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From jellyfish fossil finds to the newly discovered function of the appendix, a science and technology watchdog group has released a list of some of the year’s top news that reflect mounting evidence supporting intelligent design.

The Access Research Network – which reports on science, technology and society from an intelligent design perspective – recently released its “Top 10 Darwin and Design News Stories” list for 2007.

“Overall in 2007 I’d say we’ve observed a growing consternation running through many scientific disciplines over Darwinian explanations of the evidence that were once thought to be resolved long ago,” said Kevin Wirth, ARN director of media relations.

Among the top stories the group considers a “growing burden” to Darwinists is the increasing level of complexity being discovered in small biological systems such as living cells and in early life history such as jellyfish. Newly uncovered jellyfish fossils in Utah were dated back 200 million years earlier than the oldest specimens of the modern jellyfish yet showed the same complexity as modern orders and families of jellyfish. These findings, according to ARN, challenge Darwin’s molecule-to-man theory because they reveal that there was an insufficient amount of time for complex life to have developed only via the Darwinian principles of random mutations and natural selection.

We hope you find these quotes on wisdom to be inspirational. Most are from scripture. You are invited to discuss any of these in our online discussion forums.

“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.”
-Proverbs 24:3-4

“How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!”
-Proverbs 16:16

“He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who cherishes understanding prospers.”
-Proverbs 19:8

“A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.”
-Proverbs 19:11

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.”
-Daniel 2:20-22

“God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.”
-Reinhold Niebuhr

“Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed.”
-Proverbs 3:13-18

“Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.”
-Proverbs 8:10-11

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
-Proverbs 9:10

“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”
-Proverbs 23:4-5

“There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.”
-Proverbs 21:30

“For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.”
-Ecclesiastes 1:18

“Whatever wisdom may be, it is far off and most profound- who can discover it? So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.”
-Ecclesiastes 7:24-24

“To wisdom belongs the intellectual apprehension of things eternal; to knowledge, the rational apprehension of things temporal.”
-Saint Augustine

“Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”
-1 Corinthians 1:20

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
-James 3:17-18

“If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.”
-Proverbs 9:12

“I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness. The wise man has eyes in his head, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both.”
-Ecclesiastes 2:13-14

“A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.”
-Proverbs 10:23

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
-Proverbs 11:2

“Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom of your words.”
-Proverbs 23:9

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.”
-Saint Augustine

“Of all the pursuits open to men, the search for wisdom is most perfect, more sublime, more profitable, and more full of joy.”
-Thomas Aquinas

I have basic questions about 1 Corinthians chapter 6.

My first question is regarding verses 2, 3:

2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?”

3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Then…..

John 5:22-25 says:
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

So…. can someone please explain this to me?

Question number 2:

1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

…. What does ‘effeminate’ mean in this verse and who is that reference referring to?

My third question is in reference to 1 Corinthians 6:4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

Who is this verse referring to when it talks about the ‘least esteemed in the church? What does this verse mean?

Thanks for your help!

 

Most Christians believe that God is spirit (John 4:24), an uncreated, omnipotent and eternal being, the creator and sustainer of all things, who works the redemption of the world through his Son, Jesus Christ.

Against this background, belief in the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit was expressed as the doctrine of the Holy Trinity,[26], which describes the single Divine substance existing as three distinct and inseparable persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ the eternal Word), and the Holy Spirit. According to the doctrine, God is not divided in the sense that each person has a third of the whole; rather, each person is considered to be fully God. The distinction lies in their relations, the Father being unbegotten, the Son begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeding. “Begotten”, in these formulae, refers to the idea that Jesus was uncreated and “eternally begotten” of the Father.

AgapÄ“’ (IPA: [ɑˈgÉ‘.pε] or IPA: [ˈɑgÉ‘ËŒpε]) (Gk. αγάπη [aˈɣa.pi]), is one of several Greek words translated into English as love. The word has been used in different ways by a variety of contemporary and ancient sources, including Biblical authors. Many have thought that this word represents divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, volitional, and thoughtful love. Greek philosophers at the time of Plato and other ancient authors used the term to denote love of a spouse or family, or affection for a particular activity, in contrast to philia — an affection that could denote either brotherhood or generally non-sexual affection, and eros, an affection of a sexual nature, usually between two unequal partners. The term agape is rarely used in ancient manuscripts, but was used by the early Christians to refer to the self-sacrificing love of God for humanity, which they were committed to reciprocating and practicing towards God and among one another.

Agape has been expounded on by many Christian writers in a specifically Christian context. Thomas Jay Oord has defined agape as “an intentional response to promote well-being when responding to that which has generated ill-being.”

Agape received a broader usage under later Christian writers as the word that specifically denoted “Christian” love or “charity” (1Corinthians 13:1–8), or even God himself (1 John 4:8, Theos ein agape, “God is Love”). The New Testament provides a number of definitions and examples of agape that generally expand on the meanings used in ancient texts, denoting brotherly love, love of one’s spouse or children, and the love of God for all people.

The Christian usage of the term agape comes directly from the canonical Gospels’ account of the teachings of Jesus. When asked what was the greatest commandment, Jesus said, “‘Love (agape) the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love (agape) your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-41)

At the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said:

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love (agape) your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love (agape) your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?

Christian writers have generally described agape, as expounded on by Jesus, as a form of love which is both unconditional and voluntary; that is, it is non-discriminating, has no pre-conditions, and is something that one decides to do. Saint Paul described love as follows: “Love (agape) is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (1Corinthians 13:4-8a).Tertullian, in his 2nd century defense of Christians remarks how Christian love attracted pagan notice: “What marks us in the eyes of our enemies is our loving kindness. ‘Only look’ they say, ‘look how they love one another’” (Apology 39).

Christianity regards the Bible, a collection of canonical books in two parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament, as authoritative: written by human authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and therefore the inerrant Word of God. Protestants believe that the scriptures contain all revealed truth necessary for salvation.

The Old Testament contains the entire Jewish Tanakh, though in the Christian canon the books are ordered differently and some books of the Tanakh are divided into several books by the Christian canon. The Catholic and Orthodox canons include the Hebrew Jewish canon and other books (from the Septuagint Greek Jewish canon) which Catholics call Deuterocanonical, while Protestants consider them Apocrypha.

The first four books of the New Testament are the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), which recount the life and teachings of Jesus. The first three are often called synoptic because of the amount of material they share. The rest of the New Testament consists of a sequel to Luke’s Gospel, the Acts of the Apostles, which describes the very early history of the Church, a collection of letters from early Christian leaders to congregations or individuals, the Pauline and General epistles, and the apocalyptic Book of Revelation.

Some traditions maintain other canons. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church maintains two canons, the Narrow Canon, itself larger than any Biblical canon outside Ethiopia, and the Broad Canon, which has even more books. Mormons hold the Bible and three additional books to be the inspired word of God: the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

Christians of Reformed theology also conceive of salvation as one work of the triune God, in which “the three divine persons act together as one, and manifest their own proper characteristics” with the agency of the Holy Spirit as an essential element.”[28]

Trinitarian Christians trace the orthodox formula of the Trinity — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — back to the resurrected Jesus himself, who used this phrase in Matthew 28:16-20 or the Great Commission.

Most Christians believe the Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, and that his active participation in a believer’s life (even to the extent of “indwelling” within the believer), joining the believer’s free actions with his own, is essential to living a Christian life. In Catholic, Orthodox, and some Anglican theology, this indwelling is received through the sacrament called Confirmation or, in the East, Chrismation. Most Protestant traditions teach that the gift of the Holy Spirit is symbolized by baptism; however some (Baptists and comparable groups) do not attribute any sacramental significance to baptism. Pentecostal and Charismatic Protestants believe the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a distinct experience separate from other experiences like conversion or water baptism, and many Pentecostals believe it will always—or at least usually—be evident through glossolalia (speaking in tongues)

Creeds, or concise doctrinal statements, began as baptismal formulas and were later expanded during the Christological controversies of the fourth and fifth centuries. The earliest creeds still in common use are the Apostles’ Creed (text in Latin and Greek, with English translations) and Paul’s creed of 1 Cor 15:1-9.

The Nicene Creed, largely a response to Arianism, was formulated at the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople in 325 and 381 respectively, and ratified as the universal creed of Christendom by the Council of Ephesus in 431.

The Chalcedonian Creed, developed at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, (though not accepted by the Oriental Orthodox Churches) taught Christ “to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably”: one divine and one human, that both natures are perfect but are nevertheless perfectly united into one person.

The Athanasian Creed (English translations), received in the western Church as having the same status as the Nicene and Chalcedonian, says: “We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons not dividing the Substance.”

Most Protestants accept the Creeds. Some Protestant traditions believe Trinitarian doctrine without making use of the Creeds themselves, while other Protestants, like the Restoration Movement, oppose the use of creeds

 

Most Christians consider the death of Jesus, followed by his resurrection, the cornerstone of their faith and the most important event in history.

According to the Gospels, Jesus and his followers went to Jerusalem the week of the Passover where they were eagerly greeted by a crowd. In Jerusalem, Jesus cleansed the Temple, and predicted its destruction - heightening conflict with the Jewish authorities who were plotting his death.

After sharing his last meal with his disciples, Jesus went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane where he was betrayed by his disciple Judas Iscariot and arrested by the temple guard on orders from the Sanhedrin and the high priest Caiaphas. Jesus was convicted by the Sanhedrin of blasphemy and transferred to the Roman governor Pilate, who had him crucified for inciting rebellion. Jesus died by late afternoon and was entombed.

Christians believe that God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day, that Jesus appeared to his apostles and other disciples, commissioned his disciples to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son (Jesus) and of the Holy Spirit.”[21] and ascended to heaven. Christians also believe that God sent the disciples the Holy Spirit (or Paraclete).

The purpose of this death and resurrection is described in various doctrines of atonement. Some see Jesus as a Sacrifice or substitutionary atonement made to purify humanity like many other sacrifices described in the Old Testament. Others see Jesus’ dying and suffering on the cross as a sign and demonstration from God that he was willing to endure the sin and punishment because of his agape (parental, self-sacrificing) love for humanity. In another interpretation of Jesus’ death and resurrection, The Book of John compares the crucifixion of Jesus to the lifting up of the Nehushtan (brass serpent) saying that “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:14 - John 3:16)

CHRISTIAN WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS

An Angel says,  “Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and  it doesn’t happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to  worry twice.”

1.  Pray

2. Go to bed on  time.

3. Get up on  time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won’t fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate  tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is  more.. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)

8. Allow  extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace  yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don’t lump the hard things all together.

10. Take  one day at a time.

11.  Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can’t do anything about  a situation, forget it.

12. Live within  your budget; don’t use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have  backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep  Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of  trouble.

15. Do something  for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while  waiting in line.

17. Get enough  rest.

18. Eat  right.

19. Get organized so everything has its  place.

20. Listen to a  tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write down  thoughts and inspirations.

22. Every day,  find time to be alone.

23. Having  problems? Talk to God on the spot.. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don’t  wait until it’s time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends  with Godly people.

25. Keep a  folder of favorite scriptures on  hand.

26. Remember  that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good “Thank you  Jesus.”

27.  Laugh.

28. Laugh some  more!

29. Take your  work seriously, but not yourself at  all.

30. Develop a  forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the  most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less;  listen more.

34. Slow  down.

35. Remind  yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36 . Every night  before bed, think of one thing you’re grateful for that you’ve never been  grateful for before. GOD HAS  A  WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. “If God is for us, who can be against us?”   (Romans 8:31)