A FEW THINGS THAT MOTIVATED ME TO STUDY THE DISCIPLINE OF PSYCHOLOGY

A FEW THINGS THAT MOTIVATED ME TO STUDY THE DISCIPLINE OF PSYCHOLOGY

Please note: At the time of writing this blog, the blogger is supposed to be writing on Dehumanization. The research bored me so here is a frustrated writers blog…

This particular blog will be quite interesting because over my five years of teaching general psychology among a few other courses; the question always arises from one of the students. “Dr. Murray, what motivated you to study psychology?” Since I never gave those precious students an in-depth and precise answer, I thought I would blow-off some time and blog my answer. As I ponder the question, it would be a great question for someone who is seriously considering Psychology; whether clinical psychology, counseling psychology, educational psychology, industrial/ organizational psychology; there are others.

For those of you who would like to study or major in psychology, I thought I would post some things that may be helpful. I’m quite sure if other psychology professors compiled a list it would read differently. Of course every individual must make up his or her own choice when it comes to specializing in areas of pedagogy. However, the main reason why I wanted to study psychology was due to the notion of Sensation & Perception- the basic definition of Sensation is the detection of physical energy emitted or reflected by physical objects whereas Perception is the process by which the brain organizes and interprets sensory information. It has always been interesting how we as humans interpret the environmental and socio-cultural cues that are given within society. Plus how we detect and receive physical stimuli is equally fascinating. For example, •Specific nerve energies -Different sensory modalities exist because signals received by the sense organs stimulate different nerve pathways leading to different areas of the brain. The behavior and mental processes of human beings are predominately attached to sensation and perception and the way that we connect to this physical environment and how we perceive information.

I can just include visual objects and how we perceive them. Typically called •Visual constancies - The accurate perception of objects as stable or unchanged despite changes in the sensory patterns they produce:
Shape constancy
Location constancy
Size constancy
Brightness constancy
Color constancy
This all matters when we are considering depth and distance. I know what you’re thinking, why share stuff like this? Well the fact of the matter is my interest in psychology is loaded with several interesting functions of human behavior. The other area that motivated my love for the discipline of Psychology is the whole conversation around mental disorders. Briefly, a working definition for a mental disorder is: Any behavior or emotional state that causes a person to suffer, is self-destructive; seriously impairs the person’s ability to work or get along with others; or endangers others or the community. Most people sometimes will manifest symptoms of several disorders; no need to get nervous, especially if you are not endangering yourself or community. Now if there are behaviors that are beginning to hinder the regular ebb and flow of what was before normal functioning then there may be a need to inquire. I was also drawn to psychology because of the intrigue of diagnosis and the validity of the classification system. I was always concerned about diagnosing an individual with the wrong diagnosis; those labels tend to follow one for life; so when I studied psychology, I was concerned about the validity of the diagnostic system and I have identified at least 4 concerns with diagnosing without competency

1. The danger of over-diagnosis

2. The power of diagnostic labels

3. Confusion of serious mental disorders with normal problems

4. The illusion of objectivity and universality

Ok this is enough—I have much more on this issue but I just wanted to throw some concrete answers out as to what motivated me to study psychology. I’ll post some other Psychology stuff later but this allowed me to answer another question-------

Until the next Blog---Lawrence Murray Ph.D.

Can You Really Forgive Yourself? The secret to living Free, Far, & Full

Can You Really Forgive Yourself?
"Live Free, Far, & Full"
Lawrence Murray Ph.D.
Luke 7:36-50


Outline
1. Live Free through Contemplation!
A) He Looks to Find Sinners
B) He Loves to Forgive Sinners

2. Live Far from Condemnation!
A) Chained to a Sinful Past
B) Cheated by a Satanic Power

3. Live Full of Consolation!
A) Affirm It as Fact
B) Accept It by Faith

I read about a New Jersey artist who came up with the idea of selling "guilt kits." Each kit contained ten disposable paper bags and a set of instructions that read, "Place bag securely over your mouth, take a deep breath and blow the guilt out. Dispose of the bag immediately." Amazingly, he sold about 2,500 kits at $2.50 each, because many people were carrying around a load of guilt, and searching for some way to remove it.

The story is told about a prank pulled by the famous playwright Noel Coward. It is said that he sent an identical note to twenty of the most famous men in London. The note read, "Everybody has found out what you are doing. If I were you I would get out of town." [1] Supposedly, all twenty men left town. It would seem that something from their past filled with guilt.
According to a 2006 finding, by the New England Journal of Medicine, 70 percent of people in mental institutions could be released if they knew how, and where, to find a way to cope with guilt.

There are times when we feel guilty because we are guilty. Guilt is the result of wrong actions, deeds, or sin in our life. The Holy Spirit speaks up when we have done wrong and loudly reminds us of our sin. Guilt has a way of making us feel guilty.

On the other hand, there are those who are haunted and harassed by unnecessary guilt. As a pastor, I have known those who struggled with their past and had difficulty putting it behind them.

Their past failure dogged their every step. The skeletons in their closet rattled incessantly. Although their sins had confessed to God, and cleansed by God, they still carried a sense of guilt for what they had done.

Someone has said that, "If we don't deal with our guilt, our guilt will deal with us." Experiencing the forgiveness of God, and embracing the forgiveness of self is the only way that we deal with our guilt.

The woman found in Luke 7, forgiven of her sin. Jesus said to her in verse 48,"Thy sins are forgiven." In this little study, I want us to look at her and notice what Jesus said to her in verse 50, "Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace."

In those words, Jesus was telling her that her past no longer had to hurt her, harm her, hinder her, or haunt her. He was giving her the secret to the forgiveness of self.

There are 3 levels of forgiveness described in Luke 7. There is the forgiveness of God, the forgiveness of self, and the forgiveness of others. It all starts with the forgiveness of God.

But, once I come to grips with the fact that God has forgiven me, I am then able to forgive myself, as well as others. Let me put it this way. God forgives me; that is Grace. I forgive me; that is Peace. I forgive you; that is Fellowship. That, ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters is the ultimate freedom of forgiveness.

Let's notice how the words of Jesus to this sinful woman enabled her to experience the forgiveness of self. First of all, in order to forgive ourselves, we must:

1. Live FREE through CONTEMPLATION!

The woman in the story, many believe to be Mary Magdalene, has just experienced the forgiving grace of the Lord Jesus. In spite of who she was, and what she had done, Jesus says to Simon in verse 47, "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven."

Apparently, Simon had a Pharisee dinner party, because in verse 49, "they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?"

Their question was in response to what they had just heard Jesus say to them, and to the woman. In verse 48, Jesus says to the woman, "Thy sins are forgiven."

In His own words, Jesus was declaring that He was the One who "forgiveth sins also." In other words, He was the One, and the Only One who could send away, and take away the sins of this woman.

Yet, He is the Only One qualified to "seek and to save that which was lost." He is the Only One qualified to "save his people from their sins." The sins of this woman were many, but the Savior of the woman was mighty, the Lord Jesus Himself.

Thus, the woman teaches us that the first step in forgiving self is to live free through the contemplation of the fact that Jesus has forgiven us. For one thing:

A) He LOOKS to FIND Sinners

In verse 34, before Jesus entered the house of Simon, this was the resume given to him by the Pharisees; "The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners."

After He entered the house of Simon, in verse 37, "a woman in the city, which was a sinner," slipped in and lavished him with love.

Simon the Pharisee said within himself, in verse 39, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth Him: for she is a sinner."

In other words, the Pharisees accused Jesus of being a friend of sinners, and in our story Jesus demonstrated that He was guilty.

I don't know about you, but I'm awfully glad that Jesus is a friend of sinners. Sinners of every color, class, code and creed have found that Jesus is a friend of sinners. The Pharisees thought they were criticizing Jesus by saying that He was a "friend of publicans of sinners."

But, the truth of the matter is that what they though was criticism, turned out to be the greatest compliment one could give Him. He is a friend of sinner. He is a friend to THIS sinner, and He's a friend to every sinner.

Max I. Reich told of a passing a repair shop and seeing a sign in the window, "We mend everything except broken heart." When he asked what they did with broken hearts they replied, "We send them to the hospital."

I'm glad to report to you that a person doesn't have to go to the hospital to find Doctor Jesus, because He still makes house calls. There is no patient He will not see, there is no pain He does not subside, and there is no problem He cannot solve. He will take you, with, or without insurance.

I love the words penned by J. Wilbur Chapman:

Jesus! What a friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Hallelujah! What a friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,

Jesus doesn't wait on sinners to come looking for Him, because He goes out looking for sinners. I well remember the day He came looking for me, and He found me where I was, for what I was, and who I was to say, "Thy sins are forgiven."

The reason He looks to find sinners is because:

B) He LOVES to FORGIVE Sinners

The woman in this story, in no uncertain terms, was a "sinner." In fact, twice, in verse 37 and verse 39, she is referred to as a "sinner." In verse 37, we're told that everyone "in the city" knew she was a sinner.

In other words, her reputation as a dirty, defiled and depraved sinner preceded her. She was known by her life, as well as her lifestyle. It was a not a secret to anyone, because Simon knew she was a sinner, Jesus knew she was a sinner, everyone "in the city" knew she was a sinner; and, she knew she was a sinner.

Again, most feel that Luke's description indicates she was a prostitute. Whatever the case may be, one thing we know, she was a sinner, guilty of "many" sins, who possessed a horrible reputation.

But, it was to a despicable and detestable sinner, Jesus says in verse 49, "Thy sins are forgiven." She serves as a wonderful reminder that the worst of sinners can be, and will be forgiven by God. He looks to find sinners, and He loves to forgive sinners.

The word "forgive" literally means, "To send away." In other words, when we came to Jesus, He sent away and took away every sin we ever committed.

Paul said in Colossians 2: 14, "He took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross." Who I was, what I was, where I was, when I came to Jesus, was ALL taken and sent away, never to be remembered anymore.

I love the story of William Cowper. Cowper suffered from severe bouts of depression, and thinking that life wasn't worth living, attempted to take his life on 3 different occasions. However, each time he tried to kill himself, something always happened to prevent it.

After his last attempt, he thought to himself, "I am such a failure. I can't even succeed in killing myself." He was walking by a mission while a service was in progress. He heard the singing and rejoicing inside and stopped just outside the door to listen.

It was then that he heard a man get up and tell that God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us. That night, William Cowper gave his heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In later years, a man who wanted to bleed to death wrote the words:

There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins;
And sinners plunge beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.

Aren't you glad that Jesus looks to find sinners? Aren't you glad that Jesus loves to forgive sinners? Then, live free through the contemplation of the fact that, if you are saved, you have been forgiven!

The second way we can forgive ourselves is not only to live free through contemplation, but to:

2. Live FAR from CONDEMNATION!

If you are saved, then you are forgiven! If you have sinned, and you have confessed it to God, then you are forgiven. It's just that simple.

In our story, a woman whose life was stained and scarred by sin heard Jesus say, "Thy sins are forgiven." Yet, we do not read where she dismissed His words, debated His words, or doubted His words.

Can you imagine what those words, "Thy sins are forgiven," meant to this sinful woman? I'm sure that it would have been easy for her to go through life carrying around a load of guilt, and shame for what she had done, and how she had lived.

Yet, Jesus says to her, "Thy sins, all thy sinful practices and sinful past, are taken away." Thus, we see that once we live free through contemplation of forgiven sins, we must then make a choice to live far from condemnation of former sins.

The reason it is necessary to live far from condemnation is because many are:

A) CHAINED to a SINFUL PAST

I'm quite confident that had this woman chose to, she could have, and would have lived chained to her sinful past. Again, everyone "in the city" knew of her sinful life, as well as her sensual lifestyle. Everyone knew who she was, and what she had done.

I'm also sure that after she heard Jesus say, "Thy sins are forgiven," that she may have ran into some one on her way home that would have reminded her of her sins. If she had not accepted the free and full forgiveness of the Lord Jesus, she would have lived like a slave chained to her sinful past.

Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote a compelling piece entitled, "Remorse."

Shall I kill myself?
What help in that? I cannot kill my sin.
If soul be soul, nor can I kill my shame;
No, nor by living can I live it down.
The days will grow to weeks, the weeks to months,
The months will add to themselves and make years.
The years will roll into centuries,
And mine shall ever be a name of scorn.

For many a defeated soul, the ghosts of guilt and the pain of the past is like a hound on their trail. The bones of the skeletons in their closet never seem to quit rattling. Shakespeare wrote of how a guilty person is "full of scorpions."

Like Lady Macbeth, who looked at her lily-white hands, but saw blood after taking part in a murder, the ghosts of ones past seemingly never leaves them alone.

They have heard Jesus say, "Thy sins are forgiven," but they continue to live in shackles chained to a past abortion, a past illegitimate pregnancy, a past moral, mental or marital failure.

They know the Bible says, if they "confess" their "sin" God is "faithful and just to forgive" their sin, but they just can't forgive themselves, because something in their past holds them, haunts them and harasses them.

Not only are many chained to a sinful past, but they are:

B) CHEATED by a SATANIC POWER

In our story, Simon, though a Pharisee, in reality played the part of the devil's advocate. He knew who this woman was, and what this woman had done; thus, he reminds her, as well as Jesus by saying, in verse 39, "This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner."

Jesus has just been invited to Simon's house, and he is warmed, welcomed, and worshipped by an uninvited "sinner" woman. Immediately, Simon loads his gun with attack and accusation against this woman, because all he chose to see was her dirty, defiled and depraved past.

Doesn't that sound just like the devil? Revelation 12:10 informs us that Satan is the "accuser of the brethren." The word "accuser" is the Greek word kategoreo, from which we receive the word "category."

In other words, the devil is constantly on the look out to categorize our sin. How does he do that? He does that by being the one that "Accused them before our God day and night." He does that by reminding us, as well as God, of who we are, and what we have done.

Many Christians ought to wise up to the fact that the devil is the ultimate con man. He will bait the hook with bait that allures and attracts us. Once we take the bait, and fall into sin; he turns the tables and says things like, "You are no good. You are unworthy. If you were really saved, you never would have done that."

Isn't that amazing? The very one who set a trap for us to fall into, has the audacity to accuse us once we've fallen. It reminds me of a little boy who always went next door to play, even though his mom had warned him against doing so. This worried his mom so badly that she asked him why he was so disobedient.
He replied that Satan tempted him so bad that he did not know what to do. His mom then advised him to say, 'Get thee behind me Satan,' whenever he was tempted. She ten built a fence around the house.

This worked for a week, then one sunny afternoon his mom looked out the window and there was her son playing on the neighbor's lawn having cut a hole in the fence. She yelled, "Jeremiah, come here! Did I not tell you to say 'Get thee behind me Satan' whenever he tempted you to go through the fence?" The boy replied, "Yes mom. I said 'Get thee behind me Satan,' then he went behind me and pushed me through the hole in the fence."

Friend, be not deceived to think that the devil has your best interests at heart. If you are unsaved, he hates you and will not be satisfied until he devours your life. If you are saved, he really hates you, and will not be satisfied until he destroys your testimony.

That's why the Bible likens Satan to 5 different animals.

In Genesis 3, he's a serpent trying to deceive God's people.
In Matthew 13, he's a bird trying to despoil God's harvest.
In John 10, he's a wolf wanting to dismantle God's flock.
In 1 Peter 5, he's a lion trying to devour God's children.
In Revelation 12, he's a dragon wanting to destroy God's Son.

But, if you are saved, and have committed some sin and that sin has been confessed to God; as far as God is concerned it is forgiven and forgotten.

You see the Holy Spirit convicts us, but the devil condemns us. If that sin has been confessed, the Holy Spirit will never bring it up again because it's under the blood, cast into the "depths of the sea." But, the devil will bring it up, over and over again, to condemn you.

That's why I love Romans 8: 1, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." It doesn't matter what sin you committed, if you ask God to forgive you, it is forgiven. Therefore, you don't have to live chained to a sinful past or cheated by a satanic power. You can live far, far away from condemnation.
Finally, to forgive ourselves we should live free through contemplation, live far from condemnation; and:

3. Live FULL of CONSOLATION!

I call your attention to the words of the Lord Jesus in verse 50. He has just informed her that "Her sins, which are many...are forgiven." But, then, He proceeds to say to her, "Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace."

He could have said, "Thy sins are forgiven, now get away from me." Or, "Thy sins are forgiven, don't ask me again." Or, "Thy sins are forgiven; get out of town so no one sees you." But, instead, He says, "Thy sins are forgiven. Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace."

What a word of consolation those words must have been. She may have expected condemnation, but instead she received consolation. She did not have to live in bondage to who she was, and what she had done.

She did not have to hang her head, in guilt and shame, once Jesus had forgiven her. Rather, her pitiful life became a peaceful life full of consolation. For one reason, she could:

A) AFFIRM It as FACT

To a woman who life was stained and scarred by sin, Jesus says, "Go in peace." The word "peace" speaks "of being quiet in yourself." The idea is of a person having quietness, restfulness and peacefulness about them.
In other words, once she had been forgiven by Jesus, it didn't matter what anyone else thought, including herself. She had been freely and fully forgiven by the only One that matters; thus, she could affirm it as fact. She was forgiven.

It reminds me of the words of the Lord Jesus to a woman caught in the act of adultery in John 8. I'm convinced that the man she committed the act with was among those seeking to condemn the woman.

First, the Pharisees knew that the law demanding that she be stoned. Second, whatever Jesus wrote on the ground "they heard it, being convicted by their own conscience." (John 8:9) As a result, they scattered like scalded dogs.

Jesus looked up and said, "Where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, "No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: GO AND SIN NO MORE!" (John 8:10-11)

Without condoning her or condemning her, He cleaned her, comforted her and consoled her. His words to her, "Go and sin no more" not only spoke of forgiveness, but repentance. But, as far as He was concerned, forgiveness was a fact she could affirm.

Isaiah declares in Isaiah 53:6 that when Jesus died on the Cross, "the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." In other words, Jesus became "sin for us." He became sin without becoming a sinner.

Get the picture. Jesus, on the Cross, became sin. But, Paul said again, regarding our sin debt, that Jesus "took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross." Thus, as they drove the spikes into his hands and feet, they were in essence nailing our sin to the Cross.

Therefore, it matters not what may be the skeleton that is rattling in your closet, or what past sin holds you, haunts you, or harasses you. Jesus became that sin, and He "took it out of the way." The debt has been paid in full, and it was paid "once and for all."

It's just that simple, so affirm it as fact. We did not demand it, we did not desire it; and, we certainly did not deserve it; but JESUS DID IT! You want to learn to forgive yourself, and then affirm that Jesus shed His blood not so you could live with guilt; but, so that you would live in grace.

Not only must we affirm it as fact, but we must:

B) ACCEPT It by FAITH

Jesus said to this defiled, despicable and depraved "sinner," "Thy sins are forgiven." Then, "Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace." As far as Jesus was concerned, her sins were both forgiven and forgotten. Her "sins, which were many," had all been taken away.

As a result of His forgiveness, His advice to her is, "Don't hang you head. Don't wallow in it. Don't dwell on it. Rather, go in peace, and be at rest in yourself that you have been forgiven."

How could she understand that? The answer is, she couldn't. All she could do is take the Lord Jesus as His word, affirm it as fact, and accept it by faith.

Yet, such is the case for any person who seeks to be delivered from the shame and guilt of past sins that haunt, and harass them. If it has been confessed, and repented of, as far as Jesus is concerned, it has been forgiven and forgotten.

It's not based upon your understanding of it, because, in all likelihood, you will never understand how God could be so loving to forgive and forget. Thus, instead of understanding it, affirm it as fact and accept it by faith.

I have met, dealt with, and counseled all sorts of peoPle down through the years. There are those people with the attitude, "Well, I know I shouldn't do this, but the Lord will forgive me of it." If that is a person's attitude toward the grace of God, then they know nothing of the grace of God. Grace does not give a license to sin, but a liberty to serve.

There are other who constantly hear the rattling of skeletons in their closet. I ask them, "Have you confessed it to God, and repented of it?" They often say, "Preacher, I've asked God to forgive me a thousand times over." To which I reply, "If you meant business; only 1 time was required."

Then, they say something like, "I know that God has forgiven me, but I just can't forgive myself." Wait a minute! Do you realize what you are saying? You are saying that, apparently, you have a higher standard than God.

You are saying that Sovereign God can forgive you, but you cannot forgive yourself? Then, you must have a higher standard of forgiveness than God.

We often quote 1 John 1:9 without truly understanding the context of it. The Bible says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

That verse does not just apply to God's forgiveness at the moment of salvation, because John is writing to those who have already been saved. That is why he writes in 1 John 2:1, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

God does wipe the slate clean at the moment of salvation. At that moment, "old things are passed," and "all things become new." But, what many fail to see is that God saves our soul, not our flesh. Thus, as long as we inhabit this flesh, we will always possess the capacity for sin, and the propensity to sin.

John writes to say, "Saints, my earnest desire is that you do not sin. But, if you do sin, you have the best defense attorney of eternity, Jesus Christ the righteous, who pleads your case before the Father."

Therefore, although there are always consequences to sin, there is also forgiveness for sin. If you ask Him, confess it to Him, and repent of it, God will forgive you. Once you affirm His forgiveness as fact, and accept His forgiveness by faith; you can then "Go in peace," and forgive yourself.

I love the life story of Clara Barton, the organizer of the American Red Cross. One of the legacies of her life is that she was such a forgiving person, who never harbored resentment toward anyone. On one occasion, a friend recalled to her an incident that had taken place years before. The friend said, "Don't you remember the wrong you did?" Clara Barton replied, "No, I distinctly remember forgetting that!"

The devil will bring it up, but God never will. Other people may bring it up, but God never will. Your mind may even bring it up, but God never will. Forgiven sin is forgotten sin. Affirm it as fact and accept it by faith.

There is someone reading this right now, who need to come to God and gain victory once and for all over the past. You need to determine with the apostle Paul, "this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before."

You need to come humbly before God and say, "Lord, I know that I did wrong. I'm sorry, not because I got caught, but because I broke your heart, and violated your holy standard. Thus, on the authority of Your Word, I ask you to forgive me and cleanse me."

Then, you need to accept it faith and say, "Thank you, Father that I am clean before you. Thank you that You do not see what I did in my sin, but what Jesus did for my sin. Since you no longer remember my sin, I don't have to, and I refuse to live in the devil's basement any longer. You say that I am forgiven; therefore, I am forgiven, and I forgive myself for what I have done."

When the devil tries to bring it up again, take Him to the Word of God, a bloody cross, an empty tomb, and a glorified Savior who is your defense attorney before God. Tell the devil, "God has forgiven and forgotten, and I distinctly remember forgetting it as well." Then, get up, dust yourself off, and "Go in peace!"
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!! Shout for the Father!! Shout for the Son!!! Shout for the Holy Spirit!!!!
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yeeeeeesssssss Lord!

SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST SIMPLY NEED DIRECTION

SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST SIMPLY NEED DIRECTION
LAWRENCE MURRAY PH.D


Sometimes people Just simply need direction—writing & speaking in a style that flows section by section/ meeting every need so individuals will not suffer depression/ diagnoses acute, chronic, even psychoses/ medication compliant they take in large doses/ drugs taken within by the Milo-gram descend/ after a while bio-distribution begins/ social settings become easy/ thoughts remain calm don’t tease me/not describing me but that’s just the way I see/great people crushed by a stormy sea/ drama zapping a persons life affection/ SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST SIMPLY NEED DIRECTION-

Sometimes people just simply need direction—writing and speaking in a style that flows section by section/my Ph. d. never entitles me/ to assume that I am smarter than thee/ but all of us are responsible you see/ for the knowledge we gain to a certain degree/ but truth must be given humbly/ arrogance refuse blow it up short fuse/ message to teach aim is to reach each/ don’t remain in darkness heartless talking about the light I bring your causing the breach/ As a man thinketh so is he/ and so is she/ and so are we/ don’t let the devil rob are unity/ please don’t sit back and diss me/ everybody’s crying out for leadership/ but if the leader steps up what we gone get/ you?/ you don’t even got a better plan/ you don’t even submit to the SON OF MAN/ ok let’s do some confessing/ SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST SIMPLY NEED DIRECTION-

Sometimes people just simply need direction--Fathers love your children please don’t provoke/ all you do is rub against the grain fires you stoke/ Dance with your daughter tell her she’s lovely smile at her bright like the sun/hug your son never run tell him to man up never get trapped with the gun/ felonies are dropping some one by one/ Ms. Lyte said a long time before/ “YOU AIN’T GAURDING THE DOOR SO WHAT YOU GOT A GUN FOR.”/ Fathers please don’t refuse this direction/young men are starving for real male affection/you know daddy’s direction/ not the kind that will make you question/…………………….I hesitate you see/cause daddy to me is something I take seriously/ Fathers please hear me/ take fatherhood sincerely/ SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST SIMPLY NEED DIRECTION-

Yes, Sometimes people just simply need direction—writing and speaking in a style that flows section by section/motherhood deserves a special blessing/ single mother all mothers prayers for you in these stressful days/ grandchildren need not fleece grannies pocketbook stop those wicked ways/ parental disrespect elder abuse locked in your own house room like a maze/ enabling their children don’t understand why sons face is like glaze/ Spirit intervention works mighty in clearing the Haze/ but one must be open to the Spirits ways/ Don’t quench nor spurn His nudge while in the haze/ SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST SIMPLY NEED DIRECTON-especially in these last days.
Yes, sometimes people just simply need direction—writing and speaking in a style that flows section by section/ ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,drlmurraysmind

Walking with God After Worship-Dr. Lawrence Murray

Walking With God After Worship
Genesis 5:21-24


Sermon Outline
1. A MAN most INTERESTING!
A) Enoch: The Person
B) Enoch: The Preacher

2. A MINISTRY most INTRIGUING!
A) His Pursuit of God
B) His Passion for God
1) Seek Him Earnestly
2) Serve Him Faithfully
3) Share Him Consistently

3. A MEMORY most IMPRESSIVE!
A) The Life that He Lived
B) The Legacy that He Left

Whenever one thinks of great figures of history, there are many names that come to mind. In the world of entertainment there are the names of Beyonce', Usher, Lil, Wayne, and P Diddy . In the world of politics there are the names of Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, FDR, or JFK. In the world of finance there are the names of Howard Hughes, Bill Gates, Donald Trump & Warren Buffet

In the world of military prowess there are the names of Colin Powell, Neville Chamberlain, Winston Churchill, George Patton and Norman Schwarzkopf. In the world of baseball there are the names of Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Hank Aaron and Cal Ripken. In the world of football there are the names of Jim Brown, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. In the world of basketball there are the names of LeBron James Kobe Bryant, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan.

From the great pulpits of the past there are the names of Martin Luther King Jr, Savanarola, Martin Luther, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, C. H. Spurgeon, and George Whitfield. Among contemporaries there are the names of R.N Hogan, Clyde Muse, C.L. Franklin, Jerry Vines and Adrian Rogers.

In the Bible we find the names of great men as well. From the pages of the Old Testament we find men such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, David, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. From the pages of the New Testament we find men such as Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul, Stephen, and of course, the name above all names, Jesus Christ.

However, of all of those names, there is one name that is tragically overlooked. It is a man by the name of Enoch. Enoch is my Bible hero. There are many patriarchs of the faith that I want to talk to when I get to Heaven, but one that I especially want to talk to is Enoch. He was an unusual worshipper.

When most people think of "worship," they relate it in terms of a church service; thus, to many, worship consists of a few songs, a time of fellowship, a time of prayer, a sermonnette, and a benediction. But, that's where it stops.

Many people fail to see that true, real, and authentic worship doesn't begin or end at a church service. Rather, when we assemble together it is to be a culmination, as well as a celebration of a week spent worshipping God. Yet, many walk out of the doors of the church thinking, "Okay, church is over, now what?"

I cannot think of any better example to answer that question than the man mentioned in Genesis 5. The life of Enoch both intrigues me and inspires me. There is very little that we know of Enoch from a human standpoint. His life is described with 51 words in the Old Testament, and 94 words in the New Testament. The three passages that record his life are Genesis 5, Hebrews 11 and Jude 14-16.

However, of what little we do know of him we are most definitely left with the impression that although he was little known on the human side, he was largely known from the Heavenly side.

W. H. Griffith Thomas said, "The witness of Enoch is given to us as an oasis in the chapter, and he is one of only 2 men of whom it is recorded that they "walked with God." [1]

I want us to study the life of my many Bible heros. We will discover the man who was familiar with God, the man who was favored by God, and the man who was faithful to God. But, most importantly, we will discover a man who knew what true worship was all about.

It is about walking with God before we get to church, after we leave church, and all points in between. First of all, notice with me:

1. A MAN most INTERESTING!

Someone has said that every Christian has 4 names: saint, for his holiness; believer, for his faith; brother, for his love; and, disciple, for his commitment.

Warren Wiersbe said, "Every man has 3 names, one his father gives him, one others call him, and one he acquires himself."
As we begin to study the life of Enoch, we see that he had acquired a great name all by himself. He was, unquestionably, a man most interesting. For one thing, we must consider:

A) Enoch: The PERSON

The name Enoch means, "Dedicated." In only 6 verses of the Bible we find the biography of Enoch set forth, but what a biography! The placement of Enoch's name, in this passage, could not be more dramatic.

Lamech, the man who worshipped his sword, was number 7 in the Cainite genealogy, while Enoch, the man who was 'dedicated,' and 'walked with God,' is number 7 in the Sethite genealogy.

I believe that Enoch's dedication to God is most clearly seen in the day in which he lived. These were the days preceding the flood. These were the most wicked, ungodly and heathenistic days the then world had ever known.

In Genesis 3, sin has separated man from God. In Genesis 4, the first murder of history has taken place, "blood" cries "out from the ground," and the godly line of Abel has been destroyed. In Genesis 6 it seems that God had taken all He could take. We read in Genesis 6: 5-6,
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. [6] And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart."

As a result, God determined to destroy His creation because of its worldly, wicked and woeful practices. Yet, in the midst of some of the darkest days of history, we find Enoch dedicated to serving God. He did not walk in the way of sinners.

His character and conduct were a distinct rebuke to the godless people around him. If you would allow me to put it this way, I believe that Enoch "stuck out like a sore thumb."

I need not remind you that we are living in the midst of ungodly days as well. There are things taking place today that we would have been ashamed to talk about 20-30 years ago. Yet, God is looking for men and women, like Enoch, who will dedicate their life to their call, and the cause of Christ. You see anyone can stand for Christ when everyone around you is standing for Christ. The true test comes when you have to stand for Christ when everyone else lives like the devil.

Secondly, Enoch, the person, leads us to consider:

B) Enoch: The PREACHER

One of the most overlooked aspects of Enoch's life is his preaching ministry. I believe we could say that Enoch was the itinerate evangelist of his day. His message is recorded in Jude 14-15.
"Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, [15] To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."

Enoch's message told of the time when Jesus Christ would come the second time to judge the world. I'm not sure if Enoch was aware of the full meaning of his message, but he did see something that many of the other godly descendants of Adam did not see.

The hope of the people of God, in this period, was the promise of a deliverer to come. In this period, all of God's people lived in hope of this appearance. But, Enoch comes and preaches that the Lord is indeed coming, but his coming will be a time when the ungodly deeds of every man, woman, boy, girl and nation will be judged.

We live in a day where many preachers are more concerned about being politically correct than being spiritually, theologically and eternally correct. For fear that someone might be offended, many have so watered down the truth that it sounds no different than a story from Reader's Digest.

Thus, most people show up at church and hear a duet, get a sermonnette, have a cigarette, only to leave and stop by the washerette, then go home to play roulette, and live like a majorette.

Adrian Rogers said, "We need God-called men who will take the Book of God and preach the Son of God with the anointing of the Spirit of God. We need men with warm hearts, wet eyes, clear heads, and tongues set on fire."

Enoch would not have made a good televangelist today because he told it like it was, as it was, for what it was. May God raise up more preachers, pastors, and teachers like Enoch.

When you consider the man most interesting, you must also consider:

2. A MINISTRY Most INTRIGUING!

Of all the things about the life of Enoch, the thing that most intrigues me is how Enoch occupied his time. We are told in verse 22, and again in verse 24 that he "walked with God." Again, he is one of only 2 men who bear this most unique description.

What does it mean that he "walked with God?" I believe as we look at his walk with God, 2 things are evident.

A) His PURSUIT of God

Notice carefully it says that "Enoch walked with God." It does not say that 'God walked with Enoch." It is Enoch walking with God. What does it mean to 'walk with God?' I believe G. Campbell Morgan defined it best when he said, "Walking with God means that we are going in the same direction that God is going."
In other words, it wasn't God who was going in Enoch's direction; but, it was Enoch who was going in God's direction. Thus, to walk with God means that a person is going God's way. If we say that want to walk with God, then we are saying that we want to go where God is going, and do what God is doing.

I remind you that God always goes to Church on Sunday. He even goes to Church on Sunday night, Wednesday night, and every special service. A person cannot say that they are walking with God and never read their Bibles, pray, witness, and give. A person that rarely comes to church or misses church on a regular basis cannot say they are walking with God. Again, to walk with God is to go where He is going and do what He is doing.

We read in Col. 2:6,
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him."

Also in Micah 6:8 we read,
"He hath shewed thee, 0 man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

The question is asked in Amos 3: 3,
"How can two walk together except they be agreed?"

Thus, a person who is not walking with God is a person who is not in agreement with God. They have decided to go their own way, and do their own thing.

However, if we are going to "walk with God," then we must be in agreement with God. Like Enoch, we cannot walk with God and resist, refuse or rebel against the direction God is taking us. If we are to "walk with God," then it must become the ultimate pursuit of our lives.

Secondly, from Enoch's walk we see:

B) His PASSION for God

The Minor Prophets used the phrase, "walking with God," to describe the intimate walk of the priests who entered the Holy of Holies to meet with, and speak directly to God. As Allen Ross says, "The expression became a common description of the life of fellowship and obedience with the Lord, as if to say that walking with God was a step above mere living." [2]

Notice how long Enoch walked with God. We read in verses 21-22,
"And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: [22] And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years."

Did you see that? Enoch walked with God for 300 years. Think about that! For 109,500 days, 2,628, 000 hours, and 157,680,000 minutes Enoch enjoyed communion and fellowship by walking with God. I believe you would agree, I would like to hear someone like that stand up and testify on Sunday night.

As a 65-year old man, God gave Enoch a son he called Methuselah. His name means, "When he shall die, it shall be sent" referring to the flood. God demonstrated His love and long-suffering by allowing Methuselah to live longer than any other recorded human being, a total of 969 years.

However, Enoch did not know how long Methuselah would live. He only knew that however long Methuselah would live was how long he had to serve God, honor God, obey God and walk with God. Thus, for the next 300 years of his life he did just that: he walked with God.

The implication is that Enoch's walk was no casual stroll. It was the walk of a lifetime. It wasn't a sprint, or a run, but a walk.
It's not unusual to hear about a Christian who walks with God for a while, and then backs off and backs out. Some Christians start out with a blaze of glory, but when the first sign of trouble comes, they are like a shooting star, here and gone.

May God help us to be steady, faithful people, like Enoch, who know God and are getting to know Him better every day. Who walk with God, and are getting closer to Him every day. As the songwriter said:

When we walk with the Lord,
In the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way;
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with those who will trust and obey.

Let me take a moment and address the ways we can "walk with God." We have seen what it means to walk with God, but how can "walking with God" become a daily reality in our lives.

First, let me suggest that we walk with God when we seek Him earnestly. We read in Deuteronomy 4: 29,
"But if...thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul."

As Solomon prepared to take over the reins of the kingdom, David, his father, advised him in 1 Chronicles 28: 9,
"...if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever."

We hear God say in Jeremiah 29: 13,
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."

How do we seek Him earnestly? A good place to start would be to have a daily time in His Word and in prayer. As we look into His Word, He talks to us; and, as we spend time in prayer, we talk to Him.

Another good way to seek Him earnestly is to be faithful to His house. If you want to see God, then you need to come to church, because God comes to church.

We not only walk with God when we seek Him earnestly, but when we serve Him faithfully. I love the words of Jesus in John 12: 26,
"If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour."

We read in Colossians 3,
[17]"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus...[22]...not with eye service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God. [23]And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men."

If you are using your gifts, talents and abilities to serve the Lord faithfully, then you are not walking with Him. Someone has well said that the average church is much like a football game, where the people in the game are in desperate need of rest; and, the people in the seats are in desperate need of exercise.

Another has said, "The real tragedy of life is not being limited to one talent, but in the failure to use the one talent."

If you are a blood-bought child of God, then something down deep within you ought to yearn, and desire to do all you can do for the One who "loved you, and gave Himself for you."

Seek Him earnestly, serve Him faithfully, and then share Him consistently. In other words, we should seek every opportunity to share with others what Christ has done for us.

In 2 Corinthians 5: 20, Paul described our role as "ambassadors for Christ." Then, he went on to say that,
"God...hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation."

We were lost sinners who have been reconciled to God by the blood of the Cross. Thus, now that we have been reconciled to God, we are to go and reconcile others to God. Jesus brought us to God, and we are to bring others to Jesus so they can be brought to God.

Several years ago in New Orleans, Louisiana, construction was underway for Interstate 10 right near the Super Dome. One day, there came a cry and the work stopped because of the men, who had been working on the construction crew had not been paying attention as a cement truck was backing up. When he caught a glimpse of the truck, he scurried to get out of the way, but fell and the truck backed right over top of him.

Men on the construction crew ran to him to help as they waited for the emergency unit to arrive. The man who knelt down beside the dying man was a Christian, but had never once shared his faith. The dying man looked at him, and with a fainting whisper asked, "Tell me how I can go to Heaven?" The stunned Christian did not know what to say. He had never shared his faith, or led anyone to Christ. He later said, "I looked into his eyes and was stunned. I did not know how to tell him how to go to Heaven, and I watched my friend breathe his last breath, and slip off into Hell."

There are those in this room who, have been saved for years, but you have never led another person to faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, when we are walking with God seeking Him earnestly, serving Him faithfully and sharing His consistently is the fuel that fills our spiritual tank.

Finally, let me say a word about Enoch and:

3. A MEMORY Most IMPRESSIVE!

Someone has well said, "Civilized man has learned how to fly, but he has lost the art of walking with God." That may be true of many of our lives, but it is certainly not true of Enoch's life. His name will go down in the record of Bible history, and it should serve as an inspiring reputation to every believer for 2 reasons. First, there is:

A) The LIFE that He LIVED

Again, we're simply told that Enoch "walked with God." That's it. Of what we do not know about him, one thing we do know is that he will forever be remembered as the man who was familiar with God.

I realize that Enoch did not attend the Church of Christ of Nod, but had he attended, once church was over, he would walk out the doors walking with God.

You could say that Enoch's only claim to fame was that he walked with God. We never read about him parting a sea, raising the dead, healing the sick, or leading an army. His entire life is summed up in the words, "He walked with God," for 300 years.

There is nothing greater that could be said about us than that we walked with God. When we are gone, people could say, "He went to the moon, he ran a large company, he was a wealthiest man that ever lived, or that he was president of the United States." But I say unto you the greatest thing that could be said of us is that we walked with God.

The greatest thing a child could say about his father is that dad walks with God. The greatest thing a church could say about a member is that he/she walks with God. The greatest thing the people you work with, or go to school with could ever say about you is that you walk with God.

The greatest way we could ever express our worship to God is to walk with Him. The greatest worshippers are not necessarily those who show up just on Sunday mornings; but, the greatest worshippers are those who walk with God before church, in church, and after church.

True worship doesn't begin once we get to church, and it shouldn't end once we leave church. True worship is accomplished as we "walk with God" every second of every moment of every hour of every day.

There is not only the life that he lived, but:

B) The LEGACY that He LEFT

There is another interesting feature about Enoch's life. Not only is he only 1 of 2 men of whom it was recorded to have 'walked with God," but he is only 1 of 2 men who never saw, or experienced death. We read in verse 24,
"And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him."

In other words, one day Enoch received a special escort, exit and escape from death. Genesis says simply that "he was not."

In the 60's, the United States introduced astronauts. In the 80's, the Russians introduced cosmonauts. However, we read that Enoch was a "WAS NOT!" One day he was walking along and suddenly he WAS NOT. He was snatched out, caught away, if you please.

G. Campbell Morgan says that Enoch and God spent the day walking together and toward the end of the day, God said to Enoch, "You are closer to my house than yours, so come on home with me."

Enoch was doing what he had been doing for 300 years: walking with God. Suddenly, one day he was caught up, snatched out, and taken away.

But, blessed be God, I know of another group of "was not's." Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17,
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

Like Enoch, one day there will be a great host that will be "was nots." One day, Jesus will step out on the clouds of glory to call His children home. At that moment, every one who is glory born will become glory bound. Every child of God will become a "WAS NOT!"

You may be at home, washing the dishes or folding clothes; you may be at work, driving a fork-lift or filing papers; you may be school, taking a test or eating lunch; or, you may be church, in Sunday school, or in the choir.

You are just going through life, "walking with God," when suddenly a trumpet sounds, and God says, "Listen, today you're closer to my home than you are to your home, so come on home with me."

Knowing that He could come at any moment, I ask you, when He comes, will He find you walking with God?

Wouldn't it be good to leave this world enthralled in the worship of the One who came back for us? Wouldn't it be good to be found worshipping outside of church just as much as we would inside of church?

I think of a story which told of a large group of people. On one side of the group stood a man, Jesus. On the other side of the group stood Satan. Separating them, running through the group, was a fence. With the scene set, both Jesus and Satan began calling to the people in the group and, one by one, each having made up his or her own mind, each went to either Jesus or Satan. This went on for hours and hours.

Finally, Jesus had gathered around him a group of people from the larger crowd as did Satan. But, one man joined neither group. He climbed the fence that was there and sat on it. Then, Jesus and his people left and disappeared. So, too, did Satan and his people. And, the man sat on the fence all alone.

As this man sat, Satan came back, looking for something which he appeared to have lost. The man said, "Have you lost something?" Satan looked straight at him and replied, "No, there you are. Come with me." The man said, "But, I sat on the fence. I chose neither you nor him." Satan said, "That's okay, I own the fence."

Let's get off of the fence! Let's resolve that we will be people who will walk with God into church, and walk with God once we leave church.

The question shouldn't be, "Church is over, now what;" but, "Church is over, SO WHAT?" I'm going to keep on walking with God as I give my worship of God.

Endnotes
1) Genesis, W. H. Griffith Thomas, p. 64.
2) "Creation & Blessing", Allen P. Ross, p. 175.

J. Kent Edwards-Deep Preaching (Closet work)- What an inspiration!

As I sit in my office, I ponder the task of preaching. More importantly preaching within the context of family, life's hassles, temptations, and future goals. I started to doubt this sermon series that I'm doing on Soul-Winning; doubts of pessimism, and defeat. However, I'm inspired by this series because it represents hours of closet work.

J. Kent Edwards says it best:

"Where do you get your sermons? Far too many of us are homiletical fast-food junkies. Because of our hyper-scheduled lives we drop spiritual Pop Tarts onto the plates of our parishioners rather than take the time to prepare a gourmet meal. We prefer Internet Wi-Fi connections over our spiritual closet." (Ch. 8. The Closet Work Begins)...
"Gourmet meals are created by hours of Closet work."

May some other christian, preacher, student, intellectual, or expositor find inspiration from--J. Kent Edwards.

The Gospel--Freestyle---

Have you really heard it/ do you totally believe it/ I think you should receive it/ Gospel truth according to Christ/ new life ending all strife/ carnality you can cut with a knife/ placing his body broken and bruised with lies/ the spear thrust in his side/ Is a confirmation that he truly died/ not forever some clever tried/ so they lied about the body of the blessed one/ but stoned rolled away now he’s the rising son/ by one sin entered dominion / by the death of one sin was overcome/

Have you really heard it/ do you totally believe it/ I think you should receive it/ Gospel truth/ Paul said I’m not ashamed of/ for it is the power of God unto salvation above/ Everyone that believeth the good news of love/ shall partake in the glad tidings from the dove/ The word gospel is exclusively a new testament term expect it/ even though the concept is found in the Old testament check it/ In the old T the word was used to bring news from a far country/ In the New T Jesus brought good news to me/

Have you really heard it/ do you totally believe it/ I think you should receive it/ Gospel truth at any cost/ The son seeks and saves the lost/ you see/ He said I come that you might have life abundantly- TELL PEOPLE THE GOOD NEWS! Dr. LM

God's Favorite WORD!!

God's Favorite Word--
1st Thessalonians 3: 1-4:8

1. The Despair of a Servant!
A) The Absence that Grieved His Heart
B) The Adversity that Gripped His Heart
1. The Force He Identified
2. The Foe He Introduced

2. The Desire of a Shepherd!
A) A Strong Faith
B) A Sweet Fellowship
C) A Sure Future

3. The Duty of a Saint!
A) The Walk that Depicts a Holy Life
B) The Will that Demands a Holy Life
1) A Life Committed to God
2) A Life Clean before God

The average person knows 10,000 words and uses 5,000 in everyday speech. A journalist knows approximately 15,000 and uses around 10,000. Women possess about 25,000 words in their vocabulary, to use every day; and, men possess around 10-15,000 words in their vocabulary.

Someone has said that:

Did is a word of achievement,
Won't is a word of retreat,
Might is a word of bereavement,
Can't is a word of defeat,
Ought is a word of duty,
Try is a word each hour,
Will is a word of beauty,
Can is a word of power.

In Webster's 1971 Unabridged Dictionary there were a total of 450,000 words in the English vocabulary. According to the 2004 Encyclopedia Americana there are now 800,000 words in the English vocabulary, 300,000 of which are technical terms. [1] The 10 most common words are "the, of, to, and, a, in, is, it, you and that." [2]

God, who is the giver of all words and vocabularies, has a few choice words of His own. In fact, from this section of Paul's letter we learn that God's favorite word is "Holy."

In order to uncover the theme of this section, we must begin at chapter 3 where we find, first of all:
1. The DESPAIR of a SERVANT!

It is no secret that the apostle Paul possessed a deep love for these Thessalonian believers. Twice in this division, in verses 3 and 5, he expressed that "he could no longer forbear." Thus, he sent his young protege Timothy to check on them.

As we glean from the passion, we discover 2 things that added to Paul's despair beginning with:

A) The ABSENCE that GRIEVED His Heart!

Paul identifies, in verse 1, that he was "at Athens." He was about ready to travel further south into Corinth, but his heart was up north in Thessalonica. He knew where he was, but he also knew where he wanted to be. He wanted to be with the fellowship at Thessalonica, because, spiritually speaking, they were his baby.

His heart pined for them, so much so that he describes his absence as being "left at Athens alone." The word "left" is the Greek word kataleipo and it is used to describe what happens when parents die leaving their children as orphans. It speaks of desolation. In other words, Paul felt abandoned because he was not able to be with the people He deeply loved.

If the old adage is true that "Absence makes the heart grow fonder;" then, Paul's heart was filled with deep fondness for the Thessalonians, because absence had grieved his heart with feelings of isolation and desolation.

However, he not only mentions the absence that grieved his heart, but:

B) The ADVERSITY that GRIPPED His Heart!

As you well know, Paul was no stranger to adversity. He knew first-hand what it meant to struggle, strain, strive and suffer for the cause of Christ. He describes this adversity by the force he identifies. In verse 3, he refers to these adversities as "afflictions." The word is better rendered "pressure," and speaks of the forces that come upon us. In other words, Paul found himself between a "rock and a hard place."

His prayer was "That no man should be moved by these afflictions." The word "moved" literally means, "to wag the tail." The idea is that these afflictions and adversities would pose the threat of leading these believers away and astray from the things of God.

As believers, adversity and affliction are not foreign to us. In fact, they are but a normal part of the Christian life. The Christian life is not a frolic, but a fight. The Christian life is not a rest, but a race. The Christian life is not a moment, but a marathon.

Like these believers, if we're not careful, if we are grounded in our faith, then adversity can often "wag the tail" and defeat us, disillusion us and discourage us. C. T. Studd said, "Mere soul saving is easy. What is difficult is making those converts into soldiers, saints and soul-winners." [3]

I believe that we often run of the risk of leading people to believe that if they will give their life to Christ then all of their problems will disappear. The truth of the matter is that our "real" problems really don't start until after we become a Christian. As John Stott said, "Perhaps the best way to protect people from being upset by tribulation is to remind them that it is a necessary part of our Christian vocation."

Paul reminds them, in verse 3, that when it came to their afflictions,"for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto." In other words, these afflictions were ordained of God.

He reminds them in verse 4, "when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know." In other words, troubles and trials should not come as a shock to them. God designed them, God developed them, and God destined them to be a part of their Christian walk.

We need to remember as well that adversity is a part of God's plan not to break us, but to bless us; not to hurt us, but to help us; not to crush us, but to conform us. As Paul stated in Philippians 1: 29, "It is given on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake."

Contrary to modern theology, as well as the popular preaching of the day, the Christian life is not a Sunday school picnic nor is it one big spiritual Disneyland. In fact, it was never intended to be, because following Jesus is not an easy alternative to life.

It is not a matter of "if" adversity comes, but "when" adversity comes. We cannot avoid it, alleviate it, escape it or excuse it. It will come, and when it does, we can either give up or look up and realize that it is all a part of God's plan to "conform us into the image of Christ."

Next, these adversities did not only include the force he identifies, but the foe he introduces. Paul unmasks the culprit in verse 5 by his statement, "the tempter have tempted you." The word "tempted" means, "proven, tried, or tested." However, it has no reference here to God, because the connotation of the temptation is an evil one.

The idea of the word "tempted" is that of a solicitation to evil, and unmasks the devil's wicked ambitions. [4] The Lord tests us to advance and push us on; however, the devil tempts us to annilihate and push us down.

It must be noted that Paul describes the "tempter" as uses various strategies to hinder us. The idea is set forth in the phrase, in verse 5, "lest by some means the tempter have tempted you." The phrase "lest by some means," is rendered "lest by any means" in 3 other texts.

Paul is saying that the "tempter" is not a respect of person or procedures. He will use anything, and everything he can to bring us down and draw us away from a right standing with God.

I have found, personally, that the things Satan once used to tempt me aren't that effective any more, but that in no way means that he has let up on his attack. Just because what he used to use isn't as effective as it used to be, he has resorted to other means, and measures to tempt me.

Billy Graham ( yes I said Billy Graham) tells a story of a boxer who was engaged in a boxing match and was being badly beaten. Battered and bruised, he leaned over the ropes and said to his trainer, "Please throw in the towel! This guy is killing me!" The trainer said, "Oh no, he's not. He's not even hitting you. He hasn't laid a glove on you!" And the boxer looked at him through swollen eyes and said, "Well then, I wish you'd watch that referee-somebody is sure hitting me!"

If we set out to serve the Lord, we can rest assured that the enemy is going to hit us with all he's got. That is why we must "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

Secondly, I want us to consider, not only the despair of a servant, but:

2. The DESIRE of a SHEPHERD!

As I have already mentioned, Paul was in Athens, about to head south to Corinth, when he sends Timothy to Thessalonica to check on the progress of the church. He sits down and writes a letter, for Timothy to deliver to them, and in the body of the letter he outlines the desire the shepherd has for his sheep. First of all, his desire was that they develop:

A) A STRONG FAITH!

He says to them in verse 5, "For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain."

In verse 6, Timothy came back with his report and "brought us good tidings of your faith and charity." Paul outlines his desire in verse 10 by saying that he wanted to "perfect that which is lacking in your faith."

The word "faith" that he uses is the Greek word pistis. The word speaks of not just a mere intellectualism, but rather a spiritual belief system. It depicts a God-given ability to have confidence in, and commitment to the Word of God. E. W. Bullinger refers to faith as "A living, divinely implanted principle."

In other words, Paul wanted these believers to know what they believed, as well as why they believed it. He wanted them to be rooted and grounded in the things of God. He wanted to them to plant their roots deep within the rich soil of the truth of God.

According to 2 Timothy 3: 16 God has given us His "inspired" Word because it is "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. "

I love H. A. Ironside's commentary of the verse; "Doctrine tells us what is right, reproof tells us what is not right, correction tells us how to get right, and instruction tells us how to stay right." [5]

As believers we should seek to make daily progress in our faith. We should seek, as Jude says, to "build up yourselves on your most holy faith." We must not seek what man has to say, but what God has to say. We must settle for a cheap imitation, but we must strive to know the real thing.

Sadly enough, many Christians only believe what their grandparents, their parents, their pastor, or their church believes. They have not mined into the truths of God's Word to discover for themselves what "thus saith the Lord."

As the minister, I will do my best, every service, to be prepared to properly expound the scripture to you. However, I do not want you to base your theology upon my word, but upon God's word. If you will develop a consistent regimen, and work out with God's Word you will develop a strong faith.

Paul desires for them to not only have a strong faith, but:

B) A SWEET FELLOWSHIP!

In verse 6, he makes reference to Timothy's report of "good tidings of your faith and charity." It's interesting how Paul links the two together. He speaks of their strong faith and their sweet fellowship. In other words, because they love the Word of God they were able to love the people of God.

I love the King James word for love, "charity." The Greek word is agape, and it indicates kindness and favor. Of course, it is kindness and favor that originates with God and then is manifested to others through His people.

Throughout the scriptures, where we find the attribute of "faith" we will find the attitude of "love" not far behind. As one writer said, "Faith and love go together, grow together and flow together."

In verse 12, Paul reminds them of their responsibility to "increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you." In other words, as they grew closer to God, in their faith, they would grow closer to one another, in their love.

Can I put it this way? If our faith is true, then our love will be too! If we establish our faith in the Word of God we will automatically express our love for the people of God. It is impossible for me to love God and hate the person seated next to me. Again, where there is a strong faith there will be a sweet fellowship, because we have:

C) A SURE FUTURE!

In the previous chapter, Paul made reference to the paraousia, or the "coming of the Lord Jesus Christ." He once again reminds these saints of their sure future by saying, in verse 13, "To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints."

In verse 12, the reference is to "the Lord," which speaks of the Holy Spirit. "Our Lord," in verse 13, speaks of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we find the ONLY prayer, in the New Testament, that is addressed to the Holy Spirit.

What is Paul praying? He is praying that these will maintain a strong faith and a sweet fellowship because, one day, Christ will manifest their sure future. He prays that their hearts with be "stablished" and "unblameable in holiness before God."

This leads us to consider the major emphasis of the section, which is, not only the despair of a servant and the desire of a shepherd, but:

3. The DUTY of a SAINT!

What was Paul's prayer for the saints? Again, that they would so continue in their faith that, one day, they would be presented "before God" with "hearts unblameable in holiness."

Chapter 4 picks up on the very same subject matter. In other words, Paul emphasizes that living a holy life is the duty of every saint. He speaks of:

A) The WALK that DEPICTS a Holy Life!

We read in 4:1, "Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more."
In other words, as Christians we should not only get in but GO ON. We should not just show up, but we must learn to GROW UP! We should not only pursue the things of God, but we should make progress in the things of God.

In verses 4-8, he depicts the walk, and lifestyle of holiness. "That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit."

He speaks of the Christian lifestyle as being opposite of the lifestyle of those who do not know God. As indicated in verse 4, a lost person lives after the "lust of concupiscence," or after the flesh. However, a Christian is to live his life in "sanctification and honour."

I think of Athanasius, early bishop of Alexandria, who stoutly opposed the teachings of Arius, who declared that Christ was not the eternal Son of God, but a subordinate being. Hounded through five exiles, he was finally summoned before emperor Theodosius, who demanded he cease his opposition to Arius. The emperor reproved him and asked, "Do you not realize that the entire world is against you?" Athanasius quickly answered, "Then I am against the entire world."

As believers, we are to be for whatever God is for, and against whatever God is against. Our lives should be marked by distinction, devotion and dedication "walk and please God, so ye would abound more and more."

Finally, we not only see the walk that depicts a holy life, but:

B) The WILL that DEMANDS a Holy Life!

Notice verse 3. "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication." Did you see that? Paul says that God's will for every believer is that they be a separated believer, a special believer and a sanctified believer. It is the will of God that we live holy lives.

What does it mean to be sanctified? A hint is given in verse 7. The word "holiness," in verse 7, and the word ‘sanctification," in verse 3 are the same word. Thus, when the Bible speaks of sanctification it is speaking of the matter of holiness.

It depicts, and demands that we live a life committed to God. A Sunday school teacher was describing how Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt. One little fellow spoke up and said, "My mother looked back once, while she was driving, and she turned into a telephone pole."

The simplest way I know to describe sanctification/holiness is that we turn our backs on the world, the flesh and the devil and turn our lives over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We give Him the supreme place in our lives, our love, our labor and our loyalty. We turn our back on anything, and everything that is not pleasing to God.

When that happens, a life committed to God will become a life clean before God. In verse 3, we are commanded to "abstain from fornication;" because, in verse 7, "God hath called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." The root word for "uncleanness" is used to describe the "unclean" spirits cast out by the Lord Jesus.

In Paul's epistles, the word is associated with sins of adultery, fornication, lasciviousness, greed, covetousness, and idolatry. Uncleanness cannot be separated from the sphere of impurity.

Paul is saying that this is not the sphere to which we have been "called" to operate. We have been "called," or summoned out of the sphere of darkness into the sphere of light. We have been "called" out of the realm of hellishness into the realm of holiness. In other words, we are IN this world, but we are not OF this world. Thus, we must not become "conformed" but "transformed' from the things of the world.

Furthermore, God is very serious about the matter of holiness among His people. So serious that Paul says, in verse 8, that anyone that "despiseth," this word "despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit." Simply put, God wants His people to be happy and healthy; but, most of all, He wants us to be HOLY! Holy is God's 4-letter word for the lives of His people.

In the forests of northern Europe and Asia lives a little animal called the ermine, known for his snow-white fur in winter. He instinctively protects his white coat against anything that would soil it.

Fur hunters take advantage of this unusual trait of the ermine. They don't set a snare to catch him, but instead they find his home, which is usually a cleft in a rock or a hollow in an old tree. They smear the entrance and interior with grime. Then the hunters set their dogs loose to find and chase the ermine.

The frightened animal flees toward home but doesn't enter because of the filth. Rather than soil his white coat, he is trapped by the dogs and captured while preserving his purity. For the ermine, purity is more precious than life.

After ordaining young Dan Edwards as a missionary to the Jews, Robert Murray McCheyne wrote a note to him that read, "Remember you are God's sword,”His instrument,”I trust a chosen vessel unto Him to bear His name. In great measure, according to the purity and perfections of the instrument, will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses as much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.'"

Someone has said that every Christian has 4 names: believer, for his faith; brother, for his love; disciple, for his commitment; and, saint, for his holiness. Are you living up to your name? If you are a Christian God has one word for you, and it consists of 4 letters: His favorite word-------------H--O--L--Y!

Course Syllabus Human Sexuality FMST 3523-01

Course Syllabus
Human Sexuality
FMST 3523-01; DAH 217

Oklahoma Christian University
Instructor: Lawrence Murray, Ph.D., Director of Multicultural Development
Assistant Professor of Psychology & Family Studies
Office: Enterprise Square
Phone: 425-1852 E-mail: lawrence.murray@oc.edu
dr.lmurray@cox.net

Office hours: M, W: 10:00am-11:00 am; F: 1:00 – 3:00 pm

OC Mission Statement: Transforming lives for Christian faith, leadership, and service. Faith (fully)


Required Text – By Rathus/ Nevid /Fichner-Rathus (2008). Human Sexuality in a World of Diversity (7th Ed). Pearson ed.

Course description: this course is an introduction to Human Sexual Development. The course will focus on the physical, social, and emotional aspects of human sexuality. Attention will be given to historical aspects of sexuality as well as recent research in the field.


Goals of the course: The overall goals of this course are to empower the student to:

1. Develop an understanding of the physiological sexual anatomy of the male and female.
2. Develop knowledge of sexual behaviors among cultures in various societies around the world both past and present.
3. Understand how sexuality develops throughout the life cycle for both men and women.
4. Define and describe various sexual social issues and problems that society faces.


**You are responsible for knowing the information in this syllabus**






Class topics and reading Schedule

Week 1 (Monday Aug 31st) Overview of course/Intro, what is Sexuality, class cultural differences in sexuality, Historical perspectives (Chapter 1)

(Wednesday Sept. 2th) (Chapter 1)

(Friday Sept 4th) Female Sexual Anatomy and Physiology (Chapter 3)

Week 2 (Monday Sept. 7th) Female Sexual Anatomy and Physiology (Chapter 3)

(Wednesday Sept. 9th) Chapter 1& 3 overview and exam perspective

(Friday Sept 11th) Exam 1 (Ch. 1,3)

Week 3 (Monday Sept. 14th) Male Sexual Anatomy and Physiology (Chapter 4)

(Wednesday Sept. 16th) (Chapter 4)

(Friday Sept. 18th) (Chapter 5)

Week 4 (Monday Sept. 21st) (Chapter 5)

(Wednesday Sept. 23rd) Chapter 4 & 5 overview and exam perspective

(Friday Sept. 25th) Exam 2 (Ch. 4,5)

Week 5 (Monday Sept.28th) Gender Identity and Gender Roles (Chapter 6)

(Wednesday Sept. 30th) (Chapter 6)

(Friday Oct. 2nd) Attraction and Love---Binding Forces (Chapter 7)

Week 6 (Monday Oct. 5th) (Chapter 7)

(Wednesday Oct.7th) Chapter 6 & 7 overview and exam perspective

(Friday Oct. 9th) Exam 3 (Ch 6,7)

Week 7 (Monday Oct. 12th) Difficult Conversations in Sexuality

(Wednesday Oct 14th)

(Friday Oct 16th) FALL BREAK—NO CLASS

Week 8 (Monday Oct. 19th) Relationships and Communication (Chapter 8)
(Wednesday Oct. 21st) (Chapter 8)

(Friday Oct. 23rd ) Sexual Behaviors and fantasies (Chapter 9)

Week 9 (Monday Oct. 26th) (Chapter 9)

(Wednesday Oct. 28th) Overview and exam perspective

(Friday Oct. 30th) Exam 4 (Ch 8,9)

Week 10 (Monday Nov.2nd) Sexual Dysfunctions (Chapter 15)

(Wednesday Nov.4th)

(Friday Nov. 6th)

Week 11 (Monday Nov. 9th) Sexually Transmitted Infections (Chapter 16)

(Wednesday Nov. 11th)

(Friday Nov. 13th)

Week 12 (Monday Nov. 16th)

(Wednesday Nov. 18th)

(Friday Nov. 20th) Presentations

Week 13 (Monday Nov. 23rd) Presentations

(Wednesday Nov. 25th) THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

(Friday Nov. 27th) THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

Week 14 (Monday Nov. 30th)

(Wednesday Dec. 2nd) Presentations

(Friday Dec. 4th) Presentations

Week 15 (Monday Dec. 7th)

(Wednesday Dec.9th)

(Friday Dec. 11th)
WEEK 16 FINAL EXAM WEEK…………………………………………...

** These topics are a general guideline and are subject to change at the discretion of the professor.

Assignments –
1. 5 exams will be given through the course of the semester. Each exam will be worth 100 points. You are responsible for both reading assignments and classroom lecture notes. Note: The Final exam is the fifth exam and will consist of 100 questions; the other exams will have 50 questions worth 2 points each.

2. Participation will consist of classroom exercises, relevant discussion, and blackboard discussion groups.

3. You are expected to write a research paper on an issue in Human Sexuality. The topics can


Points available

Tests 400 pts
Final Exam 100 pts
Paper & presentation 100 pts
Total 600 pts

Grade Calculation

A 540 – 600
B 480 – 539
C 420 – 479
D 360 – 419
F < 359
Guidelines for Success in the Classroom

Studying. It is expected that a full-time college student will spend a minimum amount of time each week in class attendance and study out of class approaching a 40-hour work week. A person employed on a full-time basis should not simultaneously expect to maintain a full-time academic schedule. At the undergraduate level, this means that for each hour in class, a student is expected to spend at least two (2) hours doing home-work. For a three credit-hour class, a student is expected to spend six (6) hours per week doing homework.
Class participation. It is expected that you will have read each chapter before it is discussed in class. The key to success in any course is to read the material, attend class, ask good questions, take clear notes, and complete the assignments on time. I will try to answer your questions, elaborate on the topics you wish discussed, call your attention to the most important points in each chapter, and bring in outside information when relevant.

Attendance: Class attendance is required for this course. I strongly believe that your learning will be best achieved by being present and prepared to discuss the material during class. If you miss, you are responsible for obtaining anything we covered that day from someone who was present. Missing more than three weeks of this course (for any reason) will automatically result in a failing grade.

Policies and General Information

Laptop Policy: Laptops will be occasionally used for in class research or exams. Only during these times are they to be opened and used. They are not to be opened during normal times of classroom discussion.

Make Up Exams: Occasionally students will not be able to attend the day of the exam. Make ups will be given if student has received an excused absence from the examination. The instructor may, at his discretion, give a separate exam if he deems it appropriate. All make up exams must be made up prior to finals week. If the student has not done so, he or she will receive a zero for that test grade.

Academic Integrity:

Cheating
Cheating on an examination or an assignment undermines the ethics of the academy and the specific Christian purposes of Oklahoma Christian University. Accordingly, students who cheat on examinations or assignments will face serious consequences, as outlined in the policy below.

Plagiarism
One particular form of cheating is plagiarism. Plagiarism is the transmission of another’s ideas, words, or materials as one’s own and/or the failure to credit accurately the ideas, words, or materials of another. Plagiarism also includes passing off another’s work (a friend, a parent, a website) as one’s own. Plagiarism undermines the ethics of the academy and the specific Christian purposes of Oklahoma Christian University. Accordingly, students who engage in plagiarism in papers submitted will face serious consequences, as outlined in the policy below.

Penalties for Academic Dishonesty
1. On the first offense, the student will receive a 0 for the examination or assignment. Professors shall send documentation of the first offense to the appropriate chair, the dean of the appropriate college, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the Dean of Students.
2. On the second offense, the student will receive an F in the course. Professors shall send documentation of the second offense to the appropriate chair, the dean of the appropriate college, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the Dean of Students.
3. If the student receives an F in two courses for cheating and/or plagiarism, he or she will be suspended from the university.

Copyright notice.
Copyright 2005. Oklahoma Christian University (the University) as to all class materials and lectures whether distributed in class, on blackboard or by any other means. All rights are reserved. The university prohibits anyone from selling notes or being paid for taking notes without the express written permission of the University. Violation of copyright laws could subject a person to federal and state civil penalties and criminal liabilities as well as disciplinary action under University policies. The University holds the exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and publicly display the above works and to make derivative works based on those works. The work may be copied, viewed, and/or downloaded for the educational and research purposes only by a current student of the University. Class lectures and other activities may not be recorded, copied or distributed without written permission of the professor and dean.

Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA/504): If you have a diagnosed disability, please notify Ms. Amy Jansen (5907) before or immediately after your first scheduled class meeting. After your disability has been verified, your instructor will work with you, Ms. Jansen, and the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs to provide reasonable accommodations to ensure that you have a fair opportunity to perform in the course.

Intellectual Property Rights: Some of the material that we/you develop during this class may be of benefit to others. Always include your name on the assignments so that I can give you full credit if your material and original thoughts are used. If there is any material you turn in that you do not want reprinted or made public in any way, please write that on the front of the assignment when you hand it in.

Need Help? It is my desire and prayer that you succeed in academics and in life. If you need help in academics please feel free to see me or any of your teachers. I am also concerned about your personal life to the extent that you may feel free to come by the office anytime and chat, or make an appointment. If things are too personal, please take advantage of our counseling center. The staff there is very helpful and confidential. For personal counseling call the counseling center (5250) for an appointment.

General Psychology Syllabus-PEDAGOGY

General Course Syllabus

Course & Section PSYC 1113 Perspectives in Psychology
Times: MWF 2:30pm-3:20pm
Location: DAH Auditorium
Instructor: Dr. Lawrence Murray
Office: Gaylord Hall 2nd Floor
Office hours TBA
Phone: 425-1852

OC MISSION STATEMENT:

Transforming lives for Christian faith, leadership, and service.

COURSE TEXT

Wade, C. & Tavris, C. (2008). Psychology. Pearson / Prentice Hall

The textbook provides the background and context for classroom lectures and discussion as well as the primary content for possible quizzes and major exams. Note: It is highly recommended that you remain current in your reading of the text so that you are prepared for classroom lectures, discussion, possible quizzes and exams.

COURSE DESCRIPTION, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Perspectives in Psychology is a survey course that provides students with an overview of the major subdivisions within the field of psychology and an introduction to the fundamental aspects of modern scientific psychology. As a survey course, it provides a brief overview of the history of psychology, describes methods used in the field of psychology, and introduces different aspects of the field of psychology, such as brain functioning, psychological development, consciousness, learning theory, memory, stress, health, and well-being, mental disorders, and treatment. Upper division courses explore these areas in depth. The majority of material will come from lectures and text readings. Please see the Course Outline for a listing of topics and chapters to read.

The general goals and objectives of the course are to help the student:

• Gain an overview of the field of psychology and its application to all areas of psychological phenomena.
• View psychology in terms of events that occur at different levels of analysis: the brain (biological factors), the person (beliefs, desires, and feelings), the group (social, cultural, and environmental factors), and their interactions.
• Learn and gain mastery over the basic facts and research findings, terminology, principles, and theories important in the various areas of psychology.
• Gain a basic understanding of the biological, sensory, and perceptual processes that underlie behavior and consciousness.
• Gain a basic understanding of memory, normal and abnormal behavior, and psychotherapy.
• Increase his or her to analyze current issues and controversies in the field of psychology.
• Gain an appreciation of cultural and gender diversity in human behavior.
• Find ways to apply psychological findings to everyday life.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Required Research Participation:

Each student enrolled in PSYC 1113 is required to participate in 3 research projects conducted by upper class psychology students, or complete a 5 page APA style paper on an approved topic. Instructions for the paper are available upon request. The experiments will become available toward the middle of the semester. Sign-up sheets for the experiments will be posted on the 2nd floor of the DAH building in the southwest hallway right outside the Department of Psychology and Family Studies office (Room 213). Additional instructions will be provided as the semester progresses.
Failure to complete the required research participation will result in a deduction to the final grade in the class. No penalty will be applied if you complete either the 3 research projects OR complete a satisfactory APA paper. Penalties for either partial completion or noncompliance with the requirement are as follows:
Research Participation OR Paper Penalty
3 projects A No penalty
2 projects B 5%
1 project C 10%
0 projects F 15%

Required Journal Article Review (100 points):

Each student is required to research and review an article from a professional psychological journal. See the attached instructions for more specific guidelines for the review and for the due date.

Required Exams and Course Assessment:

There will be a total of 5 exams given during the semester (4 regular exams covering 2 chapters at a time, and a comprehensive final). All exams are composed of multiple-choice, true/false, short answer, and essay questions taken from the text, lectures, films, or other material. Exams will be given using Blackboard so students should have their laptops available and with batteries charged on the day of the exam.
Make-up policy: You will be able to drop one of the four regular exam scores, though the final must be taken. Make-up exams are not available except in cases of extreme emergency and at the discretion of the instructor. Since make-up exams are not given, if an exam is missed, it will count as your dropped score. Otherwise, the lowest of your four exam scores will be dropped automatically. The comprehensive final is mandatory and cannot be dropped. See the course schedule for the dates of the exams. Every effort will be made to keep the test dates as they are scheduled. If it becomes necessary to change the date of a scheduled exam, you will be notified in class and by email.

Course Assessment:
3 out of 4 regular exams at 100 points each (lowest score or missed exam is dropped) -300
Final Comprehensive Exam-100 points (must be taken and can’t be dropped) -100
Article Review 100 points (see attached guidelines for the review) -100
Total - 500
Grading Scale: A = 450-500
B = 400-449
C = 350-399
D = 300-349
F = 299 and below
Exceptional attendance will be rewarded and points added to your total points at the end of the semester in this class per the following chart:
0 Absences- 30 points
1 Absence- 20 points
2 Absences- 10 points

Guidelines for Success in the Classroom
Studying. It is expected that a full-time university student will spend a minimum amount of each week in class attendance and study out of class approaching a 40-hour week. A person employed on a full-time basis should not simultaneously expect to maintain a full-time academic schedule. At the undergraduate level, this means that for each hour in class, a student is expected to spend at least two hours doing home-work. For a three credit-hour class, a student is expected to spend hours per week doing homework.
Class participation. It is expected that you will have read each chapter before it is discussed in class. The key to success in any course is to read and comprehend the material, attend class, ask good questions, take clear notes, and complete the assignments on time. I will try to answer your questions, elaborate on the topics you wish discussed, call your attention to the most important points in each chapter, and bring in outside information and professional experiences when relevant.
Attendance. Because additional questions will be taken from lectures and films, there will probably be a high correlation between test grades and attendance. It is the student’s responsibility to acquire any material from the missed classes- so it would be in your best interest to make a friend who takes good notes. Attendance will be taken but is not a part of your grade (see above). Coming to class late is disruptive so please make every effort to be on time. Tardies will be counted as absences with no exceptions!

POLICIES AND GENERAL INFORMATION

ADA/504 Statement – If you have a diagnosed disability and need special accommodations, please notify Ms. Amy Janzen (5907) before or immediately after your first scheduled class meeting. After your disability has been verified, your instructor will work with you, with Ms. Janzen, and with the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs to provide reasonable accommodations to ensure that you have a fair opportunity to perform in the course.

Classroom Behavior- Students are expected to be respectful to both faculty and other students in and out of the classroom. If a student is acting disrespectfully or causing a distraction or annoyance, he or she will be asked to leave the classroom. If the student demonstrates a pattern of disrespectful, distracting, or annoying behavior in the classroom after being admonished, he or she will be dropped from the class.

Academic Honesty and Student Behavior – Students are expected to follow University policy with regards to issues of academic honesty (e.g. cheating, plagiarism) and proper conduct in the classroom, as detailed in the Student Handbook. If students are caught cheating on any exam or assignment, a grade of 0 will be recorded for that test. Disciplinary action for further violation of these policies will be in accord with University policy (please consult your Student Handbook) and will result in expulsion from the class.

Communication & Email Policy – When possible, I prefer to talk with you directly. If you use email to contact me please understand that unless I have replied to you I probably have not read your email. I try to read my email at least once a day but I do not always respond immediately. If I have not responded to you by the next class period, please talk to me before or after the class. When in doubt, talk with me directly.

Withdrawal Policy – If you decide to withdraw from the course, you should file forms in the Registrar’s office before the deadline stated in the current schedule of classes. See the University Catalog and/or my OC for more details on University policies.

Laptop / IPod / cell phone policy – These devices will not be permitted in my classroom unless I specifically request that you bring these devices for use during exams and other class activities. If these devices are used without permission, you can be asked to leave, and you will be counted absent for the day. If the problem persists, you may be asked to withdraw from the class.

RESEARCH ARTICLE REVIEW:

Instructions for the Research Article Review:

This assignment requires that you use the library and/or use the PsychLit or PsychInfo data base to find an article, copy it, and write a review. The article must be related to some psychological topic covered in the text, must be from a recent (1998 or later) professional psychology journal, and must be an empirical article that reports on the research conducted by the authors. The research should be experimental in nature.
To receive the maximum points, you must:
1. Select an appropriate article from an appropriate journal.
2. Use good writing skills. If you need help with your writing, please make an appointment with a tutor in the Writing Center
3. Follow instructions for accuracy and turn in the following information:
a. Provide a cover page with the title “Research Article Review,” the name and meeting time of this course, my name, your name, and the title of your article.
b. Provide the abstract found on PsychLit or PsychInfo.
c. Provide a photocopy of the journal article in its entirety.
d. Highlight the article to indicate what information was used.
e. Provide a report that is no less than 1 ½ and no more than 3 pages, is neat, and is organized by sections. The report should be typed, double-spaced, and have 1 inch margins on all sides.
4. The report should include the following information, each in its own paragraph and labeled appropriately:
a. Provide Background information telling why the study was done and what research led up to this study.
b. Describe the Hypothesis, which tells what the author’s predict.
c. Describe the Methods used, including the subjects used, the method of research, the independent variable(s), dependent variable(s), and any confounding or control variables.
d. Describe the Results that tell the outcome of the measures used.
e. Describe the Discussion or Conclusions of the study, which tell what the results mean: if the results support or refute the hypothesis and what future research is indicated.
f. Provide a Reference Section
5. Within the report, include at least one in-text citation with complete reference information (APA style) and include the information in the Reference Section at the end of your paper. Reference only those sources you cite in your report. Use the example below.

EXAMPLE: In-text citation choices that correspond with the first example in the reference section below.

Research has indicated that what people say they will do is a better predictor of future behavior than test scores are. (Mischel, 1968).

Walter Mischel (1968) cited evidence that what people say they will do is a better predictor of future behavior than test scores are.

Reference
Mischel, W. (1968). Personality and Assessment. New York: John Wiley

Newman, F.L. & Tejeda, M.J. (1996). The need for research that is designed to support decisions in the
delivery of mental health services. American Psychologist, 51, 1040-1049


Week 1 (January 12 – 16) – M – Introduction
W – chapter 1
F – chapter 1

Week 2 (January 19 – 23) – M – chapter 1
W – chapter 4
F – chapter 4

Week 3 (January 26 – 30) - M – chapter 4
W – summary
F – (Test 1)

Week 4 (February 2 – 6) - M – Ch 5
W – Ch 5
F – Ch 5

Week 5 (February 9 – 13) - M – Ch 5
W – Ch 7
F – Ch 7

Week 6 (February 16 – 20) M – Ch 7
W – Ch 7
F – Summary

Week 7 (February 23 – 27) M – (Test 2)
W – Ch 8
F – Ch 8

Week 8 (March 2 – 6) M – Ch 8
W – Ch 8
F – Ch 13

Week 9 (March 9 – 13) M – Ch 13
W – Ch 13
F – Ch 13 (TEST 3)

Week 10 (March 16 -20) M – Spring Break Week
W –
F –

Week 11 (March 23 – 27) M – Ch 14
W – Ch 14
F – Ch 14

Week 12 (March 30 – April 3) M – Ch 14
W –
F –

Week 13 – (April 6 – 10) M – Ch 15
W – Ch 15
F – Ch 15

Week 14 – (April 13 -17) M – Ch 15
W – Summary
F – Test 4

Week 15 – (April 20 – 24) M – Ch 16
W – Ch 16
F – Ch 16

Week 16 – (April 27 -30) Final Exam Week

MAY 1ST Commencement