Although it took some life, my son Billie loves his Christian youth group. He goes while I work on my scrapbooking journaling. Nowadays, they’re meeting with a bunch of other Christian youth groups in a fellowship camp road out in the country. His dad has come along as a chaperon, as have type of|a range of|an assortment of|a mixture of|different|diverse|numerous|a number of|several} of the other dads and moms from the Christian youth groups to make certain that everything goes safely and responsibly. Although I’m not the outdoorsy one in the family, I truly nearly wish that I was going. It will be so much fun for him, with fishing, boating, swimming, soccer, and of course sharing the word of God with the members of other Christian youth groups in joyous fellowship.

When he is surfing the net, I encourage him to interact with online Christian youth groups. He does not like these as much, but there are many advantages to them. He can talk this road to Christians not only all over the country, but all over the world. He can discover out in connection with projects going on in less fortunate areas to bring food, shelter, and the word of God to those who are suffering. Most key of all, he can avoid some of the temptations of the net that we can not forever protect him from by utilizing his computer life in a fun and morally responsible road – with other kids from Christian youth groups .

The best thing in connection with Christian youth groups is that they give him something to do that does not involve peer pressure. Positive, my Billie is a decent strong kid, and chances are he would resist the lure of drugs and alcohol, but he truly shouldn’t have to even be exposed to those kinds of influences, to say zero of the other temptations that kids in their teens face. With Christian youth groups, he does not have to.

Nonetheless, my online psychic has given me some decent advice, and some of the results have been downright uncanny. When I told her that me and my fresh girlfriend were somewhat on the rocks after I ended my previous relationship and got involved with her too speedily, she told me that I had trust conditions, and that I might have to learn to let go of my previous relationship. Those conditions are as annoying as yeast infection symptoms. How might my online psychic know that? It’s not like she had seen me and Cara (that is my old girlfriend) dating, and seen how much she meant to me before she crushed my heart – but I digress. I asked my online psychic how she knew this, and she told me that it has to do with my sign. All Leo’s have trust conditions. I am a Leo, in case you have not guessed by these days.

It’s not easy to pick online psychics. Fortunately for me, I had a friend who had been utilizing the matching site on the net as I these days utilize for years, and who just about swore by her online psychic, but for many individuals it does not go quite this easily and smoothly. Some individuals take month and months, if not years, to locate the online psychic who truly clicks with them, but for me it was a piece of cake. It was just about no work at all, truth be told, and I truly do like my online psychic in most respects – I trust her better than my own mother. It’s just some times I am not positive if she truly cares, or even listens to me. Maybe it’s the trust conditions again.

There are so many prophecies in the Bible that have occurred. For example, God warned that Babylon was going to be destroyed and never rebuilt on again. Currently, Babylon is a wasteland, and has never been rebuilt. Even Alexander the Great gave it a shot, he was murdered the week of trying to rebuild it. In modern times, Saddam Hussein tried to rebuild it and the bricks started to crack and they were unsuitable. Then because of the Gulf War, he lowered the priority of rebuilding Babylon, and now, he is no longer around. So an ancient prophecy from God way back in 580 BCE still holds true today.

I know what you are saying to yourself. This is unrelated to Armageddon or the end of the world in 2012. Well, actually, it does. The Bible tells us many things about the end of the world. One of the themes it says in Matthew 24: 43, 44 is that “no one would know the day or the hour” as to when Armageddon will occur. Well, that in a way disproves the “end of the world will happen in 2012” philosophy since no one really knows its time.

But imagine that 2012 turns out to be the end of the world. How does a man or woman go about surviving 2012, or Armageddon? Again, the Bible tells us.
In John 17: 3, it clearly states,

“This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”

So right there, the key to survival, the handbook, the map, and the arrow is pointing to which way to go. The key to surviving 2012, if that is indeed the date that we are concerned with, is to be taking in knowledge of God, and Jesus.

Scripture even informs us signs from the heavens to look for. In Matthew 24: 29, it says,

“after the tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give off light, and the stars will fall from the heavens.”

This may be symbolic, but if it was symbolic, how would we know for certain that this is the beginning of the end? It is believable that it would have to be physically witnessed in order for people to know.

But 2012, or Armageddon, is not required to be about doom and gloom. In fact, going back to John where it says “taking in knowledge of God” means endless life. We could think that if the world should be destroyed, how could there be any life. Again, drawing our attention back to the Bible, in Psalm 104: 5, it says that,

“He has founded the earth upon its established places; It will not be made to totter to time indefinite or forever”.

In Psalms 37: 11, it tells us:

“The meek ones will possess the earth. And they will find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”

There does not seem to be the end of the world in any passage of the Bible. But it does tell us that Armageddon will come about, and the only way to overcome our sin is to trust in Jesus Christ because we can’t live without Him and we truly need Him. If we humbly put our faith in, then we will have no fear of death, but rather, we will have the assurance of living forever and experiencing a love that only comes from God.

Here are simple yet wonderful ways of rewarding yourself:

1. Buy something lavish.

If you’ve long set your eyes on those expensive engraved cuff links, then now is the time to finally buy them. Perhaps, your conscience won’t allow you to take that set of accessories because it’s too expensive for your taste. Now, set that thought aside and chance to even get out of your little, miserable locality.

3. Curl up

Now, if you don’t have the luxury to go shopping or jet-setting, then you could always use a whole day of curling up in bed. Watch your favorite movie. Grab a bowl of popcorn. Today, when everyone seems too busy about work, rarely do people find the time to waste a whole day in bed doing practically nothing. So when you get the time, do it. A peaceful mind and a long, relaxing sleep is oftentimes priceless.

Once again, you don’t need to have a reason to treat yourself. If you feel like it, indulge. After all, life is too short for you to rob yourself of your own happiness. Life is too short to waste even a minute of it contemplating if you need to follow your heart and your desires.

So how do you know when enough is enough? How do you know when to finally let go of that dream?

1. Feel It
All your life, you were taught to always think – twice, thrice – before making a decision. You were always taught to weigh the pros and cons, the most reasonably-priced and even the most attractive item, sometimes, getting the item with those exact qualities won’t make you really happy. Sometimes, all you really need to have is a regular-looking pair of cufflinks – regardless of the price. You don’t need logic to do this.

In the same way, sometimes, staying in a relationship that has long gone sour would not be a very good idea. Waiting for your partner to get more committed to you again, or for him to be a more responsible husband, would not be what your heart truly desires. Sometimes, you need to get out of the relationship and find yourself again. This, you have to do, even if there’s a family to be affected – even if there are children to be considered.

2. Get a sign from above.
It’s cliché. But sometimes, when things don’t seem to be running the way you want them to be, you simply have to let go – and let god. You have to surrender your worries to a higher being – however way you refer to him, her or it.

Asking for a sign from God may just be what you need to know what you have to do.

When faced with life’s most complex decisions, man, by default, uses logic and reasoning. This is correct. But sometimes, when everything seems unclear and complicated for the mere mortal mind, you need to make use of your other human faculties – your heart and your soul. Sometimes, knowing when enough is enough is a matter of introspection and prayer.

Here are 6 amazing facts about happiness, and why if you aren’t happy yet, you’d be better off smiling your way throughout each day.

1. People who score highly on the happiness meter of psychological tests develop 50 percent more antibodies than the rest of the population. Put simply, happiness can make you healthier, and help you save up on medical costs.

2. Rich employees have been found to be happier than their poorer counterparts. Still having financial troubles even though you’re the cheeriest in your department? Well, this doesn’t mean the findings are trumped up. The research isn’t incorrect; you could become rich yet. You see, it was also found that happy people are more likely to become rich. So, if you aren’t a rich employee yet, you eventually will be.

3. A gold medal does not guarantee happiness. In a study, Olympic bronze medal winners have been found to be happier than those who got the silver or even the gold!

4. Laughing 100 to 200 times a day burns up 500 calories. If you’re not feeling up a workout, don’t hit the gym. Instead, spend your time laughing.

5. If you exercise 20 minutes a day, three days a week for the next six months, your overall happiness will increase by at least 10 percent and as much as 20 percent!

6. Good mood has a smell of its own. In an experiment, a group was shown scary movies. Then, their armpit odors were collected using gauze pads. After a week, researchers asked people who weren’t part of the experiment to pick out the pads that came from people who were frightened accuracy!

So, the next time you’re tearing your hair out over something, picking out personalized groomsmen gifts, for example, stop. Instead, smile. You’ll get through your task faster that way. At the same time, you’ll smell better!

She looks over the engraved flask and engraved money clip you were pointing out, and shrugs, “Either is fine.”

For some reason, her reply rubs you the wrong way. You glare at her, blurt out that you can’t believe how lightly she’s taking such an important question, and stalk out of the store, leaving your friend to gape at you, in shock.

Is your upcoming wedding bringing out the worst in you? Are the many things you have to be ready for turning you into one monster of a bride-to-be? If the answer is yes, go over the list below and pick out the top 10 ways you can do away with stress.

1. Play with your. If you don’t have one, buddy up with a virtual dog, cat, or even a dinosaur!

2. Listen to classical music. It’s soothing, and because it doesn’t have lyrics you can sing along to, it automatically puts you in a zen mood.

3. Smile at children. The operative word here is smile, not grimace or look like you’re smiling for completely sinister reasons. Smiling, even when you don’t feel like it, is a great way to cheer yourself up even when you’re feeling your all-time low.

4. Pick up shells at the beach. And, if you want, you can even collect these shells and turn them into home decors!

5. Read a good book. Or, if you don’t have time, read a good ebook.

6. Take a nap. Forget about looking for engraved cufflinks for a minute – this task can wait until after your nap. More than anyone else, it’s frazzled brides-to-be who deserve to rest.

7. Get a soothing massage. You’ll be surprised how refreshed and relaxed you’ll feel after a 30-minute session with your masseuse!

8. Take a long shower. This is easy to do, and can be very invigorating. Just remember, don’t shower with hot water. It strips the skin of necessary lipids.

9. Sit on the grass (or maybe lie down) and spend a few minutes star-gazing.

10. Go for a walk. It will clear your mind, and regain your calm. With these 10 tips, you can take everything life (and your seemingly never-ending wedding preparations) throws at you and get by with a smile!

There are so many prophecies in the Bible that have happened thus far. For example, when God had said that Babylon was going to be destroyed and never reconstructed on the same site, this is exactly what has happened. To this day, Babylon is a badlands and has never been rebuilt. Alexander the Great tried and was done in within a week of trying to rebuild it. Bringing it closer to present day, Saddam Hussein tried to rebuild it but the bricks started to break down and they were unusable. Then because of the Gulf War, he put the rebuilding Babylon at the bottom of his list, and now as we all know, he is no longer with us.

So an early prophecy from God way back in 580 BC holds true still today. I know what your reaction might be. This has nothing to do with Armageddon or the Doomsday in 2012. Believe me, actually it does. The Bible tells us a lot of stuff about the end of the world. One of the major themes is in Matthew 24:43,44 which states that “no one knows the day or the hour” as to when Armageddon will happen. That kind of puts a damper on the whole “end of the world and surviving 2012” philosophy, since no one knows the time it will occur.

But let’s just say that 2012 is going to be the end of the world. How does one go about preparing for 2012, or Armageddon? Well again, the Bible tells us in John 17:3 when it clearly says “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”

Right there is the key to survival, the manual, the map, the arrow pointing which way we are to go. In order to survive 2012, if that is indeed the date that we are going by, we need to believe that Jesus died for our sins and ask Him to be Lord of our life.

The Bible tells us what signals to look for in the end days. Let us look at a few things in our time and compare them to what Jesus said. In Luke 21, they were questioning Jesus as to what the sign will be when these things are destined to take place. Jesus told them:

1. “Do not be misled, many will come on the basis of my name and try to mislead you”.
Consider Heavens Gate, one of the biggest mass suicides ever to take place. The cultists thought they were going to bigger & better places not of this world. Some of us may have thought this was obviously some insane man just misleading people. However, this could have been one of the things that Jesus was warning us about.

2. “Nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom”.
Clearly this means conflicts between nations. If we look around the world today, we see nothing but war. Since 1914, the First World War was supposed to be “the war that ended all wars”, but it was in fact the war that seems to have incited more of them. Satan has certainly been instigating war after war ever since the beginning of time. But with every nation on earth being touched in some way by wars in the last several decades, things have definitely heated up. In World War One millions of lives were lost. World War 2, again, innumerable of people lost their lives. So when Jesus said that nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, this has clearly happened and still is going on.

3. “Earthquakes, pestilences and food shortages will happen in different places”.
Look around the world today; we see adversities everywhere we look. We hear about earthquakes, pestilence in third world countries, and food shortages almost every day on the news. Even here in our country, one of the richest nations on earth, poverty and starvation are more prevalent than we would like to admit. It’s not nice to think about but then again, it was prophesied by Jesus as future things to happen. He even told us there would be signs from the skies to watch for. In Matthew 24:29 it says that after the tribulation “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give off light, and the stars will fall from the heavens”. This could be symbolic, but if it was symbolic how would we know for sure that this is the beginning of the final chapter? It would make sense that the Lord would reveal something visual in order for people to know.

2012, or Armageddon, need not be about doom and gloom. In fact, going back to John where it says taking in the knowledge of God means living forever. We could get very fearful thinking that this world is going to be destroyed. How can it be that life as we know it could end? Again, returning our attention back to the Bible, in Psalm 104:5, it says that “He has founded the earth upon its established places; It will not be made to totter to time indefinite or forever”.

In Psalms 37: 11, it tells us that“The meek ones will possess the earth. And they will find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.” Although there does seem to be an end of the world according to the Bible, there is also a message of hope. That hope is found by believing in Jesus Christ. Then you will have the prospect of living forever with Jesus Christ. Our hope can only come from Him and in Christ alone. We must confess our sins and ask for forgiveness. When we are forgiven, the Holy Spirit of God will come and live in our hearts forever. This is the hope to survive 2012 and to live forever no matter what happens.

Music is considered by some to be the universal language. All good music contains melody, harmony, and rhythm. When the rhythm of a Bible verse is locked together with the rhythm of a song, this results in kids Bible songs that really increase remembering the verse, and keeping the words straight and in order.

Consider this example. Acts 4:28 speaks of the sovereignty of God in the death of Christ by stating, “For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.”. Now read this verse in 3/4 time, i.e. emphasizing every third syllable- do, ev, hand, coun, etc. The downbeats perfectly fit the accent of the words.

To aid you to remember this verse, simply say the words over and over as you match it to the rhythm of a Strauss waltz, or the verse of the song, “Oh How I Love Jesus” . Match the word ‘do’ with the first downbeat and it will fit perfectly.

Or, how about writing your own tune to the verse, once you have determined a rhythm. When a melody is unique for a verse, it helps me remember the verse much better.

Of course, most verses don’t read in perfect rhythm. When this is true, it is necessary to fit two words or syllables into one beat, to repeat words or phrases, or to hold some words longer. Consider the song, “I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live”. Notice that the downbeat accents in the first two measures are on ‘I’ and ‘life’. This means that ‘life’ is given a whole note while ‘am the resurrection and the’ fit into the other three beats of the first measure. The two measures have 10 syllables in the words. However, the next two measures contain 11 syllables and must also be compressed. The phrase ‘yet shall he live’ is repeated and the words given longer notes.

Avoid changing the word accent just to fit the song. Remember, the first beat of every measure is always accented. By holding words and using shorter notes, try to place the beat of the music on the key words of the verse for emphasis. That way, the Scripture is central, not the music.

A rule I try to follow for my Scripture songs is to use the words of Scripture as they are in the Bible. This does not rule out repeating words or even phrases. But when we paraphrase part of a verse in order to fit it into a song, then the music is the master and the Scripture is submitting. For example, consider the song, “Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us”. Though this fits the accents of the words better, it also changes the Scripture word. By holding ‘Father’ for two beats, putting the accent on ‘hath’ and then ‘stowed’, the word would have remained and the accents honored.

Visit KJV Bible Songs today to hear some samples of the many songs I’ve written from Scripture.

Bible verse songs are a wonderful means of memorizing Scripture. When the words of the Bible are locked into the rhythm of a song, this makes it much easier to learn them. Television advertisers have used this for years to get the name of their product into the minds of the public. I can still sing commercials I heard 50 years ago!

However, though poetry is easy to put to music because of its meter, Bible verses are not so written. Methods for writing tunes to match Scripture words is the subject of another article. When it is accomplished, however, the meter of the song dictates the next word and locks it in.

Learning Scripture memory songs also helps us remember the verses. Many times when I am speaking, I think of a verse and then recite it accurately. However, mentally I am actually singing it in my mind quickly. The rhythm and accents of the song was the aid to remember it.

I started writing Bible verses to music when I first taught third grade in a Christian school. I was especially challenged as to how to teach the memory verse to the slower students. Music was the answer. When I sang the memory verse to them, they could pick it up and remember it much more quickly.

Bible verse songs also provide a means of meditating on the Scripture. The song plays over and over in my mind and so do the words. Verses have come to mind in this way that were just what I needed for a given situation.

A song can actually clarify the mean of a verse. One example is 2 Corinthians 5:21 that contains a misplaced modifier in modern English. The verse reads, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin” Obviously, the last phrase refers to Christ, not us. Through repetition of the phrases, the song makes this clear.

Bible Songs are also effective means of presenting the Gospel. One year I taught my class all the verses for the Roman’s Road plan of salvation and they sang them for a parents’ assembly. The plan of salvation was clearly presented to any relatives who didn’t know the Lord.

Finally, Bible verse songs are a means of retaining Scripture as I get older. It is much more difficult for me to memorize Bible verses and remember them now, than it was when I was younger. However, I can still remember a song and in this way, I will remember verses as well when they are the words to the song.