What Jesus Said about Murder

You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that…anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Matthew 5:21

Anger is a dangerous emotion that can kill or heal. It is natural, normal and universal so the fact that the Bible talks about it so much indicates how important God thinks it is for us to understand and manage.

St. Paul gave us the following instructions in Ephesians 4. You may all be angry, but be very careful because it is easy to miss that mark and hurt someone when you are angry. Like Jesus, Paul says we are all ind anger of being judge when we play with fire and anger is fiery.

Building a Better Relationship with God

Building a lifetime of great relationships

This means our ongoing relationship with God as well as with self and our neighbors. On Monday night, February 28 we will have a workshop on Spiritual Disciplines or "How to build a better relationship with God". I hope we can see you there and build a relationship with you as well as God.

Preparation for the workshop.

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” – Colossians 1:9

Following his graduation from Boston University in 1923, Raymond Edman arrived in Ecuador as a missionary. Two years later, the 25 year old American had contracted a rare tropical disease and was dying. He was so near death that the villagers had already dug his grave. His wife dyed her dress black for his funeral. He had great beads of sweat on his brow and there was a death rattle in his throat. But one night, he suddenly sat straight up in bed and said to his wife, "Bring me my clothes!" Nobody knew what had happened to cause this miraculous change of events.

Edman recovered and eventually became the president of Wheaton College.

Many years after his time in Ecuador, he was retelling the story in Boston. Afterward, a lady with a small, dog-eared, beaten-up book, approached him and asked, "What day did you say you were dying? What time was it in Ecuador? What time would it be in Boston?" When he answered her, her wrinkled face lit up. Pointing to her book, she said, "There it is, you see? At 2 a.m. God said to get up and pray - the devil's trying to kill Raymond Edman in Ecuador." And she'd gotten up and prayed.

Don’t just pray once for someone, keep on praying for them. Today in prayer, lift up to the Lord someone who needs your prayers.

“Pray often.” – John Bunyan

God’s Word: “I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.” – 2 Timothy 1:3

What is in your prayer journal? Dreams, visions, words, answers? What might be added Saturday?

Shalom,

Gary Sweeten

See Sweeten Life Systems for more resources.

Contact the Lifeway Health Initiative to register.

Training Models

I am anything but an expert in blogging and blog layouts. However, I am experimenting with some new ideas and new ways to communicate with the world. Thus, the new look.

Some of my friends are advising me on better ways to get my teachings out. I admittedly have reams and reams of materials that have been taught around the world. I am trying to find easily transferable ways to make it available to those of you who are interested in developing better relationships with God, self and others.

Yesterday I went over to the Vineyard Community Church which is located on the northern edge of Cincinnati. VCC was founded by Steve and Janie Sjogren and currently led by Dave Workman. It is a wonderful group of people who have touched thousands of lives and brought faith, hope and love to hurting people around the world. VCC is co-sponsoring a medical mission trip to Belize partnering with John Kirby who heads outreach at Horizon Community Church.

Pastor Rich Femia and Dwelling Place Church are the spiritual covering for this trip and it is drawing men and women who want to make a real difference medically and spiritually in a very poor country. My job was to send the group off with prayer and encouragement. And, along with medicine and surgery the people in Belize need love, care and counsel to heal the invisible, inner wounds.

As the good news is preached and modeled around the world we need to find new ways to train new and old believers how to best live out a faith filled daily life. We are looking at expanding our Theology Into Practical Ministry training through videos, web pages and blogs as well as video interaction groups with technologies like Skype. For years we have been called to "He heals the broken in heart, and bind up their wounds."

There is a hunger among many Seasoned Believers for additional resources for our speciality, spiritual, emotional and relational growth. I am getting many requests now for Mentoring about ways to live more effectively at home, work, school and neighborhood. For example, how does a Christian boss treat his/her employees and establish a "Christian Community" that is sensitive to all faiths and points of view? How do we pray for a person with a chronic illness?

We do not have all the answers but we do have a lot of good questions and many years of experience. We are also well trained in the best ways to facilitate human growth and healing.

We need your input on ways we can be helpful and topics you would find interesting. You may comment on this blog and by sending me an e mail at gary@sweetenlife.com

Hate on Campus

New research shows conclusively that administrators, faculty and students openly discriminate against Evangelical Christians on campuses. Here it is.

Don't think it isn't real. I was on a Doctoral Committee for a Christian who would have been black balled if I had not objected.

Gov Palin's Special Child

As you may know, Sweeten Life Systems has been awarded a grant to research the needs of parents with kids who suffer from such things as Down syndrome, Autism, Fragile X syndrome, etc. We are interviewing twelve families and learning all about their struggles, victories, challenges and support systems.

In one of the first articles showing Gov. Palin in a positive manner, The Huffington Post, lays out the challenges in a well written essay. I heartily suggest you read it.

Go to our web to read more about out research.

The Crisis in Christian Leadership

I wrote a paper some years ago about the issues of leading men and women jumping headlong into sinful emotional relationships and ruining the lives of many. I rewrote and posted it on my web page at sweetenlife.com

Once on the web page hit Pastoral Services. For the last several years I have been the 911 number on the speed dial of many ministries, churches and leaders. The worst part? The calls come after the person has destroyed himself and his "Soul Mate". The reputation is gone as is the wife, kids, friends, staff, position and ministry. Just look at the pitiful state of Governor Sanford.

I could have helped Governor Sanford when he and friends saw the signs and symptoms of an imminent collapse. Healing is possible and crises preventable. But strong men do not ask for directions or assistance.

If you are interested in the warning signs of a mental, emotional, sexual collapse, take a look at it and weep for those caught in the snares of the devil. But be careful because you may know people who are getting ready to jump off the cliff of no return and you may need to intervene. That takes guts and you will very likely lose your friendship.

Gary Sweeten

Seminar on Faith History

 

May 28 was a great day to interact with God and one another while learning about ourselves. The all day seminar led by Jens-Petter Jorgensen, our dear friend from Norway, touched deeply the hearts and souls of sixteen Christian leaders who sacrificed a day to grow in the love and fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

We received positive comments from a high percentage of participants. Most wanted more on this topic so they can lead others in the sam process.

Go to www.sweetenlife.com for more about us.

We shall follow up with other day long events to facilitate the growth and healing of lay and ordained leaders. Send your suggestions for topics to gary@sweetenlife.com

Why is Mr. Obama Popular

Do you ever wonder why polls show President to be so popular despite his reckless, power hungry behavior? Maybe I have a partial answer. Many citizens of the United States are pretty ignorant about our history, values and traditions to say nothing of our laws.

For example, I was discussing the last election with a friend and mentioned that almost half the people in America pay no income tax. He called me a right wing liar. But it it true. I also told him that there is no money in the Social Security Trust Fund. He called me a right wing liar. It is also true.

A recent survey the 2008 Civic Literacy Report, write Patrick M. Ford, americancivicliteracy@mail2.isi.org, reveals that many Americans are unaware of the most basic aspects of our nations political system.

1. Nearly a third of the respondents failed to name two of America's enemies in World War Two; 22% of college graduates did not answer that question successfully.

2. Only 53% knew that congress retains the power to declare war. Nearly 40% believed this power belongs to the president--a finding with obvious perennial relevance.

3. 54% of respondents (and only 44% of 18- to 34-year-old) knew that Congress shares foreign policy power with the president; nearly a quarter (and almost a third of elected officials!) believed Congress shares such power with the United Nations.

4. Only 41% of Americans, and 53% of college graduates, could recognize that free enterprise or capitalism exists insofar as "individual citizens create, exchange, and control goods and resources." 17% of respondents thought that free enterprise or capitalism is a system in which "government implements policies that favor businesses over consumers.

This reveals once again that our voters are woefully ignorant so no wonder they support the current policies. Write to Mr. Patrick M. Ford americancivicliteracy@mail2.isi.org to get the entire report.

Also see this report for information about the nation's laws.

Gary Sweeten

Great Relationship

Over the past few days I have spoken with several people whose lives were deeply touched and liberated through the materials we called, Rational Christian Thinking. It is all about building a great relationship with God, self and other people by applying Christian truth to my thoughts.

It is hard to love God if my ruminations about the Father are all messed up and distorted. Yet this is exactly what so many dedicated Believers face on a daily basis. If I have a deep commitment to God but also harbor Stinking Thinking about His character, it can drive me into depression and anxiety.

I have ministered to many Bible believing Christians who suffered from high anxiety and emotional distress because they were convinced that God was sitting in heaven watching their every move to see when a sin was committed just so He could punish them. This sets up a horrible Double Bind making it impossible to live in joy.

What do you think will be the result if I try to love God and know I need to draw close to Him yet I also believe He takes great pleasure in causing me pain? How will that habit cause me to feel in the long run?

I am reminded of the fictional father who placed his little child up on a high cabinet and said, "Jump and I will catch you." The child did and his dad let him fall and hurt his legs. Then the father said, "See what happens when you trust someone."

Many Christians have been trained to think that the Heavenly Father is like that man. He is constantly setting us up to fail just so He can then punish us for failing or sinning.

When I was teaching the residents in our in-patient units I often heard them say that this was what they expected from God. I replied, "If I had that kind of God I would also be depressed. But I have joy because my Father is a loving Daddy who cares for me and gives me a life of abundance."

What kind of Father do you worship? Go to our web and read the materials for downloading. www.sweetenlife.com

Prayer is Good for Us

Two researchers at the University of Cincinnati have found data that supports what we who believe experience daily, God is good. No wonder we call it "Good News".

Way back in the Seventies I started studying the relationship between health and faith. Now, modern research methods have allowed us to see that being spiritual adds more to longevity than exercise and many other health building activities.


Go to my web site and buy my books for more good stuff.

Gary Sweeten

Equipping Volunteers to Help

I just taught a group of thirty Christian leaders today about the importance of getting themselves and others ready to minister with love. Here is a very brief summary.

The acrostic that serves as a foundation for helping others can be seen in the word GREW.

Genuineness-This requires us to know ourselves and what motivates us to help others. I did an Doctorate in Counselor Education in 1975. My research showed me that the key to helping others was no my knowledge or beautiful advices but how I treated them when we interacted. In order for me to build trust and open communication, I had to come across as a real person not a fake.

Genuineness means that:

I know my own thoughts and feelings
I can name my thoughts and feelings
I can manage my thoughts and feelings
I can share my thoughts and feelings

So, if I am nervous when I talk with others I need to recognize the feelings and know from where they arise in my thought promise. I cannot be very helpful unless I am aware of my onw needs and temptations.

It has been my personal experience that 75% or more of the men and women who want to be trained as Helpers do so because of fleshly, selfishly drives. Unless the training helps students understand the genesis of those selfish desires, the Helper will spread more trouble rather than facilitate health. (See my web page for more information.)


Gary Sweeten
Enjoying the frozen beaches of Tjome, Norway

Back to Norway

I left Cincinnati Sunday night and arrived in Oslo through Paris on Monday. The Charles Degaulle Airport in Paris is cold, uncomfortable and crowded, to say nothing of very expensive. I could have paid about $8.00 for a cup of coffee but saw that coffee and a sandwich and a brownie were only $13.50 so I went the cheap route.

But I arrived safely in Gardemone Airport and Jens-Petter was there to offer his care and support. My jet lag is not bad at all and the Jorgensen's bed is terrific. Thanks to Marie Theresa who is studying in Barcelona.

We went to the Parliment yesterday with a personal tour led by Dagfinn Hoybroten, head of the Christian Democrat Party. Dagfinn and wife Joren spoke at our first Significance Center Kickoff last summer.

I speak tomorrow, Friday and Saturday on: A lifetime of great relationships". I am excited to be back with the people I respect and love.

It is late and I am tired.

Gary Sweeten

Satisfied?

It is hard to be content. St. Paul said that he had learned to be content despite the circumstances, and let's fact it, Paul had CIRCUMSTANCES!

I find it easy to complain even when my circumstances are pretty good compared to most people. I am spoiled and like it that way.

I have noted before that there has been a ten fold increase in the diagnosis of depression and anxiety since 1900. Maybe the times we live in now are worse than back then. From 1900 to 1950 there was WWI, the flu epidemic killed over 20 million young people, a worldwide economic collapse put some 30% of US citizens out of work.

WWII killed 50 million people and the Korean War, the cold War and international tensions between the USSR and the USA led many in America to build nuclear shelters in their back yards. Stress? You betcha.

Let's face it, world conditions are not sweet and peaceful but life is much better now than in 1900. In fact, we live twice as long now as then. The lack of resilience. People in earlier times expected times to be hard and they expected to bounce back. They "Took a licking and kept on ticking."

Here is the ART of Peaceful living.

A-Adversity is real, daily and to be expected. Adversity is not God's punishment or always my failure. Resilience is important.

R-Renew my mind. Take Pessimistic Thoughts Captive.

T-Trust God. He will care for us.

See my web page tor more materials.

Gary Sweeten

Atheist Anwers to Christian Joy

The atheist lobby has come up with an answer to all the Christian joy and charitable activities that make them look so bad. The anxiety and worry of atheistic groups has risen sharply with a recent study showing that conservative Christians are decidedly more charitable than Liberal unbelievers. Despite their usually successful claims to the contrary, new studies by several neutral scientists proves conclusively that Conservative Christians live longer, have better marriages and better sex, and are generally happier than libs.

The atheist groups approached a Drug Laboratory in Moscow that was shut down after the fall of Communism. They asked the atheist scientists to develop some medicine that would suck the life and joy out of Christians so their lives of freedom and peace would not be so superior.

The scientists went to work and resurrected a drug developed under Stalins's rule that fit the bill. It is called, CEREBRUM and the enclosed video proves its effectiveness. If you or someone you love is suffering from high levels of fun, joy and reverie, get CEREBRUM today.

Ps. Satire alert!!!

Gary Sweeten

http://www.sweetenlife.com/

A Church Doing Good

Take care of the family!

Tonight I start a five week class for couples who want to enrich their marriages. These are parents whose children are in a group at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Kenwood, and I am thrilled with their request.

The most important thing a church can do to "Heal the broken hearted and set the captives free" is to help parents love each other and their kids with faith, discipline and nurture.

The desire to reach outside the church to rescue the poor, homeless and bereft is laudable. However, any outreach program must be preceded by "Equipping the members to live more effective lives." Otherwise, the church does not have anything to offer those outside their four walls.

When a congregation is growing in health and love the members will automatically touch family and friends with the overflow of God's healing grace and mercy. However, when we do not have anything to share why try to help others?

Good Shepherd is doing both. They are reaching out and reaching in. That is the balance that is needed for a church to be healthy. What practical training are you offering your members to help them grow in faith, hope and love?

Do you have pre-marital classes?

Marriage enrichment classes?

Parenting classes?

Why not?

Gary Sweeten

http://www.sweetenlife.com/

Speaking of Change

A man was being tailgated by a stressed- out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow just in front of him. He did
the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, 'I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him.' I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do bumper sticker,the 'Choose Life' license plate holder,the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School' bumper sticker,and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk.Naturally....I assumed you had stolen the car."

Ouch!

Getting the Horse to Drink the Water

You can lead the horse to water but you cannot make him drink

You can teach the people lots of things but you cannot make them think

Steps to facilitate drinking and thinking:

1. Build a long term relationship. People don't change immediately. We all go through several stages even when we do change. As the Bible says: "Do not grow weary in doing good."

2. Listen more than you talk. If you were to hear an audio tape of your conversations, would it show you talking or listening more?

3. Be interested in what the other people are talking about. Allow them to tell their story. They are much more interested in their story than your stories.

4. Remove all B.S. from your conversation. B.S. stands for Blame and Shame. Do you like to talk with people who Blame you and Shame you? Neither do I.

5. Pray silently for them. God hears you but they don't need to.

6. Tune in to their mood.

Are they somber? Be low key.

Are the happy. Laugh with them.

7. Take your time. God is in no hurry.

8. Relax. Peacefulness begets trust. Give it to God. We are not in control.

9. Buy the coffee or the meal. Give and it shall be given unto you.

10. Remember, there are two things that rarely ever happen. They are: Everything and nothing. What usually happens is something. One small step is more than enough for things to change.

Gary Sweeten

http://www.sweetenlife.com/

Pastors' and their Wives

This parody of Carrie Underwood's hit will hit you if you know anything about the Wives in Ministry!

Ministers in Full View of the World

Here is proof that ministers need help. Just get a look at this video called, Mommas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Pastors.

Music, Love and Laughter Heal the Heart

Wow, this is good news for Christians because we are the singingest people on earth. Fox News says:

WASHINGTON — Songs that make our hearts soar can make them stronger too, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday. They found that when people listened to their favorite music, their blood vessels dilated in much the same way as when laughing or taking blood medications.

Keep singing and listening to good music.