Vol.1 No. 23 |  September 6 , 2006  

    

This week

"The Bible teaches that Christians are totally different from anyone else." -  
Peter Jeffery, Evangelicals Then and Now (Buy Now)

 


 

Finance

Trade Stock Without Paying a Commission

If you like to buy and hold stock, I’ve found a great deal for you. You can actually buy stock and not pay a commission.

Many of the larger publicly traded companies allow you to buy stock directly from the company. It’s a practice that few investors ever take advantage of simply because it’s troublesome. It’s not as easy to buy the shares as it is from a broker. And it’s much more difficult to sell the shares. They aren’t nearly as liquid as stocks bought through a broker.

But now there are two “brokers” who will allow you to buy the stocks online with little or no commission. These services allow you to buy and sell stock. They also allow you to reinvest your dividends with little or no commission. And it’s much easier to sell your stock when the time comes.

You can even set up a systematic investment plan where they automatically withdraw money out of your checking account to buy shares. If you have a tough time saving money, this can be a good way to save for the future. But I don’t typically recommend that you have anyone automatically withdraw money out of your checking account. I’ll explain why in a future issue of Wisdom’s Edge.

Most of the stocks available with these services are large-cap stocks, so it’s a very conservative way to invest. And you can save a bundle on commissions. The two Web sites are www.computershare.com and https://stock.bankofny.com. When you visit the site, click on the “shareholder services” links. You’ll want to spend some time familiarizing yourself with the sites before signing up. But signing up is very easy and most of the companies require only a small minimum purchase to get started.

Once you get used to the process, you’ll realize you probably don’t need a regular online discount brokerage anymore, especially for long-term holds.

– Steve Kroening
     
 

 

Health

Boost Your Immunity and Fight Osteoporosis With This Common, But Little-Known Supplement

You already know that calcium is vital for healthy bones. And you may have heard about the importance of vitamin D and magnesium in that same regard. But there’s a supplement you may have missed that not only increases bone strength, but also boosts your body’s ability to fight disease.

A recent study conducted in Australia and New Zealand found that lactoferrin greatly increases the production of DNA in osteoblasts (Endocrinology, 145(9)43666-4374). And more osteoblasts means more bone! (Osteoblasts are bone cells that build new bone. Osteoclasts, on the other hand, break down old bone.)

You may be familiar with the “lacto” part of lactoferrin. It refers to milk. So lactoferrin is a milk protein. It’s common in fluids your body secretes, including bile, tears, mucus, and milk. It’s one of the substances in mother’s milk that protects babies from infection.

It makes a lot of sense that lactoferrin would also help with bone formation. Babies get a load of lactoferrin at a time when their bones are growing rapidly and becoming stronger.

In my practice, I work a lot with immunity issues. And I’ve found that a lot of women who are suffering from osteoporosis also have depressed immune systems. So if you’re looking for a great way to protect your bones and fight infection, try lactoferrin. It’s a great supplement to add to your osteoporosis regimen.

You can find it at most health food stores. Just make sure the product you use is made from the milk of hormone-free cows that are fed grass, not corn. This is the highest-quality supplement you can find. One of my favorite products is made by NutriCology (800-545-9960 or www.nutricology.com). Take 350-1,400 mg daily.

– Rhett Bergeron, MD
     
 
   

Marriage & Relationships

What to Do When You Have a Foolish Husband

Through the years, I’ve taught many ladies’ retreats and have had the privilege of teaching biblical principles to lots of women. I’m always amazed at the number of women who complain that their husbands profess Christ, but act like unbelievers. I was teaching at one such conference not too long ago when I met one of these women. She was very confused about what she should do.

While I was teaching, I observed her listening intently and taking notes. At an afternoon break, she introduced herself and then explained her dilemma. She was married to a man who confessed Christ, but was not a spiritual leader. In fact, he fit the biblical definition of a fool. Her eyes glistened with tears as she explained that good Christian friends had encouraged her to leave him. They told her she deserved better.

I agreed with her that her husband was behaving incorrectly, but she had no biblical reason for a divorce. So I prayed with her and asked God to give her a teachable heart and open the eyes of her understanding. I trusted that God’s word would bring clarity to her situation.

Then we read I Samuel 25, the account of Abigail, who was married to Nabal, a foolish man. Yet she stayed with him. And through great discernment, she was used by God to spare many innocent men from death. In Abigail’s case, God later intervened and killed Nabal. I was not implying that perhaps the Lord would release her in the same way. Rather the focus was on God’s divine intervention.

We do not know how God will act in our lives, but we do know that His plans for us are for our welfare and not for calamity. To run away from pain is the natural response of all men. Yet the Lord calls us to run the race that is set before us. The focus is not to be on your patience, but on God's desire to bless and direct the life of His children.

The wife and mother cried as she saw her exit door being shut by the Word of God. I prayed again and comforted her by reminding her that our hearts are like channels of water in the hands of the Lord (Prov. 21:1). Therefore, He can change hearts.

Three months later I ran into the woman by accident. She joyously told me how God had begun to change both of them. She realized that even if he were leading, she simply wouldn’t follow. So she changed her attitude toward him and tried harder to love, respect, and submit to him. Soon, her husband submitted to the mentoring of a godly man. And healing began to come into their frail marriage. Divorce was now out of the question. In its place was a new resolve to make their marriage work and to honor God. 

Now, it has been six years. They are still together, trusting the Lord. The importance of personally knowing God’s word cannot be overstated ... it will change your life.

Ps.119:165 – Those who love Thy law have great peace and nothing causes them to stumble.

– Gladys Villnow
     
 

 

Parenting & Education

The Problem With Teaching Self Esteem – And What To Teach Instead

You love your kids. You want them to be happy and comfortable with whom they are as they develop through childhood. But if you're making an extra effort to instill self-esteem into your children, you could be making a big mistake – one that could have the opposite effect than you intended.

Self-esteem is really a paradox. Parents and teachers tell children how great they are, hoping to build their self-esteem. The trouble is, you can't simply "install" self-esteem into your children like you would a new software program into your computer. When you try, you are actually telling your kids to base their own self-worth on what you (or others) say about them. That's not self-esteem.

Teaching them to base their own value on the opinions of others is a bad message to send. Without realizing it, you're setting your children up to be dominated by peer pressure. Your children may grow up to fear men more than they fear God.

But the problem is even more insidious. It puts your child’s focus in the wrong place: self!

Looking to your sinful self for any feeling of self worth only makes the problem worse. If we don't feel good about ourselves, there's a very good reason. We shouldn't! We really aren't okay! Because sin is still present in our lives, we should experience shame, nakedness, and embarrassment.

Thankfully, God has an answer to the self-esteem paradox. God is the author of reconciliation, and sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to take away the shame and guilt from sin. Jesus has provided the way to cover your children's sins with his own blood.

So, instead of telling your children how good they are, teach them who they are without Christ. Then tell them about repentance, God's forgiveness, and how to trust in Christ (i.e., to esteem Christ as opposed to esteeming themselves).

When your children know how much the Creator of the universe has done to deliver them from the wages of sin, they'll have a much clearer picture of where to place their confidence. The benefits are huge: Your kids won’t look to peer groups or anybody else for a sense of self-worth. They won’t need to. They’ll get that from their Savior.

And there’s even a hidden benefit for you: peace of mind. Wouldn’t you feel better if you never had to worry about your kids getting “mixed up with the wrong crowd”? If you teach them to look to the Lord Jesus for their affirmation, the negative effects of peer pressure virtually go away. I'll take that over "self-esteem" any day.

– Eric J. Lynch

     
 

 

Success

Can You Get Rich in Your Town?

Russell Conwell, the founder of Temple University, was often asked the question, “Is there opportunity to get rich in my town?” As a preacher, most thought Conwell would answer as a typical preacher and tell them to focus on heavenly riches. But Conwell wasn’t a typical preacher.

He would answer, “I say that you ought to get rich, and it is your duty to get rich. How many of my pious brethren say to me, ‘Do you, a Christian minister, spend your time going up and down the country advising young people to get rich, to get money?’ Yes, of course I do. They say, ‘Isn't that awful! Why don't you preach the gospel instead of preaching about man's making money?’ Because to make money honestly is to preach the gospel. That is the reason. The men who get rich may be the most honest men you find in the community….”

Conwell was a big believer in the power of biblical principles to bring about wealth. He knew that being a Christian didn’t guarantee wealth, but following God’s Word was the best way to do it.

One gentleman argued that it was impossible to make money in his town even if he did follow God’s principles. He said, “Mr. Conwell, have you lived in my town for 31 years? You don’t know that the time has gone by when you can make anything in this city?”

Conwell answered, “No, I don't think it is.”

“Yes, it is; I have tried it.”

“What business are you in?”

“I kept a store here for 20 years, and never made over a thousand dollars in the whole 20 years."

“Well, then, you can measure the good you have been to this city by what this city has paid you, because a man can judge very well what he is worth by what he receives; that is, in what he is to the world at this time.  If you have not made over a thousand dollars in 20 years in Philadelphia, it would have been better for Philadelphia if they had kicked you out of the city 19 years and nine months ago. A man has no right to keep a store in a town 20 years and not make at least five hundred thousand dollars even though it be a corner grocery up-town.

“You say you cannot make five thousand dollars in a store now. Oh, my friends, if you will just take only four blocks around you, and find out what the people want and what you ought to supply and set them down with your pencil and figure up the profits you would make if you did supply them, you would very soon see it. There is wealth right within the sound of your voice.”

Conwell gave a very famous speech called “Acres of Diamonds” that challenged people to look right in their own town to find their riches. His goal was to help you become so useful to your neighbors that they would pay you for your skills or products.

I’d like to give you a copy of this powerful speech. All you need to do is send an email to acresofdiamonds@getresponse.com. My auto-responder will send you a free e-book of “Acres of Diamonds” in pdf format. You’ll need Acrobat Reader to open the book. And if any of your friends would like a copy, simply have them send an e-mail to that address. It will sign them up for Wisdom’s Edge and they’ll get the free e-book by return e-mail. If you have trouble receiving the e-book, please e-mail us at support@wisdomsedge.com and we’ll make sure you receive it (please indicate whether you are a subscriber or not).

– Steve Kroening

 
     
 

 
 

Wisdom From History

The Council That Stopped Relativism – 16 Centuries Ago

In the year 451 A.D., an important church council was called at Chalcedon, a city of Bythinia, in Asia Minor. Perhaps as many as 600 Christian bishops attended this council, the fourth in the history of the church to resolve a theological issue.

The issue being debated was the nature of Christ. It had been suggested that He was divine in his origin, and yet it was also claimed that He was human in origin. In order to clarify the situation, the council was called and assembled for a period of about one month from October 1, in the year 451.

Now I don’t know about you, but I’ve been to theological debates and they can be pretty heated occasions. Everyone has a view, and the view each person holds is usually strongly held. I suspect that the Council of Chalcedon was no different.

Even so, the council came to a conclusion. Its conclusion was that Jesus was both divine and human. But they made a very important observation. There was no comingling, or mixing, of these two natures, even in the Person of Jesus Christ.

The implications of this decision are as significant for us as they were for those living 16 centuries ago. Even in the Person of Jesus, human nature never took on any of the attributes of God. Jesus’ human nature remained human, just as His divine nature remained supernatural.

When you apply this teaching, you soon come up with some important choices. No human being or institution can ever take on the attributes of God that He reserved for Himself. Yet this is the attempt that was started by Adam and Eve in the Garden when they succumbed to the temptation to “be like God” (Gen. 3:5). God never delegated to man the authority to determine for himself what is right or wrong, good or evil.

– Ian Hodge
     
     
 

 

Word for the Wise

The Assurance You Get From Discipline

“Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.”  James 1:17

Good thing – Two points of view in the same verse.  “Good thing” is not the same as “perfect gift.” If we knew the Greek words, we would see it immediately.

“Good thing” is dosis.  Here the emphasis is on the act and intention of the giver.  But “perfect gift” is dorema.  Here the emphasis is on the result of the act.  What James is really saying is that God’s gracious intention is followed by the actual production of everything He wishes for us.  God is not only willing, He actually follows through.

This is incredibly good news.  How many times have we let the circumstances of life convince us that God could fix things but apparently He doesn't want to fix things?  James settles the matter with these two words.  What a shame that we don’t get to enjoy the insight in the English translation.  God is entirely willing and completely able.  What He intends to do, He does.  You and I are never outside His gracious care, both in thought and deed.  God intends goodness toward us and He delivers.

Does that mean life is always the way I want it to be?  Of course not.  Anyone older than two knows that life doesn't follow their script.  But James gives us a perspective that should shatter all despair.  God cares and He acts.  When I realize that God cares about me and He delivers on my behalf, then I am called to ruthless trust in His demonstration of love for me.  I may not be able to explain, justify, or control all the elements, but I know that He is in charge.  That is enough!  He engineers my life for His purposes; purposes that are ultimately in my best interest, purposes that ultimately confirm His love for me.  This is ruthless trust: That I believe God is for me no matter what, and that I act on that belief no matter what.

Are my intentions always in alignment with my results?  No, but God’s are.  Where I am in flow with Him, His intentions flow through me.  The results are guaranteed.  This is why the model for my life must be Jesus, a man whose alignment with the Father was so complete that every intention resulted in heavenly delivery.

Good things and perfect gifts go hand in hand.  Want to see this happen in your life?  Are you lined up with the Father of lights?

– Skip Moen

(Ed. Note: Skip Moen, PhD, is the president of At God’s Table and the author of Words to Lead By.)
     
 

 
 

   

 Resources

 

Acres of Diamonds – e-mail acresofdiamonds@getresponse.com for your free copy.

Evangelicals Then and Now, Peter Jeffery, Evangelical Press (Buy Now)

 

   

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