Character

Character

"...that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world..." (Philippians 2:15).

As Christians, we are expected to shine as lights in a darkened world, setting an example for those inside and outside the faith. Our character must be refined until it stands out to all who come in contact with us.

Maturity: Coming Soon to a Mind Near You
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Maturity: Coming Soon to a Mind Near You

Alcohol and drugs can arrest the mind's normal development. That is, if impaired thinking doesn't kill you first!
Internet Pornography: A Cultural Plague
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Internet Pornography: A Cultural Plague

Along with all the wonderful uses of the Internet, there is another use that has been growing ever faster—that of commercialized pornography. But what are the effects of viewing sexually explicit pictures? Is it harmless? Is there any culturally redeeming...
Unintended Consequences vs. Intended Rewards
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Unintended Consequences vs. Intended Rewards

Most young people have been advised to forgo premarital sex in order to avoid pregnancy and STDs (sexually transmitted diseases). Now, according to new reports, there are more reasons for following this godly advice.
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A Modest Past?

Have people in history always dressed modestly? The past is sometimes presented as an example of fully covered, “proper” fashion, and the present is portrayed as one of overly exposing formerly covered parts of the body. Is this really true?
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Making Sense of the Virginia Tech Tragedy

This is a special edition of Vertical News (April 17, 2007) written to address a recent shooting rampage on the campus of a university in the United States.
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Vision: A Key to Combating Discouragement

When reading the scripture that says that Christ "was in all points tempted as we are," have you ever thought, "Yeah, right! He never went through the kind of discouragement that I am facing. He can't know what it's like!"?
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Never Give Up!

A life-changing event happened to me a few years ago. Surprisingly to me, it involved my dog, Onyx.
A Moral Dilemma?
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A Moral Dilemma?

A radio program portrayed it as one. But in the end...
Puff, Puff...Cough, Cough!
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Puff, Puff...Cough, Cough!

"Smoke! Smoke! Smoke that cigarette. Puff! Puff! Puff—and if you smoke yourself to death, Tell St. Peter at the Golden Gate That you hate to make him wait, But you just gotta have another cigarette!" "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette,"...
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Protect Your Brain!

Sadly, many young people today are falling on their brains—that is, they don't know how to protect their brains from danger as they're growing up.
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Be Respected

Proverbs 14:34 states a truism that is verified in life: "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."
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What's Important in Your Life?

Your time is your life! Everyone has available the same amount of time every day—just 24 hours. Do you invest your time wisely?
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Notice That?

Hangnails, corns and pimples are things we really notice—:until something big comes along for us to think about.
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Prejudiced Thinking

Human relations are most often hindered because of some inner prejudice in our thinking.
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Mug-Wumps

What is a mug-wump?
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Faith Seen by Deeds

Martin Luther King Jr. said: "The time is always right to do what is right."
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Treasure Digest: Things to Plant in Your Spiritual Garden

Remember, you reap what you sow.
Changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery.
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This Is the Way Walk in It: Known But to God

Washington D.C. was under siege! No, it wasn't the British invading again. Thankfully, the War of 1812 was long over. What was setting its sights on the U.S. capital in 2003 was the impending massive force of Hurricane Isabel.
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Lessons of the Snake and Toad

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing in my backyard, and you may not believe the life lessons it taught me.
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Growing Older Gracefully

Emma was the sweetest lady I knew, and Miles brings warmth and smiles to everyone he comes in contact with. They are the role models I want to follow as I grow older.
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