Naming Your Child Sensibly

COULD you imagine what it’s like to be named after Adolf Hitler, the German dictator best known for systematically murdering more than six million Jews?

Well, a little three-year-old boy in the United States found out last month just what it is like being Hitler’s namesake. The toddler, whose German-American father named him Adolf Hitler Campbell, was denied a birthday cake because the bakery refused to write the offensive name in cream. Is a name just a name, or is there more to it? Should the boy feel obliged to identify with his name, especially as he was named after a historical figure?

The boy’s parents might have hoped he would, for whatever reason, but I pity the child, to have to carry on his shoulders for the rest of his life all the emotions, images and tragedies associated with his name.

Every parent has a duty by his child – a duty to provide and safeguard. Adolf Hitler Campbell’s parents have clearly defaulted on their duty. By so naming their child, they have marked him out for a lifetime of ridicule, to say the least.

An example in the bible is stated in Genesis 32:28 (NIV), Then the man said,
"Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with
God and with men and have overcome." From the scripture, a person name have
to be changed to reflect the major milestone achieved in a person's life. How
much more important when it comes to naming a child.

Suggested Reading

Bible Names For Your Baby - Joy Gardner, Paul Gardner

 

In other part of the world, parents, too, have been known to give their children “unique” names. Let me give you a modern example: A close friend of mine was named after a particular delicacy, because her mother had craved it more than other food during her pregnancy. Today, 35 years on, she is still explaining to every new acquaintance why she had been so named. Why do parents do such things? How do they decide on a name, anyway? I posed that question to my parents once, and their answer was illuminating though, I would argue, misplaced on hindsight: Hope. They had hoped that my name would confer on me certain qualities, or characteristics, that will give me a smooth passage in life.

A name can represent what you are, in 1 Samuel 25:25, it said "May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name is Fool, and folly goes with him. But as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my master sent."

But, seriously, the thing for parents to remember is this: A name is a person’s first possession. It is not something that is lightly received, and should not be lightly given. By the time the child is old enough to change his name, the damage might have been done.

In Adolf Hitler Campbell’s case, this would probably translate into growing up without friends. It’s a shame that should not befall any innocent child – and every child is innocent.

Suggested Reading

Best-Ever Christian Baby Name Book: Thousands of Names and Their Meanings -Nick Harrison, Steve Miller

 

 

David

Did you know about William Tyndale?

William Tyndale (sometimes spelled Tindall or Tyndall; pronounced) (year od living 1494 – 1536) was a 16th-century Protestant reformer and scholar who translated the Bible into the Early Modern English of his day. While a number of partial and complete Old English translations had been made from the seventh century onward, and Middle English translations particularly during the 14th century, Tyndale's was the first English translation to draw directly from Hebrew and Greek texts, and the first to take advantage of the new medium of print, which allowed for its wide distribution (it is worth mention that some scholars claim he made this translation from Latin[citation needed]). In 1535, Tyndale was arrested, jailed in the castle of Vilvoorde outside Brussels for over a year, tried for heresy and burnt at the stake.

Much of Tyndale's work eventually found its way into the King James Version
(or "Authorised Version") of the Bible, published in 1611, which, as the work
of 54 independent scholars revising the existing English versions, drew significantly
on Tyndale's translations.

24/7 NLT: A One Year Chronological Bible Hardcover - Tyndale House

William Tyndale's translation of the Bible introduced new words into the English language, such as Jehovah, Peacemaker, scapegoat, and beautiful. 

• Jehovah (from a transliterated Hebrew construction in the Old Testament; composed from the Tetragrammaton YHWH.
  
• Passover (as the name for the Jewish holiday, Pesach or Pesah)
• Atonement (= at + onement), which goes beyond mere "reconciliation" to mean "to unite" or "to cover", which springs from the Hebrew kippur, the Old Testament version of kippur being the covering of doorposts with blood, or "Day of Atonement".
• scapegoat (the goat that bears the sins and iniquities of the people in Leviticus, Chapter 16)

David

Christian Basics: How To Pray

What Are the Basics to Prayer?What Does the Bible Have to Say About Prayer?Have you struggled with prayer?Does prayer seem like an exercise in eloquent speech that you just don't possess? 

Prayer is not a mysterious practice reserved only for clergy and the religiously devout. Prayer is simply communicating with God - listening and talking to him. Believers can pray from the heart, freely, spontaneously, and in their own words. If prayer is a difficult area for you, learn these basics principles of prayer and how to apply them in your life. 

What Does the Bible Have to Say About Prayer?The Bible has a lot to say about prayer. The first mention of prayer is found in Genesis.

Genesis 4:26And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD. (NKJV)

What is the Correct Posture for Prayer?
There is no correct or certain posture for prayer, the main thing is your heart. If your heart is at ease even when you are lying down, go right ahead. For me to lie down, it is a comfortable to our body but do you do that when you are talking to someone?

In the Bible people prayed on their knees (1 Kings 8:45), bowing (Exodus 4:31), on their faces before God (2 Chronicles 20:18; Matthew 26:39), and standing (1 Kings 8:22). You may pray with your eyes opened or closed, quietly or out loud -- however you are most comfortable and least distracted. 

Should I Use Eloquent Words?
Your prayers need not be wordy or impressive in speech. Matthew 6:7 

"When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again." (NLT) 

Ecclesiastes 5:2
Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. (NIV)

Matthew 6:7 
"When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again." (NLT) 

Ecclesiastes 5:2

Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. (NIV)

Why Should I Pray?
• Prayer Develops Our Relationship with God.

If we never speak to our spouse or never listen to anything our spouse might have to say to us, our marriage relationship will quickly deteriorate. It is the same way with God. Prayer - communicating with God - helps us grow closer and more intimately connected with God.

Zechariah 13:9
I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.' " (NLT) 

John 15:7
But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! (NLT)

Zechariah 13:9
I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.' " (NLT) 

John 15:7 
But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! (NLT) 


• The Lord Instructed Us to Pray.
One of the simplest reasons to spend time in prayer is because the Lord instructed us to pray. Obedience is a natural by-product of discipleship. 

Matthew 26:41
"Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!" (NLT) 

Luke 18:1
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. (NIV)

Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (NIV)
(See also - Matthew 7:7 and 1 Timothy 2:8) 

What If I Don't Know How to Pray?
The Holy Spirit will help you in prayer when you don't know how to pray.

Romans 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. (NIV)

Recommended book on prayer

Prayer Storm: The Hour That Changes the World - James W. Goll

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Are There Requirements for Successful Prayer?

Yes, there are some requirements found in the Bible for successful prayer.

Successful prayer requires:

• A humble heart

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (NIV)

• Wholeheartedness
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (NIV)
 
• Faith
Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have
received it, and it will be yours. (NIV)

• Righteousness

James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you
may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (NIV)

• Obedience

1 John 3:22
And we will receive whatever we request because we obey him and do the things that please him. (NLT)

Does God Hear and Answer Prayer?

Yes, God hears and answers prayer. Here are several examples of this promise
from the Bible.

Psalm 34:17
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. (NIV)

Psalm 91:15
He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. (NIV)

Recommended book on prayer

Lord Teach Me To Pray In 28 Days (Expanded) - Kay Arthur

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Why are Some Prayers Not Answered?

Sometimes our prayers are not answered. The Bible gives several reasons or causes for failure in prayer:

Secret Sin -

Psalm 66:18 (NIV)
If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;

Unmerciful Heart -

Proverbs 21:13 (NIV)
If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.

Bloodguiltiness -

Isaiah 1:15 (NIV)
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood;

Stubbornness -

Zechariah 7:13 (NIV)
'When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,' says the LORD Almighty.

Prayer according to God's will

Sometimes our prayers are refused. Prayer must be in accord with God's divine will.


1 John 5:14
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according
to his will, he hears us. (NIV)

Recommended book on prayer

Prayers For The Faithful - Mary Ann Bridgwater

Have a great time talking to God!

David

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More wallets to chose from here

Happy time browsing!

David Leon

How to Start a Christian Book Club

Step 1 - Planning

Start by planning where you'd like to hold meetings. Decide where you want to
have the book club. Consider the size of the space where you'll be meeting.
There may be a meeting room at your church your pastor will let you use.

Step 2 - Who is in my team

Think about who you'd like to be in your club. A consistent group of five makes
for a more productive, cohesive book club, than a very large club with unconsistent
members. Who will you recruit and from where? Should gender be a qualifying
criteria. Would you prefer a group of your close friends? Do you want to include
family members? Or, do you want to keep it to your church? The downside of same
church member is usually they share the same viewpoint regarding biblical verses
and less chance to learn. Another alternative, if your goal is to meet new Christians,
you might want to open up membership. Also, appoint member to be part of the
team by assigning treasury, meeting minutes taker and rotating the roles.

Step 3 - Setting Objective and invitation

This is perhaps the most important part of any grouping, yet often forgotten:
Set objective. Once decided on the objective, have it printed out and placed
on some prominent place so that everyone knows where they are heading for.

Cap membership and get a commitment from everyone who says yes. Even those with
the very best intentions can take on too much and your book club membership
will suffer. Are you going to allow members to invite others? In your original
invitation (which can be a follow up to a phone call, especially if you want
initiate contact "in person") -- it should be written, via email is
the easiest way these days. Let them know that while everyone has to miss a
meeting here and there, that you hope that they'll set that time aside for your
Christian Book Club. Your membership may be directly tied to the space you're
using.

Step 4 - Meeting Consistently

Be consistent right from the start. Will the meetings always be held at your
house or the church? Once that's established, decide what day and time you want
to hold it and keep to that day (or night) and time. Logically, you will probably
want to meet every four to six weeks to give members time to read the book.

Step 5 - Books preference according to weaknesses

Decide how you will choose books. Will you let members make suggestions? A good
way is to do a simple survey, finding out what is lacking in the member's christianity
foundation, such as faith, worship, devotional, bible study, prayers, missionary
works. It is, your club, after all, and if you want, you can actually choose
the books categories that you want.

Step 6 - Reminders via email or sms

Send out an email or an Evite to each member. Require they rsvp by at least
a week before that next book club meeting. Include in that email or Evite a
way for members to tell you/other club members to let you know (if you do potluck)
what they're bringing., sharing what they have learned from the books.

Step 7 - Light up your meeting with excitement

Serve food and drink. Soulsoup is a great way to do it. One book club based
in Texas tries to choose their "Eats" (as they call the book club
food) with some relation to the book. For example, if they were going to read
Facing The Giants), they each bring something linked to American football; when
they read Persuasion (an ideal book, a classic) for your Christian Book Club,
they held an English tea. Ask each member to select a small piece of scripture
that has relevancy to the book or novel that you're reading that month.

Step 8 - Meeting Preparation

Prepare topics for discussion. Your Christian Book Club is likely to evolve
as time goes by, but in starting, it's best to keep it organized. It's up to
you to keep the ball rolling/conversation going.

Step 9 - Setting Meeting Duration

Set a cap (eg, 2 to 4 p.m.) for how long the meetings will run so that everyone
(and you) are able to make plans appropriately. It's a thoughtful way to run
a Christian Book Club.

Step 10 - Choose a book or books.

There are so many Christian/faith-based books these days, and they span the
genres. You can find Christian historical novels, historical romances, suspense
thrillers, chick lit, family stories, you name it. However you decide, you should
know what the next book will be by the current meeting. Make the announcement
of the next book

Tips

- Open and finish the club meetings with a prayer -- it supports your faith
and the intention of the club, as well as signifying when you want the meeting
to start and end.

- Here are some reading suggestions according to categories:

Faith building / Christian Living

Little by Little: A Journey to Success and Significance for Life - Jack Shaw

InStep With God - Charles F Stanley

Faith- Charles Colson, Harold Fickett

Against All Odds: My Story - Chuck Norris

Senior: My Amazing Year As a 59-Year-Old College Football Linebacker - Mike Flynt



Spiritual Warfare

Making Sense Of Spiritual Warfare - Eddie Smith

Devil Demons And Spiritual Warfare - Tom Brown

No Small Snake - Gordon Dalbey

Devotional / Prayers

Saved By Angels: To Share How God Talks To Everday People - Bruce Van Natta

Power Of Praying Through The Bible - Stormie Omartian

15 Minutes Alone With God For Men - Bob Barnes

World Events

Radical Islam War Against Israel Christianity/West - Richard Booker

What In The World Is Going On? - David Jeremiah

God And Politics - Roy Herron

Love/ Marriages Relationship

Creating An Intimate Marriage - Jim Burns

Marriage Divorce And Remarriage - Kenneth E. Hagin

2 Becoming 1: Twelve Steps to Achieve Unity, Agreement and Oneness - Harry &
Cheryl Salem

Fiction

Every Now And Then: 911 Series - Karen Kingsbury

A Sweetness To The Soul - Jane Kirkpatrick

Since your intent is to have a Christian Book Club, that should be clear to
each potential member right from the start.

Have a great and successful reading club

David