Tag: Christian

Christian usually refers to: Christians, adherents of Christianity. Anything associated withChristianity.

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How should a Christian view success?

How should a Christian view success?

The Christians definition of how we define “success” in a year usually falls alongside worldly goals. It’s easy to create New Year’s resolutions. They are the sum of all things that happened the previous year we didn’t do. It’s also the compilation of things we want to stop doing. It’s human to look at what is quantifiable. Here is usually how we evaluate a year in review:

  • We count how many “wins” we had during the year, not reviewing what we’ve learned from failures.
  • We define success on what we’re able to buy during the Christmas season, not current blessings.
  • We evaluate God’s response rather than his present provisions.

How do we break this?

It begins in the Spiritual realm. We have to retrain our minds to look at the bigger picture. It’s not what happened or didn’t happen, it’s where God has us, and his care and covering over us. It’s a difficult area of thought because our humanity wants to achieve our goals.  As Believers, it should always be the priority to live our lives to give God the glory. As we slowly exit another year, let’s focus on how we can do that:

  • Start your conversations with what God has done for you. Give thanks.
  • Gifts? List God’s blessings to you and your family.
  • How were you able to help others?
  • What happened that made God’s provision for your life more than words?

Keeping a Godly perspective is hard. Sharing that perspective is harder. The hardest thing to do at the end of the year is to reflect with a perception that doesn’t forget 2017 but gives God the glory for it. The Christian definition of success begins and ends with God.

 

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Jesus Christ as a Project Leader

You’re the Project Leader,  congrats. However, have you ever asked yourself, “Am I a good Project Leader?”  and felt unsure of the answer? or what makes a project leader great? Are you a truly amazing project leader or just a mediocre  one?

But what can project leaders learn about project management from Jesus of Nazareth?

In the four gospels describing the life and work of Jesus, one sees that his life was to spark widespread interest in the goal of both personal and social transformation.

When given very difficult questions – even questions designed to make him look bad – he finds a way to express the truth so that even his enemies respect him.

Being a project leader is hard. People don’t naturally wish to have one.  And not everyone wants  to be one.  But most people are anxious to follow a good leader, and all projects  live or  die on the quality of the leaders who run them.

“It’s not a stretch at all to say that Jesus was the greatest leader the world has ever seen. There’s a reason why you see all those churches in your town.”

Surely  by adopting the habits of Jesus and shunning the sins of bad project leaders, anyone can do a better job of managing projects. Just as  long as the leader has  a growth mindset.

Not sure how you stack up? Here are some  key beliefs that are held by the best Christ-like project leaders, but that is often  rejected by the worst.

  1. You treat others the same way you want them to treat you.
  2. You  put the human before the project and understand that life sometimes gets in the way.
  3. The  success of the project  depends largely on you being the master of obvious and mundane things, not  obscure, or breakthrough ideas or methods.
  4. People  you manage  feel comfortable bouncing ideas off you, sharing  feedback, saying ‘I don’t know’ and admitting mistakes.
  5. You are  aware of what motivates you  and your  decision-making.
  6. You  strive to be confident enough to convince people that you are the project leader, but humble enough to realize that you  are  often going to be wrong.
  7. You always  roll up your  sleeves and pitch in when needed right alongside your team.
  8. You  give feedback — “the good, the bad and the ugly”.
  9. You  shepherd your people through every hard turn.
  10. Your rewards for success are keeping your job and receiving, even more, responsibilities and challenges.
  11. You are  aware of your  own blind spots and challenge  yourself  to step out of your  comfort zone in order to build trust and motivate  the team.
  12. You realize that  most difficult part of  being a project leader is striking the balance between being too assertive and not assertive enough.
  13. You leave your ego at the door and are  able to surround yourself  with people that are more knowledgeable and more skilled than  you  are to complete the project tasks.
  14. You are  transparent.
  15. You  inspire.
  16. You  aim to fight as if you  are  right, but  listen as if you  are wrong.
  17. You admit to having a inaccurate understanding of what it feels like to work for you.
  18. You understand that how you  do things is as important as what you  do.
  19. You understand that because you  wield power over others, you  are at great risk of being  insensitive and not knowing  it.
  20. You  create clear structures for each team member  and ensure  that they know what their responsibilities are.
  21. You are  approachable and show real  concern to the issues facing  the people on your team.
  22. You use your  status for the greater good of the company and treat the team members  with respect.

In God’s project of reconciling man with God, Jesus Christ is the “man in charge”. He kept the elements of God’s Salvation project together and as the project leader, worked within the elements of scope (reconciliation of all mankind unto God; 2 Peter 3:9),  time (when the fullness of time has come, God sent forth Jesus, his Son to be born of a woman to redeem and Save all mankind who were under the law; Galatians 4:4-5) and cost (willingly laying down his very own life; John 10:18).

Learn to inspire, teach, protect, remove obstacles  and be human and you’ll become the unforgettable project leader  that your people will remember for the rest of their life’s.

 

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50 Profound Martin Luther Quotes About Faith

A lot has been written about Martin Luther’s legacy and even though he was born in 1546, the legacy of the reformer is still felt today.

Though he was a student of Scripture, Martin is probably best known for defying the Catholic Church of his day, laying some of the groundwork for protestant theology, forming the Lutheran tradition. He was both a  complex, influential ”ž and controversial ”ž.

In today’s hectic world, there is much we can learn from Martin’s commitment to simple living, good stewardship and value of nature.

He had much wisdom to share, here are some of his most influential and controversial ”ž quotes that are sure to give you some food for thought:

  1. “I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” –  Martin Luther
  2. “Whoever drinks beer, he is quick to sleep; whoever sleeps long, does not sin; whoever does not sin, enters Heaven! Thus, let us drink beer!”  –  Martin Luther
  3. “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
  4. “Reason is a whore, the greatest enemy that faith has; it never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but more frequently than not struggles against the divine Word, treating with contempt all that emanates from God.” –  Martin Luther
  5. “A person who…does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God, must be a clodhopper indeed and does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of asses and the grunting of hogs.” –  Martin Luther
  6. “The devil, the originator of sorrowful anxieties and restless troubles, flees before the sound of music almost as much as before the Word of God….Music is a gift and grace of God, not an invention of men. Thus it drives out the devil and makes people cheerful. Then one forgets all wrath, impurity, and other devices.”  –  Martin Luther
  7. “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.“ –  Martin Luther
  8. “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” –  Martin Luther
  9. “You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.” –  Martin Luther
  10. “Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times. I know not the way God leads me, but well do I know my Guide.“ –  Martin Luther
  11. “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.” –  Martin Luther
  12. “Be a sinner and sin strongly, but more strongly have faith and rejoice in Christ.” –  Martin Luther
  13. “If you want to interpret well and confidently, set Christ before you, for He is the man to whom it all applies, every bit of it.” –  Martin Luther
  14. “The  Gospel cannot be truly preached without offense and tumult.” –  Martin Luther
  15. “Therefore we conclude that all law, divine and human, treating of outward conduct, should not bind any further than love goes. Love is to be the interpreter of law.” –  Martin Luther
  16. “We  are nothing with all our gifts be they ever so great, except God assist us.” –  Martin Luther
  17. “Those  speak foolishly who ascribe their anger or their impatience to such as offend them  or to tribulation. Tribulation does not make people impatient, but proves  that they are impatient. So everyone may learn from tribulation how his heart  is constituted.” –  Martin Luther
  18. “My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary.” –  Martin Luther
  19. “True humility does not know that it is humble. If it did, it would be proud from the contemplation of so fine a virtue.” –  Martin Luther
  20. “Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly.” –  Martin Luther
  21. “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” –  Martin Luther
  22. “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” –  Martin Luther
  23. “So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: “I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also!” –  Martin Luther
  24. “Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God.” –  Martin Luther
  25. “To find Christ in such poverty, and what his swaddling clothes and manger signify, are explained ”¦ that his poverty teaches how we should find him in our neighbors, the lowliest and the most needy; and his swaddling clothes are the holy Scriptures; that in actual life we should incline to the needy; and in our studies and contemplative life only to the Scriptures; in order that Christ alone may become the man of both lives and that he may everywhere stand before us.”  –  Martin Luther
  26. “A Christian man is the most free lord of all,  and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and  subject to everyone.” –  Martin Luther
  27. “I am more afraid of my own heart than of the pope and all his cardinals. I have within me the great pope, Self.” –  Martin Luther
  28. “Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved.” –  Martin Luther
  29. “God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.” –  Martin Luther
  30. “I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth.” –  Martin Luther
  31. “You have as much laughter as you have faith.” –  Martin Luther
  32. “There never yet have been, nor are there now, too many good books.” –  Martin Luther
  33. “This life therefore is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness, not health, but healing, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it, the process is not yet finished, but it is going on, this is not the end, but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified.” –  Martin Luther
  34. “The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest.” –  Martin Luther
  35. “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.” –  Martin Luther
  36. “If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.” –  Martin Luther
  37. “Everything that is done in this world is done by hope.” –  Martin Luther

 

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A Floating Church Will Soon Set Sail on London’s Canals

From the birth of Christianity to the present, the most significant objects of transformation for Christian architecture and design were the great churches of Byzantium, the Romanesque abbey churches, Gothic cathedrals and Renaissance basilicas. These large, often ornate and architecturally prestigious buildings were dominant features of the towns and countryside in which they stood.  There aren’t many facets of Christian architecture that haven’t been sufficiently perfected over the past two millennia.

The Catchy Design

A new project from the Church of England and UK-based firm Denizen Works seeks to challenge that notion. With a barge that not only is able to traverse the London canal network but that also has a  functional aesthetic for a place of worship that eschews the traditional concept of real estate as well.

“An instrument in spreading the gospel to parts of London.”

A Growing Community

The vessel named Floating Church is expected to be ready by December 2018.  In particular, the focus will be on developing links with the growing communities in the London Mayor’s key Opportunity Areas.  The vessel will be built for the Church of England’s Diocese of London to bring the gospel to places where there are still no established houses of worship.

Denizen Works architect Andrew Ingram said in a statement:

“We have designed a boat which we think will become a landmark on the London canal and provide its users with a unique and inspiring space.”

The interior will be adaptable for many activities as parent-children groups, yoga classes, art exhibitions, concerts, or book and supper groups.  For the period the church will be wandering around communities and will assume  two different shapes. In order to pass below London’s bridges, it was necessary to build a compact and flatboat. However, these features are only needed to navigate the waterways.

Designed to mimic the bellows of a church organ, when anchored, the boat will transform into a bright accordion-shaped space, thanks to a huge pop-out canopy. The canopy will provide a wide internal space adequate for worship and any other cultural event.

The Floating Church is presently raising funds for its construction and work on the mobile church is expected to start in March 2018.

The floating church is expected to connect with people in East, Sweetwater, and Eastwick in the Olympic Park development zone. It will also be open for rent for art exhibitions, interfaith gatherings, and other events.

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If God is For Us, Who Can Be Against Us?

17 Aspects of Discipleship Beyond Just Reading the Bible

I recently noticed some Christian songs that were encouraging listeners with the refrain “God is not against you,” and “God is for you.” I know that some famous preachers also seem to make this their regular mantra when they appear before their congregations.

Whenever I hear such encouragement, however,  I wonder how someone can make such a blanket statement to all people who might be listening.

I think of stories like the Exodus where God was clearly  for  the Israelites as God led them out of bondage, whereas God was  against  their Egyptian captors (Psalm 81:5).

Sometimes people  have a fairy tale image of God. We can be prone to think of God as there for our well being, as existing to grant our wishes (at least sometimes), and as one who is always nice to us, whose prime goal is to make us comfortable in life, and who would never think of disciplining us.

The fact is, though, that God does discipline. And our sin does affect our relationship with God in this life. It is even possible that  God can be  against  you.

  • “God  opposes  the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6).
  • “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is  against  those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12).
  • “Now the hand of the Lord is  against  you” (Acts 13:11).

Even though God can be against people,  there is still a sense that God is  for  everyone, if by this we mean that “God so loved the world” (John 3:16). We can even say that God wants what is best for us.

At the same time though,  sometimes God gives us “tough love”  to help us straighten up. For example, Paul warned the Corinthians that if we celebrate the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner we might be “judged . . . by the Lord” and “disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:32).

I cannot tell everyone that God is  not against  them. I don’t know about you, but knowing this gives me strong impetus to repent of my sin and ensure that I stay in a good relationship with God.

The good news is, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Praise the Lord!

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Christians Seen as ‘Dangerous and Offensive’ Says Former Liberal Democrat Leader

Christians Seen as ‘Dangerous and Offensive’ Says Former Liberal Democrat Leader

December 04, 2017 – Today Christians in Britain are seen as both “dangerous and offensive”, according to Tim Farron,  an evangelical Christian and former Lib Dem leader who recently resigned saying it was impossible to be both true Christian and a political leader.

“The former Lib Dem leader is to argue that faith lies at the core of liberal values in an  annual lecture of the religious think-tank Theos.”

In a speech to be delivered on Tuesday, Farron will say:

“If you actively hold a faith that is more than an expression of cultural identity you are deemed to be far worse than eccentric. You are dangerous. You are offensive.”

In prepared remarks, he will also tell the think thank that Christianity and its values are at the heart of liberalism.

Scrutiny of his religious beliefs persisted during this year’s election campaign where he was repeatedly asked in media interviews to clarify his views on whether homosexuality is sinful.  

This question first arose two years ago during an interview on Channel 4 News, to which Faroon replied: “We are all sinners.”    The media questioning then intensified during the general election campaign earlier this year until he eventually stated that he did not believe gay sex was sinful.

He also faced questions about an article he had written over six years earlier in which he said abortion was “a sin”, but recanted of that view during the election campaign.

Mr Farron says “People talk about shared values today. But when they do, what they mean is these are my values – and I am going to act as though they are also yours, and will demonstrate contempt for you if you depart from them.”

He argues that given this diversity, the only way to hold society together is through ‘real’ liberalism that accepts religious differences.

“Liberalism has eaten itself because it has eaten the very world view that gave birth to it, that made it possible, and which makes it possible,” he will say.

“So I knew that stepping down was the only thing to do,” he added. “I was right to do it. I don’t regret it.”

 

Media Headlines

Christians are deemed ‘dangerous and offensive’ says Tim Farron –  Telegraph.co.uk

Christians are deemed to be dangerous, says Tim Farron – The Guardian

Christians are deemed ‘dangerous and offensive’, says former – Catholic Herald Online

Tim Farron: Christianity is seen as dangerous – BBC News

UK Politician: Christians Seen as ‘Dangerous and Offensive’ – CBN News

Lib Dem leader defends record on LGBT rights, but says ‘I’ve already answered that’ when asked repeatedly by radio caller  – The Guardian

Mr Farron criticised social media too, saying it had been “naive” to think a decade ago the medium would lead to a “greater democracy”.

Genuine Christianity, he said, “has always has been countercultural. It will always go against the norms of the day,” which makes it unbearable for the guardians of secular orthodoxy. Christians will have to battle against “inevitable disdain.”

“But Christianity rebukes both sides: don’t judge, show kindness, show gentleness, show patience – especially to those who don’t deserve it.”

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Gay Prayer Remarks for Prince George Described As “Un-Christian and Anti-Constitutional”

LONDON — A prominent Anglican cleric and gay rights campaigner Reverend Kelvin Holdsworth said that people should pray for Prince George age 4, be gay to help the Church of England recognize same-sex marriage. But his comments about the four-year-old, who is third in line to the throne, have been described as “unkind” and “destructive”.

The backlash comes after an article on LGBT website Pink News suggesting the young prince was a ‘gay icon’ was branded ‘sick’ earlier this year.

Mr Holdsworth aged 51, provost of St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow, which voted to allow gay couples to marry earlier this year became the focus of controversy on Friday after reports he believed Christians should pray for Prince George to be gay. In his blog post, he urged people to pray for him “to be blessed one day with the love of a fine young gentleman” as it would help the Church of England become more inclusive.” A royal wedding might sort things out remarkably easily though we might have to wait 25 years for that to happen,” he wrote.  “Who knows whether that might be sooner than things might work out by other means?”

Gavin Ashenden, a former Christian chaplain to the Queen and Episcopal Church bishop, told the BBC:

“To use prayer as a mechanism for wishing this on Prince George is an unkind and destructive thing to do.” “It doesn’t have the prince’s best interests at heart, but uses him as a gender-political football to please 1.7% of the population.”

He further stated,

“What is especially odd and incongruous is the fact that it is suddenly OK to pray for someone to be gay, but totally unacceptable to pray for them to be free from being gay and to resume a sexuality that was in tune with their biology. “This seems not only contradictory but hypocritical.”

While same-sex marriage is permitted by law in most of Britain, the Church of England says on its website, “it remains the case that it is not legally possible for same-sex couples to marry” in its churches.

Mr Holdsworth told the BBC he first wrote the blog post over a year ago but it gained traction after he tweeted it again following the news of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s recent engagement.

In his clarification, published on Thursday Mr Holdsworth said it had not been his intention to cause hurt, and expressed regret that the post had led to a focus on the young Prince.

Media Headlines

Gay prayer for Prince George remarks ‘unkind and destructive’ – BBC News

“Anglican Minister Urges Prayers for Prince George to Be Gay.” – New York Times

“I was very disappointed that he was prepared to bring a child in to this same-sex marriage debate” – Susie Leafe, the director of the conservative evangelical group Reform.

“The comments made by Provost Holdsworth were made on his personal blog.” – Rt Rev Dr Gregor Duncan, Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway.

“Pray for Prince George to be gay, says LGBT campaigner priest.” – The Express

“Pray Prince George is gay says leading clergyman as it would force the church to be more inclusive.”  – The  Daily Mail

“Anglican minister sparks outrage by urging prayers for Prince George to be gay.” – The  Christian Post

“It was a ‘cynical, secular, and sinister in its approach to spiritual matters.” – Lee Gatiss, director of the Church Society, a conservative Christian body

“Anglican minister clarifies ‘un-Christian’ remarks over Prince George.” – Sky News

His suggestion was widely reported in the British media on Friday, though the blog on which he made it was inaccessible Friday morning.

LGBT inclusion remains a divisive topic in the Anglican Church which commits to uphold “marriage between a man and a woman” and, as a global communion, does not allow gay marriage.

 There has been no immediate comment from the royal family.

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35 Martin Luther Quotes That Will Give You a Fresh Perspective

A lot has been written about Martin Luther’s legacy. King was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement.

“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.” –  Martin Luther King Jr.

The father of the reformation, he’s known for many things—  Martin Luther King Jr’ I Have a Dream: writings and speeches had a profound impact on the world. Part of the appeal of Kings’ teachings and his famous speeches was his ability to capture deep, profound biblical truths in ways that are easy to comprehend but force you to wrestle through them to truly  understand.  George Washington is the only other American to have had his birthday observed as a national holiday.

Here’s a look back at some of King’s most powerful quotes.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”  –  Martin Luther King

  1. “You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.”
  2. “Those who are not looking for happiness are the most likely to find it, because those who are searching forget that the surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others.”
  3. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
  4. “We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.
  5. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
  6. “Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.”  
  7. “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”
  8. “I have decided to stick to love … Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
  9. “Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
  10. “A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live.”
  11. “Forgiveness is not an occasional act;  it is a constant attitude.”
  12. “We must accept finite disappointment  but never lose infinite hope.”
  13. “I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls.”
  14. “I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.”
  15. “Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.”
  16. “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.”
  17. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
  18. “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
  19. “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”
  20. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that.”
  21. “Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God.”
  22. “Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.”
  23. “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe  nor politic  nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right.”
  24. “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
  25. “Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.”
  26. “Intelligence plus character–that is the goal of true education.”
  27. “We must come to see that the end we seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscience.”
  28. “We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
  29. “Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge, which is power; religion gives man wisdom, which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals.”
  30. “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”
  31. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
  32. “If you want to interpret well and confidently, set Christ before you, for He is the man to whom it all applies, every bit of it.”
  33. “A Christian man is the most free lord of all,  and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and  subject to everyone.”
  34. “We  are nothing with all our gifts be they ever so great, except God assist us.”
  35. “We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now because I’ve been to the mountaintop. I’ve looked over and I’ve seen the promised land.”
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The Church, a Wolf, and Little Red Riding Hood

The Church, a Wolf, and Little Red Riding Hood

Most of us have grown up with many popular fairy tales told to us as children. The legendary story “Little Red Riding Hood” In most versions (although definitely not all of them) there is one common theme: a wolf attacks a young woman through deception.  Like parables, such stories are never intended to convey meaning in every detail. Yet, much of it may draw, even in unsuspecting ways, the reader to precepts or principles pertinent to circumstances behind the story. Such is the following on Little Red Riding Hood.

There is actually a lesson in that theme for God’s people today.

1. The Church. Satan’s wolves do more than disguise themselves as Granny. As Paul warned, they often present themselves as “ministers of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:15). Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

“That’s a lie!” said the wolf. “You won’t die!”

2. The Law. One of the most common deceptions by these types of wolves is the claim that the law was done away with. Using selective sections of the apostle Paul’s writings, these wolves deceive people into crying,  “Oh, what freedom you have!”

This was the very same tactic that Satan employed in the Garden of Eden.

3. False prophets. While these people appear to be godly—they come in sheep’s clothing—Christ said that inwardly they were “ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). These are people who claim to be children of God—but who don’t teach and live the word.

Another  Fake Jesus Christ was recently arrested and remanded in Uganda on Thursday, November 9th, for belonging and managing an unlawful society by the Magistrate’s court.  According to a report by Uganda’s Newspaper, Daily Monitor, the accused claimed not to be under any authority including the police, local council administration or the president of Uganda. The man purporting to be Jesus was arraigned in court alongside his three followers who preferred to be identified with their alias names.

“Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?”

4. The world. Wake up from your Slumber. Frequently in Scripture believers are exhorted to wake up, to be revived, and they are warned of the dangers of spiritual sleep. Christ warned us “Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves” (Luke 10:3). The world is under the sway of Satan.

As a believer in Jesus, we are promised a new life covered under the protection of God in which NOTHING can separate us from His love. Rest knowing that no matter what hardship you face, God is your provider and protector!  Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of the wolf, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

5. Wealth. These wolves say, “all this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me.” Christ warned of the “deceitfulness of riches” (Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19). Your response should be   “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“There was something wolfish about them?”

6. Marriage  How many times have we heard the story of the little red riding hood (aka Christian Sister or Brother) who fell in love with a big bad Wolf?    ‘It wasn’t beauty, it was the beast, she or he says in regret.  Being equally yoked is not meant to inhibit our dating lives. Rather, it is a command designed for protection and honor. Being unequally yoked is more dangerous than you think – and waiting for someone with whom you share the same spiritual heritage is far more rewarding than many believe.

Hey, Little Red Riding Hood, where are you going, so alone, so”¦ alone?

7. Relationship. Without Jesus, you can do nothing. An intimate relationship with God is required. That means fellowship with God daily. The big bad wolf was disguised to trick little red riding hood, but the wolf could not mislead her because Little red riding hood knew her grandmother intimately. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. – John 10:27”

“You can huff and puff but I will not worship you!”

8. Worship.  Shadrach,  Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “We don’t need to answer your last question. If our God, whom we honor, can save us from a blazing furnace and from your power, he will, Your Majesty.  Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with anger toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face turned red and he ordered that the furnace should be heated seven times hotter than normal. However,  God commissions His angels to save His chosen ones from calamity, to guard them against “the pestilence that walketh in darkness” and “the destruction that wasteth at noonday.”  

These eight types (or packs, if you will) of “wolves” have plagued Christ’s followers throughout history.

These are just a few of the tricks and deceptions that are used by Satan and his wolves. Some wolves are masters of deception and disguise. They talk like Christians. They use the Bible. They seem like nice people. They are so loving! But they will draw you in to eat you for dinner!

God’s people must learn the lesson of Little Red Riding Hood. Let’s never allow ourselves to fall prey to the Satan’s deceptions.  

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Don’t Dismiss the Power of Prayer

Don’t Dismiss the Power of Prayer (Open list)

Have you ever found yourself in a spiritual rut? I know I have. Life gets busy, the church feels like one more thing on your to-do list, and prayer feels both cumbersome and ineffective.

“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

The Power of Prayer

There are two kinds of prayer — the prayer of form and the prayer of faith. The repetition of set, 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 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 a favor, 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 and knew that he was a sinner, and his great need led to an outburst of passionate desire,

“God be merciful to me a sinner.”

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 must be combined with human effort and energy. But we cannot reach the heights of heaven without climbing ourselves. We cannot reach  those heights 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.

The power of prayer is undeniable to those who pray regularly. True stories of prayer making a difference in a moment, a life, or the world inspire each of us to examine and strengthen our faith life regularly.

“Reach deep inside to access the power of praying to change our lives and change our hearts.”

In our efforts to follow the example set us by our Lord Jesus, we shall make crooked lines. Yet let us not cease our efforts. Temporary failure should make us lean more on Christ.

There it is. The fuel that drives everything: prayer.

Please find a collection of prayers chosen by men, women, and children from multi-denominational Christian backgrounds. Contributors include politicians and royalty, as well as ordinary people.

While I have no scientific measure of how “popular” a prayer might be, nor is popularity to be equated with quality, there is something about the following prayers that make them surely among the world’s most favorite prayers.

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A New Era of Worship

The "Praise and Worship" Revolution

Contemporary Christian music is an interesting phenomenon. Few subjects have generated more conflicts than the kinds of music one should listen to or the kind of music best suited for church music.

Arguably the single biggest alteration in the life of the average Christian congregation within the last 30 years has been the sweeping change in the music that is played on during church service.

Where formal choirs  and vocal soloists along with organ and piano once held sway, a flood of guitars and “praise choruses” suddenly came rushing in during the 1980s. An irresistible, grassroots, pop-culture-driven force met the immovable object of tradition and sentiment, and the ensuing years saw no shortage of conflict and controversy as a result.

In telling this history, people often conflate the rise of “praise music” with the rise of “Jesus Rock” and its later avatar, “Contemporary Christian Music” (CCM).

While the Jesus People movement faded by the early 1980s, the impact of its musical innovations continued to reverberate throughout the Christian church. Hundreds musicians evolved into professional songwriters and “worship leaders” and created their own praise-and-worship publishing entities. Seminars and worship workshops crowded the landscape, and many churches across the continent replaced hymnbooks with overhead projectors and—by mid 1990s—big-screen video projectors.

A New Era of Worship

“It is clear that Protestant musical expression has irrevocably changed.”

“Worship Wars” have become a fact of life as traditionalists battle champions of the new music. But the existence of Christians who are constantly creating inspiring songs out of their convictions about God and Christ is both an amazing and unique thing  often resulting in separate worship services for the youth or the uneasy compromise of “blended worship.”

Once a well-meaning Christian leader said “Ahh, music is so overrated. We don’t need music in Church?  However, we need music and it’s important to offer worship and gratitude to God, not only through our thoughtful expressions and notes, but also through music. Consider this passage from Ephesians 5:15-21:

Do you notice how the Scriptures instruct us to worship? “With psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.”

With that, here are some of the current most popular Christian songs. May these fill your heart and mind with glorious, awestruck thoughts of our God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

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What Is Family Worship and Why Is It Important?

What Is Family Worship and Why Is It Important?

If ever there was a time when every house should be a house of prayer, it is now. Infidelity and skepticism prevail. Iniquity abounds. Corruption flows in the vital currents of the soul, and rebellion against God breaks out in the life.

“Family worship, sometimes simply family prayer, is prayer, bible reading, and singing of psalms and hymns conducted in private homes.”

Family Worship—Vital for Survival!

Enslaved by sin, the moral powers are under the tyranny of Satan. The soul is made the sport of his temptation; and unless some mighty arm is stretched out to rescue him, the man goes where the arch-rebel leads the way. And yet in this time of fearful peril, some who profess to be Christians have no family prayer.

“Many Christian families have never experienced the joys and benefits of family worship. But as Donald S. Whitney makes clear, the daily worship of God by families at home is a practice rooted in the Bible and common throughout Christian history.”

Family worship glorifies and honors God, it centers the Home, encourages Christian character and binds the Family members together. Family worship also provides common knowledge, trains Children for corporate worship, reinforces Spiritual Headship and  provides systematic discipleship.

The Importance of Having a Time for Family Worship

The idea that prayer is not essential is one of Satan’s most successful devices to ruin souls. His target is to separate the children from the parents. He always tries to trap the mind of the children. Every Christian parent should convene the family worship to protect his or her children from the peril.

Prayer is communion with God, the fountain of wisdom, the source of strength and peace and happiness. Jesus prayed to the Father “with strong crying and tears.”  “Pray one for another,” James says; “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Be Consistent

By consistent sincere, earnest prayer parents should make a hedge about their children. They should pray with full faith that God will abide with them, and those holy angels will guard them and their children against Satan’s cruel power. How appropriate it is for parents to gather their children about them before the fast is broken and point them to the heavenly Father, who so liberally gives them the bounties of His providence!

How fitting for them to thank Him for His protection during the night and to ask for His help and grace and the watch care of His angels during the day! How fitting, also, when evening comes, to gather once more before Him and praise Him for the mercies and blessings of the day that is past!

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Why Is the Bible So Important?

Why Is the Bible So Important?

The Bible is the single most important book ever written and is essential for knowing God and His will for our lives.

It is impossible for any human mind to exhaust one truth or promise of the Bible. One catches the glory from one point of view, another from another point; yet we can discern only gleamings.

#1: THE BIBLE HAS TRANSFORMED THE WORLD

It is not too much to say that the events recorded in this book are claimed by a significant percentage of people who have ever lived on this earth to be the most important events ever recorded in the history of the world.

The full radiance is beyond our vision. As we contemplate the great things of God’s Word, we look into a fountain that broadens and deepens beneath our gaze. Its breadth and depth pass our knowledge. As we gaze, the vision widens; stretched out before us, we behold a boundless, shoreless sea. Such study has vivifying power. The mind and heart acquire new strength and new life.  

Most of the Bible was written in what is modern-day Israel (Asia). But some passages of Jeremiah were written in Egypt (Africa) and several New Testament epistles were written from cities in Europe.

#2:  PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO DIE FOR THIS BOOK

This experience is the highest evidence of the divine authorship of the Bible. We receive God’s Word as food for the soul through the same evidence by which we receive bread as food for the body. Bread supplies the need of our nature; we know by experience that it produces blood, bone, and brain.

Apply the same test to the Bible; when its principles have actually become the elements of character, what has been the result? What changes have been made in the life?

“Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

 #3: IT CONTAINS A LIFE-CHANGING MESSAGE OF FREEDOM

In its power men and women have broken the chains of sinful habit. They have renounced selfishness. The profane have become reverent, the drunken sober, the profligate pure. Souls that have borne the likeness of Satan have been transformed into the image of God.

4: IT CONNECTS YOU TO HISTORY’S MOST IMPORTANT FIGURE

The change is itself the miracle of miracles. A change wrought by the Word, it is one of the deepest mysteries of the Word. We cannot understand it; we can only believe, that, as declared by the Scriptures, it is

“Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

A knowledge of this mystery furnishes a key to every other. It opens to the soul the treasures of the universe, the possibilities of infinite development.  

Keep turning the pages of this remarkable book.  Read it with an open mind and open heart. It contains pure truth about God, about life, the nature of mankind and our own hearts as human beings.

Then Christian Bible is described: made up of 66 books, two ‘Testaments’ (39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament). It’s been translated into over 500 languages and over 5 billion copies have been sold; the best selling non-fiction book ever. For Christians, it is God’s word, full of guidance and wisdom, containing everything you need to know about salvation, about being right with God. The Bible is a complicated book; its many stories need applying to the modern world.

 

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Pride

A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.  Pride will kill you, forever, and is the sin most likely to keep you from crying out to God in times of need.

As dangerous as pride is, it’s equally hard to spot. Satan fell because of his ambition to be equal with God. He desired to enter into the divine counsels and purposes, from which he was excluded by his own inability, as a created being, to comprehend the wisdom of the Infinite One. It was this ambition  that led to his rebellion in heaven, and by the same means he seeks to cause the ruin of man.

“Too Many People Spend Money They Earned..to Buy Things They Don’t Want..to Impress People That They Don’t Like.” ’- Will Rogers

Sin originated in self-seeking. Lucifer, the covering cherub, desired to be the leader in heaven. He sought to gain control of heavenly beings, to draw them away from God, and to win their homage to himself. Therefore he misrepresented God, attributing to Him the desire for self-exaltation. With his own evil characteristics he sought to dethrone the loving Creator.

“Through Pride We Are Ever Deceiving Ourselves. But Deep down Below the Surface of the Average Conscience a Still, Small Voice Says to Us, something Is out of Tune. ” ’- C.G. Jung

Had Lucifer really desired to be like the Most High, he would never have deserted his appointed place in heaven; for the spirit of the Most High is manifested in unselfish ministry. Lucifer desired God’s power, but not His character. He sought for himself the highest place, and every being who is actuated by his spirit will do the same.

“Proud People Breed Sad Sorrows for Themselves.” ’- Emily Brontë

We can’t conclude that we don’t struggle with pride because we don’t see pride in ourselves. Whenever pride and ambition are indulged, the life is marred; for pride, feeling no need, closes the heart against the infinite blessings of Heaven.

“It Is Better to Lose Your Pride with Someone You Love Rather Than to Lose That Someone You Love with Your Useless Pride.” ’- John Ruskin

Pride of heart is a fearful trait of character. “Pride goeth before destruction.” This is true in the family, the church, and the nation.

“All Men Make Mistakes, but a Good Man Yields When He Knows His Course Is Wrong, and Repairs the Evil. The Only Crime Is Pride.” ’- Sophocles, Antigone

Removing the Chains of Pride

How does one move from the chains of pride and self-obsession to the freedom of humble self-service?
  • A Harsh Spirit –  Those who have the sickness of pride in their hearts speak of others’ sins with contempt, irritation, frustration, or judgment.
  • Superficiality –  When pride lives in our hearts, we’re far more concerned with others’ perceptions of us than the reality of our hearts.
  • Defensiveness –  Those who stand in the strength of Christ’s righteousness alone find a confident hiding place from the attacks of men and Satan alike.  
  • Presumption Before God –  Humility approaches God with humble assurance in Christ Jesus. If either the “humble” or the “assurance” are missing in that equation, our hearts very well might be infected with pride.  
  • Desperation for Attention –  Pride is hungry for attention, respect, and worship in all its forms.
  • Neglecting Others -Pride prefers some people over others. It honors those who the world deems worthy of honor, giving more weight to their words, their wants, and their needs.    

Think of these as three facets as the jewel of genuine Christian humility

  • Who is the focus of your service?
  • Whose sin are you focused upon?
  • What is the focus of your joy, security, and contentment?

God’s people should be subject one to another. They should counsel with each other, that the lack of one be supplied by the sufficiency of the other.  

“Learn of Me,” Said Christ; “For I Am Meek and Lowly in Heart: And Ye Shall Find Rest unto Your Souls.” (Matthew 11:29)

Maybe more of us struggle with pride than we thought.  There’s good news for the prideful. Confession of pride signals the beginning of the end for pride.  

Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart! Try Me and Know My Thoughts! And See If There Be Any Grievous Way in Me, and Lead Me in the Way Everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24)

In the end pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you.

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Can I Be A ‘Part-Time Christian’ and Keep My Sinful Lifestyle?

Are you a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ or are you a Part-Time Christian?  Does your faith in Jesus go beyond a weekend service? Do you live a double life?

“The Decline Christianity Has Become Precipitous in Recent Years”

For the first time in recorded history, those declaring themselves to have no religious affiliation have outnumbered Christians in Britain.  Some 44 per cent of us regard ourselves as Christian, 8  per cent follow another religion and 48 per cent follow none. The decline of Christianity is perhaps the biggest single change in Britain over the past century. For some time, it has been a stretch to describe Britain as a Christian country. We can more accurately be categorised now as a secular nation with fading Christian institutions.  More than ever before, we have an obligation to act in a Christ-like manner. Not just in church, but everywhere.

“Don’t Be A Part-Time Christian Who Demands A Full-Time God”

As Christian we can’t put our faith on a part-time schedule; as being Christian is a full-time occupation.  If we don’t open our hearts to the Holy Spirit to purify and enlighten us, then our faith in God will be superficial.

“Sorry Christians, We Can’t Blame the Media Any More”

Do you know why Christians have a bad reputation today? It’s not because of CNN. It’s because of our own Facebook pages, Twitter feeds and YouTube videos! Every day, we confirm people’s worst suspicions about us. The gatekeepers are gone. With social media there’s no one filtering the information and there’s no one left to blame but ourselves.

“Jesus Has No Part-Time Disciples”

Jesus is the living word and truth that “came among us so that we could know it.  Jesus’ said it all. Deny self, take up the cross and follow him. Moreover, only in losing one’s life — the primary meaning of apollymi is to destroy — one may save it. And Jesus means it. Judgment, he says, involves “repaying” people according to what they have done. At this moment we are hearing Matthew’s voice: Salvation comes not to those who call Jesus “Lord,” but to those who do what he says.  It’s a matter of life and death.

“If I’m Wrong about God Then I Have Wasted My Life, But If Your Wrong about God Then You’ve Wasted Your Eternity”

So we face the chasm between Jesus’ call to discipleship and our own lives as part-time volunteers for the Gospel. Few Christians abandon everything for the Christ sake. Most of us simply fit our Christianity into the open slots on our calendars. But Jesus links the life of discipleship with his own path.

“Some Readers Hardly Need to Hear This News. Moment by Moment, Many of Us Are Constantly Mindful That We Fall Far Short of Jesus’ Standard”

Sadly exhaustion, burnout, tiredness, even breakdown are conditions that are all too common these days, not least among those involved in some kind of Christian ministry, whether full-time, part-time or voluntary.

Sometimes in striving to do our utmost for God, we can easily forget that there were many times when Jesus himself was willing to rest, to do nothing except wait for the Spirit’s prompting, so that he demonstrated the vital principle of ‘working from a place of rest’.

“Knowing and Doing What God Wants Is Simply Not Possible with Mere Human Effort — It Takes Divine Intervention and a Transformative Action of the Holy Spirit”

Take some time out to reflect on how you are living and working. Watch Jesus and see how he does it. Listen to what the Spirit may be saying to you deep within, at the centre of your being; and maybe, just maybe, God will give you some insights that will change your life and sustain your ministry over the long haul.’

If every Christian truly had faith in who they are in Christ, we would move mountains together.  The longer I live on this earth, the more I long for the new one.

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What is Your Life?

Every single person has a unique, inherent worth'

Our life was given us of God, and is dependent upon Him, as the leaf is dependent upon the bough for sustenance.

Life is a manifestation of God’s love. It is a talent which God has committed to our care, and it is a very costly talent, as viewed in the light of the sacrifice of God’s Son. It is an expression of the ownership of God. We are His by creation, and doubly His by redemption. We derive our life from Him. He is the Creator and the Source of all life. He is the Author of the higher life which He desires the beings formed in His image to have.

Every One Should Consider the Solemn Question, What Is My Life Toward God and My Fellow Men? No Man Liveth unto Himself. No Life Is Simply Neutral in Its Results

Every soul is under obligation to live a Christian life. Our individuality, our talents, our time, our influence, our abilities, all given to us of God, are to be rendered back to Him in willing service. The aim and object of life is not to secure temporal advantages, but to make sure of the eternal advantages. God claims your soul, your body, your capabilities; for He has bought them by His own precious blood, and they all belong to Him. It is robbery to withhold yourself from God.

The question of importance to us is, Is our life interwoven with that of Jesus?  What is Christian life? It is a life rescued, a life taken out of a world of sin, and attached to the life of Christ.  If our life is hid with Christ in God, we shall, when Christ shall appear, also appear with Him in glory. And while in this world we will give to God, in sanctified service, all the capabilities He has given us.

What is your life? You must meet and answer that question sometime.  

 

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