In the book of Genesis, God set up a system of seedtime and harvest. Everything God does starts with a seed. The Bible also tells us that He gives seed to the sower. In other words, if you are a person who has a desire to bless others and sow seed, God will make sure you have plenty to give.
Notice in today’s verse what happens when we generously sow seed, we increase more! Just like planting a seed in the natural brings a natural abundant harvest, planting a spiritual seed brings a spiritual abundance. You can’t outgive God! The Scripture says that He will pour out blessings on you that you can barely contain. God’s blessing goes way beyond the financial realm. He wants you to have blessed relationships, good health and a happy career.
Today, why don’t you take a step of faith and look for ways to start sowing? What do you have in your hand? Can you start by giving a smile and sowing joy? Do you have five pounds to help someone who is homeless buy some food? Choose to be a blessing and watch how God brings increase in every area of your life.
“There are those who [generously] scatter abroad, and yet increase more; there are those who withhold more than is fitting or what is justly due, but it results only in want.” (Proverbs 11:24, AMP)
Let’s Pray Yahweh, today I want to be a sower. Father, help me to see the people around me the way You see them, so that I can bless them the way You want to bless them. God, thank You for Your faithfulness in my life as I do my best to be obedient to Your Word, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Talking about your faith with others isn’t always the most popular topic amongst young people. Fashion, football and music are more popular. Most youth are not excited when talking about faith. Feeling that if they share their faith with others, people at school, uni or on social media will think they’re weird. So they do what many Christians do, they stay quiet. Not speaking up when someone challenges their beliefs. Praying with your friend who’s parents are going through a divorce would really help, but you’re afraid of what your friend might think. The list of excuses we make for not sharing our faith can be very long.
Why is it that we talk about our sports team winning with everyone we know, but when it comes to sharing our faith, many times we tell no one? We have something way more exciting than a winning team, we have a winning God. We have a God who loved us, and gave his son so that we could experience a life changing relationship with Him. Why aren’t we filling our insta, snap and facebook feed with that news? It’s easy to get afraid to share our faith with others. It’s easier to not say anything so that we don’t look weird to others. We are called to be salt and light to our world. The message in the bible puts it this way. You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. — Matthew 5:14.
So choose to put your fears aside, step up and tell others about your God.
Let’s Holla @ God
God, please give me a Christlike excitement and remove my fear, so I can let others know that you have changed my life and to let them know that You can change theirs too. God make me a light for You. In Christ’ name Amen.
With infection rates going up, our children about to head back to school, and the economy the lowest it’s ever been, it’s easy to worry. What are you worrying about today? To worry means to allow something to revolve in your mind over and over again until it stresses you out. God doesn’t want you to live worried or anxious about anything. He knows that worry steals your peace and joy. It affects every area of your life negatively. Have you heard the saying, “Don’t worry yourself sick?” That’s because worrying affects your physical and mental body. It even affects your sleep.
The Bible says you won’t ever gain anything by worrying; in fact, you’ll lose precious moments that you can never get back again. The good news is that God has promised that you can have victory over worry. It starts by making the choice to trust in Him. When you cast your cares on Him, He will give you His peace, which will eradicate your worry. Hallelujah!
Today, why not put an end to worry in your life. Choose to feed your faith and fill your mind with God’s promises of peace. As you focus on God’s Word, and spend time in conversation with Him, He will drive out worry and fill your heart with faith and expectancy, and you will overcome in every area of your life!
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:27, NIV
Let’s Pray Yahweh, today I give You permission to put an end to worry in my life. Father, I have decided to feed my faith by studying Your promises, and declaring Your Word over my life. God, help me to totally trust in You today and every day, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
As we protest against racism worldwide, many of us are tired and weary in a struggle that has taken generations. Are you feeling tired or weary? Do you need strength for today and the road ahead? The Scripture tells us that when we hope in the Lord, that’s exactly what we will get–strength! Therefore get hope, get strength! No hope leads to weariness and fatigue!
If you’ve grown weary and tired, overwhelmed by the cares of this world, it’s a clear sign that you need to change what you’re putting your hope in. Are you putting your hope in your job? The government? The economy? Another person? Or worldly organisations? All of these things will keep you focused on earthly things, making you mentally and physically tired. But when you hope in the Lord, you are investing in the Rock of Ages. He never gets weary! He is the only solid foundation for your soul, with a clear plan for your success.
Today, find strength by simply putting your hope in God. Declare out loud, God, I place my hope in You. I trust You are working in my life, even though at times I can’t feel or see You, I will rest in You. Now, feed your hope and faith by meditating daily on the Scriptures. As you renew your mind with the Word of God, you’ll find strength, you’ll find hope, and you’ll find His victory for all the days of your life!
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
(Isaiah 40:31, NIV)
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for renewing my strength as I put my hope in You. Father, help me to have a spiritual revival, because I’m tired of following earthly human ideologies that focus on secular issues. I declare today that I love You and trust You. I know that You are working in my life and in the life of others. God, please don’t allow me to get so distracted that I lose hope in You. Fill me with Your peace and joy as I wait on You, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
With covid-19 I’m told that most people don’t even know they’ve had it, or show signs of infection on the outside. When you become a believer in Christ, He begins to work in and through you automatically. Inside, you are becoming a completely new person.
No one else around you may notice the change, at least not immediately, because people usually only see the outside of a person, and what they can see and hear. Sometimes, you yourself may not even see or feel the change. But the fact that you’ve accepted God and His grace, changes you from the inside out, and He is still changing you because you belong to Him. Don’t let people’s negative judgement of you stick or hurt, only God can see your heart.
Today, don’t be discouraged if others around you don’t seem to notice how hard you’re trying, and the work God is doing in your life. Just remember that a life-changing transformation has started on your inside. God sees the difference, He knows what’s inside you, and He is bringing victory to every area of your life. It’s nobody’s business but yours and God’s! Soon the world will know.
“…The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
(1 Samuel 16:7, NIV)
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for Your life-changing power and strength. Father, give me eyes to see myself and others the way You see them, from the inside out. Teach me not to judge others by what I see. God, help me not to get discouraged by what people say about me, because they really don’t know how hard I’m trying and how much You’re working on my inside, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
We’re living through a time of international crisis. Our systems are falling apart, we’re being separated from friends and loved ones, frightened and unsure as to how life may be about to unfold. “Reality” seems to stagger from one disturbing scenario to another. Information and advice keep changing – nothing holds fast, but the idea that everything is going dreadfully wrong. But if there is a silver lining in this crisis, it could be that the virus is forcing us to use the internet as it was always meant to be used – to connect with one another, share information and come up with collective solutions to vital problems.
Launched in March 2020, Societal’s (https://societal.co/) sole purpose is to connect people and allow people to share their thoughts with a big audience.
Societal website administrator Dean Jones a former Central St Martins College of Art & Design postgraduate said, ‘One of the most disastrous months in the history of global medicine and global economics has ended with country after country retreating into their national silos. They are fighting their own individual battles against coronavirus and in their own way, but we must work together. Like it or not the Coronavirus Crisis is showing us how to live online and hopefully Societal can help people with that.’
The new Social Network follows a UK government announcement that everyone should only go outside for food, health reasons or work (where this absolutely cannot be done from home).
Jones hopes his digital platform will help create connections, not conflict in this time of uncertainty.
Jones said further ‘As we isolate ourselves at home to protect our health and our neighbours, we still need each other. Societal means that even in this time when we are physically apart, we can still connect with our friends.”
The Core Principles of Societal are-
Respect.
Justice/Fairness.
Honesty.
Service/Giving Back/Contribution.
Responsibility.
Family.
Community.
Societal is trying to shift the paradigm. In a web full of pseudo thought-leaders, Societal promises to be place that people from all walks of life can rely on and cater to those looking for fresh, new, authentic voices and believe wholeheartedly in community. Societal offers free accounts and doesn’t serve ads.
Talking to some of the youth at school yesterday, amidst their optimism, there also seems to be a lot of hopelessness. It’s time to set our hope on God so we are not easily swayed by the trials of life.
Setting our hope on God means we set our lives in the right direction. One translation of today’s verse says, “look forward to more and more of God’s favour.” God wants to pour out His goodness and grace on you. He wants to help you get ahead in this life. He wants to lead you to the right job. He wants to lead you to the right relationship. But here’s the key: we have to be on the lookout for more and more of God’s favour. More and more of God’s hope. More and more of God’s grace. That tells me that we can’t get stagnant.
Today, meditate on the truth that God wants to do more than you can even ask or think. It says in Ephesians that He wants to show us the immeasurable, limitless, surpassing greatness of His free favour. In other words, God wants to go above and beyond what we’re used to! He wants to show you favour in unusual and extraordinary ways. Set your hopes dynamically higher today, and increase your expectations of what God will do in your life!
“…set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favour) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.”
(1 Peter 1:13, AMP)
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for Your abundance in every area of my life today. Father, I will set my hope on You, knowing that You want to do more in my life than I can ever imagine. God, by faith I receive more of Your favour, grace and hope. God, teach me to be a vessel used by You, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
“Sexual violence against women and girls is rooted in centuries of male domination. Let us not forget that the gender inequalities that fuel rape culture are essentially a question of power imbalances.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres
The United Nations General Assembly has designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Resolution 54/134). The premise of the day is to raise awareness of the fact that women around the world are subject to rape, domestic violence and other forms of violence; furthermore, one of the aims of the day is to highlight that the scale and true nature of the issue is often hidden. For 2014, the official Theme framed by the UN Secretary-General’s campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women, is Orange your Neighbourhood. For 2018, the official theme is “Orange the World:#HearMeToo” .
This year’s theme is “Orange the World: Generation Equality Stands Against Rape.” For the next two years, a campaign from the U.N. Secretary General will focus specifically on rape in its efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls.
According to U.N. figures, one in three women and girls experience some form of physical or sexual violence in their lives. The U.N. estimates that approximately 15 million adolescent girls have experienced forced sex during their lifetimes. Based on its data from 30 countries, only 1 percent of these girls ever looked for professional help.
“Too many of us fail to name or challenge the rape culture that surrounds us,” U.N. Women said in an statement about this year’s theme.
U.N. Women encourages people to get directly involved in preventing sexual violence by learning about rape culture, listening to survivors, and talking about consent.
For this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, here are some tweets that show you how to do exactly that.
5. Stop victim-blaming and body-shaming. What women choose to wear or not wear is not consent for sexual harassment, violence, bullying, body-shaming or victim-blaming.
Just recently I became so caught up on and distracted by what was wrong in my life. Did you know you can limit your life by dwelling on the wrong things? So often, wrong thinking keeps people stuck right where they are. If you think you’ll never accomplish your dreams, then you’ll stay stuck where you are. If you think you don’t have the talent, the connections or the funds, then you are limiting yourself.
Please remember that God’s promises never return void. His Word stands true forever! Don’t limit what God can do in your life by focusing on what you see wrong in the natural. Realise that you serve a supernatural God with no limits.
Today, just because you don’t see a way, doesn’t mean that God doesn’t have a way. God can bring one opportunity across your path that will launch you to a whole new level. He has explosive blessings in store that can blast you out of where you are, and into a place of abundance as He promised! Shift your focus from negative wrong distractions in the limited natural realm, and start focusing on God’s supernatural realm, and see His unlimited possibilities for your future! Hallelujah!
“I have seen that everything [human] has its limits and end [no matter how extensive, noble, and excellent]; but Your commandment is exceedingly broad and extends without limits [into eternity].”
(Psalm 119:96, AMP)
Pray With Me Yahweh, today I lift my eyes to You. Father, You alone are the source of my strength, peace and provision. I will delight myself in You, knowing that You will give me the desires of my heart. God, remove the negative distractions from me and take off my limits, in Jesus’ Name! 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
Justin’s has immersed himself in religion in recent years, attending both Churchome and Hillsong services, and now it looks like he’s taking on a bigger role.
On Wednesday night Justin Bieber led worship at a Churchome service in Beverly Hills. Clips from the performance went viral on social media.
Sang at church last night. God is pulling me through a hard season. Having trust in Jesus at your worst times is the absolute hardest. But he is faithful to complete what he started. I also want to thank my wife for being such a huge support in my life through this season ”¦ it says in the Bible count it ALL JOY when you face trials of various kinds. Sounds insane considering when u face trials u feel terrible. But if we are grateful and worship god for what we do have in that season there is so much power in that”¦ whatever pain you are going through just keep telling yourself THIS WONT LAST! Love you guys we in this together
According to TMZ, pastor Judah Smith explained to the congregation that it was time for Bieber to help lead the flock in song after years of being a worshipper.
Bieber says his breakout moment was part of a larger message he wants to spread.
The 25-year-old has been open about his faith – particularly in recent years – attending services at Churchome and Hillsong.
In the caption to an Instagram post featuring a few clips from the evening, Bieber alluded to some recent struggles in life during this “hard season”, but also said he is leaning on his faith to get him through. He also encouraged others who are experiencing difficult times to rely on Christ.
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.
It [the Word of God] is a light shining in a dark place. As we search its pages of the bible, light enters the heart, illuminating the mind. By this light we see an example of what we ought to be.
We see in the WORD, warnings and promises, with God behind them all. We are invited to search this Word for aid when brought into difficult places. If we do not consult the Guidebook at every step, inquiring, Is this the way of the Lord? our words and acts will be tainted by selfishness. We shall forget God, and walk in paths that He has not chosen for us.
God’s Word is full of precious promises and helpful counsel. It is infallible; for God cannot make a mistake. It has help for every circumstance and condition of life, and God looks on with sadness when His children turn from it to human aid.
He who through the Scriptures holds communion with God will be ennobled and sanctified. As he reads the inspired record of the Saviour’s love, his heart will melt in tenderness and contrition. He will be filled with a desire to be like his Master, to live a life of loving service. By a miracle of His power He has preserved His Written Word through all ages.
The Holy Bible is God’s great director…. It flashes its light ahead, that we may see the path by which we are traveling; and its rays are thrown back on past history, showing the most perfect harmony in that which, to the mind in darkness, appears like error and discord. In that which seems to the worldling an inexplicable mystery, God’s children see light and beauty.
Happy is the man who has discovered for himself that the Word of God is a light to his feet and a lamp to his path – a light shining in a dark place. It is heaven’s directory for men.
There are two kinds of prayer – the prayer of form and the prayer of faith. The repetition of set and the customary phrases when the heart feels no need of God, is formal prayer.
We should be extremely careful in all our prayers to speak the wants of the heart and to say only what we actually mean. All the flowery words at our command are not equivalent to one holy desire. The most eloquent prayers are but vain repetitions if they do not express the true sentiments of the heart. But the prayer that comes from an earnest heart, when the simple wants of the soul are expressed just as we would ask an earthly friend for help, expecting that it would be granted – this is the prayer of faith.
The publican who went up to the temple to pray is a good example of a sincere, devoted worshiper. He felt that he was a sinner, and his great need led to an outburst of passionate desire,
“God be merciful to me a sinner.”
Luke 18:13
After we have offered our petitions, we are to answer them ourselves as far as possible, and not wait for God to do for us what we can do for ourselves. The help of God is held in reserve for all who demand it. Divine help is to be combined with human effort, aspiration, and energy. But we cannot reach the battlements of heaven without climbing for ourselves. We cannot be borne up by the prayers of others when we ourselves neglect to pray; for God has made no such provision for us.
The unlovely traits in our characters are not removed, and replaced by traits that are pure and lovely, without some effort on our part!
In our efforts to follow the copy set us by our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall make crooked lines. Yet let us not cease our efforts. Temporary failure should make us lean more heavily on Christ.
The more you pray, the more you will find to pray about, and the more you’ll be led to pray for others.
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:12, 13
Pray With Me Heavenly Father, I look up to you in this time of change. Allow me to have the courage to change my life for the better. Allow all my burdens to be risen up to you as I know that You will see me through. Forgive those who have done evil and allow me to do the same. Teach me to love with an open heart and open spirit. Take time for me today to help with all the trials you have set out for me and allow me the strength and energy to follow you. Give me the blessings to find a new home, keep my family together, and bless those who are away, may they be strong and know how much love is out there. Let them know you and I are thinking of them and missing them dearly. Bless me with love, strength, wisdom, health, courage, forgiveness, and a willingness to learn.
Did you know?
Here are five facts about prayer, including survey data on Americans’ prayer habits and historical instances of prayer intersecting with the government:
A Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2014 found that 45% of Americans — and a majority of Christians (55%) — say they rely a lot on prayer and personal religious reflection when making major life decisions. The same survey found that 63% of Christians in the U.S. say praying regularly is an essential part of their Christian identity. In 2014 — in the case Town of Greece v. Galloway — the Supreme Court ruled that U.S. legislative and administrative bodies may begin their sessions with a prayer. On some occasions, however, the high court has rejected other types of state-sponsored prayer. For instance, in 1962’s Engel v. Vitale, the court famously struck down a policy requiring public school students to begin their day with a nonsectarian prayer.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation unsuccessfully challenged the National Day of Prayer in court. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2011 that the group, which aims to promote the separation of church and state, did not have legal standing to challenge the law.
For many Americans, every day is a day of prayer. More than half (55%) of Americans say they pray every day, according to a 2014 Pew Research Center survey, while 21% say they pray weekly or monthly and 23% say they seldom or never pray. Even among those who are religiously unaffiliated, 20% say they pray daily. Women (64%) are more likely than men (46%) to pray every day. And Americans ages 65 and older are far more likely than adults under 30 to say they pray daily (65% vs. 41%).
World Leprosy Day: Gospel for Asia-supported workers’ hands-on care for sufferers brings practical help and spiritual hope to those still marginalized by long-feared disease. WILLS POINT, Texas – Gospel for Asia (GFA) is spotlighting its efforts to bridge the historic social gulf caused by the disfiguring disease that leaves sufferers disadvantaged and often despised–one outstretched arm at a time. As Gospel for Asia-supported workers prepare a series of events offering hands-on care to sufferers across Asia, to mark World Leprosy Day, Sunday, Jan. 27, the organization is also publishing a special report on worldwide efforts to eradicate the disease.
A GFA-supported pastor helps a leprosy patient as part of the Reaching Friends Ministry caring for those afflicted by the stigmatizing disease.
The latest in an in-depth series of GFA reports addressing key global issues, “Leprosy: Misunderstandings and Stigma Keep it Alive” examines how leprosy continues to see those infected shunned despite breakthroughs in treatment, and the fact that most people are naturally immune to the disease.
Though there have been significant medical advances, more than 210,000 new cases were diagnosed in 2016–the majority of them in India. Millions more around the world are suspected to be infected but are not yet symptomatic because the disease’s incubation period is so long.
While doctors and scientists continue to work on prevention and treatment, GFA-supported workers are providing practical and emotional help to those affected. Often losing fingers and toes because leprosy’s nerve damage means they are unaware of infection and injury, many sufferers are left physically unable to work, or as a result of being shunned.
Through associated local churches and members of its Sisters of Compassion ministry, specially trained women missionaries, GFA helps provide practical care, from cooking and cleaning to bathing and dressing wounds. As well as providing physical help, these healing touches also seek to tend to emotional wounds by demonstrating to leprosy sufferers that they have not been rejected.
“When we were completely lost and dejected, Christ came to us and lived among us,” said GFA founder Dr. KP Yohannan.
“By serving these precious people who happen to be afflicted with leprosy, we are not doing anything extraordinary or special. We are simply extending the love that was first given to us.”
GFA’s ministry also endeavors to release patients from the guilt many carry because, the report notes, over the centuries many have believed the disease is the result of some great sin of theirs.
“Eliminating discrimination and false conceptions of leprosy is key to eliminating the disease itself,” the reports adds. All too frequent are “the stories of men and women abandoned by their spouses, in-laws, or even kicked out of their homes by their children.”
The World Leprosy Day outreaches are being arranged in addition to GFA’s ongoing ministry to care for patients. GFA-supported workers have reached thousands of leprosy patients since the Reaching Friends Ministry, as it is called, began in 2007. They visit some of the isolated colonies in which many patients are forced to live, often cut off from the rest of the world.
“We thought we would name the ministry differently, where they won’t have to remember their sickness or feel the stigma of it,” said Tarik, the pastor who helped launched the initiative.
“We thought, ‘Let us call them “friends” because they have been created in the image of God, like us. It is only the sickness that keeps them different, but let us not make that a barrier. Let us accept them as friends.’ “
Among the Sisters of Compassion reaching out is Sakshi, a former leprosy sufferer whose story is shared in the report: at one time she considered suicide because of her despair. Receiving treatment and care, and coming to faith through Reaching Friends Ministry, she now offers help and hope to others.
“Nobody wants to love them, hug them or to come near to them to dress them,” said Sakshi. “They have so many inner pains in their heart, because they also are human beings. They also need love, care and encouragement from other people.”
Observed internationally each year on the last Sunday in January, to raise public awareness of the disease, World Leprosy Day is marked on Jan 30 in India, to commemorate the death of leader Mahatma Gandhi, who championed concern and care for sufferers.
To read more news on World Leprosy Day on Missions Box, go here.
Gospel for Asia (GFA, www.gfa.org) and its worldwide affiliates have–for almost 40 years–provided humanitarian assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially among those who have yet to hear the Good News. Last year, this included more than 70,000 children, free medical services in over 1,200 villages and remote communities, 4,600 wells drilled, 11,000 water filters installed, Christmas gifts for more than 200,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry.
What does Romans 12:21 mean by saying, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”? Let’s start off by drawing out some word meanings with the help of Strong’s Dictionary:
the word overcome (Gk. Nikao) refers to: victory, conquer, prevail, subdue, and come off victorious (implying a battle)
the word evil (Gk. Kakos) refers to: bad, inwardly foul, rotten (poisoned), flowing out of a morally rotten character.
the word good ( Agathos) refers to: “intrinsically good, pointing to what originates from God and is empowered by Him in their life”
We know from experience that what 1 John 5:19 says is true, that the whole world lies in wickedness. Crime is rampant, just check out the news. Offenses are everywhere both offline and online. People hurting people, damaging and victimizing others with words and deeds. And people are rarely apologetic nowadays. Corrupted by sin and without Christ in this world, we can’t expect any better from most of the people out there.
In the midst of this culture and environment, what is a Christian to do? How is he to act and respond? Romans 12:21 instructs the believer to observe 2 things:
Do not be overcome by evil.
Overcome evil with good
Do not be overcome by evil
We can apply this in so many ways:
Do not be discouraged. If you’re in an environment where all the wrong things are happening to others or even to you, whether repeated offenses or unfairness is the norm; don’t be discouraged. In His time, justice will be restored and what is needed to come out will be brought to light. Ecc. 3:17 Job 12:22
Do not be influenced. In an environment where wrong is the normal practice, the Christian may sometimes be tempted to do as others do, thinking that it won’t make a difference, or thinking that doing wrong pays off, or thinking that since everybody’s doing it, it must be okay. Choose to remain honest even if your peers are into plagiarized work and cheating. Stay honest even if your peers are cheating on work hours, sleeping on the job, goofing off, inflating work hours done. Stay honest even if other businesses cheat on their customers. Leviticus 19:36
Do not be intimidated. Edmund Burke is attributed to have said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” John Stuart Mil said, “Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” Many times, it is the wrongdoers who are brave and aggressive in their ways, making no apologies about what they do and say. Christians, in the desire for peace may feel forced to stay quiet. Now, not every issue should be a battle we fight others over for. But at times, we need to make our stand known if it helps bring enlightenment even to just one person. Speak your mind when God gives an opening. Answer a curious question when somebody asks your view. God promises to teach you what to say. Luke 12:12
Overcome evil with good
We can apply this in so many ways:
Do good to your enemies. The enemies Matthew 5:44 points to are those who do wrong against you and who just feels hatred towards you for no valid reason. It may be tempting to give them a dose of their own medicine or to take revenge but the verse says to love them instead. That does not necessarily mean to go out of your way to be best buddies with them, consent to their wrongdoing and to suffer repeated abuse. In the context of agape love, it means to desire their highest good. You can and should pray for God to bless them. Pray for God to bring enlightenment and salvation in their lives. You never know when your goodness will cause repentance to dawn on them, “heaping coals of fire on their head.”
Do good and do it without expecting anything in return. Good works are rewarding to you personally and to others. The good you do will bring some fruit in their lives; gratefulness, hope, cheerfulness, and more. Often, good works are contagious. The good you do tend to get paid forward by others.
