Ana Menez

January 16, 2019January 22, 2019

Dont Miss Out On Gods Plans & Promises!

The story of the twelve spies in Numbers 13-14 is one of the more popular stories from the Old Testament we may usually hear in church. In Numbers 13:30-32 (NASB), we read: Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it. ³¹But the men who had gone up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land.

As we look over some details on this story of doubt and faith, we can draw lessons to apply in life.

Valid Concerns

From verses 1-17 of chapter 13, we see God commanding Moses to send out twelve spies (one chosen from each tribe) to spy out the promised land. As Moses sent them, he instructs them in verses 18-20 to:

check out what kind of people there were and how many they were (v.18),
check out what visible prospects there were in the land (v.19-20),
check out what provisions were readily available (v.20), and
check out what possible problems they might face when they tried to conquer (v.19).

All of these concerns were valid. To know what kind of oppositions to face and address and what opportunities are foreseeable and available are legitimate concerns for anyone making a plan of action for whatever endeavor.

Different Perspectives

As the mission of the twelve spies ended and they have gone back to report, the Israelites then faced two conflicting conclusions. All twelve spies agreed that the land was rich and full of opportunities but ten spies believed it was impossible for them to conquer, overwhelmed by the size, strength, and number of the opposition along with the difficulty of the fortifications they will need to deal with (13:28-29, 31-33). Only two of the spies (Caleb and Joshua) were confident that God will deliver on His promise to them (13:30; 14:6-9).

Ten spies strongly doubted their chances because they focused on their own natural abilities. Joshua and Caleb knew they could’ve conquered right then because they believed in Gods supernatural assistance.

Consequences of Doubt

When you doubt you miss out! But in this story, we might as well say, when you chicken out you miss out!’

The Israelites rejection of God (another way to understand the word Å“spurn in 14:11) resulted in everyone from that generation (except Caleb and Joshua) not being able to claim for themselves what God had promised them as a nation (14:22-23, 29-30). Entering the promised land was a privilege they could’ve experienced right then if they had only believed God.

Consequences Worsen

After the ten spies were judged (14:36-37), the Israelites then decide to supposedly follow Gods first command by disregarding the judgment God had placed upon them. Their sudden effort to conquer the land against Gods will resulted in their utter defeat (14:39-45).

This part of the story is a reminder for Christians who try to follow God by their own terms. No amount of sacrifice that does not follow Gods designed path or process can ever make up for continued disobedience. God desires simple, plain obedience to what He commands us to do (1 Samuel 15:22).

Faith Rewarded

The ten believe they couldn’t because they didn’t have the ability. Joshua and Caleb knew also they couldn’t that’s why they believed in God who had all the ability (14:8-9). Joshua and Caleb believed in God and trusted His promise and they were rewarded graciously (14:24, 30, 38).

Our fears of taking steps of faith (like the ten spies) is a reflection of how much we do not know God and how we’ve neglected the kind of relationship He desires of us.

Let’s Ponder

Remember, God’s guidance and His call for obedience will always lead us to where His grace abounds.Ã‚ Obedience is a step of faith that looks to God for confidence and banks on Who He is. Don’t miss out on what God has planned for you and what

January 16, 2019January 22, 2019

Is Wikipedia Biased Against Christian Content?

From its home page, Wikipedia describes its site as “the free encyclopedia [that] anyone can edit’. On a self-described page of what it is and what it is not, Wikipedia claims that it is not censored. For content guidelines, there are only 3:

Content must be neutral in form. It must not take sides, rather, it should explain sides fairly and without editorial bias.
Content must not be original research. It should be attributable to an existing source or reference material.
Content must be verifiable. It must be verifiable from a reliable, published source. The information presented must not be made up.

Reading all these causes us to believe that Wikipedia is an unbiased platform. Indeed, you may come across Wiki pages that need updating and correcting. But as a whole, the site seems to be an open resource site that makes room for all kinds of useful and relevant information, especially such that are Christian in nature or theme.

Then we come across news of a Christian page being taken down and we start to wonder how often Wikipedia removes Christian pages. More importantly, why? Is there unfairness in the upholding of standards or policies?

Let’s cite one Wikipedia page about Gunter Bechly. The original page written in German is up and online still. However, the English translation looks to have been erased. Gunter Bechly is a reputable paleontologist and entomologist. He was once an atheist and a supporter of Richard Dawkins. But, comtinued studies will open his eyes towards a strong belief in intelligent design. A complete reading on the German Wikipedia page will show you that the entry is purely biographical. There is no bias towards a certain viewpoint. The facts are verifiable and there is no original research presented. So, why isn’t an actual English page available for access?

Let’s cite three more Wikipedia pages. We can find a Wikipedia page that talks about “Lists of Atheists’. We can also find a Wikipedia page that talks about “List of Atheists in Politics and in Law’ But, check out a Wikipedia page that talks about “Christian Wikipedians’ and you’ll only read this disclosure there: “This page is being considered for deletion’.

It is true that as anyone can just edit Wikipedia, anyone can just report a page for violation. But when it comes to deciding to finally delete a page, who makes the decision? And, are the same standards applied on both Christian and non-Christian content? We won’t know for sure. We can only maintain our hopes and prayers for equal opportunity and fairness for Christianity, online.

December 22, 2018

Secularizing Christmas

Mary. The angel called her highly favored. Her cousin Elizabeth called her blessed among [all] women. Prophets died waiting for the coming Messiah. Hundreds of years would pass and as the Book of Galatians states: “In the fullness of time” Christ came, born of a woman”¦” The God-Son could have just appeared in any form and way, yet the Trinity chose a woman to give birth to Jesus the Messiah in human form and nature. Why Mary? What was in Mary that God would entrust the carrying and rearing of the human part of the Lord Jesus Christ to her?

An Ordinary Girl

“A virgin pledged to be married to an average man” is all we get for an introduction. Plus, one important note: that she was of the line of David, [in fulfillment of Prophecies like Isaiah 9:6,7]. She was most likely of average standing like Joseph. Also, she did not seem to grasp a high understanding of the supernatural and spiritual for after hearing from the angel, she was perplexed and disturbed; like any ordinary girl would be. (Luke 1:29). Today, she would be just like any other average Christian woman.

A Yielded Soul

Scriptures record only a few things about Mary. She responded to God’s will by saying “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38). And, she was happy about it. Luke 1:46 records her song. She was rejoicing and giving glory to God. She had the right heart though surely she was fearful. An unmarried pregnant woman in her day would not only be shunned or shamed. She might even face judgment. Yet, she yielded and entrusted herself to the Sovereign One.

A Woman of Strength

Pregnancy may have been Mary’s introduction to serious womanhood. She had to grow up fast. She had to toughen up as she faced the prying and judging eyes of the community. And, she had to toughen up literally. Caesar Augustus’ decree of national tax census couldn’t have come at the worst possible time. She was heavily pregnant and had to travel a long way to Bethlehem [Joseph’s hometown, for he was from the line of David]. But, she made it. How strong she must have been or shall we say how “strengthened” she truly was. Tired from the journey and about to deliver a virgin birth; yes, she was strong indeed. God was fulfilling His Isaiah 40:29 promise in her life at that difficult time.

Mary the Introspective, Mary the Thinker

In the past, women were mostly workers at home. Household duties and simple matters were all that they managed. Scriptures wrote Proverbs 31 to remind and enlighten us that women are very capable and like men, God has purposed and equipped her for many great things. I love that Scriptures gave us insight into the character of Mary. She was a thinker. She loved to observe and weigh things in her mind. She wasn’t much of a talker probably but we know she was highly intuitive. In Luke 2:19 we see her pondering about the visit of the Shepherds. In Luke 2:51 we see her reflecting about what Jesus meant when he said that He should be about His Father’s business.

There’s something about Mary and THAT something can be nurtured in each one of us.

December 22, 2018

Give and Get More this Christmas Season

The holiday season is when most people spend and do a lot. From statistics and survey results, we know that this is a global trend. Summary data just from 8 countries covering a 10-year period revealed the top spot belonging to Canada with the U.S. taking second place.

December is the biggest month of shopping. People are buying stuff. People are getting stuff. People are going places. People are cleaning up, cooking up, setting-up parties, and more. It’s busy, busy, busy. It’s things, things, things. It’s activities, activities, activities. The Christian family (especially the parents) needs to be careful not to allow themselves to be molded into this kind of Christmas culture. Young ones need to grow with a proper understanding of the meaning of Christmas. They must grow with more meaningful experiences and memories of spending Christmas and New Year holidays.

So, how can we give and get more during the Christmas Season?

Instead of buying for people, “do” more for them. Let help be your gift. That will be more memorable. Ask friends and family who are nearby (and those at home), “What can I do for you this Christmas?” and let that be your gift. Maybe mow someone’s lawn or do some laundry and clean-up. Babysit kids or pets so a couple can go out on an unhurried date.
Prioritize meaning and purpose over price and aesthetics. Give better gifts. These don’t need to be expensive. People don’t need more mugs, shirts, or shoes. How about short meditational books that give spiritual benefit? How about worship music CDs? How about a simple cup of coffee and meaningful chat?
Prioritize time together with your most important relationships. Parties and meetings will be everywhere but time with your spouse, kids, siblings, and parents are most important. You won’t be together forever. Build stronger relationships with them while you can. Put time towards improving primary relationships.
Choose simple over effort-consuming plans. It’s nice to plan for Christmas activities. It’s nice to want the best time for your family. Many times though, preparations suck the life out of you. By the time you are able to sit down and eat, no one is in the mood. It’s because tempers were lost and levels of frustration are high. Someone was late. Some food wasn’t cooked enough (or cooked too much). Think how much better it would be to just have minimal cooking and more enjoyment. Save your energy. Save your focus and joy. Eliminate the unnecessary tasks and go straight down to the business of just enjoying time together.
Worship and remain worshipful. Christmas is not a once-a-year thing. It happened once but it changed everything for you and me. He’s done great things for us and He’s still accomplishing great things for us, in us, and through us today. Include Him in the festivities. Make time to be still in His presence. Worship as a family. Worship in solitude.

Steer your heart and mind away from the current trend of materialism. Pursue intangible and more meaningful ways to celebrate the birth of Christ. That is how you give and get more this Christmas season.

December 9, 2018

What It Really Means to Be ‘Desperate for God’

When we mention the word “desperation”, one could think it connects to something negative or unpleasant. American author Henry David Thoreau once said that “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” Here, we may think he means that death comes with man still holding onto unfulfilled dreams and longings. And such is often the case, for to be desperate is to “have a great need or desire for something. Desperation is a craving, a longing. It is a thirst and an ache for an urgent need.

When it comes to the Christian life, desperation is essential to a growing and deepening faith, relationship with, and experience of God. It is a most positive condition. Those who have just begun a relationship with God may have this insatiable desire for more understanding and experience of God in his life. However, time has a way of desensitizing (numbing) the heart and mind. One can get cozy in the faith and practice of religiosity that spiritual matters start to feel ordinary, routinary, obligatory, or mundane.

The child of God must remain desperate; desperate for God’s companionship and desperate to keep getting to know His Person. There is always more to discover of God. There is always more to understand of His dealings with you and the world around you.

So how do we remain desperate for God? Here are 2 ways:

Long for His presence.

Indeed, we should firstly “seek the Giver, before the gifts.” In Psalm 42 we see the psalmist’s heart longing after God. He sings, “As the hart pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul after you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”

In Psalm 63:1, David sings, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”

Have you yearned for God as the body scorched with heat and exhaustion screams for water? Have you felt this need to search for God and to experience more of Him, especially in the midst of great trial or need? God is pleased with this kind of yearning. In fact, He desires it. Acts 17 says that God’s workings are “so that that they (man) should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us”.

Long for Him today and experience Him respond to you in a wonderful and satisfying way. Seek for His hand in your life. Be sensitive to how He is guiding you and working out the details of your life. These may not immediately be clear but sooner if not later, clarity comes to those who pay attention. Matthew 7 says that he who seeks will find that which He seeks for.

Long for His Word.

There is no growth and strength without God’s Word. You cannot grow in knowledge and experience of God without guidance and revelation from His very Words. Scriptures reveal who God is. In its pages we glimpse God’s person and character. In its pages we get insight into what His purposes are for His children.

Scriptures show us all the good things we should pursue and immerse ourselves in. From Scriptures we find wisdom to thrive in this life and enjoy it. From Scriptures we find out how to delight ourselves in God. We learn what pleases Him and we learn what brings lasting pleasure in our very lives.

Long for His Word today. Feed from His Word and find nourishment. As you can hardly get by one day without food, don’t go a day without taking His Word in. Job 23:12 says, “I have kept the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” 1 Peter 2:2 says, “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment.”

December 8, 2018December 9, 2018

Did Slain Missionary John Chau Do More Harm Than Good?

While other youngsters were probably occupied with games, gadgets, and hanging out with friends, John Chau’s thoughts veered into doing missions. Reports say it was way back in high school that he learned about the North Sentinel people being the most isolated worldwide and from that time grew a focused desire to reach those unreached people of the sAndaman Islands for Christ. And he prepared himself well. Friends and colleagues say he trained himself physically and mentally. He studied linguistics and acquired survival skills. In 2017, he joined All Nations and trained as a missionary at its Kansas City headquarters.

News broke out that the body of 26-year old John was seen dragged across the beach and buried after the indigenous people slew him by bows and arrows. This was reportedly witnessed by the very fishermen who ferried him by boat during this illegal visit to the island. An overflow of mixed views began to surface. A few saw him as a martyr, even a modern-day Jim Elliott. Some, however, condemned him for his so-called “irresponsible”, “disrespectful”, and “illegal” (by virtue of The Andaman and Nicobar Islands Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act of 1956) action of invading the prohibited island of North Sentinel. Some saw it as a selfless act; others thought it idiotic, ignorant, or an unhealthy obsession. My heart goes out to the family he’s left behind for they are left to deal with all the negative press even while they mourn the death of their loved one.

We should hope that after all these negativity dies down and John Chau’s life and death becomes “old news”, that in the aftermath, he had not done more harm than good to the cause of Christ and to the work of the church. If there is to be any benefit; churches, mission organizations, and all believers should note all that we can learn from this unfortunate incident.

Consider legalities and consequences.

Jim Elliott and John Chau had the same desire, took on the same mission, and died in a similar way. All that God allowed Jim and his companions (and consequently their wives) to experience were documented and widely circulated even to this present day. From their lives we glean inspiration to boldly persist in Kingdom work. From their lives we also draw wisdom to work towards pursuing Kingdom work in more effective and safer ways.

In Jim’s time, there were no laws in place which prevented them from landing on the shores of Ecuador. They didn’t break any laws. John did and many are capitalizing on this. Can you do wrong in order to do right? Heroes like Corrie Ten Boom broke the law to do good but the laws they broke were morally wrong and broken in the first place. I honor the heart John had to reach the North Sentinel Islanders for Jesus Christ. However, in setting foot on prohibited ground, authorities brought issues of preservation and health safety against him. Fear was raised that he could have brought communicable diseases that may endanger the survival of these indigenous folks who for thousands of years have aggressively closed themselves off from civilization.

Consider cost and benefit ratios.

Most mission boards today recommend and train missionaries to touch base with locals first, to make initial connections, and to slowly integrate themselves into the community before even beginning to start evangelizing. Mission efforts today naturally begins with charitable helps to show people in a practical way that one is sincere. Even in one’s country, among your own people, it’s a rare thing to see someone immediately warming up to you when you immediately and bluntly just share the Gospel with them. Effective witnessing now more often necessitates forged relationships and a clear means of communication. No matter how hard you desire to share the Gospel with someone, if you are not communicating on a level of understanding, all your efforts are futile. The purpose is for them to be enlightened. The purpose is not to just speak Gospel truths. The chief and end purpose is for salvation to take place.

John had been perceived as ignorant for his efforts to declare the Gospel to a people who do not understand a word of what He was saying. Some writers accuse him of having a “white savior” complex or of following a religious tactic of proselyting by colonialization that’s been practiced for centuries. Again, I admire his heart for wanting them to hear about our Savior. I do not dare to make judgments whether he did a sensible evaluation of the fruitfulness and benefit to this endeavor as I am not privy to all the circumstances and developments that came about along the way as he planned and executed this mission trip. What I take from all this is that in all our endeavors, we really need to make a careful count of the cost and to explore better means to accomplishing our goals and purposes.

December 3, 2018December 4, 2018

The Name I Cherish Emmanuel: There Is Indeed No Other Name!

The Bible refers to Jesus by several titles or names, each one meaningful and significant. His name, “Immanuel”, appears less than 5 times in the whole of Scriptures. The title appears in Isaiah Chapter 7 and 8, and in Matthew 1:23 as an exact quote of Isaiah 7:14. The Word unleashed deep revelation when it revealed Jesus as Emmanuel. It means God with us. Jesus is God with us. I cherish this particular name for all the significance it bears.

God’s Abiding Presence

In the Old Covenant, God’s Spirit came and went. He stirred and enabled His people for His purposes but He had to depart whenever there was transgression. The curtain that excluded the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple was a reminder that there was a limit to our access of God; not that He wanted to but because man’s sin and imperfection made it impossible.

In the New Covenant, the Redeemed who place their faith in the atoning work of Christ enjoy full, continual, and straight access to God the Father. Sin will never separate us from the love of God. We will be subject to His loving discipline, but we are condemned no more. For the saved, there will never be a life without Christ. We will never be alone. Deut. 31:6. Matthew 28:20.

God’s Kinship

Our Maker, our Lord and Master; our Father, our Brother and Friend. God never wants a distant relationship or one that is based on fear or superiority. He longs to draw us to Himself. He longs for us to search for Him and know Him. (Acts 17:27).

From Romans 8:26 we know that God the Holy Spirit aids us in our weakness and prays for us intelligently. From Matthew 11:28-30 we know that Jesus is always there to bring enlightenment and increase our capacity for handling the challenges of life. From Psalm 46 we know that God is our “Person”, our reliable, go-to aide who will support and shield us in times of trouble and danger.

God’s Special Favor

God’s saving grace rests upon people who come to receive this grace through faith. 2 Peter 3:9 says that God is not willing that anyone should perish. But not all will choose to believe. Not all will accept Christ’s redemptive work on the cross. We pray God’s Kingdom and Salvation on all of mankind but not everyone believes, not everyone accepts God’s call to repentance and total faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross. But for those who believe, God’s unmerited favor keeps on falling and falling. We can never outgive God. He will always be more good and more generous even when He withholds certain things He deems unfit for us to receive at the time.

God’s Partnership

The world sometimes depicts Him as a puppeteer or an uninvolved spectator but God is far from that. He does not lord His good and perfect will over our lives but He does not amuse Himself with spectating our affairs. God’s eyes are on us and His Godhead is always working things out for our good. We live in a broken world where unfavorable things happen. Thankfully, in this broken world, God’s eyes run throughout the entirety of the land, ready to support those whose hearts are committed to Him. (2 Chronicles 16:9) May we never believe the lies of the Evil One. May our faith never wane. May we never doubt the identity and sincerity of our loving Father.

All the praises and love to Jesus. Ã¢¤ Thank you for loving us even though we aren’t worth it.

November 30, 2018December 2, 2018

3 Ways to Make Life Count – One Ordinary Life Lived Well Can Make a BIG Difference

James 4:14 speaks about the shortness of life. He says, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” This is a reality all men are aware of. We experience new life around us in many forms and we experience the passing of it as well. Friends and family come and they leave. Some at a ripe old age, others at a sudden and unexpectedly short while.

With this in mind, Ecclesiastes 3 gives great thoughts about how to make life count. Here is what King Solomon has to say:

“I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful

and to do good as long as they live;

also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—

this is God’s gift to man.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:12-13)

From the passage we gather the following ways to make life count:

Choose Joy.

In John 15, Jesus Himself teaches us how to find joy. It is in staying connected with Him, keeping His words, and walking in love. There can only be lasting and overcoming joy when we stay intimate with our God. The world can only satisfy for a limited time. In good and hard times, it is only in God that our soul finds rest, renewal, and zest for living.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you

and that your joy may be complete.”

(John 15:11)

Do Good.

To do good is a profitable deed. In doing good, both the giver and the recipient benefit from the act. Both feel good; both feel the edification. To do good is to bestow something positive and beneficial on someone. However, at times, doing good may require us to withhold the bestowing especially when there is repeated abuse or when you need to stop a person from taking advantage of you. In the withholding, you set an erring person aright. Proverbs 3:27 gives us a good guideline on to whom and when to exercise goodness. It says, “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.”

Take Pleasure in Your Labors.

Our Creator God set this example at the very beginning of the Bible. He immersed Himself in creative work and rested on the seventh day to appreciate His handiwork. In talking about Labor Day, Caroline Picard said “Enjoy a well-deserved day-off by honoring the time and effort you’ve put in all year long.” That is well on point. There is a time for putting in the efforts and there is a time for ceasing to strive in order to rest, reflect, and renew oneself. Remember that our jobs are there to help us manage the needs of day to day living. But our job is not life itself. We don’t live for our job. It is a necessary tool that helps us meet obligations and attain personal enjoyments. Work is there to help us better minister to our family. It is not there to encroach on time and efforts we need to allot for family bonding.

November 21, 2018

Have We Got It All Wrong About Christmas?

The story of Christmas is a good passage to meditate on at any time of the year; but yes, most especially around the Christmas season. Passages like Luke 2: 1-20 gives us insights about a lot of things. It actually challenges our way of life and thinking in a number of ways.

Christianity is not about recognition or fame.

Christ did not come as a celebrity. All throughout the Gospels we see a Christ, a Messiah who did not come for fame nor recognition. He was mostly low-key. He never showcased His power. He displayed it to perform miracles that directly served a purpose and met a need. This tells us that there is more to life than worldly achievements and preoccupations. Knowing this challenges us that as Christ was more interested in making a difference in the spiritual and internal conditions of man, so should we. Earthly responsibilities and obligations must be met. But we ought to make sure that doing Kingdom work is part of our regular routines.

Christianity is always inclusive.

The primary characters in the narrative were common people. Christ’s earthly parents were a carpenter and an ordinary girl who had average standing in society. Luke 2:24 mentions what Mary offered a pair of turtledoves at the temple. According to the law, that was what poor people presented for purification offerings. Christ was first welcomed by worshippers who were shepherds by profession; a class of workers looked down by society in those days. Later on, Christ would call mere fishermen to take part in his earthly ministry.

From these we gather that God wanted to affirm his all-inclusive love and plan of salvation for all. That He made connections and paid attention to the lowest “ranks” of society tells us that God excludes no one. 2 Peter 3:9 says He is never willing that any should perish but that all should come to know Christ as Savior of mankind. This challenges us to try to reach all sorts of people for Him. As God thought of all people so should we. Even the most unlovable person is loved by Him. Even the cruelest, evilest, most incorrigible person is loved by Him. Though we are unable to extend love as supremely as God does, we can love people enough to pray for salvation and enlightenment to dawn on their lives. In fact, the best way to get rid of your enemies is to pray for them to get saved and be changed by the saving and transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

Christianity is always about giving.

God gave, God gives, and He will keep giving. His giving never stops. Our receiving will never end. All mankind are recipients of God’s benefits each and every day, whether people acknowledge and thank Him or not. It is God who gives us the ability and strength to perform tasks and accomplish things. (Deut. 8:18). It is God who blesses us with daily needs and sustenance. Our very need for the sun is supplied by Him. (Matthew 5:45). It is God who adds days to our lives. (Job 12:10). Knowing all these challenges us to try to be more giving in life and to afford grace to others even when they may not deserve it. When we nurture a giving heart, we become more understanding and more forgiving towards people. We become blessers instead of hoarders. We become content with what we have and become more purposeful with our spending. We become less selfish and less self-absorbed. We become more appreciative of life and people.

November 18, 2018January 15, 2024

My Anger and Need for Control Was Killing My Marriage (And My Faith)

Are you an angry person? If you exhibit any of the listed traits below, then it’s most possible that you are.

Not wanting to put up with (or wait for) something or someone
Often holding the belief that you are totally correct or morally superior
Irritable and Harsh in word and/or deed
Refuses to accept or even listen to the views of other

A Christian can be angry; but there is right anger and there is wrong anger. The Bible reminds us not to let our anger turn into sin. Ephesians 4:26 says, “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. Actually, Ecclesiastes 7:9 tells us not to quickly get angry in the first place.

If you are easily angered, let the following Scriptures teach you how to overcome:

Exercise patience.

Ask God and let Him increase your capacity to accept and stand problems and suffering without becoming anxious or annoyed. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 exhorts us to be patient with all people. 2Timothy 2:24 further tells us that we ought to show patience even towards people who wrong us. Exercise patience as you trust God to work things out for you.

Nurture a tender heart.

Ephesians 4:32 tells us to “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Tenderheartedness is having care and compassion for others. Extend mercy towards those who fail you. Forgive and give allowances. Allow them some time to make amends and restore whatever needs to be so.

Practice humility.

1 Corinthians 10:12 says that “So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” It is dangerous to be overly confident in the thought that you have arrived or that you are filled with wisdom and rightness. 1 Corinthians 8:2 says, “The one who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.” We will keep making mistakes and it is in being lowly in mind that we make less mistakes in life. Understand though that having a lowly mind is different from having a low mind about yourself. Don’t think of yourself to be too small. That’s definitely wrong. But don’t think of yourself “more highly than you ought to think. (Romans 12:3). Also understand that it is in being lowly in mind that we become more understanding towards those who make mistakes in life.

Delay your response.

James 1:19 advises us to be slow to speak and slow to anger. In delaying your response and reactions you prevent yourself from talking and reacting out of stress or an overflow of emotions. Yield your mind and heart over to God. Unload your hurts to Him and trust Him to sort things out for you. Don’ just take it upon yourself to make it right. Let God back you up. Moreover, let Him bring wisdom to you in the handling of unpleasant circumstances. Stand back. Be still. Let God minister to you and enlighten you. Then, with guidance from the Holy Spirit, begin to deal with the matter at hand.

November 18, 2018November 25, 2018

This Radical Perspective On Love Will Blow Your Mind and Give You a New One All in One Shot

Love is a general word and a popular one as well. We may well believe that it is a word that is found in all languages because all men know the concept of love. Is love an instinct? Is it a primary impulse? If it is, then why is it that we sometimes come across people who do not know how to love? If it is a universal character trait, why are some people able to do the most unloving things?

We know that God is love. Love is who He is. He is not just loving, He is love itself. Man being imperfect as he is falls short in the understanding, practice, and experience of true love. In this world, we will suffer from heartaches. In this world, we will cause heartaches. But the one who has come to a saving knowledge and relationship with God thru Jesus Christ now has enablement to understand and practice true love.

A genuine relationship with the God of love begins healing. With the Holy Spirit working in us and blessing us with guidance, hurts heal and enlightenment comes in. We get over our love-hurts. We are liberated from the consequences of wrong love or abuse. God who is love restores us to wholeness. No longer do we need to imitate the wrong ways our parents loved us; we can start loving our children right. No longer do we need to carry out a self-serving love relationship with a partner or spouse; we can nurture a true, loving relationship with someone today. No longer do we need to settle for flawed and unhealthy love; we can break free and let loose because God our maker is our completer. (Isaiah 54:5) We may enjoy the single life because we are never alone and we will never be unwanted nor unloved.

Scriptures discuss in 1 John 4 that God is love. Anyone who knows God knows how to love because love is of God and He is love. Since we have the God of love as our Father, Friend, and Guide, we can walk in right, balanced love. This is made possible because as we now experience the love of God, we gain understanding on what it means to truly love. From knowing comes doing.

1 Corinthians 13 gives a good guideline on the right ways to love. But here are a couple of things we can highlight about right love:

Right love is always assuring but never consenting of wrongdoing.

It deals with the wrongs but in a loving way. It helps to set people aright by rebuking them with grace and gentleness.

Right love is liberating and unrestricting.

Flawed love has the idea of wanting someone all to oneself but right love is liberating. Knowing that our loving God is over us, we have peace to set our spouse and children free to become the best they can be and to pursue their God-driven purposes in life. We release them from our own desires and goals and allow them to discover what life has for them. We fear not and trust God’s watchful care over their spirit and ways.

Right love forgives, builds trust and security.

Jealousy, suspicion, distrust, and insecurity- these result from wrong practices of love. When relationships fail us, these are part of the baggage that we take with us. These carry on into future relationships. Even when we choose to remain, these negative emotions hang around and cause our relationships to become even more unfruitful. But, right love forgives. With grace at work, people can start on a clean slate. Hurt lingers but healing comes. Trust is broken but it is rebuilt. Love and desire is repelled but it is welcomed once more. Self-esteem is lost but it is found once more.

Lastly,

Right love is balanced love.

At times, you put your best heart and effort into something but things don’t work out. There are times when staying in a relationship or friendship becomes more unhealthy or even unsafe. Right love is balanced. It is patient to keep working and sensible when it is time to let go. To love is to bring out the highest good in another. If maintaining connections is no longer good nor helpful, have the peace and courage to remove yourself from the environment. Doors may be reopened in the future so stay hopeful. But at the moment, step back and let God work things out for you and for the other person individually.

November 17, 2018

What Kind of Life is This?

The Bible talks about life in so many passages. A word search alone tells us that the word life occurs 565 times in the Bible. As God’s children who have a relationship with God through Christ by free grace thru faith, Scriptures tell us the kind of life we have in a more detailed way.

We have eternal life.

Eternal means lasting and continuing. Eternal life will never end. It will never stop. Nothing we do, feel, or say, will ever cancel the eternal life we have in Christ. Jesus says, “I I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:28)

We have new life.

New means unlike before or not existing before. With newfound salvation is newfound life. I am now a new creation, walking and living a new life. 2 Cor. 5:17 says that for those “in Christ, a new creation has come. The old has gone, the new has come.” A change of life instantly takes place and everything continues to change. God our Father is making all things new. Healing takes place, correction takes place. We begin to desire the right things. We begin to say and do the right things. We begin to act in the right way. The Holy Spirit who resides in us guides us into all truth as we walk in newness of life. Christ in us empowers us to live the new life, enabling us to overcome temptations and do the right thing in spite of our weaknesses.

We have enlightened life.

John 1:4 tells us that in the Lord Jesus Christ is life, and that life is the light of man. In chapter 8 of John and verse 12, Jesus Himself says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” In having life thru Christ we have light; we have an enlightened life. This means we will have guidance; we will have wisdom. With the Holy Spirit guiding us into all truth and strengthening us for right living, we are able to walk the path, the right path laid for us. We will be empowered towards making right decisions and taking the right steps.

We have abundant life.

In John 10:10, Jesus said that He came to give us life, abundant life. To have abundance is to have something more than before. Abundant is about having plenty, about possessing something inexhaustible. What is abundant will never come to depletion. That’s the kind of life we have in Christ. It is vibrant life. It will never grow bleak. It is filled with promise and potential.

We have overcoming life.

I John 4:4 says that one who is born of God overcomes the world because the One in us will always be greater than the one who operates a broken system on this earth. 1 John 5:4 assures us that one born of God will always be an overcomer in this world. God in us will enable us to move past hardships and to rise above failures.

A child of God need not settle living in confusion, defeat, desperation, or dissatisfaction. Nurture intimacy with God and you will see God nurturing your heart and spirit. You will find yourself experiencing the positive kind of life God has in mind for you.

November 17, 2018

What Does It Mean to Be a Living Sacrifice?

7 Heroes of Faith and the Power of Prayer in Their Lives

Inspired by the Holy Spirit to pen Romans 12:1, the author urges us to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, being our reasonable act of worship. In the Old Testament, many animal lives were given as sacrifices and these were put to death on the altar. In this New Testament verse, emphasis is given to how God desires our very lives to be our living sacrifices as an act of worship to the Father.

What does it mean to be a living sacrifice? What does this act of worship entail? Looking at the verse, we can learn the following insights:

There is an intentional decision to give oneself to God as an offering.

The Greek Word for “present” which is used in verse 1 means to “appear, stand by”. The meaning here is that the one making the offering consciously and self-decidedly presents his very self as the offering. When Abraham brought Isaac to Mount Moriah for the purpose of offering Him to God as a sacrifice, Isaac was willing when he learned of the plan. In Romans 12:1, the offering is decided by us with our very lives and we intentionally, willingly present ourselves to God as an offering for Him.

There is a lifetime decision to give oneself to God as an offering.

To be a living sacrifice is to offer yourself to God for the whole duration of your life. You never cease to be an offering. At all times, you pose yourself for His pleasure and purpose. This means you will not withhold any part of your life from Him. This means that all of you and yours are His and for Him alone.

This can be difficult at times, especially when we are at the fork of a road on which a decision has to be made, whether or not to to pursue a self-interest that may distract us (or lessen our time and efforts) from pursuing the things of God.

A living sacrifice counts oneself sacred for God and pleasing for His use.

The words “holy” and “acceptable” carries the meaning of “sacred” and “pleasing”. In being sacred, you set yourself aside for a particular purpose. In being sacred, you commit yourself to a particular cause or person. In being pleasing, you work on being fit and able to meet the desire of someone or something.

To be a living sacrifice is to offer your life for God’s pleasure, on His terms and not on yours. You discover from His Word what pleases Him and you work on applying those discoveries in your life. It is not a conditional “take it or leave it” mindset when you come before God and offer yourself. It is a non-conditional “take it and make of it what you desire” mindset.

This can be difficult at times, especially when we face frustrations and failures or when there is discomfort at a time when God is working in us, pruning us, and changing us to grow more attached to Him and to live godly lives in this humanistic world.

In being a living sacrifice to God, the end benefits are not for God actually. We are the ones who stand to benefit in this act of worship. We know this to be true based on the following verse. As living sacrifices, we won’t conform to this world but we will be transformed, having our minds renewed. And at the end of that process is us finding God’s good and perfect will for our very lives.

November 17, 2018

Lay Aside the Weight of Discontentment

The discontent Christian, he shouldn’t exist. So many places in Scriptures assure us that a life in Christ is not only marked by content and satisfaction, it is characterized by abundant joy, peace, and fullness of life. Christ says, “I am come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) He also says, “I am the Bread of Life, he who comes to me shall never hunger. He who believes in me will never thirst.” (John 6:35). Jesus also says, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’’ (John 7:37-39). The living water referred to is the Holy Spirit, who would be given to every person that comes to believe and accept the Lord Jesus the Messiah as one’s Savior.

But the discontent Christian does exist. The cycle of the Christian life undergoes periods of highs and lows. At times, the middle or level ground is one of spiritual consistency. At other times, it is one of stagnancy or lukewarmness in the faith. In all states, discontent may creep in and the wise Christian should know by now to deal with this heart problem early on. Else, one is in danger of losing his passion and love for God.

Following are 2 ways we can deal with discontent:

Deal with Discontent by Repurposing Your Heart

Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your affection on things above not on things on earth.” Life on earth, the blessings and challenges that come with it; these are all meant to be enjoyed and faced with positivity. We know that God sees our past, present, and future. He knows what’s coming and He’s with us all the way. Keep your eyes upward. Stay committed to Him. Desire His thoughts and fellowship first of all. He is ever with us and He will never leave us. Stay mindful that all we see, feel, and do in this world are temporary. But the fruits of doing what pleases the heart of God lasts forever.

Deal with Discontent by Reprioritizing Your Life

Matthew 6:33 tells us to “seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” God’s Word Translation renders the verse this way: “But first, be concerned about his kingdom and what has his approval. Then all these things will be provided for you.” We need to seek His heart and what pleases Him. In finding and pursuing that, we find ourselves treading the right path, making wise pursuits, finding fulfillment in the right places. God stands by us, ready to support us in the right things we do in accordance with His will. He will not fail us. (2 Chronicles 16:9)

Deal with Discontent by Enjoying God

Scriptures say that God has placed eternity in the heart of every man. God is our Maker. He is “I AM.” You can’t be away from Him and expect to feel whole. In Him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28). He understands us completely and knows how to guide us as we navigate the uncertainties and rough patches of our life. The Christian life is a life of freedom. It unleashes us to do better and be the best we can be. In the Christian life, rewards are high yielding and of great and lasting worth. God in our lives is always more than enough. With Him, we will have all we need to live an overcoming life on this earth.

November 17, 2018March 23, 2019

Will Jesus Find Faith on Earth?

In Luke 18: 1-8, Jesus shares a parable with us to encourage us to pray always and not to give up. He tells us of a persistent widow who kept begging for justice from ‘a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought’. This unbelieving and uncaring man of power refused her over and over again but finally granted justice just to be rid of her. In verse 7 and 8 Christ reminds us that God is far from the character of the judge mentioned in the parable. He assures us, “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Those who presently suffer injustice may find it hard to understand and believe God’s promise of speedy justice. We know true to life stories of people who have been on a long and fruitless road in their fight for justice. It is a bitter reality for many, even for Christians. But how ever hard it may be to grasp this fact, God has told us so. He is not a liar and he is no mere man who can be fickle and unreliable. He will show up to support His children and to grant justice in His time. He does not operate within our system. He does not see life nor time as we do. Scriptures say a thousand years is but a day for Him. (2 Peter 3:8). He has the wisdom of eternality to act at the best time with the best intentions to accomplish the best results.

The question then is not “Will God keep His promise?” nor “Is He able?” but “When Christ shows up, will He find faith on the earth?” Faith is a complete trust and confidence. It is a sure hope in something though it remains unseen. (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is steady commitment and loyalty even when odds are greatly against you. In these contexts, will He then find faith inside you and me?

Faith is essential to Christianity. It is what brings you into a love relationship with our Creator and Savior Friend. Faith is crucial to Christian maturity. It is what grows you through the ups and downs of navigating a spiritual journey in this fallen world. We need to nurture this faith into consistency. We need to protect this faith from the destructive attacks of the enemy.

Faith brings miracles into our lives.

In the Gospels we get clued that Jesus denied people’s requests for Him to prove Himself as God. He never entertained the taunts of people for him to do some miraculous acts to showcase His identity as God. When He performed miracles, there were special reasons and specific purposes He wanted to achieve. One time, Jesus visited his hometown. And what should have been an opportunity for spiritual breakthroughs became a day of huge losses for the people. Christ said He was unable to do miracles that day because of the people’s lack of faith. I gather that He wanted to (and He still could have) but He would not because in that moment He looked for faith, and there was none.

Faith brings the pleasure of God into our lives.

Hebrews says, without faith it is impossible to please Him for He who comes to God must believe that He is God and that He is a rewarder of those who seek after Him. If you are one of those who experience firsthand how fulfilling it is to please our loved ones, wouldn’t you want to bring pleasure to the heart of God? If making our boss, our family or our special someone is very important to us, how about God? How about making Him happy? How about bringing pleasure to His eyes? Not for selfish reasons like, “I do this for you, you do this for me God”. But for agape love reasons, “I do this for you, because I love the God of love; I love the God who I can never outlove nor outgive.”

Faith is important for these 3 facts and more. Faith is what Christ wants to find in each of us. Will He find it in you and me?

November 16, 2018December 6, 2022

What Does It Mean to Overcome Evil with Good?

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Agile Methodologies

What does Romans 12:21 mean by saying, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”? Let’s start off by drawing out some word meanings with the help of Strong’s Dictionary:

the word overcome (Gk. Nikao) refers to: victory, conquer, prevail, subdue, and come off victorious (implying a battle)
the word evil (Gk. Kakos) refers to: bad, inwardly foul, rotten (poisoned), flowing out of a morally rotten character.
the word good ( Agathos) refers to: “intrinsically good, pointing to what originates from God and is empowered by Him in their life”

We know from experience that what 1 John 5:19 says is true, that the whole world lies in wickedness. Crime is rampant, just check out the news. Offenses are everywhere both offline and online. People hurting people, damaging and victimizing others with words and deeds. And people are rarely apologetic nowadays. Corrupted by sin and without Christ in this world, we can’t expect any better from most of the people out there.

In the midst of this culture and environment, what is a Christian to do? How is he to act and respond? Romans 12:21 instructs the believer to observe 2 things:

Do not be overcome by evil.
Overcome evil with good

Do not be overcome by evil

We can apply this in so many ways:

Do not be discouraged. If you’re in an environment where all the wrong things are happening to others or even to you, whether repeated offenses or unfairness is the norm; don’t be discouraged. In His time, justice will be restored and what is needed to come out will be brought to light. Ecc. 3:17 Job 12:22
Do not be influenced. In an environment where wrong is the normal practice, the Christian may sometimes be tempted to do as others do, thinking that it won’t make a difference, or thinking that doing wrong pays off, or thinking that since everybody’s doing it, it must be okay. Choose to remain honest even if your peers are into plagiarized work and cheating. Stay honest even if your peers are cheating on work hours, sleeping on the job, goofing off, inflating work hours done. Stay honest even if other businesses cheat on their customers. Leviticus 19:36
Do not be intimidated. Edmund Burke is attributed to have said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” John Stuart Mil said, “Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” Many times, it is the wrongdoers who are brave and aggressive in their ways, making no apologies about what they do and say. Christians, in the desire for peace may feel forced to stay quiet. Now, not every issue should be a battle we fight others over for. But at times, we need to make our stand known if it helps bring enlightenment even to just one person. Speak your mind when God gives an opening. Answer a curious question when somebody asks your view. God promises to teach you what to say. Luke 12:12

Overcome evil with good

We can apply this in so many ways:

Do good to your enemies. The enemies Matthew 5:44 points to are those who do wrong against you and who just feels hatred towards you for no valid reason. It may be tempting to give them a dose of their own medicine or to take revenge but the verse says to love them instead. That does not necessarily mean to go out of your way to be best buddies with them, consent to their wrongdoing and to suffer repeated abuse. In the context of agape love, it means to desire their highest good. You can and should pray for God to bless them. Pray for God to bring enlightenment and salvation in their lives. You never know when your goodness will cause repentance to dawn on them, “heaping coals of fire on their head.”
Do good and do it without expecting anything in return. Good works are rewarding to you personally and to others. The good you do will bring some fruit in their lives; gratefulness, hope, cheerfulness, and more. Often, good works are contagious. The good you do tend to get paid forward by others.