Reliable And Valid Christian Living

Reliability is the extent to which an experiment, test, or any measuring procedure yields the same result on repeated trials.

Validity refers to the degree to which a study accurately reflects or assesses the specific concept that the researcher is attempting to measure. While reliability is concerned with the accuracy of the actual measuring instrument or procedure, validity is concerned with the study's success at measuring what the researchers set out to measure.

Using a scientific approach, can we say that the Bible is true via reliability and validity? The world of secular research and science usually holds to this regimen. They MUST demonstrate reliability and validity of results in order to confirm its reported results.

Let's begin with Reliability? Question: Is the Bible reliable to the extent that it produces the same results regardless of the text used to support or make a point? Let me explain this as the world would use and accept the results per this part of the measure.

I recently went in for a hearing test. I do have severe hearing issues, deaf in my left ear and limited hearing in my right ear. The test results from this test were the same minus a few exceptions with a test I had two years earlier by another audiologist. This would suggest that the testing method is reliable; it yields the same results on repeated trials. But this is also contingent upon all other variables being constant in that means the testing circumstances are controlled in similar manners. But it also means that the client (me in this scenario) is also unchanged.

The Bible has similar conditions and pre-conditions. Can over time the scriptures be reliable? Let's consider the simplest yet most important verses in Scripture, that which concerns salvation. This is also where the word faith comes into the equation. As early in the New Testament as one can go (The Book of Mark) salvation comes only through faith, belief in Jesus, and a committed heart. Belief is not simply accepting the facts as presented, but acting upon them. Faith that a well-tuned piano can produce some of the most beautiful music is more than looking at a piano and making such a statement. It requires the good works of application by a true pianist. If my brother who was a concert pianist played the keyboard and another applied pianist did the same thing, we would prove two things; the piano was reliable and a true pianist was valid. For me to sit at the ivory keys, we would still have reliability per the piano, but no longer valid beauty in the sound results.

This is true of the Christian faith. True believers demonstrate time after time that Christ makes a difference in his or her life. This is reliability. We get similar changes in lives. To prove the validity of this measure, one would need to see if this same "improvement" occurred in all measured subjects. These measures would be Galatians 5:22 " the fruit (evidence) of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, fruitfulness, gentleness, self-control i.e. indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There must be consistency between those measured with only occasional blips. When it is the blips that are more often revealed in this example research, the measure is somehow wrong.

When a by-mouth-only so stated Christian tries to sit at the ivory keyboard of Christianity, s/he would soon prove to be a fraud or invalid as a true believer in and follower of Christ; thus reliability of inconsistent living AND little to but no validity. Put the two side by side and our Christianity study or measure would demonstrate different results meaning something is invalid.

Want a check list for yourself? Okay here is one. If you don't' want to personally know about validity and reliability in Christian living, stop reading here. Remember that true results must have both measures.

1. Do you thirst for bible knowledge or are the simple "stories of the Bible" good and deep enough for you?

2. Do you pray on a continual basis for more things than a blessing on the food you are about to eat, and then only if in private and NOT in a public place? Do you forgive others as you want the Lord to forgive you your sins?

3. Do you want to share what God has done for you or are you still wondering IF God has done anything for you?

4. Do you seek to be with other believers in fellowship and WORSHIP or is Sunday attendance good or close enough?

5. When was the last time you picked up, opened and STUDIED the bible other than to possibly carry it to church?-

6. Is a Bible devotional to you the same thing as bible study?

7. Are you more worried about the ball game next weekend than the salvation of your neighbor, friends and/or family?

8. Do you pray for the healing of others so that you yourself may be healed?

9. Is a little gray sin, a little deceit, or little lie not a sin in your opinion?

10. What does the word HOLY mean to you? Just a special word or do you grasp its true depth?

These are enough measures to test one's Christian reliability and validity.

It is always this author's intention to provide a few moments of Bible insight. These "aha moments" might very well drive one to look it up for him or herself. Then my mission is accomplished. http://ahabiblemoments.wordpress.com

Christian Music: A Better Market

Over the past few years, music sales have seen a slight decrease. This is due to obvious factors of music's availability through markets such as Google Play, Amazon Prime, and more. Through these declining sales statistics, two groups of consumers have (Christian/Gospel and Metal) remained more true to their genre than others when it comes to dispersing cash.

According to Statista.com, Christian and Metal sales showed the slightest decreases from 2008 to 2014. When putting statistics to the side, the real winner would have to be to Christian or Gospel genre. On that note, here are five reasons why.

Shelving

Whenever you go to super stores such as Target or Walmart, there are only a few music categories. The most common categories are Popular (Pop) Music, Country music, Latin music, and then there's Christian music. Unlike metal music, Christian music still manages to maintain its own label in these multi-retail specialty stores. If you were to go to a music store, you would then find a Metal music label, but still find the Christian music label and a Gospel music label as well.

Television

Yes, there is MTV, VH1, BET, and other music channels who offer a variety of music shows. However, when it comes to Christian and Gospel music, they each have more channels strictly dedicated to the genres themselves marketing their tunes throughout the day and night.

Concerts

It does not cost as much for a church or spiritual venue to host a Christian concert when compared to other popular categories of music. Many venues will even pay the Christian or Gospel artists to come and perform and allow free admission for the public.

Fans

With the obvious lower decline in sales, it is evident that spiritual music fans like their music. They follow their favorite artists more consistently, and are willing to buy the music even if it is not the artist's best work. They do not have to worry about being turned away due to a parental advisory sticker, offensive album cover, or negative reputation affiliation.

Fans of Fans

Church music artists sing each other's songs proudly. It is not awkward to attend a Christian or Gospel concert and hear the featured artists perform another one of their favorite artist's popular songs. There is a lot of love within the two genres between its members, and they see themselves as family rather than competitors.

Three Myths About Modern Christian Academies Dispelled

It's tough to keep track of all the school types available to today's youth. Some are primary, like public schools, but that doesn't mean primary like preschool and kindergarten. It gets even more complex when you add a religious element to the mix. Luckily, there are a few ways to spot a quality Christian academy, and here are some things that you'll likely never see.

We've all heard of the tradition that keeps drifting schoolboys in line with a quick rap to the knuckles. In fact, this was a common practice in older Catholic schools in the past, but the times have changed. Not even the modern Catholic schools use such techniques, and certainly not a modern Christian academy.

Your child's discipline is usually handled on a tier-based system, wherein smaller punishments lead to more severe actions. Usually, parents have a say in what action should be taken beyond a certain point. You will want to discuss each aspect of this process with the headmaster or principal at your school. Occasionally, especially at younger ages, some orthodox schools encourage the notion that, "To spare the rod is to hate the child." This is an old passage from Proverbs that recounts the wisdom of harsher discipline as timeless. You will want to make sure the school's beliefs line up with your own on these matters.

Forced Religious Participation

While the actual religious activity will vary from school to school, you might be surprised to know that the typical Christian academy is open and accepting of all walks of faith. Keep in mind, however, that acts such as prayer, communal worship, and Theological discussion are still regular aspects of these students' school life.

This is not to say that your child must participate in the acts. Granted, there is an underlying assumption that most of the students will be Christian, as will their parents, but it is not a universal fact. You can think of the school like any other in the community-rich in diversity and possibility.

Accreditation And College Credits

This particular myth varies greatly from school to school, but the important part of the process is to establish the attitude that a particular Christian academy has towards accreditation. With recent changes to older laws like the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and others, there are more stringent challenges offered to certain schools. You will want to see whether your school is registered with the most popular choice of accreditation, The American Association of Christian Schools (AACS), or any others.

Finally, note that the entire process of accreditation can take some time. This means newer schools might seem like they are at a disadvantage. However, it is usually newer schools that offer the most cutting-edge and cultivated techniques, since they are fresh faces to an old system. As long as they are in the process of acquiring a certification, you usually have a safe bet that it will come through by the time your child applies for college. If not, don't fear, as most colleges have other testing methods available to ease the process.

To learn more about their options for Christian academy, NJ residents should visit http://www.wilberforceschool.org/drivingdirections.

Christian Affirmations and Self Esteem

As human beings, we are at one point bound to feel less of who we are supposed to be. We let the negative remarks from those around us to determine how we view ourselves as individuals. The end result is emotionally poisonous. Deep within, it kills us without us knowing it. This is nothing else but low self-esteem. For you who feels less than perfect; you who is afraid to celebrate your self-worth and concentrate on your strengths rather than your weaknesses; Get uplifted with the following Christian affirmations for self esteem. God loves you as His child and there are countless Bible scriptures to prove this undeniable fact. Feel free to read them out loud.

Deuteronomy 7:6 - I am special. Why? I am chosen by the creator of heaven and earth above all the people upon the face of the earth. This therefore gives my life a sense of meaning and purpose.

Genesis 1:27-My physical appearance is similar to God's. I am glad because I know that God crafted my very image and made me perfect, just as He is.

Ephesians 1:4-I am confident because I know that I was chosen even before the world ever existed. I am chosen. I appreciate my existence on this earth.

1 Peter 2:9-I am a chosen generation. I no longer dwell in darkness as God has called me out of darkness and into His marvelous light. This therefore makes me a light to shine bright into all the earth.

Exodus 19:5-I am valuable in God's eyes. I am treasured by Him who owns the earth and everything in it.

Ephesians 2:10-I am The Creator's workmanship. Greatness is naturally present within my DNA structure. With Christ I know I am a winner and destined for victory!

Psalms 119:73- I have personally been crafted and designed by God's own hands! I am unique for no other person is created exactly as I am.

Psalms 139:14-I am not only made, but I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I rejoice because God knows me both inwardly and outwardly. He knows my name.

Jeremiah 31:3-God's love for me is everlasting. There is not one time in my life that God ceases to love me.

You are destined to achieve a lot with high self esteem. Lead a positive life. Love yourself, because God loves you. Get rid of anger, anxiety and depression by internalizing these Christian affirmations for self esteem that will enable you to concentrate on what God, and not man, thinks about you.

Ranches Lee Hall is a pastor. He's been online now for several years operating different blogs and online businesses and providing helpful information. He enjoy songwriting, reading the bible, playing the keyboard or piano he currently runs http://rancheshall.com

Aspects That Make Christian Fiction Ideal for Reading

Christian fiction is a specific genre of novels that basically focuses on the vivid illustrations of the Bible and the implications of the Christianity. The plots and characters of such books generally revolve around the Christian themes. The positive storyline is one of the distinctive aspects that make these books highly popular among avid readers.

It is important to note that in the fast few centuries growing traditional Christian sub culture has aided the rise of a definite genre of Christian books. These books generally combine conservative spiritual divinity along with popular thriller or romance and thus, have gained wide acclamations in the sub-cultures. Now, let us have a quick look at the top aspects that make Christian fictions an ideal option for reading.

• The Books Inspire Positivity and Principled Actions

Keen readers agree on a common point that these fictions actually help in broadening the thinking of an individual. Reading them at regular intervals can actually aid in devoting the mind towards positivity, which eventually results in directed actions. Popular Christian fiction authors have said that going through the lines of such novels can actually help in arousing empathy and understand the real implications of bible on our lives.

• Understand What is Right and What is Wrong

These books uphold the two sides of life in an illustrative way through plots and characters. The storylines of such novels often direct the characters in the path of choices, where he or she has to select between what is right and what is wrong. With thorough illustrations of the plots and the back ground of the characters, these books depict the struggle between the evil and the good.

• Be Aware of The Spiritual Truth

As said earlier, these fictions are classical implications of the Bible, but in a different way. The biblical annotations in almost all the plots makes one aware of the spiritual truth, which eventually tends to bend the mind of an individual and take it towards peace. Reading these novels help the readers to think like the greatest thinkers of the world and this makes the novels ideal for spiritual awakening.

These are some of the notable aspects that make the Christian fictions ideal for readers who want to spend a great time learning the real implications of life and spirituality through stories. When it comes to choosing a specific series of such novels, the options are many. However, one can consider going for an entire series to derive the real enjoyment.

Rajib KR Saha is a renowned article writer and blogger who loves to write on several topics related to literature and novels. He/ she suggest the readers to read religious fiction books to understand the real implications of Bible.

The Christian Bridegroom Wedding Speech

This is the obvious-besides your bride; you are the center of attraction of a wedding. It's simple- because you are the groom. Just as the bride is nervous for her D-day, even the groom is so. It is just the groom just do not say this to everyone. The pressures of the D-day are on the groom equally. Arriving at the venue on time, remembering to pick the wedding ring from the jewelry shop and suit from the dry cleaner are some of the thing that makes for the bridegrooms nervous. Moreover, to top all that, there is the wedding jig, which has to be perfect, and the wedding speech. The groom gives the wedding speech on the wedding day after the rituals are over. This speech mostly happens when the family and friends sit for the luncheon.

Bridegroom spent anxious days thinking about the wedding speech. Writing an effective speech and delivering to the audience is a challenging for moist grooms. If the groom has good oratory skills, delivering speech at the wedding is a cakewalk. However, grooms who are by nature shy and reserved have to spend some time in thinking what to write and say for the wedding speech.

Few pointers will help you in making the wedding speech perfect. As the man of the day, you will require to thanks so important people, who were great help in making your wedding perfect. Primarily, thank the father of the bride for sharing the wedding organizing cost. If anyone else is involved in arranging for the finance, thank the person as well. Show your heartfelt thank you to these persons.

Next in your wedding speech, thank your parents. Flatter them by saying they are the ones who have made you the best of person. Thank them for all they have done to make you stand and helped your enjoy the best of life. All this will make your parents emotional and happy at the same time.

Also, do not forget to thank all the attendees of your wedding who made special day memorable. Thank them for sparing some time from the busy schedules and making it to the wedding.

In the end, thank the best man or men, if you have more than one. He is the one who have spent countless hours to arrange for the party hall, the caterer and doing the reservations for honeymoon. Raise a toast for your man and sincerely thank him for all the efforts ha has given in making the D-day.

In the wedding speech, do not forget to include your story of love. How you met your wife for the first time, what are the qualities that made you fall in love with her, things like that. Always praise her beauty and her personality. She will love this for sure. The bride's blush will surely tell that she likes what you are saying about her. Here again thank her parents for bringing such a wonderful person into your life.

The above-mentioned points are some of the important ones a bridegroom can include in his wedding speech. You can easily add more if you have some points.

Shipra Sinha writes on behalf of Jeevansathi.com, which is among the fastest growing Matrimonial Websites of India. Jeevansathi.com helps the users to search bridegroom from their respective community like Hindi Matrimony from their online matrimonial and match making services for a perfect marriage.

Should Christian Couples Be Kissing Before Marriage?

I am the only Christian I can think of that does not approve of premarital kissing, which bothers me to no end. In fact, when I tell other Christians that I believe it is wrong to kiss a person's significant other before marriage, they laugh as though I'm telling them they shouldn't eat pork. However, before you dismiss this discussion as stupid and unimportant, consider that there may actually be a problem with our current moral standards.

First of all, when I say "kissing", I do not mean a peck on the lips to say I love you, such as a kiss you would give your mother. I am speaking of the kissing couples engage in to gratify their physical desires. Some try to argue that kissing isn't quite sexual, it's just passionate physical intimacy, but those are the same thing.

Sexual:

1. Relating to the instincts, physiological processes, and activities connected with physical attraction or intimate physical contact between individuals.

Kissing is extremely sexual and that's why it would be wrong to make out with your Dad. If it wasn't sexual, then making out with your Dad wouldn't be incest or homosexual. However, if you would rather use the term "sensual", we can do that too.

Sensual:

1. The enjoyment, expression, or pursuit of physical, especially sexual, pleasure.

2. Of or arousing gratification of the senses and physical, especially sexual, pleasure.

3. The condition of being pleasing or fulfilling to the senses.

Both are deemed wrong by the Bible. Physical intimacy such as kissing is both sexual (activities connected with physical attraction or intimate physical contact) and sensual (gratification of the senses and physical, especially sexual, pleasure). Here are some of the numerous verses that forbid such acts outside of marriage:

2 Peter 2:18 - For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.

2 Peter 2:2 - And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.

Ephesians 4:19 - They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

Galatians 5:19 - Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,

2 Corinthians 12:21 - I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 - For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

Romans 13:13-14 - Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

There are many more spread throughout the Bible.

Responses:

"As long as kissing doesn't lead to sex or lust, it's okay. Everyone has their own line and should set their own boundaries."

Unfortunately, the problem with kissing, as just discussed, is not that it may lead to something else. We don't use kissing as a hello to all our friends and it's not some tribal ritual we do with our families to stay healthy. Kissing is wrong outside of marriage on its own, whether it leads to sex or not. The line doesn't move around based on the person. Making out, making out while laying down, making out while laying down in bathing suits, making out while laying down naked, and making out while laying down naked and exploring another other person's body are all wrong for every individual no matter how much self-control they may have.

"Don't you think it will be awkward if you haven't even kissed someone by the time you get married?"

Yes of course it will be awkward, but that's something a married couple can share and go through together without comparing to other experiences. Kissing and other sexual activities are very special and should be shared only within the bounds of marriage. I'm not expecting to be my future wife's first kiss, because that's not what people are generally taught to do, but I would hope that she comes to agree with this principle. Abstaining from these things till then also shows the commitment you have to your future spouse.

Apart from these biblical reasons, I also believe it's not a beneficial life choice in general. Some people, especially women, have said that they feel kissing is more intimate and memorable than sex. Adding a physical bond to a relationship you can't guarantee will last, is very dangerous and can be very damaging. Kissing your partner is almost like making a commitment to them which is then broken if the relationship does not work out.

In 1 Corinthians 6:18, God sets sexual sin apart from all other forms of wrong doing by telling us to, "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body." However, not only is it wrong, but it can also cause emotional and relational problems. I don't look down on people who have engaged in such activities outside of marriage, but I do pray that they change how they think.

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