Tag: God

In theism, God is the creator and sustainer of the universe, while in deism, God is the creator, but not the sustainer, of the universe. In pantheism, God is the universe itself. In atheism, there is an absence of belief in God. In agnosticism, the existence of God is deemed unknown or unknowable.

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People Pleasing – A Dangerous Lifestyle

Your Hurt For His Healing

While talking to some youth yesterday, I realised an important truth – people pleasing is alive and well. From fashion, to language and everything in between, there will always be people who try to squeeze you into their mould; people who try to pressure you into being who they want you to be. They may be good people. They may mean well. But the problem is that they aren’t your creator. They didn’t breathe life into you. They didn’t equip you, empower you or anoint you; Almighty God did!

If you’re going to be all that God created you to be, you can’t focus on what everybody else thinks. If you change with every criticism, trying to win the favour of others, then you’ll go through life being manipulated, and letting people squeeze you into their box. You have to realise that you can’t keep every person happy. You can’t make everyone like you. You’ll never win over all of your critics.

Today, instead of trying to please people, when you get up in the morning, ask the Lord to search your heart. Ask Him if your ways are pleasing to Him. Stay focused on your goals. If people don’t understand you, that’s okay. If you lose some friends because you wouldn’t let them control you, they weren’t true friends anyway. You don’t need others’ approval; you only need Almighty God’s approval. Keep your heart and mind submitted to Him, and you will be free from people pleasing!

“Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety.”

(Proverbs 29:25, NLT)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, I come humbly to You today. I invite You to search my heart and mind. Let my ways be pleasing to You. Father, take away my need for people’s approval. Let my thoughts be Your thoughts and not the thoughts of a corrupt man. God, thank You for setting me free from people pleasing, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

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God Doesn’t Make No Junk

God Doesn’t Make No Junk

Fred Hammond the great gospel singer once wrote a song saying he will dance like David danced, but for me I don’t want to necessarily dance like David danced. I want to say what David said in Psalm 139:

“I’m God’s masterpiece. I’m wonderfully made. I’m talented. I’m original. God has given me everything that I need.”

David praised God for making him in an amazing way, and declared that what God had done was awesome. Is that how you start your day?

I’ve met many people who think they are being humble by putting themselves down. They say, “oh, I’m not that talented. It was no big deal.” But really, we should be bold like David and say, “I’m amazing. I’m a masterpiece. God made me, and He doesn’t make junk! I am equipped, I am empowered, and I am talented!”

Today, please make the decision to stop putting yourself down; stop focusing on your flaws and comparing yourself to others. Your Creator says “you are a masterpiece.” It’s time to get in agreement with God and realise how much He loves you. It’s time to realise how special you are. Make the shift by changing your words and daily say what David said!

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:14, NIV)

(Psalm 139:14, NIV)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank You for equipping me for every good work. Thank You for showing me Your love in a new way, as I keep my heart and mind focused on You. Please give me the boldness and spiritual confidence so I wont put myself and others down. Father, teach me how to love myself, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

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THE PRAYER THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

The freedom to build. The freedom to change. The freedom to share.

There are two kinds of prayer – the prayer of form and the prayer of faith. The repetition of set and the customary phrases when the heart feels no need of God, is formal prayer.

We should be extremely careful in all our prayers to speak the wants of the heart and to say only what we actually mean. All the flowery words at our command are not equivalent to one holy desire. The most eloquent prayers are but vain repetitions if they do not express the true sentiments of the heart. But the prayer that comes from an earnest heart, when the simple wants of the soul are expressed just as we would ask an earthly friend for help, expecting that it would be granted – this is the prayer of faith.

The publican who went up to the temple to pray is a good example of a sincere, devoted worshiper. He felt that he was a sinner, and his great need led to an outburst of passionate desire,

“God be merciful to me a sinner.”

Luke 18:13

After we have offered our petitions, we are to answer them ourselves as far as possible, and not wait for God to do for us what we can do for ourselves. The help of God is held in reserve for all who demand it. Divine help is to be combined with human effort, aspiration, and energy. But we cannot reach the battlements of heaven without climbing for ourselves. We cannot be borne up by the prayers of others when we ourselves neglect to pray; for God has made no such provision for us.

The unlovely traits in our characters are not removed, and replaced by traits that are pure and lovely, without some effort on our part!

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

The more you pray, the more you will find to pray about, and the more you’ll be led to pray for others. 

Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:12, 13

Pray With Me
Heavenly Father, I look up to you in this time of change. Allow me to have the courage to change my life for the better. Allow all my burdens to be risen up to you as I know that You will see me through. Forgive those who have done evil and allow me to do the same. Teach me to love with an open heart and open spirit. Take time for me today to help with all the trials you have set out for me and allow me the strength and energy to follow you. Give me the blessings to find a new home, keep my family together, and bless those who are away, may they be strong and know how much love is out there. Let them know you and I are thinking of them and missing them dearly. Bless me with love, strength, wisdom, health, courage, forgiveness, and a willingness to learn.

Did you know?

Here are five facts about prayer, including survey data on Americans’ prayer habits and historical instances of prayer intersecting with the government:

  1. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2014 found that 45% of Americans — and a majority of Christians (55%) — say they rely a lot on prayer and personal religious reflection when making major life decisions. The same survey found that 63% of Christians in the U.S. say praying regularly is an essential part of their Christian identity.
    In 2014 — in the case Town of Greece v. Galloway — the Supreme Court ruled that U.S. legislative and administrative bodies may begin their sessions with a prayer. On some occasions, however, the high court has rejected other types of state-sponsored prayer. For instance, in 1962’s Engel v. Vitale, the court famously struck down a policy requiring public school students to begin their day with a nonsectarian prayer.
  2. The National Day of Prayer was enacted in 1952 by the Congress and President Harry S. Truman. As with the addition of “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954, the move came during the Cold War and was seen as a way of contrasting the more religious United States with the officially atheistic Soviet Union.
  3. The Freedom From Religion Foundation unsuccessfully challenged the National Day of Prayer in court. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2011 that the group, which aims to promote the separation of church and state, did not have legal standing to challenge the law.
  4. For many Americans, every day is a day of prayer. More than half (55%) of Americans say they pray every day, according to a 2014 Pew Research Center survey, while 21% say they pray weekly or monthly and 23% say they seldom or never pray. Even among those who are religiously unaffiliated, 20% say they pray daily. Women (64%) are more likely than men (46%) to pray every day. And Americans ages 65 and older are far more likely than adults under 30 to say they pray daily (65% vs. 41%).
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US House of Representatives Just Passed the Equality Act

US House of Representatives Just Passed the Equality Act

The Equality Act, a bill that is said to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in the workplace, public accommodations, and various other settings, was just passed on Friday 17th May 2019.

The reasoning for this bill is that there are no federal laws explicitly protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination, but what is the real story behind this?

The person behind pushing this act, Nancy Pelosi, is a leftist- I could say case closed at this point, but I’ll carry on! It is called ‘The Equality Act’, but is it not really a diabolical way to force a homosexual and transgender ideology on every person in America and eventually the world?

With the way that America (and other Western countries) is going, is there not already an acceptance and promotion of transgenderism? It is not acceptance that they want, but control and free reign to do as they want wherever they want to do it.

This act pretty much says that it would be illegal to prevent a man who wants to identify as a woman from doing anything he wants to do. Would this mean that women’s sports could come to an end? Think about it: the anatomy of a woman and a man is entirely different, it is no secret that men fare better in sports than women, that is why they are separated. But if a transgender person were to come along and demand to be in, say, a weightlifting competition, no one would be able to say no, right? And when he wins, no one could say that he had an unfair advantage or they would risk legal action.

Taking it a step further, what is there to stop a transgender person from gaining access to women’s restrooms, locker rooms, showers… I don’t know about anyone else reading this, but I’m not comfortable with a man being in the same restroom as me just because he decided that he wanted to be identified as a woman.

Churches and ministries would have to accept them into the pulpit or roles of leadership, wouldn’t they? Personally, I don’t know why they would want to even be in a church, but you never know, do you? I see our freedom of worshipping GOD according to His Word being thrown out of the window here. If a church decides to deny access to a transgender person, they are going to face some problems because the Religious Freedom Restoration Act is not about to protect anyone who refuses to comply with this bill.

As a parent, you’re not going to be able to oppose this ideology being taught in schools, you cannot stop your child from being forced to learn about it, and no hospitals or doctors can refuse to perform sex change operations.

There is this misconception that Christians hate the LGBTQ community, but that is not true. We are to hate sin, not the person. Homosexuality is a sin, that is our belief as Christians because GOD has condemned it. I have never ill-treated someone who identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual etc. or had terrible thoughts towards them. I have never spoken hateful words to them or offensively spoken of them. However, I am firm in my beliefs and stand by them, knowing that it is GOD whom I shall answer to at the appointed time.

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Vision of The Mountain of Victory and The Turning of the Tide

Vision of The Mountain of Victory and The Turning of the Tide

Do things feel hard? Are you facing a massive situation that seems impossible? Does it seem like you will never get what God has promised you? Joshua 6 tells the story about how the odds were stacked against Joshua and the people of Israel. They were standing at the massive unbreachable wall of Jericho that many thought was not penetrable. 

As he was standing before the walls and gates of the city, many around him didn’t think his future was too bright. But Joshua had something others overlooked; he had the promise of Almighty God. Joshua had faith because He knew God was on His side, and God had already promised the victory. Sure enough, just as God promised, the people marched around the city for six days, and on the seventh day, they shouted the victory and the walls came tumbling down!

Today, don’t look at the walls in your life; look at the promises of God. He is for you, and if God is for you, nothing can stand against you. Get a vision of victory and don’t let it go. Keep moving forward in faith and obedience knowing that when you do, the Most High God is on your side! Hallelujah!

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31, NIV)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for Your favour, grace and victory in my life. Father, I choose to trust You. I choose to follow Your leading. I choose to be faithful. I choose to believe in Your promises, because You are faithful to me. God, please tear down the walls and the trials that seem impossible in my life. I love You and bless You, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

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Kim Kardashian And Kanye West Go Biblical For Newest Baby’s Name ‘He’s Such a Blessing, So It’s Perfect’

Kim Kardashian West and her husband, musician Kanye West, appear to have drawn inspiration for the name of their fourth child.

The “KUWTK” couple reveals their newborn son’s name one week after Kim announced his arrival.

A Keeping Up With the Kardashians source told PEOPLE that the couple “had a name in mind, but wanted to meet the baby before they decided.”

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were apparently biblically inspired when it was time to name their fourth child.

Here’s a hint: “Psalm” means song in Hebrew

Why Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s 4th Baby Name Is Perfect for Their Family

The couple’s new baby, Psalm, will be the little brother of North, South and Chicago West.

“The inspiration was the Book of Psalms in the Bible,” Jenner told ET Onlineof her daughter Kim Kardashian West and son-in-law Kanye West‘s choice of moniker for their fourth child. “I think it’s just a wonderful way to celebrate how they feel. And he’s such a blessing, so it’s perfect.”

The couple’s newest child was born May 10 via a surrogate, but they waited a week before announcing on Twitter that their baby boy’s name was “Psalm.”

If you’re not up on theology, a psalm is a sacred song or hymn and is also the title of a book in the Bible.

https://twitter.com/KimKardashian/status/1129508801768386560/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1129508801768386560%7Ctwgr%5E393039363b636f6e74726f6c&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.premier.org.uk%2FNews%2FWorld%2FKim-Kardashian-and-Kanye-West-inspired-by-Bible-in-naming-child

Fan reactions to the name Psalm West have been mixed

As you might expect, the new name inspired strong reactions from social media users. Some despise it and some loved it with one fan writing,

“The book of Psalm was created by King David to give praises to God. This name is perfect for where you and Kanye are in your lives right now. You are publicly giving God praise for the world to see.”

Another fan wrote,

“It’s actually pretty perfect. ”

Despite often criticised over lifestyle choices, the couple have both been open about their Christian faith.

Kanye West has recently shared videos from a church gathering he has been hosting which includes much gospel music.

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God is…..

God is our Creator and the Creator of everything that you can see. So…why is it so hard for people to understand that He wants the best for you? Is it because we can’t see Him like we can see a friend or our spouse? Possibly. But according to God’s Word, He has always been available to us through prayer and by reading of His Word. 

I think that the reason that so many people are hesitant or unwilling to follow God and the few rules which He put into place is that it is too simple. Salvation is so simple that a child can understand it and yet when we become “educated” adults we can’t believe that it is that simple. What we should understand is the same thing that the thief on the cross understood, it is our belief in Jesus which saves us. It is not the church or a preacher or a certain ritual which we have to do in order to be saved.

Just believe in Jesus and what He did for you. Do this in the faith which God has granted you and then walk in that faith so that you will be a reflection of Jesus in your life. Because you may be the only Jesus some people may ever see before the end of their life or yours. Your life has an expiration date and it is only known by God, thankfully. But during the time which we have even the small things which we do that people notice because they know that we profess to be Christians can have an impact.

You may not think that a “Thank you” or a blessing said at McDonald’s over your food could have an impact but it can. You may not know about it before you get to Heaven but someone will let you know that it was that word or deed or some small thing that prompted them to seek out what made you different.

God is understanding and loving toward all of His children even though there are many who are hurting and struggling and it doesn’t look like He even cares, but He does. God is awesome because He created all of this universe and we have been studying it for hundreds of years and we’ve only scratched the surface. We have explored our own planet for thousands of years and scientists are still finding creatures which are new to science. 

Why did God make this universe so complex? Because of His power and majesty but also because He wanted us to look at all of the beauty and the awesome size and diversity that is out there and wonder about Him. We would look at the intricate complexity of cells and bacteria and whales and humanity and even into the cosmos and realize that this couldn’t have come into being because of some accidental gathering of dirt and goo. There had to be a Supreme Intelligence behind every atom and molecule and His name is God.

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Speak Greatness Into Our Youth

Speak Greatness Into Our Youth

As the Chaplain of a Christian School, often I see more potential in the students than they see in themselves. When you speak vision into your youth, when you tell them what they can become, you can help set the direction for their life. Your words have the power to push people into their divine destiny.

I believe that the reason some youth are not living at their full potential, is because no one has ever spoken faith into them. No one has taken the time to say, “hey, you’re great at this. You’ve got a gift here. You’re going to do something amazing.” I believe that one of our assignments in life is to call out the seeds of greatness in our youth.

Today, look at the young people God has placed in your life. They’re not there by accident. Take time to study them. See what they’re good at. What are their gifts? What do they excel at? Don’t just think about it, speak into their lives vision and greatness. Tell them what they can become. Let your encouragement ignite greatness on the inside of them. Help them rise up in confidence, so they can be all God has called them to be!

“”¦God”¦calls those things which do not exist as though they did.”

(Romans 4:17, NKJV)?

Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for the young people You’ve placed in my life. Father, I want  to be faithful to our youth, give me the power, despite their behaviour, to speak life and call forth greatness in them. God, thank You for putting them on my mind today, and for bringing them to new levels by faith, as we help them rise higher. Please divorce them from the enemy, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

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Waiting for the door to open

When baby birds are ready to eat, they open their mouths wide, believing they will be fed. They expect it. They look for it. They are ready for it. It should be the same way with us. We need to keep our spiritual mouths wide open, expecting God to fill it and satisfy us.

Do you have your mouth open wide? Are you expecting God to fill you and increase you beyond measure? Are you ready for Him to satisfy your needs and desires with good things? Are you ready for new dreams and a divine breakthrough? Pray hard, trust God’s Word, open wide and position yourself for your blessing.

Some of us have spiritually closed mouths. Negative thinking is like closing your mouth. A closed mouth can’t be filled. But Jesus is saying today, “why don’t you take the limits off?” Why don’t you trust and believe Him for supernatural opportunities, and allow Him to fill you?

Today, be like that little bird waiting for food. It isn’t concerned about where the mother is going to get it from. It isn’t concerned about how she’s going to dig it up. No, that bird just opens its mouth wide, trusting and waiting. Why don’t you do the same today? Trust God, open your mouth wide. You won’t be disappointed. God is faithful to His Word, and He will fill you and satisfy you when you put your total trust in Him!

“”¦Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it”¦”

(Psalm 81:10, NLT)?

Pray With Me
Yahweh, I come to You today thanking You for sustaining me, and asking You to continue to fill me. Father, I choose to open my mouth wide like a bird, trusting that You Father, will fill me with blessings and opportunities. Even when I don’t understand how everything is going to work out God, I know that You are a good God with a good plan for my life. Fill me with Your peace and patience, as I humbly wait on You, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

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The Miracle On The Hudson

Whilst on a plane a few years ago, I watched the movie called “The Miracle on the Hudson,”  about how a pilot successfully landed a plane on the Hudson River in New York. All the passengers survived. A news reporter asked one of the passengers what was going through his mind. He was wet, cold and shaking, but he also appeared excited, when he said, “I was alive before, but now I’m really alive.” This made me ask myself the question, “am I really alive?”

 What about you? Are you excited about your life? Do you get up every morning with enthusiasm, are you pursuing dreams and desires? God doesn’t want you to just “be alive” or just exist or endure. He wants you to be really alive.

Today, God has something more for you to accomplish. It doesn’t matter how miserable and gloomy life may seem, pinch yourself and say – I’m really alive. Now get excited about what God is doing! Lift up your eyes of faith to Him. Keep hoping, keep believing, keep trusting and keep living, because God has a wonderful plan in store for you!

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

(John 10:10, NIV)?

Pray With Me
Yahweh, thank You for making me alive in Christ! Father, the enemy tried everything to destroy me, but this morning I’m not just living, I’m really alive in Jesus’ Name. I declare that Jesus is my Lord and Saviour, and because He died for me, I can be excited about the abundant life He has for me. God, please help me stay focused, and live with the enthusiasm that comes from knowing You, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

US Airways Flight 1549
US Airways Flight 1549 was an Airbus A320 which, in the climbout after takeoff from New York City’s LaGuardia Airport on January 15, 2009, struck a flock of Canada geese just northeast of the George Washington Bridge and consequently lost all engine power. Unable to reach any airport, pilots Chesley Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skiles glided the plane to a ditching in the Hudson River off Midtown Manhattan.[ All 155 people aboard were rescued by nearby boats and there were few serious injuries. The accident came to be known as the “Miracle on the Hudson“,[ and a National Transportation Safety Board official described it as “the most successful ditching in aviation history”. The Board rejected the notion that the pilot could have avoided ditching by returning to LaGuardia or diverting to nearby Teterboro Airport. The pilots and flight attendants were awarded the Master’s Medal of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators in recognition of their “heroic and unique aviation achievement”.[

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62 Reasons Why I Love My Mom

“...May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love.” (Ephesians 3:17, AMP)

My mum is a lovely person — she’s kind, fun to be with and very supportive. Se runs fast for a 61-year-old. She’s small – 5.2 ft – and clocks in at just over 100 lbs. She’s been a wonderful mum to me and is a fantastic grandma. My mom is about to turn 62 this year, so here’s 62 REASONS WHY I LOVE MY MOM AND SHE IS AMAZING.

  1. You have always supported me.
  2. You are preceptive.
  3. You persists in prayer at all times.
  4. You keep it real.
  5. You have helped deter me from making bad decisions.
  6. You taught me to dance like no one is watching.
  7. You always find the good in people around you.
  8. You let me follow my dreams and always support everything I want to do.
  9. You cultivated a joyful environment when I was a kid.
  10. You taught me patience.
  11. You show me how to treat a woman.
  12. You taught me how to love myself.
  13. You’re strong and taught me to stand up for others.
  14. When life gets so stressful that I practically forget who I am, your always there to reminds me.
  15. You’re independent.
  16. You’re honest.
  17. You take my call no matter what.
  18. You make me laugh.
  19. You-always tried to give me honest answers to the hard questions.
  20. You’re humble.
  21. You’re selfless when it comes to your children.
  22. You exhibit steadfastness in the Word of God.
  23. Your always my No. 1 fan. Ya!
  24. You work hard.
  25. You taught me compassion.
  26. You had to carry me around for like 9 months.
  27. You took me to church every week so faith would be a part of my live.
  28. You always believed in me.
  29. You are obedient to God.
  30. You make the lives of everyone you touch happier.
  31. You give me a kick in the ass when I need it.
  32. You-always made sure I knew I was loved.
  33. You have showed me how to be the best version of myself.
  34. You always pick me up when I’m down.
  35. You still wake up early just to warm up my breakfast when I visit you.
  36. You have a great taste in music and know how to get a party started.
  37. You have supported me when I didn’t know what I wanted for my future.
  38. You always call me to make sure I’m OK.
  39. You’re always thinking of what’s best for my future.
  40. You taught me humility.
  41. You’re intelligent and direct.
  42. You raised two amazing children.
  43. You let me choose my path in life.
  44. You take your responsibilities very seriously.
  45. You always tell me to be happy and look on the positive side.
  46. You have taught me the power of giving and receiving advice.
  47. You make amazing cakes.
  48. You find fascination in the little things.
  49. You call me silly nicknames.
  50. You give me love but also enough space.
  51. You listen to me when I have problems.
  52. You have shown me what it takes to make a good marriage work from experience.
  53. You embraces a spirit of contentment.
  54. You gave me life and brought me into this world.
  55. You love me just the way I am.
  56. You love me unconditionally.
  57. You taught me to go above and beyond in my career and personnel endeavours.
  58. You trust in God and have kept the faith.
  59. You taught me how to preserve through the toughest of times.
  60. You always try to bring order to chaos in the family.
  61. You generally hold to what is right and are generous as well as lovely and kind.
  62. Most of all”¦ I love you for who you are and who you’ve helped me become”¦ you’re my role model, my mother and my friend. I love you more than life itself and would do anything for you! You’re the best Mom and deserve so much more than I can give you. Happy 62th Birthday!

My mother was crazy about us.  And that unconditional love was expressed by helping us to engage in many, many shared, complex, and flexible activities that helped us learn, express ourselves, and play well with others.

Of course there are still many other reasons why our loving, caring, forgiving, and very supportive mothers deserve our love more.

So what are you waiting for? Go and tell your mom how much you love her.

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As A Mother Comforts Her Child, So God Will Comfort You

“As a mother comforts her child, so God will comfort us, who live on in our mother’s absence on this earth; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem,” says the Lord our God. (Adaptation of Isaiah 66:13 for those whose mothers will be with us in spirit but not physically present this Mother’s Day). Amen!

With murders in the UK hitting an all time high, prisons are bursting at the seams, divorce is still over 50% and mental health is growing at an alarming rate. Oftentimes when life has challenges, the natural tendency is to seek comfort in things that are familiar. It may be drugs, work, an activity or relationships; and of course, we all know about “comfort eating.” But those things only bring temporary comfort.

I believe true comfort is only found in a relationship with Jesus. According to Webster’s dictionary, comfort means to give strength and hope; to ease grief or trouble. No matter what difficulty you may be facing today, God wants to bring you comfort. Like a mother cares for her child, He longs to give you strength, hope and confidence.

Today, turn to Him. Receive His love. Let go of things that would hold you back. Let God heal your heart and mind, let Him give you strength and comfort for the road ahead. Let Him empower you to rise up and overcome every obstacle in Jesus’ Name! 

“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you”¦”

(Isaiah 66:13, NIV)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, I come to You today and invite You to fill my whole being. Father, please  heal my community. Give me and those that are mourning Your comfort and strength. Empower me by Your Holy Spirit during these challenging times, so that I can live in the victory You have planned for me, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

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“It’s not GAY to straight. It’s lost to saved.” One lesbian’s Journey to Salvation

At 15 years old, Emily Thomes began dating a girl for the first time. Word began to spread, and she started getting questions from friends.”Are you and her gay together?” they would ask. 

Emily knew that she could either cower away or own her homosexual lifestyle — so she decided she was going to own it.

Emily's testimony:

"I was 15 and I started dating a girl that lived down the street from me. It was my first time ever dating someone and being official. I was pretty pumped. I got a hickey. My dad saw it and was livid. I love her. It's a girl and I'm going to be with her. And this is how it is. It went terribly wrong."

"I said yes what about it. Love is not necessarily between a man and a woman. The problem was backwards thinking that":

Like many people in today’s culture, Emily clung to a watered-down version of the Gospel that said, “God being love meant God was nice and God was chill with what you were cool with.”

Emily said “If you were truly a Christian, you were on my side. If not, you were legalistic and needed to reread what God was really about. Judge not. God being love meant God was nice and and God was chill with what you were cool with. By 18, 19, 20 I was super wild and in serial relationships with women,” Emily explained of her past views."

"When I got to nursing school I met the girl that I ended up being engaged to. I kind of slowed down a little bit for her because she had two kids. And then at 22 I got invited to a Bible study."

Eventually, Emily became engaged to one of the women she dated. And then, at 22, was invited to a Bible study. “I expected them to bring up my lifestyle really early, and then (I) would use that as justification for not coming back, so I agreed to go.” As women shared their own testimonies, she started realizing she had nothing like that and it “bugged” her. “I could not stop thinking, ‘what if all of it is true?'” she said. 

Emily Googled verses on homosexuality and was directed towards a passage that would strike her to the core. It was 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10, which reads:

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Emily's testimony continued:

"It scared me really really bad. And then I read verse eleven"

Amazed by the fact that there were people who’d been equally as reckless as her in the past, but Jesus still washed them clean, Emily had a revelation. 

“I knew that God could do that for me too, and that I needed that. I could hold onto my sin and reject God, or I could turn to him. All the debt that I’d racked up living like I lived, didn’t have to be mine, if I could trust Him. So that was it. I knew what I wasn’t going to do, because it was right there it was black and white. I’d twisted those Scriptures before, I’d argued them down. I said judge not to them like that mattered. And then, that day, it was like my eyes were really opened. I was amazed at the grace He showed me.”

A very powerful testimony, and one that clearly articulates how we can witness to those who find themselves in the same lifestyle Emily was in. Watch & share below:

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God Will Bring You Through

God Will Bring You Through

On my radio show (prayer on the line) last Friday, I received requests from many individuals who are in difficult seasons of life. Things just aren’t going their way, or they’re not where they want to be in life. In these times, it’s tempting to let discouragement and doubt come in and take away the peace and excitement you once had.

If you’re in one of those seasons right now, where you are struggling to truly be happy, this is not the way God wants you to live. He tells us in scripture that even in the difficult times, He is with us. Even when you can’t see a way out, He will make a way through this season. Even when things don’t turn out the way you planned, He has a plan to turn things around and get you through.

Today, don’t get upset or discouraged about your current situation. Instead, be determined to walk through it to victory. Declare by faith that no weapon formed against you shall prosper. Declare by faith that you will rise higher and become stronger. Keep standing, keep believing and keep hoping, because God has a bright future in store for you, and you will get through! Hallelujah!

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4, NLT)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, I humbly come to You today giving You this season in my life. Father, I ask for Your peace in the midst of life’s storms.  Thank You for the promise that I will get through. God, give me Your strength to stand strong, knowing that with You, I will walk through every adversity the enemy has in store for me. I claim victory today, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

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Is it a SIN for Christians to have sex on Sunday (within Marriage)?

Is it a SIN to have sex on Sunday (within Marriage)?

“Would it be wrong for a Christian married couple to engage in sex on the Lord’s Day?”

This topic was raised at a bible study last week. They weren’t addressing this specifically, but I decided to see what the internet had to say. A participant raised an issue: “I am struggling with a sin,” he confessed. “I am tempted to have sex with my wife on the Lord’s Day.” Another member said “I feel guilty going to church after having sex, so is having sex before going to church godly or ungodly?”.

The topic is not uncommon, and it raises a diversity of opinions, although little has been published. The word sex is not found in the Bible. The numerous mentions of the word in society, and the world’s tendency to sneer, have given the word a certain amount of notoriety. But God never intended it to be a dirty word.

What does the Bible say on the subject? First, although our title says “Sunday” I thought if anyone has an opinion on this, the Seventh Day Adventists may be more schooled than most in the area of “Sabbath” and found this article:

”¦There are a couple of schools of thought:

(1) Yes it is a sin.

The leading argument against engaging in sex on Sabbath is based on Isaiah 58:13: “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day” (KJV). Since sex is pleasurable, scriptural injunction against engaging in intercourse on Sabbath is seen as obvious.3

Another significant argument against sex on Sabbath is that it is distracting. For this reason, some ministers boast that they sleep in separate beds from their spouse on Friday nights.

Another is that the Bible also says in Exodus 20:8 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

(2) No it’s not a sin.

Social Psychologist and Seventh-day Adventist Preacher Philip C. Willis gives us the answer in detail. Willis say’s:

It would appear that somebody is misapplying Isaiah 58:13 & 14. They take one text and forget Mark 2:28.

Why?

Philip C. Willis then say’s:

The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath!

Now get this. Who made sex? God made male and female and then he told them Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. And on which day did he say this on. At the end of the sixth day and the sixth day is what day? Friday!

So they went into the Sabbath on their honeymoon! And the Bible says they were naked and they were not ashamed. Shame only came with sin. You forget that God made sex for you to enjoy.

You need to understand what God did when he gave us the Sabbath. You need to understand because some of us haven’t learned it yet and we have people who’ve been around for a long time and they don’t know what it is to really enjoy the Sabbath like God wants us to enjoy it.

God says I want your undivided attention so since you’re meeting the king of the universe I want you prepared an hour before sundown. I want all your work done. House cleaning put aside. I want to meet with you. Everybody’s ready to welcome in the Sabbath. You’re there with your Bible and your worship book and the children are singing and everybody’s happy and your wife is looking good and the husband is alert.

The supporters of this view contend that both the Sabbath and Marriage were instituted by God and as such sex is definitely sacred, especially since God only sanctioned sex in the institution of marriage. They further argue that since Adam and Eve were married on the sixth day, God would not require them to wait a whole day before consummating their marriage. A whole book (the Song of Solomon) celebrates the sensuality of erotic love. He understands how it works and knows exactly what it’s good for. He tells us how to use it–and how not to.

Next stop – and the internet is filled with arguments against whether or not it is appropriate to have sex during Lent? However, there was a longer answer on whether a couple could have sex during days of fasting:

“”¦I think we often fail to focus on the one time it is permissible to mutually decide not to have sex:  When you have decided to devote yourself to prayer and fasting, for a time, you MAY decide, mutually, to also refrain from sex.  To deprive each other, again, mutually.  This doesn’t mean you can say to your spouse “well, I’m praying and fasting, so no sex”.

So, if you cannot unilaterally decide that you cannot deprive your spouse of sex, but you may unilaterally decide that you, yourself, are going to pray and fast, then by simple logic, it must be that a couple can pray and fast, and still have sex.  So, should Christians have sex while fasting?  It’s up to you, together.  No one gets veto rights.  You have to both agree to not have sex, or else it’s back to business as God intended: frequent and awesome.

But, I want to bring up another point:  I think there is a reason why this is the only acceptable time to decide, together, not to have sex.  I’ve done some fasting in the past.  I once did a 16-day water fast (nothing but water).  The most startling thing I noticed:  I had absolutely no sex drive half way through it.  Seriously, it was gone.  I was shocked.  I’ve never not had a strong sex drive, for as long as I could remember.  In fact, I wrote about it in this post.  I think Paul must have known about this.  Why else say that every other time that you deprive each other, you are leaving them open to temptation, but during prayer AND fasting, it’s okay?  From my perspective, it’s obvious: you’re not as tempted when fasting because your body goes into survival mode.  It’s not interested in sex, it’s more interested in surviving until the next day.”

So, in the end, I think you have to decide as a couple. If you are praying AND fasting, have the conversation about what to do with sex.

The article linked in the above excerpt is from Ministry Magazine and offers a lengthy, historical discussion on this topic:

The next stop was a Jewish perspective, sourced at Yahoo Forums:

There is no textual evidence to indicate that sex was forbidden on the Sabbath or the Day of Atonement. Rene Gehring argues that in the Hebrew Bible, sexual intercourse within marriage is not ritually defiling at all.

In Jewish law, sex is not considered shameful, sinful or obscene. Sex is not thought of as a necessary evil for the sole purpose of procreation. Although sexual desire comes from the yetzer ra (the evil impulse), it is no more evil than hunger or thirst, which also come from the yetzer ra. Like hunger, thirst or other basic instincts, sexual desire must be controlled and channeled, satisfied at the proper time, place and manner. But when sexual desire is satisfied between a husband and wife at the proper time, out of mutual love and desire, sex is a mitzvah.

Sex is permissible only within the context of a marriage. In Judaism, sex is not merely a way of experiencing physical pleasure. It is an act of immense significance, which requires commitment and responsibility. The requirement of marriage before sex ensures that sense of commitment and responsibility. Jewish law also forbids sexual contact short of intercourse outside of the context of marriage, recognizing that such contact will inevitably lead to intercourse. 

The primary purpose of sex is to reinforce the loving marital bond between husband and wife. The first and foremost purpose of marriage is companionship, and sexual relations play an important role. Procreation is also a reason for sex, but it is not the only reason. Sex between husband and wife is permitted (even recommended) at times when conception is impossible, such as when the woman is pregnant, after menopause, or when the woman is using a permissible form of contraception. 

Probably the most interesting answer came from Nigeria. I’ll include the question from a pastor’s wife (implied) and the answer that was given:

Dear Praise,
What is your take on a couple having sex before going to church. For instance, I discover my hubby doesn’t like having sex any time we have to go to church or the Saturday before Sunday because he feels it would reduce his anointing. I am not finding this funny at all and it is beginning to look as if I am sent to destroy his ministry by trying to have sex with him. Please what is your take on this matter sir?


Sesi A — Ghana


Dear Sesi,
Thanks for your question and the trust you have in us at TheCable to be able to do justice to this issue. I wouldn’t know the paradigm your man is operating with but I have met a number of people with the same beliefs. It is quite common among some religious leaders and it could have been part of the ministerial ethics that they were taught from the Bible school or it could have been borne out of personal revelation.


As a professional counsellor, there is no justification for a spouse’s inability to have sex with his wife except the two of them have come to an agreement to abstain for some time. I am not also sure I have read any passage of the Bible to back up his action.

Having said that, however, I would also want to believe he must have his reasons and since he is a minister as explained by you my humble suggestion is for you to allow him be. If he claims sex before ministration negatively affects his performance on the pulpit would you rather insist he engages in sex and performs poorly?


People are doing the best they can with what they know and until he catches a new revelation you may not be able to change the present one. I’d worry if you had said he starves you of sex but it is looking like the only time he is asking for space is before his spiritual exercise and I’d advice you let him be as long as he is willing to adequately service you after his ministration.


There are several religious taboos that people have and I have learnt to respect people’s choices and decisions because I am not in their shoes and couldn’t have known the motive and the revelation behind some of these decisions. I know pastors who never talk to anyone before they preach because they believe talking drains the anointing. So let’s learn to respect other people’s model of the world so that we can all experience peace. If you can discuss it once again with him to know if there are other reasons behind his abstinence from sex before preaching but should he insist it is a personal revelation I would advise you allow peace reign.
God bless and do let us know about your progress.

I tried to get a Catholic perspective and apparently the sex before going to church is a theme in some marriages.

Interestingly a recent survey conducted in the UK asked 2,000 adults when they were most likely to get busy. Their results, reported by the Daily Mail, suggest that the most popular time to get down and have sex is 9am on a Sunday morning, which gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘easy like Sunday morning’!

Concluding observations

The topic of sex on Sabbath is a deeply personal decision that should be prayerfully discussed between a husband and wife. But a general answer to this question would be, yes.  It is fine to have sex on the Lords Day (within Marriage). It only becomes sin if it is out of wedlock or before marriage. The very fact that God created humanity as “male and female” reveals that we are created as sexual beings. And God’s command to “be fruitful and multiply” cannot be fulfilled without sex (Genesis 1:28). Sex is a God-given mandate, so there is no way that sex is a sin if done with one’s lifelong marriage partner of the opposite sex. The Song of Solomon follows a loving relationship between a husband and his wife through the betrothal period, wedding night, and beyond. The description of the husband and wife’s pleasure in chapter 4 is discreet yet unmistakable in its meaning. That description is followed in 5:3 with God’s approval: “Eat, friends, and drink; drink your fill of love.”

Why marriage? Isn’t a really committed relationship close enough? Nope. According to the Bible, only the commitment a man and a woman make in the ceremony of marriage counts. Marriage is the only place to experience truly committed love, love that echoes our relationship with God.

That’s the ideal, the dream, as the Bible sees it: total nakedness, total unity, total love, total sexual satisfaction within marriage. Plenty of marital problems parade the pages of Scripture–God is no fool. But the ideal stands above the failures.

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Put On Your Garment Of Praise

I watched one of the greatest comebacks in football history on Tuesday night, as Liverpool looked down and out to Barcelona. But instead of the fans having an attitude of doom and gloom, they came to the stadium with an attitude of praise, to lift their team to victory. What type of attitude are you wearing today? What’s covering your mind and emotions? Are you clothed with despair and disappointment? Are you wearing “heaviness?”

Maybe you’re going through hurt or disappointment. It’s important to go through that process and release the hurt to God. But the Bible also says that God wants to give you a garment of praise, instead of a spirit of heaviness or despair. He wants to exchange your hurt for His healing. He wants to fill you with His peace and joy.

Today, change your clothes. It’s time to take off the heavy garments of yesterday that’s holding you back and weighing you down. It’s time to put on the garment of praise. Release those heavy burdens right now. It’s time to forgive those who have hurt you, and begin to praise your way to victory. When you wear a garment of praise, you’ll stand in faith and excitement about your future, also displaying God’s splendour and power all the days of your life!

“…Provide for those who grieve”¦a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendour.”

(Isaiah 61:3, NIV)

Pray With Me
Yahweh, I come to You with an open and humble heart. Father, I ask that You take my old garments of despair, hurt and heaviness. God, make me new today, by giving me a garment of praise and joy. Please have Your way in my life, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

A special word from the Lord, from Pastor Ray Patrick.

 

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