How to Avoid Positive Stinking

13 short vignettes to help the Christian take a deeper walk with the Lord as well as help the curious understand how Christianity is really supposed to work. Topics include: 1. How to Avoid Positive Stinking (the title piece). Why true submission to the Lord trumps forcing ourselves to “think positive” all the time. 2. Our Conditional Love of Jesus (in 3 parts). Explores the conditions Jesus required for us to love Him. If these conditions are not met, He clearly states we do not love Him. 3. My Name is Balaam. The story of Balaam and his talking donkey from Numbers 22, told in the first person. 4. True Authority. How can we possibly have authority over all the animals of the earth as Genesis proclaims we have? 5. Lose Our Lives and Win. This isn’t about physical death as that happens to everyone. What does Jesus mean when He told us, “For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever desires to lose his life for My sake, shall find it”? 6. Christian Marriage 101. (Contributed by Eva Zarley). What does it take to have a truly Christian marriage? 7. Be Merciful. How is the amount of mercy we have toward others a litmus test of our hearts? 8. Bind This on Your Forehead. The Jewish practice of binding portions of the law to the body is examined. What can a present day Christian learn from this practice? 9. Do You Really Want to Work for Jesus? (Contributed by Eva Zarley). If you knew the cost you might want to think twice about this. 10. An Eye for an Eye. This vignette compares and contrasts the Old Testament’s “eye for and eye” mentality with Jesus’ command that we should forgive. 11. Joseph and My Laundry. What are some possible deep character flaws in Joseph in Genesis? Did he sell out in the end? Do we try to manipulate God to fulfill our desires rather than attempt to do His will? 12. Leviticus 19 (in 3 parts). As I read these laws in Leviticus 19, I was moved to expostulate on them. 13. Identity Theft. There is Someone who encourages His identity to be stolen. Actually, it isn’t stolen if He gives it to you. Produced and narrated by Vic Zarley. Special thanks to Kevin Macleod for the theme music, “Windswept.”