Are You Loyal to God, Country, and Your Family?

Have you ever noticed that righteousness and loyalty go together? If you are not showing your true loyalty to God, country, and your family, then you are not going to experience God's best. You should also be loyal to your friends, and even your job. Proverbs 21:21 (NASB) states, "He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life." This is the Christian way!

Loyal people are truly very honorable people as well. When you're loyal, you will stick in there through thick and thin, and well as in the highs and lows of any relationship. When you're loyal, you will keep your word to God, country, and your family no matter what, even if you have to cross great hurdles. Loyal people are respectful of their country and their leaders, even if they do not agree with everything that they do or say. Loyal people also honor our God, country, and family to stand up and defend them when needed.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV) says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths."

The secret to staying strong in your faith is truly no secret at all. You just have to live in the strength that God provides, not your own! When you feel you are at your weakest, that is when you must exercise your faith the hardest. You know that when you physically grow there are growing pains, and the same is true spiritually. As you continue to stretch and work out your faith, it will become easier. (2 Corinthians 12:10) says, "I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become."

You should always refuse to be defeated by the things around you and stay loyal, even if the odds seem insurmountable. Perhaps one definition of courage might be to stay strong always moving forward, even when most would give up and surrender their ground out of fear, because (Joshua 1:9) tells us; "Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Are you always truly faithful in the things that you’re committed to? Can you truly be more loyal than you already are? Can you rise even higher than you already have? Do not let the distractions of every day life keep you from always pursuing and strengthening your loyalty, and, always look for ways to show your loyalty to those around you. You will also build respect and trust with others that come to know you, and keep the respect and trust of those that already know you.

When you stay truly loyal, you are the person of integrity that God intended for you to be, and truly wants you to be as one of His children. Be strong and courageous today for God, country and your family, and never allow yourself to be defeated. As you daily pursue your loyalty through the years, you will be blessed with the abundant life God has planned for you!

Loyalty for God, country and your family should transcend in all aspects of your life. Loyalty can also be incorporated into a business place. I will try to provide you with articles of interest to a Christian and patriotic way of life. The articles are written by Steven E Coffman (National Essay Contest) winner 1969. I am a person with strong Christian and patriotic beliefs. Tenacity, faith, and a belief in God, Country and Family are key components to success in life.

The Christian articles are only intended to bring you closer in your relationship to our Father in heaven.

The Patriotic articles are only intended to show pride and patriotism to our “Land of the free and home of the brave, (The United States of America).



I hope that you enjoy and are enlightened by them.

Do You Know The History of the Christian Bible?

This is a brief history of the evolution of Bible and some of its various translations. The Christian Bible has the honor of being the first book every published in volume, and the most published book in history to this date. It has been written in almost every spoken language in the world today.

Like many ancient works, the oldest parts of the Bible were passed along orally before they were ever written down. Many devout Jewish people today believe that the full text of what Christians call The "Old Testament" Bible was given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. The Bible's earliest origin may always be a matter of faith, but it still remains a fact that after the Bible was first recorded, many different versions existed in several different languages. It was not until the first century B.C.E. (Before the Common Era, aka B.C.) that Jews settled on the canon of their scripture.

The oldest written parts of the Bible found were transcribed in three languages. What scholars call the Hebrew Bible (the same books Jews call the Tanakh or Written Torah, and Christians call the Old Testament) was first written in Hebrew with a few chapters of the books of Ezra and Daniel recorded in Aramaic. Hebrew had long been the language of the Jewish people, so their scriptures were passed down in Hebrew. Some of the books of the Hebrew Bible may have been written as far back as 1,400 B.C, although most of the text was probably written between 900 and 400 B.C.
Aramaic is a Semitic language that was widely spoken from 600 to 200 B.C. in the near Middle East. It was one of the common languages of the region until the 13th century, when Arabic became more prominent. Most people today believe Jesus and his apostles spoke Aramaic. Aramaic was the spoken language in Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ" that was subtitled in many languages.

The Christian New Testament was written in the common Greek of the Mediterranean area and parts of the Middle East at the time in the first century C.E. (Common Era, aka A.D.). This form of Greek is called Koine Greek. It developed from classical Greek, and spread by the conquests of Alexander the Great. As different people began to use the tongue, it evolved and changed into Koine Greek between 300 B.C. and 300 A.D. This form many scholars think may have been the second language of Jesus and his apostles -- after all, the gospels of the New Testament portray that Jesus spoke with Pontius Pilate, who would have been more likely to understand Greek than Aramaic. The Books that one day became the New Testament was probably written mostly in Greek because it was the common language around the Mediterranean at the time of its inception.

The earliest extant list of the books of the NT, in exactly the number and order in which we presently have them, is written by Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, in his Festal letter number 39 of A.D. 367.

382 A.D. Pope Damasus I, in a letter, listed the New Testament books in their present number and order.

393 A.D. The Council of Hippo affirmed the Canon written by Bishop Athanasius.

397 A.D. The Council of Carthage reaffirmed the Canons of the Old and New Testaments. St. Jerome's translation, "The Latin Vulgate", is to this day, the official Bible of the Catholic Church. The Bibles which Catholics use today, have the same 46 books in the Old Testament as they have had since before the beginning of Christianity. The Vulgate was designed to be a definitive and officially promulgated translation of the Bible, improving upon several translations then in use. It was the first, and for many centuries the only, Christian Bible with an Old Testament translated directly from the Hebrew rather than from the Greek Septuagint.

Catholic Bibles have 73 books; 46 in the Old Testament, and 27 in the New Testament. Protestant Bibles have 66 books with only 39 in the Old Testament. The books missing from Protestant Bibles are: Tobit, Judith, Baruch, Wisdom, Sirach, 1 and 2 Maccabees, and parts of Esther and Daniel. They are called the 'Deuterocanonicals' by Catholics and 'Apocrypha' by Protestants.

419 A.D. The Fourth Council of Carthage again reaffirmed the Canons as defined in previous councils
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1442 A.D. At the Council of Florence, the entire Church recognized the 27 books, though does not declare them unalterable. This council confirmed the Roman Catholic Canon of the Bible which Pope Damasus I had published a thousand years earlier.

The Council of Trent 1546-1565, which was the longest lasting Council in Church history. At the Council of Trent, the Catholic Church reaffirmed once and for all the full list of 27 books as traditionally accepted.

In the mid-15th century, when Johannes Gutenberg invented movable type, the Latin Vulgate edition of the Christian Bible was the first work he printed. On September 30, 1452, Johannes Guttenberg's Bible was published becoming the first book to be published in volume, of which about 180 were printed. The pages of the books were not bound, and the date 1455 is documented on the spine by the binder for a copy bound in Paris.

In July of 1604 A.D. King James of England wrote to Bishop Bancroft that he had nominated 54 learned men (linguists and biblical scholars) to once again translate the Bible, (but only 47 actually took part) in what became know as The King James Version (KJV) and was published in 1611. Many Christian fundamentalists today feel that this version is on one and only true version of God's Holy Word.

Over the centuries it became increasingly difficult for some people to truly understand the (Old English) vernacular. Hence, a new translation was first made called The New King James Version (NKJV) that had 130 translators in this edition. The (NKJV) was published in three stages: New King James Bible, New Testament; 1979 New King James Bible, New Testament and Psalms; 1980 New King James Version of the Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments; 1982.

The New American Standard Bible (NASB) was translated in 1971 by 58 scholars. The (NASB) has sought to render grammar and terminology in contemporary English. Special attention has been given to the rendering of verb tenses to give the English reader a rendering as close as possible to the sense of the original Greek and Hebrew texts. In 1995, the text of the (NASB) was updated for greater understanding and smoother reading.

Christians today continue to yearn for a better understanding of the Word, and a closer relationship with God, came The New International Version (NIV). More than 100 scholars from six English-speaking countries, as well as editors and English stylists, worked on the (NIV). The scholars represented more than 20 denominations. It took 10 years to complete the (NIV) translation. The process started in 1968 and finished in 1978. This does not include more than 10 years of planning before 1968. It has since become one of the more popular editions.

The New Century Version of the Bible is a revision of the International Children's Bible. The (ICB) is aimed at young readers and those with low reading skills/limited vocabulary in English. It is written at a 3rd grade level (from the introduction) and is both conservative and evangelical in tone. The New Testament was first published in 1978 and the Old Testament followed in 1986. The (ICB) was revised somewhat to be a bit more sophisticated (reading level grade 5) and was dubbed the New Century Version (NCV). This revised version was first published in 1991. Recently, the New Century Version text has been combined with notes containing advice on teenage issues to form "The Youth Bible", and was updated in 2007. The (NCV) is now available as a stand alone version.

For me, the word "BIBLE" stands for; Basic Instructions before Leaving Earth. I truly feel that everyone should read a copy it and gain from the insight and benefit of its words.



By Steven E Coffman Family-eStore.com

Family-eStore will try to provide you with articles of interest to a Christian and patriotic way of life. The articles are written by Steven E Coffman (Owner) of Family-eStore.com (National Essay Contest) winner 1969. I am a person with strong Christian and patriotic beliefs. Tenacity, faith, and a belief in God, Country and Family are key components to success in life.

The Christian articles are only intended to bring you closer in your relationship to our Father in heaven.

I hope that you enjoy and are enlightened by them.

Steven & "Boots"

Steven & "Boots"

Is The Removal Of God From Our Government Patriotic?

I fail to understand why this great country of ours is constantly attacked by civil liberties groups and others, in an attempt to abolish all forms of the word "God" from all our government institutions, or in anything that is government subsidized, like our public schools.

The Separation of Church and State should never exclude the traditions that are already established by our forefathers throughout the basic structures of our government. These were their patriotic gifts passed down to their children, and their legacy for all the generations to come.

The oath of office to be sworn in with at most government posts, whether is be legislative or judicial ends in "So help me God," as what the person answers as the binder to hold them accountable for what they do while at their post, including the office of the President of the United States. Shall we remove this ending from the oath and just take the chance that they will do the best that they can, because they are such a nice person?

When we are in a court of law, should stop asking a witness who is about to give testimony, to swear under oath the statements that they are about to give be, "The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth", and then not add "So help me God," which is meant to hold them accountable to a higher authority if they do not give a truthful testimony?

While we are on this subject, shall we burn all the U.S. currency and re-mint every coin in legal use so that we can remove the phrase "In God We Trust"? Will they then also want to rewrite the pledge of allegiance and take out the words "One nation under God?" Should also we remove the words "Laus Deo," Latin for "Praise God"? Which is inscribed on the eastern face of the apex of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., so placed as to be the first thing illuminated at sunrise in our nation's capitol.

George Washington once said, "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. Do not ever let anyone claim to be a true American patriot if they ever attempt to separate Religion from politics." Most historians in the United States regard George Washington as one of the countries greatest leaders. Could George Washington have felt this way, and not realize its importance? What are we coming to in this great land when some go out of their way to wipe out any form of the word "God" in our government, that has truly always been a part of our way of life in America, and we just stand by and let this happen?

A more recent example of a president's reinforcement of these feelings was Ronald Reagan, in a public speech during his presidency where he said, "If we ever forget that we are a nation under God. Then we will be a nation gone under."

Our country has always been deeply rooted with God interwoven in our history as a way of life; personally, publicly, fraternally and throughout our government. This relationship with God is a character trait as patriotic as any other identifying mark that you can associate our United States of America with as a symbol of who we are as a people and a country.

In a democracy majority rules, and this dynamic is constantly changing the face of our country but, certain established traits, I feel should always and forever stay in place! This is our history and truly our heritage. God should always be a part of the character trait of who we are as a nation, and should never be severed from the United States.

Do you realize that if we allow all this to happen, we will have lost a big part of what our forefathers initially implemented in the founding of our country, for establishing the basic character of our laws and principals that have been in place since its inception as a country?

Jeremiah 18:7-10 (NCV) says: (7) "There may come a time when I will speak about a nation or a kingdom that I will pull up by its roots or that I will pull down to destroy it." (8) "But if the people of that nation stop doing the evil they have done, I will change my mind and not carry out my plans to bring disaster to them." (9) "There may come another time when I will speak about a nation that I will build up and plant." (10) "But if I see it doing evil by not obeying me, I will change my mind and not carry out my plans to do good for them."

2 Chronicles 7:14-15 (NCV) says: (14) "Then if my people, who are called by my name, are sorry for what they have done, if they pray and obey me and stop their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land." (15) "Now I will see them, and I will listen to the prayers prayed in this place."

In 2007 a major poll was taken nationally asking "Do you believe in God", and only 14 percent that took the poll said "No."

In this day and age shall we shun the patriotic gifts that our forefathers established for us? I truly feel that the 86 percent that do believe in God should actively campaign, and do whatever we can to defend these patriotic traditions at all levels of our government!

Is there a place in your heart that tells you, this is a basic truth? Do you care enough, and will you be patriotic enough yourself to actively do your part to prevent this from happening? I urge you to contact your Congressman, your Senator, and tell them how strongly you feel about this! Do not allow the minority of a few to change our patriotic way of life.

I can only pray and hope that these words do not fall on deaf ears.

By Steven E Coffman Family-eStore.com

Family-eStore will try to provide you with articles of interest to a Christian and patriotic way of life. The articles are written by Steven E Coffman (Owner) of Family-eStore.com (National Essay Contest) winner 1969. I am a person with strong Christian and patriotic beliefs. Tenacity, faith, and a belief in God, Country and Family are key components to success in life.

The Christian articles are only intended to bring you closer in your relationship to our Father in heaven.

The Patriotic articles are only intended to show pride and patriotism to our “Land of the free and home of the brave, (The United States of America).

I hope that you enjoy and are enlightened by them.

Our Christian Gift Is About Relationship, Not Ritual

Many Christians today and throughout our history, have missed the true point in their beliefs and practices with what they observe and do in their obligations to our Father in heaven. What I mean by this is, that many of us emphasize on the ritual aspects in the bible as the path that can be taken to personally reach heaven by. Many of us emphasize on many ways of interpretation on the bible’s written word that we miss the most important two wishes, (commandments) that our Father wants us to do for Him.

Our Father’s first wish for us is that it is that we develop and have a deep, meaningful relationship with Him. His second wish is regarding our treatment and actions towards our fellow man.

In Matthew 22:35-40 (NCV) Jesus was asked by one of the Pharisees that was an expert in the Law of Moses which commandments in the law is the most important. Jesus answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ All the law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands.”

An example in the Bible that shows the true emphasis is on relationship and not ritual is Matthew 12:1-7 (NCV) Jesus was walking through some fields of grain on the Sabbath day. His followers were hungry, so they began to pick the grain and eat it. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Jesus, “Look! Your followers are doing what is unlawful to do on the Sabbath day.” Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did when he and the people with him were hungry? He went into God’s house, and he and those with him ate the holy bread, which was lawful only for priests to eat. And have you not read in the Law of Moses that on every Sabbath day the priests in the Temple break this law about the Sabbath day? But the priests are not wrong for doing that. I tell you that there is something here that is greater than the Temple. The Scripture says, ‘I want kindness more than I want animal sacrifices.’ You don’t really know what those words mean. If you understood them, you would not judge those who have done nothing wrong.

Yet time and time again throughout history Christian leaders, clergy, and layman have missed or overlooked this emphasis as the basis for our Christian beliefs. Mark 7:9 (NCV) “You cleverly ignore the commands of God, so you can follow your own teachings.”

Galatians 6:1 Brothers and sisters, it someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently help make him right again.

I can only pray that those who read the above will be enlightened and blessed by these words.

By Steven E Coffman Family-eStore.com

Family-eStore will try to provide you with articles of interest to a Christian and patriotic way of life. The articles are written by Steven E Coffman (Owner) of Family-eStore.com (National Essay Contest) winner 1969. I am a person with strong Christian and patriotic beliefs. Tenacity, faith, and a belief in God, Country and Family are key components to success in life.

The Christian articles are only intended to bring you closer in your relationship to our Father in heaven.

The Patriotic articles are only intended to show pride and patriotism to our “Land of the free and home of the brave, (The United States of America).



I hope that you enjoy and are enlightened by them.

The Christian Bible versus Darwin's Evolutionary Theory

In Christianity, God's creation of man, and the science of evolution parallels are one in the same, to someone that has studied both to in-depth.

In "The Book of Genesis," God's creation of the heavens and earth are portrayed as a metaphor, which gives the storyline but not all the exact details as to how this came about. "The Book of Genesis" states that in the first seven days, ("God days," not ours), God created the heavens and the earth. Science teaches "The Big Bang Theory," but does not explain what initiated it, or set it into motion. The scientific view doesn't credit that “God or a higher power” was the controlling or governing factor in these events. The parallels are the same, just stated differently.

Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines the word Chaos as "a state of things in which chance is supreme; esp.: the confused unorganized state of primordial matter before the creation of distinct forms." In Genesis, the Bible also states God made man from the dust of the earth.

If you have ever studied the science of the first evolutionary creations of life on earth, from the science posture, the first simple celled creatures on the earth was first formed from the geographical coincidence of a particular group of chemical and element materials that where in close proximity of each other, and also happened to also receive a electrical charge to them, presumably via a nearby lightning strike or possibly another chemical mixture that created the electrical charge and put into motion the first basic life on earth; The parallel from Genesis; God made man from the dust of the earth. Why could one not agree that this was ordained by God?

"The Book of Genesis" also states that God made the plants and creatures before He made Man. Science states that through the on-going evolution, higher life forms evolved through the tenacity of each form struggling to survive in its current environment. Some survived and continued to evolve, and other forms perished in the struggle.

To my understanding the parallels are the same, just stated differently; and the scientific view doe not give God credit for being the controlling or governing factor in these events, nor does the Bible state specifically how this was done as well.

If one studies the science of evolution, you learn that all living things go through a metamorphosis in their evolution, and usually has a branch of it's evolution that takes a different path or coarse and develops at a different rate and design, always attempting to adapt to its environment. Some do not develop with enough adaptively to its environment to survive, and hence becomes extinct, which ends that species particular branch, but other branches do survive and some become predominant in their species.

For example, the true difference between Apes and Mans chromosomes are genetically is very slight. This is simply a mathematical argument that is hard to argue against. The true evolutionary physical difference between these species is, that at the point of birth, Man's skull is still soft and hasn't fully formed yet, (not fully closed at the top). This allows for our brain to continue growing past the 9 month gestation period being in the womb. An Ape's brain is enclosed in a skull cap that has already hardened at birth, which doesn't allow this continual grow that Man has, but to me, this still does not mean that we did not evolve from the Ape. It just states that in our evolutionary mutation from our Ape ancestors, we adapted to our environment in a slightly different way. Again, this is where God should get the credit as the controlling or governing factor to bring about Man.

In "The Book of Genesis" it states that God created Man, in this metaphor it just does not give the blow by blow details of how God made this come about. Some tend to believe that God waved his hand, or just had the thought, and poof man appeared! Again, I stress that Genesis does not say this, or allude to how God brought this about.

The non-religious tend to believe that life developed through conquering the overwhelming and astronomical mathematical odds, and ignoring "The Chaos Theory" between math and real life situations. And that is where the argument starts.

Christians and Darwinists, or the non-religious should have no true argument between them in this matter of how all life and man evolved, with an in-depth understanding the Bible, science, and "The Chaos Theory" between math and real life situations.

In my studies and understanding of both, and belief, which some call Creationism, there really is not an argument or difference between the two versions of creation and evolution.

By Steven E Coffman Family-eStore.com

Family-eStore will try to provide you with articles of interest to a Christian and patriotic way of life. The articles are written by Steven E Coffman (Owner) of Family-eStore.com (National Essay Contest) winner 1969. I am a person with strong Christian and patriotic beliefs. Tenacity, faith, and a belief in God, Country and Family are key components to success in life.

The Christian articles are only intended to bring you closer in your relationship to our Father in heaven.

The Patriotic articles are only intended to show pride and patriotism to our “Land of the free and home of the brave, (The United States of America).



I hope that you enjoy and are enlightened by them.