From the Cradle to the Grave

Ernest Branch

• Editore: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Anno: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781646701155
• Argomento: Theology & Religion
• Categoria: Christian Education

Focusing on the transformation of world information into Christ-centered living through the scriptures in the Bible, "From the Cradle to the Grave" does just that. In the past, ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ were focused on the symptoms, yet not the causes of self-righteousness. Dr. Ernest Branch guides the reader through recognizing the difference between the information of the world and the guidelines of scripture.

This book shall focus on the transformation of world information into Christ-centered living through the scriptures in the Bible. In the past, ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ were focused on the symptoms not the causes of unrighteousness.

Matthew 10:33–38 states, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

These scriptures are preparing the followers of Jesus Christ to be aware of humanity’s perverted priorities, which is developed through the constant contact and expectations of family and friends. Consideration and love of God is not first.

Familial relationship and the satisfaction of the flesh became the highest priority. The desire for Christian education is derived through a Christ-centered family or friends who have been exposed to Godly information and wishes for a new lifestyle.

Royce Money states, “Through the family, God help us grow and mature, preparing us for lifelong fruitful roles in society. Through the family, God blesses others. The breakdown of traditional family patterns has been hastened by declining moral values” (3).

Money further reports that people are more concerned about themselves and what’s in it for me than keeping the integrity of the family function.

Dr. Josh Moody comments on the family: “Christian experiences is too often influenced by our circumstances. When we are up God is great. When we are down God is distant. If things go our way, we have much to praise God. If times come that would test our patience we are tempted to give up. The Bible is one that is God-centered, not us-centered, or me-centered” (11).

Moody states that God always comes first and is the heart of life. God influences and invades all of reality. Moody reports that his happiness does not depend on his personal experiences but on God’s love, grace, and mercy.

The Bible in Matthew 6:8 and 32 mentioned, “Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask Him.” To mention the same concern in the same chapter emphasizes the desire of God to provide complete assistance to humanity. Humanity must learn biblical teachings and become obedient an student to the written word of God.

According to Carl Rogers, “Learning involves a change in one’s self-perception. Significant learning takes place when self-initiation, personal responsibility, activity and relevance are present in the teaching-learning process” (113). Both Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers report that “the highest priority is self-actualization for each individual.” All Bible references in this paper come from the King James Version of the Bible, except where clearly noted by the student.”

Abraham Maslow states that “individual deficiency needs (survival, safety, belonging, and self-esteem) must be met before they will be motivated to fulfill being needs (intellectual, achievement, aesthetic experiences, self-actualization, or reaching one’s full potential)” (112). Maslow is best known for his theory of motivation based on a hierarchy needs over other concepts of educational attainment.

I agree with Maslow’s concept of individual needs determining the priorities in people’s lifestyle. A close examination of time management indicates that days are divided into three segments in order to provide for the basic survival needs of a consumer. Eight of those hours provide a consumer with the ability to pay for food, clothing, housing, and transportation. This the financial segment.

The next segment is consumed with in-home care services that provide food preparation, house cleaning, child-care/management, clothing readiness, financial management and bill paying, and finally, maintenance and housing upkeep and repair.

The time management approach for the final eight hour segment includes recreation, sleep and recovery but often has insufficient time to spend in God’s Word. Stephen Covey states “The time management approach should become a habit intended to help a person achieve effectiveness in each segment including time spent in the Word of God” (6).

One needs to focus on the priorities of time management. Very little is a concern to the obedience to the Word of God. There are 168 hours in a week, and the average person only spends approximately ten hours trained in the Word of God. With this much worldly needs, it becomes very difficult for any other information to be of major concern. The daily obligation and lifestyles occupy most of the time in people’s lives.

Let’s examine how spiritual sickness began and how it developed from helplessness and dependence on others such as the main caregiver, who is usually a mother, to where it is today. When a child is born, it leaves the comforting temperature of the mother into a shocking exterior environment. The baby starts crying or is induced to cry from a slap on their bottom, encouraging it to cry.

This uncomfortable world causes stress to the newborn until a caretaker provides the necessary comfort by tending to the newborn needs. Cleaning the infant and surrounding it in a soft, warm blanket then placed on the warm body of the mother reduces the baby’s stress. Should complications exist, special care and attention will aid the newborn with survival.

These initial encounters with the world is the beginning of dependence developed to assist the newborn with survival training other than the normal functions of nature. Dependence removes personal abilities to make decisions pertaining to lifestyles. It further neutralizes individual growth and development.

An inordinate amount of time is spent in life living through the expectations of others in order to confirm or legitimize ones’ personality and expectations in life. Temporary gratification from other people is just that, temporary. This becomes a way of life because of the repetitions of dependent behavior.

There will come a time when individuals will have to make decisions that will empower them toward independent thinking. Independent thinking and learning encourage learners to be empowered through spiritual information from the Bible. Learners can act freely with other independent thinkers and interdependence can prevail. Without independent thinking, it is very difficult to have a personal relationship with God.

The provider of world information is more of a concern of health and welfare of the newborn with information to survive in the natural world not the spiritual world of God. If the family is not demonstrating Christ-centered behavior the chances are that they don’t have a personal relationship with God. The lack of Godly information prevents the acquisition of Godly knowledge. Knowledge that is necessary to worship God in spirit and truth.

The combination of world information overrides the desire to live a Christ-centered life. The righteousness of God cannot manifest itself unless biblical information is taught, received, and understood. Consistent Godly information will provide appropriate development required to enhance acquisition of new information.

During the learning process, world rules and regulation will continue to establish the priority for the people of God because of the lack of biblical knowledge. A young man confessed to me and stated that “God made me and although I am alcoholic, obese, and taking thirty-three different medication. I thought I was alright. My doctor told me that I was killing myself, realized the spirit of God agreed with the doctor and I turned to God for help.”

The man had reached six hundred pounds and was dying when he decided to get a stomach operation and seek, God and presently, he is under three hundred pounds. This man decided to be aware and follow the teaching of the Bible and satisfy God more than God’s creations. His dependence on others to comfort and mask his sickness was removed.

The insertion of dependence of others is the beginning of dependence, shaping personality which leads to perverted priorities in establishing a personal relationship with God. The focus of world dominated information decreases the opportunity to excel in spiritual growth and development.

Once the parents become involved with the sharing of information, there is a possibility of delayed spiritual growth and development of the newborn. The family lifestyle may slow down the opportunity for new birth to break the dependence on world information rather than Godly information.

A newborn shows a great amount of independence by not having to call for assistance in their own way and eating without being taught and eliminating waste from their system without any outside assistance. When additional assistance is required, such as cleaning the waste of the newborn, providing proper nutritional food, and physical comfort the independent chain is broken or modified at the mercy of others.

There is still signs of independence because the newborn does not need to be shown how to hold the bottle and feed themselves and is able to signal when help or assistance is needed. This form of behavior or notification is not learned but instinct and demonstrates independent behavior.

The first encounter with learning new information should be focused on biblical information while demonstrating the Christ-centered life and independence starting with walking, using the bathroom, and keeping their clothing intact.

There will be a time when it becomes necessary for learners to move from...