http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles.aspx Every Christian prays, but few can name the different types of prayer. Put simply, prayer is a form of communication with God, and it’s something Christians partake in multiple times a day. There are, in fact, five different types of prayer. These include adoration, petition, expiation, love, and thanksgiving. Adoration is one you, as a Christian, are no doubt familiar with. This type of prayer is said to give praise to God and acknowledge our complete and utter dependence on him. These can take the form of private prayers or church liturgies used in worship service. http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/the-five-types-of-prayer/Default.aspx Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:32 -0600 http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/the-five-types-of-prayer/Default.aspx Each human being walking the planet has something special they can offer to society. Oftentimes this comes in the form of their particular brand of creativity, which can include anything from musical inclinations to masterpiece painting skills. There are plenty of areas in the church that call for creative Christians, so if you feel you were born with that extra oomph of creativity, you may be wondering how best to express it in a way that makes it valuable to others. http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/the-creative-christian-using-creativity-in-church/Default.aspx Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:28 -0600 http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/the-creative-christian-using-creativity-in-church/Default.aspx New research from Canada has concluded that there is a link between spanking and psychological problems. Children whose parents spanked them as kids are more likely to develop mental issues as adults, including low self-esteem, depression, bulimia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and even alcoholism. Christianity teaches that to spare the rod is to spoil the child, essentially endorsing corporal punishment, and research like this may have parents thinking twice about their parenting choices. Christians will always vary on the interpretation of this popular verse, from viewing it as referring to literal spanking to seeing it as a shepherd’s rod intended to gently steer a child in the right direction. No matter your personal views on spanking, discipline takes many forms, and it’s important to try a variety of them first before automatically resorting to physical punishment. http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/sparing-the-rod-to-spank-or-not-to-spank/Default.aspx Sun, 17 Mar 2013 10:12 -0600 http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/sparing-the-rod-to-spank-or-not-to-spank/Default.aspx It’s not uncommon in today’s churches to hear the idea that following Christ leads to financial prosperity, but is this biblical? 1 Timothy 6:17 says to “instruct those who are rich in this present world no to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” This verse stresses the importance of not getting caught up in finances and points out that what constitutes riches encompasses so much more than money. We can be richly supplied with love, family, good health, kind friends, and a supportive church community. That is nothing to sneeze at. http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/poverty-and-prosperity-what-the-bible-teaches-about-financial-success/Default.aspx Sat, 16 Mar 2013 10:09 -0600 http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/poverty-and-prosperity-what-the-bible-teaches-about-financial-success/Default.aspx Most Christians will proudly proclaim their patriotism right along with their Christianity, but what exactly does it mean to be patriotic? Is being patriotic something the Bible condones or has it forced faith to take a back seat? Patriotism is simply devotion to one’s country, and Americans are often viewed among the most patriotic citizens on the planet. Images conjured up by the term “patriotism” include Independence Day barbeques, summer parades, fireworks, and plenty of red, white, and blue to decorate them all. This tradition of celebrating freedom is a vital force in the cultural heritage of the United States. It is the epitome of all things Americana. http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/patriotism-should-a-christian-be-patriotic/Default.aspx Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:51 -0600 http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/patriotism-should-a-christian-be-patriotic/Default.aspx Parenting a teen is no easy task, even for Christian families. Teens raised in Christianity will undoubtedly come to their parents or youth leaders with questions regarding their faith, such as “how do I know if I’m being called to the ministry,” “is it wrong for me to listen to Christian rock,” “am I allowed to be friends with a non-Christian at school?” Parents need to be prepared to have open discussions with their teenagers. At this stage, they are young adults in training and need to be encouraged and gently guided to make the best choices possible. http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/parenting-christian-teens-in-the-modern-world/Default.aspx Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:18 -0600 http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/parenting-christian-teens-in-the-modern-world/Default.aspx No doubt you have worried about your weight at some point in your life. The majority of Americans today and, by extension, Christians, have to worry about their health as obesity rates rise and waistlines in the church get larger. Perhaps you’ve tried the latest fad diets, counted calories, bought the newest workout DVDs, and paid that gym membership, all in an effort to become healthier and shed the pounds. If this sounds like you, chances are you’ve heard of fasting for weight loss. We all know that fasting can be found in the Bible and it’s something practiced by religions around the world, but would Jesus have fasted to lose weight? http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/modern-fasting-a-matter-of-intentions/Default.aspx Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:08 -0600 http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/modern-fasting-a-matter-of-intentions/Default.aspx We’ve all used a vending machine at some point in our lives. These handy machines deliver sodas and snacks with the press of a button – after putting in some money, of course – and whether we know it or not we begin to associate that clank of the change with getting a reward of some kind. Unfortunately, Christianity has reached a point where many of its believers treat God like a vending machine. They put something in such as volunteer work, church service, and tithes only to expect God’s graces to rain down upon them. If this sounds like an attitude you’ve reached in your own life, it may be time to reevaluate. http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/has-god-become-your-vending-machine/Default.aspx Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:55 -0600 http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/has-god-become-your-vending-machine/Default.aspx We probably all know those Christians that only go to church for Easter or Christian pageants. There are even some that only show up for worship service once every couple of months or so. While this may be a necessity for someone who works odd shifts, most of the time the excuse isn’t a very good one. Some people will claim they don’t like the preacher or they are hoping to find another church. Others will say it’s too difficult to get out of bed that early or claim they are saving money on gas by viewing the worship service on television. The fact is that it’s more difficult for a Christian to survive without a church family, which is why it’s so important to make it a habit of going every week. http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/going-to-church-regularly/Default.aspx Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:48 -0600 http://www.shareinthelight.com/articles/tabid/816/post/going-to-church-regularly/Default.aspx