God – Page 72 – Godinterest

January 7, 2018January 7, 2018

The Steps That Lead to Nowhere

Our family just loves to visit abandoned places. Our son is especially into this, so we go on hikes with him to see these places. We have a few really interesting ones right nearby our home. He studies up on the History of the places and tells us about them as we explore. It’s so intriguing to visit where others once have trod, long ago. You can almost hear the echoes of voices, calling from room to room. The places seem to brighten when we walk in, almost glad someone has remembered them, and come to wander awhile. It’s like the walls are aching with stories to tell.One of the most interesting places, is fenced off and we cannot gain access, nor should we, as it is the ruins of an old missile site. But as you peer through the fence, you can see a set of steps that lead to Nowhere. Just steps where a building used to be. The building was torn down, yet the steps remain. This reminded me of how important it is for us to take inventory of just what we are investing our time in. Do we have any steps that lead to Nowhere, in our own lives? Do we have any ruins that have long since collapsed, and yet we visit the site of those ruins, and climb the steps to Nowhere. The pain rushes back in, the scars throb, the wounds pulsate with reminders of what was, or what could have been.

There’s a quote I read on the site GODINTEREST, that says:

“Leave behind the past because nothing is going to change there and the more you keep looking back the more you’ll fail to see what’s in front of you.”

There is nothing wrong with reflection, but looking back too often is like climbing those steps that lead to Nowhere. I love where the quote says, “Nothing is going to change there.” So true, and I also believe that “the more you keep looking back the more you’ll fail to see what’s in front of you.” God is calling us forward, Hear His Call:

“Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.(Isaiah 43:19 NASB) “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.9 “Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”

Sing to the Lord a new song, sing His praise from the end of the earth! (Isaiah 42:8-10 NASB) We can often paralyze ourselves with regrets and “if only’s.” By the power of Jesus, you can set yourself free. Through His grace, love, and forgiveness, you can walk away from these past things that still draw you up the steps that lead to Nowhere. Stop climbing those steps, and move onward and upward. Move closer to the Lord who loves you, redeems you, and promises to work all things together for Good, to those who love Him and trust His purpose for their lives. (Romans 8:28)

January 5, 2018January 15, 2024

Why should Christians care for the earth?

Since 1970, April 22 has been dubbed Earth Day and is one of many opportunities environmentalists take to bring light to renewable energy, recycling, and other ways to go green. However, If the planet is one day – may be quite soon – going to be completely burned to frazzle by God’s righteous judgment, why should we Christians put effort into caring for it now?

Could it be because Earth Day is often portrayed, a “liberal” or “progressive”?

It’s a good question as the relationship between human beings and the earth is increasingly complicated and urgent.

Every day there are stories about pollution, global warming and animal species facing extinction.

Sadly, because of bad theology the influence of our consumeristic and greedy culture, ignorance of the problem, and “neglect by association,” we fail to see the world as God’s creation and will ultimately end up abusing it.

“We are responsible for almost all the damage done to the planet and as such we must consider the welfare of future generations in our planning for and utilization of the earth’s resources.”

Christians can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines. Millions die annually from preventable water-related diseases. Most are children. Our energy consumption funds mountaintop removal and coal mining while our oil addiction fouls the air and laces oppressive dictatorships.

What’s the solution?

As Christians, we must reject the view that nature should be worshipped for worshipping nature is idolatry, but that doesn’t mean that we should view nature as created simply and solely to serve our needs and wants.

“The earth and all life on it is a gift from God given us to share and develop, not to dominate and exploit.”

Although God intends our care of creation to reflect our love for the Creator. Don’t lose sight of something that is even more important: your relationship with God.Is Christ first in your life, and are you seeking to follow Him every day?

Our faith provides an inspiring narrative to face these crises—we serve the One who created everything, called it “good” and asked humans to care for and protect it—but most Christians haven’t tapped into the storyline.

January 5, 2018January 15, 2024

Garden of Eden is in Singapore!

From vertical farms to living buildings, the city is on the cutting edge of environmentally sustainable urban solutions in the world.

Home to over 5.5 million, Singapore had no choice but to adopt high-density development because of its tight land constraints.

“We take steps to ensure our self-sufficiency,” says Yvonne Soh, general manager of the Singapore Green Buildings Council. “In Singapore, we have a lot of initiatives to promote sustainability.”

As Singapore expands, a novel approach preserves green space. New developments must include plant life, in the form of green roofs, cascading vertical gardens, and verdant walls mandatory since 2008. This has resulted in urban planners literally weaving nature throughout the entire city – visible from across the landscape. Innovative design has created the illusion of space using “green” and “blue” elements. This includes the creation of one of the largest freshwater city reservoirs in the world.

Much of that vision to keep Singapore both sustainable and livable stems from Cheong Koon Hean, the first woman to lead Singapore’s urban development agency (UDA). With a rising population and finite freshwater resources, some positive action was needed fast, so ministers set up a national water agency, PUB, which became the sole body responsible for the collection, production, distribution, and reclamation of water in the city.

The Gardens: look east for Eden, Singapore Style

Symbol of Singapore and its efforts to promote green space, these “Supertrees” belong to a display at the 250-acre Gardens by the Bay. The high-tech structures range from 80 to 160 feet and collect solar energy to power a nightly light show. They have a softer side too: their trunks are vertical gardens, laced with more than 150,000 living plants.
PHOTOGRAPH BY LUCA LOCATELLI, INSTITUTE

Throughout the city, there are many green buildings such as the CapitaGreen office tower, the Park Royal on Pickering hotel and the Tree House condo near Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

“Singapore is an island about half the size of London which has managed to preserve its cultural—Chinese, Indian, and Malay—and architectural legacy through a heritage conservation program.”

The futuristic ‘Gardens by the Bay’ in central Singapore, is a revolutionary botanical garden spanning over 100 hectares of reclaimed land. It’s a beautiful asset to the city but may also offer a path to the health and happiness of its citizens.

Garden of Eden is in Singapore!

Transport is another sector that has seen investment recently. On an island of 4.8 million people with limited space. After a series of smart card innovations, people have been able to use e-Symphony, an IBM-designed payment card that can be used to pay for road tolls, bus travel, taxis, the metro, and even shopping.

Have little ones with you? Take them to the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden, where they’ll learn all about shrubs, plants, and all things green.

Up for a hike? Visit the MacRitchie Nature Trail & Reservoir Park. Complete the 11-kilometer-long nature trail and don’t miss the Treetop Walk, a 250-meter high suspension bridge that connects two of the park’s highest points.

History buffs can make a beeline for Fort Canning Park. Conveniently located in the heart of town, this site is home to numerous historical landmarks, such as Fort Gate, a remnant of a fortress that was built in the 19^th century.

Singapore in 1965

When Singapore became independent in 1965, it was a city filled with slums, choked with congestion and a lack of jobs with limited land and no natural resources.

Singapore’s version of public housing is unique.

In 50 years, it has built a clean, modern metropolis with a diversified economy and reliable infrastructure and has transformed from a nation of squatters to a nation of homeowners with a 90% home-ownership rate, currently the highest in the world.

For vulnerable families who cannot afford a flat of their own, HDB helps them through its public rental program.

PARKROYAL on Pickering | © Patrick Bingham / Courtesy of PARKROYAL on Pickering

All these measures combine to make Singapore a smarter city.

“What we have done is to research and try to distill the principles for Singapore’s success in sustainable urban development – we call it a liveability framework,” says Khoo Teng Chye, executive director at the Centre for Liveable Cities based in Singapore.

Back to Eden

The planet simply can’t sustain current levels of resource use and environmental degradation. It has not a choice; cities have to change.

Cities cover just 2% of the Earth’s surface yet consume about 75% of the world’s resources. By 2050, it is expected that 70% of the world population will live in urban areas. According to a 2014 study by the United Nations, rural living is in decline on a global scale. Whereas just 30% of the world’s population were urban dwellers in 1950, more than half (54%) are now housed in cities, therefore, it’s clear they are key to tackling climate change and reducing resource use.

However, quality of life, environmental sustainability, and competitive economics. These are the components that make cities liveable and there is very strong evidence to show that maintaining a connection to nature is good for our health;

“People are happiest when they’re most connected to nature,” says Chris Trott, Head of Sustainability at Foster and Partners, who believes setting schemes and legislation in this way can create awareness in the mind of both developers and the public.”

Fredi Devas, producer of the Cities episode of Planet Earth II says.

“Many studies show that hospital beds with a window onto greenery result in their patients recovering faster. Schools have better attendance and companies have better staff retention, if they have vegetation close at hand.”

Visitors to Singapore are often surprised by how green the island is considering how large a population it crams onto its small landmass. According to the latest Siemens’ Green City Index for Asia, Singapore is the best-performing city in the region when measured against a range of sustainability criteria.

Singapore stands as a model of sustainability and water management in the region and beyond and is the Eden garden city of the future.

January 4, 2018January 15, 2024

What Does Spiritual Power Look Like for Christians Besides Reading Scripture?

I watched a local football match in a school playing ground. As I sat down, I asked one of the boys what the score was. With a smile, he replied; “They are leading us 3-0”. and I said, REALLY!

I have to say you don’t look discouraged. Discouraged, the boy asked with a puzzled look. Why on earth should I be discouraged when the referee has not blown the final whistle? I have confidence in the team and the managers; we shall overcome.

The match ended 5-4 in favor of the boy’s team. The boy waved at me gently, with a beautiful smile as he left. I was amazed, mouth wide open. Such confidence, such beautiful faith.

As I got back home that night, his question kept coming back to me,

“Why should I be discouraged when the referee has not blown the final whistle?”

Life is like a game. Why should you be discouraged when the almighty God is your manager? Why should you be discouraged, whilst there’s still life? Why should you be discouraged when your final whistle has not sounded?

The truth is that many people blow the final whistle themselves, but as long as there is life, nothing is impossible and it is never too late for you. Halftime is not full-time and God’s calendar for your life is not man’s calendar. However, everyone needs a bit of encouragement from time to time. Thankfully we have the Bible as our ultimate source of encouragement!

Let your heart be captivated as you go through these encouraging quotes that inspired us:

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” – (2 Corinthians 4:18)
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.” – Corrie Ten Boom
“Forgiveness is the fragrance the flower leaves on the heel of the one who crushed it.” – David Jeremiah
“Love covers a multitude of sins. So loving the unlovely and moving in love gives us strength, power, and victory.” – Unknown
“Waiting on God builds spiritual muscles. This transforms us, develops our character, and deepens our relationship with God.” – Unknown
“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” – Augustine
“Rejection is an opportunity for your selection.” – Bernard Branson
“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.” – John Wesley
“The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.” – Billy Graham
“We may speak about a place where there are no tears, no death, no fear, no night; but those are just the benefits of heaven. The beauty of heaven is seeing God.” – Max Lucado
“Your potential is the sum of all the possibilities God has for your life.” – Charles Stanley
“The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller
“Life is wasted if we do not grasp the glory of the cross, cherish it for the treasure that it is, and cleave to it as the highest price of every pleasure and the deepest comfort in every pain. What was once foolishness to us—a crucified God—must become our wisdom and our power and our only boast in this world.” – John Piper
“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” – Francis Chan
“Let God’s promises shine on your problems.” – Corrie ten Boom
“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” – Mother Teresa
“Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.” – Elisabeth Elliot
“The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.” – Abraham Lincoln
“This is our time on the history line of God. This is it. What will we do with the one deep exhale of God on this earth? For we are but a vapor and we have to make it count. We’re on. Direct us, Lord, and get us on our feet.” –Beth Moore
“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” –Chuck Swindoll
“The will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us.” – Billy Graham
“You are the only Bible some unbelievers will ever read.” – John MacArthur
“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.” – Deuteronomy 7:9
“He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss. He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; he’s moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain.” – Randy Alcorn
“God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises, leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“There is no one who is insignificant in the purpose of God.” – Alistair Begg
“Relying on God has to start all over every day as if nothing has yet been done.” – C. S. Lewis
“Always, everywhere God is present, and always He seeks to discover Himself to each one.” – A.W.Tozer
“His grace is cheapened when you think that He has only forgiven you of your sins up to the time you got saved, and after that point, you have to depend on your confession of sins to be forgiven. God’s forgiveness is not given in installments.” – Joseph Prince,
“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” – Augustine
“God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.” – Max Lucado
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” – The Holy, Mark 9:23 (KJV)
“God will meet you where you are in order to take you where He wants you to go.” – Tony Evans
“Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.” – Winston Churchill
“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him” – John Piper
“Christ literally walked in our shoes.” – Tim Keller
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot
“Life is wasted if we do not grasp the glory of the cross, cherish it for the treasure that it is, and cleave to it as the highest price of every pleasure and the deepest comfort in every pain. What was once foolishness to us — a crucified God—must become our wisdom and our power and our only boast in this world.” – John Piper,
“If you can’t fly, then run, If you can’t run, then walk, If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
“If you believe in a God who controls the big things, you have to believe in a God who controls the little things. It is we, of course, to whom things look ‘little’ or ‘big’.” – Elisabeth Elliot
“As long as you do things for God, you are a Hall of Famer on heaven’s list.” – Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for?

Pastor Rick Warren wrote that when he feasts on the Word of God, he feels even hungrier for the presence of the Lord.

We don’t need temporary pleasures that bring only momentary satisfaction. Keep your eyes on that ultimate prize of heaven, eternity, paradise! Don’t lose heart – Jesus is making you new!BE ENCOURAGED! DON’T GIVE UP.

January 2, 2018January 15, 2024

Why Is the Relationship between a Father and His Daughter So Special?

Why Is the Relation between a Father and His Daughter So Special?

On the first day of their marriage, wife and husband agreed not to open the door for any visitor! That same day, the husband’s parents came to see them and knocked on the door. Husband and the wife looked at each other. The husband wanted to open the door, but since they had an agreement, he did not, so his parents left. After a while, the same day, the wife’s parents came visiting. Wife and husband looked at each other, and even though they had an agreement, the wife with tears on her eyes whispered and said “I can’t do this to my parents”, and she opened the door! Husband did not say anything. Years passed and they had 2 boys. Afterwards, they had a third child which was a girl. The father planned a very big and lavish party for the newborn baby girl, and he invited everyone over. Later that night, his wife asked him what was the reason for such a big celebration for this baby, while we did not do so for the boys!

The Husband simply replied, “because she is the one who will open the door for me!”

One of the most beautiful things in this world is – A Father-Daughter relationship.

We now live in a culture where Dad is an equal partner in caregiving. From day one, dads are encouraged to be hands-on, changing diapers, giving baths, putting Baby to sleep and calming her cries. That presence and effort is the beginning of a very important relationship.

Daughters are so special. However, a daughter needs a dad to be the standard against which she will judge all men. It is also the reason why fathers are very influential in their daughter’s lives, especially when it comes to self-esteem and decision making. A father may hold his daughter’s hand for a short while, but she holds his heart forever. Their inside jokes and understanding for each other make them absolutely adorable.

“How Dad approaches life will serve as an example for his daughter to build off of in her own life, even if she chooses a different view of the world,” says Michael Austin, associate professor of philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University and editor of Fatherhood — Philosophy for Everyone: The Dao of Daddy.

Let your heart be captivated as you go through these cute and short father daughter quotes.

He is the first man she looks up to and he totally brings out the best in her. — Unknown
There is this girl who stole my heart and she calls me Daddy. — Unknown
Dear Daddy, no matter where I go in life, you’ll always be my number one man. — Unknown
Fathers, be your daughter’s 1st love and she’ll never settle for anything less. — Unknown
Husbands, love your wives well, your children are noticing how you treat her. — Unknown
Some people don’t believe in heroes but they haven’t met my dad. — Unknown
The greatest thing a father can do for his daughter is to love her mother. — Unknown
As a daughter of the king of kings, your purpose is not to turn heads but to turn hearts toward our Heavenly Father. — Unknown
He gives her the confidence to do things on her own and become independent.
It is admirable for a man to take his son fishing, but there is a special place in heaven for the father who takes his daughter shopping. —John Sinor
Behind every great daughter is a truly amazing dad. — Unknown
When it comes to careers, a father is the first person every daughter goes to for proper guidance and advice. — Unknown
A real man treats his lady the same way he wants another man to treat his daughter. — Unknown
I’m so glad when daddy comes home, I would hug him and give him a great big kiss. — Unknown
Guns don’t kill people”¦ dads with pretty daughters do. — Unknown
I am the daughter of a King who is not moved by the world for my God is with me. — Unknown
You are a daughter of an Almighty God, you are a princess destined to become a queen. — Unknown
No matter when a girl finds her Prince Charming, her father always remains the king of her life. — Unknown
A father opens doors for his daughter pulls her seat out and treats her with the utmost respect. He sets a daughter’s expectations on how a man should treat a lady and that she should not settle for anything less. — Unknown
DAD – A son’s first hero. A Daughters first love. — Unknown
Fathers give the best piggyback rides. They are ready to do anything that makes their daughter smile. — Unknown
He dreams for you and takes pride even in your smallest achievements. — Unknown
He makes you feel like the most important person, most beautiful girl and the most capable person on earth. — Unknown

Are you inspired by these cute and short father daughter quotes?

It’s ‘DAUGHTER’S WEEK’, and if you are a daughter or have a daughter who makes life worth living, by just being around – and you love her as much as your own breath. if you are proud of your daughter or being a daughter, send this to other people who have daughters or who are daughters. Daughters are angels!

December 31, 2017January 15, 2024

25 Wonderful Christian Quotes for the New Year

Another year of your life closes today. How can you look back upon it? Have you made advancement in the divine life? Have you increased in spirituality? Have you crucified self, with the affections and lusts? Have you an increased interest in the study of God’s Word? Have you gained decided victories over your own feelings and waywardness?

Oh, what has been the record of your life for the year which has now passed into eternity, never to be recalled?

As you enter upon a new year, let it be with an earnest resolve to have your course onward and upward. Let your life be more elevated and exalted than it has hitherto been. Make it your aim not to seek your own interest and pleasure, but to advance the cause of your Redeemer. Remain not in a position where you ever need help yourself, and where others have to guard you to keep you in the narrow way. You may be strong to exert a sanctifying influence upon others. You may be where your soul’s interest will be awakened to do good to others, to comfort the sorrowful, strengthen the weak, and to bear your testimony for Christ whenever opportunity offers. Aim to honor God in everything, always and everywhere. Carry your religion into everything.

Prepare for eternity with such a zeal as you have not yet manifested. Educate your mind to love the Bible, to love the prayer meeting, to love the hour of meditation, and, above all, the hour when the soul communes with God. Become heavenly-minded if you would unite with the heavenly choir in the mansions above.

A new page is turned in the book of the recording angel. Let a record be stamped there which you will not be ashamed to have revealed to the gaze of men and angels.

These great quotes will get you ready for the new year!

“True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” ’- Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for?
“It is better to make a thousand failures than to be too cowardly to ever undertake anything.” ’- Clovis G. Chappell
“If you prayed as much as you complain and quarrel, you’d have a lot less to argue about and much more peace of mind.” ’- Rick Warren, The Purpose of Christmas
“A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God.” ’- Charles Finney
“He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.” ’- Psalm 40:3
“You were made by God and for God and until you understand that life will never make sense.” ’- Rick Warren
“Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading.” ’- Oswald Chambers
Faith”¦involves trusting in the future promises of God and waiting for their fulfillment.” ’- RC Sproil
Never decide on anything or start to do anything while emotion is agitating like a roaring sea. Again, during that time even our conscience is rendered unreliable.” ’- Watchman Nee
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” ’- Proverbs 3:6
“The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now.” ’- Rick Warren
“Apparently it was okay for me to like Jesus as long as I didn’t get too serious and actually start to do what He said.” ’- Trip Lee, Rise: Get Up and Live in God’s Great Story
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” ’- Corinthians 5:17
“We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.” ’- Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for?
“He loves using lackluster ingredients because doing so makes it clear where the true credit should go.” ’- Trip Lee, Rise: Get Up and Live in God’s Great Story
“The only way to get rid of your past is to make a future out of it.” ’- Phillips Brooks
“As Mack Stiles says, Most Christians in the world must fear the raised fist; Americans fear the raised eyebrow.” ’- Trip Lee, Rise: Get Up and Live in God’s Great Story
“Being in Christ, it is safe to forget the past; it is possible to be sure of the future; it is possible to be diligent in the present.” ’- Alexander MacLaren
“There are no super-Christians, only regular Christians denying themselves and embracing their Lord.” ’- Trip Lee, Rise: Get Up and Live in God’s Great Story
“Our quitting point is God’s beginning point.” ’- Woodrow Kroll
“Cool is fickle, and we can’t live for it”—the words of Trip Lee.” ’- Trip Lee, Rise: Get Up and Live in God’s Great Story
“Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned.” ’- Peter Marshall
“Time heals griefs and quarrels, for we change and are no longer the same persons. Neither the offender nor the offended are any more themselves.” ’- Blaise Pascal
“You shall eat old store long kept, and you shall clear out the old to make way for the new.” ’- Leviticus 26:10
“God specializes in giving people a fresh start.” ’- Rick Warren

December 29, 2017January 15, 2024

“Britain should take pride in its Christian heritage” says Theresa May

Portrait of British Prime Minister Theresa May. Author Controller of Her Majestyâ€™s Stationery Office. This file is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v.3).

The Prime Minister referred in her UK Christmas message to taking pride in Britain’s Christian heritage – in which some considered a bold statement for a politician in an increasingly secular and politically correct society in which Christianity is tolerated less in favour of other faiths. However, Teresa has previously said there is “no way” Christianity will be marginalised in the UK while she is Prime Minister.

“In the face of unspeakable suffering, Christian faith has provided solace where no other source of comfort could.”

The UK prime minister paid tribute to the Churches Together initiative, an ecumenical organisation that brings together the vast majority of Christian denominations in Britain and to the armed forces and emergency services. Mrs May mentioned that the response to terror attacks in Manchester and London earlier this year, and to the Grenfell Tower disaster, “inspired the nation” and acknowledged that the action of the emergency services “saves lives every day, including on Christmas Day.”

Mrs May, whose father was an Anglican vicar and who is a regular churchgoer, has already spoken of the influence of her Christian faith on multiple occasions, saying in an interview earlier this year that it “guides me in everything I do”.

“Theresa May was voted the Conservative party leader most like Jesus in a poll carried out by Christian radio station Premier.”

In her Christmas message Mrs May added:

“As we celebrate the birth of Christ, let us celebrate all those selfless acts – and countless others – that epitomise the values we share: Christian values of love, service and compassion that are lived out every day in our country by people of all faiths and none.”

“Let us take pride in our Christian heritage and the confidence it gives us to ensure that in Britain you can practice your faith free from question or fear.”

She also added: “Let us remember those around the world today who have been denied those freedoms – from Christians in some parts of the Middle East to the sickening persecution of the Rohingya Muslims.”

And let us reaffirm our determination to stand up for the freedom of people of all religions to speak about and practice of their beliefs in peace and safety.”

Unlike last year, May made no mention of Brexit in the Christmas message.

In contrast, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s Christmas message made no mention of Christianity or any other religion, but instead emphasised a message of ‘compassion’. Not surprising as Jeremy Corbyn’s has previously refused to discuss whether he holds any religious beliefs, probably in fear of losing votes.

In recent years the Church of England has reported relatively steady Christmas attendance figures of around 2.5 million across the country – more than three times the average total Sunday congregation. But for the vast majority, the festival has become purely secular.

Recent surveys suggest that persecution of Christians in the past few years has, on a global level, reached unprecedented levels. For Christians in the UK there is a sense of being a target: sometimes for aggression, but primarily for ridicule or simply bemusement by non-believers. Therefore, Theresa May’s words of encouragement are not only timely and most welcomed, but also come at the end of a year where the British government has proposed radical social policies that have caused major concern throughout the Christian community in England.

“May’s message in one of encouragement to practice Christianity ‘free from question or fear.”

Teresa’s message also directly follows the treasurer, Scott Morrison, message in which he recently vowed to stand up to “mockery” and jokes about Christians.

We have seen this so often from Christians facing disciplinary action at work for sharing their faith and wearing crosses to businesses being sued and forced to close for refusing to serve openly gay people, to nativity plays being banned in schools for fear of offending other religions. Christians in the UK also raised concern over their freedoms to live out their faith with Lord Pearson leading the way suggesting that it would soon become a hate crime to proclaim Christianity.

Numerous street preachers have also been arrested throughout the year – yet all (eventually) had charges dropped against them.

“The paradox of a secular Christmas, perhaps, is that it is no less Christian for that.”

“Every year, the straws in the wind seem to come a little harder. Plummeting church attendance; ignorance of the most basic details of the Bible; advent calendars filled with chocolates or sex toys rather than illustrations of the nativity.” a nation newspaper reported.

However, the Church has nothing to worry about for if we ask, if we seek and when we knock, God will answer, we will find and God will open the door.

Secularists may take pride in having transcended the religious identities that prevail elsewhere — but they are no less Christendom’s heirs for that.

The paradox of a secular Christmas, perhaps, is that it is no less Christian for that as our secular society continues to draws from the well of Christian tradition that is embedded in the frantic of British society.

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

December 28, 2017January 15, 2024

Sculptor, Carver, Finisher and Artist Ron Mueck Creates Hyper-Realistic Models of Humans

Clay has no plans of its own. It has no aspirations for glory, not even for service. Clay is clay, and it is even reluctant to perform its own given task, it is simply clay. Clay is moldable, pliable, subjective to creation, desiring a creator, and totally submissive to the will of its master.

A Willing Masterpiece

Before the artist has anything tangible to display, he first and foremost has a dream.

Artist Ron Mueck Creates Hyper-Realistic Models of Humans. Hyperrealism is work which feels more real than reality or as they say a way of ‘mastering God’s creations.

The hyper-realistic models below were created by Australian-born, London-based artist Ron Mueck who has been creating fine art sculptures since 1996. Mueck delights in creating realistic sculptures.

Mueck spends months modeling his figures in clay on armatures built from metal and chicken-wire to create forms that he casts in fiberglass resin or silicon.

Ron Mueck Has Also Played with Race, Religion and Identity With “Youth”.

The sculpture shows a young black boy staring at a stab wound under his chest, mirroring the paintings of Jesus Christ showing the wound in his side to his disciple Thomas. This apparently allows the viewer to create their own interpretations on the meaning behind it.

One of Mueck‘s most popular and photographed works is a twice-life-size “Untitled (Big Man)” which is on view in the “Masterworks from the Hirshhorn Collection” exhibition through Aug. 6, 2017.

The “Big Man” glowers with piercing eyes and his drooling scowl, distended purple veins, tense hammer-toed feet and lumpy, blotchy skin enfold a pudgy physique.

Mueck sculpts the masterpieces in clay inside a plaster mould, before replacing it with a mixture of fibreglass, silicone and resin.

Mueck also likes to play with scale to make some of his works large while others are tiny.

Clay as a Scriptural Allegory

According to new scientific research scientists believe that we may have had our beginnings in clay. The latest theory is that clay – which is at its most basic, a combination of minerals in the ground – acts as a breeding laboratory for tiny molecules and chemicals which it ‘absorbs like a sponge’.

Our Lives to Are a Masterpiece, and God Is Our Master Sculptor.

Take-Away

The Master of the universe, the eternal, immortal, invisible, all-wise God, made you with His own hands! But before He began to weave you together in your mother’s womb, He saw you in His eternal mind, down to the smallest detail. And before you were ever born, He had a dream for your life.

December 26, 2017May 26, 2018

Things You Deserve To Leave Behind In 2017

Praise God that, by His Grace, we are able to come to see, reach, and experience a new plan in our lives for 2018. The beginning of a new year is always an opportunity to leave bad habits behind, set goals, and wipe the slate clean to begin again.

What should you leave behind in 2017?

Leave the job you don’t like and stop investing time and energy into something you’ve outgrown. That’s why it’s not working. Leave behind that relationship that isn’t going anywhere. Leave behind stress and anxiety and depression and all of your past pains and suffering that came along within this year and understand those things are a sign something in your life needs to change. I agree with you that it hurts to lose a loved one, it hurts to lose your favorite possession like a car, a home, or even your pet, but I’m pretty sure that they (including your former car) wanted you to keep on pushing forward. Think about it: Why do we have cars? As my grandmother puts it: “To get her from Point A to Point B.” It made it with you through the storms, and now it time to accept that maybe this chapter in your life is over and it’s time to move forward.

What upset you the most in 2017?

For me, it was a sad year. I say this because it felt as if our deceased ancestors and loved ones went through and already fought the toughest battles, even had served in the military / army for everyone’s freedom and for any conflict to finally desist or stop. But this year (as a millennial, born in 1988) it felt as if everyone was living back in history, a past that should not be duplicated. This was one of the reasons I kept away from media news often. I’d rather live for the future in my life instead of flowing with the crowds. No offense to anyone, but I’m speaking my truth and what is true. Realize this is your life and it isn’t your role to play someone else puppeteer just because you don’t like letting people down.

What are you leaving behind in 2017?

I’m dropping off all of my bags and luggage that held my pain and sorrow within that year. It’s time to achieve my best and focus on myself; apologies for sounding so selfish, but it’s true. Realize this is your life and it isn’t your role to play someone else’s puppeteer just because you don’t like letting people down. I know that everything will continue to get better for me because God has never left my side. The Devil has attempted to deceive me, and still does, to force me to go against God and fall for his temptations. No longer can I continue the reckless lifestyle that the enemy desires for me to pursue.

I have made up my decision… THAT I WILL WALK WITH GOD. My God loves me, as I do Him. He is the only Man in my life that I find comfort in. Here is a toast to all of you as we approach 2017. Let’s go in this thing together. Love you all.

December 23, 2017October 4, 2021

Hamilton Opens in London to Rave Reviews

Hamilton, An American Musical, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre

Hamilton is no longer just an American sensation. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit Broadway Musical opened last week in London, at the Historical Victoria Palace Theatre. The musical has been met with five-star reviews from the London media, crossing a cultural boundary with little resistance.

Manuel didn’t sense much difference from the audiences across the Atlantic.

“I was here for all of tech (rehearsals) and I was here for the first few previews, and the audience is exactly like New York,” he said.

Miranda believes that making the jump to London would make Alexander Hamilton smile. “Alexander Hamilton had so much admiration for Britain and Europe but never left US soil. So to have his story on the stage here in London, well – I think he would be very proud.”

The overwhelming response of London wasn’t a slam dunk. Some wondered if a story about the Founding Fathers of America, fighting for their independence from Britain would resonate as deeply with London crowds. But the London success points to the reality that this story resonates with audiences, even across national and cultural boundaries.

Matt Trueman writes in his Variety review, “Hamilton is going to be just fine here in London”¦Reviewing it feels like sizing up the Mona Lisa or Beethoven’s Fifth and, in truth, Hamilton lands on the London stage looking every inch the classic.”

He closes his review with the thought that “it is Hamilton’s story that stirs.”

Hamilton’s story does indeed stir something powerful in us, a point I make in my upcoming book, God, and Hamilton: Spiritual Themes From The Life of Alexander Hamilton & the Broadway Musical He Inspired.

One universal reason this musical stirs audiences so deeply is that Hamilton’s story is a deeply spiritual one. His story intersects with our lives across a number of significant spiritual themes.

His story is a story of grace, as his entire life in America was made possible by a generous financial gift by someone who saw great potential in him. His story is a story of shame, as he never quite escaped the stigma from being an illegitimate orphan. His story is a story of forgiveness, as his wife Eliza wrestled through forgiving Alexander for betraying her in the worst possible way. His story is a story of redemption, as the musical ends with Eliza singing about the orphanage she built out of love for her late husband.

This story stirs us because it is a spiritual story. It stirs us because it is our story. We too live our lives built on the foundation of grace. We too struggle mightily with shame from our failures and shortcomings. We too must give and receive forgiveness for all the mistakes we make in our lives. Hopefully, our story is one of redemption, where God takes all the broken pieces of our lives and makes them beautiful.

The story Hamilton tells stirs audiences, no matter the culture, the nationality, the race. It does so because it tells a deeply spiritual story, one that intersects with our lives, and has the power to transform our lives if we let it.

Even, apparently, across the great expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.

My upcoming book: God and Hamilton is available June 2018 on Amazon.com, (www.godandhamilton.com).

December 22, 2017January 15, 2024

It’s a Scandal That People Living in the Sixth Largest Economy in the World Are Going Hungry

London Mayor Boris Johnson has said Â£1.3tn of investment is needed over the next 35 years in order for London to retain its world class status

We’re a complex generation with some significant strengths and weaknesses. There are also people in our country, in your town, hey, maybe even in your street, going hungry today. It is heart-breaking and frustrating in equal measure.

More than 8 million people in Britain live in households that struggle to put enough food on the table, with over half regularly going a whole day without eating, according to the analysis of UN data by the Food Foundation thinktank.

Really, just stop and think about that for a moment.

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said that for such a rich country to have so many people dying of hunger is ‘a national scandal’

The UK is one of the richest countries in the world. And yet tonight, thousands of people will go to bed hungry. It may be your child’s schoolmate who is undernourished and has difficulty learning on an empty stomach. Or it could be a co-worker, a working mother whose low-wage job doesn’t make ends meet. Perhaps it’s an elderly neighbor who has to make a decision whether to delay filling a prescription or buying groceries.

The faces of hunger are as broad as the faces of the UK

Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that 391 people died from malnutrition in 2015 – a leap of 27% compared with nine years earlier which highlights the poverty facing families in 21st Century ‘Breadline Britain’.

While it is “always right” to help those that are seeking it, despite there being “many excuses”, perhaps the most frequently noted problem is the simple lack of time we have as a society to donate in service. Most thirtysomethings are busy people—we want to do it all, so we take on demanding careers, hobbies, social activities and diversions of all sorts. When all is said and done, we have very little time to spare, so while many Christians feel the call to serve, they are at a loss for how to fit this into their hyper-schedules.

Here are 19 quotes that discuss how Christians should treat the poor and those in need of help.

“The world’s hunger is getting ridiculous, There is more fruit in rich man’s shampoo than in a poor man’s plate.” ’- Unknown
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” ’- Proverbs 19:17 ESV
When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the poor have no food, they call you a communist.” ’- Archbishop Helder Camara
We need to stop the dying and start the living; stop the hunger and start the hoping.” ’- Unknown Penelope Cruz
Feel what it’s like to truly starve, and I guarantee that you’ll forever think twice before wasting food.” ’- Criss Jami
There are genuinely sufficient resources in the world to ensure that no one, nowhere, at no time, should go hungry.” ’- Ed Asner
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” Mother Teresa
“There’s enough on this planet for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s greed.”’- Unknown
“Hunger is not a problem. It is an obscenity. How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” ’- Anne Frank
“In this country that grows more food than any other nation on this earth, it is unthinkable that any child should go hungry.” ’- Sela Ward
Hunger is actually the worst weapon of mass destruction. It claims millions of victims each year.”’- Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil
“Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others.” ’- Saint Augustine
“If we are going to stop wars on this earth, we are going to have to make war on hunger our number one priority.” ’- David W. Brooks, member, Presidential Commission on World Hunger
“I have repeatedly stressed that we have the knowledge to reduce hunger and poverty.”’- Gro Harlem Brundtland
“Who we listen to determines what we hear. Where we stand determines what we see. What we do determines who we become.”’- Robert McAfee Brown, a 20th-century theologian
When you go to the store and you happen to see a homeless man why not buy him something to eat?” ’- Unknown
“UNICEF is helping mothers realize their dreams for the future — a future in which the basic needs for a child’s survival: food, clean water, and simple health care — are guaranteed.” ’- Jane Curtin
“What you do next determines who we become – as individuals, as families, and as a nation.” ’- Unknown
“This is the first generation in all of recorded history that can do something about the scourge of poverty. We have the means to do it. We can banish hunger from the face of the earth.” ’- Unknown

December 20, 2017January 15, 2024

What ‘Love Your Enemies’ Means in an Era of ISIS

What â€˜Love Your Enemiesâ€™ Means in an Era of ISIS

We live in a time of political polarization and while parts of the world have experienced random violence against civilians for years, it seems agenda-driven mass violence—terrorism—has touched the U.S. and UK in this generation more than ever in our history. Some even say we’ve entered

“The age of terrorism.”

Well, whether this is an age of terrorism or not, we certainly are a generation terrorized.

But love your enemies? Come on. How on earth can you love someone that keeps sinning against you? Easier said than done right. With this current atmosphere of terror, Jesus’ command to love our enemies is baffling and something we all struggle with at times.

That is why you must rely on the Holy Spirit because that coworker, family member, bad friend, or boss probably has never seen a true Christian and you’re probably the only one who can share the gospel message with them. We must remain calm and forgive.

Here’s a look at 28 quotes (largely attributed to the holy-bible) that will inspire the way you live your faith.

“Want to keep Christ in Christmas? Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the unwanted, care for the ill, love your enemies, and do unto others as you would have done unto you.” ’- Steve Maraboli
“Loving and forgiving your enemies doesn’t take away or downplay the importance of actively resisting evil, corruption, and oppression.” ’- Unknown
“We must still seek justice, defend truth, march in solidarity for those who are mistreated, protest against the wickedness and even oppose government authorities and actions if they contradict the teachings of Jesus ’- it’s just that everything we do must be rooted in love.” – Unknown
“When you are loving your enemies it helps you conform to the image of Christ.” – Unknown
“Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” ’- Luke 6:28
“It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.” – Unknown
“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” ’- Matthew 7:12
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” ’- 1 John 4:7
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly Do not be wise in your own estimation.” – Romans 12:14-21
“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For you will heap burning coals on his head, And the LORD will reward you.” – Proverbs 25:21-22
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most-High; for He, Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.” ’- Luke 6:35
“The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the same people.” ’- G.K. Chesterton
“Let all that you do be done in love.” ’- 1 Corinthians 16:14
“As Jesus was being ruthlessly murdered, He gathered up the very last of His physical strength to utter the words “Father, forgive them ”¦” ’- Luke 23:34
“Let love be without hypocrisy Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” ’- Romans 12:9-11
“Love transforms not just our enemies, but it transforms us—making us more Christ-like.” – Proverbs 20:22
“It is only once you see the baffled expression on the face of your enemy when you give his cruel words a warm smile that you’ll understand, truly understand, what love is all about.” ’- Vironika Tugaleva
“Do not say, “I will repay evil”; Wait for the LORD, and He will save you.” ’- Proverbs 20:22
“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” ’- Matthew 24:13
“It’s also vitally important to recognize that our war isn’t just carnal, but rather spiritual, and in spiritual warfare, love is the ultimate weapon against Satan.” ’- Unknown
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” ’- Acts: 7:60
“Touch your enemies’ heart with love. It will bloom flowers of gratitude and joy.” ’- Debasish Mridha
“It’s not about going around trying to stir up trouble. As long as you’re honest and you articulate what you believe to be true, somebody somewhere will become your enemy whether you like it or not.”
’- Criss Jami
“When you see a person acting violently, ask yourself whether he knows how powerful he is. If he knew his power, would he feel the need to assert it?” ’- Vironika Tugaleva
“Whenever you are confronted with an opponent. Conquer him with love.” ’- Mahatma Gandhi
“May God help us to forgive and love generously ’- even in the face of death.” ’- Unknown
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” ’- Martin Luther King, Jr.”
“The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.” ’- Abraham Lincoln

Love someone. Share wisdom. Get passionate about something. Promote others. Bring an idea to life. Create, make, do. Rinse, repeat. And watch the world change.

December 20, 2017May 26, 2018

How should a Christian view success?

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

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

How do we break this?

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

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

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

December 19, 2017January 15, 2024

32 Quotes That Perfectly Explain Racism (To People Who Don’t “See Color”)

The scars and stains of racism are still deeply embedded in Britain. We have made enormous progress in teaching everyone that racism is bad. Where we seem to have dropped the ball”¦ is in teaching people what racism actually is?

You’d think we’d have figured out how to treat each other by now.

In what feels like an increasingly volatile climate, that some of us are surprised by and others are less so, here a few quotes on racism, bigotry, and intolerance in the hopes that it would inspire us all to reflect and move forward.

We still believe the best days are ahead, that Martin Luther King’s dream will indeed be a reality, and that our commonalities will prevail over our differences. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who were tragically injured and killed during the shameful events in Charlottesville.

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” ’- Nelson Mandela
“Racism is man’s gravest threat to man – the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.” ’- Abraham Joshua Heschel
“Race relations are fraught with land mines,” Michael Emerson warns, because racial groups tend to define racism differently-with whites emphasizing overt acts of prejudice and discrimination, and people of color focusing on group inequalities and unjust systems.” ’- Joseph Parker
“We must heal the divisions caused by intolerance and bigotry.” ’- Janet Reno
“Racism springs from ignorance.” ’- Mario Balotelli”
“But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness.” ’- 1 John 2:11
“People know about the Klan and the overt racism, but the killing of one’s soul little by little, day after day, is a lot worse than someone coming in your house and lynching you.” ’- Samuel L. Jackson
“You don’t fight racism with racism, the best way to fight racism is with solidarity.” ’- Bobby Seale
“No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior. All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists make them.” ’- Elie Wiesel
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” ’- Martin Luther King Jr.
“Do you know what we call opinion in the absence of evidence? We call it prejudice.” ’- Michael Crichton
Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn’t matter which color does the hating. It’s just plain wrong.” ’- Muhammad Ali
“Prejudice is the child of ignorance.” ’- William Hazlitt
All humans are descended from Adam and Eve and so all are related and need the salvation offered by the Last Adam, Jesus.” ’- Unknown
“If a white man falls off a chair drunk, it’s just a drunk. If a Negro does, it’s the whole Negro race.” ’- Bill Cosby”
“Racism, in the first place, is a weapon used by the wealthy to increase the profits they bring in by paying Black workers less for their work.” ’- Angela Davis
“…racist thought and action says far more about the person they come from than the person they are directed at.” ’- Chris Crutcher, Whale Talk
“The roots of racism lie deep in man’s nature, wounded and bruised by original sin.” ’- Sargent Shriver
“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” ’- Audre Lorde, Our Dead Behind Us: Poems
“It demands great spiritual resilience not to hate the hater whose foot is on your neck, and an even greater miracle of perception and charity not to teach your child to hate.” ’- James Arthur Baldwin
“Racism, because it favors color over talent, is bad for business.” ’- Steven Pinker
“For hundreds of years Jesus was portrayed as a blond-haired man with pale skin. This was profoundly unhelpful in the way Christians learned to relate to those of other races. Jesus’ dark skin and Middle Eastern birthright are part of his glory.” ’- Unknown
“Racism is a refuge for the ignorant. It seeks to divide and to destroy. It is the enemy of freedom, and deserves to be met head-on and stamped out.” ’- Pierre Berton
“Ignorance and prejudice are the handmaidens of propaganda. Our mission, therefore, is to confront ignorance with knowledge, bigotry with tolerance, and isolation with the outstretched hand of generosity. Racism can, will, and must be defeated.” ’- Kofi Annan
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” ’- Martin Luther King
“As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash.” ’- Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
“God cares about people regardless of their ethnicity, nationality, and social status (Deuteronomy 10:17-19).” ’- Unknown
From a biblical perspective, there is one biological race. This is confirmed by scientific studies on the human genome. Biblically and scientifically there is no defense of racism.” ’-Unknown
The problem is that white people see racism as conscious hate, when racism is bigger than that. Racism is a complex system of social and political levers and pulleys set up generations ago to continue working on the behalf of whites at other people’s expense, whether whites know/like it or not. Racism is an insidious cultural disease. It is so insidious that it doesn’t care if you are a white person who likes black people; it’s still going to find a way to infect how you deal with people who don’t look like you. Yes, racism looks like hate, but hate is just one manifestation. Privilege is another. Access is another. Ignorance is another. Apathy is another. And so on. So while I agree with people who say no one is born racist, it remains a powerful system that we’re immediately born into. It’s like being born into air: you take it in as soon as you breathe. It’s not a cold that you can get over. There is no anti-racist certification class. It’s a set of socioeconomic traps and cultural values that are fired up every time we interact with the world. It is a thing you have to keep scooping out of the boat of your life to keep from drowning in it. I know it’s hard work, but it’s the price you pay for owning everything.” ’- Scott Woods
“God calls Christians to oppose racism or prejudice of any kind.” ’- Unknown
“God cares how we treat each other because we’re all created in His image (Genesis 1:27). He makes no distinction between the inherent value of one race or ethnicity over another.” ’- Unknown
“Race doesn’t really exist for you because it has never been a barrier. Black folks don’t have that choice.” ’- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah

In The Sin of White Supremacy: Christianity, Racism and Religious Diversity in America (Orbis, 2017), Jeannine Hill Fletcher, Ph.D., professor of theology, examines theology’s culpability in perpetuating ideas that elevate both Christianity and whiteness over all else.

The beauty of the gospel is that the God who is one and yet three—unity and diversity—has created a kingdom where both unity and diversity is celebrated as various people worship a common Savior who bought them with his blood and united them with his body.

December 18, 2017January 15, 2024

What Does ‘True Beauty’ Mean to You?

What Does â€˜True Beautyâ€™ Mean to You?

We live in a society that places a high degree of importance on physical appearance. Beauty is commonly defined as a combination of qualities, such as shape, skin color, or form that pleases the aesthetic senses.

True beauty has also commonly been tied to good works. However, people have done good works that were later found to be wicked. Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Mao Tse Tung come to mind.

Probably the most famous quote about beauty comes from Margaret Wolfe Hungerford in her book Molly Bawn, in 1878, where she wrote;

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

It’s never been truer! Especially when the fashion and entertainment industry try to shove their idea of beauty down our throats. That quote deters from looking at a physical appearance for God looks at the heart of all people and things. Use these 30 hand-picked quotes to find the real beauty in yourself, others, and what surrounds us.

“Beauty is a heart motivated by a love of God and a love of our neighbor.” – Unknown
“We become truly beautiful by becoming like Christ.” – Unknown
“What it means to be beautiful is when I found my most authentic self, that’s when I truly knew I was beautiful.” – Brely Evans
“Accepting me, my good, my bad, my indifference, my flores, but loving me in spite of me, that’s beautiful.” – Wendy Raquel Robinson
“It looks like actions and behaviors of Jesus Christ that are demonstrated by believers who are diligently seeking to become like Christ.” – Dr. Michael Williams
“Can be summed up in one word, family.” – Malis Family
“Having fun and expressing myself.” – Journey
“Beautiful means to be confident, secure, and aware.” – Robin Reed
“Someone who has gone through a lot in life and they may fall down a bunch of times, but they are determined in there heart to get up, to never ever, ever give up, that to me is beautiful.” – Sophia Luke
“It was when I was happiest that I longed most. The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing to find the place where all the beauty came from.” – C.S. Lewis
“Outward beauty gets the attention, Personality gets the heart.” – Tehreem
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” – Elisabeth Kubler Ross
“True beauty is commonly regarded as beauty on the inside.” – Unknown
My eyes saw your unformed substance (Psalm 139:16).” – The Bible
“Inner beauty is inside each of us. We are all beautiful in God’s eyes as we are created in the image of God.” – Unknown
“Sensual pleasures are like soap-bubbles, sparkling, evanescent. The pleasures of intellect are calm, beautiful, sublime, ever enduring and climbing upward to the borders of the unseen world.” – James H. Aughey
“Beauty is not who you are on the outside, it is the wisdom and time you gave away to save another struggling soul like you.” ’- Shannon L. Alder
“Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Prayer beautifies you” ’- TemitOpe Ibrahim
“God crowned you with glory and honor as the pinnacle and final act of the six days of creation.” – Unknown
“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others.” – Unknown
“I am the Creator and you are my creation. I breathed into your nostrils the breath of life (Genesis 2:7).”- The Bible
“I knit you together in your mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13) – The Bible
“Beauty is about being comfortable in your own skin. It’s about knowing and accepting who you are.” – Ellen DeGeneres
“There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.” ’- Mandy Hale
“Please girl don’t act beautiful, be beautiful.” – Unknown
“You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14) – The Bible
“True beauty is measured by the number of pearls within you, not those around your neck.” – Suzy Kassem
“A true beauty radiates from the most beautiful feature in the world – the heart.” – Unknown
“Look to Jesus. Keep your eyes on him. He is the author and perfecter of your faith.” – Unknown
“Unless you break free from the shackles of beauty as dictated by the media and society, true beauty will be elusive.” – Khang Kijarro Nguyen

December 17, 2017July 1, 2020

Jesus Christ as a Project Leader

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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