Five years ago my family and I started a new church in the suburbs of Philadelphia. When we arrived I wanted the first dollar our church spent to make a statement about the kind of church we were going to become. So I took every penny we had in our church’s checking account, which wasn’t much, and blew it all in one day. I called the police station in our area and asked, “Where is the most drug infested, crime-ridden neighborhood in our entire region?” Without hesitation he named a neighborhood twenty-five minutes away. He said, “We send a car there every night, why?” I said, “I’m a Christian and I want to show people God’s love in a tangible way. I thought I would buy groceries for the entire neighborhood.” “Why the %!@+% would you want to do that?” he said. “I wouldn’t go there without a gun. Knock yourself out.” That afternoon I drove to a wholesale grocery outlet and filled every inch of my van with boxes of groceries.

When I arrived you can just imagine what I saw. It looked like a scene from a war zone. Broken windows. Graffiti everywhere. Trash throughout the street. Cars on blocks. People passed out on the sidewalk. And here was this young suburban kid looking like Barney Fife with his arms full of pancake mix and peanut butter. To say I was petrified is an understatement.

“Okay God,” I muttered as I knocked on the first door, “work through me, your chicken.” I was taken back by the response. For the next few hours I gave away groceries and prayed for a prostitute, a drug addict, a guard at the local penitentiary sleeping on the floor of his apartment, and a dozen or so others. These people had nothing. Zilch. As I moved slowly through the neighborhood I touched and hugged and prayed for as many people as I could.

When I finally got in my empty van, instead of feeling a sense of joy, I recalled my conversation with the police officer and got angry. “Why would that cop be surprised that a Christian would want to do this?” I asked myself, “Why is it that people have grown to expect so little out of Christians?” That word, “Christian,” has become as tantalizing to an unbelieving world as drinking a warm soft drink at a summer picnic.

The Problem With The Word “Christian”

One of the problems with the word “Christian” is despite its wide use in our culture it is not a real popular term in the Bible. In fact, it only occurs three times in the entire New Testament. It never crossed Jesus’ lips. Paul never used it. In fact, on every occasion when it does occur the biblical author quotes a non-Christian who used it to describe followers of Jesus. Acts 11:26 tells us, “…The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.” By whom? The unbelievers in Antioch. “Christian” comes from the Greek word “Christianos” which means “belonging to Christ.” Not a bad word. But it was a nickname non-believers gave us, and for some reason it stuck.

Another difficulty with the word “Christian” is our market-driven culture has taken it hostage. Rather than evoking hostility and persecution, as Jesus said might happen to his followers, “Christian” has become a corporate marketing niche. “Christian” offends no-one. In America we have “Christian” paraphernalia galore. We have Christian bookstores, Christian television stations, and Christian websites. Those who are curious can flip through a Christian bestseller, thumb through one of hundreds of Christian magazines, or sit back and enjoy a blockbuster Christian motion picture. One can quickly find Christian solutions for any and every problem a bewildered American faces. There are Christian exercise videos, Christian weight-loss programs, and now, much to our relief, Christian vitamins. But the biggest problem with the word “Christian” is it doesn’t capture what a Christ follower does. I like titles that are behaviorally descriptive. A baseball player plays baseball. A stockbroker buys and sells company stock. A “Christian” tells us to whom we belong but not what we do. It isn’t an action word. It doesn’t carry an inherent job description or implied set of behavioral expectations. It communicates that we “belong to Christ,” a solid idea in and of itself, but one that has lost its edge in our culture.

Disciple: A More Potent Word

I want us to dust off an old, seemingly out of date and often misunderstood word. In my mind, replacing the word “Christian” with this word is a vital key to understanding what it means to be a Christ follower. What is it?

“Disciple.”

In fact, from now on, I want to challenge you to use the word “disciple” every time you are about to use the word “Christian.” Say both of them out loud. “I’m glad I’m a Christian.” Now try, “I’m glad I am a disciple.” At first it is going to seem a little awkward. Your neighbors might think you’ve joined some strange chicken sacrificing cult. But that’s precisely the point. Jim Jones and Charles Manson stole this word from us. We’re stealing it back.

“Disciple” occurs not three times, but over two hundred and sixty times throughout the pages of the New Testament. As philosopher Dallas Willard says, “The New Testament is a book about disciples, by disciples, and for disciples of Jesus.” Derived from the original Greek word “mathetes,” which means a “learner or student,” a disciple is someone that learns from a teacher. But according to Matthew 28:18-20, our mission on earth is not just to create Christ followers that learn his teachings, but ones that obey his teachings.

Changed Vocabulary - Changed Behavior

So why use the word disciple instead of the word Christian?

When we use the word “Christian,” we mistakenly give the impression that obeying Jesus’ teachings is something that can be put off until later, like dieting or changing the oil in the car. We tend to communicate, “First you become a Christian, and after that you can work at becoming a disciple.” Discipleship is treated sort of like honors courses in high school. They’re not essential for graduation but a good thing to do if you so choose. According to Jesus, discipleship begins at conversion. Trusting Christ to forgive your sins and getting baptized are simply the first steps of a lifetime of “discipleship.” With the word disciple, life change is expected. Transformation is assumed from the beginning of one’s spiritual journey.

Sadly, our culture has caught on to the fact that when it comes to behavior, there is virtually no difference between the way “Christians” act and the way “non-Christians” act. Upon completing a poll for U.S. News and PBS’ Religion & Ethics Weekly, the researchers concluded, “…Evangelicals–their distinctive faith aside–are acting more and more like the rest of us.” Should we be surprised? We are simply reaping what one author calls, “the cost of non-discipleship.”

By far the most important reason we need to re-engage the word “disciple” is for our skeptical friends. When Christians become disciples we become the “salt and light” Jesus exhorted us to become.

A few years ago I was driving in center city Philadelphia and got lost, which is a common occurrence for me. Without knowing it, I pulled onto a narrow one way road. Cars started barreling towards me. Horns were blaring. Cars were pulling out of my way. People motioned for me to go back the other way and said things I can’t repeat. It reminded me of that bumper sticker, “If you don’t like the way I drive, stay off the sidewalk.” Say what you want about my navigational ability, there wasn’t a person on that street that (A) didn’t know I was there and (B) which direction I was headed. That’s what happens when Christians become disciples.

People notice disciples. Disciples do not blend in very easily. Disciples do not just believe differently, they behave differently. They stick out. They provoke. They cause people to think. They jar people to evaluate their lives, even without uttering a word. Disciples point people to the kingdom of God simply by their behavior alone.

The result is people want what we have.

Isn’t this what Jesus intended?

Today we are looking at one of the most beautiful words in the Bible that has been rendered almost meaningless and its power stripped by the translators. Let’s begin by taking a look at Heb. 13:22.

I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation, (Heb. 13:22) the meaning of the word translated exhortation as set forth here in Hebrews is the Greek word paraklesis.

This word paraklesis is used twenty nine times in the Bible and is translated consolation fourteen times, exhortation eight times, comfort six times and entreaty one time. This will give you a flavor of how the word is used in the King James Version it is the writers contention that exhortation may be a poor translation of the word and that comfort or comforter is the proper translation of paraklesis .

Paraklesis is defined by the dual suggestion that that which comforts, comforts from two unique positions. Consider the paraklete or the Holy Spirit (John 14:26) and also consider the Advocate parakletos (I Jo 1:2) here we have the dual nature of the paraklesis one as Comforter the other as Christ the legal defense of the Believer.

We should look at Luke 2:25 “And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name [was] Simeon; and the same man [was] just and devout, waiting for the consolation paraklesis of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.” This is where we see that exhortation as a synonym of comfort as a meaning for paraklesis simply cannot work.

Matt. 8:5 “And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,” parakleo this is more understandable a use of the word than exhort. Look at one more 2 Cor. 1:4 “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” Parakleo, parakleo, paraklesis and parakleo, used respectively of the word comfort in the verse. Now substitute exhort and the verse makes no sense.

The phrase “we ourselves are comforted” takes on an interesting meaning because of the tense of the verb. It is in the present tense but in the passive voice which represents the subject as being the recipient of the action or the comfort. The phrase is also in the indicative mood which is a simple statement of fact; it says it happened therefore we are comforted. The Word of God is wonderful.

2 Tim. 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” Here exhort paraklaeo cannot be translated correctly and must be rendered beseech or comfort. The same applies to 1 Tim. 2:6 teach and exhort.

In paraklesis or parakleo we have therefore a word which can easily be robbed of its beauty and power by the application of an imaginative mechanical rule. Its etymology reveals that it means, “to call to one’s side”; its usage shows that according to the context, it means either; to entreat as in “I beseech”, admonish as in “I exhort” and consolation as in “I comfort” and that in each shade of meaning, the other aspects are present. The beseeching will not be so gentle as to be weak, the admonition will not be so harsh as to be repugnant, and the consolation will not be without comfort.

Paul Griffitts has been a Bibical Researcher for over 30 years
Currently Paul is the Editor of The Good News Letter for Believer.com
Click here for a Free eBook The Two Natures in the Child of God

When we are interested in a certain project we can make a decision on the best approach to take action. We are going to say that we want to learn how to iron a shirt in the most efficient way. The best approach could be to go get an iron and an ironing board and get to work, or it could be to study up on the subject before hand.

If you choose to just go for it without any studies into the project then you might do ok, but you might run into some problems too. There will be directions when you purchase the iron and the ironing board, but they won’t contain the information that you specifically need, and that is the most efficient way to iron a shirt. When you first iron the shirt it could end up taking you up to a half hour, and this is not efficient. Before starting you could search online and look for the information. There might be a course on it that includes a manual and videos. You could take a day and study up on it, take some notes and figure out what works best to iron the shirt in the most efficient way. Once you watch and learn it, then put it into practice. After you try it once, re-visit what you previously studied and it will make more sense. The second time now that you iron it will be extremely easy.

If you are taking on losing weight, then you could study up on the subject. Read all about it, read and learn how to eat correctly, exercise in the right way, and you could use the weight loss solution acceletrim to help speed up the process. Time is best spent when you do the right things when you take on a new project.

In one of those accidents that most people would find hard to comprehend 40-year-old man found himself in the horrific situation of a tipper truck turning over onto him crushing his leg.

Mr Telford was working at a construction site when the tipper that weighed a massive 30 tonnes rolled onto his leg. In one of those situations from a war movie rescue workers were unable to lift the truck off his leg forcing them to amputate the limb.

Mr Telford also suffered head injuries and damage to his internal organs. Following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive the trucks owner felt that he had no choice but to accept the HSE findings and plead guilty in the subsequent court proceedings.

The judge conceded that being trapped while conscious for nearly two hours while rescue workers attempted to free him must have been a terrifying experience. And that then having to be told that his leg needed to be amputated must be a situation that will haunt him for the rest of his life.

The judge had no hesitation in handing down compensation to the value of £1 million. Your company needs to be fully aware of the risks that employees face and train your staff to avoid such horrific incidents and their massive financial penalties. Accredited health and safety training such as the NEBOSH certificate from Workplace Law Training can help to reduce the risks.

Nothing is permanent except change; so if you suffer from bad credit, don’t worry, as bad credit is not something to be ashamed of. It can happen to all of us at some point of time. The good news is that with some effort on your part you can perk up your credit ratings. You can take advantage of your bad credit to improve your credit report. One option could be availing a bad credit car loan.

When you are ready to begin shopping for your car, you should consider a few things. Do not go in for a car that you know you cannot afford. BAD CREDIT CAR LOANS not only help you in purchasing your dream car, but also act as a tool to help you rebuild your credit rating.

While going in for a car loan, ensure that you have sufficient income to pay off your present bills and also make sure that you have enough loan amount to cover the cost of maintenance and insurance of your car. Bad credit car loan is normally to be repaid in some months making it less risky for the lender. Also, in case of used cars the loan is cheaper than new cars, a shorter loan term will give the borrower a better chance of fully repaying the loan.

Though bad credit affects your car loan application, but with so many options now open you can explore the best opportunity for yourself. All you need to do is work aggressively for your well-being and get the best of the car loans available.
Bad credit car loan can be secured and unsecured depending upon the collateral attached. So, don’t wait to get yourself the amazing loan, which could not only give you an opportunity to get your car but also remove the black marks from your credit report.

The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. She has done her masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting car-loans-for-all-from-c4f as a finance specialist.
For more information please visit: http://www.car-loans-for-all-from-c4f.co.uk

So maybe you gaming hall gaming, then you’re invited to learn more about it here.

Typically, a betting house is a structure that presents wagering. Clients are encouraged to relax by having a bash at one-armed-bandits or alternative pastimes of luck. Gaming establishment games generally include absolutely determined probabilities included that guarantee the betting house keeps up its interest versus the betters.

Many gaming room games can goad you into being far too infatuated in no time. An example is the quintessential 1-armed bandit, a cash operated contraption with three or more cogs which rotate once an arm connected to it is yanked. The gadget most often reimburses corresponding with a range of glyphs displayed on the lit panel of the contraption. Disastrously, betting house games furnish the semblance of power, thereby hoodwinking the gambling aficionado — the victim is endowed options, but in actual fact these don’t truly nix the player’s long term disadvantage. That is caused by the the betting saloon never paying out the full stake as expected. This structured arrangement will persistently be noticeable in famous casino games like seven-card stud, craps, roulette or blackjack. Five-card stud is really a very fashionable casino game. The guests, holding either fully or partially obscured hands, must place bets in a central pot that is finally given to the prevailing participant enjoying the best hand. (As everybody knows, the best bluffing hand may well prevail)

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Much the same as five-card stud poker, blackjack too is a very popular casino game. A generous portion of its celebrity is caused by the mix of luck and craft & decision making, and a practice dubbed “card counting”. This is a craft in which gaming devotees may significantly turn the probabilities of the game to their own advantage both by betting & fundamental actions in agreement with the cards shown.

“Craps” is a famous wagering game using the throw of 2 dice. Clients can wager on the end result of one spin, or on a succession of rolls of two dice. Contrary to blackjack, there’s absolutely no practicable winning tactics punters can cash in on to bend the odds.

Roulette is an extremely popular game of luck: a croupier spins a roulette wheel that incorporates thirtyseven (European roulette) or thirty eight (in the case of American roulette) separately numbered pockets in which a pellet will finally come to rest, thereby deciding the winner and the related sequences. If the participant has wagered on a number which is successful meaning she’s really enjoying a lucky hand, the promised bounty is going to be thirty five to 1, the bet being returned. Ergo in totality the initial pledge is increased by 36.

You should always be very on the watch however, as many of those gaming establishment betting games can be very much addictive. An alarming number of lives have indisputably been damaged by addictive gambling + whereas it arguably seems enjoyable, attempt to govern your gaming.

With the technological boom and fast changing world our social structure is witnessing a significant shift. Our social customs and behaviour are changing at equally fast pace. Our lives have become so mechanised that we hardly get time for ourselves. In the mad rush to perform well on the professional front we disregard the value of our personal life. Therefore, many of us fail to keep track of our finances. We forget to repay our debts. We forget to pay our monthly installments and as a result we fall in the debt trap. Our credit ratings also suffer to a great extent as we fail to keep track of our finances. So, if you are facing similar problems and you have a poor credit record you need not take stress as bad credit personal loans are available for you in the market.

Bad Credit Personal Loans are basically those loans that cater to uncountable financial needs of the people, especially those having a poor credit record. You can utilise these loans for as many purposes you can. You can use it for home renovation, buying a vehicle, funding your holiday, paying your credit card bills, consolidating your debts etc. And since it is a personal loan you need not mention any reason before the lender to procure such loan.

There are two kinds of bad credit personal loans. It can be either secured or an unsecured one. A secured bad credit loan needs some collateral against which the loan is provided. The interest on such a loan is low and the monthly installments are smaller in comparison with an unsecured loan. On the other hand an unsecured bad credit personal loan is charged with a very high interest rate. The monthly installments are big and the repayment duration is short. Since the person is already having a bad credit history he is kept under very strict vigil by the creditor.

On the whole a bad credit personal loan is charged with high rates of interest compared to other loans. The lenders are at high risk in providing loans to bad creditors so they keep the borrower under constant monitoring. Though, it’s a bit difficult for persons having poor credit past to get a personal loan, there are many lenders in the market who provide such loans.

About The Author: The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. He has done his masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting Apply-4-personal-loans as a finance specialist.

For more information please visit:http://www.apply-4-personal-loans.co.uk

A bad credit history affects your ability to obtain credit cards, home
mortgages, and personal loans. Sometimes, bad credit is unavoidable.
Individuals who are unable to work because of illnesses and those who
lose their jobs may have a difficult time keeping up with monthly payments
to creditors. Fortunately, there are lenders who understand your
circumstances.

Sub Prime and High Risk Auto Loan Lenders

Auto finance companies that specialize in bad credit loans are called
sub prime, or high risk lenders. These lenders are different from
traditional auto loan lenders. For starters, sub prime loans have lenient
lending requirements. Some banks and financial institutions require loan
applicants to have a minimum credit score. A high credit score
guarantees prime rates.

If you have bad credit, you will not qualify for a super low interest
rate on your new or used car loan. However, you are able to obtain a
loan with reasonable rates. Bad credit auto loan companies are not hard
money lenders. Hard money lenders charge extremely high fees and interest
rates. Individuals with poor credit may attempt to get a hard money
loan. These loans should be avoided. Instead, apply with sub prime
lenders.

Easy Online Application for Auto Loan

Individuals with previous repossessions, foreclosures, or discharged
bankruptcy will qualify for a loan with a bad credit finance company.
Applying for a loan online is quick and simple. Many loan companies have
online applications. If you apply through a broker site, your
application will be reviewed by several lenders. Each lender that reviews your
application will remit a quote. This allows you to obtain quotes from a
multitude of lenders.

Getting the Lowest Interest Rate on Auto Loan

If you have a bad credit history, your ultimate goal is to get the best
rate on your next vehicle purchase. Comparing and contrasting interest
rates, terms, and services are a wise decision. Moreover, instead of
immediately accepting the interest rate offered by car dealerships, do
your own investigation. Contact at least four high risk lenders. Because
the vehicle serves as the collateral, you may be able to negotiate a
lower rate.

See my recommended Bad
Credit Car Loan companies.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC
Loan
Guide.

Almost all of the Hindu festivals are bogus, childish, and absolutely rubbish. Here I explain how.

1. MakarSankranta (Capricorn Transition of Sun)-
It is celebrated by giving Til Gool, a kind of round sweet edible thing, to each other and saying Til Gool Ghya Ani God Bola. (i.e. have this til gool and speak good.) Now how many people really speak good because of this? Almost none! Simply ridiculous!

2. Holi and Rangapanchami (A kind of fire night to burn evil followed by some colourful celebration) -
A huge fire is created, at innumerably many places across the country (i.e. India), for the sake of burning evil. However, what is literally burnt is wood and loads of air pollution is created. The next day water balloons and colours are heavily used to throw at civilians which causes injuries and interruption to normal duties/routine. What a shame!

3. Nagpanchami -
This festival celebrates and worships the reptile ’snake’, which is offered milk on the basis of the misbelief that it likes milk, where, in fact, it does not drink milk at all. Quite silly!

4. Raksha Bandhan (Promise of Protection)-
In this festival a sister ties a Rakhi, a kind of funny band, on the wrist/s of her brother/s expecting a promise that he/they will protect her in hostile circumstances. (where actually the sole interest of the sister is getting money out of her brother/s pocket/s.) Simply wicked!

5. Ganeshotsav (Celebrating the funny-looking elephant headed god)-
Loads of huge (as well as tiny and medium size) Ganesh statues are created, worshipped, and finally sunk in rivers and seas. All this is accompanied by loads of noise & water pollution and severe disruption on roads demanding police forces. Pathetic!

6. Dasara (also known as Vijayadashami) -
In the name of burning evil, a massive Ravan doll is burnt at many places across the country, causing loads of air and noise pollution. Absolutely childish!

7. Diwali / Deepawali
It is mainly celebrated with millions of fire crackers all over the country with absolute disregard to nature and civilians. It is even fearsome and possibly fateful to travel in those periods as roads are full of burning firecrackers !!! Simply annoying, barbaric, and Rubbish!

About the Author

Born: 31 Dec 1979

Creator of Superultramodern Science & Philosophy

Founder & President
British Superultramodern Scientific Institution

Chairman & Director
Superultramodern Scientific Ltd
Reg in England No. 5541466

email: kedarkj1@rediffmail.com

Residence: Cambridge, England

One cannot blame man when God has not revealed the way.
One cannot blame God when man has yet to obey.

One cannot blame man when God hasn’t opened the door.
One cannot blame God when man lingers all the more.

One cannot blame man when God’s timing isn’t right.
One cannot blame God when man waits, due to fright.

One cannot blame man when God wisely says, “Not just yet”
One cannot blame God when man hasn’t passed the test.

Facing closed doors, again and again, is a frustrating time in one’s life. It puts faith and patience to the test, while tempting to place the blame elsewhere. It confines us to an inner prison, teaching the hard way to hang on when there’s only God to hang on to; to trust Him no matter the outlook; to quit trying to help God out, as it’s His job to complete what He’s called you to; to wait patiently, and finally, to be contented in all circumstances.

When the lessons have been learned and our freedom in Christ won (death not making us doubt out calling) - if the door remains closed, do not despair.

1.)Sometimes, God asks us to wait. He has other hearts to prepare.

2.)He may be asking us to rest (He. 4:8, 10), giving those who didn’t believe another chance to receive. In which case, we’ll “know” if Jesus has already told us something still will happen.

3.)God will not step over the heart of man to accomplish His purpose. Once man says “NO” to God, He moves on … taking you with Him. Shake the dust off your feet, keep marching forward, and don’t look back.

Just don’t act until you “know” God’s will.
Sometimes, He offers plan “B” (Is. 49:22-23).

© by Joyce C. Lock
http://my.homewithgod.com/blessingsandlessons/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

In addition to being a published author and poet, Joyce C. Lock created the religion column, “Christianity Made Simple” for Peru Daily Tribune, continues to write inspirational articles for area newspapers, and shares further in online and e-mail ministries.