jastombaugh

The Spirit of Niceness

Lesson Theme: Isn’t Niceness a fruit of the Spirit?

“Before you speak, make sure your words will improve upon silence.” I heard this quote this week, and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. It reminded me of the old adage, ‘If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything.’

But aren’t there times when hard things must be said? My generation is one filled with people who avoid talking about uncomfortable and hard topics because it’s hard to keep a civil tongue in our mouths. However, instead of learning to avoid hard conversations, wouldn’t it have been better to teach how to HAVE hard conversations?

In this lesson, let’s take a look at the modern substitute for Patience, Longsuffering, Charity, and Humility… it’s a fact-free, fluff-filled substitute called ‘Niceness.’

Oddly enough, in spite of its universal acceptance and adoptance, it is completely contrary to every fruit of the Spirit and Christian Virtue. Don’t believe me? Check it out!

The Spirit of Niceness – PowerPoint

The Spirit of Niceness – Lesson

The Spirit of Niceness – Video 1

The Spirit of Niceness – Video 2

“But though we, or an angel form heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”

— Galatians 1:8

King James Version & The Apocrypha

Lesson Theme: Where Did the Apocrypha Come From

Why isn’t the Apocrypha included in the King James Bible? Why aren’t lots of other old works that came out around the same historical time frame included in the Bible? Why are there just 66 books in the Bible, anyway? Who picked these particular books and excluded all the others? How do we know if a book belongs in the Bible or not?

In this lesson, I’d like to challenge modern translations claim of ‘easier to read.’ Never confuse ‘easier to read’ with ‘easier to understand.’ If the newer Bibles were easier to understand, why do preachers still spend hours expounding on their modern simplicity?!?

I submit that instead of translating God’s Word into English, over and over again, wouldn’t it be a better use of scholar’s time to translate the Tax Code, Government Laws, or Computer/Technical Manuals into common, ‘easier to read/understand’ English?!?

I don’t believe we have half-as-much issue with understanding the Bible as we do simply obeying it’s precepts.

The King James Version and the Apocrypha – PowerPoint

King James Version and the Apocrypha – PDF

“So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.” — Jeremiah 43:7

The Inverted Retina

Lesson Theme: Questioning the Legitimacy of Vestigial Organs Claims

It is amazing how many ‘spare parts’ a novice can discover after reassembling a vacuum or motor. These parts, for all practical purposes, seem vestigial, or left-over… Even if the repaired item seems to run perfectly fine, these ‘left-over parts’ are not ‘extras’, nor are they useless and apparently not needed.

This lesson looks at the claim once made by the secular community that the human eye is wired completely backwards in comparison to the rest of nature, and that IF God was the one responsible for this, surely He must have been in error when doing so.

I learned a lot from this lesson about under-estimating that which I do not understand. If you don’t know what you are talking about, ANYTHING is possible.

The Inverted Retina – PowerPoint

The Inverted Retina Lesson – PDF

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy worksl and that my soul knoweth right well.” — Psalms 139:14

Bones and Herbs – Pt.2

Lesson Theme: Power of a Merry Heart

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people, or so it’s been said. It has also been said that ‘everyone laughs in the same language.’

The Bible claims that a ‘Merry Heart Doeth Good Like A Medicine’, and it’s remarkable how ‘literal’ God’s Word can be at times!

Your class will enjoy this lesson on laughter.

NOTE: This presentation contains video clips. These clips must be in the same folder as the PowerPoint file if you wish to use them. If you have any trouble getting them to play, please let me know.

Bones and Herbs – Pt.2 – PowerPoint

Bones and Herbs – Pt.2 Lesson – PDF

Bones and Herbs – Pt.2 – Video1

Bones and Herbs – Pt.2 – Video2

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” — Proverbs 17:22

Bones and Herbs – Pt.1

Lesson Theme: Can Bones Be Containers for SIN?!

If Sunday School Lessons could be click-bait in nature, this one surely would be!

It is scientific fact that if ALL THE BONES from your body were removed and laid end to end… You’d be DEAD!

It never ceases to amaze me how literal the Bible is when it comes to so many things. For example, the Bible teaches that bones are directly affected by sin. Stress, anxiety, fear, grief all take their toll on the bone structure.

On the other hand, righteousness, peace, joy, hope, and faith ALSO make an impact on the skeletal structure of every person. Whether measuring bone density, morrow production, and a host of other directly observable results, this lesson is full of surprises and fun!

Bones and Herbs – Pt.1 – PowerPoint

Bones and Herbs – Pt.1 Lesson – PDF

“His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.” — Job 20:11

The Whited Sepulchre Syndrome

Lesson Theme: Can Jesus Change A Pharisee?

In Matthew 21, the Pharisees demand to know by what authority Jesus operated. Jesus said He would tell them if they first answered by what authority John the Baptist baptized.

“Q: What would Jesus have answered the Pharisees if they had just picked one of the two options He presented them in his famous counter-question?”

Am I asking a question, or am I posing an answer?

The first defense of a Pharisee is to pick out hypocrisy in someone else. You see, as a pharisee, if you can trip someone else up in their own words, anything said prior by that person is now NULL and VOID to your conscience.

This lesson focuses on Nicodemus, and the impact Jesus had on his life when he came to Jesus with some of his own questions…

… and about the mercy of God that offers a way of redemption, even for us modern-day pharisees.

The Whited Sepulchre Sydrome – PowerPoint

The Whited Sepulchre Syndrome Lesson – PDF

“The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?” — Matthew 21:25

Was Adam Meant to Live Forever

Lesson Theme: Adam Was to Live Forever

“Q: Why would God make a tree (the tree of life) with fruit if it wasn’t meant to be eaten?”

Am I asking a question, or am I posing an answer?

At 117, Emma Morano was the oldest human being alive. However, this Italian woman would not live to see her 118th birthday. Why? What happened?

Why people age has become a source of endless fascination. But, as society bears out, ‘Age can be disguised, concealed, defied, and even insulted… but it cannot be reversed!’

This lesson is all about aging and WHY we age.

Adam Was to Live Forever – PowerPoint

Adam Was to Live Forever – PDF

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” — Romans 8:22

ADHD in Adults

Lesson Theme: ADHD Affects Adults

If anyone tells you that you have ADHD, pay NO attention! 😛

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is ‘a pattern of disobedient, hostile, and defiant behavior toward authority figures.’ Could this form of openly excused rebellion actually be caused by a chemical imbalance?!?

For being a medically diagnosed disorder, there seems to be very limited options for treatment, and only a dim hope for healing. Why? Because some respond well to treatment, while others do not.

We might do well to approach the ‘Solve With Sedative‘ method of treatment with some caution.

ADHD in Adults – PowerPoint

ADHD un Adults – PDF

“As for my people, chilDren Are tHeir oppressors, And women rule over tHem. O my people, they wHicH leAD tHee cause tHee to err, And Destroy tHe wAy of tHy pAtHs.” — Isaiah 3:12 (ADHD Re-vision)

Is Asbestos Sinful

Lesson Theme: Sowing and Reaping

If asbestos cannot be destroyed, how do they make it? Where does it come from?

Asbestos was once known as the Magic Mineral in the early 1950’s. However, over the past years, society has developed quite a different opinion of this known carcinogenic crystal!

Let’s discover an answer to a frequently asked question: “Why didn’t Adam and Eve die when they ate the fruit like God said they would?”

Is Asbestos Sinful – PowerPoint

Is Asbestos Sinful – PDF

“Out of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” — Genesis 2:17

The Curse of Alcohol

Lesson Theme: Alcohol and the Christian

There is no small noise made in the common media about the ‘benefits’ of drinking wine. There are claims made that moderate drinking can ‘prevent strokes’ to ‘over-all enjoyment in life by taking the edge off.’… OBVIOUSLY, all of this leads to a much happier life.

However, if alcohol is such a good thing, why do you need to be over 21 to drink? If there is nothing wrong with it, why aren’t we giving it to infants? If its perfectly safe, why is it classified as a ‘toxin’. (as in, In-toxi-cated) Why is it so dangerous for pregnant mothers to drink?

Just as you should ‘beware the sound of one hand clapping’, there is another side to alcohol that is impossible to be advertised or promoted.

In this lesson we examine ‘wine’ as contextual in the Scriptures, as well as look at some of the scientific aspects of ‘alcohol’ – both historically and practically.

The Curse of Alcohol – PowerPoint

The Curse of Alcohol – PDF

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” — Proverbs 20:1