My husband and I spent a week driving across Washington and Oregon and on the last day on a lark decided to look at houses in a small town in Oregon. I have also had the privilege of recently meeting a father who has accepted the responsibility of ensuring his son sets high expectations.

That being the case, the Bible would be quite pointless, wouldn't it?

John 5:22,23; For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgements to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. "PLANT SEEDS - Exodus 31:3, Ecclesiastes 2:26, romans 11:29, 1 Corinthians 1:5, romans 12:6-8, James 1:5, romans:8:28, Jeremiah 29:11 3. In Jeremiah's case it was predestination - Jeremiah was always going to be Jeremiah the prophet, come what may, so where was Jeremiah's freewill in this scenario!

In the 1920's in Atlanta, Georgia, there was a boy whose mother died when he was very young and whose father worked for the railroad. The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man's heart flowed into his. Jesus (also a Jew) proved himself to be very spiritual at the age of twelve, as an adult He spoke and questioned the doctors and theologians of His day (Luke 2:42-49).

God told Abraham to circumcise newborn boys on the 8th day of their life (Genesis 17:9-13). Some scholars think it is about good angels, some bad angels, some think it might be about converted Jewish rulers. God is a Spirit not a religion (John 4:24). Only by the Spirit of God can, as the Jewish prophet Ezekiel declared, our hearts and lives be renewed (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Our Lord Jesus Christ said these very words: John 3:3 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Most every major religion on the planet talks about three things, God the father, God the son, God the Holy Spirit. This is precisely the mistake, which has been made by the religious leaders who seems to have simplified religion and spirituality to such an extent that it has become nothing more than the rituals. The difference between the two is more vast than you would ever imagine. God however has given us His Word, the sword of the Spirit to swiftly defeat the enemy every time we boldly speak it (see Ephesians 6:17).

If you want to wear brightly colored clothing, or try out that fun new hair color, don't let "them" stop you. However, many parents mistakenly believe that discipline means hitting your children or punishing them for every infraction. The best way to spiritually impact children is through parental example not domination.