How Are You, Really?

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

Offering Our Anxieties Up To God

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

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

Jesus Shifts Our Focus

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

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

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

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

Using Anxiety To Your Advantage

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

Thanks

Don’t Fear, Only Believe

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July 14, 2019

Ah justice, sweet justice!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 14, 2019

Transparency before God

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 14, 2019

Did All The Human Race Come from Adam & Eve?

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

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

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

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

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

What Does Scripture Say?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In addition, Genesis 3:20 states,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Can You Marry Your Relation?

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

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

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

How Does the Answer to this Question Affect the Gospel?

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

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

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

July 14, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shalom

Esther

July 14, 2019July 14, 2019

Preparing For The Return Of Jesus……

THE ANTI-CHRIST

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

Anti-Semitism

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

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

THE EVENTS PRELUDE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK

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

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

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

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

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

THE SEVEN KINGDOM

1st the Egypt-(Fallen)
2nd the Assyria-(Fallen)”¦First Temple was Built by king Solomon (827 BCE)
3rd the Babylonian (LION)-GOLD-(Fallen)”¦Destruction of the First Temple by Nebuchadnezzar (425 BCE)
4th the Mede Persian (BEAR)-SILVER-(Fallen)”¦Second Temple was built by King Cyrus (349 BCE) under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah.
5th the Greek (LEOPARD)-BRONZE-(Fallen)
6th the Roman (TERRIBLE BEAST)-IRON & CLAY-(Falling)”¦Destruction of the Second temple by the Roman Emperor Titus (70 CE)

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

7th The New World Order (10 Nations under Rome in Perdition)
8th The Beast and The Dragon (Daniel 7:20-25 – The Kingdom of Anti-Christ – 1260 days)”¦Third Temple will be built.

THE RIDER ON THE WHITE HORSE?

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

BEFORE THE TRUMPET SOUNDS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE FALLING AWAY

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

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

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

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

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

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

So what does the Church believe?

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

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

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

July 13, 2019July 13, 2019

What are your gifts? Do you know?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More mature?

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

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

July 1, 2019July 4, 2019

Finding the Correct Source for Answers

We spend a lot of time finding the right source to get the answers we need.

It’s a process of elimination until we finally realize that we’re in the right place, just talking to the wrong person or people. It’s like a puzzle: We have all the right pieces around us, but only one fits the place where we are starting the journey to complete the puzzle.

This was the case for me recently. I headed to the local hardware store to replace a broken piece on my trimmer. The first person to help me wasn’t really that helpful. We looked for the replacement part, couldn’t find it, and he decided to remove a part from a demo and give it to me. Was it the part? Yes. But I didn’t want it that way. I think he figured he was giving me a hookup when it was really stealing. I couldn’t walk out of the store with it. I placed the piece back on the shelf as he walked away, and I purchased another piece.

That piece didn’t fit either. Sigh. We returned to the store and asked for help again. Here comes the manager. I explained to him what I was looking for and in a few seconds, he showed me exactly where it was! I was stunned. The previous employee was standing right in front of it and neither of us saw it!

What was my error?

I only considered ONE source and when that failed, I didn’t seek out another source. In the Bible, Proverbs 15: 22 states, “…Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors, they are established.” The text explains that without the assistance, we’re going to be frustrated, but with multiple sources, we have more chances at achieving our goals.

If you’re wondering why you haven’t found answers to your problems it might be because you’re simply talking to the wrong people! Or the wrong Christians! We’re all part of the Body of Christ, but we all serve different purposes! (1 Cor. 12) So how do we complete our puzzle?

1. Pray over your problem. Ask God to send you the right person to help you.

2. Keep asking questions. God loves it when you come to him FIRST before going solo. Sometimes it’s a process to get you where you need to be but you learn a lesson along the way.

3. Remain calm, don’t get frustrated. The moment your emotions take hold you’re going to make mistakes. Keep a sound mind so that you can hear God’s instructions.

In the end, I did get the piece and finished my yard work. Remember, it begins with Christ, and he will get you where you need to be if you trust him.

June 25, 2019June 27, 2019

Lord Make Me Over

Change Starts With You

God make me over? This question I believe can be a clarion call for most Believers in Christ. It is this type question we ask God when we truly see who and what we really are.

The Prophet Isaiah said it like this in chapter 6 of Isaiah:

So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”
Isaiah 6:5 NKJV

Isaiah saw who he really was on the inside. He looked at God and then with a pure and holy eye looked at himself and came to the conclusion that he was nowhere near that man he thought he was.

I believe God’s work must first start within if we are to be effective in other areas of our lives. I think that this is an universal principle. Whether you are in church, at home or at work change must start within in order to impact your surroundings. We must practice what the scripture says, “Pick up our cross and follow Jesus.”

God wants his work to truly start with us first and then change a generation. However, oftentimes, we look to change others before we clean up the mess in our own lives.

The greatest opportunity for change and progress starts with the man and in the mirror. The brightest light in the room will truly illuminate when the shade is removed and the true essence of light can shine.

We must become the change that we want others to be. The greatest thing about changing ourselves is that, if anyone else doesn’t follow its okay. You are your greatest priority apart from God.

We can’t become good friends, spouses, employees or servants if we are not willing to put in the time becoming and being those things we want to see in others.

If we want to preach godliness we must practice godliness in secret and in the open we won’t have to pretend. We would just be godly because we have put in the time to change.

So be the change you would like the world to see snd I guarentee some one will be awakened by your light.

Mike Anthoni,

Host of Making An Impact Christian Podcast Show

June 24, 2019January 15, 2024

Mum Shocked After One Twin is Born with Albinism: Real Life Story

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.

Possible eye problems linked to albinism include:

poor eyesight — either short-sightedness or long-sightedness, and low vision (sight loss that can’t be corrected)
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.

Read more about how mutations are passed on.

Genetic counselling

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.

Read more about genetic testing and counselling.

Diagnosing albinism

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.

June 21, 2019June 21, 2019

Drunk

Don’t get me wrong, I do love a good alcoholic drink, but as I’ve got older I’d rather savour the taste of a good cider with friends than throwing it down my neck. Back in Freshers, the aim of a night out was to get completely drunk. The idea of spending money was all aimed on a night out at university. As the years have progressed, I don’t really go on many nights out. Getting drunk and having a hangover the next day doesn’t sound very appealing to me anymore.

For many of us, alcohol seems to be the solution of many problems. The amount of times I’ve heard or seen on social media, “I need a stiff drink after that,” or the act of having a full bottle of wine after a bad day at work, is not uncommon. Many, including myself in the past, have had a drink to take pain away, putting hope in a bottle rather than Jesus Himself.

A few weeks ago, was the Christian holiday of Pentecost. And for those who don’t know what happens on this day, it is a celebration of the Holy Spirit filling a room with a strong wind. When that strong wind had come, all the people in the room saw tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues and languages, just as the Spirit enabled them. The Holy Spirit is an amazing being and its really hard to explain, as it is the most indescribable thing to ever happen to you. I love Holy Spirit moments. When I speak to my friends who are not Christians, who ask questions, they can get behind Jesus – He is a man, a physical thing; they can sort of get behind there being a God – a divine being guiding you through your life; but when it comes to the Holy Spirit – they’re like “Woah, I’ve got to stop you there!” It’s a concept that many people can’t get there heads around.

Being Drunk On The Spirit

A lot of you are probably thinking right now, so where is this going? What’s the link between bad life decisions of being drunk and the filling of the Holy Spirit? Well, the Bible talks very strongly about this link in Ephesians 5:18:

“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (NIV)

I find this Bible verse incredible. I feel like this verse is saying that you should feel the same high from the Holy Spirit as you do when you are drunk. Being in a room filled with tons of people, who are each filled with the Holy Spirit is an incredible sight and to someone from the outside looking in, you would presume that everyone is completely drunk. People supposedly speaking gobbledegook (tongues), collapsing on the floor, uncontrollable laughing and crying. I admit I have the gift of tongues, I’ve had it for about 6-7 months now and honestly, it’s so amazing. Personally, I’ve never felt anything that makes you so happy or takes all your pain away than a glass of the Holy Spirit and a bottle of Jesus.

There are parallels between the two; we tend to see being drunk as a bad thing and we really don’t want it to happen to us in church. But here, God want us to be filled with the Holy Spirit and feel the gifts that it can give us. But, compared to alcohol, the Spirit gives you no sickness, doesn’t cause you to make stupid decisions, doesn’t lead to crime and definitely doesn’t give you a hangover the morning after, instead it makes you feel relaxed and helps you to know that the presence of God is always there with you.

There’s always that feeling of alcohol being a want not a need. Instead we should be needing the Holy Spirit not wanting it. We shouldn’t be able to go through our week, without needing God to be with us. For a lot people, alcohol is what they worship, a mini god to them. It’s so easy to get hold of and it’s pretty cheap. But do you know what is easier to find, is completely accessible and absolutely free? The Holy Spirit. There for when you need Him, not as a last resort or a temporary want.

The Holy Spirit – Way Better Than a Cheap Night Out

Don’t Fear, Only Believe

June 21, 2019June 21, 2019

Rebellious against His Spirit

They provoked Him to anger at the waters of Meribah,
So that it went hard with Moses on their account;
Because they were rebellious against His Spirit,
Moses spoke recklessly with his lips
(Psalm 106:32-33).?

Righteous anger never causes you to step out in your own emotions. It is very hard to discern between yours and God’s because God inhabits and is a very part of our emotions to begin with. That is why many people find themselves doing evil and saying that God told them to do it.

Here is Moses, falling into that emotional trap too. He just had enough of these whining people who never looked to God, were never thankful and were never satisfied or content. Their inability to learn, to grow and to know God was unquestionably the hardest thing for Moses to take. Remember, right at this time they were getting very close to entering the promised land – and they still were not ready spiritually to do so (Numbers 11:1-9); (Philippians 2:12-16).

I wish I could tell you that righteous anger is pure – but I cannot. Too many examples in the Bible where righteous anger included killing someone, creating chaos and lots of shouting and pointing fingers and calling people out. In other words, they were very angry.

Do you ever wonder why certain TV evangelists (I point them out because they are the most obvious — they are on TV) and certain radio personalities on Christian stations “judge” other Christians in “righteous” anger? Want to know why their anger is righteous? They believe they are righteous and have the “right” and “authority” to judge because of their own holiness.

This is where I can tell you most assuredly – if your anger stems from your own concept of holiness, purity and righteousness before God – you are not acting in righteous anger. If you think you are something special, God’s gift to humanity – you will not act in righteous anger. Moses lost himself. He declared himself to be the one – and in that one moment when he thought it was all about him, he failed His God and stood alone realizing his anger was not one from the Lord but from his own sinful nature.

The Holy Spirit is offended when we declare ourselves speaking for the presence of God and we are not. The Holy Spirit is offered as our counsellor in these matters. Allow Him to serve you and invite Him to search your heart. I am sure that you will find that your anger will turn to tears as you see the incredible sin and pride that He will find in just a few moments of time that live right inside you. Then you will know the difference between righteous anger and your own. Then our discernment will serve us well as we hear His voice and know that He is or is not calling us to action with righteous anger.

Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

Brethren, pray for us. (1 Thessalonians 5:19-25)

June 21, 2019June 21, 2019

Abundant Fruitfulness

How do we measure Spiritual Growth in our lives? How can we tell we are making progress, when sometimes we feel like we’re fallingback? There is an answer to that question right in the Book of 2 Peter, chapter 1.

⁵Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence,and in your moral excellence, knowledge,⁶and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,⁷and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.⁸For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Book of 2 Peter, chapter 1.

I highly recommend that you go back and read the whole 1^stchapter of 2 Peter at this point, just to get the amazing Context of this Scripture. But in practical encouragement about growing in our Lord Jesus, this is a key passage. The desire of each of our hearts as followers of Jesus, is to be fruitful in the Kingdom of God, to be useful. God tells us here in 2 Peter how to be sure that is happening. We don’t go around planning lots of Christian events or happenings, although those can be important places for fruit growth. This passage tells us to have these 8 qualities in our life and to apply all diligence in growing them up. Faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly-kindness and love. These 8 qualities of our Character is what God emphasizes for our personal growth. We are to let Him transform us by the renewing of our mind, and offer our bodies as living sacrifices to Him (Romans 12:1-2). I think sometimes we focus too much on outward projects instead of inward Intimacy with God. I believe that God is showing us here that as we spend lots of quality time with Him alone and in growing these qualities in our relationships with others, spiritual growth for ourselves and His Kingdom, are the ultimate result. We get it backwards sometimes and try to bear fruit through programs and ministries but Jesus says it this way:

⁴Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides inthe vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.⁵I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears muchfruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
(John 15:4-5)?

I will finish this post with a final thought from my favorite Devotional.

We say we do not expect God to take us to heaven on flowery beds of ease, and yet we act as if we do! I must realize that my obedience even in the smallest detail of life has all of the omnipotent power of the grace of God behind it. If I will do my duty, not for duty’s sake but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience all of the magnificent grace of God is mine through the glorious atonement by the Cross of Christ.
(Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest)?

June 21, 2019June 21, 2019

A Solution for Spiritual Constipation

LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.
Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint;
heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony.
My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, LORD, how long?
Turn, LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.
Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?
I am worn out from my groaning.
All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.
My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.
Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.
The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.
All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;
they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame (Psalm 6, NIV).
?For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.?

Reflection

The life of a God-follower isn’t all happy days and sunny skies, as some preachers might have you believe. On the contrary, hard times and grief may frequent our way. Does that mean we are out of the will of God? Has God abandoned us during these times of inner turmoil, struggle and hardship?

Judging by the life and experience of David as expressed through the psalms, the answer is a resounding, “No.” God has not abandoned you.

David met with God during these times of difficulty. He poured out his complaint before the LORD. He pleaded with God; he held nothing back. Take a look at some of the keywords in this psalm: agony, anguish, groaning, weeping, tears, and sorrow. David experienced all these emotions. He didn’t bottle them up. He poured them out before the LORDin prayer.

Many believers suffer from a form of spiritual constipation. They are filled with anger, hurt and bitter disappointment. Life has been hard, but they are afraid to take their anguish before God. They put on a brave face for the world and the church, but inwardly they are dying.They need a massive dose of the Psalms of David–psalms of self-emptying.

Fear not; God can handle your anguish and anger. He won’t smite you dead for being honest about your feelings. Here is some sound advice. Are you hurt or feeling broken? Take it to the Lord in prayer. Then take heart from what David says in the conclusion to this psalm, “The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.“

Response

Dear God, I pour out my problems, hurts and struggles before you. Hear my prayer. I know you are a God of mercy. I open myself to you. Amen.

Your Turn

Do some Christians suffer from spiritual constipation? Does heartfelt prayer bring relief? Are you bottling up things that should released to the Lord?

June 21, 2019June 21, 2019

Biblical Definition Of A Church

Understanding the definition of ekklesia (and its alternate spelling ecclesia) is an important component of understanding the Church. Ekklesia is a Greek word defined as “a called-out assembly or congregation.” Ekklesia is commonly translated as “Church” in the New Testament. For example, Acts 11:26 says that “Barnabas and Saul met with the Church (ekklesia)” in Antioch. And in 1 Corinthians 15:9 Paul says that he had persecuted the Church (ekklesia)of God.” The “called-out assembly,” then, is a congregation of believers whom God has called out of the world and “into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). The Greek ekklesia is the basis for our English words ecclesiastical (“pertaining to the church”) and ecclesiology (“the study of doctrine concerning the church”).

The word in the New Testament was also used to refer to any assembly of people. In his address to the Sanhedrin, Stephen calls the people of Israel “the assembly (ekklesia) in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38). And in Acts 19:39, ekklesia refers to a convening of citizens to discuss legal matters. However, in most contexts, the word ekklesia is used to refer to the people who comprise the New Testament church.

It is important that the Church today understand the definition of ekklesia. The Church needs to see itself as being “called out” by God. If the Church wants to make a difference in the world, it must be different from the world. Salt is different from the food it flavors. God has called the Church to be separate from sin (1 Peter 1:16), to embrace fellowship with other believers (Acts 2:42), and to be a light to the world (Matthew 5:14). God has graciously called us unto Himself: “‘Come out from them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you’” (2 Corinthians 6:17).

Do not choose to be like the Church of Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) or the Church of Laodicea, (Revelation 3:14-22) choose this day to whom ye shall serve (Joshua 24:15). As Jesus says in Revelation 3:17 to the Laodicean Church “You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” Prepare oneself to be His Bride in (Revelation 19:7-8) “For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself.She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy “people.”

June 21, 2019June 21, 2019

A Hilarious Giver

Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly.
(1 Chronicles 29:9 NASB)

⁶Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.
(2 Corinthians 9:6-8 NASB)

A Cheerful giver; how I wish I could say this was me. A Fearful giver is more accurate, or perhaps a dutiful giver would be a good description of myself. This is the only time in the entire Bible that the Word “giver” is used, one solitary time. It means simply, bestower. Bestower means benefactor, subsidizer, donor, helper or presenter. Someone who donates to a cause, willingly, that they believe strongly in. I have always said that I could never be a sales person, because you have to either be manipulative, or you have to believe so strongly in what you are selling that you can really “talk it up.” The only thing I believe in that strongly is The Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that is freely offered to us through belief (John 3:16-17).

But I must question myself here, Do I really believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ as strongly as I think I do? If so, why am I not a more “Cheerful, Willing Giver? The Word cheerful means, “cheerful, joyous, merry, willing; it even means hilarious. A hilarious Giver, I like that. I want to become like that. I want to be a joyful giver, a willing giver, a hilarious giver.

Jesus, all I can do is admit where I am at right now. All I can do is bring this fearful giver to your loving heart, and ask You to change me, and make me a willing, cheerful, hilarious giver. I want to rejoice when I drop that money in the offering plate. Jesus, I don’t know how to change myself in this area, it’s a matter of the heart. But You are the Master and Lord of my heart, and I am asking You to change me and make me a more cheerful giver, a more joyous person, a merrymaker for the Kingdom of God. I lay my weak, fearful self before You this day, and trust You to do as You always do; receive me, love me, and change me. Thank You, Amen!