Yep, that’s me. 😀
I think my dad is around 22 or 23 in this picture. My parents were very young when they had me.
Teaching: Fellowship Is Essential
Every Sunday I provide videos and valuable links to the Truth or Tradition teachings. We’ve been following the Truth or Tradition teachings for many years now and they have truly blessed our family. We have found peace and happiness through our beliefs and we walk confidently for God. My hope, by passing on this information to you, is that what you find here, or on the Truth or Tradition website, will guide you to a better, more blessed and abundant life.
If you would like to read my views on religion and how we got started with the ministry, you can read this.
Let’s get started:
Another variable that affects our lives involves the way God relates to groups, nations, or corporate entities, and how everyone in such bodies of people can receive the consequences of corporate sin. There are times when what one person experiences is due to God’s grace, reward, mercy or wrath on an entire group of which he is a part. There are many examples of this in the Word of God. All the Egyptians suffered because of Pharaoh’s hard heart. Another example is in Joshua 7, where the army of Israel was defeated because of the sin of Achan and his family.
Although it may not at first seem “fair” that a person would be dealt with by God as part of a group, rather than on his or her own merits, the Bible and history clearly indicate that this happens. This is one of the main reasons why Christians are to be concerned about “social evils,” and work to keep society free from sin. Certain cultures have been and are much more God-oriented and accepting of spiritual truth than are others. That is one reason why God exhorts believers to pray for community leaders that the laws they make are conducive to Christians being free to live according to the dictates of God’s Word (1 Tim. 2:1ff).
In the category of how God relates to groups of people is something we will call “community faith,” that is, the mutual faith of individual Christians who associate with one another. Jesus alluded to this when he spoke of two or three believers gathered together in his name (Matt. 18:20). Every Christian knows that some churches or fellowships are “hot” and see great movements of God on a regular basis, while other churches are “cold” and have not seen God move powerfully in years. The fervent prayers of a group of Christians who are “of one accord” are synergistic, that is, greater than the sum of their individual prayers. In the spiritual battle, there are times when we as Christians must “link arms” with other brethren in order to be victorious (Acts 4:23-33).
When Jesus Christ walked among people, the love and power in his words and deeds generated great faith in many people. In other words, Jesus himself was a compelling object of faith. Today, Jesus is not living among us in person. But, via the gift of holy spirit, he does live within each Christian. As each of us comes to know the Lord Jesus and exercises his supernatural power resident within us, and as we speak the truth in love one to another, we provide visible examples of God’s goodness, and thus help others grow in faith. This is one reason why dynamic Christian fellowship based upon the truth of God’s Word is indispensable, as the following verses show. Without it, many believers remain weak in faith.
Hebrews 10:23-25
(23) Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
(24) And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
(25) Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.To do what the above verses exhort us to do, we must first be learning the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our individual lives — by prayer, reading the Word and reaching out to others in his stead, among other things. As we do this, our confidence in who we are in the Lord, our awareness of our own function in the Body of Christ and our zeal to diligently carry it out all grow.
Second, we must get together with other Christians, and continue to do so on a regular basis, and in a variety of ways. Third, whenever we do so, our attitude should be, “What can I do to bless someone?” The more secure you are in Christ, the more you are willing to be vulnerable in reaching out to others via loving doctrine, reproof or correction. The more real the Lord Jesus is to you, the more confident you are that he will work in you to help your brethren. This is why fellowship and faith are in one way mutually dependent. It is much more difficult to grow in faith if you are not actively involved in a Christian fellowship that is based upon the truth of God’s Word, practiced in love. [1]
If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about God’s wonderful message, please visit the Truth or Tradition website. You can also keep track of the ministry through their Facebook page, their YouTube Channel, or follow them on Twitter.
Thanks for reading.
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More from Write From Karen
The “Official” Graduating Photo
I bought the copyright release of this picture so I could order prints FOR MUCH CHEAPER off of SnapFish.
Totally worth it.
I also ordered a magnet to put on our fridge.
So Dude can see himself graduating every time he opens the fridge for a snack.
Which, he’ll be seeing a lot because he eats a lot.
Even though you couldn’t tell by looking at him because the kid’s a bean pole.
I’m hoping it serves to remind him that now that one hurdle has been jumped, it’s time to jump another hurdle – it’s called a CAREER.
I’m subtle like that.
Happy Birthday, Dad!
Hey! Matching smirks! Like father like daughter. HA!
Have a good day, dad. Love you!!
My High School Graduate – Thirteen Years Ago
I need to go through and post more of our old videos. These memories shouldn’t be buried in old shoe boxes!
If You Know What You Believe, You Can Defend It, Right?
This truly disturbs me. It shows that our young people (most people? Lord, I hope not) are simply regurgitating what they’re being told and really don’t understand the issue behind the cause, at all.
Look. Parents. I really don’t care which side of the fence you cut the lawn for, Democrat or Republican, if you can’t defend what you believe in, if you can’t look at a situation objectively and rationally, if you can’t teach your children the REASON behind why you believe what you believe in, then doesn’t that, right there, warrant a closer look into your beliefs? If a person has more questions than answers when it comes to morals, beliefs, causes, then wouldn’t it be more responsible to find out more information before championing the cause?
We consistently talk to our boys about WHY we believe the way we do. We back it up with facts, with proof, with history, in order to convince them we firmly believe in something. We look at ALL sides of an issue and then we discuss it. They have every right to believe differently than we do, but we have every right to question them as to WHY they believe differently than we do. If they can’t answer that simple question, “WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT WAY”, then catch me later – I’m done debating. (Actually, is it a debate if the other person can’t defend their position? I’d say that’s more along the lines of an argument and I have no desire to argue with an ill-informed person).
Here’s an older video from the Exposing Leftists website that is worth another watch:
I wish the Exposing Leftists people would make more videos – these are priceless, and informative.
Ignorance is not only bliss, it’s also a way to control the people. After all, if you don’t know the facts beyond a statement, cause, law, then how can you possibly dispute and/or reject it?
These young people are our future. Is anyone worried about their inability to think for themselves instead of allowing an individual, or an organization, to tell them what to think?
I am.
Audio Teaching: Keys to Godly Communication
by Ryan Maher
This very practical teaching will empower you with the understanding you need to communicate better with others, especially in times of conflict. When in conflict we always need to ask ourselves if we are really obeying God’s Word; this teaching will illuminate the many verses on this important topic. Keys to better communication emerge for staying connected and reconciling relationships. As God has a big stake in good communication as a part of loving one another, so the Devil has an investment in disrupting communication as a part of his plan to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).Our Communication Agreement is explained and expounded, with a strong exhortation to the people in our community to live according to these principles. Giving grace and the benefit of the doubt, and seeking to understand more than to be understood are just two important keys to better communication. This teaching can change your life and greatly improve your relationships, whether in conflict or not
Click the arrow to listen.
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