Archive for May, 2008

Philippians 2:1-18 — Seek Unity Through Humility

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

By Jeremy Hoover This passage begins (2:1-4) with a call to unity that includes basic tenets of Christianity. This passage links with 1:27 and the concern for how the Philippians live. Again, Paul draws on his relationship with them. It is because of that relationship that he can correct their behaviour and attitude. The questions are rhetorical: among Christians there is, objectively if not subjectively, encouragement, consolation, sharing, etc. If there is any doubt about this, Paul includes the spiritual presence of Christ and the Spirit to tie these together. Where these are present, there should be unity and the same love, which manifest themselves in humility that looks to the other. This is, in fact, what Christ did. In saying they should have the same mind as Christ, Paul draws their attention beyond service to Christ. Many serve Christ and boast of making great sacrifices for Christ, but will not bend their knee to sacrifice for a fellow brother or sister. This attitude, which runs contrary to the traits listed in v. 1-4, cannot be held in tandem with the mind of Christ. Christs mind is centred on humility and serving others. He did not regard his position with God and his own deity as something to hold over others, but he humiliated himself by becoming a servant. He was even humble (and obedient) to the point of death. It was because of his humility that Christ was exalted and given the Name Lord (the same word used in the Septuagint to translate YHWH LORD). Christ is Lord. Sooner or later all will bow. Christians know *now* who we serve. Thus, they are exhorted (commanded?cf. Pauls language in v. 12) to work out [their] own salvation with fear and trembling. Sanctification (the process of being saved or being made holy; our earthly, human point-of-view and struggle) is in view in these verses (12-13), not justification (salvation from Gods end-time point-of-view; the finished/completed act). Work out does not mean earn; instead, it means to carry out to completion. Since it is God who IS working within them (presently), they should carry out their salvation to its conclusionthe faithful life that will be rewarded. God enables them (and us) to both desire and carry out obedience. Verse 12 emphasizes the human responsibility and verse 13 emphasizes the divine enablement; together there is mutual co-operation. When there is murmuring and complaining, though, the divine will is not being carried out, they are not blameless and innocent, and they are not holding fast to the word of life. It is destructive behaviours like these that mar the Christian message and make it ineffective. But Pauls hope is that their faithfulness to the gospel will vindicate him: It will prove, when Christ returns (or on judgment day), that Paul did not labour in vain. Pauls life, combined with their faithfulness, is a pleasing sacrifice to God, and he encourages rejoicing in such a matter. Jeremy M. Hoover is a writer and book reviewer in Ontario, and the owner of a website that teaches you how to pray. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeremy_Hoover http://EzineArticles.com/?Philippians-2:1-18—-Seek-Unity-Through-Humility&id=42512 payday loan default hialeah car company loan online personal loan very bad credit [payday loan

Pluralism and Modern Christians: Exclusivism in an Inclusivist World

Monday, May 26th, 2008

By Steve Singleton When we encounter people of other faithsBuddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Baha’is, etc.observing their obvious devotion to what their religious convictions and the inner peace they seem to have and the gentleness, it makes us want to make a place for them in the kingdom of God. Our Western culture promotes pluralism of all kindsracial, ethnic, political, and religious. Anyone who argues for one Way as the exclusive way of salvation our society opposes, ridicules, and fears. Of course, God, in His sovereignty, may choose to save anyone He wants. In the exercising of His wisdom, justice, and mercy, He certainly has the prerogative that human judges often exercise: of allowing for extenuating circumstances and the attitude of the defendant. What’s more, He can factor in the confluence of a multitude of cause-effect relationships wholly unknowable to humans. We are confident that if He makes such allowances, they will be decisions that will only serve to magnify His holiness, His grace, and His righteousness. We are not in a position, however, to second-guess or to make reliable predictions about what He will and will not do in His role as Judge of All the Earth beyond what He has revealed to us. Biblical history yields examples when He granted pardons (2 Sam. 12:13; Ps. 32:1-5; Jonah 3:10) or overlooked shortcomings and failures (2 Chron. 30:17-20; 2 Kings 5:15-19), but it also reports that at other times, He demanded exacting obedience and punished failures to comply to the smallest detail (Lev. 10:1-7; 2 Sam. 6:6-7). It is not for us to attempt to predict, much less to demand, what He will do or choose in specific cases. Our task is only to proclaim what He has revealed in His Word. Jesus Himself said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). His apostle, Peter, restated the same principle: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Paul adds: “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:31). For us to grant even hypothetical pardon to anyone who has not responded to the gospel of Jesus Christ seems tantamount to calling Jesus (and Peter and Paul) a liar. If He is truly my Lord–if He is truly yours–we cannot call Him a liar or contradict His express statements. We must, instead, obey His call to “Disciple all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). If that makes us Christians exclusionists, so be it. If that means our stance is a stumbling block to the world, that’s all right. The cross has been a stumbling block and foolishness to an unbelieving world throughout the entire history of Christianity. Yet, to those who are being saved, “it is God’s power and God’s wisdom. For the foolisness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength” (1 Cor. 1:24-25). * * * Copyright 2006 Steve Singleton Steve Singleton has written and edited several books and numerous articles. He has been an editor, reporter, and public relations consultant. He has taught college-level Greek, Bible, and religious studies courses and has taught seminars in 11 states and the Caribbean. Go to his DeeperStudy.com for Bible study resources, no matter what your level of expertise. Explore “The Shallows,” plumb “The Depths,” or use the well-organized “Study Links” for original sources in English translation. Check out the DeeperStudy Bookstore for great e-books, free books, and great discounts. Subscribe to his free “DeeperStudy Newsletter” or “DeeperStudy Blog.” Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Singleton http://EzineArticles.com/?Pluralism-and-Modern-Christians:-Exclusivism-in-an-Inclusivist-World&id=81442 bad credit personal unsecured loans cash advances today pre settlement cash advances guaranteed no fax payday loan

Europe/US Working Capital Survey

Saturday, May 17th, 2008

By Marc Loneux The latest survey on the working capital situation of the largest 1,000 European companies by sales reveals for the year 2004 a further improved performance, with a year on year drop of 3.3%. European corporations still continue to pay attention to working capital management as a way to drive liquidity and returns. Each working capital component contributed last year to the overall improvement. A more refined working capital analysis shows a higher proportion of sectors reporting improved year on year performance, suggesting a lower magnitude in weighted reduction changes. Among those that have shown the biggest meaningful working capital improvements last year were Aerospace & Defense, Distillers & Brewers, Food Retailers and Telecoms, while Auto Manufacturers, Commodity Chemicals, Electrical Components and Industrial Diversified were flat or deteriorated. A detailed country analysis reveals improved DWC performance across nearly every European country. Among the major economies, Italy and the UK saw the biggest working capital improvements last year, but their performance was more mixed when compared with 2002. France and Germany registered further DWC reduction, but at a substantially lower rate than in 2003. While progress has been achieved, an initial benchmark and comparative information analysis reveals that the largest European companies still have in total close to 480bn of cash unnecessarily tied up in working capital. In addition, implementing best practice working capital strategy and processes would also result in annual cost reductions of up to 16bn, translating into an improvement of 3.2% in the total reported EBIT. The value of this cost potential would add an extra 27% to the working capital cash potential. The introduction of Collaborative Working Capital Management would translate into further cash and operating cost opportunities that have not been factored in our above estimates. Going forward, the working capital picture is likely to be more discriminating across companies and sectors. A cause for concern is a possible management attention shift out working capital towards growing the business, the investment, and the bottom line at a time when corporate liquidity is much improved and the rate of working capital improvement reaches a point of diminishing returns. 2005 US Working Capital Survey The latest survey on the working capital situation of the largest 1,000 US companies by sales reveals for the year 2004 a further improved performance, with a year on year drop of 2.5%. While showing a lower rate than in 2003, this means that US corporations still continue to pay attention to working capital management as a way to drive liquidity and returns. Each working capital component contributed last year to the overall improvement. A more refined working capital analysisshows a higher proportion of sectors reporting improved year on year performance, suggesting a lower magnitude in weighted reduction changes. Among those who have shown the biggest meaningful working capital improvements last year were Aerospace & Defense, Computers, Containers & Packaging, Cosmetics/Personal Care and Food, and Broadline Retailers, while Air Freight, Pharmaceuticals and Telecoms deteriorated. While progress has been achieved, an initial benchmark and comparative information analysis reveals that the largest US companies still have in total up to $460bn of cash unnecessarily tied up in working capital. In addition, implementing best practice working capital strategy and processes would also result in annual cost reductions of up to $23bn, translating into an improvement of 2.9% in the total reported EBIT. The value of this cost potential would add an extra 40% to the working capital cash potential. The introduction of Collaborative Working Capital Management would translate into further cash and operating cost opportunities that have not been factored in our above estimates. Going forward, the working capital picture is likely to be more discriminating across companies and sectors against a background of strong business activity. A cause for concern is also a possible management attention shift out working capital towards growing the business, the investment and the bottom line at a time when corporate liquidity is much improved and the rate of working capital improvement reaches a point of diminishing returns. Marc Loneux is a Chief Financial Analyst at the REL Consultancy Group RELs methodology is about generating cash improvement from working capital and operations to deliver strategic flexibility and competitive advantage.Every program is customized to the needs and goals of the individual client based on an in-depth understanding of your particular industry, corporate structure and business environment. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Loneux http://EzineArticles.com/?Europe/US-Working-Capital-Survey&id=112720 free money to pay off nursing school student loans dallas merchant cash advance florida car loan for people with bad credit kissimmee bad credit car loan

Sony Ericsson K750i - Opening Vistas for Future Imaging

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Alice_Erin]Alice Erin The Sony Ericsson K750i is perhaps the most anticipated handset when it was released. With the growing clout consumer looking for better camera and music capabilities other than voice functions in a mobile phone, the Sony Ericsson K750i’s specifications makes for a healthy reading. The handset was able to live up to the expectation and in many case exceed it, for example the processing speed is much faster than other phones with similar features. The designing of the Sony Ericsson K750i is done to keep its usage simple. The lens cover for the camera, removing which automatically activates the camera is just like any digital camera. The classic candy-bar form with well differentiated keys revives the old world of comfortable handling in contrast to fiddly ‘designer’ keys. The Sony Ericsson K750i slips into any pocket unnoticed because of its compact dimension and lightweight of 99 gm. 262k colour deliverable TFT display produces sharp picture and holds out information well even in bright outdoors. It also doubles up as a full viewfinder for the integrated 2.0 megapixel camera. The high spec camera validate the Sony Ericsson K750i ’s association with the camera centric K series phones. It cames with digital zoom, autofocus, integrated flash as well as video capabilities. After you shoot sharp pictures in resolutions as high as 1632×1224 pixels, you can edit them add colours, effects or brush minor ‘imperfections’ and share it with anyone and everyone you like through Emails and MMS. Transfer pictures and videos shot by the Sony Ericsson K750i to your PC via Bluetooth, Infrared or USB and get into picture blogging. You can also download your Mp3 and AAC music files and play them on the integrated media player. A decent memory pool of 38 Mb is supplemented by a 64 Mb external memory card that can be further expanded. There is also a FM radio with RDS for your entertainment needs. [http://www.directphoneshop.co.uk/dealset.asp?act=mobset&id=213] Sony Ericsson K750i Alice Erin is an expert Author. He has written good quality articles on Mobile Phones. Here are some latest [http://www.directphoneshop.co.uk/]Mobile Phone Deals on [http://www.directphoneshop.co.uk/contract-mobile-phones.asp] Contract Mobile Phones Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alice_Erin http://EzineArticles.com/?Sony-Ericsson-K750i—Opening-Vistas-for-Future-Imaging&id=488209 mortgage lenders bad credit corpus christi online car loan free money to pay student loans loans online

New Jersey DWI Arrests

Friday, May 9th, 2008

By Kristy Annely In the year 2003, deaths in the United States resulting from alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes totaled 17,013. This works out to 40% of all traffic accident deaths! The enormity of the problem in New Jersey can be gauged by the fact that during a crackdown on the menace between 8/19/2005 and 9/5/2005, 583 people were arrested for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). Intoxication can be either from alcohol or from other substances, which can even include certain prescription medicines. Whether a person feels that he can hold his liquor is immaterial. If caught driving with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.08% or more, he is in serious trouble. New Jersey DWI laws are very specific, and the enforcement officers have vast powers. A driver can be arrested even without the Standardized Field Sobriety Test. But in such instances the state has to prove that there was sufficient reason to take the person into custody. The police can arrest a driver who has an open liquor bottle in his car, parked or otherwise. Here the probable cause, which again the state has to prove, would be intention to drive after consuming the intoxicant. A person who realizes that he has consumed too much alcohol and decides to sleep it off in his car can also be at risk of arrest. In such cases the problem is that when he wakes up he might feel sober and drive, but the BAC could still be adverse. The police are under no compulsion to read out the Miranda rights to the suspect during roadside questioning. If an enforcement officer waves you down, stop as soon as possible. Trying to make a dash home will lead to further trouble. Sometimes a successful defense can be made by exploiting lacunae in the arrest procedure or contradictions in the states case. For instance, the police vehicle may be fitted with a video camera. The arresting officer perhaps doesn’t always refer to the video while making his report. This can lead to inconsistencies, which may be to the defendants benefit. The best policy is not to drive while intoxicated. If caught, be polite to the police, and contact a good lawyer as soon as possible. New Jersey DWI Lawyers provides detailed information on New Jersey Alcohol Treatment, New Jersey DWI Arrests, New Jersey DWI Defense, New Jersey DWI Fines and more. New Jersey DWI Lawyers is affiliated with New Jersey DUI Defense. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristy_Annely http://EzineArticles.com/?New-Jersey-DWI-Arrests&id=200191 orlando online car loan personal loans rates paycheck deductions federal income tax quick installment loan

How Much Weight Can One Lose With South Beach Diet?

Sunday, May 4th, 2008

By Wade Robins Carol is a happy individual. However, this was not always the case. A year ago, she was suffering from depression. Her frame of 57 was under pressure. The reason her weight of 87 kilos was too much for her body to bear. Doctors had classified her as obese and she was suffering from chronic backache, high levels of cholesterol and heart problems. That is when she read about the South Beach diet. She tried it out and successfully lost as weight. So, what is South Beach diet? South Beach diet is one of the few diets that have managed to attract thousands of loyal followers. Devised by Miami based cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston, the diet first hit the American shores in form of a book titled The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss. The cornerstone of South Beach diet is the regulation in the type of carbohydrates and fats that enter the body. Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are the main components of food. However, different food items contain different kinds of carbohydrates and fats. The kind of fats and carbohydrates ingested by you creates a negative or a positive impact on the body. South Beach diet stresses on restricting the consumption of bad carbohydrates. Bad carbohydrates are complex in nature and rank high on the glycemic index. Most processed foods, soft drinks and bakery items made from refined flour contain bad carbohydrates. Bad carbohydrates are rapidly broken down and get absorbed into the blood stream. The body releases high doses of insulin to regulate the glucose levels. However, once the carbohydrates get burnt up, the insulin still present makes you carve for more food and you end up gulping more. Similarly, the saturated fats tend to be sticky and may increase the risk of arteriosclerosis and other heart related ailments. South Beach diet restricts the consumption of bad carbohydrates and saturated fats. The three phases of South Beach diet also ensures that you are able to shed those extra pounds. In the first stage which lasts for two weeks- the dieter can expect to lose weight of around 8-13 lb. There is no fixed period for the second stage of South Beach diet and one can continue with it till the time the weighing machine displays the figure you want, in other words till you have achieved the desired target. Usually, people lose anywhere between 1-2 lb per week. The third phase is to be continued for lifetime. Thus, South Beach diet has helped thousands to regain a slim and a healthy body. However, South Beach diet asks the sacrifice of burgers, pastries, pizzas, soft drinks, and many other yummy food. This is a small ask for a life long of health and fitness. You can also find more information at south beach diet and beach diet.Southbeachdietclub.com is a comprehensive resource to know more about South beachdiet club. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wade_Robins http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Much-Weight-Can-One-Lose-With-South-Beach-Diet?&id=559291 international money lenders joelle paycheck poor credit personal loan furniture with no credit check

Do you Want to be Thinner, Healthy and Fit?

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

By Lucy Riddell While we offer an effective and natural fat loss product the Jen Fe Next Fat Loss Patch and the Power Patch,* we also know that without a commitment from you to bring about some lifestyle changes, you wont reach optimal fat loss. There is no product in the world that can produce fat loss while we are eating and drinking excessively, and moving only slowly from couch to car to office chair. We need a program of sensible diet and exercise that will support the products we utilize to help our weight loss. Heres what to eat: 1. Lots of vegetables and fruits 2. Increase healthy protein intake. This is how you build lean muscle tissue, which in turn speeds up your metabolism. Examples are fish, lean meats, low-fat dairy products, beans, and soy products. 3. Fiber-Rich foods. They will fill up and they make they are satisfying. In this category are: peas, beans, bran cereals, potato skins, nuts and seeds, oatmeal, bulger wheat, 100% whole wheat baked goods, fruits and vegetables. 4. Minerals. Calcium and other minerals are you secret weapons against body fat. They are found in low-fat dairy products, small or canned fish, soy tofu, green vegetables, nuts, seeds, bran cereals, and calcium fortified orange juice, and avoid processed, salt-loaded foods. 5. Eat fish and beneficial fats. Omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid in some fish, oils and nuts is a good fat. Eat moderate amounts of salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines and other oily fish. Soybeans, nuts, pumpkin seed are also excellent sources for Omega-3. 6. Reduce harmful fats saturated and trans fats. These are not only high in calories; they are also loaded with harmful fatty acids that cause disease. 7. Always eat an adequate breakfast for several reasons: it will speed up your metabolism earlier in the day and when you skip breakfast, it makes it harder to control your appetite later in the day. 8. Cut back or eliminate alcohol. It is high in non-filling calories. Ideal consumption is one glass of beer or wine a day. 9. Stay away from junk carbohydrates sugar and white flour are diet killers in all but the smallest amounts. 10. Gradually reduce your calorie intake because extreme and sudden dieting causes your body to conserve, not burn calories, and it slows fat loss. 11. Snack instead of eating large meals larger, higher calorie meals tend to be stored as fat, instead of burned for energy. Ideally, you should eat five or six smaller, nutritious snacks each day instead of large meals. 12. Move! You must exercise to build lean tissue that burns fat. As little as two to three hours per week of brisk walking at minimum, and you will notice a major impact on your weight loss. 13. Reduce stress. It produces adverse fat-producing chemistry in your body. Try warm baths, meditation, deep breathing, stretching, massage, prayer and rest. 14. Get outside into the sunshine at lest 20 minutes per day the vitamin D you get from sunshine works with calcium for health and body fat control. *For more information on the Fat Loss Patch, go to http://www.FatBeGoneWithLucy.com or call 888-407-0570. Lucy Riddell is President of Coach Lucy Companies and has her MBA. She is soon to be a graduate of CoachU, is training with the Graduate School of Coaching and is an autorized Inscape Publishing distributor. Lucy brings to her coaching clients over twenty years of experience in various leadership roles. Lucy truly believes in the Jen Fe Next Fat Loss Patch. For a complimentary coaching consultation or to sign up for my FREE e-course “Why Would I Spend My Hard-Earned Money on A Coach” go to http://www.coachlucy.com Loose Fat and Get Fit with the Jen Fe Next Fat Loss Patch at http://www.FatBeGoneWithLucy.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lucy_Riddell http://EzineArticles.com/?Do-you-Want-to-be-Thinner,-Healthy-and-Fit?&id=100493 poor credit cards how to get a free credit score mastercard credit applcation bad credit ok installment loans available with poor credit