Tag: Evil

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Seek Peace Not Strife

Worldly Peace Vs. God’s Peace

Many people fall into the evil trap of strife. Someone may say or do something that rubs you the wrong way, and before you know it, there is tension, quarrelling and division. The Bible tells us that strife opens the door to every evil work. It’s the enemy’s greatest trap to keep people from living in victory. 

The good news is, you don’t have to fall into the trap of strife, you can rise above it. Like today’s verse says, you can simply drop the matter before it turns into something bigger than it needs to. You don’t have to sink down to somebody’s level and argue with them and try to prove that you’re right. Remember, you weren’t put on this earth to correct everybody around you. 

Today, if you are going to be all that God’s called you to be, you have to learn to stay above strife and quarrels. Instead of letting disagreements pull your relationships apart, look for common ground to draw you closer together. Look for peaceful biblical ways to be a blessing. Stay above strife, and if you can’t say something positive don’t say anything, so you can enjoy your relationships and experience the blessings God has for you! 

“Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.” (Proverbs 17:14, NIV) 

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, help me to stay above strife no matter what’s going on around me. Father, I will honour You by seeking peace and staying positive in my relationships. Almighty God, empower me to walk in love and be a blessing everywhere I go, in Christ’s Name! Amen

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Words For Good Or Evil

The Devil Does Not Shoot BlanksThe Devil Does Not Shoot Blanks

This week I have felt the wrath of someone’s tongue, as well as wise words spoken to encourage and uplift. It’s easy to use words as a weapon. We’ve all either been “cut” by the words of others, or we’ve used words to put someone “in their place.” The truth of the matter is that when we use words recklessly, we are not being wise.  

Scripture tells us that the tongue of the wise brings life and healing to others. Throughout your day, look for ways to be wise with your words. Find something nice to say about someone. Share an encouraging word. Let your words bring healing to those around you. You can change a person’s life by sharing a kind word, a gracious word, a wise word. 

Today, choose wise words that build up and not tear down, remember words are like seeds. When you plant words of life and blessing into others, you will reap a harvest of blessing in your own life in return. But when you use words to cut, cuss and tear down, you will reap that harvest. Be wise today and bring healing! 

“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18, NIV) 

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, thank You for Your wise healing Word. Father, I choose to follow Your lead and be wise. I submit my tongue to You, and commit to use it for good and not for evil. God, show me ways to be a blessing to others. Help me find creative ways to encourage the people You have placed in my life, in Christ’s Name! Amen.

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Avoid Strife And Live Honourably

The Purpose of Life is Intimacy with God: What Is It & How to Pursue It

Someone once said challenges are merely distractions meant to keep us from pursuing our destiny. Maybe someone at work isn’t as friendly to you as you’d like. Maybe you have a neighbour who always parks in front of your house and blocks your driveway. Those things may be frustrating, but they have little significance when you look at the big picture. You can’t allow the little things to open the door to strife in your life. 

Scripture tells us, just before David fought Goliath, his brother Iliab tried to confront him. David knew that arguing with Iliab wasn’t even worth his time and strength. He knew his real battle was with Goliath, and he didn’t want to be distracted. So he “turned away” from Iliab and kept his focus on what he was called to do. In our own lives today, most frustrations aren’t worth our energy. When we avoid strife, it is a mark of honour. 

Today, turn away from strife and other distractions that the enemy will send your way. Keep your focus on what God has called you to do. As you do, you will live in honour before God and man. With integrity you’ll move forward into the destiny God has for you! 

“It is an honour for a man to cease from strife…” (Proverbs 20:3, AMP) 

Let’s Pray

Oh Jehovah, thank You for shielding me from evil and for Your hand of victory in my life. Father, give me the wisdom and courage I need to walk away from people who just want to cause conflict and strife, and cause me to lose sight of my focus and destiny You have prepared for me. God, I want to be a person of integrity at all times, I love You and bless You, in Christ’s Name! Amen.

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A Letter to YOU from the Devil

A Letter to YOU from the Devil

I am working.


I do not care, and although people tend to depict me as an ugly two horned beast and a fork tail, this is false.

The truth is whoever knows the bible knows very well that I can still appear as an angel of light.

Actually, I go to church more often than many and feel particularly happy when I come across Christians who neglect to pray or read the Bible on a regular basis.

It is in this that I am filled with joy and even applaud.

This is because the less you pray and read the Bible, the more control I can exert over you.

My greatest joy is when at the moment of preaching, many are talking, distracted on the their mobile phones or to concerned with their appearance.

My greatest sadness is when I see the church singing. I turned against God along time ago, because I wanting to be his equal. As a result I was expelled from heaven and lost all my privileges and so I have made this earth my home.


Today in the church, *music is what I hate most*.
Therefore *I have set a spirit of pride and prostitution for the musicians*, (Ezekiel 28: 12,13,14,15).

*My end is near*. That is why in recent times I am working hard to bring crowds with me to hell.

My mission is to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10).

I attract crowds with songs, dances, parties, alcoholic drinks, drugs, social networks, soap operas, movies, fame, fashion, lust, money, sexual pleasures etc.

I like to see women exposing there bodies to arouse the sensuality of men.

Many go to church with tight pants and short skirts.

I’m not afraid to reveal my secrets. I know very well that even when all this is said, there will be no improvement in you.

The things that make me angry in the church are: *fasting, prayers, intercession, and offerings*.

When I want someone not to go to church, I put thoughts like:

‘You are tired’, you are not fit to go to church … Then do not go!

‘The services are long and tiring’, do not go !!!

‘Rest, enjoy the TV!’

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What Does It Mean to Overcome Evil with Good?

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Agile Methodologies

What does Romans 12:21 mean by saying, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”? Let’s start off by drawing out some word meanings with the help of Strong’s Dictionary:

  • the word overcome (Gk. Nikao) refers to: victory, conquer, prevail, subdue, and come off victorious (implying a battle)
  • the word evil (Gk. Kakos) refers to: bad, inwardly foul, rotten (poisoned), flowing out of a morally rotten character.
  • the word good ( Agathos) refers to: “intrinsically good, pointing to what originates from God and is empowered by Him in their life”

We know from experience that what 1 John 5:19 says is true, that the whole world lies in wickedness. Crime is rampant, just check out the news. Offenses are everywhere both offline and online. People hurting people, damaging and victimizing others with words and deeds. And people are rarely apologetic nowadays. Corrupted by sin and without Christ in this world, we can’t expect any better from most of the people out there.

In the midst of this culture and environment, what is a Christian to do? How is he to act and respond? Romans 12:21 instructs the believer to observe 2 things:

  1. Do not be overcome by evil.
  2. Overcome evil with good

Do not be overcome by evil

We can apply this in so many ways:

  1. Do not be discouraged. If you’re in an environment where all the wrong things are happening to others or even to you, whether repeated offenses or unfairness is the norm; don’t be discouraged. In His time, justice will be restored and what is needed to come out will be brought to light. Ecc. 3:17 Job 12:22
  2. Do not be influenced. In an environment where wrong is the normal practice, the Christian may sometimes be tempted to do as others do, thinking that it won’t make a difference, or thinking that doing wrong pays off, or thinking that since everybody’s doing it, it must be okay. Choose to remain honest even if your peers are into plagiarized work and cheating. Stay honest even if your peers are cheating on work hours, sleeping on the job, goofing off, inflating work hours done. Stay honest even if other businesses cheat on their customers. Leviticus 19:36
  3. Do not be intimidated. Edmund Burke is attributed to have said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” John Stuart Mil said, “Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” Many times, it is the wrongdoers who are brave and aggressive in their ways, making no apologies about what they do and say. Christians, in the desire for peace may feel forced to stay quiet. Now, not every issue should be a battle we fight others over for. But at times, we need to make our stand known if it helps bring enlightenment even to just one person. Speak your mind when God gives an opening. Answer a curious question when somebody asks your view. God promises to teach you what to say. Luke 12:12

Overcome evil with good

We can apply this in so many ways:

  1. Do good to your enemies. The enemies Matthew 5:44 points to are those who do wrong against you and who just feels hatred towards you for no valid reason. It may be tempting to give them a dose of their own medicine or to take revenge but the verse says to love them instead. That does not necessarily mean to go out of your way to be best buddies with them, consent to their wrongdoing and to suffer repeated abuse. In the context of agape love, it means to desire their highest good. You can and should pray for God to bless them. Pray for God to bring enlightenment and salvation in their lives. You never know when your goodness will cause repentance to dawn on them, “heaping coals of fire on their head.”
  2. Do good and do it without expecting anything in return. Good works are rewarding to you personally and to others. The good you do will bring some fruit in their lives; gratefulness, hope, cheerfulness, and more. Often, good works are contagious. The good you do tend to get paid forward by others.
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You Have the Victory, So Why Are You Walking Around Defeated?

You Have the Victory, So Why Are You Walking Around Defeated?

Why are you so downcast? You hang your head down, just ‘getting on with life’, but not truly living. Do you not know that you have victory because of Jesus? Your identity lies with Christ, not with what the world throws at you. You are not your mistakes, you are not your physical appearance, you are not your job, your relationships or your possessions (however grand or meager), you are who GOD says you are.

It is incredibly easy to accept all the negative things of the world. We so readily believe what the world tells us and yet doubt the truths of the Bible. Bit by bit, we are being weighed down by the pressures of society, the pressure to get a well-paying job, the pressure to achieve at school, the pressure of being better than the next person, the pressure of getting married- even when you’re not ready- and even the pressure of accepting beliefs that are not your own. When does it all stop? The truth is, it can only stop with you. You have to decide to trust GOD’S Word above all else and live according to His Word. Perhaps you believe that you have already tried living your life according to GOD’S Word, but it hasn’t worked out for you. I’m going to have to be truthful and say that you probably were not following GOD’S Word, but a watered down version of it. The reality is, we do not want to give up our negative world- we do not want to give up our comfort with the patterns of the world. When you’re not Christain, you do not have much of a choice but to live according to the sway of the world, but when you are, in fact, a Christian, you no longer have that excuse to use for the condition that your life is in. You have no excuse to think negatively, you have no excuse to speak negatively and you have no excuse to accept anything negative.

You do not have to live a life of defeat. I repeat you do not have to live a life of defeat. What did Jesus say in John 10:10: “The thief does not come in except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” Jesus came so that you would have a more abundant life! Don’t immediately associate abundance with riches and fame, but instead think about what having a more abundant life means. I think of having joy, peace, security, love, grace, mercy and hope in abundance, and I believe that is what Jesus actually meant. Riches and fame do not make one happy- just take a look at the celebrities. Divorce, substance abuse, violence, and unhappiness are rife among them, despite their wealth and the adoration of their fans. You do not need to be rolling in money or popular with people to have an abundant life, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be poor and alone either. You see, our Heavenly Father already knows what we need, be it food, clothing, a job, or a roof over our heads etc. But be honest with yourself, what matters to you more: attaining your hoard of desired materialistic possessions or seeking a relationship with GOD? I’ll let you in on a ‘secret’ so well-known, that it’s universally dismissed for its simplicity: “But seek first the kingdom of GOD and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt 6:33). What are all these things that Jesus is talking about? “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matt 6:25). What Jesus is basically saying is that you need to stop worrying about these things, and instead focus on seeking a relationship with GOD. You focus on GOD and He will make sure that you have all that you need. Simple right? Because it is! The world tells us that it’s not possible, but Jesus commanded us not to worry. You say that you follow Jesus, so are you going to ignore the world and obey Him?

So, what does it mean to walk in victory? First of all, it means that we do not have to be afraid of death! John 11:25 says: “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” We have an eternity of being in GOD’S sweet presence in Heaven! You don’t have to be worried about dying- a thought that plagues most of the world- you will die knowing where you are going. And if your loved ones are also saved, then you will all meet again. Having victory also means that even though we may go through trials and difficulties, that we can have peace- “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace” (John 16:33). We do not have to be stressed, full of anxiety and fear. Look at Philippians 4:6-7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to GOD; and the peace of GOD, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Don’t remain in your state of anxiety, please! Paul the Apostle tells you what to do- pray! Pray, give your worries to GOD, let Him know of your petitions and be thankful to Him. Even when everything is going wrong, remain thankful- it drives the devil wild with anger. When you present your requests to Him, peace will fill your heart. Don’t try to understand it, just accept it. Be child-like when receiving from our LORD, don’t question His gifts to us, accept them and say thank you. Not only that, say thank you before you’ve even received what you have prayed for. Most importantly, do not limit GOD in your life because of your own doubts and insecurities. Choose to believe Him, even when there is no evidence before you- “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7).

In Acts 10:34, Peter tells us that GOD does not show favoritism towards anyone, what He does for one He will do for the other. Stop saying: I believe that GOD can do it, I just don’t believe that He will do it for me. Of course, He will do it for you! It’s your own disbelief that blocks your blessings in your life. Ephesians 3:20 says: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,…” Did you get that? GOD can do way more than you could ever ask of Him. Our GOD is so mighty and loving, He longs to bless you, but even more than that, He longs to have a relationship with you. The ball is in your court, so what are you going to do about it? Are you going to continue feeling downtrodden and defeated, or are you going to live a victorious life in Christ Jesus?

Ending Thoughts: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which GOD prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10). You’ve got a purpose, Beloved, time to take your place within the kingdom of GOD and fulfill the plans that He has for you.

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Why Christianity Has Been Pushed Underground in China?

China's Christians Practice Their Faith in Underground Churches

Millions of Chinese identify themselves with Christianity a reality that President Xi’s administration is fighting hard against. The number has increased gradually and this is seen as a threat to the government which is officially atheist and its power is being put to test.

Under the presidency of Xi Jinping, the government launched a number of initiatives to control and at times limit Christian followers. Chinese Communist Party (C.C.P.) is up in arms to control and fight Christianity. The government constraints and controls religious freedom. Why is the government determined to rob people of their free will to worship?

We are blessed that we have the freedom of worship to our Lord anywhere, anytime and anyhow with no one monitoring of our doings unlike In China where Christians have been pushed to worship underground. China ranked 10th as a country where it is most hard and risky to practice Christianity according to Open Doors, a U.S. based Christian non-profit that traces the persecution of Christians worldwide.

The Lie

Psalms 103:2-3 says, Praise be to the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.

The Chinese government has been persuading Christians to pull down the pictures of our Lord Jesus Christ and replace them with the photographs of president Xi Jinping.They have also gone ahead to tell them about how Jesus won’t drag them out of hardships or cure their ailments which we all know it’s a lie from the devil!

Our God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we have asked for or imagined.

The Christianity crackdown

Over the past 4 decades, there has been a tremendous increase in Christian believers and this has not gone down so well with the government. The Chinese Communist Party is on guard lest Christians invade the country and that’s why they have opted to restrict and put a barrier to free worship. With the crackdown this is what they’ve opted to do against the Christians;

1. The Communist party was very daring in visiting Christians households in Jiangxi Province, removing by force dozens of Christian symbols and images of Jesus from their living rooms and substituting them with the communist president.

2. Bible online sellers like Amazon has been banned so as to suppress Christianity.

3.The government has destroyed churches under president Xi Jinping.The blowing up of the Christian megachurch with dynamite shows how the government has no respect for religious freedom or human rights.

4. Churches across the Zhejiang province were forced to remove their crosses and the government set new limitations that believers must have government approval.

5. Detention of believers, hindering entry to places of worship and interfering with gatherings has forced many Christians to go underground.

6. The Chinese government has actively and openly been popularizing Buddhism and Taoism, as well folk religions while restricting the spread of Christianity.

7. Preachers have also been coerced to show their loyalty to the communist party and have taken to applauding president Xi Jinping and combining party propaganda into their teachings.

8.The new law that took effect on February 2, 2018, says will charge penalties on organizers or unofficial religious happenings and stop them from basic duties like receiving handouts, providing spiritual information online, or teaching children.

9. The Chinese government has lifted up the presidential term limits-you guessed it right on what this means for the church. Lifting up the term limit is a way of allowing the Communist party to suppress the spread of Christianity.

This has forced many Christians to go underground and some members are reluctant to confess their faith. Forcing the removal of crosses from the churches where the preachers could not agree to it, they opted to go underground for the fear of further punishment.

Acts 1:8 says, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

“By 2030, China will almost certainly have more Christians than any other country and the Communist party is very alarmed.” Says Fenggang Yang.

With this power given unto us, we can change anything and even make things happen. Let us unite as Christians and pray for our brothers and sisters in China and every corner of the world where Christians are being attacked for practicing their faith.

As Christians, we are blessed to have the Holy Spirit to empower and give us power and authority. In countries where we have the freedom of worship, let’s spread the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ even to the unchurched.Share the word of God to everyone who cares to listen and save their souls from death.

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KEEPING GOD in OUR DAILY LIVES

KEEPING GOD in OUR DAILY LIVES

How many of us can truly say that this is how we feel? Do our souls yearn for GOD in the night? Do our spirits long for Him in the morning? Or have our busy lives taken away the pleasure of being with the Almighty?

Life has a sneaky way of drawing our attention away from GOD and instead focusing it on everything else- our finances, the well-being of our children, getting good grades in school, trying to keep a dying relationship alive… We put so much attention on living a life that we push GOD out of our daily lives and put Him into a closed box   (in our minds) that we only open up on specific occasions such as church on a Sunday, prayers for a sick person or even a financial difficulty. Once we’re done, we neatly put Him back in that box, ready for the next outing. That is not how it is supposed to be for us as Believers!

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to trust in Him with our whole hearts and to not try and understand things in our own way. If we would just acknowledge Him in all that we do, He will lead us down the right paths of our lives. In order for Him to lead us, we need to give up control over our own lives. That means humbling ourselves before Him and seeking Him in every situation. When we accepted Jesus as the LORD and Saviour of our lives, we ceased to belong to our selves; we were purchased by the Blood of Jesus and have become the Temple of GOD (Romans 8:9 & 1 Corinthians 6:20). This means that the Holy Spirit dwells within us- the minute we were born-again, the Holy Spirit entered us in accordance with the promise that Jesus made in John 14: 15-17.

What does this mean for us? It means that we can no longer go on living as we did before. It means that in order to know what GOD has planned for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11), we need to seek Him- Let us draw near to GOD with a sincere heart and the full assurance that faith brings (Hebrews 10:32).

We all have a part to play within the Body of Christ, but to be an active member, we need to seek GOD daily and keep Him in our lives. You must remember that we have an adversary- the devil- who will do all that he can to keep you from fulfilling your GOD-given purpose. There are people waiting for you to show them the love of Christ, to give them the Truth. When we one day meet GOD, what do you want Him to say? ‘My child, you have done well’ or ‘Why did you not obey Me?’

Make a choice right now to keep GOD in your daily life, to seek Him in the morning, to end your day with Him. Doing so will bring you closer to Him and closer to your purpose.

Ending Thoughts: Romans 12:2 commands us to not be like the rest of the world, that we must let the Word of God direct our thoughts and actions. In Hosea 4:6 GOD says that His people are destroyed for their lack of knowledge. This knowledge comes from His Word, not just reading His Word but studying it and meditating on it. Only then can we know the will of GOD for our lives, and only then can we get to know Him personally.

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Did you know that 750,000 of Youths are Into Gambling?

Did you know that 750,000 of Youths are Into Gambling?

Imagine taking risks on things you’re not sure of? Why have the young people decided to throw caution to the wind? Could the reason behind gambling be provoked by lack of guidance and mentorship? Come to think of this; how will it be living in this world where the youth are non-existence.The bible is very firm about gambling and condemns this vice.

Proverbs 28:22 says, Greedy people, try to get rich quick and don’t realize they’re heading for poverty.

There was nothing traumatizing like having a relative who spends all his entire youthful life gambling. He chose to throw caution to the wind and the advice that he was given down the drain. He gambled with every single cent he had, lived a miserable life but fortunately got help and he’s a changed man.

Want to know how I feel about it? This is the reason why I wrote this post to give you a leeway on how to tame the youths in a Godly way from gambling and I promise you that I’ll do my best to help you tame this vice.

Why would anyone play a game of chance with the mentality of getting rich instantly? The Bible tells us that the Lord will supply our needs according to his riches in glory. When you gamble you erase the trust you have in God.

Proverbs 13:11 says, dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Our youths are wallowing in the deep waters of ignorance and allow the enemy to torment them with the mentality of getting rich by placing a bet. The devil is a liar.

Proverbs 28:19 says, Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.

Our youths have become too lazy to work and that’s why they have opted for gambling to satisfy the hunger for getting rich quickly. What if they don’t have an income to sustain the vice? They commit crimes to sustain their addiction. Crimes like petty theft and break-ins are always reported highly in areas where gambling is exercised. The Bible tells us to train a child in a way he should go and when he grows up he will not depart from it.

1 Timothy 6:9-10 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

This word is very powerful and you can use it to win that soul that is running away from the love of God. Do it lovingly quoting these verses and save them from the wrath of the Almighty God and grief as quoted.

Some youths can be so adamant about letting go of this vice but approaching it lovingly and in a Godly way will make all the difference.

How to deal with a gambling addiction

  1. Recognize and admit you have a problem.  Healing commences the minute you admit you need help. Once you identify the problem, it’s very easy to tackle it in the best way possible.
  2. Understand the aftermath of your gambling.  Gambling can and will always lead to depression, anxiety, and suicide.
  3. Be sincere about your gambling.

We all want to be free from depression, anxiety, substance abuse and anti-social disorders. It all starts with the mind. You admit, confess and accept that you have a problem that needs to be addressed and you’ll be free. Having somebody to hold you accountable is highly advisable.

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Can Rock Star Alice Cooper Really Be A Christian?

Can Rock Star Alice Cooper Really Be A Christian?

Thinking back to the rock celebrity from the 1970s, Alice Cooper, and your mind will probably conjure up images of a creepy long-haired guy with runny black eye makeup who plays with snakes. In an age when hard rock was associated with all things evil, Alice Cooper seemed to epitomise that genre. His style was macabre theatre and he played it up with all his might.

But it wasn’t always that way.

Raised as a pastor’s kid (and the grandson of an evangelist) Alice Cooper grew up in Detroit and Phoenix as Vincent Damon Furnier. He even served in the church as a pre-teen. But as a teen, Furnier wandered off from the church to begin his rock career, eventually adopting the band name “Alice Cooper” as his own. In many respects, he became a completely different person.

Inspired by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, and The Who, Cooper’s band jumped quickly into fame in the 1960s and 1970s with showmanship as well as musical talent.   Drugs and alcohol came naturally along with the mix, while violent stage antics began to draw more and more attention. Glam-rock costumes, fake blood, torture of baby dolls, and even mock human executions became trademarks, leaving audiences wondering what could be next.

The effect was controversial in public, to say the least, while Cooper’s life was on a downward spiral in private. Hospitalising himself for alcohol addiction in the late 70s, he wasn’t able to kick his habit of illicit substance abuse. Barely able to remember recording some of his albums in the 80s, Cooper was so addicted that his wife filed for divorce (they then reconciled). He began acting in B-grade horror films as well as appearing as a dark personality in many other formats.

Since then, things have drastically changed again.

The faith of his childhood never went away and Cooper eventually hit rock bottom. He looked around himself and saw his drinking buddies, including Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix, realised they were dying before they were 30, and didn’t want the same for himself.

When he bottomed out, Cooper knew where to turn. He credits his full recovery to God.

Appearing as King Herod in NBC’s live version of Jesus Christ Superstar for Easter 2018, Alice Cooper’s dark experience likely allows him to identify with Herod’s dark side more than the average person.

Now 70 years old, Cooper declares that he and his wife are both Christians who read the bible and pray every day. Alice’s wife, Sheryl, also grew up as the child of a clergyman. The couple has remained faithful to each other throughout their 42-year marriage and are thankful that their three kids have never had any problems with alcohol or drugs.

Alice Cooper doesn’t consider himself to be particularly “religious” but he does go to church every Sunday. He also heads up a faith-based organisation in Phoenix, called Solid Rock, which ministers to teens in partnership with a local church.

Cooper says that Christianity is all about “dependence on Christ” and a “one-on-one relationship”. And he is adamant that there’s nothing in the bible that says he can’t be a Rock Star.

Check out these lyrics from Cleansed By Fire from the 1994 album “The Last Temptation”:

What about truth

What about life

What about glory

What about Christ

What about peace

What about love

What about faith in God above”¦.

You’re lost

And I’m found

And I’m Heaven Bound

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God Gave Me Power and Authority

God Gave Me Power and Authority

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog on, “How to battle fear.”   I used the scripture, “For God has not given us a Spirit of Fear”¦” 2 Timothy 1:7. In that writing, I said, “Fear is the opposite of faith.”  

With every problem or crisis that we acquire, there are two choices; fear or faith, and we must choose one each time we face a crisis. We make the choice, fear or faith, almost immediately and most of the time we aren’t even aware that we are making a choice.

God also gives us amazing supernatural power because he wants us to be able to overcome anything that is thrown our way.    In 2 Timothy 1:7 you can find that we have already been equipped with tools to help us succeed in life, we just have to know what the tools are and how they apply to us.  

The first tool God gives us is power. God has given us the power to make a choice.  Knowing that we have a choice and we don’t have to choose fear is powerful. Even if we choose fear first, knowing that we can change our mind and choose to put all of our faith in God, is powerful.    

For me personally, God gave me the power to rise above a lifetime of suffering and torture. What should have made me a classic statistic, didn’t because God gave me the power to overcome.

I grew up in a negative and suppressive home as a child that set me up to fail.  I withdrew and felt  defeated.  I suffer from a number of illnesses. I had abusive parents, I went through the foster care system, but did not end up in a good foster home.

I then spent the last three years of my teen working two jobs to help support my mother and my three siblings and  as a result could not attend high school.

I got married at age 18 as I was looking for stability in my life.  My heart was broken, my body was weak, I carried a lot of emotional pain, but hid my pain from others. I felt like I was dying inside. I felt hopeless.  

When I was first diagnosed with Lupus it devastated my family’s financial stability because my income was a large part of our budget, however, God made a way.  God gave me the power to come out of a lifetime of built up hate, resentment, bitterness, and fear.  

Over the last four years, God has provided everything we needed.

I didn’t say it was easy, but all that we need is provided. God made a way for us to buy a house right after losing my job. He made a way when there seemed to be no way. He never ceases to amaze me.      

God gave me the power to trust Him even when I didn’t trust myself. He loved me before I loved him.  There is power in asking, power in believing and power in trusting.

God gave me the power to allow myself to take chances.  

I have power to cast down thoughts of the past, fears of the future and imaginations that do not line up with God.

There is power in knowing that I have control over my own thoughts.

I have power in knowing that when I call on Jesus nothing is impossible. From climbing mountains, losing weight, beating anxiety, facing illnesses.  I gain strength and solitude just knowing that he can and will work all things out for my good.  

I have Power in being able to share my life’s testimony.

I used to be ashamed of my life, it’s nothing to brag about for sure. God has taken my mess of a life and made a way for me to share my story with others in confidence.   Now, I am not ashamed of my life because I overcame, Satan didn’t win, God has received the victory.  

God is the only one that gives me peace. He gives the power to stand tall with confidence. I am not ashamed of who I am because I am the daughter of the Creator. God is the only one that gives me hope, even in the middle of what Satan hopes is going to bring me down. I stand tall in name of Jesus and rebuke Satan. I am not afraid because God has given me the power to overcome. In the name of Jesus Christ AMEN

 

 

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Can God Be Trusted?

Can God Be Trusted?

Today, trust has become a precious commodity. With all the news reports and bad experiences of people we know, it is no longer easy or prudent to immediately trust. Trust needs to be earned. People can be deceitful. We must be cautious in our dealings and relationships lest we fall prey to people who victimize unsuspecting, untrusting individuals. Man’s wisdom can be flawed. We must be selective about the advice and opinion we heed lest we are encouraged into making wrong decisions and assumptions.

It is right to be guarded. The attitude has become a necessity in order to spare our selves from loss and heartbreak. At times though, the Christian can bring this attitude into his relationship with God. When things go wrong or get harder, we can begin to doubt God’s character and capacity. When life gets busy and so many pressing matters hound us, we may begin to rely more on our wisdom and doubt the effectiveness of consulting with God by prayer and reading of the Word. God can become unreal to us. When this happens we must stop and remind ourselves that God can be trusted. God is trustworthy. God is reliable.

God is so certain of His own goodness that He isn’t  threatened at all by our questions.

He has seen the beginning and end.

God bears the wisdom of eternity. From eternity past and eternity future, God was, God is, and God will be. God is not a novice; nothing will surprise Him. He will never panic nor will He be stressed. He won’t be pressured into doing anything drastic or impulsive. When He acts, I know He acts in wisdom. It may be hard to understand but whatever He allows or withholds, I know there is His perfect reason behind it. In the end, all things will work out for my good (Romans 8:28).

That He sees the beginning and the end is an assuring thought. Think about it. The past, present, and future are equally laid out before him. God is never blindsided. He is never shortsighted. There can be peace and calm amidst the chaos and confusion because God clearly sees my life and knows how to direct and keep me on the right path.

He knows me wholly.

No one can know you more than He does. Even we fail to understand our hearts at times. Jeremiah 17:9 says that our heart is deceitful, no one can really understand it. We get overwhelmed and our emotions get the better of us. We second-guess ourselves and we overestimate ourselves. But, not God; He understands us with a perfect understanding. He knows what you and I are made of. He is fully acquainted with our uniqueness. He knows why we are the way we are. He knows how and why we think the way we think.

Psalm 139 beautifully lays just how much God knows us. Verse 4 says before we even utter the words, God knows it completely. He knows the reason behind the words and the feelings that go with them. From the passage, we know that He created our inmost being. He saw our unformed body and has set how many years we will have to enjoy life on this earth.

That He knows us completely and accurately is a refreshing thought. Think about it. There is never a need to pretend or build walls. We can come just as we are. He will not pre-judge. There is never a need to explain our selves. He gets us completely. We can trust Him to respond to us rightly and helpfully.

Can God be trusted? For these two reasons and many more, the answer is a definite “Yes!” Yes, He can.

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How to Deal with Chronic Fear and Anxiety

How to Deal with Chronic Fear and Anxiety

Fear is something that we will all experience in our lives, but fear is actually an emotion that we can control.

Fear is an emotion that brings on a reaction of fight or flight. Fear can manifests itself in all areas of our lives. When fear comes, we generally choose one of two pathways; we either stand and battle out whatever is causing the fear, or we run away from the fearful situation. Fear is the most powerful weapon that the enemy can use against us. Living in fear can absolutely can kill, steal, and destroy. Isn’t this the scheme of Satan?

As I am watching the latest on the school shooting here in my home state of Florida, many thoughts are running through my mind. I wonder how many parents are thinking they need to homeschool their children.

I wonder how my daughter and son would react in the same situation if it happened in their schools. Would they give in to fear, would they be able to react in time and overcome their fear to survive? How many teachers are thinking they need to resign?

Last night one of the schools in a nearby small town cancelled school today because of a potential threat. This morning, I watched my kids walk out the door for school, and worry did run through my mind, but I also know that I cannot give into fear. I lived in fear for many years of my life as a result of an abusive childhood.

It took a long time for me to learn how to control my fear but once I did my life changed dramatically. First, I had to accept that there are some things in life that I am not going to be able to control. I have to live my life, and stop merely existing. Fear can paralyze even the strongest of person, and the grip is so tight it’s almost impossible to get out of its hold. Fear would give me overwhelming anxiety and take over all of my senses. Understand that fear is a product of the evil in this world and that evil uses fear to control. Once you allowed fear to enter into your mind you are already suffering.

There are a lot of things going on in the world right now and we can choose to be afraid, to send our kids to school and or we can teach them to speak up when they see questionable Snapchats, texts, or whatever.

We can equip our children to live in their generation without being afraid. Our kids will emulate our actions and reactions so we need to learn how to deal with fear first and foremost.

One of the ways that I battle fear is to control my mind and it’s thought processes. Satan can do a lot of things but he cannot control your thoughts. The mind can occupy just one single thought at a time.

So, in order to keep fear at bay, I have learned the key point to getting out of the emotion of fear is to stay positive. I have learned to make positive statements to myself almost repetitively. I have found that when I think on the positive aspects of my life or the positive things around me, my conscious mind eventually accepts my subconscious mind. I have learned to make positive statements to myself almost repetitively. I have found that when I think on the positive aspects of my life or the positive things around me, my conscious mind eventually accepts my subconscious mind.

One other thing I hold on to keep me calm is reading my favorite passages in the Bible. The Bible holds a wealth of comforting words to keep me calm and serein, so, often I go to the Bible to read passages that hold fearful situations back.

Fear is the opposite of faith, and as long as I have God in my life I trust in His plan for me and my family. The Bible says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear”¦” (2 Timothy 1: 7a NKJV) Because I know that fear is not of God, I choose to not let fear control me. Satan would have me to doubt and fear, God would have me to trust Him and live a happy fulfilled life despite what terrible things happen to me and around me. God didn’t give us the Spirit of fear. We can’t control what is going on in the world, but we can control our emotions and how we allow fear to play a part in our lives.

 

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2 Things to Remember About God’s Love

2 Things to Remember About God’s Love

The Bible talks a great deal about God’s love. And when Scriptures talk about God’s love, it’s mostly in superlatives. John 3:16 says God so loved that He sent His one and only Son to ensure man’s full redemption from the doom of hell. What no amount of human sacrifices can achieve, Christ secured for us once for all on the cross. By placing our full trust in Christ’s finished work, we all enter into this love relationship. Forever redeemed, forever experiencing the love of God. This is the best thing that can ever happen to a lost sinner.

God’s love is unlimiting.

Human love can be suffocating at times. It can be demanding or restricting. At times, we love someone so much, we begin to fear and worry. Overprotection sets in, we don’t want them getting hurt. Jealousy and insecurity may surface; we don’t want to lose them.

God’s love is unlimiting. It is in fact liberating. Those who don’t understand think Christianity is boring and rigid. They have the idea that in this “religion”, people don’t get to be and do a lot of things.   But the Bible shows us differently. In true Christianity is freedom. There is liberty. We become free and enabled to do right. We don’t need to be sinful all the time, we don’t have to do succumb to wrong pleasures each time temptation comes. Once, we had great tendencies for evil and wrongness. Now, as children of God we are empowered by the Holy Spirit for right and fruitful living.

God’s love is unlimiting. It unleashes the strength and grace of God in our lives. We find endurance to press on towards fulfilling our goals. We find wisdom in making right directions and pursuits. We learn to put our efforts into what is worthwhile and we get to experience satisfying joy, not just in achieving but in the journey itself.

God says His plans for us are for our welfare and not for evil, to give us a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) In love, He works all things for our good. (Romans 8:28) Sometimes, the present doesn’t seem to be turning out well but while the end remains hidden from sight, we can trust God’s love in the process.

God’s love is relentless.

While some debate the idea that we can call God’s love as reckless, there’s no doubt that His love is relentless. We understand the reckless love doesn’t consider the risks. It is not cautious. It is not deterred by danger or loss. Reckless love jumps right in no matter what. Indeed, God’s love may be somewhat like that. But on a whole, reckless love is a far term to describe God’s love. Reckless bears a primary usage and meaning of “heedless of danger or the consequences of one’s actions; rash or impetuous.”

God’s love is nothing like that. In eternity past, He has counted the cost. He has foreseen the danger and the consequence. He has deliberately and committedly set His love toward us. In Luke 22:39-46, we gain insight into how painful and agonizing it was for the triune God to face separation for the first time. The sin of the world was to be laid upon Christ and the Father had to look away as the full weight of our sin was placed upon Him. That was far from a reckless kind of love.

Relentless love is unceasingly intense. It is persistent and continuing. It is unstoppable.   It does not allow itself to be hindered. It is defiant in a sense that it will cross boundaries to provide what is beneficial for its object of love. It is unsparing in a sense that it will give whatever is necessary for the benefit of its object of love. Relentless love is thoughtful love. It is deliberate. It counts the cost and takes intelligent account of what is necessary to achieve the highest good for the object of its love.

God’s love is relentless.   It is non-stop. “One Thing” by Jesus Culture articulates it quite well. The message says, “Your love never fails. It never gives up. It never runs out on me.” The rest of the song lyrics say:

Higher than the mountains that I face

Stronger than the power of the grave

Constant through the trial and the change

One thing remains. This one thing remains

Your love never fails, and never gives up

It never runs out on me

Because on and on and on and on it goes

Before it overwhelms and satisfies my soul

And I never, ever, have to be afraid

One thing remains. This one thing remains.

Be encouraged with the truth of this song today.

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

17 Aspects of Discipleship Beyond Just Reading the Bible

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Politics and Project Management, a Lesson in Leadership

We all know that the more power you have, the better you are able to get the job completed. The problem is most project managers have lots of responsibility, but hardly any authority and since most projects exist outside core business structures, they are forced to develop other methods of influence.

One unspoken evil that is often ignored on project management training courses is the politics of project management. While most of us view politics with disgust; there is no refuting that effective project managers are often seen as those who are equipped and able to employ fitting political strategies to further their project goals. 

“In a Perfect World the Best Workers Would Be Promoted on Merit Alone and the Best Ideas Would Be Adopted Regardless of Personal Interest – but We Do Not Live in Utopia”

Have you ever included ‘office politics’ as a risk on your risk register? Probably not. Though, consider the potential implications of ignoring the ugly stepchild of project management?

“The Objective of Office Politics Is to Manipulate a Situation in Order to Achieve an Outcome That Will Benefit One Individual or Group at the Expense of Other Individuals or Groups.”

While it is unlikely that ‘office politics’ would be listed directly as a risk on your risk register, it is quite likely that one or more of the outcomes of it would. As a result, if you want to survive and prosper in the real world you need to combine good work with smart politics to ensure your own success and that of your projects. The biggest mistake a project manager can make is to assume that politics in project management doesn’t exist. After all, politics is human nature and has played an integral part in history since the dawn of civilization.

In a group where working interactions are fraught with tension and individuals have their own personal agendas or want to be “top dog” personal conflicts will often get in the way of the project aims. Issues between members of the team become the over-riding concern both for the individuals afraid and sometimes even the project manager. Meetings can consist of jostling for power or simply trying to justify your position and when that happens progress on the project will undoubtedly suffer.

For most project managers, playing politics is a form of slow, soul-destroying torture where logic, self-control, transparency and trustworthiness are replaced by deception, concealment, and sabotage. However, ignoring the external and internal politics surrounding your project or organization is dangerous. Successful project managers need to understand organizational politics and how to make them work for project success.

In the case of project politics you can use these key techniques in a constructive manner:

Carefully Manage Your Own Conduct

  1. The first rule is to at all times act in a way that commands respect and beyond that, respect others. That means not gossiping, spreading rumors or getting sucked into interpersonal conflicts and arguments. Maintain your honesty!
  2. Be positive as a positive outlook is a choice that you can always make and remain professional. 
  3. Be confident and firm but not hostile and make sure you take organizational perspectives, not a personal one when voicing objections or giving criticism.
  4. Always assume things will be disclosed, so don’t rely on confidentiality.
  5. Over time you will learn what works in your organization’s culture and what doesn’t. Try to watch other people and identify successful behaviors that you can model to navigate the political minefield.

Review the Organization Chart

  1. Sit back and watch for a while. Identify the real influencers, those who are respected, champions, those who have authority but don’t use it, the mentors and last but not least the true brains behind the organization. Then re-map the organization chart in terms of political influence as politics will often bypass the formal organization chart.

Understand the Social Network

  1. Once you know who’s who in the organization, you have to understand the social networks. This involves identifying who gets along with whom, groups or cliques that have formed and ongoing interpersonal conflicts. Over time you will learn who has the most trouble getting along with others and the basis for the interrelationship whether it be friendship, respect or manipulation, including how the influence flows between all parties.

Build Good Relationships

  1. Now you need to build multiple networks but avoid aligning yourself with one group or another this way you can keep your finger on the pulse of the organization.
  2. Don’t be afraid of politically powerful people and instead, develop relationships that cross the formal hierarchy in all directions.
  3. Build your relationships on trust and respect and avoid empty flattery.

Use Your Social Network

  1. You will need to learn to use your social network to stay clear of negative politics. You can do this through positive political action.
  2. Use your network to gain access to information, build visibility of your achievements and improve difficult relationships.
  3. Attract opportunities where you can shine and seek out ways to make yourself, your team and your boss look good.

Counteract Negative Play

“The Expression, Keep Your Friends Close and Your Enemies Closer” Couldn’t Be Any Truer When It Comes to Office Politics.”

  1. Your mapping of the organization will help you to identify those people who use others for their own political purposes, and not for the common good. Know that these people typically have low self-worth (that’s why they rely on destructive politicking to get ahead). Always be very careful what you say to them.  Understand what motivates them, their goals, and how to avoid or counter the impact of their politics
  2. Remember loyalty is not a reliable factor in the workplace!

“It is easy to become a target if you’re ambitious or if you strive for change. One of the biggest mistakes we make in our career is to assume that everyone likes progress. This is not true’Å —’Å many are content with the status quo and will defend it with their life.”

Projects are rarely easy and office politics can compound other sorts of problems that arise so they need to be dealt with swiftly and firmly. 

 

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