Chelsea and I shift gears to how we can find ourselves talking bad about others outside our home: extended family, neighbors, friends, coworkers, or church members.Why do we speak negatively to or about others?Envy, grudges, and competition can all make us slander people who are not the closest in our lives.What are ways we tear down others?Say negative things about or to themGossipBear false witnessScriptures Referenced:Proverbs 18:21Ecclesiastes 4:4Acts 13:45Mark 15:9-10Acts 7:9; 13:50Proverbs 11:121 Timothy 5:13Proverbs 16:28; 6:19; 14:5; 26:18-19*** Castle Rock Women’s Health is a pro-life and pro-women health care ministry. They need your help to move into a new office to serve the community better. Please consider a monthly or one-time donation. ***
Seven Ways to Build Up Your Spouse
Chelsea and I finish our discussion of slander in marriage by giving positive alternatives to hurtful words.What are ways we can build up our spouse to avoid temptations to slander?Show kindnessAllow for positive silenceDisplay graceUse encouraging wordsExpress a thankful attitudeForgiveIntentionally make time togetherScriptures Referenced:Isaiah 40:31Ephesians 4:32Psalm 46:10Psalm 4:4Philippians 4:6Matthew 6:6Ecclesiastes 9:9aProverbs 17:221 Peter 3:7-10Ephesians 4:21 Thessalonians 5:11Proverbs 22:10Philemon v.71 Thessalonians 5:15-18Philippians 1:31 Thessalonians 1:2Colossians 3:12-15Proverbs 5:18*** Castle Rock Women’s Health is a pro-life and pro-women health care ministry. They need your help to move into a new office to serve the community better. Please consider a monthly or one-time donation. ***
How We Can Slander Our Spouse Through Negative Silence
We can find ourselves slandering our spouse in different ways: even “silent” ways!Chelsea and I continue our discussion of slander in marriage to finish our answer to the question:What are ways we tear down our spouse?AbsenceNegative SilenceAssuming motives.We fleshed out “Negative Silence” with how it shows up as…Avoidance/”peace at all costs”BitternessBusyness/distractionsPassive aggressionPower/controlSafetyScriptures Referenced:Colossians 3:19James 3:11Proverbs 25:28; 16:32Sources Cited:Todd Foley, “Silent storm: When your spouse won’t talk,” Focus on the Family Canada, Accessed September 11, 2022.*** Castle Rock Women’s Health is a pro-life and pro-women health care ministry. They need your help to move into a new office to serve the community better. Please consider a monthly or one-time donation. ***
Why and How Slander Happens in Marriage
Slander finds its way into marriages way too easily and often.But slander doesn’t belong in words toward our spouse!Chelsea and I first give an acrostic for S-L-A-N-D-E-R, then how we should E-D-I-F-Y.Then, we answer some questions:Why do we react, respond, or talk negatively about or to our spouse?AngerBitternessChildhood experiencesExpectationsLife eventsLow self-esteemNeed for attentionWhat are ways we tear down our spouse?Critical or belittling commentsPutting downManipulationSarcasmQuick, snappy statementsInsensitivityScriptures Referenced:Matthew 12:34-37Proverbs 4:23-24Proverbs 18:6Sources Cited:Todd Foley, “Words that bruise: Are you emotionally abusive?” Focus on the Family Canada, Accessed September 4, 2022.*** Castle Rock Women’s Health is a pro-life and pro-women health care ministry. They need your help to move into a new office to serve the community better. Please consider a monthly or
Solutions to Giving and Receiving Slander
How can I avoid slandering others?How do I handle when other people slander me?Chelsea and I look at some good verses from the Bible to help us answer these questionsHow do I avoid slandering others?Think before you speak (Jas 1:19; Pro 13:3; 21:23; 29:11)Let your motive for speaking be to edify (Eph 4:29,22-32)How do I handle when other people slander me?Diffuse it with a pleasant response (Pro 15:1a; Rom 12:17-21; 1Pe 2:12)Focus on living right (1Co 4:12-13)Truth God and be patient with the results (Pro 20:22; Psa 109:2-4)*** Castle Rock Women’s Health is a pro-life and pro-women health care ministry. They need your help to move into a new office to serve the community better. Please consider a monthly or
Student Loan Forgiveness is not Biblical Forgiveness
After four months I finally did it! A new episode of Truthspresso Express!While driving to work on Thursday morning I outline some thoughts on President Biden’s announcement of a program to “forgive” some student loan debts.When we clear away the politics and emotions, we see the problems with schemes like this. Particularly, the ideology of so-called student loan “forgiveness” is:FantasyTheftMoral hazardI also address an article I read that tries to claim student loan “forgiveness” is a Christian idea. The article raises Deuteronomy 15, which I argue cannot possibly qualify.Sources consulted:Matt Bernico, “I Paid Off My Loans. As a Christian, I Still Hope Biden Forgives Yours,” Sojourners, May 4, 2022.
How Slander Affects You and Others
Can slander be a tool in our belt? A weapon in our arsenal?The Bible has a lot to say about slander. Neither the one slandered nor the slanderer is the better for it.Chelsea and I show from the Bible how slander leaves wreckage in every wake.How slander affects the slanderer:It destroys your reputation (Pro 23:7; 29:20; 22:1)Its gains are temporary (Pro 12:19; Joh 8:44; 1Pe 3:10; Pro 21:28; 10:6)How slander affects the one slandered:It can make enemies (Pro 15:1b; 26:28)Its wounds can be lifelong (Pro 11:9; 25:18)Sources Cited:Lewina O. Lee et al, Bruce S. McEwen, ed., “Optimism is associated with exceptional longevity in 2 epidemiologic cohorts of men and women,” PNAS, August 26, 2019.*** Castle Rock Women’s Health is a
Six Reasons People Slander
What is slander? Why do people want to slander other people?Chelsea and I look at some Bible verses and stories to find at least six reasons people slander others:To enrich themselves (Proverbs 21:6; 20:17; Haman)To satisfy envy (Joseph’s brothers)To cover up wrongdoing or shift blame (Potiphar’s wife)To conceal hateful motives or weakness (Proverbs 10:18)To damage or destroy opponents (Psalm 31:13; 1 Samuel 24:9; the Ammonites against David)To fight against truth (Psalm 31:18; 52:3; 64:3-4; Jeremiah 9:4-5)Sources Cited:Legal Dictionary, s.v. “slander (n.),” accessed August 14, 2022.*** Castle Rock Women’s Health is a pro-life and pro-women health care ministry. They need your help to move into a new office to serve the community better. Please consider a monthly or one-time donation. ***
Happiness vs. Joy
In our currently English dictionaries happiness and joy are almost synonyms. Chelsea and I try to be a dictionary for these words as we contrast the two words. We read verses from the Bible to learn what Biblical joy means and how it doesn’t always go with happiness.Our definitions of the words:Happiness: a state of feeling good based on present conditionsJoy: a state of hope based on future promisesSources Consulted:Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “happiness,” accessed August 7, 2022.Scriptures Referenced:Acts 5:41Acts 13:50-52Romans 14:172 Corinthians 7:4Galatians 5:221 Thessalonians 2:19-20Hebrews 10:34Hebrews 12:2Psalm 30:5Nehemiah 8:10James 1:2*** Castle Rock Women’s Health is a pro-life and pro-women health care ministry. They need your help to move into a new office to serve the community better. Please consider
Some Encouraging Names of Jesus (part 2)
Chelsea and I continue to take a break from current news to talk about some names of Jesus and how they encourage us and make us dig deep.Names we talked about include the following:The Righteous Judge (2 Timothy 4:8)The Word of God (John 1:1,3,14; 1 John 1:1; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 19:13)Our Protector (2 Thessalonians 3:3; Psalm 18:2)The Son of Man (Luke 19:10; Matthew 12:8; 18:11; Daniel 7:13-14,27; Mark 14:62-64)Our Hope (1 Timothy 1:1; Romans 8:24)The Son of God (Matthew 14:33; 4:3; 8:29; 16:16; 27:40; Romans 1:4)This episode was fun, lighthearted, and uplifting. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.The quiz mentioned in this episode:Names of Jesus Bible QuizAlso in this episode series:Some Encouraging Names of Jesus (part