...English II composition The Fall of Good Men “My love and my faith”, replied young Goodman Brown, “of all nights in the year, this one night must I tarry away from thee” (Hawthorne 158). Hawthorne gives a very small and at first unnoticed hint in one of the very first sentences. Although undersized, the hint is showing a bigger picture, and underlines how the rest of his story will unfold. Since the story is filled with so much controversy surrounding Faith, and the loss of the one thing a man needs most, it’s a very effectively utilized allegory. Deception, corruption, and sheer hate cause complete and utter destruction, which is what Young Goodman Brown found himself bound by. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story is not just another problematic tale that gets your mind ruminating. With all of the detailed symbols and metaphors used by Hawthorne, it takes time to see that his story has significant ties to several Biblical narratives. It embodies the chronicles of mans fall, and his separation from God and faith. This story bleeds symbolism, even the most clear cut things like Young Goodman Brown’s name has a meaning behind it. Hawthorne didn’t just use any old name, he put meaning behind it. Young Goodman Brown symbolizes youth and good nature. Brown is a young man throughout the story, and his youth suggests that he has yet to be corrupted by the world and is still innocent. Browns wife Faith undoubtedly symbolizes actual faith in God; just as God is with us, during Browns journey in the...
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...person is morally good if their actions are commanded by God. Religious people think that God gives commandments and watches to see a person’s true character. This is not true, God believes one must be free in order to show one’s true moral character, so He does not make the commandments. The main creation story starts with the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were created for happiness and paradise. Religious people believe that one day when we die there is a Judgment Day, which, based on your moral character, will decide whether you go to Heaven or Hell. If one does what God wants, morality, one will be rewarded and go to Heaven. If one does not do what God wants, one will be punished and go to Hell. A person has to be free in order to show one’s true moral character, this is the “liberty” part, so God does not show anyone that He is really there. He does not force people to be good, or scare people into being good because then it would not show true character, and they would not be considered liberated. A big miracle is something that everyone sees, and therefore, it must be true. However, even if God did appear in the sky and say that He is God, we cannot be sure it is really Him. The image in the sky could be the Devil disguised as God, because the Devil is a deceiver and wants people to listen to him. The Bible is written by the Devil, he is pretending to be God because it takes away your freedom. When Moses was talking to the burning bush, the burning bush was the Devil pretending...
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...Sunday Service (October 7, 2012) April Jade Bonoan How to Keep the Faith and Finish and Finish the Race. The Book of Hebrews is known for Its Hall of the Fame – the list is long in chapter 11 of the book of names of people of old who because of their faith made their way into God’s honor roll of the faithful. Reading the entire chapter, it made me wonder how they kept the faith. Today we are going to study the twelfth chapter of Hebrews. First thing we have to do is I. Have a Proper Start How we start determines how we end. Before we run the race, we have to let go of certain things. A lot Christians instead of having a proper start found themselves running yet stopping in the middle of the race. And once they stopped it was so hard to regain the track. Paul encourages his readers to lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily ensnares. To finish the race is another way of saying that we have kept the faith. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. “ – 2 Timothy 4:7 A. Dead Works - The weight that Paul was referring to here that we should lay aside, is not a sin. These are what we call the dead works. The bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:23 that all things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial. These are things that we could live better without. Just like in a race, the athletes have a choice what kind of clothing they would wear, but if they wanted to win, they must choose the light fabric. There are certain...
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...gathering of young people of faith from throughout the world. It was a prophetic initiative that has borne abundant fruits, enabling the new generations of Christians to meet one another, to listen to the Word of God, to discover the beauty of the Church, and to have a deep experience of faith. This led many of them in turn to decide to give themselves completely to Christ. The present 25th World Youth Day is one step along the way leading to the next international encounter of young people, scheduled for Madrid in August 2011. I hope that many of you will be there to experience this grace-filled event. To prepare ourselves for this celebration, I would like to offer you some reflections on this year’s theme: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mk 10:17). It is drawn from Gospel passage where Jesus meets the rich young man. It is a theme that Pope John Paul II reflected on in 1985, in a very beautiful Letter, the first ever addressed to young people. 1. Jesus meets a young man “As [Jesus] was setting out on a journey” – the Gospel of Saint Mark tells us – “a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honour your father and your mother.’ He replied and said...
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...published and unpublished works by Steven Furtick. Cover design by Ryan Hollingsworth All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Published in the United States by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House LLC, New York, a Penguin Random House Company. M ULTNOMAH and its mountain colophon are registered trademarks of Random House LLC. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Furtick, Steven. Sun stand still devotional : a forty-day experience to activate your faith / Steven Furtick. pages cm ISBN 978-1-60142-523-2 (hardback)— ISBN 978-1-60142-524-9 (electronic) 1....
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...error, but He sends forth His light and truth to lead us into His holy habitation, where we receive a revelation of the truth like unto the noon day in all its clearness. The Word of God works effectually in us as we believe it. It changes us and brings us into new fellowship with the Father, with the Son, and with the Holy Spirit, into a holy communion, into an unwavering faith, into a mighty assurance, and it will make us partakers of the very nature and likeness of God as we receive His great and exceeding precious promises and believe them. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Faith is the operative power. We read that Christ opened the understanding of His disciples, and He will open up our understanding and our hearts and will show us wonderful things that we should never know but for the mighty revelation and enlightenment of the Spirit that He gives to us. I do not know of any greater words than those found in Romans 4:16, “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace.” Grace is God’s benediction coming right down to you, and when you open the door to Him—that is an act of faith—He does all you want and...
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...still young, Joshua would not leave the tent where God’s presence was. This was the best kind of preparation for him—a consistent face-to-face encounter with God. When the time came, God would also do great wonders through Joshua and during his leadership. We, too, are called by God to do great things and the best way we can prepare for this is by having a strong relationship with Him. Our ability to share our faith, lead others to Jesus, and make disciples is fueled by a lifestyle of constantly hearing His voice and obeying His Word. There is no doubt that God has a mighty plan for this generation. The question is, will we be like Joshua and have fellowship with our mighty God who wants to do great things through us? REFLECT • Are you making a habit of connecting to God regularly and intimately? Is your time in the Word and in prayer consistent? • What are your greatest distractions when reading the Word and praying? REsPonD • • Set aside a time to connect to God without distractions. Don’t forget to unplug from those digital devices that constantly grab your attention. Set a regular time of prayer and reading the Bible everyday. Completing this devotional every day is a great start. Copyright © 2013 • Permission to photocopy this material from Every Nation is...
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...comes about because many people you take away a child's choice and ability to decide for themselves. Oftentimes parents teach their children their religion from an early age so they stick with them for the rest of their lives. Nowadays a lot of children who grew up in the church are falling away from it and going about life on their own. But what exactly do parents do to keep them in the church? The religious beliefs of a parent not only affect their life, but can also change the way they think and what they believe both religiously and not. They call this kind of upbringing brainwashing, because you are raising them to thinking what and sometimes how you think. As a parent you are to train a child in the way they should go through life in regards to their spiritual walk. They are teaching them about their religion at earlier and earlier. According to Wendy Thomas Russell in her PBS article “How young is too young to talk to your kids about religion?” kids between the ages of 4 and 6, are prepared to start exploring spiritual ideas and concepts. Although this is true at the ages of 12 and 13, it may be too late says Ms. Russell. They do this so the child grows up with a rooted foundation of their religion. Despite this foundation a lot of children are falling away from the church and entire religions themselves. There are many reasons as to why someone, mostly teens who just started college would decide to abandon their childhood faith. These reasons include Shallow belief system...
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...SOUTH 1 Person of Interest Paper "It is more blessed to give then to reciecve" Act 20: 35(NIV Bible). This verse is a great representation of the way Mother Teresa lived. She was a great woman of faith and was the best definition of a Godly woman. She lived by the beattitudes, and walked through life living out her faith by her actions. She always said to be faithful in the small things, because it is in them that your strength lies.(bio.com) Mother Teresa was born into a family where both of her parents were devoutly Catholic. She was raised in the Catholic environment. As a young child, her father got very sick and passed away. Once her father was gone, Agnes and her mother grew very close. Her mother played a part in the way she was, being...
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...you must fail, in order to love you must love yourself and in order to live your life must shed all negative aspects of your life."~ ♥ * One of the greatest blessings in the world is to be able to be happy even when things in life are not going the way we planned. Sometimes the road you travel doesn't lead to the destination you had hoped for. But if you can look back on the trip and still smile...then it was worth it. PUT YOUR FAITH, TRUST AND EXPECTATIONS IN THE LORD! GOD BLESS. Sometimes you have to accept that things won't ever change, no matter how much time, effort and thought you put into it. Life's not about all the steps you've taken, or all the places you have been ~ but the footprints you've left behind. If life is a waste of time and time is a waste of life, then let’s get wasted and have the time of our lives. ~"Everyone wants happiness, and nobody wants pain. But how can you make a rainbow, without any rain?."~ We don't always know what God plans for us. We must know that His Ways are not our ways, but His ways are always the best. Be Grateful each & everyday with your life that you have because there's somebody out there that would love to switch places with you in a heartbeat "Things happen because we choose to. There may be regrets but blaming is not an option. We get happy, get sad, but most importantly we learn. ♥ "Don't compare be unique. Don't fight your misfortune~Transform it. Don't avoid failure~Use it. Don't dwell on mistakes...
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...Running Head: SPIRITUAL HEALTHY LIFESTYLE Spiritual Healthy Lifestyle Controlling Stress through the Power of Faith and Prayer MLF Wayland Baptist University Dr. J Abstract There are six main components that pertain to maintaining a person’s health and wellness and one of the most important component that affects all the others is a person’s spiritual health. Stress is the number one attribute that can hinder, detract from, and impact a person’s quest for a healthier lifestyle of living. Becoming spiritually healthy is a unique experience for each individual and cannot be achieved without prayer and faith. Nothing promotes health of body and of soul more than a spirit that is fed directly through prayer. When a person is seeking a healthier life they should ultimately focus on improving all six components of wellness that includes physical, emotional, social, occupational, spiritual, and intellectual. To be completely satisfied in life they must lead a balanced life and the only way to be balanced is to be connected with God and become spiritually healthy and whole. Spiritual Healthy Lifestyle Controlling Stress through the Power of Faith and Prayer Being healthy is an important aspect in everyone’s life. However, many people don’t realize that there is more than just physical health involved in obtaining the optimum level of health (Fleharty, 2009). Many professionals believe that health and wellness actually involves six main components. The six...
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...Vol. 105-1 Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. — Jude 3 The Ultimate Search and Rescue VIEWPOINT DURING A RECENT STAY in Harare, Zimbabwe, it was a blessing to become acquainted with Lancelot Muzondo, who was the first Zimbabwean to correspond with our organization’s headquarters back in 1953, when Zimbabwe was known as Rhodesia. He was the one who introduced Morgan Sengwayo (see testimony on page 21) to the Apostolic Faith. Sengwayo had been evicted from his home by his parents and Muzondo took him in. He told Sengwayo about the Apostolic Faith organization and the teachings of the Latter Rain Gospel. Before long, those teachings were reinforced by Timothy Oshokoya, who visited from Nigeria at Portland’s request. Sengwayo prayed through to his deeper experiences and in time was appointed to lead our Southern Africa work. While Brother Sengwayo’s legacy is well-known, the same is not true of the quiet man who initially taught him this way. Brother Muzondo has already outlived Brother Sengwayo by thirty years and is the surviving pioneer of the Zimbabwe Apostolic Faith work. He has been a stabilizing force in a work that thrives despite a history of national economic and political upheaval. Brother Muzondo was not only present at every activity during our visit, he was often at my side showing unwavering support for Portland headquarters and current Southern Africa District Superintendent Onias Gumbo. As in South Africa, our church...
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...Nell in the movie It’s a Boy Girl Thing changes her identity and reacquaints with her true love. Annabel in Freaky Friday also changes her identity and solves the problem with her mother. All of them accidentally changed their identity, and accidentally learnt how to be the master of their life, how to identify their life. If I can change my identity, I wish I were a sunflower, so I could enjoy the sunshine enthusiastically and silently, splendid as my fiery heart; I wish I were a dandelion, so I could travel to plenty of mysterious and unknown places, flying as a floating musical note; I wish I were a big and strong tree which depends on nobody, standing as the King of my own world. In reality, I am a “nobody”, like the nobody mentioned in Emily Dickinson’s poem I’m Nobody. The “nobody” in the poem has the power to control their life, in another words, they are the masters of their own lives. First factor to be a “nobody” in Dickinson’s poem is enthusiasm. As Dickinson wrote: “ I am nobody! Who are you? Are you ‘nobody’, too? Then there’s a pair of us!”, she is so proud of being a “nobody”. She can escape from common status and create a secret land for herself and the “nobody” seems like a happy recluse who escapes from the ostentatious world. In her real life, she admitted she was a “nobody” and was not involved in complicated world. She seldom walked out but writing and reading in her world world. It is her enthusiasm that kept her writing and reading alone. Without the noise...
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...responsibility and bad faith as defined by the principals of Sartre. I will also discuss if I agree with his thoughts. In addition I will debate if I think if a person should always be held accountable for their actions. I will also give some examples that I think will help to illustrate my thoughts and feelings on Sartre’s ideas on complete responsibility and bad faith. Let’s first begin with an explanation of the concept of living in bad faith. I interpret this as a term used by Sartre to describe how we live our lives in an existentialist world without taking the responsibility of our own actions. When I say an existentialist world, this needs some explanation. It is meant as how Sartre describes how we find our self in the world. We are born without any essence (given by God) and we are only born as human being with existence at first. But without any essence, this means we are entirely free, free to act as we wishes, and free to make our own choices. This again means that we must take responsibility for our own actions, for our own choices in life. And this is where bad faith fits in. If you don’t take this responsibility, the responsibility of facing your own actions and yourself in life, you are living in bad faith Sartre is convinced that human responsibility makes sense only if there is no God; otherwise divine foreknowledge and predestination necessarily exclude alternative options and consequently responsibility. The example of bad faith that Sartre gives is the woman on...
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...previous condition. 2. All old debts were cancelled. 3. He started a new life as a son. 4. He took the family name. 5. He was entitled to the family inheritance. 6. The new father owned the adoptee's property. 7. The new father controlled his relationships. 8. The new father had the right of discipline. 9. The new father was responsible for his support. 10. The new father was liable for his actions. 11. The adoptee was viewed as natural born. 12. Could not be reversed. WHAT THE FATHER DOES FOR US: 1. A Father gives his children life. A. A New Nature (2 Cor. 5:17; John 1:12) B. Receives God's life (Jo. 3:36) C. Receives new desires (Gal. 5:22) D. Recieves a new family (brethren) 2. A Father loves his children. Luke 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" 3. A Father protects his children. John 10:28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 "My Father, who has given [them] to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of My Father's hand. 30 "I and [My] Father are one." 4. A Father provides for his children. Matthew 6:30 "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, [will]...
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