Godinterest

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 20, 2018November 21, 2018

When Did We Become So Mean?

In a recent conversation, my teacher-friend mentioned how the school system has recognized the need to teach kindness to the kids. Over the years, it’s been forgotten and kids are not as kind. They make fun of others. Tear down. Have exclusive clubs. And the such.

Kindness? Really? It’s not something that they already know? After reflection, I realized…you know what? They’re right! They know what it means but fall dreadfully short when it comes to living it out.

Shows like Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood have been replaced with Fairly Odd Parents and the like. This generation has grown up watching intolerance, injustice, and acts of hatred left and right. They’ve seen us let fear take hold….and watched as we fret at night. But kindness…have they seen it modeled? Do they recognize it as a need right now?

Do the words we speak lift others up…or rather tear them down?
Do we put others in front of ourselves…or does selfishness abound?
Will we spread joy this holiday season…or grumble as we wait in the crowd?
Do we gossip, complain, whine, and moan…or do we spread good cheer?
Have we forgotten the meaning of respect to those in public service? Our teachers, policemen, firemen, and others who give their lives to better us.
Do we have a me-first attitude? Or do we remember the words of Jesus…”It is more blessed to give than receive” (Acts 20:35).

As parents of the generation-rising, we have a responsibility. It is our job to instill an attitude of gratefulness and stop passing the buck around. If we want a world where kindness looms, then we need to reflect within. What do we show with our own lives? Would others say that we’re kind?

November 19, 2018November 19, 2018

Where is Your God? The Ultimate Question

My soul is cast down within me

Tears have become my cup of tea and my daily food.

Lord, why have you forgotten me?

Why must my enemies continue oppressing me? While they say continually to me

”Where is your God”

As I sit in darkness, I reminisce about how I regarded them as my close friends.

I confided in them for guidance as I thought they were a godly people.

Woe is me! For I have been deceived.

The godly has surely perished from the earth.

I have been dealt with the blow of an enemy

The punishment of a merciless foe

For I have sinned against the Lord

I have put my trust in men.

I will cry out to the Lord and seek his face

He doesn’t retain his anger for ever

He will once again be merciful and will tread my iniquities under foot.

Though I’m far from deliverance, The Lord will bring near his deliverance.

His salvation will not tarry.

I shall behold the deliverance of the Lord.

I will wait for the God of my salvation

My God will hear me.

I shall sing songs of thanksgiving and my voice shall be of those who make merry.

The Lord will frustrate the plans of my enemies

He will bring their counsel to nothing.

For He spoke and it came to be

The counsel of the Lord stands for ever.

Then my enemies will see, and shame will cover them who said to me

”Where is your God”

November 18, 2018January 15, 2024

To the Girl Who Wants a Husband More Than Jesus

“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven.”

But how strange the sight! While one of those so closely united is engaged in devotion, the other is indifferent and careless; while one is seeking the way to everlasting life, the other is in the broad road to death.

Hundreds have sacrificed Christ and heaven in consequence of marrying unconverted persons. Can it be that the love and fellowship of Christ are of so little value to them that they prefer the companionship of poor mortals?

Is heaven so little esteemed that they are willing to risk its enjoyments for one who has no love for the precious Saviour?

To connect with an unbeliever is to place yourself on Satan’s ground. You grieve the Spirit of God and forfeit His protection. Can you afford to have such terrible odds against you in fighting the battle for everlasting life?

Ask yourself:

“Will not an unbelieving husband lead my thoughts away from Jesus? He is a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God; will he not lead me to enjoy the things that he enjoys?”

The path to eternal life is steep and rugged. Take no additional weights to retard your progress.

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 18, 2018

We Gave Up Everything and Somehow Gained Everything in Return

Time is ticking away and the world is slowly but surely going up in flames. Christians are being persecuted, Christianity is being banned, natural disasters are happening more often, Christians are turning away from their faith and we have become blind and numb to GOD’S Word. It seems as though everything is going pear-shaped for us, but that is only if we believe that GOD is not in control.

I believe that we tend to forget that GOD is in control. We look at the chaos happening around us, and we wonder: where is GOD in all of this? He’s right where He has always been, making things happen at the preordained time. The devil hasn’t suddenly become more powerful, no, GOD is still keeping a lid on what he can and cannot do. If you are Christian, then you know that the devil has no power over you. However, if you commit a sin then you can expect Satan to know all about it. In any well-run and tightly controlled organization, there is the boss at the top, the leaders that work under him, and the people that monitor what happens in the organization to report back to the leaders. It’s the same for Satan and his kingdom. He has monitoring spirits that roam the earth to keep an eye on people and report back to their leaders (the demons higher up in the kingdom). We need to understand that while the monitoring spirits do not attack us, they are watching us, waiting for any open doorways to afflict us. Therefore, when we sin we open a spiritual doorway for the devil to do something to us, and it would be completely ‘legal’. But, with Jesus by your side and the power of the Holy Spirit, you can send those demons packing and have the affliction removed from you. Do not expect it to be easy to detect the work of the devil- he is a crafty being who knows what makes us tick and what makes us fall apart. We are pretty stupid creatures, we may think that we are smart and all that, but when you’re up against a being that had been around since whenever, then you’re in for a rude awakening. That’s why GOD tells us to trust Him in all things- He created Satan, therefore He can put him in his place.

It’s not easy giving up control over our lives. We are always planning for the future, trying to maintain financial security and care for ourselves and our family. But we get it so wrong. GOD had this plan for our lives, a plan that fits you into the grand scheme of things. Think of a massive quilt with hundreds of thousands of interconnecting images that make up one beautiful story. If one of those images were to be removed, then there would be a gap in the story, a missing piece that distorts things but doesn’t necessarily stop the story from continuing. You are an image in that quilt; your life connects to the lives of other people, influencing them and making a lasting impression- whether you realize it or not. But if you choose to remove yourself from that quilt, then there will be a gap, but that doesn’t mean that GOD’S plan for His people changes. It’s just that you didn’t fulfill the plan for your life because you chose to go at it alone. There is a bigger picture that our minds cannot comprehend, but each one of us makes up that one picture and we are all equally important. We are the body of Christ and GOD has plans for all of us, some plans take longer than others to come to fruition, but it’s all part of His plan.

There is nothing sadder than to watch Christians try to live a life for themselves and watch them fall apart. On one side, Jesus is waiting with open arms to welcome them home and on the other are demonic vultures just waiting to tear them apart. But they never look like demonic vultures, they look like everything that you could ever want. A Christian life is as simple or as complicated as you make it, it’s all a matter of trust and obedience. Commit your life to GOD if you haven’t already; it will be the best decision of your life, but don’t expect it to be a walk in the park.

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 18, 2018March 1, 2019

What Do You Use as a Moral Compass?

I’ve been on earth almost half of a century. My life has had many highs and several lows. To stay sane you have to just roll with the changes trusting that whatever storm we are facing will pass just as those fun, love-filled times did. Through it all we have to put our best foot forward and finish our race. Which foot should we use? What pace should we run? All these come from our moral compass.When I read headlines or catch a glimpse of the news, it troubles me. Something has gone terribly wrong. There are children hurting so badly that they open fire on each other. There’s human trafficking to fill perverted sexual desires. The abundance of children living with a parent who love getting high more than their precious children. The need for people to escape the reality of this world through chemical means. Are we mentally softer or weaker than generations past or am I imagining things? When the going gets tough we go searching for something at the pharmacy to right it. Is being made of sterner stuff a thing of the past?

There is so much hate and confusion. I read scriptures and pray each day for God to use me. I want to be like Jesus. I want to empty myself and spread love. I want there to be love left everywhere I go. Remember in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis when Aslan comes back and everywhere he prances flowers and plants spring to life? That’s what I envision me doing in my wheelchair. Me embracing my moral compass and everywhere I go leaving a trail of beauty behind me as I roll! Then, I will come to my end and step into eternity and be at peace. It’s urgent for us to dig deep, clean out the garden our souls, and use those compasses that God gave us.

What the world needs now more than ever is to grow our moral compasses. We are currently at a huge crossroad. Everyone wants to be right. Everyone feels they have the knowledge and discernment to be the judge on so many moral issues. We have lost the intimacy of being humans. Sharing meals and taking time to listen to our children and spend time with our elders. Don’t get me wrong. I depend on technology for so much, but the access of so much too soon is a problem. It’s literally poisoning the minds of our children, promoting immoral behaviors, and making everything a world of me not we. We are in this together. Just one kind gesture at a time and we can begin to move toward decency. It costs nothing to be kind and considerate. Being cruel or mean is never an option. We have to find our moral compass or I fear the human race will be lost forever.

Sarah Anderson Alley

Sal the Moral Compass Gal

Quotes of the Day:

“I have learned that as long as I hold fast to my beliefs and values – and follow my own moral compass – then the only expectations I need to live up to are my own.” Michelle Obama
“Conscience is a man’s compass.” Vincent Van Gogh
“Families are the compass that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.” Brad Henry

November 18, 2018

The Importance Of Being A Prepared Soldier

It would be straight-up foolish to go into any battle unprepared. While you may think that improvising and spontaneity is the spice of life, the enemy has studied your military strategy (or lack thereof), obtained vital information about you and knows combat moves that will probably get you killed. You’re basically walking into that battle to be defeated because you didn’t bother to prepare. That makes you a bad soldier, doesn’t it? You wouldn’t last a minute on the battlefield, that’s for sure. Being an unprepared Believer leaves you wide open for attacks, and when they come you will not know how to handle them.

I believe that we forget that the devil never rests. He has a plan to carry out, and that’s destroying GOD’S people. Every day (and night) is an opportunity for the devil to attack us, and you better believe that his plans are well thought out with great attention to detail. There is no way that we will be able to figure out what his evil plans are and we shouldn’t; all we need to do is to be prepared by following GOD’S Word.

We have a military plan given to us by GOD Himself and it can only be found if we study His Word as we should. He explains just who the devil is, what his plans are, how to fight and how to defend ourselves.

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Do you understand the strength of a lions roar? The closer you are to it, the more you can feel it. It’s like vibrations traveling through your body and it leaves you on edge. Lions roar to communicate with each other, ward off other lions from entering their territory and to give an indication of their size. It’s no mistake that the devil had been described as a roaring lion. We know that the world is basically his (for the time being), so he’s stating his territory, he’s in constant communication with his demons to keep track of people, and he wants to show that he’s the big fish in the pond (that’s what got him kicked out of heaven in the first place). He has legal ground to torment those who are his (the Lost), but he’s on the lookout for any legal ground that Christians give him through sin. Also, the devil knows how committed you are to GOD and your knowledge of His Word, so if you’re one of those that fail to meditate on His Word every day then you could be destroyed for your lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).

Colossians 2:15

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Good news, Family, Jesus overcame Death that we may have life. Death no longer has the sting that it once had, and the devil is justly angry about that. Who likes being defeated and humiliated so publicly? So now we know our position: we have already won, but that doesn’t mean that the battle is over. There are still souls that are lost, Christians falling away, and a devil that will do all in his power to destroy us that continue to stand. So what can we do?

2 Corinthians 10:3-4

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in GOD for pulling down strongholds.

I don’t know about you, but I get excited when I read the Bible. I’m even smiling as I type this. GOD gave us WEAPONS! And not just any type of weapons, but ones that can and will bring down every evil stronghold in our lives. Family, we need to use exactly what GOD gave us if we expect to stand in that evil day. We need to pray, fast, petition, be thankful, remain obedient and trust in GOD in all things.

Ephesians 6:12

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places,

Family, our fight is not against other people, it’s against the devil and his minions (demons). They are the ones behind every evil and horrendous thing that has befallen us. You need to understand this if you want to be a prepared soldier of GOD. It’s not a physical war, but a spiritual one. There will always be an overflow of what is happening in the spiritual world into the physical world, but our fight isn’t there. Don’t get angry at people, get angry at the devil. We are to hate sin, not people. But let me tell you this: do not become cocky and think that you can disrespect the devil. Jesus never did, and neither should you. You speak the words that GOD has given us, nothing more and nothing less. You’re not honoring him by being respectful, but you need to understand that you are a human being and he is a spirit with more power, knowledge, and days than we could ever know or understand. GOD is infinitely greater, but don’t step into that trap of running your mouth off.

Ephesians 6:11 & 13-17

Put on the whole armor of GOD, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Therefore, take up the whole armor of GOD, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of GOD;

GOD has provided us with an armor. This is not just a concept or some metaphorical description, but an actual armor that goes on your spiritual body. Wearing this armor means that we will be able to stand against the trickery of the devil. Wearing it means that we will be able to stand in the evil day. Every morning, you need to ask GOD for this armor in Jesus’ name; do not start your day without it or you’re just asking for trouble. We need to understand that all that the devil can do is to try and trick and lie to us. He doesn’t have any true power against GOD’S people, only what we give him.

There is so much more to say on this matter of being a prepared soldier, but you need to read your Bible to gain more wisdom and spiritual understanding. Let the Spirit guide you and teach you as you remain faithful and do the will of GOD. There are times that we are attacked, but do not despair, GOD is always with us even when He seems absent. Our times of need are the times that we need to show our faith and trust in Him by standing and trusting in Him. We will go through refining fires, family, but once we have come through them, we become worthy vessels of honor to carry out GOD’S work. Just remember that although you suffer now, your reward in heaven is greater. Fight the good fight and remain steady in your faith.

November 18, 2018

Waiting Happily and Patiently

It goes without saying that people do not like to wait. We want everything asap and grow impatient when there is a waiting period. As Christians, we all go through waiting periods in our lives. We wait on GOD to answer a prayer or to give us a sign that proves that He’s listening. What we fail to understand is that there is a blessing in waiting.

I know what it feels like to wait. To wake up each day, and hope that today will be the day. Days turn into weeks, weeks in months, and months into years, but I’m still waiting. It becomes a struggle to get out of bed, to be happy in the small things of life, to remain grateful for what you have already- the joy you once felt seems to have evaporated into thin air. It becomes easy to look at the next person, to see what they have. You know how hard you’ve been working, but someone else seems to gain success with less effort. You have been praying for a spouse, but someone younger than you has just got married and they are beginning the life that you had always hoped for. Someone else just had a baby, a baby that you’ve been praying for, for years. It doesn’t seem fair, does it? Why would the LORD give them, and not to you? Aren’t you good enough? Doesn’t He love you as well? These questions circle in our minds like vultures circling over a potential meal. Your negative thoughts wait for you to lose your joy and replace it with despair, envy, anger, depression and hopelessness. What can we do when we find ourselves in this position?

Psalm 37: 7-8 gives us great advice that we should all take to heart: Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret- it only causes harm. Do you see how beautiful these verses are? GOD has a word for every situation in our lives, including waiting!

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him

King David knew what it was like to face opposition, to wait for GOD to bring an answer to His prayer. He was human, just like us, so it must have been hard for him a well. However, he learnt the ‘secret’ of waiting: resting in the LORD. Do you know what it means to rest? In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it means freedom from activity or labour (there are other definitions as well, but they do not fit the context of the Psalm). We do not need to do something while we wait just to feel as though you’re not wasting your time. We do not need to stress because what we have prayed for has not come to pass. GOD has heard our prayers, so we just need to relax and rest in Him. We also need to wait patiently for Him. So often we rush into things, and when they go wrong, we cry out to GOD as if He is the one to blame. Rushing into a job because it’s what we think is right, rushing into a marriage because everyone else is married, rushing into college and doing whatever course you fancy because you’re too impatient to let GOD guide you. No, just be patient and wait.

Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way

We have all done this. We look at a person who isn’t even living their life right, and we see them succeed. The guy who cheated his way through college and now has a successful job, the lady in church who flashed money and now is in a leadership position- we all know of scenarios where things like this and more have happened, and we’ve all been angry about it. Our biggest question is WHY? Why, LORD? But, we cannot think like this because it doesn’t do us any good. We see those people, but we do not have to be moved by the supposed unfairness of it all. GOD sees you, and that’s all that matters. Do not fret, it only causes harm. How much clearer do we need this to be?

There is one last verse that I did not include, but it gives us what to do when we wait: Trust in the LORD and do good (Psalm 37:3). If there is one who deserves our trust, it is GOD. He never lets us down, and He is always faithful. He does exactly what His Word says. Just trust Him to do the right thing for you. It doesn’t mean that you’ll get what you want, but you will receive peace while you wait. GOD knows exactly what we need, and when we need it. When we grow impatient during our waiting period, we lose sight of Him and suffer for it. So, what should you do while you wait? Do good. See to the needs of others, put yourself out there and make yourself available to those in need. You may not get your prayer answered in the way that you expected, but you will be content with what you have, no matter how much or little it is.

November 18, 2018January 15, 2024

Conformed to the Image of Christ

The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Isaiah 32:17.

Christ will be to His people all that these words express if they will heed the invitation to come to Him. He will be to them life and power, strength and efficiency, wisdom and holiness. God calls upon us to live the Christ life, to reveal this life to the world.

We can, we can, reveal the likeness of our divine Lord. We can know the science of spiritual life. We can honor our Maker. But do we do it? Oh, what an illustrious example we have in the life that Christ lived on this earth! He has shown us what we can accomplish through cooperation with divinity. We are to seek for the union of which He speaks when He says, “Abide in me, and I in you” (John 15:4). This union is deeper, stronger, truer, than any other union and is productive of all good. Those who are thus united to the Saviour are controlled by His will and are moved by His love to suffer with those who suffer, to rejoice with those who rejoice, to feel a deep sympathy for every one in weakness, sorrow, or distress.

Wherever I go I shall urge the people to keep Christ uplifted. He is always the same, yesterday, today, and forever, always seeking to do us good, always encouraging and guiding us, leading us onward step by step. What He is today—a faithful high priest, touched with the feeling of our infirmities—He will be tomorrow and forevermore. He is our guide, our teacher, our counselor, our friend, ever bestowing His blessings upon us in response to our faith. He invites us to abide with Him. When we do this, when we make our home with Him, all friction, all ill temper, all irritation, will cease.

I know that when I ask the Lord to be my helper He will not deny me, because it is my one desire to do His will and glorify His name. I am weak, but in depending wholly upon Him, I obtain strength. In laying my burden upon the Burden Bearer, I find comfort and strength and hope. This is my desire—to find abiding rest at His feet. While I keep firm hold of His hand, He leads me safely. The living God shall be the joy and rejoicing of my soul.

November 17, 2018

What Are You Eating?

Have you ever gone to a restaurant and decided to have an onion and garlic-rich meal? Jump into a taxi afterward and you’ll most likely stink out the driver- he may even decide to kick you out of the taxi! A garlic loaf or loaded burger with a mountain of crispy fried onion is great when we’re eating it, but the effects of the meal are not so wonderful. Now we know that spiritually, food is not about to defile you, but what we feed our minds will.

We have all heard of the saying that ‘you are what you eat’. This saying works well in both the physical and spiritual sense. We probably all understand the implications of a junk food laden diet and what it does to our bodies, but do we fully understand how our spiritual diet affects our walk of faith as Believers? Every choice that we make feeds our spirit in some way; there is a cause and effect situation happening. If we were to examine our lives, would we be able to determine the type of spiritual food that we are filling ourselves with? Let’s examine two types of diets (the only two types, really) that should give you an indication of where you fit in.

The World Diet a.k.a Junk Food

This nutrient deficient diet is sure to starve your spirit. Day in and day out, we watch TV series and programs that do nothing to help us grow spiritually. They are entertaining, immensely so, but they make us dumb people. We are so busy looking into the lives of other people, emulating their speech, fashion sense, and attitudes that we miss out on what truly matters, and that’s spending time doing GOD’S work and living a life of purpose. The sad thing is that we do not leave the junk food at home, but we take it to the public as well by wanting to discuss the junk that we watch. It’s not just what we watch either, it’s also what we listen to and what we read. Our minds are like sponges and will soak up whatever we expose it to. If we insist on reading sensational magazines full of gossip, scandal, judgment, and immoral speech, then you better be aware of the consequences. When we listen to secular music that we know is vulgar and the opposite of GOD’S Word, then you better be ready for the devil to take advantage of that.

The effects of this diet are spiritually debilitating, soul-destroying and eventually leads to death. It is possible to suss out a person who consumes this type of diet. This person is constantly negative and can bring down a person’s mood quicker than listening to music about broken hearts. The filth that comes out of this person’s mouth can and will make you cringe. Their lives are most likely full of the sin of gossiping, slander, backbiting, unforgiveness, grumbling, hatred, coveting, fornication, adultery, blasphemy and everything else that this world has to offer. This person’s heart is far from GOD and is spiritually dead.

Sometimes, a Christian can be following this diet because they do not fully understand what is expected of them. Unfortunately, this makes one a lukewarm Christian and Jesus did say that He would ‘spit’ out any lukewarm Christians out of His mouth. It is no doubt that this diet is delicious, but it rots your soul and silences the Holy Spirit within you. Believe me when I say that you are better off without it.

GOD’S Diet a.k.a The Nutrient Dense Diet

Who doesn’t want to be healthy and full of vitality? The energy from this diet is through the roof and it raises your endorphin levels as well. This diet consists of reading GOD’S Word on a daily basis, speaking to Him regularly, taking heed of the Holy Spirits’s voice, reading material that enhances spiritual knowledge and listening to music that encompasses everything about our faith. There is nothing better than feeding our spirits with the food of the Spirit because it leads to eternal life and brings us closer to our Creator. It’s wonderful to watch a sermon on TV that speaks GOD’S truth and increases our wisdom and understanding. Our lives are considerably less stressful, we have greater peace in our hearts, our joy is more stable and not situation based, and we generally have a more positive outlook on life- even with what’s going on in the world.

GOD’S Diet is simpler, rewarding, and healthier. There are no preservatives needed to extend GOD’S food because it’s eternal, there are no colourants needed to enhance the look of His food because it’s all natural and of the purest beauty, and there are no flavor enhancers to trick us into believing that it tastes better because it’s fresh, wholesome and wonderfully tasty for our spirits, and there are no lurking chemicals to slowly poison us because GOD is life.

You would think that the decision is easy to make, but if it was then we would all be Saved. But it’s not. Those who are still Lost cannot see and understand that the World’s Diet is leading them on a broad path to Death. They have been taken in by the fake pleasure of the diet, not being able to see how decayed it truly is. If they could see what they were truly taking into their spirits, they would be appalled and sick to their stomachs. We as Believers need to be careful about what we allow into our lives by paying attention to what we watch, read, and listen to. Even a little guilty pleasure can corrode your spiritual life and lead you away from GOD. Our lives on earth are but for a moment in the light of eternity, so we need to be wise with our decisions.

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?