“Search the Scriptures! Pray for light! Be sincere! God has promised that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled (Matthew 5:6). When you find the truth, share it and be not entangled with error for any reason or anyone’s sake. Jesus said, “In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9). In that same chapter He asks, “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” (verse 3).

We will be held individually accountable for truth that the Lord has made so plain in His Word. The choice, then, is whether to please God or a person. In Matthew 10:34-39 Jesus gives strong counsel concerning making Him predominant in our lives and affections. He says candidly, “A man’s foes [enemies] shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me” (verses 36, 37).

The harmony that Christ desires in the home is for husband and wife to be cheerfully united in one faith—based only on truth. Pray for this experience, and learn to have a little heaven right here on earth.”

—“Answers” by Charles D. Brooks, Message, July August 2002

(Black) Table Talk

Real conversations about our health

(Black) Table Talk

Real conversations about our health

hen I think of my family, I am reminded of gatherings with my immediate family and our loved ones, my birth family, and my extended family. What brings the warmest memories are the gatherings we had at my great grandmother and great aunt’s home. There was always good food. There was always a crowd. And always a lively discussion. As a matter of fact, it was at one of those gatherings that my parents announced their intention to make better choices around their health.

I’ve continued this tradition in my own home with my husband and son. Whenever we are hosting loved ones around a meal the conversation invariably turns to health. The conversations can get pretty lively, although we will take time for second helpings and dessert.

hen we hear the word “foreplay” we rarely think about things that happen outside of the bedroom. We typically visualize the actions that take place just before the sex act, like: running a hot bath, lighting scented candles, playing soft music on the stereo and turning down the lights. And yes, these acts all qualify as foreplay because they all have the potential to get you and your spouse ready for the main event. But did you know that the best foreplay is not physical, but is instead mental, emotional and spiritual? We refer to this kind as Wholistic Foreplay and it represents the third pillar in our 4 Pillars of Total Intimacy.

Wholistic Foreplay transcends the bedroom and goes beyond the things you do five minutes before penetration. Wholism is a theory that the parts of a whole are intimately interconnected and should be considered together when trying to understand a particular thing. That’s the essence of wholistic foreplay for us. We believe the best foreplay is at work all the time, even when the act of physical intimacy is not in your immediate future. And this makes sense because sex is a physical manifestation of a spiritual reality (we’ll talk more about this in our next article).

Whether in the school setting, neighborhood, family or traditional worship space, the science of feeling safe, connected, and unthreatened is critical for preserving relationships in an otherwise threatening world. In this short article, I am postulating that we can address those breakdowns—the rejection, the times when people come to conflict, resort to aggression, or retreat in fear.

I believe it is because we have created non-verbal stories in the language of our bodies, facial expression, prosody and tone of voice, and posture that have shaped cognitions, emotions, and behavior. I am suggesting that it’s time we go back in our prayer closets, open God’s science book of human physiology, and build upon scientific discoveries that advanced technology has provided us through the wisdom of God.

Like with all forms of grief, we experience a wide range of emotions. In addition to the sadness we feel when another life is taken, we often also feel anger and frustration that injustice seems to be the norm and not taken as seriously.

Both our children were born with Fragile X syndrome, a genetic condition that results in developmental problems like intellectual disabilities and cognitive impairment. It impacts both males and females but is typically more severe in males. However, in our situation, our daughter experienced greater intellectual disability than our son. To be honest, we learned that God was able to provide everything that we needed to make it through our situation despite the difficulties, which were many. I am sure that our experiences are not foreign to families who have children with disabilities. I believe that part of the calling on our lives was to experience this family dynamic and to share with others what we learned. Being Christian, did not prevent the hurt and the pain, the heartaches and loneliness, the feeling of isolation and darkness, and the impact of those who exhibited toward us inconsiderate behavior and lack of sympathy.

id you know that Tina Turner hated the song “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” She balked at recording it. It’s an “anti-love song,” yet, it hit a sore spot in her experience.

Throughout her marriage to Ike Turner he exercised tyrannical control over her life and work. He beat and raped her, broke her nose more than once, threw hot coffee in her face, and used her body to snuff his cigarettes. In 1968, Tina tried to escape the abuse by swallowing close to a hundred sleeping pills, but she found no lasting relief until 1976 when, with less than a dollar in her pocket, she snuck out while Ike slept.

“A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. ‘If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,’ he said.

“Moved with compassion,[a] Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed.”

all diseases known in the East the leprosy was most dreaded. Its incurable and contagious character, and its horrible effect upon its victims, filled the bravest with fear. Among the Jews it was regarded as a judgment on account of sin, and hence was called “the stroke,” “the finger of God.”

Deep-rooted, ineradicable, deadly, it was looked upon as a symbol of sin. By the ritual law, the leper was pronounced unclean. Like one already dead, he was shut out from the habitations of men. Whatever he touched was unclean. The air was polluted by his breath. One who was suspected of having the disease must present himself to the priests, who were to examine and decide his case. If pronounced a leper, he was isolated from his family, cut off from the congregation of Israel, and was doomed to associate with those only who were similarly afflicted. The law was inflexible in its requirement. Even kings and rulers were not exempt. A monarch who was attacked by this terrible disease must yield up the scepter, and flee from society. …

1. What about this story/context/verse stands out to me?
2. How is this different from the life I live now? How is this different from the society and culture I’m a part of? (Hebrews 4:16) Any other verses shed light on this?
3. How does this passage challenge me? Is there a verse that speaks to my challenge? (James 4:2)
4. Where do I see Jesus, or miss Jesus in this passage? (John 16:24, John 5:19) Are there verses that speak to this elsewhere in the Bible?
5. What am I missing in my life that God wants me to have? (John 10:10) What other verses are there to support that?
6. Is there someone else who could use this in their life? How can I share it?