The First Labor Day. September 6, 2004 is the annual Labor Day celebration in America. This day is set aside as a holiday to celebrate the
American worker. It’s typically a day filled with joy because everyone is off work and enjoying the start of American football season. However,
if you look at labor from a biblical perspective, you find that the first labor day could be traced back to the Garden of Eden. Here is where sin entered the world and
therefore two aspects of labor were introduced. First, a woman’s labor with child birth was now going to hurt. Second, man would now have to
work for his food and it was going to be filled with thorns and thistles making his labor painful as well. Gone are the days of free meals, man
would now have to sweat for his daily food. Today, mankind has taken work to an all new level, making it easier to work anywhere at anytime all
for the sake of progress. However, do you take work too far and forget what is more important in life? We are reminded in 1 Timothy 6:6-12 (KJV)
that “godliness with contentment is great gain.For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and
raiment let us be therewith content.” Consequently, there’s work, and then there’s work.   Click here to listen to the lesson from Sept. 5, 2004.  You may also download the handout as well.
 God’s Definition of Marriage. The institution of marriage is under attack today by those who
would redefine the natural use of a man and woman. What does scripture say on this matter? Plenty
. In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. Genesis 2:18, 21-24 says “And
the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for
him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of
his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from
man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”. We are warned of certain behavior in Romans 1:26-27 “For this cause God gave
them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And
likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men
working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.” The sin of
Sodom and Gomorrah is not new but the scripture is clear, the behavior is still called vile. The lesson also discusses the
legacy of Eve with relationships between a man and a woman.   Click here to listen now to the lesson on Sept. 12, 2004. You may also  download the handout as well.
 Be Ready to Give An Answer.
As a Christian, we are told to be ready at any time. 1 Pet 3:15-16 tells us “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to
every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a
good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.” Often you may find yourself ready to tell
someone what you think but some key points in this verse is that someone asks and you respond in a humble manner. Colossians 4:6 emphasizes this by saying “Let your speech be alway with
grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” A question
recently put forth was the importance of religion in ones life. The initial response was religion is
bad, but a personal relationship with Christ Jesus is most important in life. Having Christ in your
heart as Savior is the hope that should be in you. Will you be ready to share your faith wirh scripture when a question is posed to you?   Listen now to the lesson for Sept. 19, 2004.  You may also download the handout as well.
 Emotions. As humans, we deal with emotion every day. There are times perhaps when you
would like to get rid of your emotions and lead an easier life. The fact is we cannot get rid of our
emotions, we have to learn to deal with the good and the bad ones. When you think of God do you
think of an emotional being? The fact is God demonstrates He has many emotions and shows them
in His relationship with mankind. If God has emotions then it is safe to say that emotions are not
automatically considered sinful. God gave us insight into this in a conversation with Cain in Gen 4:6-7 (KJV) “And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If
thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” It appears Cain was angry but God told
him sin was at the door. It was up to Cain to let “sin” in and have dominion over him. Later in Ephesians 4:26-27 (KJV), we’re instructed “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon
your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.” We even learn that God hates as it’s explained in
Proverbs 6:16-19. So then, certain emotions can put us in a situation to sin but if handled correctly, are not a sin in
themselves. Emotions can be defined from a worldly or heavenly perspective. Which emotions are good ones and which
emotions are bad? There is plenty of scripture to instruct us as Christians which ones we should dwell on and which
ones we should put to death. As Galatians 5:19-25 (KJV) tells us there are fruits of the flesh and fruits of the spirit. Further, in Ephesians 5:8-9 (KJV), we’re told “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as
children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)” The audio lesson on Sept 26,
2004 discusses emotions and how they fit in the life of a Christian.  
Click here to listen now.  There is a handout available as well.
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Audio Lessons for this Month
