Category: Know the Bible

Book Review: Sex At First Sight

Richard Simmons III has revealed the must understood and least discussed part of the culture of unrestrained sexuality and the hookup culture: the sexual liberty so praised and promoted is purchased at the cost of dignity, health, and intimacy. Those who have indulged in the culture are fighting many more sexual diseases than before, feel used and guilty for using others, struggle to develop relationships, and are feeling lonelier than ever.

Sex At First SightSex At First Sight by Richard E. Simmons III

Richard Simmons III has revealed the must understood and least discussed part of the culture of unrestrained sexuality and the hookup culture: the sexual liberty so praised and promoted is purchased at the cost of dignity, health, and intimacy. Those who have indulged in the culture are fighting many more sexual diseases than before, feel used and guilty for using others, struggle to develop relationships, and are feeling lonelier than ever.

Though Simmons presents the message from a Christian worldview, he cites numerous scholars, former proponents of the open sexuality movement, and other non-Christian experts who admit the truth of God’s moral regulations of sexuality despite their reluctance to follow Him. There are cautionary tales from college campuses and the therapists couch. Even those who encouraged the so-called sexual revolution have come to see that it did not grant freedom but became a prison. Feminists are seeing that the sexual revolution, far from freeing women, has made them more objectified and considered only for what they can do do please another, not for who they are.

Yet Simmons also presents the hope of escaping this culture, returning the dignity and peace of a virtuous life. He urges us to consider how God did not make sex dirty, as the critics claimed, but God made sex. It was a gift for man that, like other gifts, man has made an idol to his detriment. The Bible praises the sexual relationship in marriage as honorable and to be a pleasurable “knowing” of one’s spouse in a special, secret, and sacred way. The Bible also reveals the destructive consequences of an individual and society of sexual relations outside of that context.

I HIGHLY recommend this book. I’ve worked with so many young people for decades and heard the stories echoed in this book and have seen the impact, decades later, of people who followed this lifestyle when younger, whether they were people of faith or not. Everything in life has consequences whether felt immediately or in the far future. Don’t dismiss this important fact.

I woke up late one Saturday morning and read the whole thing before lunch so it will not be a long read but it is so packed with good information from secular and religious writers, therapists, psychologists, and people living in and recovering from this unfortunate social experiment. If you work with young people, or have children, read this book.

If you are a high school, college student, or past that age and are struggling with the emptiness, confusion, and loneliness that this life has brought PLEASE read this book. He will not preach at you; he will enlighten you gently and lovingly and show you the lies and ignorance that created this environment that is pressuring you and show you a great way of escape to find forgiveness, fulfillment, and true intimacy in a real relationship.

Buy from Amazon (affiliate link)

Video – Lessons from the Song “Just As I Am, I Come Broken”

This was a lesson I presented at the 2016 Florida College Alabama camp reflecting on the theme song from camp: “Just As I Am, I Come Broken.” This is a beautiful adaptation of an old hymn that expresses the response of someone coming just as they are to God for healing and transformation.

This was a lesson I presented at the 2016 Florida College Alabama camp reflecting on the theme song from camp: “Just As I Am, I Come Broken.” This is a beautiful adaptation of an old hymn that expresses the response of someone coming just as they are to God for healing and transformation.

3 Minute Bible Studies – Video Bible Studies

Scott Smelser is a devout Bible student who loves to teach the simple truth of the gospel. His talent for presenting the Bible message in memorable ways is evident on his site, 3 Minute Bible Study; a series of instructive animated videos that teach Bible stories in, you guessed it, 3 minutes.

These videos would be good to share with your friends and through social media. They would also be great for showing in classes of all ages when applicable to the lesson. For example, the video on Romans would be great to show before a study of Romans (and even periodically during the study to remember the big picture).

My favorite is the video, The Whole Bible Story, below:

 

Godly Youth Activity Book

Parents and teachers have enjoyed the activities available on the Activities pages of the Godly Youth site. I have removed those pages and have put all the crossword, word search and cryptogram puzzles in one document.

As I state clearly on the pages, if you are using this for non-profit use: Bible class, personal Bible study, home school, or similar activities you may copy the puzzles freely and in any quantities you want. If you want to put the activity in a church bulletin, feel free to do that as well.

My only restriction is that I don’t want it sold as part of a product, package, or book without my permission.

The Godly Youth Activity Book, in Adobe Acrobat format, is available for download here. (File size: 1.51 MB)GY Activity Book Cover

Identify the Bible Character Using the Clues

Who Am I?

  1. I was a fisherman before Jesus called me to be an apostle.
  2. Though my hometown was Bethsaida, I was in Capernaum when Jesus called me.
  3. I was a disciple of John the Baptist.
  4. When I heard Jesus, I went to my brother Peter and told him that I had met the Christ and urged Peter to meet Jesus.

(Do you know who I am? See John 1:41)

 

  1. I was a leader of God’s people.
  2. Joshua was my assistant and then led the Jews after I died on Mt. Nebo.
  3. I was raised in Pharaoh’s house though I later chose to suffer with my own people, the Jews, instead of living as an Egyptian.
  4. God appeared to me in a bush on fire but was not burned up.

(Do you know who I am? See Exodus 3:4)

 

  1. I wrote five books of the New Testament.
  2. My father’s name was Zebedee.
  3. My brother and I were apostles whom Jesus nicknamed “Sons of Thunder.
  4. I am sometimes known as “the apostle whom Jesus loved.”

(Do you know who I am? See Revelation 1:1)

 

  1. I had a stick that turned into a snake then back into a stick.
  2. One time the stick budded like a tree. It was put into the Ark of the Covenant.
  3. My brother did powerful signs before King Pharaoh of Egypt; I spoke the words of God to him.
  4. I had a sister named Miriam. She and I wanted to lead Israel like Moses but it made God angry. We then obeyed God.

(Do you know who I am? See Exodus 7:2.)

  1. I was a fisherman when Jesus called me to be an apostle.
  2. My brother, Andrew, told me about Jesus.
  3. I walked on the water with Jesus.
  4. I denied Jesus three times before He was crucified.

(Do you know who I am? See Acts 2:38.)

  1. Stephen and I, along with five other men were appointed to take care of some Christian widows who were not being fed.
  2. I went on to preach in a place called Samaria and many people followed Jesus.
  3. I also baptized the treasurer of Ethiopia as he traveled home from Jerusalem.
  4. I baptized a sorcerer, named Simon, who gave up his fake magic when he saw the true wonders of God.

(Do you know who I am? See Acts 8:5)