace of a mountain resort.
9. silence; stillness: The cawing of a crow broke the afternoon's peace
Definitely no. This definition of peace belongs to a few centuries ago. In the twenty first century peace has to be defined otherwise. For example the devastating situation of Aids patients in the world, specifically in African countries is more dangerous than guns and bullets.
Pursuant to a report of Unicef, in the year 2006, the number of children under fourteen years of age who are suffering from Aids is 2.1 million. These children will lose their lives although their country is not involved in a way.
Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer and defender of human rights. In 1975-79 she served as president of Tehran's city court, but was forced to resign after the 1979 revolution. In the 1980s, she founded the Association for Children's Rights, and was briefly jailed for her exposure of plans to assassinate dissidents.
Among her books are The Rights of the Child: a study of legal aspects of children's rights in Iran (1994), The History and Documentation of Human Rights in Iran (2000). She was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 2003. She published her autobiography, Iran Awakening: From Prison to Peace Prize (Rider / Ebury, 2007)
Also by and about Shirin Ebadi in openDemocracy:
Nazila Fathi, "Shirin Ebadi and Iran's women: in the vanguard of change" (30 October 2003)
"A single family: Shirin Ebadi speaks"
(17 June 2004)"
America and human rights"
(6 September 2004)
In some fifty poor countries such as Chad, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Afghanistan and Somalia, one of every six children dies before reaching the age of five. The cause of death is not having access to health, vaccination, clean drinkable water and malnutrition. These children do not lose their lives to bombs, they die of extreme poverty. This is why we need a new definition of peace. Peace means serenity. One can only feel serene if one's human rights are not violated and one's integrity is protected. Obviously a human being who does not have access to education due to extreme poverty, or who has been sentenced to imprisonment for expressing his/her opinion does not enjoy serenity and does not live in peace. The same is true about a person who has lost his/her home and lives on the streets. Peace can only be permanent if it is based on two principles - democracy and Social Justice.
In authoritarian societies, whether religious or political, where votes of people don't count, where any opposition voice is silenced with bullets and imprisonment, peace cannot be permanent.
The other principle of peace is social justice. Peace cannot be established in a society where a big class distinction exists. We can only be happy if our neighbours are not suffering from hunger. How can we hope to establish worldwide peace when 75% of the wealth of the world is in the hands of 1% of the population of the world?
Pursuant to a report of the International Labour Organisation published in 2004, one hundred and 26 million of the children of the world are engaged in performing dangerous work. Social justice should be regarded not only at the international, but also, at national levels.
History proves that a society where a big gap exists between the rich and the poor will not be peaceful. In America, the total wealth of one per cent of the population equals the total wealth of the remaining 65%. In a country like India, millions of people are born homeless. They get married on the streets, live on the streets and die on the streets, whereas the most expensive and luxurious hotels and homes exist for only five per cent of the population.
Democracy should be redefined too. In its classical meaning, democracy means the government of the majority. But a majority who wins in free elections does not have the right to govern as it wishes. Let's not forget that most dictatorships in the world have been elected democratically, meaning by the majority of the vote of the people. Like Hitler. Therefore, winning elections does not guarantee democracy. The majority that gains power through free elections should observe the framework of democracy. Now what is the framework of democracy?
Shirin Ebadi was in attendance at the meeting of the Nobel Women's Initiative (NWI) in Galway, Ireland, on 29-31 May 2007
Also in openDemocracy from the NWI:
Isabel Hilton, "War, peace, and women: lessons we have failed to learn" (1 June 2007)
Nadwa Sarandah, "Nothing is impossible, the difficult takes longer" (1 June 2007)
The framework of democracy is human rights law. In other words, the majority who has won power can only perform within the framework of the laws of human rights and cannot violate such laws. No majority in power can use religion as an excuse to oppress half of the population of society, in other words women. The oppression that women in Iran are suffering at the present is an example of such excuse. No majority in power should have the right to prevent freedom of speech with the excuse of ideology. Like what has happened in Cuba and China. No majority in power should have the right to limit political freedom, like the United States of America that does not permit the activity of communist parties and limits their work, opening or in secret.
In light of the above, governments do not gain their legitimacy through votes of people and voting boxes. They gain their legitimacy through votes of people and respect for human rights. Excuses for violation of human rights such as cultural relativism, religion and ideology are not acceptable. Human rights have been derived from religions and civilisations and can be applied to any civilisation and culture.
1. the normal, nonwarring condition of a nation, group of nations, or the world.
2. (often initial capital letter) an agreement or treaty between warring or antagonistic nations, groups, etc., to end hostilities and abstain from further fighting or antagonism: the Peace of Ryswick.
3. a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, esp. in personal relations: Try to live in peace with your neighbors.
4. the normal freedom from civil commotion and violence of a community; public order and security: He was arrested for being drunk and disturbing the peace.
5. cessation of or freedom from any strife or dissension.
6. freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquillity; serenity.
7. a state of tranquillity or serenity: May he rest in peace.
8. a state or condition conducive to, proceeding from, or characterized by tranquillity: the peace of a mountain resort.
9. silence; stillness: The cawing of a crow broke the afternoon's peace
THE NATURE OF MANKIND
The Elohim of the God Family Who later became Jesus Christ personally created Adam and Eve with His own hands. He created them in the image and likeness of God, or Elohim, but a little lower than God. Human beings are made of flesh and blood and do not have inherent immortality. (See Salvation.) However, God has added to the human brain a spirit essence called the "spirit of man." This spiritual dimension in the human brain imparts reasoning power and intellect, and gives human beings the capacity to think, to speak, to learn, to write, to plan, to devise, to create, to build, to control, to teach, to choose, to worship, to build character, and to experience every emotion. God made male and female with the capacity to express intimate, personal love for each other as husband and wife, and through this physical union to create children after their own kind and produce families, clans, tribes and nations.
Adam and Eve were created sinless but with a nature that was subject to temptation. God gave them freedom to choose between obedience and life, or disobedience and death. After they sinned by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God sentenced them to suffer the pain and sorrow of living with a sinful nature and finally to reap the penalty of death. This penalty of death was passed on to all mankind by the physical inheritance of sinful human nature. Human nature is inherently and naturally hostile to God and is not subject to His laws and commandments. From birth, human nature is a mixture of good and evil, and all die in Adam. When a person dies, his or her conscious thoughts cease. The body returns to the dust of the earth, and the spirit of man goes back to God. Only through God the Father's gracious and merciful plan of salvation through Jesus Christ is it possible for a person to be redeemed and saved from this sinful nature of death. God's ultimate purpose for each human being is complete reconciliation with God the Father through Jesus Christ so that he or she may enter into the Family of God as a literal son or daughter of God, sharing the same eternal existence as God. (See The Resurrections, Salvation and The Holy Spirit.)
Scriptural References:
Gen. 1:26-27 Psa. 8:3-6 Zech. 12:1
Gen. 2:7-25; 3:1-19 I Cor. 2:11 Ezk. 18:4, 20
Mark 7:21-22 Rom. 8:7-8 Heb. 9:27
Ecc. 3:19-21 I Cor. 15:21-22, 44-56 Rev. 21:7
I John 3:1-3 Phil. 3:21
Adam and Eve were created sinless but with a nature that was subject to temptation. God gave them freedom to choose between obedience and life, or disobedience and death. After they sinned by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God sentenced them to suffer the pain and sorrow of living with a sinful nature and finally to reap the penalty of death. This penalty of death was passed on to all mankind by the physical inheritance of sinful human nature. Human nature is inherently and naturally hostile to God and is not subject to His laws and commandments. From birth, human nature is a mixture of good and evil, and all die in Adam. When a person dies, his or her conscious thoughts cease. The body returns to the dust of the earth, and the spirit of man goes back to God. Only through God the Father's gracious and merciful plan of salvation through Jesus Christ is it possible for a person to be redeemed and saved from this sinful nature of death. God's ultimate purpose for each human being is complete reconciliation with God the Father through Jesus Christ so that he or she may enter into the Family of God as a literal son or daughter of God, sharing the same eternal existence as God. (See The Resurrections, Salvation and The Holy Spirit.)
Scriptural References:
Gen. 1:26-27 Psa. 8:3-6 Zech. 12:1
Gen. 2:7-25; 3:1-19 I Cor. 2:11 Ezk. 18:4, 20
Mark 7:21-22 Rom. 8:7-8 Heb. 9:27
Ecc. 3:19-21 I Cor. 15:21-22, 44-56 Rev. 21:7
I John 3:1-3 Phil. 3:21
The 5 Percent Trick: Finding Passion and Purpose in Life
Have you ever sat down and thought, “What is my purpose in life? What is my passion? Where do I go from here?
These are some of the most common questions we have all struggled with. And I am not in a position to answer it – all I can offer in this article is an opinion, slightly different from the typical response.
Are Your Goals Yours?
This statement is everywhere, and yet it is ignored so often that it bears repeating: Your purpose is your own. No one can cramp themselves into another person’s definition of happiness and success and, well, expect to be happy and successful.
The difficulties arise at this point, because of our natural reactions: “Of course I am pursuing my own passion!” But are we?
Where do our ideas of success come from? Our parents, or the media, perhaps. Maybe society in general. Be rich; be handsome; be beautiful; be famous. Are these really your goals? Where did they really come from? Can you be absolutely sure that these things will make you happy? I’m not saying yes or no, I’m just asking. It is possible that these things truly do make you happy.
The Internal Goal
But why do I mention happiness and success in the same breath? The true goal behind what we pursue is often internal – and most of the time, this internal goal is simply to be happy. If you don’t believe me, try something simple: Look at a current external goal you have, and then begin to trace it down.
For example: You want a new job. Ask yourself why. Perhaps a higher salary, or to get away from a nasty employer? What then? An easier work environment or more free time. What then? What will you have? And simply repeat this process until you can’t get any more answers. Almost always, you will find that what you are left with is an internal goal.
One of my favorite stories – you might have heard it before. There was a big city businessman who once went on holiday to a faraway beach. One day he walked past a local fisherman who was lazing around, with his fishing rod in the water, enjoying the sun and a beer.
The city man’s mind went to work immediately. The fishing spot was a gold mine, and a serious fishing business would thrive in the area. “Why are you so stupid?” he asked the fisherman. “Get some boats, hire some extra hands, and in a few years you will turn your little shop into a million-dollar business!
The local man asked him. “And what would you do once you have a million dollars?”
The city man stared back blankly. “Why, I would have so much free time I could sit around in the sun all day and drink beer!”
Again, this idea might seem so basic that it doesn’t need repeating. And yet it is resisted by many people as a knee-jerk reaction. I remember a speaker at a seminar once, who simply stated that one can be happy even if they are financially poor. That statement was met with a lot of sarcastic comments from the audience. And yet is it really so hard to believe?
A basic level of material resources are needed, yes. But beyond that, it really makes no difference. So why do we resist it or even feel the urge to attack such a statement? What does it challenge inside us? If one honestly tries to answer these questions, the answers can be revealing.
Turning Our Goals Around
And then what? Once we see our internal goals, try one thing. Turn the goals around – achieve the internal goals first. And if, after that, you still want the external goal, you’ll find it that much easier.
Do any of these sound familiar? Once I have money, I’ll be independent. Once I find a lover, I will have higher self-esteem. Once my spouse quits drinking so much, I will be happy.
Does the opposite not seem more logical? Develop your self-esteem first, and potential lovers will find you more attractive. Grow your independence and you will find it easier to make money. And perhaps if you are happier, your mate will not see the need to drink as much.
This road becomes easier to tread when we realize that internal goals are always achievable if we put in the time and effort. External goals can be subject to limitations that cannot be overcome, no matter how hard we try. It would be almost impossible for a sickly fifty year old to become a professional boxer, for instance. But if the man’s true, internal, goal was to build confidence, it does not matter how frail or old he is – it is always possible.
For those who don’t have an external purpose in mind, try seeking out an internal goal. Look to become happier, for instance, and as you begin to take steps, you might find that an external goal begins to reveal itself.
The Impermanency of Purpose
This becomes more important when we realize outer purposes are ultimately impermanent. Our external purpose changes to reflect our inner. Purposes are not permanent. Nothing is. Stop looking for something to do for the rest of your life – it might be possible to find something that lasts forever; but most likely it will simply change in accordance with your internal state and needs.
When I was younger, I put all my energies and time into the sport of boxing, even sacrificing work and study opportunities for my obsession. Boxing was a strange choice for me, because I didn’t have much talent, and I was the quiet, introverted type. But when I think back to it now, it made complete sense – it was to fulfill an intense inner need. I had to become stronger, more confident. I needed a safe outlet for my anger and frustration. When I achieved those goals, my obsession with boxing just dropped away on its own.
Deeply realizing that goals are impermanent will also contribute to our inner peace. Here is one to stimulate thought – if you are seeking fulfillment through your external purpose, what happens when it comes to an end? It is certainly admirable to aim to be the best parent you can be, for example, but what will happen when one day your children become old enough to leave the house? When that happens, one can cling to the purpose, resist, and suffer. Or one can simply let it go, and continue in peace.
The Need for Action
Naturally, there is a time for planning and thinking, but there is also a time for action. Many people who are seeking or rethinking their life purpose stay stuck in the introspection. Maybe they do this to avoid taking risks, for fear of leaving their comfort zone, to avoid disapproval, or any other fear. And in doing so, they remain stuck in a rut.
Sometimes, the best way to find a purpose in life is to go out there and take action, even if we don’t know what we are doing!
My favorite tool at this stage is the 5% statement, created by Nathaniel Branden, who is widely considered to be the father of the self-esteem movement. It works by allowing you to take steps in small increments. Trying to change completely overnight, as some might suggest, often creates fear, uncertainty, and resistance.
A 5% statement is split into 2 halves. Examples would be:
If I were to be 5% more responsible today, I would
If I were to be 5% less lazy today, I would.The first part of the statement doesn’t have to change. But every morning when we wake up, we think of something that fills in blank, and then do it! As you can see, 5% is small and harmless enough to let us overcome our fears and procrastination. Being flexible enough to do different things everyday in pursuit of the same goal also keeps us from boredom and routine. Even better, it encourages us to think of new ideas to try (although we can simply do the same activity 5% more each time).
You can use this for anything you plan to do – begin a new exercise routine, reduce procrastination, improve your workflow, or even your personal relationships. And if 5% seems too little, don’t worry – it builds up rather beautifully.To learn from those experiences you went through all your life and become stronger and wiser not to let your children or grandchildren go through the same. I believe there is a purpose for each and every one of us and in time you will find yours.Dr Sammy D.James
These are some of the most common questions we have all struggled with. And I am not in a position to answer it – all I can offer in this article is an opinion, slightly different from the typical response.
Are Your Goals Yours?
This statement is everywhere, and yet it is ignored so often that it bears repeating: Your purpose is your own. No one can cramp themselves into another person’s definition of happiness and success and, well, expect to be happy and successful.
The difficulties arise at this point, because of our natural reactions: “Of course I am pursuing my own passion!” But are we?
Where do our ideas of success come from? Our parents, or the media, perhaps. Maybe society in general. Be rich; be handsome; be beautiful; be famous. Are these really your goals? Where did they really come from? Can you be absolutely sure that these things will make you happy? I’m not saying yes or no, I’m just asking. It is possible that these things truly do make you happy.
The Internal Goal
But why do I mention happiness and success in the same breath? The true goal behind what we pursue is often internal – and most of the time, this internal goal is simply to be happy. If you don’t believe me, try something simple: Look at a current external goal you have, and then begin to trace it down.
For example: You want a new job. Ask yourself why. Perhaps a higher salary, or to get away from a nasty employer? What then? An easier work environment or more free time. What then? What will you have? And simply repeat this process until you can’t get any more answers. Almost always, you will find that what you are left with is an internal goal.
One of my favorite stories – you might have heard it before. There was a big city businessman who once went on holiday to a faraway beach. One day he walked past a local fisherman who was lazing around, with his fishing rod in the water, enjoying the sun and a beer.
The city man’s mind went to work immediately. The fishing spot was a gold mine, and a serious fishing business would thrive in the area. “Why are you so stupid?” he asked the fisherman. “Get some boats, hire some extra hands, and in a few years you will turn your little shop into a million-dollar business!
The local man asked him. “And what would you do once you have a million dollars?”
The city man stared back blankly. “Why, I would have so much free time I could sit around in the sun all day and drink beer!”
Again, this idea might seem so basic that it doesn’t need repeating. And yet it is resisted by many people as a knee-jerk reaction. I remember a speaker at a seminar once, who simply stated that one can be happy even if they are financially poor. That statement was met with a lot of sarcastic comments from the audience. And yet is it really so hard to believe?
A basic level of material resources are needed, yes. But beyond that, it really makes no difference. So why do we resist it or even feel the urge to attack such a statement? What does it challenge inside us? If one honestly tries to answer these questions, the answers can be revealing.
Turning Our Goals Around
And then what? Once we see our internal goals, try one thing. Turn the goals around – achieve the internal goals first. And if, after that, you still want the external goal, you’ll find it that much easier.
Do any of these sound familiar? Once I have money, I’ll be independent. Once I find a lover, I will have higher self-esteem. Once my spouse quits drinking so much, I will be happy.
Does the opposite not seem more logical? Develop your self-esteem first, and potential lovers will find you more attractive. Grow your independence and you will find it easier to make money. And perhaps if you are happier, your mate will not see the need to drink as much.
This road becomes easier to tread when we realize that internal goals are always achievable if we put in the time and effort. External goals can be subject to limitations that cannot be overcome, no matter how hard we try. It would be almost impossible for a sickly fifty year old to become a professional boxer, for instance. But if the man’s true, internal, goal was to build confidence, it does not matter how frail or old he is – it is always possible.
For those who don’t have an external purpose in mind, try seeking out an internal goal. Look to become happier, for instance, and as you begin to take steps, you might find that an external goal begins to reveal itself.
The Impermanency of Purpose
This becomes more important when we realize outer purposes are ultimately impermanent. Our external purpose changes to reflect our inner. Purposes are not permanent. Nothing is. Stop looking for something to do for the rest of your life – it might be possible to find something that lasts forever; but most likely it will simply change in accordance with your internal state and needs.
When I was younger, I put all my energies and time into the sport of boxing, even sacrificing work and study opportunities for my obsession. Boxing was a strange choice for me, because I didn’t have much talent, and I was the quiet, introverted type. But when I think back to it now, it made complete sense – it was to fulfill an intense inner need. I had to become stronger, more confident. I needed a safe outlet for my anger and frustration. When I achieved those goals, my obsession with boxing just dropped away on its own.
Deeply realizing that goals are impermanent will also contribute to our inner peace. Here is one to stimulate thought – if you are seeking fulfillment through your external purpose, what happens when it comes to an end? It is certainly admirable to aim to be the best parent you can be, for example, but what will happen when one day your children become old enough to leave the house? When that happens, one can cling to the purpose, resist, and suffer. Or one can simply let it go, and continue in peace.
The Need for Action
Naturally, there is a time for planning and thinking, but there is also a time for action. Many people who are seeking or rethinking their life purpose stay stuck in the introspection. Maybe they do this to avoid taking risks, for fear of leaving their comfort zone, to avoid disapproval, or any other fear. And in doing so, they remain stuck in a rut.
Sometimes, the best way to find a purpose in life is to go out there and take action, even if we don’t know what we are doing!
My favorite tool at this stage is the 5% statement, created by Nathaniel Branden, who is widely considered to be the father of the self-esteem movement. It works by allowing you to take steps in small increments. Trying to change completely overnight, as some might suggest, often creates fear, uncertainty, and resistance.
A 5% statement is split into 2 halves. Examples would be:
If I were to be 5% more responsible today, I would
If I were to be 5% less lazy today, I would.The first part of the statement doesn’t have to change. But every morning when we wake up, we think of something that fills in blank, and then do it! As you can see, 5% is small and harmless enough to let us overcome our fears and procrastination. Being flexible enough to do different things everyday in pursuit of the same goal also keeps us from boredom and routine. Even better, it encourages us to think of new ideas to try (although we can simply do the same activity 5% more each time).
You can use this for anything you plan to do – begin a new exercise routine, reduce procrastination, improve your workflow, or even your personal relationships. And if 5% seems too little, don’t worry – it builds up rather beautifully.To learn from those experiences you went through all your life and become stronger and wiser not to let your children or grandchildren go through the same. I believe there is a purpose for each and every one of us and in time you will find yours.Dr Sammy D.James
A Prayer for Your Financial Blessing by Dr Sammy D.James
Heavenly Father,
Most Gracious and Loving God,
I pray to You that You abundantly bless my family and me.
I know that You recognize that a family is more than just a father and mother,
sister and brother or husband and wife,
but all who believe and trust in You.
Father,
I send up a prayer request for financial blessing for not only the person who sent this to me,
but for me and all who receive this message.
The power of joined prayer by those who believe and trust in You is more powerful than anything.
I thank You in advance for Your blessings.
Father God, deliver the person reading this right now from debt and debt burdens.
Release Your Godly Wisdom that I may be a good steward over all that You have granted me in my financial blessings.
Father, for I know how wonderful and mighty You are and how if we just obey You
and walk in Your Word and have the faith of a mustard seed that You will pour out blessings.
I thank You now, Lord, for the recent blessings I received
and for the blessings yet to come because
I know You are not done with me yet.
In Jesus' Name, I pray.
Amen.
Most Gracious and Loving God,
I pray to You that You abundantly bless my family and me.
I know that You recognize that a family is more than just a father and mother,
sister and brother or husband and wife,
but all who believe and trust in You.
Father,
I send up a prayer request for financial blessing for not only the person who sent this to me,
but for me and all who receive this message.
The power of joined prayer by those who believe and trust in You is more powerful than anything.
I thank You in advance for Your blessings.
Father God, deliver the person reading this right now from debt and debt burdens.
Release Your Godly Wisdom that I may be a good steward over all that You have granted me in my financial blessings.
Father, for I know how wonderful and mighty You are and how if we just obey You
and walk in Your Word and have the faith of a mustard seed that You will pour out blessings.
I thank You now, Lord, for the recent blessings I received
and for the blessings yet to come because
I know You are not done with me yet.
In Jesus' Name, I pray.
Amen.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
BIBLICAL REFERENCES
"Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts." Proverbs 22:26
"Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house." Proverbs 24:27
"Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches." Proverbs 24:3,4
"And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand." Mark 3:25
"For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish." Luke 14:28-30
"For the Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reigh over many nations, but they shall not reigh over thee." Deuteronomy 15:6
"The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow." Deuteronomy 28:12
"Go, sell the oil and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest."
II Kings 4:1-7
"Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it." Proverb 3:27
"My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art snared with the words of thy mouth." Proverb 6:1-2
"He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretyship is sure." Proverb 11:15
"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life." Proverb 13:12
"A man void of understanding striketh hands (co-signs), and becometh surety in the presence of his friends." Proverb 17:18
"He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man; he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich." Proverb 21:17
"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold." Proverb 22:1
"The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." Proverb 22:7
"Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts." Proverb 22:26
"The wicked borroweth and payeth not again..." Psalm 37:21
"Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that shouldest vow and not pay." Ecclesiastes 5:5
"Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8
"A Prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished." Proverbs 27:12
"Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Proverbs 27:1
.And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians..." Genesis 41:34-57
"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise." Proverbs 12:15
"The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way..." Proverbs 14:8
"The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord....A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps."
Proverbs 16:1-9
"Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. For riches are not forever: and doth the crown endure to every generation." Proverbs 27:23,24
"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel (lost person)." I Timothy 5:8
"For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish." Luke 14:28-30
"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest." Proverbs 6:6-8
"The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat." Proverb 13:4
"The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit." Proverb 14:8
"The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going." Proverb 14:15
"He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster." Proverb 18:9
"The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want." Proverb 21:5
"He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man; he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich." Proverb 21:17
"There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up." Proverb 21:20
"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings;…" Proverb 22:29
"A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished." Proverb 27:12
"…the eyes of man are never satisfied." Proverb 27:20
"Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds." Proverb 27:23
"He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough." Proverbs 28:19
"He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him." Proverb 28:22
"...if riches increase, set not your heart upon them." Psalm 62:10
"…neither is his eye satisfied with riches…" Ecclesiastes 4:8
"…Thou fool…So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and not rich toward God." Luke 12: 20, 21
"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel (lost person)." I Timothy 5:8
"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest." Proverbs 6:6-8
"A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just." Proverbs 13:22
"The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit." Proverbs 14:8
"The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going." Proverbs 14:15
"Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established." Proverbs 15:22
"Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right." Proverbs 16:8
"The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge." Proverbs 18:15
"The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing." Proverbs 20:4
"The thoughts (plans) of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want." Proverbs 21:5
"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings;..." Proverbs 22:29
" Prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished." Proverbs 27:12
"He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him." Proverbs 28:22
"Remove far from me from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain." Proverbs 30:8, 9
"When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil." Ecclesiastes 2:21
"He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity." Ecclesiastes 5:10
"Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth." Ecclesiastes 11:2
"For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." I Timothy 6:7
"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy."
I Timothy 6:17
.And he gave him tithes of all...." Genesis 14:12-21
.I will surely give the tenth unto thee." Genesis 28:20-22
"But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish His covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day." Deuteronomy 8:18
"The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Psalm 24:1
"It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep." Psalm 127:2
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5, 6
"Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thing increase." Proverb 3:9
"The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it." Proverbs 10:22
"He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch." Proverb 11:28
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Malachi 3:10
"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation." Malachi 3:8-9
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter , but within they're full of extortion and excess." Matthew 23:23-25
"...but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."
Mark 12:41-44
"John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." John 3:27
"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." II Corinthians 9:6
"Everyman according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." II Corinthians 9:7
"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." I Timothy 6:17
"To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all;..." Hebrews 7:2,4
CHILDREN
"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deuteronomy 6:5-7
"A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother." Proverbs 15:20
"Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying." Proverbs 19:18
"The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him." Proverbs 20:7
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." Proverbs 29:18
"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4
Other
"But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth..." Deuteronomy 8:18
"If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;...for I should have denied the God that is above." Job 31:24, 28
"The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts." Haggai 2:8
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33
"But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. The love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
I Timothy 6:9, 10
WHAT IT MEANS TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST
What it means to believe in Christ & A Believer's Prayer
Why we use different translations
The Bible was originally written using 11,280 Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek words, but the typical English translation uses only around 6,000 words. Obviously, nuances and shades of meaning can be missed, so it is always helpful to compare translations.
We often miss the full impact of familiar Bible verses, not because of poor translating, but simply because they have become so familiar. We think we know what a verse says because we have read it or heard it so many times. Then when we find it quoted in a book, we skim over it and miss the full meaning. Therefore, I have deliberately used paraphrases in order to help you see God's truth in new, fresh ways. English-speaking people should thank God that we have so many different versions to use for devotional reading.
Also, since the verse divisions and number were not included in the Bible until 1560 A.D., I haven't always quoted the entire verse, but rather focused on the phrase that was appropriate. My model for this is Jesus and how he and the apostles quoted the Old Testament. They often just quoted a phrase to make a point.
(Taken from "The Purpose Driven Life" by Dr Sammy D.James)
"Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts." Proverbs 22:26
"Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house." Proverbs 24:27
"Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches." Proverbs 24:3,4
"And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand." Mark 3:25
"For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish." Luke 14:28-30
"For the Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reigh over many nations, but they shall not reigh over thee." Deuteronomy 15:6
"The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow." Deuteronomy 28:12
"Go, sell the oil and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest."
II Kings 4:1-7
"Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it." Proverb 3:27
"My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art snared with the words of thy mouth." Proverb 6:1-2
"He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretyship is sure." Proverb 11:15
"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life." Proverb 13:12
"A man void of understanding striketh hands (co-signs), and becometh surety in the presence of his friends." Proverb 17:18
"He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man; he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich." Proverb 21:17
"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold." Proverb 22:1
"The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." Proverb 22:7
"Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts." Proverb 22:26
"The wicked borroweth and payeth not again..." Psalm 37:21
"Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that shouldest vow and not pay." Ecclesiastes 5:5
"Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8
"A Prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished." Proverbs 27:12
"Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Proverbs 27:1
.And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians..." Genesis 41:34-57
"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise." Proverbs 12:15
"The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way..." Proverbs 14:8
"The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord....A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps."
Proverbs 16:1-9
"Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. For riches are not forever: and doth the crown endure to every generation." Proverbs 27:23,24
"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel (lost person)." I Timothy 5:8
"For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish." Luke 14:28-30
"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest." Proverbs 6:6-8
"The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat." Proverb 13:4
"The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit." Proverb 14:8
"The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going." Proverb 14:15
"He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster." Proverb 18:9
"The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want." Proverb 21:5
"He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man; he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich." Proverb 21:17
"There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up." Proverb 21:20
"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings;…" Proverb 22:29
"A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished." Proverb 27:12
"…the eyes of man are never satisfied." Proverb 27:20
"Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds." Proverb 27:23
"He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough." Proverbs 28:19
"He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him." Proverb 28:22
"...if riches increase, set not your heart upon them." Psalm 62:10
"…neither is his eye satisfied with riches…" Ecclesiastes 4:8
"…Thou fool…So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and not rich toward God." Luke 12: 20, 21
"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel (lost person)." I Timothy 5:8
"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest." Proverbs 6:6-8
"A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just." Proverbs 13:22
"The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit." Proverbs 14:8
"The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going." Proverbs 14:15
"Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established." Proverbs 15:22
"Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right." Proverbs 16:8
"The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge." Proverbs 18:15
"The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing." Proverbs 20:4
"The thoughts (plans) of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want." Proverbs 21:5
"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings;..." Proverbs 22:29
" Prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished." Proverbs 27:12
"He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him." Proverbs 28:22
"Remove far from me from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain." Proverbs 30:8, 9
"When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil." Ecclesiastes 2:21
"He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity." Ecclesiastes 5:10
"Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth." Ecclesiastes 11:2
"For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." I Timothy 6:7
"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy."
I Timothy 6:17
.And he gave him tithes of all...." Genesis 14:12-21
.I will surely give the tenth unto thee." Genesis 28:20-22
"But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish His covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day." Deuteronomy 8:18
"The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Psalm 24:1
"It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep." Psalm 127:2
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5, 6
"Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thing increase." Proverb 3:9
"The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it." Proverbs 10:22
"He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch." Proverb 11:28
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Malachi 3:10
"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation." Malachi 3:8-9
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter , but within they're full of extortion and excess." Matthew 23:23-25
"...but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."
Mark 12:41-44
"John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." John 3:27
"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." II Corinthians 9:6
"Everyman according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." II Corinthians 9:7
"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." I Timothy 6:17
"To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all;..." Hebrews 7:2,4
CHILDREN
"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deuteronomy 6:5-7
"A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother." Proverbs 15:20
"Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying." Proverbs 19:18
"The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him." Proverbs 20:7
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." Proverbs 29:18
"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4
Other
"But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth..." Deuteronomy 8:18
"If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;...for I should have denied the God that is above." Job 31:24, 28
"The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts." Haggai 2:8
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33
"But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. The love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
I Timothy 6:9, 10
WHAT IT MEANS TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST
What it means to believe in Christ & A Believer's Prayer
Why we use different translations
The Bible was originally written using 11,280 Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek words, but the typical English translation uses only around 6,000 words. Obviously, nuances and shades of meaning can be missed, so it is always helpful to compare translations.
We often miss the full impact of familiar Bible verses, not because of poor translating, but simply because they have become so familiar. We think we know what a verse says because we have read it or heard it so many times. Then when we find it quoted in a book, we skim over it and miss the full meaning. Therefore, I have deliberately used paraphrases in order to help you see God's truth in new, fresh ways. English-speaking people should thank God that we have so many different versions to use for devotional reading.
Also, since the verse divisions and number were not included in the Bible until 1560 A.D., I haven't always quoted the entire verse, but rather focused on the phrase that was appropriate. My model for this is Jesus and how he and the apostles quoted the Old Testament. They often just quoted a phrase to make a point.
(Taken from "The Purpose Driven Life" by Dr Sammy D.James)
Dr.Sammy D.james
PLEASE HELP US.Thanks for visiting this blog. Please be sure to visit the pages below and make sure to read about why we need help and how YOU can help!!
Links To Other Pages On This blog.Humans Have A Strong Desire To Help Each Other, But Is Spite Also Part Of The Human Condition?It is the heart, not the head that rules in the world.
ways to help bear burdens:Exhortation –Sometimes we all need wise, Godly counsel and advice. Some of our problems arise from situations in which we have to make a choice between right and wrong or between what is good and what is best. Maybe we need to have someone “talk some sense into us,” provide a clear and unbiased perspective for us, or “urgently appeal” to us to do the right thing.
Understanding Sometimes we need someone to simply understand and care about what we are going through. We may not want or need advice, judgment, or solutions on how to “fix” our problem. We might just need someone to listen, care, and know what we are dealing with. This can make an enormous difference when we are going through a storm.
Links To Other Pages On This blog.Humans Have A Strong Desire To Help Each Other, But Is Spite Also Part Of The Human Condition?It is the heart, not the head that rules in the world.
ways to help bear burdens:Exhortation –Sometimes we all need wise, Godly counsel and advice. Some of our problems arise from situations in which we have to make a choice between right and wrong or between what is good and what is best. Maybe we need to have someone “talk some sense into us,” provide a clear and unbiased perspective for us, or “urgently appeal” to us to do the right thing.
Understanding Sometimes we need someone to simply understand and care about what we are going through. We may not want or need advice, judgment, or solutions on how to “fix” our problem. We might just need someone to listen, care, and know what we are dealing with. This can make an enormous difference when we are going through a storm.
THE MEANING OF EDUCATION by Dr. Sammy D.James
Recently, a university professor wrote a letter to the editor of the local newspaper. He commented that people shouldn't put too much weight on the recently released trends in SRA scores of the state's high school students. The professor went on to describe some of the unanswered questions about the nature and value of assessment. He mentioned that one of the problems with assessment was the ongoing disagreement on the very purpose of education.
A few days later, a scathing response was printed from a community member who questioned whether the University really wanted someone on their staff who didn't even know the purpose of education. Clearly, this person assumed that his definition of education was shared by all. What is the meaning of education?
Webster defines education as the process of educating or teaching (now that's really useful, isn't it?) Educate is further defined as "to develop the knowledge, skill, or character of..." Thus, from these definitions, we might assume that the purpose of education is to develop the knowledge, skill, or character of students. Unfortunately, this definition offers little unless we further define words such as develop, knowledge, and character.
What is meant by knowledge? Is it a body of information that exists "out there"—apart from the human thought processes that developed it? If we look at the standards and benchmarks that have been developed by many states—or at E. D. Hirsch's list of information needed for Cultural Literacy (1), we might assume this to be the definition of knowledge. However, there is considerable research leading others to believe that knowledge arises in the mind of an individual when that person interacts with an idea or experience.
This is hardly a new argument. In ancient Greece, Socrates argued that education was about drawing out what was already within the student. (As many of you know, the word education comes from the Latin e-ducere meaning "to lead out.") At the same time, the Sophists, a group of itinerant teachers, promised to give students the necessary knowledge and skills to gain positions with the city-state.
There is a dangerous tendency to assume that when people use the same words, they perceive a situation in the same way. This is rarely the case. Once one gets beyond a dictionary definition—a meaning that is often of little practical value—the meaning we assign to a word is a belief, not an absolute fact. Here are a couple of examples.
“The central task of education is to implant a will and facility for learning; it should produce not learned but learning people. The truly human society is a learning society, where grandparents, parents, and children are students together.” ~Eric Hoffer
“No one has yet realized the wealth of sympathy, the kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure.” ~Emma Goldman
“The only purpose of education is to teach a student how to live his life-by developing his mind and equipping him to deal with reality. The training he needs is theoretical, i.e., conceptual. He has to be taught to think, to understand, to integrate, to prove. He has to be taught the essentials of the knowledge discovered in the past-and he has to be equipped to acquire further knowledge by his own effort.” ~Ayn Rand
“The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think—rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with the thoughts of other men.” ~Bill Beattie
“The one real object of education is to leave a man in the condition of continually asking questions.” ~Bishop Creighton
“The central job of schools is to maximize the capacity of each student.” ~Carol Ann Tomlinson
These quotations demonstrate the diversity of beliefs about the purpose of education. How would you complete the statement, "The purpose of education is..."? If you ask five of your fellow teachers to complete that sentence, it is likely that you'll have five different statements. Some will place the focus on knowledge, some on the teacher, and others on the student. Yet people's beliefs in the purpose of education lie at the heart of their teaching behaviors.
Despite what the letter writer might have wished, there is no definition of education that is agreed upon by all, or even most, educators. The meanings they attach to the word are complex beliefs arising from their own values and experiences. To the extent that those beliefs differ, the experience of students in today's classrooms can never be the same. Worse, many educators have never been asked to state their beliefs—or even to reflect on what they believe. At the very least, teachers owe it to their students to bring their definitions into consciousness and examine them for validity.
Purposes and Functions
To make matters more complicated, theorists have made a distinction between the purpose of education and the functions of education.(2) A purpose is the fundamental goal of the process—an end to be achieved. Functions are other outcomes that may occur as a natural result of the process— byproducts or consequences of schooling. For example, some teachers believe that the transmission of knowledge is the primary purpose of education, while the transfer of knowledge from school to the real world is something that happens naturally as a consequence of possessing that knowledge—a function of education.
Because a purpose is an expressed goal, more effort is put into attaining it. Functions are assumed to occur without directed effort. For this reason it's valuable to figure out which outcomes you consider a fundamental purpose of education. Which of the following do you actually include in your planning?
Acquisition of information about the past and present: includes traditional disciplines such as literature, history, science, mathematics
Formation of healthy social and/or
formal relationships among and
between students, teachers, others
Capacity/ability to evaluate information and to predict future outcomes (decision-making)
Capacity/ability to seek out alternative solutions and evaluate them (problem solving)
Development of mental and physical skills: motor, thinking, communication, social, aesthetic
Knowledge of moral practices and
ethical standards acceptable by society/culture
Capacity/ability to recognize and evaluate different points of view
Respect: giving and receiving recognition as human beings
Indoctrination into the culture
Capacity/ability to live a fulfilling life
Capacity/ability to earn a living: career education
Sense of well-being: mental and physical health
Capacity/ability to be a good citizen
Capacity/ability to think creatively
Cultural appreciation: art, music, humanities
Understanding of human relations and motivations
Acquisition/clarification of values related to the physical environment
Acquisition/clarification of personal values
Self-realization/self-reflection: awareness of one’s abilities and goals
Self-esteem/self-efficacy
As Tom Peters reminds us, "What gets measured, gets done." Regardless of the high sounding rhetoric about the development of the total child, it is the content of assessments that largely drives education. How is the capacity/ability to think creatively assessed in today's schools? To what extent is the typical student recognized and given respect? How often are students given the opportunity to recognize and evaluate different points of view when multiple choice tests require a single 'correct' answer?
Teachers who hold a more humanistic view of the purpose of education often experience stress because the meaning they assign to education differs greatly from the meaning assigned by society or their institution. It is clear in listening to the language of education that its primary focus is on knowledge and teaching rather than on the learner. Students are expected to conform to schools rather than schools serving the needs of students.
Stopping to identify and agree upon a fundamental purpose or purposes of education is rare. One sees nebulous statements in school mission statements, but they are often of the “Mom, baseball, and apple pie” variety that offer little substance on which to build a school culture. Creating meaningful and lasting change in education is unlikely without revisiting this basic definition. At the very least, educators must be challenged to identify and reexamine their beliefs in the light of present knowledge.
It is time for the focus of education to shift from what's "out there—the curriculum, assessments, classroom arrangement, books, computers—to the fundamental assumptions about and definitions of education held by educators and policymakers. NASA did not send men to the moon by building on the chassis of a model T. In the same way, education cannot hope to move beyond its present state on the chassis of 18th century education.
Welcome to the Institute for Family Education.
Vision
Our vision at the Institute for Family Education is to play a role in creating nurturing environments where children can thrive, by providing guidance to the adults responsible for their care. Our role in the community is to provide insight early so that our children are given the proper emotional and academic abilities to become successful young adults
History & Mission
The Institute for Family Education was founded in 2005 an haiti by Sammy and has been offering research-based workshops, classes, and programs focused on the issues parents face at home and related issues teachers face at school in regard to child development. IFE is dedicated to helping parents and educators work together and focus on critical success outcomes for their children such as academic achievement, social competence and physical health. IFE is dedicated to reaching as many parents and educators as possible with our classes, thereby nurturing success in early childhood and for life.
What we do.
We provide programs that address real problems for parents and teachers who care for children of all ages. Infant topics focus on handling common challenges such as sleeping, feeding, and interpreting baby’s cries as well as helping young parents recognize signs of depression. Our classes for toddlers focus on topics ranging from handling power struggles and defiant behavior, increasing cooperation and respect, developing social skills, helping with separation anxiety and understanding toddler’s fluctuating moods. Adolescent topics include bullying and social exclusion, disrespect, power struggles, and handling stress.
Many parents and educators are unaware of not only the ways they contribute to these problems but do not understand how they can help. The Institute for Family Education offers solutions.
The effectiveness of our program has been documented by a number of sources and is noted by the approval of our programs by Department of Education, Office of Child Care, The National Association of Social Workers, The Board of Counselors and Therapists as well as Continuing Education Credits for all workshops through Professional Academic Review Council.
A few days later, a scathing response was printed from a community member who questioned whether the University really wanted someone on their staff who didn't even know the purpose of education. Clearly, this person assumed that his definition of education was shared by all. What is the meaning of education?
Webster defines education as the process of educating or teaching (now that's really useful, isn't it?) Educate is further defined as "to develop the knowledge, skill, or character of..." Thus, from these definitions, we might assume that the purpose of education is to develop the knowledge, skill, or character of students. Unfortunately, this definition offers little unless we further define words such as develop, knowledge, and character.
What is meant by knowledge? Is it a body of information that exists "out there"—apart from the human thought processes that developed it? If we look at the standards and benchmarks that have been developed by many states—or at E. D. Hirsch's list of information needed for Cultural Literacy (1), we might assume this to be the definition of knowledge. However, there is considerable research leading others to believe that knowledge arises in the mind of an individual when that person interacts with an idea or experience.
This is hardly a new argument. In ancient Greece, Socrates argued that education was about drawing out what was already within the student. (As many of you know, the word education comes from the Latin e-ducere meaning "to lead out.") At the same time, the Sophists, a group of itinerant teachers, promised to give students the necessary knowledge and skills to gain positions with the city-state.
There is a dangerous tendency to assume that when people use the same words, they perceive a situation in the same way. This is rarely the case. Once one gets beyond a dictionary definition—a meaning that is often of little practical value—the meaning we assign to a word is a belief, not an absolute fact. Here are a couple of examples.
“The central task of education is to implant a will and facility for learning; it should produce not learned but learning people. The truly human society is a learning society, where grandparents, parents, and children are students together.” ~Eric Hoffer
“No one has yet realized the wealth of sympathy, the kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure.” ~Emma Goldman
“The only purpose of education is to teach a student how to live his life-by developing his mind and equipping him to deal with reality. The training he needs is theoretical, i.e., conceptual. He has to be taught to think, to understand, to integrate, to prove. He has to be taught the essentials of the knowledge discovered in the past-and he has to be equipped to acquire further knowledge by his own effort.” ~Ayn Rand
“The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think—rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with the thoughts of other men.” ~Bill Beattie
“The one real object of education is to leave a man in the condition of continually asking questions.” ~Bishop Creighton
“The central job of schools is to maximize the capacity of each student.” ~Carol Ann Tomlinson
These quotations demonstrate the diversity of beliefs about the purpose of education. How would you complete the statement, "The purpose of education is..."? If you ask five of your fellow teachers to complete that sentence, it is likely that you'll have five different statements. Some will place the focus on knowledge, some on the teacher, and others on the student. Yet people's beliefs in the purpose of education lie at the heart of their teaching behaviors.
Despite what the letter writer might have wished, there is no definition of education that is agreed upon by all, or even most, educators. The meanings they attach to the word are complex beliefs arising from their own values and experiences. To the extent that those beliefs differ, the experience of students in today's classrooms can never be the same. Worse, many educators have never been asked to state their beliefs—or even to reflect on what they believe. At the very least, teachers owe it to their students to bring their definitions into consciousness and examine them for validity.
Purposes and Functions
To make matters more complicated, theorists have made a distinction between the purpose of education and the functions of education.(2) A purpose is the fundamental goal of the process—an end to be achieved. Functions are other outcomes that may occur as a natural result of the process— byproducts or consequences of schooling. For example, some teachers believe that the transmission of knowledge is the primary purpose of education, while the transfer of knowledge from school to the real world is something that happens naturally as a consequence of possessing that knowledge—a function of education.
Because a purpose is an expressed goal, more effort is put into attaining it. Functions are assumed to occur without directed effort. For this reason it's valuable to figure out which outcomes you consider a fundamental purpose of education. Which of the following do you actually include in your planning?
Acquisition of information about the past and present: includes traditional disciplines such as literature, history, science, mathematics
Formation of healthy social and/or
formal relationships among and
between students, teachers, others
Capacity/ability to evaluate information and to predict future outcomes (decision-making)
Capacity/ability to seek out alternative solutions and evaluate them (problem solving)
Development of mental and physical skills: motor, thinking, communication, social, aesthetic
Knowledge of moral practices and
ethical standards acceptable by society/culture
Capacity/ability to recognize and evaluate different points of view
Respect: giving and receiving recognition as human beings
Indoctrination into the culture
Capacity/ability to live a fulfilling life
Capacity/ability to earn a living: career education
Sense of well-being: mental and physical health
Capacity/ability to be a good citizen
Capacity/ability to think creatively
Cultural appreciation: art, music, humanities
Understanding of human relations and motivations
Acquisition/clarification of values related to the physical environment
Acquisition/clarification of personal values
Self-realization/self-reflection: awareness of one’s abilities and goals
Self-esteem/self-efficacy
As Tom Peters reminds us, "What gets measured, gets done." Regardless of the high sounding rhetoric about the development of the total child, it is the content of assessments that largely drives education. How is the capacity/ability to think creatively assessed in today's schools? To what extent is the typical student recognized and given respect? How often are students given the opportunity to recognize and evaluate different points of view when multiple choice tests require a single 'correct' answer?
Teachers who hold a more humanistic view of the purpose of education often experience stress because the meaning they assign to education differs greatly from the meaning assigned by society or their institution. It is clear in listening to the language of education that its primary focus is on knowledge and teaching rather than on the learner. Students are expected to conform to schools rather than schools serving the needs of students.
Stopping to identify and agree upon a fundamental purpose or purposes of education is rare. One sees nebulous statements in school mission statements, but they are often of the “Mom, baseball, and apple pie” variety that offer little substance on which to build a school culture. Creating meaningful and lasting change in education is unlikely without revisiting this basic definition. At the very least, educators must be challenged to identify and reexamine their beliefs in the light of present knowledge.
It is time for the focus of education to shift from what's "out there—the curriculum, assessments, classroom arrangement, books, computers—to the fundamental assumptions about and definitions of education held by educators and policymakers. NASA did not send men to the moon by building on the chassis of a model T. In the same way, education cannot hope to move beyond its present state on the chassis of 18th century education.
Welcome to the Institute for Family Education.
Vision
Our vision at the Institute for Family Education is to play a role in creating nurturing environments where children can thrive, by providing guidance to the adults responsible for their care. Our role in the community is to provide insight early so that our children are given the proper emotional and academic abilities to become successful young adults
History & Mission
The Institute for Family Education was founded in 2005 an haiti by Sammy and has been offering research-based workshops, classes, and programs focused on the issues parents face at home and related issues teachers face at school in regard to child development. IFE is dedicated to helping parents and educators work together and focus on critical success outcomes for their children such as academic achievement, social competence and physical health. IFE is dedicated to reaching as many parents and educators as possible with our classes, thereby nurturing success in early childhood and for life.
What we do.
We provide programs that address real problems for parents and teachers who care for children of all ages. Infant topics focus on handling common challenges such as sleeping, feeding, and interpreting baby’s cries as well as helping young parents recognize signs of depression. Our classes for toddlers focus on topics ranging from handling power struggles and defiant behavior, increasing cooperation and respect, developing social skills, helping with separation anxiety and understanding toddler’s fluctuating moods. Adolescent topics include bullying and social exclusion, disrespect, power struggles, and handling stress.
Many parents and educators are unaware of not only the ways they contribute to these problems but do not understand how they can help. The Institute for Family Education offers solutions.
The effectiveness of our program has been documented by a number of sources and is noted by the approval of our programs by Department of Education, Office of Child Care, The National Association of Social Workers, The Board of Counselors and Therapists as well as Continuing Education Credits for all workshops through Professional Academic Review Council.
MERCY OF GOD by Dr Sammy D.James
"O give thanks unto the Lord: for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever" (Ps. 136:1). For this perfection of the Divine character God is greatly to be praised. Three times over in as many verses does the Psalmist here call upon the saints to give thanks unto the Lord for this adorable attribute. And surely this is the least that can be asked for from those who have been such bounteous gainers by it. When we contemplate the characteristics of this Divine excellency, we cannot do otherwise than bless God for it. His mercy is "great" (1 Kings 3:6), "plenteous" (Ps. 86:5), "tender" (Luke 1:78), "abundant" (1 Pet. 1:3); it is "from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him" (Ps. 103:17). Well may we say with the Psalmist, "I will sing aloud of Thy mercy" (59:16).
"I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy" (Ex. 33:19). Wherein differs the "mercy of God from His grace"? The mercy of God has its spring in the Divine goodness. The first issue of God’s goodness is His benignity or bounty, by which He gives liberally to His creatures as creatures; thus has He given being and life to all things. The second issue of God’s goodness is His mercy, which denotes the ready inclination of God to relieve the misery of fallen creatures. Thus, "mercy" presupposes sin.
Though it may not be easy at the first consideration to perceive a real difference between the grace and the mercy of God, it helps us thereto if we carefully ponder His dealings with the unfallen angels. He has never exercised mercy toward them, for they have never stood in any need thereof, not having sinned or come beneath the effects of the curse. Yet, they certainly are the objects of God’s free and sovereign grace. First, because of His election of them from out of the whole angelic race (I Tim. 5:21). Second, and in consequence of their election, because of His preservation of them from apostasy, when Satan rebelled and dragged down with him one-third of the celestial hosts (Rev. 12:4). Third, in making Christ their Head (Col. 2:10; 1 Pet. 3:22), whereby they are eternally secured in the holy condition in which they were created. Fourth, because of the exalted position which has been assigned them: to live in God’s immediate presence (Dan. 7:10), to serve Him constantly in His heavenly temple, to receive honorable commissions from Him (Heb. 1:14). This is abundant grace toward them but "mercy" it is not.
In endeavoring to study the mercy of God as it is set forth in Scripture, a threefold distinction needs to be made, if the Word of Truth is to be "rightly divided" thereon. First, there is a general mercy of God, which is extended not only to all men, believers and unbelievers alike, but also to the entire creation: "His tender mercies are over all His works" (Ps. 145:9): "He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things" (Acts 17:25). God has upon the brute creation in their needs, and supplies them with suitable provision. Second, there is a special mercy of God, which is exercised toward the children of men, helping and succouring them, notwithstanding their sins. To them also He communicates all the necessities of life: "for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45). Third, there is a sovereign mercy which is reserved for the heirs of salvation, which is communicated to them in a covenant way, through the Mediator.
Following out a little further the difference between the second and third distinctions pointed out above, it is important to note that the mercies which God bestows on the wicked are solely of a temporal nature; that is to say, they are confined strictly to this present life. There will be no mercy extended to them beyond the grave: "It is a people of no understanding: therefore He that made them will not have mercy on them, and He that formed them will show them no favour" (Isa. 27:11). But at this point a difficulty may suggest itself to some of our readers, namely, Does not Scripture affirm that "His mercy endureth forever" (Ps. 136:1)? Two things need to be pointed out in that connection. God can never cease to be merciful, for this is a quality of the Divine essence (Ps. 116:5); but the exercise of His mercy is regulated by His sovereign will. This must be so, for there is nothing outside Himself which obliges Him to act; if there were, that "something" would be supreme, and God would cease to be God.
It is pure sovereign grace which alone determines the exercise of Divine mercy. God expressly affirms this fact in Romans 9:15, "For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy." It is not the wretchedness of the creature which causes Him to show mercy, for God is not influenced by things outside of Himself as we are. If God were influenced by the abject misery of leprous sinners, He would cleanse and save all of them. But He does not. Why? Simply because it is not His pleasure and purpose so to do. Still less is it the merits of the creature which causes Him to bestow mercies upon them, for it is a contradiction in terms to speak of meriting "mercy." "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us" (Titus 3:5)—the one standing in direct antithesis from the other. Nor is it the merits of Christ which moves God to bestow mercies on His elect: that would be putting the effect for the cause. It is "through" or because of the tender mercy of our God that Christ was sent here to His people (Luke 1:78). The merits of Christ make it possible for God to righteously bestow spiritual mercies on His elect, justice having been fully satisfied by the Surety! No, mercy arises solely from God’s imperial pleasure.
Again; though it be true, blessedly and gloriously true, that God’s mercy "endureth forever," yet we must observe carefully the objects to whom His "mercy" is shown. Even the casting of the reprobate into the Lake of Fire is an act of mercy. The punishment of the wicked is to be contemplated from a threefold viewpoint. From God’s side, it is an act of justice, vindicating His honour. The mercy of God is never shown to the prejudice of His holiness and righteousness. From their side, it is an act of equity, when they are made to suffer the due reward of their iniquities. But from the standpoint of the redeemed, the punishment of the wicked is an act of unspeakable mercy. How dreadful would it be if the present order of things when the children of God are obliged to live in the midst of the children of the Devil, should continue forever! Heaven would at once cease to be heaven if the ears of the saints still heard the blasphemous and filthy language of the reprobate. What a mercy that in the New Jerusalem "there shall in nowise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither worketh abomination" (Rev. 21:27)!
Lest the reader might think that in the last paragraph we have been drawing upon our imagination, let us appeal to Holy Scripture in support of what has been said. In Psalm 143:12 we find David praying, "And of Thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am Thy servant." Again; in Psalm 136:15 we read that God "overthrew Pharaoh and his hosts in the Red Sea: for His mercy endureth forever." It was an act of vengeance upon Pharaoh and his hosts, but it was an act of "mercy" unto the Israelites. Again, in Revelation 19:1-3 we read, "I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: for true and righteous are His judgments: for He hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of His servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up forever and ever."
From what has just been before us, let us note how vain is the presumptuous hope of the wicked, who, notwithstanding their continued defiance of God, nevertheless count upon His being merciful to them. How many there are who say, I do not believe that God will ever cast me into Hell; He is too merciful. Such a hope is a viper, which if cherished in their bosoms will sting them to death. God is a God of justice as well as mercy, and He has expressly declared that He will "by no means clear the guilty" (Ex. 34:7). Yea, He has said, "The wicked shall be turned into hell, all the nations that forget God" (Ps. 9:17). As well might men reason: I do not believe that if filth be allowed to accumulate and sewerage become stagnant and people deprive themselves of fresh air, that a merciful God will let them fall a prey to a deadly fever. The fact is that those who neglect the laws of health are carried away by disease, notwithstanding God’s mercy. Equally true is it that those who neglect the laws of spiritual health shall forever suffer the Second Death.
Unspeakably solemn is it to see so many abusing this Divine perfection. They continue to despise God’s authority, trample upon His laws continue in sin, and yet presume upon His mercy. But God will not be unjust to Himself. God shows mercy to the truly penitent, but not to the impenitent (Luke 13:3). To continue in sin and yet reckon upon Divine mercy remitting punishment is diabolical. It is saying, "Let us do evil that good may come," and of all such it is written, whose "damnation is just" (Rom. 3:8). Presumption shall most certainly be disappointed; read carefully Deuteronomy 29:18-20. Christ is the spiritual Mercy-seat, and all who despise and reject His Lordship shall "perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little" (Ps. 2:12).
But let our final thought be of God’s spiritual mercies unto His own people. "Thy mercy is great unto the heavens" (Ps. 57:10). The riches thereof transcend our loftiest thought. "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him" (Ps. 103:11). None can measure it. The elect are designated "vessels of mercy" (Rom. 9:23). It is mercy that quickened them when they were dead in sins (Eph. 2:4,5). It is mercy that saves them (Titus 3:5). It is His abundant mercy which begat them unto an eternal inheritance (1 Peter 1:3). Time would fail us to tell of His preserving, sustaining, pardoning, supplying mercy. Unto His own, God is "the Father of mercies" (2 Cor. 1:3).
"When all Thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view I’m lost,
In wonder, love, and praise."
Thanks a lot,God bless you all.
"I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy" (Ex. 33:19). Wherein differs the "mercy of God from His grace"? The mercy of God has its spring in the Divine goodness. The first issue of God’s goodness is His benignity or bounty, by which He gives liberally to His creatures as creatures; thus has He given being and life to all things. The second issue of God’s goodness is His mercy, which denotes the ready inclination of God to relieve the misery of fallen creatures. Thus, "mercy" presupposes sin.
Though it may not be easy at the first consideration to perceive a real difference between the grace and the mercy of God, it helps us thereto if we carefully ponder His dealings with the unfallen angels. He has never exercised mercy toward them, for they have never stood in any need thereof, not having sinned or come beneath the effects of the curse. Yet, they certainly are the objects of God’s free and sovereign grace. First, because of His election of them from out of the whole angelic race (I Tim. 5:21). Second, and in consequence of their election, because of His preservation of them from apostasy, when Satan rebelled and dragged down with him one-third of the celestial hosts (Rev. 12:4). Third, in making Christ their Head (Col. 2:10; 1 Pet. 3:22), whereby they are eternally secured in the holy condition in which they were created. Fourth, because of the exalted position which has been assigned them: to live in God’s immediate presence (Dan. 7:10), to serve Him constantly in His heavenly temple, to receive honorable commissions from Him (Heb. 1:14). This is abundant grace toward them but "mercy" it is not.
In endeavoring to study the mercy of God as it is set forth in Scripture, a threefold distinction needs to be made, if the Word of Truth is to be "rightly divided" thereon. First, there is a general mercy of God, which is extended not only to all men, believers and unbelievers alike, but also to the entire creation: "His tender mercies are over all His works" (Ps. 145:9): "He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things" (Acts 17:25). God has upon the brute creation in their needs, and supplies them with suitable provision. Second, there is a special mercy of God, which is exercised toward the children of men, helping and succouring them, notwithstanding their sins. To them also He communicates all the necessities of life: "for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45). Third, there is a sovereign mercy which is reserved for the heirs of salvation, which is communicated to them in a covenant way, through the Mediator.
Following out a little further the difference between the second and third distinctions pointed out above, it is important to note that the mercies which God bestows on the wicked are solely of a temporal nature; that is to say, they are confined strictly to this present life. There will be no mercy extended to them beyond the grave: "It is a people of no understanding: therefore He that made them will not have mercy on them, and He that formed them will show them no favour" (Isa. 27:11). But at this point a difficulty may suggest itself to some of our readers, namely, Does not Scripture affirm that "His mercy endureth forever" (Ps. 136:1)? Two things need to be pointed out in that connection. God can never cease to be merciful, for this is a quality of the Divine essence (Ps. 116:5); but the exercise of His mercy is regulated by His sovereign will. This must be so, for there is nothing outside Himself which obliges Him to act; if there were, that "something" would be supreme, and God would cease to be God.
It is pure sovereign grace which alone determines the exercise of Divine mercy. God expressly affirms this fact in Romans 9:15, "For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy." It is not the wretchedness of the creature which causes Him to show mercy, for God is not influenced by things outside of Himself as we are. If God were influenced by the abject misery of leprous sinners, He would cleanse and save all of them. But He does not. Why? Simply because it is not His pleasure and purpose so to do. Still less is it the merits of the creature which causes Him to bestow mercies upon them, for it is a contradiction in terms to speak of meriting "mercy." "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us" (Titus 3:5)—the one standing in direct antithesis from the other. Nor is it the merits of Christ which moves God to bestow mercies on His elect: that would be putting the effect for the cause. It is "through" or because of the tender mercy of our God that Christ was sent here to His people (Luke 1:78). The merits of Christ make it possible for God to righteously bestow spiritual mercies on His elect, justice having been fully satisfied by the Surety! No, mercy arises solely from God’s imperial pleasure.
Again; though it be true, blessedly and gloriously true, that God’s mercy "endureth forever," yet we must observe carefully the objects to whom His "mercy" is shown. Even the casting of the reprobate into the Lake of Fire is an act of mercy. The punishment of the wicked is to be contemplated from a threefold viewpoint. From God’s side, it is an act of justice, vindicating His honour. The mercy of God is never shown to the prejudice of His holiness and righteousness. From their side, it is an act of equity, when they are made to suffer the due reward of their iniquities. But from the standpoint of the redeemed, the punishment of the wicked is an act of unspeakable mercy. How dreadful would it be if the present order of things when the children of God are obliged to live in the midst of the children of the Devil, should continue forever! Heaven would at once cease to be heaven if the ears of the saints still heard the blasphemous and filthy language of the reprobate. What a mercy that in the New Jerusalem "there shall in nowise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither worketh abomination" (Rev. 21:27)!
Lest the reader might think that in the last paragraph we have been drawing upon our imagination, let us appeal to Holy Scripture in support of what has been said. In Psalm 143:12 we find David praying, "And of Thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am Thy servant." Again; in Psalm 136:15 we read that God "overthrew Pharaoh and his hosts in the Red Sea: for His mercy endureth forever." It was an act of vengeance upon Pharaoh and his hosts, but it was an act of "mercy" unto the Israelites. Again, in Revelation 19:1-3 we read, "I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: for true and righteous are His judgments: for He hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of His servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up forever and ever."
From what has just been before us, let us note how vain is the presumptuous hope of the wicked, who, notwithstanding their continued defiance of God, nevertheless count upon His being merciful to them. How many there are who say, I do not believe that God will ever cast me into Hell; He is too merciful. Such a hope is a viper, which if cherished in their bosoms will sting them to death. God is a God of justice as well as mercy, and He has expressly declared that He will "by no means clear the guilty" (Ex. 34:7). Yea, He has said, "The wicked shall be turned into hell, all the nations that forget God" (Ps. 9:17). As well might men reason: I do not believe that if filth be allowed to accumulate and sewerage become stagnant and people deprive themselves of fresh air, that a merciful God will let them fall a prey to a deadly fever. The fact is that those who neglect the laws of health are carried away by disease, notwithstanding God’s mercy. Equally true is it that those who neglect the laws of spiritual health shall forever suffer the Second Death.
Unspeakably solemn is it to see so many abusing this Divine perfection. They continue to despise God’s authority, trample upon His laws continue in sin, and yet presume upon His mercy. But God will not be unjust to Himself. God shows mercy to the truly penitent, but not to the impenitent (Luke 13:3). To continue in sin and yet reckon upon Divine mercy remitting punishment is diabolical. It is saying, "Let us do evil that good may come," and of all such it is written, whose "damnation is just" (Rom. 3:8). Presumption shall most certainly be disappointed; read carefully Deuteronomy 29:18-20. Christ is the spiritual Mercy-seat, and all who despise and reject His Lordship shall "perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little" (Ps. 2:12).
But let our final thought be of God’s spiritual mercies unto His own people. "Thy mercy is great unto the heavens" (Ps. 57:10). The riches thereof transcend our loftiest thought. "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him" (Ps. 103:11). None can measure it. The elect are designated "vessels of mercy" (Rom. 9:23). It is mercy that quickened them when they were dead in sins (Eph. 2:4,5). It is mercy that saves them (Titus 3:5). It is His abundant mercy which begat them unto an eternal inheritance (1 Peter 1:3). Time would fail us to tell of His preserving, sustaining, pardoning, supplying mercy. Unto His own, God is "the Father of mercies" (2 Cor. 1:3).
"When all Thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view I’m lost,
In wonder, love, and praise."
Thanks a lot,God bless you all.
Prayer of Faith – Insights from God’s Word by Dr.Sammy D.James
Prayer of Faith – Insights from God’s Word
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles. - 2 Chronicles 32:7–8
Prayer of Faith – Stepping Out
Prayer: Sweet Jesus, I praise Your name and I shout out with joy for Your presence in my life, and for the anointing power of Your Holy Spirit which is helping me to go deeper in Your truths and soar higher in Your power. I turn my eyes to the heavens anticipating new wisdom and deeper insights into Your sacred truths.
I praise You that more and more each day, I am becoming more confident about who I am in You -- and I praise You that the kingdom You are establishing right now on this earth cannot be shaken. My heart is flooded with joy knowing that Your surrendered ones are being used in mighty ways right now, and that Your strength and power is being made available to each and every one of them.
My prayer today begins with a cry asking You to release from bondage those Christians who are leading defeated lives. I ask You to release them from their own tunnel vision that prevents them from seeing beyond their own individual circumstances. I pray, Jesus, that with every ounce of faith they have, they will come to understand who they are in You, and begin to exert their authority over the dark places that hold them captive in the night.
Feed them, I cry, with manna from heaven that fills their hunger and sustains them on their journey to the river of life where their thirst will be filled. Feed them with Your truths so they can grow stronger and be hope-filled. Fill them with hearts of praise for what You have already done for them, so they can join the chorus of praise now being lifted up.In Jesus name
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles. - 2 Chronicles 32:7–8
Prayer of Faith – Stepping Out
Prayer: Sweet Jesus, I praise Your name and I shout out with joy for Your presence in my life, and for the anointing power of Your Holy Spirit which is helping me to go deeper in Your truths and soar higher in Your power. I turn my eyes to the heavens anticipating new wisdom and deeper insights into Your sacred truths.
I praise You that more and more each day, I am becoming more confident about who I am in You -- and I praise You that the kingdom You are establishing right now on this earth cannot be shaken. My heart is flooded with joy knowing that Your surrendered ones are being used in mighty ways right now, and that Your strength and power is being made available to each and every one of them.
My prayer today begins with a cry asking You to release from bondage those Christians who are leading defeated lives. I ask You to release them from their own tunnel vision that prevents them from seeing beyond their own individual circumstances. I pray, Jesus, that with every ounce of faith they have, they will come to understand who they are in You, and begin to exert their authority over the dark places that hold them captive in the night.
Feed them, I cry, with manna from heaven that fills their hunger and sustains them on their journey to the river of life where their thirst will be filled. Feed them with Your truths so they can grow stronger and be hope-filled. Fill them with hearts of praise for what You have already done for them, so they can join the chorus of praise now being lifted up.In Jesus name
29 sept 2009
Please help me God.Dr Sammy D.James
I have no place to sleep,no one to talk too and the world keeps laughing at me.Please God hear me when i pray to you.
Dear God,
Here I am yet again and all my problems are eating me up. I am a mother, a sister, a student and I have so many dreams that I want to achieve but each time I try to call unto you, you are always miles away from me, each time I try to be a better person, something terrible comes knocking into my life and I feel like you are to blame. I am not saying that you are a BAD person but I do not understand why you make me suffer so much. Each time I try to be resilient you through me out and you put more and more pressure on me. I tried night and day to pray so that you can at least make just one day better for me, yet my prayers are always in vain. I feel like you operate in favoritism and some of us you have discarded away and thrown at the deep end.
Last week, we were told to pack our bags and go and yet we did not have a place to stay. It was really bad, today I sit and write this and I still do not know where I will put my head down, I am counting the hours and I try to be hopeful and pray that my guardian angels will come and rescue me, I have been running up and down neglecting all my varsity work in order to look for a place and I simply can not find it, I have tried to long to be strong, yet no help comes my way, I sleep in libraries and try to concentrate and my parents who are miles away from me are all worried sick and I always think about the baby that I have brought into this world and how stupid I was to do the one thing that I never thought that I would do and today I am crying, Yes I do feel like I am a fool like somebody who does not deserve good things in life, i always wonder what it is that I have done to you that was so bad that you put me through all these things and pains, I am trying so hard to give everything my best shot and I do not know what else to do. This life has not been good to me, these tears I cry are just too much to bear and I feel like I am not deserving anymore. I have no place to sleep, no one to talk too and the world keeps laughing at me, everybody just looks at me funny and they think that I am a little bit crazy, how can I not be!!
I have so many dreams and I want to run away from poverty but each time I try it doesnot work. I want the best for my baby and I only have a year to go at university yet I feel like I maybe denied that chance, I am thinkng of going around to companies so that they can sponsor me and I will do whatever that I can to pass and graduate. I want to pull my mother, father and sisters out of the poverty trap but it is not easy, If you were listening please help me out, Just this one time!
Dear God,
Here I am yet again and all my problems are eating me up. I am a mother, a sister, a student and I have so many dreams that I want to achieve but each time I try to call unto you, you are always miles away from me, each time I try to be a better person, something terrible comes knocking into my life and I feel like you are to blame. I am not saying that you are a BAD person but I do not understand why you make me suffer so much. Each time I try to be resilient you through me out and you put more and more pressure on me. I tried night and day to pray so that you can at least make just one day better for me, yet my prayers are always in vain. I feel like you operate in favoritism and some of us you have discarded away and thrown at the deep end.
Last week, we were told to pack our bags and go and yet we did not have a place to stay. It was really bad, today I sit and write this and I still do not know where I will put my head down, I am counting the hours and I try to be hopeful and pray that my guardian angels will come and rescue me, I have been running up and down neglecting all my varsity work in order to look for a place and I simply can not find it, I have tried to long to be strong, yet no help comes my way, I sleep in libraries and try to concentrate and my parents who are miles away from me are all worried sick and I always think about the baby that I have brought into this world and how stupid I was to do the one thing that I never thought that I would do and today I am crying, Yes I do feel like I am a fool like somebody who does not deserve good things in life, i always wonder what it is that I have done to you that was so bad that you put me through all these things and pains, I am trying so hard to give everything my best shot and I do not know what else to do. This life has not been good to me, these tears I cry are just too much to bear and I feel like I am not deserving anymore. I have no place to sleep, no one to talk too and the world keeps laughing at me, everybody just looks at me funny and they think that I am a little bit crazy, how can I not be!!
I have so many dreams and I want to run away from poverty but each time I try it doesnot work. I want the best for my baby and I only have a year to go at university yet I feel like I maybe denied that chance, I am thinkng of going around to companies so that they can sponsor me and I will do whatever that I can to pass and graduate. I want to pull my mother, father and sisters out of the poverty trap but it is not easy, If you were listening please help me out, Just this one time!
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