Tag: Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Its adherents, known as Christians, believe Jesus is the Son of God and savior of humanity, whose coming as the Messiah (Christ) was prophesied in the Old Testament of the Bible, and chronicled in the New Testament.

Posted on

Will Jesus Find Faith on Earth?

Will Jesus Find Faith on Earth?

In Luke 18: 1-8, Jesus shares a parable with us to encourage us to pray always and not to give up. He tells us of a persistent widow who kept begging for justice from ‘a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought’. This unbelieving and uncaring man of power refused her over and over again but finally granted justice just to be rid of her. In verse 7 and 8 Christ reminds us that God is far from the character of the judge mentioned in the parable. He assures us, “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Those who presently suffer injustice may find it hard to understand and believe God’s promise of speedy justice. We know true to life stories of people who have been on a long and fruitless road in their fight for justice. It is a bitter reality for many, even for Christians. But how ever hard it may be to grasp this fact, God has told us so. He is not a liar and he is no mere man who can be fickle and unreliable. He will show up to support His children and to grant justice in His time.   He does not operate within our system. He does not see life nor time as we do. Scriptures say a thousand years is but a day for Him. (2 Peter 3:8). He has the wisdom of eternality to act at the best time with the best intentions to accomplish the best results.

The question then is not “Will God keep His promise?” nor “Is He able?” but “When Christ shows up, will He find faith on the earth?” Faith is a complete trust and confidence. It is a sure hope in something though it remains unseen. (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is steady commitment and loyalty even when odds are greatly against you. In these contexts, will He then find faith inside you and me?

Faith is essential to Christianity. It is what brings you into a love relationship with our Creator and Savior Friend. Faith is crucial to Christian maturity. It is what grows you through the ups and downs of navigating a spiritual journey in this fallen world. We need to nurture this faith into consistency. We need to protect this faith from the destructive attacks of the enemy.

Faith brings miracles into our lives.

In the Gospels we get clued that Jesus denied people’s requests for Him to prove Himself as God. He never entertained the taunts of people for him to do some miraculous acts to showcase His identity as God. When He performed miracles, there were special reasons and specific purposes He wanted to achieve. One time, Jesus visited his hometown. And what should have been an opportunity for spiritual breakthroughs became a day of huge losses for the people. Christ said He was unable to do miracles that day because of the people’s lack of faith. I gather that He wanted to (and He still could have) but He would not because in that moment He looked for faith, and there was none.

Faith brings the pleasure of God into our lives.

Hebrews says, without faith it is impossible to please Him for He who comes to God must believe that He is God and that He is a rewarder of those who seek after Him. If you are one of those who experience firsthand how fulfilling it is to please our loved ones, wouldn’t you want to bring pleasure to the heart of God? If making our boss, our family or our special someone is very important to us, how about God? How about making Him happy? How about bringing pleasure to His eyes? Not for selfish reasons like, “I do this for you, you do this for me God”. But for agape love reasons, “I do this for you, because I love the God of love; I love the God who I can never outlove nor outgive.”

Faith is important for these 3 facts and more. Faith is what Christ wants to find in each of us. Will He find it in you and me?

Posted on

Things You Should Know about the Love of God

In Jeremiah 9:24, God Himself tells us what counts for Him as an accomplishment. He says, “Let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the  Lord  who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.  For in these things I delight, declares the  Lord.” God is love, He is all love, but He is not solely love alone. There is more to the person of God other than that He is love and the very essence of it.

God desires that we know Him for all that He is. In Psalm 46:10, He tells us to stop striving and know that He is God. He is ever revealing Himself to man and it is sad that on many occasions, man only processes truths about God that He deems convenient for His situation and personal motivations.

Knowing God does not stop at the point of salvation. The pursuit of Christianity is not just to know God as Creator God and Christ the Messiah for our salvation. (John 17:3). Colossians 1:10 teaches us that as God’s children we are to increase in the knowledge of God. Discovering more about God, His character, what He desires to accomplish, what pleases Him; all these things about Him should be the interest and curiosity of every one who calls himself a child of God.

Acts 17:27 reveals the heart of God in all that He does. It says, “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” That God would be so mindful of us should drive us to our knees in amazement and gratitude. He will be gracious on whom He desires to show grace and, praise God! For He has chosen us to be recipients of that grace.

How much do we love Him really? How interested are we in Him? Indeed, God’s love keeps drawing us to Himself. But Christian, your love for Him should keep you drawing close to Him, ever desiring to really know more about Him. And to truly love God is to actually make the effort to open the pages of the Scriptures, where He reveals Himself.

As you ponder on the thoughts shared in this article, may the worship song, “To my knees”, penned by Hillsong Worship be a helpful meditation song to listen to. Here are the lyrics:

In the Saviour’s love,

I find joy beyond compare;

Endless peace covers all of me.

When You breathe within,

You turn winter into spring;

Grace dissolves every fear in me.

In my vacant heart,

Lord You came and made a home;

You bring light to the dark in me.

When I lose my way,

I am beckoned into grace;

You alone are my everything.

Your Love brings me to my knees,

Brings me to my knees;

My King forever.

You are all my heart desires,

Until the end of time;

My soul surrendered.

Posted on

Been in the Secret Place Lately?

What if I told you that at the end of 2018, we will know more of God’s splendor?

That we’d fall on our faces in tears at seeing Him in His beauty?

That it will break our heart over how we’ve neglected Him?

Bobby Conner spoke these words in early August at a teaching on The Secret Place held in Moravian Falls, North Carolina. For five decades, Bobby Conner has ministered worldwide as a seasoned prophet of God. Uniquely anointed with a profound, passionate love for Jesus Christ and a fervent desire to discern and herald God’s voice to prepare the Lamb’s Bride to establish God’s Kingdom, Bobby is called to awaken the warriors to arise and contend for the true faith.

I savored the opportunity to set aside the duties of daily life and immerse myself in scripture. It felt like a long, luxurious soak in a warm tub, the purity of God’s Word washing me clean as the fragrance of His Spirit energized my spiritual senses.  I try to set aside a few days each year for this type of conference to keep myself on track with the Lord.

Reasons to Schedule Time in the Secret Place

  1. The secret place is a person, not a place. Coming into the secret place is meeting with God, just you and He alone. I know you know this. I’m just reminding you to emphasize the person you are meeting with over the location.
  2. Frequenting the secret place often keeps us moist and pliable clay in the potter’s hands. Who wants to be dried out, brittle clay? The Master Potter can only create beautiful vases from moist, pliable clay. Only the Holy Spirit saturates. Two hours a week on Sundays evaporates readily.
  3. The secret place to me is sitting before God’s fireplace, the place of fiery passion where I acquire His fire and my heart is forged in His flame (Isaiah 60:1-5). It is where our zeal, passion and commitment are strengthened like bonded steel. As a  result, His glory shall be seen upon us! The wind of the Holy Ghost fans the flames of hunger within us – we hunger for deeper knowledge of God the longer we stare into His flaming eyes of love and listen to His Word echoing within.

My heart was hot within me. While I was musing, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue.  Lord, make me to know my end and to appreciate the measure of my days—what it is; let me know and realize how frail I am how transient is my stay here (Psalm 39:3-4 AMPC).

He wakens Me morning by morning, He wakens My ear to hear as a disciple [as one who is taught]  (Isaiah 50:4 AMPC).

Sow for yourselves according to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God); reap according to mercy and loving-kindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, for it  is time to seek the Lord, to inquire for and of Him, and to require His favor, till He comes and teaches you righteousness and rains His righteous gift of salvation upon you (Hosea 10:12 AMPC).

In Part 2– Pathway to the Secret Place I will share more on why we want to luxuriate there, what it is and what it does for us. You won’t want to miss it!  

Posted on

Stop Going To Church

Stop Going To Church

Okay, before I get into it, keep in mind that this is my own spiritual journal before it became a public post. Everything that I write is from my own reflection and my own personal journey with God – it is not so much an instructional blog as it is my way of pouring my heart out.

This post is no different.

So last week, I happened to be out of town for an over-the-weekend trip, and due to the schedule, I was unable to go to church on Sunday. So the night before, I was apologising to God for being unable to attend church, and I vividly remembered there was this sense of guilt gripping me that evening in my hotel room.

And right then, as I was doing my personal devotion, this thought came to me:

WHERE WAS THE GUILT FROM?

Should not going to church, or doing ministry while we’re at the topic, be the overflow/product of God’s love for you? Not the means for you to earn His love? Sure, this is something that we have heard numerous times, and sounding like a broken record is the last thing i want to do. But while we are familiar with the concept, that’s not really the case when it comes to its practice – we don’t live out our lives like that.

I believe that the two biggest enemies of dynamic Christian living, to truly living out the lives God wants you to live, are complacency, and routinely. Christianity, for most people, has been degraded into just a day of the week when it’s supposed to be  all of your life. It has been reduced to following a dull system when it’s supposed to be unpredictable and dangerous. Church is now just a place we go to on Sunday, when it is supposed to be something that we become, and we live out. And the thing is, people are happy with just that – we have become complacent.

Let me tell you this; Jesus is a lot of things, but one thing that He’s not, is boring.

The guilt I felt was a proof, that for me, Christianity, and church, have become my way of earning God’s love. If I go to church, and serve there, then God is cool with me. If I missed a day of church, then God is angry with me. This could not be further from the truth. Call it a stretch if you will, but if we have a strong relationship with God, should not there be a sense of security in God’s love for us? Now, I am not advocating not going to church, I am a big believer that if you’re a Christian, we have to gather together with a group of believers to worship God together. That’s one of God’s will.

What I am saying that, it becomes wrong, when going to church and serving in a ministry become more an obligation that it is an overflow of your love for God.

“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”  Matthew 15:8

That’s the last thing we want to be said of us. So here’s what I am learning, and what I am encouraging all of us to do: step out of the routinely, LOVE GOD CRAZILY, and let everything that you do be the products of your love for God. GO CRAZY.

Stop going to church, and start being the church.

Stop doing ministry out of an obligation, let it be an overflow

If there is one thing I am for, and if there is one thing I am advocating, to be a Christian rebel. To refuse to be a part of the ‘system’ and be different. There is more that I could say about this, but that would be a post in itself. Till next time.

In His love,

Kenan

Posted on

Can Going to Church Make Me Live Longer?

Can Going to Church Make Me Live Longer?

Religion and faith regularly come under the scrutiny of those in the camp of science, medicine, and ‘rational’ thinking. Yet many studies conducted over recent years continue to reveal (intentionally or accidentally) that people are likely to live longer when they have a personal faith and attend religious services.

Here’s a rundown of some of the studies:

  • A recent study, published in 2016 in the JAMA Internal Medicine, showed that women who attended any kind of religious service more than one time a week were 33% less likely than their non-religious peers to die during the 16 years of follow up
  • A 2006 University of Texas study showed that those who attended church weekly were expected to live 7 years longer than those who never went to church
  • An Ohio University study of obituary records showed that religious people live about 4 years longer than those who are atheist
  • According to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health, Californians who regularly attended religious services were 36% less likely to die during a 5 year follow up. And even those who attended sometimes (but not weekly) were expected to live longer than those who never attended services at all
  • One study showed that people who had a personal faith and belief were likely to live longer, even if they didn’t attend church regularly. So it’s not just about getting your backside into the pew.

Modern research goes on and on, linking religious activity and faith with health aspects such as:

  • faster recovery from breast cancer
  • lower blood pressure
  • less depression and shorter hospital stays for hip replacement patients
  • more successful in-vitro fertilization (IVF) experiences
  • strengthened immune system
  • lowered stress response
  • faster recovery from depression
  • less likelihood of committing suicide

Some non-religious people chalk all of this up to the placebo effect of prayer, or simply a boost in good vibes. Many attribute the benefits of gathering with a community of like-minded people or higher rates of social support.

Still, others who were once skeptics have reported that this information is changing the way they think about faith.

Now, before you start trying to get your friends and family members to fill a pew at church because they are guaranteed to live longer, just hold on a minute.

It is important to note that most of these studies were based on general religious participation and not narrowed down to Christianity. And it often has to do with people who have a personal faith experience as well as friendships within the church community. Not much information was gained for pew-sitters who were simply checking ‘go-to-church’ off of a long to-do list.

Going to church is not a cure-all.

Let no one hear me say that, if you go to church, you won’t get sick or die prematurely. Going to church, or even having a deep faith, doesn’t mean you will always feel happy, that nothing bad will happen, and you won’t struggle. Because that’s just not true.

What I am saying is this: I believe that God created our bodies and souls to work in tandem with one another. When our spirits are healthy and whole (fed by regular communion with God and his people), then our bodies are more likely to be healthy as well. And this is evidenced time and again by the studies listed above.

In my experience, community with fellow believers and the worship of the Almighty offers deep, immeasurable benefits to spiritual and physical well-being. So even while we are here on earth, living on this broken planet riddled with sickness, destruction, and death, we can live in joy and relative health because of our faith in Him.

And the best news of all? As Christians, we have Hope in something that is much more than this life on earth. In Christ, we are promised a new life that never ends. Our limited life here isn’t the end of the story.

So if you’re worried about dying prematurely, you don’t need to.

Not because you’re promised to live longer if you’re a Christian (although you might!). But because our omniscient God tells us that we don’t need to be anxious about the future.

As Christians, we can rest in the fact that our perspective is not limited to just this life. We can live each day for itself, bringing glory to God, gently sharing our faith to benefit others, and peacefully trusting that God has everything in his very capable hands. Right down to the number of days we will live on this earth.

Posted on

Religious War? Christians and Muslims Clash in Nigeria

Destroyed vehicles and debris is strewn across the road as police attempt to restore calm in the town of Jos, Nigeria ( AP )

On June 24, Nigeria was full of the blood of Christians as Muslim herders clashed with Christian farmers. Fulani herdsman, who are predominately Muslim, attacked six villages in Nigeria’s Plateau state. These villages are home to many Christians. Many of those killed were Christians, and they were reportedly hacked to death.

As a result of this violence, many people have been forced to leave their farms and villages or face the threat of a grisly death. President Muhammadu Buhari has deployed military and police units to stop the bloodshed.

He tweeted, “The grievous loss of lives and property arising from the killings in Plateau is painful and regrettable. My deepest condolences to the affected communities. We will not rest until all murderers and criminal elements and their sponsors are incapacitated and brought to justice.”

The fuel behind these recent clashes between the religious groups is due to dwindling water and pasture resources, a direct result of Nigeria’s rising population. The estimated number of people killed by these clashes just this year is around 500 with central Nigeria being the most affected as people fight over access to land, water, and food.

However, some Christian farmers were not content to sit idly after being attacked. Many of them led an attack of their own on Muslim villages. These deadly clashes are not just seen as a battle over scarce land and farming resources; but as a religious war between Christians and Muslims. Some are claiming that the president, who is of the Muslim faith, is not doing enough to protect Christian communities.

These sentiments were expressed by Bosun Emmanuel, a secretary of the National Christians Elders Forum and a prominent Nigerian Christian leader. During a recent forum, he expressed his views over the matter, “Realistically speaking, Christianity is on the brink of extinction in Nigeria. The ascendancy of Sharia ideology in Nigeria rings the death knell for the Nigerian Church.”

Boko Haram holds the title for the most well-known Islamic terrorist group in Africa. They have claimed responsibility for the many attacks on Christians homes and churches and currently, hold many young girls captive. Many people, the majority of whom are Christians, have lost their lives due to this terrorist group. Some estimate the death toll to be more than 20,000 since 2009.

Due to this threat that Nigerian Christians are facing, Emmanuel believes that Christianity will cease to exist in Nigeria 25 years from now.

“In 2018, we can say in 25 years from now, we are facing the risk of being the last Christians in Nigeria. Therefore, Christians should be in the frontline of defending democracy in Nigeria.”

In an effort to control these violent clashes, the governor of Plateau state has imposed a curfew of 18:00 pm to 06:00 am.

While many believe that these continuous killings of Christians might spell doom for the Christian faith in Nigeria, I firmly hold the belief that GOD’S true people will continue to stand, even in the face of death. I appeal to all Christians to pray for their fellow brothers and sisters in Nigeria.

Resources: CBN News ‘The Death Knell for the Nigerian Church’: New Massacre Sparks Fear for Christians

Posted on

Feeling Low? Here are 2 Certainties About God

Every religious sect has its own idea about God. The idea about God can greatly vary depending on the sources or references of belief. One who professes true Christianity finds God in Scriptures and in his daily experiences of doing life with the God He has put his faith in. A deepening faith discovers more and more about God. By faith we see that God is more and more certain. He is trustworthy. He is unwavering and never changing. These hold true when life is hard and unsure.

God is just.

To be just is to be righteous. It is to be on the good and right of all things. God is unprejudiced. He is fair-minded. He is impartial. He is non-discriminatory. Psalm 145:17 says, “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.” At all times we can be sure that God treats us with fairness and faithful love. Parents may be guilty of playing favorites. But to all His children, we can expect God’s love and support to be the same on us all. The abiding Christian and the wayward one are both loved greatly. Now, He may deal with them differently according to their spiritual need at the time. But all His actions and purposes for the 2 remain the same, that is, to guard and guide them in His Agape love.

The Bible also says that even to the unbelieving God remains just. In Matthew 5:45 Jesus reminds us to have the just heart and mind of our Father who “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

As for prayer requests and heart desires, there is no bribing God. There is no manipulating Him. He will not grant the request of someone because he “does Him lots of favors”. When God responds to our prayers, He does so out of wisdom. He grants what will benefit us in the long run and His denials will always have our best interest in mind.

God remains good when life is bad.

Job couldn’t understand what was happening nor why. He tried his best to delight Himself in the Lord, living for His pleasure and honor. He dared not question God, He just wanted understanding. At his lowest point his wife told him to just forsake God and resign himself to “fate”. But Job chose to keep faith and trust in a God who knew what He was doing. In Job 13:15 he said “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him.”

We may find it hard to grasp this truth during trials and persecutions because of the hardships and pain we are currently suffering. But God remains good and He remains loving. He is never indifferent to our plight. Psalm 119:68 says You are good, and what you do is good.” Romans 8:28 assures us that as we try to walk in His ways and abide in His love, we know that He is continually working things out for our good. Psalm 9:10 encourages us to keep trusting and discovering more about God thru our circumstances. It says, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you Lord have never forsaken those who seek you.” Proverbs 3:5,6 exhort us to trust in the Lord and not depend on our limited understanding. In due time, He will straighten things out for us and make things clear for us.

God is just and He remains good when life is bad. Don’t believe otherwise. Stay the path. Keep the faith.

Posted on

The Top 5 Christian Movies

The Top 5 Christian Movies

We all love inspiring movies that are based on the Scriptures, whether they are a retelling of Biblical history or a movie with a message of faith, love, forgiveness and many other values associated with Christianity. Here are the top 5 movies of 2018.

I Can Only Imagine

This music biopic tells the story of Bart Millard, the lead vocalist of MercyMe, an American contemporary Christian music band founded in Greenville, Texas. The title of the movie is the actual name of the song that Millard wrote for his father after he died, which went on to become the best-selling Christian single of all time. The movie shares Millard’s life with us, his volatile and difficult relationship with his abusive father, his need to be accepted by him, discovering his talent for singing and eventually a tear-jerker of a reconciliation before joining MercyMe and writing the song that would lead to the band’s success on Christian and mainstream radio.

Paul, Apostle of Christ

This Biblical drama tells the story of the Paul, the Apostle that we have to thank for most of the New Testament letters. The plot focuses on his life, how he went from being a ruthless and zealous persecutor of Christians to becoming a powerful and zealous man of GOD, charged with bringing the Good News to the Gentiles. The movie brings us the highs and lows of his ministry on earth before being executed by Emperor Nero in Rome.

Mary Magdelene

A woman, once known to be a prostitute but was redeemed by Jesus Christ, our LORD and Saviour, the movie retells her story, giving her more of a voice than the few but powerful lines written in the Gospels. Her story is set in 33 AD when much of the world was under the rule of the Roman Empire. We see her devotion to Christ as she follows Him, and the supposed conflict it caused with the other male disciples. Her story draws to a close as she follows her Messiah all the way to His crucifixion.

GOD’S Not Dead: A Light in Darkness

This is the third installment of the GOD’S Not Dead series, following the 2014 film and its 2016 sequel. Although this movie has not proved to be as popular as the previous two films, it nevertheless should be watched for its message. We see the struggles of Reverend Dave, his desperate need to keep his church open and his anger directed towards Adam Richertson, a struggling Christian that makes the fatal mistake of throwing a brick into the church window, resulting in the death of the reverend’s close friend. Their lives become intertwined, overshadowed by anger, fear, and death. Repentance, forgiveness, and love bring the story to its end.

Samson

In Sunday school, we were all told about Samson and Delilah, about his hair that gave him his strength and his ultimate demise at the hands of a woman. Samson, a Hebrew from the tribe of Dan, is blessed with strength from GOD, a strength that is valid as long as his hair remains long. This movie takes multiples liberties and fleshes out the story of Samson from the Book of Judges in such a way that we are left with a 109-minute movie out of a 10-minute read (sans Scriptural studying). The pivotal part of the film is when Samson asks GOD for forgiveness and brings an end to all the Philistines (and himself) who were in the building. The movie ends with the beginning of King David’s story, of how a humble shepherd boy came to defeat the Philistines and became the greatest king recorded in the Scriptures.

As with all movies that seek to tell the lives of Biblical people, we should watch them with caution. There have been too many movies created that take away from the glory of GOD and highlights the achievements of man, as well as giving inaccurate information. Movies are a wonderful way to bring the family together for entertainment purposes, and when there is a good Christian movie, loved ones, and popcorn involved, it is a joy indeed.

Posted on

Pagan Europe? Most Europeans Identify As Christian

Pagan Europe? Most Europeans Identify As Christian

The Pew Research Center conducted a survey last year April-August 2017 in 15 Western European countries. Their aim was to examine religious beliefs and practices in Western Europe and included over 24, 000 respondents who were telephonically interviewed. In light of the news concerning Europeans, such as their stance on abortion, GOD, and the LGBT community, it was a surprise to read that most of the participants identified themselves as Christian. However, non-practicing Christians outnumbered the church-attending Christians. Which begs the question: What is the meaning of Christian identity in Western Europe?

Respondents were asked about their present religion- if they indeed practiced any. Most adults surveyed consider themselves to be Christian, even if they seldom go to church. Out of the 15 countries, it seems that Portugal leads the pack with 83% of participants who identify as Christians, with Italy, Austria, and Ireland coming in close with 80%. The countries with the least amount of participants who identify themselves as Christians are Sweden (52%), Norway (51%) and the Netherlands (41%).

The study also revealed that Italy has the highest amount of church-attending Christians at 40%, but just as many are non-practicing Christians. Portugal and Ireland are not far behind with 35% and 34% stating that they attended church, but the lowest number of church-attending Christians can be found in Finland, who trails behind at a mere 9%. However, when comparing non-practicing Christians to church-attending Christians, the UK seems to take the cake. Church-attending Christians come in at 18%, while those that did not practice Christianity outnumber them at 55%, that’s roughly three times the number of church-attending Christians!

Across the 15 countries, 91% claimed to have been baptized, 81% were raised Christian, 71% are currently Christian, and just 22% attend church monthly. The 71% who are currently Christians are largely non-practicing Christians. They outnumber the religiously unaffiliated population (ie atheist, agnostic, “nones”) as well as people of other religions (Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, etc).

It’s interesting that many non-practicing Christians do not believe in the Biblical depiction of GOD. Christianity is solely based on believing that GOD, the Creator of man and the universe itself, sent His Son to die for our sins so that we may be reconciled to Him. Instead of the Almighty, they simply believe in some other higher power or spiritual force. For example, Spain is known as a country that largely identifies itself as Catholic, however, only about one-in-five non-practicing Christians (21%) believe in GOD “as described in the Bible,” while six-in-ten say they believe in some other higher power or spiritual force.

Non-practicing Christians express more positive than negative views toward churches and religious organizations, saying that they serve society by helping the poor and bringing communities together. The majority of non-practicing Christians favor legal abortion and same-sex marriage. While church-attending Christians are more conservative about these issues, there is rising support among them for legal abortion and same-sex marriage.

Another surprising find is that both non-practicing and church-attending Christians are more likely that the unaffiliated to hold negative views of immigrants, Muslims, and Jews. Although Jesus came to save all mankind, He was born into the Jewish faith and culture. Imagine my dismay when I read that Christians at all levels of religious observance are more likely than religiously unaffiliated adults to say that they would not be willing to accept Jews in their family! It doesn’t end there. The study finds that Christians are more likely to agree with highly negative statements about Jews, such as “Jews always pursue their own interests, and not the interest of the country they live in.”   It seems that our own brothers and sisters in Christ (which many are most likely wolves in sheep’s clothing) may be directly involved in the move of antiSemitism in Europe.

This study is further evidence of the Great Falling Away. Jesus said that not everyone who calls on His name will be saved, but those who do the will of His Father in heaven. The name Christian has become a loose term- it’s no wonder that many people are unwilling to hear GOD’S Word. Why pay attention to a bunch of Christians who live like the rest of the carnal world? True Believers need to step up to the plate and be true ambassadors of Christ, showing through our actions and speech that we are truly not of this world, and that we serve a mighty GOD.

Resources: Being Christian in Western Europe, Pew Research Center, www.pewforum.org

Posted on

9 Things your Kids Need (But won’t Tell You)

9 Things your Kids Need (But won’t Tell You)

Nothing beats the feeling of desiring to become a parent. No one can dismiss the joy, excitement and the strong desire to hold and cuddle your bundle of joy and live happily ever after. The plannings of how your baby will be received in the family not forgetting the baby showers that come in handy. Friends and family send the congratulatory messages to the newest parent in town.

Parenting is beautiful but unfortunately no manual can come in handy with instructions on how to raise and handle the new member in the family. The days and nights are always longer. Stress and feelings of breaking up are experienced in the few months after birth. Lack of sleep is the order of the day.

The good part is that it pays off. Parenting your children with Christian values helps to build strong families where strong societies and cultures are built from. We are living in the world with a lot of challenges and your children are not an exception as they’re prone to them.

Here are some of the things they need but won’t tell you.

1. Your marriage

When your marriage is perfect and you invest much in it, you’ll definitely have a great family. When children are born, they come along with an empty basket that needs to be filled up in all areas of their lives. You should always be at their service to provide them with your time and resources. Their future should be secured. Invest in them. When you invest in your marriage and let the children know that your marriage comes first, they’ll respect the institution.

2. Your faith and love to Christ

The adage says, “Actions speak louder than words. “Your children are likely to follow your actions more than they can listen. Which faith do you profess to? Share the love of Jesus Christ with your children. Be a role model even in the matters of Christianity.

3. Technology

In these times we are living in, technology has taken over our homes by storm. I remember when I got my second child, during feeding time and when I wanted to keep him calm as I worked. A phone always came in handy. I would allow him to play games and watch videos. The hardest thing was retrieving the phone back and erasing the mindset he had concerning the gadget. We need to put boundaries on technology. Let the children know that for their lives to be perfect they don’t need to be exposed to technology.

4. Encourage them more than you correct them

Have you ever been in a position whereby you only notice the mistakes your children are making?
Sometimes children can turn out to be chaotic, jumping up and down from the couches, fighting each other or speaking with food in their mouths disregarding all the etiquette you’ve taught them? You may feel like yelling at these little angels and put sense into their little minds. How do you respond to that? In the midst of all these shortcomings, is there a positive thing you can point out and say, “WOW, I am so proud of you!”

How often do you tell your children that you love them? I know what you’re thinking. I provide for them, take them to the best schools and I’m always there for them. They know too well that you love them but telling it to their faces makes all the difference. Spoken words are powerful. Speak positively to them and this will build them up. Stop assuming that your child knows how you feel about them. Tell them.

If you’re struggling with taming your tongue read the book of Psalm 141:3 “Set guard over my mouth Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. The Holy Spirit will always be your guide if you allow Him.

5. To know life isn’t fair

We all go through some nasty experiences in life. Let the children know that nothing comes easily in life and they need to work hard for it.

Good grades at school just doesn’t just fall into their laps, they need to work extra hard to earn them. Nothing in life is handed on a silver platter. Whatever we go through in life no matter how hard it is, it’s meant to build us make us strong and we learn from it.Romans 5:3-5 “But we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

6. To say no and protect their boundaries

We all set boundaries in all areas of our lives but the tragedy are when you set them in your own house and nothing seems to work. What happens when you tell your child not to do something that you feel isn’t right or would hurt them? Your guess is good as mine; they end up doing it.Learn to set boundaries.

Let your no be no but say it with a lot of love. These boys and girls just want to grab the attention and let you know that they are in existence lest you forgot.

7. Help them to become the best man and woman they were created to be, not who you want them to be

When we conceive, we make plans for the unborn child without regarding Gods intentions for their lives. We all want the best for our children but we end up eliminating GOD from the picture. How many people out there ended up being what God didn’t intend them to be just because somebody thought that “this suits you better than that”. Career wise, if I tell people to raise up their hands if they ended up in wrong careers just because their parents thought that Doctors are paid more than Teachers or Lawyers earn more than musicians. You’ll be surprised.

As parents, we need to nurture our children talents. Once you recognize them, the best you can do is to uphold them. Never ever make a mistake of comparing your children. It really hurts. I can very well remember back then while schooling. I did something that annoyed my mum and the worst mistake she did was to compare me with my friends and I didn’t like it. This really crushed my spirit, my self-esteem dropped to zero but I thank God I am not where I was then. Knowing Christ has helped me a great deal.

I thank God I can encourage my children to be better than what they were yesterday. I always seek guidance from God. You can do the same also. Pray and read the word of God for direction.

8. Discuss with them topics that are always avoided

Talking about sex is the hardest topic a parent can discuss with their children. They always dodge the conversation to the slightest opportunity they get. Let me ask this annoying question, whom would you want your child to discuss this with?

Children are always keen with their body parts and a boy can tell he looks different from a girl. Tell them and explain with the language they can understand. If you won’t tell them, the world is waiting to tell them as it is.Do not let your children subscribe to the patterns of the outside world.
Create a channel for conversations. Open dialogues works wonders.

9. Prayers

Pray for your children, pray with them and for them. Prayers works wonders. Some years back, my brother who’s behind me was living a life that we couldn’t understand. He could only come to visit me when he planned it and felt like seeing me.I would go for months without seeing him and this really affected me.I couldn’t get him on phone unless he called me.

I decided to involve God in it.I prayed and fasted because of him. I still do. He may not have accepted Christ as his savior but I’m sure one day God will save him. I thank God because he changed him in all areas of his life.

What does this mean to you? You guessed it right, prayers changes things.

Make a habit of praying for, with and for them. Have family devotions and you’ll experience great and mighty things. May God bless you and order your steps.

Posted on

We serve an AWESOME God!

We serve an AWESOME God!

When someone says that they are a Christian…what exactly does that mean? Do they believe in Jesus as the Christ? Is He their Savior or could their knowledge and belief be based on things that they have heard on TV or maybe at church? What about the Trinity? It is never mentioned in the Bible so where did that idea come from?

All of these questions are good questions and they can be answered, up to a point, by reading and studying God’s Word. The first question about being a Christian is actually the toughest because there are many people who claim to be Christians even though they only attend church on special occasions. Granted, being a Christian is not dependent upon church attendance but you should want to have fellowship with fellow believers. Anyone can claim that they are a Christian just by saying so and many do just that. But the reality of it is that a Christian should be changed in their heart not just by knowing about Jesus or that they went down the aisle one Sunday or on a revival night.

Anyone can walk down the aisle and say a few words which can lead others to believe that they are sincere in their belief, but if their life doesn’t change then those were just words and nothing more. Being a Christian and serving the God and Creator of the universe is a change which is complete and whole. Meaning that you won’t go back to the life you had before, you won’t do the things which you were doing prior to becoming a Christian. If you haven’t gone “all in” with Jesus then your claim to Christianity is false.

Our God is awesome and He loves us deeply otherwise He would not have sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins.

The Trinity is referenced in the gospels not so much as the “Trinity” but by description. When Jesus was baptized God the Father spoke and said He was His Son in whom He was pleased and the Holy Spirit came down in the form and shape of a dove and rested upon Jesus. In this, you have the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit of the Trinity. God proved that Jesus was and is His Son by the resurrection after His death on the cross which paid our sin debt in full, all that we have to do is believe and repent of our old life and walk with Him from this point on. Amen

Posted on

Countries Where It’s Hardest to Be Christian

In 2017, Open Doors released their World Watch List (WWL). The findings and trends noted by Open Doors are both shocking and grim. The modern persecution of Christians has risen to an all-time high, and the primary cause of this- Islamic extremism- now has a rival: ethnic nationalism.

The WWL data is compiled from reports spanning November 1, 2015, to October 31, 2016. The list is audited by the International Institute for Religious Freedom.

In order to rank the top 50 countries where Christians face the most persecutions, the pressures faced by Christians in five spheres of life- church, family, private, community and national- are examined, as well as levels of religiously motivated violence. In 25 years of noting the political and societal restrictions on religious freedom experienced by Christians throughout the world, Open Doors researchers identified 2016 as the “worst year yet”. It is now 2018, can you imagine the levels of persecutions happening? Many of us are ignorant of the atrocities that are being committed against Christians.

  • Approximately 215 million Christians experience higher, very high or extreme persecution. For 14 consecutive years, North Korea remains the most dangerous place to be Christian.
  • Islamic extremism remains the main reason behind persecution, responsible for initiating oppression and conflict in 35 out of the 50 countries on the 2017 list.
  • Ethnic nationalism is fast becoming a driving force behind persecutions. In Asia, it seems to be a common thing for vulnerable governments to gain quick support by scapegoating Christians. Israel seems to be another state in the role of a scapegoat.
  • The most violent country has been Pakistan, which rose to No. 4 on the list for a level of violence surpassing that of northern Nigeria. The killings of Christians in Nigeria increased to more than 62 %.
  • The worst increase has been Mali, which has moved up on the list from being No. 44 to 32.
  • Asia is a cause for concern with their persecutions rising sharply in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Laos, and Bhutan.

Open Doors states, “ In many countries, governmental raids of suspected Christian households increased, certain Christian books have been banned and the membership requirement to remain a legal church doubled, resulting in many churches to be deemed illegal overnight.”

Over the past 25 years, only three countries have topped the list: North Korea (2002-2017), Saudi Arabia (1993-1995; 1998-2001), and Somalia (1996-1997).

The top 10 nations where it is most dangerous and difficult to practice the Christian faith for 2017 are:

  1. North Korea
  2. Somalia
  3. Afghanistan
  4. Pakistan
  5. Sudan
  6. Syria
  7. Iraq
  8. Iran
  9. Yemen
  10. Eritrea

Persecution is defined by Open Doors as “any hostility experienced as a result of identification with Christ.” They also state that Christians continue to remain one of the most persecuted religious groups in the world. It stated that “Christians throughout the world continue to risk imprisonment, loss of home and assets, torture, beheadings, rape and even death as a result of their faith.”

“The Open Doors World Watch List is the most accurate, thorough and intensive research available on the persecution of Christians,” said David Curry, president, and CEO of Open Doors USA. “It calculates not only the deaths reported in the news but also persecution at a grassroots level, where family-to-family persecution is tracked. The 25-year research shows where the most unstable areas for Christians have historically been and, in many countries, remain.”

Since this list was published, persecution of Christians has risen to astronomical levels. Places like California are trying to control Christianity, many people are voicing their hatred for Christians in the western world and because of this (and other factors), we are facing the Great Falling Away of the church. Christianity has become synonymous with violence, aggression, hatred, fear, and doubt. This is when we, as those who still enjoy some freedom in expressing our faith, should show our fellow brothers and sisters across the world that we love them and that we are praying for them. If we need to send some sort of provision such as money, food or even provide shelter, and we are in the position to do it, we should do so. We cannot profess to walk in love but ignore the plight of those being persecuted. They may believe that we have forgotten them or choose to ignore what is happening to them. For the time being, many of us do experience freedom to practice our faith openly, but there will come a time when we will not be able to, and that will be a dark day indeed. However, even in the most forsaken places, Jesus continues to shine His Light, bringing the lost out of the darkness and revealing the truth as well as His love for them.

“Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed My teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of My name, for they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates Me hates my Father as well” (John 15:20-23).

“When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O LORD, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then white robes were given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed” (Revelation 6:9-11).

The persecution is only going to get worse. It is time that we stand as the Church, full of faith, courage, obedience, and strength from our Heavenly Father. Put on your armor of GOD, bringing your prayers and petitions before the LORD. It is time for fasting, a time for prayer warriors, a holy army and a people who seek the LORD with all of their hearts and strength. Read GOD’S Word, see what He has to say to you as His people- do not be destroyed by the schemes of the devil due to your lack of knowledge. Beloved, draw near to God with a pure heart, and He will draw near to you.

Posted on

They Were “Spiritual”…But Not Christlike

They Were "Spiritual"...But Not Christlike

Anyone who says the Christian life is unadventurous hasn’t hung out much with the Apostle Paul. You can feel the tension rising as he goes to bat for the things Jesus has done in his life. You can hear him momentarily go off-roading in order to defend the message of the Gospel and pursue those whom he loves. Let’s not forget–Christianity is not meant to be a bunch of “do’s and don’t’s”–it’s meant to be relational!

The false teachers of this day were masquerading as image bearers of Jesus. They were Christian-fakers. They could talk the talk. They were “spiritual”…but not Christlike. They had head knowledge…but not heart. Take a closer look at how Paul describes them: “You have such admirable tolerance for impostors who rob your freedom, rip you off, steal you blind, put you down—even slap your face! I shouldn’t admit it to you, but our stomachs aren’t strong enough to tolerate that kind of stuff (v.20–MSG).”

From a distance, it appears obvious that these leaders did not have the best interest of others in mind. They were selfish and wrongly motivated. However, it is so easy to get entangled with others (even in the church) who persuasively influence you or impact your thinking. When you are looking for a place to belong and people to accept you…it is surprising what you will put up with. It may take some personal introspection to examine your friendships and relationships in order to determine whether or not they are Christ-centered.

What are the characteristics of a godly leader, mentor, or friend? Ask yourself…

  • What word best describes the other person: arrogance or humility?
  •  Do they tear you down, or build you up?
  • Do they talk over you, putting you in your place? Or do you consider them a place of refuge and comfort?
  • Do they brag about their self-accomplishments? Or, their weakness that was made strong in Jesus?
  • Do they want to hurry you on out the door?  Or are they patient with you, filled with grace?
  • Do they make every problem “your” problem? Or, do you find them relatable and human, willing to put themselves in your shoes?
  • Do they point you to Jesus above everything else?

Paul was a committed leader who was willing to endure incredible hardship and suffering in order to pursue the heart of the ones he loved. He leveraged his talents, abilities, knowledge, lineage, education, and career to steer the believers back to Jesus. We need more people like this today! People who are willing to take risks for others. People who will humbly take a stand, regardless of the fallout. People who are fearless faith-walkers to defend the truth.  

Why is it necessary to stand up for the truth? Why do we find it so difficult to do so?

 

Posted on

70% Of Teens Quit Church After High School. Here’s Why

70% Of Teens Quit Church After High School. Here's Why

Let’s face it: the Christian youth are not prepared for all the skeptical and atheistic views that they encounter once they leave the nest. They do not have the necessary knowledge to withstand an attack against their faith, and eventually, they start to questions their beliefs. Before you know it, they return home on vacation with beliefs different to that in which they were brought up in, puffed up with ‘intellectual proof’ that church is either irrelevant or that Christianity is a based on a book of fairy tales and fables. Our Christian youth are joining the ranks of atheists and agnostics at an alarming rate, and we may just be paying for it to happen.

Most of our Christian youth will enroll in a college after graduating high school, and obviously, we are all for encouraging them to further their education and become a contributing member of society. However, gaining knowledge has come with a major side effect: we are experiencing a great falling away of our youth. Just take a moment and think about that. Our youth are the future, they are the ones that we are going to pass the baton on to lead the next generation. But if they are leaving the church in droves, where does that leave the church? We are meant to be preaching the Word of GOD and adding to our numbers, but instead, we are losing Christians. Many world events point to the fact that we are clearly living in the End Times, and so we cannot be losing souls to the world. How are we to stop this exodus? Well, it’s important to know why they are leaving in the first place. The reasons, you will find, lie with both us (the church) and the intellectual skepticism that is running rampant on campus grounds.

The Church

I’m sure that we mean well when we emphasize the emotional aspect of Christianity. Teenagers today have a shorter attention span than the youth of yesteryear, and they lose interest rather quickly, so keeping them entertained seems like the obvious path to take in order to keep them in church.   We provide the youth with riveting skits that keep them entertained, we have video nights that cater to their need of movie nights and popcorn with fellow Christian mates. We raise their endorphins and get their hearts pumping with a live band that delivers music to move and woo them to continue expressing their love for the LORD. We do a fantastic job of feeding them emotionally with the Word of GOD, but we neglect to give them the basis of our faith.

2 Corinthians 10:5 says “…casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of GOD, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

We do not teach them this command, or, if it is taught, we do not stress the importance of it. It is important that we instill the fear and love of GOD within them and demonstrate that love with praise and worship, but emotion is not going to protect their minds. Feelings are fickle, they sway this way and that- it just depends on the tide. Imagine having them being coddled with sentimental feelings about Jesus, only to render those emotions useless in the face of much hate, skepticism, and distrust of the Christian faith. They will not be able to uphold the command in 1 Peter 3:15:

“But sanctify the LORD GOD in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”

They will see reason in intellectual skepticism, and, with no ‘proof’ to believe in the existence of Jesus, they will eventually discard their faith. You see, we are supposed to know what we believe in and why we believe it. If our Christian youth do not understand this, we are opening the gates to their doom.

Intellectual Skepticism

College is a place of broad-minded individuals. The campus environment is all for ‘awakening your mind’ and encouraging enlightenment. Typically, most college professors identify themselves as atheists. It’s amusing (not really) for me to come across people who are against hearing the Word of GOD, but they think nothing of those who are intent upon converting them to atheism because, according to them, GOD does not exist. Let me tell you something: it takes more faith to be an atheist! With so much evidence of GOD’S handiwork, it takes much faith to ignore this in favor of the big bang theory. I once read somewhere that Darwin himself recanted his beliefs, but that knowledge is not widely circulated. While I cannot prove this, I wouldn’t be amazed if he did indeed go back on his previously held beliefs.

Our Christian youth are not being given the knowledge to question the atheistic and skeptical views that they encounter when they leave home for college. It’s no secret that college professors who are atheist look unfavorably upon those associated with the Christian faith. I do not think that it seems out of place to believe that these professors will use whatever intellectual ammunition they have to convert their students to atheism, and our Christian students are just not equipped to handle and resist the atheistic firing squad.

The campus is full of anti-Christian individuals who are intent upon undermining the Christian faith and will present all types of arguments and so-called empirical evidence to debunk the truths present in the Scriptures. They encounter the works of atheists such as Richard Dawkins, who has been quoted as saying “I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world.” Do you see the foolishness in this? Another atheist, Sam Harris, has written a book titled ‘The End of Faith’, and yet another atheist, Christopher Hitchens (now deceased),   has been described as ‘The Restless Soul of the World’s Most Notorious Atheist’. I can see why he was notorious, with comments such as “The only worthwhile miracle in the New Testament-the transmutation of water into wine during the wedding at Cana- is a tribute to the persistence of Hellenism in an otherwise austere Judaea” , and “To ‘choose’ dogma and faith over doubt and experience is to throw out the ripening vintage and to reach greedily for the Kool-Aid”. You can bet your bottom dollar (just an expression- we certainly do not bet!) that popular and celebrated atheists such as these are thrust into the lives of our Christian youth, plying them with lies and seductive worldviews that attract and ensnare them into emptiness.

Many of our youth, having been presented with much freedom, see all the world has to offer and they want to take a bite out of the apple. They put GOD on the back burner and immerse themselves in a hedonistic existence that is worlds apart from the God-fearing life they led before. It’s worth noting that not all youths in the church are Christians, many of them simply attend church because of their parents, so once they live the home, they are free to pursue their own beliefs and form their own opinions sans the influence of their parents. There are also youths that have left the church because they find Christians to be judgemental, hypocritical and selfish- the opposite of what is taught from the Scriptures. We know this to be true, but it is a great travesty that these youths have not been in the presence of a loving and God-fearing woman or man to show them what serving the LORD truly means, and what is that hope that we have in Christ.

It is vital that all of us Believers who are in the position of positively influencing a teen should teach them the truths of our faith and give them a solid foundation with their feet planted firmly on the Rock, that is Christ Jesus. If we do not take the time to lovingly guide and teach our youth the Word of GOD in its entirety (not just bits and pieces), then outsiders will undoubtedly do it.

Posted on

You Cannot Serve Two Masters

You Cannot Serve Two Masters

You Cannot Serve Two Masters. Every individual in our world will stand on one of two sides — the chosen and loyal under the blood-stained banner of Jesus, and all others under Satan’s banner.

The God of Christianity and the god of money are irreconcilably opposed.

There is to be no compromise with the powers of darkness. Individually we must take our stand. If we are not at war with the prince of darkness, the serpent, his folds encircle us and all our powers and his sting will be in our hearts.

All who range themselves under the blood-stained banner of the Jesus will henceforth count Satan as a deadly enemy, and will in God’s strength oppose him. They will take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

What should you do in order to hold your ground?

Pray always with supplication in the Spirit, and watching with all perseverance” (Ephesians 6:18).

We should be quick to discern danger. We should see the hateful character of sin and should expel it from the soul. The followers of the Word know that in Jesus there is strength, which becomes their own by faith. They are clothed with righteousness that God will accept, for it is the righteousness of Christ.

Clad in this armor of God, they successfully resist the Satan’s temptations. Not one soul has a moment to lose. The concerns of eternity are of sufficient importance to take precedence over every other issue.

What must you do to be saved?

This should be the great and solemn question for every believer in Christ now.

We wish that all could appreciate the wonderful working of God on behalf of man. For fallen angels there has been no atonement; but for fallen man a full and ample offering has been made, to save to the uttermost all who shall come unto God by Him.

God beholds in all His children the image of His only-begotten Son. He looks upon them with a love greater than any language can express. He holds them in the arms of His love. The Lord rejoices over His people.

Mammon /ˈmæmÉ™n/ in the New Testament of the Bible is commonly thought to mean money, material wealth, or any entity that promises wealth, and is associated with the greedy pursuit of gain. “You Cannot Serve Two Masters” or “You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

 

As seen on