Did you know that there are Biblical commands for husbands? Husbands have responsibilities to love and honor their wives. Would you like to be a husband who loves his wife as Christ loved the Church? Here are some tips on how to do so.

1. "Love your wife as Christ loved the Church."(Ephesians 5:25) This
means that you should be willing to risk your life to help or save
your wife. Christ's love for the church is without limits; nothing is
held back. He gave His life for the church - before we loved Him.
"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." His love does not
depend on your love for Him; His love is unconditional. Under God's
leadership and help- love your wife as a service--as giving your life
to God. Loving your wife is to be your primary ministry as a husband.

2. "Love your wife in the same way that you love your body and your
life."(Ephesians 5:28-33) You care for your body daily. You try to be
as well fed and healthy as is possible. You quickly take care of any
needs or desires that you may have. Any sexual desire as a husband
should be cared for with your wife. In the same way, care for your
wife's needs and well being. Feel your wife's pain and illnesses and
rejoice in her health and happiness as if it were your own life. A
husband must see his wife's sexual desires and make supreme efforts to
meet those needs too. Basically, her needs or desires, whether they
are financial, physical, emotional or spiritual, must receive your
full attention. In this way, you can love her and provide for her,
just as much as you do for yourself.

3. "Be considerate as you live with your wife, with respect ..."(I
Peter 3:7) The Bible says that if we neglect this command, our prayers
will be hindered! To be considerate means to quit any irritating
habits! When she needs to be helped with carrying heavy items, do it!
If she needs time to herself, take care of the children for her for a
bit! Help your wife in any way you can. Show your love to her and
always be considerate of her needs and wants. Pray and ask God to show
you where you may be inconsiderate.

4. "Do not be harsh with your wife."(Colossians 3:19) Women are a lot
more sensitive than men, so realize that harsh words, angry looks,
irritated tones of voice and impatience will deeply affect your wife.
Rejoice that she is a lady and isn't like you. Remember that she is a
precious gift that God has given you and always be thankful for her.

5. "The husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his
wife."(I Corinthians 7:3-5) Please your wife physically. Don't deprive
her of what she needs. Sexual pleasure is something that is given, not
forced or taken. Discuss with her what her needs are both inside and
outside of the bedroom.

6. "Rejoice in your wife all your life. Let her body satisfy you. Be
captivated with her."(Proverbs 5:18-19) No man should look at other
women, or pictures of other women, when he has a wife on whom he can
gaze daily. A husband should become fully satisfied with his wife's
body. No matter what the size or shape, if a man will try, and ask God
to help him, he can grow to truly find his wife's body to be the most
attractive in the world. This is the true spirit of being captivated
with your wife. If you show that you are attracted to her, she will
feel sexy and lady-like.

7. "Women may be dressed in simple clothing, with a quiet and serious
air; not with vanity about her hair and gold or jewels or expensive
clothing;"(1 Timothy 2:9) Encourage your wife to be modest in public
and erotic in private with you. A modest woman is a lady. There is so
much sin and temptation that results from women showing too much skin
in public. Just think of the pleasure of knowing that no one sees too
much of your wife's legs but you! You will be shocked at how this one
maneuver will increase your feelings of masculinity and her feelings
of femininity.

8. "Do not be captivated by other women."(Proverbs 5:20) Finding other
women attractive and looking at them will degrade your view of your
own wife, because you will start to compare her with them. You will be
less satisfied with her, and she will feel less special to you. No man
can build a habit of glances without subconsciously doing it in his
wife's company, and she will definitely notice and be hurt. Remember
to be captivated with your wife and no one else. She will feel like
the Queen of the world as you fall more and more in love with her.

9. "Call your wife 'blessed' and praise her."(Proverbs 31:28-29) Tell
her that she is special and that she is greater than any other woman
on earth. Don't just mention her physical beauty, but compliment her
on her care for you, her hard work, and her lady-like attributes.
Watch the flower of your wife's heart blossom as you repeatedly fill
her ears with your praises. She longs for those words and she wants to
hear them from you! You may not want to cause her to be too prideful,
but your wife needs and longs to be treasured by you.

10 "Tell your wife how captivated you are with her body."(Song of
Solomon 4:7; 7:1-8) A true lover will make sure that his wife knows
that he finds no flaw in her. God made your wife, and God makes no
mistakes. If you find a part of her body flawed, then it is your mind
that needs to be changed. The responsibility upon the man to grow to
love, and express love, for every part of his wife is needed. Also,
respectfully and sensually tell her so. It will not help to criticize
her or to be sarcastic. If you do this, it will probably result in her
wanting to be less romantic with you less often. Think of how good she
will feel when both you and her truly believe that you are enamored
with every part of her!

11. "Honor your marriage; keep it pure by remaining true to your wife
in every way."(Hebrews 13:4) Jesus says that "lustful looks are
adultery."(Matthew 5:28) This is similar to "where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also..."(Luke 12:34). Do not treasure such
lust in any area of life. Deny it access to you heart. Keep your
marriage pure by training your heart and eyes to be true to your wife.
Your marriage will reap huge benefits if you do and will hopefully
last for a lifetime!
Thank the Lord for beauty and appreciate it, but keep your eye, joy,
mind and heart always and only on your wife.

12. "Be thankful for your wife and realize the favor you have received
from God."(Proverbs 18:22) Just think of how lonely you would be
without a wife. Adam was alone and it wasn't good for him to be alone,
so God gave him a wife. You have a lifetime companion, a friend, and a
lover to enjoy every day. What a blessing! Thank God and pray for her
daily. She is a tremendous "prize" from God.

13. "Be one flesh with your wife in every way."(Matthew 19:5) Enjoy
life with her as if you want to be inseparable from her. Long to be
with her, like you did when you first met. Rush home from work to see
her. Think about her during the day. Call her every day and text her
as much as you can. Learn as a couple to agree on everything and be
like-minded. Enjoy intimacy and sex often. You should have sex as
often as is necessary to meet the desires of whichever spouse has the
stronger sex drive, and as schedules and health permit. Spend time
just talking and sharing the day's events. Show a genuine interest and
listen intently to your wife. Give her your full attention and eye
contact anytime she is talking to you. Your wife is more important
than anything or anyone alive but Jesus Christ. Be unified and one
with your wife.

Can You Do This To Your Daughter? Teaching Your Daughters to Value Modesty

I have an idea for a great new reality show – one in which the task is
so challenging as to be nearly impossible. Take a typical mom, dad and
daughter, and drop them in a shopping mall with $500 to buy the
daughter a new wardrobe. The catch: everything they buy has to pass
the modesty test.

Sound simple? Let me tell you, it's not. When my daughter were small,
the fashion world had little impact on her clothing choices. Dad and
Mom made most of the decisions for them. For many years, in fact, I
made their dresses for special occasions myself, and these were always
received with great excitement. As they grew and their worlds
enlarged, so did their perceptions of fashion. Our shopping
expeditions became exercises in endurance, rather than enjoyable
outings.

As just one sample of what we're up against as parents, one very
popular store markets thong underwear emblazoned with sexy slogans
like "eye candy" and "wink, wink" to girls aged 7-14. Asked to defend
their product, the company spokesperson said, "It's cute and sweet and
fun."

Granted, this is an extreme example. But even when shopping for basic
items like jeans and t-shirts, it is becoming increasingly difficult
to find attractive, fashionable clothes for young girls that don't
show off a whole lot of skin. Tube tops, crop tops, clingy fabrics,
low-cut dresses and low-rise jeans are all the rage. CNN and Fox News
Channel commentator Betsy Hart complained about one national retailer,
where she found everything for her young daughter to be too tight, too
low-cut and too short. In her words, "dressing my not-yet-six-year-old
like she is Britney Spears is at best silly, and at worst
unnecessarily sexualizing our littlest girls."

In this cultural climate, what is a parent to do? Drawing from my
experiences as a Father of a daughter, I'd like to share a few
suggestions that might be an encouragement in this critical parenting
issue.

1. Embrace modesty

Given the current state of things, does modesty even matter anymore?
Our culture tells us no, and we've been so affected by the world
around us that sometimes we don't even stop to think about what our
appearance says about us, or how it measures up to God's standards.

God calls us to a life of purity, and modesty is a natural outworking
of a pure heart. A speaker I heard recently told of young men in her
church youth group who were complaining about what the girls in the
group were wearing. These boys were sincerely coming to youth group to
worship God, and they really felt that they were being distracted from
that and even led astray by the immodest dress of the girls in the
group. They didn't know where to look, and it was very hard on them as
they tried to obey God and keep from lusting.

Keep in mind that these were boys who were actively fighting against
temptation. Imagine the impact of improper dress on men who have
serious lust problems, or who don't even recognize it as a problem. I
think that the proliferation of pornography and blatant sexual
messages in our society today is linked to widespread immodest dress.
What once would have been considered unacceptable and risqué is now
not just accepted, but commonplace. No wonder some men have great
difficulty in this area! It is a battle for them to protect themselves
from the onslaught of our sex-crazed society. Yes, the men have a
responsibility to control themselves, but women also have a
responsibility not to cause them to stumble.

The way in which a girl dresses will also impact the kind of guy she
attracts, which will in turn impact their behaviours and attitudes
toward sex. As one young lady shared, "I know that the kind of things
that I wear draw a certain kind of guy. And ultimately the guy that I
want to have as a husband is a guy that's committed to purity. He
doesn't want to lust…If I'm dressing kind of seductively in what I'm
wearing, I'm going to be attracting a guy that is okay with that, and
it almost says that I'm impure, but that he's okay with that; whereas,
if I'm dressing modestly, it's going to attract a guy that respects
that and appreciates that."

Ultimately, the most important reason for embracing modesty is that
God's Word tells us to do so. If the Holy Spirit lives in us, our
bodies are God's temple, and revealing clothing is not honouring to
Him. It is also not honouring to our spouse (or future spouse). Our
bodies are meant for our spouse alone to enjoy, so a girl who displays
her body publicly is actually defrauding her future mate.

2. Define family modesty standards

What is modesty? Modesty means different things to different people
and, like other words, its meaning has undergone a metamorphosis over
time. The dictionary tells us that to be modest is to avoid
impropriety or indecency, to be reserved in sexual matters, and to be
unpretentious in appearance. Indecency is a strong word, meaning
'highly unsuitable,' but unfortunately our society has redefined this
word as well. What was once considered unsuitable dress in public is
now commonplace. Perhaps it is better to focus on the idea of being
unpretentious in appearance. A modest person does not call attention
to themselves by the way they dress.

In order to teach our daughters to value modesty in a world where
modesty is seen as prudish, we must make the effort to establish
clearly what we consider to be modest. This is made more difficult
because society's standards of modesty have changed so much over time.
When I was in high school, for example, exposing a bra strap would
have been extremely embarrassing for a teen girl. Today it's
considered no big deal, and in fact many girls in elementary school
purposely wear designer straps as a fashion statement.

So how do we know what constitutes modest apparel and what doesn't?
Ultimately, it is up to you as parents to set the family standard.
Discuss it with your spouse and come up with some guidelines that you
can pass on to your daughters. Determine what you consider to be
acceptable clothing choices. Talk about a specific age when it comes
to wearing make-up, heels, etc. and be prepared to explain your
decision-making process. I'd encourage you to give this some serious
thought and refrain from changing the standard if you have more than
one daughter. With three daughters and eleven years between the eldest
and youngest, this has been a test of our memories!

For our family, necklines are close to the collarbone and hem lengths
are to the knee or longer. Makeup is worn to enhance, rather than to
attract attention, and the first makeup to be used is a little mascara
and lipgloss around age thirteen. Clothing is clean and well kept.

In developing your standards, you may also need to educate yourself on
current fads and slang. Some clothing and accessories may look
innocent, while actually conveying a much different message. For
example, a lot of kids today are wearing t-shirts carrying slogans of
a sexual nature. Because the terms are different from what their
Mother grew up with, this often flies under the radar of parents – but
rest assured, the kids all know what they mean! Or consider jelly
bracelets. These thin, multi-coloured rubber bracelets were innocently
traded and collected by children in the 1980's. They're now back in
vogue among teens and pre-teens, with one important difference: they
are now used as sex bracelets, where giving a person a bracelet of a
particular colour carries with it an implied offer to perform a
corresponding sexual act. If your child wants to wear something and
you suspect it may convey a hidden message, ask them about it.

Be assured, modest clothing can still be stylish and attractive. Be
prepared to spend some extra time searching out suitable fashions for
your daughters. They are out there, but you'll have to be willing to
cheerfully make the effort and, in some cases, spend a little extra.

3. Get the kids onside

Once you've set your standards, the next key is to get your kids to
buy in without a full-scale revolt! It's easy to say, "I'm the parent
and you will do what I tell you," but while that approach may bring
about outward conformity to the standard, it will not help your
daughters to begin to value modesty in their own hearts. Instead, you
want to help them to understand why modesty is such an important
character issue and teach them to make good decisions on their own.

We've found it very helpful to be able to give our daughters reasons
as to the suitability or unsuitability of a piece of apparel. It's
good to be able to explain to them how a young man regards some of
their fashion choices. This explanation, of course, must be purposeful
and age appropriate. Your daughter may honestly not realize that the
item she'd love to wear causes guys to look at her in a way she was
not anticipating. She may respond by saying that this is the guy's
problem; that he should have more self-control. And, again, young men
should demonstrate self-control, but God has designed males to be
visually attracted to females. Your daughter needs to understand that
this is very powerful, and she does not need to contribute to the
problem.

The teaching of modesty should begin as early as possible. Model a
modest form of dress. Provide bathrobes for family members and be
aware of the way you dress both within and outside your home. Minimize
the impact of the brand name mentality by beginning early in their
lives to teach them the value of money, and that a brand name item is
not necessarily a better item. Often we get our kids hooked on brand
names by dressing our young children in these clothes, and it becomes
hard to backtrack when the price tag inflates or the styles become
racier.

Be on the lookout for good role models that are older than your own
daughter and allow these friends to influence them; they can be a
tremendous help to you. Also, watch for positive examples in the world
of entertainment and introduce your kids to them.

4. Counter the media onslaught

Realize that fashion is big business. Kids' and teen clothing
represents a multi-billion dollar industry, and the advertisers know
exactly how to entice our children. Your daughters are bombarded from
an increasingly early age through the media – music, videos, TV and
technology. In fact, marketing that used to be aimed at teens has now
shifted to the tween group (ages 8-13).

This shift is having a noticeable impact on girls in this age
category. Adult clothing styles are being mini-sized to fit young
girls. As Betsy Hart pointed out, this has led to the sexualization of
pre-teen girls seeking to emulate their media heroes. And it's not
just the clothes that are being adopted, but also the attitudes toward
life in general and sexuality in particular. Kids are being made to
grow up faster than ever before.

We can diminish the influence of media by helping our daughters make
wise choices concerning TV programs, videos, movies, music and reading
material. It's important to begin at an early age to instill values
and guidelines for making discerning choices. Talk about these choices
in entertainment and fashion selection with your tweens and teens
before they ever become issues.

5. Value character over appearance

It is important to tell your daughter how beautiful she is, so that
she doesn't have to go outside the family to hear this message. Even
more vital than praising her appearance, though, is affirming her
character. We need to counteract our culture's influence by placing
value on what God values – the inner heart and character of an
individual. The Bible says, "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is
fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised" (Proverbs
31:30). Compliment your daughter on her inner character frequently.
Encourage her to cultivate a vibrant walk with Jesus Christ by being a
character model before her and taking a genuine interest in her
spiritual life.

Most importantly, pray for your daughter daily. It's a very different
world than the one that we grew up in and the temptations are more
overt and bold. Pray fervently that she will have a heart that seeks
to know God.

6. Recognize dad's critical role

Never underestimate the influence of a Dad. As a Father I went on many
shopping trips, even though this is not my favourite activity, in
order to show my interest and have some input into the selection
process. Dad's approval is extremely significant in a daughter's life,
so fathers need to be careful in how they relate to them. Both words
and tone matter greatly. Even though she may act like she resents your
intrusion in her life at times, your daughter really does care about
what you think of her. Dads, let your daughter know that you think she
is beautiful – that she is unique in your eyes and God's. Your girls
carefully watch your reaction – your opinion counts!

Preparing your daughter to follow God's standards in this area of
modesty is a gift that will last a lifetime. I like to think of
modesty as a pattern that I am helping my daughters weave into their
lives; a pattern that will become so much a part of their moral fibre
that it will enable them to freely and fully enjoy being the women God
has designed them to be.

"For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to
your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard
you." ~ Proverbs 2:10-11

How to get to heaven - what are the ideas from the different religions?

There appear to be five major categories regarding how to get to
heaven in the world's religions. Most believe that hard work and
wisdom will lead to ultimate fulfillment, whether that is unity with
god (Hinduism, Buddhism, and Baha'i) or freedom and independence
(Scientology, Jainism). Others, like Unitarianism and Wicca, teach the
afterlife is whatever you want it to be, and salvation is a non-issue
because the sin nature doesn't exist. A few believe either the
afterlife doesn't exist or it's too unknowable to consider.

Derivatives of the worship of the Christian-Judeo God generally hold
that faith in God and/or Jesus and the accomplishment of various
deeds, including baptism or door-to-door evangelism, will ensure the
worshiper will go to heaven. Only Christianity teaches that salvation
is a free gift of God through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9), and
no amount of work or effort is necessary or possible to get to heaven.

Atheism: Most atheists believe there is no heaven—no afterlife at all.
Upon death, people simply cease to exist. Others attempt to define the
afterlife using quantum mechanics and other scientific methods.

Baha'i: Like many other religions, Baha'i doesn't teach that man was
born with a sin nature or that man needs saving from evil. Man simply
needs saving from his erroneous beliefs of how the world works and how
he is to interact with the world. God sent messengers to explain to
people how to come to this knowledge: Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster,
Moses, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, and Baha'u'llah. These prophets
progressively revealed the nature of God to the world. Upon death, a
person's soul continues its spiritual journey, perhaps through the
states known as heaven and hell, until it comes to a final resting
point, united with god.

Buddhism: Buddhism also believes that heaven, or "Nirvana," is to be
rejoined in spirit with god. Reaching Nirvana, a transcendental,
blissful, spiritual state, requires following the Eightfold Path. This
includes understanding the universe, and acting, speaking, and living
in the right manner and with the right intentions. Mastering these and
the other of the eight paths will return a worshipper's spirit to god.

Chinese Religion: Chinese Religion is not an organized church, but an
amalgamation of different religions and beliefs including Taoism and
Buddhism. Upon death, worshipers are judged. The good are sent either
to a Buddhist paradise or a Tao dwelling place. The bad are sent to
hell for a period of time and then reincarnated.

Christianity: Christianity is the only religion that teaches man can
do nothing to earn or pay his way into heaven. Man, a slave to the sin
nature he was born with, must completely rely on the grace of God in
applying Jesus Christ's sacrifice to the sins of the believer. People
are saved by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ. Upon
death, the spirits of Christians go to heaven, while the spirits of
unbelievers go to a temporary holding place called hell. At the final
judgment, unbelievers are separated from God for eternity in the lake
of fire.

Confucianism: Confucianism concentrates on appropriate behavior in
life, not a future heaven. The afterlife is unknowable, so all effort
should be made to make this life the best it can be, to honor
ancestors, and to respect elders.

Eastern Orthodox: Orthodoxy is a Christian-Judeo derivative that
reinterprets key Scripture verses in such a way that works become
essential to reach heaven. Orthodoxy teaches that faith in Jesus is
necessary for salvation, but where Christianity teaches that becoming
more Christlike is the result of Christ's influence in a believer's
life, Orthodoxy teaches that it is a part of the salvation process. If
that process (called theosis) is not performed appropriately, a
worshiper can lose his/her salvation. After death, the devout live in
an intermediate state where this theosis can be completed. Those who
have belief but did not accomplish sufficient progress in theosis are
sent to a temporary "direful condition" and will go to hell unless the
living devout pray and complete acts of mercy on their behalf. After
final judgment, the devout are sent to heaven and the others to hell.
Heaven and hell are not locations, but reactions to being in the
presence of God, as there is nowhere that He is not present. For
Christ-followers, God's presence is paradise, but for the unsaved,
being with God is eternal torment.

Hinduism: Hinduism is similar to Buddhism in some ways. Salvation (or
moksha) is reached when the worshiper is freed from the cycle of
reincarnation, and his spirit becomes one with god. One becomes free
by ridding oneself of bad karma—the effect of evil action or evil
intent. This can be done in three different ways: through selfless
devotion to and service of a particular god, through understanding the
nature of the universe, or by mastering the actions needed to fully
appease the gods.

In Hinduism, with over a million different gods, there are differences
of opinion regarding the nature of salvation. The Advaita school
teaches salvation occurs when one can strip away the false self and
make the soul indistinguishable from that of god. The dualist insists
that one's soul always retains its own identity even as it is joined
with god.

Islam: Islam is a take-off on the Christian/Judeo God. Muslims believe
salvation comes to those who obey Allah sufficiently that good deeds
outweigh the bad. Muslims hope that repeating what Muhammad did and
said will be enough to get to heaven, but they also recite extra
prayers, fast, go on pilgrimages, and perform good works in hope of
tipping the scales. Martyrdom in service to Allah is the only work
guaranteed to send a worshiper to paradise.

Jainism: Jainism came to be in India about the same time as Hinduism
and is very similar. One must hold the right belief, have the right
knowledge, and act in the right manner. Only then can a soul be
cleansed of karma. But in Jainism, there is no creator. There is no
higher god to reach or lend aid. Salvation is man as master of his own
destiny, liberated and perfect, filled with infinite perception,
knowledge, bliss, and power.

Jehovah's Witnesses: The teachings of the Watchtower Society lead us
to categorize the Jehovah's Witnesses as a cult of Christianity that
misinterprets the book of Revelation. Similar to Mormons, Jehovah's
Witnesses teach different levels of heaven. The anointed are 144,000
who receive salvation by the blood of Christ and will rule with Him in
paradise. They are the bride of Christ. For all others, Jesus'
sacrifice only freed them from Adam's curse of original sin, and
"faith" is merely the opportunity to earn their way to heaven. They
must learn about Kingdom history, keep the laws of Jehovah, and be
loyal to "God's government"—the 144,000 leaders, 9,000 of whom are
currently on the earth. They must also spread the news about the
Kingdom, including door-to-door proselytizing. Upon death, they will
be resurrected during the millennial kingdom where they must continue
a devout life. Only afterwards are they given the opportunity to
formally accept Christ and live for eternity under the rule of the
144,000.

Judaism: Jews believe that, as individuals and as a nation, they can
be reconciled to God. Through sin (individually or collectively) they
can lose their salvation, but they can also earn it back through
repentance, good deeds, and a life of devotion.

Mormonism: Mormons believe their religion to be a derivative of
Judeo/Christianity, but their reliance on extra-grace works belies
this. They also have a different view of heaven. To reach the second
heaven under "general salvation," one must accept Christ (either in
this life or the next) and be baptized or be baptized by proxy through
a living relative. To reach the highest heaven, one must believe in
God and Jesus, repent of sins, be baptized in the church, be a member
of the LDS church, receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands,
obey the Mormon "Word of Wisdom" and all God's commandments, and
complete certain temple rituals including marriage. This "individual
salvation" leads to the worshiper and his/her spouse becoming gods and
giving birth to spirit children who return to Earth as the souls of
the living.

Roman Catholicism: Roman Catholics originally believed only those in
the Roman Catholic Church could be saved. Joining the church was a
long process of classes, rituals, and baptism. People who had already
been baptized but were not members of the Roman Catholic Church had
different requirements and may even already be considered Christians.
Baptism is "normatively" required for salvation, but this can include
"baptism of blood" (i.e.: martyrdom) or "baptism of desire" (wanting
to be baptized really badly). From the catechism: "Those who die for
the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without
knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek
God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, are saved even if they
have not been baptized." Despite the changes through the years,
baptism (or the desire for baptism) is still required for salvation.

According to Catholicism, upon death, the souls of those who rejected
Christ are sent to hell. The souls of those who accepted Christ and
performed sufficient acts to be purified of sin go to heaven. Those
who died in faith but did not complete the steps to be purified are
sent to purgatory where they undergo temporary, painful punishment
until their souls are cleansed. Purification by torment may be
lessened by suffering during life and the offerings and prayers of
others on the sinner's behalf. Once purification is complete, the soul
may go to heaven.

Scientology: Scientology is similar to Eastern religions in that
salvation is achieved through knowledge of self and the universe. The
"thetan" (Scientology's answer to the soul) travels through several
different lifetimes, attempting to expel painful and traumatic images
that cause a person to act fearfully and irrationally. Once a
Scientologist is "cleared" of these harmful images and becomes an
"operating thetan," he/she is able to control thought, life, matter,
energy, space, and time.

Shinto: The afterlife in Shinto was originally a dire, Hades-like
realm. Matters of the afterlife have now been transferred to Buddhism.
This salvation is dependent on penance and avoiding impurity or
pollution of the soul. Then one's soul can join those of its
ancestors.

Sikhism: Sikhism was created in reaction to the conflict between
Hinduism and Islam, and carries on many of Hinduism's
influences—although Sikhs are monotheistic. "Evil" is merely human
selfishness. Salvation is attained by living an honest life and
meditating on god. If good works are performed sufficiently, the
worshipper is released from the cycle of reincarnation and becomes one
with god.

Taoism: Like several other Eastern religions (Shinto, Chinese folk
religions, Sikhism), Taoism adopted many of its afterlife principles
from Buddhism. Initially, Taoists didn't concern themselves with
worries of the afterlife and, instead, concentrated on creating a
utopian society. Salvation was reached by aligning with the cosmos and
receiving aid from supernatural immortals who resided on mountains,
islands, and other places on Earth. The result was immortality.
Eventually, Taoists abandoned the quest for immortality and took on
the afterlife teachings of Buddhism.

Unitarian-Universalism: Unitarians are allowed to and encouraged to
believe anything they like about the afterlife and how to get there.
Although, in general, they believe people should seek enlightenment in
this life and not worry too much about the afterlife.

Wicca: Wiccans believe many different things about the afterlife, but
most seem to agree that there is no need for salvation. People either
live in harmony with the Goddess by caring for her physical
manifestation—the earth—or they don't, and their bad karma is returned
to them three-fold. Some believe souls are reincarnated until they
learn all their life lessons and become one with the Goddess. Some are
so committed to following one's individual path that they believe
individuals determine what will happen when they die; if worshippers
think they're going to be reincarnated or sent to hell or joined with
the goddess, they will be. Others refuse to contemplate the afterlife
at all. Either way, they don't believe in sin or anything they need
saving from.

Zoroastrianism: Zoroastrianism may be the first religion that stated
that the afterlife was dependent upon one's actions in life. There is
no reincarnation, just a simple judgment four days after death. After
a sufficient amount of time in hell, however, even the condemned can
go to heaven. To be judged righteous, one can use knowledge or
devotion, but the most effective way is through action.

•Want to learn the truth about going to heaven? Please the link below

http://pstgabrielpeter.blogspot.nl/2016/01/going-to-heaven-how-can-i-guarantee-my.html?m=1

Going to Heaven - how can I guarantee my eternal destination?"

Face it. The day that each of us will step into eternity may come sooner than we think. In preparation for that moment, we need to know this truth—not everyone is going to heaven. How can we know for sure that we are one of those who will spend eternity in heaven? Some 2,000 years ago, the apostles Peter and John were preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to a large crowd in Jerusalem. It was then that Peter made a profound statement that resonates even in our post-modern world: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Even as it was then, in today's "all ways lead to heaven" climate, this is not a politically correct message. There are many who think they can have heaven without having Jesus. They want the good promises of glory, but they don't want to be bothered by the cross, much less the One who hung and died there for the sins of all who would believe in Him. Many don't want to accept Jesus as the only way and are determined to find another path. But Jesus Himself warns us that no other path exists and the consequences for not accepting this truth are an eternity in hell. He has told us plainly that "whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him" (John 3:36). Some will argue that it's extremely narrow-minded of God to provide only one way to heaven. But, frankly, in light of mankind's rebellious rejection of God, it's extremely broad-minded for Him to provide us with any way to heaven. We deserve judgment, and instead He gives us the way of escape by sending His only begotten Son to die for our sins. Whether someone sees this as narrow or broad, it's the truth, and Christians need to maintain the clear, untarnished message that the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ. Many people today have believed a watered-down gospel that does away with the message of repentance of their sins. They want to believe in a loving, nonjudgmental God who requires no repentance and no change in their lifestyle. They may say things like, "I believe in Jesus Christ, but my God is not judgmental. My God would never send a person to hell." But we cannot have it both ways. If we profess to be Christians, we must recognize Christ for who He said He is—the one and only way to heaven. To deny that is to deny Jesus Himself, for it was He who declared, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). The question still remains: who will actually enter into God's kingdom? How can I guarantee my eternal destination? The answer to these questions is seen in the clearly drawn distinction between those who have eternal life and those who do not. "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:12). Those who believe in Christ, who have accepted His sacrifice in payment of their sins, and who follow Him in obedience will spend eternity in heaven. Those who reject Him will not. "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son" (John 3:18). As awesome as heaven will be for those who choose Jesus Christ as Savior, hell will be that much more awful for those who reject Him. Our message to the lost would be delivered with more urgency if we understood what the holiness and righteousness of God will do to those who have rejected the full provision of forgiveness in His Son, Jesus Christ. One cannot read the Bible seriously without seeing it over and over again—the line is drawn. The Bible is very clear that there is one and only one way to heaven—through Jesus Christ. He has given us this warning: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:13-14). There is only one way to heaven and those who follow that way are guaranteed to get there. But not everyone is following that way. Are you? Have you made a decision for Christ because of what you have read here? If so, please click the link below http://pstgabrielpeter.blogspot.nl/2016/01/i-have-just-put-my-faith-in-jesusnow.html?m=1

http://pstgabrielpeter.blogspot.nl/2016/01/i-have-just-put-my-faith-in-jesusnow.html?m=1

I have just put my faith in Jesus...now what?

Congratulations on your decision to place your faith in Jesus Christ
for salvation (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10). The Christian life is a
journey, but you can always be confident that God loves you and is
with you each step of the way (Matthew 28:20).

If you would like to talk to someone about the decision you just made,
or if you have questions about receiving Jesus Christ as Savior, send
a request to BBM: 3323CD56, WHATSAPP: +234 706 572 0601 to start a
live chat.

If you have any questions about the decision you made, or would like
to share your decision to receive Christ with us, you can submit your
question at: pstgabspeter@gmail.com

Congratulations! You have made a life-changing decision! Perhaps you
are asking, "Now what? How do I begin my journey with God?" The five
steps mentioned below will give you direction from the Bible.

1. Make sure you understand salvation.

First John 5:13 tells us, "I write these things to you who believe in
the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal
life." God wants us to understand salvation. God wants us to have the
confidence of knowing for sure that we are saved. Briefly, let's go
over the key points of salvation:

(a) We have all sinned. We have all done things that are displeasing
to God (Romans 3:23).

(b) Because of our sin, we deserve to be punished with eternal
separation from God (Romans 6:23).

(c) Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins (Romans
5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus died in our place, taking the
punishment that we deserved. Jesus' resurrection proved that His death
was sufficient to pay for our sins.

(d) God grants forgiveness and salvation to all those who place their
faith in Jesus—trusting His death as the payment for our sins (John
3:16; Romans 5:1; Romans 8:1).

(e) The Holy Spirit comes to reside permanently within at the moment
of faith. He assures us of everlasting life. He teaches us God's Word
and empowers us to live according to it.

That is the message of salvation! If you have placed your faith in
Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are saved! All of your sins are
forgiven, and God promises to never leave you or forsake you (Romans
8:38–39; Matthew 28:20). Remember, your salvation is secure in Jesus
Christ (John 10:28–29). If you are trusting in Jesus alone as your
Savior, you can have confidence that you will spend eternity with God
in heaven!

2. Find a good church that teaches the Bible.

Don't think of the church as a building. The church is the people. It
is very important that believers in Jesus Christ fellowship with one
another. That is one of the primary purposes of the church. Now that
you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, we strongly encourage you
to find a Bible-believing church in your area and speak to the pastor.
Let him know about your new faith in Jesus Christ.

A second purpose of the church is to teach the Bible. You can learn
how to apply God's instructions to your life. Understanding the Bible
is key to living a successful and powerful Christian life. 2 Timothy
3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that
the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

A third purpose of the church is worship. Worship is thanking God for
all He has done! God has saved us. God loves us. God provides for us.
God guides and directs us. How could we not thank Him? God is holy,
righteous, loving, merciful, and full of grace. Revelation 4:11
declares, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and
honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they
were created and have their being."

3. Set aside time each day to focus on God.

It is very important for us to spend time each day focusing on God.
Some people call this a "quiet time." Others call it "devotions,"
because it is a time when we devote ourselves to God. Some prefer to
set aside time in the mornings, while others prefer the evenings. It
does not matter what you call this time or when you do it. What
matters is that you regularly spend time with God. What events make up
our time with God?

(a) Prayer. Prayer is simply talking to God. Talk to God about your
concerns and problems. Ask God to give you wisdom and guidance. Ask
God to provide for your needs. Tell God how much you love Him and how
much you appreciate all He does for you. That is what prayer is all
about.

(b) Bible Reading. In addition to being taught the Bible in church,
Sunday School, and/or Bible studies – you need to be reading the Bible
for yourself. The Bible contains everything you need to know in order
to live a successful Christian life. It contains God's guidance for
how to make wise decisions, how to know God's will, how to minister to
others, and how to grow spiritually. The Bible is God's Word to us.
The Bible is essentially God's instruction manual for how to live our
lives in a way that is pleasing to Him and satisfying to us.

4. Develop relationships with people who can help you spiritually.

1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us, "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts
good character.'" The Bible is full of warnings about the influence
"bad" people can have on us. Spending time with those who engage in
sinful activities will cause us to be tempted by those activities. The
character of those we are around will "rub off" on us. That is why it
is so important to surround ourselves with other people who love the
Lord and are committed to Him.

Try to find a friend or two, perhaps from your church, who can help
you and encourage you (Hebrews 3:13; 10:24). Ask your friends to keep
you accountable in regard to your quiet time, your activities, and
your walk with God. Ask if you can do the same for them. This does not
mean you have to give up all your friends who do not know the Lord
Jesus as their Savior. Continue to be their friend and love them.
Simply let them know that Jesus has changed your life and you cannot
do all the same things you used to do. Ask God to give you
opportunities to share Jesus with your friends.

5. Be baptized.

Many people have a misunderstanding of baptism. The word "baptize"
means to immerse in water. Baptism is the biblical way of publicly
proclaiming your new faith in Christ and your commitment to follow
Him. The action of being immersed in the water illustrates being
buried with Christ. The action of coming out of the water pictures
Christ's resurrection. Being baptized is identifying yourself with
Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4).

Baptism is not what saves you. Baptism does not wash away your sins.
Baptism is simply a step of obedience, a public proclamation of your
faith in Christ alone for salvation. Baptism is important because it
is a step of obedience – publicly declaring faith in Christ and your
commitment to Him. If you are ready to be baptized, you should speak
with a pastor.

Should Christian women wear pants?

The question about whether Christian women should wear pants or slacks
is an issue that is raised about externals when the life of the child
of God should rather be about a spiritual relationship based upon our
position in Christ as believers. The obedience of a child of God is
not measured by what clothing we wear but by our walk in the Spirit
(Galatians 5:16).

When looking at "doubtful things," we need to use Scripture in context
for the principles that will help us walk as believers, which means
considering the dispensation and the whole counsel of God and not
taking passages out of context. There is a passage in the Old
Testament that speaks about a woman wearing men's clothing: "A woman
must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing, for the
LORD your God detests anyone who does this" (Deuteronomy 22:5). The
context of this passage is the second giving of the law to the nation
of Israel as they were poised to enter the Promised Land. Deuteronomy
22:5 is an admonition not to live as a transvestite. This has to do
with more than just clothing; it also speaks of a life that emulates
in every way those of the opposite sex. Transvestitism was a practice
of the Canaanites, and Israel was to consider it an abomination. We
take a principle from this and apply it to our lives as believers, but
we must use it in the context in which it is given and do so in
relation to the dispensation of grace.

The Apostle Paul wrote extensively on the difference between the law
and grace in Romans. We are not justified by our adherence to the law,
but we are justified by faith in Christ (Romans 3:21-28). The believer
in Christ Jesus is "dead" to the constraints of the law. "But now, by
dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so
that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of
the written code" (Romans 7:6). Therefore, a believer does not live by
legalism, nor by license, but rather by grace.

What has that to do with a believing woman wearing pants? There is no
biblical law that says what a woman should wear or not wear. Rather,
the issue is one of modesty. Paul addresses the modesty of women in
his first letter to Timothy. "I also want women to dress modestly,
with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or
expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who
profess to worship God" (1 Timothy 2:9-10). The Greek word translated
modest is kosmios, which occurs twice in the New Testament, once as
"modest" in this passage and once as "of good behavior" in 1 Timothy
3:1. It came to mean "well-arranged, seemly, and modest."

The word clothes is the Greek word katastole. The meaning of the word
was "to send or to let down or lower." It was primarily a garment that
was let down and in that day referred to a stole or a loose outer
garment worn by kings and persons of rank. Since we know that Paul was
not speaking to people of rank, the context here is simply modest
attire, and it does not specify what that entails. Paul addressed this
issue here because the women in the church were trying to outdo each
other in how they dressed, and the flashier the better. They were
losing sight of the things that should adorn a godly woman—humility,
sobriety, godliness, and good works. The words "dress modestly" are
not used here in the context of specific garments, but rather to being
clad in a modest covering. It should not be used to prove a
prohibition against wearing pants (also see 1 Peter 3:3-4).

So, the issue is that a woman should wear modest clothing. Whether or
not that includes a pair of slacks should be a matter for the woman's
own conscience before the LORD. If a woman allows her outward
appearance to be the measure of her inward relationship with Christ,
she is living under the constraints of legalism. Born-again women are
free in Christ to wear whatever modest apparel they choose, and the
only judgment they should be under is that of their own conscience.
"Everything that does not come from faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). We
are not to allow our consciences to be dictated to by legalism and the
consciences of others, but by our own relationship with Christ. "I
have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives
in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). God will take
care of the outward woman if we walk in obedience in the inward woman.

What does the Bible say about war?

Many people make the mistake of reading what the Bible says in Exodus
20:13, "You shall not kill," and then seeking to apply this command to
war. However, the Hebrew word literally means "the intentional,
premeditated killing of another person with malice; murder." God often
ordered the Israelites to go to war with other nations (1 Samuel 15:3;
Joshua 4:13). God ordered the death penalty for numerous crimes
(Exodus 21:12, 15; 22:19; Leviticus 20:11). So, God is not against
killing in all circumstances, but only murder. War is never a good
thing, but sometimes it is a necessary thing. In a world filled with
sinful people (Romans 3:10-18), war is inevitable. Sometimes the only
way to keep sinful people from doing great harm to the innocent is by
going to war.

In the Old Testament, God ordered the Israelites to "take vengeance on
the Midianites for the Israelites" (Numbers 31:2). Deuteronomy
20:16-17 declares, "However, in the cities of the nations the LORD
your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything
that breathes. Completely destroy them…as the LORD your God has
commanded you." Also, 1 Samuel 15:18 says, "Go and completely destroy
those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have
wiped them out." Obviously God is not against all war. Jesus is always
in perfect agreement with the Father (John 10:30), so we cannot argue
that war was only God's will in the Old Testament. God does not change
(Malachi 3:6; James 1:17).

Jesus' second coming will be exceedingly violent. Revelation 19:11-21
describes the ultimate war with Christ, the conquering commander who
judges and makes war "with justice" (v. 11). It's going to be bloody
(v. 13) and gory. The birds will eat the flesh of all those who oppose
Him (v. 17-18). He has no compassion upon His enemies, whom He will
conquer completely and consign to a "fiery lake of burning sulfur" (v.
20).

It is an error to say that God never supports a war. Jesus is not a
pacifist. In a world filled with evil people, sometimes war is
necessary to prevent even greater evil. If Hitler had not been
defeated by World War II, how many more millions would have been
killed? If the American Civil War had not been fought, how much longer
would African-Americans have had to suffer as slaves?

War is a terrible thing. Some wars are more "just" than others, but
war is always the result of sin (Romans 3:10-18). At the same time,
Ecclesiastes 3:8 declares, "There is…a time to love and a time to
hate, a time for war and a time for peace." In a world filled with
sin, hatred, and evil (Romans 3:10-18), war is inevitable. Christians
should not desire war, but neither are Christians to oppose the
government God has placed in authority over them (Romans 13:1-4; 1
Peter 2:17). The most important thing we can be doing in a time of war
is to be praying for godly wisdom for our leaders, praying for the
safety of our military, praying for quick resolution to conflicts, and
praying for a minimum of casualties among civilians on both sides
(Philippians 4:6-7).