Category: Know the Bible

Author Unknown

A father of some teenage children had the family rule that they could  not attend PG-13 or R rated movies. His three teens wanted to see a particular popular movie that was playing at local theaters. It was rated PG-13. The teens interviewed friends and even some members of their family’s church to find out what was offensive in the movie.

The teens made a list of pros and cons about the movie to use to convince their dad that they should be allowed to see it. The con’s were that it contained ONLY 3 swear words, the ONLY violence was a building exploding (and you see that on TV all the time they said), and you actually did not “see” the couple in the movie having sex – it was just implied sex, off camera.

The pros were that it was a popular movie – a block buster. Everyone was seeing it. If the teens saw the movie then they would not feel left out when their friends discussed it. The movie contained a good story and plot. It had some great adventure and suspense in it. There were some fantastic special effects in this movie.

The movie’s stars were some of the most talented actors in Hollywood. It probably would be nominated for several awards. Many of the members of their Christian church had even seen the movie and said it wasn’t “very bad”. Therefore, since there were more pros than cons the teens said they were asking their father to reconsider his position on just this ONE movie and let them have permission to go see it.

The father looked at  the list and thought for a few minutes. He said he could tell his children had spent some time and thought on this request. He asked if he could have a day to think about it before making his decision. The teens were thrilled thinking, “Now we’ve got him! Our argument is too good! Dad can’t  turn us down!” So, they happily agreed to let him have a day to think about their request.

The next evening the father called in his three teenagers, who were smiling smugly, into the living room. There on the coffee table he had a plate of brownies. The teens were puzzled. The father told his children he had thought about their request and had decided that if they would eat a brownie then he would let them go to the movie. But just like the movie, the brownies had pros and cons.

The pros were that they were made with the finest chocolate and other good ingredients. They had the added special effect of yummy walnuts in them. The brownies were moist and fresh with wonderful chocolate frosting on top. He had made these fantastic brownies using an award winning recipe. And best of all, the brownies had been made lovingly by the hand of  their own father.

The brownies only had one con. He had included a little bit of a special ingredient. The brownies also contained just a little bit of dog poop. But he had mixed the dough well –  they probably would not even be able to taste the dog poop and he had baked it at 350 degrees so any bacteria or germs from the dog poop had probably been  destroyed. Therefore, if any of his children could stand to eat the brownies which included just a “little bit of poop” and not be effected by it, then he knew they would also be able to see the movie with “just a little bit of smut” and not be effected.

Of course, none of the teens would eat the brownies and the smug smiles had left their faces. Only Dad was smiling smugly as they left the room. Now when his teenagers ask permission to do something he is opposed  to the father just asks, “Would you like me to whip up a batch of my special brownies?”

If you watch television or walk down the street, you will see people wearing all kinds of clothing. People choose their clothes for different reasons.

Some wear t-shirts with messages on them to tell people what kind of sports and teams they like. Some like to wear expensive clothes so other people will think that they have lots of money. Some people wear certain kinds of clothes to show they belong to a certain group of people at school. Most of us have probably known times when our parents bought us something we did not want to wear because we thought it would make us look silly.

Those who serve God must be careful about what they wear. Some clothes can make other people think bad thoughts. If we are not wearing enough clothes or our clothes are so tight that they let people see things they should not, we should refrain from those clothes. Music and movie stars will often wear clothes that reveal too much of their bodies. The Bible calls such clothing immodest. Immodest means not modest. To be modest is to be decent both in your clothes and the way you act. A person can be dressed in good clothes but act like a bad person. That person would still be immodest.

Our parents try to help us learn how to be modest. Maybe your friends are wearing a certain type of outfit and you want to wear it. Your parents object because it does not send the right message; it is immodest. Listen to your parents, I can almost guarantee that their parents had the same conversation with them when they were young people. They want to help you show others, by what you wear, that you live by God’s principles.

Sadly, some people cannot blush when they wear such little clothing out in public. When I lived in Florida, I was amazed at the people who would go to grocery stores in nothing but bathing suits. We must not let what others wear influence what we wear. Wear clothes that show the purity of your heart.

Sow an act and you reap a habit.
Sow a habit and you reap a character.
Sow a character and you reap a destiny.
-Samuel Smiles

We must be careful about our thoughts and actions for they may become habits. A habit is something that one does continually, often without thinking about it. Some habits are good. Saying “please” and “thank you,” cleaning your room, and feeding your pets are examples of good habits. You can also develop bad habits such as using bad language, lying, not helping your parents keep the house clean, or acting up in church services.

Habits start slowly. We might use a bad word once or tell a lie when we are in trouble. When we do something wrong, we need to repent. When we repent, we decide that we will try our hardest not to do the wrong thing again. We might slip and do the wrong thing again, but we will try hard not to do it. We should also tell God we are sorry and ask for His help in doing what is right.

If we do not repent or change, we will probably do the bad things again and again. Soon, we will not even think about whether we should or should not do it; it will become habit. Once we have developed a habit, it is hard to stop it. We can stop it but it will take a lot of effort.

Of course, we can develop good habits by doing good things again and again. If you try hard to use good manners, talk politely, and act properly, those good behaviors will become good habits. If you make your bed and clean your room every day out of habit, you will not have to remind yourself to do these chores.

Work hard to develop many good habits so your life will be filled with good thoughts and actions. Always do the things that will make you more like Jesus and you will live a healthier, happier, and more peaceful life.

Author Unknown

In a discussion with his father, the son said, “Dad, I read the Bible often and memorize verses in Sunday School, but they never stick with me. I can’t remember them more than a few weeks. So I guess it doesn’t do me any good.”

The father responded, “Son, get that wicker wastepaper basket, take it to the kitchen, and fill it up with water.”  The boy obeyed, but he discovered that the water ran out as fast as it ran in. Finally, he took the basket back to his father.

“I can’t get any water to stay in,” said the boy. “You’re right,” said the Father. The basket cannot hold all the water, and your mind cannot hold all the verses you have memorized. But notice how much cleaner and fresher and brighter the basket is now that you’ve run the water through. That is what happens when all the verses of the Bible go through your mind. They may not stay there long enough for you to remember, but the more they pass through your memory, the cleaner, the brighter, the fresher your mind will be.

Sometimes it seems hard to know the right thing to do. The Bible is like a light in the darkness to show us how to live. But in order for the Bible to help us, we need to study it.

As we study the Bible we gain knowledge about God and how He wants us to live. Wisdom is the ability to use that knowledge to make good decisions.

For example, our knowledge of the Bible teaches us that God’s word is truth (John 17:17) and that we are to speak truth to one another (Ephesians 4:25). So when a situation comes up where you feel that a lie might get you out of trouble, wisdom teaches you that a lie is not a proper choice and that God will not be pleased when you are dishonest.

The more you know about the Bible, the better you will be able to know what you should do. God’s commands will make us better people. Some people do not like God’s laws because they think God is trying to take away their fun. However, the things that many people think are “fun,” like using drugs, getting drunk, and looking at bad pictures, are things that will hurt us and will make us sorry that we did them.

I worked with a man who, when he was younger, used a lot of drugs and got drunk with his friends. He did this for many years. He thought he was living free and having fun. He told me that he would give anything to live his life over again without the drugs and the alcohol. Not only did he hurt his body, he was ashamed of his life. He also wasted a lot of money on sin.

Proverbs 5:9 tells us that sin will harm our bodies and waste our years. Though some people might think you are acting strange by doing what is right (1 Peter 4:4), they will eventually realize that you made the right choice in serving God and following His laws. Of course, God will judge us all for how we have lived. Follow God’s commands for the best life on earth and eternal joy in heaven.