I read this story from a well known preacher and thought it made my point so I thought I’d share it. He knew a man who was believing to pay his house off. It was a standard 30-year mortgage, and he had 23 years left. In the natural, there was no way he could do it. But he was bold enough to say, “Father, I want to thank You that You are Jehovah Jireh; the Lord my provider. I know my job is not my source. You are my source. It may look impossible, but I know You can do the impossible.”
Several years ago, he received an inheritance from a family member that he had never met before. He didn’t even know they were related. He was able to not only pay his house off, but he paid a friend’s house off as well. What was that? Explosive blessings! Hallelujah!
Today my friend, when you believe God, you position yourself for miracles. When you are obedient to His commands, you set yourself under the open windows of heaven. When you declare God’s Word with faith, power and boldness, you activate His power. All you have to do is keep believing, keep trusting, keep speaking, and see the victory and miracles God has in store for you!
“It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak.”
(2 Corinthians 4:13, NIV)
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for Your Word which is alive and powerful! Father, I set my mind on Your promises, and will declare by faith what You say about me. I will keep believing no matter what. Thank You for Your faithfulness, as I move forward in the divine plan You have for me, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.
Ephesians 3:16.
Have you ever heard the phase – you’re living on borrowed time? Meaning living after the time you would have expected to have died. Well, there is some truth to the saying as we are all living in probationary time.
However, isn’t it wondering that Jesus has paved the way and that those who truly and earnestly desire eternal life and strive for it with desire and effort should have it. What a comfort it is to know that the Lord wants us in His family above.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”.
(John 3:16)
We need to cherish and exercise faith. Our faith must work. We must have that faith that works by love and purifies the soul. The leaven has a vital energy, penetrating and absorbing all the elements into which it is introduced. So likewise, the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.
The Word of the Lord is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. The Word is a power as we practice it. The great change that the truth makes is inward. It begins in the heart, and works outwardly. With the heart, man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. “Burnt offerings and sacrifices thou wouldest not.” The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. God is not pleased with false pretence.
We should hide in Jesus Christ and trust in His love. We should believe day by day that He loves us with a love that is infinite. Let nothing, absolutely nothing discourage you, and make you sad. Think of the goodness of God. Recount His favours and blessings hallelujah.
I am labouring constantly in writing and speaking. The Lord has been my very best Friend, and you can testify the same.
Let the praise of the Lord Jesus Christ the be ever in your hearts and in your minds and upon your lips. In this way you can magnify the truth. The Holy Spirit will witness with your spirit that you are indeed children of God. Be of good courage; Jesus is our personal Friend and Saviour. He loves us, and if He notices the little brown sparrow, how much more will He love and care for us. The memory grows weak when it is not exercised. So will our faith and hope and courage become feeble unless we look unto Jesus with all the confidence that a little child looks to its mother. By beholding Him, we become changed into His righteousness. Let not one thought of unbelief be woven into your religious experience.
The Lord will be our efficiency and exceeding great reward. Amen
Believing in God has a fundamental impact on your life and is not easy. It’s not comfort, not health, not wealth, and not prosperity in this world. Radical obedience to Christ risks losing all these things. At the same time, being a devoted believer in Christ will encourage you to let go of sin and to start living a righteous life. It will help you to behave with integrity, kindness, and moral righteousness in a world that is filled with wickedness, deceit, and greed and in the end, such a life finds its reward in Christ as he is more than enough for us. To celebrate the joy of being a Christian and to celebrate Jesus, we’ve compiled the following selection of inspiring faith-strengthening Christian quotes.
“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us”- Augustine
“He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss. He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; he’s moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain.” —Randy Alcorn
“God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supplies.” —Hudson Taylor
“Let God’s promises shine on your problems.” —Corrie ten Boom
“Christ literally walked in our shoes.” —Tim Keller
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.” —Jim Elliot
“Remember who you are. Don’t compromise for anyone, for any reason. You are a child of the Almighty God. Live that truth.” —Lysa Terkeurst
“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” —Francis Chan
“The greater your knowledge of the goodness and grace of God on your life, the more likely you are to praise Him in the storm.” —Matt Chandler
“You are the only Bible some unbelievers will ever read.” —John MacArthur
“The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.’” —Billy Graham
“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” —Mother Teresa
“God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile” — Max Lucado
“Always, everywhere God is present, and always He seeks to discover Himself to each one” —A.W.Tozer
“God will meet you where you are in order to take you where He wants you to go.” —Tony Evans
There is no one who is insignificant in the purpose of God.” —Alistair Begg
“If you believe in a God who controls the big things, you have to believe in a God who controls the little things. It is we, of course, to whom things look ‘little’ or ‘big’.” —Elisabeth Elliot
“Relying on God has to start all over everyday, as if nothing has yet been done.” —C. S. Lewis
“Your potential is the sum of all the possibilities God has for your life.” —Charles Stanley
“The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.” —Helen Keller
“Continuous effort — not strength nor intelligence — is the key to unlocking our potential.” —Winston Churchill
“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” —Chuck Swindoll
“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him” —John Piper
“God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises, leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.” ? Martin Luther
Albinism is the “congenital absence of any pigmentation or coloration in a person, animal or plant, resulting in white hair, feathers, scales and skin and pink eyes in mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish and other small invertebrates as well.”Varied use and interpretation of the terms mean that written reports of albinistic animals can be difficult to verify.
For ages, Judith had a feeling that she would struggle to become pregnant. There wasn’t a medical explanation for this — it was simply a niggling fear.
She and her husband struggled to believe they would ever become parents after years went by without her becoming pregnant. “I found myself getting anxious and desperate,” Judith first wrote on Love What Matters.
“The fear remained no matter how hard I tried to stay positive. However, Eight years down the line, my husband and I decided to go for our second round of IVF. The first of which failed, as well as other various procedures and fertility treatments. Every ultrasound visit after that was horror”
Judith
The couple could hardly contain their joy when that second round of IVF proved successful.
Judith was carrying twins — a boy, Kamis, and a girl, Kachi.
It felt remarkable that after all these years, their aspirations and dreams of a family were about to be real.
However, mum’s joy quickly turned to horror as doctors broke the news that Kachi was “at risk and might not make it”. “Every ultrasound visit after that was a nightmare as Kachi was far behind in growth whiles Kamsi did great.
“Finally, at 37 weeks, I had to be induced immediately because I was told that Kachi had stopped growing..” After the birth Nurses let Judith hold her daughter briefly before she was whisked to the NICU.
“The first time I saw her, I wondered if the nurse was handing me my baby, or someone else’s,” Judith said. “I waited a few seconds for someone to tell me there was a mix-up?” “Soon the joy of seeing them both healthy surpassed any other feeling at that instant.”
“How did I get black and white twins?”
Several days later Judith and her husband were told that their baby girl had albinism.
“I loved my princess like every mother would love her baby but worried about her condition,” Judith said.
“I worried about her future, how society would treat her, how she’ll be accepted.
“Gradually, worry turned to sadness and I started questioning “I envied other black babies and thought, ‘Why me? Why was I the one to have an albino baby?’
“How did I get black and white twins?”
“I threw the braille sheets in the garbage”
Unfortunately, medical professionals were quick to affirm Judith’s worst fears and told her that Kachi would struggle to see and would likely need to learn to read braille.
“I couldn’t imagine Kachi reading with braille and threw the braille sheets in the garbage.” She said
“She’s so smart and has a strong personality. She knows what she wants and will always go for it. “I always tell her how beautiful she is, because she really is.
“I’m not sure she`s aware of her uniqueness at the moment, but eventually she’ll know.”
“It’s my responsibility to educate her and teach her to love herself no matter what.
Albinism
Albinism affects the production of melanin, the pigment that colours skin, hair and eyes. It’s a lifelong condition, but it doesn’t get worse over time.
People with albinism have a reduced amount of melanin, or no melanin at all. This can affect their colouring and their eyesight.
Albinism is caused by faulty genes that a child inherits from their parents.
Symptoms of albinism
Hair and skin colour
People with albinism often have white or very light blonde hair, although some have brown or ginger hair. The exact colour depends on how much melanin their body produces.
Very pale skin that burns easily in the sun and doesn’t usually tan is also typical of albinism.
Eye colour
Someone with albinism can have pale blue, grey or brown eyes. Eye colour depends on the type of albinism and the amount of melanin. People from ethnic groups with darker pigmentation tend to have darker coloured eyes.
Eye problems
The reduced amount of melanin can also cause other eye problems. This is because melanin is involved in the development of the retina, the thin layer of cells at the back of the eye.
astigmatism — where the cornea (clear layer at the front of the eye) isn’t perfectly curved or the lens is an abnormal shape, causing blurred vision
photophobia — where the eyes are sensitive to light
nystagmus — where the eyes move involuntarily from side to side, causing reduced vision; you don’t see the world as “wobbling” because your brain adapts to your eye movement
squint — where the eyes point in different directions
Some young children with albinism may appear clumsy because problems with their eyesight can make it difficult for them to perform certain movements, such as picking up an object. This should improve as they get older.
How albinism is inherited
The two main types of albinism are:
oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) — the most common type, affecting the skin, hair and eyes
ocular albinism (OA) — a rarer type that mainly affects the eyes
Autosomal recessive inheritance
In most cases, including all types of OCA and some types of OA, albinism is passed on in an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. This means a child has to inherit two copies of the faulty gene (one from each parent) to have the condition.
If both parents carry the gene, there’s a 1 in 4 chance that their child will have albinism and a 1 in 2 chance that their child will be a carrier. Carriers don’t have albinism but can pass on the faulty gene.
X-linked inheritance
Some types of OA are passed on in an X-linked inheritance pattern. This pattern affects boys and girls differently: girls who inherit the faulty gene become carriers and boys who inherit the faulty gene will get albinism.
When a mother is a carrier of an X-linked type of albinism, each of her daughters has a 1 in 2 chance of becoming a carrier and each of her sons has a 1 in 2 chance of having albinism.
When a father has an X-linked type of albinism, his daughters will become carriers, and his sons won’t have albinism and won’t be carriers.
If you have a history of albinism in your family or you have a child with the condition, you may want to talk to your GP about getting a referral for genetic counselling.
A genetic counsellor provides information, support and advice about genetic conditions. For example, you can discuss with them how you inherited albinism and the chances of passing it on.
Albinism is usually obvious from a baby’s appearance when they’re born. Your baby’s hair, skin and eyes may be examined to look for signs of missing pigment.
As albinism can cause a number of eye problems, your baby may be referred to an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) for tests to check for conditions such as nystagmus, squint and astigmatism.
Electrodiagnostic testing is also sometimes used to help diagnose albinism. This is where small electrodes are stuck to the scalp to test the connections of the eyes to the part of the brain that controls vision.
Over two hundred
churches attacked in France in the past two years, twenty of them burned to the
ground. And now Notre Dame… what on earth is happening in France?
I was channel
surfing last month when I caught the tail end of a news report: Notre Dame was
on fire. I couldn’t believe it! Memories of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, The
Aristocats, Ratatouille, and The Three Musketeers all surfaced as I watched the
news report. How on earth did a building as long-standing and well-known as
this simply go up in flames?
My mind started
spinning with possible reasons for the fire such as arson, a terrorist attack,
or faulty wiring. The building is over 800 years old, maybe some old wiring
sparked and caused the fire. However, according to Benjamin Mouton who served
as Chief Architect of Historic Monuments in France, this cannot be the case.
All electrical wiring of Notre Dame was updated in the 90s; furthermore, they
had alarm mechanisms in place for things such as fires. And what about the two
men that were meant to patrol the area? For such a historic building, there has
to be some form of security in place, and there was, day and night. What
happened to those two men?
I waited for the
result of the investigation to be released, expecting it to take a couple weeks
due to the size of the cathedral. To my surprise, the authorities were able to
give information to the public before the ashes had even stopped smouldering.
How is that even possible? How were they able to rule out arson and terrorism
so quickly? Where was the thorough investigation? Did they take into
consideration that many churches in France had been attacked, and some even
burned down? I smell a rat here.
What the
authorities were saying and what I was seeing and hearing was just not making
any sense. First of all, we are talking about wood that is over 800 years old-
that stuff is not easy to burn! It would take an extraordinary amount of effort
to ignite the amount of oak in the cathedral, but somehow it wasn’t caught soon
enough to avoid the amount of damage sustained. Once again, where were the two
watchmen who were meant to keep an eye out for such things? Why did the fire
have to get to that stage?
Youtube has a
wealth of information on every topic that you could ever think of, and many
people take it upon themselves to look for the truth. I happened across a video
of a mysterious figure on the Notre Dame rooftop before the fire began, but
what really caught my eye was the figure’s odd movements. The person seemed to
be going to specific spots on the roof, and once they moved away, there would
be a flash of light in the area just vacated. With all the conspiracies going
on in the world, could this be one of them?
The President of
France has promised to rebuild the monument and make it even more beautiful
than before, but he said something else that caught my antennae. He said that
he wants to rebuild the building to reflect their modern multi-diversity…
Multi-diversity? Considering that France is no longer known as a Christian
country, what could he mean? Now, I am aware that Christianity and Catholicism
are two different things although the world lumps us into one box. The
cathedral was even consecrated to the Virgin Mary, something that has nothing
to do with our faith. However, his statement raised warning flags in my mind
because I immediately thought of either a mosque-like building being built or
something that reflects the One World Order that is coming to existence at an
alarming speed. When I read that many billionaires and companies were pledging
millions of dollars to rebuild the cathedral, I found it fascinating. Why put
so much money towards building Notre Dame when people around the world are in
need? The contribution racked up a staggering $1 billion in a matter of hours,
and pledges were still pouring in. What is their interest in the building? What
does this building truly represent for them?
Then the bombings
in Sri Lanka took place, and it left no doubt in my mind that all of these
events, the timeframe of them, the type of media coverage, hiding of the truth,
etc. all seem to be part of some global plan. This is not just a coincidence!
We need to have ears that hear and eyes that see for us to take note of all
that is unfolding around us. It’s both an exciting and dangerous time to be
alive. Exciting because Jesus is most certainly on His way, and dangerous due
to Christian persecution being ramped up. Make no mistake: things will unfold
whether we choose to acknowledge it or not.
My little daughter is very sick. She is close to death. Will You come to my home and pray for her? These were the words of a sad father in Scripture. Jesus said yes, but along the way He kept getting stopped, one interruption after another. Finally, word came back to Him saying, “no need to come. The little girl has died.
They were upset and very distraught. But Jesus said to them, “don’t be afraid, only believe. The little girl will be well.” Notice the phrase, “only believe.” Jesus went to the home, laid hands on the little girl, and she came back to life.
Today, does your situation seem impossible? In the natural, you don’t see how you can get well, or how you can overcome the addiction, or how your family can ever be restored. God is saying to you what He said to them, “if you only believe, I will turn the situation around. If you only believe, breakthroughs are headed your way!”
But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, ‘do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.
(Luke 8:50, NKJV)?
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for Your hand of victory upon my life. Father, thank You for making a way even when there seems to be no way, despite my unbelief at times. God, I choose to stand in faith. I choose to believe, knowing that You are ready, willing and able to cause me to overcome in this life, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick
David was between a rock and a hard place. He was in a very difficult situation when he wrote today’s verse. He was actually running for his life from his very own son, who wanted to kill him and take over the throne. Can you imagine? David was probably feeling overwhelmed, distraught, heartbroken, betrayed and abandoned. Have you ever felt that way, when you can’t believe what’s happening to you?
But, notice that David didn’t just tell the Lord all about his problems. He told the Lord about his faith when he said, “but You, God, are a shield around me”¦” David made the choice to focus on God’s goodness no matter what. The circumstances may be tough, but God is working behind the scenes for you. You may have a difficult relationship, but God is your Restorer. You may have an overwhelming need, but God is your Provider. The doctors may have told you that you have an incurable disease, but God is your Healer.
Today, things may look impossible, BUT WITH GOD, all things are possible! If you’ll keep that constant attitude of faith and victory, you’ll see the hand of God move in your life, and you will experience the life of victory God has in store for you!
”O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! …But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.”
(Psalm 3:1-3, NIV)
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for always being faithful and working in my life. Father, today I open my heart to You and choose to focus on You instead of my circumstances. God, teach me that when things are difficult that I turn to you for my breakthrough. I know that with You, all things are possible and will work for my good, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27
There always have been and always will be two classes on the earth to the end of time–the believers in Jesus, and those who reject Him.
Sinners, however wicked, sinful, evil, abominable, and corrupt, by faith in Jesus Christ will be purified and made clean, through the doing of His word. and the blood of Jesus Christ which was shed on calvary.
Those who reject Christ and refuse to believe the truth will be filled with bitterness against those who accept Jesus as a personal Saviour. But those who receive Christ are melted and subdued by the manifestation of His love and His humiliation, suffering, and death in their behalf.
The peace that Jesus Christ gave to His disciples, and for which we pray, is the peace that is born of truth, a peace that is not to be quenched because of division. Without may be wars and fightings, jealousies, envies, hatred, strife; but the peace of Christ is not that which the world giveth or taketh away. It could endure amid the hunting of spies and the fiercest opposition of His enemies…. Christ did not for an instant seek to purchase peace by a betrayal of sacred trusts. Peace could not be made by a compromise of principles.
It is a grave mistake on the part of those who are children of God to seek to bridge the gulf that separates the children of light from the children of darkness by yielding principle, by compromising the truth. It would be surrendering the peace of Christ in order to make peace or fraternize with the world. The sacrifice is too costly to be made by the children of God to make peace with the world by giving up the principles of truth…. Then let the followers of Christ settle it in their minds that they will never compromise truth, never yield one iota of principle for the favor of the world. Let them hold to the peace of Christ.
Pictured is the Higdon family. This photograph was taken in the year 1898 in Britain. Who were the Black Victorians? Mainstream history has virtually erased them from our minds and history books. We have been filled with images of slavery in America and across the world, but why is it that this chapter in black history was skipped? Why isn’t it equally common knowledge that in the midst of all of that darkness there was Victorian Britain have been revealed to the public for the very first time.
Delicate, rare and striking – forgotten photographs of black Britons in the late 19th and early 20th century have been unearthed from the depths of the Hulton Archive — one of the world’s oldest and largest archives holding over 80 million images.
Black Chronicles II, a photographic exhibition at Rivington Place in East London is currently showcasing over 200 images that explore black presences in Victorian Britain, the majority of which have never been revealed to the public.
“We have been doing this work around black representation through the prism of photography for 25 years,” says Mussa.
“What we wanted to do with this research project was to expand, if you like, the narrative back to the very early days – to the invention of photography in 1839.”
Going far back in time
The history of black people in Britain is most commonly traced back to 1948, when the “Empire Windrush” ship carried 492 Jamaican passengers to British shores, following an ad in a Jamaican newspaper promising affordable carriage on board for those seeking a new life and work in the UK.
Searching for images taken prior to this moment proved to be both exciting and overwhelming.
“We didn’t know what we would find in the archive.” Mussai exclaims.
“The Hulton Archive didn’t know what they had because they didn’t look at it with this particular remit in mind, and with 80 million records, you can imagine things get lost!”
After extensive rummaging, a wealth of hitherto unknown photographs, carte-de-visites (thin paper photograph mounted on thick paper card), cabinet cards and albumen prints resurfaced.
At one point in history, people of color were included in high society and walked the cobbled streets of Britain. The women wore intricate, voluminous gowns and wore their hair in curls and chignons. The men in suits and fair business. This may not have been the case for all black people in Britain, but for some it was.
The Victorian Era was ruled under Queen Victoria, an era that is described as an opulent culture, although there were underlying bouts of poverty and child labor. History would like you to believe that black people didn’t arrive in Britain until 1948 during “The Empire Windrush”, when many Jamaican descendants entered the country, but that is not so. There has been proof to suggest otherwise. There is documentation that proves that it wasn’t uncommon to see black faces at a Shakespeare show. We’ve been there all along, humming softly in the background.These images prove that you can’t take mainstream history at face value. Take the time to look behind the curtain and uncover OUR history. It’s as if our ancestors are just waiting for us to seek them out.
Evil never rests, it only regroups and develops a new strategy to bring about as much death, destruction, and pain as it can. It seems that the dust has hardly settled over the last suicide inducing game (The Blue Whale Challenge) that a new one has cropped up: The “Momo Challenge”.
A twelve-year-old girl from Argentina has reported having committed suicide, a suicide linked to the Momo Challenge. There are other suicides that have been linked to the challenge but have yet to be verified. Police officers all over the world are warning parents to be on the lookout for this deadly social media game and to be aware of the signs associated with it.
The way that this challenge works is by sending a number to a person’s phone and asking them to contact a Momo Whatsapp profile. Once a connection has been established, Momo will begin to send challenges/objectives to the users that escalate in self-harm as it progresses. Failure to do so will result in threats such as promising to curse the user, kill their family and appearing at night to them. Graphic and disturbing pictures are also sent to the user to further terrify them into complying with the demands of the Momo.
A father from Cutral Co has claimed that the game threatened his fifteen-year-old daughter with certain death. A Momo-connected profile sent the girl a picture of a dead person and threatened her home, family, and friends if she didn’t respond to the challenge.
The Momo is a terrifying-looking half woman/half bird creature that is weird enough to strike fear into any child (or adult for that matter) when coupled with threats of harm and promised death. The creators of the now-dubbed suicide game are using the cropped image of a bird-woman sculpture that was created by Link Factory, a Japenese special effects company. The Momo challenge has no connection to the Link Factory.
Children remain at risk for games like this because their concept of reality and fantasy can become easily blurred. Parents should keep an eye on their children and their mobile use, but take care not to appear overly controlling because that can create much frustration and distance their children from them. If a child is spending an unhealthy amount of time on their mobile, parents need to promote playing outdoor games. If parents themselves spend a considerable amount of time playing games on their mobiles, all efforts to stop or reduce the time spent doing so should result in your child having less of an interest to engage in mobile games. Having good communication with your child/ren is also vital.
The most important thing that we can do for our children is to pray for them. There is only so much that we can do in the physical realm to protect our kids, therefore prayer is the only form of action that we can take to counter all that takes place in the spiritual realm. I believe that all events that take place in the physical realm first originate in the spiritual realm, and as we do not have constant access to that realm (and should not unless by the Holy Spirit at appointed times and by the will of GOD) we need to put our faith in the Almighty to hear our prayers and petitions to keep our children safe.
Racism is a pretty controversial topic, especially in the world we live in today. Among Christians, things can get especially dicey, as the rest of the world’s eyes are just staring and waiting for us to make a mistake.
Remember in Matthew 22:39 when Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself?” Right there, the Bible is directly telling us that to loathe someone based solely on the color of their skin, is a sin. But I didn’t always understand that.
It’s easier to admit to sin when everybody else has done it, but here I am today doing something that’s far from easy; I struggled to love my neighbor as myself. It wasn’t how I was raised, but the environments I was around in every single job situation planted seeds of hate into my heart. I pushed away when God started to deal with me about it. I’d say things like, “I’m not racist. I have diversity in my life. I’m not a hater.”
Yet all the while, I wouldn’t speak up when my coworkers at a freelance writing gig would tell racist jokes, sometimes I’d even play along just because “everybody else was doing it.” I worked for almost eight months for an internet political publication; an environment that was toxic waste disguised as candy. Some of the articles I was assigned to write were satirical and entertaining, but then there was a vast majority that I was told to write, that made ugly and cringy remarks about other races, cultures, and people in general in ways I wasn’t comfortable doing. But like an idiot, I didn’t refuse to do the work; I played along in hopes of gaining everybody’s favor.
After a while, all the jokes and satirical remarks started to become more than just horseplay; I started to really believe the things I was being told and dwelled on how much I didn’t like people who weren’t like me. Still, when God would deal with me about it, I would shove it off and say that “I just wasn’t like that.” That it was all fun and games. I was living a lie.
Eventually, the publication went out of business, and I went on to pursue other writing opportunities. I was upset at the time, but now I thank God that he took me away from all that stress.
It was at a church conference that God started to deal with me again. I realized that though I wasn’t as “extreme” as people you might see online, I was enabling it, writing and promoting it, and thinking those thoughts. God told me that he did not call me to be a hater, and during the altar call I ran, fell to my knees and poured my heart out to Him and told him how sorry I was. I know that He has forgiven me, and restored me to a place of love rather than hate.
I’m telling you all of this because I know I’m not the only one who has struggled in this area. I didn’t like the person I let the world turn me into, and God didn’t either. God has commanded us to love, not hate.
Today I am not the same person I was when I began my pursuit of writing. God took away the ugly sin and created a beautiful testimony; one that I will not shy away from. Am I ashamed of all the ugly things I published during my first writing gig? Absolutely. But it is a reminder of who I was before God totally transformed my mindset. I am no longer addicted to outrage, hatred is not in my heart; instead, God’s love has completely and totally transformed me.
God wants to deal with you about some stuff too; stuff that may not necessarily be easy to admit to yourself that you’ve done. But once you’re honest with both yourself and God, and ask for His forgiveness, it will radically change your life.
Anyone who says the Christian life is unadventurous hasn’t hung out much with the Apostle Paul. You can feel the tension rising as he goes to bat for the things Jesus has done in his life. You can hear him momentarily go off-roading in order to defend the message of the Gospel and pursue those whom he loves. Let’s not forget–Christianity is not meant to be a bunch of “do’s and don’t’s”–it’s meant to be relational!
The false teachers of this day were masquerading as image bearers of Jesus. They were Christian-fakers. They could talk the talk. They were “spiritual”…but not Christlike. They had head knowledge…but not heart. Take a closer look at how Paul describes them: “You have such admirable tolerance for impostors who rob your freedom, rip you off, steal you blind, put you down—even slap your face! I shouldn’t admit it to you, but our stomachs aren’t strong enough to tolerate that kind of stuff (v.20–MSG).”
From a distance, it appears obvious that these leaders did not have the best interest of others in mind. They were selfish and wrongly motivated. However, it is so easy to get entangled with others (even in the church) who persuasively influence you or impact your thinking. When you are looking for a place to belong and people to accept you…it is surprising what you will put up with. It may take some personal introspection to examine your friendships and relationships in order to determine whether or not they are Christ-centered.
What are the characteristics of a godly leader, mentor, or friend? Ask yourself…
What word best describes the other person: arrogance or humility?
Do they tear you down, or build you up?
Do they talk over you, putting you in your place? Or do you consider them a place of refuge and comfort?
Do they brag about their self-accomplishments? Or, their weakness that was made strong in Jesus?
Do they want to hurry you on out the door? Or are they patient with you, filled with grace?
Do they make every problem “your” problem? Or, do you find them relatable and human, willing to put themselves in your shoes?
Do they point you to Jesus above everything else?
Paul was a committed leader who was willing to endure incredible hardship and suffering in order to pursue the heart of the ones he loved. He leveraged his talents, abilities, knowledge, lineage, education, and career to steer the believers back to Jesus. We need more people like this today! People who are willing to take risks for others. People who will humbly take a stand, regardless of the fallout. People who are fearless faith-walkers to defend the truth.
Why is it necessary to stand up for the truth? Why do we find it so difficult to do so?
Telling someone about God is not the easiest thing in the world. I don’t understand every single thing about Him, I mean, he’s God. I can’t answer you when you ask me how in the heck He was there before there ever was a beginning; my human mind can’t comprehend how that’s even possible. I can’t tell you why bad things happen to good people, I can’t tell you why we are always at conflict with other countries when an all-powerful God could just say “Stop being stupid” and we would all just get along. I don’t have the answers to the world’s toughest questions about God, all I’ve got is faith based on the knowledge that I do have. I do know that God answers prayer, I do know that He gives me peace and strength, and I do know that before God, all I ever did was sit around, get fat off of junk food and feel sorry for myself.
I tell people about God because I want them to know Him like I know Him. I want them to know what it feels like knowing that God comforts us in the storm and protects us from harm. But how do I convey that in spoken form? How do I describe a feeling that’s unlike any other? Most of the time I fail, and then things get awkward.
“God loves you. I know you may not believe in him, but he believes in you!” Cringe. Why did I say that? I used to work at a Fast Food joint, not Hallmark. She turned right around to face me and said, “Alisha, I don’t NOT believe in God, I just don’t go to church. Who told you that I was an atheist?” Ummm awkward! What’s even is worse is the fact that I ratted on my friend and said that she did it. I really didn’t think that through, I should have had more coffee before I decided to open up my big mouth cause for the rest of that week everybody was making fun of how ignorant I was.
I had another situation where I was trying to witness to someone and I just went right along with their answers so that I could seem relatable. Big mistake. “Yeah,” he said. “I just don’t know if God is real or not. He could be, but he might not be. I just don’t know, so I don’t believe.” I told him that I was right in the same boat as him, which was a lie. I told him the cliche line of “too many things have happened to me for me to not believe,” and the cringe continued. No, my grade A witnessing skills did not make this person desperately want to give his life to The Lord. I wasn’t being truthful, I believe in God and in no way do I have any doubts. There was a time I didn’t, but not now. I don’t know how I thought lying just to seem relatable would do anyone any good.
I haven’t mastered the arts of genius witnessing tactics, but now I’m realizing that the best way is to live by example. People are going to notice I’m different, people are going to be curious on their own, and then I can tell them what I know and be honest about what I don’t know. Witnessing isn’t about obnoxiously asking them if they want to learn about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it isn’t about making people feel weird or uncomfortable, it’s about leading people to God on their own terms. Let your light shine for itself, people will notice, and when they do, they will find a love like they’ve never known before.
Disclaimer: I acknowledge the fact that this article may be incredibly offensive to some, even those that I call friends. However, this article is in NO way saying that I hate transgender/homosexual people. I love and respect them as humans (and friends!), I just simply don’t support their decision. I want to freely express my views and this article happens to hold a view that has recently been quite controversial in American culture.
You are a parent who loves the LORD and seeks to obey Him in all things, and you raise your children to do the same (Deut 6:6-7). What happens though, when your child tells you that they do not like the gender that GOD gave them? Do you accept them as they are to avoid possibly ostracizing yourself from your child’s life, or do you call the fires of heaven upon them because their dislike of their gender will lead them away from GOD’S truth?
You’re going to have to just pause and really listen to your child. Ask them questions. Hear what they have to say about what they are feeling and believing. You need to remember that you remain an example for your child- if you, a Believer, chooses to speak rashly and say the first things that come to mind (which will most likely be negative) to your child, then you stand a greater chance of losing them. James 1:19 says: So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of GOD. You need to readily listen to your child, you must choose your words carefully and you cannot afford to get angry. After all, you are an ambassador of Christ (2 Cor 5:20), you cannot misrepresent Him.
If anything, be angry at Satan- he is the one influencing your child. Am I saying that your child is possessed and needs an exorcism? No, but you do need to be sensitive to the situation. Satan wants to lead your child away- he seeks to pollute every creation of GOD. Think about it for a moment: why on earth would GOD have your child be born male/female, and then, a few years later when they are able to give voice to their feelings, they believe that they should have been something other than what they are? Do you not know that Satan is a deceiver? Do you understand that all he wants is your destruction? What better way to cause destruction than to separate you from GOD? The Scriptures say this about our adversary: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Our Heavenly Father will continue to love your child- His love is not dependent on who you are, but who He is- but if they do not realize that being transgender goes against GOD, then they will be lost (it doesn’t have to be permanent).
Our feelings are not reliable, in fact, they can often lead us astray. You may find your child saying: “I don’t feel female, I should have been a male” and vice versa. Once their feelings and thoughts are strong enough and most likely justified by society, then they start to believe that they should be female/male. What makes them feel this way? Let me create a scenario for you: one day you wake up, and a sudden thought just pops into your head. The thought is that you find your neighbor annoying. You didn’t find him annoying yesterday, but you do today. You start to think of all the things that annoy you about your neighbor: he doesn’t close his car door properly, he sometimes talks while chewing gum etc. Now you’re working yourself up with all of these thoughts and feelings, but you have not even stopped to question them. You walk out of your house with these feelings swirling about in you and lo and behold, you see him doing the very things that you find annoying. Now you feel angry at him- why can’t he just shut his car door properly? Why doesn’t he just spit that gum out before talking to people? Doesn’t he know that it’s rude? You’re quite worked up now. The neighbor sees you and waves at you with a smile on his face. Oh, but you’re angry, so you glare at him and storm back into the house, banging the door closed behind you. The neighbor is naturally taken aback by your reaction to his friendly greeting- you were not like this yesterday! One day GOD tells you to speak to your neighbor about Christ, but guess what? Your neighbor does not want to hear anything that you have to say about Jesus because of the way that you once acted towards him. Now you’re questioning yourself- why were you so annoyed with him? Why did you get so angry with him when you really don’t have a problem with him? Do you want to know what happened? You didn’t filter your thoughts! You didn’t stop to think: is this thought mine? Or is it coming from somewhere else? You just accepted that you felt annoyed with your neighbor and then like a wildfire, it got out of control. You took it to another level. Do you know that Satan can put thoughts into your head? He cannot read your thoughts, but he can plant a thought in your mind. Why do you think we were given this Scripture: …casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:5). Jesus said to love your neighbor right? How were you showing love when you chose to accept that negative thought and so treat your neighbor poorly? Do you understand how your thoughts exalted themselves against the knowledge of GOD? By accepting those thoughts and acting out your feelings, you disobeyed GOD and you gave Satan a stronghold in your mind (see 2 Cor 10:4). He planted a thought in your head and sat back to watch you run with it- you did all the work of disobeying GOD.
Let’s use this knowledge to now figure out what is going on with your child.
A thought gets put into your child’s mind- they do not feel male/female. Obviously, they do not think that there is an outside spirit force trying to influence them, therefore they accept the thought as their own: ‘I thought it, therefore it must be mine’. Guess what happens now? Since your child accepted the thought, the devil now has a stronghold in your child’s mind. You see, there are spiritual laws that all spirits must abide by. When GOD tells us not to do something, it’s for a reason! It’s not just about controlling us! When we go against GOD, we give the devil legal ground to afflict us.
Now your child’s mind is the devil’s playground. He is going to continue to inject thoughts contrary to GOD’S Word into your child’s mind. When under such an onslaught, your child has no way of fighting it, not on their own. Eventually, your child will not only be influenced by thoughts alone, but the devil will purposefully put certain people in your child’s life that will convince them that it is okay to feel and believe that lie.
Transgender people say they were assigned a sex that isn’t true to who they are. They will even tell you that it’s not about sexual orientation, how they dress or even surgery. It’s about how they feel inside. Did you know that suicide attempts are significantly quite high for transgender people? In particular for those who went as far as to have a sex change op? Go and research it for yourself. Even such actions as cutting oneself and other activities aimed at bodily harm are reported among transgenders. Now, if they were so certain about what they feel they should be, then why would they want to harm themselves or commit suicide? Professionals will chime in and say that it is a psychological problem, which is partially right- it did start in the mind after all. So they will either seek to align their patient’s thoughts and feelings with their ‘true gender identity’ or prescribe the medication to deal with their troubling thoughts. Do you see how everything revolves around thoughts and feelings? The devil is a master manipulator- we can never know where his blows are going to come from. What is worrying is that his lies have become mainstream truths. This means that GOD’S Word becomes the lie (in their eyes), and all who go against these mainstream truths are hypocritical, judgemental, unloving and dangerous people to society. What a mess.
So what can you, the parent, do? If you cannot reason with your child by using Scripture, then they need to know that you love them unconditionally, but you do not accept them seeking to change their gender in any way. Now it’s time for you to kneel down before the LORD in earnest prayer. You are going to have to pray and use the Word of GOD as a weapon against the forces of evil. Didn’t Paul the Apostle say that we ‘…do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places’ (Eph 6:12)? You’re not fighting against your child or even against the people that are trying to influence him/her. No, your fight is against Satan and his demons. They are the ones that are taking your child away, not just from you but from GOD as well. They want your child’s soul, and the only way to get it is to be separated from GOD through sin. When you pray, make sure to fast as well (look to Isaiah 58 to find out what a fast should be like). Prayer, fasting and using GOD’S Word are our weapons against evil principalities- ‘…for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds…’ (2 Cor 10:4).
Some people might say that your child being transgender does not mean that they will be taken away from you, but those are just lies. Your child changes, not only physically (with the help of hormones, the sex op or clothes), but also in personality, beliefs, etc.
If you do not know where to start when using Scripture, read 2 Peter 3:9 and 1Timothy 2:4. These Scriptures tell us that God wants everyone to be saved- that’s the basis of your petition. In 1 John 5:14-15, it tells us that when we ask according to GOD’S will, then He will hear us and that we will have the petitions that we have asked of Him. That’s a promise!
Do not expect your child to change their minds overnight. Continue to pray and believe in GOD. It could take years, but your job is to continue to have faith in GOD and in His promises to us. Do not give up.
Ending Thoughts: The devil will most certainly try to deter you in any way that he can. His most powerful weapons against us are fear and doubt. Jesus has the victory (Col 2:15), so all he can do is try to get us to think contrary to GOD’S Word.
When in doubt, look to Luke 10:19 and Acts 16:31, and for fear, look to 2 Timothy 1:7. There are many other Scriptures that you can use, these are just the main ones that I use when I go into open warfare against the devil. Get deep into the Scriptures and study them. If you do not understand something, then ask GOD for wisdom according to James 1:5, but do not doubt, for if you doubt, do not expect to receive anything from GOD (James 1:6-8).
When people speak about tithing it is divisive. Some are for and some are against and usually, they’re both screaming at each other!
Most people would say it’s a con, a hoax, a joke etc. They say it’s no longer relevant and yet that wasn’t the case for me. When I was started tithing my life was in shambles. In desperation, I went to God for an answer. Sometime later the answer came back “start tithing.”
I’d like to say that I immediately took action, that I whipped out my checkbook and wrote my first check immediately.That I repented for my inactions. Nope.
I ignored the “answer” for some time. But after a while, I did start tithing. I did it as an experiment. I started tithing on unemployment checks and after some time I was tithing on a six-figure income.
The Benefits of Tithing
Now keep in mind I’m not going to tell you that if you tithe these things are going to happen:
Your debts are going to be paid.
Your mortgage is going to be forgiven.
Your car is going to transform into a brand new BMW.
The boss won’t be able to sleep until he gives you a raise.
The CEO of the company you’re working for will see your name and face in a dream, seek you out, and promote you to a position you have don’t the skills or experience for.
When the Bible speaks about the tithe it uses the Hebrew word “maaser”(pronounced mah-as-ayr‘). It’s used 32 times in the Old Testament. (Note: English is read left to right, Hebrew is read right to left.) The Hebrew language is a language of root words. Prefixes and suffixes are added to build on the meaning of the root word. So in this word, the first letter mem (מ) conveys this meaning:
Changing a verb into the noun of that word:
For example: adding mem “to preach” (verb) turns it into “preacher” (noun).
Now taking away mem (מ) from “maaser” we’re left with “aser” which means rich.
So another way of interpreting this is:
The “rich” is in the tithe.
or with “maaser”:
“The one tithing becomes rich.”
Whoa! Crazy, isn’t it?
2. State of the Plate
Let’ss look at some other other numbers: According to the landmark State of the Plate research – a multi-year research that documented the giving habits of thousands of givers – Tithers were more financially stable than their counterparts:
According to the author:
“People that follow biblical principles of giving also are much more likely to be wiser and more careful in their spending”¦It is important in preaching and teaching on finances and generosity to help people realize that generosity leads to greater financial freedom and stability, while not giving frequently leads to greater indebtedness and financial bondage.”
Could it be possible that King Solomon – one of the wealthiest men who lived had a point when he said, “Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10 NKJV) or “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.” (Proverbs 11:24-25 NKJV)?
3. Chantel Ray
But there are even greater case studies about tithing. Before Chantel Ray. was a multi-million dollar real estate entrepreneur, she was a youth pastor making $9/hr. She was also using credit cards to survive. After several years of this she was $10,000 in debt and her cards were maxed out. One day she heard about tithing. Like many of us she said, “Yeah right! I can’t do this right now. Maybe when I start making some money.” But after months of fighting things continued to get worse and she took the leap of faith. Her first tithe check was $30. The next day she received a refund check of $300. She continued to tithe and a close family member felt led to pay off her debt. She continued to tithe and within a few months, she got a better paying job. She continued to tithe, in fact, she increased the amount. She began a new career in real estate, was the best salesperson, and eventually started her own firm.
4. John D. Rockefeller
But let’s look at another case study: John D. Rockefeller! Before John D. Rockefeller became the richest American ever. Before his wealth was 1.5% to 2% of the U.S’s GDP (his personal wealth $1.4 billion; the US GDP $92 billion). Before his philanthropy equated to hundreds of millions of dollars (billion adjusted for inflation) he learned how to give at an early age. His giving began with his first job as a clerk at age 16, when he gave 6% of his earnings to charity. By the time he was twenty, his giving exceeded 10% percent of his income. Much of it going to church-related activities. Rockefeller, a devout Christian, was always under the belief his success was divinely inspired. He said, quite emphatically:
“God gave me my money.”
Why did God single him out for stupendous wealth? He believed it was because he was a good steward. In his seventies he said:
“It has seemed as if I was favored and got increase because the Lord knew I was going to turn it around and give it back.”
Conclusion
I do know this: no matter what I say the debate will always continue. There are always going to be people for tithing and people against tithing. I can live with that. But tithing helped change my life and I hope that one day you can “experiment” with it and see what happens to you. What have your experiences been with tithing?
Have you ever asked yourself, ‘Who am I really? It’s an age-old question that many people ask and some never figure it out, our identities seem to tie in to what we are to certain people and how we live our lives.
After growing up in a broken home, and spending some years in a foster home, I spent many years of my life trying to figure out who I was; really. Was I really someone’s child, someone that didn’t fight for me while I was in a foster home for years? In the foster home, I was not really a daughter, I was a foster kid. I didn’t really belong, it was a “temporary” home for years. I was another mouth to feed in the home. I became a wife at a young age and for many years that seemed to be my identity but deep down that never satisfied me.
I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, even a patient.
All of my identities, everything that I believe I am, are all dependent on somebody and something else. Don’t get me wrong these are important roles in my life and I get to share my gifts and leave my mark in each of these lives but all of these are just roles in my life and are just a part of what makes me, me. What if all of these people were suddenly gone, what would be left of me? The question still plagues me, who am I?
Gifts and Talents
I believe my true identity goes much deeper than the just mere connection with someone else. God gives us all gifts and I soon realized that I could link up all of my gifts and talents in some way to my roles in my life. Character is the core of who you really are because when your back is up against the wall and you have no choice this is when your true self will show.
I am a good listener. Often times people call me to vent or to give them my opinion but most of the time I listen. People need that, they need for people to listen to them. Most everyone seems to be in a hurry these days and take very little time to slow down and listen. Listening comes easy for me. Hebrews 2:1(ESV) says;
“We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we
have heard, so that we do not drift away.”
So, because of this scripture, I see God also wants me to be a good listener to Him as well.
I am Loyal. I am loyal to my husband, loyal to my children, loyal to my family even though at times they may try my patience. I am loyal to my Heavenly Father, I trust Him, serve Him, rely on Him and seek Him daily. Matthew 24: 45-46 (ESV) says;
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master
has set over his household, to give them their (physical, and spiritual)
food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master
will find so doing when he comes.”
I demonstrate my loyalty to God and loyalty to those who He has called me to serve.
I am trustworthy. I don’t gossip, I don’t tell someone else’s story if told something in confidence I keep it in confidence. I have learned to trust God and I believe He trusts me.
Psalm 91:2 (ESV) says;
“I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress:
my God; in him will I trust.”
I am loving and kind. I don’t just tell of my love for people, I do my best to show people that I love them and care for them. I try to have a shoulder for people to lean on. I do my best to express my concern for others situations and the things in life that they are going through. 1 Corinthians 13: 7 (ESV) says;
“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things.”
I am compassionate. I can feel empathy for people, even if they don’t want it or deserve it in some people’s eye. I don’t want anyone to feel alone.
I also bear tangible gifts, I am an artist. I love to draw.
I am a musician: I play the guitar.
I am a blogger: I have been open about my health and life as well as my walk with God and how I believe completely in His word. 2 Timothy 1:8 (ESV) says;
“Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord,
nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by
the power of God.”
I am a daughter of a King. Not perfect, I make mistakes, but I am a working towards being more and more like my Father every day. John 1: 12 says;
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he
gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born,
not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man,
