Even the cleanest homes have billions of germs, but some places in your home are far worse than others. In a recent germ study, microbiologists from National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) discovered that six of the dirtiest places in the home were in the kitchen. Below are the top 10 dirtiest places, along with tips for cleaning.

1. Dish sponges and scrubbers. According to NSF, the sponge or scrubber in your kitchen sink is the dirtiest place in your home and probably contains both E. coli and salmonella. The study found that after three weeks of use, 70 percent of sponges contained bacteria. To kill germs, place sponges in the microwave for two minutes. You should replace them at least every two weeks.

2. Kitchen sink. NSF found that because of the frequent contact it has with food, your kitchen sink may be 100,000 times more contaminated than your bathroom sink. Your toilet may be cleaner than your kitchen sink, says Eileen Abruzzo, director of infection control at Long Island College Hospital of Brooklyn, N.Y. What should you do? Thoroughly scrub the entire surface once or twice a week with hot water and soap.

3. Toothbrush holder. This was the third “germiest” area in the study. According to NSF, the average toothbrush holder is crawling with more than 2 million cells of bacteria. Research by Charles P. Gerba, Ph.D., of the University of Arizona, found that flushing the toilet sends a spray of bacteria into air, which can float around the bathroom for at least two hours before landing on surfaces. Not only should you clean your toothbrush holder thoroughly once or twice a week, but it’s also best to purchase one made from stainless steel or plastic.

4 and 7. Pet bowl and toys. Pet dishes and toys were a source of coliform, staph, yeast and mold in many homes. These items should be washed daily, either in a sanitizing dishwasher or scrubbed by hand with hot, soapy water. Soft toys should be washed at least monthly with other laundry on the hot water cycle.

5. Coffee maker. According to NSF, bacteria and mold thrive in the dark and damp areas of your coffee maker. Cleaning the inside every couple of month (assuming you use it every day) will not only keep it clean but also improve the taste. Fill the water reservoir with about four cups of vinegar and let sit for 30 minutes. Then turn it on and allow the vinegar to cycle through. Finally, run two or three additional cycles with water until the vinegar odor fades.

6. Faucet handles. Faucet handles in both the kitchen and bath contained coliform bacteria as well as yeast mold. You should clean them daily with non-toxic disinfecting cleaner or nontoxic disinfecting wipes.

8. Kitchen countertops. This high-traffic area collects germs all day long from purses, grocery bags, various raw food containers, dishes and more. Kitchen surfaces should be washed at least daily and after every meal with hot, soapy water.

9. Stove dials. The controls that adjust your stove’s heat are some of the filthiest places in your home. This is because you constantly touch them while handling food. Check your stove’s manual to be safe, but you should be able to remove the dials and either put them in the dish water or wash them with warm, soapy water.

10. Showers and bathtubs. Finally, the NSF found the bacteria staphylococci in 26 percent of the bathtubs and showers they studied. This bacteria causes various staph infections, including those in the urinary tract. The best practice is to use a natural, nontoxic and nonabrasive tub and shower spray daily.

Other common sources of bacteria include TV remotes, salt shakers, keyboards, cell phones, makeup bags, light switches and the interior of the refrigerator. According to the Centers for Disease Control, bacteria and viruses can live two hours or longer on most home surfaces—much longer in dark and moist areas.

Don Colbert, M.D., is board certified in family practice and in anti-aging medicine. He also has received extensive training in nutritional and preventive medicine, and he has helped millions of people discover the joy of living in divine health.

For the original article, visit .

When we go to weddings, one of my favorite parts of the celebration is when the dad dances with his daughter, the bride. I can’t wait to share this moment with each of my three daughters at their weddings.

I really like to dance with my girls and, throughout the years, have danced with them at home, at daddy-daughter dances and at other events.

So, if you’re a dad who has a daughter, don’t wait until her wedding day to dance with her. In fact, dance with her as often as you can. Here are four reasons why you should dance with your daughter.

1. It sets the standard. Long before their daughter’s wedding day, dads have an opportunity to set the standard for the kind of guy their daughter should look to spend the rest of her life with. Dads should show their daughters what they should expect from the boys they date and the man they eventually marry—she should expect a gentleman who honors her body constantly, holds her hand securely, protects her passionately, laughs with her joyfully, values her immeasurably and loves her deeply. She should see all of those things when you, Dad, dance with her.

2. It builds memories. One of the things I talk about in my book All Pro Dad is the importance of creating memorable monuments with your children. Memorable monuments are things you do with your children that create lasting and loving memories. Dancing with your daughter can be a wonderful memorable monument—moments that can leave you both laughing on the floor at the end of one song and crying in each other’s arms at the end of the next one. They’ll certainly be memories you’ll both cherish.

3. It says she’s beautiful. Twirl your daughter around, but also make sure to pull her in close and tell her she is beautiful and special. Like your wife, your daughter needs to hear that she is beautiful and captivating. Also, your little girl needs to know her beauty is not just outward, but that she also has a beautiful heart and incredible talents. Dancing with your daughter can provide you with a perfect opportunity to affirm her beauty.

4. It validates your love. As you affectionately embrace your daughter, you’ll be saying to her, “I love you more than you’ll ever know” … even if you don’t even say anything.

So seek and find moments to dance with your daughter now because, in the blink of an eye, she’ll be dancing with her husband.

Do you dance with your daughter? How do you find ways to do so? And if you both have a favorite song to dance to, please share it.

Mark Merrill is the president of Family First. For the original article, visit .

Any student of Israel knows that Theodore Herzl is the father of modern Zionism. His book, The Jewish State, called for the creation of a Jewish homeland as the only safe haven for the Jewish people.

Eliezer Ben Yehuda is considered the father of Modern Hebrew, a dead, unspoken language in 1880, now spoken by over 10 million people.

But equally impressive as the rebirth of the Jewish nation and the language of Hebrew is the rebirth of the Messianic Jew—the Jew who professes faith in Yeshua, and, like the first believers, continues to live as a Jew. There are many men and woman who were influential in the Messianic revival.

Moishe Rosen birthed Jews for Jesus and raised up an army of Jewish emissaries. Joseph Rabinowitz started the First Assembly of the Israelites of the New Covenant in 1885. Our own Ari and Shira pioneered spirit-filled Messianic Judaism in Israel with their first house congregation in 1977 and then by birthing the first Hebrew only spirit-filled congregation in 1995. As far back as 1959, Victor Smadja started Keren Ahava Mishihit in Jerusalem. My spiritual father, Dan Juster has also played a major role in shaping Messianic Jewish expression through the Tikkun Network and the UMJC.

Martin Chernoff

However, if there is one figure who stands out as the father of Modern Messianic Judaism it would have to be Martin Chernoff. His father, Solomon, fled the Russian army in the early 1900s in order to give his family a better life in America. But, after arriving in Amsterdam, he was broke. For three years he worked and saved in order to buy tickets to cross the Atlantic. However, thinking he had arrived in New York, he was shocked to find himself in Argentina!

After another three years, he and his family took a train through South America to New York City. However, when he got off at the last stop he was in Toronto, Canada, missing New York for the third time! This time, Solomon settled his family in Toronto, as there were already 4,000 Russian Jewish immigrants living there, and continued his trade as a tailor.

A Secret to the Grave-Almost

One day Solomon heard a Jewish believer preaching. He sat down to listen and secretly professed faith in Yeshua. He knew this would send shockwaves through his orthodox Jewish family so he decided he would never tell a soul.

Many years later, their son Martin would make a similar decision, embracing Yeshua as His Messiah, but instead of keeping it to himself would seek to bring as many Jewish people as he could to faith in Yeshua. On his deathbed, his father confessed his secret faith to his son.

Assimilation vs. Jewish Identity

Martin and his wife, Yohanna, worked for many years for an organization seeking to bring Jewish people to faith. He was constantly at odds with them, as he began to realize the need for Jewish believers to have their own meetings in a Jewish context. The organization emphasized winning Jewish people to the faith and then funneling them into local churches to be discipled (where they would often lose their Jewish identity).

Martin was told he was not qualified to disciple “Hebrew Christians,” as they were called then, and once, when he immersed several new Jewish believers in water at a conference, the leader of his organization saw red, as he rebuked Martin, telling him again that it was beyond his scope of authority.

“The Jesus Revolution and the Jews’ is the biography that Martin’s wife, Yohanna, wrote.

In the midst of a prayer meeting in 1963, just after the assassination of President Kennedy, Martin had the second of three visions. He saw, in addition to scores of Jewish people coming to faith (as in his first vision) a group of unkept and shabby young people—dressed in rags. He had no idea that the coming years would usher in the hippy phenomenon and that God would use his wife, Yohanna and him to bring many of these young Jewish people to Yeshua.

In addition to ushering in the sexual revolution, psychedelic rock and popularizing LSD usage, the hippie movement revealed a deep spiritual hunger inside that generation. In April 1966, Time Magazine ran the headline: Is God Dead? However, only five years later, after this massive revival, their headline in June 1971 was, The Jesus Revolution.

Scores of young Jewish people came to faith in Cincinnati forming the nucleus of the Chernoff’s home congregation. Thousands more Jews embraced Yeshua all across the U.S. as God raised up a leadership for a new thing he was about to do.

From Hebrew Christianity to Messianic Judaism

In 1970 Martin had his third open vision. “Two electrifying simple words stretched across the sky in the form of a banner.” He saw the words: Messianic Judaism.

This vision would define the rest of Martin’s life and his legacy. The small group of Jewish believers in Cincinnati confessed:

“We are Jewish believers in Yeshua as our Messiah. We have our own destiny in the Lord. We will no longer be assimilated into the church and pretend to be non-Jews. If Yeshua Himself, His followers and the early Jewish believers tenaciously maintained their Jewish lifestyles, why was it right for them, but wrong now? Gentile converts are not expected to forsake their families, culture, holidays and traditions; nor shall we do so.”

No longer would they call themselves Hebrew Christians, but Messianic Jews.

Despite the fact they were seeing dozens of young Jewish people receive Yeshua, the leader of the organization who paid their salary gave them an ultimatum. They either must disband their congregation and hand over the names to the organization (so these Jews could be placed in churches), or leave.

Marty had a major decision to make: Stay with the organization, get paid, disband their congregation and funnel new believers to churches or resign his position, officially birth congregation Beth Messiah, and trust God to provide for their needs. Other than a few isolated cases, there was no example of a self-sustained, independent Messianic Congregation. It was virgin territory.

After a lengthy discussion between the leaders and the congregants, it was decided that disbanding was not an option. Martin would become their rabbi and they would support Yohanna and him. Congregation Beth Messiah was birthed.

National Influence

Soon Martin was elected to be president of the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America. More and more Jewish believers were calling themselves Messianic Jews instead of Hebrew Christians. The moniker Hebrew Christian emphasized that the believer was of Jewish background, whileMessianic Jew, emphasized that the believers continued to live as Jews, after believing in Yeshua.

However, changing the name of the HCAA would not be easy. Many old-timers strongly objected to the new Messianic theme and Jewish identity. They didn’t like the dancing or the singing of Klezmer (Yiddish sounding) songs with Messianic lyrics. The first vote was defeated, but not without controversy. Rather than fighting, Martin wisely put the issue to rest, realizing that it was only a matter of time.

Two years later, the young hippie believers far outnumbered the old guard and the name was changed to the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America (MJAA).

Beth Yeshua in Philadelphia

Eventually the Chernoffs would move to Philadelphia and take over the “Fink Zoo”—a group of young Jewish believers who met in the home of Joe and Debbie Finklestein. They called their new congregation Beth Yeshua.

When I first heard of Messianic Jews in 1984, the orthodox community had declared war on Beth Yeshua and they were fighting for their survival. By 1985, they were calling for a nationwide protest—with the goal of destroying the Messianic Jewish movement. Jews from all over were bussed in to protest and Beth Yeshua was their target. If Beth Yeshua could be toppled, then maybe they could crush the whole movement.

I drove right by Philadelphia during Hurricane Gloria just before this mass demonstration, as my Long Island-based Bible School released us for our own safety.

The folks at Beth Yeshua were hoping that Gloria would ruin the planned protest. However, Pat Robertson rebuked the storm just before it hit his Virginia Beach-based CBN and Gloria headed out to sea. Pat was happy; the Messianics in Philadelphia were dismayed.

However, when Beth Yeshua took their worship team outside in the midst of the anti-Messianic demonstration, the entire protest was diffused. Some protesters ended up actually dancing with the Beth Yeshua congregants. After a short time, leaders called off the protests and fled.

Legacy

So many leaders that lead congregations today were discipled by Martin Chernoff. His legacy lives on in these many men and women, not to mention his own children Joel, David and Hope, all leaders in the Messianic Movement today.

(All quotes are taken from Born a Jew, Die a Jew, the biography of Martin Chernoff, written by his wife, Yohanna.)

Ron Cantor is the director of Messiah’s Mandate International in Israel, a Messianic ministry dedicated to taking the message of Jesus from Israel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Cantor also travels internationally teaching on the Jewish roots of the New Testament. He serves on the pastoral team of Tiferet Yeshua, a Hebrew-speaking congregation in Tel Aviv. His newest book, Identity Theft, was released April 16. Follow him at @RonSCantor on Twitter.

For the original article, visit .

Are you suffering from an out-of-control appetite? You’re about to get a prescription for a biblical appetite suppressant!

God revealed it to me in Bible study this week. While I was familiar with the scripture, God revealed something in it that I’ve never seen before. The scripture Proverbs 23:1-3 says:

“When you sit down to eat with a ruler, Consider carefully what is before you; And put a knife to your throat. If you are a man given to appetite, Do not desire his delicacies, For they are deceptive food.”

It was the phrase “given to appetite” that caught my attention. A question popped into my mind: “What is the difference between hunger and appetite?” You need to understand this so you’ll know why and how the prescription works.

According to the definition, hunger is the stomach’s feeling of discomfort caused by a lack of food intake. However, appetite is a strong desire or liking for something, usually food or drink. Appetite is a God-given gift when used the way He intended: to satisfy the body’s need for food.

However, your appetite is out of control if you are eating often when your body is not physically hungry. You can find yourself eating whenever the opportunity presents itself, such as from emotional hunger, boredom, or simply because the food is there!

Your appetite becomes the equivalent of an undisciplined, spoiled child who throws a tantrum when it doesn’t get its way.

If you are suffering from an out-of-control appetite, what can you do about it? Think about the phrase “man given to appetite,.” When you give something away, you do it voluntarily. You make a choice.

Ask yourself: If you are giving yourself away to appetite, then what are you losing? You see, it takes time to practice overeating or binge-eating behaviors. When you give yourself away to your appetite, are you taking away from:

• Your relationship with God?
• Your family or friends?
• Fulfilling your destiny?
• Pursuing a cherished dream?
• Receiving joy from using your talents and gifts?

You cannot serve two masters (see Matthew 6:24). What if you instead gave yourself away to God instead of giving yourself away to appetite?

If you want to do this, the appetite suppressant in Proverbs says to put a “knife to your throat.” That is a strong image! Obviously this is not literal, but here’s what it means.

If someone puts a knife to your throat, they will have your full attention, won’t they? Not only that, but you’ll do what they say! The command is to focus your attention so that you can exercise self-control when your appetite throws a tantrum.

The problem is that many of us, from habit, are used to going unconscious when a thought to eat comes to mind. We’ll give ourselves away to the food by placing large portions before ourselves that our body doesn’t need, by returning to the kitchen automatically even though our stomach is already full, or if we are feeling emotional unsettled, we’ll give ourselves away to food instead of giving ourselves away to God at that moment.

James 4:6-7 says that it takes humility to obey God’s will and His grace: “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Here are the 5 steps to take back control of your appetite:

1. Make a declaration at the beginning of your day, saying “God, I’m giving myself to you today, not to my appetite.” Decide in your heart that you are presenting your body to God (which belongs to Him anyway) for His purpose. Visualize giving yourself away to God as a gift easily and joyfully.

2. Since desire drives the appetite, declare to God in prayer that you want your desires to become His desires. Ask Him to change your desires into Godly ones this day.

3. Declare to God in prayer that you believe His word in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

4. When your appetite tempts you to eat when your body is not hungry, re-affirm your decision to give yourself away to God. Pray to Him, saying that you expect to see an escape route according to His word and that you will wait to see the escape route that He provides. Then, you will take action on that.

In the meantime, start doing something that captures your attention. The mind cannot hold two thoughts at exactly the same time. So I recommend creating a list of 100 things that you want or need to do. A good place to start is those things you’ve been procrastinating on. Look at the list, pick out a task, and start working on it. Give your full attention to it and strive to do your best.

If you do this, then you’ll learn that purposeful action can captivate you as much as eating used to!

5. Thank God at the end of the day for helping you to control your appetite as His word says. You will feel great when you see that it is possible to control your appetite! God will give you the grace and strength to do it each day. So praise Him.

Jesus says in Matthew 6:33-34, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things … ”

Take one day at a time, one moment at a time even as needed. As you give yourself away to God rather than your appetite, you will experience increased peace and joy in your life—the blessing that comes from right thinking and right living!

Kimberly Taylor is the author of “The Weight Loss Scriptures” and many other books. Once 240 pounds and a size 22, she can testify of God’s goodness and healing power. Visit and receive more free health and weight loss tips.

Recently a man who attends The Man in the Mirror Bible Study every Friday online asked a question about tithing that I suspect a lot of men wonder about. So with his permission, here’s our exchange.

Abe: I have a question about tithing. I have not treated God’s money very well over my life. I am 52, married five years and have three very young children.

Unfortunately, I am embarrassed to say we have no savings and about $38,000 in debt outside our condo mortgage. About $12,000 of that is credit cards, $10,000 is student loans, and $15,000 is from a friend who loaned me money for the condo. We had been giving 5-7 percent of our net income until this year when we upped it to 10 percent. If we did not tithe, we could put that money to our credit cards and pay them off much sooner.

Do you think that would be biblically wrong or does God want us to suffer and pay the price for my immature and irresponsible attitude towards money? Our financial situation is a large source of tension in our marriage. I feel I have let our family down. My wife asked me to shoot you a message to see what you think.

Response: Abe, no one else can tell you what God’s will is for anything unless it is specifically commanded or prohibited by scripture. In my opinion, tithing falls into the category that it is commanded in the Old Testament and confirmed by Jesus in the New Testament at Matthew 23:23.

My own story is that, even though I faced bankruptcy every day for seven years, my wife and I tithed every penny we ever earned—actually more. And God has wonderfully provided for us. We have never lacked for anything. And I was spared from bankruptcy. 

My advice would be to keep tithing. I know it’s counterintuitive, but God honors those who honor Him. You’re going to get through this. Make God bless your decision.

Men, I hope you already tithe. But if not, I would like to encourage you to test and see if it’s true that, by tithing, God will watch over you as He has watched over me.

Patrick Morley is founder and CEO of Man in the Mirror. After building one of Florida’s 100 largest privately held companies, in 1991, he founded Man in the Mirror, a nonprofit organization to help men find meaning and purpose in life. Dr. Morley is the best-selling author of The Man in the Mirror, No Man Left Behind, Dad in the Mirror, and A Man’s Guide to the Spiritual Disciplines.

Not knowing who we are and not knowing why we are here are two of the most compelling reasons why vegetable juicing and making other healthy dietary changes becomes so volatile for many people. It is often difficult to deal with the stresses of life without our favorite “comfort foods” to stuff down a variety of emotions.

It’s hard to avoid food temptations when we don’t have a compelling reason to discipline urges for the wrong foods and drink. And we often find we can’t face ourselves once toxins start coming out.

The purpose for our life is something many people long to know and complete. However, many people struggle with knowing why they are here and sleepwalk through life or exist in a state of “hypnotic waking.” This makes it very difficult to follow the juicing and whole foods lifestyle because in a state of frustration and lack of fulfillment, we tend to reach for short-term, feel-good fare—foods that give us a little comfort and pleasure for a few minutes.

In the long run, they defeat our goals and keep us from the health we long for. They can actually derail us from our destiny because they cause illness and disease. We become one of the soldiers lying on the battlefield with our armor askew, focused on our body-our pain and our ill health.  

When I was on the Sid Roth show It’s Supernatural in January, he did a re-enactment of a vision I had of God’s army lying on the battlefield with all sorts of diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and much more—being beaten by the enemy because they were down. You can view that show at

My husband teaches a class at our health and wellness retreats titled, Who Am I; What Is My Purpose? I took that class years ago and discovered my passion was, and still is, nutrition counseling and juicing. Because of this discovery in his class, I went back to school and completed my Master of Science degree in whole foods nutrition. The rest is history, as they say. Here I am today with more than 3 million health and juice books sold and helping thousands of people each year reach their potential through learning to live the juicing, healthy foods lifestyle. 

How To Discover Your Purpose

When I went through my husband’s class, he had me write down my ten best experiences in life, starting with childhood, then teen years, young adult, and present. I looked for things I did well that also gave me a sense of joy and fulfillment. Then I looked for themes that ran through all the stories; it was helping people, speaking, teaching, and writing, especially about healthy dietary choices and how to get well that gave me the most joy.  

If you’re feeling unfulfilled and lacking purpose and direction, why don’t you complete the exercises just described?  It’s best to then share this with others to get their feedback.  I did this in my husband’s class and got responses from the people in the group. Other people often can see us better than we see ourselves and help us identify our greatest strengths and gifts.

God has a plan for your life—a compelling destiny. To complete your destiny, you need a healthy, strong body—one that can “go the distance” and complete the course. If you have tried and failed, take heart. This is a new day. You can start right now to get clear about your purpose. You can make a decision, just like an athlete would do, that nothing is going to get in your way of achieving your goals. 

When cake, ice cream, a bag of chips, or any other unhealthy food tries to lure you off course, you can say no with ease. You have a destiny. Nothing tastes as good as great health.  Nothing is going to derail you from your destiny. 

Cherie Calbom is the author of 21 books, including her latest best-seller, The Juice Lady’s Big Book of Juices and Green Smoothies, and Juicing for Life, with 2 million copies sold. Known as the Juice Lady for her work with juicing and health, her juice and diet therapy and cleansing programs have been popular for more than two decades. She holds a Master of Science degree in whole foods nutrition from Bastyr University. She has practiced as a clinical nutritionist at St. Luke Medical Center, Bellevue, Wash., and as a celebrity nutritionist for George Foreman and Richard Simmons. She and her husband conduct wellness juice and raw foods cleansing tetreats throughout the year. For more information and to sign up for her free newsletter, go to .

Going into the NBA Finals, World Series, Super Bowl or any other sports finale, both teams “study film” and look for chinks in the armor of the other team. It got me thinking about the “scouting report” the enemy has on me, and on God’s man.

If I were the enemy, how would I seek to destabilize or destroy my life? Answering this question, can help God’s man see life through a different set of lenses and be prepared.

Here’s a game plan for God’s man, outlining the enemy’s scouting report on you, with a strategy to win the battle for God.

Notice in 1 Peter 5:8-9 that the enemy of God’s man is seeking someone to devour, like a lion. Interesting that even a lion does a scouting report on its victim, sizing it up, planning an approach and pouncing at the victim’s moment of weakness. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith …”

Now notice the verse tells God’s man to resist the enemy and stand firm. So how do we do that?

First, take an honest assessment of your weaknesses and vulnerabilities. For example:

Sobriety: God warns us to be alert and of “sober mind.” If you use alcohol or drugs to handle problems, you are weakening your defenses and making you a sitting duck.

Past Hurts: Emotional scars that go unhealed with God’s love, can be opened up and used against you. The enemy likes to pile on when you are down.

Pride: The enemy loves when God’s man ego gets in the way of his spiritual relationship with Christ. It’s almost too easy to pump up a man, and let him fall in the very pit he dug for himself.

Women: An unhealthy focus on women can become an idol, replacing God, and giving the enemy ammunition to keep you distracted from God’s plan.

Anger: Lack of self-control in the area of anger can lead to behavior that can derail your life almost instantly. The enemy will attack here to spur anger in many ways and hope for violent outbursts that hurt you and your loved ones.

Greed: Man cannot serve God and money, the Bible says. So the enemy will do what he  can to make you feel like you need more, so you do whatever it takes to earn more and take your eyes of serving Jesus.

Power: God calls God’s man to be a “servant,” yet the enemy uses the quest for power to give men a false sense of security, then strip it away and leave God’s man devastated at the worst times.

Lies: The enemy is the author of lies, so he uses lies to get us to believe lies, and share them which is contrary to knowing and following the Truth.

These are a few examples, but I encourage you to make a list and consider your weaknesses, and establish a trigger so you know when you are at risk.

The game plan includes two simple steps. Be prepared by:

• Putting on the “armor of God.” Read Ephesians 6: 10-18 and do what it says.
• Surround yourself with other men who you can confess to and work through issues together, including praying together.
• Resist the enemy using the name of “Jesus.”

If you are feeling weak, and feel like the scouting report on you is working, then find Godly men to hang out with, call on the name of Jesus and pray. There is a better way. God’s way.

Kenny Luck, founder of Every Man Ministries and men’s pastor at Saddleback Church, provides biblically-oriented teaching and leadership for men and pastors seeking relevant, timely material that battle cultural, worldly concepts threatening men and God’s men. Follow Kenny and Every Man Ministries now on Facebook, Twitter (@everyMM) and YouTube.

Discussing the topic of abuse can be a very awkward and tough conversation to have. But with the prevalence in today’s society, it is something you cannot be passive about as a parent.

The U.S. Department of Justice reports that 67 percent of all sexual assault victims are children. The person most likely to abuse your child is a person your child knows … and trusts. The sex offender looks for a child who trusts him and can be convinced to stay quiet about inappropriate physical contact. It could be a family member, close relative, neighbor or trusted youth worker. 

Here are some practical ways to discuss this topic with your kids:

1. Establish a time to sit down and have this discussion.

2. Explain to your child that the body was designed uniquely by God but that some parts are private.

3. Point out which parts of your child’s anatomy are private. If you have a younger child, consider discussing this during their bath time. You can also have your child dress in a bathing suit and show them that all areas covered by a bathing suit are “private.”

4. Let your child know they must tell you if anyone touches them in the private areas—no matter who the person is or what the person says to them. Assure your child they will not be in trouble if they tell you they’ve been touched inappropriately; rather, you will be proud of them and help them through the situation.

As parents, we can never rule out the possibility that our children will be abused. There are too many external forces that are out of our control. Parents can be proactive by walking their child through this conversation with truth and love. Getting past the awkwardness or desire to simply not have this conversation with your child can save them, and you, a lifetime of pain.

Security 

Security is a peculiar thing. Too little of it leaves one open to all sorts of intrusion. Too much can squash capabilities and intelligent growth. Needless to say, walking this tightrope carefully and thoughtfully is very important in child rearing. Most certainly, your children require feeling loved and safe. Those are the primary goals of a parent when it comes to providing security. Create the atmosphere upon which they are able to thrive and grow. Here are some thoughts to help.

Here are 10 ways to help your child feel secure:

Time. The absolute most important aspect to having a child feel secure is the giving of your time—real time spent together talking, sharing, laughing and learning. Time = Security.

Affection. Physical contact does not come easy to all men. For some, it goes against long developed strands of DNA. Children need affection from a father as much as (if not more than) the affection from their mother. Dad should be seen as a strong protector. Most men get that part. What some men don’t get is that part of that strength is best displayed with a gentle hug or a kiss on the forehead or in holding hands as you walk together. By showing your love and affection in these ways, your child feels safe and warm. In regard to child development, affection makes a world of difference.

Related Article: 10 Ways To Show Your Kids You Love Them

Say it loud; say it proud. Do you verbally praise your children for the great things they do? There are many ways to discipline children. Positive discipline is just as important as punishing negative behavior. When we praise our children it builds their self-esteem and self-worth. When it’s warranted, always be sure to praise them loudly and proudly. Your verbal encouragement will provide the security they require to flourish.

Related Article: Phrases for Praises

Tough love. While praise is of great importance, it’s just as important for you to scold and punish a child when appropriate. Children test limits repeatedly. When you enforce boundaries, you make them feel secure. It’s like double-checking a locked door—you know it’s locked, but checking again makes you feel safer. Our society is full of narcissistic adults who have never simply been told no. Being consistent shows your children that you care for them deeply. Tough love is still love, but there is an enormous difference between disciplining with tough love and abuse. Toughness is highly required. Cruelty is criminal.

All ears. Your kids have a lot to say to you, and when they’re talking, make sure that you’re all ears. Even during those times of just nonsense, you can learn so much about who they are and who they’ll become. Your kids need to feel secure talking to you about anything under the sun. That level of trust benefits everyone involved.

Let the good times roll. Laughter is the cure to many troubles in this world. Some would even say it’s more powerful than the strongest medicine man can create because laughter heals and nourishes. Be open, funny and kind to your children. Play with them. Joke with them. Just be downright silly. Child behavior is based greatly on the behavior of parents. Provide them with a happy and loving home, filled with laughter and joy.

Special talents. We are all blessed with special gifts and talents to offer the world. Sometimes they are obvious, but other times they are more discreet. Sometimes parents get so focused on their hopes, plans and dreams for their children that they miss the special talents their kids naturally possess. This can be hurtful and confusing for your child because they think that maybe they’re not what you wanted them to be. To truly feel secure, your children need to know that you love them for exactly who they are. In searching for your kid’s true gifts, you need to have eyes like a hawk. When you see the first hint of a special talent, swoop in to acknowledge and nurture them to the fullest. In clinical terms, it’s behavior management. In real terms, it’s called being a very good parent.

Balance. Remember the original Karate Kid movie? The main objective of Mr. Miyagi’s lessons was to teach Daniel balance—in martial arts and in life. A family that feels secure and happy is generally a family that is properly balanced. Just enough love. Just enough discipline. The right amount of everything. To secure balance in your home, you must treat it like a delicate recipe. Too much of one ingredient will spoil the whole dish.

The rock. The true test of character is how you react when the chips are down, when failure comes knocking. When these moments happen with your children, Dad needs to be there to offer a strong hand to lift them back up. Not as a savior or a crutch, but as a rock that will not be moved. Pick them up, dust them off, give them a hug and start all over again. That is an example of unconditional love. They should know without question that, no matter what happens, you will love them.

The greater purpose. “The family that prays together stays together.” There is pure truth in that proclamation. There is great security in knowing that we have a higher and greater purpose on earth, in knowing that our Creator loves us and made us for a reason. So in your parenting, don’t just focus on feeding the flesh and bones of your family, but feed their souls with the light and Word of God.

All Pro Dad is Family First’s innovative and unique program for every father. Their aim is to interlock the hearts of the fathers with their children and, as a byproduct, the hearts of the children with their dads. At , dads in any stage of fatherhood can find helpful resources to aid in their parenting. Resources include daily emails, blogs, Top 10 lists, articles, printable tools, videos and eBooks. From , fathers can join the highly engaged All Pro Dad social media communities on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

Sitting at home in Jerusalem, like so many other residents, one would never think that within only two to three hours’ drive from here, chaos and turmoil is running rampant beyond Israel’s borders. In fact, it is hard to believe that Israel has become, relatively speaking, an oasis in the midst of so many war-torn nations.

The reason is simply stated in the words of Jesus (Yeshua), where in Matthew’s Gospel we read, “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.”

In all due fairness, many Arabs are Christian, and many are secular or liberal-minded Muslims in faith or practice. However, the forces of evil that spring forth from the seeds of a religious belief in war, also known as jihad, will ultimately bring forth the fruits of violence, hatred and strife.

It is no surprise, then, that even since the last column I wrote, new developments have occurred in the Middle East, and we should not be shocked that by the time you are reading this, new twists and turns will have happened.

In Egypt, the now former president, named Morsi, was overthrown in a coup by the Egyptian military. Since Morsi’s fall, his Islamist supporters have taken to the streets, vowing to continue protests until he is reinstated. Clashes and violence have been growing, with scores of people killed or wounded.

This seems so undemocratic and unfair by Western and European standards, so much so that the European Union is calling for Morsi’s release from arrest as well as many members of his previous government. But have you all forgotten that he was the head of one of the worst organizations on the face of the earth, called the Muslim Brotherhood, which was responsible for the assassination of Egypt’s former President Sadat who came and actually made peace with Israel?

The Muslim Brotherhood was responsible for the founding of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which sent suicide bombers into the heart of Israel, killing and wounding thousands of Israel’s citizens, both Jewish and Arab. Hamas has launched or shot more than 8,000 rockets into southern Israel’s regions since Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005. Currently more than 1 million Israelis live under the threat of rocket attacks. And while there are no more Jews in the Gaza Strip, Israel is still referred to as the occupation force. 

The Muslim Brotherhood was also enacting new laws that were subjecting the Coptic Christians, evangelical Christians and other minority groups in Egypt to being persecuted and oppressed under the strong arm of Islamic Sharia laws. Quite frankly, Egyptian Christians are happy Morsi is gone. As the turmoil rages in the streets of Egypt, let us be aware and discerning that there are thousands of Christians who are completely supportive of the Egyptian military coup and, as such, have prayed for Morsi’s overthrow.

The ancient group of Coptic Christains in Egypt represents one-tenth of the Egyptian population, roughly 84 million people. The news out of the Middle East is for us to be more aware of the events taking place. It is also important in the Christian mindset to understand that God’s judgments and purposes for His people and the nations are being revealed.

Egypt is already sending in thousands of military soldiers to the Sinai, under their control, in order to battle terrorists and organizations like al-Qaida and Hamas. Also, 80 percent of the smuggling tunnels into the Gaza Strip have been shut down with Egypt’s help. The military government is trying to bring back stability and avoid a civil war.

Until now, tourism played a large part in the Egyptian economy, but it has been wiped out over the last two years. To restore confidence, one has to believe the military is doing what it can to strengthen jobs again. It may not be a perfect scenario, but it is one that still gives a glimpse of hope, especially to Egypt’s Christian communities. 

Tunisia, one of the first nations to overthrow its former leader, recently has seen its opposition leader assassinated. In Iraq, after the U.S. and other allied forces spent billions of dollars to create a democratic government and a stable army and police force, all we see now is chaos. It is the great divide between the Sunnis and the Shias.

Maybe a lesson for Westerners to learn is that Islam’s tenets are rooted in Sharia law and not democratic values. Every week, scores of Iraqi citizens are being subjected to suicide bombings and killings as thousands of its people are dying without hope.

Again, we have failed as God’s people who believe in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, as the Christian population once was reported to be about 1.5 million, traditional or evangelical, but has dwindled to around 250,000. The violence and persecution against Christians by Muslims in Iraq has been part of what they are sowing back today among themselves. This sounds unfair, but it is the truth.

So, where are the pastors and Christian leaders today in Europe? Why are their voices so few about these injustices in Islamic nations? Israel, which is not perfect by any means, is still the freest place for Christians in the entire Middle East. I don’t know of one single Christian or Jewish believer in Yeshua, in all of Israel, that has died for his or her faith because of the Jewish people’s democratically elected government or its laws in the Knesset.

And yet there are more evangelical Christians in Europe speaking out against Israel’s injustices than for the rights of Christians throughout the entire Middle Eastern Islamic nations that are more like dictatorships. The apostle Paul, as recorded in Romans 11:18, says “Do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.” That root is Jewish. 

Finally, we have arrived back home in Israel where the Obama-led U.S. negotiating team is trying to get the Palestinians, under the leadership of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, back to peace talks with Israel. Israel will do anything for peace, as evidenced by the fact that a decision was made by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cabinet to free terrorist murderers of Israeli citizens despite much opposition from the Jewish population.

By releasing more terrorists, there is still some wishful thinking in Israel about a peace process that hasn’t brought us anywhere closer to peace since 1993’s Oslo Peace Accords. During these present peace talks, Abbas continues to declare, “The Palestinian state that will be established will not include a single Israeli soldier or civilian.” In the words of the Nazis who declared their conquered lands, “Judenrein!”

Minister Naftali Bennett said, “Fear paralyzes. If we had listened to those who tried to scare us in previous generations, we would have stayed in the Arab world and in Europe, and we would have continued to be obliterated there.”

In conclusion, I think Christians today should not fear but stand up for truth, and in doing so we will all have a greater reward for eternity. Never give up the truth!

Barry Segal and his wife, Batya, are the founding directors of a humanitarian aid center in Jerusalem. Their longing to help build and restore Israel inspired them to pioneer the nonprofit charity organization Vision for Israel and the Joseph Storehouse in 1994. The work currently functions as an international humanitarian aid center operating in the Judean Hills just outside of Jerusalem.

The makeshift welding station was strategically positioned at the top of the driveway. 

Each man passed by it as he arrived. For six Tuesday nights, these five young men, all of them in their 20s, gathered on this patio in their journey toward authentic manhood—a journey that began between a father and son, now extended through a son to his buddies.

Dave Marks first heard the principles of authentic manhood with hundreds of other men. Dave and a small group of other dads understood the advantage a young man would have if he learned these principles early in life to provide a clear framework for manhood.

They designed an experience for their sons, teenagers at the time, to acquire what they had discovered. Dave is a pretty creative guy, so this father-son experience was filled not only with great content but also with an interactive junkyard visit, homemade rocket launchers, a huge ceremonial bonfire and other “meaningful” pyrotechnics!

Taylor Marks, now 23, and his dad saw the value in revisiting these principles at strategic times in their lives. The time was right for them to do A Man and His Design from 33: The Series together—just a father and his son. The Manhood Definition and the Four Faces of Manhood were now richer, deeper and more meaningful for both of them. Taylor’s first thought was to accept responsibility, enlist a group of his buddies and lead them in this manhood journey together.

Good things happen in an environment of honesty and trust. A healthy level of vulnerability emerges where you can freely express the feelings of your heart, your struggles, your failures and your fears. There is safety, camaraderie and genuine community. No one passes judgment on another, but at the same time no one diminishes the truth. This is the brotherhood of real men.

Alex, Stephen, Chase, Grant and Taylor—they all decided to meet for a seventh Tuesday night to share their action plans and to seal the covenant they would make to each other. But one of the guys was missing. As it turned out, he was in bed with a migraine, but this night was too important to proceed without him, so they jumped in their cars and dragged him there. My guess is that with this group of guys, you have no excuse unless you’re dead or dying!

The conversation on the patio flowed freely. One of the realities that resonated with all of these young men was the phenomenon of so many guys in their 20s who are stuck in extended adolescence. They saw too much of it in their friends and felt too much of it in themselves.

Another common thread was the need to reject passivity and to step up and lead courageously—to lean in to the King and the Warrior Faces of Manhood. One of them expressed his desire to have a more developed Friend Face and to connect with others on a more substantive level. Living with a transcendent cause and investing eternally—these are the things real men discuss.

After that, the group gathered at the top of the driveway around a two-feet by two-feet steel plate. Looking back on that night, they realized the symbolism in many of the elements.

The steel plate was actually a boilerplate. A lot of guys never open their chest up to another man. We tend to stuff our unresolved issues and settle for superficial “How’s it going, I’m fine” drive-bys. We’re like a pressure cooker—a boiler—that leaks and causes all kinds of damage to our self and collateral damage to others. Real men learn how to rip that plate off and deal responsibly with what is inside.

Our steel boilerplate was lying across a large scrap piece of lumber on top of a wheelbarrow. The lumber was leftover oak from their church that was built 13 years ago. The Four Faces of Manhood—King, Warrior, Lover and Friend—were welded on the four edges of the plate. Each of the five men welded their initials into the plate. They were making a 20-year covenant with each other to stick together no matter what and to hold each other accountable in their journey toward authentic manhood. The welding heated up the plate, which in turn heated up the wood, filling the air with a pleasing aroma of oak, metal and smoke.

Someone suggested the steel plate would rust as the years rolled by. They immediately felt that metaphor of life and the strength of this brotherhood that surrounded it. One of the guys had the idea to weld 33 in the middle of the plate because Jesus is our model of authentic manhood in the 33 years He lived on earth. These men agreed their covenant with each other would not exclude others from joining them in their journey.

This was the core that would include others along the way.

I had been invited to deliver a personal challenge to these men. I reminded them of the laws of the harvest. The first law is that you reap what you sow, so you need to choose your seeds wisely. The second law is that you reap in a different season than you sow, so be patient. There is no such thing as microwave manhood. It is a process, a journey. The third law is that you always reap more than you sow. Good, bad or ugly, your harvest is only as good as the seeds you sow.

We talked about transitioning well through the seasons of a man’s life, focusing on where you are now while anticipating where you are going, always living with the end in mind. Taylor’s dad pointed out that over the next 20 years, these guys would gather at each others’ weddings. They would gather at the births of their children and eventually the funerals of their parents. This was the reality of the covenant they were making.

I couldn’t help but think that here I am in my 50s ,nearing the end of this fall season of my life. These men are in their 20s, just hitting their stride in the spring season of life. Our common purpose transcended our seasons, which is just the way it should be. We are connected. These men are my brothers.

One of my favorite parts of 33: A Man and His Design is the spoken word piece that Tedashii wrote and performed specifically for us. I capped off the evening with this excerpt:

“I refuse to let the 60-year-old me look back at the 20-year-old me like, ‘What was he thinking? Where was the plan?’ And I refuse to let the kid in me look down at that future grown man. Don’t waste your seasons.”

Tierce Green is a co-presenter of 33: The Series. He has taught the principles of authentic manhood in a seasonal gathering called The Quest to over a thousand men each week in a seven-year period. He is now the pastor of house churches at Church Project in The Woodlands, Texas.

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