Category: faith

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God Is A Finisher

How long will it take? This is taking way too long. Is there something you’ve been waiting for? Something you’ve been hoping for that’s taking longer than you expected? You might be tempted to just accept things the way they are. You might be tempted to think it’s never going to happen. Be encouraged, because God is a finisher! He will complete what He’s started in you!

So what do I do while waiting? Your part is to believe. Your part is to keep your eyes on Him. When you believe, you have the Creator of the universe fighting your battles, arranging things in your favour, going before you, moving the wrong people out of the way. 

Today, don’t be intimidated by the size of a problem, or the size of your dream! Don’t let circumstances convince you to stop believing. Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our Provider, is still on the throne. One touch of God’s favour and you’ll go from barely getting by, to having more than enough! Begin to thank Him and declare that God is at work. Declare that He is perfecting what concerns you. Declare that He will complete everything He’s started in your life!

“And David said to his son Solomon, ‘Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God–my God–will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD’.” (1 Chronicles 28:20, NKJV)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, I thank You for completing every good work in my life. Father, I believe Your Word, even when things look impossible. I know that You are working behind the scenes, and that You will bring victory and breakthrough to every area of my life, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

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Victory Is Coming

Maybe something has happened that could easily discourage you and cause you to give up on your goals and dreams. I want to remind you today that where you are is not where you are going to stay. God has a plan in store for you. Stay in step with Him and you’ll walk right into victory.

God wants to take you from victory to victory. Even if you are between victories right now, keep your passion. Keep your enthusiasm. Focus on the fact that God has another level for you, another level of glory, another level of increase, another level of His favour.

Today, go out with a smile. Give Him your best. When you thank God for what He has done, you are sowing a seed that He will use in your future. Keep praying, keep believing, keep hoping, and stand strong, because another victory is coming your way! Hallelujah!

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.” (2 Corinthians 2:14, ESV)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, right now I will focus my mind and heart completely on You. I will step out of discouragement, step out of complacency, step out of worry, and step into Your glory. You alone are worthy, and I thank You for the victory You have in store for my future, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

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The Seven Christians

Revelations is a book of the Bible that used to strike fear in me whenever I would read it. Of course,  I was either not Christian or knew that I was not right with GOD at the time. Now, it fills me with excitement with what is to come, waiting for Christ to return.

In the book, Jesus speaks about seven churches that were physically in existence during that time: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Although Jesus’ words were specifically for them, I believe that we can learn something from them. In a sense, these churches represent individual Christians, and it is beneficial for us to take note of their obedience and disobedience as well as how their actions pertain to our walk with Christ right now.

Ephesus/A Backsliding Christian (Rev2:1-7)

Jesus acknowledges their hard work and perseverance. They did not tolerate wicked men who claimed to be apostles but clearly were not, they also hated the Nicolaitans as Jesus did. However, their problem was that they had forsaken their first love.

Were you once on fire for Christ, but are now becoming indifferent? Have you lost your zeal for Him?

Jesus’ command to the church was to remember, repent, and return to their previous works. If they fail to do this, they will have their lampstand removed. Heeding His command came with the promise of eating from the tree of life.

Smyrna/A Steadfast Christian (Rev2:8-11)

This church withstood poverty and affliction without turning from GOD. They were slandered by people who claimed to be Jews, but Jesus labelled as the ‘synagogue of Satan.’ They suffered greatly for their faith, and Jesus was pleased with them.

You may be persecuted and poor, but you have remained faithful and resolute.

Jesus asked them to be faithful to the point of death because they would be rewarded with the crown of life and will not be hurt by the second death.

Pergamum/A Licentious Christian (2:12-17)

The good thing was that they held true to Jesus’ Name even after one of their members were put to death, however, they were not without their issues. The church was in a city where Satan thrived, with some bowing to the teaching of Balaam, eating food sacrificed to idols and given over to sexual immorality. Some people in the church even held to the teachings of the Nicolaitans!

Are you permissive in your faith? Are you sheltering false preachers, refusing to step away from them? Are you following false doctrines?

Jesus told them to repent, or they would face war from the sword of His mouth. Obedience to Him came with the promise of being given hidden manna and a white inscribed stone.

Thyatira/A Lax, Pagan-like Christian (2:18-29)

This church was known for their love, faith, service and perseverance. Their problem was their tolerance of the false prophetess, Jezebel, who had misled some into eating food sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality.

You are likely an idolatrous individual, worshipping ideas and paying honour to things that are not of GOD. You have allowed yourself to be seduced into corrupt beliefs (e.g. health, wealth, and prosperity gospel) and pagan rituals (e.g. Halloween, etc.).

Their command was to reject false teachings and hold fast to Jesus. Failure would lead to tribulation and death, obedience would give them authority over the nations as well as the morning star.

Sardis/A ‘Dead’ Christian (3:1-6)

Some people of the church were found “worthy” of Christ, but as a whole, they had the reputation of being a spiritually dead church. Their deeds done for the kingdom of GOD were not complete as they had no spiritual growth to propel them forwards.

Are you a Christian in name only? Without results and spiritless?

Their command was to wake up, strengthen their faith, and repent. Disobedience would bring them opposition from Jesus, who will come like a thief. Obedience would give them the promise of walking with Jesus, be clothed in white, and have their names in the book of life, as well as be confessed by Jesus before the Father and the angels.

Philadelphia/A Favoured Christian (3:7-13)

This church could be on their last breath, but they would still endure whatever was happening to them, keeping Jesus’ Word and not denying His Name. Jesus gave them the promise that those who claimed to bee Jews would be forced to bow down and acknowledge Jesus’ love for them. As they endure patiently, they would be kept from the “hour of trial.”

You are an exemplary Christian, faithful to GOD’S Word and filled with His love.

Jesus asked them to hold fast, and that they would be kept from the hour of trial and made a pillar in the temple of GOD, and have the name of GOD, New Jerusalem, and Jesus written on them.

Laodicea/ A Lukewarm Christian (3:14-22)

They had good deeds, but they were about to be ‘spewed out of Jesus’ mouth’ because of their lukewarm faith. These were the ‘rich’ folk, the ones that didn’t think that they needed anything from Jesus. Oh, but how mistaken they were.

Are you a self-indulgent Christian? Ostentatious? Full of worldly pride?

Jesus told them to buy spiritual gold and salve to become spiritually rich, clothed and seeing, and then they will eat with Him and sit with Him on His throne.

We must be truthful and examine ourselves, making sure that our lives reflect GOD’S Word. Some people prefer to mock this truth, thinking that it is not real or nothing contained in Revelations is likely to come to pass anytime soon, but why worry about the time? Why not just be ready for Jesus’ second coming? You do not know if you will live to see the next day, therefore it is only wise to remain prepared, to be faithful with what GOD has deposited in you. Come out from the world, you must know that it will pass away and be no more. Why not live in preparation and anticipation of the new Earth and Jerusalem? Look at your life here on earth as a ‘job’, where you preach GOD’S Word to the Lost even at the expense of your life, knowing that you will never face the second death. Not everyone will face a physical death, but if we say we are His, then we shall all suffer because He suffered. The world does not like us, but that shouldn’t concern us. If they do not like us, then it only means that we are doing something right!

I pray that we may all be found faithful when the time comes and that every person that reads this is aware of Christ’s love and sacrifice for them. Amen.

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Quotes by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

We have been become so accustomed to TV preachers that sugarcoat everything or take things out of context, that a Christian needs to switch the ‘looking box’ off and get stuck in the Bible to drown out the filth. If we are looking for good Christian material to read, look no further than books authored by Mr Spurgeon. He was a man who understood his position as a Christian, delighted in GOD’S Word, and sought to strengthen the faith of his hearers.

Often referred to as the ‘Prince of Preachers’, he was a man who never minced his words when it came to his faith. He said himself, “I am perhaps vulgar, but it is not intentional, save that I must and will make people listen. My firm conviction is that we have had enough polite preachers.”

A preacher during the Victorian era, he was a man that offended many, but never flinched from strong preaching.

Below are just a few quotes to give you a taste of his steadfast and strict adherence to GOD’S Word.

  • “There is no form of sinfulness to which you are addicted which Christ cannot remove.”
  • “The law is meant to lead the sinner to faith in Christ by showing the impossibility of any other way.”
  • “We hear complaints that the minister speaks too harshly and talks too much of judgement. Saved sinners never make that complaint.”
  • “Self is the worst enemy a Christian has.”
  • “We shall not grow weary of waiting upon GOD if we remember how long and graciously He once waited for us.”
  • “You do not know who the elect are. You do not know whose heart will be broken by the divine hammer of truth. But it is your responsibility to use the divine hammer on the hard heart. And as the Gospel is preached, it will attract to itself, by its own power, through the Holy Spirit, those whom GOD has ordained into eternal life.”
  • “It is a good rule never to look into the face of a man in the morning till you have looked into the face of GOD.”
  • “Beware of those who say there is no hell and declare new ways to heaven.”
  • “The same sun which melts wax hardens clay. And the same Gospel which melts some persons to repentance hardens others in their sins.”
  • “Satan tells me that I am unworthy; but I always was unworthy, and yet You have long loved me; and therefore my unworthiness cannot be a barrier to having fellowship with You now.”
  • “You stand before GOD has if you were Christ, because Christ stood before GOD as if He were you.”
  • “The Scripture does not say ‘Ye must be improved,’ but, ‘Ye must be born again.”
  • “It is not the doctrine of justification that does my heart good, it is Christ, the Justifier.”
  • “Prayer and praise are the oars by which a man may row his boat into the deep waters of the knowledge of Christ.”
  • “Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.”
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A Grace Moment with David Robinson

A Grace moment with David Robinson 

‘Touched by God’s grace’ 

Amazing Grace, amazing love, amazing gift. It’s the favour of God who stooped down in kindness and mercy to save and rescue broken mankind from the power of sin. 

It is God in Christ dying for the ungodly, God taking our infirmities and carrying our sicknesses, God in Christ suffering rejection and being despised for the ungodly, the worst of the worst and the best among us”¦ amazing grace that touches and every heart and heals every broken place in our lives.

Grace, Gods favour revealed in a stable among the poorest of the poor, revealed in love that reached out and touched the untouchable leper, grace that fed the hungry, delivered the demon possessed, and healed all of all diseases regardless of colour class or creed. Grace that had compassion on a widow whose only son had died, grace sufficient to raise him from the dead.

We are saved by grace through faith. God loved us so much that he even give us the gift of faith to believe in his grace, his favour and his desire to rescue us all. Ephesians 2:8

You may have been abused, rejected and have spent your life wondering what you did to deserve all that the world has thrown at you, please know this they threw it at Gods Son first and more. You may have led a life and it seems as though no one cares well; Jesus went through more on your behalf.

No one suffered like this man, God made manifest in the flesh, stricken, smitten, wounded, beaten, chastised, falsely accused, imprisoned, butchered, and murdered by the very people he came to seek and to save.

Grace is the wrath of God poured out upon the innocent Lamb of God Jesus Christ because he chose to take upon himself the sin of the whole world knowing that the wages of sin is death. It was on the cross that grace and love combined to destroy the power of sin in every surrendered life, hell and the devil himself is powerless to overcome anyone who has been Born Again through a personal relationship with Christ   

A simple touch of God’s grace will cause even the biggest rogue to be accepted in Christ, grace so rich that we have forgiveness of our sins and redemption through his blood. Grace so powerful that those who are in Christ are justified as though we had never sinned”¦ Ephesians 1:6-7, Romans 3:24

Listen; not only is God’s grace more than enough to bring forgiveness to all who believe regardless of how ungodly their lives have been. It brings his salvation, his peace, his health, his joy, his provision, his protection, his deliverance and his wholeness. 2nd Corinthians 12:9, Titus 2:11

I remember one evening talking to an elderly lady when the Lord revealed to me that she had been abused at 4 years of age by her father and an uncle. She spoke of how in her 70+ years she had never known a moment without pain. Often the Lord reveals such things to me but this time I asked for something that would not bring such horror back into her mind. He told me to ask her who killed Jesus; she replied; ‘the Romans’ to which I replied no, ‘the Jews’ she said and again the answer was no. She continued; ‘I suppose it was my sins that killed him for he died for my sin and in my place’ 

I answered her saying; ‘No it was not you, it was God who killed his own Son as Isaiah said in chapter 53:4; ‘we did esteem him (Christ) stricken smitten of God and afflicted’ ‘You see it was God who loved you so much that he killed his own Son so that you would not perish but have everlasting life’ 

She immediately stopped weeping and whispered; ‘Oh he does love me doesn’t he? Every pain left her body and she was free for the first time in her life. The revelation of God’s amazing grace and his love healed her of her past hurts the abuse she had suffered and all her pain. She was set free… joy flooded her soul as she was touched by God’s grace  

The very nature of God is revealed in the truth that Jesus healed all who came to him and all who were brought to him, revealed in the truth that it is not his will that any perish but that all have everlasting life’ John 3:16

He is waiting for whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord so that he can save their sin sick soul. 

He is waiting with patience for you and every man woman and child in the world regardless of class creed or colour to come as they are with nothing to offer him except for faith in Jesus once for all sacrifice for their sin; I wonder do you know this man Jesus?

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.  Revelation22:21  

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How Are You, Really?

How are you? Everyone says these three little words on a daily basis and the typical, easy answer to reply is, “I’m fine.” There is never a need to elaborate on that.  Many of us are private and reluctant to tell others about the issues going on in our lives. We have become such a private culture that even our family and friends are unwilling to ask us too many questions or to answer them when we ask. So many of us feel reluctant to disclose too much about ourselves particularly if it involves troubling issues. It has been researched that even when we go to the doctor, we may minimise or fail to mention the problems we are having. But why? Are we afraid to be helped or admit that we have problems just like everyone else? Do we really believe that no one really cares about what we say?

Offering Our Anxieties Up To God

This post goes out to all those who are anxious and feel like they have to constantly hide behind the “I’m fine” answer. But you’re never alone. God is in control. The Bible itself is filled to the brim with helpful and calming verses in it. “Put your trust in God…” (Psalm 56:3), “Cast all your cares on the Lord…” (Psalm 55:22) and the one I spoke about last week; “Do not worry about tomorrow…” (Matthew 6:34). For some of my Christian friends in the past have been told that anxiety (or any mental illness) is a sin and that they had to have more faith, believe or pray more. Anxiety is NOT a sin and you are not a defective.

For many of us, our anxieties, our fears and our feelings aren’t things we can control on our own. At least, not straight away. It usually shows up unannounced, unwanted and takes up residence, like a stain you can’t get out of a pristine, white shirt. It’s a medical condition that needs care, intervention and management that goes beyond quoting a few Bible verses and saying a lovely prayer, thinking that they’ll be quick fixes. When it comes to anxiety and other overwhelming feelings like grief, fear and anger, our first port of call, particularly as Christians, is to shove them away as hard and as fast as we can push them. We use all manner of things for that to happen; prayers, scriptures, declarations. We play worship songs at full volume in our attempts to drown the thoughts out. But, as much as we try, we can’t change the thoughts we have.

Jesus Shifts Our Focus

In the Bible, in Matthew 6.25-26, Jesus starts the discussion about understanding the fears and anxieties buried deep in mankind, that we can all take hold of:

“Do not be worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they don’t sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they are?” (NIV)

Look up. There are five hundred million hungry birds flying around. They don’t sow, reap or gather into barns and yet your Father in heaven knows their need and feeds every single one of them. If God feeds animal, essentially His pets, will He not feed you? Jesus, in these verses, shifts our focus to the “more” in life – what our hearts crave. There is a different kind of life we experience in fellowship with our God that is supernatural. That’s where our lives become more than “food and clothing.”

These verses go on to say, in Matthew 6.27, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” God is in control! The minutes, hours, days and weeks we spend being anxious amount to wasted, stolen time. Concerns from health, to money, to the future of the human race are all matters for God. He will be concerned about them  because He cares for you and wants to guide you into living a fruitful life.

Using Anxiety To Your Advantage

Breathe. trust. Transfer your anxiety to God and place your concern where it belongs; on the things of God. I used to hate having anxiety. Now I don’t mind it as much because in those moments when I wake up at three in the morning in a cold sweat, my mind racing with concerns of money, the past and the future. I roll of my bed to sit on the floor and pray… especially hard to do when you’re at your parent’s house and you sleep on a bunk bed. I ask God to transition my anxieties from the things of this world into the things that God is concerned about.

Thanks

Don’t Fear, Only Believe 

If you fancy reading any of my latest projects, please visit dontfearonlybelieve.wordpress.com 

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You’re Genesis

“You’re Genesis”

What if this week was your Genesis moment?

“In the beginning God”

Dare we begin another day without God? How deep the darkness, how void our lives would be, how aimless and without purpose our lives would be without his direction. ‘Lord, create in me a new heart and renew a right spirit within me’ Psalm 52:10. On the first day as you take your first borrowed breath give thanks as the Holy Spirit begins to awaken you to a new dawn… and listen carefully for God to speak. 

And God said: ‘Let there be light’

Thank God for his light, thank God he separated us from the law of sin and death and from self destruction. Thank God for his gift, the gift of his own Son who gave his life a ransom for us all. ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning’ James 1:17 Lord; thank you for your light for it leaves no shadows where sin can hide in me, no place to run to, no area of my life which he cannot enable me to be an over comer by his power. 

And God said…‘Let there be a firmament, a sky, a heaven’

To daily awaken with his voice separating us unto himself, drawing us closer, inviting us into realms of glory, to live in the world still but not to be worldly, and so he separates us unto himself.  ‘But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.’ 1st Peter 2:9 Lord; what a privilege you have afforded us that we should be called the sons and daughters of God, to view the majesty of a sunrise, the beauty of an evening sky, and to stand admiring your stars which illuminate the night sky. 

And God said… ‘Let the waters be gathered together and let dry land appear’

Note for diary; I will not drown today… Listen; regardless of how dark things might be this morning know this God is still on the throne. 'when you walk through the waters He will be with you and through the rivers they shall not overflow you, Isaiah 43:2in Christ there is safety for he is the rock of your salvation, a shelter from every storm, a strong tower, a place of refuge. Listen no evil shall befall you nor any plagues come near your dwelling place. Thank you Lord for liberty to serve you without fear knowing that around about and underneath are your everlasting arms.

And God said…‘Let the earth bring forth’

News flash; Look up, open your eyes and see the abundance of God, see him so desirous to bring life that he sows it into the earth as soon as the waters were removed. Life here, life there, from the highest mountain top to the lowest valley, Life poured out from the giver of life… life with a capital L. No more fear of dark days and lonely nights. 'Christ in us the hope of glory' the comforter had come and visited our once void and dark lives and brought with him light and life. Lord; let every flower I see today, every tree shout loud enough to remind me; ‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me’ Galatians 2:20 

        And God said… ‘Let there be Lights in the heaven, the sun by day and the moon by night’

Another diary note; URGENT reminder to brain; it might look dark, things may look gloomy but take a plane journey, get above the clouds and see the truth, there is no darkness day or night! The sun literally shouts out at the top of its voice to those that sit in darkness; ’Fear not for Christ the true light has come into your world.' John 1: 9 The moon whispers to those whose strength is failing; 'he will never leave you nor forsake you, Hebrews 13:5They are a reminder that even when darkness is all around us his face still shines upon us. Lord; never allow me to take your creation for granted again for everything has your fingerprint, all things point to you and reveal the depth of your love for me. 

And God said…‘Let the waters the seas bring forth life in abundance’

Dear diary; emboss this note, write it indelibly on my faithless heart. 'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want' Psalm 23:1 Remove far from me the notion that poverty honours God, remind me that he desires to create abundance in every area of my life even those that are hidden from view even as he did with the seas and the skies. Lord; let every bird remind me that I am to soar like an eagle by trusting in your strength and not my own, let the abundance of the seas remind me that 'the wealth of sinner is laid up for the just' Proverbs 13:22 and that ‘wealth and riches shall be in the house of the righteous’ Psalm 112:3

And God said…‘Let us make man’

Gods workmanship, his masterpiece, his finest work, but above all a mirror image of himself, his image, his likeness in human flesh destined to become the  'Light of the world' a city set on the hill that cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14A people so special that he didn't just create us, he made us, fashioned us with his own hands out of the dust of the earth. Important? Yes, of great value? Oh yes indeed, his treasure hidden in earthen vessels. Special? Adam was blessed above all that God had created, so special that when it came to giving him life he breathed into Adam his own breath and life and he became a living soul. Lord; remind us daily as we look in the mirror that we are not some animal to live and die, that we are made in your image and likeness, living souls. A pearl beyond price to you.

‘God rested’ Hebrews 4:4

URGENT MEMO For immediate attention; its okay to rest on Sundays, seriously, it is all right to take a day off, have you not heard that the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath? Sometimes we feel guilty about not going to church and end up going because of duty, sound familiar?  

Think on this as you step into this awesome ' God day' there is a rest for the people of God' Hebrews 4:9

Christ is our Sabbath rest, seven days a week. As believers we are called to rest in the Lord 7 days a week whether it be in the work place or in fellowship for we are called to enter into your rest. Called to trust you with every minute of our lives, in every fearful moment, in good times and in bad troubled times.

Lord I invite you to be Lord of my whole life, to be the Genesis of every bright morning, the day star of every dark night. I invite you to be my shield and my fortress against every enemy real or imagined, to be my strength when I am weak, my joy in sorrow, my peace in turmoil, the health of my countenance and my God… Thank you for hearing me always and for answering me according to your promises and thus your will…

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Ah justice, sweet justice!

My shield is God Most High,
who saves the upright in heart.
God is a righteous judge,
a God who displays his wrath every day.
If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword;
he will bend and string his bow.
He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he makes ready his flaming arrows.

Whoever is pregnant with evil
conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit they have made.
The trouble they cause recoils on them;
their violence comes down on their own heads.

I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness;
I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High. 
(Psalm 7: 10-17 NIV).

Reflection
Ah justice, sweet justice! When we take justice into our own hands, it always has a boomerang effect. I am reminded of Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner when I read these words from Psalm 7: Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made.

In those Saturday cartoons of my youth, poor Wile E. must have dug a hundred pits and he fell into them every time. Every clever scheme backfired catastrophically. The Roadrunner always escaped. To paraphrase the words of this psalm, the trouble Wile E. caused recoiled on him; his violence came down on his own head. Even now can you picture the anvil falling on the hapless coyote, as he lies in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the canyon? The cartoonist and the psalmist must have been reading from the same script!

Somehow we often have the mistaken impression that getting even works–that scoring points at the expense of our neighbour elevates us somehow. If snide sarcasm and putdowns elevate us, then it’s the kind of elevation we often see in cartoons. Our clever, cutting remarks run us out off the edge of a cliff, and like the cartoons, there we stand in the middle of thin air–the last one to realize we are heading down fast. That’s justice, sweet justice, Psalm 7 style. 

If as this psalm states, God displays his wrath every day, it’s because we reap the reward of our sinful actions. In our selfishness, we harm instead of building up those around us. We try to pull ahead by pulling others down. It’s a strategy that’s doomed to failure. It always backfires. God and the Roadrunner will see to that.   

Response: Heavenly Father, today show me how I can build others up instead of tearing them down. I want to be more like you, Lord Jesus. You came to lift others up. In my interactions today, help me do the same. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you encouraged someone lately with a positive word? Did that bring a reward?

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Transparency before God

A shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

LORD my God, I take refuge in you;
save and deliver me from all who pursue me,
or they will tear me apart like a lion
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
LORD my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands—
if I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe—
then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;
let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust.
Arise, LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies.
Awake, my God; decree justice.
Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
while you sit enthroned over them on high.
Let the LORD judge the peoples.
Vindicate me, LORD, according to my righteousness,
according to my integrity, O Most High.
Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure—
you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts ( Psalm 7:1-9, NIV).

Reflection
Have you ever been falsely accused? Have you been accused of wrong doing by someone you consider a friend? That can be a deeply hurtful experience. In the context of this psalm, that’s the situation that David found himself in. He stands accused of repaying his ally with evil. 

How did David respond? Did he strike down his accuser? Remember that David is the king. It is within his power to act—to unleash his vengeance. Is that his just and righteous response? No, he takes his case before the LORD. In prayer he declares, “Let the LORD judge the peoples.” He invites God to judge him. He presents his case before the righteous God who probes minds and hearts

That takes some courage; that takes some integrity. That takes a level of faith and transparency that we often see lacking in men of position and power. Are you willing to let God probe your heart and your mind? What might He find hidden away in there? The writer of the Book of Hebrews reminds us about the power of God’s word, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

David was a man of God. He submitted his heart and mind to the all-seeing eye of God. He wanted the sin source cut off within him. Right thinking and righteous judgment begin when God and His word gain entry to your heart.

Response: LORD, I open my heart and my mind to your probing. I have nothing to hide, since you see all and know all, even the hidden things of the heart. Help me repent where needed. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you transparent before God? Why do we think we can hide something from God?

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Did All The Human Race Come from Adam & Eve?

One of the most-asked questions about the Bible is “Where’d Cain get his wife?” Sceptics have found that many Christians are easily stumped by this query, but the answer isn’t as hard as you might think.

Several years ago I purchased The Golden Children’s Bible to use with my young nieces Simone and Demi during devotion time. It was originally published in 1965, and I was attracted to the realistic illustrations that were reminiscent of those I had grown up seeing in Sunday school. The Bible was not a specific translation but rather a paraphrase of selected events from Scripture. When I got to the section entitled, “Cain and Abel, Sons of Adam,” I read,

After that (when God put a mark on Cain), Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, to the east of Eden.

And later in the land of Nod, Cain took a wife and she gave birth to a son who was named Enoch.

This paraphrased account of Scripture highlights a very common misconception related to where Cain got his wife. Many Christians have been taught that Cain went to Nod, found a wife, got married, and had a son. But if Adam and Eve were the only two people that God created, where did the people of Nod come from?

What Does Scripture Say?

First, let’s read the actual words of Genesis 4:16—17, which The Golden Children’s Bible attempted to paraphrase:

Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son–Enoch.

The Bible does not say that Cain went to Nod and later found a wife there. Rather, the implication in Scripture is that he already had a wife when he went to Nod. The event that took place in Nod was that he “knew” his wife, had sexual relations with her, and she conceived and gave birth to a son.

If Cain didn’t marry someone living in the land of Nod, we still have the question, “Where did Cain get his wife?” or, “Whom did Cain marry?” Again, we need to look to Scripture for the answer.

In Genesis 2:7 we read of the creation of Adam, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

Genesis 2:21—22 recounts the creation of Eve, “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.”

And in Genesis 1:28 we read God’s command to Adam and Eve, “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.’”

Genesis 5:4 Makes it clear that Adam and Eve had muliple Sons and Daughters.

God created only two people, Adam and Eve, and told them to have lots of children “Fill the earth!” Scripture mentions only three of Adam and Eve’s children by name (Cain, Abel, and Seth). However, Genesis 5:4 makes it clear that they had multiple sons and daughters:

After he begot Seth, the days of Adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters.

In addition, Genesis 3:20 states,

And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

Scripture is clear that every human being is descended from Adam and Eve. Although it is common to classify people into “races” based on skin tone, eye shape, and so on, there is actually only one race.

So, since we are “one blood” descended from Adam and Eve, the only person Cain could have married would have been a sister or a niece.

It’s true that the human race is now composed of multiple people groups. How did this happen? The later history in Genesis helps us understand why people now look so different from each other, even though they all came from only two people.

Adam and Eve’s offspring multiplied and filled the earth for approximately 1,500 years before Noah’s Flood. At that point, an important event happened in human genetics: the population was reduced to Noah’s family of eight aboard the Ark. After the Flood, the human race multiplied again, but in disobedience to God they did not fill the earth. So God judged their disobedience by confusing their language at the Tower of Babel, and from there they migrated, filling the earth, as God intended. As people became isolated in different groups around the world, certain physical characteristics became dominant, such as dark skin in Africa and almond-shaped eyes in Asia.

Regardless of the diversity in physical characteristics we see today, the Bible (and the science of genetics) confirms we are all one race. As Acts 17:26 states, “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.”

Can You Marry Your Relation?

The immediate reaction to Cain marrying his sister or niece is often shock or disgust. Today, marrying close relations is called incest. However, approximately 6,000 years ago God did not forbid marriage between close relatives. Why?

Adam and Eve were created perfect. It wasn’t until after the Fall that suffering and death affected mankind and every other living thing. One aspect of this suffering would have been mutations in the DNA that result in disease. Since Adam and Eve were created genetically perfect, their children would have had few mutations. Mutations in subsequent generations would have continued to increase and accumulate. Eventually, it became too dangerous to marry a close relation because of the increased likelihood of inherited disease.

During the time of Moses, approximately 2,500 years after creation, God forbade marriage between close relatives (Leviticus 18:6—18). It seems that one reason was health. Although the Israelites knew nothing of DNA, God did, and He knew close relatives were likely to have the same mutations. Since many diseases occur only when a child has two copies of the same mutation (one from Mom and one from Dad), marriage between close relatives would be harmful to the Israelites. This is one of the reasons that such marriages are prohibited today, too–to prevent diseases that can afflict children of this kind of union.

How Does the Answer to this Question Affect the Gospel?

I have often heard Christians say that it doesn’t matter whether Genesis presents true history, such as the marriage of Cain. Creation is a side issue, it’s not a primary doctrine, and the most important thing is to “trust in Jesus.” While I agree wholeheartedly that the gospel is our central message, people must depend on the Bible to know what the gospel is. If the Bible that relates the gospel is not accurate and truthful in Genesis, then how do we know it is telling the truth about Jesus Christ?

In addition, the history of Adam’s race in Genesis is foundational to understanding how the gospel applies to all people. Because all people are descendants of Adam and Eve, all people are sinners (Romans 3:23, 5:12). Christ died and rose again to redeem Adam’s race (Romans 5:15, 5:17; 1 Corinthians 15:21—22, 15:45). If Cain married someone other than a descendant of Adam and Eve, that would contradict the clear teaching of Scripture, not only in Genesis but also as it relates to the gospel. If there are other races, then how can the gospel be for all people (1 Timothy 2:4)? It can’t, the gospel depends in part on the accurate biblical answer to where Cain got his wife. So it’s not just a side issue, it’s part of the main issue!

Peter admonishes us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15). The history in Genesis, including the identity of Cain’s wife, is crucial to understanding that we are all sinners and in need of the forgiveness and salvation offered through Jesus Christ.

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It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel……

Jesus Christ has always been here from the beginning, He is the first and the last chosen son who is God incarnate. (Revelation 1:8) I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. He shall return on His second coming.

No man can look a God and live (Exodus 33:18—20) And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

(John 14:6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. He’s always the way.

The pre-existence of Christ asserts the existence of Christ before His incarnation as Jesus. One of the relevant Bible passages is John 1:1-18 where, in the Trinitarian interpretation, Christ is identified with a pre-existent divine hypostasis (substantive reality) called the Logos or Word.

Who walked in the garden if no man can see God and live? (Genesis 3:8) And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

God exists on a level where Time and Space do not exist. They’re a triune God of Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Thus the term: “Tri” meaning three, and “Unity” meaning one, Tri+Unity = Trinity. It is a way of acknowledging what the Bible reveals to us about God, that God is yet three “Persons” who have the same essence of deity.

From the beginning of creation in Genesis to the end of times in Revelation, God refers to Himself as “us” or “our” and thus describes the doctrine of the Trinity. God the Father, the Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit — in one true God. The below Bible verses and Scriptures about the trinity will help you have a better understanding of who God is. It can be a difficult concept to grasp, yet we can believe God’s word and know that while His ways are higher than ours, we can trust in Him!

(1 Corinthians 8:6) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

(2 Corinthians 13:14) The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

(Colossians 2:9) For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

(1 Corinthians 12:12) For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

This scripture speaks of Jesus’ pre-existence (Isaiah 9:6) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

The promise was not made to Eve, but to Satan (Genesis 3:14-15) And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: (15) And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Because from this point forward sin had entered the world, but Man had no knowledge of sin or how far sin would go. As time went on, sin increased so bad that God sent a flood to start again. God told Noah to be fruitful and Multiply (Genesis 9:1). And he did as God had asked, only as time went further, the Jews went into captivity where a Man called Moses was called by God to help bring them out of captivity. The Law was given (Hebrews 10) which would be the future revealer of sin and a saviour was needed, Jesus Christ, who came with a body chosen by God to be a sacrifice for their sin as animals and goats no longer covered their sin after Jesus came with His good news to take away sin forever through true repentance. Please read Hebrews 10 as highlighted above. “The Book of Hebrews explains all.” Have you read in the Old Testament The Angel of the Lord? This was Jesus before a body was chosen by God to sacrifice His son to take away the sins of the world. (Hebrews 10:1-18).

(Hebrews 10:9-10) Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. (10) By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (11) And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: (12) But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (13) From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

Do you see the fulfilment of (Genesis 3:14-15) in this scripture?

Shalom

Esther

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Preparing For The Return Of Jesus……

THE ANTI-CHRIST

“Anti” can mean “instead of ” or “against” or “opposed to.” So “antichrist” can mean “instead of Christ,” “against Christ,” or “opposed to Christ.” The antichrist is the “man of lawlessness,” the “son of destruction,” who will lead the world into rebellion against God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-10; Revelation 11:7) and deceive multitudes (Revelation 19:20).

Anti-Semitism

Anti-Semitism can not only be implied to the hostility or prejudice or discrimination against the Jews. It also can be manifested in many ways. The kingdom of the anti-Christ hated “First” the commandments of God. Then they hated “the Chosen” people and “the Land” of God. (Israel). And they also hated those who worship the God of the Jews”¦ “The Church”.

(John 15:18-19) “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. {19} If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

THE EVENTS PRELUDE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK

Who is the rider on the White Horse (Revelation 6:1-2) in the Beginning of the week? And where did he come from?

The Anti-Christ Revealed in the Books of Daniel and Revelation.

The Four beasts are Instruments and Judgements of God to Bring the Jews Back to Repentance: (Revelation 17:17) “For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.”

(Daniel 7:1-25; Revelation 13:1-18)

(Revelation 17:8-18) “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. {9} And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. {10} And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. {11} And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. {12} And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. {13} These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. {14} These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. {15} And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. {16} And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. {17} For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. {18} And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”

THE SEVEN KINGDOM

  •   1st the Egypt-(Fallen)

  •   2nd the Assyria-(Fallen)”¦First Temple was Built by king Solomon (827 BCE)

  •   3rd the Babylonian (LION)-GOLD-(Fallen)”¦Destruction of the First Temple by Nebuchadnezzar (425 BCE)

  •   4th the Mede Persian (BEAR)-SILVER-(Fallen)”¦Second Temple was built by King Cyrus (349 BCE) under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah.

  •   5th the Greek (LEOPARD)-BRONZE-(Fallen)

  •   6th the Roman (TERRIBLE BEAST)-IRON & CLAY-(Falling)”¦Destruction of the Second temple by the Roman Emperor Titus (70 CE)

(Revelation 17:11-12) “And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.  {12} And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.”

  •   7th The New World Order (10 Nations under Rome in Perdition)

  •   8th The Beast and The Dragon (Daniel 7:20-25 – The Kingdom of Anti-Christ – 1260 days)”¦Third Temple will be built.

THE RIDER ON THE WHITE HORSE?

The way God has dealt with the unrepentant Jews in the past is, He will get somebody that is worse than they are. When the Jews backslide and will not repent. In order to bring them back to repentance. The Almighty God will get somebody worse than them. Like as in the Book of Judges”¦ He gets Palestine to bring the Jews back to repentance by invading them. Then God will raise up a judge and subdue Palestine. Once Palestine is done by means of the will of God. God shall remove them. In 721 BC, which were the Assyrians! Once the Assyrians brought God’s people into judgement then the Babylonians brought judgement upon them through the hand of God. IN 585 BC came the Babylonians. Prophets were persecuted, Jerusalem was destroyed. God then destroyed the Babylonians”¦ The Persians went to war on them and prevailed. Ultimately now the Roman Empire rule! God always uses somebody who is worse than you are, as His instrument of judgement that He calls His armies. When His judgment is fulfilled, God then removes them.

BEFORE THE TRUMPET SOUNDS

The man on the White Horse in the first week of Daniel 9:27 prophecy is a political leader and the head of A Demonic Empire”¦ (The Two related entities: The Beast). A coalition of nations that rises to power (New World Order) to subdue the earth. Just liken their predecessor before them. God uses this End Time Empire as His instrument and judgement upon this backslidden and unrepentant people and to bring them back to repentance”¦ by the Apocalypse of the Four Horsemen. (Revelation 6:1-11); (Obadiah 1:15).

THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS”¦ (The Four Horsemen: 1st Seal — 4th Seal)

(Matthew 24:4-8) “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.  {5} For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.  {6} And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  {7} For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.  {8} All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

THE HOLY SPIRIT STOPS RESTRAINING”¦ and the revealing of Satan.

(2 Thessalonians 2:3-8) “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; {4} Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. {5} Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? {6} And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. {7} For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. {8} And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:”

THE CHURCH DIVIDED”¦ against itself shall not stand in these last days.

(1 Timothy 4:1) “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”

THE FALLING AWAY

The term here “Apostasy” has an eschatological standpoint in the last days unambiguously for those who were of the same Faith in Christ or a fallen brethren. The Apostasy was never meant for the unsaved person for the reason that they never did have faith t begin within Christ to fall away from it”¦Apostasy in short, means a demonic infiltration in the Church or a fellow brethren in the Church by the false doctrines of the devils”¦i.e a little leaven can leaven the whole lump!

This phenomenon of the falling away will intensify until that man of sin be revealed and inevitably the persecutions of the Christians will also greatly intensify”¦. 

The first three and the half years is known as the beginning of sorrows by…..The period of three and a half years when the Anti-Christ makes a covenant by Peace with the Jews and Israel”¦ (Also known as The Covenant of Death), the Anti-Christ will rise to power at the beginning of the 70th week of Daniel. Some believers call it the time of great tribulation but Christ says it’s only the beginning of sorrows. So as “he” advances in power, “he” will make war and destroy three nations, remember when the Anti-Christ ascends to power “he” must pluck down three horns or nations. (Daniel 7:20-24 / Rev 13:4) “he” will use his military forces in his power to wage war as Christ has prophesied “you will hear of Wars and Rumours of Wars” what comes after wars”¦ Famines, pestilences and martial law (Restriction) and these are repercussions of wars.

As a believer, it is important that in the last days we are not to be ignorant of Satan’s devices and his demonic doctrines which he takes great delight in deceiving the people, especially of those who are in the household of the Lord.

(Revelation 13:11-18) Notice he tries to look like a good person, the anti-Christ will try to look Christ like while the second person is the false prophet they both will counterfeit the tri-unity of the God Head of the Bible to deceive the world. One being a political leader and the other a religious leader.

The Anti-Christ will deceive all religions and replace himself above all gods as well as the true God. (2 Thess 2:3-4) A total legion to him will be required during this time. In ascent, he would be believed to be the fulfilment for whatever hope is laid out in any religion during this time period”¦ any at all. To the Christian, he will appear as their Christ. For the Jews, it will be their Messiah and for the Muslim. It will be their 12th Imam Mahdi.

So what does the Church believe?

(1 John 4:3) “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”

Undoubtedly the spirit of Anti-Christ is still in full swing since the day Yeshua was born during 6-4 BC and it has been intensifying relentlessly as the day draws to His Second Coming. Do not be confused with the spirit of lawlessness with the real one in the flesh. They are both the same but different in their character. You have Satan the serpent who deceives the world, and the heathens, and you have Satan the Dragon who is the persecutor of the Saints (Eschatologically- Rev 13:13-14). Just like John the Baptist who was the harbinger for the coming of Yeshua HaMashiach”¦ (The Hope for the Lost). Now you have the false prophet (he) mentioned in the Book of Daniel 9:27 the harbinger for the son of perdition”¦.

This is true biblical information which all need to know leading up to the Messiahs return!

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What are your gifts? Do you know?

Not too long ago, I did a song in church, and it turned out pretty good. Afterward, when the pastor said, “thank you, Laura, you are gifted”  I must admit, I thought gifted? I had to work so hard to learn this song, I didn’t feel like it was a gift at all. 

From the time I decided to learn to play music, it was always a struggle for me. I recently sang in church, the song I did, I had practiced for weeks, and I have to say it turned out awesome. But the achievement to me seemed to be hard-won, and I had to wonder, am I really gifted? 

Recently, I spoke in church about gifts, using a passage in Ephesians, as my guide. “He gave gifts to men, ” it says. (Ephesians, 4:8, NKJV). I never have thought of myself as gifted. I’ve seen other people I thought were gifted, but I never have considered myself one of them.

Learning to speak in front of a crowd had taken a lifetime of overcoming, & facing fears.

Because I believe God called me to do it, I have overcome the fears, got back up and tried again when I seemed to have failed, and have finally come to a place where I have some confidence, both with speaking and singing in front of others. It was hard-won, but I did it, (with God’s help, and a willing mind!).

So, how do we know we are gifted? Does it mean we are just born “good at something?”. No, I don’t think so. My gift is encouragement under the calling of Pastor. I don’t have a church, but I’ve been Pastoring most of my life.

Many years ago, I had stuffed sheep, named after the people I prayed for. When people heard about it they started to bring me sheep, because they wanted to be included and have me pray over their lives. Music came about because I have a passion to encourage others. My prayer life was cultivated for the same reason. “I want to teach the world to sing” used to be one of my favorite songs when I was young. Our loves, passions, and desires, are very telling, concerning our giftings.

I am also gifted to be a visionary, I can see things in the future, what will happen if certain elements are put into place. Because God did not give me the gift of “being in charge,” I pray for those who are in charge, and the Lord shows me exactly how to pray for them. 

My gifts are affirmed, (and acknowledged) by people affirming to me that yes, indeed, I did encourage them. I’ve been used in other areas too, Evangelism (back to encouragement again, “YES YOU CAN Come to Christ”! Yes, he does want you.” “No, you didn’t sin so much he won’t take you.” 

See? encouragement, yet again. I believe there was an Apostle that his name meant “son of encouragement.” I can encourage with a smile, gifts, money, helping, serving, or singing a song.

What about you? What is your passion? I’ve seen people great at fixing cars, baking cakes, taking care of gardens, and those who are especially great at working with children. 

They have heard too, “You are so talented!” We ought to say, well done, you’ve really developed your gift! For the truth is, if we take our calling seriously in Christ, we’ll cherish and develop those gifts he put within us. If we do that, we’ll become “talented,” Or should I say, developed? 

More mature?

There we go, back to growing (Up) again and being all you can be, in Jesus, for Jesus, and for His Kingdom!

With love and affection, Laura Grace, Author, Grace to Grow.

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Luke 10:20

However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20

Be modest in your talentsand spiritual success God works through you. What God does for you is greater than what you could ever do for Him.

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Can I Recover from Alcohol Addiction Detached from God?

In 1998, my family organized an intervention to encourage me to seek help for my alcohol dependence.

I was shocked to know that all of them thought I needed help to stop drinking. The first question I blurted out after hearing them talk was: “Am I an alcoholic?”

It was an honest question because all the while I thought I just loved to drink to relieve stress, but not to the point that I was addicted. Apparently, most alcoholics do not recognize the problem themselves.

Long story short, I joined Alcoholics Anonymous and it completely changed my life.

Finding God in My Recovery

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is famous for its Twelve Steps which is the backbone of the fellowship. As a Christian who believes in God, albeit one who lost her way, these steps spoke to me because they stress the importance of relying on God as key to recovery.

Below are the specific six AA steps that helped me rediscover God, and in the process led me to discover the path to healing.

Step 2: “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”

Before joining AA, I tried several times to stop drinking. I told myself that it is just a matter of willpower, which is why I was in despair every time I failed. I hated myself for not being able to quit.

The second step of AA made me realize that I cannot quit without divine intervention. I had dug a hole so deep that I needed God’s help more than anything. As John 15:5 says, “… apart from me, you can do nothing.”

As I struggled with alcoholism, I learned to acknowledge my limitations. I was educated, well-off, and popular, yet I still was lured into the trap of alcohol dependence. How could I trust myself or other human beings as imperfect as me to restore my sobriety? Only an all-powerful and all-knowing God could make this happen.

Step 3: “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”

I went through a long process of denial, anger, and hopelessness before I finally admitted to myself that it is time to surrender my addiction and my whole life to God’s care once again. It dawned on me that steps 2 and 3 are actually related. If I accept God’s sovereign power then it makes perfect sense to yield myself completely to Him, right?

I soon admitted all my faults and weaknesses and acknowledged His power to turn my life around. The moment I surrendered every aspect of my life to God, it felt like a heavy load had been lifted off me.

I experienced Psalm 46:10, firsthand, “Be still and know that I am God.” It was a peace I hadn’t felt before.

Step 5: “Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.”

There’s a saying in AA that, “We are only as sick as our secrets,” and I found it to be true. The more I kept to myself, the more the guilt, fear, and shame ate me up.

Admitting our faults to God in prayer is different from telling another person of all our wrongdoings. When we only confess to God, we can still go on walking like we were high and mighty even if we are rotting inside.

It was a lesson in humility. This step was probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. But I felt liberated after doing it. I believed that God also used this time to chip at my ego and pride. 

Step 6 & 7: “Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character” and “Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.”

I started my prayer journal during this time. I lifted up in prayer all the destructive things I had done because of my addiction and the sins I had committed. I wrote them down in detail and asked God to give me the grace to overcome each one of them.

This process gave me the chance to be sensitive to God’s moving in my life. I made it a point to record how God helped me, little by little, in overcoming my defects. Today, I still have my prayer journal to chronicle how God is helping me to persist in growing in virtue.

Step 11: “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”

Personally, this step is essential for the happiness and satisfaction of everyone, not just recovering alcoholics like me. Thanks to my recovery journey, I learned the power of prayer. Praying not to ask for favors but solely to ask God what He wants me to do and, more importantly, to listen to His prodding.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” For many years, I had tried living my life my way and it brought me to despair. Now I know that the One who created me should be in charge because He alone knows my purpose in life and how I can fulfill it. 

Is Recovery Possible While Excluding God?

There are many studies that support the effectiveness of AA’s treatment approach. As the years go by, however, and as the world becomes more secularized, many non-believers are finding the “God part” in AA uncomfortable. As a result, there are alcoholic support groups now that pledge to offer the benefits of AA, minus the spiritual content of AA.

I find this odd. I have met countless alcoholics who were able to stop their alcohol dependency precisely because they relied on God’s healing power. Note that most of these people also tried “scientific” treatments and entered secular rehabs to no effect.

God is the missing key to successful and long-term recovery. How can one be healed without the ultimate Healer?

People who allegedly believe in science rather than “fairy tales” (God) would argue that the effectiveness of AA is due to non-religious factors: meetings, helping one another, etc. My response would be how can they be certain that it is not because of God’s power?

The original AA approach has been effective all over the world because of the God-factor. I am a living testament and so are many of my fellow recovering alcoholics. No study can “measure” God because if He is measurable then He is not God.

All good things come from God because HE is goodness Himself. Recovery from addiction is essentially good. How can it be possible to achieve this good without tapping into the source of goodness?

When one excludes God from the recovery journey, what’s the point? Without anchoring ourselves to our Creator, who shows us the real purpose of our lives, everything becomes meaningless.

I am grateful for the spiritual aspect of AA because it not only helped in my recovery but it also made me a better person. Paradoxically, I discovered that the more I surrendered my will and entire being to God Almighty, the more I had the strength to overcome my addiction. Indeed, His “grace is sufficient for us, for His power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

30 facts about alcohol

  1. The “alcohol” in alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, and spirits is actually ethanol, or ethyl alcohol. It’s the only type of alcohol that you can drink without causing serious damage to your body.
  2. Alcohol is a depressant. This means that it slows down activity in the brain.
  3. According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 86.4 percent of adults reported having drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime.
  4. The NSDUH also found that 70.1 percent of American adults had had a drink in the previous year, and 56.0 percent had had one in the previous month.
  5. Alcohol has a wide variety of effects. In the brain, it triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that’s associated with pleasure and satisfaction.
  6. Stress relief is another side effect of drinking alcohol. This is caused by an increase in the uptake of another neurotransmitter, called GABA.
  7. Alcohol is among the most commonly misused addictive substances. About 12.7 percentTrusted Sourceof American adults meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder (AUD). That’s 1 in 8 adults.
  8. According to a 2015 study, light-eyed Americans of European descent consume more alcohol than dark-eyed Americans of European descent.
  9. The same study found that blue-eyed Americans of European descent had the highest levels of alcohol misuse, suggesting a genetic link that makes them more susceptible to AUD.
  10. Alcohol is processed in the liver, where enzymes help break down ethanol into acetaldehyde and acetate.
  11. The effects associated with drinking occur when ethanol enters your bloodstream and passes through the membranes of cells in your brain, heart, and other organs.
  12. ResearchTrusted Source suggests that rates of alcohol use and high-risk use increased between 2001 and 2013.
  13. AUD has a genetic component. Researchers estimate that genes account for approximately half of the risk.
  14. Men are more likely to use alcohol than women.
  15. Alcohol has different health consequences for men and women. Long-term drinking is more likelyTrusted Source to have negative health effects for women compared to men, even if the woman drinks less for a shorter period of time.
  16. Women who are dependent on alcohol are 50 to 100 percent more likely to die from alcohol-related causes than men who are dependent on alcohol.
  17. Alcohol-attributable deaths are the third-leading preventable cause of death in America. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 88,424 people die from alcohol-related causes each year in the United States.
  18. Alcohol may be nearly as old as civilization. Residues from an alcoholic beverage that dates back to 7,000 to 6,600 B.C. have been found in China.
  19. Archaeologists have also found evidence suggesting that the workers who built the Great Pyramids of Giza were paid in beer.
  20. Binge drinking is a pattern of alcohol consumption that involves drinking a lot in a short period of time. For women, four or moreTrusted Source drinks in two hours is considered binge drinking. For men, it’s five or more drinks in two hours.
  21. Teens who start drinking before the age of 15 are more likely to develop alcohol dependence later on in life.
  22. Symptoms of acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) include hallucinations, seizures, and, in severe cases, even death. People who are dependent on alcohol should seek medical assistance to stop drinking.
  23. Culture has a significant influence on how people consume alcohol. A study that explored family drinking in Italy found that Italians who drank at family meals while growing up were less likely to develop unhealthy drinking habits later on in life.
  24. Alcohol use is a significant risk factor for dementia.
  25. Drinking red wine in moderation is believed to be good for the heart. Red wine contains resveratrol, a substance which helps control cholesterol, prevent blood vessel damage, and stop blood clots.
  26. Binge drinking can lead to a hangover the following morning. Hangovers are caused by chemical byproducts created during alcohol processing.
  27. Hormonal changes lead to unpleasant hangover symptoms. For instance, hormonal changes cause you to urinate more, which can lead to dehydration.
  28. Dark liquors, such as red wine or whiskey, are more likely to result in severe hangovers. White or clear liquors are less likely to result in a hangover.
  29. Around the world, minimum legal drinking ages range from 10 to 21 years.
  30. Muscles absorb alcohol faster than fat. As a result, people who have more muscles and less body fat have higher alcohol tolerance.
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The Spirit Of God

Have you been fighting a battle for a long time? The key is: don’t go around talking about your problem. Don’t go around confessing that you’re never going to make it. No, start declaring, “the Spirit of the Lord is upon my life!” When you realise God’s Spirit of favour is upon you, you will become bold and confident, and accomplish your dreams faster than you thought!

When doubt comes, declare the promises in God’s Word! “How are you going to get out of debt?” “The Spirit of God is upon my life.” “How are you going to get well?” “The Spirit of God is upon my life.” “How are you going to break that addiction?” “The Spirit of God.” “How are you going to accomplish your dreams?” “The Spirit of God!”

Today, the more you declare and believe God’s promises, the more you’ll see His favour. As you keep standing in faith, as You keep hoping in Him, you’ll see His promises manifest in your life. You’ll experience His favour and victory, and see every dream and desire come to pass! Not by your might and expertise, but by God’s Spirit.

“…’Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.”

(Zechariah 4:6, NASB)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for placing Your dreams and desires within me, and for creating a plan to bring them to pass by Your Spirit. Father, even when I can’t see a way, I trust and believe that You are making a way. God, You are good, and today I declare and decree Your Spirit upon every area of my life, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

 

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